Upcoming Opera Online from Belgium (Especially Mozart!)

Here's my semi-annual blog post. I am putting it here mostly for me, because I really want to be sure to see these three Mozart/Daponte operas!

I just experienced the Tales of Hoffmann from La Monnaie as well. I was a bit disappointed in the concept with most numbers sung in front of a microphone (I get why they did it, but I found it annoying after the fifth or sixth time), and by Patricia Pettibon, who seemed very stressed. 

Love, like, or hate them, I am always glad to experience productions from La Monnaie. And, as I said, I am looking forward to these Mozarts (and Pique Dame and Rosenkavalier.) Their video streams usually are up for about six weeks, starting right after closing night. Some are available on other platforms. Hoffmann is on arte.tv, and it's geoblocked in the United States; but you can access it with a VPN.

Here's the trailer for the upcoming Figaro.

Thanks to anyone who's still reading me. I will try to update my little blog a little more often!

Hello, Ragazzi! (Part Two)

I just noticed that it's been about four months since my last post. I have been watching and listening to and thinking about opera...just not writing about it lately. So, I am trying to decide whether to spew all my thoughts out in this one post, or spread them out over a few days. I think I will spread them out.

So, last night I saw the Met in HD encore of the 2014 broadcast of Cosi Fan Tutte. This post is not about that. Seeing Cosi led me to binge-reading older Cosi posts on my own blog and at The Earworm. This post is not about what I learned during this late-night binge-read. 

This post also is not about the new high-end theater that hosts the Met transmissions (wine and cheese at intermission). This post is about is the other opera series—or what’s left of it—at my local high-end cinema this year. There is one more opera in August. This post is about that opera. 

That opera is Puccini’s La fanciulla del west from La Scala. I am pretty sure I want to see that! But before I buy my tickets, I wanted to find out more. (The cinema website is not helpful about details. I guess they figure either you want to see it or you don’t.)

So, this is the Robert Carsen production—my curiosity is officially piqued­—with a typically Robert Carsen meta-theater concept, and what the Bachtrack review calls a “final, brilliant coup de théȃtre [that] brings us full circle.” It seems Mr. Carsen has taken the spaghetti western concept and really run with it. The opera begins and ends in a movie theater. OK, now I gotta go see it. But before I do, I research a little more. 

Saturday Matinee: Two More by Mozart

An "old friend" (with blue Kool-aid). English subs.

And a familiar opera in a crazy new setting (literally). French subs. (Are the inmates in charge?)

Saturday Matinee – Cosi Fan Tutte in Santa Monica (via Lyon)

I thought I discussed this 2011 French production of Cosi fan tutte in my own blog when excerpts of it appeared on YT a year or so ago. But apparently it was in the comments section in another blogger’s domain (most likely The Earworm, who has written extensively on other Cosi productions). I was drawn to it at the time because I was looking for anything that German tenor Daniel Behle was involved in. Meanwhile, there are other good performances here, and it's yet another take on the "lovers on vacation" theme—this time in Southern California.

This is another “not happily ever after” Cosi. In this production—as happens so often these days—it turns out that the couples were not well matched to begin with; and three of the six principals clearly are not pleased by the final outcome of Don Alfonso's experiment. I offer this tidbit not as a spoiler, but as an enticement to take some time with the performance.

This transfer is not perfect. There are some hiccups, stutters, and skips; but not enough to spoil the performance—and it’s free.

Lionel Lhote (Don Alfonso)

Daniel Behle (Ferrando)

Vito Priante (Guglielmo)

Maria Bengtsson (Fiordiligi)

Tove Dahlberg (Dorabella)

Elena Galitskaya (Despina)

Orchestre et Choeurs de l'Opéra de Lyon

Stefano Montanari (conductor) 

Adrian Noble (stage director)

Recorded in 2011 at the Opéra National de Lyon

Guth/Cosi Redeux – La Scala 2014

There are some opera productions we get to see over and over on video (a certain very elaborate La Boheme, for example). But this is the first time that I’ve seen a second video version of a Claus Guth Mozart production. 

It seems Herr Guth has done some rethinking, so comparisons should be interesting. However, this is not that post. This is the post that calls attention to the videos to make sure my fellow Guth fans and fellow Mozart fans (and fellow Guth/Mozart fans) check out this 2014 La Scala iteration of this Cosi fan tutte that originated in Salzburg.

Cosi fan Luca (and Martin and Gerald)

Thanks to the YouTuber who posted the opening sequence from last year's Salzburg revival/reworking of Sven-Eric Bechtolf's "don't drink the blue (in this case green) kool-aid" Cosi. Maestro von Eschenbach received generally bad reviews for this performance, but this bit seems to go well. (Note that the action begins before the overture ends.)

Speaking of the blue kool-aid, I notice there is more byplay with beverages in this opening scene than before. There seems to be some foreshadowing that Alfonso is gonna get it this time. 

Also note the nightgown exchange...already the boys are having trouble remembering which sister is his girlfriend. I must find the rest of this broadcast!

Peter Sellars – Two of his Classic Mozart Productions on the Tube

Nearly everyone has an opinion about Peter Sellars' productions of...well everything he's ever directed. He's been around for a while, now and he is not going away—I think his work has really matured over the years. He surfaced as an opera director with his 1990-ish films of the three great Mozart/DaPonte operas. (You might argue with the term "classic" when describing his productions. However, like them or not, they are classics of their genre.) 

I encountered these three productions when they were first broadcast on PBS. I was fascinated by Le nozze di Figaro, a bit annoyed by Cosi fan Tutte, and completely put off by Don Giovanni (I switched it off in the middle of the "Champagne Aria," finding the production icky and some of the singing unbearable.)

Now, with more life experience, more opera experience, more experience with Regietheater (although I am not sure these two really count as regie—feel free to discuss/disagree in the comments section below), and a completely different world outlook, I re-approached these operas with curiosity. The good news is that we can experiment with and form our own opinions on Mr. Sellars' Cosi and Giovanni for free on YT (for now). Thanks to the enterprising Opera Nerd for posting them!

ARTE pays tribute to Gerard Mortier with Brokeback, Alceste, and Cosi

In tribute to Gerard Mortier, who passed away just a few days ago, Arte Liveweb is featuring three operas from Teatro Real in Madrid. 

Brokeback Mountain and Alceste are brand new (February and March 2014, respectively). With the third opera, they have given us another opportunity to see Michael Hanke’s production of Cosi Fan Tutte. 

It’s not clear how long these recordings (particularly Cosi) will remain online, so check them out soon (After tonight’s broadcast of Theodora, of course!)

Monday Mozart, ma non Manico

I've been listening, in between Salzburg broadcasts (or not) and so far, I am most impressed with the ladies of the cast (two of them, anyway). Here is a dreamy Ah guarda sorella, from the new Cosi:

P.S. In context (after the rather shouty opening trio of guys) this sounds even sweeter!

La Donna, non Cosi – Ö1 Changes their Schedule

© Michael Pöhn

I am not sure why, but Austria's Ö1 Radio is not broadcasting the Salzburg Cosi fan tutte tonight/day. I just got a "Seite nicht gefunden" message when I clicked to double-check on it. (I swear it was listed there before!)

Maybe it's due to the crushing reviews Christoph Eschenbach received for his (non)-interpretation. Apparently, he prefers ketchup on his Cosi. It seems he was too busy touring with another ensemble to show up in Salzburg until the final dress rehearsals. The reviewer for the Salzburger Nachrichten said (more or less): 

Gratuitous Friday – Fritz Wunderlich ist Ferrando (Italienischer Oper auf Deutsch )

In the great tradition of opera in the vernacular, here is FW singing Un aura amorosa as Dem Odem der Liebe. Had he lived longer, he likely would have re-recorded much of his repertoire in the original languages. But we are fortunate to have so many recordings from his tragically short life and career.

And influential? I can't think of a tenor who does not name Fritz Wunderlich as an idol and/or influence. And there are more than a few basses, baritones, mezzos, and sopranos who also look up to Fritz as a consummate vocal artist. 

Everything's Different, Nothing's Changed – Salzburg Festival "Cosi"

© Michael Pöhn

SN: Sie haben alle Da-Ponte-Opern in Zürich inszeniert.... Stimmt, was Intendant Alexander Pereira versichert: In Salzburg wird alles ganz und gar neu?

Bechtolf: Das weiß ich noch nicht.* 

Now we know. The answer to the burning question (well, my burning question) is here. What did Sven-Eric Bechtolf do to upgrade his 2009 Zurich Cosi fan tutte for the 2013 Salzburg Festival?

Just Another Manic Monday Mozart – Christa Ludwig is Dorabella

This is from the Karl Bohm EMI Cosi fan tutte. Like JDD, Christa Ludwig didn't need video to convey Dorabella's distress. There is a filmed version of her, along with Gundula Janowitz as Fiordiligi...somewhere...

Salzburger Festspielen – Workouts and Condiments

Luca in Guglielmo's Costumes

According to an article in der Standard in Austria, Franz Welser-Möst withdrew from the Salzburg Festival Cosi Fan Tutte (to be broadcast Saturday, August 24 on Ö1 Radio) due to the singer-unfriendly curtain time of 11 AM (This may not be news to anyone else, but I never heard exactly what his objection was.) Clearly, Herr Welser-Möst has no experience as a church musician. 

Luca Pisaroni is more pragmatic: "When I have to sing at 11 AM...I get up at 7 AM and go to the gym, or run a bit."* 

Gratuitous Friday – Rainer Trost is Ferrando

Continuing the Cosi theme this week, here is a German tenor we maybe don't think about very often, but we should. He's a busy tenor, having appeared at the Bregenz Festival this summer as Tamino. He is a dramatic Tito in the Mackerras audio recording of La Clemenza di Tito, a romantic Flammand in the Paris Capricco, and a dashing Ferrando in this Cosi fan tutte (also from Paris, 1996).

Another "Cosi" Moment – Soave sia il vento

This is an excerpt from the forthcoming DG recording of Cosi fan tutte. It's the track you can download free at DG's "buzz" page: "Soave sia il vento" sung by Miah Persson, Angela Brower, and Alessandro Corbelli, with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Bon voyage!

More Mozart Madness – Joyce DiDonato is Dorabella

This clip is audio-only, and I sure wish there were a video of this one. On the other hand, JDD conveys Dorabella’s craziness quite well without the visuals, thank you very much!

Just Another Manic Monday Mozart – Liliana Nikiteanu is Dorabella

It's fascinating to see how various directors/producers treat Dorabella in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, especially in her rather over-the-top first act recitative and aria. In this 2000 Zurich Oper performance conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Liliana Nikiteanu really puts the drama in Drama Queen. This recording also stars Cecilia Bartoli as Fiordiligi and Agnes Baltsa as Despina. One reviewer complained that it's too many mezzos. Is there really any such thing as too many mezzos?

Gratuitous Friday – Angela Brower is Dorabella

Angela Brower appears as Dorabella in the new Cosi fan tutte from Deutsche Grammophon. Here is another appearance she made as Dorabella at the Bayerische Staatsoper with Aga Mikolaj as her sister. This is their duet from Act 2.

The New Cosi – Nézet-Séguin, Persson, Villazón, and Friends

Here is the follow-up to last year’s intriguing Don Giovanni, just released in Europe a few days ago and due in the U.S. on August 20. There are some lesser known names here, and most are worth keeping track of. The recording promises to be good, and it will be worth it just to hear Miah Persson's Fiordiligi again!

Rolando Villazón explains the plot* (in his inimitable, fun, animated, but confusing way):