The Lieder Board - Recitals from Schwarzenberg and Schwetzingen

Benjamin Appl, Baritone

On Austrian Radio Ö1 from Schwarzenberg – available for 7 days after the (first broadcast):

Diana Damrau (June 29)

**Benjamin Appl (July 1)

And later this summer:

Luca Pisaroni (August 26)

The Schwetzinger SWR Festspiele – archived for about a year (and you can also herunterlauden (download) many of them):

Christian Gerhaher 

Christiane Karg (All Baroque – not Lieder, per se)

Krassimira Stoyanova

Philippe Jaroussky (from 2014)

Of course, in Schwetzingen, there's lots more than lieder. They have choral music, solo instrumental recitals, and chamber music programs, too.  

Here is the full 2015 archive list.

**Update 7/3/15 - I was just starting to think I really wasn't into Lieder anymore. But after listening to Herr Appl's recital twice and a half, I am totally back in! Don't miss this programme!

Gratuitous Friday – Philippe Jaroussky Sings Handel

Happy Friday!

Handel: Ombra Mai Fu, from Serse

Sunday Brunch – Philippe Jaroussky Elegizes (Massenet)

Philippe Jaroussky's Opium album is a tonic for...well, almost anything. Admittedly, with 24 songs, it may be more Mélodies francaises than a non-Francophone would care for in one sitting. (Of course if you spring for the CD, you probably get translations, which would help.) I was listening to this collection the other day and thinking, "Wow, his French sounds really idiomatic." DUH.

Philippe Jaroussky sings Offenbach? (with Natalie Dessay)

I was listening to beginning of this performance of the Barcarolle from Tales of Hoffmann and thinking, "Oh, he's doing it as a solo. Wouldn't it be cool if..." and then Natalie Dessay wandered in and started singing, too. Now I was actually thinking about Max Emanuel Cencic singing the alto part and PJ moving up to soprano, but yeah. This works too. I also like the chamber-sized salon music arrangement. 

Monteverdi Monday – Philippe Jaroussky and Nuria Rial: Pur ti miro

I "discovered" the performance of Monteverdi's Zefiro torna by Nuria Rial, Philippe Jaroussky, and L’Arpeggiata after one of my readers (Juha) mentioned that they had recorded Pur ti miro from Poppea.  There are actually are three different performances of Pur ti miro by L’Arpeggiata on YouTube: 

Monteverdi Monday – Philippe Jaroussky & Nuria Rial

In 2000, Christina Pluhar formed the loose-knit early music group L'Arpeggiata. Her performances may annoy the purists. In addition to early music performance practices, her group incorporates elements of jazz and world music. One thing I especially like is her addition of drumming to early dance music, which is more authentic than we might think. You might consider L’Arpeggiata’s style as "Renaissance/Crossover."

Is it better not to watch? – Singers in the Recording Studio

Philippe Jaroussky &
Max Emmanuel Cencic

This post started as a complaint about singers who wave and gesture and direct as they sing. It seems only to happen in recording situations. But nearly everyone does it. Anne Sofie von Otter, Elena Garanca, Patricia Pettibon (scary!!), Rolando Villazon, Jonas Kaufmann, etc. (check out any of the promo videos for new recordings.) And these two dudes: Max and Philippe. How do they manage to stand still in concerts?

Monteverdi Monday – Danielle De Niese and Philippe Jaroussky



Danielle De Niese

Philippe Jaroussky

So, Nerone does end up with Poppea after all, in the final scene of L'Incoronazione di Poppea. Their beautiful love duet is an ironic ending to a cynical opera. 

This is the Pizzi production again.  

Monteverdi Monday – Philippe Jaroussky and Mathias Vidal

In this scene from Pier Luigi Pizzi's production of  L' incoronazione di Poppea, Emperor Nerone (Countertenor Philippe Jaroussky, right) and his friend Lucano (Tenor Mathias Vidal, left) are singing about how beautiful Nerone's girlfriend Poppea is and how much Nerone loves her.  

Or are they?

This clip might make some folks uncomfortable and others may find it hot.  (Some may feel both ways about it.)

What's the difference between fanboy (or girl) and stalker?

             

   

Fanboy of the Opera*

Contrary to the opinion of certain people, I am not stalking Luca Pisaroni. 

Not real-life stalking, nor cyber-stalking. 

Yes, I track down any performance broadcasts I can find. 

Yes, I check for updates on his webpage. 

Yes, I "liked" his Facebook page. 

Yes, I even "liked" Lenny and Tristan's Facebook page. (Their lives are a lot more interesting than a lot of humans I know!)  

The Otterphile – Handel: Son nata lagrimar

Handel: Giulio Cesare: Son nata lagrimar

from the  Salzburger Pfingstfestspiele  2012
Music to melt the hardest heart:

Anne Sofie von Otter & Philippe Jaroussky

(the mean-looking guy is Ruben Drole)

(Make the jump for more info on this production, and a link to the complete first act!)