Category: Reviews

In its 2004 season Glyndebourne put on a double bill celebrating avarice ó Pucciniís Gianni Schicchi and the much-lesser known The Miserly Knight.

With the passing of Carl Maria Giulini (1913-2005) in June 2005, the music world lost one of its finest conductors. Among his legacy are some critical recordings, which represent the literature that Giulini chose to preserve.

I admit I jumped at the chance to review these SACD re-releases of performances that were on the very first classical vocal LPís that I owned and overplayed on under-maintained equipment, to the point where I frankly shudder to even try to compare my vinyl versions with the digital.

What an unjust fate for an aspiring opera composer to be born the son of Richard Wagner! Imagine a child of Albert Einstein who dreams of greatness in science, or the son of William Shakespeare sitting down to sketch out his first sonnet. Doubtless you would have a nagging suspicion that you would likely never better your fatherís titanic accomplishments.

What is the difference between a lady who becomes a prima-donna and a prima-donna who becomes a lady? The last one has to be begged as she thinks she has to behave according to her rank. The first one is sure of herself and doesnít need, well letís call it to behave somewhat capriciously.

In fall 2003, Los Angeles Opera opened its season with Deborah Dratellís Nicholas and Alexandra, with libretto by Nicholas von Hoffman. At that time, company director Placido Domingo, who took on the juicy role of Rasputin, announced that the production would be filmed and prepared for eventual DVD release.

The former TV-producer in me tells me the following conversation took place between producer and director (in German as this is a GDR (East-Germany) product).