# Our own reviews of operas we've attended



## sospiro

I think there may already be a thread for this but I've searched without success. Anyway this is my review.

Acis and Galatea; a pastoral by G F Handel
Iford Festival July/August 2013

Christian Curnyn
Early Opera Company

Acis: Benjamin Hulett
Galatea: Mary Bevan
Damon: Christopher Turner
Polyphemus: Lukas Jakobski
Director: Pia Furtado

----------------------------------

Each summer Iford Arts presents music and opera in the cloister at Iford Manor. This small Italianate cloister seats less than 100 and you're so close to the singers you almost feel part of the show. In fact towards the end, the chorus moves amongst the audience and you are part of the show.

The audience is seated in two rows on the four parts of a square behind a low wall with the performance area in the centre. The small orchestra takes up a section behind the wall.

Just a few personal thoughts. There's a good review here.

Mary Bevan was perfectly cast as Galatea. Vulnerable and waif-like but courageous in her initial defiance of Polyphemus, her lustrous soprano bringing out all of the emotions.

'Gentle Acis' was beautifully and sensitively sung by Ben Hulett. His love for Galatea was palpable but you could feel his helplessness, he knew he was doomed. This was the first time I'd heard Ben sing and I'll definitely seek him out in future. He is making his debut as Edmondo in _Manon Lescaut_ at ROH next June.

Christopher Turner's Damon was 'on stage' most of the time as a sort of master of ceremonies. In fact he appears before the audience is seated, prowling around and checking things are in order. Charismatic and his face a mask of glitter, his presence was intriguing. I loved all his three arias with my favourite being _Would you gain the tender creature,_

Was Polyphemus (Lukas Jakobski) drunk or just audacious? Hard to tell as he swaggered in and with a powerful and resonant _I rage, I melt, I burn_ intimidated the nymphs and swains and poor Acis. Only Galatea is left on stage & she stands trembling and vulnerable in the corner of the set. As Polyphemus makes his feelings and intentions clear, she endeavours to escape his lustful clutches but to no avail and he victoriously (symbolically) tears her clothes off, unwrapping her like a parcel.

His seduction of Galatea is at first brutal and he sings a spine tingling _Cease to beauty_ as he laces her tightly into a corset and forces her to the floor; his domination complete. He drags her to his lair and despite (because of?) his "insistence" she is unresponsive and virtually catatonic. Then at Damon's advice "Would you gain the tender creature …" he becomes gentle and persuasive. It was mesmerising and riveting and Mary Bevan and Lukas Jakobski produced some of the finest acting I've ever seen.

Finally and reluctantly Galatea is won over and as she and Polyphemus leave together, he gloats at Acis' despair. Suddenly Galatea changes her mind & returns to Acis' side. _The flocks shall leave the mountains,_

At the loss of his prize Polyphemus' rage is terrifying. _Torture! fury! rage! despair!_ is sung while he rampages around the small arena, tearing down ivy and hurling not only (polystyrene) bricks about but the odd nymph and swain as well. But then as he delivers the final blow and poor 'presumptuous Acis' dies, his rage seems spent.

When Galatea realises that her sweet Acis is dead, she lets out a scream and mad with grief, she rushes Polyphemus and pummels his chest until Damon intervenes. You have to feel for Polyphemus; he stands there bewildered and distraught, and just takes the punishment.

[Admin note: images and text, as well as the next post by same OP, were removed per the request of the OP]


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## guythegreg

You had a great time! Thanks.


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## katdad

This and dongio's review are both first rate and very human.

As you know, I've sung in operas and therefore have "been there, done that" and the people with whom I performed, the singers, musicians, directors, all of them are for the most part "normal everyday folks". They laugh, watch TV, have love affairs with each other occasionally, joke backstage, and don't float above the floor nor wear halos or are transcendent just because they're good singers. A few are in fact jerks. But opera singers (and others involved) also go to baseball or soccer or football games, eat pizza, speak perfectly standard phrases, are either politically involved or not, conservative or liberal, gay or straight, married or single, in fact real humans.

I've read far too many high-blown reviews where the author is yelling "Look at me! I'm an artistic writer and I can use lots of big fancy words in my reviews to show how glam the opera world is!"

This is a shame, because the snooty airs that are put on by some opera folks can easily tend to deter "regular folks" from ever attending that first opera. In fact opera has for ages been appreciated by regular folks just like Shakespeare was admired by the everyday Londoners.

Those of us who are either deep fans or are possibly involved in opera ourselves can attest that in fact opera is easily approachable to the "masses" if they'll just give it a chance. Too often however, opera review are sooooo very smarmy and so overladen with five-dollar words that the review essentially talks down to the reader --- "I was there to observe this pristine art form and I'm now shaking off my dust toward you peasants."

It's so very refreshing to read these excellent reviews, written by someone who loves opera, and who is doing a fine job telling about the opera in mostly "real" language, nothing fancy or overdone. Thanks!


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## sospiro

The rational part of my brain knows that what katdad says about singers is true.



> ... in fact real humans ...


But when that human has a voice which reaches into your soul, it's difficult to be rational. When I was at the Buxton Opera Festival I attended a lecture by Sir Roger Parker, co-author of A History of Opera: The Last Four Hundred Years, which was fascinating & entertaining. Sir Roger recalled the time he was in the audience at Glyndebourne & on hearing a particular soprano for the first time, such was the beauty of her voice he let out an audible (involuntary) groan & he thought he might be evicted. I knew that feeling!


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## katdad

You're absolutely right, sospiro. Superb art and its performance can bring awe and intense admiration. I totally agree.

My only point is that if you listen to, for example, the wonderful Beverly Sills (miss her!) in her opera commentary, and some of the other live Met telecasts backstage, you can easily see that these performers are also very human and not esoteric creatures beyond our ken. It's not just opera, but all sorts of reviews, you'll read how the reviewer is more interested in "Look at me!" writing rather than coherent and solid review of the performance. It gives the mistaken impression that ordinary humans are incapable of appreciating opera.

It's not just opera. I'm a novelist and I also write reviews for a mystery magazine. I've seen reviews of good, entertaining novels that make you think you're approaching a sacred shrine rather than a book! It's a disservice to the book or opera or movie or whatever.

The other night, I watched my DVD of Bergman's "Virgin Spring" for the first time in a couple years, and I was gasping at the incredible imagery and camera work. I still fondly remember seeing "Blade Runner" in the theater for the first time, and before that, "2001", and both made me gasp, too. But these are all just movies, and to write pretentious reviews that elevate the art form to "holier than thou" levels is false praise. And my point, that it tends to deter newbie opera fans because they are essentially frightened by the "fancy-schmancy" attitude that they think is needed to appreciate opera. We all know that's hogwash but a novice may not know that. That's all I'm talking about.


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## Dongiovanni

katdad said:


> This and dongio's review are both first rate and very human.


Thank you ! One of the reasons I write these reviews is because after a performance I'm usually still very impressed with the experience, so writing about it is like enjoying it for a second time. I'm not a real "critic", I don't see that many performances, so I pick them well for a favourite production, conductor or singer. So I'm biased, and they are usually positive


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## sospiro

katdad said:


> ... and to write pretentious reviews that elevate the art form to "holier than thou" levels is false praise. And my point, that it tends to deter newbie opera fans because they are essentially frightened by the "fancy-schmancy" attitude that they think is needed to appreciate opera. We all know that's hogwash but a novice may not know that. That's all I'm talking about.


I hope I never give that impression in my reviews. I'd never make an impartial reviewer anyway as I usually go to see a particular singer so I tend to see the performance through 'rose tinted glasses'.


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## mountmccabe

I take it this thread is for anyone who wants to write a performance review? If I have misunderstood please let me know and I will edit this out.

---
Mark-Anthony Turnage - Anna Nicole
New York City Opera/Brooklyn Academy of Music at BAM Howard Gilman Opera House


Sitting up close I could see the mics, the fake breast covers, the artificiality of it all. I am not sure that this was inappropriate. After the strong first act my wife noted that this was more Brechtian than the last Threepenny Opera she saw. I am realizing that this is the opposite of what most opera tries to do.

Sarah Joy Miller's Anna was well sung, with a Texan accent. She showed real heartbreak when Marshall got sick and died though there were few places for her to show that vocally. The pace of the opera was quick, with little time for emotive arias.

Susan Bickley was another standout, clear and forceful. Nicholas Barasch was mostly silent as Teenage Daniel but his post-death catalog of drugs was sweet and touching. Robert Brubaker was wild and funny and broad but sure and solid of voice.

The piece was done with high production values, the costumes looked great and the set designs were often great and insightful.

Steven Sloan conducted though I have a hard time saying anything about either the conducting or even the orchestral writing. It set the mood well but didn't grab me, though this was my first time hearing it.


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## sospiro

mountmccabe said:


> I take it this thread is for anyone who wants to write a performance review? If I have misunderstood please let me know and I will edit this out.


Yep! That's what I intended.



mountmccabe said:


> ---
> Mark-Anthony Turnage - Anna Nicole
> New York City Opera/Brooklyn Academy of Music at BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
> 
> Sitting up close I could see the mics, the fake breast covers, the artificiality of it all. I am not sure that this was inappropriate. After the strong first act my wife noted that this was more Brechtian than the last Threepenny Opera she saw. I am realizing that this is the opposite of what most opera tries to do.
> 
> Sarah Joy Miller's Anna was well sung, with a Texan accent. She showed real heartbreak when Marshall got sick and died though there were few places for her to show that vocally. The pace of the opera was quick, with little time for emotive arias.
> 
> Susan Bickley was another standout, clear and forceful. Nicholas Barasch was mostly silent as Teenage Daniel but his post-death catalog of drugs was sweet and touching. Robert Brubaker was wild and funny and broad but sure and solid of voice.
> 
> The piece was done with high production values, the costumes looked great and the set designs were often great and insightful.
> 
> Steven Sloan conducted though I have a hard time saying anything about either the conducting or even the orchestral writing. It set the mood well but didn't grab me, though this was my first time hearing it.


Interesting review, thanks.

I never saw this in the house but I've watched the DVD and it didn't really grab me.


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## mountmccabe

sospiro said:


> Yep! That's what I intended.


Great! I wouldn't start my own thread and won't be writing very many but this is appreciated.



sospiro said:


> Interesting review, thanks.
> 
> I never saw this in the house but I've watched the DVD and it didn't really grab me.


I haven't seen the DVD. I normally prefer to know what I'm getting into before seeing something live but it is also an interesting exercise to go in more or less blind.

It was engaging theater live even if it was a bit disappointing/I wasn't ready for it.


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## Don Fatale

Falstaff (Verdi) Aurora Opera Theatre, Victoria, Gozo, Malta 12th October 2013

Presented by The Leone Philharmonic Society Falstaff: Leonardo Lopez-Linares Eva Mei: Alice Anna Skibinsky: Nannetta Gianluca Breda: Pistola Marzio Giossi: Ford

As a regular winter visitor to Malta I was resolved this year to come a little early so I could take in this notable event. A performance two days after Verdi's bicentennial gave me a fan's chance to pay homage to one of my heroes.

This is probably one of the most out of the way opera houses to be found in Europe and one of the most unlikely, being on a Mediterranean Island of just 25,000 people. Each year it hosts a single home-grown production. The Leone Philharmonic Society dates back 150 years, although this annual operatic venture was initiated in 1977 when Madame Butterfly became the first opera ever to be staged on Gozo. Whilst the frontage of their building appears of a similar age to the Society, the hall within is a 1970's creation, and was further refurbished this year. It seats 1600 in a long shoebox (35 rows?) and 3 shallow balconies - boxes throughout. Rather unusually for an opera house, the ground floor public area contains 2 snooker tables and numerous pool tables. You can peruse the trophy cabinet or try to engage the resident parrot in conversation during the intermissions. For this swanky event (dress code: Gala) the tables were covered with boards and used as drinks and bar tables.

With the temperature an unseasonable 31c it was rather sweltering, and I'll spare you further details in this matter in a building without air-con. With 1600 people all heading up the same staircase, the appointed start time passed - the internal photo was taken at 19:29 - and then a slight delay for the arrival of the King of Malta* a statutory 20 minutes late. Strange, I can't remember the Queen delaying operas in Covent Garden for 20 minutes, but this seems to be the norm for Maltese Prime Ministers.

And so with 1600 lady's fans and programs beating frantically, the house lights dim, muted applause for conductor of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra... after that brief orchestral intro, most of the audience stops talking as the singers commence. I'm at the back in a box next to the Prime Minister, and the projection of orchestra and singers isn't ideal, although seasoned opera-goers know that our ears gradually become attuned to the volume.

The scenery is traditional and painted in warm rustic colours, the costumes generic Ye Olde England. Nothing to offend here. And so to the singers. Decent performers from the European circuit are brought in for the major roles, which I assume they're already familiar with. As my fellow Falstaff fans here will concur, this opera has many fiendishly fast ensembles and orchestral interludes and whilst we'd love them to hit all these moments perfectly, in reality it came down to keeping things simple, slowing up certain passages, and passing blithely through any difficulties without dwelling on them. Clearly the best policy!

There are no surtitles, but most Maltese have good comprehension of Italian, as indicated by chuckles in the appropriate places. My limited Italian knowledge comes from Signores Verdi, Rossini and Co, but I know Falstaff well enough to not need a translation. However, for those hard of hearing the full libretto is printed in the programme - Italian only - and this accounts for part of the speckled blue glow of mobile phones in the stalls below me. Others, like the young lady next to me, were simply texting, which I guess is slightly less annoying than talking to your neighbour as many were.

I'm not qualified to give a definitive account of the singing, but rather than wait for the reviews I'll give my impressions. I wasn't a fan of Lopez-Linares in the title role, his wasn't the biggest voice, and he lacked somewhat in the physical acting aspect. Eva Mei was very assured as Alice, likewise Elisabetta Fiorillo as Quickly. Gianluca Breda made a good impression as Pistola.

The texting young lady next to me disappeared after the first act, but took her seat again halfway through the second, dressed rather fetchingly as a fairy for her scene in Act 3. Very cute, and sans phone of course!

I joined some friends in mid-stalls for the 3rd Act and have to say that the audibility was much better. I like to get a balcony seat for a first visit to an opera house, but front stalls is clearly the place to be, and probably fewer mobile phones around you too.

Prices €60-80
Programme: €5 .Excellent content, well worth it.
Food and drink: Inexpensive. This is a full time cafe so plenty on offer.
If you like the idea of autumnal warmth, swimming in the Med followed by a swanky night at the opera, then drinks at the harbourside until the small hours, this is the place to be!


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## sospiro

:tiphat:

Thank you Alexander. A brilliant review & you have painted a perfect picture of the occasion! I love Falstaff too & I'm pleased you enjoyed it.


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## mamascarlatti

Loved the review. What fun!


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## Don Fatale

And next Thursday I have the second part of my operatic odyssey* when the Philharmonic Society on the other side of the street are performing Otello.

I've often mused that there should be a Verdi equivalent of the ring cycle consisting of his later works i.e. Aida, Requiem, Otello and Falstaff. If a city ever did these in a week, I would surely pay a visit!

*The _actual_ cave where Odysseus was held captive by Calypso is on this island. I've been there, and I think they may be wrong about it, but kudos to the marketing genius who thought of the idea.


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## Dongiovanni

What a fantastic venue on this pretty island, I had no idea! Very worth a visit. Thanks for the review.


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## mamascarlatti

Alexander said:


> *The _actual_ cave where Odysseus was held captive by Calypso is on this island. I've been there, and I think they may be wrong about it, but kudos to the marketing genius who thought of the idea.


Odysseus is completely my favourite character from ancient literature. I'd visit the cave, for sure. I spent a few summer holidays in Ithaca too, enjoying the sky and wine-dark sea.


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## Don Fatale

Otello
Astra Opera Theatre
Gozo, Malta 
24th October 2013

Two weeks ago I was at the Aurora Theatre, this time I'm at the Astra Theatre on the same street, hosted by La Stella Philharmonic Society. Very warm, but not sweltering hot as last time. Dress code once again is _gala_ although a minority are rather more casual. I settle for jacket and open neck shirt. (I reserve ties for funerals, and the highly improbable events of getting married in a church or meeting the queen).

In common with the Aurora, The Astra Theatre is a sprawling building (see photo) complete with snooker tables in the lobby. Clearly the design of the building doesn't have much backstage area as the various costumed chorus and spear holders are is a glass fronted holding area easily visible and accessible from the lobby. These are local people, members of the La Stella Philharmonic Society.

The theatre dates from 1968 and holds at a rough count 1200, with a large stalls area and a 9 row balcony. A few slip boxes complete the seating.

If you read my previous review you'll detect a theme to what comes next. In fact you can probably guess what I'm about to say. I start the evening in the balcony. The acoustics are clearly very good to judge by the tuning and warm up from the pit. Resonant with good volume, woody and a little dry. The orchestra strikes up 10 minutes late and many people are still not in their seats with light down. Our row had to stand up to let a latecomer take his seat during 'Esultate', which was rather irritating. It pains me to say...THIS WAS THE WORST AUDIENCE I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED IN 30 YEARS AND MORE THAN 500 VISITS TO OPERAS! Latecomers, mobile phones texting, videoing, constant talking. During Iago's Credo a guy comes back in distributing crisp packets (potato chips) to people in various rows. Then a mobile phone is dropped and clattered all the way down the wooden steps of the balcony seating. The singers would have loved that one!

Needless to say I switched to a stalls seat after the interval and sat next to two charming ladies who sympathised with my balcony hell having endured the same the previous year. Acts 3 and 4 were therefore much more enjoyable and I was able to concentrate on the performances... except when the neighbour lady's phone rang, loudly and for some considerable time as she fumbled to retrieve it from her handbag!

And so to the production and performances. The staging, considering it was done locally, mainly by volunteers, was very good indeed. As well as large constructions for the ship and castle walls they made excellent use of moving projections onto translucent scrims. I'd guess the designer was inspired the effects in Life of Pi. You could want for no more if you saw this staging in any provincial house.

Desdemona was performed by the experienced homegrown diva Miriam Cauchi and a fine job she did. Another Maltese talent was Cliff Zammit Stevens as Cassio, recently touted by Opera Magazine as showing exceptional promise, I'd be more than happy to see him take on some lead tenor roles. The hired guns from oversees were Badri Maisuradze and Alessandro Pagliaga as Otello and Iago respectively. Neither impressed me. Otello's tone was a dark as his complexion was light, and his acting seems to indicate that he had a previous career as a doorman - standing still, legs apart, arms folded and a facial expression that said 'you're not coming in'. He even used this signature pose in the Act 4 bedroom scene. Iago's voice was generally too light and crumbly for me, but he was clearly comfortable in the role, and in Iago's de-rigeur leather trousers. Is it compulsory that Iagos must always be clad in black leather trousers and boots these days?

The stage direction and movement was often lacking, notably in the final scene where the remaining characters enter the bedroom, except that they were just getting to their marks on stage with no regard to the actual scene.

Ballet music: Yes, played, mainly with images on the front scrim until the last segment when dancers did their thing. Like many of Verdi's ballet pieces, the music isn't bad at all, I just wish it would be confined to separate programs instead of breaking the flow of the opera.

And so, at around 11:30, the opera ends. They work all year on this production, so what's the point of hurrying the evening?Thankfully there are some nice bars nearby open late and I had a swell time drinking and chatting to various people involved in the production and got back to my hotel many hours later. (I have a rather sore head right now, time now for _hair of the dog_ I think.)

Despite my gripes, I thoroughly enjoyed my two-part operatic odyssey to Gozo, and would definitely recommend it if you're looking for an October adventure next year.

Tickets: €50-€70. Recommend you go for mid stalls. You can reserve by phone.

Questions for Otello fans: 
Ballet music, yes or no? 
Blacked up Otello and blonde Desdemona, yes or no? (Neither here)


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## Don Fatale

And here's the photos. You'd barely guess from the rooftops (taken from the Citadel ramparts) that there was such a pretty theatre below.


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## deggial

Alexander said:


> Latecomers, mobile phones texting, videoing, constant talking. During Iago's Credo a guy comes back in distributing crisp packets (potato chips) to people in various rows.


sounds like they were going for the theatre atmosphere from the time Otello was written


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## Cavaradossi

Alexander said:


> And next Thursday I have the second part of my operatic odyssey* when the Philharmonic Society on the other side of the street are performing Otello.
> 
> I've often mused that there should be a Verdi equivalent of the ring cycle consisting of his later works i.e. Aida, Requiem, Otello and Falstaff. If a city ever did these in a week, I would surely pay a visit!


Great reviews! Thanks for putting this on the radar. I'm a big fan of opera in exotic locales.

We were treated to MacBeth, Otello, and the Requiem here in Chicago for the bicentennial week, but it might be another 200 years before that happens again.


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## mamascarlatti

Alexander said:


> Questions for Otello fans:
> Ballet music, yes or no?


Ballet music optional.



> Blacked up Otello and blonde Desdemona, yes or no? (Neither here)


Browned up a bit (he's a Moor, not a Masai). Desdemona just must be a contrast. Main thing is that Otello should look different, a bit of an outsider.


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## Don Fatale

Thanks for the kind comments about my travel/opera reviews. I'm surprised there aren't more reviews on this thread.

I'd love to read more reviews/experiences, particularly with any background to the buildings, cultures, getting tickets etc.


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## sospiro

Alexander said:


> Thanks for the kind comments about my travel/opera reviews. I'm surprised there aren't more reviews on this thread.
> 
> I'd love to read more reviews/experiences, particularly with any background to the buildings, cultures, getting tickets etc.


I'm seeing Wozzeck at ROH on Thursday & will post a review.


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## Rackon

Cavaradossi said:


> Great reviews! Thanks for putting this on the radar. I'm a big fan of opera in exotic locales.
> 
> We were treated to MacBeth, Otello, and the Requiem here in Chicago for the bicentennial week, but it might be another 200 years before that happens again.


And thanks to the internet and WFMT, many outside Chicago were able to share in some of these Verdian riches from the Windy City.


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## Cavaradossi

Alexander said:


> Thanks for the kind comments about my travel/opera reviews. I'm surprised there aren't more reviews on this thread.
> 
> I'd love to read more reviews/experiences, particularly with any background to the buildings, cultures, getting tickets etc.


Alexander, you'll probably enjoy this thread from last year:
http://www.talkclassical.com/20967-opera-trips.html


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## mamascarlatti

Alexander said:


> And next Thursday I have the second part of my operatic odyssey* when the Philharmonic Society on the other side of the street are performing Otello.
> .


Someone has posted this on YouTube


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## Don Fatale

Yep that's the very one. Thanks for finding it! 

I saw they had a few cameras there but assumed it was just for their archive. Didn't think they'd put it on the net. I'll enjoy revisiting the whole thing online when I get a chance.


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## mamascarlatti

Alexander said:


> Yep that's the very one. Thanks for finding it!
> 
> I saw they had a few cameras there but assumed it was just for their archive. Didn't think they'd put it on the net. I'll enjoy revisiting the whole thing online when I get a chance.


It looks like it was filmed from the audience.


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> I'm seeing Wozzeck at ROH on Thursday & will post a review.


So while I'm writing, you are listening ! Very interested in your review. I just watched this introduction






and






Interesting stuff. Mark Elder is fantastic. I could listen to him for hours.


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## Bellinilover

*Ariadne auf Naxos* at Virginia Opera

I saw my first ARIADNE today without having prepared for it sufficiently, as the Giuseppe Sinopoli recording I bought didn't come with a libretto. The fact that the Prologue was sung in English made it more "relatable" for me and, I think, for the rest of the audience as well. The Prologue had a modern setting, but this didn't really bother me as at least the direction clarified rather than obscured the action. The voices were all good Strauss voices, Stephanie Lauricella (the Composer) and Christina Pier (Ariadne) being the standouts. Ric Furman as Bacchus sometimes sounded awkard, but then I don't think Strauss wrote very gracefully for the tenor voice anyway, and this seems like a particularly thankless role. As for the opera itself, I can see why it's not a hugely popular crowd-pleaser but rather more of a "connisseur's opera"; it's pretty intellectual and the characters in ARIADNE (as opposed to the Prologue) are not meant to seem "real." I love the music the Composer sings; for me Strauss was one of the greatest melodists of all time. One criticism I would make is that the Bacchus/Ariadne duet seems to go on forever and could probably have been abridged.

Does anyone know where I can find a libretto for this opera online?


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## deggial

Bellinilover said:


> Does anyone know where I can find a libretto for this opera online?


scroll to about halfway down for the actual *English translation* of the libretto. It's very witty! I agree with you about the Bacchus/Ariadne duet. I think the Composer and Zerbinetta are the best things about it.


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## Bellinilover

deggial said:


> scroll to about halfway down for the actual *English translation* of the libretto. It's very witty! I agree with you about the Bacchus/Ariadne duet. I think the Composer and Zerbinetta are the best things about it.


Thanks a lot! It's really disappointing how so few of these CD reissues now include printed libretto.


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## deggial

it's true. Record companies cutting cost left and right. I don't know if it's also a trend or not as I don't buy many CDs, but I've noticed in a couple of instances that now companies seem to lavish less money on the recording process itself. So where an aria includes the choir the choir is absent! Very annoying.


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## schigolch

Well, this is not new either. 

Just an anecdote, let's listen to this (splendid) version of "Mein sehnen mein wähnen" by Hermann Prey, in 1957.






The wonderful eight sopranos choir written by Korngold is missing. This beautiful, haunting moment, when we can almost hear the city of Bruges in a dialogue with Pierrot... However, in this version (no less splendid, by Karl Hammes) almost thirty years before, they are there, at 2:11:


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## deggial

hm, I wonder why they do that.


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## schigolch

Well, to save money, I'd say...


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## deggial

yes, but the thing is they don't always. Why sometimes and not other times? The main star asking for too much dough?


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## SilenceIsGolden

Not so much a review but some observations about the production of _Der Fliegende Holländer_ I saw this past weekend. First, it was interesting seeing how Wagner played in front of an audience who is almost entirely cultivated on the Italian repertoire. He seemed to go over quite well, although it was humorous how the audience attempted to applaud every "aria" and ensemble in the opera, even though there wasn't a pause in the action or the music. True, it's much more of a number opera than his later ones, but it strives for a more thorough-composed feeling and doesn't offer much room for pauses in the performance. Also, because I don't get many opportunities to see Wagner live in concert, I was reminded of just how much humor there is in the operas of this composer who is often critiqued for being devoid of humor. There were quite a few chuckles at Daland's announcing that the Dutchman would be a fine son-in-law even if he were less rich, or at the maidens' scolding of Senta, and in other places as well. The fact is, I think all of his operas are touched with subtle humorous gestures...he had the theater in his blood through and through, and knew how to work an audience.


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## papsrus

Not sure this is the right spot, as this thread has been dormant for about a year, but here goes:

Went to the Sarasota Opera performance of Marriage of Figaro last night. Enjoyed it so much I snapped up one of the few remaining tickets to see it a second time in March.

Although things seemed to start a little slow with lots of accompanied recitative as the stage was set, so to speak, for the follies that were to follow, by Act III we were solidly in soaring arias and enthralling music. I have to admit, I tend to spend a lot of time with my eyes closed just listening. 

The women stole the show here IMO. Soprano Maria Antunez as Countess Almaviva made a particular impression. Strong voice that filled the house, hit all the high notes with confidence, had some lovely arias and duets with Maeve Hoglund (who also sang great in the role of Suzanna, Figaro's girl.) The other standout was Kristen Choi as Cherubino, the court page. She is a studio artist, graduating from apprentice in 2013. Not a lot on her resume, according to the program, but definitely had some strong moments in mezzo soprano. Good stage presence for the sort of slap-stick character she played. Really enjoyable.

While baritone Sean Anderson, who played the Count, has among the longest list of credits on his resume as anyone in the cast, he came off as less impressive than the two leading women, to me. Likewise Philip Cutlip as Figaro. Solid, certainly, but their voices did not impress as the sopranos did. 

The audience (a packed house) was thoroughly engaged and the performers elicited plenty of laughs. 

A word about the Sarasota Opera Orchestra: They are recruited each season from around the country (and a couple of members from Italy, the conductor from Germany) and come to Sarasota to play at the opera house. Many of the members keep coming back year after year; it's not uncommon to see members with between 6 and 10 years service in the orchestra. They are excellent. When engaged with an inspired singer such as Antunez, they are quite impressive.

Enjoyed it.


----------



## sospiro

papsrus said:


> Not sure this is the right spot, as this thread has been dormant for about a year, but here goes:
> 
> Went to the Sarasota Opera performance of Marriage of Figaro last night. Enjoyed it so much I snapped up one of the few remaining tickets to see it a second time in March.
> 
> Although things seemed to start a little slow with lots of accompanied recitative as the stage was set, so to speak, for the follies that were to follow, by Act III we were solidly in soaring arias and enthralling music. I have to admit, I tend to spend a lot of time with my eyes closed just listening.
> 
> The women stole the show here IMO. Soprano Maria Antunez as Countess Almaviva made a particular impression. Strong voice that filled the house, hit all the high notes with confidence, had some lovely arias and duets with Maeve Hoglund (who also sang great in the role of Suzanna, Figaro's girl.) The other standout was Kristen Choi as Cherubino, the court page. She is a studio artist, graduating from apprentice in 2013. Not a lot on her resume, according to the program, but definitely had some strong moments in mezzo soprano. Good stage presence for the sort of slap-stick character she played. Really enjoyable.
> 
> While baritone Sean Anderson, who played the Count, has among the longest list of credits on his resume as anyone in the cast, he came off as less impressive than the two leading women, to me. Likewise Philip Cutlip as Figaro. Solid, certainly, but their voices did not impress as the sopranos did.
> 
> The audience (a packed house) was thoroughly engaged and the performers elicited plenty of laughs.
> 
> A word about the Sarasota Opera Orchestra: They are recruited each season from around the country (and a couple of members from Italy, the conductor from Germany) and come to Sarasota to play at the opera house. Many of the members keep coming back year after year; it's not uncommon to see members with between 6 and 10 years service in the orchestra. They are excellent. When engaged with an inspired singer such as Antunez, they are quite impressive.
> 
> Enjoyed it.


Excellent review and glad you enjoyed it.


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## mountmccabe

Last night I saw Opera Parallèle's production of Jake Heggie's _Dead Man Walking_. Overall I liked the piece and the performance. It takes some time to get going; it seems uncommon that the second act is stronger than the first but that's what we have here.

Catherine Cook (Mrs. De Rocher) and Talise Trevigne (Sister Rose) sounded wonderful; they both had strong parts in that when they were on stage they were intense (wanting or feeling something). Catherine Cook's singing had strong emotion and was well-styled, Talise Trevigne's singing was particularly beautiful and impressive. Jennifer Rivera (Sister Helen) and Michael Mayes (Joe) carried the piece; the really shined in their duets; act 1, scene 9 really had a great build to it.

The orchestra sounded great under Nicole Paiement; I am not familiar enough with the opera to have felt the reduction in orchestration in the theater (though listening to the original recording the day after it struck me).

The opera itself is possibly too dependent upon recitative, though unsurprisingly this gets better as it goes on and there's something to work with.

The setting up of his confession was effective; his mother didn't want to hear it but Sister Helen did. That transition from "the warden will feel bad about killing a man that protests his innocence" to "I'm afraid what my mother and Sister Helen will think of me" is also good, though a little more of that journey could be expressed. And that image/theme of the journey was also compelling. The production played with that journey theme some, but it could have been much more effective. This is what changes Joe; he is stuck but he can hear about Las Vegas and go on a (spiritual) journey even confined in a jail cell. I liked a lot about the set (hanging metal cage pieces that were moved around by the cast to suggest different structures) but Joe never quite felt trapped, even in the first act.

They had two supers play the murdered teens. This was interesting and effective at times but it really took away from Joe and Sister Helen's scenes together (especially act 2, scene 7); we were supposed to be seeing that Joe was alone except for Sister Helen (and her God). The guards leaving was a strong choice... but having the ghosts ruined it.

The (vocal-free) prologue is, in my mind, a real problem with the opera. This production left Joe's brother Anthony out of it but that just makes it worse. I'm fine with the seeing the teens attacked and killed, but seeing Joe do it really messes up the drama of the piece.

Sister Helen comes off as somewhat unreasonable and unobservant for questioning what we have seen to be false. Joe's act 2, scene 1 is a non-event; it isn't a self-confession (he thinks about the girl sometimes) and we already saw it so there's no surprise there. But if we didn't see Joe & Anthony in the prologue (or if we saw something deliberately false like Anthony killing the teens) this would be something significant, dramatically, and it would have provided tension throughout act 2 until he confesses to Sister Helen and then find out that Helen does not care for Joe just because she thinks he could be innocent.


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## jflatter

The Mastersingers of Nuremberg (sung in English) at the English National Opera

Walther – Gwyn Hughes Jones
Eva – Rachel Nicholls
Magdalene – Madeleine Shaw
David – Nicky Spence
Hans Sachs – Iain Paterson
Sixtus Beckmesser – Andrew Shore
Veit Pogner – James Creswell
Fritz Kothner – David Stout
Kunz Vogelgesang – Peter van Hulle
Konrad Nachtigall – Quentin Hayes
Ulrich Eisslinger – Timothy Robinson
Hermann Ortel – Nicholas Folwell
Balthasar Zorn – Richard Roberts
Augustin Moser – Stephen Rooke
Hans Folz – Roderick Earle
Hans Schwarz – Jonathan Lemalu
Night Watchman – Nicholas Crawley

Director-Richard Jones
Conductor-Edward Gardner 


I should point out from the outset that I am not generally a fan of opera that is translated and thus I am not a particularly frequent visitor to the ENO. So it has not surprised me in many ways that the company has been in serious trouble recently. My thoughts have been that along with the issue of opera in English as well as the ENO's absurd pricing policy (this event was the first time I bought an ENO ticket non discounted in about three years) it was always going to a company that sails close to the wind financially.

That said, I have to say that this current production of 'Die Meistersigner' is one of the finest things that I have ever seen staged. It really helped that the translation used is excellent and the singers diction was perfect. The production by Richard Jones updates the opera to the mid 1800s and yes there are there are the trademark Richard Jones touches like the shiny wallpaper. What Jones seems to do is to try and make this work a positive contribution to German Culture and tries to present German culture in a positive way. At the start of the overture, the audience are shown a front-cloth of 103 German people who you could argue have been positive to German culture. The ending involves them as well and is inspiring theatre. 

It is also helps that the orchestra of the ENO are in great form and with their soon to be departed Music Director Edward Gardner conducting the finest thing I have heard him do (I should add his Rosenkavalier is the finest conducted I've heard live. Gardner gave the music lightness and lyricism at the right points but always let the music breathe. In my mind, there were comparisons with Kubelik to be had.

Iain Paterson as Hans Sachs was absolutely outstanding. You feel that Paterson has really got into the skin of this very complex character. I generally prefer a lighter voiced Sachs and this is what we got. Yet he seemed to own the stage whenever he was on it.

Gwyn Hughes Jones as von Stolzing was a voice I'd not heard before but would be one I would want to hear more of. Not a traditional heldentenor by any sense he was still a powerful and ardent tenor and his rendition of the prize song was superb.

Rachel Nicholls as Eva sang very well. However if there was one caveat it felt like the role of Eva was never going to be a role she would conquer as she is already singing Isolde's and Brunnhilde's. She did bring superb characterisation to the role. Only to hear Harteros as Eva...

Nicky Spence was an ardently sung and feisty David. You sense that Spence could one day sing von Stolzing himself and brought great comedy to the role.

Madelaine Shaw was a joy to hear as Magdalene. I had not heard her knowingly before but would love to hear her again.

Andrew Shore was Beckmesser and this was the finest Beckmesser that I have ever seen. Shore brought off some brilliant comic touches. The Act 2 riot was a joy to behold. Not even Thomas Allen was as good as this!

James Cresswell as Pogner I'd heard previously as the ENO Dutchman a couple of years ago but did not have a particularly strong opinion positive or negative about him. However as Pogner he was superb and unusually brought a lot of interest to this rather vain and arguably pompous character. 

So overall this was a superb company achievement for the ENO. It is a crying shame that it will not be filmed and released on DVD.


----------



## papsrus

mountmccabe said:


> The (vocal-free) prologue is, in my mind, a real problem with the opera.


Is this a general preference or something specific to this production?

Love these reviews!


----------



## sospiro

jflatter said:


> The Mastersingers of Nuremberg (sung in English) at the English National Opera
> 
> Walther - Gwyn Hughes Jones
> Eva - Rachel Nicholls
> Magdalene - Madeleine Shaw
> David - Nicky Spence
> Hans Sachs - Iain Paterson
> Sixtus Beckmesser - Andrew Shore
> Veit Pogner - James Creswell
> Fritz Kothner - David Stout
> Kunz Vogelgesang - Peter van Hulle
> Konrad Nachtigall - Quentin Hayes
> Ulrich Eisslinger - Timothy Robinson
> Hermann Ortel - Nicholas Folwell
> Balthasar Zorn - Richard Roberts
> Augustin Moser - Stephen Rooke
> Hans Folz - Roderick Earle
> Hans Schwarz - Jonathan Lemalu
> Night Watchman - Nicholas Crawley
> 
> Director-Richard Jones
> Conductor-Edward Gardner
> 
> I should point out from the outset that I am not generally a fan of opera that is translated and thus I am not a particularly frequent visitor to the ENO. So it has not surprised me in many ways that the company has been in serious trouble recently. My thoughts have been that along with the issue of opera in English as well as the ENO's absurd pricing policy (this event was the first time I bought an ENO ticket non discounted in about three years) it was always going to a company that sails close to the wind financially.
> 
> That said, I have to say that this current production of 'Die Meistersigner' is one of the finest things that I have ever seen staged. It really helped that the translation used is excellent and the singers diction was perfect. The production by Richard Jones updates the opera to the mid 1800s and yes there are there are the trademark Richard Jones touches like the shiny wallpaper. What Jones seems to do is to try and make this work a positive contribution to German Culture and tries to present German culture in a positive way. At the start of the overture, the audience are shown a front-cloth of 103 German people who you could argue have been positive to German culture. The ending involves them as well and is inspiring theatre.
> 
> It is also helps that the orchestra of the ENO are in great form and with their soon to be departed Music Director Edward Gardner conducting the finest thing I have heard him do (I should add his Rosenkavalier is the finest conducted I've heard live. Gardner gave the music lightness and lyricism at the right points but always let the music breathe. In my mind, there were comparisons with Kubelik to be had.
> 
> Iain Paterson as Hans Sachs was absolutely outstanding. You feel that Paterson has really got into the skin of this very complex character. I generally prefer a lighter voiced Sachs and this is what we got. Yet he seemed to own the stage whenever he was on it.
> 
> Gwyn Hughes Jones as von Stolzing was a voice I'd not heard before but would be one I would want to hear more of. Not a traditional heldentenor by any sense he was still a powerful and ardent tenor and his rendition of the prize song was superb.
> 
> Rachel Nicholls as Eva sang very well. However if there was one caveat it felt like the role of Eva was never going to be a role she would conquer as she is already singing Isolde's and Brunnhilde's. She did bring superb characterisation to the role. Only to hear Harteros as Eva...
> 
> Nicky Spence was an ardently sung and feisty David. You sense that Spence could one day sing von Stolzing himself and brought great comedy to the role.
> 
> Madelaine Shaw was a joy to hear as Magdalene. I had not heard her knowingly before but would love to hear her again.
> 
> Andrew Shore was Beckmesser and this was the finest Beckmesser that I have ever seen. Shore brought off some brilliant comic touches. The Act 2 riot was a joy to behold. Not even Thomas Allen was as good as this!
> 
> James Cresswell as Pogner I'd heard previously as the ENO Dutchman a couple of years ago but did not have a particularly strong opinion positive or negative about him. However as Pogner he was superb and unusually brought a lot of interest to this rather vain and arguably pompous character.
> 
> So overall this was a superb company achievement for the ENO. It is a crying shame that it will not be filmed and released on DVD.


Great write-up.

I'm not a fan of either Wagner or translated opera but your review makes me wish I'd seen this!


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## Itullian

I read that Wagner encouraged translating his operas into other languages.


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## Don Fatale

Thanks for the Mastersinger review, jflatter, I'm looking forward to seeing it tomorrow.

Itullian, yes that's right. It's certainly in one of the books I've read. It might have been in response to a proposal to having it sung in English.


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## Belowpar

Fantastic review, add my thanks.

I am "in town" tomorrow and I will try very hard to see this.


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## jflatter

Itullian said:


> I read that Wagner encouraged translating his operas into other languages.


Yes I think that he did. I think the key is a good translation. I've heard Parsifal, Hollander and have the Goodall Ring in English and none I've found particularly stirring. With this Meistersinger however it felt a lot more natural. The worse translation of an opera I've heard recently was Otello which is slightly ironic.


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## Loge

Have to agree with the review of Mastersinger. Saw it on Saturday and it was fabulous. Meistersinger could be as stodgy as a suet pudding, but this was light, joyous and hilarious. Not only the singing and the conducting were incredible, but the stage direction was a joy to behold. The riot scene where Beckmesser ends up naked with only his lute to cover his modesty, the German line dancing at the beginning of ACT 3, the way crowd sighed when Beckmesser strummed the lute for his prize song and when at the end Hans Sacks turn over his card to reveal a drawing of the real Hans Sachs. All these moments made for a wonderful day (it is nearly six hours long!).

And the ending gets you so pumped up, the Meistersinger theme is still ringing in my ears.

I am surprised this production his been mothballed for five years (it was first shown in 2010). I am sure the Met would love to take this one, just like they did with Madame Butterfly. It is a perfect example of how to update and refresh an opera to please traditionalists and radicals alike.


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## papsrus

Just returned from a Sarasota Opera performance of "The Golden Cockerel," Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

For those unfamiliar (as I was going in) the story is a fantasy / fairy tale about an aging king faced with encroaching enemies. A wizard offers him a golden cockerel who will warn the king whenever danger is near. King sends sons off to fight as danger approaches. They get killed. King goes to battlefield, discovers sons' bodies and is met by the Queen of Shemakha. She seduces him, they return back to his castle to marry but the wizard suddenly wants the queen for himself as repayment for the cockerel. King kills wizard. Golden cockerel kills king. The end.

The highlights: The orchestration was beautiful. This was Rimsky-Korsakov's last work, apparently, and it is filled with folk-ish, rich melodies and sumptuous strings. Alexandra Batsios as The Queen of Shemakha was the clear standout voice. Hit a couple of those white-hot, glass-shattering high notes with piercing clarity. She was to my ear head and shoulders above the other singers. The townspeople broke into chorus a few times and delivered with fullness and assurance. Very nice. But while Grigory Soloviov as King Dodon was fine, he was a little underwhelming with his projection at times. The wizard was frankly weak. Others in the cast unremarkable, to my ear.

According to the program, this opera hasn't been staged by a U.S. company since 1967. The touring St. Petersburg Opera did stage it in the U.S. in 1991. But that was the last time. It has also been performed as a ballet -- in Paris in 1914 -- and I can see how this could work quite well as ballet. 

The stage direction here came off a little clumsy, frankly, with lots of stilted shuffling here and there. By design, perhaps, but didn't really work for me. And while there's certainly a comedic pulse to the whole thing, it came off almost as self-parody at times, with mugging to the audience, etc., at least what I saw of it (I spent long stretches with eyes closed listening, although peeking every now and then. I don't think I missed much visually.) 

The libretto is certainly filled with sarcasm, so I'm sure the comedic tone is all intended, but it somehow didn't dovetail with the lush orchestration. You'd get these gorgeous orchestral passages and the queen would sing, quite beautifully, something like, "I look even better with my clothes off," or "the king's beard is disgusting" and of course the audience would giggle and I'd be locked into the music and it was all just a bit disjointed that way. Not bothersome at all, just ... hm, that libretto and mugging on stage doesn't fit with this gorgeous music.

Anyways, I will say the costumes were fantastic, and fantastical. There's a procession back into the king's castle with queen in tow that is filled with a cast of colorful, bizarre characters that look as though they stepped straight out of a Hieronymous Bosch painting. Wild. Colorful. Dancing and spinning (ballet-like).

In the end, the first two acts fell flat, to me. Not until the queen shows up (and dead sons, enemies, war, etc., are abruptly tossed aside and replaced by king falling for the queen) does the music really take off. Acts III and IV were very enjoyable.


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## sospiro

papsrus said:


> Just returned from a Sarasota Opera performance of "The Golden Cockerel," Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
> 
> For those unfamiliar (as I was going in) the story is a fantasy / fairy tale about an aging king faced with encroaching enemies. A wizard offers him a golden cockerel who will warn the king whenever danger is near. King sends sons off to fight as danger approaches. They get killed. King goes to battlefield, discovers sons' bodies and is met by the Queen of Shemakha. She seduces him, they return back to his castle to marry but the wizard suddenly wants the queen for himself as repayment for the cockerel. King kills wizard. Golden cockerel kills king. The end.
> 
> The highlights: The orchestration was beautiful. This was Rimsky-Korsakov's last work, apparently, and it is filled with folk-ish, rich melodies and sumptuous strings. Alexandra Batsios as The Queen of Shemakha was the clear standout voice. Hit a couple of those white-hot, glass-shattering high notes with piercing clarity. She was to my ear head and shoulders above the other singers. The townspeople broke into chorus a few times and delivered with fullness and assurance. Very nice. But while Grigory Soloviov as King Dodon was fine, he was a little underwhelming with his projection at times. The wizard was frankly weak. Others in the cast unremarkable, to my ear.
> 
> According to the program, this opera hasn't been staged by a U.S. company since 1967. The touring St. Petersburg Opera did stage it in the U.S. in 1991. But that was the last time. It has also been performed as a ballet -- in Paris in 1914 -- and I can see how this could work quite well as ballet.
> 
> The stage direction here came off a little clumsy, frankly, with lots of stilted shuffling here and there. By design, perhaps, but didn't really work for me. And while there's certainly a comedic pulse to the whole thing, it came off almost as self-parody at times, with mugging to the audience, etc., at least what I saw of it (I spent long stretches with eyes closed listening, although peeking every now and then. I don't think I missed much visually.)
> 
> The libretto is certainly filled with sarcasm, so I'm sure the comedic tone is all intended, but it somehow didn't dovetail with the lush orchestration. You'd get these gorgeous orchestral passages and the queen would sing, quite beautifully, something like, "I look even better with my clothes off," or "the king's beard is disgusting" and of course the audience would giggle and I'd be locked into the music and it was all just a bit disjointed that way. Not bothersome at all, just ... hm, that libretto and mugging on stage doesn't fit with this gorgeous music.
> 
> Anyways, I will say the costumes were fantastic, and fantastical. There's a procession back into the king's castle with queen in tow that is filled with a cast of colorful, bizarre characters that look as though they stepped straight out of a Hieronymous Bosch painting. Wild. Colorful. Dancing and spinning (ballet-like).
> 
> In the end, the first two acts fell flat, to me. Not until the queen shows up (and dead sons, enemies, war, etc., are abruptly tossed aside and replaced by king falling for the queen) does the music really take off. Acts III and IV were very enjoyable.


A bit of a curate's egg then but a great review. Pleased you enjoyed some of it.


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## mountmccabe

papsrus said:


> Is this a general preference or something specific to this production?


I have no general problem with stage action during (or even before) the overture/etc. I am not a purist on such matters by any means.

For this opera, though, I don't like what was done in Staufenbiel's production at Opera Parallèle, which was very much like what is written in McNally's libretto (the link is to the CD booklet that comes with the 2011 HGO recording of a revival of the original production).

I think I would prefer a staged prologue with only the two teens, a staged prologue where Anthony kills the teens and Joe stumbles around stoned (the story Joe tells), or skipping the prologue, in that order.


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## Belowpar

Sometimes you can be too hyped up by all you’ve read in advance but last night’s Mastersingers at the ENO was every bit as good as the reviews here and elsewhere suggest. I thought the sound a little unfocussed right at the start but soon I forgot all about preconceptions and just enjoyed a marvellous performance.

I’m not an Wagner expert but I thought it was a cast with no weak links and would single out Pogner, James Creswell for his excellent diction,. When he was singing the surtitles were a distraction.

Music and drama were well matched and I would like to congratulate everyone involved.

I do however have one question about the staging, which was designed by Paul Steinberg and Buki Shiff.

The set for Act one was a fairly typical ‘modern’ one, bare and impressionistic rather than realistic; various props were moved around to focus the action and the stage had one overall colour. The street act was more naturalistic with fixed houses but they were a little light on detail e.g. the roofs had flower patterns painted on them.

However when the third act took us inside Sack’s home/library/workshop, I thought haven’t seen such detail on a stage in 20 years! Book’s on shelves and table tops, crumpled clothing, stuffed animals and shoe lasts everywhere. Looked just like my daughter’s bedroom. When David came in early in the act he turned on a light switch to show it off better, which in itself was anachronistic for a production ‘updated’ to the 1840’s. Through the windows we observed the shadows showing us the day passing.
Finally the set for the singing contest reverted back to the style of the first act with a series of terraces all painted in the same colour as the side walls. Until then all the costumes were attempts to accurately reflect the period but here the Crowd wore highly colorful approximations of medieval dress.
It was all most attractive and didn’t really detract from the action, but I am struggling to understand why the pronounced shift in style? Thoughts? 


All in all though, if only every night at the ENO was this good they wouldn’t be in trouble at all.


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## Loge

Did you notice that at the beginning of Act 3 that Walther uses the bed/shoe bench as a psychiatrists couch? Here I suppose is a clue. The room was supposed to represent Hans Sachs interior state as compared to the more abstract outside world. Which is why the room was so detailed.


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## Don Fatale

Belowpar, you forgot to add that the highlight was meeting me in the intermission :lol: Very nice to meet you. Our time chatting in the pub flew by.

I enjoyed a lot of the performance. including the brilliant clog line dancing.

A particular highlight for me was the poetic English translation which we could appreciate on the surtitles. As for the diction of the singers, it's actually quite hard to take one's eyes away the surtitles. However, which taking my glasses off for a moment I must say I barely caught of word of the singing. (Perhaps my hearing isn't so great, during our drinks I thought Belowpar said he was going to _Tibet_ to see Carmen when in fact he said _The Met_).


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## Belowpar

Loge said:


> Did you notice that at the beginning of Act 3 that Walther uses the bed/shoe bench as a psychiatrists couch? Here I suppose is a clue. The room was supposed to represent Hans Sachs interior state as compared to the more abstract outside world. Which is why the room was so detailed.


… interesting idea thanks and I do like it.

I did notice the couch/bench and also that apparently Sacks had slept on it giving up his own bed to Walther, just as he was to give up Eva. However Sacks is analysing Walther's dreams, and I'm not sure how that fits.

To my way of thinking the exterior world as seen by the cobbler would be full of material detail and the interior world as seen by the poet, would be full of strong emotion? In your theory it's like its the other way round.

From all this I think we might agree that the change of style represents Sack's seeing things in intensely sharp focus at that time.


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## Belowpar

Alexander said:


> Belowpar, you forgot to add that the highlight was meeting me in the intermission :lol: Very nice to meet you. Our time chatting in the pub flew by.
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> I was saving that bit. Nice to meet you too!
> 
> PS it was a VERY noisy bar:lol:


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## sospiro

Alexander said:


> (Perhaps my hearing isn't so great, during our drinks I thought Belowpar said he was going to *Tibet* to see Carmen when in fact he said _The Met_).


:lol:

Now that would be an opera trip to top all opera trips!!


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## Bellinilover

On Feb. 15 I saw SALOME at Virginia Opera. It was my very first experience with SALOME, apart from knowing the original Bible story and hearing the final scene sung by Deborah Voigt on a CD. In short, it was stunning, one of the _very_ best productions I've seen at Virginia Opera (and I've seen between 15 and 20 operas there). Kelli Cae Hogan was Salome and a bass-baritone named Michael Chioldi was John the Baptist. All the voices were more than up to the task and the music itself was just overwhelming. The updated staging was brilliant, not at all distracting like many updatings can be. One thing I liked was that the director (Stephen Lawless, who has directed at the Met) didn't have Salome take lid off the platter in the final scene until she absolutely had to (the last few minutes of the scene); it built suspense and was much more effective, in my opinion, than the potentially silly/gruesome spectacle of her singing directly to a disembodied head for minutes on end. Since seeing the performance I've been listening to the Giuseppe Sinopoli CD of SALOME (Cheryl Studer and Bryn Terfel), but even that can't quite convey the sheer power of the score when heard live, the percussion especially. I'm very glad I got tickets to the performance and am looking forward to Virginia Opera's DER FLIEGENDE HOLLANDER next season.


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## Taggart

March 3rd, we went to our first performance of La Traviata at Lowestoft Marina. I had seen the YouTube trailer and realised that the sets would be a little cramped as the Marina has a small stage. The production was by Ellen Kent using the Chisinau National Opera and Chisinau National Philharmonic Orchestra. We have seen several of her productions and they are good even on a small stage. The set may have been cramped but the singing was good. Violetta was sung by Maria Tonina who gave an excellent and moving performance. The tenor playing Alfredo, Ruslan Zinevych, was a little unsure and sometimes came across as somewhat "shouty" but still gave quite a good performance especially at the end. Perhaps his voice warmed up? Alfredo's father, Vladimir Dragos was much better and gave a fine performance. Despite some complaints about some of the singing, the music was excellently played and the ensemble produced an moving and emotional performance mainly driven by an excellent Violetta. A very nice evening out.


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## sospiro

Taggart said:


> March 3rd, we went to our first performance of La Traviata at Lowestoft Marina. I had seen the YouTube trailer and realised that the sets would be a little cramped as the Marina has a small stage. The production was by Ellen Kent using the Chisinau National Opera and Chisinau National Philharmonic Orchestra. We have seen several of her productions and they are good even on a small stage. The set may have been cramped but the singing was good. Violetta was sung by Maria Tonina who gave an excellent and moving performance. The tenor playing Alfredo, Ruslan Zinevych, was a little unsure and sometimes came across as somewhat "shouty" but still gave quite a good performance especially at the end. Perhaps his voice warmed up? Alfredo's father, Vladimir Dragos was much better and gave a fine performance. Despite some complaints about some of the singing, the music was excellently played and the ensemble produced an moving and emotional performance mainly driven by an excellent Violetta. A very nice evening out.


Sounds like a excellent night. I love performances in intimate surroundings!


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## Queen of the Nerds

Down in the Valley (by Kurt Weil) was a 40-minute opera that felt about 5 minutes long. It was good. That's all I have to say.


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## Bellinilover

I thought I should report on Virginia Opera's LA TRAVIATA, which I saw on March 22nd. It was a visually gorgeous production set in the 1890's "Belle Epoque," which I think is a good period in which to set TRAVIATA if you're going to update it (wasn't the famous Callas/Visconti production set in the same period?). Unusual touches included a trio of richly dressed, ghostly pale women who wandered through several scenes behind a scrim to foreshadow Violetta's impending death. The standout cast member for me was baritone Malcolm Mackenzie as an ideally sympathetic (and not too old) Giorgio Germont. With his firm and vibrant, if not especially luxuriant, voice he brought much nuance to "Di Provenza," and I was glad that a verse of the cabaletta was included, to round off his scene. Alfredo's second-act aria can be rather perfunctory, but tenor Rolando Sanz made it intimate and charming, addressing it to his friend Gastone, who had apparently come for a visit. He brought conviction to the cabaletta, too. Cecilia Violetta Lopez as Violetta suffered from occasional raspiness (due to allergies, probably) that did not, however, affect the core of her tone. Although through most of the opera she looked too buxom and healthy for a dying woman, she conveyed all of Violetta's emotions effectively (a memorable "Amami, Alfredo"), and her final act was totally convincing. The Dr. Grenvile (not a character you usually remember) was notably sympathetic, and I was glad that there was only one intermission (following Act II, scene one), because this made the opera seem less episodic and more unified. All in all, this was an intimate, lovely, and affecting performance that I'm happy to have seen.


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## papsrus

Last month went to see the final two operas here, Tosca and Don Carlos (Paris version). Both great. Starting to develop a little bit of a thing for Italian opera.

Don Carlos was a wonderful production -- beautiful music, elegant staging and costumes, fantastic singing and drama. I'd guess they sunk a good chunk of their production efforts / costs for the season into this one, it being part of their complete Verdi cycle, and a mammoth effort as well that lasts almost 5 hours (with two intermissions).

Tosca was well done as well, but not quite to the level of Don Carlos, which seemed to me as though it would not have been out of place in any opera house in the world.

So, that completes the season for me:
*Marriage of Figaro*, great music, enthusiastic production, very enjoyable;

*Golden Cockerel*, mostly disappointing, frankly. Production was not much above the level of a college or student production, I'd guess. Orchestration was beautiful, but only with the appearance of the queen in the second act did the singing start to take off. So kind of disjointed overall;

*Tosca*, very enjoyable, beautiful music, production in line with most of what else I've been to here, which is to say very good;

*Don Carlos*, best production of the season, hands-down. Music, singing, story, impact all five star.

Side note: Neither of the last two included a prelude / overture, which I always kind of enjoy. Don Carlos had a very short orchestral introduction, but the curtain went up almost immediately in Tosca.

The opera house is now turned over to La Musica Chamber Music Festival this month -- it is a very well-regarded music festival featuring pretty high caliber musicians from around the world. I have tickets to two performances coming up. After that, it's down to HD broadcasts through the summer.


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## Don Fatale

Kammeroper, Vienna - L'Heure Espanole (Ravel) and Les Mamelles des Tiresias (Poulenc)

I like French opera so this double bill appealed to me. The Ravel dates from 1911, the Poulenc piece from 1947. This production of these two operas is unusual. Read on!

While the audience is seating itself, 'Torquemada' is on stage receiving last minute instructions from the assistant director. (There's no curtain). This goes on fully for 5-10 minutes as she shows him the various stage marks and references to the score. The show is preceded by a management announcement that this performance is actually classified as a rehearsal due to late cast changes. All highly irregular!

And so begins L'Heure Espagnole... rather tentatively as the performers glance nervously at the audience. The assistant director seems so concerned that she's hovering visibly in the wings with her score. Then, to the audience's shock there's a shout from the back of the hall: "Stop!" The director I presume.

Stage hands appear, resetting the props, instructing the singers in their movement issues. Surely the audience knows by now it's all a setup? Alas, there aren't many laughs. There are German surtitles, but it's not helping. I guess I had an advantage, as I'd seen a performance of well-known farce "Noises Off" only six weeks earlier, and this is borrowing heavily from it. The director's shout from the back of the hall being the give-away. I believe the term for this is metatheatre, (or theatre about theatre).

The performance continues with various directorial 'interruptions' (too many to describe), with the young singers performing gamely, particularly Natalia Kawalek as Conception. With a nice voice, physical charms and a gift for comedy she will surely do well in Rossini's mezzo roles.

Because of my familiarity with Noises Off I could make an early prediction that the second act/opera will take place 'backstage'. And it did! We're now looking at the rear of the backdrop of the first act/opera. Quite amusing was the fact that the cast continued acting as if they were backstage right through the interval (there's no curtain remember).

If you're following so far, now it's going to get confusing. I will not attempt to explain Les Mamelles de Tiresias. Here it's very loosely adapted. And now the singers are playing the singers who had just performed L'Heure Espanole even though they are actually now in Poulenc's opera. The 'director' and 'assistant' are become singers in this next opera, both doing rather well in Poulenc's tuneful and accessible score. As it progresses, the director is kidnapped and bound with tape, all the men end up wearing the women's clothing and vice versa. The second opera ends with the stage facing the audience and with the same action as the first. As with Noises Off, it really plays with the mind when you stop and think that there is still an actual back stage, a director and stage hands.

It's a farce. It was a lot of fun. The Viennese audience almost laughed. To be fair this premiere got a deserved standing ovation.


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## Don Fatale

The morning after Vienna I headed up the Danube 90 minutes by fast boat to Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. There's a 19th c. opera house in the historic centre, but I was going to the new arts complex, the bluntly named 'New Theatre' (inaugurated 2007). I'll talk more about the building when I get to my 'opera trips' report. What made me come here was the chance to see a rarity (these days), Wolf-Ferrari's I Gioielli Della Madonna, his stab - if you'll excuse the pun - at the verismo style. aka The Jewels of the Madonna, Der Schmuck der Madonna, or in the local language Sperky Madony.

The story is straightforward to the extent that the absence of English surtitles wasn't an issue: boy does very foolish thing to impress girl, in this case stealing the jewels of the Madonna statue who is being paraded on a feast day. It's set in Naples and even the Cammora (the Neopolitan mafia) are horrified. It's going to end badly for the pair. The staging is big budget, the recreation of an Italian town's piazza is beautifully rendered and populated with over a 100 on stage at times. Dating from 1911, the score is tuneful and accessible with some fine arias plus chorus and dance scenes. It was mostly sung by Slovak singers but with a notable import who has become a local favourite, Kyungho Kim, playing the lead role of Gennaro and singing with great elegance and pathos. The plaudits were rightly his. (His Rodolfo will soon be heard in Dresden and Leipzig.) 

By chance I was there for the production's premier. A standing ovation was deservedly bestowed. It was a great production of a unjustly neglected work and I'd have happily stayed on for the next performance if that were possible.


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## Don Fatale

On to Budapest the following day to see what I'm beginning to think is my favourite opera, or at least up with the late Verdis... Boito's Mefistofele.

Anyone familiar with this opera surely knows about the notable Samuel Ramey performance and its San Francisco production. It's futile to expect to match let alone better it in either production or singers. The vocal talent at the Hungarian State Opera is somewhat short of world-class but capable of delivering acceptable performances. The three main roles of Mefistofele (Palerdi Andras), Faust (Fekete Attila) and Margheria/Elena (Letay Kiss Gabriella) all acquitted themselves well but only the soprano managed to really make an impact. The production was big as I think this opera warrants. There was an ever-present double helix staircase providing the backdrop (and distraction!) to every scene. I was disappointed that some of the notable parts such as the villagers chorus and the quartet were lessened by too much physical direction. By contrast, Margherita's prison scene was much more stand-and-deliver from the three leads. As a result, it was incredibly powerful and moving. To me this is one of the greatest segments in all opera (if you like it full-bodied) and justice was done to it here. The Helen of Troy act which is notably brief and very tuneful seemed to have a sci-fi setting with Helen and Faust in some kind of hi-tech glass caskets. No matter, whatever that was all about, it was intriguing and visually it worked.

I know Boito's orchestration is often considered stolid and pedestrian, but the conductor (Csakovics Lajos) was utterly deserving of the audience's greatest ovation of the night as he gave a robust and rich interpretation. This evening was a big hit with the audience and rightly so.


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## sospiro

^^

Great reviews!

I enjoy reading about your varying forms of transportation almost as much as reading about your opera experiences! Your research is obviously thorough and the boat trip sounds great.

Have you got this version? If so, can you recommend?


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## Don Fatale

Glad you liked the reviews Annie, I'm currently stringing it all together in a blog entry with more info about the numerous planes, buses, trains, trams, metros and boats. I felt I lucked in with some great productions. I guess I should review the last opera of my trip while I'm here -

Hungarian State Opera - Faust

It was boring... and long too (7-10:55). The production was unappealing. Margherite works as a cleaner in a swanky golf club. I don't have the singers' names to hand, but it's probably just as well. I think the soprano in this role really needs to sparkle and win the audience and she failed to do so. The whole opera just seemed to lack any momentum. The audience reaction at the end was suitably tame, particularly compared to Mefistofele the previous night. I wonder what perempe made of it?

I just noticed Opera Today have done a review of I Gioielli della Madonna, and it's as positive about it as I was.
http://www.operatoday.com/content/2015/05/ermanno_wolf-fe.php


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## Dongiovanni

Don Fatale said:


> Glad you liked the reviews Annie, I'm currently stringing it all together in a blog entry with more info about the numerous planes, buses, trains, trams, metros and boats. I felt I lucked in with some great productions. I guess I should review the last opera of my trip while I'm here -
> 
> Hungarian State Opera - Faust
> 
> It was boring... and long too (7-10:55). The production was unappealing. Margherite works as a cleaner in a swanky golf club. I don't have the singers' names to hand, but it's probably just as well. I think the soprano in this role really needs to sparkle and win the audience and she failed to do so. The whole opera just seemed to lack any momentum. The audience reaction at the end was suitably tame, particularly compared to Mefistofele the previous night. I wonder what perempe made of it?
> 
> I just noticed Opera Today have done a review of I Gioielli della Madonna, and it's as positive about it as I was.
> http://www.operatoday.com/content/2015/05/ermanno_wolf-fe.php


Hey you changed your nickname !

Just read your blog on the Vienna trip, very nice read. What a bummer to have 3 hours delay and missing out, it's my worst nightmare. Usually these low fare airlines have top notch legal departments.... claims are usually futile, I tried it ounce with Ryanair with no luck.


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## Don Fatale

Dongiovanni said:


> Hey you changed your nickname !
> 
> Just read your blog on the Vienna trip, very nice read. What a bummer to have 3 hours delay and missing out, it's my worst nightmare. Usually these low fare airlines have top notch legal departments.... claims are usually futile, I tried it ounce with Ryanair with no luck.


Yep, a more opera-related nickname. You've reminded me that I need to finish off the trip report. I certainly enjoyed Bratislava and recommend it, should you be planning a trip to Vienna. I'd like to go there again.


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## sospiro

Don Fatale said:


> Glad you liked the reviews Annie, I'm currently stringing it all together in a blog entry with more info about the numerous planes, buses, trains, trams, metros and boats. I felt I lucked in with some great productions.


Just read your blog. Really excellent and I love your 'Vienna audience almost laughed'!! What a shame about missing your connection but from my experience Flybe are often late. I've booked KLM for both legs when I go to Vienna and I'm hoping that if first flight is late, the connecting flight may wait for KLM passengers. Well that's what I'm hoping!!


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## Don Fatale

sospiro said:


> Just read your blog. Really excellent and I love your 'Vienna audience almost laughed'!! What a shame about missing your connection but from my experience Flybe are often late. I've booked KLM for both legs when I go to Vienna and I'm hoping that if first flight is late, the connecting flight may wait for KLM passengers. Well that's what I'm hoping!!


Sadly from Inverness I don't have much choice but to use the lousy Flybe in order to get to Amsterdam. Good in theory but bad in practice as I mostly experience delays. I think I'll revert back to stopovers in Gatwick (perhaps with an opera in London).
When are you off to Vienna? Is that combined with Bucharest or separate? If I recall, KLM have a 5-ish flight and an 8-ish flight so if you'r late for the first they'll put you on the other I guess.


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## fantasia2000

As promised, here are some reviews of the operas I watched during my opera trip last week.

6/4 Handel's "Xerxes" at Royal Opera Versailles, Ensemble Matheus, Jean-Christophe Spinosi, Malena Ernman, Bengt Krantz, David DQ Lee, Kerstin Avemo, Hanna Husahr, Ivonne Fuchs, Jakob Zethner
Directed by Lars Rudolfsson.
I went straight to Versailles after landing in CDG, and after doing the tour of the Palace and dinner nearby, I was ready for Xerxes. For me, the main attraction was of course, the conducting of JC Spinosi. Versailles is a great opera house, with back-breaking benches as seats. There were no seat numbers, and it was always the source of confusion where people supposed to sit (this is the 2nd time I saw there). Coming to my seat, the first view of the stage was a gigantic wavy wooden platform covered the whole stage, with 1 tree on the right side stage and the word "Xerxes" written on the back. The opera began with the interesting gimmick: the whole violin and woodwind sections came to the wavy stage from left and right, and played the ouverture on stage, while slowly descended to the pit as the ouverture ended. This opera was performed wholly on that massive wave wooden platform, and somehow I kept waiting for a singer to slip and fall down (lol!). No set changes, no props. So it was up to the singers to "entertain", and yes, they employed pretty much every single slapstick trick. 
Xerxes is Handel's most comedic opera seria, IMO, so the slapstick treatment was pretty appropriate, I guess. Malena Ernman came out dressed as cowboy in leather suit "Xerxes" and jumped straight to the famous song of this opera "Ombra mai fu". She was in great voice, suitably dark as Xerxes, and potrayed Xerxes as horny ******* king. The cast was generally fine, with Kerstein Avemo completely stole the thunder everytime she came out as Atalanta. It was my first time seeing David DQ Lee, the Korean countertenor (which is VERY rare) and he didn't disappoint as Arsamene. Luckily nobody slipped on the stage!
Now, JC Spinosi was famous for being extreme on the dynamics. His conducting was brisk and sharp in here, and the extreme dynamics, while being there, didn't really distract me, at least. 

6/5 Chausson's "Le roi Arthus" at Opera Bastille, conducted by Phillipe Jordan, Sophie Koch, Thomas Hampson, Roberto Alagna, Alexandre Duhamel, Stanislas de Barbeyrac, François Lis, Peter Sidhom, Cyrille Dubois, Tiago Matos, Ugo Rabec
Directed by Graham Vick
The following night, I caught the rare opera "Le roi Arthus" by Ernest Chausson. I got caught in Friday night Paris traffic, so I got there about 10 mins late. Luckily (for me at least), they had electric problem so I managed to get into my seat right in time. (Yes, the whole thing was very stressful). I had no knowledge of the piece, although I'm very fond of Chausson's Symphony. A pupil of Franck, this opera was billed as lush as Wagner's operas. My interest was piqued by the trio of the principals, Thomas Hampson, Roberto Alagna, and the lovely Sophie Koch.
After a spiritedly lush ouverture, the curtain opened to reveal simple sets, with guys in modern clothes (khakis & t-shirts) carrying giant swords. 12 of them made a circle, no doubt to represent the roundtable knights. The set was fairly simple, and props were recycled during the three acts. The juxtaposition of the modern clothes and swords was interesting, albeit a bit jarring, at least to me. The three leads definitely delivered. Thomas Hampson was sufficiently regal in his potrayal as the king, although I think he was more successful as the benevolent king, instead of later, the vengeful king. Sophie Koch was great, only a bit shrill on the highest tops that night. Roberto Alagna was the most impressive, his lovely tenor has darkened, and gave weight to the role that night. The music was indeed very lush like Wagner, although the finale sounded heavenly a la Massenet (think Thais or Manon). 

6/6 Handel's "Alessandro", at Goethe-Theater, Bad Lauchstadt, Armonia Atenea, George Petrou, Max Emanuel Cencic, Dilyara Idrisova, Blandine Staskiewicz, Xavier Sabata, Pavel Kudinov, Juan Sancho, Vasily Khoroshev
Directed by Lucinda Childs
This is, pretty much the main event for this trip. The production, with only 2 performances, had been sold out since last December. I was so devastated not being able to score a ticket, till the week before, for some unknown reason, few seats were open and I managed to score a ticket. I guess Opera Gods were listening to my nonstop prayers!  
Goethe-Theater was a very old theater, from Goethe's time, were everything was wooden. That day was a super HOT day, and it felt like an oven inside the theater (yes, no aircon inside the theater). But even hotter was the performance!! The Armonia Atenea, conducted by George Petrou only period instruments, was brisk, sharp, and super exciting. The combination of the period instruments and the wooden theater somehow created a very "plucky" sound of the orchestra (for lack of better words) that was very different from any orchestras I've ever heard. The production was transformed into film noir eras, perusing the usual play-within-the-play setting, with the 2 suitors of Alessandro now translated as 2 actresses fighting for the attention of the leading man (who played Alessandro). The whole production went back and forth between the "Alessandro production" and the backstage catfight. Without English subtitles, I couldn't tell if any of the lyrics even made sense in this setting, but the production was really fun on its own. As the narcissistic Alessandro (and the actor playing him), Max Cencic was indeed perfect. The coloratura passages executed perfectly. The two leading ladies were pretty impressive too, although I was pretty disappointed by Blandine Staskiewicz's performance of "Brilla nell'alma" (one of my favorite Handel song), which I felt very underpowered especially compared to the amazing Julia Lezhneva's performance on Petrou's recording. Xavier Sabata was indeed very funny as the sidekick Tassile, and the cast was great. Really great performance, albeit super slapstick, of Handel's fun opera in the oven! Worth every penny, definitely!!! 

6/7 two Handel operas in a row. First, concert performance of Handel's "Imeneo" at Georg-Friedrich-Händel HALLE (Handel Hall), Europa Galante, Fabio Biondi, Magnus Staveland, Ann Hallenberg, Monica Piccinini, Fabrizio Beggi, Cristiana Arcari
The main attraction for me was definitely Fabio Biondi and Ann Hallenberg. I have known Fabio Biondi mostly from his Vivaldi's hard-hitting "Four Seasons", so I was pretty surprised that he started off pretty mild (especially after hearing George Petrou the day before). It wasn't until "Sorge nell’alma mia" (which was very similar to the famous "Why do the nations?" from The Messiah) that I saw traces of "old" Biondi. Fortunately, the second half fared much better in that regard. Ann Hallenberg took a while to warm up (the first two songs sounded very tentative), but she got MUCH better later on. "Sorge nell'alma mia" was really a showstopper for her. Other soloists were pretty good, nothing really stuck out of my mind.

Last opera: Handel's "Lucio Cornelia Silla", at Oper Halle, conducted by Enrico Onofri, Filippo Mineccia, Romelia Lichtenstein, Jeffrey Kim, Ines Lex, Ulrich Burdack
Directed by Stephen Lawless
Stephen Lawless crafted a super political staging, with Silla transformed into modern-day dictator, that was crazy horny and pretty much without redeeming value. No wonder everyone around him hated him with a passion. I found it quite compelling, except for the ending. After Silla being waterboarded and survived.... the opera closed with him imagining killing the people around him one by one with finger pistol during the final chorus. I'm not too familiar with this opera, but I always thought the finale that Silla repented and all ended happily. I hated it when opera director changed ending like that. Anyway, Filippo Mineccia worked hard as the hated dictator. He portrayed the craziness of Silla perfectly. His instrument was pretty small (in fact, most cast also), but luckily Oper Halle was not a big hall. Pretty disturbing ending to my trip.


So there you go, 5 operas, 4 nights.... Now let me tend my jetlag before "The Trojans" marathon on Friday!


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## sospiro

Don Fatale said:


> Sadly from Inverness I don't have much choice but to use the lousy Flybe in order to get to Amsterdam. Good in theory but bad in practice as I mostly experience delays. I think I'll revert back to stopovers in Gatwick (perhaps with an opera in London).
> When are you off to Vienna? Is that combined with Bucharest or separate? If I recall, KLM have a 5-ish flight and an 8-ish flight so if you'r late for the first they'll put you on the other I guess.


Bucharest is for Monteverdi in September and Vienna is for Peter Grimes in December.

I think BA sold many of its routes to Flybe which was a shame. Flybe is fine if you have the time and money to fly the day before a trip.

My flight from BHX (staying overnight at airport hotel) gets to AMS at 08:20 so hopefully I'll get to Vienna the same day.


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## Don Fatale

Great reviews fantasia2000. We'll have to compare notes on the most uncomfortable theatres at some point.

I'm sorry I missed Le Roi Arthus. I like the music, and the Bastille too.

Do you have plans to come to Europe again?


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## fantasia2000

Don Fatale said:


> Great reviews fantasia2000. We'll have to compare notes on the most uncomfortable theatres at some point.
> 
> I'm sorry I missed Le Roi Arthus. I like the music, and the Bastille too.
> 
> Do you have plans to come to Europe again?


Thanks! Yeah, definitely have to compare notes on the seats. 

Le Roi Arthus was indeed great production, with awesome singing! When else will you be able to catch this opera? That was my thinking. I wanted to see Massenet's "Le cid" earlier on (also with Alagna), but the scheduling didn't work, as I couldn't find any other operas around that timeframe that I desperately want to see.

I'm thinking to go again mid-October for three back-to-back star-studded productions, provided I can take time off work, though. They are:
10/16 - Monteverdi's "L´incoronazione di Poppea" at Theater an der Wien, JC Spinosi conducting. With Christophe Dumaux, Valer Sabadus, Jennifer Larmore and Alex Penda, it's hard to go wrong!
10/17 - Hasse's "Siroe" concert-style at Concertgebouw, George Petrou conducting (I'm a big fan now!!!). With Max Emmanuel Cencic & Julia Lezhneva, it's also, hard to go wrong!
10/18 - Meyerbeer's "Vasco da Gama" at Berlin Oper, with Roberto Alagna and Sophie Koch, it's hard to go wrong too! Besides, this is the premiere of the newly rehabilitated L'Africaine, closer to Meyerbeer's intention, supposedly. Yes, it's a bit change from the first two, but this will be a major event, methinks.


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## Bellinilover

I saw LE NOZZE DI FIGARO at Wolf Trap (Virginia, USA) today. One thing I appreciate about this theater, a former barn, is that it's small enough so that, even sitting upstairs, you can see everything clearly without using opera glasses. This production of FIGARO was set in the 1880's, the director's reasoning for this time-change being that there was a second restoration of the Spanish monarchy at around that time. There were basically three sets: a garden with a working fountain for the last act, and for the first three acts two dilapidated rooms. I liked the fact that the sets and costumes looked really Spanish, as in the past I've tended to forget that FIGARO takes place in Spain and not Vienna or somewhere else. Direction-wise there wasn't a dull or "dead" moment, and all of the singers were wonderful, though some of Figaro's high notes sounded strained. The singer portraying the Count created the most "fully rounded" character. He had a huge voice, probably even a little too big for Mozart, but he certainly was vivid. The very funny Doctor Bartolo was, somewhat unexpectedly, thin and cadaverous rather than your typical "fat buffo." This was an intimate production that very well-sung and well-staged, and I was happy to have it for my first "live" FIGARO.

Edited to add: The recitatives were accompanied by fortepiano rather than the more usual harpsichord.


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## Itullian

Small productions can be very charming.
Sounds like that one was.
Thank you for sharing.:tiphat:


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## mountmccabe

I saw a slightly staged production of Fidelio last night. The San Francisco Symphony conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas.

Jaquino - Nicholas Phan
Marzelline - Joélle Harvey
Rocco - Kevin Langan
Leonore - Nina Stemme
Don Pizarro - Alan Held
Brandon Jovanovich - Florestan
Don Fernando - Luca Pisaroni

Stemme sounded amazing. There were a few moments where the top seemed insecure but overall she was in control. I am thrilled to have seen her. Jovanovich was glorious as Florestan; dominating the second act. Alan Held had some great moments, though I kept wishing the orchestra didn't cover him. Harvey had a lovely top, but was otherwise mostly hidden. The SFS sounded tight but rarely seemed to notice there were singers.

I have a question: there was clapping after nearly every number. Is this common for singspiele? Was it because this was a symphony concert with their audience? 

Anyway MTT and the cast seemed to push through a bit more in the second act. The scene break was shorter than some of the song to dialogue transitions in the first act. Part of me wants to think this contributed to the second act holding together better but I think that's just because it's better.

The cast wore formal black. They entered when they would be on stage if this were staged. There were some gestures. Florestan was on the ground for the start of act 2. The only contact (I believe) was between Leonore and Florestan, embracing and holding hands. There were no props and no miming of props save for the key (to the point that I started to wonder if there actually was a key even though there were no chains to unlock).

The second act was thrilling. The singers and orchestra drew me in (away from the surtitles) and held on despite the limitations of the libretto. I was on edge when Leonore confronted Pizarro!


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## DavidA

Attended Calixto Bieito's *Carmen as broadcast from the ENO* last night. In spite of the producer's often misguided ideas, it did produce a thrilling evening's entertainment. Bieito is one of those producers who have never heard of the principle of 'more is less' and proceeds the whole way through to assault us with his ideas. Yes, I know that there is sex and violence in Carmen but does it have to be rammed home with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer? 
I mean, do men, even if they are soldiers, have to have simulated orgasms when they lay eyes on a women? And although we know that Carmen's companions are a pretty unsavoury lot, do they have to beat up their hostage, kick his head in and then urinate over him to make the point? And were Carmen and her companions drunken hookers? OK, they were women of easy virtue but to provide them with a pimp seems a bit far fetched. Yes, we know Carmen is desperate to seduce Jose, but does she have to take her knickers off only to have to slip them back on again? And why is Michaela portrayed as a tart? In Bizet's concept she is the pious, village girl who represents the opposite alternative from Carmen. And why are the street urchins at a soup kitchen rather than marching behind the soldiers as the score suggests? 
Pity because the cast provided us with a lot of energy in this updated Carmen even if the results were somewhat mixed vocally. Dominating the stage was Justina Gringyte as Carmen, sexy, alluring and dangerous in split skirts. I can honestly say (given the assumed premise of what Carmen is) that I have never seen a better Carmen on stage. She was terrific! Absolutely magnetic from beginning to end in her acting and singing.
Eric Cutler's Jose was well sung but was not helped to develop the character because of the producer's misguided ideas that all men start off as abusers of women, rather than degenerating to it because of infatuation as Bizet indicates. The portrayal of Micaela was misconceived but Eleanor Dennis at least sang the role with considerable distinction. The Escamillo (presented as a spiv rater than a swaggering toreador) acted well but was vocally not up to the part. Richard Armstrong conducted with great energy and the drama musically was well realised.
Although I have many reservations about this production, the cast through their sheer energy gave us a rattling good evening's entertainment. Best of all was the indestructible music of a great operatic genius, who sadly died far too young!


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## Belowpar

This is the thread that I wished got more posts. I prefer reading the views of enthusiasts over those of professional cynics ,sorry critics, who like to fool themselves they are somehow objective about their free trips to the theatre.

I realise I've been remiss and will do a separate report on my trip to XXXXXXXX

However I did make it to Falstaff at the ROH last week. This was a most enjoyable evening and the 'best' production of this great Opera I've seen. The updating worked very well and after reading a programme essay I thought more about the class issues than I had at previous encounters. However maybe they could have compromised on some of the sets, there was an uncommon amount of time waiting between scenes. A small gripe but we are looking for perfection here!.

My last Falstaff was Tyrfel and while Ambrogio Maestri can't SING as well, he offers a fine comic characterisation and I would happily see either in this part again. Luis Gomes as Fenton produced the odd, 'odd' sound but was effective with some really good singing but I didn't care that much for the rest of the male singers. The singing honours belonged to two newcomers (to me) Ainhoa Areta as Alice Ford and Anna Devin as Nannetta. The sparkle was there, mainly in ensembles but Michael Shonwandt the conductor is perhaps not a natural Verdian?

Reading this back I'm surprised at how ”Critical” I've been. In the lead up to this visit I've been listening to the Karajan/Gobbi recording and whilst Maestri offers a different interesting take on Falstaff and Devin sang almost as beautifully as Moffo, it's hard on the conductor to compare him with Karajan's take on Verdi's most detailed Orchestral writings? Perhaps I'd have enjoyed it even more had I not had the CD's on repeat play the week before.

I could definitely see this production again. Recommended.


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## Don Fatale

I agree with you about reading the reviews of others here. This is always a thread I look for.

As to this current Falstaff, although it's a fine enough production, very professionally done, I didn't find it as funny as others I've seen (7 different productions including the previous ROH and ENO). Both of those were preferable. In fact in the forest scene in _every_ other production I'd seen was preferable. This forest was dull i.e. just the cast in hooked cloaks on a near empty stage. I want fairies, and twinkly lights, and a magical and charming scene, and this didn't deliver!

I was toying with seeing Falstaff at La Scala in October, and then discovered it was the same production.

As to the singing, I was generally happy, although the balance between the singers and the orchestra wasn't great. I have to blame the conductor.

I have an obsession with this opera, and I can't help but view any performance (and production) with a critical eye and ear. Surely this opera is a dream job for set and costume designers and for a theatre trained director.


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## Loge

Just returned from Prom 25, Monteverdi: L'Orfeo. And what a wonderful evening it was. Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducted. He has picked the most amazing young voices to sing this opera. Krystian Adam as Orpheus, Mariana Flores as Eurydice/Hope, Francesca Aspromonte as Music/Messenger and Gianluca Buratto as Charon/Pluto.

When I bought a ticket I was worried that that the Royal Albert Hall was too large for a Renaissance opera. The opera has a small orchestra, and the voices should be suited to a more intimate venue. How wrong I was. Because the orchestra was small the voices projected more. And this was the quietest audience I have ever experienced, not bad for a 5000 seater. The diction and projection of the singers was incredible. I was at the back in the circle, and if I got lost in the libretto I could listen to key words from the stage and find the right line, and I don't even know Renaissance Italian!. The cavernous acoustics of the Royal Albert Hall gave this opera a most mystical sound that could not be achieved elsewhere.

Special mention must be given to the chorus the backbone of the production. And the semi staging worked perfectly. You could hear the audience gasp when Orfeo turns back and looks at Eurydice. The big dance at the end was the icing on the cake, but you don't get to hear the audiences laughter on the BBC i Player recording, when the cast dance around Pluto. Shame the BBC didn't film this, because musically and visually this hits a home run. And you will never get to see Krystian Adam playing Orfeo as an ancient Greek Al Jolson. Just listen the the audiences reaction on the i player.

Have a listen on the BBC Proms page http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/e548gw#b0640j4n


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## Donata

I went to see Salome at the Santa Fe Opera on July the 22nd. It was a very warm evening in Santa Fe, making one wish for it to rain and cool things off. I was interested in how they were going to pull off staging it in 1905, the year the opera was first staged. It didn't quite work. They were going for a Freudian interpretation of the story, delving into the psychological aspect. 
The setting was a giant rotating cube that was Jochanaan's cell and represented everyone's private prison. The orchestra seemed especially loud, causing the singers to have to strain a bit to be heard. Narraboth's suicide was oddly staged and comical. One moment this guy is just standing there doing nothing, then suddenly he is stabbing himself and writhing on the floor. It didn't seem to fit.
The Dance of the Seven Veils had neither veils nor dancing; it was a series of flashbacks that was more like watching a series of Salome’s therapy sessions, making the viewer wonder why Herod would be willing to give up half his kingdom. It also was performed in private, not in front of an audience, which makes Herod's desperation to save face out of place. Herod could easily have dismissed Salome's demands. I think Salome is dependent on its biblical setting to make sense. The producer's vision was ambitious and while some things worked, like the costumes and the scenery, others didn't. The singers did a good job with the material, and they sang really well. Despite its flaws it was a decent performance, Santa Fe always puts on a good show.


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## Loge

Just returned from Prom 39, Mozart: Abduction from Seraglio or as I like to call it Escape from a Brothel. The only other Mozart opera seen, Don Giovanni turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. However I really enjoyed this one. The production was semi staged, yet with props, action and full costumes. The production for the Proms was a transfer from Glyndebourne earlier this year. Robin Ticciati conducted the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. The cast was filled with excellent young singers (by that I mean they all looked under 40). Edgaras Montvidas as Belmonte, Sally Matthews as Konstanze, Brenden Patrick as Gunnell Pedrillo. The standouts for me were Tobias Kehrer as Osmin and Mari Eriksmoen as Blonde. They were my favorite characters and had a hilarious food fight at the beginning of the second Act 2. Franck Saurel starred in the speaking role of a rather dashing Pasha Selim.

My only gripes with the production? They played some background sound over speakers. The sound of water and bird song. Which drowned out the beautiful music that accompanies Konstanze's entrance (Mozart Serenade No 10 In B Flat Major K 361 III Adagio, I believe. I remembered the music from Amadeus, when Salieri first meets Mozart). And boy was it long. The BBC Prom website said it was 2 hours 20 mins. It turned out to run 3 hours 45 mins. My, that is Wagnerian length. Heck I have seen shorter Wagner operas! Apparently they kept in all the dialogue. Come to think of it that is longer than most Shakespeare plays I have seen. But apart from that brilliant. And Mozart's infectious music keeps you buoyed up all the way through.

Anyway Glyndbourne is touring with this in the autumn. Canterbury, Milton Keynes, Norwich, Plymouth and Woking. If you are in the UK and have four hours to spare, I highly recommend it.


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## Don Fatale

Orpheus and Eurydice
Edinburgh
14-Aug-2015

Loge, one woman's abductor is another's rescuer, I guess. I was listening to it on the radio as I was driving away from the opera I saw in Edinburgh. Glad you enjoyed it. I've yet to appreciate it even though I've seen it live a couple of times. Don Giovanni should really impress rather more.

I saw Orpheus and Eurydice (yep, in English) at an Edinburgh fringe show. A pretty small affair with less than a 100 seats, sort of in-the-round, or whatever it's called when the stage is the central floor with the audience on 3 sides. Musicians were violin, viola, cello and a keyboard imitating a harpsichord. It's a young cast with the up and coming young countertenor Magid El-Bushra the ever-present figure... that is except for Eurydice, even though she's playing dead on a hotel bed/mortuary slab for most of the show, even before the audience were admitted.

The numerous cuts left the running time at barely an hour. With its intimate scale and studentish vibe I'm not sure a newcomer would have known for sure that they'd seen an 'opera'.


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## Don Fatale

Falstaff
Black Cat Opera Company
Camberley (Surrey)
15-Aug-2015

A 400 mile drive from Edinburgh left me wishing I had a standing place for this opera in Camberley's intimate 400 seat theatre. I wasn't making the trip especially for this, I was just hoping that the en-route detour would be worth it.

I'll start with the orchestra, playing in front of the stage rather than in a pit. There were 17 players including a keyboard guy filling gaps, such as a perfect imitation of a lute while Alice faked it. Falstaff is a demanding piece, particularly for strings which have to constantly be sharp and incisive. They seemed to move between well-drilled sequences to areas where their musicianship and tone was exposed. Wind instruments seem to flatter by comparison. When was the last time you heard a bad flute/piccolo player?

And so to the singers. It would be fair to say there was a breadth of abilities and experience. The key to it all was the Falstaff played by Phillip Guy Bromley. No spring chicken, he uses his experience to carry the role lightly, his acting capturing Falstaff's multi-faceted personality most endearingly. His voice is in fine fettle indeed, always a pleasure to listen to. He's also the director. I'll also mention the Fords - a handsome couple indeed. Philip Smith has an elegant baritone and delivered his parts with aplomb. I expect to see his career progressing. Alice, sung by vocal-student Beatrice Acland, is vey much the leader-of-the-gang here and gives a confident and attractive showing, although the voice lacks refinement as yet. There was another Ford too, Peter Ford the conductor. He does a splendid job.

Let's talk about staging. Here, only the most essential props were used (benches and tables in the tavern, screen for lovers to hide behind, laundry basket, horns, oak tree. A couple of backdrops help set the scenes. The cast were suitably attired in an Elizabethan style. It leaves them to concentrate on acting and singing, and generally presenting the opera's plot. There were surtitles above the stage.

I was left thinking that so well did this small production work that it was as if Verdi himself might have envisaged it in this form. And following on from last night's comment about whether the audience felt they'd seen an opera. Here there was no doubt.

In summary, I say _Bravi_ to the Black Cat Opera Company. Well worth my little detour. Do look out for them in the future productions in the London area.


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## Dongiovanni

Loge said:


> Just returned from Prom 25, Monteverdi: L'Orfeo. And what a wonderful evening it was. Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducted. He has picked the most amazing young voices to sing this opera. Krystian Adam as Orpheus, Mariana Flores as Eurydice/Hope, Francesca Aspromonte as Music/Messenger and Gianluca Buratto as Charon/Pluto.
> 
> When I bought a ticket I was worried that that the Royal Albert Hall was too large for a Renaissance opera. The opera has a small orchestra, and the voices should be suited to a more intimate venue. How wrong I was. Because the orchestra was small the voices projected more. And this was the quietest audience I have ever experienced, not bad for a 5000 seater. The diction and projection of the singers was incredible. I was at the back in the circle, and if I got lost in the libretto I could listen to key words from the stage and find the right line, and I don't even know Renaissance Italian!. The cavernous acoustics of the Royal Albert Hall gave this opera a most mystical sound that could not be achieved elsewhere.
> 
> Special mention must be given to the chorus the backbone of the production. And the semi staging worked perfectly. You could hear the audience gasp when Orfeo turns back and looks at Eurydice. The big dance at the end was the icing on the cake, but you don't get to hear the audiences laughter on the BBC i Player recording, when the cast dance around Pluto. Shame the BBC didn't film this, because musically and visually this hits a home run. And you will never get to see Krystian Adam playing Orfeo as an ancient Greek Al Jolson. Just listen the the audiences reaction on the i player.
> 
> Have a listen on the BBC Proms page http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/e548gw#b0640j4n


I read about it and I also wished it had been filmed. Gardiner is great with semi staged opera, and he always finds the new talents for these productions, he doesn't seem to be interested in the 'star' singers. I remember the wonderful Don Giovanni from Amsterdam in the 90's, absolutely electrifying, and luckily that was televised.


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## mountmccabe

I forgot to write about the three productions in West Edge Opera's summer festival!

The first I saw was _Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria_ by Monteverdi. There were some cuts, leaving the running time just under two hours (plus one intermission). There was a nine-piece orchestra and ten singers (with a few doubling). It was presented int he gallery space at American Steel Studios in Oakland, generally a workshop/warehouse for giant steel artworks. I was a little concerned about the space but it sounded wonderful. I don't really mean to compare this boxy unacoustic space to Royal Albert Hall but, as with the reports from Loge, the small orchestra for a Monteverdi opera worked well and made it easy for the singers to be be heard clearly.

The stage was basically an elevated U, with the orchestra in the middle. Sometimes you could only see one singer, but it was more immediate than everyone facing out, ignoring each other. I could see Ulisse (Nikolas Nackley) rather than Penelope (Sara Couden) when he finally revealed himself but it was transcendent. Kindra Scharich was also noteworthy as Minerva.

The next day I saw _Lulu_ by Alban Berg. This was at the 16th Street Station, abandoned after the 1989 earthquake (though it has since been deemed safe). It was cut to about 2 and a half hours, plus an intermission just before the film. Jonathan Khuner conducted his reduced orchestration (for 20 players). Sadly due to the acoustics of the space - again, empty, unacoustic - I had a difficult time hearing the singers well. Emma McNairy was still impressive in the title role, as was Philip Skinner as Dr. Schön. Between the cuts and the poor sound I was let down, though the direction (by Elkhanah Pulitzer) and physical production was effective and entertaining and it's impressive that this small opera company was able to put on this mammoth opera (selling out 500 seats for all three performances).

The following week I went to the Oakland Metro Operahouse* for the West Coast premiere of _As One_. This is a 75 minute chamber opera by Laura Kaminsky with a libretto by Mark Campbell and Kimberly Reed (who also provided background film for the production). The score was performed by the Friction Quartet. This is a piece for two singers, both representing a transwoman, in sort of a before and after or male side and female side way, though they both sing throughout the piece. I really liked it and would love to hear it again; there were some really lovely parts especially as the piece moved on. The singers Dan Kempson and Brenda Patterson sounded wonderful together.

For this production there were ten supers provided background characters - other students, her parents, etc - illustrating some of the story. This was occasionally successful, but I think the piece worked best when she went to Norway and was by herself (though this could be just because this was what the opera was building to).

* That's actually the name... though it is mostly a metal and punk club. It's not entirely new to opera; it's grand opening was apparently in 2001 with a performance of Virgil Thomson and Gertrude Stein's _Four Saints in Three Acts_.

I am very glad I went to all three. I'll keep in mind the cuts for next summer. And hope they don't actually choose 16th Street Station as their home venue for all performances (unless they do some serious renovations).


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## Don Fatale

Die Walkure
Berwick Festival Opera
Berwick-Upon-Tweed
4-Sep-2015

This was a concert performance with a derisory and under-utilised screen projection behind. The orchestra had 22 players, performing Jonathan Dove's rearrangement for 18 players made for the Birmingham Opera Company in 1990. He also trimmed more than an hour off the running time.

The orchestra strikes up the notable drama of the Act I prelude and I immediately know we're not going to be luxuriating in Wagner's sensual strings this evening. Siegmund stumbles breathlessly onto the stage. Ronald Samm is a man of fuller figure from Trinidad. His is a fine voice and one can easily imagine his signature Otello. Semi-staged it might be, but he's keen to act out. His 'twin', the fragrant blonde Janice Watson, appears from the other side. Yes, I know. No smirking please. The important thing is they both sing well. Simon Wilding as Hunding cuts a fine figure with a powerful voice but I don't care for the bass-baritone oscillation. Act I is over in 40 minutes which feels about right if you're going to do cuts, and here comes a point of contention, the Act II prelude is segued with the Act I finale. I see what Dove was trying to do, but for me, Wagner's act openings and closures are such a great pleasure that I felt denied. Brunnhilde and Wotan very promptly appear for their first scene. Miriam Murphy has the pipes and frame to make a big impression, but to me Paul Carey Jones as the dapper Wotan was the class act with a fine tone and presence, kind of like the Donald MacIntyre Wotan I have on DVD. Andrea Baker's vivacious Fricka also makes a good impression. The first half of the opera ends in the lull after B & W's middle scene. It's kind of awkward and was left to me to start the applause. Maybe Dove should have worked in a little cadence to get us to a more fitting point?

The second part (unlike the program I'm not going to call it Act II) uses the same device of seguing Act II and III together. It works well enough if you don't mind missing quite a few bars of the Act II outro. Fricka (with the aid of nothing by her rearranged shawl) has become Waltraute, and is joined by voices from the back of the hall. The other two Valkyries - Helmwige and Rossweisse - sing as they walk up the side isles to the stage. The three of them are vampishly attired and most fetching (from a male viewer's point of view). It proved a hard act to follow although Wotan sung his parts very well and the orchestra did its best to blaze and shimmer.

My conclusions: Wagner needs more strings than this. 8 string players plus a double bass simply isn't enough to convey the glory of the music. Secondly, if you're going to have a film image backdrop, do something useful with it! There were no titles, but I think (and have thought before for semi staged) that the screen should be used for simple commentary, such as 'With Wotan's approval Hunding kills Siegmund', 'Wotan banishes Brunnhilde to live on a rock surrounded by fire'.

An even more rambling version of this text including travelog is on my forum blog
http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/don-fatale/2091-die-walkure-berwick-festival.html


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## Belowpar

Thank you Don F. Two Saturdays ago we stopped at "South" Berwick for a light lunch and liked the vibe very much. However I didn't see any fliers for this event. I have seen many 'reduced' Opera performances and as long as the venue is also scaled down I usually have no trouble making allowances and enjoying myself, but your point about the strings is well made and understood. Without wishing to go over old sores I generally prefer this approach than attempting to present Grand Opera on limited resources. It seem that the singers were well chosen.

So that makes two Forum members you've made the acquantance of this year, who both denied being axe murderers. Be afraid...


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## Don Fatale

Yes, Berwick is a great little town. What with the culture and the golf opportunities I wouldn't mind moving there. I guess I have some affinity with the anglo-scots heritage too.

The singers were pretty much first rate international standard, well beyond what one might have expected in such a small venue. As for smaller productions, the most important thing is to do it well. I don't usually need a big orchestra. Sometimes a smaller group of well-drilled musicians gives a more pleasing sound. Similarly with the staging; clarity is far more important than elaboration. I felt the Black Cat Opera Co.'s Falstaff was more enjoyable than Covent Garden one I'd seen the previous month.


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## Dongiovanni

It's a good idea to collect all the reviews in one thread, so here's my latest:

Don Giovanni in Paris Bastille Opera.


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## Loge

Rossini - Barber of Seville - English National Opera

My first opera of the new season. And what a hilarious evening. Never thought a 200 year old opera could be so funny. Great gags about the nature of modern music. Being the ENO this was sung in English that gave it an immediacy to the humour.

This is the 12th revival of the Jonathan Miller production, and is a "traditional" one. The sets and cast look like they have stepped out of a Hogarth painting.

The cast were all excellent in acting and in singing. The standout was Andrew Shore as Dr Bartolo, showing once again why he is such great comic actor. You get to hear him sing falsetto too. . Kathryn Rudge as Rosina sung a wonderful Una voce poco fa. Mexican tenor Eleazar Rodriguez as Almaviva, who really shone when he impersonated the music teacher. We have Australian baratone, Morgan Pearse as Figaro. With a nice big resonant voice, his Figaro aria is very funny when sung in English, full of braggadocio. Must not forget the amazing Katherine Broderick who I saw as a Valkyrie two years ago and made a big impression. Here she brought the house down with the housekeeper aria.

And the orchestra conducted by Christopher Allen, full of energy as it should be. If you have a chance try and see it, a really fun night out.


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## Don Fatale

Thanks for the review Loge. Glad you enjoyed it. This production was actually my very first opera, back in 1988. It shows the great value of designing a handsome production that can be revived, even over decades.


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## Dongiovanni

Il Trovatore, Amsterdam October 11th

New production set in WWI. Not very impressed, let's just say it could have been worse. The end was ok, the soldiers throwing a body in a grave during the Miserere was just tasteless and even got some laughs from the audience.

The singing was quite good, too bad the singers did not get a conductor that was on the same page as theirs. Maurizio Benini is not a rookie and I was surprised how bad the support for the singers was, so many moments were just messy. The worst was the choir scenes, especially the anvil chorus was all over the place. In my seat I could see the conductor, and I couldn't make anything out of his gestures... I wonder if the singers and musiciens had the same experience.

Our Leonora (Carmen Giannattasio) was good, but lacked some power at some points, and maybe some finesse during her big aria's especially the D'amor sull'ali rosee. Her voice has a very attractive timbre and when needed there is power, but only barely enough. Some parts were drowned in the orchestra sounds, again not so nice of the meastro.

Di Luna (Simone Piazzola) has a very sweet baritone, I heard him before and he seemed a little under the weather. Still his Il balen del suo sorriso was one of the highlights of the performance. He looks a little lost on the stage and doesn't really show us the manic obsessed character he is.

Azucena (Violeta Urmana) was great. Voice, acting, perfect match. Her low notes are hair raising.

Manrico (Francesco Meli) was the star of the matinee. He was in excellent shape, better than the Salzburg 2014 performance, and he has that typical Italian tenor, sweet and bright, he can push it to great extend and effect and his voice just soares and his cabaletta's are sensational. He looks very comfortable in his role in this production and really convinces with his acting.

The choir and orchestra did sound very good, too bad they were not inspired by the meastro. Also, some tempi were so uncomfortable. Leonora's part just before the Miserere was too slow to my taste.

At the end the 4 leads appeared at the curtain and were awarded with a standing ovation from the stalls, seconds later all of the audiance got on their feet, Azucena and Manrico being their favourites.


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## Bellinilover

I got back a little while ago from the Met's "Live in HD" TANNHAUSER, which was my first live performance of this opera. The period production from 1977 has beautiful costumes but is generally looking "clunky" and dated. The singing, however, was so wonderful (at least to my inexperienced Wagnerian ears) that the production didn't matter so much. The cast included Johan Botha as Tannhauser, Eva Marie Westerbroek (sp) as Elisabeth, Michelle de Young as Venus, and Peter Mattei as Wolfram. Mattei's beautifully sung and touchingly acted Wolfram was, for me, the main attraction; yet Botha, in great voice, acted much better than I was predicting he would (though I'd never seen him before I'd heard people say that he's a dull actor). His Tannhauser was truly tormented, especially in the Rome Narrative. It was rather sad to see James Levine conducting from a wheelchair, but time and infirmity have not seemed to diminish his ability. The ending was very powerful. I would like to see the Met get a new TANNHAUSER -- nothing post-modern, just a new period production. In the meantime, I'm glad to have finally seen TANNHAUSER live.


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## gardibolt

I thought Botha was quite good, though it took a while to get used to his voice, which seemed very nasal in the first Act. Act III, which I find ridiculous on CD, came across very well and was quite moving (Tannhäuser still dies far too abruptly). Unfortunately the projector at our theatre crapped out twice during Act III for a few minutes but it was a fine performance. I was glad to see it was a traditional production; too many presentations of Wagner seem to want to be all about the new bizarre staging.


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## Pugg

Bellinilover said:


> I got back a little while ago from the Met's "Live in HD" TANNHAUSER, which was my first live performance of this opera. The period production from 1977 has beautiful costumes but is generally looking "clunky" and dated. The singing, however, was so wonderful (at least to my inexperienced Wagnerian ears) that the production didn't matter so much. The cast included Johan Botha as Tannhauser, Eva Marie Westerbroek (sp) as Elisabeth, Michelle de Young as Venus, and Peter Mattei as Wolfram. Mattei's beautifully sung and touchingly acted Wolfram was, for me, the main attraction; yet Botha, in great voice, acted much better than I was predicting he would (though I'd never seen him before I'd heard people say that he's a dull actor). His Tannhauser was truly tormented, especially in the Rome Narrative. It was rather sad to see James Levine conducting from a wheelchair, but time and infirmity have not seemed to diminish his ability. The ending was very powerful. would like to see the Met get a new TANNHAUSER -- nothing post-modern, just a new period production. In the meantime, I'm glad to have finally seen TANNHAUSER live.


Except from the "New" Tannhauser I agree with you.
I just ordered tickets for March to see a reprise on a Sunday :tiphat:


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## DavidA

Missed the Tannhauser in favour of the rugby World Cup final. Glad I did as the game was electrifying. Maybe catch up with RW if there is a repeat.


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## Bellinilover

gardibolt said:


> I thought Botha was quite good, though it took a while to get used to his voice, which seemed very nasal in the first Act. Act III, which I find ridiculous on CD, came across very well and was quite moving (Tannhäuser still dies far too abruptly). Unfortunately the projector at our theatre crapped out twice during Act III for a few minutes but it was a fine performance. I was glad to see it was a traditional production; too many presentations of Wagner seem to want to be all about the new bizarre staging.


Though "nasal" didn't come to my mind, I did think Botha took the first scene or so to get warmed up. For a new production I'd definitely want a traditional one; I see no reason to update this opera.


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## Belowpar

The Royal Academy of Music Concert Hall is having some work done so they decamped to the lovely Hackney Empire this weekend for four performances of The Marriage of Figaro.

I don't have time for a full review but agree with the following.
https://bachtrack.com/review-nozze-di-figaro-royal-academy-opera-hackney-october-2015

A couple of other points. The lighting for this production seemed brighter than the current vogue where everything gets lit as if it were a film noir. This means that facial expression is often something only the Conductor can appreciate. This time we could see the actors interact, the action came alive, the comedy sparkled and it's been a long time since I enjoyed Mozart so much.

The Older characters seemed to be harder for the cast to portray well. In particular the Count seemed a one dimensional figure of fun.

Impossible not to speculate who has the brightest future. ON this showing the Susanna of Charlotte Schoeters was both pleasing to watch and beautifully sung. But the star of the evening was the Figaro, Božidar Smiljanic. I really enjoyed his portrayal both his fine voice with lovely diction and charismatic acting.

I will be on the lookout for their productions in future. Entertainment like this for £20. Marvelous.

In fact I enjoyed it so much I'm going to stop typing, get on with my job and with a little luck see the alternate cast tonight.


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## sospiro

Belowpar said:


> The Royal Academy of Music Concert Hall is having some work done so they decamped to the lovely Hackney Empire this weekend for four performances of The Marriage of Figaro.
> 
> I don't have time for a full review but agree with the following.
> https://bachtrack.com/review-nozze-di-figaro-royal-academy-opera-hackney-october-2015
> 
> A couple of other points. The lighting for this production seemed brighter than the current vogue where everything gets lit as if it were a film noir. This means that facial expression is often something only the Conductor can appreciate. This time we could see the actors interact, the action came alive, the comedy sparkled and it's been a long time since I enjoyed Mozart so much.
> 
> The Older characters seemed to be harder for the cast to portray well. In particular the Count seemed a one dimensional figure of fun.
> 
> Impossible not to speculate who has the brightest future. ON this showing the Susanna of Charlotte Schoeters was both pleasing to watch and beautifully sung. But the star of the evening was the Figaro, Božidar Smiljanic. I really enjoyed his portrayal both his fine voice with lovely diction and charismatic acting.
> 
> I will be on the lookout for their productions in future. Entertainment like this for £20. Marvellous.
> 
> In fact I enjoyed it so much I'm going to stop typing, get on with my job and with a little luck see the alternate cast tonight.


Very envious! Have fun.


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## Belowpar

Ok Take 2

I expected the 4th performance being a Monday night would be scarcely attended, so I was a little surprised that the only ticket available was on the third tier for £12. I'd not seen an Opera form higher in the Theatre before but the sound was expertly balanced and it's not a large theatre with great sightlines, so far so good.

The Upper Circle was full of students who judging by the queue at the other window were all on complimentary tickets. Was a little surprised to overhear one young student of RCM tell her friend from The Guildhall SoM that they'd been having lectures on the The Chimp Paradox, a book much favoured by high performing British Sportsmen like Padraig Harrington and Chris Hoy. For whatever reason the performance was 15 minutes late starting and it became clear that not all student are the most attentive Opera audience in the world. Add to that the woman directly in fornt of me started an intermittent deep cough during Voi che sapate and kept her thrilling solo up to the interval. I considered going home and contacting the Guinness Book of Records. But they sell wine and allow you to bring it in to the auditorium and then the most amazing thing happened. The magic arrived. The restless audience craned forward, the drama meant something and I can report I went home happy.



The stand out performance this time were
pretty much all the smaller parts but Dominic Bowe and Robert Garland deserve mention. I should have mentioned the Friday Cherubino, Katherine Aitken and in a part made for students Laura Zigmantaite also pleased. The most enjoyable contrast however was with the two Susanna's. Nika Goric had a more rounded 'mature' voice and despite wearing the same costumes made the part her own in a different way – just as you'd hope for. The Countess of Eve Daniell had more presence and Haobin Wang was more successful with the Count.

As for the first time production by Janet Suzman, it always kept your attention and the students must have benefited from her vast experience in the Theatre. Liveliness and engagement without artifice are all strenghts of the production . But seeing it twice in 4 day highlighted the short comings of her decidedly feminist approach. With no attempt at balance there seemed little that either Count could do to keep us interested in what became of him. And when he groped the fainted Susanna the students though it was funny! The ending however worked. The music didn’t sound that celebratory and as the chorus sang, the surtitles read (something like) “Choose happiness”, the Countess stepped forward and removed the gift of the ring and handed it back to the Count, before exiting the stage. Curtain. 


As I said I thoroughly enjoyed myself and would recommend this to everyone. Will look out for next years production in their own hall a short walk from Baker St tube.


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## Autumn Leaves

It's a long time since I've been at the forum, and since then there've been two operas I've seen live for the first time. Cosi fan tutte (yeah, a Mozart-lover that is me has never been to it until a week ago!) and Electra. Both at my dear Mariinsky. Electra was scheduled to be conducted by Gergiev, but it was changed at the last moment, so both were conducted by Christian Knapp (Gergiev's number one understudy). Not that it bothered me.

Well, Electra… Here you can see it's Regietheater through and through, but as the playbill promised a Wagnerian kind of music (R. Strauss is always put in the same abo with Wagner) and a cast of my favorites, I've decided I could deal with it.

It is Regietheater, no denying it. The action takes place in a two-story building. The first floor is something like an early 20th-century house, full of light. Although its inhabitants don't boast any particularly old-fashioned costumes, aside from maybe Clytemnestra's fur mantle. Ladies wear evening dresses, gentlemen are in black suits, and the servants wear green uniform. Chrysothemis (a feeble act of protest?) is in a simple white blouse and a bright yellow skirt.

And the ground floor can be accurately desribed as a pile of garbage, Electra's living place. The only sign of civilization is a projector that Electra uses to watch a slideshow of family photos (not one of them showing Clytemnestra). The two floors are connected with a sort of staircase made of garbage (not secured in any way, as the singer playing Clytemnestra later wrote on Facebook!).

Okay, so, what did I think of that? Actually, after Strauss's breathtaking nerve-wracking music began, it didn't seem to bother me very much. The contrast between Electra's world and the rest of the world was shown very well. Especially when both Electra's mother and sister were speaking to Electra from their plane, too frightened to venture in the crazy woman's home. Clytemnestra only once dared to step on these garbage stairs. The tragedy of it is obvious: they think that keeping away from Electra means keeping away from madness, but they're already every bit as mad as her. Clytemnestra lost in her nightmares, and Chrysothemis - in her feverish dream of leaving the palace-turned-prison. It reminded me of a horror short story I read on the Internet, about a family forced to hide in a house for generations and gradually going unhinged.

Back to Electra. Then there's the one major thing that annoyed me in the production: the "higher plane"'s floor wasn't straight horizontal. It was sloping. And sometimes the singers couldn't be seen behind it. Only after Electra finished her graphic description of her mother being killed in the near future, I saw that Clytemnestra has been onstage and listening to it _all the time_.

The music, I repeat, was amazing. I haven't been so impressed with opera since the first times I listened to Wagner. Although I knew perfectly well the opera's quite short, I still didn't believe it when Orest appeared. I was like "what, so soon?!" For a while, I thought it was my nearsightedness playing tricks on me. So Electra and I recognized Orest for sure at about the same time.

The drama was downplayed a bit when both murders happened offstage, with only yells and cries reaching us, but the tension came back afterwards, with Electra crazily dancing to her death. We never see the cheering crowd Chrysothemis speaks of, so a possibility remains that it was a figment of their imagination - the three mad siblings having been freed at last.

The cast was all splendid. Larisa Gogolevskaya in particular, although the classical "fat lady", gave us a torn, raging, honestly frightening Electra. And her voice! As she sang for most of the time, I can't believe how it stayed at the same level. She has an inclination towards screaming her notes, it irritated some people in her Yaroslavna, but with a part like Electra it is only fitting.

I wanted the post to be about both operas I've seen, but - well - Cosi fan tutte can be summed up as just another wonderful Mozartian piece with an idiotic hilarious plot. Lovely relaxation after university. Beautiful production. Sweet voices. No shocks like in the previous opera!


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## mountmccabe

I saw San Francisco Opera's _Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg_ last night.

I had heard a lot about Elder's conducting being slow; it did not seem that way to me. The prelude was certainly majestic, as was the Act 3 interlude, though the crowd around me had had enough and took the time to stretch and talk. It was a fantastic reading of the score, well shaped and well played by the orchestra. This was no reduced orchestration; there were 76 players in the pit along with a 14-piece band backstage. There was also the 90-person chorus, 17 principals, and 31 dancers, fighters, and supers.

Brandon Jovanovich was stellar as Walther; his voice was rich and secure throughout and his final prize song was glorious. He also came off as more elegant than Marco Jentsch on the Glyndebourne DVD; he looked and sounded noble. I felt the same about Alek Shrader as David compared to Topi Lehtipuu on the DVD. Martin Gantner sounded good throughout his performance, even when he was messing up the prize song. The crowd was laughing, but his Beckmesser did not come off as pathetic.

Rachel Willis-Sørensen was solid as Eva. Her acting was very good and her voice soared above the orchestra when necessary. She also had good chemistry with both Walther and Sachs, making her parts of act 2 sound lovely. Sasha Cooke sounded exceptional as Magdalene, making the most of a few moments.

James Rutherford was a great Sachs. He gave a richly detailed performance; his act 3 monologue was moving and he shined in the finale, amazing after such a long sing.

The production was fun (for opera, for Wagner). The setting is shifted from the mid-16th century to the early 19th century. This updates the costumes and places the action just as the Holy Roman Empire was actually dissolving. The personregie was finely detailed; the principals did not stand around waiting to sing but acted their parts and reacted to those around them. The chorus and supers were well used; there was a good amount going on without it being too busy (except during the appropriate crowd scenes).

The crowd in the Dress Circle was awful; I have never heard that much talking during an opera. There were several people around me snoring, at least one phone went off during the performance, and I'm pretty sure someone was opening presents during act 3 scene 1. Perhaps a holiday weekend was the wrong time to go see this, or perhaps this is just going to happen at such a long opera.

Despite the distractions I was often entranced; the opening scene pulled me in and Sachs' defense of Walther was impassioned. Eva and Walther sounded lovely together in act 2, and the chaos of the crowd scene built impressively. Walther creating the prize song was rich and the quintet glowed. The final scene was a glory to see.

I might go again on Tuesday.


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## howlingfantods

Just saw the same Meistersinger as mountmccabe yesterday. Same production as the Glyndebourne, so it all seemed very familiar--I don't recall if the Glyndebourne on disc had quite so much acrobatics, but it was all very fun to watch.

I like the time shift to 19th century. It kind of reminds me of how MASH was very much a Vietnam story, but presented as a Korean War setting--setting something in the past to comment on the present at a more comfortable remove. Wagner's thoughts about aesthetics, musical structure and inspiration seemed like very contemporary-to-him thoughts about Romanticism and his own artistic career.

Of the three main principals, I was most impressed by Sorensen as Eva. Her voice is a little dark and mezzo-sounding for an ideal Eva, but she was excellent, secure in all her notes and charming, exasperated, coquettish and all the things that Eva needs to be, with a surprisingly large voice. Rutherford was very good as Walt, certainly much better than Jentzsch in the Glyndebourne video. Very good top, sung passionately and well acted. He tends to sing everything at one volume, his lower end was a little lacking in force and weight and he made a couple of minor errors in the Preislied but overall a very good performance. 

Rutherford as Sachs was not great, but they also announced at the A3 act break that he had been suffering a serious cold, so that could explain it. His voice was spreading a little close to something dangerous like a wobble under pressure, his low end was MIA and overall the volume and force was something well below what I would want from an ideal Sachs. Well acted though.

Shrader and Cooke were great as Magdalene and David--Shrader being a little less weedy than some tenors they cast for the role, which is definitely welcome, and Cooke doing her usual good work but maybe being a bit small--I could barely hear her at all in the quintet but maybe that was just where I was sitting. 

The conducting was a little odd--some strangely blaring and out of nowhere peaks, like Elder couldn't resist the urge to occasionally make a big racket. Was a little draggy at the start of Act 3, and overall didn't quite have that great sense of gemutlichkeit that is the major divider between a good and a great performance of the work. Some of the choral work in particular wasn't ideal, although they were tremendously fun to watch--I couldn't help thinking that they focused on the on-stage activity at the expense of better choral sound.


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## mountmccabe

Last night I saw SF Opera's double bill of operas based on Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. This was the US premiere of Gordon Getty's _Usher House_ and the US professional premiere of Robert Orledge's completion of _La chute de la maison Usher_ by Claude Debussy.

This was a co-production with Welsh National Opera that premiered in Cardiff in June 2014. The Director was David Pountney.

_Usher House_ is a sort of buddy comedy version of Poe's gothic horror story. Getty noted in both the in-person interview before the performance and in the interview printed in the program that he made "the three principal characters the good guys... the kind of people you'd want your children to marry." I don't think this was successful, in part because he retained some of the elements of Poe's story.

When Eddie Poe (Getty cast Poe as the visiting friend) visits Roderick Usher they greet each other warmly, boon companions chatting about old school chums. Edgar is in great spirits after his easy and refreshing journey so Roderick spills his great surprise, a ball in Edgar's honor! Roderick announces the arrival of his ancestors, and they dance around, seemingly having a good time, as images of the ancestors show up on the video projections. It neither makes sense why Roderick would do this nor why Edgar would go along with it so playfully.

They are disrupted by the appearance of the doctor and Madeline Usher, the latter represented by a silent dancer Jamielyn Duggan. The wild dancing of Madeline was impressive, and evocatively chilly. It seemed out of place, though.

Anthony Reed got to chew scenery and the best vocal music of the piece as Doctor Primus, the villain created for the piece. His evil machinations felt like a Doctor Who story, without the fun or meaning I'd expect from that TV series, but his rich bass voice sold him as a super villain.

The vocal writing other than those sections for the doctor was largely uninteresting. There were some wordless vocals from Jacqueline Piccolino as the voice of Madeline Usher, but they were used sparingly and as a little bit of color, not as a way to tell the story. The orchestra didn't seem to evoke any mood, though the constantly varying tone throughout did not make that any easier. The direction was also bizarre, even for opera; characters walked off-stage for no apparent reason, to return only when they had another line.

The videos were warm and richly detailed; I found them slightly distracting at first but they effectively showed a sense of place.

---

_La chute de la maison Usher_ was an incredible contrast. This was actually a gothic horror opera. The videos were simply composed exterior, then interior shots of the stone house, ominous and foreboding. They made the House of Usher feel claustrophobic and oppressive.

The music was richly detail and evocative; the orchestra was a presence rather than an accompaniment.

Here Brian Mulligan had wrenching, emotional music that he used to create the tormented character of Roderick Usher. Edward Nelson was similarly impressive as the unnamed friend. The opera being dominated by these two baritone roles fit well with the overall atmosphere. Tenor Joel Sorensen was a mannered Le Médecin, and the few lines from Jacqueline Piccolino as Lady Madeline that opened the piece were lovely.

The direction was meaningful; characters interacted, and if they left the stage it was for stated or otherwise clear reason (I know, low bar).

I am not ready to place this work next to Pelléas et Mélisande, and I don't know enough of about what Debussy left or the other orchestrations or completions to comment on Robert Orledge's work here, but it does sound like Debussy.

I would love to see _La chute de la maison Usher_ again, though either on its own or with a more appropriate pairing. It sure has me listening to a long playlist of his music this morning!


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## Cavaradossi

> sort of buddy comedy version of Poe's gothic horror story


 Whaaa? How? Why? About as good an idea as _Hamlet, the Musical_. 
Poe and Debussy, on the other hand, sounds like a potent combination.

You may be also interested in Philip Glass's effort on the subject:
http://www.talkclassical.com/24203-glass-house-usher-kicks.html?highlight=usher


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## DavidA

Just seen Cav and Pag broadcast from Covent Garden. I hope to post a review soon but if you missed the live broadcast do try and see the Encore screening as it's a terrific evening's entertainment. Real Italian verismo dne for all its worth!


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## DavidA

The twin terrors "Cav" and Pag" were broadcast live from ROH Covent Garden last night. With the caveat that cinema staff don't appear to know when to turn the lights on and off the show went well. This is a new production by Damiano Michieletto, whose Tell outraged the public last time. However, this time he showed what he can do when he does things to entertain rather than outrage. He's updated them to a small town in Southern Italy, linking them together rather cleverly. 
The productions themselves are pretty straightforward, the only real deviation being (in Pag) a drunken Canio seeing part of the play-within-a-play as his drunken imagination. Quite ingenious but I'm not quite sure if it worked.
As for the performances, Aleksandrs Antonenko sings both Turridu and Canio as a modern incarnation of del Monaco - high on virile tone (which did strain at times) but short on subtlety and imagination. Con Belto personified! Dimitri Platanias similarly doubles as Alfio and Tonio, with Carmen Giannattasio singing and acting well as Nedda. 
The stars of the evening for me were first Eva-Maria Westbroek’s Santuzza, exacting believable emotions from the character, and Tony Pappano in the pit. He has this music in his blood and it showed with terrific playing with a wide range of colours. Whatever the operas lacked in subtlety they made up for in excitement.
A rip roaring evening indeed! Do see it if you have the chance!


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## sospiro

Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britten

Theater an der Wien - 12 December 2015

A new production

Conductor: Cornelius Meister
Director: Christof Loy
Set design: Johannes Leiacker
Costume design: Judith Weihrauch
Choreography: Thomas Wilhelm
Light design: Bernd Purkrabek

Peter Grimes: Joseph Kaiser 
Ellen Orford: Agneta Eichenholz
Auntie: Hanna Schwarz
Niece 1: Kiandra Howarth
Niece 2: Frederikke Kampmann
Balstrode: Andrew Foster-Williams
Mrs. Sedley: Rosalind Plowright
Swallow: Stefan Cerny
Bob Boles: Andreas Conrad
Revered Horace Adams: Erik Årman
Ned Keene: Tobias Greenhalgh
Hobson: Lukas Jakobski
John, Grimes' apprentice: Gieorgij Puchalski
Orchestra: ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
Chorus: Arnold Schoenberg Chor

---------------------------------------------------------

This was a very different Peter Grimes from the ones which I've seen live and watched on DVD.

Minimalist setting. Most of the time there was just Grimes' bed, which (scarily) partly hung over the edge of the stage. There were random chairs and a couch but that's about it. The stage was very steeply raked and except for a tiddly bit of net in front of the bed, there was no safety net. Some of the action was violent and strenuous and I was worried that someone would land in the pit.

Grimes is unambiguously gay. There's lots of sex; his relationship with the apprentice is sometimes violent, sometimes tender but he's undoubtedly a pederast.

The apprentice is an adolescent rather than a child and is on stage a considerable amount of time. He's aged about 15 and several of the Borough citizens also find him irresistible.

Balstrode is gay and has a tortured relationship with Grimes but Balstrode also lusts after the apprentice and at one point nearly succeeds in having his way with him, but is interrupted by Grimes. Balstrode dons the jersey with the anchor 'that she knitted' and at the very end lays back on Peter's bed, a broken man. Balstrode is not portrayed as the upright, respected, non-judgemental citizen he usually is. He's quite sleazy and creepy but it works very well.

Ellen Orford is a man - well I think she/he is; I'm a bit dim sometimes with my interpretation. She/he definitely loves Grimes but not only wants to care for the apprentice, she/he also lusts after him too.

Jim Hobson is probably gay. He's a tormented soul who pines for one of the Borough boys but manages to resist temptation (maybe).

All the roles were brilliantly sung and with excellent diction but what can you say about Rosalind Plowright which hasn't already been said? Total legend!

Joseph Kaiser's portrayal of a paranoid loner's descent into madness was one of the finest performances I've ever seen. It was totally believable and gut wrenching. Poor guy looked quite drained at the end.

Choir and orchestra were outstanding. The end of Act III Scene 1, where the Borough mob go hunting for Grimes, was superb. The mob stood right at the very front of the stage, in darkness, shining their torches and roaring "Peter Grimes" "Peter Grimes" with perfect silence in between the shouts. Stunning and spine chilling.

The audience absolutely loved it and went bonkers and Joseph Kaiser got a well deserved huge ovation. Curtain calls went on for ages.

This little video from ORF will give a flavour.

Photos from Theater an der Wien facebook here


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## Don Fatale

^^^^^^^

I thought this would be the angle of the production, having seen the poster.

I guess it's good to know that Peter Grimes survives the production, so to speak. However I'd rather see an orthodox production.

Hope you're having a good time in Vienna, Annie, assuming you're still there.


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## Loge

Cav/Pag Royal Opera House

A fantastic updated version set within the last 30 years. The director replaces old school verismo with modern Italian Neo-Realism. Both operas take place in the same village in Sicily on the same day. Cavalleria has a revolving set of an interior of a bakers and the exterior of the street. While Pagliacci has a revolving set of a very utilitarian school hall and changing room. Characters from each opera appear in the other opera, For example we first meet Nedda and Silvio (who is the local baker) during the intermezzo of Cav. Won't give too much away about the appearance of the Cav cast in Pagliacci because that is one of the most moving scenes in this production.

The cast were excellent, but the stand out was Yonghoon Lee singing Turiddu for one day only. With a leather jacket and swagger he looked like John Travolta in Grease. His final aria to his mother was beautifully sung. He got a rapturous reception at the curtain call. Plenty of memorable moments Alfio driving a battered Alfa Romeo onstage, the statue of the Madonna coming to life during the Easter hymn, a very amusing kids passion play in Pag and Canio in Pag being chased down corridors by his own jealousies.

As always the chorus and orchestra brought this production together. If you can get a ticket go see it. It felt like watching a movie. One of the most enjoyable afternoons of opera.


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## Don Fatale

Nadine Sierra does the bis-ness in Milan
(She should be tweeting #Livingthedream)

Rigoletto
La Scala, Milan
17th March 2016

Despite several previous visits to Milan on business in the 90's I failed to find time to get to La Scala. Today I was able to rectify this omission, although it could be said it was half done when I secured a ticket via their internet ticket sales several months ago. I wanted my first La Scala visit to be a classic La Scala opera, preferably Verdi, with a traditional production, and this performance of Rigoletto was ideal. I was at the 2nd performance of this run.

With Leo Nucci in the title role (I read he's done over 500 performances!), Vittorio Grigolo as the Duke and American Nadine Sierra debuting as Gilda the casting had a mixture of youth and experience. My review of the two males is superfluous, they're both supreme in their respective roles. Nadine Sierra proves to have a capable voice (she didn't get this gig from a ballot obviously). It's a soft and consistent voice which never seems to drop a note, unlike Grigolo I noticed twice. I'd have likes a few more floating off notes in the Act 1 duet with her dad. The Duke/Gilda duet was very sweetly sung, making me notice it anew. How long before they're doing Boheme together I wonder?

The second act (you know, the one without any famous tunes) was scintillating, culminating in the rousing cabaleta/duet finale "Si, vendetta."

At the end-of-act curtain bows, Nucci and Nadine Sierra get a long ovation with many shouts of bis heard as they stand in each other's arms, so much like a father and daughter might. Suddenly Nadine becomes very animated, bouncing with childish glee - the superintendent in the stage box has given the nod. "Si Vendetta" gets a repeat in front of the curtain! What a special moment, and quite rare for La Scala, and hasn't happened at a Verdi opera since * (see footnote).

How much this moment was deserved is hard to say. I cannot say the performance was exceptional.

The third act was (despite the big tunes) was perfunctory in comparison to previous. Nadine Sierra's voice struggled against a full orchestra.

* It seems this happened at the opening performance on Wednesday too. See clip below. Curiously, at the second performance (mine), the applause was far longer and wilder and the decision to repeat seemed more spontaneous. The last time this happened in a Verdi opera was 30 years ago.


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## Belowpar

Don Fatale said:


> Nadine Sierra does the bis-ness in Milan
> (She should be tweeting #Livingthedream)
> 
> Rigoletto
> La Scala, Milan
> 17th March 2016
> 
> Despite several previous visits to Milan on business in the 90's I failed to find time to get to La Scala. Today I was able to rectify this omission, although it could be said it was half done when I secured a ticket via their internet ticket sales several months ago. I wanted my first La Scala visit to be a classic La Scala opera, preferably Verdi, with a traditional production, and this performance of Rigoletto was ideal. I was at the 2nd performance of this run.
> 
> With Leo Nucci in the title role (I read he's done over 500 performances!), Vittorio Grigolo as the Duke and American Nadine Sierra debuting as Gilda the casting had a mixture of youth and experience. My review of the two males is superfluous, they're both supreme in their respective roles. Nadine Sierra proves to have a capable voice (she didn't get this gig from a ballot obviously). It's a soft and consistent voice which never seems to drop a note, unlike Grigolo I noticed twice. I'd have likes a few more floating off notes in the Act 1 duet with her dad. The Duke/Gilda duet was very sweetly sung, making me notice it anew. How long before they're doing Boheme together I wonder?
> 
> The second act (you know, the one without any famous tunes) was scintillating, culminating in the rousing cabaleta/duet finale "Si, vendetta."
> 
> At the end-of-act curtain bows, Nucci and Nadine Sierra get a long ovation with many shouts of bis heard as they stand in each other's arms, so much like a father and daughter might. Suddenly Nadine becomes very animated, bouncing with childish glee - the superintendent in the stage box has given the nod. "Si Vendetta" gets a repeat in front of the curtain! What a special moment, and quite rare for La Scala, and hasn't happened at a Verdi opera since * (see footnote).
> 
> How much this moment was deserved is hard to say. I cannot say the performance was exceptional.
> 
> The third act was (despite the big tunes) was perfunctory in comparison to previous. Nadine Sierra's voice struggled against a full orchestra.
> 
> * It seems this happened at the opening performance on Wednesday too. See clip below. Curiously, at the second performance (mine), the applause was far longer and wilder and the decision to repeat seemed more spontaneous. The last time this happened in a Verdi opera was 30 years ago.


Wow. If you go enough you'll see some special things, but as a way to cap your first visit to La Scala that takes some beating.

Thanks for posting.


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## sospiro

Don Fatale said:


> Nadine Sierra does the bis-ness in Milan
> (She should be tweeting #Livingthedream)
> 
> Rigoletto
> La Scala, Milan
> 17th March 2016
> 
> Despite several previous visits to Milan on business in the 90's I failed to find time to get to La Scala. Today I was able to rectify this omission, although it could be said it was half done when I secured a ticket via their internet ticket sales several months ago. I wanted my first La Scala visit to be a classic La Scala opera, preferably Verdi, with a traditional production, and this performance of Rigoletto was ideal. I was at the 2nd performance of this run.
> 
> With Leo Nucci in the title role (I read he's done over 500 performances!), Vittorio Grigolo as the Duke and American Nadine Sierra debuting as Gilda the casting had a mixture of youth and experience. My review of the two males is superfluous, they're both supreme in their respective roles. Nadine Sierra proves to have a capable voice (she didn't get this gig from a ballot obviously). It's a soft and consistent voice which never seems to drop a note, unlike Grigolo I noticed twice. I'd have likes a few more floating off notes in the Act 1 duet with her dad. The Duke/Gilda duet was very sweetly sung, making me notice it anew. How long before they're doing Boheme together I wonder?
> 
> The second act (you know, the one without any famous tunes) was scintillating, culminating in the rousing cabaleta/duet finale "Si, vendetta."
> 
> At the end-of-act curtain bows, Nucci and Nadine Sierra get a long ovation with many shouts of bis heard as they stand in each other's arms, so much like a father and daughter might. Suddenly Nadine becomes very animated, bouncing with childish glee - the superintendent in the stage box has given the nod. "Si Vendetta" gets a repeat in front of the curtain! What a special moment, and quite rare for La Scala, and hasn't happened at a Verdi opera since * (see footnote).
> 
> How much this moment was deserved is hard to say. I cannot say the performance was exceptional.
> 
> The third act was (despite the big tunes) was perfunctory in comparison to previous. Nadine Sierra's voice struggled against a full orchestra.
> 
> * It seems this happened at the opening performance on Wednesday too. See clip below. Curiously, at the second performance (mine), the applause was far longer and wilder and the decision to repeat seemed more spontaneous. The last time this happened in a Verdi opera was 30 years ago.


:clap:

Brilliant.
So pleased you got to see a traditional Verdi at La Scala and you were there for this rare 'bis'.

PS Where was your seat? Did you have a good view?


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## Don Fatale

I was in the second row of the prima galleria, almost centre. I thought I'd have a pillar obstructing part of the state, but had a full view. A good acoustic too. It's pretty cosy up there but the people around me were very nice.The glow of the subtitles boxes can be annoying, particularly given that these were mainly Italians listening to an Italian opera. The seat was €60. I would not hesitate to return! Although this required an internet trigger finger to get the ticket, as the seat had all but gone after 1 minute of public internet booking.


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## sospiro

Don Fatale said:


> I was in the second row of the prima galleria, almost centre. I thought I'd have a pillar obstructing part of the state, but had a full view. A good acoustic too. It's pretty cosy up there but the people around me were very nice.The glow of the subtitles boxes can be annoying, particularly given that these were mainly Italians listening to an Italian opera. The seat was €60. I would not hesitate to return! Although this required an internet trigger finger to get the ticket, as the seat had all but gone after 1 minute of public internet booking.


Excellent! Scary booking though, if you've already booked your flight!!


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## mountmccabe

I went to SF Opera Lab Pop-Up event at Public Works. The venue typically features DJs and other electronic music. It's got a nice bar.

The crowd was large, mobile, and not particularly quiet. This was as encouraged. This also meant the singers used mics, and were accompanied by an electronic keyboard.

The singers and pianists were all from the Merola program. The overall effect of the night was making me want to look at their schedule for more traditional recitals, which they seem to have about once a month.

Song choice varied, but was mostly operatic arias - "Stà nell'Ircana pietrosa tana," "Vous qui faites l'endormie," "News Has a Kind of Mystery," a bunch of Puccini - along with some lieder - "Der Atlas" from Schwanengesang and "Chanson à boire" from Don Quichotte à Dulcinée - and some popular songs, "My Funny Valentine," "O solo mio," "Can't Help Falling In Love," and "Dinner at Eight" (Wainwright).

My favorites were "Dich, teure Halle" (she also was good at mic control), the Handel and "Non so più cosa son, cosa faccio." The guy who sang "Questa o quella" and, for the closer, the Act 1 duet between the Duke and Gilda (with his actual wife).

I didn't really care for the goofy introductions or memes projected behind the singers, all attempting to explain what was being sung, but aiming more for ridiculous than accurate. But, then again, I already like opera and knew some of what they were singing. The crowd seemed to enjoy it, mostly. There probably were some people who came out of this more likely to go to other operatic events including the SF Opera Lab season at the Wilsey Center and main stage productions.

It was an enjoyable enough evening, but not quite what I'm looking for. It was cheap, though!


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## sospiro

mountmccabe said:


> I went to SF Opera Lab Pop-Up event at Public Works. The venue typically features DJs and other electronic music. It's got a nice bar.
> 
> The crowd was large, mobile, and not particularly quiet. This was as encouraged. This also meant the singers used mics, and were accompanied by an electronic keyboard.
> 
> The singers and pianists were all from the Merola program. The overall effect of the night was making me want to look at their schedule for more traditional recitals, which they seem to have about once a month.
> 
> Song choice varied, but was mostly operatic arias - "Stà nell'Ircana pietrosa tana," "Vous qui faites l'endormie," "News Has a Kind of Mystery," a bunch of Puccini - along with some lieder - "Der Atlas" from Schwanengesang and "Chanson à boire" from Don Quichotte à Dulcinée - and some popular songs, "My Funny Valentine," "O solo mio," "Can't Help Falling In Love," and "Dinner at Eight" (Wainwright).
> 
> My favorites were "Dich, teure Halle" (she also was good at mic control), the Handel and "Non so più cosa son, cosa faccio." The guy who sang "Questa o quella" and, for the closer, the Act 1 duet between the Duke and Gilda (with his actual wife).
> 
> I didn't really care for the goofy introductions or memes projected behind the singers, all attempting to explain what was being sung, but aiming more for ridiculous than accurate. But, then again, I already like opera and knew some of what they were singing. The crowd seemed to enjoy it, mostly. There probably were some people who came out of this more likely to go to other operatic events including the SF Opera Lab season at the Wilsey Center and main stage productions.
> 
> It was an enjoyable enough evening, but not quite what I'm looking for. It was cheap, though!


Very interesting, thanks for the write up. Hopefully there are some people who will now be interested in seeing an opera.


----------



## Bellinilover

I saw the Kurt Weill/Maxwell Anderson work _Lost in the Stars _in the Kennedy Center's intimate Eisenhower Theater last night. While it was put on by the Washington National Opera, _Lost in the Stars _is actually closer to a work like _Show Boat_ or _South Pacific _than to an opera. As in _South Pacific_ or _Show Boat_ its dialogue is spoken rather than sung, and I was honestly surprised at how well the singers handled it. Eric Owens, who also sings Wagner, played the lead role of Stephen Kumalo, a South African minister in the Anglican Church whose son accidentally kills a white man and eventually goes to his death after refusing to lie in court. I know that Todd Duncan, Gershwin's original Porgy, created this role on Broadway; having no idea what he was actually like (other than his renditions of the songs on the original cast recording -- see below), I think Owens did a fantastic job. The rest of the cast was first-rate, too, especially the actor who played the (non-singing) role of the father of the murdered man, whose attitude toward black people changes radically by the drama's end, and the tenor who sung the Ensemble Leader (a sort of commentator on the action).

As_ Lost in the Stars_ is so rarely done, I don't expect ever to see it performed again; I regard last night as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. That said, the title song from the work is fairly well-known (Frank Sinatra recorded it), and there is a recording of "Stay Well" from Act II by Dawn Upshaw on her album _I Wish It So_:


----------



## Loge

Norma - English National Opera

Went to this with some trepidation. It had some very mixed mixed reviews in the press. When the cast list was picked up, it was found that this was a two act opera with a 90 min first act. These late 18thC and early 19thC opera with 90 minute acts are quite off putting. Sure I will put up with a 2hr Wagner, but generally prefer acts in one hour or less chunks.

However this is the best sounding opera I have heard at the ENO. Normally the accoustics are a bit reedy, but not tonight. The singers were nice and loud, the orchestra crisp and shimmering. Maybe the wooden box set acted as a sound board, but the sound was so good I could have been at the ROH. And I was in a cheapo seat up on the balcony.

The cast were excellent Majorie Owens fulfilling her potential as Norma (she will make a fine Isolde). Jennifer Holloway almost her match as Adalgisa. Peter Auty had a fine ringing voice as Pollione, and got some Pinkertonesque boos at the curtain call (all in good jest though). Also the first act flew by. Stephen Lord and the orchestra got some criticism in the press, but to my ears they sounded vibrant. And as always the chorus was oustanding.

As for the production, it did not offend me. It is set in a rural community in America during the Mid 19thC, with the Romans dressed up like Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Reviewers criticised the staginess and lack of movement. But there was plenty of movement and the direction told the story (even though the clothes and libreto did not match). You even get to see some unfortunate Roman get castrated by a sickle live on stage. And the ending was impressive with real flames for the funeral pyre (hope the ENO will not burn down during this run).

Really enjoyed the opera, reminded me of a proto Wagnerian opera, with many of the same elements used later in Gotterdammerung. A vengence trio, soldiers being called to arms and finally a death on a funeral pyre. Only quibble, would have loved to have heard it in the original Italian. The cast was so good, singing in Engish didn't do it justice. But that's the ENO for you.

Goodfellas, Tommy's mum gives good advice, in Italian it sounds much nicer..


----------



## sospiro

Loge said:


> Norma - English National Opera
> 
> Went to this with some trepidation. It had some very mixed mixed reviews in the press. When the cast list was picked up, it was found that this was a two act opera with a 90 min first act. These late 18thC and early 19thC opera with 90 minute acts are quite off putting. Sure I will put up with a 2hr Wagner, but generally prefer acts in one hour or less chunks.
> 
> However this is the best sounding opera I have heard at the ENO. Normally the acoustics are a bit reedy, but not tonight. The singers were nice and loud, the orchestra crisp and shimmering. Maybe the wooden box set acted as a sound board, but the sound was so good I could have been at the ROH. And I was in a cheapo seat up on the balcony.
> 
> The cast were excellent Majorie Owens fulfilling her potential as Norma (she will make a fine Isolde). Jennifer Holloway almost her match as Adalgisa. Peter Auty had a fine ringing voice as Pollione, and got some Pinkertonesque boos at the curtain call (all in good jest though). Also the first act flew by. Stephen Lord and the orchestra got some criticism in the press, but to my ears they sounded vibrant. And as always the chorus was outstanding.
> 
> As for the production, it did not offend me. It is set in a rural community in America during the Mid 19thC, with the Romans dressed up like Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Reviewers criticised the staginess and lack of movement. But there was plenty of movement and the direction told the story (even though the clothes and libretto did not match). You even get to see some unfortunate Roman get castrated by a sickle live on stage. And the ending was impressive with real flames for the funeral pyre (hope the ENO will not burn down during this run).
> 
> Really enjoyed the opera, reminded me of a proto Wagnerian opera, with many of the same elements used later in Gotterdammerung. A vengeance trio, soldiers being called to arms and finally a death on a funeral pyre. Only quibble, would have loved to have heard it in the original Italian. The cast was so good, singing in English didn't do it justice. But that's the ENO for you.












Great review Loge.

Was it well attended?


----------



## Loge

sospiro said:


> Great review Loge.
> 
> Was it well attended?


The balcony was packed out, never seen the ENO so full. When I saw Mastersingers the balcony was half empty.


----------



## sospiro

Loge said:


> The balcony was packed out, never seen the ENO so full. When I saw Mastersingers the balcony was half empty.


That's good to hear and also shoots down my theory that audiences prefer operas in original language.


----------



## Loge

sospiro said:


> That's good to hear and also shoots down my theory that audiences don't mind operas in original language.


Changing the language of an Opera does change to sound, even though the notes are all the same. For example have a good chuckle at this, The Beggar's Opera in Italian! Bawdy English folk songs now sound like high art, though I have to admit in Italian it sounds much nicer. Move to 46:53 for a good song.


----------



## sospiro

Loge said:


> Changing the language of an Opera does change to sound, even though the notes are all the same. For example have a good chuckle at this, The Beggar's Opera in Italian! Bawdy English folk songs now sound like high art, though I have to admit in Italian it sounds much nicer. Move to 46:53 for a good song.


:lol:

Wow!! That's fabulous and indeed it does sound better.

PS I meant to say 'shoots down my theory that audiences _prefer operas_ in original language' not 'audiences _don't mind operas_ in original language.


----------



## Don Fatale

sospiro said:


> That's good to hear and also shoots down my theory that audiences prefer operas in original language.


If your theory can be shot down by one example amongst many counter examples then it's not much of a theory  Actually I share your view about the audience preferring the original language and feel you should hold on to your theory. I prefer the originals, but I'm not going to turn down the chance to see something I like or am very interested to see.

ENO invariably does pretty well with classic operas that aren't often seen down the road. i.e. it's of sufficient interest to the Covent Garden regulars that they'll put up with the English translations.


----------



## Pugg

*Last night : Otello / Antwerp*

In Antwerp was Otello in charge of a Director (Michael Thalheimer) whose favorite color is black.
That we saw a few years ago in La forza del destino, and this performance was even blacker than black. 
The decor was a black watch box and all singers were dressed in black clothing. In the promo clip Otello had established itself, only black eyes, but in the show he had a droll round black face paint, from forehead to Chin.

It looked ridiculous, but black was though. 
Even Desdemona was shrouded in black, including her hair colour (whole against the descriptions of Shakespeare and Verdi/Boito, which for the contrast rich blond chose).

Otello does not, however, to black. The opera is about doubt and losing grip on the case, because he is afraid that his success not Otello can hold. The Black-Black approach to me is trite and too simple. It shows lack of understanding. It's too one-dimensional and thereby determined no tribute to the so colorful English text poet.

Flanders opera had for the lead role a vedette invited: Ian Storey, an English tenor heroes who for years all over the world the toughest roles sings. Storey acted somewhat strange.
He had to stand in front, with the head at the start though somewhat obliquely curved, similar to David Caruso in CSI Miami.
That he then remained continuous.
It was unclear to me what the Director or the singer meant.

Storeys singing could not Captivate me. The notes were sure though, usually loud and clear but he failed there is unity in. It was as if he was working to produce nuts. His lyrics were sometimes messy, like he stumbled over the words. The drama took place, lost in his singing much force.

The Jago by Vladimir Stoyanov did have drama. He knew his villainous character razor sharp.
Vocally, he was not always accurate, but something happened with him what one would expect from an opera singer: he crawled all the way in the role.

The Desdemona of Corinne Winters was quite stark, although though fitted all the black around her. Her Willow song sounded pretty vulnerable, but most dramatic moments asked for vocal colours that they (still) do not own. 
The drama came out bright and fixed from the Emilia by Kai Rüütel, which in a few minutes left hear that waiting for her contribution was more than worth it.

Where on the stage the black dominated, there came from the orchestra pit fortunately colours. Alexander Joel left both the choir and the Orchestra sparkle. Unfortunately, he saved the show. But with all that black on the scene was the fact that there is still a ray of hope somewhere burned.

In short, if the generous giver from the tickets hadn't been there we had left in the break.


----------



## sospiro

Pugg said:


> In Antwerp was Otello in charge of a Director (Michael Thalheimer) whose favorite color is black.
> That we saw a few years ago in La forza del destino, and this performance was even blacker than black.
> The decor was a black watch box and all singers were dressed in black clothing. In the promo clip Otello had established itself, only black eyes, but in the show he had a droll round black face paint, from forehead to Chin.
> 
> It looked ridiculous, but black was though.
> Even Desdemona was shrouded in black, including her hair colour (whole against the descriptions of Shakespeare and Verdi/Boito, which for the contrast rich blond chose).
> 
> Otello does not, however, to black. The opera is about doubt and losing grip on the case, because he is afraid that his success not Otello can hold. The Black-Black approach to me is trite and too simple. It shows lack of understanding. It's too one-dimensional and thereby determined no tribute to the so colorful English text poet.
> 
> Flanders opera had for the lead role a vedette invited: Ian Storey, an English tenor heroes who for years all over the world the toughest roles sings. Storey acted somewhat strange.
> He had to stand in front, with the head at the start though somewhat obliquely curved, similar to David Caruso in CSI Miami.
> That he then remained continuous.
> It was unclear to me what the Director or the singer meant.
> 
> Storeys singing could not Captivate me. The notes were sure though, usually loud and clear but he failed there is unity in. It was as if he was working to produce nuts. His lyrics were sometimes messy, like he stumbled over the words. The drama took place, lost in his singing much force.
> 
> The Jago by Vladimir Stoyanov did have drama. He knew his villainous character razor sharp.
> Vocally, he was not always accurate, but something happened with him what one would expect from an opera singer: he crawled all the way in the role.
> 
> The Desdemona of Corinne Winters was quite stark, although though fitted all the black around her. Her Willow song sounded pretty vulnerable, but most dramatic moments asked for vocal colours that they (still) do not own.
> The drama came out bright and fixed from the Emilia by Kai Rüütel, which in a few minutes left hear that waiting for her contribution was more than worth it.
> 
> Where on the stage the black dominated, there came from the orchestra pit fortunately colours. Alexander Joel left both the choir and the Orchestra sparkle. Unfortunately, he saved the show. But with all that black on the scene was the fact that there is still a ray of hope somewhere burned.
> 
> In short, if the generous giver from the tickets hadn't been there we had left in the break.


Sadly, too much black spoils a production. What a shame, but thanks for the review.


----------



## schigolch

These days, a rarity is being staged at Madrid's Teatro Real. _Das Liebesverbot_, a youth opera by Richard Wagner.

I was really excited to attend.

With these early operas by great composers, one tends to project the music and the drama into the future, looking at seeds of what came later. I tried hard not to do so, and rather concentrated in the opera itself, as if it would have been written by Rüdiger Weigel, a gentleman from Leipzig, his first and only work.

And a beautiful work it was. A German Romantic opera, influenced of course by Italian opera, and by Weber, a child of its own time, firmly anchored into the standard practice of the period, but full of nice musical ideas, and a quite interesting vocal writing, especially the outstanding soprano aria in Act 2.

The performance and the production were, however, subpar. Little to be rescued there. But I heartily applaud to program this opera, and hopeful of attending soon an staging of _Die Feen_.


----------



## Don Fatale

Ariodante (Handel), Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Scottish Opera. Weds 24th Feb

(PREAMBLE)
The Festival Theatre, as the name indicates, is a primary venue for the (these days) limited opera program at August's Festival. The frontage is a modern wall of glass onto a busy central street, exposing the 3 floors of public space. Once inside the theatre however we're back to the Victorian age, complete with uncomfortable, cramped seats which when flipped up do so with an iron clang. The theatre has a rather chequered history of ruin and mixed usage, including 30 years as a bingo hall. After the major refurb in 1994 we have this serviceable though unlovely theatre (1900 seats) for big musicals, opera etc. Scottish Opera's home is Glasgow, but most of their work appears here too.

I remember being very fond of ENO's Ariodante from the 80's/90's. With a top roster of singers (Murray, Rodgers, Garrett) it felt like a big night at the opera. (Sheesh, I'm tempted for fork out for the DVD now!)

(REVIEW)
And what of Scottish Opera's new production of Ariodante? I was blown away by the extravagance of the sets, completely different for each act, from a huge castle interior, an amazing naturalist recreation of the Scottish moors. The costumes and wigs took us right back to the elegance of the baroque era. Just kidding! This was a very low budget production that would scarcely do justice to a part-time touring company. With its off-the-shelf costumes (or off the High Street) this was exceeding plain. An ever-present modern spiral staircase and a glass back wall being the only stage equipment of note. Behind the glass wall were a few derisory piles of fake snow. I appreciate that budgets can be tight but is this really the way to go?

The overture is embellished by a live tableau of two men being hanged, their bodies twitching at the end of ropes as they breathed their last. Gratuitous and unpleasant. Let's move on. Sarah Tynan (Ginevra) and Aussie Caitlin Hulcup (Ariodante) make a bright first impression. Jennifer France (the nearest of the cast to home-grown) does a nice job in the flattering role of Dalinda. Xavier Sabata, the stocky middle-aged, mustachioed countertenor, soon sets up Polinesso as the pantomime villian, which at least makes the plot easy to follow for anyone who hasn't read the synopsis. Generally, the singing was decent throughout, but there wasn't a singer who rose above everything, no-one you couldn't wait to hear sing again. I didn't feel the conductor and orchestra brought out the zing of Handel's delightful score.

It's good that Scottish Opera are willing to take on the likes of Ariodante, but whether they can do it justice is another matter.


----------



## sospiro

Don Fatale said:


> Ariodante (Handel), Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Scottish Opera. Weds 24th Feb
> 
> (PREAMBLE)
> The Festival Theatre, as the name indicates, is a primary venue for the (these days) limited opera program at August's Festival. The frontage is a modern wall of glass onto a busy central street, exposing the 3 floors of public space. Once inside the theatre however we're back to the Victorian age, complete with uncomfortable, cramped seats which when flipped up do so with an iron clang. The theatre has a rather chequered history of ruin and mixed usage, including 30 years as a bingo hall. After the major refurb in 1994 we have this serviceable though unlovely theatre (1900 seats) for big musicals, opera etc. Scottish Opera's home is Glasgow, but most of their work appears here too.
> 
> I remember being very fond of ENO's Ariodante from the 80's/90's. With a top roster of singers (Murray, Rodgers, Garrett) it felt like a big night at the opera. (Sheesh, I'm tempted for fork out for the DVD now!)
> 
> (REVIEW)
> And what of Scottish Opera's new production of Ariodante? I was blown away by the extravagance of the sets, completely different for each act, from a huge castle interior, an amazing naturalist recreation of the Scottish moors. The costumes and wigs took us right back to the elegance of the baroque era. Just kidding! This was a very low budget production that would scarcely do justice to a part-time touring company. With its off-the-shelf costumes (or off the High Street) this was exceeding plain. An ever-present modern spiral staircase and a glass back wall being the only stage equipment of note. Behind the glass wall were a few derisory piles of fake snow. I appreciate that budgets can be tight but is this really the way to go?
> 
> The overture is embellished by a live tableau of two men being hanged, their bodies twitching at the end of ropes as they breathed their last. Gratuitous and unpleasant. Let's move on. Sarah Tynan (Ginevra) and Aussie Caitlin Hulcup (Ariodante) make a bright first impression. Jennifer France (the nearest of the cast to home-grown) does a nice job in the flattering role of Dalinda. Xavier Sabata, the stocky middle-aged, mustachioed countertenor, soon sets up Polinesso as the pantomime villian, which at least makes the plot easy to follow for anyone who hasn't read the synopsis. Generally, the singing was decent throughout, but there wasn't a singer who rose above everything, no-one you couldn't wait to hear sing again. I didn't feel the conductor and orchestra brought out the zing of Handel's delightful score.
> 
> It's good that Scottish Opera are willing to take on the likes of Ariodante, but whether they can do it justice is another matter.


Oh dear. But, as you say, at least they tried.


----------



## Loge

Il Trittico - Royal Opera House

Ah Puccini, his three one act operas in an evening. A bit like a three course meal, a starter, main course and pudding, Well lets start with the starter, Il Tabarro. I had a very long and arduous journey because of engineering works and arrived within a minute of the curtain going up, so I was not in a good mood. However I did have a good (and reasonably priced seat) in the front row of the amplitheatre.

So how was Il Tabarro, it was good, Patricia Racette sung wonderfully and is a really gifted actress. Very nice set, a barge on the banks of the Seine in Paris, with a realistic back drop of warehouses. But the story was a bit of a potboiler, the cast list described it as a melodrama, but it came across as a bit of a penny dreadful. However it was engaging and the time flew past.

Onto the pudding, Gianni Schiacchi. Most famous be because of O mio babbino caro beautifully sung here by Susanna Hurrell. It is a very funny farce, reminiscent of Weekend at Bernies. There were sight gags galore, the cast was game and the music wonderfull. Lucio Gallo a standout in the title role, with a real flair for comedy. A great fun end to the evening.

Now for the main course, Suor Angelica. Wow! Big wow! A simple story, a young woman is forced into a nunnery because she had a child out of wedlock. Seven years later her aunt turns up to tell her that her son died two years previously and then she commits suicide. The production is updated to a 1930s childrens hospital run by an order of nuns (rather than cloistered nuns as infered by the libretto). This works magnificently (though the children were way up past their bedtime). Anna Larrson was chilling as the ice princess aunt, the whole atmosphere in the theatre changed when she walked on stage.

And the arduous journey up to the ROH was rewarded by seeing Ermonela Jaho as Suor Angelica in what can only be described as a superstar performance. What a singer, what actress, at the end the audience was left choking, weeping and in shock. There was dead silence. Ermonela Jaho came on for her first curtain call in character and the audience errupted. This is Puccini at his best. If you don't believe me have a look at the twitter feed.

https://twitter.com/ErmonelaJaho

https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROHtrittico?src=hash

Only two shows left, if you can, go and see.

LOL, had to spell check, wrote Suor Angelica as Sour Angelica, yeah she was sour.


----------



## Pugg

I am only saying: I've been to see Manon Lescaut.
I had it, no more of this " regie theatre "


----------



## sospiro

Loge said:


> Il Trittico - Royal Opera House
> 
> Ah Puccini, his three one act operas in an evening. A bit like a three course meal, a starter, main course and pudding, Well lets start with the starter, Il Tabarro. I had a very long and arduous journey because of engineering works and arrived within a minute of the curtain going up, so I was not in a good mood. However I did have a good (and reasonably priced seat) in the front row of the amplitheatre.
> 
> So how was Il Tabarro, it was good, Patricia Racette sung wonderfully and is a really gifted actress. Very nice set, a barge on the banks of the Seine in Paris, with a realistic back drop of warehouses. But the story was a bit of a potboiler, the cast list described it as a melodrama, but it came across as a bit of a penny dreadful. However it was engaging and the time flew past.
> 
> Onto the pudding, Gianni Schiacchi. Most famous be because of O mio babbino caro beautifully sung here by Susanna Hurrell. It is a very funny farce, reminiscent of Weekend at Bernies. There were sight gags galore, the cast was game and the music wonderfull. Lucio Gallo a standout in the title role, with a real flair for comedy. A great fun end to the evening.
> 
> Now for the main course, Suor Angelica. Wow! Big wow! A simple story, a young woman is forced into a nunnery because she had a child out of wedlock. Seven years later her aunt turns up to tell her that her son died two years previously and then she commits suicide. The production is updated to a 1930s childrens hospital run by an order of nuns (rather than cloistered nuns as infered by the libretto). This works magnificently (though the children were way up past their bedtime). Anna Larrson was chilling as the ice princess aunt, the whole atmosphere in the theatre changed when she walked on stage.
> 
> And the arduous journey up to the ROH was rewarded by seeing Ermonela Jaho as Suor Angelica in what can only be described as a superstar performance. What a singer, what actress, at the end the audience was left choking, weeping and in shock. There was dead silence. Ermonela Jaho came on for her first curtain call in character and the audience errupted. This is Puccini at his best. If you don't believe me have a look at the twitter feed.
> 
> https://twitter.com/ErmonelaJaho
> 
> https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROHtrittico?src=hash
> 
> Only two shows left, if you can, go and see.
> 
> LOL, had to spell check, wrote Suor Angelica as Sour Angelica, yeah she was sour.


:tiphat:

Great review Loge. As you say, Jaho's performance has been praised by everyone.


----------



## sospiro

Pugg said:


> I am only saying: I've been to see Manon Lescaut.
> I had it, no more of this " regie theatre "


Oh dear.  Was it this one?










Hopefully DNO's in October will be better.


----------



## Woodduck

Pugg said:


> I am only saying: I've been to see Manon Lescaut.
> I had it, no more of this " regie theatre "


Bravo, emoticon! Best production of the season.


----------



## DavidA

Went to see Manon Lescaut last night. It was the first time I had seen the opera and I must say it was a great evenng, an opinion share by all around me. As Manon, the soprano Kristine Opolais sounded as glamorous as she looked. Alagna (stepping n for Kaufmann) sang well, was passionate but HD revealed him a little elderly for the part. Fine performance none the less. The supporting roles well taken and the conducting passionate.
The doubt I had was about the production in that Richard Eyre had decided to update the thing to 1941 occupied France, something that appeared to bring more problems than it solved. Mr. Eyre has explained in interviews, he sees elements of film noir in the opera: Manon could be a young Barbara Stanwyck. The problem was it made much of the action anachronistic. The transportation to exile and the last scene become somewhat ludicrous as there is no way the German army would have transported people to America. Unfortunately history gets in the way here. We know opera is an unreal art form but why do directors want us to suspend disbelief beyond what is necessary?
Once this was accepted, however, the superb singing and vibrant acting and wonderful playing from the Met orchestra made it a very entertaining evening.


----------



## The Conte

Loge said:


> Il Trittico - Royal Opera House
> 
> Ah Puccini, his three one act operas in an evening. A bit like a three course meal, a starter, main course and pudding, Well lets start with the starter, Il Tabarro. I had a very long and arduous journey because of engineering works and arrived within a minute of the curtain going up, so I was not in a good mood. However I did have a good (and reasonably priced seat) in the front row of the amplitheatre.
> 
> So how was Il Tabarro, it was good, Patricia Racette sung wonderfully and is a really gifted actress. Very nice set, a barge on the banks of the Seine in Paris, with a realistic back drop of warehouses. But the story was a bit of a potboiler, the cast list described it as a melodrama, but it came across as a bit of a penny dreadful. However it was engaging and the time flew past.
> 
> Onto the pudding, Gianni Schiacchi. Most famous be because of O mio babbino caro beautifully sung here by Susanna Hurrell. It is a very funny farce, reminiscent of Weekend at Bernies. There were sight gags galore, the cast was game and the music wonderfull. Lucio Gallo a standout in the title role, with a real flair for comedy. A great fun end to the evening.
> 
> Now for the main course, Suor Angelica. Wow! Big wow! A simple story, a young woman is forced into a nunnery because she had a child out of wedlock. Seven years later her aunt turns up to tell her that her son died two years previously and then she commits suicide. The production is updated to a 1930s childrens hospital run by an order of nuns (rather than cloistered nuns as infered by the libretto). This works magnificently (though the children were way up past their bedtime). Anna Larrson was chilling as the ice princess aunt, the whole atmosphere in the theatre changed when she walked on stage.
> 
> And the arduous journey up to the ROH was rewarded by seeing Ermonela Jaho as Suor Angelica in what can only be described as a superstar performance. What a singer, what actress, at the end the audience was left choking, weeping and in shock. There was dead silence. Ermonela Jaho came on for her first curtain call in character and the audience errupted. This is Puccini at his best. If you don't believe me have a look at the twitter feed.
> 
> https://twitter.com/ErmonelaJaho
> 
> https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROHtrittico?src=hash
> 
> Only two shows left, if you can, go and see.
> 
> LOL, had to spell check, wrote Suor Angelica as Sour Angelica, yeah she was sour.


I too was there last night and I too was sitting in the front row of the amphi!!!

N.


----------



## Don Fatale

The Conte said:


> I too was there last night and I too was sitting in the front row of the amphi!!!
> 
> N.


You guys were probably sitting next to each other 

Glad you enjoyed the opera, particularly Ermonela Jaho's performance. I saw her as Manon in 2014 and must admit I shed a tear. She's a real performer.


----------



## Op.123

I had a front row, centre balcony seat on the opening night of Tosca at the Royal Opera House with Angela Gheorghiu in January. It was fantastic. Gheorghiu was her usual brilliant self and the guy playing Scarpia was amazing


----------



## sospiro

Burroughs said:


> I had a front row, centre balcony seat on the opening night of Tosca at the Royal Opera House with Angela Gheorghiu in January. It was fantastic. Gheorghiu was her usual brilliant self and the guy playing Scarpia was amazing


I was there that night, too. Fabulous evening.


----------



## jflatter

Sorry for late review.

Die Walküre at the Semperoper Dresden 20 February 2016

This was my second visit to the Semperoper, following an excellent Elektra two years ago and although it is more difficult to get to Dresden as there are no longer direct flights, I would strongly recommend a visit there. I personally had been in Berlin at the Deutsche Oper to see The Makropulos Case and then got a train down to Dresden which took just under two hours. The Semperoper has an excellent acoustic and of course with the Dresden Staatskapelle one of the finest orchestras in world in it’s very large and deep pit. 
Onto the Die Walküre itself, the Semperoper were only staging this part of the Ring. I personally believe that opera houses should stage single parts of the Ring more often to make it more accessible to potential new admirers. Die Walküre in my opinion is the work that stands best alone, particularly as Wotan in his monologue virtually retells the story of Das Rheingold. 
I believe that Sir John Tomlinson once said that there are good and bad traditional productions and there are also good and bad modern productions. I am a great believer in that message myself. Willy Decker’s Die Walküre had some interesting concepts but there were problems with the execution of Decker’s concept. This appeared to be that the world was a stage and that Wotan was the director. This meant that there were theatre seats on stage through most of the opera and made the stage cluttered and must have annoyed the performers. Act 1 worked best as the seats meant that there were fewer as we went into Hunding’s house with a few rows of seats in front. Act 2 started off with Wotan treating statues of buildings and people as playthings, almost giving me a Greek mythological movie feel. Act 3’s sets were simply a large amount of theatre seats and the rock where Brünnhilde would sleep. There was also a rather strange moment at the end of Act 2 where I certainly could not see Hunding and Siegmund fight and neither a companion in another part of the theatre. This in my mind was completely strange. So whilst the production had its problems, it certainly was not the worst production I’ve seen of this opera. 
Musically there were much more positive things to report. I don’t go far back enough to have heard the great conductors of the 60s, 70s or 80s live but after the Barenboim Die Walküre at the Proms in 2013 I doubted that I would hear a better performance musically than that. This performance topped that of Barenboim’s. Christian Thielemann led the Dresden Staatskapelle wonderfully. His tempi were slightly faster than I expected but apart from one fluff of the brass in the first act the orchestra were marvellous and Thielemann got the greatest applause from the audience that evening. Nina Stemme is quite rightly now the Brünnhilde of our age and maybe the best in the role for some years. Her performing of the role has deepened since the Proms and I truly hope that the Royal Opera House have snapped her up for any future Ring that they have planned. She sings beautifully, yet with the power to get over the orchestra in this demanding role. The one member of the cast that I was not familiar with was Markus Marquardt who I understand is a member of Semperoper ensemble. Marquardt was a more baritonal Wotan than say John Tomlinson but performed the role well. I did however think whether his voice would have the heft to play in bigger houses than Dresden but his portrayal of the role was quite convincing. 
The Wälsung twins were played by Petra Lang and Christopher Ventris. It had been known for a few weeks that Ventris came in to cover Johan Botha as Siegmund. Ventris whose voice I’ve not heard in the UK for some years (why that’s the case I don’t know) was a powerful and ardent Siegmund. As I’ll be making my first trip to Bayreuth this year to see the Ring, I know that at least the role of Siegmund will be in good hands. Petra Lang’s interpretation of Sieglinde was possibly not the subtlest but there was great emotion and power. I don’t think I’ve ever heard the exclamation of “Siegmund” sang so loudly. Georg Zeppenfeld was Hunding dressed as if he was ready to go deer stalking. Zeppenfeld sang the role with his usual richness and beauty of tone and although beforehand I had doubts that he could be convey the spitefulness of Hunding with such a voice Zeppenfeld did so excellently. 
Christa Mayer was a superb Fricka and has a strong powerful mezzo voice suited to the role. What impressed most was the characterisation of the resentful wife. This was a wife who knew that she was getting her chance to get back at Wotan, chiding him at every opportunity.
The Valkyries were not the best I’ve ever heard but I felt sorry for them having to come down from the top of the stage on large metal arrows.
The ovation of the opening night for the singers and in particular Thielemann was well deserved and lasted for around 15 minutes. 
A wonderfully engaging evening of Wagnerian music making!


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## Belowpar

Donizetti Pia de'Tolomei (in Italian)

English Touring Opera Hackney Empire
First night last night and then it goes on tour round the country.
Never met a Donizetti I didn't really enjoy and this was no exception. 
There's not a lot of action and it's a case of man suspect's his wife but really she's just keeping in touch with her brother who is the sworn enemy of her husband (capice?). Husband is clearly a bit thick and by the time he realises how she really loved him all along …well I won't spoil things but you can guess for yourselves as this isn't a comedy.

Reasons to see this.
Beautifully conducted and played.
As the Opera progresses the music just gets better and better, with some great dramatic duets. I've quickly googled this and it seems like there's still room for my forthcoming book on how much Verdi was influenced by Donizetti  At one point I swear the Chorus were going to sing Va Pensiero when the Conductor reminded them that's another night.
Great Singing from (in particular)
Elena Xanthoudakis in the lead part. Bel Canto was made for the smaller venues this will visit. She takes risk and carries them off with aplomb. At times her singing was really beautiful and at others most exciting to hear.
Grant Doyle lovely warm baritone singing - for me the star of the show.
Catherine Carby who doesn't love a mezzo in leather trousers?
Keenly priced in sensible sized theatres near you.

ON the other hand you should know.
The Tenor who also provided some beautiful and affecting sounds and then from nowhere suddenly invisible hands would strangle him! Put me right off him.

The Sets. Probably the worst I've ever seen. Not outrageous or offensive in any way just staggeringly boring and what can a Director do when all the action has to take place in a small triangle at the front of the stage. (I exaggerate there was also an Opening door in the second half).

Despite this I would happily go again.

List of dates
http://englishtouringopera.org.uk/productions/pia-de-tolomei

Can hear excerpts here.
http://englishtouringopera.org.uk/productions/pia-de-tolomei


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## Belowpar

I wanted to write the above post before looking at reviews.

So far
This one thought the best thing about it were the sets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/...-review-at-hackney-empire-solid-but-unmoving/
It seems some people can't get enough of dowdy costumes and murky lighting! It amazes me that a professional(?) can review a production without once mentioning the main part?

This one liked it much more
http://www.theguardian.com/music/20...onizetti-english-touring-opera-hackney-empire
and at least they agree (sort of) with me here "Visually, the production is less happy, notably in terms of a set that is simply the reverse of another in the company's current repertoire; the result is no more than anonymously abstract."

And this one loved it, yes even the set!
http://www.markronan.com/2016/03/pia-de-tolomei-english-touring-opera-eto-hackney-empire-march-2016/


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## sospiro

^^ Excellent review Belowpar. I've been to several ETO productions and they were great.


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## Bellinilover

I spent the weekend in New York, and while there I attended the Saturday matinee of _L'elsir d'amore_ at the Metropolitan Opera. It was my very first opera at the Met.

In the cast were Vittorio Grigolo (Nemorino), Alexandra Kurzak (Adina), Alessandro Corbelli (Dulcamara), and Adam Plachetka (Belcore). The production was the Bartlett Sher one from 2013, which I'd already seen in HD.

If you can believe this, I attended the performance mostly for Corbelli as he's one of my favorite male opera singers (and definitely my favorite _buffo_). He's in his sixties now, yet he still sounds amazingly good -- very rich and refined. There is some shouting and wobble in the upper register, and it took him a little while to warm up, but essentially he sounds like his recordings from the 1990's and earlier. It was wonderful finally to hear him in person. (My brother, who attended with me and who's an even bigger fan than I am, was absolutely thrilled).

Grigolo, whom I'd heard very little of before, was stunning. He has a great deal of control over his voice, which actually sounds bigger in the opera house than it does on recordings; he sang with a lot of nuance. The only possible criticism I can think of is that it's hard to understand how someone as sensitive and elegant as his Nemorino seemed would believe a story about a magical love potion! (But maybe the explanation is that Nemorino knows very well the potion is a fake but _wants_ to believe in it.)

Kurzak, another singer new to me, sang beautifully, with a tone that was fluid and dark. Her coloratura was amazingly precise, though she did have some trouble with the high note at the end of her Act II cabaletta. The Czech singer Plachetka (yet _another_ one I'd never heard of before) bears a slight resemblance to Adrien Brody (totally irrelevant, I know); I kept thinking his voice was too big or too powerful for Belcore -- and then I realized that he's _bass_-baritone. As Belcore he was good, but I couldn't help thinking it wasn't the most apt role for him. His voice reminded me of Mariusz Kwicien's, only heavier.

I'll end by saying something about the Met itself. My brother and I were seated up in the last row of the Family Circle, but even (or especially) at that height the acoustics were superb; it really does sound as though the singers are just a couple of feet away from you. I'd seen pictures/video of the auditorium before, of course, but even those couldn't prepare me for the size of it; I was astounded at how many rows of seats there are and how huge the stage is. All in all, being at the Met was a great experience, and one I'd like to have again (though I'm afraid it won't be any time soon). Oh, one more thing -- nearly every seat in the house was filled, and there were a lot of "young" people (teenage thru college age, I think, and some grade-school kids) present.


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## sospiro

Bellinilover said:


> I spent the weekend in New York, and while there I attended the Saturday matinee of _L'elsir d'amore_ at the Metropolitan Opera. It was my very first opera at the Met.
> 
> In the cast were Vittorio Grigolo (Nemorino), Alexandra Kurzak (Adina), Alessandro Corbelli (Dulcamara), and Adam Plachetka (Belcore). The production was the Bartlett Sher one from 2013, which I'd already seen in HD.
> 
> If you can believe this, I attended the performance mostly for Corbelli as he's one of my favorite male opera singers (and definitely my favorite _buffo_). He's in his sixties now, yet he still sounds amazingly good -- very rich and refined. There is some shouting and wobble in the upper register, and it took him a little while to warm up, but essentially he sounds like his recordings from the 1990's and earlier. It was wonderful finally to hear him in person. (My brother, who attended with me and who's an even bigger fan than I am, was absolutely thrilled).
> 
> Grigolo, whom I'd heard very little of before, was stunning. He has a great deal of control over his voice, which actually sounds bigger in the opera house than it does on recordings; he sang with a lot of nuance. The only possible criticism I can think of is that it's hard to understand how someone as sensitive and elegant as his Nemorino seemed would believe a story about a magical love potion! (But maybe the explanation is that Nemorino knows very well the potion is a fake but _wants_ to believe in it.)
> 
> Kurzak, another singer new to me, sang beautifully, with a tone that was fluid and dark. Her coloratura was amazingly precise, though she did have some trouble with the high note at the end of her Act II cabaletta. The Czech singer Plachetka (yet _another_ one I'd never heard of before) bears a slight resemblance to Adrien Brody (totally irrelevant, I know); I kept thinking his voice was too big or too powerful for Belcore -- and then I realized that he's _bass_-baritone. As Belcore he was good, but I couldn't help thinking it wasn't the most apt role for him. His voice reminded me of Mariusz Kwicien's, only heavier.
> 
> I'll end by saying something about the Met itself. My brother and I were seated up in the last row of the Family Circle, but even (or especially) at that height the acoustics were superb; it really does sound as though the singers are just a couple of feet away from you. I'd seen pictures/video of the auditorium before, of course, but even those couldn't prepare me for the size of it; I was astounded at how many rows of seats there are and how huge the stage is. All in all, being at the Met was a great experience, and one I'd like to have again (though I'm afraid it won't be any time soon). Oh, one more thing -- nearly every seat in the house was filled, and there were a lot of "young" people (teenage thru college age, I think, and some grade-school kids) present.


:tiphat:

I love reading about ordinary people's experiences (by that I mean as opposed to critics) and what a great review. I'm so pleased you enjoyed your first visit.


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## Cavaradossi

Bellinilover said:


> Grigolo, whom I'd heard very little of before, was stunning. He has a great deal of control over his voice, which actually sounds bigger in the opera house than it does on recordings; he sang with a lot of nuance. The only possible criticism I can think of is that it's hard to understand how someone as sensitive and elegant as his Nemorino seemed would believe a story about a magical love potion! (But maybe the explanation is that Nemorino knows very well the potion is a fake but _wants_ to believe in it.)


I'm so glad you enjoyed your first visit to the Met too! I also ended up attending that same performance on short notice. I agree that both Grigolo's Nemorino and Sher's staging were half-again too clever for their own good. I think your guess of Sher's intent is spot on, since during the overture, Sher chose to show the supposedly illiterate Nemorino thoughtfully jotting notes in a notebook, which rendered aspects of the original libretto nonsensical, beginning immediately with Nemorino's first aria where he declares his lack of wit. As I recall from the HD broadcast, Sher sought to portray Belcore's troops as the occupying Austrian army of an Italy on the cusp of the Risorgimento, thus justifying a sobering bit of heavy-handed brutality towards the village women and Nemorino in finale of Act I. I honestly don't see much value in interpolating that level of historical specificity into a truly universal story such as Elixir, but I guess we should just be thankful the women of the village didn't get the ROH treatment. :devil:

Aside from those dramatic distractions, yes there was some wonderful singing and I thought Kursak's and Plachetka's and Corbelli's characterizations were spot on. Certainly, all was forgiven by the time _Una furtiva lagrima _ came around, and Grigolo was finally able bring to life all the humility and poignancy inherent in Donizetti's score.


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## Belowpar

Belowpar said:


> ON the other hand you should know.
> The Tenor who also provided some beautiful and affecting sounds and then from nowhere suddenly invisible hands would strangle him! Put me right off him.
> 
> The Sets. Probably the worst I've ever seen. Not outrageous or offensive in any way just staggeringly boring and what can a Director do when all the action has to take place in a small triangle at the front of the stage. (I exaggerate there was also an Opening door in the second half).
> 
> Despite this I would happily go again.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The other reviews show how varied the response, just to single out the sets, will be on any night.
> 
> Hugh Canning of the Sunday Times was also thre the same night.
> 
> The only singer he praised was the Tenor! Luciano Botelho for the record.
> 
> About the Production "Why the company thought fit to stage...(this piece) ... on the back of it's Don Giovanni set must remain a mystery. ...but frankly, James Conway's half-hearted, ludicrusly costumed "production" was a disgrace."
> 
> "...a ghastly miss".
Click to expand...


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## Bellinilover

Cavaradossi said:


> I'm so glad you enjoyed your first visit to the Met too! I also ended up attending that same performance on short notice. I agree that both Grigolo's Nemorino and Sher's staging were half-again too clever for their own good. I think your guess of Sher's intent is spot on, since during the overture, Sher chose to show the supposedly illiterate Nemorino thoughtfully jotting notes in a notebook, which rendered aspects of the original libretto nonsensical, beginning immediately with Nemorino's first aria where he declares his lack of wit. As I recall from the HD broadcast, Sher sought to portray Belcore's troops as the occupying Austrian army of an Italy on the cusp of the Risorgimento, thus justifying a sobering bit of heavy-handed brutality towards the village women and Nemorino in finale of Act I. I honestly don't see much value in interpolating that level of historical specificity into a truly universal story such as Elixir, but I guess we should just be thankful the women of the village didn't get the ROH treatment. :devil:
> 
> Aside from those dramatic distractions, yes there was some wonderful singing and I thought Kursak's and Plachetka's and Corbelli's characterizations were spot on. Certainly, all was forgiven by the time _Una furtiva lagrima _ came around, and Grigolo was finally able bring to life all the humility and poignancy inherent in Donizetti's score.


Usually, I admire Bartlett Sher; I loved his _Contes d'Hoffmann_, for instance. I respect the fact that he looks closely at the historical period and the libretto of an opera. But for _ L'elisir_ I actually prefer the staging in that Vienna Opera performance on DVD with Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon, as it seems more intimate and charming and less "complicated." It's funny: right across the plaza from the Met, at the Lincoln Center Theater, the revival of _The King and I_ is playing -- another Sher production, and one that I would love to have seen last weekend had I only had the time and money!


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## Belowpar

On the basis it's better late than never.


La Favorite Donizetti

University College (London) Opera 

Theatre Royal Stratford East. London 16 03 16


Thanks to Don F who brought this to my attention.

The good news:

La Favorite is on the basis of one night, the most unjustly neglected piece of his that I've seen. It got one nomination for our top 200 and yet I'd say its easily top 100 material. This was once a staple of Opera houses and Wagner arranged some of its music as concert piece for two violins. The fact it also exists in Italian as La Favourita possibly compromises its standing. However the French text suited the piece and apart from the big chorus's ending the acts, it was hard to think of it as Italian.

There is a darkenss to the music that suggested mature Verdi BUT what made the Opera special was the predicament of the heroine. La Favorite being another name for the Kings mistress the plot is set up for her to marry an innocent heroic type. She decides the he must be told of her past, and to save the man's honour she sends her friend to let him know before the wedding can place. But the King has the friend arrested and the wedding goes ahead without the information being passed on. When the Favorite discovers what has happened her situation is most affecting and the next day it dawned on me that I was watching a preview of 'the fallen woman'. 

The principal parts are played by young professionals and the rest are students.

Catherine Backhouse sang the title part wonderfully. She has a big voice in a small theatre and she carried the evening

David Wodward was a stylish light tenor

Kevin Greenlaw sang the duplicitous King beautifully and watching him in a small theatre his acting was top notch too.

There were no weak links in the supporting cast or chorus.

A word of praise for the sets ( Louis Carver) which showed what imagination can achieve on what must be a shoestring budget. PLUS the lighting (Joshus Pharo) was not the usual doom and gloom. Perhaps its because its a small theatre, or the fact that everyone is young and there's nothing to hide, but being able to see facial mannerisms really helps bring drama alive. The Director was John Ramster and he also derves great praise.

The less good news.
The Conductor was a professional the orchestra were students. There were times when the music sparkled and...


Another memorable night at the Opera. 10 days on and I'm still reliving this production.

PS
I am getting quite the taste for these University productions. Rare Opera, small theatres, emerging talent, keen prices – what's not to love. Soon to go on sale are a Milhaud double bill at the Guildhall in June. ALso there's a Poppea by the Royal Academy of Music in Shoreditch town hall in May.

PPS
Do check out La Favorite. I am in the market for a recording and would welcome recommendations.


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## sospiro

Belowpar said:


> On the basis it's better late than never.
> 
> La Favorite Donizetti
> 
> University College (London) Opera
> 
> Theatre Royal Stratford East. London 16 03 16
> 
> Thanks to Don F who brought this to my attention.
> 
> The good news:
> 
> La Favorite is on the basis of one night, the most unjustly neglected piece of his that I've seen. It got one nomination for our top 200 and yet I'd say its easily top 100 material. This was once a staple of Opera houses and Wagner arranged some of its music as concert piece for two violins. The fact it also exists in Italian as La Favourita possibly compromises its standing. However the French text suited the piece and apart from the big chorus's ending the acts, it was hard to think of it as Italian.
> 
> There is a darkenss to the music that suggested mature Verdi BUT what made the Opera special was the predicament of the heroine. La Favorite being another name for the Kings mistress the plot is set up for her to marry an innocent heroic type. She decides the he must be told of her past, and to save the man's honour she sends her friend to let him know before the wedding can place. But the King has the friend arrested and the wedding goes ahead without the information being passed on. When the Favorite discovers what has happened her situation is most affecting and the next day it dawned on me that I was watching a preview of 'the fallen woman'.
> 
> The principal parts are played by young professionals and the rest are students.
> 
> Catherine Backhouse sang the title part wonderfully. She has a big voice in a small theatre and she carried the evening
> 
> David Wodward was a stylish light tenor
> 
> Kevin Greenlaw sang the duplicitous King beautifully and watching him in a small theatre his acting was top notch too.
> 
> There were no weak links in the supporting cast or chorus.
> 
> A word of praise for the sets ( Louis Carver) which showed what imagination can achieve on what must be a shoestring budget. PLUS the lighting (Joshus Pharo) was not the usual doom and gloom. Perhaps its because its a small theatre, or the fact that everyone is young and there's nothing to hide, but being able to see facial mannerisms really helps bring drama alive. The Director was John Ramster and he also derves great praise.
> 
> The less good news.
> The Conductor was a professional the orchestra were students. There were times when the music sparkled and...
> 
> Another memorable night at the Opera. 10 days on and I'm still reliving this production.
> 
> PS
> I am getting quite the taste for these University productions. Rare Opera, small theatres, emerging talent, keen prices - what's not to love. Soon to go on sale are a Milhaud double bill at the Guildhall in June. ALso there's a Poppea by the Royal Academy of Music in Shoreditch town hall in May.
> 
> PPS
> Do check out La Favorite. I am in the market for a recording and would welcome recommendations.


Wonderful review. I only have the Italian version on CD which I like very much, but then I'm a fan of Luciano.


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## Don Fatale

Belowpar said:


> Another memorable night at the Opera. 10 days on and I'm still reliving this production.
> 
> I am getting quite the taste for these University productions. Rare Opera, small theatres, emerging talent, keen prices - what's not to love. Soon to go on sale are a Milhaud double bill at the Guildhall in June. ALso there's a Poppea by the Royal Academy of Music in Shoreditch town hall in May.


Glad you enjoyed it. I'm feeling bad that I opted for Boris Godunov instead, although it had to be done. I'm totally with you on student performances and small companies. British Youth Opera (which is actually young professionals) is worth checking out (Aug, Sep performances if I recall), and the Black Cat Opera company. Sadly they don't always get listed on Operabase and Bachtrack, so we have to make use of the grapevine.


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## mountmccabe

_Svadba_ was exceptional. This hour-long opera by Ana Sokolović was produced by San Francisco Opera as part of their new OperaLabs season.

The opera is for six female voices. There were small bits of percussion at times, but the piece was mostly driven by sounds from the human body, clapping, stomping/jumping, and singing. The singing ranges from rhythmic and percussive to beautifully lyrical. It was wonderful hearing the different ways these voices worked together.

The closing was particularly gorgeous, as the friends one by one raised their voices in turn, starting from an imperceptible drone and growing into the lovely farewell. Milica (Jaqueline Woodley) steps into her shining wedding dress with the a beautiful, bright, clear song as the others slip away.

The piece is very fun, and the staging (by Michael Cavanagh, who also directed the original production) was immersive. This is the first work I've seen in the new Taube Atrium, which is a giant box. They have hundreds of seating configurations; this was set up like a wedding reception, with tables around a central circular podium. The women moved through the entire hall, with stations in the corners. One had to adjust their chair to follow them around, but this certainly made me think of wedding receptions I have attended. This set-up also meant that - since I was sitting right near the center platform - the singers were at times were at arm's length.

Musical direction by Dáirine Ní Mheadhra, same as at Festival d'Aix-en-Provence (in a different staging). Some of the cast was from that performance, too. Apparently all six had performed in _Svadba_ before.


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## mountmccabe

Looking around, I found a photo on Twitter of the cast on the central platform after the performance. That happens to be me, in the background, wearing a tie, clapping.


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## sospiro

mountmccabe said:


> _Svadba_ was exceptional. This hour-long opera by Ana Sokolović was produced by San Francisco Opera as part of their new OperaLabs season.
> 
> The opera is for six female voices. There were small bits of percussion at times, but the piece was mostly driven by sounds from the human body, clapping, stomping/jumping, and singing. The singing ranges from rhythmic and percussive to beautifully lyrical. It was wonderful hearing the different ways these voices worked together.
> 
> The closing was particularly gorgeous, as the friends one by one raised their voices in turn, starting from an imperceptible drone and growing into the lovely farewell. Milica (Jaqueline Woodley) steps into her shining wedding dress with the a beautiful, bright, clear song as the others slip away.
> 
> The piece is very fun, and the staging (by Michael Cavanagh, who also directed the original production) was immersive. This is the first work I've seen in the new Taube Atrium, which is a giant box. They have hundreds of seating configurations; this was set up like a wedding reception, with tables around a central circular podium. The women moved through the entire hall, with stations in the corners. One had to adjust their chair to follow them around, but this certainly made me think of wedding receptions I have attended. This set-up also meant that - since I was sitting right near the center platform - the singers were at times were at arm's length.
> 
> Musical direction by Dáirine Ní Mheadhra, same as at Festival d'Aix-en-Provence (in a different staging). Some of the cast was from that performance, too. Apparently all six had performed in _Svadba_ before.


Great review and from your description I can picture the setting. I love it when things happen around me and I always find it incredibly exciting to be close to a singer.


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## sospiro

mountmccabe said:


> Looking around, I found a photo on Twitter of the cast on the central platform after the performance. That happens to be me, in the background, wearing a tie, clapping.


Excellent! One for the scrap book!


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## Belowpar

The Welsh National Opera at The Milton Keynes Theatre

Welsh National Opera have been responsible for the best productions I have seen of Tosca (Birmingham) and Don Carlos (Nottingham) and generally their productions have impressed. They are based in Cardiff but they take the same cast and conductors on Tour. Although it doesn't compare with the old style of house artists, there is more of a familiar rosta of singers than other GB&I companies today. 

The following two pieces were accompanied by a third new Opera, Figaro Gets a Divorce. Unfortunately I couldn't get there – unusually it was presented before the other two on a weekday.
The theatre is a new(ish) one with 1400 seats in the modern, face on (i.e. not horseshoe) design. Acoustics and sightliness were excellent, although there’s still a bit of a shock seeing Opera productions in this type of theatre. The house is designed to receive al kinds of shows and the wide stage meant the two sets sat in the middle of the stage, perhaps not to the best of for the productions. Sadly both nights the house had at least 20% of seats unsold. 


Friday 01st The Barber of Seville presented in English.
Why does a performance not catch fir? There are so many possible reasons and perhaps the empty seats are more important in a a comedy? Perhaps it was the slightly stately pace that James Southall adopted? It did allow the music to breathe and worked in its own way , but something was certainly lacking. I admit I have problem with live Rossini. The Orchestras are always smaller than for (most) other productions and compared to listening to CD the crescendo's don't build the same imp\ct. 
The designs and the directing were attractive and lively and although I certainly enjoyed myself yet ...

Considered individually there were many fine performances.
It's been a long whiles since I've seen this Opera and I had forgotten there were only two female characters. Rosina was a stand in Heather Lowe, but I have no complaints and she carried off the part with aplomb. Carping I might add she is young and hopefully she will develop more power to allow her to be heard above the chorus. In this production she's no shrinking teenager spending Act one in a revealing peignoir (been wanting to use that word for the longest time!). The part of Berta the housekeeper is fairly thankless but when given her aria Rosie Hay absolutely nailed it.

Figaro was well played and sung by Nicolas Lester. However the biggest success of the evening was Andrew Shore as Dr. Bartolo. The second act starts with him and he certainly lifted the occasion allowing things to flow and improve as they concluded.

Satuday 02nd The Marrige of Figaor in English

Happily this was more successful. The stand in conductor Timothy Burke adopted lively tempi and somehow things worked much better. The production started during the overture with several of the cast in (comic) street clothes as an attempt to remind us we were in a theatre watching an Opera! Errr...Thanks for that? There was no follow through with this idea and I am left wondering why the performers had to spend 10 mins on stage miming boredom before they changed to period costumes? Once it started the first two acts worked really well but the third was set in a a forest where any feature was imaginary and it totally lacked focus. Shame as it meant the finale didn’t called all the emotional punch it often does.

Both productions feature similar set ideas by Ralph Koltai, Costumes by Sue Blane and Lighting (nice and bright – thanks) by Linus Felborn. The only carry overs were having both Figaro's with a(n Elvis) quiff with a blonde streak in it – not sure how authentic that was for either period. And the Don Basilo costumes had a certain similarity (why only them?)

Fine performances from David Stout as a suitably charismatic Figaro.
Richard Wiegold as Dr Bartolo and Mark Stone as the Count.

But two ladies shone brightest. Anna Devin who I really enjoyed as Nanetta in last years Falstaff at the ROH, has a lovely voice and real presence. I wil look out for her in future.
For Susan Bickley a rarely performed aria was included and how skilfully she sang it.

Overall the playing and singing both nights was of a high and enjoyable standard and many more could be mentioned.
My third Figaro in 6 months and the more I see it, the more I love it.


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## mountmccabe

Black Box Baroque is a small company based in the San Francisco area. This year marks the end of their cycle of Handel operas that derive from _Orlando Furioso_, with _Alcina_.

The opera was directed by Sarah Young; I found everything clear, even without sets or much in the way of props. Ruggiero was sung - wonderfully - by Danielle Sampson. Oberto was also sung by a woman. There was no chorus or extras, apart from Astolfo. "Tornami a vagheggiar" was sung by Morgana (Sara Hagenbuch). Act 1 and act 2, scenes 1-6 were played continuously (ending with Alcina letting Ruggiero go hunting). The rest of the opera played after the fifteen-minute interval. I don't know the opera well enough to know what (if any) cuts were made; total time was right at 3 hours, including the interval.

Bradamante and Melisso were in modern dress, Alcina and Morgana were in gowns, the remaining cast were in ratty clothes.

"Credete al mio dolore" was my favorite thing. That cello was in my head the entire ride home, and I have listened to many different versions today.

Kelly Rubinsohn was the standout as Alcina, but the entire cast was quite fine in this small room (maybe 70 seats?).

Jonathan Salzedo led the 9-piece orchestra from the harpsichord, it was an absolute pleasure to hear. The ensemble also included organ (doubling recorder), two oboes (one doubling recorder), two violins, viola, cello, and violone.


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## Bellinilover

Regarding my earlier post on my first visit to the Met for L'ELISIR D'AMORE -- in case anyone's interested, here's a photo of the marquee with the cast list, and a photo of me standing in Lincoln Center, with the Opera Shop in the background:

















And here's the Act II opening number -- with Alessandro Corbelli, the main reason I went to see the performance in the first place!


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## Loge

Lucia di Lammermoor - Royal Opera House

No doubt many of you have read about this production in the newspapers. Director Katie Mitchell received a booing at her curtain call. First the good, well the singing, music and acting were first rate. I only bought a ticket to hear Diana Damrau live and she does impress. Has a wonderful pure clear tone, and her mad scene was incredibly sung with the creepy accompaniment of a glass harmonica. But the rest of the cast were oustanding, charismatic tenor Charles Castronovo sung Edgardo with an almost Kauffmanesque tone, very impressive. And bartone Ludovic Tezier sung Enrico another incredible voice. And the orchestra sounded great as always with Daniel Oren conducting.

Now onto the production. Oh dear. You may have read about the scene when Lucia goes cowgirl on Edgardo while singing a duet, honestly it was like watching a sexposition scene from Game of Thrones. You may have read about how the audience laughed when Arturo is shown to be murdered, and it is very funny, but this opera is not supposed to be a farce. Or you ,may have read that Lucia has a miscarriage on stage, that doesn't really add much to the story.

The main problem with the production is the use of a split stage, with a scene from the libertto going on one side of the stage, and on the other what ever is going on in Katie Mitchell's head. It was distracting and confusing. Having never seen Lucia before I had a hard time following the plot (and the plot is not exactly complicated). This is the first time I have seen or heard Lucia all the way through, and it was difficult to follow. This has some of the worst stage craft I have seen, on top of that each scene change took about 10 minutes so the opera overan by about half an hour. For example Lucia sings her mad song, collapses, the curtain drops and you have to wait in your seat for ten minutes while they shift the scenery for the final scene. This made the opera drag somewhat. As for Katie Mitchell's feminist reading? Well Lucia was a bit feisty in some scenes.

So to sum up, fantastic cast and singing, let down by bizzare confusing staging and shifting scenery.

PS

The first two acts are played through without an interval so that turned out to be around 100 mins long. During the last scene there was a bath on stage with running water, you could see audience members shifting in their seats to the sound a tap running. Not a good idea in a long act Katie.


----------



## Pugg

Loge said:


> Lucia di Lammermoor - Royal Opera House
> 
> No doubt many of you have read about this production in the newspapers. Director Katie Mitchell received a booing at her curtain call. First the good, well the singing, music and acting were first rate. I only bought a ticket to hear Diana Damrau live and she does impress. Has a wonderful pure clear tone, and her mad scene was incredibly sung with the creepy accompaniment of a glass harmonica. But the rest of the cast were oustanding, charismatic tenor Charles Castronovo sung Edgardo with an almost Kauffmanesque tone, very impressive. And bartone Ludovic Tezier sung Enrico another incredible voice. And the orchestra sounded great as always with Daniel Oren conducting.
> 
> Now onto the production. Oh dear. You may have read about the scene when Lucia goes cowgirl on Edgardo while singing a duet, honestly it was like watching a sexposition scene from Game of Thrones. You may have read about how the audience laughed when Arturo is shown to be murdered, and it is very funny, but this opera is not supposed to be a farce. Or you ,may have read that Lucia has a miscarriage on stage, that doesn't really add much to the story.
> 
> The main problem with the production is the use of a split stage, with a scene from the libertto going on one side of the stage, and on the other what ever is going on in Katie Mitchell's head. It was distracting and confusing. Having never seen Lucia before I had a hard time following the plot (and the plot is not exactly complicated). This is the first time I have seen or heard Lucia all the way through, and it was difficult to follow. This has some of the worst stage craft I have seen, on top of that each scene change took about 10 minutes so the opera overan by about half an hour. For example Lucia sings her mad song, collapses, the curtain drops and you have to wait in your seat for ten minutes while they shift the scenery for the final scene. This made the opera drag somewhat. As for Katie Mitchell's feminist reading? Well Lucia was a bit feisty in some scenes.
> 
> So to sum up, fantastic cast and singing, let down by bizzare confusing staging and shifting scenery.
> 
> PS
> 
> The first two acts are played through without an interval so that turned out to be around 100 mins long. During the last scene there was a bath on stage with running water, you could see audience members shifting in their seats to the sound a tap running. Not a good idea in a long act Katie.


Thanks for your review.
I have one question did Ms Damrau is better in shape then her complete recording?


----------



## sospiro

Loge said:


> Lucia di Lammermoor - Royal Opera House
> 
> No doubt many of you have read about this production in the newspapers. Director Katie Mitchell received a booing at her curtain call. First the good, well the singing, music and acting were first rate. I only bought a ticket to hear Diana Damrau live and she does impress. Has a wonderful pure clear tone, and her mad scene was incredibly sung with the creepy accompaniment of a glass harmonica. But the rest of the cast were oustanding, charismatic tenor Charles Castronovo sung Edgardo with an almost Kauffmanesque tone, very impressive. And bartone Ludovic Tezier sung Enrico another incredible voice. And the orchestra sounded great as always with Daniel Oren conducting.
> 
> Now onto the production. Oh dear. You may have read about the scene when Lucia goes cowgirl on Edgardo while singing a duet, honestly it was like watching a sexposition scene from Game of Thrones. You may have read about how the audience laughed when Arturo is shown to be murdered, and it is very funny, but this opera is not supposed to be a farce. Or you ,may have read that Lucia has a miscarriage on stage, that doesn't really add much to the story.
> 
> The main problem with the production is the use of a split stage, with a scene from the libertto going on one side of the stage, and on the other what ever is going on in Katie Mitchell's head. It was distracting and confusing. Having never seen Lucia before I had a hard time following the plot (and the plot is not exactly complicated). This is the first time I have seen or heard Lucia all the way through, and it was difficult to follow. This has some of the worst stage craft I have seen, on top of that each scene change took about 10 minutes so the opera overan by about half an hour. For example Lucia sings her mad song, collapses, the curtain drops and you have to wait in your seat for ten minutes while they shift the scenery for the final scene. This made the opera drag somewhat. As for Katie Mitchell's feminist reading? Well Lucia was a bit feisty in some scenes.
> 
> So to sum up, fantastic cast and singing, let down by bizzare confusing staging and shifting scenery.
> 
> PS
> 
> The first two acts are played through without an interval so that turned out to be around 100 mins long. During the last scene there was a bath on stage with running water, you could see audience members shifting in their seats to the sound a tap running. Not a good idea in a long act Katie.


Great review! It's one of my favourite operas and I was very tempted to book but after reading all the reviews, I'm glad I didn't.


----------



## DavidA

Loge said:


> Lucia di Lammermoor - Royal Opera House
> 
> No doubt many of you have read about this production in the newspapers. Director Katie Mitchell received a booing at her curtain call. First the good, well the singing, music and acting were first rate. I only bought a ticket to hear Diana Damrau live and she does impress. Has a wonderful pure clear tone, and her mad scene was incredibly sung with the creepy accompaniment of a glass harmonica. But the rest of the cast were oustanding, charismatic tenor Charles Castronovo sung Edgardo with an almost Kauffmanesque tone, very impressive. And bartone Ludovic Tezier sung Enrico another incredible voice. And the orchestra sounded great as always with Daniel Oren conducting.
> 
> Now onto the production. Oh dear. You may have read about the scene when Lucia goes cowgirl on Edgardo while singing a duet, honestly it was like watching a sexposition scene from Game of Thrones. You may have read about how the audience laughed when Arturo is shown to be murdered, and it is very funny, but this opera is not supposed to be a farce. Or you ,may have read that Lucia has a miscarriage on stage, that doesn't really add much to the story.
> 
> The main problem with the production is the use of a split stage, with a scene from the libertto going on one side of the stage, and on the other what ever is going on in Katie Mitchell's head. It was distracting and confusing. Having never seen Lucia before I had a hard time following the plot (and the plot is not exactly complicated). This is the first time I have seen or heard Lucia all the way through, and it was difficult to follow. This has some of the worst stage craft I have seen, on top of that each scene change took about 10 minutes so the opera overan by about half an hour. For example Lucia sings her mad song, collapses, the curtain drops and you have to wait in your seat for ten minutes while they shift the scenery for the final scene. This made the opera drag somewhat. As for Katie Mitchell's feminist reading? Well Lucia was a bit feisty in some scenes.
> 
> So to sum up, fantastic cast and singing, let down by bizzare confusing staging and shifting scenery.
> 
> PS
> 
> The first two acts are played through without an interval so that turned out to be around 100 mins long. During the last scene there was a bath on stage with running water, you could see audience members shifting in their seats to the sound a tap running. Not a good idea in a long act Katie.


All the reviews damn this production. Yet air heads still employ these directors. Why?


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## Loge

Pugg said:


> Thanks for your review.
> I have one question did Ms Damrau is better in shape then her complete recording?


I haven't heard the recording, but I believe it was the first time she sang the role. But according to the reaction of the audience last night, she did a sterling job. Other critics say she has gown into the role. Hearing the mad scene live is quite something, it is very long, almost a Wagnerian long piece of singing. Has she sung Norma yet?


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## mountmccabe

Sorry you did not like the production.

Diana Damrau sang the role for Bayerische Staatsoper in early 2015. I found the production - by Barbara Wysocka - to be quite spectacular, but some might object to the 50s/60s Kennedys setting. It was perhaps more violent and unhinged than most. 
Petrenko and the orchestra sounded masterful; Damrau was exceptionally compelling.


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## mountmccabe

Oh! And the reason I started replying; Damrau was scheduled to sing Lucia in San Francisco in the fall, but she cancelled and we got Nadine Sierra. Piotr Beczała was a thrilling Edgardo. 

The production was rather straightforward, with very effective person-regie. The setting was stark and vaguely futurist in grey and blue, the women in the chorus were in big, colorful dresses. There were several ghosts on stage, the girl killed by the fountain, but also Lucia's mother (I think? I'm forgetting) and others. After Lucia dies she comes on stage as a ghost, and Edgardo sees her (and the others); it really sold the ending as a reunion in a way that rarely works for me.


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## Don Fatale

After 28 years and over 200 live operas I finally made it to a Cav & Pag tonight! (Until now, just in the wrong place at the wrong time). This is day 4 of 5 of my Budapest opera visit, which I will write up in the Opera in Budapest thread.

We're in the Erkel Theatre for this one. It's Budapest's other house, although part of the same company and singers. The staging in suitably rustic, a real live horse on stage, sets are a little low budget but it seldom distracts and never offends. These operas are all about verismo voices and human emotions and that's what we got tonight.

Bulgarian Kamen Chanev was both Turiddu and Canio and gave a fine performance in both works. His voice is so made for verismo. He travels extensively as Calaf. Gyongyi Lukacs is Santuzza. She's a local favourite (I saw her recently as Tosca), but I find the wobble in her voice a little distracting. Nonetheless she's a diva through and through and delivers all of the drama required in the role.

Pagliacci has the same set as before the interval, just rearranged a little. Zita Varadi is a most fetchingly attired Nedda, and the portrayal is complex and sympathetic. During Vesti La Giubba, when Canio is alone on the stage in a spotlight Nedda walks slowly on to watch him from a distance. With the moody lighting it added something extra to fine performance of the aria. Lovely directing. In fact the actor direction was excellent throughout. If I knew what conductor was in Hungarian I'd tell you who it was. He did a great job. The orchestral parts including the intermezzo were a joy to listen to.

If you're in Budapest and Cav & Pag is playing, it's worth catching. Hopefully the singers will be as good as I had tonight. Conversely, if last night's opera, Der Freischutz is on, do something else instead!


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## Pugg

Loge said:


> I haven't heard the recording, but I believe it was the first time she sang the role. But according to the reaction of the audience last night, she did a sterling job. Other critics say she has gown into the role. Hearing the mad scene live is quite something, it is very long, almost a Wagnerian long piece of singing. Has she sung Norma yet?


Thanks for your reply, I do have the recording and it's one off my least favourites , and no she didn't sing Norma.
Don't know if she's up to it though


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## Belowpar

Loge said:


> Lucia di Lammermoor - Royal Opera House
> 
> No doubt many of you have read about this production in the newspapers. Director Katie Mitchell received a booing at her curtain call. First the good, well the singing, music and acting were first rate. I only bought a ticket to hear Diana Damrau live and she does impress. Has a wonderful pure clear tone, and her mad scene was incredibly sung with the creepy accompaniment of a glass harmonica. But the rest of the cast were oustanding, charismatic tenor Charles Castronovo sung Edgardo with an almost Kauffmanesque tone, very impressive. And bartone Ludovic Tezier sung Enrico another incredible voice. And the orchestra sounded great as always with Daniel Oren conducting.
> 
> Now onto the production. Oh dear. You may have read about the scene when Lucia goes cowgirl on Edgardo while singing a duet, honestly it was like watching a sexposition scene from Game of Thrones. You may have read about how the audience laughed when Arturo is shown to be murdered, and it is very funny, but this opera is not supposed to be a farce. Or you ,may have read that Lucia has a miscarriage on stage, that doesn't really add much to the story.
> 
> The main problem with the production is the use of a split stage, with a scene from the libertto going on one side of the stage, and on the other what ever is going on in Katie Mitchell's head. It was distracting and confusing. Having never seen Lucia before I had a hard time following the plot (and the plot is not exactly complicated). This is the first time I have seen or heard Lucia all the way through, and it was difficult to follow. This has some of the worst stage craft I have seen, on top of that each scene change took about 10 minutes so the opera overan by about half an hour. For example Lucia sings her mad song, collapses, the curtain drops and you have to wait in your seat for ten minutes while they shift the scenery for the final scene. This made the opera drag somewhat. As for Katie Mitchell's feminist reading? Well Lucia was a bit feisty in some scenes.
> 
> So to sum up, fantastic cast and singing, let down by bizzare confusing staging and shifting scenery.
> 
> PS
> 
> The first two acts are played through without an interval so that turned out to be around 100 mins long. During the last scene there was a bath on stage with running water, you could see audience members shifting in their seats to the sound a tap running. Not a good idea in a long act Katie.


Excellent review and I would agree with all you say. We were there Thursday 14th

So Briefly

Attending a Lucia with the glass harmonica can now be crossed off my bucket list. Thrilling and eerie to hear one live.

I enjoyed Ms Damrau but not as much as Castronovo whose voice had the warmth she lacked. Kwangchul Youn as Raimondo also impressed.

I'd been warned that Danile Oren was 'always too slow' but although he did seem to set a measured pace the orchestra was wonderfully focused and the music flowed beautifully.

We were in the Upper Slips on the right hand die of the auditorium. The seats were printed with 'limited visibility' but the bad stage design meant that fully 1/3 of the action was out of sight. Amateurish.

I had forgotten how good the sound is in the slips and I'd much prefer to pay £14 there than 4x that to sit high in the Amphitheatre where the sound and atmosphere always seem dead.

All you say about the production is true. Lucia was indeed feisty, at least until a gun was pointed at her and we got on with the plot.

Despite that my wife and I so enjoyed the music that we may yet go back to see the second cast if a friend comes to visit us. But only if we can sit square on, or stage right!


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## Don Fatale

Re: London's Lucia production, do the attendees here think this one is a keeper? i.e. revivals for 20+ years? Or is it just another disposable production?


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## Belowpar

Don Fatale said:


> Re: London's Lucia production, do the attendees here think this one is a keeper? i.e. revivals for 20+ years? Or is it just another disposable production?


It's an interesting question. 
I thought the sets looked handsome but don't' really undersatnd why it was updated to some unspecific, possibly Victorian, period. The action is 'framed' to the aspect ofa a film and people either come in via a staircase, doors or a few times climb through windows.

But if you start to take controversial things out, to many other things just wouldn't fit. She shows the murder scene as sort of silent film while all the singing happens in a smaller visible, adjoining room, so that has to stay. But as people were laughing at the 'seduction' that leads to this you have to conclude that they would have make serious changes.

So I believe that's now two consecutive productions of Lucia they've done, that lasted just one season. Outch.


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## Loge

Don Fatale said:


> Re: London's Lucia production, do the attendees here think this one is a keeper? i.e. revivals for 20+ years? Or is it just another disposable production?


No, the production only worked because of the elite cast. Damrau is a stunning actress, Castronovo is very charismatic. But looking at the sales for the B cast, the ROH is having difficulty shifting the expensive seats. So this is not a singer proof production. Might work well in the cinema though. With a good video director with sensible framing and editing choices, might balance out the production and make it less confusing. It is a handsome looking production. However there will still be the problem of the audience laughing at the wrong moments.

One moment in this opera is very dramatic, that is when Edgardo punches Lucia in the face during the marriage contract scene. Edgardo lands an uppercut and Damrau goes flying across the table. The sound of the punch was sickening, the audience gasped and winced. Damrau's acting here is on display, the look of shock and disbelief on her face was convincing, then Lucia tries to run back in the arms of Edgardo. If they had cut all the silly stuff that is the scene the critics would be talking about.


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## Pugg

If I see that clip of Lucia, I get the shivers by the idea, what on earth is going on.
I would have left long before that despite the good singing by Damrau 

With Norma coming up, my goodness, what are they going to do by destroying that masterpiece


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## sospiro

Don Fatale said:


> Re: London's Lucia production, do the attendees here think this one is a keeper? i.e. revivals for 20+ years? Or is it just another disposable production?


I haven't seen it and have no plans to go, so can't comment. However I am keeping track of the comments on the ROH site to see what the ordinary (and paying) fans are saying compared with the professional critics. So far it hasn't been popular so I think it's unlikely to be revived.

The last comment (Roy Hiscock) is hilarious!


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## Don Fatale

Just checked, and relieved to find my upcoming Covent Garden operas (Tannhauser & Oedipe) have decent/acclaimed productions.


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## Don Fatale

Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Aurora Theatre
Gozo, Malta
23rd April 2016

Marina Comparato - Rosina
Davide Luciano - Figaro
Nico Darmanin - Almaviva
Bruno Praticó - Bartolo
Petar Nayvedov - Basilia
Marta Cacaterra - Berta

This single opera performance is the highlight and culmination of the month-long Gaulitana Festival of Music. If you ever wanted to hang around on a small mediterranean island for a month, with live classical music on offer every night, this is the place for you. Small island yes, but with a big opera house; too big really. The vast majority of the 1600 seats are in the shoebox-like stalls. Thankfully we’re in the 10th row. You really don’t want to be in the 30th.

The Malta Philharmonic constitutes the orchestra with conductor Colin Attard (an opera specialist) providing all the experience and expertise needed. The curtain is open during the overture to reveal a simple but artful staging: A collection of bigger than life size guilt frames artfully arranged. Within each, all the characters with their relevant props are posing or busying themselves. It's a rather good way of delineating the characters from the outset. All are nicely costumed, Figaro being particularly dapper in a waistcoat and breeches, and Rosina looking fetching and trim in different dresses throughout the evening.

Whilst the singers may not be known to every opera fan, most are performing these roles in Europe’s major houses (Bastille, Covent Garden, La Fenice, La Scala, Deutsche Oper), so are able to bring considerable experience and comic timing to this one-off performance. The Maltese tenor (no not that one!) Nico Darmanin is the least experienced although even he was seen recently as Almaviva at Welsh National Opera.

Davide Luciano (well known at Deutsche Oper as Figaro and Don Giovanni), whilst not large in stature or voice, is elegant in both and is easy to like. Marina Comparato effortlessly assumes her role, natural in every gesture and interaction, but measured, not too conquettish as to annoy. Her Una Voce Poco Fa, is very nice, but coming as early as it does, I thought she and the audience warmed up later. Sorry to say I found Darmanin annoyingly nasal in tone at times. Bruno Praticó’s Bartolo is a treat. The specialist basso buffo commands the stage and has a very pleasing tone, so he get my (virtual) singer of the night award. Perhaps Falstaff sits just a little high for him, but he’d be a great in that.

There are no surtitles, and whilst the (mostly) Maltese audience have a grasp of Italian, it was obvious a lot of the verbal humour was passing them by. That was until the Act II soldiers knock on the door. Instead of Bartolo’s Chi é? (who’s there?) he loudly calls out Min hemm? (the Maltese equivalent) for great laughs and applause.

In summary, the Festival brought in international singers who all performed well, justifying ticket prices which aren’t cheap relative to the economy (€70). The homegrown production was adequate and artful, and went along with one of my views on stagings: If you can’t build a replica of an 18th century palazzo, at least raid a costume department and get the cast looking as they should.

It’s Malta, so of course things are over-running. The curtain comes down at 11pm. Our biggest excitement of the evening is yet to come as the theatre empties with purposeful haste, including those in pit. Our car is parked a few hundred yards away and the four of us walk briskly, in front of traffic, whatever it takes. A fifteen minute drive is required to get us back to the ferry terminal and the 11:45pm crossing. We’re by no means the only ones with this in mind! A wrong turn costs us a vital 2 minutes. We join the car park queueing zone, which is packed and wait nervously. The large digital screen shows the next crossing is 1:30am, and we don’t want to ruin a fine day and our friendships with two late night hours sitting in a car. We watch nervously as the second of the two car decks begins to fill. Susan in the drving seat can barely watch as we see the cars on the ferry now parked almost to the back. “I really think we're going to make it,” I say more in hope than experience. Finally our file of cars starts to move. The ferry holds 138 cars, we were the 136th to board! (Others, as they say, were not so lucky.)

On the passenger deck all seats are taken and the place is packed, including many with violin/viola cases. We're happy just to be aboard and drinking a beer, as are the other opera-goers and orchestra who were fast enough to make the ferry. The drama and stress at the end was all part of a convivial day of Maltese opera-going.

I'm not sure if this is a unique experience, but it sure feels that way.


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## Bellinilover

Virginia Opera's _The Flying Dutchman_, today, was my first experience with that work. The production, set in the 19th century, was apparently inspired by _Twilight_ and the paintings of Caspar David Frederich and similar artists. It was often striking, with great lighting and sound effects and a shipboard dance in the last scene that looked like it was choreographed by Michael Kidd (of _Seven Brides for Seven Brothers_ fame). At the end of the opera, Senta strangled herself with a rope found aboard the ship rather than jumping overboard -- probably a wise choice, since soprano Christina Pier is a full-figured woman.

Pier and David Blalock (the Steersman) were the vocal standouts. She has a timbre reminiscent of the young Deborah Voigt, and he has a sweet and unforced yet ringing tenor. Peter Volpe (Daland) was vocally excellent, and the best actor in the production. Wayne Tigges' big bass-baritone voice took about two-thirds of his opening monologue to warm up, but once warmed up he was a convincing Dutchman. Corey Bix was a strong Erik but seemed to tire a bit toward the end. Young, resident conductor Adam Turner led a thrilling overture; after that the performance tended to drag, IMO. Another downside -- the overture and first scene were marred by late arrivals. Why does Virginia Opera continue to let latecomers enter after the opera has started, rather than waiting for a break in the action to seat them? Every time the doors open, light is thrown distractingly across the stage. If I arrived late, I certainly wouldn't expect to be seated right away (and no, I'm not just saying that -- I really wouldn't. After all, you can watch the opera on TV monitors in the lobby!)


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## sospiro

Don Fatale said:


> Il Barbiere di Siviglia
> Aurora Theatre
> Gozo, Malta
> 23rd April 2016
> 
> Marina Comparato - Rosina
> Davide Luciano - Figaro
> Nico Darmanin - Almaviva
> Bruno Praticó - Bartolo
> Petar Nayvedov - Basilia
> Marta Cacaterra - Berta
> 
> This single opera performance is the highlight and culmination of the month-long Gaulitana Festival of Music. If you ever wanted to hang around on a small mediterranean island for a month, with live classical music on offer every night, this is the place for you. Small island yes, but with a big opera house; too big really. The vast majority of the 1600 seats are in the shoebox-like stalls. Thankfully we're in the 10th row. You really don't want to be in the 30th.
> 
> The Malta Philharmonic constitutes the orchestra with conductor Colin Attard (an opera specialist) providing all the experience and expertise needed. The curtain is open during the overture to reveal a simple but artful staging: A collection of bigger than life size guilt frames artfully arranged. Within each, all the characters with their relevant props are posing or busying themselves. It's a rather good way of delineating the characters from the outset. All are nicely costumed, Figaro being particularly dapper in a waistcoat and breeches, and Rosina looking fetching and trim in different dresses throughout the evening.
> 
> Whilst the singers may not be known to every opera fan, most are performing these roles in Europe's major houses (Bastille, Covent Garden, La Fenice, La Scala, Deutsche Oper), so are able to bring considerable experience and comic timing to this one-off performance. The Maltese tenor (no not that one!) Nico Darmanin is the least experienced although even he was seen recently as Almaviva at Welsh National Opera.
> 
> Davide Luciano (well known at Deutsche Oper as Figaro and Don Giovanni), whilst not large in stature or voice, is elegant in both and is easy to like. Marina Comparato effortlessly assumes her role, natural in every gesture and interaction, but measured, not too conquettish as to annoy. Her Una Voce Poco Fa, is very nice, but coming as early as it does, I thought she and the audience warmed up later. Sorry to say I found Darmanin annoyingly nasal in tone at times. Bruno Praticó's Bartolo is a treat. The specialist basso buffo commands the stage and has a very pleasing tone, so he get my (virtual) singer of the night award. Perhaps Falstaff sits just a little high for him, but he'd be a great in that.
> 
> There are no surtitles, and whilst the (mostly) Maltese audience have a grasp of Italian, it was obvious a lot of the verbal humour was passing them by. That was until the Act II soldiers knock on the door. Instead of Bartolo's Chi é? (who's there?) he loudly calls out Min hemm? (the Maltese equivalent) for great laughs and applause.
> 
> In summary, the Festival brought in international singers who all performed well, justifying ticket prices which aren't cheap relative to the economy (€70). The homegrown production was adequate and artful, and went along with one of my views on stagings: If you can't build a replica of an 18th century palazzo, at least raid a costume department and get the cast looking as they should.
> 
> It's Malta, so of course things are over-running. The curtain comes down at 11pm. Our biggest excitement of the evening is yet to come as the theatre empties with purposeful haste, including those in pit. Our car is parked a few hundred yards away and the four of us walk briskly, in front of traffic, whatever it takes. A fifteen minute drive is required to get us back to the ferry terminal and the 11:45pm crossing. We're by no means the only ones with this in mind! A wrong turn costs us a vital 2 minutes. We join the car park queueing zone, which is packed and wait nervously. The large digital screen shows the next crossing is 1:30am, and we don't want to ruin a fine day and our friendships with two late night hours sitting in a car. We watch nervously as the second of the two car decks begins to fill. Susan in the drving seat can barely watch as we see the cars on the ferry now parked almost to the back. "I really think we're going to make it," I say more in hope than experience. Finally our file of cars starts to move. The ferry holds 138 cars, we were the 136th to board! (Others, as they say, were not so lucky.)
> 
> On the passenger deck all seats are taken and the place is packed, including many with violin/viola cases. We're happy just to be aboard and drinking a beer, as are the other opera-goers and orchestra who were fast enough to make the ferry. The drama and stress at the end was all part of a convivial day of Maltese opera-going.
> 
> I'm not sure if this is a unique experience, but it sure feels that way.


:clap:

Wonderful review!

What a great place to see an opera and loved the ferry saga!


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## Don Fatale

sospiro said:


> :clap:
> 
> Wonderful review!
> 
> What a great place to see an opera and loved the ferry saga!


I recall in the past trying to beat the Covent Garden horn section to the pub during the intervals, but this was the first occasion I've had to race members of the orchestra to the car ferry!


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## Don Fatale

Tannhauser
Covent Garden
London
29rd April 2016

Peter Seiffert - Tannhauser
Sophie Koch - Venus
Emma Bell - Elisabeth
Christian Gerhaher - Wolfram

Hartmut Haenchen - Conductor
Tim Albery - Director
Michael Levine - Designer

This is a revival of the 2010 production, most notable for its reproduction of Covent Garden's proscenium arch and curtains - about 80% of their size - which sits on the stage in various forms during the opera... more of that later.

I guess we're supposed to be wowed by the curtain opening to reveal...Covent Garden! Sort of clever perhaps. The overture and Venusberg is given over completely to a 12 person male/female modern dance trouple. Very athletic and writhy (is that a word?) they are too. Like everything else in this production, it lacks colour and is poorly lit. Frankly, I'd have rather just concentrated on the music without their distraction.

I find that some singers have a sort of oscillation rate that I find unattractive, it's usually baritones but I now have to add Sophie Koch to this list. As fine a singer as she is I couldn't get past the warbling. Peter Seiffert is fine as Tannhauser, but his voice and presence isn't commanding.

At the intermission I told belowpar that Act II is glorious from start to finish, and so pretty much it was. Emma Bell does a fine job of Dich Teure Halle. This fine aria can be a little anti-climactic firstly because it's quite short, and also we await a phantom high note finish that isn't written and thus never comes. Compare that to the Entry Chorus which has two high note finishes. Act II takes place amongst the seeming rubble of the proscenium arch as if the place had been laid to waste. Cue henchmen with machine guns.

All that remains is to mention Christian Gerhaher as Wolfram. There was something ineffably beautiful about how he sung _Blick' ich umber_ (his song contest aria). It was so delicate, so sincere. I think the whole house was captivated. Needless to say, the famous Act III _O du mein holder Abendstern_ was great, but the former will stick in the memory for a long time.

Thanks to belowpar for obtaining the tickets. We had a great evening.

Edited, to add a press review, which I notice shares my view of Gerhaher.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-e...ew-exquisitely-fashioned-beauty-a7004836.html


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## Belowpar

Not that much to add as I agree with nearly everything above, except it was Emma Bell as Elizabeth who somehow didn’t sit that easy on my ear. She had all the right notes but maybe I didn’t believe her?
Yes it occurred to me that the Dancers were a distraction but one where I was more than happy to pay attention to them. Oddly just a month a after a 'Cowgirl' position (identified by someone else above) caused laughter in the Lucia production, here it was appropriate and worked. The set wasn't distracting but didn’t add much beyond the original idea.

I would also lik to praise Christian Gerhaher . We can only dream of such ease of production and beauty. His acting convinced to. Wonderful.

First time with Tannhauser and I was deeply impressed. I wished I'd found the time for some research prior to the visit.

A few further thoughts.

One of my regular moans on here is that modern Opera houses are just too big. In particular Rossini’s Operas often lack the intimacy they achieve on Disc. Not so with Wagner, wave after wave of glorious sound. Kudos to the Conductor, Orchestra and chorus. Looking forward to Tristan at the ENO even more so after this reminder of his genius.

I've never been entirely convinced by Super-titles but it ever an Opera benefited from it, Tannhauser is surely it. As the Knight wrestles with his choices and conscience, having the translation in front of you brought the drama very much alive. I will research this more but it's more of a Drama of ideas than most Operas which (generalising madly) tend to be about emotional responses to situations.


Looking at he possibility of a Slips seat late in the run. I enjoyed it that much. Of course it could have been the company...


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## Don Fatale

I've listened mostly to Tannhauser since I got home. Of the various recordings, nothing comes close to Gerhaher's Wolfram, in fact the other interpretations seem so lumpen by comparison. However, got to say the Solti recording is great.

Belowpar, if I was in London, I'd definitely be looking for another ticket!


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## Pugg

Don Fatale said:


> I've listened mostly to Tannhauser since I got home. Of the various recordings, nothing comes close to Gerhaher's Wolfram, in fact the other interpretations seem so lumpen by comparison. However, got to say the Solti recording is great.
> 
> Belowpar, if I was in London, I'd definitely be looking for another ticket!


I would dare to say: the best :tiphat:


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## anmhe

I went to see Das Rheingold in DC on Saturday. If you're a purist it may not be for you, but I enjoy non-traditional stagings (seeing Wotan recline on a deck chair while the Valhalla leitmotif played really worked for me, I can't explain why).
The only things that I didn't like were:
1) "Rheingold" was translated in the surtitles as "river gold." That never ceased to bug me.
2) Donner messed up his big number at the end. Every part matters, but screwing up that number is especially inexcusable to me.

Everybody else was excellent. Big props to the people who played Fasolt and Loge (Fafner was great, but I never usually notice Fasolt in other productions). If you're in DC in the next two weeks, give it a shot.


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## Don Fatale

Rather than repeating here, reviews from my April visit to Budapest are in the Opera in Budapest thread.

http://www.talkclassical.com/40911-opera-budapest-2.html#post1065196


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## jflatter

Belowpar said:


> Not that much to add as I agree with nearly everything above, except it was Emma Bell as Elizabeth who somehow didn't sit that easy on my ear. She had all the right notes but maybe I didn't believe her?
> Yes it occurred to me that the Dancers were a distraction but one where I was more than happy to pay attention to them. Oddly just a month a after a 'Cowgirl' position (identified by someone else above) caused laughter in the Lucia production, here it was appropriate and worked. The set wasn't distracting but didn't add much beyond the original idea.
> 
> I would also lik to praise Christian Gerhaher . We can only dream of such ease of production and beauty. His acting convinced to. Wonderful.
> 
> First time with Tannhauser and I was deeply impressed. I wished I'd found the time for some research prior to the visit.
> 
> A few further thoughts.
> 
> One of my regular moans on here is that modern Opera houses are just too big. In particular Rossini's Operas often lack the intimacy they achieve on Disc. Not so with Wagner, wave after wave of glorious sound. Kudos to the Conductor, Orchestra and chorus. Looking forward to Tristan at the ENO even more so after this reminder of his genius.
> 
> I've never been entirely convinced by Super-titles but it ever an Opera benefited from it, Tannhauser is surely it. As the Knight wrestles with his choices and conscience, having the translation in front of you brought the drama very much alive. I will research this more but it's more of a Drama of ideas than most Operas which (generalising madly) tend to be about emotional responses to situations.
> 
> Looking at he possibility of a Slips seat late in the run. I enjoyed it that much. Of course it could have been the company...


I saw this Tannhauser production on Thursday, having seen it before when it was new. It's a production where a revival director could have touched it up a bit. Tannhauser spends too much time in his seat, due to the tenor in the original production having some issues. I thought the conducting in act 1 was too fast for my taste but improved in acts 2 & 3. Bychkov was better in the original production. I liked Emma Bell as Elisabeth and I think her voice has improved since she sang Eva in the ROH Meistersinger a few years ago. Seiffert did the job as Tannhauser but it's such a tough role, it is hard for anyone to fully keep on top of it. Koch was decent enough as Venus, but that nothing more than that.

I agree that Gerhaher is sensational as Wolfram and has improved in the role, for which he won an Olivier award for, since the original production. It's a shame that it is very unlikely that a studio recording will not be made in the near future, just for the fact that he could be on it.

The one other thing is that ROH used the Vienna version of the opera. The older I get the more I think that the Dresden version is the most coherent version of the piece, but that's my own personal taste.


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## Belowpar

Back to Tannhauser last night

A second look and listen was well worth while. Don’t know why I didn’t hear Emma Bell for what she is, glorious big and beautiful voice.

The main story is that our Tenor Peter Seiffert who was sounding a little thinner than last time, had to withdraw for the third act. Luckily for us Neal Cooper (I believe can’t find any confirmation) replaced him sang the last act as he was in the audience. It saved the evening but didn’t make for a satisfactory dramatic denouement. 

As an aside Restricted View seats are just that. Have now seen this production from both sides of the auditorium and each night I thought you’d see more form the other side. However left is definitely easier for interval drinks and general access etc.


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## sospiro

Belowpar said:


> Back to Tannhauser last night
> 
> A second look and listen was well worth while. Don't know why I didn't hear Emma Bell for what she is, glorious big and beautiful voice.
> 
> The main story is that our Tenor Peter Seiffert who was sounding a little thinner than last time, had to withdraw for the third act. Luckily for us Neal Cooper (I believe can't find any confirmation) replaced him sang the last act as he was in the audience. It saved the evening but didn't make for a satisfactory dramatic denouement.
> 
> As an aside Restricted View seats are just that. Have now seen this production from both sides of the auditorium and each night I thought you'd see more form the other side. However left is definitely easier for interval drinks and general access etc.


There have been lots of comments on Twitter about Neal Cooper jumping in but no professional review yet. I'll keep looking.


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## Don Fatale

I notice he's Longborough's Tannhauser next month. No previous performances are listed on operabase so I wonder if that was an unexpected role debut. Belowpar, do you think Seiffert should have even started, when they knew a cover was available?


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## mountmccabe

Last weekend I saw Der fliegende Holländer at Seattle Opera.

Colin Ainsworth was a good Steersman; with a lovely tone in his song. This character had a large role in this production; he watched in horror as the only witness to the negotiations between Daland and the Dutchman, and stumbled through the third act horrified, too. I am not entirely sure what was going on there, but it really brought out the contrast between the Steersman and the Dutchman; the former has a reasonable level of longing for a sweetheart back one shore.

The Dutchman was Greer Grimsley; he seemed more desperate than imposing. His voice filled McCaw Hall, and his second act duet with Senta was thrilling. The Dutchman act 2 entrance was via new doors on the back of the stage - where his portrait most recently was hung - with glorious light. He sang with his back to us, staring at a snapshot of Senta. Senta stared at the Dutchman, transfixed. The tension was wonderful and paid off beautifully. Rebecca Nash was our replacement Senta. She seemed (not inappropriately) disinterested in the beginning of act 2; her ballad started underpowered but it did build even if it never quite caught fire. (It could also have been the distraction of the patrons behind us fidgeting and kicking our seats). She became more impressive as the evening continued, sounding glorious for the conclusion.

If the Dutchman was desperate, Erik was unhinged. Nikolai Schukoff may have had the best voice on stage, effortless in his pleading with Senta. There also seemed to be a strong connection between him and the Steersman.

Sebastian Lang-Lessing led the orchestra (members of the Seattle Symphony) in a fine performance, though I might have preferred a more fluid reading.

I had read up on the production - from 1996 by Christopher Alden, for COC, but seen elsewhere including Portland in 2007 - and was struck by how different what I saw was. Many reviews discuss how the Dutchman and Senta are set off, with everyone else in chilling lockstep, but that isn't really what I saw.

The crews manning the sail in the first act were not in sync and the men were not in step. In the second act the sewing/weaving women were also not in unison. There were enough outliers that either they were very sloppy or they were not supposed to be chillingly robotic. And it's not like Senta was out-of-sync with them; she was off on her own staring at the portrait. Similarly, during the third act choruses, this was no uniform band in lockstep. Sure, they were synchronized with the music when banging their drink glasses; it seems like either something was changed or others are reading too much into this. The costumes could have been uniform; the sailors could have been lined up rather than all over the place.

Senta and the Dutchman were certainly outsiders, but so were Erik and the Steersman. And there didn't seem to be any attempt to keep anyone in line.

The Dutchman was more isolated than in a typical production; he is never seen with his crew, who - only visible during the Dutchman's act 1 monologue and the third act choruses - were beneath the constructed stage. Well, the men we saw were supers, they were not singing. And honestly, at first I thought they were dummies and almost jumped when they moved during their chorus, offering jewels! At any rate, his giving up at he end was entirely fitting with this portrayal.

The portrait of the Dutchman used was not as in the ads, but more reminiscent of The Scream; the Dutchman spent much of the third act in the same pose, in despair and not hearing/believing Senta. The opera ends with Senta taunting Erik with the portrait of the Dutchman and then him shooting her. She collapses, and then the Dutchman climbs the spiral staircase away from everything. They did use Wagner's revised ending (and overture) with the harp; the Dutchman climbing up like this suggested ascension into heaven for me, but there didn't seem to be any lighting cues (or clues) that reinforced that.

And, just to note since this is something I have seen in various reviews, the bright green armbands (and Daland's matching tie) did not strike me as Nazi-esque, same with the matching green accessories on the women. Yes, the production is influenced by German art of the early 20th century, but you won't see Nazis in this production unless you're looking for them.

The slanted set - designed by Allen Moyer - was used effectively for all three acts; the lighting - designed by Anne Militello - was a little over the top but helped it look fresh and, as noted, created some amazing stage pictures. This was not a traditional production - either in costumes and sets or interpretation - but I found it insightful, effective and definitely true to the opera.

The performance ran without intermission. I quite liked this; it helped keep everything unified. The previous production at SO (by Wadsworth, debuted 1989, revived in 2007) took intermission at each act break, making for a much longer evening (the 2007 production ran 3:25 with two intermissions, this was 2:20 straight through).

Overall I quite enjoyed the performance, and I'm very glad I made the trip!


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## Don Fatale

L'Incoronazione di Poppea
Royal Academy Opera
Shoreditch Town Hall
London
21st May 2016

Last night I was stopping over in London and had the choice of Madame Butterfly at ENO and a couple of other options. I opted for Monteverdi's L'Incoronazione di Poppea by the Royal Academy Opera, normally found at their Barbican home but during refurbishment of their theatre they've decamped to Shoreditch Town Hall, near the painfully hip Hoxton Square, just north of the _square mile_ aka _The City_, aka the financial district. The hall is small, a flat multi-purpose ground floor and a few rows of fixed theatre seats on three sides of the square balcony. Surtitles were provided by 3 TV screens even smaller than my own modest home set. Certainly better than nothing!

I had a prime seat in the balcony, next to the director, who I'd already chatted to in the bar beforehand. My question to him was why cast Nerone as a soprano, when Poppea is a mezzo? He said it used to be common, but perhaps someone could clarify on this point? I've only ever come across this as a tenor role. The singer Eve Daniell certainly has the look and movement of a young man. Call it good acting if you wish ;-) Her voice occasionally had good phrasing, but never for a full aria. In a nice way I say room for improvement where I can see Verdian trouser roles opening up for her. However, I don't want to isolate her, as there weren't many obviously great voices on display. I'll choose Lorena Paz Nieto as Drusilla as the one who took the opportunity to stand and deliver her voice. Meanwhile Claire Barnett-Jones sung Ottavia with a huge voice, and frankly I can see her spending much more of her career in early music. It's more likely to be Richard Strauss or Wanger.

There were a lot of looking-for-laughs stage distractions in this busy production, and I don't think this was to the benefit the singers. I.e. in the final, famously beautiful, final duet Nerone and Poppea are busy throttling Amor. The best scene was the _Non morrire_ Seneca scene, with lovely lighting and ornamental pond effect, enhancing rather than distracting the male voices, led by mature student Timothy Murphy (bass) as a dignified Seneca. Esteemed opera conductor/composer was at the helm and played second harpsichord. I was sorry for the total lack of brass which can add some flavour to the sound. The two theorbos (big guitars) seemed rather quiet, perhaps it was the acoustic?

In summary, worth going to as I further my experience of 17th c. opera.


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## Woodduck

Don Fatale said:


> Claire Barnett-Jones sung Ottavia with a huge voice, and frankly I can see her spending much more of her career in early music. It's more likely to be Richard Strauss or *Wanger.*


Wanger operas are magnificent, but if they last more than four hours you should contact your doctor immediately.


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## Pugg

Woodduck said:


> Wanger operas are magnificent, but if they last more than four hours you should contact your doctor immediately.


 I didn't had you down as a woos Woodduck


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## Don Fatale

Ah, the occupational hazard of late night posting! And Actually I'm unfamiliar with this word usage. Just as well!


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## schigolch

Actually, the role of Nerone was written for a castrato. Only after the revival of the opera in the 20th century, it became common to use a tenor to sing the role. But not only tenors, also sopranos, mezzos, baritones, countertenors,... have been casted.

My preferred choice is a countertenor:


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## Don Fatale

I'm two operas in arrears now, so I'd better get on with my reviews. Hotel room in Essen, half a bottle of Vermouth in hand.

Covent Garden
Oedipe. 
Monday 23rd May

First thing to mention is that this is a production by the Catalan theatre outfit La Fura Dels Baus. I have their Valencia (Mehta) Ring Cycle on DVD and it's sometimes inspired, often annoying. After this opening night and first ever Covent Garden Oedipe, I guess that's their trademark! The evening starts with a _coup de theatre_. The Curtain is painted with relief figures arranged as a four storey building. It lifts at the start to reveal... oh, you've already guessed! I forgot to take a photo, but here's one found online.









Basically I agree with what this guy (George Hall) says:

https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2016/oedipe-review-at-royal-opera-house-london/

Summarised as follows: _uneasy blend of late romanticism with modernist touches, a meandering score, a gloomy spectacle scarcely enlivened even by the mystifying appearance of Marie-Nicole Lemieux's Sphinx as the pilot of a downed Spitfire._

To which I would add that Johan Reuter in the title role seemed underpowered, with not enough change between the very different acts (stages in his life).

Whilst The Stage review, (the first I came across) seems in line with my own views, other press reviews have jumped on the praise bandwagon with 4/5 stars. Would I see this again? On a free ticket, yes; otherwise no. Would I recommend you see it? Yes, but bring a torch (flashlight) so you can see what's going on!

The forum recently had a poll for us to list our top 10 c.20th operas. This one certainly hasn't changed mine... but stick around, the opera I saw tonight in might have done.


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## Dongiovanni

Don Fatale said:


> I'm two operas in arrears now, so I'd better get on with my reviews. Hotel room in Essen, half a bottle of Vermouth in hand.
> 
> Covent Garden
> Oedipe.
> Monday 23rd May
> 
> First thing to mention is that this is a production by the Catalan theatre outfit La Fura Dels Baus. I have their Valencia (Mehta) Ring Cycle on DVD and it's sometimes inspired, often annoying. After this opening night and first ever Covent Garden Oedipe, I guess that's their trademark! The evening starts with a _coup de theatre_. The Curtain is painted with relief figures arranged as a four storey building. It lifts at the start to reveal... oh, you've already guessed! I forgot to take a photo, but here's one found online.
> 
> View attachment 85034
> 
> 
> Basically I agree with what this guy (George Hall) says:
> 
> https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2016/oedipe-review-at-royal-opera-house-london/
> 
> Summarised as follows: _uneasy blend of late romanticism with modernist touches, a meandering score, a gloomy spectacle scarcely enlivened even by the mystifying appearance of Marie-Nicole Lemieux's Sphinx as the pilot of a downed Spitfire._
> 
> To which I would add that Johan Reuter in the title role seemed underpowered, with not enough change between the very different acts (stages in his life).
> 
> Whilst The Stage review, (the first I came across) seems in line with my own views, other press reviews have jumped on the praise bandwagon with 4/5 stars. Would I see this again? On a free ticket, yes; otherwise no. Would I recommend you see it? Yes, but bring a torch (flashlight) so you can see what's going on!
> 
> The forum recently had a poll for us to list our top 10 c.20th operas. This one certainly hasn't changed mine... but stick around, the opera I saw tonight in might have done.


Funny how reviews vary... Bachtrack writes 'Visually spectacular, musically even more so' and rates 5 stars...


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## mountmccabe

I saw _Carmen_ at San Francisco Opera on Friday, May 27. This was the first performance of the run, in the production by Calixto Bieito, with Joan Anton Rechi directing locally (he also directed at ENO). Carlo Montanaro conducted a very brisk reading of the opera. Irene Roberts had a commanding presence as Carmen; though her voice was not terribly exciting. In fact very little of the cast had much of an edge for my ears; Brian Jadge (Don José) has a big voice, but he's such an off-putting character I had a difficult time caring.

The opera is set up like a bullfight, and it is awkward to go to a bullfight and root for the bull. I like this Bieito production a lot more than many traditional stagings that try to present Don José as likable, but I can see the reason. It is his pain that drives the final act; Carmen has resigned herself to her fate and is determined to be true to herself. Bizet doesn't give her much to work with, though.

I think this is related to how the production treats Micaëla. Most discussion of her when she is not on stage has been cut. This leaves Don José less grounded; his home is not as meaningful. And Micaëla herself is reduced to being nearly as weak and petty as everyone else in the staging. I can see why Bieito did not want to accept this idealized conception, incarnated by the librettists from José's offhand description of what pretty women wore in his region, but she's an important character in the opera.

Many sections of the music keep running through my head, but I felt very little seeing it all on stage. I believe my issue is with the opera itself, and the proto-Verismo forces at work. I've seen this live before (such as at the Met in the Richard Eyre production with the alternate Carmen for this run, Ginger Costa-Jackson, as Mercédès) and had a similar reaction. There are some great choruses and "Je vais danser en votre honneur" with the bugles is almost unbearably wonderful, but I am largely unmoved.


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## mountmccabe

Oh, and I forgot to mention the most thrilling part: the toppling of the bull to start the 4th act. The 20+ foot high bull loomed over the third act; Lillas Pastia and two others knocked it over as the transition to act 4, and then a bunch of shirtless men came out to dismantle it. It's not very subtle imagery, but it was visceral.

I suppose I should say something about the occasion of the first production by Calixto Bieito on American shores, but the promised controversy did not arrive. I was entirely unsurprised by this, knowing the production, but every preview talked up "the Quetin Tarantino of opera" like there was going to be a riot. This production is not what gave Bieito a reputation, but marketing departments and newspaper people don't care about such details. There were some who walked out right as the music ended, but that always happens. I did not hear any boos. This is not a traditional production, but it is not that crass, even by American standards. The main imagery comes from bullfight structure Bizet, Meilhac, and Halévy imposed upon the novella.


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## sospiro

mountmccabe said:


> I saw _Carmen_ at San Francisco Opera on Friday, May 27. This was the first performance of the run, in the production by Calixto Bieito, with Joan Anton Rechi directing locally (he also directed at ENO). Carlo Montanaro conducted a very brisk reading of the opera. Irene Roberts had a commanding presence as Carmen; though her voice was not terribly exciting. In fact very little of the cast had much of an edge for my ears; Brian Jadge (Don José) has a big voice, but he's such an off-putting character I had a difficult time caring.
> 
> The opera is set up like a bullfight, and it is awkward to go to a bullfight and root for the bull. I like this Bieito production a lot more than many traditional stagings that try to present Don José as likable, but I can see the reason. It is his pain that drives the final act; Carmen has resigned herself to her fate and is determined to be true to herself. Bizet doesn't give her much to work with, though.
> 
> I think this is related to how the production treats Micaëla. Most discussion of her when she is not on stage has been cut. This leaves Don José less grounded; his home is not as meaningful. And Micaëla herself is reduced to being nearly as weak and petty as everyone else in the staging. I can see why Bieito did not want to accept this idealized conception, incarnated by the librettists from José's offhand description of what pretty women wore in his region, but she's an important character in the opera.
> 
> Many sections of the music keep running through my head, but I felt very little seeing it all on stage. I believe my issue is with the opera itself, and the proto-Verismo forces at work. I've seen this live before (such as at the Met in the Richard Eyre production with the alternate Carmen for this run, Ginger Costa-Jackson, as Mercédès) and had a similar reaction. There are some great choruses and "Je vais danser en votre honneur" with the bugles is almost unbearably wonderful, but I am largely unmoved.


Thank you and very interesting. I wonder if Bieito consciously reined in some of his more extreme ideas. Shame about cutting part of Micaëla's history.


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## Belowpar

Madam Butterfly ENO 11 06 16

I've come late to this party, my first visit to the 11 year old production by Anthony Mingella that was created for ENO but is a co production with Lithuania and at the Met. Minghella was an Oscar winning scriptwriter and Director and due to his sad death at 54 this was his only Opera production.

I have seen more than 100 productions and this is the one of the very best. If Opera is a mix of all the dramatic arts then it's the visuals which are often the least impressive. In my experince many Opera lovers will talk about the singers, the conducting, the acting, the chorus and the orchestra with the visuals a poor relation quickly approved or disaporoved. But when they receive as much care and attention and they COMPLIMENT the action, the effect is "breathtaking/mesmerising/ravishing", just some of the comments I overheard.

I didn't see anything that could be called Regie, even though it did not look like a 'typical' production. Merely a magical combination of moving paper screens, lighting, colour, movement, costume, puppetry, dance, and brilliant framing and directing of the actors. This was all in service of the drama to bring it to life. If there was a suggestion that Cio-Ci-San herself was something of a puppet in others control, then it was only hinted at. I couldn't comment if if was all historically authentic but it convinced with a rich patina of Japonais. As a production it was always shifting and interesting without being 'busy' or distracting. For points of reference I would compare it favourably with the imaginative Broadway recreation of the The Lion King and Paul Schrader's film Mishima, which both employed similar techniques. Clearly the thought that has gone into this has been much better applied than most productions.

I don't tend to like films with the public commenting but you get a good idea of the productin in this short trailer






Longer (but clearly less rehearsed) from Lithuanian





Enough of the drama - the musical side.

Well this has been running a while and from our seats in the Upper Circle the Orchestra dominated the sound. Rena Harms in the title role was girlish (if a couple of her actions didn't' seem as demure as expected) and affecting, but not a voice I could really love. David Butt Philip had some sweet sounds abut could have expressed remorse better? The translation seems to have awkward phrasing for Sharpless but George con Bergen convinced as did Stephanie Windsor-Lewis as Suzuki and Alun Rhys-Jenkins as the marriage broker. The conducting by Sir Richard Armstrong was satisfactory.

Despite it being Saturday night it was not quite sold out, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to return. In fact we only bought tickets because a friend had seen this at the Met and wanted to see it London, sadly she was unable to travel but there's a DVD with Patricia Raclette and we'll watch that with her. (Has anyone seen this? And has it been a success at the Met?)

Due to the ENO's well documented financial struggles I think this one will be around for years. This revival was Directed by Minghella's wife Carolyn Choa who has worked on it from the beginning and continues to do a fine job. I could go on about the use of colour, the set, the humming chorus scene but....Go see.


----------



## Dongiovanni

Belowpar said:


> Madam Butterfly ENO 11 06 16
> 
> I've come late to this party, my first visit to the 11 year old production by Anthony Mingella that was created for ENO but is a co production with Lithuania and at the Met. Minghella was an Oscar winning scriptwriter and Director and due to his sad death at 54 this was his only Opera production.
> 
> I have seen more than 100 productions and this is the one of the very best. If Opera is a mix of all the dramatic arts then it's the visuals which are often the least impressive. In my experince many Opera lovers will talk about the singers, the conducting, the acting, the chorus and the orchestra with the visuals a poor relation quickly approved or disaporoved. But when they receive as much care and attention and they COMPLIMENT the action, the effect is "breathtaking/mesmerising/ravishing", just some of the comments I overheard.
> 
> I didn't see anything that could be called Regie, even though it did not look like a 'typical' production. Merely a magical combination of moving paper screens, lighting, colour, movement, costume, puppetry, dance, and brilliant framing and directing of the actors. This was all in service of the drama to bring it to life. If there was a suggestion that Cio-Ci-San herself was something of a puppet in others control, then it was only hinted at. I couldn't comment if if was all historically authentic but it convinced with a rich patina of Japonais. As a production it was always shifting and interesting without being 'busy' or distracting. For points of reference I would compare it favourably with the imaginative Broadway recreation of the The Lion King and Paul Schrader's film Mishima, which both employed similar techniques. Clearly the thought that has gone into this has been much better applied than most productions.
> 
> I don't tend to like films with the public commenting but you get a good idea of the productin in this short trailer
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Longer (but clearly less rehearsed) from Lithuanian
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Enough of the drama - the musical side.
> 
> Well this has been running a while and from our seats in the Upper Circle the Orchestra dominated the sound. Rena Harms in the title role was girlish (if a couple of her actions didn't' seem as demure as expected) and affecting, but not a voice I could really love. David Butt Philip had some sweet sounds abut could have expressed remorse better? The translation seems to have awkward phrasing for Sharpless but George con Bergen convinced as did Stephanie Windsor-Lewis as Suzuki and Alun Rhys-Jenkins as the marriage broker. The conducting by Sir Richard Armstrong was satisfactory.
> 
> Despite it being Saturday night it was not quite sold out, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to return. In fact we only bought tickets because a friend had seen this at the Met and wanted to see it London, sadly she was unable to travel but there's a DVD with Patricia Raclette and we'll watch that with her. (Has anyone seen this? And has it been a success at the Met?)
> 
> Due to the ENO's well documented financial struggles I think this one will be around for years. This revival was Directed by Minghella's wife Carolyn Choa who has worked on it from the beginning and continues to do a fine job. I could go on about the use of colour, the set, the humming chorus scene but....Go see.


I'll see it next Thursday! I'll post reviews and trip reports as usual. I noticed when I bought my tickets plenty were available, and that was just last week. ROH's Nabucco on the other hand on Wednessday is sold out - in fact the whole run is sold out.


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## Belowpar

Don G.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and don’t be afraid to say otherwise if not. This place is all about differing opinions. 

What else are you seeing? Is that on the next Opera thread?


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## howlingfantods

Attended the first performance of Don Carlo at San Francisco opera yesterday--don't have a ton of time for a very detailed write up but can enthusiastically recommend the show for anyone in the bay area in the next couple of weeks. A uniformly excellent cast, an ideal Filippo in Rene Pape, superb Kwiecien as Posa, and an excellent Veil Song courtesy of mezzo Nadia Krasteva. The principals are Michael Fabiano--excellent performer with a good, strong ringing voice--and Ana Maria Martinez--not the absolute best natural instrument or the most expressive, but sings very well.

They appear to have spent the majority of the budget on the cast and costuming--the sets are pretty drab and minimal, but the performances are vivid, the orchestral accompaniment sensitive and supportive. A great experience in the theater.


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## Loge

Belowpar said:


> Despite it being Saturday night it was not quite sold out, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to return. In fact we only bought tickets because a friend had seen this at the Met and wanted to see it London, sadly she was unable to travel but there's a DVD with Patricia Raclette and we'll watch that with her. (Has anyone seen this? And has it been a success at the Met?).


Apparently this version of M Butterfly is one of the most popular modern productions at the Met. The Met DVD is excellent and has exactly the same directions as the ENO. Patricia Raclette is pretty good because she is such a strong actress and plays a teenager to a T. I did laugh when she removed her veil and Pinkerton steps back as if he has seen the most beautiful women in the world, but Raclette's acting wins through in the second act.


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## mountmccabe

howlingfantods said:


> Attended the first performance of Don Carlo at San Francisco opera yesterday--don't have a ton of time for a very detailed write up but can enthusiastically recommend the show for anyone in the bay area in the next couple of weeks. A uniformly excellent cast, an ideal Filippo in Rene Pape, superb Kwiecien as Posa, and an excellent Veil Song courtesy of mezzo Nadia Krasteva. The principals are Michael Fabiano--excellent performer with a good, strong ringing voice--and Ana Maria Martinez--not the absolute best natural instrument or the most expressive, but sings very well.
> 
> They appear to have spent the majority of the budget on the cast and costuming--the sets are pretty drab and minimal, but the performances are vivid, the orchestral accompaniment sensitive and supportive. A great experience in the theater.


That's wonderful to hear. I am seeing this _Don Carlo_ on Wednesday! I have really been looking forward to seeing this cast.

The production, by Emilio Sagi, premiered in 1998 (with James Morris). It returned in 2003, when the opera was sung in the French (by Bo Skovhus, Violetta Urmana, and Robert Lloyd). And now it returns in back in Italian (but still in five acts).


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## sospiro

mountmccabe said:


> That's wonderful to hear. I am seeing this _Don Carlo_ on Wednesday! I have really been looking forward to seeing this cast.
> 
> The production, by Emilio Sagi, premiered in 1998 (with James Morris). It returned in 2003, when the opera was sung in the French (by Bo Skovhus, Violetta Urmana, and Robert Lloyd). And now it returns in back in Italian (but still in five acts).


I'd love to see it sung in French!


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## Pugg

sospiro said:


> I'd love to see it sung in French!


You can always watch the Mattila / Alagna version on DVD.


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## sospiro

Pugg said:


> You can always watch the Mattila / Alagna version on DVD.


Yes, I have that DVD. I would still love to see it live though.


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## mountmccabe

I saw the first performance of San Francisco Opera's _Jenůfa_ last night. I'm not sure the last time I've seen such a rapturous standing ovation, but everyone I could see in the house stood up when Karita Mattila stepped on stage for after curtain bows. The cheers continued for Malin Byström and Jiří Bělohlávek, capping this triumphant performance.

Malin Byström was radiant as Jenůfa. She has a beautiful voice that was an incredible pleasure to listen to. She really played up the warmth of the character; she was annoyed at Laca in the first act but not cruel to him. Her prayer was gorgeous and passionate.

Karita Mattila's stage debut as the Kostelnička was stunning. A first I thought there was missed timing with her first big appearance, halting Števa's celebrations, but I think it was a choice; she reproached Jenůfa with empathy. This was further emphasized when she lamented her own past. And this being Mattila, it was easy to believe her seeing herself in the young Jenůfa. This was not a one-dimensional portrayl though; the Kostelnička pleaded then raged at Števa, with an intensely expressive voice. The whole second act was amazing, and Mattila's final cry of "Jako by sem smrt načuhovala!" is burned into my memory.

I largely didn't pay attention to the supertitles - in part because I sat up front and they were out of my field of view - but there were a few lines that really stuck. First were the several lines about stones (Laca's "Och, tetko, och, tetko, těžkost jste mi urobila, jak by mi kamenem, kamenem.." (Oh, Aunty, such a burden weighs upon me just like a stone, like a heavy stone…)) that this well-traveled production by Olivier Tambosi, designed by Frank Philipp Schlössmann ran with.

But more poignantly, when trying to release him Jenůfa tells Laca "a pamatuj si, žes byl nejlepší člověk, nejlepší člověk, jehož jsem poznala na světě!" (Ah, remember this; that you were always, always for me the best and the finest man of all!). From what we have seen this is actually sadly true. (And also probably a good argument for dating outside the family).

William Burden sounded good, playing Laca with the nuance required. I didn't think it was a good idea for Jenůfa to accept him in the end, but almost. Scott Quinn was alternately bold and pathetic, as befits Števa. Jill Grove was also remarkable as the grandmother.

Jiří Bělohlávek led the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in a sensitive reading of this beautiful score, emotive and bittersweet. It was also a delight seeing him sing along with the choruses.

I am exceptionally thrilled that I already have a ticket to see it again. But first, this evening is _Don Carlo_!


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## sospiro

mountmccabe said:


> I saw the first performance of San Francisco Opera's _Jenůfa_ last night. I'm not sure the last time I've seen such a rapturous standing ovation, but everyone I could see in the house stood up when Karita Mattila stepped on stage for after curtain bows. The cheers continued for Malin Byström and Jiří Bělohlávek, capping this triumphant performance.
> 
> Malin Byström was radiant as Jenůfa. She has a beautiful voice that was an incredible pleasure to listen to. She really played up the warmth of the character; she was annoyed at Laca in the first act but not cruel to him. Her prayer was gorgeous and passionate.
> 
> Karita Mattila's stage debut as the Kostelnička was stunning. A first I thought there was missed timing with her first big appearance, halting Števa's celebrations, but I think it was a choice; she reproached Jenůfa with empathy. This was further emphasized when she lamented her own past. And this being Mattila, it was easy to believe her seeing herself in the young Jenůfa. This was not a one-dimensional portrayl though; the Kostelnička pleaded then raged at Števa, with an intensely expressive voice. The whole second act was amazing, and Mattila's final cry of "Jako by sem smrt načuhovala!" is burned into my memory.
> 
> I largely didn't pay attention to the supertitles - in part because I sat up front and they were out of my field of view - but there were a few lines that really stuck. First were the several lines about stones (Laca's "Och, tetko, och, tetko, těžkost jste mi urobila, jak by mi kamenem, kamenem.." (Oh, Aunty, such a burden weighs upon me just like a stone, like a heavy stone…)) that this well-traveled production by Olivier Tambosi, designed by Frank Philipp Schlössmann ran with.
> 
> But more poignantly, when trying to release him Jenůfa tells Laca "a pamatuj si, žes byl nejlepší člověk, nejlepší člověk, jehož jsem poznala na světě!" (Ah, remember this; that you were always, always for me the best and the finest man of all!). From what we have seen this is actually sadly true. (And also probably a good argument for dating outside the family).
> 
> William Burden sounded good, playing Laca with the nuance required. I didn't think it was a good idea for Jenůfa to accept him in the end, but almost. Scott Quinn was alternately bold and pathetic, as befits Števa. Jill Grove was also remarkable as the grandmother.
> 
> Jiří Bělohlávek led the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in a sensitive reading of this beautiful score, emotive and bittersweet. It was also a delight seeing him sing along with the choruses.
> 
> I am exceptionally thrilled that I already have a ticket to see it again. But first, this evening is _Don Carlo_!


Excellent review and I am so envious! _Jenůfa_ is one of my favourite operas and I would love to have seen this. Enjoy _Don Carlo_!


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## mountmccabe

Last night I attended _Don Carlo_ at San Francisco Opera. This is sort of the 5-act Italian 1886 Modena version, but it also includes additional text later translated from the French by Piero Faggioni.

The highlights were Ana Maria Martínez, with a stunningly gorgeous voice as Elisabetta with tender high notes eliciting gasps from the audience, René Pape, intimidating as Filippo, Mariusz Kwiecień as a stirring Posa. I found Michael Fabiano a little strident as Don Carlo, with more volume than control. Nadia Krasteva was fine as Eboli, though I really don't think she pulled off "O don fatale."

Maybe it was the languid pacing, but there didn't seem to be much flow to the music, Nicola Luisotti did not impress me from the pit. The orchestra sounded good regardless, including the variety of exposed solos.

Many of the problems of the night can fall on the director Emilio Sagi. The person-regie was essentially non-existent. The cast did little more than stand around, which made it difficult to get into the many different relationships. Posa and Carlo were mostly awkward for "Dio, che nell'alma infondere," such that it wasn't really much of anything. There was similarly little chemistry between Don Carlo and Elisabetta.

The costumes were traditional and elaborate, but the sets were more on the minimalist side, mostly just the plain polished (faux) stone floors and walls, a very high raised walkway at the very rear, and the occasional bed or scale model of a castle (Fontainebleau in the first act, the not-yet-build El Escorial in Filippo's bedroom in Act 4).

There was some heavy handed imagery... that they didn't stick with. And for the auto-de-fé the condemned in their yellow sackcloth stood awkwardly on the red cloth in the back while guards fixed them with harnesses; when the voice from heaven calls them, they started to rise up. I managed to not start cackling until the music stopped (and I would be drowned out by applause). The final trick was at the very end, as Carlo Quinto does not show up (but we hear his voice), and Don Carlo is dragged away by Filippo's guards.


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## DavidA

Just seen the Pagliacci from the ROH on TV. Saw it at the cinema broadcast before. One can ask the question as to why a superb conductor like Pappano gets tied up with such productions. Pagliacci was totally devoid of colour, set in what appeared to be a dingy gymnasium. I almost expected Mike Tyson to pop out and start training! As to the portrayal of the tortured mind of Canio while the action is taking place on stage this was no more than a distraction from what the composer intended. The singing was pretty routine with Antonenko bawling his way through Canio's music. If we make Canio a brute from the beginning how can we feel any sorrow for him when he finds he is betrayed, as the composer obviously intended us to do? The best acting came from the Nedda, Carmen Giannattasio, but she didn't really touch the heart. But the memory is of an extremely dingy set - and Pappano's red blooded conducting.


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## Loge

ENO- Tristan and Isolde

This is probably the most grotesque production I have seen, an orgy of Eurotrash. Where to begin? Well how about Brangane dressed like a reject from the Hunger Games with an enormous Marge Simpson fright wig. Or Kurwenal dressed as a mincing courtier who acts like a dog on heat. Act two gets weirder with Tristan and Isolde strapped to hospital gurneys and operated on by mad surgeons. In act three Kurwenal suffers from a bad dose of radiation sickness and Isolde comes back as an albino. This would be considered "shocking" or "daring" if it had been directed by Luis Bunuel in 1965, but today it is a bit meh.

But did I enjoy this production, well yes. Firstly the orchestra under Edward Gardner was on fire throughout. From the prelude to the liebestod we had world class music. The cast were outstanding. Stuart Skelton as Tristan is an incredible heldentenor and I read he is singing Tristan at the Met next. Isolde, Heidi Melton was not quite his equal and lacked the stamina to pull off a truly epic liebestod. But she was magnificent in the love night duet. And to round things off there was Matthew Rose as a sonorous King Marke.

The section of this production that worked the best was the love night duet; this was set in a cave. Here Skelton, Melton and the orchestra were truly mesmerising. And this was worth the price of the ticket alone. Being the ENO was sung in English, this actually worked so well. The translation is poetic and made the production more immediate and touching.

The rest of the audience enjoyed this as much as I did, and gave the cast and orchestra a rapturous ovation.


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## mountmccabe

I attended a second performance of San Francisco Opera's _Don Carlo_ last night. I'd say everything about the performance was improved to the point of being quite fantastic. Some of this may be just being back, and knowing what to expect. All three productions of SFO's summer season are from the late 90s; this is the only one I had not seen going in (I had also not carefully watched any Don Carlo, so).

I was up close this time, and was able to see the natural facial acting of the cast, especially Michael Fabiano and Ana María Martínez. The acting was still a little bit awkward and directionless overall, but there is a little more to it and, the chemistry of the cast has improved. Oh, and the awkward part doesn't apply to René Pape, who really inhabits Filippo II, though some of this is that his is a more restrained character, physically.

"Dio, che nell'alma infondere" was more in sync, and their other short duets after really were wonderful. Everything really paid off and I was really pulled in, especially after the second interval for acts 4 and 5.


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## Don Fatale

In full agreement with Loge's review above.

I was at ENO's Tristan and Isolde last night. Very happy with what I heard but far less so with what I saw. It's clear that a lot of work went into the lighting so I'll give credit where due there. Not so the absurd costumes and general directions. Anish Kapoor's set, whilst not offending me, was wilfully abstract. 

Once again, an opera-goer seeing a work for the first time would gain little or no understanding of the piece, thanks to directors and designers who don't respect the composers' intentions.

Attendance last night: 60% max?


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## sospiro

Don Fatale said:


> In full agreement with Loge's review above.
> 
> I was at ENO's Tristan and Isolde last night. Very happy with what I heard but far less so with what I saw. It's clear that a lot of work went into the lighting so I'll give credit where due there. Not so the absurd costumes and general directions. Anish Kapoor's set, whilst not offending me, was wilfully abstract.
> 
> Once again, an opera-goer seeing a work for the first time would gain little or no understanding of the piece, thanks to directors and designers who don't respect the composers' intentions.
> 
> Attendance last night: 60% max?


Thanks for the review. Attendance worrying but predictable. ENO seem rudderless atm.


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## Meyerbeer Smith

_Roberto Devereux_, from the Met Live in HD. As the woman behind me said: "Amazing! That was _amazing_!" This is tremendous theatre; exciting and dramatically intense. Singing and acting GREAT, especially Sondra Radvanovsky as Elizabeth I. Costumes and staging in period, thankfully! Shows that opera - and theater in general - work best if presented truthfully.

The last production I saw was set in a modern boardroom, with Elizabeth I dressed as Thatcher and the courtiers standing around a water cooler. Which is nonsense, since the opera is set in 1601!


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## DavidA

SimonTemplar said:


> _Roberto Devereux_, from the Met Live in HD. As the woman behind me said: "Amazing! That was _amazing_!" This is tremendous theatre; exciting and dramatically intense. Singing and acting GREAT, especially Sondra Radvanovsky as Elizabeth I. Costumes and staging in period, thankfully! Shows that opera - and theater in general - work best if presented truthfully.
> 
> The last production I saw was set in a modern boardroom, with Elizabeth I dressed as Thatcher and the courtiers standing around a water cooler. Which is nonsense, since the opera is set in 1601!


I saw it in the broadcast and really good. Not too sure about the set but everything else was fine.


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## Pugg

SimonTemplar said:


> _Roberto Devereux_, from the Met Live in HD. As the woman behind me said: "Amazing! That was _amazing_!" This is tremendous theatre; exciting and dramatically intense. Singing and acting GREAT, especially Sondra Radvanovsky as Elizabeth I. Costumes and staging in period, thankfully! Shows that opera - and theater in general - work best if presented truthfully.
> 
> The last production I saw was set in a modern boardroom, with Elizabeth I dressed as Thatcher and the courtiers standing around a water cooler. Which is nonsense, since the opera is set in 1601!


The woman behind you have taste. :tiphat:


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## mountmccabe

Friday night I saw a third _Jenůfa_ at San Francisco Opera. This is certainly the best thing I've seen in San Francisco and one of the best set of performances I've ever seen.

The quality was steady throughout the run, while _Don Carlo_ grew as everybody worked together more, _Jenůfa_ started at a high level and remained there.

It was a great pleasure to hear Jiří Bělohlávek's reading of the score, bringing out both the lyricism and rhythmic tension of the score. Everything was in sync.

I should say more about William Burden as Laca. He has so much to do in this production, frequently hovering in the background, watching Jenůfa. His was the most natural portrayal on stage, in part because he inhabited the character whether singing or not. His signing was also quite wonderful and I'd love to hear him in a bigger part (or, say, Loge, which he just sang for Washington National Opera).

In contrast, Malin Byström's acting was impressive when she wasn't singing, but when she was she mostly went to the front of the stage and sang, ignoring everyone else on stage. This was no problem during her act 2 prayer, which was a well developed and fully realized performance.

But, really, again, this was Karita Matilla's run. She was stunning on stage, and I really look forward to listening to the radio broadcast/internet stream when it becomes available.


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## sospiro

mountmccabe said:


> Friday night I saw a third _Jenůfa_ at San Francisco Opera. This is certainly the best thing I've seen in San Francisco and one of the best set of performances I've ever seen.
> 
> The quality was steady throughout the run, while _Don Carlo_ grew as everybody worked together more, _Jenůfa_ started at a high level and remained there.
> 
> It was a great pleasure to hear Jiří Bělohlávek's reading of the score, bringing out both the lyricism and rhythmic tension of the score. Everything was in sync.
> 
> I should say more about William Burden as Laca. He has so much to do in this production, frequently hovering in the background, watching Jenůfa. His was the most natural portrayal on stage, in part because he inhabited the character whether singing or not. His signing was also quite wonderful and I'd love to hear him in a bigger part (or, say, Loge, which he just sang for Washington National Opera).
> 
> In contrast, Malin Byström's acting was impressive when she wasn't singing, but when she was she mostly went to the front of the stage and sang, ignoring everyone else on stage. This was no problem during her act 2 prayer, which was a well developed and fully realized performance.
> 
> But, really, again, this was Karita Matilla's run. She was stunning on stage, and I really look forward to listening to the radio broadcast/internet stream when it becomes available.


Sounds wonderful. I've read so many rapturous reports about this and I wish I'd seen it.


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## Loge

Gotterdammerung - Opera North – Royal Festival Hall

What a last couple of weeks, Britain has voted to leave the EU. So I decided to see the opera, the Twilight of the Gods, a story of the death of the gods and the dawn of the age of man. With Boris Johnson: Siegfried, Tony Blair: Hagen, Gordon Brown: Alberich, David Cameron: Gunther, Juncker, Shultz, Tusk: the Norns and Nigel Farage: Brunnhilde. A rip roaring tale of deceit and revenge.

Now onto the real thing. I tried to book tickets for this a year and a half ago, they were sold out. But two weeks ago I looked on the Southbank website, found a few returns and bagged one. This is a semi-staged production that has a very impressive visual aspect. Above the orchestra there are three large screens, onto which projected images of the elements, water, fire, air and earth. The libretto is also projected onto these screens, but also small passages describing the scenes and explaining the plot. This is most effective and gave the production a most poetic quality.

The cast was outstanding. Mati Turi is a very solid Siegfried, Mats Almgren a lean and bony Hagen and Jo Pohlheim who shines with his small part as Alberich (wish I had seen Rheingold). The ladies were no slouches either, the ever dependable Gisselle Allen as Gutrune and Heather Shipp as a remarkable Waltraute.

But the revelation this evening was Kelly Cae Hogan as Brunnhilde. She may not have the punch or heft of say a Nina Stemme, but she has one of the sweetest feminine voices I have heard in the role. She reminds me Anne Evans, she has a girlie voice rather than a matronly one, and this works wonders. And she was so into the role, she looked like she was possessed. The Met and Bayreuth will be knocking at her door. If in the future she is sings in London something like Isolde or Salome I will buy a ticket.

This was conducted by Richard Farnes with the orchestra of Opera North. These guys are world class and could teach the London houses a thing or two. For a concert performance in a notoriously unforgiving hall, this was the most perfectly balanced orchestra I have heard. At no time did the orchestra drown out the singers. It is a remarkable sight to listen to Brunnhilde sing her immolation scene with a 100 piece orchestra behind her and still clearly hear every word. My body was tingling. Richard Farnes knows how to rein back an orchestra.

This performance received a well-deserved standing ovation, with shouts and cheers more appropriate to a soccer match. Did I mention that the UK chancellor George Osborne attended this performance? And there was me thinking that Mime had been killed in Siegfried.


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## Don Fatale

Glad you liked it Loge. I saw it last year in Leeds Town Hall and was equally impressed. I'd still rather have staged version, even a simple one. The ticket sales around the country prove that the hunger for great opera is strong.

Meanwhile my national company, Scottish Opera, with the same budget as Opera North, continues to trail an average Mikado around the country.


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## Loge

Don Fatale said:


> Glad you liked it Loge. I saw it last year in Leeds Town Hall and was equally impressed. I'd still rather have staged version, even a simple one. The ticket sales around the country prove that the hunger for great opera is strong.
> 
> Meanwhile my national company, Scottish Opera, with the same budget as Opera North, continues to trail an average Mikado around the country.


Come on, you would rather see a Bayreuth monstrosity than the purity of a production that displays Wagner's music and singing? Semi-staged productions are a test for an opera, because they test the music. Of the opera house productions I have seen of Wagner only Richard Jones's production of Meistersinger did justice.

BTW there is nowt wrong with the Mikado, the ENO version is awesome.


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## jflatter

I went to see Il Trovatore on Friday at the Royal Opera House. There are two casts in this run in a new production by David Boesch which will not be to everybody's taste. It is set in the modern day and uses visual animation. There is a tank used in the set as the story is set in a desolate modern war zone. I liked it but I know a lot have not liked the staging. 

The cast I saw was with Francesco Meli as Manrico, Zelko Lucic as Di Luna, Lianna Haroutounian as Leonora and Ekaterina Semenchuk as Azucena.

I thought on the whole Meli sang well although he did appear to dry up during 'Di quella pira', but he has a power voice which has a rich tone. He is very much park and bark though and not the greatest actor.

Lianna Haroutounian took a little time to get going as Leonora but got better and better as the evening went on. I think she has a wonderful tone and still at this point in her career can deal with the colouratura demands of this role.

Zeljko Lucic was an excellent sounding di Luna and his rich baritone was perfect for this role. I look forward to hearing his Iago at ROH next summer.

The best performer of the evening though was Ekaterina Semenchuk as Azucena both in characterisation and voice. A wonderful full and blooming Verdi mezzo voice she got into the skin of the role and really showed the torment Azucena goes through. It's the first time I have heard her live and I now cannot wait to see her as Eboli in Don Carlo next season, a role ROH have had problems casting previously. 

Gianandrea Noseda conducted a brisk account of the score which was measured enough to show the musical side, but I wonder whether the singers would have appreciated it, in this testing opera for the main characters.

Overall a pretty good staging and decent singing.


----------



## sospiro

jflatter said:


> I went to see Il Trovatore on Friday at the Royal Opera House. There are two casts in this run in a new production by David Boesch which will not be to everybody's taste. It is set in the modern day and uses visual animation. There is a tank used in the set as the story is set in a desolate modern war zone. I liked it but I know a lot have not liked the staging.
> 
> The cast I saw was with Francesco Meli as Manrico, Zelko Lucic as Di Luna, Lianna Haroutounian as Leonora and Ekaterina Semenchuk as Azucena.
> 
> I thought on the whole Meli sang well although he did appear to dry up during 'Di quella pira', but he has a power voice which has a rich tone. He is very much park and bark though and not the greatest actor.
> 
> Lianna Haroutounian took a little time to get going as Leonora but got better and better as the evening went on. I think she has a wonderful tone and still at this point in her career can deal with the colouratura demands of this role.
> 
> Zeljko Lucic was an excellent sounding di Luna and his rich baritone was perfect for this role. I look forward to hearing his Iago at ROH next summer.
> 
> The best performer of the evening though was Ekaterina Semenchuk as Azucena both in characterisation and voice. A wonderful full and blooming Verdi mezzo voice she got into the skin of the role and really showed the torment Azucena goes through. It's the first time I have heard her live and I now cannot wait to see her as Eboli in Don Carlo next season, a role ROH have had problems casting previously.
> 
> Gianandrea Noseda conducted a brisk account of the score which was measured enough to show the musical side, but I wonder whether the singers would have appreciated it, in this testing opera for the main characters.
> 
> Overall a pretty good staging and decent singing.


Great review.

This is the cast I'm seeing on Sunday and really looking forward to it.


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## mountmccabe

Last night I saw _Powder Her Face_ by Thomas Adès, put on by West Edge Opera. This isn't much of a review, my focus is a discussion of the opera itself and how it works.

Laura Bohn was heartbreaking as the Duchess. Emma McNairy sang the wild vocal jumps of the Maid and still enunciated with impressive clarity. Jonathan Blalock was a committed Electrician. Hadleigh Adams showed impressive range as the Hotel Manager. Mary Chun conducted.

Elkhanah Pulitzer directed with clarity, taking the opera mostly straight but adjusting a few things that, for me, really brought out just how amazing this opera is.

The first six scenes of the opera make the hypocrisy of the Duke/Judge abundantly clear. It is overly clear that this society is rigged against the Duchess. The Duke and the Judge are played by the same singer, of course the Judge finds him blameless. The Duke finds out about her affairs while he's having his own perverted affair with a married woman. Then the Judge gets fellated at the start of his rant condemning the Duchess (not in the libretto, but also done in the NYCO production by Jay Scheib). This is not subtle. We are pushed to feel sympathy for the Duchess.

Scene one has the Electrician and Maid mocking her in the present, but it's the same for everyone else: the Confidante and Lounge Lizard in scene 2 also mock her, while they're setting her up with the Duke. And scene 4 has the Waiter playing her, taking advantage of her. Everyone says horrible things about her, mistreats her, and goes behind her back. No one is trustworthy. As a result, it becomes difficult to trust _Powder Her Face_.

This falseness is built into the opera, and various touches from this production emphasize it.

From all the doubling, to temporal (she married the Duke in 1951, not 1936. The divorce trial was 1963, not 1955) and other liberties (the Duchess did keep her letters and Polaroids in a cupboard, but it was locked). The vocal writing, full of wild leaps, also works towards this end. This would come off very differently if it were a straight play, or even if it was sung in a much more naturalistic or lyrical style.

This production pushes just a bit further. After the prologue (1990), the Duchess sits at a dressing table and changes her wig in front of us. One could take scene 3 as written (the marriage pantomime) as time passing, not literally all happening in 1936. But this production did not do that; it projected 1936 then did a simplified version of the pantomime wedding without any suggestion of the passage of time. Then in scene 5 the Duchess is hiding in the corner as the Duke and Mistress fool around. This is wrenching to watch, but it's not real; she's wasn't actually there. The single set - a bed in the middle back, with the front door on one side and a bathroom on the other - also works to emphasize the unreality of what we're seeing.

The payoff? When the Duchess goes on her awful racist, homophobic rant during the scene 7 interview, I didn't believe it was real. It feels like the opera itself has turned on her.

_Powder Her Face_ has done so much to support her - by showing the hypocrisy of her accusers - and to lift her up, and then it drops her, just like everyone else does. And as the opera deserts her, we see how empty her life has become, and her total lack of connection with anyone. So it is when the opera tries to show her as horrible that it backfires (of a sort) and we actually feel sympathy for the Duchess.

The emptiness and lack of connection came up in scene 4, when she did not recognize the waiter and we realize that this scene has been played out over and over, but at that point _Powder Her Face_ (in approach, the music, the stage action) is trying to convince us that she's having fun (because she still was, mostly), so it isn't allowed to land.

So the very structure of _Powder Her Face_ tells the story, especially as presented in this production, as it simultaneously props her up, then turns on her.

What I think of as the main musical theme of the opera works in much the same way: after the brassy, insistent fanfare, there is more colorful brash blast that then fades away agonizingly (variations on this are heard throughout the opera). The opening bars of music of _Powder Her Face_ encapsulates the story.






The music starts at 0:05, the first of the more colorful blasts starts around 0:12.


----------



## mountmccabe

So, _Powder Her Face_ was fantastic. I saw the other two productions of West Edge Opera's summer festival. They were also enjoyable, though not as remarkable.

I saw _Příhody lišky Bystroušky_ (the subtitles showed both _The Cunning Little Vixen_ and _The Adventures of Vixen Sharp Ears_). It was a very fun production, with wild costumes, the children as animals, etc. The production seemed to emphasize the episodic nature of the libretto, rather than trying to show more connections. Amy Foote showed off a lovely voice as the Vixen; also of note were Philip Skinner as the Forester and Deborah Rosengaus as Lapak the dog (and the woodpecker). The piece was performed with the orchestral reduction for 16 players by Jonathan Dove. I rather missed the lushness of the full orchestra, but alas.

Then came Friday night and _Agrippina_. Jory Vinikour led the orchestra (15 players) from the harpsichord. Sarah Gartshore was solid in the title role; "Pensieri, voi mi tormentate" was wonderful. Hannah Stephens had some standout moments as Poppea, including her act 1 closer, "Se giunge un dispetto." Countertenor Ryan Belongie - last seen at WEO as Ottone in _L'incoronazione di Poppea_ - here was Ottone and, for me, stole the show with several haunting arias.

The production was played as a surrealistic comedy, rather over the top. The backdrop was from Bosch's _The Garden of Earthly Delights_. It occasionally worked, and for the most part stayed out of the way for the best parts, such as the highlights mentioned above. Though perhaps the causality goes the other way; these were highlights because the busy staging trying to be amusing took a break.

The performance ran nearly 3 hours, including a 15-minute intermission after the first act.


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## sospiro

mountmccabe said:


> Last night I saw _Powder Her Face_ by Thomas Adès, put on by West Edge Opera. This isn't much of a review, my focus is a discussion of the opera itself and how it works.


Excellent and a much better description than any of the synopses I've read. So pleased you enjoyed it.



mountmccabe said:


> What I think of as the main musical theme of the opera works in much the same way: after the brassy, insistent fanfare, there is more colorful brash blast that then fades away agonizingly (variations on this are heard throughout the opera). The opening bars of music of _Powder Her Face_ encapsulates the story.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The music starts at 0:05, the first of the more colorful blasts starts around 0:12.


This won't play for me, do you have another link?


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## Meyerbeer Smith

Opera Australia's Simon Boccanegra.

Trailer here:





I'm trying to work out why I'm not more enthusiastic.

Good singing: Conducted by Renato Palumbo (a Meyerbeer and Rossini enthusiast), with George Petean, Diego Torre and Natalie Aroyan (studied with Te Kanawa, Scotto and Freni).

From the people who brought you Trovatore, Verdi II: This time, it's complicated!

There are good parts - the Council Scene is excellent! - but the second half is weaker. Like a lot of Verdi, it runs out of steam before the end. The score is spare, often declamatory / heightened recit.

Indifferent staging: Set in the 19th century - an Italian village stages the opera using vaguely period costume. Not offensive, but not necessary either. A single set for all four acts, so not visually interesting - monotonous. (If not a traditional staging, does it actually count as seeing the opera?)


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## mountmccabe

sospiro said:


> Excellent and a much better description than any of the synopses I've read. So pleased you enjoyed it.
> 
> This won't play for me, do you have another link?


Thank you!

And perhaps this performance from the 2007 Proms of excerpts will work for you (everything is delayed 6-7 seconds from the timings I mentioned)


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## Don Fatale

Travelling today, I stopped over in Edinburgh and had the chance to see La Traviata by _Opera Bohemia_, a homegrown professional touring company in Scotland. The venue was an elegant church in the shadow of Edinburgh castle, thankfully one with decent acoustics and good sightlines. It often stages classical concerts.

The set-up was an orchestra of 11 to the side of the stage. There were homemade surtitles projection to enable the singers and audience to enjoy the original Italian. I notice this is now a welcome feature of even the most compact performances. Surely a better solution than English language singing the audience struggles to decipher.

The stage set could best be described as 'touring' and would easily fit in a medium-sized van. I feel this is Opera Bohemia's weak point. They need a lot more design flare and innovation if they are to hit serious theatre stages.

Now on to the good parts: The orchestration and playing, the singing... and some of their acting, notably Catriona Clark in the title role, who gives an affecting performance throughout. The Germonts were ably sung by Thomas Kinch (mostly a pleasing tone) and Aaron McAuley (sonorous, mismatched in volume). Both guys are in the early days of their professional careers so I don't wish to nit-pick.

The turnout was pretty good, perhaps 250? I wonder how many others were fellow opera refugees (or refusees) who opted to avoid the controversial rape and murder in Africa Cosi Fan Tutte prodution.

For its sector - touring small halls - I thought the singers delivered the goods (albeit by skipping a few difficult notes and runs) and this is what I think small touring opera should be about.


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## Dongiovanni

Last Sunday I travelled to sunny Amsterdam for a matinee Le Nozze di Figaro. I had high expectations, some of the singers I have heard before and liked very much. Well, on the singing my expectations were met, to say the least. This cast was rock solid ! The lead was Alex Esposito, his Figaro is bold, sometimes even brute. His voice is strong, with great projection. His edgy timbre fits Figaro so well. Susanna was sparkly, funny, cute, sexy, and delightfully sung and acted by Christane Karg. I just love her voice, heard her many times before. Susanna fits her like a glove. More then ever has she shown her acting skills. Susanna's aria in act 4 was one of this evening's highlights.

Stéphane Degout has a very beautiful voice, smooth, velvet: a noble voice for a not so noble character. His begging for forgiveness went straight to the heart... and somehow he managed to add some irony to those perdono's ! I'd never heard of Eleonora Buratto, but I'm glad I did. Her voice is pure, and so clear, almost up till the highest note. In her showpiece aria Dove Sono she added some improv to the repeat section, which was a delight. Second highlight of the evening including a tear behind my eye.

Not to stop the superlatives, Marianne Crebassa's singing is a sensation. Her Voi che sapete was another delight: third highlight of the evening. She was a perfectly convincing Cherubino, tall as she is makes her appearance even more convincing.

Umberto Chiummo was a great Bartolo ! I just loved his vendetta aria. Never heard it sung so well.

The orchestra was on a roll, just spot on, so many times Mozart's epic horn parts prove so treacherous, not this evening! Meastro Ivor Bolton rewarded them with special attention at the curtain call. Always happy to see a fortepiano rather than a harpsichord. Tempi were all to my liking, with the exception of Barbarina's aria, which was too fast, Louise Kemény could hardly keep up with meastro's tempo.

This production by David Bösch was modern, mimimal, and most importantly: it was a comedy, keeping the music and theatre unity as a whole. I loved it. As always, during the sinfonia there has to be action on the stage. Here, we saw Susanna running around through the rooms, that were cleverly linked on a rotating disk, introducing the characters at the same time. Liked tipsy Contessa in her nightgown looking unhappy seeking for comfort with a bottle in her hand. Very well done was act 2 with Susanna showing up in the cupboard. The stage of Contessa's room was cleverly done with lots of doors that opened and closed randomly. In between was Figaro and Susanna's tiny room. The action went from scene to scence seamlessy, audience did not get many opportunities to applaud. So no strange pauses, which I hate in so many modern productions.

In short: Excellent !


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## Don Fatale

Thanks dongiovanni, for a very informative review. My next Nozze is in Poznan, and I can only hope for such quality.


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Last Sunday I travelled to sunny Amsterdam for a matinee Le Nozze di Figaro. I had high expectations, some of the singers I have heard before and liked very much. Well, on the singing my expectations were met, to say the least. This cast was rock solid ! The lead was Alex Esposito, his Figaro is bold, sometimes even brute. His voice is strong, with great projection. His edgy timbre fits Figaro so well. Susanna was sparkly, funny, cute, sexy, and delightfully sung and acted by Christane Karg. I just love her voice, heard her many times before. Susanna fits her like a glove. More then ever has she shown her acting skills. Susanna's aria in act 4 was one of this evening's highlights.
> 
> Stéphane Degout has a very beautiful voice, smooth, velvet: a noble voice for a not so noble character. His begging for forgiveness went straight to the heart... and somehow he managed to add some irony to those perdono's ! I'd never heard of Eleonora Buratto, but I'm glad I did. Her voice is pure, and so clear, almost up till the highest note. In her showpiece aria Dove Sono she added some improv to the repeat section, which was a delight. Second highlight of the evening including a tear behind my eye.
> 
> Not to stop the superlatives, Marianne Crebassa's singing is a sensation. Her Voi che sapete was another delight: third highlight of the evening. She was a perfectly convincing Cherubino, tall as she is makes her appearance even more convincing.
> 
> Umberto Chiummo was a great Bartolo ! I just loved his vendetta aria. Never heard it sung so well.
> 
> The orchestra was on a roll, just spot on, so many times Mozart's epic horn parts prove so treacherous, not this evening! Meastro Ivor Bolton rewarded them with special attention at the curtain call. Always happy to see a fortepiano rather than a harpsichord. Tempi were all to my liking, with the exception of Barbarina's aria, which was too fast, Louise Kemény could hardly keep up with meastro's tempo.
> 
> This production by David Bösch was modern, mimimal, and most importantly: it was a comedy, keeping the music and theatre unity as a whole. I loved it. As always, during the sinfonia there has to be action on the stage. Here, we saw Susanna running around through the rooms, that were cleverly linked on a rotating disk, introducing the characters at the same time. Liked tipsy Contessa in her nightgown looking unhappy seeking for comfort with a bottle in her hand. Very well done was act 2 with Susanna showing up in the cupboard. The stage of Contessa's room was cleverly done with lots of doors that opened and closed randomly. In between was Figaro and Susanna's tiny room. The action went from scene to scence seamlessy, audience did not get many opportunities to applaud. So no strange pauses, which I hate in so many modern productions.
> 
> In short: Excellent !
> 
> View attachment 88869


Excellent review! It will be on Opera Platform but my internet speed is so slow, it's not possible for me to watch. Hopefully someone will put it on YouTube.


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## mountmccabe

I am late but I saw Dream of the Red Chamber and Andrea Chénier at San Francisco Opera.

The latter was fine. Anna Pirozzi was announced as under the weather; they delayed the start about 20 minutes but she still went on. Yonghoon Lee was a very performative, stand-and-deliver Chénier; this made sense for the first act, but he approached everything else similarly. His singing was well colored but he showed little charisma, and little chemistry with Maddalena or Rocher. George Gagnidze was nice as Gérard. Well, he wasn't nice, but as the only character with an arc, he was engaging.

The production was by David McVicar, previously seen at ROH. The sets and costumes are pretty and naturalistic. The stage action from the chorus and supers was impressively detailed without being overdone, but added little to the proceedings.

Out-going music director Nicola Luisotti conducted. On opening night the board member that introduced him before the opera forgot his name. The reading of the score was unremarkable and the orchestra frequently covered the singers.

I really enjoyed Dream of the Red Chamber, a world premiere SFO commission by Bright Sheng. The composer co-wrote the libretto with David Henry Hwang. It is based on the classic Chinese novel. I am not familiar with the novel, but it seems like an effective condensation of the novel; the opera highlights the layers to the story. It is not just a love triangle.

I would love to go back, in part to see Pureum Jo as Dai Yu again. She had a beautiful tone, soaring high notes, and lovely pianissimos. Irene Roberts was also impressive as Bao Chai. Bao Yu was Yijie Shi, who navigated his high tessitura and expressed the confusion and indecision his character felt. Princess Jia had a short role, but Karen Chia-ling Ho made the most of her arias and ensemble work.

Randall Nakano was the narrator for the evening, introducing the piece, and telling the frame story of the stone and flower. He comes back at various points to make comments, offer more exposition, and ask rhetorical questions. At first this was off-putting, but the more I saw it became clear that this was a stylistic choice. That is the approach for a good part of the rest of the libretto, too, especially for the chorus and in the first act.

The setting of the English language was also distinctive; it was occasionally awkward but it had character. There were English surtitles above and Chinese titles on either side of the stage. I thought I had heard the libretto was going to be translated into Chinese for the performances at the Hong Kong Arts Festival in March, but their website says it will be performed in English.

The sets, by Tim Yip, were incredible. Pieces were dropped in different configurations on strings, providing a beautiful and varied backdrop, expressing locations and fitting with the dreamy, storybook approach.


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## KenOC

I hadn’t heard they made an opera from Dream of the Red Chamber. I read the novel some years ago, in English translation. There are 40 main characters and over 400 minor ones. The core text, excluding Prefaces, Introductions and Appendices, is over 2,300 pages.

So I’m sure the opera was somewhat abridged. The full story would have challenged even Wagner!


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## Woodduck

KenOC said:


> I hadn't heard they made an opera from Dream of the Red Chamber. I read the novel some years ago, in English translation. There are 40 main characters and over 400 minor ones. The core text, excluding Prefaces, Introductions and Appendices, is over 2,300 pages.
> 
> So I'm sure the opera was somewhat abridged. The full story would have challenged even Wagner!


Based on what Wagner did with the rambling, busy medieval versions of Tristan et Iseult, Perceval, or the Eddas, he'd have cut it down to just a few events and characters.


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## mountmccabe

The condensation of Tristan by Wagner certainly came to mind as a point of comparison, though the two don't have much else in common.

_Dream of the Red Chamber_ had seven named characters. I wished I was familiar with the source material, and wondered if I would have been able to pick out who some of the chorus and supers represented; the production and direction seemed to take into account the fuller story of the novel.

The opera was about two and a half hours, not counting the twenty minute intermission.


----------



## sospiro

mountmccabe said:


> I am late but I saw Dream of the Red Chamber and Andrea Chénier at San Francisco Opera.


You might be interested in these reviews

http://www.operatoday.com/content/2016/09/andrea_chenier_.php

http://www.operatoday.com/content/2016/09/dream_of_the_re.php


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## mountmccabe

Last night I saw _Der fliegende Holländer_ by Livermore Valley Opera. This was the start of their 25th season, and their first Wagner opera. The other opera they have for this season is _Le nozze di Figaro_. It was at the Bankhead Theater, a 500-capacity venue in downtown Livermore. I was thrilled for the opportunity to hear Wagner in such a venue. They performed the piece with one intermission, after the first act. Overall this was a quite entertaining, singers-forward presentation of Wagner's opera.

The set was a wooden skeleton that suggested a ship, open in the center. The rear was a screen with projections throughout. During the overture this showed storms on the ocean, a ship, the sky. There was a section where it showed a ship from the ocean floor, with fish swimming by (amusing the audience).

The Dutchman was Phillip Skinner, someone I've seen with several different companies around the Bay Area (including the short role of King Priam in _Les Troyens_ at SFO). His first act monologue developed well. Mason Gates had a lovely tone for his song as the steersman. Eugene Brancoveanu's Daland filled the room with sound.

During the opening chorus of the second act, Senta (Marie Plette) was off on her own staring at the portrait, and the spinning women were wrapping yarn around spindles (some were, others made it look like they were). They were also restless and misbehaving, with Mary trying to keep them at their work. Eventually Mary gives in and they all put away their work to listen to Senta sing the ballad. She was not entirely sure of tone at the start but as it went on it became more and more compelling. The spinning women also became more and more enraptured, ending up surrounding and embracing Senta.

The drama only grew with the arrival of Erik (David Gustafson). He is quite reasonable, if not particularly exciting. And Senta actually cares for him. Yes, she's moved by the Dutchman, but she's still grounded and a part of this world. This made their encounter extremely compelling, and both singers sounded fantastic.

The next big highlight was after Daland left the Dutchman and Senta alone. Phillip Skinner took advantage of the small house, opening "Wie aus der Ferne längst vergangner Zeiten" quiet and tender; it recalled the Steersman's dreamy act one song. And, again, Skinner and Plette worked wonderfully together, their duet incredibly clear.

The act three sailor's chorus is one of my favorite things in all of opera; here it was rowdy and fun, with the Steersman and another sailor dancing and bounding around acrobatically, including Mason Gates walking around on his hands. The biggest complaint was that the offstage Dutchman's chorus was barely audible.

The ending was played straight. The Dutchman raged, Senta instinctively recoiled to Erik's arms, but then steadied herself for her sacrifice. The projections showed the Flying Dutchman sinking, then the sky turned to a bright dawn and it showed the Dutchman and Senta embracing as the redemptive ending played.

The illuminating direction was by Olivia Stapp. Loran Watkins was the costume designer; the costumes ran very literal and naturalistic. The Dutchman wore an outfit that made it look like he was just posing for Rembrandt's _The Night Watch_. The sailor had wool caps and rubber boots, Daland with a fine coat. The crew of the Dutchman in the third act were dressed as ghosts, pale grey, ragged clothes, and white face paint with black highlights. Mary and Senta stood out from the other women; the former in a full grey dress and latter in a green one.

Artistic and Music Director Alexander Katsman conducted a only slightly reduced orchestra (fewer strings than standard, a few wind parts removed, some sort of keyboard instrument in place of the harp), working carefully to support the singers and keep everything together. And perhaps one of my favorite footnotes: the two oboists both had the last name of Hollander.


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## mountmccabe

sospiro said:


> You might be interested in these reviews
> 
> http://www.operatoday.com/content/2016/09/andrea_chenier_.php
> 
> http://www.operatoday.com/content/2016/09/dream_of_the_re.php


I had not read those! The _Andrea Chénier_ review seemed fine, but I have several points of disagreement with the one on the other, which he mostly dismisses.

I don't see _Dream of the Red Chamber_ as much like any Menotti. I don't see the "musical theater song structure." The plot only has a passing resemblance to _Die Liebe der Danae_. I think SFO's publicity talked about the novel as a sort of Chinese Romeo and Juliet, as distilled in the opera it only has some of that; Bao Yu's family wants him to marry for money, he wants to marry for love (and poetry). Perhaps something of a gender-swapped _Eugene Onegin_, with very different outcomes.

I don't understand dismissing Sheng's music in that fashion. And while it is longer than many modern operas, I would not call it a "very long opera," at only 2 and a half hours (plus an intermission). I also found it odd that the only singer this reviewer called out was the least remarkable of the leads to me. (He was good, but I was more impressed by Pureum Jo and Irene Roberts).

Two reviews I prefer, by Steven Winn for SFCV, and a somewhat more critical one, by Joshua Kosman for the SF Chronicle.

I still disagree with the various complaints about the libretto; different is not necessarily bad. The opera is going for clarity and dramatic unity, not surprise. An over-reliance on plot twists/surprises is often ridiculed in movies though they can be effective; I find much less use for them in opera.


----------



## sospiro

mountmccabe said:


> I had not read those!
> 
> ... I don't see _Dream of the Red Chamber_ as much like any Menotti. I don't see the "musical theater song structure." The plot only has a passing resemblance to _Die Liebe der Danae_. I think SFO's publicity talked about the novel as a sort of Chinese Romeo and Juliet, as distilled in the opera it only has some of that; Bao Yu's family wants him to marry for money, he wants to marry for love (and poetry). Perhaps something of a gender-swapped _Eugene Onegin_, with very different outcomes.
> 
> I don't understand dismissing Sheng's music in that fashion. And while it is longer than many modern operas, I would not call it a "very long opera," at only 2 and a half hours (plus an intermission). I also found it odd that the only singer this reviewer called out was the least remarkable of the leads to me. (He was good, but I was more impressed by Pureum Jo and Irene Roberts).
> 
> Two reviews I prefer, by Steven Winn for SFCV, and a somewhat more critical one, by Joshua Kosman for the SF Chronicle.
> 
> I still disagree with the various complaints about the libretto; different is not necessarily bad. The opera is going for clarity and dramatic unity, not surprise. An over-reliance on plot twists/surprises is often ridiculed in movies though they can be effective; I find much less use for them in opera.


Yet another occasion when you wonder if the reviewer was at the same performance?!


----------



## gardibolt

Went to opening night of the Chicago Lyric Opera's first step into a new Ring Cycle, Das Rheingold. My wife and I both enjoyed it very much, even though she's not really that much into opera. This is my first Ring opera live, but I've been a fan of the opera for 40+ years since I was about 13 and I got hold of Solti's Ring Cycle LPs through interlibrary loan.

Quite a few excellent performances were heard here. Tanja Ariane Baumgartner as Fricka was absolutely superb. She really came across well both vocally and in performance. Stefan Margita's Loge was the soul of wit and in particular he brought out more humor that I thought was possible in the opera. Really, I have laughed less at supposed comedies than I did with this Rheingold, which just wonderfully brought out humor to match the tragic goings-on. Samuel Youn's Alberich was appropriately demonic and only occasionally over the top--but that's more Wagner's fault than the singer's. Alberich's ridiculous ego was underlined by an equally ridiculous inflatable dragon that I _think_ was intentionally funny. Wilhelm Schwinghammer (how was he not playing Donner with a name like that?) really scored with his Fasolt; I could have asked for a bit more malevolence or at least building tension from Tobias Kehrer as Fafner, since the fight over the Ring feels as if it comes up pretty abruptly. The orchestra under Sir Andrew Davis was top notch throughout the two and a half hour running time (no intermission, correctly); it was wonderful to hear live this score that I've heard so many times in recordings.

The weak link, unfortunately, was Eric Owens as Wotan. He just seemed woefully understated, tired and sick---which is arguably appropriate for the Wanderer in Siegfried, but not here. It's almost as if he thought it was dress rehearsal and was saving his voice for another occasion. If not now, when? Very disappointing and really the main problem I had with the entire production. A feeble Wotan who isn't up to the task is not a good sign for the more grueling parts of this Cycle.

The staging is a mix of minimalism and steampunk. Some of it works very well: the suggestive blue tarp representing the Rhine, the machinery of Nibelheim that echoes Lang's Metropolis (including the robot Maria), and in particular the giants, who were represented by a three-story framework topped by giant heads matching the singers, and the singers on the next to top floor, with arms that were manipulated by a team of mimes. Technically, it was quite solid. The cranes that made the Rhinemaidens swim were quickly forgotten thanks to costume design that caught the lights beautifully and dropped the cranes unobtrusively into the background.

The costuming, while detailed and pretty, was simply incoherent; the cast looked as if they wandered in from Marriage of Figaro. At least with Chereau you understood where it was going with the analogy but here it just felt arbitrary and nonsensical.

One other choice that seemed questionable to me, although it's an interesting take, is having Freya fall in love with Fasolt in scene 4. I'm not sure what to make of that one. There's a big shock moment not specified by Wagner that took us aback as well, but in retrospect I think it works pretty well, and ties the Ring in with Lord of the Rings for us nerdier folks. One unusual idea that I thought worked extremely well was bringing the Norns onstage (mutely) at the beginning of Rheingold so that when Erda sings about them and we see them several operas later there's a context and a clearer sense that they've been there watching all along.

Another view from the Chicago Tribune (which contains a spoiler for the shock moment, so be warned):
http://www.chicagotribune.com/enter...heingold-review-ent-1003-20161002-column.html

In any event, I'm looking forward to next year's Walküre. It can't come soon enough.


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## Dongiovanni

Still in London, a quick moment to write about the two opera's I saw yesterday, Norma and Barber of Seville both at te ROH.

Many posts here on the new ROH Norma and it's been on all the blogs and review sites. In short: this was pretty impressive. Yoncheva delivered. Her voice has what it takes, though just sometimes there is a strain to be heard. Calleja sounded lovely as always, he seemed in good shape. It was announced that Ganassi was suffering from a cold. Have never heard her before, but she sounded OK. Nowhere did she seem to struggle.

Highlights of the evening was the trio at the end of act 1 and the second act duet Norma - Pollione. So much chemistry, Yoncheva displayed all the feelings of Norma to the max. Just wow.

Orchestra and choir: sublime. All in balance, so much attention for the details in the orchestra, thanks to meastro Pappano.

Production: cold be worse and that's (unfortunately) good news. It all looks very nice. Beginning of act 2 is terrible, most of it just doesn't work. Norma meets Dexter... The kids playing around during Norma - Adalgisa duet is annoying and ruins the scene completely. I was expecting a twist to the end, and yes, of course there was one. Didn't like it at all.









Barber was great fun ! Not a big Rossini fan but that didn't stand in the way. Like this production a lot, which has been around since 2009. This was the 4th run.

Singing was ok, Figaro was good, as was Rosina, who may need some polishing. The count has a very likeable voice, but was struggling with his coloratura all the time. Of course, these are really tough parts to sung.









Tomorrow we will meet Manon in Amsterdam !


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## Don Fatale

Well done dongiovanni. Two full operas in one day. I'd happily do it if I got the chance. Although I've often done a concert and opera, which is always good to do as I don't have to think too hard about doing tourist stuff with my day.

I agree about the children running around and ruining the Norma/Adalgisa duet. I wonder if these directors understand opera at all.


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## Dongiovanni

Don Fatale said:


> Well done dongiovanni. Two full operas in one day. I'd happily do it if I got the chance. Although I've often done a concert and opera, which is always good to do as I don't have to think too hard about doing tourist stuff with my day.
> 
> I agree about the childing running around and ruining the Norma/Adalgisa duet. I wonder if these directors understand opera at all.


Luckily I arrived the evening before and could take it slow the morning, still the matinee started at noon, which is quite early to my experience. I was quite tired when I arrived back at the hotel.

Looking back at it all, Norma was really something special. And the sounds Pappano gets from the orchestra are just amazing.

What did you think of the twist at the end ? (Leaving out the details on purpose, so it's not spoilt)

One thing I forgot to mention, the Barber was with a sign-language interpreter. To do this with opera is a challenge to begin with... this lady was amazing. Without any notes or sheet music, she interpreted the words, and you could notice her adding the music flow to her gestures. But with Rossini.... there were parts where she had to sign at break neck speed, just imagine Figaro's big aria ! At the curtain call she was applauded loudly.


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## Don Fatale

Dongiovanni said:


> What did you think of the twist at the end ? (Leaving out the details on purpose, so it's not spoilt)


It didn't offend per se, but it simply didn't follow what was intended. What with the Norma/Adalgisa duet fiasco these guys don't respect opera. Surely it's not their job to rewrite opera plots.


Dongiovanni said:


> One thing I forgot to mention, the Barber was with a sign-language interpreter. To do this with opera is a challenge to begin with... this lady was amazing. Without any notes or sheet music, she interpreted the words, and you could notice her adding the music flow to her gestures. But with Rossini.... there were parts where she had to sign at break neck speed, just imagine Figaro's big aria ! At the curtain call she was applauded loudly.


The problem is that standing in prime position in front of stage they are in danger of stealing the show. I remember a charming one at ENO some years ago that the audience so adored that it made the newspapers. (That was before they relented to surtitles).In light of that, I question whether they should take a solo curtain call.

I can't hear what the singers are saying either, so I read the surtitles! This is politically-correct box ticking. How many deaf and illiterate opera fans were there? I'll take a guess at zero. For all we know she might be a signing charlatan like the guy at Mandela's memorial service.


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## Dongiovanni

Don Fatale said:


> The problem is that standing in prime position in front of stage they are in danger of stealing the show. I remember a charming one at ENO some years ago that the audience so adored that it made the newspapers. (That was before they relented to surtitles).In light of that, I question whether they should take a solo curtain call.


If the sign interpreter steals the show.... it's probably the problem with the performance 

ENO still has the sign interpreter, when I attended Madam Butterfly there was one. Not so much text to interpret though...


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## Dongiovanni

Monday October 10 I met up with Sospiro to see the new Manon Lescaut in Amsterdam.

The production is a familiar concept in modern productions: the main character sees all in flashback. OK, I can work with that. First act is OK, besides that during the 'love' duet no interaction is taking place between the leads. Act 2 is rather annoying with extra added characters to the cast being silly. Act 3 is so-so. (A cellist in a containter ?) Of course we have to skip the intermezzo that introduces act 3. Act 4 gives us a desert. No silly stuff going on here. Proof you don't have to change anything to the original concept ! Chemistry between the leads is not so good, but the sheer power of the music compensates lack of this. Intermezzo is played, to my surprise before the opening of act 4, this is very odd, especially hearing the opening bars of act 4 (music without any hope) just after the end of the intermezzo which ends with the 'love' theme. Surprisingly there is no 'stuff' going on on stage during the intermezzo.

The singing was quite good. Both Des Grieux and Manon have some tough lines to sing. The ultimate test is the last act. Westbroek is great, and in act 4 convinces vocally, almost effortless, with great dynamics and colour in her voice. La Colla has plenty of vocal power, a very attractive bright sound, but not very refined. Oliemans needs some time to warm up during act 1. Coulombe is a very fine Geronte. Both Geronte and Lescaut are not supported by their make up and costumes, especially Lescaut's part is downplayed in this production.

Top class performance from choir and orchestra. Strangely enough, after the superbly played intermezzo there is not applause, that would have been well deserved !


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## Loge

ENO-Tosca

This is a revival of director Catherine Malfitano's 2010 production. Firstly I must give praise to the production team. This Tosca is a traditional one, with the most stunning sets and costumes. Frank Schlossman's sets are astounding, especially in the final act when the set abstracts into a stone half pike. Gideon Davey's costumes are sumptuous and could easily be used in a Hollywood movie version of Tosca. David Jacques' atmospheric lighting, very expressionist, added a psychological dimension to the production, for example the use of window shadows to express prison bars.

Onto the cast, again excellent. Keri Alkema superbly sung and played the naive Tosca. Craig Colclough as an extremely sleazy toad like Scarpia. He received plenty of boos and hisses at the curtain call, and he looked totally chuffed about it. Then there was the ever dependable Gwyn Hughes Jones as Cavaradossi. I have heard Jones sing at the ENO several times, and you know what? I believe he is the finest British tenor around today. He has a wonderful clear, bell like, lyrical voice that can travel over the orchestra with ease.

Like all ENO productions this was in English. There are some pros and cons. It made the production more immediate; the first act extremely amusing during the argument scene. It also made the production overtly melodramatic, to the point when the audience laughed when Tosca sang I will jump out of the window. However Vissi d'Arte was so moving in English, and the same can be said with Lucevan Stelle.

The orchestra conducted by Oleg Caetani performed superbly. I had forgotten how dramatic Puccini's score sounded.

So all in all, a great evening. And as an added bonus, from the angle in the balcony from where I was sitting, I got to see one of the oldest jokes in opera. I saw Tosca bouncing back up from the trampoline.

This is the video of the 2010 production so you will get an idea about the sets and costumes


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## mountmccabe

Last weekend Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonia Orchestra of London had a residency at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley. They gave three concerts. The last one, Sunday afternoon, had two pieces by Stravinsky, his _Symphony of Psalms_ and _Oedipus Rex_. This recreates the program from the opening of Zellerbach in 1968, a performance which the composer attended.

Salonen and the Philharmonia have been giving similar concerts on the other side of the Atlantic, such as at Aix-en-Provence where the pieces - directed by Peter Sellars - were staged in a way that linked them, with Symphony of Psalms the next part of the story, with the blind Oedipus being led around by Antigone (a dancer, in a silent role).

But we got concert performances, with _Symphony of Psalms_ played first. The massive choruses - the traveling Lund Male Chorus mixed with the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Chorus and the Young Women's Chorus of San Francisco - sounded lovely in this relatively small hall, especially with the slow, grand approach taken for the final movement.

The two local choruses went away and the high strings came back for _Oedipus Rex_. The chorus for this piece was still powerful, but they did not feel as dominant after the choral symphony.

The orchestra sounded lean against the rich chorus, and showcased the details of the score while leaving space for the vocalists.

Nicholas Phan was Oedipus. He gave a rich reading of the part, his voice soaring. Hadleigh Adams took all three bass/bass-baritone roles. His Creon and Tiresias were distinct characters, with Creon almost harsh in his pronouncements and Tiresias hesitant, then resigned. The Messenger was more straightforward, though having his last lines, announcing Jocasta's death, from the front of the mezzanine created a wonderful effect. Michelle DeYoung made the most of Jocasta's small part, with her desperate denials and attempts to stop Oedipus.

Actor Carl Lumbly was the narrator, speaking in English. This part is a good reference point for the Narrator role in _Dream of the Red Chamber_. In both they seem necessary - especially with projected titles for the Latin - but once the narrator is accepted, it is an effective centering device. None of these pieces - including the play by Sophocles - were written with the expectation of surprising the audience with the plot (though scattered gasps from the crowd revealed there were some unfamiliar with the story).

At any rate, this was a thrilling afternoon, and I'm glad I got to go!


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## Sloe

Don Fatale said:


> How many deaf and illiterate opera fans were there? I'll take a guess at zero. For all we know she might be a signing charlatan like the guy at Mandela's memorial service.


They do not haveto be fans they can be in company with hearing friends. When it comes to literacy there is some difficulties for those that are born deaf to read text since text is based on spoken language.


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## Don Fatale

Last night I went to see *Aida* on the Maltese island of Gozo.

A recap for those who have not read all my previous reports (I don't blame you!)... the small island (pop. 30,000) in the Mediterranean has two 'philharmonic societies', across the main street from each other, and each with its own opera house, primarily used for their single annual opera production, both of which take place in October. There's an entertaining German language documentary with English subtitles which explains all..
http://www.arte.tv/guide/en/055902-000-A/the-battle-of-the-operas-in-malta?country=GB

I've been here before and this was true to type: A homemade production of higher quality than many professional companies. A chorus of enthusiastic locals of rather less than professional standard. Traditional scenery and costumes which aim to recreate the opera in its authentic form. Principal singers of varying standards flown/ferried in from Europe.

It's an amateur (in the best sense) production, but tickets aren't cheap at €70. Their largest cost by far is the singers. Usually this means Italian circuit singers, sometimes even those who's last gig was at La Scala. Tonight's cast was mainly from nearby Sicily.

Good tenors are always in short supply on the opera circuit, and tonight we made do with _Antonino Interisano_. He made an inauspicious start, rather flat on the cilmax of Celeste Aida, but found the correct pitch in subsequent scenes Fresh from Verona Arena we had _Sanja Anastasia_ as Amneris who was underpowered at first but soon found her arena volume. She lacks charisma and elegant movement, but she lets rip later, particularly in her big Act IV scene. _Silvia Dalla Benetta_ is our sweet voiced Aida. She's easy to like, although it felt like her lungs could never take in enough air, and the last few notes of some phrases weren't held as I'd like. _Carlo Colombara_ is the big house player with regular roles at La Scala. However his deep and too youthful bass didn't impress. _Petri Lindroos_ had a more attractive tone in his role as the king.

With such a 'sing and run' approach, the drama suffers as the interaction of the principals lacks a connection. Time with a movement coach is needed. Given that there are no surtitles it's even more important that singers act their roles fully.

And what of the evening in general? I've previously called this audience one of the worst in the world, and certainly the worst I've come across. Constant talking, camera phones popping up and down for photos and video, phones ringing, programs and cans(!) being dropped. The 70's leatherette seats are perfectly fine with legroom and good sightlines but there's a perpetual lack of stillness in the house even through the final scene. I was with friends and had a nice time, but wouldn't bother to go if I was on my own.


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## Belowpar

I do enjoy this thread and I also enjoy putting my thoghts down on paper. So please excuse me whilst I catch up on what we did this summer.

ONe week after we saw Madam Butterfly at the ENO (reviewed enthusiastically above and not just by me) we went back to Glyndebourne. I started this review at the time and I know I wanted to add something but now I cant recall what! So ...




The Cunning Little Vixen, Glyndebourne 18 06 16

A return visit and further confirmation that they pretty much get everything right here...apart from the programs, which cover all six Opera's in the season, and for a hefty A4 book it requires a hefty £20 donation. But then you don't have to buy one and the drinks etc. are surprisingly modestly priced. I would guess less than 2/3 the ROH charges and parking is free!

This is not an Opera with which I'm very familiar but we did see Leslie Garrett at he ENO in 1988. One week after the Butterfly production about which I raved above I was also thrilled by this production. Mostly it was around a symbolic tree of life and was as lively and delightful as you could want. Like the previous Saturday all sorts of theatrical tricks were successfully employed to depict animals, changes of season etc. When the action moved indoors to the humans it was by contrast too obviously Gray, but the sets were constructed in such as way the action BURST back into life We had a seat in the front row and its always fascinating to watch a conductor and Orchestra at work, but the production was so compelling I didn’t spend much time watching the pit. The Director was Melly Still and the Set Designer Tom Pye

I would single out the Conductor Jakub Hrusa, and Elena Tsallagova as the Vixen and Christopher Purves as the Forester. But really the musical standards and the London philharmonic Orchestra were excellent.

Strangely this production attracted a more British Crowd than last years but we added to the variety by dressing up and arriving (for reasons I won't bore you with) in a (formerly) white van with 180 000 miles on the clock. Neither us in our our finery or the van seemed out of place.

Glyndebourne really is a must visit.


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## mountmccabe

I saw _Aida_ at San Francisco Opera last night. It was opening night of a new production by Francesca Zambello, with RETNA as artistic designer.

George Gagnidze was commanding as Amonasro. His role is short but the scenes he was in and/or when his presence was felt were the best of the night. Ekaterina Semenchuk was Amneris. The staging didn't really work with her until the 4th act, when she tried to convince Radamès to deny the charges. They're on opposite ends of a large table. She eventually moves towards him, pleading, and he ignores her until the subject of Aida comes up. This showed the life in the character we wanted to see.

Brian Jadge had his role debut as Radamès. His voice seems to be darkening and deepening. There were ways in which it could be considered that the gung-ho military force was undercut, but Jadge was an counter to that, trying to play the part of the serious soldier to hide his feelings. I'm not sure his "Celeste Aida" was all it could have been, but as the night went on he became more commanding and compelling. There was depth and power in his voice for his act 3 meeting with Aida. I would really liked to have heard him sing something like "Celeste Aida" at that part of the night. It was also interesting seeing him in this 5 months after seeing him as Don José; there are some interesting parallels (especially in these productions). It was also the role debut for Leah Crocetto as Aida. A lot of it sounded promising. The emphasis was on the sad, troubled aspects of the character. This worked for "O patria mia," and when Amonasro convinced her there was a way out. It works less at the end, though, and it seems like she snuck in with Radamès not out of love or defiance, but due to giving up.

This was the biggest disappointment of the night, the underplaying of the final scene. Aida shows up and she and Radamès sit on the ground and embrace. It's like they've already run out of oxygen and are almost dead. In the program, Zambello compares the scene to the Liebstod, but especially here that's laughable. There's just no ecstasy. I know it's not really written as defiant triumph, but there should be some energy, some passion.

Outgoing music director Nicola Luisotti conducted. The instruments sounded fine, but there was very little tension or life. Some drive from the orchestra could have really livened up the evening.

Overall, the designs - by graffiti artist RETNA - and lighting - by Mark McCollough - were really striking. They worked with the music to set the mood and creating impressive stage pictures (Aida slideshow from SFO). The sets were mostly fine though there were some awkward transitions.








[Imaged posted by SFO on Facebook]

The triumphal scene was pretty spectacular, but may be a let down for someone expect elephants. I thought that especially the first two acts looked spellbinding, but there was less to the final two acts, and, again, someone looking for an Egyptian pageant-style take on this opera is going to be disappointed.

There were a number of bizarre direction choices. Amonasro was the only prisoner with ribbon bars on his military costume, so his attempt to pass off as 'just Aida's father' was undercut. In addition, the other prisoners - from this invading force - included a few other soldiers in the same green but was mostly people not in uniform: older men, women, and small children.

There were children in Amneris' chamber (earlier in Act 2) as well, though this made more sense. The ballet was not Moorish slaves, but boys (some very young) in military dress. They were performing war, and were rewarded with attention from Amneris' attendents for it. They will grow into men like Radamès, who expects to win the rights to Aida through victories. Then when Aida shows up people start to wander off, but most of the crowd lingers and it takes almost the entire scene for them to leave. While they linger, the chorus/supers went on with their personal actions, being a distraction. Given Zambello's discussion of this as a chamber opera, and her goal of focusing on the leads it's a baffling choice to ignore the libretto here ("At a sign from Amneris, all withdraw.")

This is a long run, with 10 more performances over the next month. Especially given the key role debuts and the new production, I'd really like to see how it grows over the run. At any rate, I am unlikely to see it again until after I see another opera set in Egypt that opened last night in California, _Akhnaten_ from Los Angeles Opera.


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## Belowpar

Its been a busy summer so forgive me if I do some catching up


Tristan and Isolde ENO 05/07/16

This was reviewed above and whilst it drew me in at the start by the end Isolde’s voice was going and so was I.

It did cause me to reflect that one measure of the success of a performance is if it enhances your opinion of the piece. This didn't.



The Norma at the ROH was also reviewed here,, but not on this thread? I was enthusiastic and would just add that one thing that’s rarely commented on is how well the voices 'fit' together. At the end of Act 1 I said to Mrs Belowpar that Sonya Yoncheva as Norma and Sonia Ganassi as Adalgisa had 'similar' voices. I thought it was perhaps an unfortunate choice. BUT when they duetted, it was just wonderful. 



Rigoletto Sanxay Fr. 12 08 16 71E

I learnt about this on TC and as we were going to be driving by.
Each summer for a week they put on a Production in an old Roman Amphitheatre. It's not nearly as well preserved as many others so you sit in modern seats in a bowl with some ruined stonework. Its quite a big thing with sets and a full orchestra. At first confusion reigned as it seemed like production where they'd chosen to more the time period back a century or two. But no The Duke was throwing a Toga party! 
Its hard to judge the standard of singing in such and acoustic but overall there were no real weak links and the orchestra were pretty good too, conducted by Eric Hull

I will single out one singer Stefan Pop a young Tenor from Romania Although he started out vocally “ALL OVER THE PLACE” he quickly settled down and was a youthful Duke with twinkle in his eye. He has some nice top notes and perhaps for this audinece he went to town on La Donna e Mobile. Stepping completely out of character an encore quickly followed and the crowd loved him. It was VERY old fashioned and ….enjoyable. Odd that Opera can accommodate both drama and showboating and still work. 

Would I go again? Yes indeed - if nearby. However next time I’ll bring a coat. IT was 35 degrees when we got into the car for a short drive there and about 10 degrees by midnight – which of course felt freezing! It doesn’t help that an amphitheatre collects cool air and the production starts well after sun down. It was bad design to have a set change for the last act at 11.45 pm that took 25 mins whilst we all sat there. My mood was improved because it really was worth waiting for, with the soprano Olga Pudova and Rigoletto Carlos Almaguer making us forget lesser things like suspected frostbite! YOu could spot the tourists - flip flops and T shirts - and the regulars - I saw ski hats, gloves, scarves etc. Overall they were well behaved and knowledgeable.

(Final negative: you park in a field with one exit. If I hadn’t been so lucky with my parking I might not have reviewed this so positively!)


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## Belowpar

Alcina The Royal Academy of Music Round Church Hackney. 25 10 16

Whilst they have their own theatre rebuilt they are favouring Hackney which as all right thinking people know is now the centre of the entire universe. Which of course means I can walk to their productions.

Quite why they chose this beautiful and unusual location is unknown. Handsome with an unusual construction featuring wrought iron it has an very 'warm' acoustic. Perhaps not that suited to revealing the finer details of the orchestra or florid singing, it gave youthful voices a rounded full sound.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Clapton#/media/File:Round_chapel_clapton_1.jpg

To fit a production on an oval stage in the middle of the downstairs area all seating was restricted to upstairs.

A decidedly modern production relocated the Island to a modern day nightclub where magic transformations owe much to drug taking and falling in love quickly is easy to understand. The young singers enjoyed them selves and the costumes were simply fabulous!

Two casts alternated for the week. 
Alcina Carrie-Ann-Williams lovely rounded sound.
Bradamante	Marvic Monreal Deep and sonorous From Malta and has performed with JC!
Melisso Nicholas Mogg. Good diction but perhaps lacked weight?
Orante	Alexander Aldren Impressed but his part was mostly cut.
Ruggerero Patrick Terry. A counter tenor and soprano alternated this part. Hard I know in advance I might have avoided him BUT some really beautiful singing has perhaps softened my prejudice here. 
Finally this is my first Alcina and so maybe its a scene stealing part, but the evening belonged to Morgana as played by Llona Revolskaya who enchanted everyone and sang beautifully. She has the slightest frame of any Opera singer I've ever seen and yet produced an amazing power too.

I prefer my music in intimate venues and it was a great night out for about £25 a ticket. I will continue to look out for student productions Next they are doing a favourite - Orpheus in the Underworld at the the Hackney Empire. Sadly We are away. Then Die Dreigroschenoper at Shoreditch Town Hall, June 2017. Where better to see this piece?


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## Dongiovanni

Lucia di Lammermoor - Paris Opera Bastille

A house debut by Nina Minasyan as Lucia and Rame Lahaj as Edgardo. Both were outstanding. Minasyan is on top of the extremely hard parts, mad scene is fully in control. While singing these parts, she moves, jumps and climb around the stage as if it's nothing. Lahaj has a very attractive voice, it has that Italian tenor sound, and lovely bright high. Also he has an impressive stage presence. Only one negative remark on his performance: a little overacting at the scene where he is confronted with the dead Lucia. Together with Minasyan there is lots of chemistry and the Paris audience was very enthousiastic. They are really a traumpaar ! Oleksiy Palchykov as Arturo was rather underwhelming, Artur Ruciński as Enrico was also marvellous.

I have never seen this production by Andrei Serban. It's quite allright. Using all of the massive stage in the Bastille Opera, in width and height, it's also a spectaculair show to watch.


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## Dongiovanni

Reviews of Die Entführung aus dem Serail and I Capuleti e i Montecchi are in the opera trips thread.


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## Belowpar

Madama Butterfly Glyndebourne Touring Opera Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Earlier this year I wrote about the visual and theatrical splendours of the current ENO production. This started like the antidote to that. The initial set of the marriage brokers office was ...boring. Surrounded by cut out cardboard trees that would never blossom this was deliberately not the mythic Japan of most productions. Pinkerton was also behaving like a complete lout, ignoring everyone else whist he sat with his feet on the desk smoking. Despite the charms of the young Italian Tenor Matteo Lippi an inherently unsympathetic character was being given no chance. At this point the Director was just trying too hard.


But it all changed with the note Cio-Cio-San held as she entered the room. Most impressive. A new name to me, Karah Son a singer from Seoul perhaps starts with a physical advantage in trying to convince us she's Japanese. Add in fine acting a n a big charismatic voice and I think she'll grow tired of accepting invitations to sing this part.

The Director Annilese Miskimmon moved the action the the 50's when American Servicemen were taking home war brides and following the 1952 Immigration Act, many Japanese ladies apparently moved to the USA. Can't say this added a lot but it did allow them to introduce a TV set owned by the penniless heroine. The traditional humming chorus wasn't acted, during it Mother and Son stared into the horizon at the back to the stage. This meant the Orchestra interlude depicting that long night of waitng, was symphonic in front of the curtain. The ending was also botched with the action off stage and the mother collapsing covered in blood next to her child.

The conducting was very interesting even though I don’t' know exactly what to make of it. This was John Wilson's Glyndebourne debut. He's made quite a name for himself as a restorer and performer of Classic Hollywood scores and so he's no stranger to the human voice. He gave a really fresh and detailed production of the score. This was no wash of grand Puccini themes but a subtle combination of a parts of the Orchestra that blended but retained their own identity. But the volume, it seemed like he'd found the control and set it at 11 at times! This may have been the theatre (certainly the coughing was the loudest I've ever heard) but I didn’t notice this back in the spring for WNO. Not to worry, Lippi could match the 11 and Son our was capable of saoaring past 12. I have a hunch that we'll be hearing a lot more from Wilson.

So musically a success (special mention also to Claudia Huckle as Suzuki) but visually and narratively a mess. So despite the carping I found it a worth while evening.

I've been told this production is due to be seen in the summer festival, but it will need major revision IMO.


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## mountmccabe

I saw the 11/17 performance of _Akhnaten_ at Los Angeles Opera. It was preceded by Matthew Aucoin (resident composer, and conductor for the performance) informally interviewing Philip Glass. Glass spoke about many things, including his early work in Paris and seeing new plays by Beckett & Genet, realizing their works were written such that the emotional arc played differently each night, that the audience completed the transaction of the performance, and how this influenced him. He continued (these are paraphrases/reconstructions)

Glass: and I find when I perform music, even my own music, I realize I'm adjusting little bits, and thus don't get upset when others do similarly.
Aucoin: that's very reassuring, since I'm about to conduct your opera

Glass also said the the thread through this trilogy was social change through nonviolent means. Science, politics, then religion.
Glass said the fourth would be the press. Aucoin asked if Glass was planning such an opera and Glass laughed a little nervously, and said he was too intimidated by the idea and didn't know how he would do it.

The opera itself was spectacular. Anthony Roth Costanzo continues to amaze. This isn't as narrative as many operas and most of the pieces are rather distancing, but he has a rich and compelling voice. His hymn was beautiful, and his English was clear. His voice sounded wonderful with J'Nai Bridges as Nefertiti and Stacey Tappan as Queen Tye. The duet between Akhnaten and Nefertiti was acted stylistically rather than passionately, but it was wonderful to hear the focus on their voices together.

Much of the singing in the opera is choral, or paired with choral singing. The large chorus of LA Opera were up to the task, driving the evening, singing in ancient Egyptian, ancient Hebrew, and Akkadian.

Zachary James was a forceful Scribe/narrator. It was really interesting seeing this shortly after seeing both Stravinsky's _Oedipus Rex_ and Sheng's _Dream of the Red Chamber_, both also making use of a narrator in the language of the audience. There were no supertitles here, and not having text to read during the performance was liberating.

The product is the one by Phelim McDermott recently seen at English National Opera. There is a lot of slow, ritualized movement, and a shocking amount of juggling, designed by Sean Gandini, with jugglers from Gandini juggling. Like, the story is told via the music, then the juggling, and only then non-juggling actions. For example, in Act 2 when Akhnaten clears the temple of the priests of Amon, it is a squad of jugglers that move on the old priests, the jugglers tossing juggling clubs back and forth, intimidating the priests and driving them away. This is not entirely out of nowhere; there was juggling in ancient Egypt. It was also well choreographed to the music, variations building subtly over time. And I only saw a few dropped items. But it grew a little bit old by the end of the opera.

The stage pictures were particularly stunning, with sets by Tom Pye, lighting by Bruno Poet. The costumes, by Kevin Pollard, were elaborate, helping create distinctive characters. The pace was generally meditative, and was largely effective.

In the first act coronation scene Akhnaten emerges from an upright sarcophagus entirely nude. He slowly walks around the stage as part of the ritual until eventually he is lifted aloft by the jugglers and lowered into a pair of pants. This is followed by his ornate royal robes. This seemed effective; there are themes of rebirth and renewal. Akhnaten seeks to cleanse Egypt, build something new. It was bold, but that is not inappropriate.

The production's one really facile idea was presenting Akhnaten as genderqueer/trans/hermaphrodite, done to highlight his strangeness and weirdness. "Akhnaten was unlike anything Egypt had ever seen!" may be true, but this was not supported by the opera (countertenor does not mean trans), history, and it wasn't reasonable representation.


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## mountmccabe

On December 2 and December 4 I saw Joyce DiDonato's In War And Peace recitals, backed by Il Pomo d'Oro. She sang the same program at each concert, selections from her new album.

Her voice was really thrilling, rich, colored, and powerful. She raged in "Scenes of horror, scenes of woe" from _Jeptha_, and was haunting in "When I am laid in earth" from _Dido and Aeneas_. She worked impressively with the period instrument group, her voice blending with the solo oboe (Magdalena Karolak) on "Pensieri, voi mi tormentate" from _Agrippina_ was a stunning highlight.

The program, like the CD, is organized into two parts, war and peace. It was, of course, not quite that simple, but the darker pieces crowded the opening half and the second part included brighter songs of peace and joy.

The recorder solo (by Daphne Mor) on "Augelletti che cantate" from _Rinaldo_ was on full display, and it was great to hear Joyce singing against that. Even better was the ebullient closer, "Par che di giubilo" from _Attilio Regolo_, which made me think of some of the Rossini closing arias that DiDonato has sung. She came back for an encore of the end of this, ranging the stage, singing at different seating areas. Her final closer (both nights) was "Morgen," set by Richard Strauss.

Il Pomo d'Oro sounded wonderful, led by Maxim Emelyanychev at the harpsichord, also playing an odd wind instrument in one of interspersed instrumental pieces (by Cavalieri, Purcell, Gesualdo, and Pärt).

There was also a staging to the proceedings, directed by Ralf Pleger (who also directed DiDonato in The Florence Foster Jenkins Story). When we were able to enter the hall, Joyce DiDonato was already on stage, in her commanding gown, sitting motionless. A dancer (and choreographer) Manuel Palazzo was also on stage, shirtless. For some pieces he danced to the music or otherwise interacted with DiDonato - such as grabbing her during "Pensieri" - or the occasional wandering musical soloist. There was stage lighting to color everything, and video projections. The projections were much more clear in Bing Concert Hall in Stanford, as they have large screens set up to accommodate that. If I had not seen that first I'm not sure I would have known what was being projected - or that it was anything representational at all - from what I saw at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, which has a much smaller stage with no room for screens.

The staged aspects were interesting, and while I might not consider it necessary, Joyce DiDonato was clearly very engaged. My seats at Bing were in the choral risers behind the stage, and her seat was just in front of me. When she sat down during the instrumental pieces she was not really removing herself from the proceedings and resting; she was still in character, if that makes any sense. She was still acting, still emotionally engaged with the pieces she was presenting. If these elements helped her give a better performance, I'm not going to object.

I enjoyed the Berkeley performance more, but that is mostly because my seat was much better. Bing Concert Hall is a really lovely, modern space, but it has a lot of seating around the stage, including those choral risers fully behind it. I mostly saw the back of everyone's heads, and DiDonato was mostly projecting forward, and the sound balance was designed for the audience in front (there were quite a few more seats there). When she was singing unaccompanied, or when the band was playing on its own, the sound was fantastic. Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley is a little larger, and entirely to the front.


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## mountmccabe

I saw two operas this past weekend from small, local companies.

First up was _I Capuleti e i Montecchi_, done by Berekely Chamber Opera. This company started in 2012; this is their fifth production (counting a couple collaborations).

It was quite enjoyable. Liliane Cromer was quite good as Romeo, with a clear and powerful voice, though she seemed somewhat strained for the final scene. The act 2, scene 2 confrontation with Tebaldo was really quite wonderful. The Tebaldo, Patrick Hagen, showed a richer, more sensitive voice than in the first act.

The opera was performed with a 10 person orchestra, 5 strings, 4 woodwinds, and piano, conducted by Jonathan Khuner (who has conducted performances I've seen from West Edge Opera). There was also a 12-person chorus, which had some great spots, especially when the entire chorus was used. The venue, the Hillside Club in Berkeley has a maximum capacity of 200 (perhaps less when set up for a performance like this).

The sets were minimal, the costumes were effective at deliniating characters, and to give a suggestion of the period. Direction was largely effective.


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## mountmccabe

On Sunday I saw the final performance of _Siegfried_, put on by Voices SF and Valhalla Productions. (You can read a brief article with pictures from San Francisco Classical Voice).

Ross Halper was an appropriately confused Mime. The well-drawn character was focused on all the wrong things (which is his downfall). His tie in the first act, as well as buying eggs and potions from people that stop by (during the overture) seemed to present him as more competent and less isolated than I'd expect, but he did not act this way.

Jonathan Hodel was our Siegfried. He was a little quiet for much of the first act, but he revealed his full voice during the forging song, which seemed not inappropriate. He brought out the most depth in the character in the third act, singing tenderly to Brünnhilde, sounding quite differently than in the previous scene with the Wanderer. And everything before, really, gone was the petulance and constantly distracted child.

The Wanderer was Anders Fröhlich, who I saw in the minor role of the Major-Domo in Andrea Chénier at SF Opera. His frustration was clear as he answered questions from Mime, but he was best in the act summoning Erda, and then with Siegfried.

The third act really opened strong, the Vorspiel had real fire. Brünnhilde was Paige Patrick, and she sang with a clear, powerful voice, only matched by Siegfried. The opera closed big, as it should.

The director/producer was Richard Bogart. The costumes were much as Wagner described them; Wotan indeed had a hat with a gigantic rim and an eye patch. Brünnhilde had a literal shield, breastplate, helmet. Siegfried's full beard placed him as older than I might have gone for, but it's a difficult spot. On Siegfried's entrance, though, he brought in a wolf rather than a bear (is there an alternate version of the libretto?)

The sets were literal and effective. The stone walls of Mime's hut with the stone fireplace for forging and a bed in the back corner for Siegfried to sulk on was the most impressive.

The production mainly worked to highlight knowledge and understanding, which play big roles in this opera. This was brought out by having the Norns come in, one by one, such as during the Mime and Wanderer's question game. They were also present around Erda, and at times during the final scene (which, even though they are mentioned, seemed least appropriate). The best use of the Norns was while Siegfried was remaking Nothung. Mime was at his table, drinking from his cup. The Norns, one by one, came in, passed by Siegfried, then went to drink from Mime's cup. Then Siegfried steals a drink, and inspiration finally strikes Mime.

The Norns were there, but not really there; that is the characters largely did not see or interact with them. Something similar was also seen for Fafner as a dragon. We (the audience) saw both Fafner wearing the Tarnhelm, and the giant blow-up Snake he uncovers. It is the snake that Siegfried fights, but it is Fafner that is stabbed.

This last bit brings up the best part of the production, that it did well to bring out the humor of the opera. I had been wondering what they'd do for the dragon, but I couldn't help but chuckle at the brightly-colored blow-up monstrosity, which seems appropriate for how lightly Siegfried is taking this.

This was an uncut performance of the opera, in an original orchestral arrangement by Francis Griffin. Michael Shahani conducted the orchestra of 26 players, which overflowed from the pit. I would of course prefer a full orchestra, but it was great to hear even this much. Each act was announced by Siegfried's horn call, played from the balcony, which was a lovely touch.


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## Don Fatale

Not an opera, but a recital featuring Wagner and Rossini.

My Wagner year (see topic here) just got off to an unexpected early start.

Last night I saw Miriam Gauci in recital at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta. This Maltese soprano was once in the world's top rank in the 1990's, mainly singing Puccini's heroines the major houses (i.e. Mimi to Domingo's Rodolfo at the Met), Margherita/Elena in Vienna. She's in semi-retirement now, although she does occasional performances in Malta. Her Desdemona I saw 3 years ago was excellent.

When I picked up the ticket for this recital last month I assumed it would be an 'operatic heroines' kind of thing. But to my pleasant surprise her program commenced with _Wagner's Wesendonck Leider_'. Perhaps ill-advised to open the evening with such a delicate work. Her big voice seemed tentative, unsure of how much to give it in this small theatre and that led to some awkward moments. Her husband, conductor Michael Laus on piano was equally tentative, heavily sight-reading. Doesn't seem likely this cycle is played in their parlour when visitors come round.

She continued with _Liszt's Three sonnets of Petrarch_, a rather complex piece that left me wanting to hear it again to understand it more. After the interval we moved on to _Rossini's Serate Musicale_ of which she sung six of them. Now this did give the impression of something they perform in the parlour when they have visitors! This was Rossini at his most tuneful and fun. The program ended with _de Falla's seite canciones populares espanolas_, by which time the singer and (sparce) audience were warmed up and having fun.

Encores followed, harking back to her heyday._ O Mio Babbino Caro and Un Bel Di_. She wrapped the evening up with a seasonal O Holy Night.


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## Belowpar

oops duplicate ...15


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## Belowpar

Der Rosenkavalier. ROH 11 01 2017

A new production Directed by Robert Carsen had the audience in the intervals purring. No machine guns, clocks, leather greatcoats and the lights are on - you could actually see what's happening in the corners of the large sets!!Hurrah.

I enjoyed the production and will go again, but it defies easy characterisation. Authentic? NO but then Strauss set this in the 1740's a time when the Waltz did not mean the same to Vienna as it did in 1911 when the first performance took place. Carsen updates to then and the only thing that matters to my mind is that (mostly) it works well. The sets look lovely and are huge. The impending war is brought in to the second act. The room in a bar for the third act ,becomes a brothel. I felt the music doesn't really reflect that, not of course that I would know what its like in a cough....cough. and he can't help himself; some of the scenery in the brothel is definitely Amsterdam this century. After all it wouldn't be a modern production without something incongruous. And finally did we notice that it was 1911? Was there something in the air? Well at the very end that's spelt out by the set rolling noisily away (with the music at its most delicate) to show the entirely stupid amongst us what was about to happen - but NOT in 1911. The production would be better without this IMO and this is where the House management should step in an reassure the Director that he'd made his points subtlety in Act 2 where its clear the new money comes from arms production.

So the murmur going out was how great to see a traditional production. As I've tried to explain, that's not quite what I saw.

Ably conducted by Andris Nelson this is the kind of understated musicality that's hard to define but easy to under appreciate.

The performances.
Matthew Rose was a revelation as Ochs. Not the normal buffoon. He looks a little like the actor Chris O'Dowd slightly gone to seed and one could easily see him as a skirt chaser. When he removed his top showing his formerly white vest, one immediately thought of the last Carsen production I saw, Falstaff. Here was another Sir John but not so loveable at all. When you consider how much Ochs is on stage portraying him intelligently kept interest high. Well sung and acted I will look out for him again.

In to this male world we had a feisty Sophie, played by Sophie Bevan who introduced herself with stunning high notes. Indeed all the cast were well cast and drilled and each act grew stronger.

(Note with the possible exception that I didn't take to Alice Cote as Octavian, but so strong were the other characters that oddly it hardly seemed to matter. With a better performance this would have been unbeatable)

Ah yes Renee Fleming has chosen this for her final performances here and then at the Met. She still has enough of her lovely voice to have played the part beautifully. She looked the very essence of a Princess in a black sable coat with trail for the final act and she left with the Police Chief in a nice touch. She chose well.

Note. Having this star presence did seem to attract non Opera goers to see her an not the performance. There were verbal fisticuffs in the amphitheatre where someone announced her entrance to their guest and continued long enough for a row to develop. I also heard of a similar incident in the stalls when a child started filming her. Oh the joys of attending live theatre.

Available here for the next 30 days.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b088j2m1


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## Pugg

Belowpar said:


> Der Rosenkavalier. ROH 11 01 2017
> 
> A new production Directed by Robert Carsen had the audience in the intervals purring. No machine guns, clocks, leather greatcoats and the lights are on - you could actually see what's happening in the corners of the large sets!!Hurrah.
> 
> I enjoyed the production and will go again, but it defies easy characterisation. Authentic? NO but then Strauss set this in the 1740's a time when the Waltz did not mean the same to Vienna as it did in 1911 when the first performance took place. Carsen updates to then and the only thing that matters to my mind is that (mostly) it works well. The sets look lovely and are huge. The impending war is brought in to the second act. The room in a bar for the third act ,becomes a brothel. I felt the music doesn't really reflect that, not of course that I would know what its like in a cough....cough. and he can't help himself; some of the scenery in the brothel is definitely Amsterdam this century. After all it wouldn't be a modern production without something incongruous. And finally did we notice that it was 1911? Was there something in the air? Well at the very end that's spelt out by the set rolling noisily away (with the music at its most delicate) to show the entirely stupid amongst us what was about to happen - but NOT in 1911. The production would be better without this IMO and this is where the House management should step in an reassure the Director that he'd made his points subtlety in Act 2 where its clear the new money comes from arms production.
> 
> So the murmur going out was how great to see a traditional production. As I've tried to explain, that's not quite what I saw.
> 
> Ably conducted by Andris Nelson this is the kind of understated musicality that's hard to define but easy to under appreciate.
> 
> The performances.
> Matthew Rose was a revelation as Ochs. Not the normal buffoon. He looks a little like the actor Chris O'Dowd slightly gone to seed and one could easily see him as a skirt chaser. When he removed his top showing his formerly white vest, one immediately thought of the last Carsen production I saw, Falstaff. Here was another Sir John but not so loveable at all. When you consider how much Ochs is on stage portraying him intelligently kept interest high. Well sung and acted I will look out for him again.
> 
> In to this male world we had a feisty Sophie, played by Sophie Bevan who introduced herself with stunning high notes. Indeed all the cast were well cast and drilled and each act grew stronger.
> 
> (Note with the possible exception that I didn't take to Alice Cote as Octavian, but so strong were the other characters that oddly it hardly seemed to matter. With a better performance this would have been unbeatable)
> 
> Ah yes Renee Fleming has chosen this for her final performances here and then at the Met. She still has enough of her lovely voice to have played the part beautifully. She looked the very essence of a Princess in a black sable coat with trail for the final act and she left with the Police Chief in a nice touch. She chose well.
> 
> Note. Having this star presence did seem to attract non Opera goers to see her an not the performance. There were verbal fisticuffs in the amphitheatre where someone announced her entrance to their guest and continued long enough for a row to develop. I also heard of a similar incident in the stalls when a child started filming her. Oh the joys of attending live theatre.
> 
> Available here for the next 30 days.
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b088j2m1


I know what am going to listen to this evening, thanks for sharing.


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## Donata

_La Fanciulla Del West_ at the Santa Fe Opera. Opening night July 3, 2016. 
Starring Patricia Racette as Minnie and Gwyn Hughes Jones as Dick Johnson/Ramerrez.

The first thing that stood out was the odd staging. The cast was packed into a neon-lit garden shed that was supposed to be the Polka Saloon. If any production needed the Jemez Mountains as a backdrop, this would be the one. Instead the cast was cramped into tiny sets that didn't seem to fit the period of the opera.

The audience seemed in touch with their inner 12-year-old, as they giggled through the many "Hellos!" and at the mention of the unfortunately named bandit Dick Johnson. The line "whiskey per tutti," also got laughs. That's a line I'm trying to work into everyday conversation along with, "how many times have you died?" I may need to start drinking more whiskey.

Patricia Racette didn't get off to a great start; sounding shrill, but her voice did improve, and I thought she handled the tough role well. Jones was good, but got drowned out by the orchestra at times. Again, the sets were strange in the second and third acts. Minnie's cabin looked like something picked up at Toys R Us, and the snow blowing outside the cabin window also drew giggles, as it looked so fake.

The Marshal's office set seemed out of place, with its contemporary office furniture and the mysteriously appearing and disappearing noose, "no tree needed!" Finally, Minnie and Johnson walk into the sunset together, no horses in this production. Besides the weird sets and the sometimes stiff, hammy acting, the opera was enjoyable. Overall, the singing was good as was the orchestration, though it drowned out the singers at times.


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## Don Fatale

After November's jaunt to Sicily from Malta (a cheap 30 min flight) where I saw Alfano's Sakuntana (Puccini-like but incapable of providing a big tune), I'm back in Bellini's city and at his named theatre for his rarely performed *La Straniera*.

I did my homework, at least tune-wise, thanks to a youtube audio dating from the early 90's featuring Renee Fleming and Gregory Kunde. It's an excellent and exciting performance and recording. The soprano arias and a couple of innovative choruses stand out. Do have a listen.

Checking into the hotel (time for a pic from my window)...







the receptionist mentions how many people from around Europe have also come to see this rarity, including a guy for 6 consecutive performances, I should introduce him to sospiro!

And so to the Teatro Massimo Bellini. The Massimo('main/big') is a common appellation in these parts, so we may ignore it. What matters is that it's named after the city's most famous son. (Note the classic lunchtime dish in these parts is _pasta alla Norma_, made with Melanzane/Eggplant/Aubergine.) The theatre is classic ornate five-tier horse-shoe shape seating 1200. It's a provincial theatre, which alas means an uneducated audience incapable of leaving their cellphones alone for five minutes. They seem to sell unsold tickets to school groups. Get your phone out in London, Milan, Paris, Berlin, Munich or New York and you WILL get a tap on the shoulder. Not quite as bad as my worst audience in the world (Malta), but bad nonetheless. 







(Thanks Wikipedia commons)

And so to the opera. The youngish Francesca Tiburzi sings the title role (aka Aliade) and has a rich mezzo-like tone that indicates she could sing Eboli and other roles. A dramatic soprano, Tosca is currently her signature role. Vocally, she's the high point; the other singers are barely worth a mention. They seldom stray far from home.

And the production: If I was able to title this review here it would be "The Muddle in the Puddle". The entire second act (of two) sees the cast splashing around in a couple of inches of water, and no, of course Bellini didn't set this opera in a puddle! Given that there was torrential rain when I entered and left the theatre, perhaps the production was a comment on the Catania weather? There were Italian and English surtitles of an excellent standard, which validated my choice of galleria seats. (tip: Go for row D.)

As if it wasn't enough that our Straniera had to splash around in a puddle, she then had her final big aria drowned out by local fireworks... taking place in the square in front of my hotel.

Checking out the Italian press reviews, whilst commending the choice of opera, they agree with my muddle in a puddle assessment. I guess you need a picture. Here's one at the curtain call.








Concerning Catania. I'm growing fond of Sicily's second city (of 1 million). The central area is compact and well-maintained. The people are friendly, not jaded by mass tourism. The hotel picture shows the absolute centre with its signature elephant monument, which I promise to find out about on my next visit. A few yards away is the fish market where a fried seafood stall provides my perfect lunch before I depart for the airport.

Next time, I'm looking for a box (loggia) to escape from the mobile glow.

Prices €20 galleria to €80 stalls. (Boxes somewhere between). I was delighted with my room with the best view in town at €58. Food and drink in town is great value... particularly if you like horsemeat! My usual companion is inordinately fond of the espresso martinis served in the bars, which I think she enjoys more than the operas!


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## DavidA

Saw the broadcast of Trovatore last night from the ROH. Simply dreadful evening with a ghastly production and sets that sucked all the romance out of Verdi's romantic opera. The pointless updating just magnified the absurdities of the plot. The ridiculous notion of having a professional army with tanks fighting circus performers. The costumes were non-existent it seemed with everyone turning up in what the wore yesterday. The singing was pretty good actually given the routine conducting and lack of life from the pit. Where was Pappano? But to have a Manrico who looked like his mother's father - the guy looked older than me and I'm a pensioner - that surely was the final torpedo in this sad production. Now can we have some producers who will stop giving us their barmy ideas and produce the thing as Verdi said? We have enough second rate producers in this country - why import a third rate producer from abroad?


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## Belowpar

I was underwhelmed by this production when I saw it in the house before Christmas. It's my fourth Trovatore and none of them were at all satisfactory, I believe today its simply unperformable nonsense. I'm happy to let producers do their worst with it. Despite some arresting images it still made little sense.

We at least had Pappano who produced fireworks but to little overall effect.


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## DavidA

Belowpar said:


> I was underwhelmed by this production when I saw it in the house before Christmas. It's my fourth Trovatore and none of them were at all satisfactory, I believe today its simply unperformable nonsense. I'm happy to let producers do their worst with it. Despite some arresting images it still made little sense.
> 
> We at least had Pappano who produced fireworks but to little overall effect.


frankly when I came out I really felt depressed. A most dispiriting evening and a waste of time and money. I have an old Karajan / Vienna production on DVD. Karajan was never a great producer but he shows just how well the opera can stand up done straight with a good cast. The ROH production had a reasonable cast but wrecked it all with an appalling production and an elderly Manrico. There were actually people saying 'Well done Granddad' when he took his bow!


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## Belowpar

There's a Karajan Vienna performance on Youtube 1978. i'll try and give it a go.

After all, as the Maschallin Belowpar often says, I'm nothing but open minded


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## Pugg

As I just said in another thread : ( About Il Trovatore )
For those who can watch the Mezzo Channel Saturday 4th you can see this one on your telly.


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## Loge

Rigoletto - ENO

This is a revival of Jonathan Miller's legendary 1982 production.The setting is post war New York, more than a hint of the Godfather. The set designs are awe inspiring, influenced by the paintings of Edward Hopper. There are three sets, the Dukes palace becomes an Art Deco style bar, Rigoletto's house a New York tenement complete with fire escape and Sparafucile's house becomes a bar straight out of Hopper's Nighthawks.

The cast was young and outstanding. Nicholas Pallesen as the doomed Rigolleto, Sydney Mancasola as the sweet and innocent Gilda. But the revelation of this evening was Joshua Guerrero as the Duke, a beautiful tenor voice, that when singing in English sounded so Italian. Look forward to listening to him in the future.

Updating the story to the late 40s, early 50s brought life to a story that is kinda cheesy. And for a production that is now 35 years old, it is still fresh. Just like Miller's Mikado this is a definitive production. At a rather old fashioned curtain call where the cast took their bows through a crack in the curtain, Jonathan Miller appeared to rapturous applause. If you get a chance this, go, it is highly recommended and being the ENO there will be plenty of tickets.


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## DavidA

Not strictly opera but saw the production of Amadeus broadcast from the National Theatre. Although one realises that most of it as sheer fiction I did feel that Adam Gillen's OTT Mozart spoilt it. I know Schaffer reduced him to a simpering, giggling, infantile enfant terrible with a lavatorial sense of humour but Gillen's seemed to be a caricature of a caricature. His performance was that of a village idiot rather than a childish genius. Not realising in acting that often less is more, Gillen, with a shock of bright (bleached?) blonde hair, and a baby-voice that would make the most tolerant type want to throttle him, pushes Mozart’s insouciance so far that he’s often loping about the place with a Quasimodo-like gait. It has been praised in some circles but for me it was so ridiculous that I for one lost all belief in the character. 
Apart from that performances were superb with Lucian Msamati's Salieri outstanding. The production was spectacular. Great theatre for the most part. Pity about the Amadeus!


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## Belowpar

Loge said:


> Rigoletto - ENO
> 
> This is a revival of Jonathan Miller's legendary 1982 production.The setting is post war New York, more than a hint of the Godfather. The set designs are awe inspiring, influenced by the paintings of Edward Hopper. There are three sets, the Dukes palace becomes an Art Deco style bar, Rigoletto's house a New York tenement complete with fire escape and Sparafucile's house becomes a bar straight out of Hopper's Nighthawks.
> 
> The cast was young and outstanding. Nicholas Pallesen as the doomed Rigolleto, Sydney Mancasola as the sweet and innocent Gilda. But the revelation of this evening was Joshua Guerrero as the Duke, a beautiful tenor voice, that when singing in English sounded so Italian. Look forward to listening to him in the future.
> 
> Updating the story to the late 40s, early 50s brought life to a story that is kinda cheesy. And for a production that is now 35 years old, it is still fresh. Just like Miller's Mikado this is a definitive production. At a rather old fashioned curtain call where the cast took their bows through a crack in the curtain, Jonathan Miller appeared to rapturous applause. If you get a chance this, go, it is highly recommended and being the ENO there will be plenty of tickets.


The third Opera I ever saw was during its first season. Have returned several times and seen this production more times than anything else. Very pleased to see they are keeping the quality high.


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## Don Fatale

Ah yes, ENO's Rigoletto, dating from the age of big productions with artistic merit and the ability to pay back for years to come. I really must get down to see it again.


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## mountmccabe

Last night I saw _The Gospel According to the Other Mary_ as put on by the San Francisco Symphony. This version was semi-staged; there was a raised platform behind the orchestra that the six soloists moved around upon (they also climbed up to the choral risers behind that platform). There was no staging (or costumes) for the chorus; they were in concert black and stayed in place the entire program.

I also saw this piece at ENO in late 2014 in a staged production by Peter Sellars, and wrote about it then.

"Tell me: how is this night different" by Lazarus (with text from "Passover" by Primo Levi) was again a highlight. Jay Hunter Morris was mesmerizing and tender. His first vocal appearances (after he is resurrected) are merely strident, but there is a richness to this that was wonderful.

Tamara Mumford and Kelley O'Connor were Martha and Mary (the roles they sang on the premiere and recording under Dudamel). The latter was especially exceptional in "When the rain began to fall" (from "The Savior" by Louise Erdrich), with wrenching low notes. This was staged to great effect; everyone else was slumped over asleep, with her kneeling center stage with stark lighting.

Elkhanah Pulitzer directed; the actions were limited and focused. They avoided over-literal representation of the libretto that would have distracted from the figurative and allegorical nature of the work.

Daniel Brubeck, Brian Cummings, and Nathan Medley, were the three Seraphim, as they were for ENO and the premiere and recording. Grant Gershon (who was choral director for the initial performances (and conducted one of them)) conducted the San Francisco Symphony, and Ragnar Bohlin led the vibrant SFS Chorus.


----------



## Loge

Ring Without Words – Barbican

I was checking on the web to see if there was any Wagner on in London this year and found this evening at the Barbican. On the bill was the overture to Mastersingers, the prelude and liebestod to Tristan und Isolde, finishing off with the Ring Without Words. The orchestra was the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra, a college orchestra. But at £15 a ticket and the need satisfy my Wagner hunger I decided to take a punt on this.

This is the first time I have been to the Barbican concert hall. I must say it is very impressive. Warm, modern, relaxed with comfortable seats, this is the nicest hall in London. Beats the Southbank my usual haunt, hands down. So what of the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra? The musicians were all young in their early twenties. And to be honest with my ear I could not tell the difference between them and a professional orchestra. They sounded magnificent and were deftly conducted by Pietari Inkinen.

What was so remarkable about this performance, you could hear the depth of the orchestra. The difference between the strings up front, and the woodwind and brass at the back. This could not be replicated on a recording. The Ring Without Words was played with fervour and passion. All the elements were there included, offstage anvils and Siegfried’s horn. But it was not quite a ring without words, for the immolation scene American Soprano Lise Lindstrom ascended the stage to sing Brunhilde. That really was an added bonus.

A thoroughly enjoyable evening, it is great to see such young and upcoming talent.


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## Meyerbeer Smith

*Tristes pensées sur Tristan*

*Tristan und Isolde. Conductor: Daniele Gatti. Orchestra: Orchestra of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. Cast: Andreas Schager (Tristan), Rachel Nicholls (Isolde), John Relyea (King Mark), Brett Polegato (Kurwenal), Andrew Rees (Melot), Michelle Breedt (Brangäne). Captured live from Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Rome 27 Nov 2016.*

Well sung and, for the most part, straightforwardly staged; those who like _Tristan_ will like it.

The rest...

"Seeing _Tristan _is a once in a lifetime thing," my companion said as we stumbled out into the daylight. (Wonderful Day! Sunlight, warmth!) "I never want to hear it again in my life."

One of my former university lecturers, also in the audience, sent an e-mail afterwards saying that he'd had enough of Wagner to last him a very long time.

This was the effect of five hours of _Tristan und Isolde_ on two highly intelligent people.

For my part, I'd never realised how wonderful the Liebestod was until I heard it in context. It meant the end of the wretched thing. Five hours of unrelieved angst, with long stretches of arid, formless tunelessness. No wonder Wagner had trouble getting his operas (I beg his pardon, "music dramas") put on!

I like Wagner more than my friend does. The _Dutchman _is good fun; _Tannhäuser_ has some of Wagner's best melodies (never mind its tendency to slaughter harmless okapis); and _Lohengrin _is one of my favorite operas. _Meistersinger _is warm and humane; the _Ring _has its longueurs but the peaks are sublime; and _Parsifal _has moments of translucent beauty.

But I'd gladly never hear _Tristan_ again.

Tristan and Isolde's ambition in life is to die. Only in death, they believe, can they consummate their love. The problem with being dead is, you're dead. That makes consummating your love awfully hard. [1] The grave's a fine and private place, but none, I think, do there embrace. Dead people don't roll around the crypt, having hot dead sex; they lie there and rot. Still, whatever makes them happy.

[1] And that which to consummate love should be awfully hard has decomposed.​
They don't have free will; they drink a magic potion which makes them fall in love (a sort of mediaeval oxytocin). Under its influence, they express their feelings in the sort of gushing, perfumed prose that would make Barbara Cartland blench.

"How our hearts are borne aloft! How all our senses pulsate with bliss! Longing devotion's burgeoning blossoms, yearning love's blessed glow! My heart bursting with exultant delight! Isolde! Tristan! Broken free of the world, won for me! You my only awareness, utmost rapture of love!"

In Act II, they express their feelings in a gargantuan love duet. I say "love duet"; Tristan and Isolde sing abstract nouns at each other, and regurgitate undigested and indigestible bits of Schopenhauer. Granted, "O sink hernieder" [2] is lovely to hear - but (O Lord! O Bacchus!) what lyrics! They start as high-flown gibberish and descend into a dream of narcissistic death.

[2] Lit. "There's a sink down here." Tristan's concern with his plumbing explains why he spends more time talking than doing (or screwing).​
Here are some of the juicy bits:



> I: For how long away! Away for so long!
> T: How far yet so near! So near yet how far!
> I: O enemy of friends, evil distance! Drawn-out time's lingering expanse!
> T: O distance and nearness, sternly parted! Sweet nearness! Desolate distance!
> I: You in darkness, I in light!
> 
> I: There to pledge to you eternal love, to consecrate you to Death in company with myself
> 
> T: Through Death's portals wide and open it flowed towards me, opening up the wondrous realm of Night, where I had only been in dreams. From the image in my heart's sheltering cell it repelled day's deceiving beams, so that in darkness my eyes might serve to see it clearly.
> 
> TOGETHER: Descend O Night of love, grant oblivion that I may live; take me up into your bosom, release me from the world!
> 
> T: Let Day give way before death! (Laß den Tag dem Tode weichen!)
> 
> T: Thus might we die, that together, ever one, without end, never waking, never fearing, namelessly enveloped in love, given up to each other, to live only for love!
> …
> I (dreamily) Let me die!
> 
> TOGETHER: O eternal Night, sweet Night! Gloriously sublime Night of love! Those whom you have embraced, upon whom you have smiled, how could they ever waken without fear? Now banish dread, sweet death, yearned for, long for death-in-love! In your arms, consecrated to you, sacred elemental quickening force, free from the peril of waking!
> 
> TOGETHER: Ever endless self-knowing; warmly glowing heart, love's utmost joy!


That's true love right there. None of this sentimental nonsense about wanting to live happily ever after (or a reasonable facsimile thereof), but a healthy, robust drive towards death. If only they'd died in the first act, they'd have made themselves much happier - and the audience too.

That act, said my friend, reminded him why he stopped reading mediaeval literature. "Everything's an allegory, and a clumsy, clod-hopping one at that."

He has a point. Day, Wagner tells us, is deceitful and false, because it's the realm of the real world (which is an illusion); Night is true, because it's the realm of death and oblivion.

"Wagner's problem is that he never grew up. It's adolescent. It's the pretentious, pseudo-philosophy of a 15-year-old."

In Act III, Tristan (18 years old, but doing his best impression of an emo) still isn't dead. Oh, he's yearning for "divine, eternal, utter oblivion", but he's still in the world of the living. That makes him unhappy, as he tells the audience at great length.

"Yearning! Yearning! While dying yearn, but not to die of yearning! Never dying, yearning, calling out for the peace of death to the far-away physician." [3]

[3]


> I'm irresistibly reminded of _Patience_:
> BUNTHORNE: Tell me, girl, do you ever yearn?
> PATIENCE: I earn my living.
> BUNTHORNE: No, no! Do you know what it is to be heart-hungry? Do you know what it is to yearn for the Indefinable, and yet to be brought face to face, daily, with the Multiplication Table? Do you know what it is to seek oceans and to find puddles? to long for whirlwinds and yet have to do the best you can with the bellows? That's my case. Oh, I am a cursed thing! - Don't go. … What's the use of yearning for Elysian fields when you know you can't get 'em, and would only let 'em out on building leases if you had 'em?



It's like being collared by a drunk who wants to pour out his litany of woe into your ear. "I've had an awful life, me. My mum died when I was born, and things have gone downhill ever since." (Presumably the bandaged form on his roof is his mummy.)

Then comes the good news: Isolde is on her way to heal his wounds. Joy and rapture! He's so excited he tears open his wound, and staggers about the stage, spurting blood all over the place.

"With bleeding wound I once battled with Morold, with bleeding wound I now pursue Isolde! _(Tears the dressing from his wound.)_ Ah, my blood! Cheerily flow, my blood! She who my wound will finally heal, like a hero approaches, she approaches, my salvation! Let the world perish before my rejoicing haste!"

His corpuscles are strewn across the stage, but he lasts long enough to die in Isolde's arms. Isolde is distraught.

"May I not utter my lament to you? Just once, ah! Just once more!" Isolde says towards the end of Act III. Utter her lament? Just once? She's been doing nothing else all the opera.

Ah, but at least there's the Liebestod, Hollywood's favorite go-to piece for tragic love. What the lyrics mean are anyone's guess.

"Are they gentle aerial waves ringing out clearly, surging around me? Are they billows of blissful fragrance? As they seethe and roar about me, shall I breathe, shall I give ear? Shall I drink of them, plunge beneath them? Breathe my life away in sweet scents? In the heaving swell, in the resounding echoes, in the universal stream of the world-breath - to drown, to founder - unconscious - utmost rapture!"

Utmost nonsense. What exactly is "the universal stream of the world-breath"? Does it take mints for halitosis? Is it driven by convection currents? And do "gentle aerial waves" give good reception?

Still more people die, although they don't seem to be very happy about it: Tristan and Isolde's servants, a wicked courtier named Melot, and a whole host of supers. At the end, there are even more bodies onstage than at the end of _Hamlet_. This is a tragedy, and the more corpses the more tragic. Yes, my heart was broken when Non-Speaking Soldier Second on the Right was stabbed in the brisket.

Wagner wrote a youthful tragedy in which so many characters snuffed it he had to bring them back as ghosts. We're spared Tristan and Isolde's spectral apparition. Presumably they're too busy consummating their love. Let us be thankful for small mercies.

Later this year my friend is going to hear Jonas Kaufmann in a concert performance of Parsifal. He's now having second thoughts. "It would be wonderful to hear Kaufmann, of course, but is it worth sitting through more Wagner?"

At the café I went to later, they placed Otello's farewell to arms; the Triumphal March from _Aida_; Beethoven's Ninth; and one of Mozart's piano concerti. I'd forgotten what music sounded like.

Nietzsche suggested Bizet's _Carmen_ as an antidote to Wagner. My friend suggests Mozart or Strauss, sophisticated and grown-up composers. Who else - the worldly wit of Rossini or Offenbach? the Shakespearean compassion of Verdi?

There's one opera that I would put in direct opposition to _Tristan_ - an opera which stands for life as that morbid, solipsistic work stands for death. An opera that puts into practice Hugo's belief that theatre must depict the world in all its rich variety: the ugly and the beautiful, the grotesque and the sublime. It's a historical opera that mixes comedy and tragedy, high-born and low-born characters, and whose score bursts with dizzying invention. It has massive crowd scenes, trios, swordfights, bel canto arias, pastorale scenes, dances, lovers' duets, and a boy played by a girl. And it was produced in Paris in the 1830s.

Here's an extract:


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## interestedin

Great review, SimonTemplar, very entertaining.

Fascinating though that, given that T&I is loved most for its score and less so for its philosophy or the libretto, you didn't waste a single paragraph on the music. :lol:

I too didn't like my first live Tristan, but that was due to the mediocrity of the singing/orchestra. At least that could be improved by further performances. No chance in your case


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## Woodduck

interestedin said:


> Great review, SimonTemplar, very entertaining.
> 
> Fascinating though that, given that T&I is loved most for its score and less so for its philosophy or the libretto, you didn't waste a single paragraph on the music. :lol:
> 
> I too didn't like my first live Tristan, but that was due to the mediocrity of the singing/orchestra. At least that could be improved by further performances. No chance in your case


Great review? What review? I didn't see a review.

A proper response to whatever it actually is could easily provoke a flagging and get the responder banned from the forum. There are already enough crybabies running to big brother around here. I don't want to put temptation in anyone's path.

I'll say just this for now: Anyone who can ask a question like 'What exactly is "the universal stream of the world-breath"?' - using that oh-so-scientific-and-sensible word "exactly" - hasn't a clue what Wagner is about, what he's doing, or what makes him unique, even in those operas you claim to enjoy. But if that's the case, Simon, you aren't alone here.

Maybe best stick with Meyerbeer. Unlike Wagner, he needs friends.


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## Faustian

Woodduck said:


> Great review? What review? I didn't see a review.
> 
> A proper response to whatever it actually is could easily provoke a flagging and get the responder banned from the forum. There are already enough crybabies running to big brother around here. I don't want to put temptation in anyone's path.
> 
> I'll say just this for now: Anyone who can ask a question like 'What exactly is "the universal stream of the world-breath"?' - using that oh-so-scientific-and-sensible word "exactly" - hasn't a clue what Wagner is about, what he's doing, or what makes him unique, even in those operas you claim to enjoy. But if that's the case, Simon, you aren't alone here.
> 
> Maybe best stick with Meyerbeer. Unlike Wagner, he needs friends.


If this is the level of conversation and criticism generated by attending a performance of Tristan with a group of "intellectuals", count me out.


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## Woodduck

Faustian said:


> If this is that is the level of conversation and criticism generated by attending a performance of Tristan with a group of "intellectuals", count me out.


Indeed. I hope never to be that intellectual.

Fortunately, we have an opera composer whose intellect allowed him to delve into areas of human experience more primal than any intellectual conceits - and thus generate endless intellectual speculation.


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## interestedin

Woodduck said:


> Great review? What review? I didn't see a review.


:lol: Rather a review of the opera than of the performance, however disputable the content of that review is. (As someone who loves Tristan dearly I was actually waiting for your rebuttal of Simon's comment. )


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## cheftimmyr

Woodduck said:


> Great review? What review? I didn't see a review.
> 
> A proper response to whatever it actually is could easily provoke a flagging and get the responder banned from the forum. There are already enough crybabies running to big brother around here. I don't want to put temptation in anyone's path.
> 
> I'll say just this for now: Anyone who can ask a question like 'What exactly is "the universal stream of the world-breath"?' - using that oh-so-scientific-and-sensible word "exactly" - hasn't a clue what Wagner is about, what he's doing, or what makes him unique, even in those operas you claim to enjoy. But if that's the case, Simon, you aren't alone here.
> 
> Maybe best stick with Meyerbeer. Unlike Wagner, he needs friends.


Well said Duck; I'd highly recommend the reviewer find a copy of "The First Hundred Years of Wagner's Tristan" by Elliot Zuckerman, it would possibly put the opera into perspective and provide some clarity... I understand "different strokes for different folks" but it seems the plot was missed entirely. Placed in context with Schopenhauer and seeing the underlying meaning in Day vs Night (Light vs Dark) I don't see how anyone could come away with the queries and questions Mr Templar presented.

I think I'm going to put on some Tristan now and enjoy...


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## Woodduck

cheftimmyr said:


> Well said Duck; I'd highly recommend the reviewer find a copy of "The First Hundred Years of Wagner's Tristan" by Elliot Zuckerman, it would possibly put the opera into perspective and provide some clarity... I understand "different strokes for different folks" but it seems the plot was missed entirely. Placed in context with Schopenhauer and seeing the underlying meaning in Day vs Night (Light vs Dark) I don't see how anyone could come away with the queries and questions Mr Templar presented.
> 
> I think I'm going to put on some Tristan now and enjoy...


Zuckerman's is a superb study which I read over forty years ago. I heartily second your recommendation.

As a clue to understanding _Tristan_'s dramatic method, and thus its underlying meaning, I want to suggest that Wagner's dialogue in that singular "love scene" not be taken basically as conversation, but as verbal concretization of music. There is no opera which is more fundamentally about music, and the things that only music can hope to say. I say "hope," because Wagner always tried to achieve more than art can achieve - and nowhere does art come more frighteningly close to becoming something more than it can be than in this opera. _Tristan_ was the earthquake that rent the veil of music's temple. It broke down the culture's comfortable dichotomies: light and darkness, love and hate, beauty and ugliness, life and death, God and the Devil. Clara Schumann called it "the most disgusting thing I have ever seen or heard in my entire life," and Nietzsche said "The world is poor for those who have never been sick enough for this voluptuousness of hell."

Those looking for "happily ever after" had better stick with Disney.


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## Meyerbeer Smith

OK, call it a personal response to _Tristan_ rather than a review! (Semantics!)

I'm aware that Day is an obstacle to Tristan and Isolde's love, and that only in Night (apparently) can they find fulfillment; and that it's also an allegory about the renunciation of longing and desire and the extinction of the self. It's Buddhism filtered through Schopenhauer's pessimism.



> Wagner himself wrote: "Desire, desire, unquenchable and ever freshly manifested longing, - thirst and yearning. *One only redemption. - Death sinking into oblivion, the sleep from which there is no awaking! It is the ecstasy of dying, of the giving up of being, of the final redemption into that wondrous realm from which we wander furthest when we strive to take it by force.* Shall we call this Death? Is it not rather the wonder-world of Night, out of which, so says the story, the ivy and the vine sprang forth in tight embrace, o'er Tristan and Isolde's tomb?"
> 
> Opera Roma's synopsis (http://www.operaroma.it/en/shows/tristan-und-isolde/) refers to:
> 
> "a song of praise to the night - the kingdom of nothingness and of love, contrasting with the hostile, faithless day"
> "eternal joy in the sphere of darkness and nothingness"
> 
> "The duet consists largely of detached ejaculations and verbal plays, each paraphrasing or varying or giving a new turn to the outpouring of the other, the whole permeated with the symbolism of pessimistic philosophy in which night, death, and oblivion are glorified, and day, life, and memory contemned." (http://www.danielmcadam.com/tristan-isolde.html)


Wow, sounds fun! Let's glorify death and oblivion, and condemn life!

Which may be all very well if one agrees with Schopenhauer; I don't. (Life is suffering? We live in the worst of all possible worlds? Happiness is the absence of pain, frustration and dissatisfaction? Twaddle!)

I'm that appalling heretic, an optimist. I like being alive, and I'm not in any hurry to die. I like being able to laugh, to talk, to eat good food, to listen to music, to see plays and movies, to play with my dog, to go ballooning over Rajasthan or ride a motorbike through the streets of India. I like the fact that there's a huge world out there to explore, with new places, new experiences and billions of people to meet. And that huge planet is tiny on a cosmic scale. Almost every day, astronomers find habitable new planets; the universe is probably teeming with life. Who knows what worlds we'll explore in the future when we get out into space?

So you can see why I might not like an opera about the renunciation of the world and "Isn't death wonderful!", with precious little stage action to boot!

By the way, I didn't say that all plays must end happily; Euripides, Schiller and Shakespeare's tragedies don't, nor do many operas. What I do say is that there's something wrong with lovers who yearn for death and oblivion, rather than who want to live. Look at Romeo and Juliet. They want the night to last longer because Romeo must leave at dawn or die, not because "day" is associated with false, worldly values (honor, fame, success, etc.). They plan to leave Verona and live elsewhere, not murder themselves. Romeo only kills himself because he thinks Juliet is dead; likewise, Juliet kills herself because Romeo is dead.

And the opera I suggested as an antidote to _Tristan_'s nihilistic glorification of death and oblivion isn't Meyerbeer; it's Berlioz's _Benvenuto Cellini_.:devil:


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## Meyerbeer Smith

cheftimmyr said:


> Placed in context with Schopenhauer and seeing the underlying meaning in Day vs Night (Light vs Dark) I don't see how anyone could come away with the queries and questions Mr Templar presented.


My natural flippancy.


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## Woodduck

It might help to observe that Wagner can scarcely be said to have spent a moment of his life attempting to die. We can either accuse him of self-contradiction and hypocrisy, or we can view the idea of death, as presented in _Tristan,_ in a sense other than the literal.

"Death," taken mythically and symbolically, is a very rich concept, applied to everything from nightfall to orgasm to religious ecstasy to psychological transformation - which, amazingly enough, are all united in _Tristan,_ and given final expression in Isolde's "Liebestod", which Wagner called her _Verklarung_: "transformation." It's arguable that Tristan and Isolde didn't really want to die, but only to die to a world in which their transcendental reality was not understood or accepted, the "Day" world in which the lives imposed upon them were for them a living death. That a higher dimension of life is possible than that of everyday perception is the perennial religious idea, and the identification of that with Eros, the religion of romantic love and transforming union with the beloved, is the most Romantic of Romantic ideas. _Tristan_ is that idea's most complete and unsparing depiction. It isn't supposed to make us comfortable, and Wagner himself, having spelled out and exhausted its most wonderful and terrible implications, turned to Hans Sachs for the antidote, even quoting _Tristan_ in his shoemaker's shop.


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## Faustian

SimonTemplar said:


> OK, call it a personal response to _Tristan_ rather than a review! (Semantics!)
> 
> I'm aware that Day is an obstacle to Tristan and Isolde's love, and that only in Night (apparently) can they find fulfillment; and that it's also an allegory about the renunciation of longing and desire and the extinction of the self. It's Buddhism filtered through Schopenhauer's pessimism.
> 
> Wow, sounds fun! Let's glorify death and oblivion, and condemn life!
> 
> Which may be all very well if one agrees with Schopenhauer; I don't. (Life is suffering? We live in the worst of all possible worlds? Happiness is the absence of pain, frustration and dissatisfaction? Twaddle!)
> 
> I'm that appalling heretic, an optimist. I like being alive, and I'm not in any hurry to die. I like being able to laugh, to talk, to eat good food, to listen to music, to see plays and movies, to play with my dog, to go ballooning over Rajasthan or ride a motorbike through the streets of India. I like the fact that there's a huge world out there to explore, with new places, new experiences and billions of people to meet. And that huge planet is tiny on a cosmic scale. Almost every day, astronomers find habitable new planets; the universe is probably teeming with life. Who knows what worlds we'll explore in the future when we get out into space?
> 
> So you can see why I might not like an opera about the renunciation of the world and "Isn't death wonderful!", with precious little stage action to boot!
> 
> By the way, I didn't say that all plays must end happily; Euripides, Schiller and Shakespeare's tragedies don't, nor do many operas. What I do say is that there's something wrong with lovers who yearn for death and oblivion, rather than who want to live. Look at Romeo and Juliet. They want the night to last longer because Romeo must leave at dawn or die, not because "day" is associated with false, worldly values (honor, fame, success, etc.). They plan to leave Verona and live elsewhere, not murder themselves. Romeo only kills himself because he thinks Juliet is dead; likewise, Juliet kills herself because Romeo is dead.
> 
> And the opera I suggested as an antidote to _Tristan_'s nihilistic glorification of death and oblivion isn't Meyerbeer; it's Berlioz's _Benvenuto Cellini_.:devil:


So you are critiquing the work on the basis of what amounts to a superficial plot synopsis? To say that light represents "life" and night represents "death" is a gross simplification and misunderstanding. First of all, regarding Schopenhauer, his philosophy is often crudely summarized, and to say his many great insights into the human condition can be encompassed by a single concept like "life is suffering" is a huge disservice to this great thinker. But on top of that, treating Tristan und Isolde as if it were some sort of transcription of Schopenhauer's philosophy into opera is a huge disservice to this great work of art. Like many creative geniuses, Wagner raided the works and ideas of others for what he needed, and if they didn't give them that he dismissed them or bent them to his own purposes. There is quite a lot to Tristan that is in direction opposition to Schopenhauer's philosophy. In fact, Wagner wrote a fairly detailed critique of Schopenhauer's views, and flirted with the idea of sending it to the philosopher, but thought better of it. Now, I'm not denying there was an influence. Tristan is in some ways the portrayal of two individuals whose lives are permeated by suffering, and who have a burning need to understand what its nature and origins are, and to find a way of transcending it. That the answer they emerge with during the Act II duet is related to some aspects of Schopenhauer's philosophy is something it would be idiotic to deny, but it would be even more idiotic to claim that without an understanding of his philosophy one couldn't grasp the essence of Tristan. Wagner's use of his philosophy is so idiosyncratic I would argue that it is far better to remain in ignorance of what Schopenhauer said than to know it and try and to fit Tristan to it. After all, it is not too unusual to realize that erotic impulses and frustration are a fundamental part of human existence; whether in biological terms or in psychological and emotional terms.

What is at stake here is not life or death, it is the need to recover a sense of completeness that is lost with consciousness, and also our sense of identity. The work is a glorification of sexual love, not death in and of itself. As with all great drama it is ultimately life-affirming, even cleansing. Our lives _are_ poor if we never experience what mystics have called ecstasy: passion that takes us beyond the familiar realities of everyday experience, opening to the mystery that lies beyond our senses, below our consciousness, and beyond our deaths. Few works of art convey that mystery as Tristan does.


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## Meyerbeer Smith

OK, for Woodduck…:tiphat:

*Tristan und Isolde
Composer: Richard Wagner
Conductor: Daniele Gatti
Orchestra: Orchestra of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
Cast: Andreas Schager (Tristan), Rachel Nicholls (Isolde), John Relyea (King Mark), Brett Polegato (Kurwenal), Andrew Rees (Melot), Michelle Breedt (Brangäne)
Director: Pierre Audi
Set Design: Christof Hetzer
Captured live from Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Rome 27 Nov 2016
Trailer here: 



*

I'm listening to the Furtwängler recording (1952) as I write. In the Prelude, he gets extraordinary dark colours from his strings and woodwind, and invokes mystery and sorrow. The Prelude sounds like breakers rolling up on a beach, like the sweetness of sexual union, and like yearning. It's love on an epic scale; it's a search for transcendence. Tristan and Isolde try to dissolve their identities through sex, becoming one. This is deeply erotic music. No wonder it revolutionized music!

Ideally, listening to it should prepare the listener for the three acts to come; it should lead him from the world outside the theatre (the world of day, if you will) to Wagner's world of inner emotion. By the end of the prelude, he should be almost in a reverie.

The Prelude in the Rome broadcast fails to move.

Maybe it's a fault of the cinema capture; Gatti intellectually understands the music, as the interviews show, and apparently received a ten minute standing ovation. At the cinema screening, audience members also showed their approval with their feet. Many walked out at the end of Act II, and several of us stayed more from a sense of duty ('Only another hour to go; might as well stick it out') than because we were enjoying it.

The Liebesnacht in the Furtwängler is ravishingly beautiful. Wagner has often been accused of not knowing how to write for the voice; the singers, Fischer-Dieskau quipped, have the honour of accompanying the orchestra. For its full effect, the scene relies on the beauty of the voice as much as anything in Rossini: the lovers' voices caress and mingle, while Brangäne's voice floats down like a shower of silver. Suthaus's "So sterben wir, um ungetrennt" sends shivers down my spine. The scene should transfix the audience. If I'm sitting in the cinema objecting to the lyrics rather than basking in the music, something's wrong.

Perhaps the problem lies with the production. It's fairly straightforward - minimalist, as Wagner often is these days, because director Pierre Audi didn't want to compete with the music. (A refreshing change!) For the most part, the staging doesn't distract. The ship becomes weathered blocks of metal, and the garden in Act II becomes a graveyard of whale bone, a forest of white prongs towering over the characters. Act III is updated to the vague present; Tristan and Kurwenal wear flak jackets. (Why, though, is there a mummy on his roof?) It's not an attractive staging, but it's not blatantly ugly either. In the age of Régietheater, that's a plus.

What it lacks is drama. _Tristan_ is a static, inward opera, and in some ways works best as a symphony of voices. In the nineteenth century, some of its admirers wanted boxes that didn't let them see the stage; today, it may be best enjoyed on disc.

For it to hold the audience's attention over three long acts requires great skill. Audi's production bores. Characters have intimate conversations without looking at each other (e.g., Brangäne and Isolde in Act I). In some ways, it's a throwback to the stand-and-deliver style - acceptable in a heroic bel canto opera, but disastrous for such an intimate work.

Andreas Schager (Tristan) has the right heroic heft in his voice, and Rachel Nicholls is solid but perhaps lacks stage presence. Although the leads are fine singers, the production gives them little chance to develop chemistry. There's little physical contact between the leads. After they've drunk the potion, for instance, they move to opposite sides of the stage and deliver the love duet to the wall.

The rest of the cast is good. John Relyea (whom I last saw as an excellent Bertram in the otherwise disastrous Covent Garden _Robert le Diable_) is a sympathetic Marke. Michelle Breedt as Brangäne can certainly sing, but her costume does her no favors. Her publicity photos (http://www.michellebreedt.com/gallery/) show her to be an attractive woman, resembling Helena Bonham-Carter - but here she looks like the fat singer of Wagnerian stereotype.

Like many modern directors, Audi can't resist the temptation to change things. The potions of love and death become lumps of rock (a vaguely heart-shaped piece of gold, and a cancerous piece of jet or basalt for the death potion). It's hard to see how Brangäne swaps the potions. She holds one of the lumps of rock to her head while Tristan and Isolde stumble around the stage, clutching their heads like victims of the world's worst hangover. There's no torch in the Liebesnacht, which lacks its proper magic; and Tristan doesn't tear the dressing from his wound.

Audi adds new material, apparently to make the opera more tragic. After all, as Gatti says several times, "this is the opera of death". So Kurwenal kills Brangäne, and Marke and Tristan's soldiers die in a battle. At the end of the opera, the stage is littered with corpses; everyone except Marke and Isolde are dead.

Yes, Isolde. The staging of the Liebestod is effective; Nicholls stands in front of an enormous electric sun, so bright that she's a silhouette. It's a clever staging of the Day/Night image, and also suggests that she's remote from the mortal, "day" concerns of Marke.

Too little, too late, though. While her singing of the Liebestod is radiant, we've had to sit through five hours of inadequate, boring staging to get there. At his best, Wagner stirs emotions that few other composers can reach. This time, the Liebestod didn't move or awe; it was a welcome sign that the production was over, and I could have a good, stiff drink.


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## Faustian

Thanks! Admittedly, now I'm not quite so sure that because I like Tristan, I'd like this.


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## Pugg

You should be ask to be working for Gramophone or any other magazine available .:tiphat:


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## Woodduck

Thanks, Simon. Another production I'm happy to miss.

Thanks too for your appreciation of Furtwangler. His recording must be heard by anyone who wants to understand this opera.

For a dying bee, you write damned well.


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## Meyerbeer Smith

Thanks! (And my blushes.)


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## Woodduck

SimonTemplar said:


> Thanks! (And my blushes.)


A blushing bee. Way cool.


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## Loge

MADAMA BUTTERFLY – ROH

I saw Ermonela Jaho sing Suor Angelica last year, and was so blown away by her performance had to buy a ticket to see this. Before the production began an announcer stepped onto the stage with a microphone, the whole audience groaned. He informed us that the singer for Goro was ill and that his replacement had been flown in from Vienna. There was a huge sigh of relief and applause.

Was it worth buying a ticket? Yes, Jaho had the look, the body language and voice of a lady from a Kurosawa movie. I was blinking throughout the production, is this the same person who sung Suor Angelica? As the cliché goes, she didn’t play Butterfly she was Butterfly. Her singing was beautiful and sounded almost Japanese to my ear (I know it is Italian), but she was that convincing in character. Unfortunately her un bel di vedremo, was spoilt by some of the worst audience coughing I have encountered. And the aria is only ten minutes into Act II, can’t people wait?

The supporting cast was excellent, especially Marcelo Peunte as Pinkerton. Dashing, good looking and surprisingly sympathetic, listening to the ladies at the interval they appreciated this romantic lead. His final aria before he ran off, was sung with such passion and sincerity, I felt sorry for Pinkerton (I usually don't). Elizabeth Deshong was a wonderfully voiced Suzuki, Scott Hendricks as the dependable Sharpless and the kid who played sorrow was really good.

The production was very nice, serviceable. Though I think the ENO/Met Minghella is more dramatic. Jaho is singing Butterfly at the Met next season, so interesting to see her in that.

The production was conducted by Pappano. He always picks the right tempos; this production was over before it had begun. The last two acts were played without an interval and the time just flew by. Pappano certainly has the magic touch.

A fantastic evening and I can’t wait for Jaho’s return to the ROH.


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## Daintydiana

We saw it too. Paid plenty for miserable, ugly, absurd staging. Time to stop paying the mortgages of these worthless directors. We need to stop complaining and start avoiding these regietheatre productions. We go to the opera to be entertained, and will take care in the future to book only classic productions that do just that - entertain!


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## mountmccabe

Friday morning I saw Philippe Jordan lead the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a concert of excerpts/sythenses from the Ring. The program was the same as the CD released a few years ago.

Even though I really enjoy instrumental opera like this, what struck me most after the first half of the concert (through _Siegfried_) was how much I missed the vocal lines, and how much they were brought to mind by hearing the these excerpts. This is quite a change from when I first started listening to opera!

Any any rate given that this was just pieces there is no real read on the long lines, but there was some great beauty brought out. The Magic Fire Music was especially lush. And I should note that the LA Phil had the giant orchestra called for, complete with anvils, six harps, and Wagner tubas.

After intermission were the selections from _Götterdämmerung_. While in the first half there were breaks between pieces, the Rhine Journey and Funeral March were played straight through. I'm not sure this worked, it was as if they were not allowed to shine on their own. Though, to be fair, we were looking forward to something wonderful.

As the Funeral March was ending, Iréne Theorin walked out, slowly, gracefully, and the music transitioned. There was a stately calm underpinning her Brünnhilde, but it grew in fervor as she went on. This was a clear and textually focused Immolation. Being an excerpt, it took a little bit to really get going, but it built to an entirely satisfying climax.


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## mountmccabe

Last night I saw _La temple de la Gloire_ by Jean-Philippe Rameau. It premiered in 1745, displeased Louis XV, transferred to the Paris Opera and did no better there. It was revised, softening some of Voltaire's didacticism, but has remained a rarity. And, per the program, the only surviving manuscripts were from the later revision. Wikipedia suggests the original version was in five acts, but the performance here was in a prologue and three acts. I certainly don't know who is off, but the short score plus libretto from 1745 that they found in the 1970s was on display (under glass) in the lobby; it is part of UC-Berkeley's collection. One reason I bring this up is that there is a version of this opera on CD from a couple years ago, reviews call it the 1746 version but it seems very similar. I've heard it, but not enough to pick out differences, if any.

The performance included a large cast of singers and dancers; I counted 34 on-stage performers at bows, plus a just-off-to-the-side chorus of about 17.

One standout was Chantal Santon-Jeffery, heard in the recording mentioned above, here singing Lydie, Une Bacchante, and La Gloire; her soprano was clear and delightful. I was surprised that she wasn't Trajan's wife in the third act, until she appeared as La Gloire. [Her headdress made me think of The Statue of Liberty, which made me wonder if that state was of Glory... for a moment until I realized my error].

Artavazd Sargsyan was also wonderful as Bacchus and other smaller roles, with full command and beautiful sound at the higher end of his haute-contre range.

I know exceptionally little about dance so I cannot say much on that, except that the dances did fit in with the overall arc of the opera quite well. Per the program Catherine Turocy, the director/choreographer, choreographed the work based on her reconstructions of period dance notation of the time. [This was not her first time working on this opera; she choreographed and danced in the revised version in 1991].

The score was performed by the Philharmonia Baroque, a local period ensemble, led by Nichoals McGegan. There were about 40 players, including two of the most curious spirally natural horns. It was quite lovely to hear the rich sound they produced.

The sets went for somewhat period appropriate tech, with cloth screens and backdrops, along with some computer drawn (and occasionally tastefully animated, such as the ruins for Artaxata in the third act) images. The costumes for the prologue and act 1 were ancient in style; act 3 went for the time of composition, really going for the Trajan as Louis XV idea.

In the prologue, Envy attempts to storm the Temple of Glory, but is rebuffed by Apollo. We then see three kings attempting to gain admittance. Bélus is coming from great victories (ignoring his wife to go to war) and assumes the Temple is for him, but he is also stopped by Apollo. (Quite a choice for a piece written to celebrate a rare victory for the French in the War of Austrian Succession). This act was a little dull, but (appropriately) built well to the confrontation at the end. The second act was much more lively, featuring revelers including a (human in costume as an) ostrich. Bacchus didn't really know anything about the Temple of Glory, but figured he'd get in because he is so popular. He was rebuffed by the Grand Priest, saying that letting him in would debase the temple, so he would have to make due with his feasts, and hope that the joy he brings makes up for the chaos. So we have a quite fun act, but are shown that we should look for more than that. Trajan is the focus of the third act; he is loving to his wife and magnanimous in victory, defending against attacking kings. Glory crowns him, and he declares that the Temple should be for everyone.

It was quite interesting seeing this so soon after seeing _The New Prince_ by Mohammed Fairouz. This new opera has much the same structure; a prologue and three not internally related parts as object lessons about world leaders. Of course Fairouz and David Ignatius put Machiavelli and future world leader Wu Vitru on stage, whereas for the Rameau opera Voltaire was behind the scenes and Louis XV was in the audience.

It was also interesting to see an opera from 1745, during the War of Austrian Succession so soon before seeing _Der Rosenkavalier_ which (as written) is set at that time. If Strauss and Hofmannsthal weren't so interested in filling their opera with anachronisms, the dancing and diegetic singing might have been more like this.


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## mountmccabe

I saw _Der fliegende Holländer_ at the Metropolitan Opera on May 12. The singing was exceptional, the orchestra played well and did not overpower the singers but also wasn't the force it could be. The direction and conception of the piece were severely lacking.

Amber Wagner's Senta was an absolutely standout; her voice clear and beautiful. She was a confident Senta, and was secure her in ballad. The production had her have absolutely no interest in Erik, sung by the AJ Glueckert making his Met debut. He was perhaps a little frantic during Act 2, but the production had very little use for him. He came off much better in Act 3, especially during the trio. Senta was much more interested in the Dutchman, but the production included little physical contact. Michael Volle made the most of it, and showed a new tenderness when they first met. He was great as the Dutchman, commanding, yet with vulnerability.

Franz-Josef Selig's Daland was mostly lost in the production, but, his sound was steady and effective. Dolora Zajick and Ben Bliss were also fine in their roles as Mary and the Steersman.

The production was focused on Senta and the Dutchman; and was actively empty about every else. It had no time to work on the connections between the Steersman and Erik, and each of them with the Dutchman. I guess where the Dutchman and Senta-only thing worked was the ending, with the thundering Volle and the soaring Wagner being the only characters we had any connection to. As the Dutchman on his stairs was being lifted up to his ship (more on that in a moment), Senta had gone up her own set of stairs and could at least have conceivably leapt off a cliff, though from my vantage point she just disappeared into the darkness at the back of the stage. As the hopeful ending played we did not see them ascending (it seemed like something they could have done) but a beautiful blue light did slowly overtake the darkness of the back of the stage.

A note in the program mentioned that the time period of around the time of composition had been chosen, but there were also electric lights (complete with switch) in the act 2 sewing room. It was not until the Dutchman's ship arrived that I realized that the act 1 set was supposed to be a ship and not a rocky ground (there was a large rock wall just beyond the rails of the ship). This is mainly due to the scrim that was down the entire act (same for the third act), hiding details. (The audience liked it, and applauded when the curtain went up; looking old-fashioned is good enough, I suppose). The Flying Dutchman appeared to be a giant ocean liner, towering over Daland's vessel enough that we did not see the decks. The Dutchman himself came down on staircase lowered from above; and he sang his first monologue from up on high (a neighbor mentioned that he had not been able to see the Dutchman from his previous seat in Family Circle). No sails were visible on the act one set, but they did not rely upon an unique translation of the libretto to cover this. Due to the time shift, Act 2's spinning room had no spinning, but hand-operated sewing machines. Mary was at cross-stitch, it appeared. The Met titles (in English) didn't have anything about spinning, "translating" the text as sewing. Especially after the act 1 set, this space seemed claustrophobic, the floor covered with sewing machines and sails-in-progress. Everyone had to be careful when moving around. Act 3 had a wide cement staircase off to the left, which held the entire men's chorus, again, not giving them much room. The Dutchman's ship was again visible, and was lit up showing cut-outs (or something?) allowing a view of the crew for their part of the chorus. Daland's men and the women never quite recovered their coordination, but I'm not sure that was on purpose.

Other than those coordination issues, The chorus sounded fantastic. Yannick Nézet-Séguin kept the orchestra out of the singers way but did little else with the score; there was no real flow, no line through the work. The overture did not come off as a single piece, but as being in distinct sections.


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## mountmccabe

I saw _Der Rosenkavalier_ at the Met, on May 13.

I should feel satisfied to write about nothing except for the finale, with that glorious trio and the final duet. I know we were prepared for it by Weigle's caressing of the score, and the productions sentimental embrace of the waltz themes throughout. It is also the imperiousness of Renée Fleming's Marschallin entering to clear things up in that giant fur. Elīna Garanča's Octavian hasn't really stood up for anything, but might eventually understand what has taken place. Erin Morley's Sophie was treated awfully by Ochs, but she eventually stood up for herself. She then misunderstood, thinking Octavian's affection for her was just part of the farce, but now he's here, and even if he has no backbone, the Marschallin is accepting her, so everything must be alright.

Polenzani was wonderfully ridiculous and imposing of voice, Groissböck was well-balanced and expressed the character's wide range. But I basically forgot about all of that once Fleming started, and Garanča and Morely joined in. External stories of retiring roles and quasi-retirement didn't hurt, but it was this score, and those gorgeous, clear voices blending so perfectly that brought the emotions. I do not have words for how this sounded, how it felt to be there. It was a long afternoon with much to recommend it, but I walked out of the opera house unsure that I had ever heard anything (in person) that exceptional. (Including a performance from the last run of the tired old production at the Met in 2012).

p.s. I was in the back corner of the orchestra and there were no real volume problems from Renée Fleming. And I was quite moved by her coming out for bows before Elīna Garanča, which seemed a lovely gesture. The crowd cheered everyone, but it became a roar when Fleming came out, and continued unabated for Garanča.


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## Pugg

mountmccabe said:


> I saw _Der Rosenkavalier_ at the Met, on May 13.
> 
> I should feel satisfied to write about nothing except for the finale, with that glorious trio and the final duet. I know we were prepared for it by Weigle's caressing of the score, and the productions sentimental embrace of the waltz themes throughout. It is also the imperiousness of Renée Fleming's Marschallin entering to clear things up in that giant fur. Elīna Garanča's Octavian hasn't really stood up for anything, but might eventually understand what has taken place. Erin Morley's Sophie was treated awfully by Ochs, but she eventually stood up for herself. She then misunderstood, thinking Octavian's affection for her was just part of the farce, but now he's here, and even if he has no backbone, the Marschallin is accepting her, so everything must be alright.
> 
> Polenzani was wonderfully ridiculous and imposing of voice, Groissböck was well-balanced and expressed the character's wide range. But I basically forgot about all of that once Fleming started, and Garanča and Morely joined in. External stories of retiring roles and quasi-retirement didn't hurt, but it was this score, and those gorgeous, clear voices blending so perfectly that brought the emotions. I do not have words for how this sounded, how it felt to be there. It was a long afternoon with much to recommend it, but I walked out of the opera house unsure that I had ever heard anything (in person) that exceptional. (Including a performance from the last run of the tired old production at the Met in 2012).
> 
> p.s. I was in the back corner of the orchestra and there were no real volume problems from Renée Fleming. And I was quite moved by her coming out for bows before Elīna Garanča, which seemed a lovely gesture. The crowd cheered everyone, but it became a roar when Fleming came out, and continued unabated for Garanča.


They so deserved it, even I was moved to tears.


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## mountmccabe

I saw Don Giovanni at San Francisco Opera. Direction was by Jacopo Spirei, a revision of Gabriele Lavia's production seen here in 2011.

D'Arcangelo's Don Giovanni is a brute. He gratuitously beats the Commendatore, it is no contest. He wears leather pants and a leather overcoat, neither of which look particularly classy or compelling. He is distracted during "Deh, vieni alla finestra," rather than focused on his target. He was reported as under the weather before curtain, but he also did not sound that suave.

So it was not convincing that Donna Elvira was hopelessly in love with him. Ana María Martínez sounded good, but went for crazy, especially in the first act. This overacting elicited a lot of laughs, but it makes a mess of the drama. Why doesn't Donna Anna see that she is crazy? And suddenly Don Ottavio's response to her and more or less taking the Don's side seems almost reasonable!

Erin Wall and Stanislas de Barbeyrac were also fine without being remarkable. The production did them no favors, tending to treat their arias as separate entities, rather than connected. The mirror concept, promised to show the character's inner psychology, was particularly ridiculous. Donna Anna sings "Or sai chi l'onore" and runs off (as in the libretto). Don Ottavio sings "Dalla sua pace" and the mirrors helpfully show us Donna Anna, in case we were confused by pronouns.

There also seemed to be a significant break between Donna Anna leaving and Don Ottavio going into his recitative, more than just the few beats of rest in the score. Marc Minkowski overall approach to the score seemed to be as separate numbers. The playing by the orchestra was fine, but there was little sparkle. "Finch' han del vino" was a bit of a slog, for example. 

Other than the mirrors, the production mostly went for amusing. To be clear, I don't mean funny. Sarah Shafer was properly seductive as Zerlina, and Michael Sumuel handled the character range for Masetto well. They were also, however, hampered by the production. After Masetto is beat by Don Giovanni, Zerlina comes and, while singing "Vedrai, carino" actually puts balm on him and dresses his wounds.

The only person really helped by the production was Erwin Schrott as Leporello. He was fantastic. The more sublte, biting humor played well against the overall broad humor. He was especially adept at imitating D'Arcangelo; his Don Giovanni voice was quieter, but colored just right.

Of course a Don Giovanni that is amusing falls far short of ideal. This was a largely disappointly average performance. Here's hoping D'Arcangelo is felling better for the rest of the run (there are seven more performances) and/or the cast gels better, but only Don Ottavio and Zerlina are marking role debuts and with this production it seems unhelpful.


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## Meyerbeer Smith

*Fromental Halévy - La reine de Chypre - Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, starring Véronique Gens, conducted by Hervé Niquet*

Halévy's bust is on the right-hand side of the Palais Garnier, under the inscription "Poesie lyrique". I went to pay my respects after hearing the concert version of _La reine de Chypre_, the first performance in more than a century.









(The seven busts on the front of the Palais Garnier are, from left to right, Rossini, Auber, Beethoven, Mozart, Spontini, Meyerbeer and Halévy. Busts of other composers - including Monteverdi, Bellini, Verdi, and Weber - are on the other sides.)

Véronique Gens's warm, rich voice, Hervé Niquet's dynamic conducting (he seemed to have springs in his heels), and Halévy's music added up to a wonderful evening, despite an inadequate tenor. (The poor chap was a replacement; he'd only been given the score that morning.)

I can only offer general impressions; I'll have to hear the score again. (It's meant to be broadcast on radio and released as a CD; I presume they'll use yesterday's general rehearsal, mixed with today's concert. It worked for the Carreras _Juive_.) It's the same plot as Donizetti's _Caterina Cornaro_; the tone is chivalric and noble. _La Juive _is better, but this is at least as good as most Verdi. Very tuneful, imaginatively orchestrated (parts remind me of Berlioz), monumental choruses and ensembles (the Act I finale has the cataclysmic effect of Verdi's Dies irae), alongside more intimate scenes. Highlights include Catarina's aria in Act II, the lovers' duet in the same act, the duet for tenor and baritone at the end of Act III (this includes "Triste exilé", the only recorded piece from the opera), and the quartet in the last act.

The crowd (despite objections to the tenor) were enthusiastic, and thought the music was wonderful. Halévy can still please an audience - if only he were given more of a chance.

We need more Halévy. He was the leading French opera composer of the second third of the 19th century, and Berlioz, Wagner and Mahler all admired him. Let's hope that performances of _Guido et Ginevra_, _Le juif errant_ (admired by Théophile Gautier as an important philosophical work), _La tempête_, and some of the opéras-comiques, particularly _L'éclair_, _Les mousquetaires de la Reine, __Le val d'Andorre _(which Berlioz liked), _La fée aux roses _and _Jaguarita l'indienne _follow.


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## Belowpar

SimonTemplar said:


> *Fromental Halévy - La reine de Chypre - Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, starring Véronique Gens, conducted by Hervé Niquet*
> View attachment 95069
> 
> 
> _La Juive _is better, but this is at least as good as most Verdi.
> 
> The crowd (despite objections to the tenor) were enthusiastic, and thought the music was wonderful. Halévy can still please an audience - if only he were given more of a chance.
> 
> We need more Halévy. He was the leading French opera composer of the second third of the 19th century, and Berlioz, Wagner and Mahler all admired him. Let's hope that performances of _Guido et Ginevra_, _Le juif errant_ (admired by Théophile Gautier as an important philosophical work), _La tempête_, and some of the opéras-comiques, particularly _L'éclair_, _Les mousquetaires de la Reine, __Le val d'Andorre _(which Berlioz liked), _La fée aux roses _and _Jaguarita l'indienne _follow.


So pleased you enjoyed the performance.

Why do you think he has falied to maintain his position in the modern world of music? I can't recall a London production of any of his works.

Also I have aria's but nothing complete. What recording would you suggest as a starter?


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## Meyerbeer Smith

Belowpar said:


> So pleased you enjoyed the performance.
> 
> Why do you think he has falied to maintain his position in the modern world of music? I can't recall a London production of any of his works.
> 
> Also I have aria's but nothing complete. What recording would you suggest as a starter?


It's a difficult question. Wagner, Berlioz and Mahler all admired his operas, which suggests that he's worth taking interest in!

A lot of composers vanished from the stage, whether because of changing fashions or of different singing approaches. The Italian bel canto composers, who are today a major part of the repertory, were known for decades only by a handful of works, but were rediscovered after WWII. I've heard several people say that the French don't take much pride in their musical heritage; if Halévy had been Italian, all his operas would have been recorded by now.

Start with _La juive_, a masterpiece. The best CD recording is Almeida's, starring Carreras, Varady, and June Anderson. Neil Shicoff sings Eléazar in the Vienna production, available on DVD, but that version is ugly Regietheater. Both recordings are cut, though! The only complete recording is with Ludovic Tézier, but I haven't been able to track it down.

Only five of his operas have been recorded: _La juive_; _L'éclair_ (bootleg, in German); _La magicienne_ (bootleg, abridged); and _Charles VI_ (bootleg). Bizet, his son-in-law, completed _Noe_ after his death; there's a DVD of a Compiègne production.


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## Meyerbeer Smith

The French press have been scathing about the tenor:

https://www.forumopera.com/la-reine-de-chypre-paris-tce-la-deveine-dhalevy
http://www.lemonde.fr/scenes/articl...e-chypre-en-mal-de-tenor_5140769_1654999.html

Bachtrack (in English!) was more positive (and I agree with most of what they say):

https://bachtrack.com/review-halevy-reine-chypre-niquet-gens-dupuis-paris-june-2017


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## Meyerbeer Smith

*Saint-Saëns' Timbre d'argent* at the Opéra Comique last night.

Conductor: François-Xavier Roth
Staging: Guillaume Vincent
With Raphaëlle Delaunay, Hélène Guilmette, Jodie Devos, Tassis Christoyannis, Edgaras Montvidas, Yu Shao
Choir accentus 
Orchestra Les Siècles

Trailer: 




I thought of walking out after the interval. The Opéra-Comique is a beautiful theatre, the acoustics are excellent, but the sightlines are atrocious. My seat certainly wasn't cheap, but from where I sat I could still only see half the stage. How did people in the nineteenth century tolerate it?

It was a modern dress production, and the tenor, Edgaras Montvidas, sounded strained and harsh. The music, too, was Saint-Saëns: correct, but uninspired. (_Samson et Dalila _and _Henry VIII _are good, _La princesse jaune _has a charming overture, but I don't care much for _Proserpine_, _Hélène_, _Phryné _or _Les barbares_.) The long overture, a buffo aria in the style of Offenbach, and "Le bonheur est chose légère", the only aria recorded from the opera, were striking; the rest of the first half was boring.

I stayed for the second half, though; I'd have regretted it if I'd left. Things improved. The score seemed richer, especially the charming duet for the secondary couple, and the trio and Alleluia at the end. Several impressive special effects, including fireworks, a couple of spinning mirror balls sending dots of light around the theatre, soloists moving through the ground level, chorus standing outside the auditorium or on balconies.

I don't think it adds up to a coherent opera. The plot is bizarre: the hero is given a magical bell which will make him rich, but every time he strikes it someone dies. He leaves his fiancée for an erotic dancer, tries to repent, but the devil pursues him and he goes mad. He breaks the bell, and wakes up. The action of the opera was all a dream! Korngold's _Tote Stadt_ does something similar, but is psychologically oriented and more convincing. S-S's opera is a phantasmagoria; scenes often seem stuck in without much sense; and the characters are unengaging - there's little _emotional _connection. If I wanted to be pretentious, I could say that it's both metatheatrical (drawing attention to stage effects as an end in themselves) and a precursor of Existentialist and Absurdist drama.

It's not a lost masterpiece, which Halévy's _Reine de Chypre _*is*, but I look forward to hearing a recording.

Severe crick in my neck this morning, though; I'll get through it on Ibuprofen and Panadol.


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## TurnaboutVox

*Puccini - Tosca* at Blackpool Grand Theatre, Saturday 10th June 2017
English Touring Opera

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/mar/06/tosca-review-english-touring-opera-blanche-mcintyre-michael-rosewell#img-1

Conductor - Michael Rosewell
Director - Blanche McIntyre
Designer - Florence de Maré
Lighting Designer - Mark Howland

Paula Sides - Tosca
Alexander James Edwards - Caveradossi
Craig Smith - Scarpia
Timothy Connor - Angelotti
Matthew Stiff - Sacristan
Maciek O'Shea - Sciarrone
Aled Hall - Spoletta
Vanessa Bowers -Shepherd
Felix Kemp - Jailer

I'm no judge of opera, but this was a thoroughly enjoyable night out. Our attention was particularly drawn to Paula Sides, a dramatic and thrilling Tosca (and, says Mrs. Vox, who knows about such things, a pretty good actress) and also to Craig Smith, a satisfyingly saturnine Scarpia. One caveat - the surtitles were on a small screen off to the left of the stage which meant constant swivelling between the action and the libretto, neither my hearing nor my Italian being up to the job unaided.


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## mountmccabe

SimonTemplar said:


> I thought of walking out after the interval. The Opéra-Comique is a beautiful theatre, the acoustics are excellent, but the sightlines are atrocious. My seat certainly wasn't cheap, but from where I sat I could still only see half the stage. How did people in the nineteenth century tolerate it?


My understanding is that much of the audience was there to see others in the audience (and be seen) more than the opera being performed. Some of this remains today, including casual fans who occasionally attend as an excuse to get dressed up, and visit somewhere fancy. Of course some of the corporate (and other) hobnobbing takes place in suites elsewhere, such as at sporting events (and still, a good portion of that audience doesn't pay attention to the game going on).

I used to want to attend as many sporting events as I could and would watch carefully. At this point I have become the casual, unobservant non-fan where the last few games I've been to because friends wanted to go. But I'm getting off topic.

I'm sorry the opera and performance were not all they could have been. The trailer does look interesting, and it is good that the opera is being recorded, even if it is not the best work ever.

And I have to ask - and hopefully you were able to see enough to answer! - how many times does he ring the bell?


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## mountmccabe

I saw _Rigoletto_ and _La bohème_ at San Francisco Opera. For each opera it was my first time seeing it live.

_Rigoletto_ was remarkable for Quinn Kelsey's masterful take on the lead. Pene Pati had a promising debut as the Duke; he has the charisma and sounded quite wonderful in his big numbers, though he was overmatched in the debut with Nino Machaidze (who seemed to mostly go for volume rather than care as Gilda).

This was Nicola Luisotti's last outing as the music director of SFO, and I think it's the best I've heard him. Rob Kearley's direction was clear, and the sets by Michael Yeargen, inspired by Giorgio de Chirico, were attractive, though they tended to bunch the action at the front of the stage or to a side.

_La bohème_ was perfectly fine. Arturo Chacón-Cruz warmed up as Rodolfo, and sang very well with Adler fellow Julie Adams as Mimi. The duet was really quite lovely.

Audun Iverson's Marcello and Ellie Dehn's broadly funny Musetta were entertaining distractions. John Caird's production (seen here in 2014, and previously in Houston and Toronto) looks rather traditional (the backdrops/sets are largely Marcello's paintings) and transition between acts efficiently. Perhaps they were trying to bring out the staginess of it all, but I didn't like that the sets started to rearrange for the next act before the current act finished.

It was nice to hear, but Carlo Montanaro also seemed to be in a big rush, doing the score no favors. It did kind of make me want to listen again, to a more sympathetic reading.

So now I've seen both of these warhorses and I shall not be tempted to do so again with some intriguing concept or exceptional casting. Well, I say that now, but I am tempted to see Rigoletto again to see how the young cast has developed along the run. But we'll see.


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## Don Fatale

mountmccabe said:


> So now I've seen both of these warhorses and I shall not be tempted to do so again with some intriguing concept or exceptional casting. Well, I say that now, but I am tempted to see Rigoletto again to see how the young cast has developed along the run. But we'll see.


Surprised you managed to avoid these for so long, and also about your reluctance to see them again. I find both operas give great opportunities for acting (both nuanced and passionate) and it's always interesting to see how different performers do, particularly with sensitive direction. In both cases a lousy production conceit can take away from the human drama.


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## mountmccabe

I have only been passionately attending the opera for about 6 years. I liked opera, listened to it, occasionally watched a DVD, attended a few performances, but it was not a passion. It wasn't until I moved to NYC and realized there was such a wide range of options available that I started going regularly.

I have had the opportunity to see both of these operas in the past 6 years, but there had always been enough other operas to see that I didn't need to see them to get my opera fix.

And while I agree that there are some nice roles and musical selections from each, neither overall story is compelling to me, so they are unlikely to connect emotionally. It would be interesting to see _Rigoletto_ with a better Gilda (or a Gilda who fit better with everything else), but I'm not convinced the opera has enough for her to really be much of a character; the focus of the opera is on Rigoletto. And while I agree a poor production conceit can take away from the human drama, I don't see much human drama in _La bohème_. Mimi starts out sick, and dies. No one really changes, or even faces any hard decisions over the course of the opera.

I would rather see something new-to-me (that I might like more!) than try again with something where I going expecting to only like some parts of it.


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## DavidA

Just seen the ROH Otello with Kauffmann. Pretty good I thought.
Production had its quirks but did not get in the way with Iago being the chief protagonist and manipulator takng centre stage from beginnng.
Thought the opening storm wasn't quite together but may have been the effect of seeing a broadcast not being in theatre itself.
I thought all the principlals acquitted themselves well. Of course, Kauffmann was the 'name' and his performance rang out thrillingly in places although he has yet to grow into the role a la Domngo. 
My chief irritation wax the politically correct but artistically ridiculous decision not to use blackface makeup. This is a story about a noble black man brought down by an evil white schemer. Otello is the outsider because of the colour of his skn. Here it looked as if Lhengrin had strayed into Otello. I do wish we could get beyond this hangup audit weakens the dramatic impact of the plot as it is, at least partly, about racism. 
Pappano's conducted with his usual enthusiasm. All in all a satisfying night out with the star being Verdi's wondrous score.


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## mountmccabe

Over the last two weekends I saw all three production of local West Edge Opera's summer festival. It was the first time seeing each of them live, though I had seen and heard the two older works. This year's festival was given at Pacific Pipe in Oakland. This warehouse was first built to do metalwork for the building of the Golden Gate Bridge. The wing we were in was added later, so it had a metal framework, rather than vintage timber. They built a large backdrop in the middle to give plenty of backstage room behind, and leaving an almost-shoebox hall for the audience.

First up was _L'arbore di Diana_ by Vicente Martín y Soler. This late 18th century rarity had an (original!) libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte.

Cupid tests the chaste Diana and her nymph followers. Doristo, a woodsman, is captured to be the guardian of the tree (and the nymphs) but he sees this as a fun time to romp with pretty ladies. It goes about as well when two shepherds arrive, quarreling. One of them, Endimione, hits Diana with one of Cupid's arrows, and she quickly warms up to him, which eventually causes her to change her ways and everyone goes on celebrating love.

This all means that Diana gets a lot of varied, dramatic music, and lyric coloratura soprano Nikki Einfeld was fantastic in the role. Bass Malte Roesner making his North American stage debut as Doristo and carrying a lot of the comedy, was another standout. The orchestra was ably led by Robert Mollicone. The harpsichord for the recitative accompaniment was done electronically; it was distracting to hear that come from the speakers on the side rather than the center.

The stage set and costumes slanted towards the garish, and direction - by Mark Streshinsky - was largely clear and fun. The tree itself was made of several aluminum ladders, and was covered by the Sarah Berges Dance Company.

Next up was the second commercial production (ever) of Libby Larsen's _Frankenstein_, from 1990. The opera follows the book carefully, and seems to either assume one knows the characters, or alternatively, can more or less ignore them. The opera seems to not really care who Elizabeth and Justine are, focusing on Victor to the point of having two of him.

I like the opening aria from Captain Walton, wondering who this man is he let on board. Ship Victor is emotionally wrecked by what he has wrought. We then flashback to three years ago (in this production it is suggested that Ship Victor is telling his story). There is a great scene with everyone playing with an automaton, it builds into a vocal ensemble that is overtaken by Victor: this is not what he wants. The scene was played far too busy to be clear, though.

Some of the best music of the opera is just before and after the monster awakens. Hopeful woodwinds are followed by aching strings. The monster was played by TURF dancer Gary Morgan, and this scene was the most effective use of turfing, as he wakes up and explores what his body can do. Throughout the rest of the opera, though, the turfing was not as well integrated, though it was impressive to watch.

The monster starts to kill off characters, but in this production they stayed on stage, mulling around. There were occasional intriguing images, but mostly they were distracting. The opera is paring down characters to focus on Victor and Ship Victor, but this production did not allow that to work.

Jonathan Khuner led the 17-piece orchestra, with a lot of percussion and electronics. It was evocative and supportive, but didn't get to shine much over the 90-minute run time other than the central instrumental section, "What the Monster Saw."

The vocal writing was varied. The opening aria by Captain Walton, sung by Josh Quinn, reminded me of something from _Peter Grimes_. The vocal ensemble for the automaton scene was well built and memorable. Elizabeth, Justine, and Henry each get solo numbers, but the only real character here is (past) Victor, sung by Sam Levine, impressively following the increasingly strange vocal writing. I never quite connected how he becomes Ship Victor, sung by Daniel Curran, but I'm not sure if that is the fault of the opera or the messy production. They did have some great duets together, which were among the highlights of the opera.

I then went back for the Sunday matinee of _Hamlet_ by Ambroise Thomas. The real story here was the superb vocalism on display by the four leads. Edward Nelson was a brooding and troubled Hamlet, with clear French and subtle shadings. He was an Adler fellow and has sung numerous smaller roles for San Francisco Opera, and recently sang Pelléas for Den Norske Opera. Susanne Mentzer has sung over a hundred performances at the Metropolitan Opera, and is now a teacher at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She was announced as having a cold but still was a luxurious Gertrude, easily filling the entire space with beautiful sound. Claudius was Philip Skinner, never sure in his position as king, but powerful and imposing of voice. He's also well known on local stages; I've seen him as King Priam, Dr. Schön, and der Holländer. Our Ophélie was Emma McNairy, who sang wonderfully with Hamlet, bringing out this character, and brought the house down with her mad scene.

The mad scene was one of the most impressive stage coups; her strange dress was pulled out to represent the lake in which she drowns herself.

Jonathan Khuner again led the orchestra, in a reduction for 25 players. The score came off well, and the leitmotif-esque repeated themes were still clear and held the opera together and helped the narrative drive.

The direction, however, made a mess of so much of the story. Direction was by Aria Umezawa, who was well-versed in the Shakespeare play, but did not know the opera until approached to direct this for WEO. The result is as expected: motivations and key points of the play were highlighted/added, and the logic of the opera was ignored. I recognize that there are dramatic issues with the opera, but they cannot be solved by ignoring them and grafting in elements of the play.

Just a taste: they cut act 1 scene 4. During the 2nd act prelude, Hamlet sees the ghost (and so do we) for the first time. Then Horatio and Marcellus tell him about the ghost, and proceed to play a trick on him with shadowplay, goofily hiding their large light and fake crown behind their backs when they see him. Then they leave and we hear the ghost, but do not see him.

I was furious, and almost got up and walked out right there. I am glad I did not, even though the production did not get better, because it was wonderful to hear this cast and the (small) chorus. I could go on - they mangled the ending, too, having Hamlet die, but without using the Covent Garden variation that makes at least some sense of it.


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## mountmccabe

I saw the opening of _Elektra_ at the San Francisco Opera.

Christine Goerke was dominant from the moment she opens her mouth. It was room-filling sound, and for this first performance I was under the overhang more than is ideal. She was an absolute force as Elektra and gave a thrilling performance, with close attention to the emotional flow and the text. I am really excited to see more in the coming performances. She also really committed to this production; when you walk into the theater the curtain is up and the museum set is visible, with visitors milling around. We see Goerke viewing the exhibits, entranced. We see her companions, who will become her siblings in the opera.

Adrianne Pieczonka sounded gorgeous as Chrysothemis, her voice almost too beautiful, as if she was in a different opera. But, of course, this is not inappropriate. She really stood out, vocally. Alfred Walker seemed game for the comic horror bits Warner imagined for Orest, but sounded stunning and the staging mostly left him alone when he sang. I will be going into Wednesday's performance really looking forward to his vocal appearance, which fits the drama: I should be longing for Orest to arrive.

In this production, Klytämnestra is perhaps the most mis-characterized, making a difficult job for late replacement Michaela Martens; she was still impressive. It was just August 7th that she was added to the production, replacing Stephanie Blythe. Martens had been scheduled to sing the role in January for Houston.

I disliked the comic take on Aegisth - it felt like too much of a dismissal - but Robert Brubaker was impressive in the short role.

Henrik Nánási led the huge San Francisco Opera Orchestra assembled for this show; it felt like it took a few scenes for everything to gel but both the power and rich lushness of the score was on full display by the time Klytämnestra comes out.

The production was by Keith Warner, here directed by Anja Kühnhold. The concept is basically that of the musical _Aida_, based on the children's storybook by Leontyne Price. That story starts in the Egyptology wing of a modern museum, a woman and a man catch each other's eye and are swept up into the story by Amneris, and take on the roles of Aida and Radames. Of course Elton John and Tim Rice (and company) made changes to the plot of Verdi's _Aida_, and wrote their songs telling that story.

Keith Warner does not take such liberties with Strauss and Hofmannsthal's _Elektra_ - there may have been one short cut and though the subtitles seemed weird, the text as far as I can tell was as written - so he instead treats it as the dream - or nightmare - fantasy of the woman who takes on the role of Elektra. What we see is a blend of the opera and what happened to this woman, including her father killing himself.

In the musuem, she is fascinated by a video depicting six women preparing a ritual sacrifice. We hear the five maids and their overseer, and halfway through their section they burst out on stage; they have come to life, though they quickly decided that the fifth maid, sticking up for Elektra, should be their victim.

So the maids are not trying to clean, attempting to wash away the spiritual stain on the place. Instead we see almost the exact opposite: they're performing a new human sacrifice. It's twisting what is going on, though at least this one fits the story at least somewhat; it sort of makes sense since Klytämnestra wants to appease the gods. And since Warner has our Elektra fascinated by them rather than disdainful of their futile efforts, depicting it as written doesn't work. But I miss the resonance, and I also missed having them on stage the entire time, coming out halfway through. They also don't return later, as the stage directions call for. It continues more or less like this.

One of the very curious things it that what we see on stage is generated from what Elektra says and thinks. That may explain the dream logic (or anti-logic) of the connection between the text and the staging. Little of it made sense as naturalism, but that isn't what we have here. So, for example, die Vertraute and die Schleppträgerin do not actually whisper into Klytämnestra's ear until Elektra mentions it. Elektra is not responding to what has happened, she's actively creating her fantasy. Similarly, later on Elektra wields the ax as soon as she mentions it, rather than never. I found this bizarre logic infuriating, in part because I did not understand how the production worked.

And most of what made me rage are oblique to the production's real concerns. So I can't complain that Orest tells Klytämnestra himself that he is here to tell her that Orest is dead. And then waits to see her leading to the recognition scene. It's not trying to be coherent or logical. I can't complain that der Pfleger isn't immediately dismissive of Elektra to the point that he even takes the ax - which shouldn't be there in the first place - from her. This is her fantasy, she's going to be a more sympathetic take on her.

But none of those things are really criticisms that hit this production. And, fundamentally, I understand the idea of being upset about something you can't control, and know that it's easy to let your mind run wild, and concoct an imaginary drama to try and solve your problem. She is sad about her father having killer himself, but that leaves her helpless. But if he were, say, murdered by Aegisth? Then there could be an avenging Orest to come and kill him. And that could feel cathartic.

So the production has something interesting behind it. And it was realized rather well, mostly, though I won't even bother discussing the worst parts, such as the incest and camp horror bits thrown in. Without that sort of sophomoric nonsense, I could perhaps see being actually impressed by this production, and maybe even liking it. Some.

But I really love this opera, and my favorite productions I've seen (Patrice Chéreau, Ingrid Bjoner) are ones that really bring out the opera as it was written, rather than twisting everything with dream logic.


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## DavidA

Just come back from ROH broadcast of Mozart's Die Zauberflote

Very well produced, well sung, played and conducted. And some of the sublimest music ever written.

Not a bad evening's entertainment at the flics!!


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## DavidA

Norma from Met last night.

Very atmospheric production 

Very good singing - amazing

Second rate music frankly. Bellini needs all the help he can get imo


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## The Conte

DavidA said:


> Norma from Met last night.
> 
> Very atmospheric production
> 
> Very good singing - amazing
> 
> Second rate music frankly. Bellini needs all the help he can get imo




I find Norma absolutely sublime! Even Wagner, who famously dissed Italian opera, thought it was a work of genius, with its long melodies and pathos filled finale.

Each to their own, I guess.

N.


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## russetvelvet

My fiancée (a former soprano) and I came back from a trip in Austria and Italy. During it we saw 4 productions in total.

We went to Staatsoper in Vienna the first night we touched down and saw La Bohème, which was very good despite minor insufficiencies. We especially paid attention to our compatriot Xiahou Jinxu, and he didn't disappoint. He did Rudolfo justice with a youthful, steady lyric voice; compared to his performance of 'Che gelida manina' in the 2011 edition of Neustimmen, it's easily noticeable that he has matured a lot in expression. Hrachuhí Bassenz in Mimì was simply lovely! And the orchestra was effective, as both were demostrated in the duet. Actually all the major roles were quite good though the ensembles could have been better. The star of the evening Aida Garifullina had very shaky last three notes in 'Quando m'en vo', otherwise was fine.

The second night we went to the Volksoper in another end of the city and enjoyed a German production of 'Il Barbiere'. None of the names of the singers were known to us, but it was so good (or our expectation too low?) that they are now. What we loved most is that they were relaxed and seemed to genuinely enjoying themselves throughout. Beate Ritter as Rosina even tried a coughing gimmick from which her voice almost didn't adjust well, before singing an aria. And it's unusual that a tenor - Daniel Johannsen - so lyrical that he's almost countertenor to be put into the role of Almaviva...Another clever point that all the arias which are diegetic got sung in Italian.

The third and final night in Vienna we returned to Staatsoper and saw Don Giovanni. All the male roles were great, especially Benjamin Bruns in Don Ottavio: he navigated the extremely difficult 'Dalla sua pace' with wonderful precision. One of my personal favorite current singers Dorothea Röschmann was in the role of Donna Elvira, and though she's very experienced thus still has some way to produce the volume, I have to say it was a struggling night for her since she didn't find the smooth 'trajectory' of voice she usually has and the focus was all over the place. It was a pity that we had a train to catch and missed the final part of it.

The last performance was 'Fra Diavolo' by Auber that we saw in Rome upon our very own Don Fatale's recommendation (*Opera in Italy*) Big shout-out to him! Incidentally, it was filmed and released by culturebox, so you can see it here and make your own judgement:


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## Don Fatale

Russetvelvet, so glad to hear you had a successful trip. The pleasure of going to the opera is easily multiplied when going to operas on consecutive nights, particularly in great European cities.

(And thanks for the YT link, downloading now.)


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## gardibolt

Had a very enjoyable evening at the Chicago Lyric Opera's presentation of Die Walküre, the second leg of their ongoing five-year Ring Cycle event. Even my wife who is not really keen on opera quite enjoyed it. 

The highlights were Christine Goerke as Brünnhilde and Elisabet Strid as Sieglinde; Strid's singing was exquisite and she really gave Sieglinde a sensuous nature that helped drive the emphatic romance of the first act. Goerke's interaction with Eric Owens as Wotan was quite excellent as well. Not quite as beefy a sound as one might want from Brünnhilde, but she was able to rise about the orchestra as needed.

That wasn't the case for Owens or the Siegmund; Owens was much better than his half-hearted rendition of the role in last year's Rheingold, and in sections where the orchestra was quieter he came across well, and his acting skills helped a lot. The poor Siegmund just got swallowed up by the orchestra. There's a serious balance problem there; either they need to enlist male singers who can project better, or Sir Andrew Davis needs to keep a tighter leash on his orchestra. Their playing was fine, but it shouldn't overwhelm the vocalists. The Hunding (Ain Anger) had no problem making himself heard, so it's not just male voices failing to carry.

The staging is a little wacky but it served the opera well; the cantilevered flying horses in particular were a nice touch, as was treating the Valkyries as enthusiastic but blood-drenched workers in a slaughterhouse. The fact Hunding had Sieglinde physically chained to the ash tree was a nice touch as well, emphasizing just how awful her lot in life is. The costumes on the other hand seemed odd. Some folks in Victorian dress, some in medieval garb, and then the bright red Valkyries in their worksuits: they just all seemed to be in different plays altogether.

But in the end the performance was thrilling and a lot of effort was made to smooth off the rough edges of the drama to make it work in a coherent and moving manner. I can't wait for Siegfried.


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## mountmccabe

I saw the final dress rehearsal and opening night of _Girls of the Golden West_, a new opera by John Adams, with libretto from original sources collected by Peter Sellars; he also directed. The performances were by San Francisco Opera, conducted by Grant Gershon. It was very disappointing.

The libretto is a very difficult choice, consisting largely of third person, prose narrative. The first act has Dame Shirley (Julia Bullock) tell us about traveling west on a mule then a wagon, about Rich Bar (the mining camp), and The Empire, a bar she finds there. She has a nice dinner. There is zero drama in any of this.

The second acts jumps back in time and focuses on Josefa (J'Nai Bridges) and Ramón (Elliot Madore), who work at the Empire. It's the 4th of July in Downieville and nationalism is running high so we alternate between performances - scenes from _Macbeth_, a dance from Lola Montez - and the American miners attacking various outsiders. It's kind of jarring. Eventually Joe Cannon - a composite that only sings lines from miners ballads - attacks Josefa, and she kills him defending herself. I suppose this second act is more dramatic, but it's mostly a muddle, widely varying in tone, to no particular effect.

When announced, I wasn't as opposed to the title as some were, but it did lead me to have certain expectations. I thought it was going to be along the lines of _The Gospel According to the Other Mary_, expressing the perspectives of people normally left out of Passion narratives.

Instead it presents Ah Sing, a Chinese immigrant prostitute, who sings in the 3rd person about how glad she is that men value her, and Josefa, a Spanish-Mexican woman: we're supposed to celebrate her compliance at being lynched by the mob. There are also four dancing girls, mostly there to shake their bodies to remind us that "Girls" was directed and choreographed by men. Then there is the romanticized portrait of Dame Shirley, the work trying to spin her gross statements about Native women as sweet. It barely interrogates her biases; the only touch that I might attribute to Sellars is having her sing her final 'California is so beautiful' bit over the fresh corpse of Josefa, completely ignoring the body (and even then, I expect Sellars just did not think about what he was setting up; the music from Adams is the most lush of the opera). So, yes, this opera includes "other" characters, but for me it barely hints at their perspectives, their thoughts, their feelings.

The production is full of deliberate anachronisms, including The Empire having a bar backdrop with neon signs for modern beers such as Sierra Nevada. It is also on the Brechtian side, where much of the audience can see the wings, the marking tape is clear on the stage, stagehands openly move things around, the chorus and/or characters walk off because this is theater, not for any reason. But none of this is really strong enough, or does enough to challenge the texts.

It's difficult to make much comment on the singing. The amplification was less grating at opening night; I'm not sure if that was because they fixed issues or because I was in a different place in the house.

The vocal writing is largely unremarkable, with a few exceptions. Joe Cannon (Paul Appleby) has some very fun sing-songy lines, and is often supported by the (men's) chorus of miners. The performances from _Macbeth_ - featuring Dame Shirley and Clarence (aka generic man #2, sung by Ryan McKinney) - using Shakespeare's text are really great. Ned Peters (Davóne Tines) gets a few strong arias, including a second act number taken from "What to a slave is the 4th of July" by Frederick Douglas (after which we are told he is run off, since the opera cannot show us anything). Ah Sing (Hye Jung Le) has some coloratura work, but it doesn't really tell us anything.

I am also not sure what to say about the score other than it didn't really work for me, either. It sounds like opera/oratorio Adams - propulsive, rhythmic - without feeling cohesive. It occasionally gets lush and/or interesting, but I was never drawn in or engaged by it.


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## mountmccabe

And, for this world premiere, a few professional reviews I concur with:

Joshua Kosman, for SF Gate

Lisa Hirsch, for San Francisco Classical Voice

And a much more positive one, Georgia Rowe, for Mercury News.


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## ma7730

mountmccabe said:


> I saw the final dress rehearsal and opening night of _Girls of the Golden West_, a new opera by John Adams, with libretto from original sources collected by Peter Sellars; he also directed. The performances were by San Francisco Opera, conducted by Grant Gershon. It was very disappointing.
> 
> The libretto is a very difficult choice, consisting largely of third person, prose narrative. The first act has Dame Shirley (Julia Bullock) tell us about traveling west on a mule then a wagon, about Rich Bar (the mining camp), and The Empire, a bar she finds there. She has a nice dinner. There is zero drama in any of this.
> 
> The second acts jumps back in time and focuses on Josefa (J'Nai Bridges) and Ramón (Elliot Madore), who work at the Empire. It's the 4th of July in Downieville and nationalism is running high so we alternate between performances - scenes from _Macbeth_, a dance from Lola Montez - and the American miners attacking various outsiders. It's kind of jarring. Eventually Joe Cannon - a composite that only sings lines from miners ballads - attacks Josefa, and she kills him defending herself. I suppose this second act is more dramatic, but it's mostly a muddle, widely varying in tone, to no particular effect.
> 
> When announced, I wasn't as opposed to the title as some were, but it did lead me to have certain expectations. I thought it was going to be along the lines of _The Gospel According to the Other Mary_, expressing the perspectives of people normally left out of Passion narratives.
> 
> Instead it presents Ah Sing, a Chinese immigrant prostitute, who sings in the 3rd person about how glad she is that men value her, and Josefa, a Spanish-Mexican woman: we're supposed to celebrate her compliance at being lynched by the mob. There are also four dancing girls, mostly there to shake their bodies to remind us that "Girls" was directed and choreographed by men. Then there is the romanticized portrait of Dame Shirley, the work trying to spin her gross statements about Native women as sweet. It barely interrogates her biases; the only touch that I might attribute to Sellars is having her sing her final 'California is so beautiful' bit over the fresh corpse of Josefa, completely ignoring the body (and even then, I expect Sellars just did not think about what he was setting up; the music from Adams is the most lush of the opera). So, yes, this opera includes "other" characters, but for me it barely hints at their perspectives, their thoughts, their feelings.
> 
> The production is full of deliberate anachronisms, including The Empire having a bar backdrop with neon signs for modern beers such as Sierra Nevada. It is also on the Brechtian side, where much of the audience can see the wings, the marking tape is clear on the stage, stagehands openly move things around, the chorus and/or characters walk off because this is theater, not for any reason. But none of this is really strong enough, or does enough to challenge the texts.
> 
> It's difficult to make much comment on the singing. The amplification was less grating at opening night; I'm not sure if that was because they fixed issues or because I was in a different place in the house.
> 
> The vocal writing is largely unremarkable, with a few exceptions. Joe Cannon (Paul Appleby) has some very fun sing-songy lines, and is often supported by the (men's) chorus of miners. The performances from _Macbeth_ - featuring Dame Shirley and Clarence (aka generic man #2, sung by Ryan McKinney) - using Shakespeare's text are really great. Ned Peters (Davóne Tines) gets a few strong arias, including a second act number taken from "What to a slave is the 4th of July" by Frederick Douglas (after which we are told he is run off, since the opera cannot show us anything). Ah Sing (Hye Jung Le) has some coloratura work, but it doesn't really tell us anything.
> 
> I am also not sure what to say about the score other than it didn't really work for me, either. It sounds like opera/oratorio Adams - propulsive, rhythmic - without feeling cohesive. It occasionally gets lush and/or interesting, but I was never drawn in or engaged by it.


A lack of drama is characteristic of the minimalism that Adams has grown fond of. While I think that minimalism, as an art movement, was certainly interesting in its historical context, it's starting to become a little stale. We've had works like this since the 60's. In my opinion, it's time for a new operatic idiom to emerge.


----------



## mountmccabe

ma7730 said:


> A lack of drama is characteristic of the minimalism that Adams has grown fond of. While I think that minimalism, as an art movement, was certainly interesting in its historical context, it's starting to become a little stale. We've had works like this since the 60's. In my opinion, it's time for a new operatic idiom to emerge.


I would not consider this opera - or other recent opera/oratorios by John Adams to be minimalist. And I don't think the intent was a lack of drama - I think Sellars and Adams really thought these would be moving stories. That really came across in the pre-opera discussion.

Prose narrative is a difficult choice for a libretto. Of course their most recent collaboration was a Passion narrative, the major class of work that IS often successful with prose narrative texts taken directly from an old source. But most Passion oratorios are successful because people are engaged with the text already. _The Gospel According to the Other Mary_ is a very different approach to a Passion oratorio, and I certainly think it a successful one (though I find it important that many of the new texts were poetic, and it wasn't so much a literal story).

This new opera, _Girls of the Golden West_ takes a similar approach, though it drops both the poetic texts of _Other Mary_ and the built-in resonance of other Passion oratorios. So instead we get a fragmented composite story from unfamiliar texts. They contain moving stories, but they are not presented in a moving fashion; we are barely invited to feel for or identify with these characters.

The Dame Shirley letters are quite interesting, but they're mostly quite interesting _for their time_. They are progressive _for their time_. They're remarkable if you are used to only reading from and about the men of the era. The opera presents Clarence and Joe and the chorus of miners, but there is too much contrast. We are told how to feel, fairly directly.

The production, however, takes us out of that. With the Brechtian approach, anachronisms, and so on, we are invited to lose sight of the place of these texts in history, and that undercuts their value.


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## schigolch

This is a similar technique that the one used for "Doctor Atomic", sewn together from scientific texts, letters, poetry,... It was very effective, and also moving occasionally. 

Of course, I can't judge about "Girls of the Golden West" yet, as I haven't watched the opera, but I do think this stuff was managed well by Sellars and Adams in the past.


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## DavidA

mountmccabe said:


> I saw the final dress rehearsal and opening night of _Girls of the Golden West_, a new opera by John Adams, with libretto from original sources collected by Peter Sellars; he also directed. The performances were by San Francisco Opera, conducted by Grant Gershon.* It was very disappointing.
> *
> .


You don't surprise me


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## mountmccabe

schigolch said:


> This is a similar technique that the one used for "Doctor Atomic", sewn together from scientific texts, letters, poetry,... It was very effective, and also moving occasionally.
> 
> Of course, I can't judge about "Girls of the Golden West" yet, as I haven't watched the opera, but I do think this stuff was managed well by Sellars and Adams in the past.


I really like _Doctor Atomic_ and hope to be able to go to Santa Fe next summer to see it. I have thus far only watched on DVD (from the Met; I recently got a copy of the DNO production but have not yet had a chance to watch) and heard it on CD. But I still wish we would have had the chance to hear what the opera would have been with a libretto by Alice Goodman.

I also thought _The Gospel According to the Other Mary_ was quite successful. I also really love _Nixon in China_ and _The Death of Klinghoffer_, as well as much of John Adams' orchestral and chamber output. I went into this loving Adams' music, knowing how Adams works, knowing what his recent collaborations with Peter Sellars have been like and still disliked this new piece, and see it as a much lesser work. Of course my thoughts are my own.

After the second public performance, Mark Swed of the Los Angeles Times posted a more positive review than the first two I linked to above. (Incidentally I think he was sitting in front of me at the premiere).


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## mountmccabe

Last night I visit Island City Opera for the first time. They are based in Alameda, California. This evening was a pair of one-act Rimsky-Korsakov operas; their other production this season is La Sonnambula, happening in March.

First up was _Mozart and Salieri_ (_Моцарт и Сальери_), performed in English. This quiet, subtle work did not quite come off as I'd like, though the off-stage chorus sounded rich and wonderful in the short section from the start of Mozart's Requiem. [This opera is about 45 minutes long and is a direct setting of the Pushkin play that inspired Peter Shaffer's _Amadeus_, though both scenes of this work are in December, 1791].

Far more effective was _Kashchey the Immortal_ (_Кащей бессмертный_). This was apparently the US premiere of the opera, over 115 years after the world premiere in Moscow. This fantasy tale worked very well with the more oversized production. Alex Boyer (well known from comprimario roles at SFO) was powerful and cruel as the titular wizard. The Tsarevna was Rebecca Nathanson, rich and clear, and really soaring over the orchestra. The small orchestra (23 players) sounded impressively full, and was well-led by Lidiya Yankovskaya (music director of Chicago Opera Theater). The leitmotifs were vibrant and overall the music, reminiscent of Wagner - especially _Parsifal_ - was powerful.

The direction for both operas - clear and straightforward - was by Richard Bogart (who runs Valhalla Productions and directed their _Siegfried_ that I really enjoyed).

There is a recording of _Kashchey_ under Gergiev with Kirov Opera that I look forward to revisiting.


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## Bonetan

I saw a very interesting Parsifal at Oper Stuttgart last night. It was certainly not traditional, & there was much that I could see that some might find offensive including LOTS of nudity, a child stripped down to his tighty whities & eaten, Parsifal suckling at Kundry's teat, flower maidens doing God knows what, & Kundry being raped by Parsifal, Klingsor, & one of the grail knights. There were some shouts from the audience during act 1 that I couldn't quite make out, but it was pretty clear what was meant & at the end of the act a couple very loud boos. But those boos were eventually drowned out by cheers! I was riveted for the entire 5+ hours I was in the house, so I'm certainly not complaining. I have never seen a production push the boundaries this far, so my eyes were certainly opened. 

The director is a man named Calixto Bieito from Spain. The story was set in a post-apocalyptic environment reminiscent of Mad Max, Book of Eli etc & everyone looked homeless. Many wore gas masks, & there was a nasty looking fog in the air. Also, there was a huge collapsed bridge that was used to good effect. 

There was also some fine singing especially from Attila Jun, formerly an excellent Hagen at Bayreuth, as Gurnemanz. His is a black bass that I enjoyed from the 1st time he opened his mouth. I wish there was more to sing for Tobias Schabel who I thought was excellent singing & also acting a pyromaniac Klingsor. Christiane Libor had some very exciting moments as Kundry & Daniel Kirch was a solid, though not spectacular Parsifal. Matthias Hölle sang a blind Titurel who began act 3 naked (body double) wandering through the set looking for his savior, before eventually being murdered & tossed in a wheel-barrow. The sight of the old naked man's butt drew some chuckles from the audience. Markus Marquardt sang Amfortas & I thought his best moment came at the end of the role with the section starting with 'Nein! Nicht mehr!' But he had no wound which I thought was odd. I often wondered how much the staging clashed with what was being sung, but as someone who is only learning German, rather than fluent, it didn't bother me much.

All in all it was a great night at the opera!!


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## Don Fatale

Bonetan, glad you enjoyed it. Personally, I'm done with Calixto Bieito and his wilful destruction of opera.


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## Bonetan

Don Fatale said:


> Bonetan, glad you enjoyed it. Personally, I'm done with Calixto Bieito and his wilful destruction of opera.


I think I enjoyed it because I was so shocked by it. I've never experienced a production like that.


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## Don Fatale

Bonetan said:


> I think I enjoyed it because I was so shocked by it. I've never experienced a production like that.


Had you seen Parsifal live before?


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## Bonetan

Don Fatale said:


> Had you seen Parsifal live before?


No it was my 1st! Will I be scarred for life??


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## Don Fatale

Bonetan said:


> No it was my 1st! Will I be scarred for life??


It's good that you don't feel you're scarred for life as many are by Bieito's travesties. I think you're in better shape to see and appreciate something truly transcendental in future.


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## Bonetan

Don Fatale said:


> It's good that you don't feel you're scarred for life as many are by Bieito's travesties. I think you're in better shape to see and appreciate something truly transcendental in future.


What did you see of his? How awful was it? Tell us about it!!


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## Don Fatale

Bonetan said:


> What did you see of his? How awful was it? Tell us about it!!


Seen a few over the years, mainly at ENO, which are usually marked by crudity, sexual violence and poor to no sets, and singers performing in unflattering costumes and situations. Most recently a no-set Tosca in Oslo with Recondita Armonia performed with a break-dancer alongside him, Scarpia fondling a dwarf (is that what they're called now?) dressed in a schoolboy uniform and so it goes on. E Lucevan le Stelle is sung with Cavaradossi standing cocooned in white packing tape.

He's been at this for a couple of decades and still gets these trashy productions commissioned, even though the audience and critic reactions are seldom very complimentary.


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## sharkeysnight

I got standing room tickets for Seattle Opera's Beatrice and Benedict last night, and enjoyed it! McCaw hall isn't very big so even from my padded rail I had a pretty good view, and the supertitles were cut off but thankfully the last row of seats has subtitle bars so I just read from those. The production is in English, and blended the opera's score with the Shakespeare play so it almost felt like a musical. There wasn't too much posturing zaniness (everything I read and saw about their last two productions, Cosi fan tutte and Barber of Seville, put me off for this reason) but the quality of acting in the Shakespeare sections occasionally wavered. The set is re-used, since apparently Seattle Opera now lacks a set department, and it was fine. There's a beautiful sky-painted cyc in the back, though it has an ugly black bar on the bottom that the stage doesn't rake up to meet, so there were a lot of silhouettes cut off at the knee. The set itself is a clutter of staircases, which meant there's a lot of running up and down and vertical compositions, which was also nice enough, it sort of reminded me of Aronson's set for _Company_.

I don't really know enough about opera singing technically to say anything definitive, except that I liked it. Berlioz's music is exceptional and they sang it nicely and pretty cleanly, I guess, the choruses and female duets/trios were particularly nice, especially the night music at the end of the first act. Mostly it was just neat hearing opera being sung live - this is the first opera I've ever been to, and it really is kind of different and better seeing it happen in front of you. The Shakespeare dialogue was mic'd, which lead to a couple problems, the worst being Benedict's connection acting up and making horrible scratching noises, and the funniest being when a character would have their first line of dialogue amplified way too loud. But the actual state of being in the theater, hearing the singing happening right in front of you, was really nice in an unexpected way. I felt transfixed and transported and I can't wait to see more operas live, particularly after I move to Toronto and can go to the Canadian Opera Company productions, and hopefully some day visit the Metropolitan Opera.


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## Belowpar

sharkeysnight said:


> I don't really know enough about opera singing technically to say anything definitive, except that I liked it. .


Good. Welcome to the club,


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## sharkeysnight

Standing room tickets again, this time for Seattle Opera's (co-)production of Aida. I saw the Met HD screening when it aired a few years ago, which I really enjoyed, clearly, since I saw it twice, but afterwards I haven't really thought of it. Which is stupid, because it's beautiful, but I do kinda think the Met production itself is a little stodgy, though the supernumerary picking his nose during a high-angle shot in the HD video recording is funny. Anyways, this version is vivid and colorful and relatively intimate, with an overwhelming visual style as done by a(n ex?) street artist, which means a lot of really intricate sort of semi-hieroglyphic imagery. There was also a lot of fairly nice dancing (I'd forgotten about the divertissements).

It's funny how much a production can change the feel of a show. Maybe it's just the intervening years (or seeing it live!) but the sense of injustice felt really well highlighted. The feeling of, like, the unfairness of the physical divide and how cruel it is not only to come between the lovers but to come between people in general. Once again I'm no real judge of singing, but it was good. It was frequently beautiful, even! The pure of focus of seeing the opera in the theater, live, with no distractions meant that I got to really appreciate how the music not just carries the drama and concept but becomes the drama and concept, how all the shifts and arrivals of minor chords and unexpected upbeat phrases become their own suggestions. I'm so used to following subtitles but many times I missed long periods of "dialogue" because just the music and staging told me everything I needed to know.


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## DavidA

I saw the Marriage of Figaro by the English Touring Opera. Provincial cast but very good singing. Orchestra a bit limited I felt but it was very well down. There were cuts - no chorus for a start - particularly in the last act. But then it was evening and people have to get home so came in at just under three hours. It was heartening to see the quality of singing on display particularly by the women. Some lovely top notes.


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## Sloe

Bonetan said:


> There was also some fine singing especially from Attila Jun, formerly an excellent Hagen at Bayreuth, as Gurnemanz. His is a black bass that I enjoyed from the 1st time he opened his mouth.


His name is Attila he is a bass and Korean.
When will he play the title role in Verdi´s Attila?

Philip Kang have played king Philip.


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## mountmccabe

sharkeysnight said:


> Standing room tickets again, this time for Seattle Opera's (co-)production of Aida. I saw the Met HD screening when it aired a few years ago, which I really enjoyed, clearly, since I saw it twice, but afterwards I haven't really thought of it. Which is stupid, because it's beautiful, but I do kinda think the Met production itself is a little stodgy, though the supernumerary picking his nose during a high-angle shot in the HD video recording is funny. Anyways, this version is vivid and colorful and relatively intimate, with an overwhelming visual style as done by a(n ex?) street artist, which means a lot of really intricate sort of semi-hieroglyphic imagery. There was also a lot of fairly nice dancing (I'd forgotten about the divertissements).
> 
> It's funny how much a production can change the feel of a show. Maybe it's just the intervening years (or seeing it live!) but the sense of injustice felt really well highlighted. The feeling of, like, the unfairness of the physical divide and how cruel it is not only to come between the lovers but to come between people in general. Once again I'm no real judge of singing, but it was good. It was frequently beautiful, even! The pure of focus of seeing the opera in the theater, live, with no distractions meant that I got to really appreciate how the music not just carries the drama and concept but becomes the drama and concept, how all the shifts and arrivals of minor chords and unexpected upbeat phrases become their own suggestions. I'm so used to following subtitles but many times I missed long periods of "dialogue" because just the music and staging told me everything I needed to know.


I saw that _Aida_ when it was in San Francisco! (I wrote up some thoughts then). The Aida and Radamès I saw at SFO - Leah Crocetto and Brian Jagde - are singing in Seattle (though they have double cast the opera to get in more performances).

It is interesting how much the production matters (and can matter in different ways). I really like seeing operas in different stagings and/or with different casts to understand how everything works together.


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## mountmccabe

Today was the end of the first of San Francisco Opera's three Ring cycles.

Francesca Zambello's cycle first started to roll out at Washington National Opera during the 2005-06 season. _Das Rheingold_ reached San Francisco in 2008 and the first full cycle ran in 2011 (in San Francisco). The full cycle ran in Washington in 2016, and now is back in San Francisco.

Donald Runnicles conducted a strong reading of the score and the former SFO music director (he also conducted the 2011 cycles) was consistently cheered by his many fans in the city. The orchestra gave some very strong playing throughout and Runnicles brought a lot out of the score. From my orchestra seat the power of their playing was very clear (when I go back for the third cycle I'll be in the balcony, which better favors the singers). Even if nothing else was working, it was a sheer pleasure to hear this score all the way through.

The orchestra is the star of _Das Rheingold_, but we got a good taste of some of the singers we'd hear all cycle. Two of the standouts were Štefan Margita as Loge, compelling while sounding lovely in his narration that holds much of scene 2.

Falk Struckmann was Alberich in his three operas; he had committed acting and his curse was powerful. He brought a lot of detail to his short part in _Siegfried_. I prefer a more gentle, sleepy approach to the beautiful scene with Hagen that opens act 2 of _Götterdämmerung_, but I was mostly distracted by the staging.

Brandon Jovanovich first showed up as Froh and was fine, but then was wonderful as Siegmund. He had great chemistry with Karita Mattila as a powerfully voiced Sieglinde (in her only role in the cycle). I am really looking forward to seeing them together again in that first act of _Die Walküre_. Jovanovich sounded fine in the Todesverkündigung but I was left unmoved due to the busy and wrong-headed staging.

Their Hunding was Raymond Aceto, who also showed up as Fafner in two operas. He was mostly unremarkable as Fafner, but sounded better as Hunding and seemed to pull off the over-the-top gross part given to him by this production.

Andrea Silvestrelli was the more memorable giant as Fasolt, catching much of the beauty in the role. He was even better as Hagen with his booming base. He was excellent commanding the Gibichungs and sinister in his manipulations.

Perhaps my favorite performance of the cycle was Jamie Barton as Fricka in _Die Walküre_. She had fantastic vocal coloring, and held her own against Wotan and was able to keep from turning it into a broadly comic scene. Fricka and Wotan were a little lovey-dovey in _Das Rheingold_ and while that didn't work in that opera it paid dividends here as we could tell Fricka was not delighting in dashing Wotan's hopes. Jamie Barton thankfully returned as the Second Norn and Waltraute in _Götterdämmerung_. [Waltraute was the only role sung by multiple people; taken in _Die Walküre_ by Renée Tatum (she was also Floßhilde)].

The First Norn was Ronita Miller, who also held the stage as Erda, sounding appropriately mysterious; authoritative in _Das Rheingold_ and peaceful in _Siegfried_.

Greer Grimsley was our Wotan. He was good in _Das Rheingold_; the staging had him as a bit of a fop so that was a bit of a dead end. He was wonderful in _Die Walküre_, working wonderfully with both Fricka and Brünnhilde. His rage upon reaching the Valkyries was impressive, though some of the tenderness was missing (or lost in the staging).

Iréne Theorin was Brünnhilde, stepping in (just a month before the start) for Evelyn Herlitzius. Her initial shouts were invigorating, but she does not maintain that sharp energy throughout. Her Brünnhilde carefully and thoughtfully sung, making a lot of variations in color, tone, and volume. I think she carried the final scene of _Siegfried_ vocally, and brought the Siegfried nearly to her level. Her characterization worked best on the imperious side, as in _Götterdämmerung_.

Finally our Siegfried was Daniel Brenna. After the first two acts of _Siegfried_ I was sorely disappointed, but he seemed to have been holding back so that he could get through the evening and was much more satisfying in the final act. The forging song seemed slow, was quiet, had little energy, and a lot of ducked or truncated notes. He seemed outsung by the Forest Bird (Stacey Tappan, who also sang Woglinde). I will note that other people were more impressed by him and that I was a bit over to the side in the orchestra section, which does heavily favor the instruments. I am hoping he sounds better from the balcony where I am for the third cycle. His acting was mostly great, playing the character as very dumb. He was more impressive in _Götterdämmerung_ where he wasn't the only focal point. The blood brothers duet with Gunther (Brian Mulligan fine here as he was as Donner) was very good. His narration for Hagen, Gunther, and the hunters had the energy, but not the tenderness or lyrical beauty.

I will briefly comment on Zambello's production, but really it just isn't worth much more. The themes were America and the environment and they're as incoherent and tired as one might expect. It was full of scrims and video, poorly used as is common in theater. The physical sets and costumes were better and many of them worked well, for their scene or act, but there was no real progression or anything really holding them together. There was a lot of person-regie and it was impressively acted, but there, again, seemed to be no cohesive take on the work so little amounted to anything other than distraction. There were a lot of characterization changes, largely to negative effect. The staging also tended toward the busy. The result of all of this was that while there were a lot of great performances over the week and fantastic musicianship seeing it was largely unmoving. The staging did not convince me, put me at ease, or highlight much in the operas.

Mostly what the staging did was make clear why Wagner did not make the choices that Zambello did. There's nothing like seeing things done off-book to reveal why the book was written the way it was. And a lot was done off book, from having Donner and Froh act much the same, having Hunding grope Sieglinde throughout their time together and having him surrounded by his friends, having Hagen in bed at his watch and having Alberich cuddle him in bed, and so on. The production perhaps worked the best for _Siegfried_, or at least act one where both Mime and Siegfried are already dense dolts and it's supposed to be funny (more or less) but even there the production misses that the joke of the opera is on Siegfried and after overplaying throughout and falling all over he underplays his reaction to Brünnhilde, maintaining his composure and his balance. I suppose he still learned fear because that's what he says, but it isn't funny.


----------



## Bonetan

mountmccabe said:


> Today was the end of the first of San Francisco Opera's three Ring cycles.
> 
> Francesca Zambello's cycle first started to roll out at Washington National Opera during the 2005-06 season. _Das Rheingold_ reached San Francisco in 2008 and the first full cycle ran in 2011 (in San Francisco). The full cycle ran in Washington in 2016, and now is back in San Francisco.
> 
> Donald Runnicles conducted a strong reading of the score and the former SFO music director (he also conducted the 2011 cycles) was consistently cheered by his many fans in the city. The orchestra gave some very strong playing throughout and Runnicles brought a lot out of the score. From my orchestra seat the power of their playing was very clear (when I go back for the third cycle I'll be in the balcony, which better favors the singers). Even if nothing else was working, it was a sheer pleasure to hear this score all the way through.
> 
> The orchestra is the star of _Das Rheingold_, but we got a good taste of some of the singers we'd hear all cycle. Two of the standouts were Štefan Margita as Loge, compelling while sounding lovely in his narration that holds much of scene 2.
> 
> Falk Struckmann was Alberich in his three operas; he had committed acting and his curse was powerful. He brought a lot of detail to his short part in _Siegfried_. I prefer a more gentle, sleepy approach to the beautiful scene with Hagen that opens act 2 of _Götterdämmerung_, but I was mostly distracted by the staging.
> 
> Brandon Jovanovich first showed up as Froh and was fine, but then was wonderful as Siegmund. He had great chemistry with Karita Mattila as a powerfully voiced Sieglinde (in her only role in the cycle). I am really looking forward to seeing them together again in that first act of _Die Walküre_. Jovanovich sounded fine in the Todesverkündigung but I was left unmoved due to the busy and wrong-headed staging.
> 
> Their Hunding was Raymond Aceto, who also showed up as Fafner in two operas. He was mostly unremarkable as Fafner, but sounded better as Hunding and seemed to pull off the over-the-top gross part given to him by this production.
> 
> Andrea Silvestrelli was the more memorable giant as Fasolt, catching much of the beauty in the role. He was even better as Hagen with his booming base. He was excellent commanding the Gibichungs and sinister in his manipulations.
> 
> Perhaps my favorite performance of the cycle was Jamie Barton as Fricka in _Die Walküre_. She had fantastic vocal coloring, and held her own against Wotan and was able to keep from turning it into a broadly comic scene. Fricka and Wotan were a little lovey-dovey in _Das Rheingold_ and while that didn't work in that opera it paid dividends here as we could tell Fricka was not delighting in dashing Wotan's hopes. Jamie Barton thankfully returned as the Second Norn and Waltraute in _Götterdämmerung_. [Waltraute was the only role sung by multiple people; taken in _Die Walküre_ by Renée Tatum (she was also Floßhilde)].
> 
> The First Norn was Ronita Miller, who also held the stage as Erda, sounding appropriately mysterious; authoritative in _Das Rheingold_ and peaceful in _Siegfried_.
> 
> Greer Grimsley was our Wotan. He was good in _Das Rheingold_; the staging had him as a bit of a fop so that was a bit of a dead end. He was wonderful in _Die Walküre_, working wonderfully with both Fricka and Brünnhilde. His rage upon reaching the Valkyries was impressive, though some of the tenderness was missing (or lost in the staging).
> 
> Iréne Theorin was Brünnhilde, stepping in (just a month before the start) for Evelyn Herlitzius. Her initial shouts were invigorating, but she does not maintain that sharp energy throughout. Her Brünnhilde carefully and thoughtfully sung, making a lot of variations in color, tone, and volume. I think she carried the final scene of _Siegfried_ vocally, and brought the Siegfried nearly to her level. Her characterization worked best on the imperious side, as in _Götterdämmerung_.
> 
> Finally our Siegfried was Daniel Brenna. After the first two acts of _Siegfried_ I was sorely disappointed, but he seemed to have been holding back so that he could get through the evening and was much more satisfying in the final act. The forging song seemed slow, was quiet, had little energy, and a lot of ducked or truncated notes. He seemed outsung by the Forest Bird (Stacey Tappan, who also sang Woglinde). I will note that other people were more impressed by him and that I was a bit over to the side in the orchestra section, which does heavily favor the instruments. I am hoping he sounds better from the balcony where I am for the third cycle. His acting was mostly great, playing the character as very dumb. He was more impressive in _Götterdämmerung_ where he wasn't the only focal point. The blood brothers duet with Gunther (Brian Mulligan fine here as he was as Donner) was very good. His narration for Hagen, Gunther, and the hunters had the energy, but not the tenderness or lyrical beauty.
> 
> I will briefly comment on Zambello's production, but really it just isn't worth much more. The themes were America and the environment and they're as incoherent and tired as one might expect. It was full of scrims and video, poorly used as is common in theater. The physical sets and costumes were better and many of them worked well, for their scene or act, but there was no real progression or anything really holding them together. There was a lot of person-regie and it was impressively acted, but there, again, seemed to be no cohesive take on the work so little amounted to anything other than distraction. There were a lot of characterization changes, largely to negative effect. The staging also tended toward the busy. The result of all of this was that while there were a lot of great performances over the week and fantastic musicianship seeing it was largely unmoving. The staging did not convince me, put me at ease, or highlight much in the operas.
> 
> Mostly what the staging did was make clear why Wagner did not make the choices that Zambello did. There's nothing like seeing things done off-book to reveal why the book was written the way it was. And a lot was done off book, from having Donner and Froh act much the same, having Hunding grope Sieglinde throughout their time together and having him surrounded by his friends, having Hagen in bed at his watch and having Alberich cuddle him in bed, and so on. The production perhaps worked the best for _Siegfried_, or at least act one where both Mime and Siegfried are already dense dolts and it's supposed to be funny (more or less) but even there the production misses that the joke of the opera is on Siegfried and after overplaying throughout and falling all over he underplays his reaction to Brünnhilde, maintaining his composure and his balance. I suppose he still learned fear because that's what he says, but it isn't funny.


I've been very much looking forward to your review of the SF Ring. Nicely done & thank you!!


----------



## mountmccabe

You are welcome!

There are of course many published reviews, here is one (with pictures!) in San Francisco Classical Voice I mostly agree with that also covers the full cycle, by a writer who saw the previous run in 2011, as well as the previous production by Lehnhoff in 1999.

Cycle two started last night.

It is possible that German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier attended. (He was certainly in California. He was in the Los Angeles area earlier for the opening of the Thomas Mann house. He also has meetings with Jerry Brown (governor of California) and other officials. There was a motorcade leaving the immediate area of the opera house after the opera ended so either he was there or was driving by as a coincidence (or a different German government official was in town/using the motorcade, etc.)


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## mountmccabe

Cycle three started Tuesday; I am attending this one, too. I am in the balcony this time, rather than in the orchestra section, a bit far too the right. (The brass and percussion are on the right, so especially with the overhang of the boxes they can be too strong).

_Das Rheingold_ came off magnificently. Runnicles had the orchestra playing beautifully and there was such a fantastic flow for the entire piece. And I had no balance issues from the balcony. It was such a wonderful thing to hear live.

Being at that distance meant both Štefan Margita and Falk Struckmann came off as less vivid, though they still sounded great. I was happier with Jamie Barton and Greer Grimsley the second time through.

On the downside the amplification they use for Alberich when he uses the tarnhelm to become a serpent sounded terrible in the balcony. That effect is definitely balanced for the lower levels. Same with the anvils; they're played live but in a non-adjacent room and played from speakers in the house. It wasn't a problem from the floor - in part because the anvils are almost expected to sound different! - but it sounded really bad from the balcony.

It's the same terrible production that has idiosyncratic characterizations for all of the gods. None of them work and all of them disrupt the drama.

I had high hopes for _Die Walküre_ but they were dashed last night. In both of the first two acts there seemed to be some flubs in the orchestra along with some coordination issues. The singing is good but it wasn't enough to overcome both that and how much I hate this staging.

It's gross to see Hunding - and his men - manhandle Sieglinde and to see her covered in bruises. This also makes the moments when she stands up to him - which are in the libretto - not make any sense; the outright monster Hunding presented would have started beating her right there. We can also imagine that Siegmund would have stepped in, too. Especially as in this staging he gets chained up when Hunding goes to bed. [They also, via willful mistranslation ["the men" rather than "us men"] in the subtitles [credited to Zambello] have Sieglinde serve food to Hunding's men rather than Hunding and Siegmund. As written Hunding is rigidly lawful in his actions and allegiances; it's a parallel to the gods and it just fits with the scene. But I can't see why this brute of a Hunding would let Siegmund stay in his house - even chained up - like this (other than that is what the production is stuck with because it's in the libretto).

And, to be clear, I think Hunding is awful. Even from what is in the libretto he treats Sieglinde inhumanely. But for some reason that was not enough; the character had to be turned into a caricature.

Anyway the orchestra sounded much better in the third act. Everything was together and again it had that gorgeous flow.

The Valkyries are good. Being on high meant that I was able to pick out that it was supers parachuting (ziplining?) in, and the actual singers walked on stage after their doubles were out of view (to the audience on the lower levels). [This isn't a complaint, it just hadn't occurred to me as a practical matter until I saw the Grimgerde and Roßweiße approach the stage piece from the back while they were still flying across the stage].

Grimsley and Theorin are both good but neither were at that level that they were able to work against the staging. There was so much random wandering about the stage. Wotan left the stage entirely during one of the longer Brünnhilde monologues. He did this two weeks ago, too. (It should be noted that the production does this a lot; have a character come on stage just as they're saying something. It also does the opposite: have characters on stage way before they're supposed to be, such as Donner and Froh at the beginning of scene 2 of _Das Rheingold_).

This music brought tears to my eyes a year ago hearing just excerpts but here with the full staging I alternated between bored and mad.


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## mountmccabe

_Siegfried_ came across much better, mostly because I gave up on the staging and took of my glasses shortly into the second act. (I am fairly nearsighted (~ -4) so from my balcony seats this means I can see the lighting (which is good and is more matched to the music than it is to this particular staging) and vague blurs of characters (which I can mostly tell apart, where the staging deigns to let characters have differences).

Daniel Brenna also sounded better as Siegfried, good if not exceptional. I was also better able to enjoy the contributions of the cast, especially Greer Grimsley (Wotan), Falk Struckmann (Alberich), and Ronnita Miller (Erda). Brenna's closing scene with Iréne Theorin as Brünnhilde was also quite effective.

David Cangelosi is fine as Mime, though I still don't like his final confrontation with Siegfried. I suspect this has a lot to do with the direction: as he sings what he really means he also performs exaggerated actions expressing that same reality. His singing is likewise malevolent. It's almost as if the idea was to do away with the duplicity - and thus Siegfried seeing through it - entirely. I recognize that this is a really difficult bit to pull off, but this is a particularly poor approach in my mind.

I am about to leave for _Götterdämmerung_ and in the spirit of doing something different I will praise one thing about this cycle. Loge comes on stage at the end of scene one of _Das Rheingold_. Dumb on its own but it sets up the Rhinemaidens returning to the stage at the end of scene 4. This is again dumb on its own, but that all means they can show up for the final scene of _Götterdämerung_, which is quite important to Zambello's big ending with only women left on the stage.


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## DavidA

I didn't know whether to put this here or under films but just a quick review of the latest RSC Romeo and Juliet which was broadcast the other day. I don't know whether anyone else saw it but I thought it was a real curate's egg, with brilliant performances of the two young lovers from Karen Fishwick and Bally Gill. Ishia Bennison gives a good performance as the nurse but as for the rest it tried too hard in the gender-fluid / diversity mode which is the fashion these days. The updating brought it's own problems of credibility - would such a bolshie teen Juliet been so submissive to her dad in 2018? Would he have wielded such power? Would a priest actually have conducted the marriage of an under-age girl? 
Might have been better if the set was not so dreary and the rest of the performances sub-standard. The Tybalt was a totally unengaging thug. And the Mercutio - played as a woman by Charlotte Josephine. Josephine, who has written and performed a play called Bitch Boxer about a 21-year-old pugilist, plays Mercutio as a tough, crop-haired female bruiser always ready for a scrap. Frankly it was just plain tiresome as it had little to do with Shakespeare's complex character and I was glad when he / she was killed off. The ending btw is weird with the characters standing up after having been killed. Maybe to represent their ghosts., 
Altogether a mixed evening then which threw little light on the great play but did throw light on the lack of depth of acting talent at the RSC.


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## mountmccabe

Last Saturday I saw _Pelléas et Mélisande_ as presented by West Edge Opera. This was very high on my list of favorite operas that I had not yet seen live, so I was very happy to have that chance.

This local company's 2018 festival is at Craneway Conference Center, a former Ford plant right on the water. It was a long trip out on public transportation - I read the entire libretto on the way - but I was very happy to be able to go to the water, feel that strong breeze, see San Francisco across the bay, as well as Oakland and more down this side of the coast.

We started out with our Golaud, Efrain Solis. He was excellent and had a real feel for the text and the mood of the piece. Kendra Broom was a bright and clear-toned Mélisande.

David Blalock was a dark-voiced tenor Pelléas (this was noted as a specific choice for this run). He was a little stiff, and I'm not sure he really portrayed the silly boyishness of the character.

Philip Skinner is in everything in the Bay Area; here he was a powerful Arkel.

The sets were mostly limited and suggested. The back wall was dark, with a few different doors, along with places for a set piece to slide out - a bed, a balcony, and so on. The costumes were vaguely old and seemed effective at distinguishing and assisting character.

The direction was by Keturah Stickann and was not quite to my taste, though the problems that bothered me somewhat during the performance were not memorable enough for me to think of them now.

Jonathan Khuner conducted the reduced orchestra, and while there were balance issues (my seat was pretty close up) the overall sound was quite impressive (especially given some of the spaces this company has performed in) and it was a real pleasure to hear this score.

The other two operas of the festival are _Mata Hari_ by Matt Marks (first performance was Sunday; I am not going to any), and _Quartett_ by Luca Francesconi (I am seeing the first performance this coming Saturday).

Next year their plan is _The Threepenny Opera_, _Orfeo ed Euridice_ (Gluck), and _Breaking the Waves_.


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## mountmccabe

I saw Roberto Devereux at San Francisco Opera last night. It was mostly enjoyable but not something I need to see again.

Sondra Radvanovsky is really amazing. She's an impressive actress and has a stunning voice. I'm not sure I love the sound of her high end but she brought such expressive colors to the lower end.

Our Roberto Devereux was the excellent Russell Thomas, who impressed throughout. Jamie Barton was Sara and it seems such a privilege to be able to see her again so soon after the Ring (and that she's coming back for _Rusalka_).

I was also impressed by Adler fellow Andrew Manea stepping in for Artur Ruciński (who dropped out a few weeks ago) as the Duke of Nottingham.

Riccardo Frizza kept everything together conducting without providing much sparkle. Though some of that may be that it often feels like the opera is under-accompanied so there's only so much to work with.

The production seemed fine, mostly, and very much in line with other recent productions. It used a single main set of the Globe Theater, highlighting how being Queen (etc.) is putting on a show and you're always being watched (much like Loy did for Munich), not that this really has anything to do with Salvadore Cammarano's libretto or Donizetti's music. Costumes seemed period appropriate and everything was straightforward (which, along with Elizabeth without her wig, etc. in the final scene felt much like the McVicar for the Met). The production is by Stephen Lawless and was seen at Canadian Opera Company in 2014. (Where he's since done a similar _Anna Bolena_).


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## DavidA

Went to the Met broadcast of Aida last night. The production was traditional but absolutely spectacular as it should be for this opera. Glad to see regietheatrehasn't got it paws on this yet. Full marks for the whole resources of the Met being used. Netrebko was to me pretty outstanding and made plenty of the drama. Rachvelishvili was outstanding - an Amneris in the line of Stignani, Cossotto et al. Sadly the tenor, Aleksandrs Antonenko, was a let down, finding each note like a dowser, passing close but rarely on target. His tone was none too pleasant either. Memories of Bergonzi, Corelli, et al not erased. The rest of the cast were OK if not outstanding but it was the two leading ladies who brought the house down. Whatever the failings, a great evenng of entertainment, which is what opera is about.


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## sharkeysnight

Saw the Canadian Opera Company's production of Eugene Onegin a week ago. It's the Robert Carsen version, a big white box that's backlit various colors and with a huge, square playing space, and it's beautiful. I went in for the 30 under 30 plus tickets, so I got bumped up to the third row on the side, which were terrific seats for watching the actors. However, since the COC amplifies their orchestra, it meant our section was right under one of the loudspeakers, which made the singers difficult to hear when the score got too rollicking (and also made it sound like the entire string section had been sucked into the proscenium leg).

I've seen the Deborah Warner production of Eugene Onegin (via the Met Live screening), which was interesting and effective in some places, particularly the duel scene, which the whole design seemed to be developed around, and clumsy in others. Carsen's design is a huge improvement in terms of consistency. The first scene takes place on a stage-filling carpet of autumn leaves, and the walls are a vivid, deep orange. Tatyana's bedroom is placed right in the middle of them for the letter scene, which was beautifully evocative and poetic (though the poor nanny had to enter and exit via a laboriously manual trapdoor - I wish they'd simply rolled a carpet runner over the leaves). The duel scene took place entirely behind a scrim, the actors lit mostly by the blue walls, so they moved around entirely in silhouette. All throughout it was a spectacle of lighting and space - an almost completely self-assured design.

The singing was fairly spectacular but I know nothing about it anyways. They open their mouths and I get chills, which is all I care about. I will say, I preferred Peter Mattei's Onegin to this production's Gordon Bintner, and it has everything to do with how they look. Mattei has this wonderful Walter Matthau face that gave the character a terrific humanity, but Bintner comes across with so much of a Patrick Bateman vibe that he never descends from being a villain - we hate him at the beginning, and when she scorns him at the end, we hate him more. I wouldn't say it was a dynamic that failed dramatically, but it was nice to be able to like Onegin just a little, because it means we get a better glimpse of how close he is to redeeming himself.

Oh my god, the psychologies! I just read Anna Karenina, and I loved it for how often I felt like I was both reading an insight into my own life and being allowed to live someone else's life, and I was surprised to find so much of the same feeling seeing this. There really is something life-altering about seeing opera live, how everything in your life is stripped away to its barest facets while you're in its presence. It's somehow both escapist and therapeutic - I understood everything about the lives of the people on the stage, and the all-consuming nature of the show let me reflect what I was seeing on my own life. Something breaks between you and the opera and you're engulfed in the essential truths.

I don't have any money right now but I might go a little bit into debt so I can see it again.


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## Belowpar

Excelent review thanks, Carsen always interesting.

Curious that the Orchestra was amplified. Is it a very large hall or a small orchestra? There are lots of rumours of singers being amplified, but not ususally the Orchestra.


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## mountmccabe

I have recently attended two performances at the San Francisco Opera, _*Tosca*_ and _Arabella_. This was my first time seeing either of them live.

There was a lot I liked about _Tosca_, but overall I was unaffected by the performance. I think this is mostly because I do not care for this opera; the music does little for me.

Carmen Giannattasio is making her SFO debut and her debut as Tosca in this run. Her voice is impressive and there was some lovely color, especially in the second act. She cuts a grounded, centered character for Tosca. In the first act she is not an unhinged caricature, and she comes off as almost imperious after killing Scarpia. Brian Jagde was her Cavaradossi, and they had good chemistry together. Scarpia was Scott Hendricks; he made for an imposing figure.

Leo Hussain conducted the orchestra, and everything sounded thin, but I think that's mostly about my preferences vs. what Puccini wrote.

The production was by Shawna Lucey. The sets and costumes were grand, elaborate, and period appropriate; there were no tricks there. But the personregie was, to my understanding, not traditional, but also not wild or unrecognizable. It seemed all straightforward to me, but I also don't have a lot of history with this opera.

I'm glad I saw it, but I don't have much interest in going back, and I've been hesitating applying for a ticket to see Tosca in Munich in May. Who cares if Anja Harteros is Tosca if the opera itself doesn't do anything for me?


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## mountmccabe

On the other end of the spectrum, I saw *Arabella* last night. Today I am listening to a recording and have bought a ticket for another performance in the run.

The big difference is that Strauss reaches me in a way Puccini almost never does. Sometimes I hear opera described as ridiculous plots sold by ravishing music. And while I think the best operas transcend that, here it is the music of Richard Strauss that is making me want to see this again (and again).

Ellie Dehn (our Manon last season) is Arabella. She sounded good to great, and fortunately it was either good or great, not somewhere in between throughout. That is the diction wasn't always clear, the projection wasn't always solid, but when she shined it was incredibly satisfying. She also seemed to save something for the third act, where her quieter lower end sounded stronger and richer.

Her sister Zdenka was Heidi Stober, and she sounded amazing from the start of the first act. Their duets were also quite lovely.

The suitor Mandryka was Brian Mulligan (last seen here as Donner and Gunther in the Ring). His voice has the power and depth for this role; I got choked up during his act 2 conversation with Arabella. He was perhaps more restrained at the end of Act 2 than some might like, but I think it worked.

The rest of the cast is also surprisingly stacked; Michaela Martens and Richard Paul Fink were the Waldners, and Hye Jung Lee delighted in the coloratura of the Fiakermilli.

This was Marc Albercht's US debut (which caught me off guard; I have seen him a couple times before and had considered him well known) and I really the sound he got out of the orchestra. It was full, lush, and just gorgeous. It was fun watching him shape the sound and lead the singers.

The bells on Elemer's sleigh sounded out of place, but that is (almost) always the case for amplified sound in an acoustic opera.

The production was by Tim Albery; it premiered at Santa Fe Opera and has since been seen at the Canadian Opera Company. It is straightforward. It is time-shifted to 1910 but this merely changes the outfits. (One friend noted that some of the dresses at the ball were from the 1890s, and that that might have been a conscious choice that could make sense. I honestly cannot tell what clothing is from what era, though I loved Arabella's striped sleigh ride outfit).

There are some large half-rounded set pieces, with some seating areas, doorways, and, yes, staircases. The curved staircase from Arabella's room up against a large curved wall for act 3 made for ideal sound projection for the final scene, which was played just beautifully.

There are pictures (and a less enthusiastic take by Joshua Kosman) at SF Gate/SF Chronicle.


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## sharkeysnight

Belowpar said:


> Excelent review thanks, Carsen always interesting.
> 
> Curious that the Orchestra was amplified. Is it a very large hall or a small orchestra? There are lots of rumours of singers being amplified, but not ususally the Orchestra.


The capacity is about 2000, so it's not massive, and the orchestra didn't seem particularly undersized, so I was a little surprised as well.


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## DavidA

Really enjoyable Samson and Delila last night broadcast from the Met. Had to get over the general stupidity of Cineworld in not turning the house lights out for the first half hour but after that the sets were amazing. Modern and garish but quite in tune with the opera. It has had some sniffy reviews but thought Algana and Garanca both sang well and she looks every inch the femme fatale. So a good evening's entertainment - which is what opera is all about!


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## sharkeysnight

Saw the Canadian Opera Company's presentation of Rufus Wainwright's second opera, _Hadrian_. A lot of the reviews are mixed, which seems right - there are a number of times, particularly in the middle two acts, where it soars beautifully, and other parts that are terribly laborious. There's a comically abrupt suicide in the first act, and the finale takes a long time and struggles to come to a cohesive narrative epiphany.

Almost all of the music is wonderful. Hadrian's wife, Sabina, gets a particularly good aria in the second act where she laments Hadrian's lack of love for her and asks "Will we take Egypt together? Or will I have Egypt alone?", and is given the best part of a trio in the next act. Plotina, one of the deities that sends Hadrian back in time in exchange for Hadrian's crushing of monotheism (she's afraid of being forgotten), gets a slow, soulfully jazzy aria in the first act. Antinous, the love of Hadrian's life, has a fabulous aria in which he outlines his optimistic view of humanity - the words are corny, but the music is so lovely that it carries.

I was also particularly struck with an intense, darkly funny piece at the beginning of the third act, where Hadrian's entourage, separated from Egypt for six years, angrily lament the passing of time ("You've lost your hair" "In a year I'll lose my legs"). It's a brilliantly grinding passage, it reminds me a lot of the gossip music from Sondheim's Sunday in the Park With George, and I can't wait to hear it again on the eventual recording. Much of the best music is instrumental, particularly the entr'acte between acts one and two, which illustrates the show's best musical stylings - mysterious, dark, and tuneful.

This entr'acte is accompanied by a really striking piece of stagework - Hadrian accepts Plotina's deal and is sent back in time, and a stream of red sand falls to the stage like an hourglass while five male dancers (who linger onstage throughout the first act as living statues) move around it ritualistically. The overall design was nice, done up all in glossy black panels, though the second act is played in front of a very Windows screensaver-y projection of a moon and cloudy stars that I really wished was either a practical effect or was more abstract.

The libretto is the biggest letdown. Sabina's arc is the most detailed and legitimately surprising, but the others are pretty static. Great ideas are introduced, and then unfulfilled - Plotina's companion, Trajan, suggests that she's too bound up by the concerns of mortals, and that being forgotten is actually freedom, but it's essentially a throwaway line. Hadrian's military commander, Turbo, turns out to be this and that towards the end of Hadrian's visit to the past, but his character is undeveloped before that. They really struggle to get to the point in the finale, and there were a couple parts where I wasn't actually sure what was meant to have been communicated.

Still, there's lots and lots of lovely music. The sex scene that opens the third act has beautiful accompaniment and uplifts the slightly clumsy staging (the climax of the piece seemed to have nothing to do with the action). It's a little tonally discombobulated and sometimes the orchestra seemed to be flying away on its own, but it was a lot more engaging musically than his previous opera. I'm excited to hear his next opera, if it has a stronger structure it'll be all the way terrific.


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## Don Fatale

Thanks sharkey, I've been a long time fan of Rufus in his too-clever-by-half pop persona, and even more of his mom and aunt (Kate and Anna McGarrigle). It's good to have someone who truly values the tradition of opera rather than the usual modernist approach.

In Budapest's Liszt Academy a few nights ago I saw Bernstein's one-act chamber opera Trouble in Tahiti, which is far from his best work, but it was nicely performed. Written around the time of West Side Story, T-i-T feels caught in no-man's land between opera and musical.

However it was the first piece of the evening that wowed me. This was the premier of a one-act opera by Gulya Fekete called Roman Fever, based on a short story by Edith Wharton. The piece for four female roles was a complete delight. The arias, yes actual arias, were tuneful with long and rewarding lines, while the score indicated a heavy influence of Puccini and was rich and engaging. I really do need to see this piece again, although at this stage it seems the performance was a one-off.


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## sharkeysnight

Wainwright's wonderful - I like a lot of Prima Donna's music, and it's more contemporary but his work for the Berliner Ensemble/Robert Wilson Shakespeare Sonnet piece is some of my favorite music ever written for the stage. Really, I only have two hesitancies over Hadrian's music: the sometimes overbaked orchestrations and the way Wainwright seemed to be almost afraid of being too melodic. I kept wishing he'd just be himself and allow a musical line to be a little catchy, but there were a lot of arbitrary-sounding bends that felt like they were built in simply to announce that he wasn't a mere tunesmith.

There's also a terrific suite of music lurking in there that would be perfect for ballet companies.


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## DavidA

Just seen Puccini's horse opera from the Met. Thought the production was very good of an. Opera that is very difficult to bring off dramatically. Westbrook superb as Minnie I thought - see acted the part well too. Lucic fine as Rance. Is it me (or the transmission) but has Kaufmann's voice lost something of its ring and power? Opinions welcome if you heard it. Very good performance but the opera doesn't really convince dramatically


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## Scott in PA

I also saw Fanciulla in the cinema. I really enjoyed Kaufmann’s performance. I didn’t detect any loss of power in the voice. The role of Ramirez definitely needs someone with his heft in the lower register (this was especially noticeable in the Ch’ella mi creda aria). Westbroek was excellent in the role of Minnie. She didn’t have the very top notes (I think she missed the c in the first act by about a semitone), but she had everything else. Great acting skills.

I love this traditional production. I don’t even bother anymore with the postmodern productions - had my fill. Although here I didn’t like over-sentimentalizing the miners. Fanciulla is my favorite Puccini, his best conjoining of text and music with a nice dramatic flow. The restatement of recurring motifs or leading motifs (leitmotifs) is really beautifully done.


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## Taggart

*Handel Radamisto Snape Nov 2 2018*

There's a review here.


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## RobertKC

I just got home from "Madama Butterfly" performed by the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. I'm not a music scholar, so I'll be brief. I thought they did an excellent job - particularly considering that KC is not a huge city.

Cio-Cio San: Karah Son
Pinkerton: Georgy Vasiliev
Suzuki: Kristen Choi​
The audience went wild when Karah Son took her bows, and it appeared that she was sincerely moved.

I feel fortunate that I can attend great quality opera and symphony concerts in a world class facility - the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.


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## mountmccabe

Saturday night I saw _Ifigenia in Aulide_... by Giovanni Porta. It was performed by Ars Minerva. This is, it seems, the first production run since the opera's premiere in Munich in 1738. This is what Ars Minerva does; their three previous productions have also been modern premieres of Baroque operas.

All I had heard of the opera going in was an aria on the Joyce DiDonato album _Drama Queens_. It uses the libretto by Apostolo Zeno, set by others including Nicola Porpora and Giuseppe Sarti. There is a new character (not in the Euripides) called Elisena; she does not know her past but is told she will die when she learns her real name, is in love with Achilles, and becomes jealous of the sacrifice Ifigenia is going to make. No spoiler, but, um, it's not really necessary, now is it.

There were 8 vocalists, no chorus. I'm not even sure which ones had the most singing time, perhaps Agamennone and Clitemnestra, with Achille, Elisena, and Ifigenia close behind. Acts 1 and 2 alternated between recitative and solo da capo arias. Act 3 was a big change and had several ensemble numbers, such as a big trio for king, queen, and to-be-sacrificed-or-married daughter.

The arias were all highly ornamented and the local cast were impressive. And, again, everyone had several of these showpieces. Céline Ricci, the artistic director of the company, directed the show and sang Achille.

Derek Tam conducted the score from the harpsichord; there was a 9-piece string ensemble (including 1 theorbo). The score didn't seem entirely remarkable, but really sounded lovely. And, again, act 3 was quite a bit more inventive.

Professional review (not by me), with pictures. There were no sets and few props. They used interesting costumes, and projections against the back wall.


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## Woodduck

mountmccabe said:


> Saturday night I saw _Ifigenia in Aulide_... by Giovanni Porta.
> 
> There is a new character (not in the Euripides) called Elisena; she does not know her past but is told she will die when she learns her real name, is in love with Achilles, and becomes jealous of the sacrifice Ifigenia is going to make. No spoiler, but, um, it's not really necessary, now is it.


You could give away the entire plot of one of these Baroque operas and everyone would forget it before they'd even finished reading.


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## david johnson

MY review of a La Boheme performance I attended years ago. It was performed in Memphis by a touring Met group. - Great opera, but I was more interested in the blonde who was my date. She was great, too


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## mountmccabe

Woodduck said:


> You could give away the entire plot of one of these Baroque operas and everyone would forget it before they'd even finished reading.


Honestly, this didn't seem that convoluted. I am not sure I have even read the Euripides this was ultimately based upon, but I basically knew the outline, and know most of these characters from other operas, plays, and stories. So when, say, I see Ulysses eager to leave Aulide and initially willing to sacrifice someone else's daughter to do that, it made sense.

I think they figured their audience would know these stories well enough that they could include a lot of plot, so as to have a lot of characters and give them each several varied arias. Fewer people today have that classical education, I suppose.

And against this well-known plot, we get the new character of Elisena, so everything she does sticks out. And she gets enough stage time that her motivations were just as clear as those of characters we know well, especially as she is played off against them.

I do prefer operas that don't rely on knowing the basic story beforehand, but it is interesting to see those that do assume background do that well. Which, importantly, I mean by making small modifications that stick out that much more and help clarify your dramatic action.

[I recently saw the Live in HD of Nico Muhly's _Marnie_. There were times I had no idea what was going on because I have never seen the movie. Most strikingly was the fox hunt (apparently?); it seemed like the production (and perhaps the libretto and score) assumed we would immediately recognize the scene from the film and made no real attempt to place us there. (Though it also possible I didn't understand because I don't know enough fox hunt jargon)].


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## Sieglinde

Just got back from Die Räuber in the Vienna Volksoper (it was in German). Very good performance overall, although the sets were meh. The costumes were nice and traditional. 

Most of the cast were not big names except for Boaz Daniel, but everyone was really good. (Even my very much Not Into Opera mom enjoyed it.) 

The one twist in staging was doubling Maximilian and the unfriendly priest which worked out nicely. Also, they sort off pulled off Franz's original play death without it being funny.


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## Don Fatale

I saw The Magic Flute in Budapest tonight. The best Flute I've seen my 30 years of opera going. Big budget production full of strong sets, great visuals and family charm, and did a good job of keeping the (often tedious) second act moving along.

Budapest opera is hit and miss. Some are lame, such as this week's Fanciulla, but others like this can really deliver. Sándor Csaba as Papageno charmed with acting and voice, and pretty much stole the show, but for an elegantly sung Sarastro by local stalwart András Palerdi.


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## mountmccabe

I saw the first half of _*It's a Wonderful Life*_. The opera premiered in 2016 in Houston; this is the second production run. There were some revisions before these performances but I can't provide details; I could only bring myself to listen to the first act of the recording, too.

Golda Schultz sounded wonderful as Clara, the angel that gets a chance to get her wings by observing and helping George Bailey. She showed the only bit of charm of the first act as she learns how to work the set-up which allows her to learn about George.

William Burden made the most of what little he had to work with as George, finally with the ability to show something in the finale of the first act when he gets a duet with Mary Hatch (Andriana Churchman), who has been in love with him since (at least) he saved his brother when they were all children.

Clara got her instructions from the (pre-recorded) voice of Patti LuPone; I am happy to consider her a god, so one point for the opera there. On the downside this recording was incredibly loud and sounded ridiculous against the acoustic singing of Schultz. We soon got more mic'd speaking, from children playing in the winter as we get George saving Harry on stage, though there was no singing; an odd choice for an opera. There'd be quite a few more of those.

Clara didn't have her wings, but we got to hear from a quartet of angels that did. They were well-sung by Adler Fellows. Not seeing them in the second act was one of the few regrets about leaving early.

Rod Gilfry was pushed on stage (by the lone super amongst 32 singing/speaking roles) to be mean as Mr. Potter, and he was quickly gone. Again, I hope he had more to do in the second act.

I honestly don't have anything to say about the music. It wasn't interesting. The vocal writing was mostly just as uninteresting and unremarkable, exceptions noted above.

The first act was plodding and too full of plot points from the movie. Because everyone goes to the opera to see plot actions that don't really reveal anything that interesting about character or build into anything. The act ends somewhat abruptly after Mary returns from college and wants to marry George. This doesn't really feel like anything and this doesn't seem like a big point on any emotional journey.

I wasn't feeling particularly well so I went home.

Local opera-going friends have been mixed on it, largely dependent upon how serious one wants their opera to be, and how much one goes for holiday spirit/sentimentality. If you want a cute, holiday-themed reminder of a film you loved, then this might satisfy.


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## Don Fatale

mountmccabe said:


> I saw the first half of _*It's a Wonderful Life*_. The opera premiered in 2016 in Houston; this is the second production run. There were some revisions before these performances but I can't provide details; I could only bring myself to listen to the first act of the recording, too.
> 
> Golda Schultz sounded wonderful as Clara, the angel that gets a chance to get her wings by observing and helping George Bailey. She showed the only bit of charm of the first act as she learns how to work the set-up which allows her to learn about George.
> 
> William Burden made the most of what little he had to work with as George, finally with the ability to show something in the finale of the first act when he gets a duet with Mary Hatch (Andriana Churchman), who has been in love with him since (at least) he saved his brother when they were all children.
> 
> Clara got her instructions from the (pre-recorded) voice of Patti LuPone; I am happy to consider her a god, so one point for the opera there. On the downside this recording was incredibly loud and sounded ridiculous against the acoustic singing of Schultz. We soon got more mic'd speaking, from children playing in the winter as we get George saving Harry on stage, though there was no singing; an odd choice for an opera. There'd be quite a few more of those.
> 
> Clara didn't have her wings, but we got to hear from a quartet of angels that did. They were well-sung by Adler Fellows. Not seeing them in the second act was one of the few regrets about leaving early.
> 
> Rod Gilfry was pushed on stage (by the lone super amongst 32 singing/speaking roles) to be mean as Mr. Potter, and he was quickly gone. Again, I hope he had more to do in the second act.
> 
> I honestly don't have anything to say about the music. It wasn't interesting. The vocal writing was mostly just as uninteresting and unremarkable, exceptions noted above.
> 
> The first act was plodding and too full of plot points from the movie. Because everyone goes to the opera to see plot actions that don't really reveal anything that interesting about character or build into anything. The act ends somewhat abruptly after Mary returns from college and wants to marry George. This doesn't really feel like anything and this doesn't seem like a big point on any emotional journey.
> 
> I wasn't feeling particularly well so I went home.
> 
> Local opera-going friends have been mixed on it, largely dependent upon how serious one wants their opera to be, and how much one goes for holiday spirit/sentimentality. If you want a cute, holiday-themed reminder of a film you loved, then this might satisfy.


Hope you're feeling better.

What with this, and Marnie and Dead Man Walking... I'm wordering if classic movies should be left alone. I'm amazed that operagoers will still pack in for an evening lacking in tunes and with so-so orchestrations, all for the sake of newness.


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## mountmccabe

Don Fatale said:


> Hope you're feeling better.
> 
> What with this, and Marnie and Dead Man Walking... I'm wordering if classic movies should be left alone. I'm amazed that operagoers will still pack in for an evening lacking in tunes and with so-so orchestrations, all for the sake of newness.


Thanks! I am feeling improved, and even went to the Baroque concert I had planned to last night.

I think the audience here is not coming for the newness of the opera, but for it's familiarity. This is being marketed as a family holiday thing, and I'm sure the hope is that it will be done by some opera company (or several) every holiday season. The safe thing you can bring visiting relatives and friends (and children!) to, like the English Magic Flutes, Hansel and Gretels are now. (At SFO they have done a holiday-length English Barber of Seville a number of years).

I, personally, was there because of a commitment to seeing new opera. But I opted for one of the last performances in the run whereas more commonly I'm there at the first or second performance, so I have a better chance of going again if I really love it.

I found Dead Man Walking effective (and The Exterminating Angel, as well). But this was entirely on its own terms; I have not seen the film or read the book.

But I agree that adapting familiar properties can be tough. Some of the audience just wants to see their favorite parts of the original movie. But if scenes, characters, lines, and props are included because they were in the original rather than because they add to, reinforce, support the opera... the end result can be an undramatic mess.

I think we see this well filmic adaptations of books. The more is changed to fit the new medium, the more those who loved the book will be disappointed.

Opera is a very different medium than film. Of course I believe the creators of It's a Wonderful Life know this. They did change quite a bit to make it work on stage (including shifting Clarence to Clara so there could be a broader range of voices). My issue is that they didn't change enough to make it a stand-alone, dramatic story. Of course if they did, the audience that want to see a classic holiday movie they've seen a hundred times might find it unrecognizable, or at least feel disappointed that their favorite bit was missing, and the point of using an established property is lost.


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## Don Fatale

Last night I saw La Boheme in Budapest. It was the eve of Puccini's 160 anniversary, and Hungarian State Opera duly recognised it. It started with O Soave Fanciulla sung with a piano, hidden by the curtain. Next was the announcer in a stage box, rambling on in Hungarian for 5 minutes during which he promised a surprise at the end. Finally we're ready to start.

After last year's poorly received "Boheme 2.0" (yes, I know ) production they've restored the classic sets from 30 years ago. The first (and fourth) act scene in the garret is functional, keeping the singers close to the front of stage. Seasoned operagoers will know the reason for this... the brief curtain before the big Act II Cafe Momus reveal.

So, who's singing? Nobody you've heard of, but I'll mention them for the record. Csaba Szegedi makes a great impression as Marcello, his voice and strong frame in perfect accord. Rodolfo by Gergely Boncsér is slight of figure, and wayward in tone, although no problem with the top notes, which in this part of the world is acceptable. Then appears Mimi sung by Lilla Horti. Immediately impressive.

The Act II Café Momus scenery is colourful and attractive as if a painting has come to life. Zita Váradi was slightly awkward in her elaborate costume but her chemistry with Marcello was well portrayed.

I know that the Met's Act II curtain-up often garners spontaneous applause, but here it is the snowy Act III with its lane of gas lamps seeming to go 100 yards into the distance. It's one of the most beautiful stage scenes I've ever experienced.

After some curtain calls, we get the 'surprise'. Gergely Boncsér does a fine job of Nessun Dorma, with the audience dutifully providing the humming interlude.

It was a great night, a classic old-school production, with a committed cast and conductor. On top of all that was a soprano who made the house come alive whenever she was singing. I noticed many people including me feeling the need to rub the side of their nose... for much of the evening. *I'm going to call this one right now. Lilla Horti, at just 26, is surely going places.*


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## Don Fatale

I've become aware that some of my friends, who love going to live operas no longer post much here. I think that's because so few posters seems to be interested in live performances or the reviews, or general conversation about the live experience. That's a pity.

So I find myself following my previous review. I'm still in Budapest and last night saw Nabucco. It was one of their relatively modern but still traditional productions, and one the audience happily returns to. Szilvia Ralik was Abigaille. Not her best role, but I suspect she was a little off colour. The ever reliable Alexandru Agache was Nabucco, performed his first scene from the back of the balcony. Quite electrifying to hear the voices from one end of the house to the other. It reminded me of how awesome opera trained voices are.

In the interval the female slaves joined us in the upstairs bar for a piano accompanied Va Pensiero in which they invited the audience to join in. This tune, as well as being in an uncomfortable range for untrained voices, is also a famously awkward fit to the words. So after the first few lines we all faded away, fittingly leaving the slaves to it.

Following the curtain calls, the cast settled down on the stage to recreate the scene for a parting Va Pensiero. Tickets are good value in Budapest, but they keep insisting in making the experience even better. A fun night.

Next for me is Franco Faccio's Amleto in Chemnitz on the 18th. Libretto by Arrigo Boito, which is reason enough to see it.


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## Bonetan

Don Fatale said:


> I've become aware that some of my friends, who love going to live operas no longer post much here. I think that's because so few posters seems to be interested in live performances or the reviews, or general conversation about the live experience. That's a pity.


I couldn't agree more! Recordings are an amazing way to remember singers of the past that we wouldn't otherwise be able to hear, but recordings are deceptive & I don't think you can make an accurate judgement of a singer's ability without hearing them live. I know I've been guilty of this in the past, but never again. Opera is all about being in the theater getting that visceral experience that only live opera can provide! I hope we can all make many trips to the theater in 2019 so we can discuss it here on TC!!

I'm making plans to hear Nina Stemme as Elektra next month in Chicago & I have a list of important singers of today that I must hear before they hang up the vocal chords or their prime passes them by 

Thank you very much for your review!


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## Don Fatale

Tonight I saw Franco Faccio's Amleto, in Chemnitz, Germany.

Some background: History books label Faccio as one of Verdi's later collaborators, given that Faccio conducted the European premiere of Aida, the world premiere of Otello and the Boito-revised Simon Boccanegra. However, Faccio also has two operas to his name, both dating from his 20s in the 1860s. Amleto is the second of these, based of course on the Shakespeare play. Both Faccio's works have been absent from the repetoire since then. However the American conductor Anthony Barrese has been working since 2004 to rebuild a performing version of Amleto from the manuscripts and libretto. Now it's being performed. Firstly in a unloved production at Sarasota Opera, and now this co-production by Bregenz and Chemnitz, which appeared in 2017 I believe.

The first question to ask is whether this is a curiousity piece or something of genuine merit deserving to be part of the operatic canon? Contempory reports from the time of composition indicate a high degree of praise in Genoa from critics and public alike.

(Time for bed, and as this area doesn't have a draft feature I'll post now and further tomorrow. )


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## Don Fatale

I would not consider the music strikingly original, but that's no obstacle. Echoes of the light touch of Gounod and Verdi brass tunes abound. As the performance was titled only in German I'm not able to comment on the libretto. Needless to say there was little audible Italian to be heard to my ears, and I didn't even catch Essere o Non Essere when it came. What was notable in this work is the opportunity it gives multiple singers to stand and deliver, which the audience duly applauded as required. The tunes and the singing were equally robust and enjoyable. The most notable scene is the death of Ophelia where an extended scene reminiscent of the Siegfried Funeral March is played out. 

There seems more respect and fidelity to the Shakespeare than we get in Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet. A fan of the play will recognise many famouse scenes, albeit condensed and combined.

So was it worth my trip to Chemnitz ? Yes, definitely. Amleto has a crowd-pleasing quality throughout and I thought the audience was engaged and positive towards it. I'd be very happy to hear this work again, and think it deserves to be more widely seen.

A word on Chemnitz. Formerly known as Karl Marx Stadt, it's a city that governments at home (and abroad!) have often sought to remodel and it feels rather underpopulated and not very fashionable. A post industrial city. They have retained the 5 metre head of Marx in the centre along with various other Soviet era sculptures. The opera house, close to the Hbf, is original outside (1900's) and modern inside. A very pleasant place to be with an intimate hall, comfortable seating, good viewpoints and pleasing public areas, notably the capacious top level bar area. My acceptable 2nd tier balcony seat plus intermission coffee set me back just €20. The staff were charming and welcoming at all stages.


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## mountmccabe

Bonetan said:


> I'm making plans to hear Nina Stemme as Elektra next month in Chicago & I have a list of important singers of today that I must hear before they hang up the vocal chords or their prime passes them by


I really looked at this, too, but a busy schedule means I could just go for an abbreviated weekend, and fly home after the matinee performance. There'd be time to make it work, but I dislike flying enough that I can't bring myself to go.


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## Don Fatale

So nobody else is going to live operas? That's a pity.

Tonight I saw *Les Huguenots* in Budapest. I think this production has been shown before, in the other house, because it seemed too large for this stage. I'll keep it brief (oh God, how many times have I said this...)

The production goes all out for painted drop screens and a few stylistic touches. Perhaps it says something about my aesthetic sensibility but I like this style of production. So there's no wow factor, unless you're into scene paintings, but it's interesting to observe that the singers (chorus and principles) can move and be choreographed so easily when they don't have steps to climb, and pillars and furniture to navigate around. And also... here it comes... they and the audience can concentrate on the singing. I think this is called Stand and Deliver, and I'm a fan of this.

So who was standing and delivering tonight? 
Klára Kolonits as the Queen, seems to be Hungary's most loved coloratura soprano. She did a nice job of all the runs and trills and had a great audience response to her act II scenes.
Gabriella Balga in the trouser role of Urbain was really most fetching. How anyone is supposed to believe she's a fella after all those high notes, I don't know.
Petri Lindroos, I'm sure I've come across that name before... Oh yes, in Aida in Malta a couple of years ago! What a secure and melodious bass voice this well-travelled Finn has. He was singing Marcel the noble in spirit sidekick.
Gabriella Letay Kiss is another Hungarian stay-at-home soprano. I've seen and enjoyed her twice before in Mefistofele and Butterfly. Here her somewhat wayward tones didn't work so well in something bordering on bel canto.
And there is Gergely Boncsér as Raoul. The only tenor in Hungary, one would think. He's young and fit enough to keep up with the schedule. He hits the notes but never in my experience wows the audience.
Finally there was (Czecho)Slovakian Oliver van Dohnanyi in the pit. Safe hands to handle varied effects and moods in the score.

So here's an opera quiz question: What Verdi and Wagner operas are indicated (presaged) in this one. It's quite obvious in performance.


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## DriverSeven

I don't feel qualified to give a detailed review but I will go on the record and say that the performance of Don Giovanni at the Met Opera in NYC last night was a total joy from beginning to end. Rachel Willis-Sorenson was very strong as Donna Anna. Cornelius Meister conducted and to my ears, the entire production was absolutely first-rate.


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## Ianinmaschera

Went to see Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera on Saturday night at the Wales Millennium Centre - first performance of the WNO's Spring season and as a first visit to a proper live opera in a venue designed for the purpose, it was a bit bloody fantastic. Singing and music were well on point, I rather enjoyed the gothicky feel to the staging and it didn't feel like 2 1/2 hours at all, sped by - the review on the classical page of the Guardian's culture section gives a fuller picture.. Am thinking of going again in the autumn when they stage Rigoletto - that Verdi knew a tune or two


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## perempe

no short review on L'Italiana in Algeri, Don Fatale?


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## Don Fatale

perempe said:


> no short review on L'Italiana in Algeri, Don Fatale?


I could do. Did you see it?

I liked the production well enough. Sexy and cute, and quite funny, but that's pretty easy with this opera. However I saw both casts and didn't think the singers were so good, perhaps with the exception of Alasdair Kent (Lindoro) and Ruis Pablo (Taddeo).

Are you still going to operas?


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## perempe

Don Fatale said:


> I could do. Did you see it?
> 
> I liked the production well enough. Sexy and cute, and quite funny, but that's pretty easy with this opera. However I saw both casts and didn't think the singers were so good, perhaps with the exception of Alasdair Kent (Lindoro) and Ruis Pablo (Taddeo).
> 
> Are you still going to operas?


I saw L'Italiana in Algeri last season. (I'm usually interested in operas from the romatic era, but I watch everything.) last time I was in Erkel I saw Giselle 3 weeks ago, and enjoyed it because I immediately upgraded. (PM me for details.) next Saturday I'll see Lucia with Klára Kolonits. I was offered a ticket for her concert in the Radio last summer, but my bus was late by an hour. I'll see Garanca in concert, The Fountain of Bakhchisarai, Gioconda & YBL205 (Mahler's 4th) in Erkel later.

I'm going to a Stravinsky concert tomorrow (Budapest Festival Orchestra) to Müpa and after that there'll be a free organ concert in Matthias Church (19:30). I'm going to 5 Radio Symphony, 4 Festival Orchestra & 1 Dohnányi Orchestra Budafok concerts this season.


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## Don Fatale

perempe said:


> I saw L'Italiana in Algeri last season. (I'm usually interested in operas from the romatic era, but I watch everything.) last time I was in Erkel I saw Giselle 3 weeks ago, and enjoyed it because I immediately upgraded. (PM me for details.) next Saturday I'll see Lucia with Klára Kolonits. I was offered a ticket for her concert in the Radio last summer, but my bus was late by an hour. I'll see Garanca in concert, The Fountain of Bakhchisarai, Gioconda & YBL205 (Mahler's 4th) in Erkel later.
> I'm going to a Stravinsky concert tomorrow (Budapest Festival Orchestra) to Müpa and after that there'll be a free organ concert in Matthias Church (19:30). I'm going to 5 Radio Symphony, 4 Festival Orchestra & 1 Dohnányi Orchestra Budafok concerts this season.


I deduced from Les Huguenots (review above) that Kolonits is a bel canto specialist, and I can envisage she'll do well in Lucia.

I'm back to Budapest on March 1st and am looking forward to La Gioconda, Cosi (to see if Lilla Horti is as good as she was in La Boheme), then of course Carmen (waiting for a return to pop up), La Traviata and Porgy before I depart Budapest. Plus a load of concerts. My March Airbnb apartment is literally facing the entrance to Zeneakademia.

Let's try to meet up again.


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## sharkeysnight

Was lucky enough to attend the dress rehearsal of the Canadian Opera Company's La Boheme here in Toronto last night, featuring Angel Blue. It was my first time seeing La Boheme, and it was fine. I had to put some effort into having an emotional reaction to it, which is to say that I really _wanted _to like it but it was about what I expected it to be, like a garland on a scraggly branch, but a billion La Boheme ticket-buyers each year can't be wrong.

The production itself walks an amiable line between cozy traditionalism and fresh conceptualism. The sets are made to look like big, unframed paintings. The first act is set amongst the bare backs of the paintings, showing the physical frameworks and the unpainted canvas, with furniture littered about. Then the two halves of the set each rotated to the marketplace/cafe scene, which now presented as the front of the canvases, and the market and cafe and houses were all impressionistic paintings, with some clever lighting to give the impressions of windows aflame with the warm glow of a cozy fire inside.

The only thing that didn't work for me in the first act (which was repeated in the last act) was that the borders and rear curtain, which were designed to look like a wrinkled studio dropcloth, were curiously lit. It would've been nice if they had been left dark, because it made the set itself look much smaller than it really was. The production overall didn't feel like much of a statement, though - there was a concept, but I never felt the invigorating effect of a really _good _design, whether via effective realism or bracing novelty.

Angel Blue was a highlight. If she was holding back her voice, as (I'm told) often happens at final dress, it wasn't apparent here. Her acting, both physically and vocally, was terrific - subtle, but projected. Everyone, really, was top class, including the hard-working orchestra.


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## Don Fatale

sharkeysnight said:


> Was lucky enough to attend the dress rehearsal of the Canadian Opera Company's La Boheme here in Toronto last night, featuring Angel Blue. It was my first time seeing La Boheme, and it was fine. I had to put some effort into having an emotional reaction to it, which is to say that I really _wanted _to like it but it was about what I expected it to be, like a garland on a scraggly branch, but a billion La Boheme ticket-buyers each year can't be wrong.
> 
> The production itself walks an amiable line between cozy traditionalism and fresh conceptualism. The sets are made to look like big, unframed paintings. The first act is set amongst the bare backs of the paintings, showing the physical frameworks and the unpainted canvas, with furniture littered about. Then the two halves of the set each rotated to the marketplace/cafe scene, which now presented as the front of the canvases, and the market and cafe and houses were all impressionistic paintings, with some clever lighting to give the impressions of windows aflame with the warm glow of a cozy fire inside.
> 
> The only thing that didn't work for me in the first act (which was repeated in the last act) was that the borders and rear curtain, which were designed to look like a wrinkled studio dropcloth, were curiously lit. It would've been nice if they had been left dark, because it made the set itself look much smaller than it really was. The production overall didn't feel like much of a statement, though - there was a concept, but I never felt the invigorating effect of a really _good _design, whether via effective realism or bracing novelty.
> 
> Angel Blue was a highlight. If she was holding back her voice, as (I'm told) often happens at final dress, it wasn't apparent here. Her acting, both physically and vocally, was terrific - subtle, but projected. Everyone, really, was top class, including the hard-working orchestra.


Sorry to hear that La Boheme didn't work for you. The last time I saw it, a couple of months ago, I can't remember ever being so emotional at an opera. A good Rodolfo and Mimi, a good conductor and nice sets should do the business. We all have experience of where a production doesn't click and leaves us cold, so I wonder if you're onto something. Let us know hows the reviews are.


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## sharkeysnight

It's a shame because Angel Blue was terrific, I really liked her performance as Mimi. She was heartbreakingly charming in her first scene, and of course exuded a tidal wave of pathos in her last. What's funny is that I cry at the drop of a hat when I see a musical, but operas hold me more at arm's length. La Traviata and Butterfly both had the same effect, where it was like I was observing the emotions I was meant to feel, rather than feeling them, though I've never really been one for pulpy romance so it might just be a matter of what I attend opera for (Otello is up next, which I'm very excited about).


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## Don Fatale

sharkeysnight said:


> It's a shame because Angel Blue was terrific, I really liked her performance as Mimi. She was heartbreakingly charming in her first scene, and of course exuded a tidal wave of pathos in her last. What's funny is that I cry at the drop of a hat when I see a musical, but operas hold me more at arm's length. La Traviata and Butterfly both had the same effect, where it was like I was observing the emotions I was meant to feel, rather than feeling them, though I've never really been one for pulpy romance so it might just be a matter of what I attend opera for (Otello is up next, which I'm very excited about).


Otello is an incredible drama. Hope the production doesn't ruin it. There seems to be some lousy ones in Europe right now.


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## mountmccabe

*Die Walküre* at Oper Frankfurt (seen May 8) was one of the best things I've seen in a long time.

Amber Wagner was a strong Sieglinde, a thrilling voice. Hearing her again was one of the launching motivations for my trip; I was not let down. Peter Wedd was less bracing and secure as Siegmund, but he was a convincing character. Taras Shtonda was intimidating as Hunding. James Rutherford was wonderful as Wotan. The character was so clear, with evocative vocal shadings, especially on the introspective and tender moments. He was not there most booming king of the gods, but he had plenty of anger to go around. Christiane Libor was a solid Brünnhilde. Her chemistry with Wotan was amazing; their realistic second act rapport made the finale all the more devastating. Claudia Mahnke was an imperious Fricka.

I liked Sebastian Weigle's conducting. I often had issues with the brass (as on the recent recording), and even the woodwinds, occasionally, but this was a good rendition of the score. It kept me engaged, and pointed to all that was to come.

Vera Nemirova's production was new in 2010. The approach was very naturalistic and person-regie focused, so I loved it. I was mixed on many details, but there was enough right that I stayed engaged.

The reconfigurable concentric rings set reminded me of The Machine (they premiered at about the same time, to be clear), though it seemed to be less wasteful of space.

Other than Nothung, every weapon was a spear; the Valkyries and Hunding were true followers of Wotan. The Valkyries had helmets and breastplates, but none of them carried a shield (including Brünnhilde). Siegmund had a animal skin coat (that eventually Sieglinde wore), Wotan had a very similar one.

The background for Wotan and Fricka's confrontation included a chalkboard diagram of the characters of the Ring (through this opera, that is), which may have been helpful for some newbies, and at least it wasn't used too much as an extended gimmick. The Ride of the Valkyries was staged as a concert piece, with the ladies standing in place. Below them we had military funeral type processions. As with Zambello's contemporary production I read that this was supposed to be patriotic, honoring heroes, rather than tying it to how Wotan is cynically having his Valkyries stir up trouble amongst the humans for his own gain.

But what really shined was how the characters interacted with each other. Hunding was suspicious but not overly cruel, and mostly just went about his business, confident in the order of things. Brünnhilde and Wotan's relationship was just so clear; she beamed at seeing him, and his warmth was evident. The Valkyries trying to hide Brünnhilde (in a triangle formation) was at times silly, but also touching.

I had tears even before the Valkyries left and came close to open sobbing during Wotan's farewell. This is a performance that will stick with me.


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## mountmccabe

Next stop on my trip was Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich for _Tannhäuser_. I saw no official word on the configuration of the score; it seemed to be largely the Dresden version with the Paris opening.

This was my first time hearing Klaus Florian Vogt and I was very happy. His voice has all the power one may want in the theater, and he sounds just lovely in so much of the role. There are a few points where a heavier voice may be prefered, but this was a complete performance. (And I would take him in a heartbeat over Stefan Vinke, heard last year in Berlin. Though, to be fair, he was a late fill-in).

Speaking of which, Lise Davidsen was to be our Elisabeth, but missed the performance I attended (she sang on both the 5th and the 12th). The replacement was Emma Bell, who was in between performances (as both Elisabeth and Venus) in Berlin. She gave a fine performance, but I missed the vocal clarity I expected from Davidsen.

Elena Pankratova was a somewhat cold Venus, though powerfully sung (it's not surprising that she's back singing Kundry at Bayreuth this year, and adding Ortud). Ludovic Tézier was a heavy- and plain- voiced Wolfram. There was little finesse to "O du mein holder Abendstern." Stephen Milling faired better as Hermann.

Simone Young led the orchestra, which sounded fantastic. The choruses were rich and sonorous; it was such a pleasure to hear this score.

I don't have a lot to say about Romeo Castellucci's production. I watched some of the stream when it was new and came away with a generally positive view. But watching the entire thing in person… it had little for me. It's put together interestingly, but there's almost no character interaction. Characters wander off for no reason. The end bits with the decaying corpses is intriguing, and it could be touching, but the production does not do anything to get the viewer there.


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## Bonetan

@mountmccabe great reviews man! I've been looking forward to these


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## Don Fatale

Today (2pm start) I saw Der Fliegende Holländer in Ulm, Germany.

This charming city of 120,000 is the birthplace of Albert Einstein and (bet you didn't know this!) the world's highest church steeple, which I'll pay €4 to climb up tomorrow morning, unless foggy. It also has the crookedest house and a bread museum. The city combines old timber framed buildings with many new ones that are designed in sympathy.

Theatre Ulm is a general purpose hall built exactly 50 years ago. It's rather low lying with just a large nicely raked stalls and a 5 row balcony. The seats are extremely comfortable with sightlines excellent throughout. In common with other provincial German theatres, ticket prices are very low.

I'm not an expert on Der Fliegende Holländer, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't take place in a cafe. Well here it does. More specifically a cafe/bar of an art deco style cinema. The protagonist is Senta, or rather an unnamed woman seems obsessed with a phantom movie and it's leading character. This concept could have been terrible, but for the attractive design and costuming, and very nice performances from Susanne Serfling and Dae-Hee Shin, both regulars on this stage. I'm not sure I'd buy Serfling's records, but her distinctive, bell-like, almost soubrettish, voice is effective, and proof that Wagner doesn't necessarily require Wagnerian voices. Dae-Hee Shin has a fine baritone voice which was a consistent pleasure. 

In the end it appears it was all this woman's dream and the opera concludes with a grey haired version of herself resuming her normal place in the cafe.

So yes, they messed around with the story... but it was a very tidy mess. I enjoyed it.


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## Don Fatale

La Traviata
Macedonian Opera
Skopje, North Macedonia
29th May 2019

As I'm in the middle of 5 operas in 7 days in 3 countries, I guess that's an opera trip, so I'll post extraneous details on the relevant thread. Meantime let's see what a national company of very limited resources can do with this Verdi warhorse.

The prelude shows Violetta have just finished the business with a client in her bed. During _Sempre Libera_ she's on the same bed involved in a threesome while Alfredo is singing off-stage. So this Violetta isn't portrayed as any kind of good girl. She even smokes. The production made use of the revolving stage, which means in this one interval version they were able to segue the act breaks without a curtain. I've seen worse in this respect recently. (I'm looking at you Budapest!) Good moments in the production - such as a female in devil horns taunting Violetta with a lewd dance during the off-stage street scene in Act III, and then at the end, quite affecting, Violetta dies alone her bedroom as she sings the_ renasce_ lines and then dies.

Sanya Kerkez is borrowed from Belgrade. She's okay at this level. Started off a bit plummy of tone, but settled down. Blagoj Nacoski the well-travelled local is Alfredo. He does a nice job. Okar Nakashidze from Georgia was a youngish and big voiced baritone. Di Provenza al Mare was given like a recital, just him at the front of the stage as if it was the key aria of the opera. This seems to be his first assignment outside his home country, but I'm sure it won't be his last. A reasonable career beckons, I suspect. The chorus was not particularly well drilled. The smallish orchestra played acceptably.

The house, dedicated to opera and ballet seats about 800, with a parter and then a steeply raked section, which they call the gallery. Seating is comfortable and sightlines good wherever you are. Prices are very cheap for a western purse. Annoyingly the parter seats have 7" screens showing the text, and this array of lights is visible to all in the raked area. Those in the raked rear seats make do with a dimly projected titles to each side of the stage.

Footnote: A cat ran across the stage during the penultimate scene, which rather lightened the mood! I've seen many animals on any opera stage, this was my first cat.
Rear of opera house from my hotel room. It's no looker!


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## mountmccabe

The best imagery of Oper Frankfurt's performance of _Der ferne Klang_ (seen May 11, 2019) in a new production by Damiano Michieletto is the first thing we see. A quote is projected onto the stage. It is most clear on the front curtain, which is gauzy and translucent, so it also shows up on the second and third curtains, distorted.

These curtains divide the stage into sections. Michieletto feels the need to put on stage the distant sounds that Schreker leaves in the wings (Grete's father's gambling, a harp, Fritz's opera). Though, curiously, the on-stage band of the second act is left off. (We get a piano).

The curtained off sections typical represent the distance, though when it is people rather than text we can see what is going on. Fritz's opera plays out like a fast-forward version of the first act of this production of _Der ferne Klang_, in case that wasn't clear.

Michieletto also gives us distance via time, through the silent roles of old Grete and old Fritz. They seem to be remembering some of the action, and as the opera goes on, interacting with it. The objection has been raised that this makes little sense since Fritz dies young, but this production imagines longer gaps between acts than the 10 and 5 years that Schreker specifies. Either that or time is very cruel to them; by the end singer-Fritz is made up to look like the silent old Fritz that has been haunting the stage.

All that being said, the production still worked really well. It was consistently entertaining, the large cast showed strong acting skills, the costumes and sets were convincing. The story came through. There was a lot of detail to the interactions, it's just that overall the production seemed to miss a lot of what Scheker was doing with the opera.

I don't know this score well enough to have specific comments on the conducting of Florian Erdl, or the singing of Jennifer Holloway (Grete), Ian Koziara (Fritz), or the rest of the cast. I was thrilled to have the chance to hear this rarely performed opera.


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## ugen64

A few days ago, I saw _Il Trittico_ at the Bayerische Staatsoper. First of all, this production by Lotte de Beer is the best opera production I have ever seen. She took a good concept of tying the 3 operas together in the same set, kept the costuming fairly traditional but placed it in a pretty modernistic looking set that also rotated to create visually incredible scenes, especially at the end of Suor Angelica - as the opera is ending (with the chorus singing down to her that she will be saved), the set reveals a giant brightly illuminated cross holding her dead son waving to her from heaven. I can't really describe how moving it was in words to be honest....

Anyway, this review by one of my favorite bloggers covers most of the important details about the production and the singing (the cast list was mostly the same) so I won't revisit the unchanged details, but the main difference I noticed was the conducting by Bertrand de Billy (replacing Kirill Petrenko). I've listened to Petrenko's version on YouTube many times, so it's easy for me to do a comparison - the most noticeable thing was that Petrenko's tempi were sometimes quite fast (especially during Suor Angelica) but de Billy took slower tempi, which matched closer to most of the recordings I heard. Also it seemed like the orchestra and singers were quite out of sync at times (even up to a full beat off) which I was a bit surprised by.

And of course, I have to specifically highlight Ermonela Jaho who completely owns the role of Suor Angelica, from start to finish. She got by far the loudest ovation from the Munich audience which was well deserved. I also thought Rosa Feola was great as Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, and evidently my opinion was shared by some college-age looking guy sitting in the first row of the Parkett, who tried to throw a large bouquet of flowers to her during her curtain call. Unfortunately the flowers didn't quite make it and landed in the overhang above the pit :-\

And finally, I like reviews that comment about audience behavior so I'll take a bit of time to do that. As might be expected, the Munich audience was very respectful (I didn't hear a single ringtone or disrespectfully loud conversation etc.), and it was also kind of funny to see these 50-60 year old German couples downing mugs of beer in the cafe. But there was 1 guy who almost ruined my night - he stood up to let me into my seat and I of course said "danke" but apparently not loudly enough for his tastes, because he stood up and yelled (in English, across half of the Parkett section) "thank you" at me multiple times, since I had apparently personally disrespected him by not thanking him profusely enough for deigning to stand up to allow me to reach my seat. It was more than a little bit embarrassing but thankfully, there were no further seat-related incidents during intermission or afterwards and it didn't really take away from my enjoyment of the opera!


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## Don Fatale

ugen64 said:


> A few days ago, I saw _Il Trittico_ at the Bayerische Staatsoper. First of all, this production by Lotte de Beer is the best opera production I have ever seen. She took a good concept of tying the 3 operas together in the same set, kept the costuming fairly traditional but placed it in a pretty modernistic looking set that also rotated to create visually incredible scenes, especially at the end of Suor Angelica - as the opera is ending (with the chorus singing down to her that she will be saved), the set reveals a giant brightly illuminated cross holding her dead son waving to her from heaven. I can't really describe how moving it was in words to be honest [...]
> And finally, I like reviews that comment about audience behavior so I'll take a bit of time to do that. As might be expected, the Munich audience was very respectful (I didn't hear a single ringtone or disrespectfully loud conversation etc.), and it was also kind of funny to see these 50-60 year old German couples downing mugs of beer in the cafe. But there was 1 guy who almost ruined my night - he stood up to let me into my seat and I of course said "danke" but apparently not loudly enough for his tastes, because he stood up and yelled (in English, across half of the Parkett section) "thank you" at me multiple times, since I had apparently personally disrespected him by not thanking him profusely enough for deigning to stand up to allow me to reach my seat. It was more than a little bit embarrassing but thankfully, there were no further seat-related incidents during intermission or afterwards and it didn't really take away from my enjoyment of the opera!


I'm going to disagree on this production. I hated it. I was waiting for the Star Wars stormtroopers to arrive! Ermonela Jaho is such a good singer and actress. I've been a fan since I saw her in Manon some years ago, and this was my main reason for attending.

Sorry to hear about the boorish behaviour of somebody. That's bad, and thankfully rare. I agree that German audiences are well behaved, as is the Covent Garden audience. I didn't mention in my Skopje review how bad the audience was, both in terms of timekeeping (fully 15 minutes late to start) and constant use of mobile phones for various purposes. I guess Skopje must have a lot of doctors on call, or perhaps waiting for the birth of a child, or perhaps they are high ranking politicians keeping abreast of an international crises, but no, they're just ignorant and inconsiderate.


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## mountmccabe

I don't have a ton to say about _Iphigénie en Tauride_, seen May 10 at Oper Stuttgart. This is another opera I had limited familiarity with, and the lack of English subtitles didn't help (of course I realize I should not expect English subtitles while traveling, and I'm thrilled that the five other German houses I've been to have had them when I attended).

The other thing that didn't help was Krzysztof Warlikowski's production. It's not a new production - it's from 2006 (which means it may show up at SFO in a few years, haha) - and it has been seen at quite a few houses, but it was new to me. The production seems to be about dreams and memories, and dramatizing with supers things are described or otherwise happen off-stage (this is starting to be my least favorite directorial choice). I honestly had no idea what was going on, even though the story is quite simple and direct. Also with so much going on on stage, the chorus (and a few minor roles) were left in the orchestra pit.

Fortunately we had a very strong cast. Amanda Majeski made a lot of the wonderful writing for Iphigénie. My attention was flagging some coming up to the only interval, but "O malheureuse Iphigénie" was a treat to hear. Jarrett Ott and Elmar Gilbertsson were both great as Oreste and Pylade, and Carina Schmieger made Diane stand out.

Stefano Montanari conducted the orchestra which sounded so good.


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## Don Fatale

I finally made it to the opera in Sofia. It's a classic house, not large, but has a national opera company feeling. For patrons it's comfortable with good sightlines. Un Ballo in Maschera was performed, featuring a guest performance by big voiced Maria Guleghina. House regulars Daniel Damyanov (tenor) and Kiril Manalov (baritone) matched her well, and I was impressed with their quality. One senses that with a packed house and a big name singer visiting, it encouraged strong performances. Guleghina received a star's welcome with some extended ovations. In every respect I thought it was better than the Munich Ballo I saw a couple of weeks ago. Surtitles in Bulgarian and English. I enjoyed everything about the evening, and look forward to returning to Sofia for operas in the future.


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## Belowpar

I've really enjoyed this tread and keep resolving to join in. so...

09 06 Royal Opera House CG London

Andrea Chenier
y

Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse...the ROH give a truly 'old fashioned' or authentic (take your pick) production. No transpositions in time to another revolution, no leather trenchcoats or inflatable crocodiles, and remarkably not a single anachronism. What were they thinking? Because it works! This may cause them to reconsider some of the productions they currently have ...but I'm not holding my breath.


This was a revival of John McVicars 2015 production. I missed it then because its a piece that left no impression on me when I saw it in two different productions 20+ years ago, and I had little appetite to see it again. But Kudos to the team, it looked good and the drama shone through.

Another thing that was 'old fashioned' was singers coming to the front of the stage and just letting rip!

Daniel Oren gave us a stirring version, possibly some subtleties were lost but apart from Act 3 it was taught and engaging.

Alagna, still looks young (on sage!) and even if his voice seemed darker and heavier than in the past it worked well. He produced ample volume and the audience lapped him up. A more critical approach might point to his pronounced vibrato on extended notes but he's always been good in duets and he won the day.

Dimitri Platanias’s Gérard was the pick of the male performances. A strong performance vocally and acting. A new name to me.

Sondra Radvanovsky has big voice and at least in this part has a steely sound. She convinced and delivered in spades. Suffice ot say thanks to discovering it via the film Philadelphia, La Mamma Morte has become hte track Mrs BP selects on the iPlayer above all others. Any version but Callas's has been rejected. However tonight she passed the test. Rare praise indeed:lol:

I'm a little high on this at the moment, but I think this was one of those occasions which get pretty much everything this Opera has to offer and actually makes it feel better than it really is at least while you are there. Not sure you can ask much more than that.

PS

A seat in the gods cost us £13 each and while a lot of the action was hidden, I still think these are the best value seats in London theatre. The sound is excellent and far superior to middle to high in the Amphitheatre.

PPS
Tosca tomorrow night and with the two operas composed only 3 years apart,with a plot involving a similar 'sex' triangle, this is intelligent programming.


PPS
This was a Matinee performance. I've never really been an evening person and you should at least try and attend one of these. 
It may have helped explain the audience being more involved than usual. That's never a bad thing in the theatre.


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## Don Fatale

Belowpar, I was very glad to read the good reviews for this Andrea Chenier. I haven't seen it, but would certainly have appreciated it, and the cast. I agree that some of the slips provide a good experience, particularly if you have considerate neighbours.

PS
From armed robber to opera director? I think you mean David McVicar, no relation.


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## mountmccabe

Speaking of David McVicar, this afternoon I saw opening night of _*Rusalka*_ at San Francisco Opera. I also saw the final dress on Thursday.

Rachel Willis-Sørensen is making her title role debut and it's really quite wonderful. She really inhabits this non-human character, really showing that awkwardness as a human. Her expression of despair to Vodník was powerful and compelling. She sounds good in the role, if a bit quiet at the low end. The object of her affection is Brandon Jovanovich, convincing as the prince gone mad from seeing the nymphs. He easily has the power, and was moving in his death aria. His voice blended well with the Foreign Princess (Sarah Cambidge) in their duets.

Vodník was Kristinn Sigmundsson, and came off as a really caring father/goblin, and was moving in his act 2 lament. Jamie Barton seems to be having a blast as Ježibaba, and she brings so much character to the role.

The glorious orchestra was led by Eun Sun Kim, making her SFO debut. The score came off as heartbreaking, with strong unity. it was easy to get swept up by the music.

David McVicar's production was directed locally by Leah Hausman. It is very typical McVicar; naturalistic sets*, a few gags that make the audience laugh but don't necessarily help the story at all, and some decent person-regie. It premiered at Lyric Opera of Chicago; it goes to Canadian Opera Company in Toronto next.

This one also has a big of stage business during the overture, with a taste of what happens between act 1 and act 2: the Prince comes out on stage, and Rusalka joins him but he rebuffs her. She leaves, the curtain rises and we shift back to before the first act. The wood nymphs are romping around the forest. The prince sees them, mesmerized, and ends up dancing off the stage with one of the extras. Rusalka stays in her pond (not actual water) or the tree above it until Ježibaba releases her. She still has trouble on land, and keeps trying to stand up, but just when it seems like she's got it she falls down (foreshadowing!) Eventually Ježibaba's ravens carry her away.

Act 2 included actual ballet as entertainment, two soloists plus four more dancers. Rusalka comes in confused but intrigued and goes to join them (I was reminded of Pat Nixon and The Red Detachment of Women in Nixon in China). There are a few other touches that work to show her as not belonging to this world, but most of that happens behind a dropped wall (with glass windows) during Vodník's lament. In Act 3 Vodník actually gets the kitchen boy. The ending is, however, left with just the desperate Prince and the transformed Rusalka (now with white hair) on stage, so we get the full impact of their loss.

* I don't think the opera is set at any specific time (correct me if I'm wrong) so he wasn't able to time shift it. If I had to guess, I might say it was set at the time of composition... but I cannot place clothing by era.


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## mountmccabe

To complete the SFO summer season, I have also seen _Carmen_ (opening night) and _Orlando_ (final dress rehearsal only; I have a ticket for the final performance in the run).

Both were enjoyable, neither were very exciting.

The Zambello _*Carmen*_ comes to town for a season, with role debuts for J'Nai Bridges and Matthew Polenzani in the two main roles. J'Nai Bridges inhabited the character well on stage, but failed to take flight in the vocalism. There were flashes (and I'm tempted to see a later performance of the run) but she also seemed underpowered, generally. Polenzani was more bland. More steady of voice, but to less effect. Far more exciting was Anita Hartig - making her SFO but not role debut - as Micaëla. She commanded the stage when she showed up, her voice exciting and clear.

James Gaffigan led the orchestra in what seemed to me to be a tired rendition of the score (on opening night!). I did not leave the building with any of the music stuck in my head (as I did a few years ago), as it never seemed to cohere.

The sets and costumes provide a traditional setting, but Zambello has a number of odd touches that seemed to add nothing to the opera. Though Escamillo (Kyle Ketelsen) showed up riding on a giant horse (Drogan), so that was fun.

The third opera is _*Orlando*_.

Christina Gansch stands out as Dorinda in her SFO debut. Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen sounds amazing as Medoro, but doesn't have much character in his acting. I liked Heidi Stober as Angelica. Sasha Cooke sings the title role of Orlando; she's solid except at the lower end of the role. Christian Van Horn chewed some scenery as Zoroastro, and managed most of the quick runs he's given.

Christopher Moulds conducts the small orchestra that still manages to be overpowered at times. There's not quite the bite, the liveliness I prefer in this rep.

The production by Harry Fehr is from Scottish Opera. It moves the action to a west London hospital in Autumn 1940, so everything happens inside. Zoroastro is a doctor doing ECT rather than a sorcerer, Orlando is a pilot that was shot down, Angelica is a nurse, and so on. That being said, I consider the direction to be the more traditional of these two operas.

As noted I have a ticket to see a proper performance of _Orlando_; I'm excited to see how Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen has grown into the role, and to see how the orchestral sound and Moulds' approach has changed.


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## mountmccabe

mountmccabe said:


> Speaking of David McVicar, this afternoon I saw opening night of _*Rusalka*_ at San Francisco Opera. I also saw the final dress on Thursday...
> 
> This one also has a big of stage business during the overture, with a taste of what happens between act 1 and act 2: the Prince comes out on stage, and Rusalka joins him but he rebuffs her. She leaves, the curtain rises and we shift back to before the first act. The wood nymphs are romping around the forest. The prince sees them, mesmerized, and ends up dancing off the stage with one of the extras.


After seeing the second performance, and attending with my wife who is able to tell dresses apart... I believe I misunderstood this overture stage business.

It's not Rachel Willis-Sørensen on stage during the overture; it is perhaps Sarah Cambidge but I don't think she's there as the Foreign Princess. I had thought the dress was the same as the one Rusalka wears at the start of Act 2, but I was mistaken. Let's call this character Previous Woman.

The Prince is alone, looking at a giant painting (on the curtain) of a forest glade with a pond and a moon, much like we see when the curtain rises (but not exactly). He places his hand on the pond, thoughtfully, and continues on. Then Previous Woman comes out, expecting affection from him, but the fickle prince has moved on. He is now smitten with the sprites of the forest. This way as the curtain opens it is not a flashback, but a continuation: he ignores Previous Woman and goes back to the forest to explore the feelings he had when he sensed Rusalka (and she became infatuated with him) and the wood sprites.

This fits with the discussion by the Gamekeeper and the Kitchen Boy at the start of Act 2; the prince is fickle (by providing a third in the chain), and that people go wild upon seeing the forest creatures. This also fits with the kitchen boy actually being captured by Vodník, another thing the Gamekeeper warns about.

None of this is particularly necessary, but it does reinforce how the opera works: characters say things are going to happen, then they happen. Little to nothing is a surprise.

I really loved this performance, and if anything I think everybody sounded better than opening night and the final dress.


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## mountmccabe

mountmccabe said:


> The third opera is _*Orlando*_.
> 
> Christina Gansch stands out as Dorinda in her SFO debut. Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen sounds amazing as Medoro, but doesn't have much character in his acting. I liked Heidi Stober as Angelica. Sasha Cooke sings the title role of Orlando; she's solid except at the lower end of the role. Christian Van Horn chewed some scenery as Zoroastro, and managed most of the quick runs he's given.
> 
> Christopher Moulds conducts the small orchestra that still manages to be overpowered at times. There's not quite the bite, the liveliness I prefer in this rep.


I saw the final performance last night. I enjoyed it more than the final dress rehearsal. Christina Gansch really sparkles as Dorinda, and has a lot of fun with her third act showpiece. She consistently sounds good and I'd love to hear her again. Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen feels much more at home as Medoro; the early stiffness has mellowed quite a bit. He still sounds wonderful, singing with such fantastic technique. Christian Van Horn also sounded more solid as Zoroastro and the acting didn't feel as campy. Sasha Cooke does well bringing out the character of Orlando, though at times it feels silly (some of this is the opera/this production).

There did seem to be more bounce in the orchestra last night, and moments of real fun.

Perhaps some of (all of this) is from being in the Orchestra rather than the Grand Tier, but from a friend that saw the entire run (other than the final performance last night) they have all been getting better throughout.


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## ugen64

mountmccabe said:


> After seeing the second performance, and attending with my wife who is able to tell dresses apart... I believe I misunderstood this overture stage business.
> 
> It's not Rachel Willis-Sørensen on stage during the overture; it is perhaps Sarah Cambidge but I don't think she's there as the Foreign Princess. I had thought the dress was the same as the one Rusalka wears at the start of Act 2, but I was mistaken. Let's call this character Previous Woman.
> 
> The Prince is alone, looking at a giant painting (on the curtain) of a forest glade with a pond and a moon, much like we see when the curtain rises (but not exactly). He places his hand on the pond, thoughtfully, and continues on. Then Previous Woman comes out, expecting affection from him, but the fickle prince has moved on. He is now smitten with the sprites of the forest. This way as the curtain opens it is not a flashback, but a continuation: he ignores Previous Woman and goes back to the forest to explore the feelings he had when he sensed Rusalka (and she became infatuated with him) and the wood sprites.
> 
> This fits with the discussion by the Gamekeeper and the Kitchen Boy at the start of Act 2; the prince is fickle (by providing a third in the chain), and that people go wild upon seeing the forest creatures. This also fits with the kitchen boy actually being captured by Vodník, another thing the Gamekeeper warns about.
> 
> None of this is particularly necessary, but it does reinforce how the opera works: characters say things are going to happen, then they happen. Little to nothing is a surprise.
> 
> I really loved this performance, and if anything I think everybody sounded better than opening night and the final dress.


I was in the audience for the final performance of the run, yesterday. I agree with you that the singing and orchestra were fantastic throughout - I've seen most of the productions in SF this year and this was up there with my favorite one of the season, _Arabella_.

However, the opera itself didn't really resonate with me that much, for some reason. I'm not sure why - it was similar in many ways to _The Snow Maiden_ (similar plot threads - mythical being becomes a human girl, falls in love, gets rejected and there's a tragic ending - and also the music is quite similar actually) which I saw in St Petersburg and absolutely loved. I also normally like Dvorak's orchestral music in general... so I was surprised to find that this opera wasn't my favorite. Still, an enjoyable evening as always at SFO.

To give another brief review... earlier in the week I was in Amsterdam and saw _Pelleas et Melisande_ as part of the Holland Festival. The cast was solid (Elena Tsallagova as Melisande was especially great) and it was the Concertgebouw Orchestra in the pit where you can't go wrong. The conductor was Stephane Deneve who replaced the disgraced Daniele Gatti, and I thought he did OK. But the production... it was visually quite spectacular but very modernistic and I wasn't sure what to make of it. Some scenes were really jarring (like when Melisande is teasing Pelleas with her long hair out the window, the production was completely at odds with the libretto) but in others, like the scene where Golaud kills Pelleas were very convincing.


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## mountmccabe

I saw the final performance of _*Rusalka*_ last night; it was really exceptional. It was also a very different experience as I saw in the 2nd row (though over to the side). I like that I already saw the production from a place where I could see everything, and where I could pay attention to the subtitles. I could see the subtitles from where I was, but it was well out of the view of the stage.

But being so close added an intensity, being able to clearly see their faces and reactions. I was concerned that the orchestra would sound weird from so close (I could easily see into the pit), but in part because the low strings were in front of me and the brass and percussion were on the other side the sound was well-balanced.

This was one of the best runs I've seen at SFO; a strong cast throughout, I really like the conductor, the production is fine.

They did an open intermission feature during the first interval. A few people came out and talked about stage and musical preparation for the opera while we got to see them take down the first act set and wheel in the kitchen set for the start of Act 2. (There are no scene breaks; the changes are continuous with curtains as walls). Being so close (and since they encourage photos during such features) I took a few pictures. I have had trouble with the photo upload system here, so instead here's a the pics I posted on Twitter during the interval.

But the time I took the first pic the backstage curtain and many of the trees (and the moon) had already been moved away). And no, from where I was I couldn't see the pond in the middle of the stage. Vodník, Rusalka, and the water sprites seemed to come from nowhere. My reply shows the kitchen set and my subtitle view.


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## Don Fatale

I like that interval feature. Always good to learn more about their concept and their stage craft. I'm not a fan of interval drinks, unless I've not had time to eat or drink for some time before, so this would have been great for me.


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## DavidA

Just to say Figaro is being broadcast live from ROH tonight and is on YouTube if you can pick it up.


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## DavidA

Just been looking at the *ROH Carmen* which has been broadcast and is still available on Youtube for anyone misguided enough to watch the absolute rubbish which Barrie Kosky serves up for us, most of which (to go by the first 45 minutes) bares no resemblance to Bizet's elegant and moving opera but consists of a series of stupid ideas imposed by an imbecilic director on one of the great masterpieces of the theatre. Carmen actually comes in in a Gorilla suit. That is the level of this trash. The production comes from regietheater-steeped Frankfurt and would it had remained there. It is unbelievable that an opera company should import this sort of rubbish. After all, aren't there enough idiot directors in Britain with our importing stupidity like this? I'm certainly glad I didn't pay ROH prices to watch it as at the first interval I'd have been collaring the manager to demand my money back plus train fare and hotel bills compensation.


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## sharkeysnight

Attended the dress rehearsal of the Canadian Opera Company's production of Turandot, the same Robert Wilson version that premiered last year in Madrid. I'm a big Wilson fan so this was very exciting, particularly having only seen one other piece of his live (Einstein!). I do think Wilson's adaptations of classic opera aren't as strong as either his own works or adaptations of pieces that are closer to his style (they don't leave enough room for the vaudevillian maximalism that makes his best pieces shine) and, hilariously, he's actually stated that he doesn't like Puccini, but Turandot gives him enough to work with.

One of the most striking effects his his extensive use of red. The drop curtain is a painting of a cracked red sphere against a red backdrop, and it's lit red so vibrantly that it's almost like a Turrell installation (it's funny walking into the theatre lobby and seeing the blood red light pouring out of the house doors). Turandot herself wears a stiff red dress that's shaped like a pyramid, which is at all times lit with a red spotlight, so she glows aggressively against the whites and blues of the other characters. In fact, as usual, Wilson's use of light is probably the predominant feature, and it's kind of wonderful how he's able to sculpt a story with it.

The ending, in particular, is a neat coup. At dawn (a blazing red backdrop), after the prince tells her his name, the light fades out on him, plunging him into silhouetted darkness, from which he sings the rest of his role, joining the rest of the crowd, who are also unlit. It transfers the power back to Turandot and highlights her cynical understanding of love as another means of control. When the prince proclaims that "My life is your kiss!", he does so from the darkness, and it makes him merely another supplicant. Another nice trick is that both she and her father are presented in immobilizing outfits, her in her triangle of red and him dangled from the flies in a massive swath of fabric. I wasn't sitting close enough but I believe he actually had small painted wooden hands, which emphasized the sense of the person being lost in the tradition, literally swallowed up by the regal duties.

I'll be seeing this again during the run, so I'm curious to see if some of the choreography will become a little tighter. There were a handful of missed marks and some uncertainties. The three ministers were a delight, dressed now in tight German suits with slicked back (or no) hair, like menacing Weimar playboys. The surtitles now have them named Jim, Bob, and Bill, which is fair given that Ping, Pang, and Pong is awfully close to fake playground Chinese, though they do still sing the original names.

Tamara Wilson was obscenely good, and the rest of the cast was no slouch. It's kind of interesting how equally the characters are presented in terms of being featured - Turandot doesn't come on until the very end of the first act and, like Orson Welles in The Third Man, all she has to do is show up and it's exciting. The three ministers seem to get a huge bulk of activity, and even the prince, though he obviously gets to sing one of the most famous arias ever, is borderline secondary to the overall ensemble.

I'm looking forward to sitting in the orchestra section for this, as from up in the fourth ring some of Wilson's silhouette effects were lost.


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## Tsaraslondon

To the Royal Opera House. Covent Garden last week for *Werther*, a favourite opera of mine, but alas a rather muted pleasure.

I liked the production, a sort of moern take on Biedermeier Germany and particularly liked the last scene which placed Wwerther's room in a sort of box, which appeared at the back of the stage and ever so slowly moved forward durig the interlude.









Juan Diego Florez was Werther. He has proved himself to be excellent in _bel canto_, having had a great success as Tonio here in *La Fille du Régiment*, but he was a mite underpowered as Werther, and it felt throughout as if he were harbouring his resources, as he sang with more power in the last act, even if his performance still failed to catch fire.

Charlotte was sung by the American mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard. She looked absolutely perfect and has just the right sort of voice for the role, but there was a distinct lack of passion and no real chemistry between her and Florez. Added to this, Jacques Imbrailo was a somewhat ineffectual Albert. True, it's a pretty ineffectual role, but I expect him to be a little more menacing, especially when you consider he gets Charlotte to give Werther his pistol, knowing full well what Werther is going to use it for.

The supporting cast were fine, even if Heather Engebretson's Sophie came across a trifle mature. Edward Gardner conducted with a nod to the Wagnerian influences in the score, which possibly encouraged him to let the orchestra have its head a bit too often, meaning the singers could be submerged in the orchestra.

All in all, I foud it a bit underwhelming. Out of five stars, I'd give it three.


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## Revitalized Classics

Tsaraslondon said:


> To the Royal Opera House. Covent Garden last week for *Werther*, a favourite opera of mine, but alas a rather muted pleasure.
> 
> I liked the production, a sort of moern take on Biedermeier Germany and particularly liked the last scene which placed Wwerther's room in a sort of box, which appeared at the back of the stage and ever so slowly moved forward durig the interlude.
> 
> View attachment 124333
> 
> 
> Juan Diego Florez was Werther. He has proved himself to be excellent in _bel canto_, having had a great success as Tonio here in *La Fille du Régiment[/], but he was a mite underpowered as Werther, and it felt throughout as if he were harbouring his resources, as he sang with more power in the last act, even if his performance still failed to catch fire.
> 
> Charlotte was sug by the American mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard. She looked absolutely perfect and has just the right sort of voice for the role, but there was a distinct lack of passion and no real chemistry between her and Florez. Added to this, Jacques Imbrailo was a somewhat ineffectual Albert. True, it's a pretty ineffectual role, but I expect him to be a little more menacing, especially when you consider he gets Charlotte to give Werther his pistol, knowing full well what Werther is going to use it for.
> 
> The supporting cast were fine, even if Heather Engebretson's Sophie came across a trifle mature. Edward Gardner conducted with a nod to the Wagnerian influences in the score, which possibly encouraged him to let the orchestra have its head a bit too often, meaning the singers could be submerged in the orchestra.
> 
> All in all, I foud it a bit underwhelming. Out of five stars, I'd give it three.*


*

Thanks for sharing - that's all really interesting *


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## ugen64

I saw 2 performances at the Met this week - _Manon_ and _Turandot_.

_Manon_ was all about the singers in my opinion. I had picked it out specifically to see Lisette Oropesa, and she was amazing - not only great singing, but also great acting ability, especially as Manon's character transformed throughout the opera. This was also my first time seeing Michael Fabiano and he was really good as well - beautiful tone and effortless high notes. It was interesting to see Fabiano, the Met veteran, get the louder applause when he first appeared in Act I, but Lisette got the louder applause during curtain calls...!

The production was pretty run-of-the-mill Met - no real comments there. I read some mixed reviews of Maurizio Benini's conducting and I thought it was fine, but I was also sitting in front row orchestra where I'm pretty sure any conductor can make the Met Orchestra sound pretty decent.

As for _Turandot_... This is the 2nd time I've seen Yannick Nezet-Seguin conducting at the Met and he is truly an incredible conductor. To be honest, I wish he had been conducting _Manon_ instead because it would have made that production absolutely perfect.... It was also my first Zeffirelli production and I can see why they revive this (+ La Boheme) so frequently - really a crowd pleaser. The singing on the other hand... I saw that Yusif Eyvazov (Calaf) got a good review from the NY Times, and he definitely got a good ovation from the crowd around me so maybe I'm in the minority here. But I thought he was pretty mediocre at best - struggling anytime he had to sing high notes, and he had trouble projecting loudly at all (albeit I was in the standing room section this time so quite far away from the stage). Anytime he had a scene with Christine Goerke (Turandot) her voice was so much more powerful from my vantage point. Eleonora Buratto as Liu was very solid though, as was James Morris (Timur) making I guess his 1 millionth appearance at the Met or something like that.

And as a side note... this was probably the worst behaved opera audience I've ever experienced. During the first minute I was subjected to a guy loudly arguing with the ushers about his seat, and almost getting kicked out (the usher threatened to call security). Then, during _Signore ascolta_, I counted no fewer than 3 phones ringing near me. There was also a guy in the back row who was loudly humming along to various parts of the opera, but his voice was more pleasant than Eyvazov's so I didn't really mind. Right before _Nessun dorma_ someone loudly yelled "Here comes the famous aria!" (I'm pretty sure the entire hall heard). And finally, it seemed as though half of the audience had come down with the flu and was coughing and/or loudly unwrapping cough drops throughout the opera (although to be fair, the temperature did go from like 90 and sunny to 55 and rainy in the span of a day, so I can't really blame them...)


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## DonAlfonso

Tosca - Suicide By Cop?

So glad to be able to attend live opera again.
Saw the Australian Opera production of Tosca last night with Carmen Giannattasio as Tosca; Diego Torre as Cavaradossi; and Marco Vratogna as Scarpia.
The singing was great all the principles were in good voice. Carmen's acting was also very good - the boys less so but still OK.

In this production they've set the drama in the 1940's - what is it with the fascination directors seem to have with Nazis? It was a bit confusing because the costumes were more like the Italian 'fascisti' than the Nazis (eg no swastika arm bands) but they did use swastika flags in the first act 'te deum' scene and banners in Scarpia's office. They should have used the 'fasces' instead. For one thing it would have saved them the embarrassment of having the swastika symbol facing the wrong way in one of their publicity shots (they did get it right way round on the night though).

Finally Tosca met her death by suicide by cop. She tried throwing herself from the top of the Castel Sant' Angelo but couldn't because the cunning Nazis had security wire round the perimeter so instead she confronted the soldiers who had come to arrest her and she was shot. Not clear why they didn't just arrest her as intended, she was unarmed and no threat to them. Still they're bad guys and if you can't suspend disbelief a little at an opera you should find some other form of entertainment.

All in all I had a great time. It was wonderful being out again with other opera lovers and enjoying the unique atmosphere that is live opera.

Thank you Opera Australia!!


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## Seattleoperafan

I saw Fanciulla in Seattle 15 years ago. I know it has a huge fan club, but I don't need to see it again. I had high hopes for the Minnie as I had heard Andrea Gruber as Chrysothemis years ago and it was a big, lush and beautiful voice. She looked fabulous after gastric bypass but between that and addiction issues it didn't even sound remotely like the same singer. So sad. The Jack Rance was very good but I can't remember who he was. I liked some of the music, but it was not my favorite Puccini.


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## RobertKC

*Marina Costa-Jackson in the Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s production of Tosca.*

This past Saturday (April 30, 2022) I very much enjoyed a wonderful performance of _Tosca_ by the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, in the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts’ beautiful Muriel Kauffman Theatre.



















All of the roles were well sung. The acting was uniformly EXCELLENT.

Marina Costa-Jackson delivered an amazingly expressive performance as Floria Tosca.










I also enjoyed the performance by Dimitri Pittas as Mario Cavaradossi. Michael Mayes was appropriately evil as Baron Scarpia. Stephen West did a great job providing comic relief as the sacristan. Peter Morgan got the show off to great start singing the role of Cesare Angelotti. The orchestra sounded great, and the costumes, sets and lighting looked beautiful.

BRAVO to Marina Costa-Jackson and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City for making _Tosca_ so much FUN!

I hope that Marina Costa-Jackson returns to KC soon.


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## ThaNotoriousNIC

Attended a performance tonight at the Academy of Music in Philly for Opera Philadelphia's production of Rigoletto. It was a regietheater production from a director that I believe first debuted it back in 2012. Production seemed similar in style to the recent Vegas one at the Met but with a more political spin. Was not expecting a whole lot out of the production given it has a different setting and at some points it unfortunately did distract. Supertitles above the stage at the beginning for instance were changed from the libretto to say that the Duke and his entourage won the "election" (clear quip at the Trump era and was even mentioned in the program). Additionally, there was spicy strip tease going on during the famous act 3 quartet, which garnered a lot of laughs as Maddelena slyly gives Sparafucile the Count's stripper tips. It was a humorous take to make some motion happen during the quartet but the purist in me can't help but feel that by doing so the famous quartet is not quite being respected.

In terms of the singers and the orchestra, I would say that it was solid but not extraordinary given it is a smaller Opera company than what I have been exposed to (Met). The Duke and Gilda singers were both fine overall, showing some weaknesses in performance such as concise diction over the libretto and some improvement in coloratura singing (thinking of Gilda's Act I aria). I was impressed by the singer performing as Rigoletto. I felt that he really understood the part and has a good command of his role. The orchestra was also tight and was more than adequate for the hall. Tonight's conductor had some interesting choices in tempo for the Act 1 Rigoletto/Sparafucile and the Act 1 Gilda/Duke duets. Tempo was unsteady, which I guess helped create unease and tension given the underlying motions at hand (murder, potential rape).

I am glad that I got to see the opera in person and the hall. Very nice small hall and while I am not a fan of the regietheater production choices, it is at the very least a solid production that makes for a good night out.

I also recently saw Elektra at the Met last month. Nina Stemme was out and her understudy took over in her Met debut in the title role. She was outsung by her sister in the opera, but I am sure she was probably a little nervous. Greer Grimsley was in as Elektra's brother and while he didn't really do all that much, still somehow got a pretty nice applause at the end. Not the most memorable production for me but thankful I saw it.


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