General Opera News

Started by uffeviking, April 08, 2007, 06:49:51 PM

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Franco

Quote from: jlaurson on March 24, 2010, 10:25:07 AM
Wow. I didn't know they made an emoticon for exactly the way I feel about this!

I would *love* to be at the official press conference when he is introduced. Someone would have to ask the tough questions, after all.
Alas, I'll be in Dubai, of all places.

QuoteIt needs to be spurned on to live up to its own (and the audience's) expectations.

Like, "How badly will you spurn the orchestra?"

Scarpia

I don't get the Maazel hatin'.  I haven't heard him live, but he conducted some of the most marvelous recordings in my collection.  I think this is great for Munich.

jlaurson

Quote from: Scarpia on March 24, 2010, 03:12:40 PM
I don't get the Maazel hatin'.  I haven't heard him live,

therein lies the problem...

QuoteI think this is great for Munich.

Well... judging a patient from afar, are we?

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: jlaurson on March 24, 2010, 07:08:37 AM


Lorin Maazel succeeds Christian Thielemann in Munich
, with plenty comment.

Hey, I survived Maazel for a decade in Cleveland. You can tough it out for a couple of years in Munich  ;D

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"


knight66

The famous Russian Mezzo Irina Arkhipova has died age 85.
Here she is in typically authorative form in one of her most famous parts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQPJtWOSueM&feature=related

Mike


DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

Drasko

Isn't news exactly but didn't know where to post this. Was just listening on youtube to bunch of basses sing The Song of Viking Guest from Rimsky-Korsakov's Sadko. Liked all, with Reizen probably carrying the day.

Boris Christoff
Boris Gmyria
Maxim Mikhaylov
Alexander Kipnis
Mark Reizen

sospiro

Annie

knight66

Thanks for that. There are lots of concerts I would like to book. I will be out of the UK when booking opens. I will have to see whether I can phone a friend to phone early on.

Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

sospiro

It's going to be a Boccanegra summer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/comingup/a-passion-for-opera/

from an email from ROH  We are also delighted to let you know that Simon Boccanegra is being recorded for television and is due to be shown on BBC2 Saturday 10 July- details to be confirmed closer to the time.



Annie

listener

Santa Fe looks interesting, I could put up with another Bohème, Faust, to get the Vivaldi, Wozzeck and possibly King Roger.
2011 SEASON

Gounod, Faust

Puccini, La Bohème

Vivaldi, Griselda

Menotti, The Last Savage

Berg, Wozzeck



2010 SEASON

Puccini, Madame Butterfly

Mozart, The Magic Flute

Lewis Spratlan, Life is a Dream

Offenbach, The Tales of Hoffmann

Britten, Albert Herring
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/LocalNews/Santa-Fe-Opera-Composer--pianist-takes-on-new-role-as-chief-con
link at
"Keep your hand on the throttle and your eye on the rail as you walk through life's pathway."

listener

"Keep your hand on the throttle and your eye on the rail as you walk through life's pathway."

Guido

That's nice. I hope they record it!
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

bhodges

For the last few years, a blog called The Omniscient Mussel has hosted a funny contest called #Operaplot, in which contestants are invited to use a Twitter post to summarize an opera--i.e., in 140 characters or less.  (Apparently in past years some have attempted to describe the entire Ring Cycle.)

Anyway, this year's winners are pretty hilarious.

http://theomniscientmussel.com/2010/05/operaplot-2010-winners/

--Bruce


mc ukrneal

Quote from: bhodges on May 07, 2010, 01:34:56 PM
For the last few years, a blog called The Omniscient Mussel has hosted a funny contest called #Operaplot, in which contestants are invited to use a Twitter post to summarize an opera--i.e., in 140 characters or less.  (Apparently in past years some have attempted to describe the entire Ring Cycle.)

Anyway, this year's winners are pretty hilarious.

http://theomniscientmussel.com/2010/05/operaplot-2010-winners/

--Bruce

I thought the Runners Up were funnier, with the exception of Eugene Onegin.  I'm not a tweeter though, so maybe I am not the ideal judge. Thanks for the link...
Be kind to your fellow posters!!

Papy Oli

for UK viewers only, as part of the BBC4 Opera season :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00sjdmp/Opera_Italia_Beginnings/


I found it very interesting and informative for an opera ignoramus like me ( ;D ) with lots of practical examples on the cases at hand. I thought this 1st part of the documentary was much better conceived than the Fry/Wagner one a few days ago (I like Fry, but that was too much of a fanboy trip, not enough in depth or music in there).
Olivier

sospiro

Interesting interview with the old guy.

English translation

JOSE CARRERAS - A SINGER ON THE CROSS BETWEEN GENERATIONS.

"There is remarkable talents among the new performers", the tenor states. But he warns: "'Those who think it is enough to have a beautiful voice, they are wrong".

In the corridor of the hotel, the elegant gentleman, in dark suit and light blue tie, walks carefully among the multitude of equipment from a muddled television crew. Patiently, he leans against the wall and begins to hum "Aquarela do Brasil", until someone gets aware of what is happening. "Guys, he is already here. The room must be empty now!" Moments later, it is the time for tenor Jose Carreras to talk with the "Estadão". Again he jokes with Ary Barroso melody, by humming it. "There are many points of contact between the Brazilian and Spanish cultures. We are all Latins. And besides culturally, we share many idiosyncrasies," he says.

The tenor returns to Brazil after two years - in 2008, he inaugurated a theatre in Curitiba. This time, he is offering two concerts at HSBC Brazil, along with soprano Ailyn Perez and conductor Miguel Ortega. The repertoire comprises pieces by Gounod, Ponce, Bernstein, Luna and Caballero.

Talking with Carreras is to some extent, as to talk with a bit of what the opera world has been, in the last 30 years. Alongside with Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti, he formed a trio that has monopolized the genre in the second half of the 20th century. They were a big hit among their fans - but also reached audiences that had never set foot in an opera house. Talent, charisma, a phenomenon of marketing, each one has his own explanation - but the fact is that the opera world is still waiting for tenors with such fame.

"It's fair to say that the new generation has great artists, prominent voices, from Juan Diego Flórez to Jonas Kaufman," Carreras begins. "Now, there are voices that are truly unique, as was the case of Luciano. And there are special musical talents, from the interpretation and musical quality point of view, like Plácido. But, this said, I think what is happening today has nothing has to do with the instrument itself, but with personality, ability to communicate, what we call charisma. It's difficult for me to judge these things because, ultimately, they are related to feelings and sensations experienced by the public."

If charisma is part of the equation, it also is not the only one of its variables. The generation of the three tenors grew up in a moment when opera was changing, with the arrival of the video, the developing of the new recording technologies and even the marketing techniques. "Challenges and characteristics of each generation are interesting," he says. "Singers who came before us were fantastic. Giuseppe di Stefano, Mario Del Monaco, Franco Corelli, Jussi Björling, Richard Tucker, the list is endless. It was unbelievable. But my generation has benefited from the new possibilities offered by the television, the recordings technologies - all this made it easier to reach a wider audience. But we lost too. The world of opera became to fast. A new production at the Met or La Scala should mean hard work with the conductor, with the director, together with many rehearsals. And that is no longer happening. "

But there was also something less tangible in the context. "Singers from the past had the advantage of working with the great maestros who often had worked with the composers themselves. I remember a joke. Still young, Gianandrea Gavazzeni was working as a pianist in Naples and was rehearsing with the legendary Beniamino Gigli. The opera was The Elixir of Love and Gigli was singing the famous tenor aria. Suddenly, he made a long phrase, breathlessly. Gavazzeni, alarmed, told him: "Maestro, you may need to breathe in the middle of this sentence." Gigli replied, "Okay, if you want you can breathe." (laughs) We have been loosing this kind of things."

Do we need more? Catalan José Carreras was discovered, the legend says, by Charles, brother of the soprano Montserrat Caballe - and the two eventually helped him to achieve his first contracts. But it was conductor Herbert von Karajan who led him to fame, in the '70s. Reviews from those times tell us about a clear, powerful voice. A German critic, completely under his spell wrote, after a function of La Bohème: "He is young, talented, musical and beautiful. Do you need more?

By that time, Domingo and Pavarotti were already fighting for post of the greatest tenor of the moment. Carreras began as if running "out of the race", portraying lighter roles, the ones of a lyric tenor, then followed by heavier ones. By then, some were commenting that he would be damaging his voice for facing such roles. "We all make mistakes," he says. "Actually, I might have arrived to some roles before then. But, please understand me. Some of my greatest hits, as La Forza del Destino and Carmen, were heavy roles. And I'm convinced that if a conductor such as Claudio Abbado or Karajan invites you to be part of a new production, you just can't say no. Should Karajan ask me to sing Micaela, I would! (laughs). You live this passion for singing and the chance to work with these people is the ultimate expression of what opera can be. There's no way you will not want to be part of it. That is the healthy ambition of the artist. And mistakes...well, mistakes give flavour to the experience of living. "

In the late '80s, however, Carreras was diagnosed with leukaemia. "I remember the first 24 hours of despair. I was young, was 40 years old, was happy with my career, with every opportunity. And suddenly the diagnosis. In 24 hours. And then, even though I knew how difficult it would be, felt the need to find determination to fight. I was lucky, had the support of family and friends, had expressions of affection coming from everywhere. " The nightmare ended with a bone marrow transplant. "That gave me strength and made me to create a foundation to help people in the same situation I had lived. After so much love and support you feel in debt, you need to pay back."

In addition to charity work, in the present Carreras tours the world offering concerts and giving master classes. In Sao Paulo, he will not be giving lessons, but for yesterday and today, open rehearsals were scheduled, with the Symphony Orchestra of USP (Saint Paul University) who will be accompanying him.

What message do you give to young students? "There are always many questions they ask us and the truth is we still have a lot of questions to answer. However, the most important message has nothing to do with technic, emission, things like that. What I try to find out is if the singer is sure that this is the career he wants to chose, if he really understands what is he dealing with, the need for discipline. The one who thinks that a good voice is enough, is wrong. Mascagni, (composer Pietro Mascagni) used to say: to sing opera you also need a good voice."

Among his maestros he speaks fondly about Englishman Colin Davis, "a gentleman and a great musical thinker" - and laughs when reminded of his work with Leonard Bernstein, with whom he recorded the musical West Side Story. "The Making of" shows a scene where the two have a disagreement. Carreras comments it with a short "Very different personalities," and a mischievous smile on his face. He identifies in Karajan the model of the great conductor. "Of course, should he like you and understand that your singing was close to what he had previously dreamed." he says. But he quickly throws another name on the wheel, the Italian Claudio Abbado, with whom he recorded Simon Boccanegra, by Verdi. "Not a bad that the cast, right? Piero Capuccili, Mirella Freni, Nicolai Ghiaurov."

"I have no response," he says, when asked about what role of his repertoire does he think as the most appropriate one, the one in which he felt more able to make the maximum use of his skills as a singer. But he risks. "There are characters I feel very close to me, even in terms of personality. Rodolfo, from La Bohème, Don José, from Carmen, Riccardo, from Ballo in Maschera, Andrea Chenier. Should I have to remember my best live performance, would probably say it happened during the performances of some of these operas. "

We bring to his memory a recent interview by Marcelo Alvarez during which the Argentine tenor said it was time for the generation of the Three Tenors to leave the stage, living the space to those who are now beginning and trying to build their carriers. Carreras laughs, an open laugh. "Alvarez is a great singer. And he does not have to worry about that. At the present, am only singing concerts and recitals, am not at the opera stage any more. And he is great, his place is guaranteed." Another young tenor, Marcello Giordani, joked about the controversy, noting that recently he shared the stage with Domingo, who was making his debut as a baritone at the Metropolitan, in New York. "Well, with Domingo, that might be a problem! Mind you he also conducts", he jokes. "But seriously, those who are now starting do not need to worry. Do not panic."
Annie

knight66

I take it that you translated this for us....thanks for that effort. It was an interesting read. He was never a favourite of mine. I never felt he had the heft of the other two of the three, but in the right part, he was possibly best of the three, Don Jose for example.

It was a surprise to me that he is still singing, I wonder how he sounds. His illness was a great blow to his career. He never sounded the same when he recovered.

Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

sospiro

Quote from: knight on June 01, 2010, 12:39:51 AM
I take it that you translated this for us....thanks for that effort. It was an interesting read. He was never a favourite of mine. I never felt he had the heft of the other two of the three, but in the right part, he was possibly best of the three, Don Jose for example.

It was a surprise to me that he is still singing, I wonder how he sounds. His illness was a great blow to his career. He never sounded the same when he recovered.

Mike

I can't take any credit for translation (wish I could).

I've always preferred JC to the other Two but I do admit Domingo & Pavarotti were better & more skilful. I just fancied JC that's all!

He sounds awful now by the way but most of his recitals/concerts are to support his charity so I can forgive him.

Annie

listener

LONG BEACH OPERA  GOES FOR THE UNUSUAL
The current season began in January with Robert Kurka's "The Good Soldier Schweik," followed by John Adams' "Nixon in China" and "Orpheus." The company also presented a performance of Grigori Frid's "The Diary of Anne Frank" for the 20th anniversary of the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine.

Appearing in venues outside of Long Beach has helped to raise LBO's profile, says Mitisek. "We can reach out to where people are much easier than other opera companies can."

He says he plans to continue expanding that reach with a 2011 lineup that will include one West Coast and three Southern California premiere productions.

The company's 32nd season will open Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 with Luigi Cherubini's "Medea," in a site-specific production of the 18th-century opera based on Euripides and Corneille at the EXPO Building, a former furniture store in Long Beach.

Lbopera Philip Glass' "Akhnaten," which follows the rise and fall of the Egyptian pharaoh, will be performed March 19 and 27 at the Terrace Theatre in Long Beach in what the company says is the West Coast premiere of the 26-year-old opera in its original form.

Dmitri Shostakovich's"Cherry Town" -- a  satirical Soviet-era musical comedy -- will be presented May 15 at the Center Theatre in Long Beach, May 18 at the Irvine Barclay Theater and May 22 at Barnum Hall in Santa Monica.

The season will conclude June 15 and 18 with "The Difficulty of Crossing a Field" by Pulitzer-winning composer David Lang and playwright Mac Wellman. The work, which premiered in 2002, is based on an Ambrose Bierce story about a pre-Civil War slave owner who walks across a field and disappears. The venue has yet to be determined.

full story at  http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/06/long-beach-opera-ends-2010-in-the-blackand-unveils-a-2011-lineup-that-offers-more-of-the-unexpected.html
"Keep your hand on the throttle and your eye on the rail as you walk through life's pathway."