A room with a view at 'Le Lavendou'!

I heard the mermaids again... and followed the call of the wild seas ... last tuesday for a nice concert, my annual one by the seaside at Saint-Louis du Lavendou which celebrates the end of my 'opera' season.
I enjoy this trip although it takes me as long as going to Paris by fast Inter city trains like the French TGV, on local buses, along very busy summer traffic roads of the Var coast. I always share this last concert with either D. or some good friends of mine. This time, my dear old friend P. who loves opera had great pleasure to travel with me. This time, I chose a room with a view on the Lavendou port, overlooking the bay and the hotel exotic garden where my favourite tree, the palm tree, stands out on the blue of the sea.
At sunset there was a swinging and whistling warbler swaying in the wind at the top of the cypress!

It had rained the whole morning, it was chilly and windy and the sandy beaches were almost empty. Still the narrow streets of the Lavendou were packed with holiday makers enjoying icecream and shopping instead of bathing. We settled in La Calanque and admired the view. I lived by the sea some years in my life either in Nice, Marseilles or Swansea, Brighton and La Ciotat, I happen to miss it sometimes. So there I was to attend the opera arias recital and piano concert of my summer, and it was raining!
This time, there were duets with baritone and tenor, the most difficult and moving ones of the repertoire . There are not many duets for tenor and bass-baritone, so it was really a kind of delicatessen choice!
The highlight of the evening was Verdi's duet 'O Carlo Ascolta' between Posa and Don Carlo.
Antonel Boldan was
also brilliant, along with Aline Piboule who accompanied them with care and virtuoso!
The Calunnia has been my opera 'best of' since childhood.
Arnaud Kientz is giving an intelligent and striking rendition, choosing to end the aria on the high opening range with wide arm gestures!
I jump into my strange but happy chidhood any time I have the opportunity to do it, that is when I attend my friend Arnaud Kientz's recitals.I "sing" the tune with him in my head, in French back to my early days when this tune was rehearsed in the tiny flat we occupied Rue Longue des Capucins... and I used to squat under the piano and sing along quietly though:
Et l'on voit le pauvre diable,
Menacé comme un coupable,
Sous cette arme redoutable
Tomber, tomber terrassé .

with the baritone who influenced so much my passion for singers. Another tune I love even more, which brings tears to my eyes with memories of this time when music and singing were all around me, is 'Stances de Nilakantha'(Lakmé-Léo Delibes). I loved to hear Arnaud sing it with so much passion! His 'ciel' are too much... I have to hold on to my seat...


We enjoyed a fine' Kuda Kuda', and a moving 'la fleur que tu m'avais jetée' from Antonel Boldan, plus, as an encore, a witty and jolly '"All'idea di quel metallo" duet between Figaro and Almaviva from act 1 of Rossini's opera.
Chopin,
Chopin's Ballade and Nocturne had a real Russian touch played by Aline Piboule.

I told Arnaud Rossini suits him a lot,I could see him in Don Basilio or Figaro, but Delibes suits him too! He is a very gifted singer and actor. I hope to see him on stage one day.
But when?
Time is flying....
So long to the dedicated organisers, the singers and pianist! Next year in Le Lavendou!

Eglise Saint-Louis du Lavendou-19 VII 2011
CONCERT DE PRESTIGE - OPERA BEL CANTO – PIANO




Donné par des solistes internationaux



Aline Piboule - Piano Antonel Boldan – Ténor Arnaud Kientz - Baryton

Eglise du Lavandou – 19 juillet 2011 – 21 h 30



Programme:
Mozart, Don Giovanni - Il mio tesoro A. Boldan tenor
Mozart, Le nozze di Figaro-Non piu andrai farfallone amoroso A. Kientz Bass-baritone
Chopin,
Bizet, Carmen- La fleur que tu m'avais jetée.A. Boldan tenor.
Delibes, Lakmé-Stances de Nilakantha.A.Kientz.
Bizet, Pêcheurs de perles, Duet 'Au fond du temple saint'A.Boldan, A. Kientz.
Interval.

Verdi, I Lombardi- La mia letizia infondere A. Boldan
Mozart, La cenerentola-Miei Rampolli Femminini.A.Kientz.
Tchaikovski, Eugene Onegin- Lensky aria,Kuda Kuda. A. Boldan tenor.
Rossini, Il Barbiere di Siviglia - La Calunnia . A. Kientz.
Verdi, Don Carlo-duet Posa, Carlo 'Ascolta'
Encore:
Rossini, Il Barbiere di Siviglia-All'idea di quel metallo" duet between Figaro and Almaviva from act 1 of Rossini's opera.