Singers I like !

Alice Gulipian as "Amor" in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice -(Berlioz transcription)
May the 12th 2011. Sainte-Croix des Arméniens Paris.


As soon as she appeared in the semi cicular light on top of the pulpit in Sainte- Croix des Arméniens in Paris on the 12th of May, I felt this was a great part for her voice: her rich soft voice and her elegant looks suited this role. She was so convincing that I would have followed her just like Orphée did to get his love back to life! This is one of the best Greek tale, the one which has been happily ended by musicians, because of this subtle guide Amor! Alice was delicious and almost dancing her part with elegant hand and arm gestures in harmony with her singing, she reminded me of an Indian dancer performing a ritual dance in a yellow sari which could bring life just like the sun does to the earth.





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Arnaud Kientz and Laurent Wagschal(piano) : Carmen -poncif composed by Hélios Azoulay
Rouen Opera house. 28th of May 2011.
Le Printemps de Rouen.
I had it on my mind for a while. So this year I made it to Rouen.

Arnaud Kientz was taking part in the presentation of the new season at the Théâtre des Arts in Rouen. I made a point in having a nice week-end in Rouen and tour Monet's garden in Giverny, a journey I have been eager to do for ages. Then I went to Rouen opera house for their last performance of the season, a stunning 'Jenufa' on the 27th. There was a special evening of presentation of the next season on the 28th. The composer in charge of this event was Helios Azoulay whom I read about in Rouen chronicles on the web and of course, by getting interested in what Arnaud Kientz (bass-baritone) was singing.


Hélios Azoulay ( photo Charles Guibert) is the head of the group named 'musique incidentale, the composer creates pieces of music derived from opera tubes he re-shaped with crafty musical devices.
For Carmen, he had a survey made among passers-by, asking them to sing what they could remember of the aria 'toréador' famous Escamillo 's tune, of course well suited for Arnaud Kientz 's voice. With all the recordings of what people sang Hélios Azoulay created a new piece. The singer's vocal abilities, his charm and special adequate attitudes, a mixture of elegance, detachment, even when the words are wrong or the tune completely simplified or ending short, his highly signifiant gestures, whatwith a serious and brilliant piano accompaniment(Laurent Wagschal) made the whole thing absolutely irresistible.
It is not easy to make people laugh with so called classical music. Here it is done with taste, humour and skills. All I can think of is my favourite Victor Borge. Somehow, Arnaud Kientz shares this kind of elegance. Hélios Azoulay who can be compared to the Marcel Duchamp of classical music is my best discovery so far. It was great to see him entertaining the audience with his musicians on an opera stage. I will not try to go into further details, but it is witty, marvellous and moving: his last part, although he presented it as a joke was not at all a musical riddle. He gave a stunning jazzy improvisation on Turandot aria, a duet for clarinet and piano, which was really fascinating. I could hear in his clarinet playing, some old fashioned tunes coming from folklore mingling with jazz tradition and Puccini scores. The audience had a fantasic evening, lots of giggles either silent or very loud when the excellent baritone gave his Toreador hilarious rendition. I myself will remember Hélios sunny look to match his beautiful and unsusual first name: un rayon de soleil! very true!
Here is a DADA announcement of these two performances at Rouen Opera house on the 26th and 28th of May:

Malgré le casier artistique, loin d'être vierge,
d'Hélios Azoulay,
la direction de l'OPERA DE ROUEN HAUTE-NORMANDIE
a invité le compositeur à présenter la saison
2011-2012.
Hélios Azoulay a accepté de se réinsérer.
HELIOS AZOULAY
ET L'ENSEMBLE DE MUSIQUE INCIDENTALE

avec Clara Abou, Karine Ostyn, Marielle Rubens
Julien Gernay, Giorgi Kharadze, Arnaud Kientz, Pablo
Schatzman,
Laurent Wagschal
(my translation:
Dada news:
In spite of his musical record, far from being blank, the composer Helios Azoulay has been invited by the direction of the opera house Rouen Haute-Normandie to present the next 2011-2012 season. Helios Azoulay has agreed to redeem himself.
Helios Azoulay and his Musique Incidentale ensemble.)
He is the author of this notorious book:
Marielle Rubens opened the evening with this singing lesson and a little bit of help from the maestro, on Purcell's famous :
"Music for a while"....



Benoît is missing from my recent photo album, I have not had the chance to see him lately. He indeed was my discovery for "La fête de la musique" in 2009.
These young artists are worth travelling even quite a lot to keep watching their
blossoming into their art. They are simply wonderful.