I will not try to rank them, because in my mind they are not really separated.
Parts of my "ups" are the operas, often in concert versions, oratorios, recitals I have selected, chosen, like I choose a cake in a "Pâtisserie" shop according to my addiction to black chocolate, my fear of chantilly, and sometimes my devastating urgent craving for a lemon pie.
The Mezzo Voce is an absolute criteria!
Vesselina Kasarova
L'Enfance du Christ at Salle Pleyel. No gurgling! Musicality and emotion for Berlioz and great joy to actually see this oratorio performed! I love Berlioz, gosh! So beautiful that was! And who can resist Laurent Naouri's warm and deep voice ?
I saw Frau Kasarova three times this season:
L'Enfance du Christ (Pleyel). She was Marie with delicate and sustained colours in her warm and rich voice, she was so vivid and moving, showing a motherly side,(not counting with her rather sexy black dress showing on the left side glimpses of her slender leg...) and so musical in the duet with Joseph-Mathiew Brooke. On top of this huge pleasure of seeing Frau Kasarova in a complete different musical environment, there was also Lauent Naouri...and here's something to think about his beautiful voice and acting, with his wife Mrs Natalie Dessay ( one first down on my side: I did not manage to buy a ticket for her Traviata... the ones left were too much for me, I had too many outings to do... so I watched TV and loved it!)
Alcina TCE 2010-11-29(concert version)
Her extraordinary Ruggiero, where she managed to take the mickey out of her own previous performances and really made fun with this role! She does amazing support on her low range to soar to her very fine, strong top. Her gestures are truly hers, inimitable, she even danced this aria that night, she was gently rocking on her high heels, swaying to Mark Minkowski's wonderful tempo!
Here's my poor qualiy video, but true to the fun and passion of the artist Vesselina Kasarova.
LINK
Carmen, in Zürich:
Simply incredible!
And what about Karine Deshayes ?
Her Charlotte in Lyon?
a young and passionate Charlotte for once not an oldish plump mama who
follows the score and that's it!
I saw her four times this season, Charlotte (Werther)twice in Lyon.
Concert in Avignon.(Medea Cherubini)
Concert in Paris, l'Olympia, opera arias.
In the opening and the closing nights of Werther in Lyon, I loved every minute of her singing and acting in this Rolando Villazon vision of a rather boring opera if it is just following the 'tradition'. Then I went to an afternoon of arias in Paris (Festival radio Classique à L'Olympia) and again she was stunning, outstanding her partners to my ears...I hope to see her Rosine at Bastille in late spring...
Cécilia Bartoli!
when I discovered she was at the Corum in Montpellier, I felt the urgent call of her voice and passion, I phoned and booked whatever was left ... for "Sacrificium'
On the paper it was the same recital 'Sacrificium' I saw at the TCE in 2OO9 but major point with 'La Scintilla' and the wonderful Ada Pesch. I did not say a word about this performance at the Corum, I was perched at the top of the house, but her voice and gestures made her jump to me! It was an evening of sharing like I have not very often experienced. Because my prose is not up the standards of what she is and all she gives us I have said nothing so far. She offered three encores after a tremendous recital with a power cut, and both The scintilla and her carried through it as if it was bright sunshine!
LINK to the encore.
The last ones:
Riccardo Broschi : "Son qual nave" Artaserse (1734)
George Frideric Haendel « Destero dall’empia Dite » Amadigi (1715)
George Frideric Haendel: "Lascia la spina" Il Trionfo del Tempo (1707)
Last but not least:
Ewa Podles, in Clytemnestra in Nice... beyond words! A living legend for me!
After the Mezzo's joys and foolies, here come the two irresistible soprani:
Handel with Anja Harteros (along with Vesselina Kasarova) in Alcina....a wonder!
Then comes Mozart!
Mozart with Sophie Kartaüser ( Kate Lindsey and Richard Croft ...) in Idomeneo at the TCE...
I adored her Ilia, simply the best!
/>
I adore her voice and the way she sings, she does not have pretentious looks . She is acting like she sings, with precise gestures and refine taste.
I love listening to her, she is my exception. That evening, I waited to have the Cypress record signed and I discovered a wonderful kind hearted young lady. Our steps took us to the same underground and we sat together and had a quiet chat, very simple and generous, she was talking about the important thing she had on her mind as a young mother, after all she gave us on stage, she stepped out of this operatic world with so much simplicity. I was really moved when I said good-bye. My photo is blurred, as often but her smile is there!
She is a wonderful person! And a special singer to listen to the sort of days when life is uneasy and bumpy.
Link
Abendempfinfung. Sophie Karthaüser, Soprano. Stephan Loges, baritone, Eugene Asti, piano .w.a.Mozart Complete Songs for Voice and Piano. Cypress record.
I am reading this on my iPod and I cannot see your video! I will try again tomorrow on my Mac.
ReplyDeleteAh. I see it's a facebook video. I had better set up an account!
ReplyDelete@eyesometric, I understand you cannot see it. Yes, I uploaded on FB because lately it seems impossible to upload on Blog. I have an account partly because I have young friends who sing and it is great to follow them. Otherwise I am a bit old for all that!
ReplyDeleteI should not do things like that but either Vesselina or Cecilia are immense artists, and to be able to retain the instant of passion, is perhaps trying to immortalize their art... one night I happened to be there. I will try to transform this upload in my dropbox. It worked for the Montpellier Sacrificium (I tried for several months to upload it until I discovered Dropbox). I hope you will not blame me for doing so and sharing. But my 'audience' here is rather confidential.( And the quality of my own links is so poor that no one would think of business or anything of the sort.) Your outlook at music and singers is marvellous. What you wrote on singers,(in reference to Vesselina's bad spell of weather) is so good. Thank you for bothering stopping here!
We have something in common - thinking ourselves too old for Facebook. I too only go in to follow what is happening.
ReplyDeleteIf you are able to share the VK video in some way it would be wonderful for those of us who do not get the opportunities to see her.
Thank you for your kind remarks and it is a pleasure to stop here!!!
@eyesometric... but I am really too old! The link should be working now. At least I hope so. I feel better about it because FB is not really trustable is it? I do not know what to think about it.. Drop box is really good for sharing. I'll be going to the Alps with grandchildren at the week-end! So long and many thanks!
ReplyDeleteI've seen the video now - thank you, it reminds me so much of the same Alcina concert I went to at The Barbican [ same fabulous band and singers apart from Harteros who was ill ] , same VK outfit and jewellery, same gorgeous performance!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy you time with the grandchildren - you are blessed indeed.