March 28, 2015: Carmen in Milano

2015-03-28 Carmen (G. Bizet), Teatro alla Scala (Milano)

Carmen = Elīna Garanča
Don José = José Cura
Escamillo = Vito Priante
Micaëla = Elena Mosuc
Zuniga = Gabriele Sagona
Moralès = Alessandro Luongo
Dancairo = Michal Partyka
Remendado = Fabrizio Paesano
Frasquita = Sofia Mchedlishvili
Mercédès = Hanna Hipp
Lillas Pastia = Rémi Boissy
Un guide = Carmine Maringola

Massimo Zanetti, conductor

Staging - Emma Dante
Sets - Richard Peduzzi
Costumes - Emma Dante
Lights - Dominique Bruguière

Choreographic movements - Manuela Lo Sicco

The staging and regie was in a way showing us a real Sevilla with a lot of reality but then Emma Dante had to add more to the stage. The adding to the opera and taking away some of the reality to put supernaturality into the stage, it was a hit and miss. Choreographic movements by Manuela Lo Sicco did not help. In the whole it was a miss, it was distraction and it was not needed. Lovely as some of the ideas was, especially with Micaela, it was superfluous and most fatally it threatened to make the opera less.

The orchestra was good but even the maestro Massimo Zanetti could not prevent it to sound shrill at times. The singers was wonderful, their acting superb and so it was a Carmen to enjoy. I had what I would usually call the misfortune to have a tall man sitting in front of me. This time it was a blessing I could miss some of the most unfortuned addition and enjoy the opera. So long I could view the principal singers I was in for a treat.

Emma Dante did find ways to put children everywhere and some extra dancing movements here and there. That could have been lovely but it was destroying the reality of Sevilla, the reality of Carmen and Don Jose. And I wanted it to be real. Was it really necessary to make so many references to the Catholic church? Not in my mind it was. It was a nice touch to dress Micaela in black only to show her in white by just not holding up the black fabric and voila Micaela is in white during the duet with Jose. Church boys giving her a white veil and now she looks like a bride. But no kiss, not from Micaela to Jose or from Jose to Micaela. So it is no surprise that Micaela is followed by a priest to the smugglers nest. The whole black to white changes again and now Micael has graying hair, why, to resemble the mother of Jose and they cleverly make it seem she i laying in bed being his mother praying for him. Two nice touches that worked but the rest was just nothing to go bravo about.

Elina Garanca and Jose Cura was wonderful together and alone. Elena Mosuc was an amazing Micaela and the baritone Escamillo was not bad. The singers saved the day!! Jose Cura was in top form and I enjoyed Elina Garanca.

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

February 12, 2017: Anna Bolena in Lisboa

2017-02-12 Anna Bolena (Donizetti), Teatro Nacional São Carlos
(Lisboa)

Anna Bolena = Elena Mosuc
Enrico VIII = Burak Bilgili
Giovanna Seymour = Jennifer Holloway
Lord Percy = Leonardo Cortellazzi
Smeton = Lilly Jørstad
Lord Rochefort = Luís Rodrigues
Hervey = Marco Alves dos Santos
 
Giampaolo Bisanti, conductor
CORO DO TEATRO NACIONAL DE SÃO CARLOS
Maestro titular Giovanni Andreoli

ORQUESTRA SINFÓNICA PORTUGUESA
Maestrina titular Joana Carneiro

Encenação - Graham Vick
Cenografia - Paul Brown
Desenho de Luz - Giuseppe Di Iorio
   

 Production - Fondazione Arena di Verona

I loved the production just as much as I did in Sevilla December 2016. This time it was different. Different singers and different feeling of the characters.

Burak Bilgili as Enrico had a smirk on his face that make him an instant villain. Jennifer Holloway as Giovanna Seymour was very tall and did not seem to be so unwilling to become queen and her relationship with the queen seemed hypocritical. Other than that it was amazing singing and acting from all.

Leonardo Cortellazzi was a wonderful Lord Percy, Lilly Jørstad was fantastic ad Smeton, Elena Mosuc was a gorgious Anna Bolena. Luis Rodrigues was great as Lord Rochefort. Among this gigant one could forget Marco Alves dos Santos as Hervey but we really should not forget him.

If one did not like the characters that Burak Bilgili and Jennifer Holloway brought in Enrico and Seymour it was a valid intepretation. Historically we know very little about Jane Seymour. The singing of all singers was at the highest standard. Also we had a great chorus and orchestra lead by maestro Bisanti.

In Sevilla and also in Parma the singing had been more come scritto, but here the singers was allowed to created a flourishes in their musical line. Excellently sung but I longed for the clarity of the come scritto approach. I am not a musicologist but those were my feelings,



Beautiful Lisboa but Sevilla will be closer to my heart. Elena Mosuc as Anna Bolena, the voice and acting, sublime. A new tenor to love: Leonardo Cortellazzi. This is the time for the Italian tenors to get to the opera ceiling. Divine voice, graceful acting, ah!

Opera Duets Travel & Photos
Original blog post

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

December 27, 2014: Luisa Miller in Zurich

2014-12-27 Luisa Miller (G. Verdi), Opernhaus Zurich

Graf von Walter = Vitalij Kowaljow

Rodolfo = Ivan Magri

Federica = Judith Schmid

Wurm = Wenwei Zhang

Miller = Leo Nucci

Luisa Miller = Elena Mosuc

Laura = Hamida Kristoffersen

Carlo Rizzi, conductor

Philharmonia Zürich

Chor der Oper Zürich​ 

Musikalische Leitung - Carlo Rizzi

Inszenierung - Damiano Michieletto

Bühnenbild - Paolo Fantin

Kostüme - Carla Teti

Lichtgestaltung - Hans-Rudolf Kunz

Choreinstudierung - Jürg Hämmerli

Carlo Rizzi conducted. He had now more gray hair but as most vigor as before. Last time, and first time I saw this opera was in 2000 (March 4th) also in Zurich and with the same soprano as Luisa Miller. Elena Mosuc was great as Luisa, even better than in 2000, and she was great in 2000 also. Ivan Magri was a just as wonderful as Rodolfo just like Elena Mosuc as Luisa. Such beautiful voices and acting beautifully too. Leo Nucci was a powerful Miller. The most surprisingly beautiful voice was the voice of Vitalij Kowaljow. Conte di Walter was just so pleasing dressed in beautiful white cloths and such a beautiful voice one could almost forget that he is one of the villains. Judith Schmid was Frederica and she was all and more that one could wish for as Frederica. 

The use of revolving stage was overused and the chorus was treated more like props. And then we had Wurm sung beautifully by Wenwei Zhang. Maybe I should call him Wormtongue. A villain is Wurm there is now doubt that it is true. So the director makes him look and act as a villain in all times. There is now need to make him move his neek and head in strange ways just to make him villainous the director should have been much more subtle. Other than the overuse of revolving stage, using chorus as props and setting Wurm up as just villainous it was a wonderful production of Luisa Miller.

OD Travel & Photos
Original blog post

October 21, 1998: Carmen in Zurich

1998-10-21 Carmen (Georges Bizet), Opernhaus Zurich

Carmen = Sylvie Brunet
Don Jose = Francisco Araiza
Micaëla = Margaret Chalker
Escamillo = Cheyne Davidson
Frasquita = Elena Mosuc
Mercedes = Irene Friedli
Zuniga = Jozsef Dene
Remendado = Volker Vogel
Dancairo = Martin Zysset
Moralès = Peter Kalman
Lillas Pastia = Adriano

Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, conductor

Carmen without Baltsa, but with Sylvie Brunet

This was a very good production. Jean Pierre Ponnelle's scenography and original production. But first someone from the management, told us that Agnes Baltsa had recently come from Vienna, she was having bronchitis, and that Sylvie Brunet had used much of the day to prepare herself for singing today, as well as on Friday. I don't like her myself, but she is a good Carmen. I found her a little too vulgar. Francisco Araiza was a totally convincing Don Jose, This was a more violent Jose, than I was used to. Violent from the start. First highlight was the duet Michaela/Don Jose, the soprano was superb. Araiza coughed during the duet, so I guessed he had a bit of cold. Margaret Chalker was the Michaela. Second highlight was her aria in the third act, another highlight was the duet Don Jose/Escamillo. The Escamillo was good in the Toreador-song, but I wanted a more substantial Escamillo, like Raimondi.

In the Second act, it was obvious for me, that she can't dance, her rhythmic was lacking. But the Smugglers quintet was real good. Good Remendado/Dancairo/Frasquita/Mercedes. The Frasquita (Elena Mosuc, soprano) was indeed excellent. The Scene Don Jose/Carmen, was so sexy, almost too much. Her dancing (again), and she sang "Tra-dla-dla" where it should be "Tra-la-la-la...", and that does make a difference, vulgarity versus elegance.

Third act, was a highlight in the entity, Ensemble singing, acting, all, perfect.

Fourth act, always a pleasure. The great ensemble, singing.acting. The duettino Escamillo/Carmen gave none impression, as I think it ought to do. In the ensemble, Don Jose with Michaela, almost unseen got into the crowd. Carmen waited for Escamillo, her friend notice Don Jose, watching them singing the duettino, warns her, Escamillo prays on stage to the Madonna, Escamillo goes into the corrida. Carmen waits for Don Jose, It is a great duet. Everything in the duet is true, at last Don Jose, after begging her one last time, , stabs her. When he sings "Vous pouvez m'arreter", Michaela looks out of the windows, and her shoulders move in weeping...

Great Opera in Zurich October 21, 1998

Musikalische LeitungRAFAEL FRÜHBECK DE BURGOS
Inszenierung/BühnenbildJEAN-PIERRE PONNEllE
SpielleitungGRISCHA ASAGAROFF
KostümeWERNER JUHRKE
LiehtgestaltungJAKOB SCHlOSSSTEIN
Chor ERNSTRAFFElSBERGER
CARMEN


BergführerLAURENT TCHANG
1. LeutnantMANUEL ADARVE
2. LeutnantTHOMAS PÜTZ
ManuelitaRENATE BLUM
" Rollendebüt
CHOR DES OPERNHf\USES ZÜRICH ZUSATZCHOR OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH KINDERCHOR DES OPERNHAUSES STATISTENVEREIN AM OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH

ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
Verlag: AIIkor-Edition Kassel
Kritische Neuausgabe nach den Quellen von Fritz Oeser

Mittwoch, 21- Oktober1998Wiederaufnahme
Freier Verkauf
Lichtpausen nach dem 1. und 3. Akt Pause nach dem 2. Akt
Beginn: 19.00 Uhr
Ende:22.30 Uhr

OD Travel

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

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

July 23, 2013: La Traviata om Verona

2013-07-23 La Traviata (G. Verdi), Arena di Verona 

Violetta Valéry = Elena Mosuc
Alfredo Germont = Matthew Polenzani
Giorgio Germont = Artur Rucinski
Flora Bervoix = Chiara Fracasso
Annina = Alice Marini
Gastone = Stefano Consolini
Baron Douphol = Federico Longhi
Marchese D'Obigny = Dario Giorgelè
Doctor Grenvil = Victor Garcia Sierra
Giuseppe = Antonio Feltracco
Domestico/Commissionario = Gabriele Ribis

Andrea Battiston, conductor

Director, sets, costumes and lighting designer - Hugo De Ana

Choreography - Leda Lojodice

LA TRAVIATA, Arena di Verona 2013-07-23

Traviata and Trovatore, two of the greatest classics of Opera. And in Verona, finally Regie that is true and real. Hugo de Ana's Traviata had only one fault, in preludio to the opera and the preludio to the last act, he just had to remind us that Violetta is dead and everything is to be told. 3 great frames (like to old paintiings) was the stage. The middle frames was naturally the main stage. But it was still true to the time of Violetta. Loved it, and Elena Mosuc was great as Violetta!!


.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

June 25, 2000: Carmen in Zurich

2000-06-25 Carmen (G. Bizet), Opernhaus Zurich

Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Don José = Gösta Winbergh
Micaëla = Elena Mosuc
Escamillo = Cheyne Davidson
Frasquita = Eun -Yee You
Mercedes = Irene Friedli
Zuniga = Jozsef Dene
Remendado = Volker Vogel
Dancairo = Simon Jaunin
Morales = Peter Kalman
Lillas Pastia = Adriano

Jacques Delacôte, conductor



Musikalische Leitung JACQUES DELACÔTE
Inszenierung/Bühnenbild JEAN-PIERRE PONNEllE
Spielleitung GRISCHA ASAGAROFF
Kostüme WERNER JUHRKE
Lichtgestaltung JAKOB SCHLOSSSTEIN
Chor ERNST RAFFElSBERGER


Dancairo SIMON JAUNIN°

Bergführer JONAS VEYA
1.. Leutnant MANUEL ADARVE
2. Leutnant THOMAS PÜTZ
Manuelita RENATE BLUM
0 Mitglied des Internationelen Opernstudios
CHOR DES OPERNHAUSES ZÜRICH ZUSATZCHOR OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH KINDERCHOR DES OPERNHAUSES STATISTENVEREIN AM OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH
ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
Verlag: All,or-Edition Kassel
Kritische Neuausgabe nach den Quellen von Fritz Oeser
,Sonntag, 25. Juni 2000Migros-Abo B
Lichtpausen nach dem 1.. und 3. Alu Pause nach dem 2. Akt
Beginn: 20.00 Uhr

Opernhaus Zurich, Carmen, Agnes Baltsa, Gosta Winbergh, Elena Mosuc, Cheyne Davidson
Jacques Delacote had used all his patience on Werther, and had none for Carmen. The prelude of Carmen was played extremely fast, painful. I had taken night-train to Zurich, and already had one opera, and this inpatient conductor. Carmen Opriseanu had replaced Vesselina Kasarova as Charlotte in Werther (and it was a lucky choice for my ears and eyes), but Gösta Winbergh was replacing José Cura as Don José... I was disappointed, I had wondered about Cura being Don José, and to see Cura with Agnes... I admired Winbergh, but he is not my Don José. I was also disappointed about Agnes Baltsa, maybe I was too tired, and I don't like the Zurich production of Carmen, it have lost it charms. (... and God, was I tired when I came to my hotel room!)

And this was my only chance to see the great Swedish tenor live (or indeed alive, since he is dead now) SAD....

OD Travel

June 10, 2011: Il Corsaro in Dortmund

2011-06-10 Il Corsaro (Verdi), Konzerthaus Dortmund

Medora = Elena Mosuc
Gulnara = Maria Guleghina
Corrado = Zvetan Michailov
Seid = Sebastian Catana
Giovanni = Adrian Sampetrean
Selimo / Un Eunuco Negro / Schiavo = Florian Simson

Carlo Montanaro, conductor

Chor der staatlichen Musikakademie Minsk, WDR Rundfunkorchester Köln

Il corsaro

Maria Guleghina (Gulnara), Elena Mosuc (Medora), Giuseppe Varano (Corrado), Sebastian Catana (Seid), Adrian Sampetrean (Giovanni), Chor der staatlichen Musikakademie Minsk, WDR Rundfunkorchester Köln, Carlo Montanaro (Dirigent)



WDR Köln



Maria Guleghina and Elena Mosuc impressed in Dortmund. Zvetan Michailov substituted for Giuseppe Varano.


The conductor Carlo Montanaro made the WDR radio orchestra play with love this vigorous music of Young Verdi. One could see how the orchestra members really enjoyed themselves. The smaller roles Seid (Sebastian Catana), Giovanni (Adrian Sampetrean), Selimo / Un Eunuco Negro / Schiavo (Florian Simson) was sung and acted brilliantly.

The older Bulgarian tenor Zvetan Michailov sang, not the younger Italian tenor Giuseppe Varano. To see Michailov sing was like you were in a recording studio. He looked at the notes and used his arms to force music out in the right moments. His voice was always a bit special, a dry voice and also a voice that you not easily would believe another tenor to be master of. His acting was more a singer struggling for perfection than acting as Corrado. I have a DVD with Michailov as Corrado from Parma opera. He was older now, but still a good Corrado.

Then it was Elena Mosuc. Elena Mosuc was a super delicate Medora. This was another mannerism than Zvetanov. Where Zvetanov went deep to find voice and a perfect attack to the notes, Elena Mosuc went deep into herself to find the intepretetative depth for Medora.

Finally it was Maria Guleghina as Gulnara. The dramatic powerhouse of a diva. She played two roles: one as Maria Guleghina DIVA, another as Gulnara, the favorite slave of Pascha Seid. In an newspaper it was commented that this duality was a little bit ironic but I believe that Maria Guleghina was completely aware of this and played that game also. A powerhouse as Gulnara, yes, that is the right approach. Gulnara is maybe a slave but she is still not subdued. She can stand on her own feet against the powerful pascha. She is fierce, just like Maria Guleghina's voice and appearance. No helpless heroine like Medora but as powerful as Corrado. In a way she got more guts and intelligence than Corrado. She takes her oppurtunities. No need to fear that Gulnara will choose death and not life after the death of Medora and Corrado.

It was Maria Guleghina and Elena Mosuc who won. BRAVA, Maria! BRAVA, Elena! So different and both so perfect in each of their roles.


After 2 speeches Verdi's opera Corsaro was played. Zwetan Michailow was singing Corrado in stead of the original tenor who was sick, I guess. He did a fine job. But it was the women that ruled. Elena Mosuc was sensational and so was Maria Guleghina. Then men was fine but Elena Mosuc and Maria Guleghina was in another stratosphere. The conductor was also great. He made the orchestra play with a singular clarity and put forward all the wonders that lays in this score. The orchestra members seemed to love playing this music, one could almost look at then to see that to they had taken the music to their heart. The chorus was young and clear.

Now if only this had been staged too.

Brava, Maria! Brava, Elena!

OD Travel + Photos
First impression from Dortmund and IL CORSARO (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 18, 2000: Rigoletto in Zurich

2000-05-18 Rigoletto (G. Verdi), Opernhaus Zurich

Der Herzog von Mantua = Piotr Bezcala
Rigoletto = Carlo Guelfi
Gilda = Elena Mosuc
Sparafucile = Pavel Daniluk
Maddalena = Stefania Kaluza
Giovanna = Tuija Knihtilä
Monterone = Valery Murga
Marullo = Peter Kálmán
Borsa = Volker Vogel
Graf von Ceprano = Jozsef Dene

Maurizio Arena, conductor


Inszenierung GRISCHA ASAGAROFF
Bühnenbild JORGE VILLAREAL
Kostüme JAN SKALlCKY
LichtgestaltungJ AKOB SCHLOSSSTEIN
Chor JÜRG HÄMMERLl
Choreographische Mitarbeit RUDOLF BUDAVÁRY


Die Gräfin, seine Gemahlin CHRISTINE KNORREN°
Die Herzogin von Mantua CIIARLOTTE ROHRBACH
Ihr Page VIOLETA RADOMIRSKA o
Wache RÚNI BRATTABERG0
0 lMitgliedl rIes Inlternationalen Opcrnstndios
Damen wId Herren am Hofe,CHOR DES OPERNHAUSES ZÜRICH
Pagen, HcllcbardiereBEWEGUNGSCHOR UND STATISTENVEREIN
ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
Donnerstag, 18. Mai 2000Migros-Volksvorstellung
Pause nach dem 1.. Akt (2. Bild)
Beginn: 1.9.30 Uhr
Ende:22.30 Uhr

May 18th
Opernhaus Zurich 1930-22.30
Rigoletto (Giuseppe Verdi)
A wonderful production of Rigoletto
Rigoletto = a great Carlo Guelfi
Gilda = a fantastic Elena Mosuc
Duca = a wonderful Piotr Beczala
Maddalena = Stefania Kaluza (always good)


May 19th
Train from Zurich to Vienna
22.33-08.08

OD Travel

April 30, 2006: Turandot in Zurich

2006-04-30 Turandot (Puccini), Opernhaus Zurich

Turandot = Paoletta Marrocu
Liu = Elena Mosuc
Calaf = José Cura
Timur = Pavel Daniluk
Ping = Gabriel Bermudez
Pang = Andreas Winkler
Pong = Boguslaw Bidzinski
Althoum = Miroslav Christoff
Mandarin = Valeriy Murga

Alan Gilbert, conductor



Turandot - Puccini
Ein Kultursponsoring der Julius Bär Gruppe

Dirigent Alan Gilbert
Inszenierung Giancarlo del Monaco
Bühnenbild Peter Sykora
Kostüme Peter Sykora
Lichtgestaltung Hans-Rudolf Kunz
Choreinstudierung Jürg Hämmerli



Matinee opera. A new production of TURANDOT with Jose Cura as Calaf. Wonderful music. Played very well by the orchestra and sung wonderfully by the chorus. Well, I am a traditionist so this production was not quite my taste. It did not seem too bad in the beginning. But in the end I must say that this 2nd Alfano ending of Turandot did include some un-necessary notes that almost ruined the great duet Calaf/Turandot.

Paoletta Marrocu as Turandot had not the kind of big voice that I believe this role needs. Elena Mosuc was a wonderful Liu and seemed to have a bigger voice than Marrocu. Pavel Daniluk was grand as Timur. JOSÉ CURA was wonderful as Calaf. I am sure that Cura enjoyed this new approach to Calaf. Making him a modern man in ancient China. Calaf solves the riddles with his computer.

I never knew how important it was to me that Calaf solved the riddles with his own brain, no cheating before seeing the PC onstage. I found the ending when Turandot changes to a Miss Saigon beautiful but not well funded in the production. That a modern China with chorus and all clothed modern for the end of the opera. WHY? But I would have loved to have a photo of Cura and Marrocu sitting at the table with Champagne and Pang, Ping, Pong changed to cook, waiter and restaurant manager, especially with Jose waiting to the audience....

I waited and saw Jose Cura & Elena Mosuc at the stage door. And talked to other members of JC Connexion. And then it was time to go the the airport for my flight home.

OD Travel + Photos