Sunday 24 June 2012

Opera and health 2011/2012

I start with July 2011 and it with June 2012.

July 2011:
July 8th to my parents to spend my vacation there. But I was not well. On Tuesday 12 I saw a doctor. And so in the end I spent 2 days in hospital in my old hometown. On July 21 I traveled back to my residence so that I could travel to my usual hospital to get my Remicade treatment on Friday, July 22nd. And when I came back there from my treatment I heard of the bombing of the Government building and soon the shooting of Utøya. The massacre of young people in a peaceful island had started. Ordinary people became heroes out of necessity but the professional people, police and ambulance personnel often just stood there. The people who just lived close or just was there on vacation risked their lives and was there to give comfort and to start the life saving effort on savagely hurt people. Young people who often had seen their friends die. The Police has naturally declared themselves as competent and as doing all the right things, of course thinking of the safety of police officers comes before the very survival of the victims.

July 23 back to my parents and to continued TV watching. Until it got a bit too much. My fathers birthday on July 29th I was still not well so my mother and I stayed home and dad got to see his family. It was only possible with the help of family members. My father has Alzheimers so one cannot just put him on a bus. He was naturally better then than now as it is a progressive disease. But he gets some medicine that is helping slow the progression of the disease. On July 31 it was back to my recidence and then work.

August 2011: A good month for me. And to Bergen to see Opera Bergen's Cavalleria Rusticana and Le Villi.

September 2011: Another Remicade treatment on the 16th. Then after a weekend at my parents I had another 2 days at my usual hospital (26-27).

October 2011: La Fanciulla del West (Zurich), Madama Butterfly (Wiener Staatsoper) and Jose Carreras in Konzerthaus Wien.

November 2011: Another Remicade treatment on the 11th. Then the next weekend, Paris!!!!!!!!!! Maria Guleghina in Oberto and Marcelo Alvarez in La Forza del Destino. Then Otello in Zurich with Jose Cura.

December 2011: Cav/Pag in Copenhagen (Jose Cura) and Macbeth in Oslo. Christmas and my Birthday (28th).

January 2012: January 1st back in residence. January 2nd ambulance to my hospital. January 4th in the afternoon back in my quarters. January 6th back to hospital for my normal Remicade treatment. On January 21, I was in Zurich for Turandot with Jose Cura, I thought, but I got Johan Botha.

February 2012: nothing bad.

March 2012: March 2nd my Remicade treatment. March 3rd to Berlin to see another Turandot. Maria Guleghina was fantastic. March 4th home again. March 8 - 9 a hospital visit.

April 2012: I spent the my Easter vacation with my parents. One of my aunts died on April 1, and it was not my best Easter since I was also not quite in my best health. On April 27 I had my ususal Remicade treatment and then it was time to travel for opera again. But on April 28 the plane never left and the other would have made me late for Macbeth in Monte Carlo with Maria Guleghina. But maybe it could have worked. I left the airport and visited my parents in stead of Monte Carlo. My mother had news, bad news, cancer was visiting my mother for the 3rd time. Good enough reason to visit my parents.

May 2012: My travel to Spain, for Chulapona in Madrid, Nabucco with Guleghina in Bilbao and to comfort myself. But I was not in splendid health, still I loved my Spain visit. To my regular hospital May 31rst to June 2nd.

June 2012: The plan to travel to Stockholm to see Jose Cura as Cavaradossi in Tosca was cancelled. And I am still not quite happy about it but it was a combination of personal reasons and strike in Norway and an unhappy phone call. Or at least 2 unhappy phone calls. But my mothers birthday was a happy event. My mother is undergoing treatment so she is naturally suffering from fatigue. With just me and her eldest niece as guests it was enough for my mother. As restful and peaceful as one can wish for. On Monday it will be her second treatment at hospital. My mother is brave, and I love her!!

My father can forget much but he always remember how much he loves my mother. No lack of memory hinders my father in his effort for be a father and spouse. Strange how much clearer I can see my parents through their sickness. Lots of love!!!!!!!!!!

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

Tuesday 5 June 2012

2012-05-30 All the way back home

Early flight home. 0630. Another wonderful hotel bed, an expensive night, and then home. OK.

It is Wednesday and I think that Thursday I go to work. But I have pain, not as bad as in Spain. Night falls and it does not get better. So Thursday starts with me to the doctor's. Then ambulance to hospital. And then all the boring things that have the name of hospital. But also a relief, I can get better relief from pains in hospital than at home. Then I know if it is serious then I will be taken good care of. What I need is more fluid in my body so I am given special water. They worry that I might have an inflammation in my stomach, peritonitis. Luckily no further signs tells the doctors that it is not that. Friday and I am allowed to have dinner. Lovely.

Saturday 2012-06-02 I can finally leave the hospital  at 1500 and 1925 I am home again. Sunday feeling better. Monday thinks I can go to work but have pain again. Today, Tuesday 2012-06-05, a blood test was taken, tomorrow I can find how my CRP is doing. And I was at work. HURRAY!!!

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

2012-05-29 There and back again.

My journey is soon over. I am traveling from Bilbao to Oslo via Frankfurt.

Breakfast at the hotel. I think that the Bilbao Airport will give me more and good food opportunities but I was wrong. I wait a long time. I eat different left-overs and drink. But I have to abandon my huge water bottle with more than 0.5 liters water left. Then I go through security after sending my suitcase though and with my boarding pass. And wait. Buys something to drink. Wait some more. Finally off to Frankfurt.

So why did I leave my hotel at 1100 when my trip would start 1425 from Bilbao Airport. I could have eaten some great lunch in Bilbao city. But no, I just took the airport bus at 11 or so. Then I arrived in Frankfurt 1635, and my plane to Oslo was to go 2155. BORED. Where are the restaurants? Then finally I found one. FOOD. Lasagna!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1


Wonderful!

Arrived in Oslo before midnight. Waiting for my black and blacker than blackest suitcase. New for the trip but just so alike all the other black suitcases. Finally it arrived. It is mine. I can go to my hotel.


Radisson Blu Airport Hotel, Oslo Gardermoen


Then Good night!!

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

2012-05-28 Bilbao, Nabucco and Maria Guleghina

Whitmonday 2012 and I am walking in Bilbao. taking photos with my phone. How lovely to walk in fine weather. To find the venue just 5 minutes walk from my hotel and to find a shopping centre that is open and so I can eat at McDonald's. I saw a restaurant and thought I could go there when I will be in midday modus. Unfortunately my dinner time is siesta time in Spain, so restaurants are closed, and I have to just choose something less worthy.

But that was not the only thing I am also feeling strong pains again and think I might start vomiting again. I am saved by a pharmacy close by the hotel. Primperan, now the threat of vomiting is more distant. Then for my pain I must take strong pain killers. It works. And then I can start walking to the venue, Palacio Euskalduna.


2012-05-28 Nabucco (Verdi), Palacio Euskalduna (Bilbao)

Nabucco = Roberto Frontali
Ismaele = Alejandro Roy
Zaccaria = Carlo Colombara
Abigaille = Maria Guleghina
Fenena = Rosanna Rinaldi
High Priest of Belo = Silverio De la O
Abdallo = Eduardo Ituarte
Anna = Ana Otxoa

Massimo Zanetti, conductor
  Orquesta del Teatro Regio di Parma
Coro de Ópera de Bilbao

Director de escena - Daniele Abbado
Scenography - Luigi Perego
Light design - Valerio Alfieri

It is the best Nabucco production with the best singers. Only one thing stood out for me as problematic and that was the golden hair of Zaccaria. Golden hair in the Middle East what was that about? Carlo Colombara has dark hair and could have been more authentic as Zaccaria without fake hair. This production of Nabucco was one that seemed to be about authenticity as history goes. Ismaele is clearly marked by his cloths as a Prince of Judea. Zaccaria is also similarly marked an important person. There is no doubt that Nabucco is an Assyrian King. All clearly marked except that one is never shown the chorus in Assyrian cloths. They are always dressed in Jewish cloths. This can be explained by the fact that Jerusalem is taken by Assyrians pretending to be Jews. But that is just true in the first act.

This is a beautiful production, intelligent and wants to be truthful to the libretto. Roberto Frontali, who I have seen as Stankar in the ROH Stiffelio production, was a truly fine Nabucco. Alejandro Joy was wonderful as Ismaele. Strong singing, wonderful acting. Rosanna Rinaldi was also great as Fenena. But the star was Maria Guleghina as Abigaille.

Abigaille can be boring since she is sometime acted as just a one-dimensional villain. Maria Guleghina shows all the different emotions that is Abigaille. She is weak sometimes. In this production one sees Abigaille hesitate in some crucial moment. How ambitious is she? She vacillate between power and love. Most of all she wants to be accepted as Nabucco's daughter and to be loved by Ismaele. Her feelings for her sister Fenena is also torn. Love and envy. So Nabucco changes into a believer of the God of Judea. As Abigaille loses her life she is also going to her redemption and I personally believe more in Abigaille change. Nabucco is just about his daughter Fenena.

I love Abigaille! And Maria Guleghina as Abigaille is just amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BRAVA!!!

And how can this Monday evening end better: Backstage meeting with Maria Guleghina. VIVA!!! Not only that invitation to after-show party. WOW!!! It was wonderful except that PARTY was without partying. Just people standing and wine/small eatables, and ... Boring, but I love that kind of party, quiet and dignified with just a few guests in a not too big room. I saw the singers there: natually Guleghina, then Colombara etc... But then before midnight I went to my hotel. Just like Cinderella.


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

Monday 4 June 2012

2012-05-27 Travel to Bilbao from Madrid


I am sick, sick, sick. I took some medicine that made me vomit and feel more sick. ALSA bus to Bilbao, supra ticket. My bus goes at 1100. I will be in Bilbao at 1515. Breakfast. I guess I have to make the melons my breakfast. I take the taxi to Avenida de America and there is the bus station. It is underground. I need something to drink. Why did I give the taxi driver all my small change? Stupid. But what can one except when one does not feel well. Ice Tea and a big bottle of water. Then bus ride to Bilbao. Lucky I had something to through up in. Three times in the plastic bag. Other than that it was wonderful. Great seat. Hostess giving us free food and drink. Landscape was mostly high way. It was OK. Had I felt well then I could have used my IPAD in stead of just waiting for the bus ride to end.

It ended. I felt weak. My luggage felt more heavy. And I was in a new city. How to get to my hotel? How. I had to sit down. Luckily there were seats in the bus station area. I could relax, drink and try to get myself together. I though about asking people around me, but just lacked the energy. Finally I went up and found my way out. Then I asked a stranger about the taxi. And not long after I was in a taxi queue. So to  NH Villa de Bilbao. It was probably not that long to go, but taxi was better for me. I should have payed something extra but I was too busy not to have an accident to notice. My hotel. Wonderful. My room. Even more wonderful. Hot water without any wait. My bed wonderful. Relaxing a long, long time. Then late in the evening, more night, room service Spaghetti Bolognese. That lasted 12 hrs plus,

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

2012-05-26 My suitcase and the other Chulapona

Friday 25th was a success except for my missing suitcase. I loved Chulapona with Milagros Martin as Manuela. It was great. But I had not eaten much and I had an head-ache. How different it was from 1989 in Edinburgh! Now I sat in Row 6 with an excellent view and I had the chance to learn about the zarzuela before seeing it. The DVD from the 1988, which is when this production opened had Milagros Martin, Carmen Gonzalez and Ricardo Muñiz as the protagonists and on Friday I had the same women singing, but in 1989 I had the same tenor.

For Saturday I had some ideas, mostly getting more real food and I had a growing ambition about my suitcase. Friday I had called Swissport to hear that my suitcase was coming in 30 minutes (so approx 1930 it was to land), but I had an appointment to Teatro de la Zarzuela for LA CHULAPONA at 2000. This time I also tried to call, but nobody took the phone. I used the internet to find out more. Yes it was on two Lufthansa flights via Frankfurt (I was told) and the date was 25.5.2012 so why was it not at my hotel with me. I cared even more because on Sunday I was going to Bilbao. So naturally I went to the Barajas airport with the airport bus. First I chose the wrong terminal, terminal 4. So I had to take the terminal bus to another terminal. I used the internet which said terminal 2 so I went there. But it was wrong Terminal 1 was the correct one. But one can walk from Terminal 2 to 1, I got tired. Even more tired was I from asking and trying to find an office. Then in the end it was the same place where I had queued yesterday. I had to wait until someone to walk out to get in. The strange thing was people acted like it was normal to go into a place that says one is not supposed to re-enter. Then finally a woman came. And it was ok, my suitcase should come between 1400 and 1900. So it was to take the airport bus back to Station Atocha. Then walk to my hotel. 1700 it came. I was happy, except that I was too tired to be really Happy.

It did not change anything except now I had everything. But also pain in abdomen. Pain during the zarzuela. Yesterday I was able to applaud enthusiastically but today the pain had me bent down and I could only a few times find the power to applaud but it was a really wonderful musical evening.


2012-05-26 La Chulapona (Moreno Torroba), Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid)

Manuela = Cristina Faus
Rosario = Susana Cordón
José María = Antonio Gandía
Juan de Dios = Carlos Crooke
Señor Antonio =Luis Alvarez
Doña Venustiana = Charo Reina
El Chalina = Jesus Castejón
Don Epifanio = Gerardo Malla
Emilia = Raquel Torres
Organillero = Jesus Alcaide
Lolita = Ana Santamaria
Ascensión = Isabel Gonzalez
Concha = Ada Rodriguez
Ist Guard = Keni Roldan
2nd Guard = Abel Garcia
Manolito = Neric Forcada / Raul Ruiz / Pedro de la Torre
Chico de la taberna = José Varela
Cantaora = Eva Duran
Ganadero = Saturnino Garcia
Maestro Cansino = Juan Rueda
Maravilla = Maria Briones
Guadalupe = Sagrario Mielgo
Engargado de Café  = Juan Luis Cobo
Durmiente = Jesus Landin
Plachandoras = Rosa Maria Gutierrez, Carmen Gaviria, Paloma Curros
Zapatero = Carlos Duran
Hojolatero = Pedro Azpiri
Cliente = Gustavo Berliete
Voz Interna = Paloma Suarez
Giutarrista = José Maria Molero
Invitado = Ignacio Del Castillo


Dirección musical: Miquel Ortega

Dirección de escena: Gerardo Malla
Escenografía y figurines: Mario Bernedo
Coreografía: Goyo Montero
Iluminación: Eric Teunis


Yesterday was veterans showing how to sing and act, today was the young and coming up showing their colors. Another Manuela, Rosario and Jose Maria. But still great singing and acting. I was so used to a blond Rosario than I almost missed Susana Cordons entrance. This was another Rosario, but it was hard to tell in which way she differed from Carmen Gonzalez. The young Rosario was not so ironic and seemed softer. Cristina Faus was todays Manuela. Younger voice, and amazing but still I must say Milagros Martin could still be someone that Cristina Faus should look after in order to be even better. Antonio Gandia as Jose Maria was also wonderful.

The whole experience of what a zarzuela is made me think it more like a musical than simply operetta. It is vocally demanding like an opera, expects dancing skills more like in a musical. How I wish I understood Spanish! The dialogue is demanding and singing superb in a zarzuela. It is stylistic and naturalistic in combination. LOVED IT...

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

Sunday 3 June 2012

2012-05-25 A travel to Madrid and La Chulapona

Finally I am going to Spain, again. For 2 Chulapona and 1 Nabucco.

The week did not start well. I felt sick. My abdomen hurt. I went to the doctor and I was allowed to travel provided it did not get worse. I was told to get another appointment immediately if the pain got worse. I felt well enough to start my travel a bus ride to Oslo. This time I could take the bus directly to the airport, Oslo Gardermoen. All was well and soon I had my suitcase ready for Madrid. The stop in Copenhagen was short I wondered if my suitcase... Yes, yes, no problem, said he. So 1215 I was in Madrid Barajas Airport and I waited for my new and very black, little suitcase. No. NO. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

Then I was in the wrong queue, my back sack was secretly killing me. Then in the right one. OK! ok! I have my paper with my case number thanks to Swissport. Well, one thing was good, now I had less to carry for my bus ride to the Atocha station. Great! My hotel is on Calle Atocha so it should be a piece of cake finding it. With the help of taxi drivers who evidently did not understand I want a taxi to the hotel, I don't care how close it is, they showed me the direction in which either they were wrong or I understood it wrong. Probably me. I was tired, you see. Madrid is not flat, may cities are not flat, and my street upwards, upwards I go. Tired, hungry.


TRYP Madrid Atocha Hotel ****


Fantastic!! I have a room. I can rest. I can be happy that my my back pack is so heavy because it means I have everything except tooth paste and such. Resting a bit and the out I go to hunt food. McDonald's in Calle Atocha, great rest and some food. I not quite well. My tiny cheeseburger is hard to get down, pain...
But then I get to Teatro de la Zarzuela to get my real tickets. Thank you so much, woman who helped me. Gracias!!!

Finally at 2000 LA CHULAPONA in Teatro de la Zarzuela with Milagros Martin as Manuela and Carmen Gonzalez as Rosario. The production is from 1988 and there exists a DVD from it also with Milagros Martin and Carmen Gonzalez.


2012-05-25 La Chulapona (Moreno Torroba), Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid)
Manuela = Milagros Martín
Rosario = Carmen González
José María = Marcelo Puente
Juan de Dios = Carlos Crooke
Señor Antonio =Luis Alvarez
Doña Venustiana = Charo Reina
El Chalina = Jesus Castejón
Don Epifanio = Gerardo Malla
Emilia = Raquel Torres
Organillero = Jesus Alcaide
Lolita = Ana Santamaria
Ascensión = Isabel Gonzalez
Concha = Ada Rodriguez
Ist Guard = Keni Roldan
2nd Guard = Abel Garcia
Manolito = Neric Forcada / Raul Ruiz / Pedro de la Torre
Chico de la taberna = José Varela
Cantaora = Eva Duran
Ganadero = Saturnino Garcia
Maestro Cansino = Juan Rueda
Maravilla = Maria Briones
Guadalupe = Sagrario Mielgo
Engargado de Café = Juan Luis Cobo
Durmiente = Jesus Landin
Plachandoras = Rosa Maria Gutierrez, Carmen Gaviria, Paloma Curros
Zapatero = Carlos Duran
Hojolatero = Pedro Azpiri
Cliente = Gustavo Berliete
Voz Interna = Paloma Suarez
Giutarrista = José Maria Molero
Invitado = Ignacio Del Castillo


 Dirección musical: Miquel Ortega
 Dirección de escena: Gerardo Malla
 Escenografía y figurines: Mario Bernedo
 Coreografía: Goyo Montero
Iluminación: Eric Teunis

Despite I still don't understand all that much Spanish I understood much more than I did in 1989 when I saw this zarzuela during the Edinburgh Festival. I love zarzuela and have recently started a small collection of zarzuelas. Federico Moreno Torroba (the composer) is a genius and the music in Chulapona is just marvellous. Naturally I have the CD with Teresa Berganza as Manuela and the wonderful Pilar Lorengar as Rosario. A wonderful CD with the perfect Manuela and perfect Rosario.

24 years after the premiere are Milagros Martin and Carmen Gonzalez still the perfect Manuela and Rosario. Aged but like fine wine only better and more refined than ever. Marcelo Puente in the role of Jose Maria, loved by these two different women, was also wonderful.


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