operawonk

ROSSINI : ERMIONE

2011-12-17T23:18:00.000+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 18th of December 2011 at 3.03 - 5.30 pm

INTRODUCTION
REVIEW
REVIEW
REVIEW
REVIEW

ROSSINI: Ermione, an opera in two acts
Ermione........................ Carmen Giannattasio
Andromaca................... Patricia Bardon
Pirro............................. Paul Nilon
Oreste........................... Colin Lee
Pilade............................ Bülent Bezdüz
Fenicio.......................... Graeme Broadbent
Cleone.......................... Rebecca Bottone
Cefisa........................... Victoria Simmonds
Attalo............................ Loïc Félix
Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, London Phil/David Parry
(Opera Rara ORC 42)
Gramophone Awards 2011 Best Opera Recording

Another Trojan War tragedy! Sad to say, it only received 7 performances in 1819 and then it disappeared, though Rossini knew its true value, and it was eventually revived in 1977. The factors that caused its sudden demise are explained in the introduction and the first of the four reviews (it is thorough and has pictures of the performers at the 2009 concert that became this recording, in the "rare opera" series).

Note that this recording has an essay by New Zealand's own Jeremy Commons.

And how do we pronounce this name ERMIONE in the Italian way. English speakers, who are blissfully or crassly ignorant of phonetic spelling would try Err-my-own-knee. But say the sound (not the name!) of every letter separately E-r-m-i-o-n-e, and then join them up into a unit.

VIVALDI : OTTONE IN VILLA

2011-12-10T17:09:00.001+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 11th of December 2011 at 3.03 - 5.30 pm

INTRODUCTION
PREVIEW
REVIEW

ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678-1741)
Ottone in villa (RV729), an opera in three acts
Ottone.......................... Sonia Prina
Caio Silio...................... Julia Lezhneva
Cleonilla........................ Verónica Cangemi
Tullia............................. Roberta Invernizzi
Decio............................ Topi Lehtipuu
Il Giardino Armonico/Giovanni Antonini
(Naïve OP 30493)

This is the first of the known operas of Vivaldi; it dates from 1713. Besides all his concertos he also composed many operas, 94 according to his reckoning, and if this is true then only 25% of them have survived.

The title, Ottone in villa, would seem to say "Ottone in town", but apparently it means the opposite; Ottone is on vacation in his country-house, out of town. Ottone is the emperor known as Otho (in Latin), who usurped the throne of Rome in the year 69; he lasted only eight weeks in power, and then committed suicide. He was one of the short-reigning rulers after Nero was deposed and dispatched (Nero took his own life but needed assistance to finish him off). The action takes place in a single day (that was the way it had to be done in the theatre of the olden days); of course, the time is further reduced to a few hours in the performance. Otho was also a character in Monteverdi's Coronation of Poppea (1642) in which Nero (Nerone) was the dominating protagonist. But in the source for the libretto of Vivaldi's opera, the emperor was Claudius (as in "I Claudius" of Robert Graves).

Ottone in villa is a comedy of errors (people lusting after the wrong persons) and disguises (not to say transvestism) with a role for a soprano castrato (Caio), and a female soprano (Tullia, pursuing Caio amorously while pretending to be a man named Ostilio), and a female contralto portraying the emperor Otho (here in the Italian form Ottone). Murder (private crime of passion against Cleonilla) and execution (imperial and official) are in the pipeline, till all is resolved and Tullia and Caio are wedded at the end of a frantic day (similar to the Marriage of Figaro, actually).

PONCHIELLI : LA GIOCONDA

2011-12-03T17:26:00.003+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 4th of December 2011 at 3.03 - 6 pm

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
SYNOPSIS
LIBRETTO (English translation)
LIBRETTO (pdf)

PONCHIELLI: La Gioconda, an opera in four acts
La Gioconda................. Violeta Urmana
Adorno......................... Luciana D'Intino
Badoero........................ Roberto Scandiuzzi
La Cieca....................... Elisabetta Fiorillo
Grimaldo....................... Plácido Domingo
Barnaba........................ Lado Ataneli
Zuàne............................ Paolo Battaglia
Isèpo............................ Kristian Benedikt
Pilot.............................. Tim Hennis
Barnabite...................... Wolfgang Klose
Bavarian Radio Chorus, Munich Children's Chorus,
Munich Radio Orch/Marcello Viotti (EMI 5 57451)

OPERA WONK dates back to the 23rd day of December 2006, so it has been operating for five years, and yet in that time the Ponchielli blockbuster has not been broadcast on Radio NZ, and so there has been no occasion for analysing and appreciating it. I have just taken a close look at the Operawonk prelude again, and you might like to re-read it and see whether this website is fulfilling its mission statement. One thing is not mentioned there: advertising. The only adverting I do is to operas being broadcast on radio in NZ, including local radio in Palmerston North, and I am promoting John Ward's nightly opera presentations on a special Gramophone Room page, which is advertised (in the neutral sense, devoid of sales promotion) in the sidebar. Personally speaking, I do not like being bombarded with commercial adverts, and I am resisting the temptation to introduce what they call "AdSense" to my four Google sites; but if any such intrusions suddenly pop up, you may send me a sharp rebuke, or assume that I have suddenly been reduced to abject poverty and desperately need the money.

This opera is being broadcast to introduce a week of 'one-hit wonders'. It is the composer's only successful opera, and its brief ballet (The Dance of the Hours) is an all-time favourite. The first performance of the opera was in 1876 in Milan, and was favourably received. But why did this Italian opera include a ballet? Because it was copying Meyerbeer's French style.

The recording I own (and which I am now playing through) consists of three Decca 12-inch vinyl discs; the cast is Caballé, Pavarotti, Ghiaurov, Baltsa, Milnes, and lurking at the bottom of the list as Barnabotto a priest, is our own Reverend Rodney Macann, Baptist minister. This time it is Plácido Domingo. Note that the tenor has the role of Enzo Grimaldo, and Caruso included it in his repertoire.

When I visited the Louvre art gallery in Paris on a Sunday afternoon many summers ago, I was frequently accosted by signposts pointing the way to La Joconde. We have a word jocund, meaning 'cheerful', but I could not find 'jocond' in my French dictionaries; La Joconde must be a transcription of Italian La Gioconda, ' the Joyous (woman)'. In Paris it refers to da Vinci's [coded?] Mona Lisa (very mysterious), and I did not find her till closing time, and the shock is that she is so petite! In this opera Gioconda is the name of a humble street-singer. Incidentally, the opera is based on a play by Victor Hugo.

Giuseppe Verdi admired Amilcare Ponchielli and Ponchielli was the teacher of Giacomo Puccini. The librettist of La Gioconda was a certain (or uncertain?) Tobia Gorrio, who was also a composer of operas, and wrote two libretti for Verdi. This pseudonym is an anagram of Arrigo Boito!

BUSONI : DOKTOR FAUST

2011-11-19T16:22:00.002+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 20th of November 2011 at 3.03 - 6.15 pm

BUSONI: Doktor Faust, an opera in two prologues,
two intermezzi, three scenes and an epilogue
Poet.............................. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Doktor Faust................. Dietrich Henschel
Wagner......................... Markus Hollop
Mephistopheles............. Kim Begley
Duke of Parma.............. Torsten Kerl
Duchess of Parma......... Eva Jenis
Master of Ceremonies... Markus Hollop
Soldier.......................... Detlef Roth
Natural Philosopher....... William Dazeley
Geneva Grand Theatre Chorus,
Lyon National Opera Chorus & Orch/
Kent Nagano (Erato 3984 25501)

OVERVIEW
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
STORYLINE
SYNOPSIS
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
ANALYSIS
LIBRETTO

Yet another operatic rendering of the Faust legend, and one that is certainly not as well known as the versions of Berlioz and Gounod (French), and Boito (Italian).
     Ferruccio Busoni is the composer, born in Empoli (Italy) in 1866, died in Berlin in 1934. He was Italian by birth, but Teutonic in his upbringing; he aspired to be Italy's Wagner, but found that the German language came to him more easily. Like Wagner he wrote his own librettos, all four of them in German: Die Brautwahl, Turandot, Arlecchino, Doktor Faust). The middle two were premiered together in Zürich in 1917. Turandot is a comic opera, would you believe? Arlecchino is described as a theatrical caprice; this is the only work of Busoni that O have on a recording (HMV Long play ALP 1223); it was discarded by our local library, and I pounced on it, for a price. In our video opera group we have been playing Rossini's Barber of Seville recently, and it mentions the 17th century comedy L'Inutile Precauzione (The useless precaution), and this play inspired Busoni when he saw it in Bologna in 1912. The Barber is in the style of commedia dell'arte, with Count Almaviva as Harlequin. In Arlecchino Harlequin is neglecting his wife Columbina in favour of a tailor's wife (in this respect he is like the Count in The Marriage of Figaro).
Doktor Faust is not taken from Goethe's Faust, but from puppet theatre (and also Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus), according to the prologue in which the poet speaks. In this respect, notice that in this recording Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau has that speaking role, but in an earlier recording he sang the baritone role of Faust.
    Busoni died before the work was completed; the task was taken in hand by Philipp Jarnach; later sketches by Busoni were used by Antony Beaumont to provide a completion that was closer to the composer's intentions. This recording has the final scene according to Beaumont, but also includes the Jarnach version (whether we will get both on the radio remains to be seen, or heard).
    The New York Metropera has staged it (in 2000) so we get introductory notes from their valuable archives.

BERLIOZ : LES TROYENS

2011-11-13T00:05:00.001+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 13th of November 2011 at 3.03 - 7.15 pm

BERLIOZ: Les Troyens, an opera in five acts
Aeneas.......................... Ben Heppner
Dido............................. Michelle DeYoung
Cassandra..................... Petra Lang
Anna............................. Sara Mingardo
Corebus........................ Peter Mattei
Narbal.......................... Stephen Milling
Iopas............................ Kenneth Tarver
Hylas............................ Toby Spence
Hector's Ghost.............. Orlin Anastassov
Panthus......................... Tigran Martirossian
Ascanius....................... Isabelle Cals
Priam............................ Alan Ewing
Hecuba......................... Guang Yang
Trojan Sentries.............. Andrew Greenan, Roderick Earle
Helenus......................... Bülent Bezdüz
Soldier/Mercury............ Leigh Melrose
Greek Captain............... Mark Stone
London Symphony Chorus & Orch/Colin Davis
(LSO Live LSO 0010)

OVERVIEW
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
SYNOPSIS
ANALYSIS
REVIEW
LIBRETTO

Synchronize our watches. We breach the walls of Ilias (code-name Troy) at 1500 hours on Sunday 13th of November. Our tank will be camouflaged as a horse constructed of timber. Several of our soldiers will be hidden inside. They will lead the first offensive after dark. The entire army will proceed at the double through the breach and the opened gates. The city will be ransacked and destroyed, and no prisoners taken.

Hector Berlioz: LES TROYENS (Act 1)
The characters are:
*Aeneas (Énée), son of Anchises and Venus (!), Trojan hero par excellence, who foolishly thinks the horse is blessed by Pallas Athene and should be placed in her temple, and then wisely flees the conflagration, with his young son *Ascanius (soprano), and other brave pragmatic Trojans, to build a bigger and better city somewhere else. His circuitous route takes him from the Black Sea to NW Africa and then to Italy.

*Cassandra is a tragic princess and prophetess, predicting doom on Troy, and *Choroebos, her betrothed, is worried that she is slightly unhinged).

*Hecuba consort of King *Priam of Troy, who is father of Cassandra, *Polyxena, *Paris [non-appearing role, prudently keeps out of sight after all the trouble he has caused], *Hector [appearing only as a ghost], and *Helenus (a priest), not to be confused with the Spartan belle, *Helen, who keeps right out of sight. Hector's wife *Andromakhe and their son *Astynax are speechless over all the horror and can only mime their parts. *Pantheus is another priest, and a friend of Aeneas.

Don't expect to see the priest Laokoön throwing his spear at the hated wooden horse gifted by the Greeks {"I fear Daneans even when they are bearing gifts" Vergil, Aeneid}, and then being killed with his sons, by two sea serpents; but Aeneas gives a graphic account of it. Listen for the stirring Trojan march as they drag the horse in through the hole in the wall they make.

Hector Berlioz, Les Troyens (The Trojans)
Act 2: The destruction of Troy
Aeneas is asleep in his palatial mansion, when the ghost of Hector appears to him and cries: "Son of Venus, get thee to Italy". This call is frequent in the opera; he is commissioned to found a new nation in the land of the jackboot (funny thing, Aotearoa likewise looks like a long boot viewed upside down, and Aeneas missed his chance to arrive here before the Maaori Polynesians and the British imperialists laid claim to it).

Pantheus the priest informs Aeneas that the Grecian horse has belched forth enemy soldiers, who have opened the gates to admit the marauding hordes seeking hoards of treasure. It is going to be a night of raping, slaughtering, pillaging, raising hell, and razing the city. King Priam and Troy are both getting the sack. Never mind, it all takes place off stage ["Loud noises and distant cries"].

Ascanius Aeneas-son (played by a girl-soprano) reports on the destructive fires burning down palaces. Khorebus drags Aeneas off to defend the citadel.

At the altar of Vesta-Kybele, within the palace of Priam, the priestesses and other women are bewailing the fate of their city. Cassandra the prophetess tells them that her beloved Khorebus has died a hero, while Aeneas has done the noble thing and fled, with Priam's treasure in tow. When a Greek captain and his men come bursting in, Cassandra and the women commit mass suicide, their last words being "Italy, Italy".

Act 3: The Trojans at Carthage
After the gloom of Troy, the blazing sun lights up the stage, at the palace of the widow-queen Dido, in Carthage (Phoenician Qart Hadsht, "Newtown"). Great festivity, celebrating seven years of occupying northern Africa. She sits with her sister Anna and her minister Narbal (and her Tyrian poet Iopas is hovering around). Builders, sailors, and farm-workers pay homage to her. The Trojans arrive: first young Ascanius, then Pantheus, and Aeneas (in disguise). They magnanimously offer to defeat her foes (Iarbas and his Numidians). Everybody suddenly forgets what great losers Trojans are, and the scratch Lions team goes off to take on all the blacks.

Act 4
    We have all heard the "Royal Hunt and Storm" interlude (Beecham used to go through it like a dose of his family's little liver pills charging through the system).
    Aeneas and Dido are on the chase (who or what is being chased or not chaste is clouded in mystery). The clouds burst and the pair get caught in a downpour. They go into a cave to get out of the wet (dancing as they go, like Fred and Ginger, no doubt). Forest nymphs appear, disheveled and screaming the theme-song: "Italy". Satyrs and fauns dance wildly amid lightning and thunder, waving flaming branches from a tree struck by lightning.
    Well, that's what the composer put in his stage instructions (remember, like Wagner, he wrote his own libretto). We shall see what the director chooses to do with that. (He could bring in Gene Kelly, "Singin' in the Rain", for example).
    But a veil is drawn over what happened in the cave (just as it was when I studied Ovid's Latin version at Fort Street school when I was fifteen). But no good will come of it. Queen Dido is hooked (and will eventually be forsooked).
    We are back at the palace, for a concert of ballet (bring on the Egyptian dancing girls and the nubile Nubian slaves) and song (from the Tyrian minstrel Iopas) and tale-telling. “Tell me that one about the fate of Andromakhe”, Dido says to Aeneas, and to her horror she learns that Hector's widow has finally succumbed to the love of Pyrrhus, her captor, and has joined him on the throne of Epirus!
    Young Ascanius helps his father's courtship of Dido by removing her dead husband's ring from her finger. All slip away leaving them in the moonlight, crooning their love duet: "Oh night of intoxication and infinite ecstasy".
    The messenger god Mercury/Hermes suddenly appears with a singing-telegram for Aeneas: "ITALY STOP ITALY STOP ITALY STOP". No, "Go". "Yes, but you don't go", as the Major-General said to W.S. Gilbert's not a happy lot of policemen.

Berlioz, Les Troyens, Act 5 (in 3 scenes).
Scene 1. In the harbour at night, on one of the Trojan ships, Hylas the sailor boy sings a sad song about his homeland. (We really do have to wonder how the Trojans could have constructed a fleet of ships while they were locked inside their besieged city. Never mind. Maybe they stole some of the Greek vessels.) The Trojan chiefs are preparing for departure, and that infernal word "Italy" is coming up out of nowhere again. Aeneas desperately does not want to leave Dido, but again it is fate. The ghosts of Priam, Hector, Cassandra, and Khoirobos give him a shove, while Dido tries to drag him back; but he embarks, goose-stepping to the Trojan march, shouting the fateful name of the country of his destiny.
Scene 2. In the palace, Dido begs her sister Anna to intercede with Aeneas, but Anna knows that it is inevitable. Dido enters into her mad scene, ordering her people to pursue the traitors, but it is too late. As you do at the end of a love affair, she is going to burn everything belonging to the man who jilted her (his pajamas and toothbrush and whatever).
Scene 3. When the pyre is built she mounts it herself, bearing the sword of Aeneas, which she plunges into her breast, after predicting that Hannibal ("Ba'al's grace") will eventually arise and avenge her. A vision of triumphant Rome is presented to her as she dies amid the curses of the Carthaginians against the Trojans.

   What a feast of beautiful and stirring music Hector Berlioz has regaled us with, both lyrical (that exquisite love duet in Act 4) and dramatic (Cassandra's outpourings).
   I own two audio recordings of this (Colin Davis 1969 on vinyl, Charles Dutoit on compact silver disc, with Deborah Voigt) and one video performance (John Eliot Gardiner, with Gregory Kunde and Susan Graham, and that is what the above commentary refers to; it is all done with mirrors, by the way).
   Poor Hector Berlioz never saw a complete performance: he experienced The Trojans at Carthage (Acts 3 to 5), but not The Fall of Troy (Acts 1 and 2).

MOZART : LE NOZZE DI FIGARO

2011-11-05T23:37:00.001+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 6th of November 2011 at 3.03 - 6.05 pm

MOZART: The Marriage of Figaro, an opera in four acts
Count Almaviva............. Simon Keenlyside
Countess....................... Véronique Gens
Susanna........................ Patrizia Ciofi
Figaro........................... Lorenzo Regazzo
Cherubino..................... Angelika Kirchschlager
Marcellina..................... Marie McLaughlin
Basilio........................... Kobie van Rensburg
Bartolo.......................... Antonio Abete
Barbarina...................... Nuria Rial
Girls.............................. Elisabeth Rapp, Yeree Suh
Collegium Vocale Gent, Concerto Cologne/ René Jacobs
(Harmonia Mundi HMC 80 1818.20)

COMPOSER
OVERVIEW
REVIEW
CHARACTERS
STORYLINE
ANALYSIS
LIBRETTO

Mozart, THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO (Le Nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata)
Note at the outset that all the action takes place in a single day, according to the classical conventions. The subtitle says so: "the day of madness". The same applies to The Barber of Seville.
We are in the 18th century, in Spain, near Seville, in a palatial mansion, initially in a backroom, next to the bedroom of the Count Almaviva and his Countess (her name is Rosina, as we learned from the Barber of Seville, but it is never mentioned, right? Wrong. But what is the Count's personal name?). Their servants, Susanna and Figaro (the erstwhile barber), are preparing for their wedding (already announced in the title of the opera).
Overture: busy, bustling, beautiful, and brief; it takes the time needed for boiling an egg (I’m not making this up; Beecham did; and it includes space for regular taking of your Beecham pills, to keep you regular).
Act 1
[1.1] Duet: 5, 10, 20, 30. Figaro is measuring the floor for positioning the marital bed; Susanna is trying on her home-made bonnet, looking into a mirror, if the director allows.
[1.2] They differ over the suitability of this room: he says they will be able to respond immediately when their master and mistress ring the bell (Ding ding!); she says the lord can come in when he likes, and (being another Don Juan) he can exercise his lordly rights in their bed for idle half-hours; and that’s why he gave her a large dowry.
[1.3] Cavatina. Susanna is called away (by that bell); Figaro muses over this scenario; if the Count wants to have a ball, he will be dancing to Figaro’s tune; all your machinations I will overturn.
[1.4] Change of scenery? Bartolo and Marcellina (formerly his servant) are plotting to subvert the marriage; she has a contract, and Figaro will be sued for breach of promise; pay up or marry her.
Aria : La vendetta. Bartolo will be glad to get revenge on Figaro, who had conspired to take his ward Rosina from him, and give her to Count Almaviva.
[1.5] Marcellina and Susanna meet. Who defers at the door? Age before beauty, et cetera.
[1.6] Susanna remains. Young Cherubino appears, disconsolate and desolate; the Count found him alone with Barbarina (the gardener’s daughter) and has dismissed him. The randy teenager loves all the women on the estate; and he would like Susanna’s job, dressing and undressing the Countess. He sings his song about his state of mind; crazy with love and longing; he’s a mixed-up kid: I don’t know what I am or what I am doing.
[1.7] Recitative (heaps of it, but plenty of action, too). The Count is coming, and Cherubino hides behind a chair; the Count sits in it; he mentions his appointment as ambassador to Britain, and he will take Figaro and her with him to London; and tonight he would like to meet her in the garden at dusk. Basilio (music teacher and purveyor of gossip) is heard approaching; the Count goes behind the chair, while Cherubino secretly takes his place in it, and Suzy covers him with a dress. Basilio is actually reporting the Count’s admiration for Susan, and the boy’s infatuation for the Countess. The Count reveals himself, and they sing as a trio; Cherubino is silent, but he is discovered and speaks; the Count wishes to summon Figaro to see his bride with the pageboy.
[1.8] Chorus. Figaro arrives with a company of peasants, to honour their lord for abolishing his right to the first night; he has done that publicly but he wants to continue his pursuit of sweet Sue privately; so he prevaricates. He sends Cherubino off to join his regiment as an officer, forthwith.
[9] Aria. Figaro bids him fare well with a parting greeting that contrasts his life as an amorous butterfly with the soldier’s hardships; no more fandango-dancing, now it is marching through mud (fango): Cherubino, on to victory, to military glory! All depart to the sound of a martial march.

Cherubino in love. The end of Act 1 together with the whole of Act 2 covers all the Cherubino scenes, with his two songs about love (or teenager lust), and his two attempts to conceal himself from the wrath of the Count; he pops up again in the finale. He goes on to have an entire French comic opera devoted to him, namely Chérubin, by Jules Massenet: at seventeen he is pursuing a famous dancer, but he has a lover named Nina (Barbarina is not in sight), and he is still treasuring the Countess’s ribbon in his pocket; Nina wins in the end. Frederica von Stade continues to play the pageboy in a recording of this (so his voice has still not broken!). Incidentally, Roger Wilson has revealed in a record review that there is an intact male soprano around, who plays Cherubino. This eases the complication in Act 2, dressing ‘him’ in feminine clothing when he is in actuality a woman pretending to be a boy.

In Act 1 (6-9). Cherubino has been discovered alone with Barbarina, and the Count is sending him away to be an officer in his regiment. Figaro marches him off to military glory (but he does not go).
Act 2
[2.1] Porgi amor (cavatina). The Countess is alone, imploring Love to grant her relief from her sorrow and her sighing, by giving her beloved back to her, or else let her die.
[2.2] She and Susanna discuss the Count’s infidelity. Figaro comes along la-la-laring, as he did when he was the barber of Seville. He has a plan to defeat his employer in his quest for Susanna’s favour. This point always eludes me in the opera house, so I will write it down here: because Susanna has refused the Count’s offer to be confidential attachée to the embassy in London, when he is made ambassador, he will transfer the honour to Marcellina; so, Figaro has sent Basilio to him, with a letter disclosing a proposed assignation of the Countess with a lover at the ball that evening; in his confusion he will not be able to prevent Figaro’s wedding (see the title of the opera). Susanna points out that Marcellina will still oppose their marriage. Figaro says they can disguise Cherubino as Susanna, send the Count to meet ‘her’, and surprise him; and then Figaro will make the Count dance to his tune (as promised in Act 1).
[2.3] Voi che sapete (canzona). Cherubino arrives to be dressed; he is sighing and blushing, and he sings his song ‘Tell me ladies, you who know what love is, whether it is what I have in my heart’. He describes his symptoms: shivers and hot flushes (or similar). Susanna sings an aria as they dress him. They discover the Countess’s ribbon tied around his lily-white arm.
[2.4] The Count is supposedly off hunting for a few hours, but here he is, banging at the locked door, wanting to know what is going on in there. The boy hides in the closet, or dressing room.
[2.5] The Count enters suspiciously; there is a crash from the toilet-room; he is told, eventually, that it is Susanna. The Count has Figaro’s letter with him; he is seeking an explanation.
[2.6] Trio. Susanna enters, unnoticed, while the Count is calling on her to come out of the other room (he is told that she is trying on her wedding dress, and can not); she sizes up the situation, hides in an alcove, and practices voice-throwing; she suggests this could cause a scandal in the house. Indeed, so the Count locks the other doors, and takes his wife with him to get a tool to break into the little room.
[2.7] Cherubino now comes out, and takes his only way of escape by jumping through the second-storey window into the garden.
[2.8] The master and mistress return with the wherewithal to force the door. Slowly she confesses it is a child hiding in the room, after they had been having a harmless diversion, and it is in fact Cherubino. Consternation, the pesky page is everywhere.
[2.9] Susanna appears from the room, to the astonishment of both; he begs her pardon.
[2.10] Enter Figaro, to be questioned about the letter (the women have already said that he sent it); he denies any knowledge of it.
[2.11] Antonio the gardener bursts in, to report a person jumping on his garden and damaging his plants. Figaro takes the blame; but the paper that was dropped was Cherubino’s commission; yes, it still needed to be sealed.
[2.12] Marcellina, Bartolo, and Basilio arrive, demanding justice for the lady; confusion reigns, in a septet.
Act 3
[3.1] The Count recounts (to himself) an account of the details of the muddle (while playing with a machine in this production):
(1) an anonymous letter (about an assignation with Susanna; we know that Figaro concocted it; another letter will replace it soon);
(2) the maid locked in the dressing room (actually Cherubino);
(3) the Countess flustering (she did not know Susanna had taken Cherubino’s place);
(4) a man leaping onto the garden; (5) another (Figaro) claiming he was the one;
(6) the Countess could not be guilty, as she has too much respect for his honour, which is, however, fraught with human frailty.
[3.2] Susanna comes (feigning to search for her Lady’s smelling salts) and tells the Count she will submit to his desire in exchange for a dowry; he calls her Carissima (Dearest).
[3.3] Figaro interrupts, and she takes him off telling him that he has won his case without needing a lawyer.
[3.4] The Count hears this, and muses angrily over exacting revenge on his serf; why should this nobody have and enjoy the object of my passion, Susanna?
[3.5] The lawyer Curzio leads Figaro with Marcellina and Bartolo into the presence of the Count. It is decided: Figaro must pay back the two thousand pieces of silver that Marcellina lent him, or marry her (she confesses she does love him). Figaro claims he is of noble birth, and would need his parents’ consent; he was stolen by bandits in infancy; he has a spatula birthmark, which proves that he is Raffaelo, the child of Marcellina herself, and also of Bartolo. At this moment Susanna arrives with the money to redeem her fiancé, and she is astonished to see him embracing Marcellina lovingly; she slaps his face; but Marcellina offers her embrace to her, as his mother (sua madre? sua madre!).
[3.6] Gazing on the fruit of their early love, the old couple decide to make it a double wedding. Susanna gives Figaro the money, and Bartolo makes a contribution, too. Everyone is blissfully happy, except the Count.
[3.7] Barbarina tells the page Cherubino that they are going to dress him in women’s clothing, so that the Count will not be able to find him.

NB the scenes are not always in this order; Dove sono? appeared before 3.5, and also 3.7.

Act 4 On the night of the wedding celebrations the Countess and her maid Susanna exchange clothes, creating a farcical scene in the garden: the Count is unwittingly making love to his own wife. All ends happily, when all is revealed and the Count begs Rosina for forgiveness.

A BBC poll determined that the three most loved opera arias are not by Verdi or Puccini or Rossini, but by Purcell, Mozart, and Wagner. Can you guess what they are? They are all sad songs, two of them being closely connected with death, the other one is concerned with the loss of the joy of young love. The second place-winner: Dove sono i bei momenti, Where are the lovely moments of sweetness and pleasure? This is sung by the Countess, in Act 3 of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.

BOITO : MEFISTOFELE

2011-10-28T12:50:00.000+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 30th of October 2011 at 3.03 - 5.20 pm

BOÏTO: Mefistofele, an opera in four acts with prologue and epilogue
Mefistofele.............................. Ferruccio Furlanetto
Faust...................................... Giuseppe Filianoti
Margherita/Helen of Troy........ Dimitra Theodossiou
Marta..................................... Sonia Zaramella
Wagner.................................. Mimmo Ghegghi
Pantalis................................... Monica Minarelli
Teatro Massimo, Palermo Chorus & Orch/Stefano Ranzini (Naxos 8.660248)

INTRODUCTION
SYNOPSIS
LIBRETTO (Italian)

In this version of the FAUST story, though Mefistofele igets top billing in the title, he is still the villain, and he loses out in the end, as first Margarita (Gretchen = Gretel) and then Faust find redemption and go to sing in the heavenly choir. (This is going one better than Gounod.)

I have two recordings of MEFISTOFELE and one of NERONE. If you like this Naxos recording you can buy it!

GOETHE IN MUSIC
"Music begins where words end" - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

CHEETHAM : PECAN SUMMER

2011-10-16T00:40:00.003+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 16th of October 2011 at 3.03 - 4.45 pm

INTRODUCTION
HISTORY
COMPOSER
SINGER
PICTURES
SYNOPSIS
REVIEW
CHEETHAM orchestrated Wells: Pecan Summer,
an opera in two acts with a prelude and postlude
Gomuka ....................... Rachael Woods
Dunatpan...................... Sermsah Bin Saad
Frank............................ John Wayne Parsons
Sarah............................ Karen Cummings
Old Alice...................... Ursula Yovich
Michael......................... Carlos Barcenas
Young Alice.................. Jessica Hitchcock
Jimmy........................... Zoy Frangos
Ella............................... Deborah Cheetham
McGuiggan................... Stephen Grant
James............................ Tiriki Onus
Elizabeth....................... Shauntaii Batzke
Frances......................... Minjara Atkinson
Mrs Joyce..................... Patricia Oakley
The Minister.................. Jonathon Welch
The Minister's Wife....... Rosamund Illing
Dhungala Children's Choir, Short Black Opera Company, Melbourne Chamber Orch/David Kram (ABC)
This is basically the life-story of Alice; it draws on the history of the devastating losses experienced by indigenous families affected by the policies of forced child removal that operated across Australia over many decades up until the early 1970s; it focuses on the walkout from a mission station (concentration camp) in New South Wales in 1939; the people crossed the Murray River and "went walkabout" but settled in such towns as Echuca and Shepparton in Victoria. The drama ends movingly with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (Labor Party) giving a public apology (saying "Sorry") for the past policies, something John Howard (so-called Liberal Party) had neglected to do.
   Deborah Cheetham is the librettist, composer, director, and singer of the role of Ella in this production of her indigenous Australian opera; the score was orchestrated by Jessica Wells. Deborah was herself taken from her mother and brought up in a white family (as a White Baptist Abba Fan, according to the title of her autobiographical play). She studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
   Deborah has sung in New Zealand, and (topically, October 2011) she sang with Argentinian tenor José Cura at the opening of the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
   (Of course, probably none of this would have happened if she had not been adopted out.)
   We Collesses have strong blood-ties with Aboriginal Australians, and also Maori (not just with the two transported convicts from whom we are descended), and we are proud of all three of these connections.
   My wife Helen and I once had a memorable week with a big group of Aboriginal children, who were brought from the outback to Bondi Beach; the team lived in a church hall with them, and went to swim in the sea; it was Sunday school every day of the week; one vivid memory is the fanfare that was used to get them assembled for meals and lessons: Suppé's Light Cavalry Overture (which I eventually played my trumpet in, here in the Manawatu Youth Orchestra when I was forty).

WEBER : DER FREISCHÜTZ

2011-10-09T00:05:00.002+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 9th of October 2011 at 3.03 - 6.05 pm

WEBER: Der Freischütz, an opera in three acts
Max.............................. Andrew Kennedy

Agathe.......................... Sophie Karthäuser
Kaspar.......................... Gidon Saks
Aennchen...................... Virginie Pochon
Kuno............................ Matthew Brook
Hermit........................... Luc Bertin-Hugault
Kilian............................ Samuel Evans
Ottokar......................... Robert Davies
Monteverdi Chorus, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
John Eliot Gardiner
(recorded in the Royal Albert Hall, London by the BBC)

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
SYNOPSIS

REVIEW
REVIEW
REVIEW

This is the first opportunity I have had to comment on an opera (The Free Shooter) which I saw long ago, and have been admiring ever since, studying the German libretto I bought in my student years. This was the first German romantic opera (and I do not mean simply that it has a love story in it). In high school my German teacher said that this was the opera that inspired Wagner.
   Sadly, Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826) died of tuberculosis, and he lost two months of his productive life after mistakenly drinking deadly acid from a wine bottle; his father used it for engraving, and Carl himself learned the art to make the plates for his own music.
   I recall a production at Melbourne University, when my young son Michael was so interested in looking into the orchestra pit that the conductor had to tell him to go back to his seat so that he could start the second part. One thing that intrigued him was the chess game in the brass section. That reminded me of a book I was reading in those days, namely Nights in the Orchestra, in which Hector Berlioz reported discussions he allegedly had with musicians during performances of operas.
   Berlioz had an interesting connection with this "free-shooting" opera: it contains spoken dialogue (like Mozart's Seraglio, and Beethoven's Fidelio), and this was not allowed in the Paris Opera House (same problem with Bizet's Carmen), so Berlioz was commissioned to fix it, and to add a ballet (obligatory, as Wagner and Verdi well knew); he orchestrated Weber's piano piece known as Invitation to to the Dance (Dum di dum dum dum) for the occasion.
   For this Proms performance on original instruments, the French version is presented, without staging (the orchestra fills the stage), though there is action, overseen by the head of Sir Henry Wood.
   The three reviews offered above seem to suggest that it is better to just listen. Warning: we will hear some gunshots (from magic bullets).

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV : TSAR'S BRIDE

2011-09-17T16:41:00.000+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 18th of September 2011 at 3.03 - 6.15 pm

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: The Tsar's Bride, an opera in four acts
Vasily Sobakin.............. Paata Burchuladze
Marfa............................ Marina Poplavskaya
Grigory Gryaznoy.......... Johann Reuter
Malyuta Skuratov.......... Alexander Vinogradov
Ivan Lïkov..................... Dmitry Popov
Lyubasha...................... Ekaterina Gubanova
Bomelius....................... Vasily Gorchkov
Saburova...................... Elizabeth Woollett
Dunyasha...................... Jurgita Adamonyte
Petrovna....................... Anne-Marie Owens
Orch of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Mark Elder
(recorded in Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, by BBC)

INTRODUCTION
PREVIEW
REVIEW
REVIEW (9/10)
REVIEW (8/10)
RECORDINGS

These notes apply particularly to the film version (1966),
Tsarskaya Nevesta (The Tsar's Bride) (1898)

Vasily Stepanovich Sobakin, Novgorodian merchant     bass
Marfa, his daughter     soprano
Grigory Gryaznoy, an oprichnik     baritone
Malyuta Skuratov, an oprichnik     bass
Boyar Ivan Sergeyevich Lïkov     tenor
Lyubasha     mezzo-soprano
Yelisey Bomelius, the Tsar's physician     tenor
Domna Ivanovna Saburova, a merchant woman     soprano
Dunyasha, her daughter, Marfa's girlfriend     mezzo-soprano
Petrovna, the Sobakins' housekeeper     mezzo-soprano

The Tsar is Ivan IV (the “Terrible”). The deaths occur in Act 4. The drama is set in Moscow in 1572.
This is a “film”, in which actors mouth the words of the singers. Russian with English subtitles.
Orchestra and choir of the Bolshoi Theatre (Moscow), Yevgeni Svetlanov conductor.
Note that the Tsar neither sings nor speaks whenever he appears; he simply gives everyone the evil eye.
Time: Autumn, 1572
Place: Aleksandrovsky settlement, Moscow, Russia

ACT 1 Grigory GRYAZNOY, a bodyguard (oprichnik), has unrequited love for MARFA (Martha), daughter of the Novgorodian merchant Vasily Stepanovich SOBAKIN. His current mistress is LYUBASHA, who is feeling neglected. Marfa is already loved by the boyar Ivan Sergeyevich LYKOV, and in jealousy Gryaznoy arranges to cast a spell on Marfa with a magic potion from Yelisey BOMELIUS, the Tsar’s physician; and Lyubasha has overheard this.

(1) Overture (2) I can think of nothing (3) Malyuta [Skuratov, a bodyguard] has come to see me
(4) Summon your singers (5) Greetings, godddaughter (6) Bomelius, I have a request (7) Why are you here?

ACT 2   MARFA is talking about her beloved IVAN, with her friend DUNYASHA, daughter of Domna Ivanova Saburova, a merchant woman (8-10). The TSAR comes riding by and pauses to gaze at Marfa (11). Ivan arrives and they go by boat to the Sobakin home (12). Lyubasha walks through the fields (13); she wants to know what Marfa looks like, and to consider how strong a rival she is (14); she spies Dunyasha at the window of the house, and is somewhat reassured, but then she sees the real Marfa. So Lyubasha also obtains a potion from Bomelius, designed to remove Gryaznoi’s feelings of love towards Marfa, but the price to be paid by Lyubasha is an intimate session with Bomelius.

(8) Introduction (9) Have you seen Ivan? (10) We were neighbours in Novgorod (11) What could that mean? (12) Be patient, dear daughter (13) Intermezzo (14) Aha! So this is where the dear dove’s nest is (15) See what I’ve come to, Gregory (16) You’ve come. Where is the powder? (17) Those were not falcons gathering on high.

ACT 3   The Tsar inspects a line-up of beautiful Russian aristocratic maidens. (This would be where the craze for Russian brides originated?) Back at the Sobakin homestead, the celebration of the betrothal of Marfa and Ivan Lykov is taking place. Gryaznoy slips a powder into Marfa’s drink, believing it to be the philtre he obtained from Bomelius. (How do these love potions work? How do the chemicals know that when they arouse love they are only to apply to the person who had the prescription made up and the person who receives the philtre?) Surprise and horror, Boyars bring tidings of the Tsar’s chosen bride: it is Marfa.

(18) Opening (19) Here’s the mead and the cups (20) Did I not say there was no need (21) You get more, and she gets less (22) Let us sing the praises (23) The Boyars are coming

ACT 4   Marfa, now installed in the Tsar’s palace, has become seriously ill. The Tsar has been unlucky in love again. Gryaznoy brings news: Ivan Lykov was accused of attempting to kill Marfa, and he was executed (at the instigation of Gryaznoi). When Marfa hears that her Ivan is dead, she goes insane, but sings on happily (the last of the operatic mad scenes for soprano, 1899?) Gryaznoy admits that he had put a powder in Marfa’s cup, and now that he realizes it was poison he asks to be executed also. Lyubasha confesses that she substituted her potion from Bomelius, and that concoction was given to Marfa. Enraged, Gryaznoy slays Lyubasha, and he is arrested for eventual execution. Marfa thinks he is Ivan, and she invites him to visit her again on the morrow. Then she dies, and the bodies of the two women are lying on the cold palace floor.

(24) Introduction (25) Greetings to Boyar Vasily Stepanovich (26) The poor Tsarina’s life is ruined
(27) Let’s go to the orchard, Ivan (28) It’s more than I can bear

LULLY : ATYS

2011-09-10T17:51:00.005+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 11th of September 2011 at 3.03 - 6.15 pm

LULLY: Atys, an opera in a prologue and five acts

Atys.............................. Bernard Richter
Cybèle.......................... Stéphanie d'Oustrac
Sangaride...................... Emmanuelle de Negri
Célénus......................... Nicolas Rivenq
Idas.............................. Marc Mauillon
Doris............................. Sophie Daneman
Mélisse......................... Jaël Azzaretti
Le Sommeil................... Paul Agnew
Morphée....................... Cyril Auvity
Le Temps, Le Fleuve..... Bernard Deletré
Flore............................. Elodie Fonnard
Iris................................ Rachel Redmond
Melpomène................... Anna Reinhold
Zéphir........................... Francisco Rueda
Zéphir........................... Reinoud van Mechelen
Phobétor....................... Callum Thorpe
Les Arts Florissants Chorus & Orch/William Christie
(recorded in the Opéra Comique, Paris by Radio France

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
PREVIEW
REVIEW
RECORDING

When William Christie's recording of Lully's Atys came out in 1987, GRAMOPHONE magazine featured it on the front cover of the July issue; inside was an article on Lully (157-158) and a review of the recording (215-216), both by Nicholas Anderson. He gave it a resounding bravo! and audiences at this revival were saying Magnifique! Extraordinaire! I have all three of those pieces from the magazine, neatly folded and tucked into the compact-disc box with the libretto (which has the original print of the text; fortunately I have studied French literature ancient and modern so I can handle it). I acquired the box-set second-hand at Slow Boat Records in Wellington, also the source of countless operas on 12-inch records in my collection. (Amazon can sell you one, as noted under "recording" above.)

The work is a "tragédie lyrique", and concerns a love affair of a shepherd (Atys) with a goddess (Cybèle); she wants him badly; but he prefers a nymph (Sangaride); she deceitfully causes him to kill his beloved and then turns him into a pine tree.

The cast is dressed in costumes of the 17th century, the time of Louis XIV (oui, le Roi Soleil), for whom the opera was composed, and who loved it.

Lully was Italian but he composed in a French style. He worked closely with his librettist Quinault to ensure that their eleven operas (1673-1686) matched the quality of the classical dramas of Racine and Corneille; but he also collaborated with Molière on Le bourgois gentilhomme (1670). So it was just like Gilbert and Sullivan, first Cox and Box without Gilbert, then all the Savoy operas. Quinault and Lully for ever.

SULLIVAN : THE MIKADO

2011-09-03T17:26:00.001+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 4th of September 2011 at 3.03 - 6.05 pm

SULLIVAN: The Mikado, an operetta in two acts
The Mikado.................. James Morris
Nanki-Poo.................... Toby Spence
Ko-Ko......................... Neal Davies
Pooh-Bah..................... Andrew Shore
Pish-Tush...................... Phillip Kraus
Yum-Yum..................... Andriana Chuchman
Pitti-Sing....................... Katharine Goeldner
Peep-Bo....................... Emily Fons
Katisha......................... Stephanie Blythe
Lyric Opera Chorus & Orch/Andrew Davis
(recorded at the Lyric Opera, Chicago by WFMT)

INTRODUCTION
ARCHIVE
PREVIEW
REVIEW
REVIEW

Sullivan's Ivanhoe is the only one of his works to appear on this website so far, but it gives me great pleasure to add The Mikado, the most operatic of his operettas. In 1884 (after Thespis [never heard of it?], Trial by Jury, Sorcerer, Pinafore, Pirates, Patience, Iolanthe, Princess Ida) Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) had reached a point in his relationship with his wonderful witty librettist, W. S. Gilbert (1836-1911), where he wanted to produce more serious musical compositions. He baulked at the idea of a magic lozenge that makes people fall in love (similar to The Sorcerer, and Donizetti's Elixir of Love), and Gilbert came up with a satire on Japan, which (as ever) had reference to English society and the British Empire.

This is the 9th of the collaborative works (fourteen comic operas, thoughthe first, Thespis, is not in my book of librettos) by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, and it almost did not happen. Sullivan rejected the idea of a magic lozenge for lovers, and Gilbert had to find a new subject rapidly. Did the Japanese ceremonial sword fall from the wall or not at all? Anyway, the composer was happy with a play set in Japan but satirising Imperial Britain. The names are not Nipponese but Chinese, and I am wondering whether this was intentional or not.

This is a performance from the Chicago LyricOpera house. It is conducted by the genial Andrew Davis, who has obviously not put all the nonsense of the Last Night of the Proms behind him yet.

The unsmiling Mikado (letting the punishment fit the crime) is the demoted from divinity Wotan named James Morris; and Katisha his fearsome daughter-in-law elect (who actually loses the election to Yum-Yum, and gets the lowly Lord High Executioner Ko-Ko as her partner in life, instead of the
prince Nanki-Poo) is the sublime Stephanie Blythe. We know both of them fromthe NY Metropera.

Stephanie Blythe is a marvel; her body fills quite a bit of space on a stage, but her voice and the personas she projects into the theatre are glorious and moving (Orpheus, Fricka).

Above we have a set of study guides that give us all we need. The Wiki article covers everything, and provides access to each item in the show, one by one: example, "The sun whose rays are all ablaze".

The attribution "Gilbert and Sullivan" is right; it started the American way in crediting the creators of musical plays (Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe). Gilbert saw their relationship as "master and master", not "slave and master".

VERDI : AIDA

2011-08-28T14:14:00.000+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 28th of August 2011 at 3.03 pm

Sunday 25th of April 2010 at 3.03 pm
Sunday 21st of December 2008 at 3 pm
Sunday 19th of August 2007 at 3 pm

VERDI: Aida, an opera in four acts
Aida.............................. Hui He
King of Egypt................ Roberto Tagliavini
Amneris........................ Luciana D'Intino
Radames....................... Marco Berti
Amonasro..................... Ambrogio Maestri
Ramfis........................... Giacomo Prestia
Messenger.................... Saverio Fiore
Voice of a Priestess....... Caterina Di Tonno
Florence May Festival Chorus & Orch/Zubin Mehta
(recorded in the Teatro Comunale, Florence by Italian Radio)

INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
FOREGROUND
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
ANALYSIS
LIBRETTO

The New York Metropolitan Opera has staged this spectacle regularly, and so we have good study guides (Placido Domingo is pictured in the STORYLINE presentation). The two background essays give a good summary of ancient Egyptian culture (a subject I used to tell students about). The writer argues for a setting in the Old Kingdom (around 2500 BCE, the time of the great pyramids), but the presence of Ethiopians should put it long after that (there were Ethiopic rulers over Egypt). Anyway, it is fictional, and an idea of the French archaeologist Mariette. The names are Greek forms of Egyptian originals. The capital city is given as Memphis, in northern ("Lower" not "Upper") Egypt, with its chief god Ptah (pronounce every letter, please).

The question of the occasion of composition is not in the Metropera notes. In this regard, I remember a Saturday night in 1962-3, in Victor Harbor (South Australia), at the local music club, when a question was asked: What did Verdi's opera Aida commemorate? I rushed in with the answer I had seen on the back of a record cover: 'the opening of the Suez Canal' (I have been there since then, and I went under it in a bus). 'No', said the lady quizmaster (Mrs Overall, wife of the local undertaker), 'the opening of the Cairo Opera House'. I muttered that I thought they coincided. The Oxford Dictionary of Opera states: "Aida was not, as generally supposed, written for the opening of the Suez Canal (1869), but was commissioned by the Khedive of Egypt to open the new Cairo Opera House the same year". In the event, Aida missed the bus or the boat, and the first performance was on the 24th of December 1871 in Cairo (Verdi was absent), and the season at La Scala in Milan began on 8th of February 1872. The delay was caused allegedly by Verdi's interest not being fully aroused until someone suggested Wagner might like to do it (see below), and second by the Franco-Prussian war preventing the scenery and costumes from leaving Paris.

Let's consider some facts about the origins of Aida (from Charles Osborne’s handbook on the operas of Verdi, 1969, 371-382). It is derived from a libretto by Metastasio. Truly. Pietro Metastasio’s Nitteti (based on stories in Herodotos and Diodorus of Sicily) shares these details with Aida: triumphal pageant; two royal women loving the same man (Nitteti is equivalent to Amneris); the hero’s rejection of one of the unloved woman’s attempt to save his life; the threat of death by entombment (but this has a happy ending). More than ten composers set it to music in the 18th century.

Now, the Aida libretto arose from a story by the French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette (who knew about the wars between Egypt and Ethiopia, and the setting of his tale is correctly around 1000 before the current era); but his brother Edouard claimed it was stolen from a novel he had drafted in 1866. Anyway, Mariette suggested to the Khedive (the title used by the viceroy of Egypt in the time of Turkish rule, 1867-1914) that it could be made into an opera to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal. The Khedive agreed that Verdi should be offered it first, then Gounod and Wagner. The rumour that Verdi was not interested till this rivalry provoked him into action, might not be true.

Certainly, Verdi had retired after Don Carlo(s), and would need persuasion (after Aida, his masterworks Otello and Falstaff had to be dragged out of him by Boito). Camille Du Locle, of the Paris Opéra, had been trying unsuccessfully to interest Verdi in composing another French opera for his theatre, and he sent a four-page synopsis of the ancient Egyptian opera to Verdi, who liked it and accepted the challenge; Du Locle wrote the libretto in French; Verdi insisted on Italian, and he hired Antonio Ghislanzoni for the task; he himself made many suggestions and even wrote some of the text (the last scene).

Osborne rejects both of the oft-cited connections, that Aida was created to inaugurate the Suez Canal or the Cairo opera house: the canal opened in November 1869, before Verdi had even seen Du Socle’s synopsis (in the spring of 1870); the opera house had already been launched with a performance of Rigoletto on the 1st of November 1869.

However, the connections still stand if we go back to Mariette and the Khedive: apparently the idea they had was to make an opera out of his story for the opening of the canal and presumably also for the new opera house, and Verdi was the composer they had in mind (and he was the right person, rather than Gounod or Wagner). He definitely was commissioned to compose Aida for the Cairo Opera House, within the last six months of 1871, and he did.

Aida did not appear in Paris till 1876, and not at the Opéra but at the Théâtre Italien.

Well, I have seen this one in the movies a few times. Sophia Lauren played the Ethiopian princess (covered in Kiwi boot polish), in a print that had been around the world before it reached the Regent cinema theatre in Palmerston North, perhaps passing through the priestly censoring in Cinema Paradiso. It had hundreds of cuts and splices, and the continual breaks in the flow of the music were disconcerting. But my earliest acquaintance with Aida was when she was buried alive with Mario Lanza (as Radamès) in The Great Caruso.

Denis Forman (The Good Opera Guide) sees this 'enjoyable' opera as 'Verdi at the zenith of his power', and he awards it A+ (alpha-plus).

Sunday 25th of April 2010 at 3.03 pm

VERDI: Aida, an opera in four acts
Aida.............................. Hui He
Amneris........................ Dolora Zajick
Radamès....................... Salvatore Licitra
Amonasro..................... Carlo Guelfi
Ramfis........................... Carlo Colombara
The King....................... Stefan Kocán
High Priestess................ Elizabeth DeShong
Messenger.................... Diego Torre
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Paolo Carignani

Sunday 21st of December 2008 at 3 pm
VERDI: Aida, an opera in four acts
Aida.............................. Mirella Freni
Radamès....................... José Carreras
Amneris........................ Agnes Baltsa
Amonasro..................... Piero Cappuccilli
Ramfis........................... Ruggero Raimondi
King of Egypt................ José van Dam
Messenger.................... Thomas Moser
Priestess........................ Katia Ricciarelli
Vienna State Opera Chorus, Vienna Philharmonic
Herbert von Karajan (EMI 3 81877)

This is the sumptuous splendiferous performance of Karajan. Having recently seen a documentary about him I have been playing his Beethoven recordings. His time working for the Nazi regime may have helped him direct parades of marching and pageantry. What is its Xmas message, I wonder. An opportunity to hear Carreras when his beautiful tenor voice was young, before his battle with cancer.

Sunday 19th of August 2007 at 3 pm
VERDI: Aida, an opera in four acts
Aida.............................. Violeta Urmana
Radamès....................... Roberto Alagna
Amneris........................ Ildiko Komiosi
Amonasro..................... Carlo Guelfi
Ramphis........................ Giorgio Giuseppini
King of Egypt................ Marco Spotti
Messenger.................... Antonello Ceron
Priestess........................ Sae Kyung Rim
La Scala Chorus & Orch/Riccardo Chailly
(recorded at La Scala, Milan in December 2006)

This is Franco Zeffirelli's lavish and spectacular production of Aida, after Riccardo Muti had given up the directorship of La Scala and had thus cleared the way for his harshest critic to return in triumph. Not exactly a cast of thousands, but three hundred fill the stage for the grand march scene. And this recording has caught Roberto Alagna before the night when he walked out because he was treated disrespectfully by the audience.

DONIZETTI : ANNA BOLENA

2011-08-21T01:04:00.001+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 21st of August 2011 at 3.03 - 6.10 pm

DONIZETTI: Anna Bolena, an opera in two acts
Anna Bolena................. Anna Netrebko
Enrico........................... Ildebrando D'Arcangelo
Giovanna....................... Elina Garanca
Lord Rochefort............. Dan Paul Dumitrescu
Lord Percy.................... Francesco Meli
Smeton......................... Elisabeth Kulman
Hervey.......................... Peter Jelosists
Vienna State Opera Chorus & Orch/Evelino Pidò
(recorded in the State Opera, Vienna by Austrian Radio)

INTRODUCTION
SYNOPSIS
REVIEW
REVIEW (Lash)
REVIEW (Zerbinetta)
METROPERA
MET PLAYER

This opera is about King Henry the Eighth's rejection of his wife Anne Boleyn (Anna Bolena) in favour of Jane Seymour (Giovanna di Seymour) her lady-in-waiting. It was the first of Donizetti's works to achieve significant success. As usual, history is not closely adhered to.

Three reviews of this production are provided above. The first (uncredited to its author) is favourable in every department. The second (by L. L. Lash) is satisfied with the singers and the orchestra, but he notes that the director was given deafening sounds of disapproval). The third (by "Zerbinetta") is scathing with regard to the staging, and the lack of passion in the performance ("Everyone stood stiffly in place"), though Anna Netrebko "did not lose her head" in her first assumption of this role; she was passionate and magnificent, and she will open the New York Metropera season in this opera in 2011. However, Elina Garanc(h)a from Latvia sang the coloratura bel canto music of Jane Seymour cleanly and evenly but boringly. At the NYMet we have seen her as Cinderella (Rossini) and Carmen (no lack of passion there!); I have a video recording in which Anna and Elina sing some duets; but they will not be together in the New York version.

This is a long opera, as evidenced by the four 12" discs in the Decca set I own. Marilyn Horne is Jane, but I was surprised to find that Anna was not Joan Sutherland but Elena Souliotis from Buenos Aires. This is also from the Vienna Opera, in 1970; Sutherland and Bonynge did it for Decca in 1987 (Welsh Opera); there is a video recording from 1984, made in Canada. Of course, Maria Callas started the head rolling in 1957 (La Scala, Milano).

RAMEAU : PYGMALION

2011-08-14T00:46:00.001+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 14th of August 2011 at 3.03 - 4.55 pm

RAMEAU: Anacréon; Pygmalion, two one act operas
Anacréon
La Prêtresse de Bacchus …Emmanuelle de Negri
L’Amour………………… Hanna Bayodi-Hirt
Agathocle………………... Ed Lyon
Anacreón………………... Alan Buet
Euricles………………….. Jean-Yves Ravoux
Pygmalion
L’Amour………………… Emmanuelle de Negri
La Statue…………………Hanna Bayodi-Hirt
Pygmalion……………….. Ed Lyon
Céphise…………………...Virginie Thomas
Les Arts Florissants/William Christie
(recorded in Salle Pleyel, Paris by Radio France)

Anacréon
INTRODUCTION
RECORDING (Christie)
LIBRETTO (French)

Pygmalion
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
RECORDING (Christie)
LIBRETTO (French)

These two brief pieces are both operas, from our point of view (listening without seeing), but the French term is "acte de ballet". As we know, and as Wagner learned with his French version of Tannhäuser, French operas must include ballet, at least in the second act. These two music-drama ballets have only one act each, and the dancing is interspersed throughout (we will know from the music and the silence of the singers that there is pantomime and movement taking place).

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764) a contemporary of Bach and Handel, was an important figure in music history, being not only a composer but also a theorist of music (a veritable Newton of music). Beginning as violinist, organist, and harpsichordist, he did not have an opera performed till 1733 (1733 minus 1683 = 50 years!).

Pygmalion dates from 1748. It is based on a story in Ovid's Metamorphoses (10.234ff), and is also the basis for Shaw's Pygmalion (alias My Fair Lady when set to music). The original Pygmalion sculpted a woman out of ivory (it must have been a mammoth's tusk he worked on?!), fell in love with her, and by the will of the goddess of love she came alive (and became pregnant, and in due course gave birth to a child, but Rameau omits these details, since it is hard enough fitting 24 hours into 45 minutes, so 9 months does not fit in the frame of the picture).

Anacréon (the 1757 version) is devoted to the subject of love and wine (a dangerous concoction, an inflammable mixture, I would say) and the deity involved is Bacchus (Dionysios). I have recently seen a thesis (devilishly and diabolically plausible) arguing that Dionysios was a Greek version of Hebrew Yahweh, both being basically associated with metallurgy.

VERDI : NABUCCO

2011-08-06T18:18:00.002+12:00

VERDI'S NABUCCO (or NABUCODONOSOR)

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 7th of August 2011 at 3.03 - 5.15 pm

VERDI: Nabucco, an opera in four acts
Nabucco....................... Leo Nucci
Ismaele......................... Antonio Poli
Zaccaria....................... Dmitry Beloselsky
Fenena......................... Anna Malavasi
Anna............................ Erika Grimaldi
Abdallo........................ Saveria Fiore
High Priest of Baal...... Gotran Juric
Rome Opera Chorus & Orch/Riccardo Muti
(recorded in the Teatro dell'Opera, Rome by Italian Radio)

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
ANALYSIS
LIBRETTO (English translation)

Vivaldi's Nabucco: that is what it said in the New Zealand Listener (in 2007) for this week's opera (when it was previously broadcast, see below). That got me thinking. I looked up the list of Vivaldi's works and could not find that among them. I was highly suspicious, because that name Nabucco is peculiar to Verdi. His opera was first known as Nabucodonosor, and (as my Sunday-school taunt said: Nebuchadnezzar is a very big name, and I bet you can't spell it; all that was required in response was "I-T") Nabucodonosor needed to be trimmed down to Nabucco (making the name meaningless in the process). The original Babylonian is Nabu-kudurri-usur, and another biblical form, which is closer to that, is Nebuchadrezzar (with -r- not -n-). Nebukadressar is the way I spell it, but editors always change it (there is red warning line under it as I write it here). His name begins with Nabu, the God who looked after destinies, and Nabu would protect him and his empire. He reigned from 605 till 562 BCE.

My first contact with the opera was by hearsay. One day I came home from work (teaching Latin and French at Granville Boys' High School in Sydney) and Helen told me about a beautiful chorus she had heard on the ABC, in their daily opera-half-hour (talk about rationing, but they did give us all the Bayreuth Festival recordings at night). Eventually, we both sang it in a choral concert, here {in a foreign land?}. It was the chorus of the Hebrew slaves, which they sing on the banks of the Euphrates river. "Go, my thought, on gilded wings" (Va, pensiero, sull'ali dorate); and "Greet the banks of the Jordan, and Sion's razed towers"; and "Harp of gold, why do you hang mute on the willow?".

Obviously we are hearing reminscences of that Hebrew Psalm (137): "By the rivers of Babel we sat down and wept, when we remembered Sion. On the poplar-trees we hung up our harps, when our captors asked us for songs.... How could we sing the song of Yahweh, when we were on foreign soil?" The Jews exiled in Babylonia were not pleased about their situation, and wanted utu: "Happy the man who seizes your children and dashes them against a rock". (You don't hear that verse read out in church.)

Of course, the story in the opera is fiction, but it takes the madness and self-deification of Nebukadressar from the Book of Daniel. The text wrongly calls the Kaldeans (Babylonians) "Assyrians" (but Nineveh and the Assyrian empire fell in 612 BCE).

But this work stirred the hearts of Italians against their "Assyrian" (actually Austrian) oppressors, and Verdi himself became the figurehead of this nationalistic movement.

As we know, Verdi had lost his wife and two children and despaired of his own life. He was sworn off music, until he happened to open this libretto, and the ice was broken. Through it he met his lifelong companion, the soprano Giuseppina Strepponi, the first Abigail.

I have seen a concert version in Wellington, and watched it on video. My three 12-inch plastic discs have Matteo Manuguerra as the King, Nicolai Ghiaurov as the High Priest Zaccaria, and the Priest of Baal is Robert Lloyd (remember him as Amfortas in Parsifal, the movie? he is nearly as old as me, but still performing in London and New York); Renata Scotto is Abigaille, and Elena Obraztsova is Fenena. Riccardo Muti conducts the great Philharmonia Orchestra (1978).

Nabucco has not made it into The Good Opera Guide of Denis Forman, so there cannot have been three recordings of it in the catalogue around 1990 (Gardelli, and Sinopoli, but Muti had been withdrawn!).

Sunday 21st of October 2007 at 3 pm
Opera in English
VERDI: Nabucco, an opera in four parts
Nabucco....................... Alan Opie
Ismael........................... Leonardo Capalbo
Zachariah...................... Alastair Miles
Abigail.......................... Susan Patterson
Fenena.......................... Jane Irwin
High Priest of Baal......... Dean Robinson
Abdullah....................... Paul Wade
Anna............................. Camilla Roberts
Opera North Chorus & Orch/David Parry
(Chandos CHAN 3136)

WAGNER : TANNHÄUSER

2011-07-31T01:08:00.000+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 31st of July 2011 at 3.03 - 7 pm

WAGNER: Tannhäuser, an opera in three acts
Tannhäuser.................... Johan Botha
Elisabeth....................... Eva-Maria Westbroek
Venus........................... Michaela Schuster
Wolfram........................ Christian Gerhaher
Hermann....................... Christof Fischesser
Walter........................... Timothy Robinson
Biterolf.......................... Clive Bayley
Heinrich........................ Steven Ebel
Reinmar........................ Jeremy White
Young shepherd............ Alexander Lee
Royal Opera House Chorus & Orch, Covent Garden
Semyon Bychkov (BBC)

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
ANALYSIS
PREVIEW
REVIEW (10/10)
REVIEW (7/10)
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE (pictures)
LIBRETTO (German)

Operawonk began circulating on the 23rd of December in 2006, and the index shows a host of operas (count 'em, there should be more than 200, but I really don't know) and yet I am astonished to see that Wagner's Tannhäuser does not appear among them. (Please remember to observe the Umlaut: the name is pronounced as in English tun/ton + hoyzer, NOT tan+howser.)
This music-drama (psycho-drama even) has had a significant place in my life. I was first thrilled by the overture at a youth concert of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Some years later I heard a performance of it on the radio; it was from a concert put on for medicos at a conference; it was conducted by Bernard Heinze, and the return of the pilgrim chorus at the end took off thrillingly. (In the Paris version of the opera, this glorious reprise is omitted, and the music leaps into the Venusberg and its sensuous ballet.) In Melbourne I saw a performance of the original Dresden version on a week night, and I came back to the Saturday matinee, to let it have its powerful effect on my psyche again. I owned a second-hand version of the overture and the music of the Venusberg (Latin Mons Veneris), with the prelude and love-death from Tristan und Isolde, conducted by Paul Kletzki; the cover depicted the love-goddess naked; I now have a world Record Club pressing with a plain cover. This London production is the Vienna version, a mix of the old and the new; the denizens of the den of sensuality are not unclothed, or even in skin-coloured body suits, but in evening dress.

Of all the opinions about the opera expressed under those various headings up there, the one that I was most intrigued to read was by the Reverend Father Owen Lee (in the "underground" section, from the Metropera archives); he has been a regular commentator in the opera broadcasts from New York: “Tannhäuser is not, then a simple dramatization of the victory of sacred over profane, of spirit over flesh, of Christianity over paganism. It is a celebration of a synthesis of those two opposites, the healing of a soul torn between two worlds." I think it has indeed done that for me, even though I have also studied a heap of ascetic and mystical literature, which has urged me to avoid sexual thoughts and acts entirely. Not too long ago, I got to sing the pilgrim chorus, and this performance of it included the women of the Palmerston North Choral Society, thus achieving further resolution of opposites.

GOLIJOV : AINADAMAR

2011-07-19T21:42:00.001+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Tuesday 19th of July 2011 at 8 pm

Osvaldo GOLIJOV's Ainadamar, three images about
the martyred Spanish writer, Federico Garcia Lorca
Margarita Xirgu.................. Dawn Upshaw
Federico Garcia Lorca....... Kelley O'Connor
Nuria................................. Jessica Rivera
Ruiz Alonso....................... Jesús Montoya
José Tripaldi...................... Eduardo Chama
Maestro............................. Sean Mayer
Torero............................... Robb Asklof
Voices of the fountain......... Anne-Carolyn Bird
.......................................... Sindhu Chandrasekaran
Woman of the Atlanta SO Chorus, Atlanta SO/Robert Spano
(DG 477 6165)

COMPOSER
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
SYNOPSIS
REVIEW (2004)
REVIEW (2006)
REVIEW (2006)

Golijov achieved early fame with his Spanish SAINT MARK PASSION. He was born into a Jewish family in Argentina in 1960. The title AINADAMAR means "fountain of tears" (I can detect the Hebrew words for "eye/spring" and "tears" in it, but it is Arabic, and the name of the well in Granada where Federico Garcia Lorca was slain).
The notes cited above will take you to a mine of information about the opera and its recording.
It lasts 80 minutes.
Mezzo Kelley O'Connor plays the role of the poet and playwright who was executed in Fascist Spain in 1936 (the year I came in, as his reincarnation?), and thereafter his works could only be performed in Latin America.
Dawn Upshaw (celebrated for her 1993 recording of Gorecki's Sorrowful Songs Symphony) is Margarita Xirgu, the Catalan actress who worked "with" the poet before and long after his death.

VERDI : LA FORZA DEL DESTINO

2011-07-17T00:35:00.001+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 17th of July 2011 at 3.03 - 6 pm

VERDI: La Forza del Destino, an opera in four acts
Marquis of Calatrava..... Enrico Iori
Leonora........................ Violeta Urmana
Don Carlo..................... Roberto Frontali
Don Alvaro................... Salvatore Licitra
Curra............................ Antonella Trevisan
Preziosilla...................... Elena Maximova
Maestro Trabuco.......... Carlo Bosi
Padre Guardiano........... Robert Scandiuzzi
Fra Melitone................. Roberto De Candia
Alcade.......................... Filippo Polinelli
Florence May Festival Chorus & Orch/Zubin Mehta
(recorded in the Teatro Comunale, Florence by Italian Radio)

COMPOSER
INTRODUCTION
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
ANALYSIS
LIBRETTO (Italian)
LIBRETTO (English)

This Force of Destiny drama is said to be Verdi's Russian opera, and not only because it had its opening night in Saint Petersburg in 1862 (see Background).
I have never seen it in a theatre or a cinema, but I remember the report from the Metropera in 1960: when Leonard Warren (the American baritone, aged 48) was about to sing the lines in Act 3, Morir, tremenda cosa ("dying is a tremendous thing"), he actually died on stage, of a cerebral hemorrhage. Pavarotti shied away from the alleged curse of the opera with its Force of Destiny.
As it was performed again in 2006 at the Met, with Deborah Voigt, there are ample notes available from their archives, including pictures (see Storyline).
Honor and blood-vengeance are the driving forces, rather than blind fate, and it all stems from an accidental death when a pistol dropped by the Peruvian suitor Alvaro fires a bullet which kills a nobleman protecting his daughter Leonora from abduction (she was willing, but because she dithered she was caught in the act of elopement). She becomes a monk in a hermitage at a monastery. Her brother Carlo pursues Alvaro, mistakenly swears lifelong friendship with him (just so we can have another of those male-bonding duets), then wants to kill him, and when Alvaro is gravely wounded in battle, he wills him back to life so he can slay him with his own hand. In the end Alvaro wins the duel, Carlo stabs his sister, and Alvaro jumps off a cliff cursing fate. However, the revised ending has him closing with prayer in the presence of Leonora and a friar.
Notice that like Beethoven's Leonora, she disguises herself as a man.

NEUWIRTH : LOST HIGHWAY

2011-07-12T19:41:00.000+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Tuesday 12th of July 2011 at 8 pm

Olga NEUWIRTH's Lost Highway, an opera in twelve scenes,
after the film of the same name by David Lynch
Renée/Alice............................ Constance Hauman
Pete........................................ Georg Nigl
Fred/Mechaniker.................... Vincent Crowly
Mr Eddy/Dick Laurent............ David Moss
Mystery Man.......................... Andrew Watts
Andy/Mechaniker................... Kai Wessel
Klangforum Wien/Johannes Kalitzke (Kairos 0012542KAI)

COMPOSER
INTRODUCTION
UNDERGROUND
RECORDING
REVIEW

Olga Neuwirth's LOST HIGHWAY, an opera in 12 scenes, based on the movie by David Lynch; this might be difficult to follow if we can not see what is happening on the stage. David Lynch (TWIN PEAKS) always sets puzzles for viewers (what is going on here?!). One of his stinkers is MULHOLLAND DRIVE; I actually worked that one out after pondering over it for years (you have to determine what is dream and flashback in the sequence of scenes).

CHERUBINI : LODOÏSKA

2011-07-09T17:57:00.008+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 10th of July 2011 at 3.03 - 5 pm

CHERUBINI: Lodoïska, an opera in three acts
Count Floreski.............. Sébastien Guèze
Lodoïska....................... Nathalie Manfrino
Dourlinki....................... Pierre-Yves Pruvot
Titzikan......................... Philippe Do
Altamoras..................... Alain Buet
Lysinka......................... Hjördis Thébault
Varbel........................... Armando Noguera
Les Eléments Chorus, Le Cercle de l'Harmonie/Jérémie Rhorer
(Italian Radio)

INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
PIANO SCORE

For a libretto on PDF, do a Google search for this (copy it and insert in the google slot):
www.bobsdigitaloperashop.com/Libretti/Comp.../Cherubini-Lodoiska-CD

This work is described as a heroic comedy (it has a happy ending for the heroine); it is a rescue opera (like Fidelio). The heroine is a princess, in Poland around 1600; she is imprisoned in a castle by the villain Count Floreski; the hero Dourlinki turns the tables on him, leaving him in solitary confinement, while Lodoïska is set free. The opera was composed during the French Revolution, and first performed in Paris in French in 1791; it proved to be a great success (under the circumstances) with hundreds of performances in France and Germany.

This Sunday's old rarity comes from the time of the French Revolution, and it was indeed a revolutionary opera, one of the first of the romantic kind; the French revolutionaires went crazy over it, and they forgave the composer for having previously served the aristocracy.

Cherubini's LODOÏSKA, a rescue story (like Fidelio and the Scarlet Pimpernel), but this is set in Poland around 1600, and it involves releasing a princess (Lodoïska) from imprisonment in a castle. More about this (though not a lot more, I have to say, information was hard to come by, not even a
synopsis) above.

ADAMS : A FLOWERING TREE

2011-07-05T00:39:00.001+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Tuesday 5th of July 2011 at 8 pm

JOHN ADAMS: A Flowering Tree, an opera in two acts
with libretto adapted from the Indian folktale & poetry
in translations by AK Ramanujan
Kumudha...................... Jessica Rivera
The Prince..................... Russell Thomas
Storyteller..................... Eric Owens
Schola Cantorum de Venezuela, London SO/John Adams
(Nonesuch 327100)

COMPOSER

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND

REVIEW

Yet another opera by John Adams; NYMetropera has given us Nixon in China, and Dr Atomic, in our cinemas, and this one is available on audio discs.

DONIZETTI : LUCREZIA BORGIA

2011-07-02T23:17:00.003+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 3rd of July 2011 at 3.03 - 5.10 pm

DONIZETTI: Lucrezia Borgia, with a prologue and two acts
Alfonso......................... Michele Pertusi
Lucrezia........................ Edita Gruberova
Maffio........................... Laura Polverelli
Gennaro........................ José Bros
Jeppo............................ Gergely Németi
Don Aposto.................. Adam Plachetka
Ascanio......................... Dan Paul Dumitrescu
Oloferno....................... Benedikt Kobel
Rustighello..................... Peter Jelosits
Gubetta......................... Hans Peter Kammerer
Astolfo.......................... Marcus Pelz
Vienna State Opera Chorus & Orch/Friedrich Haider
(recorded in the State Opera, Vienna by Austrian Radio)

HISTORY
OPERA
COMPOSER
LIBRETTO (Italian)

This opera is certainly associated in performance history with Joan Sutherland, but it was Montserrat Caballé who revived it, and more recently Renée Fleming (example: with Placido Domingo conducting his Washington National Opera orchestra) and Edita Gruberova (example: this Vienna production) have been giving its soprano arias an airing.

AN ORGIA OF BORGIA
LUCREZIA BORGIA Gaetano Donizetti and Felice [Felix] Romani (1833)
It was not true that she was a professional poisoner, but Victor Hugo put her in a play in this role (early 1833) and Donizetti put her on the operatic stage (late 1833).
    It is a drama about the love of a mother for her abandoned illegitimate son, and the incest is hers, though not with her son, but with her brother (this detail did not get into the opera, as censorship in Italy was strict).

This is the video version I have seen.
    Donna Lucrezia Borgia, Duchess of Ferrara:
Joan Sutherland (soprana suprema)
    Don Alfonso, Duke of Ferrara :
Stafford Dean (big bass!)
    Gennaro, handsome young soldier of unknown birth (Guess!):
Alfredo Kraus (tenor)
    Maffeo Orsini, young nobleman, one of the five friends :
Ann Howells
    Rustighello, confidential follower of the Duke :
Francis Egerton
    Gubetta, secret agent of the Duchess :
Paul Hudson
    Astolfo, ditto :
Roderick Kennedy
    ROH Covent Garden 1980
    Conductor Richard Bonynge (Svengali, or Pygmalion, brought his statue to life)
The audio recording (Decca) in my possession (12-inch box) has Joan Sutherland, Giacomo Aragall, and Marilyn Horne, under Bonynge (1977).

ACT 1
The setting is Venice (watch out for a gondola arriving, if they can afford one).
We are partying at the Grimani palace; it is Carnival; the guests are (supposed to be) wearing masks. The first words we hear are from Gazella, one of five friends of Gennaro:
“Bella Venezia” (Beautiful Venice), with Petrucci responding “Amabile” (Lovely).
The spy Gubetta cries out (testing, testing): “Alfonso’s court is splendid, and Lucrezia Borgia...”. Everyone in earshot bids him refrain from uttering that accursed name.
Orsini (a woman always takes the part) has a tale to tell about Gennaro (who asks them to wake him up when Orsini has finished). An old seer had told them they would live and die together, and warned them to avoid the Borgia. Lucrezia arrives incognita; recognizes the sleeping Gennaro and kisses his hand. For him it is love at first sight; he says he loves her a little less than his mother, whom he has never known. They sing the love duet (!). The friends come back, and recognize her; each accuses her of causing the death of a relative. It’s the Borgia, they declare, to the consternation of Gennaro. All leave. (Will Dame Joan follow her son “grasping him by the knees”?)

ACT 2.1
A public square (piazza) in Ferrara. Everybody has come there. Duke Alfonso has had Gennaro spied on by Rustighello, believing him to be Lucrezia’s secret lover. Gennaro now shows he hates her by removing the B from BORGIA on the coat of arms (leaving ORGIA “orgy”). Rustighello (for the Duke) and Astolfo (for the Duchess) come to bring Gennaro in for questioning.

ACT 2.2
Gennaro is on trial in the palace, and in the end he is given poisoned wine, but she gives him an antidote and lets him escape.

ACT 3.1
A small courtyard outside Gennaro’s house; night; a light in one of the windows.
Gennaro (apparently thriving after taking the antidote) says to himself that he must go, because Lucrezia wishes it; he speaks of his love for her: T’amo (te amo, I love thee) he says repeatedly. Rustighello and his henchman arrive to arrest him and take him back to Duke Alfonso, but they overhear a conversation between Gennaro and Orsini, who persuades him to attend Princess Negroni’s banquet (which Lucrezia is putting on, but they don’t know that), and they will leave together next day. Rustighello realizes that he does not need to arrest him, as Lucrezia will poison all the young men, including Gennaro, and the Duke will have thereby achieved his goal.

ACT 3.2
The banquet is at the home of Princess Negroni. At one point in the festivities, Gubetta (the Duchess’s agent) mocks Orsini as he is about to sing one of his own compositions. Fighting breaks out, and the ladies leave (as intended). Fine wine from Syracuse is brought in, previously poisoned, and all the lads unknowingly imbibe, and get on with the drinking-song of Orsini. Suddenly a bell tolls and mysterious voices intone judgement on the ungodly. The torches are extinguished, and the doors are found to be locked. Lucrezia makes her entrance and declares five coffins are ready for them. Gennaro steps forward and says six will be needed. Shock horror. The other five victims are taken away, and then she offers him the antidote; but it is all or nothing at all. They will all die and Lucrezia will go with them; as he goes to stab her she announces that she is the mother he loves; too late, his resolution is reinforced by the sounds of his friends in their death-throes; but he is thankful that God has allowed mother and son to be united in death. Her husband Alfonso comes in to gloat over the extermination of her lover, but he now learns the truth about their relationship. In anguish she falls dead (into the arms of her ladies-in-waiting, or onto her son’s body, or somewhere in between).

Accompanying e-mail message: Borgia orgy opera 3/7/11
As usual, there are no attachments to my message, but this opera includes a deviant attachment between a mother and her son (they sing an incestuous love duet, something like the twins Siegmund and Sieglinde in Die Walküre, now showing in cinemas in New Zealand, starting on this very day in our town); but this is even worse, as the father is apparently a brother of the lady (a duchess, no less). But before you say she's no lady, she's Lucrezia Borgia (1480-1519) the monstrous poisoner, let me say a few words in her defence:

in real life she was the daughter of one of the mistresses of Rodrigo Borgia, alias Pope Alexander VI, so her upbringing would have been eminently pious we may presume;

she once took her father's place at an official Vatican meeting, and the dignitaries would have kissed her ring (definitely not the one she is alleged to have kept her poison in);

she was proficient in five languages, and as a linguist myself I am impressed (all the better for writing pretty love letters, as Byron discovered);

she had a dozen children and she made sure they had a good genetic variety of parentages, but sadly she died giving birth to the (officially) eighth child;

all the crowned heads of Europe (including Britain) are related to her (the same way as I have family connections with Robert the Bruce, and I think it is called collateral damage);

and she had long blond hair which hung down below her knees (or that part of the body behind the knees, which shall remain nameless), and Byron got himself a lock of it.

Need I say more? No, because you can gain access to copious notes at (see above):
http://operawonk.blogspot.com
Written with a non-poison pen
Yours untoxically and unintoxicatedly
Brian

HANDEL : ALCINA

2011-06-26T00:55:00.001+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 26th of June 2011 at 3.03 - 6.35 pm

HANDEL: Alcina, an opera in three acts
Alcina........................... Anja Harteros
Morgana....................... Veronica Cangemi
Ruggiero....................... Vesselina Kasarova
Bradamante................... Kristina Hammarström
Orontë.......................... Benjamin Bruns
Melisso......................... Adam Plachetka
Les Musiciens du Louvre/Marc Minkowski
(recorded in the State Opera, Vienna by Austrian Radio)

INTRODUCTION (Wikipedia)
BACKGROUND
REVIEW
RECORDINGS
LIBRETTO (Italian)

Alcina (dating from 1735) has long been associated with Joan Sutherland, since she (not Maria Callas) brought it out of obscurity, and she reveled in the coloratura singing, the fantastic staging, and the lavish costumes (in a production of Franco Zeffirelli in 1960). Her recording of it (1962) with husband Richard Bonynge as conductor is highly regarded (though she is accused of 'mooning' and neglecting her consonants); I have the one disk (vinyl) of selections. Also highly rated is the one with Arleen Auger, conducted by the late Richard Hickox (1986), which I have as four black discs in a plain green box (remember the World Record Club?). And now we have William Christie's version (click on RECORDINGS above) starring those three engaging sopranos who introduce the Metropera showings at the cinema: Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Natalie Dessay.
The background to this opera (as for so many others) is Ariosto's epic poem Orlando Furioso. The immediate source was L'isola di Alcina (1728) by Riccardo Broschi; he was the brother of Carlo Broschi the celebrated castrato, stage name Farinelli (and if you know the movie of that name it alleges that when Carlo brought home a female fan, he gave the lady the preliminaries and Riccardo applied the finishing touches; that was the agreement, the women were told; but I know that even infant boys can have a rush of blood to their appendage, so why not the castrati?).

Where were we? Well, Alcina liked to fall in love with men, but when she tired of them she set them aside; but she did not, like Circe in an identical situation, turn them into pigs and make her habitat a swinery; no, she transformed them into vegetable and mineral adornments to her landscape, but in the end, like all the witch's lollipops and gingerbread men in Hansel and Gretel, they returned to their original human form, when the spell was broken, and in Alcina's case, when her magic urn was smashed.

BIZET : LES PÊCHEURS DE PERLES

2011-06-18T13:38:00.002+12:00

Bizet's Pearl Fishers

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 19th of June 2011 at 3.03 - 5.10 pm
Sunday 14th of June 2009 at 3 - 5 pm

BIZET: The Pearl Fishers, an opera in three acts
Zurga............................ Gerald Finley
Nadir............................ John Osborn
Leïla.............................. Nicole Cabell
Nourabad..................... Raymond Aceto
Chorus & Orch of the Royal Opera House,
Covent Garden/Antonio Pappano (BBC)

INTRODUCTION (Wikipedia)
SYNOPSIS (a preview of this performance)
SUMMARY
REVIEWS
LIBRETTO (French)

If anyone thinks of castigating me for not recounting the plot of the opera, let it be said that what you are requesting is supplied in three different forms under the first three headings. The New York Metropera has not staged this work in this century, so no study notes are available from that usually helpful source.

In The Good Opera Guide Denis Forman rates this as one of the two most underrated operas (the other being Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur) and he awards them both Alpha. Georges Bizet was aged 24 when he composed it, and while it enjoyed moderate success initially (1863), the French have neglected it, along with the rest of the 30 operatic works by Bizet, except Carmen, who will certainly not let them ignore her. Horrible to tell: Bizet's orchestral score is lost; only vocal scores survive; the orchestration has been restored by one Arthur Hammond (Esquire, or Monsieur?).

I am a great admirer of this work (that is not to say that I am great, but that my admiration for this opera is huge). My earliest encounter with it was the duet from Act 1, Au fond du temple saint (In the depths of the holy temple), and by coincidence Léopold Simoneau and René Bianco have just started singing it on the record I am listening to (Jean Fournet conducting); but I have already heard it twice today in the Toulouse production (Michel Plasson), with John Aler and Gino Quilico; they provide two versions (the original one is in an appendix, and its weakness is the lack of a return to the big tune). Alain Vanzo and Guillermo Sarabia are in the third recording I have (Georges Prêtre), and thus I own three of the four sets listed in the Wikipedia (not five, as the Pierre Dervaux set appears twice, and sleuths will detect why).
The best-known version of the duet of the two pearlfisher friends, Nadir the tenor, Zurga the baritone, is the one I first heard: a 45 rpm seven-inch vinyl disc, with Jussi Björling and Robert Merrill (I never bought a copy because you could hear it on the radio every day). This is what it is about. Nadir has been away from home for a long time, hunting tigers and other ferocious felines, now he is reunited with Zurga they recall that the parting of the ways came when they found they were each in love with the same woman, a virgin-priestess they had seen inside a Hindu temple. (At this point in my slow progress, side 1 of the Prêtre recording has reached the duet, and Vanzo and Sarabia bypass the reprise [damned cheek!] and move into "a Polonaise-cabaletta", I am told).

Now for the pedantry. Pearl fishers? Do they catch them with nets or lines? They are not pursuing fishes but seeking oysters, which will be hiding a pearl in their shells. All right, they are shell fish, but these are properly pearl divers, or pearlers, as I call them in my book on the subject of mystical pearling.

The librettists were Eugène Cormon and Michel Carré, and at first Mexico was to be the setting of the story, but then they decided on Ceylon (aka Serendib, as in serendipity, or Sri Langka). Marco Polo knew that Ceylon and the Coromandel coast of southern India were important pearling grounds; the season lasted only six weeks in April and May (so Nadir would have plenty of time for wild-game hunting). Marco was also well aware that the Singhalese people were Buddhists ('idolaters', he called them misleadingly). So why are we looking at a Hindu temple (admittedly in ruins) and people worshipping the god Brahma (the Creator, who is said to have only one temple dedicated to him in India, the reason being that Vishnu the Sustainer and Shiva the Destroyer are the deities that worshippers must keep propitiated, with offerings)? (Yes, that was a question, and not simply rhetorical.) We realize from events in our own time that the Singhalese in the south (descendents of Aryans from northern India) are Buddhists, and the Tamils (some of them are tigers) in the north of the island (their ancestors were Dravidians from South India) are Hindu. But here the two Hindu friends are talking (or singing in their duet) about a visit they made to Kandy, in the mountains, in the south, NE of Colombo, and there in a Hindu temple they prostrated themselves before a beautiful virgin and adored her as a goddess; indeed they both fell in love with her (against regulations); and yet the temple in Kandy is the shrine of a tooth of the Buddha, with monks as attendants, and definitely no priestesses, or even nuns.

What about the names of the characters? They are more Islamic than Indian: Nadir (an Arabic word meaning the lowest point, opposite of zenith), Leila (Semitic 'night', making her a lady of the night), Nourabad (light/fire-servant?), Zurga (Greek?).
Anything else? I don't think it is a silly story. Years ago a Christian student in the religious college which employed me as a lecturer (in South Australia) shared a tape recording of the opera with Helen and myself; he had recorded it from ABC TV, without the picture; he related the story fervently; I can understand that the ending impressed him, where a man lays down his life for his friends.
I have seen a performance of this opera, in the Wellington Opera House, with our Roger Wilson on the stage.

That old Björling record still gets requested on the radio, and on Wedensday 12th of June 2009, at a funeral in Taranaki, I heard 'Deep inside the sacred temple' played as a euphonium duet.

BIZET: The Pearl Fishers, an opera in three acts
Zurga............................ Philip Addis
Nadir............................ Antonio Figueroa
Leïla.............................. Karina Gauvin
Nourabad..................... Alexandre Sylvestre
Montreal Opera Chorus,
Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal
Frédéric Chaslin

WEILL : MAHAGONNY

2011-06-11T17:48:00.001+12:00

KURT WEILL: Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny
Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 12th of June 2011 at 3.03 - 5.20 pm

WEILL: Rise & Fall of the City of Mahagonny,
an opera in three acts
Leocadia Begbick......... Jane Henschel
Trinity Moses................ Willard White
Fatty the Bookkeeper.... Donald Kasch
Jimmy Mahoney............ Christopher Ventris
Moneybags Billy............ Otto Katzameier
Jacob Schmidt............... John Easterlin
Alaskawolfe Joe............ Steven Humes
Jenny Smith................... Elzbieta Szmytka
Toby Higgins................. John Easterlin
Teatro Real Chorus, Madrid SO/Pablo Heras-Casado
(recorded in the Teatro Real, Madrid by Spanish Radio)

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
REVIEW
VIDEO

Kurt Weill (1900 - 1950) was a genuine Jewish German from Dessau, who studied musical composition in Berlin with Humperdinck and Busoni. He was twice married to the singer Lotte Lenya (like Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor), in 1926 (-1933) and 1937. For obvious reasons he left his homeland in 1933, and settled in the land of the free. Two of his notable operas were produced with the collaboration of Bertolt Brecht: Die Dreigroschenoper, or The Threepenny Opera (based on The Beggar's Opera) with Macheath known as Mackie Messer (Mack the Knife); and Mahagonny.

Mahagonny is the typical Sin City. There are 20 scenes in the three acts of this satirical opera (the satire is directed against opera), and a summary of each scene is available under INTRODUCTION (Wikipedia) above.

DONIZETTI : ROBERTO DEVEREUX

2011-06-05T00:46:00.001+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 5th of June 2011 at 3.03 - 5.25 pm

DONIZETTI: Roberto Devereux, an opera in three acts
Elizabeth, Queen of England............. Carmela Remigio
Duke of Nottingham......................... Alberto Gazale
Sara, Duchess of Nottingham............ Sonia Ganassi
Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex........ Massimiliano Pisapia
Lord Cecil........................................ Bruno Lazzaretti
Sir Walter Raleigh............................ Ezio Maria Tisi
Page................................................ Giuseppe Auletta
Servant............................................ Massimo Mondelli
Rome Opera Chorus & Orch/Bruno Campanella
(recorded in the Teatro dell'Opera, Rome by Italian Radio)

INTRODUCTION
PREVIEW (with pictures and sound)
LIBRETTO (Italian, click on PDF)

It is the oft-told tale of Elizabeth I (the virgin queen, well, let us grant that she kept her hymen intact) and her passionate love for Robert of Essex; when he betrayed her in passion and politics, it was the ax for him, at the Tower of London. Revenge is followed by regret, at the thought of a loveless future:
Io sono donna alfine. Il foco è spento del mio furor. "I am just a woman after all. The fire of my fury is spent." Her last words declare that James VI of Scotland (son of Mary Queen of Scots) will be King of England (James I).

This is considered to be one of Donizetti's most powerful and affecting operas. Mercadante and Rossini also produced operatic versions of the story. Bette Davis and Errol Flynn took the cinematic roles in The private lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939).

A synopsis is available under Introduction and also Preview (which is about this very production, in Rome, 2011).

WAGNER : DIE WALKÜRE

2011-05-28T15:44:00.003+12:00

Richard Wagner's Valkyrie

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 29th of May 2011 at 3.03 - 8.20 pm

WAGNER: Die Walküre, an opera in three acts
The Valkyrie Brünnhilde sacrifices her divinity to human emotions as the gods of Valhalla move closer to destruction in part two of the epic Ring of the Nibelung
Siegmund...................... Jonas Kaufmann
Sieglinde....................... Eva-Maria Westbroek
Hunding........................ Hans-Peter König
Wotan........................... Bryn Terfel
Fricka........................... Stephanie Blythe
Brünnhilde..................... Deborah Voigt
Gerhilde........................ Kelly Cae Hogan
Ortline........................... Wendy Bryn Harmer
Waltraute...................... Marjorie Elinor Dix
Schwertleite.................. Mary Philips
Helmwige...................... Molly Fillmore
Siegrune........................ Eve Gigliotti
Grimgerde..................... Mary Ann McCormick
Rossweisse................... Lindsay Ammann
Metropolitan Opera Orch/James Levine (EBU)

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND The meaning of it all
ANALYSIS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
LIBRETTO

WAGNER: Der Ring des Nibelungen, the stage-festival play, performed as a tetralogy of prologue and three operas

WAGNER: Die Walküre
The Valkyrie is Brünnhilde, who gives in to human emotions and is left to sleep in penitence on a rock surrounded by fire, with the possibility that a fearless hero might awaken her one day.

I saw the whole thing (presumably cut down) when I was 17, in the theatre of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music; Eugene Goossens conducted the student orchestra, which included their teachers, who were members of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. On that Saturday night Siegmund (Allan Ferris) managed to inflict a bleeding wound on Hunding. A few years later, with my two fellow Wagnerites, Grattan and Geldard, I saw and heard Hans Hotter performing this final section, as part of a Sydney Symphony concert in the Sydney Town Hall, before the opera house was built.

Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) Act One

At the end of the Rhinegold, we saw the chief god Wotan, with his consort Fricka and the other gods, crossing a rainbow bridge and making their way into the celestial castle named Disneyworld, or Walhalla in German. The name could mean the hall with a wall, or else choice hall (Wahl-halle), the abode of the choice people, the elect. However, the divinities were not having it all to themselves: it was to become a retirement home for heroes slain in battle. To transport them on high, Wotan (Woden, Wednesday's child) went down to earth and mated with Earth (Erda,whom we saw warning Wotan to give up the Rhinegold ring), and produced nine warrior maidens known as Valkyries. They would carry the dead heroes on their Pegasus-like steeds to the upper realm, howling and yowling and whoopwhooping as they ascend in their wild ride.

We might find the true meaning of Walhalla if we analyse the word Valkyrie, German Walküre, Scandinavian Valkyrja 'slain-chooser' (val, valiant dead; kyr choose) though I still like may idea that it means 'chooser of the chosen'. Anyway, Valhalla is the hall of those slain in battle. When they get to Heaven they are revived, not primarily to drink mead and ale in the banqueting hall (the common misconception) but to form a celestial army. With our hindsight we know that what Wotan really needed was a fire brigade (remember the great conflagration coming at the end of Götterdämmerung). The demi-god Loge (Loki) did not live there, because he was a potential potent arsonist.

Wotan was a wanderer (he is called Wanderer in Siegfried), and in spite of being married to Fricka, the patroness of family values (or perhaps he thought that putting other females 'in a family way' was promoting that cause) he went about spilling his..., or, as we now say, passing on his precious genes. Under the assumed name Wälse he fathered a pair of human twins by a woman of the Völsung or Wälsung family: a daughter Sieglinde, and a son Siegmund. They were brought up separately.Young Siegmund was expected to confront the dragon Fafner in his den and bring back the ring; Wotan even placed a sword in an ash tree for him to find. This tree was part of the interior decoration in the dwelling of a hostile man named Hunding (note the hound reference in his name; the canine connection of the twins was that their father was a wolf; no, truly, seriously, they really thought he was).

By chance or design, Sieglinde was married to Hunding, and one stormy day Siegmund was on the run (you can hear the tempest and the chase in the brief overture). He burst into the Hunding house exclaiming: Wes Herd dies auch sei, hier muss ich rasten (Whose hearth this 'och' be, here must I rest).

He lies down. Sieglinde comes in, thinking her man has come home wanting his dinner, but instead she cries: Ein fremder Mann! (a strange man). She moves closer and closer, talking to herself all the while. Siegmund suddenly begs for 'ein Quell' or two (Quell means 'a well', so he is saying 'Can you please direct me to the nearest drinking fountain). She gives him water from
a drink-horn, and he is grateful. She tells him he can have refuge in Hunding's home. He says he is weaponless and wounded, and she immediately wants him to show her his wounds. No, they are only slight, he says. But she now puts meed in the horn, and they share it.

He rises to leave, but she urges him to stay. When she asks what he is running away from, he starts on the catalogue of names he applies to himself (having forgotten his real name): Woeful, Doleful, and so on through Act One.

Sinister spine-tingling brass chords announce gruff Hunding's arrival, wearing armour and carrying his spear (his horse he leaves in the stall).

Get the meal for us men, he eventually orders. Hunding notices the stranger's resemblance to his wife, and in the table-talk Siegmund says he cannot call himself Peaceful (Friedmund) or Joyful (Frohwalt), but Woeful (Wehwalt); his father was Wolfe, and he is a thus a Wolfing, and he had a twin sister. After the guest has told his long story, Hunding realizes that this is the foe he has been pursuing, and, in effect, he challenges him to a duel in the morning. He goes to bed; his wife gives him a sleeping draught.

Alone, Siegmund wonders where the sword promised by his father might be, and he notices something shining in the axial ash tree. Sieglinde tells him that at her wedding a one-eyed man came in and put a sword there. Siegmund successfully draws out the blade; she tells him his true name is Siegmund (Victor); they have an extended love-duet; the door bursts opens in tune with their passion and the spring moonlight floods the room. To your brother you are bride and sister; so let the Wälsung blood flourish, are his last words. Hunding's first utterance
had been: Let my house be holy to you. And here they are embracing on his floor. Nothing's sacred any more.

Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) Act Two

The first sounds from the orchestra are the frenzied trumpeting of the sword motif, amid turbulence. The blissful kissful unhappy ill-fated lovers are now on the run; Sieglinde and her twin-brother Siegmund Wölfing Wälsung are fleeing from the outraged Hunding, Sieglinde's unloved husband. We do not see the distressed couple, but we hear their agitation in the music. They are impatiently waiting in the wings until scene three, for fifty minutes, while the gods discuss the morality of their unnatural relationship.

We suddenly think the orchestra has turned too many pages and is already into the Ride of the Valkyries of Act 3. But no, Wotan (Woden, Odin) comes into view, wearing armour (or a double-breasted suit) and holding his spear, accompanied by Brünnhilde the Valkyrie, with her helmet, shield, and spear (well, that's how Kirsten Flagstad looked) but some versions might want her dressed differently (as Catwoman, or Wonder Woman, or Maria von Trapp).

Wotan tells his beloved daughter to take his son Siegmund's side in the coming combat between the husband and the brother. She leaps from rock to rock (if she is lucky, but they might give her an escalator). Brünnhilde is giving forth her war-cry: Hoyotoho, Heiaha (and a bottle of rum). From her high perch she espies Wotan's consort Fricka, her step-mother (or is Fricka her aunt?), and she warns her father to prepare for a fierce fight himself.

Brünnhilde beats a hasty retreat into a cave, with her steed Grane. We don't expect to see the horse, nor the two rams drawing Fricka's carriage. She (presumably being based on Wagner's own wife Minna) jumps straight in: she knows he has been avoiding her, hiding in the mountains (Switzerland, with his rich woman-friend, Mathilde Wesendonck, equivalent to Erda, with whom Wotan had found passionate comfort, and who had given birth to the nine Valkyries). You won't have read all that in any books, because I made it up; but notice the reference to 'Minne's power. (Minne means 'love') in Wotan's lines.

Hunding has appealed to Fricka, as the guardian of marriages. (Who is going to cook his meals and bring him his nightcap now?). Wotan says he does not recognize an oath of wedlock if the marriage is loveless. Fricka now launches them into a full-throttled domestic dispute. She pours out her resentment over his sexual relations with a woman to produce the twins and with a goddess to engender the Valkyries. Wotan says she does not understand: the gods need this hero to get the gold and the Ring back.

(Beowulf has been at the movies in 2007 and we need to note that Sigemund is the dragon-slayer in that Anglo-Saxon epic; he gains the treasure, including a hoard of rings, not just one.)

Wotan and Fricka argue over Siegmund's status as a free agent, if he has a divine father and a magic sword. Fricka eventually wins, and Wotan swears to her that Siegmund will lose; and Brünnhilde will now ensure that Hunding is the victor.

Scene 2
Brooding deeply, Wotan tells the story that we already know from Das Rheingold. He adds the details about the origin of the Valkyries (had she never asked him, who is my mother?) and the bad news that Alberich (the Nibelung who had forsworn love to get his hands on the gold) had now fathered a boy in hate through a woman he paid to render him this service; that child (Hagen is his name we will learn ultimately) will get the Ring and bring about the downfall of the gods.

Wotan gives his daughter the command to take Hunding's side now, and he becomes angry when she tries to talk him out of it.

Scene 3
The lovers arrive; Sieglinde is hysterical and wants to to press on further; Siegmund wants her to rest (I presume they have been up all night). Finally she faints, and he cradles her.

Scene 4
Brünnhilde appears (only heroes about to die can ever see her); she tells Siegmund she is taking him to Valhalla. Will Sieglinde come, too? No? Then it's no go. He even threatens to kill Sieglinde with the sword. Brünnhilde is overwhelmed with compassion, and agrees to save them.

Scene 5
A gentle scene, then Hunding's horns announce his arrival. The Valkyrie supports her step-brother, but Wotan intervenes, lets Hunding do the foul deed, then kills him, sending him to Fricka with the message of the outcome she desired. And now he is intent on punishing Brünnhilde for her disobedience.

A woman has conceived and will give birth to a son, and his name shall be called ... Siegfried.

Wagner: Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) Act Three:

The wild music we hear is known as 'the ride of the Valkyries', but there will probably be no horses; they will be hiding in the woods, bucking and jostling. The wild place we see (in our mind's eye) is where the nine Valkyries meet, before riding up to Walhalla with the heroes they have garnered from battlefields. Count them. There are only four: Gerhilde (name means the
German heroine, or something else), Ortlinde (from the place where linden trees grow?), Waltraute (forest rue?), Schwertleite (leading sword?). Then Helmwige (has a wig under her helmet?) arrives with her catch slumped over her saddle. They all exchange Hoyotoho and Heiaha. Likewise when the others fly in: Siegrune (victory through reading runes?), Grimgerde (Grim Gertie?), and Rossweisse (knows her horses, especially white ones?). They are all wearing full armour, but don't be surprised if they appear in evening gowns at a dinner party, or in miniskirts doing go-go dancing (singing Yohoho and a bottle of rum).

One is still missing. Where is Brünnhilde? Here she comes, pursued by Wotan, but that's a living woman her horse Grane is carrying (highly irregular). 'Das ist kein Held!' (That is no hero) Helmwige exclaims (she could be a man hiding under that wig); she is pre-echoing Siegfried's astonishment when he takes the armour off Brünnhilde asleep on her rock ('Das ist kein Mann'). It is Sieglinde, and now that her brother and lover Siegmund is dead, she wants to die; and so she invites Brünnhilde to kill her. She changes her plea when she is told she is bearing Siegmund's love-child. She can hide in the forest, near the cave where Fafner the giant has become a dragon to guard the Rheingold; she will be safe from Wotan there, because he avoids the area. (Wrong, he does eventually go there to confront Mime and Alberich, in Siegfried.) The child will be called Siegfried (listen for his theme resounding on horns). The pieces of Siegmund's sword are entrusted to Sieglinde. There has been a lot of shrieking hysterics, because Wotan is coming, in raging wrath, but Sieglinde becomes ecstatic and cries out thankfully as she leaves: 'O hehrstes Wunder' (O most marvellous wonder). This beautiful tune will lie dormant till the very end of the epic, when it will rise above the sound of the crumbling crashing world to proclaim 'redemption through love'. It only lasts a moment (7 brief bars, fortissimo). Remember it. In both cases it declares to us that Brünnhilde is a wonderful woman.

Scene 2
When Wotan comes on, fulminating (with optional lightning and thunder on stage), Brünnhilde has wrapped herself in a huddle of her sisters. He goes on at great length about her treachery and the punishment she shall receive: she will be put into a death-like sleep on the rock,
until a man comes along and wakes her, and takes her to his home, where she will sit obediently by the hearth and spin. (That bit never happens; she will be taken to a palace.)

The Valkyries flee in terror into the woods, when Wotan threatens the same fate to them unless they avoid her. We are left with two talking heads and a massive orchestra (completely out of sight). According to Wagner's stage directions there could be clasping of knees and farewell kissing of eyes, as the bargaining proceeds, but it is mostly Brünnhilde pleading for mercy and attempting to justify herself.

Scene 3
'War es so schmählich was ich verbrach?' (Was what I did so shameful?). So begins a dialogue lasting half an hour (in which she pleads that she was only doing what he really wanted her to do) leading to a monologue of Wotan which fills the final quarter of an hour, but the music will sweep us along.

Wotan bids his daughter a heartfelt farewell, sets her on the rock, summons Loge to surround it with magic fire, and enunciates a solemn warning: 'Whoever fears the point of my spear, never pass through this fire'.

WAGNER'S VALKYRIE
Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 8th of November 2009 at 3 - 4.25 pm

WAGNER: Die Walküre, Act 3
Wotan........................... Donald McIntyre
Brunnhilde..................... Anne Evans
Sieglinde....................... Kathryn Harries
Valkyries....................... Darren Edmondson
..................................... Elizabeth Biggs
..................................... Emily Mair
..................................... Jan Harrington
..................................... Flora Edwards
..................................... Judy Bellingham
..................................... Margaret Medlyn
..................................... Carmel Carroll
New Zealand SO/Franz Paul Decker
(recorded in the Auckland Town Hall,
16 November 1989, by RNZ)
I was there for this production (without scenery), but Helen and I went to the Wellington night, and found next day that Wotan had been staying in the same hotel as us; we saw Donald McIntyre when tenor Christopher Doig came to take him away.

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 17th of May 2009 at 3 - 8.25 pm

Brünnhilde..................... Iréne Theorin
Sieglinde....................... Waltraud Meier
Fricka........................... Yvonne Naef
Siegmund...................... Johan Botha
Wotan........................... James Morris
Hunding........................ John Tomlinson
Metropolitan Orch/James Levine

When the time came, Johan Botha was not able to sing Siegmund. As you can see way down below, we had this one from New York a year ago, with Lisa Gasteen (Australian) Deborah Voigt, Clifton Forbis, James Morris.

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 14th of September 2008 at 3 - 7 pm
(2) Die Walküre, an opera in three acts
Siegmund...................... Stig Andersen
Hunding........................ Walter Fink
Wotan........................... Juha Uusitalo
Sieglinde....................... Evelyn Herlitzius
Brünnhilde..................... Susan Bullock
Fricka........................... Judit Németh
Gerhilde........................ Eszter Somogyi
Ortlinde......................... Mária Ardó
Waltraute...................... Gabriella Fodor
Schwertleite.................. Annamária Kovács
Helmwige...................... Gertrúd Wittinger
Siegrune........................ Éva Várhelyi
Grimgerde..................... Kornélia Bakos
Rossweisse................... Jutta Bokor
Hungarian Radio SO/Adám Fischer
(recorded in the Bartók National Concert Hall,
Palace of Arts, Budapest by Hungarian Radio)

Radio NZ Concert network
Sunday 2nd of March 2008 3 - 8 pm

WAGNER: Die Walküre, an opera in three acts
Brünnhilde..................... Lisa Gasteen
Sieglinde....................... Deborah Voigt
Fricka........................... Michelle DeYoung
Siegmund...................... Clifton Forbis
Wotan........................... James Morris
Hunding........................ Mikhail Petrenko
Metropolitan Opera Orch/Lorin Maazel (EBU)

I was led to believe that we would be having our own Simon O'Neill as Siegmund, and I was sure it was his photo on the Metropera website, advertising this opera. (Simon has now confirmed to me, in May 2011, that he did sing Siegmund in that season, but not on that Saturday.)

STRAUSS : ARIADNE AUF NAXOS

2011-05-22T01:09:00.003+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 22nd of May 2011 at 3.03 - 6 pm
Sunday 14th of March 2010 at 3 - 6 pm

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
ANALYSIS

STRAUSS: Ariadne auf Naxos, two acts with a prologue.
Strauss and Hofmannsthal wrote a one-act opera based on the legend of Ariadne to be performed following a production of Moliere's Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, but the evening’s entertainment proved to be far too long. Hofmannsthal then devised his own prologue and this version premièred in Vienna in October of 1916 with Lotte Lehmann as the Composer.
Ariadne......................... Anna Tomowa-Sintow
Zerbinetta..................... Kathleen Battle
Harlequin...................... Urban Malmberg
Scaramuccio.................. Josef Protschka
Truffaldino.................... Kurt Rydl
Brighella........................ Hans Sojer
Composer..................... Agnes Baltsa
Music Master................ Hermann Prey
Bacchus......................... Gary Lakes
Dancing Master............. Heinz Zednik
Wigmaker...................... Günter von Kannen
Footman....................... Alfred Sramek
Officer........................... Ewald Aichberger
Major Domo.................. Otto Schenk
Najade.......................... Barbara Bonney
Dryade.......................... Helga Müller Molinari
Echo.............................. Dawn Upshaw
Vienna Phil/James Levine (DG 419 225)

Something went wrong with the programming in 2011: instead of the performance with Joyce DiDonato (which was promised to us in an interview with her on the preceding Sunday) we were offered this Vienna version (Hermann Prey is dead, Kathleen Battle does not sing at the NY Metropera any more, or anywhere?).

Ariadne on [the island] Naxos is possibly the greatest of the Strauss operas (see Father Owen Lee under UNDERGROUND) yet Denis Forman awards it Gamma (that's the letter after A and B, equivalent to C in grading): he admits the music is wonderful, and Thomas Beecham agreed (Ariadne's longing for death is affecting, her love duet with Bacchus is overwhelming, Zerbinetta's piece is a cracker, and the waltz is great), but he is dismayed that it has been wasted on such a crackpot show; anything our imagination can conjure up while we listen will be better than what is presented on the stage, says Forman (and he's the boss).

My recordings of the two parts are old monophonic: Clemens Kraus conducts the Vienna Philharmonic gentlemen in the incidental music to Molière's Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme; for Ariadne (1955) Herbert von Karajan has the Philharmonia Orchestra to play with, and Walter Legge sits imperiously but artisticly (sic) in the producer's chair, so his wife Elisabeth Schwarzkopf gets the main parts (she is singing to me as I write) as the Prima Donna in the prolog and Ariadne in the opera. Other illustrious names on the cast list are Irmgaard Seefried, Rita Streich, Rudolf Schock, Hugues Cuénod, Hermann Prey, Gerhard Unger, and more.

2010
Ariadne......................... Nina Stemme
Zerbinetta...................... Kathleen Kim
Composer..................... Sarah Connolly
Bacchus........................ Lance Ryan
Music Master................ Jochen Schmeckenbecher
Najade.......................... Anne-Carolyn Bird
Dryade.......................... Tamara Mumford
Echo............................. Erin Morley
Dancing Master............. Tony Stevenson
Brighella........................ Sean Panikkar
Scaramuccio................. Mark Schowalter
Harlequin...................... Markus Werba
Truffaldino..................... Joshua Bloom
Lackey.......................... James Courtney
Officer.......................... Dennis Petersen
Wigmaker..................... David Crawford
Major-Domo................ Michael Devlin
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Kirill Petrenko
REVIEW
In this performance the Composer is Sarah Connolly, who made a great impression at the Last Night of the Proms (2009), singing (in the presence of her 6-year-old daughter and thousands of other relatives and admirers) Dido's Lament (Purcell), They can't take that away from me (Gershwin), and Rule Britannia (Arne) in a Lord Nelson uniform and with a spyglass; here she is again in another trouser-role.

VERDI : IL TROVATORE

2011-05-14T14:48:00.003+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 15th of May 2011 at 3.03 - 6.20 pm
Sunday 5th of April 2009 at 3 - 6.10 pm

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
HISTORY (the true troubadors)
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE with pictures and sound
UNDERGROUND
ANALYSIS
REVIEW
LIBRETTO
SCORE

VERDI: Il Trovatore, (The Troubador) opera in four acts
A swashbuckling gypsy troubadour and a malevolent Spanish aristocrat are rivals in war and love; at the very end it is revealed that they are blood brothers.
Count di Luna............... Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Manrico........................ Marcelo Álvarez
Azucena........................ Dolora Zajick
Leonora........................ Sondra Radvanovsky
Ferrando....................... Stefan Kocan
Ines............................... Maria Zifchak
Ruiz.............................. Eduardo Valdes
Old Gypsy.................... Robert Mahler
Messenger.................... Raymond Aparentado
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Marco Armiliato

Notice the presence of Dmitri the white-haired Russian baritone who is turning up everywhere after singing winsomely and winningly at a Welsh contest a few years ago. Dolora Zajick (when younger) is on a videotape I have of a Metropera production (conductor James Levine) featuring Luciano Pavarotti as her son Manrico, and herself as Azucena the vengeful gypsy woman; Sherrill Milnes is the Count di Luna. An earlier MetOp star, Robert Merrill has that role in the first audio recording of it that I acquired (from the World Record Club in Australia), and the tenor is Franco Corelli; Thomas Schippers conducted the orchestra of the Rome Opera House, and the acoustic ambience of that building shines forth through the speakers (especially in our garage, right next to the office I am working in at this moment). On a large black disc of highlights, Pavarotti sings with Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne, and Richard Bonynge waves the baton, of course. On three small silver discs, Placido Domingo joins with Rosalind Plowright, under Giulini's direction. The third member of the Gang of Three, namely José Carreras, sings with Katia Ricciarelli. You can get Leontyne Price with Domingo; Maria Callas with Giuseppe di Stefano; Jussi Björling with Zinka Milanov and Leonard Warren, and this is the first one I ever heard (I thought I had a copy of it now, as people keep donating their old stuff to my large collection, but it did not come to light in my search today, though I did locate the movie A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, in which the Marx Brothers create havoc in a performance of Il Trovatore. There was an old film I saw when it came out (1950s) with an Italian tenor who had visited Australia for a concert tour, not in his prime, more like sub-prime.

The most famous piece is the anvil chorus, at the start of Act 2:

In a gypsy camp in 15th-century Spain, Manrico the wounded troubadour (and leader of a rebel army) has taken refuge with the woman he thinks is his mother. The men are working at their anvils, plying their trade as tinkers, and declaring that wine and women are the best stimulants for increasing productivity.

Spain was in its perennial uncivil war: at that time the king of Aragon was battling with rebels, and the heroine Leonora is a lady-in-waiting. She has two suitors dancing attendance on her: the young Count di Luna (commander of the king's army) and the knight Manrico (she had crowned him victor at a tournament) who comes to serenade her as troubador.

The soldiers hear the story of the baby Garcia Luna being burnt to death by the daughter of the gypsy woman who was executed (by burning at the stake) for putting a hex on the child in his cradle. (Was she trying to steal it for 'baby-farming' purposes, like Gilbert's Buttercup?)

The gypsies get Azucena's version of the event as they work at their anvils; then she tells Manrico that she accidentally consigned her own baby to the flames, and brought the Luna child up as her own dear son; but when he expresses surprise she tries to take his mind off it by reminding him of the care she has lavished on him.

At the very last moment, when Manrico is summarily executed by Count di Luna, Azucena blurts out: He was your brother! He cries "Quelle horreur" in Italian (Quale horror), though actually speaking a Spanish dialect. She declares: You are avenged, Mother! And his response, the last line of the opera is: And I still live (E vivo ancor!).

Had Azucena brought Manrico up as her son simply to have him hound the son of her mother's killer, and then to sacrifice him at this climactic moment, to make the hated son of the old Count suffer over the loss of a brother? She could have told the Count the truth before that moment of exultation and execution, and before Leonora took poison because everyone else around her was sentenced to death. But was anyone in a forgiving mood at any point?

2009
Leonora........................ Sondra Radvanovsky
Azucena........................ Dolora Zajick
Manrico........................ Marcelo Álvarez
Count di Luna............... Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Ferrando....................... Kwangchul Youn
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Gianandrea Noseda

STRAUSS : CAPRICCIO

2011-05-07T17:37:00.001+12:00

Richard Strauss's Capriccio

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 8th of May 2011 a7 3.03 - 6 pm
Sunday 24th of August 2008 at 3 - 5.30 pm

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
PREVIEW
REVIEW
LIBRETTO (Deutsch)

STRAUSS: Capriccio, an opera in one act
In his final opera, which Strauss subtitled "A Conversation Piece for Music", a widowed French Countess, has to choose between a musician and a poet for her affections, and words and music for a birthday entertainment
Countess....................... Renée Fleming
Clairon.......................... Sarah Connolly
Flamand........................ Joseph Kaiser
Olivier........................... Russell Braun
Count............................ Morten Frank Larsen
La Roche...................... Peter Rose
Monsieur Taupe............ Bernard Fitch
Italian singer.................. Olga Makarina
Major-Domo................ Michael Devlin
Metropolitan Opera Orch/Andrew Davis
Capriccio, opera in one act; music by Richard Strauss; text by Clemens Krauss, a famous conductor of Strauss's music; first performance in Munich in 1942 (note the date); the setting is a castle near Paris, around 1775 (again notice the date, when French aristocrats still had their heads on). The title "Capriccio" assures us that there will be no upsetting scenes such as in in Poulenc's "Dialogue of the Carmelites" (set in the same period).

This was the last opera of Richard Strauss. A "capriccio" is "a lively and usually short musical composition". This one runs non-stop for 140 minutes, more than two hours

There is a famous monophonic recording of the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch, produced by Walter Legge, and so Mrs Legge (alias Elisabeth Schwarzkopf) got the main role, of the countess. Kiri Te Kanawa takes this part, very ably, in a video version; it is a San Francisco production, conducted by the left-handed Donald Runnicles (also seen batonning sinstrally in a documentary about "Parsifal"). It is sung in German with English subtitles (sighs of relief all round). But this audio version will not be so amenable.

Looking at the list of names for this Vienna production, my mind is a blank, except when my eyes light on Renée Fleming. Our cup of chocolate will be 'creamy'! At the halfway point, the aristocratic heroine tells the servants: "We will have chocolate [hot cocoa drink] served here". That, of course, will be the cue for your tea-lady to bring in the brew and biscuits (chocolate bikkies, which you can dip in your cup and thus tastefully turn your tea into cocoa, if you like).

I would characterize this opera as a sophisticated comedy of manners. Our friend Ramaeau gets a mention (our local video opera group will remember our afternoons with Les Indes Galantes, and Radio NZ has broadcast Castor and Pollux), and also Gluck (his Orpheus has been on our menu). Krauss describes it as "a musical conversation piece", dealing with the controversy that raged in Paris in Gluck's time: which is more important in an opera, the words or the music? It could also be titled: "Let's make an opera".

It is the young beautiful widowed Countess Madeleine's birthday. The party is in her salon. Flamand is composing the music for her, Olivier is writing the words. They are also competing for her affections, while her brother, the count, is chasing an actress named Clairon ('Bugle'). Madeleine can not make up her mind between her suitors; she will tell them in the morning. Will she choose them both, and have a perfect "wedding" of words and music?! Meanwhile, Kiri's persona looks as if she will be happy with her chief manservant for the night. But I could be misreading her face.

Each of the two protagonists, Olivier and Flamand, have a private tête-à-tête with Madeleine, and she starts her preliminary agonizing over the choice, until the hot chocolate was served.

The Count now comes in, excited about the praise his actress-friend Clairon has bestowed on his acting ability. He learns that Olivier's sonnet (which he had previously recited, rather badly) has been set to music, and he is displeased; he is on the side of the word-spinners, not the music-grinders. Along the way, Clairon mentions a play entitled Tancredi (eventually this became a Rossini opera).

A little ballet piece (a pas de deux) is inserted, introduced by La Roche, to show the wide range of theatrical experience (this ought to be the second act, a requirement in Paris, as Wagner was forcefully reminded when he staged Tannhäuser there and wilfully and disastrously put his ballet in Act One; but there is no break in this 140-minute "musical conversation-piece" of Krauss und Strauss).

La Roche avers that the basic defect of opera is the deafening noise of the orchestra; the voices are drowned out by bombast; the singers are forced to scream. The Count declares that it is no use trying to understand the meaning of the words because you can not hear any of them. La Roche bemoans the dying of Italian fine singing (implying that bel canto has become can belto).

We are treated to an Italian duet by the Italian singers; the text is by Metastasio (in Palmerston North we have Don Bewley, a connoisseur of this poet and librettist). "If I die by your side, my idol.... Who has ever felt such sweet happiness/ cruel torment?... Farewell my love, light of my eyes."

La Roche's scenario for staging the birth of Pallas Athena from the head of Zeus is mocked by the company ("he must have got a headache"). He then outlines his idea for The Fall of Carthage with great theatrical machinery and special effects. Finally he speaks of a new opera with real people like themselves, not mythological or historical. (Strauss wrote one of these about a spat he had with his volatile soprano wife, in Intermezzo, words and music by the composer.) This new opera could be a birthday present for the Countess.

All depart, and the menservants begin gossiping about their betters, and proposing to put on a marionette show for the Countess. However, their chief tells them they can have the night off. The Count will be away with the actress, helping her with her lines (or whatever), and there will be no guests in the house.

Another comical scene ensues. Monsieur Taupe comes out of hiding. He had been asleep and had missed his transport back to town. He explains to the major-domo the importance of the prompter's role; every one is dependent on him; when he falls asleep the players freeze on stage, and the audience wakes up.

Now comes Madeleine's lengthy moonlight monologue. Flamand and Olivier will meet her separately in the morning to talk about her opera. She is suffering from the "torn between two lovers" syndrome, and asks her reflection in the mirror to assist her in her choice. Already there have been suggestions that she could have them both, on the side. Meanwhile she will be having dinner alone, with her faithful manservant. (Kiri flicks her fan and gives him a saucy glance, as if to ask what is on the menu tonight. Another case of what the butler saw, or, on this occasion, did?)

Sunday 24th of August 2008 at 3 - 5.30 pm
STRAUSS: Capriccio, an opera in one act
Countess Madeleine...... Renée Fleming
Count............................ Bo Skovhus
Flamand........................ Michael Schade
Olivier........................... Adrian Eröd
La Roche...................... Franz Hawlata
Clairon.......................... Angelika Kirchschlager
Taupe........................... Peter Jelosits
Italian singers................. Jane Archibald, Cosmin Ifrim
Major-Domo................ Clemens Unterreiner
Vienna State Opera Chorus & Orch/Philippe Jordan
(recorded in the State Opera, Vienna by Austrian Radio)

More at the Wikipedia article, with a link to a copy of the German libretto
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capriccio_(opera)

http://www.opera-guide.ch/libretto.php?id=363&uilang=de&lang=de

BERG : WOZZECK

2011-04-30T22:57:00.000+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 1st of May 2011 at 3.03 - 5 pm

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
ANALYSIS
PREVIEW
REVIEW
RECORDINGS

BERG: Wozzeck, an opera in three acts
Based on Georg Büchner's play (Woyzeck) which chronicles a poor man's descent into madness and murder through the relentless effects of an inhumane society in which the underprivileged are at the mercy of an unfeeling and sadistic ruling class
Wozzeck....................... Alan Held
Marie............................ Waltraud Meier
Captain......................... Gerhard Siegel
Doctor.......................... Walter Fink
Drum Major.................. Stuart Skelton
Andres.......................... Russell Thomas
Margret......................... Wendy White
First Apprentice............ Richard Bernstein
Second Apprentice........ Mark Schowalter
Madman....................... Philippe Castagner
Soldier.......................... Daniel Clark Smith
Townsman.................... Raymond Aparentado
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/James Levine

I have long owned the oldest record of this opera (1951, NY Phil, Dmitri Mitropoulos, Eileen Farrell, see RECORDINGS); it has The Scream on the cover.

James Levine is passionate about this opera; I have heard him tell of his lifelong connection with it. As a student of German at Sydney University I was required to study the original drama, namely Georg Büchner's Woyzeck. The links provided above will take you to a feast of information.

ROSSINI : LE COMTE ORY

2011-04-24T00:52:00.003+12:00

Rossini's Count Ory
Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 24th of April 2011 at 3.03 - 6.10 pm

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
PREVIEW
REVIEW
RECORDINGS

ROSSINI: Le Comte Ory, an opera in two acts
In his amorous pursuit of Countess Adèle, the naughty Count Ory disguises himself first as a hermit and then as a nun.
Count Ory..................... Juan Diego Flórez
Tutor............................. Michele Pertusi
Isolier............................ Joyce DiDonato
Raimbaud...................... Stéphane Degout
Countess Adèle............. Diana Damrau
Ragonde....................... Susanne Resmark
Alice............................. Monica Yunus
First Knight................... Tony Stevenson
Second Knight.............. Tyler Simpson
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Maurizio Benini

This fizzy opera, first performed in Paris in 1828, incorporates some of the music from the equally delightful Journey to Rheims, which was composed for an occasion and was expendable, but Rossini was ever a keen recycler of his own music, witness the Barber of Seville sharing its overture with the dramatic opera Queen Elizabeth of England. This piece has had very few performances, and this is the first time the NY Metropera has staged it (though it had an airing in New York in 1832); this explains the paucity of program notes in their archives this time. However, I have recordings of two productions at Glyndebourne: one on two black audio discs (1957), which includes the baritone Ian Wallace (from the BBC's My Music), and one on a digital video disc.

WAGNER : DAS RHEINGOLD

2011-04-17T00:08:00.002+12:00

Richard Wagner's Rhinegold

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 7th of September 2008 at 3 - 5.40 pm
Sunday 3rd of September 2009 at 3 - 6 pm
Sunday 17th of April 2011 at 3 - 6pm

PRELUDE
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND The meaning of it all
ANALYSIS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
LIBRETTO
SCORE

WAGNER: Der Ring des Nibelungen, the stage-festival play,
performed as a tetralogy of prologue and three operas

Das Rheingold, a prologue in one act, or:
an opera in four scenes
The theft of the gold from the Rhine and a curse on the ring forged from it will eventually bring about the downfall of Valhalla’s gods.
2011
WAGNER: Das Rheingold, an opera in four scenes
The prelude to The Ring of the Nibelungen, is an introduction to the characters of the cycle and their relationships as they play out in the next three operas. It begins with Alberich stealing the Rheingold from which the ring that causes all the trouble is forged
Wotan........................... Bryn Terfel
Loge............................. Arnold Bezuyen
Fricka........................... Stephanie Blythe
Freia............................. Wendy Bryn Harmer
Donner.......................... Dwayne Croft
Froh.............................. Adam Diegel
Erda.............................. Patricia Bardon
Alberich........................ Eric Owens
Mime............................ Gerhard Siegel
Fasolt............................ Franz-Josef Selig
Fafner........................... Hans-Peter König
Woglinde...................... Lisette Oropesa
Wellgunde..................... Jennifer Johnson
Flosshilde...................... Tamara Mumford
Metropolitan Opera Orch/Fabio Luisi

2009
Freia............................. Wendy Bryn Harmer
Fricka........................... Yvonne Naef
Erda.............................. Jill Grove
Loge............................. Kim Begley
Wotan........................... James Morris
Alberich........................ Richard Paul Fink
Fasolt............................ Franz-Josef Selig
Fafner........................... John Tomlinson
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/James Levine

Richard Wagner, Der Ring des Nibelungen (‘The Ring of the Nibelung’, namely Alberich, an underworld dwarf). In our local video-opera group we have already had several potted versions of this massive work (some productions run to 17 hours of words and music). There was the Stagehand’s Ring (where the backstage boys told the story as seen from their vantage points). We have been regaled by Anna Russell in pink chiffon, holding forth on the oddities of the storyline. We have seen Placido Domingo (a serious Wagnerian tenor) preparing for a performance of ‘The Valkyrie’. In 2009 we were working our way slowly through a Bayreuth Festival video-recording (Pierre Boulez, Patrice Chéreau, Donald Macintyre, Gwynneth Jones), in which the GBShaw interpretation of the epic-drama is followed (see UNDERGROUND).

The Ring is a trilogy, in four parts (a tetraptych disguised as a triptych; Wagner thought he could fool some of the people some of the time, but when you count up the number of nights you have to go out to see it you use four fingers).

The last part is Götterdämmerung (‘Twilight of the Gods’); the German word Dämmerung can refer to the ‘tweenlight’ of sunrise or sunset, but even though the real action of the opera begins with the sun rising (Dawn and Siegfried’s journey along the Rhine River) the catastrophic ending informs us that this is the ‘nightfall’ of the gods, and their downfall. Bernard Shaw translated it as 'Night falls on the gods'.

It is important to understand that Wagner wrote the whole thing backwards. He first called it ‘Siegfried’s Death’, and in it he told the audience, through conversations between the characters, how Siegfried met Brünnhilde, what Siegfried’s parentage was, and the origin of the fateful ring. So he decided to write the libretto Siegfried, to explain those three themes. Then he produced ‘The Valkyrie’, to introduce Wotan and his daughter Brünnhilde. Finally, he added ‘The Rhine Gold’ as the prologue. Then he started composing the music. This shows why The Ring is so repetitive. Wagner could have shortened them all down to the size of Rheingold (150 minutes, or 2 and 1/2 hours) by eliminating all the flashback stuff!

As Anna Russell tells us, if you know the E flat chord then that is basically what the 150 bars of the Rhinegold prelude are about. It is true that you will hear the preludes and overtures to Wagner’s music-dramas on the radio (from Rienzi to Parsifal) but certainly not this one (very minimalist!); but the same applies to the opening music of the other three parts of The Ring. To my ears it is the same theme as for Erda, the goddess of the Earth, though in a different key. Remember, Wagner makes extensive use of ‘leading motifs’. So we are starting deep down in the ground, but there are seven rising notes in the theme: DAAA-DI-DAAA-DI-DAAA-DI-DIII. And there are arpeggios representing the moving waters of the Rhine.

Suddenly in the climactic surging there is a breakthrough, and we are up into the clear air, with the voices of the three Rhine maidens ringing out. They are ‘wogeling’ (Weia Waga Woge Wagalaweia), an aquatic form of yodelling. They are nixies (water-elves); their names are Woglinde, Wellgunde, and Flosshilde. They see a dwarf coming out of a cleft in the rock, sneezing. It is Alberich the Nibelung. They think he is ugly, and tease him terribly, pretending to be attracted to him, but always slipping away from his grasp. When the sun shines on the hoard of gold that they are guarding, Alberich loses interest in them. They inform him that anyone who renounces love can make a ring from this gold and rule the universe. They are not called nixies for nothing: they act seductively, but when it comes to the point they say Nix, Nothing doing. So Alberich gets his own back and nicks the gold from the nixies. They go into ‘Oy vey’ mode: ‘Wehe! Wehe! ‘ (Woe!Woe!).

Second Scene
The chief-god Wotan (Woden) and his consort Fricka (Frygge) are sleeping in a flowery meadow on a mountain-top above the Rhine River. She wakes him to point out their completed new home, a glorious castle (we eventually learn that its name is Walhall, Valhalla). Fricka is the patroness of ‘family values’, and she is not happy about the reward that is being given to the two giants who built the divine residence; it is her sister Freia, goddess of youth and beauty, who produces the apples that keep the gods young. In their heated argument, Wotan finds cause to mention that he lost an eye when courting her. (Watch for the patch over his eye-socket.)

Freia comes in, pursued by the big brothers Fafner and Fasolt. Her brothers Donner (Thor, the wielder of thunderbolts) and Froh (what employment he engages in is uncertain, but his name tells us he is glad) want to sock it to the giants. But Loge (Loki, the cunning demi-god, connected with fire) is called in to restart negotiations over the contract. He offers the idea of Alberich’s gold, and the Ring. The giants like the idea of wealth, but take Freia off as hostage. Immediately the gods start to look old. Wotan and Loge prepare to descend to the underworld.

Third Scene
In the intermezzo Wotan and Loge go underground. We hear the flickering motif of Loge, semiquavers darting about, representing trickery and wildfire; also the renunciation-of-love theme, letting us know that we are entering the realm of Alberich the Nibelung, who has forsworn love to achieve power (but somehow he still manages to father a beastly son named Hagen, the villain of the final part of the drama); then we are assailed by the sound of hammers on anvils (dum di-di dum-dum-dum).

Alberich is dragging his brother Mime by the ears, and calling him a treacherous dwarf (!), for not achieving his productivity quota. Where is that special helmet I ordered? The motif of the tarnhelm is heard (chords on horns moving about slowly and mysteriously). Mime says he was afraid it would not be up to standard, but Alberich takes it and tries it on; pronouncing a spell about night and mist (Nacht und Nebel) he disappears from sight into a ‘nebulous’ column. While invisible he whips Mime, and then moves off to let all the Nibelungs know who’s the boss, and that he will be watching them even though they cannot see him.

Wotan and Loge engage Mime in conversation, and at length suggest they might be able to take Alberich’s power away and save the Nibelungs from his tyranny. When Alberich comes back and asks what their business is in Nibelheim, they say they want to pay their respects and see the wonders he has wrought. Alberich shows off all his gold.

Alberich boasts that he will become master of the whole world, and having renounced love he will overpower the gods and have his way with their women (in a loveless mode, naturally). Wotan becomes angry, but Loge inervenes and asks Alberich to demonstrate the magic powers he has acquired through the tarnhelm. His first trick is to change himself into a giant snake. How about something tiny? When he turns into a toad, Wotan puts his foot on him, the dwarf returns to his own form, and the gods bind him, and drag him up to the world above. In the interlude listen for the ring, and the anvils.

Fourth Scene
Alberich complains about the service, being trussed up like a Christmas turkey, and he threatens revenge. If he wants to be untied, he must yield up the gold. Well, at least I get to keep the ring, he murmurs. He orders the Nibelungs to bring up the hoard. Then he demands the tarnhelm, but Loge throws it on the heap. Wotan now covets the ring. No, no, anything but that; and anyway it really belongs to the Rhine maidens. Wotan snatches it from Alberich, and puts it on one of his own fingers. Right, I now put a curse on this ring; misery and death will prey on anyone who has it in their possession. So saying, Alberich crawls back into his hole. He has forsworn love, but ultimately we learn he has fathered (lovelessly) a nasty son named Hagen, who is to regain the ring for him.

The gods gather round, and the giants return with Freia; and the divine beings cheer up and look young again. The giants will accept the gold, as long as it hides Freia. But in the end there is a hole in the pile through which she is still visible. The ring will fix that, but Wotan has already become attached to it! Fasolt seizes Freia and is making off with her, when Erda (the earth mother) appears out of the ground (but only as a torso, like the Rapanui / Easter-Island statues). Give it up, Wotan, flee the ring’s curse, she admonishes. A gloomy day is dawning for the gods (dämmert den Göttern), hence the name of the last of the four parts: Götterdämmerung; as I said, the German word can mean dawning or dusk, and it is the end of the gods that Wagner had in mind. Wotan reluctantly tosses it on the hoard. Thereupon Fasolt and Fafner fight over the ring. Fafner kills Fasolt, takes all the gold including the ring, and stalks off. When we meet him again, in part 3 (Siegfried), he has used the tarnhelm to become a dragon and he is living with the gold in a cave.

Anna Russell pokes fun at this, shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head in disbelief. In ignorance, actually. We readers of Beowulf (see the movie with Angelina Jolie!) know that it is a dragon’s hallowed role to guard gold in a barrow; and we are not talking about a barrowful of gold, but a hoard of treasure in a tomb.

So, we and the gods look on aghast at this outcome. Death has a nasty smell. Let’s go inside. Donner swings his hammer and there is a thunderclap. A rainbow bridge springs up, allowing the gods to make their entry in Walhall(a) (at last we learn the castle’s name). Loge stays out of it, muttering that they are hastening to their end, and he just might be the arsonist who will burn their home down in the end. The maidens of the Rhine whine: “Rheingold, reines Gold”(pure gold) is Wagner’s pun. (Of course it was pure, it was washed by the river's water constantly.)

Wagner was a great lover of animals (so were all the Nazi folk-slaughterers). Lohengrin and Parsifal have a swan as the central motif. You would not have realized till now that The Ring epitomizes that immortal line (though mortal and fatal in its context) of the Spear-Shaker (not Wotan, William): “My kingdom for a horse”. Setting aside the snake and toad of Rheingold, we meet a host of horses in The Valkyrie, ridden by teen-age girls (on a high, but not on their high horse) who have not yet graduated to a sexual fixation on boys (men are just dead meat for them at this stage); in Siegfried, the young hero has a pet bear, but his horizons expand when he sees the sturdy steed Grane; however, he gets through his horsey stage rapidly when he strides through the fire and undresses Grane’s owner, Brünnhilde the Valkyrie, and though she finds her feelings scary she quickly soars out of adolescence with the eager Siegfried. In the end, in The Twilight of the gods, when Siegfried has taken Brünnhilde’s place on a bed surrounded by fire (and she has lost her salamander status), and when she rides into the flames to be united with him, the horse (or the back end of the beast) is the last thing we see (of course, since the equestrian Australian Marjorie Lawrence stopped doing it, producers leave the ponies in the stable).

Sunday 7th of September 2008 at 3 - 5.40 pm
Wotan........................... Alan Titus
Donner.......................... Oskar Hillebrandt
Froh.............................. Attila Fekete
Loge............................. Christian Franz
Fricka........................... Judit Németh
Freia............................. Anna Herczenik
Erda.............................. Cornelia Kallisch
Alberich........................ Hartmut Welker
Mime............................ Michael Roider
Fasolt............................ Jan-Hendrik Rootering
Fafner........................... Walter Fink
Woglinde...................... Eszter Wierdl
Wellgunde..................... Katalin Gémes
Hungarian Radio SO/Adám Fischer
(recorded in the Bartók National Concert Hall, Palace of Arts,
Budapest by Hungarian Radio)

Harold said...: As I listened to this performance live from the Met from the States, this blog was very helpful in going through the opera. As helpful as the Met's site.I visit often. Just thought I would pass along my gratitude for the work you do here.; March 29, 2009 8:01 AM

TCHAIKOVSKY: PIQUE DAME

2011-04-08T00:52:00.005+12:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 10th of April 2011 at 3 - 6.45 pm
Sunday 18th of January 2009 at 3 - 7 pm

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
ANALYSIS

TCHAIKOVSKY: The Queen of Spades, an opera in three acts and seven scenes
A setting of Pushkin’s novella in which an impoverished young officer wants to find out the secret of an old countess who infallibly wins playing at cards. Lisa, the rich and romantic granddaughter of the Countess is engaged to Prince Yeletsky, whom she admires but does not love. She is also the object of the affections of Ghermann (Herman), a handsome but poor young officer. He has fallen in love with Lisa from afar, but knows he cannot win her hand until he has won his fortune. An emotionally driven man, Ghermann becomes tragically consumed by his plan to win Lisa.

2011
Lisa............................... Karita Mattila
Pauline.......................... Tamara Mumford
Countess....................... Dolora Zajick
Ghermann..................... Vladimir Galouzine
Count Tomsky.............. Alexej Markov
Prince Yeletsky............. Peter Mattei
Chekalinsky.................. Adam Klein
Surin............................. Paul Plishka
Chaplitsky..................... Mark Schowalter
Narumov....................... Jeremy Galyon
Master of Ceremonies... Bernard Fitch
Governess..................... Kathryn Day
Masha........................... Danielle Pastin
Chloë............................ Dina Kuznetsova
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Andris Nelsons

2009
Lisa............................... Maria Guleghina
Pauline.......................... Ekaterina Semenchuk
Countess....................... Felicity Palmer
Ghermann..................... Ben Heppner
Tomsky......................... Mark Delavan
Yeletsky........................ Vladimir Stoyanov
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Seiji Ozawa

Pikovaya Dama (Russian), Pique Dame (French), The Queen of Spades is another of Peter Ilyich's masterpieces, with unhappy lovers, a masked ball, addiction gambling, a three card trick, death by murderous frightening, a returning ghost, suicidal drowning, and self-stabbing (or shooting, if a dagger is unavailable).

I don't own a copy of this opera, in any form!

DONIZETTI : LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR

2011-04-03T00:03:00.001+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 27 November 2011 at 3.03 - 5.25 pm
Sunday 3rd of April 2011 at 3 - 7.10 pm
Sunday 15th of March 2009 at 3 - 7 pm
Sunday 6th of April 2008
Sunday 18th of February 2007

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
HISTORY
BACKGROUND
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
UNDERGROUND
ANALYSIS
LIBRETTO
INTERMISSIONS

2011
DONIZETTI: Lucia di Lammermoor, an opera in three acts
Enrico........................... Vladislav Sulimsky
Lucia............................. Natalie Dessay
Edgardo........................ Pitor Beczala
Arturo........................... Dmitry Voropaev
Raimondo..................... Ilya Bannik
Alisa............................. Zhanna Dombrovskaya
Normanno..................... Sergei Skorokhodov
Mariinsky Theatre Chorus & Orch/Valery Gergiev
(Mariinsky MAR 0512)

DONIZETTI: Lucia di Lammermoor, an opera in three acts
Lucia is the sister of Enrico. She is in love with her brother's rival, Edgardo, but is forced to marry Arturo against her will.
Lucia............................. Natalie Dessay
Edgardo........................ Joseph Calleja
Enrico........................... Ludovic Tézier
Raimondo..................... Kwangchul Youn
Metropolitan Chorus & Orch/Patrick Summers

2009

DONIZETTI: Lucia di Lammermoor, an opera in three acts
Lucia............................. Anna Netrebko
Edgardo........................ Piotr Beczala
Enrico........................... Mariusz Kwiecien
Raimondo..................... Ildar Abdrazakov
Arturo........................... Colin Lee
Alisa............................. Michaela Martens
Normanno..................... Michael Myers
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Marco Armiliato

In 2011 Lucia (Lucy) the bride of Lammermoor was presented twice on NZ radio, first from the New York Metropolitan Opera and then (November) from what we might call the Saint Petersburg Metropolitan Opera, properly the Mariinsky Theatre (but not so long ago it was the Kirov Theatre of Leningrad); in both cases it was French soprano Natalie Dessay who madly murdered her husband on the wedding night because he was not the man she was madly in love with, namely Edgar (Edgardo)
In 2007 the Metropera broadcast of Lucia was from 1956 (see below), and it had Maria Callas as Lucy Ashton (alias Janet Dalrymple), the hapless bride of Lammermoor imprisoned in Ravenswood castle.

In 2008 it was Natalie Dessay who went mad, bloody insane. In 2009 Anna Netrebko wielded the murderous knife on her wedding night. Natalie is pictured in the advertising, and she is the one we can expect to see when this same performance comes to the cinema. No kilts, but top hats and tails (Natalie's Lucia wears a top hat, too). Anyway, the Ashtons did not live in the highlands, but near Edinburgh, where my Collace ancestors were 'burgesses', and maybe that is why the family name came to be spelled 'Colless', in New South Wales; we were not convicts or army deserters back in the time of Robert the Bruce; we married into his family.

My first experience of Donizetti and Lucia in a theatre was in the Sutherland opera tour of Australia in 1965; I was doing my postgraduate studies at Melbourne University and we were below the official poverty line. No money to spare for our Joan's ten-guinea tickets, but four guineas for Elisabeth Harwood was reasonable, though she had a cold on the night, and her cracked notes were reported in the newspaper. We did not boo her (Australians are more sporting than Italians); but she gave us quite a few anxieties in the mad scene. And Alberto Remedios was a discovery; we loved him as Edgardo, and I was glad to see him turn up as Siegmund and Siegfried in the English National Opera recordings of Wagner's Ring, conducted by Reginald Goodall.

Malvina Major took the part in Wellington, and we took an All-Black who was loosely attached to our daughter Laurel for a few years. All sorts of connections ensued over the years, and through Laurel I got an autographed recording from Malvina, which included music from LdiL.

Around the sixty-sixth minute they will start up on the passionate sextet, for the first time; they often have to repeat it, not because they got it wrong, but the show can not go on unless they do, to stop the unbroken applauding; James Levine may not allow it on this occasion.

Denis Forman, in his Good Opera Guide, awards it Alpha, and says it provides one of the most glorious evenings that Italian opera can offer. Let's hope our matinee afternoon performance will deliver the goods. As preparation, and in memory of Giuseppe di Stefano, I played the Serafin recording, with Callas and Gobbi. But I also have Joan and Luciano, and Cheryl Studer and Placido Domingo.

New York Metropolitan Opera Broadcast (from 1956)
Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 18th of February 2007

Lucia: Maria Callas
Edgardo: Giuseppe Campora
Enrico: Enzo Sordello
Raimondo: Nicola Moscona
Normanno: James McCracken
Conductor: Fausto Cleva
Intermissions
(1) Maria Callas interviews
(2) Mad Scenes (Beverly Sills and others)

MUSSORGSKY : BORIS GODUNOV

2011-03-27T01:15:00.002+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 27th March 2011 at 3.03 - 8.05 pm
Sunday 9th of September 2007 at 3 pm

COMPOSER
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
ANALYSIS
REVIEW

MUS(S)ORGSKY: Boris Godunov
opera in a prologue and four acts
With a libretto written by the composer, the opera is based on the historical drama by Alexander Pushkin and the History of the Russian State by Nikolai Karamzin. Boris Godunov reigned as Tsar of Russia during the political upheaval in the late 16th and early 17th centuries

Boris Godunov.............. René Pape
Marina.......................... Ekaterina Semenchuk
Dimitri........................... Aleksandrs Antonenko
Shuisky......................... Oleg Balashov
Rangoni......................... Evgeny Nikitin
Pimen............................ Mikhail Petrenko
Varlaam........................ Vladimir Ognovenko
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Pavel Smelkov (EBU)

2007
Boris Godunov.............. Ferruccio Furlanetto
Pimen............................ Robert Holl
Grigory......................... Marian Talaba
Marina Mniszek............ Nadia Krasteva
Rangoni......................... Falk Struckmann
Xenia............................ Laura Tatulescu
Fyodor.......................... Michaela Selinger
Prince Shuysky.............. Jorma Silvasti
Andrey Shchelkalov...... Boaz Daniel
Varlaam........................ Ain Anger
Missail.......................... Peter Jelosits
Innkeeper...................... Janina Baechle
Holy Fool...................... Heinz Zednik
Wet-nurse..................... Margareta Hintermeier
Vienna State Opera Chorus & Orch/Daniele Gatti
(recorded 28th May 2007 at the State Opera, Vienna)

(2007) Radio NZ has allotted 3 hours and 20 minutes to this, so we can expect the Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov version, richly and romantically adorned like Scheherezade of the one thousand and one nights, rather than the Modest Mussorgsky original, modestly and starkly naked like a single night on a bare mountain (or Bald Mountain), broadcast in 2011; and when this production was shown in cinemas, Valery Gergiev was conducting the great Metropera orchestra.

Besides Pictures at an Exhibition (of which I have several versions: original piano, various orchestrations, brass ensemble, and even copies of the paintings) I possess Musorgsky's operas Khovanshchina (another set of slices from Russian history) and Salammbo (derived from Flaubert's Punic story, set in Carthage, including a hymn to the goddess Tanit, whose name I find in Bronze-Age inscriptions I decipher).

Boris Godunov made a great impression on me in my youth, almost as much as Wagner's Parsifal. Reflecting now on the common features and factors that created this attraction, it must have been the bells (so it had a peal for me) and the basses. There are three basses in it: Boris the wicked Tsar, Pimen the good monk, and Varlaam the bad monk. The first recording I heard (over the ABC in Sydney) was made in Paris, conducted by Issay Dobrowen, and all three roles were sung by Boris Christoff, with Nicolai Gedda as Dmitri (the false pretender). Since then I have picked up an old ten-inch disc with Christoff singing all the roles; and also Feodor Chaliapin (1873-1938). The version I eventually purchased (at a renowned record shop in Auckland) is Herbert von Karajan's Vienna Philharmonic version, which has Nicolai Ghiaurov and Martti Talvela, with Galina Vishnevskaya as Marina.

I saw it staged in Melbourne, but missed the Wellington production.

Thanks to Guy Donaldson, I have even sung the Slava/Glory chorus in a local choir.

I suppose Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007) never sang in this opera, but I must not let his passing be ignored here. You have probably heard me say it before: I saw Pavarotti in Melbourne in Donizetti's Elixir of Love before anybody knew he was somebody, and before his fame and his form grew enormously. And two recent things increased my affection for him: seeing the end of a master class where he answered questions ever so engagingly, and learning today that a likable New Zealand tenor (foneticly: Shoorn Dicson) was an "apprentice" of Pavarotti's. Egyptian deities (and Canaanite Tanit) were sometimes depicted holding a large handkerchief, and Luciano was a great divo.

ROSSINI : ARMIDA

2011-03-19T23:41:00.001+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 20th of March 2011 at 3.03 - 7.00 pm
Sunday 23rd of May 2010 at 3.03 - 7.25 pm

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
HISTORY
ANALYSIS
REVIEW
LIBRETTO pdf
OPERA NEWS

2011
ROSSINI: Armida, an opera in three acts
The subject matter for Rossini's 1817 opera Armida was widely popular from the seventeenth through to the early twentieth centuries. Indeed, there are almost 100 operas and ballets that employ the story of the Saracen sorceress and her desire for the Christian warrior, Rinaldo
Armida.......................... Renée Fleming
Rinaldo......................... Lawrence Brownlee
Goffredo....................... John Osborn
Gernando...................... Antonino Siragusa
Carlo............................ Barry Banks
Ubaldo.......................... Kobie van Rensburg
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Riccardo Frizza
2010
Armida.......................... Renée Fleming
Rinaldo......................... Lawrence Brownlee
Goffredo....................... John Osborne
Gernando...................... José Manuel Zapata
Carlo............................ Barry Banks
Ubaldo.......................... Kobie van Rensburg
Eustazio........................ Yegishe Manucharyan
Idraote.......................... Peter Volpe
Astarotte....................... Keith Miller
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Riccardo Frizza

Renée Fleming likes this rare Rossini piece (she has performed and recorded it before), and because she does such a good job hosting the Metropera video recordings we see in our cinema, they let her have a première of it. This one is at the movies, too, (in 2010) and I wonder who will introduce it and interview Renée.

A legion of composers have set this fantasy tale of the witch enticing the knight Rinaldo into her pleasure garden, starting with Vivaldi and Haendel , and including Dvorak.

Everything you need to understand Rossini's version is provided under the headings above.

I have heard rumours about people walking out of the performance; they would be the impatient patrons who cannot concentrate for four hours, or else they had a ferry or a train to catch.

GLUCK : IPHIGÉNIE EN TAURIDE

2011-03-12T13:25:00.002+13:00

IPHIGENIA IN TAURIS

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 13th of March 2011 at 3-6 pm
Sunday 6th of January 2008 at 3 pm

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE (no pictures of Placido and Susan)
ANALYSIS
PREVIEW
REVIEW

Iphigénie en Tauride, an opera in four acts
Gluck reinterpreted the ancient Greek myth in this innovative masterpiece. It's a powerful story about rejecting the limitations of the past and insisting on a better future
Iphigénie....................... Susan Graham
Oreste........................... Plácido Domingo
Pylade........................... Paul Groves
Thoas............................ Gordon Hawkins
Diane............................ Julie Boulianne
First priestess................ Lei Xu
Second priestess........... Cecelia Hall
Minister/Scythian........... David Won
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Patrick Summers

The New York Metropolitan opera broadcasts are still coming to us in 2011, strange to say, by way of the European Broadcasting thingy. In the USA they receive them "live"; they give them to us on "live" recordings, but we'll "live". (I advocate thorough spelling reform, but we could start there, by dropping the misleading -e off live [>liv], and give [>giv]; "live" (as in "alive") should be laiv.) I love [lav] this/these word/s "live": there is a host of "live" people in this opera, who are destined to be "un-live" or "non-live" soon rather than later, but they all end up by not ending, and being happy temporarily, but being a neurotic bunch they will surely sink into new miseries.

We can use the NYMet's own study-guides as our explanatory notes. But here are some additional thoughts.

Iphigenia appears in two operas by Gluck; the earlier one (also for Paris, and in French) is Iphigénie en Aulide (Iphigenia in Aulis). This Tauris one has a counterpart by Piccinni (not Puccini nor Pacini, and not pronounced like piccaninny). Campra was another composer who was drawn to the subject.

We already know these classical characters, a dysfunctional royal family from the time of the Trojan war: King Agamemnon is murdered by his consort Klytemnestra, and Princess Elektra gives the vengeance-ax for the revenge-act to Prince Orestes, and when the deed is done Orestes is hounded by the Furies. But when we are involving ourselves in Trojan operas (Elektra, Idomeneo) we forget that there was another sister, named Iphigenia. She was to be a human sacrifice, to make the winds blow, so that Agamemnon could keep his appointment with his fellow-Greek invaders on the beach at Troy, and do his bit for the war effort. Sometimes she is done to death on the altar, but in other versions of the tale she is whisked away to the land of the Scythians (Tauris: Crimea, on the Black Sea) to become a priestess of Artemis/Diana. In this opera she is called on to perform the rite of human sacrifice on Orestes.

Susan Graham (who has been Dido in The Trojans by Berlioz) is Iphigenia. Placido Domingo is not conducting the opera (in 2008 he was musical director for Romeo and Juliet, on the same day as the broadcast of this opera; he gets away with being Siegmund, but not Romeo); he is singing in it, taking the role of Orestes, which is for baritone.

DONIZETTI : DON PASQUALE

2011-03-05T14:08:00.000+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 6th of March 2011 at 3 - 6 pm

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE (with pictures and sound)
REVIEW
RAVE (a website devoted to Anna)
REFLECTION

DONIZETTI: Don Pasquale, an opera in three acts
Pompous old Don Pasquale is furious at his nephew and heir Ernesto. Don Pasquale found Ernesto a wealthy bride, but Ernesto is in love with beautiful Norina, and will not look at another woman. Don Pasquale thinks Norina isn't rich enough for Ernesto. He's ordered his nephew to leave her, or lose his inheritance forever. This is the setting for a comic masterpiece that is economical, well-crafted, and hilarious, striking just the right balance between satire and compassion
Don Pasquale................ John Del Carlo
Dr Malatesta................. Mariusz Kwiecien
Ernesto......................... Matthew Polenzani
Norina.......................... Rachelle Durkin
Notary.......................... Bernard Fitch
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/James Levine

Anna Netrebko appeared in the performance shown in cinemas, and as usual she was a delight to watch. She is pictured in the still photographs (from 2006) in STORYLINE, and from 2010 in RAVE, and seen in a moving picture here (Metropera YouTube). Anna at the Vienna Opera Ball with her husband, Schrott by name, and step-daughter, but not the baby, here)

This was the 64th opera of Gaetano Donizetti.

"The opera, in the tradition of opera buffa, harks back to the stock characters of the commedia dell'arte. Pasquale is recognizable as the blustery Pantalone, Ernesto as the lovesick Pierrot, Malatesta as the scheming Scapino, and Norina as a wily Columbina. The false Notary echos a long line of false officials as operatic devices." (Wikipedia)

Do you remember it touring, in New Zealand, in miniature, in 2006? (Sarah Noble's review). Conal Coad was the old man.

ADAMS : NIXON IN CHINA

2011-02-27T01:39:00.001+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 27th of February 2011 at 3 - 7 pm

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
REVIEW
REFLECTION

ADAMS: Nixon in China, an opera in three acts
In 1972 Richard Nixon made an unexpected visit to the People's Republic of China which proved to be an important step towards the normalization of relations between the United States and China. This opera centres on the six main personalities involved in this moment of history and their motivations and reactions
Richard Nixon............... James Maddalena
Pat Nixon...................... Janis Kelly
Chou En-lai................... Russell Braun
Mao Tse-tung............... Robert Brubaker
Henry Kissinger............. Richard Paul Fink
Chiang Ch'ing................ Kathleen Kim
Nancy T'sang................ Ginger Costa-Jackson
Second secretary........... Teresa S Herold
Third secretary.............. Tamara Mumford
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/John Adams

VERDI : SIMON BOCCANEGRA

2011-02-20T00:26:00.002+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 20th of February 2011 at 3 - 6.15 pm
Sunday 28th of February 2010 at 3 - 6.45 pm

2011
VERDI: Simon Boccanegra, an opera in a prologue and three acts
A tale of Italian politics and family feuds in which Paolo and Pietro, leaders of the popular (plebeian) party, conspire to gain power over the aristocracy (patricians). They name the popular former pirate Simon Boccanegra as their candidate for the office of Doge, the chief magistrate of the republic. Boccanegra accepts, hoping that his position will enable him to marry Maria, who has been imprisoned by her father, the patrician Fiesco, because she bore Boccanegra an illegitimate child
Simon Boccanegra........ Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Amelia.......................... Barbara Frittoli
Fiesco........................... Ferruccio Furlanetto
Gabriele........................ Ramón Vargas
Paolo............................ Nicola Alaimo
Pietro............................ Richard Bernstein
Captain......................... Adam Laurence Herskowitz
Maid............................. Edyta Kulczak
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/James Levine
2010
Tenor Plácido Domingo sings the baritone title role in Verdi’s political music-drama
Simon Boccanegra........ Plácido Domingo
Jacopo Fiesco............... James Morris
Paolo Albiani................. Patrick Carfizzi
Pietro............................ Richard Bernstein
Gabriele Adorno........... Marcello Giordani
Amelia.......................... Adrianne Pieczonka
Maidservant.................. Joyce El-Khoury
Captain......................... Adam Laurence Herskowitz
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/James Levine

INTRODUCTION (Wiki)
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE (14pages)
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
ANALYSIS
LIBRETTO (Italian)
REVIEW (Martin Bernheimer, FT)
REVIEW (Anthony Tommasini, NYT)
FLASHBACK (Met Opera News)

In 2007, Angela Gheorghiou was Amelia Grimaldi, and Thomas Hampson was Simon Boccanegra, her illegitimate father (why should the children always have to be called bastards, why not the parents?); her lover Gabriele was Plàcido Domingo; this time he is the venerable Boccanegra himself. He has also been conducting Stiffelio, but he has been overdoing it, it seems: in Febrary 2010 he had to leave his commitments in Tokyo and return to NY, NY, for an operation, which would put him out of circulation (I am not referring to his blood-flow) for five weeks.

The recording I own has Tito Gobbi in the title role, with Victoria de Los Angeles, and Boris Christoff. I also have a videotape recording (with no pictures!) of the magnificent NZ Opera production some years ago.

Be warned, the plot is complicated and convoluted. Study the material provided by Metropera (have a good click-search in the "opera background" section), and don't ask questions if you feel that the tale is contrived; it is not absolutely true history. It is set in Genoa in the 14th century.

Simon Boccanegra has no overture but there is a prologue with a brief prelude to set the mood of dark intrigue, though it just might also describe the sea and remind us that Boccanegra was a pirate, and a plebeian, and thus unlikely to be accepted by the patricians to be the Doge of Genoa. However, in real life, Simon was not a corsair (a sea-raider, a pirate employed by the government, like Francis Drake) but a respected citizen; it was his brother who ruled the waves, but the two have been conflated for the story.

Between the Prologue and Act 1, twenty-five years elapse; and there is also a quarter of a century between the two versions of the opera. The first (with a libretto by Piave, after a Spanish play by Gutierrez, who also provided the story of Trovatore, with babies switched, as here) was a failure, in 1857, when Verdi was 43; the second (with the libretto revised by Boito, who subsequently gave him the texts for Otello and Falstaff) was a success, in 1881, when the composer was 68 (same age as Domingo on opening night).

A happy ending? The old hero dies prematurely of poisoning, but he goes off in a marvellous quartet; the rebellion is over, the lovers are united, the family feuding ends, and peace is established.

New York Metropolitan Opera broadcast
Sunday 1st of April 2007 at 3 pm
"Radio New Zealand Concert" FM network
http://www.radionz.co.nz/concert/home
The commercial radio station you listen to when you are not listening to a commercial radio station.
(This is not funny, as the minister of broadcasting has now requested the company to be more commercial, to save the taxpayer money, and to supply more funds to the ministers' entertainment expense accounts.)

PUCCINI : TOSCA

2011-02-12T23:12:00.005+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 13th of February 2011 at 3.04 - 6.20 pm
Sunday 16th of May 2010 at 3.03 - 6.30 pm
Sunday 17th of June 2007 at 3pm

INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
COMPOSER
MUSIC
LIBRETTO

2011
A Roman diva and her lover battle with a sadistic chief of police and the forces of political repression
Tosca............................ Sondra Radvanovsky
Cavaradossi.................. Marcelo Alvarez
Scarpia......................... Falk Struckmann
Angelotti....................... Peter Volpe
Sacristan....................... Paul Plishka
Spoletta........................ Dennis Petersen
Sciarrone...................... James Courtney
Jailer............................. Harold Wilson
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Marco Armiliato

We are fortunate to have continued access to NY Metropera's archives to give us assistance in preparing ourselves for listening to recordings of operas.

BACKGROUND Did you know that Verdi nearly got in first at setting Sardou's French play to music? Then Franchetti had the Italian libretto for a while, but Puccini finally got hold of it, trimmed it, and gave us one of the greatest of all operas.

CHARACTERS The characters are a singer (an opera soprano), a painter (artist), and a policeman (chief of police). The setting is Rome in 1800, the Napoleonic period, and the work was first staged in Rome in 1900.

SYNOPSIS This gives a summary of the plot.

STORYLINE This is a repeat of the synopsis, accompanied by 14 pictures, which are worth looking at. If you download the free player (free for a 14-day trial, anyway, and I never have succumbed to the temptation), then you can listen to Callas, Stefano, and Gobbi singing in selected scenes (a recording I own on vinyl disc and compact disc). I have been telling myself that I heard Tito Gobbi sing Scarpia, together with Marie Collier and Donald Smith in Australia. Having recently received (as presents) two books on opera in Australia (John Cargher, Alison Gyger), I am able to check this memory. In 1968 the opera was performed in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. Donald Smith (the outstanding tenor from Queensland) acquitted himself well in all three cities. Collier only appeared in Adelaide and Melbourne. Gobbi did not proceed further after Adelaide; young Raymond Myers replaced him. I was in Melbourne in 1968 finishing my doctorate thesis on Syriac mysticism. So, obviously I did not see Gobbi. That false memory must be erased immediately. But it won't be long before the memory of erasing it will have faded, and I will be back here boasting that I knew Gobbi personally, and called him Zio Tito.

COMPOSER Notes on Puccini's life and work.

MUSIC Analysis of the score, highlighting recurring motifs (as in Wagner).

LIBRETTO A copy of the Italian libretto; I don't recommend printing it out, as it needs a sheaf of sheets of paper.
This is one opera you probably own on recordings, and therefore you already have a libretto. I also have Montserrat Caballé and José Carreras (in splendid voice, before his illness), ROH Covent Garden, Colin Davis. You may well have seen Tosca: Perkel opera brought it to Palmerston North in 1981 (I think it was), with Gillian Trott and Cyril Kelleway.

CAST (2007 broadcast, archival, from the Royal Opera House in London, 1950s)
Zinka Malinov (Croatian soprano as Tosca)
Franco Corelli (this fabulous tenor always had to be coaxed onto the stage because of his feelings of inadequacy, it is rumoured).

2010
PUCCINI: Tosca, an opera in three acts
Tosca............................ Patricia Racette
Cavaradossi.................. Jonas Kaufmann
Scarpia......................... Bryn Terfel
Angelotti....................... David Pittsinger
Sacristan....................... John Del Carlo
Spoletta........................ Eduardo Valdes
Sciarrone...................... Jeffrey Wells
Gaoler........................... Richard Bernstein
Shepherd boy................ Jonathan Makepeace
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/James Levine

VERDI : RIGOLETTO

2011-02-03T23:51:00.002+13:00

VERDI'S RIGOLETTO
Radio New Zealand Concert network
New York Metropolitan Opera broadcasts
Sunday 6th of February 2011 at 3.04 pm
Sunday 8th of March 2009 at 2 pm
Sunday 14th of January 2007 at 3 pm
INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
ANALYSIS
LIBRETTO

2011
Rigoletto....................... Giovanni Meoni
Gilda............................. Nino Machaidze
Duke of Mantua............ Joseph Calleja
Sparafucile.................... Stefan Kocán
Maddalena.................... Kirstin Chávez
Giovanna....................... Kathryn Day
Count Ceprano............. David Crawford
Countess Ceprano......... Edyta Kulczak
Borsa............................ Eduardo Valdes
Count Monterone.......... Quinn Kelsey
Marullo......................... Malcolm MacKenzie
Usher............................ Joseph Pariso
Page............................. Patricia Steiner
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Paolo Arrivabeni

2009
Gilda............................. Aleksandra Kurzak
Maddalena.................... Victoria Vizin
Duke............................. Giuseppe Filianoti
Rigoletto....................... George Gagnidze
Sparafucile.................... Mikhail Petrenko
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Riccardo Frizza

The 2007 production had the dream-team of Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazòn, and this time(2009) he will be the quizmaster in the second intermission.

The libretto of Rigoletto is based on a play by Victor Hugo (of Les Misérables fame), entitled Le Roi s'amuse (literally The King amuses himself). The French King that the playwright had in mind was François I (16th century). The drama was banned after its first performance in 1832, but Verdi got wind of it, and being bowled over by the story he commissioned the poet Francesco Maria Piave to prepare an opera libretto, in 1850. But censorship (for political, religious, and moral reasons) was severe in those days, and it was not going to be an easy task to get approval for a tale of a randy rogue ruler who spilled his royal seed around among commoners and was the object of an assassination attempt. As happened later with A Masked Ball, in which the King of Sweden had to become a governor in Boston, the king would be downgraded to a duke, and the setting would not be Paris but Mantua. His tragic jester, the hunchback Tribolet, father of a lily-white daughter named Blanche ('White'), would become Rigoletto (based on French rigoler, 'have fun', and rigoleur, 'joker'), and the daughter's name would be Gilda (gilding the lily?).

Like Handel's Messiah, Verdi's masterpiece was miraculously composed in forty days (though Verdi was an atheist, and he had written a lot of it before he started). It had immediate success at its first performance in Venice in 1851, and then all over Italy, though in order to get it past local censors it had to be given a string of aliases, such as Viscardello, Lionello, Clara di Perth.

The curse of Monterone

It is important to note that Verdi's original title for Rigoletto was La Maledizione ('The Malediction / The Curse'). In all four acts of the opera (though the first two scenes are usually combined as Act 1) the curse theme hangs heavily over the characters and in the music. It is the first motif we hear in the prelude (thirty-five bars only, so we never hear it played on the radio as a separate overture).

At the end of the first part, in the ducal palace, an aggrieved father named Count Monterone curses the Duke for seducing his daughter, and then, as he is being led away by two guards, he adds a malediction for the buffoon, who had been mocking him. The Duke is unperturbed, but Rigoletto is horrified, because he too has a daughter he wants to protect from seducers.

As the second part closes, when Rigoletto realizes that his daughter Gilda has been abducted from his home under his very nose (his eyes were under a blindfold at the time) the last thing we hear is 'Ah! la maledizione' (Ah! the curse).

In the final moments of the third part, back in the palace, Monterone happens to be passing by with his two guards, on his way to prison (or execution, in the worst-case scenario; he is said to be an old man and thus a slow mover, and perhaps they went to the toilet, while the Duke and all the courtiers were down at Rigoletto's house, or maybe he had received a summary trial, or they had got lost in the maze of corridors; anyway, he is now preceded by a valletto, a valet or footman). Monterone pauses at the full-length portrait of the Duke (there is one of the Duchess, too, but she never appears; she is probably locked up in her room so she can not interfere in the Duke's adventures). Monterone says to the picture that the curse does not seem to be working, since no thunderbolt or weapon has struck the libertine down, and he may possibly live happily ever after. Rigoletto quickly intervenes with a promise to be Monterone's avenger, and his own daughter's at the same time; but Gilda desires forgiveness for her beloved, not revenge.

After the tempestuous scenes and the howling storm in the last act (4, or 3 if you prefer), Rigoletto finds that all the money he has spent on hiring a killer has left him only with a dead daughter, while his intended victim, the aristocratic blackguard, goes off singing his theme-song, 'Woman is fickle'. Once again the loving father exclaims, Ah! the curse!

In my experience this 'malediction' attached to this opera can be pretty powerful. There was an occasion when I was making a video recording of it from television, when an electrical storm burst onto our town and the power was cut, leaving me bereft of the storm episode. This was the English National Opera version, in which all the courtiers are American gangsters in suits and sunglasses; this style was copied in the Sydney Opera House, too.

Outline of the opera

The prelude is sombre and menacing. Everything they say about merry clowns and jolly jesters is true: there is a dark side. And this buffoon is a hunchback, which does not improve his social standing or enhance his social graces.

First Scene
We are at a ball in the palace of the Duke of Mantua in the 16th century. The Duke (what is his name, by the way?) is strolling about among his guests and telling Borsa, one of his courtiers, about a beautiful girl he has had his eye on for three months; he first saw her at church, and she lives down a dark lane. His attention is diverted by Count Ceprano's lovely wife. (Let it be revealed now that she lives in a mansion in the vicinity of that mysterious girl, a commoner, who is Rigoletto's daughter Gilda, and nobody at court knows that secret.)

The Duke sings his ode to inconstancy: Questa o quella, This one or that one, they are all the same to him; he detests tyrannic constancy; he ignores the husband's jealous anger.

So saying, he begins to flirt with Countess Ceprano. Rigoletto taunts the count. And then come the significant words from Borsa and the courtiers: Il Duca ... si diverte ('The Duke diverts himself', equivalent to Victor Hugo's original title, Le Roi s'amuse).

Rigoletto agrees with them, that the Duke really enjoys his escapades: gambling, drinking, dancing, fighting, partying, and his siege of the countess is succeeding.

Here begins a périgourdine, a French country-dance, a kind of farandole with changing of hands.

Marullo gathers the courtiers for a piece of surprising gossip: Rigoletto has a mistress! (They are making a terrible mistake; it is actually his daughter.)

Rigoletto cheekily advises the Duke to get Ceprano out of the way by imprisonment, exile, or execution; the count overhears this and looks for revenge. The courtiers know how to achieve this, and will do it for Ceprano that very night. (They will carry off Rigoletto's 'girl', we will learn later.)

The Duke and Rigoletto lead the company in a chorus of festivity, rudely interrupted by Count Monterone, who delivers his curse on the Duke for ruining his daughter's life. If he is executed, his ghost will haunt the Duke, holding its severed head in its hand, and calling down divine vengeance on him. He also curses Rigoletto for adding to his misery. The Duke (for once in his life) is not amused. All except Rigoletto accuse Monterone of disturbing the peace (and being a death's head at a feast!) as he is arrested and led away by two guards. Rigoletto has the jitters, because he is now maledetto ('maledicted, accursed') by the maledizione ('the malediction, curse') of Monterone.

Second Scene
Rigoletto is going down his street to see his daughter, and he is accosted by Sparafucile, a hitman, offering his services, just like that [this is unbelievable, but he would be sure the gobbo (hunchback) was not a cop]: he can kill them in the street, or let his sister (Maddalena) entice them into their house of ill fame and dispatch them there. Rigoletto will keep it in mind. He enters into a soliloquy about the old man's curse, his own physical deformity, his painful job as a buffoon, the demands made on him by his young master, his hatred of the courtiers, and once again the thought of the curse hanging over him.

He enters his home and is welcomed by Gilda. She soon starts asking about her family, particularly her mother, and she would like to know his name. This drives him into self-pity; she is all he has in the world.

Rigoletto calls Giovanna, the girl's minder, and asks her to take good care of his pure flower. A lovely duet ensues between Gilda and her father.

The Duke, disguised as a student, comes out from his hiding-place behind a bush, dismisses Giovanna, and passionately declares his love to Gilda, and she keeps telling him to leave, but hoping he will stay, and finally drags a name out of him: Gualtier (Walter) Maldè, an impoverished student. And with a mutual promise of 'yours alone', they part.

Now the aria we have been waiting for: Caro nome, 'Dear name'. She begins by savouring the (counterfeit) name she has just heard, and vows that it will ever remain in her heart. Sigh!

Meanwhile, the courtiers, all wearing masks, have met Rigoletto in the street. They tell him they are abducting Ceprano's wife (though he is actually with them) to take her to the Duke. Rigoletto thinks this is a fine jape, and they blindfold him. They sing: Zitti, zitti, moviamo a vendetta, 'Hush, hush, we are getting revenge'. He holds the ladder while they invade his home and seize his daughter. Left alone, he realizes he has been duped, and feels the curse is working. He faints.

Third Scene
At home the Duke is shaken: Ella mi fu rapita! ('She was raped from me', in the original sense of 'abduct', as in 'the rape of the Sabine women'; rape in the modern legal sense comes later in the act, possibly). He knows she was kidnapped, because he went back and found the place deserted. He is uncharacteristically distraught; he blurts out that this was the first time he knew true love, with this cara fanciulla amata, 'dear beloved girl'.

The courtiers come in to report their success. They have bungled it, but the Duke is pleased; he understands that it is Gilda; he rushes off to console her and tell her he loves her. (He may have got too carried away; when she finally emerges later she feels very ashamed, hence the hint of 'rape').

Rigoletto appears, feigning calmness, singing La,la,la,la. He is searching for any signs of Gilda, and notices a handkerchief, while chatting with the boys about the night's adventure, and being told the Duke is asleep. A page announces that the Duchess wishes to speak with her spouse. The message for her is that he is hunting (which is usually true).

Rigoletto now senses that Gilda is with the Duke, and demands access to his daughter, yes his daughter, he wants her, they must give her back. They now comprehend the situation, but they bar his way. Cortigiani, vil razza dannata, 'Courtiers vile damned race'. He makes threats and tries to force his way through them; then he falls weeping to the floor and pleads with them.

Gilda comes out and tells her father about the shame she is feeling. Rigoletto orders the courtiers to leave, so that she can pour her heart out to him in private. She confesses to him about her secret meeting with the poor student, and a duet develops.

Monterone makes his appearance and remarks on the apparent lack of progress in the working of the curse, as noted earlier; and Rigoletto vows to be the avenger of them both, while Gilda counsels forgiveness.

Fourth Scene
The stage shows the exterior and interior of Sparafucile's dilapidated inn of dubious reputation. It has all been arranged, and Rigoletto is showing Gilda what a scoundrel the Duke is. She observes him disguised as a cavalry-officer, singing La donna è mobile qual piuma al vento,'Woman is fickle like a feather in the wind'. A woman changes her tune and her mind, constantly deceiving men with her pretty wiles; and yet a man can only know complete happiness in her embrace, he admits.

The professional murderer comes out to give the Duke and his sister some space. Rigoletto says he will tell him later whether the Duke will live or die, and Sparafucile strolls down to the river.

The Duke tells Maddalena (who is playing hard to get) that she is the only one for him, and he wants to marry her. Gilda regularly interjects with expressions of dismay and disgust. And then the magic moment arrives, as the tenor makes his big move: Bella figlia dell'amore, schiavo son de' vezzi tuoi; 'Lovely daughter of love, I am a slave to your charms', please come and give me some relief. The contralto sings 'Get out of here, that's what you say to all the girls'. The soprano soars above them in grief: 'Yes, those are the words he spoke to me, too; this will break my heart'. And the baritone has made up his mind: 'That's it; he's dead meat'. In all four cases read: or words to that effect.

Yes, this is the celebrated quartetto from Rigoletto. When I was in secondary school a group of lads entertained the assembly by miming to the recording with Enrico Caruso and Amelita Galli-Curci (ensuring her sweet voice was heard, by singing sharp). What puzzles me now is that one of the characters was making threatening gestures with a knife; but the assassin is not on the stage at that moment; and I now know there should be a partition in the middle of the quartet of singers. I suppose I thought it was funny then, but now I am not amused. Such crass ignorance!

No more arias, but a lot of intrigue in recitative, and a raging storm in the orchestra (and choir). Gilda is told to go home and put on male clothing in preparation for a flight to Verona on horseback. Rigoletto settles on the price with Sparafucile, who does not know it is the Duke of Mantua he will be assassinating. Rigoletto will return at midnight to collect the body-bag. The Duke suddenly feels like a lie-down, and goes to sleep. He is such a lovely boy, and Maddalena likes him, so she suggests they kill the hunchback instead, and take his money. No, you don't kill your clients; but anyone who comes through the door before midnight can be the substitute. Gilda has returned, and turns their duet into an impassioned trio; and when she hears this she presents herself, dressed as a man, begging. She is smothered and stabbed to death. 'God forgive them', she had said, and this should be her last word, but this is grand opera, and so she saves sufficient breath for a final duet with her father.

A clock strikes midnight. Rigoletto calls for the sack and struggles to drag it to the river for waste-disposal. He mutters in exultation all the way, but he is stopped in his tracks by the Duke singing in the streets, while the faint voice of Gilda emerges from the bag. He briefly hammers on the door (asking for his money back? No, it's not 'Oh my daughter, oh my ducats').
'Don't die, my treasure, my dove, please don't leave me.' ''Forgive me, forgive him. Bless your daughter, Father. I shall soon be in Heaven near my mother, and there I will pray for you.'

Screaming 'Ah, la maledizione', Rigoletto falls senseless over the body of his daughter.

VERDI : LA TRAVIATA

2011-01-29T17:06:00.000+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 30th of January 2011 at 3.04 - 6 pm

INTRODUCTION
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
HISTORY
ANALYSIS
DISCUSSION
LIBRETTO
OPERA NEWS

VERDI: La Traviata, an opera in three acts
Violetta......................... Marina Poplavskaya
Alfredo......................... Matthew Polenzani
Germont........................ Andrezej Dobber
Flora............................. Jennifer Holloway
Annina.......................... Maria Zifchak
Gastone........................ Scott Scully
Baron Douphol.............. Jason Stearus
Marchese d'Obigny....... Kyle Pfortmiller
Grenvil.......................... Luigi Roni
Giuseppe....................... Juhwan Lee
Flora's servant............... Seth Malkin
Commissioner............... Joseph Turi
Dr Frenvil...................... Peter Volpe
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Gianandrea Noseda

La Traviata

Why didn’t Verdi (and the librettist Piave) give it the title “Violetta”? It seems that they did, but it was called La Traviata on the poster for its first performance on that Sunday evening in Venice (see INTRODUCTION). It was originally The Lady of the Camellias, a partly autobiographical novel and stage-drama by Alexandre Dumas (the son). He called her Marguérite (Daisy, or Pearl), and her real name was Marie Duplessis (but she was not South African). Marie was a Parisian courtesan (not simply a woman of easy virtue but a lady of expensive tastes); she was pretty, witty, and flitty. The list of her liaisons includes Liszt, Musset, and Dumas. Marie and Alexandre lived together in the country outside Paris in the summer of 1845, as in Act 2 of the opera; but it was not father Dumas who separated them (as Germont does), but their financial problems and the ‘waywardness’ of Marie. She died about three years later, at the age of 23, ‘consumed’ by tuberculosis.

Act One At a party in her house, Violetta Valéry is introduced to Alfredo Germont, who has loved her for a year. She starts coughing, and when he comforts her, she gives him a camellia, telling him that when it has withered he may visit her again. However, she does not want an attachment, but deisres to remain free always (sempre libera).
Act Two Nevertheless, they enter into a blissful partnership in the countryside, until Alfredo learns that Violetta is financing their affluent lifestyle by selling her possessions. He rushes off to Paris to get some money. His father comes to visit and spoils their happiness.
Act Three Violetta finally sees Alfredo again before she dies; Alexandre Dumas did not have a reunion with Marie Duplessis.

There are many recordings of this great work around this house of mine: stand-out names are Callas, Sutherland, Gheorghiu, and Netrebko (with moving pictures, of course).

Sunday 9th of May 2010 at 3.03 - 6.30 pm
Violetta......................... Angela Gheorghiu
Flora............................. Theodora Hanslowe
Annina.......................... Kathryn Day
Alfredo......................... James Valenti
Germont........................ Thomas Hampson
Gastone........................ Eduardo Valdes
Baron Douphol.............. John Hancock
Marquis d'Obigny.......... Louis Otey
Doctor Grenvil.............. Paul Plishka
Giuseppe....................... Juhwan Lee
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Leonard Slatkin

PUCCINI : LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

2011-01-22T23:49:00.003+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 23rd of January 2011 at 3.04 - 6.40 pm

INTRODUCTION

COMPOSER

CHARACTERS

SYNOPSIS

PUCCINI: La Fanciulla del West, an opera in three acts
Based on David Belasco's play The Girl of the Golden West, this spaghetti western tells the story of Minnie, an independent frontier woman who runs a tavern (and Bible school!) in a community of gold miners ("forty-niners") in California in the middle of the 19th century. She falls in love with a bandit, Dick Johnson alias Ramerrez, and her love finally saves him from being lynched by the irate miners.
Minnie........................... Deborah Voigt
Dick Johnson................ Marcello Giordani
Jack Rance................... Lucio Gallo
Nick............................. Tony Stevenson
Ashby........................... Keith Miller
Sonora.......................... Dwayne Croft
Trin............................... Hugo Vera
Sid................................ Trevor Scheunemann
Handsome..................... Richard Bernstein
Harry............................ Adam Laurence Herskowitz
Joe................................ Michael Forest
Happy........................... David Crawford
Jim Larkins.................... Edward Parks
Billy Jackrabbit.............. Philip Cokorinos
Wowkle........................ Ginger Costa-Jackson
Jake Wallace................. Oren Gradus
Pony Express rider........ Edward Mout

Puccini's title, La Fanciulla del West, simply means "the girl of the West"; but this is not about cowboys and Amerindians, or conflict between the cowman and the farmer (who should be "frayndz"). Berlasco's original title "The Girl of the Golden West" is better because it brings the gold-rush of 1849 into the picture.

I would think that the most frequently occurring word in the show is not "yellow" (as in "yellow metal") but "Hello" (rhymes with yellow when Italians say it).

This takes me back to 1968, when I saw it in Melbourne, with Australia's much loved tenor Donald Smith from Queensland (have you heard of him?) swaggering about the stage in a role that was first taken by Caruso, with Marcella Reale from the USA as Minnie, and Alan Light as the Sheriff. We also experienced it in Covent Garden, with Placido Domingo the world's best-loved tenor.

The recordings I own have Placido with Carol Neblett and Sherrill Milnes, Zubin Mehta conducting (DGG); Renata Tebaldi, Mario del Monaco, Cornell Macniel, Franco Capuana (Decca).

I also have a movie of the story (1938), with Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, the climax being the wedding, with the good bandit instead of the sheriff, and music by Gus Kahn and Sigmund Romberg.

DEBUSSY : PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE

2011-01-15T23:15:00.006+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 16th of January 2011 at 3.04 - 7.10

INTRODUCTION
RECORDINGS
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND
ANALYSIS
SCORE

DEBUSSY: Pelléas et Mélisande, an opera in five acts
Golaud.......................... Gerald Finley
Mélisande..................... Magdalena Kozena
Pelléas.......................... Stéphane Degout
Geneviève..................... Felicity Palmer
Arkel............................ Willard White
Doctor.......................... Paul Corona
Shepherd...................... Donovan Singletary
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Simon Rattle (EBU)

Sunday 19th of September 2010 at 3.04 - 6 pm
Pelléas.......................... Yann Beuron
Mélisande..................... Marta Márquez
Golaud.......................... François Le Roux
Geneviève..................... Renée Morloc
Arkel............................ Malcolm Smith
Yniold........................... Léa Pasquel
Doctor.......................... Daniel Djambazian
Pelléas' father................ Andreas Külzer
Duisburg Phil/Rainer Mühlbach
(recorded in the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Duisburg
by German Radio, Cologne)

In our video-opera group, we undertook intensive study of Claude Debussy’s masterpiece in this genre (though he calls it a lyric drama in five acts), based on (or simply abridged from) the play of Maurice Maeterlinck (1892), set in the royal castle in the imaginary kingdom of Allemonde (not Germany [Allemande] but ‘another world’, perhaps). We are offered scenes from the life of a typical royal family (not dis-functional but not dat-functional either); jealousy is the dominant passion. The mysterious Mélisande, who is brought into their castle must have been a princess because she has thrown her crown away at the start of the action (slow-moving, in time with the music, with endless questions being asked). Amid all the anguish is a central love scene, involving the two young people of the title, who should not be doing such things.
We have looked at two productions: one from Vienna (V), the other from Glyndebourne (G).
G has all the scenes inside the castle, even the outside ones; maybe this indicates that all the characters are locked into their family fate and personal destinies.
Pelléas : (young prince) Stéphane Degout (V), Richard Croft (G)
Mélisande (wandering waif): Natalie Dessay, Christiane Oelze
Golaud (older prince): Laurent Naouri, John Tomlinson
Arkel (old grandfather king): Phillip Ens, Gwynne Howell
Geneviève (mother of the princes): Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Jean Rigby
Theater an der Wien, ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, Bertrand de Billy
Glyndebourne Festival Opera, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Davis
Director : Laurent Pelly (V), Graham Vick (G)

PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE (1902) Act 1 (30m)
[1 . 1] At a Fountain in a Forest (or: on a table in a room in the castle, G! )
Prince Golaud has lost his way in the woods, while chasing a boar he has wounded. He hears a young woman sobbing; he approaches her gently, but she is suspicious of him, and wants him to leave her alone; she eventually tells him that she has fled from her tormenters; he notices a crown shining in the water; yes, an unnamed ‘he’ had given it to her, it represents all her misery, and she does not want it to be fished out of the fountain. When he introduces himself as Prince Golaud, grandson of Arkel, the old king of Allemonde, she remarks on his grey hair; he responds by pointing to a few (V has his head and beard all grey; G has no grey visible!). After much persuasion she agrees (apparently) to go with him (G has him carrying her cosily, wrapped only (!) in a sheet; V sends him off first and she then follows).
[1 . 2] A Room in the Castle
This must be more than six months later, as Geneviève (the mother of Golaud, and of Pelléas by a second husband) has a letter from Golaud, addressed to Pelléas, and she is reading it aloud to her father Arkel. The situation is that Golaud has married the girl; her name is Mélisande; and he wants to come home, if Arkel will allow him to bring this woman into the family. Would Pelléas kindly put a light in the tower facing the sea, if it is all right; otherwise he would sail by and never return. (If he had sailed away at this point, on his boat with big sails, none of the trouble would have occurred. ) Arkel’s response is not enthusiastic: he refers to destiny a few times; Golaud’s first wife had died leaving him with their little son Yniold; Arkel had sent him to woo Princess Ursula, hoping that the new marriage would restore his happiness, while ending long wars and old enmities. Pelléas comes in to say that he has received anothr letter, this one from his friend Marcellus, who knows he is dying, and is asking him to come. Arkel reminds Pelléas that his father (Geneviève’s second husband, whom we never see) is also dying, upstairs, and he should wait till Golaud comes back, to see how he settles in. Geneviève reminds her son to light the lamp in the tower.
[1 . 3] Outside the Castle (or: in the drawing room, G)
Golaud has now returned, and Geneviève and Mélisande are in the gardens; the young woman finds it dark and somber because of the surrounding forests; but there is brightness from the sea. Pelléas appears and predicts a storm; voices of seamen are heard, and a ship comes into view; Geneviève goes inside to attend to Yniold. P says to M, Will you give me your hand? She replies that her hands are full of flowers (watch how each director makes this happen at the last moment). I’m going away tomorrow, says he; Why are you going away? she asks, and Act 1 ends

PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE (1902) Act 2 (30m)
[2.1] At a well in the park
It is a hot day, and at noon Pelléas takes Mélisande to a shady part of the grounds. He shows her the Fountain of the Blind; its water used to cure blind people, but since the old king himself is almost blind, it is not visited any more. She leans over and gazes into the water; he offers her a hand, in case she slips on the marble; she protests that she wants to put both her hands in, as they feel sick. She can not reach the water, but he notices that her hair went into it. “Yes, it’s longer than my arms”, she says, and directors blithely let her sing that, even if her hair is short. He immediately asks: “It was beside a well that he [his elder brother Golaud] found you?” She adds that he wanted to kiss her, but she would not let him. Then she starts playing with the ring that Golaud gave her (a wedding ring, we may presume), throwing it up in the air to see it shine in the sunshine (they are supposed to be in the shade!). This is a well, not a lagoon [à la Goon] but she comes up with the immortal line: “It’s fallen in the water”. Great perturbation, not to say hysterics. Midday was sounding ominously when it disappeared. What will we do? (Let me tell you: call the servants and send down a diver to retrieve it; but then the plot in the pot would not be able to thicken). He says she should tell Golaud the truth.
[2.2] A room inside the castle
Golaud has fallen off his horse while he was hunting; it bolted for no reason just as it struck twelve noon. (Ah! that fatal hour). He landed underneath it. He is on his bed, and he tells her about his accident. Then she speaks about her uneasiness living in the castle, and this discussion goes on at length. He takes her tiny hands in his to comfort her (“I could crush them like flowers”, he notes). “Hang on, where’s the ring I gave you?” He confirms it was “the ring from our nuptials”. She tells a stupid lie: she must have lost it in a cave on the seashore. He makes a big thing about this; it is very important, and so she must go and get it before the tide comes in and washes it away. Pelléas will go with her! Oh no! She goes off weeping, crying that she is not happy.
[2.3] At a cave by the sea
It is very dark, but the moon might break through the clouds. When it does they look inside the cave and see three sleeping beggars; there is famine in the land. She wants to go back to the castle, but walking alone. He says they can come back another day. (Somebody should tell them that they must stop meeting like this.)

PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE (1902) Act 3 (23m)
[3.1] At one of the castle towers
Mélisande is by a window, combing her hair for the night, and singing to herself: “My long hair goes down to the bottom of the tower ... all day long my hair is waiting for you, Saint Daniel and Saint Michael and Saint Raphael; I was born on a Sunday at noon”. Pelléas comes along the path, hello-ing. They start a conversation; he has never seen so many stars; he would like her to lean out further so that he can see her hair better; she thinks she looks terrible in that pose, but he wants to be able to touch her hand (kiss it, even); he is going away the following day; she does not want him to go, he fondles her hair and gets entangled in it (every man’s fantasy? but the hair should be black, not blond) and he can not see the sky; it loves him more than she does; he starts tying it to a tree (no inkwells handy); he sends kisses up along the electric wires of her hair; doves fly from the tower; someone is coming; it is her husband Golaud. He asks his half-brother what he is doing, but does not wait for an answer; he tells them they are behaving like children, orders her to pull her head in, and takes him away.
Interlude
[3.2] In the castle vaults
A short and sinister scene (not immediately after the preceding): Golaud tells Pelléas to lean over the disused well and smell its stagnant water; Pelléas is afraid, and asks his brother to take him away from the stifling air.
Interlude
[3.3] A terrace at the entrance to the vaults
The music reflects the change from the oppressive gloom to the welcoming sunshine, the verdant garden with its fragrant roses; it is midday (the clock is chiming the ominous hour again); their mother is seen with Mélisande at a tower window. Golaud comes to the point: he had heard what they were saying the previous night; they were only playing children’s games, but it must not happen again; she is delicate, and will soon become a mother, so she must not be upset; you should stay away from her, but be tactful.
[3.4] A disturbing scene: Golaud employs his young son Yniold to spy on his wife Mélisande and his half-brother Pelléas.

[4.1] A room in the castle. Pelléas is speaking to Mélisande; he has just come from the room of his father (the king we never see, because he is bed-ridden) who has told him to go on a far journey, because he is looking like someone who has not long to live. P asks M to meet him in the park after dark, for a final fond farewell. Grandfather Arkel now addresses M, making the longest speech in the whole work; he is sorry the place has been like a charnel house all the time she has lived there, but, now that P’s father has revived, the breath of death is dissipating; he is an old man, and he wants to kiss her and enter a new era. Golaud comes in (so no kiss?) and says P is leaving in the evening. Arkel notices blood on his forehead; he says he has been through a thorny hedge. He has a lot to say, and he asks for his sword. He treats M roughly, dragging her by her hair, and finally leaves her with the feeling that he does not love her any more.
[4.2] By the fountain of the blind men, in the park. (We stay indoors, though). Little Yniold is trying to lift a rock, to get his golden ball, when a flock of sheep come by; the shepherd (or Shepherd the butler) says they are not going to the sheepfold (but to the slaughterhouse). P and M now have their last clandestine tryst, with a long love duet. Golaud sees them kissing and slays his brother.
[5.1] A bedchamber in the castle. Mélisande has been recovering from a wound inflicted by Golaud, and she has given birth to a girl. Arkel and the doctor are with her. Then Golaud comes in and interrogates her; he demands the truth about her relationship with Pelléas; yes, she loved him (and where is he now?); their love was innocent, but G can not believe her, and loses his calm again. Arkel speaks to her gently; she feels winter is coming; Arkel shows her daughter to her, but she does not have enough strength to take the babe. Servants appear and stand in silence; at the point where she dies, they kneel. Golaud’s agitation continues. Arkel is removing the baby, saying that she must take her mother’s place in the world now.

(It would not be healthy to feign indifference to the drama and the music; grieving is good for us.)

WAGNER : DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER

2011-01-13T23:17:00.002+13:00

THE FLYING DUTCHMAN
Richard Wagner (1813-1883), DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER (The Flying Dutchman)
DGG DVD (1975)

The HOLLANDER, unnamed Dutchman: Donald McIntyre
DALAND, a Norwegian ship's skipper: Bengt Rundgren
SENTA, daughter of Daland: Catarina Ligenoza
ERIK, a hunter, lover of Senta: Hermann Winkler (tenor)
MARY, Senta's nurse: Ruth Hesse
STEUERMANN (helmsman) on Daland's ship: Harald Ek
Bayerisches Staatsorchester, conductor Wolfgang Sawallisch.
Director: Václav Kashlík
(All the singers perform wonderfully.)
This is a movie, not a photograph of a performance (like the ones we see from the New York Metropera at the cinema); it was made in a large cinematic studio, with big water tanks and two boats (one with blood-red sails).
    “The Flying Dutchman” is not an acrobat or an aviator from Nederland; it is actually the name of a spectral ship captained by an unnamed Hollander, who once tried to round the Cape of Good Hope at the bottom of Africa when winds and waves were against it, and the passengers and sailors were also against it; when a heavenly figure appeared to him (or else it was the Devil himself), he raged and blasphemed, and he was then cursed to sail on the ocean till the Day of Judgement.
    At the first performance of this his fourth music-drama, in Dresden in 1843, young Richard Wagner (a shy boy, despite his reputation for arrogance) had to be pushed onto the stage to receive the acclaim of the audience at the end of the 2nd act; as he retreated to the wings he backed into the spinning wheels of the girls (used in the spinning chorus).The first Wagner recording I bought was a 78 rpm with that chorus and the sailors' shanty, and with Herbert von Karajan conducting the Vienna opera.

    In the version of the story that Wagner presented, the Dutchman was allowed to come to land every seven years, to search for a woman who would be faithful to him and save him from the endless aimless seafaring he was suffering. In 1839 Wagner himself had experienced a storm-tossed voyage to England, in which the ship was driven into a Norwegian fiord, where the voices of the crew echoed around the rocks; this became the setting for Act 1, in preference to Scotland (in another version). The Norwegian captain who meets the Dutchman is offered a chest of treasure in exchange for hospitality (a regular Dutch auction and a Dutch bargain), and Daland assures him that his house is set up for Dutch comfort, has plenty of Dutch courage for a Dutchman’s draught, and he has a lovely daughter who is a great admirer of the Dutch. (Her name is Senta, because she was heaven-sent, a God-send, for the tormented sailor from the low lands.)
This is an opera where the bass-baritone wins the woman and the tenor misses out.
    DONALD McINTYRE (Big Mac from NZ) is the Hollander; Catarina Ligenoza is Senta. Wolfgang Sawallisch is the conductor of the Bavarian State Orchestra.
Interestingly the Scot who was the foreunner of Daland was a Donald, and his daughter was named Katherine.
   By the way, Germans do not call Hollanders (or Nederlanders, lowlanders) 'Dutch', because that is the word they use for themselves (Deutsch).

SYNOPSIS
The opera can be performed in three acts, or with no intervals (like Das Rheingold).

[1] Overture
The oft-repeated line has a 19th-century conductor complaining about the wind that blew out at him every time he opened the musical score of this opera; unless I am mistaken, he was Hans van Bülow, and that wind blew his wife Cosima away into the arms of his friend Richard Wagner, and she (a daughter of Franz Liszt) became his muse. The music of the ten-minute overture is stormy with the Hollander's theme sounding forth regularly; punctuated by the sailors' rollicking chorus, and the redemption theme of Senta (woman saves man, as in all Wagner operas), in this case a descending phrase of four notes (three blind mice, and the third one has a hiccup, according to Denis Forman). After many years, Wagner changed the thumping ending (of the overture and of the final act) to a recapitulation of Senta's motif (in the style of Tristan und Isolde); but the conductor Wolfgang Sawallisch here (and in a Bayreuth recording I have from 1959) reverts to the original Dresden score, with more blaring brass.

(Act 1: the coast of Norway)
[2] The Norwegian sailors of Daland's boat are yohohoing in a storm that drives them into a bay in Norway, on their way home to their port. They go below, and Captain Daland orders the helmsan to keep watch.
[3] The Steuermann (steersman) sings about the south wind which will take him back to his girl; he falls asleep, and fails to notice the ghostly Dutch ship that pulls up alongside his.
[4] The Hollander comes ashore: The time is up (Die Frist is um) and 7 years have gone by; he bemoans his fate and recounts his tale of woe. "Eternal destruction, take me!" is his last cry, echoed by his crew.
[5] Daland and the Dutchman compare notes. The stranger offers him some of his wealth for some home cooking, and more if he has a daughter he can marry. Daland is delighted, and says follow me. The good south wind comes up and they all set sail.

(Act 2: Daland's home)
[6] Supervised by the nurse Mary, the girls are spinning and singing (Summ un brumm, du gutes Rädchen), urging their wheels to create winds that will bring their sailor-boys back to them. Senta, however, is gazing at a portrait of the Dutchman (that had somehow come into their possession, supposedly from a previous landfall of his).
Her companions warn her that Erik will be jealous.
[7] Senta sings the ballad, two versesbeginning with Yoho (etc), imitating the howling wind, and pausing to pray for his redemption, and the second time the women join in. But when Senta offers herself as his redeemer, all are horrified, and so is Erik when he enters with the news of Daland's return.
[8] Erik rebukes her for her obsession with the legend of the wandering Dutchman; he knows that her father will reject him as son-in-law because he is not rich, but he asks her to respond to his love. He tells her of his dream, in which he saw her and the man in the picture sailing away together. Senta believes it and declares her willingness to sacrifice herself for this unhappy man.
[9] Daland introduces the Dutchman as her wealthy suitor, and leaves them to sort things out. In a duet they both believe they were made for each other.
[10] Daland returns and it is a done deal; she will be faithful to him till death.

(Act 3: On the shore)
[11] Steersman leave the watch, the Norwegian sailors sing, and they also ask the Dutch sailors to join them, but no reply comes from them. Eventually the Dutch ship starts pitching and rolling and a wild chorus emanates from it, striking fear into the Norwegian hearts.
[12] Erik reproaches Senta for her decision to marry the Dutchman; he reminds her that she had once sworn to love him. He is overheard, and the Dutchman puts to sea in despair; but Senta asserts her faithfulness to him again, and jumps into the sea. (The ship is supposed to sink, and the couple rise up from the waters, ascending to .... somewhere.)

SMETANA : PRODANA NEVESTA

2011-01-08T17:12:00.001+13:00

SMETANA'S THE BARTERED BRIDE

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 9th of January at 3 - 6 pm

INTRODUCTION

SMETANA: The Bartered Bride, an opera in three acts
The peasant Krusina, gave his daughter, Marenka, in marriage, as collateral for a loan that was made before she was born. But she is in love with another …
Krusina......................... Derek Hammond Stroud
Ludmila......................... Elizabeth Cross
Marenka....................... Teresa Stratas
Háta.............................. Jean Kraft
Vasek........................... Jon Vickers
Jeník............................. Nicolai Gedda
Kecal............................ Martti Talvela
Tobias........................... John Cheek
Circus Barker................ Alan Crofoot
Esmeralda..................... Colette Boky
Indian............................ Andrij Dobriansky
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/James Levine

In honor of James Levine’s 40th anniversary season with the Met, the company offers a special broadcast from the its archives: Smetana’s The Bartered Bride, a work Levine has conducted in two full runs at the Met and on tour with the Met Orchestra. The December 2, 1978 performance featured Levine leading an exceptional cast that included Teresa Stratas, Nicolai Gedda, Jon Vickers, and Martti Talvela.

Sunday 30th of December 2007 at 3 pm
SMETANA: Die Verkaufte Braut an opera in three acts
Kezal............................ Gottlob Frick
Marie............................ Pilar Lorengar
Hans............................. Fritz Wunderlich
Wenzel.......................... Karl-Ernst Mercker
Micha........................... Ivan Sardi
Kruschina...................... Marcel Cordes
Kathinka....................... Nada Puttar
Agnes........................... Sieglinde Wagner
Springer........................ Ernst Krukowski
Esmeralda..................... Gertrud Freedmann
Muff.............................. Walter Stoll
RIAS Chamber Chorus, Bamberg SO
Rudolf Kempe (EMI 3 81872)

The wonderful thing about this recording is the presence of the fabulous Fritz Wunderlich, who died too young in an accident.This is the record I own.

The Bartered Bride (English)

2004, Charles Mackerras (conductor), Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Opera Chorus; Neal Davies, Yvonne Howard, Susan Gritton, Geoffrey Moses, Diana Montague, Timothy Robinson, Paul Charles, Peter Rose, Robin Leggate, Yvette Bonner, Kit Hesketh-Harvey

This Czech opera has been performed in Palmerston North in the past, by the Perkel opera company, with Richard Phillips (scholar of East Asian studies at Auckland University) as the stuttering lover.

Here in Palmerston North, John Ward's Gramophone Room (88.1, 106.7 fm) is broadcasting the English version conducted by Charles Mackerras (a great Australian, who usually directs original Czech versions).

Here is a comparative table of the Czech and German names for the characters (the libretto was first written in German, then in Czech, then back into German.


Krušina [Kruschina] a peasant
Ludmila [Kathinka.] his wife
Mařenka [Marie ] their daughter
Mícha [Micha] a landowner
Háta [Agnes] his wife
Vašek [Wenzel] their son
Jeník [Hans] Mícha's son by a former marriage
Kecal [Kezal] a marriage broker
Principál komediantů [Springer], Ringmaster
Indián [Muff] an Indian comedian
Esmeralda dancer and comedienne

WAGNER : GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG

2010-12-25T23:21:00.000+13:00

Richard Wagner's Dusk of the Gods

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 26th of December 2010 at 3.04 - 8 pm

PRELUDE
COMPOSER
CHARACTERS
BACKGROUND
UNDERGROUND The meaning of it all
ANALYSIS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
LIBRETTO
VOCAL SCORE

WAGNER: Der Ring des Nibelungen, the stage-festival play, performed as a tetralogy of prologue and three operas
WAGNER: Götterdämmerung, an opera in a prologue and three acts
The thread of fate breaks in the final instalment of The Ring of the Nibelung cycle which ultimately brings about the downfall of the gods in a great conflagration started by the funeral pyre of Siegfried and Brünnhilde.

2010 Gramophone Awards Best Opera Recording
(recorded live on 9 and 10 May 2009 in the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester)
(Hallé CDHLD 7525)

WAGNER: Götterdämmerung, an opera in three acts
Brünnhilde..................... Katarina Dalayman
Siegfried........................ Lars Cleveman
Gunther......................... Peter Coleman-Wright
Hagen........................... Attila Jun
Gutrune......................... Nancy Gustafson
Waltraute...................... Susan Bickley
Alberich........................ Andrew Shore
First Norn..................... Ceri Williams
Second Norn................ Yvonne Howard
Third Norn.................... Miranda Keys
Woglinde...................... Katherine Broderick
Wellgunde..................... Madeleine Shaw
Flosshilde...................... Leah-Marian Jones
Hallé Choir, BBC Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Chorus, Royal Opera Chorus, Hallé Orch/Mark Elder
REVIEW
REVIEW
REVIEW

The Ring is a massive opera of the fairy-tale genre. Right? The Rhine nixies, the Valkyries, and the Norns would be the fairies.

GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
The title is literally “gods-dusk”; it is usually translated as “Twilight of the gods”; 'twilight' means 'between-light', the light that is seen when the sun is below the horizon, either at morning or evening. The word 'dusk' refers to the darker side of twilight, and 'Dämmerung' ('dawning' or 'dusking') can even be translated as 'nightfall', thus implying 'downfall', in Wagner's word. At the end Brünnhilde will say that the gods' end is now dusking/dawning (dämmert). So the libretto I have before me seems to have got it right: “The dusk of the gods (Goetterdaemmerung)”.

A pause for a note on German orthography (eminently superior to English chaotic spelling, which was corrupted when French conquered Anglo-Saxon, and the very simple and sensible 'cwic' became 'quick' with two additional and superfluous 'c' letters; x is not necessary, 'focs' shows all the sounds; and German 'braun' tells us precisely how to say the word, but English 'brown', with almost the same pronunciation as the German word, gives a choice, whether as in drown, or grown, or grow-en): the 'umlaut' sign (which turns the sound of the vowel around) consists of two vertical strokes, representing the letter 'e' in the old German handwriting, but it comes out as two dots on typewriters. The o (as in Gott, and god and dog, two words the English system gets right!) becomes ö (in Götter, 'gods') and is pronounced as in 'fleur'. A survival of the ä appears in English as 'man' becoming 'men' (German 'Mann', plural 'Männer'). The e can be restored, if necessary or desired, hence Goetterdaemmerung.

So GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG is the grand climax of the RING, when the curtain is RUNG down on the DAMM GODS.

And now, on with the show! The Dusk of the Gods, the fourth facet of the Ring (@ 4h15m), is the longest but has the fewest longueurs (Denis Forman reassures us). In our video-opera group we are not racing through it (as happens on the radio); we are taking in one scene at a time (12 or more), devouring only one 'bleeding gobbet' ('lump of raw meat') on each occasion. Remember its libretto was written first of the four, and it has a prologue plus three acts, which became a prologue (Rheingold) plus three other operas; another way of describing it is: an evening and three days. Along the way we will have the whole story related again, and again. The Rhine nixies will swim back to delight us (if they sing in tune with pleasant tone); they will at least get the golden ring back, but as the river finally engulfs all, then presumably the rest of the gold is back where it belongs.

Strange to say, Wotan never appears (saving the expense of another baritone), but he gets several mentions (not all honourable). In Siegfried (Act 3) Wotan the Wanderer and Wonderer (those two words should each be used for the other and their spelling would be truly phonetic) had mused on “the end of the gods”, and had summoned up Erda for psychiatric consultation and predictive information; she was too tired and told him to go to her three daughters, the Norns, who weave fate (or whatever) with their rope. (They used to say that the Soviet Union was the only place where the past was unpredictable; in Wagner's world the past is predictable, and it is repeated constantly so that we don't forget it.)

PROLOGUE
Scene 1
[1] And here they are, the three Norns, nameless but vocally distinguishable (soprana, mezzosoprana, contralta; I give them feminine gender endings to exclude men playing the parts). They are doing their German rope trick at Brünnhilde's rock. The first and eldest Norn ties the golden cord to a fir-tree. They usually sing and sling the string at the World-Ash-Tree (Welt-Esche), but Wotan has chopped it down (and up) for firewood. He once came to the tree, and drank from its spring, and paid for a boon with one of his eyes (poked out by a protruding twig?!). He made his powerful spear from one of its branches, and on it he wrote in true Runes (a true rune is actually simply a letter in another form of the Greco-Roman alphabet, the Runic alphabet, which itself was borrowed from the Phoenicians; but Wagner has added mystery to the term). Wotan’s inscriptions recorded his treaties, and that is why, whenever covenants are mentioned, we hear the spear motif (a long descent down a scale). Incidentally, there will be an oath on a spear scene later.

The second Norn winds the cord around a rock at the mouth of the cave (if permitted by the director). Her report is that the spring has run dry. After young Siegfried shattered the spear, Wotan ordered Walhall's heroes to destroy the Ash-tree (and soon it will be reduced to ashes). [Despite what you thought I said in the Manawatu Standard about clearing the landscape of forests to make more lawns, meadows, and pastures, and the uselessness of trees as not being able to grow money, I don't class idiots who cut down trees as heroes. See bonzoz.blogspot.com]

The third weird-sister tells us that in the giant-built hall Wotan sits with heaps of faggots (Scheite), awaiting the dusking of the end of the gods.

The rope is being frayed by the sharp rock, and when it is to be thrown northwards, it breaks. All their wisdom is finished, and they retire to bury themselves with Mother Erda.

Scene 2
[2] Dawn comes up like thunder; Siegfried and Brünnhilde emerge from the cave. Wagner instructs him to be fully armed (did he fit into her armour?), so she must be in her gown (she does not have a change of clothes, but she can wash it and dry it by the fire, which has not gone out but is still blazing to keep intruders out). She bids him set off to accomplish deeds of glory (does she want him out of her house because he is cluttering up the place already?). She says she is letting him go because she loves him so much, and she has given him all her wisdom and power. He says it has all been too much to take in, but he at least knows how she feels about him. It has been a great adventure for both of them, and they have plighted their troth; so he gives her the Alberich’s ring as a token of their mutual love (he is going to the Rhine, and he should have taken it with him and thrown it in the river, and then they would have lived happily ever after, and so would everyone else!). Blissfully she puts the ring on. He can have Grane the Pegasus-like horse in return (though the sturdy steed has lost his flying licence; and there goes her only source of meat). The rapturous couple exchange some more sweet nothings, including a bunch of hearty ‘Heil’ exclamations. She waves to him till he disappears.

[3] The orchestra plays Siegfried’s Rhine Journey. We would assume that Siegfried is riding along the river bank, but I have seen suggestions that he and the horse are on a raft on the water, but Wagner has the curtain down all through it, so that they can change the scenery. However, when Siegfried arrives at his destination, the stage directions say that he is in a Kahn (a boat or a barge) which has to be moored.

And now we come to the first Act of the drama! We have had two happy scenes out of three, but now everything turns sour and everyone becomes bitter (except Siegfried, who is always happy-go-lucky and he does not know he is doing bad things, because he is on drugs).

For the fine details of the plot, and the musical leitmotifs, study the Metropera guides under STORYLINE and ANALYSIS.

For the rest, this is how Wagner divides it all.
Act 1.1 Gibichung Hall. Gunther (King of the Gibichungs), Hagen (son of Alberich through a union that did not involve love, which he has foresworn!), Gutrune Gibich (sister of one, half-sister of the other). The first two are plotting (Alberich has instructed Hagen in ways to retrieve the Ring for him) to marry Gutrune to Siegfried, and thus free up Brünnhilde for marriage to Gunther.
Act 1.2 Siegfried is seeking employment as a fighting man. They give him a potion of fogetfulness, and he immediately falls for Gutrune (as if she was the first woman he had ever seen). The two men go to get Brünnhilde. Hagen stays to keep watch.
Act 1.3 Brünnhilde is at her rock, kissing the ring and enjoying some happy memories of her lover, when her Valkyrie sister Waltraute arrives with news from home; all gloom; she must give the ring back to the Rhine maidens, or they will all perish. Unthinkable!
Act 1.4 Left alone B hears Siegfried's horn but is startled by a strange figure coming through the flames: we know it is Siegfried, wearing the tarnhelm and taking the form of Gunther. She struggles with him, but she is overpowered and sent into the cave, for consummation purposes; S takes the ring from her and announces to himself that his sword Notung will separate them while he takes Gunther's part (a very risky operation, and the cold metal would be off-putting).
Act 2.1 Hagen at his watch is visited by his father Alberich, and murder is suggested. Death to Wotan and his grandson Siegfried the Wälsung.
Act 2.2 Siegfried reports that Gunther is bringing B home to the hall. Gutrune greets him and asks Hagen to prepare the wedding.
Act 2.3 Hagen blows his huge cowhorn and summons the vassals. They think some disaster has struck, but they soon learn the truth and are amazed that that grim Hagen is being merry. (This is the only chorus in the whole thing, and it is the male voice choir; the ride of the Valkyries is not sung by the chorus but by a set of soloists.) B is astonished at what she finds, and accuses S of treachery; S denies it by an oath on the spear; B says this spear will avenge her.
Act 2.4 Hagen takes her aside and offers to be her agent; she eventually tells him that she has put a spell of invulnerability on S, but not on his back, because he would always face his foes. Right! Gunther is now brought into the plot.
Act 3.1 Siegfried's horn is answered by the cow horns of the Gibichungs, They are hunting a boar. The water nymphs of the Rhine know what is going on, and Siegfried is their hero; they tease him, as is their wont, and tell him the history of the ring, and urge him to give it back to them, threateningly. But he won't part with it.
Act 3.2 When the hunting party is united, S tells his life story, and he remembers he woke Brünnhilde; when two ravens fly out of a bush he jumps up, turns his back on Hagen, and receives a thrust of the spear. Hagen cries Revenge! and stalks off. Siegfried continues his sad tale and rejoices again in his love for his true bride. Wagner had originally given this opera the title Siegfried's Death; this now occurs, and to the strains of noble funeral music, he is carried back to the hall.
Act 3.3 Hagen arrives first and reports, untruthfully, that Siegfried has been killed by a wild boar. Gunther is struck dead while endeavouring to prevent him from taking the ring; then Siegfried's dead hand raises itself menacingly and strikes terror into all. Brünnhilde takes charge of the situation, declaring herself to be his true bride, and ordering the men to erect a funeral pyre (in typical Aryan fashion she will virtuously join him in the fire). He was faithfully faithless to her, and she takes back the ring. She and Grane ride into the flames (the Australian soprano Marjorie Lawrence was one who did this to the letter). She is thus cremated, and as the Rhine flows over the hall, the nymphs reclaim their gold ring (drowning Hagen in the process, I presume). Valhalla on high is caught up in the conflagration. Listen for the theme of love's redemption (first briefly poured out by Sieglinde in act 3 of Die Walküre) rising above the destruction (you may receive a frisson for your trouble, or a warm feeling). It is not the end of the world, I trust.

If you want to know about the Siegfried and Brünnhilde of the sagas go to: http://collesseum.googlepages.com, specifically The Völsung Saga and The Nibelung Epic.

Sunday 31st of May 2009 at 3 - 9 pm
Brünnhilde..................... Katarina Dalayman
Gutrune......................... Margaret Jane Wray
Waltraute...................... Yvonne Naef
Siegfried........................ Christian Franz
Gunther......................... Iain Paterson
Hagen........................... John Tomlinson
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/James Levine

Sunday 28th of September 2008 at 3 - 7.20 pm
Götterdämmerung, an opera in a prologue and three acts
Siegfried........................ Stig Andersen
Gunther......................... Oscar Hillebrandt
Alberich........................ Hartmut Welker
Hagen........................... Matti Salminen (He's the man!)
Brünnhilde..................... Susan Bullock
Gutrune......................... Eszter Wierdl
Waltraute...................... Cornelia Kallisch
First Norn..................... Annamária Kovács
Second Norn................ Judit Németh
Third Norn.................... Mária Temesi
Woglinde...................... Monika Gonzales
Wellgunde..................... Katalin Gémes
Flosshilde...................... Atala Schöck
Hungarian Radio Chorus & Orch/Adám Fischer (recorded in the Bartók National Concert Hall, Palace of Arts, Budapest)

WALLACE : LURLINE

2010-12-19T00:21:00.001+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 19th of December 2010 at 3.04 - 5.40 pm

PRELUDE
COMPOSER
BACKGROUND
SYNOPSIS
RECORDING
REVIEW
REVIEW
LIBRETTO

WALLACE: Lurline, an opera in three acts
Rupert........................... Keith Lewis
Guilhelm........................ Paul Ferris
Rhineberg...................... David Soar
Baron Truenfels............. Donald Maxwell
Zelieck.......................... Roderick Earle
Lurline........................... Sally Silver
Ghiva............................ Fiona Janes
Liba.............................. Bernadette Cullen
Victorian Opera Chorus & Orch/Richard Bonynge
(Naxos 8.660293-94)

William Vincent Wallace (1812-1865) Irish composer of Romantic operas, including Lurline, based on the legend of the Lorelei, the siren of the Rhine river.

Information about the opera (and this recording) is available in the links above. It was recorded in Manchester; the performance is conducted by Richard Bonynge (who recently became a widower, when his wife Joan Sutherland passed away). The tenor who sings Rupert is Keith Lewis of New Zealand.

VERDI : OTELLO

2010-12-11T16:52:00.002+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 12th of December 2010 at 3.04 - 5.30 pm
Sunday 30th of March 2008 at 3 pm
(Sunday 22nd of July 2007 at 3 pm)
(after they have heralded the news
and predicted the weather)

PRELUDE
COMPOSER
BACKGROUND
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
REVIEW
LIBRETTO
(Italian, by Arrigo Boito, after Shakespeare's Othello)

VERDI: Otello, an opera in four acts
Otello............................ Simon O'Neill
Iago.............................. Gerald Finley
Desdemona................... Anne Schwanewilms
Cassio........................... Allan Clayton
Roderigo....................... Ben Johnson
Lodovico...................... Alexander Tsymbalyuk
Montàno....................... Matthew Rose
Araldo.......................... Lukas Jakobski
Emila............................. Eufemia Tufano
London Symphony Chorus & Orch/Colin Davis
(LSO Live LSO 0700)
Again we have the resources of the NYMetropera archives.
http://www.operainfo.org/

Placido Domingo appears as Otello in the 13 pictures accompanying the storyline. He is also in Zeffirelli's movie, with Katia Ricciarelli as Desdemona.

His friend and rival Luciano Pavarotti recorded the role creditably, with the magnificent Kiri Te Kanawa; and he has done a concert performance (it is alleged that he had to be fortified with food on stage to get through the ordeal).

And now, our Simon O'Neill (who stepped in at a day's notice to take the part of Otello at this concert performance) has had his debut in this role recorded for us all to experience. With him, as Iago, is Gerald Finley (I remember him as Dr Atomic). See Peter Reed's enthusiastic review of this recording.
Simon is going from strength to strength. He is a protégé of Placido Domingo, and we are told that he studied the role with this baritonic tenor who is still the greatest Otello. You can go to Simon's website and see an inventory of his triumphs (it is in the side bar of this blog, waiting for you to click on it).

Verdi had heard a bit of Wagner's music before he composed Otello, and so we have a continuous stream of music, but some of the pieces can be extracted, notably Desdemona's Willow Song and Iago's Credo, and the love duet.

It was Verdi's 27th opera, first performed in 1887, when he was 74. Falstaff followed in 1893. Dennis Forman (The Good Opera Guide) awards an Alpha to Otello, but a Beta to Falstaff!

Have you heard Rossini's Otello (1816)? There are three tenors (José Carreras, singing Otello magnificently, is one of them in the Philips recording). Rossini's version has Shakespeare's subtitle, 'The Moor of Venice', and it takes place in Venice, not Cyprus. Verdi starts with a storm at sea (as in Othello Act 2), while Rossini ends with a storm. No Cassio in Rossini, and no handkerchief; instead Otello is shown a lock of hair and a love letter, which he thinks Desdemona had sent to Roderigo, but it had been intended for him, and her father had intercepted it. Rossini's Otello stabs her and himself, not pillow and then dagger. But Rossini offered an alternative ending, wherein the heroine did not die!

2007
Otello............................ Johan Botha
Desdemona................... Krassimira Stoyanova
Emilia............................ Nadia Krasteva
Iago.............................. Falk Struckmann
Cassio........................... Marian Talaba
Roderigo....................... Cosmin Ifrim
Lodovico...................... Ain Anger
Montano....................... Vladimir Moroz
Herald........................... Hacik Bayvertian
Vienna State Opera Chorus & Orch/Daniele Gatti (recorded in the Vienna State Opera House by Austrian Radio)

2008

Desdemona................... Renée Fleming
Otello............................ Johan Botha
Iago.............................. Carlo Guelfi
Emilia............................ Wendy White
Cassio........................... Garrett Sorensen
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Semyon Bychkov
The broadcast includes Margaret Juntwait interviewing Teddy Tahu Rhodes, for reasons best known to herself (he is not in Otello). But no quiz! Only one interval, and this time the delightful Renée Fleming can not interview herself and Johan Botha, so Mary Jo Heath takes the roving microphone backstage.

HANDEL : SERSE

2010-12-04T16:16:00.000+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 5th of December 2010 at 3.04 - 6 pm

COMPOSER
PRELUDE

HANDEL: Serse (Xerxes), an opera in three acts
(Virgin 5 45711)
Xerxes.......................... Anne Sofie von Otter
Romilda........................ Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz
Atalanta........................ Sandrine Piau
Arsamene...................... Lawrence Zazzo
Amastre........................ Silvia Tro Santafé
Ariodate........................ Giovanni Furlanetto
Elviro............................ Antonio Abete
Les Arts Florissants Chorus & Orch/William Christie

This opera has to be seen to be believed, or appreciated. Here are the notes I prepared for our video group in 2008.

Handel, Serse/Xerxes
It starts with Handel’s celebrated large ode to a plain plane tree (not ‘largo’ but ‘larghetto’). Some say this is one of George Frederic’s best operas, and yet it only lasted for five performances in London in 1738, and was then ignored, until 1979.

It is an opera seria, meaning serious opera, though it contains comical and satirical elements (and it should not, the critics have said); for us it will be a serial opera, bifurcated. We have two video-recordings to study:
   *one conducted by Charles Mackerras (Australian expert on Baroque music, and everything else, including G&S, with his Pineapple Poll ballet), in English translation (as is the custom at the English National Opera in the Coliseum);
   *the other is from the Dresden Festival, in Italian with English translation at the bottom.

Our strategy will be as follows: we watch a scene from the Dresden version first, and learn the subtitles by heart; then we look at the same thing in English in the London version, and with the translation in mind we will know what they are saying,though it is a different set of English words.
The Dresden version is generally darker than the London setting (ever since they cleared the fog) and this will help us read the writing. The ENO production is greener; and the gimmick is to rearrange the (green) deckchairs, as on the sinking Titanic; this seems fitting, as the great achievement of Xerxes was the bridge of boats linking Asia to Greece, which sank in a storm.
Xerxes I (who reigned from 486 to 465, BCE, the BaCkward Era) is called Ahasuerus in the Bible (in the Book of Esther); `akhashwerosh in Hebrew; Khshayarsha in Persian; Xerxes in Greek. He was in the first history book I bought (when I was 8), I remember.

*Serse/Xerxes, Emperor of Persia (soprano castrato; women take the role now)
*Arsamene, brother of Serse (alto, originally a woman, but male alto also possible)
*Amastre, foreign princess, fiancée of Xerxes, forsaken by him (contralto, female)
*Ariodate, head of the armed forces, father of Romilda and Atalanta (bass)[our Rodney]
*Romilda, reciprocating beloved of Arsamene, but desired by Serse (soprano)
*Atalanta, also loves Arsamene passionately and aims to take her sister’s place (soprano)
*Elviro, bodyguard serving Arsamene(bass)

The King sings a love-song to his beloved plane-tree:
Ombra mai fu di vegetabile cara ed amabile soave più.
Roughly: No vegetable matter ever gave shade (ombra) as lovely as yours.

His brother Arsamene, accompanied by Elviro, enters in search of Romilda. She is singing about love, referring to Serse’s love for his tree. Serse falls in love with her at first sight (and sound). He asks Arsamene (of all people!) to arrange a royal marriage with her, and when his brother stalls, he decides to go to her himself. Arsamene warns Romilda; she vows to be constant. Atalanta seizes this opportunity to declare her love to Arsamene in the presence of her sister Romilda. The vivacious Lesley Garrett does this (entwining herself around his deckchair) and the audience loves her! We end with her exit.

Handel, *Serse/Xerxes (Part 2)
Remember, everyone is in love with someone who is unavailable under the present circumstances, and we are wondering whether they can all get a good outcome eventually (note the tautology: e-vent = out-come).

Atalanta had stalked off when she failed to win Prince Arsamene from her sister Romilda. Xerxes comes in to woo Romilda, asking her to share his throne; she shows reluctance; when Arsamene intervenes, he is banished from the court; he sings his aria, and then departs with Elviro. The king pours out his love in song to Romilda (immobile and not looking at him) and then goes off. Alone, Romilda declares her unfailing fidelity.

Amastre, the foreign fiancée of Xerxes, appears on the scene; she is disguised as a soldier and conceals herself, to observe what her betrothed is doing.

A triumphal march and a chorus of fighting men: General Ariodate celebrates the victory he has won for Xerxes. He is told that as a reward his daughter Romilda will marry into royalty. All march off. Xerxes ponders (aloud, of course, as the ancients used to think and read out loud); Amastre overhears him, and responds, but does not reveal her identity. When she has gone off, he sings about the fiery pangs of love that are, shall we say, driving him out of his tree (this time he is not thinking about his beloved tree).

In exile, Arsamene gives Elviro a letter to take to Romilda, to arrange a secret meeting; this missive will thicken the plot, or bring the pot to the boil.

Back at the court, Amastre talks (to herself) furiously of vengeance on Xerxes. (At the ENO the curtain will come down, and we will leave it there).

Haendel, Serse/Xerxes (Part 3)
Atalanta tries to persuade her sister Romilda to accept the offer of marriage from Shah Xerxes (and that would leave Arsamane free to marry her); but Romilda will have none of this. Nevertheless Atalanta is still determined to win Arsamane over with her seductive charms.

Here beginneth Act 2 , wherein the fateful letter worketh its mischief, and the cardinal sin of reading others’ mail ith committed.

Elviro is acting as Arsamane’s postman, to deliver a letter to Romilda; and since he has been banished with his master, he returns in disguise, as a flower-lady (Won’t you buy my pretty flowers?). While he is talking to himself about the royal love-triangle, he is overheard by Amastre, the spurned fiancée of Xerxes, who is transvesting (cross-dressing) as a soldier. He openly tells her the whole story, and she sings (to herself) about the hopelessness of her situation.

Elviro then encounters Atalanta, who manages to extract the epistle from him, telling him that Romilda is busy writing a letter to Xerxes, declaring that she lives only for him. Elviro is somewhat dismayed at this apparent fickleness of Romilda, and he goes off to sell his garden blooms.

Atalanta blithely opens the missive, and when Xerxes happens along, lamenting the torment he is suffering, she mendaciously and audaciously tells him that this love letter is from Arsamane to her. Xerxes reads it (not exactly aloud, but softly); and when Atalanta asserts that Arsamene’s love for Romilda is mere pretence, he is so encouraged that he gives his blessing to a marriage of Atalanta and Arsamene.

Xerxes now goes to Romilda and triumphantly shows her the letter that has supposedly been written for Atalanta. However, Romilda stands firm in her love for Arsamene, and so Xerxes exclaims (in an aria, with a repeat) that he would reject her, but he does not know how, but he stages a walkout and stalks off.

Summary: King/Shah Xerxes of Persia (5th C BCE) is in love with a plane tree, but betrothed to a foreign princess named Amastre, and now ardently obsessed with Romilda, the beloved of his brother Arsamene, who himself is being passionately pursued by her sister Atalanta, whom nobody cares about except possibly their father Ariodate, head of the army. Amastre has disguised herself as a soldier to spy on her fiancé Xerxes. Arsamene has sent a love-letter (apparently with no names, only terms of endearment) to Romilda, but this has been intercepted by Atalanta, and shown to Xerxes as intended for her. He gives her permission to marry Arsamene, and takes it to Romilda, expecting her to capitulate to him, but she remains steadfastly faithful to Arsamene.

Part 4 : Act 2, Scene 5-11
Romilda soliloquizes about jealousy in love-relationships. Amastre has had enough of infidelity and is putting herself to the sword, but Elviro (Arsamene’s servant) restrains her. She sings an aria, and departs ‘infuriata’. Elviro tells Arsamene, mistakenly, that Romilda now loves Xerxes, and Arsamene also sings an aria of disappointment, and becomes suicidal. At this point (Scene 8) we see the famous bridge of boats, constructed to enable the Persian army cross from Asia to Europe, to fight the Greeks. Viva Serse!   Long live Xerxes.

The Shah tells his brother Arsamene that he can marry his beloved, meaning Atalanta, but when the truth is realized, Arsamene desires revenge. Xerxes then tells Atalanta that Arsamene loves Romilda (as if she did not know that already); she says she cannot stop loving Arsamene. The Shah is sad. Elviro comes onto the empty stage in a state of inebriation, seeking his master; he witnesses the collapse of the massive bridge in a storm.

Part 5: Act 2, Scenes 12-14
King Xerxes of Persia (5th Century BCE) has been unlucky in love and war. His bridge of boats, constructed to enable his army to cross from Asia to Europe, to conquer the Greeks, has collapsed in a storm. His love affairs have moved from his adored plane tree (we see it again in the Dresden version) to Romilda, the beloved of his brother Arsamene, who is also loved by Romilda’s sister Atalanta.

After a plethora of amatory intrigues, Xerxes is now seen complaining about his unhappy jealous state. His fiancée, the foreign princess Amastre, is standing nearby, railing against his perfidy, though he does not recognize her, since she is disguised as a soldier; she nearly gives herself away again.

Serse turns to plead with Romilda to yield to him; she asks for more time to think. Amastre intervenes impulsively. Xerxes orders his guards to imprison the interloper, and leaves; but Romilda manages to have Amastre released. Romilda tells herself that she will remain true to Arsamene.

Act 3, Scenes 1-4
Arsamene and Romilda are confronting Atalanta over her part in deceiving the king about who loves whom. They are reconciled, and so Atalanta will have to find someone else.

Xerxes approaches Romilda for yet another attempt to persuade her to be his consort; she suggests that her father’s permission will need to be obtained. He says he is like a moth to her flame, and goes off to consult with her father, Ariodate, the chief of his army. Arsamene has overheard this, and he chides her; she defends herself, but leaves in distress. He pours out his sorrows (not in Dresden version).
Torroba, Luisa Fernanda

Part 6: Act 3, Scene 5-11
At the court of good King Xerxes the pursuit of love continues apace, with everyone not able to have the person they desire. The serious comedy of errors thickens when Xerxes tells General Ariodate (not for the first time, see Act 1) that his daughter Romilda will have a royal husband; Ariodate thinks that Arsamene is meant and gives his consent. When Xerxes meets Romilda (she had managed to fend him off last time by requiring her father’s permission and now he thinks he has it ) she still refuses him in favour of Arsamene his brother. That problem is easily solved: the King commands that Arsamene should be put to death forthwith.

Romilda asks Amastre (the forsaken foreign fiancée of Xerxes) to warn Arsamene, and in return Amastre requests Romilda to deliver a letter from her to Xerxes, in which she declares her continuing love for him, even though he has been cruel to her.

Romilda herself tries to convince Arsamene that his life is at stake, but he mistrusts her, and they have another of their tiffs, and their bickering continues as they walk into their wedding ceremony (Surprise!), arranged by the father of the bride, of course.

Xerxes finds he has missed the boat, and blows his top. He receives a letter, which he thinks is from Romilda, but he sees it is from Amastre. He urges the Furies to pour black venom on him. (In the Dresden version he sets fire to his beloved tree!)

The whole company tries to pacify Xerxes, but he orders Arsamene to kill Romilda with a sword. Amastre intervenes and takes the weapon, and Xerxes asks “Who are you, always distubing me?” She/he declares that she is seeking to administer justice; she asks him if he wishes to pierce the heart of one who is unfaithful, and he agrees; she turns the sword on him and reveals her identity. Xerxes repents and embraces her, and all is forgiven. Romilda sings the final aria, and all rejoice that calm has returned, and honour and love are united.

Poor Atalanta (Lesley Garrett) is left bereft, to seek a new lover (but Elviro the servant is there, and he’s free!).

SAARIAHO : L'AMOUR DE LOIN

2010-11-27T23:13:00.003+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 28th of November 2010 at 3.04 - 5.20 pm

COMPOSER
PRELUDE
REVIEW
REVIEW

KAAIJA SAARIAHO: L'amour de loin (Love from afar)
an opera in five acts
(Harmonia Mundi HMC 80 1937)
Jaufré Rudel.................. Daniel Belcher
Clémence...................... Ekaterina Lekhina
Pilgrim........................... Marie-Ange Todorovitch
Berlin Radio Chorus, German SO, Berlin/Kent Nagano

Kaaija Saariaaho is a Finnish composer, and this is her first opera (2000); the French libretto is by Amin Maaluf, a Lebanese-French writer; both live in Paris, and have created three operas. The story comes from the 12th century, and the action is set in Aquitaine (in France, where Jaufré the troubador is, longing for true love), and in Tripoli (in Lebanon, where the Countess Clémence lives, as the object of his affection), and on the Mediterranean Sea (when the dying poet travels to meet his faithful lover).

Another collaboration by these two artists is Émilie (2008) about another countess, Marquise Émilie du Châtelet, (1706 - 1749), who lived in a castle with Voltaire, for a time; being a scientist she translated Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica into French, with her own commentary, and she did research on the nature of fire. She died after bearing her fourth child (fathered not by her husband, nor by Voltaire, but a poet with whom she was amorously linked).

DONIZETTI : PARISINA

2010-11-20T14:12:00.002+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 21st of November 2010 at 3.04 - 6 pm

PRELUDE
PREVIEW
REVIEW
RECORDS
PICTURES
MONTSERRAT

DONIZETTI: Parisina, an opera in three acts
(Opera Rara ORC 40)
Azzo............................. Dario Solari
Parisina......................... Carmen Giannattasio
Ugo.............................. José Bros
Ernesto......................... Nicola Ulivieri
Imelda........................... Ann Taylor
Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, London Phil/David Parry

Parisina, full title Parasina d'Este, Donizetti's personal favourite among his operas, is here performed in a concert of 6 December 2008 in London's Royal Festival Hall (see PICTURES above).

One reviewer of this recording added:
"Article and synopsis by the eminent 19th century musical scholar, Jeremy Commons." That's our Jeremy in Wellington, who is still alive in the 21st century; removing the -al from musical might help rescue him from the 19th century, and moving scholar to the position after eminent and adding of would fix it.

Montserrat Caballé was in another concert performance of this opera, in Carnegie Hall in 1974, and she wowed the audience. Both recordings are available, and as this does not deserve to be classed as a "rare" opera I am tempted to purchase them.

Opera on radio this Sunday is an opera rara in the series Opera Rara, but it is an opera that does not deserve to be rare, rarely heard and seen.

John Ward's local radio station (Gramophone Room 88.1 FM) broadcasts this Opera Rara series on Tuesday nights; but if you do not live in Palmerston North, do not attempt to find it; reception is abysmal even here up on the hill, and tonight it was impossible to tune it in.

But on Sunday (that is, today, midnight has just struck on 21/11/2010) on RNZConcet network at 3 pm the opera is Donizetti's PARISINA, libretto by Felice (Felix) Romani, who did write felicitous words for operas. It is based on Byron's poem Parisina (1816).

Here is a tragic tale to make you weep. Young (H)Ugo and Parisina have grown up together, with deep affection, but she is forced into marriage with old Azzo, who is old enough to be her father; in fact (but actually in fiction, though the story is based on Parisina Malatesta, and she will have more than a "bad head" in the end) he is the father of Ugo, though none of them know that. So Ugo is in love with his stepmother (remember Verdi's Don Carlo). Azzo hears his wife murmuring the name Ugo in her sleep, so he is for the chop, or the sword, or choose your weapons. Azzo is told of Ugo's parentage, and you would think he would say, that makes everything different. But just as Parisina is preparing to run away with Ugo, Azzo presents his corpse to her. She dies of grief, instantly (no dagger or poison needed).

PUCCINI : TURANDOT

2010-11-13T23:58:00.001+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 14th of November 2010 at 3.04 - 5.15 pm

PRELUDE
BACKGROUND
CHARACTERS
SYNOPSIS
STORYLINE
COMPOSE

In Memoriam: Dame Joan Sutherland (1926-2010)
PUCCINI: Turandot, an opera in three acts
Turandot....................... Joan Sutherland
Calaf............................. Luciano Pavarotti
Liù................................ Montserrat Caballé
Timur............................ Nicolai Ghiaurov
Emperor........................ Peter Pears
Ping.............................. Tom Krause
Pang/Prince of Persia..... Pier Francesco Poli
Pong............................. Piero de Palma
Mandarin...................... Sabin Markov
John Alldis Choir, London Phil/Zubin Mehta (Decca 414 274)

This occasion is to mark the passing of "our Joan". Surprisingly a heavy singing role has been chosen to show off her voice; all drama and declamation, not coloratura and hundreds of little notes all in a row; but she melts from an ice queen into a loving woman beautifully. This is the record (1972) I have always owned, in a big box. A splendid cast over which Sutherland reigns supreme in splendour. Strange to say, unlike all the other of her box sets in my possession, Joan is not pictured on the cover, in costume, nor even in the book inside; instead there is a guard dog baring its fangs. On my other box, Birgitt Nilsson is on display with long fingernails and bejeweled headdress

Nessun dorma, "None shall sleep", Prince Calaf declares, and you can hear Simon O'Neill sing it on his website (see the sidebar). Here is my translation of the words:

"No one shall sleep. You, Princess, in your cold room are also watching the stars, which are trembling with love and hope! But my secret is locked inside me, no one shall know my name! No, I shall say it on your lips, when the light shines forth in splendour! And my kiss will break the silence which makes you mine. Begone, night! Set, you stars! At dawn I will win!"

Verdi's Aida was the opera that made young Puccini think he would like to compose some himself. This was his last of twelve, and his attempt to compose a grand-scale opera equal to Aida, but without elephants messing up the floor.

Puccini died before finishing Turandot, and Alfano completed it, using the tune of Nessun dorma for the grand finale. Toscanini was its first conductor (on the opening night he stopped at the point where the composer had stopped writing, and died).

There is sadism, torture, suicide, and horror to go through before we reach the happy ending. However, I don't think the Tartar prince and the icy Chinese princess could really settle down to a blissful life of peaceful domesticity. Their offspring would certainly not be accepted by the people, and their dynasty would be overthrown. Remember you heard that news here first.

However, it needs to be remembered that the story was set in the time of the Mongol Dynasty; the name Turando(kh)t is certainly not Chinese, but Persian, and the dokht part is short for dokhtar (you should not need to be told that it means "daughter", which was pronounced "dokhtar" in olden English, like German Tochter. The name Turan is not personal but geographical, and so she is a daughter of Central Asia, where her suitor Calaf and his father Timur came from.

New York Metropolitan Opera Broadcast
Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 13th of May 2007 at 3pm
Franco Zeffirelli was behind this production. You can see pictures of it under STORYLINE above.

GERSHWIN : PORGY AND BESS

2010-11-07T00:30:00.000+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 7th of November 2010 at 3.04 - 6.10 pm

PRELUDE
REVIEW
VIDEO
EVALUATION

GERSHWIN: Porgy & Bess, an opera in three acts
Porgy........................... Jonathan Lemalu
Bess............................. Isabelle Kabatu
Clara............................ Bibiana Nwobilo
Sportin' Life................ Michael Forest
Jake.............................. Rodney Clarke
Serena.......................... Angela Renée Simpson
Maria............................ Roberta Alexander
Crown.......................... Gregg Baker
Mingo/Robbins/Peter/
Crab Man..................... Previn Moore
Detective/Archdale/
Policeman.................... David McShane
Arnold Schoenberg Choir, CO of Europe/
Nikolaus Harnoncourt (RCA Red Seal)

This is an opera, not another of George Gershwin's musical plays; it is based on a novel and play by DuBose Heyward. I can remember when a performance was issued in the 1950s, and I redd a review which surprised me, when it said that all opera lovers must have this.

The composer was Euro-American and Jewish, and the first complete recording appeared in 1976 conducted by Lorin Maazel, who is Euro-American and Jewish; but his singers were Afro-American, though Willard White (Porgy) was born in Jamaica. He also takes the leading role in the Glyndebourne production (on video and audio discs) conducted by Englishman Simon Rattle.
("For the record", I have Maazel on 3 black discs, and Rattle on videotape.)

This latest recording (2010) has Nikolaus Harnoncourt at the helm. In my record collection (audio and video) he conducts Bach cantatas (dozens of them), and Mozart operas; so another surprise.
New Zealanders will be pleased that Porgy is Jonathan Lemalu (he is Polynesian, the rest are white, and South African). I have a little problem with our Jonathan's voice: he barks and "vibrates" (if you get my meaning). See the review above for another similar reaction to him.

Geoge and Ira GERSHWIN : PORGY AND BESS
Porgy : a crippled beggar, who has a goat-drawn cart, and loves Bess (Porghiy not Porjiy; G as in Gershwin, not as in George!).
Bess : an attractive young woman, playing the field
Crown : a big forceful stevedore who is set on Bess
Sportin’ Life : a charmer, and purveyor of ‘happy dust’ dope, chasing Bess
Clara : a young mother, wife of Jake (Bruce Hubbard) a fisher
Serena : devoted wife of Robbins, another fisher, to be killed by Crown

ACT 1.1 Catfish Row
The Afro-American community of Catfish Row ( a “former mansion of the aristocracy, now a Negro tenement”) in Charleston (South Carolina), live by the sea and from the sea (the Atlantic Ocean, no less), but bales of cotton have a part in their life, too. It is Saturday night, and Jasbo Brown is jazzing at the piano, some folks are dancing, Clara is nursing her baby and singing a lullaby (the one about hot summer weather and jumpy fish), and Sportin’ Life is leading the men in a game of crap, with his crooked dice (Roll dem bones). Robbins joins in, in spite of his wife’s pleading.
   Jim comes in and swears he is “done with cotton”, and after accepting Jake’s offer of employment on his fishing boat, Jim throws away his cotton hook (watch that nasty thing, it’s the murder weapon). Jake takes the baby and gives his views on women, who tie you to their apron strings, and then another one comes along, takes your goods, and moves on (A woman is a sometime thing).
   Enter old Peter the honey man, and then Porgy (should be in his cart, but could be on sticks). Crown and Bess are on the way, and Porgy is teased about being “sof’ on her”; but he denies it, because Gawd makes a cripple to be lonely, and he got to trabble dat lonesome road. When Crown buys a drink from SpL, Bess proves the women’s accusation that she is a “liquor guzzlin’ slut”, a “hussy drinkin’ like any man”.
   A new game starts, and soon Crown calls for “a pinch of happy dust” from SpL. Eventually Robbins wins, and drunken Crown loses, and he is fighting mad; he stabs Robbins to death with a cotton hook. General consternation continues; Crown will go into hiding, leaving Bess to fend for herself, but if any man takes her under his protection it is only to be temporary.
   SpL sees his chance, gives her some powder, and offers to take her to New York. No go, but nobody else wants her, except Porgy, who welcomes her into his room. Curtain.

ACT 1.2 Serena’s room
Robbins lies dead on his bed, with a saucer on his chest, to receive donations to pay for the funeral. All chant “He’s a-gone, gone, gone”. Bess’s money (presumed to be from Crown) is refused by Serena, but accepted when she declares “Porgy give me my money now”. Porgy prays and gives encouragement.
   A detective interrupts, cunningly accuses old Peter of the murder, but he denies it, protesting that he saw Crown do it; well then, Peter will be locked up “as a material witness”; but when the detective tries to get Porgy to testify also, the response is: “I don’t know nuttin’ bout it, boss”. The detective says the body must be buried by the next day, or it will be delivered to medical students. Peter is dragged off to the police wagon. Back to “gone, gone, gone”, and Serena’s personal lament.
   The undertaker arrives, and says that the $15 in the saucer won’t cover expenses, more than $25, and he warns them about the medical students, but finally gives in. He goes, and they all go back to “gone, gone, gone,”, but Bess jumps up and leads them in a happy song: “Oh the train is at the station an’ you better get on board, ‘cause it’s leavin’ today, an’ it’s headin’ for the Promise’ Lan’ ... [where] we meet our brudder”.

ACT 2.1 Catfish Row (Charleston, South Carolina)
It is time to go out fishing, and Jake leads with: “Oh, I’m agoin’ out to the Blackfish banks, no matter what de wedder say”, but then they look for a higher goal: “It take a long pull to get there, Huh! But I’ll anchor in the Promise’ Lan’”. (At the end of Act 1, Bess was putting everybody on a train going to the same destination; eventually she will catch a boat to New York.). Jake has a blister on his han’, and another on his settin’ down place, but not even Mister Hurricane will prevent him. Annie reminds the ‘mens’ that the picnic is on, and Clara warns Jake of the September storms. But Jake wants to work and make money, so that his son can get a college education. Porgy laughs and sings his ‘poor but happy’ song: “I got plenty o’ nuttin’, an’ nuttin’s plenty for me ... Got my gal, got my Lawd, got my song”. All agree that Porgy is contented, now that he is living with Bess. Sportin’ Life saunters in, and Maria rebukes him severely.
   Enter Frazier (this one is black and a fraudulent lawyer): Porgy will have to buy a divorce document for Bess for $1; but Bess is not married to Crown; ah, that’s a complication, and it will cost a dollar and a half. Porgy pays up.
   Mr Archdale, a kindly white man, comes to say he knows Peter the imprisoned honey man, and is standing bail for him; he reproaches Frazier for his dishonesty.
   A buzzard appears; if it sets down on anyone’s place it means death, and Porgy tells it to keep on flying, as he is young again, and not wanting to die.
   Bess is left alone in the courtyard, and SpL comes to tempt her with dope and dreams of New York. Porgy intervenes, with dire threats, and a demonstration of the strength in his arms.
   Jake and Clara come out, dressed for the picnic and ready to strut their stuff; they invite Bess to come. Then Porgy and Bess sing their marvelous love-duet, the equal of anything of this kind in opera; “Bess, you is my woman now”, “Porgy, I’s yo’ woman now”.
   All emerge in their ‘lodge regalia’, and go off to the picnic, singing and dancing. Maria urges Bess to join them, and Porgy concurs; he wants her to be happy. He stays at home, glad in the knowledge that he’s got his gal, along with plenty o’ nuttin’.

ACT 2.2 Kittiwah Island
At the picnic nobody has any shame doing what they like to do; amid general gaiety, SpL renders a mocking ‘spiritual’ on the unreliability of Scripture: “De t’ings dat yo’ li’ble to read in de Bible, it ain’t necessarily so”. Serena interrupts this orgy of impiety, accusing them of “behavin’ like Sodom and Gomorrah”. It is time to get on board the steamboat.
   Crown calls out to Bess from his hiding-place in the thicket, and remonstrates with her. He has been living on bird eggs and oysters, but he is missing human society; Bess tells him she is living decent with Porgy, but Crown reminds her that any relationship was to be temporary, and he will be coming to collect her; meanwhile, she has him as her man tonight. The boat leaves without her.

ACT 2.3 Catfish Row
A week later, Bess has returned from the island in a delirious state. Peter is out of jail, still puzzled. Serena invokes Doctor Jesus to heal Bess. Peter the honey man joins the strawberry woman and the crab man as they tunefully advertize their wares.
   Bess is now conscious, and Porgy knows she has been with Crown; she confesses that he will be coming to claim her, but in another love-duet they say: “I loves you, Porgy, don’t let him take me”; “You got Porgy, you got a man”.
   (A hurricane is coming.)

ACT 2.4 Catfish Row (Charleston, South Carolina) Serena’s Room
The hurricane has arrived, and they are all taking refuge in Serena’s room. (Don’t panic.) Doctor Jesus is being beseeched to look down in pity: “Put Yo’ lovin’ arms thru de roof of dis house an’ lif’ me to Yo’ bosom till de storm is over”. The thunder and rain is understood as his weeping and mumbling in anger; but ‘dat Satan’ is suspected of having a hand in the lightning and ‘raisin’ hell upon dis earth’, and he needs to be tied up and thrown back to where he belongs, by the Hev’nly Father. Professor Jesus is also invoked to “teach Yo’ ignorant chillen how to combat de fires an’ torments of dat black visitation from below”. Captain Jesus is humbly requested to treat his soldiers softly, but they are willing to die for him. “Lawd hab mercy”. Serena thinks Gabriel might “soun’ dat trumpet an’ de graveya’ds spew up de dead”; but Sportin’ Life (yes that spiv is there) says “We had storm befo’. I ain’t so sure this is Judgement Day”. Clara holds her baby close, and does a reprise of Summertime. Porgy and Bess are sure that nobody could survive on Kittiwah Island, but “Oh dere’s someone knockin’ at de do’”, and it is Crown, come to claim Bess. Porgy protests, but he is thrown to the floor. Serena orders him to behave himself, or God might strike him dead. Crown retorts that God is his friend, and they have been wrestling together all the way from the island. Crown sings his blasphemous ‘aria’, to the consternation of the company. Clara looks through the window and sees her Jake’s boat upside down in the water; she passes the baby to Bess and rushes out. Eventually Crown follows her, to prove he is a greater man than Porgy.

ACT 3.1 Catfish Row
Dusk. The storm has ended. The folk sing “don’t you be downhearted, Jesus is walkin’ on de water”, to Clara, and Jake (now gone underwater), and even Crown. SL is rebuked by Maria for being disrespectful. Bess sings Summertime to the baby. Crown comes in and is stabbed in the back by Porgy, and then throttled. Porgy exults: “Bess, you got a man now, you got Porgy”.

ACT 3.2 Catfish Row
It is two months since Crown killed the husband of Serena Robbins, and a dertective and a coroner arrive to interview her; none of the women cooperate: “We ain’t see nuttin’ boss”. So Porgy is summoned to identify the body. and he is dragged off, declaring that he will not look at Crown’s face. SL now makes his move to entice Bess away, on “a boat dat’s leavin’ soon for New York”. He plies her with dope (Happy Dust), but she calls him a rattlesnake and goes inside.

ACT 3.3 Catfish Row
One week later. Porgy returns. He had indeed kept his eyes shut at the inquest, and he was jailed for contempt of court. But he took his lucky bones with him (hidden in his mouth) and won a heap from his fellow-prisoners. So he has presents for people, especially Bess. But where is she? Gone to the debbil, with SpL; he had convincrd her that Porgy had been jailed for life. She has moved to New York. (In the original text he calls for his goat and cart; we see him walk away, dragging his legs). “Oh Lawd, I’m on my way to a Heavn’ly lan’”. We are left in the dark about the outcome.

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Glyndebourne Chorus, Simon Rattle

SULLIVAN : IVANHOE

2010-10-30T23:14:00.003+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 31st of October 2010 at 3.04 - 6 pm

COMPOSER
INTRODUCTION
SYNOPSIS
RECORDING
REVIEW
EXCERPTS
LIBRETTO
PIANO SCORE

SULLIVAN: Ivanhoe, an opera in three acts
Richard Coeur-de-Lion...................... Neal Davies
Prince John/Lucas de Beaumanoir....... Stephen Gadd
Sir Brian de Bois Guilbert, the Templar......James Rutherford
Maurice de Bracy............................... Peter Wedd
Cedric the Saxon, Thane of Rotherwood..... Peter Rose
Wilfred, Knight of Ivanhoe.................. Toby Spence
Friar Tuck.......................................... Matthew Brook
Isaac.................................................. Leigh Melrose
Locksley/Squire.................................. Andrew Staples
Lady Rowena..................................... Janice Watson
Ulrica.............................................. Catherine Wyn-Rogers
Rebecca............................................. Geraldine McGreevy
Adrian Partington Singers, BBC National Orch of Wales
David Lloyd-Jones (Chandos CHAN 10578)

For a change it is not Gilbert and Sullivan but Scott (or Sturgis) and Sullivan. Walter Scott's novel was the source, and Julian Sturgis was the librettist.

Sullivan composed Ivanhoe after The Gondoliers in the period when he was feuding with Gilbert over a new carpet in the theatre. It was first performed on the 31st of January in 1891 (Prince of Wales present, but not Her Majesty). It marked the opening of D'Oyly Carte's new Royal English Opera House, which eventually became The Palace theatre (we saw Les Misérables there during its long run of 19 years).

I have always been fascinated by this "romantic opera" of Sullivan. When the movie came out (in 1952 with Elizabeth Taylor and Robert Taylor, not the 1982 TV one with James Mason and Sam Neill) I was captivated with the story (Memory, did I read the book? We'll get back to you on that one). But I knew about this opera from a radio program on the life of that complex being known as G&S; it had Arthur presenting his score to the Queen (wee Victoria, as in wee are not amused, and you can read his dedication if you get the libretto or vocal score offered above); I seem to remember her saying she wanted to see The Mikado instead; but she was the one who had told him he should compose a serious opera, and she attended his sacred cantata The Golden Legend.

This is not the first recording of the work: there was an earlier one by a Scottish ensemble, the G&S Society of Edinburgh (PEARL) David Lyle conductor; and now it is a Welsh consortium under David Lloyd-Jones; neither of these Gaelic/Celtic cohorts are what you would expect for acting as Saxons and Normans.

The Scottish recording has been in my possession since I saw it some years ago in a record shop in Sydney's Town Hall Subway Station; A$ 78.00 still sounds a hefty price. Each of the 3 acts has its own disc. I played the first act today and followed the words and music on the score on the computer screen, clicking on the right-side page to move it along; yes, the soundtrack needs subtitles. But I have just got a copy of the libretto (PDF), to keep.

King Richard the Lion-hearted is there, disguised as the Black Knight; Wilfred Knight of Ivanhoe (the hero) is slinking about in the hooded robe of a palmer (pilgrim) instead of a returning crusader (because his father Cedric disowned him); Robin Hood is here under the alias Locksley (or vice versa, depending on whether you think he is vicious and a purveyor of vice). Notice that the villain, the Norman Templar, bears my name (the blackguard), which is Celtic, not French or Viking (Normans being Francophiliac North men, Vikings with French names, from Normandy, not Brittany).

I have to report a lot of dubious comments on operawonk articles, including Chinese, Japanese, and Russian spam. Some of it seems sincere, but I have my doubts and suspicions.

For Mayr's MEDEA IN CORINTO I wrote nothing, but provided three useful references. One anonymous person said it had helped them with their school assignment and they would be grateful if I could send more information (no e-mail address given!)

How is this for mockingful insincerity:

"Substantially, the write-up is actually the freshest on that deserving topic. I harmonise along with your conclusions as well as surely will eagerly look ahead for your future updates. Stating many thanks definitely won't simply just be adequate, for your exceptional lucidity in your writing. I can straight seize your rss feed to stay privy of any sort of updates. Gratifying function and also very much success inside your enterprise enterprize!"

Well, this time you got me baring my soul and offering a host of very good references to informative notes on Ivanhoe the opera.

DARGOMIZHSKY : RUSALKA

2010-10-23T23:10:00.003+13:00

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 24th of October 2010 at 3.04 - 6 pm

INTRODUCTION
RECORDING
REVIEW
EXCERPTS
RUS(S)ALKA(S)

DARGOMIZHSKY: Russalka, an opera in three acts
Natasha (Russalka)....... Evelina Dobraceva
The Miller..................... Arutjun Kotchinian
The Prince..................... Vsevolod Grivnov
The Princess.................. Marina Prudenskaya
Olga.............................. Elena Bryleva
Hunter/Matchmaker...... Andrey Telegin
Rusalochka................... Martha Jurowski
WDR Radio Chorus & Orch, Cologne/Michail Jurowski

This is a commercial recording (Naxos). I think it is performed in German not the original Russian (even though the cast consists of Eastern Europeans). The heading RUS(S)ALKA(S) leads to the section on Dvorak's Rusalka, and the notes on operas about this kind of water maiden. The stories are not the same in these two operas by A.D. and A.D.

The Russian composer Alexander Dargomyzhsky (1813-69) subsequently composed The Stone Guest. Does that ring a bell (a doorbell)? I recently saw the Italian movie I(o), Don Giovanni, which begins with a large statue being transported along the canals of Venice; it is an account of Lorenzo da Ponte and Wolfi Mozart producing Don Giovanni. Not surprisingly, this Russian opera has the characters Don Juan, Leporello (his servant), Donna Anna, and the stone statue of the Commander who comes to dinner as the nemesis of Don Juan.