Klaenge der Heimat von einer Luxusstimme

Klänge der Heimat von einer Luxusstimme

Weltstar Agnes Baltsa im Brucknerhaus Linz
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Von Georgina Szeless

Mit ihrem Spezialprogramm „Griechische Lieder“ ist die weltberühmte Operndiva Agnes Baltsa (64) auch nach Linz gekommen und füllte Dienstagabend lückenlos den Großen Saal des Brucknerhauses. Die erblondete Griechin in weißer Abendrobe spielte natürlich alles aus, was die Faszination ihrer eleganten Erscheinung ausmacht, mit einer Luxusstimme, mit der sie die mitreißende, berührende, leidenschaftliche Musik fast durchwegs unbekannter Komponisten ihrer Heimat servierte, ja zelebrierte. Sie tat dies nämlich größtenteils mit schonender Zurückhaltung, bei einem äußerst klugen Einsatz der Stimme, durchwegs ohne das geringste Forcieren bis zum ganz unaufdringlichen Übergang in ein effektvolles Parlando ihres persönlichen Gesangsstils.

Herz und Verstand waren hauptsächlich ihre tragenden gestalterischen Trümpfe; mit den erwarteten Temperamentsausbrüchen ließ sich die Österreichische Kammersängerin eher Zeit und zeigte sich endlich gegen Programmende freizügiger. Da wurde Griechenland erst so richtig zu ihrer Bühne.

Den Inhalt der 13 Lieder plus zwei Zugaben musste man leider erraten, da im Programm Textangaben fehlten. Das war ein gravierendes Versäumnis und hat das Erlebnis des Abends erheblich eingeschränkt. Einen erfreulichen Beitrag zum Erfolg leistete der griechische Pianist Achilleas Wastor mit seiner inspirierenden Begleitung und Solostücken, die ihn als arrivierten Künstler auswiesen. Überschwänglicher Jubel entließ den Weltstar in seine Opernwelt, deren Glanz die Baltsa zu dem Rollenwechsel beflügelte.

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vom Donnerstag den 22. Oktober 2009


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

Agnes Baltsa in Linz, Austria 20. october 2009

„Singen ist eine Befreiung“


Baltsa: „Ich glaube, ich bin schon eine verrückte Person.“ Bild: Agnes Baltsa

Mit Liedern ihrer griechischen Heimat gastiert die weltberühmte Mezzosopranistin Agnes Baltsa am 20. Oktober um 19.30 Uhr im Linzer Brucknerhaus. Die OÖN sprachen mit der Sängerin.

OÖN: Sie besuchen uns mit Liedern Ihrer Heimat. Sie sind auf der Insel Lefkas geboren, weltweit unterwegs – was ist Ihnen Heimat?

Baltsa: Wo immer ich war, habe ich versucht, mich wohlzufühlen, meine Welt zu bauen und zu sagen: Hier bin ich zuhause, ob das Wien, New York, Hamburg, Tokio oder Buenos Aires war. Natürlich ist die Heimat Griechenland, aber eigentlich bin ich eine Weltbürgerin. Und Musik ist eine Weltsprache.

OÖN: Worum geht es bei Musik?

Baltsa: Um Menschen, die auf eine Bühne gehen, um anderen Menschen etwas auszurichten. Die tollste Musikpartitur ist ein toter Zustand, wenn nicht Menschen im Orchestergraben oder auf dem Konzertpodium bereit sind, alles zu geben.

OÖN: Können Sie Ihre griechischen Lieder beschreiben?

Baltsa: Es sind fantastische Lieder mit traumhaft schönen Texten, in denen es um Sehnsucht, Melancholie, politische Unterdrückung geht, um Gefühle, die alle bewegen. Auch ich bin ein sehr emotionaler Mensch, mit vielen Farben: Ich kann lustig sein und habe eine gesunde Portion Melancholie. Für mich ist es eine besondere Herausforderung, diese Lieder nur mit einem Flügel begleitet, also ziemlich nackt, zu singen. Wenn ich das Publikum damit berühre, ist es für mich eine enorme Bereicherung und eine riesige Freude.

OÖN: Sie blicken auf eine große Karriere zurück...

Baltsa: Aber was heißt das? Wenn es acht Uhr ist und das Licht ausgeht, bin ich nur ein kleiner Mensch auf der Bühne. Da helfen mir meine fantastischen Schallplatten und die tollen Orchester nichts. Jedes Mal ist wie das erste Mal.

OÖN: Teil des Programms ist das politische Lied, der Rembetiko. Was bewegt Sie daran?

Baltsa: Dieses Nichtaufgeben, der menschliche Aufschrei, der Glaube an ein besseres Morgen.

OÖN: Warum brauchen Sie Musik?

Baltsa: Das ist mein Leben, meine Berufung. Seit ich denken kann, habe ich nichts anderes gemacht, als Musik zu hören und mich mit ihr zu beschäftigen. Mit sieben Jahren habe ich begonnen, Klavier zu studieren. Ich bin voll Dankbarkeit und Demut, dass ich machen durfte, was ich am meisten geliebt habe. Durch die Musik habe ich in der Welt so viel Liebe und Zuneigung erfahren. Singen ist für mich eine Befreiung.

OÖN: Wohin soll Ihre Karriere noch führen?

Baltsa: Keine Ahnung. Solange ich noch singen kann und engagiert werde und sich Menschen freuen, singe ich weiter mein Repertoire, die „Cavalleria rusticana“ in Zürich, „Jenufa“ in Wien, oder „Elektra“. Ich bin neugierig, was das Leben noch bringt, mag nicht in der Vergangenheit sitzen.

OÖN: Wie halten Sie es mit der Bezeichnung Diva?

Baltsa: Das ist ein inflationäres Wort geworden. Die Maria Callas war eine Diva. Heute kommt eine junge, begabte Sängerin, nach einer Woche ist sie ein Star, drei Wochen später eine Diva, und ein paar Monate oder Jahre später sitzt sie zu Hause.

OÖN: Etwas Oberflächliches: Sie sind jetzt blond?

Baltsa: Schon seit geraumer Zeit, wie damals in meiner Anfängerzeit in Frankfurt. Eigentlich bin ich kastanienbraun. Als Modemensch mache ich aber immer etwas Neues. Am liebsten würde ich per Knopfdruck immer wieder meine Haarfarbe ändern. Ich glaube, ich bin schon eine verrückte Person.

Karten: 0732 / 77 52 30

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

October 10, 2009: Carmen in Munich + the lump

Travelling can be a bit - too much... My own fault. I am the person who designs my trips. Cheap airplane tickets can come with a price. Sometimes in money, other times in stress and then head-ache.

My travel to Oslo Airport Gardermoen was uneventful. I had to wait an hour until Swiss opens to get my boarding pass and then going to security and then wait. Because I chose Swiss my trip to Munich was via Zurich. Now, Zurich Airport, I like it. But not when you have to wait an extra hour for the air travel to Munich. But at least this time we got good information unlike on the way from Zurich to Oslo with no information and then I even had one of my worst head-aches.

Finally Munich. So soon one forgets. It takes 40 minutes at least to get to Munich centre from the airport with train (S-Bahn), S1 and S8. But before the train trip you need to find the S-Bahn station in Airport Munich and then buy tickets. So if you are really fast 1 hr transit from Airport to centre of Munich is minimum.

Google maps or other maps are wonderful tools and when you even know which station to get out it should be easy. Yep. But it depends on knowing the right way out of a U- or S-Bahn station and then find the right road and direction. Do I need to say that I used a lot of time trying to find my hotel on my own. It was killing my feet so finally I came to my senses and took a taxi, less than 6 Euro.

My genius plan had not given my a lot time from before and I had managed to kill time I really needed to relax and unwind. But no, I had barely time to turn around in my hotel room to go to Nationaltheatre. I needed to get a real operaticket and not just my e-mail confirming a ticket. A lucky stroke I did not have to wait so long until 1800 and my ticket. Unlucky that the opera starts already at 19 so I cannot just force my shaky legs to go out and maybe find a shop and buy... or just find a restaurant to eat something. I was really hungry. Luckily in this house there is a refreshment room. It was better some hotels breakfast/lunch room. I got a big bite of something. Just pointed at it, so I don't know what it was called. So I ate fast and furious, until... I coughed and suddenly I realized that I had a lump the size of a smallish tennis-ball in my throat. That stopped me in my tracks.

The Opera is about to Start. My feet hurt, my back is killing and I have a LUMP in my throat. I saw a lot of other members of JCx in the opera house but really the Lump made me feeling not so sociable. I almost was in tears, even before the opera, but at least I knew, the lump is probably the old lump, just as I had forgot it I came again. It was probably all the stress and something about that bread that maybe had some nuts or other things that made my throat red from within.

CARMEN: This time, like all other times with Carmen, the conductor is too fast in the Prelude. I think the rest of the world disagree with me, but that is my opinion. What can I say about the production? Well, it was YELLOW. Is that a code for Seville... It was in my opinion a fairly traditional Carmen. There was some really good ideas there and sometimes the execution of ideas was wonderful. Julia Gertseva was a wonderful Carmen. I had not expected to love her as Carmen, but Carmen is really her role. Brilliant. José Cura was an excellent Don José. Vocally and acting brilliantly. The only thing is that here is French dialogue. And that is hard stuff. I really think Julia Gertseva was the best in dialogue, very clear, easy to hear, unfortunately I doubt it was the best French diction. Micaela was sung and acted superbly by Maija Kovalevska. It must have been the best Micaela I have seen. Zuniga and Morales seemed to young. Nikolay Borchev (Morales) seem to be the old type opera singer who sings to the audience. Christian Van Horn (Zuniga) right voice but too young for Zuniga. The smugglers Dancairo (Christian Rieger), Remendado (Kevin Conners) was allright, but Frasquita and Mercedes was another species of singers. Lana Kos was nothing short of wonderful as Frasquita. She makes you want more. Beautiful woman, voice and a sure actress. Heike Grötzinger as Mercedes was also a luxury Besetzung. This time one felt that Frasquita could easily become Micaela, and Mercedes could be Carmen.

Act 2 a gipsy camp with tents. I don't like it. And then the Fat Lady as Fat Gipsy Lady. OK, no not OK. A little too much of EXOTISM made of Gipsys, especially Gipsy Women, Zigeunerinnen. Problematic, the ROM people has been marginalized a long time when not looked as Exotic. OK, so it is CARMEN. But a little more respect. A big programme but nothing about how the Rom people was treated in Spain in the time of Carmen or about how it is now or why not in the European History. But essays, essays about other things. Our chance of insight wasted. Insight of women's situation in Spain would be appreciated instead of just Carmen and who was she, what kind of love... boring stuff.

I almost forgot Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Escamillo. Doesn't that say it all. Almost forgot. Yes, young and beautiful (handsome, I mean), but it the end easy to forget. The last duet with Carmen (Julia Gertseva) and Don José (José Cura) was absolutely the best. Ever...

Taxi home to my hotel room. Forgot to securely lock my room. AH, the stress. OK up in the morning, breakfast, S-Bahn, Airport. Boring airport. Getting a serious head-ache deciding in Zurich that I cannot take the bus home from Oslo. My head is killing me. I phone Wideroe to find out if I can get a flight home, does he think I will have time from arriving in Oslo with the Zurich plane and get to the flight home. Yes, 10 minutes... But he plane is never boarding in Zurich. The pain in my head makes me allmost cry when finally in the plane to Oslo. Frantic thinking I will be too late or just in time.

OSLO. Going to an inland plane will mean getting from customs in the ground floor and then run op to the first floor. I have everything in my arms, I ask to get skip some of the queu and get directly to security. It goes smoothly and then running to the other end to my flight that is marked GATE CLOSING. But I was in time. And proceeds. My head is really trying to ki... me. I have to buy water since my Coke light bottle had to go for my security (third time security). And then finally airport bus home. Now I am really, actually, crying because of my head-ache.

SO... Was it worth it?

Was it worth it?

Was it worth it?

What is more crazy, yes or no?

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

October has begun + News about Tosca in NY

In 2004 it was Verdi Gala in Parma on October 10th. This year it will be Carmen in Munich on October 10th. I am so looking forward to that performance.

+ October 10th Tosca from the Met in HD? Maybe in a cinema near you...

Marcelo Alvarez has, it appears, called the new Tosca at the Met a car-wreck. Maybe the interviewer put that word in his mouth. La Cieca thinks he may regret that news article.
- Marcelo, some things are better said when you write your self-biography.

New York Times

Even tenor says problems in `Tosca'

San Francisco Chronicle - Ronald Blum - ‎Sep 30, 2009‎

Marcelo Alvarez likens parts of Luc Bondy's controversial new production of Puccini's "Tosca" to a car wreck. ...

Joseph Colaneri To Conduct Tonight's Production Of Met's TOSCA Broadway World

Director spoils Karita Mattila's Tosca party at Metropolitan Opera Helsingin Sanomat

Carlo Guelfi To Sing Scarpia In Tonight's Performance Of Met's ... Broadway World

all 24 news articles »

guardian.co.uk

The Met's Twist on 'Tosca'? It's the Audience That Gets the Knife.

Washington Post - Anne Midgette - ‎Sep 21, 2009‎

Karita Mattila as Tosca and Marcelo Alvarez as Cavaradossi in the Metropolitan Opera's season opener. (By Ken Howard -- Metropolitan Opera) By Anne Midgette ...

Opera review: New 'Tosca' opens Metropolitan Opera season Los Angeles Times

At the Metropolitan Opera, a Kinky Take on a Classic New York Times

Met Opera opens to boos with muddled new 'Tosca' The Associated Press

Financial Times - The Star-Ledger - NJ.com



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

You've got to be carefully taught

Listen to Mandy Patinkin singing You've got to be carefully taught from South Pacific. But is it true that one has to be taught before one are 7 or 8 to hate all the people your relatives hate. Yes and no. We all carry our biases deep inside but naturally if you are taught from a young age to distrust etc all people that are not White or that gays/LBGT are disgusting, then you will most likely believe it as an adult. But we have more than family as sources of bias: TV, radio, books, newspapers, even school can give us more bias against other people that are different from us. And sometimes we even can have strong bias against our own kind. BUT. In reality there are only one, THE HUMAN KIND. Still, prejudice die hard, just like bad habits. Good habits, on the other side, has to be maintained all the time.

Now don't forget to
LOVE not hate
FORGIVE not avenge (revenge)
LISTEN not shout
UNDERSTAND not impose your own opinion before you learn, understand the other person
RESPECT the weak part not just the strong part

the TRUTH are more than not to lie. To tell the truth is an active doing, to not tell a lie is just a passive thing.

But back to Mandy Patinkin, Criminal Minds' Jason Gideon. Profiling of serial killers are that science or just bias set in "science". Not all single men who bedwet as children becomes murderers, do they?

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

Carmen, Il Corsaro and Jose Cura

This is what I am looking forward to Carmen in Munich (October), Il Corsaro in Zurich (November), and in December José Cura in Oslo.

José Cura as Don José in Munich October 4, 7, 10. I will not see all 3, just one. In the end of November it will be Vittorio Grigolo as Corrado in Il Corsaro in Zurich. I hope I will like the production. In Mid-December will José Cura sing in Oslo for the first time. I am excited.

CARMEN, everybodies "favorite opera" or just the most played. One of the most famous operas, that's certain. Very little of this opera would you only hear in the opera house or when playing the complete opera. The orchestra music, chorus, arias, duets etc are almost all famous. But every time I go to the opera house knowing all the music but I am often surprised almost about what comes first especially when it comes to act 1. I have seen Carmen 17 times already. It really have to be special for me since I have been too used to the music and so it has faded a bit for me. I love Agnes Baltsa as Carmen and I have 3 performances of Carmen that I still remember with fondness, 2 with Baltsa, 1 with Cura. Deutsche Oper Berlin 2000, February 5th and Finland National Opera 2002, May 15th both with Agnes Baltsa and Alberto Cupido. And then it was Arena di Verona 2003, July 29 with José Cura and Marina Domashenko. (That is the one that should have been on DVD).

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

Greek newspaper article about Baltsa/Xarhakos concert

Θερμό χειροκρότημα για Μπάλτσα
«E» 17/9


Το κατάμεστο Ηρώδειο υποδέχτηκε με τον πιο θερμό τρόπο την Αγνή Μπάλτσα, η οποία επέστρεψε εκεί 25 ολόκληρα χρόνια μετά την τελευταία της εμφάνιση.

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