Re-Joyce! Another Master Class

This one is from the Royal Opera House; and it just appeared the other day on the tube. I haven't had a chance to watch it yet, but I wanted to share it right away! I will be tuning in as soon as I post this. Watch, listen, learn, and enjoy!!

Conversation about Carsen's 'Kavalier with Renée Fleming (and others)

We won't see it till next spring, but it's happening now in London. Here is an early preview of another new Met (and ROH) production: Robert Carsen's production of Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier. Kaspar Holten and Renée Fleming (and a host of others, including Andris Nelsons, who is conducting in London, and the Man Himself, Mr. Carsen.) chat about the current performances in London at the Royal Opera House. 

12/09/2016 – In my original post I neglected to credit Anik, who blogs at Eye Bags, for alerting me to this program. Thanks Anik!

Come on Manon, let's go!

I used to think (in my young childhood*) the opera was called Manon, Let's Go. And it's not totally nonsensical. I mean, when you think about it, that's basically what Des Grieux and Lescaut say to her in Act 2 while she's busy scooping up her jewelry instead of running from the police. 

Anyway, the reason for this post is to highlight the bounty of "making of" videos the ROH has posted for their new production of Puccini's Manon Lescaut. (This was Puccini's first big hit. Apparently, he could easily have retired and lived off his profits from Edgar and Manon. But fortunately, he didn't rest on his laurels, or he never would have written La Boheme, and a few other big hits!)

Blogger eyesometric provides us with a bunch of other links about this production, and also reminds us that the BBC Radio 3 will be broadcasting a live performance of this new production from the ROH featuring Kristine Opolais, Jonas Kaufmann, and Christopher Maltman with Anthony Pappano waving the stick. 

Meanwhile, here are those videos:

*Yes, I was already listening to opera as a young child. I used to record the Met broadcasts on my reel-to-reel for frequent playback. One that I listened to over and over was an Ariadne with Tatiana Troyanos and…well, I didn’t care about who else was in it at that point. 

Die Frau Ohne Schatten from London via Ö1 Radio

Oh, and speaking of Richard Strauss: 

In case you missed it last time around, here is the March 2014 Die Frau Ohne Schatten broadcast from the Royal Opera House, with Emily Magee, Johan Botha, Michaela Schuster, Johan Reuter, and Elena Pankratova, under the baton of Symyon Bychkov, courtesy of Austria's Ö1 Radio. Available for about 5 days. 

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. 

ROH on BBC (Radio 3)

Royal Opera House, Convent Garden performances on BBC Radio 3:

·         Les Vêpres siciliennes – Monday  18 November (Available Now!)

·         Wozzeck – Monday 2 December, 7.30pm

·         Parsifal (Live) – Wednesday 11 December, 4.45pm

·         Capriccio – Saturday 4 January, 7.30pm

·         Elektra – Monday 17 February, 7.30pm

All broadcasts will be available afterwards on BBC iPlayer. (Usually for about a week.)

Thanks to baritone (Official) Gerald Finley for calling our attention to the broadcasts, particularly his upcoming performance as Amfortas in Parsifal. Mr. Finley discusses Parsifal in this clip:

Gratuitous Friday – Pavol Breslik is Lensky

Gratuitous Friday-Plus – La Donna del Lago with JDD & JDF!

Look what I found at YT: It's probably for a limited time only, and it has no subtitles, but it's a great way to tide us over till the DVD (please, please, please) comes out. 

I haven't been able to track down a (free) English translation, but here is a synopsis, and the Italian libretto, which should help in keeping track of what's going on. At least now I know how I'll be spending part of my weekend. 

Joyce DiDonato: Master Singer, Master Coach, Master Class

Tent Poles

Once again, this time courtesy of the Royal Opera House in London, we are privy to the great insights of the great JDD. She is the kind of diva who'd be fun to have a beer with, or watch a movie, go on a hike, build a desk, or just hang out with.  I've pointed out before that Joyce DiDonato has lots of good advice, and not just about singing, but about life too. As I mentioned in an earlier JDD Master Class post, her Master Classes are not just for singers, or even just for musicians or opera lovers. Her classes are for everyone. If she ever (God forbid) gave up singing, she could have a marvelous career as a director.

So enjoy this classy lady's pearls of wisdom, and hear three up-and-coming young singers from the UK. The sessions are edited somewhat, which sounds frustrating; however, it's kinda nice to cut from the singing right to the coaching. The fourth clip is a special bonus: a brief interview with Our Yankee Diva. Thank you, JDD!

More Videos Below

Rossini: La Donna del Lago on BBC Radio 3

I highly recommend heading over to BBC Radio 3 some time within the next six days to listen to a complete performance of Rossini's La Donna del Lago from the Royal Opera House Covent Garden.

Before you do, take a look at this preview. The featured singers (Joyce DiDonato, Juan Diego Florez, to name two) offer an overview of the plot, and you get to see some behind the scenes rehearsal footage. What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon (or Tuesday evening, or whatever)!

Cool, huh? But wait, there’s more. Here’s JDF singing O fiamma soave:

#AskJoyce – Our Yankee Diva Answers More Fan Questions

Joyce DiDonato & Juan Diego Flórez in La Donna del Lago

Q: What are your thoughts on regietheater?

Royal Opera House @RoyalOperaHouse

Joyce: The only thing I want from a director is to help tell a story and for it to be clear. I think regietheater can really work. #AskJoyce

Q: How important is acting in your enjoyment of what you do?

Royal Opera House @RoyalOperaHouse

Joyce: Acting is everything because the music and drama is all one. The acting is intrinsic. The music communicates/tells the story. #AskJoyce

Read More Q&A with Joyce DiDonato at the Royal Opera House website.

Keenlyside, Stoyanova, Breslik in Eugene Onegin on BBC Radio 3

BBC Radio 3 broadcasts the Royal Opera House production of Tchaikovsky Eugene Onegin today at 1:00 PM New York time; 6 PM London time. If, like me, you're not able to listen today, the recording should be available for replay for about a week.

Tatyana ..... Krassimira Stoyanova (soprano)

Eugene Onegin ..... Simon Keenlyside (baritone)

Madame Larina ..... Diana Montague (mezzo-soprano)

Filipyevna ..... Kathleen Wilkinson (mezzo-soprano)

Olga ..... Elena Maximova (mezzo-soprano)

A Peasant Singer ..... Elliot Goldie (tenor)

Lensky ..... Pavol Breslik (tenor)

Monsieur Triquet ..... Christoph Mortagne (tenor)

A Captain ..... Michel de Souza (baritone)

Zaretsky ..... Jihoon Kim (bass)

Prince Gremin ..... Peter Rose (bass)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

Robin Ticciati, conductor

La Boheme – ROH, 2013 (OK Tevye, Tradition Ain’t All Bad)

Dmytro Popov, Stefania Dovahn, David Bižić, 

Nahuel Di Pierro, and Audun Iversen

www.facebook.com/davidbizic

There is something to be said, I guess, for a nice literal traditional opera production. Even more so for one performed by a non-superstar cast. It allows one to become more engaged in the story. My Dad and I went to see this at the local indie/arts cinema last night, mainly because they announced it when we were there on Saturday for the Lohengrin transmission (more about that in a separate post…yes there’s always more for me to say about that Lohengrin!)

Eugene Onegin Rehearsal at the ROH

Mr. Breslik is in
the production
but does not
appear in this clip.

On Monday 7 January 2013, the Royal Opera House streamed live rehearsals, interviews and master classes. In addition to showing us behind the scenes at a Wagner performance, they shared rehearsals for the upcoming Eugene Onegin. In this clip, Kasper Holten directs Simon Keenlyside and Krassimira Stoyanova as they rehearse a scene for the first time. 

At the YT site, the ROH adds this warning: 

Guidance - please note this film contains strong language.

(Oh no!! Opera singers swearing!??!?)

Find out more about the production and the upcoming broadcast at the ROH website.

Awesome Behind the Scenes Opera Video (or Why I Follow Other Blogs)

It pays to keep up with what other bloggers are writing about. I follow many other bloggers who, in turn, follow other bloggers. One blogger simply cannot keep up with all the neat shtuff going on all over the opera world. Why do I mention this?