Topic: General Opera News

[knight66]

Perhaps they do not want to travel for the prize....is it the complete works of Moniuszko by any chance?

Mike

[Maciek]

Well, with the kind of pronunciation you usually hear from Western singers in Slavic operas (Janacek, Tchaikovsky) I don't think they'd have the slightest chance of winning.

And Mike, the fact that you've never heard of the Competition does not make it a minor one. In fact, this is one of the most prestigious vocal competitions in this part of Europe, even if the prizes aren't enormous (Grand Prix - $ 12,000, First Prize - $ 8,000, Second Prize - $ 6,000, Third Prize - $ 4,000). Also, contrary to what you obviously believe, Moniuszko is NOT an obscure composer in this part of Europe. He's obscure in the West but then the West is generally ignorant of most of the things happening in these parts - be it Russian concentration camps or Polish opera composers...

FYI, here's a list of the countries:

The 6th International Stanisław Moniuszko Vocal Competition attracted 253 candidates representing 26 countries:

POLAND - 107
RUSSIA - 55
UKRAINE - 36
UNITED STATES - 6
KOREA - 6
BELARUS - 5
LITHUANIA - 4
KAZAKHSTAN - 4
GERMANY - 3
BULGARIA - 3
MOLDOVA - 3
GEORGIA - 3
ISRAEL - 2
CZECH REPUBLIC - 2
VIETNAM - 2
AZERBAIJAN - 1
ARMENIA - 1
SLOVAKIA - 1
ROMANIA - 1
SERBIA - 2
UNITED KINGDOM - 1
NETHERLANDS - 1
FINLAND - 1 JAPAN - 1
AUSTRALIA - 1
LATVIA - 1


A total of 117 candidates from 19 countries qualified for the competition, including:

POLAND - 65
RUSSIA - 18
UKRAINE - 10
UNITED STATES - 4
KOREA - 3
BELARUS - 1
KAZAKHSTAN - 3
GERMANY - 1
MOLDOVA - 1
GEORGIA - 1
ISRAEL - 2
AZERBAIJAN - 1
SLOVAKIA - 1
SERBIA - 1
UNITED KINGDOM - 1
NETHERLANDS - 1
FINLAND - 1
AUSTRALIA - 1
LATVIA - 1

NOTE: by 19 March 2007, 4 candidates (Poland) had officially withdrawn from the competition due to professional commitments, and 1 candidate (Russia) for other reasons. As of 19 March 2007, the number of participants was 112. Finally 88.

Yes, Poland is in the majority but isn't that the case with the hosting country of any competition?

The only Brit didn't even get past the first stage I'm afraid. Re your question about Finland: I understand the only contestant from that country (tenor Mika NISULA) had a really ghastly pronunciation. He wasn't felled until the 3rd stage nontheless...

[knight66]

Well, that's me told.

Mike

[Maciek]

Hey, I hope I wasn't harsh or something? I'm in a lousy mood this evening. Not a single person bid in my auctions [edit: the spell-checker suggested "auditions" but I know better] today. And I need the money to pay those damn wonderful taxes! (Just remembered where you work ).

Cheers,
Maciek

[knight66]

No sweat.

Mike

[Maciek]

I also have several auctions ending Tuesday and soon after the above post someone finally bid in one of them, which is a bit of a relief...

Anyway, I just posted a link to mp3s of that final concert in The Broadcast Corner. Feel free to peruse them.

They complained on the radio the that overall level of the contestants this year was not as high as expected but they did say that at least one of the prize winners (Oxana Shilova) was definitely a star in the making, and that some of the others (Alexey Markov especially) were also worth watching. Overall, the concert is quite pleasant to listen to - even though I recorded it via webcast so sound is not perfect (the typical webcast distortions plus a minor glitch in two or three places).

Cheers,
Maciek

[Wendell_E]

2009-10

Dolora Zajick sings the Witch in Hansel and Gretel. That should be fun.

A revival of Benvenuto Cellini, with Marcello Giordani.

The Met premiere of Shostakovich's Nose, conducted by Gergiev and staged by William Kentridge. Also a revival of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk.

2010-11

The new Robert LePage Ring kicks off with Rheingold on the opening night.

A new production of La Fanciulla Del West, scheduled to open on December 11, 2010, one day after the 100th anniversary of its world premiere at the Metropolitan. Not to complain, but the last production just premiered in 1991, and only got 20 performances spread over two seasons. No casting/production team details, other than the conductor, Nicola Luisotti.

The Met premiere of Le Comte Ory, with Juan Diego Flórez

A first revival of Capriccio

2011-12

A new Robert Wilson production of Norma, with Fleming.

www.metmaniac.com/future.html

[knight66]

The Nose, frankly I am surprised they are still trumpeting it about. I could get nothing out of it. I have had a better time with toothache.

Mike

[Wendell_E]

The Nose... I could get nothing out of it.

 

I gotta admit the percussion interlude's probably my favorite part.  Though that scene with the high-singing policeman's pretty fun, as well.

[Maciek]

Heard on the radio today that the oldest opera house in Bejing is going to be pulled down because otherwise it would fall apart on its own...

(Not that I know anything about Chinese opera... )

[Hector]

The Gramophone website is offering a review of a DVD of a Moniuszko opera.

Hey, they like it

[Maciek]

The Gramophone website is offering a review of a DVD of a Moniuszko opera.

Hey, they like it

Wow! Thanks for the heads up.

[Maciek]

Ahem. Could someone with access to the site copy the review, paste it into a PM and send it to me? I'd very much like to read it. Thanks.

[Wendell_E]

Ahem. Could someone with access to the site copy the review, paste it into a PM and send it to me? I'd very much like to read it. Thanks.

Done!

[Maciek]

Wendell_E to the rescue! Thanks so much, I'm much obliged!

It's an interesting read. Though it only shows what I already knew - namely that I should finally purchase this DVD. But seriously - it's nice to see the opera travelled that far. Now all I want is for someone to make a DVD of The Haunted Manor (and all the other Moniuszko operas after that). Not that I'm very old - but I wonder if this will ever happen in my lifetime.

[uffeviking]

Thomas Adès has been active on the London concert and opera scene. Barbicon Hall premiered his latest orchestral piece Tevot, but what I am mostly interested - and correctly on topic here  - is the revival of the 2004 production of his The Tempest at the ROH, conducted by the composer. I would like to know if anybody here attended the performance and if yes, if there have been some revisions of the original version available on DVD.

Jon, you here? Where you there? How was it? Please speak to us, I miss you. 

BTW.: How is 'Strindberg?

[uffeviking]

Another one from Alex Ross in the May 21 The New Yorker:

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/musical/2007/05/21/070521crmu_music_ross

[uffeviking]

OK, maybe you'll read this good news:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/5bf70814-0887-11dc-b11e-000b5df10621.html

[Hector]

Another one from Alex Ross in the May 21 The New Yorker:

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/musical/2007/05/21/070521crmu_music_ross

Who wrote this 'Disturbia' he mentions?

Is it a modern opera?

[uffeviking]

I think it's a movie he is ref. to, not an opera. In the multiplex a movie was running at the same time the opera from the Met was in another section. Maybe somebody more familiar with current movies can answer your question.