The 2014/2015 Metropolitan Opera Season (part 1)

Hiya everyone! Doing that 50 random facts about me post was a lot of fun, thank you all for the responses!

I don’t know why but awesome things always happen when I’m about to embark a plane or am already in it. Like January of last year there was a radio stream of Susan Graham’s and Renée Fleming’s recital at Carnegie Hall and I was flying. Or when I was flying back to Brazil last October and there was a fabulous Norma broadcast with Sondra. And just as I was embarking the plane to go to NYC last month the 2014/2015 season of the Met was announced. I was indeed a sight to see that day, making my way from the terminal to the plane clutching my phone and reading cast lists as I almost knocked several people with my carryon bag. Plus the fact that I was squealing like an idiot every time I saw they were doing an opera I liked or that someone I like was gonna be in this or that opera. Main point, there was a lot of squealing and rejoicing.

Most of these operas I know and love and others I’m dying to see so it’s gonna be a pretty fun season. My plan was to talk about all the 24 operas of the season in one post but it turns out I get overly excited writing about stuff I really like so I’ll do the following: A four post series with my thoughts on each of the operas from the new season of the Metropolitan Opera and also a little helpful synopsis of each. So here come the first 6:

Opening the Season with Figaro! New Production

YAY! YES, YES, YES! Mozart God, yes! First of all it’s high time they opened a season with the incomparable Mozart (one of my favorite composers) and second who doesn’t love a comedy? Not to mention that this is going to be a new production of Le Nozze di Figaro after quite a while with the old one. How old is it? I’ve seen pictures of that production with Bryn Terfel as Figaro that dated back to 1994, so 20 years at least. High time they did something new, hun? And I most certainly cannot wait to see what they will come up with.

Now Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart back in 1786 and it may come as a shock to us but it didn’t have a very warm welcome back then. It’s because Mozart was one of the first composers to start to write operas about the everyday people as opposed to writing about the Gods and myths. He wanted opera to be something that everyone could enjoy, not only the aristocracy. The opera is based on a play by Beaumarchais that is actually the second part of a trilogy, the first part is called Le Barbier de Séville. Does that name remind you of anything? Yes, Mozart’s opera was the continuation of the story of The Barber of Seville that years later would also be transformed into a “hit” opera by Gioachino Rossini.

So the opera is set in the Count’s (Peter Mattei) estate during the day of Figaro’s (Ildar Abdrazakov) wedding to Susanna (Marlis Petersen). The thing is, the Count is kind of a jerk and cheats on his wife constantly and has set his eyes on Susanna of all people. But Figaro is an ingenious and smart guy and will do all he can to marry Susanna regardless of the Count’s advances and schemes. In the middle of this hurricane of a day we also have Cherubino (Isabel Leonard), a young man who is ready to help Figaro but who also can’t control his hormones and falls for every lady he sees, but is helplessly in love with the Countess (Marina Poplavskya). The Countess was once a witty and happy gal but today being with a man who cheats on her and don’t give her the time of day has become melancholic and miserable.

Now on to the cast, I’m so thrilled that our star of the night is going to be Ildar Abdrazakov because he’s such an incredible singer. I had the absolute pleasure of not only seeing him in Prince Igor live but also of talking to him and as a person and as a performer he is SUPER! I have never heard of his co-star Marlis Petersen who is playing Susanna but I’m more than glad with the great picks with Peter Mattei as the Count and Isabel Leonard as Cherubino. I’m not a big fan of Marina Poplavskaya so I’m not particularly excited about her playing the Countess (my favorite character) for me her and Elina Garanca are battling to the death for the crown of Ice Queen of Opera. (did I just say that out loud?)

Ildar Abdrazakov (left) as King Henry in Donizetti's Anna Bolena and Marlis Petersen (right) as Susanna in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro

Peter Mattei (left) as Figaro in Rossini's Il Barbieri di Siviglia, Isabel Leonard (center) as Sesto in Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito and Marina Poplavskaya (right) as Elisabeth in Verdi's Don Carlo 

This is one of my favorite Mozart operas and an absolute MUST for anybody interested in learning a little bit more about opera and also a blast of a lot of fun! And if you can’t go to NYC to see this beauty, don’t worry because it’s included in the Live in HD program for the 2014/2015 season, YAY!

Down to the Latin Quarter

La Boheme totally never gets old, I particularly never tire of it. I think the Met made this season thinking of me because they are doing so many things I love, ah well, thank you guys! Puccini is one of my favorite composers, probably my favorite for Italian opera, I don’t know, Verdi is also quite dear to me, depends on what I’m singing at the moment actually. Anyways this is one of the most traditional and beloved productions of the Metropolitan Opera by Franco Zeffirelli and it’s getting 15 performances this season. It’s really like a dream of a production, very traditional and faithful to what you might have seen back in Puccini’s day.

second act of the Met's production of La Boheme

La Boheme tells the love story of a poor poet, Rodolfo, and an even poorer flower maker, Mimi, who live in the Latin Quarter, a location in Paris that back in the beginning last century was where impoverish people lived, especially artists. Their love is poisoned not only by Mimi’s disease but also by Rodolfo’s incontrollable jealousy. Marcello, a painter who lives with Rodolfo, is also living his own love dilemma, he’s in love with the singer Musetta but she left him to be with a rich old man. The couple goes back and forth during the whole opera and could be considered the ‘comic relief’. But La Boheme is not just the story, it’s also the exquisite music and unforgettable melodies of Puccini that take us on a journey and accompany us on our way home after we cried our eyes out at the end.

The cast is superb! First of all this opera will mark Angela Gheorghiu’s return to the Met after 3 seasons of absence (I think, I'm not sure, but I’m sure about 3 seasons of her not doing anything at the Met). And people can say whatever they want about her, that she’s crazy, an over the top diva, maybe she is, I don’t know her, but what I know is that she is SUCH a great singer. Especially when she sings Puccini and Mimi is one of her signature roles. It’s one of the things that she does perfectly that many try to imitate (believe me I’ve seen people try first hand) and can never accomplish. So that’s pretty exciting. Also playing the role of Mimi we have Kristine Opolais who I heard sing a beautiful Magda in La Rondine at the Met back in January of last year so I'm sure she's going to do a wonderful job with Mimi and Ekaterina Scherbachenko who I've never heard of. As Rodolfo the fabulous and so cool tenor Bryan Hymel will be sharing the job with Mexican tenor Ramon Vargas. I do have a preference towards Bryan because he’s so young and so fresh and he has the look and the voice of a youthful Rodolfo and I imagine he’s up to the job to shake things up a bit when it comes to playing this part.

Kristine Opolais (left) as Magda in Puccini's La Rondine and Angela Gheorghiu (center) and Ekaterina Scherbachenko (right) as Mimi in Puccini's La Boheme

Ramon Vargas (left) as Don Ottavio in Mozart's Don Giovanni and Bryan Hymel (right) as Aeneas in Berlioz's Les Troyans

Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth!

I must admit I have never seen this opera but I’m more than familiar with the Shakespeare play. I love it that there are so many operas in the repertoire that tell stories written by Shakespeare. This for me is one of the most dark and heavy of his works that I’ve read, filled with death, greed, hunger for power and madness. The perfect ingredients for an opera, especially Verdi opera!

I don’t know what line the opera follows but the original story goes something like this: Macbeth (Zeljko Lucic) just won a very important battle for his king, king Duncan, with his buddy Banquo (René Pape). They are visited by 3 witches that tell them of a prophecy that basically says that Macbeth is going to be king and that Banquo will father a king but will never be one himself. So when Macbeth tells his half crazed, power lust wife Lady Macbeth (Anna Netrebko) about this prophecy she makes him kill king Duncan so he’ll be king by basically telling him he’s a chicken he if doesn’t. And then all hell breaks loose and it’s a super bloody story but it’s Shakespeare, meaning that it’s amazing regardless of the amount of blood that is spilled!

Now for the cast we have the newbie for the role Anna Netrebko as Lady Macbeth. She has finally given up on the roles that made her famous (Adina, Juliette…) and moved on to a heavier repertoire (Tatiana, Leonora…) and Lady Macbeth sure is heavy from who I’ve heard. But Anna is a very incredible artist, I’m sure she’ll do great. Zeljko Lucic plays Macbeth and he is a performer who is more than used to the heavy Verdian repertoire, his Rigoletto is fantastic and I’m sure his Macbeth will be just as great. In this cast we also have Joseph Calleja as Malduff and René Pape as Banquo two performers I really like and look forward to seeing singing this opera.

Zeljko Lucic

Anna Netrebko (left), Joseph Calleja (center) and Rene Pape (right)

This is the opera that’s gonna open the Live in HD series on October 11^th, the peeps from the Met just had to open SOMETHING with Anna Netrebko, right? If not the season, be it the HD series.

Tale as old as time

Although I really like this repertoire I can’t help but feel that they just put this together by choosing the top 20 of most famous operas of all time. And Bizet’s Carmen is definitely in the top 10 and it’s getting 16 performances this season. I have a very difficult history with this opera because you see I had to endure a group of people rehearse this piece for months on and to be totally honest they weren’t very good. So every time I heard the songs I would remember that incessant screeching I had to listen to almost every afternoon for 4 months and that just does something to your brain. It took a great deal of different kinds of productions and casts (good ones) to erase that memory, but now I’m pleased to announce I have been cured for a while.

So Carmen is this feisty and hot headed gypsy that every guy wants to have because she’s so sensual or something (sorry guys, I’m a soprano, sopranos usually have this perception of Carmen, but that’s just because we can never play her). But of course Carmen is the kind of girl who can have all guys drooling over her but she wants the ONLY ONE who doesn’t seem impressed by her seduction skills. That’s Don José who is a very goodie pants kind of guy and he is also engaged to be married to his childhood sweetheart Micaela. But Carmen won’t rest until he gives into her, which he eventually does but what she wasn’t counting on was just how possessive he could become and ultimately dangerous.

As Carmen two very different mezzos have been cast and neither of them is a stranger to this production. Elina Garanca was the first Carmen to do this new production by Richard Eyre, she actually substituted Angela Gheorghiu who, rumor has it, had this production made for herself and her husband but latter felt this wasn’t right for her and quit. We also have the AMAZING Anita Rachvelishvili to portray the gypsy and let me tell you, this woman is SO good! I saw her in Prince Igor and she was absolute perfection and I’ve also seen her do Carmen in a La Scala production on DVD and she just has all that warmth and lush colors in her voice and her body language and performance that the later does not possess. As Don José we have Aleksandrs Antonenko he played the Foreign Prince to Renée Fleming's Rusalka a couple of years ago at the Met. We have Roberto Alagna who has played this role about a billion times and was the tenor that opened this production together with Garanca in 2009. And the ever so charming and perfect Jonas Kaufmann (but he’s only doing two performances). From what I could find out Ildar Abdrazacov is playing Escamilo in two performances and Ailyn Peréz is playing Micaela in 2015, both of them are very exciting performers.

Elina Garanca (left) and Anita Rachvelishvili (right) both as Carmen in Richard Eyre's production of Bizet's Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera

Jonas Kaufmann (left) and Roberto Alagna (center) both as Don José in Richard Eyre's production of Carmen at the Met and Aleksandrs Antonenko (right) doing Puccini's Il Trittico

This opera will also be featured in the Live in HD program being transmitted on the 1^st of November with Anita Rachvelishvili as Carmen, Aleksandrs Antonenko as Don José, Ildar Abdrazacov as Escamilo.

Keep the magic coming on that flute!

Yet another opera blockbuster, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s enchanting Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute). This production reminds me of a children’s storybook, it’s very colorful and filled with crazy shaped costumes and exotic animals. But it does work great with this particular opera and thank the Lord they are doing the whole thing in the original language this time. Because if I’m not mistaken this was last season’s Holiday Presentation in which they cut a lot of stuff and translate it to English. I don’t have any problems with the translation if it helps reach out to a broader audience, especially when it’s comedy but taking stuff off is heresy to me and completely unnecessary.

In this opera we have our dashing tenor hero Prince Tamino (Toby Spence) who sets off to rescue the Princess Pamina (Pretty Yende) from the claws of the ‘evil’ Zarastro (René Pape) with the help of his comic relief side kick Papagueno (Markus Werba). But nothing is what it seems and is Pamina really being held against her will? Is Zaratro really the bad guy? Is Papagueno just desperate to get laid? Is this one of the most sexist operas ever and still we love it? Yeah, well, you can soon find out.

There’s only one cast for this opera, we have Toby Spence as Prince Tamino and I’m pretty sure he’ll do a great job, he has the Prince look and a beautiful voice. Pretty Yende, who made her Met debut suddenly January of last year stepping in after the soprano playing the Countess in Le Comte Ory cancelled, plays Princess Pamina. I don’t know Markus Werba, who is playing Papagueno, at all but as I’ve said in the Macbeth bit René Pape is awesome and Zarastro is up his sleeve.

Toby Spence (top left) as Antonio in Ades' The Tempest, Pretty Yende (top right) as the Countess in Rossini's Le Comte Ory, Rene Pape (bottom left) as Zarastro in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte and Markus Werba (bottom right) as Figaro in Rossini's Il Barbieri di Siviglia

The Death of Klinghoffer Met Premiere

Oddly enough this is the opera that got me most excited amongst this group of 6. I guess I just love to see new things. So compared to the other works this opera is very new although it was written 23 years ago by still living composer John Adams. Even though the work has a bit more than two decades it is still a controversial opera that in some people’s minds ‘should never be performed’. I myself have only seen Doctor Atomic by Adams and it is just absolutely fantastic and the music is mind blowing! This will be the first time The Death of Klinghoffer is performed at the Met which means we have another new production.

Like some of other works by Adams (the creation of the atomic bomb in Doctor Atomic and Nixon in China being about politics) this opera deals with a very delicate and recent subject: terrorism. It tells the true story of how a cruise ship was kidnapped in the Mediterranean by terrorists and all the passengers made hostages and the death of Klinghoffer who was killed during this high jacking. Something quite nice I’ve heard the composer say is that he doesn’t want to end the problems of the world with his works, but he wants to show the human side of both the victims and the villains.

Staring in the leading role is the amazing Brazilian baritone Paulo Szot and I couldn’t be happier to always write about his wonderful performances and his victories at the Met. He’s such a fantastic singer, brilliant performer and also a great person.

Paulo Szot the night he won his Tony Award back in 2008

Sorry I don’t know much about this opera but now I’m very curious to see how this will play out. And be happy because this opera is also in the Live in HD program, it will be streamed live on the 15th of November

Well, I guess that’s it! I hope you guys liked the post and next one shall be about my 7^th day in NYC so stay tuned! Cheers and peace everyone!

Four Artists and a Fat Man

Happy New Year everybody and merry Christmas! Long time no see! I’m so sorry about that, I did try to write several posts but they all kind of couldn’t stand for themselves, I’m feeling kinda bitter today so this post might be a little poisonous. And let me just draw your attention to the title of this post, it's supposed to be a derivation of Four Weddings and a Funeral, I'm so witty haha

Today I’m talking about the two operas I saw in December of last year in São Paulo.

Generic Falstaff

Now, everybody went to the live in HD of Falstaff but I wasn’t able to make it. I was really upset about that. BUT only a week before that transmission the opera house just around the corner from my house was actually doing a production of Falstaff. Funny enough, that looking back at that production and of what I saw of the Met’s production they are oddly similar. Set in the same time in history, even the color choice of some sets were very much alike. But no matter. I did like this performance a lot. The guy playing Falstaff was really very good and VERY funny! It’s very difficult for me to warm up to female singers, maybe because being a female singer myself I can spot defects more easily in women. I thought they were all OK, Nanetta was kinda pissing me off, she was odd. The lady I mostly liked was Mistress Quickly, she was real good and her scene with Falstaff in the beginning of the third act was just superb. Another superb moment was Mr. Ford’s aria in the first part of the second act. That guy was good, real good. He got quite a nice ovation for his performance. But I think the part I mostly liked was the end in the woods. Maybe it’s because the chorus was a bunch of people that I knew from a choir I used to be part of and it was real fun to see them all dressed up.

But there lies one big problem with opera in Brazil. Those people, the chorus people, they are great people, such nice, hardworking and fairly good sounding people. BUT they are not singers, this choir is not a professional choir, it consists mostly of retired people who love to sing and although they sound quite nice I don’t think its right for them to do this project. This is supposed to be a professional production of Falstaff and the people who call the shots decided to call these people to sing for a very simple reason. They love to sing, singing for them is a hobby and they will sing for free, because they always sing for free and they did sing this opera for free, all of them. I just think it’s wrong having so many unemployed singers out there to just grab an amateur chorus that consists of people who learn their parts via audio MIDI files made in Finale to sing in a Verdi opera just because they will do it for free. And don’t get me started on “they don’t have enough money to pay for a chorus” because they do. This opera house is founded by the State Government and we pay a hell lot of taxes in this damned State. But that’s just a taste of glorious Brazil politics and lack of interest when it comes to anything that won’t profit billions.

Closing the Year a la Puccini

The last opera I saw last year was La Boheme, I must admit I was very skeptical going to the Theatro Municipal to see this. Last time I’d been there I saw the most horrifying thing ever, the singers managed to kill one of my favorite operas and I grew rather resolute in never getting back there. I did skip a performance of Cavalleria Rusticana and another of Das Rheingold that I had tickets for just because I knew there was a very big chance that I would hate them. And also because those were after I came back from NYC and really nothing I have seen yet has matched or even come close to that experience. But I love Puccini and I had tickets for opening night so I thought I’d give the São Paulo Opera House another chance. 

I actually really liked this production, I went alone, as always, and I had one of the best seats in the house, 9th row orchestra center, quite nice. When the curtain went up the whole audience went “OOOh!”, seriously, that’s exactly what happened. The stage was all covered with white paper and in the center we had some boring looking furniture all pilled up. As Marcello and Rodolfo sang they also organized the furniture and before you know it you have a flat in the middle of all that white paper. I found that even though it was rather different it worked marvelously well. The tenor playing Rodolfo was none other than the Brazilian who’s been singing all over Europe with Angela Gheorghiu, Atalla Ayan. He was just stellar, really fantastic! But for me the best of the night was the baritone playing Marcello. He really had it all, a fantastic, well projected and beautiful voice and refined acting skills. The other artists weren’t far behind and I did love this staging, the stage director had them hoping from one place to the other almost all the time and it gave the first act such incredible lightness as if they were really just chatting and happened to be singing. There was an easiness to their movements and interactions that was really quite nice to watch.

But then came Mimi and at first when her music started playing I felt tears come to my eyes but not because of the singer but because I’m starting to learn this music so it really hits home. And since I’m getting far too familiar with this La Boheme score I almost couldn’t stand this lady playing Mimi. In my opinion her take on the character was almost all wrong, she wasn’t delicate or fragile at all. She was too energetic and bubbly singing “Si mi chiamano Mimi” as if telling a friend of all the fun things she has done which really didn’t work out for me. Plus she was doing something that THOROUGHLY irritated me which was imitating Angela Gheorghiu’s voice. Now, I’ve had my share of listening to Angela Gheorghiu specially in this particular role and I’m telling you this lady would imitate to the last portamento EVERYTHING Angela would do. She even sort of lost her voice in the middle of her first aria, I imagine because singing with a voice that isn’t yours isn’t really healthy, which resulted in her forte moments being transformed into piano which was really a shame. Even the ignorant ladies sitting next to me who knew nearly nothing about opera noticed there was something wrong.

Second act out on the streets was pure fun! The stage was over flowing with people and the choruses were wonderful! Again there was no scenery just various pieces of furniture and everyone was wearing tones of blues and grays. something else that bothered me was the fact that Mimi's hat wasn't pink, it was gray just like all the ladies on stage, boo for that. Again, the other lady of the production did not amuse me not even a drop bit. The lady playing Musetta was very pretty, very thin, blond with quite a nice body a petit body, what was missing was body of voice, that beef a singer must have to sing Puccini. She did not posses that, I’m not saying she was a bad singer, no, but she didn’t have enough size of voice or enough warmth of voice o even enough size for this role that is pure seduction. Her aria came out little and bland to me and after second act we had intermission and everybody seemed to be talking about the lack of Musetta qualities in that Musetta. It’s just sad that people are cast to play a role like this just because they are pretty. 

During intermission I didn’t even bother to get up, since 1 I was wearing very high heels and 2 I wasn’t meeting anybody anyways. Third act was up and it’s not one of my favorite moments in La Boheme, I find it’s all so mushy and melodramatic, Angela… oops I mean Mimi with the cough and Rodolfo being an ass. The only part I do like in this act is Musetta’s and Marcello’s argument, I find it quite funny. Maybe I’ll grow to like these things but for now, na.

We had another short intermission after the third act and as the curtain came up for the last time I understood why. There was again another collective “WOW” from the audience as we saw the whole stage floor covered with neatly placed red roses. The effect was absolutely gorgeous! Really a work of art! The beginning of this act felt like the beginning of the opera with the 4 friends playing around and they did such a fantastic job! Musetta arrives and the mood completely changed, they bring Mimi up and lie her down. It was really very sad but the whole scene was directed very well, you could see that the director took very good care of this work. And quite unexpectedly when Mimi dies and Rodolfo holds her and screams the famous “MIMI!” red rose petals fall from the sky and I could not hold back my tears. It was very beautiful.

Overall I really liked this opera, I left the theater pleased. Well, until next time peeps! Peace!

Annick Massis, tons of talent and sweetness!

Holy BeJesus. It’s been a month since my last post. Shame on moi. But you know I started like 6 different posts over the last month and wasn’t able to finish any of them. One about Glyndebourne's Don Pasquale, another about Munich's Il Trovatore, another about a Strauss/Wagner concert I watched 2 weeks ago, another about my opera anniversary, another about Manon, those are the ones I can remember. I'll probably finish them all, plus I want to write about the Don Carlo stream that happened yesterday. Time? Where did you go?

 

These past few weeks have been really busy. I'm back in São Paulo living alone in my tiny but adorable apartment and back to college which is always stressing. Plus I designed a study routine in which I’m not at home a lot, I wake up early make my lunch that has to consist on things that I can eat cold since we don’t have anything in my college to warm up food (ps; yes, that's outrageous). Then I go to college and have classes in the morning. Right after class I run to one of the practice rooms which I have the key for and lock myself in and have lunch ALL BY MYSELF (don’t wanna be), I actually don’t mind. And then study all afternoon long, ‘till about 5:30 when the guy kicks me out. Then I come back home and to make the story short have little time to write. Hence, this is Saturday and there’s no class. Plus I was working really intensively on an article for Opera21 magazine about the musical education in Brazil so that ate up a lot of my time. I’ll post it here when it comes out in the magazine.

But before I get down to the subject of the post, let me share some EXCITING news! I’m going New York in 48 days! YEES! This time it will work out! And I bought my Met tickets last Sunday so if anybody wants to meet there here are my dates:

Cosi Fan Tutte – 05/10

Norma – 07/10
The Nose – 08/10
Eugene Onegin – 09/10
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – 11/10
Eugene Onegin – 12/10

But, now I’m full of inspiration. Why? Guess! Inspiration strikes me when I see something wonderful live, hun? And last night I went to a wonderful concert that definitely stroke inspiration. It was of a French soprano called Annick Massis, now she’s sung all over the world, at the Met, in Paris, Munich, London you name it. She’s actually playing the Fairy Godmother in the Barcelona production of Cendrillon with Joyce DiDonato and Alice Coote in the new years. Well she performed in the opera house just around the corner, so the performance was at 20:30 I left my apartment at 20:15 with ASSASSIN shoes that I will NEVER EVER wear again.

I got there and my opera bff was already there sitting in the front row as per usual I sat next to him. I took a look at the program and it was daring, exciting, versatile and awesome. They managed to get a little piece of every kind of opera and jammed it into a concert. Lights came down and here we go.

First enters the São Pedro Theatre entire orchestra and the guest conductor Jamil Maluf. They played one of, probably my favorite really, symphonies from opera openings, DON GIOVANNI. That music does something to me. Mozart is my everything really, so I was quite pumped right from the beginning. This orchestra is quite good and man, they can play anything, I was quite surprised. Because I have just recently seen them play Strauss and Wagner really well and now they are playing Mozart. It’s a real good orchestra.

Then Annick enters wearing a beautiful red dress with a red scarf matching. One problem here, from where I was sitting and from where she stood I COULDN’T SEE HER FACE. But how, I was sitting in the front row, right? Yes! But her sheet music holder was standing in the way. So as she sang Lascia Ch’io Pianga I was leaning in every direction I knew possible so I could see her face, very frustrating. I eventually gave up in the beginning of the B section and just sat back and enjoyed the sound of her voice. And what was interesting was that the color of the voice was a tad different from the videos I had seen on YouTube, it was a bit darker, which I like very much. I loved what she did with the variations of the A section. So many people take this aria for granted just because it’s Top Hits from opera (like Babbino Caro and Libiamo), but it is baroque and people forget it. And baroque is a bitch to get right, just a freaking bitch, and she nailed it.

Next she sang Norma’s Casta Diva, now I don’t know that much about Bellini and I must confess that I never watched Norma. My first experience watching Norma is going to be on the 7^th of October at the Met. I had just heard Renée Fleming and Anna Netrebko singing this aria, I personally think it’s so gorgeous but I don’t know much else, nor do I know it by heart. But by then I had changed my seat so I could see her face and I did. And let me tell you, she acted her ass off! This aria is so gorgeous and full of feeling and you could see that she was totally feeling it!

Then she left and the orchestra played the opening of the opera Vespri Siciliani by Verdi, which I never heard of but I really liked, can’t expand much on this one as well, sorry. She came back and sang an aria called “Egli non riede ancora… Non so le tetre immagini” from the opera Il Corsaro which is also Verdi and which I also didn’t know.

But then if I didn’t know the next one they could send me back to Santos to sell hamburgers at McDonalds. One of the coolest and most difficult arias ever, “È strano… Sempre Libera”. Ah gee I love this aria and even though it was written in the program that she would be closing the first part with this aria when she started I gasped. Again, she was acting wonderfully with every word every nuance of the music. I love it when artists are not afraid to really use up the music and words to convey the story. Especially in a concert situation where some people might say that it is ok to not act as much as you would on stage of a full length opera production. She started with the turbulence of the doubt Violetta’s feeling getting her high notes always in piano which was quite nice. Then for follia, follia she changed, laughed, it was such a treat. When that little Sempre Libera melody started playing she laughed out loud and it was real, she was Violetta, ya know? And then at the end, against all odds and that damned air conditioning that was getting not only in her way but ours, she delivered that high E strong and sustained and the crowd went wild. She got a solid 2 minute standing ovation for that.

Then at intermission I decided to just sit back and tweet a little bit as opposed to talking to the people I knew in the audience. Why? Because after the whole Vesselina experience with the bitchy girls trashing her I didn’t want to ruin my mood hearing that kind of stuff. But as per usual intermission flew by and before I knew it the lights dimmed and the orchestra took the stage.

The conductor came in and after taking his place at the podium he turned around and addressed to the audience. It was so sweet, he told us how amazingly honored he was to be there conducting in that stage for the very first time. That he had always been a big fan of that theatre and that now he was going to conduct one of his favorite pieces of music, the prelude of the third act of La Traviata. He thanked us for being there and rocked that prelude out. It is interesting and inspiring to see really fantastic professionals doing a certain piece of music they TRULY adore. At that time I couldn’t take my eyes off Jamil Maluf and the prelude was heart breaking but beautiful (as it is supposed to be).

Annick came in and sang Teneste la promesa… Addio del Passato. This particular piece of music does something to me. I already sang it once, before I had a sensible teacher that hacked it away from me (quite rightly, I’m too young for anything Verdi, simple rule, just because you can read it doesn’t be you can sing it), plus Traviata is one of my favorite operas, so I was quite in heaven. Her reading of the letter was so heartfelt and then coming to the aria itself it was really gorgeous. Her voice boomed in this aria, it took a different strength to it and it was gorgeous. She acted so well and when she sang her second Ah della traviata soride a del sio she pointed out at the audience and had a fierce look like “Who are you to judge me” that was INCREDIBLE. The hairs in my arms and left leg were all up! The audience went WILD after every aria she sang.

 

The orchestra played the symphony from Norma that again, I know nothing of so can’t help ya. Annick came back and sang the famous aria from La Sonnambula “Oh, se una volta sola… Ah, non credea mirarti, Ah non giunge” again I’m no Bellini expert. But I do admire anybody who sings his music, because it’s just difficult, it seems to never end and has so many complex lines, at least my ears. This aria had everything, a bit of coloratura, high exiting notes, most especially a high E (I think) that for me came out of nowhere and was just right! She finished the aria to thunderous applause, the audience was really excited and for a good reason.

She came back to do her first encore, Je veux vivre! I love that aria and it was a breath of fresh air to be able to hear her sing in her own language. It was high spirited and brilliant, such an absolute delight really. It actually helped me to see someone sing it live to help me with those damned little notes before “Je” “Veux” “Vivre” which are really hard to do and that I could never really hear in recorded versions. I could hear them, but it was nice to see someone actually do them right in front of you, you know?

People were crazy with applause and she came back for a second encore when she sang La Rondine’s Chi Il Bel sogno di Doretta. I LOVE this aria, it’s one of those things that I crave to one day sing. I got shivers all over with her interpretation and voice. Her pianissimo high notes were just what the doctor prescribed, precise, bittersweet and full of feeling. That almost drove me to tears, my eyes were literally filling up. Had she sung another encore I would have broken down for sure.

Well the concert was over and we (me and the bff) decided to linger in the audience area. Then out of the blue Otávio said “Oh my God! It’s Odete Roitman!”. Now let me explain something, Odete Roitman is one of the most famous soap operas characters in the whole soap opera history in Brazil. The character was a vile, rich, stuck up woman who disdained everyone and was a huge success. I actually found quite comic that the actress who played her was there in the small opera house because there is a scene in the soap opera where Odete says that she never goes to opera houses in Brazil, she only goes to the Met, La Scala and The Royal Opera House. Well Otavio went to talk to her and took a picture but to me she looked a bit scary, she did have a very diva posture.

Another sneaky work of mine, I took a quick pic of her talking, in French, with the actress who played Odete Roitman

Annick arrived not long after and everybody formed a line to talk to her. I felt slightly stupid because everybody was speaking French and although I could understand them I couldn’t bring myself to speak in the language. Well our turn came and as usual Otavio couldn’t stop talking and the other people in line were getting impatient. But then her manager, who was so very nice, asked us to sit and wait a bit while the others took their pictures and exchanged a few words with her and then we’d be able to talk with more tranquility.

Everyone got their pictures and autographs and as soon as they left Otavio was talking non stop again. I chatted a bit with her manager about many a number of things, from the production of a Debussy opera she had just done (he showed us some lovely pictures on his phone) to the crazy weather in São Paulo. Then as she sat down in one of the audience chairs to autograph programs I got to my knees (not kidding) and we chatted.

I told her I was studying to be an opera singer and she was immediately very interested in knowing more about me. I really wasn’t ready for that conversation, I was very nervous and on my knees wearing a dress I might add. She asked what repertoire I was singing, we chatted about maturing voices and he gave me tons of advice and inspiring words. It was really wonderful, I felt like a million bucks. She stood up and said “I want a picture with this girl, she’s a singing student”. We took a lovely picture together and then Otavio said “Another” and I said “Let’s change sides!” and she said “I just gonna say that!”.

 

It was really a delight! Her words will be with me until the day I die. She told me never to doubt myself and to just do the job. We only parted when one of the staff members told us to leave because they were closing up the theatre. We hugged and she told me again to believe in myself that I was bound to do great things. Man, I almost cried, it was SO surreal! Then we left through the artists exit, so we got to go by the stage wings, and of course I took a pic!

 

Tonight I’m watching the Theatro Municipal’s production of Aida, I’m excited! Review will probably come out tomorrow, and then tomorrow I’m watching Annick’s concert again! HUL! Fun! Peace everyone!

La Boheme RENT act 1 (part1)

Ok, I have to start off by telling some great news! As the majority of the opera web people know Joyce DiDonato has started a project called Joyce and Me so that her fans can help her produce her 10^th year anniversary double CD with her record company. As I am a good fan girl when she gave the fans the first task I was quick to get on there to leave my opinion. She wanted suggestions for the CD name, immediately what came to my mind was ReJoyce, simply because it’s perfect! But a lot of other people also suggested that one and it was indeed the name that ended up winning the competition with 47% of the votes! And as Joyce is a terrific human being, in the video she thanked EVERYONE who had send the ReJoyce suggestion, first of all my friend Sydney, then Jamie and Aksel and most surprisingly ME! Yes, she said my name in one of her fantastic videos, it’s there for all the world to see. She mispronounced my last name but WHO CARES? Everyone mispronounces my last name anyways! So I’m really happy and YAY!

So, as I promised long ago I should probably post my La Boheme RENT project, first act, because it’s really really long so, here we go!

Both pieces begin in the same place, the old apartment Marcello/Mark and Rodolfo/Roger share. The similarities begin to appear from that point on, in both cinematographic productions of both pieces the apartments look very much alike. One room apartments, big windows, a lot of old furniture and disorganization and dirt in general.



Image from La Boheme's 2008 movie



Image from the 2004 RENT movie



Both first scenes are set in the same date in time of year, Christmas Eve, showing that even on festive times the life of some people is quite miserable. While in La Boheme Marcello, the painter, paints a picture of the Red Sea, in RENT Mark starts filming his new documentary film. Both characters work with visual arts and try and show through it how the world really is. That is more evident in Mark’s work since he’s making a documentary about the life of the people who live in Alphabet City (that could easily be a correspondent of the Latin Quarter from La Boheme in Paris, where artists lived in the end of the 19^th century, a place also infested with poverty). But Marcello himself in his first line shows a bit of rebellion towards a government figure when he says “Per vendicarmi, affogo un Faraon!” (And so to avenge myself, I’ll drown a Pharaoh)

Now Rodolfo is more reflective about things, just like Roger he can’t seem to do his art, they both seem hollow without much to live for. It is really one of those frightfully cold December days and since Rodolfo and Marcello don’t have money for firewood to keep themselves warm. Something very similar happens in RENT since all of a sudden they lose power and are consequently without heating. In La Boheme Marcello and Rodolfo decide to burn Rodolfo’s play, act by act to warm themselves and agree not to burn the paintings since they leave an awful smell when burnt. But Mark’s creations are not spared from the firewood in RENT and he and Roger burn his screenplays as well as Roger’s old posters from when he was famous.



Exerpt from the La Boheme libretto (Rip it! Now light it! Rodolfo sets fire to part of the manuscript, then they both pull up their chairs, sit down and warm themselves in the voluptuous heat)

Exerpt from RENT's opening number "RENT"



Image from La Boheme's 2008 movie



Image from the 2004 RENT movie, featuring Adam Pascal as Roger (left) and Anthony Rapp as Mark (right)



While Rodolfo’s play burns, Colline, a philosopher, arrives and we learn at this very moment that it is indeed Christmas Eve in Colline’s line “In giorno di vigília non si accettano pegni!” (No one will accept pledges, on the day of Christmas Eve!). In RENT Collins makes it to the building door but is attacked by robbers who steal his coat and beat him up. And because of that Collins and Angel actually meet and she helps him get on his feet. Collins and Angel would be the equivalent of Colline and Schaunard, the philosopher and the musician. But unlike in La Boheme, where these characters know each other and are friends, in RENT this is their first encounter who fall in love at first sight.

And so the characteristics of one character of La Boheme start going to more than one character in RENT. Collins and Angel represent one side of Rodolfo and Mimi’s relationship, the tender and loving side. And what is more interesting, and at the time of RENT’s premiere polemic, is that the musical shows that a homosexual couple can have a normal relationship just like any other couple. Moreover that the beautiful side of one of the most famous couples in opera history can be revitalized in a same sex couple.

Back to the story, after the total destruction of Rodolfo’s play, Schaunard, the musician, arrives. And he does so filled with food, firewood, wine and cigarettes. He then tells how he was able to buy all those things, an English lord was in need of a musician and Schaunard presented himself thinking he would be giving music lessons. But the Lord actually wanted him to play until his parrot died, and so he played for 3 whole days and the animal was still alive. But he was lucky to get into the maid’s good graces, she prepared a paste with poison and after giving it to the animal it finally died. In RENT the story repeats itself, since a millionaire from Manhattan makes a deal with Angel that if she played her drums until her neighbor’s dog died she’d be more than well remunerated. And so after an hour of incessant drumming the dog finally gives in and throws itself off the twenty third floor.

Exerpt from the La Boheme libretto (...An English Lord...Lord...Milord, or whatever, wanted a musician...Me? I fly to present myself. He takes me on, I ask him... ...when should we start our lessons?..."Right now old chap!"... "Look!" he says and he points to a parrot on the first floor, then adds:"until the parrot dies you go on playing."... And that's what happened: I played for three long days...I'm a good looking fellow so I exercised my charm and won the maid's affection. ..I prepared a parsley mix... Lorito spread his wings out, Lorito opened up his beak; I fed him my parsley mix. And then like Socrates, he died!)

Exerpt from the song "Today for You, Tomorrow for Me" from RENT 

Wow, I’m really tired, I’m gonna make it a day and post the second part from the first act later. I’m not really in a very Boheme vibe; I can’t actually stop listening to Eugene Onegin, very different stuff haha