Bruckner in Wellington

Just back from this most excellent concert. The only work on the program was the 80 minute long Bruckner 8th symphony in C Minor. Lawrence Renes masterfully conducted our most excellent New Zealand Symphony. This very important monument of the symphonic repertoire was given A no. 1 treatment. It has been a favorite of mine for like 30 years now so I know it really well. It is a great work but it needs care. A performance of it can go wrong especially in the slow movement if the conductor does not know what he is doing. But rest assured that Renes knows what he is doing. He tapers the sound to nothing (and has about seven different levels of nothing that he asks for and gets from our god-like orchestra) and he also gets the most delightful grand sounds where needed. A sense of the large-scale structure of this work was everywhere present.

Yes this is a rave. It was totally awesome.

The shattering climax at the end of the first movement was, well, shattering (Mission accomplished) and the coda that followed it, which feature broken bits and pieces of various themes, was so appropriately perfectly desolate. This work is just great here: there is this big climax and then it is like everything is broken, ruined, lost, destroyed, FUBAR, perditum, deletum (you get the idea) and so the movement limps to an ending with these fragments trying to say something, anything and yet all there is to be said is the fact that there is nothing to be said. From this dark spot the symphony rebounds of course and we have at the very end of the symphony a blaze of C major that has been earned and which is transfiguring. Good good stuff.

Keep your eyes out for Renes and run to hear him in anything at all I think but especially in Mahler and Bruckner.

Concert Report: Kiri in Mozart and Strauss and Renes and Kiri in a Mahler 4th

Well, as I write this post I am sitting at my lovely desk while the enchanting stylings of Myslivecek's opera seria Il Bellerofonte are rawking de house [Myslivecek 4evah!!!!111!!! (I experience things that don't happen to everyone everyday, clearly)]. Anyway, last night's concert was a nice thing if mildly frustrating in places. Lawrence Renes is a super conductor. He excelled in his accompanying of Kiri in three Mozart concert arias and in three Strauss songs. The Figaro overture which opened the program was delightful. And, most importantly, the Mahler fourth was pastoral where it needed to be, gently sarcastic where it needed to be, passionate, too, where it needed to be. The symphony breathed and his view of the work felt natural and right and was totally engrossing. He is, TRH and I agree, pretty easy on the eyes too:



We see him in Bruckner's 8th symphony tonight. The stars might very well be in alignmnent for something really good.

At 63, Kiri is in the sunset years of her career. She looks like a million bucks and played the role of cool yet impeccably gracious diva to perfection. The beauty of her preternaturally beautiful voice is still in evidence. There were no issues with intonation worthy of mention. Her ability to edge her tone or makes it smooth as creme is still hers to do as are her always tasteful and beautifully judged portamenti. But (and you were waiting for that, were you not?), she was underpowered. We were not far back and we could not hear her at times especially when she needed to do a little bit of coloratura. Also, in spaces where you wanted her to let the tone free [Rawk de house Kiri!!11!!! Let the big dog hunt!!], she seemed to hold it back. I sensed that she could have filled the hall on a number of occasions but then chose not to. But you know, she may know best. I just teach Latin and think about monks and sex, while she is still singing in her sixities and quite well, all things considered. We will admit that perhaps the Dame knows best. I was glad to see her again.

Trebs Mania -- Part the [who's counting?]

This is really very nice. This is Elettra's final aria from Idomeneo. It is a mini mad-scene and an opportunity for a soprano to chew the scenery to a fare-the-well. I saw the divine Carol Vaness do it so so so so so so so so so so so so well in SF in the late 90s [sotto voce to Carol: you got that somewhere on video? Send it to me and I will post it right here. k?luvuthnxbi.]--- as I was saying, Vaness does well and so does La Trebs.

Minus first: a tad bit of hoarseness (?) in the lower register. But whatever.

She ducks out of like two of staccati at the end of the twin runs at the end (you will note them when she goes up and then seems to go down in a figuration that suggests maniacal laughter). She should not have done that.

[Over at Parterre Box, there are some who will figure she needs to go to Sing-Sing and break up rocks for 30 years for this--- but I am not talking about those pedants, oh no, I am not mentioning those bitter people, oh no, I am not thinking of those ____ (because I am not thinking of them I will not say what I am thinking!) at all. Oh. No. Not. At. All.]

Pluses: the line is pulled so nice and tight all the way through (as is so so so so so so so so so so so so so so appropriate to this character at this point in the opera). Contrast with Renee Fleming's indulgences--swoops and croons. Trebs goes for and achieves a severe classic grandeur here. So tense. So intense. Yes!! I just love that! Score!! Go team!!

There is the touch of the slavic in the tone but the execution is all done to the highest of international standards, if you get what I mean. She is a playa.

Check out the drama in the voice--- it is there independent of the her acting with her face and body. Close your eyes; don't even look and it still is happening. It is really something how she does both. But all the same, do look. The arm coming up slowly as the aria is coming to its explosive conclusion is electrifying and it comes down so slowly even as the applause still continues.

Gosh I sure liked this!!

Something good in prospect...

... and more than likely in reality.

March 30 and 31, this coming Friday and Saturday, we have some good music down at the New Zealand Symphony.

Lawrence Renes (a conductor with whom I am not familiar) will be conducting both concerts.

Here is the program for Friday night:

MOZART Overture to The Marriage of Figaro

MOZART Arias including:
Vado, ma dove?
Chi sà, chi sà qual sia
Nehmt meinen Dank, ihr holden Gönner!

STRAUSS Lieder including:
Morgen
Standchen
Zueignung

MAHLER Symphony No 4 in G Major

And the soprano will be Kiri Te Kanawa. [!] It will be interesting to hear how her voice is doing. I have not heard her since a Capriccio in San Francisco back in the 90's some time. My understanding is that she is still in pretty good shape.

AND then on Saturday night, we have the rich over-the-topness of Bruckner's titanic Symphony #8.

It is going to be a lovely weekend.

Here is the inside of the Michael Fowler Centre (generally the home of the excellent New Zealand Symphony when it is in Wellington):

I play bridge...

...and as a newbie and one who at times is NOT that good at hiding his reactions to the hands the deals reveal... well, shall we say that Antonietta Stella here in this clip from La Fanciulla Del West by Puccini...um... erk... shall we say that I know how she feels AND that I have a better notion of how I must look at times? Shall we say that? Sure. Let's.



Of course, she is quite happy at the end because she has saved her lover's life through this card game. In my imagination she could be singing in those final glorious broad and high lines the following:

"I bid five and got one over-trick AND we were vulnerable!"

[Which happened last night!! Buona Notte indeed!!]

[[Via NYC Opera Fanatic]]

[[[P.S. I think I need to get more Antonietta Stella in my life.]]]

Looking for Catharsis? I give you the Act 3 Finale of La Juive!!

We saw this production a few years back when it was in New York at the MET. It was one of the best evenings I have ever spent at the opera. The scene here, if I remember correctly is when it has been discovered that Prince Leopold has been consorting with a jewess. In the course of the scene, you will see him rejected-- anathematized, actually, by Cardinal Brogni.

The gentiles are above in white and Rachel (the eponymous Jewess) and her father Eleazar are in black below. I find particularly effective how Eleazar just gets back to work while the Christians above work themselves up into a blood-libel frenzy. He knows that what will be, will be and that he might as well ignore it, cuz what else can he do--- and besides there is work to do. He wraps the leather straps around his wrists so that he can get back to jewelry making.

Halevy, the composer, by the way, is nothing less than a genius. The music that is bringing this curtain down with a bang [in a most passionate G minor] is some of the most exciting and cathartic music I know. As Princess Eudoxie collapses (right at the end), what music is this for a collapse! It all makes my eyes water in the best way.



When we saw this scene at the MET, I remember being quite at a loss for words afterwards. It was also fun going into Tower Records and other places that weekend after the performance. Everyone seemed to be talking (or so I thought) about how dramatic and involving this opera had been... and they were also saying how suprising it had been that the MET had produced something riveting (these were in the days before the teh sexy reign of Gelb, of course).

Netrebko Fever Bollywood Style

Please to click here. Anna Netrebko controversy is unabated in its intensity and, it would seem, unbounded in its extent.

Anna Leese Recital and an Operatic Round-Up

Things buzz along here, actually. We saw a production of Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti about a month ago that was pretty darn nice. A modest little company of young singers put it on with a piano. This is a fine chamber opera (two leads and a chorus of three) by Bernstein and I encourage you to see it if it is ever around. The baritone (Brendan Casey) who played the male lead was pretty hunky (and had a good voice). He also did some one-armed push-ups at one point. What a guy! Here he is with the chorus:



The piece is about a marriage that is some trouble in the 50s and it is a series duets and solos for the husband and wife with interjections and by-play from the chorus of a woman and two men who sing in close harmony that is definitely jazz influenced. Barbara Paterson, who played the wife, did a nice job too. She shone in her aria that relates the plot of a movie she saw that was set in the South Seas and which gives this opera its name. She was very funny. All in all this opera is a clever piece.

Then two weeks ago we saw an "Afternoon in Vienna" from the Vector Wellington Orchestra on the grounds of the Governor's House on a perfect day. Waltzes and stuff from Die Fliedermaus--- you get the idea. We had a soprano and a mezzo. The soprano, Andrea Creighton, is young and was somewhat overparted at times but had more and more success as the afternoon went on. Helen Medlyn (the mezzo) is a national treasure. She is able to infuse her voice with delightful sarcasm and then pull it all out and give you the cleanest lovliest classical line you could want. I love her!



The conductor Marc Taddei has something to say too. He made that totally overexposed Hungarian Dance by Brahms interesting. With him conducting this orchestra now, we plan to be attending more of their concerts.

Lastly, we attended a concert by Anna Leese (a soprano) last night. She is starting to make a name for herself in England. She had to go on, not too long ago, as Musetta in La Boheme for an indisposed Nuccia Focile at Covent Garden. She evidently did well.



She started off with two Mozart arias (Porgi Amore and the second biggie aria from Cosi). I thought the first went well but was somewhat distressed by the lack of confident control in the bravura bits of the Cosi aria. TRH was charmed and wanted another seven Mozart arias if he could have had them. Then a Brahmszzzzzzzzzzzzzz set followed. She sang it well, I suppose. I caught up on my rest a little. Then after intermission she came back with a new gown that was cut really really low in the back. Teh hott. A fine Strauss set followed. Her Der Rosenband was so nice with pretty solfeggio at the end. An English set and De Falla's popular songs followed and she had most of us in the palm of her hand. When she sang the Jota from De Falla, saucy characterization was aligned with lovely technique in a rendition that was ideally communicative. TRH was less happy in through here as he was still pining for Mozart. If I have this wrong, he will correct me and I will do an update, of course. NJ was pleased as punch to see her and was liking everything really well. I think he was even up for the Brahms. NJ is an example unto the nations. Yes.

Encores were Musetta's waltz song, which she sang beautifully. She was sexily flirtatious and she showed off her ability to taper the high notes to just the most lovely little beam of light (sorry about the 1/2 mixed and 1/1 half-baked metaphor there!). And the final encore was Danny Boy. She made me choke up and my eyes water. Who does she think she is? Rogatchewski?! TRH was charmed by Danny Boy and less so by the waltz song. NJ of course was thrilled. The charming SR was patient and good through it all.

We hear that she will be singing Musetta here in 2008. That will be a good good thing indeed!!

Trebs Fever Worsens (Now in Lucia!)

My new hobby is Anna Netrebko. Imagine that! I am more surprised than you are. Anyway...

As she is slated to do Lucia at the MET in, what, two years time, this video is of more than passing interest. Though from out here in NZ, it really is a matter of academic interest. Still though, one wants to participate. So look and listen (what do you think?):



This must be from a couple of years back? Not sure though.

Minuses first:

Trills = AWOL. One or two of them are kinda there, but she is up against the heavy hitters here and she falls short on this count, way short.

The top is not as powerful as it has clearly become now. But nice enough (oh yeah it is. The final high note is schu-weet.) And if you are missing that a bit here, she has got it for you now, in any case, baby.

Pluses:

Someone.Is.Home.And.In.Control.

Love the way she uses the language in the cabaletta. Her "per me"s at the end of florid passage work are delicious.

She is musical, in tune, and her low notes are so pretty! Like the timbre of her voice in general.

She acts with her face and with the voice!

(Oh, and yes, she is glamorous!)

You know, she is singing better now than she did when I first heard her about 10 years ago in the Russian rep. The middle and the top have focussed quite nicely.

Over to you, what do you think?

A Barely-Legal Salome! Finally!!

Well...perhaps not quite what Strauss had in mind. But never you mind; this lip-synching young man turns in a performance that is both extremely silly and dramatically acute. A dynamic combination in my (at times questionable-- but-hey-I-gotta-be-me-I-did-it-my-way) opinion:




Via Parterre Box, yet again!

Thematic Dissonance [updated]

Just when it appears that this is once and for all an opera blog, something happens to throw all calculations off. This happens so often in so many ways and so many places, as I (and you) have found. The universe has yet more mysteries to share.

O Magnum Mysterium, O Res Inexpectatas!

Right!

To the matter at hand:

In the last couple of years, I have been listening to some mixed CDs that have resulted from some parties at a club in San Francisco that I used to frequent in the late 70s and early 80s, The Trocadero Transfer. Anyway one of the cuts was this fun track from the final days of The Supremes. The earlier Supremes' cuts are over-exposed and I will never need to hear any of them ever again (though I will, oh yes, I will). But this one is from 1977 and it showed up on one of the CDs from a party in 2005, as I have said. This track has a sweetness and earnestness to it (check out the violin lines for example) that contrast tellingly with the high drama and at times intimidating brilliance of dance music of later decades. This video is a hoot and fun, you will want to let it load all the way before you play it. Also, Mary Wells evidently was pregnant and Scherrie Payne always was a diva:

The Supremes - Let Yourself Go (1977)
Uploaded by StarScream76

Check out the girls at "I'm feelin' good, I'm feelin' loose!"-- nice nice neck work. Wish I could do that.

[I felt about like this when I finished my dissertation, got my first job, and my permanent job, by the way.]

Hat-tip to Disco Delivery.

Disaster!

Well, no one died or anything, so I do have a little perspective--- BUT NOT MUCH... so we show up for the screening in the nice auditorium of that new DVD with Voigt of La Gioconda. This was going to be a nice thing and then on Saturday we were going to see a VHS cassette I have of Bumbry doing it from Spain in 1988. The deal was to be that with the nice up-to-date one in our ears and eyes--- the fact of Spanish subtitles on the 1988 cassette was not going to cause trouble (though not much for me as I read Spanish and know this opera like the back of my hand, or something) and it was going to be a La Gioconda spectacular for 48 or so hours. Husband is keen but he needs his subtitles or a recent performance that did. Well, anyway, in a major display of bush-league f!@#$%d-up-ness, the people who were showing the DVD forgot to check the speakers, for once the music started to play it was abundantly clear that the speakers were blown. Oh for crying out loud! How can such wedgedness occur? How? There will be a make-up date at some vague point in the future. Anyway opera friends will still come over on Saturday but Bumbry's (what promises to be a most) interesting performance will have to wait for later. I want to denounce somebody over this, or at least pitch them into a canal.

Anna Netrebko at the Vienna Operaball [updated] [and updated once more]

Pretty amazing actually--- a bit of hint of a suspicion of a cracked-tone at one point aside---just so you know I am not just all blinkered by all the glamourousness--- this performance is authoritative, secure, seductive, and, yes, quite glamorous AND, above all, musical. Lovely, just lovely. And yes I am surprised that I am saying this, but credit where credit is due. Enjoy:



Good on ya Trebs!!

Via Parterre Box [update: go there for wrangling with, as OperaChic might put it, the "haterz" who have been hitting the



while being lemmings with their "fingerz" in their ears.]

[[Newest Latest Update: Ok so I was over there being Anna's (what I like to think judicious) champion. I referred to what Massanet wrote-- talking about what is actually in the score, after someone said that she shamefully and consistently ducked out on some ornamentations. At that point, I was accused of being a vocal coach--- of trying to offer vocal coaching to Anna, I guess. When I said I was just referring to the score as means of illustrating my impression of the relationship between what Anna was singing and the score, this (evidently devstating) charge of me being a vocal coach was repeated. Wha?!

I noted too, by the way, that the haterz were not touching what was interesting and exciting in her singing (e.g., the thrilling high-notes and the sense of line) and were instead after what had tripped her up in Puritani at the MET (coincidence? I think not!!)--- even if the score will really not support the assertions. Dark things were also said about the grumbling mid-ranges and lower volume--- which again were things not in the excerpt you have here.

There is no dealing with these people. I knew it, but an evil spirit was with me today. A little voice was going, close that score. Don't hit publish on that comment. This is going to take a lot of your mental energy!! But did I listen, no!

If you catch me over there on that thread again or indeed in the comments for a while, please chide me and tell me that I should not come crying to you when those mean kids over there are mean to me. I will however read the actual entries--- La Cieca is great.]]

"So that I can remember you in my prayers...

...tell me your name, unknown saviour." And with these words, La Gioconda assures that her lover Enzo will discover that his beloved Laura still lives and is indeed right before his eyes (for Laura has just saved La Gioconda's mother). Enzo will spend the rest of the opera hoping to get back with Laura (and he will succeed in this) and it is La Giconda who is marked for death and tragedy. The next words, about, and which figure in the clips to come are "Dearest Enzo! Oh, how much I love you" (Enzo adorato. Ah, come t'amo!). She addresses him in love but he is lost forever to her through the question asked in gratitude not 10 seconds earlier, as I have said. La Gioconda's mother may be La Cieca (the blind one) but she cannot see either. It is a trademark compelling moment of the kind Ponchielli excelled in. It is also a moment that only improves the better you know the opera, the more you have listened to it, the more you have seen it.

This scene also features a lovely B flat which the soprano holds as a truly beautiful melody materializes and commences its soaring course from underneath. In the excepts to come, I have focussed on the soprano's B flat. In the last clip, however, I give you more of the scene and include the truly gorgeous postlude to this little scene. This is writing in the grand manner and it is one of the glories of the Italian repertoire.

Callas first studio

Callas is always interesting. She does not deliver some of the cream that we will get from Zinka later but she is present, we are in the presence of the character, as always.

Urmana studio (recent)

Urmana sounds very nice indeed. The quality of the high note is muy nice. Gosh she makes a nice dramatic soprano.

Gencer (Venice 1971)

Gencer has delicacy and some glottal action here. The rough and the smooth. THE note starts off soft and then suddenly triples in volume. Wha?! Then the note starts to sound kind of scary toward the end. Things end up where they are supposed to, but gosh the journey has some weird moments. But this is par for the course with this important singer.

Rysanek (Berlin 1974)

Rysanek is perhaps not everyone's cup of tea in the Italian rep. This is fun to hear though. I always like her engagement.

Milanov (New York 1939)

The trademark Milanov (she sounds young!) is laying it down. "I own this role; I understand what an opportunity this moment is."

Milanov (New York 1946)

The trademark Milanov (she is aged to perfection!) is saying that what she said in 1939 still applies. Note how the orchestra takes it really slow--- she has plenty of air left... "What's the rush? There is no rush. I own this role."

Farrell (New York 1962)

Nice gleaming tone! Such authority! You should hear her elsewhere in this recording! She filled the house with clear-eyed phrasing and a powerful voice. If you see this recording available, you will want to grab it.

Tebaldi studio

Love Tebaldi. She is so there. I really enjoy her in her Indian-Summer forays into the dramatic repertoire.

Milanov studio

This is my fav. ZM is able to relax and do the note just so. Check out the glide down! Schuweet!! The yearning and loving nature of this character come out so nicely. There really is no other in this role.

The inspiration for this post is the local opera society's screening of a DVD of a recent performance of this opera from a production in Barcelona. Deborah Voigt will be in the lead. Also, a couple of days later at our house we are going to watch a VHS cassette I recently acquired featuring Grace Bumbry from 1988 (also Barcelona). We are watching them so close together because the second one is not subtitled in English (there are Spanish subtitles). If we see it soon enough, we will remember enough of what is going on so that we won't miss the subtitles too much. La Gioconda fever in our secluded glade down here in Wellington (where Fall is on its way).

One of the Great Tenor Arias [UPDATED]

And yet it is one that you are not going to be thinking of, usually. It from Lalo's opera Le Roi d'Ys. It is called "Vainement, ma bien­aimée". I think it is one of the most gorgeous things in the world. It can make my throat catch and my eyes water. When it is done well, it makes me feel unsteady in the way anything truly beautiful does. It is so sweet and the melody has some bittersweetness to it. Lalo's interesting and subtle use of harmony (People, he seamlessly moves from A-flat to A in just a couple of bars [don't try this at home-- leave it to the pros]!) makes for a sonic landscape that can be populated by my most treasured "what-if" memories and my melancholies for those who are gone.

Here is Nicolai Gedda's version complete.

Note the lovely high-note (an A) that he sings so high and sweet (twice) and also his masculine phrasing in other sections. This is quite my favorite version.

Here are the words (I hope they are all correct! I cut and pasted this):

MYLIO
(paraît au milieu de ses compagnons)
Puisqu'on ne peut fléchir ces jalouses gardiennes,
Ah! laissez­moi
Conter mes peines
Et mon émoi.
Vainement, ma bien­aimée!
On croit me désespérer;
Près de ta porte fermée
Je veux encore demeurer.

JEUNES FILLES
Vainement près de sa porte
Il veut encor demeurer.

MYLIO
Les soleils pourront s'étendre.
Les nuits remplacer les jours.
Sans t'accuser et sans me plaindre
Là, je resterai toujours.

JEUNES FILLES
Toujours, toujours!

MYLIO
Je le sais, ton âme est douce,
Et l'heure bientôt viendra
Où la main qui me repousse
Vers la meinne se tendra.

JEUNES FILLES
Vrainement près de sa porte
Il veut encor demeurer!

MYLIO
Ne sois pas trop tardive
A te laisser attendrir,
Si Rozeen bientôt n'arrive,
Je vaix, hélas! mourir.

And here is a translation:

Since it is impossible to move these jealous guardians,
ah, let me tell you of my sorrows and my fears!

In vain, my love,
do they think to make me lose hope.
Near your locked gate
I will remain.

Suns may fade,
Night turn into day,
before I accuse you or complain;
there will I remain forever!

Well I know that your soul is kind;
and soon shall come the hour
when that hand, which pushes me away,
will be held out to mine!

But be not too slow
in allowing yourself to take pity.
If Rozenn comes not soon,
I shall die, alas.

For Classicists in the room, it's a sort of paraclausithyron [a serenade at the door of the beloved]. The tenor is awaiting his beloved and she does appear in just a moment.



I have some excerpts from other tenors for you. Here is part of the version from Roberto Alagna. (He you may recall stormed off the stage at La Scala not long ago). What do you think of this one?



Here is Alfredo Kraus in 1995 when he was really rather old. He sounds good and better than many a younger man.

Here is Edmond Clement from early in the 20th century. TRH is particularly fond of this one.



Alain Vanzo here shows it how it is done from a complete recording in the 70s. I really like him as a singer, period.



This is a real fav of mine, dating from the 20s I think. This guy, Rogatchewsky, really made me choke up with his high note and the way he had with the notes immediately after (and the lead-in too, come to think of it). Aw guy, you went and made me cry, whyawannagoanddothat, huh?

Here is reminder of Gedda

And to conclude, here of all people is the earstwhile Rossini tenor Bruce Ford coming up with a very nice version in English.
(Ford's version complete).

I hope you liked this and that some of the sense of wonder that this piece of music awakens in me has be brought across to you.

[It seems that Jose Aparicio could excel in this aria.]

O Tempora, O Laetitiam Maximam: Finalmente, I Lituani!!

[Poster advertising a 19th century production; all images from Wikipedia]

If you know La Gioconda well (and everyone should!—I am right about this), you will know the moment you hear I Lituani that Amilcare Ponchielli has written this opera too. There are all sorts of touches that identify the compositional fingerprints as none other than our own Amilcare’s. There is use of high woodwinds in rapid jagged figurations in thirds, for example. And on two occasions, he employs a particular chord progression that only he (and Mascagni, later, in Cav-- in my experience, at any rate) uses and which he uses to heighten the emotional tenor of a scene. Other composers will do something similar and the lead up to the chord will be the same. But the resultant chord, which dear reader your ear is expecting, is the one you get from other composers. From Ponchielli, you get this other chord and the effect is fresh and also the strongest sort of authorial fingerprint. You feel the emotional tide shift violently and so the plot is dramatized most effectively at the level of your emotional reaction cued by the music while you go all “meta” at the same time, seeing the composer’s hand, as it were, underlining the note and signing his masterpiece. It is so delicious and it is one of the many reasons I love Ponchielli. He makes use of this progression in La Gioconda and, as I have said, twice in I Lituani. (I could try to find these momnents, as I noted them in Greece while I was listening to the piece a lot. But I am not going to find them now. Is this bad service? Do you want to call the manager on my ass? Maybe you will be mollified by two sound clips below? I certainly hope so.)

I Lituani is a nationalistic opera a la William Tell or one of Verdi’s galley pieces (La Battaglia springs to mind). It concludes with a chorus which recalls the final chorus of the William Tell come to think of it. It is all about the struggle of the Lithuanians against the Germans in the later middle ages. This opera not surprisingly has been taken to heart by Lithuanians and it was put on in Chicago in the 90s where there is a sizable Lithuanian population. Here is the poster for that production:



The opera is in a prologue and three acts.

In a nutshell here is the plot:

Corrado Wallenrod, actually a Lithuanian named Walter who is impersonating a loyal Teutonic Knight, allows the Lithuanians to win against the Teutons by executing a long-planned misdirection. Aldona, his wife who has entered a convent, searches for her love Walter, and finds him right before he is sentenced to death for his deception.

In more detail, here is the plot (thanks to Wikipedia):

Prologue:
From the battlements of a castle in Lithuania, Albano--an old bard--moans that his country is being destroyed by the Teutons. Aldona, a Lithuanian princess, wonders about her brother, Arnoldo, and Walter, her husband, and invites everyone to pray. Arnoldo and Walter return and announce a heinous betrayal by Vitoldo, one of their leaders, which has led to the defeat of the Lithuanian army. Walter tells his wife about using his German education to defeat the Teutonic Knights, and swears his eternal love for her before leaving to avenge the Lithuanians.

[Here is a wonderful moment from the prologue. The melody here is the melody that starts the opera.]

[[One wants to take Ponchielli aside, “Ascolta [listen up], Amilcare---what is it with all the names beginning with “A.” Oh wait, I think I just answered my own question, "A"milcare. But all the same, As Ah was Assertin’ as to Aldona, Arnaldo, and Albano, I mean Verdi would never do this, put in so many names starting with "A," of course, take Aida, for example, there’s Aida, Amneris, Amonas… oh... never mind.]]

Act I
Ten years later, in the cathedral square of Marienburg, the Teutonic Knights celebrate the new Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Corrado Wallenrod, who is actually Walter. Vitoldo is furious, because he believes he should be Grand Master. Ten Lithuanian prisoners in chains are brought to be sacrificed in Corrado's honor at the celebration; Arnoldo is one of them. Corrado unexpectedly frees them, and afterwards Arnoldo realizes that Corrado is actually Walter. Arnoldo runs into his sister, Aldonda, who has come to Marienburg after entering a convent, hoping to find Walter. Albano, Arnoldo, and Aldona set out to find Walter in the castle.

Act II
In a large hall of the castle where the celebration is being held, Corrado invites everyone to dance and to sing. Arnoldo and Aldona, disguised as bards, sing a song about the sad fate of Lithuania, which also predicts its imminent liberation. The Teutonic Knights object, and Corrado hurls himself towards Arnoldo, while Aldona tries to separate them. Corrado orders the knights to sheath their swords, and Albano tries to convince Corrado not to give his true identity away. Vitoldo recognizes Aldona, but Corrado orders the judgement against Aldona and Arnoldo be adjourned so that the celebration can continue.

Act III
Aldona comes out of the ruins of a cloister, where a battle between the Lithuanians and Teutonic Knights is taking place nearby. She meets Walter, and hopes for a happy future of love, but Walter has been betrayed for causing the defeat of the Teutonic Knights by the Lithuanians. Later, back in the castle, Albano tells Walter that a secret court has sentenced Walter to death. Rather than falling into enemy hands, Walter drinks some poison and exalts the victory of the Lithuanians, and asks Albano to give Aldona his last farewell. Aldona arrives, and Walter dies in her arms. The Willi, divine spirits of Lithuania, arrive to welcome the glorious warrior's soul.

[Hooray for heroic self-sacrificing manhood! Give it all up for Lithuania!!]

As far as the performance goes, Gavazzeni conducts so wonderfully. He is always so good. He also has a good band to work with (check out the care with which the lower strings play their intricate and rapid figurations on CD1 track 2. Gav asked for tight careful work and the orchestra is able to deliver). Ottavio Garaventa is a little crude, but he has a manly glamour in his voice and I like him even if I want just a bit more finesse at times. (You will have heard him foregrounded in the clip above.) The other performances are well-done. Yasuko Hayashi has a nice lyric soprano that has some spinto in it. She's good and to be found on many a pirate. I have liked her in the past, I like her even more now. The ensembles make their points and the passion in this piece is brought out well in an alert and all in all quite satisfying performance.

The prelude is very nice, starting off interestingly with a sort of passionate moderato. The melody I refer to here is the same as the one in the clip up above. This prelude is as nice a thing as the prelude to La Gioconda, and that is saying something.

To conclude, here a delightful bit of music (from Act 2) that is well so so so Ponchielli (and, kids, that is reason enough to go to the opera). Here it is. I have played this one a bunch of times; it is the kind of music that puts a smile on my face and I am altogether pleased that I am AT THE OPERA.


[A page from the autograph score of I Lituani]

Netrbko Fever not Abated

Courtesy of one of my guilty, I plead guilty, your honour, pleasures: Opera Chic

My sister Barbara (or as Hyacinth "Bouquet" might put it, me'sister Barbara) will get this site cuz she reads People Magazine. This site is a somewhat like People Magazine for opera- and classical musico-philes; though to say the site is only that would be unfair, I have noted some excellent judgments and she has got a most interesting discourse range going--- one second the basis of judgment is coming right out highly intellectualized musical criticism, the next second it is the judgment of a listener who is keen and has heard many many performances, and then the next it is a basis of utter frivolous absurdity (and when she is here, she winks!) It is fun stuff if a little over the top. The piece on dontdatehimgirl.com was pretty damn funny. Furtwangler's jilted lover spreading the word on that two-timeing Willis, don't date him Fraulein!

Id sum nunc, populi!, sed alii erunt ea mox. Ita vero.

Chalkenteros has tagged me. I go now to page 123 of, wait for it... wait for it... volume 2 of the Loeb classical library... wait for it... PLOTINUS! O Gioia Inexprimabile!!

HERE IT IS (and good thing that the Loebs have English on the odd pages):

[Plotinus, Enneads 2.5]:
"Now if this is so, then besides the other qualities, colours and degrees of heat and cold, we must not attribute to it lightness or heaviness, density or rarity, and indeed not even shape: and so not size either. For it is one thing to be size and another to be given a size, one thing to be a shape, another to be given shape." [Well of course, I was telling Nelson, our terrier, this this morning!] "And matter must not be composite, but simple and one thing in its own nature; for so it will be destitute of all qualities." [Yeah yeah, been there and done that at least since Plato laid this groove down in the Timaeus.] I tag AS/Mashugenah and Stephanie-- and let them go to page 123 of the nearest book and transcribe sentences 5, 6, and 7 onto their blogs. And may they too tag others.

Back!

Well we did have a lovely trip. I have drawn you up a little map here (it is more than a little crude--- the red is our general motion and the green is a special trip we took one day to this totally deserted and gorgeous beach on the west coast):



We first went down to Christchurch which was flat, boring, and rather rainy. Will not visit there except for business in the future. We did howver take a trip to Akaroa which is out on the coast. I have crudely labelled it on the above map for you. It was beautiful and below are some picture that will prove it. After 2 days of fairly poor weather, like I have said (with some nice clearing for that day trip), we called the place where we stay in Takaka on Golden Bay to see if we could come a day early. We could! So it was good-bye to boring Christchurch and back up the island. It was a lovely six-hour drive on which we saw a lot of beautiful. country in the interior of the island that we had not seen before. Takaka is where we spent a little over a week. It was chill-time. Watching movies. I wrote up the bulk of Chapter Four of my book--- the muse was most cooperative. I have this book review I am supposed to write but as long as the muse gives me unfettered access to my brain (or something like that), the book review can f!@#ing wait, yaknow? Dinners, all made by me in house, went well. Brekafasts too. Dessert, usually a strong point, was another story. I made a terrible pie [can't use already-made pie crust, I know I know, I was looking for the easy way out faced as I was by a primitive kitchen, yeah yeah I know) and some lame cookies. Two for two!! Score!! People!!! We listened to a lot of opera from all periods (things by Fibich, Lalo, and Strauss, inter alios). One day we made our way to a really deserted beach, as I said above. New Zealand is great for that. Now Pictures.

Next two are from the road above Akaroa:





Here is the view from the front of the little house we rent in Takaka. (Just behind you, you can hear Timmy making excuses as to why he might not want to have a cookie just right now):



Various other shots from around Takaka:









The remaining shots are from that deserted beach (nice huh?):

Gone for a week or so...

I will return to posting sometime after 11 February. We are going to visit Christchurch for the first time and then up to Golden Bay for a week for some nice R & R. I have just finished a very difficult chapter of the book I am writing and am now in the home stretch. Yay! I will continue to work there but at a reduced pace. Look for pictures of the glorious south island in summer when I return. Until then or until the next internet access (whichever comes first, I should think). Here are some pictures of Leyla Gencer.

Then:



And now:



I want to spend some time on her when I return. Nasty glottal attacks, disembodied high notes of stunning delicacy, and goddammit high notes at all act curtains. Her presentation of Donizetti heroines is both an acquired taste and essential. But that is all for now but more, always more, later.