Sunday 6 May 2007

May 2007: Stiffelio in London (2007-05-05)

Day 1: Saturday 2007-05-05 Bergen - London
Flight from Bergen to London Stansted.
I woke up at 545, ate breakfast at 0600, took taxi to the airport at 0615. At 0630 I was at the line for check-in, 0645 relaxing after check-in, 0700 at security, 0730 boarding, 0800 .... Just the normal drill. At 0900 in London Stansted (english time from now on). 0945 Stansted express til London, 1030 in London. 1200 in my hotell. 1300 in my hotel room. Have head-ache and first bad day. 1600 on my computer writing down this.


Stiffelio
The Royal Opera 2006/7


Director: Elijah Moshinsky
Set designs: Michael Yeargan
Costume designs: Peter J. Hall
Lighting: Paul Pyant
Fight Director: William Hobbs

Stiffelio: José Cura
Lina: Sondra Radvanovsky
Stankar: Roberto Frontali
Raffaele von Leuthold: Reinaldo Macias
Jorg: Alastair Miles
Federico di Frengel: Nikola Matišic§
Dorotea: Liora Grodnikaite*

§ Jette Parker Young Artist
*Jette Parker Principal



Weekend in Devon
or
Why 3 times Stiffelio in London

First came May 5th, Stiffelio in London ROH with Jose Cura, Sondra Radvanovsky and
Roberto Frontali.
Before going to London I had read the reviews, almost all complaining of the singing being to LOUD etc. What I found as being the truth in London on May 5th that yes, Sondra Radvanovsky has a big voice and that indeed I could hear her better than the other singers. But that this was just a competition of loud singing, it was not, not on May 5th, I cannot say for the previous performances since I was not there. Roberto Frontali as Stankar was good, but in my opinion he was not the only good singer her as many of the reviewer was saying. May 5th performance was not the greatest Stiffelio. Jose Cura was good but in my opinion he was over-acting, Sondra Radvanovsky as Lina was crying too much, too often, and I did not like her singing much and her lack of prononciation of the Italian text was appalling. As I said Frontali was Ok. Reinaldo Macias as Raffaele did not cut such a great figure here as in Zurich. He was pale here.

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