It would seem that in his preparations for this new production of Simon
Boccanegra, the acclaimed Russian director, Dmitri Tcherniakov, has been
familiarising himself Jonathan Miller’s previous ENO efforts.
Author: Gary Hoffman
Simon Boccanegra, ENO
L’amico Fritz, London
Think verismo and one imagines melodramatic, often violent plots which peer unflinchingly into the soul of every character.
Tosca, Royal Opera House, London
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/f8ee5d70-92f8-11e0-9ba7-00144feab49a.html#axzz1Otdb2Ucz
Karlsruhe “Gioconda” Unintentionally ‘Konzertant’
It was a lucky happenstance that glorious vocalism characterized Badisches
Staatstheater’s La Gioconda, for effective stagecraft was nowhere in evidence…but, oh, what singing!
Andreas Scholl, Wigmore Hall
A capacity crowd at the Wigmore Hall eagerly awaited the arrival of Andreas Scholl and Tamar Halperin on the platform on Tuesday evening.
Candide, Barbican Centre
‘Glitter and be gay!’ cries Cunegonde, determined to overcome the bitter circumstances in which she finds herself in sordid, downturn Paris.
Gˆtterd‰mmerung, San Francisco
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/06/07/DDS21JQ89F.DTL&type=performance
Phaedra in Philadelphia
The U.S. premiere of Hans Werner Henze’s Phaedra at the Opera Company of Philadelphia may well be the most important and ambitious new work presented by any American company this season.
Jordi Savall, le maÓtre de musique (video)
http://www.lefigaro.fr/musique/2011/06/03/03006-20110603ARTFIG00404-jordi-savall-le-maitre-de-musique.php
Bach Cantatas, volume 11
Pilgrimages, I suspect, derive a degree of their fruitfulness from the slowness of the journey, a pace born of desire or necessity, that removes the journey from the quotidian, brings the purpose into greater focus, and allows for a richer savoring of the experience.