parterre box » youtube http://parterre.com where opera is king and you, the readers, are queens Sun, 27 May 2012 16:00:27 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 You got a brand new key signature http://parterre.com/2012/05/16/you-got-a-brand-new-key-signature/ http://parterre.com/2012/05/16/you-got-a-brand-new-key-signature/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 04:39:43 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=25341 Robert Lepage many things (and the critics have!), but one thing you cannot call him is "inflexible."]]> You can call Robert Lepage many things (and the critics have!), but one thing you cannot call him is “inflexible.” Having already tweaked a number of details in his Ring production that did not create the desired effect in their first viewing, the Canadian Cagliostro is now in the process of restaging whole segments of the cycle for the Met’s 2012-13 presentation. A glimpse at the new look for the final scene of Die Walküre after the jump.

]]> http://parterre.com/2012/05/16/you-got-a-brand-new-key-signature/feed/ 35 Re-entrance http://parterre.com/2012/05/03/re-entrance/ http://parterre.com/2012/05/03/re-entrance/#comments Thu, 03 May 2012 17:02:30 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=25208 La Cieca (not pictured) has just accessed a new feature in YouTube that imported a dozen or so “classic” parterre video clips from Google Video into the familiar YouTube interface. For your viewing pleasure, then: Classic Parterre on YouTube.

]]> http://parterre.com/2012/05/03/re-entrance/feed/ 10 La voce d’angela http://parterre.com/2012/04/27/la-voce-dangela/ http://parterre.com/2012/04/27/la-voce-dangela/#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:49:02 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=25138 Jonas Kaufmann is ill.]]> When one has reached the pinnacle, a Heldentenor at the top of one’s profession, what indeed is left but to become Angela Gheorghiu? Says the Met press office, at 5:40 on a Friday afternoon, “Frank van Aken will make his Met debut as Siegmund in Die Walküre at tomorrow’s matinee performance, replacing Jonas Kaufmann who is ["]ill["].”  

A glimpse of Mr. van Aken (with his Mrs.) from Frankfurt’s 2012-2011 Walküre.

]]> http://parterre.com/2012/04/27/la-voce-dangela/feed/ 165 L’Âge d’Or http://parterre.com/2012/04/22/lage-dor-2/ http://parterre.com/2012/04/22/lage-dor-2/#comments Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:19:34 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=25100 A friend of the box just reminded La Cieca that tonight, April 22, 2012 is the 40th anniversary of the farewell gala honoring Sir Rudolf Bing for his two-decade tenure as General Manager of the Met. A few highlights from that gala, following the jump.

]]> http://parterre.com/2012/04/22/lage-dor-2/feed/ 74 Red all over http://parterre.com/2012/04/19/red-all-over-2/ http://parterre.com/2012/04/19/red-all-over-2/#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2012 04:56:34 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=25065 La traviata, thanks to YouTube.]]> You’ve heard what it sounded like; now you can see Saturday afternoon’s HD of La traviata, thanks to YouTube.

]]> http://parterre.com/2012/04/19/red-all-over-2/feed/ 245 Take the Monnaie and run http://parterre.com/2012/03/09/take-the-monnaie-and-run/ http://parterre.com/2012/03/09/take-the-monnaie-and-run/#comments Fri, 09 Mar 2012 23:44:29 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=24636 Rusalka is serious but the opposite of dour."]]> “Though Mr. Herheim’s work is rigorous, it is also fun, and this Rusalka is serious but the opposite of dour. It’s a circus: brightly colored and full of dancing and neon lights. The ball scene becomes a full-theater party, with confetti cannons fired from the upper balconies. The production is as scrupulous in its deconstruction of the text as a Wooster Group show, but with the joyous excess of Franco Zeffirelli’s Metropolitan Opera production of Turandot.” Zachary Woolfe reviews Stefan Herheim‘s production of Rusalka at La Monnaie.  

The theater will offer a webcast version of this Rusalka beginning March 27; in the meantime here’s a trailer for the Dresden Semperoper’s presentation.

Photo: Sébastien Forthomme

]]> http://parterre.com/2012/03/09/take-the-monnaie-and-run/feed/ 38 Happy Leap Day! http://parterre.com/2012/02/29/happy-leap-day/ http://parterre.com/2012/02/29/happy-leap-day/#comments Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:20:55 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=24525 Not only is it Rossini’s 53rd birthday but also an opportunity to celebrate the art of the intervallic leap. YouTube yourselves into frenzy, cher public!

]]> http://parterre.com/2012/02/29/happy-leap-day/feed/ 62 L’amour est un oiseau rebelle without a cause http://parterre.com/2012/02/23/lamour-est-un-oiseau-rebelle-without-a-cause/ http://parterre.com/2012/02/23/lamour-est-un-oiseau-rebelle-without-a-cause/#comments Thu, 23 Feb 2012 23:53:51 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=24452 Maestro Wenarto achieves video number 1,500 with this opéra comique take on the immortal "Habanera" from Carmen.]]> Maestro Wenarto achieves video number 1,500 with this opéra comique take on the immortal “Habanera” from Carmen.

]]> http://parterre.com/2012/02/23/lamour-est-un-oiseau-rebelle-without-a-cause/feed/ 6 Happy Birthday Maestro Wenarto http://parterre.com/2012/02/21/happy-birthday-maestro-wenarto/ http://parterre.com/2012/02/21/happy-birthday-maestro-wenarto/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:21:58 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=24407 Maestro Wenarto celebrates the anniversary of his birth today.]]> Still going strong after (approximately) 1,500 YouTube appearances, Our Own Maestro Wenarto celebrates the anniversary of his birth today. A recent sampling of the oeuvre, after the jump.

]]> http://parterre.com/2012/02/21/happy-birthday-maestro-wenarto/feed/ 14 Presenting Evelin Trauner http://parterre.com/2011/12/16/presenting-evelin-trauner/ http://parterre.com/2011/12/16/presenting-evelin-trauner/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 23:11:14 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=24000 Is this the new Mari Lyn?

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/12/16/presenting-evelin-trauner/feed/ 73 Turn the Regie up to eleven http://parterre.com/2011/11/13/turn-the-regie-up-to-eleven/ http://parterre.com/2011/11/13/turn-the-regie-up-to-eleven/#comments Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:47:36 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=23439 No shortage of interesting guesses, but, alas, none of the cher public were only MontyNostry was able to identify last week’s Regie quiz by the three images chosen. The opera, in fact, was Pikovaya Dama, and that lady taking a nap in her corset in the third photo is none other than the title character. Some film of this production after the jump, followed by your next challenge.

The production, by Peter Konwitschny, is currently in the repertory at the Graz Opera.

And now, try your hand at identifying this classic work.

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/11/13/turn-the-regie-up-to-eleven/feed/ 44 Mite, gioconda, atroce http://parterre.com/2011/11/08/mite-gioconda-atroce-2/ http://parterre.com/2011/11/08/mite-gioconda-atroce-2/#comments Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:57:36 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=23335 In preparation for tonight’s Angela Gheorghiu/Jonas Kaufmann Sternstunde at Carnegie Hall, La Cieca invites the cher public to share your favorite memories and YouTube clips of Adriana Lecouvreur performances present and past. (Photo: Alastair Muir)

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/11/08/mite-gioconda-atroce-2/feed/ 72 No, after you! http://parterre.com/2011/11/02/no-after-you/ http://parterre.com/2011/11/02/no-after-you/#comments Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:17:29 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=23251 The already notorious or celebrated or whatever it is version of the “Habanera” featuring (in alphabetical order) Maria Callas and Angela Gheorghiu: it’s been released, and you can experience after the jump.

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/11/02/no-after-you/feed/ 101 “Dispettosetto questo riccio!” http://parterre.com/2011/11/01/dispettosetto-questo-riccio/ http://parterre.com/2011/11/01/dispettosetto-questo-riccio/#comments Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:55:02 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=23220 La Cieca supposes that maybe the reason Angela Gheorghiu doesn’t include any music from Manon Lescaut on her new “Homage to Callas” CD is that she can’t quite identify with the character?

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/11/01/dispettosetto-questo-riccio/feed/ 40 Atys for two http://parterre.com/2011/09/20/atys-for-two/ http://parterre.com/2011/09/20/atys-for-two/#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 23:21:38 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=22599 For those of you not fortunate or not conscientious enough to attend Atys at BAM this week, there’s a video document of the production (taped earlier this year) following the jump.

This video is presumably the version that will be released on DVD about six weeks from now. (Photo: Stephanie Berger)

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/09/20/atys-for-two/feed/ 9 “Pity that it’s not a hurricane” http://parterre.com/2011/08/26/pity-that-its-not-a-hurricane/ http://parterre.com/2011/08/26/pity-that-its-not-a-hurricane/#comments Sat, 27 Aug 2011 00:54:20 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=22202 Since this lyric will not be sung in the Broadway revival of Follies this weekend (the performances are canceled), La Cieca has decided to invite the cher public to share their own favorite operatic hurricanes, storms and tempests. Your doyenne will start you off, after the jump.

(Follies photo by Joan Marcus)

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/08/26/pity-that-its-not-a-hurricane/feed/ 75 Love, love and love! http://parterre.com/2011/08/17/love-love-and-love/ http://parterre.com/2011/08/17/love-love-and-love/#comments Thu, 18 Aug 2011 02:22:09 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=22078 Jummy Jonas Kaufmann and awe-inspiring Anna Netrebko team for the great duet from Manon, as heard last night at the Waldbühne Berlin.

La Cieca’s allusion, explained:

(Photo by Herbert, by kind permission of anna-netrebko.blogspot.com.)

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/08/17/love-love-and-love/feed/ 106 The long matinee http://parterre.com/2011/08/14/the-long-matinee/ http://parterre.com/2011/08/14/the-long-matinee/#comments Sun, 14 Aug 2011 19:49:12 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=22018 Here’s your discussion thread for this morning/afternoon’s webcast of Lohengrin from Bayreuth, cher public. La Cieca herself is grabbing a bite of lunch and will join you later!

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/08/14/the-long-matinee/feed/ 55 Attack of the killer metaphors http://parterre.com/2011/08/12/attack-of-the-killer-metaphors/ http://parterre.com/2011/08/12/attack-of-the-killer-metaphors/#comments Sat, 13 Aug 2011 02:44:21 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=22014 “It’s difficult to push a boulder up a hill, recognizing that we’ll never get there,” says George Steel, adding, “If I have to take tomatoes from here to there, I can live with that.” For a translation of that poetic flight of fancy, La Cieca has resorted to Josephine Baker, after the jump.

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/08/12/attack-of-the-killer-metaphors/feed/ 79 Die Frau Ohne Schallplattenaufnahme http://parterre.com/2011/08/05/die-frau-ohne-schallplattenaufnahme/ http://parterre.com/2011/08/05/die-frau-ohne-schallplattenaufnahme/#comments Fri, 05 Aug 2011 19:42:50 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=21921 Not a fairy kingdom, but rather an unheated postwar Vienna ballroom transformed into an improvised recording studio: that’s the setting for Christof Loy‘s new production of Die Frau Ohne Schatten at Salzburg. The production is also (if not more so) notable for Christian Thielemann‘s virtuouso conducting of the Vienna Philharmonic and the hair-raising performances of the three leading ladies, as you will witness in extended video clips after the jump.

Der Kaiser: Stephen Gould
Die Kaiserin: Anne Schwanewilms
Die Amme: Michaela Schuster
Barak, der Färber: Wolfgang Koch
Sein Weib: Evelyn Herlitzius

Bühnenbild: Johannes Leiacker
Kostüme: Ursula Renzenbrink
Musikalische Leitung: Christian Thielemann
Regie: Christof Loy

Photo: Monika Rittershaus

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/08/05/die-frau-ohne-schallplattenaufnahme/feed/ 129 Car men http://parterre.com/2011/07/31/car-men/ http://parterre.com/2011/07/31/car-men/#comments Sun, 31 Jul 2011 06:22:10 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=21847 Following the jump, about 45 minutes of highlights from last week’s telecast of Bizet’s opera from the Gran Teatre del Liceu, as sung by Fabio Armiliato, Béatrice-Uria Monzon, Maria Bayo and Kyle Ketelsen, directed by Calixto Bieito.

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/07/31/car-men/feed/ 104 Will the real Odabella please stand up? http://parterre.com/2011/07/21/will-the-real-odabella-please-stand-up/ http://parterre.com/2011/07/21/will-the-real-odabella-please-stand-up/#comments Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:20:52 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=21773 La Cieca’s operative in San Francisco writes: “SFO’s marketing for the upcoming production of Attila has offered a rotating door of Odabellas. Sadly, as of the latest update, I’m fearing the musical chairs may have landed on the least favorable of the announced divas.”

Compare these three sopranos below (in order of their announcement), and see what you think.

First, Oksana Dyka:

Then came Maria Agresta:

And, finally, Lucrezia Garcia:

Our correspondent continues:

Garcia has the sketchiest technique, and appears to also be the least engaging actress (as per YouTube videos, which I know are only part of the picture).

I heard rumors online that conductor Nicola Luisotti preferred a known Scala cast (she recently sang the role there). Garcia may have at some point had the loveliest, darkest tone of the three, but already seems to be developing a wide vibrato, sounds labored throughout, and seems the poorest choice for the demands of this type of early Verdi role (brightness, coloratura: a la Varady).

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/07/21/will-the-real-odabella-please-stand-up/feed/ 43 Allons enfants de la Public http://parterre.com/2011/07/14/allons-enfants-de-la-public/ http://parterre.com/2011/07/14/allons-enfants-de-la-public/#comments Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:04:33 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=21652 What better way to celebrate le 14 juilliet than with a provocative piece on opera by and about two of La Cieca’s favorite revolutionaries, Zachary Woolfe and Gerard Mortier (respectively), followed by cries of “Liberté, égalité [and especially] fraternité!” from that madcap maven of musical mirth, Maestro Wenarto (after the jump.)

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/07/14/allons-enfants-de-la-public/feed/ 76 World weary http://parterre.com/2011/06/29/world-weary/ http://parterre.com/2011/06/29/world-weary/#comments Thu, 30 Jun 2011 02:33:37 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=21424 You only thought the “Brokeback” Eugene Onegin was the gayest possible take on the Tchaikovsky “lyric scenes.” Now, along comes La Cieca’s fave director Stefan Herheim‘s extravagant, transgressive, high-camp symbolist (and about a dozen other adjectives) approach to the work, “gay” in the very best sense of gay sensibility. Video after the jump!

For background on how these scenes fit into Herheim’s overall concept, the always insightful Intermezzo is a good place to start.

The letter scene:

Last moments of Lensky’s death, followed by the Polonaise:

Final scene:

And the whole thing may be watched below. (Note: “Verbinden met videoserver” means “Video loading,” so be patient.)

Get Adobe Flash Player
Als het niet mogelijk is Flash te installeren kunt u de video bekijken via deze link.

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/06/29/world-weary/feed/ 101 Before he was famous http://parterre.com/2011/06/28/before-he-was-famous/ http://parterre.com/2011/06/28/before-he-was-famous/#comments Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:46:34 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=21414 A trailer for the experimental film The Violinist, promising “strange drama… sex… drugs… and classical music.”

And, oh yes, with billing yet, Our Own George Steel.

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/06/28/before-he-was-famous/feed/ 7 Happy Tosca Day! http://parterre.com/2011/06/17/happy-tosca-day/ http://parterre.com/2011/06/17/happy-tosca-day/#comments Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:25:24 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=21281 Today  is the 211th anniversary of the day the events in Puccini’s Tosca took place, June 17, 1800. (This detail is not mentioned in the libretto, but it is specified in the stage directions for Victorien Sardou’s play La Tosca: “La scène à Rome, le 17 juin 1800.” To celebrate this anniversary of this most protean of operas, La Cieca invites you, the cher public, to share anecdotes, memories and the usual YouTube clips relating to the Roman diva. 

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/06/17/happy-tosca-day/feed/ 108 Muhly marvelous http://parterre.com/2011/06/11/muhly-marvelous-2/ http://parterre.com/2011/06/11/muhly-marvelous-2/#comments Sat, 11 Jun 2011 19:17:13 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=21228 A few spoilsport commentators have complained that the clever marketing video for Nico Muhly‘s Two Boys at the English National Opera doesn’t accurately represent the somewhat dark subject matter of the new opera. La Cieca won’t take sides on this matter of vital import, but she will reveal to you, the cher public, that a few moments of the hush-hush score and production of the opera have been leaked on video, and you can sample the piece after the jump.  

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/06/11/muhly-marvelous-2/feed/ 56 It’s complicated http://parterre.com/2011/06/08/its-complicated/ http://parterre.com/2011/06/08/its-complicated/#comments Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:08:25 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=21169 The ever-alert PR people at the English National Opera (why can’t we have a company like this?) have assembled a “what if?” video to promote Nico Muhly‘s impending Two Boys, and thrown in an admirably scruffy “reality” actor to boot.

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/06/08/its-complicated/feed/ 36 Jacques, strapping http://parterre.com/2011/06/06/jacques-strapping/ http://parterre.com/2011/06/06/jacques-strapping/#comments Tue, 07 Jun 2011 02:52:43 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=21121 Meet Jacques Snyman of South Africa, former rugby player, current fitness model and anti-bullying activist, and possible future opera star.

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/06/06/jacques-strapping/feed/ 40 Magic fire http://parterre.com/2011/05/16/magic-fire/ http://parterre.com/2011/05/16/magic-fire/#comments Mon, 16 May 2011 23:20:16 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=20744 And now, live from Pittsburgh, one of La Cieca’s newest and nicest friends, Web 2.0′s answer to Louella Parsons, the inimitable Rowna Sutin with her video review of the Met’s production of Die Walküre! 

]]> http://parterre.com/2011/05/16/magic-fire/feed/ 156