Comments on: return of a classic, by request

By: not telling

not telling — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 12:59:30 +0000

Well, if he has a stomach virus, he canâ€™t exactly sit through 2 1/2 hours of Rheingold pooping all over himself, can he?

That doesn’t seem to stop 3/4 of the Met audience, who could very well be Depends spokespeople…

By: squirrel

squirrel — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:42:50 +0000

Well, if he has a stomach virus, he can’t exactly sit through 2 1/2 hours of Rheingold pooping all over himself, can he? I’m sure there is an orchestra union regulation about such things.

By: Huckleberry

Huckleberry — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:05:16 +0000

So how sick was James Levine that he had to cancel conducting a Ring opera?????

By: Ernest Low

Ernest Low — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 20:54:16 +0000

Hojotoho! The gala was organised by operaphile Tadatsugu Sasaki to celebrate his 70th birthday. 4 performances of the gala were given, all open o the public. 2 of the performances at the Bunka Kaikan had the Ride of the Valkyries. The other 2 at the Suntory Hall featured a different programme. Besides the above soloits, Kollo, Wiekl and Burchuladze also sang. Pity Behrens could not make it. The highlights were Baltsa as Eboli/Santuzza/Orlofsky and singing To frego fevgi stis okto and Marton in the monolog from Elektra. The performances were a riot and all in the autograph queue at the Bunka Kaikan were well pleased.

By: Effie de LaRue

Effie de LaRue — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 20:29:48 +0000

This is terrifying. I’m going back on the streets where it’s safe.

By: hab mir's gelobt

hab mir's gelobt — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:49:48 +0000

gosh i feel seasick! and i have to throw up now. what an assortment of wobbles. how many different keys do they sing in? yuk.

By: La Valkyrietta

La Valkyrietta — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:25:34 +0000

Most extravagant.

Which leads me on a tangent. Many do not seem to like the Met building, but it seems many more love the Austrian chandeliers there. These were replaced not too long ago, and the Met Store sells little Sputniks from them on two sizes and asks $2,500 for the large ones and about half that for the samller ones. Could there be an extravagant Met fan somewhere who uses a bunch of them to decorate a Christmas tree? I was wondering that as I examined what I thought an exotic CD of Caballe singing the Immolation Scene.

By: Alex Degracia

Alex Degracia — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:15:51 +0000

There is no price that can be placed on this recording…

By: Lucky Pierre

Lucky Pierre — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:14:02 +0000

there’s a video, of course, i believe it was posted before.

am i to take from the above that of the 8 valkyries, 3 are mzzos? i never counted them before.

what a screamfest. was dimitrova not available?

By: erstebratsche

erstebratsche — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:06:43 +0000

Whenever Jones sings, it modulates a quarter tone higher.

By: irontongue

irontongue — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 19:33:56 +0000

Yow!!!

By: Dame Ernestine Sherman Tank

Dame Ernestine Sherman Tank — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:24:25 +0000

Please tell me there is video of this!!!!!!

By: Buster

Buster — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:41:07 +0000

Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth.

By: schweigundtanze

schweigundtanze — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:39:54 +0000

hahaha, I love this clip a little more every time I hear it. We need to make trotting this out a yearly event!

By: chaka

chaka — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:25:23 +0000

I wonder if the audience members were plastered to the walls after this!

By: eugene

eugene — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:23:48 +0000

Here’s the cast:
Eva Marton – Helmwige
Anna Tomowa-Sintow – Ortlinde
Alessandra Marc – Gerhilde
Agnes Baltsa – Schwertleite
Karan Armstrong – Waltraute
Jochen Kowalski – Grimgerde
and Gwyneth Jones takes on both Siegrune and Rossweisse
Towards the end actually everyone sings what they please, not genuine with any role…

Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Sebastian Weigle

Bukka Cultural Palace, Tokyo, February 13, 2003
(Private performance for a Japanese millionaire)

By: Fancuilla del West

Fancuilla del West — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:56:24 +0000

Thanks for sharing this great piece of opera history.

By: doug

doug — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:33:13 +0000

i will never tire of hearing this.

By: squirrel

squirrel — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:17:59 +0000

It’s sad that I can’t listen to this while I’m at work!

By: Ernest Low

Ernest Low — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:13:48 +0000

This was from a gala concert at the Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo. 2 performances were given on Thurs 13 Feb and Sat 15 Feb 2003. Eva Marton was a late replacement for Hildergard Behrens. It was a riot!

By: pavel

pavel — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:10:17 +0000

Jochen Kowalski? Someone should organize an all-countertenor Ride of the Valkyries. Which reminds me of the fabulous version done by La Gran Scena…

By: La marquise de Merteuil

La marquise de Merteuil — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:06:22 +0000

where … when … how?

By: squirrel

squirrel — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:00:53 +0000

was this from a Gala or something?
or the short-lived National Opera of the Canary Islands?

By: La marquise de Merteuil

La marquise de Merteuil — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:58:48 +0000

O my gentle Jesus …

By: Joey

Joey — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:56:30 +0000

OMG…Yes!
Just what I need to get my day going here in CA.