Because I am getting ready for a short trip to the Saxony country, so rich in musical and historical past, I am concerned more than usual by the concerts broadcast from Dresde.
The Advent concert, which is outstanding, (as often at Christmas time), will be streamed here:
http://musik.zdf.de/ZDF/zdfportal/programdata/7747c5ad-75d4-3599-8aca-0c0f5e0c4729/20375163?doDispatch=1 Link to the past from a site which explains it all .
I am still amazed at the prospect of this journey... I will imagine Young Bach playing at the organ when he thought he could become Kapelmeister and made the journey to Dresde for the audition...
At 6pm, at home, on the web,
With some drawbacks I eventually managed to have a good connection and enjoyed this Advent Concert, could feel the atmosphere of this evening in cold Dresden (the audience outdoors was wearing thick woollies. I have to be careful for my trip next week and remember to take gloves, scarf and bonnet). It was simply astonishing to be at home and listen to such grand music in this particular church. The photos of my computor screen tell so much about the passion of the audience indoors and outdoors. What a place! I was so pleased to see Elina Garanca again, and to discover Christiane Karg who is Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier at the Semperoper.
(photo@Marco Schmid)
I can imagine her sweet smile after the last run of La Forza when she received this colourful bouquet from the hands of her best fan who has followed her right from the beginning of her career at the National Theater where she mainly sings and all over the world.
Now she finished the Arabella performances at the Semperoper in Dresde. She had a great success and it was possible to read titles where she was acclaimed as the Queen of the Opera, and 'Arabellissima,' expression used for Lisa della Casa when she sang this role.
I had the privilege to meet her in the same corridor outside her room. But I was really too impressed by her kindness and natural way of meeting us that I could not possibly take a photo. Then I got this wonderful one from my friend in Munich.
This bouquet suits her so well... In the Arabella trailer, her voice soars then too quickly vanishes.. (I have searched the radios around Dresden... for a broadcast....not yet found ...)
Why am I closer to 80 than 8.....?
Never mind! I will join at least one of these wonderful afternoons at the new Philarmonie de Paris !
There are three events called 'concerts participatifs' where you can join in the singing and get some practice before. It is such a thrilling prospect! You can even download the scores and get ready at home.
I will be there for Carmen!!!!!with the whole family.... singing in tune (let's hope, after practice...)
(photos from the concert hall Philarmonie de Paris site).
Orchestre national d’Île-de-France - Enrique Mazzola
Orchestre national d'Île-de-France Enrique Mazzola, direction Stéphanie d'Oustrac, mezzo-soprano
Georges Bizet
Carmen (Habanera, Choeur des gamins, Danse bohème)
Manuel De Falla
Le Tricorne (Suites 1 et 2)
Pour ce concert, venez chanter avec l’Orchestre national
d’Île-de-France ! Le public est en effet invité à chanter des airs de
Carmen avec l’Orchestre. Il répète sous la direction d’Enrique Mazzola
et avec la mezzo-soprano Stéphanie d’Oustrac.
Comme l’orchestre, vous pourrez répéter de chez vous, avant le concert, à
l’aide d’une partition et d’un guide d’écoute (disponible deux mois
avant le concert sur orchestre-ile.com et philharmoniedeparis.fr).
Ce concert est précédé d'un atelier de préparation en famille à 11h30. Coproduction Orchestre national d’Île-de-France, Philharmonie de Paris
Much awaited performance from the Bayerische Staatsoper with a smashing set of singers, which shows that nobody is unreplaceable....
All the best to all of them on this new production which seems very interesting and of course so far from the traditional Muti family's one seen in Rome not long ago.
Teaser from BSO Radio link
Here's another link from Danish radio (found on Parterre Box, more than useful reading for very precious links of performances all over the planet) where it is possible to listen again if the live from BR klassik had been interrupted. It is also possible to see a curtain call picture of Jonas Kaufmann and Krystine Opolais. (twittter link). They really looked completely in it and I'd rather see them in normal clothes than period costumes. The drama looks more real and naturally their singing is also truer to passions, real ones! (well with the added pinches of pathos necessary for the oparatic cuisine, such a rich broth, especially Puccini !).
France Musique is celebrating the opening of the brand new concert hall with lots of concerts for families during the week-end. They are broadcasting the three days' events.
Highlights for me: All the Berlioz concerts, Nathalie Dessay singing Poulenc, and La Flûte enchantée for kids... I will try to follow all the concerts!
What is fantasic is that somehow our taxes manage to allow this cultural investment (as well as the opening of the new Philarmonie at New Year), when at the same time, we are getting deeper into the economical crisis. When times are hard, joining musical events in brand new halls give a feeling of fraternity, sharing emotions together help to face the crisis.We need music like daily bread to feel good and stronger in our mind to face hardship. Link to the 3 days programme France Musique. Link sat 15 programme Link sun 16 programme.
Karine Deshayes is in San Francisco, singing Angelina and I guess that yesterday, which was the opening night, she had a great success!
Anja Harteros is at the Semperoper (Dresden), giving life to Arabella. From the pictures on the opera site, she looks really exquisite for the role. Reviews are praising her singing and acting. (link given by my friend from Munich).photo:Matthias Creutziger
At the beginning of December she will be in Dresden with another Strauss opera: Der RosenKavalier, she will be singing the Marschallin. She sang her first Marschallin in 2011 at the BSO and Sophie Koch was Octavian. They will sing together and I think they both share aristocratic looks if not an aristocrastic way of singing when necessary! I will be there! (fingers crossed...)
photo from the conductor's site, Anja Bihlmaier.
Vesselina Kasarova finished singing Carmen in Hannover. I was going to her recital in Paris (les Lundis musicaux) but that was cancelled and I feel sad because I will not travel to Cologne( like I did last year for her Dalila) for La Damnation de Faust. I will regret it a lot but I have to make choices: this is my Strauss year with the best soprano in this repertoire, according to my ears: Anja Harteros.
I do not know when I will be able to attend a live concert to enjoy one of my favourite mezzo...Vesselina!
Breaking news: If you are ready to fly to Wiener Konzerhaus on the 18th: Vesselina Kasarova will sing Berlioz'la mort de cléopâtre during a concert dedicated to French composers Ravel, Berlioz Debussy.
She has a wonderful approach to Berlioz, I remember her singing Marie some years ago at Pleyel 'L'Enfance du Christ' . A pity this is not in Paris, I would have made the trip!
Ludovic Tézier caught a bad virus which compelled him to abandon Scarpia at Bastille. I read he also had to cancel Colline Opera. I hope he will be back to singing and recovering soon. But he is on my radio for a while among the best of the'Barytons français' present and past: France Musique Lirico Spinto
Jonas Kaufmann was also on sick leave for quite a while and had to cancel several appearances, but now is back to his native town Munich, favourite opera house: BSO, rehearsing Manon Lescaut he already sang at the ROH. Whimsical Anna Netrbko cancelled (like she did for Faust but this time for other reasons than her new voice shape). From what I saw and heard on the web, Jonas and Kristine are great. All the best for both on the 15th!
Coffee break: photo K.Opolais
Patricia Ciofi was at the Liceù with Traviata, and I know what she is like in this role! I will see her twice this season, and I am always pleased because she has such dramatic commitment in all the roles she tackles. The Traviata run with Charles Castronovo ( I also know what he is like in De Grieux), finished end of October. But I will not be lucky enough to see Charles Castronovo just round the corner like Patrizia Ciofi who is a regular singer in Marseille, Avignon and Orange!
Amazing Cecilia Bartoli is touring the best concert halls with her new discoveries, but I did not travel to listen to her two nights at the TCE in Paris. She was fantastic as always! If she comes down South I will go (like she did in the past years in Montpellier, let's hope!).
There are also so many singers I appreciate either in concerts and operas, but these are the ones I made a journey to listen to them and will try to see again if I can...
There is the case of my favourite tenor of course: Rolando Villazon. It is difficult these days to be' fan' like I was. I did not attend his last recital at the TCE. I used to. I can see him on TV, where he is quite often, very mediatic and funny! I keep my best memories of him, nearly ten years ago.... already!
Last saturday, although I enjoyed thoroughly Sonia Ganassi's energetic and brilliant Sinaïde, I would have liked to listen to Mariella Devia's voice live once more. She will be in Valencia in March, with .Norma.
Now, the younger ones: I have tried without success to see where young JenNy Kim was after her Chatelet appearances in The King and I. May be I will get some good news. I hope she will succeed!
I have sometimes felt the music was better than at home in some special opera houses like the BSO and la Scala lately.
Some seasons when I used to go to Bastille more often, I felt our orchestra was not as good when I was back home. It is no longer the case now because there are lots of improvements : Lawrence Foster is at the head of the Philarmonique (2011) and there is a permanent invited conductor: Fabrizio Maria Carminati. There are also new comers in the orchestra: the violinists are younger and produce a unique and beautiful sound most of the time. The brass section also sounds more homogeneous than ever. I also believe in the powerful influence of the Italian conductor Paolo Arrivabeni: he kept a magnificient pulsation all night for this Rossini ' Grand opera'. It was more like an oratorio for such a musical concert version. The muisc made me imagine all the miracles accomplished by Moïse.
I will go back next sunday matinée, because this is exceptionnel and needs to be listened to again. I will follow the Prayer live once more with the nine soloists responding the orchestra and chorus. Precious musical moments gone too quickly!(we did not clap enough, no 'encore' took place I am afraid).
(photo S. Duffaut )
Yesterday, what came from the orchestra, chorus, and the nine soloists was somptuous. Singing from Annick Massis, Philippe Talbot, and Sonia Ganassi was remarquable. Then all the others were great but not so smashing to my ears. I enjoyed Pharaon and Moïse less, not that they did not lack presence and vocal beauties, but I was expecting more warmth in the voice from this charismatic Moïse, not only strength, a Samuel Ramey type of voice, ( I listened a lot to Samuel Ramey's renditions of this role) and Pharaon was fine but not always convincing in his versatile role either on the Hebrew side or against, he did not quite sustain the tension of this religious fight .
The young bel cantist voice of his son Amenophis-Philippe Talbot was more convincing and really touching in the last act opposed to his beloved Anaï-Annick Massis. He was just wonderful with clear tops and his diction was really 'Rossinian' for me. So was Annick Massis: very moving rendition with all sorts of adornments in stratospheric difficult arias.She was touching in her sacrifice.
Sonia Ganassi mastered her role with ease. She was the only one to sing opposite her son without following the scores, and he also responded with spontaneous acting which was fine and more natural vocally. She got tremendous applause, perhaps more than the rest, although the whole cast and orchestra received triumphant applause at the bows.
Special disctinctions for the two young tenors : Julien Dran and Remy Mathieu. Julien Dran had to face an incident which could have been worse. Before he sang his first difficult high tops, a musician collapsed, we all heard the fall and witnessed a group of musicians carrying her out. The conductor stopped, and suddenly the whole audience felt a disquieting feeling shared by the soloists who turned to the orchestra. Then the music was resumed and Julien Dran, (Eliezer) had to restart his aria with concern as if nothing had happened. I admired his cold blood and beautiful voice.
The chorus had also a great sound in the ensembles last night. Pierre Lodice who has been in charge of the chorus for years has to be thanked for what he does when there are very special occasions like this rare opera and also in the repertoire. The chorus for me is often a source of pleasure. Link culture box
photo christian Dresse.
The cast and production: Moïse et Pharaon Opéra en 4 actes
Livret de Luigi BALOCCHI et Étienne de JOUY
Création à Paris, Opéra, le 26 mars 1827
Première présentation à l'Opéra de Marseille
VERSION CONCERTANTE
Direction musicale Paolo ARRIVABENI
DISTRIBUTION
Sinaide Sonia GANASSI (8, 11 NOV)
Enkelejda SHKOZA (14, 16 NOV)
Anaï Annick MASSIS
Marie Lucie ROCHE
Moïse Ildar ABDRAZAKOV
Pharaon Jean-François LAPOINTE
Aménophis Philippe TALBOT
Eliézer Julien DRAN
Osiride / Une voix mystérieuse Nicolas COURJAL
Aufide Rémy MATHIEU
Bad enough to have nightmares after singing Lady Macbeth, on the eery Halloween night, Anna N had a vision.
A kind hearted witch whispered in Anna's nightmare:
"beware of the rats in this House, you will be trapped while getting to deportation...Jonas has already faced them, but you, you, sweetheart Manon-mouse as you are, you will be trapped, and without your splendid rabbit skin silk lined coat to protect you, not even a skinny mouse fur... so run Diva, run...."
Which she did as soon as she got her senses back.
Meanwhile, her fans from all over the world are wondering if it is worth reselling their expensive tickets... or attend another ratty opera of any sort for the sake of the new production and the faithful singers who did not have a vision and will fulfill their contracts, in this Operatic rat race.
Rossini is my favourite composer in that matter: praying.
I am not a specialist in the exercise but with music, the door of this immense world is ajar for me to sneak in.
Rossini is the winner of my heart with his ' Petite Messe Solennelle' where I feel tears coming when the mezzo sings her last aria at the end.
Then, there is this Prayer, written as a prayer where Moses at the end of the opera is asking protection to finally reach the Promised Land ( last act of Moïse et Pharaon).
Amazing Youtube helped me to make my choice: young Tebaldi, Toscanini and the re-opening of La Scala after the WW2(owing to CzarDodon).
Now I know how it feels to be in the audience of this prestigious Opera House and I just can imagine myself there, again and again....
Soon I will listen to a concert version of Moïse et Pharaon at Marseille Opera House. Sonia Ganassi ( I love too and saw in Italy twice) will replace Mariella Devia.(so sad but singers are huaman beings and have a lot to put up with).
In Florence I saw them both in an unforgettable Anna Bolena.
I was also completely subdued by her Maria Stuarda at La Fenice.
Saturday night will be absolute bliss for me: Annick Massis and Sonia Ganassi ... and wonderful voices for tenor bass and baritone...
The prayer will be gone too fast...(we could applaude for an encore!)
I plan to go on Sunday matinée too... I have never enough of Rossini... and I love concert versions too because we do not have to put up with tits and boobs and rolling on the floor at any slight sexual occasion plus stupid productions with political insights made for Opera only.... often stereotyped, rather boring and dull.
Here is the link to the complete 1983 production in Paris which is very precious, with singers I love, Samuel Ramey, Cecillia Gasdia, Shirley Verrett and Georges Prêtre who is still young and beautiful ! (he turned 90 last August!)
This opera is a treat with beautiful ensembles and stunning harp arias. (many thanks to the uploader of this gem, Shawn Melon).
Here is my second best Rossini's Prayer
Enrique Mazzola
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(photo france musique)
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