Pêcheurs de perles

Cosi fan tutte - Lyon streaming

2011-07-13T01:45:00.000+02:00

On Saturday, July 16, the Opera de Lyon will bring Cosi fan tutte to all Lyonnais (outside screen, place des Terreaux and elsewhere 9pm) and also to all internet fans, wherever they might be (streaming starts at 9:35pm on the Opera de Lyon's website).

Ah! Lève toi Soleil!

2011-05-21T20:05:00.000+02:00

The Librabry of Congress has put online some Victor recordings from the early XXth century in a section called National Jukebox. The Opera section contains, to date, more than 1000 extracts.

This is indeed a good way to re-discover famous operas and famous names from the past, long since forgotten. In the French section, this includes extracts from

Victor Massé, Paul et Virginie, "Air du tigre"
Ferdinand Hérold, Le pré-aux-clercs, "Souvenirs du jeune âge"
Ambroise Thomas, Le caïd, "Air du tambour major"
Félicien David, La Perle du Brésil, "Charmant oiseau"
Benjamin Godard (the composer who reorchestrated Bizet's Les Pêcheurs de Perles, see there), La vivandière, "Viens avec nous petit" (the melody reminds me of the French national anthem)
Meyerbeer, Robert le Diable ("Du rendez-vous") and Le Prophète ("O toi qui m’abandonnes")
Lecocq's operette La fille de Madame Angot, "Voyons, Monsieur, raisonnons politique"
Massenet, Cléopâtre ("Air de la lettre") and Griselidis ("Ouvrez-vous sur mon front, portes du paradis!")

Other Gounod's extracts:

"Oh nuit d'amour ciel radieux" duet with Geraldine Farrar and Enrico Caruso, from Faust
"O ma lyre immortelle", Jeanne Gerville, Sapho
"Au bruit des lourds marteaux d'airain", Marcel Journet, Philémon et Baucis (the tempo is not as good as the recording I own and doesn't really give justice to this beautiful aria - Philémon et Baucis is, to my opinion, a brilliant score ruined by an atrocious libretto, which explains why the opera was alas forgotten)
"Faites lui mes aveux" (air de Siebel), Louise Homer, Faust
"Ah! Lève-toi soleil", Charles Dalmorès, Roméo et Juliette
"Ah! Ne fuis pas encore!", Beniamino Gigli and Lucrezia Bori, Roméo et Juliette

Extracts from Bizet's Les Pêcheurs de Perles:

"Je crois entendre encore", Enrico Caruso
"Au fond du temple saint", Marcel Journet and Edmond Clément
"De mon amie", Enrico Caruso

And I haven't even started the italian section...

[Les Pêcheurs de Perles] 2011-12 performances

2011-04-05T14:36:00.000+02:00

Opéra Comique, Paris, June 18-28 2012

Leïla, Sonya Yoncheva
Nadir, Dmitry Korchak
Zurga, André Heyboer
Nourabad, Nicolas Testé
Direction musicale, Leo Hussain
Mise en scène, Yoshi Oïda
accentus
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France

Werther, Villazon directing

2011-01-25T16:38:00.007+01:00

Werther
Jules Massenet
Drame lyrique en quatre actes
Livret de Edouard Blau, Paul Millet et Georges Hartmann, d'après Les Souffrances du jeune Werther (Goethe)
1892

Opéra de Lyon
Jan. 24, 2011 - premiere
Last performance of this run: Feb. 7

When you have been especially careless with your voice, the time comes rather quickly when you have to find a new way of earning money, and hope to find a new career besides singing - directing, in the case of Rolando Villazon.

Well, I don't think he's yet ready, and if he'll ever be ready for that new job of directing an opera.

Having sung the role of Werther many times clearly didn't provide him with any kind of a deeper insight of the opera, as he tried - and failed - to give it a Regietheater twist that only resulted in a disaster.

All the components of the Regitheater are present, from the white and almost empty stage, the bright, colorful and ugly costumes, to some "grand" ideas that completely disrupt the dramatic moments of the opera and to some frankly very naive views on the whole story.

First of all, I think the way to core concept of Villazon is very wrong.

Werther is not one of those operas you can twist into a circus-like idea, or if you can, you completely loose all it's interest; maybe the idea of all the characters living in a world of fate and thus being clowns of their own lives could have had a chance, if Villazon could have been constrained to be less explicit and more subtile.

Subtility, here's what's clearly missing from this.

For instance, the first time Werther enters the stage, it's not enough that this child double is dressed in the same horrific color as he is (chick yellow), Villazon trusts himself (or the audience) so much that, just to make sure everyone gets it, they have the exact same gesture. Really useful? I sure don't think so, but I'm also sure this example is pretty much the quintessential way to describe this production.

It all seems terribly immature, almost childish, and this is clearly not the way to emphasize the dramatic quest of Werther.

Yet another example at the end of Act II, moments after Werther bids farewell to Charlotte in a very dramatic way (basically telling her he's going to kill himself): a giant pillow fight on stage orchestrated by the clowns and the children.

Again, was that really useful?

As far as the conducting by Leopold Hager was concerned, nothing extraordinary there, but rather a blend and forgettable reading of the score.

The singer clearly on top of the cast is Karine Deshayes (Charlotte) whose interpretation was indeed very convincing and quite well-sung.

Arturo Chacon-Cruz (Werther) struggled with his high notes (or rather has to learn how to sing a high note without yelling) and seemed like a clone of Villazon on stage: too much movements for such little effects... his stage presence, in other words, was all but sincere and credible.

Lionel Lhote (Albert) and Alain Vernhes (le Balli) both had a good performance, as well as Anne-Catherine Gillet (Sophie).

All pictures on this page from the Opéra de Lyon.

Video extract here.

Links to the Opéra de Lyon website:

- presentation of the production

- programme (incl. libretto)

- dossier de presse

Press reviews:

- "Un Werther "clownesque" à Lyon pour la première mise en scène de Rolando Villazon", AFP
- "Werther à l'Opéra de Lyon - rencontre avec Rolando Villazon", Le Progrès
- "Pas tout à fait la Bohème", Le Progrès, Antonio Mafra
- "Werther, Opera de Lyon, review", The Telegraph, Rupert Christiansen
- "Des danseuses et des clowns", La Libre Belgique, Nicolas Blanmont

Ernest Blanc is dead

2011-01-03T17:48:00.000+01:00

Just a few days before Christmas, on Dec. 22, the great French baritone Ernest Blanc died at the age of 87.
He was, as stated here, probably the baritone I loved most.

Reviews in French:
- "Ernest Blanc s'est tu pour toujours", Sud-Ouest
- "Ernest Blanc est mort", Qobuz

Evelino Pido: Otello / La Sonnambula - 2010

2010-11-28T12:10:00.003+01:00

Otello ossia Il Moro di Venezia

Giaocchino Rossini

John Osborn : Otello

Anna Caterina Antonacci : Desdémone

Marco Vinco : Elmiro

Dmitry Korchak : Rodrigo

José Manuel Zapata : Iago

Orchestre et Chœurs de l'Opéra de Lyon

Evelino Pidò, conductor

Nov.7, 2010 - Concert version

La Sonnambula

Vincenzo Bellini

Michele Pertusi - Il Conte Rodolfo

Cornelia Oncioiu - Teresa

Natalie Dessay - Amina

Javier Camarena - Elvino

Orchestre et choeur de l'Opéra national de Paris

Evelino Pidò, conductor

Opéra National de Paris

Feb.15, 2010 - Mezzo broadcast

With time, it seems Evelino Pidò is loosing the only thing that once drove me to him in the bel canto repertory: legato. In both productions, both the casts, the orchestras and the chorus were instructed to forget about legato, and sadly but unsurprisingly, this kind of conduction does not serve well this kind of music.

So in my opinion, Pidò is the responsible for the failure of both interpretations.

A few words about Javier Camarena: weak voice, unable to manage the coloratura, childish and over the top stage presence.

As for the production of Otello, it was a cruel reminder of the paramount role of a conductor in the success or failure of any interpretation; the decent cast and the good job of the orchestra could not save the day and I was left with a bitter sense of disappointment over Pidò's conduction. Less jumping around and more focus on the inner rhythm of the music sure would have been a better way to handle Rossini's piece.

Muti out of Chicago

2010-10-12T17:09:00.001+02:00

Illness forces Muti out of fall CSO concerts
Chicago Tribune, Oct.3

Illness Slows New Leader of Chicago Symphony
NY Times, Oct. 3

Riccardo Muti, malade, est contraint d'annuler ses concerts
Le Monde, Oct. 5

Récital Joyce DiDonato

2010-09-30T11:48:00.002+02:00

Bis: "Parto, parto", La Clemenza di Tito, Mozart

Joyce DiDonato ended her 10-day recording session with the Orchestra of the Opéra de Lyon by providing us Lyonnais with a glimpse of this new album, whose highlight was, for me, her exquisite rendering of Gluck's da capo aria from La Clemenza di Tito, "Se mai senti sporarti sul volto". She was here able to fully express the desperation of Sesto on his way to death. The aria in itself is beautifully written to start with (the oboe is literally to die for), but her interpretation was really mesmorizing.

Of course she excelled with her collatura in pieces such as "Non più mesta" from La Cenerentola, or "Amour, viens rendre à mon âme" from Orphée et Eurydice (adapted by Berlioz) - she can, indeed, "braver le trépas" with strength and determination.

It was no surprise either that she ignited the audience with her wonderful spirit, and her obvious love and devotion to the music. She took a few minutes before the last aria to share with us the impressions she had of her stay - and it seems she has discover the hidden treasure of Lyon - its food. She praised Maestro Ono for his musicality and attention to details, and I quite agree with her.

The orchestra sounded quite improved and much more focused than before Ono arrived two years ago.

Sure there were some slight issues (the cellos and double bass were sometimes a bit off), but the musicality of the orchestra has grown tremendously, and they were able to convey nuances and a vitality that were indeed refreshing.

Poulenc's Sinfonietta was vibrant and exciting under the baton of Ono, but the overture of Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride was for me, the highlight of the orchestra. It started a bit heavy with the strings, but after the first few bars, the music really came to life and illuminated the whole opera house.

Overall a wonderful evening.

L'étranger, D'Indy

2010-08-02T18:44:00.000+02:00

L'étranger

Action musicale in two acts (1898-1901), Op. 53

Vincent d'Indy, see also here for a very detailed biography in French

Texte de Vincent d'Indy, d'après Brant d'Henrik Ibsen

Création: Bruxelles, Théâtre de la Monnaie, 7 Janvier 1903

France Musique live broadcast

Montpellier, July 26, 2010

Synopsis & analysis, by Michel Fleury :

" Despite his goodness, the Stranger, who has settled in a fishing village, keeps out of the way of the inhabitants who fear him. A Christian hero fulfilling a divine mission of charity on earth, he must leave in order not to give in to human love shared with Vita, the fiancée of a dry, hard-hearted customs officer. During a tempest, the Stranger is the only one to go to the rescue of a sinking boat. Vita jumps into the dinghy to accompany him, and both perish in the fury of the waves.

This controversial libretto, sacrificing action to the symbol, has weighed heavily on the destiny of the work. Its religious resonance (is divine love compatible with human love?) is accentuated by the recourse to Gregorian themes. On the other hand, the richness and beauty of the music explain Debussy’s enthusiasm and admiration: clarified and totally transfigured, the Wagnerian heritage is resolved in a miraculous balance between vocal line and orchestra, harmonic colour and polyphony, realism and Impressionism, Germanic complexity and Mediterranean clarity. At a time of re-evaluating one of our finest musicians, the rediscovery of this great and beautiful work imposed itself. "

Despite the comments above, the score is rather uninteresting, especially if one knows and appreciates Puccini. The Germanic influence is also quite clear, but I reckon Edouard Lalo with Le roi d'Ys and Ernest Reyer with Sigurd have done a much better job of integrating it with the French knowledge of melodies and the Italian sense of passion.

Overall a forgettable score - but I could never have had this opinion if the Montpellier's festival hadn't had the great idea to exhume this work.

Thielemann's view on Schubert's 9th

2010-07-28T16:51:00.000+02:00

Franz Schubert

Symphony No. 9 in C major D944

Munchner Philharmoniker

Conductor: Christian Thielemann

Live Recording (Bayern 4)

Philharmonie am Gasteig, München

January 2006

I did not enjoy Thielemann's view, which I find heavy, solemn and military at times.
Schubert's madness is buried under a Spartan tempo, rigorous and inexpressive, and all the lightness the score often contains is hidden behind a lifeless and constrained performance that does not represent, for me, Schubert's music.

Luthier lyonnais

2010-04-10T21:29:00.001+02:00

Christian Charlemagne

Luthier

4 rue Terraille, Lyon

Get a virtual ticket & watch Rigoletto

2010-03-18T09:29:00.000+01:00

The Opéra Royal de Wallonie in Liège, Belgium will stream Rigoletto live on its website Opera Live on March 23, 2010 (8 pm Paris time).

You'll need to buy a virtual ticket to watch the program (that comes an information package about the singers and the production); 4€ for a Standard Quality video, 6€ for a video in High Quality.

Anticipa l'emozione

2010-03-16T10:46:00.000+01:00

From Maggioblog.

Opéra Le Peletier

2010-03-12T20:51:00.001+01:00

Paris Opera House from 1821 to 1973.

Opera Le Peletier, Paris, 1865

1873, just before the fire destroyed the place

(hence the building of the Garnier Opera)

2009

Sneak peak: Lyon 2010-11 season [Villazon to direct Werther]

2010-03-11T00:37:00.002+01:00

Even if the new season hasn't been revealed yet, the big news is already buzzing through town: Rolando Villazon will direct his first opera in Jan/Feb 2011 in Lyon, Werther (with Karine Deshayes).

I wonder if, having sung the role so many times, he thinks he can bring a vision to Massenet's piece. I doubt it, but of course, I wouldn't want to miss it either...

Next season will also feature :

Tristan und Isolde conducted by Kirill Petrenko, with Gary Lehman
Verdi's Luisa Miller directed by David Alden, conducted by Kazushi Ono, with Ermonela Jaho
Poulenc's Les Mamelles de Tiresias, played with Darius Milhaud's Boeuf sur le toit (both rarities) conducted by Lyon-born Ludovic Morlot (premiere in Lyon)
Stravinsky's Le Rossignol conducted by Kazushi Ono
Mozart/Da Ponte trilogy in March, shown separately over the past few years, conducted by Stefano Montanari
Rossini's Otello conducted by Evelino Pido [1]
Rachmaninov's Aleko and Monna Vanna
a Joyce DiDonato recital

This 2010-11 season looks nothing like the current one, thank God.

[1] A new concert-versions cycle is announced for the next few years with Pido: after Donizetti's queens-cycle, this one should be all about Bellini.

Garnier makeover

2010-03-05T09:49:00.000+01:00

Rénovation extérieure du palais Garnier

Paris

Feb.20, 2010

More pictures here.

[Bud Commercial]

2010-03-02T20:33:00.000+01:00

An die Musik

2010-02-14T01:00:00.000+01:00

Franz Schubert
An die Musik, D537

Dessay's Sonnambula on Medici.tv

2010-02-13T12:05:00.000+01:00

Bellini's La Sonnambula will be broadcast live from the Palais Garnier monday evening on Medici.tv.

Broadcast Monday Feb.15 starting at 7:30pm (Paris time).

When Gounod meets Corneille

2010-02-03T23:40:00.000+01:00

Start 0'40

" Source délicieuse "
Polyeucte
Charles Gounod

Kaufmann's Werther broadcast

2010-01-25T08:31:00.002+01:00

Massenet's Werther will be broadcast live tomorrow on Arte, but also on the web via Arte Live Web, the Paris Opera Website or Medici.tv (countries restrictions on the latter, but the broadcast will be available for all on Feb.3rd).

Broadcast Tuesday Jan.26 starting at 8:30pm (Paris time).

Live from Liège

2010-01-15T07:40:00.000+01:00

The Opéra Royal de Wallonie in Liège, Belgium will stream Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi live on its website Opera Live on Feb.2, 2010 (8 pm Paris time).

The cast includes Patrizia Ciofi as Giulietta and Laura Polverelli as Romeo.

The Opéra de Lyon on Arte Live Web

2009-12-21T14:44:00.000+01:00

Photo Opéra de Lyon

Arte Live Web will broadcast the performance of Chostakovitch's Cheryomushki on Dec.29 (from 8 pm) from the Opéra de Lyon.

Great: Schubert's 9th by Muti

2009-12-19T18:29:00.003+01:00

Riccardo Muti
Berliner Philarmoniker
Teatro S.Carlo di Napoli
Mezzo broadcast, May 1st, 2009
"Concert Europa 2009"

Schubert
Symphony #9 in C Major, "The Great", D944

Mesmerizing.
Hypnotizing.
Fascinating.

Perfect Muti, in a nutshell.

A love story

2009-12-18T22:28:00.004+01:00

Riccardo Muti explaining how he fell in love with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Also: Muti's acceptance speech for 2010 Musician of the year Award (a showcase of Muti's sense of humor) - how to conduct Schubert's Unfinished Symphony.

As suggested by a reader...

Concert éducatif Haydn - Pleyel

2009-12-06T17:21:00.000+01:00

Orchestre Les Siècles
Conduction - François-Xavier Roth
Host - Pierre Charvet
Giovanni von Essen

Joseph Haydn
Symphonie n°8 "Le Soir" (extrait)
Symphonie n°45 "Les Adieux" (extrait)
Symphonie n°88 (extrait)
Concerto pour violoncelle n°2 en ré Majeur (extrait)
Trio de Londres, 2 flûtes et violoncelle (extrait)
Libre adaptation de l'hymne allemand

W.A. Mozart
Réduction pour 2 flûtes de la Flûte Enchantée

Salle Pleyel, Dec. 6, 2009
Program here
Concert available for the next two months on Arte Live Web.

A "concert éducatif" at the Salle Pleyel in Paris is not something I would normally attend, but I jumped on the opportunity to watch it via Arte Live Web, and I did enjoy this hour of music very much.

The concert was centered around Joseph Haydn's music, with extracts from symphonies, concerti, chamber music, with two Mozart extracts and even a traditional Irish piece, all that played in a casual, friendly and joyful manner by the orchestra and conductor.

Such concerts are commendable and necessary, to educate children about the beauty and depth of classical music (even if Haydn is not really the master of multi-layered scores, but his music is simple enough to be understood by children). It shows them how fun it really is, and how easy it is to get caught into it - an experience they'll hopefully never forget.

That Arte decided to broadcast is yet another brilliant idea, because broadening the audience of such quality learning experiences is also broadening the accessibility of classical music, and hopefully engraved these emotions into even more children of all ages.

Orphée aux Enfers - Aix 2009

2009-12-06T09:37:00.000+01:00

Orphée aux Enfers

opéra-bouffe en 2 actes et 4 tableaux de Jacques Offenbach

livret d'Hector Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy

Eurydice - Pauline Courtin

Orphée - Julien Behr

Aristée/Pluton - Mathias Vidal

Jupiter - Vincent Deliau

L'Opinion Publique - Marie Gautrot

John Styx - Jerome Billy

Mercure - Paul Cremazy

Cupidon - Emmanuelle de Negri

Diane - Soula Parassidis

Vénus - Marie Kalinine

Minerve - Estelle Kaique

Junon - Sabine Revault d'Allonnes

Choeur du Festival d'Aix-en-Provence

Camerata Salzburg

Conductor - Alain Altinoglu

Director - Yves Baunesne

Aix, Théâtre de l'Archevêché

Arte broadcast, July 16, 2009

Acte 2, Jupiter

I'm afraid the production of Yves Baunesne leaves me with yet another bad taste in the mouth.

The music of Offenbach is already cliché as it is, as well as the libretto, and addind every other vaudevillesque cliché there is quite quickly disconnected by from the performance.

The facts that every cast member (Julien Behr as Orphée excepted)has such a limited stage presence and that the actors' direction is so rough sure amplifies the mediocrity of the production.

Acte 2, 3e tableau, l'Olympe

"Ce formidable bordel!" (to use Ionesco's words) is what this production really is, constantly shifting between boring tricks alla Scribe and boring grotesque tricks (Jupiter metamorphosis into a fly in Act 2, the choice of the director to have Eurydice say the spoken dialogues with a strong "Titi"-Parisian accent - quite absurd considering the gap with the music, ...).

Both the sets, the lights and the costumes are also a disappointment, beeing anything but original, edgy, smart or enlightning.

Acte 2, 4e tableau

The musical interpretation is equally as bad, singers, orchestra and conductor included.

Most of these young singers haven't developed yet, and their technique is lacking some basics (intensity and projection mainly); the conduction of Alain Altinoglu I also disliked, lacking emotion, color and brightness (the strings were especially to blame), and the overall tempo did remind me more of military marches than of Offenbach's usual spiciness.

Overall a production to forget.

Carmen - Scala - Dec.4

2009-12-05T16:49:00.001+01:00

Anita Rachvelishvili as Carmen

Renaud Machart, the very trustworthy musical critic of Le Monde, was yesterday evening attending the performance of Carmen at La Scala for journalists and under-30 audiences (read: the general rehearsal opened to the public).

He is definitely not happy.

The French diction ranges from mediocre to unbearable, he says, and the cast is overall pretty weak (he especially has tough critics for Erwin Schrott (Escamillo) and Adriana Damato (Micaëla). But he's forgiving with young Riccardo Massi (Don José) that had to step in yesterday when Kaufmann cancelled, supposedly to keep his strength for the real prima on Dec.7.

Machart is not kind also for both Barenboim - uneven and therefore having a bad understanding of the score (with sometimes a feel of Wagner to the music, that Machart dismisses as heresy).

And finally, Machart has also some criticisms for director Emma Dante - and is left wandering whether she was eaten by tradition or managed to play with it.

Full article: "Comment un ténor remplaçant a sauvé au pied levé l'ouverture de la Scala"

Scala Opening Night on Arte

2009-12-03T07:56:00.000+01:00

Once again, Arte will broadcast the Opening Night at La Scala on Dec.7 (8:45 pm Paris time).

This year of course Carmen opens the season, directed by Emma Dante, and conducted by Daniel Barenboim.

Pépite

2009-12-02T20:16:00.000+01:00

" Tu me dis de la suivre
pour que toi, tu puisses courir
après ton nouvel amant!
Non! non vraiment!
Dût-il m'en coûter la vie,
non, Carmen, je ne partirai pas
et la chaîne qui nous lie
nous liera jusqu'au trépas

(...)

Je te tiens, fille damnée
je te tiens, et je te forcerai bien
à subir la destinée
qui rive ton sort au mien! "

Final 3e acte
Carmen, EMI 1964 (2e CD, #14, 2e moitié)
Georges Prêtre, Nicolai Gedda, Maria Callas

Carmen - Barenboim / Kusej - 2006

2009-12-02T00:18:00.005+01:00

Georges Bizet (1875)

Carmen - Marina Domashenko
Don José - Rolando Villazón
Escamillo - Alexander Vinogradov
Micaëla - Norah Amsellem

Conduction - Daniel Barenboim
Berlin Staatskapelle Orchestra, Staatsopernchor

Direction - Martin Kusej
Coproduction Berlin Staatsoper / Théâtre du Chatelet

Berlin Staatsoper Under den Linden
July 1st 2006
ZDF broadcast

An all-dark and heavy atmosphere for this production of Carmen.

Lust and violence are the two axis Kusej chose to emphasize - and he did push his concept to the extreme, since not only Carmen, but also Don José and Micaëla turn out dead at the end of it.

But since the libretto didn't convey to such an extend the intentions Kusej wanted to showcase, he also took the liberty of rewriting the spoken dialogues, and in a very poorly manner.

All and all, I think this production is a failure.

Somewhere during its genesis, the concept became poisoned by its essence, Kusej lost all sense of balance, and the production became a mix of zombies and psychopaths (the zombies do appear quite litteraly during the children chorus "Avec la garde montante" in Act I, and are so disconnected from the music you can hardly escape the images of mediocre horror movies).

The other huge issue with this production is the cast.

Villazon is supposed to portray a dark, violent and nihilist Don José, but the result on stage is a disaster. There's no way he can identify with such a character, and he also has the tendency to forget his stage presence when singing a solo; "La fleur que tu m'avais jetée" is the quintessential example of such a tendency; after a while, he wants so much to showcase his voice he enters the [wild-and-ridiculous gestures]-mode, that obviously fails even more the concept of Kusej.

Domashenko's Carmen is also a disaster.

She has no sex-appeal whatsoever and her stage presence is so cold and distant it's hard to see any inch of Carmen in her. The singing is also disappointing: bad projection, ugly high notes, and no modulation (between none and too much like Villazon, I'm afraid I can't pick one over the other).

Norah Ansellem's Micaëla and Alexander Vinogradov's Escamillo are also vocally weak, and the only ray of light comes from the chorus, though its performance is not flawless as well.

I'm also very critical of Barenboim's conduction; I understand his view, I just don't agree with it, and I think he doesn't serve the score as well as he could be.

Barenboim's idea is to shape the rhythmn of the score to display all the colors Bizet injected in each individual instrumental score but, in doing so, he loses the cohesive rhythm of the score as a whole - and the opera itself.

The result is a performance in which you can distinctly hear all the instruments, but that is overall quite feeble, lacking brightness and intensity.

I wonder if he'll keep this idea when Barenboim conducts Carmen in a few days for the Opening Night at La Scala...

Attila - 1848

2009-11-26T06:28:00.000+01:00

Museo Del Risorgimento E Della Resistenza

Ferrara

July 18, 2009

Caisse de résonance

2009-11-25T14:26:00.000+01:00

Cremona

July 13, 2009

Liuteria

2009-11-21T23:38:00.001+01:00

Cremona

July 20, 2009

Magdalena Kozena - French Arias

2009-11-14T20:55:00.004+01:00

Because of my mind-blowing experience with Gounod and Minkowski in Paris, I purchased Magdalena Kozena's French Arias, with Marc Minkowski conducting the Mahler Chamber Orchestra (2003).

It turns out to be a dreamy and delightful immersion into XIXth century French music.

1. Le Domino noir, " Flamme vengeresse ", Auber
2. Cinq Mars, " Nuit resplendissante ", Gounod
3. Roméo et Juliette, "Depuis hier je cherche en vain mon maître ", Gounod
4. Cléopatre, " J'ai versé le poison ", Massenet
5. Don Carlos, " Sous ces bois au feuillage immense ", Verdi
6. Don Carlos, " Au palais des fées ", Verdi
7. La Damnation de Faust, " Autrefois un roi de Thulé ", Berlioz
8. L'Heure Espagnole, " Oh! La Pitoyable Aventure! ", Ravel
9. Don Quichotte, " Lorsque le temps d'amour a fui ", Massenet
10. Mignon, " Connais-tu le pays? ", Thomas
11. La Dame blanche, " Chut! Chut! écoutons ", Boieldieu
12. Sapho, " O ma lyre immortelle ", Gounod
13. Les Contes d'Hoffmann, " Voyez - la sous son éventail ", Offenbach
14. Cendrillon, " Ah! que mes soeurs sont heureuses ", Massenet
15. Carmen, " Les tringles des sistres tintaient ", Bizet

YouTube extracts (audio only):

- " Nuit resplendissante ", Cinq-Mars, Charles Gounod
- " O ma lyre immortelle ", Sapho, Charles Gounod
- " Les tringles des sistres tintaient ", Carmen, Georges Bizet

Another reason to love Arte

2009-11-14T08:27:00.003+01:00

[as if I still needed one]

It's called Arte Lounge, and it's hosted by Measha Brueggergosman.

© ZDF / © Antje Dittmann

Playlist for the 3rd show, that aired Nov.12 and can be viewed from France and Germany on Arte+7 here :

- Voyage à Paris, Francis Poulenc, Measha Brueggergosman

- Oboe Concerto, 2nd & 3rd mvts, J.S. Bach, Albrecht Mayer (Berlin Philharmoniker)

- Sorge nell'alma mia, Haendel, Max-Emanuel Cencic

- Cara Speme, Haendel, Max-Emanuel Cencic

- Black Earth, Fazil Say

- Turkischer Marsch, W.A.Mozart, superb re-interpretation by Fazil Say
- C'est la vie, Coralie Clément
- Le baiser permanent, Coralie Clément
- La diva de l'Empire, Eric Satie, Measha Brueggergosman
- Sleepy time, Mocky
- Was Gott tut, das ich wohlgetan, J.S.Bach, Mayer, Cencic, Mocky and others...

Next show on Dec.10.

Salzburg 2010

2009-11-13T14:40:00.000+01:00

Riccardo Muti will be back in Salzburg next summer with Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice, a piece for which his interpretations have matured so much since three decades, it has now become, I think, his own masterpiece.

Cast info:

Elisabeth Kulman, Orfeo

Genia Kühmeier, Euridice

Christiane Karg, Amore

Vienna Philharmonic

Claus Guth's brilliant production of Don Giovanni will be back for another big buzz, as Yannick Nézet-Séguin will conduct the Vienna Philharmonic.

The cast has not changed much since the 2008 premiere, so the performances should be spectacular (Erwin Schrott especially, is back as Leporello).

Yannick Nézet-Séguin will also conduct Gounod's Roméo et Juliette revival, with Anna Netrebko scheduled for 5 of the 8 performances, and with Piotr Beczala as Roméo.

There will also be two concert performances of Norma, with Edita Gruberova (Norma), Joyce DiDonato (Aldagisa), Marcello Giordani (Pollione) and Ferruccio Furlanetto (Oroveso) and Friedrich Haider conducting the Camerata Salzburg (Aug.9 and 14).

Other performances include Strauss' Elektra with Waltraud Meier, René Pape and Daniele Gatti (Nikolaus Lehnhoff's production); Berg's Lulu with Patricia Petibon ; and Rihm's Dionysus, staged by Pierre Audi.

Can anyone honestly argue that Salzburg isn't the best Summer Festival in the world right now?

"Big Fan": Nicolai Gedda

2009-10-28T16:39:00.002+01:00

Found a great link to get to know better Swedish tenor Nicolai Gedda, a great interpreter of the French repertoire from the mid-fifties to the mid-seventies. I highly recommend to hear his Nadir in Bizet's Les Pêcheurs de Perles, his Faust in Gounod's eponym masterpiece, his Werther (Massenet), and his Don José in Carmen.

Desperate times

2009-10-26T17:48:00.006+01:00

call for desperate measures, don't they?

Or else, what would Juan Diego Florez do in bed with Pedro Suarez?
Andrea Bocelli would have done the trick...

Funny appearance of JDF in the video though, and nice view of the Met's hall (3'47).

Précis d'harmonie #4 - gamme chromatique

2009-10-14T11:47:00.005+02:00

Rappel: tons / demi-tons

Figure 1

Gamme majeure: réarrangement des sept notes en série de quintes justes:

Figure 2

Poursuite de la série (à droite) en quintes justes:

Figure 3

Ces 5 nouveaux sons, intercalés avec les premiers (cf. figure 1) donnent:

Figure 4

Si on prolonge la série de quintes justes à droite, on obtient:

Figure 5

En intercalant ces 5 nouveaux sons avec les premiers (cf. figure 1), on obtient:

Figure 6

Les deux séries (celle en dièses et celle en bémols) sont des successions de quintes juste de rapport 3/2. On obtient la gamme chromatique dite gamme tempérée, formée de douze sons espacés symétriquement:

Figure 7

La musique et les musiciens Albert Lavignac - professeur d'harmonie au Conservatoire de Paris Libraire Delagrave, Paris 1938

Précis d'harmonie #3 - gamme mineure

2009-10-13T11:32:00.004+02:00

Gamme mineure = gamme majeure altérée, qui respecte les trois sons générateurs (intervalles de quarte et de quinte):

do-fa quarte do sol quinte

Les modifications portent sur les 5e harmoniques de ces trois sons: soit les trois sont abaissés, soit deux seulement, soit parfois un seul, d'une quantité déterminée.

Transformation d'une gamme majeure en une gamme de plus en plus mineure:

"Les sons nouveaux qu'on y introduit ainsi ont une parenté moins directe, un rapport moins simple avec la tonique, son principal, d'où résulte une sensation de vague qui caractérise le mode mineur, et en fait le charme un peu triste."

La musique et les musiciens Albert Lavignac - professeur d'harmonie au Conservatoire de Paris Libraire Delagrave, Paris 1938

Précis d'harmonie #2 - gamme majeure

2009-10-12T10:52:00.006+02:00

Les 15 premières harmoniques de do

Gamme majeure

- seconde majeure = do-ré (cf. harmoniques 8-9: do 8 vibrations par rapport au son fondamental, ré 9 vibrations) - rapport caractérisant la seconde majeure: 9/8
- tierce majeure (1er et 3e degrés de la gamme) = do-mi (harmoniques 4-5) - rapport 5/4
- quarte majeure = do-fa - rapport 4/3 (autre exemple entre les harmoniques 3 et 4 - sol-do)
- quinte majeure = do-sol - rapport 3/2
- sixte majeure = sol-mi - rapport 5/3
- septième majeure = do-si (harmoniques 8 et 15) = rapport 15/8 - octave = do-do (harmoniques 1 et 2) - rapport 2/1

On peut aussi représenter ces rapports en réduisant toutes les fractions au même dénominateur (27); on obtient ainsi le nombre relatif de vibrations pour chaque son d'une gamme majeure parfaitement juste:

La musique et les musiciens Albert Lavignac - professeur d'harmonie au Conservatoire de Paris Libraire Delagrave, Paris 1938

Tous les matins du monde

2009-10-11T14:36:00.009+02:00

"Tous les matins du monde sont sans retour"

I highly recommend this 1991 film by Alain Corneau; Marin Marais (Gérard Depardieu), at the dusk of his life, remembers the life of his master, Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe (Jean-Pierre Marielle - simply mind-blowing).

Jordi Savall was the musical director for this film, and also played the viola da gamba. As a result, the soundtrack is a perfect complement to Corneau's dark and intimist atmosphere, and a true testament to this particular instrument.

A must-see.

[unfortunately for the non-French speakers, the DVD is only available in French - and without any subtitles]

YouTube extracts:
- Jordi Savall playing
- a piece perfectly illustrating the mood of this film
- Lully's Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs (Depardieu as Marin Marais conducting the orchestra)

Amadeus in 5 seconds

2009-10-11T14:29:00.002+02:00

Amadeus, Milos Forman, 1984

Gounod-mania

2009-10-06T23:05:00.002+02:00

Charles Gounod, Philémon et Baucis

Que les songes heureux
Planant sur votre tête,
En un divin sommeil,
Tiennent vos sens charmés.
Que vos coeurs restent sourds,
Aux voix de la tempête,
Dormez.

Demain, vous connaîtrez,
Quand sur l'azur immense,
L'aurore épanchera
Ses rayons enflammés,
Comment le ciel se venge
Et comme il récompense,
Dormez.

Don Carlo's pictures from the ROH

2009-10-06T10:21:00.002+02:00

Recent performances of Nicolas Hytner's Don Carlo at the Royal Opera House. The production premiered in June 2008 and this new run featured Jonas Kaufmann as Don Carlo and Simon Keenlyside as Posa. All photographs - Catherine Ashmore

Précis d'harmonie #1 - harmoniques

2009-10-03T13:42:00.002+02:00

son fondamental 1 corde vibrant sur toute sa longueur 258 vibrations

2e harmonique - son à l'octave 1 corde + 1 noeud = 2 demi-cordes 517 vibrations

3e harmonique - son à la quinte 1 corde + 2 noeuds = 3 tiers de corde 775 vibrations

4e harmonique - son à la quarte 1 corde + 3 noeuds = 4 quarts de corde

Récapitulatif

Notes tonales - Octave, quinte, quarte.

La musique et les musiciens Albert Lavignac - professeur d'harmonie au Conservatoire de Paris Libraire Delagrave, Paris 1938

Conduct like Dudamel

2009-09-29T10:14:00.003+02:00

For the beginning of Gustavo Dudamel as Music Director (opening concert on Oct.8), the LA Philharmonic has come up with a little game (also available on your iPhone) they should have untitled "So you think you can conduct".

Fastes du XIXe siècle

2009-09-28T22:37:00.002+02:00

Grand Hall de l'Opéra Garnier Paris Sept.22, 2009

Mireille ressucitée

2009-09-26T21:20:00.007+02:00

Mireille

Opéra en 5 actes de Charles Gounod

Livret de Michel Carré d'après Frédéric Mistral

Créé au Théâtre Lyrique le 19 mars 1864

Entrée au répertoire de l'Opéra de Paris, 14 septembre 2009

Mireille - Inva Mula

Vincent - Charles Castronovo

Ourrias - Franck Ferrari

Ramon - Alain Vernhes

Taven - Sylvie Brunet

Vincenette - Anne-Catherine Gillet

Andrelou - Sebastien Droy

Ambroise - Nicolas Cavallier

Clemence - Amel Brahim-Djelloul

Le Passeur - Ugo Rabec

Orchestre et choeurs de l'Opéra de Paris

Conduction - Marc Minkowski

Stage direction - Nicolas Joël

Opéra Garnier Sept.22 performance - gala AROP

There were certainly some in Paris to boo Nicolas Joël's new production (only on the premiere it seems, as in NY). Nobody followed through in the performance I attended though, not even me, though his lack of ideas and actors direction is the only thing one can think of after seeing his production.

But Joël's decision to start his 5-yr contract as director of the Paris Opera by staging this particular piece is so commendable - and Minkowski's conduction is so exquisite one can only thank the man. Finally, after too many years of drought, Gounod is back in Paris. Adios Gérard Mortier...

I can't emphasize enough how extatic I felt when the first notes of the overture emerged and how exquisite the musical execution was. Finally, after too many years of bad treatment - including Plasson's massacre last year in Orange, Gounod's music is fully rehabilitated.

Who can, after hearing this performance, honestly say Gounod is boring and emotionless? It took Mark Minkowski - a baroque's conductor - to unravel all the marvels of Mireille's score.
I had truly never heard this opera played so brilliantly - a magnificent interpretation indeed (why he was also booed on the premiere is beyond comprehension).

And so does it really matter that Joël's staging is unattractive and quite dumb and so desperately true to the libretto ? Not for me.

Beginning of Act I

The piece

Gounod wanted to adapt provensal poet Frédéric Mistral's novel for the lyric stage (he actually composed most of the music while staying in the very places Mistral's story takes place in), but had to adapt to so many demands he ultimately delivered a piece quite different from his original idea.
The huge pressure he got all his life from opera directors and prima donna meant he constantly had to make concessions and give way.

For Mireille, Marie Miolan-Carvalho - wife of the Théâtre Lyrique's director and the soprano who would create the role - told Gounod "Surtout, n'est-ce pas, faites brillant, très brillant, brillant" [Make it shiny, shiny, shiny], so he had to cut most of the dramatic scenes and add light and joyful arias for Mireille.

The score was cut and rewritten again and again after the premiere, and some arias of the original score were lost during the fire of the Opera House.

The version performed in Paris is the one Reynaldo Hahn assembled in 1939 - the closest to the original version.

More on this opera:
- Synopsis - in French

Alain Vernhes and Inva Mula

The performance

Apart from the marvellous job Marc Minkowski did, the orchestra had a great night as well.
The strings were superb, as were the woods and the brass.

The energy coming from the pit was mind-blowing, but the chorus of the Paris Opera did not deliver nearly as good a performance as the musicians did. The change of the chorus master hasn't succeeded in improving the quality of the ensemble - their unison is always somehow off and terribly unstable.

The soloist singers on the other hand were overall interesting - and Charles Castronovo, with his dark yet juvenile timbre made a good impression on me as Vincent.

I was also impressed by Alain Vernhes' Ramon, a rich and colorful voice very expressive, and Anne-Catherine Gillet's Vincenette.

The weakest main character was Franck Ferrari's Ourrias. The acting was vaudeville-esque and pretentious(and I hate vaudeville at the opera), while the singing was mediocre and not really up to the overall level.

Inva Mula's French is not really understandable for anybody, but her singing was decent enough not to ruin Minkowski's view of Mireille.

Overall a great evening for me.

Further reading
- Mireille au palais Garnier, Formalhaut
- Oh Mireille, même à Garnier, tu ne vieillis pas

Prendre de la hauteur

2009-09-23T18:40:00.002+02:00

Plafond de l'opéra Garnier, peint par Marc Chagall Paris, Sept.22, 2009

[Mireille review]

2009-09-16T14:27:00.003+02:00

Before anyone asks, I will be attending the Sept.22 performance of Gounod's Mireille at the Paris Opera (Garnier). Obviously no review until then...

Orange 2010

2009-09-15T10:40:00.001+02:00

Just received the program for the Chorégies d'Orange next summer (website not updated yet):

Fast fact about Mireille

2009-09-14T22:03:00.002+02:00

Gounod's Mireille, opening tonight at the Paris Opera, is performed in its 1939 version - the one rediscovered and imposed by Reynaldo Hahn. Fascinating how this very name keeps popping up in my world regularly.

Guth's Nozze di Figaro - Salzburg 2006

2009-09-03T17:11:00.008+02:00

Le Nozze di Figaro
W.A.Mozart

Stage direction : Claus Guth
Dramaturgy: Ronnie Dietrich
Stage and costume design: Christian Schmidt
Choreography: Ramsès Sigl
2006 Salzburg Festival DVD Deutsche Gramophon

The talent of Claus Guth lies in his fantastic ability to add depth and darkness to an otherwise very silly vaudeville-esque plot. Each character is given more layers than the libretto states, from the most obvious (Figaro or Il Conte) to the most unexpected ones (Cherubino for instance). Not only that, but Guth creates a very cohesive and clear, yet infinitely personal and detailed vision of Le Nozze.

The dramaturgy of Ronny Dietrich is very logic to start with, but Guth takes it to a higher level with numerous thoughtful details, either poetic - the feathers falling from the sky when Figaro cuts Cherubino's hair (first portayed in the introduction as the angel puppeteer with small feathered wings) in Act 1 "Non più andrai, farfallone amoroso", or funny - the entrance of Il Conte threatening his wife with an axe in Act 2 "Tutto è come il lasciai" recitativo for instance.

Furthermore, Guth is brilliant at dealing with trios. He creates a unique and colorful synergy between the three characters all the time, that transcends Da Ponte's words, adding codes to structure his whole concept - such as the recurring posture of the two dominant characters surrounding left and right the weakest one.

Guth's general idea is that the characters' lives are intertwined even closer than what the libretto suggests, and that everyone is the puppet of Destiny - the Cherubino-twin angel in his vision. Each apparition of the Destiny - even when the little angel throws himself out the window or comes in on an unicycle - is very relevant and true to the concept, often even poetic.

You are drown to this production, overall even more accomplished and mesmorizing than his hynotizing Don Giovanni for the 2008 Salzburg Festival. It's such a joy to be able to see such a successful production, such a rare feeling for me - and I should know, I neither like Mozart nor Netrebko and I still bought the DVD.

Guth's Cosi - Salzburg 2009

2009-08-29T01:37:00.009+02:00

Act 2, Last scene

Cosi fan tutte
W. A. Mozart

Fiordiligi - Miah Persson
Dorabella - Isabel Leonard
Ferrando - Topi Lehtipuu
Guglielmo - Florian Boesch
Don Alfonso - Bo Skovhus
Despina - Patricia Petibon
Wiener Philharmoniker & Staatsopernchor
Adam Fischer Musikalische Leitung
Claus Guth Regie

Salzburg, July 30 2009, ORF2 broadcast

Claus Guth's Cosi, that was performed this summer in Salzburg, is set in a modern house near the woods where Don Giovanni was wandering in last year. The dark atmosphere is pretty similar in both productions but Don Giovanni was a masterpiece - and Cosi is just an accumulation of awkward moments.

The fault is on Guth obviously, who saturated this production with German expressionism, but also on the cast, who was not able - Isabel Leonard excepted - to convey Guth's vision.
But since the singing was overall good, I blame Guth again on that subject - for not simplifying his direction. If your ideas don't work with the cast you have, you must adapt. Mustn't you? The most obvious example lies with Don Alfonso. Guth's idea of Cosi is focused around Don Alfonso - portrayed as Gounod's Méphitophélès from Faust : dark and manipulative.

This concept first lost credibility when he added tons of expressionism - Konwitschny-style.
It then sank when Bo Skovhus was cast for the role - no insult intended, but he's definitely no Erwin Schrott. And I'm pretty sure this production could only have worked with Schrott as Don Alfonso. Well, I suppose this only means you can't be a genius all the time. Better luck next time.

Isabel Leonard

[superb "Amore è un ladroncello" in Act 2]
Patricia Petibon
Florian Boesch & Miah Persson

Decorum

2009-08-28T13:38:00.003+02:00

Opéra Garnier Paris June 16, 2009

Le Peletier

2009-08-27T12:15:00.003+02:00

Maquette de la salle Le Peletier, 1831 (the building was burnt to the ground in 1873) Musée de la Musique, Paris June 16, 2009

Bed of light

2009-08-24T15:26:00.002+02:00

Palais Garnier, Paris June 16, 2009

King Roger

2009-08-23T22:22:00.000+02:00

Paris June 16, 2009

A few words about Py's Idomeneo - Aix 2009

2009-08-23T01:18:00.006+02:00

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Idomeneo, Re di Creta

Idomeneo Richard Croft
Idamante Yann Beuron
Ilia Sophie Karthäuser
Elettra Mireille Delunsch

Rundfunkchor Berlin
Musiciens du Louvre Grenoble
Direction musicale Marc Minkowski

Mise en scène et lumières Olivier Py
Scénographie et costumes Pierre André Weitz

Aix-en-Provence - 10th July 2009 Arte live broadcast

Olivier Py's production of Mozart's Idomeneo for the 2009 Aix Festival, though pleasant and easy to follow, leaves me a bit disappointed. The staging, a mix of Pierre Audi-like aesthetics and Nikolaus Lehnhoff's iconography, lacks depth and is nothing close to a groundbreaking experience. Fantastic craftsmanship is on display continuously, but the staging remains desperately emotionless. And Neptune and his kitchen knife and hairy chest fails to bring any edginess to it. The ideas are all well-thought and well-polished, but the sets and costumes, all in B&W, create a cold scenery that is reinforced by the lack of any truly vivid actor's direction.

More on the subject:
- "Olivier Py en fait un peu trop avec sa mise en scène d'"Idoménée" de Mozart, à Aix-en-Provence", Le Monde, Marie-Aude Roux
- "Festival d'Aix: Olivier Py débute dans Mozart avec un "Idoménée" bien bâti", Le Point
- "L’«Idoménée» choc d’Olivier Py", Libération, Eric Dahan
- "La frénésie d'“Idoménée” selon Py", Télérama, Fabienne Pascaud
- Olivier Py's interview by France Soir

Opéra des rues 2009

2009-08-19T12:19:00.002+02:00

Festival Opéra des Rues
Paris 12e et 13e arrondissements
4-6 septembre 2009

Before the show

2009-08-14T17:53:00.001+02:00

Arena di Verona July 15, 2009

Il Padrino

2009-08-09T18:39:00.003+02:00

Riccardo Muti
Salzburg Festival August 6, 2009
AP Photo

Pagliacci, Orange

2009-08-08T17:51:00.006+02:00

I Pagliacci
Ruggiero Leoncavallo
Dramma in due atti (1892)
Libretto Ruggiero Leoncavallo

Nedda - Inva Mula
Canio - Roberto Alagna
Tonio - Seng-Hyou Ko
Silvio - Stéphane Degout
Beppe - Florian Laconi
Orchestre National de France
Choeurs des opéras de région
Georges Prêtre, direction
Mise en scène, Jean-Claude Auvray

France 3 live broadcast of the Aug.4 performance
Chorégies d'Orange

If I had the opportunity to choose an opera to stage, I would choose Pagliacci.
First of all, for very personal reasons, I love "le Théâtre dans le Théâtre" or, in this case, "le cirque dans l'opéra". It automatically carries, for me, a deep sense of Absurd that is longing to be explored. Yet I haven't seen any production of Pagliacci that focuses on this aspect. This one included.

Can you imagine what a director familiar with Harold Pinter's work would do with such a piece? Clearly Jean-Claude Auvray never heard of Pinter.

His one big idea, changing the end of the opera by having Canio kill himself is the ultimate misreading of the libretto. This is not an opera about death, although Nedda and Silvio actually die, this is about life. Canio's life. And his rebirth, after killing his unfaithful wife and her lover.

There is so much to explore in this piece without altering its meaning, and yet Auvray chose the easy path - making it more dramatic (or totally idiotic) by having Canio commit suicide. Les mots me manquent. How did he dare? It is so hard to really read the libretto, written by Leoncavallo himself, and try to play with lines such as Canio's "Il teatro e la vita, Non son la stessa cosa." ?

The conduction of Georges Prêtre was fortunately on a whole different level. There was a very cinematographic feel to it and it blended the music perfectly with Orange's Théâtre Antique.
At one point during the love scene between Nedda and Silvio, with the wind blowing in Inva Mula's hair, I felt like I was watching a movie from the sixties (which only shows how different a live performance and a broadcast really are, regardless of the size of the TV screen).

In any case, Prêtre's conduction was fresh and truly vibrant. The contrast between his music and the physical appearance of this now very old man is really mind-blowing.

As for the cast, Inva Mula gave a forgettable performance - not bad, but not particularly exciting as well. Roberto Alagna was not very convincing either, but substituting singing with shouting hardly ever is. And his "Recitar... vesti la giubba", the highlight of the score for me, fell terribly short I'm afraid.

Song Hyon Ko was the best of the cast. His singing was full of colours and nuances, the voice was well-placed, and the acting was convincing enough. A really interesting portrayal of Tonio by Ko.

" Genial grace "

2009-08-07T12:16:00.007+02:00

The search for the next generation of great conductors is an endless quest that is often very frustrating and can lead to long desperate moments. And then, once in a while, the Graal is here, almost palpable.

And I'm not talking about Gustavo Dudamel. Hell no.

My top of the list is Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Even NY Times' killjoy Anthony Tommasini was impressed with his NY debuts. Isn't that a miracle in itself?
" Conductor Embraces His New York Moment " NY Times, Anthony Tommasini, August 5, 2009

Saldi

2009-08-03T18:50:00.001+02:00

Bologna July 19, 2009

Vent de contestation sur Bologne

2009-07-31T06:57:00.002+02:00

Apparently, opera directors around the world can't run anything without some kind of conflicts. Conflicts that can only escalate to dramatic levels in countries such as France and Italy. How long has the revolution been under way in Bologna?
Forever, it seems.

Respect pour le public! Le gouvernement coupe le budget des théâtres de 200 millions d'euros: un char d'assaut en moins. Respect for the public! Governement is cutting the budget for theaters off 200 million euros: the cost of a tank.

"Vous n'avez pas été faits pour vivre comme des brutes." Dante, Inferno L'Art aussi est un bien !!! "You were not made to live like brutes." Art is a good too!!!

NB. Marco Tutino covrintendente e direttore artistico del Teatro Comunale di Bologna Tutino mène le théâtre à la faillite! Sauvons le théâtre! Tutino is running the theater to bankrupcy. Let's save the theater!

Un vrai pays de barbares n'est pas un pays qui n'a jamais connu l'Art mais un pays qui ne sait ni apprécier, ni conserver ses innombrables chefs d'oeuvre. A real barbarian state is not a state where Art never existed but one that doesn't know how to love and preserve its countless masterpieces.

Teatro comunale, Bologna July 19, 2009

Outside the Arena

2009-07-30T12:39:00.004+02:00

Arena di Verona July 15, 2009

Il Paese di Verdi

2009-07-29T12:13:00.004+02:00

Busseto, provincia di Parma July 13, 2009

Roncole

2009-07-28T13:05:00.004+02:00

Roncole Verdi, provincia di Parma
Casa natale di Giuseppe Verdi
July 13, 2009

Fin de cycle

2009-07-08T10:11:00.005+02:00

La Traviata
G.Verdi
Opéra de Lyon

Photo Opéra de Lyon

July 7 review (last performance of the run).
For further details about the cast and the production, see here.

Amazing how 15 days of performances can make a difference on an orchestra.
Although I am still very much doubtful about the level of the flute and French horns, I must say the orchestra as a whole sounded decent this time around.
Even the conduction of Gérard Korsten was more inspired and focused - but I still think he has a consensual and panache-less reading of the score.
The chorus was also better last night, which cannot be said of the cast as a whole.

The three main roles, Alfredo, Giorgio and Violetta sounded tired and both Alfredo and Violetta had lost some clarity in the voice (the problem was obvious for Edgaras Montvidas as Alfredo).

Ermonela Jaho as Violetta also looked pretty tired, which obviously brought her closer to her never-dying character (by the way, in this production, she doesn't actually die on stage, but ends up as a static zombie while the curtain is closing - talk about originality).

Once again, I couldn't really relate to the emotions she showcased, as I found myself deaf to her vocal expressivity. Her stage presence improved on the other hand, especially at the end (from "Addio del passato" to the end).

This performance was the official end of the 2008-09 season in Lyon. It's very doubtful I will attend any performance here next season. I'm done with Serge Dorny's choices.

Cordes raides

2009-07-04T22:03:00.004+02:00

Musée de la Musique, Paris
June 16, 2009

Kaufmann's Lohengrin

2009-07-02T20:21:00.005+02:00

Jonas Kaufmann latest CD Sehnsucht, with The Mahler Chamber Orchestra conducted by Claudio Abbado has been released by Decca in Germany, and a couple of extracts are available on YouTube;

- "In fernem Land", Lohengrin, Wagner
- "Mein lieber Schwan", Lohengrin, Wagner

What an appealing Lohengrin...

Little Red Riding Violetta

2009-07-02T15:02:00.004+02:00

Natalie Dessay at the Santa Fe Opera for her first Traviata.

From PlaybillArts.

High skyes

2009-06-26T06:35:00.001+02:00

Plafond du théâtre des Champs Elysées
Paris, Feb.26, 2009

Traviata in Lyon with Jaho

2009-06-25T22:27:00.013+02:00

La Traviata

Giuseppe Verdi

Opéra en quatre parties, 1853

Livret de Francesco Maria Piave d'après La Dame aux camélias d'Alexandre Dumas fils

Ermonela Jaho, Violetta Valéry

Edgaras Montvidas, Alfredo Germont

Lionel Lhote, Giorgio Germont

Orchestre et Chœurs de l'Opéra de Lyon

Alan Woodbridge, Chef des Chœurs

Gérard Korsten, Direction musicale

Klaus Michael Grüber, Mise en scène

Ellen Hammer, Collaboration artistique et réalisation de la mise en scène

Recréation - Coproduction initiale Théâtre du Châtelet, Opéra de Lyon

June 23 performance

First of all, I know it's not very elegant to criticize dead people, but the late Klaus Michael Grüber who directed the original run of this production in 1993, really was uninspired.

Think about a stage where all the characters are static, with for whatever reason a naked woman appearing in the first part, a ridiculous use of the stage (or non-use I should say), this would have be comical if I had been in the mood to close my eyes. Unfortunately I was not, but I came to the notion as the music was unfolding.
Neither of the singers were really able to act convincingly in this ghost of a production (bad joke intended). Jaho didn't really have the stamina to portray the dying Violetta and her performance lacked intensity and ardor. The others were even worse.

The conduction of Gérard Korsten was unoriginal at best - but you can't except much from someone who doesn't hear how vivid and vibrant Verdi's music is (or rather only sees one dimension to it). The real disaster though came from the pit: all sections of the orchestra were horrendous, at one time or another (another being a number between 5 and 6), and all the time altogether. I have never heard it sound so badly in the years I've regularly attended performances at the Opéra de Lyon. This was an embarrassing nightmare really, but the audience loudly cheering the orchestra at the end must have been even worse. How bad are your ears people, seriously?

Lionel Lhote as Giorgio Germont was decent, but his voice quietly worsened during the performance.

Edgaras Montvidas as Alfredo has still a lot of work to do to polish his sound and clear his timbre. But he displayed interesting and lifeful colours and emotions.

Ermonela Jaho was kind of a disappointment. Her voice started to emerge for the Sempre Libera aria, but she wasn't really a factor before that. Her notes were beautiful, her singing passionate, but somehow I didn't feel the emotions coming out of her voice. Kind of when you attend a play and aren't really touched by an actor you normally like. Hopefully I won't have the same impression when I come back for the last performance of the run (July 7).

Overall, once again, it's very unforgiving to come back to the Opéra de Lyon after a Muti experience...

All photos Opéra de Lyon except those below.

Further readings:

"Ermanela Jaho, magnétique Violetta dans La Traviata", M.A.Roux, Le Monde, June 26 :

"La soprano albanaise Ermonela Jaho n'est pas encore très connue du grand public. (...) Présence magnétique et voix d'airain, la jeune femme incarne une Violetta sur le fil, alternant un chant très retenu, avec de brusques montées de fièvre - mimétique des symptômes phtisiques qui la rongent. A ses côtés, le solide Alfredo du ténor lituanien Edgaras Montvidas semble un tantinet froid, le Germont de Lionel Lhote un rien plébéien. Le seul bémol (de taille) vient de la très prosaïque direction du chef d'orchestre sud-africain Gerard Korsten."

"La Traviata s'offre gratuitement en Rhône-Alpes", Luc Hernandez, Libération Lyon, July 3

Demofoonte, part II

2009-06-24T12:20:00.009+02:00

First post about the June 16 performance of Demofoonte in Paris (Opéra Garnier) here.

III. The staging

Salzburg May 28, 2009

On paper, I like where Cesare Lievi went with his sets: a deconstructed Greek temple, where everything is upside down, with slight changes between the acts that focus on small details.

The concept would have worked brilliantly, hadn't it been for the complete lack of any actor's direction, an unimaginative scenography and an horrendous use of the stage.

Basically nothing ever comes to life in this context, and all it does really is focus on the repetitive aspect of Jommelli's music. Not exactly the best way to present his Demofoonte to a public that is not familiar with it. It seems to be a trend among stage directors these days, to do everything in their power to ruin the music and the singing. Muti should never have accepted that...

Salzburg, May 28, 2009

IV. The AROP gala In Paris, if you're a wealthy opera geek, the AROP is the select club that will allow you to attend opera performances amongst high-end friends, with a beautiful dinner at the end of the evening, free champagne and canapés during the intermissions, and an Opera House specially decorated for the event.

Obviously this kind of evening is the perfect showcase for your latest designer dress, and you expect men to wear a tuxedo with a neck bow (or if you're a rebel, a tie). Anyway, this is the time to be glamorous among your fabulous friends.

On the down side, this is the night the Opera House is guaranteed not to be filled, because inevitably, some will have better things to do than attend the performance, and their expensive seats will remain desperately empty. Quite a shame, considering the whole run of Demofoonte is full. But hey, when rich and famous, who cares about waste? And who cares about the vulgare pecus?

Anyway, the auditorium was obviously not full, and the public reacted at the end of the performance with the appropriate restraint and elegance: not too much noise and certainly no bravo, this was not the time and place to be exuberant and lavish.

Fortunately, the 4th balcony was packed with ordinary people who were a bit louder and more enthusiastic, but I must say the applause was mainly directed at Riccardo Muti.

Further readings:

- "Les faux débuts de Riccardo Muti à l'opéra de Paris", June 19, Le Monde, M.A.Roux
"Mais qu'allait-il faire dans cette galère ? C'est le sentiment qui domine à l'issue des quatre heures de spectacle consacrées au rarissime opéra napolitain Demofoonte, de Niccolo Jommelli (1714-1774), avec lequel le chef d'orchestre Ricardo Muti a fait, à bientôt 68 ans, ses débuts à l'Opéra de Paris. Car il n'est pas sûr que ce Demofoonte (prochaines représentations au Palais Garnier les 18, 20 et 21 juin) marque durablement la rencontre tant attendue de Paris avec le maestro italien."

- "Le jardin napolitain de Riccardo Muti", Webthea
- "La première française de l’opéra napolitain", June 16, ResMusica, Francesca Guerrasio

Demofoonte in Paris with Muti

2009-06-17T19:00:00.016+02:00

Drama per musica (opera seria) in 3 acts

Nicolo Jommelli
Libretto Pietro Metastasio
1770 Napoli version

Demofoonte - Dmitry Korchak (tenor)
Dircea - Maria Grazia Schiavo (soprano)
Timante - José Maria Lo Monaco (mezzo-soprano)
Matusio - Antonio Giovannini (counter-tenor)
Creusa - Eleonora Buratto (soprano)
Cherinto - Valentina Coladonato (mezzo-soprano)

Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini
Riccardo Muti conducting
Stage direction - Cesare Lievi

Opéra National de Paris
Palais Garnier - Gala AROP
June 16, 2009

Grand escalier décoré pour Demofoonte

I. The score

Pietro Metastasio's libretto is quite a success, as things flow with an acute sense of dramaturgy, displaying intricate situations in which characters unfold, with mixed personalities and a certain sense of humour.

In that regard, not only is this libretto quite ahead of his time, it's also a very cohesive and homogeneous piece. Jommelli's music however doesn't have this continuous appeal. The last two acts are rich and audacious for the time, and contain real jewels (Demofoonte's aria in Act II, scene 10 being the highlight of the score for me), but the first act is really disappointing (and terribly long: 1 hour and 15 minutes). It doesn't display the originality Jommelli put in the last two, and all the arias are built on the same scheme: two quatrains.

As for the music, this first act is saturated with da capo (when the aria is a closed loop with a ABA structure). All it does really is allow you to fall into a semi-conscious state of mind where you desperately wait for something unusual to come along - a vain hope in the first act obviously.

Fortunately, the drought ends after the first act, and I must say the transition between boring and exciting was quite astonishing. The second act is the most appealing for me, with once again that sublime aria of Demofoonte in scene 10.

The end of Act III is a bit long, and Muti's choice to conduct the 1770 version is indisputably relevant after hearing the piece (Jommelli cut 8 of the 24 arias in this version!).

II. The musical execution

The youth orchestra Luigi Cherubini that Riccardo Muti created in 2004 to give back to young Italian musicians was recast in 2008 to allow for new instrumentalists to learn, and to send the original musicians to the real world of professional orchestras around the world.
This Demofoonte production is their biggest work so far, having previously traveled to Salzburg this Spring and heading to Ravenna for this summer.

For such a young group, their performance was phenomenal. They played with poise, finesse, intelligence, sensitivity, passion, at such a level it's hard to figure they're not professionals yet. They responded with verve and perfect accuracy to the conduction of Riccardo Muti.

The strings were brilliant (especially the cellos), the horns were exquisite, and it turned out to be such a shame Jommelli didn't orchestrate his piece for more instruments.

As for the singers, the level was quite unequal - Maria Grazia Schiavo as Dircea was amazing, as was Eleonora Buratta as Creusa (their duet was pretty intense): beautiful breath, perfect placement of the voice, great high, low and middle registers, adequate projection, magnificent phrasing, they simply delivered an outstanding performance.

The rest of the cast I was disappointed by. José Maria Lo Monaco, although an audience favorite, seemed cold and somehow not in the mood for the piece, and her timbre is neither velvety nor coarsed, just unpalatable to my taste.

Dmitry Korchak on the other hand as Demofoonte had gigantic issues with ornamentation and his high register. He's supposed to sing Nadir in Santiago at the end of August, and I feel sorry for Bizet already. His stage presence was not really convincing also, and Cesare Lievi didn't help by not hiding this age (he's way too young for the part).

I also didn't react positively to neither Antonio Giovannini as Matusio nor to Valentina Coladonato as Cherinto. Their performance was mediocre at best, and their technique is not quite yet where it should be (especially the breathing for Giovannini and the high register for Coladonato).

Finally, a few words about Riccardo Muti. Once again, I can only praise the work he's done with this piece. The orchestral bars were all sublime and magical, and that's when you regret Jommelli didn't put as many of those as Gluck. One thing he did do however, is moderately use the recitativo secco and extensively substitute them with recitativo accompagnato, where Muti's input was exquisite. One can only attempt to describe with words what marvels Muti can accomplish with so few notes.

NB. There will be another post about this performance, because I have to talk about the stage direction and this special evening, the AROP gala.

Traviata broadcast from Lyon

2009-06-10T10:49:00.003+02:00

Complete list of outdoor broadcasts here.
The performance will also be broadcast live on France Musique and Mezzo, on the Opéra de Lyon website and on evene.fr.

Muti's Requiem

2009-06-09T23:10:00.013+02:00

Giuseppe Verdi
Requiem
Barbara Frittoli, soprano
Olga Borodina, mezzo-soprano
Ramon Vargas, tenor
Ildar Abdrazakov, bass

Choeurs de Radio France, Matthias Brauer chorus master
Orchestre National de France
Riccardo Muti, conduction

Basilique de Saint-Denis
Medici.tv broadcast
June 8, 2009

I initially didn't intend to review the Verdi's Requiem that Muti conducted yesterday, but, since I've been asked to, how can I resist sharing here the marvels Riccardo Muti once again accomplished in Saint-Denis?
Ultimately, the true star of any of Muti's performances is the composer, and he's uniquely talented, I think, especially when it comes to Verdi (and Berlioz too, and Gluck, and Mozart, ... you get the point) to extract the quintessential beauty of the score. Verdi's music can indeed be quite magical when performed in such a manner.

His requiem sure sounded amazingly well under the baton of Muti.

The chorus led by Matthias Brauer delivered a fantastic performance throughout the piece, to the level of the one they gave in February, with beautiful pianissimi and a splendid performance of the famous Dies irae.

The orchestra was overall also very good, and the conduction of Muti elevated Verdi's music to a heavenly level, with all the flamboyant tempi and gorgeous nuances one dreams of hearing.

Although she looked like she was floating in an alternate universe, Olga Borodina delivered a stunning performance as well. I was less impressed by Barbara Frittoli, who didn't quite deliver adequately the low notes (not loud enough) and Ramon Vargas, who had a few ugly high notes and was closely monitored all concert long by Riccardo Muti, to prevent him from yelling his notes. But overall, both of them were good.

Ildar Abdrazakov was the angel of the basilique, with his velvety timbre and delicate phrasing. He delivered such an exquisite performance he almost shadowed Muti. If that's not the ultimate compliment, coming from me...

Le Monde, Marie-Aude Roux, June 10 Riccardo Muti transcende le Requiem de Verdi
" A bientôt 68 ans (il est né le 28 juillet 1941), le maestro italien est au zénith de son art. Sa Missa da Requiem est une véritable leçon de style et d'élégance, qui n'exclut pas l'émotion mais la transcende.
(...) Le Choeur de Radio France, galvanisé, quoique fermement tenu, s'est surpassé en intelligibilité et en intelligence.
(...) On oubliera vite quelques imperfections de Barbara Frittoli (vibrato un peu large) dans la petite cantate pour soprano solo qu'est le "Libera me" ("Délivre-moi Seigneur de la mort éternelle"). Suspendu à la baguette de Riccardo Muti, soucieux de ses moindres intentions, donné à lui dans ce qu'il faut bien appeler une communion en musique et en esprit, l'Orchestre national a confirmé qu'il est bien le meilleur des deux orchestres de Radio France. "

Der Freischütz, Baden Baden 2009

2009-06-08T17:59:00.007+02:00

Der Freischütz
Carl Maria von Weber

Klaus Kuttler - Ottokar
Reinhard Dorn - Cuno
Juliane Banse - Agathe
Julia Kleiter - Ännchen
Dimitry Ivashchenko - Kaspar
Steve Davislim - Max
Paata Burchuladze - Ein Eremit
Ronald Spiess - Samiel
Matjaz Robavs - Kilian

Festspielhaus Chorus Baden-Baden
Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Thomas Hengelbrock Musical Direction

Robert Wilson Direction, Stage Design and Lighting
Viktor und Rolf Costumes

Arte live broadcast June 1, 2009

Bob Wilson's new production of Weber's masterpiece is an heteroclite mix of bad taste (Viktor & Rolf's ugly costumes) and subtle aesthetics (especially the lights) that conveys the usual minimalist atmosphere what is really his one and only signature.

Apparently my dislike for naïve representations of fairy tales is no match for my deep attraction to minimalism, as I was overall quite disappointed by this production.

The actor's direction also didn't appeal at all to me, even if I liked the idea that the characters are all puppets of the providence (I just can't stand the way Wilson expressed it).

Adding an interlude before the scene of the Wolf's Gen (Wolfsschlucht) at the end of Act II with Baudelaire's Lithanies de Satan was, to my view, not quintessential to emphasize Samiel's presence (Viktor & Rolf's costume was more than enough) and I don't really think Baudelaire's world is somehow close to Weber's, even in that particular occasion.

The musical execution of the Mahler chamber orchestra was not really impressive (the French horns were horrendous) but Thomas Hengelbrock's conduction was interesting most of the time (though sporadically laborious and strained, especially during the overture).

The Festspielhaus Chorus Baden-Baden was spectacular on the other hand, each time they had any note to sing (the huntsmen chorus generated a well-deserved ovation and was encored). A truly superb and memorable performance.

Julia Kleiter as Ännchen was brilliant, both singing and acting (the only one who actually embraced Wilson's direction); her middle register is just superb and perfectly under control. The same thing can't be said about Juliane Banse as Agathe (too weak and hiding behind way too many vibratos), nor about Steve Davislim as Max (ugly high notes). Dimitry Ivashchenko was a very decent and colourful Kaspar.

Further readings:
- "Eine trifft, die andere äffet", I Hear Voices
- MusicalCritiscim.com, Francis Shelton

Muti, about Demofoonte

2009-06-07T23:24:00.002+02:00

Muti in Saint -Denis

2009-06-05T20:00:00.002+02:00

Télérama, numéro en date du 3 juin 2009

St Denis live on the internet

2009-06-05T07:02:00.003+02:00

The Festival de St Denis will start on Sunday and 5 concerts will be broadcast live and free on the internet via medici.tv:

June 8 2009, 8:30pm (Paris time) Riccardo Muti conducting Verdi's Requiem with Barbara Frittoli, Olga Borodina, Ramon Vargas, Ildar Abdrazakov Choeur de Radio France (Matthias Brauer chorus master) Orchestre National de France
June 18 2009, 8:30pm Félix Mendelssohn Concerto pour violon Les Hébrides – ouverture Le Songe d’une nuit d’été Amel Brahim–Djelloul, Renata Pokupic, Sergey Khachatryan (violin) Maîtrise de Radio France (Sofi Jeannin ch master) Orchestre National de France (Kurt Masur conducting)
June 23 2009, 8:30pm LEO Salve Regina HAENDEL Il Pianto di Maria PERGOLESE Stabat Mater Sabrina Puertolas, Vivica Genaux Les Talens Lyriques Christophe Rousset, direction
July 2 2009, 8:30pm RACHMANINOV Les Cloches TCHAIKOVSKI Concerto pour violon Marina Poplavskaya, Piotr Beczala, Vassili Gerello, Alina Pogostkina (violon) Choeur de Radio France (Matthias Brauer ch master) Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France Mikko Franck, direction
July 7 2009, 8:30pm Ludwig van Beethoven Fantaisie Chorale Symphonie n°9 Olga Guryakova, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Nikolaï Schukoff, René Pape, Herbert Schuch (piano) BBC National Chorus of Wales Ensemble Orchestral de Paris John Nelson, direction

Freischutz live on Arte

2009-05-20T10:46:00.002+02:00

On June 1st, Arte will broadcast live from Baden-Baden Weber's Der Freischutz, starting at 7 pm. The broadcast will also be available via the website arte.tv where the program will begin at 6 pm with several backstage cameras and two reporters showing the preparations for this performance. Thomas Hengelbrock - Musical Direction Robert Wilson - Direction, Stage Design and Lighting Viktor und Rolf - Costumes Klaus Kuttler - Ottokar Reinhard Dorn - Cuno Juliane Banse - Agathe Julia Kleiter - Ännchen Dimitry Ivashchenko - Kaspar Steve Davislim - Max Festspielhaus Chorus Baden-Baden Mahler Chamber Orchestra From Classiquenews.

2009-10 European schedules

2009-05-13T09:30:00.007+02:00

Amsterdam, Die Nederlandse Opera

season here highlights: Pierre Audi's production of Halévy's La Juive(Paris 2007) with Annick Massis and John Osborn (Léopold) conducted by Carlo Rizzi in September; Purcell's Dido and Aeneas conducted by William Christie, with Luca Pisaroni as Aeneas in late September/early October; Peter Konwitschny's production of Salomé (Nov.), Nikolaus Lehnhoff's take on Puccini's La Fanciulla del West (Dec.); Kaija Saariaho's Emilie with Karita Mattila (March 18 & 21); Audi's production of Berlioz's Les Troyens (April); Nikolaus Lehnhoff and Yannick Nézet-Séguin exploring Turandot (May); Anna Caterina Antonacci in Altre Stelle (May); René Jacobs conducting Conti's Don Chisciotte in Sierra Morena (June)

Barcelona, Gran Teatre del Liceu

see there, ticket sales start on July 13 BERLIN

Berlin, Deutsche Oper

season online, premieres here

Berlin, Staatsoper Unter den Linden

season here

Berlin, Komische Oper

season here premieres: Rigoletto (Sept.20), Lear (Nov.22), Don Pasquale (Jan.31), Orlando (Feb.26), Fidelio (Apr.26), La Périchole (June 6)

Bologna, Teatro Comunale

season here(pdf)

Brussels, Théâtre de la Monnaie

season here

highlights: Christophe Rousset and Pierre Audi will present two Gluck's pieces: Iphigénie en Aulide and Iphigénie en Tauride (coproductions with Die Nederlandse Opera in Amsterdam) in December; Massenet's Don Quichotte will be directed by Laurent Pelly and conducted by Marc Minkowsky (Jose Van Dam will be Don Quichotte) in May

Copenhagen, Royal Danish Opera

See there

Dresden Semperoper see there premieres: La Traviata, Händel's Giulio Cesare In Egitto, Franz Schmidt 's Notre Dame and Gounod's Faust (June 2010)

Frankfurt, Oper

season here, premieres there

Genève, Grand Théâtre

season here highlights: Don Giovanni with Diana Damrau and Ildebrando d'Arcangelo (Dec.11 to 20); Joyce DiDonato and Gregoru Kunde in Rossini's La Donna del Lago (May 5 to 17)

Leipzig, Oper

season here

Madrid, Teatro Real

pdf here highlights: I puritani (concert version) with Juan Diego Florez, April 29 and May 2; L'incoronazione di Poppea, William Christie conducting Les Arts Florissants, Philippe Jaroussky, M.E.Cencic and Danielle DeNiese (May 2010); Simon Boccanegra with Carlos Alvarez/Placido Domingo as Simon, Angela Gheorghiu/Inva Mula as Amelia, Ferrucio Furlanetto and Marcello Giordani (July 2010)

Milano, Teatro alla Scala

season here Highlight: Carmen to open the season (Dec.7 to 23) directed by Emma Dante, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, with Jonas Kaufmann (Don José) and Erwin Schrott (Escamillo)

Munich, Bayerische Staatsoper

season here PARIS

Opéra National de Paris first season of Nicolas Joël here, my comments there

Paris, Opéra Comique see there

Paris, Salle Pleyel calendar here

highlights: Juan Diego Florez in March; Monteverdi's Poppée in May (William Christie, Danielle de Niese, Philippe Jaroussky, Max Emanuel Cencic); Netrebko in October; Gustavo Dudamel; Verdi's Requiem with Jonas Kaufman and Daniel Barenboim conducting the orchestra del Teatro alla Scala on Nov.15; Waltraud Meier; Purcell's King Arthur in January; Schumann's Genoveva in June

Paris, Théâtre des Champs Elysées see there

Strasbourg, Opéra du Rhin

season here

Toulouse, Théâtre du Capitole

season "hors les murs" here

Torino, Teatro Regio

season here

Vienna, Wiener Staatsoper

season here, premieres there

[Gaïa]

2009-05-03T20:37:00.000+02:00

So, why not vote to save the Earth for the upcoming European Elections?

Muti now, and Muti then

2009-05-02T23:50:00.001+02:00

Vienna Philharmonic, Sept 8 2008

Among the many reasons for my inalienable admiration for Riccardo Muti, perhaps the most precious one is his remarkable ability to evolve, as a musician.

Obviously the easiest way to do so is to broaden one's repertoire and exhume from the ashes forgotten operas, and Muti has continuously been doing so for many years (Demofoonte in Paris in a few weeks is the most recent example).

But he also has tremendously evolved in his interpretations of unavoidable pieces. His 1982 recording of Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice for EMI with the Philharmonia pale in comparison to the magnificent performances he gave in the Maggio Musicale in Florence in 2007, that were nothing short of sublime.

And his interpretation of La Forza del Destino's overture yesterday in Il Teatro di San Carlo di Napoli is also on a different level than earlier recordings. Check for yourselves.

Capitole renovations in Toulouse

2009-05-02T17:14:00.004+02:00

The new season of the Théâtre du Capitole is online and will be happening anywhere in Toulouse but in the Opera House, that will undergo yet another round of heavy renovations.

In 1996, the entire auditorium was fully restored, from the seats to the sealing and the new paintings of Richard Peduzzi "en trompe-l'oeil", and the Opera House had to be closed for a full year.

In 2004, the second wave of renovations included the entire stage and the addition of working spaces and a lounge for the musicians (more here), and the 2003-04 season had to be performed elsewhere, "Hors les murs" as we say.

The third part of the process will be to reinforce the structure of the 2nd and 3rd floors, and to build new 4th and 5th floors (see there). And once again, the 2009-10 season will be "Hors les murs".

Can someone explain to me why they didn't close the Opera House for two consecutive seasons in 1996 to do all the work other than "in France, the simpler solution is never the chosen one because we just can't resolve to doing it like everybody else" ?
Seriously.

Further reading:
- Frédéric Chambert's interview in La Dépêche (April 14)
- History of the renovations in Toulouse

Opéra Comique Live Broadcast

2009-04-29T10:51:00.004+02:00

The Opéra Comique in Paris is the first opera in France to actually duplicate the Met HD broadcast concept.

The June 25th performance of Carmen (with Anna Caterina Antonacci in the lead role) will be broadcast in HD in selected movies in France, Belgium and Switzerland by the same operating firm that already has the Met HD Broadcast licence, CielEcran.

From Le Matin.

Orange on TV

2009-04-29T10:40:00.005+02:00

After the success of live performances from Les Chorégies d'Orange (1.6 million* viewers for Il Trovatore in 2007 and 1.8 million* viewers for Faust last year), France Televisions will broadcast live the two productions performed this year in Orange.

Traviata on July 11th (Myung-Whun Chung conducting the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France) on France 2
Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacci on August 4th (Georges Prêtre conducting the Orchestre National de France) on France 3

* France Televisions numbers

Berlioz extract

2009-04-28T22:56:00.007+02:00

King Lear, overture Sir Colin Davis (check out Mark Elder's version if you can)

By the way, it helps being monomaniac about Muti and checking the Paris Opera website every couple of days or so: a few seats have just been put out for sale for the June 16th performance of Demofoonte (finally getting a long-sought ticket for this Muti's performance is what I call happiness people).

Another frustrating season: Lyon 2009-10

2009-04-24T10:01:00.003+02:00

So, yesterday evening Serge Dorny, GM of the Opéra de Lyon, proudly introduced us to his next season, that he "humbly" described as a season of accomplishments centered around the theme of wandering.

As a matter of fact, the presence of Dorny in Lyon has been a strange kind of accomplishment: he successfully managed to ignore the monuments of opera, the French repertoire and the first-half of the XIXth century altogether and turned the House into a kind of experimental laboratory for XXth century (or even XXIth century) operas.

After quite a few seasons of that regime, you'd be crying for classicism as well. And once again, I'm left with this daunting and harrowing question: when will someone finally offer Dorny a new job so that he can get the hell out of Lyon?

I must admit however the new season has a clear highlight (for those who like the music involved, that is): the world premiere of Kaija Saariaho's latest piece, Emilie, an opera in 9 scenes composed for Karita Mattila, who will effectively sing the 4 performances schedules in early March (the opera will then inaugurate the exchange program Dorny finalized with Pierre Audi and the Nederlandse Opera in Amsterdam where it will be performed for 3 nights at the end of March ; Michel van der Aa's After life is the production Audi will send to Lyon in late March).

Karita Mattila is, desperately enough, the only attractive singer to come to Lyon next year. As usual, Dorny failed in securing attractive casts, and Puccini's Manon Lescaut (Jan/Feb) is even listed without a name for Manon (a very frustrating trick, if you ask me).
It's worse on the conductors front, as Dorny, ending his 3-opera cycle around Mozart and Da Ponte (Don Giovanni to open the season in October) couldn't convince William Christie, who led the first 2 pieces (Nozze and Tito), to come back and finish the job.

By the way, Dorny confirmed that all three operas will be performed again for the 2010-11 season. Seeing how unattractive the cast of Don Giovanni is, I'm guessing I'll wait til next year in hopes of an improvement there.

This 2009-10 season is basically a showcase of Russian operas.
For Christmas, Dorny chose to exhume Macha Makeïeff and Jérôme Deschamps's production of Chostakovitch's Moska, Cheremushki, and the three Tchaïkowski's productions of Peter Stein will be performed altogether in a pretentious "Pouchkine Festival" (April and May) that will feature Mazeppa, Oneguin and The Queen of Spade as well as two concerts. Dorny prided himself on being able to create an homogeneous company for the occasion, and assured us Peter Stein would make a lot of changes to his direction (which frankly is pretty blend and unimaginative, so that clearly can't hurt, can it?).

The season will then end with Humperding's Hänsel und Gretel in the production Laurent Pelly created for the Glyndebourne Festival last summer (June) and two performances of last year's success, Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, directed by José Montalvo and Dominique Hervieu (July 16 and 17). José Van Dam will come on Nov. 8 for a concert around Fauré, Duparc and Poulenc; Jérémie Rhorer and his ensemble will (attempt to) play Mozart on Jan.17 and principal conductor Kazushi Ono will conduct the remaining concerts scheduled.

Dorny chose the slogan "Entrez sans frapper" for the season. In my perspective, he should substitute it for "Leave without notice".

[The new season is online].

Further reading: - "En avance la musique!", Libé Lyon

Opéra National de Paris 2009-2010

2009-04-15T15:57:00.001+02:00

Better late than never... Here are my comments about the 2009-10 season of the Paris Opera (Nicolas Joël's first season).

The season will open with Charles Gounod's Mireille, directed by Nicolas Joël (Sept.14 to Oct.14, Garnier). Clearly not the masterpiece Faust is, this light opera marks at least the comeback of Gounod to the Opéra de Paris. The cast is rather unexciting (Inva Mula, Charles Castronovo and Franck Ferrari in the main roles). Marc Minkowsky will conduct the Paris Opera Orchestra and I must say it is quite a surprise to see him choose such a repertoire. I wonder what reading he has of Gounod.
The revival of Laurent Pelly's 2006 production of L'Elisir d'Amore is a guaranted sales success, as the cast features Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon (Oct.10 to 25, Bastille); the two will also sing in Mozart's Idomeneo in Jan. (Luc Bondy's production from 2006 , Garnier)
Korngold's Die Tote Stadt is coming in Paris in the Willy Decker's production that premiered in Salzburg in 2004 and has already traveled to Vienna last year and London in February (Oct.9 to 27, Bastille)
The new production of Bellini's La Sonnambula will surely be the event of the season in Paris, with Natalie Dessay coming back at the Paris Opera for the first time since her Lucias in Oct.2006 (Evelino Pidò conducting, Michele Pertusi as Rodolfo and Javier Camarena as Elvino, Jan.25 to Feb.23, Bastille); Natalie Dessay will also sing the tiny part of Musetta in La Bohème (Oct.29 to Nov.29, Bastille)
Rossini's La Donna del Lago will allow for the rare opportunity to hear Juan Diego Florez in Garnier (June 18 to 30), with Joyce DiDonato, Daniela Barcellona and Roberto Abbado conducting.
Other noticeable facts: Rameau's Platée (Laurent Pelly prod., Marc Minkowsky conducting his Choeur et musiciens du Louvre-Grenoble) in December (Garnier); Marcelo Alvarez as Andrea Chénier (Dec., Bastille); Jonas Kaufmann as Werther in Jan. (but unfortunately with Michel Plasson conducting);
Selected revivals: Corine Sereau's 2002 production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Graham Vick's Don Carlo from 1998

All and all, I can't say a season full of revivals is exciting, but at least it's not such a bad start for Nicolas Joël.

Metropolitan Opera

2009-04-10T01:14:00.002+02:00

Metropolitan Opera, NYC April 2008

Dresden Semperoper

2009-04-09T18:04:00.002+02:00

Dresden Semperoper June 30, 2008

Zürich Opera

2009-04-08T23:20:00.002+02:00

Opernhaus, Zürich April 4-5, 2009
more pictures of the city there

Lyon to announce 2009-10 season

2009-04-08T08:42:00.005+02:00

Dorny's version of a HD broadcast

2009-03-25T20:43:00.006+01:00

So this is what Serge Dorny, the GM of the Opera de Lyon had in mind a few months ago about La Traviata: an outdoor broadcast in the esplanade of Fourvière (part of the Summer Festival "Les Nuits de Fourvière").

It will be free so I can't really criticize the effort, but a live broadcast would have added somehow a thrill to it. And I'm not sure a lot of people will attend a broadcast that starts at midnight...

La Traviata en différé de l'Opéra de Lyon July 3 2009, midnight