April, 2006
Who Says Cross-Over is Easy for an Opera Singer?
In this remarkable clip, we see Leonard Bernstein conducting a recording of his very own WEST SIDE STORY with an operatic cast. A very young Jose Carreras, tenor has trouble coping with What? The supposed simplicity of a Broadway Musical, the language, his nerves? Call it artistic temperament from one of the most beautiful tenor voices of our time.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=hUfh_vUogA0&search=GPnt%22
April, 2006
Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon in Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore!
In this 2005 Vienna Opera production of the comic opera, L'elisir d'amore, country bumpkin, Nemorino (rough translation, "little nothing", ) summons up courage to tell the beautiful Adina, that he is in love with her. She replies that she prefers to play the field and take a new lover each day. Netrebko & Villazon are a phenomenal operatic team. Villazon not only has the most beautiful tenor voice around today, but he also is an actor. Watch his hilarious portrayal (a bit Chaplinesque) as Adina encourages him in ever so subtle ways in the duet, Chiedi all'aura lusinghiera. German subtitles... sorry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PAEwH9dUuo
April, 2006
San Francisco Opera's new General Director, David Gockley
2006 will indeed be an exciting year for San Francisco Opera as newly appointed General Director, David Gockley, takes charge. Gockley promises to bring a much needed boost to the Opera Company. He is a man of immense talent as you can see from the following article. With his emphasis on International Singers and Classic Repertory, in addition to new commissions and new productions, I am excitied that San Francisco Opera will once again be among the premier opera companies in the world. And all this at our front door!!
To Read: The Populist Innovator at the Chronicle's sfgate.com Web site
March, 2006
Rolando Villazon's New CD
Clearly the greatest tenor voice today, Rolando Villazon continues to astound on stage and CD. His latest recording "Rolando Villazon: Opera Recital" features many of the standard tenor arias with some unusual and beautiful selections added. Listen to the "Italian Tenor" aria from Der Rosenkavalier, "Di rigor armato il seno" and Don Jose's plaintive and desperate, "La fleur que tu m'avais jetee" from Carmen and tell me you aren't persuaded. Villazon will be in LA this fall ( see 2006 Events ) and hopefully the Bay Area in the near future. To keep abreast of his career, visit his website at: http://www.rolandovillazon.com/ . And if you don't have his first 2 CDs you should: Rolando Villazon: Italian Opera Arias & Rolando Villazon: Gounod/Massenet Arias.
March, 2006
8 Year Old Boy Soprano as Mozart's Queen of the Night
or Why Castrati Existed!
"On pitch, in tempo and it doesn't look like it's killing him. Better than some I've paid money to hear!"
This kid wouldn't have had a reproductive chance in 18th century Italy. This internet video is making the rounds, astonishing and delighting opera lovers. He's German, around 8 or 9 and that's about all we know from this posting on You Tube at this time. It is approaching 200,000 hits, so make sure you take a look. You'll understand the History of Opera a lot better.
March, 2006
From the University of California at Santa Barbara comes this invaluable link to the auditory record of the History of Singing. You can listen to a myriad of transfers from wax cylinders (earliest recordings) of some of the legendary vocalists including Lucretia Bori, soprano, Alessandro Bonci, tenor, Selma Kurz, soprano & Leo Slezak, tenor, in a heart rending reading of Otello's death. From the earliest years of recording, there are many treasures here and a chance to listen to selections from operas long forgotten. What a find!
March, 2006
The picture is grainy, but the sound is fine. It may take a moment to download, but well worth the time. Caballe is at her most ravishing in the early 70's, defining what Bel Canto is all about. The music couldn't be more beautiful. After all, it's Bellini!
March, 2006
Viva La Voce: All Opera on Internet Radio!
Finally an internet station that plays only opera and classical voice recordings 24 hours a day! It is free and simple to access. The musical selections are wonderful and the scheduling of selections is well thought out so you don't get a contemplative Strauss song followed by cries of Guerra! Guerra! (The War Chorus) from Norma.
To log on go to http://www.vivalavoce.com/index.php?nid=9 and then click on Listen Live. You will have a choice of selecting either Windows Media Player or Real Player. Simply download one or the other (if you don't have one of them) and click on broadband for that choice. You'll hear a coloratura soprano chirping a few runs followed by an advertisement. Don't despair. The ads are minimal and mostly tasteful announcements for musical happenings.
Then go to Playlist where you will find the schedule for any day. Just remember that the station is in Washington D.C. so times listed are 3 hours ahead of us.
This is a great way to hear lots of opera and voices and decide if you want to buy a CD or not, and who and what you like. Hope you enjoy this as much as I am, and let me hear feedback from those of you who try it.
