La marguerite a fermé sa corolle
“…whenever he was joined by the baritone Simon Keenlyside, who sang Rodrigo, the Marquis of Posa and Carlo’s devoted friend, Mr. Alagna opened up in every way.”
Well, wouldn’t you? [NYT]
Cher Public
- MrGuy1804: You are right on the money. I was not terribly impressed with any of the singing. There were a few... 12:29 AM
- Camille: That was fun, thanks! I had completely forgotten Eastern Airlines, the Wings of Man. With a name like... 12:22 AM
- Henry Holland: Thanks! Too bad they didn’t do Der Zwerg instead of the (wonderful) Puccini. The LA Opera... 12:09 AM
- Camille: Thanks Blue, for the review. Lord, what are “earthy colorings”? 12:06 AM
- Gualtier M: Here is Carmelita Pope in the actual 70′s era Pam commercial at 2:36 in: httpv://www.you... 12:03 AM
- CruzSF: kashania, please tell us more about these performances. Who? How presented? And don’t neglect the... 12:03 AM
- bluecabochon: Lucky you, Bob! I;d see it again if I could. Here’s TT’s New York Times review:... 11:53 PM
- kashania: HH: I thought of you tonight while watching the COC’s double of Florentine Tragedy and Gianni... 11:28 PM
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VILLAZON RETIRES!!!
This is unfair to Villazon. The clip is obviously an outtake from the filming and probably an early camera rehearsal at that. Wasn’t the Boheme film all lipsynched to the pre-recorded track? Doesn’t matter, but hardly a reason to head this video in that way by the person who originally placed it on youtube.
I’m listening to Villazon in Ercole sul Termodonte (Virgin Classics) and it doesn’t sound like it’s going to relaunch his career as a baroque specialist. Great cast, otherwise: Genaux, Ciofi, DiDonato, Damrau, Romina Basso and Jaroussly.
When is he due to perform it live, wearing nothing but a lion skin?
not having read any of the thread prior to this, I ask: why, pray tell are we singing Les filles de Cadix?
“Mr. Alagna opened up in every way.”
La marguerite a fermé sa corolle,
L’ombre a fermé les yeux du jour.
Belle, me tiendras-tu parole?
Ouvre ton coeur à mon amour.
Mr. Alagna will NEVER become the amour of Mr. TT.
As soon as I read the TT/NYT review online – and actually laughed out loud at the “opened up in every way” line – I dashed over here since I *knew* LC would never let that one get by, hah! Is it possible that Mr. T is actually craving mention/attention on Parterre? Hmmm….
TT brings up an interesting point (even a blind squirrel sometimes finds an acorn!): What’s happened to Alagna in the last couple of years? I thought he was wonderful in the CARMEN, spectacular in the OONY CAV/NAV and, over Sirius last night, the Don Carlo sounded terrific. I heard him a few years back in a couple of things (around the time of the crazy AIDA/LA SCALA debacle)and it was unbearable…everything sounded bellowed, pushed, leathery. I remember thinking there was no way he would be singing for much longer. Maybe dropping DRACULETTE was a good move. He sounds like a man re-born.
Maybe he gave himself a re-evaluation after the La Scala debacle. I remember hearing that “Celeste Aida” and everything you say about how he sounded is right. Perhaps he has “refreshed” his technique. I agree that he sounded wonderful as Don Jose. The tone still has a worn quality to it on top but he is singing beautifully. I find him and Hampson to be in the same boat. Both of them have lost much of the freshness of tone after years of being on the scene and not being shy about pushing their repertoire into heavier directions. But, ultimatetly, both are still singing very well.
After the La Scala debacle, Alagna had a (benign) tumor operation at the back of his nasal cavity, that’s what happened. He said he could barely hear himself sing in the beginnning.
Dropping Draculette was certainly a good move from the point of view of his professional life.
The statement “dropping Dracullete” is obviously nonsense.Mr.Alagna always maintains he is married to Angela and not separated personally. On the contrary the person who doesn’t want to sing together was Ms.Gheorghiu.
I agree that the separation ,professionally speaking, was good for both of them.
Sensibility, please calm down! I was making a joke, for God’s sake. I understand that they are still married and speak everyday on the phone but basically lead separate lives, yadda, yadda, yadda…but clearly something has lit a fire under Roberto and maybe it’s too much of a coincidence to not trace it back to the change in his personal life. He even looks better onstage— clearly has trimmed down a bit.
I also want to mention that I adore Mr.Alagna and Ms.Gheorghiu ,too.I like them as singers and wonderful personalities ,accepting their flaws and amazed by their immense talent.I try to get beyond the shallow image of Angela as Diva,maybe she is, but I see her as a fantastic musician ,a continuous helper of young singers and believe me I can give you several names .I trully praise Roberto Alagna’s joy of singing, his ardent personality and superb commitement to music.
OT….BUT..
is anyone listening to this, on NOW?….
GMT 1930/EST 2:30PM
RADIO TRE (RAI)
Rome, ITALY
Il Cartellone: In diretta Euroradio dal Teatro Comunale di Firenze
MAGGIO MUSICALE FIORENTINO
- Stagione Lirica 2010
LA FORZA DEL DESTINO
Opera in quattro atti di Francesco Maria Piave
musica di Giuseppe Verdi
Leonora Violeta Urmana
Don Carlo di Vargas Roberto Frontali
Don Alvaro Salvatore Licitra
Preziosilla Elena Maximova
Fra’ Melitone Roberto De Candia
Padre guardiano Roberto Scandiuzzi
Il Marchese di Calatrava Enrico Iori
Curra Antonella Trevisan
Un alcade Filippo Polinelli
Mastro Trabuco Carlo Bosi
Orchestra e Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
direttore Zubin Mehta
regia Nicolas Joël
scene Ezio Frigerio
costumi Franca Squarciapino
video e proiezioni Sergio Metalli per Ideogamma Rimini
coreografia Sabine Mouscardès
luci Jürgen Hoffmann (Duration unclear)
Thanks Brooklyn! I love this and I have a tedious job to do, so this Forza will keep me company.
I Don’t know if it’s due to the terrible stream-sound/connection I have…
BUT…
this sounds not so good…so far……
nu?
I have a very good connection – but does the cast?
Not so good is putting it mildly. Urmana has now ruined her top. Another mezzo who just had to sing soprano roles.
Bur Urmana got very positive reviews for her recent Isoldes in Europe … Though I assume most of Isolde sits fairly centrally in the voice. (Not an opera I know well … There goes my credibility!)
Completely off-thread, but I just love this garbled quote from the website dutchdivas.net. In fact, the whole page is priceless — and so quintessentially Dutch in its expression.
“…..somebody told me, she sang formidable. Then I went to listen to her. And it was for the first time in my live, that I really heard all the notes of that difficult role…..I was completely upside down of that Queen of the Night…..”
Lex van Delden, composer, Parool-criticus
Urmana’s top notes are hard and metallic but I don’t know if that’s much of a change from earlier in her career. She sounded fine as Aida last year, right up to the high C.
Monty: the site is out of date, they need to add THIS woman fast. The jury verdict is by an excellently styled Margiono:
From your friendly cuttings service, here are some more reviews:
Bernheimer:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/6e7b86bc-f727-11df-9b06-00144feab49a.html#axzz168I9Vu7O
An oft posted AP review, selected here for the wonderful caption of Alagna and Poplavskaya’s picture, which I hereby formally enter for the previous competition :
http://cincinnati.metromix.com/music/article/uneven-verdis-don-carlo/2325190/content
also A.N. Other blogger :
http://auv.blogspot.com/2010/11/carlo.html
At least Bernheimer tells the truth about Alagna.
On second thought, Alagna was worse than Bernheimer indicates!
I’m now listening to another dreadful tenor – Licitra in Forza.
At least Bernheimer agrees with Enzo about Alagna.
Thank God someone else agrees with me about Licitra – I had a really good afternoon of decorating ruined the other day as he caterwauled his way through Ernani (I was loving Radvanovsky, but I know she divides opinion on here!)
Now don’t get me started on that moon-faced harridan Poplavskaya; apart from being one of the most dreadful people I’ve ever had the experience of working with, I cannot bear that hooting noise she consistently achieves. Maybe the cavern of the Met tempers the sound but on stage and in the auditorium of Covent Garden it’s just a mess.
Love it, Su Traditor. Popsy’s Melisande at a Jette Parker concert a few years ago remains a memory of Expressionist horror.
By the way, weren’t she and Furlanetto an item at some point recently? Bet that added a whole new level to the relationships in Don Carlo …
I would hazzard a guess that opinion on Licitra is pretty universal.
moon-faced harridan, lazy Russian tart – she obviously rubs a lot of people the wrong way most of the time. I hear she is not beloved of the chorus and backstage folk at the Garden, but Pappano apparently adores her.
I have met her once at one of those evenings the ROH put on for Wagner supporters. She was at the beginning of her career (she was one of the Norns in Gotterdammerung). She was icy and disdainful and obviously did not like being roped in (pun intended) to chat up sponsors.
She is often described as being slightly unhinged, but I think her main problem is that she has amsirahc – that is the reverse of charisma.
As a singer her problems are more interesting than her solutions. As an actress she’s very committed. As a colleague, well it’s best to keep out of the way.
I listened to this Forza. Licitra’s high notes were painful attempts. Squirmingly cringe-worthy. Urmana survived. Frontali was often quite good.
I listened to Urmana’s Pace Pace and then the final trio. She sounds like a mezzo to me. I don’t hear soprano and while she was able to sing a loud final high note, there was absolutely no floating or finesse anywhere else. In the final trio, she sounded like a truck going up a very very steep hill, a lot of effort but little beauty.
I’ve seen Frontali twice (Don Carlo and Stiffelio) and liked his performance both times — he seems authentic to me.