January 25, 1990: Rosenkavalier in Oslo

1990-01-25 Der Rosenkavalier (R.Strauss), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Fyrstinne Werdenberg = Frøydis Klausberger
Baron Ochs von Lerchernau = Oddbjørn Tennfjord
Octavian = Sylvia Lindenstrand
Herr von Faninal = Jan Sødal
Sophie = Toril Carlsen
En sanger = Kjell Magnus Sandve

Heinz Fricke, conductor




They were great. Especially the women.

OD Travel

January 15, 1993: La Traviata in Bergen

1993-01-15 La Traviata (Verdi), Den Norske Opera in Bergen

Violetta Valéry = Ingjerd Oda Mantor
Flora Bervoix = Torill Eriksen
Alfredo Germont = Kjell Magnus Sandve
Annina = Eva Solheim
Georgio Germont = Trond Halstein Moe
Gaston, Viscomte de Utorires = Mikael Fagerholm
Barone Duphol = Jens Olai Justvik
Marchese d'Obigny = Bjørn Mørch Olsen
Dottore Grenvil = Bjørn Lie-Mansen
Giuseppe, servo di Violetta = Giuseppe Chiarello

Terje Boye Hansen, conductor




I lived in Bergen at this time. I guess it was an OK opera night
First I do not remember if it was January 13, 14, 15.

I was having my second job or was between jobs. Living close to the concert hall (Grieghallen) it was easy to get tickets.

I remember enjoying seeing this opera production again with other singers.

Den Norske Opera, Bergen Grieghallen
Conductor: Terje Boye Hansen
Regie: Jens Christian Ek
Scenography: Madla Bruza
Coreography: Frederic Konrad
Violetta Valéry: Elena Brilova 14/1,16/1
Ingjerd Oda Mantor 15/1
Flora Bervoix: Torill Eriksen
Alfredo Germont: Kjell Magnus Sandve
Annina: Eva Solheim
Georgio Germont: Jan SødaI14/1, 16/1
Trond Halstein Moe 15/1
Gaston, Viscomte de Utorires: Mikael Fagerholm
Barone Duphol: Jens Olai Justvik
Marchese d'Obigny: Bjørn Mørch Olsen
Dottore Grenvil: Bjørn Lie-Mansen
Giuseppe, servo di Violetta: Giuseppe Chiarello
Domestico di Flora: Birger Barring
Commissionario: Roald Nygard

Den Norske Operas Chorus
Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester

OD Travel

December 14, 2009: La Fanciulla del West in Oslo

2009-12-14 La Fanciulla del West (Puccini), Den Norske Opera, Oslo

Minnie = Paoletta Marrocu
Dick Johnson (Ramirez) = José Cura
Jack Rance = Jason Stearns
Nick = Svein Erik Sagbråten
Ashby = Magne Fremmerlid
Jake Wallace = Njål Sparbo
Sonora = Ole Jørgen Kristiansen
Bello = Mads Wighus
Happy = Eirik Roland Egeberg-Jensen
Joe = David Fielder
Jim Larkens = Ketil Hugaas
Trin = Kjell Magnus Sandve
Harry = Henrik Engelsviken
Sid = Espen Langvik
José Castro = Carsten Stabell
Wowkle = Sigrid Ohlsson
Billy Jackrabbit = Bo Elley
Postiglione = Paul Kirkby

Joseph Colaneri, conductor

Monday I had a scare. I heard a woman exclaim "You will love it, I assure you, the Brazilian Helden-Tenor is singing. He is great!!!" Oh, no, I thought, it is not Cura who will sing. But it was the Argentine Tenor who sang.

He was great, Paoletta Marrocu was great. They were all great. I just had a tall man seating in front of me so my seat and view was not too great. But I enjoyed it. People was saying he was even better on Monday 14th than on Saturday 12th. But I had the wrong seat. Viva Argentina!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't cry for me Argentina! for I will go to Oslo to be there when JC sings his Agentine songs. I am really looking forward to listen to his own songs. Pablo Neruda poems composed by Jose Cura, sung by the composer. And the other songs. Will it be extra songs. I hope for a full house for the Argentine songs with Jose Cura.

Magic will happen again on December 17th. Tomorrow!!!

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

December 12, 2009: La Fanciulla del West in Oslo

2009-12-12 La Fanciulla del West (Puccini), Den Norske Opera & Ballet, Oslo

Minnie = Paoletta Marrocu
Dick Johnson (Ramirez) = José Cura
Jack Rance = Jason Stearns
Nick = Svein Erik Sagbråten
Ashby = Magne Fremmerlid
Jake Wallace = Njål Sparbo
Sonora = Ole Jørgen Kristiansen
Bello = Mads Wighus
Happy = Eirik Roland Egeberg-Jensen
Joe = David Fielder
Jim Larkens = Ketil Hugaas
Trin = Kjell Magnus Sandve
Harry = Henrik Engelsviken
Sid = Espen Langvik
José Castro = Carsten Stabell
Wowkle = Sigrid Ohlsson
Billy Jackrabbit = Bo Elley
Postiglione = Paul Kirkby

Joseph Colaneri, conductor

This is a production from Vlaamse Opera Belgium.

Music: Giacomo Puccini
Libretto: Guelfo Civinini og Carlo Zangarini

Director: Robert Carsen
Set design/ costumes: Paul Steinberg
Lighting design: Robert Carsen and Peter van Praet
The Norwegian Opera Chorus

The Norwegian Opera Orchestra


Sung in Italian, Norwegian and English subtitles
Duration: App. 3 hours
It was the first time for me in the new Opera House in Oslo. And it was the first time for Jose Cura in Oslo. He sang Dick Johnson in Puccini's La Fanciulla del West. It is almost one of his calling cards. Among many people also a quite a number of Cura fans. Jose Cura Connexion was well represented there. Old and new friends together.

It was to be a magic night. But at the beginning of the opera I really thought that it would be a boring opera night. I was so totally wrong about that. I have never seen this opera without having moments of boredom but not in Oslo. The Robert Carson production from Vlamse Opera held me in its grip. It was first time I saw this production so I cannot say how much influence the presence of Jose Cura did have to the ensemble of Den Norske Opera. It was no doubt that this was one of Jose Cura finest Dick Johnson. The singing and everything was simply the best Dick Johnson that I have seen Cura do. Paoletta Marrocu was a wonderful actress as Minnie, her voice could be unruly but in sum it was a wonderful Minnie. Jason Stearns as Sheriff Jack Rance was all that one could wish for in this role. Fanciulla del West is not the kind of opera where it is enough to have a great soprano, tenor and baritone. This opera is like Wolf-Ferrari's SLY an opera that needs a great ensemble that can act all it different characters.

Conductor: Joseph Colaneri
Director: Robert Carsen
Set design/ costumes: Paul Steinberg
Lighting design: Robert Carsen and Peter van Praet



This production of La Fanciulla del West, The Girl of the Golden West, started with the men sitting in a cinema seeing a Western film. As the prelude ended in the orchestra the men found there western hats and started to act as they were in a saloon drinking with empty hands and then was shooting with empty hands. I thought that it must be hard to remember all that you must when you don't have the props. But it was just the beginning. When Ashby (Magne Fremmerlid) came then it was really something to drink sat on the table. And when Minnie came, she had real gun. And by then it had started to look as a saloon. And she gave all "real theater" whiskey. By the time the bandit Jose Castro came all had real pistols.

So this production was acted like a fantasy but with each new person coming in a new layer of reality was put in. In the end of the opera it is a dream, the miners go into the cinema to see the western film The Girl of the Golden West after Minnie is now dressed like a movie star and so is Dick Johnson, he came out with a sigarett in his mouth very macho and glamorous. 


Nex time. Fanciulla 2009-12-14 and Canciones Argentinas 2009-12-17 in Den Norske Opera & Ballett: www.operaen.no

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

September 29, 1988: L'Elisir d'Amore, Oslo

1988-09-29 L'Elisir d'Amore (Donizetti), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Adina = Ingjerd Oda Mantor
Nemorino = Kjell Magnus Sandve
Belcore = Terje Stensvold
Dulcamara = Svein Carlsen
Gianetta = Inger-Lise Walseth

Antonio Pappano, conductor



It was a very enjoyable evening with Kjell Magnus Sandve as Nemorino, and Ingjerd Oda Mantor as Adina. Wonderful!

OD Travel

September 11, 2004: Nozze di Figaro in Oslo

2004-09-11 Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart), DNO (Oslo)

Count Almaviva = Ole Jörgen Kristiansen
Figaro = Magne Fremmerlid
Countess Almaviva = Ragnhild Heiland Sörensen
Susanna = Kari Postma
Cherubino = Hege Höisaeter
Marcellina = Torill Eriksen
Dr. Bartolo = Anders Vangen
Don Basilio = Kjell Magnus Sandve
Don Curzio = Svein Erik Sagbråten
Barbarina = Sabine Gross

Eivind Aadland, conductor




LE NOZZE DI FIGARO
Opera in 3 acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte

Season premiere: 11/9
Days of performance: 14/9, 18/9, 22/9, 28/9
Duration: app. 3h 30 mins
Sung in Norwegian

Conductor: Eivind Aadland
Direction: Willy Decker
Set design: Achim Freyer
Costumes: Claudia Doderer
Choir: Steffen Kammler


Count Almaviva - Ole Jörgen Kristiansen
Figaro - Magne Fremmerlid (role debut)
Countess Almaviva - Ragnhild Heiland Sörensen
Susanna - Kari Postma (role debut)
Cherubino - Hege Höisaeter
Marcellina - Torill Eriksen (role debut)
Dr. Bartolo - Anders Vangen (role debut)
Don Basilio - Kjell Magnus Sandve
Don Curzio - Svein Erik Sagbråten
Barbarina - Sabine Gross

The Norwegian National Opera`s Choir and Orchestra

The season of the Norwegian Opera (DNO) started with a classical treat of Mozart's opera Le Nozze di Figaro in Norwegian called Figaros Bryllup. Sung in Norwegian in the wonderful translation of Jens Chr. Ek.

This version had premier on April 28, 1986. And it was also televised. Then it was Knut Skram as Almaviva, Frøydis Klausberger as Contessa, Terje Stensvold as Figaro, and Solveig Kringlebotn (Kringelborn is her artistic name outside Norway) as Susanna.

Ole Jørgen Kristiansen who sang Rigoletto in DNO that was televised was even more wonderful in this opera. Dedicated and convincing. Not a villain, only a man who sincerely believe that he has the first right to all the women in the county. The Contessa here was more of a weakling with little of the grandezza of Frøydis Klausberger. She was no match for Susanna, here wonderfully portrayed by the relatively newcomer Kari Postma. Vocally Postma was in great shape and also acting the role of Susanna most convincingly. Magne Fremmerlid as Figaro is just another example of the deep voices also taking on the more baritonal edge. When one adjusted to this big-voice, big man as Figaro, one cannot be more convinced that he is Figaro. One wondered when he will sing Almaviva. Looking in role list, it said he was singing Furst Gremin in Murmansk, wow that would have been something.

In the smaller roles, Cherubino Hege Høisæter, utterly convincing. Sings her arias wonderfully and not only singing them but acting too, wonderful.
Anders Vangen as Dr. Bartolo and Torill Eriksen as Marcellina, what a treat to have such great singers/actors in this role. Anders Vangen is a relatively newcomer and Torill Eriksen is for some time now been the mezzo in Norwegian opera-life, or she has at least been that in my book. She sang wonderful and I loved the life she brought into the role of Marcellina.

Kjell Magnus Sandve as Don Basilio. It is not a great role in this opera. Sandve who is /has been the tenor-hope of Norway. To my regret I did not find it memorable. When Tor Fagerland sang this role in 1986/87 is was memorable. But no doubt, this is a first for Kjell Magnus Sandve, he will, I am sure, be more memorable in the next performances.

Sabine Gross as Barbarina was also nice. Don Curzio was energetic sung by Svein Erik Sagbråten, something I had not expected. But suddenly I had to look in the role list, Don Curzio.

OD Travel + Photos

April 18, 2007: Die Lustige Witwe in Oslo

2007-04-18 Die Lustige Witwe (F. Lehàr), Den Norske Opera
Hanna Glawari = Solveig Kringlebotn
Grev Danilo Danilovitsch = Kjell Magnus Sandve
Valencienne = Ina Kringlebotn
Camille de Rosillon = Marius Roth Christensen
Baron Zeta = Thor Inge Falch
Njegus = Torill Eriksen

Alfred Eschwé, conductor



DIE LUSTIGE WITWE
Operetta in 3 acts by Franz Lehár
Libretto by Victor & Leon Stein


Premiere: 18/4
Days of performance: 19/4, 21/4, 22/4, 23/4, 24/4, 25/4, 26/4, 30/4, 2/5, 3/5, 5/5
Duration: app. 2 h 45 min
Sung in Norwegian

Conductor: Alfred Eschwé
Directors: Ronald Rørvik/Stuart Hopps/ Toralv Maurstad
Choreography : Stuart Hopps
Set design/ Costumes: John-Kristian Alsaker
Lightning design: Hans-Åke Sjöquist
Choir: Steffen Kammler

Dancers
The Norwegian National Opera's Choir and Orchestra





Sung in Norwegian, OK, I am Norwegian, so it's OK. Dialogue in Norwegian, that's OK too, of course. And subtitles, great. But no subtitles when the dialogue is on. WHY ? And when the director decide that opera singers are going to speak naturally, not with opera voices and great diction, that's idiocy. Could not hear the dialogue well at all, and with no subtitles that mean a lot of information is lost. And Operetta usually have a lot more dialogue than your average opera. Stupid decision, annoying...

If the singing and the rest had been great then I would have forgiven it. Aunt and niece Kringlebotn in an operetta. I expected Aunt Solveig to be better than niece Ina. But Valencienne was better than Hanna Glawari. Kjell Magnus Sandve used to have a beautiful tenor voice but in the operetta his voice was not really there... Best acting and singing was Torill Eriksen as Njegus. The veteran mezzo as Hanna would have been wonderful. I think that maybe Hanna Glawari should be sung by a mezzo soprano...

The singers took a long time to warm up. Especially Solveig Kringlebotn and Kjell Magnus Sandve.

It is difficult to make an operetta work, especially in our modern time.

Weak.. Sad, really.

OD Travel

Original blog post: April 2007: Die Lustige Witwe in Oslo (2007-04-18)