Rousing new Rigoletto in Sydney but singers overworked.

Rigoletto, Sydney Opera House, Thursday 26 June 2014

 

Rigoletto - Giorgio Caoduro

Gilda - Emma Matthews

Duke - Gianluca Terranova

Maddalena - Sian Pendry

Giovanna - Domenica Matthews

Sparafucile - David Parkin

Monterone - Gennadi Dubinski

Conductor - Renato Palumbo

Director - Roger Hodgman

Set and costumes - Richard Roberts

Lighting - Matt Scott

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

This performance occurred in the wake of huge publicity over the sacking of the season’s Desdemona Tamar Iveri for appalling homophobic comments on her internet page.  A form of facebook ‘fission’ developed culminating in the company terminating the soprano’s contract.  One only hopes that she was not paid out.  As with politicians and other professionals one’s past comments can become serious baggage, especially when they reveal serious ignorance, prejudice or malice.  The singer claimed that the comments were made by her much younger husband who is a devout Christian (which does not say much for his form of Christianity).  Whether his or hers, the harbouring of such sour and unacceptable views about gay people is inconsistent with a career in opera (or any other calling I would have thought, including or especially the priesthood). 

 

It seems extraordinary that despite Rigoletto being very popular and following an opera “drought” of several months, that there were still empty seats in all reserves for this splendid opening night.  And price would not seem to be a factor as there were dozens of empty D reserves seats valued at less than $50 each - most with slightly restricted views, but ideal for students or first-timers.  However, this is the state of affairs in many opera houses across the world and must be due to several factors, including a general economic down-turn.  Several long-running opera companies have gone backwards of late (NYCO, San Diego, for instance).

 

Emma Matthews played Gilda, as in 2010.  While she is a wonderful artist, this is not her ideal role which requires more vocal heft in my view.  Yet she performed creditably under a conductor who made serious demands regarding tempo and a direction which required her to be very physical. 

 

Mr Terranova as the Duke of Mantua started out strongly with ‘Questa o quella’ which sounded youthful and frivolous, as befits its words.  The tenor’s stocky frame and facial expressiveness are reminiscent of representations of the young Caruso with an almost square head on top of a square upper body.  He sang a fine ‘Ella mi fu rapita’ but then, like most tenors, he omitted the (unwritten) high note in the cabaletta Possente amor mi chiama.  His ‘La donna e mobile’ was superb. 

 

Mr Caoduro has a unique baritone voice, almost with a tenor quality and a wide beat.  He uses every traditional dramatic device and a few new ones to present a perfect wronged father and the victim of the plot’s curse. 

 

As deliverer of that curse the Monterone of Gennadi Dubiniski was under-powered and woolly.  He had an uneven gravel-like quality to his voice and I wonder why the opera company use him so often.  By contrast Mr Parkin sang Sparafucile brilliantly with one of his lowest notes close to the Guinness Book of Records for length.  Other supporting roles and the chorus were all excellent. 

 

The new production is based on two adjacent stage revolves.  These move the action from palace to dingy back lane to the jester’s garden allowing seamless scene changes.  One had the feeling that the director ordered one or two too many ‘cranks’ of the revolves yet the concept works well overall. 

 

There was a clever and almost revolutionary lighting design which had everything from stroboscopic flashes for the thunder storm to audio-coordinated highlight-haze spotlighting in the finale.  The projection of an enlarged shadow for Rigoletto in the final act was brilliant and highly effective in amplifying the text in which he says that killing the duke has made him feel strong and important for once in his life. 

 

The set was mostly black glossy mock-marble walls while the chorus were all dressed in shades of bright red.  The initial house curtain was black highlighted with crimson to great effect.  It still surprises me when directors try to put singers on stage during introductory orchestral and have them mime out bits and pieces from the opera.  The original collaborators went to some trouble to present a dramatic work which has stood the test of time, starting the action at a certain point.  I find it is not only inane and empty but also an insult to the orchestra which gets few enough chances to shine and take the limelight in opera.  Another bad habit of this company is to join acts together to save money on overtime.  This time we had the ludicrous situation dramatically where Rigoletto says to his daughter “Has time not made you weary of him” only minutes after she has exited the Duke’s bedroom in Act II.  It also puts extraordinary vocal demands on an already demanding work.  The singers’ unions (if such exist) should be crying foul or even suing in my view, especially for the company abandoning the practice of two rest days between major roles. 

 

Maestro Renato Palumbo took many rubato liberties but each was done with purpose and these contrasted with long sections of strict time, sometimes particularly slow, other times fast.  He certain put his stamp on the score with the fastest Corteggiani, vil razza I have ever heard and yet other pieces were slow.  I think that the off-stage band in Act I may have been dispensed with - these are tough times and as long as it was not replaced with a recording I think we should understand.  The orchestra received a huge and well deserved ovation. 

 

All in all a marvellous addition to the company’s repertoire and worth a visit for anyone in Sydney.  Also worthy of telecasting and one hopes this is in the works. 

 

Comments by Andrew Byrne ..

 

Andrew's blog http://ajbtravels.blogspot.com/

Selby & Friends concert at Chevalier College – serious music-making before dinner.

High culture in the Highlands!  All Beethoven concert. 

 

We were treated to two hours of world-class chamber music on Saturday 10th May.  5pm is an excellent time for such a concert. 

 

Three musicians regaled us with a pair of Beethoven pieces before a brief intermission and another two afterwards, finishing just after 7pm.  Kathryn Selby is a dazzlingly talented pianist and was accompanied by virtuoso Sydney violinist Susie Park and Finnish ‘cellist Mr ‘Tipi’ Valve, both internationally acclaimed and with good reason.  These three played together such that Ludwig van Beethoven, if he reappeared and recovered his hearing, would be rightly pleased.  

 

We had brief introductions by each player explaining details of the composer’s three distinct periods as well as some humorous anecdotes about his life, from a difficult childhood to a serious breakdown in later life.  The first and last items were trios supplemented by two sonata ‘duos’.  The pieces dated from Beethoven’s early years in Bonn to his mature period in Vienna, the last after two years when he ceased composing, only to return to work as productive and inventive as ever.  With his unique and era-changing style, Leonard Bernstein said that Beethoven showed an ‘inexplicable ability to know what the next note had to be’ in his music.  

 

We are fortunate that Ms Selby chooses to include the Highlands in her bi-monthly tours which also take in Sydney, Turramurra, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide.  The hall was almost full on the two occasions I have attended, hence late tickets would still have been available (and there are no ‘bad’ seats in this comfortable school hall).  

 

I hope this is of interest to readers and I highly recommend the next concert on 28th June.

 

Written by Andrew Byrne ..

 

http://www.selbyandfriends.com.au/what-s-on/2014-season-overview/

Andrew’s opera blog: http://andrewsopera.blogspot.com.au/

Cenerentola - Auspicious Gala at the Met - new 'king of the high Cs'?

La Cenerentola - Rossini - Met Opera, New York City – Monday 21^st April.

 

Angelina - Joyce DiDonato

Don Ramiro - Javier Camarena

Dandini - Pietro Spagnoli

Don Magnifico - Alessandro Corbelli

Alidoro - Luca Pisaroni

Clorinda – Rachelle Durkin

Tisbe – Patricia Risley

c. Fabio Luisi

 

Production:  Cesare Lievi (1997)

Set & Costume Designer:  Maurizio Balò

 

 

Twice in the last month I have had the privilege of hearing Mr Javier Camarena at the Metropolitan Opera House.  First as Elvino in La Sonnambula then as Prince Ramino in the Cinderella opening.  Neither is a top-of-the-pops role for tenor, yet this man shone at every vocal opportunity in each opera. 

 

Even with an ‘ordinary’ tenor this would have been a commendable opening night.  Joyce DiDonato is probably America’s most sought after mezzo-soprano currently and she gave a magnificent performance indeed.  From her entry as the humble but sweet servant girl to the dignified and yet compassionate princess bride in the finale we heard her phenomenal dramatic and vocal talents.  Her colleagues were all excellent including the debut of Mr Pietro Spagnoli as the valet and Mr Corbelli in the buffo role.  Even the ugly sisters excelled, although their antics were almost over-the-top.  Capable Australian soprano Rachelle Durkin is in her tenth role at the Met. 

 

Mr Javier Camarena stood out as a tenor with some very special attributes.  Even those unaware must have noted the rapturous reception given to the tenor by the Met audience both during and after the performance.  I have not heard such screams, applause, ‘encores’, bravo and the like since Pavarotti retired.  The conductor, orchestra and other singers also joined in applauding the tenor’s curtain call. 

 

Mr Camarena has a velvet tenor timbre, as comfortable in Rossini’s rarefied complex tessitura as with simply filling the house with full bodied spinto ‘nailed’ endings.  He was even able to smile in the middle of singing a long high C.  His smooth, effortless legato line and great breath control allows great expressive singing, soft and loud.  While ‘superstardom’ may be premature, this man is already a member of High C royalty as in this occasion he was replacing an indisposed Juan Diego Florez (intriguingly, with some three weeks notice).  The many ticket holders who were initially disappointed at the replacement were indeed rewarded as events unfolded on this auspicious night at the theater.  

 

This 1997 production, mounted for Cecelia Bartoli, is a fantasy in blue stripes.  The faded tattiness of Magnifico’s mansion emphasises his urgent need for dowry funds.  It has never been cheap to maintain a palazzo.  Magnifico’s only real asset is his female offspring … and everybody knows the rest of the story.  The Prince’s palace by contrast was perfect in the same parallel blue stripes - and with cupboards full of giant clocks, all showing midnight.  The program warns patrons about “fire effects”: the storm scene sees rain coming through the derelict palazzo roof.  Cinderella perfunctorily places buckets at strategic points then passes an umbrella to the Baron who is then struck by lightning – sparks, smoke, singed hair, skeletal ribbed remnant umbrella frame and all!  Hilarious! 

 

The production also dwelt upon food and drink to the extent that one clever New York critic did an entire review in the form of a food review.  The prince and Cinderella met in Act I over a broken coffee cup.  The ‘beggar’ in act one is given hot chocolate and fruit.  Magnifico is made Ramiro’s cellarmaster.  And the first act ends with an formal pasta dinner on stage with one place setting too few, causing an ‘excuse-me’ parade akin to musical chairs.  The last scene is in, on and beside an enormous triple deck wedding cake (in blue and pastel, of course!) and there is champagne all round. 

 

Camarena’s colossal performance deserved all the cheers it received.  I was told that his Act II cabaletta was given an encore on the following performance.  This would only be the second time in 50 years that the Met has allowed such a thing (I heard Florez do one in Fille du Regiment).  It was a wonder with all the cheering to an empty stage the Mr Camarena did not come out and taken a special bow – Florez once came out of character and did so in Don Pasquale I recall. 

 

I found the balance between orchestra and singers to be perfect ... also noting a few minor timing mishaps as others have pointed out – a greater risk on opening nights.  The ever elegant Maestro Luisi took the evening at a measured pace and the Met chorus was impeccable.  So much of Rossini’s humour comes straight out of the orchestra pit, starting with the most brilliant overture where the woodwind become like the Marx Brothers at the opera.  The Rolled ‘R’ Rondo “Questo è un nodo avviluppatto” was superlatively done as a literal ‘tangle’.  Such was Mr Camarena’s success that I wondered if he might be asked to do the HD video slated for 10^th of May.  We shall see. 

 

Almost uniquely but most appropriately, there was a review of this performance on the New York Times web site before lunch the following day, and mostly in praise of the show.  As with Ms Opelais singing Mimi and Butterfly back-to-back recently (also due to illness), the Met must love getting into the front section of the newspaper rather than just the arts pages.  With lots of empty seats most nights these days it certainly could use the added publicity (although one hopes that is not the main driver of Met casting decisions). 

 

The excitement of this Met opening will remain in my memory as one of those rare events.  I was there at Carnegie Hall for Carlo Bergonzi’s big come-back as Otello (the less said the better) and for Sutherland’s last night as an opera heroine in Sydney.  This opening of Cinderella was the confirmation to me and 4000 others that a new special tenor had ‘arrived’, singing his third role at the Met.  I was delighted to note that long-serving Australian opera chorus member Robert Mitchell was also in the audience, as was my nephew Hal Cullity, my partner Allan Gill along with opera fan and good friend Ms Terry Kobel. 

 

Vivian Liff, respected English opera writer, has said that following the three great tenors of the last era we have heard numerous ‘great white hopes’ … but only a few have been able to keep up the standard for long.  Messrs Florez, Kauffman and Calleja can fill opera houses both vocally and box office-wise.  Jose Cura has done some amazing performances, mostly in a different fach.  Salvatore Licitra died tragically while Rolando Villazon has dropped from view of late.  Of course there are many other fine tenors aspiring to greatness. 

 

One can only hope that Mr Camarena is able to keep things together and maintain his current professional momentum in New York and elsewhere.  He has few competitors in quite the same class – I believe he is more than a ‘tenore di grazia’.  Camarena’s contributions to YouTube are worth watching, especially ‘Ah mes amis’ from Daughter of the Regiment in Mexico City despite the sub-optimal quality. 

 

This week I read that Canadian tenor Ben Heppner announced his retirement after many years at the highest level.  The king is gone: long live king Camarena! 

 

 

Written by Andrew Byrne ..

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA7BVRt-7mQ

 

http://www.metoperafamily.org/video/watch/la-cenerentola-si-ritrovarla-io-giuro-javier-camarena/3483491158001#play

 

http://harrygracie.blogspot.com.au/

 

I Puritani at the Met.

I Puritani - Met Opera opening night Thurs 17^th April 2014

 

Elvira - Olga Peretyatko

Giorgio - Michele Pertusi

Arturo - Lawrence Brownlee

Riccardo - Maksim Aniskin

c. Michele Mariotti

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

I was blown away with this performance of one of my favourite operas, despite the replacement an indisposed Mariusz Kwiecien.  Rarely since Sutherland days have I heard such a splendid bel canto pastiche on stage.  The conducting of Michele Mariotti was learned and sympathetic with the incomparable Met orchestra and chorus.  Ms Peretyatko (Mrs Mariotti in real life) is a phenomenal talent in every respect while Larry Brownlee and Michele Pertusi are at the top of their fields. 

 

Mr Kwiecien was replaced by Maksim Aniskin who, while not up to the standard of his eminent colleagues, was no embarrassment either.  I had also heard the dress rehearsal in which it was announced that Mr Brownlee was ‘under the weather’, ‘marking’ some of his solo lines.  Mr Kwiecien normally sings supremely with his enormous, accurate and beautiful voice.  But nothing is easy in show biz! 

 

The 1976 production by Sandro Sequi uses a classical if somewhat faded series of settings with costumes of the era.  An indignant local reviewer wrote that the chorus members were “dressed more like American pilgrims … than a band of Parliamentary rebels in Devon” apparently forgetting that his country’s founders were in fact rebel puritans like those in the opera fighting the establishment. 

 

Some people just want to know about the high notes … and there were plenty.  For once there were E flats not only for soprano but also such heights from the tenor.  Mr Brownlee has a beautiful quality voice which is of sufficient size to be heard above chorus and orchestra in this enormous house.  He also interacts faithfully with his colleagues in the drama and is most dignified on stage.  He wisely omitted the falsetto high F immortalized by Luciano Pavarotti.  The replacement baritone hit an A flat at the end of “Suoni la tromba”, albeit a somewhat curtailed one.  For reasons unknown the conductor took the final duet section of this martial male twosome at double time, rather lowering this high point for me.  In other sections Mariotti allowed ample pauses and ralentandos for the singers, especially for his wife, just as Maestro Bonynge used to do for Joan Sutherland. 

 

“Ah te, o cara” was marvellous, followed by “Son vergine vezzosa” in Act 1.  The second act mad scene “Qui la voce sua soave... Vien, diletto, e in ciel la luna” was incomparable. 

 

Happily the joyous finale pyrotechnic “Ah! sento al mio bell'angelo” was included.  It was said that Richard Bonynge found this lost cabaletta which Callas never sang.  I recall also that it was the clip played by ABC radio when Sutherland’s death was announced in 2010.  It was for Joan Sutherland that this Met production was mounted 38 years ago – and it shows both its age and yet also its serviceability.  Another Bonynge ‘find’ was a tenor-soprano duet in Act 3 used in the Pavarotti / Sutherland recording but omitted in the present Met version.  While a marvellous piece of Belliniana it does not contribute to the drama and prolongs the ‘rescue’ part of the opera. 

 

Australian radio opera guru John Cargher used to say that this opera has three mad scenes - and it does.  Ms Peretyatko had a wonderful vocal formula for these scenes, each being close to the Sutherland versions vocally but with some original and tasteful inclusions in the coloratura.  Ms Peretyatko also had a lot more ways of going mad than just looking into space confused.  In one quiet section she giggled loudly while lying on her back. 

 

This was indeed a night of phenomenal singing … and as with all Met performances now, if you like Bellini and you want a treat, listeners can down-load it on Sirius I understand.  But maybe wait until the wonderful baritone Mr Kwiecien is singing again.  It is extraordinary to find three bel canto operas this season in a house which used to studiously avoid them.  

Stop-press: Florez replaced by Camarena in Cenerentola, opening on Monday 21 April.  A new star is born!  More later.

 

Written by Andrew Byrne ..

 

 

http://ajbtravels.blogspot.com.au/

 

http://andrewsopera.blogspot.com.au/

 

 

 

La Sonnambula at the Met (twice).

La Sonnambula - Bellini - Saturday 29^th March 2014 1pm matinée Met Opera

 

Amina - Diana Damrau

Elvino - Javier Camarena (Taylor Stayton last performance 1^st April no fooling!)

Lisa - Rachelle Durkin

Count - Michele Perusi

c. Marco Armiliato

 

 

This welcome Met reprise of the Bellini rarity after 5 years was well worth the effort … and with even better casting this time.  Happily it was not set in an idyllic Swiss village … at least not until the final minutes.  Two entire acts of a traditional ‘chocolate box’ production of this opera could risk descent into parody and farce, an unfortunate destination for such a masterpiece, always one of my favourite operas. 

 

A stroke of original brilliance put a ‘sitzprobe’ rehearsal directly onto the big stage, warts and all.  Producer/director Mary Zimmerman along with set designer Daniel Ostling keep our attention by providing a private window onto back-stage, always a source of interest and mystery to opera fans. 

 

For those familiar with the theatre this production is close to the reality of operatic preparation.  It includes civilian clothes, diva antics, chorus movements, stage manager’s demands, wig fittings, costumes, shoes, personality clashes, etc.  Even coffee breaks are included.  Zimmerman is hardly the first to place plays within plays, yet here it is even better as she has added the New York factor.  Like Christmas, Jewish themes (Noah!), horses, water or children-on-stage, the Big Apple can also be a winning formula for popular productions. 

 

This is one of the genre of ‘rescue’ operas, in this case the saving event is an entry in Webster’s Dictionary … look up ‘somnambulism’ if you dare - a great excuse for two-timing exposed.  Or burglary for that matter. 

 

This opera starts with an off stage chorus while the characters one by one gradually populate the vacant hall … janitor, cleaners, stage manager, clip-board in hand, etc, etc.  Like Nozze measuring tape and chalk are used in the opening, if for different reasons.  Running late, the diva appears all clamour and glamour, cell phone in hand, only half concentrated on the job at hand.  Diana Damrau is one of the great singing actors of our time and this new role fits like a glove.  Humour, pathos, coloratura, beauty and even some calisthenics at the end (she did cartwheels on stage!).  Twice we heard her sing in the auditorium in front of the stage. 

 

For the Act I sleepwalking scene Ms Damrau entered by way of the main stalls aisle, walking in a morphistic state suitably spot-lit and into the hotel room of the embarrassed Count.  The second somnambulism commenced with a comatose Ms Damrau lurching along a narrow ledge in a snow storm outside the rehearsal room windows, presumably high above a New York street.  Not good for those with a fear of heights. 

 

Having been physically rescued by Lisa the final tour-de-force, ‘Ah non credea mirati’ and its recitative were sung on a stage extension like a wide ‘diving board’ extending well over the orchestra.  The acoustics are noticeably different when the singer is in the Met auditorium itself.  Having an opera singer only two metres away as I did briefly in Act one is a serious auditory jolt! 

 

The joyous finale ‘Ah non giunge’ was staggering, both vocally from Ms Damrau as well as from the chorus, dancers (now in Swiss costume) and clever staging.  Our soprano did two full acrobatic cartwheels during the short choral section before her final note - and then another in the curtain calls on the very last night. 

 

The tenor was the wild-card surprise of the evening for me.  Javier Camarena is the most beautiful voiced tenor I have heard since Luciano left us.  He has a fine tremolo with a smooth vocal line up and down the stave.  And his diminuendos were phenomenal too.  Every risk Mr Camarena took came off brilliantly, elegantly and tastefully.  His voice is quite unlike like Mr Florez but clearly just as capable (and I am a Florez fan). 

 

I was so impressed with this tenor that I attended the final performance with great expectations … only to find that the season cover, Mr Taylor Stayton was taking the role as is the creditable practice at the Met.  Taller and perhaps more physically suited with this cast, American tenor Taylor Stayton, displayed a fine and supple voice for this difficult tessitura.  He commenced with a few slight ‘bleats’ but any imperfections resolved and he received an enormous ovation.  However odious be Marlowe’s comparisons, my money is on Mexican Mr Camarena who will be hard to beat in this sort of repertoire.  He is rumoured to be replacing Mr Florez at the opening of Cenerentola in two weeks time.  We shall see. 

 

Michele Pertusi sang ‘Vi raviso’ ravishingly as he also played the over-sexed old man in the most gentlemanly manner possible. 

 

Australian Rachelle Durkin played an excellent Lisa, jealous, bitter, conniving and finally getting her comeuppance.  Her steely voice, earnest stage presence and Bellini’s brilliant score distinguish her from the soprano of the title.  Some of her rivalry stage actions were hilarious.  Other supporting roles were all very well acquitted including Amina’s ubiquitous mother played by Elizabeth Bishop; Alessio, Lisa’s constant admirer, Jordan Bisch and the Notary played by Cantor Bernard Fitch, now a veteran of over 20 years at the Met. 

 

Marco Armiliato conducted the magnificent Met orchestra with confident style and tempi reminiscent of Richard Bonynge in his two classic recordings of this opera. 

 

A pleasure and a privilege to be in New York for such a marvellous treat (more travel notes below). 

 

Notes by Andrew Byrne ..

 

http://ajbtravels.blogspot.com/

 

http://andrewsopera.blogspot.com/2010/08/somnambulism-down-ages.html London expert Dr Colin Brewer’s take on somnambulism in history.