Watching the Radio – Vocal Treasure from Ö1 Radio

Among the vocal fun on Austria's  Ö1 Radio this week:

Weber’s Oberon, in a recording from 1996, featuring youthful performances by a few familiar singers:

Vesselina Kasarova (Fatime)

Peter Seiffert (Hüon von Bordeaux)

Bo Skovhus (Scherasmin)

Deon van der Walt (Oberon)

Inga Nielsen (Rezia)

Conducted by Marek Janowski

And Monday’s episode of Apropos Musik is 50 minutes of operetta, Broadway, and film music sung by your favorite opera stars. Slumming? No, not at all! It's kind of fun to hear lighter tunes (particularly the operetta) sung by such wonderful voices. The program features: Diana Damrau, Piotr Beczala, Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazon, Elina Garanca, Renée Fleming, and others. (Well, perhaps AN's voice is not quite so operetta-friendly any more; but still, it's a nice little program)

P.S. "Lied der Eliza aus dem Musical "My fair Lady" is Ich hat getanzt heut' Nacht (gesungen auf Englisch– and DD pulls it off rather well, except for a little odd back-phrasing.)

Boo Who, Part Two (The Awkwardness of La Traviata at La Scala)

*Speaking of Act 2, Scene 2, DT seems unsure of what to do with the two (generally superfluous—these have got to be tough for any director to make sense of in a modern production) party choruses. In this performance, the chorus is not masked, and their performances are focused mockingly on Alfredo; they chase him around during the Gypsy and Toreador choruses. Then he exits quickly at the end of the second chorus; only to immediately reappear so the chorus can sing, “Alfredo! What are you doing here, and where’s Violetta?” If this was all meant to be symbolic, the symbolism flew right past me. (And I try pretty hard to “get” this stuff.)

Boo Who? – Awkward La Scala La Traviata (Part 1)

Piotr Beczala shouldn’t be cranky about his buuhs; he should be cranky about this whole new La Scala production of La Traviata. For me, this is the kind of show that gives Regieoper a bad name. It’s so freakin’ awkward. Does Tcherniakov have lousy ideas, is he just lousy at Personenregie, or what? I’ve already complained about his handling of the chorus, and presenting Alfredo as impetuous, immature, and petulant has worked in other productions, but it’s not working here. Diana Damrau and Mr. Beczala are not bad actors, and they’re pretty darned good singers! I hate to go over to the “other side,” but I have to say it: This production was a waste of nearly everyone’s time. (Although, a radio broadcast of it would be nice and mostly satisfying.)

La Scala La Traviata on La Arte La-ive Web

Now we can see for ourselves what all that kerfuffle was about at La Scala. (If you want to cut to the chase, Intermezzo posted part of the curtain call, where Mr.Beczala got three—count 'em, three—boos; the rest were reserved for the Regisseur, Mr. Tcherniakov.)

For those of us who want to find out why they were booing the director, we have about three weeks to see the entire opera at Arte Liveweb. So go see and listen for yourself. 

Did Piotr Beczala deserve boos ? I think not, and though it's hard to take rejection, I hope he puts it all aside and moves on. Did Dmitri Tcherniakov deserve boos? Maybe, but probably not. But the loggionisti do so love to hear themselves go "Booooooo!" 

Meanwhile, I think Diana Damrau is a divine Violetta. What do you think about the performance?

Meanwhile, Back at La Scala with Piotr and Diana...

Things are looking pretty good to me! It seems that Mr. Beczala surely didn't deserve his buuhs!  And neither did Mr. Tcherniakov. I think the loggionisti just like to hear their own voices. Diana Damrau not only sings the heck out of Violetta, she deserves kudos for the way she rocks that cigar! Here's La Scala's official La Traviata trailer:

Here's The New York Times Review

And here are a handful of captures from the live broadcast:

Piotr Peeved with La Scala's Loggionisti

He's not smiling tonight!

Posted by Piotr Beczala on Facebook about 2 hours ago:

"My last production in La Scala... I think They should engage only Italian singers ... Why I spend my time for this" schmarrn" ... Arrivederci ..."

I hear he and Diana Damrau both were booed at their La Scala Traviata this evening. I'd be annoyed too. But don't the loggionisti boo pretty much everyone?

The production was staged by Dmitri Tcherniakov. Maybe that had something to do with the audience reaction! Meanwhile Mr. Beczala's fans are reacting with sympathy.

Related Posts:

Meanwhile, Back at La Scala with Piotr and Diana...

La Scala La Traviata on La Arte La-ive Web

Boo Who? – Awkward La Scala La Traviata (Part 1)

Boo Who, Part Two

Don Giovanni – Zurich 2006 (Part 2: Never Put Your Hand Inside a Singing Statue)

Simon Keenlyside
as Don Giovanni
as Leporello

As I noted yesterday, I didn't like this Don Giovanni much the first time I watched it. But reading the Earworm's recent reviews encouraged me to revisit the performance. The mirrors and drapes and other nice touches in the production emphasize the ambiguity that one often feels about this opera. Donna Anna sings her Act 2 aria (Non mi dir) supposedly to Ottavio, but she is wearing Giovanni's red velvet jacket, and holding the hand of her dead father (or the hand of a representation of her dead father.) Her heart belongs to Daddy, and she feels obligated to Ottavio, but I think she wants Giovanni. As Ottavio moves towards her, she steps downstage, waves her hand to bring down a curtain behind her, blocking Ottavio. She sings the bravura ending of her aria "in one", downstage in front of the curtain.

Don Giovanni – Zurich 2006 (Part 1: The Music and The Mirror)

After reading the Earworm's recent review(s) of this performance, I decided watch it again. The first time (seems like ages ago, but was only a few months), I had trouble finding a way into the director's concept. I just didn't care that much. It's still not a top favorite Don Giovanni, but I like it better and I understand more of it now.

Die Zauberflöte – Zurich 2000 (Part 1: Light and Reason and Freemasonry)

During the Overture, Tamino reads a book, (the set is some sort of library/temple combo) and falls asleep. Is this going to be staged as a dream sequence? Yup. Or…no. Actually the audience is more likely to fall asleep.  The Zurich Zauberflöte of 2000 is a static staging, but not in the way that makes you pay attention like Robert Wilson’s Orphée. It’s static in a way that makes you start making a mental grocery list. 

Although I have issues with the staging, this disc is worth checking out for fine music-making. I got it mostly because I really wanted to see Malin Hartelius as Pamina.  (Every time she entered, I thought, “She’s so pretty!” She sings really well too.)