Hello opera lovers!
Today I write a review of an opera that should be on everyone's bucket list: Puccini's masterpiece Madame Butterfly. I myself had actually never seen it all the way through until the other night and I absolutely loved it. So here we go:
Madame Butterfly (Giacomo Puccini)
Portland Opera, 2012
(sung in Italian with English supertitles)
THE CAST:
B.F. Pinkerton: Roger Honeywell
Goro: Jon Kolbet
Suzuki: Kathryn Day
Sharpless: John Hancock
Cio-Cio San (Butterfly): Kelly Kaduce
THE 411:
Madame Butterfly is a tragedy, plain and simple. Be prepared and bring tissues if you are even the least bit sentimental! The setting is Japan in the early 20th Century. US Navy Lieutenant Pinkerton has made a deal with the marriage broker Goro to marry Cio-Cio San, a geisha also known by her professional name Madame Butterfly. While Pinkerton sees this only as a temporary arrangement (i.e. he is just leasing a house on the hill that happens to come with a geisha wife), Cio-Cio San falls head over heels for the dashing Naval officer, and even goes so far as to abandon her own faith and convert to Christianity for him, thereby alienating her whole family from her life in the process. At the end of Act 1, we see the happy couple going off to celebrate their newfound love for each other. When the curtain goes up again, however, we find it is three years later, and Cio-Cio San has been waiting for her husband to return, even though her maid Suzuki and the ever-bothersome Goro both try to persuade her to forget about the American and move on with her life. Soon the American consul, Sharpless, brings news from the States: Pinkerton does not intend to return. Cio-Cio San then drops a bombshell on Sharpless by showing her three year old son, Sorrow, to him, insisting that if Pinkerton knows he has a son, he will return. Pinkerton eventually does return, but it is only to collect his son and to reveal that he has married an American girl. They intend to take the child and return to the United States, for a "better life". Butterfly is devastated and sends her son off to play while she stabs herself.
HIGHLIGHTS:
The main highlight of this fabulous production was the incredible performance of Kelly Kaduce as Butterfly. She captured the innocence and heartbreak of the incredibly complex geisha to the last movement on stage. Her voice was strong enough to make us believe that she was capable of making her own decision, but yet her sensitivity to the nuances of Puccini's music really made you bleed inside for her. The last scenes in the opera were some of the most heart-wrenching to watch. Also, it was just fun to discover how incredibly informed Puccini was of the cultures that he wrote about. Numerous times in the music he quoted the Star-Spangled Banner while referring to the greatness of America in the libretto and also the music sounded inherently Japanese throughout the show, reminding us of where we were.
LETDOWNS:
The biggest disappointment in the show was the overall weak performance of lead tenor Roger Honeywell as Pinkerton. While his high notes were strong and resonant, he lacked that same quality throughout his mid and lower ranges; from what it sounded like he was simply overcovering, creating a swallowed up sound that I affectionately call the "constipated tenor timbre". In the ensemble numbers, he was all but drowned out by the other singers.
CONCLUSION:
Another successful production for Portland Opera. The set and costumes were beautiful, the acting superb, and the story an interesting journey into a foreign time and culture. Portland Opera has yet to disappoint me. Try out Madame Butterfly if you're looking for beautiful music in an ethnic setting.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
Turandot (Puccini), Aida (Verdi), Carmen (Bizet), La Traviata (Verdi), Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti)
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Saturday, November 19, 2011
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO (Portland Opera)
Here is my next review, from my very own backyard!
Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) (W.A. Mozart)
Portland Opera, 2011
(sung in Italian with English supertitles)
THE CAST:
Daniel Mobbs as Figaro
Jennifer Aylmer as Susanna
Pamela Armstrong as the Countess Almaviva
David Pittsinger as the Count Almaviva
Jennifer Holloway as Cherubino
Jon Kolbet as Basilio
Kurt Link as Bartolo
Allison Swenson-Mitchell as Marcellina
Stacey Murdock as Antonio
Lindsay Ohse as Barbarina
THE 411:
The Marriage of Figaro, like Cosi fan tutte, is full of farce, whimsy, intrigue, and mistaken identity. Set in 18th century Spain, it is a classic tale of the lower class servants overcoming the faults of their upper class masters and teaching them a lesson about life in general. The action all takes place in the space of one hectic day in the Count and Countess Almaviva's palace. The Count's valet and the Countess's maid, Figaro and Susanna, are to be married later in the evening. But certain obstacles stand in their way. Though outwardly their master the Count is supportive of their happy union, secretly he wants Susanna for himself on this her wedding night. Also, the scheming old Dr. Bartolo has never forgiven Figaro for ruining his old plans to marry his ward, who is now the Countess. He plans to help Marcellina, an older noblewoman, carry out an old debt that Figaro incurred that states if he cannot pay her, he must marry her. Meanwhile, the Countess is having her own problems. Not only does her husband cheat on her right and left, she is finding herself more and more attracted to the page boy of the castle, the girl-crazy Cherubino. As the plots intertwine, the day that should have been a happy occasion turns into a potential for disaster as truth is uncovered. Not to worry, the opera ends on a happy note, with everyone ending up with who they should end up with.
HIGHLIGHTS:
The main highlights of the opening of Portland Opera's 2011 season were the two baritone leads in the cast: Daniel Mobbs as Figaro and David Pittsinger as Count Almaviva. They were both electrifying in their performances and flawless in their vocal technique. It is rare to hear singers of this caliber and was a real treat for me to witness the whole package of their respective performances. Also of note was Jennifer Holloway's remarkable portrayal of the teenage Cherubino. One of the hardest things about a pants role for a woman is the fact that she has to convince the audience that she is supposed to be a boy, not a girl in boy's clothing. Ms. Holloway had me convinced. From the way she moved, to the choice of vocal colors used in her performance she was not recognizable as a female in any way. Very tough to do. Also wonderful were the set and costumes. There is something to be said for doing a traditional production and this one transported me directly to 18th Century Spain. Fantastic.
LETDOWNS:
Unfortunately, Pamela Armstrong (Countess) did not seem to be at the top of her game the night I attended. Her intonation was a little on the flat side for most of the evening, and during the famous "Dove sono" aria in Act III, she actually had to take some time to cough. Illness is inevitable sometimes and it was a shame to see this wonderful soprano role not quite at the top. As for Allison Swensen-Mitchell, who portrayed Marcellina, I was less than impressed. Her vocal quality was that of a performer who has gone a little past their prime. The vibrato was too wide and the technique was not as clean. That being said, however, she almost made up for it with her incredible acting skills. She was really fun to watch dramatically.
CONCLUSION:
Portland Opera did not disappoint me and clearly they have a great tradition of putting on great productions. My friend Alan and I barely got in on student rush night but it was well worth the effort. If you're ever in Portland, I highly recommend stopping by the Keller Auditorium for a night of culture!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Cosi fan tutte (Mozart), L'elisir d'amore (Donizetti), Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini), Gianni Schicchi (Puccini)
Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) (W.A. Mozart)
Portland Opera, 2011
(sung in Italian with English supertitles)
THE CAST:
Daniel Mobbs as Figaro
Jennifer Aylmer as Susanna
Pamela Armstrong as the Countess Almaviva
David Pittsinger as the Count Almaviva
Jennifer Holloway as Cherubino
Jon Kolbet as Basilio
Kurt Link as Bartolo
Allison Swenson-Mitchell as Marcellina
Stacey Murdock as Antonio
Lindsay Ohse as Barbarina
THE 411:
The Marriage of Figaro, like Cosi fan tutte, is full of farce, whimsy, intrigue, and mistaken identity. Set in 18th century Spain, it is a classic tale of the lower class servants overcoming the faults of their upper class masters and teaching them a lesson about life in general. The action all takes place in the space of one hectic day in the Count and Countess Almaviva's palace. The Count's valet and the Countess's maid, Figaro and Susanna, are to be married later in the evening. But certain obstacles stand in their way. Though outwardly their master the Count is supportive of their happy union, secretly he wants Susanna for himself on this her wedding night. Also, the scheming old Dr. Bartolo has never forgiven Figaro for ruining his old plans to marry his ward, who is now the Countess. He plans to help Marcellina, an older noblewoman, carry out an old debt that Figaro incurred that states if he cannot pay her, he must marry her. Meanwhile, the Countess is having her own problems. Not only does her husband cheat on her right and left, she is finding herself more and more attracted to the page boy of the castle, the girl-crazy Cherubino. As the plots intertwine, the day that should have been a happy occasion turns into a potential for disaster as truth is uncovered. Not to worry, the opera ends on a happy note, with everyone ending up with who they should end up with.
HIGHLIGHTS:
The main highlights of the opening of Portland Opera's 2011 season were the two baritone leads in the cast: Daniel Mobbs as Figaro and David Pittsinger as Count Almaviva. They were both electrifying in their performances and flawless in their vocal technique. It is rare to hear singers of this caliber and was a real treat for me to witness the whole package of their respective performances. Also of note was Jennifer Holloway's remarkable portrayal of the teenage Cherubino. One of the hardest things about a pants role for a woman is the fact that she has to convince the audience that she is supposed to be a boy, not a girl in boy's clothing. Ms. Holloway had me convinced. From the way she moved, to the choice of vocal colors used in her performance she was not recognizable as a female in any way. Very tough to do. Also wonderful were the set and costumes. There is something to be said for doing a traditional production and this one transported me directly to 18th Century Spain. Fantastic.
LETDOWNS:
Unfortunately, Pamela Armstrong (Countess) did not seem to be at the top of her game the night I attended. Her intonation was a little on the flat side for most of the evening, and during the famous "Dove sono" aria in Act III, she actually had to take some time to cough. Illness is inevitable sometimes and it was a shame to see this wonderful soprano role not quite at the top. As for Allison Swensen-Mitchell, who portrayed Marcellina, I was less than impressed. Her vocal quality was that of a performer who has gone a little past their prime. The vibrato was too wide and the technique was not as clean. That being said, however, she almost made up for it with her incredible acting skills. She was really fun to watch dramatically.
CONCLUSION:
Portland Opera did not disappoint me and clearly they have a great tradition of putting on great productions. My friend Alan and I barely got in on student rush night but it was well worth the effort. If you're ever in Portland, I highly recommend stopping by the Keller Auditorium for a night of culture!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Cosi fan tutte (Mozart), L'elisir d'amore (Donizetti), Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini), Gianni Schicchi (Puccini)
COSI FAN TUTTE (Netherlands Opera)
Greetings opera lovers! I actually have three reviews to write today! I've been watching away without writing because of my busy schedule. I'm excited to present my first review, of a DVD recording of the Netherlands Opera's production of Cosi fan tutte, composed by one of the masters of the Classical era: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Since this is my first review, I'll give you a brief overview of my format for my reviews: My first section for each review is entitled "THE 411". This section will give you a general idea of the story in as basic terms as I can explain, an overview of who is in the cast in what roles and will go over some basic things you can expect from the music and storyline in general. The second paragraph of each review is entitled "HIGHLIGHTS", things I absolutely loved about the production in particular that I am writing about. The third paragraph "LETDOWNS" does the opposite. These are things that in my opinion were not quite up to par. The final paragraph "CONCLUSION" sums everything up and lets you know how you can find this production and watch it for yourself. I also will occasionally provide an "AMAZON KEYWORD" for my productions that I review on DVD so that you can type directly into my Amazon Search gadget right here on my blog so you can find a copy for yourself to own and watch. And finally I will provide a "YOU MAY ALSO LIKE" section with suggestions for other operas that are similar to this one. So here we go!
Cosi fan tutte (All are like that) (W.A. Mozart)
Netherlands Opera, 2006
(sung in Italian with English subtitles)
THE CAST:
Sally Matthews as Fiordiligi
Maite Beaumont as Dorabella
Luca Pisaroni as Guglielmo
Norman Shankle as Ferrando
Danielle de Niese as Despina
Garry Magee as Don Alfonso
THE 411:
Fiordiligi and Dorabella are sisters who are in love with two handsome fellows named Ferrando and Guglielmo. Don Alfonso, a bitter old bachelor, challenges the boys one day that he bets that given the right circumstances, their girls would fall for any old person in pants and forget all about them. They are both enraged and accept the challenge to prove to him and themselves that their ladies will be faithful no matter what. The guys accept reluctantly to follow whatever request Don Alfonso makes of them to test the girls. The old bachelor comes up with the idea to "send" the two off to war, and appear again in disguise, each attempting to woo the other one's girlfriend. The two sisters are devastated when they hear the news that their beaus are to be shipped off to war, perhaps never to return. Their maid, Despina, takes it upon herself to cheer up her mistresses, encouraging them to not only forget about their lost loves, but to seek new ones! While the sisters are offended by this, old Don Alfonso decides to involve Despina in his little wager as well. She accepts and hilarity ensues as Fiordiligi and Dorabella are tempted by the boys disguised as handsome foreigners. This is a classic example of Italian opera buffa, with lots of mistaken identity, secrets, inside jokes and funny moments. The music is wonderful and easily accessible to anyone just starting out with opera. Lots of beautiful moments here.
HIGHLIGHTS:
I really enjoyed the modernization of Mozart's classic setting. Netherlands Opera has chosen to update the action to the 1960's in a youth hostel. This gives the show a more modern, crisp feel that I enjoyed. (One fun point: see if you can spot the guitarist playing chords during recitative moments on stage!) Everyone in the cast was delightful, especially Danielle de Niese as Despina. She brought a certain sassiness to the role that added a lot to the character.
LETDOWNS:
That being said, there were some things wrong with this production. When the boys return in their "disguises" I had a hard time believing that the girls would really be fooled, a problem that usually arises in staging this particular story. They didn't look any different at all to me. Also, there were times when the modern setting was distracting, like putting the characters up on top of the rotating set during a time when normally they would be face to face with each other, but nothing too major.
CONCLUSION:
Overall, this is a great starting point for anyone interested to begin their journey into the world of opera. Highly recommend it, it's a good time and a fun storyline that keeps your interest going.
AMAZON KEYWORD: Cosi fan tutte netherlands
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart), Cavalleria Rusticana (Leoncavallo), L'elisir d'amore (Donizetti), and Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini).
Since this is my first review, I'll give you a brief overview of my format for my reviews: My first section for each review is entitled "THE 411". This section will give you a general idea of the story in as basic terms as I can explain, an overview of who is in the cast in what roles and will go over some basic things you can expect from the music and storyline in general. The second paragraph of each review is entitled "HIGHLIGHTS", things I absolutely loved about the production in particular that I am writing about. The third paragraph "LETDOWNS" does the opposite. These are things that in my opinion were not quite up to par. The final paragraph "CONCLUSION" sums everything up and lets you know how you can find this production and watch it for yourself. I also will occasionally provide an "AMAZON KEYWORD" for my productions that I review on DVD so that you can type directly into my Amazon Search gadget right here on my blog so you can find a copy for yourself to own and watch. And finally I will provide a "YOU MAY ALSO LIKE" section with suggestions for other operas that are similar to this one. So here we go!
Cosi fan tutte (All are like that) (W.A. Mozart)
Netherlands Opera, 2006
(sung in Italian with English subtitles)
THE CAST:
Sally Matthews as Fiordiligi
Maite Beaumont as Dorabella
Luca Pisaroni as Guglielmo
Norman Shankle as Ferrando
Danielle de Niese as Despina
Garry Magee as Don Alfonso
THE 411:
Fiordiligi and Dorabella are sisters who are in love with two handsome fellows named Ferrando and Guglielmo. Don Alfonso, a bitter old bachelor, challenges the boys one day that he bets that given the right circumstances, their girls would fall for any old person in pants and forget all about them. They are both enraged and accept the challenge to prove to him and themselves that their ladies will be faithful no matter what. The guys accept reluctantly to follow whatever request Don Alfonso makes of them to test the girls. The old bachelor comes up with the idea to "send" the two off to war, and appear again in disguise, each attempting to woo the other one's girlfriend. The two sisters are devastated when they hear the news that their beaus are to be shipped off to war, perhaps never to return. Their maid, Despina, takes it upon herself to cheer up her mistresses, encouraging them to not only forget about their lost loves, but to seek new ones! While the sisters are offended by this, old Don Alfonso decides to involve Despina in his little wager as well. She accepts and hilarity ensues as Fiordiligi and Dorabella are tempted by the boys disguised as handsome foreigners. This is a classic example of Italian opera buffa, with lots of mistaken identity, secrets, inside jokes and funny moments. The music is wonderful and easily accessible to anyone just starting out with opera. Lots of beautiful moments here.
HIGHLIGHTS:
I really enjoyed the modernization of Mozart's classic setting. Netherlands Opera has chosen to update the action to the 1960's in a youth hostel. This gives the show a more modern, crisp feel that I enjoyed. (One fun point: see if you can spot the guitarist playing chords during recitative moments on stage!) Everyone in the cast was delightful, especially Danielle de Niese as Despina. She brought a certain sassiness to the role that added a lot to the character.
LETDOWNS:
That being said, there were some things wrong with this production. When the boys return in their "disguises" I had a hard time believing that the girls would really be fooled, a problem that usually arises in staging this particular story. They didn't look any different at all to me. Also, there were times when the modern setting was distracting, like putting the characters up on top of the rotating set during a time when normally they would be face to face with each other, but nothing too major.
CONCLUSION:
Overall, this is a great starting point for anyone interested to begin their journey into the world of opera. Highly recommend it, it's a good time and a fun storyline that keeps your interest going.
AMAZON KEYWORD: Cosi fan tutte netherlands
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart), Cavalleria Rusticana (Leoncavallo), L'elisir d'amore (Donizetti), and Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini).
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Finally! The introductory post!
Welcome to my new blog everyone! I got the idea for this project after I received so many compliments on my 30 Day Opera Challenge posts on Facebook. Everyone seemed to really enjoy what I had to say about the world of opera and I was looking for a place to expand my practice writing reviews. My goal is to have my blog be a springboard for those looking to gain more knowledge about the fantastic world of opera. I'll be outlining the basic plots of each opera that I watch, along with information about the singers and recording in general. I'll be going in no particular order. First review will be up soon: Netherlands Opera's modern production of Mozart's Cosi fan tutte. See you soon!
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