Saddle sore?
La Cieca was just forwarded the following ominous announcement: “The George London Foundation Recital event that was to feature tenor Marcello Giordani and soprano Susanna Phillips at The Morgan Library & Museum on Sunday, December 12, 2010, at 4:30 PM, has been canceled. Mr. Giordani has been hospitalized with a severe case of sciatica and is unable to perform.” Does sciatica improve between a Sunday and a Tuesday, or should Carl Tanner report for costume fittings?
Out of subject but I just want to say that the fantastic Minghella Butterfly from the Live in HD series with Racette & Giordani is going out on DVD on January 25!
Three other HDs are released under the same label (Sony Classical) on January 25: Salome with Mattila, Dr. Atomic with Finley & Boccanegra with Domingo.
I thought DG had the rights for those. I wonder what happened.
the DG man who was in negotiation with the Met went to Sony and presumably took the contracts with him. Domingo’s Royal Opera Boccanegra is just out on DVD from EMI.
Interesting. Thanks for the insight. For some reason I thought that contract was a multi-year contract.
No matter what, I am glad we will see these titles released. The Buterfly was a beautiful performance. I am exited to get a copy to replace my copy of the telecast.
In addition, the Met version of the Bondy Tosca with Mattila and Alvarez was just released on December 7 by Sony. Wonder why they didn’t opt for the later, somewhat better Munich performance with Mattila, Kaufmann and Uusitalo…
This is weird, as in Europe it’s definitely out on EMI!!!
The Bondy Tosca is not under Sony but under Virgin Classics
Oops--sorry about that! (I still wonder why they didn’t opt for the Munich version, though.)
Does the Munich version had backstage features (ex. interview, etc)? Because it may be because of that that they chosen the Met version.
Probably they had nothing to patch… Despite the non-jump im Munich there were also several problems in Mattilas vocalism -- and I am not even talking about her “diffondereeeeem” which was about a third flat.
AGREED!! the Kauffmann is available on youtube….quite good indeed
This MET Tosca is quite good, both Alvarez and Mattila on top form. Mattila is not really a Puccini singer but she sings and act magnificently and she is very moving. True in Munich her Vissi d’arte was real DEMENTIA, as opposed to the Met, but still very exciting. Kaufmann is fantastic as usual, but Usitallo was just TERRRRRIBLE.
Let’s hope it is just that and not,like how it happened to a friend of mine, signs of a clot. My friend ignored them for weeks and then proceeded to have a mild stroke in front of me and several customers while we shopped at the counter where she works. She was out of commission for 6 months.
Good vibes to Mr.Giordanni for a prompt recuperation and the hopes it is not something more serious.
More OT --
What the hell is THIS? Anybody heard about this ?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Giordano-Fedora-Angela-Gheorghiu/dp/B0049DHKMK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1292180407&sr=8-1
Hi CF, my report:
Gal James did extremely well this afternoon. Sold-out house, including every seat on stage. Ion Marin conducted the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, replacing Yakov Kreizberg, who was ill. After warming up with Dvorak’s Carnival Ouverture, James made her entrance, descending the big staircase, dressed in black, with masses and masses of curls -- looking just like George Sand, petite, and very gorgeous. Then that voice. She has no technical problems -- always a blessing in the Four Last Songs. She is no trumpet, so here and there she is covered by the orchestra, which I much prefer to louder and less sensitive singers. The timbre is so beautiful -- femine and warm, made for Strauss. The voice never turns shrill in the big climaxes. She is obviously an intelligent woman, with a thorough understanding of the music and the poetry she is singing. In the first two songs she was most at ease. She was just perfect in September, caressing the lines with a lot of feeling, marvelous! In the final two songs she had to husband her resources more carefully, but the climaxes were all there, most notably an extremely beautiful “und die Seele unbewacht” (beautiful violin solo, too). Ion Marin was always alert, and held back at all the right moments. Im Abendrot moved me a lot. Some people said she needed more volume, but from where I sat she could be heard fine, and I found the introspective mood for this song heartbreaking. James is repeating the concert tomorrow.
Cheers
Thanks for your wonderful report, Buster!
I’m so glad to read that she did well. I’m rather for lyrical Strauss voices (I.e. Arabella, Marschallin, Madeleine) in the VLL instead of dramatic, plush voices (Isolde type) because for me a lyrical voice projects better the autumnal intimacy of the music.
Very proud of Gal!
Cheers
You are welcome -- I forgot to mention there was a lot of applause, bravo’s (one mine), and the tiniest bouquet of flowers I have ever seen.
No excuse for small bouquets in the Netherlands, of all places!
Io tremo. When did this concert take place?I will assume it was a concert performance because these days only EMI is booking studios for opera recordings. Most of DG’s operatic releases have been scheduled around concert performances.
AG as Fedora?That sounds as ridiculous as Eva marton as Violetta.
Thank God we still have the Marton-Carreras recording and the Olivero del monaco one as well. Shame that Scotto never recorded the role, but the video from Spain with Domingo is great consolation.
As Richard says below, a studio recording made in January 2008 (click on a track name for more info):
http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/cat/single?sort=newest_rec&PRODUCT_NR=4778367
Okay, a few reasons this got made -- 1) Domingo must preserve in the studio every opera he ever sang. 2) Gheorghiu is an EMI artist? Anyway she must have had an unfilled contract.
Maybe their AFRICAINE, with Dancin’ Danielle as Ines, can be next!
Don’t you think, NN, that Dancin’ Danielle, now that she is Mrs. Christie, she should throw caution to the winds and just GO FOR IT, to sing the *Star* part of Selica??
Falke, falke, wer ist mir das?
Yes, this Fedora was announced a long time ago, as a part of the contract Veronesi has with DG to record verismo operas. I love Fedora, I like the conductor. I’d love to hear it.
Tanner indeed would probably be quite good, if called on. He is scheduled for a single performance of FANCIULLA later this month. So I bet he’s had his costume fitting already.
Carl sounds great in this part. In cover rehearsals, even with a cold (which is now gone) he sounded wonderful. You won’t be disappointed.
Wasn’t Julianna Di Giacomo the soprano?
http://www.themorgan.org/public/program.asp?id=331
This was recorded in the studio not in concert. Photos were posted on facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=18545&id=100000782685472
I think the only way Domingo could manage Loris these days without major transpositions and rearrangements is in the studio.
Thank you! I would’ve thought Domingo had sung Boroff (/sarcasm)
I do notknow what is her fixation with these roles, she doesn’t have the voice and seems like her vision of temperament is just throwing fits.
I don’t know, doesn’t look too interesting to me.
The least that is said about those shinny pearl-colored hoses, the better.
His last outing in the second act of Fedora , in DC, did contain transpositions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui-2GiOO2nA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ux-2JXGcM8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS4T4eQdg5M&feature=related
Dear Marcello has to rest…They beat him up so much in the Fangulla..Fanciulla….I hope he can do other shows..I saw Tanner as Canio and he was not good, although in the past he had been fine…I recommended my physical therapist to Marcello…and then he will really hit high D’s…as I did in the beginning when I had sciatica..ouch..but massages help….
Hope he is better..he is such a good guy.
zinka, i must say thank you to you for being the one person to remember that good old term Fangulla. i was awaiting its arrival at some point during the festivities of the last daze, but as yet, i had not seen it ’till now.
pul=leeeeez tell marcello to get better by the 22nd as camille doesn’t want to hear the tan man!
I am going back to Fanciulla on the 22nd for Elisabeta Matos. If you tell me what gown and hairdo will be be sporting, I’ll look for you
Egregio Ercole:
As a long time undercover operative for La Nostra Benedetta Signora Cieca, I am obliged by my duty to Herself, not to reveal my identity on this site.
However, the enticing opportunity to encounter Ercole Farnese is too tantalizing a prospect to decline. You may ask our Doyenne for my details. She may be seeing me in a few days, Herself, so will give you the colour du jour of my coiffure. The costume--well you know women--I have yet to decide upon, but I won’t be wearing rancho regalia with boots.
For a change.
Cieca, you jes’ jealous ’cause my boot’s is size 5 1/2 and you wear them big ol’ size 11′s!!!
Camille will be wearing her erudition lightly.
No one’s talking about Susanna Phillips? Perhaps no one knows her? I saw her on a recital in Milwaukee last February, and she was pretty fierce, especially considering she’s not even 30. She sang a brilliant Der Hirt auf dem Felsen.
I love her! I heard her sing at Santa Fe in 2009 as Donna Elvira. Wonderful voice.
I used to listen to Ameling’s Der Hirt over and over and over….
Also love her. Saw her Countess in the most recent Santa Fe Nozze and was impressed.
Phillips impresses me as a very off-on singer; her Fiordiligi and Elvira
were excellent; her Countess was bad — her high voice was not working
that summer — the A’s in Dove sono were very forced, no high-Cs in
the Boudoir scene and just generally uncomfortable and out of sorts; that
Autumn her Musetta at the Met got bad notices. But, on the other hand,
she can sing like an angel and often does.
Brett, where do you get your information Susanna is not yet 30? Hee haw!
That’s a good joke.
# # #
An Opera Today review from September of her Eurydice says she was 29; she may have had her 30th birthday by now, I suppose.
Yeah, I knew you’d disagree with me. You shall always outrank me in volubility and seniority on this site.
Ms. Bart: I stand corrected. Mutual friend tells me Phillips is
age 29. Good for her!!! I heard her Fiordiligi several years
ago — four or more the first time around (it was repeated),
and she sounded very mature and excellent.
Codrially,
s/jake wallace
Went to the Pelleas Et Melisande dress this morning. Cast was in great vocal form and the Debussy score shows off the Met Orchestra beautifully. That being said, I can’t work up enthusiasm for the opera — four hours is an awful lot of Maeterlinck. Am going to Fanciulla tonight; hope that Marcello is back in the saddle.