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English Touring Opera are delighted to announce a season of lyric monodramas to tour nationally from October to December. The season features music for solo singer and piano by Argento, Britten, Tippett and Shostakovich with a bold and inventive approach to making opera during social distancing.
This tenth of ten Live from London concerts was in fact a recorded live performance from California. It was no less enjoyable for that, and it was also uplifting to learn that this wasn’t in fact the ‘last’ LfL event that we will be able to enjoy, courtesy of VOCES8 and their fellow vocal ensembles (more below …).
Ever since Wigmore Hall announced their superb series of autumn concerts, all streamed live and available free of charge, I’d been looking forward to this song recital by Ian Bostridge and Imogen Cooper.
The Sixteen continues its exploration of Henry Purcell’s Welcome Songs for Charles II. As with Robert King’s pioneering Purcell series begun over thirty years ago for Hyperion, Harry Christophers is recording two Welcome Songs per disc.
Although Stile Antico’s programme article for their Live from London recital introduced their selection from the many treasures of the English Renaissance in the context of the theological debates and upheavals of the Tudor and Elizabethan years, their performance was more evocative of private chamber music than of public liturgy.
In February this year, Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho made a highly lauded debut recital at Wigmore Hall - a concert which both celebrated Opera Rara’s 50th anniversary and honoured the career of the Italian soprano Rosina Storchio (1872-1945), the star of verismo who created the title roles in Leoncavallo’s La bohème and Zazà, Mascagni’s Lodoletta and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.
Evidently, face masks don’t stifle appreciative “Bravo!”s. And, reducing audience numbers doesn’t lower the volume of such acclamations. For, the audience at Wigmore Hall gave soprano Elizabeth Llewellyn and pianist Simon Lepper a greatly deserved warm reception and hearty response following this lunchtime recital of late-Romantic song.
Collapsology. Or, perhaps we should use the French word ‘Collapsologie’ because this is a transdisciplinary idea pretty much advocated by a series of French theorists - and apparently, mostly French theorists. It in essence focuses on the imminent collapse of modern society and all its layers - a series of escalating crises on a global scale: environmental, economic, geopolitical, governmental; the list is extensive.
For this week’s Live from London vocal recital we moved from the home of VOCES8, St Anne and St Agnes in the City of London, to Kings Place, where The Sixteen - who have been associate artists at the venue for some time - presented a programme of music and words bound together by the theme of ‘reflection’.
'Such is your divine Disposation that both you excellently understand, and royally entertaine the Exercise of Musicke.’
Amongst an avalanche of new Mahler recordings appearing at the moment (Das Lied von der Erde seems to be the most favoured, with three) this 1991 Mahler Second from the 2nd Kassel MahlerFest is one of the more interesting releases.
‘And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven … that old serpent … Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.’
If there is one myth, it seems believed by some people today, that probably needs shattering it is that post-war recordings or performances of Wagner operas were always of exceptional quality. This 1949 Hamburg Tristan und Isolde is one of those recordings - though quite who is to blame for its many problems takes quite some unearthing.
There was never any doubt that the fifth of the twelve Met Stars Live in Concert broadcasts was going to be a palpably intense and vivid event, as well as a musically stunning and theatrically enervating experience.
‘Love’ was the theme for this Live from London performance by Apollo5. Given the complexity and diversity of that human emotion, and Apollo5’s reputation for versatility and diverse repertoire, ranging from Renaissance choral music to jazz, from contemporary classical works to popular song, it was no surprise that their programme spanned 500 years and several musical styles.
The Academy of St Martin in the Fields have titled their autumn series of eight concerts - which are taking place at 5pm and 7.30pm on two Saturdays each month at their home venue in Trafalgar Square, and being filmed for streaming the following Thursday - ‘re:connect’.
The London Symphony Orchestra opened their Autumn 2020 season with a homage to Oliver Knussen, who died at the age of 66 in July 2018. The programme traced a national musical lineage through the twentieth century, from Britten to Knussen, on to Mark-Anthony Turnage, and entwining the LSO and Rattle too.
With the Live from London digital vocal festival entering the second half of the series, the festival’s host, VOCES8, returned to their home at St Annes and St Agnes in the City of London to present a sequence of ‘Choral Dances’ - vocal music inspired by dance, embracing diverse genres from the Renaissance madrigal to swing jazz.
Just a few unison string wriggles from the opening of Mozart’s overture to Le nozze di Figaro are enough to make any opera-lover perch on the edge of their seat, in excited anticipation of the drama in music to come, so there could be no other curtain-raiser for this Gala Concert at the Royal Opera House, the latest instalment from ‘their House’ to ‘our houses’.
"Before the ending of the day, creator of all things, we pray that, with your accustomed mercy, you may watch over us."
Reviews
07 Apr 2016
Falstaff Makes a Big Splash in Phoenix
On April 1, 2016, Arizona Opera presented Falstaff by Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) and Arrigo Boito (1842-1918) in Phoenix. Although Boito based most of his libretto on Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, he used material from Henry IV as well. Verdi wrote the music when he was close to the age of eighty. He was concerned about his ability at that advanced age, but he was immensely pleased with Boito’s text and decided to compose his second comedy, despite the fact that his first, Un giorno di regno, had not been successful.
On April 1, 2016, Arizona Opera presented Falstaff by Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) and Arrigo Boito (1842-1918) in Phoenix. It was General Director Ryan Taylor’s farewell production because he is moving on to head Minnesota Opera. During his time in Arizona, Taylor helped to ensure the company’s financial security and brought an appreciation of new works to Arizona’s audiences.
Although Boito based most of his Falstaff libretto on Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, he used material from Henry IV as well. Verdi wrote the music when he was close to the age of eighty. He was concerned about his ability at that advanced age, but he was immensely pleased with Boito’s libretto and decided to compose his second comedy despite the fact that his first, Un giorno di regno, had not been successful. On February 9, 1893, the Teatro alla Scala premiered Falstaff, the last of the composer’s twenty-eight operas.
Falstaff’s contrapuntal, harmonic, and rhythmic textures make this opera one of the all time great pieces of musical theater. Verdi’s ebullient musical farce gives a perfect description of the shenanigans in which Shakespeare's oversized and overconfident knight engages. Making his Arizona Opera debut at this performance, conductor Eric Melear wove a web of intricate sound with his baton while remaining sensitive to the needs of the singers and paying close attention to musical and dramatic nuances.
Director Chuck Hudson effectively depicted the action according to Verdi’s libretto and the story could easily be understood without reference to the supertitles. His production gave the twenty-first century audience the illusion of sitting in Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. Douglas Provost and Peter Nolle’s set resembled the Bard’s theater. It seated a few members of the audience on the stage and placed a few more in balconies above.
Dana Beth Miller as Dame Quickly, Alyssa Martin as Meg Page, Karen Slack as Alice Ford, Heather Phillips as Nanetta
Cece Sickler’s costumes were attractive, colorful and absolutely correct for the period. Falstaff, his girth maximized by huge pillows, dressed for his assignation with Alice in an orange and green outfit accompanied by a bright red codpiece. Selected on-stage audience members participated in the comedy at various points and cast members skillfully guided their participation. Two notable examples were the well deserved dumping of Falstaff into the River Thames, and the concluding masquerade into the woods beneath Herne’s Oak.
Bass-baritone Craig Colclough sang with excellent diction and a skillfully controlled voice all evening. He interpreted his role visually with exquisite comic timing and aurally with a wide range of dynamics and luminous bronzed vocal tones. His was a moving and sympathetic, but broadly drawn, portrayal of the fat knight. As Alice, Karen Slack sang with poise and radiant sound. Slack’s amply blooming high notes were especially brilliant. She and Heather Phillips, who sang Nanetta, stole the show as far as the women were concerned. Phillips did her best singing above the staff. These two women produced some of the sweetest notes and most finely shaped phrases of the evening.
As Ford, David Adam Moore sang an impressive monolog and created a realistic portrayal of the willful husband and father who capitulated when he realized his daughter was truly in love. Kevin Newell sang Ford’s choice for Nanetta’s groom, Dr. Caius, with burnished tones. Visually, Javier Abreu was a fine Fenton but his sound was a bit dry.
As Dame Quickly, Dana Beth Miller sang a resonant “Reverenza” that was a perfect response to Falstaff’s invitations. Alyssa Martin was an enticing Meg Page who sang with well-placed higher tones. Andrew Penning and Calvin Griffin, created the spirited characters of Bardolfo and Pistola with vocal charm and plenty of hijinks. Falstaff was a fun evening and a fine send-off for Ryan Taylor.
Maria Nockin
Casts and production information:
Falstaff: Craig Colclough; Ford, David Adam Moore; Alice Ford, Karen Slack; Fenton, Javier Abreu; Nanetta, Heather Phillips; Dame Quickly, Dana Beth Miller; Meg Page, Alyssa Martin; Bardolfo, Andrew Penning; Pistola, Calvin Griffin; Dr. Caius, Kevin Newell; Inkeeper/Stage Manager, Ian Christiansen; Page, Brady Fiscus; Conductor, Eric Melear; Director, Chuck Hudson; Lighting, Douglas Provost; Scenic Design, Douglas Provost and Peter Nolle; Costume Design, CeCe Sickler; Chorus Master, Henri Venanzi.