Hello, Mister Wilson!
The most startling news from tomorrow’s press conference at the Met (as released early to the New York Times) — in 2011, a new production of Bellini’s Norma, starring Renee Fleming and directed by Robert Wilson. The casting of Cecilia Bartoli as Adaligisa is La Cieca’s own whimsy, but, hey, stranger things have happened. (For example, a Wilson/Fleming Norma…)
UPDATE: The role of Adalgisa in the Fleming/Wilson Norma scheduled for 2011 will not, as La Cieca puckishly suggested, be sung by Cecilia Bartoli. In fact she has just been informed by one of her most impeccable sources that the part will go to El?na Garan?a.
And in other exclusive Decca recording artist/avant-garde legend related news, the Schwartz gallery at the Met is awaiting installation of a Robert Wilson “video portrait” of La Fleming. La Cieca will inform you when the Wilson film makes it on to YouTube.
so far we’ve been hearing that renee is doing traviata, otello, rusalka, thais, armida, leonora?, roberto devereux? and norma between next season and 2011?!! Can this really be? If it is, i shudder to see how her voice sounds in 4 years.
scifisi–
you’re last comment made me laugh out loud. it was hysterical. it’s true though. apparently miss fleming’s voice is all things. haha. let’s pray that she uses discretion in her choices of future repetoire.
and, did no one find the picture ridiculously funny? i am still laughing at bartoli’s face. i can’t say i’d like to hear her on adalgisa. tatiana troyanos she ain’t.
A small-scale Norma with Bartoli as Adalgisa might work in a small (less than 2,000 seats) theatre. In fact, such a venue would be a much better fit for a Fleming Norma than the Met. Anyway, it’s a shame that the Met can’t get its casting straight for this opera. First Eaglen, then Guleghina and then Fleming. Anderson and Papian are probably the best Normas right now (though I haven’t heard Papian in the role myself) and they’re no where near the Met’s radar for this opera. A shame, really…
Papian is indeed on the Met radar, If they’re smart they’ll have her cover Guleghina and give her one full performance. Get your tickets folks – she’s the Norma to hear!
Irminsul –
What I meant was that my problem with Renee is that she bores me to tears. And yes I did see the Onegin – as well as everything she has done at the Met over the past 11 years except the Rusalka and her Traviata – (Fleming as Violetta or Norma to me is blasphemous). The voice is pretty, but it ain’t on the Caballe/Battle level where the shear beauty compensated for the fact that dramatically there usually wasn’t a lot happening with these women either.
Unfortuantely she gets productions that I want to see at the Met and I am forced to see her “act” in order to see an opera – yeah I’ll be there for her Armida and her Roberto Devereux. But only because I want to see those operas.
Flemin is no longer the owner of that cut velvet voice that have made her so famous…it’s more like satin now…she’s nearing the end of her prime…it happens…Fleming as Norma? Don’t get me started.
So cool. I love Elina Garanca. I am sooo there.
Garanca is very good at Garnier, but the Met is a very big house…
Papian was (I think) scheduled to sing Norma in Porland – but didn’t. By all the reports I heard, Brenda Harris was amazing in the role. I haven’t heard her Norma, but based upon what roles I have heard her sing, I would definitely prefer Brenda to Renee.
I’d rather see Renee as Norma than that Netrebko woman who can’t even trill. Or screeching Gruberova who butchered the role here and elsewhere. Or even Angela.
Yeah, lets give Renee a chance.