What opera have you been watching lately?

**Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)** · August 24th, 2015, 07:33 AM

Hosannah! Huzzahed! Oh! Ohs! Ohed! Ohing! Outasigh! Plaudit! Rah! Rahs! Rahed! Rahing! Salve! Shabash! Touché! Tallyho! Viva! Wahoo! Whoopee! Wowee! Yippee! Zindabad!

Brava, Madame Petibon! Bravo, Monsieur Jaroussky!

This is the most extraordinary Handelian performance of all time!

Whew!

Patricia, you are beautiful, sexy, fabulous, your technique is perfect, and your voice is marvelous! Philippe, like I've been saying in this site, you are the best male singer of your generation!

The other singers are not far behind and the staging is phenomenal. A++++++++

This is a rare gem of a performance. Ohmigod!

**Soave_Fanciulla** · August 24th, 2015, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)

Hosannah! Huzzahed! Oh! Ohs! Ohed! Ohing! Outasigh! Plaudit! Rah! Rahs! Rahed! Rahing! Salve! Shabash! Touché! Tallyho! Viva! Wahoo! Whoopee! Wowee! Yippee! Zindabad!

Brava, Madame Petibon! Bravo, Monsieur Jaroussky!

This is the most extraordinary Handelian performance of all time!

Whew!

Patricia, you are beautiful, sexy, fabulous, your technique is perfect, and your voice is marvelous! Philippe, like I've been saying in this site, you are the best male singer of your generation!

The other singers are not far behind and the staging is phenomenal. A++++++++

This is a rare gem of a performance. Ohmigod!

I get this vague impression that Luiz liked it, but then I am VERY perceptive.

**Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)** · August 24th, 2015, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by Soave_Fanciulla

I get this vague impression that Luiz liked it, but then I am VERY perceptive.

Ya think? I didn't like it *that* much. Just a tiny bit.

**Soave_Fanciulla** · August 25th, 2015, 09:22 AM

Very satisfying production, well sung and acted, lots of interesting touches. Might now be my favourite Magic Flute.

Maximilian Schmitt (Tamino), Christina Landshamer (Pamina), Thomas Oliemans (Papageno), Brindley Sherratt (Sarastro), Íride Martínez (Königin der Nacht), Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke (Monostatos), Nina Lejderman ((Papagena)
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Chorus of Dutch National Opera, Marc Albrecht (conductor) & Simon McBurney (stage director)

**Festat** · August 25th, 2015, 07:16 PM

Ooh! So it's overall better than the Jacobs one with Topi Lehtipuu and Sophie Karthäuser from La Monnaie (aka Terrific Music But Subpar Staging)?

**Soave_Fanciulla** · August 25th, 2015, 07:41 PM

Well the tenor is not better than Topi.but then... who would be. But the staging is much better, more carefully thought through and thought provoking and somehow apposite for the modern age. I always think Sarastro is a smug b*stard and it seems the director agrees with me. The standouts are Pamina - you really observe her pain and despair at all the capricious "trials" which leave her a victim; and Papageno who is THE BEST EVA (sorry Simon K)

**Festat** · August 28th, 2015, 08:06 PM

Just finished Król Roger from Covent Garden. Liked it a lot. Mariusz Kwiecien is a fine actor and it shows in this opera especially. His other King Roger in Paris was very good too, I thought. Georgia Jarman shines in her bits as Roxana, which are unfortunately not many. ROH Chorus is brilliant. Pirgu is ok in this, perhaps a bit below the others but I don't think he classifies as a "weak link". Staging is nice, I feel this a particularly difficult opera to stage, but maybe I like Krzysztof Warlikowski's version from Paris better. I don't know, I'd have to watch it again, it's been a while. Highly recommended, nonetheless.

**Hoffmann** · August 28th, 2015, 10:56 PM

Król Roger has come up here before, but I kind of ho-hummed the whole contemporary opera thing, so let it go. Based upon Festat's comments, I clicked on The Opera Platform link out of curiosity, and found myself sucked in. I loved the production, and found Mariusz Kwiecien's performance very strong and compelling. I also liked Saimir Pirgu's Shepherd, which I thought well sung and acted, albeit the character isn't as strongly written as Roger.

On the whole, very satisfying - thanks for the tip!

**Festat** · August 29th, 2015, 04:52 AM

Robert Carsen's 2013 Rigoletto from Aix-en-Provence is on Arte only until Monday!

I have read so many things about it, both good and bad, I finally had the chance to see it myself. It is brilliant! Seldom I see lighting so beautifully done in opera, it is just gorgeous. My only objection in this is the Duca: Arturo Chacón-Cruz is disappointing. For the rest, WATCH IT WHILE YOU CAN!

**Ann Lander (sospiro)** · August 29th, 2015, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by Festat

Just finished Król Roger from Covent Garden. Liked it a lot. Mariusz Kwiecien is a fine actor and it shows in this opera especially. His other King Roger in Paris was very good too, I thought. Georgia Jarman shines in her bits as Roxana, which are unfortunately not many. ROH Chorus is brilliant. Pirgu is ok in this, perhaps a bit below the others but I don't think he classifies as a "weak link". Staging is nice, I feel this a particularly difficult opera to stage, but maybe I like Krzysztof Warlikowski's version from Paris better. I don't know, I'd have to watch it again, it's been a while. Highly recommended, nonetheless.

Oooh I missed that. I saw this Król Roger live and found it thrilling. Will enjoy watching it again.

**Hoffmann** · August 29th, 2015, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by sospiro

Oooh I missed that. I saw this Król Roger live and found it thrilling. Will enjoy watching it again.

We forgot to point out that ROH and Conductor Antonio Pappano do a superb job here explaining what's going on, symbolism and what Szymanowski was striving for in this composition. I found it very helpful and not remotely patronizing. Oh, and the hostess does a great - if overly perky, presentation as well.

**Soave_Fanciulla** · August 29th, 2015, 08:36 PM

Poliuto from Glyndebourne with Michael Fabiano (very dramatic, sometimes at the expense of tone), Ana María Martínez (too wobbly for me) and Igor Golovatenko (a new baritone to love). I'm not the world's greatest Donizetti opera seria fan but I really liked the music in this.

**Festat** · August 29th, 2015, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by Hoffmann

We forgot to point out that ROH and Conductor Antonio Pappano do a superb job here explaining what's going on, symbolism and what Szymanowski was striving for in this composition. I found it very helpful and not remotely patronizing. Oh, and the hostess does a great - if overly perky, presentation as well.

I love the hostess, I just don't love her hairdresser. I'm sending fan mail YOU'RE GREAT BUT GIRL LETS GIVE THE BANGS UP

And the very proud chorus master showing off her production book, aww.

Nevertheless I thought it was little odd to have a 30 minute interval in an opera that is less than an hour and a half long.

**Soave_Fanciulla** · August 29th, 2015, 08:48 PM