My review of Wednesday’s concert at the TSO with Emily D’Angelo is now up at Bachtrack.
Photo credit: Allan Cabral
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TSO pay tribute to Sir Andrew Davis
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May listings
It’s coming towards the end of the traditional “season” but there’s sill plenty happening. Here’s how I see may shaping up at present (I expect more theatre listings will come in. They tend to be somewhat less notice!):
- May 1st and 2nd: The TSO are coupling Brahms’ First Symphony with Emily D’Angelo and material from her enargeia CD.
- Also on May 2nd the Women’s Musical Club are hosting Joyce El-Khoury in recital at Walter Hall.
MetHD 2024/25
The Met HD in cinemas line up has been announced for 2024/25 so here’s my take on it. The first thing to notice is that there are only eight shows. There have been ten per season since 2012/13 and twelve before that. This is likely a reflection of the problems with audience numbers that all North American opera companies have been having. In the same time period the COC has cut back from 65-70 main stage performances per year to 42 and the Met’s “in house” audience problem has been well publicised. So what does that leave us with?
Outstanding recital album from Hera Park
Breathe is a new recital CD from Korean soprano Hera Hyesang Park. It’s a generous 79 minutes of music; most of it with orchestral accompaniment. There’s one piece for soprano and cello octet and also a few numbers where she’s joined by mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo.
It’s quite varied. There are a number of pieces by modern and contemporary composers as well as some fairly familiar 19th century fare. Most of it is lyrical rather than dramatic which suits Park’s really lovely voice.
enargeia
Debut albums from young singers usually play it fairly safe but mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo’s is anything but. Her new album, enargeia, on the Deutsche Grammophon label is bold indeed. All twelve tracks on the album feature works by contemporary female composers, though with a nod to Hildegard von Bingen. The accompaniments vary from solo cello to orchestra augmented with electric guitar, electric bass and drum kit. Singing style varies from austerely classical to verging on rock opera.
In other news…
Just a couple of “listings”:
Confluence are repeating most of their season during May. All concerts are free of charge, “premiere” at 7:00 pm on the Confluence YouTube Channel and will remain available for viewing for 48 hours.
- Monday, May 10th – Walter Unger Salon; Aging and Creativity
- Wednesday, May 12th – Something to Live For; A Billy Straythorn Celebration
- Friday, May 14th – Mandala; the Beauty of Impermanence
- Sunday, May 16th – Tuesday May 18th – The John Beckwith Songbook (3 concerts)
- Thursday, May 19th – Gracias a la vida; Celebrating Astor Piazzolla and Mercedes Sosa
Full descriptions of each concert are here. I reviewed them all first time up so if you want to know what I thought it it’s easy enough to find. Continue reading
TSO 2020/21
The TSO has announced its 2020/21 season; the first under new Music Director Gustavo Gimeno. It looks pretty much “steady as she goes”. There is no radical departure from past programming. Is heavy on mainstream romantic rep with a ton of Beethoven as this year’s anniversary boy. There are the usual seasonal, pops and young persons offerings as well.
Barber revived
Catalan collective Els Comediants’ production of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville is back at the COC in a revival of the 2015 production. Five years ago I described it as a “glorious romp” and, based on yesterday’s performance, I see non need to amend that judgement. It may be even better this time. It still has Joan Guillén’s wonderfully colourful and silly costumes and sets and it still has Joan Font’s inspired directing; perhaps even crisper this time. Once again it has a wonderful cast of international and Canadian singers including a reprise of Bartolo by the admirable Renato Girolami.
Back half of January
The second half of January kicks off with the COC’s revival production f Rossini’s Barber of Seville, this time starring Emily D’Angelo as Rosina. There are eight performances running to February 7th.
. Sunday 26th at 2pm there’s a concert in the Mazzoleni Songmasters series. It’s called Sirens and features Leslie Ann Bradley, Allyson McHardy and Rachel Andrist in a suitably watery and alluring program.
Mozart’s Messiah
This year the TSO used the Mozart arrangement for Handel’s Messiah (though, naturally enough, with the original English text). I have mixed feelings about it. It’s not hugely different in sound to whichever of Handel’s versions one is used to and it’s definitely not one of those 20th century versions for 100 piece orchestra and massed choirs but I’m hard pressed to see what the point is other than it’s Mozart.
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