April 25, 2003: Opera Gala in Sogndal

2003-04-25 Operagalla, Sogndal Kulturhus

Cecilia Lindwall, soprano
Trine Øien, mezzo
Jørgen Talle, tenor

Michael Pavelich, conductor

Opera Nordfjord in Sogndal, Norway
OPERA NORDFJORD ON TOUR (Sogn og Fjordane, Norway)
Sogndal Kulturhus (25.04)
Flora Samfunnshus (26.04)
Hotell Alexandra in Loen (27.04)
Opera Nordfjord tour-ensemble, orchestra & three soloists.

Cecilia Lindwall, soprano, was Adina in Elskovsdrikken (L'Elsir d'amore) in 2001, she now lives in Berlin.

Trine Øien, is one of our (Norway) best new mezzo-sopranoes, lives in Oslo. Freelance

Jørgen Talle, tenor, at the opera in Hannover since 2000.

Orkestra ca. 35 musicians: mainly District musicians, music teachers and music students from Sogn og Fjordane, with some few hired freelance musicians. Conductor: Michael Pavelich.

PROGRAMME

M.Glinka: Ruslan et Ludmila -Ouverture
G.Bizet: Carmen -Habanera (Øien)
G.Puccini: Tosca -Vissi d'arte (Lindwall)
G.Verdi: Macbeth -Ah, la paterna mano (Talle)
C.Saint-Saëns: Samson et Dalila -Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix (Øien)
G.Puccini: La Bohème -Quando me'n vo (Øien)
C.Gounod: Faust -Salut! demeure chaste et pure (Talle)
E.Humpeldinck: Hänsel und Gretel -Evening prayer (Lindwall & Øien) & Dream-ballett

Pause (20 mins.)

G.Rossini: La Gazza Ladra -Ouverture
R.Leoncavallo: I Pagliacci -Vesti la giubba (Talle)
G.Puccini: Gianni Schicchi -O mio babbino caro (Lindwall)
G.Verdi: Il trovatore -Stride la vampa (Øien)
G.Puccini: Madama Butterfly -Bimba dagli occhi (Talle, Lindwall)

Extra
J.Strauss II: Fledermaus -Champagner (Øien, Talle, Lindwall)

If this were a contest I would have pronounced the soprano as the absolute winner, the mezzo as a smashing good second place, and the tenor as a dubious third. Since this my review I have to tell why.

And I begin with the orchestra which was very good with the inspirational conductor Michael Pavelich, who also introduced the music and the soloist in a humorous way, yet informative way. The both overtures was brilliantly done. First soloist was the mezzo Trine Øien. A great mezzo voice who sang Carmen, Dalila, Azucena and little Hänsel wonderfully. Yet only in Azucena's aria did she make use of her hands. Which made her Carmen and Dalila a little less seductive than the full use of body language. The singing was excellent. A competitor to Agnes Baltsa

The second soloist was Cecilie Lindwall, the Swedish soprano. Two years ago I heard her as Adina, now she was even better. Her Tosca, Musetta, Gretel, Lauretta and Cio-cio-san, was a marvel to see and hear. The wonderful voice, now matured to more dramatic, but still essential lyric soprano voice, and with her acting skills, and a great sense of humor and dramatic poignancy. A miracle of a soprano.

Then the tenor, Jørgen Talle, when he sang Macduff's aria from Macbeth, I was deeply disappointed, I seemed to be the only one to feel that way. As the evening progressed, he was being better and better, also in my ears. Maybe my ears was wrong. Or maybe he was nervous, or simply not yet a Verdi tenor, he IS young, and he did use to be a baritone. But when I say he was a baritone, it does not mean that his tenor voice had a baritonal sound, not at all. His very bright, light tenor voice was ideally suited to Faust by Gounod, and he sang Pinkerton very well. In Pinkerton he showed that he not only can sing, he can act. He did the Pagliacci aria very well, but I don't think that Canio Is a role that he should sing, not yet, he is still young.

OD Travel

April 15, 2012: Strauss and Wagner in Sogndal, Norway

2012-04-15 Strauss/Wagner, Sogndal Kulturhus

Elena Nebera, soprano
Jørgen Halstein Moe, baritone

Michael Pavelich, conductor
Opera Nordfjord

Program

Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Vorspiel
Orchestra

Tannhäuser - O, du mein holder Abendstern
Trond Halstein Moe  

Tannhäuser - Dich, teure Halle
Elena Nebera

Der Fliegende Holländer - Wie aus der Ferne
Trond Halstein Moe, Elena Nebera

Götterdämmerung - Siegrieds Trauermarch
Orchestra

Die Walküre - Wotan Abschied
Trond Halstein Moe

PAUSE

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

Rosenkavalier suite, op. 59
Orchestra

Vier letzte Lieder (Frühling, September, Beim Schlafengehen, Im Abendrot)
Elena Nebera


In stead of Norwegian Soprano Turid Karlsen we got Elena Nebera, a wonderful Russian Soprano.

Elena Nebera was just a wonderful revelation. Passionate and always involved with the words and the drama. Her voice rides easilly above the orchestra. She has a very dark timbre in her voice. Her voice seemed to be to big for our little sale especially in the Last 4 songs by Richard Strauss. Dich teure Halle from Tannhäuser was just amazing, wonderful. It was worth going just for that. And then the love duet from The Flying Dutchman, wonderful.


Trond Halstein Moe disappointed me in Wolframs aria from Tannhäuser. Then came Elena Nebera and saved it. But appart from the first aria Trond Halstein Moe was wonderful. He read the Norwegian translation of Wotans farewell from Die Walküre before he sang it so that we should understand the text and he did the same for Strauss' Vier letzte Lieder.

Michael Pavelich and the orchestra of Opera Nordfjord was just wonderful. No extra numbers because several members needed to travel to other places like Sweden. The life of a musician is hard.

BRAVA, ELENA NEBERA!


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

April 12, 2002: Opera Gala in Sogndal

2002-04-12 Operagalla, Sogndal Kulturhus

Kari Postma, soprano
Richard Fracker, tenor
Thorbjørn Gulbrandsøy, baritone

Michael Pavelich, conductor
Opera Nordfjord in Sogndal, Norway

Maestro Michael Pavelich is conducting the chorus and orchestra of Opera Nordfjord.

Program

Ouverture
Fledermaus (J. Strauss jr.)
Opera Orchestra

Largo al Factotum
Barbiere di Siviglia (G.Rossini)
Soloist: Thorbjørn Gulbrandsøy

Ebben? Ne andro lontana
La Wally (A. Catalani)
Soloist: Kari Postma

Oh fede negar potessi/ Quando le sera al placido
Luisa Miller (G. Verdi)
Soloist: Richard Fracker

Opening chorus
The sold bride (Smetana)
Opera Chorus

Toreador-song
Carmen (G. Bizet)
Soloist: Thorbjørn Gulbrandsøy

Brindisi: Libiamo
La Traviata (G. Verdi)
Soloists: Kari Postma & Richard Fracker

PAUSE

Ouverture
La Forza del Destino (G. Verdi)
Opera Orchestra

Au Fond du Temple Saint
Les Pecheurs de Perles (G. Bizet)
Soloists: Richard Fracker & Thorbjørn Gulbrandsøy

Ah! Je veux vivre
Romeo et Juliette (C. Gounod)
Soloist: Kari Postma

Intermezzo Sinfonico
Cavalleria Rusticana (P. Mascagni)
Opera Orchestra

La Ci Darem La Mano
Don Giovanni (W. A. Mozart)
Soloists: Kari Postma &
Thorbjørn Gulbrandsøy

Va Pensiero (Slave chorus)
Nebucco (G. Verdi)
Opera Chorus

Nessun Dorma
Turandot (G. Puccini)
Soloist: Richard Fracker

The opera comes to Sogndal, Norway

Opera Nordfjord is based on much voluntary work. The orchestra is assembled of the best musical forces in the county (Sogn og Fjordane). The Chorus is strengthened with young singers from Firda VGS, the Music line chorus.

The soloist were excellent, as were the chorus and orchestra.

The program started with the overture from Fledermaus. A piece so well-known that one could start thinking is easy to play it so excellent as this orchestra did. But one needs a good conductor and excellent musicians do it justice.

The young Norwegian baritone (Thorbjørn Gulbrandsøy) sang very well the Factotum-aria from Barbiere, even if did make a slight mistake in the beginning. It is not easy to sing at the right moment when the conductor is right behind you (not in music, but physically). He didn't let that hinder him from singing the rest gloriously.

Kari Postma (Norwegian Soprano) is definitely a soprano with a great and bright future. She sang the aria from La Wally (ebben ne andro lontano). Perfect and with feeling.

Richard Fracker, an American tenor sang the aria from Luisa Miller. With tears in his voice, strong voice, sang very well, but I didn't like his voice that much. I found it painful for my ear. Another pair of ears could have loved it.

Then the chorus sang the opening chorus from Smetana's The Sold Bride, in Nynorsk (Neo-Norwegian). Wonderful chorus.

Toreador-song by the baritone and Brindisi with soprano and tenor, accompanied by the chorus. Marvelous!

Then a pause of 20 minutes to rest, have refreshments, talk to others. It was filled with people, one could miss other people one knew would be there, and find others instead, coworkers, neighbors.

Then FORZA DEL DESTINO with the orchestra under the baton of Michael Pavelich, how can I express the wonderful musical experience this was.

The wonderful duet from the Pearl Fishers, and it was naturally wonderfully sung.

Then Kari Postma sang the aria from Romeo et Juliette, also a highlight.

An intermezzo was needed, it came from Cavalleria Rusticana. And a fun relief was needed it came from Don Giovanni. Laci darem la mano, it was both sung and acted. Great Fun.

The Chorus sang the slave chorus, in Italian naturally. All was sung in the original language, except Sold Bride.

Richard Fracker sang Nessun dorma. He sang it well, my ear liked it better than the Luisa Miller aria.

Finale: Flowers from Sogndal Kommune and the municipality of Sogndal, all with wishes of more opera in Sogndal.

Then extra numbers from Fledermaus, Duidu Brüderlein, all soloists, chorus and orchestra. It was sung in Norwegian. Also by the American tenor.

BRAVO ! Bravi tutti!

OD Travel