Opera News articles from April 2003

Opera News archives from April 2003

Heroic endeavors. (Viewpoint).(Editorial)
April 1, 2003... It's rare indeed for OPERA NEWS to feature an over-forty singer who's just making his opera debut. But read "Fearless," the profile of baritone Thomas Quasthoff by critic Barry Singer that begins on page 14, and you'll discover an artist of...

Opera watch.(meshed brief)
April 1, 2003... 1. This month, SUSANNE MENTZER marks the Berlioz bicentennial year with three concert performances as the feisty heroine of Beatrice et Benedict for the New York Philharmonic (April 9, 10, 12), under the direction of COLIN DAVIS, at Avery...

Nothing makes headlines like a good divorce. (On The Beat).
April 1, 2003... Nothing makes headlines like a good divorce. Now, following in the grand tradition of Charles and Di, Donald and Ivana, and Nicole and Tom are Luciano and Herbert. In January, it was announced that LUCIANO PAVAROTTI had split with HERBERT...

Recently, Manhattan's Dicapo Opera Theater received considerable press attention with its production of Puccini's first opera, Edgar. (On The Beat).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Recently, Manhattan's DICAPO OPERA THEATER received considerable press attention with its production of Puccini's first opera, Edgar. This month, they're offering Stephen Sondheim's Passion--a piece that vexed even some of the composer's most...

On April 6, Carol Vaness sings the role of the Queen of Egypt in Samuel Barber's Antony and Cleopatra, presented in concert at Carnegie Hall by the American Composers Orchestra, Steven Sloane conducting. (On The Beat).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... On April 6, CAROL VANESS sings the role of the Queen of Egypt in Samuel Barber's Antony and Cleopatra, presented in concert at Carnegie Hall by the American Composers Orchestra, STEVEN SLOANE conducting. Vaness last sang the role (in its...

Sound bites.
April 1, 2003... Alexandra Deshorties recalls lying on her back on the Met stage, just over a year ago, hearing a thunderous ovation for her final aria as Elettra in Mozart's Idomeneo. "Yeah, people gasped," she says. Anyone present at the young soprano's first...

What a song can do. (A Singer's Diary).
April 1, 2003... "No song is safe from us," says Steven Blier, pianist and co-director and co-founder of the New York Festival of Song. "That's our mantra." The festival's audiences haven't been safe either, if safety means hearing the same-old-song...

Fearless: Thomas Quasthoff's life and career have been marked by incredible daring. Now he takes his biggest gamble yet by moving into opera.(Interview)
April 1, 2003... Thomas Quasthoff sits enthroned in a straightback chair atop a steel riser, center-stage, at Carnegie Hall, his bearing regal, his feet crossed and swinging mischievously. Behind him, Daniel Barenboim is struggling to see the music splayed...

Reversal of fortune: David J. Baker charts the changing critical reception of Stravinsky's opera. (The Progress of The Rake I).
April 1, 2003... "Fortunate is the artist whom the press hates." Giuseppe Verdi's defiant words were quoted by Igor Stravinsky in a rather plaintive letter of 1953. Feeling more hated than fortunate, Stravinsky was in need of consolation just then; The Rake's...

The case for the defense: William Dunlop applauds one of his favorite operas. (The Progress of The Rake II).
April 1, 2003... "What curious phenomena are up today for sale," exclaim the citizens flocking to the Act III auction in The Rake's Progress. But a phenomenon quite as remarkable as Baba the Turk's Great Auk or even her beard is a response to the Rake itself...

Classical con Brio: Paul Groves, America's Mozart tenor of choice, can't wait to take on the challenges of Stravinsky's Tom Rakewell at the Met.
April 1, 2003... Young singers are faced with one critical choice after another, and sometimes it's years before the results of their decisions become apparent. Paul Groves was lucky: he did the right thing and left home. In the early 1990s, Groves attended two...

French impressions: So you think French opera is too perfumed? Maybe you haven't heard Bertrand de Billy conduct it.(Interview)
April 1, 2003... In Europe, Bertrand de Billy has conducted a wide range of works, including Boris Godunov, Le Nozze di Figaro and Lucia di Lammermoor, but in the U.S., he has made his reputation as a specialist in French repertory. In 1997, he made his U.S....

Striking silence: film critic James Harvey explores the singular landscape of Parsifal.
April 1, 2003... The first thing I remember knowing about Parsifal was from listening to the radio as a kid in Chicago: I learned from the between-acts talk on the Met broadcasts that there was this opera that people had agreed not to applaud, at least after...

American Valkyrie: Helen Traubel's rebelliousness is well-remembered, but has it obscured her reputation as a great artist?
April 1, 2003... With Helen Traubel, it's tempting to go backward. One doesn't want to end with the spat with Bing, the Broadway flop, the TV clowning, the slippery autobiography, or even at the Copa or Chez Paree. Because for the duration of a normal stay at...

Reunion: Nell Rankin.(interview with the mezzo-soprano)(Interview)
April 1, 2003... Nell Rankin was a leading mezzo-soprano at the Met for some twenty-four seasons and appeared in many other prominent theaters in North America and Europe. She also pursued a busy concert schedule mixed with oratorios, an area particularly close...

Opera news quiz. (Metropolitan Opera Broadcasts).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Test your trivia powers on this month's ChevronTexaco Met broadcasts, which feature operas in four different languages. 1: Nabucco librettist Temistocle Solera provided the texts for which three subsequent Verdi operas, all on themes of...

Faust. (Metropolitan Opera).(a broadcast of the opera (by Gounod) on March 29, 2003 over the ChevronTexaco Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network)
April 1, 2003... BROADCAST OF MARCH 29, 2003 SPONSORED BY CHEVRONTEXACO OVER THE CHEVRONTEXACO METROPOLITAN OPERA INTERNATIONAL RADIO NETWORK, 1:30 P.M. Music by Charles Gounod Text by Jules Barbier and Michel Carre FAUST THE CAST (in order of...

Nabucco. (Metropolitan Opera).(a broadcast of the opera (by Verdi) on April 5, 2003 over the ChevronTexaco Metropolitan International Radio Network)
April 1, 2003... BROADCAST OF APRIL 5, 2003 SPONSORED BY CHEVRONTEXACO OVER THE CHEVRONTEXACO METROPOLITAN INTERNATIONAL RADIO NETWORK, 1:30 P.M. NABUCCO Music by Giuseppe Verdi Libretto by Termistocle Solera NABUCCO THE CAST (in order of vocal...

The casts.(a collection of anecdotes about singers and musicians involved with the field of opera)
April 1, 2003... Angela Gheorghiu (Marguerite) sings the title role in EMI's new Carmen, opposite Roberto Alagna's Don Jose The soprano from Adjud, Romania, sings Nedda in Pagliacci for London's Covent Garden in June, alternating with Paris performances as...

Parsifal. (Metropolitan Opera).(broadcast of the opera Parsifal (Wagner) on April 12, 2003 on the ChevronTexaco Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network)
April 1, 2003... BROADCAST OF APRIL 12, 2003 SPONSORED BY CHEVRONTEXACO OVER THE CHEVRONTEXACO METROPOLITAN OPERA INTERNATIONAL RADIO NETWORK, 12 NOON Music and text by Richard Wagner PARSIFAL THE CAST (in order of vocal appearance) Gurnemanz ...

The Rake's Progress. (Metropolitan Opera).(a broadcast of the opera (by Stravinsky) on April 19, 2003 over the ChevronTexaco Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network )
April 1, 2003... BROADCAST OF APRIL 19, 2003 SPONSORED BY CHEVRONTEXACO OVER THE CHEVRONTEXACO METROPOLITAN OPERA INTERNATIONAL RADIO NETWORK, 1:30 P.M. Music by Igor Stravinsky Libretto by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman THE RAKE'S PROGRESS THE...

Natural phenomenon: live recordings from Joan Sutherland's barnstorming 1965 tour of Australia present the prima donna in peak form.(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2003... Joan Sutherland [] "LIVE IN AUSTRALIA 1965" Excerpts from Semiramide, Faust, La Traviata, La Sonnambula. Harwood Sinclair, Elms; Pavarotti, J. Alexander, Opthof, Rouleau, Cross, others. Sutherland-Williamson Grand Opera Company Orchestra...

Janacek: Jenufa.(a review of the CD of a live recording from the Covent Garden's 2001 staging of the Janacek opera Jenufa)(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2003... [] Mattila, Silja, Randova; Silvasti, Hadley; Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Haitink. Text and translation. Erato 45330-2 The U.S. release of Erato's new Jenufa, a live recording from Covent Garden's 2001...

Alfano: Cyrano de Bergerac.(a CD of Franco Alfano's opera Cyrano de Bergerac performed with the Kiel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kiel Opera Chorus)(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2003... [] Uhl; Sadnik, McNamara, Newerla, Klein; Kiel Philharmonic Orchestra, Kiel Opera Chorus, Frank. Text and translation. CPO 999 090-2 (2) Franco Alfano is best remembered as the composer to whom fell the dubious honor of completing Turandot...

Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms: Boulanger: Psalms.(the music of both composers was recorded with the Monteverdi Choir and the London Symphony Orchestra)(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2003... [] Bruce-Payne; Podger; Monteverdi Choir, London Symphony Orchestra, Gardiner. Texts and translations. Deutsche Grammophon 463789 Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms, commissioned by Serge Koussevitzky in 1930 for the fiftieth anniversary of...

Handel: Arcadian Duets.(a set of the charming, delicate vocal duets composed by Handel for the Arcadian Academy, an artistic circle he met while in Italy)(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2003... [] Dessay, Gens, Petibon, Claycomb, Lascarro, Panzarella, Mijanovic, Mingardo; Asawa, Agnew; Le Concert d'Astree, Haim. Texts and translations. Virgin Veritas 45524 Several of the charming, delicate vocal duets in this collection were...

Britten: Canticles; Folksong settings.(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2003... [] Bostridge, Daniels, Maltman; Brewer (harp), Brown (horn), Drake (piano). Texts. Virgin Classics 45525 Britten's five settings of texts with religious (not liturgical) themes do not form any kind of cycle--they're too widely and...

Korngold: Lieder.(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2003... KORNGOLD: Lieder [] Henschel; Deutsch, piano. Harmonia Mundi HMC 901 780 KORNGOLD: Lieder; Tomorrow; Prayer; music from Much Ado About Nothing [] Mitchell-Velasco, Gould; Bruckner Orchester Linz, Richter. ASV CD DCA 1131 Baritone...

Matthias Goerne: Die Schone Mollerin.(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2003... [] "DIE SCHONE MOLLERIN" Schubert. Schneider, piano. Texts and translations. Decca 470 025-2 One of the qualities that contributed to the success of Matthias Goerne's recording of Schumann's Dichterliebe (in addition to the staggeringly...

Roberto Alagna.(a CD of a selection of arias and songs by Berlioz, accompanied by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden)(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2003... [] "BERLIOZ: ARIAS AND SONGS" With Gheorghiu, Depardieu; Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, de Billy. Texts and translations. EMI 57433 Roberto Alagna may not have the versatility for all these gems from the redoubtable...

Wagner: Parsifal.(a CD of a long-believed lost 1936-37 opera broadcast by Argentina's Teatro Colon of Wagner's Parsifal)(Sound Recording Review)
April 1, 2003... [] Lawrence; Maison, Singher, Kipnis, Krenn, Destal; Teatro Colon Orchestra and Chorus, Busch. Notes and synopsis, but no text or translation. Marston 53003-2 From the 1920s until the end of World War II, Argentina's Teatro Colon enjoyed...

April on-line edition of Opera News.
April 1, 2003... Tan Duns Water Passion; new recordings of Der Arme Heinrich, Una Voce in Off, La Scala di Sera and Duni's Giuseppe Riconosciuto; recitals by Michaels, Christoph Genz and Chanticleer; historic performances by Danco and de los Angeles. NORTH...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
April 1, 2003... The instrumental obbligato in Schubert's "Auf der Strom" is played by horn, not trumpet, as stated in February Recordings.

Classical Music 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Classical Music.(Book Review)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... by Fred Plotkin Hyperion, 673 pp. $18.95 Fred Plotkin, author of a justly esteemed introduction to opera, Opera 101, here takes on an even more daunting task: a beginner's guide to all classical music--except opera, which is accorded only a...

Obituaries.(Obituary)
April 1, 2003... MARY ELLIS, New York, NY, June 15, 1897--London, January 30, 2003 Beginning in 1918, Ellis spent four seasons at the Metropolitan Opera, where her assignments included principal roles in the world premieres of Suor Angelica (Suor...

From around the world: New York City. (North America).(Opera Review)
April 1, 2003... The Met's new production of Janacek's Jenufa (seen Jan. 13), the third in its history, was a chance to see a memorably felicitous pairing of artist and role in Karita Mattila's emotionally layered, vocally splendid turn in the title role....

From around the world: Houston. (North America).(Lucia di Lammermoor)(Opera Review)
April 1, 2003... Houston Grand Opera continued its "Year of the Diva" with an extraordinary performance by Laura Claycomb in the title role of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. A crowd-pleaser from last season's production of Rigoletto, Claycomb thrilled the...

From around the world: St. Paul. (North America).(Norma)(Opera Review)
April 1, 2003... Minnesota Opera's Norma was like a great force of nature, a tidal wave of grand singing and high drama, which swept off its steeply raked stage and into the Ordway Center auditorium (Jan. 25). Triumphantly riding its crest was soprano Brenda...

From around the world: Dallas. (North America).(a review of Rossini's opera Ermione)(Opera Review)
April 1, 2003... Rossini had high hopes for Ermione, an almost-grand opera seria based (with unusual fidelity) on Racine's tragedy Andromaque. But after the work's premiere, in 1819 in Naples, Ermione slipped into oblivion, not performed again until 1987, when...

From around the world: Seattle. (North America).(observations about a performnace of Donizetti's opera Don Pasquale)
April 1, 2003... At its 1843 premiere at the Theatre Italien in Paris, Don Pasquale was the biggest hit since Bellini's I Puritani (1835), and Donizetti's last great success before his death (in 1848). His musical genius, like Verdi's, burned brightly at the...

From around the world: San Francisco. (North America).(Describing a performance of the opera Madama Butterfly)
April 1, 2003... Fabiana Bravo brought emotional verisimilitude, rather than physique du role, to her debut (Jan. 12) as Cio-Cio-San in San Francisco Opera's revival of Madama Butterfly. The Argentine soprano, who has acquired a reputation as a Puccini...

From around the world: Zurich. (International).(Report on a performance of the Handel opera II Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno )
April 1, 2003... Replacing the previously announced production of Haydn's Armida (due to the indisposition of conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt), Zurich's Opera House scored with Handel's oratorio II Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno (The Triumph of Time and...

From around the world: London. (International).(Berlioz's The Trojan)(Opera Review)
April 1, 2003... English National Opera has been passing through a period of tremendous turbulence. Following the "standing-down" of experienced general director Nicholas Payne in July 2002, the company took until February 7 to name his successor. This is Sean...

From around the world: Munich. (International).(reviews of Die Fledermaus at Munich's Gartnerplatz Theater and Mozart's Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail at Bavarian State Opera)(Opera Review)
April 1, 2003... Determined to show his audience the "real" story of any opera, director Franz Winter can be as subtle as a sledgehammer. This time, taking on Johann Strauss's Die Fledermaus at Munich's Gartnerplatz Theater, he found an interesting point of...

Letter from Natchez.
April 1, 2003... "It's NATCH-ez. Rhymes with `matches.'" I haven't been in Mississippi for more than an hour, and already I've been pegged as a hopeless outsider who doesn't even know how to pronounce the name of the place. It's a due to the sense of loyalty...

Dateline.(calendar of performances at the Metropolitan Opera House)(Calendar)
April 1, 2003... METROPOLITAN OPERA (Metropolitan Opera House, 212-362-6000; www.metopera.org) Mar. 29 Faust (Gounod). BROADCAST: SEE PAGE 52 Apr. 1 La Boheme (Puccini). Hong, Blasi; Lopardo, Kwiecien, Bernstein; Rudel, Zeffirelli/Pappas,...

All-star supporting cast. (Coda).(A quiz to test your knowledge of opera singers in supporting roles who later became famous)
April 1, 2003... In 1971, Decca assembled an impressive ensemble for its new Rigoletto recording, conducted by Richard Bonynge. Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti and Sherrill Milnes, who topped the cast of operatic Mantuans, were all well-established...