March 6, 1994: Samson et Dalila in Vienna (I was not there)

1994-03-06 Samson et Dalila, (Saint-Saëns), Wiener Staatsoper

Dalila = Agnes Baltsa
Samson = Josep Carreras
Le Grand-Prêtre de Dagon = Eduard Tumagian
Abimélech = Istvan Gati
Un vieillard hébreu = Goran Simic
Un messager philistin = Ruben Broitman
Premier philistin = Franz Kasemann
Second philistin = Peter Köves

Jacques Delacôte, conductor

I wish I was there to see this Samson et Dalila in Vienna State Opera instead of Zurich to see Fedora. Strangely I have the program for SD in Vienna but no program of Fedora in Zurich.

In 1996 finally I saw Samson et Dalila with Baltsa/Carreras. In 1998 finally Fedora with Baltsa/Carreras. Both in Zurich.

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

February 27, 2004: Jose Carreras Gala in Vienna

2004-02-27 Carreras Gala, Wiener Staatsoper

Part 1: Recital

José Carreras, tenor
Lorenzo Bavaj, piano

Part 2: Sly (act 3)
by Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari

Sly = José Carreras
Dolly = Isabelle Kabatu
Diener = Boaz Daniel

David Giménez, conductor

Part 3: Carmen (act 4)
by Georges Bizet

Don José = José Carreras
Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Escamillo = Boaz Daniel
Mercédès = Stella Grigorian
Frasquita = Bori Keszei

David Giménez, conductor



27. February 2004
José Carreras Benefit Gala,
Wiener Staatsoper.
Leukemia Foundation
30 years since Carreras made his debut in Wiener Staatsoper as the Duke in Rigoletto (1974).

Part 1:
Lieder & Arias by
Puccini, Verdi, Massenet, Cilea & Tschaikowsky.

Part 2: Sly (act 3)
by Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari


Part 3: Carmen (act 4)
by Georges Bizet


(Firma Peter Kupfer Kulturmanagment & Media.)
José Carreras Benefiz-Gala zugunsten der Leukämiestiftung

-------------A Fantastic Night at the Opera--------------------------
Traveling had given my a bit of a head-
ache, but this was a magic day, Carreras in Wiener Staatsoper again, my head-ache just had to be cured in time. After a few tablets I was almost ready for Carreras and Opera. With my new camera I came to Vienna State Opera ready for a new meeting with Carreras' voice.

The first part was Carreras and Bavaj (piano) and songs of Tosti, Leoncavallo and Puccini. I found Carreras voice a bit heavy now for the lovely love songs, but in the French songs by Leoncavallo, and finally in Puccini he was much more in his right element. His voice is definitely right for opera.

The second part was Sly, last act. You really need to have seen the whole opera to really understand the agony Sly is in and what kind of person Sly is. Carreras was a wonderful Sly. But when Isabelle Kabatu came in that was when the level started to be ethereal. God, what a divine voice, and Carreras and Kabatu was just magic together. Sly dies and Dolly rages towards the cowards that have destroyed something really beautiful. It was a really heart-wrenching scene. And Giménez does make Wolf-Ferrari´s music really into the most fantastic music.

Giménez conducted Carmen with Baltsa & Carreras, last act. What can I say other than it was fantastic? Only this, I really wanted the whole opera with Carreras and Baltsa singing conducted by David Giménez.

Of course the Vienna audience was wild with excitement and love. There were speaks by Ioan Holender in the end, and a thank-you- speech from Carreras. And after the first part a big pay-check was given to Carreras.

OD Travel + Photos

October 25, 1998: Fedora in Zurich

1998-10-25 Fedora (Giordano), Opernhaus Zurich

Fedora Romazoff = Agnes Baltsa
Loris Ipanoff = Josep Carreras
De Siriex = Philippe Duminy
Olga Sukareff = Sona Ghazarian
Boleslao Lazinski = Thomas Grabowski
Dr. Boroff = Rolf Haunstein
Baron Rouvel = Emilio Ruggiero
Grech = Giuseppe Scorsin
Cirillo = Rudolf A. Hartmann
Désiré = Miroslav Christoff
Nicolas = Arno Weinländer
Sergio = Peter Kálmán
Dimitri = Judith Schmid
Dr. Lorek = Damon Nestor Ploumis

David Gimenez, conductor

1.act : A room in Vladimir's house in St. Petersburg. The servants drinking, and playing cards. Then the great Fedora (Baltsa) come in. This was so special, that I got tears in my eyes. Never experience something quite like this. Great acting-singing everyone. Great Cirillo.

2. act : Fedora's house in Paris. Ballroom. A great ballroom, nice dresses. When Carreras came into the stage, my heart almost stopped. So good-looking, in god form. Singing like a god. Baltsa was great, but she was overwhelmed by Carreras. Amor ti vieta, was a dream. The high-charge duets, was gorgeous.

3. act : Love-nest in Switzerland. A great act, with overwhelming duets.
Never was Fedora's death so moving.

Musikalische LeitungDAVID GIMÉNEZ
InszenierungGRISCHA ASAGAROFF
BühnenbildANDRZEJ MAJEWSKI
KostümeJAN SKALlCKV
BeleuchtungJAKOB SCHLOSSSTEIN
ChorJÜRG HÄMMERLl


Bedienstete, Ballgäste
und PolizeiagentenANNA-MARIA JOURVELIN*O,
JENNIFER M. CHUNG*o, KARIN FRIDH*o,
CHRISTA RATZENBÖCK*o,
.,FRANCISCA BEAUMONT*o, SIMON JAUNIN*o,
DANIEL DIMITROV*o, ANDREW COSTELLO*o,
KENNETH ROBERSON*o, ARNO WEINLÄNDER*o
STATISTENVEREIN AM OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH
Ein SavoyardeJUDITH SCHMID*
Chor der BäuerinnenZUSATZCHOR OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH
* Rollendebüt
0 Mitglied des Internationalen Opernstudios
ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
,Sonntag, 25. Oktober 1998Wiederaufnahme, Freier Verkauf
Pausen nach dem 1. und 2. Akt
Beginn: 20.00 Uhr

And after a fantastic evening at the opera.
Signierstunde in the Opera Foyer.


OD Travel + Photos

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

April 6, 1996: Samson et Dalila in Zurich

1996-04-06 Samson et Dalila, (Saint-Saëns), Opernhaus Zurich

Dalila = Agnes Baltsa
Samson = Josep Carreras
Le Grand-Prêtre de Dagon = Giorgio Zancanaro
Abimélech = Guido Götzen
Un vieillard hébreu = Giuseppe Scorsin
Un messager philistin = David Corman
Premier philistin = Ruben Amoretti
Second philistin = Rolf Haunstein
Un enfant = Raphael Spiegel

Serge Baudo, conductor



A great Carreras, a fantastic Baltsa and a weak Zancanaro

The conductor was not good enough, he single-handedly ruined some good operatic moments. Too much stage management ruined some moments and too little made other moments indifferent.The chorus sang beautifully, but their acting was not good enough. Not much feeling in their singing. I don't think it was their fault at all.

Act 1

An unusual setting, the chorus was building something. The conductor's use of forte too early made this poignant moment something like a chorus practice. (Listen to Philips track 1 to understand how it should have been) [Wrong dynamics] Then the moment came - Samson arrived (Carreras); the conductor made this much more vocally demanding than it should have been, too slow and too fast. Carreras was almost suffocated by following the conductor. The response of the chorus was just simply following the conducting. They did not show any understanding for the moment (the fault of the stage manager.


Abimelech arrived, the effectiveness of his aria was drowned by the going-on acting. Too much happened outside. (I think Carreras had to go out to drink a little water, because he came on stage at the ending of the aria.)


The spiritual farce became a physical farce, because the Israelites were fighting the guards of Abimelech. Carreras acted well, but it became a scene of the chorus. Giorgio Zancanaro as the grand prêtre was too weak, especially in the aria of revenge against Samson - Weak. The old Hebrew - a beautiful moment At last came Baltsa (= Dalila) with the Philistine girls, singing, dancing _ (for the first time Samson & Dalila as it should be staged).Dalila was so beautiful, so sexy, Samson was so attracted to her. At last Carreras could use his beautiful voice, with no brutal interference from the conductor

Act 2 the dream act of Samson & Dalila.


Giorgio Zancanaro was still weak, but showed some signs of good acting. Agnes Baltsa was the great singing actress as always. José Carreras sang gloriously and acted his heart out as Samson. The sweetness of "Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix" was overwhelming. But after the arias, when Dalila was doubting Samson, the conducting was suddenly in a frenzy. Baltsa and Carreras had to sing so fast, running so fast. To my amazement they managed to act even at this frenzied tempo. How I admired them, also felt sorry for them, knowing that opera-stars can be so totally at the mercy of the conductor. They survived and relieved we could have over a twenty- minute break.

Act 3

Carreras was in everything the suffering Samson. Only one regret, the chorus was just singing (off stage) without showing any emotions. The Philistines sang the 'L'aube blanchet' in a very civilized way, the Bacchanal was just a ballet, not interesting or sexy. The Grand prêtre showed some strength, the true strength was Dalila. To see Carreras walk onto the stage was very emotional, the suffering of Samson got through to the audience. Every emotion was evident in his voice, beautiful and heartbreaking. When Samson received his strength from God, I felt something was happening in myself. So emotional was it. The actual falling of the curtain was an anti-climax. Nothing dramatic happened. The chorus was not frightened, and neither were we.


It was a fantastic evening!!!

OPERNHAUS ZURICH
Intendanz Alexander Pereira

ln.französischer Sprache
SAMSON ET DALlLA
Oper in drei Aiktn und vier Bildern von Ferdinand Lemaire
Mlusik von
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)

Uraulführung:
2. Dezember 1877, Hoftheater, VVeimar 2. Fassung: 23. November 1892, Opera, Salle Garnier, Paris
Musikalischc Leitung SERGE BAUDO
Inszenierung GRISCHA ASAGAROFF
Bühnenbild MAROUAN DIB
Kostüme JAN SKALlCKY
Lichtgestaltung ROBERTUS CREMER
Chor JÜRG HÄMMERLl
ChoreographieBERND R. BIENERT


ZÜRCHER BALLETT
1. BildBérénice Faure, Catherine Marston,
Monika Möckli, Helena Sanz, Cristiana
Sciabordi, Nadine Walker, .Josie Walsh
4. BildHelena Sanz -Giorgio Madia
Bérénice Faure, Monika Möckli, Cristiana Sciabordi, Nadine Walker, Josie Walsh
Sergio Bustinduy Soriano, Carles Carreras,
Andres Heras Frutos, Adrian Kajo, Asier Orbelzu
CHOR DES OPERNHAUSES ZÜRICH ZUSATZCHOR OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH S1TATISTENVEREIN AM OPERNHAUS
ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
Samstag, . April 1995Freier Verkauf
Pausen nach dem 1. und 2. Akt
Beginn: 19.00 Uhr Ende: ca. 22.00 Uhr

SPIELZEIT 1995/96

OD Travel