Futurino
The updates on Brad Wilber‘s new Met Futures page are arriving almost daily now, with perhaps the most startling recent news the “removal” of Juan Diego Flórez from a projected new production of I puritani in April 2014. But there’s more to it, after the jump.
Flórez is, of course, one of the Met’s biggest draws and a favorite of Peter Gelb‘s, and, furthermore, the focus of the Met as the company moves into the Twenty-teens seems increasingly to be turning to bel canto works neglected since early in the Levine era.
Note that per Brad, Flórez is on board for L’elisir d’amore in 2011-12, a revival of Le Comte Ory in 2012-14, and the Met premiere of La donna del lago in 2014-15. So the assumption here is that the tenor should be singing something at the Met in 2013-14, most likely a role new to the house, and probably a new production. If not Puritani, then what?
And, as a sidebar, who here really believes that the Bellini will go forward without Flórez and with Natalie Dessay?
So I know it’s early, but any predictions on the HD broadcasts? I think we can guarentee that all, or at least most, of the new productions will get HDs. THe excepetion, I think, is The Enchanted Isle. Faust, Bolena, Manon, Siegfried, and Gotterdamerung are all definetly happening due to the star power involved, and I imagine that Giovanni will as well. In any case, that’s 6, and there are usually 10 or 12. Looking at the List of revivals, I suspect L’Elisir will be on there (for Florez) and Fleming will get some Handel action across the world with Rodelinda. But what could fill the last few slots? Khovanschina would be nice, Maybe Billy Budd too. Or perhaps the Makropoulos Case? Dessay’s Traviata (shudder)? Tosca? What could it be?
I think there is a good chance that “Traviata” with Dessay will be an HD transmission.
As for the new “Puritani” what happened to the projected “I Capuleti ed i Montecchi”? If you remember that was supposed to be Joyce di Donato and (shudder) RENEE!!! (Giulietta la Vecchia). Covent Garden had a successful production of the Bellini “Capuleti” with Netrebko (in a bel canto role within her comfort zone) and Garanca -- both very much divas du jour and Gelb darlings. How about switching out the “Puritani” and doing “Capuleti” instead? Brownlee as Tebaldo, Joyce and Elina alternating as Romeo and Trebs doing Giulietta (a lighter easier role than Elvira in “Puritani”?). Dessay could perhaps just skate by as Bellini’s Giulietta in her current reduced state -- a much more comprehensible choice than Elvira which needs a dramatic coloratura.
Oh yes, Brownlee and Joyce in ICEIM.
If you haven’t seen THIS -- you must.
Anna was singing VERY well while pregnant this video shows. I’d love to see this on DVD.
That Enchanted Isle has some high-profile names attached to it so I think it would be a contender for an HD broadcast. I think that Mattila is a big enough star at the Met for Makropoulos Case to be an HD broadcast as well.
I’m not as sure about Traviata and Tosca. Those two productions will have already been broadcast.
Here are my predictions for the HD cinecasts:
2011-12:
- Anna Belena: Met premiere + opening night production + Netrebko
- Don Giovanni: NP + crowd pleaser
- Siegfried: for shure
- Satyagraha: pretty shure its for an HD that it is revived. They will then probably make a DVD out of it
- Rodelinda: Fleming + Handel
- Faust: NP + crowd pleaser
- Enchanted Island: star power
- Gotterdamerung: for shure
- L’elisir d’Amore: Donizetti comedy + JDF
- Manon: Netrebko + NP + crowd pleaser
- Traviata: for shure because it hasent been broadcasted this season
- Makropoulos Case: Mattila
- Makropoulos could be exchanged with Khovanshchina but since there has already been a Mussorgsky HD this season, I would like to see Janacek
- Nabucco with Guleghina is already on DVD
- Would love to see Ernani & Billy Budd but I guess we need to make choices for the HDs
I know it’s REALLY early but here’s my wish list for 2012-13:
- Eugene Onegin: Will be the second opera to be rebroadcast in the series because its an NP with Netrebko
- Ballo in Machera: Mattila + Verdi + NP
- Maria Stuarda: Didonato + Donizetti + Met Premiere = must
- Rigoletto: for shure; this is why its not broadcasted this season
- Parsifal: must put a Wagner! (+ NP)
- Giulio Cesare: Dessay + Handel
- Dialogues des Carmelites: must put a modern opera
- Francesca da Rimini: may be the last revival before at least ten years + YNZ (he is a big crowd pleaser here, in Quebec)
- Les Troyens: Graham + Berlioz = a must (for the HD and (later) for a DVD release)
- letting the place for 3 other operas that may be added later to the list. Would love to see one or two Mozart (Clemenza or Entführung), a Strauss (Elektra or Ägyptische Helena), or Rusalka with Fleming (she was perfect in 2009)
I’m only sure about five.
Siegfried and Gotterdammerung to bookend the HD season (as Rheingold and Walkure are bookending this one). For Gelb to do otherwise would display Doubts.
Anna Bolena, for all the reasons everyone’s given.
Don Giovanni, because Levine is down to conduct some performances, including the HD.
L’elisir d’amore, because Gelb seems to like to include comedies and this is the only one scheduled.
Beyond these, I can think of arguments both for and against. Somehow I doubt both Manon and Faust. One or the other, but not both. Armida didn’t do too well, so maybe not Rodelinda. Thomas Ades’s Tempest is coming next season which might work against Enchanted Island. In any case, Enchanted Island is the sort of thing that’s likely to go down better in the House than in the movies. There are three moderns (!): Satyagraha, Makropoulos, Billy Budd. Gelb likes to program a modern for HD, but which of the three is anyone’s guess. Satyagraha is the modern American, which might tip the scales in its favour. Khovanschina is a definite maybe. And Macbeth, despite Lindoro Almaviva, has Hampson (is this the old production that I once saw the right half of from the back of a box?). Alice Coote in Hansel and Gretel might make it onto the screen for Christmas.
I’m fairly sure not Ernani. Neither Meade nor Licitra is HD-friendly.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I remember reading that Armida sold more than 1/9 of all of the tickets in the 2009-10 HD season.
This season has two modern operas (Nixon & Capriccio) in HD. I guess that there will also be two modern next season.
I doubt that Macbeth will be rebroadcast next season, since it was originaly broadcasted in 2007-08. Same thing with Hansel (+ there was Coote also in the original HD).
Yes. You’re right on Macbeth and Hansel and Gretel. They become unlikely. Which makes Khovanschina and Makropoulos or Billy Budd more likely.
Capriccio may be modern, but I doubt Gelb, when programming the HD season, thought of it in that category.
One thing I noticed, after being reminded by orfeoedeuridice that Macbeth and Hansel and Gretel had already been cinecast, is that 2011-12 will be the first season where the majority of the revivals will be operas that have already been cinecast. And on Brad’s rep so far, 2012-13 will be the same.
That is going to limit the HD programming. It’s one thing to cinecast a new production of an opera that was previously cinecast (Eugene Onegin, say). It’s one thing to cinecast a star vehicle that was previously cinecast with a different star (Dessay’s Lucia vs. Netrebko’s). But a Turandot with Theorin, Berti and Kizart vice the already cinecast Guleghina, Giordani and Poplavskaya? In the House, warhorses are programmed every season or nearly. That’s why they’re warhorses. But HD is going to demand more variety. As the seasons go on, the needs of the House (trot out another revival of the Zeffirelli Boheme with cheapish singers) and the needs of HD are going to start conflicting.
The hungry HD audience might actually encourage diversity, because it does not require a Boheme every year.
Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame?
He is holding a card there!
delete this please.. tabs confusion, wrong thread.
Just to be clear…Dessay is doing the Decker Traviata?
Um…if that is so, my only question is why isn’t she premiering the production at the Met? I’ll admit, I’m not Poplavskaya’s biggest fan, but even if she is a better Violeta, Dessay’s name recognition alone would be a hot sell.
Yes, Dessay is doing the Decker “Traviata” and she is not doing the premiere because it was originally contracted for Netrebko. Netrebko pulled out only a year ago or less and was replaced by Poplavskaya who happened to be available. Dessay might have been asked but likely wasn’t available. Poplavskaya had already done the Decker “Traviata” in Amsterdam with success. She was ready, willing and available and Dessay probably wasn’t.
Thank you Gualtier M, and I’m aware of the stars that aligned to allow Ms. Poplavskaya her “moment,” but I am still a little surprised to see her take on a production originated by Netrebko and premiered here in NY by Poplavskaya.
Yes, it does seem as though many Traviata dates are currently booked in Dessay’s planner at Palais Garnier, but wow…two divas take on the role in very recent memory, then she steps up to the plate? I can’t tell if that’s bad planning, great humility, or just really ballsy.
I heard from someone that dessay knows her voice is in shambles and that there just isn’t much that really suits her anymore, though she does feel manon is a good fit….idk if that’s what companies are offering her though.
Musetta might still be a good fit.
She’s always wanted to be an “actress’ so why not make the jump to the spoken stage?
They would have to mic her for the spoken stage!
Speaking of good fit… I heard bits (and I mean bits) of Manon from Italy with Vittorio G and Ailyn Perez! SHE sounded PERFECT!
One of the items on the futures page that makes me shudder, possibly because in the right opera I really adore her, is a new Ballo with Mattila as Amelia. I love Ballo and I love Karita but not together please.
Although the men look better. Alvarez has his detractors for sure, and I haven’t cared for him much lately, but Riccardo is a lyrical role and that’s a better match than much of the other stuff he’s been doing. (MAnrico?????)
Plus the way I look at it it could have been Giordani or (shudder) Licitra instead.
Agreed about Mattila’s Amelia, especially since it’s not for a couple of years. As far as I see it, with every passing year, she’s a less and less viable Amelia (or any Verdi heroine for that matter). I think Amelia was a fine idea back before the Manon Lescaut and Tosca took place. Also agree about Alvarez (he should be a very good Riccardo) vs Giordani or Licitra. I don’t think Licitra should be cast in anything and Giordani should be left for the heroic roles, because even when he makes so strange sounded here and there, he can still be counted on to sing with stamina and trumpeting high notes.
Well, I DID see Mattila’s Amelia back before the Manon Lescaut and Tosca took place, with pretty much this cast I think (although don’t hold me to it, I saw it twice and I can’t remember who was with Stemme and who was with Mattila), and although she certainly managed it respectably, it was a little weird. I do think though that if her Manon, Tosca and Salome exertions haven’t actually caused her too much damage or vocal change, then Amelia could still bring some lovely things out in her singing. I fear though that if she has suffered a bit, it will be rather effortful.
CK, I follow your point re Karita in Ballo some years ago, actually I heard her in Simone Boccanegra about ten years ago and she had a lot going from her at that time (although it wasn’t the most Italianate version I had heard).
In addition to the any Tosca/Salome dings on her voice, more significant is probably time and age. Mattila is showing wear on her voice at this point mostly in her top register. It was always a bit separate from the rest of her voice but now requires significant negotiation to get in and then out of. And often the top notes are rather straight-tones and almost whistle like.
These signs of age/wear seem to matter much less in the Slavic stuff she seems to still really excel in but can be glaring in the Italian rep. This is really what’s behind my concern aboyut this particular casting…plus it’s still 2 years away and often voices start to change quickly when a singer gets to be Mattila’s age.
To flip the coin, as doubtful as I am at the Mattila Ballo, I’m really eager to see the Mattila Makropoulos.
Would not Ana María Martínez be a great idea for Ballo?
Yes! I think she would be a wonderful Oscar! maria Kanyova sang a delightful Oscar several years ago in Chicago in an otherwise dull Ballo.
Now, I am not sure she would be willing to sing the role; but we can hope.
Very funny. Amelia, of course. In a couple of years.
Martinez is a full lyric, isn’t she, rather than a light lyric or any kind of coloratura? People raved about her Rusalka and, Song to the Moon aside, it’s actually a pretty heavy role -- Amelia may yet be a bit far-fetched, but so is Oscar.
Anna is a stylish and lovely singer…but not for big Verdi.
Yes, Buster, Ana Maria would be a great idea for
Amelia, but not in the Met. It’s too big.
I’m not sure Amelia will ever be a good role for AMM, it needs much more heft and colour in the middle, as much as I love her. She will always be too lyrical for the real middle-to-late Verdi heavyweights, Leonoras, Aida and Amelia. The way I see it, today only Emily Magee has a very appropriate ‘warm’ sound for Amelia, and the secure top.
I heard Mattila’s Ballo-Amelia at Covent Garden, it was about five years ago, and already back then she had no business singing that role. The top was shrill and strained, more screaming than singing, and it just sounded wrong all the way. Anyone who has heard her Tosca at the MET and (even worse) in Munich (where she got heavily booed at opening night) knows that the top is gone. So how can she possibly sing Amelia?
I see Sandra Radvanovsky is no longer our Aida. Any idea why?
Any thoughts on the Hampson/Michael Macbeth scheduled for next season? As far as I can tell from the reaction to the Chicago production, she’s the real thing and he’s badly miscast.
If by “The real thing”you mean a fucking mess in the spirit of Francesca Patane, then yes, she is “the real thing.”
You don’t have to believe me. Judge it for yourself. here are all her major scenes from the Chicago broadcast :
Nel di:
http://canbelto.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/nel-di.mp3
La Luce Langue:
http://canbelto.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/luce-langue.mp3
Brindisi (with Hampson’s lines so y’all can have at it too)
http://canbelto.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/brindisi.mp3
Una Macchia:
http://canbelto.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/unamacchia.mp3
As I said in my Verdi essay, if it is going to sound like can belto, you might as well not bother.
Even when she billed herself as a mezzo she was a mess. Her Tosca from the Open stage in Bregenz was dull and not very impressive vocally. I downloaded it and within 30 minutes I dragged the whole fucking thing to the trash, and she was the reason I trash it; cause the production was kinda hot.
Say what you want about Urmana, but when she sang the role in London at least it had resemblance of bel canto:
Another One To Cross Off Your List, then.
LOL! to cross her off the list she had to have made it to the list first.
Lindoro, you do have a way with words! Bravo!
God, that was a mess! And the Hampster! Vergogna!
Anna Bolena this season, with Nebs. Maria Stuarda next season, with JDD. Any speculation on Roberto Devereux casting? You know it’s coming.
ROBERTO DEVEREUX
Dancin’ Danielle
Ginger Costa-Jackson
David Miller (d)
Paolo Szot
Directed by Lonny Price
I can’t believe there are people out there who seriously call “Capriccio” a modern opera!!! You got to be kidding!!! That opera had its premiere in 1942!!! And the music is not so different from “Rosenkavalier” or “Arabella”! So everything composed in the 20th century except for Puccini is modern???
If the Met is looking for a Violetta, they need look no further than the fabulous Polish soprano Aleksandra Kurzak:
I simply do not understand why Gelb continues to snub her. Possibly because she canceled the recent ARIADNE revival and dropped most of the German coloratura fach from her rep? She is now retooling her career as a bel canto specialist. Kurzak sang an incredible Lucia at Seattle Opera this fall:
She is practically the resident diva of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and will sing Rosina there next month. She appears regularly in all the major European houses, including La Scala. Why doesn’t she rate higher at the Met? Some Gretels in that dreary East Ender production with the Susan Boyle witch (in English!) next year, followed by some 3rd cast Gildas the season following.
Maybe Gelb will pay more attention now that she has been signed to an exclusive recording contract with Decca and just completed her aria recital debut album last week.
OK, I have to ask a very snarky question, but one that needs to be asked:
I hope everybody noticed the set change in the middle of that Ah fors’e lui? Anybody wants to say anything about how horrible it is? Given how much Zefirelli was criticized for doing one in the middle of the Traviata at the Met?
Mind you, I have seen that Traviata twice and didn’t particularly care for it, but I find it interesting how he came up for criticism specifically for doing this, yet other people are copying it and they some how are called “thought-provoking”
You want to take a break from beating that straw man for a few minutes?
First: the set change in Zeffirelli’s Traviata was at a different point in the opera, and it took place in what was basically a realistic staging and therefore called attention to itself purely as an effect. In a less realistic production, a moving set is perhaps less of a distraction. (I’m not sure that the revolve in the Warsaw clip above adds much to the “Sempre libera,” but I can see the point that Violetta might flit nervously from room to room at this point, a far more likely activity than her rising from her deathbed to bound down two flights of stairs.)
Second: Zeffirelli used an elevator in the last act; this director used a turntable in the first act. The only similarities here are the opera performed and the fact that stage machinery was used. In the 15 years since Zeffirelli’s production limped into the Met, Traviata has been produced hundreds of times, and stage machinery has been used in hundreds of different opera productions. How is it you’re so sure that this production is “copying” that one?
Third, who exactly is calling the YouTube clip above “thought-provoking?”
Enzo, right you are again. This lady is sensational.
Wow ercole, she sounds great in the act 1 scena! So few around who really *sing* it rather than “manage” it. Her upper-middle sounds a bit like anderson to my ears.
The last time I heard kurzak was i believe in seraglio and she certainly sounded much too heavy to be cast as blondchen. I hope she returns in the lyric-coloratura fach to the Met sometime soon. If I were running things i’d fly her in for some of the traviatas and all of the lucias.
I doubt that Traviata will be released as a dvd since the original Salzburg production with Netrebko and Villazon (talk about notable absences from the cast list and sadly, not surprising) has been out for several years. Ades’ Tempest is an amazing work, and if it doesn’t kill off the soprano who sings Ariel, it should merit a dvd, especially with Le Page’s staging. Keenlyside reprises the role of Prospero and he was superb.