General Opera News

[Wendell_E]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/arts/AP-Opera-Tristan-Turmoil.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=gary+lehman&st=nyt&oref=slogin

The part of the raked set Gary Lehman was stretched out on came loose at the start of the third act Tuesday night, and the tenor slid into the prompter's box, Met spokesman Brent Ness said.

The opera was stopped while Lehman was examined by a doctor, who cleared him to continue. The performance then resumed.

A couple of eye-witness reports at another site make it sound even worse.  One says: 

Fortunately there's a kind of firepit at the edge of the stage, so he didn't fall off the stage altogether, but he hit the firepit headfirst at high velocity, with a resounding thud. It was pretty scary. At the speed he hit, I though he might have damaged his neck or knocked himself out.

The role of Tristan for this Saturday's performance (and broadcast/theatrecast) is still listed as TBA.

[uffeviking]

Thank you, Wendell!

I was surprised to see no report of this at the NYT fora. I remedied their oversight posting part your news, without mentioning your name. Maybe I should have, giving your forum some publicity! 

[bhodges]

I was in the audience last night, and indeed it was pretty scary.  When Lehman's head hit the box, the noise had the whole place in a gasp, followed by this unearthly silence.  For a minute, I really thought he was seriously injured, and there were some six people who rushed out to help him up.  He seemed slightly dazed.  They closed the curtain, then an announcement was made that he would resume, after a brief break to get some air and a glass of water. 

When the curtain opened again--after about a ten-minute break--he was in the same position, and got a good minute or so of thunderous applause and cheering, before Levine and the orchestra continued.  The friend who was with me, who has been going to hundreds of Met performances over the last 25 years, said it was the worst incident of its type he had ever seen.

--Bruce

[uffeviking]

Thank you, Bruce, for sharing those bad news. Evidently Lehmann won't be singing this Saturday because I just read about Robert Dean-Smith having been chosen.

How did Lehmann sing after his mishap? Did you notice any difference?

[bhodges]

Thank you, Bruce, for sharing those bad news. Evidently Lehmann won't be singing this Saturday because I just read about Robert Dean-Smith having been chosen.

How did Lehmann sing after his mishap? Did you notice any difference?

I thought Lehman did just fine, both before and after.  His voice is on the light side--not a criticism, just an observation--and there did seem to be moments when he faded out a little, especially compared to Voigt, who seemed to have even more stamina.  (But I do not know the piece well enough to say for certain.)  There is that huge part for him at the beginning of Act III, and he was fine, but like many people I was probably more focused on "Wow, he's back...and singing."

--Bruce

[knight66]

Tannhauser in the Liecu 19 March 2008.
Robert Carsen directed this new production of Richard Wagner's Romantic opera "Tannhäuser" (1845). Redemption through love and the dichotomy between fleshly and spiritual passion are the dominant themes explored by Wagner, who drew on medieval legends relating to Venus, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary and 13th-century troubadour contests when writing the libretto.
Peter Seiffert sang the role of the knight-troubadour Tannhäuser Béatrice Uria Monzon as Venus his seducer
Bo Skovhus as the Landgrave
Petra Maria Schnitzer as Elizabeth, his niece.
Conducted by Sebastian Weigle.

The friend who was with me remarked how much he enjoyed continental opera audiences, they really let you know just what they think. And this one was exceptionally vocal in its booing and indeed making clear their ridicule for the production staff. They had appreciated the singers with warmth and this performance pointed out to me, yet again, how many superb singers there are about which I know nothing.

This was the Paris version with the extended ballet and revisions. Well, to the concept.

Having absorbed this is about love, sin and, as usual with Wagner, redemption, in medieval Europe; the concept was updated to right now and Tannhauser became a painter. I felt the idea worked well in Act 1. But it became duller as the night wore on. As they don't start even a Wagner opera until 8pm, the night did indeed wear on.....and on.

The sets could not have been simpler, there were none. We had some props and an enormous cast. The act 1 overture and ballet explained the mindset of our hero. He is a painter and he paints Venus, the beautiful, dark haired and naked Béatrice Uria Monzon: the obsession is expressed by the massed male ballet dancers, dressed like the hero, also quickly sketching her and disgarding the results over and over. This projects the obsession and the erotic nature of it. Then to illustrate this all more overtly, the dancers strip to their underpants, stack about 100 canvases and then frott them writhing over the canvases and sploshing red paint about copiously. Got it? This is about SEX. I think the ballet must be very hard to bring off without looking like eye-rolling soft porn, so really, this version worked both as an idea and in execution.

In act 2 the singing contest becomes an art exhibition with five shrouded canvases, (Still no sets). The bores who usually compete in the singing contest, instead became competitive artists and as their canvases are unveiled, Tannhauser berates them. Ultimately when his canvas is displayed the gliterati chorus, dressed exactly like the well heeled audience out of which they had emerged, stare horrified and the painter is sent off to Rome to see the Pope! Here I feel the concept somewhat shows its limitations.

Both Venus and Elizabeth were presented as the almost identical obverse sides of love, one blond, innocent, healthy yet yearning for love and indeed sex. Venus dark, knowing, sexual and causing obsession. I felt that the concept worked, but that the outworking of it was plain dull and the look of the production impoverished. It was two black walls or two white walls all evening. Call me shallow, but I go to the Opera for grand effects and expect something to look at for the not inconsiderable outlay involved in my ticket.

The singing was pretty stellar, only the Wolfram was unsatisfactory, unable to carry a line, gritty and with intonation problems. Both women were remarkable, beautiful voices, both had to be easy on the eye. For a deal of Act 1 Venus is naked and posing on a mattress on the floor. So, there are a fair few singers who would not fit the concept. Later on that same mattress, Elizabeth disports herself in her underclothes, clearly wanting love and at a loss as to why it was to be denied her. The Tannhauser of Peter Seiffert was sterling and well acted. He is something of a biffer which was rather pointed up when his alta egos stripped; and it was then remarkable how many thin men there were inside one fat one.
Bo Skovhus is a singer I have thought to be charismatic, but with dry tone. However, in this opera, his voice was magnificently rich and beautiful. He was saddled with a dull lounge suit and a pair of glasses. As the Gallery owner, he had a tough time projecting any characterisation.

I have to mention the chorus, of whom there seemed to be hundreds. What a marvelous body of singers, especially the men, they sang with beauty of tone and wonderful graduations of volume. They are as good as I have ever heard.

So a mixed bag and better listened to, something that would give much pleasure. The conductor brought out warmth from the score, never overwhelmed the singers and maintained sane tempi.

This is a joint production with two other houses, so beware, it may open in a theatre near you. Now one confession and in essence a disclaimer. I was having some back problems, so took some muscle relaxants, along with the Cava, the result is I did not see all that much of act 3. As my friend said...that was rather an expensive sleep. Also, he thought the entire evening was magnificent. But I get to write here, not him.

Mike

[matti]

Muscle relaxants, cava  - PLUS Wagner. You have discovered the ultimate sleeping aid.

[uffeviking]

Don't forget, it's Tristan und Isolde from the Met this morning!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/operaon3/pip/4q2oa/

You local NPR station might carry it. I'll listen to it at :

http://www.king.org/

[knight66]

Muscle relaxants, cava  - PLUS Wagner. You have discovered the ultimate sleeping aid.

Yes, but it is rather an expensive way of going about it. A mallet applied to the head is both quicker and cheaper.

Lis, Thanks for the T&I reminder. Will be actual actual singers on the actual stage or will we be so far down the sub list that the words are declaimed from the pit while puppets fill up the stage?

Mike

[uffeviking]

Mike, nothing is for certain at the Met's production of Tristan und Isolde! The participants on stage might all be be clad in protective combat gear to avoid any bodily harm to them! And of course the orchestra might be moved under the stage to protect them from flying singers! 

[uffeviking]

Now wait a minute: The KING announcer just said that Ben Heppner will be singing Tristan! Did he read from an old cast list, or had there been yet another change? Whoever you are listening to, what does it say on your station?

[knight66]

Lis, Here is what the BBC Radio 3 site says.

"Direct from New York, James Levine conducts Deborah Voigt as Isolde in her debut in this role at the Met.  She is joined by tenor  Robert Dean Smith as Tristan."

Who he?

Mike

PS Is Bruce there yet again to see who dies tonight?

[uffeviking]

Thanks Mike! Seattle is a tad off the map, so the latest cast list did not arrive at KING's studio yet!

That's him:

http://www.robertdeansmith.com/

Bruce might be a glutton for punishment and attend a recital of Lachenmann works, but another five hours, could be just a bit too much, even for him! 

[knight66]

Well, he certainly seems to have done a lot with a lot of famous people. Rather as I suggested in my Tannhauser review that you enjoyed; there are so many good singers still new to me.

Mike

[uffeviking]

Parsifal.

There is the review of a Parsifal I might even be interested in. Nigel sure thought a lot of it:

http://npw-opera-concerts.blogspot.com/

[bhodges]

Bruce might be a glutton for punishment and attend a recital of Lachenmann works, but another five hours, could be just a bit too much, even for him! 

Lis, your hunch is correct: I haven't quite been "Tristanized" yet.  Although I enjoyed it last week, I am not craving hearing it again for awhile.  (Same with the Ring Cycle from last summer.)  Several friends are going tonight, just because Heppner is finally appearing in it.  (You might be able to catch it on Sirius.)

I think my ears just crave a different kind of "harmonic scheme," since the music to Peter Grimes is proving highly addictive--I could listen to that score again and again.  Or Richard Strauss, whose music for some reason I find even easier to listen to and enjoy than Wagner's.

--Bruce

[uffeviking]

Listen and read about what I just discovered at the Ondine website: A new bass-baritone:

http://www.ondine.net/index.php?lid=en&cid=2.2&oid=3522

I ordered it and will report more as soon as I get it. Ondine is great company to deal with, prompt airmail shipping. 

[uffeviking]

All kinds of news when one subscribes to and reads Opera the monthly magazine founded in 1950 by the Earl of Harewood, London.

For instance: Anna Netrebko has cancelled performances from July to January 2009, following the announcement that she is pregnant. She and her fiancé, the Uruguayan baritone Erwin Schrott, are expecting a child in the autumn. She will no longer appear at this year's Salzburg Festival.

[uffeviking]

More news from the April issue of Opera:

Seattle Opera has set up its own dedicated online radio channel. Collaborating with the local classical music station, King FM, the Seattle Opera Channel is broadcasting around the clock, though at the moment using a five-hour 'loop' broadcast that will change every two weeks. The programming includes full-length opera recordings, interviews, and previews of Seattle Opera's work.

http://www.king.org/

[uffeviking]

You want to listen to more opera? Opera, April 2008 issue tells this:

In recognition of the fact that opera is an area not well covered by the audio media in Britain, a new website, operalovers.net, has been established with a regular podcast as its centrepiece. Although aimed at mainstream opera fans rather than professionals, it hopes to be of wide interest and will include articles, features and forums; the pilot edition has a UK focus, but the intention is to make the content more international without losing its British connection. The website is the brainchild of opera-loving lawyer Neil Shestopal, who had gone into partnership with Yehuda Shapiro (content) and Sabine Pusch (podcast production).