March 28, 2015: Carmen in Milano

2015-03-28 Carmen (G. Bizet), Teatro alla Scala (Milano)

Carmen = Elīna Garanča
Don José = José Cura
Escamillo = Vito Priante
Micaëla = Elena Mosuc
Zuniga = Gabriele Sagona
Moralès = Alessandro Luongo
Dancairo = Michal Partyka
Remendado = Fabrizio Paesano
Frasquita = Sofia Mchedlishvili
Mercédès = Hanna Hipp
Lillas Pastia = Rémi Boissy
Un guide = Carmine Maringola

Massimo Zanetti, conductor

Staging - Emma Dante
Sets - Richard Peduzzi
Costumes - Emma Dante
Lights - Dominique Bruguière

Choreographic movements - Manuela Lo Sicco

The staging and regie was in a way showing us a real Sevilla with a lot of reality but then Emma Dante had to add more to the stage. The adding to the opera and taking away some of the reality to put supernaturality into the stage, it was a hit and miss. Choreographic movements by Manuela Lo Sicco did not help. In the whole it was a miss, it was distraction and it was not needed. Lovely as some of the ideas was, especially with Micaela, it was superfluous and most fatally it threatened to make the opera less.

The orchestra was good but even the maestro Massimo Zanetti could not prevent it to sound shrill at times. The singers was wonderful, their acting superb and so it was a Carmen to enjoy. I had what I would usually call the misfortune to have a tall man sitting in front of me. This time it was a blessing I could miss some of the most unfortuned addition and enjoy the opera. So long I could view the principal singers I was in for a treat.

Emma Dante did find ways to put children everywhere and some extra dancing movements here and there. That could have been lovely but it was destroying the reality of Sevilla, the reality of Carmen and Don Jose. And I wanted it to be real. Was it really necessary to make so many references to the Catholic church? Not in my mind it was. It was a nice touch to dress Micaela in black only to show her in white by just not holding up the black fabric and voila Micaela is in white during the duet with Jose. Church boys giving her a white veil and now she looks like a bride. But no kiss, not from Micaela to Jose or from Jose to Micaela. So it is no surprise that Micaela is followed by a priest to the smugglers nest. The whole black to white changes again and now Micael has graying hair, why, to resemble the mother of Jose and they cleverly make it seem she i laying in bed being his mother praying for him. Two nice touches that worked but the rest was just nothing to go bravo about.

Elina Garanca and Jose Cura was wonderful together and alone. Elena Mosuc was an amazing Micaela and the baritone Escamillo was not bad. The singers saved the day!! Jose Cura was in top form and I enjoyed Elina Garanca.

OD Travel & Photos
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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

March 11, 2007: Le Villi in Genova

2007-03-11 Le Villi (Puccini), Teatro Carlo Felice, Genova

Roberto = José Cura
Anna = Fiorenza Cedolins
Guglielmo Wulf = Gabriele Viviani

Riccardo Frizza, conductor



Le Villi
Opera-ballo in due atti di Ferdinando Fontana,
musica di Giacomo Puccini.
In forma semiscenica

Teatro Carlo Felice

Spettacoli correlati:

L'opera è preceduta dalla Sinfonia n. 1 in re minore op. 75 di Martucci


Direttore Riccardo Frizza

Prima: mercoledì 7 marzo 2007, 20.30 (A)
Repliche: venerdì 9 marzo, 20.30 (B)
domenica 11 marzo, 15.30 (C)

This was a strange day, check-out from hotel, and having to get a train after the opera. But this was the best performance, I doubt the 2007-03-07 performance was better (I was not there, but Rai Radio was there and it was transmitted on radio).

What was the difference: No glasses for Jose Cura this time. He was FREE and could really ACT out as Roberto which also meant that Fiorenza Cedolins would be able to react as the fine actress she is. Gabriele Viviani was still a bit wooden but as the old Babbo Guglielmo it was easily forgiven, his voice was all that matters, but there is only so much to do when it is a concert and your part is really small.

Teatro Carlo Felice is really a fine theater but all the same I was sitting too close to people who do not understand that chatting is not permitted during an opera or concert. It did not completely destroy my opera evenings, but it did not make me happy. And these was not young people who did not no better... Inexcusable.

Anyway, Fiorenza Cedolins was not lucky when she sang a wonderful "Se come voi" because the orchestra glitched, and that was the only fault in this performance, think, during her big aria. But she had the luck of Jose Cura completely in his role as Roberto. How he touched her face when he said he wanted a smile, touching. The duet was really wonderful. And the prayer in the end of act 1 was also wonderfully executed. The aria of Guglielmo Wolf in act 2 is not easy to get, I guess you really need a stage for that one. Jose Cura was incredible in Roberto's long aria in act 2. And the final duet Cedolins/Cura was great.

Not strange that the applause lasted a bit over 10 minutes.


March 2007: Le Villi in Genova (2007-03-11)

OD Travel + Photos

March 10, 2007: Cavalleria Rusticana in Genova

2007-03-10 Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni), Teatro Carlo Felice, Genova

Santuzza = Susan Neves
Lola = Paola Gardina
Turiddu = Salvatore Licitra
Alfio = Vitaliy Bilyy
Mamma Lucia = Ambra Vespasiani

Bruno Bartoletti, conductor

THIS TIME Pagliacci was first, CavRust last.

Cavalleria rusticana
Melodramma in un atto di Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti e Guido Menasci, musica di Pietro Mascagni

Teatro Carlo Felice

Spettacoli correlati: Pagliacci



Orchestra director Bruno Bartoletti

Direction Sebastiano Lo Monaco

Settings Gianfranco Padovani

Costumes Avallone Giuseppe


Date
Opening night: friday 23 february, 20.30 (A)
Performances: sunday 25 february, 15.30 (C)
tuesday 27 february, 20.30 (B)
thursday 1 march, 20.30 (L)
sunday 4 march, 15.30 (R)
tuesday 6 march, 20.30 (FA)
thursday 8 march, 15.30 (GI)
saturday 10 march, 15.30 (F)

Why was Cavalleria Rusticana after Pagliacci, maybe because... No, impossible to guess. The only thing that is important is that it worked very well.

This production, unlike the Pagliacci production was not right a way just right for me. Both ideas was all action in the same place. Which naturally meant that the Siciliana was sung backstage when the curtain was down. Then when the opera started all we saw was a desert, and that was Cavalleria Rusticana. Sometimes it was a desert with Jesus on the cross etc, so that was I guess "the Church" and Easter celebration. And a desert with some chairs was Mamma Lucia's tavern. But this desert made it very real when the people came from work with oranges, except, for oranges to grow is not a desert a very natural thing, no. So it sort of worked, but just when you are not thinking :-).

So that was the production ideas. But what really made it work was the film in the back ground. Showing the sky and sea. Dark sky when it was almost night still etc. And of course the thunder that made the whole chorus disappear when it started to rain, and made it possible for Santuzza to have a private dialogue with Mamma Lucia (Voi lo sapete, o mamma). And during the duet Santuzza/Turriddu the Jesus-statures was being carried away.

But all this would not have worked if the singers had just stood there. It worked because of the great acting and singing, so the director had really done his bit. Salvatore Licitra was a wonderful Turriddu and Susan Neves was a wonderful Santuzza.

For me the only thing is that Susan Neves, she is a wonderful soprano with great vocal range, but she is NOT a MEZZO. And for me Santuzza is a mezzo voice like Agnes Baltsa.

And after the opera, we met the singers from Cavalleria Rusticana: Salvatore Licitra was dressed like a racer driver and Susan Neves looked liked she was just any normal woman, instead of the reality, a FANTASTIC soprano (wow, I wish I had managed to take a splashing good photo of her, but my camera did not take my photos when I pressed the button, but waited some seconds too many).

Well, I guess, singers sometimes long for normality after work.

March 2007: Cavalleria Rusticana in Genova (2007-0...

OD Travel + Photos

March 10, 2007: Pagliacci in Genova

2007-03-10 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo), Teatro Carlo Felice, Genova

Canio = Salvatore Licitra
Nedda = Svetla Vassileva
Tonio = Alberto Gazale
Silvio = Roberto De Candia
Beppe = Bruno Ribeiro

Bruno Bartoletti, conductor

THIS TIME Pagliacci was first, CavRust last.

Pagliacci
Dramma in un prologo e due atti di Ruggero Leoncavallo, musica di Ruggero Leoncavallo

Teatro Carlo Felice

Spettacoli correlati: Cavalleria rusticana



Orchestra director Bruno Bartoletti

Direction Sebastiano Lo Monaco

Settings Gianfranco Padovani

Costumes Avallone Giuseppe

Opening night: friday 23 february, 20.30 (A)
Performances: sunday 25 february, 15.30 (C)
tuesday 27 february, 20.30 (B)
thursday 1 march, 20.30 (L)
sunday 4 march, 15.30 (R)
tuesday 6 march, 20.30 (FA)
thursday 8 march, 15.30 (GI)
saturday 10 march, 15.30 (F)

In Genoa the very known double-bill CAV/PAG started with PAGLIACCI. That's unusual. But not the first time. I liked this production very much. All action was in the same place in the whole opera. That Canio's troupe also had circus elements was very naturally implemented. Never did it intrude or become a distraction.

Our Silvio (Roberto De Candia) was not the usual most handsome baritone you can find as type. But in saying so, it makes you think, why should it only be believable that Nedda could love only a beautiful man... So in a way, here you are at the heart of the story; who is Nedda, or rather what does love mean for her. Nedda (Svetla Vassileva) made it clear how this is not our usual operatic heroine. She does not love her husband Canio, she does not even let him kiss her, which is humiliating when a wife does so in front a whole village. But Canio seem more good-humored and just go on joking with the children. So during the opera she is uncaring to Canio, and quite cruel to Tonio (Alberto Gazale) but tender to Silvio and good-hearted to her daughter....

Daughter, you say... Yes in this production Canio and Nedda are parents. Which naturally makes Nedda's death truly heart-breaking. In herself is Nedda not a person easy to love. But when a small child comes out, running towards mother's dead body. Then the audience and of course Canio, the father, see what a terrible thing he has just done. And then "La Commedia è finita" he says, his voice is broken, and so is the man and his family. But Tonio got his revenge on the woman he said he loved. But did not love enough to have a happy life.

No, I am not over-looking Canio (Salvatore Licitra). The reason I wanted to see CAV/PAG in the first place. What a singer, what an actor!!! He sang wonderfully, his Vesti La Giubba was the best I ever heard. And when you add to that, he was such a great actor. Totally believable...

BRAVO, Salvatore!! Bravi, tutti! and BRAVA, Bambina!


March 2007: Pagliacci in Genova (2007-03-10)

OD Travel + Photos

March 9, 2007: Le Villi in Genova

2007-03-09 Le Villi (Puccini), Teatro Carlo Felice, Genova

Roberto = José Cura
Anna = Fiorenza Cedolins
Guglielmo Wulf = Gabriele Viviani

Riccardo Frizza, conductor



Le Villi
Opera-ballo in due atti di Ferdinando Fontana,
musica di Giacomo Puccini.
In forma semiscenica

Teatro Carlo Felice

Spettacoli correlati:

L'opera è preceduta dalla
Sinfonia n. 1 in re minore op. 75 di Martucci


Direttore Riccardo Frizza

Prima: mercoledì 7 marzo 2007, 20.30 (A)
Repliche: venerdì 9 marzo, 20.30 (B)
domenica 11 marzo, 15.30 (C)

Before the opera, there was a concert piece: Sinfonia n. 1 in re minore op. 75 di Martucci. It was not a bad piece. I found it quite operatic. After the interval: LE VILLI. The disappoint was that the opera was just really a concert of a whole opera. So I don't really see this as In forma semiscenica, really. it was just a backdrop showing a film, dark and with showing up some white lines in all its blackness was that Semiscenica.... No, it was simply a concert nothing more. The conductor was energetic with his arms almost in the faces of the artists, specially in the face of soprano Fiorenza Cedolins. Fiorenza Cedolins who was almost the perfect Tosca in Verona 2006 with Salvatore Licitra as her Cavaradossi was not up to the role of Anna, I felt. She was inhibited in her approach.Much better was she on Sunday's Le Villi. Her big voice in Verona seemed to big a little voice in Genova on this Friday. But in the 2nd act she was more like a true Anna.

Jose Cura had his glasses when he sang, on this Friday. His acting was limited, this was more of pure singing than acting out the complete Roberto feeling. But on this Friday it was quite obvious that Cura's main interest lay in the Symphonic structures of the opera. As a conductor LA STREGENDA from Le Villi is sort of his specialty, so he was very much there living the music. Also Fiorenza Cedolins was very there in reading the singers partiture all the time.

Gabriele Viviani as father Guglielmo was too young to be Fiorenza Cedolins father. But in his voice he was Babbo Guglielmo, an imposing man. But his beautiful voice could not really have the bite in it that is needed in act 2.

Even if this had been my only Le Villi in Genova I would not have regretted coming to Italy. But I am really happy that I chose to stay and get the better LE VILLI performance, or should I say the near perfect one.

March 2007: Le Villi in Genova (2007-03-09)

OD Travel + Photos

February 26, 2008: Elektra in Florence (Firenze)

2008-02-26 Elektra (R.Strauss), Teatro Comunale di Firenze

Klytämnestra = Agnes Baltsa
Elektra = Susan Bullock
Chrysothemis = Christine Goerke
Aegisth = Stanford Olsen
Orest = Matthias Goerne
Der Pfleger des Orest = Uwe Griem
Die Vertraute = Marcella Polidori
Die Schleppträgerin = Cinzia Rizzone
Ein junger Diener = Saverio Fiore
Ein alter Diener = Franco Boscolo
Die Aufseherin = Stefannia Kybalova
Erste Magd = Manuela Bress
Zweite Magd = Silvia Mazzoni
Dritte Magd = Larissa Schmidt
Vierte Magd = Sabrina Testa
Fünfte Magd = Daniela SchiIllaci

Seiji Osawa, conductor

ELEKTRA

Information Plan
2007/2008 Season Opera

Tragedy in one act by Hugo von Hofmannsthal
music by Richard Strauss
conductor SEIJI OZAWA
director ROBERT CARSEN
singers and musicians



production New production in association with Tokyo Opera Nomori

place Teatro Comunale
road Corso Italia, 16
city Florence (FI)

phone 899.666.805 - 055 2779350

www.maggiofiorentino.com


shows
24-02-2008, h 20.30
26-02-2008, h 20.30
29-02-2008, h 20.30
02-03-2008, h 15.30
05-03-2008, h 20.30

BORING....
I am bored....

For the third time I see this opera, Elektra by Richard Strauss. Yet another production. Vienna, Budapest and now Florence. Agnes Baltsa as Klytämnestra. This production is not bad. Actually it is a good one. The best of the 3. But I still have not learnt to love this opera. And with Seiji Osawa conducting; it is a one act opera lasting 1 h 50 mins, which is too long.

This was a black and white production. All in black except Klytämnestra and Aigist. It was a simple and compelling idea: the servants of the house acted like doubles to Elektra mimicking her moves and yet acted as the dogs that Elektra was living with according to the libretto. Everyone was in black dresses, Elektra's sister too. Hard and not necessary to see different except when singing.

The whole stage was a confined space with mural walls. Like a room and yet like outside with dirt on the ground. In the middle of the stage was a grave where a naked and dead Agamemnon was lying. It also worked as the "door" to the castle. Some times people would come into the stage or go out from the front side door (not visible from the audience room) but other times they would just simply appear from the back of the stage where it seem not be any opening. Appearing from the a wall of black clad women. Klytämnestra on her bed was carried by the servant from the back suddenly appearing from the confined space as the whole stage was.

The production was really stylish and clean. Had I loved this opera then I would have been overjoyed by seeing it. At the same time for me it acted like a decider I think I will not go to Munich for a 4th production of the opera even with Agnes Baltsa as Klytämnestra.

It is not that this opera is without beautiful music, it has that. But as it is an 1 act opera with no natural space for a pause/interval it is simply too long. And it is not a happy opera at all. Had it had a small comic relief it would not be too bad.

Singing was good. Chorus and dancers was fantastic. The ladies were great singers/actors. Orest was not at their level. Weak voice, little presence.

And too end it all, I did not take any photos. And I did not see Agnes Baltsa before or after the opera. I met an opera friend in the opera house we actually sat together. I was supposed to give her my address. And, guess what, I did not find her again. I was in the back of the opera house and in the front. Florence ain't my city... (McDonald's was good, does that count?)

OD Travel

5. Travel to Vienna /Florence: Florence in Februar...

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

January 22, 2017: Anna Bolena in Parma

2017-01-22 Anna Bolena (Donizetti), Teatro Regio Parma

Anna Bolena, wife of Enrico VIII = Yolanda Auyanet
Enrico VIII, King of England = Riccardo Zanellato
Giovanna Seymour, bridesmaid of Anna = Sonia Ganassi
Lord Rochefort, brother of Anna = Paolo Battaglia
Lord Riccardo Percy = Giulio Pelligra
Smeton, pageboy and musician of the queen = Martina Belli
Signor Hervey, officer of the king = Alessandro Viola
   
FABRIZIO MARIA CARMINATI, conductor
ORCHESTRA REGIONALE DELL’EMILIA ROMAGNA
CORO DEL TEATRO REGIO DI PARMA

Direction ALFONSO ANTONIOZZI
Scenes and video design MONICA MANGANELLI       
Costumes GIANLUCA FALASCHI
Lights LUCIANO NOVELLI
Choreography and Assistant Director
SERGIO PALADINO
Chorus Master MARTINO FAGGIANI
    
New production

In coproduction with Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova

On January 22nd, 2017 I saw Anna Bolena in Parma and it was a very different production than the one I saw in Sevilla on December 10, 2016. In Sevilla it was a traditional production and the costumes was historical correct and everything was done to make it historical. In Parma it was more modern. The dresses in Parma looked like something from the 1940's The acting was excellent and the singing superb from everybody.

What I did not like was that the actions on the stage under the Sinfonia. Why can't they just have the curtain down under the sinfonias or ouvertures. Worse still, it did not make sense. There was the 5 men who created the throne/stool for Anna Bolena was awakens by 5 women dressed in white who was acting during opera as angels/demons. Men in black and women in white but they did not offer more understanding to the story. Luckily one could ignore them and they did not prevent you from understand why the persons acted the why they did.

What I liked was that every action from the main persons was well thought out and no accidence. Sonia Ganassi was outstanding as Giovanna Seymour. I really loved everything about how she sang and acted, she was Giovanna Seymour. I even noticed her the moment she came on stage even though Giovanna Seymour is dressed so modestly.  One starts wonder how did the king notice her enough to fall madly in love with this woman. Giovanna Seymour in Sonia Ganassi has a magnetism, so...

Yolanda Auyanet was a wonderful Anna Bolena. She looked perfectly regal. The personal regie was stunning and everything made sense, Giulio Pelligra was a joy as Percy. What an amazing tenor voice? Riccardo Zanellato was another perfect choice in the role as the king Enrico. And Paolo Battaglia was another great bass in the role of Rochefort.

Martina Belli was equally perfect as Smeton vocally and acting. BUT she was obviously a woman this page Boy. Did that really matter if Smeton was a woman or a boy? The voice was mermerizing.


In all a wonderful opera matinee (the opera started 1530). A splitting headache in the first part was not ideal but after taking paracet in the cafe in the interval the second part of the opera was more pleasant for me.

Original blog post
OperaDuets Travel & Photos

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

January 20, 2013: Andrea Chenier in Torino

2013-01-20 Andrea Chenier (Giordano),Teatro Regio di Torino

Andrea Chénier - Marcelo Álvarez

Carlo Gérard - Alberto Mastromarino

Maddalena di Coigny - María José Siri

Bersi, her maid - Giovanna Lanza

The Countess of Coigny - Anna Malavasi

Madelon - Chiara Fracasso

Roucher  - Gabriele Sagona

Mathieu, a sans-culotte - Federico Longhi

The Incredible - Gianluca Floris

The novelist Pietro Fléville - Matteo Peirone

Fouquier Tinville, the Public Prosecutor  - 

Scott Johnson

The Abbot, poet  - Luca Casalin

Schmidt - Fabrizio Beggi

Dumas - Franco Rizzo

Master of the Household - Gheorghe Valentin Nestor 

 

Renato Palumbo, conductor

Director - Lamberto Puggelli

Director cooperator - Salvo Piro

Sets - Paolo Bregni

Costumes - Luisa Spinatelli

Choreographic movements - Tiziana Tosco

Lighting - Bruno Ciulli

Assistant to costumes - Monia Torchia

Chorus Master - Claudio Fenoglio

Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro Regio

Staging by Teatro Regio

After the dark Macbeth in Genova I was happy to see this colorful Andrea Chenier in Torino.  This opera was double expensive for me since I originally had thought to see Macbeth again in Genova with other singers as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. So that ticket was never used. The newsletter from Teatro Regio Torino made me choose Andrea Chenier, a wonderful opera, and MARCELO ALVAREZ was singing the main role. It was the perfect plan.

With all the buzz about the movie of the musical Les Miserables I think going to see the opera Andrea Chenier is doubly enjoyable. Chenier was a real during who lied and died during the revolution. Of course the romantic story is not as historic as the persons. The real Chenier was not a romantic but he was a revolution man, a poet. But politically he was not on the winning side so Robespierre wanted him dead. 

I loved the production, so true and so real it was. The singing was suberb. Marcelo Alvarez was worth the trip to Torino. BRAVO!!!

OD Travel & Photos

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January 19, 2013: Macbeth in Genova

2013-01-19 Macbeth (Verdi), Teatro Carlo Felice, Genova

Macbeth = George Gagnidze

Lady Macbeth = Maria Guleghina

Macduff = Rubens Pelizzari 

Banco = Roberto Scandiuzzi

Malcolm = Vincenzo Costanzo

Dama di Lady Macbeth = Sara Cappellini Maggiore

Medico = Francesco Verna

Domestico di Macbeth = Francesco Sorichetti

Un Sicario = Alessandro Pastorino

Un Araldo = Alessio Bianchini

Andrea Battistoni, conductor

Regia - Henning Brockhaus

Scene - Josef Svoboda

Ricostruzione allestimento scenico - Benito Leonori

Costumi - Nanà Cecchi

Allestimento in coproduzione con:

Fondazione Teatro Lirico G. Verdi di Trieste

Fondazione Pergolesi Spontini di Jesi

Maria Guleghina was the reason I had come to Genova to see Verdi's Macbeth. She was wonderful. This was a dark vision of Macbeth and his lady. Not much reason to like this two persons. In the scene of the prophecies Macbeth almost beheads Banco before he returns to reason. Lady Macbeth is one of the witches. This production is the only one that I have seen that is really successfull with the witches. This production is thoroughly thought out. Video projection is used but one never think "ah, video" it is integrated in the theatrical forms. Video is used as partt of the scenography and part of the regie. Rubens Pellizario was wonderful as Macduff. As part of this dark vision Macduff almost crowns himself but then cries of VITTORIA and Malcolm is crowned. 

O
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

October 10, 2004: Verdi Gala in Parma

2004-10-10 Buon Compleanno Maestro Verdi, Teatro Regio Parma

Sopranos:
Elena Borin, Adriana Damato, Tiziana Fabbricini, Alessandra Rezza,
Mezzo: Alessandra Canettieri
Tenors:
Valter Borin, Luca Casalin, José Cura, Zvetan Michailov
Baritones:
Leo Nucci, Vladimir Stoyanov
Basses:
Franco De Grandis, Federico Sacchi, Riccardo Zanellato

Renato Palumbo, conductor



10 October 2004

Parma - Teatro Regio, 10 October 2004, at 20.30
excerpts from Giovanna d'Arco, Alzira, Attila, Macbeth,
I Masnadieri, Il Corsaro

Orchestra e Coro del Teatro Regio di Parma

Conductor Renato Palumbo
Regie Lorenzo Arruga

Actors Olga Gherardi, Giancarlo Giannini
Chorus Master Martino Faggiani
Audiovideo Dynamic s.r.l. DVD
Supported by Banca Popolare dell'Emilia Romagna



GIOVANNA D’ARCO
Tragic opera with a prologue and three acts on a libretto by Temistocle Solera, from Die Jungfrau von Orléans by Friedrich Schiller.
Première:
Milan, Scala Theatre, February 15th, 1845.

Sinfonia (ca. 7 minutes)

2 minutes: Olga Gherardi, Giancarlo Giannini

Prologo, Scena IV (6,5 minutes)
Oh ben s'addice questo... Sempre all’alba ed alla sera…
Giovanna - Adriana Damato, soprano
Adriana Damato sang this difficult opera aria with great passion. Her dark-hued voice has a very special appeal. She obviously knew this aria, she didn't need to use the notes. This aria is one that is hard to love at first hearing but then it is almost addictive. The passion, the early Verdi sound and this soprano voice was a perfect match.

1 minute: Olga Gherardi

Atto I, Scene III, IV (7,5 minutes)
Ho risolto… Dunque, o cruda, e gloria e trono... È puro l'aere - limpido il cielo
Giovanna - Adriana Damato, soprano
Carlo - Jose Cura, tenor
chorus
A tenor and soprano both with a dark hue in their voices. Passionate duet. Perfect together. The only thing that I missed during the whole concert was more acting and interacting, not just standing there and singing gloriously. Not a fault of Jose Cura. I simply loved È puro l'aere - limpido il cielo.


2,5 minutes: Olga Gherardi, Giancarlo Giannini

ALZIRA
opera with a prologue and two acts on a libretto by Salvatore Cammarano, from Alzire ou les Américains by Voltaire
Première: Naples, San Carlo Theatre, August 12th, 1845.

Atto I, Scena VIII (5 minutes)
Nella polve genuflesso…
Gusmano - Vladimir Stoyanov, baritone
Alvaro - Franco De Grandis, bass
Alzira - Tiziana Fabbricini, soprano
Zamoro - Valter Borin, tenor
Ataliba - Federico Sacchi, bass
Zuma - Alessandra Canettieri, mezzo
chorus
Great voices. Franco de Grandis fabulous, Vladimir Stoyanov glorious, Valter Borin wonderful beautiful tenor voice. And the ALZIRA, Tiziana Fabbricini very special soprano voice; the sound of her voice is edgy but it is warm when you come into center of the voice. She shines though this wonderful scene.

Atto I, Scena VIX (5 minutes)
Qual suon?...Che avvenne?... Trema, trema... a ritorti fra l'armi
Gusmano - Vladimir Stoyanov, baritone
Alvaro - Franco De Grandis, bass
Alzira - Tiziana Fabbricini, soprano
Zamoro - Valter Borin, tenor
Ataliba - Federico Sacchi, bass
Zuma - Alessandra Canettieri, mezzo
Ovando - Luca Casalin, tenor
chorus
The same great voices with Luca Casalin in the comprimario role of Ovando.

Atto II, Scena III (8 minutes)
Per chi? - Per me. S' ei muore, io moro...Il pianto, l’ambascia…
Atto II, Scena IV: Di pira non più, ma d'ara, e talamo
Alzira - Tiziana Fabbricini, soprano
Gusmano - Vladimir Stoyanov, baritone
Ovando - Luca Casalin, tenor
Wonderful duet, I think it is Tiziana making it so divine, wonderful. But of course, the baritone is good too. Her sound is just right for Alzira, especially in this duet

Atto II, Scena VI (7,5 minutes)
Miserandi avanzi… Irne lungi ancor dovrei... Non di codarde lagrime
Zamoro - Zvetan Michailov, tenor
Otumbo - Luca Casalin, tenor
chorus
Another tenor as Zamoro. Zvetan Michailov's tenor is darker than Borin's, more muscular. Irne lungi ancor dovrei... is a wonderful aria. After these excerpts I think that ALZIRA must be a wonderful opera, at least that the music is great.

2,5 minutes: Olga Gherardi, Giancarlo Giannini

ATTILA
Opera with a prologue and three acts on a libretto by Temistocle Solera, taken from Attila re degli Unni by Zacharias Werner.
Première: Venice, La Fenice Theatre, March 17th, 1846

Prologo, scena III (7,5 minutes)
Di vergini straniere…Allor che i forti corrono...Da te questo or m'é concesso
Odabella - Alessandra Rezza, soprano
Attila - Riccardo Zanellato, bass
Aldino - Luca Casalin, tenor
chorus
The great aria of Odabella is wonderfully sung by Alessandra Rezza. Allor che i forti corrono.... Great applause and BRAVA!!!

Prologo, scena III (8,5 minutes)
Uldino, a me dinanzi...
Prologo, scena IV: Attila!-Oh, il nobil messo!
Prologo, scena V
La destra porgimi. . . Tardo per gli anni, e tremulo…
Attila - Riccardo Zanellato, bass
Ezio - Leo Nucci, baritone
One of great joys of ATTILA is these wonderful duets. Riccardo Zanellato is great as Attila but it is Leo Nucci who is the man. Tardo per gli anni, e tremulo… is wonderfully sung. (Avrai tu l'universo, Resti l'Italia a me.)

Prologo, Scena VII (5 minutes)
Quai voci! Oh, tutto... Qui, qui sostiamo!… Ella in poter del Barbaro!
Foresto - Jose Cura, tenor
chorus
One of the highlights of the concert. Jose Cura is just marvelous as Foresto.
Ella in poter del Barbaro is just wonderful, never knew it was such a wonderful aria before I heard Jose Cura sing it!!!! BRAVO!!

Prologo, Scena VII (4 minutes)
Cessato alfine il turbine... Cara patria, già madre e reina
Foresto - Jose Cura, tenor
chorus
Jose Cura sang Cara patria, già madre e reina with his dark passion.

Atto II scena I (5 minutes)
Tregua è con gli Unni…Dagli Immortali vertici
Ezio - Leo Nucci, baritone
The other great man in this concert was Leo Nucci who was simply the greatest as Ezio. I saw Leo Nucci as Ezio in Zurich in 1998. He was wonderful. But in 2004 he is better than in 1998. BRAVO!!!!

Atto II scena II (5,5 minutes)
Chi vien?... Salute ad Ezio
Atto II scena III: Che brami tu?
Atto II scena IV: È gettata la mia sorte
Ezio - Leo Nucci, baritone
Foresto - Valter Borin, tenor
chorus
Another Foresto, good, but no Jose Cura. Leo Nucci È gettata la mia sorte. Grandissimo!!!


PAUSE ( 25 minutes)

2 minutes: Olga Gherardi, Giancarlo Giannini

MACBETH
Opera in four acts on a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, from William Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name.
Première: Florence, Pergola Theatre, March 14th, 1847.

Atto I, Scena V (9,5 minutes)
Nel dì della vittoria…
Atto I, Scena VI: Al cader della sera il Re qui giunge
Atto I, Scena VII: Duncano sarà qui?...qui? qui la notte?...Vieni T’affretta!...
Lady Macbeth - Alessandra Rezza, soprano
un servo - Federico Sacchi, bass
Wonderful soprano voice. Passionate rendition of the aria, but I miss the ugly, dangerous sound when she sings "Duncano sarà qui?...qui? qui la notte?". It is too beautiful sung, that is true Lady Macbeth singing.

1 minute: Giancarlo Giannini

Atto I, scena XVI (8 minutes)
Di destarlo per tempo il Re m'impose
Atto I, scena XVII: Oh, qual orrenda notte!
Atto I, scena XVIII: Orrore! orrore! orrore!
Atto I, scena XIX: Schiudi, Inferno, …
Macbeth - Leo Nucci, baritone
Lady - Tiziana Fabbricini, soprano
Banquo - Riccardo Zanellato, bass
McDuff - Valter Borin, tenor
una dama - Elena Borin, soprano
First Macduff, then a short Banquo scene (beautiful singing by Riccardo Zanellato), then Macduff has found the old king dead, killed. Wonderful singing by the ensemble. Beautiful a-capella parts. Tiziana is a wonderful Lady with her Macbeth (Leo Nucci). Leo Nucci and Tiziana Fabbricini really enjoyed being the couple Macbeth.

0,5 minute: Olga Gherardi

Atto IV Scena V (6,5 minutes)
Perfidi…! Pietà rispetto, amore,…
Macbeth - Leo Nucci, baryon
Leo Nucci is fabulous in all scenes and arias. Only one small thing he sings "honore" when it is "amore", Pieta, rispetto, amore. Otherwise it is just stupendous.

Atto IV Scena VI: (8,5 minutes)
E' morta la Regina!
Atto IV Scena VII: Sire! ah, Sire!
Atto IV Scena VIII: Via le fronde, e mano all'armi!
Atto IV Scena IX: Carnefice de' figli miei, t'ho giunto.
Atto IV Scena X: Infausto giorno!
Atto IV Scena XI: Ove s'è fitto l'usurpator?... Salve, o re!
Macbeth - Leo Nucci, baryon
Malcolm - Luca Casalin, tenor
McDuff - Valter Borin, tenor
una dama - Elena Borin, soprano
chorus
Leo Nucci shines, great chorus. Unfortunately the orchestra has trouble in being together in Act IV scene IX, the announcement of Macduff coming is fuzzy, disorderly, embarrassing. But it comes together in the end.

3,5 minutes: Olga Gherardi, Giancarlo Giannini

I MASNADIERI
Opera in four acts on a libretto by Andrea Maffei, from the tragedy Die Räuber by Friedrich Schiller.
Première: London, Her Majesty's Theatre, July 22nd, 1847.

Parte I, scena III (10,5 minutes)
Vecchio! Spiccai da te… La sua lampada vitale…
Parte I, scena IV: Signor, che volete?
Parte I, scena V: Fra poco, Francesco, sarai qui signore!
Franceso - Leo Nucci, baritone
Armino - Luca Casalin, tenor
What can anyone say about Leo Nucci, he is a miracle...

Parte II, scena VI (6 minutes)
Come splendido e grande… Di ladroni attornato…
Parte II, scena VII: Capitano! noi siamo cerchiati. . .
Carlo - Zvetan Michailov, tenor
Rolla - Luca Casalin, tenor
chorus
Zvetan Michailov sings this aria wonderfully.

Parte III, scena II (7 minutes)
Qual mare, qual terra da me t'ha diviso?
Amalia - Adriana Damato, soprano
Carlo - Valter Borin, tenor
Wonderful duet, Valter Borin and Adriana Damato is just perfect together.

1,5 minutes: Olga Gherardi, Giancarlo Giannini

IL CORSARO
Tragic opera in three acts, on a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, taken from The Corsair by George Byron.
Première: Trieste, Teatro Grande, October 25th, 1848.

Atto I scena II (6,5 minutes)
Tutto parea sorridere…
Atto I scena III: Della brezza col favore...
Corrado - Jose Cura, tenor
Giovanni - Federico Sacchi, bass
chorus
I have heard Jose Cura sing the aria "Tutto parea sorridere" before even more beautiful than here in Parma but is was wonderful with the chorus and Federico Sacchi as Giovanni, Corrado's second in command on his pirate ship.

Atto I scena IV (6 minutes)
Egli non riede ancora!...Non so le tetre immagini…
Medora - Adriana Damato, soprano
Adriana Damato sang this aria .... que possa dire... I loved it. Only one regret, how I would have loved to hear the Corrado/Medora duet from act 1 with Cura and Damato, or the Corrado/Gulnara duet from act 2 with Jose Cura and Adriana Damato. That would have been something to die for...

2,5 minutes: Olga Gherardi, Giancarlo Giannini

Atto II, scena X (14 minutes)
Si risparmi quell'uom
Corrado - Jose Cura, tenor
Gulnara - Alessandra Rezza, soprano
Seid - Vladimir Stoyanov, baritone
Giovanni - Federico Sacchi, bass
Selimo - Luca Casalin, tenor
How is it possible to be disappointed with this great wonderfully sung scene from Il Corsaro. It just so happens that I know that there is even more beautiful scenes in this opera that I would rather hear;
like


ATTO PRIMO
SCENA V

Medora e Corrado.

CORRADO
È pur mesto, o Medora, il canto tuo

ATTO TERZO
SCENA ULTIMA

Medora, Corrado e Gulnara con alcuni Corsari.

CORRADO E MEDORA:
Ah quest'amplesso è balsamo


But all is not lost I will see/hear the whole opera in Barcelona, February 2005


Happy Birthday, Maestro Verdi!!!
Most wonderful Verdi concert!!
Magic in Parma!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OD Travel + Photos

September 25, 2014: L'Opera e la grande Bellezza in Arena di Verona

2014-09-25 L'Opera è la grande bellezza, Arena di Verona

Maria Guleghina

José Cura

Carlo Guelfi

Presentatore Michele Mirabella

Orchestra Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini

Massimo Zanetti, conductor

Coro Teatro Regio di Parma, Coro Università degli studi di Perugia, Coro dell’Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia e le Voci Bianche Adamu

Regìa e progetto scenografico di ENRICO STINCHELLI

Coreografie di “Modulo Factory

Almost 7 minutes of talk by presenter before and then a lot of talk later on too.

Orchestra & ballet

"1. Terzo ballabile Macbeth"

Carlo Guelfi, baritone

2. Pietà, rispetto, amore (Macbeth) "

Jose Cura & Maria Guleghina

"3. Già nella notte densa (Otello)"

Jose Cura

"4. E lucevan le stelle (Tosca) "

Maria Guleghina

"5. Vissi d'arte (Tosca) "

Orchestra & ballett & chorus

"6. La Traviata - matadori & zingari"

Carlo Guelfi, Maria Guleghina

"7. Donna, chi sei? (Nabucco) "

Chorus & Orvhestra

"8. Patria oppressa (Macbeth) "

Jose Cura, Carlo Guelfi

"9. Desdemona rea...Sì pel ciel (Otello)"

PAUSE

fanfara dei carabinieri (2 minutes)

"10. korpsmusikk"

fanfara dei carabinieri

"11. Gloria all'Egitto, Aida con marcia trionfale e balletto"

fanfara dei carabinieri (2 minutes)

"12. ukjent korpsmusikk"

Maria Guleghjina

"13. Nel dì della vittoria (Macbeth)"

Jose Cura

"14. Vesti la giubba (Pagliacci) "

Carlo Gulefi, Chorus

 "16. Te Deum (Tosca)"

Maria Guleghina, Jose Cura & Chorus

 "17. In questa reggia (Turandot) "

Carlo Guelfi

"18. Nemico della Patria (Chénier) "

Chorus

"19. Va’, pensiero (Nabucco)"

Jose Cura, Chorus

"20. Nessun dorma (Turandot)"

Maria Guleghina, tutti

"21. Finale Turandot TUTTI"

Jose Cura, tutti

22. National Anthem of Italy "Fratelli d'Italia"

   

Verona, il tenore argentino Josè Cura incanta l’Arena

Momenti di grande emozione quando l'artista ha intonato il nostro inno nazionale cantando "Fratelli d'Italia"

---

My review would be almost the same except that I did not know that the last item was the National Anthem of Italy "Fratelli d'Italia"

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 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, 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

July 31, 2003: La Traviata in Verona

2003-07-31 La Traviata (G. Verdi), Arena di Verona

Violetta Valéry = Angela Gheorghiu
Flora Bervoix = Milena Josipovic
Annina = Loredana Bigi
Alfredo Germont = José Cura
Giorgio Germont = Ambrogio Maestri
Gastone de Letorières = Mauro Buffoli
Baron Douphol = Graziano Polidori
Marquis of Obigny = Alessandro Calamai
Doctor Grenvil = Enrico Iori
Giuseppe = Mario Guggia

Daniel Oren, conductor

Arena di Verona
31 July 2003 - 21.15



La Traviata Recital


Melodrama in 3 acts by Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave


PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR Daniel Oren


CHOREOGRAPHER Maria Grazia Garofoli
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


Flora's Servant Angelo Nardinocchi
Commissioner Angelo Nardinocchi

After the wonderful Carmen on July 29th, with the meeting of José Cura backstage, mostly photographing on my part, and a little to drink afterwards in a cafe that was mostly closed, I was not in my hotel until 0315, and did not sleep until 4. And yesterday it was a wonderful luncheon with JCx members, that was nice, but I was tired from the late night, and did not have much energy. And on this day, head-ache from morning to night. My head was only alright when the opera was going on, in the pauses the ache came back again.

How nice that La Traviata's is mostly so complex, that us normal people, have difficulties humming it. Especially is Violetta arias hard to hum.

I really like the scenography for this La Traviata, semi-scenic version, was really full opera, not concert-like at all. Beautiful white was the scenography, enough for all who knows the story, and with Angela Gheorghiu and José Cura in the leads, really a great evening. Ambrogio Maestri, Giorgio Germont, was naturally very welcomed as an Italian between the Rumanian Gheorghiu and the Argentinean Cura. First time for me to see Angela Gheorghiu live. I liked her performance very much, and naturally Cura was great as Alfredo. If only I was closer to the stage.

It was perfect. Only one thing, (I did hear people mention AG is the new Maria (Callas), is the end of the opera when Angela sings the line when she feels a new life and subsequently dies, To hear the word being spoken in Italian gives really a shudder down one's spine. Sung it is nothing.. not even beautiful. Otherwise did Angela Gheorghiu really make a great impression as Violetta Valéry.

José Cura was wonderful as Alfredo Germont, daring and warm and passionate. Sometimes his voice what on the rough edge. But it is only when I think about it, later, that one thinks, ah!, he was tired. But in the performance I did not feel that at all. Wonderful to see José Cura and Angela Gheorghiu backstage, not together, they were apart, but at point I was there, right between the opera-giants,... little me.

OD Travel + Photos

July 29, 2003: Carmen in Verona

2003-07-29 Carmen (G. Bizet), Arena di Verona

Carmen = Marina Domashenko
Micaela = Hei-Kyung Hong
Frasquita = Cristina Pastorello
Mercedes = Milena Josipovic
Don José = José Cura
Escamillo = Samuel Ramey
Dancairo = Marco Camastra
Remendado = Antonio Feltracco
Zuniga = Dario Benini
Morales = Roberto Accurso

Alain Lombard, conductor

Arena di Verona
29 July 2003 - 21.15

Carmen


Dramma lirico in 4 acts by Georges Bizet
Libretto by Ludovic Halevy - Henry Meilhac


PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR Alain Lombard


DIRECTOR Franco Zeffirelli
Assistant Director Marco Gandini


SCENOGRAPHER Franco Zeffirelli
COSTUME DESIGNER Anna Anni
CHOREOGRAPHER El Camborio
Assistant Choreographer Lucia Real


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


...
Visiting lead dancers Lucia Real - Belen Lopez - Jose' Triguero - Joaquin Mulero
JCuraPhotos
2003-07-29 Carmen (G. Bizet), Arena di Verona

Carmen = Marina Domashenko
Micaela = Hei-Kyung Hong
Frasquita = Cristina Pastorello
Mercedes = Milena Josipovic
Don José = José Cura
Escamillo = Samuel Ramey
Dancairo = Marco Camastra
Remendado = Antonio Feltracco
Zuniga = Dario Benini
Morales = Roberto Accurso

Alain Lombard, conductor
José Cura on horseback in the arena, twice. First alone on the horse, leading the garde montante, then with Carmen on a horse in the mountains. Photo. We even saw donkeys and carriages onstage. Dancing almost all the time on both wings of the performance, except in the last duet, when José kills Carmen.

Recitative version. I have heard this before, but it was really dull recitatives in Verona. José Cura is a wonderful Don José, Hei-Kyung Hong is great as Micaela, Samuel Ramey as Escamillo sounds like he is at the end of the road (painful to hear SR sing, great man, Ramey). The Carmen is really enjoyable when she sings, but when she talks... it is not beautiful, nor seductive, just irritating. And when Marina Domashenko came out after Carmen, she just went straight through the crowd, talk to a friend/fan, and off she went, maybe somebody would have wanted her autograph, or to take a photo. José Cura, on the other hand, was really tired, but was backstage a long,long time, it was, I think almost 02.30 when he left. He was tired, hungry, and a real gentleman.

The 4th act started with A dos cuartos, and then it was a shout "Gitana!" and at the music of the Entr'acte music to usually starts the 4th act, was great Spanish dancing (sevillana or flamenco like).

An absolutely thrilling "C'est toi? C'est moi!" And a lot of applause. Marina Domashenko who had really danced and used the castagnettes in the 2nd act of "Je vais danser en votre honneur" also danced on the at the end, with the Spanish dancers enjoying it, like "Olé!" and José Cura danced, too. It was just simply a really fantastic Carmen.

OD Travel + Photos

July 27, 2003: Aida in Verona

2003-07-27 Aida (G. Verdi), Arena di Verona

The King = Carlo Striuli
Amneris = Larissa Diadkova
Aida = Micaela Carosi
Radames = Piero Giuliacci
Ramfis = Giacomo Prestia
Amonasro = Ambrogio Maestri
High Priestess = Antonella Trevisan
A messenger = Mauro Buffoli

Daniel Oren, conductor

After traveling most of the day by train. 9.30 from Munich and in Verona by 1505. I went by taxi to the hotel. Luckily the Hotel Tryp have a courtesy bus, so I was lucky enough to use that most of the time I was going to Verona, Piazza Bra and the Arena. Anyway I took one of at 19 something, it is a 9-seater, and it is free if the seat is free. I saw a hugh queue of people, actually more than one. I though they was wanting tickets, no, they were lining up, so that they could get a good seat in the unnumbered seats, the cheap tickets. So I got a cheap ticket for sector B, well, Euro 17,50 (is cheaper than Euro 139).

So there I was, it was still not even 20hrs, and I was hungry. But luckily I could buy Coca Cola and something to eat. I was seated beside the stage, so sometimes the singers were hidden behind the statues, but I could also see people getting out from under the pyramid. It was a black curtain there, but it was a very windy night. It was also lightning during most of the Aida, but no rain, so the show could go on. I don't think I heard any thunder. Maybe the orchestra drowned it?

Then it was 21.15 the opera starts. I would have loved to get to see Salvatore Licitra as Radames, but it was another chubby tenor that sang. Quite good. Ambrogio Maestri who I later saw as Germont père in La traviata, was Amonasro. Very imposing voice. Micaela Carosi, that sang Liú almost a month ago in Turandot with Cura, was really impressive as Aida. Larissa Diadkova as Amneris was great, impressive. The duet between Aida and Amneris was great, but unfortunately when Amneris line came "Fissami in volto... " (look me in my face) Amneris did not look at Aida, a serious mistake. Another bad thing was that the war prisoners was so few, like just a handful, now how could Amonasro think that he could win over the plenty Egyptians with that lot. Radames, not very impressive, the King and Ramfis, why afraid to release them....Stupid. Less priests and more Ethiopians.....

A typical overloaded Zeffirelli opera, do really the whole stage have to be packed... And action (like dancing) going on all the time. So many distractions. But that's the Arena.

Another thing... famous opera... people humming or singing along the singers and orchestra, annoying. And sometime talking or laughing, or just humming, really bad.
Arena
27 July 2003 - 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
CHOREOGRAPHER Vladimir Vassiliev
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


CAST



Prima ballerina Myrna Kamara
Male lead dancer Gregor Hatala
Akmen Amaya Ugarteche

OD Travel

July 25, 2013: Nabucco in Verona

2013-07-25 Nabucco (Verdi), Arena di Verona 

Nabucco = Ivan Inverardi
Ismaele = Lorenzo Decaro
Zaccaria = Vitalij Kowaljow
Abigaille = Lucrecia Garcia
Fenena = Sanya Anastasia
High Priest of Belo = Abramo Rosalen
Abdallo = Carlo Bosi
Anna = Maria Letizia Grosselli

Julian Kovatchev, conductor

Director - Gianfranco de Bosio

Set - Rinaldo Olivieri

I loved this production. All seamed so historial correct. And then we had this wonderful Abigaille, Lucrecia Garcia. She really made it all so perfect. Nobody shone like her in this show. Of course, it would not have worked without the other singers, the chorus and orchestra w/conductor. I love Abigaille!!! Lucrecia Garcia is certainly a singer I would love to see and hear more.

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

July 24, 2013: Il Trovatore in Verona

2013-07-24 Il Trovatore (G. Verdi), Arena di Verona

Count of Luna = Dalibor Jenis
Leonora = Leah Crocetto
Azucena = Andrea Ulbrich
Manrico = Carlo Ventre
Ferrando = Sergej Artamonov
Ines = Elena Borin
Ruiz = Paolo Antognetti
An old gipsy = Victor Garcia Sierra
A messenger = Cristiano Olivieri

Giuliano Carella, conductor

Director and sets designer - Franco Zeffirelli
Costumes - Raimonda Gaetani
Choreography - El Camborio ripresa da Lucia Real
Fencing master - Renzo Musumeci Greco

IL TROVATORE, Arena di Verona 2013-07-24.

Trovatore was finally set in the right time. The Middle Ages. The great towers was on the stage. Like in Macerata it was played as a 2 act opera. Scene changes was smooth. Extra music was added for the zingaras, and there was castagnettes and much dancing. The zingaras and their dancing and music also came to the Di Luna men and their siege.

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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

July 23, 2013: La Traviata om Verona

2013-07-23 La Traviata (G. Verdi), Arena di Verona 

Violetta Valéry = Elena Mosuc
Alfredo Germont = Matthew Polenzani
Giorgio Germont = Artur Rucinski
Flora Bervoix = Chiara Fracasso
Annina = Alice Marini
Gastone = Stefano Consolini
Baron Douphol = Federico Longhi
Marchese D'Obigny = Dario Giorgelè
Doctor Grenvil = Victor Garcia Sierra
Giuseppe = Antonio Feltracco
Domestico/Commissionario = Gabriele Ribis

Andrea Battiston, conductor

Director, sets, costumes and lighting designer - Hugo De Ana

Choreography - Leda Lojodice

LA TRAVIATA, Arena di Verona 2013-07-23

Traviata and Trovatore, two of the greatest classics of Opera. And in Verona, finally Regie that is true and real. Hugo de Ana's Traviata had only one fault, in preludio to the opera and the preludio to the last act, he just had to remind us that Violetta is dead and everything is to be told. 3 great frames (like to old paintiings) was the stage. The middle frames was naturally the main stage. But it was still true to the time of Violetta. Loved it, and Elena Mosuc was great as Violetta!!


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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

July 22, 2013: Un Ballo in Maschera in Milano

2013-07-22 Un Ballo in Maschera (Verdi), Teatro alla Scala, Milano

Riccardo = Marcelo Alvarez
Amelia = Sondra Radvanovsky
Renato = Zeljko Lucic
Ulrica = Marianne Cornetti
Oscar = Serena Gamberoni
Sam = Fernando Rado
Tom = Simon Lim
Silvano = Alessio Arduini
Minister of Justice = Andrzej Glowienka
Un servo d’Amelia = Giuseppe Bellanca

Daniele Rustioni, conductor

Staging - Damiano Michieletto
Sets- Paolo Fantin
Costumes - Carla Teti

Lights - Alessandro Carletti

UN BALLO IN MASCHERA, Teatro alla Scala 2013-07-22.


The Boston version. But now updated to 2013. Vote for Riccardo 2013, incorrotta gloria!! Marianne Cornetti sang Ulrica, and just look at her, blonde and dressed in white. No African-American praying to Satan here. Ulrica is here a miracle worker and we see it, blind see, people rise up from walking again. Marcelo Alvarez was stupendous as Riccardo. Luckily he was not made into a blonde like poor Amelia.  One could hardly recognise Sondra Radvanovsky with her blonde hair. Making her into a desperate middle-aged women with brown skirts and brown trousers. She was great!! Oscar was in this production a secretary and without any doubt a woman, a young woman. No boy here. In  2013 no man can just kill his wife for adultery and think it is going to be right. And really it was in this scene the regie got most things wrong. The child is inside with the father and Amelia is singing her heart out outside. Who can hear it? The change of heart plausible. The child there as Tom and Sam arrive... No, I don't think they got it right. Un ballo in maschera, but nobody is carrying masks or dressed as anyone other than themselves. A play with placards of Riccardo in human size. Then Riccardo dies but first he becomes a ghost and Amelia is mouthing what he is singing as she is reading a paper. Now, that end worked. BUT!!!!!!

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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