November 19, 2011: Oberto in Paris, France

2011-11-19 Oberto (Verdi), Theatre des Champs-Elysees (Paris)

Riccardo = Valter Borin
Cuniza = Ekaterina Gubanova
Leonora = Maria Guleghina
Oberto = Michele Pertusi
Imelda = Sophie Podjiclis

Carlo Rizzi, conductor

Orchestre National de France
Chœur de Radio France
direction Kalman Strausz

Oberto by Verdi in Theatre des Champs-Elysee. Concert version. From the first notes of the ouverture it was definitely Verdi. The first opera by Giuseppe Verdi, so of course it was young Verdi that some times sounded a bit like the older opera composers. Valter Borin sang Riccardo as Fabio Sartori was unwell. He sang Riccardo's two arias beautifully. In Oberto the tenor (Riccardo) is the villain and the bass (Oberto) is the hero.

Maria Guleghina with blond hair and glasses, she looked wonderful. Unfortately she was not well so sometimes the planned execution of notes did succed, but she was still able to make this Leonora a special treat. For those that simply does not like Maria Guleghina even tried to pin the the cutting of caballettas to the soprano, but it was more Radio France etc.

Ekaterina Gubanova sang the role of Princess Cuniza. The mezzo-soprano was in great shape and showed the noble Cuniza in all her glory.

Michele Pertusi was Oberto, father of Leonora and the enemy of Riccardo. Oberto is obsessed with honour. For modern eyes Oberto is too into himself and his own feelings to think what actions would mean for his daughter. Riccardo on the other hand only realize how wrong he has acted after he kills Oberto. Michele Pertusi was wonderful as Oberto, naturally.



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Original blog post

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June 22, 2002: Carmen in Zurich

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

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

Michel Plasson, conductor



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

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

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

MicaelaELENA PROKINA*

EscamilloMICHELE PERTUSI*
FrasquitaMARTINA JANKOVÁ*

RemendadoMARTIN ZYSSET*
DancairoPETER KÁLMÁN*

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

OD Travel