He was expected by all his fans from France and other parts of the world, I do hope that the no-fly problem did not stop too many of his followers and lovers for his comeback.
I know some could not get a flight and are eager now to read what friends felt that night.
I was thrilled to see him back on stage, of course, after his rather noisy TV appearances in GB and his real lyrical and much admired ones in Vienna and Berlin.
Avenue Montaigne on Sunday evening was festive and crowded with celebrities from the political world and even from the lyrical one; a friend pointed out Antonio Siragusa and I saw Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, former minister of culture and communication. I was not very impressed by the trendy Parisian crowd, and sometimes had a laugh at what was going on around me when some people were looking for seats according to the tickets. I have noticed that TCE is, like Pleyel, a kind of place where regular goers have their habits and that is not always pleasant for newcomers. The least I can say is that on the whole it is a rather posh place concerning staff and manners, not as cold as Pleyel though.
When Hélène and Rolando appeared on the bare stage they were first acclaimed by five minutes of applause and then Helène sat at the grand piano
It took some time for the lights to get turned down and there were some strange muffled sounds coming from the Gods I think. Rolando, standing by the side of the grand piano was glancing up, smiling gently and waiting for the peaceful required silence.
Then it all started.
From the very start, the piano sounded luxuriant, with an orchestral touch in all the Duparc melodies. Rolando was like I have had the pleasure to hear him in other recitals, intense and expressing deeply what the music and words inspired in him. All the poems dealt with love and love torments and he showed the colours and shades through beautiful legato which his amazing breath sustains in his own way. I admire him for this and luckily this is not lost! Perhaps the vibrations at the top of his voice do not sound quite as vibrant and rich as before, the legato is fantastic and serves so well these French melodies, either Duparc, Fauré or Massenet. I had already heard him sing 'Ouvre tes yeux bleus' and 'Dans un sommeil' and the piano was rather confidential then. My favourite Duparc (he sang for the first time) that night is 'Chanson triste'. Helene managed a real accompaniment, more soft and sweet rather than the too orchestral tones she showed in the opening of 'la vie antérieure' and above all the firt part of 'le manoir de rosamonde'. She was great and solitary, forgetting him a little sometimes! The last three verses of 'Chanson triste' were very moving, Rolando made a real poetic choice of stress on the words that made sense towards hope, with this soaring hope on 'tendresse' and the nearly whispered 'je guérirai'... Piano and voice were there in perfect match. Although I found some too loud moments from the piano which were covering some of Rolando Villazon's effects. I found this French part very harmonious and moving.
The only Tosti 'la chanson de l'adieu':'partir c'est mourir un peu, c'est mourir à ceux qu'on aime' was sung like one deep vibration of a violin string, just a deep breath which brings tears: both piano and voice were touching. (Even though this tune is often sung in recitals and can be a bit overdone).
The Spanish part, the seven Spanish popular songs by Manuel de Falla were the best in terms of expression of strength required from the piano (Jota) and sweet feelings and tenderness (Nana). I suppose Rolando was at his best, being in his own language. I loved the variations in the Spanish way, which were not exaggerated and so easily sung by Rolando on syllables like'Ay' in El Pano Moruno' or 'Polo'. Here he sounded really at ease and Helene's piano could be luxuriant as ever without shadowing the voice.
The second part was the Dichterliebe which I had already heard him sing in 08 in Barcelona.
This is where his voice found some difficulties and the accompaniment was not always matching with the voice.
I found some lieds exquisite, all the ones in the soft tones like 'Im wunderschönen Monat Mai'or 'Am leuchtenden Sommermoergen', then by the end of the cycle the low range notes were not sung and some lines were just said. The piano sounded too loud to me, I believe I stopped listening as carefully as before when I thought I felt
a kind of fatigue in his voice. I felt anxious for him.
Of course the piano ending from Helene was grand. The delicate pianist she is expressed herself there.
I was not expecting encores knowing what this artist had been through.
The recital was so rich, intense and moving by the choice of melodies.
Perhaps he should choose to sing only some of the Dichterliebe which suit his voice?
I think it has been done by some baritones in the past.
Then I went to the stage door with some friends to cheer them, Helene Grimaud came out first, very charming and then much later, Rolando came out, he even sang a little tune for a fan. Some photos were taken. He was generous as before and patient with the long queue of fans expecting a signature or a photo or both.
I was glad to applaud him when he joined his wife and they went off down avenue Montaigne together and disappeared.
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