Opera News articles from February 1999

Opera News archives from February 1999

PUTTING IT ON THE TABLE.(evaluation of compact mini-systems)(Evaluation)
February 1, 1999... Musically competent stereo systems traditionally consist of a rackful of components flanked by a pair of hefty speakers. But lately, ultra-compact mini-systems have become musically respectable and are gaining popularity. Not that their sound...

SOUND BITES: Rene Pape.(Brief Article)
February 1, 1999... Rene Pape's elegant, imposing King Heinrich fit neatly into Robert Wilson's highly stylized Lohengrin at the Metropolitan Opera this fall. The Dresden-born bass also attracted favorable attention at the Met this season with his authoritative...

Only Connect.(voice coach Ellen Faull)(Interview)
February 1, 1999... Knitting the vocal registers together is one of the most difficult things for many singers to master. ELLEN FAULL talks with DAVID SCHIFF about some of her tried-and-true methods Ellen Faull's home in Camas, Washington, overlooks an idyllic...

OUT OF THE DARKNESS.(analysis of the works of Verdi)
February 1, 1999... On the fiftieth anniversary of Verdi's death (1951), the Italian musicologist Massimo Mila gave a talk of seminal importance at Milan's Piccolo Teatro. Entitled "Verdi come il padre" (Verdi as father), its purpose was to explain why the...

The Way of the Prophet.(Arnold Schoenberg's opera 'Moses und Aron')(Abstract)
February 1, 1999... MOSES UND ARON relates Schoenberg's own struggle to define his vision Opera is seldom about an idea. Books, treatises, plays, poems, yes -- not opera. In our century, however, two operas have grappled with mankind's grandest idea,...

Leading Moses to the Met.(opera producer David Hamilton is producing 'Moses und Aron' at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, New York)(Abstract)(Interview)
February 1, 1999... James Levine talks with David Hamilton about the Met premiere of MOSES UND ARON Virtually since his arrival at the Met, James Levine has wanted the company to present Schoenberg's Moses und Aron -- a wish that has now come true. Earlier...

MOSES SPEAKS.(opera singer John Tomlinson will sing in 'Moses und Aron')(Abstract)
February 1, 1999... BASS JOHN TOMLINSON MAKES A LATE BOW AT THE MET AS SCHOENBERG'S MOSES When John Tomlinson makes his Metropolitan Opera debut, on February 8, in the new Graham Vick-James Levine Moses und Aron, New York audiences will at last get to hear...

BROADCASTS METROPOLITAN OPERA.(opera broadcast information) (includes bibliographies and discographies)
February 1, 1999... This month's broadcasts include two operas that represent opposing poles of the Verdi spectrum: the perennially popular Aida and the less familiar Simon Boccanegra. The two operas, however, share some common ground, above and beyond their...

ADES: Powder Her Face.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Gomez, V. Anderson; N. Morris, Bryson; Almeida Ensemble, Ades. English text. EMI 5-56649-2 (2) The young and increasingly celebrated British composer Thomas Ades is deliriously, deliciously out of his mind, and his invitation for you to...

SAINT-SAENS: Samson et Dalila.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Borodina; Cura, Lafont, Silins, Garin, Ragon, Lallouette, Lloyd; London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Davis. Text & translations. Erato 3984-24756-2 (2) Forgive the tautology, but Samson et Dalila is about Samson and Dalila. Their chemistry...

SCHOENBERG: Pierrot Lunaire, Herzgewachse, Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Schafer; Pittman-Jennings; Ensemble Intercontemporain, Boulez. DG 457 630-2 Eighty-five years after the premiere of Pierrot Lunaire, there is still no consensus on the performance of Sprechstimme or Sprechgesang. The most persuasive...

WAGNER: Lohengrin.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Magee, Polaski; Seiffert, Struckmann, Trekel, Pape; Chorus of German State Opera Berlin, Berlin State Orchestra, Barenboim. Teldec 2984-21484-2 (3) Sometimes the best opera conducting is easy to underrate, because rather than demanding...

VERDI: Rigoletto.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Studer, Murphy, Graves, Shaulis; Chernov, Pavarotti, Groves, D. Croft, Scandiuzzi; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Levine. Texts & translations. DG 289 447 064-2 Made in 1993 but not released until five years later, DG's new Rigoletto is a...

SCHMIDT: Book of the Seven Seals.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Oelze, Kallisch; S. Andersen, Pape, Odinius, Reiter; Chor und Symphonie-orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Welser-Most. No text, English translation only EMI 5-56661-2 (2) Franz Schmidt's music is not heard much these days, and this is...

DONIZETTI: Maria de Rudenz.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Miricioiu, Nathan; Ford, McFarland, Hargreaves, Douglas; Mitchell Choir, Philharmonia Orchestra, Parry Libretto & translation. Opera Rara ORC-16(2) Opera Rara has made a specialty of recording rare bel canto operas, especially those of...

PROKOFIEV: Betrothal in a Monastery.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Sergienko, Borisova, Shutova; Maslennikov, Mishenkin, Redkin, Krutikov. Chorus and Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, Lazarev. No texts. Melodiya-BMG 60318 (2) Mistaken identity has traditionally provided opera with potent dramatic...

MOLLICONE: Coyote Tales.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Ackin, Hanson, Gilbert; Ballam, Keil, Steele; Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Kansas City Symphony, Patterson. Libretto included. Newport Classic NPD 85629/2 This recording was made from performances of Henry Mollicone's Coyote Tales, the...

HAYDN: L'Isola Disabitata; Arianna a Naxos.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Huang, Mentzer; Aler, Schaldenbrand; Padova Chamber Orchestra/Golub (piano). Text & translation. Arabesque Z6717-2. The plot of L'Isola Disabitata centers on Costanza, abandoned on a deserted island by her husband Gernando, along with her...

PIAZZOLLA: Mafia de Buenos Aires.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Zenko; Jairo, Ferrer; Coral Lirico Buenos Aires, KremerATA Musica, Kremer. Texts & translations. Teldec 20632 (2) Astor Piazzolla's 1968 "tango operita" is an organic work, not at all like the dance revues Tango Argentino and the more...

PENDERECKI: Credo.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Banse, M. Vargas, Simpson; Randle, Quasthoff; Oregon Bach Festival Chorus, Phoenix Boys Choir; Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra, Rilling. Text and translations. Hanssler CD 98.311 Enormous credit must be given to the Oregon Bach Festival for...

CLERAMBAULT: La Mort d'Hercule; Polipheme; various symphonia.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Coadou, Les Soloistes du Concert Spirituel. Texts & translations. Naxos 8.553743 Louis-Nicolas Clerambault, organist to Louis XIV, is best known today for his cantatas for solo voice with instruments. Written for salons and private...

Ravel.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Ravel: Sheherazade; Britten: Les Illuminations; Debussy. La Damoiselle Elue. With Susan Graham; Tanglewood Festival Chorus, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Ozawa. Philips 289 446 682-2 (1) In this marvelous performance of Sheherazade, maestro...

"SONGS BY DEODAT DE SEVERAC".(Review)
February 1, 1999... Francois Le Roux, Patricia Rozario "SONGS BY DEODAT DE SEVERAC" Johnson (piano). Texts & translations. Hyperion CDA 66983 Deodat de Severac (1872-1921), even more than Henri Duparc, remains a shadowy figure among French songwriters,...

"CHANSONS DE LA BELLE EPOQUE".(Review)
February 1, 1999... Germaine Montero, Remi Clary et al. "CHANSONS DE LA BELLE EPOQUE" with Dax, Arnaud; Doniat, Amado; instrumentalists, Philippe-Gerard (1954). English text paraphrases only. Vanguard Classics OVC-6028 Deodat de Severac (1872-1921), even...

"BARBARA BONNEY SINGS MOZART".(Review)
February 1, 1999... Barbara Bonney "BARBARA BONNEY SINGS MOZART" Arias and duets from Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, La Clemenza di Tito and Die Zauberflote. Academy of Ancient Music, Hogwood; Drottningholm Court Theatre Orchestra and Chorus, Ostman...

MOZART SONGS.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Joan Rodgers, John Mark Ainsley "MOZART SONGS" Vignoles (piano). Texts & translations. Hyperion CDA 66989 Mozart's lieder output has been almost terminally overshadowed, both by his own operas and by the more substantial repertory of...

HOLST: Vedic Hymns, Twelve Humbert Wolfe Settings; Songs.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Gritton; Langridge, Maltman; Fuller (violin), Bedford (piano). Texts. Collins Classics 15322 (Allegro, dist.) Collins Classics' seventh entry in their "English Song Series" is devoted to the elegantly economical songs of Gustav Hoist, a...

"ANGELS WATCHING OVER ME".(Review)
February 1, 1999... Denyce Graves "ANGELS WATCHING OVER ME" Jones (piano), Mills (piano), Clark Atlanta University Choir, Halsey. NPR CD 0006 Denyce Graves' greatest asset on this delightful recording of spirituals old and new is her sense of phrasing and...

"TCHAIKOVSKY SONGS".(Review)
February 1, 1999... Lina Mkrtchyan "TCHAIKOVSKY SONGS" Talisman, piano. Texts & translations. Opus 111 30-219 Tchaikovsky seems to have poured his soul into his songs, in which despair, loneliness and a hopefulness one knows will remain unfulfilled...

Juliane Banse and Olaf Bar.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Schumann: Myrten, Op. 25; Zwolf Gedichte aus F. Ruckert's "Liebesfruhling," Op. 37. Deutsch (piano). Texts & translations. EMI 56579 Robert Schumann's Myrten (1840), based on poems by Goethe, Ruckert, Byron, Moore, Heine, Burns and Mosen,...

HOLLOWAY: Fantasy-Pieces on the Heine Liederkreis of Robert Schumann, Serenade in C; SCHUMANN: Liederkreis, Op. 24.(Review)
February 1, 1999... The Nash Ensemble, Brabbins (Holloway); Spence, Brown (piano) (Schumann); Text & translations. Hyperion CDA 66930 British composer Robin Holloway's Fantasy-Pieces are based on Robert Schumann's Op. 24 Liederkreis and also make references to...

LEHAR: Lieder, Volume 1.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Wolf, Rossmanith, Vermillion; Sacher; Garben (piano). Texts & translations. CPO 999 432-2 Here is an auspicious beginning for a series of recordings dedicated to the complete songs of Franz Lehar. We are given songs from throughout the...

VERDI: Aida.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Giannini, Minghini-Cattaneo; Pertile, Inghilleri, Manfrini; La Scala of Milan Orchestra and Chorus, Sabajno. No texts. Romophone 89004-2 At last, after so many disappointing reissues on LP and CD, here is a transfer worthy of this historic...

MASSENET: La Navarraise.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Horne; Domingo, Milnes, Zaccaria, Bacquier; London Symphony, Lewis. Text & translation. RCA 50167 La Navarraise, the tale of a peasant girl whose obsessive love for a soldier leads to his death and her distraction, was Jules Massenet's nod...

"LIEDERABENDE, VOL. 2".(Review)
February 1, 1999... Martha Modl "LIEDERABENDE, VOL. 2" Lieder by Schumann, Mahler, R. Strauss. Marvin (piano). No texts. Gebhardt JGCDO002 Restraint was not Martha Modl's strong suit. The two recitals on this disc, from 1964 and 1966, when she was in her...

"OPERA ARIAS".(Review)
February 1, 1999... Phyllis Curtin "OPERA ARIAS" No texts. VAI Audio VAIA 1152 Admirers of Phyllis Curtin who remember the American soprano's striking performances in opera and concerts in the 1950s and '60s will rejoice at these additions to her slender...

"IN RECITAL".(Review)
February 1, 1999... Phyllis Curtin "IN RECITAL" P. Koskimies (piano). Texts & translations. VAIA 1163 Admirers of Phyllis Curtin who remember the American soprano's striking performances in opera and concerts in the 1950s and '60s will rejoice at these...

"THE COMPLETE HMV RECORDINGS (1918-32)".(Review)
February 1, 1999... Beniamino Gigli "THE COMPLETE HMV RECORDINGS (1918-32)" Arias and songs. No texts. Romophone 82011-2 (2). Many excellent CD compilations devoted to Beniamino Gigli (1890-1957) are now available, but this latest one from Romophone is...

"EDISON TENORS".(Review)
February 1, 1999... Giuseppe Anselmi, Alessandro Bonci, Jose Mojica "EDISON TENORS" Arias and songs. No texts. Marston 51002 Many excellent CD compilations devoted to Beniamino Gigli (1890-1957) are now available, but this latest one from Romophone is...

ARIAS AND SONGS.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Charles Hackett ARIAS AND SONGS. No texts. Marston 51005-2 (2) Many excellent CD compilations devoted to Beniamino Gigli (1890-1957) are now available, but this latest one from Romophone is especially desirable for the sweet tone (and...

The Cradle Will Rock.(Review)
February 1, 1999... BLITZSTEIN: "Musical Theatre premieres" The Cradle Will Rock; No For An Answer; Airborne Symphony. No texts. Pearl GEMS 0009 It was three score and two years ago that Marc Blitzstein's call for unionization, The Cradle Will Rock, first...

"ANNA RUSSELL AGAIN?".(Review)
February 1, 1999... Anna Russell "ANNA RUSSELL AGAIN?" Songs and monologues. Jimmy Carroll and his Miserable Five, Jimmy Carroll Orchestra. No texts. Sony Classical SFK 60317 Anna Russell's ferociously commonsensical monologues and musical satires shot...

Real Live Tebaldi.(Renata Tebaldi)(Brief Article)
February 1, 1999... When Renata Tebaldi visited New York not long ago, hordes of devotees queued for hours, clasping records and photos and scores for the diva to bless with her signature. That kind of ennoblement ("veneration" seems too mild a word), long a...

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: CHICAGO.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Dimly recalled from its Met incarnation in 1967, Marvin David Levy's Mourning Becomes Electra was a dour, imposing work in a relentlessly dense "modern" style, with some strong characters about whom one couldn't bring oneself to care. As...

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: NEW YORK CITY.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Productions staged by Jonathan Miller seem to provoke discussion, if not always controversy. In the Met's new Le Nozze di Figaro, Miller has indulged his distaste for the outdoors, but otherwise his approach is less idiosyncratic than usual....

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: HOUSTON.(Review)
February 1, 1999... If Houston Grand Opera is trying to attract "hip" young audiences by hiring chic, hotshot directors, it could at least give them projects that would benefit from their particular style. Julie Taymor can work spellbinding stage magic, as her...

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: WASHINGTON, D.C.(Review)
February 1, 1999... The East Coast debut of the rising spinto tenor Jose Cura took place on November 10, when he appeared as Saint-Saens' Samson at Washington Opera. Cura, a tall, handsome Argentinian who has enjoyed much success in Europe, is the genuine article....

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: BOSTON.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Boston Lyric Opera has just moved to the newly renovated Shubert Theatre, vastly expanding its backstage space and doubling its previous seating capacity. Boston's deserved reputation as a tough city for opera makes BLO's success all the more...

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: WILMINGTON, DE.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Spreading its artistic wings, Opera-Delaware has explored new repertory in recent seasons. Eugene Onegin on November 7 -- announced as a first performance in Delaware -- took flight in a thoughtfully conceived production that caught the...

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: MADISON, WI.(Review)
February 1, 1999... To director Ken Cazan, Gounod's Faust is more than a tuneful old yawner. His production for Madison Opera, on November 22, presented an urgent, profound, intriguing work. Using a simple central playing space ringed by a raked platform,...

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: SHANGHAI.(Review)
February 1, 1999... Five years after the founding of the People's Republic of China, Premier Chou En-lai promised Shanghai an opera house. Forty-four years later, having endured the excesses of Maoism, with China closed to the outside world and Mozart banned, the...

FROM AROUND THE WORLD: NEW YORK CITY.(Review)
February 1, 1999... The Slovenian mezzo Marjana Lipovsek made an auspicious New York recital debut at Alice Tully Hall on November 15. With American pianist Anthony Spiri, she delivered a well-chosen program of songs by Monteverdi, Schubert, Mahler and Strauss...

LETTER FROM MOSCOW.(opera companies and public finance in Moscow, Russia)
February 1, 1999... FOLLOWING A RECENT VISIT TO MOSCOW TO AUDITION SINGERS, THE DIRECTOR OF A GERMAN OPERA COMPANY WAS ASKED BY A REPORTER FROM HOME IF RUSSIANS ARE GOING TO THE OPERA DURING THEIR COUNTRY'S ECONOMIC CRISIS. TO ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH MOSCOW'S OPERA...

OBITUARIES.
February 1, 1999... LEONARD DE PAUR, Summit, New Jersey, November 18, 1914--New York City, November 7, 1998 The choral and orchestral conductor, arranger and administrator was director of community relations for Lincoln Center for seventeen years until his...

PERFORMANCE: Live Art Since 1960.(Review)(Brief Article)
February 1, 1999... PERFORMANCE: Live Art Since 1960 by RoseLee Goldberg Abrams, 240 pp. $60 Performance art is today ubiquitous, and it represents much of what is considered "the avant-garde," but the idea of "performance art" goes back a lot further. The...

CODA: BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND.(enduring popularity of Franco Zeffirelli's version of 'La Boheme')(Brief Article)
February 1, 1999... One winter evening in the early 1980s, when a blizzard had nearly shut down the roads in and out of New York City, I decided at about 7:30 that I felt like seeing La Boheme at the Met. I was living across the street from Lincoln Center, so I...