Venetian blind
Which summer festival, barely an hour north of Manhattan, will offer as its opera performances in the summer of 2012 Rossini’s Ciro in Babilonia (with Ewa Podles, Jessica Pratt and Michael Spyres) and Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi (with Kate Aldrich, Eglise Gutierrez and Leonardo Capalbo)?
beautiful performance of Moise et Pharaon tonight at Carnegie hall; gorgeous amazing opera that I’d never heard a note of before. . . huge ovation for Angela Meade, Marina Rebeka better than in Don Giovanni, Eric Cutler with thrilling Rossinian top notes, and James Morris, with depleted resources, rose to the occasion as Moses! many thanks to Bagwell and the Collegiate Chorale for this opportunity. . .
…I am real sorry to have missed this…after listening to the La Scala performances on the ‘net on Sunday, I was a little unsure if I could sit through the whole thing ( as much as I really love Rossini, I had a hard time “getting into” this work at first..)
BUT.. with such a cast…I really could kick myself fer not going!
Glad that you..and the Carnegie audience, really appreciated it!
Agreed. Kyle Ketelson and Michele Angelini were also very very good.
I should have mentioned them too; I didn’t know Angelini at all, and thought he sounded great: another exciting Rossini tenor! and Brooklynpunk: the opera is not actually long; began at eight, over before eleven, with one intermission. . .
parignol:
When ya have to sit in the upper balcony at Carnegie,, with yer legs smushed up against the seat in front of you,, 15 minutes feels like 3 hours…..
LOL……!!!!
( The only time I actually go to Carnegie Hall anymore…much to my chagrin, for all the stuff I have to miss, is when I am going with a friend of mine who has a guide dog, and the House very very kindly accomidates us in whatever House seats that are set aside for people with disabilities are availible…something that the MET does, as well!!)
not a full house: you could have spread out over three seats. . . done inconspicuous stretches and isometrics to stay limber. . . agreed that when sold out it’s not a comfortable house up in the balcony, but it’s very rarely close to full; also plenty of space if you went to hear Bostridge and Ades in Dichterliebe on Monday. . .
Darlings, I was there!!!!!!!! I love Rebeka!!!!!!!!!!!! I saw her D. Anna, and I liked her a lot, but tonight she got the biggest ovation. I left the palazzo because I knew the live recording from Paris with the immortal Verrett, Gasdia, Keith Lewis; and I love the Rossini dramas (rather than the commedias). And I was intrigued by the pairing of Meade & Rebeka. Well, Rebeka was just amazing – such a bright, limpid and pure tone, a little lightweight, but could still be heard over the chorus. She really should graduate from the soubrette, –inas & –ettas, and get into juicier rep. I think she’d make an exciting Trov Leonora, maybe Bolena, Norma in the future. Meade was fine but I felt undeserving of the huge ovation — it’s not a big part, and some of her top notes sounded shrill. None of the richness and majesty of Verrett. I liked her better in Bolena. I loved the two tenors, Cutler & Angelini, Cutler was untiring — but just to nitpick, he needs to improve his deportment when not singing — everybody else sat demurely on their chairs, but he slouched. I agree with your comment about J. Morris — I was so angry at his Scarpias last season but tonight he did well with what he has now. The ASO orch. & the Collegiate Chorale were wonderful. Bravo to Mr. Bagwell and all.
BP, yes, the seats up there are not comfy, but since it’s not a sold-out perf. it’s easy to move down.
Oh yes, Costa-Jackson int he small part of Myriam was impressive and looked lovely; would love to hear her rich mezzo again.
I have heard Angelini sing Prince Ramiro a couple of times (Austin & Fort Worth). I thought he was admirable and has an appealing way of singing divisions. He was scheduled to sing Tonio here in San Antonio but the company canceled due to the financial crisis.
Angelini sang with Gotham Chamber Opera at Poisson Rouge this fall and will star in their production of Il Sogno di Scipione on April 11, 12!
Is there a way to get to Caramoor from anywhere with public transportation? I would come form TX for this but I’m restricted to public transit or the kindness of strangers. I have traveled to hear Podles more than any other singer except possibly James Valenti – and no more for him.
Aulus A.– go to the Caramoor website. Look for information on the “Caramoor Caravan”, a big coach that you may take from Port Authority (@34th Street), roundtrip. No need to depend on strangers’ kindness, if you can find that, in Midtown!
There sure is. The “Caramoor Caravan” serves all the opera performances. It’s made up of very comfortable buses that leave from and return to Grand Central Station. There’s also the very good train to Katona. Taxies from that station to the estate are not expensive and can usually be shared with other opera queens that one spots alighting daintily from the rail conveyance.
Sounds very doable by my standards. It might be fun to meet some of the royalty aforehand!! I would probably stay at either Menno House on E. 19th or the Seaman’s place (!) on E. 14th or Casa de Leo on W. 23rd. I would also want to spend time in the Hudson Valley (Woodstock, Poughkeepsie, Hudson) and Trenton to meet again my first lover with whom I once lived in blissful rapture at 8th and W. 23rd.
AA & BP, you can always crash at Camille’s fabulous palatial residence. I’m sure she won’t mind!!!!!!!!!!
Bianca, je ris de me voir!
My ‘palazzo’ is run by my husband, whose housekeeping skills make Ludwig van Beethoven look like Martha Stewart in comparison, in the housekeeping department. Guests stay at their own risk and peril! There abound fatal quicksands all over of books, papers, half-eaten dinners, dirty socks…..you get the picture and it ain’t pretty.
I have been thinking it over and feel you had better double up on your scales and have a coming back out recital so as to put that warbling hussy out of business, Miss you-know-who! Think it over Bianca. I’ll buy a ticket!
Camille, why did you not go to the Moïse? I understand, all that crappy religiosity turned me off too, but Rebeka was fabulous!!!!!!!
Bianca,
I am currently at my villa, out of state. It had been my firm intention to see the Moise, but certain personal exigencies got in its pathway. Now, pining and repentant, I am so, so sorry, as it surely will never come my way again. On the up side, yesterday La Grande Cieca informed all us children of the Ciro in Babilonia at Caramoor to be done next summer, so I am licking my wounds with this tidbit.
On Saturday, I depart for the palazzo in NYC. Tootles, and I will send you some vocalises if you like, as you have really got to SHOW that mme. neigh-neigh who is the TRUE Marguerite!!
I am very pleased you went and enjoyed it. Truely, one of the things that nixed the idea for me was the thought of another cat with a furball in his throat performance from Morris. I couldn’t hack another one, there have been far too many.
Kisses from Kamille
Podles’ website says this will be performed on July 7th … i assume (read: hope to hell) that is just the prima, and there will be additional performances. How many times does Caramoor generally offer each production?
You are lucky that the young JEssica Pratt will sing some fireworkish Rossini coloratura over there. She was a fantastic Adelaide in Pesaro last summer, she has done a supeb Desdemona in Wildbad and I recently discovered her singing Amenaide’s first aria in concert:
http://youtu.be/AED1SnulcVc
http://youtu.be/XjNUe7XlXq8
I think she’s much ahead of most of today’s wannabe Belcanto “specialists”.