Cav/Pag

Production..............Franco Zeffirelli
Conductor...............James Levine 

CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA

Santuzza................Tatiana Troyanos
Turiddu.................Plácido Domingo
Lola....................Isola Jones
Alfio...................Vern Shinall
Mamma Lucia.............Jean Kraft

We are celebrating Franco Zeffirelli week from the Metropolitan.  This Zeffirelli production of Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana might be a real place.  This is Italy. Perhaps there should be a list. This film, this production, this cast brings you the real thing.  

My favorite of this cast is Tatiana Troyanos, of course.  She is so intense that your heart is stirred. Plácido treats her badly, but she takes her revenge.  It's sad all these old productions are gone.  It's Easter Sunday and everyone is at church, except Santuzza who has been excommunicated.  She confronts people as they go in and out of the church.

PAGLIACCI

Nedda...................Teresa Stratas

Canio...................Plácido Domingo

Tonio...................Sherrill Milnes

Silvio..................Allan Monk

Beppe...................James Atherton

This is just ok.  The set is not particularly interesting after the magnificent summoning of a realistic Italian village in CR.  It's still worth seeing for the great cast.  Milnes does a terrific prologue. I think I prefer the current production of Pagliacci.

 

Turandot in HD

Conductor...............Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Production..............Franco Zeffirelli

Turandot................Christine Goerke
Calàf...................Yusif Eyvazov
Liù.....................Eleonora Buratto
Timur...................James Morris

Today the season for the Metropolitan opera in HD began with a performance of Puccini's Turandot.   I think it was also Yannick Nézet-Séguin's first HD as the Musical Director of the Met.

The plot to this opera must be considered iffy.  It isn't exactly a MeToo opera (I'm thinking of making a list) because the abusive power figure is a woman.  She uses her position as heir to the Emperor of China to destroy as many men as possible for something that happened to one of her ancestors.  One isn't sure what the right response would be.  Becoming Emperor of China might be a greater temptation than the princess.  Calaf is an idiot, but he can hardly be blamed for the unfortunate results of his desire for Turandot.  The ending must be considered happy.

It was nice to spot James Morris under his very heavy makeup. This is going to sound strange, but I thought that the lead role sounded rather light in Ms Goerke's voice.  To me she seemed to be struggling with the role.  I thought the hit performance of the evening was the Calaf of Yusif Eyvazov.  He carried himself with dignity and confidence.  I have started to like him.

Yannick brought us a beautiful opera.  I hope to see more of him, but the only HD he is scheduled for is Wozzeck.  Sigh. They did curtain bows after all three acts.  I haven't seen that in a long time.

Franco Zeffirelli (1923-2019)

The great opera director, Franco Zeffirelli, has died at 96.

He created productions in many opera houses, many of which are still running.  The Metropolitan Opera still uses:  Turandot Turandot Turandot, La Boheme La Boheme.  Barber's Antony and Cleopatra doesn't repeat and Tosca has been replaced.


At the Arena di Verona an entire season was designed by Zeffirelli.  I saw only Madama Butterfly.

He filmed movies of operas as well, mostly with Placido Domingo.

Here is a proper remembrance.

La Bohème in HD

👍🏻
Conductor:  Marco Armiliato
Production:  Franco Zeffirelli

Mimi:  Sonya Yoncheva
Rodolfo:  Michael Fabiano
Musetta:  Susanna Phillips
Marcello:  Lucas Meachem
Schaunard:  Alexey Lavrov
Colline:  Matthew Rose
Benoit/Alcindoro:  Paul Plishka

Today was the HD for Puccini's La Bohème from the Metropolitan Opera.  Michael explained that they don't really get to rehearse.  Nevertheless it was a beautiful ensemble performance with excellent conducting.

Between scenes was a lot of hammering.  My impression was that the workers were repairing the ancient and well used sets.  Each set slides in on the stage machinery.  Garret stage left, Momus stage right and snow scene from the back.  There was a film of this happening.  So why all the hammering?

Sonya and Michael are both wonderful singing actors who play well with one another.  They both have beautiful emotional range which is the secret to great opera.  Or maybe opera has a lot of secrets and this is just one.

She died a couple of seconds before her chord, but I have decided to forgive everyone.  Look.  There is scene painting in the orchestration in this opera.  First you hear the flames going up in Act I when Rodolfo throws his play into the fire.  And there is a chord at the end that signals Mimi dying.  Am I the only one who knows this?

It was lovely to see Paul Plishka who once appeared frequently in San Francisco.  The magic worked once again.

Turandot in HD

 Nina Stemme

Conductor:  Paolo Carignani
Production:  Franco Zeffirelli

Turandot: Nina Stemme (soprano)
Liù: Anita Hartig (soprano)
Calàf: Marco Berti (tenor)
Timur: Alexander Tsymbalyuk (bass)

Puccini's Turandot from the Metropolitan Opera is such a familiar old friend that one scarcely knows what new thing one can say.  In contrast with the picture above, Nina seems to have been deliberately made up to look hideous.  Nothing could deter her spectacular performance, however.  Her warmth always shines through.

This time I paid particular attention to the place in the opera where it stops being Puccini.  This happens immediately after Liu dies.  The stage clears and there is an extended love duet which is not by Puccini. It was composed by Franco Alfano.  So this is what the fuss is about.  Puccini would undoubtedly have composed something far more beautiful for this important scene, but the drama takes over.  It's tolerable and that's about it.  The final scene is made up entirely of music heard earlier in the opera.

Anita Hartig as Lui both looked and sang beautifully.  Perhaps the opera is about Liu.

Berti is the only tenor I've ever seen who got no applause at all for "Nessun dorma."  He chopped off his high note.  I'm not a fan.

________________________________

Over the time that I've been blogging, I have written a lot about Turandot.  I think my favorite performance is still Maria Guleghina in this same production.  I love Nina, but for me Maria completely redefined the role.

I wrote about why Franco Alfano was chosen to write the ending, what the long ending sounded like and why it was shortened here.  I wrote about seeing La Leggenda di Sakùntala by Franco Alfano live in Rome here.  I didn't know at the time that this was a recently rediscovered score.

The only aspect of the opera that I seem never to have discussed is the plot.  Is it disgusting?  Should we hate Calaf?  Look people.  It has to do with princes and princesses.  One desires a princess or prince because she or he is a princess or prince.  Physical beauty is vastly enhanced by power and position.  In the 21st century Prince William is allowed to marry a commoner.  Whatever time you move Turandot to, no one would have considered that.  Father agrees to Turandot's plan only because it includes at least the slim possibility that she will marry a foreign prince and produce an heir.  Prince Calaf would simply never consider marrying Liu.  So get over it.

La Bohème in HD

 

Conductor: Stefano Ranzani
Production: Franco Zeffirelli

Marcello: Massimo Cavalletti
Rodolfo: Vittorio Grigolo
Colline: Oren Gradus
Schaunard: Patrick Carfizzi
Benoit: Donald Maxwell
Mimì: Kristine Opolais replacing Anita Hartig who was ill
Alcindoro: Donald Maxwell
Musetta:  Susanna Phillips

This morning we saw Puccini's La Bohème live in HD from the Metropolitan Opera.  This was my first time to see Vittorio Grigolo and Kristine Opolais in performance in an opera.  I came for Vittorio but Kristine was an added bonus.  She sang Butterfly last night and received the call to sing Mimi at 8:00 this morning.  So how does a completely stressed out Mimi seem to work?  Pretty well I would have to say.  You believed she was dying of consumption right from the start.

Short version:  I cried in all three acts, a first.  Vittorio was wonderful.  The emotional atmosphere was perfect from beginning to end.  Mimi died on her chord in fine style.  What more could you ask?  Kudos to all.

I want to point out that few of the regulars I see week after week were there, but the size of the audience was much bigger than usual.  Someone representing the Met handed out questionnaires to survey the audience.

And now for my usual post script.  I have been following Vittorio Grigolo for quite some time, and have already included him in my sexiest list.  I have noticed a tendency to put him down, and I want to go on record opposing this.  Compared to the short performances I have witnessed earlier, his Rodolfo showed a complete technical maturity.  You can't really judge a singer until they reach this.  I think with his good looks, bright lyric tenor and charisma he is a worthy addition to our pantheon.

Can you top this?

Rona and I were being competitive in the bus to San Geminiano. I said I knew something she didn't know: that all the productions this year at Arena di Verona were by Zeffirelli. She didn't know.

But then she topped me. "Did you know all female opera singers take estrogen to keep their mucous membranes moist?". All seems like a bit of an exaggeration, but she's right. I didn't know that.

Madama Butterfly in Verona

There is no experience quite like opera in the Arena di Verona. The space is huge. 20,000 people can view an opera at the same time.

There are three categories of seats: on the floor of the arena where the gladiators would have fought there are very expensive seats with a bar area; reserved seats on bleachers put up over the ancient stone seats; and open seating on the bare stones above.

We had excellent seats in the first tier of bleachers on the side. This time the stone steps into the arena were not too steep.

As the opera begins the people in the side seats light candles. This is a tradition from before the time the arena was electrified.

The space that is the stage for the opera is gigantic, and it is this vastness that changes the character of the opera. The vastness seems ideal for Turandot or Aida, but I'm not sure it enhances ones perception of Madama Butterfly, our opera experience last night.

The Arena di Verona is in its 88th season, and the season is dedicated to Franco Zeffirelli. The program has an interview with him, and all five productions--Aida, Turandot, Carmen, Madama Butterfly and Il Trovatore--are his productions. I wouldn't have known this if I hadn't bought the program.

In the opening scene Pinkerton and Sharpless meet in what looks like a city street with people coming and going across the vast arena stage.

I always avoid Butterlfy like the plague. What is one to make of a man who brags to one and all that he travels the world ruining the lives of as many women as he can. Cio Cio San does not see this. She is proud to be a Yankee wife and always hopes for the best.  It's just unbearable.

Svetla Vassileva as Butterfly began disastrously with a giant wobble and a lot of out of tune over singing. Perhaps she couldn't hear, always a terrible problem for a singer. I had a moment of panic. I'm absolutely not prepared for sitting through a really bad Butterfly. She played Butterfly as a true butterfly who flutters from place to place.

Or perhaps it is a tactic. If one begins with a ghastly out of tune wobble, everything that follows will seem like an improvement. She moved toward the front of the stage where she could hear and pulled herself together.

Rossana Rinaldi was a fine Suzuki and Carlo Ventre was fine as Pinkerton. The big moments were effective.

[See Kinderkuchen History 1890-1910]

Met Turandot

Turandot.............Maria Guleghina
Calàf...................Marcello Giordani
Liù.....................Marina Poplavskaya
Timur.................Samuel Ramey

I have seen the Zeffirelli production of Puccini's Turandot from the Metropolitan Opera before: once with Placido Domingo on television and once in the house with Andrea Gruber. It's very beautiful and worth seeing again. I admit to being a little freaked out by the men creeping around the stage, but the rest is gorgeous.

Marina Poplavskaya was a wonderful Liu, but I've seen equally wonderful singers in this role. Marcello Giordani was a powerful Calaf, but I have witnessed other wonderful tenors in this role.

But this is the first time the ice princess has come to life for me. She is terrified of this stranger as she has never been before. When Liu kills herself in order not to reveal the name, Turandot feels this as she has not felt anything before. She feels herself fall in love and the loss of her power with genuine terror. We hear the words "my first tears" as we have never heard them before. This is a deeply emotional Turandot who sees her life crumbling before her eyes. We feel her fall in love. And we see him see her fall. We know as he does that it is safe for him to tell his name, that with this word his triumph is complete.

The Turandot of Maria Guleghina is acted like nothing I have ever seen before. Brava. And the singing was also good.

HD

In the theater often the sound came and went, though not during "Nessun dorma" as I had bet someone, and occasionally the picture went with it. Boo. Pull yourselves together, gang.

The HD surprise, who will host, was really a surprise: Patricia Racette. She has moved up a rung, hopefully due to her fabulous Trittico in San Francisco. She was excellent.

She interviewed Charles Anthony who sang the Emperor. He's been at the Met for over 50 years.

She interviewed members of the brass section because of their recently released CD.

She interviewed Marcello and Maria together and brought out the wonderful rapport between them, part of the explanation for the beauty of this performance.

Let's hope we see her again in this role.
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Surprise in HD

Mimì....................Angela Gheorghiu
Rodolfo.................Ramón Vargas
Musetta.................Ainhoa Arteta
Marcello................Ludovic Tézier
Schaunard...............Quinn Kelsey
Colline.................Oren Gradus
Benoit..................Paul Plishka
Alcindoro...............Paul Plishka

Conductor...............Nicola Luisotti
Production..............Franco Zeffirelli

We knew who would sing and conduct La Bohème in the simulcast from the Metropolitan Opera: Angela Gheorghiu, Ramón Vargas and Nicola Luisotti. We knew the production was by Franco Zeffirelli. What we waited in suspense to find out was who would host. And we were not disappointed. Renée Fleming showed once again her undoubted talent as an interviewer. She is exactly goofy enough to interview the children's chorus and their conductor. She pretended to be amazed when buildings flew up into the air during the set change. (The set for Act II rolled on with people already standing on it, people who had been standing there all through Act I.)

She compared notes with Angela on how to cough when singing Mimi or Violetta without starting into a coughing jag. Angela appears to merely pretend to begin to cough, make the movement of coughing without actually coughing. She called it "acting." (I am laughing now. This is my first view of the witchy Angela.)

Renée remembered to let Ramon plug his charity work. Only the conductor seemed confused and unable to think of anything to say. No matter! Renée filled in. She is what makes the HD opera experience unique.
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Turandot

Conductor:  Bertrand de Billy
Production:  Franco Zeffirelli

Turandot: Andrea Gruber (soprano)
Liù: Krassimira Stoyanova (soprano)
Calàf: Johan Botha (tenor)
Timur: Hao Jiang Tian (bass)

While I was in New York, I went to the Metropolitan Opera to see Turandot. I am a sucker for Turandot. When she says "His name is love," it's one of the greatest moments in opera.

I have been to the Metropolitan only once before when I sat in the orchestra. This time I was in the center of the dress circle, a wonderful place to sit, and especially wonderful for this fabulous production--they have revived the Zefferelli production. I believe the tiers are closer to the stage in the Metropolitan than they are in San Francisco, so the center of the dress circle feels like the best seat in the house. It's a great house, with great acoustics, great sight lines (for a horseshoe theater), with a great tradition.

In the lobby were costumes that had been worn by Renata Tebaldi in her appearances at the Met. She died that week.

The Metropolitan Opera is very traditional, very fuddy-duddy, very out of touch with the rest of the opera world.

Andrea Gruber appeared in the role of Turandot. Her big soprano voice has a harsh edge to it, hardly a drawback in the role of Turandot, who shouts at the top of her voice the entire time. I tend to think that this is a role to avoid (Lady Macbeth is another) unless you are very sure of your shouting abilities. Advice: sing it when you are young to get cast and advance your career, then avoid it like the plague once you can get away with it. It's the only Puccini role that's like this.