Just a thought: After "messy Christmas"....

The best Christmas Tree I received was this picture of this edible Christmas Tree, from Shanghaï... posted by a very young friend of mine I will meet again in April! Otherwise it is all the same around here and the only source of hope and joy comes from the children and music of course. Food tends to be boring in its excess not that we exaggerate but the tendancy here is to eat too much, and television is always boring! My two very nice musical outings were before Christmas,with Natalie Dessay and Michel Legrand's revival of the sixties, plus nice Claude Nougaro's tunes.The whole concert is on youtube and it is worth listening to. The house was packed and very cheerful ! so were the musicians. The Jazz first part was strange on Marseille Opera stage but after some time I found the whole thing very exciting!

Then a peaceful Bach celebration took place in Aix Cathedral which really cheered me up. It is a treat to listen to the organ in this place and I do not do it too often, not even once a year. This time, I planned to spend the evening in Aix so I did not have to rush back home on the late bus. It was rather chilly during the performance but the beauty of the extracts chosen from the Oratorio kept me warm enough. Music is always offering special paradisiac moments to share like this kind of echoing duet for the two sopranos and the clarinet. Of course I was in front of the telly for the opening night at La Scala, I missed Anja Harteros a lot and loved the rather non heroïc Lohengrin interpreted by Jonas Kaufmann. Now getting nearer and nearer to 2013, it is time to wish you, my four, five, perhaps six regular readers who have become blogfriends (and Facebook friends too through our mutual passion for the Mezzo voce and a brilliant singer in this category we enjoy travelling for !) a peaceful year, with lots of tenderness and plenty of time for yourself, because time is so precious. I hesitate between these two pictures to depict my turn of mind at the moment: Sharing hard times all around us here in Southern Europe and going back to childhood! And here 's 2013.....

Just a thought: Some time with Shirley Verrett.

Special day today: My grandaughter is 11, it seems impossible! Tonight I'll be listening to Nat Dessay and Michel Legrand in a crossover evening and I will be very happy, she will sing Claude Nougaro who belongs to my treasure box! My 'solitude' will come to an end as my better half was in Asia and is back tomorrow. So, will I feel much younger tonight at Marseille Opera House where I know I sat when I was very little... with my dear Mum ? When in Aix as a student, I remember going three times to the Cinema en plein air which was on the Cours Mirabeau when the weather was fine (late spring and summer), to enjoy 'Les parapluies de Cherbourg'. (I did exactly the same thing in London later on when the stunning 'West Side Story' was released.. but I had for excuse the language barrier!) Last night, I listened to Shirley Verrett on Youtube.Foropera channel where it is possible to hear her sing Gospel and some kind of Religious Hymns like this one. She is so good too. She could make me believe....

Bellissima Mariella Devia, a night to remember !(1-XII-2012)

My idea is that someone at Marseilles Opera House has a serious crush on this unique artist, full of energy, who sings like a goddess in the Bel Canto paradise and serves this music heavenly because of course she has no problem of style and intonation.

For many years now she has been the acquired taste of opera -goers who enjoy Bel Canto, because she is a true bel cantist in the tradition! Do not ask me about the proper definition of this type of singing, it is an Italian style which has its aficionados, proper specialists in cabalettas and trills. If you enjoy Bellini, Rossini, Donizetti and Verdi (not the late operas though) you are sure to appreciate Bel Canto. As for me, I go according to my ears ' delight and Mariella Devia is definitely my favourite in this realm. I was told the other night (someone very influential who I admire for his choice now)that she is the only one left. I saw her Anna Bolena at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino: I loved it a lot, it is my first and unique (so far) Anna Bolena on stage and it was an amazing performance. When I compare her interpretation and singing to the younger Anna Netrebko I only saw on my tv screen in this role, I still prefer the musicality and style of singing from Mariella Devia. Before I start chatting about the concert on Dec the 1st, I must point out it is the first anniversaty of the bel canto concert we enjoyed last year casting Madame Devia in Roberto Devereux for four productions. My gratitude goes to Monsieur Maurice Xiberras, Marseille Opera Director, who invited Madame Devia for the second time. And "Jamais deux sans trois"! Madame Devia had a standing ovation after two encores (Il sogno di Doretta, La Rondine,Puccini, then in French, a real present for us, French audience, 'Adieu notre petite table' Massenet-Manon). No matters what she sings it is impossible to see her take a breath and of course you cannot hear her breathe like some other singers do. She has the longest deep breath and legato with wonderful tops and last dying notes which seem to vanish after the last orchestral echo. She is amazing because she is in perfect control of her vibrato and her voice does not seem to alter with time. She has gained a deeper range, I could listen to her for ever, her singing looks effortless,gracious, very moving and elegant (her face is never contorted) . Among Italian ouvertures, the first one being 'L'Italienne à Alger'was like opening a bottle of champagne to welcome us ! The prelude of I Lombardi Act III was a moment of pure delight with the violin solo (The first violin is a young new comer, Kristi Gjezi, you can see what he is like! Of course the enthousiasm grew more and more what with the orchestra and Madama Devia. She gave a stunning first part with a spendid Casta Diva ( a pity I cannot attend her Norma in Bologna, but I will see her Imogene soon at the Liceù) and an even more amazing second part with passion and delight, I could feel she was enjoying the evening and I liked to see her discuss the encores (I suppose) with the conductor Alain Guingal who also was there last Bel canto Festival (this is how I refer to this event, perhaps it will give the Opera staff the idea of doing a proper Bel Canto festival in 2013 before Christmas?, if they happen to read me that is!!!) My heart went to the violin concerto ( it is not quite a concerto but it could have been turned into a real concerto. I have not had the chance to attend a live performance of I Lombardi. It was programmed in Marseille in 2001, but I was still very busy working.) If I was thrilled by her Casta Diva, her Anna Bolena,Piangete voi? Al dolce guidami Coppia iniqua, (always very moving the way her voice soars and flies over the orchestra with all the feelings in the words and few gestures to express her revenge, she does not 'shout' it is all in cold blood and even more intense), then E strano.. Sempre libera with Alfredo's voice in the background from a young and promising tenor we get to know here,Stanislas de Barbeyrac, what really made me dream about her even more is the way she sang the Romanze di Medora,(Verdi, ll Corsaro). she took me far away, over the Sea in Southern territories, this tune has Arabo Andalus tinges in the beat of the harp and the sway of the voice with ethereal endings, or is it never ending? Luckily it is on youtube and I can recall all the subtle ways of hers when she sings this sweet lamento: (Many thanks to Pacorona 1978 there are beautiful Maria Devia arias there)

Because it was a special night we were not barred from Madame Devia 's dressing -room and I managed to thank her for all the joys her art is giving me.

I discovered her in La Scala Collection, and now in my retirement I feel so young to be able to cheer this artist who gives me also plenty of energy and hope through her musicality and marvellous presence. MARIELLA DEVIA, Soprano -I- GIOACCHINO ROSSINI • Italiana in Algeri, Ouverture VINCENZO BELLINI • I Capuleti e i Montecchi, « Eccomi ... O quante volte » • Norma, Ouverture • Norma, « Casta diva » GAETANO DONIZETTI • Anna Bolena, scène finale « Piangete voi ... Al dolce guidami ... Coppia iniqua » -II- GIUSEPPE VERDI • Nabucco, Ouverture • Il Corsaro, Romanza di Medora « Non son le tetre immagini » • I Lombardi alla prima crociata, Giselda « Non fu sogno » • I Lombardi alla prima crociata, Act 3 violin solo • La Traviata, « E strano ... Ah forse lui ... Sempre libera » Bis : Puccini La Rondine : Che il bel sogno di Doretta Massenet Manon : Allons il le faut ... Adieu notre petite table Orchestre philharmonique de Marseille ALAIN GUINGAL