Chi Mi Frena In Tal Momento?

Who dares to restrain me in this moment [of epic proportions]?

October 25th, 2008
Lucia di Lammermoor
Lucia- Diana Damrau
Edgardo- Piotr Beczala
Enrico- Vladimir Stoyanov
Raimondo- Ildar Abdrazakov
Alisa- Michaela Martens
Arturo- Sean Panikkar
Conductor- Marco Armiliato


As promised, here is a review of the birthday celebration Lucia. I took three friends to sit in the Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera House to see Diana Damrau, one of the great sopranos singing today, in Lucia di Lammermoor, one of the greatest bel canto operas ever written. I want to reiterate this because, not only did I witness an EPIC (to quote my friends) performance, but three of my friends did as well. I hesitate to say "converts", but they certainly enjoyed themselves immensely and have an added respect for this extraordinary art.

Really quick, here is the origin of "EPIC."
I usually use the thunderous applause after arias and during curtain calls to give my commentary. So after every aria/duet in the opera I had said "Beastly. That was amazing. Oh my gosh, beastly!" I figured I had used the adjective "beastly" (as a compliment, remember!) enough, so it was time for something new. After the mad scene I was dumbstruck. I couldn't even say anything! Suddenly my friend yells "EPIC! That was epic!" It was too perfect. The rest of the evening all we could saw was. "Wait, can you believe how EPIC that was?" "It was so EPIC, I can't even stand it." We even had to make up a new category of epic: Lucia-style Epic. =)

In case you want to hear about the singers at all...

Part of the epic-ness was the perfection of the cast. Looking at the list some of us may have been caught saying "Who?" Well, that question (and some of our prayers) were quickly answered.
Sean Panikkar as Arturo (while not exactly Stephen Costello *wink*) and Ronald Naldi as Normanno were strong supporters with beautiful voices and definite presence. An opera is only as good as it's supporting singers and these guys were great.
Michaela Martens as Alisa was, as last year, a force to be reckoned with. Hopefully, after the sextet you don't want to be heard, because this mezzo's voice is so big that during her high notes she drowns out everything else. It's a good thing. I love it. It's like proclaiming "Hello! I'm here! And I have a wonderful mezzo voice!!"
Ildbar Abdrazakov was a great Raimondo. He staggered onto the stage just before the mad scene in such a way that it made everyone in the audience nervous. Let's face it, we all know the mad scene is coming, but the horrified look he had made it so....real! His singing in the second act was great as well. His guidance to Lucia was heartfelt and very affecting.
No one likes Enrico. No one ever is supposed to like Enrico. He's a mean brother who has no consideration for his sister's feelings. Right? I guess not. Vladimir Stoyanov showed (me, at least) another dimension of Enrico. Sure, he is dishonest and mean to Lucia, but his intentions are clearer. With his deep voice and impressive acting Mr. Stoyanov shows a man who, in desperation, would sacrifice his sister's happiness for the "good" of his family's name. He is struggling, as head of the family, to maintain the favor the Ashton family had previously enjoyed. This all becomes clear through Stoyanov's personal interpretation of Enrico Ashton.

The real find at this performance was Piotr Beczala as Edgardo. He comes on stage and all of my friends lunged for the only pair of opera glasses we brought. Enough said? Well on the visual part of the discussion anyway... I'm always excited but nervous to see tenors I haven't heard [of] before. While I want them to succeed I'm always afraid they will disappoint. My worries were for nothing! Piotr Beczala possesses a gorgeous tenor voice with vibrant high notes and luxurious tone. He also has amazing acting abilities. Last year I commented on Marcello Giordani knocking over chairs for no apparent reason after he denounces Lucia. Beczala did that too, but here it looked normal. (Don't get me wrong, I adore Marcello Giordani, but his clear Italian style and knocking over chairs don't mesh well together.) Everything he did was perfectly relevant to the music and to the story. You really believed him and felt for him. This is a tenor to watch for! He is performing in two other roles at the Met this season (Duke in Rigoletto and Lenski in Eugene Onegin) so his name will be on every opera fans lips. Remember his name, because you won't forget his voice. <3
Diana Damrau. Lucia-style Epic. Lucia Ashton is not a half-insane girl who is clingy and weak and unstable. She's about as insane as any teenage aristocrat with a forbidden lover. She has a strong personality (demonstrated when she throws Edgardo's coat on the ground in Act I and rushes right back into his arms to elongate their duet) and a strong will (demonstrated in her duet with her brother, until she reads the forged letter). It's only, like I said, when Enrico shows her the forged letter that she breaks down. It's all downhill from the there. The wedding, the decrying, the mad sc-...we aren't there yet.
Diana Damrau. What a voice on this woman! You wouldn't know this was her role debut. You would think she'd been singing this for years! I've never seen a Lucia like this. All Lucia's are unique, but this was uniquely unique. It was Lucia, Diana Damrau style. That means it has sass, flair, it's piquant, vibrant. It's everything it should be, but with an edge. That edge is the mad scene. Every soprano is dying to do it, but only few get it just right. Need I say more? It's implied that she got it "just right." I've never seen a Lucia hobble in circles so many times, or stretch across the prompter's box and sing those extremely difficult passages. She had blood on her face, her arms, her dress. It was everywhere! Don't even get me started on this woman's high notes. THE HIGH NOTES! The High Notes. We know she has them from her Queen of the Night, but these are out of this world! All in all, it was ridiculous. It's ludicrous that those sounds can come out of a human being.
Never seen a Lucia quite like it. Beczala and Damrau have a warm and believable chemistry that had me thinking "Oh, I could see that." There was just something very different about how they reacted to each other. With some/most couples it's all about the love they share right now. Lucia and Edgardo are in love right now and yes our families fight, but now we are in love. With these two you can sense their past. You know that they know that they aren't supposed to be together, but it doesn't matter to them. You see the complexities of their relationship without them having to spoon feed it to you.

Dear Marco Armiliato, I salute you. Love, CaroNome of Score Desk.
EPIC. (The chorus, too. Finally catching up to the orchestra!)

To Summarize:
My birthday performance was LUCIA-STYLE EPIC.




Happy Listening!!! =) =)
PS. I apologize for the lateness.
PPS. I always try to make my reviews shorter, but it never works. You can handle that, right?

Birthday Birthday Birthday!!!!

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY IT'S MY BIRTHDAY IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!! =)

That's riiiight!!!!! Today is my birthdayyyyy! Not that I'm excited about it or anything...

I saw Lucia di Lammermoor with Diana Damrau last night with some of my friends to celebrate. I might actually be the first girl to ever have her birthday party at the Metropolitan Opera. Thank you, Peter Gelb!!! Hahaha.

I will have to talk about the epic-ness (aka beastliness) of Lucia another time, because I'm awfully busy right now!!!! Go Diana Damrau!!!! =)


Happy Listening!!! =) =)

Jan Peerce, Cecilia Bartoli, and Robert Merrill

These three super spectacular (and beastly famous) singers celebrate their birthdays this week!!!!!! Cecilia and Robert Merrill have their birthdays today, and Jan Peerce had his yesterday.

So, I go to look for Jan Peerce on youtube, and all I seem to find are songs I've never heard of. I see "If Ever I Should Leave You" and songs of that sort, but hardly any operatic arias. (Don't get me wrong, that "If Ever" is gorgeous!!!!) I come across a certain, obscure aria called *cough* "Vesti La Giubba." I also saw "Salut! Demeure chaste e pure", "Scenes from La Traviata", and the "Rigoletto Quartet". I was reminded of what a rare and wonderful voice Jan Peerce possessed. What a guy, what a guy.
To make a nice transition.... Here's a clip of Jan Peerce and Robert Merrill together!!!
Robert Merrill... How to begin to describe this unbelievable singer? Well he's funny, touching, lovable, heartbreaking, and so many other things. I have to say, I have the Traviata with him (and Joan Sutherland) and I must say I don't think I've ever heard such a beautiful baritone. You just sit there and marvel at the greatness of this one man. I can't get over it! He's just amazing.

Cecilia Bartoli- Owner of the famous "Cecilia faces." Isn't that why we love her? Well... that's not the only reason! Maybe because she is a fierce singer who can throw off coloratura like nobody's business. Her lovely mezzo has everything we look for in our "COOLEST MEZZO'S EVER." (Cecilia is, needless to say, on that list.) I grew up with her "Se Tu M'ami" album. I've heard "Caro Mio Ben" no one knows how many times. Am I complaining? No.

Happy Birthday to our birthday singers!!!!

Happy Listening!!! =)

Coming Soon:
A Tribute to Gustavo Dudamel (you know... the guy with the hair)
The Opera Exam (part one of many)

4 Birthdays and a Camelot

The past two days have seen the birthdays of four of the world's greatest opera stars to ever grace the stages of the world's greatest opera houses. These four are:

• Richard Tucker (whose birthday was yesterday): Possibly (and probably) the greatest American tenor in history. His creamy voice made him the tenor to beat throughout the opera world from the beginning of his career to the end.
• Zinka Milanov: A goddess to opera connoisseurs everywhere. From Charlie Handelman (of Handelmania) and beyond Zinka is worshipped for her glorious pianissimo ("Enzo adorato, come t'amo!") and other astounding triumphs.
• Birgit Nilsson: I can't say anything that hasn't already been said. An incredibly gracious lady, with the clearest Wagnerian voice I've ever heard. Not that she was just a Wagnerian, no no no! She has me biased against all other Turandots, Toscas, Amelias, and other roles.
• Gabriel Bacquier: This might sound strange, but I can't listen to anyone else's Catalogue Aria. All the others bow to his. Besides this, Bacquier is one of my favorite Almavivas, Don Giovannis, among many others. His voice is just so beautiful and his acting so believable.

I've been so lazy lately (it might be that all of my school projects are due in the same week), but this morning I got around to finally watching the Live from Lincoln Center "Camelot" that I recorded. I was debating whether to bother recording it or not, but thanks to Nathan Gunn I did. (Slight crush on that barihunk.) To go along with his sumptuous voice comes impeccable acting and perfect comic timing. The "C'est moi" was so adorable, you positively must watch it. His "If Ever I Would Leave You" (with Marin Mazzie) had me, figuratively, drooling over him. If Guinevere doesn't fall for that, then there is something wrong with her.

The rest of the cast is, needless to say, fantastic. Gabriel Byrne, Marin Mazzie, Fran Drescher, Christopher Lloyd, and Stacy Keach starred in the production with the NY Philharmonic conducted by Paul Gemignani. It would take me too long to say what I want to say about each cast member. Go to youtube look for videos from the telecast, you won't regret it!!!! =)

Happy Listening!!! =)

When I Was a Lad...

Sir Arthur Sullivan (of Gilbert and Sullivan) is someone whose music I grew up with. My dad always played the "Ultimate Gilbert and Sullivan" CD in the car. Occasionally I love to dig it up (now it's on my iPod, which makes it easier) and listen to it. (and so would my sisters and my cousins and my aunts)

Here are some highlights from G&S classics:

"I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General"
"When I Was a Lad"
"Three Little Maids from School are We"
"The Sun Whose Rays (The Moon and I)" (my favorite)
"A More Humane Mikado"
"Lord High Executioner"
"I've Got a Little List"

You may notice that most of there are from "The Mikado." The only reason for that (except me LOVING "The Mikado") is that I can't find videos on youtube that due the other shows justice. It's sad. I wanted clips of "Nevermind the Why and Wherefore", "Give Three Cheers", "A Cat Like Tread", and others, but I couldn't find any that I really liked. I'm biased. It's that darned fabulous D'Oyly Carte Opera Company (mentioned above) recording. It's just too good. I would advice you to invest in it directly. =)

Happy Birthday, Sir Arthur Sullivan!


Happy Listening!!! =)

Massenet: Bow in His Presence

Ohhhhhhhh French opera. Good stuff. Try it sometimes, it'll do you good.

Especially if the orchestral interludes sound like this and the sopranos sing like this.
In the mood for fun? Try a gavotte...
Want heartbreak? Try singing to a table...
Feel like writing a letter? Well...why not?

As you can see, all problems can be solved with a little Massenet. I mean, there's so much to choose from, I'm not sure in which gorgeous direction I should turn next!

Manon... for everyone!!!
Act I- fun-loving types
Act II- people who thrive from heartbreaks
Act III- Scene One- those teenage girls (like moi) who think they're princesses (aren't we?)
Scene Two- people desperate for a love duet
Act IV- the gamblers
Act V- tragedy lovers

Happy Birthday, Massenet!!!!


Happy Listening!! =)

Aprile Millo Day!

There are a few days I year that I think we should get off for. Maria Callas's birthday is one. Valentine's Day. Halloween. The anniversary of Caruso's death.
Aprile Millo's birthday is another.
If I had my way, it would be a national holiday today. We wouldn't have school, people wouldn't go to work, and every radio station would play Aprile Millo all day long. Would we get sick of it? Never in a million years!
Aprile Millo is oper-ific, Verdi-rific, blog-irific, over-all-terrific.

She's "my" Verdi soprano. Where ever I go, whoever I see in any of her roles I'll always say "Not as good as Millo." "Nope. Nothing compared to Millo." I did it at Ballo, at Aida in Verona, everywhere!

Happy Birthday, Ms. Millo!!!!!!!!
We love you!


Happy Listening!! =)
Happy Aprile Millo Day!

Tributes to Lily Pons and Montserrat Caballe on Their Birthday

One soprano I simply can't live without is Montserrat Caballe. There has never been a soprano like her, she's just so beyond explanation. Her "Casta Diva" was the first one I heard and the last one I needed to hear to convince me that this was one of the most gorgeous aria's for the soprano voice. Everything about her exudes brilliance, and even though half the people who bought tickets for her performances didn't see her, the ones who did will never forget it.



Lily Pons was for so many singers (and fans) an inspiration. Beverly Sills, in her autobiography Bubbles, raves about Pons constantly and with good reason. What charm! What a voice! What a coloratura. Oh, she's so fabulous.


Happy Birthday to all!!!

Happy Listening!! =)

Thank You For the Music, The Songs I'm Singin', Thanks for all the Joy Their Bringing, Who Can Live Without It? I Ask In All Honesty....

What would life be? Without a song or a dance what are we? So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me!

Thank you, Renee, for giving me some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard; for making me laugh and making me cry and making me a completely different person. I never thought it was possible, but you just get better and better as time goes on. Some people don't realize everything that you have given to the opera world and what you have given to people like me.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RENEE, MY FAVE SINGER AND BFFAEAEAEAEAE!!!!

Renee Fleming:
No. Words.



Happy Listening!!! =)
AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

CaroNome ranted

Props to La Cieca for the sick new format and the really cool idea of finding your "birth opera." It's really fun.
One thing that caught my eye was, when I commented with my birth opera it said "CaroNome ranted:..." and then the comment. I looked around and it would say "soandso retorted" "thisperson insisted" and I thought it was so funny.
Mine is very appropriate though because I rant... A LOT. Way too much, in fact.


Happy Listening =)

PS. I completely ignored Jussi's birthday yesterday (OOPS) so I'll say it now: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Still a Genius, Even After All These Years!!

It's difficult when you have a composer like Mozart to pick just a few "greatest hits" from his operas. Of course, I did my best...


What else but the Figaro finale? The beauty is beyond belief!!!
But you know... they're all like that!
Whether it's a call to revenge...
Or a singing bird...
We're all run mad by Mozart's unending genius!


Happy Listening!!!

BirthdayDesk 2

Possibly the greatest living tenor, if not then definitely the greatest tenor still performing (since September 6th, anyway), celebrates his *muffled number* birthday today!!!
I was beyond excited that he was going to conduct "Romeo et Juliette" and that I was going to go see it. He had been my favorite (and, well, still is!) since the very beginning and finally I was going to see him LIVE, IN PERSON! So I got to the Met shaking like a leaf and when the lights went down I knew I was going to lose it. Oh my gosh, he walked up to the podium and I couldn't stop, shaking, crying, laughing, and clapping all at the same time! It was crazy! Of course, I calmed down just before the applause stopped and anyone noticed. It's weird how great singers, or great people in general, can have that effect on you...

YAYYYYY PLACIDO DOMINGO!


Happy Listening!! =)


P.S. If you've been wondering what I've been doing while I've been neglecting this blog... This and this, too, are how I've been wasting- er, I mean, spending- my time.

Marilyn Horne Gets a Birthday Present!!!

Marilyn Horne's birthday present shown here. Well, if you don't want to read it here's the main part... "Now declared free of pancreatic cancer two years after diagnosis..." *DING!*

Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday dear best-mezzo-ever-and-official-opera-legendddd!
Happy Birthday to you!

(no exaggerations!)


Happy Listening!! =)

BirthdayDesk?

Well, you know someone like THIS deserves a big birthday hug! I wish...


Three words:
Juan. Diego. Florez.





Happy Listening! =)

And Suddenly I've Found How Wonderful A Sound Can Be!!

Today we celebrate the birthday of one of the most beloved opera composers to ever live, Giacomo Puccini. He is the man whose music changed my life and I am forever indebted to him. He is also the man on my pin that I wear on my uniform blazer every day to school. My friends scrunch their faces to try and figure out who that is. “A dead guy, right?” They ask, knowing my love of history and…well…dead music people. “Yeah, a dead music guy.” They nod, “Who is he?” I don’t want to explain the whole Boheme/Rent connection for the billionth time so I just smile and say “Giacomo Puccini, which in Italian means ‘the man who changed my life.’” Suddenly they don’t seem so interested, but I don’t care because when I wear that blazer I know the whole world can see that me, a high school student, loves Puccini and loves opera. I don’t just love him for La Boheme; I love him because his aria “Nessun Dorma” made me catch the opera bug.
Puccini showed me that opera isn’t about snotty old people and fat Italian singers who break glasses with their high notes and wear breast plates, so now I’m here to show my peers that opera isn’t about any of that. Maybe if they see me with that pin they’ll see that young people can like opera also and they don’t have to be embarrassed about it. Well… that probably won’t happen, but I can try can’t I?
At one family dinner I was talking to my grandfather about “Turandot” and my aunt laughs and says “Don’t worry, dear, it’s just a phase!” I smiled at her and said “Oh, I’m not worried.” I wouldn’t say this is a phase, but a life-long passion that I’m desperate to share with others. Since my friends don’t seem interested, I made a blog instead. I think it’s been pretty successful so far. I’ve gotten the point across that I love opera, haven’t I?
So thank you, Puccini, for everything you have done for me and probably for so many other people. Oh yeah, and happy birthday! =)

Happy Listening!!! =)

To the Greatest Diva Who Ever Lived...

Happy Birthday, La Divina.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZiOIi1nUsM0

Dame Joan, Dame Gwyneth

Two great ladies celebrated their birthdays yesterday.

One is, in my opinion, one of the best sopranos who ever lived. Dame Joan Sutherland!!!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=u3GS6Cw3IEU

The other is not known for this part, but the first time I heard her she was the Marschallin alongside Brigitte Fassbaender and Lucia Popp. It's an understatement when I say she left a lasting impression!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xwBcXzx0UPo

Happy Listening! =)

Bellini's Belated Birthday

Since my internet was conveniently down for the past few days, I couldn't wish the brilliant composer or Norma, I Puritani, and others a Happy, Happy Birthday!

Well, here's my birthday tribute to the great Vincenzo Bellini!!!!!

Montserat Caballe singing "Casta Diva" (btw, she's just about the greatest Norma there ever was)http://youtube.com/watch?v=YwwcXssv4FE

And the luscious "A te, o cara" from I Puritani starring Juan Diego Florez (I'm not im love with the soprano-or his wig/hat- but I love this clip)http://youtube.com/watch?v=7OfGhIbyEa4

Happy Listening!! =)

Big Luciano

http://youtube.com/watch?v=TOfC9LfR3PI


Happy Birthday, maestro.

Have a VERDI Happy Birthday!!!

In honor of, you guessed it, Giussepe Verdi's birthday I am going to give to all of you a few of my personal favorite selections from his many wonderful operas.

First up is Joan Sutherland as Violetta in La Traviata
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jaYN47O26k4

Then we have the Brindisi from La Traviata featuring Carlo Bergonzi and Joan Sutherland
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ew1Lx7zgCFU

And here we have the famous "Va, Pensiero" from Nabucco at the Arena di Verona
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MJg2VU6nAyw

And even though Edita Gruberova looks "other worldly" Luciano Pavarotti still rocks the socks off of this quartet from Rigoletto
http://youtube.com/watch?v=DYRZOEzoOgQ

And of course, the "La Donna e Mobile" with the master
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xCFEk6Y8TmM

"Ah si ben mio-Di quella pira" from Il Trovatore as sung by Carlo Bergonzi (because Pavarotti can't dominate all Verdi roles!! Oh... wait... too late!!!!)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=w_Qut3jL0pY

One of my favorite Amelia's (but not looking her best) is Katia Ricciarelli! Here alongside Placido Domingo in "Teco io sto" from Ballo
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qG2xkZCuZFw

The glorious Eva Marton singing "Ritorna Vincitor" from Aida
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lgdb0dVG0yU

The famous yell during Renata Scotto's Luisa Miller
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CEjuvY92nWw

The "Lacrimosa" from Verdi's Requiem
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qUTDer_huv8

The finale of Falstaff
http://youtube.com/watch?v=igCZGOO0u-E

"Gia nella notte" from Otello with Renee Fleming and Placido Domingo (of course)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ez4-O2BCmSA

And finally, a little parody from our friend Vera Galupe Borszh
http://youtube.com/watch?v=yJtP4AOBc3g


I'm sorry this is so long, Verdi just wrote too many operas!!!!!!

Happy Listening!