Reply With QuoteOK, kids, the mailman just dropped off the new Decca Guillaume Tell from the ROF. It's going in the player tonight, so I should have a comment or two tomorrow.
We recently enjoyed the Met's Il Trovatore with Sondra Radvanovsky. While viewing this excellent performance, I remembered that the Met is staging the Donizetti "Three Queens" trilogy for her, so we started watching that series, the first, Anna Bolena, from the Met, ditto Maria Stuarda. Roberto Devereaux is schedules for Monday. As a result of this, I have some reservations about Radvanovsky's ability to negotiate the coloratura passages. Her Norma is Barcelona was well received, however, and a friend is lending me a DVD of that performance (the kind that may not be mentioned) so that I may experience her interpretation of that demanding role.
Musical scholarship, while exhausting (especially when accompanied by the ingestion of adult beverages) can be so rewarding!!
OK, kids, the mailman just dropped off the new Decca Guillaume Tell from the ROF. It's going in the player tonight, so I should have a comment or two tomorrow.
On the 19th, I raised the question about Sondra Radvanovsky's ability to handle the coloratura demands of the "THree Queens" trilogy of Donizetti, which she will do for the Met. I have answered my own question thus:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us7DJ4olQmo.
YOWZA!!!
Charpentier's Médée on Culturebox - clicky.
Magdalena Kožená - Médée /
Anders J. Dahlin – Jason /
Luca Tittoto – Créon /
Meike Hartmann – Créuse /
Robin Adams – Oronte /
Silke Gäng – Nérine /
Yukie Sato – Une italienne /
Metteur en scčne : Nicolas Brieger
Chef d'orchestre : Andrea Marcon
Orchestre : La Cetra – Orchestre baroque de Bâle
Wow, fans of Baroque opera, or even those liking a good on-scene demon-summoning followed by a full-blown blood-bath, should not miss this. I thought it was excellent, particularly Magdalena Kožená's furious Médée .
Natalie
Me! Me!Originally Posted by Soave_Fanciulla
That is not me
Very nice, Radvanovsky has that dark lower voice that lends dramatic power to her performance along with decent bel canto technique, this is probably as close as we can come today to the likes of 1950s Callas, the mezzo and tenor are overwhelmed in the closing trio by Sondra's bravura style........
I was able to snag a new Blu ray of the C Major I Due Foscari for $12.99 from an Amazon seller. We watched it last night. It is not a joyous opera. Berger ("Verdi With a Vengeance") says that it starts with everyone being sad, then getting sadder, then getting dead. It's true, but while everyone is in the process, the music is VERY good, and the cast on this disc performs it splendidly. When Titiana Serjan does her opening aria and cabaletta, I was doubtful about her ability to finish on her feet. Mamma mia! Nucci is splendid, as is usually the case. I believe that he and Doningo are of an age, but preservation of vocal assets works better for Leo than for Placido. And, of course, the relatively unknown (outside of Italy) Roberto Di Biasio does his usually great best in a role with a lot of Ppassagio singing.
All in all, a rewarding experience.
Also helps that he has stayed in the same fach.
Natalie
Last night I was going to put Guillaume Tell in the player for another round, but the SO asked for Manon (Netrebko, Villazon), so being a kind and sensitive sort (<snort!!>) I played Manon, which in Blu ray has to be seen on an HD TV where the colors are amazing, and the orchestral/vocal sound is simply splendid!
Plus the character name of "Pousette" became the subject of some ... ribaldry.
LOL, very funny
"J'ai dit qu'il ne suffisait pas d'entendre la musique, mais qu'il fallait encore la voir" (Stravinsky)
Rameau: Les Paladins
Topi Lehtipuu, Stéphanie d’Oustrac, Laurent Naouri, Sandrine Piau, René Schirrer, François Piolino
Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris
Les Arts Florissants, William Christie 2004
A fun and very colourful (the wardrobe could have been sponsored by the United colors of Benetton) production with lots of very bouncy and bendy people. The choreography is modern dance with some spinning on head and funny robot/puppet dance sequence included.
Star of the show is a very pretty Stéphanie d’Oustrac and Topi Lehtipuu (he always is pretty).
Dove: The Adventures of Pinocchio
Victoria Simmonds (Pinocchio), Jonathan Summers (Geppetto), Mary Plazas (Blue Fairy), Rebecca Bottone (Cricket/Parrot), Graeme Broadbent (Puppeteer/Ape-Judge/Ringmaster), Allan Clayton (Lampwick), Mark Wilde (Cat), James Laing (Fox/Coachman), Carole Wilson (Pigeon/Snail)
The Orchestra and Chorus of Opera North, David Parry (conductor) & Martin Duncan (stage director)
Forget Disney, this opera is based on the original Collodi book and is therefore much darker and more interesting. The music is accessible and exciting and fits the plot perfectly, all the singers are good - particular kudos to the singer playing Pinocchio - and the direction and stage design are magic. This would be the perfect opera to introduce kids to the genre; but there is plenty for adults to enjoy too. Highly recommended DVD.
Natalie
Your nose hasn't grown. I guess you mean it.
Puccini: Tosca - A film by Benoît Jacquot
Angela Gheorghiu (Tosca), Roberto Alagna (Cavaradossi), Ruggero Raimondi (Scarpia), Enrico Fissore (Sagristano), Maurizio Muraro (Angelotti), David Cangelosi (Spoletta), Sorin Colibran (Sciarrone), James Savage-Hanford (Un pastore), Gwynne Howell (Un carceriere)
Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Antonio Pappano
Star of the show is the red dress in the shots from high angle
Shots from high angle . . . sounds like Jacquot may have been up to some of the same stunts here that one sees in the video of his Werther staging at the Opéra de Paris.
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks