Favorites by Year 2012 👍🏻

My opera viewings began to include live streams on my home computer, including Cecilia Bartoli's Giulio Cesare from Salzburg, her Otello from Zurich and I Capuleti e i Montecchi from Munich.  This expands the material seen to include a lot more houses in Europe than I could possibly travel to.  I traveled to Santa Fe, too.  I got in trouble with readers for saying Cecilia had gotten married on flimsy proof.  It turned out to be true.  This was also the year Joyce DiDonato performed at the Grammys.  I was busy this year with 48 performances reviewed, including 7 DVDs, 15 HDs, 18 live, and 8 streamed over my computer.

I went to Los Angeles to see Ailyn Pérez and Stephen Costello in La Boheme where I pegged her for stardom. For another perspective on 2012 see KK Awards.

Favorite Performances

 

• (CD) Otello ossia il Moro di Venezia DVD and medici.tv  ** The racial prejudice aspect of the Otello story is far stronger in this early version by Rossini.  Cecilia Bartoli was very busy that year.  This opera streamed from Zurich, and John Osborn sang Otello in dark makeup.  Live Stream.

• (AN) I Capuleti e i Montecchi streamed from Munich with Netrebko and Kasarova ** This was the most I have liked Kasarova who was simply magnificent with Netrebko.  Live Stream.  ##20

• (CB) Giulio Cesare from Salzburg.  ** Cecilia Bartoli began her term as Intendant at the Featival of Penticost in Salzburg with this opera which also streamed.  It was insane but entertaining.  It became a DVD and was nominated for a Grammy.  I also gave it my most Eurotrashy production award.   Live Stream. ##20

• La Clemenza di Tito in HD  **  I liked everyone in this, but Elīna Garanča's Sesto was magnificent.  Met HD

• Einstein on the Beach **  A piece of great historical importance that belongs in everyone's experiences.  I saw it in Berkeley, but it now exists on DVD.  Unlike most operas, the opera and the production are one.   Local

• Maometto II at the Santa Fe Opera. **  Leah Crocetto bit off a very big piece and carried it to a perfect conclusion.  A star was born. Travel ##20

• Benvenuto Cellini   Helicopters, robots.  I'm not sure this is supposed to be a comedy, but it was enormous fun.  DVD

• (JK) The original Ariadne from Salzburg. **  This is a play by Molière, Le Bourgeois gentilhomme, followed by an opera by Richard Strauss.  It's something you want to see, but not necessarily something you want to see again.  I saw it in live stream, but it is now a DVD.  Live Stream.

• Moby Dick at the San Francisco Opera **  I declared this work by Jake Heggie to be a masterpiece.  The emotional intensity was operatic.   Local  ++

• Masked Ball in HD  **  Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Sondra Radvanovsky, Marcello Alvarez, Kathleen Kim.  I especially liked Marcello.   Met HD

Singer of the Year

The singing prize must go to Leah Crocetto for Maometto II.

Didn't like

The Met completed the machine Ring with Die Götterdämmerung HD **  It didn't happen for me.  Natalie crashed out in la Traviata.  I watched Katarina Wagner's Die Meistersinger but still don't understand it.  What are the green heads for?

New to Me Opera

1. Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi (1830) was live streamed from Munich with Netrebko and Kasarova.**
2. Berlioz' Benvenuto Cellini (1838) was a DVD
3. Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur (1902) was a DVD with Gheorghiu and Kaufmann.
4. Glass's Einstein on the Beach (1976) was live in Berkeley. **
5. Harbison's The Great Gatsby (1999) was live in San Francisco. **
6. Heggie's opera Moby-Dick (2010) was live at SFO. KK new opera award.**
7. Paisiello's Nina, o sia la pazza per amore (1789) was a DVD from Zurich with Cecilia Bartoli.
8. Rossini's Otello (1816) was a DVD from Zurich with Cecilia Bartoli.
9. Rossini's Maometto Secondo (1820) was live in Santa Fe. **
10. Szymanowsky's King Roger (1926) was live in Santa Fe. **

##20 top 20 all time

** live, live stream or live in HD

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