2004-03-20 Samson et Dalila (C. Saint-Saëns), Royal Opera House (London)
Samson = José Cura
Dalila = Denyce Graves
Abimelech = Tigran Martirossian
High Priest = Bruno Caproni
Ancient Hebrew = Julian Rodescu
First Philistine = James Kennedy
Second Philistine = Jared Holt
Messenger = Hubert Francis
Philippe Jordan, conductor
Director:
Elijah Moshinsky
Designs:
Sidney Nolan
Lighting:
Nick Chelton
Choreography:
David Bintley
Second Philistine:
Jared Holt§
Messenger:
Hubert Francis§
§ Vilar Young Artist
Samson et Dalila, ROH 20.3.2004
It was those transparent curtains with rather ugly paintings. It was ugly and disturbing. The first was not too bad, the hand of God (that's my interpretation. But it stayed on too long after the opera had started. That curtain was in a way acceptable. The 2nd curtain a very vulgar interpretation of I guess Dalila the enchantress. That stayed on WAY too lang, and I also found it offending as a woman. Act 2 is a beautiful act, the most beautiful of all operas I know. The 3rd curtain was a painting of the scapegoat, and it was sickening how long it stayed on.
I found the chorus a bit lack in coordination in their singing. José Cura came as the most handsome Samson I have ever seen. He sang admirably and it was the best Samson performance I have seen with this Argentine tenor. Denyce Graves was singing Dalila. No newspapers had prepared me that the American mezzo was 5 months pregnant. That was a shock. Both vocally and in her acting there a sense of her being very careful in conducting herself onstage. I did long sometimes for these blast of powers that Agnes Baltsa brings onstage.
Denyce Graves voice is compared to Agnes Baltsa a more true mezzo/alto voice, but that said I did not feel a strong stage-presence as I always do with Baltsa.
Act 1: Abimelech and Grand-Pretre, good but not really very memorable. The Old Hebrew, great voice, but it is always when José Cura is there that one can say here is an interesting moment going on. I liked the how Samson came a bit later at the gathering round the Old Hebrew, the little boy who is there guiding Samson in the 3rd act, is here guiding Samson in and The old Hebrew out after he (O.H.) has blessed Samson.
Another thing is that this act ends with Samson removing his Jewish prayer-clothing and leaves with Dalila. They kiss. Curtain down for act 1.
Act 2. As always the most fantastic act with wonderful music and singing. This Dalila really longs for revenge, and she is just pretending to love Samson. No doubt. Her coarse laughter when thinking about that weapons is in perfect shape, her tears will be the un-doing of Samson. In the duet with the Grand-Pretre there is very little energy and dark excitement. But when he leaves Dalila put herself in a melancholy state and then Samson arrives "mal-gré lui-mème". And every-thing is just perfectly acted and sung. Just like it was a movie. It is real touching and kissing. It is near real sex onstage and there is no vulgarity and everything is very true. In this moment when they are both laying together one could think that Denyce Graves and Cura would rather inhibited by the fact that this Dalila is really pregnant but they are not. This is very tender love-making, complete trust. Then there is "Mon Coeur s'ouvre à ta voix" and the quarrel "Mais, non, que dis-je helàs". And in the end Samson cannot resist he is going inside her house after her, and the Philistine is creeping nearer like tigers. "À moi, Philistines!"- "Trahison!".
WONDERFUL
Act 3. I hated the Bacchanale and the ballet, the vulgarities put into the scene. The scapegoats were killed and the blood giving to the Philistine. But it had the great aria of Samson wonderfully sung and acted by José Cura, and of course when he came back onstage for the taunting by the philistines lead by the young boy. And then he got his revenge. But the pillars did not support anything, so how he could kill anyone except those two that were sitting on top of the pillars is a mystery.
And then all the applause. In ROH no applause during the acts only after the curtain was down, and singers did not appear to take the applause until the end of the whole opera.
And after that we waited at the Stage Door for a long time. But then Denyce Graves came out, she left rather quickly, José Cura came after and he stayed on till all had taken their photos and even talked at length to a lady just outside the stage door. Someone had to come and fetch Cura so that he could go to the restaurant just opposite the ROH's Stage Door.
BRAVO, José Cura!!!!!!!
OD Travel + Photos
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
March 20, 2004: Samson et Dalila in London
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
January 31, 2015: Andrea Chenier in London
This was a very much traditional Andrea Chenier but not done in a lazy way. I found it elegant and profound. It had a reality feel. What a great treat it was to have Rosalind Plowright, herself once a famous Maddalena, as Comtesse Coigny, Maddalena's mother, and the great mezzo Denyce Graves as Bersi, Denyce Graves who is famous for her Carmen and Dalila!!! Sadly I did not see them at the final bow after the opera.
Rosalind Plowright sang Maddalena opposite Jose Carreras' Chenier in 1984 when this opera came back after more than 50 years absence. What I loved here is that one can see in this new ROH production that the Comtesse Coigny is really Mother of Maddalena. Not just a foolish aristocrate but a mother. Denyce Graves as Bersi is here much more a friend of Maddalena, a close friend, not a simple servant. And I love that. I love that there is real dedication between Maddalena and Bersi. It makes me understand Bersi's dedication to Maddalena much better. This Bersi is smart and resilient. Denyce Graves was such a joy to see and hear. I love Bersi!! Brava, Denyce Graves!!! Brava, Rosalind Plowright!
Jonas Kaufmann, I guess you want me to gush over the tenor as they all do. I won't do that but he sang so well this night so I almost ready to call him a tenor, but not Tenor with big T, yet, not for me. Eva-Maria Westbroek, she really filled the role of Maddalena di Coigny. A superb pair, Westbroek and Kaufmann!!
Željko Lučić as Carlo Gerard was more subtle than I would have expected after seeing him as Jago in Otello in Berlin. Still it worked, I could find sympathy for this Gerard.
Another thing I want to mention is that Idia Legray had a small girl who was there during the sentencing with an relative. Mother and child tries to hug but soldiers tears them apart. When Maddalena and Gerard come to prision, Gerard carries the young child. And we see mother and child meet again and go out with Gerard protecting them.
OD Travel & Photos
Original blog post
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Wednesday, January 17, 2018
January 17, 2009: Turandot in London
2009-01-17 Turandot (Puccini), Royal Opera House, London
Turandot = Iréne Theorin
Liu = Svetla Vassileva
Calaf = José Cura
Timur = Paata Burchuladze
Ping = Giorgio Caoduro
Pang = Ji-Min Park
Pong = Alasdair Elliott
Althoum = Robert Tear
Mandarin = Kostas Smoriginas
Nicola Luisotti, conductor
Turandot
Saturday, January 17 7:30 PM
Composer
Giacomo Puccini
Revival Director
Jeremy Sutcliffe
Designs
Sally Jacobs
Lighting
F. Mitchell Dana
Choreography
Kate Flatt
Performers
Original Production
Andrei Serban
Conductor
Nicola Luisotti
This production was from 1985. I must say that some of it really looked cheap, like the costumes of Ping, Pong and Pang. But it was really some wonderful ideas there. In a way it was a lot like a musical with all that dancing. Really this was China on the cheap. 1985 really is a long time ago. I missed the Verona Production I saw in 2003 and 2005. Jose Cura really was Calaf and I loved his portrayal here. Irene Theorin was wonderful as Turandot. Svetla Vassileva also great as Liu. Paata Burchuladze as Timur was wonderful when was warmed up (it took some minutes). Great Mandarin. Ping, Pong and Pang did their job well, I just didn't like how they were portrayed, but that was the director's fault. The Orchestra was often a bit too loud. But it was really good, the performance. The production, I am torn on this one. Good, or not too bad, almost Great.
Jose Cura, who was not well to sing on January 12/14, sang a wonderful Calaf. He showed very little of still being a bit sick. Unless this performance harmed him he will only be better. Naturally he left the opera house before we, his fans had the chance to say hallo to him. It was the only sensible thing to do. He sang, that is the most important fact. How well the other singers and chorus and orchestra did it, without Jose Cura it would have been little to applaud. The opera was on his shoulders.
OD Travel + Photos
2009: My first OperaDuets Travel, London's Turando...
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Friday, December 15, 2017
December 15, 2002: Samson et Dalila in London
2002-12-15 Samson et Dalila (C. Saint-Saëns), Barbican (London)
Samson = José Cura
Dalila = Marina Domashenko
Grand Pretre de Dagon = Juha Uusitalo
Abimelech = John Relyea
Un Vielliard Hebreu = Robert Lloyd
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis, conductor
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis, conductor
Saint-Saëns Samson and Delilah
This was just the concert version of the opera. And the Barbican Hall is air-conditioned, something that I think contributed to the drier sound of the singers than on the dress-rehearsal Dec13th.
This time the hall was full and the chorus was onstage also on the second act, even though they had nothing to sing, but they probably just wanted to see José Cura, Marina Domashenko and Juha Uusitalo sing the wonderful act 2 of Samson et Dalila.
The soloists was all dressed in black except Marina Domashenko who was in a shimmering grey dress. Even more acting in this premiere-night than on the dress-rehearsal, especially as it concerns José Cura and Marina Domashenko. Both have sung their roles in opera houses, so they knew exactly what was happening.
It was a wonderful opera-night, even if only a concert. Unfortunately I got real sick when I came back to my hotel, I was nearly not well enough to get to Heathrow and to take my plane back to Norway. Then in Norway I found out that I naturally had gotten a cold, presumably in London.
So a wonderful concert turns into a blues, but not because of the soloists, the chorus, the orchestra and the conductor.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, all !
SAMSON = Jose Cura, tenor
DALILA = Marina Domashenko, mezzo-soprano
(replaces Carolyn Sebron, mezzo-soprano)
(replaces Olga Borodina)
The High Priest of Dagon = Juha Uusitalo, baritone
Abimelech = John Relyea, bass
And Old Hebrew = Robert Lloyd, bass
London Symphony Chorus
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Thursday, December 14, 2017
December 14, 2002: La Traviata in London
2002-12-14 La Traviata (G. Verdi), Royal Opera House (London)
Violetta Valéry = Inva Mula
Flora Bervoix = Ekaterina Gubanova
Marquis d'Obigny = Graeme Danby
Baron Douphol = Darren Jeffery
Doctor Grenvil = Graeme Broadbent
Gastone de Letorières = Elliot Goldie
Alfredo Germont = Edgaras Montvidas
Annina = Gillian Knight
Giuseppe = Neil Gillespie
Giorgio Germont = Paolo Gavanelli
Messenger = Thomas Barnard
Servant = Jonathan Coad
Paolo Carignani, conductor
Worth hearing for Gavanelli, Carignani and Montvidas
17 Dec 2002 Guardian Unlimited
Youth is wasted on the old
16 Dec 2002 The Times
The Times critized the production, which I truly liked.
Edgaras Montevidas was cited as "one of the best things about the evening" I also found him good, maybe even better in the role than The Times Reviewer Robert Thicknesse, but the criticism on Inva Mula, the Violetta of the evening, who I found nothing less than perfect as singer and actress. He also say that the chorus did not follow the beat of the conductor, I did not hear that, nor that the chorus turned "the two parties into funerals". Truly the parties was like parties, high spirit. (The Times gave 3 stars out of 5)
The Guardian and I agreed on the tenor Edgaras Montvidas:
"His voice, reedy and elegant, is on the small side, though he sings with an instinctive feel for the inner pulse of Verdi's music. He is a convincing actor, too, first approaching Violetta with a combination of gauche desire and the stiff-backed wariness of someone tentatively breaking away from the legacy of a morally rigid upbringing. When he publicly denounces her, he is ambivalent and wretched rather than blind with rage. "
But on Inva Mula, the Albanian soprano I disagree.
"In fact, he is better than Violetta, the Albanian soprano Inva Mula. She can sing and act, though not always at the same time: she delivers the bulk of her vocal utterances straight to the audience, then follows them up with the requisite dramatic gesture aimed at whichever character she is with on stage. She abandons this habit when she gets to the final scenes, by which time one's sympathy is wearing thin. Her voice has a dramatic tang, though she is over-fond of hanging on to high notes, slowing the score whenever she does so. "
About Paolo Gavanelli as Giorgio Germont, I will just say that he is more mellow in tone than Renato Bruson, but this Germont père was not symphatic enough, not even in the last act. His remorse seemed superficial.
BRAVA, Inva Mula!!!
(would have been an absolutely perfect evening, if the people had not coughed so much, I think it must have been 10 or 12 people coughing) Violetta almost didn't have a change against that.
OD Travel
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Wednesday, December 13, 2017
December 13, 2002: Samson et Dalila in London
2002-12-13 Samson et Dalila (C. Saint-Saëns), Barbican London
Samson = José Cura
Dalila = Marina Domashenko
Grand Pretre de Dagon = Juha Uusitalo
Abimelech = John Relyea
Un Vielliard Hebreu = Robert Lloyd
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis, conductor
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Colin Davis, conductor
Samson = Jose Cura, tenor
Dalila = Marina Domashenko, mezzo-soprano
Grand Pretre de Dagon = Juha Uusitalo, baritone
Abimelech = John Relyea, bass
Un Vielliard Hebreu = Robert Lloyd, bass
Mark Stone, baritone
London Symphony Chorus
Saint-Saens Samson and Delilah
Dress Rehearsal, Barbican Hall in the Barbican Centre
It started at 1900 (London Time), I was on Norwegian Time 2000.
Concert version of the opera. They were all in casual wear, nobody more so than José Cura. It was an orchestra and chorus in great form, conducted by Sir Colin Davis, who also conducted Cura's recording of Samson et Dalila on Erato. Marina Domashenko replaced Olga Borodina, who had partnered Cura on the CD. Her voice was rich and she was in role all the time. José Cura sang Samson in a way that showed that this role was also his onstage in an opera house. Of the deep voices Robert Lloyd, the old Hebrew was the most impressive on, but the Great Priest (Juha Uusitalo) and Abimelech was also very good. The sound of the chorus was crystal-clear. On only really missed the stage when the Danse of the Priestesses, or the Bacchanal was played. Or, should I say, that was the time on REALLY missed it.
The "staging" of the concert. Chorus and orchestra all dressed formally in black. The chorus was behind the orchestra, soloists was standing next to the conductor, but closer to the audience than the conductor. In the beginning of "Dieu d'Israel", the chorus is sitting (since this opera starts with almost a whisper), and then they stand of (all at the same time) when the music reaches a higher level of anger/despair. Cura walks casually in, and starts singing "Arretez, o mes freres" while walking and not looking at his score. Then he turns towards the chorus and quietly put his glasses on. They are very discreet , but one can see the reflection from them. Then Abimelech comes in, put his score on the stand and sings, and go out after singing his part (as a dead man, since Samson has just killed him). One needs one's phantasy when the opera is a concert..
Then The Great Priest of Dagon arrived with the 1 Philistine (Alasdair Elliot, tenor) and the 2. Philistine (Mark Stone, baritone) and the Messager (Peter Auty, tenor). Great singing. In the "Hymne de joie", the lower male voices of the chorus stood up, with Robert Lloyd as the old Hebrew. Wow, can that man sing!!! Then it was the female singers turn for "Voici le printemps", marvelously sung. And then Dalila came, at last, Marina Domashenko, "Je viens celebrer la victoire". Dalila came from the left door, Cura & Lloyd from the right. Wonderfully sung, all. Cura & Lloyd left for the Danse of the priestesses, Samson seemed to want to stay on. Dalila, Marina Domashenko, stood there, in role, seeming to almost wanting to danse with all her allure on. Then Dalila sang "Printemps qui commence" and the Old Hebrew tried to dissuade Samson from listening, since it was a concert Cura was not there.
INTERVAL
2nd act, my favorite.
The Chorus does not sing in act 2, so they were not there. But Dalila and Great Priest and then José Cura, Samson they all sung and conquered us. Not only singing, but they also acting their part as far as it was possible in a concert, and the limited space. When Dalila exclaims "I hate you", she walks off, Samson is distraught, but the he is off. The orchestra is in fervor. Marina Domashenko walking out the door " A moi, philistines!!", José Cura: "TRAHISON!"
INTERVAL
3rd act.
José Cura and the chorus in emotional "Vois ma misere, helas!" Both orchestra and chorus did well in all their parts, and I must say that this chorus really sang so that one heard the words. Great Priest of Dagon and Dalila came onto stage, it was really touching what Cura did with his tormented Samson, soft-voiced in his reproaches to himself, passionate in his defense for God.
BRAVISSIMI!!!!
OD Travel
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Monday, November 6, 2017
November 6, 2004: La Forza del Destino in London
2004-11-06 La Forza del Destino (Verdi), Royal Opera House London
Don Alvaro = Salvatore Licitra
Leonora = Violeta Urmana
Don Carlo di Vargas = Ambrogio Maestri
Padre Guardiano = Ferruccio Furlanetto
Preziosilla = Marie-Ange Todorovitch
Fra Melitone = Roberto de Candia
Marchese di Calatrava = Brindley Sherratt
Mastro Trabuco = Peter Bronder
Curra = Liora Grodnikaite
Alcalde = Jonathan May
Antonio Pappano, conductor
The Royal Opera 2004 - 2005
La forza del destino
Giuseppe Verdi
NEW PRODUCTION
16 October at 6pm
18 | 26 | 29 October at 6.30pm
1 | 3 November at 6.30pm
6 November at 6pm
Sung in Italian with English surtitles
Running time: 3 hours 45 minutes
Supported (2004) by The Jean Sainsbury Royal Opera House
Fund
La forza del destino reappears in the Royal Opera repertory after nearly 30 years. When Leonora's elopement with her lover Don Alvaro is interrupted by her father, the result is death and a curse: and so begins a fate-driven story of unknown identities, accidental reunions and dark confrontations.
This grand and traditional production is presented at Covent Garden with an exciting cast of singers both familiar with and new to this staging. Salvatore Licitra makes his House debut as the ill-fated Alvaro, the most difficult of tenor roles, opposite Violetta Urmana as the tragically cursed Leonora. Ambrogio Maestri makes his House debut as Don Carlo di Vargas, Leonora's brother who unwittingly rescues Don Alvaro, the man he has sworn to kill. With the returns of Ferruccio Furlanetto (Padre Guardiano), Marie-Ange Todorovitch (Preziosilla) and the Company debut of Roberto de Candia (Fra Melitone), Verdi's high melodrama is once more set to thrill.
Conductor:
Antonio Pappano
Staging:
Patrizia Frini
Lighting:
John B Read
Based on a production from
La Scala, Milan
WOW, the ouverture of Forza was extremely well played and conducted by the ROH Orchestra and Antonio Pappano. Unfortunately the high quality was not continuing the whole opera. Just simply to operatic, this opening of the curtain and the Marquis of Calatrava in freeze position until the opera singing started. Wrong, this opera starts
with us seeing what in a middle of a scene of a father and daughter together talking. The opera starts when the father is going from his daughters room. (not a BIG fault, you know, but irritating). Violeta Urmana is singing and at time also acting Leonora wonderfully, but she look too solid and not young enough as I see Leonora. The father
looked younger than his daughter. Luckily Salvatore Licitra as Don Alvaro saves act 1 from being a complete bore. Heavy-built Licitra with his energy and this man can also run so you can believe that he can be a brave soldier and handsome seducer. Wonderful tenor voice, sometimes it seems strained. Salvatore Licitra seem to be a very good-natured man, as Don Alvaro a man destiny hates, it seems strange mix.
I think it was totally wrong to use ballet dancers into Forza. All those posing, making the dancing and musicality of the chorus moments into strange things put into the opera and they did not seem to belong there. With less obvious choreography and more real people like chorus members etc singing and dancing and not those skinny
ballet dancers and it would have been more a natural integrated part of the opera, the dancing in the tavern, in the open... This Preziosilla, Marie-Ange Todorovich, acted and sang wonderfully, but the voice looses against the orchestra and I don't hear a true mezzo/alto voice as I longed for. Knowing that Ambrogio Maestri is singing Don Carlo means that you know that the student is Don Carlo, he is just so big and tall. He is not a bad Don Carlo but he is not a great Don Carlo, you can easily forget him, only a big man, the physical shape of Maestri remains.
But Ferruccio Furlanetto as Padre Guardiano was wonderful. Wonderful sonorous voice, commanding presence. Fra Melitone was too much, to much bass, too little humor.
This production from La Scala, or based on it, yes it was a traditional production but as it seem to be asking for realism, it forgot to be truthful to realism, that need real people doing thing thing to real reasons. It was too operatic, stupid even. Why was Fra Melitone so heavy-handed in humor, if Melitone had been considered as a
real human being and not a caricature, the humor would have come through much more efficiently, I think.
I think the radio viewers was much more lucky than us, even though Roberto Alagna and his wife Angela Gheorghiu was there. BBC radio 3 was lucky they could he a wonderfully sung Forza and see the perfect performance in their imagination. In stead of La Scala production with its promises never to be met.
Loved Salvatore & Ferruccio, not La Scala's Forza....
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Friday, September 29, 2017
September 29, 2008: La Fanciulla del West, London
2008-09-29 La Fanciulla del West (Puccini), Royal Opera House, London
Minnie = Eva-Maria Westbroek
Dick Johnson (Ramirez) = José Cura
Jack Rance = Silvano Carroli
Nick = Bonaventura Bottone
Ashby = Erik Halfvarson
Jake Wallace = Vuyani Mlinde
Sonora = Daniel Sutin
Bello = Kostas Smorginas
Happy = Quentin Hayes
Joe = Harry Nicoll
Larkens = Andrew Foster-Williams
Trin = Hubert Francis
Harry = Robert Murray
Sid = Adrian Clarke
José Castro = Jeremy White
Wowkle = Clare Shearer
Billy Jackrabbit = Graeme Danby
Antonio Pappano, conductor
Conductor: Antonio Pappano
Director: Piero Faggioni
Set Designs: Kenneth Adam
Costume Designs: Piero Faggioni
Lighting: Piero Faggioni
Another Fanciulla on Monday 2008-09-29. This performance also started at 19. And as ususal I started with a Pizza (Funghi) at Piazza Cafe, but this time I was inside the cafe and not sitting outside. Another great Pizza Funghi. Lovely.
And then it was opera time. This time I was careful to arrive in good time before the opera starts. Fewer JCx members this time. I got to see the whole opera in my wonderful seat in the orchestra stalls. The only time we get to applaud the conductor Antonio Pappano before the opera starts is before act 3. SO both act 1 and act 2 starts suddenly from blackness to lights and music.
The only difference from Friday 26 to Monday 29 is the singer that is Sheriff Jack Rance, Silvano Carroli, the original Rance from 1977. So 31 years after this production was first played he is back, he also sang in the same production in 1978, so this was also 30 years celebration. And in 1982 it was taped on video with Placido Domingo as Dick Johnson, Carol Neblett as Minnie and Silvano Carroli as Rance, conducted by Nello Santi.
So how was he compared with himself almost 3o years ago or compared to our other Rance, Claudio Sgura. He was much older and somewhat lacking in force especially in act 1, in act 2+3 he was better. Anyway the opera changes a bit when Jack Rance is young and dashing (Claudio Sgura) or if he is more of an old rogue (Silvano Carroli 2008). Comparing 1982 performance with 2008 is almost impossible, it is to compare younger, domineering to older, domineering.
Many said this was the best performance of Silvano Carroli and the cast. It was certainly musically good. After a long wait at the stage door we finally met Jose Cura and his family and Eva-Maria Westbroek. I did not see Silvano Carroli. José Cura was still there talking when I left for my hotel. After all I was going home the next day.
Original blog post
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Tuesday, September 26, 2017
September 26, 2008: La Fanciulla del West, London
2008-09-26 La Fanciulla del West (Puccini), Royal Opera House, London
Minnie = Eva-Maria Westbroek
Dick Johnson (Ramirez) = José Cura
Jack Rance = Claudio Sgura
Nick = Bonaventura Bottone
Ashby = Erik Halfvarson
Jake Wallace = Vuyani Mlinde
Sonora = Daniel Sutin
Bello = Kostas Smorginas
Happy = Quentin Hayes
Joe = Harry Nicoll
Larkens = Andrew Foster-Williams
Trin = Hubert Francis
Harry = Robert Murray
Sid = Adrian Clarke
José Castro = Jeremy White
Wowkle = Clare Shearer
Billy Jackrabbit = Graeme Danby
Antonio Pappano, conductor
Conductor: Antonio Pappano
Director: Piero Faggioni
Set Designs: Kenneth Adam
Costume Designs: Piero Faggioni
Lighting: Piero Faggioni
I went to Covent Garden with the tube, and I ate the most wonderful Pizza Funghi at the Piazza Cafe. But then it had taken forever to get the pizza and even though I had had a quick look at my opera ticket I never saw that it was 19 pm and not 1930 as I had convinced my self. Pizza was still good but it cost me 15 minutes of the beginning of the opera, it is not that bad, Minnie and Dick Johnson had not arrived at the stage yet. I was lucky, the staff in ROH let me in and decided that I could see the opera live from a balcony box. Not that lucky was that is was on wrong side of much of the Johnson/Minnie action. Looking at a TV relay would have been better. But Act 1 was really special, balcony box. But too many people had their head far out of the boxes and I was naturally in the second row but I could enjoy the chair and the music and singing.
ACT 1
Lost 15 minutes. But it was OK I had after all seen this production in 2005.
Jack Rance = Claudio Sgura. New Sheriff in town. Loved him even if he seemed a little too young, but he was like a young and attractive Silvano Carroli. He really reminded me of SC of ROH video/DVD.
Ashby = Erik Halfvarson. So unlike Robert Lloyd's more elegant Mr Ashby. This was a man who was drinking from his bottle all the time.
Minnie = Eva-Maria Westbroek. This is her favorite opera and her dream role but I find her too ... over-acting. She made me miss Andrea Gruber as Minnie. And wondering what would have happened if Sylvie Valayre had been ROH's Minnie. SV was a wonderful Minnie in Zurich 2004 and Berlin 2006.
Dick Johnson = José Cura. WOW, even better actor and absolutely wonderful.
Jake Wallace = Vuyani Mlinde. THANK YOU, ROH: no black-face-painted as AL JOLSON, just a black man in his own skin. BUT, I never saw him in the line-up at the front for the applause in the end of the opera. WHY: Jake Wallace is a short role but really important to be able to show our appreciation for his art. He was not just a part of chorus or ensemble. As important as Trin or some of the other miners (all white persons, by the way) that got their own line-up. He should have been up there with Cura, Westbroek, Sgura, Bonaventura Bottone, Erik Halfvarson.
(I just hope somebody will say I am wrong, he was there, I must just have missed him. And for the record I don't believe this is necessary racism, but it might just be a blind spot at the ROH.)
ACT 2
I am so GLAD that Wowkle (Clare Shearer), Billy Jackrabbit (Graeme Danby) managed to made some of their UGH into something less offensive (ah, eh, oh). That made this act better for me. Westbroek and Cura was really good together. And Sgura was just perfect.
What was wrong? The roof of the cabin, if you lived with kind of roof you would have snow inside. Another snowy issue. All the opening of the door, Wowkle exclaiming "it is snowing" (a blizzard, you know) and then Johnson also IT IS SNOWING. BUT no snow was seen from the opened door, it should have been snowing inside so that we understood why Johnson needed to stay in Minnie's cabin, you know, because of the blizzard. And how heartless it was that earlier Wowkle with her little baby on her back was made to go out by Minnie and later Johnson kicking her out when she hesitated because of the SNOW. The snow that never was...
ACT 3
GREAT. Great aria: Ch'ella mi creda. Minnie was really good.
AND of course I met a lot of friends from the Jose Cura connexion. We waited at the stage door. Cura, Westbroek, Sgura came, and probably others that I did not know.
0030 Norwegian time in my hotel---
Original blog post
OD Travel + Photos
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Monday, September 18, 2017
September 18, 2005: Fanciulla del West in London
2005-09-18 La Fanciulla del West (Puccini), Royal Opera House, London
Minnie = Andrea Gruber
Dick Johnson (Ramirez) = José Cura
Jack Rance = Mark Delavan
Nick = Francis Egerton
Ashby = Robert Lloyd
Jake Wallace = Jonathan Lemalu
Sonora = Mark Stone
Bello = Grant Doyle
Happy = Jared Holt
Joe = Harry Nicoll
Larkens = Graeme Broadbent
Trin = Hubert Francis
Harry = Robert Murray
Sid = Adrian Clarke
José Castro = Jeremy White
Wowkle = Clare Shearer
Billy Jackrabbit = Graeme Danby
Antonio Pappano, conductor
La fanciulla del West
The Royal Opera 2005 - 2006
6:00 PM
18-Sep-05
Supported (2005) by The Jean Sainsbury Royal Opera House Fund
Sung in Italian with English surtitles
Running time: 3 hrs 30 mins
Conductor: Antonio Pappano
Director: Piero Faggioni
Set Designs: Kenneth Adam
Costume Designs: Piero Faggioni
Lighting: Piero Faggioni
My seat was better but the performance on Thursday was better I felt. This was just a nice Ch'ella mi creda where as Thursday had more passion. Mark Delavan was perhaps a bit better, but everything hung by a thread, nearly getting things right. The weak point of this production seem not to observe the details closely. More faithfulness to Belasco's play would have been a pluss. Minnie's portrait was not true the a real woman of the West, too much girlishness and to little of the pioneer woman, a woman who sleeps with her gun. Andrea Gruber should have been perfect, after all she has sung Turandot, not Liu.
After the opera, we waited for the stars to get out. Andrea Gruber I saw, but no photos did I take, she was walking fast, and when she stopped there was too many people between us. Harry Nicoll and the man who sang Nick, the same. But Mark Delavan and Robert Lloyd got photographed. Then Jose Cura came, his wife and his son Jose Ben was waiting for him. So Cura was invited behind the glass to sit and autograph and getting photographed. Of course we were plenty people there almost all with cameras.
OD Travel + Photos
Friday, September 15, 2017
September 15, 2005: Fanciulla del West in London
2005-09-15 La Fanciulla del West (Puccini), Royal Opera House, London
Minnie = Andrea Gruber
Dick Johnson (Ramirez) = José Cura
Jack Rance = Mark Delavan
Nick = Francis Egerton
Ashby = Robert Lloyd
Jake Wallace = Jonathan Lemalu
Sonora = Mark Stone
Bello = Grant Doyle
Happy = Jared Holt
Joe = Harry Nicoll
Larkens = Graeme Broadbent
Trin = Hubert Francis
Harry = Robert Murray
Sid = Adrian Clarke
José Castro = Jeremy White
Wowkle = Clare Shearer
Billy Jackrabbit = Graeme Danby
Antonio Pappano, conductor
La fanciulla del West
The Royal Opera 2005 - 2006
7:00 PM
15-Sep-05
Supported (2005) by The Jean Sainsbury Royal Opera House Fund
Sung in Italian with English surtitles
Running time: 3 hrs 30 mins
Conductor: Antonio Pappano
Director: Piero Faggioni
Set Designs: Kenneth Adam
Costume Designs: Piero Faggioni
Lighting: Piero Faggioni
§ Jette Parker Young Artist
I liked the production but I think the Zurich production (2004) was superior. Anyway the tenor was the same as in Zurich, and Jose Cura did a wonderful job. He had improved and proved that the role of Dick Johnson alias Ramirez is probably the ideal opera role for Jose Cura at this time. Just as it used to be for Plácido Domingo in the 1980s.
Andrea Gruber was a wonderful Minnie, superbly acted but not always vocally on the top of things, but it was a mere minor detail. Worse was it that Mark Delevan as Sheriff Jack Rance was so weak, a bit better in act 2 and act 3 but nothing as the menace that Juan Pons gave this role in Zurich 2004./ Jonathan Lemalu as Jack Wallace was a disappointment. Francis Egerton as Nick was acting wonderfully and was in beautiful voice the whole evening. Mark Stone made an Ok Sonora. Robert Lloyd was making Ashby almost a good role to do. Harry Nicoll as Joe was something I have a hard time remembering anything of, so unlike Zurich 2004 where Joe was quite poignant. It was a great chorus moment though.
It was a wonderful opera night. It started raining again, and to make matters worse it was a "premiere" party and so we couldn't stand there and just wait for how many hours to maybe see Jose Cura appear. It was a bit cold too. So we just went home...
OD Travel + Photos
Thursday, August 17, 2017
August 17, 1989: La Chulapona in Edinburgh
1989-08-17 La Chulapona (Moreno Torroba), Playhouse Theatre (Edinburgh)
Manuela, jefa del taller de plancha = Lola Casariego
Rosario, oficiala y amiga de Manuela = Amalia Barrio
José María, novio de Manuela = Ricardo Muñiz
Juan de Dios, hermano de Manuela = Julio Incera
Señor Antonio, padre de Emilia y eterno enamorado de Manuela =José Luis Cancela
Doña Venustiana, madre de Rosario y prestamista = Rosaura De Andrea
El Chalina, organillero achulado y algo aprovechado = Rafael Castejón
Don Epifanio, padre de Manuela y pobre cesante = Luis Barbero
Emilia = Marisa Ruz
Organillero = Mario Martín
Lolita = Manolita Antolinos
Ascensión = Juanita Ruiz
Concha = Ada Rodriguez
Ist Guard = José Antonio Sanguino
2nd Guard = Ion Garyalde
Manolito = César Lucendo
Young man in tavern = José Varela
Drunkard = Jesús Alcaide
Flamenco singer = Maria "La Coneja"
Ganadero = José Antonio Sanguino
Cansino = José Sánchez Cela
Peasant = Carlos Rubio
Maravilla = Pilar Del Río
Guadalupe = Emilia Fuentes
Café owner = Andrés Fuentes
Sleeping man = Rafael Del Río
Guitarist = Francisco Bohollo
Dancers = Elvira Andrés, Nuria Castejon, Paloma Moraleda
Pilar Rubio, Carlos Fernández, Isaac Fernández, Juan Manuel Lillo, Ricardo Ocaña
Miguel Roa, conductor
National Opera of Spain, Teatro la Zarzuela, Madrid
Producer - Gerardo Malla
Designer - Mario Barnedo
Choreography - Goyo Montero
Light design - Eric Teunis
My first Zarzuela experience. It was wonderful. But if I understood Spanish it would have been even better. It had lot of dialogue and was funny too, but it was all in Spanish.
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
August 16, 1989: Montserrat Caballe in Edinburgh
1989-08-16 Recital Montserrat Caballe, Usher Hall (Edinburgh)
Montserrat Caballe, soprano
Miguel Zanetti, piano
(Vivaldi, Bellini, Mercadante, Rossini, Granados, Mompou, Obradors, Turina)
5 extras
1: La Paloma
2.
3. Los Clavelitos
4. Lunar...
5. Melanope
OperaDuets Travel
It was a painful experience. Baroque arias etc and then I was really sick, pain in my body. And we were sitting high up and far away in a balcony. I just remember the pain. But I am sure La Superba was simply superb. But all I wanted to be in bed and have some pain killers. She sang 5 extras so it must have been a great recital for those that were not ill.
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
June 7, 2001: Josep Carreras in London
2001-06-07 Jose Carreras Concert, Hampton Court (London)
Josep Carreras, tenor
English Chamber Orchestra
David Gimenez, conductor
I never dreamt I would criticize David Gimenez conducting, but I found the overture of Der Zigeunerbaron (The Gipsy Baron) lacking in the description of the Hungarian gipsy liveliness, but better in the Viennese waltz parts.
Jose Carreras looked very well when he sang the two songs of Costa, but I did find either his interpretation or the composition lacking in something that could draw me into the magic. The zarzuela aria from Alma de Dios was a great pleasure. But I found Mr Gimenez conducting a little bit disturbing. This aria if given more pace would be even more intriguing.
The overture of I Vespri Siciliani is a showstopper, but I have heard greater performances of this overture. My harsh critic of David Gimenez, is derived of my high regard of this young conductor, and therefore any lack is taken more seriously than had it been any other conductor. The best aspect of DG's conducting is as always the clarity he brings to it. Sometimes it work the other way araound, one hears better any "fault".
The 3 Romanze of Giuseppe Verdi; Il Poveretto, Brindisi and L'Esule was the absolute highlight. The opera singer makes every mood in these 3 romances very well. Here is acting and singing in perfect togetherness. Poveretto: the old soldier reduced to beggary, but still proud. Brindisi, getting drunk, giving a toast. L'Esule, the grandest interpretation.
2. half.
What can say, just wonderful the whole part. Especially was the Adagio from Spartacus a treat. And Jose Carreras sang like a god all the songs. + 3 wonderful extras.
7.6.2001
Hampton Court Palace Festival
Josep Carreras, tenor
English Chamber Orchestra
David Gimenez, conductor.
Johann Strauss II
Overture, Der Zigeunerbaron
Mario Paquale Costa
'Luna nova'
'Era de maggio'
Jose Serrano
'Canción hungara' from Alma de Dios
Giuseppe Verdi
Overture, I vespri siciliani
'Il poveretto'
'Brindisi'
'L'Esule'
interval
Paolo Tosti
'Marechiare'
Furio Rendine
'Vurria'
Johann Strauss II
'Unter Donner und Blitz'
Enrico Toselli
'Serenata'
Nicola Valente
'Passione'
Aram Khachaturian
'Adagio' from Spartacus
Rodolfo Falvo
'Guapparia'
Salvatore Cardillo
'Core'ngrato'
3 extra numbers:
1. Musica proibita
2. (Neapolitan Song)
3. All the things you are
OD Travel + Photos
Thursday, May 11, 2017
May 11, 2002: Il Trovatore in London
2002-05-11 Il Trovatore (G. Verdi), Royal Opera House (London)
Ferrando = Tomas Tómasson
Leonora = Verónica Villarroel
Ines = Gweneth-Ann Jeffers
Count di Luna = Vladimir Chernov
Manrico = José Cura
Azucena = Yvonne Naef
Old gypsy = Thomas Barnard
Messenger = Douglas Telfer
Ruiz = Edgaras Montvidas
Carlo Rizzi, conductor
Il Trovatore, Royal Opera House
May 11, 2002 Matinee
I met some members of the JCx and I promised to join this club. I loved Veronica Villarroel as Leonora and Vladimir Chernov as Count di Luna. I did not like to the same extent Yvonne Naef as Azucena and Jose Cura as Manrico, but I don't blame Naef or Cura for that I blame the director (Moshinsky who I have always liked, but this time). I was not overly enthusiastic about the scenography either, even though it was a traditional one. It was a conventional and thought-through production, that was somehow lacking in soul. One of the disappointment of the evening was "Di quella pira", and I am not thinking about any top C's that might or might not be missing ('cause I wouldn't know that), I just felt it was not as exciting as that aria is supposed to be. I was left cold. "Ah si, ben mio" was sung truly beautifully and deserved it applause. After Di Quella Pira, the audience was applauding, but not so much for the aria, but for the whole scene that was also a triumph for Veronica Villarroel.
This Leonora, Veronica Villlarroel, was an absolute joy to see and listen to. A breath-taking "Tacea la notte placida", and among other a wonderful Leonora in scene from the tower, like "Tu vedrai che amore in terra" and the duet with Vladimir Chernov/di Luna. And naturally in the end of the opera. Everywhere Veronica Villarroel was, was the high class of singing and acting. Conte di Luna = Vladimir Chernov had power and class in his singing and in acting, too. With all that inside, one longed for him singing a positive role, for once. And he was so nice afterwards at the stage door. Veronica Villarroel and Yvonne Naef was also nice, and had Jose Cura had more time (he had other engagements that evening), but he was still gorgeous and polite.
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE
COVENT GARDEN
presents
The Royal Opera
Music Director Bernard Haitink KBE
Director of Opera Elaine Padmore
IL TROVATORE
Dramma in two acts
Music Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto Salvadore Cammarano
after Antonio Garcia Gutierrez's play
EL trovador
Conductor Carlo Rizzi
Director Elijah Moshinsky
Sets Dante Ferretti
Costumes Anne Tilby
Lighting Howard Harrison
Fight Arranger William Hobbs
The Royal Opera Chorus Chorus Director Terry Edwards
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Concert Master Vasko Vassilev
Saturday 11 May 2002 The 303rd performance at the Royal Opera House
Co-production with Teatro Real, Madrid
OD Travel + Photos
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
May 10, 2007: Stiffelio in London
2007-05-10 Stiffelio (Verdi), Royal Opera House
Stiffelio = José Cura
Lina = Sondra Radvanovsky
Stankar = Roberto Frontali
Raffaele von Leuthold = Reinaldo Macias
Jorg = Alastair Miles
Federico di Frengel = Nikola Matišic
Dorotea = Liora Grodnikaite
Mark Elder, conductor
Director: Elijah Moshinsky
Set designs: Michael Yeargan
Costume designs: Peter J. Hall
Lighting: Paul Pyant
Fight Director: William Hobbs
Federico di Frengel: Nikola Matišic§
Dorotea: Liora Grodnikaite*
§ Jette Parker Young Artist
*Jette Parker Principal
Last performance, not only for me, but for the whole cast. And this one; was it the best? All I can say it that it is really amazing to see that for every performance new things happens, new inspirations. WOW. Amazing. Finally I can say Sondra, you have no longer a diction problem and I kind of like your voice now, and find you wonderful as an actress. But you know, Catherine Malfitano is my preferred Lina, and I have her on DVD, so, I am OK. In this performance we really know, because we saw it, Lina and Raffaele is really, how do you put it, "hot together" ?. So the duet Lina / Raffaele which is so hard to get to make it natural, they did that, Sondra and Reinaldo Macias. Amazing... BRAVI!! and the duets Stiffelio/Lina, wow, fantastic. Anyone would have been scared stiff with Jose Cura's Stiffelio completely raging mad almost violent. FANTASTIC. And when Stiffelio took of his wedding ring in act 2. And to see him almost completely crushed when listening to Lina. And on this last night, we were so close to maybe Stiffelio would reach out to his wife. Soooooo close. But he was crushed .... GREAT, FANTASTIC...
And if you think that I regret seeing STIFFELIO three times, no way.... (of course all JCx members understand this kind of operamania)
OD Travel + Photos
Blog post: May 2007: Stiffelio in London (2007-05-10)
Monday, May 8, 2017
May 8, 2007: Stiffelio in London
2007-05-08 Stiffelio (Verdi), Royal Opera House
Stiffelio = José Cura
Lina = Sondra Radvanovsky
Stankar = Roberto Frontali
Raffaele von Leuthold =
Reinaldo Macias
Jorg = Alastair Miles
Federico di Frengel = Nikola Matišic
Dorotea = Liora Grodnikaite
Mark Elder, conductor
Stiffelio
The Royal Opera 2006/7
* 20 Apr 07, 7.30 PM
* 23 Apr 07, 7.30 PM
* 02 May 07, 7.30 PM
* 05 May 07, 7.00 PM
* 08 May 07, 7.30 PM
* 10 May 07, 7.30 PM
Background
Director: Elijah Moshinsky
Set designs: Michael Yeargan
Costume designs: Peter J. Hall
Lighting: Paul Pyant
Fight Director: William Hobbs
Federico di Frengel: Nikola Matišic§
Dorotea: Liora Grodnikaite*
§ Jette Parker Young Artist
*Jette Parker Principal
Fourth came May 8th, Stiffelio in London with Jose Cura as Stiffelio. As asked previously, why 3 times Stiffelio, the answer is to get the BEST performance. And as being before the last performance, May 10th, this was it. The BEST. Here I was overwhelmed, Jose Cura etc was great. This was not the same performance, the acting was quite different. Sondra was better,but the lack of proper pronunciation was turning me off. I have never heard a singer not being able to sing MADRE, with all the letters, Sondra sang ..ADRE. Of course we have subtitles now, so we can read it in English was she was singing. But really When you know the text as I do, it is terrible not be able to hear a professional opera singer sing the words.I am not talking about the high notes, as I understand that might be asking too much. But, oh, dear Sondra, please be better in the future.
OD Travel + Photos
Blog Post: May 2007: Stiffelio in London (2007-05-08)
Sunday, May 7, 2017
May 7, 2007: Master Class Concert in Devon
2007-05-07 Masterclass Concert, New Devon Opera
Jose Cura, Igor Bogaert, Paul Featherstone,.Rebecca Ivey, Christian Schleicher, Anja Rossau, Carthaig Quill, Laura Hudson, Benjamin Bevan, Amar Muchala, Sarah Estil, Tyrone Piper, Suzanne Manuell, Lorna Collins, Diana Vivian, Debra Morley
Susanna Stranders, piano
Part 1
01. Igor Bogaert: Prolog, from PAGLIACCI (Leoncavallo)
02. Amar Muchala: Una furtiva lagrima, from L'ELISIR D'AMORE (Donizetti)
03. Lorna Collins: Voi lo sapete, from CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA (Mascagni)
04. Sarah Estill: La mamma morta, from ANDREA CHENIER (Giordano)
05. Paul Featherstone: Ch'ella mi creda, from LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST (Puccini)
06. Rebecca Ivey: Quando m'en vo', from LA BOHEME (Puccini)
07. Carthaig Quill: Dei miei bollenti spiriti, from LA TRAVIATA (Verdi)
08. Anja Rossau: A fors' e lui, from LA TRAVIATA (Verdi) + Jose Cura
Part 2
09. Diana Vivian: Vissi d'arte, from TOSCA (Puccini)
10. Suzanne Manuell: Un bel di vedremo, from MADAMA BUTTERFLY (Puccini)
11. Tyrone Piper: E la solita storia del pastore, from L'ARLESIANA (Cilea)
12. Laura Hudson: Sola, perduta, abbandonata, from MANON LESCAUT (Puccini)
13. Christian Schleicher: Dein ist mein ganzes Herz, from LAND OF SMILES (Lehar)
14. Debra Morley: The Owl and the Pussycat (Seiber)
15. Benjamin Bevan (and Jose Cura): Son io, mio Carlo, from DON CARLO (Verdi)
Third came May 7th, concert with the 15 master class students in Devon. Glorious singing and some signs that some still need more to really be great in concert and opera. The German tenor singing operetta was surely needing more years of learning the craft if he is going to the opera, but surely he was communicating and maybe it will be in operetta musicals his work will be. There was a great difference between singers that were truly in the skin of their characters, and then there were those still not finding out how to act, what to do with my arms...
And then there was Benjamin Bevan, not only the most beautiful baritone voice, but surely a great singer/actor as Roderigo di Posa. WOW, what a fantastic death scene, this was really the whole scene Roderigo/Don Carlo from Son io, mio Carlo to Per me giunto il di supremo/O Carlo, ascolta, and we even got Jose Cura as Don Carlo. WOW, it was the perfect end of this concert.
The program was beautifully put. With the Dutch baritone doing the prolog from Pagliacci beginning the concert, and as end of act 1 with Danish soprano singing the whole Violetta scene at the end of La Traviata act 1. And the program ended, most operatically, with someone's death. GREAT.
OD Travel + Photos
Blog post: May 2007: Masterclass Concert in Devon (2007-05-07)
Saturday, May 6, 2017
May 6, 2007: Jose Cura Master Class in Devon
2007-05-06 Masterclass with Jose Cura, New Devon Opera
Second came May 6th, Master class in Devon, Jose-Cura-wise. I told every-one about the great fare I got on the National Express bus to Devon and back (It cost me 2 GBP all-together). But after my long travel with bus London-Devon-London, I can say I would have been better off with the train, shorter ride and I am sure more comfortable. So cheap is not everything...
As usual it took me a long time to find the hotel, a max 10 minutes walk took me 50 minutes. And that was hot when walking with a suit-case (luckily with wheels) and a backsack. As I have a tendency of getting head-aches I got one or two in Devon. Then the event of the evening, Master Class with Jose Cura. 15 gifted singers and Jose Cura. Not the usual master class, this was just a highlight class filled with photo-slides from the real master classes. We got a lot of Jose Cura talking about how the singers had developed. And some singing and tutoring from Jose. When they was on the right track he stopped them, to tell us we will get the rest as the concert tomorrow.
Students: Igor Bogaert, Paul Featherstone,.Rebecca Ivey, Christian Schleicher, Anja Rossau, Carthaig Quill, Laura Hudson, Benjamin Bevan, Amar Muchala, Sarah Estil, Tyrone Piper, Suzanne Manuell, Lorna Collins, Diana Vivian, Debra Morley
Susanna Stranders, piano
OD Travel
Blog post: May 2007: Masterclass in Devon (2007-05-06)
Friday, May 5, 2017
May 5, 2007: Stiffelio in London
2007-05-05 Stiffelio (Verdi), Royal Opera House
Stiffelio = José Cura
Lina = Sondra Radvanovsky
Stankar = Roberto Frontali
Raffaele von Leuthold =
Reinaldo Macias
Jorg = Alastair Miles
Federico di Frengel = Nikola Matišic
Dorotea = Liora Grodnikaite
Christopher Willis, conductor
Director: Elijah Moshinsky
Set designs: Michael Yeargan
Costume designs: Peter J. Hall
Lighting: Paul Pyant
Fight Director: William Hobbs
Federico di Frengel: Nikola Matišic§
Dorotea: Liora Grodnikaite*
§ Jette Parker Young Artist
*Jette Parker Principal
First came May 5th, Stiffelio in London ROH with Jose Cura, Sondra Radvanovsky and
Roberto Frontali. Before going to London I had read the reviews, almost all complaining of the singing being to LOUD etc. What I found as being the truth in London on May 5th that yes, Sondra Radvanovsky has a big voice and that indeed I could hear her better than the other singers. But that this was just a competition of loud singing, it was not, not on May 5th, I cannot say for the previous performances since I was not there. Roberto Frontali as Stankar was good, but in my opinion he was not the only good singer her as many of the reviewer was saying. May 5th performance was not the greatest Stiffelio. Jose Cura was good but in my opinion he was over-acting, Sondra Radvanovsky as Lina was crying too much, too often, and I did not like her singing much and her lack of pronunciation of the Italian text was appalling. As I said Frontali was Ok. Reinaldo Macias as Raffaele did not cut such a great figure here as in Zurich. He was pale here.
OD Travel + Photos
Blog post: May 2007: Stiffelio in London (2007-05-05)
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