2004 OperaDuets Gala Year

What a wonderful year? 2004: Carreras Gala in Vienna and Verdi Gala in Parma. But more than that Stiffelio in Zurich and Vienna with José Cura as Stiffelio. It was wonderful to see Agnes Baltsa and Josep Carreras together in Carmen, even if it was just the 4 act at the end of the Carreras Gala.

BALTSA
2004-02-27 José Carreras Gala, Wiener Staatsoper (Carmen)
2004-05-31 L'Italiana in Algeri (Gioacchino Rossini), Wiener Staatsoper (Isabella)
2004-06-03 L'Italiana in Algeri (Gioacchino Rossini), Wiener Staatsoper (Isabella)
2004-07-21 Griechische Nacht mit Agnes Baltsa, Ingolstadt (mezzo)
2004-07-22 Griechische Nacht mit Agnes Baltsa, Regensburg (mezzo)
2004-09-25 Carmen (Georges Bizet), Deutsche Oper Berlin (Carmen)

I loved her in Carreras Gala as Carmen in February, and loved her as Isabella in May and June, enjoyed her singing Greek Songs in July. And even got to see her as Carmen in Berlin in September, but I only got half Carmen since my flight was delayed from Oslo.

CURA

2004-02-13 Andrea Chenier (Umberto Giordano), Wiener Staatsoper (Andrea Chenier)
2004-03-20 Samson et Dalila (Camille Saint-Saëns), Royal Opera House, London (Samson)
2004-05-07 La Fanciulla del West (Giacomo Puccini), Opernhaus Zurich (Dick Johnson)
2004-05-09 La Fanciulla del West (Giacomo Puccini), Opernhaus Zurich (Dick Johnson)
2004-05-29 Otello (Giuseppe Verdi), Hamburgische Staatsoper (Otello)
2004-06-05 Otello (Giuseppe Verdi), Hamburgische Staatsoper (Otello)
2004-07-06 José Cura & Montserrat Caballé, Classic Open Air Berlin (tenor & conductor)
2004-09-26 Stiffelio (Giuseppe Verdi), Opernhaus Zurich (Stiffelio)
2004-10-07 Stiffelio (Giuseppe Verdi), Opernhaus Zurich (Stiffelio)
2004-10-10 Buon Compleanno Maestro Verdi, Teatro Regio Parma (tenor)
2004-11-19 Stiffelio (Giuseppe Verdi), Wiener Staatsoper (Stiffelio)

Can I say I loved it all? Yes, I can. Chenier, Samson, Fanciulla, Otello, Stiffelio and the concert and Gala, was all wonderful.

2004-02-28 I Puritani (Bellini), Wiener Staatsoper
Lord Arturo Talbot = Joseph Calleja
Elvira = Stefania Bonfadelli

2004-05-30 Romeo et Juliette (Gounod), Bayerische Staatsoper
Romeo = Marcelo Alvarez
Juliette = Angela-Maria Blasi

2004-06-02 I Vespri Siciliani (Verdi), Opernhaus Zurich
Elena = Paoletta Marrocu
Arrigo = Marcello Giordani
Procida = Ruggero Raimondi

2004-07-07 Die Sache Makropulos (Janacek), Deutsche Oper Berlin
Emilia Marty = Anja Silja
Albert Gregor = Pär Lindskog

2004-09-11 Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart), Den Norske Opera, Oslo
Figaro = Magne Fremmerlid
Susanna = Kari Postma

2004-10-02 Werther (Massenet), Royal Opera House London
Werther = Marcelo Alvarez
Charlotte = Ruxandra Donose

2004-11-06 La Forza del Destino (Verdi), Royal Opera House London
Don Alvaro = Salvatore Licitra
Leonora = Violeta Urmana

NEXT: 2005 Carreras 1 - Cura 11 - other 15

For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com