June 30, 2007: La Boheme in Verona

2007-06-30 La Boheme (Puccini), Arena di Verona

Rodolfo = Marcello Giordani
Mimì = Tamar Iveri
Marcello = Gabriele Viviani
Musetta = Donata D'Annunzio Lombardi
Colline = Marco Spotti
Alcindoro = Angelo Nardinocchi
Schaunard = Fabio Previati
Benoit = Graziano Polidori
Parpignol = Carlo Bosi
A customs official = Federico Longhi

Lü Jia, conductor



La Bohème


Opera in 4 acts by
Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa e Luigi Illica

opera and synopsis


Arena
30 June 2007 at 21.15
Season Tickets


Principal Conductor Lü Jia
Director Arnaud Bernard
Scenographer William Orlandi
Costume Designer William Orlandi
Choir Master Marco Faelli
Lighting Designer Paolo Mazzon
Director of stage design Giuseppe De Filippi Venezia



Orchestra, Chorus and technicians
from the Arena di Verona

Another fine day in Verona, Italy. Problem with Arena di Verona and La Boheme, is that the stage is huge, and that this opera is more of a intimate romance. Of course act 2 is a great, big scene with lots of people. But this problem was a Zeffirelli-like production, huge and the little people got lost. Not being able to find out right a way Rodolfo and Mimi was a disappointment. Zeffirelli would not have made that fault, I believe. he would have a way to highlight the important people in the opera. Act 1 + 4, all action in a tiny bit of the stage, in the middle. But the Arena is so big why did the director not make the attic of the artists, Marcello and Rodolfo, huge using most of the arena stage area.

Other problems was for me all the circus of act2, people blowing fires from their mouth. Just a show that made it difficult to get the real operatic action... And act 3, very bad, hated the bicycles thing. Here we are supposed to see peasant woman at the customs controlling their bread, milk cans etc. The bicycling was just a circus thing... And act 4, when the guys are pretending to be at a ball. Here they were not dancing, they were drying up laundry and playing with that, Gavotta, Pavanella, Fandango... no dance.

The singers, orchestra was all great and the production was not all bad, just not quite right and Arena was not the right place.

OD Travel + Photos

Original blog post

June 30, 2003: Carmen in Vienna

2003-06-30 Carmen (G. Bizet), Wiener Staatsoper

Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Don José = Julian Gavin
Escamillo = Ildar Abdrazakov
Micaëla = Roxana Briban
Frasquita = Simina Ivan
Mercédès = Cornelia Salje
Zuniga = Goran Simic
Moralès = Yu Chen
Remendado = Walter Pauritsch
Dancaïro = Hans Peter Kammerer
Lillas Pastia = Csaba Markovits

Vjekoslav Sutej, conductor



Wlener Staatsoper
Montag, 30. juni 2003
114. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

Carmen
Oper in vier Akten von Henri Meilhac und Ludovic Halévy nach einer Novelle von Prosper Mérimée
Musik von Georges Bizet

Dirigent Vjekoslav Sutej
Inszenierung und
Bühnenbild Franco Zeffirelli
KostümeLeo Bei
Choreographie Rafael de Cordova
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn


Tänze Patricia Sollak
Rudolf Wächter
Christoph Wenzel
und das Corps de ballet
.
Micaëla Roxana Briban Debüt an der Wiener Staatsoper

Carmen in Wiener Staatsoper 30.6.2003 again with Julian Gavin and Agnes Baltsa. New Micaela = Roxana Briban (first time in Vienna State Opera). A really another Carmen, of course it is still the same Zeffirelli production, but a lot of small and not so small changes in the interpretation. A much better performance, but a cooler audience I think, but totally extatic in the end. This Micaela is really a young girl from the country 16/17 year old as the libretto states, or at least in the full dialogue
version, but this is still a minimal dialogue version most of the opera. She is very young and innocent, wonderful voice and acting of Roxana Briban. I have found out what is wrong with Julian Gavin and his singing, I think it is the dynamics, his voice often looses his strength, his French pronunciation is a bit better today. Agnes
Baltsa is the most fiery Carmen. This time she do get an applause after the 3 act aria, even though she is awfully quick in saying "eh bien" after the aria, usually we have no time to applaud the opera just go on quickly. I wish I really could describe this Carmen, especially all the the changes in not only interpretation, where
Carmen is on stage, but also some changes in the dialogue. And it is the last opera performance in Wiener Staatsoper for the season 2002/2003. I got the new program in my hands. And is a wonderful end of the season, and also the last opera in this travel.

I waited too long at the stage door thinking Agnes Baltsa would appear. And then I walked quickly the Kärtnerstrasse up to U-Bahn Stephanplatz and took U-Bahn to Westbahnhof, my luggage out of the locker, and was just in time to see the train leave the station building.

OD Travel + Photos

June 29, 2007: Nabucco in Verona

2007-06-29 Nabucco (Verdi), Arena di Verona

Nabucco = Leo Nucci
Ismaele = Fabio Sartori
Zaccaria = Carlo Colombara
Abigaille = Maria Guleghina
Fenena = Nino Surguladze
High Priest of Belo = Carlo Striuli
Abdallo = Carlo Bosi
Anna = Patrizia Cigna

Daniel Oren, conductor



Nabucco


Dramma lirico in 4 acts by
Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Temistocle Solera

opera and synopsis


Arena
29 June 2007 at 21.15
Season Tickets


Principal Conductor Daniel Oren
Director Denis Krief
Scenographer Denis Krief
Costume Designer Denis Krief
Choir Master Marco Faelli
Director of the Corps de Ballet Maria Grazia Garofoli
Lighting Designer Paolo Mazzon
Director of stage design Giuseppe De Filippi Venezia

Orchestra, Chorus and technicians
from the Arena di Verona

Now Nabucco. Not the same production as two years ago. Leo Nucci was also then Nabucco and Susan Neves was Abigaille. Disappointment, two-fold; the production in 2005 was better, and my seat was better: I could hear better then, and no-one was talking during the show. Having read some review of the production with their pointing out disappointment towards Carlo Colombara and Maria Guleghina, they loved Leo Nucci, of course... so I knew something. And it was announced at the loud-speaker, that Colombara although slightly ill he was still singing. And you could tell he was not in top form but he was steadily better. Maria Guleghina was also weak sounding, but I think that was because of my seat. Had I been sitting in Poltronissimo God section and not (just) poltronissimo then I think my feeling had been better about this production, but I would still have found the ballet thing stupid and wondering why did they put such a boring costume on the wonderful soprano, Maria Guleghina. Fenena and Anna got something beautiful to wear. White for Fenena, red for Anna, but for Abigaille, dark earth colors.

And then singers did not come out where I was standing.

Must have more Maria Guleghina live. Especially as Abigaille....

OD Travel + Photos

Original blog post

June 28, 2005: Werther in Turin, Italy

2005-06-28 Werther (Massenet), Teatro Regio Torino

Werther = Roberto Alagna
Charlotte = Kate Aldrich
Albert = Marc Barrard
Sophie = Nathalie Manfrino
Bailli = Michel Trempont
Schmidt = Leonard Pezzino
Johann = Armando Gabba
Brühlmann = Alessandro Inzillo
Kätchen = Ivana Cravero

Alain Guingal, conductor



Werther

Libretto di Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet e
Georges Hartmann
dal romanzo Die Leiden des jungen Werther
di Johann Wolfgang Goethe

Musica di Jules Massenet


Gli altri figli del borgomastro, voci bianche
Stefania Costa, Fiammetta Fanari,
Roberta Nobile, Miriam Schiavello,
Giulia Voghera, Carlo Alberto Italia,
Alberto Occelli, Giulio Sanna


Direttore d’orchestra Alain Guingal
Regia e scene David Alagna e Frédérico Alagna
Costumi Louis Désiré
Maestro del coro Claudio Marino Moretti
Orchestra e Coro del Teatro Regio

Elementi del Coro di voci bianche del Teatro Regio e del Conservatorio
“G. Verdi”

Nuovo allestimento Teatro Regio.

Bravo Roberto Alagna!!!!!
Bravi David & Frederico Alagna!!!
Bravi tutti!

Even, bravi dog and horses!!!

First time in Torino for me. The Alagna brothers made this production a feast for the eye and ear. And with Roberto Alagna, their big-brother as the star of the evening it was absolutely magic. Schmidt and Johann visited the home of the Bailiff with a real dog. The dog acted admirably even when the singing was near. Naturally the dog was in a leash and all took care of the big dog. The carriage was with a real horse that took Charlotte and Werther to the ball and back. When Sophie came to the church she was on horseback, not the same horse that had carried the carriage. And was it disturbing the opera in any way? No. It was all perfectly done.

Roberto Alagna et al. was wonderful in their singing and dancing. The children, too. The sets and costumes was beautiful and totally right for Werther. Roberto Alagna was perfect as Werther. Kate Aldrich was totally convincing as Charlotte, which was wonderfully sung. Sophie was also quite marvelous as were Albert. This production with its use of red lightning at special moments in Werther was truly amazing and wonderful...

The perfect Werther!

OD Travel + Photos

June 28, 2003: Turandot in Verona

2003-06-28 Turandot (G. Puccini), Arena di Verona

Turandot = Giovanna Casolla
Altoum = Aldo Bottion
Timur = Hao Jiang Tian
Calaf = José Cura
Liù = Micaela Carosi
Ping = Marco Camastra
Pong = Iorio Zennaro
Pang = Gianluca Floris
A mandarin = Giuseppe Riva
The prince of Persia = Angel Harkatz
First maidservant = Daniela Forapani
Second maidservant = Antonella D'Amico

Alain Lombard, conductor



Arena di Verona
28 June 2003 - 21.15

Turandot


Dramma lirico in 3 acts by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Giuseppe Adami e Renato Simoni


PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR Alain Lombard


DIRECTOR Yuri Alexandrov
Assistant Director Tatiana Karpacheva


SCENOGRAPHER Vjacheslav Okunev
COSTUME DESIGNER Vjacheslav Okunev
CHOIR MASTER Marco Faelli
Director of the Corps de Ballet Maria Grazia Garofoli
Light Designer Paolo Mazzon
Director of stage design Giuseppe De Filippi Venezia

Turandot 28.6.2003 with Jose Cura. Jose Cura sang wonderfully, all the bravos (and some shouting of "bis." they sounded more like dislike-shouting, than "Da Capo" in French) after his wonderful Nessun dorma.

It was a colorful, beautiful Turandot. But I did not like all of the directors ideas. The choreography of the crowd was disturbing, and some of the dancing was too. One could be distracted so that one suddenly did not know where Cura was. Cura looked dashing in the soldier-uniform, with all that black hair. It was definitely "there he is!!". But to make Calaf a soldier, was a fault. He is the unknown Prince, who is in exile, trying to hide from his enemies. And certainly as a soldier he would have seen Turandot before. So it was an illogical choice. But he looked great in the silver-armor.

All C´s got al lot of applause, Cura (Calaf), Cassolli (Turandot) and Caresi (Liu). But too much circus in this Turandot, to my taste.

The opera stopped early because of rain, when Turandot sings :"La mia gloria e finita!" We waited a bit, but the weather forecast was not good, so a bit over midnight it was all over. And I went back to my hotel in the rain and in Blitz und Donner!

"Non piangere, Liu!"

OD Travel + Photos

June 28, 2002: Jose Cura in Dalhalla

2002-06-28 Opera Concert, Dalhalla, Sweden

José Cura, tenor & conductor
Giuseppina Trotta, mezzo
Sinfonia Varsovia
Pietro Veneri, conductor



PROGRAM
It begins with a rowboat, and Cura with an umbrella, then he arrives at the stage, jumps up, and begins conducting
Giuseppe Verdi
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO - Ouverture, Cura conducts
Veneri comes out, and conducts Il Corsaro, and Cura does Corsaro in his usual way.
Il CORSARO - Ah si, ben dite - Tutto parea sorridere Cura sings
Giuseppina Trotta joins Cura in this duet. I was disappointed by hearing her, a little voice and the duet did not catch air.
IL TROVATORE - Madre, non dormi Duet: Cura/Trotta
Cura talks to the audience, " you are crazy, sitting in the rain". Telling us as a Latino for him this is Winter. "Wonderful Dalhalla" Then Trotta sings alone. This is not a highlight.
Pietro Mascagni
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA- Voi lo sapete, o Mamma Trotta
Cura sings Cielo e mar, not just the aria but also its introduction. He is doing alright, he is sick, has a cold.
Amilcare Ponchielli
LA GIOCONDA Cielo e mar (introduction + aria) Cura
The conducting of Forza del Destino was disinteresting, but he made a very good Intermezzo from Manon Lescaut, I have not heard it, so touching as Cura made it. It was really great. He said in his Verdi DVD that Verdi can easily become band-music and he did that to FORZA. But with Manon Lescaut he redeems that fault.
Giacomo Puccini
MANON LESCAUT Intermezzo Cura conducts
Cura is trying to sing O paradiso, it is never apparent in which language he sings it, it sound like a combination of French and Italian, maybe with a Spanish touch. He is sick, maybe that is the reason, or maybe he haven't learnt it properly.
Giacomo Meyerbeer
L'AFRICAINE O, paradiso Cura
Wonderful,in the program it says only the intermezzo, but we also gets Cura singing the song to the Flag (the Argentinean Flag,naturally). It is really touching, but I would to hear it when Cura is vocally on top, too.
Hector Panizza
AURORA Intermezzo epico Veneri conducts
Cancion de la Bandera Cura

Intermission
Cura talks again, this time about AURORA, and the song of the flag, National Song of Argentina. It is the first time it was sung outside Argentina, Cura said. And he saw the Argentinean Flag when he was singing it. Very touching. I looked up and I saw an umbrella, with white and the light-blue of the Argentinean flag, so I know what he saw. (But I was wrong there was Argentinean flags there as one Argentine who lives in Sweden told me in an e-mail. But I did not see it). Then it the Girl of the Golden West, Cura conducts, and then after it is over the Prelude, Veneri have to "fight" with Cura in order to get the baton. And then Cura have to make an excuse to the audience for having blown his noise for open mike in the first part. And then it is "Ch'ella mi creda". Again he sings the introduction to the aria too (seldom done in concerts)
Giacomo Puccini
LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST Prelude Cura conducts
Ch'ella mi creda Cura sings, Veneri conducts
Veneri conducts a wonderful Bacchanale, then Trotta sings the seduction-aria, and in the end of the aria, Cura comes out, and sings "Dalila, je t'aime" .
Camille Saint-Saëns
SAMSON ET DALILA Bacchanale
"Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix Trotta / Cura
Veneri is a good conductor, and Trotta was much better in the Carmen section than anything else. Cura had really a cold, but with a careful use of his voice, out came one of the finest interpretation of the Flower Aria. Then the end-duet, and Cura was so sick, he had to fight with himself not to cough in the wrong musical moment, concentrate to have his throat ready when the duet need Don José. Most singers would have said to the audience, I am sick, this duet is too much for me today. And nobody would have thought less of Cura had he done that. (It was his right, and maybe his obligation to do so)
Georges Bizet
CARMEN Prelude
Habanera Trotta
La fleur que tu m'avais jetée Cura
Entr'acte, act 4
C'est toi, c'est moi Trotta / Cura

EXTRA
Addio, fiorito asil (MADAMA BUTTERFLY) Cura
Seguedilla (CARMEN) Trotta / Cura
Nessun dorma (TURANDOT) Cura
Who would have thought that we would get extra-numbers. I thought that in case of extras, it would have been Trotta and Veneri who would have to do it, Cura needed rest. But he sang one of the shortest arias, Addio fiorito asil, I think it is not really an easy aria, even if it is being short. Trotta sang Seguedilla and Cura came in as Don José does in the opera. Then HE ended it all with Nessun dorma, it wasn't necessary, but we loved it. As the absolute end of the show, this Gala concert, he made us applaud every section and every musician in the Sinfonia Varsovia. The Concert ended at 22.00


JOSÉ CURA IN DALHALLA

Friday 28:th - 19.00-21.30 - Open 17.00
José Cura, tenor and conductor
Giuseppina Trotta, mezzo soprano
Sinfonia Varsovia
Assistant Conductor: Pietro Veneri

OD Travel

June 27, 2006: L'Italiana in Algeri, Vienna

2006-06-27 L'Italiana in Algeri (Rossini), Wiener Staatsoper

Mustafà = Kristinn Sigmundsson
Elvira = Bori Keszei
Zulma = Michaela Selinger
Haly = Marcus Pelz
Lindoro = Juan Diego Flórez
Isabella = Agnes Baltsa
Taddeo = Alfred Šramek

Maurizio Benini, conductor



27. Juni 2006



L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI
(65. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung)

Musikalische Leitung: Maurizio Benini
nach einer
Inszenierung von: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Chorleitung: Ernst Dunshirn


Isabella: Agnes Baltsa


Beginn: 19.30

A wonderful Italiana in Wiener Staatsoper with Agnes Baltsa as the best Isabella, Juan Diego Florez wonderful as Lindoro, and Kristinn Sigmundsson was good as Mustafa. Bori Keszei as Elvira was not the best Elvira I have seen and Michaela Selinger as Zulma was also just good enough. Alfred Sramek was as usual wonderful as Taddeo. Italiana in Algeri is a wonderful production. But personally I think that with someone like Ferruccio Furlanetto or Ruggero Raimondi as Mustafa it would have been even better. Florez was the most applauded person with Agnes Baltsa as the second most applauded. Personally I could not find any error in Agnes Baltsa's singing, she sang just most wonderfully. Perfection.

OD Travel + Photos

June 27, 2003: Carmen in Vienna

2003-06-27 Carmen (G. Bizet), Wiener Staatsoper

Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Don José = Julian Gavin
Escamillo = Ildar Abdrazakov
Micaëla = Krassimira Stoyanova
Frasquita = Simina Ivan
Mercédès = Cornelia Salje
Zuniga = Goran Simic
Moralès = Yu Chen
Remendado = Walter Pauritsch
Dancaïro = Hans Peter Kammerer
Lillas Pastia = Csaba Markovits

Vjekoslav Sutej, conductor



Wiener Staatsoper
freitag, 27. juni 2003
113. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

Carmen
Oper in vier Akten von Henri Meilhac und Ludovic Halévy nach einer Novelle von Prosper Mérimée
Musik von Georges Bizet

Dirigent Vjekoslav Sutej
Inszenierung und
Bühnenbild Franco Zeffirelli
Kostüme Leo Bei
Choreographie Rafael de Cordova
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn
.,

Tänze Patricia Sollak
Rudolf Wächter
Christoph Wenzel
und das Corps de ballet

23 degree Celsius. Life is good. I meet another Baltsa fan in Arcadia Opera Shop, she is working there. 16.30 Edita Gruberova Autogramm-stunde in Arcadia.

I got just in time (1500) for a Guided Tour in the Staatsoper, it was not my first time. But I enjoyed it nevertheless. In Staatsoper, it was Edita-Gruberova-Austellung in Gustav-Mahler-saal, we saw the Carmen-scenery in the audience. And the tour ended in Arcadia Opera Shop, I stood in line for an autograph, bought the Lucia di Lammermoor with Gruberova/Josep Bros so she could have something to write on. I took photos, of course. A hot day for Gruberova to sit inside, they had to open more doors, and stand garde so no one would enter the shop that way.

Then it was Carmen with Agnes Baltsa and Julian Gavin. 1900-2215. I guess I was not in the mood to be overwhelmed. It was a very good, but not great performance. I love this opera, and Baltsa as Carmen is always special. But anyway the audience loved it. The performance was not exactly the same as the last time, I guess Julian Gavin took
some of his Carmen-expericed from Zurich with him. Agnes Baltsa did her death-scene differently, it was very effective. Julian Gavin was OK as Don Jose, I would have loved a better pronunciation of the French when speaking, but also in singing. You had to know what Don Jose was saying, if you didn´t you got lost. Agnes Baltsa was always clear in her pronunciation, if I knew the French language better I would know if it was pronounced correctly. But for my ears it was correct.Beside this Carmen is wild, her pronunciation should not be terribly correct. Krassimira Stoyanova was embraced by the Vienna audience. And this Escamillo, Ildar Abdrakov was great. I loved the
sweet soprano voice of Simina Ivan (Frasquita).

I stood long in line to wait for Agnes Baltsa, by 2300 I had to go to Westbahnhof since my train was leaving 23.25, and I had to collect my luggage first, too. Then I saw the sign, 40 min's late change to 55 and in the to 120 min's. Had I known this I could have waited longer for Baltsa, and maybe Baltsa would have come, or maybe not. So it was over 0100 when the train came to Vienna Westbahnhof.

OD Travel + Photos

June 26, 2006: Werther in Vienna

2006-06-26 Werther (Massenet), Wiener Staatsoper

Werther = Marcus Haddock
Albert = Morten Frank Larsen
Le Bailli = Janusz Monarcha
Charlotte = Elina Garanca
Sophie = Ileana Tonca
Schmidt = Benedikt Kobel
Johann = Clemens Unterreiner

Marco Armiliato, conductor



Werther (Massenet), Wiener Staatsoper
Dirigent: Marco Armiliato
Inszenierung: Andrei Serban
Bühne: Peter Pabst
Kostüme: Peter Pabst, Petra Reinhardt
Choreinstudierung: Ernst Dunshirn


Beginn: 19.30
The tenor Marcus Haddock looked quite like Marcelo Alvarez and acted as him too. His singing was not at the level as Marcelo Alvarez. The costumes looked false on him, and I could not understand how anyone could fall in love with him. I am sure Alvarez would have made one forget the costumes which was OK for all the others but Werther. Elina Garanca has the most gorgeous mezzo soprano voice. She was absolutely wonderful. Ileana Tonca sang Sophie also wonderfully, Albert was great. But then it was the direction which I think really made this Werther production something I cannot like. It was the Postmodern Ironie. Werther is an idiot, he should more be poetic. Charlotte was just a BIG EGO, she should really care for the children, instead she is more looking in the mirror, making her make-up perfect. Sophie is the one really tending the children, but she should be the second care-taker of the children. There is too many children in that household.

The singing was wonderful, but the REGIE was just about reading WERTHER the false way. Here you have great singers that can act well but chose to make most of what people say into falsehood. It was really depressing. This opera doesn't need that kind of help.

OD Travel

June 26, 2005: Aida in Verona

2005-06-26 Aida (Verdi), Arena di Verona

The King = Marco Spotti
Amneris = Tichina Vaughn
Aida = Micaela Carosi
Radamès = José Cura
Ramfis = Vitalji Kovaliov
Amonasro = Alberto Mastromarino
A messenger = Carlo Bosi
High Priestess = Antonella Trevisan

Daniel Oren, conductor



Arena
26 June 2005 - 21.15



Aida


Opera in 4 acts by Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni


PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR Daniel Oren


DIRECTOR Franco Zeffirelli
SCENOGRAPHER Franco Zeffirelli
COSTUME DESIGNER Anna Anni



Wonderful!!!

I could have had another opera the day before, La Gioconda (June 25) but I decided to rest in Hotel Tryp Verona. I think that was wise. June 26 at 1830 I took the Opera Bus to Verona (Castelvecchio) and as before I ate some dinner at Cafe Opera before the opera started. This time too I saw no JCx friends before I too was inside the Arena, even more friends this time.

And I sat on the front row and this was an even better Aida, almost perfect. Again it was the conductor's tempi (too fast at delicate places in Aida). I could see the conductor from my place, in my opinion he was too preoccupied with the orchestra and looked seldom up to the singers.

But still the singers was better, the conductor was also a bit kinder to the singers. Another Ramfis this time, Vitalji Kavaliov, also doing quite well. Indeed they were all doing very well despite this time there was a few times when they almost sang wrong. But this was a more energetic Aida and better acted. Alberto Mastromarino as Amonasro was doing well although he was not so exact as on June 23.

Better last act certainly. Wonderful AIDA!!!

OD Travel + Photos

June 26, 2002: Carmen in Vienna

2002-06-26 Carmen (G. Bizet), Wiener Staatsoper

Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Don José = Richard Leech
Escamillo = Egils Silins
Micaëla = Anja Harteros
Frasquita = Simina Ivan
Mercedes = Stella Grigorian
Zuniga = Goran Simic
Morales = Yu Chen
Remendado = Walter Pauritsch
Dancairo = Markus Nieminen
Lillas Pastia = Csaba Markovits

Jun Märkl, conductor



WIener Staatsoper
mittwoch, 26. juni 2002
107. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

Carmen
Oper in vier Akten (nach Prosper Mérimée) von H. Meilhac und L. Halévy
Musik von Georges Bizet

Dirigent Jun Märkl
Inszenierung und
Bühnenbild Franco Zeffirelli
KostümeLeo Bei
Choreographie Rafael de Cordova
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn
,

Tänze Rita Kommentisch
Rudolf Wächter
Christoph Wenzel
und das Corps de ballet
(A) Stipendiat des Herbert von Karajan Centrums

This time I will never forget the great duet at the end of the opera.
Carmen on June 26th, was the most memorable erlebnis than June 23rd.

No fault this time for the trumpeter in act 1. Agnes Baltsa seemed to be in a special mood. She did many thing she didn't do June 23rd. She was special. Unfortunately was the Escamillo Egils Silins not a better Escamillo today. Anja Harteros was still happily applauded with shouts of Bravo. Richard Leech and Agnes Baltsa seemed get better together. The duet "C'est toi!" was incredible. And it was murder on the stage, really shocking, believable. Simina Ivan and Stella Grigorian must be the best Frasquita/Mercedes I have ever seen.

Then the opera was over. I had my camera, with my small flash. But there were "big guns" there, flashed the lit out the almost the whole floor. Many flashes. AGNES BALTSA is GREEK, the diva reacts with fire, some threatening gestures to the parts of the audience, which she think is guilty. I felt myself being struck by lightening, even though my small camera, is just a little baby. Short small flash. Then AGNES BALTSA knows what to do, she must remember the most of the audience is innocent, and so she smiles and raises her arms in a gesture of thank-you.

I definitely do not dare to try to take a picture of Agnes Baltsa as she leaves the operahouse. Besides I don't have the time. I have trains to catch, I am going back to Scandinavia, and on June 28th I will see José Cura in Dalhalla, Sweden.

OD Travel + Photos

June 26, 1997: Aida in Vienna

1997-06-26 Aida (Verdi), Wiener Staatsoper

Re D'Egitto = David Cale Johnson
Amneris = Waltraud Meier
Aida = Deborah Voigt
Radames = Kristjan Johannsson
Ramphis = Kurt Rydl
Amonasro = Simon Estes
Un Messagero = Franz Kasemann
Sacedotessa = Marjorie Vance

Marcello Viotti, conductor

Aida
Oper in vier Akten von Antonio Ghislanzoni
Musik Giuseppe Verdi

Dirigent Marcello Viotti
Nach einer Inszenierung von Nicolas Joel
Ausstattung Carlo Tommasi
Choreographie Jan Stripling
Chorleitung Dietrich D. Gerpheide



Die Handlung spielt in Theben
zur Zeit der pharaonen

Ballett: 2. Bild Das Corps de ballet
3. BildEva Polacek
Claudia Stocker
Silvia Tzankova
4. Bild Irina Lebedjewa
Wolfgang Grascher Christian Herden Christian Rovny
und das Corps de ballet
Eleven der Ballettschule
der Österreichischen Bundestheater Bühnenorchester
der Österreichischen Bundestheater

A wonderful Aida with Deborah Voigt in good voice. A great cast and a wonderful production. Many tourists in the State Opera, many Japanese kimonos to see.

The moment I remembered the most is when Waltraud Meier went down the steep stairs and then there was a big flash from a camera. My heart almost stopped, that could have been very dangerous for Waltraud Meier. But she got down still whole.

I have seen an opera performance with so many camera flashes while the performance lasted. Usually people have the wits to wait until the applause.

OD Travel

June 25, 2006: Verismo Gala in Miskolc

2006-06-25 Verismo Gala, Miskolc Operafestival

Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Mirolav Dvorsky, tenor
Natasa Kátai, soprano
Paolo Gavanelli, baritone

Miskolc Symphonic Orchestra
János Ács, conductor



7 pm, Grand Theatre

Verismo Gala


Miskolc Symphonic Orchestra

Host: Ferenc Baranyi
Conducted by: János Ács
Directed by: Imre Halasi



Verismo Gala, Miskolci Nemzetközi Operafesztivál

Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Miroslav Dvorsky, tenor
Paolo Gavanello, baritone
Natasa Kátai, soprano

SO I guess you want to know was it worth it: YES. Agnes Baltsa was great she sang, of course the Santuzza aria (Voi lo sapete, o mamma) and the duet with Turriddu (no surprise there) but it did not end there, when Turriddu (Miroslav Dvorsky) went out, the music continued and then Paolo Gavanello came it and then it became the duet Santuzza/Alfio (not often a concert piece). IT WAS WONDERFUL!!!

First part was the Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacci arias, duets. It started with Pagliacci Prolog which was very appropriate. The second part was the more unknown operas/arias. Started with what was probably something from the opera L'Amico Fritz, then Paolo Gavanello sang aria (CILEA?), it was the aria from Catalani's LA WALLY, Lamento di Federico. Gavanello sang Nemico della Patria (ANDREA CHENIER).... and finally Baltsa came and it was CARMEN, Seguedilla, Miroslav Dvorsky sang the flower aria, and the Verismo Gala ended with the Carmen duet, and when Carmen died it was over.

No extra numbers, nothing. But then my friend told me that it was something happening inside the house, an reception. So we went there. Eva Marton was there, and soon came Agnes Baltsa, Dvorský etc. Of course there was wine, food, and many other people. It was speeches, and naturally Agnes Baltsa was the toast. And I even got a chance to talk to her. I never got a chance to take a photo. Not in the theatre, the usher turned me down. And in the reception it never seemed to be the right thing to do. I could naturally just have asked Agnes Baltsa, I think she might have said yes. But it was enough somehow to be near.

BRAVA, AGNES BALTSA!!


PROGRAMME

1. Leoncavallo: PAGLIACCI - Prologo - "Si puo?" - PAOLO GAVANELLO, baritone

Hungarian
2. Leoncavallo: PAGLIACCI - "Qual fiamma avea nel guardo!" - "Stridono lassù" - Natasa Kátai, soprano

3. Mascagni: CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA - "Voi lo sapete, o mamma" - Agnes Baltsa, mezzo


4. Mascagni: CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA - "Mamma, quel vino è generoso" - Miroslav Dvorsky, tenor


Hungarian
5. Mascagni: CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA - Intermezzo

6a. Mascagni: CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA - "Tu qui, Santuzza" - Miroslav Dvorsky, tenor
& Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
6b. Mascagni: CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA - "Iddio vi manda, compar Alfio" - Agnes Baltsa, mezzo & Paolo Gavanello, baritone


interval

7. Mascagni: L'AMICO FRITZ - Intermezzo

Hungarian
8. Ponchiello: LA GIOCONDA - "O monumento" - Paolo Gavanello, baritone


9. Catalani: LA WALLY - "Ebben! Ne andrò lontana" - Natasa Kátai, soprano

10. Puccini: IL TABARRO - "Nulla! Silenzio!" - Paolo Gavanello, baritone


Hungarian
11. Cilea: ADRIANA LECOUVREUR - "Io son l' umile ancella" - Natasa Kátai, soprano

12. Cilea: L'ARLESIANA - "E' la solita storia del pastore" - Miroslav Dvorsky, tenor

13. Giordano: ANDREA CHENIER - "Nemico della patria" - Paolo Gavanello, baritone


Hungarian
14. Bizet: CARMEN - "Près des remparts de Seville" - Agnes Baltsa, mezzo

15. Bizet: CARMEN - "La fleur que tu m'avais jetée" - Miroslav Dvorsky, tenor

Hungarian
16. Bizet: CARMEN - "C'est toi? - C'est moi" - Agnes Baltsa, mezzo & Miroslav Dvorsky, tenor

OD Travel

June 25, 2000: Carmen in Zurich

2000-06-25 Carmen (G. Bizet), Opernhaus Zurich

Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Don José = Gösta Winbergh
Micaëla = Elena Mosuc
Escamillo = Cheyne Davidson
Frasquita = Eun -Yee You
Mercedes = Irene Friedli
Zuniga = Jozsef Dene
Remendado = Volker Vogel
Dancairo = Simon Jaunin
Morales = Peter Kalman
Lillas Pastia = Adriano

Jacques Delacôte, conductor



Musikalische Leitung JACQUES DELACÔTE
Inszenierung/Bühnenbild JEAN-PIERRE PONNEllE
Spielleitung GRISCHA ASAGAROFF
Kostüme WERNER JUHRKE
Lichtgestaltung JAKOB SCHLOSSSTEIN
Chor ERNST RAFFElSBERGER


Dancairo SIMON JAUNIN°

Bergführer JONAS VEYA
1.. Leutnant MANUEL ADARVE
2. Leutnant THOMAS PÜTZ
Manuelita RENATE BLUM
0 Mitglied des Internationelen Opernstudios
CHOR DES OPERNHAUSES ZÜRICH ZUSATZCHOR OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH KINDERCHOR DES OPERNHAUSES STATISTENVEREIN AM OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH
ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
Verlag: All,or-Edition Kassel
Kritische Neuausgabe nach den Quellen von Fritz Oeser
,Sonntag, 25. Juni 2000Migros-Abo B
Lichtpausen nach dem 1.. und 3. Alu Pause nach dem 2. Akt
Beginn: 20.00 Uhr

Opernhaus Zurich, Carmen, Agnes Baltsa, Gosta Winbergh, Elena Mosuc, Cheyne Davidson
Jacques Delacote had used all his patience on Werther, and had none for Carmen. The prelude of Carmen was played extremely fast, painful. I had taken night-train to Zurich, and already had one opera, and this inpatient conductor. Carmen Opriseanu had replaced Vesselina Kasarova as Charlotte in Werther (and it was a lucky choice for my ears and eyes), but Gösta Winbergh was replacing José Cura as Don José... I was disappointed, I had wondered about Cura being Don José, and to see Cura with Agnes... I admired Winbergh, but he is not my Don José. I was also disappointed about Agnes Baltsa, maybe I was too tired, and I don't like the Zurich production of Carmen, it have lost it charms. (... and God, was I tired when I came to my hotel room!)

And this was my only chance to see the great Swedish tenor live (or indeed alive, since he is dead now) SAD....

OD Travel

June 25, 2000: Werther in Zurich

2000-06-25 Werther (J. Massenet), Opernhaus Zurich

Werther = Francisco Araiza
Albert = Alfred Muff
Le Bailli = Rudolf A. Hartmann
Charlotte = Carmen Opriseanu
Sophie = Dawn Kotoski

Jacques Delacôte, conductor



Musikalische Leitung JACQUES DELACÔTE
Inszenierung nnd Bühnenbild MARCO ARTURO MARELLI
Spielleitung CLAUDIA BLERSCH
Kostüme DAGMAR NIEFIND-MARELLI
Lichtgestaltung ROBERTUS CREMER
Chor JÜRG HÄMMERLI


KINDER CHOR DES OPERNHAUSES ZUSATZCHOR OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH STATISTENVEREIN AM OPERNHAUS
ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
Solocello Claudius Herrmann
Solovioline Ada Pesch
Musikalische Assistenz
und Einstudierung KELLY THOMAS, HERVE MAHE
Organisation und
Betreuung der Kinder SUSY SIEGRIST, CHRISTINE KRISZUN
lnspizienz SUSANN ZAHLER
Souffleuse URSULA MORI
Verlag. Editions Heugel, Paris
Sonntag, 25. Juni 2000UBS-Abo
Pause nach dem 2. Akt
Beginn: 14.00 Uhr Ende: ca. 16.30 Uhr

Opernhaus Zurich, Werther, Francisco Araiza, Carmen Opriseanu
Act 1 - Spring
Act 2 - Summer
Act 3 - Autumn
Act 4 - Winter.
Another version of Werther, some persons was deleted from the opera, only the principals remained, (deleted: Schmidt, Johann, Brühlmann and Kätchen). Colorful production.

OD Travel + Photos

June 24, 2006: Pagliacci in Miscolc

2006-06-24 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo), Miskolc Operafestival

Canio = Daniel Magdal
Nedda = Mariana Colpos
Tonio = Oleg Ionese
Silvio = Iordache Basilic
Beppe = Marius Manea

Adrian Morar, conductor



Ruggero Leoncavallo: I Pagliacci

Opera in two acts with prologue in Italian

Canio - Daniel Magdal, Nedda - Roxana Briban (Mariana Colpos?)
Conducted by: Adrian Morar

Directed by: Stefan Neagrau, based on the work of Franco Zeffirelli

The story is set in Calabria , south-Italy, in 1865.



This was a better role for Daniel Magdal, he was great in Vesti la giubba. Nedda was also wonderful. Beppe was wonderful. Tonio was good. Silvio was also very good. And I was at tears in the end. All my sympathy was for Canio.

OD Travel + Photos

June 24, 2006: Cavalleria Rusticana in Miscolc

2006-06-24 Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni), Miskolc Operafestival

Santuzza = Sorina Munteanu
Lola = Sidonia Nica
Turiddu = Daniel Magdal
Alfio = Ionut Pascu
Lucia = Adriana Alexandru

Adrian Morar, conductor



7 PM, Grand Theatre

Guest performance of the Bucharest National Opera
Pietro Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana

Opera in one act in Italian
Libretto - adapted from Giovanni Verga by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti
and Guido Menasci

Conducted by: Adrian Morar
Directed by: Cristina Cotescu, based on the work of Franco Zeffirelli

It was really a wonderful Cavalleria Rusticana, no wonder since it was based on Zeffirelli. Daniel Magdal had trouble with his top notes, he was not in his best in the O Lola - romance, but he grew better. Sorina Munteanu was admirable Santuzza, a true mezzo, when
she sang in the soprano area she was still a very good, but I think I would have loved to hear her as Princess Eboli in Verdi´s Don Carlo. Alfio was a young and beautiful baritone, a little to light a voice for the duet with Santuzza. Lola was wonderful. And Lucia was
also good.

OD Travel + Photos

June 24, 2005: Aida in Parma

2005-06-24 Aida (Verdi), Teatro Regio Parma

Il re d’Egitto = Enrico Turco
Amneris = Luciana D’Intino
Aida = Daniela Dessí
Radamès = Fabio Armiliato
Ramfis = Mario Lupero
Amonasro = Juan Pons
Una sacerdotessa = Tiziana Tramonti
Un messaggero = Carlo Bosi


Maestro concertatore e direttore
BRUNO BARTOLETTI




Regia
ALBERTO FASSINI

Scene e Costumi
MAURO CAROSI

Coreografia
MICHA VAN HOECKE

Maestro del coro
MARTINO FAGGIANI

ORCHESTRA E CORO DEL TEATRO REGIO DI PARMA

A wonderful Aida!!!!

Luciana D'Intino is a wonderful Amneris, very charismatic and a strong voiced woman, a great actress, you feel that this is a real person. Daniela was a superb Aida. Fabio Armiliato was a great Radames, even though his voice seems a bit rough and not quite the same quality as Daniela Dessi. Juan Pons is a great Amonasro although he is no longer quite in his prime but he acts very efficiently and is still a great baritone master. Ramfis and the King was sung well enough and did their job. I found this production more attractive than the one in Verona, the ballet was good (I might even say that I liked it). So; a great operatic night in Parma!!

Got a bit sick the day after, almost had to stay another night at Hotel Astoria Executive (I liked this opera) but in the end I managed to take the train back to Verona.

OD Travel + Photos

June 24, 1997: Mefistofele in Vienna

1997-06-24 Mefistofele (Boito), Wiener Staatsoper

Mefistofele = Egils Silins*
Faust = Keith Ikaia-Purdy
Margherita/Elena = Michele Crider*
Marta/Pantalis = Nelly Boschkowa
Wagner/Nerèo = Ruben Broitman

Michael Halász, conductor



Dienstag, 24. Juni 1997 STAATSOPER
6. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

Mefistofele
Oper in einem Prolog,
vier Akten und
einem Epilog
Text und Musik Arrigo Boito

Szenische Einrichtung nach der
Regie und Ausstattung vonPier'Alli
Koproduktion mit dem Teotro alla Scala, Milano

Musikalische Leitung Michael Halász
SpielleitungLorenza Cantini
Diana Kienast
ChoreographieAntonella Agati
ChoreinstudierungDietrich D. Gerpheide

Mefistofele Egils Silins*
Margherita/Elena Michele Crider*

Himmlische Heerscharen -Chorus Mysticus -Cherubim Büßerinnen -landmänner -Bürger -Hexen Nymphen -Sirenen -Koryphäen -Krieger

Knabenchor Bratislava
Leitung Magdalena Rovnáková
Bühnenorchester
der Österreichischen Bundestheater

*Rollendebüt an der
Wiener Stoatsoper

New Opera for me. But the composer was a known name Arrigo Boito, one of Verdi's librettists. The story is from Goethe's Faust, in the world of opera most known as Gounod's FAUST.

But Boito is making another story more complex taking more from the novel by Goethe. It has a prologue and a epilogue. And so it is more confusing, but has some glorious music.

OD Travel

June 23, 2005: Aida in Verona

2005-06-23 Aida (Verdi), Arena di Verona

The King = Marco Spotti
Amneris = Tichina Vaughn
Aida = Micaela Carosi
Radamès = José Cura
Ramfis = Carlo Colombara
Amonasro = Alberto Mastromarino
A messenger = Carlo Bosi
High Priestess = Antonella Trevisan

Daniel Oren, conductor



Arena
23 June 2005 - 21.15



Aida


Opera in 4 acts by Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni


PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR Daniel Oren


DIRECTOR Franco Zeffirelli
SCENOGRAPHER Franco Zeffirelli
COSTUME DESIGNER Anna Anni

Wonderful day in Verona

I arrived in Verona Porta Nuova at 1500. It was a hot day. After staying in my hotel Tryp Verona for a few hours I took the Opera Bus to Verona (1830). I tried to find if I could see any JCx friends there, and then I sat at Cafe Opera and had some dinner before the opera. It seem to take forever until day at last opened door one, some trouble with the keys I think.

But at last at the Arena I met Yvonne and Kira and many more. This was a big Zeffirelli Aida production, beautiful and wonderfully operatic. I think I must have had some troubles with my ears because I didn't hear so well the first act. The conductor was a disappointment he was too fast in many of the delicate moments almost ruining the opera. Jose Cura looked wonderful and sing/acted Radames wonderfully. Tichina Vaughn did her best but lacked some of the charisma this role needs. Micaela Carosi had no such troubles, her voice was clear and she had a lot of charisma. No wonder the opera is called AIDA. Alberto Mastromarino was an efficient Amonasro, Carlo Colombara did well as Ramfis, Marco Spotti was OK as the King.

The Ballet was not to my liking, I found it almost offensive. The prima ballerina as a kind of high priestess was a good idea that worked very well.

OD Travel + Photos

June 23, 2002: Carmen in Vienna

2002-06-23 Carmen (G. Bizet), Wiener Staatsoper

Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Don José = Richard Leech
Escamillo = Egils Silins
Micaëla = Anja Harteros
Frasquita = Simina Ivan
Mercedes = Stella Grigorian
Zuniga = Goran Simic
Morales = Yu Chen
Remendado = Walter Pauritsch
Dancairo = Markus Nieminen
Lillas Pastia = Csaba Markovits

Jun Märkl, conductor



Wiener Staatsoper
sonntag, 23. juni 2002
106. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

Carmen
Oper in vier Akten (nach Prosper Mérimée) von H. Meilhac und L. Halévy
Musik von Georges Bizet

Dirigent Jun Märkl
Inszenierung und
Bühnenbild Franco Zeffirelli
KostümeLeo Bei
Choreographie Rafael de Cordova
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn
-

Tänze Rita Kommentisch
Rudolf Wächter
Christoph Wenzel
und das Corps de ballet
" Stipendiat des Herbert von Karajan Centrums

Carmen in Wiener Staatsoper, not a Premiere as in Zürich, but the 109th performance of Franco Zeffirelli's wonderful Carmen.

The sets was wonderful, the costumes too. Agnes Baltsa got better and better in the performance, Richard Leech was a wonderful Don Jose, Anja Hartelos was wonderful as Micaela. Frasquita and Mercedes was wonderfully portrayed by Simina Ivan and Stella Grigorian. I didn't like Escamillo, Egils Silins, but he was good. Needless to say I loved it.

OD Travel + Photos

June 23, 2000: L'Italiana in Algeri, Vienna

2000-06-23 L'Italiana in Algeri (G. Rossini), Wiener Staatsoper

Mustafà = Kristinn Sigmundsson
Elvira = Simina Ivan
Zulma = Stella Grigorian
Haly = Istvan Gati
Lindoro = Juan Diego Flórez
Isabella = Agnes Baltsa
Taddeo = Alfred Sramek

Marcello Viotti, conductor



Wiener Staatsoper
45. Auffiihrung in dieser Inszenierung
Zum letzten Mal in dieser Spielzeit
L' I taliana in Algeri
Drama giocoso per musica in zwei Akten
von Angelo Anelli
Musik von Gioachino Rossini

Musikalische Leitung Marcello Viotti
Nach einer Inszenierung
und in der Ausstattung von Jean-Pierre Ponnelle Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn
-,-

-, .
Ort der Handlung Aigerien
Orchester und Chor der Wiener Staatsoper
Die Auffuhrung basiert auf Azio Corghis kritischer Ausgabe
der Fondazione Rossini Pesaro in Zusammenarbeit
mit G. Ricordi, SPA Milano

Another wonderful performance of

Agnes Baltsa = Isabella
Juan Diego Florez = Lindoro
Taddeo Alfred Sramek
Mustafa = Kristinn Sigmundsson
Elvira = Simina Ivan
Zulma = Stella Grigorian
Haly = Istvan Gati

wonderful!!!!!

OD Travel + Photos

June 23, 1997: Stiffelio in Vienna

1997-06-23 Stiffelio (Verdi), Wiener Staatsoper

Stiffelio = Antonio Lotti
Lina = Mara Zampieri
Stankar = Renato Bruson
Raffaele = Ruben Broitman
Jorg = Peter Köves
Federico von Frengel = Peter Jelosits
Dorotea = Marjorie Vance

Fabio Luisi, conductor



Montag, 23. Juni 1997 STAATSOPER
11. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

Stiffelio
Oper in drei Aktenvon Francesco Maria Piave
MusikGiuseppe Verdi

Musikalische Leitung Fabio Luisi
InszenierungE lijah Moshinsky
Bühnenbild Michael Yeargan
Kostüme Peter J. Hall
Lichtregie Paul Pyant
Choreinstudierung Dietrich D. Gerpheide

Freunde und Gefolgsleute Stiffelios
Balletteleven der
Österreich ischen Bundestheater

So here I was in Vienna with my parents most of all to see Stiffelio, my favorite opera, with Josep Carreras, my favorite tenor. And he did not sing. Antonio Lotti, the Brazilian tenor, sang well enough. Mara Zampieri was Lina and Renato Bruson was Stankar. And it is a very good production. BUT no CARRERAS!

OD Travel

June 22, 2014: Der Fliegende Hollender in Oslo

2014-06-22 Der fliegende Holländer (Wagner), Den Norske Opera & Ballet (Oslo)

Hollenderen = Terje Stensvold 
Senta = Erika Sunnegårdh
Daland = Ketil Hugaas
Erik = Henrik Engelsviken
Mary = Tone Kummervold
Styrmannen = Marius Roth Christensen

John Helmer Fiore, conductor
Den Norske Opera & Ballet

REGI - Andreas Homoki
SCENOGRAFI - Wolfgang Gussmann
KOSTYMER - Wolfgang Gussmann
DRAMATURGI - Werner Hintze

LYSDESIGN - Franck Evin

I thought I would be so bored. This was Wagner after all. Opera with no intervals is just plain wrong. I have to admit I looked at my watch. First time I looked one hour had already passed. I thought I saw wrong numbers it was dark there. So this was working and with this regie and scenography it did not make sense to stop between acts.

Here one could have compassion with the Hollender because he care about Senta. When the H understand that Senta would probably suffer eternally he wants to stop the wedding. Senta has promised herself to Erik years ago but she is so much in love in the idea of the H. Erik loves Senta but he comes of more like a brute who has such self-pity. The H. is a man who has suffered a lot for his arrogance but his love for Senta makes him able to put Sentas life and happiness first, something Erik has not learned. Senta shows her "love" for the H. with sacrifising her life, she blows her brains out.

The Romantic Opera of Wagner. Where is the Romance really? Senta is not really the kind of woman one should aim to be. Daland, her father talks about her that she would be as pleasing and obidient to her husband as she is to Daland. Senta, my sweet child. But ever since she heard the story of the flying hollender she has been wild. So it was a great!!


After the opera and the applaus and the speech and flowers it was time to go home.

OD Travel & Photos
Original blog post

For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com

June 22, 2005: I Puritani in Berlin

2005-06-22 I Puritani (Bellini), Deutsche Oper Berlin

Lord Gualtiero = Piér Dalàs
Sir Giorgio = Arutjun Kotchinian
Lord Arturo Talbo = Joseph Calleja
Sir Riccardo Forth = Franco Vassallo
Sir Bruno Robertson = Yosep Kang
Enrichetta ´di Francia = Cheri Rose Katz
Elvira = Edita Gruberova

Frédéric Chaslin, conductor



VINCENZO BELLINI :: DIE PURITANER
22. Juni 2005
Musikalische Leitung Frédéric Chaslin
Beginn: 19.30 Uhr


Spieldauer: 3:00 Std.
1. Akt: 75 Min.
2./3. Akt: 75 Min.

Pause
Pause [ca. 30 Min.]
nach dem 1. Akt




Inszenierung John Dew
Bühne Heinz Balthes
Kostüme José Manuel Vasquez
Chöre Ulrich Paetzholdt





A disappointment!!

A more heavy-voiced Puritani than in Vienna. Arutjun Kotchinian was an impressive and deep-voiced Sir Giorgio. Franco Vassallo was a great Sir Riccardo Forth although his voice was in my opinion too heavy for the role. Still Vassallo was a virtuous singer but a lighter voice would have been even better.

Edita Gruberova is of course a great singer and actress but her high notes was too shrill this time. Joseph Calleja, a great tenor promises but now his high notes was shrill and no so enjoyable as in Vienna. In all it seem to be more heavy-handed Puritani in Berlin. And when the opera ends like it does with a totally unwanted murder at the end, Arturo is killed by Riccardo which make it a very depressing opera indeed. The two lovers are saved only to have Arturo killed by Riccardo. But here we saw Riccardo falling on his knees after killing his rival, at the end he too is totally desperate; the rival is killed that no relief only desperation remains for him.

After Puritani Gruberova had Signierstunde in the opera house. I never found out where then but still I just wanted to go to the train station Zoologischer Garten and wait for my train to Munich and later Berlin. A long day was over I had traveled from Norway to Germany (with another flight that scheduled because my plane had left ahead of plan). And a few minutes later than scheduled my train arrived and left Berlin for Munich.

OD Travel + Photos

June 22, 2002: Carmen in Zurich

2002-06-22 Carmen (G. Bizet), Opernhaus Zurich

Carmen = Luciana d'Intino
Micaela = Elena Prokina
Don José = Julian Gavin
Escamillo = Michele Pertusi
Frasquita = Martin Jankova
Mercedes = Irene Friedli
Zuniga = Jakob Will
Remendado = Martin Zysset
Dancairo = Peter Kalman
Morales = Valeriy Murga

Michel Plasson, conductor



I never thought I could get bored during a Carmen performance. The Prelude was fine, but then the curtain was raised, such a boring stage, and the people was all dressed in black. When I say people, I just mean the soldiers, there was no ordinary people on the stage (Drôle de gens). So it was just meaningless the "Sur la place". When Carmen, Luciana D'Intino, came into the stage, it lit up, not the stage, she was too dressed in black, but her presence was much needed to make this opera exciting. Micaela, Elena Prokina, was the only one that was not dressed in black. Unfortunately it didn't get better in the second act, so black and boring, the only excitement came from Luciana D'Intino. Julian Gavin was a OK Don Jose. Well, I forgot about Escamillo, Michele Pertusi, he was in black too, but one could see the silver from his black Matador-outfit. He was exciting. The only extraordinary thing in this Carmen production was the two dogs who came in the stage in the Entr'acte music, they was wonderful.

I LEFT THE OPERA in the middle, I never do that, but I longed for Vienna and Carmen in Vienna with Agnes Baltsa.

Bizet: CARMENd
Musikalische LeitungMICHEL PLASSON
InszenierungPETER MUSSBACH
RegiemitarbeitTINE BUYSE
BühnenbildERICH WONDER
KostümeANDREA SCHMIDT-FUTTERER
LichtgestaltungFRANZ PETER DAVID
ChorERNST RAFFELSBERGER

MicaelaELENA PROKINA*

EscamilloMICHELE PERTUSI*
FrasquitaMARTINA JANKOVÁ*

RemendadoMARTIN ZYSSET*
DancairoPETER KÁLMÁN*

* Rollendebüt
CHOR DES OPERNHAUSES ZÜRICH ZUSATZCHOR OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH KINDERCHOR DES OPERNHAUSES ZÜRICH STATISTENVEREIN AM OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH
ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
EIN KULTUR-ENGAGEMENT DER
CREDIT SUISSE PRIVATE BANKING
Samstag, 22. Juni 2002PREMIERE, PREMIEREN-ABO A
Pause nach dem 2. Akt
Beginn: 19.00 Uhr, Ende: ca. 22.1 S Uhr
Musikalische Assistenz
und EinstudierungFRANCK VILLARD, THOMAS BARTHEL
Abendspielleitung und
RegieassistenzCLAUDIA BLERSCH
RegiehospitanzPASCAL SCHMID
BühnenbildassistenzMICHAELA BÜRGER, DANIELA JUCKEL
KostümassistenzJOHANNA BRONNER
KostümhospitanzCRISTINA NYFFELER
Organisation und
Betreuung der KinderSUSY SIEGRIST
KampfszenenKLAUS FIGGE, WERNER HUG
InspizienzSUSANN ZAHLER
SouffleurLORENZO COLADONATO
Die Hunde Pyros und Aisha wurden
von der Kantonspolizei Zürich zur VerfÛgung gestellt.

OD Travel

June 22, 2000: Lucia di Lammermoor in Vienna

2000-06-22 Lucia di Lammermoor (G. Donizetti), Wiener Staatsoper

Enrico = Franco Vassallo
Lucia = Edita Gruberova
Edgardo = Keith Ikaia-Purdy
Arturo = Torsten Kerl
Raimondo = Egils Silins
Alisa = Mihaela Ungureanu
Normanno = Tomislav Muzek

Marcello Viotti, conductor

Wiener Staatsoper
donnerstag,22. juni 2000
124. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

Zum letzten Mal in dieser Spielzeit
Lucia di Lammermoor
Tragische Oper
Dichtung nach Walter Scott
von Salvatore Cammarano
Musik von Gaetano Donizetti

Musikalische Leitung / Marcello Viotti
Inszenierung / Boleslaw Barlog
Bühnenbild / Pantelis Dessyllas
Kostüme / Silvia Strahammer
Chorleitung / Ernst Dunshirn
.,
Enrico (Lord Henry Ashton) Franco Vassalloo

-,
Ort der Handlung
Schloß und Park von Ravenswood in Schottland
.Zeit Ende des 16 jahrhunderts

Orchester und Chor der Wiener Staatsoper

0 Debüt an der Wiener Staatsoper

It was the most wonderful evening in the opera. Amazing this woman, Gruberova!! I had to remind myself that she was not really so young as she seemed as Lucia. An actress, a wonderful voice! I loved the production. The other singers was good too, Edgardo and Lucia's brother. And because Neil Shicoff was not singing I got a splendid ticket and wonderful seat.

OD Travel

June 21, 2015: Norma in Munich

2015-06-21 Norma (Bellini), Bayerische Staatsoper

Norma = Sondra Radvanovsky
Adalgisa = Ekaterina Gubanova
Clotilde = Golda Schultz
Pollione = Gregory Kunde
Flavio = Francesco Petrozzi
Oroveso = Mika Kares

Paolo Carignani, conductor

Inszenierung, Bühne und Kostüme, Lichtkonzept - Jürgen Rose
Choreographische Mitarbeit - Jo Siska 
Licht - Michael Bauer
Produktionsdramaturgie - Peter Heilker 

Chöre - Stellario Fagone

Finally, Norma! Live from Munich with Sondra Radvanovsky and Ekaterina Gubanova as Norma and Adalgisa.

First time to see this opera live for me. Sondra Radvanovsky, who I saw last time in London as Lina in Verdi's Stiffelio 8 years ago, has become NORMA in a very big way. She is there alongside with Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland and Montserrat Caballé. Ekaterina Gubanova, who I have loved ever since Oberto in Paris in 2011, was equally amazing as Adalgisa.

Gregory Kunde was Pollione instead an indisposed Massimo Giordano. He was Pollione with gusto but not my cup of tea, so to speak. Mika Kares was a wonderful Oroveso. Frnacesco Petrozzi was Flavio and I wanted more from him like he should be singing Pollione with his beautiful voice.

Golda Schultz did her job in the little and yet important part of Clotilde. Parolo Carignani conducted it all.

Two children played the roles of the children of Norma and Pollione. Poor children!! Innocent young boys with a mother who loves (and hates) them.  A father who in the end is more a lover than a father. I still wonder if Norma was the only to die (did she die?), was Adalgisa also killed, did the children really get a chance to live safely with Oroveso, or ... Did Pollione die (killed by the Druids)?


The music is divine but who can love Norma or Pollione. Adalgisa can, I cannot. But I can love Adalgisa and wish the children did get a chance of love from ever lovable Adalgisa.

OD Travel & Photos
Original blog post

For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com

June 21, 2000: Die Lustige Witwe in Vienna

2000-06-21 Die Lustige Witwe (F. Lehár), Wiener Staatsoper

Baron Mirko Zeta = Alfred Sramek
Valencienne = Birgid Steinberger
Hanna Glawari = Angela Denoke
Graf Danilo Danilowitsch = Bo Skovhus
Camille de Rosillon = Mathias Zachariassen
Vicomte Cascada = Hans Peter Kammerer
Raoul de St. Brioche = Peter Jelosits
Bogdanowitsch = Johannes Gisser
Sylviane = Maria Bierbaumer
Kromow = David Cale Johnson
Giga = Daniela Wagner
Pritschitsch = Johann Reinprecht
Praskowia = Gretchen Eder
Njegus = Fritz Muliar
Cancan-Solist = Christian Musil

Dietfried Bernet, conductor

Wiener Staatsoper
mittwoch. 21. juni 2000
24. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

Die lustige Witwe
Operette in drei Akten von Victor Léon und Leo Stein
Musik von Franz Lehár

Musikalische Leitung / Dietfried Bernet
Inszenierung / Andrei Serban
Bühnenbild / Wilhelm Holzbaner
Kostüme / Wilhelm Holzbaner
Claudia Lukas
Dialogfassung
und Dialogregie / Fritz Muliar
Choreinstudierung / Ernst Dunshirn
Choreographie / Laurence Fanon
.., ..

Hanna Glawari / Angela Denoke*

* Rollendebüt an der Wiener Staatsoper

Wiener-operette in Staatsoper, sounded like fun, was boring. The Vilja-song was the bottom for me, the other part of the audience loved it.

OD Travel

June 20, 2009: Tosca in Berlin

2009-06-20 Tosca (Puccini), Deutsche Oper Berlin

Floria Tosca = Maria Guleghina
Mario Cavaradossi = Neil Shicoff
Baron Scarpia = Franz Grundheber
Cesare Angelotti = Krzysztof Szumanski
Der Mesner = Roland Schubert
Spoletta = Jörg Schörner
Sciarrone = Hyung-Wook Lee
Ein Schließer = Tomislav Lucic

Emmanuel Villaume, conductor

Tuesday I got the news from Parsifal's blog, that Angela Gheorghiu canceled her Tosca in Berlin, and that Maria Guleghina was singing instead. So I bought tickets to the opera and air ticket for the travel. I am so lucky that the price was reasonable at Norwegian Air. Because Angela Gheorghiu was supposed to sing the price was 118 Euro. Really 120 Euros.

So thanks to Parsifal's was I in Berlin to see an extraordinarily fine performance. Maria Guleghina is a fine actress. The perfect Tosca. Neil Shicoff sang the role of Mario Cavaradossi ardently. His voice sounded like always only a little bit grainier. His Recondita armonia and E lucevan le stelle was applauded very much. Maria Guleghina sang a wonderful Vissi d'arte. Franz Grundheber was an excellent Baron Scarpia. He used his age to his advantage. As many older opera singers who have learnt how to use everything to their advantage even their faults, Grundheber know all about how to project the character via voice and gestures...

The production was Tosca, plain and simple. Tosca in Rome in the right historical time. But isn't it time that the sagrestano lets go of the hunchback and being some kind of comic relief. Luckily Roland Schubert who sang this role had a great sonorous voice. Loved his voice. Cesare Angelotti was sung by Krzysztof Szumanski, also a bass, acted well together with Neil Shicoff. Of course, the opera only took on form and real life when Maria Guleghina came in. Wonderful duet followed. After the Tosca in Vienna (April 25, 2009) I was interested in how Sciarrone and Spoletta was in this production. From Vienna I recall the Sciarrone but not Spoletta. Here there was a different interaction between Sciarrone and Spoletta was different, more competitive. I liked Jörg Schörner as Spoletta and Hyung-Wook Lee as Sciarrone. And Tomislav Lucic was a sympatric jailor. A perfect TOSCA!!!!

Sat, 20.06.2009, 19:30 h
duration: 2 hrs 45 mins | 2 intervals

D Category: 35,- | 60,- | 85,- | 118,- Ticket online kaufen
[A service fee of Euro 2,- per ticket will be charged]

Giacomo Puccini
Tosca
Melodramma in 3 acts
Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica based on the drama LA TOSCA by Victorien Sardou
First performed on 14th January, 1900 in Rome
Premiered at the Deutsche Oper Berlin on 13th April, 1969

In Italian with German surtitles


conductor
Emmanuel Villaume

director
Boleslaw Barlog

stage-design, costume-design
Filippo Sanjust

chorus-master
William Spaulding




Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin

Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin

Knabe des Staats- und Domchores

Kinderchor der Deutschen Oper Berlin

OD Travel + Photos

Original blog post

For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com
If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com

June 20, 2000: L'Italiana in Algeri, Vienna

2000-06-20 L'Italiana in Algeri (G. Rossini), Wiener Staatsoper

Mustafà = Kristinn Sigmundsson
Elvira = Simina Ivan
Zulma = Stella Grigorian
Haly = Istvan Gati
Lindoro = Juan Diego Flórez
Isabella = Agnes Baltsa
Taddeo = Alfred Sramek

Marcello Viotti, conductor

Wiener Staatsoper
dienstag,20. juni 2000
44. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

L' I taliana in AIgeri
Drama giocoso per musica in zwei Akten von Angelo Anelli
Musik von Gioachino Rossini

Musikalische Leitung Marcello Viotti
Nach einer Inszenierung
und in der Ausstattung von Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn
., .

-,
Ort der Handlung" Algerien

Orchester und Chor der Wiener Staatsoper
Die Aufführung basiert auf Azio Corghis kritischer Ausgabe
der Fondazione Rossini Pesaro in Zusammenarbeit mit G Ricordi, SPA Milano

* Rollendebüt an der Wien er Staatsoper 0 Debüt an der Wiener Staatsoper

Wiener Staatsoper, L'Italiana in Algeri, Agnes Baltsa, Juan Diego Florez, Kristinn Sigmundsson
First time for me to see this opera in an operahouse. It was Jean Pierre Ponnelle's production. Agnes Baltsa was Isabella, Juan Diego Florez was Lindoro. Ruggero Raimondi was ill so Kristinn Sigmundsson was Mustafa instead. Simina Ivan as Elvira, Stella Grigorian as Zulma. Istvan Gati was Haly. Alfred Sramek was Taddeo.

The only disappointment was not seeing Ruggero Raimondi, my favorite bass. A wonderful comic opera with a great cast. Kristinn Sigmundsson was as burlesque as Mustafa should be. Simina Ivan was a complaintive Elvira, Mustafa's suffering wife. Wonderful voice! Stella Grigorian as Istvan Gati was always supporting the suspense. Juan Diego Florez, a small man with a great voice. And Isabella, Agnes Baltsa, was the highlight!!

OD Travel

June 20, 1984: La Traviata in Oslo

1984-06-20 La Traviata (Verdi), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Violetta Valery = Rita Lantieri
Flora Bervoix = Vessa Hanssen
Alfredo Germont = Caj Ehrstedt
Annina = Eva Solheim
George Germont = Knut Skram
Gaston, Vicomte de Letorieres = Tor Gilje
Barone Douphol = Stein-Arild Thorsen
Marchese d'Obigny = Oddbjørn Tennfjord
Dottor Grenvil = Eivind Bøksle
Giuseppe = Leif Sørensen

Zdenko Peharda, conductor



DEN NORSKE OPERA
Wednesday 1984-06-20
LA TRAVIATA
Opera in 4 acts by Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Fr. Maria Piave
Conductor: Zdenko Peharda
Regie: Jens Chr. Ek
Scenography: Madla Bruza
Coreography: Frederic Konrad


kl. 19.30- ca. 22.10

I saw La Traviata for the first time. Dottor Grenvil was sung by Eivind Bøksle, the man who nowadays always presents the operas whenever it is opera on Norwegian Radio.

OD Travel

June 19, 2011: Pagliacci in Zurich

2011-06-19 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo), Opernhaus Zurich

Canio (Pagliaccio) = José Cura
Nedda (Colombina) = Myrtò Papatanasiu
Tonio (Taddeo) = Carlo Guelfi
Beppe (Arlecchino) = Boiko Zvetanov
Silvio = Gabriel Bermudez
Erster Bauer = Uwe Kosser
Zweiter Bauer = Christopher Hux

Daniele Callegari, conductor

Producer/production - Grischa Asagaroff
Set and costume design - Luigi Perego
Lighting - Hans-Rudolf Kunz
Choir rehearsal - Jürg Hämmerli
Choreography - Tetsu Taoshita

Unlike 2009 when the prologue with Carlo Guelfo was a disappointment I now enjoyed it. In 2009 the Italian soprano Fiorenza Cedolins sang the role of Nedda, now we had the Greek soprano Myrto Paptanasiu as Nedda. Now I could almost root for the unfaithful Nedda. Beppe was another role sung by another singer, instead of big Martin Zysset, a Swiss favorite, we had Boiko Zvetanov, the little, round tenor with  a Great Voice and personality that fitted his voice. He fitted right into the show.

Sloppily conducted by Daniele Callegari, the singers with Jose Cura (Canio) and Gabriel Bermudez (Silvio) as the routine tenors, it still was a great Pagliacci. I still don't like the blue in Pagliaccio's face, but that is minor.

OD Travel + Photos
CAV/PAG in Zurich 2011-06-19 (original blog post)

For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com

June 19, 2011: Cavalleria Rusticana in Zurich

2011-06-19 Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni),Opernhaus Zurich

Santuzza = Agnes Baltsa
Turiddu = José Cura
Alfio = Cheyne Davidson
Mamma Lucia = Cornelia Kallisch
Lola = Katharina Peetz

Daniele Callegari, conductor

Producer/production - Grischa Asagaroff
Set and costume design - Luigi Perego
Lighting - Hans-Rudolf Kunz
Choir rehearsal - Jürg Hämmerli
Choreography - Tetsu Taoshita

In 2009 it was Paoletta Marrocu who sang Santuzza. This production paints a detailed portrait of Santuzza and her surroundings. The acting was in fine detail. But now 2 years later the details are more fuzzy. Still Agnes Baltsa made a wonderful Santuzza. As the singer is now over 60 it is not suprising that she has lost something in her voice, it is no longer so agile. Much praise has been heeped on the young conductor Daniele Callegari but I found him lacking in looking after for the chorus and the soloists. That did not help Agnes Baltsa who still managed to act and sing a Santuzza that one cared for. Jose Cura as Turriddu was wonderfully played and sung. He came out as almost sympathetic this time. Lola was sung and acted by young Katharina Peetz, a delight as Lola just as her character is a really vamp of a woman. Cornelia Kallisch as Mamma Lucia was also great and a sympathetic character. Cheyne Davidson was like always a solid Alfio.

OD Travel + Photos
CAV/PAG in Zurich 2011-06-19 (original blog post)

For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com

June 19, 2002: Don Carlos in Dusseldorf

2002-06-19 Don Carlos (G. Verdi), Opernhaus Düsseldorf

Philippe II = Stephen Bronk
Don Carlos = Sergej Khomov
Rodrigue = Boris Statsenko
Le Grand Inquisiteur = Hermann Becht
Un Moine = Sami Luttinen
Elisabeth de Valois = Therese Waldner
La Princesse Eboli = Jeanne Piland
Thibault = Anke Krabbe
Une Voix d'en haut = Sylvia Hamvasi
La Comtesse d'Aremberg =
Sonja Behrendt
Le Comte de Lerme = Alexandru lonitza
Un Heraut royal = Marcelo Puente

John Fiore, conductor



Deutsche Oper am Rhein Mittwoch, 19. Juni 2002, 18.00 Uhr Opernhaus Düsseldorf
Giuseppe Verdi
Don Carlos
Grand opera in fünf Akten und acht Bildern Text von Joseph Mery und Camille Du Locle
In der französischen Originalsprache
Musikalische Leitung John Fiore
Inszenierung Christof Loy
Bühne und Kostüme Herbert Murauer
Licht Volker Weinhart
Chor Gerhard Michalski
Spielleitung Volker Böhm

Un Heraut royal. Marcelo Puente*
Deputes flamands .Thilo Dahlmann, Jong-Hwa Kim, Wolf-Hagen Latzei, Daniel Shay*, Jörn E. Werner*, Matthias Wippich
Moines .Thomas Boldt, Thomas Lässig, Iwa-Kyeom Kim,
Elimar Köster, Martin Krämer, Ortwin Rave
Bodyguards. Christian Bock, Stephan Brinkmann, Mario Fernandez, Santiago Mendez, Oliver Schnitzler, Klaus Pütz, John Werschy *Mitglieder des Opernstudios
Der Chor der Deutschen Oper am Rhein
Die Statisterie der Deutschen Oper am Rhein
Die Duisburger Philharmoniker
Bühnenmusik Franz Klee
Wir bitten das Publikum, den Zuschauerraum während der Pausen zu verlassen.

Don Carlos was sung in French, and they all sung well except the American bass Stephen Bronk who sung Escurial (but it is ESCORIAL). A wonderful tenor Sergej Khomow sang Don Carlos extremely well. And Boris Statsenko was incredible as Rodrigue, Marquis de Posa. Therese Waldner was wonderful as Elisabeth de Valois, and Jeanne Piland was absolutely magic as Princess Eboli. Of the three basses, Philippe II, Le Grand Inquisiteur and the Le Moine, it was Sami Luttinen as Le Moine who won the praise. Not that the two others were bad.

OD Travel

June 18, 2002: L'Italiana in Algeri, Dusseldorf

2002-06-18 L'Italiana in Algeri (G. Rossini), Opernhaus Düsseldorf

Mustafa = Oleg Bryjak
Elvira =.Elena Brilova
Zulma = Itziar Lesaka
Haly = Thorsten Grümbel
Lindoro = Antonis Koroneos
Isabella = Marta Marquez
Taddeo = Bruno Balmelli

Alexander Joel, conductor



Deutsche Oper am Rhein Dienstag, 18. Juni 2002, 19.30 Uhr Opernhaus Düsseldorf
Gioacchino Rossini
L 'italiana in Algeri
Dramma giocoso per musica in zwei Akten
Text von Angelo Anelli
In italienischer Sprache
Musikalische Leitung Alexander Joel
Inszenierung Christof Loy
Bühne und Kostüme Herbert Murauer
Licht Hanns-Joachim Haas
ChorGerhard Michalski
Spielleitung Volker Böhm


'Mitglied des Opernstudios
Der Herrenchor der Deutschen Oper am Rhein
Statisterie der Deutschen Oper am Rhein
Hasso und Bella. Santiago Mendez, Klaus Pütz
Die Düsseldorfer Symphoniker
Cembalo Motonori Kobayashi

This was a more modern production. The opera starts in a Turkish bath. And it is wonderful and perfect done all the opera and scenography. A great and manly Lindoro in this Greek tenor Antonis Koroneos and the Puerto Rican mezzo Marta Marquez was also perfect. They were all great. 6 stars.

OD Travel

June 16, 2002: Aida in Munich

2002-06-16 Aida (G. Verdi), Bayerische Staatsoper (Munich)

Aida = Norma Fantini
Radames = Dennis O'Neill
Amneris = Nadja Michael
Ramfis = Carlo Colombara
Amonasro = Alexandru Agache
Re d'Egitto = Gerhard Auer
Un messagero = Francesco Petrozzi
Sacerdotessa = Annegeer Stumphius

Zubin Mehta, conductor



Bayerische Staatsoper
Staatsintendant Sir Peter Jonas
Generalmusikdirektor Zubin Mehta
Sonntag, 16 Juni 2002
5" Abonnement Serie 26
Aida
In italienischer Sprache mit deutschen Übertiteln
Oper in vier Akten
Libretto von Antonio Ghislanzoni
Musik von
Giuseppe Verdi
Musikalische Leitung" Zubin Mehta
Inszenierung David Pountney
Bühne" Robert Israel
Kostüme Dunya Ramicova
Choreographie' Nils Christe
Licht' Mimi Jordan Sherin
.Chöre" Udo Mehrpohl

Tänzer:
Aida'
Ein MannChristian lanole
Eine FrauValentina Divina
Amneris'
Zwei FrauenSaskia van Bosch, Chantal Gagnebin
Radames'
Zwei MännerVincent Loermans, Marc Mondelaers


Das Bayerische Staatsorchester
Der Chor und Extrachor der Bayerischen Staatsoper
Mitglieder des Bayerischen Staatsballetts (Ballettdirektor Ivan Liska)
Musikalische Assistenz' Massimiliano Murrali
Abendspielleitung: Markus Koch
Bühnenmusik: Gregor Raquet
Inspizienz' Nikolaus Ehlers, Holger Haase, Ruth Wieman
Souffleuse' Carmen Sylva Schileru
Lichtinspizienz' Hilde Harrer
Übertitel' Ingrid Zellner
Übertitel-lnspizienL Antonia Walther
Anfertigung der Bühnenausstattung und Kostüme in eigenen Werkstätten
@ G, Ricordi & Co" Mailand
Die Bayerische Staatsoper dankt Elfriede und Andreas Zäch und den Freunden des Nationaltheaters tür die großzügige Unterstützung der" Aida"-Produktion.
Nationaltheater München
Beginn 19.00 Uhr
Pause nach dem 2. Akt, ca. 30 Min. Ende ca. 22.10 Uhr


Zubin Mehta conducts. When the curtains go up, I see the scenography, and my heart sinks to the bottom, but Zubin is conducting, and the singers are excellent. They are all excellent. NADJA MICHAEL is a magnificent AMNERIS. What a great voice! Her slender body and big voice and a great actress too. NORMA FANTINI must be one of the best
AIDA's today, big voice. RAMFIS is also the best voice I have heard for long. Alexandru Agache is naturally a great baritone, but his pronunciation is not as clear as could have wished for. Dennis O´Neill is good as RADAMES, he looks like Pavarotti, but I still am not quite a fan of this Welsh tenor. Act 1 + 2 were together as one act, then 30 minutes pause, and then Act 3+4 together as one act. Luckily the
second half was much more to my liking as scenography. And wow, was there a great mezzo there in Nadja Michael, like in the duet with Radames in the fourth act, I have never heard it sung better. It was such a great performance, that even though it seem to ordinary to walk from the performance at minimum applause, people stayed on and
on. I was naturally one of the last to go.

Another 6 stars, the scenography gets only 3, 0 for act 1+2, 6 for act 3+4.

OD Travel + Photos

June 16, 2000: Sly in Barcelona

2000-06-16 Sly (E. Wolff-Ferrari), Gran Teatre de Liceu (Barcelona)

Sly = Josep Carreras
Dolly = Isabelle Kabatu
Westmoreland = Sherill Milnes
John Plake = Alessandro Guerzoni
The Hostess = Mireia Pinto

David Gimenez, conductor

What a great performance! Carreras had his son Alberto, daughter Julia, brother Alberto and Patricia in the audience. And his nephew, David Giménez was conducting Sly (as on the 13). And Marion and I chose different doors to wait for our start JOSEP. Some Carreras- fans was already waiting. And I saw them all, son, daughter, brother, Patricia, but not Giménez he went on the front of Liceu, I was on the sideway.

OD Travel

June 15, 2002: L'Italiana in Algeri, Zurich

2002-06-15 L'Italiana in Algeri (G. Rossini), Opernhaus Zurich

Mustafa = Stefano Rinaldo Miliani
Elvira = Rosanna Savoia
Zulma = Judith Schmid
Ali = Rudolf A. Hartmann
Lindoro = Luigi Petroni
Isabella = Gloria Scalchi
Taddeo = Bruno De Simone

Theodor Guschlbauer, conductor



Rossini:
L'Italiana in Algeri

Musikalische LeitungTHEODOR GUSCHLBAUER
InszenierungMICHAEL HAMPE
RegieGRISCHA ASAGAROFF
Bühnenbild und KostümeMAURO PAGANO
LichtgestaltungJAKOB SCHLOSSSTEIN
ChorSTEFFEN SCHUBERT

Pascha, ein AffeTIMO SCHLÜSSEL
CHOR DES OPERNHAUSES ZÜRICH STATISTENVEREIN AM OPERNHAUS
ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
CembaloKELLY THOMAS
Musikalische Assistenz
und EinstudierungKELLY THOMAS, ENRICO CACCIARI
Regieassistenz
und AbendspielleitungULRICH SENN
InspizienzSUSANN ZAHLER
Souffleur ADRIANO
Kritische Ausgabe der Fondazione Rossini Pesaro hg. von A. Corghi, in Zusammenarbeit
mit dem Verlag G. Ricordi & C.S.p.A., Mailand
Samstag, 15. Juni 2002Samstag-Abo
Pause nach dem 1. Akt (4. Bild)
Beginn:20.00 Uhr
Ende: ca. 22.45 Uhr

A new Mustafa, doing
his first in Zürich, was STEFANO RINALDO MILIANI.
ITALIANA IN ALGERI, Zürich 15.6.2002.

It was a truly beautiful production, wonderful scenography, and costumes. I was most impressed by the TADDEO, Bruno de Simone, a big voice and a great personality. ELVIRA, Rosanna Savoia, was really a magnificent voice. ZULMA, Judith Schmid, had a great voice too. And when you think that this is the smaller parts. The important ones, ISABELLA, Gloria Scalchi, the Italiana in the opera, was also impressing, a really great top in her voice, managing the fioritatura beautifully, being really a woman to which any man must fall on his feet for. LINDORO, Luigi Petroni, also had everything that one can wish for in this high tenor role, and also the physical height that so few tenor have, they tend to be rather small of stature. And in this production they had a monkey, a pet of the Bey Mustafa, and also his right arm so to speak. A tough role for any human, to be believable as a Monkey, physically the most demanding role here. ALI, another small role, Rudolf A. Hartmann did also very well. Stefano Rinaldo Miliani as Mustafa did not have the prominent voice that I think this role needs, but as a actor and driving the ensembles he was good.

I give this performance 6 stars for the excellence.

OD Travel + Photos