Back from 'Music Land' and the cold....

Used to very warm Provence weather and rather moderate humid British one from time to time, our 'expedition' to Moscow was quite an event...
Short day light (it starts getting dark around half past three some days) and very low temperatures (-17° when we landed and for our first day around Red Square) ) did not take us by surprise as we read about Russian Winter but it was quite a sight to see us transformed into  yeti and huge

matryoshka .. looking rather inelegant when the Moscow feminine population looked rather smart in their expensive  fur coats, leather boots. and fur hats.. I had borrowed my granddaughter skiing boots and scarves and hardly felt the cold !(my first pict of me on the blog... amazing souvenir, it was around -18° and was the night of arrival around 11pm we wanted to see the main street where we were and the Boshoï just there too)





Each day an army of workers was busy scrubbing the snow in the center around Revolution Square, the Bolshoï and Red Square . It was always easy to walk there,  at times  it got slippery in spite of all the salt which was thrown all day long. We watched  our steps most of the time and while walking for an hour or so under light falling snow we popped into shops to warm up then carried on walking and visiting.  We took the metro twice, found the steps rather tiring too, but it was worth visiting the ones we took.

We  had a great time during two evenings , one spent at the Bolshoï New stage for the Stone Guest ( Don Juan revisited in a romantic style by Pushkin for the libretto, and very fine music from Alexander Dargomyzhsky, orchestred by Rimsky Korsakov and Cui after the musician's death). The second night was spent  at the Tchaikovsky Hall for a piano recital : Lucas Debargue gave a stunning rendition of Chimanovsky Sonata n° 2 and two Schubert sonatas (12 and 14) . He finished with two Encore (a Scarlatti short quiet piece and perhaps a Debussy one  which had L'après midi d'un Faune accents somehow). It was a fine musical evening in this prestigious house. (full and very welcoming for this young French pianist)
 There are so many concert halls and opera houses in Moscow!

When we visited Saint Basil,  three A cappella  singers  gave us  a free concert in the main chuch of the Intercession. I could not resist taking a short video; It was tearjerking !(but I cannot upload it and I do not want to publish it on youtube, it is too short and does not do justice to these great voices, so...)Here's a screenshot the three amazing singers with wonderful voices:

I found the three singers we listened to on Sunday morning the 18th on youtube at a warmer season ( they were wearing open shirts) this is tremendous singing. I could listen to them all nights ans days..; (thank you for this uploading)

As a souvenir are these two cds, very affordable compared to our prices. Russia  in Winter is a wonderful destination for Music, every where even on the Red Square full of free intertainement for families even when it is -14° !
Our Son and Daughter in law  bought us the airtickets as a present ... they  were so right ! Moscow with snow and End of year decorations lit up around 4pm looks fabulous!

   

Ten days break and a trip to Russia...

Before this long day is over and to be sure to find it without trouble on my Ipad during this trip, here is my favourite melody, at 7.34,  sung by Karine Deshayes, it is also a dedicace to that Dec 10 2001....

Sunshine in Winter: our granddaughter's 15th birthday!

When she was born in the village where we live we had a phonecall at 4am from my daughter in law 's family that she was arriving... so we got up and walked as fast as we could to the maternity hall. And there she was!
(photo Zurich lake, Nov 26)

Missing Elisabetta-Anja Harteros in Zurich, Don Carlo revival, opening night, Nov 27th...

(photo found on the net, same production ,same costumes.Vesselina Kasarova on the left was Eboli, Zurich Opernhaus,March 2012)

No need to say I missed Anja Harteros tremendously and still do... Not that the young and vigourous Tamara Wilson who replaced her was no good...but she was not what I like in this role. She was towering Ramon Vargas (but is it necessary to be matched physically on an opera stage? )
 Having convinced myself that Anja Harteros's Elisabetta is the best for this opera, how could I appreciate this new too strong and less flexible and less subtle voice?
 I had the impression, through her energetic singing that Tamara Wilson could have sung anything with the same stamina. For her,  the words did not mean or  weigh much... she had all the notes, and that was it. As for her dramatic abilities, they were next to nothing,  almost as clumsy as another young singer I discovered in Shanghaï and is now for me a kind of model for what I have to avoid even if the singing abilities tend to be fine at some points, I mean the Tosca delivered by O. Dikka. Seeing Tamara Wilson lying at the front stage when she fainted, I thought 'what a sight' and 'will she manage to pull herself up? '. I did not like her tops and even heard a wobble which is not a good sign with young singers. Her duet with Carlo was better than her 'Tu che le vanita'.
And yet,   Tamara Wilson received tremendous applause, perhaps too much, and I thought she had the support of American friends and fans in the house, well trained for over clapping! ( 'la claque' ?)
Anja Harteros  missed the revival première...  I still cannot get over it !
When one is used to Mrs Harteros's singing as I am it was obvious I would miss her unique way of giving the Verdi legato and piani plus the sense of drama which is so remarquable in her acting.   
What was excellent that night: all the men's voices and Eboli, a wonderful mezzo soprano I discovered.

 Peter Matteï 's Posa, matched with Ramon Vargas' Carlo, (touching

and even more fragile than in his Bastille Hoffman), made a great vocal and dramatic team. The elegance of  Peter Matteï 's acting when expressing these touching feelings of frienship made him better  than Ludovic Tezier's Posa, (Tezier had been for long my favourite Posa).
 The house burst with applause after René Pape 's ' Ella geimmai m'amo'
which was stunning although he did not sound previously at the best of his form.The orchestra was full blast most of the time and luckily very fine when the warhorses  were being performed. The solo instruments had a lot of pathos, especially the cello before Philip 's complaint for not having been loved, and in this production, it was the bare truth !
I even wondered considering the artists on stage that night, if love could have been possible between them because they did not act as if it could have been possible: Tamara Wilson never looked at Ramon Vargas, or any of the protagonists.  Eboli showed more artistic concerns about her love towards Carlo.
Don Carlo without the Fontainebleau act is not the one I like best but on the whole it is the same grand opera which offers a balance between love and political issues. In this production the cast (not counting Anja Harteros 's cancellation at this première revival) was the best you can have these days.
It was worth the journey in the end.

It was the first Advent Sunday and the town was ready to open the lovely Christmas markets and funfair just in front of the operahouse. I treated myself to quiet walks along the lake past the Chinese garden and also rides on various trams to see life at a quiet pace  with nice sceneries going past.


The special Giacometti exhibition at Kuntshouse was also highly moving. I had another long

encounter with the Dog and his broken heart overflowing with kindness. I was strangely happy to see him again. This sculpture has a soul !
Verdi, Giacometti  and Zurich lit up for Christmas, made the journey worth while, and just to keep it in mind, also on that Sunday morning around midday,  I was at the presentation of Missa da Requiem where I listened to a Liberame out of a dream come true...(and selected arias too)with wonderful artists who came at this early sunday morning hours and sang with piano just for us...

Why didn't I plan my trip later?
 I would have seen Anja Harteros's Elisabetta again and would have attended that very unique creation of 'Messa da Requiem'... I will get the Dvd (I am not rich enough to sponsor it but I know some are in this very special place, Zurich and surroundings, nice, very nice but so expensive ...)

France Musique: Carrefour de Lodéon Today 16pm: Karine Deshayes and Schubert !

I will always travel for Karine Deshayes and when she comes to me on air I have to do something special here on my blog!
This afternoon at 4pm she is on air here .
Another celebration with Schubert !

Last week on the 12th, Karine Deshayes was singing Charlotte in a concert version. (Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, Moscow). She was heartbreaking.

 Diapason new issue, celebrating Schubert.

Flashback to Schwarzenberg and Franz Schubert special day, today.

(One of these days the Schubert project in Schwarzenberg will release cds, or best ofs from the  artists who perform in this heavenly mountain spot each year.
I made the journey for 'Anja Harteros singing Schubert 'accompanied by Wolfam Rieger at the piano, the three of them  were united in a special musical wedlock!
On the 19th of Nov in 1828 Franz  left this material world he hardly belonged to.
But he still can bring lots of warm feelings when they are needed, in his quiet way of phrasing feelings on poems like 'Im Abendrot' where it is like a musical sunset of life but with hope as the lied ends on  major tone.
I often watch sunsets when I am at the seaside, in Marseille or like last Summer at Hayling Island.(top photo)
 It is difficul to retain the sinking rays on photos. Schubert has done it so well with music.
Anja Harteros manages every feeling expressed by the music and the words in a phrasing which is only hers... the long painful variations on 'zusammenbricht'  the deep 'Glüt' even deeper the second time. I remember I felt tears coming... but soon was reassured by the major tone on 'Licht'.
Soon light will come again!
Carpe Diem...

Im Abendrot
 Karl Gottlieb Lappe 1773-1843.

D. 799 (1824 oder 1825)
O wie schön ist deine Welt,
Vater, wenn sie golden strahlet!
Wenn dein Glanz herniederfällt
Und den Staub mit Schimmer malet, Wenn das Rot, das in der Wolke blinkt, In mein stilles Fenster sinkt!
Könnt ich klagen, könnt ich zagen? Irre sein an dir und mir?
Nein, ich will im Busen tragen

Deinen Himmel schon allhier.
Und dies Herz, eh’ es zusammenbricht, Trinkt noch Glut und schlürft noch Licht.

O how fair is your world,
Father, when you send your golden beams! When your lustre comes down
And paints the dust with light,
When the red that shines in the clouds Sinks to my quiet window!
Could I complain, could I waver? Be false to you and me?

 No, I will carry in my bosom
Your heaven even here.
And this heart, before it breaks, Drinks still fire and sips still the light.

LINK

Great expectations.

I am looking forward to knowing the answers to the Bayerische Staatsoper lottery:
will I be able to see Andrea Chenier on the opening night March 12th 2017?
Will I be lucky enough to get tickets for the Festspiel twice : for  Tannhaüser and   for Anja Harteros Liederabend on the 9th and 12th of July?
In this state of great hope I feel relieved to be able to watch the live streaming of a Wagner opera I understand deeply: The Flying Dutchman from Finland this time and I have the feeling it is going to be the real thing!
 And this is for sure, unless my connection goes funny that evening on the 24th -6pm?

This page is going to be updated according to my feelings and news from singers I appreciate a lot.
So I have great expectations concerning Jonas Kaufmann 's return soon, or else just knowing he only needs rest after tiresome years of wonderful singing all over the planet. But let's hope it is not a serious phase of illness. Gosh! such a wonderful artist... get well soon and let's hope to see you again alongside Anja Harteros!

Deutsche Oper Berlin, Tosca nov 8th: Stunning Anja Harteros!

After the beauties of Bel canto in Madrid in very warm weather I had three days in rather cold and rainy Berlin but the music and singing kept me in wonderful mood and really warm feelings!

Berlin is a fantastic place for music, visiting museums and wandering along very interesting streets in areas like Wilmersdorf where I often stay. The Art Nouveau huge houses have always some catching details to gaze at, and the hostal I often stay has an amazing lift and an even more amazing breakfast room with a very fine window opening on the back courtyard, and of course a very nice cooked breakfast with  tasty falafels. 
 It is also very moving  to be able to read  in the street where you are staying what happened there in the very dark 1938 period, because in Berlin nothing is hidden. (Always good for your memory and what is related to your own life to be confronted to what happened next door when you were not born but soon you would be there, and your parents were involved in these events). Blue sky on the photo, dating back to last September!
So,  the journey to Berlin which had been hard the first time I undertook  it is now quite a rich  and moving experience in my retired life.
The evening of the 8th at the Deutsche Oper will be  treasured : I discovered a new tenor, Jorge de Leon with a sunny voice and brilliant tops (a beautiful high C that night) and a juvenile look for a painter in Andrea Della Valle. Then, for a change,  the setting was following the story and its historical time and place. So Tosca had her last jump and the costumes were fine for all the characters. This setting is without any strange idea to make you worry about catching the director's intentions or hidden agenda to rewrite the opera...
What a relief to follow the action in surroundings conform to  the libretto! ( it was not quite the case in Paris).
As a result, the music and singing had the best place and it was an absolute success for the cast and the orchestra.
What came obvious to me is the complete suitability of this  role for Anja Harteros.  She has the looks for Floria, elegance, class,  and can play coquetterie and jealousy without any problems!  She  acted  and sounded even better than in her parisian Tosca, more at ease and sharing a better chemistry with Mario. This time Scarpia was less obviously devellish than B. Terfel was. He was also a bit underpowered vocally. But the duets with Mario-Jorge de Leon were fantastic! Her jump and devastating 'Mario' cannot be forgotten easily.
This time she ended her Vissi d'arte on a disquieting and very soft 'cosi' and had beautiful phrasing all along the role, which I think, is hers, by now. It is also possible, while watching her and listening to her harsh cries of despair, to dream of Callas swiftly passing by as Anja Harteros interprets this role so perfectly.

Teatro Real Madrid: capital of Bel Canto, oct 29/30.

Two days in Madrid for Norma on the 29th and 30th of October precisely to catch two casts of singers, some adored ones like Karine Deshayes in Adalgisa along side with Gregory Kunde as her Roman lover, and of course the Norma of the second cast, the real last belcanto soprano, Mariella Devia. On sunday afternoon the audience in Teatro Real made a great standing ovation to La Devia and the whole cast: in fact the enthusiasm went crescendo and exploded at the last scene: all singers were also carried away by the excellence of the singing of the lead singer, Mariella Devia, and also the sustained tempo at the orchestra (Bellini sounded so romantic  during those two performances, even the excess of repetition which can sound aukward at times, were really exhilarating!) . Having followed Norma the previous night with also great pleasure but no excessive passion for Norma-Maria Agresta who seemed more comfortable in this role during the second act, then the real passion for the touching Adalgisa delivered by Karine Deshayes who was completely at ease with the bel canto arias, I tried to imagine what the duets between Adalgisa and Norma would have been with Devia-Deshayes. One can always dream... but it could have happened !
 It would have been sheer delight! (not that what I heard twice running was not convincing, but I feel the combination of these two voices and their degree of musicality and knowledge of this repertoire, would have been a real treat!).
What with the summery weather and the atmosphere of lingering holidays in Madrid plus these two wonderful moments spent at packed Teatro Real ( above all on sunday tardès) I felt I was not on real grounds.

I had the great pleasure to thank Karine Deshayes for what she gave us: her prayer was sung at a very high level of bel canto with wonderful accents and weight on words. It is such a wonderful musical moment but it is not alone: the whole Norma is full of divine music! (not only the very famous casta diva).

To follow Karine Deshayes: today updated ling to Moscow for live broadcast: Werther
at 4GMT.
Here   two photos from the October 30th: Mariella Devia under thundering applause and standing ovation:

Here is the link to ARTE CONCERT : the 29th cast(without Mariella Devia as Norma)
http://concert.arte.tv/fr/norma-de-vincenzo-bellini-au-teatro-real-de-madrid

Hamlet, third time at Marseille Opera House: matinée Sunday Oct 2nd.

It was the opening of my season 16-17 at Marseille Opera House.
Although I had already seen this Vincent Boussard production of Ambroise Thomas when it was created at the same place six years ago with the same Patrizia Ciofi in Ophélie, then nearly the same cast in the same production  two years ago in Avignon, but Hamlet was the Canadian tenor J-F Lapointe, so handsome and perfect singer for this role, and Gertrude is this time a great mezzo soprano I had not seen as often as I would have liked to, the brilliant Sylvie Brunet-Grupposo, plus The conductor Lawrence Foster I appreciate very much, so I made up my mind to travel to Marseille and see this production for the 4th time! In fact it is not a bad production at all and the more I see it the more I appreciate it!
Hamlet here is not following Shakespeare 's play entirely. Ambroise Thomas with his librettists Carré and Barbier   made some changes: Polonius is only Claudius's partner in crime, Ophélie's brother does not die, Gertrude goes to a 'nunnery' ! and Hamlet becomes King at the end. The political aspects of the play have no echo in the opera drama. So, really one comes to A. Thomas's Hamlet for the music and singing, not for Shakespeare...or perhaps for the hero Hamlet with his 19th century romantic looks? (yet he was an Elisabethan character ). There are two endings for the drama, for a French audience Thomas wrote a 'happy' ending: the one I always saw, Hamlet right at the last scene, while discovering he is on Ophelie's tomb, is proclaimed King of the Danes. For an English audience the ending was different and the hero Hamlet died.
Yesterday, it was the best one out of the four, and I was  happy I came...
Here is my contribution as a faithul admirer of the Photographer Christian Dresse. His Hamlet photos are amazing!(as always because he  does the photos of all the opera productions in Marseille).
(one spectacular photo I would have raved to take: when  the tall Hamlet- J-F Lapointe picks up the mousy Ophélie-Patrizia Ciofi, it was such a lovely sight!)
On the music front it was sumptuous: our orchestra now under Maestro Lawrence Foster guidance has reached an incredible level. In  a score which has instrument solo such as the 'angel ' horn, called the English horn, for a beautiful aria (doute de la lumière, which is the Love leit-motiv), yesterday's rendition sounded tremendous, very moving indeed, without the singing. So when Patrizia Ciofi goes into her great aria in act IV  which is such a delicate'madness' aria, I felt she was really tear-jerking, although perhaps not at the top as she had been vocally  in 2010 but dramatically so right in her composition. To be fair Hamlet-Lapointe and her  make such a trendy couple together: 'small and beautiful ' with 'tall and elegant'!
The singers were all fantasic yersterday, I could not say one was better than the other... perhaps on the seduction front for voices and looks, Hamlet is winning? His great scene, for me,  his meditation, was splendid, each word so well shaped and uttered... pure poetry with music and orchestra under a true connaisseur of this score: Lawrence Foster.
In the end, I think the conductor is the winner and his amazing orchestra too...
I wonder why Marseille Opera does not decide to make a dvd out of these four renditions of theopening of the season? This cast which is a very good mixture of well-known singers plus local ones and young ones, with future prospects, is just what a listener like me will always enjoy. In fact these are the good ones who keep the opera alive in regional France. They are the best artists in the world  and should be thanked and honoured !

Seeking Anja Harteros...passionately! (II)

And there she was Tosca at Opera Bastille on last Saturday evening!

© E. Bauer / Opéra de Paris
Truly fantasic in this role, in all the feelings and complex situation she has to face, opposite the young man she loves and is loved, Mario the painter sung by a born tenor for the role: Marcello Alvarez, and the man she hates, Scarpia-Terfel, because of his  abuse of power on men he has to dominate and manipulate and on women he sexually fancies like  her, the young and sensual young singer, Floria Tosca.
Here in the first act, in this picture, she is openly in love and even coquettish, teasing the man she loves, but the bunch of flowers suggests her deeper prayer, heartbreaking, during the famous 'Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore'..at act II, where facing the floor of Scarpia's office room, she confesses her torments,  having to face a monster who wants her to offer him her body, to humiliate her deeply with this atrocious bargaining: her lover's life saved by her sexual consent.
'Diedi fiori agli altar. Nell'ora del dolore...'
The tempo was rather slow that evening at Bastille, it could be felt that the whole full house was suspended at her lips, intense attention and silence to follow a wonderful legato throughout this aria which began like a whisper and soared  gradually into an intense and utterly moving complaint. 
I knew I would be ovewhelmed by her singing and acting at that moment, but not to such an extent. The whole house broke up with tremendous applause at the end of the well known aria. I was relieved to see how much she was appreciated by the Paris audience after a rather long absence from this stage. (She last sang a complete opera in Bastille in 2003).
Act II showed how far good actors and singers can enhance a well -known situation into something truly thrilling and exciting even when the setting and costumes are very tarditional. Both  Bryn Terfel and  Anja Harteros are tall and dominating, so they were equally fighting for their aims with the same obstinate will, him almost like a feline, her, more mobile and fiercely tryng to save her lover she had just betrayed to stop his torture. Her 'quanto' was  so harsh and almost like a smack in his face. I was not sitting near the stage but with my lenses I followed their expressions: they were equally fighting in a rather animal- like fierce opposition. It was breathtaking with the orchestral outbursts. I had the feeling I was rediscovering this Puccini's opera. For once it was possible to hear all the violent lines she sings after her stabbing of Scarpia: 'Questo è il bacio di Tosca !' Her voice was tremendous, in high and low range. She was simply amazing! and so beautiful! because beauty, physical beauty, is also part of her presence on stage, in a quiet way, almost secret, 'sans tapage' !
Marcello Alvarez has sung this role all his life! His voice is clear and 'sunny' He was in great shape and delivered a fine E lucevan le stelle, in act III, but did not have much chemistry with Floria during the fist act!
The last scene with the light contrast made a strong impression: Tosca walks towards the wide open land in a strange light, and disappears. No jump for this P. Audi's vision of Tosca.
There was a standing ovation, well deserved for the three main singers and the whole cast. The season at Bastille seems  to start well! (although Tosca's rehearsals were accident prone: J.Ph.Lafont,  (Il Sagrestano), fell down the flight of stairs at act I and had to be taken to hospital, badly injured, and replaced by Francis Dudziak, while Anja Harteros twisted her ankle because she slipped on the stage floor last Tuesday and had to leave for the third act. But she seemed alright, hopefully, on Saturday) The orchestra was fine, leaving space to the singers, and very effecient at act II and III, I enjoyed the tempo of the arias which left the music breathe.  (Dan Ettinger was a discovery for me). I do not know if the  stage door had to be removed because of the high degree of security in Paris these days but I did not find the usual one I knew and did not find Anja Harteros... but hopefully I had the immense joy of discovering her Tosca!

 

Seeking Anja Harteros...hopefully! (part I)

Following my soprano- star means traveling to Austria, Germany and Paris.
Directly I arrived from England, I set off for Schwarzenberg. And I loved the journey, first flying to Munich from Lyon then taking a bus to Dornbirn and finally having a local bus through the mountain to this amazing village which does not look real!
The schubertiades 2016 opened with Anja Harteros and her dedicated pianist Wolfram Rieger.

What an amazing evening in a cosy hall made of  carved wood beams, which gave to the piano and the voice, a gorgeous  full sound! Such intimacy is rather unique  ! the quietness of the audience was also surprising. We were only 300, and it was a full house!
The delightful evening started just at the end of our meal on a shady garden when Anja Harteros appeared walking calmly past on her way to rehearsal, it was striking seven at the church tower opposite. When she caught sight of her Munich fans she knows well, she stopped and beamed at us! With simplicity she embraced all of them and then we asked permission for some photos !  She was so simple and natural! Here is my photo, (it is a very precious one and if it is to be shared just ask me, and it would be good to quote Yvette - H /Schwarzenberg August 23 -2016).
This Lieder recital is part of the fabulous project to give in this 40th anniversary of the festival some 600 works of Schubert for piano by guest artists (this project started in 2015). Anja Harteros  and her  faithful pianist  (the same team on the 2009 cd where I discovered Anja's voice for the songs,  Am see, Wehmut, Seligkeit) have a great chemistry together. Since then they have given  recitals and Schubert lieder took more and more space. This August 23, it was my great pleasure to finally listen to these  jewels  under the beautiful wooden arches where the sound is full and warm. The songs from the program have been grouped :Goethe's poems at the beginning. Anja Harteros was in great shape, in full dazzling vocal form. My preference went to  Wehmut, Nacht und Träume, An den Mond. There were two encores, Seligkeit, breathtaking, and  a departing one,  Im Abendrot (Lappe), D 799) very contrastive with the joy of the previous one, which brought tears to my eyes... that was sublime ! greetings  and applause were tremendous !There were four hanging mics, a project to record all these Lieder in this place that is so far from  noise and pollution?

Futility?

This word sums up what I think about  my blogging on Opera passion.
Dismalness is all around  us and yet I carry on charging to various places to follow the stars... my stars.
Four days ago,  September 11th,  brought its load of sorrowful memories:  first, in 1973 Salvador Allende 's assassination and the Chilean coup d'Etat, an immense horror and so many missing people... then, 1993,  the Islamic attacks in New york, nearly 3000 deaths. Since then, so many terrorist attacks occured in Europe and elsewhere. Since the Paris and Nice attacks I cannot say that whenever we travel (and we did a fair amount of travelling with our grandchildren this summer) these  horrendous events are  not on my mind together with a repressed insecure feeling.
Of course it is futile to express all sorts of opinions about a singer, ( will she turn up for the show? will he manage to reach the high C? can we say it is her role debut if she sings only one act in concert? ... I prefer her in Verdi... and so on and so forth, which is even more acrobatic if it is on a discussion forum where agressivity is always around to reinforce arguments. Not long ago I left a forum for good, furious about one extremely agressive and overpowering eminent guest, I feel relieved now and what a waste of my time that was!)
And it is even more futile to spend so much money on always increasing price tickets and on fares to places like Munich, Berlin, Dornbirn, Schwarzenberg, Paris, Montpellier and perhaps Saint-Rémy de Provence ? But what is passion without all these drawbacks? Love is always excessive, passion is even more so futility has to be part of this game. To some extent though.
This nearly beginning ot the opera season I have to react, frankly I cannot stop wandering about to catch a new production of my favourite singers, mainly Anja Harteros, Mariella Devia and Karine Deshayes, Vesselina Kasarova,  Ludovic Tézier,  perhaps Charles Castronovo and Jonas kaufmann?  I will also travel for Hector Berlioz: oratorios, concerts or ballets, for Mozart too, and Debussy, Haendel, Bellini... the list is endless. As long as I am alive I have to feel the music live and accept the futility of the game. But I will have to be more selective. Aging and money spending are taking  good care of my futility.
The past events in Aix  reassured  me in my taste for new productions of Haendel like Il triomfo del tempo e del disinganno : actualised by Warlikowski with modern characters playing the four strong philosophic arguments, made the drama real and breathtaking:
Bellezza

Sabine Devieilhe

Piacere

Franco Fagioli

Disinganno

Sara Mingardo

Tempo

Michael Spyres

My special admiration goes to Bellezza, embodied by Sabine Devieilhe who has enherited

dramatic and singing abilities of a young Natalie Dessay. She has, in this particular vision, a tragic look  really unforgettable at the very end. As usual with Warlikowski 's universe, the video creates a world of its own which goes deeper into the libretto. And here I had the feeling it was a real achievement. The four singers are all wonderful baroque singers and the conductor E. Haïm and her baroque ensemble were stunning on that opening night. Of the four operas I attended (Cosi, Pélleas et Mélisande,Il Triomfo, Kalila wa dimna) Il triomfo is for me a triumph !

Modernised staging is their common characteristic. Cosi fan tutte was extremely clever on  historical point of views but also too trashy on the sexual side, going to unnecessary extremes. (But I fairly well know such behaviours were common during colonisation). The singing actors were all very good at acting  but uneven as  music performers. 

Pélléas et Mélisande had a wonderful team of singers: Barabara Hannigan and Stéphnae Degout. I

had already seen Laurent Naouri in Golaud and loved him in that difficult role. They all were fantastic singers bringing the poetry of the text in their voices. But Katie Mitchell's staging did not make me come into this dream. A pity because on the orchestra side it was a real journey into the depths of this tale.
The operas and concerts from Aix Festival 2016 are on free streaming on the web. I particularly enjoyed the tale rhythm of the the kalila-wa-dimna and the instruments. On the whole Mozart's new vision of Cosi was annoying because of its excess but quite logical when it is possible to 'dive' into Honoré's transposition. Mozart's was saved by his wondrous music!

A fantastic street artist in Nice.

When in Naples,  I looked for his drawings but did not see any.
A very good reason to pop to Nice after the Summer, if possible;
Meanwhile:

A place dear to me, the beginning and the End. 14 Juillet 2016.

Aix Festival, 1, 4, 5 july.

Cape Town Opera Chorus on the Cours Mirabeau for Parades tonight .

It is a very warm day,   good  for siesta,  then, to  be in great shape for  tonight open air concert !
At 9.45pm the free concert which celebrates the opening of Aix Festival , will be a rewarding musical moment in the cool night!

This opera chorus from Cape Town gave us a beautiful, nearly free concert at Silvacane last week.(June 17th)

The twelve singers were fantastic and moving espacially for me when they gave a stunning rendition of Notre Père, (African Gospel) spread  in  various spots in the great cistercian vault. The soprano was not far from me and I could feel the vibration of her fine voice and pure tops.
So tonight I am eager to listen to them again in a beautiful programme, under the stars. I hope the breeze will not develop into stronger Mistral...
Listening to 'Asimbonanga' will bring back memories of support to Nelson Mendela's struggles, talks from Desmond Toutou heard in London (1988 Hyde park 18 July
  88) and children at school singing this song for la fête de fin d'année .. I will be moved for sure!
Is the Apartheid battle over?
I feel the battle is over, but the battle for equality is not.

Summer day 1: Faites de la Musique...

Musiques en Fête 2016 (teaser) par france3
Musiques en Fête 2016 (teaser) par france3
Created on June 1st 1982, La Fête de la Musique is celebrated everywhere in France either tonight or last night!  On our 3rd Channel there was in Orange a huge popular night with a mixture of opera arias and popular songs with two conductors one dedicated to opera, Luciano Acocella and the second one for popular songs: Didier Benetti. Of course there were a nice display of the younger generation of French singers, some we can see more on our Southern stages like the tenor Forian Laconi or the soprano Ludivine Gombert. Julie Fuchs is already well known, it will be the case after this 5th Musiques en Fête for Gabrielle Philiponet and Vannina Santoni. Rossini's cats' aria  was the best moment for me! They made me laugh and were really witty and nice when acting! Lots of fun in their rendition ! I wondered why Florian Sampey chose Hamlet's 'O vin dissippe la tristesse' which did not suit his voice and was  delivered too seriously . A pity, because in a lighter repertoire, Rossini for instance with Barbieri and Figaro he would have really be brighter.
The two  older singers E. jaho and B. Uria Monzon gave beautiful renditions but sounded at times rather on the limits of their voices. The opera arias were plenty but not always fine... I enjoyed the discovery of the Russian Bass  Vitalij Kowaljow  when he sang Tchaikovsky's Iolantha . The pop songs were chosen with some taste, I liked a heartful homage to Jacques Brel with.Michael Gregorio

Brel : le port d'Amsterdam, Michaël Gregorio - Musiques en fête
.. and also a rather sweet and moving Andrew Lloyd WEBBER's Cats, "Memory" with Ludivine Gombert and l’Orchestre philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, conducted by Didier Benetti.

Webber : Cats, Ludivine Gombert - Musiques en fête

Richard Strauss, 152 years old today.

But like Mozart,  for me he has no age.  Each time I listen to The Four last Songs, his music is connected to me. Each time I watch Edita Gruberova's Zebinetta I feel happy!
So, how could I forget this June day?
This time Morgen is not sung by Anja Harteros I have not seen interpret  these four songs yet.
It is Fritz Wunderlich who gives a beautiful rendition for ever and is missed so much.

(owing to the generous uploader, addiodelpassato)
Here is a previous post of mine, some thoughts about Morgen sung by Anja Harteros.
And a picture of the sea... for this eternal walk.

 (from YT many thanks to the uploader Yukio84)

Carmen, Opéra du Grand Avignon, matinée yesterday June 5th

My only reason to be there on  that very warm afternoon at gallery 3 was Karine Deshayes interpretating Carmen .  By a touch of  the magical wand I would have switched directly to ''l'air des cartes 'which is by far the one I like most in this opera. In fact I am not very fond of Carmen now!
It is perhaps an Opera de  ma jeunesse...  Yet, around the world and here it is  very popular  and each time it is on somewhere, it is sure to sell out. Yesterday It was packed indeed upstairs and there were a few expensive seats left at the parterre certainly because Paris and Northern people had their trains cancelled because of the  strike.
Karine was Carmen at Bastille in Dec 2012 but I missed those renditions. She was successful and blonde just like yesterday ! A blonde Carmen is not in the tradition !!!  It does not bother me really because the  role is in the personality of the singer and her mezzo voice does  it all with Bizet's music of course.
My last Carmen was at Zurich opera house with Vesselina Kasarova in the title role. I loved her portrayal, a more 'intellectualised 'Carmen'. ' L'Air des cartes ' was even more moving than her stabbing. Karine Deshayes built a portrait  which went '' crescendo from a smooth charming girl playing a bit with her  seduction,  less  violent than usual  to a restrained 'vulcano'  on the verge of explosion with  passion  for the handsome Escamillo and fear of fate  written in the cards. In this setting ( the same one done for last year Chorégies d'Orange) the whole tragic love story of passion and jealousy is played on huge cards:  quite right,  Carmen believes in the power of the cards.
Wether it is a deep belief or a tradition, Carmen,  the Gypsy girl who seems to be a modern woman,  claiming to be free,  is in fact dominated by fate, the Greek hasardous black cloud which hovers on our heads.
 Carmen has grabbed the  pack of cards from Mercedes and is throwing them to read the result, then it is the answer : ' La Mort, la Mort'' the setting was gloomy and her black cape eyecatching in the light flashed on her.  It was a fantastic musical moment . Her singing was profound and beautifully phrased,  she was I think deeply moved and gave a stunning rendition of this aria, with a vibrant orchestra too.
I enjoyed the ensembles with the young  group of children, a special juvenile touch in this drama. When the gypsies are packing to go through the mountain, Karine Deshayes was leading the young  group and I have the feeling these little  ones will never forget Carmen  and will become operagoers or singers! Bizet sounded fine and enjoyable yesterday. But my heart goes to Karine Deshayes almost all the matinée with special thoughts for this aria...I came for the mezzo, and she made me shiver during this special aria.... At the curtain calls the productor was booed but smiled and waved, in fact I was not in the mood to see 'espagnolades' for Carmen and I found this setting efficient, with splendid costumes and clever lightings. The young conductor gave a subtle rendition which suited the stylish bare setting. So booing sounded funny to me!The whole cast was young and 'local' mostly. The audience applauded with sheer enthusiasm. It was a success on a rather small stage which has  a long tradition of  beautiful singing.

Opéra-comique en quatre actes
de Georges Bizet
Livret de Henri Meilhac et Ludovic Halévy
(Editions musicales Leduc)

Laurent Campellone
Direction des Chœurs : Aurore Marchand
Etudes musicales : Hélène Blanic

Mise en scène / Décors / Costumes :
Louis Désiré
Lumières : Patrick Méeüs

Carmen : Karine Deshayes
Micaëla : Ludivine Gombert
Frasquita : Clémence Tilquin
Mercédès : Albane Carrère

Don José : Florian Laconi
Escamillo : Christian Helmer
Zuniga : Thomas Dear
Moralès : Philippe-Nicolas Martin
Le Dancaïre : Philippe Ermelier
Le Remendado : Raphaël Brémard

Orchestre Régional Avignon-Provence
Chœur et Maîtrise de l’Opéra Grand Avignon


Nouvelle production des Chorégies d’Orange

Laurent Campellone's interview at the beginning of the rehearsals in Avignon.
He emphasizes the simple reading of the score and gives a special treat to the words because l'opéra français is based on the words, and does not include rubato or change in tempo because of the melody like Italian Opera for instance. The Carmen cast is a french speaking one, so he is pleased  to work more on words.  Pronounciation is  therefore excellent, and that was highly noticeable yesterday with all the singers and performers, chorus and young group.