The boy friend
Parterre fave Joyce DiDonato headlines an all-star performance of Le nozze di Figaro broadcast this afternoon from Lyric Opera of Chicago. [WFMT] The broadcast begins at 1:45 Central time (2:45 here in New York) and La Casa della Cieca will be open for the event. (Photo: Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera)
Is there any way to hear this outside the US? That’s a mouthwatering cast.
I believe it is a live stream from WFMT click link above) , so unless the country you are in blocks certain sites, you should be able to listen over the web. Good luck.
Go to operacast.com and get the Sunday schedule and click on the link for the broadcast.
Thanks for the assistance- no luck, sadly. Streaming tends to be country-specific. Sad to miss Schwanewilms in particular.
Armer, I have no problem listening to it in Poland, through the link provided by la Cieca to WFMT,on Windows Media Player , so I don’t think it’s country specific. Perhaps you should try again?
Hmmm. I’ve tried a few times with no luck.
Windows Media Player did not work for me either, but Realplayer did. Then you get a short commercial and after that you are right into the broadcast.
VLC media player seems to work with pretty much any format you throw at it, and it’s freeware, I believe, so you might want to try that one next time.
Joyce DiDonato MISSED the dress rehearsal after taking a fall the day before. MERCIFULLY, she’s back today!
“All-star” cast???
Schwanewilms rather messed up the ending of Dove Sono, missing the high note altogether – lovely voice at times but I surely would prefer Isokoski (not to speak of Schwarzkopf, della Casa, Janowitz, Margaret Price and their ilk). Sound on my computer is not perfection but the orchestra is sometimes playing bluntly without the sonorities expected in a great Figaro performance. De Niese is less interesting aurally than she was visually at the Met earlier this season – she is enchanting on stage but compared with Schwanewilms, De Niese is not floating the notes in the Zephyr duet – De Niese has a harshness at times vocally which grates a bit. No Seefried or Gueden or Popp here. The Cherubino seems stronger voiced than some – though a litle less fluid. But a decent rendition of the two arias though one kept wishing for Flicka or the divine Sena as Cherubino. The men are reasonable though with choppy legato – the audience seems to be enjoying the performance, though applause for the arias has not been extensive. Smaller parts seem to be well taken. It may be that some of the singers are pushing a bit for the Opera House is a cavern
The profile of John Vickers during the intermission and his history with the Chicago Lyric was well done.
De Niese is definitely over-rated, due to her looks and mugging talents as well as her Met connections.
on the web go to http://www.wfmt.com and click on the “listen live” button at the top or on the “Listen” tab in the brown line. or in ITunes: click on radio, classical, WFMT.
Did not like Schwanewilms’ “Dove sono,” Enjoying it in general, though. As others have remarked, the WFMT intermission yak is vastly superior to the Met’s.
I have the impression that Schwanewilms polarises opinion. Not keen on her myself — too uptight a sound and style for my taste!
Then you should have heard her Chrysothemis with the New York Philharmonic last season. It was quite a lot like you’d imagine Schwarzkopf doing the part, minus the technique and artistry.
Hear, hear – she was a very wan Chrysothemis and Elettra at Glyndebourne (mind you everyone was wan in that Sellars production). Some folks love the sound of her voice, but it sounds flutey and anaemic to me. I think Bill’s preference for Isokoski is justified. She’s back at the Garden singing it in June – a better role for her than the Marschallin at the ROH.
On the other hand, Schwanewilms was a wonderful Ariadne at CG a few years back, and her Marschallin (which I’ve only caught on video) is fascinating.
I seem to be the only person round here who finds Isokoski a correct, technically gifted but dull singer.
Schwanewilms did sing a fine Arabella in Vienna
last March – it would seem that this broadcast of Figaro did not find her in good voice at all – her technique failed her and not only in the Dove
Sono but periodically thoughout the performance – it was probably just a bad day for her though perhaps she is simply better in Strauss than in Mozart which requires a resplendent legato and absolute control without embarassing mishaps.
In the two arias Di Donato, with an attractive voice, seemed also not able to float a consistent line, occasionally too explosive (perhaps to emphasize the impetuousness of a young man). I doubt Cherubino is truly her role but look forward to her Komponist next season at the Met and her Octavian when I am able to encounter it someplace.
Not every talented Rossini singer is equally fine in Mozart and one cannot imagine some of the greatest
Mozartians tackling Rossini at all (though some have done so from time to to time).
Amerjacquino – I have seen Isokoski numerous times including her first Agathe’s in Vienna, a marvelously sung Antonia and all her main roles as well. Vocally I find her impeccable, glorious musicianship – never an unattractive utterance and
in remarkable control of the voice. What she does not possess (and may very well not be interested in) is the visual allure that some of her coevals and predecessors had in spades – she does not inhabit her roles as others have done. She emphasizes the vocal line more than he dramatic edge of a role.
Maybe she lacks vividness and boldness which can be admirable traits on the stage but I think for pure vocalism and resplendent beauty of tone Isokoski has few rivals today. Almost every utterance is attractively sung. And her singing is free of mannerisms which can mar that of, say, Fleming in a similar repertory – I for one appreciate Isokoski’s exquisite vocalism and she is one of the few singers today I might go out of my way to hear.
That the Met seems not to have engaged her for any future performances is a disgrace.
I thought she was wonderful in LA JUIVE at the Met, but was disappointed in her subsequent Marguerite in FAUST.
That wouldn’t take much.
Schwanewilms TOTALLY screwed up the end of Dove Sono? The dress rehearsal wasn’t good …. but this was a disaster.
I wasn’t able to listen and did not participate in the chat(connection problems) However, I don’t see any comments here on Joyce’s performance. Any thoughts?
There’s a comment about the Cherubino in 5.1.1. I think she was good, but not on the level of Ludwig, Von Stade or Jurinac.
The Countess was in severe difficulty in Dove Sono.
Ludwig, Von Stade or Jurinac
None of whom were worthy to buckle Sofia Scalchi’s breeches!
Please, please tell us La Cieca, you are not now becoming a Deaconess besides our notorious Vicar…….surely!!!! The rest of us will have to hold a musical exorcism to rescue you from his heretical clutches.
Writing this, as I am listening to Von Stade sing Cantaloube’s Songs of the Auvergne.
Kern!
WHO JUST SAW GERGIEV AND GULEGHINA AT THE OLYMPIC CLOSING???
HILARIOUS Spectacle. Go Russia!
I don’t know if the ghoul has ever sung Prokofiev’s Fiery Angel, but at least figuratively that was the image she presented in the bit I just saw on TV.
Stranger than paradise…