Don’t Even Think of Missing Thais!

Massenet’s Thais will probably be the hit of the Met Season, and it is beautifully on display at the Rialto Ciinema in Santa Rosa over the next 2 weeks.  I saw the live performance December 20th & the 2 remaining performances are almost sold out.  The Rialto, however, has recently added a performance on Saturday,  January 17th at 9 a.m.  Renee Fleming as the courtesan, Thais and Thomas Hampson as the young priest, Athanael,  give stunningly definitive perfomances and make this strange story come to life.  The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra’s Concertmaster violinist, David Chan,  all but steals the show with his sumptuous playing of Massenet’s most famous operatic music: Meditation

For information and to purchase tickets go to  www.rialtocinemas.com

Favorite Student Letter

Dear Will…While puttering about in my kitchen today baking and preparing this and that for tomorrow’s gathering, I am happily serenaded by Luciano, Kiri, Leo, Marilyn and more (a la my CD: Opera Stoppers).  Cooking to the miraculous voices of these artists brings to mind how grateful I am that you have taken on the task/pleasure of presenting the SRJC Opera classes.

Via your wisdom and enthusiasm a whole new world has opened up for me. I listen to opera just about daily now, as well as  enjoying the San Francisco opera for the last few years and that wonderful trip to New  York with James.  All of this because you have invited the hungry locals to feast at your operatic table. Thank you, Thank you and Thank you.  Bravo!

Opera: a thousand little orgasms.

CS

European Opera in San Francisco

The Vogue Theater in San Francisco is bringing recent Opera Productions in HD to its screen from Europe’s most famous Opera Houses.  In January you can see Bellini’s Norma from Teatro Communale di Bologna,  Verdi’s Rigoletto, from Teatro Regio di Parma,  A Tribute to Pavarotti from Petra, Jordan and Verdi’s Don Carlo from Teatro alla Scala in Milan. This is a great opportunity to hear  many great European Opera Stars that we rarely have a chance to hear in the States.  All performances are  Sunday Matinees.  There are many more performances scheduled for the Spring but not yet posted.  For more information, dates, etc.,  visit the Vogue Theater at:

http://www.peerlessentertainment.com/VT%20Web%20Home.htm

Now that the class is over….

It’s been a month since my 10th Opera Class at SRJC ended, and here are a few of my own thoughts on the 2008 class and Opera.

This Fall’s class, “The World’s Greatest Singers” , brought a lot of new angles on opera.  Most of all, my use of  You Tube was a bit controversial.  Negative comments ranged from “the sound is not good”  to “the sound is not good”.  But I know for a fact that the majority in the class are now hooked on YOU TUBE Opera, for  many are sending me clips of their favorite singers both good and bad.  YOU TUBE and the technology that created it bring to opera an immediacy for all events happening in opera around the world and can teach us about the art, unfiltered by critics, public relation spinners and blog wags.  It allows each of us to draw her/his own conclusions.

After 6 weeks in class this Fall viewing not only the great but also the aspiring opera singers of our day ( frequently from YOU TUBE),  many in the class have become discerning and opinionated critics,  and I couldn’t feel more successful in my teaching endeavors.  Opera is what each individual hears in a voice,  observes in an actor,  and of course finds in a composer’s music and the librettist’s story.  Little wonder that those who truly love opera form strong opinions about music that touches the deepest emotions.  It’s worth fighting for!!

If you have a favorite YOU TUBE Opera Singer, send me the clip and tell me what grabs you,  and I’ll post it on THE BLOGGERS OPERA.

In the meantime,  listen to the most beautiful voice of all times: Caballe, 1975 Barcelona.

Terfel, Hvorostovsky & Szot are Favorites

Tutto e finito.  It’s all over!  After 6 weeks listening to the Greatest Opera Singers of our day, the 200+ students in the last class of my 6 week course a t SRJC  considered a number of outstanding Baritone, Bass/Baritone and Bass singers.

The class clearly came under the spell of Welsh Bass/Baritone Bryn Terfel, who sang I miei rampolli femininni from Rossini’s La Cenerentola and  Va Tosca from Puccini’s Tosca.

Described by one student as “an unrelenting voice, suspenseful,  forceful” , Terfel delivered the triumphant goods in his usual manner of total commitment to his art and the characters he portrays.

In a close second place (and a reversal of an old competition) was Verdi baritone, Dmitri Hvorostovsky. I presented Hvorostovsky in his First Place winning performance of Yeletsky’s aria from Tchaikovsky’s  Queen of Spades given in 1989 at the Cardiff  Singer of the World Competition when Bryn Terfel placed Second that year.Hovorostovsky also sang Count di Luna’s confrontation scene with Leonora  Udiste…. Colui vivra! partrnered with Sondra Radvanovsky as Leonora from a 2008 Moscow Concert.

“It’s the whole package”, & “Yum” were comments perhaps aimed at Mr. Hvorostovsky’s additional assets other than his voice. Another  student described Mr. Hvorostovsky as the “consummate singer, magnificent and mesmerizing voice!”

And in the “Up and Coming” category, Brazilian baritone Paolo Szot was the stunning favorite giving the above a run for their money.  Even though he clearly is the darling of Broadway at the moment, he will soon to be tested in the great opera houses of the world (including the MEt) with a voice ” lovely and lyrical” and “a great presence”.

The class compared Szot as Tchaikowsky’ s Eugene Onegin as he rebukes the young Tatiana; and then as Emile de Becque in Szot’s Tony Winning performance in Rogers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific and “This Nearly was Mine”

You can watch all of the winning performances below starting with  Terfel as Scarpia, Hvorostovsky as Count de Luna and Szot as de Becque.

Nicole Cabell Favorite “Up & Coming” Soprano

Amidst lively discussion in consideration of eight  “Up & Coming

Nicole Cabell, soprano

Sopranos”,  the 200+ students in my opera class at SRJC chose the American soprano, Nicole Cabell as their Favorite. The 2005 Cardiff Singer of the World winner won over the class with Micaela’s aria, “Je dis que rien ne m’epouvante” from Carmen with her ‘sexy, juicy voice and full multi-dimensional sound”.

In second place was the elegant German soprano, Dorothea Roschmann, whose “royal blue velvet voice” in Vitellia’s aria “Deh, se piacer mi vuoi” from Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito garnered a lot of praise and enthusiasm for hearing Roschmann in other roles.

Dorothea Roschmann, soprano

In 3rd place was Albanian soprano, Inva Mula who is currently winning lots of fans while appearing as Adina in San Francisco Opera’s production of Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” with Ramon Vargas.  Mula was a fetching Norina for the class in “Quel guardo il cavaliere…So anch’io la virtu’ magica” from Donizetti’s Don Pasquale.

Inva Mula, soprano

Check out the winning performances below by  Cabell, Roschmann and Mula and let me know what you think.

Divas Battle! Fleming Victorious as Favorite Soprano

Renee Fleming, soprano

A packed class of 200+ students voiced frustration over the difficulty of selecting a “Favorite Soprano” from among seven I presented during the fourth class of my course entitled: The World’s Greatest Singers at Santa Rosa Junior College.

In the end, however, it was a tight 3 way contest with Renee Fleming edging out the others. I presented Fleming in arias/scenes of two of her signature roles: “Ain’t it a Pretty Night” from Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah and from Verdi’s Otello, Act 3, Dio ti gioconda with Placido Domingo.

“Fabulous”, “captivating”, “mistress of nuance” and “a voice of sheer beauty”  were some student comments describing Fleming’s artistry.

Anna Netrebko, soprano

Virtually tied for second place were Anna Netrebko ( St. Suplice scene from Massenet’s Manon with Rolando Villazon and the Poison Aria from Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette.) and  Angela Gheorghiu ( Vissi d’Arte from Puccini’s Tosca & Si, mi chiammano Mimi from Puccini’s La Boheme

Of Netrebko one student wrote “Rich and real”, while another wrote of Gheorghiu: “Her voice speaks to me…it acts as a conduit conveying the emotion of the character to my heart”.

Angela Gheorghiu, soprano

Maria Guleghina and Natalie Dessay were also popular choices with the class.

Enjoy the 3 Divas in some of their selections from class below: Renee Fleming “Ain’t it a Pretty Night”;  Anna Netrebko “Poison Aria”; and Angela Gherorghiu: “Vissi d’arte”

Bartoli wins Favorite Mezzo Contest at SRJC

Cecilia Bartoli

There was strong competition but the audience of 200+ students in the Fall Opera course left little doubt that Cecilia Bartoli is their Favorite Mezzo and arguably, Singer of the Century! I featured Bartoli in her artistic triumph of Mozart’s concert aria , Ah, Io  prevedi ..KV272, which she inserts into her bravura performance as Pasiello’s Nina.  Bartoli was as mesmerizing to last night’s audience as she appeared to be to the cast of Nina that includes tenor Jonas Kaufmann.  For contrast, I featured her veristic, hyperkinetic portrayl of Handel’s Semele in No, No, I’ll take no less… from Zurich Opera’s recent Semele, mounted of course for Bartoli.

Cecilia Bartoli appears in concert with Cal Performances at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley on Sunday, February 22, 2009 at 3 p.m. Call 510-642-9988 for remaining ticket information.

Newcomer, Latvian Mezzo Elina Garanca was a strong second place

Elina Garanca, mezzo-soprano

winner edging out many more seasoned stars.  She was definitely winning with her beautiful coloratura in the rondo finale to Rossini’s La Cenerentola. Garanca will be the Angelina in La Cenerentola in the Met’s HD Broadcast this spring with tenor Lawrence Brownlee as her prince charming. You can watch both Bartoli’s and Garanca’s winning performances below. Bartoli ( top) Garanca (below)

In third place was Mezzo soprano Jennifer Larmore ( Rossini’s Una voce poco fa..from Barber),  and fourth place went to Italian dramatic mezzo Luciana D’Intino ( O don fatale from Verdi’s Don Carlo).

Charles Castronovo Voted Favorite “Up & Coming” Tenor

Charles Castronovo, tenor

In the second of six classes in my course at Santa Rosa Junior College entitled “The World’s Greatest Singers”, I featured nine “Tenors Ascending”,  ranging from some who are already acclaimed after a couple of years on world stages and some who show great promise just out of young artists programs.

Lyric tenor Charles Castronovo took top honors from the 217 students in class. I featured Mr. Castronovo in a concert performance of “Una furtiva lagrima….” from Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore.  Students praised Castronovo for his “beautiful, tender sound”, “depth” and “an interpretation that touched the soul”.

Stephen Costello

A strong second was 20′s something tenor, Stephen Costello in the Duke’s second  act aria (“Parmi veder le lagrime..“) and cabaletta from Verdi’s Rigoletto (a student production from 2004)  Many were bowled over by Mr. Costello’s  energy (reminiscent of Villazon) and passion,  not to mention his  beauty of voice. Several students expressed trepidations about his vocal future, singing so powerfully and unrestrained at this young age.  All were clearly thrilled by his performance.

Others receiving strong votes: Torsten Kerl, the German dramatic tenor, who just wowed San Francisco in Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt and lyric tenor Joseph Kaiser in a poignant interpretation of Lensky’s Aria from Tschaikowsky’ s Eugene Onegin.

You can watch Castronovo and Costello and decide for yourself. What tenors would you add to your ” Tenors Ascending” list?

Jonas Kaufmann “Favorite Tenor” at SRJC

Jonas Kaufmann

My Fall 2008 Opera Course at Santa Rosa Junior College is titled: “The World’s Greatest Singers” during which I present a number of great Opera Stars currently on the World stages.  I’m also featuring the notable rising stars of tomorrow. The class takes a look in general at what it takes today both vocally and otherwise to become a great artist and opera star.

In the first class, I focused on the great tenors of the day (7 in all) ranging from leggero to dramatic. German tenor Jonas Kaufmann received the most votes from the 200+ students in the class.  A close second was dramatic tenor, Jose Cura and third, lyric tenor, Rolando Villazon.

I featured Kaufmann in the classical repertoire with an aria from Paisiello’s Nina and then “La fleur que tu m’avais jetée…” (available on You Tube,  take a look below) from Kaufmann’s recent triumph at Covent Garden in  Bizet’s Carmen. The full Carmen DVD is scheduled for release in late October, 2008.

3 Winners in 3 Weeks

Karita Matilla as Salome

Opera is off to an incredible, no,  monumental start this season. In less than 3 weeks, we in the bay area have reveled in Verdi’s middle period, dark work, Simon Boccanegra, Korngold’s greatest opus, Die Tote Stadt (both at San Francisco Opera) and now the Met’s stunning Salome, in HD at the Rialto Cinema with the incomparable Karita Mattila in the title role.  Can it get any better?

Boccanegra is hardly Verdi’s greatest work, (in fact, in the past,  the word dull has come to mind).  With great singers, things change  drastically.  Little else would seem to matter with Dimitri Hvorostovsky in this signature baritone role,  and with strong vocal support (including Barbara Frittoli as Amelia) the opera becomes compelling drama with great music that harkens to Verdi’s greatest works  to come: Don Carlo & Otello.

Not to be outdone by Verdi,  San Francisco Opera took a chance on a 88 year old work new to its stage, with the premier of Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s  Die Tote Stadt (The Dead City). This is an opera that has lots of devotees but little popular support,  and what a shame!  It is the best melding of all that the 19th & 20th centuries brought to opera and a true theatrical experience with music that astounds.  Torsten Kerl (Paul) and Emily Magee (as Marie/Marietta) were revelations in both their acting and singing,  making  it impossible not to be personally touched by this great opera. (I’m going a second time this afternoon ) Die Tote Stadt was, quite simply, the best overall experience I have had at San Francisco Opera in the past decade and one of the most memorable evenings I have spent at opera in 35 years!

And then the Met hits us with Richard Strauss’s SALOME. Karita Mattila is beyond description as she totally immerses herself  in this gruesome/ vocally brutal role. This performance will at some point be available on DVD but if you don’t catch it at the Rialto or in New York, never pass up a chance to see it live or on the big screen.