Sing to your heart's content

Clearly a Comedy

2011-10-26T11:54:00.000-04:00

It is about time I update this lonely blog, but it took quite the opera performance to inspire me to do so.

Don Giovanni...There are few operas that can even come close to it musically, in my mind.

This production had its mediocre reviews and was panned by the NY Post, but I wholeheartedly disagree.

I liked the production, quite simple as far as the set (not including the actual flames at the end...never seen that before). Simple aside, I enjoyed the many moving balconies, people popping in and out of doors etc. Nothing elaborate, but quite effective.

Now on to the music...

The cast of Don Giovanni on the night of October 22, 2011 was, in a word, phenomenal. Peter Mattei with his casual swagger was the ideal Don Giovanni. Barbara Frittoli dipped and soared through Donna Elvira's vocal line, appropriately affected, somewhat mournful, and sporadically enraged. Luca Pisaroni provided the necessary comic relief that every Leporello should. But the most pleasant surprise was Marina Rebeka as Donna Anna. She brought emotion, power, depth and beauty, Met debut nerves aside. If I'm going to scrutinize a singer in Giovanni, it will always be Donna Anna before anyone else. However, there can be no flak for Marina Rebeka.

I must admit I sat enthralled, anticipating every part, but, of course, there are moments that stand out as the high points of the evening. To begin, Leporello's Madamina, il catalogo è questo : Pisaroni was witty and charming but also rough and sarcastic. That is the "beauty" of the piece, one must do it all while also hitting every phrase at warp speed.

Or sai chi l'onore...perhaps my favorite part of the evening. This is where I knew Marina Rebeka owned the role of Donna Anna and as far as I'm concerned she can keep it. She included everything the aria needs to make it the powerhouse piece that it has the potential to be...all the vocal swells, the contrasts in color etc.

Mozart is known for his ensemble pieces and the Act I finale (particularly the ending septet) never ceases to amaze. This was no exception. Bravi to the entire cast for this one.

Frittoli had her moment with Mi tradì quell'alma ingrata. This aria is so perfect for showing the divided nature of Elvira. The singer has to be able to make all the vocal leaps and still keep a solid, strong sound or it just sounds sloppy. I would say Frittoli tapped into Mozart's craziness (which you have to do) but she kept all of her technique at the forefront as well.

Not in order, but lest I forget a musically beautiful moment, let's discuss Giovanni's serenade Deh vieni alla finestra. Breathtakingly beautiful. Who wouldn't want to be serenaded with that...end of discussion.

The Finale is always good for a final rush of joy. If one can be joyous after seeing Giovanni lowered into "hell" while surrounded by real flames (as in we could feel the heat in the Grand Tier).

Ah well "Such is the end of the evildoer: the death of a sinner always reflects his life."

My recommendation. See it now.

Hercules or BRAVA JOYCE

2011-03-24T16:03:00.002-04:00

Photography: Eric Mahoudeau

I'm back at the DVD reviews, well really more like reflections.

I finally had the opportunity to watch Joyce DiDonato in action in Hercules and am so glad I dedicated those 3 hours. It was well worth it as it contained the most amazing scene I have seen her do, to date.

There hasn't been much opportunity to see Joyce in such a serious, dark role; I'd say she pulls it off just fine. (what an understatement!)

There is so much emotion wrapped up in every note, it often takes my breath away.

Joyce comes out with a bang with "The world when days career is run" evoking desperation and misery at the fear that her husband, Hercules, is dead. Soon after, she follows that with "There in myrtle shades reclined," which shows genuine bliss when discovering that he lives. The beauty of this piece is that every repetition of the phrase "eternity of bliss and love" is done with a slightly different emotion.

I'm not a huge fan of Toby Spence (Hyllus); he lacks the depth and emotion required of all the characters in this opera...but back to Joyce, haha

"Begone my fears fly hence away" is such a contrast to the preceding music. Joyce convincingly switches from utter desperation to delirious happiness. The joy contained in the piece bring about chills every time...it is not just happiness, it is joy. Let me not forget the vocal pyrotechnics and tried and true technique.

The beauty of Joyce is that there is never a line sung which does not contain the emotion and acting to uphold it's meaning. Thus makes Dejanira a perfect character for her. She runs the gamut of emotion, often turning in a second to an entirely new feeling or often showing contrary emotions in the same aria. She is overjoyed at the arrival of Hercules, yet simultaneously yearning for his attention in quite a distraught manner. Happiness, fear, and suspicion in a period of 5 minutes.

Act II
Thus begins the madness. It is amazing to watch this develop, as suspicion turns to jealousy and eventually madness and despair. The brooding, the eery, devilish smiles as she inspects Iole (Ingela Bohlin) during "When beauty sorrows livery wears"... must be the beginning of the end.

At this point I could elaborate on my dislike of Ingela Bohlin, but I will refrain, except to say that the technique is there, but the emotion, involvement, interest and power is lacking. I'll just say, even Joyce looks a bit board (and very crazy).

The genius of Handel is proved once again in how he uses the chorus throughout the opera as the crowd, but also the voices in Dejanira's head. It is hard to tell, in this production, if they are real or just in her subconscious.

In my opinion, Handel leads the pack in including amazing, furious vocal passages while also leaving room for those agonizingly beautiful, andante passages that melt one's heart. "Cease ruler of the day to rise" is one of those pieces. Compared to many of the arias, it has a soft, high, desperate quality, which Joyce manages to pull off while lying down the entire time...I'm impressed.

Act III
As to not completely ignore the other characters, "Let not fame the tidings spread" is Toby Spence's shining moment, Technically great, emotionally adequate. Nailing the first notes goes far to draw in the listener and that he did. He still does not look or sound like his father just died, but he rallies at the end. I have to give him a lot of credit for the beauty of the voice in the aria.

Now for the creme de la creme..."Where shall I fly.". This must be one of my favorite opera scenes in a long time. Upon first viewing, one can do nothing but stare in amazement. To my great surprise, it is just as effective, when one just listens. There is so much emotion in the voice that seeing Joyce only adds, but isn't necessary. She is absolutely insane and I love it. I love it because it is so easy to play a mad scene over the top and unbelievable; this one has just enough. She sneaks in, cloaked in black and utters a heartfelt cry...where shall I fly? From that point on the emotion and vocal difficulty increase exponentially. She is mad, but she has total vocal control, which she never let's get away from her. I can not even begin to describe what she does vocally...high, lows, and everything in between. Crawling around like an animal, she continues to floridly cry, " no rest the guilty find." Upon viewing, look at her eyes, have you ever seen anything more realistic?

There is a happy ending for the company, excepting Dejanira and poor Hercules. The wedding of Iole and Hyllus takes place, all while Dejanira rocks back and forth on the floor. At the end, the viewer is torn. Handel concludes his opera with an uplifting choral piece, but Dejanira's life is finished. Interesting, none of the other characters seem to care. The question is, for whom does the audience care? My money is on Dejanira.

Bravo Handel and BRAVA Joyce.

A new favorite has been discovered.

Joyce DiDonato in Recital

2011-03-05T18:30:00.000-05:00

Joyce DiDonato, Mezzo-Soprano
David Zobel, piano
Pereelman Theater, Kimmel Center
Philadelphia, PA
Monday, February 26, 2011 8:00 PM

PROGRAM
Haydn: Scena di Berenice
Rossini: L'invito (Bolero)
Rossini: La Partenza (Canzonetta)
Rossini: "Le Dodo des enfants"
Rossini: "La Chanson de Zora"
Chaminade: "Viens, mon bien-aimé"
Chaminade: "Sur la plage"
Chaminade: "Villanelle"
Chaminade: "Rêve d'un soir"
Chaminade: "L'été"
Rossini: "Assisa appiè d'un salice" (Otello)
Hahn: "Sopra l'acque indormenzada"
Hahn: "La Barcheta"
Hahn: "L'avertimento"
Hahn: "Che peca"
Hahn: "La primavera"
Buzzi Peccia: "Lolita, Serenata Spagnola
Leoncavallo: "Serenata Francese
Di Chiara: "La Spagnola"

Just at a glance this program has a wow factor...just look at the start. Joyce acknowledged that had she been a vocal performance major instead of a music ed major in undergrad, she may have failed classes such as recital planning for such a stunt as this -beginning with Scena di Berenice.

What a piece! It has everything that a singer could desire...and Joyce takes full advantage of every bit. By the end I was floored. Of course sitting 5 rows back in a gorgeous hall, able to see every breath and facial expression is certainly helpful.

Joyce excels in Rossini; these songs were no exception.
I particularly enjoyed L'invito (so Italian!) and Chanson de Zora.
Each of these required a different character, which was no problem for Joyce; she was able to switch in the blink of eye, from a seductress to a young girl to a man and back again.

I thoroughly enjoyed the interjections between each set. Everything was thoroughly and wittily explained. She introduced the Chaminade songs as something she had never heard anyone sing before although popular at the time they were written. It seems that Chaminade was the talk of the town until her charms wore off and listeners thought she was a bit too French. (Joyce interjected here that sometimes people/things are too French...wink at David Zobel..."it happens.")

After intermission, Joyce continued with a beautiful rendition of Rossini's Assisa appie d'un salice from Otello. I had never heard this live only Verdi's version numerous times. For as much as I love Verdi's, this was also truely gorgeous. Joyce whole-heartedly brought the deep sorrow required to this piece.

Next up...the fun section for the evening, Hahn's songs from Venice. Joyce told how Hahn debuted these by accompanying himself on a piano he had placed in a gondolo...all very romantic. These ranged from gorgeously romantic, as only Italian music can be (Sopra l'acque indormenzada,) to ridiculously funny (Che peca). She once again switched characters on a dime, as required. L'avertimento and Che peca were definite favorites. Che peca was indeed Joyce's tribute to Jersey, as she named it-portrayed as quite a surly man.

The perfect end to a perfectly programmed recital...3 serenades.

Encore...PLEASE!

And now for the Pièce de résistance-Tanti Affetti. Talk about a showpiece. This aria is Rossini at his best...throw in Joyce at her best and you've got yourself a rapturous several minutes. The coloratura was breathtaking and every moment both fiery and joyous.

The recital ended with Over the Rainbow. Keep in mind that I am ususlly quite skeptical of a classical/opera singer attempting this song. It can so easily go over the top. However, my fear was in vain on this occassion. Joyce kept it simple, beautiful and heart rendering.
Brava!!

Renee Fleming and Paul Simon?

2011-02-02T15:34:00.000-05:00

That's right Renée Fleming and Paul Simon came together with the Philadelphia Orchestra to celebrate in the 154th Anniversary Concert.

Saturday, January 29, 2011
Academy of Music
Philadelphia, PA

Talk about a night out on the town. Everyone looked quite dapper-women in ball gowns, and men in white ties and tails (How often do you see men in tails anymore?)

The Academy of Music set the scene for a music-filled evening, as the enormous chandelier rose and the audience applauded with eager anticipation.

The program for the first half of the concert was as follows:

The Star-Spangled Banner
Festive Overture, Op. 96, Shostakovich
"Vissi d'arte" from Tosca, Puccini
"Musetta svaria sulla bocca viva" from La Boheme, Leoncavallo
"Mimi Pinson, la biondinetta" from La Boheme, Leoncavallo
"O mio babbino caro" from Gianni Schicchi, Puccini
Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana, Mascagni
"I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story, Bernstein
"The Death of Tybalt" from Romeo and Juliet, Prokofiev

Jonathon Nott was the guest conductor for this portion of the concert. He was certainly a joy to watch, full of energy and charisma.

The Shostakovich, in the same vein as Nott, was full of energy and emotion...a great way to start off a fun evening.

Enter the diva, in a beautiful red dress and two tone gray wrap (wish I could find a picture, but alas, no).

"Vissi d'arte" is always beautiful. I found myself instantly melting into the music, savoring each note. I've heard it a thousand times, but it's never better than when you are hearing it live. Every time it gets better.

When parusing the program, I was happy to see that she was going to sing some lesser known arias.
Upon finding my seat I heard several whispers to the effect of "ooh Tosca and Boheme are such great operas...) I wanted to respond happily, "it's not the Boheme you think", but I bit my tongue and continued to look forward to hearing these little gems.

Before continuing on with the program, Renée spoke of the wonderful history of the Academy of Music and the honor it was to sing there. Then with a brief introduction of "Has anyone heard of La Boheme...I thought there might be a few," she proceeded to explain how Leoncavallo missed his chance by passing on the story to Puccini and later deciding to write his version. Shame on you Leoncavallo.

The "bookend" arias as Renée calls them are fun and playful, showing two sides of the story (both Mimi and Musetta, speaking of the other and how she flirts). They gave Renée a chance to let loose a bit and toss off some high, light notes.
"Mimi Pinson, la biondinetta" is a favorite of mine because of how engaging it is. The singer is almost telling the audience a story. One feels like they can relate and start a conversation with the singer."

"O mio babbino caro"...well it's a standard, but it is beautiful. Apparently, according to Renée's intro, she thinks it will be put into a time capsule, found by aliens, and proclaims beautiful. In other words it's timeless.

This was the second time I heard "I Feel Pretty" from Renée in the last several weeks. It was much more subdued than at Carnegie, although she did toss off quite a money note at the end. It's a fun little piece and suited the occasion, although the words do seem to vex Renée at times. I'm sure I would mess up the first phrase too, were I to be singing for Philadelphia's elite at the end of my evening. The thing is, it is such a fun song that no one seemed to care. I can't say I cared much either, but I did get a little chuckle out of it. She is a true performer in that it never phases her...she just keeps going.

I am quite a fan of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet so hearing, "The Death of Tybalt" excerpt was quite a bit of fun. The excerpt was a great way for the Orchestra to wrap up their classical part of the evening and go out with a bang.

What's a concert without an encore, even if the evening was only half over.
Renée returned to introduce and sing Cohen's Hallelujah from Dark Hope. Great programming in that it provided the perfect transition to Paul Simon's portion of the evening. Her lower register was so rich Saturday. She did 3 versus; the tempo was quite a bit faster than how she normally does it, but surprisingly, I really enjoyed it at this tempo.

I was very tempted to leave at this point because it had been a long day and there was some ice outside, but I thought "wait...Paul Simon will be fun and would Renée really pass up a chance to sing a duet with a legend...I think not.) Glad I rethought leaving. Besides the fact that Simon was quite fun to hear, Renée did indeed make her return in a beautiful green dress with the same gray wrap. Simon and Fleming sang Sound of Silence together...what a treat. I only wish I could hear it again. Perhaps a best of Paul Simon recording with Renée as a guest? hmm

Another divine evening with the diva and friends.

Renee Fleming, Carnegie Hall and lots of snow

2011-01-27T14:27:00.013-05:00

Since I have been assured that there are readers out there, I will do my best to give them something to read.

January 11, 2011

Well the weather looked like it was going to get quite bad and I was certainly not feeling at my best, but miss Renée Fleming in recital at Carnegie hall, NEVER! We took the train up and arrived at the hall unscathed with the snow not having started yet. It is always fun to meet up with fellow friends and fans from around the world and that we did.

Braving the storm was certainly worth it. This being my second time seeing Renée in recital, I was quite excited. Her programming did not disappoint; it was an intellectual and emotional experience.

The music was not only immensely enjoyable, but it inspired me to try to see and hear more varied repertoire. I encourage anyone reading this to do the same. You'll always enjoy the style, era, genre, etc that you like the most, but why not expand your horizons. Listen to something that you would never usually seek out on your own. Purposefully expose yourself to a genre of music that you presuppose you will not enjoy. Listen to something with text that makes you really ponder its meaning. Just go out and absorb as much as you can. I will now get off my soapbox.

The program was as follows:

Renée Fleming, Soprano
Hartmut Höll, Piano

SCHOENBERG	"Jane Grey," Op. 12, No. 1
ZEMLINSKY	Fünf Lieder ·· Vorspiel ·· Ansturm ·· Letzte Bitte ·· Stromüber ·· Auf See
KORNGOLD	"Sterbelied," Op. 14, No. 1
KORNGOLD	"Das Heldengrab am Pruth," Op. 9, No. 5
KORNGOLD	"Was du mir bist," Op. 22, No. 1
BRAD MEHLDAU	Songs from The Book of Hours: Love Poems to God ·· I love you, gentlest of Ways ·· No one lives his life ·· His caring is a nightmare to us ·· Extinguish my eyes, I'll go on seeing you
R. STRAUSS	"Winterweihe," Op. 48, No. 4
R. STRAUSS	"Winterliebe," Op. 48, No. 5
R. STRAUSS	"Traum durch die Dämmerung," Op. 29, No. 1
R. STRAUSS	"Gesang der Apollopriesterin," Op. 33, No. 2
Encores:
R. STRAUSS	"Zueignung," Op. 10, No. 1
KORNGOLD	"Glück, das mir verblieb" from Die tote Stadt, Op. 12
BERNSTEIN	"I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story
R. STRAUSS	"Morgen," Op. 27, No. 4

I think anyone in the audience could attest to the fact that Renée loves to challenge herself and seemed to truly enjoy this unfamiliar repertoire. All in attendance seemed quite engaged in both the vocal line and the unusual texts.

The Schoenberg was an interesting way to begin; certainly not a warm up piece as it is quite dramatic musically and textually, particularly the second verse.

I enjoyed how this program flowed from one piece to the other. It was easy to adjust one's ear from Schoenberg to the Zemlinsky. I found this song cycle fascinating to hear. "Letzte Bitte" was a favorite as well as the end of "Auf See" which seems to leave the listener yearning for more.

The first half was finished out with Renée's breathtaking interpretation of Korngold. These pieces fit her voice so well and give her the chance to soar. These were much more melodic than Schoenberg and Zemlinsky, I would not say better, but more of an aural break, requiring much less engagement in order to enjoy (I guess sometimes this is good and sometimes bad).

"Sterbelied" was beautiful and baffling how a piece about death could be so uplifting is beyond me.
"Was du mir bist" got better with every repetition of the phrase, gaining momentum and beauty.

It seemed appropriate to introduce the second half with "on to the main event."

Upon first hearing Brad Mehldau's compositions several years ago, I was not a fan. I put the Love Sublime CD away after one listen, never to come out of hiding again until after this recital (never do that...this music needs a chance to breath, grow, and be understood).

After listening to four of the parts to his cycle "Love Poems to God," I am truly impressed and fascinated. It deserves and will receive many more listens before I can begin to grasp all the vocal nuances and interesting text. It is easy to tell that it was written for Renée. With Mehldau's and Renée's jazz influences they are the perfect pair. More collaboration please.

There is no better way for Renée to bring a recital to a close than with exquisite singing of some amazing Strauss. I could expound on the beauty of these much more, but it will suffice to say that each piece grew from the next, making what seemed like one long beautiful vocal line. That being said, each piece had it's own unique vocal interpretation that perfectly fit the text.

Encores:

Being a big fan of "Zueignung", this was great start to bid an audience farewell, even if we didn't want to leave.

Next...cheers from the audience for "Marietta's lied." This piece never gets old; what beautiful lines.

A little fun for all with "I Feel Pretty." Some may say over the top, but I think everyone including Renée enjoyed themselves.

Finally to send us all home with shivers down our spines, "Morgen." No one sings it better.

It was time to brave the cold and exit Carnegie Hall to the start of quite a furious storm.

It seems that all made it home safely.

What a perfect evening.

New year...new challenges

2010-12-27T12:32:00.003-05:00

Well we are coming up on a new year. I hope that it will be performance filled between NYC and Philadelphia. I'm sure it will present many new experiences and challenges no matter what.

If there are any readers out there, I will try my hardest to be better about posting as life gets into a routine and I have a little more time away from the hustle and bustle.

Maybe I'll even try my hand at my previous epic failure...my opera watching/reviewing challenge. Time will tell.

NSO Opening Night

2010-09-28T16:56:00.003-04:00

Saturday was the opening night concert for the NSO at the Kennedy Center. It was also the opening concert for Christoph Eschenbach as the new music director of the NSO. After seeing and hearing this concert, I have no doubts that Eschenbach will do the NSO a world of good.

Renee Fleming and Lang Lang were the stars of the evening, paying homage to Eschenbach for helping to jump start their careers. Both made the night quite a special one.

My primary reason for attending was to hear Renee sing Strauss's Four Last Songs live for the first time. I was never a huge Strauss fan, but let me tell you, the more you listen, the more you want to (I'm a huge fan now). His orchestrations are breathtakingingly beautiful and no one sings his vocal lines better than Renee. No dissapointment here. Beim Schlafengehen is almost haunting when Renee sings it and Im Abendrot, well I can hardly describe it, except bringing about this peace and contentment. The listener can really tell how comfortable and at home she is with these pieces; when a piece becomes part of you it is a special thing. Beautiful! Brava Renee!

The NSO got to play some rousing Johann Strauss pieces that got Eschenbach up and jumping.
I have to say, he is quite an interesting conductor to watch; his conducting has such an emotive quality. While Renee was singing he was practically leaning over her, almost as if he was pulling the music out of her...very intriguing to view. He has the ability to draw you in to the most sensitive moments and a moment later suprise you with the bombastic, energetic quality of a piece.

Lang Lang was the most enjoyable pianist I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. He played Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, which was most enjoyable. His fingers fly across the keys, his head bouces and sways, he conducts along, when he is not using both hands. He is in a word, amazing.

It was exciting and surprising to get to see Escenbach and Lang Lang play Debussy's Petite Suite together. They moved together and felt the music together. Totally unexpected and totally enjoyable.

Rounding out a most excellent evening, Renee sang Morgen, ever so beautifully, accompanied by Escenbach on the piano. It was a truely touching moment.

Backstage with the whole crew is always fun. Renee chatted a bit, we all clapped for Lang Lang and shook Eschenbach's hand.

Most memorable indeed!

#3 La Cenerentola

2010-09-09T22:57:00.004-04:00

Rossini

La Cenerentola

Metropolitan Opera 2009 HD

Elina Garanca, Lawrence Brownlee, John Relyea, Alessandro Corbelli, Simon Alberghini, Patricia Risley, Rachelle Durkin

I was in the audience when they filmed this one, but I enjoyed it almost as much the second time around.

Let's face it, I'm hooked on Rossini (along with Mozart, Handel, Massenet and many more, but right now it's been a Rossini couple of weeks). His music is so much fun and can never be mistaken for anyone elses.

This is a charming little production, nothing elaborate or overwhelming, but cute and fairy tale like. Rooms are filled with oversized furniture, adding to the charicature like feel of the production. The costumes are classic Cinderella as we all imagine the disneyified version to be.

The opera begins with a hauntingly beautiful melody sung by Garanca (Una volta c'era un re). Garance shows off her legato lines. In true, fun Rossini form, this serious tone does not last long. Enter the stepsisters played by Durkin and Risley with wicked flair. They are fun, fun and not to mention funny.

Brownlee is charming in the role of the prince. He fits the charmer part much more now than he did then, but his voice could charm me anyday...clear as a bell.

The Act I finale was once again, classic Rossini and oh so much fun.

Corbelli fit the role of Don Magnifico quite well. He successfully made it through the difficult, light speed tongue twisters of Sia qualunque delle figlie. All I could think afterwards was that he must have been so tired. Of course, I often wonder if Rossini singers are actually pronouncing real words by the end of the aria or simply stringing together any vowel that sounds right.

Brownlee got to strut his stuff in Atto II and really shine. He completed a very strong Si ritrovarla io giuro along with a sweet (in the beginning) and full bodied (in the end) Pegno adorato e caro. After seeing quite a few Rossini productions, I think the key for the Rossini tenor is to have a strong, vibrant, flexible voice, but at the same time be able to bring the sweetness, softness and emotion to these legato parts. Y0u can have all the power in the world, but nothing beats the beauty of a perfectly placed pianissimo.

We return to the haunting Una volta melody from the beginning. As much as I like Garanca, having just purchased Joyce DiDonato's version, I cannot wait to hear her in these parts. She brings such depth to what are often seen as simple comedic roles.

Onward to the classic Rossini storm...can't have a Rossini opera without a storm scene.

Questo e un nodo avviluppato is the penultimate Rossini ensemble piece. Confusion reigns along with quick tempos and patter sections...rings me back to Barbiere everytime.

Speaking of reigning, the mezzo is queen in the end. When watching this opera, one can't help but be excited for Cenerentola's powerhouse singing at the end. By powerhouse I don't mean loud, mind you, I mean fast, slow, difficult, smooth, stecatto, with such movement, it runs the gammut. Nacqui all'affano and Non piu mesta were certainly the highlight of a fun eveing for me.

All ending on the top of a giant wedding cake.

Watch it if you want to bring a smile to your face.

#2 Endless Pleasure, Endless Love...

2010-09-04T00:24:00.005-04:00

Handel
Semele
Opernhaus Zurich January 2007
Cecilia Bartoli, Charles Workman, Birgit Remmert, Liliana Nikiteanu

I've always loved the music, but have never seen this staged before. Let's just say I'm a fan of this recorded performance.

Of course I waited for the big arias, but the chorus and recits are great too, if you like that kind of thing (which I do.)

Good performance all around. Sometimes Bartoli is hard to watch, but never the less she does amazing things with her voice and her acting was pretty good too.

Let's face it, it's a wierd story, but I will be forgiving because of the fun and beautiful music.

The showpieces were great for Bartoli. Endless pleasure, endless love was good...not quite bright enough and a little too rounded for my liking, but good just the same. The 2nd to last phrase was great.

Iris hence away had some good singing and acting.

O sleep why dost thou leave me, was beautiful and lush, as it should be (on top of that, all sung while laying down...pretty good show)

The duets in this performance take me back to the beauty of those in Rodelinda when I saw it...two high, clear voices soaring together in this beautiful baroque music...breathtaking.

Of course, the highlight was Myself I shall adore. What a showpiece this is and Bartoli hit it dead on.

All in all it leaves me with one question...Cecilia, how do you move your voice that quickly?

#1-Il Barbiere di Siviglia

2010-08-24T00:22:00.005-04:00

Opera #1 on the list to watch...check.

Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Royal Opera House, 2009
Joyce DiDonato, Juan Diego Florez, Pietro Spagnoli

What a dream team as always.

This infamnous performance (because of the DiDonato wheelchair incident) lives up to the reviews. Makes no difference whether she is jumping around the stage or wheeling...Joyce is amazing, the ultimate Rossina. She gets better with every production and every new role (event though this role is quite familiar now). Being confined to a wheelchair did nothing but stretch her acting capabilities, to say nothing of her breath capacity and control to sing the whole role seated.

Lets not forget the lovely gentlemen who fill out this performance. Florez's voice shimmers as always with those bright, high notes and Spagnoli is a whole lot of fun throughout.

The production is bright and fun...nothing too dark here,nor should there be. It fits the story. One thing that was interesting was how they protrayed the storm scene as Rossina's rage...curious indeed.

I definitely recommend this one.

Challenge

2010-08-19T23:32:00.002-04:00

Well I'm not busy enough as it is...so I decided that my new challenge is to watch all the opera dvd's I have (and that's a lot). There are a few I've never watched, quite a few I haven't devoted a good chunk of time to really digest, and even more that I would love to see again and again. I'm smart enough not to give myself a time limit on this challenge for now, but we'll see how it goes. I'll try to keep tabs on here and you all can hold me to my promise to watch and post about all of them.

I'm off to a good start-Il Barbiere di Siviglia from ROH in 2009 with DiDonato, Florez, and Spagnoli. Stay tuned for a further report. Well gotta go...Joyce just made her entrance.

You need Management?

2010-07-28T10:23:00.002-04:00

Well do you? Just thought I'd ask. I'm interested in these things now you know. :)

Happy Birthday Bubbles!!

2010-05-25T21:16:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday to the late great Beverly Sills

Armida again?

2010-05-10T01:23:00.003-04:00

Guess what...I saw it again. Fleming and Brownlee keep getting better, in acting and singing. Renee throws in a few different notes each time and Brownlee was picture perfect once again. So glad I went!

The last act...wow!

D'amore al dolce impero

2010-05-02T23:16:00.003-04:00

I was blessed enought to see Armida again on April 16, 2010, It was nice to see a real performance after having seen the final dress rehearsal. All the lighting issues had been worked out and there was a little less tripping over the carpet.

It was good to hear everyone in full voice and blending together so nicely. Even though it was only the second performance in the run, I could already see depth being added to the acting with new nuances.

As in any live performance, there were a few quirks, like when Renee went to whip her wand out of the wonderful pockets in each dress, when she lost hold of it and accidentally threw it to the floor. One could tell she desperately wanted to pick it up, but she instead went with the flow waiting for the opportune moment to scoop it up unnoticeably. It's little mistakes like this that make live theatre so much fun to watch...you never know what is going to happen.

As before, the duets between Brownlee and Fleming were beautiful. Brownlee's high D's sparkled. He is truely an effortless singer.

Fleming was much looser and comfortable in the role of Armida. D'amore al dolce impero was fun to watch; she played with it and enjoyed it...just as it should be. Plus she sang it beautifully and effortlessly...certainly what I like to hear.

As before the ending of Act III was certainly the best part of the evening. The emotions are at their height, which brings out the best singing. Brownlee was resolved and Fleming desperate and later determined. Vendetta...Amor...certainly Vendetta in this case. On top of that, she nailed the high E.

One more performance this season, which I'm sure will be even better as the performers continue to grow into these roles.

P.S. Barry Banks is amazing.

My New Philosophy!

2010-05-02T23:09:00.002-04:00

On Friday I was pleasantly surprised by a college production of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. This show is so much fun. They did a good job casting the show; everyone looked and sounded the part. Snoopy was a definite highlight. No on beats Kristin in the role of Sally, but all in all it was a very enjoyable way to spend an evening.

Final Zefferelli

2010-04-30T23:56:00.002-04:00

Last Saturday, April 24, 2010 I saw what could be the Met's last grand Zefferelli La Traviata. It was a bitter sweet evenng; I am sad to see this production go, but excited to see what's in store next season.

Hong and Valenti were in good form and the performance was very good...nothing showstopping, but good.

Valenti is the ideal of Alfredo; he is the tallest, handsomest man on stage so one's eye is naturally drawn to him. He has a beautiful tone and style, but could use a bit more power, which I'm sure will come with time and age.

Hong did a fine job with the vocal fireworks of Act I. She didn't quite bring the emotion I'm used to in Act II, but Hampson was there to pull out a great act.

Hong seemed to really rally for Act III; Addio del passato was truly beautiful.

All in all a good way to say goodbye to such a beautiful production that I have enjoyed numerous times over the past few years.

Dark Hope

2010-04-23T22:54:00.000-04:00

This is so exciting!

Music of the Day

2010-04-22T08:17:00.001-04:00

Just because I feel like it...here is some beautiful music to start off the day. I may be partial to the pianist ;)

What a sorceress!

2010-04-12T22:54:00.007-04:00

Armida Final Dress Rehearsal
Renee Fleming, Lawrence Brownlee, Barry Banks and a few more tenors

I attended the final dress rehearsal of the Metropolitan Opera's new production of Armida on Friday and it was a good one for sure. Here are some disjointed thoughts.

Mary Zimmerman's production really captures the fantasy nature of the story along with the historical aspects of the crusades.

Act I began with palm trees descending from the ceiling and a rousing men's chorus, typical of Rossini. Renee entered on a cart being pulled by her servants and hid her face until the opportune moment when she revealed her beauty to the all male cast. When the line "Her voice strikes at my very soul" was sung, I had to agree. She was marking a bit, as were the other leads, but she sounded beautiful all the same. It was good to hear her in this style again, singing recitatives and such elaborate lines.

I'm not too farmiliar with this music, having only listened to it a few times, but I distinctly heard vocal lines from Caro mio ben...hmm sounds like he borrowed a bit.

The entire cast was outstanding. Renee sang every florid line and hit all the high notes.

Some of the costuming left me wondering a bit...what was with the guy with the scorpion on his head (I know, I know he represents vengeance).

Brownlee was certainly marking, but his lines are outstanding. I am eager to hear him full power Friday.

Amor, Possente nome was a definite highlight of Act I; Brownlee and Fleming truely complemented one another. Speaking of Brownlee, he looks wonderful with his new physique. Brownlee is such an amazingly high tenor; he is always a pleasure to hear.

As others have said, this was certainly a working rehearsal. The lights flicked on and off constantly and Frizza did stop the action once in Act I. It was interesting to see more of a work in progress than the typical dress rehearsal.

The act ended with Armida conjuring up a magic storm to aid in Rinaldo's escape. I thought the storm could have been a bit more spectacular, but I'll take the singing toward the end of the act with Fleming and Brownlee soaring above the rest of the men's chorus.

Act II began with the singing devil dancers, which were quite amusing to say the least. After they completed their little show, Armida and Rinaldo descended from the ceiling. Renee's dress was beautiful as all her costumes in this production were. This one had some sort of fringe layers on the full skirt.

Dove son io once again showed the beauty of the combination of two amazing voices such as Brownlee and Fleming's. I'll never tire of hearing D'Amore al dolce impero; what a wonderful aria...probably one of the most difficult pieces in the Rossini repertoir and Renee certainly does it justice. I look forward to hearing it again to see if she has made it more her own. There is a bit of a difference from when she did this role in 1993. The tone is a bit darker, her lower register has grown tremendously and matured, the upper register is still there with a little less of the freshness of a youthful voice, but never the less wonderful and suited to a sorceress.

I have to say I am easily amused and so it entertained me greatly to see Renee pulling her wand out of mysterious pockets in her dresses at opportune moments. The ballet was also quite amusing, particularly the demons in tutus.

The set of Act III was the typical fantasy scene...a giant spider, parrots, dragonfly and cartoon like poppies everywhere.

I've always appreciated Barry Banks, but this time he stole the scene. He is such a strong, high tenor; he demands your attention in any scene he is in. What a power house.

Renee's stood out in this scene in her hot pink dress, certainly a woman in love. The trio In quale aspetto imbelle was a highlight of the scene. Hearing three tenors together is such a rare occurance, but well worth the wait. This is the point in the performance when it get really good (as if it hadn't been good before)...Renee really let loose and evoked all the emotion called for of a woman abandoned by her love. She ran the gamut of emotion from dreamily happy, to desperately sad, to fiercy angry. I have to say that when she feels it, you can always tell. This singing reminded me of the fierceness in her portrayal of Rodelinda; she makes for one amazingly determined, tough woman. Emotions truley bring out the best in her singing.

At this point love and vengeance reappear and Armida must decide between the two. She chooses "Vendetta"! She looked quite apporpriately crazed by this point. Surrounded by devil dancers she is lifted up, twirled around and fine!

The wearing of the green

2010-03-17T10:02:00.002-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Curtain

2010-03-02T23:22:00.003-05:00

In celebration of a new Met season to come and because I felt inspired, below is a list of the operas I've had the privilege to witness in the past several years (since 2006). The grand total is 56 performances (repeats not included in the below list; only opera included) and 34 different operas. Looks like I've got lots more to see!

Manon 2006

Rodelinda 2006

Faust 2006

Madama Butterfly 2006

Il Barbiere di Siviglia 2006

Tosca 2006

The First Emperor 2006

Eugene Onegin 2007

La Traviata 2007

Met 40th Anniversary Gala 2007

Giulio Cesare 2007

Thais-ROH 2007

La Traviata-La Scala 2007

La Finta Semplice-Teatre an der Wien 2007

Lucia di Lammermoor 2007

La Traviata 2007

Le Nozze di Figaro 2007

Iphigenie en Tauride 2007

Un Ballo in Maschera 2007

Manon Lescaut 2008

Otello 2008

La Boheme 2008

La Fille du Regiment 2008

Die Entfuhrung aus Dem Serail 2008

Macbeth 2008

Eugene Onegin 2008

Met Opening Night 2008

Don Giovanni 2008

Lucrezia Borgia-WNO 2008

Thais 2008

Orfeo ed Euridice 2009

Lucia di Lammermoor 2009

Adriana Lecourveur 2009

Rusalka 2009

Met 125th Anniversary Gala 2009

La Sonnambula 2009

L'elisir d'amore 2009

La Cenerentola 2009

La Traviata-ROH 2009

Tosca 2009

Der Rosenkavalier 2009

Il Barbiere di Siviglia 2009

Les Contes d'Hoffmann 2009

La Fille du Regiment 2010

It's that time again...

2010-02-26T00:01:00.002-05:00

And the time would be?

Time to subscribe to the Met.

In store for next season:

La Boheme

Cosi fan tutte

Armida

Iphigenie en Tauride

Le Comte Ory

Rigoletto

Capriccio

Ariadne aud Naxos

Are you excited? I am!

Met 2010-2011

2010-02-24T00:03:00.004-05:00

Doesn't this picture get you all ramped up for the 2010-2011 Met season? It should prove to be an interesting one.

I'm excited for Le Comte Ory (Florez, DiDonato and Damrau-come on, how great is that!, Cosi fan tutte (Persson and de Niese), Ariadne auf Naxos (DiDonato again!), Capriccio (Fleming of course), and many more.

Ah, mes amis

2010-02-20T01:21:00.005-05:00

La Fille du Regiment
February 19, 2010

The night started out a little shaky with an announcement that Juan Diego Florez was still ill, but that he would sing. It's a good thing he did because except for one missed high C in Ah, mes amis, he was spot on.

The cast as a whole was fabulous. JDF and Diana Damrau delievered crystal clear, florid notes and perfect acting. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa was quite the comedien as the Duchess of Krakenthorp. Meredith Arwady and Maurizio Murano topped off this perfectly superb cast.

Having loved Natalie Dessay as Marie, I was somewhat skeptical of what Damrau's portrayal would be, but I was delighted with her the whole evening. Vocally, she is superior to Dessay, but besides that her acting is just as good or better for the quirky Marie. She was perfect in the whole Act I sequence with Murano, ironing clothes and singing her heart out simultaneously. Damrau has that beautiful tone, the incredibly high notes and the stamina to remain a bouncy, fun-filled girl throughout the evening.

Juan Diego Florez shone throughout. The audience rewarded him well after Ah, mes amis, even if he did skip one of the C's. He finished strong never the less. He has that ability to play a love-sick, silly boy one moment and steal your heart with Pour me rapprocher de Marie the next. That dreamy, clear quality of his voice gets me every time.

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa got quite the welcome from the audience. She did well as the comic relief in the opening of Act II; she even got to sing a little (Canción al Arbol del Olvido), which was a treat to hear. She seemed to really enjoy the role, which made it pleasure to watch.

Rounded out with Salut a la France and you've got the perfect evening. A match of this wonderful production and a fabulous cast made for a real treat.