Intermezzotag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-12958022009-12-19T13:42:47+00:00opera and concerts in london and beyondTypePadLSO 2010/11 season revealedtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef01287669c792970c2009-12-19T13:42:47+00:002009-12-19T13:46:26+00:00My first reaction to the London Symphony Orchestra's 2010/11 Barbican schedule is disappointment that it includes not one opera (unless you count Candide with Kristjan Järvi in June 2011). The LSO's operas in concert have been a real highlight of...inter mezzoNetrebko and Villazon in Xmas day TV Bohemetag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef0120a7651aa7970b2009-12-19T00:59:43+00:002009-12-19T01:10:13+00:00Get your hankies ready. Robert Dornhelm's exquisite film of La Bohème, starring Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón, is to be shown on BBC2 on Xmas day at 4.10pm. Though shot in a studio, with the soundtrack's Marcello and Schaunard substituted...inter mezzothe magic baton of Mr Jansonstag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef0120a747e4a4970b2009-12-18T16:32:14+00:002009-12-18T16:32:15+00:00Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam /Jansons - Barbican, 12 and 13 December 2009 Last weekend's flying Concertgebouw visit packed in two concerts in less than 24 hours. The better of the pair was Sunday afternoon's Mahler 2. Mariss Jansons had...inter mezzoIngrid Fliter returns to Wigmore Halltag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef0128765a55a6970c2009-12-17T15:25:28+00:002009-12-17T15:26:41+00:00Ingrid Fliter - Wigmore Hall, 16 December 2009 photo: Dan Porges Drama seems to pursue Ingrid Fliter, especially when she visits Wigmore Hall. Last time, she suddenly paused mid-recital when a key became stuck. A replacement piano had to be...inter mezzoOtello on ur tellytag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef0128765ef7e9970c2009-12-17T11:32:30+00:002009-12-17T11:32:31+00:00How do you get from this to this? Good news for those of us who haven't experienced Birmingham Opera Company's unique audience-participation Othello, currently playing in a disused city centre warehouse to rave reviews. A documentary to be shown on...inter mezzoBerlin Philharmonic want your money and they want it nowtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef0120a73d1b3d970b2009-12-10T13:00:29+00:002009-12-10T13:00:29+00:00Thought about what you're doing in 15 months time yet? Tickets for the Berlin Philharmonic's February 2011 London visit went on sale today. The Berliner's four-night residency takes in both the Barbican and Southbank, and members of either can buy...inter mezzoMrs Prada kicks fatties out of Mettag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef0128763942b2970c2009-12-09T16:48:14+00:002009-12-09T16:49:18+00:00According to Peter Davis in Paper, Miuccia Prada took one look at the supersized supernumeraries she was due to dress for the new Met Attila and groaned: "I cannot clothe them! I need models!" The kiss-a$$ Met has duly ordered...inter mezzohow much is the Berlin Philharmonic?tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef01287638a87c970c2009-12-09T14:22:30+00:002009-12-09T14:22:30+00:00About £120,000 according to Kenneth Walton in today's Scotsman. A mere common or garden "top-notch" orchestra on the other hand can be yours for £70,000. (The rest of the article is a thought-provoking look at the provision of classical music...inter mezzoRoyal Opera House gets educational on yo a$$tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef0120a72d5f1c970b2009-12-08T14:00:19+00:002009-12-08T14:00:19+00:00image: Banksy The Royal Opera House today ventures a further toe into digital waters with the launch of its own iTunes U site on www.roh.org.uk/itunes. This holds "almost 300 items of free multi-media content on opera, music, ballet and dance"...inter mezzopushing up with Nathan Gunntag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef0128762fd316970c2009-12-08T11:31:37+00:002009-12-08T12:04:25+00:00What's the secret behind the most famous chest in opera? Nathan Gunn, who "works out only in a pair of athletic shorts because he sweats "like crazy"" reveals his workout routine to a panting Wall Street Journal. His favourite way...inter mezzoHunkenCarmentag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef0128762b01d1970c2009-12-08T01:03:29+00:002009-12-08T15:55:14+00:00There was wall-to-wall applause after tonight's Carmen premiere at La Scala - except for director Emma Dante, whose appearance provoked an eruption of loud boos. From my seat in the Covent Garden Odeon it was hard to understand why. Perhaps...inter mezzoRolando Villazon is back! First post-op date announced (PLUS new London date)tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef012876234964970c2009-12-07T13:30:15+00:002009-12-07T14:17:17+00:00Rolando Villazón is making a comeback earlier than expected. He will make a one-off appearance at Vienna's State Opera in L'elisir d'amore on March 22. This will be Rolando's first stage appearance after his recent vocal cord operation. It follows...inter mezzoBerlin orchestras merge - will opera houses follow?tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef0120a719ff7e970b2009-12-06T01:46:55+00:002009-12-06T01:50:00+00:00It was announced yesterday that two of Berlin's four orchestras - the German Symphony Orchestra Berlin (DSO) and Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra Berlin (RSB) - are to merge under the leadership of the current RSB head Marek Janowski. The proposal is...inter mezzoa faded rosetag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef01287615f8b6970c2009-12-06T00:20:46+00:002009-12-06T00:20:47+00:00A bulging diary forces me to skip Covent Garden's nth revival of Der Rosenkavalier later this month, but I did find time for Friday's general rehearsal. What a disappointment. The tired old tinselled macaroon production is the least of the...inter mezzoOtello stile inglesetag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef0120a7050540970b2009-12-05T16:58:54+00:002009-12-05T16:58:54+00:00Otello - LSO / Davis - Barbican, 3 December 2009 You sneeze, you lose. With Torsten Kerl off sick, the pages of lastminutetenor.com yielded Simon O'Neill. Not the most obvious choice of Otello, even for a concert performance like this...inter mezzoair kiss FAILtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef0120a70cb174970b2009-12-04T13:34:29+00:002009-12-04T13:34:29+00:00Anne Schwanewilms (Desdemona) and Eufemia Tufano (Emilia) fail to lock face after last night's superb Otello at the Barbican (of which more later): but at least they're talking:inter mezzohe shoots, he scorestag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef0120a70c3756970b2009-12-04T11:29:04+00:002009-12-04T11:29:04+00:00From a book review by Roddy Forsyth in today's Daily Telegraph: "Football club PR departments are used to requests for tickets from players, but Celtic’s was taken by surprise when Paolo Di Canio requested two for Scottish Opera’s production of...inter mezzofuture of Salzburg Easter Festival in doubttag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef012876022088970c2009-12-02T23:18:38+00:002009-12-02T23:23:30+00:00The rumours have been flying around for weeks. Now the impeccably well-informed music critic of Die Welt Manuel Brug confirms that whatever official denials may be issued, the Berlin Philharmonic are pulling out of the Salzburg Easter Festival from 2012....inter mezzoWhat's on in London in Decembertag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef012875db9f5b970c2009-12-01T15:17:45+00:002009-12-01T15:26:15+00:00The Royal Opera House will be hoping for a Xmas tingle in the cash registers as they dust off a selection of tried and tested offerings for the festive season. First up are the faded charms of Der Rosenkavalier, tinselled...inter mezzoUnto ENO a turkey is born and its name is Messiahtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834ff890853ef012875e3b1cc970c2009-11-30T15:43:55+00:002009-11-30T15:46:04+00:00Messiah - English National Opera, 27 November 2009 There are more Messiahs than brussels sprouts around at this time of year, so quite why ENO felt the need to offer us yet another one is beyond me. For a company...inter mezzo