Tag Archives: cervoni

Honour is satisfied

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Alessandro Scarlatti wrote at least sixty operas but only one of the extant ones is a comedy; Il Trionfo dell’Onore which premiered in Naples in 1718.  Cunningly Scarlatti insisted on an Italian, rather than Neapolitan, libretto so it soon got productions further north.  It’s a piece of its time.  It had only just become allowable to produce operas that weren’t based on classical myth or history.  Even Cavalli’s most tongue in cheek works like Il Giasone had roots in the classics!  But here we have an opera whose characters are quite ordinary though clearly based on the typical types of the commedia dell’arte.

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Winter Words

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Yesterday’s Mazzoleni Songmasters concert featured mezzo Lucia Cervoni, tenor Michael Colvin and pianist Rachel Andrist in a varied programme of song.  It kicked off with two songs by George MacNutt; Take Me to a Green Isle, sung by Michael, and O Love, Be Deep, sung by Lucia.  Both songs are in a quite meditative mood and served to give us a pretty good idea of what we could expect later on.  Michael sings very much in the British manner, which comes as no surprise with his extensive work at ENO and the number of Britten roles he sings.  Lucia’s dark, smokey mezzo sounded rather more operatic.

winterwords

 

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Julie

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We are remarkably lucky in Toronto to get as much contemporary opera as we do.  Courtesy of groups like Tapestry and Soundstreams , it seems that two or three new pieces get performed every year.  They tend to be home grown, which is fine but does mean we don’t often get a glimpse into what’s happening with new work in Europe.  In fact, in the last few years, I think the only European contemporary piece I’ve seen in Toronto was Saariaho’s L’Amour de Loin.  So, I was really pleased, courtesy of Soundstreams and CanStage to be able to see Philippe Boesmans’ Julie which opened last night at the Bluma Appel theatre.

Julie, CanStage

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Casting for Julie announced

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cervoni

Lucia Cervoni as Carmen in Magdeburg

The casting for Philip Boesmans’ chamber opera Julie, to be staged by Soundstrams and Canadian Stage in November has been announced.  The title role will be sung by London, Ontario mezzo Lucia Cervoni.  I’ve not seen her but judging by reviews she seems to be very much in the same space; physically and vocally, as Malena Ernman who premiered the role.  Jean, her feckless lover, well be sung by Clarence Frazer.  He’s been on terrific form lately and seems a good pick, though it’s a rather thankless role.  The toughest sing in the piece is probably Christine, Jean’s fiancée and a servant in the household.  This goes to Ottawa’s Sharleen Joynt.  She really impressed me as Zerlina in Against the Grain’s #UncleJohn and I’m really intrigued to see what she does with a high coloratura role which is, I believe, her normal turf.  Continue reading →