August 30, 2005: Turandot in Verona

2005-08-30 Turandot (Puccini), Arena di Verona

Turandot = Giovanna Casolla
Altoum = Angelo Casertano
Timur = Paolo Battaglia
Calaf = José Cura
Liù = Maya Dashuk
Ping = Marco Camastra
Pong = Giovanni Floris
Pang = Iorio Zennaro
A mandarin = Carlo Kang
The prince of Persia = Saverio Bambi

Lü Jia, conductor



Arena
30 August 2005 - 21.00

Turandot


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


Principal Conductor Lü Jia
Director Yuri Alexandrov
Scenographer Viacheslav Okunev
Costume Designer Viacheslav Okunev
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


On August 29 my parents and I went to Venice. It was a wonderful and hot day. This day, August 30th we visited the house of Juliet and her "tomb". So it should have been more appropriate if it was Bellini's "I Capuleti ed i Montecchi" or Gounod's "Romeo et Juliette" that was the opera of the evening. Instead it was the great fable of Turandot, the same opera that I saw most of in 2003, but this time, luckily, the weather was on our side, no rain or thunder interrupted the opera. And I got to hear and see the whole end of the opera from "Principessa di Morte" and the happy ending.

This was truly an happy ending for our trip to Verona. The next day we would be turning back to our home.

Needless to say it was a wonderful opera night. I think this Turandot production very beautiful as it is, is still not quite to my liking. Jose Cura was powerful as Calaf, if the singing was not ringing enough, the acting was. It would have been wonderful to see Turandot twice, but that August 27 was canceled did not hurt so much after such a wonderful end.

From OperaDuets Travel and Photos

August 28, 2011: Le Villi in Bergen, Norway

2011-08-28 Le Villi (Puccini), Opera Bergen

Anna = Elena Zelenskaya
Roberto = Eduardo Villa
Guglielmo Wulf = Anooshah Golesorkhi

Anne Randine Øverby, conductor
Stage director - Rocc
Light design - Jens Lange

As I saw Anooshah Golesorckhi dancing to the stage at the notes of Puccini's Le Villi I thought I would also be disappointed by Regie. But this time the opera let itself willingly into Rocc's Regie.

The first part of Le Villi was played as an old play with big gestures and with all having masks. The chorus started out as audience to the play with Guglielmo Wulf  as their favorite actor. Then as Anna came onstage, the "audience" fell asleep. Luckily we, the real audience got Anna's wonderful aria "Se come voi piccina io fossi", and then Roberto came and it was a wonderful duet. Suddenly "the audience" woke up at the sound clocks and Roberto was sung off. White cloths for this part by the principals.

As Roberto is off, the chorus is transformed from "audience" to acting Villis. Just as Anna dies of sorrow since it takes so long for Roberto to come back (I know this because I knew the opera from before, for others good luck it getting it from just seeing this production),  the audience dies to become Villis. The unhappy father curses Roberto and then asks God of forgiving for invoking the Villis. But they are already ready for Roberto. Gran Scena and Aria for Eduardo Villa. BRAVO!!! Then Anna, the undead, new Villi and the other Villis "dance" Roberto to his death. LOVED IT!!!

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

August 28, 2011: Cavalleria Rusticana in Bergen, Norway

2011-08-28 Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni), Opera Bergen

Santuzza = Elena Zelenskaya
Turiddu = Eduardo Villa
Alfio = Anooshah Golesorkhi
Mamma Lucia = Tone Kvam Thorsen
Lola = Sylvia Skeie Vik

Anne Randine Øverby, conductor
Stage director - Rocc
Light design - Jens Lange

The crisp, clear sounds of Cavalleria Rusticana had never sounded more beautiful and true than the orchestra of Opera Bergen played it under its leader Anne Randine Øverby. Beatiful and clear it sounded at the same time it served the drama.

Musically the low-point for me was the Siciliana sung Eduardo Villa. It sounded like it was sung by an old tenor at the end of his career. Is it that the Siciliana (O Lola, ch'ai di latti la cammisa) is so difficult to sing right, or is it just that it is the beginning of the opera. I don't know. I just know that Eduardo Villa convinced me vocally and dramatically later in the evening, especially in the duet between Turriddu and Santuzza.

The evening was an evening of old, seasoned opera singers. They all warmed up or maybe it was me who warmed up to them. But then it was the Regie of young director Rocc that almost ruined Cavalleria Rusticana singelhandedly.

The chorus, who was they supposed to be in this production. Was they drunken teen-agers from a graduation party? Lola and Mamma Lucia seemed to work in this "High School". I imagined Mamma Lucia as the rector. Lola as just one of the teachers. Alfio, her husband, instead of being one of the prominent men of the village seemed to be a traveling beggar.

I mistook Mamma Lucia for Santuzza since she was the first of the principals to present herself and she was even praying. Both Santuzza and Mamma Lucia was had black hair and same age (so it seemed) and they were the only ones who in this production were sincere. In many ways Cavalleria Rusticana was here the story of hypocrites against sincerity. Turriddu was no hypocrite, or was he. And Alfio...

Most of what the chorus did not help the story forward, it confused rather than explain. Was that intentional from director Rocc? But one point was rather good: Instead of the tradional horrendous screaming "Hanno mazzato compare Turriddu" , one of the chorists was given a note and said in the most strange voice this message twice. I think it was THE PROOF of Hypocrisy if we needed it.

Given the material they were given I cannot imagine the principals and chorus could have improved it more. Eduardo Villa was really Turriddu, Elena Zelenskaya was truly Santuzza, I loved Tone Kvam Thorsen's Mamma Lucia (elegant, and so moving), Anooshah Golesorkhi was a solid Alfi, and I disliked Sylvia Skeie Vik (I always dislike LOLA, always, no matter who sings it and especially when they are believable.

And naturally it started to rain in the middle of the opera. Even the weather gods was not loving this opera completely.

OD Travel
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

August 28, 2005: Aida in Verona

2005-08-28 Aida (Verdi), Arena di Verona

The King = Carlo Striuli
Amneris = Marianne Cornetti
Aida = Amarilli Nizza
Radames = Salvatore Licitra
Ramfis = Giorgio Surian
Amonasro = Silvano Carroli
A messenger = Enzo Peroni
High Priestess = Nicoletta Curiel

Daniel Oren, conductor



Aida
Opera in 4 acts by
Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni

Arena
28 August 2005 at 21.00

Principal Conductor Daniel Oren
Director Franco Zeffirelli
Scenographer Franco Zeffirelli
Costume Designer Anna Anni
Choreographer Vladimir Vassiliev
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


Lead guest dancer Myrna Kamara
Male lead dancer Giovanni Patti

Just the day before we arrived in Verona, on August 27 I should have seen Turandot in the Arena but it rained away. First it seem that if the opera was to be canceled we still wouldn't get our money back because of Arena rules. But luckily when we had waited over 2 hours for the opera to begin or be canceled, then finally it was announced canceled and we could get our money back. Back to the ticket office, I queued for over 1 hour, so at midnight we were ready to go to our hotels. Dripping wet, of course...

But another day was Sunday August the 28th. The sun was shining. And hope was high. Yesterday was but a memory. And as it was closing to evening and opera night, still the rain had not come, and it was a nice hot evening. For the first time my parents was to see Aida in the Arena. The perfect end of a perfect day. Being tourists in Verona, and then a soiree with JCx-friends as an aperitif for the opera, even though the Radames of the evening was Salvatore Licitra and not Jose Cura, our hero for the Jose Cura Connexion.

My parents was so overwhelmed by Aida that they simply refused to go to another opera, Turandot with Jose Cura as Calaf (August 30th). And I do agree with my parents: this was a perfect Aida. Salvatore Licitra with his ringing voice. Marianne Cornetti as Amneris and Amarilli Nizza as Aida was great. Carlos Striula as the King and Giorgio Surian as Ramfis was two great basses. Silvano Carroli did his best as Amonasro, a bit worn in voice. The acting was phenomenal in this Aida. Just on the point, and never a second late or too early, the ever-troubling problem of opera acting.

Salvatore Licitra was so great as Radames that I almost thought of changing Jose Cura for Licitra. But my heart is set on Cura. Even if I thought that Licitra sang more beautiful than Cura, but I cannot imagine myself traveling so often for Licitra. It will be always JCx!!

From OperaDuets Travel and Photos

August 23, 2003: Carmen in Oslo, Norway

2003-08-23 Carmen (G. Bizet), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Carmen = Marina Domashenko
Don José = Torsten Kerl
Micaëla = Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz
Escamillo = Gregg Baker
Frasquita = Kjersti Reppe
Mercedes = Nanna Maria Cortes
Remendado = Arild Helleland
Dancairo = Thor-Inge Falch

Patrick Fournellier, conductor



Carmen with world-names in the roles!

The saison starts with Georges Bizet's opera
CARMEN
Saison premiere Saturday 23. august at18.00

One of the worlds most performed operas marks
the opening of the season.
The cast is full of world known soloists.

CARMEN
Opera in 3 acts by Georges Bizet
Libretto by Henri Meilhac / Ludovic Halévy

Premiere: 23/8
Days of performance 25/8, 26/8, 27/8, 28/8, 29/8, 30/8, 1/9, 2/9, 3/9, 4/9, 5/9, 6/9
Duration : app. 3 h 15 m
Sung in French
Norwegian subtitles

Conductor: Patrick Fournellier
Direction: Runar Borge
Choreograhpy: Runar Borge
Set Design: Svein Lund-Roland
Costumes: Mathias Clason
Lighting Design: Gretar Sveinbjørnsson
Choir & Childrens Choir: Steffen Kammler and Edle Stray-Pedersen



The Norwegian National Opera`s Children's Choir, Choir and Orchestra
Wonderful Carmen in Operaen in Oslo!

I liked the production, using the relatively small stage in a superb way. Torsten Kerl was the golden-haired Don José, a big man and tenor, with a securely and beautifully produced Flower-aria. Marina Domashenko was a passionate Carmen, wonderfully sung, danced and acted. After many years I hear Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz live again, in Oslo, her voice has matured and has a more full-rounded sound. And she got a standing ovation after the opera, very well deserved. Gregg Baker was a powerful Escamillo, really great in movements and perfectly the natural center of any party.

From OperaDuets Travel

August 22, 1997: Opera Gala in Hamburg

1997-08-22 Hamburger Operngala, Rathausplatz

Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Josep Carreras, tenor
Isabel Rey, soprano

David Gimenez, conductor



PROGRAM
1. Mozart : Le Nozze di Figaro
2. Tosti: Marechiare JC
3. Tosti: Vieni sul mar JC
4. Le Nozze di Figaro- Voi che sapete AB
5. L'Italiana in Algeri - Pensi alla Patria AB
6. L'Arlesiana - E la solita storia JC
7. Cavalleria Rusticana - Voi che sapete AB
8. Cavalleria Rusticana - Intermezzo
9. Cavalleria Rusticana - Tu qui, Santuzza ABJC


2100-2125
1. Las Bodas de Luis Alonso
2. Me llaman la prima rosa IR
3. Granada JC
4. El duo de la Africana IRJC
5: Carmen - Habanera AB
6. Coren'grato JC
7. O mio babbino caro AB
8. Dein ist mein ganzes Herz JC
9. Die Lustige Witwe - Lippen schweigen ABJC



EXTRA
1. Isabel Rey, koloraturarie
2. Agnes Baltsa, Seguedilla
3. Jose Carreras, O sole mio
4. Baltsa, Carreras, Rey LA TRAVIATA - Brindisi
5. Jose Carreras; O sole mio


Fantastic concert. It was rainy and even some thunder in the second half of the concert.


The concert at Rathausmarkt "Operngala"

18.10. I were at the Rathausmarkt, bought my program, and found my
seat. One could buy Danish dish, a Japanese sushi dish, drink
champagne (of course it wasn't cheap, but almost stylish). I was just
drinking from my bottle of cola-light (big bottle). Not so stylish,
but cheaper!!!

at 20.00

The concert begins, a big applause to the conductor, no, it was
director of the Hamburger Opernwoche. He talks for a short while, then
he gave the word someone import in Hamburg. She talk for a long time,
it seemed. (But in real time the two talked for 10 minutes).

But then David Giménez, came young and fresh and full of energy on the
stage, and we could hear:

Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro- Ouverture
Splendid delivery of an opera pearl.

J o s e C a r r e r a s came, at everything seemed a l i v e

Tosti: M a r e c h i a r e
Carreras was great, his voice seemed to have been darkening, it had an
almost baritonal flavor. V i e n i s u l m a r


A g n e s B a l t s a

Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro_-V o i c h e s a p e t e

I still gets tears in my eyes when I think of that performance, never
was the aria sung so .... (my words fails me)

Rossini: L'Italiana in Algeri - P e n s a a l l a p a t r i a

She always sings this aria like a goddess. Always when you hear and see
Agnes Baltsa, one is reminded that she can't separate the aria from
the acting, the role, unlike so many other singers, who when it is
concert they don't act.

J o s e C a r r e r a s

Cilea: L'arlesiana _ E l a s o l i t a s t o r i a

Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A g n e s B a l t s a

Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana - V o i l o s a p e t e , o
m a m m a

Intermezzo (orchestra)

A g n e s B a l t s a & J o s e C a r r e r a s

T u q u i , S a n t u z z a

Great, great, great

End of part 1
----------------------------------------------------------------- Part
2 of the concert.

Resounding in my head was the duet from Cavalleria Rusticana. Nobody
can sing Santuzza like Baltsa, no one can be a better Turriddu than
Carreras. But thinking about it, now, I don't know whether Carreras
has ever sung Turriddu on stage in a opera performance.

It was a 25 minutes break between the two parts of the concert

Agnes Baltsa was wearing a dress, white on the top, and fluffy on the
arms, and the long skirt was black. To get an idea, see:
Baltsa picture.

Isabel Rey was wearing a "turkise" dress. (bleu with green flavor)

Than at 21.25 the concert commences:

Alonso: Las Bodas de Luis Alonso-Intermedio

I s a b e l R e y

Alonso: El Barberillo de Lavapies _ M e l l a m a n l a
p r i m a r o s a
What a joy to hear her fresh and highly individual voice, she doesn't
sound like Caballé, Victoria de los Angeles or Pilar Lorengar, but she
is definitely in their league. A new great Spanish soprano. She have
studied under Montserrat Caballé and Alfredo Kraus, so the program
says.

J o s e C a r r e r a s

Lara: G r a n a d a

naturally the audience goes wild (in the heart, more than action,
maybe it was to hot in Hamburg, I don't know)

C a r r e r a s & R e y

Caballero: EL DUO DE LA AFRICANA

They are acting, they are singing, it is FANTASTIC!!!!!!

A g n e s B a l t s a

Bizet: CARMEN - H a b a n e r a

Great, yes, yes, yes I want to see her as Carmen live on stage
no matter what it costs. How can I say that I have seen Carmen onstage
when she was not the Carmen

J o s e C a r r e r a s

Cardillo: C o r e n ' g r a t o

Jose is just great.

A g n e s B a l t s a

Surprise of the evening:
Puccini:Gianni Schicchi O m i o b a b b i n o c a r o

A mezzo singing one of the great showpiece aria for any young soprano
(like Isabel Rey). With Agnes Baltsa the aria goes further than just
show-piece than just comedy. She gives the aria an touch of tragedy
after all, the soprano is begging her father of getting to marry her
love, if he says no, she will jump into the river Arno.

Wonderfully sung, she ends with a pianissimo.
It is touching, the not so young mezzo, gives away a young woman's
true heart

J o s e C a r r e r a s

Lehar: The land of smiles D e i n i s t m e i n g a n z e s
H e r z

Nobody, even with a better German pronunciation could have sung the
aria better.

B a l t s a & C a r r e r a s

Lehàr Die Lustige Witwe L i p p e n s c h w e i g e n

Great duet from de Merry Widow. one disappointment: Agnes wanted to
waltz, he didn't. But still Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!

Extras:

Jose Carreras being the perfect gentleman arranges that I s a b e l
R e y will sing the first extra. He decides which aria she will
sing, gets her laughing yes, and indicating that she knows that aria
perfectly. But I don't .

A g n e s B a l t s a

Bizet: Carmen: S e g u e d i l l a

J o s e C a r r e r a s
O s o l e m i o (or T o r n a a S u r r i e n t o).

Photographs being taking at the same time as we see the heavenly
blitz. Jose loses no nerve.

B a l t s a , C a r r e r a s & R e y

Verdi: La Traviata - B r i n d i s i
Pure heaven

J o s e C a r r e r a s

O s o l e m i o
It was a pure demonstration of strength.

OD Travel

August 17, 1989: La Chulapona in Edinburgh

1989-08-17 La Chulapona (Moreno Torroba), Playhouse Theatre (Edinburgh)

Manuela, jefa del taller de plancha = Lola Casariego
Rosario, oficiala y amiga de Manuela = Amalia Barrio
José María, novio de Manuela = Ricardo Muñiz
Juan de Dios, hermano de Manuela = Julio Incera
Señor Antonio, padre de Emilia y eterno enamorado de Manuela =José Luis Cancela
Doña Venustiana, madre de Rosario y prestamista = Rosaura De Andrea
El Chalina, organillero achulado y algo aprovechado = Rafael Castejón
Don Epifanio, padre de Manuela y pobre cesante = Luis Barbero
Emilia = Marisa Ruz
Organillero = Mario Martín
Lolita = Manolita Antolinos
Ascensión = Juanita Ruiz
Concha = Ada Rodriguez
Ist Guard = José Antonio Sanguino
2nd Guard = Ion Garyalde
Manolito = César Lucendo
Young man in tavern = José Varela
Drunkard = Jesús Alcaide
Flamenco singer = Maria "La Coneja"
Ganadero = José Antonio Sanguino
Cansino = José Sánchez Cela
Peasant = Carlos Rubio
Maravilla = Pilar Del Río
Guadalupe = Emilia Fuentes
Café owner = Andrés Fuentes
Sleeping man = Rafael Del Río
Guitarist = Francisco Bohollo

Dancers = Elvira Andrés, Nuria Castejon, Paloma Moraleda
Pilar Rubio, Carlos Fernández, Isaac Fernández, Juan Manuel Lillo, Ricardo Ocaña



Miguel Roa, conductor

National Opera of Spain, Teatro la Zarzuela, Madrid
Producer - Gerardo Malla
Designer - Mario Barnedo
Choreography - Goyo Montero
Light design - Eric Teunis


My first Zarzuela experience. It was wonderful. But if I understood Spanish it would have been even better. It had lot of dialogue and was funny too, but it was all in Spanish.

August 16, 1989: Montserrat Caballe in Edinburgh

1989-08-16 Recital Montserrat Caballe, Usher Hall (Edinburgh)

Montserrat Caballe, soprano
Miguel Zanetti, piano



(Vivaldi, Bellini, Mercadante, Rossini, Granados, Mompou, Obradors, Turina)
5 extras
1: La Paloma
2.
3. Los Clavelitos
4. Lunar...
5. Melanope

OperaDuets Travel

It was a painful experience. Baroque arias etc and then I was really sick, pain in my body. And we were sitting high up and far away in a balcony. I just remember the pain. But I am sure La Superba was simply superb. But all I wanted to be in bed and have some pain killers. She sang 5 extras so it must have been a great recital for those that were not ill.

August 11, 2007: Nabucco in Bergen, Norway

2007-08-11 Nabucco (G. Verdi), Vest Norges Opera (Bergen)

Nabucco = Anooshah Golesorkhi
Ismaele = Johann Valdimarson
Zaccaria = Vadim Lynkovsky
Abigaille = Anna Shafajinskaia
Fenena = Charlotte Paulsen
High Priest of Belo = Silvio Riccardi
Abdallo = Geir Morvik
Anna = Sylvia Skeie Vik

Anne Randine Øverby, conductor



SUMMER OPERA 2007

Giuseppe Verdi
Nabucco

Open air at Bergenhus Castle
August 11, 14, 16, 18, at 21:30

Stage director: Bruno Berger Gorski
Conductor: Anne Randine Øverby
Sets: Opera Bergen
VNO's Orchestra
Bergen Opera Choir

What is the difference between Verona, Italy and Bergen, Norway? That's easy, weather. Warm and nice in Verona /cold and windy in Bergen. Same opera, though, Verdi's Nabucco, different singers etc.

This time another wonderful Abigaille, a joy to listen to and her acting was tops. I think our Nabucco had a cold, no wonder, he was in Bergen singing outdoors with not the warmest costume. A wonderful actor and singer he is, as always. Ismaele weak, but OK. Fenena wonderful voice, acted well enough. Zaccaria was a young bass who sang better as the evening progressed. Orchestra and chorus was OK, but in Nabucco they were to few to really get the Forte/Fortissimo going. Va, pensiero was the best part, but being so few people in the chorus it was amazing how well they did it. (Keep in mind that I am comparing this to Arena di Verona's NABUCCO with a huge chorus and orchestra and Nucci and Guleghina in the big roles)

The Production of Nabucco, a non-changing scene used very well. We were at Bergenhus Castle and the small space was used admirably. The director had once again created an opera based on a color scheme, nothing wrong with that necessarily. Hebrew color was blood-red and black was the Assyrian color. The crown was a gold-colored laptop. (OK when you do not expect anybody to understand Italian or the plot, no?) There were several laptops in the opera, never clear what they were there for but they had something to do with Nabucco and his followers (and Abigaille). Abigaille was hailed as Queen via mobile phones. So this was a modernization of Nabucco. Luckily the singing made sense. But there was a misunderstanding of the plot, Vieni O Levita, that was when Fenena converts to Judaism, was sung without Fenena, they thought Zaccaria was making himself boss over the Hebrew but in Nabucco he is already the most distinguished Hebrew.

So was the director making his own opera? Maybe.

OD Travel + Photos

Original blog post

August 3, 2013: IL Trovatore in El Vendrell, Spain

2013-08-03 Il Trovatore (G. Verdi), El Vendrell (Spain)

Count of Luna = Fernando Alvarez
Leonora = Michelle-Marie Francis Cook
Manrico = Sergi Giménez Carreras
Azucena = Montserrat Carreras
....

Joan Toldra, conductor
Orquesta Musica Viva y la Coral Polifònica del Vendrell.
Acompanyado de la escuela de baile, La Factoria

So there I was, in El Vendrell, to see IL TROVATORE in the tiny Plaza Vella.

Michelle Francis Cook, a soprano destined to sing big roles in the big stages of the world (my opinion), sang Leonora with aplomb and delicacy. Sergi Gimenez never lost his way even when the orchestra sounded truly lost in Verdi's masterpiece. I loved his acting, but as he is the nephew of Josep Carreras he (and I) can never escape the memory of Carreras' voice. Fernando Alvarez was a strong, commanding Conte di Luna.

Of the main singers, Montserrat Carreras as Azucena was the one to suffer most from the lack of sync between the orchestra and stage. She had to do with what she had and what she had was the support of the other singers. Sergi was a great support!!

The chorus did an admirable job. I believe the cut in the score was not helpful. One had to take leaps of logic or know Trovatore well to understand it. It also made it harder for the orchestra to follow the score and the singers. Maestro Joan Toldra's tendency to go slow did not help. The orchestra also lacked some of the instruments needed to really make the music swing.

In many ways I could hear the complexity of Giuseppe Verdi's score and to suffer when it became to much to achieve in this night in lovely El Vendrell. But what can one expect after just one real rehearsal. To perfectly understand the musicality and the story of Il Trovatore much rehearsal is needed. But with their limited resources it was admirably done.

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

August 3, 1996: The 3 tenors in Munich

1996-08-03 The 3 tenors, Olympia Stadium (Munich)

Josep Carreras, tenor
Placido Domingo, tenor
Luciano Pavarotti, tenor
Philharmonia Orchestra
James Levine, conductor

From tenorissimo.
MUNICH Olympia Stadium, August 3, 1996
Philharmonia Orchestra, conductor James Levine
on tv

Solos:

Carreras: Musica proibita (Gastaldon), Lamento di Federico (È la solita storia del pastore) from Cilea's 'L'Arlesiana', Granada (Lara), Improvviso (Un dì all'azzurro spazio) from Giordano's Andrea Chenier

Domingo: No puede ser from Sorozabal's 'La Tabernera del Puerto', O souverain, o juge, o père from Massenet's 'Le Cid', Dein ist mein ganzes Herz from Lehar's 'Das Land des Lächelns', E lucevan le stelle from Puccini's 'Tosca'

Pavarotti: La mia canzone al vento (Bixio/Mancini), Addio alla madre (Mamma, quel vino è generoso) from Mascagni's 'Cavalleria Rusticana', Mamma (Bixio/Mancini), Nessun dorma from Puccini's 'Turandot'

Together:
Medley I: Because, La Danza, Be my love, Marechiare, Muñequita linda, Torna a Surriento

Medley II: Maria, Tonight, Ò paese d'ò sole, Cielito lindo, Moon River, Caminito, Mattinata, Amapola, O sole mio

Encores: La donna è mobile, O sole mio

UPDATE 2009-08-07:
I remember it was raining and some people used umbrellas. People were encouraged to use raincoats and such instead in interest in other who wanted to use not just hear The 3 Tenors. I was disappointed to hear just the same songs and arias as in Gothenburg especially since they had said in documentary of earlier 3 Tenors' concert that with their vast repertory they could have had 10 concerts in a row and not repeat a single song. But that was a naïve dream. I should have known better.

My seat was not a very good one so without the big screens I would have seen virtually nothing. My parents sat outside the arena in pouring rain and enoyed the sounds from the arena. I was the only one with tickets. More about how I got the tickets and such is forgotten...

OD Travel