Die Frau Ohne Schatten in Munich – Online Tomorrow

One Night Only*: the Bayerische Staatsoper's new production of Die Frau Ohne Schatten starting at 6 PM (CET), which is around noon New York time on Sunday, December 1. 

*If you are now singing a number from Dreamgirls in your head, you may be ga... a fan of Broadway musicals.

Post Number 500* – What's Up with Mojca Erdmann?

Yes, she's gorgeous; but 

can she sing (this week)?

This fall, Mojca Erdmann (recently named the "Hottest Female in Opera" by Operagasm) quietly disappeared from two different productions of Der Rosenkavalier (in Vienna and most recently in New York), and I'm wondering: what's up with that? 

I did see one reference to her being "sick" (yes, "sick" in quotation marks).  So, I searched for Mojca Erdmann sick, Mojca Erdmann illness, Mojca Erdmann cancellation, and Mojca Erdmann replacement, with no results. 

Gratuitous Friday (Otterphile Edition) – Une soirée avec Kurt Weill

Available on demand at France Musique until December 15: Anne Sofie von Otter and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France under the direction of HK Gruber present an An Evening with Kurt Weill, including The Seven Deadly Sins, and selections from One Touch of Venus and Lady in the Dark.

The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music website* says:

Ever since she recorded Die sieben Todsünden for Deutsche Grammophon in 1994, Anne Sofie von Otter has made the work her own. 

© 2012 The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music. All rights reserved.

Reminder of Online Operas to be Thankful for (Some for a limited time!)

Video

If you haven't watched La Clemenza di Tito from La Monnaie yet, you have only a few more days to do so. Go watch it. Now!

And, for one day only, the Bayerische Staatsoper's new production of Die Frau Ohne Schatten starting at 6 PM (CET), which is around noon New York time on Sunday, December 1.  

Audio

Next Monday and for seven days thereafter, you can hear the recent Wozzeck from Covent Garden with Simon Keenlyside and Karita Mattila on BBC Radio 3.

Dvorak's Armida is still available for listening (for a few days) at Sveriges Radio, who also have a recent performance of Britten's Gloriana (also Covent Garden, with a cast including Toby Spence and Kate Royal) for about a month. 

Finally, the latest Orfeo ed Euridice from Paris with Franco Fagioli as Orfeo and Malin Hartelius (sigh) as Euridice (yes, it's in Italian, which actually sounded rather odd (but awesome) to me, since the most recent performances I've heard were in French) on francemusique.com. This wonderful performance is available for about four weeks. 

More Gerald Finley; More Master Classes

Gerald Finley takes a more technical approach in this master class at the Royal College of Music (Sept. 2013) than some (say, JDD, for example) other artists might. I think he's brave to mess with a singer's technique. He does seem to approach gently, but personally, I think he talks too much. I'd rather hear the singer spend more time working with his concepts than hear the concepts stated over again. 

On the other hand, as he goes along, building on the work that's been done, we begin to understand where he's going: "Be careful. Remember that your instrument is already beautiful, if you don't get in the way." 

One thing Mr. Finley reminds me is the irony of music:  singers frequently are encouraged to emulate a violin or cello, or clarinet; and instrumentalists are always exhorted to sing!