Posts - Opera

Lucia di Lammermoor at the Berkshire Opera

Lucia di Lammermoor at the Berkshire Opera. About six years ago, I discovered the Berkshire Opera (just re-named the Berkshire Opera Festival), an innovative, clever, and thoroughly professional company that operates out of the restored 123-year-old Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. The charming theater seats 680; there is no orchestra pit. The opera was Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, and the 30-or-so musicians were in an upper corner of the stage, barely visible, but audibly well-balanced with the singers. The production was updated to the 20th century with no outrages: Norina, by the time she had taken over Pasquale’s household, was dressed as a dominatrix – not all that far from the text.

Kolja. Als de opera beter is dan het boek.

Kolja. De regie van Jeroen Lopes Cardozo was briljant, een inventieve en sfeervolle verbeelding van het verhaal. Absoluut een van de beste regies die wij de laatste veertig jaar In Nederland mochten aanschouwen. Oneindig veel kudos voor Jeroen Lopes Cardozo.

“MARINA” (by Giordano) – ITS WORLD STAGE PREMIÈRE IN FOGGIA

“MARINA” (by Giordano) – ITS WORLD STAGE PREMIÈRE IN FOGGIA. The harmonic language of Marina in certain passages carries unmistakable traces of the late-Verdian chromatic idiom: the plangent inner-voice movement of the central duet, the dense harmonic fabric of the ensemble episodes, and an approach to orchestration -visible even in the piano reduction- in which solo instrumental colours are assigned an unusual prominence and purposefulness.

Rienzi. An Epochal Life of Images.

Rienzi. An Epochal Life of Images. The Second Act followed immediately with no break, and the huge screen flew upwards to reveal the same slow-motion clapping citizens seated upon a white bleacher-like section; frankly not one of the most attractive scenic elements, as it also will be over-used until the end of the opera, where it is out of place. Its sole purpose was to house the vast chorus center-stage, neatly arranging them unobtrusively it must be said. As to the length of Act One and Act Two joined for a total of two hours, there is little else to do if the Ballet is to included which it was here. Originally, a wise move by Wagner, opposed as he would be in being forced to insert a ballet into the Third Act of his Tannhauser 16 years later in Paris, which he spitefully did, but at the beginning of the First Act, causing a riot out of which grew his hate for Meyerbeer and his gang. Yet, to paint History rightfully, we must recall that Meyerbeer also helped Wagner produce his operas in Dresden.

VIOLETTA’S SECOND DEATH

Ileana Cotrubaș She believed that performers had the right, and sometimes the duty, to say no when the essence of a work was being violated. Her later book, Opernwahrheiten, provided a lasting expression of these convictions. It formed part of a broader argument for an opera theatre in which music, text, character and staging remained in dialogue with one another rather than being pitted in competition.

Faust

Faust. Piotr Beczała sang the title role with audible caution following a recent cold. At times, his voice sounded slightly congested and less free than usual. In the more dramatic passages, it lacked some of its customary brilliance. All the more impressive, therefore, was his performance of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\”Salut! demeures chaste et pure,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\” characterized by refined phrasing, stylistic elegance, and admirable restraint.

Rigoletto in Sydney – a four-star performance

Rigoletto in Sydney – a four-star performance. Gemma Nha is a star, plain and simple. Full vocal honors from start to finish… ravishing pianissimi, glittering acuto, and tasteful, measured pacing. Her “Caro nome” was positively transcendent.

The Maestro and the Olympic Athlete

The Maestro and the Olympic Athlete. A legendary example of an acoustic and physical nightmare is the “Scena delle maschere” (Don Giovanni): Donna Anna, Don Ottavio, and Donna Elvira sing the trio “Protegga il giusto cielo.” For this ball scene, Mozart composed three different on-stage ensembles that play simultaneously with the orchestra in the pit. Each group plays in a different time signature—namely, 2/4, 3/4, and 3/8. At the same time, the soloists walk among the partygoers while singing. \\\”Well, here\\\’s another nice mess you\\\’ve gotten us into!\\\”

Lucia di Lammermoor at La Scala

Lucia di Lammermoor. As Lucia, Rosa Feola lived fully through the gamut of emotions. She made use of every nuance in Kokkos’ staging, and every one of her appearances led logically to her sad demise. At every turn, vocally and theatrically, Feola’s Lucia remains a fragile figure, a victim of the manipulations of others causing her to doubt her lover’s fidelity. The Brünnhilde of Götterdämmerung comes to mind; both will sacrifice their lives through delusion. Observing Feola was a moving experience, made richer through the musical dissolution of her consciousness. The top notes were more than there, and delivered almost naturally, and in character with the crazed sad, desperate demise. An absolutely wonderful Lucia.

De Maestro

De Maestro. Een legendarisch voorbeeld van een akoestische en fysieke nachtmerrie is de \\\\\\\”Scena delle maschere\\\\\\\” (Don Giovanni): Donna Anna, Don Ottavio en Donna Elvira zingen het trio \\\\\\\”Protegga il giusto cielo\\\\\\\”. Voor deze balscène componeerde Mozart drie verschillende on-stage orkestjes die tegelijk met het orkest in de bak spelen. Elk groepje speelt in een andere maatsoort, resp. in 2/4, 3/4 en 3/8. Tegelijkertijd lopen de solisten zingend door de feestgangers. Lekker dan!