Wien: Wilkommen, Villazón!
The Associated Press has the first review of Rolando Villazón's return to the stage earlier today in a performance of Werther at the Vienna Staatsoper. Reporter George Jahn says the audience's "huge expectations... were mostly - but not completely - met." Apparently the tenor's high B's sometimes failed to soar over the Massenet orchestral climaxes, but his celebrated onstage energy and presence were on full display. Villazón won several minutes of entrance applause and "a post-performance standing ovation from an audience that normally stays glued to its seats."The indefatigable Opera Chic was (as she so often is!) first to blog the happy news, with the bonus of an exclusive eyewitness report.
POSTED at
10:55 PM
53 Comments:
I initially read that as "exclusive eyebrow report," which doesn't actually sound too out of the ordinary for OC. I'm glad to see Rolando's back, brows and all.
well, doesn't matter really how it went. we will be told how i went ad nauseam by his PRESS. a small, lovely lyric tenor with delusions of grandeur
glad he made it back. now give me someone who can really sing.
omg
you are so right on the money. I have been saying the same thing for years and people think I am just stupid and brain challenged. now the next step would be to find someone who can really sing. maybe you and i can make that our mission. great minds think alike.
Another (German Language) eyewitness report can be found here, posted by a lady called severina.
http://www.tamino-klassikforum.at/thread.php?postid=214599#post214599
A quick summary: RV was singing beautifully, but his voice was much, much smaller than before the break. He was covered by the orchestra many times, although the conductor was making an effort NOT to cover him, and the high notes could almost never be heard. Apart from that it must have been a very emotional evening, with RV crying and an audience very relieved to have him back.
Oh it is so nice to know that there are conductors out there who help singers. what an emotional night it must have been. "a lovely lyric tenor with delusions of grandeur" back onstage. I heard (through the german press also) that the theatre was packed. they said they had not seen so many people since the premiere of cleopatra.
A very pessimistic outlook on the future of RVs singing can be found in this detailed review of yesterdays performance (again, German Language only, sorry):
www.der-neue-merker.eu/mod,criticism/id_menuitem,15
OMG said...
well, doesn't matter really how it went. we will be told how it went ad nauseam by his PRESS.
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Well, I am very glad to have Rolando V. back performing, but I fear OMG is correct about spin trumoping truth: after all, didn't we see how Roberto Alagna was allowed to characterize his own inadequate Met Radames this Fall-- a performance set up for him by Peter Gelb supposedly to expunge the bad karma of the Milan debacle in the part-- as "a triumph" in an article in the Met PLAYBILL?
Another point in re Mr. Gelb and tenors. In reading the Volpe book, I saw that he cites Frank Lopardo ( who was one of those in the FILLE cast whom she had terrorized) as having testified against Kathy Battle in the proceedings after her firing. Surely this played a role in her friend Gelb's dismissal of him-- a better Tito than the company has had on offer in years-- from the roster.
Dear Nerva
thanks for bringing up Lopardo. i miss him so much. i saw kathy battle on the streets of new york when my husband and i were visiting a few years ago..and i was so star-struck that i began to scream uncontrollably "oh my god that is kathy battle...oh my god that is kathy battle." my husband told me to shut up. of course my enthusiastic reaction was before i found out that she...how do i put it delicately?..had lost the stuffing out of her comforter. oh dear, i hope my remarks were not offensive to anyone. i for one do not take mental health lightly. there have been a lot of mental health issues in my family and to this day i have a hard time sitting through the mad scene from lucia. it is too close to home. do you know what i mean?
Judging by the Vienna newspaper review there does not seem to be much hope for the ROH Don Carlos, as even in his better days that was a part a size too large for him.
And to have lost Nina Stemma from the new production of Boccangra as well...
Judging by the Vienna newspaper review there does not seem to be much hope for the ROH Don Carlos, as even in his better days that was a part a size too large for him.
And to have lost Nina Stemma from the new production of Boccangra as well...
Twas my impression that Armilliato was the one who made no effort. Messed up with the orchestra twice, too.
Covent Garden should never have cast Villazon as Don Carlo(s). It's a spinto part. 'Spinto' might mean 'pushed', but not as pushed as Villazon would have been ... But they'll probably replace him with the almost equally pushed Alagna!
As for Stemme, she has a fine, strong, dark voice, but she can't really float the line like a real Amelia/Maria needs to in Boccanegra. Gheorghiu lacks the necessary generosity of spirit for Verdi, but she could certainly do the pianissimo stuff when she sang the role a few years ago at the ROH
"a slender, somewhat more haggard..."
What exactly does this mean? I would think with all his rest and relaxation (what? him relax??) he'd be looking in the pink.
I am overwhelmingly thrilled to have this major talent back where he belongs. I hope that he can keep this hyperactivity down to a more normal level this time around.
Arepo: Now, let's be fair. Villazon has been ill. Whatever the specific cause, sick people often lose a good deal of weight. I would guess that getting prepared for a first opera role in months is a pretty nerve-wracking process too.
no cracked high notes??!!....like these: http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=jnDTo3d73o4
when I saw him twice at LA Opera he seemed to a little too energetic...Perhaps "enhanced"...Itjust didn't seem normal...Who knows, maybe he's just too eager to please...I mean, afterall, he had to sing directly to Netrebko's vagina. I'd sure have performance anxiety!
My husband has performance anxiety and he does not even have to sing directly to Netrebko's vagina. He did take me to see War and Peace when we visited New York a few years ago. And I think I caught him staring at Netrebko's vagina during a curtain call while he hummed the halleluia chorus in four part harmony. That SOB!
I'm sure his agents are overjoyed.
Cashcows like Mr.Bean are hard to come by.
He really did sing to Anna's vageene...She was on top of a table, with her legs spread and Roly was on his knees...I saw it with my own eyes...and now I'm blind. Ask anyone who was there...
Oh I don't doubt the truthfulness of your story for a second. Was it Manon or Traviata?
"Give us one who can really sing" said one of the postings. Some of the comments, like this one, concerning the rerurn of Villazon to singing, vary from cruel to moronic. Everybody is entitled to his or her own opinion but to a degree of logic. Very few people understand the pressure certain professionals performed under. Ronaldo after six months is called back to sing at one the temples of opera. He has nothing to hold on but two tissue folds in his throat-his vocal cords! Any of his critics would be scared to death in Villazon's position. We're short of tenors and Villazon has given us some excitement. Let's welcome him back, wishing him the best and stop being snooty and arrogant.
It was Manon, Josephine. You can see it on youtube (the production was shared with Berlin). They also did a pretty hot bedroom scene in the LA Romeo et Juliette.
Rolando's return underscores how very fragile the human voice is and how fraught a singer's career can be. I can't imagine another profession where the paying audience could care less about your illnesses, physical or mental, whether your mother or your dog died, a long-time affair ended or whatever. You have to be at 110 percent or we'll all swoop and scavenge. And even if you are 110 percent, we'll do it.
I'm glad Rolando has what looks to be a less frenetic schedule...until he does all those Romeos in Salzburg. I attempted reading the review Shocked German referred to and it's challenging, for sure. But even the reviewer admits that Rolando is recovering and can build up the voice with judicious work. At least, that's what I hope he wrote.
I agree with the two posts above me. I am sure this is an exposed career. I am not a singer myself. But I can't imagine being asked to perform at that level of pressure and excellence. I am sure people who get there have more than just a voice, they must have physical/psychological strength. I can only guess. And someone told me opera singers don't make an enormous amount of money. But maybe that is hearsay. I don't know. I am sorry I am saying too may things and losing my focus. But I am all for treating opera singers with more humanity.
In truth, Rolando is one of the nicest guys in the business today. The real problem is that he has agents that have chewed up and spit out a long list of singers over the past 25 years. He will be no different in the end. He is singing repertoire for which he is unsuited. He is a lyric tenor at best. Rolando, please learn how to say NO as a means toward vocal longevity. Good luck and all the best.
Anonymous: I am managed by RV's managers, and I must say that it is ALWAYS *MY* decision whether I take on a role or if I agree to sing as much.
You are wrong by blaming the managers.
It is always always down to the artist's choice.
Mr. Villazon is not a puppet. He's a grown man with some strong opinions and a lot of passion. He could have said "No", you know. As an artist, I am taking full responsibility for my own career and path. My managers are there to support that, and to advice. Final decision is all mine.
Who are you trying to convince?
Trying to convince all people who always blame an over-worked singer's *agents*. That's just silly.
I guess there is a huge difference between an agent who only cares about commissions and a manager who cares about the artist. I think you have agents.
All very interesting, Anonymous, but please adopt a screen name so I don't have to start deleting you.
Thank you for censorship
You can think what you'd like (and I personally disagree with you), but once again; Is it not our choice to chose the right people that would help manage our career? ( I mean, for all I know Rolando is free to change if he's such a miserable misguided over-worked artist who's managed by heartless people). Puhleez. Give his intelligence and will SOME credit.
Thank you for the exchange of ideas. All the best in your life and career. Singing well is the best revenge.
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I agree. Villazon is singing Don Carlo because he wants to. The guy is wildly popular and has been pegged as the next tenor hope. He can have his choice of roles.
I find his voice appealing and his delivery very passionate and sincere.
I think that his temprament is more aligned with roles that are a size too big for his voice and which cause him to oversing. I think he has the kind of personality that will lead him to go out in a blaze of glory (role choices, singing like there's no tomorrow). He won't have a terribly long career but it will be exciting while it lasts.
On the other hand, who knows how (or whether) he will change his approach to singing and role choices now that he's had a hiatus. For all we know, he might decide to take it easy on his voice after his recent break.
La Cieca's pet tenor Stephen Costello and his affianced Ailyn Perez are giving a joint recital in London this Tuesday:
http://www.sjss.org.uk/pages/Diary/content_page4_2.htm
They have just given a charming interview on BBC Radio 3 and sang the cherry duet from L'amico Fritz and this is my beloved from Kismet. You should be able to hear this again on the BBC Play it Again feature.
A lot of joint appearances planned in Faust and Romeo et Juliet.
Love Rolando but what that German report might be saying between the lines is "the voice is rested and working but the technique that underlies the singing is faulty and needs to be changed". He sings with an overly darkened, covered placement with insufficient head resonance and float for a basically slender lyrical instrument. If he doesn't change the basic technique and refocus the repertoire to basically the Alfredo Kraus parts plus a few lyric Puccini parts, he will start cracking again in a few months.
I love the guy, I want him around for a while.
My thoughts exactly, Gualtier. Rolando is a sweetheart and a fine performer. I'd like him to be around for my grandchildren to hear but at this point, I'll be happy to have him singing and singing well for as long as he can. And Freewill has it right: performers have the last word on when and how often they perform, whether they do an interview at midnight after a performance or go home.
There was certainly a cordon sanitaire around Rolando for the last six months--only unconfirmed rumors ranging from Graves Disease to depression to heartbreak and back again. Amities aux handlers.
The cracked notes in the Barcelona Manon have obviously had a chastening effect on Rolando, but it appears he has cancelled loads of projects - including his first Ballo in Amsterdam - and he realises he has to redefine his repertoire. His first Werther in Nice - a very small house - was a bit of a push at the top - and his Manon-Des Grieux in LA suffered from the size of the theatre and Netrobko audibly outgrowing him. There is no reason why a good lyric tenor shouldn't sing Don Carlo at Covent Garden. Carreras and Luis Lima both did, and while they didn't exactly have long careers at the top, Don Carlo was hardly the culprit. Just because Corelli used to sing it at the Met doesn't mean that's how it should always be sung. I would call is an outer limits role for Rolando - as long as he doesn't try Manrico and Radames, he should be fine.
I agree that Don Carlo is an outer-limits role for Villazon. It's not that he should never sing it but I think he sang it too soon. I think every singer can take on roles that are a bit too big for the voice, however, if the singer is concerned about longevitiy (and not all are necessarily), they need to make those excurions into the outer-limits carefully.
I've been in queens. I've also been in butch guys. Wait, are we back on "Penetrating Wagner's Ring"?
I shall ignore Sanford's risque comments and draw attention to a really delightful opera recital with piano that Parterre favourite (or should that be favorite?)Stephen Costello has just given at St John's Smith Square in London with his fiancee Ailyn Perez and pianist Iain Burnside. The quite delicious Ms Perez is a natural stage animal and has an extraordinarily flexible voice, while Mr Costello, even if perhaps not quite on top form, displayed a fine, focused and virile sound and a wonderful honesty in his approach. There was palpable electricity between them in the scene from Manon where she seduces him with 'N'est-ce plus ma main'. The audience was very, very happy. In a more demonstrative context than St John's they would have been ecstatic, I suspect.
This is why there are so many scattered shredded ex tenors. Some fool says a lyric should sing don carlo. Look at the orchestration and then be quiet.
They can, sure, but they should NOT! As for their agents. In Villazon's case the over darkening of the voice has got to be the one of his agents that think they are a singing teacher. Now that is funny. They most certainly are not. They use voices, INSIST that they sing rep that is FIFTY times too big for their smallish voices and very lyric timbres. Singers in these days do NOT say no. Work is too hard to get and they are always admonished by those same freaks that call themselves agents, "You may not get a second chance, tsk tsk." Villazon is not a Ballo and most definitely NOT a Don Carlo in any theater. But do not fret, they will make sure he sings it, and not worry when he collapses again. Great publicity afterall.
Once again: I can not speak for Rolando, but never did my/ our managers "insist" on anything I sing. That is just ridiculous of you to say that. What do you assume, do they tie us to a chair, beat us up and put a pen in our hand, threatening us with a gun to sign a contract? to sing too dark? to take up their advice? to have a coaching with whomever? Any one to "blame", if you are SO eager to do so, would be the artist him/her self. And please don't tell me that people like Rolando or Netrebko don't make enough $$$$ to refuse a job. lol.
free will, be glad you still have some. Some people they represented talk about what they do. and that is the sickening truth. They have destroyed many a career.
Mr. Freewill. You are blind. Do your research. Me thinketh thou doest protesteth too much.
Oh, my.
You all sound like Chris Matthews here, don't you?
And you're about as right as he's been this week.
But just about as appealing.
Ain't it hilarious that so many of these comments put a pair of pretty darn honorable managers out as pimps whoring out their 11 year old kids whose parents sold 'em to them for a bag of rice?
Poor underaged artists... exploited...
Why don't you just cite all the civil suits against them by all those victimized singers?
Wait...
THERE AREN'T ANY.
Grown up artists take responsibility for their lives... not only even but especially when things do not work out.
We accept the consequences of our career choices. We learn from mistakes. And a singer who overreached his or her capacities is rarely a Judy Garland tortured by a Louis B. Mayer.
Too many of you seem to want to believe these managers have created a world of two guys making like Puccini creating a sadistic world made of helpless victims of all faches.
Yeah. That would just keep them in business FOREVER.
Stick to BritBrit people -- that's the world about which you're dreaming.
But your heads are on the wrong fucking pillows.
HOLY SHIT!
You're all right!
Alan and Bruce will be taking over for Langridge as the Witch in Hansel and Gretel.
Rumor is that they will actually be eating half the cast.
Thank you Professional Bullshit Artist.
I do think pressure takes a hand whether it's a little voice inside, or 'professional wisdom' from outsiders. I can imagine cliches such as 'strike while the iron is hot', 'take advantage of their interest while it's still there, people are fickle', 'to be a big star you need to take risks'.
In Rolando's case it's particularly acute, for it was either try to survive roles that were much too heavy like Don Jose and Don Carlo and a very busy schedule, or be condemned to be everybody's favorite Alfredo/Rodolfo/Nemorino.
You can certainly make a good career in the latter case but not really the big money and the huge attention. He also had a big commitment from a record company, rare nowadays, but that also brings pressure to broaden the rep and expand the schedule.
But finally it comes down to how strong someone's technique is basically. Domingo pushed himself incessantly, even when his voice was small and he didn't have reliable high notes. He survived and gradually built his sound and made peace with the inevitable cracks (which grew less inevitable). But he had exceptional singer's intelligence and good people advising him technically.
Villazon seems to have made his success while still having unresolved issues about producing his voice, and not much better sense about 'growing the sound' than pushing hard.
My pals in Vienna have told me he was nothing special, and the one I trust the most told me he was inaudible a fair amount and tiny on top. What needs to be known is that Vienna is the easiest house in Europe, you could hear a mouse on that stage even with the orchestra going. People who are merely decent sized elsewhere (even in Munich) sound big in Vienna, and a good sized voice will sound HUGE there (I'll never forget the first time I heard Placido there -- I'd heard him at City, the Met, La Scala and Covent Garden and was never very impressed. I got an Otello in Vienna and there was this massive sound full of magical colors -- of course it was thrilling. Then I went back to hearing a good sized dark voice here and there until I heard a Lohengrin in Vienna, and there was this glorious outpouring of sound, and even an immense mezza voce!)
So I don't think that's such good news about Villazon -- but it's no surprise. My sisters and I were wondering if Valetti hadn't been louder last time we heard him in NY.
Long Live Mr. Bean
THANK YOU OMG. THIS BEARS REPEATING.
This is why there are so many scattered shredded ex tenors. Some fool says a lyric should sing don carlo. Look at the orchestration and then be quiet.
They can, sure, but they should NOT! As for their agents. In Villazon's case the over darkening of the voice has got to be the one of his agents that think they are a singing teacher. Now that is funny. They most certainly are not. They use voices, INSIST that they sing rep that is FIFTY times too big for their smallish voices and very lyric timbres. Singers in these days do NOT say no. Work is too hard to get and they are always admonished by those same freaks that call themselves agents, "You may not get a second chance, tsk tsk." Villazon is not a Ballo and most definitely NOT a Don Carlo in any theater. But do not fret, they will make sure he sings it, and not worry when he collapses again. Great publicity afterall.
I simply adore Rolando, great perfomance, my favourite timbre, a sweet, humble personality! Last time live in Paris after Les Contes de Hoffmann; sent my parents to his comeback at the Wiener Staatsoper (Yes, the Werther with standig ovation!). Will see him on next Friday in Manon and in Pari son Monday (concert). Being my family Domingo-fans dating back to his first appearance in Vienna over 30 years ago, we are glad to know another stunning artist, Maestro Villazon! W Mexico! W Villazon!!
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