2004-02-28 I Puritani (Bellini), Wiener Staatsoper
Lord Gualtiero Valton = Goran Simic
Sir Giorgio = Alastair Miles
Lord Arturo Talbot = Joseph Calleja
Sir Riccardo Forth = Manuel Lanza
Sir Bruno Roberton = Benedikt Kobel
Enriquetta di Francia = Caitlin Hulcup
Elvira = Stefania Bonfadelli
Stefan Soltesz, conductor
I PURITANI
(Vincenzo Bellini)
WIEDERAUFNAHME
(36. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung)
Inszenierung: John Dew
Bühnenbild: Heinz Balthes
Kostüme: José Manuel Vazquez
Chorleitung: Ernst Dunshirn
After Signierstunde Carreras in Karajan Center it is time to see if my photos are ready. They are not. Back to the hotel to relax before the opera. I decide that I have time to go to Westbahnhof and to use the Internet café there, I do so. Then suddenly little time left. Unfortunately my irregularly eating have made my stomach uneasy. Luckily the Opera Toilette is there, and at the sound of Strauss I get "ready" for the opera. Hungry, feeling a bit sick and tired. But when I sit down and opera starts... the opera I Puritani by Vincenzo Bellini... then I don't feel so sick and tired. I can enjoy it.
I saw this opera earlier with Gruberova as Elvira. I was disappointed when I heard that she was ill. Stefania Bonfadelli replaced her. Last time I saw Bonfadelli was as Lucia di Lammermoor. But this time I really was positively attracted to her voice. This time I heard this warm voice and she was adorable. After just a few moments I did not miss Gruberova at all. Joseph Calleja, the young Maltese tenor (only 24) was wonderful as Arturo. The music of Bellini also was a revelation to me.
And I must tell of the impact that the subtitling that we got in the Wiener Staatsoper. I sat there and just decided not to read the synopsis of the opera. Last time I saw Puritani I bought a Libretti and sat desperately reading it in the pauses. But now relaxed and just see the history evolve before my very eyes. It meant that I did not know the ending of the opera. At the beginning I did not know who was singing but that cleared up. Wonderful singing. MAGIC.
Colored light. I can understand the Red color when the king of England is beheaded, all the statues also beheaded with heads on one side of the stage, the bodies in the rear of the stage. Blood.
Orange. When Arturo and Elvira meets in the forest. I would have thought Green was better. There were other colors in the production, purple... But really it seemed often superficial. But the production was otherwise very good.
BRAVA!! BRAVO !! Bravissimo!!
OD Travel + Photos
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
February 28, 2004: I Puritani in Vienna
Thursday, October 26, 2017
October 26, 2001: I Capuleti ed i Montecchi in Oslo
2001-10-26 I Capuleti ed i Montecchi (Bellini), Oslo Konserthus
Giuletta = Patrizia Biccirè
Romeo = Ingebjørg Kosmo
Capellio = Carsten Stabell
Tebaldo = Salvatore Fisichella
Lorenzo = Magne Fremmerlid
Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz (Norway), sick (child)***
Replaced by Patrizia Biccirè, Italian Soprano
a wonderful replacement, wonderful Giulietta. Passionate singing, making Giulietta come forward as a person. Ingebjørg Kosmo, a wonderful mezzo, her voice was velvety, sometimes she was lacking in strength, but Bellini is demanding for the voice. Magne Fremmerlid was a big-voiced Lorenzo. I just couldn't believe he was Norwegian. Carsten Stabell as Capellio was a disappointment, weak voice and little presenza. SALVATORE FISISCHELLA was a magnificent Tebaldo.
Romeo's big scene in the end of the opera, was a HIGHLIGHT, and so touching when Giulietta wakes up. I almost cried. Kosmo and Biccire was top class!!
***Luckily as far as I know her child is now well after fighting Leukemia***
OD Travel
Friday, October 13, 2017
October 13, 2012: I Capuleti ed i Montecchi (Bellini) in Oslo
2012-10-13 I Capuleti ed i Montecchi (Bellini), Den Norske Opera & Ballett (Oslo)
Giulietta = Marita Sølberg
Romeo = Vesselina Kasarova
Capellio = Magne Fremmerlid
Tebaldo = Diego Torre
Lorenzo = Yngve André Søberg
Antonio Fogliani, conductor
Den Norske Opera & Ballett
Chorus and Orchestra
It was Vesselina Kasarova's debut in Oslo's new opera house, but it was Marita Sølberg's triumph.
It was strange being in Oslo for an opera. This was a concertant opera. But that was not it. My mother died early Monday morning. And now on Sunday this opera, I Capuleti ed i Montecchi, a Romeo and Julia story. My mother died of breast cancer. This time it had spread through her body.
I still liked Bellini's music and the opera, but I could not get into it. It was too far away from my life. Marita Sølberg was fantastic. Her voice is so warm and so she was the ideal Giulietta. Vesselina Kasarova is, of course, the famous Bulgarian mezzo, but I have never really warmed up to her. She was a teenage Romeo, walking strangely about. Her voice was more soprano than mezzo. Diego Torre was a wonderful Tebaldo. Loved his tenor voice. Magne Fremmerlid as Cappelio and Yngve Andre Søberg as Lorenzo are two amazing basses who sang well. The conductor Antonio Fogliani worked hard to get the right sounds from the orchestra. The chorus sang well. It would have been wonderful if it could have become staged this opera, but that was not to be this time.
OD Travel + Photos
My 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
Thursday, October 5, 2017
October 5, 2014: I Puritani (Søner av sola), Nordfjordeid
2014-10-05 I Puritani (Bellini), Opera Nordfjord
”Søner av sola" = Sons of the Sun (Jostein Avdem Fretland)
Svavna (Lord Gualtiero) = Bjørn Gisle Seter
Svidre (Sir Giorgio) = Trond Gudevold
Vakar (Lord Arturo Talbo) = Bo Kristian Jensen
Snjodainn (Sir Riccardo Forth) = Trond Halstein Moe
Stallarbrut (Sir Bruno Robertson) = Petter Wulfsberg Moen
Arnaviv (Enrichetta ´di Francia) = Gro Bente Kjellevold
Svava (Elvira) = Ditte Højgaard Andersen
Michael Pavelich, conductor
Regie - Michael Pavelich
Scenography - Sunniva Bodvin
Costume design - Anne Gotaas
Light design - Hans Åke Sjøquis
The Opera Nordfjord production of I Puratani by Bellini was called Søner av sola (Sons of the Sun) and was called a fantasy opera. Norse mythology in stead of Civil War in England. New translation by young Norwegian Jostein Avdem Fretland.
Two Danes as the protagonists Svava (Elvira) and Vakar (Arturo): Ditte Højgaard Andersen & Bo Kristian Jensen. Trond Gudevold was Svava's uncle Svidre (Giorgio) and Bjørn Gisle Seter was Svavna (Valton), King of the Volunds. Then as the other man who loves Svava and had the King's promise to have her Snjodainn (Riccardo), a great Volund leader, was the great Trond Halstein Moe. The other tenor of the group Stallarhrut (Bruno) was Petter Wulfsberg Moen. As Arnaviv (Enriquetta), Queen of the Egds was Gro Bente Kjellevold. ¨
The two lovers comes from different people Svava of the Volunds and Vakar of the Egds.No politics is involved, it is just two different people and maybe different Gods. The cast of two Danes and the rest Norwegians was great. Fabulous singing of the soloists, a great chorus and orchestra conducted by Michael Pavelich, the man himself.
Michael Pavelich also had the Regie, Scenography was by Sunniva Bodvin. Costume design by Anne Gotaas. Light design by Hans Åke Sjöquist. Masks by Maren Togstad. Assistant regie and choreography by Marit Grytnes Dullaert.
In this new production there was an added element Herkja, a Volve working for Svidre played by Jannik Bonnevie. The opera started with the vigorous prelude of Puritani and then full stop and then words, words and words and then finally the opera started again. I was bored while she explained the background or something. But then it started. Puritani is not Norma, it has many good parts but Norma has a story that makes sense and you can feel for Norma and Pollione and Adalgisa. Puritani, yes even in this Norse fantasy opera version has the same weaknesses. But the aria, and duets and ensembles are just smashing wonderful. And we had Bel Canto here and also stupidity as sometime come with bel canto repertoire. Trond Halstein Moe, the old wolf of Norwegian opera (I probably read to many novels about shifters) was wonderful as the young and dashing Snjodainn, powerful and so bel canto. I was surprised how little stage time Svavna, Bjørn Gisle Seter, had, but yummy. Trond Gudevold as Svidre and Ditte Højgaard Andersen in duet was amazing. Trond Gudevold was like a bel canto God, Ditte was the Godess of all. Gro Bente Kjellevold was great to stand out. The tenors Stallarhrut, Petter Wulfsberg Moen had such a beautiful tenor voice, but poor Vakar or rather Bo Kristian Jensen had all those nasty high note to press out.
It was a beautiful production in Nordfjordeid but I am sorry to say I am not totally on board but I think it is the opera's fault. I Puritani, I am sorry, but I can not love you.
Still it is totally you have to go and see and experience this. Because you listen to Met on Demand for hear some Puritanis and not even Joan Sutherland or Edita Gruberova are better than Ditte Højgaard Andersen!!!
Original blog post
Opera Duets Travel & Photos
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
Saturday, September 2, 2017
September 2, 1995: Puritani in Vienna
1995-09-02 I Puritani (Vincenzo Bellini), Wiener Staatsoper
Lord Gualtiero Valton = Goran Simic
Sir Giorgio = Alastair Miles
Lord Arturo Talbot = Marcello Giordani
Sir Riccardo Forth = Roberto Frontali*
Sir Bruno Roberton = Peter Jelosits*
Enrichetta di Francia = Svetlana Serdar
Elvira = Edita Gruberova
Jan Latham-König, conductor
Inszenierung - John Dew
Samstag, 2. September 1995 STAATSOPER
13. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung
Anläßlich des 25jährigen Bühnenjubiläums von Frau Kammersängerin Edita Gruberova
I Puritani
Oper in drei Akten von Carlo Pepoli
Musik vonVincenzo Bellini
Musikalische Leitung Jan Latham-König
Inszenierung John Dew
BühnenbildHeinz Balthes
Kostüme Jose Manuel Vasquez
Chorleitung Dietrich D. Gerpheide
Sir Riccardo Forth Roberto Frontali*
Sir Bruno Roberton, Offizier Peter Jelosits*
Soldaten Cromwells,
Herolde und Waffenträger
Talbos und Valtons,
Puritaner, Hofdamen, Pagen und Diener
Zeit der HandlungMitte des 17 Jahrhunderts
Im ersten und zweiten Akt spielt die Handlung in einer Wehrburg in
der Nähe von Plymouth, im dritten auf einem Feld vor der Burg
* Rollendebüt an der
Wiener Staatsoper
Wonderful to see Edita Gruberova live. in opera. It is exciting to hear a new opera for me. Gruberova is great as Elvira. The other singers are also first class. But in the duel scene it is impossible to see who is the tenor or baritone. They are too alike. I have to know who to cheer.
OD Travel
Monday, July 10, 2017
July 10, 2015: Norma in Siracusa
2015-07-10 Norma (Bellini), Siracusa Teatro Greco
Norma = Chiara Taigi
Adalgisa = Adriana Damato
Clotilde = Anna Consolaro
Pollione = Piero Giuliacci
Flavio = Giuseppe di Stefano
Oroveso = Jose Antonio Garcia
Jacopo Sipari di Pescasseroli, conductor
Orchestra Sinfonica Bellini Opera Festival
Coro Lirico Siciliano (Francesco Costa)
Regia & Scene = Enrico Castiglione
Costumi = Sonia Cammarata
A wonderful location, a wonderful production. E la grande simplicita!
To compare this Norma to the Norma of Bayerische Staatsoper Munich would be unfair. They are so different. Here we had the Norma of Chiara Taigi who clearly do love her children. That is the biggest difference so we have much more sympathy for this Norma. Chiara Taigi has a different approach in singing and acting this role than Sondra Radvanovsky. Both are great. Adriana Damato is still in my opinion very much a soprano even as her voice has always been dark and she is able to sing the mezzo part of Adalgisa very well. Of course both roles, Norma and Adalgisa, lays in between soprano/mezzo territory, so all is good. As usual Pollione is often sung by a tenor with more strength than belcanto. Here we have the Pollione of Piero Giuliacci and he can belt it out and in the end he still soars especially in the ending of the opera. As Flavio we have a well known name but it is not the Giuseppe Di Stefano, this is a young Italian tenor (http://www.reggiotv.it/notizie/cultura/25699/lirica-giuseppe-stefano-trionfa-al-concorso-spoleto). Anna Consolaro as Clotilde. Finally we have Jose Antonio Garcia as Oroveso. Bravi tutti!
And the evening ended with everybody singing Happy Birthday (in Italian) to Chiara Taigi!!!
Happy Birthday, Chiara Taigi!! Tanti auguri!!
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
Thursday, June 22, 2017
June 22, 2005: I Puritani in Berlin
2005-06-22 I Puritani (Bellini), Deutsche Oper Berlin
Lord Gualtiero = Piér Dalàs
Sir Giorgio = Arutjun Kotchinian
Lord Arturo Talbo = Joseph Calleja
Sir Riccardo Forth = Franco Vassallo
Sir Bruno Robertson = Yosep Kang
Enrichetta ´di Francia = Cheri Rose Katz
Elvira = Edita Gruberova
Frédéric Chaslin, conductor
VINCENZO BELLINI :: DIE PURITANER
22. Juni 2005
Musikalische Leitung Frédéric Chaslin
Beginn: 19.30 Uhr
Spieldauer: 3:00 Std.
1. Akt: 75 Min.
2./3. Akt: 75 Min.
Pause
Pause [ca. 30 Min.]
nach dem 1. Akt
Inszenierung John Dew
Bühne Heinz Balthes
Kostüme José Manuel Vasquez
Chöre Ulrich Paetzholdt
A disappointment!!
A more heavy-voiced Puritani than in Vienna. Arutjun Kotchinian was an impressive and deep-voiced Sir Giorgio. Franco Vassallo was a great Sir Riccardo Forth although his voice was in my opinion too heavy for the role. Still Vassallo was a virtuous singer but a lighter voice would have been even better.
Edita Gruberova is of course a great singer and actress but her high notes was too shrill this time. Joseph Calleja, a great tenor promises but now his high notes was shrill and no so enjoyable as in Vienna. In all it seem to be more heavy-handed Puritani in Berlin. And when the opera ends like it does with a totally unwanted murder at the end, Arturo is killed by Riccardo which make it a very depressing opera indeed. The two lovers are saved only to have Arturo killed by Riccardo. But here we saw Riccardo falling on his knees after killing his rival, at the end he too is totally desperate; the rival is killed that no relief only desperation remains for him.
After Puritani Gruberova had Signierstunde in the opera house. I never found out where then but still I just wanted to go to the train station Zoologischer Garten and wait for my train to Munich and later Berlin. A long day was over I had traveled from Norway to Germany (with another flight that scheduled because my plane had left ahead of plan). And a few minutes later than scheduled my train arrived and left Berlin for Munich.
OD Travel + Photos
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
June 21, 2015: Norma in Munich
2015-06-21 Norma (Bellini), Bayerische Staatsoper
Norma = Sondra Radvanovsky
Adalgisa = Ekaterina Gubanova
Clotilde = Golda Schultz
Pollione = Gregory Kunde
Flavio = Francesco Petrozzi
Oroveso = Mika Kares
Paolo Carignani, conductor
Inszenierung, Bühne und Kostüme, Lichtkonzept - Jürgen Rose
Choreographische Mitarbeit - Jo Siska
Licht - Michael Bauer
Produktionsdramaturgie - Peter Heilker
Chöre - Stellario Fagone
First time to see this opera live for me. Sondra Radvanovsky, who I saw last time in London as Lina in Verdi's Stiffelio 8 years ago, has become NORMA in a very big way. She is there alongside with Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland and Montserrat Caballé. Ekaterina Gubanova, who I have loved ever since Oberto in Paris in 2011, was equally amazing as Adalgisa.
Gregory Kunde was Pollione instead an indisposed Massimo Giordano. He was Pollione with gusto but not my cup of tea, so to speak. Mika Kares was a wonderful Oroveso. Frnacesco Petrozzi was Flavio and I wanted more from him like he should be singing Pollione with his beautiful voice.
Golda Schultz did her job in the little and yet important part of Clotilde. Parolo Carignani conducted it all.
Two children played the roles of the children of Norma and Pollione. Poor children!! Innocent young boys with a mother who loves (and hates) them. A father who in the end is more a lover than a father. I still wonder if Norma was the only to die (did she die?), was Adalgisa also killed, did the children really get a chance to live safely with Oroveso, or ... Did Pollione die (killed by the Druids)?
The music is divine but who can love Norma or Pollione. Adalgisa can, I cannot. But I can love Adalgisa and wish the children did get a chance of love from ever lovable Adalgisa.
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
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