# Opera trips



## Dongiovanni

I live in Europe and there are many cities with great Opera venues here. Since a year or two I have started undertaking city-trip holidays to go to a live opera performance, but also to enjoy some days in the city. 

So far I went to London, Paris, Vienna, Prague. Next is Milan.

Anyone else doing this ? What is your experience and what are your future plans ?


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## emiellucifuge

Ive only ever been here in Amsterdam, but im moving to London in a month and I hope to see _Tristan_ in Vienna next summer.

What are your favourite companies?


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## Dongiovanni

emiellucifuge said:


> What are your favourite companies?


I have no particular favourite companies. I look for the opera, production and singers first.

I loved Vienna, what a great city of music. If you need a suggestion for a hotel....

London is quite easy for me to reach, I live near an airport and within 1 hour and a half I'm in Covent Garden


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> I live in Europe and there are many cities with great Opera venues here. Since a year or two I have started undertaking city-trip holidays to go to a live opera performance, but also to enjoy some days in the city.
> 
> So far I went to London, Paris, Vienna, Prague. Next is Milan.
> 
> Anyone else doing this ? What is your experience and what are your future plans ?


Oooh, another opera-tripper!! I adore opera trips & would love to hear about your experiences. Those of us who live in Europe are so lucky, it's so easy to get to all these wonderful houses.

So far in Europe I've been to Munich and Berlin and I'm going to see _L'amour des trois oranges_ in Amsterdam next March.

In January I had the trip of a lifetime when I went to Seattle to see _Attila_ but the one place I really want to go is La Scala so I'll be asking you for advice!


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## MAuer

Before retirement, I traveled around North America to hear my favorite tenors (Siegfried Jerusalem and then Jonas Kaufmann) when they were performing on this side of the pond. I've been to New York more than a dozen times, Chicago a bit less than that, Los Angeles, Toronto, and New Orleans twice, and San Francisco, San Diego, and Cleveland once. Things got to the point that my family once joked that Delta Air Lines should give Jerusalem a share in their profits due to all the business he was generating for them.  (This was obviously during the years when airlines were still financially healthy.)


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## Cavaradossi

You lucky Europeans! We usually get to New York (from Chicago) at least once a year and take in a few productions at the Met. A few years ago we hit the summer festivals out west: Santa Fa, Aspen, and Central City Colorado - and we have been back to Aspen several times. Last year in ten days we caught operas in Milan, Florence, and Bologna and topped it off with a layover at the Opera Comique in Paris on the way home.


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## sospiro

Cavaradossi said:


> You lucky Europeans! We usually get to New York (from Chicago) at least once a year and take in a few productions at the Met. A few years ago we hit the summer festivals out west: Santa Fa, Aspen, and Central City Colorado - and we have been back to Aspen several times.


You have lots of great opera houses but they are a long way apart! Are you going to see The Magic Flute at Chicago Opera Theater? I don't know anything about the production or the main singers but Grigory Soloviov who is singing Sarastro is very good.



Cavaradossi said:


> Last year in ten days we caught operas in Milan, Florence, and Bologna and topped it off with a layover at the Opera Comique in Paris on the way home.


Paris is another on my wish list.


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## Aksel

So far I've never traveled with the sole purpose of seeing opera (something that should be rectified soon), but I have seen opera abroad, in Vienna, Munich and Paris. Fun was had. Also, feels. Especially in Paris.


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## Cavaradossi

sospiro said:


> You have lots of great opera houses but they are a long way apart! Are you going to see The Magic Flute at Chicago Opera Theater? I don't know anything about the production or the main singers but Grigory Soloviov who is singing Sarastro is very good.


Yes, I'll be there. I'm not familiar with Soloviov, but I'll keep an eye out for him. The Russian name sounds promising! We have been inundated with magic flutes this year: last season at the Lyric, this summer at Ravinia with the CSO and James Conlon, and COT's this fall. By the way, talk about an embarrassment of musical riches: the same evening adjacent to the theatre in Millennium Park, Ricardo Muti and the CSO will be giving a free concert of Carmina Burana. We'll probably catch the first hour and scoot into the opera.


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## Dakota

I would love to hear about other folks trips too. I have only managed a few: Nozze and Radamisto in Santa Fe, Cosi fan Tutte and Angela Gheorghiu in concert in Washington DC, lots of Met trips but those are day trips. Next spring I am planning to take the train down to Philadelphia for Silent Night and then to DC again in March for Manon Lescaut and Norma.

I dream about traveling more for opera; once I get done paying tuition for my kids I will be out there. My BIG dream has always been the Mozart Week in Salzburg every January; okay, not specifically opera but I will go anywhere for my Mo-Z. Saving my pennies.............


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## Yashin

Without a doubt -go to Berlin. 3 opera houses! The Germans are big on classical music and have lots of super shops selling cd's and DVDs. Like the Japanese they love the stuff and these shops are well stocked, have helpful and great staff. The problem with London, Amsterdam and even Paris is that the classical sections in the shops is diminishing or shops closing down! Independent retailers are selling stuff at ridiculous prices so it is better to get stuff online.

Best of all, Germany is cheap! Flights are cheap, hotels are cheap (or great value). Berlin has a Beautiful cathedral, gardens, loads of places to eat and drink.

If you want something a little 'less city' head to Barcelona. The Liceu Opera house is stunning and it also has quite a few music shops around it. Weather is lovely and there are masses of stuff to do, nice walks, beaches, places to eat -it really is a beautiful city. Not sure how it is being affected with the downturn though.

When i think about visiting europe these 2 are my favourites -ok. I also love Paris and London! 

Of course, it is important to go when it is opera season -unlike me i can only visit really in the summer and not much opera goes on. But i can still browse and shop for cds


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## sospiro

Yashin said:


> Without a doubt -go to Berlin. 3 opera houses! The Germans are big on classical music and have lots of super shops selling cd's and DVDs. Like the Japanese they love the stuff and these shops are well stocked, have helpful and great staff.


Yes! I love Ludwig Beck's in Munich and Dussmann's in Berlin.


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## Couchie

^ I ask myself every day why I don't live Germany. I would like to do a trip in 2014 to see a Barenboimeierwagner.


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## bigshot

Back around 1980, I took a trip from Los AngeLes to Seattle to see the Ring in English. The Brunnhilde got sick and couldn't go on, so the only person in the world who knew the part in English was Rita Hunter. It was a truly astounding performance... Both Remedios and Hunter.


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## Dongiovanni

In Prague I went to the theatre where Don Giovanni was premiered to see, of course, Don Giovanni. The theatre is small, it just takes you back to Mozart's time. In fact, lots of parts for the movie Amadeus were shot here. Not much has changed there. The performance was so-so. The schedule showed that they play Don Giovanni very regularly there. Well, they must be very proud it premiered there ! It was a great trip, Prague is such a lovely city, with a very small old centre. You can see all the sites just walking around. There is a lot of focus on classical music. Lots of posters promoting concerts. 

In London I also went to Don Giovanni. Great performance. I can get there quite fast, so in the future I will go there again. By the way, Don Giovanni is one of my favourite operas. I can never get enough of it. With every new production (even the ones I dont like so much) there are new things to discover.

In Vienna I went to see Magic Flute. Julia Novikova singing Queen of the night. See was wonderful, her high f in the Hoelle Rache was awesome. Goosebumps allover. Also Pamina was very impressive. During the break I walked around to check out the building. The same trip I also visited the Musikverein. Wow... It was smaller than I expected, but wat a beautiful place. The stage is quite small actually, if you sit near the stage, you can almost shake hands with the musicians. The seats were not very comfortable though.... I also arrived late, beacuse of my own fault, but still was allowed to enter the hall, together with the soloist and the conductor entered, I had to find my seat in only a few seconds, they were just started playing when I sat down.

Next is Milan, La Scala, I can't wait ! Boheme with Anna Netrebko and Piotr Beczela. I adore Anna's voice. Getting a ticket was not easy, sales opened at 09:00 for the remaining 100 or so tickets, they were all sold out at 09:05.... I hope she doesn't cancel !

Wishlist: Now that I read about it, Berlin, and the Salzburg festival. And Italy ! So many places worth seeing. I really want to see a Tosca performance, I guess this will also be soon. Maybe Covent Garden. I saw Tosca on BBC with Gheorghiu, Kaufmann and Terfel. Would have loved to see this one live. 

Also st Petersburg, the Mariinsky theatre ! New York... who knows.


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> In January I had the trip of a lifetime when I went to Seattle to see _Attila_ but the one place I really want to go is La Scala so I'll be asking you for advice!


Do you already have an performance in mind ?


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## Dongiovanni

Cavaradossi said:


> You lucky Europeans!


Yes, I know....  It's great to live in Europe if you are into Opera. Europe is the candystore for the Opera lover.


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## Aksel

Dongiovanni said:


> Outside of Europe: *st Petersburg, the Mariinsky theatre* ! New York... who knows.


The Mariinsky is in Europe. Asia doesn't begin until the Ural Mountains.
But those are great stories! Seeing La Boheme at La Scala must have been amazing!


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## Dongiovanni

Aksel said:


> Seeing La Boheme at La Scala must have been amazing!


Not so fast, I still have to see it ! But, yes, expectations are high.


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## Aksel

Dongiovanni said:


> Not so fast, I still have to see it ! But, yes, expectations are high.


Ah! I'm sure it *will *be amazing. Trebs is a very good Mimí. Do you know who is doing Musetta?


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## Dongiovanni

Aksel said:


> Ah! I'm sure it *will *be amazing. Trebs is a very good Mimí. Do you know who is doing Musetta?


You can check the complete cast here:

http://www.teatroallascala.org/en/season/opera-ballet/2011-2012/boheme.html

I'm going October 19th.


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## Yashin

sospiro said:


> Yes! I love Ludwig Beck's in Munich and Dussmann's in Berlin.


Dussmann's on Friederickstrasse!!! Indeed, one of my favourite shops!!! Such a great range of Wagner cd's....


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Do you already have an performance in mind ?


No, not yet. It won't be until 2013/2014 though.


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> In Prague I went to the theatre where Don Giovanni was premiered to see, of course, Don Giovanni. The theatre is small, it just takes you back to Mozart's time. In fact, lots of parts for the movie Amadeus were shot here. Not much has changed there. The performance was so-so. The schedule showed that they play Don Giovanni very regularly there. Well, they must be very proud it premiered there ! It was a great trip, Prague is such a lovely city, with a very small old centre. You can see all the sites just walking around. There is a lot of focus on classical music. Lots of posters promoting concerts.


I would _love_ to see an opera in Prague!



Dongiovanni said:


> In London I also went to Don Giovanni. Great performance. I can get there quite fast, so in the future I will go there again. By the way, Don Giovanni is one of my favourite operas. I can never get enough of it. With every new production (even the ones I dont like so much) there are new things to discover.


Which production?



Dongiovanni said:


> In Vienna I went to see Magic Flute. Julia Novikova singing Queen of the night. See was wonderful, her high f in the Hoelle Rache was awesome. Goosebumps allover. Also Pamina was very impressive. During the break I walked around to check out the building. The same trip I also visited the Musikverein. Wow... It was smaller than I expected, but wat a beautiful place. The stage is quite small actually, if you sit near the stage, you can almost shake hands with the musicians. The seats were not very comfortable though.... I also arrived late, beacuse of my own fault, but still was allowed to enter the hall, together with the soloist and the conductor entered, I had to find my seat in only a few seconds, they were just started playing when I sat down.


Oooh! I like the sound of that! I think I would like a small house & I wouldn't mind if the seats were uncomfortable, it's all part of the experience. Although it says Teatro alla Scala on the box, this _Falstaff_ was performed at Teatro Verdi, Bussetto & it's so small it's like a doll's house & the people in the audience look huge!












Dongiovanni said:


> Next is Milan, La Scala, I can't wait ! Boheme with Anna Netrebko and Piotr Beczela. I adore Anna's voice. Getting a ticket was not easy, sales opened at 09:00 for the remaining 100 or so tickets, they were all sold out at 09:05.... I hope she doesn't cancel!


Well done you for managing to get a ticket! I'm sure Trebs won't cancel.



Dongiovanni said:


> Wishlist: Now that I read about it, Berlin, and the Salzburg festival. And Italy ! So many places worth seeing. I really want to see a Tosca performance, I guess this will also be soon. Maybe Covent Garden. I saw *Tosca ... with Gheorghiu, Kaufmann and Terfel*. Would have loved to see this one live.


I looked at going to Salzburg but the tickets are _*very*_ expensive & I wouldn't want to go all that way & just see one opera.

I just managed to get a ticket for that Tosca. The ROH booking site kept crashing.



Dongiovanni said:


> Also St Petersburg, the Mariinsky theatre ! New York... who knows.


Oooh! I'd forgotten about Mariinsky - have never seen Boris & I want to see it first in Russia, don't care who the artists are.


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> I just managed to get a ticket for that Tosca. The ROH booking site kept crashing.


Oh, how nice ! When is it playing and who is singing ?


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> I looked at going to Salzburg but the tickets are very expensive & I wouldn't want to go all that way & just see one opera.


Yes, tickets are very expensive, if they are available at all... Probably hotels will also be overpriced at that time... I would follow the same strategy as you.

How I would have loved to be at Traviata with Netrebko and Villazon... !! Our time will come


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> Which production?


I cant find it on the ROH site, it was this year february 3rd. Gerald Finley sang Giovanni and he was awesome. This is a photo of the Commendatore scene. It was very powerfull. You could feel the heat of the fire !!







I liked the production very much. It was modern, but not too much. I tend to like modern productions.


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Oh, how nice ! When is it playing and who is singing ?


Sorry I didn't make myself clear. I _saw_ the Tosca with Kaufmann, Gheorghiu & Terfel. Twice. I was staying in London & walked over to the ROH early on the Sunday morning & there was a queue of people who had been there all night. I asked one oldish guy if he queued like this regularly & he said he hadn't done it for 32 years. Amazing weekend.


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> Sorry I didn't make myself clear. I _saw_ the Tosca with Kaufmann, Gheorghiu & Terfel. Twice. I was staying in London & walked over to the ROH early on the Sunday morning & there as a queue of people who had been there all night. I asked one oldish guy if he queued like this regularly & he said he hadn't done it for 32 years. Amazing weekend.


Wow ! Twice !! Kaufman is such a great Cavaradossi. Totally worth it. Did you hear he replaced Beczela in Salzburg last minute to sing Rodolfo some weeks ago ?


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Wow ! Twice !! Kaufman is such a great Cavaradossi. Totally worth it. Did you hear he replaced Beczela in Salzburg last minute to sing Rodolfo some weeks ago ?


Yes! I read about it as the story was unfolding. I follow opera blogger Zerbinetta on Twitter & she was there & tweeted about the boos & hisses then, *dramatic pause* the announcement that Kaufmann would be the substitute, it must have been amazing!


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## sospiro

Cavaradossi said:


> Yes, I'll be there. I'm not familiar with Soloviov, but I'll keep an eye out for him. The Russian name sounds promising!


You might bump into him - do you know Dinotto Ristorante?


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## Couchie

Toronto individual 2012/2013 tickets to the general public went on sale today. Bought my seat to Tristan und Isolde in February


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## Cavaradossi

sospiro said:


> You might bump into him - do you know Dinotto Ristorante?


Ha! Strange video, but if that's him singing on the speakers, it sounds great. Never been to Dinotto's, but looks nice. I have to wonder why they play Russian opera at an Italian restaurant though....


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## sospiro

Cavaradossi said:


> Ha! Strange video, but if that's him singing on the speakers, it sounds great. Never been to Dinotto's, but looks nice. I have to wonder why they play Russian opera at an Italian restaurant though....


:lol:

I think from his commentary, it was his YouTube of just that aria and it was only because he was there.


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## MPB

Hi all,

Great to see a thread on opera tours. Anyone up for this one in May 2013?

I'm from Sydney, Australia, but get to see opera around the world. I'm up to a nearly 1000 performances (but I'm not the geeky, musicologist type....I just love it!).

I came with a great itinerary for a tour, so thought I'd better find some like minded people to join me! I've got tentative bookings with hotels and opera houses in Hamburg, Vienna, London, Munich and Paris.

Operas include: La Gioconda, Andrea Chenier, La Donna del Lago, Lohengrin, Tristan, Dutchman, daughter of the regiment, a couple of Traviatas, Hoffmann, Götterdämmerung, Don Carlo.

[email protected] if you'd like further info.

Cheers
Michael


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## sospiro

MPB said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Great to see a thread on opera tours. Anyone up for this one in May 2013?
> 
> I'm from Sydney, Australia, but get to see opera around the world. I'm up to a nearly 1000 performances (but I'm not the geeky, musicologist type....I just love it!).
> 
> I came with a great itinerary for a tour, so thought I'd better find some like minded people to join me! I've got tentative bookings with hotels and opera houses in Hamburg, Vienna, London, Munich and Paris.
> 
> Operas include: La Gioconda, Andrea Chenier, La Donna del Lago, Lohengrin, Tristan, Dutchman, daughter of the regiment, a couple of Traviatas, Hoffmann, Götterdämmerung, Don Carlo.
> 
> [email protected] if you'd like further info.
> 
> Cheers
> Michael


Hello Michael & welcome to the forum.

It sounds like a wonderful trip and I hope you find some like-minded opera trippers to join you.


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## Dongiovanni

MPB said:


> a couple of Traviatas


You make it sound like you're doing groceries ! That's a very impressive list of cities and operas, would you like to share more details with us ?


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## MPB

Hi Don Giovanni,

Traviatas always come in pairs, don't they? Lol. 

Tenors are always a challenge for opera companies (outside the absolute top league), and Piotr Beczala (my fave) and Vittorio Grigolo are too good to miss, in my opinion, even if they are both singing Alfredo.

I saw Beczala in Lucia in Vienna a few months ago, and Grigolo in Faust at ROH. Both great.

The Faust was interesting because I heard Gheorgiou in London and then her husband (Alagna) in Paris in the same opera only 24 hours later in the same opera. (Grigolo won, I reckon).

What else can I tell you about the planned trip? The Wagners (except Götterdämmerung) are in Hamburg under Aussie conductor Simone Young. I'm particularly looking forward to the Tristan, as Isolde is being sung by Linda Watson, a soprano I heard in Vienna (under Simone) as Elektra. Phenomenal (and how great was Agnes Baltsa too!)

Speaking of tenors, we get Kauffmann (in Don Carlo), Juan Diego Florez (Donna) and Giuseppe Filianoti (Hoffmann) too, as well as Stig Fogh Andersen (Tristan) and Lawrence Brownlee (Fille).

Joyce diDonato, who I've never heard live, stars in La Donna del Lago (an opera I've never seen). Ermonela Jaho is Violetta (saw her in Suor Angelica at ROH, and I'm hoping to be more impressed.)

Throw in Anja Harteros, Jose Cura, Violeta Urmana......that's all I can remember from memory.

I can email you a flyer if you are interested. 

I'm just looking to share it all with interested people. Where I'm a bit different is that my passion for opera revolves around live performance. I very rarely listen to recordings, but love what opera can offer in a theatre.

Any way....I've talked too much!


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## Dongiovanni

MPB said:


> Tenors are always a challenge for opera companies (outside the absolute top league), and Piotr Beczala (my fave) and Vittorio Grigolo are too good to miss, in my opinion, even if they are both singing Alfredo.


Im wunderschönen Monat Mai 

I will hear Beczela in Boheme, La scala in October.

I'm interested to see your plan. You can post it here, or you can sand me a PM.

By the way, I can't find any Grigolo as Alfredo in 2013.


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## dionisio

On September 28th i'm going to see Madame Butterfly from a local music society. Let's see what i'm going to get.


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## MPB

Hi Don G,

You may well be right about Grigolo as Alfredo.

I'm on an iPad, so can't post the flyer about the tour. Maybe you can email me at [email protected] and I'll send it to you.


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## MPB

I'll check the website.


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## MPB

Just checked....it does appear to be Grigolo, with Maija Kovalevska and Thomas Hampson?

Vienna May 17th.


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## sospiro

My next trip is to Zurich to see Jenůfa.

I've not seen this opera before, I've never been to Opernhaus Zürich and never been to Zurich before (apart from changing planes at the airport).

Cast:
Fabio Luisi: Conductor
Dmitri Tcherniakov: Director
Kristine Opolais: Jenůfa
Michaela Martens: Kostelnička
Hanna Schwarz: Grandmother Buryjovka
Christopher Ventris: Laca
Pavol Breslik: Števa
Ivana Rusko: Karolka
Pavel Daniluk: Mayor
Irène Friedli: Mayor's wife

Can't wait.


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## MAuer

Looks like a wonderful cast. And with Kristine Opolais . . . someone we know will be envious!


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## sospiro

MAuer said:


> Looks like a wonderful cast.


I'm especially looking forward to hearing Christopher Ventris & Michaela Martens.



MAuer said:


> And with Kristine Opolais . . . someone we know will be envious!


Indeed!


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## mamascarlatti

I'm envious about Christopher Ventris and Pavol Breslik. The former was great in Peter Grimes, Parsifal and both DVDs of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, and the latter sang the most beautful Lensky in the "brokeback" Eugene Onegin.


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## sospiro

mamascarlatti said:


> Pavol Breslik ... sang the most beautful Lensky in the "brokeback" Eugene Onegin.


He's singing it at ROH in the new Kasper Holten version in February 2013

Dir: Kasper Holten Cond: Robin Ticciati
Krassimira Stoyanova (Tatyana) 
Simon Keenlyside (Eugene Onegin) 
Elena Maximova (Olga)
Pavol Breslik (Lensky)
Peter Rose (Prince Gremin)
Diana Montague (Madame Larina) 
Kathleen Wilkinson (Filipyevna)


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## MAuer

sospiro said:


> He's singing it at ROH in the new Kasper Holten version in February 2013
> 
> Dir: Kasper Holten Cond: Robin Ticciati
> Krassimira Stoyanova (Tatyana)
> Simon Keenlyside (Eugene Onegin)
> Elena Maximova (Olga)
> Pavol Breslik (Lensky)
> Peter Rose (Prince Gremin)
> Diana Montague (Madame Larina)
> Kathleen Wilkinson (Filipyevna)


Another great cast! Now I'm envious!


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## sospiro

MAuer said:


> Another great cast! Now I'm envious!


I am very aware how lucky I am to have the opportunity to see singers like these.


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## mamascarlatti

MAuer said:


> Another great cast! Now I'm envious!


So am I. Simon AND Krassimira, how wonderful. You've definitely got tickets?


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## sospiro

mamascarlatti said:


> So am I. Simon AND Krassimira, how wonderful. You've definitely got tickets?


Yes, for the rehearsal & for performances on 9th & 11th February. Got Radamisto on the 10th so really have got a Keenlyside/Pisaroni sandwich to look forward to.


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## Cavaradossi

Well, this should be exciting! My next opera trip will take me to one of the world's newest and most exotic, and unlikely, opera cities: Muscat, Oman. It wasn't on the top of my list, but I'll be going to see a certain someone special in an upcoming production at the Royal Opera House there, which just opened in October of 2011.









And, since the flights there and back connect in Zurich, I'll be stopping to catch _Lucia_ and and _Jenufa_ at the Opernhaus on the way out. We'll have to compare notes sospiro, my first visit too!

In scoping out the opera schedule for the return trip, the nearest production was _Rigoletto_ at none other than La Scala featuring none other than Vittorio Grigolo with none other than Gustavo Dudamel conducting. That combination seemed like a good enough excuse for a quick diversion across the Alps to Milan on the way home. I nabbed one of the few remaining tickets - in one of those notoriously overpriced and view-obstructed side boxes, but I have everything reason to believe it will be worth the cost and the strained back from contorting to see the a corner of the stage.


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## sospiro

Cavaradossi said:


> Well, this should be exciting! My next opera trip will take me to one of the world's newest and most exotic, and unlikely, opera cities: Muscat, Oman. It wasn't on the top of my list, but I'll be going to see a certain someone special in an upcoming production at the Royal Opera House there, which just opened in October of 2011.


Wow! No expense will have been spared in the building of that house so I'm sure the acoustics will be superb. Who is the certain someone?



Cavaradossi said:


> And, since the flights there and back connect in Zurich, I'll be stopping to catch _Lucia_ and and _Jenufa_ at the Opernhaus on the way out. We'll have to compare notes sospiro, my first visit too!


The seating capacity is only 1100 & someone described it as ' a little gem' so we shall see!!!



Cavaradossi said:


> In scoping out the opera schedule for the return trip, the nearest production was _Rigoletto_ at none other than La Scala featuring none other than Vittorio Grigolo with none other than Gustavo Dudamel conducting. That combination seemed like a good enough excuse for a quick diversion across the Alps to Milan on the way home. I nabbed one of the few remaining tickets - in one of those notoriously overpriced and view-obstructed side boxes, but I have everything reason to believe it will be worth the cost and the strained back from contorting to see the a corner of the stage.


La Scala is on my list but not sure when I'll go.

Did you read this? The most expensive opera tickets in the world.


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## Cavaradossi

sospiro said:


> Wow! No expense will have been spared in the building of that house so I'm sure the acoustics will be superb. Who is the certain someone?


Well, it's an emerging artist cast (albeit a substantial one, handpicked by Lorin Maazel) and for the moment the certain special someone is more special to me than to the opera world in general.



> The seating capacity is only 1100 & someone described it as ' a little gem' so we shall see!!!


Yup, I'm curious too. Did you use the 3D viewer on the Opernhaus ticket site? Almost like being there! More than just a single still pic. More than a 360 degree view, you can pan all the way up and down too. Amazing quality, if there were a spot on the carpet or a fly on the ceiling, you'd be able to see it! I read a visitor review that warned about obstructed views in Zurich too, so I spent a good bit of time scoping out prospective seats.



> Did you read this? The most expensive opera tickets in the world.


Ha! Well now I don't feel so bad. I'm in one of those € 2,400 seats (or stools, actually) in the 2nd row of the 3rd circle. This will be the opening night for Rigoletto, but fortunately they don't have premiere night pricing. ...Speaking of expensive, the Opernhaus rivals La Scala for regular ticket prices.


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## Dongiovanni

Great to see you are keeping this topic alive. Keep posting those plans !

I had no idea there was an opera house in Muscat, it certainly looks amazing. 

Meanwhile I got mail from Milan, my ticket to Boheme  O, I just can't wait.


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> Did you read this? The most expensive opera tickets in the world.


Some weeks ago I checked out the prices at the Met for L'Elisir d'Amore ... $460 for a parterre seat !! Then I found out it was the opening night. Still, this is a huge amount.


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## emiellucifuge

I didnt go to the opera house but Muscat is a lovely town enjoy it!


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Some weeks ago I checked out the prices at the Met for L'Elisir d'Amore ... $460 for a parterre seat !! Then I found out it was the opening night. Still, this is a huge amount.


 Blimey! I would have expected champagne cocktails & dinner with the artists for that!


----------



## Cavaradossi

Dongiovanni said:


> Meanwhile I got mail from Milan, my ticket to Boheme  O, I just can't wait.


Just got my Rigoletto ticket yesterday too. It's funny, the envelope is impressive but the ticket itself looks like it was printed on a circa-1996 bubble-jet printer about to run out of ink.

The other tickets for my trip are all bar-coded print-at-home pdf's sent via email. While those are super convenient, I do like having an old-fashioned ticket in my hand.



> Some weeks ago I checked out the prices at the Met for L'Elisir d'Amore ... $460 for a parterre seat !! Then I found out it was the opening night. Still, this is a huge amount.


Actually, that's pretty much the regular price for center parterre at the Met. But you can get a front seat in a side parterre box for $130-$150 and side and rear orchestra seats for even less.


----------



## Dongiovanni

Cavaradossi said:


> The other tickets for my trip are all bar-coded print-at-home pdf's sent via email. While those are super convenient, I do like having an old-fashioned ticket in my hand.


It's the first ticket service I experience where there are no digital tickets available. It has it's charmes, that small ticket from La Scala ! I think I'll stick it to the fridge


----------



## sospiro

Cavaradossi said:


> Did you use the 3D viewer on the Opernhaus ticket site? Almost like being there! More than just a single still pic. More than a 360 degree view, you can pan all the way up and down too. Amazing quality, if there were a spot on the carpet or a fly on the ceiling, you'd be able to see it! I read a visitor review that warned about obstructed views in Zurich too, so I spent a good bit of time scoping out prospective seats.


Yes, it's an excellent site. Have you seen this?


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## mamascarlatti

sospiro said:


> Yes, it's an excellent site. Have you seen this?


Looks like a really interesting production.


----------



## sospiro

mamascarlatti said:


> Looks like a really interesting production.


My first reactions was 'yikes' but after watching the YouTube a couple of times I'm coming round to it, a bit!


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## Cavaradossi

sospiro said:


> My first reactions was 'yikes' but after watching the YouTube a couple of times I'm coming round to it, a bit!


I like it - looks very "Euro" without being "trashy" :devil:. I'm relieved to see to the supertitles are in both German and English. I was afraid I'd have to quasi-memorize a libretto translation to follow along. And I'm happy to see a 3-level set, since my (95 CHF!?!) seat is in the upper balcony.


----------



## sospiro

Cavaradossi said:


> I like it - looks very "Euro" without being "trashy" :devil:. I'm relieved to see to the supertitles are in both German and English. I was afraid I'd have to quasi-memorize a libretto translation to follow along. And I'm happy to see a 3-level set, since my (95 CHF!?!) seat is in the upper balcony.


Well Zurich has a 'regie-theatre' reputation to keep up so I wasn't expecting a traditional production & I'm sure it'll be fantastic! Did you notice that every customer has the use of opera glasses?

I'm seeing it twice. I've got a seat in Parkett Galerie for the first performance then a seat in the second row of the stalls for the second performance. Even that short clip is giving me goosebumps for Christopher Ventris, I hope I can get his autograph afterwards.


----------



## Cavaradossi

sospiro said:


> Well Zurich has a 'regie-theatre' reputation to keep up so I wasn't expecting a traditional production & I'm sure it'll be fantastic! Did you notice that every customer has the use of opera glasses?
> 
> I'm seeing it twice. I've got a seat in Parkett Galerie for the first performance then a seat in the second row of the stalls for the second performance. Even that short clip is giving me goosebumps for Christopher Ventris, I hope I can get his autograph afterwards.


Wow, you mean the house provides opera glasses for every seat? I think I'm going to like Switzerland alot for details like that.

I'm in the gallery for Jenufa and in a stage-facing box on the second level for Lucia the night before. I'm counting on the theater being as intimate and cozy as people say it is.

I'm also looking forward to getting a peek at some of the top European singers that haven't been "discovered" here yet. The entire cast of Jenufa will be new to me. It's amazing how little cross-over there seems to be between the US and European talent pools, particularly for younger artists.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Cavaradossi said:


> I'm also looking forward to getting a peek at some of the top European singers that haven't been "discovered" here yet. The entire cast of Jenufa will be new to me. It's amazing how little cross-over there seems to be between the US and European talent pools, particularly for younger artists.


I can only comment from DVD, as I'm never likely to see them live here, but I am a great admirer of Ventris (from Peter Grimes, Parsifal and Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk), Opolais (from The Gambler and Rusalka) and Breslik (from Eugene Onegin and Lucrezia Borgia). I have seen Lukas Jakobski live when he came into act 2 of Les Troyens in at ROH and did a bit of enthusiastic raping and pillaging!


----------



## Aksel

sospiro said:


> Did you notice that every customer has the use of opera glasses?


Opera glasses are really great! I found some rather antique ones at a flea-market in Cannes, and I used them rather liberally when I saw L'amour des 3 Oranges in Paris, on the third balcony.


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## dionisio

I'm off to see a Madame Butterfly production today! It's a production of a local orchestra.


I'm anxious! I haven't seen an opera live for a couple of years. I hope i won't bring down to tears. To listen to a recording is something but listening to it live is another world...


----------



## Aksel

dionisio said:


> I'm off to see a Madame Butterfly production today! It's a production of a local orchestra.
> 
> I'm anxious! I haven't seen an opera live for a couple of years.* I hope i won't bring down to tears*. To listen to a recording is something but listening to it live is another world...


You're seeing Puccini. There will be tears whether you like it or not.


----------



## dionisio

Aksel said:


> You're seeing Puccini. There will be tears whether you like it or not.


Yes but these tears are other tears


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## sospiro

dionisio said:


> I'm off to see a Madame Butterfly production today! It's a production of a local orchestra.
> 
> I'm anxious! I haven't seen an opera live for a couple of years. I hope i won't bring down to tears. To listen to a recording is something but listening to it live is another world...


Fantastic, hope I'm not too late to wish you a fabulous time!!


----------



## Dongiovanni

Arrived in Milan today, and went straight to La Scala to see the museum and the shop. It turns out, if you get a museum ticket, you have access to some boxes where I spent some time watching and listening Barenboim rehearse Siegfried  Needless to say I didn't see much of the museum.

Lots of activity at La Scala, it looks like they were preparing a broadcast for TV. They couldn't tell me which performance.

I was interested to do a special guided tour of the theater, but because of the rehearsing it was not possible. Nevertheless I had a very nice time today.

If you ever go the La Scala, and you want to see something, better check where you sit. If you sit in a box, only the first row can see the performance.... these boxes are very small !


----------



## Cavaradossi

Dongiovanni said:


> Arrived in Milan today, and went straight to La Scala to see the museum and the shop. It turns out, if you get a museum ticket, you have access to some boxes where I spent some time watching and listening Barenboim rehearse Siegfried  Needless to say I didn't see much of the museum!


Lucky you! There are lots of goodies in the museum for a true opera lover to enjoy (like Verdi's piano) but I would have done the same thing if Barenboim was rehearsing. Tomorrow is your big night with Anna, right? Enjoy!


----------



## Dongiovanni

Cavaradossi said:


> Lucky you! There are lots of goodies in the museum for a true opera lover to enjoy (like Verdi's piano) but I would have done the same thing if Barenboim was rehearsing. Tomorrow is your big night with Anna, right? Enjoy!


Yes, tomorrow is the night. Maybe I'll return to the museum, a ticket is cheap. And how knows what will be rehearsed tomorrow


----------



## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Arrived in Milan today, and went straight to La Scala to see the museum and the shop. It turns out, if you get a museum ticket, you have access to some boxes where I spent some time watching and listening Barenboim rehearse Siegfried  Needless to say I didn't see much of the museum.
> 
> Lots of activity at La Scala, it looks like they were preparing a broadcast for TV. They couldn't tell me which performance.
> 
> I was interested to do a special guided tour of the theater, but because of the rehearsing it was not possible. Nevertheless I had a very nice time today.
> 
> If you ever go the La Scala, and you want to see something, better check where you sit. If you sit in a box, only the first row can see the performance.... these boxes are very small !
> 
> View attachment 9053


How fabulous! I've done the museum tour & sat in a box but there was no rehearsal going on at the time. Lucky you - I'm so envious!!!

Hope you have a wonderful time at the performance.

There was nearly a tragedy in the La Scala shop. As I walked in my credit card gave a mournful howl & tried to commit suicide .. but I saved him just in time.


----------



## Dongiovanni

Returned for a short moment today. There is pretty impressive row at the ticket office, after asking someone I found out that there are still 100 places available for tonight's performance.

And here's what my trip is all about:


----------



## Couchie

Couchie said:


> Toronto individual 2012/2013 tickets to the general public went on sale today. Bought my seat to Tristan und Isolde in February


I added a second night, different singers. I will be stuck in TO for a week now however. Still, it occurred to me, what if I were to die soon? My life would have been twice as good dying with two tickets to Tristan rather than just one. And if I die *after* I see Tristan, well then I had nothing left to live for anyway.

We need a crazy, deranged smiley.


----------



## Cavaradossi

Couchie said:


> I added a second night, different singers. I will be stuck in TO for a week now however. Still, it occurred to me, what if I were to die soon? My life would have been twice as good dying with two tickets to Tristan rather than just one. And if I die *after* I see Tristan, well then I had nothing left to live for anyway.


Sounds like the optimum would be to die between the first and second Tristans. That way you will have seen Tristan and still have a Tristan ticket to hold on to. [INSERT]crazy, deranged smiley[/INSERT] x 3

I must admit that it occurred to me after seeing Barenboim's Tristan at the Met that I was unlikely to experience anything quite as exquisite again before I breathed my last.


----------



## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Returned for a short moment today. There is pretty impressive row at the ticket office, after asking someone I found out that there are still 100 places available for tonight's performance.
> 
> And here's what my trip is all about:
> View attachment 9061


:clap:

Fabulous cast! Fabio Capitanucci sang Chorèbe in _Les Troyens_, he was excellent.

Hope you have a fantastic time.


----------



## Cavaradossi

Dongiovanni said:


> Lots of activity at La Scala, it looks like they were preparing a broadcast for TV. They couldn't tell me which performance.


According to their recent Facebook post, it's for an RAI broadcast of Seigfried.

My route to work takes me behind Orchestra Hall here in Chicago. This morning they were setting up for an HD broadcast of the all-star World Orchestra for Peace concert in honor of the Solti Centennial on Sunday with arias by Angela Gheorghiu and René Pape under the baton of Valery Gergiev. I looked into tickets a few weeks ago, but its a stretch for both schedule and budget in the midst of a busy, expensive month.


----------



## Dongiovanni

After a good night's sleep I'm ready to share my expercience at La Scala. I arrived very unfashionably early... So I had to wait before I could enter the theater. Killed some time in the shop.

First of all, the singing was absolutely superb in all the roles. Capitanucci is a remarkable new singer to me with a beautiful voice. No need to tell you the leading roles were outstanding. It is amazing to hear Netrebko live. She fills the entire theater with that big voice. The colours of her voice are so rich, all the way through the dynamic range. 

The production is a classic by Zeffirelli, no punkgirl Mimi here. The 2nd act is overwhelming with all that action and so many people on that small stage. At some points, you miss some parts because there's so much happening. I was surprised to see a living horse passing by on stage !

The lasts scenes of La Boheme always get me. It was so moving that I had to dry my eyes at the end.

I sat on the pletea, the seats are very small. Actually the whole experience was very intimate, it seems that everything in La Scala is smaller than in other theaters. There was some early clapping, which I always find very annoying. At some points members of the audience were hissing to stop some early clapper. That worked. 

There were many curtain calls, and some flowers were thrown on stage when Netrebko appeared for the first call with a thunder of bravos. And that included me.

I left the theater with all those lovely melodies in my head. It was an amazing night.


----------



## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> After a good night's sleep I'm ready to share my expercience at La Scala. I arrived very unfashionably early... So I had to wait before I could enter the theater. Killed some time in the shop.
> 
> First of all, the singing was absolutely superb in all the roles. Capitanucci is a remarkable new singer to me with a beautiful voice. No need to tell you the leading roles were outstanding. It is amazing to hear Netrebko live. She fills the entire theater with that big voice. The colours of her voice are so rich, all the way through the dynamic range.
> 
> The production is a classic by Zeffirelli, no punkgirl Mimi here. The 2nd act is overwhelming with all that action and so many people on that small stage. At some points, you miss some parts because there's so much happening. I was surprised to see a living horse passing by on stage !
> 
> The lasts scenes of La Boheme always get me. It was so moving that I had to dry my eyes at the end.
> 
> I sat on the pletea, the seats are very small. Actually the whole experience was very intimate, it seems that everything in La Scala is smaller than in other theaters. There was some early clapping, which I always find very annoying. At some points members of the audience were hissing to stop some early clapper. That worked.
> 
> There were many curtain calls, and some flowers were thrown on stage when Netrebko appeared for the first call with a thunder of bravos. And that included me.
> 
> I left the theater with all those lovely melodies in my head. It was an amazing night.


Great review & so pleased you enjoyed it. I've always wanted to go & I bet the acoustics are superb.


----------



## Cavaradossi

Dongiovanni said:


> It was an amazing night.


Sounds like it! Looking forward more than ever to my evening there two weeks from tonight.

(And Netrebko's Mimi in Chicago in March.)


----------



## Dongiovanni

Cavaradossi said:


> And, since the flights there and back connect in Zurich, I'll be stopping to catch _Lucia_ and and _Jenufa_ at the Opernhaus on the way out. We'll have to compare notes sospiro, my first visit too!
> 
> In scoping out the opera schedule for the return trip, the nearest production was _Rigoletto_ at none other than La Scala featuring none other than Vittorio Grigolo with none other than Gustavo Dudamel conducting. That combination seemed like a good enough excuse for a quick diversion across the Alps to Milan on the way home. I nabbed one of the few remaining tickets - in one of those notoriously overpriced and view-obstructed side boxes, but I have everything reason to believe it will be worth the cost and the strained back from contorting to see the a corner of the stage.


So this trip is starting soon I guess. That Rigoletto sounds delicious, and you got the opening night ! I guess you already know, the dress code at La Scala is very strict on the opening nights.

Grigolo is already far on his way to stardom. After hearing Bezcela live I can only wonder why he is not that famous. His voice is simply sublime.

Keep us informed !


----------



## mamascarlatti

Dongiovanni said:


> *Grigolo *is already far on his way to stardom.


Personally speaking, and I don't want to upset you, I prefer not to listen to him (although it must be said I've only heard him on recordings). His voice strikes me as being rather monochromatic, with overwrought melodrama the dominant tone.



> After hearing Bezcela live I can only wonder why he is not that famous. His voice is simply sublime.


I would say Beczala is actually a bigger star really, works in top houses all over the world. I LOVED his recent Boheme in Salzburg


----------



## Cavaradossi

Dongiovanni said:


> So this trip is starting soon I guess. That Rigoletto sounds delicious, and you got the opening night ! I guess you already know, the dress code at La Scala is very strict on the opening nights.
> 
> Grigolo is already far on his way to stardom. After hearing Bezcela live I can only wonder why he is not that famous. His voice is simply sublime.
> 
> Keep us informed !


I just saw the significant other off to the airport for the first leg of the long trip to Oman, so it's all getting very real.

Yup, opening night seemed like a good occasion to spring for a slick new suit, which I am picking up tonight. Ugh, and now the online box office is showing ~10 seats available in the rear/side stalls. I'm almost tempted to nab one of those and attempt to resell my box seat.

I'm very curious about Grigolo. I've only seen his ROH Faust and Rigoletto in Mantua film in cinemacast. He is beguiling in both, to say the least. Looks great on camera and sounds great too (with the benefit of a mic and sound level adjustment). I've heard his is a lighter voice though, so we'll see. And I've seen Dudamel conduct several times in Chicago, honestly some of the most exciting and unforgettable musical experiences of my life.

Star quality for sure:


----------



## Dongiovanni

mamascarlatti said:


> Personally speaking, and I don't want to upset you, I prefer not to listen to him (although it must be said I've only heard him on recordings). His voice strikes me as being rather monochromatic, with overwrought melodrama the dominant tone.
> 
> I would say Beczala is actually a bigger star really, works in top houses all over the world. I LOVED his recent Boheme in Salzburg


Actually I agree with you on Grigolo and Beczela ! If I say Grigolo is already far on his way to stardom doesn't mean I like his singing, it's just a simple fact  But stardom can be measured by different standards. I'd say Grigolo gets way more attention.

I think Piotr was in better form at La Scala last Friday than the broadcast I heard of the Salzburg Boheme. But it's hard to compare a (not so good) broadcast with a live performance.


----------



## Dongiovanni

Cavaradossi said:


> Ugh, and now the online box office is showing ~10 seats available in the rear/side stalls. I'm almost tempted to nab one of those and attempt to resell my box seat.


If you have time in Milan before the performance chances are high you can pull it off !

Maybe someone here is interested


----------



## mamascarlatti

Dongiovanni said:


> Actually I agree with you on Grigolo and Beczela ! If I say Grigolo is already far on his way to stardom doesn't mean I like his singing, it's just a simple fact  But stardom can be measured by different standards. I'd say Grigolo gets way more attention.
> 
> I think Piotr was in better form at La Scala last Friday than the broadcast I heard of the Salzburg Boheme. But it's hard to compare a (not so good) broadcast with a live performance.


Of course Grigolo has spent a lot of time on crossover, which gives you a bigger profile, but I believe adversely affects the delicacy and shading of your singing (like Bocelli, who can only sing loud and too loud.) Grigolo has that whole backstory - Sistine choir, being called 'Il Pavarottino'. And then there is the looks thing - many people find Grigolo handsome, while Beczela is merely pleasant in a rather 50s kind of way.

Nonetheless I'd go out of my way to hear Beczala, and avoid Grigolo.


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## sospiro

I had only intended to see two performances of _Jenůfa_ while I was in Zurich but as _Lucia di Lammermoor_ is on in between, I've decided to see that as well.

Not really bothered what sort of production it is but just hope it includes the Wolf's Crag scene.


----------



## Aksel

sospiro said:


> I had only intended to see two performances of _Jenůfa_ while I was in Zurich but as _Lucia di Lammermoor_ is on in between, I've decided to see that as well.
> 
> Not really bothered what sort of production it is but just hope it includes the Wolf's Crag scene.


Isn't Jane Archibald singing Lucia? Loved her Zerbinetta in the Baden Baden Ariadne.

Have fun!


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## sospiro

Aksel said:


> Isn't Jane Archibald singing Lucia?


Yes!



Aksel said:


> Have fun!


I'll try!

I wonder what they'll find when the snow melts?


----------



## sospiro

Lucia di Lammermoor, Zurich Opera House. 30 October 2012

Ashton: Alexey Markov 
Lucia: Jane Archibald
Edgardo: Ismael Jordi
Arturo: Boiko Zvetanov
Raimondo: Christof Fischesser
Alisa: Julia Riley
Normanno: Boguslaw Bidzinski

Conductor: Pavel Baleff
Production: Damiano Michieletto

Production is updated but follows the story exactly. Not 'regie'. Set in a police state and a bombed out building stage right is used extensively. Edgardo hides in it, the chorus use different floors during their scenes, Lucia & Arturo ascend the stairs on their wedding night, Lucia then descends and appears on different floors during the madness scene.

Act 1 opens with police in leather trench coats with huge German Shepherd dog searching the building for Edgardo.

The ghost of the fountain appears and is on stage for much of the action and I thought this worked very well.

Singers and orchestra were superb & all set pieces were outstanding. The most spectacular part is where Lucia does a death leap from the bombed out building. I contacted Jane Archibald and asked her if it was her or a stunt double or a dummy because it was over so quickly it was difficult to tell! This was her response:


> Probably shouldn't reveal the secret. Let's just say: I hope, if you were to see the jump in slow mo, you'd know the answer…


I really hope this is released on DVD, it was fabulous & would recommend it to anyone.

This is my curtain call video; not brilliant but you can just about see (2:30) the spur jutting out from which Lucia jumped.


----------



## sospiro

Jenůfa, Zurich Opera House 28 October 2012

Patrick Lange: Conductor
Dmitri Tcherniakov: Director

Kristine Opolais: Jenůfa
Michaela Martens: Kostelnička
Hanna Schwarz: Grandmother Buryjovka
Christopher Ventris: Laca
Pavol Breslik: Števa Buryja

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

I actually saw this twice on 28 and 31 October. This isn't a proper review but just a few thoughts and I'm looking forward to reading what member Cavaradossi has to say.

The story was updated to the present day which worked well. There are still communities today where it is considered shameful for a woman to have a baby outside marriage. And there are women who prefer to live with a violent partner they don't love rather than to be alone.

There are parts of the production which I didn't like. In this, Jano, the shepherd boy who Jenůfa taught to read is a dippy girlfriend, not a trouser role and Grandmother is depicted as a fool who is taunted and made fun of. I thought as first she had dementia but really she only pretends to be like this so is not respected by anyone.

But what made me really angry was the fact that the Kostelnička doesn't bury the baby under the ice. Instead she leaves him in a crib in an attic room above Jenůfa's bedroom (ingenious stage which moves up and down & could show three floors of the house simultaneously), returns to the ground floor then leaves the house through French windows (without a baby to bury, I had to ask myself: why does she leave the house?). She stays outside but within sight until Jenůfa has sung the heartbreaking _*Mamičko, mám těžkou hlavu, mám, mám*_. Then Kostelnička demands to be let back in and story continues. At the beginning of Act 3 we see Grandmother peer into the crib & then recoil so we know that's where the dead baby is. We don't see the body being discovered, the crowd just say a baby has been found murdered, no mention of where so a chunk of the libretto has been deleted to fit the story.

This is only my very personal opinion but I was disappointed with this 'regie-theatre' production. The singing and the music was superb and Michaela Martens' _*Jako by sem smrt načuhovala!*_ will stay in my memory for ever.

For a good insight into the opera go here.

My curtain call video.


----------



## Dongiovanni

Thanks Annie for your reports, always nice to read your posts with such detail and passion. I checked your youtube curtain call movies  You have been very active this year ! You went to Figaro in february at the ROH, when I planned for my trip to London this year I also wanted to go to Figaro, but I couldn't make it. I recently got the DVD of this production with Finley/Persson/Roschmann, what a delight. Very impressed by Persson. Roschmann impressed me earlier with her countess in the Salzburg Figaro with Harnoncourt.


----------



## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Thanks Annie for your reports, always nice to read your posts with such detail and passion. I checked your youtube curtain call movies  You have been very active this year!


Thank you! I'm very lucky to be able to see such great opera.



Dongiovanni said:


> You went to Figaro in february at the ROH, when I planned for my trip to London this year I also wanted to go to Figaro, but I couldn't make it. I recently got the DVD of this production with Finley/Persson/Roschmann, what a delight. Very impressed by Persson. Roschmann impressed me earlier with her countess in the Salzburg Figaro with Harnoncourt.


I didn't realise you had planned to come, what a shame. I have the DVD & love this production.


----------



## tyroneslothrop

Is anyone else planning on catching the Seattle Ring in August 2013?


----------



## Cavaradossi

sospiro said:


> Lucia di Lammermoor, Zurich Opera House. 30 October 2012
> 
> Ashton: Alexey Markov
> Lucia: Jane Archibald
> Edgardo: Ismael Jordi
> Arturo: Boiko Zvetanov
> Raimondo: Christof Fischesser
> Alisa: Julia Riley
> Normanno: Boguslaw Bidzinski
> 
> Conductor: Pavel Baleff
> Production: Damiano Michieletto
> 
> Production is updated but follows the story exactly. Not 'regie'. Set in a police state and a bombed out building stage right is used extensively. Edgardo hides in it, the chorus use different floors during their scenes, Lucia & Arturo ascend the stairs on their wedding night, Lucia then descends and appears on different floors during the madness scene.
> 
> Act 1 opens with police in leather trench coats with huge German Shepherd dog searching the building for Edgardo.
> 
> The ghost of the fountain appears and is on stage for much of the action and I thought this worked very well.
> 
> Singers and orchestra were superb & all set pieces were outstanding. The most spectacular part is where Lucia does a death leap from the bombed out building. I contacted Jane Archibald and asked her if it was her or a stunt double or a dummy because it was over so quickly it was difficult to tell! This was her response:
> 
> I really hope this is released on DVD, it was fabulous & would recommend it to anyone.
> 
> This is my curtain call video; not brilliant but you can just about see (2:30) the spur jutting out from which Lucia jumped.


OMG Annie! I should have checked in once more before I left, I didn't realize we would be attending on the same nights! We could have rendezvous-ed at intermission or something. I was up in a box on a second level on Oct 30. I'm so glad you recorded and posted the curtain calls, such a treat to see.

I enjoyed the production at well. Although there were some weak points in the update - most egregiously using a plain galvanized steel bucket to represent the well where the ghost supposedly drowned. And I found that ledge incongruously sticking out of the structure the whole time distracting. I do agree that having the ghost re-appear at key moments was very effective.

The big revelations of the night for me were the Edgardo of Spanish tenor Ismael Jordi (high, light, and fluid -shades of JDF I thought) and the piercing Ashton of Georgian(?) bass-baritone Alexey Markov. I liked Jane Archibold too, but there were one or two admittedly very, very high notes where her voice seemed to get thin. The Arturo sounded off pitch to me. I wondered if he was hired more for his short, squat stature which did make a for tragi-comic image when paired with the tall and lanky Jane Archibald. The relative intimacy of the house meant all the voices were heard clear and strong even in the third row second level box seat where I was sitting.

As far as the house itself, the main auditorium was spectacular but I was surprised how downright plain the rest of the interior was. I thought the Zurich audience was quite stingy with applause (none at all for the Act 1 duet or the quartet) until the final curtain. Though even then, no one stood and the few bravos I heard got glaring looks from others.

Well, I've got three more operas to report back on, but that's a start.


----------



## Dongiovanni

Cavaradossi said:


> I thought the Zurich audience was quite stingy with applause (none at all for the Act 1 duet or the quartet) until the final curtain. Though even then, no one stood and the few bravos I heard got glaring looks from others.


Tough crowd ! I also had this experience in London, very tame clapping, no one standing, no bravos, for a very good performance. The plus side: no early clapping.


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## Cavaradossi

sospiro said:


> Jenůfa, Zurich Opera House 28 October 2012
> 
> Patrick Lange: Conductor
> Dmitri Tcherniakov: Director
> 
> Kristine Opolais: Jenůfa
> Michaela Martens: Kostelnička
> Hanna Schwarz: Grandmother Buryjovka
> Christopher Ventris: Laca
> Pavol Breslik: Števa Buryja
> 
> -----------------------------------------------
> 
> I actually saw this twice on 28 and 31 October. This isn't a proper review but just a few thoughts and I'm looking forward to reading what member Cavaradossi has to say.
> 
> The story was updated to the present day which worked well. There are still communities today where it is considered shameful for a woman to have a baby outside marriage. And there are women who prefer to live with a violent partner they don't love rather than to be alone.
> 
> There are parts of the production which I didn't like. In this, Jano, the shepherd boy who Jenůfa taught to read is a dippy girlfriend, not a trouser role and Grandmother is depicted as a fool who is taunted and made fun of. I thought as first she had dementia but really she only pretends to be like this so is not respected by anyone.
> 
> But what made me really angry was the fact that the Kostelnička doesn't bury the baby under the ice. Instead she leaves him in a crib in an attic room above Jenůfa's bedroom (ingenious stage which moves up and down & could show three floors of the house simultaneously), returns to the ground floor then leaves the house through French windows (without a baby to bury, I had to ask myself: why does she leave the house?). She stays outside but within sight until Jenůfa has sung the heartbreaking _*Mamičko, mám těžkou hlavu, mám, mám*_. Then Kostelnička demands to be let back in and story continues. At the beginning of Act 3 we see Grandmother peer into the crib & then recoil so we know that's where the dead baby is. We don't see the body being discovered, the crowd just say a baby has been found murdered, no mention of where so a chunk of the libretto has been deleted to fit the story.
> 
> This is only my very personal opinion but I was disappointed with this 'regie-theatre' production. The singing and the music was superb and Michaela Martens' _*Jako by sem smrt načuhovala!*_ will stay in my memory for ever.


I must admit I only glanced at a plot synopsis before I left, so I didn't realize how far they strayed. What I got out of it is that (in the Zurich production) the Kostelnička merely hid the child in the attic room and leaves him there alive, then the eccentric grandmother comes up and nudges the cradle towards and out the open attic window into the snow. But that doesn't explain why the Kostelnička assumes the guilt immediately when the dead child is discovered. In any case, yes that aspect was all very confusing. On top of that the Kostelnička is not trundled off to jail, but remains at home at the end and she is clearly not forgiven by Jenufa. And to add to the confusion, Michaela Martens who played the Kostelnička has a very youthful appearance and they made little or no attempt to age her with wardrobe or makeup. As you can see in the video, she looked more like Jenufa's older sister than her mother.

I agree that other than the toying with the plot and muddle at the end, the update worked well - Steva's antics and apparel in particular. I enjoyed the grandmother's antics as well. I thought it came off very well as an ensemble dramatic piece.


----------



## Cavaradossi

Dongiovanni said:


> Tough crowd ! I also had this experience in London, very tame clapping, no one standing, no bravos, for a very good performance. The plus side: no early clapping.


Good point. And, to their credit, absolutely zero coughing or page shuffling.


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## sospiro

Cavaradossi said:


> OMG Annie! I should have checked in once more before I left, I didn't realize we would be attending on the same nights! We could have rendezvous-ed at intermission or something. I was up in a box on a second level on Oct 30. I'm so glad you recorded and posted the curtain calls, such a treat to see.
> 
> I enjoyed the production at well. Although there were some weak points in the update - most egregiously using a plain galvanized steel bucket to represent the well where the ghost supposedly drowned. And I found that ledge incongruously sticking out of the structure the whole time distracting. I do agree that having the ghost re-appear at key moments was very effective.


I very nearly laughed at the bucket. It reminded me a bit in the Laurent Pelly _L'amour des trois oranged_ when just as the third princess is about to die of thirst someone puts a plastic bottle of water on the stage for her.



Cavaradossi said:


> The big revelations of the night for me were the Edgardo of Spanish tenor Ismael Jordi (high, light, and fluid -shades of JDF I thought) and the piercing Ashton of Georgian(?) bass-baritone Alexey Markov. I liked Jane Archibold too, but there were one or two admittedly very, very high notes where her voice seemed to get thin. The Arturo sounded off pitch to me. I wondered if he was hired more for his short, squat stature which did make a for tragi-comic image when paired with the tall and lanky Jane Archibald. The relative intimacy of the house meant all the voices were heard clear and strong even in the third row second level box seat where I was sitting.


I thought Alexey Markov was fabulous and also Christof Fischesser as Raimondo.



Cavaradossi said:


> As far as the house itself, the main auditorium was spectacular but I was surprised how downright plain the rest of the interior was. I thought the Zurich audience was quite stingy with applause (none at all for the Act 1 duet or the quartet) until the final curtain. Though even then, no one stood and the few bravos I heard got glaring looks from others.


I was puzzled by the slow hand clapping by the guy next to me at the end of Jenůfa. In UK it indicates _dis_approval, it's sarcastic. But he started slowly & then his clapping picked up speed! I asked if he'd enjoyed the opera & he said he thought it was wonderful.


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## sospiro

Cavaradossi said:


> Well, I've got three more operas to report back on, but that's a start.


I'm really looking forward to reading your reviews.


----------



## tyroneslothrop

I just found out I will be in Moscow next week so I am planning on catching the following performances of Iolanta and Prince Igor there with my wife.

_*Prince Igor*
Venue: New Opera Theater, Moscow
Date: 21 November 2012
Conductor: Evgeny Samoilov
Conductor: Vasily Valitov
Composer: Alexander Borodin
Orchestra: Symphony Orchestra of the "New Opera" Theatre
Premiere of this production: 16 April 2011
Premiere of Borodin's Prince Igor at the Kolobov Novaya Opera of Moscow on April 16 and 19, 2011 under the aegis of the Sochi 2014 Cultural Olympiad and the Year of the Theatre
Music Director and Conductor: Evgeny Samoilov
Stage Director: Yuri Alexandrov 
Set and Costume Designer: Vyacheslav Okunev 
Choirmasters: Natalya Popovich, Marina Vasilkova, Victor Kuturaev_

_*Iolanta*
Venue: Bolshoi Theater, Moscow
Date: 24 November 2012
Bass: Mikhail Kazakov
Mezzo-soprano: Yevgenia Segenyuk
Bass: Pyotr Migunov
Soloist: Alexandra Kadurina
Soprano: Uliana Alexyuk
Conductor: Alexei Bogorad
Baritone: Konstantin Shushakov
Baritone: Alexei Pashiev
Composer: Peter Tchaikovsky
Light Designer: Damir Ismagilov
Music Director: Pavel Sorokin
Designer: Sergei Barkhin
Stage Director: Georgy Ansimov
Opera company: Bolshoi Opera
Orchestra: Bolshoi Theatre Symphony Orchestra
Opera in 2 act
Performed in Russian 
Premiere of this production: 14 June 1997
Libretto by Modest Tchaikovsky based on Heinrich Hertz's dramatic poem Koenig Renes Tochter
Music Director: Pavel Sorokin
Stage Director: Georgy Ansimov
Designer: Sergei Barkhin
Lighting Designer: Damir Ismagilov_


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## sospiro

tyroneslothrop said:


> I just found out I will be in Moscow next week so I am planning on catching the following performances of Iolanta and Prince Igor there with my wife.
> 
> _*Prince Igor*
> Venue: New Opera Theater, Moscow
> Date: 21 November 2012
> Conductor: Evgeny Samoilov
> Conductor: Vasily Valitov
> Composer: Alexander Borodin
> Orchestra: Symphony Orchestra of the "New Opera" Theatre
> Premiere of this production: 16 April 2011
> Premiere of Borodin's Prince Igor at the Kolobov Novaya Opera of Moscow on April 16 and 19, 2011 under the aegis of the Sochi 2014 Cultural Olympiad and the Year of the Theatre
> Music Director and Conductor: Evgeny Samoilov
> Stage Director: Yuri Alexandrov
> Set and Costume Designer: Vyacheslav Okunev
> Choirmasters: Natalya Popovich, Marina Vasilkova, Victor Kuturaev_
> 
> _*Iolanta*
> Venue: Bolshoi Theater, Moscow
> Date: 24 November 2012
> Bass: Mikhail Kazakov
> Mezzo-soprano: Yevgenia Segenyuk
> Bass: Pyotr Migunov
> Soloist: Alexandra Kadurina
> Soprano: Uliana Alexyuk
> Conductor: Alexei Bogorad
> Baritone: Konstantin Shushakov
> Baritone: Alexei Pashiev
> Composer: Peter Tchaikovsky
> Light Designer: Damir Ismagilov
> Music Director: Pavel Sorokin
> Designer: Sergei Barkhin
> Stage Director: Georgy Ansimov
> Opera company: Bolshoi Opera
> Orchestra: Bolshoi Theatre Symphony Orchestra
> Opera in 2 act
> Performed in Russian
> Premiere of this production: 14 June 1997
> Libretto by Modest Tchaikovsky based on Heinrich Hertz's dramatic poem Koenig Renes Tochter
> Music Director: Pavel Sorokin
> Stage Director: Georgy Ansimov
> Designer: Sergei Barkhin
> Lighting Designer: Damir Ismagilov_


Wow!!! Fantastic! Hope you have a fabulous time in Moscow & at the opera.


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## mamascarlatti

Lucky you. I LOVE Iolanta.


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## tyroneslothrop

mamascarlatti said:


> Lucky you. I LOVE Iolanta.


You should consider getting the brand new release of the January 2012 Teatro Real de Madrid performance of both Iolanta and Persephone. It is on Blu-ray. Watched it a few days ago. Not a perfect performance, but quite solid. (Keeping this short since this is not the DVD sub-forum  )


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## mamascarlatti

tyroneslothrop said:


> You should consider getting the brand new release of the January 2012 Teatro Real de Madrid performance of both Iolanta and Persephone. It is on Blu-ray. Watched it a few days ago. Not a perfect performance, but quite solid. (Keeping this short since this is not the DVD sub-forum  )


I'm thinking about it. I saw it on YouTube.


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## MAuer

There is also a touring version of _Iolanta_ with "La Bellissima" Netrebko making the rounds in Germany this month. Emmanuel Villaume is conducting the Slovenian National Philharmonic; some of the other soloists are Sergey Skorokhodov, Alexei Markov, and Vitaly Kovalyov.


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## sospiro

MAuer said:


> There is also a touring version of _Iolanta_ with "La Bellissima" Netrebko making the rounds in Germany this month. Emmanuel Villaume is conducting the Slovenian National Philharmonic; some of the other soloists are Sergey Skorokhodov, Alexei Markov, and Vitaly Kovalyov.


Should be good - I was very impressed with Markov when I saw him in _Lucia_.


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## Dongiovanni

I'm very thrilled that I can say I just bought a ticket for Tosca at the ROH, march 2nd 2013. Amanda Echalaz is singing Tosca. I have read many good things about her interpretation and heard some small fragments. Massimo Giordano sings Cavaradossi, Michael Volle sings Scarpia.

Production is by Jonathan Kent, the same as the recent one as with Gheorghiu/Kaufman/Terfel.


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## Aksel

Volle as Scarpia? Really? Can't imagine the man ever being even remotely evil.


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> I'm very thrilled that I can say I just bought a ticket for Tosca at the ROH, march 2nd 2013. Amanda Echalaz is singing Tosca. I have read many good things about her interpretation and heard some small fragments. Massimo Giordano sings Cavaradossi, Michael Volle sings Scarpia.
> 
> Production is by Jonathan Kent, the same as the recent one as with Gheorghiu/Kaufman/Terfel.


It's a great production - hope you enjoy it!


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## Cavaradossi

OK, here's my report back from La Boheme at the Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman. The nearly brand new ROH in Muscat only opened in October 2011 with new Zefferelli production of Turandot, and recitals by Domingo, Fleming and others. At first glance, it may merely seem to be Sultan Qaboos indulging his love of Western classical music, but it's also a canny move to make Oman into a weekend/vacation destination for expats in the region. I attended both shows of the run, and both were sold out with I'd say about 80+% westerners in the audience. The house has a fairly busy schedule between substantial Western and Arabic/middle eastern acts and caters to the large Indian community in Oman. Jessye Norman and Roberto Alagna both performed recitals there in the weeks just before my visit.

http://www.rohmuscat.org.om/programmes/performances

The house itself is a masterpiece applying the finest in Middle Eastern craftsmanship in stone and carved wood to a traditional, but very up to date, Western-style auditorium. Though it sits between two major roads in a semi-suburban setting in the rapidly developing country, generous landscaped grounds give it an air of calm and serenity. Walking across the vast open marble mall between the parking lot and colonnaded entrance with patrons silhouetted against the subtly lit white stone of the building put me in mind of the elegant entrance to Lincoln Center in New York - with an exotic Arabian twist.







(not my pic)

A quick and dignified dash thru the metal detectors puts you into the lavish lobby with more white marble and elaborately carved wooden ceiling amongst men in suits (and few tuxedos) or white dishdashas and turbans and women in dresses or saris, and a few Omani women in tailored abeyas trimmed in gold. (There is a strict dress code.)

The ushers are all young Omani men and women in traditional wear - friendly, courteous, and helpful. But don't even think of opening up your cell phone. When the house lights go down, they walk down the aisle like a flight attendant making sure all electronic devices are off. (I liked that!)

Not to give short shrift to the performance, but I figured folks would be more interested in the novelty of an Arabian opera house. The entire company, including orchestra, chorus, crew, sets and children's choir(!) was brought from the US under the aegis of the remarkable summer festival program that Loren Maazel started on his estate in Virginia several years ago. A solid young cast included Canadian Soprano Joyce El-Khoury as Mimi. The well thought out production teased out some interesting details from the libretto.

Bottom line: for any opera lover who happens to find themselves in the Middle East, it's worth a side trip to Muscat.


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## Cavaradossi

Here's a few of my own photos from the Royal Opera House in Muscat. Photography inside the auditorium itself was strictly forbidden.


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## Dongiovanni

Cavaradossi said:


> Here's a few of my own photos from the Royal Opera House in Muscat. Photography inside the auditorium itself was strictly forbidden.
> 
> View attachment 10007
> View attachment 10006
> View attachment 10005


Very impressive ! I was curious what the auditorium looked like so I googled it...


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## Cavaradossi

Final stop on my recent trip: Rigoletto at La Scala, opening night, Nov. 6

I'll try to make this quick:

Conductor: Gustavo Dudamel - Good, but not over the top good.
Staging: Gilbert Deflo -Over the top good.
Sets: Ezio Frigerio - Over the top good.
Costumes: Franca Squarciapino - Over the top good.

Il Duca di Mantova: Vittorio Grigolo - Good, but not over the top good
Rigoletto: George Gagnidze - Over the top good.
Gilda: Elena Mosuc - Over the top good.

Chorus: - Good, but not over the top good.

A traditional, magnificent production, apparently oft-used since its debut in 1994 but in no need of an update. The sets seem to go on forever. I had high hopes for Dudamel, perhaps too high. Having seen his youthfully quirky, but always musical orchestral conducting a few times here in Chicago, I thought he and Verdi would be a good match. Aside from a few seemingly shaky moments in Act I, his direction was solid and surprisingly workmanlike, but not revelatory. Grigolo certainly cut the prototypical figure of the Duke on stage and was highly expressive in voice. As someone pointed out above, the voice lacked variety in coloration - highly effective in seduction scenes (i.e. most of his part), less so (but only slightly) in the more reflective _Ella mi fu rapita!_. Elena Mosuc's _Caro Nome_ was incredible and received an extended ovation. The La Scala chorus was scarily good when I saw them in Turandot last year, but didn't have the same effect this year - but maybe that's just the difference between the Puccini and Verdi parts.

I will qualify all the above saying I was in the second row of a box and the sound may have been somewhat compromised. I was probably fortunate to share the box with two pairs of good natured and petit young Italian women and after a bit of cautious positioning the three of us in the rear seats found a way to stand and look over the front seats. Seated I could see a little over half the stage, but standing I could see all except extreme left. I was prepared for a sub-optimum experience after reading a few nightmare stories about box seats with little or no view, but I can't complain.

Sadly, due to long (30+ min!) intermissions I had to scoot out before Act III to catch the last train back to Lugano. I had reckoned with that as well but hoped to at least catch _La donna e mobile_ and perhaps the quartet. Still, absolutely worth the detour from Switzerland and nice cap to my 2 continent, 3 country, 5 opera trip.

Trailer for the current production:


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## Cavaradossi

And a few photos:

The cozy confines of Box 8, Level 3:
















Act I bows:


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## Dongiovanni

Cavaradossi said:


> And a few photos:
> 
> The cozy confines of Box 8, Level 3:
> View attachment 10096
> 
> 
> View attachment 10097
> 
> 
> Act I bows:
> View attachment 10098


These pics bring back the sweet memories from Boheme a month ago ! I would really feel bad if I had to walk out on a performance to catch the train. Opening night at La Scala is quite an event, did you notice anything about that ?

This pic of the box says everything. So there are 5 people in this box  That is cosy, you were lucky to share with petite ladies ! The only thing you can see clearly is the opposite boxes, perhaps that's exactly what people want: to be seen 

Nice and clear review. It must have been a wonderfull trip. So far my trips have been limited to just one city, but who knows.


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## Cavaradossi

Dongiovanni said:


> These pics bring back the sweet memories from Boheme a month ago ! I would really feel bad if I had to walk out on a performance to catch the train. Opening night at La Scala is quite an event, did you notice anything about that ?
> 
> This pic of the box says everything. So there are 5 people in this box  That is cosy, you were lucky to share with petite ladies ! The only thing you can see clearly is the opposite boxes, perhaps that's exactly what people want: to be seen
> 
> Nice and clear review. It must have been a wonderfull trip. So far my trips have been limited to just one city, but who knows.


Well I don't think I could have left before the final act of Boheme, but well ...Rigoletto after the Act III quartet gets kind of perfunctory. In any case I had to remind myself it was a bonus at the end of my trip, not the main purpose. Being in Europe, I suppose it's much easier for you to hit a single city - just like I would do with New York. But given the length and cost of flights from the US, I figured I'd make the best of it.

I'd categorize the opening night crowd as nicely dressed, but not over the top. There were some fabuously dressed types and some less fabulous ones as well. Not much different than the mid-run, second-cast Turandot I attended last year. And to be clear, this was just the opening night of the run (a revival production at that), not of the season.

I was a bit worried how the box would work out, but I'm glad to get the new perspective on the house (I was on the platea last year). I was lucky to be in the "corner" of the horseshoe too... at least it was angled toward the stage, unlike the side boxes which face into the auditorium. As you can see I still had an intimate view of the stage, the same distance as a 10th row seat - with perhaps a better view of the glorious and expansive sets from above.


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## sospiro

I love reading about other people's opera trips so thank you Cavaradossi for all your interesting reviews, it must have one heck of a trip! I've especially loved reading about La Scala. I did the museum & the shop when I went to Italy in 2010 but didn't see an opera & it's something I really want to do.


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## tyroneslothrop

tyroneslothrop said:


> I just found out I will be in Moscow next week so I am planning on catching the following performances of Iolanta and Prince Igor there with my wife.
> 
> _*Prince Igor*
> Venue: New Opera Theater, Moscow
> Date: 21 November 2012
> Conductor: Evgeny Samoilov
> Conductor: Vasily Valitov
> Composer: Alexander Borodin
> Orchestra: Symphony Orchestra of the "New Opera" Theatre
> Premiere of this production: 16 April 2011
> Premiere of Borodin's Prince Igor at the Kolobov Novaya Opera of Moscow on April 16 and 19, 2011 under the aegis of the Sochi 2014 Cultural Olympiad and the Year of the Theatre
> Music Director and Conductor: Evgeny Samoilov
> Stage Director: Yuri Alexandrov
> Set and Costume Designer: Vyacheslav Okunev
> Choirmasters: Natalya Popovich, Marina Vasilkova, Victor Kuturaev_


Prince Igor, The Kolobov Novaya Opera Theatre of Moscow, Moscow, Russia, 21 November 2012

Igor Svyatoslavich, Prince of Novgorod-Seversky: Sergey Artamonov
Yaroslavna, his wife by his second marriage: Galina Badikovsaya
Vladimir Igorevich, Igor's son from his first marriage: Georgy Vasiliev
Vladimir Yaroslavich, Prince of Galich, brother of Princess Yaroslavna: Evgeny Stavinsky
Konchak, Polovtsian khan: Oleg Didenko
Konchakovna, daughter of Khan Konchak: Alexandra Saulskaya-Shulyatieva
Ovlur, a Christian Polovtsian: Yaroslav Abaimov
Skula, a gudok-player: Maksim Kuzmin-Karavayev
Yeroshka, a gudok-player: Veniamin Egorov
Yaroslavna's nurse: Svetlana Skripkina
A Polovtsian maiden: Elisaveta Soina

Conductor: Evgeny Samoilov
Production: Yury Alexandrov

The Kolobov Novaya Opera Theatre of Moscow is a 700-seat opera theater and repertory company focused on classical opera and ballet. Utilizing a large staff of in-house, repertory company soloists for all principal roles, it offers an extensive, year-around program of opera, operetta, and ballet, both Russian and Western, with different operas and ballets on different nights of the week. The company was started in 1991, but the opera house was only built in 1997. I was last there in 1999, when the building was almost new.

Our tickets from the center of the orchestra stalls, had a face value of 1,200 Rubles (approx. $38.50)--however, purchased from on online ticketing agency, they were about $100 each.

This production of Prince Igor was 19 months old, having premiered in April 2011. The opera house has surtitling facilities, but surtitling was not used for this opera, since presumably, the opera was in Russian and most of the audience were Russian.

I found the production of Prince Igor to be passable--as usual, it was the four-act edition as finished by Rimsky-Korsakov and Aleksandr Glazunov. It was as might be expected from a second-tier European repertory company--which is to say, nothing spectacular. Mise-en-scène was adequate, but not distinctive. The soloists were all adequate with the exception of Oleg Didenko, who might have been having a off night. The relatively small size of the auditorium lent an intimate feel to the performance. As a 1,200 Rouble evening, I'm sure the usual Moscow audience found it a welcome relief from the usual weekday evening television 

One of the interesting aspects of Russian opera audiences is their age--the audience in the auditorium (which was about 80% full) was around 35 years in average age, with plenty of children in attendance--or near-children. The young lady of about 18 in the next seat was completely glued to her iPhone during the entire performance, for example! In the US, I rarely see children at the opera, as the typical opera-goers I see are already past the age where they would have young children. This is probably unfortunate, because children in the US are not brought up knowing opera, as they are in Russia. Growing up in Europe, my wife, who I would not characterize as an opera-goer, became personally acquainted with most of the major International operas, long before I ever started bringing her to the opera. Going to the opera is something that young people can do in Russia, and not feel like they are uncool.

Next are some photos of the auditorium of the opera house from the orchestra stalls.

EDITED: My wife wanted me to point out that she disagrees and thinks the average age in the auditorium was LESS than 35 years, perhaps as low as 25 years old. However, I think there were audience members who dragged the average up to 35


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## tyroneslothrop

Photos of the auditorium of The Kolobov Novaya Opera Theatre of Moscow, Moscow, Russia, 21 November 2012
































_(strangely enough, the photo uploader in this forum managed to flip two of my photos upside-down! )_


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## Dongiovanni

Cavaradossi said:


> Sounds like it! Looking forward more than ever to my evening there two weeks from tonight.
> 
> (And Netrebko's Mimi in Chicago in March.)


So how was boheme in Chicago ?


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## Cavaradossi

Dongiovanni said:


> So how was boheme in Chicago ?


Here's a link to my review. I guess since I am a Chicago native, it didn't really qualify as "opera trip" thread material for me. 

http://www.talkclassical.com/23560-chicago-lyric-opera-la.html


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## Dongiovanni

Cavaradossi said:


> Here's a link to my review. I guess since I am a Chicago native, it didn't really qualify as "opera trip" thread material for me.
> 
> http://www.talkclassical.com/23560-chicago-lyric-opera-la.html


Ok, I see  Well I was also interested to compare our Boheme experiences since we both would hear La Bellissima as Mimi, but unfortunately you couldn't make it !


----------



## Dongiovanni

Just returned from my trip to Prague. Even thought the weather was terrible (lots of rain, cold...) I had a very nice time there. Prague has a very rich cultural history and it is on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites (among for example Rome, St. Petersburg). If you walk the streets it's like travelling back in time several hundreds of years. The city has a very good public transportation system and the airport is very near to the city, 25 minutes by taxi. There are many villas that used to be owned by aristocrat families, many of them supporters of the arts. If you like museums, you are in the right place. One of these villas had an exposition of Beethoven manustripts.

Of course I was there for an opera, Don Giovanni, which premiered there in 1787, in the Estates Theatre, the same theatre I went to ! It has recently been renovated and looks great. It has a very special atmosphere, probably because it is all very small and there are almost no modern elements, except from the lighting. The performance was completely sold out, and I got a very good seat.

The production is very modern, the singing was adequate, all were on the same level. The chorus was unbalanced and the weakest link. The orchestra played well, a small group with a fortepiano. (I don't like harsichords, so I was happy about that). Don Giovanni is performed almost throughout the year I guess, sometimes twice a day (like last Saturday). Dispite of that, it all looks fresh, and everyone is passionate, without a hint of routine. The production cuts the final sextet, which I was not too happy about. This is something you don't see often. I know there are speculations that in the Vienna version the final sextet was also cut, but there is no solid proof. I expected, because of the unique situation, that we would have seen the Prague version.

Many comic elements made me laugh out loud. Leperello an Zerlina are very funny on stage. But lots of the production I just didn't like, I'm sure the director has his/her philosophy, but frankly I couldn't care less. For example, the catalog aria needs a book or a list, period. Can't do it without it. Commendatore keeps appearing on stage, what is that all about.

I made a curtain call picture:







From left to right: Commendatore, Ottavio, Anna, Giovanni, Giovanni as a young boy, Elvira, Conductor, Leporello, Zerlina, Mesetto.

I brought some friends as an introduction for them to opera. They enjoyed it very much, I think the comic elements of this production won them over. They never expected to have such a good time. When we left, I asked if they could whistle one of the tunes, and I got a perfect 'Non più andrai' ! Mission accomplished.


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## guythegreg

Wow, great review. And great memories for you, eh? :tiphat:


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## deggial

Dongiovanni said:


> Don Giovanni is performed almost throughout the year I guess, sometimes twice a day (like last Saturday).


puts Les Mis to shame! great curtain call pic


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Just returned from my trip to Prague...


:tiphat:

Great review DG!! Prague is definitely on my 'to do' list. Even more so now after reading your description, I love small houses. Great pic.

And well done for being a successful opera missionary!!


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## Dongiovanni

In Prague there is classical music all over the place. Three opera houses (!) and many concert 
halls.

Here are some pictures I took inside the theatre:














Surtitles are projected in English and Czech.

And the playbill of Don Giovanni:








I had to get up early to catch the plane, so I got a chance to take these pictures, just after sunrise. Normally these spots are swarmed with tourists.













This is taken frome the Charles Bridge.


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## sospiro

Excellent photos DG! 

What's your next trip?


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> Excellent photos DG!
> 
> What's your next trip?


Thanks, taking pictures is also a hobby of mine 

Almost sure it's going to be Nozze di Figaro at the ROH in September this year.


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Thanks, taking pictures is also a hobby of mine


And me but I'm not very good at it. Took some of these: Furlanetto Halfvarson 



Dongiovanni said:


> Almost sure it's going to be Nozze di Figaro at the ROH in September this year.


Fab! You'll enjoy that, it's a great production.


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## Dongiovanni

Oh, you're in some impressive company !

From another trip, to Milan, I made these:


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## sospiro

Love those photos of Milan, I know that area so well. It must have been very early in the morning for the one in front of the Duomo & the one inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele!!


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## Operafocus

sospiro said:


> And me but I'm not very good at it. Took some of these: Furlanetto Halfvarson


Oh, rubbish! You're a great photographer. I wouldn't have brought you along to TAKE pictures otherwise :devil:


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## deggial

Dongiovanni said:


> Here are some pictures I took inside the theatre:
> View attachment 18487


wow, talk about tiny!


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## sospiro

Operafocus said:


> Oh, rubbish! You're a great photographer. I wouldn't have brought you along to TAKE pictures otherwise :devil:


Ha ha! Modern cameras are more or less idiot proof but I did try & disprove that rule. You didn't see the ones I deleted!


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> Love those photos of Milan, I know that area so well. It must have been very early in the morning for the one in front of the Duomo & the one inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele!!


I think it was around 23:00, so already pretty quiet but not empty. I made these with a very long exposure time, when someone walks across the picure, they won't appear on the image.


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## Cavaradossi

Dongiovanni said:


> The production is very modern, the singing was adequate, all were on the same level. The chorus was unbalanced and the weakest link. The orchestra played well, a small group with a fortepiano. (I don't like harsichords, so I was happy about that). Don Giovanni is performed almost throughout the year I guess, sometimes twice a day (like last Saturday). Dispite of that, it all looks fresh, and everyone is passionate, without a hint of routine.


Thanks for the great review and photos! DG at the Estates Theater is definitely on my to-do list. I have mixed feelings about the modern production. On the one hand, if anywhere calls for a traditional production, its the Estates. On the other hand, the update presented in its original 1787 venue makes a profound statement about the timelessness of the work.

The tiny-ness of the theater is also telling. It says alot about the intended scale of the work, and likely most pre-Beethoven works. Kind of confirms my suspicion that presenting it in modern mammoth halls does it a bit of a disservice. It would definitely be a treat to experience a quality production in such an intimate setting.


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## Cavaradossi

sospiro said:


> And me but I'm not very good at it. Took some of these: Furlanetto Halfvarson


OMG! I am a huge fan of Ferruccio - absolutely one of the greatest performers in opera today. What a great opportunity for you! And how often does the photographer get to chime in on the interview?


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## Dongiovanni

Cavaradossi said:


> Thanks for the great review and photos! DG at the Estates Theater is definitely on my to-do list. I have mixed feelings about the modern production. On the one hand, if anywhere calls for a traditional production, its the Estates. On the other hand, the update presented in its original 1787 venue makes a profound statement about the timelessness of the work.


Yes, indeed. Personally, modern production is OK, but I would have prefered that the Prague version would be performed beacuse of this "holy place" that is the original venue of the premiere.



Cavaradossi said:


> The tiny-ness of the theater is also telling. It says alot about the intended scale of the work, and likely most pre-Beethoven works. Kind of confirms my suspicion that presenting it in modern mammoth halls does it a bit of a disservice. It would definitely be a treat to experience a quality production in such an intimate setting.


So there are 3 opera houses in Prague, Estates is the smallest. It is used for Mozart opera's and also some pre-Mozart. The Tosca's, Traviatas, etc. are performed in the other 2 houses, which are much bigger. The National Theatre is the biggest, its outside reminds of the Vienna State opera.
















I'm reading OperaNow magazine and they have a series of articels about eastern europe opera houses. Like Prague, there is also Budapest, Sofia, Ljubljana, it goes on and on ! And then there is also Riga (Latvia), Tallinn (Estonia)...


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## Operafocus

Cavaradossi said:


> OMG! I am a huge fan of Ferruccio - absolutely one of the greatest performers in opera today. What a great opportunity for you! And how often does the photographer get to chime in on the interview?


Great chiming in it was too! When he wasn't keeping eye-contact with me he was keeping eye-contact with her and seemed to enjoy that the photographer had something to say too. He's a King by nature, gets your attention straight away - and we were only too happy to sit and listen as one great story after another came out. Seeing him do what he told us about the night after was something that makes me never want to see "Don Carlo" ever again in fear of smudging the memory of the perfect cast on a perfect night.


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## sospiro

Cavaradossi said:


> OMG! I am a huge fan of Ferruccio - absolutely one of the greatest performers in opera today. What a great opportunity for you! And how often does the photographer get to chime in on the interview?


I still can't believe I had the courage to say something. But his enthusiasm & passion were infectious & some of his anecdotes had us in stitches and I eventually started to relax!


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## Operafocus

sospiro said:


> some of his anecdotes had us in stitches and I eventually started to relax!


The one with the seagull was pretty good :lol:


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## deggial

Operafocus said:


> Seeing him do what he told us about the night after was something that makes me never want to see "Don Carlo" ever again in fear of smudging the memory of the perfect cast on a perfect night.


I liked that


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## Cavaradossi

sospiro said:


> I still can't believe I had the courage to say something. But his enthusiasm & passion were infectious & some of his anecdotes had us in stitches and I eventually started to relax!


I did attend a panel discussion with him prior to his Boris here. (I wasn't about to miss that!) And yes, despite his kingly stature, he definitely seemed very approachable.

PS: I liked that you mentioned the Zurich _Jenufa_ that we both attended.


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## sospiro

Cavaradossi said:


> I did attend a panel discussion with him prior to his Boris here. (I wasn't about to miss that!) And yes, despite his kingly stature, he definitely seemed very approachable.


Oh I'm so envious! Sorry if you've already posted a review but I didn't know you'd seen him in Boris. What was it like? Traditional or updated or _regie_ even?!



Cavaradossi said:


> PS: I liked that you mentioned the Zurich _Jenufa_ that we both attended.


Well that production is seared in my heart! The singing was superb & the updating worked but why the *bleep* did they change the story??? :scold: If you think about it - the baby was left in the attic & presumably starved to death & the body left to de-compose. So the scene where the villagers discover a baby which, at first, they think is still alive (the body having been preserved under the ice) is meaningless.

Oh well that's _regie_ for you! :lol:


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## Cavaradossi

sospiro said:


> Oh I'm so envious! Sorry if you've already posted a review but I didn't know you'd seen him in Boris. What was it like? Traditional or updated or _regie_ even?!


I think that Boris was before I stated posting here. As I recall, the sets were on the minimalist side, but otherwise a traditional production, which Ferruccio sang and acted the heck out of. Fairly typical of the Chicago Lyric Opera: we'll get an occasional updated setting, but productions are generally traditional, often bordering on the stodgy. The upside is we are generally spared _regie_.



> Well that production is seared in my heart! The singing was superb & the updating worked but why the *bleep* did they change the story??? :scold: If you think about it - the baby was left in the attic & presumably starved to death & the body left to de-compose. So the scene where the villagers discover a baby which, at first, they think is still alive (the body having been preserved under the ice) is meaningless.
> 
> Oh well that's _regie_ for you! :lol:


It was only a passing moment, and a little hard to catch because of the moving three level set, but there was a point where the grandmother entered the attic room and the next thing you see is the open French window with snow blowing in. I took it they were implying the grandmother pushed the cradle out into the snow. That explains the villagers discovering the baby, but not the Kostelnicka's confession to the deed, so it still doesn't make sense. Aside from that, the contemporary Eastern European update worked exceeding well.


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## Operafocus

Cavaradossi said:


> I think that Boris was before I stated posting here. As I recall, the sets were on the minimalist side, but otherwise a traditional production, which Ferruccio sang and acted the heck out of. Fairly typical of the Chicago Lyric Opera: we'll get an occasional updated setting, but productions are generally traditional, often bordering on the stodgy. The upside is we are generally spared _regie_.


Did you see the recent "Simon Boccanegra" in Chicago?


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## Cavaradossi

Operafocus said:


> Did you see the recent "Simon Boccanegra" in Chicago?


Yes I did. Furlanetto stole the show there too as Fiesco. As much as I love Thomas Hampson's voice, his voice and his presence were just too refined to buy as the Doge Boccanegra with roots as a plebeian sailor, particuarly playing opposite Furnaletto. I found myself thinking Hampson would have been better suited to be the nobleman Fiesco with Furlanetto and his earthy power as the sailor/Doge.

To a lesser extent, I had the same complaint about Hampson's MacBeth, but his unshakable refinement actually worked in his favor as a bespectacled, uniquely distinguished Germont.


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## ZombieBeethoven

I am looking forward to a quick trip to San Francisco at the end of the month for Cosi Fan Tutte. I think I may have to have another quick trip next year to Los Angeles to see Placido in Thais. I went to Los Angeles last month for Tosca and I loved it. Tremedous performance that exceeded my expectations.


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## guythegreg

Hey, I'll be in San Fran myself for a month! I'll be seeing Cosi and Tales of Hoffmann - and MAYBE Gospel of Mary Magdalen, not sure about that one yet. I basically signed up because Natalie Dessay was going to do Tales of Hoffmann, and then since Cosi is one of my favorites got tickets for that one too.


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## Cavaradossi

ZombieBeethoven said:


> I am looking forward to a quick trip to San Francisco at the end of the month for Cosi Fan Tutte. I think I may have to have another quick trip next year to Los Angeles to see Placido in Thais. I went to Los Angeles last month for Tosca and I loved it. Tremedous performance that exceeded my expectations.


Wow, Athanael will be a great role for Domingo. It will be a challenge for the title character not to get upstaged.

Was that Sandra Rodvanovsky's Tosca? Sounds like it went well!


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## ZombieBeethoven

Guythegreg - Sounds like a great visit. Perhaps, we will see you at Cosi? 
Cavaradossi - It was Rodvanovsky. She was very impressive. Berti, in your namesake's role, was fantastic. 
Of course, listening to Placido live is a big draw for me. Nino Machaidze will be playing Thais. From what little I have heard from her I suspect she will do well. From what little I have read of Placido he is more likely to be supportive of her. Hopefully, eliciting a great performance. My wife kept wondering at Tosca whether having Placido conducting would spur on the cast or make them nervous. It would certainly be an impressive day to be performing for him. Judging by the audience's applause, I would guess that the cast and orchestra did a good job of living up to whatever expectations they may have had. 
I just wish I could afford to make these trips more often! Ah well, anticipation is half the fun.


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## guythegreg

ZombieBeethoven said:


> Guythegreg - Sounds like a great visit. Perhaps, we will see you at Cosi?


Absolutely. Let me know your date and seat number, I'll come by and say hi! Assuming I've got a ticket on that date, that is ...


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## ZombieBeethoven

I will be there on the 29th. My wife's friends have the tickets. I will ask what seats we have.


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## guythegreg

Got your message and replied.


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## Couchie

Muahahahahahaa


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## Roland

Wow, Couchie, you're going to make it to the Seattle Ring. I'll bet you're pretty psyched up. All we ask is a review once you've seen it--all of us who wish we could go would like even a little taste of what it was like.


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## Cavaradossi

Just booked!

Verdi/Wagner doubleheader of "King of a Day" (an English version of Verdi's early _Un giorno di regno_) and Flying Dutchman at the Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, NY in late August.


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## Dongiovanni

Just before Christmas I spent the weekend in Milan. It was a pleasure to return to this lovely city, even though it rained all the time I was there. Of course, the main goal was the opera, on Sunday I went to La Traviata in La Scala. I will post a full review soon but in short, the singing was very good, orchestra played beautifully. The production though was not good at all. The most problems were in act 2.

This time I sat in a box, which is quite an experience. Views were not very good, but I could see almost all of the stage. If you sit in a box you have your own wardrobe, right across your box. I shared the box with 3 others, two of which had to stand in order to see anything. I could lean over the edge, and only the close corner of the stage was not visible for me.





















After the performance I got my programme signed by the three lead singers. This proved to be much easier than I expected. There crowd at the stag door was small, after some time we all went inside and spend some time talking to Diana who took all time to sign, pose for pictures and just chat with her fans. After some minutes you forget you are talking to an opera star.

In the musem of La Scala there is an exhibition of Verdi memorables, especially some of his manuscripts. Too bad photography is not allowed, and this time the site was heavily garded. The most prominent item was his Requiem manuscript which was garded by a very dedicated guard. They had also a presentation running on which you could read the digitally scanned manuscript and hear the music at the same time.

In the musem of the Milan castle there was also a small exhibition of Verdi. There I made some pictures. There was letter by Verdi, and a memorial card with a fascimile of a small sketch by Verdi's hand, Alfredo's "Di quell'amor, quell'amor ch'è palpito" in La Traviata.















The museum also has a very large exhibition of musica instruments. Very interesting if you are interested in classical music. Too bad most of the text is Italian only.


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## Cavaradossi

Wow, looks like your were right at the end of the "horseshoe" - but not a bad view considering. Yes, "quite an experience" is a good way to describe the boxes. We were also surprised how accessible the stage door was. We kind of stumbled upon it by accident in search of gelato after a Turandot in May of 2011 and ended up talking for several minutes to Stuart Neill who had just finished singing Calaf.

I'm in the middle of a move this week, but when I get a chance I'll add my recent visit to Opera El Salvador in Central America to this thread.


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Just before Christmas I spent the weekend in Milan. It was a pleasure to return to this lovely city, even though it rained all the time I was there. Of course, the main goal was the opera, on Sunday I went to La Traviata in La Scala. I will post a full review soon but in short, the singing was very good, orchestra played beautifully. The production though was not good at all. The most problems were in act 2.
> 
> This time I sat in a box, which is quite an experience. Views were not very good, but I could see almost all of the stage. If you sit in a box you have your own wardrobe, right across your box. I shared the box with 3 others, two of which had to stand in order to see anything. I could lean over the edge, and only the close corner of the stage was not visible for me.
> 
> View attachment 31374
> View attachment 31375
> View attachment 31376
> 
> 
> After the performance I got my programme signed by the three lead singers. This proved to be much easier than I expected. There crowd at the stag door was small, after some time we all went inside and spend some time talking to Diana who took all time to sign, pose for pictures and just chat with her fans. After some minutes you forget you are talking to an opera star.
> 
> In the musem of La Scala there is an exhibition of Verdi memorables, especially some of his manuscripts. Too bad photography is not allowed, and this time the site was heavily garded. The most prominent item was his Requiem manuscript which was garded by a very dedicated guard. They had also a presentation running on which you could read the digitally scanned manuscript and hear the music at the same time.
> 
> In the musem of the Milan castle there was also a small exhibition of Verdi. There I made some pictures. There was letter by Verdi, and a memorial card with a fascimile of a small sketch by Verdi's hand, Alfredo's "Di quell'amor, quell'amor ch'è palpito" in La Traviata.
> 
> View attachment 31377
> View attachment 31378
> 
> 
> The museum also has a very large exhibition of musica instruments. Very interesting if you are interested in classical music. Too bad most of the text is Italian only.


:tiphat:

Great read Dongiovanni!! I'd read about the problems with Act 2 but hopefully it didn't spoil your experience too much!
I love Milan so much and your post has made me want to go even more.


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## Dongiovanni

Review is here: http://www.talkclassical.com/28006-my-opera-reviews-3.html#post579406


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> :tiphat:
> 
> Great read Dongiovanni!! I'd read about the problems with Act 2 but hopefully it didn't spoil your experience too much!
> I love Milan so much and your post has made me want to go even more.


No it was just great. It takes a far worse director to spoil the great music of Traviata 

Well, needless to say there is much to see for opera lovers in Milan. Bergamo is close by and it also has an opera house and it's the brithplace of Donizetti. Verdi's house is not far from Milan and is open to visitors. Verdi died in the Hotel de Milan, which is at the end of the street the Scala is in. And also the coffee is not to be missed ! Or if you like sweet breakfast...


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## Aramis

Opera trips? You mean, like, going on to see Don Giovanni and snuff some stuff just before it? So you can trip during opera? Dude, I didn't try it.


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## sospiro

Amsterdam - for the ultimate opera trip. You can smell the *'coffee'* the moment you leave the airport.


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## Don Fatale

I’m one of those people (actually it might only be me) who divides the world’s cities into those with and those without opera houses. But this is not a great means of categorising because of places such as Leeds, a city in the North of England. The home of Opera North is the Leeds Grand Theatre, a 1500-seat Victorian theatre which rather lacks in glamour and presence. Although the theatre and surrounding buildings are the opera company's base, the theatre hosts all manner of other shows, from musicals, plays and comedy acts while the company tours its productions to other cities in the north. Opera North is one of Britain's 5 full time opera companies.

Leeds is known for relatively few things: 1) The disastrous downfall of its once world-class football team, 2) The Royal Armouries Museum, 3) shopping. Visitors tend to come for one of these three, but I’m not your normal visitor. Situated at the less salubrious end of Briggate, the main shopping thoroughfair, the Theatre Royal frontage looks rather like an urban church or methodist hall. If you favour fried chicken as your pre-opera supper, you’re in luck as there are four such establishments within 20 yards of the theatre! However The It Bar, in amongst these fast food outlets proves to be a decent option for pre-opera food and drink.

The first night’s opera was Verdi’s Macbeth, a revival of an unloved production from 2008. Set in some kind of totalitarian 20th society, greatcoats, fatigues, dinner and lounge suits abounded. The witches were dressed as char-ladies (i.e. domestic cleaners). The set design lacked colour and was almost entirely side and backlit so the faces were mainly in shadow. Enough about the production, it’s dull and horrible. The sparcity of the audience, easily less that 50% of capacity, was more to do with this than the singers or the work. Who'd want to see this twice?

And so to the singers, Mr and Mrs Macbeth. The feisty and big-voiced American Kelly Cae Hogan (often a Brunnhilde/Valkyrie) was perfectly decent, but I wasn’t fascinated by her character. Bela Perencz likewise. The rest of the cast wasn’t strong. I’m get annoyed with those baritones and basses who have this slow oscillation in their tone like some kind of doppler effect. I won’t name names. A disappointing evening.

The following day I had a visit and lunch with a client at The Mansion in the lovely Roundhay Park. Then I had a few hours to kill before the evening’s opera. The Royal Armouries Museum? No thanks, I don’t like swords and guns. Shopping? Not really, although the central shopping district is rather excellent, and considered to be the best outside of London.

You know how nothing is as good as it used to be? Well, it turns out that isn’t entirely true. I found the Everyman Cinema. A swanky new venue from this small national chain. All the seating is on very comfortable purpose designed sofas with tables for your food and wine. A very comfortable way to spend a couple of hours. (Alas Monuments Men is not particularly good).

Tonight it’s The Girl of the Golden West, as Opera North street publicity advertises it, although it’s being sung in Italian. This new production has received positive reviews from the critics. It has a bright and cartoonish setting, reminding me of Gary Larson’s Far Side in terms of shapes and perspectives. The images on the front scrim add very well to the scenes. It couldn’t have been more of a contrast to the previous night’s Macbeth. The audience (80% capacity) were engrossed throughout as the drama was very well directed, marshalling all those blokes around a fairly small stage. One could sense the singers were enjoying being there.

Alwyn Mellor (Brunnhilde in Seattle and Paris) was very likable in the title role as was the Dick Johnson of Rafael Rojas. Far from slim youngsters these two, but they made a great couple and their efforts contributed to an excellent evening, that had the audience cheering appreciatively at the end. Opera North have a great new production that they can safely add to their repertoire. Just as well, as I can't see any need to revive their Macbeth.

Seat prices are reasonable. I paid £42 for good Upper Circle seats. But beware, the two circles have more pillars than the Alhambra Palace. Choose the first few rows. Or for good value seats the capacious and airy Balcony is the place to go.

In summary I enjoyed my Leeds opera-stopover and for the right opera and production would happily visit again.


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## Don Fatale

Leeds Grand Theatre, and Everyman Cinema


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## Seattleoperafan

I saw Walkure in DC with Domingo. Singers were great ( except for Linda Watson, who had lost her top since the last time I had heard her) but it was unfortunately " The American Ring". It was so horrid I left before the wonderful Act 111. I had much better experiences at Santa Fe. I also vividly remember watching Parsifal with G Jones backstage at age 15 I saw Jane Eaglen and Greer Grimsley in Macbeth in Vancouver. Great performances but second class sets. Going to the Met to see Gioconda was at the apex of my live opera experiences. I was not prepared for how wonderful the house and the performance was.


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## mamascarlatti

I enjoyed my trip down to Wellington to see Aidanamar. Jessica Rivera as Marguerite was just searing. And the night before I went to see a short play about the Greek myths called Unmythable. Three guys playing everyone from Zeus to Medea. Luckily my fondness for Baroque opera means that I got all the references.


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## Dongiovanni

Just returned from my trip to Rome. It was a great experience, with the all the great music, food, wine, coffee and last but not least the beauty of this city.

Of course the main goal was opera, I went to the premiere of Manon Lescaut, conducted by Muti with Anna Netrebko in the lead role. There were some political forces at work that were threatening the opening night, or even the whole run. Unions were announcing to strike if there conditions were not met... Muti responded that if the strike would take place, he would resign his post in Rome and Rome's mayer said he would shut down the theatre and file for bankruptcy. The morning of the premiere I read on Muti's facebook the strike was called of... There were still protests going on in front of the theatre and there was much police present the whole day.

The president attended the premiere, I had no idea until they started with the national anthem. The entrance to his loggia was heavily guarded by police officers. It seems Muti is a hero in Rome... when he entered the pit he got lots of cheers, not even having lifted his baton... Probably his influence was what saved the opening night.

The production was not very special. It seems to me too much attention was spent on the outfits. It all looked very colourless without any contrasting elements. Again I was completely overwhelmed hearing Netrebko live. The lead tenor could not meet the standards Trebs was setting, not at all. After her first big aria in act 2 there was an ovation that lasted so long, at some point Muti just put down his baton and waited for the crowd to calm down. One man sitting behind me was shouting bravissima's so loud it made my ears ring. At the curtain call there was a lot of booing, especially for the tenor. Ok, he was not that good... but this was painfull. Even Trebs got some boos, but they were answered with even more louder bravissima's. More booing for the director... Muti's daugther Chiara. When she entered the stage, she kept on the side, apparantly the tenor didn't agree, picked her up and put her right in the centre, not sure she liked that, but it was funny to see.

Here are some pictures:


























I also attended two concerts, Andras Schiff playing an wonderfull Golberg Variations, and Lang Lang with Prokofieff 3, conducted by Antonio Pappano who is the chief conductor for the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. At the first concert I made a new friend. We ending up in a charming wine bar till the late hours talking. Much to talk about because we both play the piano and share the love for classical music.

Of course, while exploring Rome, I walked the Tosca route. That area is really nice, with small restaurants, markets, and of course the coffee bars where the espresso costs only 90 eurocents.


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## Dongiovanni

Here are the three Tosca sites. From left to right the church where Mario is painting, the Pallazo Farnese where Scarpia lives, and the castel sant'angelo.




















When I was at the Pallazzo, there was a guided Tosca tour going on !

It's all pretty close to each other. From the top of the castello you can see the tower of the church.








And here is the end of the stairs where Mario walked to reach the roof, right under the angel.


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Just returned from my trip to Rome. It was a great experience, with the all the great music, food, wine, coffee and last but not least the beauty of this city.
> 
> Of course the main goal was opera, I went to the premiere of Manon Lescaut, conducted by Muti with Anna Netrebko in the lead role. There were some political forces at work that were threatening the opening night, or even the whole run. Unions were announcing to strike if there conditions were not met... Muti responded that if the strike would take place, he would resign his post in Rome and Rome's mayer said he would shut down the theatre and file for bankruptcy. The morning of the premiere I read on Muti's facebook the strike was called of... There were still protests going on in front of the theatre and there was much police present the whole day.
> 
> The president attended the premiere, I had no idea until they started with the national anthem. The entrance to his loggia was heavily guarded by police officers. It seems Muti is a hero in Rome... when he entered the pit he got lots of cheers, not even having lifted his baton... Probably his influence was what saved the opening night.
> 
> The production was not very special. It seems to me too much attention was spent on the outfits. It all looked very colourless without any contrasting elements. Again I was completely overwhelmed hearing Netrebko live. The lead tenor could not meet the standards Trebs was setting, not at all. After her first big aria in act 2 there was an ovation that lasted so long, at some point Muti just put down his baton and waited for the crowd to calm down. One man sitting behind me was shouting bravissima's so loud it made my ears ring. At the curtain call there was a lot of booing, especially for the tenor. Ok, he was not that good... but this was painfull. Even Trebs got some boos, but they were answered with even more louder bravissima's. More booing for the director... Muti's daugther Chiara. When she entered the stage, she kept on the side, apparantly the tenor didn't agree, picked her up and put her right in the centre, not sure she liked that, but it was funny to see.
> 
> I also attended two concerts, Andras Schiff playing an wonderfull Golberg Variations, and Lang Lang with Prokofieff 3, conducted by Antonio Pappano who is the chief conductor for the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. At the first concert I made a new friend. We ending up in a charming wine bar till the late hours talking. Much to talk about because we both play the piano and share the love for classical music.
> 
> Of course, while exploring Rome, I walked the Tosca route. That area is really nice, with small restaurants, markets, and of course the coffee bars where the espresso costs only 90 eurocents.


What a fabulous trip!! So happy for you that _Manon Lescaut_ wasn't cancelled and it's great when you make new friends at opera/concerts.


----------



## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Here are the three Tosca sites. From left to right the church where Mario is painting, the Pallazo Farnese where Scarpia lives, and the castel sant'angelo.
> View attachment 36357
> View attachment 36358
> View attachment 36356
> 
> 
> When I was at the Pallazzo, there was a guided Tosca tour going on !
> 
> It's all pretty close to each other. From the top of the castello you can see the tower of the church.
> View attachment 36360
> 
> 
> And here is the end of the stairs where Mario walked to reach the roof, right under the angel.
> View attachment 36361


Have really got to do this one day!!


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## Don Fatale

Thanks for the report, DonGiovanni. Really enjoyed reading it. I really must do the 'Tosca Walk' next time I get to Rome.


----------



## clara s

Dongiovanni said:


> Just returned from my trip to Rome. It was a great experience, with the all the great music, food, wine, coffee and last but not least the beauty of this city.
> 
> Of course the main goal was opera, I went to the premiere of Manon Lescaut, conducted by Muti with Anna Netrebko in the lead role. There were some political forces at work that were threatening the opening night, or even the whole run. Unions were announcing to strike if there conditions were not met... Muti responded that if the strike would take place, he would resign his post in Rome and Rome's mayer said he would shut down the theatre and file for bankruptcy. The morning of the premiere I read on Muti's facebook the strike was called of... There were still protests going on in front of the theatre and there was much police present the whole day.
> 
> The president attended the premiere, I had no idea until they started with the national anthem. The entrance to his loggia was heavily guarded by police officers. It seems Muti is a hero in Rome... when he entered the pit he got lots of cheers, not even having lifted his baton... Probably his influence was what saved the opening night.
> 
> The production was not very special. It seems to me too much attention was spent on the outfits. It all looked very colourless without any contrasting elements. Again I was completely overwhelmed hearing Netrebko live. The lead tenor could not meet the standards Trebs was setting, not at all. After her first big aria in act 2 there was an ovation that lasted so long, at some point Muti just put down his baton and waited for the crowd to calm down. One man sitting behind me was shouting bravissima's so loud it made my ears ring. At the curtain call there was a lot of booing, especially for the tenor. Ok, he was not that good... but this was painfull. Even Trebs got some boos, but they were answered with even more louder bravissima's. More booing for the director... Muti's daugther Chiara. When she entered the stage, she kept on the side, apparantly the tenor didn't agree, picked her up and put her right in the centre, not sure she liked that, but it was funny to see.
> 
> Here are some pictures:
> View attachment 36350
> View attachment 36351
> View attachment 36352
> View attachment 36353
> 
> 
> I also attended two concerts, Andras Schiff playing an wonderfull Golberg Variations, and Lang Lang with Prokofieff 3, conducted by Antonio Pappano who is the chief conductor for the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. At the first concert I made a new friend. We ending up in a charming wine bar till the late hours talking. Much to talk about because we both play the piano and share the love for classical music.
> 
> Of course, while exploring Rome, I walked the Tosca route. That area is really nice, with small restaurants, markets, and of course the coffee bars where the espresso costs only 90 eurocents.


The countries of south europe coast line, have got problems
and they will go on like this for some time.

nice trip and good experience in Rome, seeing a famous conductor and a great soprano


----------



## Dongiovanni

Alexander said:


> Thanks for the report, DonGiovanni. Really enjoyed reading it. I really must do the 'Tosca Walk' next time I get to Rome.


When you're at the Palazzo Farnese get coffee on the right corner of the photo. The best espresso I had in Rome !


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## Dongiovanni

My London trip has almost come to its conlusion. I'm having a coffee while writing this, in the Covent Garden market, enjoying some opera highlights sung by a charming busking soprano.

Three nights, three concerts, all were very impressive. 

Friday was Faust. While picking up my tickets earlier that day I almost bumped into Diana Damrau who was leaving the stage door... Also managed to get a better seat for Jonas on Sunday. 

It was a spectaculair performance. The replacement for Trebs, Sonya Yoncheva, was very good. Judging by the ovation she got, it was a triumph for her. There were no weak parts. All were excellent. Terfel really excells in being the bad guy. Calleja sung with his very recognizable bright tenor sound. His aria in act three was marvellous. Yoncheva has a very solid voice, agile, lots of dynamics. Her jewellery aria got her first ovation. I was really impressed by Keenlyside. Great singing and acting. The production is a real feast for the eyes. The ballet was done very well. First time for me to see this amount of dance element in opera.

Saturday was The royal concertgebouw orchestra in The Barbican, with a Beethoven pianoconcerto and Bruckner 9. There were some magical moments during the slow movement of the pianoconcerto. The Bruckner was very moving. What a gourgeous sound.

Sunday was Winterreise sung by Kaufmann at the Royal Opera House. It's not really suited for a large venue....it turned out that was not anproblemnat all. No big sounds and gestures, just a piano and a tenor. They were on the main stage, with a set borrewed from La Traviata, which is at hand now, there was performance last Thursday. Kaufmann brought some opera elements to Winterreise but without overdoing it. The performance was astounding. Not the least impressive was the long silence at the end in contrast with all the noise during the performance. Kaufmann's singing was with so much colours, his dynamiscs were extreme. The piano passages were increadably soft, but still with colour. The forte was filling the theatre at operatic volumes. Together with the brilliant pianist Deutsch there were some utterly beautiful moments. The last three songs got me completely chocked up. In die nebensonnen the despair of the traveller was so well put in Kaufmann's singing it was painfully sad. 

I'll post some pictures later when I get home.

That busking soprano just sang a pretty decent Caro Nome... Oh dear she's taking on Casta Diva!


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## Don Fatale

Greatly enjoyed your report Don Giovanni. I think a trip is even more special when you have consecutive great performances like that. That's the advantage of a big city like London.


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## Marschallin Blair

Alexander said:


> Greatly enjoyed your report Don Giovanni. I think a trip is even more special when you have consecutive great performances like that. That's the advantage of a big city like London.


--
Yeah, a friend of mine was in London and he got to see the LSO do an all John Williams film music programme, Malcolm Arnold symphonies, a Vaughan-Williams symphony, and chat with-- quite by chance, as he was sitting near him-- the founder of the Milkos Rozsa Society.


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## Dongiovanni

And here are the pictures from Faust:














Maris Jansons and Lars Vogt:














The museum of the Royal Academy of Music has some very precious instruments:








The pictures of Wintterreise were too blurry to post. Guess I was still too much impressed by the performance


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## Don Fatale

I remember being in NYC for Domingo in Otello at the Met and the following evening Bryn Terfel doing Kindertotenleider at Carnegie Hall. That was okay for a first time in the city. Dongiovanni has reminded me I must get out again.


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## Dongiovanni

Alexander said:


> Greatly enjoyed your report Don Giovanni. I think a trip is even more special when you have consecutive great performances like that. That's the advantage of a big city like London.


Just to name a few places to go: Barbican, South Bank, ROH, ENO, Wigmore Hall, Royal Albert Hall... If I'd live there I wouldn't know what to choose !


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## Dongiovanni

A quick report from my Berlin trip. Three nights, three performances.

First was a concert at the Komische Oper. Wonderful rendition of Mozart's clarinet concerto with Sabine Meyer as soloist and Beethoven's 7th symphony.








Sabine Meyer

Second was a second choice, wanted to go to the Berliner Philharmonik, but they were sold out, chose Dido and Aeneas at the Staatsoperm which is using the Schiller theatre because the Staatsoper is undergoing maintance. This production has a lot of modern dance elements which I completely didn't understand. Singing was good though. Normally this opera lasts barely one hour, but additionall elements made it into a 2 hour's performance. People seemede to like it, lots of cheers at the end.








Opening scene of Dido and Aeneas

Third was Tristan und Isolde, the main reason I was going. When a speaker entered the stage just before the performance started I was preparing for the worst, and the news was what I was fearing... Nina Stemme was suffering from a cold, but she would sing. However, a substitute was already on the way. At first I didn't hear any problems until act 2. Later in act 2 it appeared the substitute was covering some passages from behind the stage. Act 3 she seemed recovered and Stemme sang an overwhelming Liebestod. All roles were great, King Marke (Liang Li) was the surprise for me, what a voice ! Orchestra played beautiful, lovely big sound, conducted by Donald Runnicles. Some small problems in the brass section though. The production is by Graham Vick and didn't make much sense to me. We are not on a boat, but in a large living room, love potion is an injection in the arm. Tristan and Marke are on stage the entire first act, a young boy represents the orphan Tristan, a young naked woman his mother... I wonder what the director's excuse is for all the nudity. The ovations for Stemme were very loud and she seemed very moved by this. Her gestures to the conductor showed she was happy she made it (almost) through the entire performance.














Complete cast and Nina Stemme at the 4th curtain call








Deutsche Oper has its own subway station !

Berlin is a city of music, three opera houses ! Many many concert venues. Generally staying and moving around in Berlin seems cheaper then expected. Opera tickets are also much cheaper. They are probably under heavy subsidy. Wonderfull public transport. Something that I noticed is that the audience is incredibly quiet during performances, I could just have been lucky, but this was exemplary !

Had dinner across the street at a lovely italian restaurant (Rosati) and talked to some die hard Wagnerians who where planning their 32nd (!!) Ring cycle. They congratulated me on going to this peformance as my first Wagner, because it was among the best Tristans they attended according to them !


----------



## Don Fatale

I always dread clicking on this thread because I know I'm going to be envious of the visits, and sure enough it's happened again.

Thanks again for the reports Dongiovanni, I'm glad you had a good opera performance. Have to say on my visits to Berlin I never saw a great performance, I guess I was slightly unlucky, although I still love Berlin as a city. What's not to like about a place where you can see a Wagner opera on Christmas day!


----------



## Dongiovanni

Alexander said:


> I always dread clicking on this thread because I know I'm going to be envious of the visits, and sure enough it's happened again.
> 
> Thanks again for the reports Dongiovanni, I'm glad you had a good opera performance. Have to say on my visits to Berlin I never saw a great performance, I guess I was slightly unlucky, although I still love Berlin as a city. What's not to like about a place where you can see a Wagner opera on Christmas day!


Writing a report from my trip is a little like doing it over again, It's fun, like writing a diary. It's not to make anyone envious  It would be great to meet any of the TC members during an opera trip ! Would like to hear what your Berlin experience was.


----------



## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> A quick report from my Berlin trip. Three nights, three performances.
> 
> First was a concert at the Komische Oper. Wonderful rendition of Mozart's clarinet concerto with Sabine Meyer as soloist and Beethoven's 7th symphony.
> 
> View attachment 42424
> 
> Sabine Meyer
> 
> Second was a second choice, wanted to go to the Berliner Philharmonik, but they were sold out, chose Dido and Aeneas at the Staatsoper which is using the Schiller theatre because the Staatsoper is undergoing maintenance. This production has a lot of modern dance elements which I completely didn't understand. Singing was good though. Normally this opera lasts barely one hour, but additional elements made it into a 2 hour's performance. People seemed to like it, lots of cheers at the end.
> 
> View attachment 42425
> 
> Opening scene of Dido and Aeneas
> 
> Third was Tristan und Isolde, the main reason I was going. When a speaker entered the stage just before the performance started I was preparing for the worst, and the news was what I was fearing... Nina Stemme was suffering from a cold, but she would sing. However, a substitute was already on the way. At first I didn't hear any problems until act 2. Later in act 2 it appeared the substitute was covering some passages from behind the stage. Act 3 she seemed recovered and Stemme sang an overwhelming Liebestod. All roles were great, King Marke (Liang Li) was the surprise for me, what a voice! Orchestra played beautiful, lovely big sound, conducted by Donald Runnicles. Some small problems in the brass section though. The production is by Graham Vick and didn't make much sense to me. We are not on a boat, but in a large living room, love potion is an injection in the arm. Tristan and Marke are on stage the entire first act, a young boy represents the orphan Tristan, a young naked woman his mother... I wonder what the director's excuse is for all the nudity. The ovations for Stemme were very loud and she seemed very moved by this. Her gestures to the conductor showed she was happy she made it (almost) through the entire performance.
> 
> View attachment 42426
> View attachment 42427
> 
> Complete cast and Nina Stemme at the 4th curtain call
> 
> View attachment 42428
> 
> Deutsche Oper has its own subway station!
> 
> Berlin is a city of music, three opera houses! Many many concert venues. Generally staying and moving around in Berlin seems cheaper then expected. Opera tickets are also much cheaper. They are probably under heavy subsidy. Wonderful public transport. Something that I noticed is that the audience is incredibly quiet during performances, I could just have been lucky, but this was exemplary!
> 
> Had dinner across the street at a lovely Italian restaurant (Rosati) and talked to some die hard Wagnerians who where planning their 32nd (!!) Ring cycle. They congratulated me on going to this performance as my first Wagner, because it was among the best Tristans they attended according to them!


Loved your report and the encounter with the Wagnerians!

Berlin is fabulous & I took photos of the subway too!! And I went to that Italian restaurant. I stayed at Hotel Berlin an der Oper which was on the opposite side of Bismarckstrasse from the opera house.

You've made me want to go back.


----------



## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Writing a report from my trip is a little like doing it over again, It's fun, like writing a diary. It's not to make anyone envious  It would be great to meet any of the TC members during an opera trip.


I'm a bit lazy about writing up my trips. I went to Lyon for the first time last month for the Britten Festival and really enjoyed it. I'm going back to Lyon next month for _Simon Boccanegra_ so I'll do a combined report when I get back.

 

I'm in Amsterdam next April for _Macbeth_. Will you be going to see that?


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## DavidA

Dongiovanni said:


> A quick report from my Berlin trip. Three nights, three performances.
> 
> First was a concert at the Komische Oper. Wonderful rendition of Mozart's clarinet concerto with Sabine Meyer as soloist and Beethoven's 7th symphony.
> 
> View attachment 42424
> 
> Sabine Meyer
> 
> Second was a second choice, wanted to go to the Berliner Philharmonik, but they were sold out, chose Dido and Aeneas at the Staatsoperm which is using the Schiller theatre because the Staatsoper is undergoing maintance. This production has a lot of modern dance elements which I completely didn't understand. Singing was good though. Normally this opera lasts barely one hour, but additionall elements made it into a 2 hour's performance. People seemede to like it, lots of cheers at the end.
> 
> View attachment 42425
> 
> Opening scene of Dido and Aeneas
> 
> Third was Tristan und Isolde, the main reason I was going. When a speaker entered the stage just before the performance started I was preparing for the worst, and the news was what I was fearing... Nina Stemme was suffering from a cold, but she would sing. However, a substitute was already on the way. At first I didn't hear any problems until act 2. Later in act 2 it appeared the substitute was covering some passages from behind the stage. Act 3 she seemed recovered and Stemme sang an overwhelming Liebestod. All roles were great, King Marke (Liang Li) was the surprise for me, what a voice ! Orchestra played beautiful, lovely big sound, conducted by Donald Runnicles. Some small problems in the brass section though. The production is by Graham Vick and didn't make much sense to me. We are not on a boat, but in a large living room, love potion is an injection in the arm. Tristan and Marke are on stage the entire first act, a young boy represents the orphan Tristan, a young naked woman his mother... I wonder what the director's excuse is for all the nudity. The ovations for Stemme were very loud and she seemed very moved by this. Her gestures to the conductor showed she was happy she made it (almost) through the entire performance.
> 
> View attachment 42426
> View attachment 42427
> 
> Complete cast and Nina Stemme at the 4th curtain call
> 
> View attachment 42428
> 
> Deutsche Oper has its own subway station !
> 
> Berlin is a city of music, three opera houses ! Many many concert venues. Generally staying and moving around in Berlin seems cheaper then expected. Opera tickets are also much cheaper. They are probably under heavy subsidy. Wonderfull public transport. Something that I noticed is that the audience is incredibly quiet during performances, I could just have been lucky, but this was exemplary !
> 
> Had dinner across the street at a lovely italian restaurant (Rosati) and talked to some die hard Wagnerians who where planning their 32nd (!!) Ring cycle. They congratulated me on going to this peformance as my first Wagner, because it was among the best Tristans they attended according to them !


Thanks for the report. Glad you enjoyed it.

Must confess I am gobsmacked by your reports of the production of Tristan. These producers are amazing. I wish RW was around so Vick could explain to him just where he got it wrong when he wrote Tristan. This is one reason why I do not watch productions of Wagner. I find these pointless additions so annoying. Also it is why Janowski abandoned the opera house for concert performances. And I believe it's one reason Karajan gave for being his own producer - producers with too many daft ideas.
If these Wagnerians you met said it was among the best Tristan's they had seen, then that's another justification for a purely aural experience.


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## Don Fatale

Dongiovanni said:


> Writing a report from my trip is a little like doing it over again, It's fun, like writing a diary. It's not to make anyone envious  It would be great to meet any of the TC members during an opera trip ! Would like to hear what your Berlin experience was.


I'd certainly be happy to meet up if I'm able. It would be fun. Maybe choose a city and a production (or two) and a date and see who can make it? Perhaps we should start a thread and see what the interest is?


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## Dongiovanni

DavidA said:


> If these Wagnerians you met said it was among the best Tristan's they had seen, then that's another justification for a purely aural experience.


They were actually talking about the musical performance. I think they liked it.


----------



## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> I'm in Amsterdam next April for _Macbeth_. Will you be going to see that?


You sure plan ahead ! I had not even checked out the new season at Amsterdam. Do you already have a ticket ?


----------



## DavidA

Dongiovanni said:


> They were actually talking about the musical performance. I think they liked it.


It is ironic that people pay a lot of money to see something which basically they have to ignore the visual side of because some director has some weird ideas that were not at all in the mind of the composer. It's crazy!


----------



## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> You sure plan ahead! I had not even checked out the new season at Amsterdam. Do you already have a ticket?




I've booked my flights & accommodation. Tickets go on sale in January.

It's a new production, directed by Andrea Breth and I liked what she did with _The Gambler_. Amsterdam is very easy to get to for me, I love the city and the people and _Macbeth_ is in my Top Five so no brainer really.


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## Dongiovanni

Just returned from Milan for Cosi fan Tutte. Friends have called me crzay to travel to and from Milan in 2 days just to go to an opera... but boy was it worth it. Production was the one from 2009 Salzburg with a lot of adjustments, but the framework of the three stories high stage were still intact. Guth seems obsessed with writing with dirt on walls and 'movement freezing' combined with dance like elements (see his Figaro). I think it's not that bad a production, it has a good base and. No ridicilous scenes and all singers had lots of space to act out their parts.

The reason I went was to hear Maria Bengtsson sing Fiordiligi and the same thing happened as in her Contessa performance (ROH 2013): when she sang Per Pieta time just stood still. She has an incredible array of means to express and a voice that is utterly beautiful. I can't think of a better way to sing Mozart.

Other singers were also good, Katija Dragojevic did the first Dorablla aria standing high on the stage.. spectacular. First time I heard Villazon live. Unlike Bengtsson, his dynamics are not that delicate, but he sure knows how to transfer the emotions to the audience. New to me is Adam Plachetka, really excellent performance. Despina was vocally good, but could have been a little more sparkling and funny, however this may have been instructions by the director. Michele Pertusi is very much Don Alfonso. Arrogant, vain, with a lovely voice.

Had a really bad spot... my view of the stage was restriced to about 75%, and to achieve that I had to stand. To see Dorablle in her first aria I had to lean over the person in front of me... I was lucky, after the interval the ffirst two seats became available. I noticed during the first half that the Russian couple had no idea what they were watching... but didn't expect they would leave.

Orchesta did an excellent job. Barenboim is not my favourite Mozart conducter, on his Cosi I agree much more than his Don Giovanni.

Curtain call photos are just good enough to post.


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## Lt.Belle

Dongiovanni said:


> Just returned from Milan for Cosi fan Tutte.


Me too from Hamburg it was excellent awesome singing and peppy symphonies... The naughty housegirl Despina stole our hearts! ty for your foto's i didn't took my camera i regret that i will next time


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Just returned from Milan for Cosi fan Tutte. Friends have called me crazy to travel to and from Milan in 2 days just to go to an opera...


I don't think you're crazy at all. I'll wager you're never going to lie in bed at night and think 'I wish I'd never gone to Milan' but if you hadn't gone you might just lie in bed and think 'I wish I'd gone to Milan'!



Dongiovanni said:


> but boy was it worth it. Production was the one from 2009 Salzburg with a lot of adjustments, but the framework of the three stories high stage were still intact. Guth seems obsessed with writing with dirt on walls and 'movement freezing' combined with dance like elements (see his Figaro). I think it's not that bad a production, it has a good base and. No ridicilous scenes and all singers had lots of space to act out their parts.
> 
> The reason I went was to hear Maria Bengtsson sing Fiordiligi and the same thing happened as in her Contessa performance (ROH 2013): when she sang Per Pieta time just stood still. She has an incredible array of means to express and a voice that is utterly beautiful. I can't think of a better way to sing Mozart.
> 
> Other singers were also good, Katija Dragojevic did the first Dorablla aria standing high on the stage.. spectacular. First time I heard Villazon live. Unlike Bengtsson, his dynamics are not that delicate, but he sure knows how to transfer the emotions to the audience. New to me is Adam Plachetka, really excellent performance. Despina was vocally good, but could have been a little more sparkling and funny, however this may have been instructions by the director. Michele Pertusi is very much Don Alfonso. Arrogant, vain, with a lovely voice.
> 
> Had a really bad spot... my view of the stage was restriced to about 75%, and to achieve that I had to stand. To see Dorablle in her first aria I had to lean over the person in front of me... I was lucky, after the interval the ffirst two seats became available. I noticed during the first half that the Russian couple had no idea what they were watching... but didn't expect they would leave.
> 
> Orchesta did an excellent job. Barenboim is not my favourite Mozart conducter, on his Cosi I agree much more than his Don Giovanni.
> 
> Curtain call photos are just good enough to post.
> 
> View attachment 45030
> View attachment 45031
> View attachment 45032


So pleased you had a good time!


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## perempe

Dongiovanni said:


> Just returned from Milan for Cosi fan Tutte. Friends have called me crzay to travel to and from Milan in 2 days just to go to an opera... but boy was it worth it.


i live in a town 140kms away from Budapest, i travel 5 hours back and forth to see a performance.
i've been to so many operas this season, that i travelled over a week.

thank you for the pictures.


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## Don Fatale

perempe, it sounds like you've had an amazing year! I've enjoyed reading your posts. I think many of us relate to that exciting early period of discovering opera. The great thing is that there is a lifetime's worth still to discover.


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## perempe

yes, as it is my first season, i try to watch all. my favorite performances were Mefistofele and Parsifal, only the Strauss operas could rival with them (Salome, Elektra, Die Frau, Der Rosenkavalier). Die Frau was perhaps the best. (our opera house played many Strauss operas at the end of the season for the anniversary.)

i missed 2+ months (including Traviata, Giselle, Falstaff, Háry János, Tannhäuser; Giselle & Traviata won't be renewed!).

tomorrow i'm going to watch Iphigeneia, then the season-ending gala on Monday.


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## Don Fatale

I've just booked my flights to Amsterdam for the 13th November, Lohengrin. Tickets not on sale yet, so I'm trusting that I'll be able to get one. I'll arrive on the 12th so hope to get to Concertgebouw that evening.


----------



## sospiro

Alexander said:


> I've just booked my flights to Amsterdam for the 13th November, Lohengrin. Tickets not on sale yet, so I'm trusting that I'll be able to get one.


Fantastic! You should be able to get a ticket, I've always been able to get more or less what I wanted.



Alexander said:


> I'll arrive on the 12th so hope to get to Concertgebouw that evening.


:clap:And if you do go, you can travel for free on the tram.


----------



## deggial

Dongiovanni said:


> Just returned from Milan for Cosi fan Tutte. Friends have called me crzay to travel to and from Milan in 2 days just to go to an opera....


I say it's perfectly normal! I've done in the past and will do it again (hopefully in February, for the back to back _Tamerlano_ and _Alcina_ in Amsterdam). 2 day holidays rock. You get an opera (or two) and a change of scenery at the same time.


----------



## Dongiovanni

By accident I found out the Cosi from Milan is on Youtube ! What a delight to see and hear it again, with a change to finally see the parts i missed because of my obstructed view.






Fast forward to 27:00 (part 2), and experience Maria's magic:


----------



## Dongiovanni

Alexander said:


> I've just booked my flights to Amsterdam for the 13th November, Lohengrin. Tickets not on sale yet, so I'm trusting that I'll be able to get one. I'll arrive on the 12th so hope to get to Concertgebouw that evening.


12 November it's Elīna Garanča at the Concertgebouw, tickets are on sale !


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## Don Fatale

Dongiovanni said:


> 12 November it's Elīna Garanča at the Concertgebouw, tickets are on sale !


Yep, that'll do. Recommendations on seating areas?


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## Don Fatale

Booked! I'm in a flower throwing seat


----------



## mamascarlatti

Well, it's been touch and go, with my husband getting a serious infection and requiring a lot of nursing, but my daughters are taking over nursing duties tomorrow and I'm off to Sydney for four days to see Don Giovanni, Rigoletto and Jonas Kaufmann in concert. I've been looking forward to this for a year.


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## deggial

^ opera overload!


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## sospiro

mamascarlatti said:


> Well, it's been touch and go, with my husband getting a serious infection and requiring a lot of nursing, but my daughters are taking over nursing duties tomorrow and I'm off to Sydney for four days to see Don Giovanni, Rigoletto and Jonas Kaufmann in concert. I've been looking forward to this for a year.












Fantastic!!! Have a wonderful time!!


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## Don Fatale

mamascarlatti said:


> Well, it's been touch and go, with my husband getting a serious infection and requiring a lot of nursing, but my daughters are taking over nursing duties tomorrow and I'm off to Sydney for four days to see Don Giovanni, Rigoletto and Jonas Kaufmann in concert. I've been looking forward to this for a year.


There are worse places to spend a few nights at the opera. Have a great time. Look forward to your report.


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## mamascarlatti

Alexander said:


> There are worse places to spend a few nights at the opera. Have a great time. Look forward to your report.


Actually tomorrow I have Rigoletto in the afternoon and Don Giovanni in the evening. It seemed a good idea at the time of booking.


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## Dongiovanni

mamascarlatti said:


> Actually tomorrow I have Rigoletto in the afternoon and Don Giovanni in the evening. It seemed a good idea at the time of booking.


Two bad guys in one day ! Enjoy !


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## Don Fatale

My local airport, Inverness, only has one international destination: Amsterdam. So that's where I'm going for my next culture fix. Got a return for less than £100.

12th Nov, Concertgebouw, Elina Garanca, Berlioz, Ravel, Fauré (That'll do me fine!)
13th Nov, Opera, Lohengrin

My first non-business visit to Amsterdam, and my first to these venues. Suggestions for daytime tourist activity?


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## deggial

Alexander said:


> Suggestions for daytime tourist activity?


boat ride on the canals!


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## Pugg

I am in New York at the end of the year and my dear friends got tickets for: La Traviata 27-12
Merry Widow on 31-12 .
How lucky am I


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## sospiro

Alexander said:


> My local airport, Inverness, only has one international destination: Amsterdam. So that's where I'm going for my next culture fix. Got a return for less than £100.
> 
> 12th Nov, Concertgebouw, Elina Garanca, Berlioz, Ravel, Fauré (That'll do me fine!)
> 13th Nov, Opera, Lohengrin


Superb!



Alexander said:


> My first non-business visit to Amsterdam, and my first to these venues. Suggestions for daytime tourist activity?


As *deggial* suggested, a boat trip on the canals. Also a visit to de Sluyswacht.


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## Dongiovanni

In London now, yesterday was Rigoletto at the ROH. I'm on a mobile device, so I'l keep it brief. This Rigoletto had some extreme tempi. Some were ok, some not. Especially the Gikda and Rigoletto vendetta duet at the end of act 2 was just too fast. Already hard to sing at normal tempo, this made it even harder for the singers to express, nespecially for Keenlyside. Then again, I loved the rage outbreak of Rigoletto and the higher tempo. Keenlyside was brilliant, singing mist of it lying down. His begging in the next scene sent shivers down my spine. On the whole Keenlyside was excellent, but he tends to overact in some parts. His voice is soaring and at the final scene he manages to top off the full orchestra, again, shivers.

The revelation of the evening was our Gilda. She was amazing. Kurzhak has a stunning technique and control, her trills are razorsharp. She convinces as the lovesick girl, and looks her part fantastically. The sound of her voice is just delicious even in the high register. Volume is never an issue.

I heard Pirgu one year ago in the same role, and was nit impressed. He seems to have grown, but sometimes still lacks some dynamics and gentle tone. His aria was a showstopper, and much better than last year, but there was no pause for an ovation, that came after the duet with Madallena. The high b on the end was rock solid and filled the theatre quite long. Impressive. He looks and sounds much more confident now. 

The supporting cast could not have been better. Madallenna was brilliant an actress as singer. Too much to mention, more detail later.

The famous quartet was brilliant. Singers and orchestra were well balanced, what an astonishing piece this is.The last scenes are not my favourite, especially the final Gilda and Rigoletto duet. But here this scene did impress. Excellent performance !

This time I sat an the balcony in the right wing. Not a perfect view, but good enough at a vey affordable price.

What surprised me was that the choir and support cast were nit on the stage for the curtain call. They deserved applaus !

Pictures later.


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## AnnaKaterina

I'm new to this forum, so if I blunder please forgive... Are many people here also performers past or present? Back when I sang opera, I did one of the sisters in Cosi (Fiord.)in New Mexico. We had a "raked stage" and so many prop issues like bad timing on a giant ship to pass in back (to pick up the brothers for the plot). After retiring, I find productions fascinate me because you're so acquainted with all the humor, nuances, possible props. I've seen performances with unwieldy props that get stuck or accidents (not hurtful). To me, it's a thrill to know things can/do go wrong sometimes (; One favorite: a traveling MET production that couldn't move a tree in the first act...They were such pros that they did the rest with the tree in the middle of rooms, etc.--but I don't recall the opera because I was still a little girl! I do know that one great singer ripped her dress in Tosca (you could hear it when she was to jump), but the"show must go on," as they say. So many outrageous things happened "behind the scenes" (even in Santa Fe & civic opera) that it's part of the entertainment!

On the Magic Flute, it would be interesting to know the way they presented the "Queen," costuming, and acting?


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## Dongiovanni

Dongiovanni said:


> In London now, yesterday was Rigoletto at the ROH. I'm on a mobile device, so I'l keep it brief. This Rigoletto had some extreme tempi. Some were ok, some not. Especially the Gikda and Rigoletto vendetta duet at the end of act 2 was just too fast. Already hard to sing at normal tempo, this made it even harder for the singers to express, nespecially for Keenlyside. Then again, I loved the rage outbreak of Rigoletto and the higher tempo. Keenlyside was brilliant, singing mist of it lying down. His begging in the next scene sent shivers down my spine. On the whole Keenlyside was excellent, but he tends to overact in some parts. His voice is soaring and at the final scene he manages to top off the full orchestra, again, shivers.
> 
> The revelation of the evening was our Gilda. She was amazing. Kurzhak has a stunning technique and control, her trills are razorsharp. She convinces as the lovesick girl, and looks her part fantastically. The sound of her voice is just delicious even in the high register. Volume is never an issue.
> 
> I heard Pirgu one year ago in the same role, and was nit impressed. He seems to have grown, but sometimes still lacks some dynamics and gentle tone. His aria was a showstopper, and much better than last year, but there was no pause for an ovation, that came after the duet with Madallena. The high b on the end was rock solid and filled the theatre quite long. Impressive. He looks and sounds much more confident now.
> 
> The supporting cast could not have been better. Madallenna was brilliant an actress as singer. Too much to mention, more detail later.
> 
> The famous quartet was brilliant. Singers and orchestra were well balanced, what an astonishing piece this is.The last scenes are not my favourite, especially the final Gilda and Rigoletto duet. But here this scene did impress. Excellent performance !
> 
> This time I sat an the balcony in the right wing. Not a perfect view, but good enough at a vey affordable price.
> 
> What surprised me was that the choir and support cast were nit on the stage for the curtain call. They deserved applaus !
> 
> Pictures later.


Curtain call of Rigoletto and the concert with Joyce DiDonato:















Joyce's concert was a real joy, great singing, very enthousiastic conductor and orchestra. The audience loved Joyce, giving her a standing ovation. During the 2 encores the atmosphere got completely loose and Joyce proved to be very amusing talking and just entertaining. She encored Tanti Affetti from Donna del Lago, which was just gorgeous.


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## Don Fatale

AMSTERDAM TRIP AND REVIEW

I haven't been to Amsterdam for at least 10 years, but those times were only work visits, so just industrial estates and offices followed by restaurants and bars.

This time, with a Wagner fix being the main motivation I organised a two day/night break with Concertgebouw on the first night and opera the following.

I stayed in a small hotel very close to the Rijksmuseum but in a quiet street. Good price on Laterooms.com! Very convenient for Concertgebouw (10 minutes walk). What can I say about this hall that hasn't already been said. It's everything I'd want in a concert hall. The included beer and wine is very much the icing on the cake. However £2.50 is needed for a slim Dutch language program. Lovely French program of Faure, Berlioz, Bizet and Debussy. Sadly Elina Garanca was a late cancellation and we had a disappointing performance by her Bulgarian stand-in. Met a very nice local lady who was a big follower of Eva-Marie Westbroek, who she follows around Europe when she can. It was nice to have somebody to share the concert and intermission with.

The following night it's Lohengrin at the 'Stopera', the building that combines the city hall with the opera house. Built on a canal side in the 80's it's quite attractive but no beauty. If it had a neon sign 'Odeon Cinema' at the top, it wouldn't have seemed out of place.

The interior, I really liked, although it's airy and functional rather than ornate. The striking thing is the width of the stage (seems at least equal to the MET). Of the 1800 seats and 2 balconies, I'd say only the side sections of the 2nd balcony have less than optimal sight lines. I was forward facing on the 2nd balcony. Very happy with my seat and sight-line, less so with the legroom for someone of 6'2".

As for the production, it's a revival of Pierre Audi's 2002 production. The entire 1st act sees the chorus forming the 4 rows one above the other. 4 x 26 = 104! All sitting virtually motionless for an hour! No swan in sight, I guess it was in the wings somewhere, excuse the pun. I liked Michaela Schuster's Ortrud best. Good singing and physical acting. Her second act scene with Elsa was great. Nikolai Schukoff's Lohengrin didn't thrill me, i.e. not heroic. Plus he came in with completely the wrong notes on a couple of occasions! Ouch!

Image of the above and casting here: http://www.operaballet.nl/en/opera/2014-2015/show/lohengrin

On my leaving day I visited the Rijksmuseum and saw enough men in ruffs to last me a lifetime. I must confess I'm pretty much done with major galleries. They're seldom cheap, and I often feel I'm paying for being able to say I've been there. And of course the worse thing about them is 'other people', I'll spare you my rant!

In summary. Amsterdam provided a great cultural city break, with truly some of the most charming people. I wouldn't hesitate to go again.


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## sospiro

Alexander said:


> AMSTERDAM TRIP AND REVIEW
> 
> I haven't been to Amsterdam for at least 10 years, but those times were only work visits, so just industrial estates and offices followed by restaurants and bars.
> 
> This time, with a Wagner fix being the main motivation I organised a two day/night break with Concertgebouw on the first night and opera the following.
> 
> I stayed in a small hotel very close to the Rijksmuseum but in a quiet street. Good price on Laterooms.com! Very convenient for Concertgebouw (10 minutes walk). What can I say about this hall that hasn't already been said. It's everything I'd want in a concert hall. The included beer and wine is very much the icing on the cake. However £2.50 is needed for a slim Dutch language program. Lovely French program of Faure, Berlioz, Bizet and Debussy. Sadly Elina Garanca was a late cancellation and we had a disappointing performance by her Bulgarian stand-in. Met a very nice local lady who was a big follower of Eva-Marie Westbroek, who she follows around Europe when she can. It was nice to have somebody to share the concert and intermission with.
> 
> The following night it's Lohengrin at the 'Stopera', the building that combines the city hall with the opera house. Built on a canal side in the 80's it's quite attractive but no beauty. If it had a neon sign 'Odeon Cinema' at the top, it wouldn't have seemed out of place.
> 
> The interior, I really liked, although it's airy and functional rather than ornate. The striking thing is the width of the stage (seems at least equal to the MET). Of the 1800 seats and 2 balconies, I'd say only the side sections of the 2nd balcony have less than optimal sight lines. I was forward facing on the 2nd balcony. Very happy with my seat and sight-line, less so with the legroom for someone of 6'2".
> 
> As for the production, it's a revival of Pierre Audi's 2002 production. The entire 1st act sees the chorus forming the 4 rows one above the other. 4 x 26 = 104! All sitting virtually motionless for an hour! No swan in sight, I guess it was in the wings somewhere, excuse the pun. I liked Michaela Schuster's Ortrud best. Good singing and physical acting. Her second act scene with Elsa was great. Nikolai Schukoff's Lohengrin didn't thrill me, i.e. not heroic. Plus he came in with completely the wrong notes on a couple of occasions! Ouch!
> 
> Image of the above and casting here: http://www.operaballet.nl/en/opera/2014-2015/show/lohengrin


Excellent and informative review. Shame about Elina Garanca's cancelling but pleased you liked the concert hall. As you say the opera house isn't much to look at from the outside but I love it and the prices are reasonable.



Alexander said:


> On my leaving day I visited the Rijksmuseum and saw enough men in ruffs to last me a lifetime. I must confess I'm pretty much done with major galleries. They're seldom cheap, and I often feel I'm paying for being able to say I've been there. And of course the worse thing about them is 'other people', I'll spare you my rant!
> 
> In summary. Amsterdam provided a great cultural city break, with truly some of the most charming people. I wouldn't hesitate to go again.


Last time I was in Amsterdam I saw the queues for the Rijksmuseum and didn't bother. To be honest I find just mooching around looking at stuff can be just as interesting as seeing stuff in a formal setting.


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## Dongiovanni

Alexander said:


> AMSTERDAM TRIP AND REVIEW
> 
> I haven't been to Amsterdam for at least 10 years, but those times were only work visits, so just industrial estates and offices followed by restaurants and bars.
> 
> This time, with a Wagner fix being the main motivation I organised a two day/night break with Concertgebouw on the first night and opera the following.
> 
> I stayed in a small hotel very close to the Rijksmuseum but in a quiet street. Good price on Laterooms.com! Very convenient for Concertgebouw (10 minutes walk). What can I say about this hall that hasn't already been said. It's everything I'd want in a concert hall. The included beer and wine is very much the icing on the cake. However £2.50 is needed for a slim Dutch language program. Lovely French program of Faure, Berlioz, Bizet and Debussy. Sadly Elina Garanca was a late cancellation and we had a disappointing performance by her Bulgarian stand-in. Met a very nice local lady who was a big follower of Eva-Marie Westbroek, who she follows around Europe when she can. It was nice to have somebody to share the concert and intermission with.
> 
> The following night it's Lohengrin at the 'Stopera', the building that combines the city hall with the opera house. Built on a canal side in the 80's it's quite attractive but no beauty. If it had a neon sign 'Odeon Cinema' at the top, it wouldn't have seemed out of place.
> 
> The interior, I really liked, although it's airy and functional rather than ornate. The striking thing is the width of the stage (seems at least equal to the MET). Of the 1800 seats and 2 balconies, I'd say only the side sections of the 2nd balcony have less than optimal sight lines. I was forward facing on the 2nd balcony. Very happy with my seat and sight-line, less so with the legroom for someone of 6'2".
> 
> As for the production, it's a revival of Pierre Audi's 2002 production. The entire 1st act sees the chorus forming the 4 rows one above the other. 4 x 26 = 104! All sitting virtually motionless for an hour! No swan in sight, I guess it was in the wings somewhere, excuse the pun. I liked Michaela Schuster's Ortrud best. Good singing and physical acting. Her second act scene with Elsa was great. Nikolai Schukoff's Lohengrin didn't thrill me, i.e. not heroic. Plus he came in with completely the wrong notes on a couple of occasions! Ouch!
> 
> Image of the above and casting here: http://www.operaballet.nl/en/opera/2014-2015/show/lohengrin
> 
> On my leaving day I visited the Rijksmuseum and saw enough men in ruffs to last me a lifetime. I must confess I'm pretty much done with major galleries. They're seldom cheap, and I often feel I'm paying for being able to say I've been there. And of course the worse thing about them is 'other people', I'll spare you my rant!
> 
> In summary. Amsterdam provided a great cultural city break, with truly some of the most charming people. I wouldn't hesitate to go again.


What a pity Garanca cancelled... I know the feeling... I've had my share of cancellations this year. I agree with your observations on the Amsterdam opera building, also known as 'Stopera', it was a subject of much debate in the 80-ies when it was built. It has the atmosphere of a provincial theatre and a rather unatractive 80-ies design. Big contrast with the grandeur of the concertgebouw.

I know the entry fee to the Rijksmuseum, went some monts ago. Steep amount indeed. Compare National gallery in London: free entry and even the wifi is free.


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## mountmccabe

I am going to be in Vermont in May for a wedding and am considering visiting Montreal first and see Silent Night at Opéra de Montréal. Is anyone familiar with the company or the Place des Arts? Or Montreal, for that matter.


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## Don Fatale

I'm currently planning my next trip to Malta (where I normally hang out while avoiding the worst of the Scottish winters!). Knowing that I can fly there from various Eastern European cities thanks to Wizz Air, I'm putting together a little itinerary for late January. Currently looking at Mefistofele in Prague (love this city!) and then on to Budapest for Rigoletto.


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## Dongiovanni

A quick report from a very cold Munich. Yesterday was Il Turco in Italia. It was a complete surprise how excellent this performance was. A modern production that captured the comic opera very well. Peretyatko and Esposito were outstanding, and especially Peretyatko was the public's favourite. And that was well deserved. She had the best tunes and is very comfortable in the Rossini repertoire. Funny, and when needed, with drama. The tragic pieces near the end were a sensation and got her some very loud cheers. And with what a voice ! I sat on the upper balcony but the sound was just delicious. That also goes for Esposito. The acoustics in the Munich Staatsopera are very good. I kept wondering during the performance wether there was amplification, of course this is very unlikely. 

Sunday it's Manon Lescaut with Opolais and Kaufmann. Very excited to hear and see them together. 

I hope the attached photos are working.


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## Dongiovanni

Alexander said:


> I'm currently planning my next trip to Malta (where I normally hang out while avoiding the worst of the Scottish winters!). Knowing that I can fly there from various Eastern European cities thanks to Wizz Air, I'm putting together a little itinerary for late January. Currently looking at Mefistofele in Prague (love this city!) and then on to Budapest for Rigoletto.


That sounds like a great plan ! Will you als check out the Malta opera house?


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## Dongiovanni

Back for a short message on the Manon Lescaut. Quite an experience... Firts two acts had their moments, but the 3rd and 4th act were really on fire. Sadly, the production was another one to forget. Nothing original or special about it, with the inevitable redicilous costumes, the choir reminded me of the Umpa Lumpa's. However I don't see why Trebs had to walk out on it. Ironically I almost bumped into her when I was walking past the Chopard shop which she was just leaving...

Needless to say the singing was outstanding, as was the orchestra and conductor. Hearing and seeing Kaufmann live in opera the first time, I understand what the fuzz is all about. He really nailed those lovely tunes from act 3 and 4. Great chemistry with Opolais. And what great sounds come out of the Staatsoper orchestra ! The openings of act 3 and 4 where stunning. And, there was that lovely acoustics again. Best I've experienced in a theatre before. Anyone have the same experience?

The Munich audience is exemplary. Quiet, no phones going off, no clapping at the wrong moments, but very enthousiastic. There were many curtain calls and not only was the cheering loud, they also stomped their feet !

Very satisfying trip, sure I'll be coming back.

Trying to insert some pictures:


----------



## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Back for a short message on the Manon Lescaut. Quite an experience... Firts two acts had their moments, but the 3rd and 4th act were really on fire. Sadly, the production was another one to forget. Nothing original or special about it, with the inevitable redicilous costumes, the choir reminded me of the Umpa Lumpa's. However I don't see why Trebs had to walk out on it. Ironically I almost bumped into her when I was walking past the Chopard shop which she was just leaving...
> 
> Needless to say the singing was outstanding, as was the orchestra and conductor. Hearing and seeing Kaufmann live in opera the first time, I understand what the fuzz is all about. He really nailed those lovely tunes from act 3 and 4. Great chemistry with Opolais. And what great sounds come out of the Staatsoper orchestra ! The openings of act 3 and 4 where stunning. And, there was that lovely acoustics again. Best I've experienced in a theatre before. Anyone have the same experience?
> 
> The Munich audience is exemplary. Quiet, no phones going off, no clapping at the wrong moments, but very enthousiastic. There were many curtain calls and not only was the cheering loud, they also stomped their feet !
> 
> Very satisfying trip, sure I'll be coming back.
> 
> Trying to insert some pictures:
> View attachment 57442
> View attachment 57443
> View attachment 57444
> View attachment 57445
> View attachment 57446


Great review DG! I've been to Munich and agree with your assessment of acoustics and audience.


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## Dongiovanni

In all my excitement I forgot to tell how good Opolais was ! As I said earlier Kaufmann and Opolais are on fire together. Opolais' acting is very convincing. She acts with her whole body, but also the details like facial expressions are there. Her voice is very subtle, in the light passages it reminds me of Te Kanawa. Hard to describe a voice in words, but there is a certain warmth to it, that is constant over the dynamic range. It changes a little towards the high notes, and becomes brighter. Anyway, she was a great replacement for Trebs, and the public loved her. If you followed her you've noticed 2014 was her year. To prepare I tried to listen to her records, but I only found some tracks on Spotify, only later I found out she sings Donna Elvira on one of my Giovanni's. Have to check that, it's still on the to-do pile.

As a perfect closing of this trip I attended a guided tour of the theatre. On short notice, I was lucky to get a place. A lovely 1 hour tour with a good tourguide, funny anecdotes and a full view backstage, which was great for opera nerds like me. We were taken to the back of the stage, through all the narrow corridors, were shown the prompters box, walked through the orchesta pit and on the stage. Mind you, there was stuff going on everywhere, but no attention was paid to us visitors. The ROH tour I did not go to these places ! We left the orchestra pit through a shortcut into on of the foyers and we all walk past Jonas Kaufmann who was having a laugh with some people. Funny enough no one of the tour group recognized him.

Anyway that was the conclusion to my trip. Great fun !


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> As a perfect closing of this trip I attended a guided tour of the theatre. On short notice, I was lucky to get a place. A lovely 1 hour tour with a good tourguide, funny anecdotes and a full view backstage, which was great for opera nerds like me. We were taken to the back of the stage, through all the narrow corridors, were shown the prompters box, walked through the orchesta pit and on the stage. Mind you, there was stuff going on everywhere, but no attention was paid to us visitors. The ROH tour I did not go to these places ! We left the orchestra pit through a shortcut into on of the foyers and we all walk past Jonas Kaufmann who was having a laugh with some people. Funny enough no one of the tour group recognized him.
> 
> Anyway that was the conclusion to my trip. Great fun !


That sound like a much better guided tour than the ROH one which is quite bland and stuffy. I must try and get on a tour next time I go to Munich.

I did the back stage tour at l'Opéra de Lyon which was excellent. I'm an opera nerd too!


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## Don Fatale

Dongiovanni said:


> That sounds like a great plan ! Will you als check out the Malta opera house?


I've been to and seen operas in all three of Malta's opera houses, two of which are on the smaller island of Gozo. I posted a review of them last year. Alas the classic Malta opera house was bombed to its foundations in WWII and just recently had a bland open air venue built within its shell.

The one you're probably thinking of is the Manoel Theatre in Valletta. It is touted as the 3rd oldest active theatre in Europe dating from 1732. 500 seats, so very intimate and a unique experience. During the intermission you and the performers mingle on the cobbled street out front, using the neighbouring bars. I go there regularly for concerts.

And on the subject of tours - surely compulsory for us opera geeks! - the charming and knowledgeable Josette provides a tour most days.


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## xpangaeax

The last times I was in Europe, I was a) not yet very into Opera and b) on my own tour, so any night that were I to want to see an Opera, I'd be on a different stage anyway. I am really, really trying to go back to Russia just on a vacation, and you best believe that Opera (and ballet) will be large considerations in the itinerary! If I end up there next year as a musician again, hopefully I can extend my stay to try and catch something.


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## mountmccabe

I am in London for a few weeks. On Friday I saw the final performance of the ENO's run of The Gospel According to the Other Mary, a staged Passion oratorio.

It was amazing; one of the best operas (or so) I've seen. It started a little slowly but everything about the third scene covering Lazarus' death and resurrection was absolutely stunning - the soloists, the singing, the dancing, the chorus - it worked so well theatrically. It stayed strong and closed with another highlight, Russell Thomas' (Lazarus) emotional "Tell Me: How Is This Night Different." He was the most consistently great singer, evocative and rich in tone. Act 2 was also good. Meredith Arwady (Martha) had a big aria early (in scene 2, maybe?) that was a little more lyrical than her first act pieces. I also liked Patricia Bardon as Mary Magdalene.

Narration about and the words of Jesus were often taken by the Seraphim, a trio of countertenors that sing together. Other Jesus-centric parts were taken each of the other singers (and several of the dancers) as they are identified with Jesus, showing connections. The strongest connection here is Lazarus and Jesus but we see other intersections such as Mary and Martha with the two criminals crucified next to Jesus, and Mary Magdalene with Jesus directly after.

I can't be too critical of Sellars and Adams taking the composite Mary approach because this piece is not that literal or confined; it is not "according to" even just that composite (Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, etc). The focus is on the point of view of many different others, with non-Biblical texts taken from Dorothy Day, Louise Eldritch, Primo Levi, Rosario Castellanos, June Jordan, Hildegard von Bingen, and Rubén Darío. Most of the work is in English but there is also some Spanish and Latin.

The piece has a lot of wonderful music and fantastic choruses. The orchestra led by Joana Carniero sounded fantastic.

This was my first time seeing the ENO and I was entirely enthralled.


----------



## sospiro

mountmccabe said:


> I am in London for a few weeks. On Friday I saw the final performance of the ENO's run of The Gospel According to the Other Mary, a staged Passion oratorio.
> 
> It was amazing; one of the best operas (or so) I've seen. It started a little slowly but everything about the third scene covering Lazarus' death and resurrection was absolutely stunning - the soloists, the singing, the dancing, the chorus - it worked so well theatrically. It stayed strong and closed with another highlight, Russell Thomas' (Lazarus) emotional "Tell Me: How Is This Night Different." He was the most consistently great singer, evocative and rich in tone. Act 2 was also good. Meredith Arwady (Martha) had a big aria early (in scene 2, maybe?) that was a little more lyrical than her first act pieces. I also liked Patricia Bardon as Mary Magdalene.
> 
> Narration about and the words of Jesus were often taken by the Seraphim, a trio of countertenors that sing together. Other Jesus-centric parts were taken each of the other singers (and several of the dancers) as they are identified with Jesus, showing connections. The strongest connection here is Lazarus and Jesus but we see other intersections such as Mary and Martha with the two criminals crucified next to Jesus, and Mary Magdalene with Jesus directly after.
> 
> I can't be too critical of Sellars and Adams taking the composite Mary approach because this piece is not that literal or confined; it is not "according to" even just that composite (Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, etc). The focus is on the point of view of many different others, with non-Biblical texts taken from Dorothy Day, Louise Eldritch, Primo Levi, Rosario Castellanos, June Jordan, Hildegard von Bingen, and Rubén Darío. Most of the work is in English but there is also some Spanish and Latin.
> 
> The piece has a lot of wonderful music and fantastic choruses. The orchestra led by Joana Carniero sounded fantastic.
> 
> This was my first time seeing the ENO and I was entirely enthralled.


Great review and so pleased you enjoyed it.

Are you seeing anything else while you're over here?


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## mountmccabe

I plan to queue for a day ticket for the ROH Tristan with Nina Stemme and Stephen Gould on Thursday. I'm looking at available seats for tonight's performance now; I think I'll be aiming for something like the seats in the top of the amphitheater. Wish I brought my little binoculars!

Actually it looks like I don't have to show up in person? I looked at 10:40 AM and saw seats available for tonight's performance. I guess I will see what happens if I go to their website at 10 AM tomorrow the 9th and see how it looks for that evening's _L'elisir d'amore_.


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## Don Fatale

mountmccabe, I recommend you check the ROH website every hour for returns, which might save you queueing. Great review in the Telegraph today, specifically of Nina Stemme, maybe worth splashing out on a good ticket?

Looks like my next trip is two opera nights in Budapest, 22nd Jan Rake's Progress at the State Theatre and 23rd Jan Turandot at the Erkel theatre, with a trip to a thermal bath in between. That's near perfection for me!

For the Boito fans here, I was planning to get to the premier of Prague's new production of Mefistofele but will now delay until the April or May performances.


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## mountmccabe

Alexander said:


> mountmccabe, I recommend you check the ROH website every hour for returns, which might save you queueing. Great review in the Telegraph today, specifically of Nina Stemme, maybe worth splashing out on a good ticket?


Great advice. After I checked the L'elisir availability this morning and realized I would have to queue in person I checked Tristan tickets (again) and found some (relatively) reasonable returns! I now have a ticket which means my Thursday just got much nicer.

Enjoy the performances in Budapest! And I look forward to your comments on Mefistofele!


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## Don Fatale

Glad you got a ticket, and hope you have a great evening on Thursday. A high-quality performance of T&I is pretty much the pinnacle of all art. I'm looking forward to your trip report (with a little envy).


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## mountmccabe

On Thursday I did go to the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden to see _Tristdan und Isolde_. It is really a beautiful house, my seat in the front of the Ampitheatre had a surprisingly good view and the acoustics were superb. I could see Pappano and the orchestra in the pit along with the clear view of the stage. [For this production it helped that I was in the center; had I picked up a ticket in the left arm of the horseshoe I would have missed near all of the action and all of the shadowplay]. The only real complaints were the small seats lacking armrests and how hot it was, even though it was only 40 °F outside.

Nina Stemme was stunning as Isolde. She started out with a driven intensity and continued through the night with effecting characterization. The Liebestod was radiant, starting quietly on the ground in Tristan's dying embrace, her body rising with her voice. Stemme's voice paired very well with Stephen Gould; their act two build wonderfully.

I was also greatly impressed by Stephen Gould, especially in his quiet, tender moments showing a wonderful fragility. He went all out during his third act death throes to the point of outsinging the orchestra (and maybe his voice a little); I am still not sure how I feel about that choice though with Iain Patterson's Kurwenal building off of Gould's third act intensity and all the supers fighting and dying it was a great set up for the Liebestod.

John Tomlinson sounded a little rough as Marke and spent much of his stage time on one of the few seats. It was not the most beautiful voice but a weak king worked dramatically.

The orchestra sounded lovely and powerful but Pappano was in control and at no times were the singers in danger of being drowned out.

I really liked Loy's production; the timing of the action was very sensitive to the music and libretto. The spare stage was effective as the singers laid their emotions bare. I was very impressed by the lighting design, though I think I would need to see it again to see if there's as much going on in the way shadows were cast on the large silver wall on the left as it appeared.

One interesting difference between opera houses in the USA and the UK is that I'd have to purchase program book; they have nearly as many ads but are otherwise superior, with many full color pictures and essays. Interestingly other than the interview with Loy and Pappano the pieces in the _Tristan_ book were incongruent with this particular production, each discussing Schopenhauer and Isolde's death.

Before the opera I took a short trip to the British Museum and saw their 13th century floor tiles depicting the Tristan story. They have four of what might have originally been thirty. (I stole this idea from someone else I saw via twitter).










I have decent pictures of two of the other three, along with other more generic London pictures here.


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## mountmccabe

And that should be all the opera I will see on this trip, though as one might note from those pictures I saw _Cats_ earlier in the week. I am also seeing _Assassins_ tonight but I shall refrain from discussing either piece here.


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## Don Fatale

I'm so glad that you had a good Tristan. 

Although the Amphitheatre is the 'gods' at ROH, the front section's distance, angle and acoustic would make it a prime seat in many houses. However, arm rests would help comfort greatly. (At least amphi patrons get to use the same doors as everyone else since the refurbishment 15 years ago).


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## Dongiovanni

Great report mountmccabe ! Good to read you enjoyed the performance. I love London, so much going on if you like classical music. Very nice pics you took, a hobby of yours ?


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## jflatter

I have also seen this run of Tristan. Stemme alone is worth the entrance fee with a great supporting cast. However Sir John T is not the force he was and should not be singing King Marke. 

My next trip to ROH is Un Ballo in Maschera on 2 Jan 2015. Great sounding cast, but Oren isn't anyone's favourite conductor at ROH and none of the regulars know why he is regularly booked.


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## Loge

jflatter said:


> I have also seen this run of Tristan. Stemme alone is worth the entrance fee with a great supporting cast. However Sir John T is not the force he was and should not be singing King Marke.


Just come back from the last night of Tristan und Isolde at Covert Garden. It was epic. The revelation of the evening was Stephen Gould. He has such a wonderful voice, very masculine and manly, sort of like Rhett Butler singing.

Nina Stemme was awesome as always. The Royal Opera House has amazing acoustics and the singers voices sound loud. The balance from the orchestra was perfect only opening up the stops at the crescendo of the Liebestod .

As for John Tomlinson I liked his voice, it suited the character. I felt so sorry for King Marke, he was a broken man. Sir John T's King Marke monologues reminded me of this song from Johny Cash - Hurt


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## sospiro

Loge said:


> Just come back from the last night of Tristan und Isolde at Covert Garden. It was epic. The revelation of the evening was Stephen Gould. He has such a wonderful voice, very masculine and manly, sort of like Rhett Butler singing.
> 
> Nina Stemme was awesome as always. The Royal Opera House has amazing acoustics and the singers voices sound loud. The balance from the orchestra was perfect only opening up the stops at the crescendo of the Liebestod .
> 
> As for John Tomlinson I liked his voice, it suited the character. I felt so sorry for King Marke, he was a broken man. Sir John T's King Marke monologues reminded me of this song from Johny Cash - Hurt


Great review Loge, pleased you enjoyed it.

Do you think Sir John's voice is in decline or was he simply singing the role?


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## Loge

sospiro said:


> Great review Loge, pleased you enjoyed it.
> 
> Do you think Sir John's voice is in decline or was he simply singing the role?


He is in his late 60s so his voice isn't as it once was. But it does suit the roles he now sings. I also heard him as Gurnemanz in Parsifal, he plays it as a very wise old gunslinger. It was a very different interpretation too how Rene Pape would play it, who has a more secure voice. And the young folk there really took to Tomlinsons performance and gave him a massive cheer at his curtain call.


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## Don Fatale

My Budapest trip. Sorry in advance for the usual rambling style and irrelevant details.

I wanted to make my regular trip from Scotland to Malta more interesting without going too much out of the way or incurring too much cost. With the availability of low-cost carriers in Europe that was easily achieved with journeys at under £50 a time (no hold baggage but including extra legroom exit door seats!)

Inverness to Gatwick by _EasyJet_ with a night at Gatwick IBIS. Familiar territory for me. I was hoping to have time to visit my father in hospital once I got to Gatwick but the lousy train times conspired against me. That's left me feeling low, and guilty. The following morning I had my first experience of _Norwegian_ (the 3rd largest budget carrier in Europe). No complaints from me. Very easy shuttle bus from Budapest airport to the apartment, which was literally on the street behind the opera house.

And so to opera - a new production of *The Rake's Progress* at the State Opera House which perempe saw a couple of days ago. Very good I thought. They told the story with clarity and a very colourful and lively production. The children's climbing frame, swing and slide in the first scene became an adults' playground in the second. Use your imagination ;-). Definitely 18 rating here! I imagine some of their chorus would have enjoyed this more than others. Perhaps depends who you had to simulate sex with? The (rather young and attractive) Australian soprano singing Anne Truelove was the only native English speaker in the cast. She sung very well and was the most appreciated by the audience. The State Opera House is famously ornate and in a classic 18th c. horseshoe style. I was in the stalls where the seats were hard, impossible not to fidget a little. I will be seeking perempe's advice on softer seats for my next visit. Surtitles in Hungarian and English (even though this opera is in English). The program is in Hungarian and English.

I'll spare you the later drinking episodes, suffice to say I didn't sleep well and skipped breakfast to join a walking tour, which was fun. After lunch I slept, and if I hadn't set the alarm I would have missed my next opera.

In my opinion there are two kinds of cities in the world - those with opera houses and those without. But I should really have a category for those with multiple opera houses, cities where you have an odds-on chance of seeing opera on any given night. Budapest is in a select club with London, Berlin, Paris and Prague. (Please do tell me if there are others.)

A 25 minute walk in the rain gets me to the Erkel Theatre. Unlike the above-mentioned cities, both opera houses in Budapest are part of the same opera company. (That makes a lot of sense to me.) The Erkel Theatre is a modern and tasteful building with a single large balcony. I guess it doubles as a concert hall. Again I'm in the stalls, but with a comfortable seat in which to enjoy *Turandot*. The production is colourful and traditional. The orchestra sounded great, particularly the brass and percussion. The singers were passable, and a fine night at the opera was had by all. Nessun Dorma note: The score finishes a la Pavarotti recording so that the tenor can get his applause, then retraces a few bars to carry on. Subtitles in Hungarian only which is fine for me, even I know the plot of Turandot!

The printed program is in Hungarian and English. Same opera company, so the program is identical in format to the previous evening's. I like these programs, a little smaller than Opera magazine with loads of colour pictures of the production, so they are good mementos.

Let's talk costs. Compared to much of Western Europe, tickets here are extremely good value. My Erkel Theatre Turandot top-price ticket was 3960f (under £10). The equivalent at the State Opera was around £27. But please don't get the impression that the Erkel is in any way second rate. In fact I preferred it, firstly because the seats were more comfortable, and secondly because the people were dressed nicer. Unlike the State Opera theatre with tourists in t-shirts trying to get a wi-fi signal on their mobiles during the performance!

Time to wrap up. Tomorrow I fly Wizz Air (Europe's 4th budget airline) Budapest to Malta.

I'd been to Budapest briefly a few years ago, but this was my first time as a stopover opera visit and I've enjoyed it a lot. I will definitely be coming back and may even spend a week if things fell into line. Hoping to meet up with our _perempe _next time.


----------



## sospiro

Alexander said:


> My Budapest trip. Sorry in advance for the usual rambling style and irrelevant details.
> 
> I wanted to make my regular trip from Scotland to Malta more interesting without going too much out of the way or incurring too much cost. With the availability of low-cost carriers in Europe that was easily achieved with journeys at under £50 a time (no hold baggage but including extra legroom exit door seats!)
> 
> Inverness to Gatwick by _EasyJet_ with a night at Gatwick IBIS. Familiar territory for me. I was hoping to have time to visit my father in hospital once I got to Gatwick but the lousy train times conspired against me. That's left me feeling low, and guilty. The following morning I had my first experience of _Norwegian_ (the 3rd largest budget carrier in Europe). No complaints from me. Very easy shuttle bus from Budapest airport to the apartment, which was literally on the street behind the opera house.
> 
> And so to opera - a new production of *The Rake's Progress* at the State Opera House which perempe saw a couple of days ago. Very good I thought. They told the story with clarity and a very colourful and lively production. The children's climbing frame, swing and slide in the first scene became an adults' playground in the second. Use your imagination ;-). Definitely 18 rating here! I imagine some of their chorus would have enjoyed this more than others. Perhaps depends who you had to simulate sex with? The (rather young and attractive) Australian soprano singing Anne Truelove was the only native English speaker in the cast. She sung very well and was the most appreciated by the audience. The State Opera House is famously ornate and in a classic 18th c. horseshoe style. I was in the stalls where the seats were hard, impossible not to fidget a little. I will be seeking perempe's advice on softer seats for my next visit. Surtitles in Hungarian and English (even though this opera is in English). The program is in Hungarian and English.
> 
> I'll spare you the later drinking episodes, suffice to say I didn't sleep well and skipped breakfast to join a walking tour, which was fun. After lunch I slept, and if I hadn't set the alarm I would have missed my next opera.
> 
> In my opinion there are two kinds of cities in the world - those with opera houses and those without. But I should really have a category for those with multiple opera houses, cities where you have an odds-on chance of seeing opera on any given night. Budapest is in a select club with London, Berlin, Paris and Prague. (Please do tell me if there are others.)
> 
> A 25 minute walk in the rain gets me to the Erkel Theatre. Unlike the above-mentioned cities, both opera houses in Budapest are part of the same opera company. (That makes a lot of sense to me.) The Erkel Theatre is a modern and tasteful building with a single large balcony. I guess it doubles as a concert hall. Again I'm in the stalls, but with a comfortable seat in which to enjoy *Turandot*. The production is colourful and traditional. The orchestra sounded great, particularly the brass and percussion. The singers were passable, and a fine night at the opera was had by all. Nessun Dorma note: The score finishes a la Pavarotti recording so that the tenor can get his applause, then retraces a few bars to carry on. Subtitles in Hungarian only which is fine for me, even I know the plot of Turandot!
> 
> The printed program is in Hungarian and English. Same opera company, so the program is identical in format to the previous evening's. I like these programs, a little smaller than Opera magazine with loads of colour pictures of the production, so they are good mementos.
> 
> Let's talk costs. Compared to much of Western Europe, tickets here are extremely good value. My Erkel Theatre Turandot top-price ticket was 3960f (under £10). The equivalent at the State Opera was around £27. But please don't get the impression that the Erkel is in any way second rate. In fact I preferred it, firstly because the seats were more comfortable, and secondly because the people were dressed nicer. Unlike the State Opera theatre with tourists in t-shirts trying to get a wi-fi signal on their mobiles during the performance!
> 
> Time to wrap up. Tomorrow I fly Wizz Air (Europe's 4th budget airline) Budapest to Malta.
> 
> I'd been to Budapest briefly a few years ago, but this was my first time as a stopover opera visit and I've enjoyed it a lot. I will definitely be coming back and may even spend a week if things fell into line. Hoping to meet up with our _perempe _next time.


:tiphat: :clap:

Excellent and informative review Alexander. You've really given me incentive to see an opera in Budapest.


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## perempe

try Erkel's Bánk bán if you visit Budapest! it's unique. you can find the opera film on youtube (1:56:08; the most famous aria is at 50:00). 5 performances from 26th February until 22nd March .


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## Don Fatale

sospiro said:


> :tiphat: :clap:
> 
> Excellent and informative review Alexander. You've really given me incentive to see an opera in Budapest.


Thanks. The whole trip was hassle free and such a pleasure. I'm sure you'd enjoy it. If you need specific details feel free to PM me. My next dilemma is whether to see Mefistofele in Prague or Budapest (or both) in May. I've been to both opera houses before and like both cities, so it's hard to decide. Budapest owes me some sunshine after this last rainy trip!


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## Dongiovanni

Alexander said:


> I'll spare you the later drinking episodes


What are Sosprio and myself to think of this ??? What are we getting ourselves into I wonder ?


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> What are Sosprio and myself to think of this ??? What are we getting ourselves into I wonder ?


:lol:

Can't wait!!! ...................


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## Dongiovanni

Vienna trip has almost come to a conclusion. While waiting at the airport I finally have some time to write a short message. Saturday was a concert at the Musiekverein which was quite nice. Not to fond of the programme, but the Scheherezade was good.








_Meastro shaking hands with his concertmaster, who played beautiful solo's during the Scheherazade._

Sunday was Don Carlo at the VSO. No Harteros, apparently she preferred to join Der Jonas in Rome for a concert Aida which is to be recorded. Her replacement was ok. The stars of the night were Furlanetto and Hvorostovsky. Furlanetto showed the troubled king most convincingly, both acting and vocally. His aria got him a long and loud ovation. Never heard Hvorostovsky before, his voice is irresistibly beautiful. Halvarson as the inquisitor was excellent, with a little of a sharp edge in his voice, but that really suited the part. All three were loudly cheered at curtain calls, it helps they have the best tunes.














_Applause for the whole cast (L) and Furlenatto at the second curtain call (R). Everybody was applauding him, even members of the orchestra._







_Cast of Don Carlo_

Monday I planned to go to Barber of Saville by Paisiello, but the VSO changed their schedule and they tempted me with an Elisir... And so I saw that in stead. What a contrast with the darkness of Don Carlo... Our Dulcamara was a VSO veteran, and he was great, almost stealing the show at some points. Nemorino was not that good.... no belcanto here, but more loudness in stead. Adina was much better. Turns out I heard her before in Vienna as Papagena! Also fine acting, and she looks just too cute. Perfect for Adina. Some phrases did not turn out well though. But that may the circumstances, after all it was a programme switch at the last moment from La Juve, because the tenor was ill, and no replacement could be found.








_Elisir cast. In Vienna Elisir d'Amore's title is tanslated in German, so everyone talks about 'Liebestrank'._


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Vienna trip has almost come to a conclusion. While waiting at the airport I finally have some time to write a short message. Saturday was a concert at the Musiekverein which was quite nice. Not to fond of the programme, but the Scheherezade was good.
> 
> Sunday was Don Carlo at the VSO. No Harteros, apparently she preferred to join Der Jonas in Rome for a concert Aida which is to be recorded. Her replacement was ok. The stars of the night were Furlanetto and Hvorostovsky. Furlanetto showed the troubled king most convincingly, both acting and vocally. His aria got him a long and loud ovation. Never heard Hvorostovsky before, his voice is irresistibly beautiful. Halvarson as the inquisitor was excellent, with a little of a sharp edge in his voice, but that really suited the part. All three were loudly cheered at curtain calls, it helps they have the best tunes.
> 
> Monday I planned to go to Barber of Saville by Paisiello, but the VSO changed their schedule and they tempted me with an Elisir... And so I saw that in stead. What a contrast with the darkness of Don Carlo. ... Our Dulcamara was a VSO veteran, and he was great, almost stealing the show at some points. Nemorino was not that good.... no belcanto here, but more loudness in stead. Adina was much better. Turns out I heard her before in Vienna as Papagena! Also fine acting, and she looks just too cute. Perfect for Adina. Some phrases did not turn out well though. But that may the circumstances, after all it was a programme switch at the last moment from La Juve, because the tenor was ill, and no replacement could be found.
> 
> Pictures when I get home.


 

Sounds great!

Look forward to seeing the photos.


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## Dongiovanni

A little more on my trip. It was all about music... During the days I walked around the city and visited all those landmarks there are to see in Vienna if you are into classical music. I visited Schubert's birthhouse, Mozart's house where he wrote Figaro (locally that's why they call it the Figaro House), the Pasqualati house where Beethoven lived, the cafe where Beethoven drank his wine, the Lobkowitz house where the Eroica Symphony was first performed, the Theater an der Wien, where Beethoven lived (or had a private room) and where so many of his pieces were premiered. All these sites are part of the Vienna Museum and entrance is just some euro's. Especially the Mozart house is worth it. The surrounding streets have not changed since he lived there and the expositions keep you busy for 1 to 2 hours.














_First edition of the Köchelverzeichnis, Mozart's complete work. The size is just mindboggling. The view of his working room hasn't changed since he lived there. _

I did the tour of the VSO, which allows you to take photo's and you go backstage, where they were just building the Don Carlo sets.




















_The grandeur of the VSO is overwhelming... this is one of the rooms. Display is very hitech for libretto translations. One of the boxes. Each box has its own cloakroom, even a mirror !_


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## perempe

Alexander said:


> The State Opera House is famously ornate and in a classic 18th c. horseshoe style. I was in the stalls where the seats were hard, impossible not to fidget a little.










a little girl brought this one. if she can bring a pillow I can bring it too.


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## Don Fatale

That's it. I'm definitely bringing a cushion next time I'm in the stalls at Hungarian State Opera! Something similar to that one - my clan tartan.


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## nina foresti

Garanca/Kaufmann _Carmen_ next week. The only sold out run of the Met this season and I'll be there!


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## papsrus

Alexander said:


> ... But please don't get the impression that the Erkel is in any way second rate. In fact I preferred it, firstly because the seats were more comfortable, and secondly because the people were dressed nicer. Unlike the State Opera theatre with tourists in t-shirts *trying to get a wi-fi signal on their mobiles* during the performance!


This should go in the opera pet peeves thread. Just rude, especially since I assume the house cautioned the audience beforehand, as I assume they do at most opera houses, to turn off ALL electronic devices. One of the reasons for this, I've learned, is that some opera houses / concert halls have devices for the hearing impaired and cell phones, if not turned off, can cause interference with these devices. Probably unlikely that the Budapest State Opera has these, but still. There very well may be other electronics backstage that could be affected (recording equipment, sound effects equipment or some such). Turn off the phones, not just the ringer volume.

/rant


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## Don Fatale

How can I resist a Faustian weekend in Budapest at the end of May. Mefistofele on Saturday and Faust on Sunday. And to make it even more Faustian I'll probably be at a thermal baths looking at all the young Margherites and wishing I was 30 years younger!

I will also attempt to increase my Hungarian vocabulary beyond _Jo napot_ and _jo estet_, (good day and good evening).

Still undecided about whether to go to Bratislava for Wolf-Ferrari's Gioielli della Madonna on the Friday.


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## Guest

This thread is not what I expected!

I don't buy hallucinogens (or even green) myself, but I once mooched a tad bit and proceeded to listen to a Norgard opera. Will that suffice?

PS: The electronics were amazing.


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## Dongiovanni

Munich 2015 - Day 1 - Eugen Onegin

Arrived Saturday on time, all transport was smooth. Did no have much time left until the first performance, but there was enough time to have some food and check in the hotel. Production was ok for the opening, the duel scen was terrible... the finale was better. It certainly had a 'gay' theme to it all... lots of male dancers with sensual moves... not thanks from me. Talked to an American tourist who was completey shocked by these scenes. They were not very explicit though but I can imagine the shock if you don't know what's coming and if you are not used to the German regie movement.

Singing was good. Opolais needed some time to get into her part, the regie was not helping her. Very unconfortable clothes changing. During the first half her voive failed to reach me. Second part was much better. Even though Tatyana isn't the title role, she has the largst part in the opera. Nagy as Onegin was impressive. Very good singing, as was Dolgov as Lensky. The duel scene was ruined for me because of the regie, but vocally it was very strong. Also Lensky's aria before it. Bravo's were in place. A special praise for Groissböck, singing Gremin. What a voice ! Considering the ovations at the end, he stole the show from the lead singers.



























Two posters outside the BSO, the opening scene and the first curtain call

There was some commotion, several times someone was shouting something... he was silenced every time. At the curtain call that same person appeareed to have something against the conductor, I have no idea what this was all about.


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## Dongiovanni

Munich 2015 - Day 2 - A concert

There are many venues in Munich for classical music. The concert was at the Herkulessaal, which is part of the Münchner Residenz, close to the BSO. There is also a small park at the entrance of the concert hall. This is al very pretty, and the hall has a lot of grandeur. Sad to see the hall was only full for 50%.... the quality of the performance was very high, I always feel sad when seats are empty... a waste of such excellent musicmaking. The pogramme:

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy,"Hebriden"-Ouvertüre
Max Bruch,Violinkonzert Nr. 1, g-Moll, op. 26
Ludwig van Beethoven, Romanze für Violine und Orchester, G-Dur, op. 26
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Symphonie Nr. 3, a-Moll, op. 54, ("Schottische")

Performers:
Kolja Blacher, Violine
Württembergische Philharmonie
Michael Francis, Leitung




















The entrance of the concert hall, the soloist taking a bow, a view inside

It rained all day... so I spent the day in a museum. The Deutsches Museum has a very large exhibition of musical instruments, som of which being played on. A free concert  The museum is huge, if you are interested in science and technology, this is worth a visit.














The piano hall, it also has some organs


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## Dongiovanni

Munich 2015 - Day 3 - La Forza del Destino

The main attraction of this trip. And boy, was this good. The cast was great. A powerhouse of voices. Tezier was ill... and was replaced by Simone Piazzola (Carlo), who was a worthy partner to Kaufmann (Alvaro). Their duets were soaring, violent when needed. Their aria's were rocksolid, it's probably possible, but I can't imagine this being sung better. Same goes for Vitalij Kowaljow who sang both Leonora's father and the Padre. And then there was Anja Harteros (Leonora). When she sang her aria's the audience was holding their breaths... it's hard to describe the beauty of her voice, but let me try. It's always warm, never shrill. It has many colours, it has dynamics that are mindbogling. She easily rises over a full choir and orchestra. Everyting she does works, there is not a single note or a phrase that is off or that doesn't make sense musically. Her aria in the convent was stunning.. the acting was so convincing. At the curtain calls she got a very long and loud ovation. She was clearly the audience's favourite.

The production is again 100% regie, but it works for me. The 'baptising' scene is just too hard to perform on the stage, it looked not going the way it was planned. During the last scenes I kept fearing the singers would trip or fall in that wood of crucifixes. In one scene Alvaro has to stand on top of this construction... falling here would be very dangerous (to get an impression - check the curtain call pics). In the last scene Alvaro drops the metal cross on the floor which is noisy, and does not mix well with that final ever so soft orchestral part.




















Poster outside the BSO, and some curtain call moments. I lost count of the calls, here is one scene were Harteros and Kaufmann are called again, and Anja gives Jonas a big hug to the amusemt of the remaining audience.

And last but not least... that great acoustics of the BSO ! It's just fingerlicking good. You can almost feel the low tones of the timpany and bases, the sound has depth... and the reverb is just perfect.

Funny incident was the lady next to me scared to death when Alvaro's gun went of. She screamed ! It was funny, at a very non-funny moment.

Inspired by Annie I visited that record strore and some other music shops, one had a load of second hand books, of which I just had to buy three.

I stayed in the part of Munich which is called 'Altstadt-Lehel'. BSO is 10 minutes on foot. Many fine restaurants there, the one on the left has delicious Italian dishes and some fine wines. The one on the right is more 'posh' and has gourmet kind of dishes.









Left today. Apparently the DB is on strike... somehow they manage to keep the trains going or at least the one I needed to get to the airport.


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## xpangaeax

I am going to be in Russia December 18 - 29. Anxiously awaiting full announcements from the Bolshoi and Marinsky. In the meantime, I will jealously read and re-read dongiovanni's posts in Austria & Germany!


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Munich 2015 - Day 1 - Eugen Onegin
> 
> Arrived Saturday on time, all transport was smooth. Did no have much time left until the first performance, but there was enough time to have some food and check in the hotel. Production was ok for the opening, the duel scene was terrible... the finale was better. It certainly had a 'gay' theme to it all... lots of male dancers with sensual moves... not thanks from me. Talked to an American tourist who was completely shocked by these scenes. They were not very explicit though but I can imagine the shock if you don't know what's coming and if you are not used to the German regie movement.
> 
> Singing was good. Opolais needed some time to get into her part, the regie was not helping her. Very uncomfortable clothes changing. During the first half her voice failed to reach me. Second part was much better. Even though Tatyana isn't the title role, she has the largst part in the opera. Nagy as Onegin was impressive. Very good singing, as was Dolgov as Lensky. The duel scene was ruined for me because of the regie, but vocally it was very strong. Also Lensky's aria before it. Bravo's were in place. A special praise for Groissböck, singing Gremin. What a voice ! Considering the ovations at the end, he stole the show from the lead singers.
> 
> View attachment 69240
> View attachment 69241
> View attachment 69242
> View attachment 69243
> 
> 
> Two posters outside the BSO, the opening scene and the first curtain call
> 
> There was some commotion, several times someone was shouting something... he was silenced every time. At the curtain call that same person appeared to have something against the conductor, I have no idea what this was all about.


Always a shame when the regie interferes with the enjoyment.


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Munich 2015 - Day 2 - A concert
> 
> There are many venues in Munich for classical music. The concert was at the Herkulessaal, which is part of the Münchner Residenz, close to the BSO. There is also a small park at the entrance of the concert hall. This is all very pretty, and the hall has a lot of grandeur. Sad to see the hall was only full for 50%.... the quality of the performance was very high, I always feel sad when seats are empty... a waste of such excellent musicmaking. The programme:
> 
> Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy,"Hebriden"-Ouvertüre
> Max Bruch,Violinkonzert Nr. 1, g-Moll, op. 26
> Ludwig van Beethoven, Romanze für Violine und Orchester, G-Dur, op. 26
> Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Symphonie Nr. 3, a-Moll, op. 54, ("Schottische")
> 
> Performers:
> Kolja Blacher, Violine
> Württembergische Philharmonie
> Michael Francis, Leitung
> 
> View attachment 69244
> View attachment 69245
> View attachment 69246
> 
> The entrance of the concert hall, the soloist taking a bow, a view inside
> 
> It rained all day... so I spent the day in a museum. The Deutsches Museum has a very large exhibition of musical instruments, some of which being played on. A free concert  The museum is huge, if you are interested in science and technology, this is worth a visit.
> 
> View attachment 69247
> View attachment 69248
> 
> The piano hall, it also has some organs


I'll have to remember about this Museum next time I go.


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## Dongiovanni

xpangaeax said:


> I am going to be in Russia December 18 - 29. Anxiously awaiting full announcements from the Bolshoi and Marinsky. In the meantime, I will jealously read and re-read dongiovanni's posts in Austria & Germany!


The problem with opera trips is what to plan first... the travel, or the tickets. I alsways book the tickets first. That has given me some challenges in the past ! Let us know when you have more details ! Russia is on my bucket list... but I have no plans so far.


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Munich 2015 - Day 3 - La Forza del Destino
> 
> The main attraction of this trip. And boy, was this good. The cast was great. A powerhouse of voices. Tezier was ill... and was replaced by Simone Piazzola (Carlo), who was a worthy partner to Kaufmann (Alvaro). Their duets were soaring, violent when needed. Their aria's were rocksolid, it's probably possible, but I can't imagine this being sung better. Same goes for Vitalij Kowaljow who sang both Leonora's father and the Padre. And then there was Anja Harteros (Leonora). When she sang her aria's the audience was holding their breaths... it's hard to describe the beauty of her voice, but let me try. It's always warm, never shrill. It has many colours, it has dynamics that are mindbogling. She easily rises over a full choir and orchestra. Everyting she does works, there is not a single note or a phrase that is off or that doesn't make sense musically. Her aria in the convent was stunning.. the acting was so convincing. At the curtain calls she got a very long and loud ovation. She was clearly the audience's favourite.
> 
> The production is again 100% regie, but it works for me. The 'baptising' scene is just too hard to perform on the stage, it looked not going the way it was planned. During the last scenes I kept fearing the singers would trip or fall in that wood of crucifixes. In one scene Alvaro has to stand on top of this construction... falling here would be very dangerous (to get an impression - check the curtain call pics). In the last scene Alvaro drops the metal cross on the floor which is noisy, and does not mix well with that final ever so soft orchestral part.
> 
> View attachment 69249
> View attachment 69250
> View attachment 69251
> 
> Poster outside the BSO, and some curtain call moments. I lost count, here is one scene were Harteros and Kaufmann are calledd again, and Anja gives Jonas a big hug to the amusemt of the remaining audience.
> 
> And last but not least... that great acoustics of the BSO ! It's just fingerlicking good. You can almost feel the low tonesm the timpany and bases, the sound has depth... and the reverb is just perfect.
> 
> Funny incident was the lady next to me scared to death when Alvaro's gun went of. She screamed ! It was funny, at a very non-funny moment.
> 
> Inspired by Annie I visited that record strore and some other music shops, one had a load of second hand books, of which I just had to buy three.
> 
> I stayed in the part of Munich which is called 'Altstadt-Lehel'. BSO is 10 minutes on foot. Many fine restaurants there, the one on the left has delicious Italian dishes and some fine wines. The one on the right is more 'posh' and has gourmet kind of dishes.
> 
> View attachment 69252
> 
> 
> Left today. Apparently the DB is on strike... somehow they manage to keep the trains going or at least the one I needed to get to the airport.


Great write up and looks like you enjoyed Munich.

Vitalij Kowaljow sang Banco in 'our' Macbeth


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> Great write up and looks like you enjoyed Munich.
> 
> Vitalij Kowaljow sang Banco in 'our' Macbeth


How could I have missed that  I was enthousiastic about him back then !


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## Dongiovanni

A last note on the Onegin... Read this interesting review on Bachtrack (very nice website, btw, also very good for planning as it has also concert schedules).

So the idea is: Onegin is gay and thus rejects Tatyana... Lensky is also gay and while he makes a pass at Onegin he gets shots by the desperate Onegin, who won't admit to being gay. This is the duel scene, which is placed in a bed... Is this a link to Tchaikovksy himself ?

I'm such an idiot for not getting this at once !


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## Don Fatale

xpangaeax, just looking at the 2014 programmes seems you're pretty much assured of multiple operas in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Probably something by Rimsky-Korsakov! I had the Maid of Pskov when I went to St Petersburg, some years ago, luckily with Gergiev and Galina Gorchakova performing. Hopefully you'll have good winter weather, which for Russia means consistent sub-zero and snow packed down. Very atmospheric. Don't forget to visit The Tikhvin_Cemetery, where the graves and monuments of the major composers are virtually side-by-side.


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## xpangaeax

Alexander said:


> xpangaeax, just looking at the 2014 programmes seems you're pretty much assured of multiple operas in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Probably something by Rimsky-Korsakov! I had the Maid of Pskov when I went to St Petersburg, some years ago, luckily with Gergiev and Galina Gorchakova performing. Hopefully you'll have good winter weather, which for Russia means consistent sub-zero and snow packed down. Very atmospheric. Don't forget to visit The Tikhvin_Cemetery, where the graves and monuments of the major composers are virtually side-by-side.


Definitely on my list! I'd be thrilled for an R-K, Tchaikovsky, or Prokofiev Opera. And as you said, based on last year's schedule the chances are high that I'll get one. Worst case scenario, I end up seeing Mozart or Verdi in one of the greatest opera houses in the world... :lol:

This will be my 3rd time in Russia, 2nd winter, and 1st time with actual free time to finally do these things!


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## Cavaradossi

Hi folks!
Somewhat at the last minute, my significant other has been invited to sing at a summer program in Umbria. We're tacking on few days at the end to take in some opera. On the radar:

Rome Opera's outdoor productions at the Baths of Caracalla.
Rossini's Otello at La Scala, as well as a concert by the La Scala Philharmonic
Arena di Verona is also possibility.

We've been to La Scala and have a fairly idea what we're in for there, but l'm looking for commentary and advice on the two open-air options, as well as any other hidden gems we might be missing between Rome and Milan. Is Arena di Verona worth the detour?

_Grazie tutti!_


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## Don Fatale

In my opinion, the Arena di Verona is a must if you've never been before. It's very much about simply being there rather than just seeing an opera. Choose the classic Aida experience if you can, otherwise Nabucco for Va Pensiero alone. The evening can go past 1am, so Tosca may be better if you don't want to be out too late. Go for mid price and you will almost certainly get talking to your neighbours who will likely be opera fans from anywhere in the world. Quite easy to get tickets I imagine. It's been a while since I was there.

Whatever you decide I look forward to reading your trip report.


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## Dongiovanni

London May 2015 - Day 1

Traviata from the ROH. After an overload of regie, a conventional production. Sonya Yoncheva was ill, and replaced by Marina Rebeka. It was ok but during a Traviata I usually get choked up several times, but not tonight. Rebeka sang very fine, has a very attractive voice, her technique is almost flawless, although the high e flat in sempre libera was too much forced, better leave this out. I particular liked the ending of act 2 part 2. After Alfredo goes mad of rage she sang those very moving lines forgiving him with the sweetest voice you can Imagine. The audience liked her a lot. Right at her first curtain call, many people in the stalls jumped on their feet.

Our Alfredo was struggling at some time, and his top notes are just not that attractive. His acting was of a macho Alfredo, which does work, but not all the time. His father sang very well, with a very attractive tone. The Violetta and Giorgio duet (ditte... ) was one of the highlights.

We got a very complete performance, without the usual cuts, with some extreme tempi, that worked well. Our conductor did not like the applause during the performance and just went on... better to have a pause. We missed some parts because of this. 

In this production act 2 part 1 is the weakest. Act 3 is shockingly realistic with the blood stained pillow. I liked in act 2 part 2 how Giorgo reached out his hand to Violetta.

Boheme tomorrow. Fingers crossed...


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> London May 2015 - Day 1
> 
> Traviata from the ROH. After an overload of regie, a conventional production. Sonya Yoncheva was ill, and replaced by Marina Rebeka. It was ok but during a Traviata I usually get choked up several times, but not tonight. Rebeka sang very fine, has a very attractive voice, her technique is almost flawless, although the high e flat in sempre libera was too much forced, better leave this out. I particular liked the ending of act 2 part 2. After Alfredo goes mad of rage she sang those very moving lines forgiving him with the sweetest voice you can Imagine. The audience liked her a lot. Right at her first curtain call, many people in the stalls jumped on their feet.
> 
> Our Alfredo was struggling at some time, and his top notes are just not that attractive. His acting was of a macho Alfredo, which does work, but not all the time. His father sang very well, with a very attractive tone. The Violetta and Giorgio duet (ditte... ) was one of the highlights.
> 
> We got a very complete performance, without the usual cuts, with some extreme tempi, that worked well. Our conductor did not like the applause during the performance and just went on... better to have a pause. We missed some parts because of this.
> 
> In this production act 2 part 1 is the weakest. Act 3 is shockingly realistic with the blood stained pillow. I liked in act 2 part 2 how Giorgo reached out his hand to Violetta.


A friend went and, sadly, her opinion was the same. She had so wanted to see Yoncheva.



Dongiovanni said:


> Boheme tomorrow. Fingers crossed...


Last time John Copley's production will be performed and what a starry cast to bid it farewell. Hope they all turn up and hope you have a great evening!


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## Dongiovanni

London May 2015 - Day 2

La Boheme from the ROH

It's been a while since I saw a complete Boheme. I always forget how much I love this opera and most of all it's lovely melodies that are still in my head.

Our cast was starry indeed. Netrebko and Calleja sang the leads, and they are a dream team. Compared to the Milan 2012 and cd Netrebko's Mimi has grown and is even more interesting vocally. This was very much so in act 3 which was just heartbreaking. Netrebko sang a desperate Mimi, with the most intense expression. This made 'Donde lieta' even more bittersweet. Remarkable.

Calleja seemed to be in trouble in act 3, some of notes were cracked. On the whole his singing and tone is perfect for the part.

Act 4 was an emotional roller coaster. The Friends having fun was a delight to watch and hear. But we all knew what was coming. As soon as Mimi enters the friends change their mood in different ways to sad. This was probably rehearsed in great detail and was very effective. Especially the moment when Rodolfo realises Mimi is dead was and excellent piece of theatre. There was not a dry eye in the audience.

The three friends were all sung very well, with an outstanding Marcello. Musetta was lovely as a flirt, and warm as Mimi's friend, her singing was fine.

At the curtain call Copley appeared and was cheered loudly. I think he directed the revival himself.

A great night at the opera ! Tonight a concert at the Barbican, with one of my favourites: Brahms Germany Requiem.


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## Dongiovanni

London May 2015 - Day 3

Concert at the Barbican. Big programme, first Beethoven violin concerto, then Brahms German requiem. Unusual were the original cadenzas in the concerto, that was new to me. Enthousiast audience, asking for an encore which they got. It was an unusual and passionate performance which I liked very much.

The requiem was exquisite. Being one of my favourites I enjoyed it thoroughly. Great solos by Matthias Goerne and Sally Matthews who replaced Mia Persson who was sopposed to replace Dorothea Roschman. I really liked Goerne, who is one of my favourites in Schubert. Especially the choir got lots of cheers from the public, and well deserved they were. Fantastic sounds from the LSO under Daniel Harding.

What a lovely way to end this trip. Bye London !

Some pictures:


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> Last time John Copley's production will be performed and what a starry cast to bid it farewell. Hope they all turn up and hope you have a great evening!


The very last performance is conducted by Domingo, and has Haroutounian and Beczala in the leads. It appears now two performances are filmed.


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## Manok

Dongiovanni said:


> I live in Europe and there are many cities with great Opera venues here. Since a year or two I have started undertaking city-trip holidays to go to a live opera performance, but also to enjoy some days in the city.
> 
> So far I went to London, Paris, Vienna, Prague. Next is Milan.
> 
> Anyone else doing this ? What is your experience and what are your future plans ?


Going to Milan next fall and hope there is a performance during the days I am there. If not I will settle for a tour if they offer them.


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## Eramirez156

Manok said:


> Going to Milan next fall and hope there is a performance during the days I am there. If not I will settle for a tour if they offer them.


There is also the La Scala museum, well worth it, if there performances going on or not.


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## Dongiovanni

London June 2015 - Day 1

Two weeks have passed and I'm back again, what luxury. This year I managed to combine summer holidays with two opera trips, it all matched in the end. Lots of planning effort though.

Yesterday was Boheme, second performance of this run. First time I ever saw the same production twice, and also in the same run. A little inspired by Annie, who does this more often. I enjoyed it again. When Kasper Holten entered the stag and announced a cast change, he scared many people in the audience. The change was already in the addition to the cast sheet but he made it sound there was more... but no.

Interesting to see and hear it twice, as I expected, there were lots of differences. Netrebko still had the same approach to act 3,but with different phrasing, and it seemed to me with even more intensity. Calleja seemed in better shape. His act 4 was also more intense, especially the part in the end. Rowley was better than the first performance, and the overacting was much less now. She was loudly cheered at the curtain call.

What struck me this time was the orchestra. Probably it's the conductor who was to blame, but some parts were simply out of control. During act 3 the orchestra was not sounding as it should and at some parts, also out of control.

Just like the first performance, act 3 was my favourite. The intensity, phrasing and just those beautiful voices of Netrebko, Calleja and Meachem. At the end of act 3 I was just speechless and overwhelmed.

Next to me sat a man from New Zealand, who was lucky to get a ticket on short notice, without any planning! He always wanted to see always opera live and I congratulated him on his good choice.

Next is Don Giovanni, Friday. Tonight a concert in the Queen Victoria Hall.


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## Don Fatale

I think when you have this kind of cast it's definitely worth a second visit. Hope you enjoy your namesake tomorrow... I'm sure you will.


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> London June 2015 - Day 1
> 
> Two weeks have passed and I'm back again, what luxury. This year I managed to combine summer holidays with two opera trips, it all matched in the end. Lots of planning effort though.
> 
> Yesterday was Boheme, second performance of this run. First time I ever saw the same production twice, and also in the same run. A little inspired by Annie, who does this more often. I enjoyed it again. When Kasper Holten entered the stag and announced a cast change, he scared many people in the audience. The change was already in the addition to the cast sheet but he made it sound there was more... but no.
> 
> Interesting to see and hear it twice, as I expected, there were lots of differences. Netrebko still had the same approach to act 3,but with different phrasing, and it seemed to me with even more intensity. Calleja seemed in better shape. His act 4 was also more intense, especially the part in the end. Rowley was better than the first performance, and the overacting was much less now. She was loudly cheered at the curtain call.
> 
> What struck me this time was the orchestra. Probably it's the conductor who was to blame, but some parts were simply out of control. During act 3 the orchestra was not sounding as it should and at some parts, also out of control.
> 
> Just like the first performance, act 3 was my favourite. The intensity, phrasing and just those beautiful voices of Netrebko, Calleja and Meachem. At the end of act 3 I was just speechless and overwhelmed.
> 
> Next to me sat a man from New Zealand, who was lucky to get a ticket on short notice, without any planning! He always wanted to see always opera live and I congratulated him on his good choice.
> 
> Next is Don Giovanni, Friday. Tonight a concert in the Queen Victoria Hall.


I'm so pleased you enjoyed your repeat bohème. One of the reasons I love seeing the same production more than once is there's always so much to take in and impossible to see everything in one night.

Hope you enjoy DG. Have you seen this production before?


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> I'm so pleased you enjoyed your repeat bohème. One of the reasons I love seeing the same production more than once is there's always so much to take in and impossible to see everything in one night.
> 
> Hope you enjoy DG. Have you seen this production before?


I've seen parts of this production, and a documentary about it. I liked the previous production, looking quite traditional. Don Giovanni is always a problem to stage, and there have been some very strange ones indeed. For me it is essential that it is not taken too seriously, it is after all an opera with comic elements. I do have high expectations of the singing.

During the Boheme on the other side sitting next to me was a ROH veteran visitor, who had seen this production many times, including those starry casts from the past. Surprisingly, he thought it was time for something new, and modern.


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> I've seen parts of this production, and a documentary about it. I liked the previous production, looking quite traditional. Don Giovanni is always a problem to stage, and there have been some very strange ones indeed. For me it is essential that it is not taken too seriously, it is after all an opera with comic elements. I do have high expectations of the singing.


Hope you enjoy it.



Dongiovanni said:


> During the Boheme on the other side sitting next to me was a ROH veteran visitor, who had seen this production many times, including those starry casts from the past. Surprisingly, he thought it was time for something new, and modern.


Not too modern I hope!

One of the benefits of going on your own is striking up a conversation with seat neighbours. Something you probably wouldn't do if you were with a friend.


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## Dongiovanni

Just got back from Milan and I'm very happy all the travelling went smoothly !

A picture from the Boheme. John Copley was invited onto the curtain call, wanted to leave but Calleja pulled him back to take a bow together with the cast. Listened to his Desert Island Discs episode, and learned a lot of his background. He is a pianist and singer. During his career he played the piano together with Solti, and when the famous 1964 Tosca was rehearsed, Callas didn't turn up for the first rehearsel... being Zefirelli's assistant, he was on site and sang Tosca's lines so the rehearsel could continue. How about that ! We need more opera directors who can sing the parts as well as accompany the singers on the piano. Then the music gets the focus it deserves.









Day 2 was not about opera, but a concert. Pianists Alice Sara Ott and Francesco Tristano set the Queen Elizabeth Hall on fire, with their elictrifying performance of Ravel's 'La Valse' and Stravinksy's 'Rite of Spring'.


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## Dongiovanni

London June 2015 - Day 3: Don Giovanni

Let's start with the production. I had seen parts of it before. It all looks very high-tech. The details of these projection are very clever. Colours, shapes and names are used, but honoustly I don't see much added value here. It's good the full stage is used also in height, which gives the singers lots of space. I also like the rotating, which gives much opportunities in the scenes, which is used very well in the finale of Act 1, which is to me, as far as staging, the best part. With musicians on the stage, doing those virtuoso polyrythms as the bands play 3 different dances at the same time. The moment they start is nicely synchronous with the rotating of the cube. I didn't like act 2 however. I was really dissapointed by the staging of the dinner scene, and that the final sextet was cut. I get the idea of the Don ending up all by himself, but it appears the Don is by himself for the complete scene, Leporello being some ghost. This idea leaves out the really funny bits, Leporello quoting the tunes, stuffing his mouth with food. In short, we saw Don Giovanni as a very tragic drama cocnerning act 2. Luckily we had some comedy left in act 1. And one more final note on the production. I'm not a prude whatsoever, but the naked lady after the serenade by the Don is totally not making any sense, it just looks like a cheap trick to get some attention. There are so many better alternatives.

The singing was very well balanced, and there were no weak parts. Often, Zerlina and Masetto are the weak parts, but not here. I had high hopes of Lezhneva and she deliverd. Her voice is very hard to describe, her voice is big and small at the same time. The high notes are lovely, and effortless, the lower notes are not as shiny though. She acts the part lovely and looks great in her Zerlina dress. 'Vedrai, carino' is my favourite Zerlina aria and she sang it beautifully. Again, it must be the production, but during this very sensual aria we must see some interaction between Zerlina and Masaetto.

Masetto was sung very well, I loved the voice of Di Pierro, no doubt he can take on Leporello soon.

Ottavio was acted very convincingy as the utterly useless man he is. Villazon sang his parts in a not very Mozartian way (purists will not like this), still he convinced, had some trouble in the middle and I had doubts if he could go on... but he restored with a very moving 'Dalla sua pace'. Judging by the final applause, he was the public's favourite of the evening.

Elvira was put on stage as we see her often, the drama queen, lovesick and totally hysterical. Roschmann sang beautiful, what a voice she has, and so many expression to her emotions.

Anna was not innocent and naive as is shown most of the time, despite the clear istruction by da Ponte. Anyway, that's fine with me. But to make this all appear logical the production has to make a lot of twists.. and sometimes that just doesn't work. Especially just before 'Don Ottavio, son morta!'. The singing was however outstanding. Anna's aria's are some of my favourite DG parts, and Albina Shagimuratova deliverd, singing so effortlessly during those incredible hard pieces with a very pretty voice. Both 'Orsai chi l'onore' and 'Non mi dir' were outstanding and both got her an enthousiastic ovation.

My fouvrite of this performace would be Leporello. Esposito has a sweet voice, and is very comfortable in this role. Bravo.

Halfvarson as the Commendatore scared the living daylight out me during that final scene, standing in the middle (height and width) of the stage.

The Don was sang and played very convincingly by Maltman. I had high hopes, having him heard as Almaviva before, and also he deliverd. Looking sharp, his timbre suited the Don, sometimes edgy and rough, and sweet when needed. His aria 'Deh, Viena alla finestra' was so sweet. His duet with Zerlina was beautifully phrased. The fast bits were straining Maltman, especiall the famous champagne aria. Why not take it a little slower... At some point the Don lost the conductor, but that was only for a short moment. The final 'Ah' from the Don was not sung by Maltman, but it was a agonizing scream, that was very impressive. Wonder whose idea that was.

Orchestra played very well under Alain Altinoglu, some minor issues. I really missed those horns that hip orchestras have, they give those famous chord that terrifying sound. Modern horns just sound too sweet. Tempi were ok for me.

Curtain call photo:


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## Dongiovanni

Milan June 2015 - Day 4: Carmen

Cramped seats, lots of confusing about seat numbers, assistans have no cash change for the programmes, chaotic until the curtain is up, that's the Scala galleria ! A chance to hear and see Anita Rachvelishvili and Francesco Meli as Carmen and Don Jose. Both were outstanding ! Escamillo was sung very fine. Carmen is not really one of my favourites - I think the best parts are sung by Miceala (yes, I'm serious) and Don Jose (his famous flower aria). Tonight Micaela was sung by Nino Machaidze. Her voice simply does not appeal to me, her Micaela was not for me. So a bit of a dissapointment, however the very fine singing of Carmen and Jose made up for that. Spectaculair production by the way.

Curtain call photo:


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## sospiro

^^
Great reviews DonG and excellent organisation to pack all those into such a short time. I expect you're looking forward to getting back to work for a rest!


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## mountmccabe

Just committed to seeing Tannhäuser at the Met in October. I'll be in the city as part of a trip back east for a wedding. Levine conducts Botha, Westbroek, Mattei, and DeYoung.

I have never seen this opera and never seen Levine live so I am very excited.


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## Cavaradossi

And I'm all booked for Italy. Departing at later this week for five hopefully peaceful days taking in some chamber music in Assisi, then a bit of an opera whirlwind over the following several days:

_Madama Butterfly_, an open-air production at the Baths of Caracalla under the auspices of the Rome Opera.

_Otello_ (Rossini), at La Scala Milan. We've got second row seats in the 4th tier boxes. I've done the rear box seats before, so I have an idea of the contortions and compromised stage view that we're in for. So far, the pricey front seats in our boxes haven't sold yet, so fingers crossed for an upgrade opportunity.

_Nabucco_ at Arena di Verona.

Then back in Milan for an all-Mozart concert by the La Scala Philharmonic, this time from the Gallery.

(In the middle of all that, we've also got Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga in concert at the Umbria Jazz Festival, who, I must shamefully confess, beat out a _Turandot_ in Rome in our schedule-making.)


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## Dongiovanni

Cavaradossi said:


> And I'm all booked for Italy. Departing at later this week for five hopefully peaceful days taking in some chamber music in Assisi, then a bit of an opera whirlwind over the following several days:
> 
> _Madama Butterfly_, an open-air production at the Baths of Caracalla under the auspices of the Rome Opera.
> 
> _Otello_ (Rossini), at La Scala Milan. We've got second row seats in the 4th tier boxes. I've done the rear box seats before, so I have an idea of the contortions and compromised stage view that we're in for. So far, the pricey front seats in our boxes haven't sold yet, so fingers crossed for an upgrade opportunity.
> 
> _Nabucco_ at Arena di Verona.
> 
> Then back in Milan for an all-Mozart concert by the La Scala Philharmonic, this time from the Gallery.
> 
> (In the middle of all that, we've also got Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga in concert at the Umbria Jazz Festival, who, I must shamefully confess, beat out a _Turandot_ in Rome in our schedule-making.)


What a great combination and so much music ! The Otello cast is very promising - the Mozart concert has a lovely programme, wonderful combination with a concert, Susanna's lovely aria and the amazing Jupiter symphony ! Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga was unexpected but don't be ashamed, I admire Lady Gaga for doing a concert like this. Tell us all about it.

Enjoy the vacation !


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## Don Fatale

A ticket for Munich's new production of Mefistofele (29 Oct) arrived on my doormat this morning!
Mefistofele - René Pape 
Faust - Joseph Calleja 
Margherita - Kristine Opolai

Now I can start planning my next mini opera trip.


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## sospiro

Don Fatale said:


> A ticket for Munich's new production of Mefistofele (29 Oct) arrived on my doormat this morning!
> Mefistofele - René Pape
> Faust - Joseph Calleja
> Margherita - Kristine Opolai
> 
> Now I can start planning my next mini opera trip.


Fantastic!! Dream team.


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## Don Fatale

I managed to get a ticket for Werther (Villazon) on the previous night, so now it's simply a two-opera-nights trip to Munich. (28-29 Oct)

And in November a 4 night/opera stay in Budapest (Chenier/Butterfly/Don Carlos/Tosca), meeting up with dongiovanni and perempe.

We need to start thinking of a forum trip for the spring. New cities, new operas and maybe even meet some new forumites.


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## Dongiovanni

Don Fatale said:


> We need to start thinking of a forum trip for the spring. New cities, new operas and maybe even meet some new forumites.


Good idea! I'm looking at Dresden to combine opera and concert.


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## Don Fatale

That's a fine idea. Dresden would be good for me. Combining an opera house and concert hall is a good model.


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## Cavaradossi

Cavaradossi said:


> And I'm all booked for Italy. Departing at later this week for five hopefully peaceful days taking in some chamber music in Assisi, then a bit of an opera whirlwind over the following several days:
> 
> _Madama Butterfly_, an open-air production at the Baths of Caracalla under the auspices of the Rome Opera.
> 
> _Otello_ (Rossini), at La Scala Milan. We've got second row seats in the 4th tier boxes. I've done the rear box seats before, so I have an idea of the contortions and compromised stage view that we're in for. So far, the pricey front seats in our boxes haven't sold yet, so fingers crossed for an upgrade opportunity.
> 
> _Nabucco_ at Arena di Verona.
> 
> Then back in Milan for an all-Mozart concert by the La Scala Philharmonic, this time from the Gallery.
> 
> (In the middle of all that, we've also got Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga in concert at the Umbria Jazz Festival, who, I must shamefully confess, beat out a _Turandot_ in Rome in our schedule-making.)


Returned home and happy to report all performances exceeded expectations. I'll start with the La Scala performances, only because I don't have the Butterfly program handy:

7/17/15:
Otello: Gregory Kunde 
Desdemona: Olga Peretyatko 
Elmiro: Roberto Tagliavini 
Rodrigo: Juan Diego Flórez 
Jago: Edgardo Rocha 
Conductor: Muhai Tang 
Staging: Jürgen Flimm

The cast was uniformly strong and all brought their share of the requisite Rossinian vocal fireworks. Having seen JDF a few times before, I came with high expectations and his Rodrigo did not disappoint. Gregory Kunde's tenor was suitably heavier for the part of Otello. Edgardo Rocha's voice seemed on the light side for the scheming Jago and though very expressive was occasionally drowned out by the orchestra or ensemble. The orchestra itself was by far the most effective Rossini ensemble I've had the pleasure of hearing - a perfect and consistent balance of clarity, lightness, and weight. Maestro Tang received a few uncalled for boos from the gallery on his entrances and final bow, for no apparent reason to me except for not being Sir Eliot Gardiner, who pulled out of the production for unknown reasons several months ago.

The production was updated, apparently to Rossini's time, with no harm done. Costumes were lavish and detailed and sets were minimal, but overall a highly effective production that did justice both the drama (such as it is... the libretto is about 70% standard 19th century libretto clichés and 30% Shakespeare) and the singing. There was a shift to apparently contemporary times in the final moments of the opera, and an intriguing break of not only the "4th" wall of the stage but also the remaining three when the sets were lifted to completely expose the wings and backstage. I suppose this was done to imply some sort of dream or altered mental state of the protagonist, but thankfully it was done after the action was substantially concluded and no harm was done.

As far as La Scala logistics, we were in single seats in Boxes 10 and 11 on the 4th tier. (Seat number 3 in second row left.) For us, at 110 Euros there a were viable alternative to full price front box or stalls seats. Standing, we could see the entire stage and the sound was decent if you leaned in toward the auditorium. Fortunately, none of the remaining the rear seats were occupied, otherwise we'd be jostling for space the occupants of the deeper recesses of the narrow boxes. The usher mentioned that we could somehow get upgraded seats at the box office during the first intermission. We didn't see the need, but it's something to keep in mind.

And while the boxes were a bit stuffy due to their enclosed configuration, the air conditioning generally held its own against the July heat wave. Like most of the male attendees, I was able to maintain decorum despite the heat and leave my suit coat on throughout the evening.


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## Don Fatale

Thanks for the report. Glad to hear you had a great time. Looking forward to hearing about Verona and Caracalla too. 

As for La Scala, and their notorious boxes. I think I'll wait for something I really want to see and then splurge on a stalls seat. (I hate being uncomfortable at an opera)


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## The Conte

Don Fatale said:


> Thanks for the report. Glad to hear you had a great time. Looking forward to hearing about Verona and Caracalla too.
> 
> As for La Scala, and their notorious boxes. I think I'll wait for something I really want to see and then splurge on a stalls seat. (I hate being uncomfortable at an opera)


Nothing beats going into the galleria with the loggionisti. The accoustics are somewhat better up there as well.

N.


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## Cavaradossi

Well, I guess that's a good lead-in to the next installment:

7/19/15 - La Scala Philharmonic
Conductor: Minkowski Marc
Soprano: Hanna-Elisabeth Müller
Violin: Vilde Frang

All Mozart: 
Idomeneo, Balletto finale (Chaconne)
"Ah, lo previdi... Ah, t'invola agli occhi miei" K272 per soprano e orchestra
Concerto n. 5 in la magg. K 219 per violino e orchestra 
"E Susanna non vien!...Dove sono i bei momenti" da Le nozze di Figaro
Sinfonia n. 41 in do magg. K 551 "Jupiter"

I figured this would be a low key conclusion to five spectacular evenings of music but a good chance to finally experience the legendary galleria. I figured wrong on both counts. As we presented our tickets at the galleria entrance, the usher explained that at our option, we could could trade in our galleria tickets for a free upgrade. Trusting fate, we exchanged and were presented with a pair of tickets that turned out to be in the center of the third row of the stalls (!!). The orchestra was set up on an extension of the opera stage over the pit, so we were quite close. Sure, we probably got a tad more first violin than we would like - but they were clearly having a rollicking good time on the stage under Maestro Minkowski and brought us along for the ride. The strings were remarkably cohesive and translucent throughout, truly one of finest ensembles I've had the privilege of witnessing. Hanna-Elisabeth Müller gave a moving performance of both of her arias, so much so that _Dove Sono_ was encored in its entirety. All in all an unexpectedly glorious conclusion to the trip.


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## Cavaradossi

7/16/15 - Madama Butterfly at Terme di Caracalla, Rome

Cio Cio San - Asmik Grigorian 
Suzuki - Anna Pennisi 
Pinkerton Fabio Sartori
Sharpless - Stefano Antonucci 

Conductor - Yves Abel

We attended Madama Butterfly in the midst of an Italian heat wave, which didn't seem to put a damper on either the crowd or the performance. I was a little worried this would be opera for tourists, but needn't have. This was a fully professional production under the auspices of the Roma Opera with full orchestra. Amplification was used for both vocalists and orchestra due to the outdoor setting, but I didn't find it particularly distracting.

The preliminaries during the overture gave us a bit of a regie scare: a surveyor painting lines on the faux grass of the stage and servants in surgeon's masks setting up for the wedding banquet. However it all turned out to be in service of a passable update to modern times: B.F. Pinkerton was not a lieutenant in the US Navy, but the owner of the Pinkerton construction company, and Cio Cio San was but a squatter in an unfinished reinforced concrete structure in a forgotten corner of one of Pinkerton's developments. Images projected on the Roman ruins in the background effectively depicted steel structures morphing into luxury high-rises over the course of Act 2. As such updates go, certain specifics of the libretto must be breezed over and, especially with the hot, humid weather, it looked and felt a lot more like a developing country in Southeast Asia than Japan. It generally worked if you were inclined to be open-minded, but using the humming chorus to depict a late-night eviction of a community of squatters rather than Cio Cio San's vigil pushed the point more than I would have liked.

Asmik Grigorian was about a convincing Cio Cio San as I've seen. Attired in demin short-shorts and an American flag camisole in Act II, and brimming with energy and determination, she was a poignant and credible teenage bride. Although she appeared petite on stage, she brought great vocal power and expressiveness to bear at key moments in Cio Cio San's arias and dramatic scenes. The rest of the cast gave strong performances as well.

Caracalla logistics: We took the subway from our hotel near the Termini station, then caught a bus back because the subway stops running at 11PM. There was a taxi line after the opera, but it was quite long. We sat in the 7th row right side section, which I thought were good value at 75 Euros. The setting and the crowd were quite elegant. The casual stroll through the grounds to the opera stage was part of the experience, and the mostly Italian audience seemed to savor it. I was among only a handful of men in my "dressed up" shorts, but given the extreme heat, I didn't necessarily feel out of place. At intermission, there is an outdoor bar as well-appointed and elegant as any Italian opera house bar.


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## xpangaeax

Bolshoi is getting ever closer to giving me details for December... some November dates on their site, and the main splash page now features the 240th season instead of 239th. No I do not check the site 3x daily for updates....


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## Dongiovanni

Cavaradossi, I enjoyed reading your report an reviews very much. And how nice is it to have a performance to be so much better than expected! I just love when that happens. When I was in Rome I also had the problem of the underground being closed.. The bus just seemed to complicated, and I had no clue how to get a busticket.. So I decided to take a midnight walk through Rome, which was very nice, felt like I was in 'La Dolve Vita'


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## Cavaradossi

Final installment:

_Nabucco_ at Arena di Verona, 7/18/15

NABUCCO
Dalibor Jenis

ABIGAILLE
Susanna Branchini

ZACCARIA
Dmitry Beloselsky

FENENA
Sanja Anastasia

ISMAELE
Piero Pretti

More than one person told me beforehand that opera in the Arena di Verona is a must-see, and I can now vouch for that advice. The old Roman arena, the massive sets, the costumes, the chorus... it all makes for a singular experience. And of which seemed particularly appropriate for a biblical, chorus-heavy epic such as _Nabucco._

I suppose we saw the second cast, as other performance dates included more well-known names such as Luca Salsi and Ambrogio Maestri. Still, all the principles were strong and had no trouble filling the arena, miraculously _without_ amplification - neither did the chorus and orchestra. (No fewer than five harps were brought to bear for the overture.) Conductor Riccardo Frizza brought out great emotion from the chorus in _Va pensiero _, which was rewarded in extended applause and was encored in its entirety.

We sat in the lowest price seat-back seats (as opposed to the 25 Euro back-less seats on the bare stone of the arena), to the side of the stage and about 10 rows up from the pricey seats on the floor of the arena. Both the view and the sound were excellent, but I suppose the productions are designed to cater to the entire arena. I'll try to post some photos in the coming days. It must be seen to be believed.


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## Cavaradossi

Dongiovanni said:


> Cavaradossi, I enjoyed reading your report an reviews very much. And how nice is it to have a performance to be so much better than expected! I just love when that happens. When I was in Rome I also had the problem of the underground being closed.. The bus just seemed to complicated, and I had no clue how to get a busticket.. So I decided to take a midnight walk through Rome, which was very nice, felt like I was in 'La Dolve Vita'


Heh... we were fortunate to have a 24-hour transit pass and transit directions from Google maps at our disposal. I also thought a midnight walk by the forum and the coliseum was appealing in theory, but was thankful for the bus all the same as it whisked us by the less glamorous streets around the Termini station.


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## Don Fatale

Cavaradossi, I'm so glad that you got to visit Verona Arena. You make no mention of the weather so I assume it was fair. They have frequent thunder and lightening and rain delays. The whole scene and general vibe is fantastic, isn't it?

I'm glad also that they're still unamplified. When you mentioned this at the Caracalla, I feared you were going to report similar at Verona. It's a while since I've been, but I'm very keen to return one day.


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## Cavaradossi

The upside of the July Italian heat wave was generally cloudless skies for most of our trip. Actually it seemed like the heat wave reached its peak in Verona. However, the confirmation email for the tickets reminded guests that elegant attire was required for the prime seats and suggested elsewhere, so I donned my long pants and dress shirt and even slung a jacket over my arm, 'just in case'. 

A few other notes: the sets for other operas were charmingly stored in the open space in Piazza Bra adjacent to the Arena for anyone to have a close up look at. You also stroll past costumed extras preparing for the show as you seek out your gate. We made a dutiful visit to the church of San Fillipo where Maria Callas was married, and dined in the lovely garden at the nearby "Ristorante Maria Callas": decent food, exquisite service.

All in all, yes a fantastic experience and balm for the soul of anyone who is worried that opera is supposedly on its last legs. I'd love to go back and see their legendary Aida production.


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## Dongiovanni

I am in Paris now.... And the strike was cancelled, but still at least 3 performances were cancelled. I'm so lucky yesterday and tonight are saved.

Yesterday was Platee, which was very enjoyable. I booked it just to visit the Opera Garnier, didn't expect it to be so enjoyable. Great singing and great fun. Never laughed so much during an opera. Julie Fuchs is a fantastic soprano, and she was my favourite. Marc Minkovksy was conducting and he was also a part of the stage performance. I have pictures of what happened and will upload them when I get back home.

Did a guided tour today of Garnier which I can recommend highly. It's 90 minutes, for just 11 euros. Very good info and facts. If possible, you can visit the stage also. Pictures no problem.

Tonight it's Don Giovanni at the Bastille Opera.


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## Dongiovanni

Yesterday Don Giovanni had a very strong cast. Conductor Patrick Lange choose the tempi that were exactly to my taste. The sound of the orchestra was very good.

Outstanding were Ottavio (Polenzani) and Anna (Bengtsson), the latter being one of my favourite Mozart singers and she delivered again. Beatiful phrasing, extraordinary dynamics (she is the queen of the pianissimo singing) and this combined with such a attractive timbre. On top of this her appereance is elegant, as required for the noble Anna. Yes, I know I'm repeating myself, I've said it before. Despite of all the positive reviews, she does not have any opera recording so far. In 'Or sai chi l'onore' most singers choose to go for the high volume, but she kept it smaller, with great effect. 'Non mi dir' was the absolute highpoint of the evening, with a lot of cheering and extensive applause. Polenzani singing was fluid, never forced, and with a broad range in dynamics. His Ottavio is the best I've heard live so far.

The production, premiered in 2006 at the Garnier Opera, was done by Haneke, who is mostly known for his cinema work. It starts of promising. Modern times, corporate scene, the Don is probably a highly succesfull executive, Anna probably the daugther of the big boss, Zerlina and Masetto are part of the cleaning crew. The set is the same for all acts and shows a office space, with big windows showing a skyline view of a big city. We see the windows can open during the champaigne aria, then I knew how the Don would meet his end... and I was correct. So far so good, but many highlights of the opera are lost. The stagemusic just before the end of act 1 is barely audible, as is Zerlina while being attacked by the Don. With so many modern productions we get strange 'stopping' of the action, and the whole set is just too dark. The worst part and what ruined it for me was the finale, where the Commendatore was sung off stage and barely audible, the most important charachter in this scene ! I don't see any reason to do this... The Commendatore was on stage, but looked like a doll. What a terrible shame, the singer was very good and I feel so sorry for him. Also, the Don and the choir were not in balance. Luckily the final sextet was not cut. So a mixed bag to be honest... Still the great performance of the singers saved the night.








Curtain call picture

Next week I'm in London !


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## Dongiovanni

Yesterday I was at the ROH for Orphée et Eurydice. A new production. The orchestra is not in the pit, but on stage on a platform, going up and down during the performance, making he orchestra a part of the stage actions. Lots of modern dancing, which is just not for me. The music was outstanding, as I expected. The choire and orchestra sounded sublime. The singers were equally good, and the audience was very enthousiast. Juan Diego Flores was theor favourite. His singing was great, though at some points it sounded a very little forced. But his lines are very difficult. Lucy Crown has a very fine voice and lots of colours. For me the highlights was the choir, and Orphee's last aria.

The performance ran a little later... And I had just 1 hour to make it to the Barbican before Beethoven 4th piano concerto would start. Luckily I made it. This and Mahler's 4th were sublime. The sounds Haitink drew from the LSO were so beautiful, I just can't describe.

Off now to a lunch concert at Wigmore Hall.


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## Jorge Hereth

Guess a place few of you guys will have thought of is *Rio de Janeiro*. Yes, that same city most people only think of its beaches, sightseeing point and carnivals. But Rio de Janeiro is a real candystore for opera lovers!

Here the five main theaters for opera:

First of all, there's the very active Teatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro at Praça Floriano downtown Rio. It's a real must for opera lovers.

Another place you shouldn't miss is Sala Cecília Meireles at Largo da Lapa, right behind the 18th Century aqueduct. Several contemporary operas by Brazilian composers have premiered there.

And this one here, despite operas seldom appear there, appears to be becoming Rio de Janeiro's very center for general classical music: Cidade das Artes at Avenida das Américas, close to the Alvorada bus terminal in the Barra da Tijuca.

But a place very dedicated to opera is the Escola de Música da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (EM-UFRJ) at the Passeio, not far from the Sala Cecília Meireles (right on the other side of the enormous aqueduct); the Escola de Música is as well the college for musicology as also the conservatory of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and its theater, _Salão Leopoldo Miguez_, never loses the opportunity to present operas. And like _Sala Cecília Meireles_ on the other side of the aqueduct, they are an important point for premiering contemporary operas by Brazilian composers. A good point: entrance is often free.

Operas have become seldom at Teatro João Caetano at Praça Tiradentes, but it's worthwile giving a look.


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## Don Fatale

The objective of this tour was: An operatic jaunt through the 'Baltic States'. 3 countries, 3 days and 3 operas. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, or more specifically their capitals Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. With flight connections variable, i.e. not daily, and operas not performed every night, the first task was to find a series of dates where operas and flights lined up. And so it was:
24th Sept, Tallinn, Estonia - Cardillac (Hindemith)
25th Sept, Riga, Latvia - Il Trovatore (Verdi)
26th Sept, Vilnius, Lithuania - Manon (Massenet)

I arrived on the 23rd in Tallinn. Alas too pooped after two flights and a very early start to get along to the Onegin ballet. I settled for a nice meal, a beer and an early night. I had the whole of the next day to explore Tallinn (pop. 400,000) which can be done on foot. This is a famous medieval gem. Though not all picture perfect, the cobbled streets and old buildings are very appealing. It's a major tourist draw in summer, including stag parties from the UK and partying Helsinkians enjoying much cheaper drinks than at home. Alas it can give the impression of a place catering for people to get drunk amidst old buildings. After viewing the main sites, and taking in the sound of people tripping on uneven cobblestones (to which I contributed) I headed out to the new Seaplane Museum without seaplanes but housed in their former hangar. It was chock full of soviet military hardware, including a submarine. Not my thing really but it's a great museum and gets my stamp of approval thanks to the engrossing exhibit of Scott/Amundsen Antarctic expeditions. In the afternoon I went to the overrated KGB hotel exhibition. The tour guide rattles off the spiel to 20 people, shows some decrepit recording hardware, then you get to look at Tallinn from the 22nd floor. Nice but not essential.

Obligatory tourist bit over, now I'm set for the opera. The house is early 20th century, sort of empire art deco, rebuilt after WWII bombing. A siamese twin building with concert hall and opera house having their own matching frontages. It's a small theatre with 2 shallow curved balconies, 800 seats at most. I'm in mid-stalls.

The *Cardillac* production is modernish, somewhat abstract, all angles and raked floor, the performers dressed in baroque costumes with a modern fashion school twist. I'm not sure it was well sung or played, though Heli Veskus as 'The Lady' was notably good in her brief role. Voices were often lost in the melee of the orchestra's rise and fall.

Even with an intermission it was all over by 9pm. I headed across the road to Solaris, a modern shopping, eating and cinema complex with plenty of window seats overlooking the opera. Very handy for pre or post opera dining or snacks.

There's a full review (not by me) here:
https://bachtrack.com/review-cardillac-estonian-national-opera-may-2015

Estonian National Opera


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## Don Fatale

*Baltic trip part 2: Riga*

Next morning, I have a longish walk to the main bus station (or take a trolleybus) where my _Lux-Express_ bus awaits. Comfortable leather seats, lots of legroom, wi-fi, hot drinks and seat back entertainments systems all included. 200 movies, plus games, TV shows, music, even a library of TED lectures! We don't have anything like this in Britain. Wonderful. Four hours later I arrive in...

Riga, capital of Latvia and _Paris of the North_. This is one of the world's great Art Nouveau cities, but alas my rubbernecking time is limited. With its immaculate park and lake in the middle of the city, this place is elegant and relaxing.

In the evening I see *Il Trovatore*. The production was rather poor, updated to WWII or thereabouts, with the gypsies being some kind of militia? Trench coats, rifles, helmets etc. The singing was generally fine, but for the exceptional Azucena of Olesya Petrova. Every time she opened her mouth was a highlight, with a smooth, strong and really nice tone, giving no sense of the range difficulties this role presents to many. She was a Cardiff Singer of the World finalist in 2011.

I had a lovely chat over the intermissions with an elderly American couple sitting next to me. Except their accent wasn't fully American. Their families left Latvia in a hurry in 1945, as the Russians were coming in. He started to return in the 1990's and was able to reclaim some family land. He'd love to end his days in Latvia (going to operas every night), she'd rather be back in Chicago!

Next morning after an incredibly sumptuous hotel breakfast I head off to the bus station which is next to Riga's famous market. What sights and smells, mushrooms like small loaves of bread! A foodies paradise. But I have to get on my next Lux-Express bus for my 4 hour journey to Vilnius.

There's to be no movie for me on this journey. A friendly lady takes the seat next to me and offers me a boiled sweet. Visiting someone in Vilnius I ask. Working, she replies. She is a producer and long time voice of Latvia's classical radio. Covering a concert at the Philharmonic hall that evening. It was a very interesting journey as we talked about everything from choral music to Pink Floyd LPs in 70's Russia, and some much more personal stuff. I hope we'll stay in touch.

Latvian State Opera








What? You've never heard about the leaning opera house of Riga? This forms part of my series, 'bad photos of great opera houses'.


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## Don Fatale

Vilnius is a more classically styled European city with its baroque churches and building. My hotel is near the Gates of Dawn. Alas, Pink Floyd fans, no pipers there, just beggars. It's a catholic shrine these days.

The Vilnius opera house dates from the 1970's so this is a rather large Soviet era house, all brick and glass. But frankly it's nicer than the Soviet-era buildings we have in the UK!

The public areas are spacious with prominence as ever in Russian/North European houses given to the cloakrooms. I liked the bar areas, loads of fixed leatherette stools around many island bars. Plenty of space for everyone.

Most of the audience are in the comfy high-backed chairs of the steeply raked stalls. The balconies have some even more comfortable chairs (i.e. politburo, heads of state) for a little extra!

And so to *Manon*, one of Massenet's great works. This is a new co-production with San Francisco, although I don't think it's reached the latter yet. It's beautiful. Colour and light, reflections and shadows. Great costumes. Theatrical effects too, as when Manon floats down clutching a bunch of colourful helium balloons, drawing audience applause.

The appreciative audience gave a standing ovation at the end. It was a fine evening, giving the kind of audio-visual treat that you should expect at an opera. However I felt the singers were a little weak, Fabienne Conrad as Manon, didn't make me want to hear her Mimi or Butterfly, she seems more of an operetta singer. Her chemistry with de Grieux (Ho-Yoon Chung) never convinced - and alas, the last act left me unmoved.

Get this production in San Francisco with some great singers and it will surely be a hit. Probably the best thing I've seen in quite some time.

The following day I have time to explore the compact old town. When the weather is fine, it's a great place to linger and stroll. Both the philharmonic hall and the opera house have regular sunday lunchtime family concerts. There was a jazz concert in President's Park which I was able to enjoy, not something I often say.

All that remained was the shuttle train to the airport, which takes 7 minutes, not because it's a bullet train but because it's just three miles away. The ticket costs €0.80.

In summary, the trip couldn't have gone better. I saw some operas which whilst not world class performances were all in great buildings and surroundings. I enjoyed my brief touristic jaunts, and would happily revisit all the cities.

The 3 day/country/opera tour works well although needs a lot of planning and stars aligning to get consecutive opera nights. Tallinn might work better as a twin-city trip with Helsinki, just an hour or two on the ferry across the Baltic. Vilnius could combine with nearby Minsk in Belarus, or Warsaw a little further.

Lithuanian State Opera







It took ages waiting for the cars and buses to disappear and for the wheelchair to come into view. I'm pretty proud of this shot ;-)


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## sospiro

:tiphat: Great reviews DF!

I'm guessing that the whole trip cost less than a weekend in London at ROH and Colisseum,


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## Don Fatale

Thanks Annie. Nice hotels €54-€59, Good opera tickets €22-€33, food, drink, travel all good value, although they complain that prices have rocketed since changing to the €uro!

Where's your trip report from Bucharest? I'd love to hear about it.


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## sospiro

Don Fatale said:


> Where's your trip report from Bucharest? I'd love to hear about it.


I know, I must write it up, getting a bit behind with my reports. Still trying to come down to earth after a stunning _Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria_ at the Barbican last night.


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## Belowpar

DonF thank you, fantastic report. I feel this has opened up new possibilities. 

If you did it again would you double the time and allow more opportunity to explore the cities they are all new to me?


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## Don Fatale

Belowpar,

I enjoyed being 'in the zone' (3 operas/countries/days) but having two nights in each place would be better, giving a chance to do a guided walking tour, lunch and museums, rather than being on a bus. That would be a splendid week-long trip, but perhaps not in winter!

As per my previous post, there are other variations to consider too.


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## crisryan

Does anyone have plans to visit NYC for this Fall season at the MetOpera?


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## sospiro

crisryan said:


> Does anyone have plans to visit NYC for this Fall season at the MetOpera?


Would love to but only if I win the Lotto!


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## Dongiovanni

Don Fatale said:


> The objective of this tour was: An operatic jaunt through the 'Baltic States'. 3 countries, 3 days and 3 operas. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, or more specifically their capitals Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. With flight connections variable, i.e. not daily, and operas not performed every night, the first task was to find a series of dates where operas and flights lined up. And so it was:
> 24th Sept, Tallinn, Estonia - Cardillac (Hindemith)
> 25th Sept, Riga, Latvia - Il Trovatore (Verdi)
> 26th Sept, Vilnius, Lithuania - Manon (Massenet)
> 
> View attachment 75760


It's a pleasure reading your reports, and bravo to your planning skills ! Very inspring, a multiple city opera trip. I have to look into that, and if possible we could make that into a forum trip. Those prices are also very tempting.


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## Don Fatale

Munich, 28-29 Oct.

Mefistofele is the main reason for this visit. A chance to see one of my favourite operas with a great cast. So I tacked on Werther with Villazon the previous evening just to make a trip of it.

Really there's not much to report, apart from almost missing my flight. Got to check-in just as they were closing. Rolled eyes from the guy behind the counter. Huge sigh from me. Cutting it a bit fine there, but it's still a better policy than 3 tedious hours waiting at an airport.

I had plenty of time to check into the hotel and wander around the centre. My first visit to the opera here but not to the city. The most recent was the World Cup semi-final in 2006 (oh my, time flies!) Lunch was of course at the Viktualienmarkt, to join in with the locals paying not a bit of notice to the WHO's announcements as they smoke, drink and eat sausages as they always have.

First night it's Werther with Rolando Villazon. Rather static staging, the side walls covered in scrawled writing, illustrative of his fevered mind I guess. Smack dab in the middle of the stage throughout is a large boulder on which sits Werther's desk, and which is invisible to everyone else. You'd think one of the kids on stage would mention it to their uncle, but no, its invisibility cloak is just too good!

Villazon's French diction doesn't convince and it feels by rote, although things improve on the notable arias. Let's face it, Werther is a downer. At least the composer's Manon is enlivened by comique scenes before the tragic last act.

To be continued...


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## Don Fatale

(continued)

An early night after Werther, not even a bar on the way back to the hotel.

The next day. What shall I do until curtain up at 19:00? There's plenty to see in Munich. It so happens there's a concert featuring one of the world's great violinists at 10am. Perhaps I could go there? It's a public rehearsal at the Philharmonie. I stroll in at 9:30 and buy a ticket for the flat rate €10. I'm dressed like most of the orchestra, in jeans. I read somewhere that this massive brick concert hall doesn't cut it in this modern age (similar to the current Barbican Hall discussions) but it seems fine to me. A good acoustic I thought. It's Maxim Vengerov in Tchaik's Violin Concerto (and a few rehearsal reruns too) then a scintillating Dvorak's 8th symphony. I've enjoyed a great concert and it's only midday! Next, I walk back to the Nationaltheater (i.e. opera house) and try for a guided tour. €7 secures me a berth on the German language tour at 2pm. Time for a leisurely lunch at the Viktualienmarkt again. A huge slab of roast pork, kartofel, and beer.

A half hour into the guided tour, and we're still getting a verbose lecture in front of house. My German language skills are negligible. There aren't many laughs coming from the mainly German tourists, so I guess I'm just missing a dry history lesson. In any case I had the English crib sheet with the ticket which summarises the main points of the talk. Finally we get what we came for - Dressing rooms, backstage, cavernous understage with its state-of-the-art hydraulics), and finally the orchestra pit. This house is very spacious front and backstage and in great shape. We saw the stage hands setting up Mefistofele of course, giving my first (ominous!) taste of this production.

I think I've touched on this before - having a sedentary hobby such as opera-going needs a healthy counter-balance. The perfect way to do this is to be a _flaneur_ - a stroller and observer of cities. To a flaneur, a city and its people are like a museum, without the entrance fee, and with more choice of cafes. So what did I observe? Firstly it's widely acknowledged that Munich is a great city to live in by any measures; the biggest and most prosperous in Germany. It also boasts more beggars than any city I've seen in a while!

I also observed a lot of street musicians, including a quartet featuring a grand piano that gets wheeled around to various locations. In fact they seemed to be following me. So the solution, like avoiding daleks, is to find some steps to go up. If there's one thing that all buskers here have in common, from a humble accordianist to this savvy quartet, it's a suitcase with CDs for sale at €15. CDs from buskers are always impulse buys you'll regret. Topped only by timeshare apartments. When I see someone about to buy, part of me want to stop them and save them €15, but alas it's a lesson they need to learn for themselves. Of course the other thing one can't fail to notice is the amount of folk from the Middle East.

I've delayed it long enough. Now I have to write about Mefistofele, and the fact that I spent plenty of money to see one of my favourite operas with a great cast. The abstract metal frame IS the set from start to finish. Many smaller props are used throughout, together with liberal use of the hydraulic stage, enough to make the viewer seasick. In this production Heaven has been closed down, and much of what we see in the prelude is projected on a screen, with Mefistofele and his cohorts lounge around in soft chairs to watch. The projected images included Central Park, New York, Upper West side and John Lennon's face appear (Imagine there's no Heaven, ha ha!). And then towers, and a picture of a passenger airliner in flight. Surely they're not going to? It's getting pretty close to the mark, but thankfully they stop short. What point they're trying to make is anyone's guess. The Prologue ends and receives barely any applause, and it's not because the audience is stunned. It's simply that the production is DIRE.

Thankfully Joseph Calleja is making a good fist of his parts, and it's pretty much his night.Clear some space on the stage and let him sing, seems to be the policy. Rene Pape as Mefistofele literally takes a back seat most of the time, even singing sometimes from his beat-up low armchair at the side of the stage. I think they're trying to make the point that he's lacking motivation without his old adversary to pit his wits against. (I think the plot reworking is borrowed from cartoon film Megamind, although that film is far more entertaining.) As Margherita Kristine Opalais sings a fine L'Altra Notte in Fondo al Mare. Margerita's salvation at the end of the act had me shedding a few tears in Budapest earlier this year. Not a chance here, as another act ends with a whimper. The audience know they're watching a stinker. What a pity this is their first exposure to Mefistofele.

Opalais's work is over as 'Helen of Troy' is sung by somebody else. Ah, the exotic setting of ancient Troy for the 4th act... except here it's set in a grotty old people's home, Elena is a nurse and Faust one of the residents. I need not go on. What a dreadful disappointment this production is. I just found a review on ft.com with the same sentiments.

Afterwards I bumped into Calleja and had a few words and a handshake while waiting for my tram. yes, he was out of the building pretty quick.

It's been a pleasant couple of days, particularly with the concert added. I'm happy to return to Munich again, but I'd want to check on the quality of the production first!


----------



## Don Fatale

Sorry, time is tight. Pictures to follow later.


----------



## Belowpar

Don Fatale said:


> (continued)
> 
> An early night after Werther, not even a bar on the way back to the hotel.
> 
> The next day. What shall I do until curtain up at 19:00? There's plenty to see in Munich. It so happens there's a concert featuring one of the world's great violinists at 10am. Perhaps I could go there? It's a public rehearsal at the Philharmonie. I stroll in at 9:30 and buy a ticket for the flat rate €10. I'm dressed like most of the orchestra, in jeans. I read somewhere that this massive brick concert hall doesn't cut it in this modern age (similar to the current Barbican Hall discussions) but it seems fine to me. A good acoustic I thought. It's Maxim Vengerov in Tchaik's Violin Concerto (and a few rehearsal reruns too) then a scintillating Dvorak's 8th symphony. I've enjoyed a great concert and it's only midday! Next, I walk back to the Nationaltheater (i.e. opera house) and try for a guided tour. €7 secures me a berth on the German language tour at 2pm. Time for a leisurely lunch at the Viktualienmarkt again. A huge slab of roast pork, kartofel, and beer.
> 
> A half hour into the guided tour, and we're still getting a verbose lecture in front of house. My German language skills are negligible. There aren't many laughs coming from the mainly German tourists, so I guess I'm just missing a dry history lesson. In any case I had the English crib sheet with the ticket which summarises the main points of the talk. Finally we get what we came for - Dressing rooms, backstage, cavernous understage with its state-of-the-art hydraulics), and finally the orchestra pit. This house is very spacious front and backstage and in great shape. We saw the stage hands setting up Mefistofele of course, giving my first (ominous!) taste of this production.
> 
> I think I've touched on this before - having a sedentary hobby such as opera-going needs a healthy counter-balance. The perfect way to do this is to be a _flaneur_ - a stroller and observer of cities. To a flaneur, a city and its people are like a museum, without the entrance fee, and with more choice of cafes. So what did I observe? Firstly it's widely acknowledged that Munich is a great city to live in by any measures; the biggest and most prosperous in Germany. It also boasts more beggars than any city I've seen in a while!
> 
> I also observed a lot of street musicians, including a quartet featuring a grand piano that gets wheeled around to various locations. In fact they seemed to be following me. So the solution, like avoiding daleks, is to find some steps to go up. If there's one thing that all buskers here have in common, from a humble accordianist to this savvy quartet, it's a suitcase with CDs for sale at €15. CDs from buskers are always impulse buys you'll regret. Topped only by timeshare apartments. When I see someone about to buy, part of me want to stop them and save them €15, but alas it's a lesson they need to learn for themselves. Of course the other thing one can't fail to notice is the amount of folk from the Middle East.
> 
> I've delayed it long enough. Now I have to write about Mefistofele, and the fact that I spent plenty of money to see one of my favourite operas with a great cast. The abstract metal frame IS the set from start to finish. Many smaller props are used throughout, together with liberal use of the hydraulic stage, enough to make the viewer seasick. In this production Heaven has been closed down, and much of what we see in the prelude is projected on a screen, with Mefistofele and his cohorts lounge around in soft chairs to watch. The projected images included Central Park, New York, Upper West side and John Lennon's face appear (Imagine there's no Heaven, ha ha!). And then towers, and a picture of a passenger airliner in flight. Surely they're not going to? It's getting pretty close to the mark, but thankfully they stop short. What point they're trying to make is anyone's guess. The Prologue ends and receives barely any applause, and it's not because the audience is stunned. It's simply that the production is DIRE.
> 
> Thankfully Joseph Calleja is making a good fist of his parts, and it's pretty much his night.Clear some space on the stage and let him sing, seems to be the policy. Rene Pape as Mefistofele literally takes a back seat most of the time, even singing sometimes from his beat-up low armchair at the side of the stage. I think they're trying to make the point that he's lacking motivation without his old adversary to pit his wits against. (I think the plot reworking is borrowed from cartoon film Megamind, although that film is far more entertaining.) As Margherita Kristine Opalais sings a fine L'Altra Notte in Fondo al Mare. Margerita's salvation at the end of the act had me shedding a few tears in Budapest earlier this year. Not a chance here, as another act ends with a whimper. The audience know they're watching a stinker. What a pity this is their first exposure to Mefistofele.
> 
> Opalais's work is over as 'Helen of Troy' is sung by somebody else. Ah, the exotic setting of ancient Troy for the 4th act... except here it's set in a grotty old people's home, Elena is a nurse and Faust one of the residents. I need not go on. What a dreadful disappointment this production is. I just found a review on ft.com with the same sentiments.
> 
> Afterwards I bumped into Calleja and had a few words and a handshake while waiting for my tram. yes, he was out of the building pretty quick.
> 
> It's been a pleasant couple of days, particularly with the concert added. I'm happy to return to Munich again, but I'd want to check on the quality of the production first!


Thank you so much for taking the time to report this. One day I hope to have more time and I can follow in your footsteps.

Café life or "street theatre" as a friend of mine calls it.

A picture of John Lennon would be enough to turn me into one of the Reggie haters!

Look forward to the pictures.


----------



## Belowpar

I am going to The Marriage of Figaro tonight.

Just checked on Google Earth and it's 850 yards from my front door.

Shortest trip on the thread?


----------



## sospiro

Don Fatale said:


> (continued)
> 
> An early night after Werther, not even a bar on the way back to the hotel.
> 
> The next day. What shall I do until curtain up at 19:00? There's plenty to see in Munich. It so happens there's a concert featuring one of the world's great violinists at 10am. Perhaps I could go there? It's a public rehearsal at the Philharmonie. I stroll in at 9:30 and buy a ticket for the flat rate €10. I'm dressed like most of the orchestra, in jeans. I read somewhere that this massive brick concert hall doesn't cut it in this modern age (similar to the current Barbican Hall discussions) but it seems fine to me. A good acoustic I thought. It's Maxim Vengerov in Tchaik's Violin Concerto (and a few rehearsal reruns too) then a scintillating Dvorak's 8th symphony. I've enjoyed a great concert and it's only midday! Next, I walk back to the Nationaltheater (i.e. opera house) and try for a guided tour. €7 secures me a berth on the German language tour at 2pm. Time for a leisurely lunch at the Viktualienmarkt again. A huge slab of roast pork, kartofel, and beer.
> 
> A half hour into the guided tour, and we're still getting a verbose lecture in front of house. My German language skills are negligible. There aren't many laughs coming from the mainly German tourists, so I guess I'm just missing a dry history lesson. In any case I had the English crib sheet with the ticket which summarises the main points of the talk. Finally we get what we came for - Dressing rooms, backstage, cavernous understage with its state-of-the-art hydraulics), and finally the orchestra pit. This house is very spacious front and backstage and in great shape. We saw the stage hands setting up Mefistofele of course, giving my first (ominous!) taste of this production.
> 
> I think I've touched on this before - having a sedentary hobby such as opera-going needs a healthy counter-balance. The perfect way to do this is to be a _flaneur_ - a stroller and observer of cities. To a flaneur, a city and its people are like a museum, without the entrance fee, and with more choice of cafes. So what did I observe? Firstly it's widely acknowledged that Munich is a great city to live in by any measures; the biggest and most prosperous in Germany. It also boasts more beggars than any city I've seen in a while!
> 
> I also observed a lot of street musicians, including a quartet featuring a grand piano that gets wheeled around to various locations. In fact they seemed to be following me. So the solution, like avoiding daleks, is to find some steps to go up. If there's one thing that all buskers here have in common, from a humble accordianist to this savvy quartet, it's a suitcase with CDs for sale at €15. CDs from buskers are always impulse buys you'll regret. Topped only by timeshare apartments. When I see someone about to buy, part of me want to stop them and save them €15, but alas it's a lesson they need to learn for themselves. Of course the other thing one can't fail to notice is the amount of folk from the Middle East.
> 
> I've delayed it long enough. Now I have to write about Mefistofele, and the fact that I spent plenty of money to see one of my favourite operas with a great cast. The abstract metal frame IS the set from start to finish. Many smaller props are used throughout, together with liberal use of the hydraulic stage, enough to make the viewer seasick. In this production Heaven has been closed down, and much of what we see in the prelude is projected on a screen, with Mefistofele and his cohorts lounge around in soft chairs to watch. The projected images included Central Park, New York, Upper West side and John Lennon's face appear (Imagine there's no Heaven, ha ha!). And then towers, and a picture of a passenger airliner in flight. Surely they're not going to? It's getting pretty close to the mark, but thankfully they stop short. What point they're trying to make is anyone's guess. The Prologue ends and receives barely any applause, and it's not because the audience is stunned. It's simply that the production is DIRE.
> 
> Thankfully Joseph Calleja is making a good fist of his parts, and it's pretty much his night.Clear some space on the stage and let him sing, seems to be the policy. Rene Pape as Mefistofele literally takes a back seat most of the time, even singing sometimes from his beat-up low armchair at the side of the stage. I think they're trying to make the point that he's lacking motivation without his old adversary to pit his wits against. (I think the plot reworking is borrowed from cartoon film Megamind, although that film is far more entertaining.) As Margherita Kristine Opalais sings a fine L'Altra Notte in Fondo al Mare. Margerita's salvation at the end of the act had me shedding a few tears in Budapest earlier this year. Not a chance here, as another act ends with a whimper. The audience know they're watching a stinker. What a pity this is their first exposure to Mefistofele.
> 
> Opalais's work is over as 'Helen of Troy' is sung by somebody else. Ah, the exotic setting of ancient Troy for the 4th act... except here it's set in a grotty old people's home, Elena is a nurse and Faust one of the residents. I need not go on. What a dreadful disappointment this production is. I just found a review on ft.com with the same sentiments.
> 
> Afterwards I bumped into Calleja and had a few words and a handshake while waiting for my tram. yes, he was out of the building pretty quick.
> 
> It's been a pleasant couple of days, particularly with the concert added. I'm happy to return to Munich again, but I'd want to check on the quality of the production first!




Oh what a shame. That's the trouble with new productions, you don't know what they'll be like. I've never seen _Mefistofele_ live and only have the Samuel Ramey DVD so his performance is the only one I know. A hard act to follow.

Despite the disappointment, I'm pleased you had an enjoyable time in Munich.


----------



## Don Fatale

Belowpar said:


> I am going to The Marriage of Figaro tonight.
> 
> Just checked on Google Earth and it's 850 yards from my front door.
> 
> Shortest trip on the thread?


Yep, I think you've got that one sewn up. Walking home from opera is a great thing. A pity there aren't more London forumites to meet up with.


----------



## Dongiovanni

Don Fatale said:


> Yep, I think you've got that one sewn up. Walking home from opera is a great thing. A pity there aren't more London forumites to meet up with.


I'll be in London for Onegin opening night.


----------



## Dongiovanni

Don Fatale said:


> (continued)
> 
> An early night after Werther, not even a bar on the way back to the hotel.
> 
> The next day. What shall I do until curtain up at 19:00? There's plenty to see in Munich. It so happens there's a concert featuring one of the world's great violinists at 10am. Perhaps I could go there? It's a public rehearsal at the Philharmonie. I stroll in at 9:30 and buy a ticket for the flat rate €10. I'm dressed like most of the orchestra, in jeans. I read somewhere that this massive brick concert hall doesn't cut it in this modern age (similar to the current Barbican Hall discussions) but it seems fine to me. A good acoustic I thought. It's Maxim Vengerov in Tchaik's Violin Concerto (and a few rehearsal reruns too) then a scintillating Dvorak's 8th symphony. I've enjoyed a great concert and it's only midday! Next, I walk back to the Nationaltheater (i.e. opera house) and try for a guided tour. €7 secures me a berth on the German language tour at 2pm. Time for a leisurely lunch at the Viktualienmarkt again. A huge slab of roast pork, kartofel, and beer.
> 
> A half hour into the guided tour, and we're still getting a verbose lecture in front of house. My German language skills are negligible. There aren't many laughs coming from the mainly German tourists, so I guess I'm just missing a dry history lesson. In any case I had the English crib sheet with the ticket which summarises the main points of the talk. Finally we get what we came for - Dressing rooms, backstage, cavernous understage with its state-of-the-art hydraulics), and finally the orchestra pit. This house is very spacious front and backstage and in great shape. We saw the stage hands setting up Mefistofele of course, giving my first (ominous!) taste of this production.
> 
> I think I've touched on this before - having a sedentary hobby such as opera-going needs a healthy counter-balance. The perfect way to do this is to be a _flaneur_ - a stroller and observer of cities. To a flaneur, a city and its people are like a museum, without the entrance fee, and with more choice of cafes. So what did I observe? Firstly it's widely acknowledged that Munich is a great city to live in by any measures; the biggest and most prosperous in Germany. It also boasts more beggars than any city I've seen in a while!
> 
> I also observed a lot of street musicians, including a quartet featuring a grand piano that gets wheeled around to various locations. In fact they seemed to be following me. So the solution, like avoiding daleks, is to find some steps to go up. If there's one thing that all buskers here have in common, from a humble accordianist to this savvy quartet, it's a suitcase with CDs for sale at €15. CDs from buskers are always impulse buys you'll regret. Topped only by timeshare apartments. When I see someone about to buy, part of me want to stop them and save them €15, but alas it's a lesson they need to learn for themselves. Of course the other thing one can't fail to notice is the amount of folk from the Middle East.
> 
> I've delayed it long enough. Now I have to write about Mefistofele, and the fact that I spent plenty of money to see one of my favourite operas with a great cast. The abstract metal frame IS the set from start to finish. Many smaller props are used throughout, together with liberal use of the hydraulic stage, enough to make the viewer seasick. In this production Heaven has been closed down, and much of what we see in the prelude is projected on a screen, with Mefistofele and his cohorts lounge around in soft chairs to watch. The projected images included Central Park, New York, Upper West side and John Lennon's face appear (Imagine there's no Heaven, ha ha!). And then towers, and a picture of a passenger airliner in flight. Surely they're not going to? It's getting pretty close to the mark, but thankfully they stop short. What point they're trying to make is anyone's guess. The Prologue ends and receives barely any applause, and it's not because the audience is stunned. It's simply that the production is DIRE.
> 
> Thankfully Joseph Calleja is making a good fist of his parts, and it's pretty much his night.Clear some space on the stage and let him sing, seems to be the policy. Rene Pape as Mefistofele literally takes a back seat most of the time, even singing sometimes from his beat-up low armchair at the side of the stage. I think they're trying to make the point that he's lacking motivation without his old adversary to pit his wits against. (I think the plot reworking is borrowed from cartoon film Megamind, although that film is far more entertaining.) As Margherita Kristine Opalais sings a fine L'Altra Notte in Fondo al Mare. Margerita's salvation at the end of the act had me shedding a few tears in Budapest earlier this year. Not a chance here, as another act ends with a whimper. The audience know they're watching a stinker. What a pity this is their first exposure to Mefistofele.
> 
> Opalais's work is over as 'Helen of Troy' is sung by somebody else. Ah, the exotic setting of ancient Troy for the 4th act... except here it's set in a grotty old people's home, Elena is a nurse and Faust one of the residents. I need not go on. What a dreadful disappointment this production is. I just found a review on ft.com with the same sentiments.
> 
> Afterwards I bumped into Calleja and had a few words and a handshake while waiting for my tram. yes, he was out of the building pretty quick.
> 
> It's been a pleasant couple of days, particularly with the concert added. I'm happy to return to Munich again, but I'd want to check on the quality of the production first!


A nice read ! Never been at a concert rehearsal. Those productions.... Had te same thing in Paris Don. Looking forward to Budapest !


----------



## Don Fatale

sospiro said:


> Oh what a shame. That's the trouble with new productions, you don't know what they'll be like. I've never seen _Mefistofele_ live and only have the Samuel Ramey DVD so his performance is the only one I know. A hard act to follow.
> 
> Despite the disappointment, I'm pleased you had an enjoyable time in Munich.


Actually Ramey's is an impossible act to follow, and the SF production is excellent too. Even though Budapest's recent Mefistofele lacked star singers, it still works well with a great production (perempe will concur) and a far better commitment to the music than in Munich, where frankly I didn't think the conductor gave a toss.

Next for me is Prague's Mefistofele in March.


----------



## Don Fatale

Here's some pictures (the last isn't mine)
Opera House (very central, a couple of mins walk from Marienplatz)







Philharmonie Am Gasteig (across the river in the museum district, 15 mins from Marienplatz)







Mefistofele and it's ever present frame. You can see the stage risers, although during this sequence these were going up and down, enough to make the poor performers seasick I imagine! Look bottom left and there's Mefistofele, where he spent much of the evening.


----------



## sospiro

Don Fatale said:


> Here's some pictures (the last isn't mine)
> Opera House (very central, a couple of mins walk from Marienplatz)
> View attachment 77160
> 
> Philharmonie Am Gasteig (across the river in the museum district, 15 mins from Marienplatz)
> View attachment 77161
> 
> Mefistofele and it's ever present frame. You can see the stage risers, although during this sequence these were going up and down, enough to make the poor performers seasick I imagine! Look bottom left and there's Mefistofele, where he spent much of the evening.
> View attachment 77162


I'd like to visit the Philharmonie Am Gasteig but pleased I didn't see Mefistofele. 
I think I'd have hated it.


----------



## Don Fatale

sospiro said:


> I'd like to visit the Philharmonie Am Gasteig but pleased I didn't see Mefistofele.
> I think I'd have hated it.


Yes, you would have hated it. They're trying to talk it up, but the audience response at the 2nd performance of the run was as lukewarm as any I've ever experienced.

_An opera by Roland Schwab, music and libretto by Arrigo Boito!_


----------



## sospiro

Don Fatale said:


> Yes, you would have hated it. They're trying to talk it up, but the audience response at the 2nd performance of the run was as lukewarm as any I've ever experienced.


And the Munich audience is well used to this sort of production. (They probably never see a traditional one now.)



Don Fatale said:


> _An opera by Roland Schwab, music and libretto by Arrigo Boito!_


:scold: !!


----------



## Autumn Leaves

My next opera trip's just confirmed – February 2016, Fidelio in the Bavarian State Opera, with Franz-Josef Selig and Anja Kampe! Of course, the production doesn't, let's put it mildly, seem very pretty to me, but, as I've said once to a friend of mine, for the sake of listening to my favorite basses live, I'm prepared to watch Martians with blasters and whatever extremes Regietheater can offer.


----------



## Don Fatale

Autumn Leaves said:


> My next opera trip's just confirmed - February 2016, Fidelio in the Bavarian State Opera, with Franz-Josef Selig and Anja Kampe! Of course, the production doesn't, let's put it mildly, seem very pretty to me, but, as I've said once to a friend of mine, for the sake of listening my favorite basses live, I'm prepared to watch Martians with blasters and whatever extremes Regietheater can offer.


Brave words indeed!


----------



## sospiro

Autumn Leaves said:


> My next opera trip's just confirmed - February 2016, Fidelio in the Bavarian State Opera, with Franz-Josef Selig and Anja Kampe! Of course, the production doesn't, let's put it mildly, seem very pretty to me, but, as I've said once to a friend of mine, *for the sake of listening my favorite basses live, I'm prepared to watch Martians with blasters and whatever extremes Regietheater can offer*.


:clap:

I'm with you there!!


----------



## Autumn Leaves

Don Fatale said:


> Brave words indeed!


Well, to put it more precisely: for the sake of listening to those whom I don't see often. I mean, at the Mariinsky nothing would coax me to go to Graham Vick's horrifying production of War and Peace, even though it usually has an assembly of my favorite singers - why should I suffer through it, when I can watch the Magic Flute or Don Carlos anytime instead, with the same singers but with much prettier sets? But seeing Franz-Josef Selig live is not an opportunity that presents itself every day, so...


----------



## Don Fatale

... or The Maid of Pskov, the only opera I've seen at the Mariinsky (1990's), where I believe the production was made in the 19th century! That's much more to my taste. 

(I'll have to check out this Franz-Josef Selig.)


----------



## Autumn Leaves

Don Fatale said:


> (I'll have to check out this Franz-Josef Selig.)


Die Zauberflöte, Royal Opera House, 2003 (the one with Diana Damrau and Dorothea Röschmann)
Le Nozze di Figaro, Salzburg Festival, 2006
Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Liceu, 2010
Das Rheingold, Met, 2010


----------



## Autumn Leaves

Don Fatale said:


> ... or The Maid of Pskov, the only opera I've seen at the Mariinsky (1990's), where I believe the production was made in the 19th century! That's much more to my taste.


Oh, salt to the wound! The Maid of Pskov is being performed at the Mariinsky in five days, and I _can't_ go there...  I believe it's not the production of the 90s, but the style of it remains.


----------



## Cavaradossi

sospiro said:


> Lucia di Lammermoor, Zurich Opera House. 30 October 2012
> 
> Ashton: Alexey Markov
> Lucia: Jane Archibald
> Edgardo: Ismael Jordi
> Arturo: Boiko Zvetanov
> Raimondo: Christof Fischesser
> Alisa: Julia Riley
> Normanno: Boguslaw Bidzinski
> 
> Conductor: Pavel Baleff
> Production: Damiano Michieletto
> 
> Production is updated but follows the story exactly. Not 'regie'. Set in a police state and a bombed out building stage right is used extensively. Edgardo hides in it, the chorus use different floors during their scenes, Lucia & Arturo ascend the stairs on their wedding night, Lucia then descends and appears on different floors during the madness scene.
> 
> Act 1 opens with police in leather trench coats with huge German Shepherd dog searching the building for Edgardo.
> 
> The ghost of the fountain appears and is on stage for much of the action and I thought this worked very well.
> 
> Singers and orchestra were superb & all set pieces were outstanding. The most spectacular part is where Lucia does a death leap from the bombed out building. I contacted Jane Archibald and asked her if it was her or a stunt double or a dummy because it was over so quickly it was difficult to tell! This was her response: (....)
> 
> I really hope this is released on DVD, it was fabulous & would recommend it to anyone.
> 
> This is my curtain call video; not brilliant but you can just about see (2:30) the spur jutting out from which Lucia jumped.


Hi Sospiro, does this image from the Liceu's current Lucia (shared by JDF on Facebook) look familiar? There's that pesky ledge. I still find it incongruous and distracting, and it telegraphs the director's "surprise" ending for Lucia from the first moments of Act I. Unfortunately, JDF didn't post a photo of the galvanized bucket in the ghost of the fountain was meant to have drowned . :devil:









By the way our Zurich Ashton, Alexey Markov, was in fine voice (and light on his feet) as Schaunard at the Met the other night.


----------



## sospiro

Cavaradossi said:


> Hi Sospiro, does this image from the Liceu's current Lucia (shared by JDF on Facebook) look familiar? There's that pesky ledge. I still find it incongruous and distracting, and it telegraphs the director's "surprise" ending for Lucia from the first moments of Act I. Unfortunately, JDF didn't post a photo of the galvanized bucket in the ghost of the fountain was meant to have drowned . :devil:
> 
> View attachment 78435
> 
> 
> By the way our Zurich Ashton, Alexey Markov, was in fine voice (and light on his feet) as Schaunard at the Met the other night.


Oh wow that brings back memories!

A friend of mine saw this production and she found the preparation of the landing area by stage hands dressed as members of the chorus distracting.


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## Dongiovanni

This trip involves a lot of travelling, just got the time to write something.

Friday I was in Milan for Giovanna d'arco. This new production premiered on December 7th. A very strong cast led by Netrebko, an outstanding performance, she just never disappoints. Meli is a geat match, and also Alverez did very well. His projection is a little less, but he makes up more than enough with his beautiful voice and elegant phrasing. The orchestra led by Chailly was just superb. So many details, just perfect. The production is showing the story as Giovanna is dying and hallucinating the whole thing. The end scene could be well copied to a new Traviata. Not all ver special, but no gasmasks and kalashnikovs this time.

Notable is that I read Chailly had a row with his director, forcing him to cut some obscene stuff, which he won. That's a good thing, finally someone who stands up. I hope Chailly will be able to keep this up. So far he is doing a excellent job at his new function. The audience cheered himy loudly as he took a bow at the curtain call.


----------



## Dongiovanni

This trip involves a lot of travelling, just got the time to write something.

Friday I was in Milan for Giovanna d'arco. This new production premiered on December 7th. A very strong cast led by Netrebko, an outstanding performance, she just never disappoints. Meli is a geat match, and also Alverez did very well. His projection is a little less, but he makes up more than enough with his beautiful voice and elegant phrasing. The orchestra led by Chailly was just superb. So many details, just perfect. The orchestra was in perfect balance with the singers as well. The production is showing the story as Giovanna is dying and hallucinating the whole thing. The end scene could be well copied to a new Traviata. Not all ver special, but no gasmasks and kalashnikovs this time.

Notable is that I read Chailly had a row with his director, forcing him to cut some obscene stuff, which he won. That's a good thing, finally someone who stands up. I hope Chailly will be able to keep this up. So far he is doing a excellent job at his new function. The audience cheered himy loudly as he took a bow at the curtain call.


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## Dongiovanni

Saturday (yesterday) was Onegin in London at the ROH. It was the opening night of the second run of this production. I had the same feeling I had on the new Don Giovanni. Nice try, but it doesn't add anything. Nor does the Swanlake scene during the polonaise. What I really didn't like was the twist at the end, leaving Tatyana even more dispaired than Onegin.

The singing however, was nothing less than sensational. Two new singers for me, Fabiano as Lensky and Carr as Tatyana. Carr acts gracefully and her voice is beautiful, in all dynamic ranges, and always completely effortless. Her letterscene aria just blew me away. Fabiano's voice is very strong, and it seemed to me he was just trying to hard in the beginning. In his showpiece aria he started of this way and some phrases were just a little too much for the effect, however after that and towards the end of that aria he ended perfectly. These were all wow-moments. Hvorostovsky delivered as usual, it's amazing how quickly he recovered, and that there is absolutely no trace of that in his performance. Furlanetto sounded quite violent as the Prince at the start, but sweetened it down at the repeat of his aria. I wonder if this was intentional. 

Had some more time to think about it... what was really redicilous was that the dead Lensky remaimed on stage for the remaremaning part of the Opera. Also, if the doubles are supposed to resemble the younger versions of the main charcters, the attempt for Onegin was lousy... you just can't simply copy the silvery locks... They only make sense on Dima ! 

The orchestra was very well led by Bychkov.

At the end the cast was rewarded with a standing ovation. Both Fabiano and Carr were loudly cheered. When Hvorostovsky appeared the cheering increased even more. At the end, Hvorostovsky pulled Holten to the stage, followed by a substantial booing. Then I wondered if his resignation was for the reasons he indicated. Any way this was a very memorable performance indeed.


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## Dongiovanni

Traveling home today, will add some pictures later. I just can't believe how great these two performances were.


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## sospiro

^^

Interesting about Chailly - good news! I look forward to seeing the photos.


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> ^^
> 
> Interesting about Chailly - good news! I look forward to seeing the photos.


From al, the candidates to follow Barenboin I think Chailly was most suitable. He was taught by Abbado, as his assistant at La Scala. He did great things at the Concertgebouw and left for the comparable lesser prestigious Leipzig job, also to great acclaim. Let's hope he turns the tide for La Scala.


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## Belowpar

Dongiovanni said:


> Saturday (yesterday) was Onegin in London at the ROH. It was the opening night of the second run of this production. I had the same feeling I had on the new Don Giovanni. Nice try, but it doesn't add anything. Nor does the Swanlake scene during the polonaise. What I really didn't like was the twist at the end, leaving Tatyana even more dispaired than Onegin.
> 
> The singing however, was nothing less than sensational. Two new singers for me, Fabiano as Lensky and Carr as Tatyana. Carr acts gracefully and her voice is beautiful, in all dynamic ranges, and always completely effortless. Her letterscene aria just blew me away. Fabiano's voice is very strong, and it seemed to me he was just trying to hard in the beginning. In his showpiece aria he started of this way and some phrases were just a little too much for the effect, however after that and towards the end of that aria he ended perfectly. These were all wow-moments. Hvorostovsky delivered as usual, it's amazing how quickly he recovered, and that there is absolutely no trace of that in his performance. Furlanetto sounded quite violent as the Prince at the start, but sweetened it down at the repeat of his aria. I wonder if this was intentional.
> 
> Had some more time to think about it... what was really redicilous was that the dead Lensky remaimed on stage for the remaremaning part of the Opera. Also, if the doubles are supposed to resemble the younger versions of the main charcters, the attempt for Onegin was lousy... you just can't simply copy the silvery locks... They only make sense on Dima !
> 
> The orchestra was very well led by Bychkov.
> 
> At the end the cast was rewarded with a standing ovation. Both Fabiano and Carr were loudly cheered. When Hvorostovsky appeared the cheering increased even more. At the end, Hvorostovsky pulled Holten to the stage, followed by a substantial booing. Then I wondered if his resignation was for the reasons he indicated. Any way this was a very memorable performance indeed.


I saw Fabiano in Poliuto at Glyndbourne this summer. He was wonderful singing with a rare openess, and... well just singing loud and clear. I'm delighted to hear he's the real deal in the larger house. Definitely one to follow.

Thanks for the reports.


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## Dongiovanni

The pictures, first Milan



















No problem to find a quick snack on the christmas market


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## Dongiovanni

London:

























Nicole Car coulddn't believe the cheerings were for her. Bychkov gave Dmitri a big hug after taking a bow. They have a history, they worked together on Onegin before, there is a recording featuring both on Philips.


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## sospiro

Great photos DG and so pleased you liked _Eugene Onegin_ as not everyone liked the 'younger selves' aspect of the production. Dima is just perfect for this role.


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## mountmccabe

We are planning a trip to visit Seattle to coincide with the opening of _Der fliegende Holländer_ at Seattle Opera.

I have been meaning to visit other opera companies on the west coast but have not made the trips. I was in the Los Angeles area in September, but just missed the opening of one of LA Opera's productions. I have not been to Seattle since 2007, and have never seen their opera company. I have also not seen Holländer live.


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## Cavaradossi

mountmccabe said:


> We are planning a trip to visit Seattle to coincide with the opening of _Der fliegende Holländer_ at Seattle Opera.
> 
> I have been meaning to visit other opera companies on the west coast but have not made the trips. I was in the Los Angeles area in September, but just missed the opening of one of LA Opera's productions. I have not been to Seattle since 2007, and have never seen their opera company. I have also not seen Holländer live.


Nice! I've never been to Seattle either. Seems like they have a reputation as a Wagner house (or used to, anyway) and I'll be curious to know whether they live up to it.


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## Dongiovanni

A quick report from Paris. Been quite busy... I have been at the Theatre des Champs Elysees for three consecutive evenings. It is a historic building from the beginning of the 20th century, and it's all very small in scale. There appears to be no cloakroom, especially the galleries seats are very cramped, you may need to climb some narrow stairs to get to your seat. I plan to write a 'opera in Paris' topic. There is so much to do !

The audience is very enthousiastic and quiet. No immediate applause after concerts, but a moment of total silence. Very memorable was Yuja Wang and the three encores she gave. The last one started as the Turkish March... but quickly turned into a shameless display of dazzling virtuosity, much to the likings of the audience, including me.

Mitridate was performed at exceptional level... orchestra played beautifully, all singers had their moments in the many arias. The ovation was loud, and also very notable was the cheers conductor Emanuelle Haim got, which were well deserved in my opinion.

Next tonight Trovatore, most likely without Netrebko. Pictures later as usual!


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## Cavaradossi

Dongiovanni said:


> *The audience is very enthousiastic and quiet. No immediate applause after concerts, but a moment of total silence*. Very memorable was Yuja Wang and the three encores she gave. The last one started as the Turkish March... but quickly turned into a shameless display of dazzling virtuosity, much to the likings of the audience, including me.


Lovely - as it used to be in other parts of the world, and still should be everywhere. Several years ago I was in the gallery of the Opera Comique when some unfortunate soul made the mistake of dropping a pencil during an particularly ethereal passage from Lully's _Atys_. For this infraction, he/she was shushed mercilessly and received at least one disgusted _Mon Dieu!_. Looking forward to your Opera in Paris review.

Yuja Wang played that Turk March same encore for a NY Philharmonic concert here a few weeks ago. Yes quite a feat! She starts out with Mozart, diverges into the realm of Liszt, and by the end it seems she has rolled Gershwin and Fats Waller into the mix.


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## Don Fatale

Dongiovanni said:


> A quick report from Paris. Been quite busy... I have been at the Theatre des Champs Elysees for three consecutive evenings. It is a historic building from the beginning of the 20th century, and it's all very small in scale. There appears to be no cloakroom, especially the galleries seats are very cramped, you may need to climb some narrow stairs to get to your seat. I plan to write a '*opera in Paris*' topic. There is so much to do !


Yes, please start an Opera in Paris thread. It might encourage my next overdue visit. Glad you're having a good trip, even without Trebs.


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## Dongiovanni

Yesterday must have been my lucky day. Against all odds, Netrebko sang Leonara. Having cancelled two earlier performances, and without any news or updates from the Paris opera site, I just didn't expect this. I only started to get doubts when I approached the Bastille Opera, finding many people holding 'tickets wanted' signs.... Traces of the Paris terrorist attacks are still noticeable, to enter the opera is like going through airport safety check now. Only two scanners avalailable, the show did not start on time.

I have seen the exact production in Amsterdam last year. And again with the same stage malfunctions. Yesterday the orchestra and conductor were definitely better. The choruses were much better, and these tempi were much more to my liking. Yesterday the only weak part was Manrico. Here Franceso Meli was much better in Amsterdam. Alverez was quite underwhelming in 'Di quell a pira'. His acting was limited to some standard gestures. Also his backstage singing did not convince. His voice is quite pretty when it's not stressed too much. It seems to me he was not in perfect shape. Semenchuck (Azucena) sometimes lacked good projection, but made up with fantastic colours, her final scenes were very moving. Tezier was an amazing Di Luna. A fantastic voice, excellent acting as the manic character, just with minimal means. 'Il Balen' was one of the highlights and stopped the show for quite a while. Of her new roles, Leonora is Netrebko's most impressive. And last night she was simply stunning. 'D'amor sull'ali' is my personal favourite aria of Trovatore and it was last night's highlight. Phrasing, dynamics... and those gourgeous tones... oh my. Leonora's final lines where very touching indeed and everybody in the audience were holding their breaths, you could hear a pin drop. The ovations at the end were long and loud. Especially Tezier and Netrebko were the public's favourite. What a night !

Here are the pitctures. Click on the links for the full cast and other details.

Yuja Wang / Wiener Philharmoniker







Mitridate:







Il Trovatore:


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## Pugg

*D.N.O The Netherlands Opera 2016-2017*

For the travellers or Amsterdam fans :tiphat:

http://www.operaballet.nl/nl/programma/opera?filter=179


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## sospiro

Pugg said:


> For the travellers or Amsterdam fans :tiphat:
> 
> http://www.operaballet.nl/nl/programma/opera?filter=179


:kiss:

Thank you!! Lots of goodies to choose from.


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## Pugg

sospiro said:


> :kiss:
> 
> Thank you!! Lots of goodies to choose from.


I knew you would like it :cheers:
Perhaps we see each other one day


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## mountmccabe

Pugg said:


> For the travellers or Amsterdam fans :tiphat:
> 
> http://www.operaballet.nl/nl/programma/opera?filter=179


Thanks for posting! Eventually I will make it there!


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## Dongiovanni

Pugg said:


> For the travellers or Amsterdam fans :tiphat:
> 
> http://www.operaballet.nl/nl/programma/opera?filter=179


Thanks ! Is it me or is Manon Lescaut gaining in popularity ?


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## Don Fatale

Regarding the Amsterdam program, I'm seriously considering the Christmas Day Parsifal, if I can get a few other activities lined up.


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## sospiro

Pugg said:


> For the travellers or Amsterdam fans :tiphat:
> 
> http://www.operaballet.nl/nl/programma/opera?filter=179





Dongiovanni said:


> Thanks ! Is it me or is Manon Lescaut gaining in popularity ?


I'm going for opening night. I like EMW and although I wasn't keen on what Andrea Breth did with _Macbeth_, I'm intrigued by this 'in flashback' production.


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## Pugg

sospiro said:


> I'm going for opening night. I like EMW and although I wasn't keen on what Andrea Breth did with _Macbeth_, I'm intrigued by this 'in flashback' production.


I am also trying to see this one, don't know if I like openings night though


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## Dongiovanni

Pugg said:


> I am also trying to see this one, don't know if I like openings night though





sospiro said:


> I'm going for opening night. I like EMW and although I wasn't keen on what Andrea Breth did with _Macbeth_, I'm intrigued by this 'in flashback' production.


I sense a new forum event !


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> I sense a new forum event !


:tiphat:

That would be great!


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## Don Fatale

Dongiovanni said:


> I sense a new forum event !


What are the dates?


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## Dongiovanni

Don Fatale said:


> What are the dates?


Here are the details.

Ticketsale starts June 6th.

To get you in the mood, here's the beautiful intermezzo:


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## sospiro

Don Fatale said:


> What are the dates?





Dongiovanni said:


> Here are the details.
> 
> Ticketsale starts June 6th.
> 
> To get you in the mood, here's the beautiful intermezzo:


I PMd Don Fatale with my plans.  
Would be so cool to meet up with you guys again. And hopefully Pugg can make it too.


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## Pugg

sospiro said:


> I PMd Don Fatale with my plans.
> Would be so cool to meet up with you guys again. And hopefully Pugg can make it too.


Are you sure you all go to opening night?


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## sospiro

Pugg said:


> Are you sure you all go to opening night?


I am. Don't know if the others are.

Not got my tickets yet, obviously, but have booked flights and hotel.


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## Cavaradossi

It's always exciting to make an entry on the Opera Trips thread! We'll be returning to Italy this summer, again to Umbria, then by ferry to Sardinia and Napoli. Just booked for _Madama Butterfly_ and _Aida_ in July at the historic Teatro San Carlo in Naples. Great seats in the stalls for what I thought were reasonable prices (top price is 50 Euros).


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## sospiro

Cavaradossi said:


> It's always exciting to make an entry on the Opera Trips thread!


Definitely!



Cavaradossi said:


> We'll be returning to Italy this summer, again to Umbria, then by ferry to Sardinia and Napoli. Just booked for _Madama Butterfly_ and _Aida_ in July at the historic Teatro San Carlo in Naples. Great seats in the stalls for what I thought were reasonable prices (top price is 50 Euros).


How totally fabulous! Teatro San Carlo held the premières of _Alzira_ and _Luisa Miller_. I'd love to go there one day.


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## Belowpar

sospiro said:


> Definitely!
> 
> How totally fabulous! Teatro San Carlo held the premières of _Alzira_ and _Luisa Miller_. I'd love to go there one day.


After the Met, San Carlo is the Theatre I'd most like to visit.


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## Don Fatale

Belowpar said:


> After the Met, San Carlo is the Theatre I'd most like to visit.


Can I ask why?

I'm toying with a visit there in April or May, combining with Rome perhaps. I've been to Napoli before in 1990 (England 3-2 Cameroon), but not to the opera. Always knew I'd return some day - unlike many places I go where I sort of know that "you'll only pass this way once".

With a program of Aida and Butterfly, July is clearly a good time to visit. I assume it's air-conditioned!


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## Cavaradossi

sospiro said:


> How totally fabulous! Teatro San Carlo held the premières of _Alzira_ and _Luisa Miller_. I'd love to go there one day.





> After the Met, San Carlo is the Theatre I'd most like to visit.


I think it's fair to say that, before there was La Scala, there was San Carlo - both literally (San Carlo dates to 1737) and figuratively. Before those two Verdi premieres, Rossini premiered ten operas there and Donizetti sixteen, including _Lucia di Lamermoor_.

I discovered you can make a virtual visit courtesy of Google Streetview. I don't if this link will work, but if you drop the little yellow Streetview man inside the walls of the theatre, you can roam the floor of the theater, the royal box, on stage, backstage, and even the basement! Truly amazing. Use the numbers on the right of the screen to visit the various floor levels.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/San+Carlo+Theatre/@40.837484,14.2496743,3a,75y,86.88h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sl6nKhrPwglWGKLO8z2ZcYA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Dl6nKhrPwglWGKLO8z2ZcYA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D85.884895%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xf4bc5fe47dfae739!6m1!1e1


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## Cavaradossi

Don Fatale said:


> With a program of Aida and Butterfly, July is clearly a good time to visit. I assume it's air-conditioned!


As I scanned Operabase for the 'opera-tunities' in July, I was surprised and delighted to see those operas given in that venue in July. Another important house to check off on my bucket list. I don't know if it's their typical season or something special is going on. Last year, we lucked out that La Scala extended their season into the summer in conjunction with the Milan Expo. Apparently the state of Campania invested €67 million in a major rehab in 2009 (including air conditioning), so maybe they are just trying to get their money's worth.


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## Don Fatale

I'll try to keep this trip report concise - one paragraph maximum for each performance, opera house and travel - and will save the rambling version, perhaps with costs, for the blog! This trip is really just a seven day, six city, five opera meander through Europe from Scotland to Malta. I've been to all these cities and most of the opera houses before, so it was a pleasant journey through favourite places rather than any kind of adventure. I find travel can be relaxing when in the right frame of mind. And I get a chance to read.

Monday - Fly Scotland to London (EasyJet). Travelling to Southampton to see family the following day, so I've booked a 23:30 bus from London after the opera. That worked well if you don't mind reaching your hotel until 2am.
*
Boris Godunov* at the Royal Opera House. Opening night of the new Richard Jones production of Mussorgsky's short 1869 original and Bryn Terfel's role debut. It's played without intermission and takes 2h15m. I liked it well enough but didn't care for the diction of the Anglophone cast. The production is as economical, tidy and direct as I'd expect from the director. A co-production with Deutsche Oper Berlin, and I think it's a good vehicle for whoever the world's best Boris currently is.

Tuesday - Opera of the soap kind, with family!

Wednesday - Fly Southampton to Amsterdam (Flybe). Quite a breeze at both ends. It's not easy to get a good hotel deal in Amsterdam, but I found an IBIS with a good price, thanks to booking ahead. A nice 15 minute walk along the Amstel canal to the opera house. Nice weather, blue skies, not too chilly.

*Khovanshchina* at Dutch National Opera. Yes, I know, Mussorgsky again! The staging is minimalist, mainly a white backdrop. It was rightly criticised in reviews for that. But it's still a worthwhile production. The cast start off in period costumes, but these are soon peeled away to reveal modern dress. Then dressing in period again toward the end. It signifies that the theme is relevant to all ages - politicians promoting and using religion and its followers for their own ends. Witness Putin's Russia, Turkey, Malaysia amongst others. I liked the singing here: Dmitry Ivashchenko as Khovansky was ideal, Anita Rachvelishvili (Carmen, Amneris everywhere) as Marfa. Her lush mezzo was very welcome to these ears after the male dominated Boris. Much to my surprise I had a front row seat, sospiro's favourite. I forgot I booked it! I particularly liked being near to the first pair of violas. The opening and closing bars of the opera are theirs alone.

Thursday - Fly Amsterdam to Prague (EasyJet). I'd have preferred to travel by train, but the dogleg route via Berlin is just too long, and the opera plan wouldn't permit it. I get the Airport Express bus to the main station. The State Opera and my hotel (Sovereign, I recommend!) are close by, and I pat myself on the back for such great planning as I head out for a walk around Prague. The centre (Stare Mesto) is incredibly busy with tourists for mid-March.

From the outside the State Opera in Prague is fine but nothing special, particularly given its siting on a very busy road next to the railway station, however the inside of this house is lovely, ornate and elegant. It looks to have had a recent refurbish. Modern comfortable seating in the stalls always makes me happy.
*
Mefistofele* at the State Opera. This might just be my favourite opera, and I'm now at my third production within a year. An excellent and acclaimed production in Budapest was followed by lacklustre disappointment in Munich. Let's see what this house of limited size and budget can do. The production is plain and low budget; the chorus not even changing costume whether they are playing angels, witches or Frankfurt townsfolk. Stefan Kocan is in fine voice as Mefistofele. He'll be in London for Oedipe soon. Not at all in fine voice was the tenor, who I won't name. His aria was cut from the garden scene (sacrilege!), leaving me to wonder if this was down to technical problems - his. Listening to him stepping up until he reached the required note was painful at times. The star performer of the night was the chorus. Most of their scenes were given static, facing the audience as if giving a concert, they were already in black and white suits, men and women alike, so that was perhaps the idea. What made this mediocre staging forgivable was that the chorus sung so well, and clearly loved singing Boito's music. They had a real sweet spot in their sound, making all their turns a treat. It was interesting to observe, being late in the run, the conductor knew when to pause for applause and when to push on, so there were none of those awkward "should we applaud?" moments. i.e. The chorus always got applause, the tenor and Margherita's L'Altra Notte didn't. I enjoyed the evening a lot as it seemed did the rest of the audience.

(intermission)


----------



## sospiro

Fabulous report DF and congratulations on your excellent planning.

_Boris Godunov_ is one of my favourite operas and I've never seen it live. I would have booked but I'm not keen on Bryn Terfel's voice.

Pleased you enjoyed sitting in the front row in Amsterdam. I know the orchestra sometimes drowns the voices but I love being that close. Which IBIS in Amsterdam did you stay in?

Sounds like the _Mefistofele_ was a bit of a curate's egg but pleased that you enjoyed the evening anyway.


----------



## Don Fatale

(part 2)

Friday - Train from Prague to Vienna, 4 hours. Finally I can relax, read a book and watch the scenery go by. I arrive at the brand new Hauptbahnhof (main railway station). It's not often that a major city gets a completely new main station. It's no architectural masterpiece, but it's modern and efficient. My hotel (Papageno!) is walking distance, as is Theater an der Wien, which is often abbreviated TAW. A bit further on from TAW is Karlsplatz and the State Opera, currently running the new work Three Sisters, based on the Chekhov novel. I opted for something rather more traditional… or so I thought.

The Theater an der Wien isn't particularly lovely, inside or out. A mixture of old and new. Looking at the post war frontage, you'd have no idea that Beethoven performed here and Fidelio premiered here with the man himself conducting. It's had a chequered history, and until 2006 was mainly for musicals such as Cats. However it's now dedicated to opera, called 'the New Opera House' rather than the city's second house. These days it's artistic reputation is formidable.

*Agrippina* at Theater an der Wien. I chose this because I'd never seen Agrippina before, nor been to the theatre, wanted to see the cast (Danielle de Niese, Patricia Bardon) and having Robert Carsen as director was a major plus. I was at the first night. We're set in modern times, in a luxury home/spa. Agrippina's home I guess. Although the piece is opera seria, it was actually a satire in its day. Director Carsen plays it almost entirely for laughs. It's a racy bedroom and pool-side farce. Most of the male singers have to perform at least some of their arias in underpants, swimming trunks, or while stripping down to said items! Bardon and de Niese, spared the full undressing, are fetchingly attired. It certainly helped that the three countertenors were young and fit (some time in gym in preparation for the roles, methinks!) Bikini clad young ladies also abounded. This was a good looking show in all respects. At times, I sat wondering if this was the best or worst thing I've seen in a while. What swayed me was the decision to drop the curtain behind the soloist so that some arias such as Ogni Vento could be sung without the set distraction. This also allowed for scene changes. Now that's smart! Biggest applause of the night was for Carsen and his team. But for me, it was Thomas Hengelbrock leading the Balthasar Neumann Ensemble that gets my prize. Their playing was beautiful. I was in Rang (level) III, and thought the acoustic of the house was terrific, certainly for this baroque sound.

Saturday - Train from Vienna to Budapest, 2h30m. Direct flights to Malta were so expensive, that I could get a train to Budapest, a hotel, a concert ticket and a flight to Malta for less. So to Budapest I went. I'm quite familiar with the public transport, so was soon at my hotel, and then to the Caledonia sports bar for a pint and to watch the rugby. Tonight both opera houses have works by Ferenc Erkel, he's pretty big in these parts! Instead I opt to make a first visit the MUPA, Budapest's fine modern concert hall complex.

Ravel's Piano Concerto and Franck's Symphony in D. Hungarian National Philharmonic conducted by Zoltan Kocsis, a rather deadpan unsmiling figure. I wouldn't even mention this concert but for one moment. After the first movement of Franck's Symphony, just one guy in a side stall box clapped a few times. The maestro slowly turned in the direction of the clapper and gave a slow and gracious bow to him, before turning back to continue with the symphony. Deadpan yes, but with excellent comic timing. A classical concert isn't the place to go for laughs, but this was about the funniest thing I've seen in one. Within half an hour I'm back in the sports bar to watch the conclusion of the rugby match. It's roudy, a few punches are being thrown, and a whole group of rugby players, who were in jacket and tie when I was there earlier, were now completely naked and singing at the top of their voices. An evening of contrast I guess that's called.

Sunday - Fly from Budapest to Malta. With my hand baggage now full of dirty laundry and opera programs, I'm pleased to be on my way, via Budapest's infamous runway cattle sheds. I get home, fire up the washing machine, and head to the local bar. Good to be back! An hour later I'm on my way to the Teatru Manoel in Valletta. This baroque theatre dates from 1732 and holds around 500. It's nice to be in the company of friends again, catching up on news, in what has become my home turf for operas and concerts.

*Orphée et Eurydice* at Teatru Manoel, Valletta. Every March they put on their major opera staging for four shows. I'm at the last of them. I'm aware that the width of the stage barely half of some of the venues I've been to. This time, as you'll have gathered, we have Berlioz's French revision (with surtitles in English). After so many countertenors in Vienna, this time I have a mezzo singing the castrato role of Orphée - Lucia Cirillo, fresh from glowing reviews for last month's performances at La Scala. She does a really nice job, although it must be awkward moving from La Scala to a house a quarter of the size. Maltese singers Gillian Zammit and the soubrettish Francesca Aquilina as Amour also perform well. The production is set or rather costumed, in the Victorian era with Orphée looking rather vampiric in a tightly buttoned frock coat. Philip Walsh draws a strong performance from the Malta Philharmonic strings. It's a quality evening and the perfect way to finish my week.

Highlight: Agrippina in Vienna.
Guilty pleasure: Mefistofele in Prague.
Disappointment: None, although I'm not sure I'd rush back to the ROH Boris.


----------



## sospiro

^^

:clap:

Sebastian Schwarz, currently deputy artistic director at TAW (and soon to be General Director at Glyndebourne) has posted "There have been immediate requests to rent this production, happy to see it live on after this run here in Vienna!"


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## Don Fatale

sospiro said:


> ^^
> 
> :clap:
> 
> Sebastian Schwarz, currently deputy artistic director at TAW (and soon to be General Director at Glyndebourne) has posted "There have been immediate requests to rent this production, happy to see it live on after this run here in Vienna!"


I could absolutely see it in London. It might even finally banish the memories of Les Huguenots in 1991 with its topless bathers and beach balls. An annoyance I had which I neglected to mention is that with eyes closed one couldn't tell the difference between the three counter-tenors and Agrippina. Thinks perhaps one of them could have been transposed and sung by a different voice type.

Sospiro- Ibis Styles on Stadhouderskade


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## Dongiovanni

In Bratislava now, on my way to Vienna today. The old city of Bratislava is small and very charming. Reminds of Prague, but it's much smaller. Tourism seems to have just started, but the city is well prepared. Most speak English, but except for the hotel, I was addressed first in the local language. There is an overload of wine bars, restaurants and coffee houses in the old city all with free wifi that works without any hassle of registration. There are two opera houses, the historic building and the new theatre, which dates from 2007. I visited both, Don Giovanni in the old house, and the Jewels of the Madonna in the new.















Don Giovanni had a very uneven cast. The Don was quite good, pleasant voice and good acting, and also quite looking like the Don. His servant had good stage presence but was vocally underwhelming. Zerlina and Masetto where ok, Elvira was struggling with her part, but not as bad as Ottavio who dropped lots of notes during Il Mio tesoro, but managed to get some bravos. Anna was good and impressed me with the great showpiece Non mi dir. Commendatore was impressive, his voice soared. Was he amplified ?The orchestra was also struggling... conductor had good views but the orchestra could not keep up with the tempo. The production and the sets were low budget, downsides were the sound effects in between, and worst was the awkward pause after the dinner scene, followed by the sextet that was not not played completely.

The Jewels of the Madonna is a new opera for me. I did not prepare anything at all, this performance was my first hearing. The music pleased me, we get some good sing along arias, impressive choruses, and a very lyrical final scene. Often there are some Wagnerian sounds, then some hints of puccini. The star of the night was Kyungo Kim, what a voice ! Lovely bright, open and soaring over a heavy orchestra.Our Mali ell a had ano unpleasant timbre, especially in the higher notes. Production was traditional, the sets of act 1 was ok, 2 and 3 not so verismo, budget is probably too low.















I could not purchase the tickets online, as the billing system was not working. Wrote an email, and the response was I should reserve online, and pay at the ticket office. However they failed to mention the reservation is only valid for 2 days.... Luckily both shows weren't sold out so I still could get tickets on the same night of the performance.

Luckily for me The Jewels of the Madonna had both German and Slovak surtitles, but the Don Giovanni only Slovak.


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## Pugg

If I only had the time and most important off all the money


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## Dongiovanni

The Vienna part of the trip is close to the end now, having seen 3 of 4 operas. Travelling by boat from Bratislava to Vienna was very nice, and very comfortable. Went for a walk yesterday, the grandeur of Viennese architecture can be quite overwhelming. I have see so far Prince Igor, Capriccio and Ballo in Maschera.

Prince Igor is quite spectacular, especially the famous dance scenes, but overall towards the end it lost its grip on me. The singing was ok but not very special. The Volksoper is a charming theatre, and they offer musicals as well. Most is in German, as was Prince Igor, but they do Traviata in Italian. Surtitles only in German.

Capriccio is quite a complex opera, it is more or less an opera in an opera. Two and a half hours, no intermission or breaks for applause, no choir, a continuous flow of music. It was a luxury filler in my trip, because it gave me the chance to hear Maria Bengtsson as the Countess. Her voice is just perfect for this lyrical music, and in the great final scene she was just ravishing. The orchestra played beautifully, and the acoustics in the Theater an der Wien is quite good. The production was modern, and not knowing Capriccio so well, I did not get all the details, I have some more reading to do. I liked it, lots of attention to details. At the end, the farewell from the Countess to the writer and the composer was done very well, it seemed endless. A great evening, even better than expected. I can't wait for Bengtsson to sing Strauss 4 last songs.

With this cast I expected excellence and they delivered in Un Ballo in Maschera. Bezcala sounded in top form, the role of Gustav suits him like a glove. Hvorostovsky nailed his aria and was rewarded with the longest ovation. Stoyanova lacked just a bit of power for the first big aria, but was amazing in her aria asking to see her son one more time. Fahima surely was a cute Oscar, but needed some time to warm up. Her voice is very open and delivered the showpieces without any struggle. At the end the cast was loudly applauded, and many many curtain calls followed.The production is convenational, and very dull to me. The sets did not appeal to me, time for an update.

Tonight is the final opera, a concert Lucia Silla.


----------



## Dongiovanni

The missing playbills from yesterday's post:





















In cities like Vienna, where there are so many opera venues, it is really worth also visiting those smaller ones. The Teater and der Wien is one of them. It focuses more in the rare operas, like Mozart's early ones. Compared to the state opera the audience is younger, and very enthousiastic.

Lucio Silla was written when Mozart was just 16... What were we doing at 16, I often wonder myself when realising what an achievement this is. The style is very much conform the standard of the Opera seria, and can sometimes be just a little too repetitive. But there are jewels to be heard. Even though it was announced as concert performance, there was a set, it should have been called semi staged. The cast was mostly all young singers and it was very well balanced, with the exception of the tenor who sang Silla, his big voice could have easily sung Gustav in yesterday's Ballo. I loved his singing. I'm getting more and more familiar with counter tenors and tonight we had an excellent one. His volume is impressive, and Cecelio's slow aria was breathtaking. Eerens has a delight full voice, heard her before as Susanna which suits her very well. Pudova had the task to sing the hardest collator as and she did great. I loved Skerath's timbre, it has a lovely darkness to it.

Cast:
Franco Fagioli, Cecilio
Olga Pudova, Giunia
Alessandro Liberatore, Lucio Silla
Chiara Skerath, Cinna
Ilse Eerens, Celia

Rita Cosentino, Design and staging
Insula Orchestra
Laurence Equilbey, conductor


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## Don Fatale

This 3 day trip was a stopover route from the Scottish Highlands to Malta in the Mediterranean. Two flights, two train journeys. As Amsterdam is the only direct international route out of Inverness, then that was the first port of call. Until now, I've alway been to Amsterdam when there's a chill in the air, which gets compounded by all the canal water. This time it's warm and pleasant. My tiny over-priced hotel room is a short walk from Centraal Station.









It's *Don Giovanni* tonight, in what I guess is called the forest production. A lifelike forest area provides the verdant setting with a huge stage revolved used to good effect to indicate movement through the forest. I liked it!









_Christopher Maltman_ is the eponymous villain. Our own dongiovanni noted the Maltman wasn't in good voice at the previous performance, and alas I felt the same here. Thankfully Leporello sung and moved well, as did many others. It was a good night with a production that looks like a keeper.

Next morning I'm on the trains (3 needed for the 2h30m trip) from Amsterdam to Essen in the Ruhr Valley, near to Cologne, Dusseldorf etc, Germany's heavy industry heartland.

I reach my hotel by lunchtime after a walk through Essen's pedestrianised centre, which looks rather like any typical British town, I'm at the hotel in good time for an afternoon tourist venture. The hotel receptionist helpfully suggests I visit _Villa Krupp_ - the stately pile turned museum and garden of the Krupp steel dynasty. She fills out a little card which gives me unlimited access to all public transport for the duration of my stay  . I recommend this little trip if you're ever in Essen.

There are plenty of opera houses in this region, but it seems that Essen's is the most active. Their Aalto Theater is an 'award winning' modern purpose-built house, known for being assymetric in design, inside and out. It many look a little like Fort Knox, but it's kind of nice.









And so begins my two night Martinu jaunt. Tonight it's *The Greek Passion*, the last night of its 11 show run this season. Not full but still bringing them in. Tickets are inexpensive so I grab a decent stalls seat. The compact hall is nicely raked, so the views are unobstructed.

As everyone is taking their seats, there's a person sitting near me who's a little unusually dressed, and is holding an accordian. Needless to say a member the cast. At the appointed time, he gets up and begins busking in the aisle - serenading a lady with a tune from Traviata, while an elderly gent is the recipient of a tune which must have been very appropriate as the audience cheered. Then the accordianist played a couple a folk tunes to which many of the audience sung the words. It was a charming way to start the evening. The accordianist's audience stint seques cleverly into the start of the opera as he joins those on stage.









The Greek Passion here is the composer's full revision premiering posthumously in 1961. The score and singing is melodic and accessible, the orchestration quite lush, showing Martinu's debt to Puccini and (IMO) American film scores. In fact, some of the music could easily have enhanced La Fanciulla del West.

The plot concerns a Greek village who's plans to put on a Passion Play are interrupted by refugees from a neighbouring village during a Turkish invasion. Whilst there are many detailed touched to this production, the general semi abstract design (a large crumbling wall) isn't fully satisfactory. However, credit to the designer for staying true to the era and resisting any urge to update and politicize the story.

Local favorites Jessica Muirhead and Jeffrey Dowd give some fine singing, and deliver the emotional core most movingly. Conductor Tomas Netopil gave an excellent reading of the score. I can say no more than it sounded as good as my Charles Mackerras recording.

Time to leave Essen, but I sense I'll be back before too long. It's a 4 hour train journey to Berlin the following morning, clearly not a mainline route as every carriage seems of a different design! Even the armrests in my six seat compartment don't match! Just when I think I'll have the whole space to myself, a retired couple come in. We chat immediately as I help them put their luggage on the rack. We quickly discover that not only were we both at the Greek Passion but also heading to Berlin for tonight's Julietta! Sometimes I wonder whether it's an amazing coincidence or whether there were many others on the train doing the same opera pilgrimage. Anyway, the husband of my lovely new Swedish friends turns out to be a musicologist specialising in the life and works of Martinu. He gives me a recent copy of the Martinu society magazine with his leading article. Needless to say, the journey flies by with many anecdotes and much laughter.

Berlin and Julietta. I'm flying out of Schonefield in the morning so pick a hotel on the Eastern side. That way I get the benefit of more time in bed before my 10am flight, than if I'd stayed near the Schiller Theatre in the West.









This is the first night of a new production of Julietta (or Juliette as the Germans have it). Barenboim's conducting, Magdalena Kozena in the title role, although Rolando Villazon as Michel is very much the leading character, onstage and involved throughout. Firstly, I have to say the production of Claus Guth is first rate. In fact, everything is. Villazon is perfect in this role and it's a triumph for him. Kozena, in my first time hearing her live, doesn't disappoint. Her voice has a unique and special timbre.

During the interval Gunter, my friend and Martinu scholar, felt Barenboim's conducting was a little Debussian and not Stravinskian (which Martinu strove for) but this was a minor quibble. It was a great evening and a big hit. I wish I'd stayed on for another performance.

I will now update my top ten 20th century operas to including Julietta.

In summary, an enjoyable 3 day trip. Whilst there's something to be said for staying more than one night in a town, I think I prefer to be on the move during each day. After all, I'm not a tourist I'm an operatic traveller.

-------------------------------------------------
* I calculate that Jessica Muirhead sung 42 times at the Aalto in the season, mostly in prima donna roles (Violetta, Mimi, Margherite).


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## mountmccabe

How wonderful that you were in a train car with more fans of Martinů! I have not gotten the chance to see and do not know his operatic work, but I love so much of his orchestral and chamber works that I should prioritize them.

I love the picture of the Stopera.


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## Don Fatale

mountmccabe said:


> How wonderful that you were in a train car with more fans of Martinů! I have not gotten the chance to see and do not know his operatic work, but I love so much of his orchestral and chamber works that I should prioritize them.
> 
> I love the picture of the Stopera.


Glad you like the stopera pic... one of my better pictures, although purely by chance. Taking photos on my phone is a pretty random activity for me.

It was so nice to meet fellow opera fans on the train and reminded me of travelling around Europe as a young adult where one enjoy many fun meetings.

When I flew to Milan in January the couple sitting next to me were also going to see Rigoletto that night, and we met afterwards; so these encounters are surprisingly common. But this encounter was a whole different level of loveliness , and offers of homestays and visits were made in each direction.

















Review here:
http://classicalvoiceamerica.org/2016/06/01/dreamy-juliette-weaves-a-spell-in-berlin-debut/


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## sospiro

*Don Fatale* - great review of your 3-day opera trip.

I know what you mean about Amsterdam. The very first time I went (a non-opera trip) was in June 2011 and the weather was glorious. So much nicer to wander and mooch when it's warm.

Fantastic to meet those opera fans on the train. It's one of advantages of travelling alone, you tend to strike up conversations with people which you might not do if you're travelling as a couple.


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## Steatopygous

I mentioned some time ago that I was going on a musical pilgrimage to New York. I did it in April. Below is what I saw, if anyone can be bothered wading through. It includes 5 operas at the Met, including Domingo as Simon Boccanegra, the thrilling new Elektra, the Zeffirelli boheme (been repeated since 1981, may be the most perfect production I've ever seen), the Otello at which Antonenko couldn't continue and his replacement for the last act took his curtain calls in jeans and sneakers, and the 1977 Abduction from the Seraglio.
Happy to comment further on any individual performances if anyone is interested, but too many to bore you with otherwise.
9/4/16
Carnegie Hall
Brahms
Piano Quartet 1 in G minor, Op 25
Piano Quartet 2 in A major, Op 26
Piano Quartet 3 in C minor, Op 60
Lef Ove Andsnes pno, James Ehnes vln (replacing Christian Tetzlaff), Tabea Zimmermann vla, Clemens Hagen vlc

10/4/16
Grace Church
Handel: Messiah, part III

13/4/16
Metropolitan Opera
Lincoln Centre
Verdi: Simone Boccanegra
Boccanegra: Placido Domingo bar, Fiesco: Ferruccio Furlanetto bass, Maria: Lianna Haroutounia sop, Gabriele: Joseph Calleja ten, Paolo: Briam Mulligan bar, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, James Levine, Giancarlo del Monaco dir.

14/4/16
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Howard Gilman Opera House
Campra: Les Fetes Venitiennes opera-ballet
Magali Leger sop, Elodie Fonnard sop, Rachel Redmon sop, Emilie Ranar mezzo, Reinoud Van Mechelen ten, Cyril Auvity high ten, Sean Clayton ten, marcel Beekman ten, Jonathan McGovern bar, Francois Lis bass, Geoffroy Buffiere bass, Les Arts Florissants, William Christie, Robert Carsen dir.

15/4/16
New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Lincoln Centre
David Geffen Theatre
Mahler: Symphony 9 in D major
Bernard Haitink

16/4/16
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Carnegie Hall
Puts: The City: Film by James Bartolomeo
Mahler: Symphony 5 in C sharp minor
Marin Alsop

17/4/16
Emerson String Quartet
Juilliard School of Music, Lincoln Centre
Alice Tully Hall
Haydn: String Quartet in D minor, Fifths, Op 76/2
Beethoven: String Quartet 5 in A major, Op 18/5
Beethoven: String Quartet 1 in F major, Op 18/1
Haydn: String Quartet in D major, Op 76/5

18/4/16
Metropolitan Opera
Lincoln Centre
R. Strauss: Elektra
Elektra: Nina Steme sop, Klytamnestra: Waltraud Meier mezzo, Chyrsothemis: Adrianne Pieczonka sop, Orest: Eric Owens bar, Aegisth: Burkhard Ulrich ten, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen,Patrice Chereau dir.

19/4/16
Carnegie Hall
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Corigliano: Fantasia on an Ostinato
Korngold: Violin Concerto in D major, Op 35: Leonidas Kavakos vln
Dvorak: Symphony 8 in G major, Op 88

20/4/16
Carnegie Hall
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Shostakovich: Symphony 7 in C major, Op 60,Leningrad
Maris Janssons

21/4/16
Lincoln Centre
David Geffen Hall
New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Sibelius: Symphony 7 in C major, Op 105
Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
Stefan Vinke ten, Thomas Hampson bar, Alan Gilbert

22/4/16
Metropolitan Opera
Lincoln Centre
Mozart: The Abduction from the Seraglio
Belmonte: Paul Appleby ten, Osmin: Hans-Peter Konig bass, Pedrillo: Brenton Ryan ten, Konstanze: Albina Shagimuratova sop, Blondchen: Kathleen Kim sop, Pasha Selim: Matthias von Stegmann, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, James Levine, John Dexter dir.

23/4/16
Metropolitan Opera
Lincoln Centre
Verdi: Otello
Otello: Aleksandrs Antonenko ten, Desdemona: Hibla Gerzmava sop, Iago: Zeljko Lucic bar, Roderigo: Chad Shelton ten, Cassio: Alexey Dolgov ten, Emilia: Jeniifer Johnson Cano mezzo, Ludovico: James Morris bass, Montano: Jeff Mattsey bass, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Adam Fischer, Bartlett Shir dir. 

24/4/16
Juilliard School of Music: Morse Hall
3pm
Debussy: En Blac et Noir: Jiaying Din, Nuoya Zhang pnos
Schumann: Marchenerzahlungen, Op 132: Sunho Song cl, Kunjing Dai vla, Yilan Zhao pno
Dvorak: Piano Trio 4, Dumky, Op 90: Pei-wen Liao vln, Julia Henderson vlc, Peng Lin pno

5pm
Beethoven: String Quartet 1 in F manjor, Op 18/1: William Wei vln, Ji Soo Choi vln, Sophia Sun vla, Matthew Chen vlc
Schubert: Piano Trio 1 in B flat major, D898: Haemin Lee vln, Ye Jin Choi vlc, Brian Yuebin Lin pno

25/4/16
Metropolitan Opera
Lincoln Centre
Puccini: La boheme
Rodolfo: Bryan Hymel ten, Mimi: Maria Agresta sop, Marcello: Levente Molnar bar, Colline: Roberto Tagliavini bass, Schaunard: Alessio Arduini bass, Musetta: Aily Perez mezzo, Benoit: Paul Plishka, Parpignol: Daniel Clark Smith, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Dan Ettinger, Franco Zeffirelli dir.

26/4
Walter Kerr Theatre, Broadway
Miller: The Crucible
John Procter: Ben Whishaw, Elizabeth Proctor: Sophie Okonedo, John Hale: Bill Camp, Governor Danforth: CiaranHinds, Abigail Williams: Saoirse Ronan, Mary Warren: Tavi Gevinson, Rebecca Nurse: Brenda Wehle, Giles Corey, Jim Norton, Samuel Parris: Jason Butler Harner, Tituba: Jenny Jules, Ivo van Hove dir.

27/4/16
Carnegie Hall
Beethoven
Piano Sonata 8 in C minor, Pathetique, Op 13
Six Variations on an Original Theme in F major, Op 34
Piano Sonata 16 in G major, Op 31/1
Polonaise in C major, Op 89
Piano Sonata 23 in F minor, Appassionata, Op 57
Emmanuel Ax piano

28/4/16
New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Lincoln Centre
David Geffen Hall
Krawczyk: Apres
Schumann: Cello Concerto in A minor, Op 129
Brahms: Symphony 2 in D major, Op 73
Carter Brey vlc, Alan Gilbert

29/4/16
Carnegie Hall
Utah Symphony Orchestra
Haydn: Symphony 96 in D major, The Miracle
Norman: Switch: Colin currie percussion
Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet: excerpts
Bartok: The Miraculous Mandarin Suite, Op 19
Thierry Fischer


----------



## Belowpar

Ding, ding we have a winner! 

That's some trip, congratulations. Perhaps you would tell us more about, say, 3 highlights?


----------



## sospiro

Steatopygous said:


> I mentioned some time ago that I was going on a musical pilgrimage to New York. I did it in April. Below is what I saw, if anyone can be bothered wading through. It includes 5 operas at the Met, including Domingo as Simon Boccanegra, the thrilling new Elektra, the Zeffirelli boheme (been repeated since 1981, may be the most perfect production I've ever seen), the Otello at which Antonenko couldn't continue and his replacement for the last act took his curtain calls in jeans and sneakers, and the 1977 Abduction from the Seraglio.
> Happy to comment further on any individual performances if anyone is interested, but too many to bore you with otherwise.
> 9/4/16
> Carnegie Hall
> Brahms
> Piano Quartet 1 in G minor, Op 25
> Piano Quartet 2 in A major, Op 26
> Piano Quartet 3 in C minor, Op 60
> Lef Ove Andsnes pno, James Ehnes vln (replacing Christian Tetzlaff), Tabea Zimmermann vla, Clemens Hagen vlc
> 
> 10/4/16
> Grace Church
> Handel: Messiah, part III
> 
> 13/4/16
> Metropolitan Opera
> Lincoln Centre
> Verdi: Simone Boccanegra
> Boccanegra: Placido Domingo bar, Fiesco: Ferruccio Furlanetto bass, Maria: Lianna Haroutounia sop, Gabriele: Joseph Calleja ten, Paolo: Briam Mulligan bar, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, James Levine, Giancarlo del Monaco dir.
> 
> 14/4/16
> Brooklyn Academy of Music
> Howard Gilman Opera House
> Campra: Les Fetes Venitiennes opera-ballet
> Magali Leger sop, Elodie Fonnard sop, Rachel Redmon sop, Emilie Ranar mezzo, Reinoud Van Mechelen ten, Cyril Auvity high ten, Sean Clayton ten, marcel Beekman ten, Jonathan McGovern bar, Francois Lis bass, Geoffroy Buffiere bass, Les Arts Florissants, William Christie, Robert Carsen dir.
> 
> 15/4/16
> New York Philharmonic Orchestra
> Lincoln Centre
> David Geffen Theatre
> Mahler: Symphony 9 in D major
> Bernard Haitink
> 
> 16/4/16
> Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
> Carnegie Hall
> Puts: The City: Film by James Bartolomeo
> Mahler: Symphony 5 in C sharp minor
> Marin Alsop
> 
> 17/4/16
> Emerson String Quartet
> Juilliard School of Music, Lincoln Centre
> Alice Tully Hall
> Haydn: String Quartet in D minor, Fifths, Op 76/2
> Beethoven: String Quartet 5 in A major, Op 18/5
> Beethoven: String Quartet 1 in F major, Op 18/1
> Haydn: String Quartet in D major, Op 76/5
> 
> 18/4/16
> Metropolitan Opera
> Lincoln Centre
> R. Strauss: Elektra
> Elektra: Nina Steme sop, Klytamnestra: Waltraud Meier mezzo, Chyrsothemis: Adrianne Pieczonka sop, Orest: Eric Owens bar, Aegisth: Burkhard Ulrich ten, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen,Patrice Chereau dir.
> 
> 19/4/16
> Carnegie Hall
> Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
> Corigliano: Fantasia on an Ostinato
> Korngold: Violin Concerto in D major, Op 35: Leonidas Kavakos vln
> Dvorak: Symphony 8 in G major, Op 88
> 
> 20/4/16
> Carnegie Hall
> Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
> Shostakovich: Symphony 7 in C major, Op 60,Leningrad
> Maris Janssons
> 
> 21/4/16
> Lincoln Centre
> David Geffen Hall
> New York Philharmonic Orchestra
> Sibelius: Symphony 7 in C major, Op 105
> Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
> Stefan Vinke ten, Thomas Hampson bar, Alan Gilbert
> 
> 22/4/16
> Metropolitan Opera
> Lincoln Centre
> Mozart: The Abduction from the Seraglio
> Belmonte: Paul Appleby ten, Osmin: Hans-Peter Konig bass, Pedrillo: Brenton Ryan ten, Konstanze: Albina Shagimuratova sop, Blondchen: Kathleen Kim sop, Pasha Selim: Matthias von Stegmann, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, James Levine, John Dexter dir.
> 
> 23/4/16
> Metropolitan Opera
> Lincoln Centre
> Verdi: Otello
> Otello: Aleksandrs Antonenko ten, Desdemona: Hibla Gerzmava sop, Iago: Zeljko Lucic bar, Roderigo: Chad Shelton ten, Cassio: Alexey Dolgov ten, Emilia: Jeniifer Johnson Cano mezzo, Ludovico: James Morris bass, Montano: Jeff Mattsey bass, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Adam Fischer, Bartlett Shir dir.
> 
> 24/4/16
> Juilliard School of Music: Morse Hall
> 3pm
> Debussy: En Blac et Noir: Jiaying Din, Nuoya Zhang pnos
> Schumann: Marchenerzahlungen, Op 132: Sunho Song cl, Kunjing Dai vla, Yilan Zhao pno
> Dvorak: Piano Trio 4, Dumky, Op 90: Pei-wen Liao vln, Julia Henderson vlc, Peng Lin pno
> 
> 5pm
> Beethoven: String Quartet 1 in F manjor, Op 18/1: William Wei vln, Ji Soo Choi vln, Sophia Sun vla, Matthew Chen vlc
> Schubert: Piano Trio 1 in B flat major, D898: Haemin Lee vln, Ye Jin Choi vlc, Brian Yuebin Lin pno
> 
> 25/4/16
> Metropolitan Opera
> Lincoln Centre
> Puccini: La boheme
> Rodolfo: Bryan Hymel ten, Mimi: Maria Agresta sop, Marcello: Levente Molnar bar, Colline: Roberto Tagliavini bass, Schaunard: Alessio Arduini bass, Musetta: Aily Perez mezzo, Benoit: Paul Plishka, Parpignol: Daniel Clark Smith, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Dan Ettinger, Franco Zeffirelli dir.
> 
> 26/4
> Walter Kerr Theatre, Broadway
> Miller: The Crucible
> John Procter: Ben Whishaw, Elizabeth Proctor: Sophie Okonedo, John Hale: Bill Camp, Governor Danforth: CiaranHinds, Abigail Williams: Saoirse Ronan, Mary Warren: Tavi Gevinson, Rebecca Nurse: Brenda Wehle, Giles Corey, Jim Norton, Samuel Parris: Jason Butler Harner, Tituba: Jenny Jules, Ivo van Hove dir.
> 
> 27/4/16
> Carnegie Hall
> Beethoven
> Piano Sonata 8 in C minor, Pathetique, Op 13
> Six Variations on an Original Theme in F major, Op 34
> Piano Sonata 16 in G major, Op 31/1
> Polonaise in C major, Op 89
> Piano Sonata 23 in F minor, Appassionata, Op 57
> Emmanuel Ax piano
> 
> 28/4/16
> New York Philharmonic Orchestra
> Lincoln Centre
> David Geffen Hall
> Krawczyk: Apres
> Schumann: Cello Concerto in A minor, Op 129
> Brahms: Symphony 2 in D major, Op 73
> Carter Brey vlc, Alan Gilbert
> 
> 29/4/16
> Carnegie Hall
> Utah Symphony Orchestra
> Haydn: Symphony 96 in D major, The Miracle
> Norman: Switch: Colin currie percussion
> Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet: excerpts
> Bartok: The Miraculous Mandarin Suite, Op 19
> Thierry Fischer












Now _that's_ what I call an opera trip!!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on _Simon Boccanegra_ and what you think about PD in a baritone role. Also would like to hear more about what happened in _Otello_.


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## Don Fatale

Steatopygous, you didn't mention whether you had a good time ;-) That's a pretty awesome trip. I like that you took in symphonies and chamber music too.

Please do contribute to the Opera in New York thread with any useful tips and discoveries during your time. Although I've been the The Met and Carnegie Hall, I feel I've only scratched the surface of what's available there.


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## Pugg

Don Fatale said:


> Steatopygous, you didn't mention whether you had a good time ;-) That's a pretty awesome trip. I like that you took in symphonies and chamber music too.
> 
> Please do contribute to the Opera in New York thread with any useful tips and discoveries during your time. Although I've been the The Met and Carnegie Hall, I feel I've only scratched the surface of what's available there.


My partner always says, "If we moved to New York city, we were broke in two years, just because of the music" 
Fair point, so no planning of moving just yet .


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## Steatopygous

Thanks for your interest, those who replied. I "wasted" only one night because I took the train up to Yale to see a friend. 
Did I have a good time, Don Fatale? Magical! Fabulous! I loved every moment. I found Americans friendly and charming, and could easily have enjoyed double the stay. During the day I did touristy things, then at night - well, as you saw. I would try to get back for a rest in between to keep my concentration fresh, and it worked well. 
The music was amazingly good. I tried to get to as many places as I could: The Met and Carnegie Hall were easily top, superlative accoustics. David Geffen Hall really changed according to where I sat. Fine hall at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, but designed for pygmies or for performances of no more than 15 minutes, the seats were so cramped. Alice Tully Hall at the Juilliard very good. Morse Hall, for the free chamber concerts, was fine too. Even the subways have a pretty good accoustic. On one day up at Grand Central, there were in separate spots a string quartet, a cellist and a violinist. A rock band, with full amplification played on a platform at Times Square one evening - all of them just busking. I scurried past the latter, hands over my ears. Of course they had to combat the constant trains. I will try to get to the Opera in New York thread with tips about scalpers etc.


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## Steatopygous

sospiro said:


> Now _that's_ what I call an opera trip!!
> 
> I'd love to hear your thoughts on _Simon Boccanegra_ and what you think about PD in a baritone role. Also would like to hear more about what happened in _Otello_.


Simon Boccanegra on April 13 was Jimmy Levine's last performance as undisputed monarch of the Met (unless that's Peter Gelb as, according to New York Times' Anthony Thomasini , it has been for the past few years). The next day, Thursday 14/4 he told the company he would be standing down as artistic director after the rest of the Boccanegra season and Abduction from the Seraglio. He certainly made the Met Orchestra a consummate opera orchestra. Flawless in the Verdi, in precision, intonation, balance, dynamic control. Levine was wonderfully sensitive to the singers. Domingo, in his 70s, is clearly past his best and his baritone is decidedly "tenorish", but it was exciting to hear him live for the first time, and he has great stage presence and still has plenty of oomph. The other singers scaled back for Domingo (when they were in scenes with him as Boccanegra) except Lianne Haroutounian in their scene 1 duet. But it was a stellar cast in superb voice, and agorgeous production: sets, costumes. The acoustic is so good they could even have singers sing upstage with their backs to the audience. All in all, quite luscious. I heard Haroutounian a couple of weeks later in Melbourne, singing Mimi with Opera Australia. 
Elektra was scarifiying, incredibly intense. Superb performances by Nina Stemme as Elektra and Waltrud Meier as Klytemnestra in particular, but the whole cast was excellent. Terrifying music brilliantly realised by the Met Orchestra and Esa-Pekka Salonen, another great conductor (whom Thomasini began lobbying for to replace Levine almost as soon as the latter's departure was announced). Dark and forbidding set, timeless, semi-contemporary costumes. It's a really visceral interpretation, which hits you like a hammer blow. I have to admit, Elektra had not been high on my list of favourite operas, but I had never seen it on stage. That changes everything (as it does for an opera like Lulu, too). This production justly received rave reviews, Thomasini calling it a "landmark" and another critic saying it was one of the most memorable opera experiences of his life. 
MORE IN NEXT POST


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## Steatopygous

NEXT POST, MORE AS PROMISED!
The Otello, a new production, was, once more, simply marvellous . Clever sets (translucent moving blocks with video background), great direction, luminous lighting, superb singing and the usual miraculous orchestral playing, conducted with great sensitivity by Adam Fischer. 
Translucent buildings moved and interlocked in different ways, sometimes moved into position by members of the cast, including Iago. Projections on to the curtain and stage walls (eg pounding, surging waves and heavy clouds in the opening storm scene) provided great atmosphere. I didn’t know any of the cast except, looking at the program now, the great bass James Morris in the minor role of Lodovico. But they were mostly really fine. The Desdemona, Hibla Gerzmava, was exceptional , ravishing – pure, accurate, with great presence and huge emotional conviction. She looks to have everything to become a great. I really admired the Iago too, Zeljko Lucic, a Serbian baritone who was really villainous, partly by not overplaying the role, as I have seen done. The Otello, played without black make-up, was Aleksandrs Antonenko from Latvia, whom I didn’t like so much for his tendency to bellow. He reminded me of Mario del Monaco. Great voice, not a lot of vocal acting. But I might have been too hasty, for he was forced to run through the last act, silently miming, while a stand-in (Francesco Anile) sang from the corner, almost invisible in black robes with just a pale face visible. A reason for this became evident at the curtain calls, when he came on in a T-shirt, jeans and sneakers to take his bow. His sudden introduction was a huge surprise (and he was quite old, 50s say, for his Met debut. We were told this was his debut after the curtain calls by an announcer who came on stage.) He sang really well, with far more subtlety than Antonenko, but with clarion clarity and power. Roderigo, Cassio, Emilia all very fine. But what a Desdemona! If I have many more operatic highlights like that in my life I will be very grateful. Of course the tears rolled down my face in the last scene (as they always do), from the Willow Song to “a kiss, another kiss”, testament to the soprano’s ability but even more Verdi’s genius. Adam Fischer started with a strong and characterful storm scene, and kept the orchestra on its nimble toes all night. 
Non-opera highlights: NYPO and Haitink doing Mahler 9, as you would expect; Bavarian Radio SO and Maris Janssons doing Shostakovich 7 (Leningrad), Andsnes doing Brahms and Ax playing Beethoven. Les Arts Florissants, whom I have seen twice before, were amazing. I now realise they did not bring the whole company to Melbourne, but they did to NY. The lowlight, for me, was Marin Alsop's Mahler 5, which I thought really poor, erratic and uncontrolled. But the NY Times (not Thomasini) raved about the virtuoso orchestra. In the finale of the last movement, Alsop took it so fast they only articulated about half the notes, so I can't imagine where that critical judgment came from.


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## Steatopygous

Pugg said:


> My partner always says, "If we moved to New York city, we were broke in two years, just because of the music"
> Fair point, so no planning of moving just yet .


That is so true. I haven't dared look at what I spent. The musical trip of a life time, I resolved not to stint and thereby miss any opportunity. I will write about this in my local paper, and on that promise the Met gave me tickets to 3 operas and the NY Phil tickets to two concerts - extremely generous. I have pasted the above from my quick notes, so don't judge my writing on that, please! I paid $125 for boheme, to sit in the back row of the dress circle (4 levels up), and every note floated up to me with crystal clarity. But I bought really cheap restricted seats for the Abduction from the Seraglio, down the side of the very top level, and felt quite vertiginous as I leant slightly out over the huge drop to see more of the stage. I naughtily snuck down a level after the first interval, having noticed a lot of empty seats. So, a tip for the New York opera thread: don't buy the restricted viewing seats on the wings if you are afraid of heights.


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## Cavaradossi

Steatopygous said:


> That is so true. I haven't dared look at what I spent. The musical trip of a life time, I resolved not to stint and thereby miss any opportunity. I will write about this in my local paper, and on that promise the Met gave me tickets to 3 operas and the NY Phil tickets to two concerts - extremely generous...


Wow, I'd say you did it right, Steatopygous. And how wonderful (and smart) of the Met to offer you those tickets. Since moving to New York, two and a half Met seasons...errr, years ago. I've greeted the end of the performing season with a wistful mix of sadness for the passing year, gratitude for all it has offered, and outright relief to be spared the weekly deluge of "can't miss" performances - for a few months at least. But, I know that in spite of any number of summer festival/travel season delights, come September it will seem an eternity until opening night kicks it all off again.


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## Dongiovanni

Steatopygous said:


> I mentioned some time ago that I was going on a musical pilgrimage to New York. I did it in April. Below is what I saw, if anyone can be bothered wading through. It includes 5 operas at the Met, including Domingo as Simon Boccanegra, the thrilling new Elektra, the Zeffirelli boheme (been repeated since 1981, may be the most perfect production I've ever seen), the Otello at which Antonenko couldn't continue and his replacement for the last act took his curtain calls in jeans and sneakers, and the 1977 Abduction from the Seraglio.
> Happy to comment further on any individual performances if anyone is interested, but too many to bore you with otherwise.
> 9/4/16
> Carnegie Hall
> Brahms
> Piano Quartet 1 in G minor, Op 25
> Piano Quartet 2 in A major, Op 26
> Piano Quartet 3 in C minor, Op 60
> Lef Ove Andsnes pno, James Ehnes vln (replacing Christian Tetzlaff), Tabea Zimmermann vla, Clemens Hagen vlc
> 
> 10/4/16
> Grace Church
> Handel: Messiah, part III
> 
> 13/4/16
> Metropolitan Opera
> Lincoln Centre
> Verdi: Simone Boccanegra
> Boccanegra: Placido Domingo bar, Fiesco: Ferruccio Furlanetto bass, Maria: Lianna Haroutounia sop, Gabriele: Joseph Calleja ten, Paolo: Briam Mulligan bar, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, James Levine, Giancarlo del Monaco dir.
> 
> 14/4/16
> Brooklyn Academy of Music
> Howard Gilman Opera House
> Campra: Les Fetes Venitiennes opera-ballet
> Magali Leger sop, Elodie Fonnard sop, Rachel Redmon sop, Emilie Ranar mezzo, Reinoud Van Mechelen ten, Cyril Auvity high ten, Sean Clayton ten, marcel Beekman ten, Jonathan McGovern bar, Francois Lis bass, Geoffroy Buffiere bass, Les Arts Florissants, William Christie, Robert Carsen dir.
> 
> 15/4/16
> New York Philharmonic Orchestra
> Lincoln Centre
> David Geffen Theatre
> Mahler: Symphony 9 in D major
> Bernard Haitink
> 
> 16/4/16
> Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
> Carnegie Hall
> Puts: The City: Film by James Bartolomeo
> Mahler: Symphony 5 in C sharp minor
> Marin Alsop
> 
> 17/4/16
> Emerson String Quartet
> Juilliard School of Music, Lincoln Centre
> Alice Tully Hall
> Haydn: String Quartet in D minor, Fifths, Op 76/2
> Beethoven: String Quartet 5 in A major, Op 18/5
> Beethoven: String Quartet 1 in F major, Op 18/1
> Haydn: String Quartet in D major, Op 76/5
> 
> 18/4/16
> Metropolitan Opera
> Lincoln Centre
> R. Strauss: Elektra
> Elektra: Nina Steme sop, Klytamnestra: Waltraud Meier mezzo, Chyrsothemis: Adrianne Pieczonka sop, Orest: Eric Owens bar, Aegisth: Burkhard Ulrich ten, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen,Patrice Chereau dir.
> 
> 19/4/16
> Carnegie Hall
> Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
> Corigliano: Fantasia on an Ostinato
> Korngold: Violin Concerto in D major, Op 35: Leonidas Kavakos vln
> Dvorak: Symphony 8 in G major, Op 88
> 
> 20/4/16
> Carnegie Hall
> Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
> Shostakovich: Symphony 7 in C major, Op 60,Leningrad
> Maris Janssons
> 
> 21/4/16
> Lincoln Centre
> David Geffen Hall
> New York Philharmonic Orchestra
> Sibelius: Symphony 7 in C major, Op 105
> Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
> Stefan Vinke ten, Thomas Hampson bar, Alan Gilbert
> 
> 22/4/16
> Metropolitan Opera
> Lincoln Centre
> Mozart: The Abduction from the Seraglio
> Belmonte: Paul Appleby ten, Osmin: Hans-Peter Konig bass, Pedrillo: Brenton Ryan ten, Konstanze: Albina Shagimuratova sop, Blondchen: Kathleen Kim sop, Pasha Selim: Matthias von Stegmann, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, James Levine, John Dexter dir.
> 
> 23/4/16
> Metropolitan Opera
> Lincoln Centre
> Verdi: Otello
> Otello: Aleksandrs Antonenko ten, Desdemona: Hibla Gerzmava sop, Iago: Zeljko Lucic bar, Roderigo: Chad Shelton ten, Cassio: Alexey Dolgov ten, Emilia: Jeniifer Johnson Cano mezzo, Ludovico: James Morris bass, Montano: Jeff Mattsey bass, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Adam Fischer, Bartlett Shir dir.
> 
> 24/4/16
> Juilliard School of Music: Morse Hall
> 3pm
> Debussy: En Blac et Noir: Jiaying Din, Nuoya Zhang pnos
> Schumann: Marchenerzahlungen, Op 132: Sunho Song cl, Kunjing Dai vla, Yilan Zhao pno
> Dvorak: Piano Trio 4, Dumky, Op 90: Pei-wen Liao vln, Julia Henderson vlc, Peng Lin pno
> 
> 5pm
> Beethoven: String Quartet 1 in F manjor, Op 18/1: William Wei vln, Ji Soo Choi vln, Sophia Sun vla, Matthew Chen vlc
> Schubert: Piano Trio 1 in B flat major, D898: Haemin Lee vln, Ye Jin Choi vlc, Brian Yuebin Lin pno
> 
> 25/4/16
> Metropolitan Opera
> Lincoln Centre
> Puccini: La boheme
> Rodolfo: Bryan Hymel ten, Mimi: Maria Agresta sop, Marcello: Levente Molnar bar, Colline: Roberto Tagliavini bass, Schaunard: Alessio Arduini bass, Musetta: Aily Perez mezzo, Benoit: Paul Plishka, Parpignol: Daniel Clark Smith, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Dan Ettinger, Franco Zeffirelli dir.
> 
> 26/4
> Walter Kerr Theatre, Broadway
> Miller: The Crucible
> John Procter: Ben Whishaw, Elizabeth Proctor: Sophie Okonedo, John Hale: Bill Camp, Governor Danforth: CiaranHinds, Abigail Williams: Saoirse Ronan, Mary Warren: Tavi Gevinson, Rebecca Nurse: Brenda Wehle, Giles Corey, Jim Norton, Samuel Parris: Jason Butler Harner, Tituba: Jenny Jules, Ivo van Hove dir.
> 
> 27/4/16
> Carnegie Hall
> Beethoven
> Piano Sonata 8 in C minor, Pathetique, Op 13
> Six Variations on an Original Theme in F major, Op 34
> Piano Sonata 16 in G major, Op 31/1
> Polonaise in C major, Op 89
> Piano Sonata 23 in F minor, Appassionata, Op 57
> Emmanuel Ax piano
> 
> 28/4/16
> New York Philharmonic Orchestra
> Lincoln Centre
> David Geffen Hall
> Krawczyk: Apres
> Schumann: Cello Concerto in A minor, Op 129
> Brahms: Symphony 2 in D major, Op 73
> Carter Brey vlc, Alan Gilbert
> 
> 29/4/16
> Carnegie Hall
> Utah Symphony Orchestra
> Haydn: Symphony 96 in D major, The Miracle
> Norman: Switch: Colin currie percussion
> Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet: excerpts
> Bartok: The Miraculous Mandarin Suite, Op 19
> Thierry Fischer


Hats off, this is a trip of epic proportions. And so well balanced, chamber music, opera, symphony. Mahler 9 under Haitink - what more to wish for.


----------



## Dongiovanni

Europera trip June 2016, day 1

The complete plan is here.

Yesterday I started the 4 city 7 opera's 2 concerts trip, in Amsterdam. The performance was Pique Dame, at the DNO. The singing was quite excellent ! Outstanding was Alexey Markov as Tomsky and Vladimir Stoyanov as Jeletski and slightly less convincing but still very good Misha Didyk as the troubled Hermann. Svetlana Aksenova as Liza was impressive as well, but she had some rather harsh top notes, besides that her performance was quite convincing. As I expected absolutely stunning was the orchestra (Concertgebouw orchestra) under Maris Jansons. Sublime sounds, strings sounded lovely and the brass was just fingerlicking good. Judging by the cheering, between acts and after the performance, Jansons and the orchestra were the stars of the evening. Even after he parted as chief conductor with the Concertgebouw orchestra, he is still a very welcome guest conductor in Amsterdam.

And then there was the new production by Stefan Herheim. Somehow, the life of Tchaikovsky seems to be very attractive to opera directors. The looks of Jeletski hints at the older Tchaikovsky... at the opening it seems Hermann just had an intimate meeting with Jeletski. Aha ! Jeletski is Tchaikovsky, and Liza is the woman he indeed married under pressure to hide his homosexuality. During the whole performance we see Jeletski/Tchaikovsky while composing and conducting... which at some points looks more like comedy... it is very difficult to have this look convincing on stage. Besides, what's the point ? It's more like lack of imagination than originality to use the composer as a character in his own opera. So production (as in so many cases...) not so great as the musical performance. After googling I found out this director did the repulsive Boheme in Norway. So it could have been much worse.

Curtain picture:








In the evening I went to a lovely all Bach concert in the Westerkerk. Should have been an outside concert, but due to bad weather moved indoor. The acoustics of the church are fabulous, I didn't mind moving inside 

Travelling now very comfortably to Paris on the Thalys, the high speed train. This evening it's Aida in Opera Bastille.

Strikes are going on in France... SNCF was on strike during the weekend... RATP today... Traviata tomorrow is at risk... Fingers crossed.


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Europera trip June 2016, day 1
> 
> The complete plan is here.
> 
> Yesterday I started the 4 city 7 opera's 2 concerts trip, in Amsterdam. The performance was Pique Dame, at the DNO. The singing was quite excellent ! Outstanding was Alexey Markov as Tomsky and Vladimir Stoyanov as Jeletski and slightly less convincing but still very good Misha Didyk as the troubled Hermann. Svetlana Aksenova as Liza was impressive as well, but she had some rather harsh top notes, besides that her performance was quite convincing. As I expected absolutely stunning was the orchestra (Concertgebouw orchestra) under Maris Jansons. Sublime sounds, strings sounded lovely and the brass was just fingerlicking good. Judging by the cheering, between acts and after the performance, Jansons and the orchestra were the stars of the evening. Even after he parted as chief conductor with the Concertgebouw orchestra, he is still a very welcome guest conductor in Amsterdam.
> 
> And then there was the new production by Stefan Herheim. Somehow, the life of Tchaikovsky seems to be very attractive to opera directors. The looks of Jeletski hints at the older Tchaikovsky... at the opening it seems Hermann just had an intimate meeting with Jeletski. Aha ! Jeletski is Tchaikovsky, and Liza is the woman he indeed married under pressure to hide his homosexuality. During the whole performance we see Jeletski/Tchaikovsky while composing and conducting... which at some points looks more like comedy... it is very difficult to have this look convincing on stage. Besides, what's the point ? It's more like lack of imagination than originality to use the composer as a character in his own opera. So production (as in so many cases...) not so great as the musical performance. After googling I found out this director did the repulsive Boheme in Norway. So it could have been much worse.
> 
> Curtain picture:
> View attachment 85675
> 
> 
> In the evening I went to a lovely all Bach concert in the Westerkerk. Should have been an outside concert, but due to bad weather moved indoor. The acoustics of the church are fabulous, I didn't mind moving inside
> 
> Travelling now very comfortably to Paris on the Thalys, the high speed train. This evening it's Aida in Opera Bastille.
> 
> Strikes are going on in France... SNCF was on strike during the weekend... RATP today... Traviata tomorrow is at risk... Fingers crossed.


Good luck with your travelling.

A 5* review for Pique Dame on Bachtrack.

https://bachtrack.com/review-pique-...sons-dutch-national-opera-amsterdam-june-2016


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## Dongiovanni

Europera trip June 2016, day 2

A quick report, yesterday's Aida was, on the whole, rather confusing. We did get some good singing though, my favourite was George Gagnidze as Amonasro. Beautiful tones, phrasing and great acting. Aleksandrs Antonenko has an attractive voice, but Radames is just not one of my favourite parts. When at full volume Sondra Radvanovsky does not have an attractive timbre, but she did give us some heavenly pianissomo phrases, resulting in quite some cheering after her big aria (the one just before the triumph march). Anita Rachvelishvili as Amneris was very powerful, what a voice ! Her act 4 aria was one of this evening's highlights. Choir and orchestra were at full force: I have never heard so much sound in an opera house. Then in the soft parts the choir shounded spooky, that was a very good contrast.

What confused me was the production, which was set not in Egypt, but in Italy it seemed. I don't know my history well enough to know the period. Quite often it felt like I was watching an updated Don Carlo... Ramades/Carlo, Amneris/Eboli, Aida/Elisabetta, etc... During the performance there were some malfunctions. At the beginning of act 3 it was announced they were fixed. The sets are all in gold, using all of the height of the stage. I didn't like it all that much. Triumph march does not seem very triumphal, the ballet after that completely out of context. The ending shows Radames and Aida in a vault filled with dead bodies.

At the end director Olivier Py showed up on stage and got a unanimous and massive booing for minutes, looking quite uncomfortable and at first wanting to leave the stage, but he stayed and somehow he managed to quiet the audience, and made a short speech, as far as my french goes he thanked the crew of the Opera for fixing the technical issues and praised the crew and singers. A soft and hesitant applause followed.

Tonight Traviata, still not sure if it will go ahead because of strikes. No news on the website, an email I got earlier promised an udpdate, still nothing.


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## Dongiovanni

Dongiovanni said:


> Tonight Traviata, still not sure if it will go ahead because of strikes. No news on the website, an email I got earlier promised an udpdate, still nothing.


Because of national strike the performance is replaced by a concert version. 50% ticket refund for those who still want to go. Full refund for those not wanting to go. I'm still going.


----------



## mountmccabe

Dongiovanni said:


> Yesterday I started the 4 city 7 opera's 2 concerts trip, in Amsterdam. The performance was Pique Dame, at the DNO. The singing was quite excellent ! Outstanding was Alexey Markov as Tomsky and Vladimir Stoyanov as Jeletski and slightly less convincing but still very good Misha Didyk as the troubled Hermann. Svetlana Aksenova as Liza was impressive as well, but she had some rather harsh top notes, besides that her performance was quite convincing. As I expected absolutely stunning was the orchestra (Concertgebouw orchestra) under Maris Jansons. Sublime sounds, strings sounded lovely and the brass was just fingerlicking good. Judging by the cheering, between acts and after the performance, Jansons and the orchestra were the stars of the evening. Even after he parted as chief conductor with the Concertgebouw orchestra, he is still a very welcome guest conductor in Amsterdam.
> 
> And then there was the new production by Stefan Herheim. Somehow, the life of Tchaikovsky seems to be very attractive to opera directors. The looks of Jeletski hints at the older Tchaikovsky... at the opening it seems Hermann just had an intimate meeting with Jeletski. Aha ! Jeletski is Tchaikovsky, and Liza is the woman he indeed married under pressure to hide his homosexuality. During the whole performance we see Jeletski/Tchaikovsky while composing and conducting... which at some points looks more like comedy... it is very difficult to have this look convincing on stage. Besides, what's the point ? It's more like lack of imagination than originality to use the composer as a character in his own opera. So production (as in so many cases...) not so great as the musical performance. After googling I found out this director did the repulsive Boheme in Norway. So it could have been much worse.





sospiro said:


> Good luck with your travelling.
> 
> A 5* review for Pique Dame on Bachtrack.
> 
> https://bachtrack.com/review-pique-...sons-dutch-national-opera-amsterdam-june-2016


I am sorry you did not enjoy the staging, Dongiovanni, but I'm glad you liked the music making.

This was a production I had at one point hoped to get to Amsterdam to see (I loved that _La bohème_ from Norway; highlighting the themes of escape in the opera, and it seems Herheim takes similar approach with the Tchaikovsky) as it turns out The Opera Platform is streaming the _Pikovaya dama_ live one week from now (and then having it available on demand for six months after).


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Because of national strike the performance is replaced by a concert version. 50% ticket refund for those who still want to go. Full refund for those not wanting to go. I'm still going.


I feel so sorry for the people trying to stage performances at the moment. Hope it's still an enjoyable evening.


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## mountmccabe

Dongiovanni said:


> Because of national strike the performance is replaced by a concert version. 50% ticket refund for those who still want to go. Full refund for those not wanting to go. I'm still going.


A shame that it won't be the full staging, that's wonderful that they're offering refunds/discounts. I am sure I would have made the same choice, to still attend. Enjoy!


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## Belowpar

With a bit of luck the staff at the football stadiums will go on strike!


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## Dongiovanni

After coming to terms with the concert version I went, at the opera it was all chaos. Eventually the auditorium was opened. I'm pretty sure the show was almost sold out, but now only half of the seats were occupied. Waiting for quite a while, eventually a speaker appears on stage, announcing the entire show is cancelled, without giving a reason. Violent booing and whistling... people getting angry... 

No update in the mail on how the refunding will take place yet. 

I got lucky once in Paris when there was a strike going on, this time not so lucky. I did have a plan B, but there's not much you can do at a last minute cancelling.


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> After coming to terms with the concert version I went, at the opera it was all chaos. Eventually the auditorium was opened. I'm pretty sure the show was almost sold out, but now only half of the seats were occupied. Waiting for quite a while, eventually a speaker appears on stage, announcing the entire show is cancelled, without giving a reason. Violent booing and whistling... people getting angry...
> 
> No update in the mail on how the refunding will take place yet.
> 
> I got lucky once in Paris when there was a strike going on, this time not so lucky. I did have a plan B, but there's not much you can do at a last minute cancelling.




Oh what a shame.

Strikes are so common in France. I was at _Simon Boccanegra_ in Lyons and staff were threatening to go on strike in support of another group of workers. It was announced that to prevent the strike and to allow the opera to go ahead, the union representatives would be allowed to make a statement on stage. Amongst much booing they spoke for about five minutes and then left. A good compromise.


----------



## Dongiovanni

Europera trip June 2016, day 3 and 4

So no Traviata... even as a concert version, I was really looking forward to it. So what to do ? Decided to have a try at a restaurant I spotted during an earlier trip. Usually there's not much chance to take a long time for eating - but now I had and it was delicious.

Travelling for Paris to London went smooth, and plenty of time to spare before the performance. This will not be the case for the trip to Milan... there's quite a chance I won't make it on time for the Rosenkavalier.

Yesterday was Nabucco at the ROH: Liked it, John Relyea as Zaccaria was the biggest surprise, he did a great job. All of the other cast were equally balanced. The staging is minimalistic as are the costumes. Just a box of sand, really....

Curtain call picture:








Tonight Madam Butterfly at ENO.


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## Dongiovanni

mountmccabe said:


> (I loved that _La bohème_ from Norway; highlighting the themes of escape in the opera, and it seems Herheim takes similar approach with the Tchaikovsky)


Can you explain in more detail what is so appealing to you in Herheim's Boheme? Maybe I missed these details being so set off by the things that annoyed me so much.


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Yesterday was Nabucco at the ROH: Liked it, John Relyea as Zaccaria was the biggest surprise, he did a great job. All of the other cast were equally balanced. The staging is minimalistic as are the costumes. Just a box of sand, really....
> 
> Curtain call picture:
> View attachment 85786


I'm glad you liked it. I like John Relyea too, it was his _Attila_ I went to Seattle especially for. Was it Platanias or Domingo in the title role?


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> I'm glad you liked it. I like John Relyea too, it was his _Attila_ I went to Seattle especially for. Was it Platanias or Domingo in the title role?


Platanias sang Nabucco


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## Dongiovanni

Europera trip day 5

Madam Butterfly at ENO

To be honoust, Butterfly is not my favourite Puccini. This night was the first time I ever heard an opera translated, in this case in English. I still have to look to the surtitles to understand what they are singing most of the time. Unlike to most opera houses, at te ENO it is allowed to bring your drinks to the auditorium, or at least everybody does this. When I left the theatre it was quite a mess... House seemed sold out, the audience was very enthousiastic.

The singing was OK, but could use better voices. Rena Harms does not have the spinto that is needed, especially during 'Un bel di verdromo' she lacks that extra power to rise over the orchestra. Her voice is attricative, and she does have enough spinto on other occasions. Toghether with this I should add that the orchestra under Richard Armstrong was not very subtle in its volume. Her acting on the other hand was utterly convincing. She manages to display Butterfly as naive in the beginning, and at the end knowing exactly what will happen. David Butt Philip as Pinkterton was not good enough, same flaws as Cio Cio, but much worse. In the end he got some booing. George von Bergen was quite good as Sharpless and I really liked Stephanie Windsor-Lewis as Suziku.

I can be short about the production: it was brilliant. Rich in colours, well lit, I loved the added 'dancing' pieces that were executed so subtle. I loved Sorrow as a puppet. This could have been a disaster in execution, (something like Tchaikovsky on stage, don't get me started) but Sorrow's guestures were very moving, and during the last scenes this really touched me. Even at the curtain call Sorrow takes a bow and reunites with Butterfly. I loved how the final scene took place on an almost empty stage. When Pinkerton enters and sees Butterfly dead, he just stands there, watching from a distance, leaving him utterly unlovable for us the audience. Even though the singing was not that good, overall this was a very enjoyable opera experience, highly recommended, if only for the great production.

Curtain call pic:


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## Dongiovanni

Europera trip day 6

Der Rosenkavalier at La Scala

This opera has become one of my favourites during the past years, and in general lots of Strauss music has. I know the production from the Salzburg 2014 DVD, in which I really appreciated Sophie Koch and Krassimira Stoyanova as Marschallin, the main reason to see this performance. Unfortunately travelling didn't go smooth - 1 hour delay in the flight, and I arrived at the theatre just when the ouverture started. Luckily, I was allowed entrance to the second galleria, as I later found out this is open at all times, as long as it is not full. But Rosenkavalier is not so populair in Milan, the theatre was not sold out.

The production is good, especially act 3. When the final trio starts the stage is almost empty except for a park bench and a background with some trees, all you need. Sophie Koch was great, her voice is big and bright, very soprano like. Unfortunately she was replaced (singer's name still unknown to me - but she did a great job!) starting from act 2. Krassimira Stoyanova is a wonderfull Marschallin. She acts as brilliantly as she sings. Günther Groissböck is a good Ochs and really shines when doing the comic parts, with a very pleasing voice. Then there is Christiane Karg as Sophie. I've heard her before in the role, and she is simply perfect. Her voice has a beautiful timbre and she acts and looks her part . What a contrast to Mojca Erdmann in the 2014 Salzburg production. The Marschallin-Sophie-Octavian trio and the Sophie-Octavian duet were superb - together with the Scala orchestra under Mehta.

Curtain pic:


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Europera trip day 6
> 
> Der Rosenkavalier at La Scala
> 
> This opera has become one of my favourites during the past years, and in general lots of Strauss music has. I know the production from the Salzburg 2014 DVD, in which I really appreciated Sophie Koch and Krassimira Stoyanova as Marschallin, the main reason to see this performance. Unfortunately travelling didn't go smooth - 1 hour delay in the flight, and I arrived at the theatre just when the ouverture started. Luckily, I was allowed entrance to the second galleria, as I later found out this is open at all times, as long as it is not full. But Rosenkavalier is not so populair in Milan, the theatre was not sold out.


It's such a risk to travel on the same day as the performance but it saves a lot of time and money. I'm pleased you were allowed into the theatre.



Dongiovanni said:


> The production is good, especially act 3. When the final trio starts the stage is almost empty except for a park bench and a background with some trees, all you need. Sophie Koch was great, her voice is big and bright, very soprano like. Unfortunately she was replaced (singer's name still unknown to me - but she did a great job!) starting from act 2. Krassimira Stoyanova is a wonderfull Marschallin. She acts as brilliantly as she sings. Günther Groissböck is a good Ochs and really shines when doing the comic parts, with a very pleasing voice. Then there is Christiane Karg as Sophie. I've heard her before in the role, and she is simply perfect. Her voice has a beautiful timbre and she acts and looks her part . What a contrast to Mojca Erdmann in the 2014 Salzburg production. The Marschallin-Sophie-Octavian trio and the Sophie-Octavian duet were superb - together with the Scala orchestra under Mehta.
> 
> Curtain pic:
> View attachment 85882


Nice pic. Glad the performance was worth the rush.


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## Dongiovanni

sospiro said:


> Glad the performance was worth the rush.


Totally worth rushing for ! Forgot to mention that in the interval after act 1 I could move to my designated seat, I got a good one in the prima galleria, good stage view and the sound (as always there) was superb.


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## mountmccabe

Dongiovanni said:


> Can you explain in more detail what is so appealing to you in Herheim's Boheme? Maybe I missed these details being so set off by the things that annoyed me so much.


I'm not sure what detail I could give at this point. I would like to see it again eventually and will try to provide more commentary then.

I am not the biggest fan of Puccini, and while I like some of the music of _La bohème_ nearly everything about the story - taken as sentimental - puts me off. Mimi is not a full-fledged character, she - and Rodolfo's love for her - comes off as fake. Herheim takes this objection and builds from it. In this production the character we see as Mimi is explicitly fake, he is the poet and her his poetry.

He takes that line as literal, and further highlights other major themes of the opera, about escapism, fantasy, and death. Watching this production I really connected with the story, and felt the bittersweet score as if for the first time.

I saw this via the Opera Platform, from Norway. I was especially taken by the use of the classic sets and costumes from the previous Den Norske Opera production, from 1963. It was the production that Herheim - and some of collaborators - grew up with. I don't see them as mocking that production, but acknowledging that attending the opera is often another method of escape.


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## TonneEnevoldsen

Is Opera House in Sydney is the most famouse Opera House in the whole world?


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## sospiro

TonneEnevoldsen said:


> Is Opera House in Sydney is the most famouse Opera House in the whole world?


It depends what you mean by famous. Sydney Opera House is probably the most recognisable opera house in the world but whether it's more famous than the New York Met, Milan's La Scala or the Royal Opera House in London, I wouldn't know.

As this is a thread about opera trips, are you going to Sydney Opera House?


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## Don Fatale

TonneEnevoldsen said:


> Is Opera House in Sydney is the most famouse Opera House in the whole world?


Super quick poster. This person has made 5 posts in 5 forums in his first 5 minutes.


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## Belowpar

Dongiovanni said:


> Europera trip day 5
> 
> Madam Butterfly at ENO
> 
> To be honoust, Butterfly is not my favourite Puccini. This night was the first time I ever heard an opera translated, in this case in English. I still have to look to the surtitles to understand what they are singing most of the time. Unlike to most opera houses, at te ENO it is allowed to bring your drinks to the auditorium, or at least everybody does this. When I left the theatre it was quite a mess... House seemed sold out, the audience was very enthousiastic.
> 
> The singing was OK, but could use better voices. Rena Harms does not have the spinto that is needed, especially during 'Un bel di verdromo' she lacks that extra power to rise over the orchestra. Her voice is attricative, and she does have enough spinto on other occasions. Toghether with this I should add that the orchestra under Richard Armstrong was not very subtle in its volume. Her acting on the other hand was utterly convincing. She manages to display Butterfly as naive in the beginning, and at the end knowing exactly what will happen. David Butt Philip as Pinkterton was not good enough, same flaws as Cio Cio, but much worse. In the end he got some booing. George von Bergen was quite good as Sharpless and I really liked Stephanie Windsor-Lewis as Suziku.
> 
> I can be short about the production: it was brilliant. Rich in colours, well lit, I loved the added 'dancing' pieces that were executed so subtle. I loved Sorrow as a puppet. This could have been a disaster in execution, (something like Tchaikovsky on stage, don't get me started) but Sorrow's guestures were very moving, and during the last scenes this really touched me. Even at the curtain call Sorrow takes a bow and reunites with Butterfly. I loved how the final scene took place on an almost empty stage. When Pinkerton enters and sees Butterfly dead, he just stands there, watching from a distance, leaving him utterly unlovable for us the audience. Even though the singing was not that good, overall this was a very enjoyable opera experience, highly recommended, if only for the great production.
> 
> Curtain call pic:
> View attachment 85881


SO glad you enjoyed it.

Re the booing, I believe that was for Pinkerton not the singer. It happened the night we attended and he smiled. I've heard it at other Opera's and straight theatre, and a few times at Butterfly. This is local colour in action. In the Britlish Theatre of Punch and Judy and Pantomime the baddies are always booed and hissed at by the audience.

It does raise the question of how interesting a character Pinkerton is if he's so easily labelled as such, but that's for another time...


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## Dongiovanni

Belowpar said:


> SO glad you enjoyed it.
> 
> Re the booing, I believe that was for Pinkerton not the singer. It happened the night we attended and he smiled. I've heard it at other Opera's and straight theatre, and a few times at Butterfly. This is local colour in action. In the Britlish Theatre of Punch and Judy and Pantomime the baddies are always booed and hissed at by the audience.
> 
> It does raise the question of how interesting a character Pinkerton is if he's so easily labelled as such, but that's for another time...


It crossed my mind he was booed for the character. His singing was not good enough, he had a bad day or he was miscast. Still, not bad enough for booing, even more when comparing to Butterfly's singing who was cheered.

Booing should only be used for directors if applicable


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## Dongiovanni

Europera trip day 7

Simon Boccanegra at La Scala

The production starts the prologue in a very dark setting. Act 1 scene 2 was quite overwhelming to watch, beautiful set and massive, centered around Boccanegra on his chair. Local hero Leo Nucci sang Boccanegra, no doubt it was his show tonight judging by the applause he got. There was hardly any intermediate applause during the performance, only after the acts. Nucci sang with his usual trademark phrasing, but not so evident as in his signature Rigoletto. His voice is still strong and has a very enjoyable timbre. At his respectable age, Boccanegra's looks are easy. We go a very well balanced cast, even though Carmen Giannattasio did not make an impression in the Amsterdam Trovatore (as Leonora) here she was convincing, and vocally stronger, her voice being darker than I can remember, maybe it's the Scala acoustics. Volume is not a problem for her, in fact, at some points she gave just too much to my taste. Dmitry Beloselskiy as Fiecso was great, powerfull voice, convincingly acting the frustrated man. Giorgio Berrugi as Adorno was a surprise to me, I liked his performance. His tenor is bright, an very open, sometimes a little rough though. Massimo Cavalletti as Paolo was matching the cast overall excellent performance. Myung-Whun Chung, the choir and the orchestra got loads of applause, well deserved in my opinion.

I sat again on the first row of the prima galleria, which is an excellent place with 100% view and sound is great. Next to me were Australian and American tourists, I was asked to explain the charachters and the plot in a couple of minutes to them, which is not easy... managed to clear up some confusion on the characters.

At the curtain call conductor Myung-Whun Chung was very modest, not taking a bow but directing the applause to the orchestra, shaking hands with all the singers and giving Nucci a big hug.

Curtain pic:


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## Dongiovanni

Europera trip day 8

Pianorecital Yuja Wang, concertgebouw

Getting so much media attention, most of what you see her performing are the typical showpieces. Tonight, we got a programme of quite the opposite. Schumann's Kreisleriana, and Beethoven's epic pianosonata Hammerklavier. I liked the Beethoven the most. This monster piece, both musically as technically, was played very well, Wang was on top of the technical challanges and musically it all made sense, which is not easy. She floated the slow movement with exceptional lyrical playing.

So she is known for her dazzling virtuosity and during the encores this was displayed, with no less than 8 pieces (more or less.. I lost count). It is truly amazing how she can play these pieces tirelessly after a Hammerklavier sonata... with so much contrast, from a dazzling Carmen paraphrase, to a minimal piece like a Chopin waltz. During these pieces she managed to get a total silence in the hall, her paying of the Chopin waltz was magical, inspired like she improvised it on the spot. During other pieces she makes the Steinway roar with sound which was astounding as well. A concert to remember.


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## Dongiovanni

Don Fatale said:


> Super quick poster. This person has made 5 posts in 5 forums in his first 5 minutes.


Welcome to the forum, TonneEnevoldsen! What's the reason you ask about Syndey opera house ?


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## Pugg

Don Fatale said:


> Super quick poster. This person has made 5 posts in 5 forums in his first 5 minutes.


Very versatile taste , that's for sure.:lol:


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## sospiro

Dongiovanni said:


> Europera trip day 7
> 
> Simon Boccanegra at La Scala
> 
> The production starts the prologue in a very dark setting. Act 1 scene 2 was quite overwhelming to watch, beautiful set and massive, centered around Boccanegra on his chair. Local hero Leo Nucci sang Boccanegra, no doubt it was his show tonight judging by the applause he got. There was hardly any intermediate applause during the performance, only after the acts. Nucci sang with his usual trademark phrasing, but not so evident as in his signature Rigoletto. His voice is still strong and has a very enjoyable timbre. At his respectable age, Boccanegra's looks are easy. We go a very well balanced cast, even though Carmen Giannattasio did not make an impression in the Amsterdam Trovatore (as Leonora) here she was convincing, and vocally stronger, her voice being darker than I can remember, maybe it's the Scala acoustics. Volume is not a problem for her, in fact, at some points she gave just too much to my taste. Dmitry Beloselskiy as Fiecso was great, powerfull voice, convincingly acting the frustrated man. Giorgio Berrugi as Adorno was a surprise to me, I liked his performance. His tenor is bright, an very open, sometimes a little rough though. Massimo Cavalletti as Paolo was matching the cast overall excellent performance. Myung-Whun Chung, the choir and the orchestra got loads of applause, well deserved in my opinion.
> 
> I sat again on the first row of the prima galleria, which is an excellent place with 100% view and sound is great. Next to me were Australian and American tourists, I was asked to explain the charachters and the plot in a couple of minutes to them, which is not easy... managed to clear up some confusion on the characters.
> 
> At the curtain call conductor Myung-Whun Chung was very modest, not taking a bow but directing the applause to the orchestra, shaking hands with all the singers and giving Nucci a big hug.
> 
> Curtain pic:
> View attachment 85921


Sounds absolutely wonderful and I'm very envious.



> Next to me were Australian and American tourists, I was asked to explain the characters and the plot in a couple of minutes to them, which is not easy... managed to clear up some confusion on the characters.


Probably one of the most obscure plots in opera so you did well to explain it to them!


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## Der Fliegende Amerikaner

I've just spent over $1,500 on opera tickets in the past two weeks when the single tickets were released for sale at two major houses. My wife will be angry when she sees the credit card bill.....

Here are my two opera trips for the 2016-2017 season:

January 2 - Opernhaus Zurich, Alcina - I'm so excited to see Cecilia Bartoli as the last time I saw her was about 20 years ago in Berkeley. Sadly, she never performs in the US anymore.

May 5 - Metropolitan Opera - Der Rosenkavalier - these performances are believed by some to be Renee Fleming's final appearances in fully staged operas at the Met

May 7 - Metropolitan Opera - 50th Anniversary Gala - I wonder if the Met should just make this into a retirement gala for James Levine


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## mountmccabe

I am headed to NYC for a wedding the weekend of May 20. I decided to come a week early to catch the end of the Met Opera season. I couldn't justify coming early enough for the 50th Anniversary Gala, but I've got tickets for _Der fliegende Holländer_ and _Der Rosenkavalier_. I probably could have waited to buy a ticket for Holländer, but there are not that many seats left for Rosenkavalier.

This trip will be my first time back to the Met since moving away from NYC in 2014.


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## Don Fatale

London to Paris to Marseille, at 186mph.

First port of call was Covent Garden's must-see *Norma*. Hot on the heels of last season's Oedipe we have another production by the Catalan theatre designers La Fura dels Baus. Located to hyper-religious Spain with an ever-present forest of crucifixes pretty much sums it up. The highlight is _Sonya Yoncheva_ in the title role. However I think she has a way to go. I'd like to see a more powerful projection from her. Calleja, in the thankless role of Pollione seems to have developed a bleating vibrato since I last saw him which disappoints me.

The next morning I'm on the Eurostar train - London to Paris through the Channel Tunnel. It's fast and convenient, but not exactly a pleasurable experience at any point. It didn't help that the train was packed.

For my afternoon in Paris I take a wander, recce the evening's venue and sit at a couple of the ubiquitous cafés for coffees and cake.

*Eliogabalo* is an until-2004 unperformed opera by Cavalli (late 17c). It's getting a few outings, but I'm not sure it's up to the stardard of La Calisto. The orchestration is lush for its time, but Cavalli seems averse to providing big tunes for the singers. It seemed to me the singers (such as _Nadine Sierra_) were working hard to make the most of the arias. The debutante director Thomas Jolly didn't seem confident that this work was worthy of the whole stage, so much of it was left in darkness. Despite some stage props informing the audience that Eliogabalo was a Roman emperor, the costuming is deliberately timeless and rather 'fashion school'. The 3 hours of music (plus intermissions) was well received but alas, not well attended - I was able to self-upgrade to front row central in the 2nd tier. These plush but tiny chairs are designed for the petit derrieres of a typical French lady and not an Anglo-Saxon man.

The next morning I make my way, via the RER (the man-sized double decker underground train) to Gare de Lyon, the station that serves the south of the country. I take the TGV (Train a Grande-Vitesse) to Marseille. The display in the carriage mostly indicates we are travelling at 300kmh or 186 miles per hour, yet it feels as unfussy as if we were travelling at just 50 mph. Every train fan wants to travel on a TGV!

This is my first visit to France's second largest city, a port on the Mediterranean, known for its large north african population. It's laid-back, graffiti-etched, beggar-filled but still kind of a nice place to be... provided you stay in the central area.

The Opera Municipal dates from the late 19c and seats 1800. Just because an opera house isn't in the capital, doesn't mean it's provincial, but alas this one surely is. I guess money is tight as a refurbishment is long overdue. There's a painting in the 1st balcony lobby area with a 12" gash in it!

I didn't buy my opera ticket online sensing it would be easy to buy one at the box office, and so it proved. For €64 I had a 1st tier, 2nd row centre seat. How good is that! Not very, I found out later when I tried to sit in the seat. The seats are so stupidly soft and low that a fully-grown man like me (6'2") has his knees at almost chest height. I get the usherette's attention - my predicament is all too obvious - and she kindly provides a more suitable seat for me... a 5-seat box at the back of the 1st tier all to myself. Sight and sound are both perfection. The best way I can describe the acoustic is 'immediate'. Theres no sense of distance. Seat hint (especially for belowpar): 1st tier boxes for sound, or stalls where seats are spacious. Don't consider anywhere else.

During the interval I wandered around the house as I tend to do. The second tier is not unlike the 1st, but rather higher. We're well above the proscenium arch at this point. If that's not high enough or cheap enough there's the 3rd tier, enough to give an experienced mountaineer vertigo. It's insane and I doubt there's enough mad people - even in Marseille - to fill these seats!

The reason for my visit was to see a classic French opera in a classic French house. Both first times for me. Ambroise Thomas's *Hamlet*. The production is a revival from 2010 and it's just about worth reviving. Set in a late Victorian era (all top hats and tails), it doesn't make any sense, in an opera that is already mangling Shakespeare's play. There is compensation in the excellent title role performance by Canadian Jean-François Lapointe. He's young and handsome and faultless in (bari)tone. Such a pleasure to hear him sing.

A mention too for Patrizia Ciofi as Ophélie. She looks like Orphelia should and has a ripe and pleasing soprano tone, but her lines lack natural musicality, therefore she was a little disappointing in the mad scene.

So ends my trip. Inevitably a journey away from Marseille will involve the pleasant Saint Charles railway station where a train elsewhere or a shuttle to the airport (30 mins) awaits. I'd happily return to the opera in Marseille for the right performance... if only I could have my box seat again.

London







Paris







Marseille







And these ones, which I can't figure out how to remove. The first one is the world's oldest passenger train engine, in the Science Museum. Surely this deserves more than tourists strolling past without a second glance.


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## Don Fatale

*Minimal fun in Stockholm*

A good opera trip invariably requires a few stars in alignment: Straightforward travel plans, cities worth visiting and operas worth catching, for various reasons. The trip to Stockholm certainly fit the bill.

This, my first stay in Stockholm, was a two night stopover while travelling between Edinburgh and Malta.

I had the chance to see two operas I haven't seen before, and in Stockholm's two opera houses. The combination of Adams' take on Chairman Mao and Glass's take on Gandhi was irresistable. 'Minimalism' isn't my favourite style of opera, but it's certainly not hard on the ears.

The Kungliga Opera (Royal Opera) is a traditional 19th c. house with a rather toned down frontage compared to other houses of the period. Perhaps there was some edict about not overpowering the surrounding buildings including the parliament?

My performance of *Nixon in China* was by no means full, which at least meant I could find somewhere to stretch out, in yet another hall with cramped seating.

I'm not sure how to report on this work. I wasn't wowed by any of the vocals (largely homegrown), and the scenery was generally flat, particularly the laughable airplane arrival. (Co-production with Vancouver).

And so to my ship's cabin, which was small but reasonably well appointed. Quite peaceful except for some gurgling and sloshing as to be expected.

My full day in Stockholm involved plenty of walking as well and sampling the excellent public transport system. In the afternoon I went to visit a couple I met on a previous opera trip in Germany. I lunched in their apartment and then later we went to the opera: *Satyaghara*, by Philip Glass.

The Folkoperan is in a converted cinema and has had a recent renovation to make it a great venue, if rather cramped in the public areas. Not sure about the unisex toilets though! There are no bad seats either in comfort or sightline. The work was a co-production with a local acrobat/juggling circus outfit. In effect rendering the work as an accessible piece of theatre. Even with a long run of performances (20+) the theatre was completely full, bolstered by deserved good reviews. The animation oftentimes made a great combination with the hypnotic music. The was a great sense of commitment of the whole ensemble to this work and I was certainly moved by it. Again, not much to say about the singers. This was easily the better of the two nights. Note that both performances had only Swedish surtitles.

In summary it was a really nice and very relaxing trip. Everything worked out well, and it was such a pleasure to meet up with friends.

A fuller version with logistical information is on my blog on this site.
http://www.talkclassical.com/blogs/don-fatale/


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## Dongiovanni

A report from Zurich:

*11 November - Entfuhrung aus dem Serail*

A new production, tonight was the second performance. Planned to be conducted by the new classical music scene's bad boy, Theodor Currentzis. He cancelled because of health reasons, and sent his assistant for the entire run. Would have like to see Currentzis in action, his very recent da Ponte cycle at Sony is remarkable, though not everything is to my liking. He has been getting very positive reviews together with very bad reviews on his opera live performances. Anyway, the orchestra is very HIP, and are sometimes struggling , especially the usual problems with the brass. Still, it all sounded quite ok to me, but not as good as last DNO's Figaro, in comparison.

Olga Peretyatko makes her debut as Konstanze. The sweet spot is her middle register, but I expected more during her first aria 'Ach ich liebte', her singing may have been hampered by the awkward production, more about that later. Showpiece aria 'Martern aller arten' was very well done. In the quartet in scene 2 she sang beautifully. It's just too bad she has a very harsh, or steely high. In my memory of her other perfomances, this was different.

Another debut was Clare de Sevigne as Blonde. Good match with the part, lovely voice, the production did not give her a chance to shine as a comic actress, 'Welche wonne' was very awkward in this production.

I loved Pavol Breslik as Belmonte. Such a pretty voice, perfect in the Mozart roles, would love to hear him sing Tamino and Ottavio ! Just as Blonde, Pedrillo was not supposed to be funny, but he was quite ok. Nahuel di Pierro also made a role debut as Osmin. Spot on !

This new production by David Hermann rips apart the Singspiel, taking all the fun out of it. All dialogues are removed and replaced (what a shame in a German speaking country - what a missed opportunity) by strange electronic sounds. (First I thought this was a stage malfunctioning sound...) Last time I met with Sospiro we were joking on the signs knowing you are watching a modern production: 1) Cuts from the script or change the order 2) Added scenes with sexual character and/or nudity 3) A dark stage due to bad lighting 4) A twist in the ending not according the script 5) Added character. Well, check on 1 and 2 for sure probably also 4 here. I should have attended the introduction, I didn't understand much of it. Seems Konstanze/Belmonte are doubled by Blonde/Pedrillo. If you are new to this opera you will not understand much of it. Needless to say this is a terrible trash production, what is the point putting this on stage.









*12 November - Farewell concert by Matti Salmanin*
The Finnish bass is retiring, this farewel concert includes very diverse bass roles arias: Mozart, Verdi , Tchaikovsky, Wagner and Mussorgsky (finale of Godunov!). Very enjoyable, what a voice and still at his respectable age.









*13 November - I Capuleti e i Montecchi*
This production by Cristof Loy is the second run now, seen the premiere performance and liked it very much. This initiated the Zurich trip.

Tonight, as in the premiere run, Giulietta was sung by Olga Kulchynska. Just 26 years old, she has a great stage presence, and a voice to match, glowing, somewhat dark, soft notes, extremely powerfull high, it all seems completely effortless. A debut by Anna Stephany as Romeo. Struggling with Romeo's overflowing testosteron in the first act, she makes up showing us Romeo's grief and despair at the end. Her voice is very soprano like, and does not appeal in the lower register to me. Well, it's hard to beat Joyce Didonato who sang in the premiere. The males were all great, suprinsingly great: Benjamin Bernheim wows as Tebaldo, just as good was Kryszof Baczyk as Capellio ! Enjoyed this performance a lot, I was really touched by the last scenes. 
Orchesta and choir sounded great, the cello and clarinet solo were beatifully played. And the acoustics of the small theatre are also good in the galleria.









*13 November - Recital Anne-Sophie von Otter / Brooklyn Rider*
This was a last minute decision to attend this performance. All 20th century music, pieces by Glass, Adams, Janacek, songs by Bjork, Elvis Costello, Kate Bush. A very remarkable selection. Some encores, ending with Abba's Gimme Gimme, did not see that coming !


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## Dongiovanni

In Paris now, yesterday a brilliant Lucia with two wonderful house debuts for Lucia and Edgardo, tonight Tales of Hoffman.


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## Morton

Just booked two tickets for The Barber of Seville at the Venice Opera next June, something nice to look forward to on a dull November day.


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## Don Fatale

Morton said:


> Just booked two tickets for The Barber of Seville at the Venice Opera next June, something nice to look forward to on a dull November day.


Quite so. My fridge always has some future opera tickets stuck on it. Always nice to have things to look forward to, and your Venice in June trip is very nice indeed. Catching anything else while you're there?


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## Don Fatale

*Poland in November*

Warsaw: Straszny Dwor
Poznań: Le Nozze di Figaro

I've been to Poland before but never for opera. An enticing prospect encouraged me to make a trip, the classic Polish opera in Poland's foremost house with an acclaimed new production by David Pountney. I was further enticed by the chance to meet up again with our sospiro.

A sunny but near freezing day greeted me at Warsaw Centralna station, which is in the shadow of the famous and rather grand communist skyscraper "Palace of Culture". Fifteen minutes stretch of the legs gets me to Sofitel located across the plaza from State Opera. For the price of a fleapit in London or Amsterdam you get 5 stars in Warsaw. I've been up since 2am so after quick greeting with sospiro in the hotel lobby I'm off to bed for an hour.

Alas, along with almost everything else in Warsaw, The Polish National Opera was flattened in WWII, so this large house is post-war, although with traditional styling as seen in the pic.

*Strasnzy Dwor* (The Haunted Manor) by Stanislav Moniusko was the last opera performed at the old house and the first performed at the current one. It dates from 1865 and musically is in the tuneful French style of Auber and Offenbach. Despite its comedic content the Russian overlords of the day banned it after a few performances due to some underlying seditious themes, although it feels quite innocuous to the ill-informed like me.

Pountney's production which premiered last year, updates the action to the 1930's is a delight. The haunted portraits on the walls of the manor literally brought to life. Lovely attention to detail.

The high point of the opera (certainly in this production) is the effervescent chorus and polonaise/ballet sequence near the end, with all performers in patriot red and white costumes. What a joyful and unforgettable 10 minutes. Its interrupted briefly with a coup-de-theatre - the sound of a bomber overhead, the house lights flickering, and then a huge shadow of the bomber passes over the stage as all look skywards, but the dancing quickly resumes. Polish symbolism at its best.

The following morning after visiting Warsaw's 'Stare Mesto', the old town rebuilt from the ground up after war, sospiro and I take breakfast. She heads to the matinee (different cast) while I take a train to Poznań, Poland's former capital situated on the Berlin line.

My hotel (Gaja) is ideally situated in walking distance between the railway and the opera. A charming place full of large original artworks, unsure whether they were haunted. Old world charm but all mod cons. Recommended.

Sorry to report, the evening's *Le Nozze di Figaro* performance was provincial at best, rather dull with not a chuckle was heard.

I have all of the following day to fill before my evening flight, and alas it's Monday which means museum closing day, as is the case in most of continental Europe. I visit the old town square (one of Europe's prettiest), and with the sparce crowd of tourists witness the town hall's midday chimes featuring two goats coming out of their doors to butt head 12 times, just as they've been doing for almost 300 years! A movie theatre helps fill the rest of my time (Arrival, with Polish subtitles). Poznań airport is a short local bus ride from the city and is a surprising pleasant place to linger with good value food and drink on offer.

Poland has an active operatic life, with theatres and companies in the major cities. I saw the two types of opera that you get in Poland and elsewhere, a) new productions of interesting and culturally important works, b) routine repertory performances of the opera mainstays. Polish people - even the children I saw at both performances - dress smartly, so you'll want to look reasonably smart to fit in.

In common with other central European countries, everything remains good value for a western wallet. Poland's cities have a modern infrastructure and are safe and easy to navigate. I certainly plan to return, particularly for interesting operas and productions.


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## Morton

Don Fatale said:


> Quite so. My fridge always has some future opera tickets stuck on it. Always nice to have things to look forward to, and your Venice in June trip is very nice indeed. Catching anything else while you're there?


We are not planning to book anything else, but we are there for five days so will keep a look out for anything interesting. Monteverdi in St Marks would be good!


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## mountmccabe

Seriously considering a trip to Amsterdam in March for _Wozzeck_ and the premiere of _The New Prince_ by Mohammed Fairouz.

Reading the DNO Opera Forward Festival website I'm wishing I learned more when I studied Dutch.


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## mountmccabe

mountmccabe said:


> Seriously considering a trip to Amsterdam in March for _Wozzeck_ and the premiere of _The New Prince_ by Mohammed Fairouz.
> 
> Reading the DNO Opera Forward Festival website I'm wishing I learned more when I studied Dutch.


Well, this is happening. I get to see Christopher Maltman and Eva-Marie Westbroek in _Wozzeck_, and one of the performances of _The New Prince_!

I have never been to the Netherlands, or anywhere in mainland Europe before. I'm very excited!


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## Don Fatale

mountmccabe said:


> Well, this is happening. I get to see Christopher Maltman and Eva-Marie Westbroek in _Wozzeck_, and one of the performances of _The New Prince_!
> 
> I have never been to the Netherlands, or anywhere in mainland Europe before. I'm very excited!


Hope you manage to meet up with other forumites... that's assuming you want to! If so, be sure to post your dates.


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## mountmccabe

Don Fatale said:


> Hope you manage to meet up with other forumites... that's assuming you want to! If so, be sure to post your dates.


I would be happy to meet people!

Have not yet bought flights but I won't be able to be in the country more than a day or so on either side of the operas. The _Wozzeck_ is a matinee on 26 March, and _The New Prince_ is 28 March.


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## Belowpar

Morton said:


> We are not planning to book anything else, but we are there for five days so will keep a look out for anything interesting. Monteverdi in St Marks would be good!


We arrived in Venice by train from Verona, although it was nearly 30 years ago I thnk its less than 2 hours. 
Verona doesnt always finish on time e.g. there can be rain delays, but it would make a great side trip and a its a lovely plce to visit. This year it opens with Nabucco on June 29th.


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## Dongiovanni

Been planning to take this trip to Germany for quite a while. A week and the two weekends to begin end to end, both in Berlin, in between Dresden. So many things to plan...

While writing this I just got back from the Don Giovann in Dresden and I'm in opera heaven. First time I go to all da Ponte opera's in such a short time span. Don't worry... Don Giovanni is stil my favourite.

*Berlin* is a Walhalla for music lovers... it has three opera houses and many, many concert venues. The Philharmonie is a fantastic concert hall, with its famous centered stage, and of course it is the house for the Berliner Philharmoniker.

*Dresden* has a very vivid musical/opera life. The main reason for this trip was the Mozart festival in April at the Semper Oper. It hosts not only opera, but also lots of concerts. Lots of other places to go for concerts, and it's of course home of the prestigious Sächsische Staatskapelle. The old city centre was almost completely destroyed during WWII, to this day traces are still to be seen. Also the Semperoper was destroyed, reconstruction only started in 1977, finishing in 1985. It's a medium sized house, with about 1300 seats. Dresden was part of the former DDR, so many buildings after WWII are in the greyish communist style and dont have the old city grandeur.

*Day 1: Parsifal at the Berlin State Opera, still in the Schiller Theatre.* 







I have started to get more into Wagner. I took this opportunity to go to Parsifal, on Good Friday of all days... The Schiller theatre is small and this production uses all of the space available. So I'm new to Parsifal and spent a lot of time to get into it. I connected quite easily with the music, the story not so much, but music comes first for me anyway in opera. The singing was quite good, Gurnemenanz and Parsifal stood out most. Most successfull this evening was the conductor, Daniel Barenboim, judging by the ovations he got.

*Day 2: Berlin. No opera, so two concerts.* 
The first I booked on short notice and it turned out to be delightful. At the Philharmonie, Barenboim (just after conducting a 5 hour opera the day before), together with Martha Argerich playing piano 4 handed and on two pianos. They are living legends, and the audience was very anthousiastic and got rewarded with 3 encores, that took so long I nearly missed the other concert of Schubert works, at the Konzerthaus.

*Day 3: Nozze di Figaro at the Semper Oper Dresden.* 







Typical production as we see them often, modern settings, but more or less timeless dress, minimal in stage props, but fortunately still as a comic opera. One of funny moments is when Susanna and Contessa switch clothes, Susanna mimics the Contessa's voice, adding some stereotype dramatic elements to her voice and acting ! Really excellent singing, not only the leads but also the supporting cast. Barbarina sounds very mature, what a voice this singer has - no doubt she can sing the Contessa. We get a very happy end indeed. Everytime I see a Figaro I get this very positive energy after the performance, it's almost addictive. Conductor is one of the new stars I guess, playing the fortepiano, the accordeon... (La vie en rose during some additional added scenes) changing the recitative to fortepiano accompany only and adding his own music. Sometimes this is just too much, and I don't like the changeover into the orchestral parts that he does all the time. He does have a great sense of humor though. Putting some Barber of Seville music into it for example - especially for the opera nerds.

*Day 4: Cosi fan Tutte at the Semper Oper Dresden*







The two couples were superbly sung. Fiordiligi steals the show with her 'Per pieta', Dorabella has a lovely dark mezzo. And a great Mozart tenor ! Despina shines more through acting than singing. Again, the same conductor as Figaro and he plays some funny fortepiano parts - We get some Carmen excerpts. But to be critical, the orchestra and the stage are often not in sync.

*Day 5: Entfuhrung at the Semper Oper Dresden*







This one was quite underwhelming. Belmonte and Constanze struggled with their parts. Belmonte's voice is quite ok, but Constanze's is very harsh in the high regions. Blondchen, Pedrillo and Osmin are better. Production is fussy, not very interesting.
Spent the day in Leipzig, visiting the Thomaskirche (the church of which JS Bach was the cantor, and had the premiere of the Mathew Passion). Across the church there is a very nice museum dedicated to Bach, which I can highly recommend. I spent nearly two hours there ! Much topics on Bach's manuscripts analysis and there are some on display. Well, you have to be a music nerd to be interested in this.

*Day 6: Don Giovanni at the Semper Oper*







The first thing I wondered was what song meastro would mix in the recitatives... It was going to be 'When I was 17'....I don't get what this is adding to the opera. Anyway, this production had all ingredients to become the best one I ever saw. Unfortunately, the final sextet was cut, which is unforgivable. But, the first act ending was just brilliant. We get the bands to play on stage, all three of them ! The 'chaos' this gives in the music adds perfectly to the events on stage. At the end the Don 'escpapes' by closing the stage curtain, which is a great find of the director, this scene was a marvellous piece of music theatre. OK, it's the best first act I've seen so far. The production is updated to modern times, the Don runs a kind of modelling agency it seems, well guess what he does with those models. It's a very sexy production, but not over the top. In the end, those models drag the Don to hell. The singing was overall excellent, with the exception of Elvira, who was below the standard set by the others. She got to sing two arias, I'd rather have heard Ottavio sing two. Zerlina and Masetto were also excellent. Finally, my favourite Mozart soprano (Maria Bengtsson) delivered again, no need to rave about her, I have done many times before.

Three days remaining, tomorrow Dokfor Faust in Dresden, then back to Berlin with a concert and finally another Figaro at the State Opera.


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## Dongiovanni

Last day in Berlin - and some time for some additions. When visiting the site of the Unter den Linden Opera I found out that there are tours to visit the building site. If I knew I would have joined ! The Unter den Linden area is still one very big building site, especially around the State Opera area. This picture is taken standing in the centre of the street, facing the Brandenburger Tor.








*Day 7:* *Doktor Faust* at the Semper Oper
The work of Busoni, with the exception of his Bach piano transcriptions, are mostly neglected on the concert and opera stages. This opera was commisioned for the Dresden Semper Opera, but Busoni didn't finish it. For the premiere the opera was finished by one of his students. Later, a sketch by the composer's hand was found that showed the rough outline of the finale - this was used to finish the opera and this is the version we got to hear.

A spectacular show, with dancing, and a huge cast. Our Doktor sung by Lester Lynch is a fantastic performer and he carries the whole show.









*Day 8:* *Concert* in Berlin at the Konzerhaus. 
This concerthall was built in 1821 and had to be rebuilt after the massive WWII destructions. Also here, there are guided tours. The acoustics of this hall is fabulous - the geometry is a shoebox, like the Vienne Musikverein. We got the first symphony by Shostakovich, a wonderfully played Prokofieff violinconcert 1 and finally a delightfully played Rosenkavalier Suite.









*Day 9:* *Nozze di Figaro* at the Staatsoper Berlin
Th small stage at the Schiller stage was used to its max by creating a walking area in front of the orchestra. All characters enter the stage walking this runway. Generally, this theatre is so small it gives a very nice intimate feel to the performance. The production is modern, sort of timeless but it could be a colonial place, late 20th century. I loved this production. It looks great, well lit, simple but great looking sets and props. More than usual stage time for the supporting cast, especially Barbarina and Marcellina. In this production the count is more or less a foolish macho. Very dynamic in actions. Mixed cast. Absolutely standing out is the count, sung by Ildebrando D'Arcangelo. Not a surpise though, I know his voice and love it. Never heard 'Contessa perdono' sung so sweetly. What can you do but forgive the almost lovable fool. D'Arcangelo is a clown on stage for which he has a real talent. Also outstanding Marianne Crebassa as Cherubino: again not a surprise. Such a pretty, rich and powerfull voice. Singing seems effortless for her. She runs and jumps all over the place, a joy to hear and watch. Heard Anna Prohaska before and was not so impressed, but her Susanna is very adequate. 'Deh vieni non tardar' was quite good actually, in a very slow tempo, very erotic. La Contessa is Dorothea Röschmann's signature role. She seemed to have some trouble in 'Dove Sono'. She was tonight's public favourite. Figaro sung by Lauri Vasar was underwhelming. Sónia Grané as Barbarina made use of all that extra screentime she got, and was lovely. Katharina Kammerloher as Marcellina wowed the audience with her aria.















Pablo Heras-Casado had a very good grip on the singing and the orchestra. The fast tempi are what we get most of the times, no exception here. I liked his approach to a slow 'Deh vieni non tardar'

At the end, after the COunt has been forgiven and all is very well, Cherubino saysgoodbye to Barbarina, and all of the cast exit the stage over the runway, through the audience door.

A very enjoyable Figaro - a worhty ending to this fantastic trip !


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## JB Lully

This June I've got L'Orfeo in Leipzig, Die Entführung aus dem Serail at La Scala, and Mitridate in London.


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## Dongiovanni

JB Lully said:


> This June I've got L'Orfeo in Leipzig, Die Entführung aus dem Serail at La Scala, and Mitridate in London.


Are you combining these 3 in one trip ? Tell us more


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## Dongiovanni

*Amsterdam - Paris May 2017*

*Amsterdam: Rigoletto at the DNO*
In this production Rigoletto has gone insane and is kept in a psychiatric hospital, the new stage for the opera, far far away from Mantua. We see projections during the opera, this seems to be the next new thing... If you want to go with it, this adds to the new adaptation, showing us Gilda as a kid and how her father is being obsessively overprotective, locking her in her room and without her mother around she seems to be an unhappy, unloved kid. It's all rather sentimental, especially at the end. (I was enticipating Gilda walking into the arms of her mother...) One way to interpret this production is that Rigoletto has gone insane after Gilda dies, and in the hospital the visions that torment him are of what happened before, the actual opera. Then there's a puppet that is a double of Gilda, played by two puppeteers. Reminded me of the ENO Butterfly... Anyway I haven't given it all that much thought, but in the end this production was OK for me, compared to Breth or the likes this director does a better job. Now for the singing, this was all solid. It was announced Rigoletto suffered from bronchitis, well he was quite good, very attractive tone. Haven't heard him before, so must be really good if he's in shape. During the performance he had to clear his throat quite often. His acting was remarkable. Bravo, this production calls for some serious acting skills, and he has them. The duke was a familiar voice to me, also in this role. Again, he didn't wow me. His 2nd and 3rd act were better though than act 1, duet with Gilda was underwhelming for his part. Now Gilda, she was a revelation. Loved her voice after the first notes. She has the highs, the softs, even her low notes are interesting. Definately the star of the evening. Orchestra was great, I loved the solos that accompany Gilda's arias. From where I was sitting I noticed Meastro Rizzi was conducting from memory.

It was a matinee, so while I was in Amsterdam I went to the Concertgebouw for a *piano recital by Volodos* in the evening. The second part of the concert he played Schubert's A major sonata D959. An utmost impressive and highly individual performance. I have never heard such extreme contrasts in dynamics and colours in a Schubert sonata. Also, Volodos makes those many typical Schubert pauses into something very special. The sudden change in mood in the andantino was jawdropping and the final chords were probably the darkest sounds I ever heard coming from a piano. The audience was completely silent during this part. After this movement you could hear people sighing, the man next to me looked at me with a look something like 'did that just really happen?', gotta love those moments. The finale was so full of energy it almost felt the music was taking flight.















*Paris: Eugen Onegin at the Bastille Opera*
We had a very strong cast: Onegin, Tatyana, Lensky, the Prince, and Triquet were all excellent. Heard Mattei before, as Don Giovanni, as Onegin his voice comes out much more, and what a beauty ! In the higher regions he has a bit of a tenor timbre, never notived that before. Looking the part also - the narcistic Onegin is very convincing, and many details in the direction support him. The Prince was sung with another beautiful voice. Lensky was sung with a bright, open tenor voice, sometimes just lacking in power. In this production Triquet's character was an extreme parody, and again, beautifully sung. As Tatyana Netrebko shone in her parts, her acting as the young Tatyana was convincing, from innocence, a first time broken heart, to an adult woman torn apart from a first love that never stopped burning and for that other man, whom she married. Her voice never stops to amaze me. Her lower notes are getting very powefull and rich in timbre. Solo she wows us with pianissimi that sound so rich, beautiful phrasing in the famous letter scene. Tongith it felt she was taking risks in this scene and that she improvised especially at the end. She cuts right through a full choir with soaring, but still beautifully sounding notes. After the letter scene the audience went wild - a thunderous cheering of many minutes followed. While lying on the floor Netrebko couldn't resists to turn her head for a short moment and look at the audience. In the finale, sparks would fly with Mattei. As the Prince's wife she is perfect, the contrast with the young Tatyana is evident in her acting, and also her looks. The remaining cast was adequate: Olga has a well matching timbre with Tatyana. I liked the mother and especially the nanny.

The production is by Decker, and dates back from 1995 (!), he also created that (in)famous Salzburg Traviata. Well, there are many similarities. He likes to take intermezzo music to zoom in on some parts, and cut the pauses, here for example how Tatyana ended up marrying the Prince(showing us she was in great doubt). But this happens during the Polonaise, so there is no dancing, doesn't make sense to me. Tatyana watches the duel, which seamlessly goes into the final act, a chandelier suddenly appears. Stage settings are minimal, a light coloured 'box' in the first half, a dark one the second half. Only chairs, a sofa and two tables are allowed. Luckily, the end is respected and leaves Onegin devistated and Tatyana in the arms of her husband.


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## russetvelvet

Hello,

I wonder if I may seek help with schedules for opera trips here…

My fiancée and I are going to travel in Europe in October, a first for both of us; we're both aficionados (she actually was a professional soprano here in China), so our plan involves a lot of concert and opera going. We've already decided to attend the following performances:

October 6: La Bohème @ Wiener Staatsoper https://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/en/season-tickets/detail/event/964930018-la-boheme/

October 7: Il Barbiere (German version) @ Volksoper Wien https://www.volksoper.at/produktion/der-barbier-von-sevilla-2007.967624929.de.html

October 18: Tosca @ Teatro dell'opera di Roma http://www.operaroma.it/en/shows/tosca/

The question is: which one should we invest more heavily on to enjoy the most out of?

We would also stop by Lucca to pay tribute to Puccini in addition to visiting. There's a daily concert there consisted of his arias, we just cannot estimate the level of the performances. Would those who have attended provide some insight on whether it's worth going?

Many thanks in advance!


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## Pugg

Belowpar said:


> I saw Fabiano in Poliuto at Glyndbourne this summer. He was wonderful singing with a rare openess, and... well just singing loud and clear. I'm delighted to hear he's the real deal in the larger house. Definitely one to follow.
> 
> Thanks for the reports.


This Poliuto was on the Mezzo Channel last night, if only the staging/ costumes would have been a bit more traditional .


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## mountmccabe

Dongiovanni said:


> *Day 1: Parsifal at the Berlin State Opera, still in the Schiller Theatre.*
> View attachment 93708
> 
> I have started to get more into Wagner. I took this opportunity to go to Parsifal, on Good Friday of all days... The Schiller theatre is small and this production uses all of the space available. So I'm new to Parsifal and spent a lot of time to get into it. I connected quite easily with the music, the story not so much, but music comes first for me anyway in opera. The singing was quite good, Gurnemenanz and Parsifal stood out most. Most successfull this evening was the conductor, Daniel Barenboim, judging by the ovations he got.


I am looking into the possibility of going to Berlin in 2018, to see the same thing: _Parsifal_ at Easter. There are quite a few other operas I'd like to see such that it could be a very full trip, just seeing opera. As an alternative, I'm considering going in mid-February, when Barenboim is conducting _Tristan und Isolde_.

I am making a note to myself to check what is going on at all of the venues from your trip.


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## Don Fatale

Dongiovanni and I are meeting up in Sicily in October for

Sat 14th Oct Catania, Don Giovanni
Sun 15th Oct Palermo, Adriana Lecouvrier (Gheorghiu was on the alternate nights but both agreed we could make do without her.)

If any forumites are interested in joining us, let us know.


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## Taplow

I am considering the following:

Le Comte Ory in Zürich in January
Benvenuto Cellini at the Opéra Bastille next March/April

I'd be happy to meet any interested posters who wish to join.


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## Don Fatale

Taplow said:


> I am considering the following:
> 
> Le Comte Ory in Zürich in January
> Benvenuto Cellini at the Opéra Bastille next March/April
> 
> I'd be happy to meet any interested posters who wish to join.


Please post your dates as soon as you know them.


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## Don Fatale

My very brief Denmark and Norway opera trip.

Another convoluted trip from Malta to UK. Sometimes it’s cheaper to take two or even three flights for less than the price of one direct. When this happens I start looking for an operatic detour. It’s August so opera options are limited but I managed to get my first trips to Denmark and Norway. 

It starts with Die Walkure (shown as Valkyrien) in Esbjerg, a port city on the west coast of Denmark. Billund (home of Lego) airport is an hour bus transfer away.

It’s a compact port and fishing town, pleasant, but rather undistinguished. Same goes for their multi-purpose hall (1100 seats), designed by Jan Utzon, son of Jon Utzon of the Sydney Opera House fame. A search of Esbjerg on Twitter shows it’s an ice hockey town. There are seats aplenty to be had at the opera and it feels provincial, with little international buzz. I’m at the opening night of their new Ring Cycle project which is planned to take 7 years.

I woke at 4am for my early flight to Billund and didn’t have time to catch an afternoon snooze in the hotel. When I saw an unoccupied seating area on the balcony to get some shut-eye during the Hunding scenes I took the opportunity. Sorry Hunding! The second half of the first act of Die Walkure is fantastic as we all know, so now alert I was able to enjoy Magnus Vigilius and Cornelia Beskow as the twin lovers. Beskow is one to look out for - truly Wagnerian in tone and power, combined with good looks. Add a little more finesse in voice and movement and she could be a major Wagner singer.

Orchestra and other casting were adequate, let down by underpowered brass and slow tempi. I'm pleased to report that the set design and production by Kasper Wilton was much more than adequate. Attractive and traditional one might say. This alone might encourage future visits for the other parts of the cycle. Nothing in terms of costumes, set designs or personenregie disappointed. The fire finale was excellent.

The following morning I have a short flight to Oslo, by way of Norwegian Air. One of my top travel tips is always take time to visit the information desk at the airport of a new city. You might have to queue and be patient, but your time will be likely be rewarded in terms of useful information, best value tickets etc. Thankfully there was no queueing required in Oslo and for 190 NOK (around £19/€22/$24) I got my return train into Olso together with 24 hours on all city transport. Pretty good value, as was my opera ticket.

Oslo is one of the most expensive cities in the world and you can enjoy playing this game - How badly do you need that cappuccino or beer? Not so much for me, it turns out. My room-with-breakfast deal at a suburban Radisson Blu compared very favourably to what one can find in London or Amsterdam.

The ‘award winning' opera house is worth a visit even if only to hang out on its roof as every tourist surely does. It’s compulsory! After the opera I spent a couple of hours on the roof chatting with a charming Viennese girl I’d been sitting next to - another opera traveller, discussing what we had seen and much more.

What we saw was Tosca, directed by Calixto Bieito. This was as lousy as you’d expect from this infamous director, his lack of insight and apparent hatred of opera ever-present. There was no set, just a lot of sticky tape and crass imagery. Recondita Armonia was visually aided by a break dancer alongside Cavaradossi, doing those cliched head spinning moves. I can’t bring myself to describe any more. The singers were fine but completely limited by the production, which played through without interval, curtain or pause.

The following morning free time usually means hunting for paintings by Goya or Claude Lorraine. However I had a chance to revisit one of my favourite childhood books with a visit to the Kon-Tiki museum. With other highly rated museums in the Bygdoy district, I strongly recommend this area. It helped that the weather was idyllic.

in summary, Denmark and Norway are lovely countries, although both will test the spending power of most of the anglo-speaking world. However if you’re prepared to limit your coffee and beer habits and you’re able to picnic on supermarket food in good weather then it’s not financially prohibitive, even for a budget traveller.


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## Don Fatale

Click pictures for bigger image.
Esbjerg concert hall, or whatever it is.








Die Walkure curtain call








Olso Opera House


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## mountmccabe

mountmccabe said:


> I am looking into the possibility of going to Berlin in 2018, to see the same thing: _Parsifal_ at Easter. There are quite a few other operas I'd like to see such that it could be a very full trip, just seeing opera. As an alternative, I'm considering going in mid-February, when Barenboim is conducting _Tristan und Isolde_.
> 
> I am making a note to myself to check what is going on at all of the venues from your trip.


I have booked my flights and my first opera ticket, for _Blaubart_ by Offenbach at Komische Oper Berlin on March 31. I will be in Berlin seeing opera and other concerts for a few days on either side. I will book for _Parsifal_ and _Falstaff_ when those tickets go on sale!

I'd be happy to meet up with anyone else that was around!


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## Don Fatale

mountmccabe said:


> I have booked my flights and my first opera ticket, for _Blaubart_ by Offenbach at Komische Oper Berlin on March 31. I will be in Berlin seeing opera and other concerts for a few days on either side. I will book for _Parsifal_ and _Falstaff_ when those tickets go on sale!
> 
> I'd be happy to meet up with anyone else that was around!


Will bear it in mind as I make plans. It would good to meet up with you.


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## Taplow

Any TCers attending the following?

*L'Incoronazione di Poppea*, Staatsoper Unter den Linden, December 10th.

I have a ticket, but have not made travel plans yet. If you'll also be there and would like to meet up to say hi, drop me a PM.


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## Taplow

Well, *L'incoronazione* in Berlin was worth every penny. Gob-smacking perfection from beginning to end. I was seriously impressed with Max Cenčić in particular, whose voice was powerful and on point, and who showed himself to be the consummate professional throughout. In fact, every singer suited their part perfectly and sung outstandingly, with the only possible weak point being Xavier Sabata. It took a short while for me to make sense of the staging, but once I did it was a rollercoaster! Diego Fasolis and the Akademie für alte Musik Berlin were superb.

This makes me think seriously about a couple of other performances around Europe this season that interest me a lot:

1. Benvenuto Cellini at the Opéra Bastille - directed and with set design by Terry Gilliam
2. Britten's Gloriana at the Teatro Real Madrid

I shall make plans for these next week as I need to first see how they fit around other commitments. Anyone else who will be at either?


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## Don Fatale

My first opera trip of 2018 is booked, and it makes me happy seeing opera tickets stuck on the wall.

29th Jan 
Fly to FKB (Karlsruhe)
*Mannheim National Theater - Fidelio*
_My first time here. Looks like a crazy production (all in Florestan's head or something), but at least they're making an effort. It was either this or Stuttgart's rather plain Zauberflote in modern dress, and I've had one of those recently!_
30th Jan
Train to Hamburg (4 hours)
*Hamburgische Staatsoper - Lulu*
_Barbara Hannigan is the main draw here, plus my first Lulu and first visit to this house._
31st Jan
Hopefully a tour of Elbphilharmonie in the morning, then a 2 hour train to Berlin
*Komische Oper - Die Perlen der Cleopatra* (operetta by Oscar Straus)
_I have a yes/no list of opera directors and Barry Kosky is certainly on the yes list. This looks like big-budget fun._
1st Feb
Fly to London for family visit
3rd Feb
Driving home with a stop-off in Leeds for
*Opera North - Un Ballo in Maschera*


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## Don Fatale

This opera trip thread is looking lonely...

So here I am in Mannheim having just seen Fidelio. It's a regie performance and I was forewarned. It's all in Florestan's head you see. He's imagining it, but alas we the audience are not. An actor plays Florestan, ranting madly, bloody, starving and near death. A singer comes on to sing Florestan's parts, literally supporting him, like an angel I guess. Some small parts are moving (he's dying and he died without being saved), but really it's the Prisoners' Chorus where that job is completely taken care of by the composer and this production failed to convince in that scene. In summary, no better or worse than I was expecting. 

I don't want to be critical of Mannheim, but I don't expect to be revisiting this city or opera.

See you tomorrow in Hamburg where (recent Grammy winner) Barbara Hannigan is Lulu.


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## Don Fatale

Another post in the echo chamber thread of opera trips...

Last night it was Lulu in Hamburg. (grammy award winner) Barbara Hannigan stars, with Kent Nagano in the pit.
My first live Lulu although I've listened a good few times and still find it to be a puzzle. So, given as I haven't seen it before I cannot give any comparison on the production. It seemed fine, attractive and engaging. Hannigan is ideal in the role taking the shrill vocal elements and the acrobatic physical side with ease.

Clearly though, Lulu is very much about the music with its puzzles to be solved including the famous palindrome sequence. Also to be solved is what to do with the incomplete Act 3. Eschewing the Boulez completion, and going back to what Berg left, we also get something of a bonus, the Violin Concerto, played brilliantly by the onstage performer/violinist. It was certainly a treat to hear and see it in this fashion. Maybe one day I'll understand this work, or at least understand why others rate it so highly.

Will upload a couple of photos later. Having trouble with uploading on train


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## The Conte

These are my opera/ballet trips planned so far for 2018:

April/May: Barcelona - the Demon by Rubinstein
May/June: Copenhagen - Bournonville ballets
August: Bayreuth - Lohengrin and Meistersinger
August: Pesaro - (no tickets yet, but hoping to get Adina and Ricciardo and Zoraide).

N.


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## Belowpar

Never fear, being read with interest and not a little envy! (Oh and gratitude for reminding us to look wider for what is out there).

Have the second weekend in May lined up for a trip "somewhere in Europe"


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## mountmccabe

Don Fatale said:


> Clearly though, Lulu is very much about the music with its puzzles to be solved including the famous palindrome sequence. Also to be solved is what to do with the incomplete Act 3. Eschewing the Boulez completion, and going back to what Berg left, we also get something of a bonus, the Violin Concerto, played brilliantly by the onstage performer/violinist. It was certainly a treat to hear and see it in this fashion. Maybe one day I'll understand this work, or at least understand why others rate it so highly.


What an interesting choice. Did they only perform the first two acts?

Or did they try to present scenes from Berg's sketches, or Erwin Stein's vocal score? Those options seem intriguing, but also undramatic. It would be very interesting to see performances/hear the same excerpts from those versions, along with Cerha's orchestration.

The Violin Concerto is an inspired substitute for the third act though.


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## mountmccabe

As for opera trips, I am, indeed, going to Berlin in a couple months. It was not difficult filling my evening schedule:

28 March - Falstaff at Staatsoper Unter den Linden
29 March - Les Martyrs de San Sebastian at Philharmonie Berlin
30 March - Parsifal at Staatsoper Unter den Linden
31 March - Blaubert at Komisch Oper
1 April - Vivaldi Oster Gala - European Vivaldi Players, Stefan Bevier. At Kammermusiksaal Philharmonie.
2 April - Tannhäuser at Deutsches Oper Berlin


It's also possible that there will be reason for me to be near Santa Fe for work this summer; if I can manage that I will certainly spend a weekend or two with Santa Fe Opera.


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## Don Fatale

mountmccabe said:


> What an interesting choice. Did they only perform the first two acts?
> 
> Or did they try to present scenes from Berg's sketches, or Erwin Stein's vocal score? Those options seem intriguing, but also undramatic. It would be very interesting to see performances/hear the same excerpts from those versions, along with Cerha's orchestration.
> The Violin Concerto is an inspired substitute for the third act though.


The latter part of Act II had an empty pit (or emptying pit, reminiscent of Haydn's Farewell Symphony) some wind players and notably a piano and violinist were on stage performing perhaps the last 20 minutes of it.

Act 3 opens with the on-stage piano and violinist playing Berg's own sketches, while Lulu is dead, half sitting, centre-stage. It seems they didn't play some of Berg's scoring that they could have, opting instead to insert the Violin Concerto with Hannigan and four female dancers (her alter ego's during the opera?) performing a strange slow motion interpretive dance behind the violinist. The whole thing was mesmerising. One of the most unusual things I've seen on an opera stage, and I'm very glad I went.


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## Don Fatale

mountmccabe said:


> As for opera trips, I am, indeed, going to Berlin in a couple months. It was not difficult filling my evening schedule:
> 
> 28 March - Falstaff at Staatsoper Unter den Linden
> 29 March - Les Martyrs de San Sebastian at Philharmonie Berlin
> 30 March - Parsifal at Staatsoper Unter den Linden
> 31 March - Blaubert at Komisch Oper
> 1 April - Vivaldi Oster Gala - European Vivaldi Players, Stefan Bevier. At Kammermusiksaal Philharmonie.
> 2 April - Tannhäuser at Deutsches Oper Berlin


Nice program. Given that Berlin is convenient and good value compared to other places, I really should go more often. I certainly need another Falstaff and some Wagner! Currently considering a Falstaff in Istanbul in April if I can make a worthwhile trip around it.


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## Taplow

mountmccabe said:


> As for opera trips, I am, indeed, going to Berlin in a couple months. It was not difficult filling my evening schedule:
> 
> 28 March - Falstaff at Staatsoper Unter den Linden
> 29 March - Les Martyrs de San Sebastian at Philharmonie Berlin
> 30 March - Parsifal at Staatsoper Unter den Linden
> 31 March - Blaubert at Komisch Oper
> 1 April - Vivaldi Oster Gala - European Vivaldi Players, Stefan Bevier. At Kammermusiksaal Philharmonie.
> 2 April - Tannhäuser at Deutsches Oper Berlin
> 
> It's also possible that there will be reason for me to be near Santa Fe for work this summer; if I can manage that I will certainly spend a weekend or two with Santa Fe Opera.


I seriously considered the Parsifal, but since I've already made one trip to Berlin this season, I've decided to focus my attentions elsewhere. (Still haven't bought those tickets for Paris or Madrid, however!)


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## The Conte

I look forward to reading the reviews here of others' opera trips and will post my thoughts after my own. I find it interesting that there are people who will book in an opera every night of their trip. I have to admit that would be too much for me and I like to have some evenings free so that I'm not tied to being at a particular place at a specific time and I like to get some variety in with other performing arts (so I might combine opera with ballet, a concert and/or a play). Trying out good restaurants is another evening activity that I love on a trip so I like to get in a few meals too.

For those of you who undertake opera trips and don't go to see an opera every night, what other things do you do on the evenings you aren't at the opera?

N.


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## Don Fatale

The Conte said:


> I look forward to reading the reviews here of others' opera trips and will post my thoughts after my own. I find it interesting that there are people who will book in an opera every night of their trip. I have to admit that would be too much for me and I like to have some evenings free so that I'm not tied to being at a particular place at a specific time and I like to get some variety in with other performing arts (so I might combine opera with ballet, a concert and/or a play). Trying out good restaurants is another evening activity that I love on a trip so I like to get in a few meals too.
> 
> For those of you who undertake opera trips and don't go to see an opera every night, what other things do you do on the evenings you aren't at the opera?
> 
> N.


I admire your more leisurely and balanced approach, but for me there should be an opera every night! Failing that, a good concert. Needless to say I'm more of a lunch guy.


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## mountmccabe

I leave for Berlin tomorrow!

The Vivaldi Oster Gala has sadly been cancelled, to the passing of the music director Stefan Bevier.

I instead will be seeing Das Wunder der Heliane at Deutsche Oper on that date.



The Conte said:


> I look forward to reading the reviews here of others' opera trips and will post my thoughts after my own. I find it interesting that there are people who will book in an opera every night of their trip. I have to admit that would be too much for me and I like to have some evenings free so that I'm not tied to being at a particular place at a specific time and I like to get some variety in with other performing arts (so I might combine opera with ballet, a concert and/or a play). Trying out good restaurants is another evening activity that I love on a trip so I like to get in a few meals too.


I certainly plan to eat whilst in Berlin, haha. I didn't quite intended to book an opera nearly every night (with the other being a play with incidental music and vocals and other works by Debussy), but that's how it worked out. There were enough options that since I was making the trip, I wanted to take the opportunity to see everything I could. I mean, I still wish I was able to squeeze in the _Yevgéniy Onégin_ at the Komische Oper.

I do have plans to explore Berlin during the days.



The Conte said:


> For those of you who undertake opera trips and don't go to see an opera every night, what other things do you do on the evenings you aren't at the opera?


Over the past few years I have taken trips with my wife to NYC, Amsterdam, and London. One each one I only saw two operas, though we had a week or more. In NYC and London we also saw musicals a few of the nights. Other nights we visited with friends, or just made an evening of going out to dinner and maybe drinks and wandering back to where we were staying. Sometimes this made for an early night, but that was often appreciated, leaving us revived and ready to do more the following day.


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## mountmccabe

I am in the midst of my trip to Berlin. I am mostly relaxing inside today because it is near freezing and snowy outside. Inside the opera houses it is warm, though! (Way too warm, in fact. I'm not sure how anyone keeps on their jacket).

First up was Falstaff. This was the second performance of Mario Martone's new production for Staatsoper Unter den Linden.

I will note that I am not that familiar with the opera, but the production seems relatively traditional, albeit with a modern setting.

Michael Volle made his debut as Falstaff, and sounded wonderful. He had good mix of authority and pathos. I'm not sure I saw the transition to haha, everything is alright at the end, but the plot makes it difficult.

Barbara Frittoli was fantastic as Alice; Daniela Barcellona was Mrs. Quickly, and was particularly funny in her scenes with Falstaff. The Fenton and Nannetta of Francesco Demuro and Nadine Sierra were a natural young couple, and in fine contrast to the other characters. Sierra sang a compellingly beautiful "Sul fil d'un soffio etesio."

This was also Daniel Barenboim's debut conducting Falstaff. As noted I don't know this opera that well, but the music finally clicked for me, seeing some of how it all fits together. I heard that unity in the performance on Wednesday.

View attachment 102545


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## Taplow

mountmccabe said:


> Inside the opera houses it is warm, though! (Way too warm, in fact. I'm not sure how anyone keeps on their jacket).


This is a perpetual problem in the opera houses of Germany, and probably Europe in general. If you think it's bad in the winter, try it in the summer ... packed in like sardines with 2000 others, sweating like pigs in unfathomable heat with no air conditioning. Difficult to concentrate on the performance. How the performers manage under hot lights is beyond me.


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## mountmccabe

On Good Friday I went back to the Staatsoper for Parsifal. This was the return of Tcherniakov's production, available on DVD, though there were subtle changes.

Gurnemanz was René Pape, towering. His voice rich and full, he gave an impressive portrait of a man with the will to keep the others in line, but not the ability to go beyond that.

Kundry, Nina Stemme, seems out of place around the knights (or with Klingsor), but she is an outsider. Kundry's relationship with Amfortas - she is drawn to him, but it's nervous and frightened - was clearly displayed; I'm not sure I recall her gathering up his discarded clothes after the knights leave in act 1. I certainly don't remember her putting on his bloody shirt after Parsifal's realization in act 2; it makes crystal clear that she is (also) referring to Amfortas with "Ich sah ihn - ihn - und lachte."

Amfortas was Lauri Vasar. His voice had so much pain and weariness, though the singer was not tired. His unsteady knees and physical weakness (apparent only) was also impressive.

This created a stark contrast with the towering Titurel, Reinhard Hagen. In this production he appears on stage, almost gloating after the ceremony is performed and he gets out of the coffin.

I was interested in how Falk Struckmann's Klingsor would differ from that of the excellent Tómas Tómasson; I needn't have been concerned. Though more physically imposing he still clearly conveyed the unsettling creepiness.

I have saved the best for last. Andreas Schager gave perhaps the most impressive performance I have ever seen. He was uncomfortable in his body, but bold and brash to everyone else. Thankfully we are are included in the everyone else and get to hear that powerful voice. His tortured monologue in act 2 was riveting, and his return to the Grail knights in act 3 really felt like an event. Amfortas is holding forth and the knights are getting violent, creating an amazing tension, "Nur eine Waffe taugt" was a monumental resolution.

The Staatsopernchor (supplemented with guests and students) was magnificent; as noted above "Geleiten wir im bergenden Schrein" was overwhelming.

Perhaps best of all was the Staatskapelle Berlin, under Daniel Barenboim. The score sounded beautiful and fluid. There was also incredible power, though the horns never seemed to be blasting. I again return to the transition in the third act, at Mittag. Those bells rang, and what overwhelming orchestral sound arose, commanding our attention.

The entire work was compelling and moving. I'm thrilled I was able to see it.

After bows, Barenboim said a few words and then brought out Jürgen Flimm. He was given the biggest bouquet of flowers I've yet seen. This was his second-to-last day as Intendant, and the last performance of an opera. He gave a speech that I could not follow (my German is inadequate) but it's clear he was gushing with praise for the "wunderbar" people he worked with, and all the other support he had received. I don't typically take curtain call photos (not only because my phone camera is also inadequate) but this seemed like a fair exception.

View attachment 102547


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## mountmccabe

On Thursday I also saw the Staatskapelle Berlin conducted by Daniel Barenboim, in an all-Debussy program at the Philharmonie. Martha Argerich was at the piano for the Fantaisie pour piano et orchestre. Then there was a full Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien, with Marianne Crebassa, Anna Lapkovskaja, and Anna Prohaska as soloists, and Maria Furtwängler as narrator.

View attachment 102550


Earlier on Thursday I was able to visit the Alte Nationalgalerie and see two representations of Wagner: a bust by Lorenz Gedon, and a portrait by Franz von Lenbach.

View attachment 102552


Then on Saturday I went to the Gemäldegalerie and was stuck by the Botticelli paintings, including one of St. Sébastien.

View attachment 102551


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## The Conte

Wonderful, fanatastic trip to Berlin! Lucky you to get to the Philharmonie as well. I've been to an Easter Parsifal (conducted by Danny) and the galleries too. Your posts evoke some superb memories.

N.


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## Dongiovanni

mountmccabe said:


> On Good Friday I went back to the Staatsoper for Parsifal. This was the return of Tcherniakov's production, available on DVD, though there were subtle changes.
> ...
> 
> View attachment 102547


I remember you asking about this Parsifal, because you wanted to see it, and I'm so glad you made it happen ! Also good to see it in the finally reopened State Opera. When I saw it, it was in the Schiller Theatre.

Last year I was in Berlin around the same period, also went to a concert with Martha Argerich. And Marianne Crebassa sang Cherubino in the State Opera Figaro, a stellar performance. Very good memories indeed.

Next week I'm in Berlin (April 7) but you will probably not be, would be so nice to have a chat with you.


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## Dongiovanni

The Conte said:


> I look forward to reading the reviews here of others' opera trips and will post my thoughts after my own. I find it interesting that there are people who will book in an opera every night of their trip. I have to admit that would be too much for me and I like to have some evenings free so that I'm not tied to being at a particular place at a specific time and I like to get some variety in with other performing arts (so I might combine opera with ballet, a concert and/or a play). Trying out good restaurants is another evening activity that I love on a trip so I like to get in a few meals too.
> 
> For those of you who undertake opera trips and don't go to see an opera every night, what other things do you do on the evenings you aren't at the opera?
> 
> N.


Go to a concert  But seriously, I appreciate concerts as much as opera. When travelling usually the accent is on opera because my opera fix requires travelling, concerts are available for me without staying the night.

Very occasionally I encounter a moment when I can't not find a concert or opera. I have considered ballet, a play, I even considered a musical . Funny thing though, that sometimes the 'fillers' are great surprises.

But I also like to eat and take time for that. More recently I have taken a full night out planned ahead for eating. The compromise is to find restaurants that have quality food and can serve 3 courses in 2 hours, mostly called pre-theatre or pre-concert menus. Those are my favourites. During my travels I have found several excellent places ! Be sure to convince the staff up front. The best sign it is if the staff asks themselves.

And, if you have the energy, eating AFTER the opera is also worth trying. Some selected places serve main course up till midnight, and you might bump into some of the singers.


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## mountmccabe

Dongiovanni said:


> Next week I'm in Berlin (April 7) but you will probably not be, would be so nice to have a chat with you.


Yes, unfortunately I fly home on Wednesday. That would have been nice!

I will eventually say more about each, but real quick summary:

31: Blaubart at Komische Oper. It was fun, but far too long. But I bet I would have enjoyed it more if I either knew the Felsenstein production or had not investigated the plot. Also would have helped if I could understand German without the seat titles.

1: Das Wunder der Heliane at Deutsche Oper. Second favorite performance on this trip. The cast and orchestra really do justice to the score, and I thought Loy's characteristically spare production was a great fit.

2: Tannhäuser at Deutsche Oper. I'm glad I have finally seen this in the house. Due to water damage sustained in December these performances have limited sets (but full costumes). Im also laughing at already having posted a photo of a Botticelli; this production has supers made up like his Venus (there is a version with just her (no shell) at the same gallery).

Here's Wagner and Wolfram in the Tiergarten

View attachment 102588


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## mountmccabe

mountmccabe said:


> 31: Blaubart at Komische Oper. It was fun, but far too long. But I bet I would have enjoyed it more if I either knew the Felsenstein production or had not investigated the plot. Also would have helped if I could understand German without the seat titles.


Last Saturday night I saw _Blaubart_ at Komische Oper. This is a German translation/adaptation of Offenbach's _Barbe-Bleue_. This was put on as part of the 70th anniversary celebration of the company, along with a new production (by Barrie Kosky) of _Anatevka_ (the German-translation of _Fiddler on the Roof_). Both of these works had incredibly popular productions by Walter Felsenstein (the later opened in 1971 and eventually saw over 500 performances, but has not been done since 1988). A version of Felsenstein's _Blaubart_ is available as the film _Ritter Blaubart_ from 1973 (in color, with the singers lip-syncing).

This is the context for Stefan Herheim's production of the Offenbach. I have not seen the Felsenstein version, but watching the film trailer several of the costumes were clearly modeled on the earlier version (Blaubart, König Bobéche), and Herheim similarly added a framing device, with (speaking) actors as the Grim Reaper and Cupid (Wolfgang Häntsch and Rüdiger Frank, committed and compelling but overused). The text was translated and revised by Stefan Herheim, Clemens Flick, and Alexander Meier-Dörzenbach.

The production was fun and theatrical. The audience seemed to enjoy it, laughing at jokes I didn't get reading the seat-title translations. I think this is also a work I would have enjoyed more if I didn't know the story, if I had been surprised by various turnabouts and revelations.

This is mostly an ensemble piece, but Sarah Ferede stuck out as Boulotte, with a fine instrument and good comic timing. Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke was absurd and wonderful as the titular Blaubart. Stefan Soltesz led the orchestra in a light and bouncy reading of the score, keeping up the pace as much as he could. Unfortunately there were a lot of breaks for speaking.

Trailer for the Felsenstein film:





The entire 2018 _Blaubart_, as streamed via OperaVision on March 23





I am glad I went, and I did enjoy the evening. It was, however, not really for me. Though, as noted, the audience was engaged and laughing, and the production seems to be selling very well (as is _Anatevka_).


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## Bonetan

Thank you for your reviews Mountmccabe! I enjoyed every single one!! I'm extremely jealous of you for having heard Schager, Volle, Pape, & Stemme. What a fine collection of singers!!!


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## mountmccabe

mountmccabe said:


> 1: Das Wunder der Heliane at Deutsche Oper. Second favorite performance on this trip. The cast and orchestra really do justice to the score, and I thought Loy's characteristically spare production was a great fit.


On April 1 I saw Erich Wolfgang Korngold's _Das Wunder der Heliane_ at Deutsche Oper Berlin.

I had misread their schedule and thought the run ended before I arrived in the city, but thanks to a Facebook ad/promoted post from tenor Brian Jagde I saw my error and managed to get a ticket, and convinced some friends also in town to do so as well. I was not terribly familiar with the work, but it's in a style and era I've been trying to explore, and this turned out to be a wonderful way to become familiar with it.

The first act has just four singers but it is still immediately overwhelming. Brian Jagde has the power and sensitivity for the soaring role of Der Fremde, sounding confident in his conflict with the king, but also tender and awed when Heliane enters.

Sara Jakubiak was a resplendent Heliane; her entrance was a gorgeous ray of light, a calm after the conflict up through that point. I was initially disappointed with how she started the one known aria from the opera, "Ich ging zu ihm" from the second act trial, but as it went on I was happy this wasn't treated as an excerpt, but as an integrated part of the work. So rather than immediately sounding lush, sticking out, it grew to become something beautiful but feeling like part of the opera. Jakubiak perhaps tired in the third act - unlike Der Fremde she doesn't get to die - but this was still a wonderful performance.

Josef Wagner was Der Herrscher. He was convincing trying to dominate Der Fremde, and really captured that troublesome turn where he's trying to convince the condemned man to help him. The capricious turns against Heliane - and the entire populace - were also believable. He was at times terrifying and pathetic, until those two melded together and he vanished into the crowd.

The chorus sounded wonderful, coming in as part of the act 2 build. Marc Albrecht led the orchestra in a really gorgeous rendering of this score. it had intensity when called for, but the lyricism and rich melodicism layered underneath it all were clear. The brass sounded especially fantastic, powerful but controlled.

I really think Christoph Loy's characteristically spare production supported everything else. There was a single set for the entire piece; an empty courtroom (or similar) with dark wood panelling. The lighting was thoughtful and effective, but only had white light. The costumes were modern suits and dresses, deceptively simple in black/grey/white, but. Only Heliane had any significant costume changes. Each separate character was never-the-less differentiated. Der Fremde had a grey suit; Der Herrscher had a black shirt with his black suit. The six judges had different ties than the men in the chorus. The limited color palette provided room for these subtle differences to be seen.

Similarly, a brighter, more wild production could have taken away from the subtleties of the score. If there's a lot more going on it would be easy to just read the score as relentless and one-dimension, when it is anything but.

Loy also ensured there was strong person-regie; these were real characters, interacting. They existed when they were not singing, but they were not busy.

The run is now over, but they had video cameras in the house (the center one a few seats away from me) at this and the final performance, recording for TV broadcast and a DVD release on Naxos, so hopefully others can see this strong production of this wonderful opera.

Trailer:


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## Bonetan

Mountmccabe, who do you consider the most impressive singer you have heard on your trip??


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## mountmccabe

Bonetan said:


> Mountmccabe, who do you consider the most impressive singer you have heard on your trip??


Andreas Schager.

Same answer for most impressive singer I have heard in my life.


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## mountmccabe

The other two times I have seen Parsifal were at the Met in NYC with Jonas Kaufmann. He was very good, but he also started out timid and gentle, before really coming into the role at "Amfortas! Die Wunde" and sounding amazing in the third act. And I appreciate that there's a reason for that, that it was a character choice. But I also came away more impressed by René Pape and Peter Mattei.

Andreas Schager was impressive from his entrance, bold and forceful. Again, it fit the take on the character, but at the end of each act I was singing his praises.


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## Bonetan

mountmccabe said:


> Andreas Schager.
> 
> Same answer for most impressive singer I have heard in my life.


Awesome! From everything I've heard Schager is a force of nature. He's #1 for the singer I most want to hear live right now.


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## mountmccabe

The last show of my trip was _Tannhäuser_ at Deutsche Oper Berlin. The story here was substitutions. The production is from 2008; there were a few performances in November/December of 2017, but then the sets were water-damaged in late December. So we got a presentation with limited/adapted sets and lighting. The costumes were not affected, per the note in the lobby, "the flow of the production is virtually unaffected." We also had two substitutions in the cast: Attilio Glaser was out as Walter von der Vogelweide; Clemens Bieber (who sang the role in Nov/Dec) was in. Peter Seiffert also was unable to perform as Tannhäuser, so we had Stefan Vinke. The previous weekend he had substituted in Leipzig in the same role.

Stefan Vinke was fine as Tannhäuser. Not quite holding the role, not quite thrilling, and not quite pleasant to listen to. There wasn't a whole lot for him to do, though the character seemed extra agitated/unleashed during the act 2 singing contest.

Günther Groissböck was a great presence as Landgraf Hermann, and Noel Bouley shined in the smaller part of Biterolf.

Ricarda Merbeth sang both Venus and Elisabeth. There really didn't seem to be much point to this? After Elisabeth died in the third act, she was covered with a sheet and she adjusted her hair/costume to be Venus. I honestly can't tell if we (or Wolfram on stage) were supposed to see this as Venus coming from Elisabeth or what. I think she gave us distinct sound and demeanor for the two characters, and both were believable. The notes weren't quite all there or entirely controlled, but it was a still effective.

The orchestra sounded good, again without being that remarkable. Donald Runnicles conducted, keeping everything together.

The original director was Kirsten Harms; scenic adaptation and stage director for these performances was Eva-Maria Abelein. There were some strange touches, most of which made little sense to me.

There weren't really any of the nymphs or other magical creatures backing Venus; instead there were six women (un)dressed and posing like Botticelli's Venus (with the carefully place hands and hair). Hermann and party arrive on life-sized but fake horses, dragged around by assistants. That brings up one of the issues: this was a loud staging. The knights also were presented in plate armor, which I suppose changes the setting to several hundred years later (or, rather, not quite existing in reality). This continued, but it seemed to all amount to nothing much.

So not terribly memorable, but they performed the opera, and it was fine.


----------



## mountmccabe

I also briefly want to comment on how glad I am that I was able to add _Das Wunder der Heliane_ to my schedule. It offered some interesting compare/contrasts with the other operas I saw.

It was interesting to compare the Ruler trying to get the Stranger to work on Heliane so she will warm up to him to in Falstaff where Ford (in disguise) tries to get Falstaff to seduce Alice.

And I see both _Parsifal_ and _Das Wunder der Heliane_ as variations on the Fisher King story, though the latter is far more loose.

And _Blaubart_ and _Wunder_ are also both about a conflict between love and death. Thankfully Loy didn't add a half an hour of dialogue and have the Grim Reaper and Cupid on stage, too, though.

I don't think I can call _Wunder_ a mystery play and link it with _Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien_; and I can't even come up with anything that tenuous to bring in _Tannhäuser_.

My friends that were in town also really loved it; one of them had studied and loves 20th century opera (but doesn't see it very often) and also studied film music so she was very familiar with Korngold (even if not this opera) and was thrilled for the chance to see this piece.

I was really happy to be able to go on this trip, and I saw some great performances. It was very interesting to see these three houses, and to learn just how different they are. I am not sure when I'll be able to get back, but I know I would enjoy it.


----------



## The Conte

It looks like I might be going to Berlin next February...

I've never been to the Komische Oper so I may get the chance to catch something that's on there. It will also give me the chance to practice my German as I am sprucing it up for this summer's visit to Bayreuth.

N.


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## Dongiovanni

The Conte said:


> It looks like I might be going to Berlin next February...
> 
> I've never been to the Komische Oper so I may get the chance to catch something that's on there. It will also give me the chance to practice my German as I am sprucing it up for this summer's visit to Bayreuth.
> 
> N.


2018/2019 seasons in Berlin:
Deutsche Oper: Will be announced April 16
Komische Oper
Staatsoper Unter den Linden


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## The Conte

Dongiovanni said:


> 2018/2019 seasons in Berlin:
> Deutsche Oper: Will be announced April 16
> Komische Oper
> Staatsoper Unter den Linden


I don't fancy anything at the Komische Oper during the time I will be there. Maybe there will be something at the Philharmonie or Deutsche Oper (although I don't like the acoustic there).

N.


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## mountmccabe

I am very tempted to go back to Germany in May. The plan I am looking at includes Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Munich.

Frankfurt (all conducted by Sebastian Weigle)
_Die Walkure_ (with Amber Wagner and James Rutherford, production by Nemirova)
_Der ferne Klang_ (new production in the house where it premiered by Michieletto)
_Rodelinda_ (Andreas Scholl; new production by Guth)

Stuttgart
_Nixon in China_ (with Michael Mayes. Conducted by André de Ridder. Production by Marco Štorman)
_Iphigenie en Tauride_ (with Amanda Majeski, Alfred Walker. Conducted by Stefano Montanari. Production by Warlikowski)

Munich
_Tannhäuser_ (with Klaus Florian Vogt, Lise Davidsen. Conducted by Simone Young. Production by Castellucci)
_Tosca_ (with Anja Harteros. Conducted by Andrea Battistoni. Production by Luc Bondy)

I would have to miss at least two of the above operas. Most likely I would have to miss _Nixon_ and _Tosca_.

But both Stuttgart and Munich do not have tickets on sale yet, so I'd have to commit before knowing which, if any, of those shows I could go to. I expect the two performances in Munich could be quite popular, but thankfully Munich does their ticket assignment/lottery draw if necessary three months before and Stuttgart goes two months before, so I can fill out my schedule with the latter. Anyone have any thoughts on getting tickets for these houses?

The other trick is that if I want to see _Rodelinda_ I should buy a ticket now. The only performance that could work for me would be opening night of this new production, which is nearly sold out.

My main hesitation is that after my last trip I found seeing so many things on consecutive nights in a foreign country where I barely/don't speak the language intense and isolating. I'm improving on my German, but I expect the amount of English I'll encounter in these three cities is a little less than in Berlin. I'd also have less time for seeing anything, in part because I'd be taking the train between cities. It would be nice to see more of the country, though!


----------



## Don Fatale

mountmccabe said:


> I am very tempted to go back to Germany in May. The plan I am looking at includes Frankfurt, Stuttgart, and Munich.
> 
> Frankfurt (all conducted by Sebastian Weigle)
> _Die Walkure_ (with Amber Wagner and James Rutherford, production by Nemirova)
> _Der ferne Klang_ (new production in the house where it premiered by Michieletto)
> _Rodelinda_ (Andreas Scholl; new production by Guth)
> 
> Stuttgart
> _Nixon in China_ (with Michael Mayes. Conducted by André de Ridder. Production by Marco Štorman)
> _Iphigenie en Tauride_ (with Amanda Majeski, Alfred Walker. Conducted by Stefano Montanari. Production by Warlikowski)
> 
> Munich
> _Tannhäuser_ (with Klaus Florian Vogt, Lise Davidsen. Conducted by Simone Young. Production by Castellucci)
> _Tosca_ (with Anja Harteros. Conducted by Andrea Battistoni. Production by Luc Bondy)
> 
> I would have to miss at least two of the above operas. Most likely I would have to miss _Nixon_ and _Tosca_.
> 
> But both Stuttgart and Munich do not have tickets on sale yet, so I'd have to commit before knowing which, if any, of those shows I could go to. I expect the two performances in Munich could be quite popular, but thankfully Munich does their ticket assignment/lottery draw if necessary three months before and Stuttgart goes two months before, so I can fill out my schedule with the latter. Anyone have any thoughts on getting tickets for these houses?
> 
> The other trick is that if I want to see _Rodelinda_ I should buy a ticket now. The only performance that could work for me would be opening night of this new production, which is nearly sold out.
> 
> My main hesitation is that after my last trip I found seeing so many things on consecutive nights in a foreign country where I barely/don't speak the language intense and isolating. I'm improving on my German, but I expect the amount of English I'll encounter in these three cities is a little less than in Berlin. I'd also have less time for seeing anything, in part because I'd be taking the train between cities. It would be nice to see more of the country, though!


Regarding the 'intense and isolating' when traveling in Europe, I agree it sure can be, whether for opera or anything else. On my last trip to Germany in January I barely recall having a significant conversation in three days. But other times I've not just had pleasant conversations and shared a drink but made friends that are still friends. Having a few opening gambits with neighboring seats in the opera house is worthwhile, not to mention humanising to know whose shoulder is against your own. Of course most people are interested in opera, which is good. On my next trip (Prague/Vienna/Budapest again) I'm going between hotels and Airbnb. Hotels for one night in a city (usually more convenient) and Airbnb for 2 or more.

Getting online tickets for Munich is certainly more relaxing than the pulse-racing drama of La Scala. Just fill out the online form at the appropriate time with enough flexibility on price and location and you'll be fine. I have some close friends moving to Munich soon, so I'll be visiting there more often. Keep me posted, we may be able to meet up.


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## Taplow

mountmccabe said:


> Munich
> _Tannhäuser_ (with Klaus Florian Vogt, Lise Davidsen. Conducted by Simone Young. Production by Castellucci)
> _Tosca_ (with Anja Harteros. Conducted by Andrea Battistoni. Production by Luc Bondy)
> 
> I expect the two performances in Munich could be quite popular, but thankfully Munich does their ticket assignment/lottery draw if necessary three months before and Stuttgart goes two months before, so I can fill out my schedule with the latter. Anyone have any thoughts on getting tickets for these houses?


I've missed out a few times on the ticket lottery here in Munich but then been able to pick up prime seats quite easily once the remainder go on sale online later. And there are always remainders! Online sales for the Bayerische Staatsoper open at 10am precisely 2 calendar months before the performance. So log in around 9am, join the queue and wait.

As an example, tickets for Tannhäuser on Sunday, 8th May will go on sale at 10am Friday, 8th March.


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## Taplow

mountmccabe said:


> I'm improving on my German, but I expect the amount of English I'll encounter in these three cities is a little less than in Berlin.


Munich is a pretty international city with a lot of expats living here. So you can expect a fair amount of English to be spoken and understood, especially in restaurants and places most likely to be frequented by visitors. The Nationaltheater introduced dual-language surtitles just over a year or so ago.


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## mountmccabe

Thanks for the comments, Don Fatale and Taplow. Much appreciated.

And well, I bought the tickets for Frankfurt. One of three remaining Parkett seats for the _Rodelinda_ that were available when I first looked was sold in the few days between the times I checked, so I grabbed one of the others while I still could. Though I was mistaken; this is not an entirely new production; it appears to be the one that premiered in Madrid and will be seen in Lyon and Barcelona before Frankfurt.


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## Seattleoperafan

I have only been to the Met once but it was to one of my favorite operas that will never be performed here... La Gioconda. I was unprepared for how overwhelmingly glamorous the Met is. Photos just can't capture the grandness of the place. The music and production were perfection.


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## mountmccabe

Seattleoperafan said:


> I have only been to the Met once but it was to one of my favorite operas that will never be performed here... La Gioconda. I was unprepared for how overwhelmingly glamorous the Met is. Photos just can't capture the grandness of the place. The music and production were perfection.


Interestingly this opera is being performed in several cities in the 2018-2019 season and they all have something in common:
Bonn
Bruxelles
Budapest
Barcelona
Brno

Too bad Birmingham, Bloomington, Boise, and Boston are not on that list. Maybe one can hope for a production by a small company in Bellevue?


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## Don Fatale

mountmccabe said:


> Interestingly this opera is being performed in several cities in the 2018-2019 season and they all have something in common:
> Bonn
> Bruxelles
> Budapest
> Barcelona
> Brno
> 
> Too bad Birmingham, Bloomington, Boise, and Boston are not on that list. Maybe one can hope for a production by a small company in Bellevue?


I'm a big fan of La Gioconda, but have yet to see it live, 2019 is definitely the year to address that. Barcelona has a great production, if it's the one I have on video. I'd love to see that, and it's time to revisit the city. Hope to make Budapest (new production) and/or Brno which is to be sung in Czech!


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## Taplow

Alcina in Hamburg for me, I think. Will have to look at the details more closely in the next few days.

Les Troyens in Vienna is also appealing.


----------



## Morton

This year we have been to the Budapest Wagner festival for Tristan and after many years of trying Parsifal at Bayreuth, a truly special trip.
Earlier I had been unsuccessful for the star studded Parsifal at Munich.
Next year we are thinking of Lohengrin in Berlin.


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## interestedin

mountmccabe said:


> *Sara Jakubiak was a resplendent Heliane;* her entrance was a gorgeous ray of light, a calm after the conflict up through that point. I was initially disappointed with how she started the one known aria from the opera, "Ich ging zu ihm" from the second act trial, but as it went on I was happy this wasn't treated as an excerpt, but as an integrated part of the work. So rather than immediately sounding lush, sticking out, it grew to become something beautiful but feeling like part of the opera. Jakubiak perhaps tired in the third act - unlike Der Fremde she doesn't get to die - but this was still a wonderful performance.


Yes, she was!

I'm not sure whether or not to post this video because for whatever reason the sound quality is awful, but anyway, live I experienced it as a great performance!


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## mountmccabe

I was allotted a ticket for Tannhäuser at Bay Staats!

My schedule is now the following, though I haven't booked Iphigénie yet. My understanding is that tickets go on sale in about a month. I can't put in now because I don't have an EU bank account (silly me).

Frankfurt
8 May - _Die Walkure_ (with Amber Wagner and James Rutherford. Conducted by Sebastian Weigle. Production by Nemirova)

Munich
9 May - _Tannhäuser_ (with Klaus Florian Vogt, Lise Davidsen. Conducted by Simone Young. Production by Castellucci)

Stuttgart
_10 May - Iphigénie en Tauride (with Amanda Majeski, Alfred Walker. Conducted by Stefano Montanari. Production by Warlikowski)_

Frankfurt
11 May - _Der ferne Klang_ (Conducted by Sebastian Weigle. New production by Michieletto in the house where the opera premiered)
12 May - _Rodelinda_ (Andreas Scholl, Lucy Crowe, Jakub Józef Orliński. Conducted by Sebastian Weigle. Production by Guth)

I won't have much time to see Munich or Stuttgart what with having to catch trains, but I have a few days where I have the morning and afternoon free in Frankfurt.


----------



## Don Fatale

mountmccabe said:


> I was allotted a ticket for Tannhäuser at Bay Staats!
> 
> My schedule is now the following, though I haven't booked Iphigénie yet. My understanding is that tickets go on sale in about a month. I can't put in now because I don't have an EU bank account (silly me).
> 
> Frankfurt
> 8 May - _Die Walkure_ (with Amber Wagner and James Rutherford. Conducted by Sebastian Weigle. Production by Nemirova)
> 
> Munich
> 9 May - _Tannhäuser_ (with Klaus Florian Vogt, Lise Davidsen. Conducted by Simone Young. Production by Castellucci)
> 
> Stuttgart
> _10 May - Iphigénie en Tauride (with Amanda Majeski, Alfred Walker. Conducted by Stefano Montanari. Production by Warlikowski)_
> 
> Frankfurt
> 11 May - _Der ferne Klang_ (Conducted by Sebastian Weigle. New production by Michieletto in the house where the opera premiered)
> 12 May - _Rodelinda_ (Andreas Scholl, Lucy Crowe, Jakub Józef Orliński. Conducted by Sebastian Weigle. Production by Guth)
> 
> I won't have much time to see Munich or Stuttgart what with having to catch trains, but I have a few days where I have the morning and afternoon free in Frankfurt.


That's a great schedule, although I think I'd rather have spare time in Munich.

I'm tempted by the Stuttgart Mefistofele (one of my favourite operas) although I'm pretty much resigned the fact that the production will be disappointing, given the track record of the director.

But currently that's dependent on Bayreuth. I've going to try my luck with the online ticketing which opens on 18th March.


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## Annied

I lent a neighbour in Bavaria some Joseph Calleja CDs last Spring. By the time I saw her again in the autumn, she'd turned into a superfan! When she heard he was appearing in "Carmen" in Munich this year, she couldn't wait to hear him live. I didn't take a lot of persuading when she asked if I'd go with her, even though it's not normally a time when I'm in Germany. 

I'm hoping we all, Joseph included, stay well out of the way of any passing germs!


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## mountmccabe

Don Fatale said:


> That's a great schedule, although I think I'd rather have spare time in Munich.
> 
> I'm tempted by the Stuttgart Mefistofele (one of my favourite operas) although I'm pretty much resigned the fact that the production will be disappointing, given the track record of the director.
> 
> But currently that's dependent on Bayreuth. I've going to try my luck with the online ticketing which opens on 18th March.


I also would have picked Munich over Frankfurt all things being equal, but that's how the operas I wanted to see worked out for the time I had available.

The Alex Olle Mefistofele premiered at Opera Lyon in October 2018. The only review I can find in English seems to confirm your suspicions (though I barely skimmed the review).

Good luck with Bayreuth!


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## Annied

Annied said:


> I lent a neighbour in Bavaria some Joseph Calleja CDs last Spring. By the time I saw her again in the autumn, she'd turned into a superfan! When she heard he was appearing in "Carmen" in Munich this year, she couldn't wait to hear him live. I didn't take a lot of persuading when she asked if I'd go with her, even though it's not normally a time when I'm in Germany.
> 
> *I'm hoping we all, Joseph included, stay well out of the way of any passing germs![/]*


*

Just to add that we did all stay fit and well and enjoyed our opera trip.*


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## mountmccabe

mountmccabe said:


> My schedule is now the following, though I haven't booked Iphigénie yet. My understanding is that tickets go on sale in about a month. I can't put in now because I don't have an EU bank account (silly me).
> 
> [...]
> 
> Stuttgart
> _10 May - Iphigénie en Tauride (with Amanda Majeski, Alfred Walker. Conducted by Stefano Montanari. Production by Warlikowski)_


And this is now taken care of! All that's left now is waiting two months


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## Elisendana

Hi, Dongiovanni. Glad to hear someone has had the same idea as myself. Though on a low budget and can't afford to pay for as many performances as I'd love to, I've been to the Met in NY, to the Liceu in Barcelona, the Colon theatre in Buenos Aires and the Alla Scala in Milan. Tomorrow, for example, there's Diana Damrau & Carlos Alvarez performing one Hamlet version at the Liceu and would love to go since I live in Catalonia but I find the tickets too pricey.
I could give you some tips on Alla Scala, but I guess from your post that you must have been there already.
Cheers!


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## Don Fatale

So here's my state of play now... either side of my Munich dogsitting assignment.

12th May, Elektra, Bonn (with time to visit the Beethoven museum and pay my respects to Robert and Clara Schumann)
18th May, Un Ballo in Maschera, Munich
23rd May, De Junge Lord (Henze), Munich
25th May, Il Trittico, Munich 

Then possibly...travel by train via overnight in Zagreb to...
28th May La Traviata in Skopje, Macedonia, 
29th May Ballo (again), Sofia, Bulgaria
30th May Bruckner/Bruch concert, Sofia
31st May Prince Igor, Varna, Bulgaria

so that's not too bad. Bulgaria is still very good value, and with Munich travel and accommodation taken care of, it's really not costing much.


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## mountmccabe

I really loved my trip to Germany! I have started posted some reviews in the reviews thread. Here I will make a few notes on the cities and opera houses!

First off, my pics on Twitter of the four opera houses I visited (I saw but did not go in Alte Oper in Frankfurt).

Oper Frankfurt is very close to the River Main, which really helps me for navigation (and being able to walk along the nice water). It's a great house. The seating rings going up the house look quite modern. I sat in the Parkett (orchestra) section; the seats were reasonably comfortable. For my second stint in the city I managed to stay at Adina Apartment Hotel Neue Oper; this made the walk to the opera house less than five minutes, which was so lovely. The hotel was also just a 10 minute walk from the main train station, so it was all very convenient. The house was the most dull on the outside, but the 1870s opera house (now known as Alte Oper) is just a fifteen minute walk north. It was renovated in the 1980s and there are a mix of performances here, some classical, some rock, some musicals.

Nationaltheater München is a beautiful house but the seats (in the Parkett) were difficult for me. There's no room for one's feet under the seat in front of you (it's amazing how much I rely on that for a bit of extra space, with my long legs and big feet). My legs were very sore after the long opera. I do hope to return, but I might look for seating in the rings. There are five of them going up, all very shallow.

Staatstheater Stuttgart is on some gorgeous grounds, right next to the giant and luxurious Neues Schloss Stuttgart (if I had more time I would have considered a guided tour). There was a pond with ducks and a fountain, a park, and the beautiful late evening sun. The inside of the opera house was quite charming, though less luxurious than Munich and less modern than Frankfurt. I will note that the supertitles were only available in German (unlike at the other two houses).

Oh, and it was wonderful to meet Bonetan! We went to Amadeus Restaurant and Bar (it seemed quite fitting).

Thanks again for meeting up; I'm so happy it worked out!


----------



## Annied

mountmccabe said:


> I really loved my trip to Germany! I have started posted some reviews in the reviews thread. Here I will make a few notes on the cities and opera houses!
> 
> First off, my pics on Twitter of the four opera houses I visited (I saw but did not go in Alte Oper in Frankfurt).
> 
> Oper Frankfurt is very close to the River Main, which really helps me for navigation (and being able to walk along the nice water). It's a great house. The seating rings going up the house look quite modern. I sat in the Parkett (orchestra) section; the seats were reasonably comfortable. For my second stint in the city I managed to stay at Adina Apartment Hotel Neue Oper; this made the walk to the opera house less than five minutes, which was so lovely. The hotel was also just a 10 minute walk from the main train station, so it was all very convenient. The house was the most dull on the outside, but the 1870s opera house (now known as Alte Oper) is just a fifteen minute walk north. It was renovated in the 1980s and there are a mix of performances here, some classical, some rock, some musicals.
> 
> Nationaltheater München is a beautiful house but the seats (in the Parkett) were difficult for me. There's no room for one's feet under the seat in front of you (it's amazing how much I rely on that for a bit of extra space, with my long legs and big feet). My legs were very sore after the long opera. I do hope to return, but *I might look for seating in the rings.* There are five of them going up, all very shallow.
> 
> Staatstheater Stuttgart is on some gorgeous grounds, right next to the giant and luxurious Neues Schloss Stuttgart (if I had more time I would have considered a guided tour). There was a pond with ducks and a fountain, a park, and the beautiful late evening sun. The inside of the opera house was quite charming, though less luxurious than Munich and less modern than Frankfurt. I will note that the supertitles were only available in German (unlike at the other two houses).
> 
> Oh, and it was wonderful to meet Bonetan! We went to Amadeus Restaurant and Bar (it seemed quite fitting).
> 
> Thanks again for meeting up; I'm so happy it worked out!


Beware of the third (topmost) ring. I was there a year or so ago and the angle at that height is so steep that the rail that stretches along the balcony cuts the stage in half. Even hiring 2 cushions didn't help, although admittedly I have a very short torso. I came to the conclusion that only someone very tall and proportioned like a gorilla would have had any chance of a clear view. Most of the front row spent the entire performance leaning forward and resting their arms on the balcony to give themselves a better view, but it undoubtedly meant that it severely restricted the view of those in the row behind them.


----------



## annaw

I'm probably going to Berlin and I just wanted to ask some advice from more experienced listeners. What do you think of this production: https://www.staatsoper-berlin.de/en/veranstaltungen/tristan-und-isolde.95/ ? I personally prefer 'traditional' Wagner production not the 'modern' ones, but I don't mind that, if the singing and the cast is good  .


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## Don Fatale

Annied said:


> Beware of the third (topmost) ring. I was there a year or so ago and the angle at that height is so steep that the rail that stretches along the balcony cuts the stage in half. Even hiring 2 cushions didn't help, although admittedly I have a very short torso. I came to the conclusion that only someone very tall and proportioned like a gorilla would have had any chance of a clear view. Most of the front row spent the entire performance leaning forward and resting their arms on the balcony to give themselves a better view, but it undoubtedly meant that it severely restricted the view of those in the row behind them.


That's a real annoyance and very common. Very few houses address this issue, i.e. with a sign in front of each seat telling them to lean back. (Chicago, I believe). The lack of legroom caused by vertical row divides is an annoyance in Munich, Vienna, Amsterdam and others. From experience I've discovered that an ugly/plain modern building outside usually means comfortable seating inside.


----------



## Don Fatale

My original plan of a train from Munich to Skopje has been aborted. Just too time consuming. Instead I'm doing...
27th May, Ulm, Der Fliegende Hollander
28th May, Fly Memmingen to Skopje (pretty cheap plus a convenient afternoon timing)
29th May, Skopje, La Traviata
and then on to Bulgaria. Sadly Operabase.com is inaccurate regarding performances so will play it by ear.


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## mountmccabe

I'm going to be in Toronto in October. While there I'll have a chance to catch a performance from Canadian Opera Company; they're performing _Turandot_, in the production by Robert Wilson. Carlo Rizzi is conducting. Tamara Wilson is Turandot, Sergey Skorokhodov is Calaf, and Joyce El-Khoury is Liù.

The trip is not for opera/classical music, but I given the opportunity I figured I'd like to see a performance at the Four Seasons Centre.

Hilariously I will just miss the premiere of their _Rusalka_, in the same production (McVicar) I just saw at San Francisco Opera.


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## mountmccabe

And I just booked another trip that is not an opera trip but there's opera going on so I'll attend!

I'm going to Dublin in November. I'll be there during the entire run of La cenerentola from Irish National Opera. Tara Erraught is singing Angelina, a role she'll sing at the Met in March/April. She has most recently sung it in Wales and Munich.


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## ldiat

well made the trip from las vegas to SOCAL to the Santa Monica Pier to watch LA BOHEME. its free!


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## ugen64

At the airport waiting for my flight to Europe - I'm making the trip for unrelated reasons, but while I'm there I'm going to see _Die Sache Makropulos_ in Zurich (with Evelyn Herlitzius), and I'll also try to see an opera in Italy as well - currently thinking _Les Pecheurs des Perles_ in Torino


----------



## SixFootScowl

Can't find a thread for upcoming opera productions so will post here. This is a worthy trip for all Wagner fans:

*Lyric Opera of Chicago* is proud to present a brand-new Ring in April 2020 - a rare and monumental undertaking that will attract audiences from all over the world to the city of Chicago. April 2020. *Full story and cast here*.

Check it out--looks awesome:


----------



## mountmccabe

mountmccabe said:


> I'll be there during the entire run of La cenerentola from Irish National Opera. Tara Erraught is singing Angelina, a role she'll sing at the Met in March/April. She has most recently sung it in Wales and Munich.


This opened last night. The few reviews I've found in local papers have been positive. I'm going tomorrow.


----------



## Belowpar

Have had limited opportunities to travel this year and when we did get a chance, the Opera wasn't on.

Have long wanted to visit Naples and the Teatro San Carlo. We did the tour and attended a Ballet with Mendelssohn's music for A midsummer night's dream. The sound and visuals are excellent and the price is right. Will be back.

We also visited http://www.ansa.it/english/news/lif...ory_b37be85a-67c1-4f2c-8b88-c391f5f56272.html

Capodimonte is a stunning building high above the town and the above exhibition gave you headphones As you moved between the rooms the Opera's playing changes reflecting the important music introduced there. Opera's on the subject of volcanic erruption that engulfed nearby Pompeii, or reflecting the periods interest in Chinoserie, by composers such as Paisiello to Donizetti This was also done at the Opera exhibition at London's the V&A museum a couple of years ago. I find it really enhances the experience . It runs until next summer.


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## Belowpar

https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/festivals-series/wagner’s-ring-cycle-2021

A semi staged version that has been building over past 3 years to good reviews. It will be easy to find other event to go between the nights .

I will buy anyone a a drink who travels and buys because of this post.


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## The Conte

Belowpar said:


> https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/festivals-series/wagner’s-ring-cycle-2021
> 
> A semi staged version that has been building over past 3 years to good reviews. It will be easy to find other event to go between the nights .
> 
> I will buy anyone a a drink who travels and buys because of this post.


A veritable who's who of a cast, as in, who?

N.


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## Ina

Hello opera travellers, I would love to learn if there any website with information on all/most of the European opera companies' schedules, ideally with division by region? As a novice opera goer I find it a bit time consuming to google every theater's website one by one, especially since I might be missing those companies I'm currently not aware of.


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## Rogerx

Ina said:


> Hello opera travellers, I would love to learn if there any website with information on all/most of the European opera companies' schedules, ideally with division by region? As a novice opera goer I find it a bit time consuming to google every theater's website one by one, especially since I might be missing those companies I'm currently not aware of.


In some countries there are special travel agents who sell travel and seats to some of the major opera houses .
Other then that I am afraid you have to use Google .


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## The Conte

Ina said:


> Hello opera travellers, I would love to learn if there any website with information on all/most of the European opera companies' schedules, ideally with division by region? As a novice opera goer I find it a bit time consuming to google every theater's website one by one, especially since I might be missing those companies I'm currently not aware of.


There's a website called Operabase that is pretty good.

N.


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## Ina

Rogerx, thank you for the answer, I see, suspected something like this. It's a pity there is no unified information base for the European operatic scene.


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## Ina

The Conte, thank you for this suggestion, I'll check it out. I think I have come across Operabase while looking for engagements of a specific singer, but haven't explored this website in depth, particularly if I have no specific singers in mind, just looking for what productions are scheduled to be staged in different regions, including festivals.


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## Belowpar

Don Carlo. Bratislava 18 01 20

Only 2_ hr's by plane from London, the chance came and we are pleased we took it. 

There are two opera houses in Bratislava and the modern one (1770? Seats) seems to be where most performances take place. It's efficiently designed with fabulously roomy and comfortable seats with the best leg room I've ever experienced. Not as big an Opera house as the 'greats', so engagement and sight lines are excellent, but with the pit exposed orchestra balance may be an issue.

This was a positive experience where the whole was greater than the sum of the parts.

I don't want to oversell this so I'll include some strict criticisms. The biggest disappointment was T Juhas in the title role. He was overparted and strained in forced top notes. The 'Rezia', Diego de Brea, offered a bare stage with minimal sets or props and little to offend the purists with costumes (although I will admit there was more than a nod to trenchcoats....). This plus comparatively 'bright' lighting meant we could engage with the actors in a relatively modest sized theatre...bravo. But it did seem a little under-rehearsed at times. A Dankova as Elisabetta kept moving forward and out of the spotlight ( but over all
she was fine with a rich creamy sound) and several singers looked lost during ensembles -_Carlo was clueless when a shot rang out and his mate was suddenly writhing on the floor... The ending was a little bizarre. Definitely always the week spot for this Opera, this time Carlo didn t disappear and it finished with Filipo comforting Elizabetta.


The Chorus were always well drilled. Also the minimal sets meant little time wasted when the curtain was down between sets. The orchestra was serviceable (but horns, partic. Tuba, not quite up to standard). Some tapes were used to enhance the sound (,bells in the autodafe). The Dirigent\Conductor Martin Leginus delivered a balanced performance, slightly lacking in......tension, but avoiding reducing Verdi to big rhythms.

Overall the casting was good with most names new to me. Eboli, M Fabianova, was a great actress and a good singer -all sideways glances and whispered asides. A Banasova made the most of Tebaldo.

The evening started well enough. The audience giving generous, if muted, applause after many set pieces. Simon Keenlyside (as Posa) lived up to his deserved stellar reputation and carried things along. But Phillip's aria at the start of Act 3 elevated the whole evening to another level entirely.As the strings tugged at your heart the curtain rose to reveal him sitting alone, centre stage. He sang his heart out and with his only movement being to stand up, he "brought the house down". If I see anything else as good this year I'll be well thrilled. I suspect he was thoroughly coached in this set piece, as he was not so dramatic during the rest of the evening. No matter, we were now all as one with the drama and at the conclusion the audience showed their appreciation with a standing ovation.




A few further thoughts..


Bratislava is 90 mins from Vienna and we'll worth considering adding to a trip. The old town is lovely and worth a couple of days. In January we had the place to ourselves, but wrapped up warm we loved walking around.

Prices are fabulous. Two weeks previously in London we had paid over £400_for two tickets to Traviata. Keenlyside and the main Soprano called off indisposed. For a similar total cost we funded this weekend. Two stalls tickets cost less than 85gbp. 

Spending the morning walking in cold air gives you an appetite for hearty food and wine. A brief 'rest' and a trip to this Opera makes for a great day.

Fond memories of Bratislava.


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## Ina

Belowpar, I just returned from Bratislava, listened to this very performance, but with rather different memories. It was my second time in the New Building of SND and have to say I was disappointed and underwhelmed by the balcony audience attitude, during the performance people were quite regularly talking, one person was indiscretly blowing their nose. I was thinking about starting a new topic here regarding such practical aspects of operatic tourism in Europe. I'd like to learn such things before I buy a ticket.


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## Belowpar

Ina, how interesting. I'm sorry you didn't get the same experience. Genuinely i was impressed by the audience in the stalls. Not only did they 'make an effort' dressing up (putting GB audiences in their shade!!) But there was less talking during the overture than I'm used to and the 'turn phone off' request was observed long before the lights dimmed - in contrast to say ROH. I did feel the audience was "kind" to the singers with the ovation being a little OTT, but the ovation for Phillip, P Mikulas, was richly deserved. 

Strange how ones experience can differ so strongly. 

I'd be interested in what you thought of the performance.


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## Belowpar

Incidentally "bad" behaviour has always been a problem if you take your performances seriously. This is from a UK based theatre forum which records nearly 400 PAGES of errant issues. Perhaps my exposure to all this has reset my bar for what's acceptable too low.

http://theatreboard.co.uk/thread/13/bad-behaviour-show?page=382


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## Ina

Belowpar, I'm glad for you that in the stalls the public was different. I noticed the first time I was in this theater in May 2019 that the local opera-goers do dress up. Yesterday many women changed outdoor boots for high heels before the performance, I guess it is believed to be a promising sign of good 'old school' manners. But then, I don't visit opera to primarily watch how everyone is dressed, that regular talking during the performance/producing other sounds apart from clapping (coughing aside, this is a reality), to a large extent ruined my evening (I'm afraid this negatively influenced the overall impression from the performance, so it would be unfair to share it + I have a difficult time with Don Carlo the opera per se).

At my home opera almost everything is the same, many people think they are entitled to talk when the music is playing, singers are singing (they often look back offended as if I encroaching onto their freedom, for this reason being a foreigner I was afraid to "police" the noisy members of the public in Bratislava, now I think I was wrong to be passive so could partially blame myself), women habitually perceive the dimmed light and the start of music as a sign to reach for something in their purses, usually a candy to unwrap it. I'm sorry that you have such issues in the UK as well. It's a shame, we pay to hear the performance, not odd members of the public talking during it.

My impression from two visits to Bratislava is that the local public is rather lukewarm in terms of the appreciation of the opera itself (with dressing up aside), in one respect Bratislavians seemed to me more sophisticated than my home public because they perceive the unity of music and singing and didn't start clapping at once the aria is over but the music is playing. But otherwise for me this time it was travelling from one hell of uncaring public to another.

Last year, I visited the Erkel theater in Budapest. The schedules/tickets permitting, now I'm looking forward to visiting Budapest for opera one more time to find out if it was my luck or indeed a very different general culture. It was Heaven for me in terms of a live opera experience. The audience was very appreciating, you could palpate the respectful silence in which all the house (at least what I was able to hear from my balcony seat) was listening to the performance. No extra sounds whatsoever during the performance. It felt in the air as if anyone would be idly talking to their neighbors, they would be annihilated. That's the audience's attitude and culture I long for.


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## Ina

Belowpar, I posted a lengthy reply to you yesterday, but it is still under moderation. Long story short, unfortunately for me the public's not talking regularly during the performance is a must, I'm reluctant to visit my home opera theater for this reason (among others), so traveling abroad to find the grass isn't greener over there was off-putting. Sorry that theatergoers have similar issues in your country as well.


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## Taplow

Bayreuther Festspiele - the Wagnerian Mecca!

Managed to score tickets for both Lohengrin (Christian Thielemann conducting) and Meistersinger (Philippe Jordan conducting) this year. Very excited.  Now I just have to hope I can find reasonable accommodation somewhere.


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## Ina

Now not the most reasonable times for opera trips due to the novel coronavirus spread. Luckily for me it was incredibly convenient, fast and easy to sell a ticket to Wiener Staatsoper (unlike buying one)


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## Taplow

I got an email from the Bayreuther Festspiele today. Due to the cancellation of the festival this year, they are giving us the following options:

1. Donate the purchase price of your tickets to the Festival, to help support them financially through this period.
2. Credit towards tickets for next year's festival.
3. A full refund.

I am seriously considering taking option one. I've never been to Bayreuth; this year would have been my first on the green hill. But I really want to see artists and technicians weather this period, and for the festival to come back strong next year. I can handle losing a few hundred Euros. I'm not sure they can handle losing their income. Anyone who chooses this option will be given priority booking for the 2021 festival, which will feature all the productions planned for this year with the exception of the Ring.


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## MAS

Ina said:


> Hello opera travellers, I would love to learn if there any website with information on all/most of the European opera companies' schedules, ideally with division by region? As a novice opera goer I find it a bit time consuming to google every theater's website one by one, especially since I might be missing those companies I'm currently not aware of.


You can google "Opera strips," for companies that organize travel to certain opera houses and festivals.


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## The Conte

MAS said:


> You can google "Opera strips," for companies that organize travel to certain opera houses and festivals.


I'm not sure I would advise on googling "Opera strips"!

:devil:

N.


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## Taplow

The Salzburger Festspiele have optimistically published their online programmes for 2021, both Whitsun and Summer sessions. As usual, I'll be looking at the Summer program, which includes Handel's Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno (with Cecilia Bartoli as Piacere in the Haus für Mozart), and Strauss's Elektra (which promises to be an interesting performance in the Feltenreitschule).

I wonder whether, or in what form, either of these will actually go ahead. I wonder especially about the Whitsun session as it seems we will not have widespread vaccination until probably the summer. But I will keep my ear to the ground.

I would jump at another Handel opera with Bartoli in Salzburg, as I've thoroughly enjoyed the last two, but I'm not sure I'm so interested in paying this kind of money to see an Oratorio, even fully staged. And it seems they may be giving this one a modern setting with comments on the contemporary consumerist lifestyle. Elektra, on the other hand, does interest, but I'll have to see whether it's worth the cost of train fare and accommodation for what is the most expensive and crowded time of the year in Salzburg.

On another note, I was just lamenting the lack of thanks from Bayreuth for my generous donation some months back when a package arrived in the mail the very next day. A thank you letter, along with a gift of a book, a DVD, and a calendar featuring post-card photos of past, historical performances. To be honest, the letter would have been enough, and they could saved the money on the other things.

Still no word on whether, when, and how the 2021 festival will go ahead. Normally, one applies for tickets about 9 months or so in advance. Today, their site still says "The date for 2021 will be announced."


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## Belowpar

Taplow said:


> On another note, I was just lamenting the lack of thanks from Bayreuth for my generous donation some months back when a package arrived in the mail the very next day. A thank you letter, along with a gift of a book, a DVD, and a calendar featuring post-card photos of past, historical performances. To be honest, the letter would have been enough, and they could saved the money on the other things.


Firstly congratulations on your generous spirit. We have also donated all ticket monies laid out this year. Didn't really want anything in return, but somehow the email acknowledgments did seem a little perfunctory.


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## MAS

The Conte said:


> I'm not sure I would advise on googling "Opera strips"!
> 
> :devil:
> 
> N.


Sorry, just caught this obvious typographical error! What did you get under "opera strips?"


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