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)

May 6, 1991: Carmen in Oslo

1991-05-06 Carmen (Bizet), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Don José = Louis Gentile
Escamillo = Jan Sødal
Remendado = Arild Helleland
Dancairo = Jens Olai Justvik
Zuniga = Gudjon Oskarsson
Morales = Ole Hermod Henriksen
Carmen = Anne Gjevang
Micaela = Solveig Kringlebotn
Frasquita = Toril Carlsen
Mercedes = Kristina Hammarström

Antonio Pappano, conductor



OD Travel

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)

May 3, 2015: Neil Shicoff Gala in Vienna

2015-05-03 Neil Shicoff Gala, Wiener Staatsoper

NEIL SHICOFF - 40 JAHRE BÜHNE

Les Contes d’Hoffmann (Jacques Offenbach) – Prolog 
Hoffmann: Neil Shicoff
Lindorf: Paolo Rumetz
Nicklausse: Stephanie Houtzeel
Andres: Thomas Ebenstein
Luther: Marcus Pelz
Hermann: Clemens Unterreiner
Nathanael: Carlos Osuna

Pique Dame (Peter I. Tschaikowski) – 2. Akt, 2. Szene 
Hermann: Neil Shicoff
Lisa: Krassimira Stoyanova
Gräfin: Anja Silja
Mascha: Hyuna Ko 

La Juive (Jacques Fromental Halévy) – 4. Akt
Eléazar: Neil Shicoff
Kardinal Brogni: Ferruccio Furlanetto
Rachel: Krassimira Stoyanova
Eudoxie: Simina Ivan

Carmen (Georges Bizet) – 4. Akt 
Carmen: Elena Maximova
Don José: Neil Shicoff
Escamillo: Clemens Unterreiner
Frasquita: Simina Ivan
Mercédès: Juliette Mars

Frédéric Chaslin, conductor

What a disappointment, coming to Neil Shicoff 's Gala and no Agnes Baltsa as Carmen to his Don Jose. From the greatest Don Carlo of Rolando Villazon et co. in Berlin. Had I known that Baltsa would not sing I would have seen Don Carlo for the 2nd time on this day instead I got the cold in Vienna and Neil Shicoff.

Having just seen Les Contes d'Hoffmann with Rolando Villazon in a great production seeing the prolog was nothing much. Shicoff can act and sing, but he is not my guy.

Pique Dame - Shicoff was great as Hermann. Anja Silja was not that audible. Krassimira Stoyanova was having an Off day, or maybe it was just that I was OFF.

Interval

La Juive - not the whole end but we got the Aria from Eleazar. Simina Ivan and Krassimira Stoyanova could have been the Duet of the Ages but they had aged since I saw them in the of Eudoxie and Rachel. Ferruccio Furlanetto as Brogni, he only gets better with age but then he is a bass.

CARMEN - the end
Elena Maximova is the new CARMEN on the block. Neil Shicoff acts but he is no Carreras, Domingo, Cura & Alvarez. Clemens Unterreiner was Escamillo and a good, solid one.

Frederic Chaslin conducted it all.

Then  when we thought it was over we got 45 minutes or so with speaches. Shicoff ended it with his I am so nervous, the most nervous if them all. The audience gives us the energy not the other way around. And thank god for my wife, Dawn Kotoski.


And I am still not cured. Kleenex forever!!!

OD Travel & Photos
Original blog post

For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com

May 3, 1989: Il Trovatore in Oslo

1989-05-03 Il Trovatore (Verdi), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Grev Luna = Jan Sødal
Leonora = Kjersti Ekeberg
Azucena = Vessa Hanssen
Manrico = Kåre Bjørkøy
Ferrando = Svein Carlsen
Inez = Eva Solheim
Ruiz = Ronald Sørvik

Dag Nilssen, conductor


1989-05-03
Den Norske Opera, Universitets Aula
Opera konzertant
TRUBADUREN (Il Trovatore)
by Giuseppe Verdi


Wonderful concert version. Great singing. Loved Vessa Hanssen as Azucena. She was amazing.

OD Travel

May 3, 1985: Carmen in Oslo

1985-05-03 Carmen (Bizet), Den Norske Opera (Oslo)

Carmen = Anne Gjevang
Don Jose = Kåre Bjørkøy
Escamillo = Terje Stensvold
Remendado = Arild Eriksen
Dancairo = Tor Fagerland
Zuniga = Carsten H. Stabell
Morales = Yngvar Krogh
Micaela = Toril Carlsen
Frasquita = Inger Lise Walseth
Mercedes = Vessa Hanssen

Per Åke Andersson, conductor




DEN NORSKE OPERA
Friday 1985-05-03
CARMEN
Opera in 4 acts by Georges Bizet
Text: Henri Meilhac & Ludovic Halevy
Translation: Per E. Fosser
Conductor: Per Åke Andersson
Regie: Frank Corsaro
Scenography: Franco Colavecchia

Sølvguttene
. 19.30 - ca. 22.45

Guerilla-Carmen. Carmen in Latin America with Carmen and the Bandits as guerilla soldiers. Norwegian guest-stars, Anne Gjevang who really was a international star at that point, Kåre Bjørkøy success abroad and at home.

But frankly, does Carmen need up-dating. No. But the production was not bad...

OD Travel

May 2, 2014: El Juez in Bilbao

2014-05-02 El Juez (Christian Kolonovits), Teatro Arriaga (Bilbao)

Federico = Josep Carreras
Paula = Sabina Puértolas
Alberto = José Luis Sola
María/1ª monja = Mª José Suárez
2ª monja = Itziar de Unda
Paco (cameraman) = Manel Esteve
Abadesa = Ana Ibarra
Morales = Carlo Colombara
Hombre 1 = Alberto Núñez
Hombre 2 = Giorgi Meladze
Hombre 3 =José Manuel Díaz
Hombre 4 = Mikel Zabala
Mujer mayor = Milagros Martín
Figuración (niña) = Laia de la Fuente

David Gimenez, conductor
Coro niños perdidos: Kantika Korala
Director: Basilio Astúlez
:
Coro: Coro Rossini 
Director coro: Gerardo Carbajo
:
Orquesta: BIOS

Dirección escénica: Emilio Sagi
Escenografía: Daniel Bianco 
Figurinista: Pepa Ojanguren
Iluminación: Eduardo Bravo
Ayudante de dirección escénica: Javier Ulacia
Maestra repetidora: Husan Park
Realización de escenografía: Neo Producciones

Realización de vestuario: Pepispoo

A new opera in Bilbao, an old one in Barcelona. Josep Carreras in a new role as the Judge Federico Ribas. The tragedy happens when people agree to dubious thing for a supposed higher reason. It was another villain role for Carlo Colombara. The Italian bass was Morales. Morales is a role cast from the same mold as Baron Scarpia in Puccini's Tosca. Even worse than Scarpia and more towards Mefisto. Pure evil but suppossedly in the service of the Church. Probably just after power and lust for violence. 

Alberto is a man in search of his brother. The brother is one of The Lost Children. Children taken by the Church and given other parents without knowledge of the truth. Alberto with journalist Laura is on the task to find out more of the lost children. This threatens the Church and Morales. So Morales talks to Alberto and promises him to know who his brother is. The catch is that the judge that Alberto will threaten is Alberto's brother. And Morales knows this, so he will crush two in one crash. Before any happy end can happen Morales kills Alberto. As Alberton lies dying, brother meets brother. SAD END!!!

Real tears rolled down at the end of this opera. I seldom react like that so for me this means El Juez is a triumph for the composer and the singers and whole theatre. BRAVI, tutti!!!

OD Travel & Photos

Original blog post

For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com

May 1, 2014: Carmen in Barcelona

2014-05-01 Carmen (Bizet), Barcelona

CARMEN - Ana Ferro
DON JOSÉ - Sergi Giménez
MICAELA - Cristiana Oliveira
ESCAMILLO - Nuno de Araujo Pereira
FRASQUITA - Anna B. Gómez
MERCEDES- Carla Mattioli


Piano - Montse Pujol Dahme

A great opera erlebnis in an Opera Salon

Sitting just a few feet from the opera singers this was intense. On sofas and chair in a living room with a piano we sat. The prelude and entr'acte was played on speakers. Then the pianist starts the live opera or maybe we should call it lived opera. The space was used for optimal operatic tension. The staircase was used theatrically and so was other rooms used as backstage. One of the best Carmen performances and in such a limited space! Amazing!!!


OD Travel & Photos
Original blog post

For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com

May 1, 2005: Pagliacci in Berlin

2005-05-01 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo), Deutsche Oper Berlin

Canio = José Cura
Nedda = Nuccia Focile
Tonio = Alberto Mastromarino
Beppo = Kenneth Tarver
Silvio = Markus Brück

Ion Marin, conductor

RUGGERO LEONCAVALLO :: DER BAJAZZO
Premiere 23. April 2005
Musikalische Leitung Ion Marin

Inszenierung David Pountney
Bühne, Kostüme Robert Innes Hopkins




Chöre Ulrich Paetzholdt



After the Cavalleria Rusticana I am convinced the Pagliacci will also be good enough. A woman comes, and tells us that Canio Jose Cura will be singing, great relief. But he has a voice conduction and a bad back. But he is still singing, asks us forgive that his movements would be more proper for a Tonio than Canio.

Poutney, the director, has a special idea for Pagliacci, the end of CavRust is repeated from the moment (Hanno mazzato compare Turriddu), and while Claire Powell (Mamma Lucia) laying there with Turriddu, (you can see it is a dummy, not well-made even), Alfio comes out, he is now Tonio (Alberto Mastromarino) to sing the prolog. Yep, it is irony. Or is it?

Time after time in Pagliacci the sets a moved hither and dither and never it really seem to have a reason, that it annoying. Nedda is the diva, and Silvio is just a fan, and the love duet is just a.. what... two people in their own world. In the end Canio kills both Nedda and Silvio. But here Canio only pretend to kill Nedda, but slices Silvio's neck. It is just stupid, stupid, stupid.

Wonderful sung and acted by all. But the opera has lost almost all sense

OD Travel + Photos

May 1, 2005: Cavalleria Rusticana in Berlin

2005-05-01 Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni), Deutsche Oper Berlin

Santuzza = Georgina Lukacs
Turiddu = Peter Seiffert
Lucia = Claire Powell
Alfio = Alberto Mastromarino
Lola = Ulrike Helzel

Ion Marin, conductor


PIETRO MASCAGNI :: CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA
Premiere 23. April 2005
Musikalische Leitung Ion Marin

Inszenierung David Pountney
Bühne, Kostüme Robert Innes Hopkins




Chöre Ulrich Paetzholdt


I had already seen some photo from this production so I am a bit prepared. The director has updated it and it is not very picturesque. But although I would like a more traditional Cavalleria Rusticana the singing and acting is excellent. Claire Powell was excellent as Lucia, great acting, singing. The duet Santuzza/Turriddu was amazing.. Mastromarino is the Alfio of our time. And Lola was not bad either. The chorus was singing and acting very well. The production was's not something to cheer about, but the opera is intact and alive, so it is forgiven.

OD Travel + Photos