Watching the Radio – JDD and TH in live Orchestral Programs

OK, so if it's not a master class blog, is this becoming a blog full of gratuitous mentions of Joyce DiDonato and Thomas Hampson? Probably. 

But don't worry, I am not forgetting my other obsessions! It's just what's happening now is you can hear both TH's and JDD's recent orchestral programs online in the radio archives, thanks to NPO Radio 4 in the Netherlands and WQXR in New York, NY. 

Thomas Hampson recently participated in Mariss Jansons' farewell concert with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (March 20), singing Mahler (natürlich), Copland (of course), and Berio (not as surprising as you might think).

And Joyce DiDonato brought her Carnegie Hall residence to a close on March 18 with a wonderful bel canto concert with the Philadelphia Orchestra, sharing the stage with Laura Claycomb and Lawrence Brownlee. 

I caught most of TH's program (including a fine orchestral reading of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra) but I totally zoned out and missed JDD's concert. Now we all can relive (or live for the first time these two outstanding programs!

Enjoy!

Mezzo Madness – DiDonato and Garanca Recitals in the Concerthuis

Now on Netherlands Radio4 Concertuis (neither new, but both noteworthy):

Elina Garanca with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in 2008 singing Mozart, Bizet, and more. (I usually try to be very positive, but this version of Parto, ma tu ben mio seems strangely detached. I mean, I know it's a concert but...) 

And Joyce DiDonato's Drama Queens program with Complesso Barocco as heard last year in the Gran Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona. 

Both concerts are enjoyable, but I think these two photos pretty well depict the contrast I hear: the cool-ish tone of one program and the rather more fiery nature of the other. (To be fair, Ms. Garanca was a guest on an orchestra concert, while Ms. DiDonato was the concert!)

Gratuitous Anja Kampe Post – Der Fliegende Holländer in Amsterdam

Anja Kampe really is Senta these days (and Seglinde now and then.) BBC Radio 3 broadcast her 2009 Holländer from the ROH last week. And the Bayrische Staatsoper featured her in their video webcast last month. 

This Fliegende Holländer is a concert version from the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam on Sunday May 26, broadcast on hr2-kultur Radio. Andris Nelsons led soloists, choruses, and the Concertgebouw Orchestra. 

I managed to catch Acts 2 & 3 of the broadcast, and here is Senta's Ballad—dramatic, tender, haunted, manic, beautiful. The full concert is available at Radio 4, Netherlands. Below the clip is the full cast list.