…the Boulder Dam look like an egg cup!
La Cieca has just heard from one of her habitually infallible moles that the refitting of the Met’s stages for the Robert Lepage Ring began today.
In order to bear the weight of the (estimated) 42-ton structure that serves as the basic unit of the production, the main stage, side and rear stages, and Level C rehearsal space are being reinforced with massive steel beams at a rumored price tag of $50K per. The source also reveals that the estimated completion date for the renovation is July 31, at which time the installation of a new lighting system begins. The cost? Millions, surely, but how many?
I think La C has a point, in that presumably a donor (or donors) gave $$$ for a Ring Cycle (and not to a program to develop Wagnerian voices). For all we know, the donors also gave to the Met’s singer development program. Or maybe they didn’t, but were moved instead to give to the Ring. In any case, it’s unlikely that donors who had given to the Ring would have been happy to see their money diverted to a development program after the fact.
I’ll wait for the iPad version of this Ring.
I understand that in this production an iPad will play the role of the Tarnhelm.
That would explain why all stores in Manhattan are out of the iPad camera connection kit, the Met must have gotten all of them. :Hair Up:
The camera connection kit is GREAT! You can even make telephone calls via wifi and skype with it in better sound than shouting into the IPAD.
QPF – so cool!
My terrified smiley did not work at end of previous post. Sorry.
I wonder now…will the forest bird be an iPod? It figures, where would they find another Joannie live today?
Well even on 1963 when the Decca Siegfried came out,and Joannie Sutherland’s diction was not as atrocious as say her gibberish of 20 years later: critics said her Woodbird was not that, of any news reader.
Yes, it does rather make one wonder how any company has managed to produce the Ring in the almost 60 years since dear Dame Joan last sang this tiny role on stage.
Off-stage, darling.
. . . although I am intrigued by the thought of Dame Joan swooping through the air on wires befeathered like some six-foot Papagena. Then, in a burst of affection, she perches on Siegfried’s shoulder, pauses to leave a little dropping, and takes off again. Remind me to cover my car; there might be a whole flock of them in the neighborhood.
Now that’s an over-drinks story to be treasured by any Opera Queen. “Well, IDLTODN, but Dame Joan Sutherland once shit on my shoulder.”
I haven’t heard a good Flosshilde in 70 years (and I’m only 35).
Cosmin Ifrim will sing Pedrillo tomorrow at the Wienna State Opera in place of an ailing Kevin Conners.
Cosmin Ifrim, geboren im rumänischen Ineu/Arad, studierte an der Musikademie in Cluj-Napoca Gesang und Dirigieren. Nach zahlreichen Wettbewerbserfolgen wurde er 2000 an die Wiener Staatsoper engagiert, wo er acht Jahre Ensemblemitglied war. Dort sang er Partien wie Lord Cecil (Roberto Devereux), Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi), Italienischer Sänger (Der Rosenkavalier), Squeak (Billy Budd) und Fenton (Falstaff). Außerdem trat er an der Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin, in Tel Aviv und Mostar auf. 2008 war er als Alfredo (La traviata) in Maribor, 2009 als Tonio (La fille du régiment) in Bilbao und Klosterneuburg sowie als Duca (Rigoletto) bei den Opernfestspielen St. Margarethen zu erleben. In dieser Spielzeit singt er u.a. Alfredo in London und Athen sowie Pedrillo (Die Entführung aus dem Serail) an der Volksoper Wien. Debüt an der Bayerischen Staatsoper: Pedrillo (Die Entführung aus dem Serail).
QPF–Loved that Don Giovanni bit. Where was it done? That’s the first time I’ve seen a video backdrop that actually added to the enjoyment of an opera. Very clever.
nice high notes, and he’s cute as a speckled pup, but someone needs to teach him that most difficult trick of stage presence: standing still.
Why is he singing Pedrillo, he sounds like the perfect Belmonte. Such beauty of tone, finesse, and style in one so young. Thanks for bringing him to our attention.
Well first and foremost my Bruennhilde of choice would be Jennifer Wilson. She is young, can act and has the voice. Amazing free and open top which isn’t capped like so many other Bruennhildes where you feel like they are straining to get to those notes. And the top doesn’t thin out so you have high C at the end of the duet in Goetterdaemmerung which goes on forever and dead center pitch. Then you also have Evelyn Herlitzius or Irene Theorin. Theorin impressed me much more on the Copenhagen Ring then in the house at the Met but I heard she was not feeling well and lets remember that whole debut was last minute. But Wilson has the bigger voice IMO. Beauty of tone Wilson has in spades and her German is excellent. Diction also very very good and much better than Theorin. More amazing even that that Ring Cycle in Valencia was her first complete cycle. Herlitzius and Theorin have sung more performances of the roles. Watson I wouldn’t want to hear if you gave me free tickets and ditto for Voigt. Stemme and Dalaymann might be interesting but not that sung out Johannson who is dismal as Elektra in Zuerich with a voice that shouldn’t even be singing Chroysothemis let alone Elektra. Wilson’s top is bright like M. Lawrence and a true soprano there not a pushed up mezzo or mezzo who turned soprano. With the ease on top it makes sense that Wilson also sings Aida and Turandot which I am not sure the other ones sing. Turandot I know is sung by Herlitzius and Theorin but do both sing Aida? I would guess maybe Theorin still has it in her rep but not Herlitzius. Stemme I think gave up Aida.
I wholeheartedly agree about Wilson.
She is not as complete a singer as Brewer – how could she be since she is so young and Brewer is a mistress of technique – but the voice is rich, lyrical and free and open up top. I have NEVER heard the High C at the end of Siegfried sung better. Not Birgit, not Flagstad, not Leider (the latter two sang the note only occassionally).
Wilson excites me.
In a good wholesome way, of course.
LA SCALA RHEINGOLD -
The Pas de deux during the Wotan -- Fricka scene is really wonderful.
Pape is a really good sport to go along with all of this.
The co-production is Scala -- Berlin and the major backdrop evokes the last days of Pompei and the horrors of Auschwitz. Barenboim is pretentious but successful paving his way through the score he knows so well. Wagner would have hated the camera treatment of the prelude on the telecast that fills the screen with images of Barenboim conducting. Mary Zimmerman would love the rest of the ballets throughout. The projections compared to the Firenze Valencia Ring are all a big snooze.
And back in April, Kate Aldrich was looking great and wailing up a storm in Berlin
And here’s that rousing catchy tune:
“Rienzi, dir sei Preis, dein Name hochgeehrt!”
Who knew? (and surprisingly slow, making one wonder if that was the tempo used in Toscanini’s youth)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khfKReCNhw0&feature=related