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

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

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

Love is ... Fedora by Giordano

Usually one think only of romantic love in opera, and only about he protagonists but not in this post. Loris Ipanoff and Fedora Romazoff. It is Count Loris and Princesss Fedora.

Loris Ipanoff
Mother,Valerian Ipanoff, Wanda, Vladimir, Fedora.

Mother - Son = parental/filial love. Loris loves his mother but he still choses to marry Wanda, a woman his mother does not approve of, in secret.
Brother love - Loris is devastated when he finds out that his innocent brother has died accused of being his accomplice in the murder of Vladimir.
Wanda, Loris secret wife, who he describes as a vamp, a seductress. Loris takes no responibility in choosing Wanda even as his mother suspects Wanda to be after Loris.
Vladimir, one of Loris friends who knows and were there when he married Wanda. Wanda + Vladimir = lovers. Loris finds out and in a rage he kills Vladmir and then feel mightily sorry for himself. Wanda dies of grief not long after.

Princess Fedora: Vladimir, Loris.

Vladimir, the beloved son of the chief of the dreaded secret police, is living the life with many women, horse racing, bets etc and has a huge debt. Fedora is the wealthy widow from a powerful house. She thinks he loves her. When Vladimir is killed she will do anything to get the murderer, Loris.
Loris is in love with Fedora and have no idea he is just a mark for her. As soon as Fedora hears the confession of killing Vladimir she sets things in motion. Loris has been writing letters to his brother but that is enough for Fedora to write in the letter to the police chief, Valerian Ipanoff as accomplice. Then after the tragedy is set in motion she finds out about Wanda and Vladimir, and so she will save Loris.

Fedora loves Loris. It is probably a more real love than Fedora and Vladimir, Loris and Wanda. BUT, as they live together she has not told him she was Vladimirs fiancee or that she has been writing letters to the police chief. Then Valerian is caught and brought to prison and killed as the river floods the prison. And Loris mother dies when she hears about it. Loris is free from accusations and can go home but his family is dead. Fedora asks desperately for forgiveness for the unknown woman in Paris, herself. Then Loris finally realizes it and is in a rage, and Fedora commits suicide. And Loris feels sorry for himself.

TRAGEDY but why? Fedora and Loris is really two unhinged persons. They can only think in extremes. That is the first part of the tragedy, thr second is the lack of honesty. Fedora is about a crime passionel. It used to be OK to kill people if you caught them in adultery, the wife is with another man. Some places if you killed both you were OK, only one of them then you were a killer. For Fedora Loris is not guilty when she hears about the adultery, but she would have prefered Wanda killed too. I THINK that you cannot be innocent when you suspect something and you are carrying your gun. BESIDE intention/reason matters not if you kill someone THEN you are a KILLER. Jalousy does not makes you innocent, it is not a better reason to kill than greed. Murder is murder, and I don't except your excuses!!!

And for FEDORA and all who could act like her. Get all the facts first, don't be a vigilante, and don't lie.

As I look ahead into the future

April 2012 started as it used to with April 1, April Fools Day. But on April 1, 2012 at 0930 the oldest sister of my mother died. It was a shock for me even as I had been told how serious her condition was this time, I still believed in Life. But Death came and for my aunt it must have been a relief too after so many years of suffering painfully of Parkinson's. A comfort was that she had her children with her even as she was not able even speak. It was so inappropriate that it was April Fools Day, much better that it was also Palm Sunday. SAD!! Her husband had died on April 1 last year and my aunt even shared her burial day with her husband, April 13, 2012. Friday the 13th, indeed.

My Easter Holiday at my parents' home never really recovered and I got sick and come to hospital for one night stay. Fun, it was not. Luckily one still have hobbies, opera. On April 15 I could experience a wonderful Opera gala in Sogndal Kulturhus. Even though Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss are not one of my favorite composers the soprano Elena Nebera made me forget that. My travel to Monte Carlo to see Maria Guleghina as Lady Macbeth was cut by flight engine problems, but Elena Nebera could in many ways remind me of Guleghina. Dark, big voices!

May has started. It is cold. My mother has cancer but finally she is getting help. And she is positive about it. But the delays because of low staffed hospitals and a bad combination of people getting sick and holidays that keep things from getting done fast.  But we are positive. Work and the love of opera is keeping me up.

My plans: May 25-30 Spain (La Chulapona in Madrid, Nabucco in Bilbao). June 9 Tosca with Cura in Stockholm, Early July in Zurich for Carreras and Boccanegra with Placido Domingo. Then Summer Holiday and the library and all the books and journals etc is going to another building, a brand new building with a new library. Two libraries is going to ONE big library in a NEW Building. I get an even shorter walk to my work. WOW!

About 2012/2013 only one thing is certain Carmen in Deutsche Oper Berlin on December 15, 2012.

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