Opera Suggestions, II

[emason]

Re: the Vegas Rigoletto

First a disclaimer. I have not seen it because I just can't tolerate the opera. Gilda gets my vote for opera's biggest ninny and I find it way too painful to watch her throw her life away for someone who isn't worth it. My last Rigoletto was at least 20 years ago.

The sense I've gotten, based on friends who've seen the Vegas version and what I've read about it, is that the verdict is mixed. It's love it or hate it, no in-between, and I don't think it sold that well in its last run. My guess is management might want to go a more traditional route as it desperately tries to lure opera-goers back to live performances.

 

[BlueRidge]

I'm in the love it category, but I'm not a fan of the traditional staging for it.

The announcement says the new production will be set in the 1920s, which to me sounds intriguing.

 

[kwanfan1818]

First a disclaimer. I have not seen it because I just can't tolerate the opera. Gilda gets my vote for opera's biggest ninny and I find it way too painful to watch her throw her life away for someone who isn't worth it. My last Rigoletto was at least 20 years ago.

She's the Giselle of opera, sure, but Rigoletto at least is all about the unexpected consequences of being sheltered, as opposed to how forgiving everything saves one's soul, at least if you are female. I'm thinking of Mary Gordon's descriptions of her Catholic school upbringing, where there was a cult of suffering and sacrifice.

A friend told me that Feola's interpretation is very different: she's clearly rebellious. I don't think that's in the music at all, but, dramatically, it might be interesting. I'll go to the HD for Kelsey in any case.

 

[emason]

@kwanfan1818 Fair enough; I'll take your points under consideration and see if I can see the opera in a new light.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Someone on Opera-L provided a link to an article that said it's the 2019 Sher production from Berlin, so new to the Met, and the photos look like an early (first half) 20th century setting:

Rigoletto | Staatsoper Berlin

www.staatsoper-berlin.de

 

[skateboy]

For anyone who may be interested:

My management company, Vocal Artists Management Services (of which I am founder) started a free online recital series back in June. This evening we feature one of our spectacular mezzo-sopranos, Caroline Tye, in a program of arias by Saint-Saens (Samson et Dalila), Verdi (Don Carlo) and Wagner (Lohengrin), plus songs by Rebecca Clarke and Rachmaninoff.

The program is about 25 minutes long and begins at 7 p.m., Eastern.

YouTube link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV8J-UEbtzU&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=vocalartistsmgmt The link will remain online for anyone who is unable to watch in real time.

 

[eusebius]

For anyone who may be interested:

My management company, Vocal Artists Management Services (of which I am founder) started a free online recital series back in June. This evening we feature one of our spectacular mezzo-sopranos, Caroline Tye, in a program of arias by Saint-Saens (Samson et Dalila), Verdi (Don Carlo) and Wagner (Lohengrin), plus songs by Rebecca Clarke and Rachmaninoff.

The program is about 25 minutes long and begins at 7 p.m., Eastern.

YouTube link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV8J-UEbtzU&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=vocalartistsmgmt The link will remain online for anyone who is unable to watch in real time.

I love Rebecca Clarke!! I am thinking your mezzo must also have a great pianist with her to play those Rachmaninov songs

 

[skateboy]

I love Rebecca Clarke!! I am thinking your mezzo must also have a great pianist with her to play those Rachmaninov songs

Rebecca Clarke IS great! And the pianist is very fine. (Fun fact: the pianist is also Caroline's voice teacher.)

 

[kwanfan1818]

That was a lovely recital @skateboy -- thank you so much for sharing!

I would love to hear her let it rip in an opera house or concert hall.

 

[skateboy]

That was a lovely recital @skateboy -- thank you so much for sharing!

I would love to hear her let it rip in an opera house or concert hall.

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Caroline's voice is HUGE in a big house! We're just waiting for YKW to get under control, so she can resume opera and concert activity.

 

[skateboy]

If anyone is interested, one of our sopranos, Rachel Eve Holmes, is performing Schumann's song cycle "Frauenliebe und Leben" right now (the link will remain up after the broadcast):

VAMS Virtual Online Recital Series - Rachel Eve Holmes, soprano

Schumann: Frauenliebe und leben, Op. 42with Yan Kou, pianistAired November 15, 2020Vocal Artists Management Services (VAMS)

www.youtube.com

 

[eusebius]

If anyone is interested, one of our sopranos, Rachel Eve Holmes, is performing Schumann's song cycle "Frauenliebe und Leben" right now (the link will remain up after the broadcast):

VAMS Virtual Online Recital Series - Rachel Eve Holmes, soprano

Schumann: Frauenliebe und leben, Op. 42with Yan Kou, pianistAired November 15, 2020Vocal Artists Management Services (VAMS)

www.youtube.com

She sounds beautiful, an almost mezzo-like timbre and great German diction. Lovely pianist too

 

[skateboy]

Another virtual opera recital from one of our sopranos, Cynthia Holman. The program is called "Forget My Fate" and features arias by Purcell, Previn, Lehar, Puccini, and Massenet.

YouTube link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OkXufBEbpk&ab_channel=vocalartistsmgmt

 

[eusebius]

Another virtual opera recital from one of our sopranos, Cynthia Holman. The program is called "Forget My Fate" and features arias by Purcell, Previn, Lehar, Puccini, and Massenet.

YouTube link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OkXufBEbpk&ab_channel=vocalartistsmgmt

Things Dido wants you to remember

 

[skateboy]

Things Dido wants you to remember

Haha, I love it!

 

[mjb52]

Jeff Buckley's version of that aria might not work by opera standards (or it might! I'm just guessing) but I really love it.

 

[kwanfan1818]

That was an excellent recital!

 

[canbelto]

I uploaded the La Scala gala to filemail if anyone wants to see it:

Ivy Lin - Download files

Click here to view and download these shared files from Filemail.com

fil.email

I also wrote a review of it on my blog:

La Scala 2020 Gala Promises to "See Stars Again"

Italy was one of the first regions hard-hit by the worldwide Covid pandemic. It beat back the virus by late spring only to have covid roarin...

humbledandoverwhelmed.blogspot.com

 

[skateboy]

Another opera recital from our series, for anyone who is interested. Stacey Stofferahn, soprano (she's terrific and a really nice person to boot). Puccini, Cipullo, Corigliano, a world premiere and more!

Being premiered in about 12 minutes here but the link will remain active afterward:

VAMS Virtual Online Recital Series - Stacey Stofferahn, soprano

With Lamar Sims, pianistAired December 13, 2020Vocal Artists Management Services (VAMS)

www.youtube.com

 

[skateboy]

That was an excellent recital!

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it! (And sorry for my very late reply.)

 

[kwanfan1818]

Not all opera, but Joyce DiDonato just posted to Facebook that she created a playlist of "New Year cheer" for "Inside Music" on BBC Radio 3, and it's available for the next 29 days:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qy32?fbclid=IwAR01kaZmtDwAHg5ye-rJocP9tgZS6nR9Ey1f3612KBamMQd4f8Ffwu1UkwA

 

[eusebius]

Not all opera, but Joyce DiDonato just posted to Facebook that she created a playlist of "New Year cheer" for "Inside Music" on BBC Radio 3, and it's available for the next 29 days:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qy32?fbclid=IwAR01kaZmtDwAHg5ye-rJocP9tgZS6nR9Ey1f3612KBamMQd4f8Ffwu1UkwA

Martha Argerich

 

[skateboy]

Online recital by another of our singers, soprano Alexandria Crichlow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddbOGoeXJS8&ab_channel=vocalartistsmgmt

 

[skateboy]

For anyone who may be interested: this evening my management (Vocal Artists Management Services) is hosting a free online anniversary concert, featuring 31 of our singers, performing opera arias, oratorio, art song, musical theatre and more. (There's even a short introduction featuring yours truly, at the very beginning. ) Starts at 7 pm Eastern (4 pm Pacific), but link will remain active after the scheduled performance. Here are the links:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/CpjeGrBt0fY

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=3273001906138261&id=161676280604188&notif_id=1611298379727052&notif_t=live_video_schedule_broadcaster&ref=notif

And the order of performers and repertoire:

Erin Hannon, soprano/Puccini: Chi il bel sogno (La Rondine)
Roselin Osser, mezzo-soprano/Heggie: Once More - To Gloriana
Megan Stapleton, soprano/Handel: Oh Had I Jubal’s Lyre (Joshua)
Aaron Engebreth, baritone/Rorem: Evidence of Things Not Seen
Alexandria Crichlow, soprano/Puccini: Tu che di gel sei cinta (Turandot)
Caroline Tye, mezzo soprano/Tchaikovsky: Joan’s Aria (The Maid of Orleans)

Sarah Joyce Cooper, soprano/Charpentier: Depuis le jour (Louise)
Mikhail Smigelski, bass-baritone/Weiner: Avodim Hayinu
Laura Kimmel, mezzo-soprano/Manzolli: Sem Nao Palavras
Cynthia Holman, soprano/Previn: Sea Air (A Streetcar Named Desire)
Nanako Kato, mezzo-soprano/Mascagni: Povero amico (L'amico Fritz)
Reno Wilson, baritone/Ireland: Songs of a Wayfarer

Stacey Stofferahn, soprano/Leoncavallo: Stridono lassu (Pagliacci)
Eunjoo Lee-Huls, mezzo-soprano/Beethoven: An die ferne Geliebte
Jennifer Paulino, soprano/Hagen: In the Dreamed of Places (Kiss)
Steven Andrew Murray, tenor/Wagner: Nothung! Nothung! (Siegfried)
Lisa Bryce, soprano/Cilea: Io sono l’umile ancella (Adriana Lecouvreur)
Leandra Ramm, mezzo-soprano/Donizetti: All’afflitto e dolce e il pianto (Roberto Devereux)

Kate Kyunghee Kim, soprano/Puccini: Signore, ascolta! (Turandot)
Ian Pomerantz, bass-baritone/Beach: The Rainy Day
Claire Kuttler, soprano/Floyd: Ain’t it a Pretty Night (Susannah)
Rachel Eve Holmes, soprano/Verdi: Ave Maria (Otello)
Andrew Egbuchiem, countertenor/Schubert: Du bist die Ruh
Carolyne DalMonte, soprano/Handel: Neghittosi, or voi che fate? (Ariodante)

Adriana Ruiz, soprano/Cavalli: Vieni, vieni in questo seno (La Rosinda)
Sang Bum Cho, tenor/Puccini: Recondita armonia (Tosca); Cardillo: Core’ ngrato
Stephanie Paige Newman, mezzo-soprano/Saint-Saens: Mon coeur (Samson et Dalila)
Casey Kunmann, soprano/Mozart: In uomini (Cosi fan tutte)
Kelly Morel, mezzo-soprano/Sondheim: Send in the Clowns (A Little Night Music)
Natalie Granger, soprano/Rodgers: If I Loved You (Carousel)
Shelley Cooper, soprano-actor/Porter: Anything Goes medley

 

[eusebius]

For anyone who may be interested: this evening my management (Vocal Artists Management Services) is hosting a free online anniversary concert, featuring 31 of our singers, performing opera arias, oratorio, art song, musical theatre and more. (There's even a short introduction featuring yours truly, at the very beginning. ) Starts at 7 pm Eastern (4 pm Pacific), but link will remain active after the scheduled performance. Here are the links:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/CpjeGrBt0fY

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=3273001906138261&id=161676280604188&notif_id=1611298379727052&notif_t=live_video_schedule_broadcaster&ref=notif

And the order of performers and repertoire:

Erin Hannon, soprano/Puccini: Chi il bel sogno (La Rondine)
Roselin Osser, mezzo-soprano/Heggie: Once More - To Gloriana
Megan Stapleton, soprano/Handel: Oh Had I Jubal’s Lyre (Joshua)
Aaron Engebreth, baritone/Rorem: Evidence of Things Not Seen
Alexandria Crichlow, soprano/Puccini: Tu che di gel sei cinta (Turandot)
Caroline Tye, mezzo soprano/Tchaikovsky: Joan’s Aria (The Maid of Orleans)

Sarah Joyce Cooper, soprano/Charpentier: Depuis le jour (Louise)
Mikhail Smigelski, bass-baritone/Weiner: Avodim Hayinu
Laura Kimmel, mezzo-soprano/Manzolli: Sem Nao Palavras
Cynthia Holman, soprano/Previn: Sea Air (A Streetcar Named Desire)
Nanako Kato, mezzo-soprano/Mascagni: Povero amico (L'amico Fritz)
Reno Wilson, baritone/Ireland: Songs of a Wayfarer

Stacey Stofferahn, soprano/Leoncavallo: Stridono lassu (Pagliacci)
Eunjoo Lee-Huls, mezzo-soprano/Beethoven: An die ferne Geliebte
Jennifer Paulino, soprano/Hagen: In the Dreamed of Places (Kiss)
Steven Andrew Murray, tenor/Wagner: Nothung! Nothung! (Siegfried)
Lisa Bryce, soprano/Cilea: Io sono l’umile ancella (Adriana Lecouvreur)
Leandra Ramm, mezzo-soprano/Donizetti: All’afflitto e dolce e il pianto (Roberto Devereux)

Kate Kyunghee Kim, soprano/Puccini: Signore, ascolta! (Turandot)
Ian Pomerantz, bass-baritone/Beach: The Rainy Day
Claire Kuttler, soprano/Floyd: Ain’t it a Pretty Night (Susannah)
Rachel Eve Holmes, soprano/Verdi: Ave Maria (Otello)
Andrew Egbuchiem, countertenor/Schubert: Du bist die Ruh
Carolyne DalMonte, soprano/Handel: Neghittosi, or voi che fate? (Ariodante)

Adriana Ruiz, soprano/Cavalli: Vieni, vieni in questo seno (La Rosinda)
Sang Bum Cho, tenor/Puccini: Recondita armonia (Tosca); Cardillo: Core’ ngrato
Stephanie Paige Newman, mezzo-soprano/Saint-Saens: Mon coeur (Samson et Dalila)
Casey Kunmann, soprano/Mozart: In uomini (Cosi fan tutte)
Kelly Morel, mezzo-soprano/Sondheim: Send in the Clowns (A Little Night Music)
Natalie Granger, soprano/Rodgers: If I Loved You (Carousel)
Shelley Cooper, soprano-actor/Porter: Anything Goes medley

What a lovely program!
And is there a pianist or orchestra?

 

[skateboy]

What a lovely program!
And is there a pianist or orchestra?

In the spirit of quarantine performance, everyone submitted their recordings with either live or prerecorded piano accompaniment (with the exception of one with a small instrumental ensemble).

 

[BlueRidge]

Anyone still watching the Met daily streams? I watch on weekends and I've been enjoying that they have been showing some older television broadcasts.

Kathleen Battle as Susanna, Jesse Norman bringing the house down as Cassandra, young Dawn Upshaw as the most adorable Zerlina, and Waltrud Meier knocking my socks off as Carmen! Great fun!

 

[alexikeguchi]

Anyone still watching the Met daily streams? I watch on weekends and I've been enjoying that they have been showing some older television broadcasts.

Kathleen Battle as Susanna, Jesse Norman bringing the house down as Cassandra, young Dawn Upshaw as the most adorable Zerlina, and Waltrud Meier knocking my socks off as Carmen! Great fun!

I've been watching intermittently. I was recently contacted to become a supporter since I have sent several donations along with performances and events I've especially enjoyed. Now I have access to the entire catalog on demand!

 

[mjb52]

This Facebook live conversation between opera singers Angel Blue and Russell Thomas was really good: https://fb.watch/3Vu75K9yAo/. It's interesting to apply what they say about diversity, equity, and inclusion in another context that faces some similar issues to skating and think about how what they have to say might apply to the skating context. Also, they are both just really nice, personable, and interesting to listen to.

I know about Angel Blue from this incredibly cute video about kids meeting an opera singer: https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/kids-meet-opera-singer-angel-blue - she really bonded with one of the kids and it left a lasting impression on me for some reason.

 

[alexikeguchi]

I've been watching some of the Met Stars Live in Concert programs, and today is Sonya Yoncheva, rescheduled from the fall due to illness. Omigosh was it worth the wait! The program was a balance of rarely performed arias and warhorses such as Un bel di and Song to the Moon, and they showed some recorded performances including one of my favorites, Ave Maria from Otello. She was absolutely exquisite from the moment she swept onto the stage in a red gown with cape singing Ritorna vincitor, and I love how she totally committed to acting even though she was performing in an empty hall. She has to be one of the best actors in opera, like ever. The performance will be available on demand for about two weeks, and it is well worth the $20 ticket for anyone who hasn't already subscribed.