November « 2010 « johnrpierce.com Blog

November 30, 2010

Filed under: Nathan Gunn,Uncategorized — Administrator @ 11:51 am

The Boston Symphony Orchestra has announced the Tanglewood concert schedule for summer 2011.

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Peter Hoffmann as Siegmund

Peter Hoffmann has died at the age of 66.

“Er begann als Gitarrist in einer Rockband und wurde später mit Wagner berühmt: Der Opersänger Peter Hofmann war ein Grenzgänger zwischen Rock und Klassik. Nun ist er im Alter von 66 Jahren in einer Klinik in Oberfranken gestorben.”–faz.net

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Marcello Giordani, Nathan Gunn, Hei-Kyung Hong, Brandon Jovanovich, and Susanna Phillips are scheduled to sing at the annual luncheon of the Metropolitan Opera Guild on December 7, 2010, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York.

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November 29, 2010

Filed under: Erwin Schrott,Jonas Kaufmann,Matthew Polenzani — Administrator @ 11:18 am

Erwin Schrott has signed an “exclusive, long-term agreement” with Sony Classical.

Schrott “will release his first CD [for Sony Classical] in April 2011. The recording will feature music from his native South America, and include tangos by Astor Piazzolla, Pablo Ziegler and Juan Carlos Coblan, as well as songs from Argentina and Brazil.”–Barihunks

“Erwin Schrott is to star in Verdi’s I Vespri Siciliani at Covent Garden (specific date to follow).”–Opera Britannia

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Photo credit Raymond Edwards

in the 2012-2013 season the Metropolitan Opera will mount a new production of Eugene Onegin with Anna Netrebko, Matthew Polenzani, and Mariusz Kwiecien, conducted by James Levine, and directed by Deborah Warner, says Brad Wilber’s Met Futures Page.

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Jonas Kaufmann interview, bloomberg.com

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November 28, 2010

November 27, 2010

Filed under: Allan Clayton — Administrator @ 12:12 am

Sophie Bevan photo © Robert Workman

“The voices of the four British soloists were excellent — the tenor Allan Clayton; the bass Matthew Rose; the mezzo soprano Christine Rice and the soprano Sophie Bevan. Their voices fluctuated superbly, with wonderful richness of tone, in the complex recitative passages.”–Barbara Bryan, reviewing Messiah performance at Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, edinburghguide.com, 4 stars

Allan Clayton Photo: JACK LIEBECK

“Heading a splendid quartet of soloists, Sophie Bevan (Soprano] was outstanding. From her first group of recitatives it was obvious that she knows how to phrase and embellish Handel’s vocal lines. It was good to hear Christine Rice (Mezzo-Soprano] singing the whole of the aria He was despised, for the middle section is often omitted. Tenor Allan Clayton’s Thou shalt break them was invigorating. Supported by a bright obbligato from Peter Franks, Matthew Rose (Bass] rounded off the evening with a spirited interpretation of The trumpet shall sound.”–Sandy Scott, Review: Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Handel’s Messiah, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, edinburghnews.scotsman.com, 4 stars

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November 26, 2010

Filed under: Opera — Administrator @ 1:33 pm

“Alagna Dazzles” in Don Carlo at Met, bloomberg.com

Review in Catalan of the Met’s Don Carlo, In fernem Land

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November 25, 2010

Filed under: Opera — Administrator @ 8:31 pm

A tweet reports: “Just home after seeing Adriana Lecouvreur at the RoH. Angela Gheorghiu a no show but Angeles Biancas Gulin a triumph.”

Another tweet: “Angela’s reason for cancelling was ‘a very severe virus’ & she only finally decided 2 hours before the show she couldn’t sing.”

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I’ve seen Adriana Lecouvreur only once, when the Met was performing in Boston on tour in 1983. Teresa Zylis-Gara, Bianca Berini, Neil Shicoff, and Sesto Bruscantini were the principals. I was very happy with the performance. Bruscantini was the most impressive, IMHO.

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November 24, 2010

Filed under: Opera,Simon Keenlyside — Administrator @ 3:25 pm

More Don Carlo reviews:

Howard Kissel, New York Daily News

“Nézet-Séguin conducts a thoroughly satisfying ‘Don Carlo,’” David Patrick Stearns, Philadelphia Inquirer

Opera Obsession

Superconductor

TheaterMania

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November 23, 2010

Don Carlo snippets from the past

Filed under: Opera — Administrator @ 1:20 pm

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November 23, 2010

Filed under: Opera,Renee Fleming,Simon Keenlyside — Administrator @ 1:33 am

I enjoyed what I heard of Don Carlo from the Met tonight, or maybe I should say “last night” since I am posting after midnight. I look forward to the HD broadcast at the movie theatre.

Don Carlo reviews:

“A Winning, Cautious ‘Don Carlo’ at the Met,” Anthony Tommasini, New York Times

Ronald Blum, Associated Press, news.yahoo.com

Martin Bernheimer, ft.com, 3 stars

James Jorden, New York Post

Variety

Anne Midgette, Washington Post

An Unamplified Voice

The Classical Review

“Really enjoyed Don Carlo last night @MetOpera — what a masterpiece. Everyone was terrific!”–Renée Fleming

New York correspondent, The Opera Tattler

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November 22, 2010

Filed under: Jonas Kaufmann,Opera — Administrator @ 5:16 pm

Adriana Lecouvreur: The Royal Opera, 18th November 2010, review by Antony Lias, Opera Britannia, 3 stars

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November 20, 2010

Filed under: Jonas Kaufmann,Simon Keenlyside — Administrator @ 4:56 pm

More reviews of the Royal Opera’s Adriana Lecouvreur:

theartsdesk.com

“The undoubted star of the show, however, is Jonas Kaufmann as the heart-throb Maurizio. His sweeping entrance in Act One, dashing and handsome, was exciting and strangely relaxing by turns: we know we’re in safe hands and can sit back and enjoy the darkly baritonal strains of his remarkable voice. And the rare mixture of intelligence, vocal power and refinement mean there’s indeed a great deal to enjoy, but once again it all seems a little detached from the action, with some of the vocalism sounding calculated when the music calls for no-holds-barred heroics. McVicar’s direction dictates much canoodling and kissing with Gheoghiu, but at no stage does one believe in their love, or, it has to be said, particularly care about it.”–Hugo Shirley, musicalcriticism.com, 4 stars

“. . . Jonas Kaufmann as Maurizio, Count of Saxony, is quite superb, singing with astonishing beauty of tone and elegance. His may not be an Italianate sound, but everything else about it makes that irrelevant.”–Andrew Clements, guardian.co.uk, 4 stars

thestage.co.uk

Article in Catalan, In fernem Land

New York Times article about the Metropolitan Opera’s upcoming Don Carlo

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