Who Can Save City Opera? and WWBD?

While sitting here going through tissue after tissue with probably the worst cold since tuberculosis I received the bad news the Gerard Mortier is officially "parting ways" with the New York City Opera. While some people foresaw this, I, being the idealist that I am, thought this talk of backing out would blow over and Mortier would make NYCO into a major house for modern works.
I should have seen it coming. The lay-offs. The co-directorship at Bayreuth. I just thought this was temporary. Silly, silly CaroNome.

What New York City Opera needs right now is a Peter Gelb. An influential businessperson who knows how to fundraise and get the crowds excited. They need Peter Gelb's marketing genius. This brings me to my next point:

Bartlett Sher's Obligation to Lincoln Center
Since we know that Peter Gelb could never double dip and help out NYCO (being the Met's "little sibling across the plaza"), I think that as the new director of the Lincoln Center Theater Bartlett Sher could take a temporary position as director of NYCO. He can learn from Peter Gelb's genius, take his own directing genius and put it together to put NYCO back on its feet. When they find another Mortier to take over, he can go back to just running the Lincoln Center Theater.


I have another point:
Poor Bubbles, she's rolling in her grave...
What could be worse. Only a year after her devastating death, her beloved opera company is going up in smoke. If only she was here, she would know what to do. She'd either beat Mortier into the ground, Sills-style, and make him stick to his promise using her charm and convincing Brooklyn attitude or just take over again. We need to ask ourselves "What would Bubbles do?" WWBD?


There's my two cents. Now NYCO needs to run with its own ideas and get itself together!
I hope things work out. It would be heartbreaking to see anything happen to such a wonderful company.



Happy Listening!!! =)

Sadness to Joy

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of Beverly Sills' death. I'm not keeping track of the days here at camp, but someone said to me yesterday, "It's July 2nd, isn't it?" and I said, "Yes, I think it is... oh..." It didn't ruin the rest of the day for me, but I thought about it a lot. The song we tendued to was "O luce di quest'anima." Not only was I the only person in the room who knew that song, but I was the only one who had a reason to sigh for it. In tribute I've been listening to my Beverly Sills playlist yesterday, and today too because I miss listening to it.

As downtrodden as I was yesterday is how ecstatic I was today!!! Not only am I at the most fun ballet camp ever, it also has some of the greatest guest faculty a little ballerina can ask for! Today I had not one, but two teachers who just happen to be principal dancers with the New York City Ballet. This is no small deal. This is one big deal. In opera terms, it's like walking to your voice lesson and Rolando Villazon is standing there. "Hello, I'll be teaching you today." You collapse and faint, right? Well, I almost did. It was one great day. I'll remember it forever.


Happy Listening!!! =)

Sillsiana: Happy Birthday, Bubbles.

I've tried over and over in vain to explain to people the unbreakable bond between an opera lover and opera singers. After Beverly Sills died, I was depressed and could not listen to anyone else. I couldn't talk about anything else for weeks! They were so mad at me... "YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HER!" was what they kept saying. Of course I didn't know her! My heart would have stopped if I had gone anywhere near her! Anyway, as soon as they said that I would shake my finger and try to explain to them the mutual affection and the chains that link together a listener and a singer. It's so hard to explain once you try. It's like, you do know the singer, but you don't. You feel this connection that is so powerful because they have given you so much! They have given their miraculous gift to us all and we share in the emotional experience that is opera. It's so incredible! Of course, who understands that but those who experience it? I was that way with Beverly Sills, and I suppose I still am. There will always be a bond between us two, not to mention all of her other dedicated fans!




















We're gathered here today to remember the birthday of the immortal and utterly fantabulous Beverly Sills. Although this brilliant lady has left this world, her work will never be forgotten. We pay homage to her today, on the day of her birth. I have compiled for you some of her best performances and some of her funniest moments (in opera or otherwise). We love you, Bubbles.

The mad scene from Lucia di Lammermoor
The final scene from Roberto Devereux
"Pigoletto" from the Muppet Show
"Follie...Sempre Libera" from La Traviata
"Una voce poco fa" from Il Barbiere di Siviglia
"The Thunder of Battle" from The Daughter of the Regiment
"Sillsiana" at Hunter College. This gets my laughing (crying?) every time!!
"O luce di quest'anima" from Linda di Chamounix
"Je marche sur tous les chemins" from Manon
"Adieu, notre petite table" from Manon
Zerbinetta's aria from Ariadne auf Naxos
"Chacun le sait" from La Fille du Regiment
"Je suis Titania" from Mignon
"Da tempeste" from Guilio Cesare
The Queen of the Night aria from The Magic Flute
In an opera parody with Danny Kaye. "I come from a very classy part of Brooklyn."
The Willow Song from The Ballad of Baby Doe

and finally...
Beverly Sill's Final Performance. It never fails to bring on the waterworks. I always end up crying like a baby. It's pretty pathetic, but listen to her. Just listen to her! Listen to that marvelous voice! It's like an angel. She's simply an angel...



Happy Birthday, dear Bubbles!!



Happy Listening, from a very sentimental CaroNome... =)

Ban, What Ban? Matthew Polenzani, THAT Matthew Polenzani? (Plus a "Who's Suing Who")

JDF and Peter Gelb admitted that the bis on Monday was not completely spontaneous. In fact, Peter Gelb had asked our dear Juan Diego weeks ago if he would be willing to do an encore. The rest (while also being history...) is explained in the article. We at Score Desk would also like to note that although the NY Times article says, "Before Monday night the only such occasion had been Luciano Pavarotti's repeating the second-act tenor aria in “Tosca” in 1994, Met officials said." We were not aware that Puccini had made "Vissi D'arte" an alternate for the tenor. Saying otherwise would be supposing that, in fact, the tenor aria they were referring to was in the THIRD act and therefore inferring that they got it wrong. Of course, we would never do anything of the sort.
There's also a video accompanying that article! Have fun watching it over and over!
Bernard Holland (who actually decided to attend the event he was reviewing) wrote this review about Monday's performance. While only briefly touching on the bis, he goes on to talk about tuning, the "drab" production, and Natalie Dessay's gorgeous singing. Ms. Dessay has been sadly neglected in this whole fiasco, so let's give her one unanimous pat on the back for taking it so well. No diva tantrums for this opera star!!!!!


Even after the tragic and heartbreaking death of Beverly Sills, the Beverly Sills Award is alive and well. This years recipient is the ultratalented and award-worthy Matthew Polenzani. After blowing me away in last years "Magic Flute", he captured my heart during a Sirius broadcast during which he was asked what opera character he was most like. To this question he replied, "I am most like Romeo because I have loved like that. Every day my love for my wife grows stronger." Or something to that effect, and he went on for a few minutes in that fashion. Margaret Juntwait hit the nail on the head when she said, "Every woman listening just went 'aaaahh.'" Congratulations to Matthew Polenzani! You deserve every award you get!


Who's Suing Who? (And For What?)
The Rosenblatt Recital Series is suing Erwin Schrott of Schrebko (aka. Anna's baby's daddy) because of his breach of contract for the second year in a row. He cancelled his recital (scheduled for June 11th) for unknown reasons, to the fury of Mr. Rosenblatt. He had this to say to the barihunk Schrott:

"For our audience to be treated with such gross unprofessionalism and disrespect
by Mr Schrott, on two occasions, is something that shouldn’t be
tolerated.
“This is a regrettable situation, but for the reputation of my
Series I cannot allow artists, with no lawful excuse, to renege on their
contractual commitments.
"In the seven years I’ve been running our recital
series I have been impressed time and again by the dedication of singers to
their art and their public. Singers such as Mr Schrott give opera a bad name and
a reputation for not caring for the people that pay to hear them sing.
“I am
disgusted by Mr Schrott’s callous disregard to his contractual obligations. His
behaviour is cowardly and I can only wonder if he has the guts to appear on a
London concert platform as this is the second time he’s backed out of appearing
here.”

Ouch.... I'd be angry too, but this is a full on RANT! Hey, that's my job!!!



Happy Listening!!! =)

The Seige of Corinth And Franco Zefferelli (unrelated topics!)

Today, approximately thirty-three years ago, the great Beverly Sills made her debut in Rossini's L'Assedio di Corinto after the retirement of Rudolf Bing, who had let us say a thing for American singers. . I just wanted to put that out there and mark the date for everyone. You can tell how much I love Beverly Sills. =)


In Other News:
Franco Zefferelli and his followers (aren't we all?) are creating quite a stir in the offices of the Metropolitan Opera. Mr. Zefferelli (who, as we all know, is an operatic genius) is insisting that Mr. Peter Gelb (a genius in a different way) not "mothball" his classic productions such as Tosca and La Boheme. Such mothballing will lead to a protest in Lincoln Center Plaza. Bring your picket signs! Bring everyone you know! We want these Zefferelli's to stay!
Forget the Salzburg Traviata!
Forget all those terrible modernized productions that make no sense!
Keep the gorgeous and opulent productions that define the greatness of these beautiful operas!
Zefferelli forever!!!!!!


Happy Listening!!! =)

2/3 of the "Tudor Queens" are Coming to the Met!

With whispers of Beverly Sills in the air the Metropolitan Opera announced that it would only stage two of Donizetti's three "Tudor Queens." Anna Netrebko is to star in "Anna Bolena" for the opening night of the 2011-12 season, while Joyce DiDonato is to portray Mary, Queen of Scots in "Maria Stuarda" in the 2012-13 season.

"There is no singer around today who can sing it," says Peter Gelb of Donizetti's third queen, Elisabetta, from "Roberto Devereux." It's too bad because there are a few singers who I would like to see in the final scene. However, I'm looking forward to Joyce DiDonato's Maria Stuarda after hearing her Elizabeth.


No comments on Netrebko's bel canto abilities until after her Met "Lucia." I don't want to be shown up. Now that would just be embarassing! =P

Happy Listening!! =)

Tributes to Beverly Sills

All over the Internet, from YouTube to the Metropolitan Opera Website, there are tributes to our wonderful Beverly Sills. Undoubtedly one of the best loved opera singers ever, Ms. Sills deserves every single one of these tributes.

Anthony Thommasini from the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/04/arts/music/04tomm.html?em&ex=1183780800&en=0782032e05d606bb&ei=5087%0A

Remembering Beverly Sills (nytimes):
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/07/03/remembering-beverly-sills/#comment-2621

Metropolitan Opera:
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/news/press/detail.aspx?id=341

New York City Opera:
http://www.nycopera.com/about/press/detail.aspx?rid=55

Statements from the Sills family:
http://www.beverlysillsonline.com/whatsnew.htm

The Beverly Sills website:
http://www.beverlysillsonline.com/

Carol Burnett remembers her friend:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11710174

Baltimore Sun:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/music/bal-to.sills04jul04,0,4136001.story?coll=bal-artslife-music

New York Daily News:

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/culture/2007/07/addio_beverly.html

The New York Times Obituary:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/03/arts/music/03sills.html?em&ex=1183694400&en=673cd76be1b69dbf&ei=5087%0A

Beverly Sills was laid to rest yesterday (July 4th) with only a small service and burial. We are all praying for her family and those who knew her best. We all know that she's singing beautifully in the opera house in the sky.

Beverly Sills (May 25, 1929 – July 2, 2007)

Beverly Sills died yesterday at approximately 9pm. The cause was an aggressive form of lung cancer, although she never smoked. Ms. Sills was an extraordinary coloratura soprano and gave 110% of everything she had into every role she ever played. I'm very sorry I never got the chance to see her perform live or see her at all. I feel like I know her through her recordings and everything I have heard about her. She is and will always remain one of my favorite sopranos of all time. She was a great advocate for the arts even after she retired from the stage. Ms. Sills was first the general director of the New York City Opera, then was a Chairwoman of Lincoln Center, and finally was a Chairwoman on the Metropolitan Opera Board of Directors. On top of all this she had two disabled children, Meredith (Muffy) and Peter (Bucky).



I sincerely hope that Bubbles's last moments were peaceful and that she is in a better place. We love you, Bubbles!!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoXHfNGtccc

Beverly "Bubbles" Sills

1929-2007

Bubbles Gravely Ill

It was reported today that our beloved Beverly Sills is gravely ill.

She is now at a Manhattan hospital. CBS.com reported that she is suffering from cancer, although in 1974 she underwent successful cancer surgery. One source said that she had lung cancer, although that hasn't been proven. Her daughter, Muffie, is by her side.

Bubbles, you are in our prayers and please get better!!!

(The full story can be found at cbs.com, but as this story progresses I will be bringing you all the breakthroughs.)

******UPDATE: Bubbles's publicist confirms illness: (from reuters.com)
"It's grave. This whole matter of this discovery of cancer has been just about four weeks now. Up until that she had no idea," publicist Edgar Vincent said. He did not release details on the nature of her cancer.
Sills was in a New York hospital for a broken rib suffered from a fall. Otherwise she would be home, Vincent said."
******UPDATE: Apparently Beverly Sills is supposed to be going home to her New York apartment today. I've only heard this from a few sources, and they say that she's going home to spend her last days there.