Dichterliebe 12 Am Leuchtenden sommermorgen. Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen Geh' ich im Garten herum. Es flüstern und sprechen die Blumen, [Ich aber, ich wandle stumm.]1
Es flüstern und sprechen die Blumen, Und [schaun]2 mitleidig mich an: Sei [unserer]3 Schwester nicht böse, Du trauriger blasser Mann.
On a shining summer morning I wander around my garden. The flowers are whispering and speaking; I, however, wander silently.
The flowers are whispering and speaking And look at me sympathetically. "Do not be angry with our sister You sad, pale man."
Baritone, childhood memory, revival last week-end with dear young singers in Paris. Lakmé: a problem during WWII at Marseilles opera house. On Nov 11th 1942 Marseilles became occupied by Italo-German forces like the rest of France and this changed the cultural life which so far was very rich as the French radio had settled in the opera house and was broadcasting concerts and operas from this site. A large number of singers and musicians had gathered in this last free zone, but that was the end: Besieged, the city had to live with restricted rules, first of all, the curfew then the choice of repertoire which had to be in agreement with the occupying forces. Precisely, Lakmé became a taboo subject because of English characters wearing English military uniforms, therefore this opera was no longer on the billboard. Nilakantha: Roger Soyer. Lakmé: Mady Mesplé. Gerald: Charles Burles. Conductor: Alain Lombard.(1971).One of my favourite rendition. Emi classics
Bing for ever! Strolling through Virgin Store, noticed that Crooners seem to be the latest crazy fashion for Christmas, in Paris! I have to check in Marseilles. stardust Bing Crosby And now the purple dusk of twilight time Steals across the meadows of my heart High up in the sky the little stars climb Always reminding me that we're apart
You wander down the lane and far away Leaving me a song that will not die Love is now the stardust of yesterday The music of the years gone by
Sometimes I wonder why I spend The lonely night dreaming of a song The melody haunts my reverie And I am once again with you When our love was new And each kiss an inspiration But that was long ago Now my consolation Is in the stardust of a song
Beside a garden wall When stars are bright You are in my arms The nightingale tells his fairy tale of paradise where roses grew Though I dream in vain In my heart it will remain My stardust melody The memory of love's refrain
At the Theatre des Champs Elysées, Nov the 22nd,5pm, vocal fireworks and something like 'Mon truc en plumes' amazing encores from Cecilia who gave a stunning recital. La Bartoli totally immersed in her castrato impersonification,vocally and equally transformed in elaborate costumes which made me dream about those strange singers belonging to a world not totally divided in antagonistic sexes yet,gave for more than two hours and a half her heart and musical soul to her beloved audience. And indeed she reinvented their costumes ! The audience felt the love and respect this wonderful singer always gives her audience, the cheers were the response! Encores: George Frideric Handel: Lascia la spina (Il Trionfo del Tempo, Rome, 1707) Riccardo Broschi : Son qual nave (Artaserse, Londres 1734) AT the last seconds of Son qual nave", off flew the red feathers !!! She completely let go on her own saint's Day...I really loved what she gave us ! Dear Cecilia, in two years' time for your next creation!
Gosh! Just like a kid on a merry-go-round, when the red feathers flew in the air I would have liked to snatch one of them and win another free ride on her magic carrousel to weep and laugh once more to her singing ! No curls this time but a mask impossible to date except for her shiny deep brown eyes so witty and alert warning you: Cecilia is watching you and taking you away on her magical tour!
The film almost on youtube! Popularity of Puccini:1OO% sure! This rather pessimistic musician would have enjoyed this big thing in the XXIst centuty!
But what I like most now in this 'best-seller' is this: That makes me cry each time either live, on cds, or dvds...and the charm of Ezio Pinza's voice.
To the ones who love B.B. King and Eric and his band! A young singer will appreciate that as he is performing this tune now! And he saw B.B. King in concert in London !
What is there in Music which immediatly links to feelings and memory? I never know during the course of an opera the very moment when all of the sudden I will be on the verge of tears and next,crying.Requiems are made for crying,but not only. Sometimes it happens just like that, you are witnessing some unusual event, which takes you by surprise ! Two years ago,on a November sunday on my way to the operahouse for'Madame butterfly I discovered a strange street happening on the square in front of the operahouse and along the sea-front.
When I came out after the performance, it was twilight and it suited even more the purpose of this celebration: The Mexican celebration of death rituals for the Day of the Dead. .
I could not help thinking of the only Mexican person I 'sort of' knew, Rolando Villazon, and strange enough he was also crossing his first silent period. During an interview on Radioclassique I heard him talk about his beloved Grandmother who insisted in having him enrolled in the highly esteemed German school.He also told us they never knew where she disappeared when she passed away. She warned them she was leaving,and she vanished... He was telling this family story so simply, I could feel a kind of magic thread,linking to the old Japanese tradition where old people feeling the end coming retire to the forest to die, to the tribal rites where death is exorcised with masks and dancing around the food and offerings which are provided to the dead . The display I could see around the sea front was a mixture of religious and tribal rites, the brass-band gave blasting tunes to match the pantomimes of giagantic ghosts , death figures of human imagination.It was shaking and flabbegasting. If Rolando Villazon does stage managing I am quite convinced that all that richness I coud only glimpse at on that evening in Marseilles, will be poured in his work. A few picts but no music as I was not equipped for music, I regret it, as music is the bridge to ...I have not the answer yet!
I have nothing against that, as it is made for the screen and not for the stage. I think it is going to be a world wide big 'hit' and I am really happy for that fantastic cast, including every body,as it is a team job even more than on the stage. I watched the English version some months ago. It is great and that is going to be very popular, outside the opera world. It is no surprise it will be on the BBC for Christmas and on ZDF for New year. The conductor Bertrand de Blly points out the opera truth:'having fun when acting'! Real treat to see Rolando bouncing next to the piano! Boheme does not suffer from this amazing screen- setting. I got more interested in Marcello and Musetta but it must be put on my aging process! I have the feeling this couple sounds more normal therefore not so much out dated as the very romantic Mimi and Rodolphe . True that it is possible to hear the smile which is meant to be, in Rolando's singing. That is the case with some singers I like, where the whole soul and body take part in the singing. Thinking of Cecilia Bartoli too who has this charisma,you can feel she is taking you, wrapping you up with her agile vocal phrases and amazing eyes, piercing, shining like lightnings from the stage into the darkness of the house. I will be seeing her soon. I will make a point in going to a proper cinema house to watch La Boheme full screen! (I have not been to the cinema for ages). Or is it too late?
I was at Manon Lescaut dress rehearsal on tuesday Nov the tenth and enjoyed myself tremendously as Manon was the smashing Catherine Naglestad, certainly good-looking and so much the voice for the role ! The tenor (a replacing artist) was not matching her vocal abilities but I did not mind it so much as the conductor, L. Acocella made Puccini sound so sensous and moving, particularly during the intermezzo, when the cello sobs, all the sorrows of the world could be felt in that piece, the audience clapped, after a few seconds of silence which is rather unusual in Marseilles operahouse. Some shots , distant as always of the soprano Catherine Naglestad, the tenor, Michailov-Renato ( replacing A. Richards) and L.Acocella Kneeling and thanking the orchestra. The house was packed and coughing and enjoying the superb singing of Naglestad and music from the pit! November is always a busy time for music and yet it is a hard period to get through. Perhaps the declining light and the coming bad weather whatwith all the remembrance days make it a depressing moment by nature... Just for fun though I am rather sad tonight: On internet nobody knows that you are really a dog... I can't go to bed yet, somebody's WRONG ON INTERNET!!!
Sacrificium. Cecilia Bartoli Il Giardino Armonico.Giovanni Antonini. Tremendous joy to be able to see her soon! There is something totally special about her singing and quest in what is her musical 'giardino'. And I love the way her curls move with the rhythm of her passionate singing.
Parto,ti lascio,O cara, Ma nel partire io sento Troppo crudel tormento. Non sarà tanto amara La pena del morir.
Perfide, stelle ingrete, Se non volete,oh Dio, Aver di me pietade. Non date all'idol mio Si barbaro martir.
The Hours of Catherine of Cleves, a deep flash-back into this colourful world full of violence and dreadful epidemics. The well born could enjoy life and its pleasures within the limits of the religious duties like Catherine did, fascinating journey into her life through her so well-kept books. The morning spent at Nijmegen museum, modern and well designed reminded me of hours spent at the British Museum in the late sixties. One click and here I am linking this recent Nijmegen discovery to my student days, but the British Museum has been transformed and modernised probably I would not find those small rooms displaying minute religious precious objects hardly lit up in those days. Here,the display of costumes and the videos explained clearly this feudal period and everyday life where the rich and the poor could hardly be confused, if it is now sometimes difficult to tell which social background someone comes from, as there is a uniformisation of casual looks, in those days it was quite obvious. Catherine's table was so rich too. In her very rich book of hours I found myself without clues to read some images, and as I did not take notes I kept the memory of the drawing, where a tree is being sawn, (to make a bridge ?) before Jesus' crucifixion. A spiritual bridge? The drawing is naïve, a long trunk with few green leaves at the top.
Last Year, land of hope... Reminds me of my youth when I was reading Langston Hughes, his prose 'laughing to keep from crying' and naturally I still think it is a tremendous change even if the "job"is utterly difficult.
Wish you were here! Wish you all you need to come back in smashing vocal shape! Wish you all the happiness in singing you already gave me! This is a fine lied you sang at the Liceù, and some other parts of the world. Im wunderschönen Monat Mai (Heine, Lyrical Intermezzo no 1). (In beautiful May, when the buds sprang, love sprang up in my heart: in beautiful May, when the birds all sang, I told you my suffering and longing.) Let us dream about May in this dreadful beginning of November.
At the very beginning of October I attended three operas, and I reacted only to one of them: Wozzeck, not that Die tote stadt did not capture me, it was even too much on the sickening side, I felt this nightmarish atmosphere with the ceiling slanting and the music too somptuous, kind of stuffing. Korngold's late romantic tunes with brilliant orchestra did not move me deeply. Marietta's tune is catching, so is Pierrot's aria, and Paul's lamento on his never- to - be forgotten Maria is an aesthetic exercise. Bastille huge scenery suited this opera. Simply I did not imagine Marietta like this mature singer, though very brave in her exhausting vocal role. Now trying to recall it I think I would have liked to see it twice. As for the third one, back from Bastille to my local regional operahouse the following day, it was a real trauma to my ears: Die Rosenkavalier on a sunday afternoon, still quite hot for the season, when the orchestra has forgotten to follow the conductor and plays fortissimo most of the time. Worse than that, the audience clapping before the end of the dainty Strauss arias. So, at the end of the first act I dashed out thinking I would quit..I was furious. Because Kate Aldrich was Qinquin and I simply love her voice and acting, I resumed my seat. They had to struggle through their duets and I wonder what they thought of the orchestra. It is not always as bad as this. Or perhaps I was still tuned on Paris beautiful orchestra sound and failed to adapt. Kate Aldrich was worth seeing in her first 'chevalier' she has the looks and the voice and musicality of the role.The last scene is what I like best in this opus. The three voices in this hazy musical dream about love,( Mozart is whispering to Strauss's ears ), is an exquisite moment, but again I missed the last notes because of the rude clapping. Mise en scène, Dieter Kaegi Assistant, Lutz Schwartz Décors et costumes, Bruno Schwengl Lumières, Davy Cunningham
La Maréchale : Gabriele Fontana Octavian : Kate Aldrich Sophie : Margareta Klobucar Annina : Sophie Pondjiclis Marianne : Anne-Marguerite Werster Le Baron Ochs : Manfred Hemm Faninal : Lionel Lhote Valzacchi : Olivier Ringelhahn L’aubergiste / Le majordome : Raphaël Brémard Un commissaire de police : Eric Freulon Un chanteur italien : Avi Klemberg Un notaire : François Castel L’intendant de Faninal : Ji Hyun Kim
Orchestre de l’Opéra de Marseille
Chœur de l’Opéra de Marseille Chef du chœur, Pierre Iodice
Chœur d’enfants de la Maîtrise des Bouches du Rhône Direction, Samuel Coquard
Major thoughts for all the dear ones. Verdi's Requiem -Lacrymosa Antonio Pappano, Anja Harteros, Sonia Ganassi, Rolando Villazon, René Pape Academia Santa-Cecilia Rome.
Composed in 1787, so modern to my ears though. Their echoing voices are so much in harmony with the words. They grieve gently, yet so deeply. Simply moving, and beautiful.
Abend ist's, die Sonne ist verschwunden, Und der Mond strahlt Silberglanz; So entfliehn des Lebens schönste Stunden, Fliehn vorüber wie im Tanz.
Bald entflieht des Lebens bunte Szene, Und der Vorhang rollt herab; Aus ist unser Spiel, des Freundes Träne Fließet schon auf unser Grab.
Bald vielleicht (mir weht, wie Westwind leise, Eine stille Ahnung zu), Schließ ich dieses Lebens Pilgerreise, Fliege in das Land der Ruh.
Werdet ihr dann an meinem Grabe weinen, Trauernd meine Asche sehn, Dann, o Freunde, will ich euch erscheinen Und will himmelauf euch wehn.
Schenk auch du ein Tränchen mir Und pflücke mir ein Veilchen auf mein Grab, Und mit deinem seelenvollen Blicke Sieh dann sanft auf mich herab.
Weih mir eine Träne, und ach! schäme dich nur nicht, sie mir zu weihn; Oh, sie wird in meinem Diademe Dann die schönste Perle sein!
Feeling at evening
It is evening, the sun has disappeared, and the moon shines, silver; So fleet away life's fairest hours. They fly past as in a dance.
Soon life's motley scene is over, and the curtain falls. Our play is ended! Our friend's tears flow already on your grave.
Soon, perhaps, is borne towards me, like the gentle west wind, a still foreboding- I will end this life's pligrimage, and fly to land of rest.
If you will weep then by my grave, and mourn my ashes, then, O friends, I will appear to you, bringing a breath of heaven.
Shed for me a tear, you also, and pluck for me a violet from my grave, and let your tender eye look gently down on me.
Dedicate a tear to me, and oh! Do not be ashamed to do so. In my diadem it will become the fairest pearl. translation: Jeremy Drake.
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