New/old Blu-ray titles

Posted on January 27, 2014 by operaramblings

It appears that Warner Classics are slowly releasing some of their back catalogue of video recordings on Blu-ray. These appear to be recordings that were previously available in North America on rather low quality Kultur releases. And by low quality I mean that many of them had serious sound problems as well as annoyances like hard coded English subtitles. These are mostly older recordings; typically 4:3 format picture drawn from TV broadcasts so there is only so much remastering can do for them but, if the Sellars Theodora is anything to go by, they are a huge improvement. Several Glyndebourne classics have appeared including the Anja Silja Makroupolos Case and the Haitink Marriage of Figaro. Pricing is a bit variable but there are some real bargains to be had.

Just for fun 8/n

Posted on January 26, 2014 by operaramblings

Kateřina Kněžiková in what appears to be a production of Die Entführung aus dem Serail

Dove è Amore è Gelosia

Posted on January 26, 2014 by operaramblings

Dove è Amore è Gelosia is a 1768 comic opera by Giuseppe Scarlatti, probably the nephew of the more famous Domenico. It was written for wedding celebrations at Krumlov Castle where Scarlatti was music teacher to the children of the Duke of Krumlov. It was performed and recorded in the newly restored theatre at Krumlov using the original stage machinery and lighting. Krumlov is, along with Drottningholm, one of only two baroque theatres preserved as they were in the 18th century.

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COC Orchestra Academy

Posted on January 25, 2014 by operaramblings

I recently posted about additions to the COC’s Ensemble Studio and briefly alluded to the company’s new programme for young orchestral musicians. Three student musicians will be mentored by members of the orchestra and will attend orchestra rehearsals of the company’s spring season productions. The new Orchestra Academy project will be led by Music Director Johannes Debus.

Two of the students are currently studying at the Glenn Gould School. Cellist Ashton Lim will be mentored by COC assistant principal cellist Paul Widnerand oboist Alessandro Rauli will be mentored by COC principal oboist Mark Rogers and COC oboist Lesley Young. The third student is from the UofT’s Faculty of Music; violinist Rebecca MacLeod will be mentored by COC violinist Dominique Laplante.

It sounds like a great opportunity to introduce young orchestral musicians to the world of opera and one hopes it will be repeated for future rehearsal cycles.

Another look at Così

Posted on January 25, 2014 by operaramblings

I was back at the Four Seasons Centre last night for another look at the COC’s new production of Così fan tutte. Broadly speaking, I stand by what I wrote about Saturday’s opening performance. There were a few things I noticed or paid more attention to this time though.

The girls in on the plot? – There’s a lot of silent business between Don Alfonso and the girls right at the beginning. Is he giving them rings? Is it a token that it will be all right on the night? The girls may know about the bet but do they know the details? Does it get a bit out of control and the emotions unleashed become genuine? All, I think, valid questions and none clearly resolved.
The chemistry between the girls is extraordinary. They really do feed off each other and are totally credible as teenage sisters. This has to be seen to be fully grasped.
Robert Gleadow is a very interesting combination of sexy and dangerous. He showed his abilities as Publio last year; making of the role more than I would have thought possible. Here, Guglielmo comes off as a just about in control sociopath. I really want to see this guy sing Don Giovanni.
The house was full on a truly filthy Toronto winter evening. People were enjoying themselves. There was laughter. Sure, I heard the occasional snooty remark about Egoyan’s OTTness but overall I think it showed that there is a market for smart, sexy opera that doesn’t assume that the audience is firmly stuck in the 1950s. Canada’s regional companies might take note.
That said, two of the three performances that aren’t padded by season subscribers have lots of tickets available. The “new” COC season model relies heavily on single ticket sales so it will be interesting to see whether that inventory moves.

Photo credit: Michael Cooper

Grimes on the Beach

Posted on January 24, 2014 by operaramblings

A performance of Peter Grimes in Aldeburgh to celebrate the Britten centenary seems loike one of those things that had to happen. The snag, of course, being that none of the performance venues there is remotely suitable. The idea of staging it on the beach was a brilliant, if problematic, idea and it’s good that it was captured on film and is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
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Just for fun 7/n

Posted on January 23, 2014 by operaramblings

From Handel’s Xerxes at the Komische Oper Berlin.

New operas at UoT

Posted on January 22, 2014 by operaramblings

The University of Toronto Student Composers Collective presents a free programme of short comic works at the Macmillan Theatre at 5pm on January 30th.

Encounters is an hour long operatic entertainment comprising five operatic samplings. Grief Encounter, composed by Robert Drisdelle, is a cheeky nod to the operatic convention of surtitles while The Proposal chides us not to take situations at face value. In the Shadow of Rob Ford is a romantic scenario composed by Keyan Emami. Two lonely, young people meet during a protest in Nathan Philips Square while Rob Ford, reduced metaphorically to an off-stage voice, provides editorial comment as he packs up his City Hall office. The Box Office, composed by Bekah Simms, pits an aggravating customer against a heroic box office attendant and the program concludes with Shelley Marwood’s setting of Say No to the Dress, a parody of the rabid obsession with finding just the right bridal gown.

I hope someone goes and reviews this because I have work commitments that make it impossible for me to attend.

Opera Atelier announces 14/15 season

Posted on January 21, 2014 by operaramblings

Opera Atelier announces its usual two production season. The fall 2014 production will be Handel’s Alcina with Meghan Lindsay in the title role. She will be joined by Allyson McHardy as Ruggiero, Marie Lenormand as Bradamante, Mireille Asselin as Morgana, Krešimir Špicer as Oronte and Olivier Laquerre as Melisso. Despite the absence of Curtis Sullivan, the advance publicity suggests that the trend to ever increasing amounts of bare flesh will continue.

The spring 2015 production will be Gluck’s Orphée et Eurydice in the Berlioz orchestration. This will push Tafelmusik even further into 19th century romantic rep. Is Tannhäuser on the cards? Mireille Lebel will sing Orpheus, Peggy Kriha Dye appears as Eurydice with Meghan Lindsay as Amour.

In many ways this is the most interesting season OA have offered for some time and the venture into Handel is very welcome. More details and tickets can be found here.

New song commission from CASP

Posted on January 20, 2014 by operaramblings

News just in that the Canadian Art Song Project (CASP) has commissioned Montreal-based composer Ana Sokolović to write a new song cycle. The new work is being composed for piano and a quartet of singers from the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio. The world premiere will form part of the COC’s Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre and will form part of the company’s celebration of Canada’s sesquicentennial anniversary in 2017 (along, it is said, with a revival of Harry Somer’s Louis Riel).

The new song cycle from Sokolović adds to previous works commissioned by CASP include Sewing the Earthworm (2011) by Brian Harman (review), Cloud Light (2012) by Norbert Palej, Extreme Positions and Birefingence (2013) by Brian Current (review), and Moths (2013) by James Rolfe. Other commissions that have been announced and are currently in development include new works by Peter Tiefenbach (2014) and Marjan Mozetich (2014).

Photo credit Alain Lefort