GIOVANNA D'ARCO in Bilbao 2013-09-21

What a difference from Otello in Vienna to Giovanna d'Arco in Bilbao? In Vienna we had a modern production that unfortunately did not make sense even with Shakespeare and Boito together for the drama. In Bilbao we had a traditional production of Giovanna d'Arco.

2013-09-21 GIOVANNA D'ARCO (Verdi), Palacio Euskalduna (Bilbao)

Giovanna = Krassimira Stoyanova

Carlo VII = Alejandro Roy

Giacomo = Claudio Sgura

Talbot = Miguel Angel Zapater

Delil = Eduardo Ituarte

Euskaldiko Orkestra Sinfonikoa

Coro de Ópera de Bilbao

Yves Abel, conductor

Regie - Gabriele Lavia

Scenography - Alessandro Camera

Costumes - Andrea Viotti

Light design - Boris Dujin

Production from Teatro Regio di Parma

Yves Abel conducted the opera. Giovanna d'Arco is an opera with some glorious music but that was hard to hear in Bilbao. The ouverture was sloppy and the opera seemed to be on and off during the evening. Claudio Sgura was not only literally taller than all but also figuratively speaking. Krassimira Stoyanova was a wonderful Giovanna but I did not feel that she was supported enough by the orchestra/conductor. Alejandro Roy as the King started the opera with a big scene and aria. He became better and better during the performance. 

It was a beautiful production that was as historically correct as an opera can be. Historical correct costumes can be too much for modern sensibilities. It was a really good workmanship this production, but perhaps not the most exciting one. Can Giovanna d'Arco be better?

During the evening there was  coughing, coughing everywhere and often in the most sensitive moments. Not to mention the person that made some loud deep clensing from the nose and down, and not once. But that can be how live opera is. Great onstage but annoying audience. Not all the audience, but still...

From Josep Carreras to Agnes Baltsa via Alvarez, Cura & Alagna

2013-09-18 Solistenkonzert Agnes Baltsa, Wiener Staatsoper

Agnes Baltsa, mezzo

Achilleas Wastor, piano

My week in Vienna ended with Greek songs with AGNES BALTSA. The same concert with the same extra numbers. She was wonderful. The pianist was not so wonderful but maybe that was the instrument.

Agnes Baltsa greeted her fans with a Signierstunde at the portier of the Bühneneingang. I got he signature but once again I left without knowing the name of the second and last extra. The first was Garifollo st afti, and is as sure as after an opera concert the extra will be Seguedilla from Carmen.

My "week" in Vienna started with Otello with José Cura on Saturday, Sunday with Josep Carreras Matiné and Tosca with Marcelo Alvarez in the evening. Monday came with Carmen with Roberto Alagna. Tuesday was Otello again. Then it was Wednesday with Ages Baltsa. Thursday travelling back home. Friday at work.

Otello with the Agentinian mountain lion, the Siberian tiger and Anja Harteros (September 17, 2013)

2013-09-17 Otello (Verdi), Wiener Staatsoper

Otello = José Cura

Desdemona = Anja Harteros

Jago = Dmitri Hvorostovsky

Dan Ettinger, conductor

The Siberian tiger, that was too easy. Dmitri Hvorostovsky, baritone from Sibiria.

With the words Otello and Argentinian that was José Cura, tenor from Argentina. But why did I say mountain lion. Well, I really wanted to say lion but they do not live in Argentina, mountain lions do.  Anyway Otello is called the lion of Venice and onstage José Cura was often on four legs like a powerful predator. 

Anja Harteros is Anja Harteros, the German soprano.

News!! I now saw that sometimes the chorus was in black and red. The red on the black as red as blood. Other news sometimes the video showed clouds and not the raging sea, some times one could see something else and sometimes it was just black as nothing. 

It really did not make much sense and it was boring. Boring color changes. The singing was glorious. Everybody deserved a much better production.  BIG NEWS! José Cura was well and in good humour. The nicest tenor ever!!

The perfect Monday of Carmen (September 16, 2013)

I did not think I would do it. Why should I need to buy another ticket for another Carmen when I have seen so many? And also several times the same production in Wiener Staatsoper.

It was NOT because Roberto Alagna was Don José, Rinat Shaham was Carmen, Laurent Naori was Escamillo and Anita Hartig was Micaela. But I still paid 197 Euro for one of the 2 seats available. 

2013-09-16 Carmen (Bizet), Wiener Staatsoper

Carnen = Rinat Shaham

Don José = Roberto Alagna

Escamillo = Laurent Naouri

Micaela = Anita Hartig

Dan Ettinger, conductor

I would have loved the ticket to be cheaper. But how can one regret PERFECTION. It started with the most perfect Prelude. I have never enjoyed the Prelude of Carmen just like it was on September 16, 2013. DAN ETTINGER was the conductor. And Dan with his crazy hair made my day with that piece. I never thought it would be possible but my Dream Carmen Prelude came through. Other conductors just annoyed me from their first beat of the Prelude. This was a Dream. The wonderful conductor with this wonderful orchestra. The crisp, clear sound of orchestra and one sound that just continued to amaze, Dan Ettinger made CARMEN sound new and fresh. And that is just impossible, after all This is Carmen!!!!

This time even where the dialogue was cut it was cut in a way that only works in the advantage of the drama. That is rare. I did not expect to like Roberto Alagna a lot but he was perfection. The perfect Don José and with Rinat Shaham so very close to the perfect Carmen. But with Rinat Shaham that is just nitpicking. I loved Anita Hartig as Micaela, but I want to see her in bigger roles like Marguerite in Faust. And while I am in an Alagna rush with Roberto Alagna as her Faust. Laurent Naouri was also great, how great is hard to say with a smallish role as Escamillo.

Even as it rained hard when the opera ended I was surprised so few waited for the Great Roberto Alagna. But that made my waiting short and my back pain managable. He came out with his girl friend. So that was a 2 for 1 moment.

The weekend of 3 tenors in Vienna: Cura, Carreras & Alvarez (September 14-15, 2013)

Of course it all started with the night bus to Gardermoen. It was full. But I slept sometimes. No rest in the airport. My flight was early and directly to Vienna. After I found my hotel and got my room quickly. Did not have to wait until 1600 which would have been dreadful. So naturally I coud have slept and then be ready for Otello at 1900 with Cura, Harteros and Hvorostovsky. I still don´t see why I could just not do that. So I was positively sleepy when I arrived at the opera house. Even as I forgot to rest myself up I had remembered to eat before opera. And that is always good.

2013-09-14 OTELLO (Verdi), Wiener Staatsoper

Otello = José Cura

Desdemona = Anja Harteros

Jago = Dmitry Hvorostvsky

Conductor Dan Ettinger

When the opera started I thought the production would be about Martians and Otello coming home in an UFO. But no, this production was about colours. The light had a busy evening, going from all different colours. The coloring seemed to follow the score and the feelings. A wall of video of waters, the sea frothing in colors matching the partiture of Verdi (I guess). Other than that it was Desdemona dressed in white, angelic and pure (you know), the powerful ones in black and white except Jago, he is evil (you know). The people in black but red hands, and Nothing Explains That. 

It was a very static production. The good news is: I did not fall asleep and José Cura was wonderful even though the production was eh, and he had severe back pain. Cura, the hero, fought to bring some real passion here. He even used the pain he was in physically to make his Otello really come through. A true warrior. Anja Harteros voice may not be perfect for poor, innocent Desdemona. But she is really the Soprano at the moment, wonderful in her Verdi roles. Hvorostovsky became better all through the evening, but I realised that I love deeper voices as Jago, like Ruggero Raimondi etc.

Poor Cura! After the opera he had to meet his fans at the stage door. Inside it was hot from all those fans. Outside it was rather chilly. He loved the conductor, Dan Ettinger. As a conductor himself he should know, and after so many Otellos, he knows.

2013-09-15 Carreras and friends in Wiener Staatsoper.

Of course the MatinéKonzert with Josep Carreras and Friends was something different than Otello with  José Cura. For 6 Euro what can you get? Balcony seat high, high up where you cannot see the whole "stage". Tragically I was on the wrong side. This time left was wrong. I could only see Carreras by leaning out. So I sat and saw him seldom. But I could hear. It was a wonderful concert and I hope it brought a lot of money for the Carreras foundation to fight Leukemia. www.fcarreras.org

That was 11 to 1330 and then I waited for Carreras, And then I gave it up. But I did get photo of the conductor David Gimenez Carreras.

Evening 1830-2130

2013-09-15 TOSCA (Puccini), Wiener Staatsoper

Tosca = Angela Gheorghiu

Cavaradossi = Marcelo Alvarez

Scarpia = Zeljko Lucic

Conductor Marco Armiliato.

And a happy opera night it was. The production was TOSCA and no nonsense here. Marcelo Alvarez was a great Cavaradossi. He had a wonderful E lucevan le stelle. Angela Gheorghiu´s best moment was Vissi d arte and the last act. Zeljko Lucic was too mellow, strange since he is such a powerful Jago. 

Angela look good, except a bit too skinny. Her voice often lacked some of her usual power but that could be just where I sat. I want Angela Gheorghiu to be healthy and happy so she need to remove herself from unnecessary emotional drama in her life and eat right and enough. I know this advise is annoying and difficult to follow. But she is not me, she has discipline and is a Great Soprano. She will conquer!!

Verdi200: ATTILA (Premiere La Fenice, Venezia 1846-03-17) no 9

Attila

opera in a prologue and 3 acts

from the tragedy Attila, König der Hunnen by Zacharias Werner
Libretto by Temistocle Solera
The libretto was completed by Francesco Maria Piave
First performance La Fenice Theatre - Venice, March 17, 1846
(also given with the title: Gli Unni e i Romani)

Attila, re degli unni, Basso
Ezio, generale romano, Baritono
Odabella, figlia del signore d'Aquileja, Soprano
Foresto, cavaliere aquilejese, Tenore
Uldino, giovane bretone, schiavo d'Attila, Tenore
Leone, vecchio romano, Basso
duci, re e soldati, Unni, Gepidi, Ostrogoti, Eruli, Turingi, Quadi, Druidi, sacerdotesse, popolo di Aquileja, vergini di Aquileja, ufficiali e soldati romani, vergini e fanciulli di Roma, eremiti e schiavi.

La Scena durante il Prologo è in Aquileja e nelle Lagune Adriatiche; durante i tre Atti è presso Roma.

Epoca: la metà del quinto secolo.

List of CDs and DVDs

Aria
ODABELLA: Santo di patria indefinito amor! (PROLOGUE Scene 3)

ODABELLA: Da te questo or m'é concesso (PROLOGUE Scene 3)

FORESTO: Qui, qui sostiamo! - Ella in poter del barbaro! - Cara patria, già madre e reina (PROLOGUE Scene 7)

ODABELLA: Liberamente or piangi - Oh! Nel fuggente nuvolo (Act 1 Scene 1)

ATTILA: Mentre gonfiarsi l'anima (Act 1 Scene 3)
ATTILA: Oltre a quel limite (Act 1 Scene 4)
ATTILA: No! . . . non è sogno ch'or l'alma invade! (Act 1 Scene 6)
EZIO: Tregua è cogl'Unni - Dagli immortali vertici (Act 2 Scene 1)
EZIO: È gettata la mia sorte (Act 2 Scene 4)
FORESTO: Qui del convegno è il loco - Che non avrebbe il misero (Act 3 Scene 1+2)

Duet
EZIO, ATTILA: Attila! / Oh, il nobil messo! - Tardo per gli anni, e tremulo (PROLOGUE Scene 4+5)
FORESTO, ODABELLA: Donna! / Gran Dio! - Oh, t'inebria nell'amplesso (Act 1 Scene 2)


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

Verdi200: ALZIRA (Premiere Teatro San Carlo, Napoli 1845-08-12) no 8

ALZIRA

Dramma lirico in un prologo e due atti
Musica di Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto di Salvatore Cammarano

Alzira is an opera in a prologue and two acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play Alzire, ou les Américains by Voltaire. The first performance was at the Teatro San Carlo, Naples, on 12 August 1845

Alvaro, padre di Gusmano, Basso (Governatore del Perù)
Gusmano, Baritono (Governatore del Perù)
Ovando, Duce spagnuolo, Tenore
Zarnoro, Tenore (Capo di Tribù Peruviane)
Ataliba, Basso (Capo di Tribù Peruviane)
Alzira, figlia d'Ataliba, Soprano
Zuma, ancella di Alzira, Mezzosoprano
Otumbo, guerriero americano, Tenore
Ufficiali, e soldati spagnuoli. Americani d'ambo i sessi

La scena è in Lima, ed in altre contrade del Perù: l'epoca è verso la metà del secolo XVI

List of CDs and DVDs

Parts/Movements
No. 1, Overture

Prologo: Il prigioniero
Scena 1
No. 2, Muoia coveerto d'insulti
Scena 2
No. 3a, Ah! Tu! Fia vero!
No. 3b, Ed a' nemici ancora
No. 3c, Una Inca... eccesso orribile! (ZAMORO)
No. 3d, Risorto fra le tenebre (ZAMORO)
No. 3e, Dio della guerra

Atto I - Vita, per vita
Scena 1
No. 4, Giunse or, da lido ispano (Chorus)
Scena 2
No. 5a, Alta cagion qui v'assembrava
No. 5b, Eterna la memoria (GUSMANO)
No. 5c, Quanto un mortal può chiedere (GUSMANO)
Scena 3
No. 6a, Riposa Tutte, in suo dolor vegliante
No. 6b, Da Gusman, su fragil barca (ALZIRA)
No. 6c, Nell'astro più che fulgido (ALZIRA)
Scena 4+5
No. 7, Figlia! Padre!
Scena 6
No. 8a, Anima mia!
No. 8b, Risorge ne'tuoi fumi
Scena 7
No. 9a, Qual ardimento! Olà?
Scena 7+8
No. 9b, Teco sperai combattare
Scena 8
No. 9c, Nella polve, genuflesso
Scena 9
No. 9d, Qual suon? Che avvenne?
No. 9e, 'Trema, trema... a ritorni fra l'armi

Atto II - La vendetta d'un selvaggio
Scena 1
No. 10, Mesci, mesci, Vittoria! Vittoria! (Chorus)
Scena 2+3

No. 11a, Guerreri, al nuovo dì, fra voi le opime

Scena 3

No. 11b, Il pianto, l'angoscia di lena mi priva
Scena 4
No. 12a, Di pira non piu
No. 12b, Colma di gioia ho l'anima
Scena 5
No. 13, Amici! Propizio
Scena 6
No. 14a, Miserandi avanzi (ZAMORO)
No. 14b, Irne lunge ancor dovrei (ZAMORO)
Scena 7
No. 15, Tergi del pianto America (Chorus)
Scena 8
No. 16a, Prodi figli d'Iberia
No. 16b, É dolce la trombla che suo vittorio
Scena ultima
No. 17a, La mano e questa che a te si deve
No. 17b, Altre virtudo, insam

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