Reply With QuoteHe used to make a lot of noise too but seems to have made an effort to stop. Not as bad as he used to be.Originally Posted by JohnGerald
With Giuseppe Sabbatini, Ildiko Komlosi,
Alexandrina Pendatchanska, Roberto Servile,
Alessandro Corbelli
"Ah,non credea mirarti si presto estinto, o fiore." --Bellini, La Sonnambula (also written on his tomb).
He used to make a lot of noise too but seems to have made an effort to stop. Not as bad as he used to be.
"Every theatre is an insane asylum, but an opera theatre is the ward for the incurables."
FRANZ SCHALK, attributed, Losing the Plot in Opera: Myths and Secrets of the World's Great Operas
I've seen Traviata so many times that I thought I was immune, but I am weeping like a baby. Brilliant performance by Diana Damrau.
Natalie
No person with any sense of the romantic is "immune" to La Traviata, and this performance is quite good.I've seen Traviata so many times that I thought I was immune, but I am weeping like a baby. Brilliant performance by Diana Damrau.
How could it not be great, when staged by your all-time favorite director?
Haha. I hadn't noticed the director when I started watching and then I realised who it was when they were showing behind the scenes stuff in all the act changes and I had to close my eyes (Francesco Demuro clearing his throat does not really fit with ardent Alfredo.)How could it not be great, when staged by your all-time favorite director?
But Jacquot didn't muck around too much otherwise; apart from the rather embarrassing choice to put Annina into deep blackface so that she would fit in with the Manet painting that hung over the big bed (subtle, eh) in the first Act. I did notice that they altered Olympia's features so she looked like Damrau.
Actually the most annoying thing about Jacquot is that he is often an interesting director but then spoils it by all the postmodern behind-the-scenes cr%p.
Natalie
"Ah,non credea mirarti si presto estinto, o fiore." --Bellini, La Sonnambula (also written on his tomb).
Not clear why La Damnation de Faust became La Damnation de Stephen Hawking on his way to Mars, but worth it to hear Der Jonas, Bryn Terfel, Sophie Koch and gorgeous Edwin Crossley Mercer. "Nature immense, impénétrable et fière" in front of an projection of an erupting volcano was cool too.
Last edited by Soave_Fanciulla; January 4th, 2018 at 11:34 PM.
Natalie
We're finally finished!
When I asked her which was her favorite she answered THE SECOND ONE on the spot.
She shows excellent discernment. I too have long held Wagner's The Second One as my favorite opera.When I asked her which was her favorite she answered THE SECOND ONE on the spot.
Wish he had come up with a better title, though.
I need to get round to watching The First One/The Second One/The Penultimate One and The Last One, unfortunately I have essays and lectures which means I cannot sacrifice the necessary 5/6 hours or so out of my day for each one. Maybe,eventually, but there are so many operas I need to get around to hence The four Important Operas of Utmost Importance will have to wait
"Non sono in vena" Rodolfo summing up P.B's feelings on his dissertation.
It was the Met's La Donna Del Lago tonight, which continues to leave me nearly speechless over the brilliance of the composition, the staging, the conducting and the unparalleled singing of the performers.
Tis the season for Hänsel und Gretel, in a lovely staging from Vienna,
Last edited by Soave_Fanciulla; January 4th, 2018 at 11:34 PM.
Natalie
The last time I posted about watching operetta, the site went down, so I am a bit reluctant to admit that I was doing that again. I was gifted (by me, of course) with some more from the Seefestspiele Morbisch, with my first G&S DVDs en route. I suspect that the latter are proscribed here, so I'd best exit stage left...
Gounod's Faust with Piotr Beczala, Sonya Yoncheva, and Erwin Schrott having a wonderful and rather camp time in a fancy swirly leather coat.
Last edited by Soave_Fanciulla; January 4th, 2018 at 11:34 PM.
Natalie
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks