March 21, 2015: La Grande Duchesse de Gerolstein in Madrid

2015-03-21 The Grand Duchess of Gérolstein (Jacques Offenbach), 
Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid)

LA GRAN DUQUESA = Susana Cordón
FRITZ = José Luis Sola
WANDA = Elena Sancho
EL CONDE PUCK = Manuel de Diego
EL GENERAL BUM = Gerardo Bullón
EL PRÍNCIPE POL = Gustavo Peña
EL BARÓN GROG = Francisco Crespo
EL CAPITÁN NEPOMUCENO = Enrique R. del Portal
IZA = Leonor Bonilla
OLGA = Nuria García
AMELIA  = Ana Cadaval
CARLOTA = Hanna Moroz

Bailarines
Estíbaliz Barroso, José Ángel Capel, Araceli Caro, Íñigo Celaya, Estefanía Corral, José Antonio Domínguez, Alberto Escobar, Daniel Ramos, Susana Román, Sara Peña
Figuración
Ariel Carmona, Javier Crespo, Pablo Garzón, Javier Martínez, Iván Nieto, Joseba Priego, Marcos Rivas, Pedro Ángel Roca, Robson Dos Santos, Israel Trujillo, Gustavo Adrián Villalba, Álvar Zarco

Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid
Coro del Teatro de La Zarzuela
Director:
Antonio Fauró

Music director:
Cristóbal Soler
Stage director, sets and costumes:

Pier Luigi Pizzi

Zarzuela bufa en tres actos y cuatro cuadros, basada en la ópera cómica de Henri Meilhac y Ludovic Halévy

Traducción de Enrique Mejías García

Music by JACQUES OFFENBACH

Worldpremiered at Teatro del Circo in Madrid, November 7, 1868

Producción del Festival de Martina Franca del Valle d'Itria (1996)

The Teatro de la Zarzuela can call it a zarzuela but it still is a Frenche operetta translated to Spanish. A great translation made by Enrique Mejías García. 

Susana Cordón was the Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, a young lady of 20 years who is in love with the military life and the men. Wonderful singing and great acting from Susana Cordón. She falls in love with Fritz, the soldier who by decree of the High Duchess goes all the way up to General and back again to soldier during the performance. Tenor José Luis Sola was a wonderful Fritz. Fritz is in love with the lovely Wanda, a village girl with virtually no education. Soprano Elena Sancho was a lively Wanda, and naturally she too was wonderful almost upstaging the Grand Duchess. General Bum was just as admirably sung and acted by Gerardo Bullón. General Bum never wins Wanda from Fritz but in the end he gets the general plumes back from Fritz. Baron Grog, Francisco Crespo, almost got the plumes from the Grand Duchess but when he outed himself as married then Grand Duchess decided Bum got his plumes and Prince Pol would get a Grand Duchess who would be faithful since married men was not OK even for Grand Duchess. Prince Pol, Gustavo Peña, won the Grand Duchess of Gerolstein.

OperaDuets 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 18, 2001: Samson et Dalila in Barcelona

2001-03-18 Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns), Gran Teatre de Liceu (Barcelona)

Samson = José Cura
Dalila = Markella Hatziano
El Gran Sacerdote = Simon Estes
Viejo Judío = Stefano Palatchi



Sudden debut of José Cura in Samson et Dalila at Barcelona's Gran Teatre de Liceu
I was in Barcelona just for seeing José Carreras as Samson in "his" Opera House. Then the word came out "Enfermidad", Carreras is sick. Cura replaces Carreras. I thought, it could be interesting to compare, and then I love this opera. (Rumors has it that Cura was not the official replacement for the Liceu Samson). Only Cura or Domingo would be great enough a star to replace Josep Carreras in his hometown.

My parents loved José Cura as Samson, so did most of the Spanish press. "Cura was superior to Carreras".

I disagree to that sentiment. Cura sang Samson in Zurich June 10, 2000, and did a much better show in Zurich than here in Barcelona

Act 1. Cura was playing Samson like the ladies man some say Samson was.
Act 2. the best act in the opera, but it was not a memorable act in Barcelona.
Act 3. The emotional act in this opera. But I didn't feel those sentiments.

The one that deserved applause was Stefano Palatchi, the Old Hebrew. I wish I had recorded this evening. Now I must only use my memory. Was it better than I remember it, or is my criticism justified. Don't know. But I remember standing up in the end, and applauding hard. I remember thinking: Why do I applaud it, I didn't feel that Cura was that good. Hysteria...

OD Travel + Photos

February 6, 2005: Il Corsaro in Barcelona

2005-02-06 Il Corsaro (Verdi), Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona

Corrado = José Cura
Medora = Marina Mescheryakova
Gulnara = Susan Neves
Seid = Carlo Guelfi
Giovanni = Josep Ribot
Selimo / Un Eunuco Negro / Schiavo
= José Manuel Zapata

Marco Guidarini, conductor



Il corsaro (versión concierto)

Musical Director
Marco Guidarini

Orquestra Simfònica
del Gran Teatre del Liceu

Cor del Gran Teatre del Liceu

06/02-2005

2005-02-06 Il Corsaro (Verdi), Barcelona

another wonderful concert performance with Jose Cura as Corrado,
Susan Neves as Gulnara, Marina Mescheryakova as Medora, & Carlo
Guelfi as Seid.

Some madrileño had come to Barcelona just to disrupt this
performance. But the Catalan audience hushed him.

OD Travel + Photos

February 5, 2005: Ewa Podles in Barcelona

2005-02-05 Recital, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona

Ewa Podles, mezzo
Roman Markowicz, Piano

I

Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)
El desig de la noia, op. 74, núm. 4
El noi ben plantat, op. 74, núm. 8
L’anell, op. 74, núm. 14
Cançó lituana, op. 74, núm. 16
Estimat, op. 74, núm. 12

Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)
Giovanna d’Arco (Cantata)
“E Notte”
“O mia madre”
“Eppur piange”
“Ah, la fiamma”
“Corre la gioia”


II

Serguei Rakhmàninov (1873-1943)
Crist ha ressucitat, op. 26, núm. 6
Des que ha arribat l’amor, op. 14, núm. 3
En el silenci de la nit, op. 4, núm. 3
Tot passa, op. 26, núm. 15
Tant bella com el migdia, op. 14, núm. 9
Rius de primavera, op. 14, núm. 11

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Zigeunerlieder, op. 103
“He, Zigeuner”, núm. 1
“Hochgetürmte Rimaflut”, núm. 2
“WiBt ihr”, núm. 3
“Lieber Gott”, núm. 4
“Brauner Bursche”, núm. 5
“Röslein Dreie”, núm. 6
“Kommt dir manchmal”, núm. 7
“Rote Abendwolken”, núm. 8




Date Serie Price scale*
Saturday 05-02-2005 18:00 h F IV

Saturday 5th, 2005. I decided go early to the Gran Teatre del Liceu to get the guided tour at 10am and I decided also to see the club Cercles de Liceu. Of course the most interesting part of the opera house was closed, the backstage, the technical areas, and not allowed to take photos of the stalls, but the mirror hall was allowed. And the club was nice, but not that interesting. I only got a head-ache after these guided tours. Then I needed some food and I went to the MacDonalds just over the road of Espai Liceu. I had an interresting view. The MacDonalds sign at the top of the small window and the view of Liceu and in the middle the front of the programme of Wolff-Ferrari´s Sly which I saw in June 2000. Ironic and worlds apart.

Then in the evening, Recital Ewa Podles at 1800. It lasted 2 hours with songs of Chopin, Rossini, Rachmaniov & Brahms, the first extra Cruda sorte from Rossini´s L'Italiana in Algeri. and then something that sounded like de Falla's Polo from Siete cançiones españolas, and Spanish song of Rossini.

Then I waited for Ewa Podles to come by the stage door. I took some photos, and I almost talked to her.

OD Travel

February 3, 2005: Il Corsaro in Barcelona

2005-02-03 Il Corsaro (Verdi), Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona

Corrado = José Cura
Medora = Marina Mescheryakova
Gulnara = Susan Neves
Seid = Carlo Guelfi
Giovanni = Josep Ribot
Selimo / Un Eunuco Negro / Schiavo
= José Manuel Zapata

Marco Guidarini, conductor






First I took the night bus to Oslo as usual. Luckily my bus was not affected by the bad weather, real snowy conditions that had closed som montain roads. So I came in Oslo in good time for my flight. And then I was in Barcelona after almost 3 hours on the plane. All one had to look forward to was untasty plane food. So bad
that only the cola light and Pringles tasted good. At last, Barcelona airport and my first encounter with the Catalan way of queuing. Very polite and nice queu for taxi. And there were many taxis and many people, and it was quick and polite. So then I was at my hotel. Nice hotel but my room was very cold. Then I went to Placa
Catalunya to get used to going to the centre and to have some nice food (and get my tickets). Then soon it was time to get to the Liceu for a concert version of Verdi´s Corsaro.

The orchestra was onstage. It was chairs and note-stative for the singers. I was on front row. It was a wonderful sung and "acted" Corsaro, Medora was wonderful, Gulnara even more wonderful, & Corrado, the Corsair, Jose Cura was splendid. After a long wait Jose Cura came out at the stage door. He was photographed, and after signing and talking to his fans, at proximo midnight it was truely
over.

Today, Friday 4th, I have been suffering headaches, after my first try out, I had to stop before I came to Placa Catalunya, I stopped at Provinca and sat down at a small cafe, unfortunately It was heavily music'ed. So I had to get to Muntaner and my hotel. After more tablets and eating, and laying in my bed. I was ready to go out again. Placa Catalunya and down la Ramblas to Liceu and down to the harbour (almost) and the up again. At Placa Catalunya I visited Fnac, at Liceu I visited the Shop and then Placido Domingo came, he is singing Parsifal day, and I got one good photo of him, when I came up from the harbour, I was hijacked into a restaurant, ate great ensalada and had a bite of pollo, then back to Muntaner, and
my hotel.

OD Travel + Photos

January 12, 2015: Luisa Fernanda in Valencia

2015-01-12 Luisa Fernanda (Moreno Torroba), Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia (Valencia)

Luisa Fernanda = Davinia Rodríguez

Vidal Hernando = Plácido Domingo

Javier = José Bros

Carolina = Isabel Rey

Mariana = María José Suárez

Saboyano = Emilio Sánchez

Rosita = Sandra Ferrández

Nogales = Miguel Sola

Aníbal / Vareador = Vicenç Esteve

Don Florito = Juansa Lloret

Bizco Porras = David Rubiera

Don Lucas = David Fruci *

Capitán = Germán Olvera*

Jordi Bernàcer, conductor

Cor de la Generalitat Valenciana

Francesc Perales, director

Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana

Director - Emilio Sagi

Vestuario - Pepa Ojanguren

Iluminación - Eduardo Bravo

Producción - Teatro Real de Madrid

* Centre de Perfeccionament Plácido Domingo

Placido Domingo sounded fresher in this second performance of Luisa Fernanda. I have seen again the  DVD of the same production from Teatro Real in Madrid in 2006. Naturally with 9 more years Placido sound different now. Placido Domingo, the great tenor, is now singing baritone roles in full force. He is obviously dreaming of conquering all Verdi Baritone roles just like he did Verdi Tenor roles. Verdi baritone roles is very far from the lighter zarzuela even if he is singing Vidal Hernando, a baritone role. Still, Placido can still win people over. Is it the Magic of the Legend or does he still have It.

Jose Bros as Javier Moreno just as in 2006 (DVD), but in Valencia he was even better. I am a big fan of Nancy Fabiola Herrera so I assumed I would prefer her in the 2006 DVD, but I found that Davinia Rodriguez gave the role more personality. In the DVD recording Mariola Cantarero was the Duchess Carolina, but also there did I find more personality and depth in Isabel Rey's intepretation.

It is strange that or maybe it isn't, that the dvd feels more stuffed than the live performances in Valencia. Maybe it is that Valencia had the more superb cast also in the small parts and even chorus and dancers was more alive and real than in Teatro Real. I never saw this zarzuela in Teatro Real so I can only say what I see, feel and hear from the recording.

DVD
Torroba: Luisa Fernanda 

Plácido Domingo (Vidal Hernando); Nancy Herrera (Luisa Fernanda); José Bros (Javier Moreno); Mariola Cantarero (Duchess Carolina); 

"The production at the Teatro Real in Madrid was a top-of-the-range version...Vidal is a peach of a role for Domingo: his voice easily commands its baritone range and he dominates the action, convincingly heroic in voice and figure and still able to project a greying virility in the style of Sean Connery. Nancy Herrara as Luisa and Jose Bros as Javier gave fine support." (The Independent)

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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

January 9, 2015: Luisa Fernanda in Valencia

2015-01-09 Luisa Fernanda (Moreno Torroba), Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia (Valencia)

Luisa Fernanda = Davinia Rodríguez
Vidal Hernando = Plácido Domingo
Javier = José Bros
Carolina = Isabel Rey
Mariana = María José Suárez
Saboyano = Emilio Sánchez
Rosita = Sandra Ferrández
Nogales = Miguel Sola
Aníbal / Vareador = Vicenç Esteve
Don Florito = Juansa Lloret
Bizco Porras = David Rubiera
Don Lucas = David Fruci *
Capitán = Germán Olvera*

Jordi Bernàcer, conductor
Cor de la Generalitat Valenciana
Francesc Perales, director
Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana

Director - Emilio Sagi
Vestuario - Pepa Ojanguren
Iluminación - Eduardo Bravo
Producción - Teatro Real de Madrid


* Centre de Perfeccionament Plácido Domingo

It was the perfect way to end a day. I came for Isabel Rey, soprano from Valencia, And she was wonderful as La Duquesa Carolina. Davinia Rodriguez was known earlier because she sang in I Due Foscari with Placido Domingo as Doge Foscari in Theater an der Wien. Luisa Fernanda is very different from Lucrezia Contarini still Davinia Rodriguez showed she could be the perfect Luisa Fernanda, too. In December Celso Albelo was Javier but I chose Josep Bros and for me that choice paid very well off. Placido Domingo was Vidal Hernando, of course. This time he came of as a bit hoarse at times, but he is still the Placido, Placidissimo! Maria Joae Suarez was Mariana and she was just such a delight to see and hear.

OD Travel & Photos

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It was the perfect way to end a day. I came for Isabel Rey, soprano from Valencia, And she was 
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 13, 2014: Los Diamantes de la Corona in Madrid

2014-12-13 Los diamantes de la corona (Francisco Asenjo Barbieri), Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid)

CATALINA - María José Moreno

DIANA - Marina Pardo

MARQUÉS DE SANDOVAL - Carlos Cosías 

CONDE DE CAMPOMAYOR - Ricardo Muñiz

REBOLLEDO - Fernando Latorre

DON SEBASTIÁN - Gerardo Bullón

ANTONIO - Joseba Pinela

CRIADO - Antonio Gómiz

UJIER - Xavi Montesinos

Oliver Díaz, conductor

Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid

Coro del Teatro de La Zarzuela

Director:

Antonio Fauró

ARTISTIC TEAM

Music director - Oliver Díaz

Stage director - José Carlos Plaza

Sets and lights - Francisco Leal

Costumes - Pedro Moreno

Stage assistant - Jorge Torres

Costumes assistant - Carmen Mancebo

Lights assistant - Pedro Yagüe

Beautiful singing and lovely production. Great fun and surtitling in Spanish and English. A full theatre. Lots of Bravos. A lovely theater night but not something I needed to go to see more times not like La Chulapona by Moreno Torroba.

SYNOPSIS

Queen Maria of Portugal (Catalina) is about to come of age; in the meanwhile, the Conde de Campomayor acts as the regent. Aware of the poverty of her people, and that there are many jewels in the royal jewelry box, the queen decides to convert them into money, replacing the real jewels with false ones without anyone knowing.

The Crown Diamonds

Approximate duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Zarzuela in three acts by Francisco Camprodón

Music by FRANCISCO ASENJO BARBIERI

Worldpremiered at Teatro del Circo in Madrid, September 15, 1854

Production of the Teatro de la Zarzuela (2010)

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December 12, 2016: Anna Bolena in Seville

2016-12-10 Anna Bolena (Donizetti), Teatro de la Maestranza (Seville)

Anna Bolena = Angela Meade
Enrico VIII = Simón Orfila
Giovanna Seymour = Ketevan Kemoklidze
Lord Percy = Ismael Jordi
Smeton = Alexandra Rivas
Lord Rochefort = Stefano Palatchi
Hervey = Manuel de Diego

Maurizio Benini, conductor
REAL ORQUESTA SINFÓNICA DE SEVILLA Artistic and Musical Director, John Axerold
CORO DE LA A.A. DEL TEATRO DE LA MAESTRANZA Director, Íñigo Sampil 

Director - Graham Vick
Design - Paul Brown
Lighting - Giuseppe di Iorio
   
 Production - Fondazione Arena di Verona

2016-12-10 Anna Bolena (Donizetti), Teatro de la Maestranza (Seville)

Anna Bolena = Angela Meade
Enrico VIII = Simón Orfila
Giovanna Seymour = Ketevan Kemoklidze
Lord Percy = Ismael Jordi
Smeton = Alexandra Rivas
Lord Rochefort = Stefano Palatchi
Hervey = Manuel de Diego

Maurizio Benini, conductor
REAL ORQUESTA SINFÓNICA DE SEVILLA Artistic and Musical Director, John Axerold
CORO DE LA A.A. DEL TEATRO DE LA MAESTRANZA Director, Íñigo Sampil

Director - Graham Vick
Design - Paul Brown
Lighting - Giuseppe di Iorio
   
 Production - Fondazione Arena di Verona
I love Gaetano Donizetti and Anna Bolena is a beautiful opera. Angela Meade was a wonderful Anne Boleyn. Ketevan Klimoklidze was a lovely Jane Seymour. Alexandra Rivas was an amazing Smeton. Visually one would never mistake one for another but vocally they was quite similar although Anna is a soprano role, Jane mezzo and Smeton is an alto. Maybe the three roles can be sung by mezzos.

Simon Orfila was Henry the 8th, Ismael Jordi was Richard Percy. The production was very historical and the costumes, too. Maybe too much historicality,  The music was mesmerizing and the singing good. Loved it!!!

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OperaDuets Travel & Photos

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October 25, 2014: Carmen in Madrid

2014-10-25 Carmen (G. Bizet), Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid)

Carmen = María José Montiel
Don José = Javier Palacios*
Escamillo = Rubén Amoretti
Micaëla = Sabina Puértolas
Zuniga = Francisco Tójar
Moralès = David Rubiera
El Donairo = Javier Galán
El Remendado = Néstor Losán
Frasquita = Isabel Rodríguez García
Mercédès = Marifé Nogales
CURRO FLORES = José Vicente Ramos
UN GUÍA = Juan Pedro Schwartz

Yi-Chen Lin, conductor
Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid
Coro del Teatro de La Zarzuela
Director:
Antonio Fauró

Stage directo - Ana Zamora
Sets - Richard Cenier
Costumes - Deborah Macías
Lights - Pedro Yagüe, Miguel Ángel Camacho
Asesor de verso - Vicente Fuentes
Asesor de movimiento coreográfico -
Javier García Ávila
Video design - Álvaro Luna
Director assistant - Fuensanta Morales
Costumes assistant - Anuschka Braun
Sets assistant - Almudena Bautista

Maestro repetidor - Andrés Junco

JAVIER PALACIOS as DON JOSE in replacement for Jose Ferrer who was not well.

Yes that was the announcement that started this Carmen in Madrid's Teatro de la Zarzuela. And a great Don Jose he was, this Javier Palacios on Saturday, October 25th, 2014. Maria Jose Montiel was Carmen just as expected.

This was not the usual Carmen, this was an opera turned zarzuela but for me it was nothing like a true zarzuela just Carmen sung and spoken in Spanish. No Lillas Pastia here, in this Carmen he was names Curro Flores. Here the spoken dialogue was in Spanish almost the same as the original French but expanded to more dialogue and more realistic in then Spanish version. But in this version I could here no doubt the music was French. Strange that when sung in French I could feel it spanishness and only lose Spain and suddenly be in France in the dialogue.

Zarzuela it might not be but the cast was strong with Maria Jose Montiel as a great Carmen, Javier Palacios also in great voice and believable as Don Jose. Sabina Puértolas as Micaela was a wonder as a strong Spanich Micaela. Rubén Amoretti was a rather usual Escamillo when compared to Montiel, Palacias and Puertolas. Francisco Tójar as Zuniga and David Rubiera as Morales were both great actors and singers.

Ana Zamora as stage director created a bright colored Carmen but her idea was that Carmen was to be very feminine but not feministic. That sound like someone who thinks that feminists can not be feminine. She tried to make Carmen into something "more" by setting each act into a newer time so Carmen ended in the 1960s or so. But Carmen can very well be a femistic idol, she rules her own and no man can make her different. Don Jose is a man still very much in the paternalistic pattern, his idea of honor, and he thinks Carmen can be become his help mate. He never listens to her views or believe in them as real. In the end he can only look at Carmen as an Idol or a Demon. Don Jose never sees himself as a man who chooses, so he think he has to kill her when she refuses to save him from himself. Micaela is a brave woman even if she fears Carmen. She never gives up. The soldiers street harassment of Micaela as young, unprotected girl (17)  walks into Sevilla to ask after Don Jose, the officer. Escamillo, the cynic, is he really that much better than the other men, or is he is just the benevolent sexist. And what would really be Carmen's story if Jose did not kill her? Maybe we should also ask how happy would Micaela  and Don Jose be together if Carmen never happened to them. What would be Micaela's story?

Bright colored Carmen, sweetly done, but still no layers here in Ana Zamora's zarzuela version of Carmen. Still: Viva Espana!!!

CARMEN
Zarzuela en cuatro actos, basada en la ópera cómica de Ludovic Halévy y Henri Meilhac
Traducción de Eduardo de Bray
Música de GEORGES BIZET

Estrenada en el Teatro-Circo Alegría de Barcelona, el 7 de abril de 1890
Nueva producción del Teatro de la Zarzuela

FECHAS Y HORARIOS
10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 23, 25, 26, 29, 30 y 31 de octubre de 2014
19:00 horas (domingos, a las 18:00 horas)

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Opera Duets Travel & Photos

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October 17, 2007: Andrea Chenier in Barcelona

2007-10-17 Andrea Chenier (Giordano),
Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona

Andrea Chenier = José Cura
Carlo Gérard = Carlos Álvarez
Maddalena de Coigny = Deborah Voigt
Bersi = Marina Rodríguez Cusí
Comtessa de Coigny = Viorica Cortez
Madelon = Irina Mishura
Roucher = Miguel Ángel Zapater
Pietro Fléville = Enric Serra
Fouquier Tinville = Enric Serra
Mathieu = Philip Cutlip
L'Increïble = Francisco Vas
El mossèn = Josep Ruiz
Schmidt = Vicenç Esteve Corbacho
Un Majordom = Vicenç Esteve Corbacho
Dumas = Manel Esteve Madrid

Pinchas Steinberg, conductor

Direcció d'escena / Dirección de escena / Stage Director Philippe Arlaud
Escenografia / Escenografía /Set Design Philippe Arlaud
Vestuari / Vestuario / Costume design Andrea Uhmann
Il·luminació / Iluminación / Light Design Philippe Arlaud
Coreografia / Coreógrafo / Choreography Keith Morino
Producció: The New National
Theatre Foundation -Tokio

"Questo azzurro sofà là collochiam."
In this production the Majordomo said blanco (white) instead of azzurro (blue) because in this production almost all were dressed in white, and then some tricolor. In this production Madame la Guillotine was omnipresent and the director heavy-handedly gave us the message of the revolution is eating its own, all acts ended with people onstage being murdered. In this Andrea Chenier there was no doubt that Chenier and Maddalena died along with a lot of people that we had seen alive in other acts, Roucher, Bersi etc. Only children was alive to show the flag and be revolutionary.

Wonderful José Cura as Andrea Chenier! Anna Shafajinskaia had been called to the Opera house to maybe step in for a sick Deb Voigt. That would have been very interesting!! But La Voigt did not feel that ill. I can understand that to sing in Liceu, it would be hard to say another must sing for me today. Deborah Voigt is not my ideal as Maddalena di Coigny. She is acting very well, although I find her portrayal to girlish, (loved Maria Guleghina in the DVD from Bologna), and I find it hard to war up to her voice.

Carlos Alvarez was wonderful as Gerard. Very youthful, and this Gerard was really like
Contessa said:
Quel Gérard! L'ha rovinato il leggere!

This Carlo Gerard was destroyed by the reading of books.

I did not take any photos inside the Liceu. I was too nervous, but the good thing with that is that I could concentrate on applauding. BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At the stage door: conductor, Roucher, Voigt, .... No José Cura and I waited a LONG time. But Carlos Alvarez came, but I did not take his photo, I did not take any photos at all in Barcelona. I talked to him. Told him how great I found him in this production and even mentioned how much I liked his Macbeth in the DVD with Maria Guleghina. WOW, Carlos Alvarez!!!!! I talked...
.. but no photos.

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October 25, 2016: Lucrezia Borgia in Bilbao

2016-10-25 Lucrezia Borgia (Donizetti), Palacio Euskalduna (Bilbao)

Lucrezia Borgia = Elena Mosuc 
Gennaro = Celso Albelo
Alfonso I d´este = Marko Mimica* 
Maffio Orsini = Teresa Iervolino*
Don Aposto Gazella = Jose Manuel Díaz Ascanio Petrucci = Zoltan Nagy
Oloferno Vitellozzo = Manuel de Diego
Rustighello = Mikeldi Atxalandabaso
Gubetta = Fernando Latorre
Astolfo = German Olvera*
Jeppo Liverotto = Jesús Álvarez* 

José Miguel Pérez Sierra, conductor
Euskadiko Orkestra Sinfonikoa
Coro de Ópera de Bilbao

Scene Director -  Franceso Bellotto
Scenography - Angelo Sala*
Costumes - Cristina Aceti*
Choreography - Martín Ruis*
Light - Fabio Rossi* 
 Director of the Chorus - Boris Dujin 
    
 Production - Torino, Bergamo and Sassari theaters 
    
 *Debuting at ABAO-OLBE

I have started to love Donizetti operas very much. In Bilbao I saw the most perfect Lucrezia Borgia. The production was amazing. The cast was splendid. Elena Mosuc was the most perfect Lucrezia Borgia. Celso Albelo was also stupendous. Marko Mimica was such a great Alfonso.

As Maffio Orsino we heard and saw Teresa Iervolino. Unfortunately her voice which was a lovely mezzo soprano voice was not penetrating the wall of male voices. Elena Mosuc voice would ring through the whole chorus. Teresa Iervolino did not had that power, but I might be wrong after all I was sitting in front row where one sees well but hears maybe not that well.

Another tenor to enjoy besides the Celso Albelo was the wonderful, thrilling tenor voice of Mikeldi Atxalandabaso as Rustighello. A wonderful find!!!

I loved the production so much. It felt historical and real.
Scene Director -  Franceso Bellotto
Scenography - Angelo Sala*
Costumes - Cristina Aceti*
Choreography - Martín Ruis*
Light - Fabio Rossi*
The regie was right, the costumes and scenography was wonderful and singers and chorus alike was acting so it felt real. I even, after a while, liked the choreography by Martin Ruis. The orcs, I mean soldiers of Alfonso was allright. The woman and boy as Lucrezia and young Gennaro worked in the opera even as I do no generally enjoy ballet in opera. The main thing is that it worked and added a dimension that was emotional and after a while felt real. Lucrezia and Gennaro remembers and feels those two and see them in their inner eye. It meant that no longer is there an incestuos meeting but a mother and son that meets. The mother wants her son. The son wants his mother. Alfonso loves Lucrezia and he thinks Gennaro is a rival. In this production Alfonso is ashamed when he finds out that he was gloating over a mother's loss of her child. Wonderful production even if Lucrezia is still poisoning people here she is a mother under all her actions.

I have seen on video the Lucrezia Borgia from La Scala with Mariella Devia, Marcelo Alvarez and Michele Pertusi with Daniela Barcellona as Orsino and I thought nothing could be better than that. This experience in Bilbao was brilliant and at least on par with La Scala but also better. Elena Mosuc, what a voice and her acting was so brilliant. A beautiful voice and not only that every note was enjoyment for the listener and deeply acting not only through her body but voice too. Celso Albelo won me over. A robust voice even in the higher register. He sang ‘T´amo qual s´ama un angelo’. It was so touching. There was changes in the score from La Scala to Bilbao. Equally beautiful but musically I liked the score from La Scala better. Marko Mimica was a stunning, young Alfonso with his Lucrezia. So young and powerful. His voice rang out.

Chorus and orchestra was great under the hands of José Miguel Pérez Sierra.

And so it ended "Era desso figlio mio". Era dessa Lucrezia Borgia!!!! Brava, Elena Mosuc!! Bravo, Celso Albelo! Bravo, Marko Mimica! Bravissimi!

THE END.

OPERA DUETS TRAVEL & PHOTOS

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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
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July 31, 2009: Turandot in Barcelona

2009-07-31 Turandot (Puccini), Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona

Turandot = Anna Shafajinskaia
Liu = Daniela Dessi
Calaf = Fabio Armiliato
Timur = Giorgio Giuseppini
Ping = Gabriel Bermúndez
Pang = Eduardo Santamaría
Pong = Vincenc Esteve Madrid
Althoum = Josep Ruiz
Mandarin = Philip Cutlip

Giuliano Carella, conductor

I hoped that this time it would not end with suicide. But this Turandot died too like on July 30th.

Still, it was another Turandot. First the performance did not start until 30 minutes later. That was because Daniela Dessi was not well but she still came. It was not possible to hear that she was not well except that she was singing softer in 3rd act and the orchestra was gentle with her. But for normal ears all was well. Not just well but splendid. And her husband-tenor Fabio Armiliato was a great Calaf. Giorgio Giuseppini was great as Timur.

Anna Shafajinskaia was Turandot. I almost thought that she had been replaced by Maria Guleghina. But Anna did not have Maria's specialties. Anna S. was in a more steely voice which was perfect for Turandot. But after Maria Guleghina's Turandot it was not enough for me even if singing and acting was more than perfect. But with Guleghina there is an extra tension, personality and charisma.

The main thing, the duet between Calaf/Turandot was acted so differently that I really hoped to the last that Turandot would choose life. But no Happy Ending. Great opera performance, but ...

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Original blog post: Turandot in Barcelona July 2009


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July 30, 2009: Turandot in Barcelona

2009-07-30 Turandot (Puccini), Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona

Turandot = Maria Guleghina
Liu = Ainhoa Arteta
Calaf = Marco Berti
Timur = Stefano Palatchi
Ping = Gabriel Bermúndez
Pang = Eduardo Santamaría
Pong = Vincenc Esteve Madrid
Althoum = Josep Ruiz
Mandarin = Philip Cutlip

Giuliano Carella, conductor

It ends with a suicide.

First I thought the whole opera ended with Liu's death. Then came a curtain of the sky filled with stars in the night. A wonderful duet started. And Turandot killed herself after "I know his name. His name is LOVE". And Turandot killed herself because he was Love, and she was Death. A night filled with horror had drowned her white dress with the blood of inhabitants of the city. Nessun dorma, he sang dreamily of glory and love, not caring that his nobody shall sleep would mean torture and death to others. Calaf only cared when his own father and Liu was threatened. And Turandot herself: fascinated by Calaf and by the sacrificial love of Liu, but in the end not willing/capable to step out of her death cult and into becoming a loving woman.

Vocally it was never any doubt about Marco Berti's Calaf. A clarion voice with both Non piangere, Liu and Nessun dorma with the closest to perfection I ever heard live. He was no tempted to hold the last tone in Nessun dorma as long as possible I am certain he would have won that contest. But it is opera and no contest. Ainhoa Arteta was wonderful as Liu. Stefano Palatchi as Timur was not so demanding a voice as he should. But acted wonderfully. Ping, Pang and Pong was Ok when one got over the costumes in the act 1 and start of act 2. Ping was Gabriel Bermundez who sang Silvio in Zurich on July 8. Sadly he was often the weak link. But in the 3rd act he was wonderful.

Maria Guleghina as Turandot, what can I say about her. She is definitely more of a Tosca than a Turandot. But maybe it was the production and director's fault. I wonder how it had been had Guleghina been able/allowed to put all her energy and acting skills in the role. She was best vocally and all when she could step free from the robotic Chinese choreography.

But other than that, I liked the production and the choreography (of the dancers).

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Original blog post: Turandot in Barcelona July 2009

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July 25, 2015: Don Carlo in El Escorial, Madrid

2015-07-25 Don Carlo (Giuseppe Verdi), Teatro Auditorio San Lorenzo de El Escorial (Madrid)

Pelipe II. = John Relyea
Don Carlos = José Bros
Isabel de Valois, tercera esposa de Felipe II = Virginia Tola
Rodrigo, marqués de Posa, amigo y confidente de Don Carlo  = Ángel Ódena
Fraile = Simón Orfila
Gran Inquisidor de Espana = Luiz Ottavio Faria
Princesa de Eboli = Ketevan Kemoklidze
Tebaldo = Sonia de Munck
Voz de Cielo = Auxiliadora Toledano
Conde de Lerma = Gerardo Lopez

Maximiano Valdés, conductor
Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid
Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid
Coro de la Orquesta Sinfonica Verum
Banda Interna de a Orquesta Sinfonica Verum

Director de escena - Albert Boadella
Escenografía - Ricardo Sánchez Cuerda
Figurinista - Pedro Moreno
Iluminador - Bernat Jansà
Coreógrafo - Amauri Lebrun

Director del Coro - Pedro Teixeira

So the idea of Albert Boadella was create a more historical correct Don Carlo by Verdi. So he starts off with putting up the the opera in El Escorial. Escorial is after all mentioned in the opera but non of the action is set there. The places in opera is San Yuste monastery in Extremadura, the Royal Palace in Madrid and in the Queen's Garden there. Outdoors in.a Plaza in Madrid for the auto-da-fe and a prison. The opera is played in the hyper-modern Theatre Auditorio in San Lorenzo de El Escorial. The royal building and monastery called just Escorial in the opera is just some hundreds of meters of The Theatre. El Escorial is a big area with several villages and it an hour away from Madrid.

To make the opera or indeed Schillers play more historical is not easy. Historical correctness was not really something Schiller or later the librettist cared too much about. Schiller did try to get the History Right but in the en it was more important to get the drama right, a compelling story. Lucky as the drama was made into an opera it got a better structure and is much more compelling. Historical it is quite false especially the idea that Don Carlos, Infante of Spain and Elisabeth de Valois was ever in love with each other. But first it was Don Carlos who was going to marry Elisabeth. But then it became obvious that Don Carlos was not the right person and the alliance between France and Spain could only be strengthened by the French King's daughter marry the King of Spain, not just the heir of The Spanish throne.

One of the most interesting conflicts in the opera is between the throne and the altar. How long must the throne bend before the altar. In reality Philip 2 of Spain supported Inquisition fully. Assumed guilty was the King's idea of justice. There was conflict often between The king of Spain and the Pope. Philip believed himself closer to God than the Pope. The Pope was not just a religious leader at this time but a sovereign that often went to war and not always for religious reason. Philip made everything for God. The only acceptable faith was the Roman Catholic faith and that meant all Spaniards should follow Philips. Philip was King, Prophet and Priest, and naturally best pals with God. He often made decisions with the firm belief that God would perform the miracles Philip needed. Europe's history might have seen most different if Philip had been more of a realist than a fanatic.

Don Carlos and Elisabeth de Valois was the same age and died in the same year, a terrible year for poor Philip. The only woman that Don Carlos respected and never was uncivil towards Elisabeth. Maybe Boadella was right that Don Carlos loved Elisabeth with an infantile love. There was nothing in Don Carlos to compel Elisabeth to fall in love in, but there was reasons for compassion.  The marriage between Philip and Elisabeth was a happy one. She was his third wife, his second marriage with Maria Tudor of England had not been a happy one, so Philip was devastated when she died because of childbirth. To loose the heir of a kingdom is always a disaster and Philip never wanted Don Carlos dead even as difficult he was and in the end Philip could no longer delude himself that it would be a good idea to have this strange, dangerous person on the Throne of Spain.

The idea of Rodrigo of Rosa is a creation of the times of Schiller who wrote Don Carlo also as a commentary of new idea in politics in Germany. The idealism of Rodrigo does not belong to the century of Philip 2 of Spain. In El Escorial Don Carlos was played as a hunchback with a lame leg and with many nervous ticks. Still someone to trust to change the life of all in the Netherlands. Maybe it was then. The truth about Don Carlos is that he looked at Netherlands and wrote letters to leaders there as he was on the way to treason, and later he attacked his father with a knife or tried. It was popular to tell that Philip killed his son (it was a Protestant rumor). Later a former secretary of Philip, who had managed to run from Spain to England with Death sentence on him. This Secretary Perez had some underhanded affaire with the Princess of Eboli, so he started another rumor that Philip and had an adulterous affair with her. The Princess was dead by that time.

I had come to El Escorial to see an extraordinary Don Carlos but I had seen almost every new thing before. The singing was excellent and the orchestra too. It was a little too much to hint as Elisabeth and Carlos had been childhood friends in the figurines. Eboli looked like historical Eboli with her eye patch. Elisabeth de Valois looked like her historical portrait, same with Philip II but Don Carlos looked too mature but sounded young enough. Don Carlos was unattractive buy the voice was divine.

This was the 4 act Italian version played in the 3 pieces. I love this version but then Rodrigo dies, LACRYMOSA. Until Lacrymosa we have drama going on and working wonderful but then we have "the wonder father-son duet". But it is so illogical and it doesn't fit. Drama just stop up, hi belcanto for no reason, and the scene with fizzles away.

Last act and also the whole opera quietly fizzles away with unnecessary "Carlo il grande imperatore".


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July 20, 2015: Carmen in Barcelona

2015-07-20 Carmen (Bizet), Palau de la Música Catalana (Barcelona)

Carmen = Marta Valero
Don Jose = Sergi Giménez
Micaela = Elvira Galo
Escamillo = Alberto Cazes Spinoglio
Frasquita = Sara Banares or Itziar Espinar
Mercedes = Carla Mattioli
Dancaire = Xavier Aquilar
Rememdado = Jorge Jasso
Zuniga = Nestor Pintado

Orquestra Terrassa 48
Xavier Puig, conductor

Jesús Fernández, stage direction

Yasmina Pulido, choreograph

It was not the very different version of Carmen, it just had more cuts in the score. It was Carmen with orchestra on the stage with the stage area used to showcase Carmen as opera as opposed to just a concert. It had seemed to me that this was to be Carmen as 2 hrs continuous play. In that case the opera would have had serious cuts. In stead it was act 1+2 in 2 hrs and the rest as 30 minutes. We had real Flamenco dancers that danced to Bizets music. Carmen, Don Jose, Micaela, Escamillo, Mercedes, Franquita, Dancaire and Remendado was all there and Zuniga was there, too.

It was beautiful and realistic staged.

It started 2030 and ended 2310. It was as lovely as it could be, but no revolutionary vision.

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June 16, 2000: Sly in Barcelona

2000-06-16 Sly (E. Wolff-Ferrari), Gran Teatre de Liceu (Barcelona)

Sly = Josep Carreras
Dolly = Isabelle Kabatu
Westmoreland = Sherill Milnes
John Plake = Alessandro Guerzoni
The Hostess = Mireia Pinto

David Gimenez, conductor

What a great performance! Carreras had his son Alberto, daughter Julia, brother Alberto and Patricia in the audience. And his nephew, David Giménez was conducting Sly (as on the 13). And Marion and I chose different doors to wait for our start JOSEP. Some Carreras- fans was already waiting. And I saw them all, son, daughter, brother, Patricia, but not Giménez he went on the front of Liceu, I was on the sideway.

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June 13, 2000: Sly in Barcelona

2000-06-13 Sly (E. Wolff-Ferrari), Gran Teatre de Liceu (Barcelona)

Sly = Josep Carreras
Dolly = Isabelle Kabatu
Westmoreland = Sherill Milnes
John Plake = Alessandro Guerzoni
The Hostess = Mireia Pinto

David Gimenez, conductor



It was the first time for me in his operahouse, Gran Teatre del Liceu. It was wonderful. Josep Carreras was great. Isabella Kabatu was a wonderful Dolly. Sherill Milnes was the Count, I liked Juan Pons much better in that role. Guerzoni was a sympathic and good-looking John Plake, good voice, but Carlos Chausson (Zurich) was greater. Mirea Pinto was the hostess, weak voice and that lack of that stage presence that made Stefania Kaluza so memorable in Zurich. I sat close to the stage and took no photos.

On June 13 and 16 I went to the Liceu to see this opera with José Carreras as Sly. Twice for really getting into this opera. Dig deeper... The same production as in Zurich, but another conductor, and the rest of singers except Carreras was the same. David Gimenez, the conductor, gave more beauty to the opera, a more subtle way of conducting. Isabelle Kabatu as Dolly was great, warner than Daniela Dessi. I had seen Kabatu earlier as Dolly in Zurich 2000 (May 17th) and that told me that Barcelona Zurich was worth seeing twice. Josep Carreras was even better, and June 16 was the best performance. Sherrill Milnes was not as great as Juan Pons as Westmoreland. Only David Gimenez, Isabelle Kabatu and Josep Carreras was better than Zurich 1998.

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May 28, 2012: Nabucco in Bilbao

2012-05-28 Nabucco (Verdi), Palacio Euskalduna (Bilbao)

Nabucco = Roberto Frontali
Ismaele = Alejandro Roy
Zaccaria = Carlo Colombara
Abigaille = Maria Guleghina
Fenena = Rosanna Rinaldi
High Priest of Belo = Silverio De la O
Abdallo = Eduardo Ituarte
Anna = Ana Otxoa

Massimo Zanetti, conductor
  Orquesta del Teatro Regio di Parma
Coro de Ópera de Bilbao

Director de escena - Daniele Abbado
Scenography - Luigi Perego
Light  design - Valerio Alfieri

It was the best Nabucco production with the best singers. Only one thing stood out for me as problematic and that was the golden hair of Zaccaria. Golden hair in the Middle East what was that about? Carlo Colombara has dark hair and could have been more authentic as Zaccaria without fake hair. This production of Nabucco was one that seemed to be about authenticity as history goes. Ismaele is clearly marked by his cloths as a Prince of Judea. Zaccaria is also similarly marked an important person. There is no doubt that Nabucco is an Assyrian King. All clearly marked except that one is never shown the chorus in Assyrian cloths. They are always dressed in Jewish cloths. This can be explained by the fact that Jerusalem is taken by Assyrians pretending to be Jews. But that is just true in the first act.

This is a beautiful production, intelligent and wants to be truthful to the libretto. Roberto Frontali, who I have seen as Stankar in the ROH Stiffelio production, was a truly fine Nabucco. Alejandro Joy was wonderful as Ismaele. Strong singing, wonderful acting. Rosanna Rinaldi was also great as Fenena. But the star was Maria Guleghina as Abigaille.

Abigaille can be boring since she is sometime acted as just a one-dimensional villain. Maria Guleghina shows all the different emotions that is Abigaille. She is weak sometimes. In this production one sees Abigaille hesitate in some crucial moment. How ambitious is she? She vacillate between power and love. Most of all she wants to be accepted as Nabucco's daughter and to be loved by Ismaele. Her feelings for her sister Fenena is also torn. Love and envy. So Nabucco changes into a believer of the God of Judea. As Abigaille loses her life she is also going to her redemption and I personally believe more in Abigaille change. Nabucco is just about his daughter Fenena.

I love Abigaille! And Maria Guleghina as Abigaille is just amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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