Monday
Nov112013
OperaNow! #202: Soul Man
Monday, November 11, 2013 at 8:36PM 
Il trovatore came to Stamford Corn Exchange...B casts delight in Norma and Forza.
Oliver's Corner continues Otello.
Plus OPERABUSTERS!
This week features Michael, The OC and Doug Dodson.
This episode is sponsored by EMI Classics, presenting their latest release by conductor Antonio Pappano - Verdi's Sacred Voices. Available at you local retailer and online. Check it out and tell 'em OperaNow! sent you!
Reader Comments (15)
Just some random thoughts prompted by various points this week:
It's true - Peter Gelb has no mouth, just a lopsided triangle on the lower part of his face.
I have not seen the Bondy Tosca, but from looking at stills and clips I have to say that I quite like the look of it... I think having a lot of darkness makes sense when one of the characters is a painter whose name begins with "Carava".
I too find the image of "The Peterborough Opera cast of Il Trovatore" quite amusing... especially the guy on the far left. I should point out that English Touring Opera do much better productions in Cambridge, just a short train ride from Peterborough...
When it comes to Norma, I have to say that I agree with Tom Service:
http://www.theguardian.com/music/tomserviceblog/2012/jan/30/bellini-i-just-don-t-get-it-norma-or-no-norma
I saw the live in HD screening of The Nose and thought it was pretty abysmla. I love Shostakovich and I thought that the production had a lot of clever ideas (particularly with regard to the use of text) but ultimately I thought it was cluttered, confused and it seemed like no one had received very much in the way of direction... Also, given how vast the Met is, I was amazed at how little of the space they used for most of the time. The set seemed claustrophobic and didn't really provide any opportunity for what were essentially comic singers to move around and express themselves. There were a couple of laughs but it felt like most of the comedy had been removed or obscured. I'm just glad that there was no interval so that they didn't do the irritating let's-meet-the-singers thing which completely destroys any suspension of disbelief and would seem utterly ridiculous in any other artform.
The Royal Opera House is doing Die Frau ohne Schatten next year too... I guess these things come around in cycles. They also did Meyerbeer's Robert le diable a little while ago, although I think they might have been better off with something like Les Huguenots...
Oh and get well soon Michael! :)
Thanks!
this is just a heads up that the feedburner site seems to be glitching. i usually just download the show directly from that site instead of using itunes.
Just right click on the website artwork to download.
thanks. that tip worked.
People helping people. For sure.
Michael you poor thing! That cough sounds awful! Hope you feel better soon.
I am so frustrated that I keep missing my chance at seeing Angela Meade sing Norma. Every time she does she gets wildly good reviews. Last spring she was singing it here in DC and I was trying to choose between tickets to that or to see Pat Racette in Manon Lescaut. I went to Manon and it was the WRONG choice, since it was a pretty mediocre show and everyone was raving about the Norma. I also never bothered turned on the stream of the Met Norma with Meade and Barton, and, again everyone was raving. One of these days I'll figure out how to prioritize these things.
wow. racette as monon vs anyone singing norma, i would always go with the norma.
Michael - have you tried a mustard plaster (look it up!) Sometimes that can help chest infections. You're a trooper! Hey Oliver - you didn't mention the main thing about Tosca i.e. the soprano who sings the title role! What did you think of Racette (didn't see/hear it myself). I was lucky enough to be in NYC for the opening of Die Frau ohne Schatten and anyone who has the chance MUST go see this. Even if you're Strauss-averse or haven't heard of the opera. It was amazing - Goerke and Schwanewilms were incredible and I think it's the most spectacular production I've ever seen. And the orchestra....I could go on, but really, it is something very special and moving.
I'm sure Meade was great in Norma but Radvanovsky got universally positive reviews in the first cast - I would like to hear both of them in the role someday. Couldn't resist checking out that Trovatore picture - classic! Are you sure the entire website isn't a joke???? Keep the fires burning guys, it was great to have you back!
I'm much better now. Thanks.
Thanks for another great show, but please have more Jenny, if it wasn't for her and Doug I would've given up listening long ago!
I made it to the Orpheus at the pool, and was so happy it turned out well. I'm always happy when Oliver gives an even headed "review" of something happening in Chicago (not just when he goes on and on about whatever he didn't see that made headlines in NY). Not sure how the uneven miking was for Oliver, but it was the only really bad part of the evening for me...that and they had eyeball projections on TV's that immediately brought this Simpsons episode to mind:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdO9orWQ-Nk
She's on when she can be. Its her call.
I hope you got the sarcastic bitch undertone of humor in my last comment. The last two times I've posted comments I've ended up offending Oliver, but I really do appreciate his knowledge/corner (even if I end up fast-forwarding after 30min).
Jenny won me over completely by actually knowing who William Kentridge was, or at least remembering his name, that and the "don't touch my ice cream assholes" comment on the last show.
Hey, Oliver!
Otello is my favorite opera, love that you're covering it. FYI: There is no equivalent to Iago's "Credo" in the Shakespeare. Boito made it up to try and explain why Iago is such a jerkus. (Nihilism, I guess.)
Matt