tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41104211715887952602024-03-06T00:15:55.671+01:00OperaDuets Travel and LivingNews, reviews and ideasUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger620125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-56469771194251142482023-07-02T16:40:00.002+02:002023-07-02T16:43:56.808+02:00London, July 1, 2023What a Day! It is Pride Parade in London. Lovely, except I did not see the Parade, I saw some haters that were already there with big placates pretending doing God’s work. Luckily more people were excitedly waiting for the parade to come their way.<div><br /></div><div> I was just hurrying to get through and get my old pounds changed to new pounds, they were still Queen Elizabeth 2. It was Coronation Year because now we have King Charles of England. Elizabeth 1 was a great Queen as were Elizabeth 2. Two Elizabethan times. </div><div><br /></div><div>I found the post office and then I was traveling again to my hotel. Not the best choice of hotel, I should have chosen Strand Palace Hotel instead I chose something cheaper.</div><div><br /></div><div>I came to my hotel hoping that they would be able to give me a room soon. But no, I had to wait 2 hours. They allowed me to sit in a chair reloading my phone. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was tired after the night bus, the early flight, minimal sleep, my back was hurting, the train from Gatwick airport was absolutely cramped with people, sweating on the slowest train ever. Then finally in London Victoria and so on.</div><div><br /></div><div>In no way to be able to properly rest up myself in hotel room, I was just using time off until it was time to travel to Covent Garden. The idea that it would take only 30 minutes was of course, a lie. I don’t walk that fast even if the trains was swift. I was lucky enough to get a seat at La Ballerina restaurant near The Royal Opera House and they gave my the pizza margherita quickly and so I hastily eate since it was less than an hour before the opera Werther started.</div><div><br /></div><div>Jonas Kaufmann, the reason I changed my flight so that I would be able to see him as Werther, was sick, so Francesco Demuro was singing instead. Worse still, I had booked a seat at the 5. Balcony. The view was magnificent, my fear of heights was crushing me.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="blob:https://draft.blogger.com/64959ea5-fa4c-41c9-aebc-80ccb98b2bb7" /><br /><br />First Act begins and I realize I have seen this one before with Kaufmann and Sophie Koch. This is what I called the French version, it is on DVD, I think. The Charlotte is great, Demuro has good stuff.</div><div><br /></div><div>I want to leave so badly that at the intermission I get my stuff. I tell the lady there that I have fear of heights and so I must leave. She says that I can another women there. I do so. I get help in getting a seat in a lower part of the house so I got there and got the 2. Act, too.</div><div><br /></div><div>So nice, but I really feel I must away. The next 2 acts will be played together. It is the last intermission and I am not feeling well. Plus Francesco Demuro has failed to impress me in Act 2. His voice sounds tired in my ears, but maybe it was just me who was definitely tired.</div><div><br /></div><div>I bought something to drink at Sainsbury and then I was home as the opera was slowly ending at the House.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have seen Werther onstage before, I knew what happens. It was no grave loss. The Charlotte was amazing, but unfortunately it was not my day.</div><div><br /></div><div>A lot of people enjoyed this day in London, they saw, participated in the Pride Parade.</div><div><br /></div><div>A cheers to happy love story and avoid the fate of Werther (unhappy love, suicide)!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>from roh.org.uk:</div><div><h3 class="sc-1agvhen-0 sc-1agvhen-1 ddoDDm cVXbZZ" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 25px; max-width: 100%;">THE ROYAL OPERA</h3><div class="sc-1agvhen-2 dkahJU" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div class="sc-1agvhen-3 sfsBG" style="box-sizing: border-box; break-after: avoid; padding-bottom: 10px;"><div class="sc-1agvhen-4 cenNDp" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="sc-1agvhen-8 lfGIEW" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1agvhen-5 bPHPxg" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%;"><div class="sc-1aynn5k-0 UUxyv" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Music Director</p></div></div><div class="sc-1agvhen-6 kFXIzN" style="box-sizing: border-box; width: 250px;">Sir Antonio Pappano</div></div><div class="sc-1agvhen-8 lfGIEW" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1agvhen-5 bPHPxg" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%;"><div class="sc-1aynn5k-0 UUxyv" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Director of Opera</p></div></div><div class="sc-1agvhen-6 kFXIzN" style="box-sizing: border-box; width: 250px;">Oliver Mears</div></div></div></div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-17 fdNUKt" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; width: 250px;"><div class="sc-1aynn5k-0 UUxyv" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">A Co-production with <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Opéra national de Paris</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;">Supported by <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Rolex</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;">The position of Music Director Maestro <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Antonio Pappano </span>is generously supported by<span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px;"> Mrs Susan A. Olde OBE</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;">Generous philanthropic support from <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Julia and Hans Rausing, Alan and Caroline Howard, Aud Jebsen, Beth Madison, John McGinn and Cary Davis, Martin and Jane Houston </span>and<span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px;"> Rena and Sandro Lavery</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;">The role of Werther is underwritten by <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Mercedes T. Bass</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;">The role of Werther is supported by <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The Lady Slynn of Hadley</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;">The role of Sophie is supported by <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;">The role of Charlotte is supported by<span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">John G. Turner and Jerry G. Fischer </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Youth Opera Company is supported by <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;">Yvonne And Bjarne Rieber</span> and <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px;">The Peters Family Foundation Cio</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;">With additional generous philanthropic support from <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Spindrift Al Swaidi</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;"></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;"></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;">IN MEMORY</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px;">This revival is dedicated to the memory of <br style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;" /><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px;">Christian Gasc (1946–2022)</span></p></div></div><h2 class="sc-1wkkcn4-1 sc-1wkkcn4-21 jTVRdS fkjyaa" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 34px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 38px; margin-bottom: 45px; margin-top: 45px; text-transform: uppercase; word-break: break-word;">WERTHER</h2><h3 class="sc-1wkkcn4-2 sc-1wkkcn4-5 dTigPR PrwUe" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">DRAME LYRIQUE IN FOUR ACTS</h3><h3 class="sc-1wkkcn4-2 sc-1wkkcn4-5 dTigPR PrwUe" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">01.07.2023 7:15 PM</h3><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-3 dmCwEG" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-top: 2px; width: 250px;">The 52nd performance by The Royal Opera at the Royal Opera House.</div><h3 class="sc-1wkkcn4-2 sc-1wkkcn4-6 dTigPR dYwjAI" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 25px; max-width: 100%;">APPROXIMATE TIMINGS</h3><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-3 dmCwEG" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-top: 2px; width: 250px;">The performance lasts about 3 hours 10 minutes, including two intervals.</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-22 bhRfD" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-top: 5px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-23 btIRii" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-24 dAqiAZ" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Act I</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-25 iSkziv" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 6px;">45 minutes</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-23 btIRii" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-24 dAqiAZ" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Interval</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-25 iSkziv" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 6px;">25 minutes</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-23 btIRii" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-24 dAqiAZ" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Act II</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-25 iSkziv" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 6px;">35 minutes</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-23 btIRii" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-24 dAqiAZ" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Interval</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-25 iSkziv" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 6px;">25 minutes</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-23 btIRii" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-24 dAqiAZ" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Acts III and IV</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-25 iSkziv" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: 6px;">60 minutes</div></div></div><h3 class="sc-1wkkcn4-2 sc-1wkkcn4-6 dTigPR dYwjAI" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 25px; max-width: 100%;">GUIDANCE</h3><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-3 dmCwEG" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-top: 2px; width: 250px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-27 ihGfit" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 10px 0px 7px; width: 250px;">Suitable for ages 8+</div><div class="sc-1aynn5k-0 UUxyv" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">This production contains stylised depictions of suicide.</p></div></div><h3 class="sc-1wkkcn4-2 sc-1wkkcn4-6 dTigPR dYwjAI" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 25px; max-width: 100%;">CREDITS</h3><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-7 gzAbhM" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-8 pGhrg" style="box-sizing: border-box; break-after: avoid; padding-bottom: 10px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-12 vtuWw" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Music</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Jules Massenet</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Libretto</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet and Georges Hartmann after Johann Wolfgang von Goethe</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Director</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Benoît Jacquot</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Revival Director</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Geneviéve Dufour</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Set Designer</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Charles Edwards</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Costume Designer</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Christian Gasc</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Lighting Designer</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Charles Edwards</div></div></div></div></div><h3 class="sc-1wkkcn4-2 sc-1wkkcn4-6 dTigPR dYwjAI" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 25px; max-width: 100%;">CAST</h3><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-7 gzAbhM" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Gotham SSm A", "Gotham SSm B", Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-8 pGhrg" style="box-sizing: border-box; break-after: avoid; padding-bottom: 10px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-12 vtuWw" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Conducted by</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Antonio Pappano</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">The Bailli</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Alastair Miles</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Johann</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">James Cleverton</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Schmidt</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Christophe Mortagne</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Sophie</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Sarah Gilford</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Werther</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Francesco Demuro replaces Jonas Kaufmann</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Charlotte</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Aigul Akhmetshina</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Brühlmann</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Dawid Kimberg</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Käthchen</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Gabrielė Kupšytė</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Albert</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Gordon Bintner</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Orchestra</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Orchestra of the Royal Opera House</div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-20 iwhrMS" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 4px 0px;"><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-13 fsPGxl" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 100%; order: 0;">Guest Concert Master</div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-14 MSzsX" style="box-sizing: border-box; order: 3; width: 250px;">Magnus Johnston</div></div></div><div class="sc-1wkkcn4-26 xDBsN" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 10px; width: 250px;"><div class="sc-1aynn5k-0 UUxyv" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Gabrielė Kupšytė</span> is a Jette Parker Artist</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;">Actors <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Fiona Eagle, Rebecca Hunt, Basil Patton, Vidal Sancho, Rosy Sanders</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px;">Children<span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px;"> Josh Bortoloso, Nicolai Flutter, Liliana Kapinos, Holly Keefe, Raphy Laming, Mireille Larocque, Anastasia Meani, Arinzé Obi, Hope Shotton </span>Offstage children from the <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px;">Youth Opera Company</span></p></div></div></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /></div><div><br /></div><div>
<b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-54473510320394817662022-07-24T14:44:00.003+02:002022-07-24T14:44:54.684+02:00OperaDuets Travel 2022-06-30: Les Pecheurs de Perles, Staatsoper BerlinWonderful performance with video projection that have great function in the performance.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2mHZ_Rh0Z8T9BdzJQrBmv6V6gO8aJCWkcPF82j2BkAj05bNjw9D46uKuPXVFC-yPPurKKj6KCYFxKePQPTj42v0hjKUOE7d-YqbAbjApCo88zJAxztwXs18C9d5eynuqVfQYrcBE7jmvuYVDLVGIaZ8-xto3pAuZP7YtnuMTba3C5OXLTfuZC5XcUA/s4032/IMG_3839.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2mHZ_Rh0Z8T9BdzJQrBmv6V6gO8aJCWkcPF82j2BkAj05bNjw9D46uKuPXVFC-yPPurKKj6KCYFxKePQPTj42v0hjKUOE7d-YqbAbjApCo88zJAxztwXs18C9d5eynuqVfQYrcBE7jmvuYVDLVGIaZ8-xto3pAuZP7YtnuMTba3C5OXLTfuZC5XcUA/s320/IMG_3839.HEIC" width="320" /></a><br /><div><br /><b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-40038600753863306412022-07-24T14:40:00.000+02:002022-07-24T14:40:20.055+02:00OperaDuets Travel 2022-05-28: Hommage a Maria Callas, Alte Oper Frankfurt<br />Elena Mosuc was fantastic. …<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLYEWn08X9Bly6RMdyFa7kp9Msu0r9CAiENB_gOuCgM3q2VGO3PovzpktVoQsBhyJKqOrFNu8fP68W0Eo_qqUReJQePXgUh4xaRa3xHCl2sS18kOV1aU3uIagjTT9qgPbQ95A6_92D7u99H_J9Btyp6bfr3piHhRKnCKaKnfTmqVhaJ4yzNmXC1PvXQ/s4032/IMG_3552.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLYEWn08X9Bly6RMdyFa7kp9Msu0r9CAiENB_gOuCgM3q2VGO3PovzpktVoQsBhyJKqOrFNu8fP68W0Eo_qqUReJQePXgUh4xaRa3xHCl2sS18kOV1aU3uIagjTT9qgPbQ95A6_92D7u99H_J9Btyp6bfr3piHhRKnCKaKnfTmqVhaJ4yzNmXC1PvXQ/s320/IMG_3552.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-14256851354561217902022-07-10T18:07:00.002+02:002022-07-10T18:07:27.276+02:00OperaDuets Travel 2022-05-18: Barcelona and Benefit Concert for Fundació Montserrat Caballé<div class="tit accent" style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-bottom: none; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: RealTextPro-Regular; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px 4px;"><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; clip-path: polygon(100% 0px, 100% 100%, 0px 100%, 0px 12px, 8px 0px); display: inline-block; font-family: Auditori2020Bold; font-size: 2.25rem; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">PERFORMERS</h2></div><ul style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: RealTextPro-Regular; font-size: 14px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Josep Carreras<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Serena Sáenz<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Montserrat Martí<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Saoia Hernández<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Ruth Lorenzo<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Josep Buforn, piano</ul><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/Concert/2022_0518_220500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/Concert/2022_0518_220500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>First BUS to Oslo. Thon Hotel Terminus in Oslo Centrum. Then train to OSL Airport. SAS SK484 Monday 16th, 2022, at 1105 to Arlanda. Should have been a shorter stop, but then security stopped operations in th airport so it was 4 hrs wait in stead. So I landed in Barcelona 2000. Taxi to the hotel Glories at 2100. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HCgMeeAEGDQwCTrUYbc2kfafcKPlLg1nMMlYciAcrk5psMLOSHqkiaynNwuXhUxx9V4wqy0k62sMenJ5CfWK2mXoR5Ra7K3Czm-8WP0V2Si4-_8oDlz0vuy27PtaN1xHotCBGH7wEP1A3s_EPcu4Yx0kdMRoLfmzKDK88NokNU4NONzNSFQ1Jye7VQ/s4032/IMG_3388.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4HCgMeeAEGDQwCTrUYbc2kfafcKPlLg1nMMlYciAcrk5psMLOSHqkiaynNwuXhUxx9V4wqy0k62sMenJ5CfWK2mXoR5Ra7K3Czm-8WP0V2Si4-_8oDlz0vuy27PtaN1xHotCBGH7wEP1A3s_EPcu4Yx0kdMRoLfmzKDK88NokNU4NONzNSFQ1Jye7VQ/s320/IMG_3388.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div>Tuesday 17th, 2022: National Day of Norway and enjoying Barcelona.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgetMa3Pjip5gdZmJaFnl6kKC_mTA0wFxS4XN8XI65h8JX5wiF_gbuWT6h1pbrKmBz5HMZjtMpPFXKKKjEPP5-Y1ytvRziV4c_Qqp1T4Dx6vtXcIp_-gST-Ngbs2XK0DqQOCPjEYl-mjdabqcjTN2OhsgqFq-E2uqwYQDRiOIN9h5GaiNFDzuLnVDTctA/s4032/IMG_3139.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgetMa3Pjip5gdZmJaFnl6kKC_mTA0wFxS4XN8XI65h8JX5wiF_gbuWT6h1pbrKmBz5HMZjtMpPFXKKKjEPP5-Y1ytvRziV4c_Qqp1T4Dx6vtXcIp_-gST-Ngbs2XK0DqQOCPjEYl-mjdabqcjTN2OhsgqFq-E2uqwYQDRiOIN9h5GaiNFDzuLnVDTctA/s320/IMG_3139.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div>Finally, concert day, Wednesday May 18th, 2022: </div><div>Montserrat Caballé Claus, niese of the Great DIVA, organized the concert and was conferancier. Montserrat Martí Caballé, daughter of Montserrat Caballé (La SUBERBA) and Bernabé Martí. Sadly recently Bernabé Martí also departed from our world. A wonderful tenor, husband and father.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9t3gaIBTp3U-Q67B5LbF77Te8tyQFf5j1lxPuLEiUK_NuL3yPTrbQSwC-GlJLhW2bSTIPNqROa6mnq3Rv0CStGKbX_aC38niF3cEXYWSrLToSLY8moS2nIpCEk9PGz47fB0lzFTxdmDI0KWs1laNMV9Lt2GrwU6aNWIN8W5-fQoDdwX-NH0iApM3V7Q/s991/IMG_3874.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9t3gaIBTp3U-Q67B5LbF77Te8tyQFf5j1lxPuLEiUK_NuL3yPTrbQSwC-GlJLhW2bSTIPNqROa6mnq3Rv0CStGKbX_aC38niF3cEXYWSrLToSLY8moS2nIpCEk9PGz47fB0lzFTxdmDI0KWs1laNMV9Lt2GrwU6aNWIN8W5-fQoDdwX-NH0iApM3V7Q/s320/IMG_3874.jpg" width="310" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwcRJj5g_lm3db0aXpkRb8EiORMgMBPkKmYhZdypaqUrZyoh3U1ZMSIuu6dQqiI9OSX1Cc4SgMt3COL5SBEqA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdxOVhL26EkoV9MqwuldPWTmoM2NO7dayLKO7quTnVonP7I3CGDHAgb_0HLYfzWqRTz9uKvr7C9Jw8gcnvp5nh8mMjCvU1SQm-BR2KEruxqB5Fi38Kh7i-XZxtwgOD0DuVEAVi4ZHozqSKehYz5ByOksaQOhVxOfq8Tdq50_2YcovGgLyhe7guk81uA/s4032/IMG_3234.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdxOVhL26EkoV9MqwuldPWTmoM2NO7dayLKO7quTnVonP7I3CGDHAgb_0HLYfzWqRTz9uKvr7C9Jw8gcnvp5nh8mMjCvU1SQm-BR2KEruxqB5Fi38Kh7i-XZxtwgOD0DuVEAVi4ZHozqSKehYz5ByOksaQOhVxOfq8Tdq50_2YcovGgLyhe7guk81uA/s320/IMG_3234.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OIq9edIRZY8lKLrYtWWyfDqFiMpJpoHgK3pzpfdf-i8s_QPv9ueJFiHpgNrewLxrKttT-9jTYen7IFbmqeZzBUYa5rVU9-zTZsfF-BStOuGn6YK46-xOajcFQyracN1nkNpYMcFQ0W4JueCIdF0SOXhy7L8Acc-tWX5OiKGnuoa4XfsBn2tKJo19nQ/s4032/IMG_3236.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OIq9edIRZY8lKLrYtWWyfDqFiMpJpoHgK3pzpfdf-i8s_QPv9ueJFiHpgNrewLxrKttT-9jTYen7IFbmqeZzBUYa5rVU9-zTZsfF-BStOuGn6YK46-xOajcFQyracN1nkNpYMcFQ0W4JueCIdF0SOXhy7L8Acc-tWX5OiKGnuoa4XfsBn2tKJo19nQ/s320/IMG_3236.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>After the concert we were able to mingle among the stars and then back to the hotel.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thursday, May 19th, 2022. More of Barcelona.</div><div><br /></div><div>Friday, May 20th, 2022. Travelling back home. Direct Flight to Oslo and the flight home. HAPPY!!!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-65842184674508542722022-07-10T17:37:00.000+02:002022-07-10T17:37:04.462+02:00Corona 2020-2022 and Operaduets Travel 2020-2022Last performance I saw live in 2020 was Les Huguenots by Meyerbeer in Deutsche Oper Berlin 2020-03-09. After Berlin I had planned a travel to see Lucrezia Borgia in Auditori Tenerife, March 19th, and in Sevilla El Barberillo de Lavapies, but then Corona closed our borders.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/Huguenots/2020_0308_210633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/Huguenots/2020_0308_210633.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Then finally came 2022 and I felt I could travel again.<br /><div><br /></div><div><b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-86916115891802110432021-05-17T19:41:00.001+02:002021-05-17T19:41:29.722+02:00Norwegian National Day: May 17th. Constitution DayOn May 17, 1814 the Norwegian Constitution was signed in Eidsvoll.<div><br /><div><a class="image" href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fil:Eidsvoll_riksraad_1814.jpeg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0645ad; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.16px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="thumbimage" data-file-height="2234" data-file-width="3330" decoding="async" height="268" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Eidsvoll_riksraad_1814.jpeg/400px-Eidsvoll_riksraad_1814.jpeg" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Eidsvoll_riksraad_1814.jpeg/600px-Eidsvoll_riksraad_1814.jpeg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Eidsvoll_riksraad_1814.jpeg/800px-Eidsvoll_riksraad_1814.jpeg 2x" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(200, 204, 209); vertical-align: middle;" width="400" /></a><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 13.16px; text-align: center;"></span><div class="thumbcaption" style="border: 0px; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.3704px; line-height: 1.4em; padding: 3px;"><div class="magnify" style="float: right; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 0px;"><a class="internal" href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fil:Eidsvoll_riksraad_1814.jpeg" style="background-attachment: initial, initial; background-clip: initial, initial; background-image: linear-gradient(transparent, transparent), url("/w/resources/src/mediawiki.skinning/images/magnify-clip-ltr.svg?8330e"); background-origin: initial, initial; background-position-x: initial, initial; background-position-y: initial, initial; background-repeat: repeat, repeat; background-size: initial, initial; color: #0645ad; display: block; height: 11px; overflow: hidden; text-decoration-line: none; text-indent: 15px; user-select: none; white-space: nowrap; width: 15px;" title="Forstørr"></a></div>Det berømte maleriet <a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C2%ABEidsvold_1814%C2%BB" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration-line: none;" title="">«Eidsvold 1814»</a> ble malt av <a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wergeland" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Oscar Wergeland">Oscar Wergeland</a> 70 år etter grunnlovsforsamlingen og gitt som gave til <a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stortinget" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Stortinget">Stortinget</a> i 1885. <a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Magnus_Falsen" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Christian Magnus Falsen">Christian Magnus Falsen</a> står oppreist og leser fra <a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norges_Grunnlov" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Norges Grunnlov">Grunnloven</a>, mens sorenskriver <a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Frimann_Koren_Christie" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration-line: none;" title="">Wilhelm Frimann Koren Christie</a> sitter ved siden av. I maleriet kan rundt 70 personer av Riksforsamlingens 112 medlemmer identifiseres.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1" style="line-height: 1em; unicode-bidi: isolate; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riksforsamlingen#cite_note-1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration-line: none;">[1]</a></sup> Bildet henger i <a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stortingsbygningen" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Wilhelm Frimann Koren Christie">Stortingssalen</a>.</div><div class="thumbcaption" style="border: 0px; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.3704px; line-height: 1.4em; padding: 3px;">From: <a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riksforsamlingen">https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riksforsamlingen</a><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riksforsamlingen"></a></div><div class="thumbcaption" style="border: 0px; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.3704px; line-height: 1.4em; padding: 3px;">English: h<a href="ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Constituent_Assembly">ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_Constituent_Assembly</a></div><div class="thumbcaption" style="border: 0px; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.3704px; line-height: 1.4em; padding: 3px;"><br /></div><div class="thumbcaption" style="border: 0px; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em; padding: 3px;">Norway was not really just Norway at that time we were under Danish rule, Denmark-Norway. And after our constitution we thought we would be a soveraign state but then Sweden did like the thought of being king over Sweden and Norway and so we were under Swedish rule but a bit freer in Sweden-Norway. But in 1905 we got our own <a href="https://www.royalcourt.no/seksjon.html?tid=28677&sek=27312" target="_blank">King Haakon</a> and then we really ruled ourselves in a parlamentary monarchy.</div><div class="thumbcaption" style="border: 0px; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.3704px; line-height: 1.4em; padding: 3px;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="thumbcaption" style="border: 0px; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em; padding: 3px;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.3704px;">F</span>or reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-11596584968595385322021-05-17T15:10:00.005+02:002021-05-17T15:17:43.603+02:00Celebrating National Day in Norway (May 17, 2021), or everything has changed since Covid19Last year I also celebrated National Day in Norway indoors just looking at Norwegian TV showing all the new ways to celebrate after covid19. This year I will also be watching a bit TV but just not all day. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07xNYe2IVhI9ugaPPps2lHaZFqCvK-CV-OfmCAjOr5cAyjKeKt5nC1eX6sBQ3Znp0l5TZZIJy-Mg-01ztZ6LPNm8oUKtg8Y0GuV7maTdimuIXvBgqcmRZBufpsIR6Lh-nmGDA8CckTmEK/s2048/IMG_2547.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07xNYe2IVhI9ugaPPps2lHaZFqCvK-CV-OfmCAjOr5cAyjKeKt5nC1eX6sBQ3Znp0l5TZZIJy-Mg-01ztZ6LPNm8oUKtg8Y0GuV7maTdimuIXvBgqcmRZBufpsIR6Lh-nmGDA8CckTmEK/s320/IMG_2547.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Photo from http://tv.nrk.no/)</div></div><div><br /><div>Last year (2020) in January my dad died. He was 91,5 years when he died and he had Alzheimers disease and was at the end confined to his bed. The institution he was living in did a great job caring for him. I was lucky enough to sit by his bed on his last day. I hold his hand and I told him we would be fine and that he could pass on now. And so in that night he died. He lived a full life before Alzheimers caught hold of him. Luckily he still knew who he was talking to but his memory was shorter and shorter. My regret is that I never asked my parents a lot of questions about their childhood or even how they met. This is the lesson we should learn: <b>talk and learn from our people while they are still around.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>In February I visited Berlin, Germany for Medea by Cherubini. In March I visited again this time for 3 operas by Meyerbeer. I had further plans for a visit to Canary Islands and Sevilla, Spain and I was just making everything ready when I got a call from work about the shutdown. So suddenly I was cancelling operas here and there and flights but I got the money back from the insurance company so I was good. </div><div><br /></div><div>Obviously I could have continued blogging because I did not get the virus or anything but it just took the wind out of my sails this new situation. </div><div><br /></div><div>Where I live it has been very few infections due to Covid. Had I been living in Bergen or Oslo life would have been so different due to much denser population and more infections. </div><div><br /></div><div>I work as librarian so you would think it would not be possible for me to work from home but library work is quite diverse so of course many things has to be done in the library itself. Because of Covid19 our library chat-room got off much quicker than it normally would. We had been talking for years about having chat, but it was so difficult and impossible. Then chat came and became normal and so now we have librarians that can answer students and staff online from their home. We all have workcomputers that take with us home so that we can work from home even if you feel a little bit ill and it works. And who have not heard about ZOOM this days. Tomorrow I have 2 meetings I have to attend to and I can do that from home because of Zoom and I really think it has been helpful in making our meetings more effective. Luckily my meetings last only 1 hr each. Longer zoom-meetings are really tiresome and gives you head-ache. Longer than 1 or 1,5 hrs than you need breaks but still... Whole days on zoom that must be hell.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><br />
<b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-2316798768904127622020-03-09T15:56:00.001+01:002020-03-09T15:56:34.353+01:00My second opera travel in 2020: Meyerbeer in BerlinSo I am off again. Another opera travel to Berlin. This time my objective is to experience 3 operas by Giacomo Meyerbeer. <br><div><br></div><div>On Thursday 5th I finish early at work. I go back home to see if I have everything ready. Still I forgot something. Maybe I will find it in Berlin. Bus to Oslo 7hrs, train to Airport and then bus to my hotel. </div><div><br></div><div>Friday March 6th I wake up at 5, breakfast and then bus to the airport. At airport 05.50. There I check in my luggage and then security and then wait for boarding. Last time I used EasyJet and landed in Berlin Tegel airport, now it is Norwegian Air Shuttle to Berlin Schönefeld Airport. </div><div><br></div><div>From Schönefeld I went by train S9 to Zoologischer Garten and then U2 to Deutsche Oper and soon I was at my hotel room. </div><div><img id="id_9374_b3e3_25ed_f396" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/YGgomFsa3H4ce6zxZ_cah3JVMInTs8aw7SdP9wMi7JOflZDOlc6B9g1Gb6xaXnU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br>March 6, 2020.</div><div>Le Prophète by Giacomo Meyerbeer at 1830 in Deutsche Oper Berlin: music and singing was wonderful, the Regie less so. Was all the violence, rape scenes and nudity necessary? And why did Oberthal win in the end and Jean ends only his own life. But the singing was divine, especially Clémentine Margaine, our Fidés. Brava!! Bravissima!!!</div><div><br></div><div>Saturday March 7, 2020. </div><div>Dinorah by Giacomo Meyerbeer at 1930 in Deutsche Oper Berlin. Opera Konzertant with Rocío Pèrez as Dinorah. She sang and acted superbly. It was a great opera evening!!!</div><div><br></div><div>Sunday March 8, 2020. </div><div>The opera starts at 1600 and lasts 5 hours. Les Huguenots by Giacomo Meyerbeer. Wonderful singing but I need time to digest the whole production. </div><div><br></div><div>Monday March 9, 2020. </div><div>And now the travel home again. But I will not go by bus from Oslo Gardermoen airport, I will go by plane. Double prize but I am home much earlier. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-18553263405101196072020-02-27T18:49:00.003+01:002020-02-27T19:23:33.222+01:00Medea (Cherubini) in Berlin Staatsoper 2020-02-212020-02-21 Medea (Cherubini), Staatsoper (Berlin)<br />
<br />
MÉDÉE = Sonya Yoncheva<br />
JASON = Francesco Demuro<br />
CRÉON = Iain Paterson<br />
DIRCÉ = Slávka Zámečníková<br />
NÉRIS = Marina Prudenskaya<br />
BEGLEITERIN DER DIRCÉ = Serena Sáenz<br />
ZWEITE BEGLEITERIN DER DIRCÉ = Aytaj Shikhalizada<br />
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Oksana Lyniv, conductor<br />
STAATSOPERNCHOR<br />
STAATSKAPELLE BERLIN<br />
<br />
DIRECTOR Andrea Breth<br />
SET DESIGN Martin Zehetgruber<br />
COSTUMES Carla Teti<br />
LIGHT Olaf Freese<br />
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When I came into the famous Staatsoper I suddenly realised that this was not only Medea in French but also with French dialogue. So this was not really the whole opera MEDEA but a inferior Medée. The cast was wonderful. The set design was ugly. The Regie was not true to the music or dialogue, it was on sometimes but then terribly off.<br />
<br />
Oksana Lynov conducted Staatskapelle. Already in Ouverture I heard something was not right. It was not the ouveture that I had listened to when listening to Maria Callas studio and live recordings of Cherubini's opera Medea.<br />
<br />
Then the opera started with Dircé's supporters holding her arms in an torturous grip while singing why is Dircé not happy with her coming marriage to Jason. Serena Sáenz had a beautiful soprano voice and I was thinking this Medée might just be good even if the Regie went against the happenings on the stage. Aytaj Shikhalizada was a mezzo soprano but her voice was not so pleasant to the ear. It was no doubt a large voice but it was fuzzy and it was not together. Then our Dircé sang. Slávka Zámečníková has a wonderful soprano voice and it was a joy to hear her aria. Unfortunately the regie was not on her side.<br />
<br />
Then came the first French dialogue. The Staatsopernchor sang well. This is Medea, a Greek tragedy. But the set design is a just dull, white, ware house dump. No king, just a greedy man who wants all that Jason have robbed/bought with his wife Medea. So how to get rich, marry my daughter to Jason of the Golden Fleece etc. And the Regie even have Dircé who does not care for Jason or his children, when in original opera it is Glauce (Italian name for Dircé) who asks her father to spare the children of Jason. But we have the stupid French dialogue where we could have had great singing.<br />
<br />
Jason is already cheating on Dircé with one of her supporters (the mezzo). He shows little care of his sons on stage. Then we have Francesco Demuro singing Jasons aria where he is showing Dircé why he left Medea, his cruel wife. When Creon, Dircé's father, sings he is dignified, in dialogue less so. Iain Paterson was singing Creon well. Finally Medea arrives, unfortunately dialogue followes. Creon and Dircé sang in outrage. Creon tries to hinder Direé to have her say (Regie idea). Not a great family life.<br />
<br />
Before Medea can sing, we have to suffer more dialogue. Then Sonya Yoncheva can sing Medea's aria. Before the duet between Medea and Jason, more dialogue. And then the fire can burn in this fiery duet. Jason in this production does not love Dircé but he is really still into Medea. Hates her but needs to touch her.<br />
<br />
So much great music was never played and sung because of French dialogue.... But the singing when allowed was great so that one could believe this was Medea.<br />
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Medea was still a real Medea. But her entrance could have been great.<br />
<br />
Act 2/3<br />
<br />
I cannot go on. Other than say I got half an opera for the prize of a whole one. Sonya Yoncheva was dressed and acted as Medea and sang like a goddess. The whole cast was wonderful but the choice of gutting the opera with French dialogue, ugly set design and a regie that wanted to tell another story.<br />
<br />
Neris aria was wonderfully sung by Marina Prudenskaya.<br />
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The natural beauty of this opera was destroyed by the dialogue, only when there was no dialogue only music was the opera really alive. Yet, when the opera was over, we felt a high but it was really only because of Sonya Yoncheva.<br />
<br />
But I missed so much music and singing. Youtube with the whole Medea in Italian with Caballé and Carreras<br />
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<a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-medea-yoncheva-castronovo-breth-barenboim-staatsoper-berlin-october-2018">https://bachtrack.com/review-medea-yoncheva-castronovo-breth-barenboim-staatsoper-berlin-october-2018</a><br />
"The problem, to paraphrase that same booklet note, is this: how to get an international cast of singers to make sense of the tirades of classical French verse that fill out the gaps between musical numbers. In the later 19th century, and when Maria Callas gave the work a boost in the mid-20th century, the answer was to perform it with inauthentic recitatives."<br />
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<h4>
I love the inauthentic recitatives because that gives Medea life.</h4>
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<b style="background-color: #333333; color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html" style="color: red; text-decoration-line: none;">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-83697610177630924862020-02-22T19:52:00.001+01:002020-02-22T19:52:37.642+01:00My first opera travel in 2020: Medea in Berlin After work I went directly to the bus stop and soon I was off. Thursday 20.2.2020 was alright but on the mountain it was stop and go, stop and go, but very slowly. So that is where I and a lot of different cars, buses and trailers. <div><img id="id_310c_dea_73cb_bac5" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ZGpFLkmuYVIGdjdO0DKbym9DLGspoGewZ8RjwFTNaZb59QFPSLdo7HHdq2TYbrU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br>2 hrs delayed to Oslo. 2330 at my Hotel. Slept well.</div><div><br></div><div>21.2.2020 off from my Hotel to the AirPort. Will the flight also be 2 hrs delayed? No, but every passenger of the flight to Oslo was checked hence a delay. Fully booked plane means further delay because of the luggage. Efficient staff means we might be off just 10 minutes delayed, or... Well, we arrived at Tegel AirPort 10 minstes ahead of schedule so that was good. </div><div><br></div><div>Then it was bus and u-bahn to my hotel. The hotel has a godspot for internet. The internet is spotty and not secure because the Evangelical Church has no interest in your data. Really? Other people are free to play with the data. There is also a chapel in the hotel. I had no clue that the hotel was religious, Christian in all deviousness. </div><div><br></div><div>At 1530 I have arrived and I am looking forward to Medea by Cherubini even if it is sung in French. No Callas as Medea, not even Caballé, a mere mortal will sing the role of the witchious Medea. </div><div><img id="id_692a_59b6_2d36_e6ab" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/V30fGKmlIFnPEvr0ZM7GaToOl6uSZsAPnaDRHN57qi2NfWuA_D-r5pO2cqEAUW0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div><div>Staatsoper Berlin, 2020-02-21 at 1930:</div><div>Medea (Medée) was sung and acted by Sonya Yoncheva. A Medea to die for. All other roles was also sung and acted marvelously. It was stunning but there was a dissonance between the text and the production. The production was good but with a better eye to every detail it could have been so much better. </div><div><br></div><div>Cherubini composed Medea. It is a great vehicle for soprano to be Medea. This was a different Medea, not just that it was sung in French but it even had dialogues. Already in the ouverture I heard a different music than in my 3 opera cds with Maria Callas. So this was not the usual Medea it had many small differences from my usual Medea. Musically the chances was not at all bad. The dialogue is another issue. The singers was great in the dialogues but did the dialogues belong there. I would have enjoyed more a fully sung opera. </div><div><br></div><div>Poor Dirce, she has to marry Jason who is already cheating on her. But the aria is like she is just in love with Jason and terrified that Medea, Jason’s wife will turn up. Her father wants the riches that Jason has wun so he is eager to marry off his daughter whatever she wants it or not. </div><div><br></div><div>Jason must sing of love of Dirce, but he is kissing her handmaiden. He supposedly love his children but show no care for them until they are in mortal danger. He hates Medea in his singing but touches her as he is truly attracted to Medea. </div><div><br></div><div>Medea is a stranger. She is acting strangely and she is powerful and seductive. She loves Jason and her children. But in her anger she is in the end willing to kill her children to punish their father. Gloriously sung and then it ends. </div><div><br></div><div>After 3 hours with one short interval after act 2 we stumbled on to the streets of Berlin still dazed by Medea, by Sonya Yoncheva. Wow!</div><div><br></div><div>Then off to sleep. </div><div><br></div><div>2020-02-22 Saturday </div><div>A cold and windy day in Berlin. I go shopping in Alexanderplatz. Getting headaches. Eats a pizza. I will buy a hamburger from McDonald’s and eat it at my hotel. </div><div><br></div><div>2020-02-23 Sunday</div><div>Travel home. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-43001823837095534502020-01-06T17:46:00.002+01:002020-05-06T16:40:39.475+02:00The Lost Performances of 2019: 2019-08-04 Plácido Domingo 50th Anniversary, Arena di Verona<style type="text/css">
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<span style="color: red;">2019-08-04 Plácido Domingo 50th Anniversary, Arena di Verona</span></div>
Review <a href="https://seenandheard-international.com/2019/10/viva-verdi-placido-domingos-50th-anniversary-gala-at-arena-di-verona/">https://seenandheard-international.com/2019/10/viva-verdi-placido-domingos-50th-anniversary-gala-at-arena-di-verona/</a><br />
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<strong>Production:</strong>Director – Stefano Trespidi<br />
Set and projection design – Ezio Antonelli<br />
Costumes – Silvio Bonetti<br />
Choreography – Giuseppe Picone<br />
Lighting – Paolo Mazzon<br />
Chorus master – Vito Lombardi</div>
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<strong>Nabucco</strong>Overture<br />
<strong>Act III –</strong> ‘Va, pensiero’; ‘Oh chi piange? … Del futuro nel buio discerno’<br />
<strong>Act IV</strong>Zaccaria – Marko Mimica<br />
Nabucco – Plácido Domingo<br />
Fenena – Géraldine Chauvet<br />
Ishmael – Arturo Chacón-Cruz<br />
Anna – Elisabeth Zizzo<br />
Abigaille – Anna Pirozzi<br />
High Priest of Baal – Romano Dal Zovo<br />
Abdallo – Carlo Bosi</div>
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<strong><em>Macbeth</em></strong><strong> (Act IV)</strong>Macduff – Arturo Chacón-Cruz<br />
Malcolm – Carlo Bosi<br />
Lady Macbeth – Anna Pirozzi<br />
A Doctor – Romano Dal Zovo<br />
Lady-in-waiting – Lorrie Garcia<br />
Macbeth – Plácido Domingo</div>
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<strong><em>Simon Boccanegra</em></strong><strong>Act II – </strong>O inferno! … Amelia qui! … Sento avvampar nell’anima’; ‘Tu qui? … Parla, in tuo cor virgineo’; ‘Figlia? … Vecchio inerme il tuo braccio colpisce?’<br />
<strong>Act III – </strong>‘M’ardon le tempia …’; ‘Chi veggo! … Gran Dio, li benedici’<br />
Gabriele Adorno – Arturo Chacón-Cruz<br />
Amelia – Anna Pirozzi<br />
Simon Boccanegra – Plácido Domingo<br />
Fiesco – Marko Mimica</div>
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<b>For reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com</b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-19769825383474821542020-01-06T17:38:00.000+01:002020-01-06T17:39:10.545+01:00The Lost Performances of 2019: Giovanna d'Arco in Teatro Real Madrid, July 20192019-07-14 Giovanna d'Arco (G. Verdi), Teatro Real (Madrid)<br />
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Carlo VII: Michael Fabiano<br />
Giacomo: Plácido Domingo<br />
Giovanna: Carmen Giannattasio<br />
Delil: Moisés Marín<br />
: Fernando Radó<br />
Musical director: James Conlon<br />
Chorus Master: Andrés Máspero<br />
Review: <a href="https://operawire.com/teatro-real-de-madrid-2018-19-review-giovanna-darco/">https://operawire.com/teatro-real-de-madrid-2018-19-review-giovanna-darco/</a><br />
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But I have seen it theatrically in Bilbao in 2013.<br />
<a href="http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/GiovannaDArco/2013_0921.html">http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/GiovannaDArco/2013_0921.html</a><br />
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<b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-18962607516343198322020-01-06T17:29:00.003+01:002020-01-06T17:29:50.306+01:00The Lost Performances of 2019: Il Trovatore at Teatro Real, July 2019<a href="https://operavision.eu/en/library/performances/flashback/il-trovatore-teatro-real">https://operavision.eu/en/library/performances/flashback/il-trovatore-teatro-real</a><br />
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Count di Luna - Ludovic Tézier </div>
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Leonora - Maria Agresta </div>
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Azucena - Ekaterina Semenchuk </div>
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Manrico - Francesco Meli </div>
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Ferrando - Roberto Tagliavini </div>
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Inés - Casandre Berthon </div>
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Ruiz - Fabián Lara </div>
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A messenger - Moisés Marín </div>
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Chorus Teatro Real </div>
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Orchestra Teatro Real </div>
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Music Giuseppe Verdi </div>
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Text Salvadore Cammarano </div>
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Conductor Maurizio Benini </div>
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Director Francisco Negrín </div>
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Set Designer Louis Desiré </div>
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Costume Designer Louis Desiré </div>
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Lighting Designer Bruno Poet </div>
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Chorus Master Andrés Máspero </div>
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2019-07-13</div>
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<b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-21226639104915758592020-01-06T17:20:00.001+01:002020-01-06T17:20:23.118+01:00The Lost Performances of 2019 - Il Trovatore in Arena, July 20192019-07-07<br />
VERDI: IL TROVATORE<br />
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Orchestra, Choir & Ballet: Arena di Verona<br />
Conductor: Pier Giorgio Morandi<br />
Director: Franco Zeffirelli<br />
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Leonora: Anna Netrebko<br />
Manrico: Yusif Eyvazov<br />
Graf Luna: Luca Salsi<br />
Azucena: Dolora Zajick<br />
Ferrando: Riccardo Fassi<br />
Ines: Elisabetta Zizzo<br />
Ruiz: Carlo Bosi<br />
An old Gypsy: Dario Giorgelè<br />
A Messenger: Antonello Ceron<br />
<br />
Costume: Raimonda Gaetani<br />
Choreography: El Camborio Revival by Lucia Real<br />
Fencing Master: Renzo Musumeci Greco<br />
Chorus Master: Vito Lombardi<br />
Ballet Coordinator: Gaetano Petrosino<br />
Director of Stage Design: Michele Olces<br />
<br />
Luckily I saw it on 3Sat at home. Loved it.<br />
<br />
But I had seen it before in Verona: <a href="http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/Trovatore/2013_0724.html">http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/Trovatore/2013_0724.html</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/Trovatore/2013_0724_235806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/Trovatore/2013_0724_235806.jpg" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-25783845680548440972020-01-06T17:04:00.001+01:002020-01-06T17:04:23.171+01:00The Lost Performances of 2019 - Macbeth in Berlin, May 20192019-05-26 Macbeth (G. Verdi), Staatsoper Berlin<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
MACBETH<br />
Plácido Domingo<br />
<br />
<br />
BANCO<br />
René Pape<br />
<br />
<br />
LADY MACBETH<br />
Ekaterina Semenchuk<br />
<br />
<br />
KAMMERFRAU<br />
Evelin Novak<br />
<br />
<br />
MACDUFF<br />
Fabio Sartori<br />
<br />
<br />
MALCOLM<br />
Andrés Moreno García<br />
<br />
<br />
DOCTOR<br />
David Oštrek<br />
<br />
<br />
MURDERER, APPEARANCE<br />
Giorgi Mtchedlishvili<br />
<br />
<br />
ZWEI ERSCHEINUNGEN<br />
Solisten des Kinderchors der Staatsoper Unter den Linden<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
MUSICAL DIRECTOR<br />
Daniel Barenboim<br />
<br />
<br />
DIRECTOR<br />
Harry Kupfer<br />
<br />
<br />
SET DESIGNER<br />
Hans Schavernoch<br />
<br />
<br />
COSTUMES<br />
Yan Tax<br />
<br />
<br />
LIGHT<br />
Olaf Freese<br />
<br />
<br />
VIDEO<br />
Thomas Reimer<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.opera-online.com/en/items/productions/macbeth-staatsoper-unter-den-linden-berlin-2019-2018">https://www.opera-online.com/en/items/productions/macbeth-staatsoper-unter-den-linden-berlin-2019-2018</a><br />
<br />
Luckily I have seen Placido as Macbeth before:<br />
<a href="http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/Macbeth/2015_0207.html">http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/Macbeth/2015_0207.html</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/Macbeth/2015_0207_210716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/Macbeth/2015_0207_210716.jpg" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-75841548864895952752019-02-21T13:18:00.002+01:002019-02-21T13:18:28.363+01:00Montserrat Caballé eternel ... Eternal Caballé<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">María de Montserrat Viviana Concepción Caballé i Folch</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><small style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.9px;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Isabella_the_Catholic" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Order of Isabella the Catholic">OIC</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Order_of_Alfonso_X,_the_Wise" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise">OAXS</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Merit_of_the_Federal_Republic_of_Germany" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany">OMFRG</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legion_of_Honour" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Legion of Honour">LH</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Merit_of_the_Italian_Republic" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Order of Merit of the Italian Republic">OMIR</a></small><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> (</span><small style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.9px;">Catalan: </small><span class="IPA" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" title="Representation in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Catalan" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none !important;" title="Help:IPA/Catalan">[munsəˈrat kəβəˈʎe i ˈfoɫk]</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">; 12 April 1933 – 6 October 2018) was a </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaniards" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Spaniards">Spanish</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operatic_soprano" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" title="Operatic soprano">operatic soprano</a>. (Wikipedia)<br />
<br />
<img alt="Eternal Caballe" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/514r-KtifcL.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/eternal-caball%C3%A9">A review from Grammophone</a>. But I think this is a wonderful and perfect compilation of Montserrat Caballé's work.</span><br />
<br />
Eternal Caballe (CD, Compilation) album cover<br />
<a href="https://www.discogs.com/Caballe-Eternal-Caballe/release/9954899">Caballe* – Eternal Caballe</a><br />
Label:<br />
RCA – PD 75260 (2) 9H, BMG España – PD 75260 (2) 9H<br />
Format:<br />
2 × CD, Compilation<br />
Country:<br />
Spain<br />
Released:<br />
1991<br />
Genre:<br />
Classical, Stage & Screen<br />
<br />
<br />
Tracklist Hide Credits<br />
Vol. 1<br />
1-1<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Hijo De La Luna<br />
Arranged By – Manel Santisteban<br />
Orchestra – English Chamber Orchestra<br />
Piano – J. A. Amargos*<br />
Producer, Written-By, Arranged By, Conductor – José María Cano<br />
Violone – Gavyn Wright<br />
5:20<br />
1-2<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Ojos Verdes<br />
Conductor, Arranged By – José Collado<br />
Orchestra – English Chamber Orchestra<br />
Written-By – Quiroga*, León*, Valverde*<br />
4:56<br />
1-3<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Paraules D' Amor<br />
Arranged By, Conductor, Piano – Ricardo Miralles*<br />
Orchestra – The Philharmonia Orchestra*<br />
Written-By – Joan Manuel Serrat<br />
4:50<br />
1-4<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>El Dia Que Naci Yo<br />
Conductor, Arranged By – José Collado<br />
Orchestra – English Chamber Orchestra<br />
Written-By – Mostazo*, Quintero*, Guillén*<br />
4:41<br />
1-5<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor<br />
Conductor – José Collado<br />
Guitar – Manuel Cubedo<br />
Orchestra – English Chamber Orchestra<br />
Written-By – A García Segura*, J. Rodrigo Vidre*<br />
5:51<br />
Lucrezia Borgia<br />
1-6<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Tranquilo Ei Poa... Com'e Bello<br />
Conductor – Nicola Rescigno<br />
Orchestra – The Philharmonia Orchestra*<br />
Written-By – Gaetano Donizetti<br />
8:39<br />
Le Cid<br />
1-7<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Pleurez, Pleurez Mes Yeux<br />
Conductor – José Collado<br />
Orchestra – The Philharmonia Orchestra*<br />
Written-By – Jules Massenet<br />
6:02<br />
Carmen<br />
1-8<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Habanera<br />
Chorus – Ambrosian Opera Chorus*<br />
Chorus Master – John McCarthy<br />
Conductor – José Collado<br />
Orchestra – The Philharmonia Orchestra*<br />
Written-By – Georges Bizet<br />
4:17<br />
Samson Et Dalila<br />
1-9<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix<br />
Conductor – José Collado<br />
Orchestra – The Philharmonia Orchestra*<br />
Written-By – Camille Saint-Saens*<br />
6:50<br />
Gianni Schicchi<br />
1-10<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>O Mio Babbino Caro<br />
Conductor – José Collado<br />
Orchestra – The Philharmonia Orchestra*<br />
Written-By – Giacomo Puccini<br />
2:34<br />
Adriana Lecouvreur<br />
1-11<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Io Son L'umile Acella<br />
Conductor – G. Masini*<br />
Orchestra – Orchestre Symphinque De Barcelone*<br />
Written-By – Francesco Cilea<br />
3:57<br />
Rigoletto<br />
1-12<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Caro Nome<br />
Conductor – G. Masini*<br />
Orchestra – Orchestre Symphinque De Barcelone*<br />
Written-By – Giuseppe Verdi<br />
6:21<br />
I Vespri Siciliani<br />
1-13<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Mercé, Dilette Amiche<br />
Conductor – G. Masini*<br />
Orchestra – Orchestre Symphinque De Barcelone*<br />
Written-By – Giuseppe Verdi<br />
3:20<br />
Vol. 2<br />
Norma<br />
2-1<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Casta Diva<br />
Chorus – Ambrosian Opera Chorus*<br />
Conductor – Carlo Felice Cillario<br />
Orchestra – London Philharmonia Orchestra*<br />
Written-By – Vincenzo Bellini<br />
6:44<br />
Anna Bolena<br />
2-2<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Plangete Voi?... Al Dolce Guidami<br />
Conductor – Carlo Felice Cillario<br />
Orchestra – Orchestre Symphinque De Barcelone*<br />
Written-By – Gaetano Donizetti<br />
10:00<br />
Maria Stuarda<br />
2-3<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Escena Final<br />
Chorus – Ambrosian Opera Chorus*<br />
Conductor – Nicola Rescigno<br />
Orchestra – The Philharmonia Orchestra*<br />
Written-By – Gaetano Donizetti<br />
5:32<br />
Roberto Devereux<br />
2-4<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>E Sara In Questi Orribili Momenti... Vivi Ingrato A Lei D'accanto<br />
Choir – Unknown Artist<br />
Conductor – Carlo Felice Cillario<br />
Orchestra – Unknown Artist<br />
Written-By – Gaetano Donizetti<br />
7:09<br />
L'assedio Di Corinto<br />
2-5<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Giusto Cie! In Tal Periglio<br />
Chorus, Orchestra – Orchestre Et Chœur De L'Opéra De La RCA Italiana*<br />
Conductor – Carlo Felice Cillario<br />
Written-By – Gioacchino Rossini<br />
3:30<br />
La Traviata<br />
2-6<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>E Strano... Sempre Libera<br />
Chorus, Orchestra – Orchestre Et Chœur De L'Opéra De La RCA Italiana*<br />
Conductor – Georges Prêtre<br />
Written-By – Giuseppe Verdi<br />
10:58<br />
Il Trovatore<br />
2-7<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>D'amor Sull'ali Rosee<br />
Conductor – G. Masini*<br />
Orchestra – Orchestre Symphinque De Barcelone*<br />
Written-By – Giuseppe Verdi<br />
5:30<br />
Louise<br />
2-8<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Depuis Le Jour<br />
Conductor – Carlo Felice Cillario<br />
Orchestra – Orchestre Symphinque De Barcelone*<br />
Written-By – Gustave Charpentier<br />
5:58<br />
La Cancion Del Olvido<br />
2-9<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Marinela<br />
Conductor – Eugenio M. Marco*<br />
Orchestra – Orchestre Symphinque De Barcelone*<br />
Written-By – F. Romero*, G. Fernandez Shaw*, J. Serrano*<br />
2:17<br />
El Niño Judio<br />
2-10<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>De España Vengo<br />
Conductor – Eugenio M. Marco*<br />
Orchestra – Orchestre Symphinque De Barcelone*<br />
Written-By – A. Paso*, G. Alvarez*, P. Luna*<br />
6:39<br />
The Phantom Of The Opera<br />
2-11<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again<br />
Conductor – Martin Yates (2)<br />
Orchestra – The Philharmonia Orchestra*<br />
Written-By – Andrew Lloyd Webber<br />
3:30<br />
Hijo De La Luna<br />
2-12<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Dis-Moi Lune D'argent<br />
Adapted By – Diego Burgard<br />
Orchestra – English Chamber Orchestra<br />
Piano – J. A. Amargos*<br />
Producer, Written-By, Conductor – José María Cano<br />
Violone – Gavyn Wright<br />
5:20<br />
Companies, etc.<br />
Pressed By – Ibermemory, S.A.<br />
Phonographic Copyright (p) – BMG Music<br />
Distributed By – BMG Music<br />
Copyright (c) – BMG Music<br />
Copyright (c) – Ba-Ba Blaxi Music<br />
Copyright (c) – Seem, S.A.<br />
Copyright (c) – Southern Music Española, S.A.<br />
Copyright (c) – Auditorio Joaquín Rodrigo de las Rozas<br />
Copyright (c) – G. Ricordi & Co.<br />
Copyright (c) – Éditions Durand<br />
Copyright (c) – United Music Publishers Ltd.<br />
Copyright (c) – The Really Useful Group Ltd.<br />
Engineered At – Estudios Eurosonic<br />
Engineered At – Abbey Road Studios<br />
Engineered At – All Saints Church Petersham<br />
Engineered At – Surrey Sound Studios<br />
Printed By – Indugraf Madrid, S.A.<br />
Credits<br />
Engineer – John Kurlander, Luis Fernandez Soria*, Luis Villena, Tryggvy Tryggvason*<br />
Executive-Producer – Jordi Mateu<br />
Other [Maquilleur] – Carlos Suarez<br />
Photography By – Michael Wray<br />
Producer – David Harvey (tracks: 1-2 to 2-11), Marian Freeman<br />
Soprano Vocals – Montserrat Caballé<br />
Notes<br />
℗© 1991 BMG Ariola S.A.<br />
<br />
<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
© 2019 Discogs® Terms of Service Privacy Policy Cookie Policy English <br />
<br />
<b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-66395346843919276842019-02-21T12:54:00.003+01:002019-02-21T12:54:47.071+01:00December 5, 2018: Simon Boccanegra in London<a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/2018/1205_Boccanegra.html">2018-12-05</a> Simon Boccanegra (Verdi), Royal Opera House (London)<br />
<br />
Simon Boccanegra = Carlos Álvarez<br />
Maria Boccanegra (Amelia) = Hrachuhi Bassenz<br />
Jacopo Fiesco = Ferruccio Furlanetto<br />
Gabriele Adorno = Francesco Meli<br />
Paolo Albiani = Mark Rucker<br />
Pietro = Simon Shimbambu<br />
<br />
<br />
Henrik Nánási, conductor<br />
Royal Opera House Chorus and Orchestra<br />
<br />
Director - Elijah Moshinsky<br />
Set designer - Michael Yeargan<br />
Costume designer - Peter J. Hall<br />
Lighting designer - John Harrison<br />
Fight director - Philip d'Orléans<br />
<br />
A wonderful production with great singers. Ferrucio Furlanetto in a blond wig as Jacopo Fiesco. Carlos Alvarez as Simon Boccanegra. Francesco Meli as Gabriele Adorno. Mark Rucker as Paolo. Great singers with great acting skills. Hrachuhi Bassenz was a bit disappointing in her aria, but was great in duets and ensembles. Simon Shimbambu was Pietro and I am sure he was great.<br />
<br />
A great Night at the Opera.<br />
<br />
<b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-7540002147908603382018-09-26T16:41:00.001+02:002018-09-26T16:41:18.883+02:00Macbeth in Firenze 2018-07-13<div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font class="size16 Helvetica16" style="line-height: 23px; min-height: 23px;"><a target="_self" href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/2018/index.html">2018</a></font><font class="size16 Helvetica16" style="line-height: 23px; min-height: 23px;">-07-13</font><font class="size14 Helvetica14" style="line-height: 21px; min-height: 21px;"> </font><font class="size14 Helvetica14" style="line-height: 21px; min-height: 21px;">Macbeth (Verdi), </font><font class="size14 Helvetica14" style="line-height: 21px; min-height: 21px;"><a target="_self" href="http://www.operadifirenze.it/en/">Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino</a></font><font class="size14 Helvetica14" style="line-height: 21px; min-height: 21px;"> (Firenze)<br></font></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size14 Helvetica14" style="line-height: 21px; min-height: 21px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b>Macbeth</b></font><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"> = Luca Salsi<br></font></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b>Lady Macbeth</b></font><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"> = Vittoria Yeo<br></font></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b>Macduff</b></font><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"> = Francesco Meli<br></font></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b>Banco</b></font><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"> = Riccardo Zanellato<br></font></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b>Malcolm</b></font><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"> = Riccardo Rados<br></font></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b>Dama di Lady Macbeth</b></font><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"> = Antonella Carpenito<br></font></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b>Medico </b></font><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;">= Adriano Gramigni<br></font></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b>Un Sicario</b></font><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"> = Giovanni Mazzei<br></font></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b><i>Riccardo Muti</i></b></font><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;">, conductor<br></font></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Orchestra e Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino</font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><div><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Opera in concert with Riccardo Muti conducting. <br></font></div><div><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></font></div><div><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Giuseppe Verdi is a genious but he has some weakness. The witches are not scary because the music are not scary and this time when it is just an Opera in concert version especially with Muti conducting it is just beautiful Verdi singing.<br></font></div><div><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></font></div><div><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Riccardo Muti Is a genious but he is all about the correctnes of music and with Macbeth that does not work. So there was beautiful music with beautiful singing but I was bored. If had not known the story I would would not get that it was was not working because there should have been som drama. No drama. Beautiful singing from everybody except when the children was singing. <br></font></div><div><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></font></div><div><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I realized one thing and that was that Macbeth needs a chorus that does more than just sing beautifully but with Muti we cannot have that because he just want the music and singing to be precise. <br></font></div><div><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></font></div><div><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the middle of the opera when only the orchestra was playing I was so bored that I just wanted to go back to my hotel. Beautiful music and utterly boring. <br></font></div><div><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></font></div><div><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The concert version of Macbeth was a 50 years celebration of the debut of Riccardo Muti in Firenze.<br></font></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#FFFFFF" class="size11 Helvetica11" style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, adobe-helvetica, "Arial Narrow"; line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><br></font></div></font></div> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-44757574231058765002018-09-26T16:36:00.001+02:002018-09-26T16:38:39.069+02:00Norma in Frankfurt 2018-06-23<div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font class="size16 Helvetica16" style="line-height: 23px; min-height: 23px;"><a target="_self" href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/2018/index.html">201</a></font><font class="size16 Helvetica16" style="line-height: 23px; min-height: 23px;"><a target="_self" href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/2018/index.html">8</a></font><font class="size16 Helvetica16" style="line-height: 23px; min-height: 23px;">-06-23 </font><font class="size14 Helvetica14" style="line-height: 21px; min-height: 21px;">Norma (Bellini), </font><font class="size14 Helvetica14" style="line-height: 21px; min-height: 21px;"><a target="_self" href="http://www.oper-frankfurt.de/">Oper Frankfurt</a><br></font></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size14 Helvetica14" style="line-height: 21px; min-height: 21px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a target="_self" href="http://info.royaloperahouse.org/Home/Index.cfm"></a><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Norma = Elza van den Heever</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Pollione = Stefano La Colla</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Adalgisa = Gaëlle Arquez</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Oroveso = Robert Pomakov</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Clotilde = Alison King *</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Flavio = Ingyu Hwang</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b></b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b><i>Antonino Fogliani</i></b></font><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;">, conductor<br></font></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Oper Fankfurt's Chorus<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b></b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Director - Christof Loy</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Set Designer - Raimund Orfeo Voigt</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Costume Designer - Ursula Renzenbrink</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Lighting Designer - Olaf Winter</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Chorus Master - Tilman Michael</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Dramaturge - Konrad Kuhn</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b></b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">* Member of the Opera Studio</b></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></b></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><img src="blob:file:///30ed611c-e67f-44a8-8883-fdc85dc79254" id="id_3291_ad45_e6e8_b148" style="width: 20px; height: auto;"><img src="blob:file:///c8fc5ba0-dcd1-4f26-973d-d7a0e27b58c2"></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></b></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div align="left"><font class="size12 Helvetica12" style="line-height: 18px; min-height: 18px;">Frankfurt was a disappointment after Marseille. It was colder and the production was annoying.<br></font></div><div align="left"><font class="size12 Helvetica12" style="line-height: 18px; min-height: 18px;"><br></font></div><div align="left"><font class="size12 Helvetica12" style="line-height: 18px; min-height: 18px;">Elza van den Heever was an amazing Norma, Gaelle Arquez also as Adalgisa, and so was Stefano La Colla as Pollione.<br></font></div><div align="left"><font class="size12 Helvetica12" style="line-height: 18px; min-height: 18px;">An amazing Norma except that the production was an distraction. Personregie was phenomenal, but the change of time, place and even how Norma and Pollione met (in the overture) made it hard to enjoy. The singing and acting would have made it the greatest Norma I have seen live and recorded but the scenography etc was annoying. <br></font></div><div align="left"><font class="size12 Helvetica12" style="line-height: 18px; min-height: 18px;"><br></font></div><div align="left"><font class="size12 Helvetica12" style="line-height: 18px; min-height: 18px;">Elza van de Heever has everything in her voice and she can sing and jump on a table. Gaelle Arguez has a dark mezzo voice and it has great volume. Stefano La Colla was a full-voiced Pollione, a beautiful and mature tenor voice.<br></font></div><div align="left"><font class="size12 Helvetica12" style="line-height: 18px; min-height: 18px;"><br></font></div><div align="left"><font class="size12 Helvetica12" style="line-height: 18px; min-height: 18px;">The director Christof Loy loves Norma and bel canto but he decided to make this about 2WW love between German officer and Netherlands partisans. The story he wanted to tell did not fit the libretto of Norma.<br></font></div><div><font class="size12 Helvetica12" style="line-height: 18px; min-height: 18px;"><br></font></div><div><font class="size12 Helvetica12" style="line-height: 18px; min-height: 18px;">In Oslo I saw the best Norma and it seemed in the beginning that Frankfurt would use the same production. But some disagreement made the hastily get Christof Loy. DISAPPOINTMENT!!</font></div></font></div> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-81593467642912927332018-09-26T16:34:00.001+02:002018-09-26T16:34:26.901+02:00Ernani in Marseille 2018-06-16<div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font class="size16 Helvetica16" style="line-height: 23px; min-height: 23px;"><b style="line-height: 24px; min-height: 24px;"><a target="_self" href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/2018/index.html">2018</a></b></font><font class="size16 Helvetica16" style="line-height: 23px; min-height: 23px;"><b style="line-height: 24px; min-height: 24px;">-06-16</b></font><font class="size14 Helvetica14" style="line-height: 21px; min-height: 21px;"><b> Ernani (Verdi), </b></font><font class="size14 Helvetica14" style="line-height: 21px; min-height: 21px;"><b><a target="_self" href="http://opera.marseille.fr/">Opéra de Marseille</a> </b></font><font class="size14 Helvetica14" style="line-height: 21px; min-height: 21px;"><b>(Marseille)</b><br></font></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Elvira = Hui HE<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Giovanna = Anne-Marguerite WERSTER<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ernani = Francesco MELI<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Don Carlo = Ludovic TÉZIER<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Don Ruy Gomez de Silva = Alexander VINOGRADOV<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Don Riccardo = Christophe BERRY<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Jago = Antoine GARCIN<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i>Lawrence Foster, conductor</i></b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Orchestre et Chœur de l’Opéra de Marseille</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b></b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Mise en scène - Jean-Louis GRINDA</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Décors - Isabelle PARTIOT</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Costumes - Teresa ACONE</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Lumières - Laurent CASTAINGT</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b></b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">PRODUCTION Opéra de Monte-Carlo / Opéra Royal de Wallonie</b></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></b></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><img src="blob:file:///b72239cc-af85-4e4e-adb1-c453169d926a" id="id_b0f8_9939_8f45_e705" style="width: 400px; height: auto;"></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></b></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div><font class="size12 Helvetica12" style="line-height: 18px; min-height: 18px;">I loved Marseille. It was hot, 27 - 30 degrees Celsius. I also loved Ernani in this production. Hui He was wonderful as Elvira. It is a demanding role and despite Marseille being her first time as Elvira she was really good and will be absolutely amazing with time. <br></font></div><div><font class="size12 Helvetica12" style="line-height: 18px; min-height: 18px;"><br></font></div><div><font class="size12 Helvetica12" style="line-height: 18px; min-height: 18px;">Francisco Meli was amazing as Ernani. Ludovic Tezier was also great as Don Carlo, King of Spain.<br></font></div><div><font class="size12 Helvetica12" style="line-height: 18px; min-height: 18px;"><br></font></div><div><font class="size12 Helvetica12" style="line-height: 18px; min-height: 18px;">Alexander Vingradov was also great as Don Ruy Gomez de Silva.</font></div></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><br></div> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-37681131814614604382018-03-29T17:48:00.001+02:002018-03-30T01:48:59.523+02:00Roberto Devereux in Parma and Easter Holiday 2018<img id="id_3232_6564_d54b_ff7f" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPu6E5OxwgMVxFsEjgwGb_Op94-QqF0P7TafT-IlYzfm-nBuIRQABpKRlQ64DzeiGs2fChc9A0w9EluBdROe9xzLFtqM3csK0904X-77ecEvPKHX-7me0mWAMc9jWWVMS-cjNXJHJ1g9C/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br>I was just thinking that it would be like another travel. I thought I was well. Summer time changed my plans but I thought it was a little thing. But it changed everything. I did not have enough time to eat properly before I took the bus to Gardermoen. Since the night bus would make me too late for the plane I had to go via Oslo Bussterminal and then the airport train. Saturday is over.<br><div><br><div>Palm Sunday and Summer time. My watch and I are on Wintertime. The plane leaves at 6am, for me that’s 5. Little time too sleep and very little food do I have in me. Of course, I am on time for the plane to Malpensa airport Milan. Then it is too trains to Parma. I ate just one Foccaccia that day. Still I thought I was well. I changed my hotel after walking all the way to that hotel and then changed it to NH Parma close to the train station. Just being practical after all I will travel by train back to Malpensa tomorrow.</div></div><div><br></div><div>Going to the Opera after walking too much, no food, little drink. Roberto Devereux by Donizetti is boring compared to Anna Bolena and Lucrezia Borgia. I was ill. Pain and stomach noise. I survived and left while they were still applauding and cheering. Walking back to my hotel according to Google maps I never stopped walking until I taking the train to Milan.</div><div><br></div><div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font class="size16 Helvetica16" style="line-height: 23px; min-height: 23px;"><a target="_self" href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/2018/index.html">2018</a></font><font class="size16 Helvetica16" style="line-height: 23px; min-height: 23px;">-03-25</font><font class="size14 Helvetica14" style="line-height: 21px; min-height: 21px;"> Roberto Devereux (Donizetti), </font><font class="size14 Helvetica14" style="line-height: 21px; min-height: 21px;"><a target="_self" href="http://www.teatroregioparma.org/Default.en-Us.aspx">Teatro Regio Parma</a><br></font></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b></b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Elisabetta = Mariella Devia<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sara = Sonia Ganassi<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Roberto Devereux = Stefan Pop<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Il Duca Di Nottingham = Sergio Vitale<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Lord Cecil = Matteo Mezzaro<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sir Gualtiero Raleigh = Ugo Guagliardo<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><img src="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/tp.gif" alt="" border="0" width="30" class="lpxtab" style="height: 1em; border: 0px; width: 30px;"> <img src="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/tp.gif" alt="" border="0" width="30" class="lpxtab" style="height: 1em; border: 0px; width: 30px;"> </b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b><i>Sebastiano Rolli</i></b></font><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;">, conductor<br></font></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">ORCHESTRA DELL’OPERA ITALIANA<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">CORO DEL TEATRO REGIO DI PARMA<br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Director - Alfonso Antoniozzi</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Sets - Monica Manganelli</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Costumes - Gianluca Falaschi</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Lighting - Luciano Novelli</b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>Chorus master - Martino Faggiani<img src="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/tp.gif" alt="" border="0" width="30" class="lpxtab" style="height: 1em; border: 0px; width: 30px;"> </b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><img src="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/tp.gif" alt="" border="0" width="30" class="lpxtab" style="height: 1em; border: 0px; width: 30px;"> <img src="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/tp.gif" alt="" border="0" width="30" class="lpxtab" style="height: 1em; border: 0px; width: 30px;"> <img src="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/tp.gif" alt="" border="0" width="30" class="lpxtab" style="height: 1em; border: 0px; width: 30px;"> </b><br></font></div><div align="center" style="text-align: start;"><font class="size11 Helvetica11" style="line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><b style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Production from Teatro Carlo Felice,Genova; Teatro La Fenice di Venezia</b></font></div></div><div><br></div><div>Night to Monday was being ill and trying not to vomit until the night was nothing other than bed to wc again again and vomiting all the time. Somehow I was able to take the trains and arrive at Malpensa and then the direct plane to OSLO Gardermoen. On the plane I became the sick person on the plane. They took well care of me. Easter has been canceled for me. </div><div><br></div><div>This has been written on a hospital bed and after Easter I hope to come home.</div><div><br></div><div>HAPPY HOLIDAYS!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-8314004361501704212018-03-11T19:30:00.000+01:002018-03-11T19:30:28.768+01:00Norma in Oslo 2018-02-282018-02-23 Norma (Bellini), Den Norske Opera & Ballett (Oslo)<br />
<br />
Norma = Hrachuhi Bassenz<br />
Adalgisa = Dshamilja Kaiser<br />
Clotilde = Tone Kummervold<br />
Pollione = Arnold Rutkowski<br />
Flavio = Thor Inge Falch<br />
Oroveso = Anders Lorentzson<br />
<br />
Antonino Fogliani, conductor<br />
Den Norske Opera & Ballett<br />
Chorus & Orchestra<br />
<br />
Regie - Sigrid Strøm Reibo<br />
Scenography = Katrin Nottrodt<br />
Costumes = Esther Bialas<br />
MOVING IMAGES / VIDEO DESIGNER<br />
Claudia Lehmann / Konrad Hempel, realized by IXA (Institut for experimental affairs)<br />
Choreography - Oleg Glusjkov<br />
<br />
It was still winter in Norway and a birthday gift was about to be received. How would it be and who would be with me to the opera house in Oslo to see Bellini's opera NORMA.<br />
<br />
Lucky to be over my pneumonia I came to Oslo and I stayed in a small apartment that my cousin found for me. It was OK. Cheaper than a hotel but very, very basic. But the main thing was that I was rested for my evening night out.<br />
<br />
So we met 3 first cousins and one of use had her husband with her so everything was perfect.<br />
<br />
I was the opera aficionado and the other 3 was the opera novices. So I told them about the opera. Then the opera started.<br />
<br />
ACT 1:<br />
For me everything started just wonderfully. For them it was a slow start and they were right. Norma starts slow. But in other to fall into this bel canto world is that not the perfect way? We were just slowly soaked into the world of Norma. It was a revolving stage and it was simple: boxes that contains, hides, opens.<br />
<br />
Oroviso, the druid appears and then the chorus came from the audience room to the stage. Oroviso was in costume as the Grand Druid, but the chorus came in their ordinary cloths. The voice of Oroviso changed all those ordinary everyday today's people into members of the druid religion. Ordinary cloths were changed into costumes belonging to the opera Norma. We were inside the opera.<br />
<br />
Norma is comin... No it is Pollione and Flavio. Pollione who is not well and has asked us be merciful. No mercy is needed, this Pollione is on fire and he is strong and melodic, young too. I love another tenor!<br />
<br />
Norma is coming. Norma! Who and what will we see? I know this opera so I am also looking for Adalgisa. Adalgisa is there but she is just another apprentice of Norma in the ceremony. Sediozi voci - Casta diva - Bello ... Wonderful singing.<br />
<br />
Adalgisa. Finally alone she is on stage and finally we see Adalgisa. What a voice she has, beautiful and so big, powerful.<br />
<br />
Pollione is upon Adalgisa. He loves her but does not care for her difficult situation. Leaving her gods and fatherland. She has given a sacred oath to be faithful to her gods and serve only them. She is devoted but now a man is between her and her duty. Devoted to fatherland, druidism and Norma, the chief-priestess and her best friend. Now she is in love and the man she loves is the enemy!!<br />
<br />
Finally we are in Norma's private room. This is when the opera gets dramatic while it still the most amazing belcanto music and singing. Norma is conflicted. She is a Druid high priestess but she loves Pollione, the father of her children and he is the enemy. Fatherland/religion and a love that is against her religious vows and also goes straight against her love of the fatherland. She has betrayed both. Yet, she is still devoted. So her love for her children becomes tainted. She loves her sons because they are her sons and Pollione's. It is a love that she has to hide. The most violent conflict is all about love and duty. A choice she dreads. She wants Pollione to take her and her children to Rome as he has been called back to Rome from Sigambria.<br />
<br />
Adalgisa arrives. Her conflict is to go with Pollione to Rome thereby leaving Sigambria and her sacred vows. Norma loves Adalgisa. Norma gives Adalgisa want she would have wanted her self, a release from the vows and freedom to seek love even if that means leaving the fatherland. One of the most beautiful belcanto duets comes. Oh, rimembrenza! Norma remembers her first love with Pollione while Adalgisa tells of the more recent love meeting with the same Pollione.<br />
<br />
Pollione enters just as Adalgisa is telling who the man is. A furioso trio starts. It is the most divine belcanto and it is the most dramatic musical moment. Norma loves and hates Pollione and she loves and hates Adalgisa. She goes from defending Adalgisa to wishing her dead. Pollione is not conflicted. Adalgisa cannot and will not go with Pollione. He has betrayed Norma and he even has two sons with the woman that Adalgisa loves as a mother.<br />
<br />
ACT 2:<br />
<br />
Norma is contemplation murdering her children. Their crime is to have Pollione as their. Norma loves her children so sometimes the reason to murder is so that they will not end up as Roman slaves. Norma wants to punish Pollione so that is a reason to murder them. In the end she cannot kill them. "They are my children!!"<br />
<br />
Adalgisa comes in. She has been called by Norma. Adalgisa is willing to do all what Norma says. Except she will not go back to Pollione. That love has ended. Adalgisa's loyalty is only to Norma now. Norma pleads with Adalgisa to save her children, to protect and love her children when she goes to Rome with Pollione. In the famous duet "Mira, o Norma" Adalgisa gives a counter offer: the children will be with Norma and she will go to Pollione and persuade him to be faithful to Norma. Norma wants so much to believe this is possible and Adalgisa is too young to know that life does not happen like that.<br />
<br />
The warriors of Gaul wish to go to war already with the Romans. Oroviso is very sad but he has to ask them to be faithful to the religion and what Norma (high priestess) says.<br />
<br />
As Norma fondly is thinking about Pollione coming back to her and all happiness will come back Clothilde tells Adalgisa has not been successful. Now Norma hates Adalgisa, too. From best friends for ever to hate, that is Norma. Now Norma is ready to kill all Romans so she calls out. Gaul is now ready to go to war!<br />
<br />
Pollione is back. He is madly searching for Adalgisa. He is caught. Finally Pollione is in her hands. She demands the prisoner and the right to secretly interrogate him. Because she is Norma she gets her will.<br />
<br />
"In mia man alfin tu sei!" Norma and Pollione. Death threats against Pollione and then Adalgisa. At the same time Norma wants him back. In order for the war to successfully a victim must be found. Who will die? Pollione wants to die to save Adalgisa.<br />
<br />
After this duet of passions and pleas all of Gaul is coming back to hear Norma's decision. An unfaithful priestess will die. Pollione is desperate. Norma cannot name Adalgisa, the young woman who has just started the same path Norma already had thread. Norma names herself as the priestess that has been unfaithful to her religion and orders the pyre to be lit.<br />
<br />
Pollione suddenly understands what a wonderful woman he is losing in Norma (typical opera thing). So he is willing to die with Norma. Then Norma starts thinking about her innocent children. Oh my God, the children!!<br />
<br />
Oroviso is the father of Norma. He is horrified that Norma is guilty. Norma pleads with her father to take care of her children. In the end Oroviso is in tears and accepts. Norma and Pollione go to the flaming pyre, to their death.<br />
<br />
THE END.<br />
<br />
Bravi, tutti!<br />
We all loved Act II the most for its drama.<br />
<br />
But did it have to end this badly. The two lovers dies united as in the typical end of opera. Norma and Adalgisa could have raised the two children together in secret. Afterall Norma is not just about epic love. There is Epic Friendship. The two women should have forgotten Pollione, the useless man, and lived happily ever after. But no, Norma had to go bananas in true operatic fashion. BEL CANTO!!<br />
<br />
<b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-43396030110091714562017-12-31T18:10:00.004+01:002017-12-31T18:12:46.510+01:00Last opera/concert in 2017 was in Verona in July.What a wonderful holiday I had in Verona, Italy. Wonderful weather and wonderful food. The sun was so hot that I had to eat my favorite pizzas inside the restaurant.<br />
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The event was a Zarzuela concert in Arena di Verona 2017-07-21 with Placido Domingo, Ana Maria Martinez and Arturo Chacun-Cruz with Antalogia de la Zarzuela.<br />
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<b>2017-07-21 Anatalogia de la Zarzuela - Placido Domingo, Arena di Verona</b><br />
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Placido Domingo<br />
Ana Maria Martinez, soprano<br />
Arturo Chacun-Cruz<br />
<br />
<b>Orchestra dell'Arena di Verona</b><br />
<b>Jordi Bernacer, conductor</b><br />
<br />
Regia - Stefano Trespiti<br />
Lights - Paolo Mazzon<br />
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Con la partecipazione straordinaro della Compania Antionio Gades. Direzione artistica Stella Arauzo<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/Concert/2017_0722_004052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/Concert/2017_0722_004052.jpg" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Geronimo Gimenez - <i>Intermedio </i>da <b>La Boda de Luis Alonso</b><br />
Compania Antonio Gades. Coreografia: Mayte Chico e Stella Arauzo<br />
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Reveriano Soutully & Juan Vert - <i>Quiero destarrar </i>da <b>La del soto del parral</b><br />
Placido Domingo<br />
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Pablo Sorozobal - <i>Ne corte mas que un rosa</i> da <b>La del manojo de rosas</b><br />
Ana Maria Martinez<br />
<br />
Jose Serrano - <i>Te quiero, morena</i> da <b>El trust de los tenorios</b><br />
Arturo Chacun-Cruz<br />
<br />
Manuel Fernandez Caballero - <i>No cantes mas La Africana </i>da <b>El duo de la Africana</b><br />
Placido Domingo & Ana Maria Martinez<br />
<br />
Enrique Granados - <i>Intermedio</i> da <b>Goyescas</b><br />
Orchestra dell'Arena di Verona<br />
<br />
Jacinto Guerrero - <i>Mi aldea</i> da <b>Los Gavilanes</b><br />
Placido Domingo<br />
<br />
Reveriano Soutully & Juan Vert - <i>Amor, mi raza conquistar</i> da <b>La leyenda del Beso</b><br />
Ana Maria Martinez & Arturo Chacun-Cruz<br />
<br />
Manuel de Falla - <i>Danza ritual del fuego</i> da <b>El amor brujo</b><br />
Compania Antonio Gades. Coreografia: Antonio Gades<br />
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Pablo Sorozobal - <i>No puede ser</i> da <b>La tabernera del puerto</b><br />
Placido Domingo<br />
<br />
PAUSE<br />
<br />
Manuel de Falla - <i>Farruca </i>da<b> El sombrero de tres picos</b><br />
Compania Antonio Gades. Coreografia: Jose Huertas<br />
<br />
Federico Moreno-Torroba - <i>En mi tierra extramena </i>da <b>Luisa Fernanda</b><br />
Placido Domingo & Ana Maria Martinez<br />
<br />
Federico Moreno-Torroba - <i>De este apacible rincon de Madrid</i> da <b>Luisa Fernanda</b><br />
Arturo Chacun-Cruz<br />
<br />
Federico Moreno-Torroba - T<i>res horas antes del dia </i>da <b>La marchenera</b><br />
Ana Maria Martinez<br />
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Federico Moreno-Torroba - <i>Luche la fe por el triumfo </i>da <b>Luisa Fernanda</b><br />
Placido Domingo<br />
<br />
Georges Bizet - <i>Entr'acte </i>da <b>Carmen</b> & <i>flamenco</i><br />
Compania Antonio Gades. Coreografia: Antonio Gadez & Carlos Saura<br />
<br />
Pablo Sorozobal - <i>Hace tiempo que vengo al taller</i> da <b>La del monojo de rosas</b><br />
Ana Maria Martinez & Placido Domingo<br />
<br />
Manuel Penella Morena - <i>Me yamaba, Rafaliyo </i>da <b>El Gato montes</b><br />
Placido Domingo, Ana Maria Martinez & Arturo Chacun-Cruz<br />
<br />
Extra<br />
<br />
Zarzuela aria with Placido Domingo & dance (+ a white horse)<br />
<br />
Emilio Arrieta - Pensar en el da<b> Marina</b><br />
Ana Maria Martinez<br />
<br />
Jose Serrano - <i>La roca fría del calvario</i> da <b>La Dolorosa</b><br />
Arturo Chacun-Cruz<br />
<br />
Federico Moreno Torroba - <i>Adios, dijiste</i> da<b> Maravilla</b><br />
Placido Domingo<br />
<br />
<b>Great singing in Arena di Verona. Zarzuela music with some real flamenco.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Placido Domingo as baryton, Arturo was the tenor and Ana Maria Martinez was the soprano of the evening. Of course was fun to see them all three in the famous duet of El Gato Montes, the opera by Manuel Penella. The zarzuela was semi-staged. I had a good seat but it did not give me close-up to the singers. Only in my photos does it look like I had a good view, but in real life I felt a bit cheated from the ticket prize I thought I would get more. Still, I had a wonderful Summer Holiday with the best pizzas of my life and the singing was good. In all, it was a warming experience!<br />
<a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/2017/0721_concert.html"><br /></a>
<b><a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/2017/0721_concert.html">OperaDuets Travel</a> & <a href="http://www.operaduetsphotos.com/Concert/2017_0721.html">Photos</a>.</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-80439653663660583252017-10-01T21:44:00.000+02:002017-12-31T17:47:38.597+01:00I love Maria Guleghina, so I travel to Berlin for a concert 2017-06-132017-06-13 Viva Opera! - Maria Guleghina, Philharmonie Berlin<br />
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Maria Guleghina, soprano<br />
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Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz<br />
Arkady Beryn, conductor<br />
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)<br />
Un Ballo in Maschera - "Ecco l'orrido campo" (Act 2, Amerlia) - with orchestral prelude<br />
La Forza del Destino - Ouverture<br />
La Forza del Destino - "Pace, pace mio Dio" (Act 4, Leonora)<br />
La Traviata - Ouverture<br />
Macbeth - Nel di della vittoria (Act 1, Lady Macbeth<br />
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PAUSE<br />
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Pietro Mascagni (1863-1945)<br />
Cavalleria Rusticana - "Voi lo sapete, o mamma" (Santuzza)<br />
Cavalleria Rusticana - Intermezzo<br />
Umberto Giordano (1867-1948)<br />
Andrea Chenier - "La mamma morta" (Act 3, Maddalena)<br />
Giuseppe Puccini (1858-1924)<br />
Manon Lescaut - Intermezzo<br />
Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848)<br />
Don Pasquale - Ouverture<br />
Giuseppe Puccini (1858-1924)<br />
Tosca - "Vissi d'arte" (Act 2, Tosca)<br />
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Encore:<br />
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Giuseppe Puccini (1858-1924)<br />
Gianni Schicchi - "O mio babbino caro"<br />
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The tenor has bronchitis so what does a Prima Donna do? She sits with the conductor and creates a new programme and she does not fail her audience!<br />
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Maria Guleghina did not only sing like a goddess she acted out every one of this different women in so very different circumstances.<br />
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Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera: In the end of the orchestral prelude and in walks Maria Guleghina and soon she is Amelia and she is the a horrid place, scared but brave she soldiers on to pluck the plant she needs to stop her unwanted feelings. Maria Guleghina makes us see and experience this operatic scene in the concert hall.<br />
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Leonora in La Forza del Destino: Next time we see Maria Guleghina she is Leonora and she imploring God for peace but peace does not come, strangers do. Again she makes us see and feel the scene in all its glory like in the perfect production.<br />
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Lady Macbeth in Macbeth: Maria Guleghina is the perfect Lady Macbeth and we see it all even in this concert hall. The Lady has decided and the king will die while staying at Macbeths. Macbeth will be king as foretold. This lady is ready to whip up all the spirits of hell. Very well sung and acted, and afterwards the graceful Diva comes and blows kisses to her fans.<br />
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Pause<br />
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Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana: Santuzza is in trouble and just have to tell the mother of her lover Turridu about it all. Turridu has run back to Lola even if Lola is now married and Santuzza is excommucated. Maria Guleghina communicates so deeply that we feel it all. Poor Santuzza!<br />
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Maddalena in Andrea Chenier: Maddalena is telling Gerard how her mother died and how the revolution changed her life. An aristocrat saved by Bersi. Again Maria Guleghina is the perfect Maddalena and acting her heart out plus the divine singing.<br />
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Tosca: Maria Guleghina sings Vissi d'arte and as Tosca she can be herself an opera singer who must juggle Love and Art. She has poured every bit of her self all evening and is now tired since she was not 100% well at the beginning. Still even with one slip it was an amazing Vissi d'arte.<br />
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Applause, never ending applause.<br />
Then, the ENCORE: O mio babbino caro. Naturally this is an artist that can be like a teenage daughter pestering her father at the same time she is totally charming, adorable. And with this gift the concert ended, and the Diva could finally have herself a Summer Holiday and heal from her bout of brochitis or something.<br />
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The audience went happily in the night.<br />
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<b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4110421171588795260.post-75946547943302707272017-05-21T18:05:00.000+02:002017-10-01T18:51:16.715+02:00Holiday week. Don Carlo in London 2017-05-19So my Opera Holiday Week was ending with a climax. What can go wrong with Don Carlo, my favorite opera, in my favorite production in one of the best opera houses in the world?<br />
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First and formost, never assume that nothing can go wrong. Manage that and you are good and ready to go.<br />
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TRAVEL:<br />
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I was travelling to London via Oslo from Milano Airport. What idiocy was this and who is to blame? I was, naturally, to blame for that, I was sick and could not travel to another place but I could for a small amount of money change that to a travel from Milano to London. Unforfunately with Norwegian Air it meant going via Oslo.<br />
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Since I was Genova it meant the plane from Milano could not be an early flight because I needed to able to travel from Genova to Milano Malpensa Airport. I really hate waking up early but I could manage travel from Genova Piazza Principe to Milano Centrale 08.18-0955. Then it was off to Malpensa Aeroporto with Trenord 1025-1123. Then I had time to get to gate in time of my flight to Oslo 1355-1635. Finding a place to eat a meal at Oslo Gardermoen airport, and then my flight to London Gatwick airport 1845-2005.<br />
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And so I arrive at Gatwick airport and I am trying to get the best idea of how to get to my hotel, Strand Palace Hotel. Slightly confused but eventually I manage to buy a ticket from a train to London. The train trip was relaxing. It was dark outside and raining. In the end I ended of at what was that day the nearest train station/metro station to my hotel. I think I took another train/metro station to get there. It was raining heavily and then I took a taxi to avid more trains and walking in this rain. Still I ended up being totally soaked when I sat down in the taxi. It took much longer to get to my hotel because of the crazy traffic. So it was 2200 or so when I finally walked into this grand hotel. When I came to my room I suddenly remember that in London the hotel rooms are small, SMALL. Because I was so late I had no other real choice but McDonalds so there was no festive mood that day. AND the day was May 18th, 2017 and it was downer.<br />
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<b>May 19th, 2017 Opera day.</b><br />
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It was also a cloudy, cold and rainy day. I had been in Bonn and Genova and it had been hot. I was now almost freezing. I was getting "dinner" at Pizza Hut. London is really boring when it is mostly raining. In between finding something to eat, I was tracking the paths between the hotel and the opera house, and hotel and McDonalds, hotel and Pizza Hut, hotel and some shops to buy Pepsi Max or Cola light and some food. Then show time, opera time.<br />
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<b>2017-05-19 Don Carlo (Giuseppe Verdi), Royal Opera House (London)</b><br />
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Don Carlo - Bryan Hymel<br />
Rodrigo - Simone Piazzola<br />
Elizabeth of Valois - Kristin Lewis<br />
Princess Eboli - Ekaterina Semenchuk<br />
King Philip II - Ildar Abdrazakov<br />
Grand Inquisitor - Paata Burchuladze<br />
Frate - Andrea Mastroni<br />
Voice from Heaven - Francesca Chiejina<br />
Tebaldo - Emily Edmonds<br />
Count of Lerma - David Junghoon Kim<br />
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Bertrand de Billy, conductor<br />
Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House<br />
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Director - Nicholas Hytner<br />
Designer - Bob Crowley<br />
Lighting designer - Mark Henderson<br />
Movement - Scarlett Mackmin<br />
Fight director - Terry King<br />
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Co-production with<br />
Norwegian National Opera and the Metropolitan Opera, New York<br />
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I love the production of Nicholas Hytner and I have enjoyed the DVD from The Royal Opera House (London) with Rolando Villazon and the video from Metropolian Opera (New York) from Met Opera on Demand (app on Ipad) with Robert Alagna as Don Carlo. I will always regret not going to Oslo and see the production with the Norwegian National Opera and Ballett. So I was really excited to see it in the The Royal Opera House (London). So, I was disappointed.<br />
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In 2017 it was still a great production and there was many great singers as Don Carlo really is an opera that need great singers. I think Jonas Kauffmann was originally to sing Don Carlo, and another soprano was to sing Elisabeth de Valois. I know that Kristin Lewis can be a really great Elisabeth because I have experienced her live in theater. Bryan Hymel was new for me and even Kauffmann was intended to sing at first I was still open to Bryan Hymel.<br />
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Don Carlo does not work if the singer is not on form. From both Don Carlo, Bryan Hymel, and Elisabeth, Kristin Lewis, it was a weak performance on May 19, 2017, that was my impression. It was cold and it rained heavily in London so I think they was under the weather. I believe that had I been there on another day it could have been spectacular. The opera really suffer from the main people, Don Carlo and Elisabeth, being not their best.<br />
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We had Ildar Abdrazakov as King Filip, he was great as always. As Rodrigo of Posa we had the wonderful Simone Piazzola. Ekaterina Semenchuk was the enchanting Princess of Eboli. We even had Paata Burchuladze as the Grand Inquisitor. And last we had Andrea Mastroni as Frate. A great cast, but Don Carlo and Elisabeth had already sunk the boat.<br />
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<i>It should have been the highlight of my opera holiday week, but it was too rainy and dark and then the opera did not light up the mood. I loved my hotel though. Strand Palace Hotel!! Small hotel room but lovely staff. </i><br />
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No blunder even with Londons weird time zone. The British, always so different then the normal Europe.<br />
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<b>Saturday May 20th, 2017. Home trip.</b><br />
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Check out at Strand Palace Hotel 1200. Then travel home 1535 (Heathrow, London time), arrived 1845 (Oslo, Normal time). Eating in Oslo Gardermoen Airport and waiting, waiting for 2235 when the bus will travel north and west to arrive home on Sunday May 21st 0530. Normality resumed.<br />
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<b>For reviews from my travels, see <a href="http://www.operaduetstravel.com/index.html">www.operaduetstravel.com</a></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1