Live from the Met in NY, last night's performance of Donizetti's 1834 opera seria was enough to convert my evening companion not only to the joys of the art of bel canto but also to the quality of US mezzo Joyce DiDonato, who excelled in the title role. Confirmation, if it were needed, that she remains the current coloratura mezzo darling of the Met.
Sir David McVicar's production with set and costume designs by fellow Scot John Macfarlane worked superbly, successfully conveying a suitably period flair yet with a modernistic outlook. Especially powerful was the presence of the scaffold on the stage from the very start, serving variously as a desk, table and platform, before really coming into its own in the final dramatic scene.
The role of Queen Elizabeth was an ideal vehicle for the very promising Met debut of South African soprano Elza van den Heever, who towered over the proceedings, both physically (she must be approaching six feet tall!) and emotionally. Some quality acting from her. Both queens were handsomely supported by Joshua Hopkins as Cecil and Matthew Rose as Talbot, yet the weak link in this production was, to my mind, Matthew Polenzani as Leicester. Despite a well-rounded voice, he lacked the presence to carry off this role when pitched against big beasts like DiDonato and the impressive van den Heever, both of whom displayed great dramatic use of expressive coloratura under the baton of Maurizio Benini. However, there was a sense of imbalance in the production as a result of the decision to turn the opera's three acts into two: this left most of Elizabeth's music in the first half, but left the field clear for a real tour de force for DiDonato in the second, especially in the extended and very moving execution scene. Overall a great production and worth catching up with.
Sunday, 20 January 2013
Sunday, 3 June 2012
Magdalena Kozena & Mitsuko Uchida at the Wigmore Hall
Although I attended this concert over two weeks ago, I still seem to be enjoying the afterglow of it; surely, a sign of a great musical evening.
The concert in question was the first of two renditions of the same programme performed at the Wigmore on Friday and Sunday 18 & 20 May last. The music was an uncompromising mixture of art songs by Mahler, Debussy and Messiaen. No pandering here to the easy applause: a selection of music equally challenging for the singer, the pianist and the audience. And yet, the result was a reassuring triumph!
Two Lieder from Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn (Rheinlegendchen and Das irdische Leben) opened the evening, showing Kozena in great voice and Uchida displaying her superb musicianship and sensitivity as an accompanist. The highlight for me was what followed: Debussy's sensuous Chansons de Bilitis: sheer magic... The colours at Uchida's palate made the piano create such an atmospheric setting and Kozena delivered the most delicious and intense singing.
The first half culminated with Mahler's Ruckert Lieder, which Kozena has recorded with the Berliner Philharmoniker under the baton of partner Sir Simon Rattle; and yet, as part of the frisson of a live performance, the mezzo skipped the second verse in the first song, Liebst du um Schonheit! Uchida was able to catch up with her seamlessly and they carried on regardless! This is one of the perils of a song recital at the Wigmore, which not only has arguably one of the most demanding and knowledgeable audiences, but most of whom have opened in front of them a printed programme with the complete text of all the songs in the original language and an English translation. Nevertheless, perhaps the best policy was to carry on with such poise that the applause was as enthusiastic as possible. As the great Welsh soprano Margaret Price said once on a radio interview: "it's always a nightmare to try to remember all those words!" (or words to that effect...). Kozena was able to recover well enough to finish the first half with an astonishingly moving offering of Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen.
The second half consisted of Debussy's Ariettes oubliees. It was a performance that revealed all the languor and exquisite charm of Verlaine's verses. And the concert draw to it's close with the intense religious fervor of Messiaen's Poemes pour Mi, Book II – not the most obvious choice for a recital closer. But the wonderful thing about this concert was that such finish had the desired effect: appreciative applause that extended to three encores! The first of which was the most beautiful rendition I have ever heard of Schumann's Der Nussbaum... bliss.
The concert in question was the first of two renditions of the same programme performed at the Wigmore on Friday and Sunday 18 & 20 May last. The music was an uncompromising mixture of art songs by Mahler, Debussy and Messiaen. No pandering here to the easy applause: a selection of music equally challenging for the singer, the pianist and the audience. And yet, the result was a reassuring triumph!
Two Lieder from Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn (Rheinlegendchen and Das irdische Leben) opened the evening, showing Kozena in great voice and Uchida displaying her superb musicianship and sensitivity as an accompanist. The highlight for me was what followed: Debussy's sensuous Chansons de Bilitis: sheer magic... The colours at Uchida's palate made the piano create such an atmospheric setting and Kozena delivered the most delicious and intense singing.
The first half culminated with Mahler's Ruckert Lieder, which Kozena has recorded with the Berliner Philharmoniker under the baton of partner Sir Simon Rattle; and yet, as part of the frisson of a live performance, the mezzo skipped the second verse in the first song, Liebst du um Schonheit! Uchida was able to catch up with her seamlessly and they carried on regardless! This is one of the perils of a song recital at the Wigmore, which not only has arguably one of the most demanding and knowledgeable audiences, but most of whom have opened in front of them a printed programme with the complete text of all the songs in the original language and an English translation. Nevertheless, perhaps the best policy was to carry on with such poise that the applause was as enthusiastic as possible. As the great Welsh soprano Margaret Price said once on a radio interview: "it's always a nightmare to try to remember all those words!" (or words to that effect...). Kozena was able to recover well enough to finish the first half with an astonishingly moving offering of Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen.
The second half consisted of Debussy's Ariettes oubliees. It was a performance that revealed all the languor and exquisite charm of Verlaine's verses. And the concert draw to it's close with the intense religious fervor of Messiaen's Poemes pour Mi, Book II – not the most obvious choice for a recital closer. But the wonderful thing about this concert was that such finish had the desired effect: appreciative applause that extended to three encores! The first of which was the most beautiful rendition I have ever heard of Schumann's Der Nussbaum... bliss.
Sunday, 6 May 2012
And the winner is... The Recorder!
As presenter Clemency Burton-Hill said "Recorder players of the world, rejoice!"
The final of the Woodwind category of the BBC Young Musician 2012 took place on Friday last at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. The lineup of five different instruments included clarinet (Jordan Black), flute (Luke O'Toole), saxophone (Lucinda Dunne), bassoon (Charlotte Cox) and recorder (Charlotte Barbour-Condini). The humble recorder, still trying hard to be recognised as the 'proper instrument' that it is, had only appeared three times in the 34 years of the competition, and had never won before. The youngest competitor of her category, 15-year-old Barbour-Condini (who also plays piano and violin), was a more than worthy ambassador for the expressive qualities and musical potential of the recorder. She played a captivating Medieval trotto with percussion, as well as the iconic Castello sonata and a contemporary piece by Hans Martin Linde, each with a different instrument, and delivered each piece with great musicality and poise.
The adjudicating panel – Gareth Jones and two former winners, clarinetist Emma Johnson and flutist Juliette Bausor – all agreed in how Barbour-Condini hold the audience's attention from the very first note to the last, in what is arguably rather obscure repertoire. There is no specific role for the recorder in the Classical or Romantic cannon, but this programme showed the tremendous versatility of this instrument: from Medieval dance music to the technical demands and outlandish sonorities of the contemporary repertoire.
As many of my students are aware, I spent eight years as a recorder and early wind instruments player with the Camerata de Caracas, and miss no opportunity to do my bit and introduce to my students the fantastic music written for the recorder.
The Woodwind final is available on iPlayer. Barbour-Condini will be playing again in the semi-final alongside the winners of the other four categories, at 6pm Sat 12 May on BBC Two, for a place in the final which is at 6pm Sun 13 May on BBC Two.
The final of the Woodwind category of the BBC Young Musician 2012 took place on Friday last at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. The lineup of five different instruments included clarinet (Jordan Black), flute (Luke O'Toole), saxophone (Lucinda Dunne), bassoon (Charlotte Cox) and recorder (Charlotte Barbour-Condini). The humble recorder, still trying hard to be recognised as the 'proper instrument' that it is, had only appeared three times in the 34 years of the competition, and had never won before. The youngest competitor of her category, 15-year-old Barbour-Condini (who also plays piano and violin), was a more than worthy ambassador for the expressive qualities and musical potential of the recorder. She played a captivating Medieval trotto with percussion, as well as the iconic Castello sonata and a contemporary piece by Hans Martin Linde, each with a different instrument, and delivered each piece with great musicality and poise.
The adjudicating panel – Gareth Jones and two former winners, clarinetist Emma Johnson and flutist Juliette Bausor – all agreed in how Barbour-Condini hold the audience's attention from the very first note to the last, in what is arguably rather obscure repertoire. There is no specific role for the recorder in the Classical or Romantic cannon, but this programme showed the tremendous versatility of this instrument: from Medieval dance music to the technical demands and outlandish sonorities of the contemporary repertoire.
As many of my students are aware, I spent eight years as a recorder and early wind instruments player with the Camerata de Caracas, and miss no opportunity to do my bit and introduce to my students the fantastic music written for the recorder.
The Woodwind final is available on iPlayer. Barbour-Condini will be playing again in the semi-final alongside the winners of the other four categories, at 6pm Sat 12 May on BBC Two, for a place in the final which is at 6pm Sun 13 May on BBC Two.
Saturday, 28 April 2012
AAM concert in Cambridge
Have just attended the concert Dawn of the cantata given by the Academy of Ancient Music at West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge, as part of the AAM series Musical Revolutions. Jonathan Cohen marked his debut as conductor of the AAM with this programme, which included soprano Anna Prohaska and tenors Benjamin Hulett and James Gilchrist.
The AAM continues to be at the top of the early music game and Cohen conducted from the harpsichord/chamber organ a superb programme of early Italian vocal and instrumental pieces – including pieces by Falconieri, Castello, Marini and Zanetti, and vocal solos and duets by Cavalli and Monteverdi, as well as Monteverdi's Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda – and the packed house showed a thorough appreciation of the evening's music by generous and enthusiastic applause.
Despite the title, the programme had no Cantatas as such, although the originally advertised programme included Barbara Strozzi's Udite amanti, which was sadly absent; this would have provided the one! However, it was a wonderful concert, and such a treat to hear live a performance of Il combattimento – here Gilchrist really gave his best. Nevertheless, the uncontested vocal highlight of the evening was the duet from Monteverdi's Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria, which closed the first half. As the lovestruck servants Melanto and Eurimaco, Prohaska and Hulett provided the very best singing of the evening; stylistically immaculate and yet fresh and full of emotion. The instrumental ensemble was also on top form, both on the sonatas and as the most fantastic continuo group.
'Historically informed' performance is alive and kicking in Cambridge: such an involved and responsive audience adds so much to the proceedings, that the audience should get a mention too!
The AAM continues to be at the top of the early music game and Cohen conducted from the harpsichord/chamber organ a superb programme of early Italian vocal and instrumental pieces – including pieces by Falconieri, Castello, Marini and Zanetti, and vocal solos and duets by Cavalli and Monteverdi, as well as Monteverdi's Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda – and the packed house showed a thorough appreciation of the evening's music by generous and enthusiastic applause.
Despite the title, the programme had no Cantatas as such, although the originally advertised programme included Barbara Strozzi's Udite amanti, which was sadly absent; this would have provided the one! However, it was a wonderful concert, and such a treat to hear live a performance of Il combattimento – here Gilchrist really gave his best. Nevertheless, the uncontested vocal highlight of the evening was the duet from Monteverdi's Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria, which closed the first half. As the lovestruck servants Melanto and Eurimaco, Prohaska and Hulett provided the very best singing of the evening; stylistically immaculate and yet fresh and full of emotion. The instrumental ensemble was also on top form, both on the sonatas and as the most fantastic continuo group.
'Historically informed' performance is alive and kicking in Cambridge: such an involved and responsive audience adds so much to the proceedings, that the audience should get a mention too!
Monday, 16 April 2012
Nannerl, la Soeur de Mozart
Just seen Rene Feret's new film about W A Mozart's sister Nannerl. Very atmospheric account of the Mozart children's first French tour. The film is beautifully shot with subtle use of candlelit scenes and shows the difficult conditions of the Mozarts' life as an itinerant traveling musical family.
Excellent portrayal of Leopold Mozart as the ultimate pushy parent and the hard reality of court appearances. As the title suggest, the film focuses not on Wolfgang but rather on his equally talented sister at the time both of them were being shown around European courts as astonishingly gifted child prodigies.
The film has an originally and cleverly composed pastiche score and an excellent and engaging pace.
It's quite reassuring to see a French film very much in the style of the genre in the 70s: full of atmosphere and long pensive looks!
Excellent portrayal of Leopold Mozart as the ultimate pushy parent and the hard reality of court appearances. As the title suggest, the film focuses not on Wolfgang but rather on his equally talented sister at the time both of them were being shown around European courts as astonishingly gifted child prodigies.
The film has an originally and cleverly composed pastiche score and an excellent and engaging pace.
It's quite reassuring to see a French film very much in the style of the genre in the 70s: full of atmosphere and long pensive looks!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)