The Catfight

http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/news/features/detail.aspx?id=5092


Deborah Voigt and Olga Borodina fight to the death for Enzo's love...
I mean, Gioconda and Laura fight to the death for Enzo's love...

Or is it really Debbie and Olga? Hm...... Watch the video and find out...



Happy Listening!!!! =)

La Gioconda at the Met 9/27/08

La Gioconda- Deborah Voigt
Laura- Olga Borodina
La Cieca- Ewa Podles
Enzo- Aquiles Machado
Barnaba- Jason Stearns ****
Alvise- Orlin Anastassov
Solo Dancers: Angel Corella and Letizia Giuliani

****replacing a sick Carlo Guelfi


Saturday was my first time seeing Deborah Voigt live and boy was I excited!!!! Despite the fact that I was dead tired and my dad could barely keep his eyes open it was a thrilling night!!! (Note: It was not the opera that made us sleepy!)

I was so pumped. Beyond excited. Here was a performance of an opera I had seen before, but not with as much knowledge as I have now. Two of my favorite singers, Olga Borodina and Deborah Voigt, and one of my favorite dancers, Angel Corella, all on one stage. It's almost too much!
Here's the low down:

I'll start with the men. Tenor Aquiles Machado was not my choice Enzo. Let's just put it that way, nicely. His "Cielo e mar" was, in my opinion, less than thrilling. He can hit the notes, just not in the nicest ways. Am I a spoiled opera-goer? Yes. Do I hide it? No. I want the best tenors all the time. =) His entrance was better than the rest of the night, which is weird. Usually it's the other way around.
The Alvise of Orlin Anastassov was so creepy. He went towards the curtain with the "dead" Laura behind it and I got chills up my spine! He sang very well, too. His Act III aria was evil and yet moving. That whole "I'm killing my wife, but only for the sake of family pride" works every time...but it never does (see also Un Ballo in Maschera).
Mr. Not-Peter-Gelb (you can tell I'm terrific with names) came in front of the curtain, to many boos and scoffs, before the performance to announce that baritone Carlo Guelfi (Barnaba) had a bad cold. Not catastrophic! At least Debbie Voigt doesn't have a throat infection! His cover, Jason Stearns, was a very very good baritone. Despite some severe rushing in the act II "Pescator" which caused him to be way ahead of the orchestra, he was quite amazing. His Barnaba was so evil he was almost Iago-like. In the act I "O Monumento" especially. He has a great future ahead of him I can tell, at the Met or not.

Now to the highly commendable ladies:
The best singers of the evening were by far the women.
Deborah Voigt was, in my humble and probably insignificant opinion, amazing! Granted, I have heard her better (ie. last year's Tristan, when she wasn't dying of consumption, etc.), but for the first time hearing her in the house it was fantastic. Might I add, if it's not too much, that she is looking stunning these days. Not that she needs to hear it from me, but she's gorgeous and is looking super healthy and what EVERYONE should aim to look like. I didn't even mind the brown wig so much. =) Back to her singing... Her "Enzo adorato, come t'aaammmooo" was really beautiful. A taaddd pinchy on the high, high note, but I, and I think a few other people, had to consciously stop myself from clapping. "Oh right, this isn't Zinka at the old house, just kidding!" The "Suicidio" was fantastic as well, of course!
Olga Borodina, an original member of the Cool Mezzo List, was amazing last night. I saw her two years ago in the same role and I can't decide which was better. She had a little trouble with the last note of her act II aria, but other than that her voice rang with beauty. She looked radiant as always and her booming voice magnifies her presence by 100%. That's adding to her already apparent stage presence. She's just a BEAST. She's amazing. I love her.
EWA PODLES! Where have you been all my life???? NEWEST MEMBER OF THE COOL MEZZO LIST. She got the longest ovation (of the singers) all night, and rightfully! She sang the heck out of La Cieca!!!!! Not to mention I seriously wondered whether she actually could see or not. She's perfect! Gorgeous voice and very natural acting. Legend.

I'd also like to say that I was not disappointed with any of the supporting roles. Namely David Crawford as Zuane, Tony Stevenson as Isepo, and Ricardo Lugo as a Monk. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of singers the Met got for these roles. Bravi!

The dancers were heavenly. Letizia Giuliani is an Italian ballerina. She was absolutely stunning; her feet are beyond words! I have this thing about dancers' feet, maybe it's because I'm a dancer too, I don't know. She has amazing feet, her arches go up to her eyes! She danced beautifully and she was equally matched in her partner, Angel Corella. Star of the American Ballet Theatre, Angel Corella is, in my opinion, one of the best danseurs currently dancing in the world.



Side Note: The chandeliers looking glorious. They sparkle like nothing else I've ever seen. It looks like it's shooting out rainbows! I noticed chandeliers that I think I had never seen before. They were so bright and beautiful. One thing.... That wonderful affect we all love when the lights come down and they raise the chandeliers: it's gone. Gone. I don't know why, but I guess someone decided that the lights should go down and the chandeliers be brought up in darkness. An eerie effect for the opening cello solo of La Gioconda, but I hope it will not be continued!
I demand old-fashioned pre-curtain routines! I shall not stand for it!




Happy Listening!!! =)

Flicka!!!!!!!!! (with some "Tristan" notes)

First off: Happy first day of June! One step closer to summer!

Second: Happy Birthday, Frederica von Stade, an original member of my "Coolest Mezzo's Ever" list.
Flicka (her loving nickname) is one of the most adorable Cherubinos, Octavians, Hansels, (to get out of the pants roles) Angelinas, Rosinas, Rusalkas (?), or mezzos ever! I look up to her so much and she's just a delightful singer! She's funny, gorgeous, and has a voice like gold. Did I mention that she's gorgeous? I love her! She's a fabulous actress also, and she's adorable!


Third: How many saw the Tristan und Isolde on PBS?? *searches crowd for hands*
Cool! Well, I watched it too! Although you all know that Wagner is not my fach, I really enjoyed the telecast! Deborah Voigt is the best, she was just amazing. The tenor was really great as well, considering the "last minute" circumstances of the performance. I have no complaints about any of the singers...
But what was with the split screen?!?!?!?!?! I didn't get it. The screen got smaller and I sometimes couldn't see what was happening! I won't go on about it...
Susan Graham was a delightful host, although I found her a little stiff (nerves?). She was very cute, even when Jimmy Levine was stroking her neck ("vocal cords"). That got a little weird. But he's a genius (they're both geniuses), what can you do?
Amazing telecast!!!!!! Go Debbie Voigt!


Happy Birthday, Flicka!

Happy Listening!

Knock on Wood, Don't Break a Mirror, and Just DON'T GIVE THEM BACK LUCK!

The Met announced that FINALLY Ben Heppner and Deborah Voigt will be together (as in singing at the same time) in Tristan und Isolde. It's a miracle, I say. Here's what the Met says:

"Deborah Voigt and Ben Heppner, originally scheduled to star in all six
performances of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde this season, are scheduled to sing
together on Friday night. Illness has prevented them from taking the stage
together until this final Tristan of the season, conducted by James Levine. To
celebrate their very first full performance together—anywhere—of this epic
opera, the Met will stream the performance live on its website."

As it says, at 7pm tonight go to the Met website and the Tristan will be streaming LIVE. Yes.
We need to quarantine these two or something, though, because they can not get sick. Can't. Can not.

Happy Listening!! =)

Ben's in, Deb's Out...

And the Met Tristan is in chaos.

Ugh, Wagner Makes Me Sick...

Well, not me, but it seems to make every one else sick. First, Ben Heppner catches a virus and can't sing Tristan. Then, the audience gets sick of the cover Tristan and he gets booed. Finally, Deborah Voigt falls ill during her performance of Isolde. In fact, it was right in the middle of the love duet. Yikes.
According to the AP Voigt had not been feeling well at the beginning of the day, but didn't want to "disturb" the management and she wanted "to be very supportive of Mr. Lehman," the cover for Tristan. (Wait, I'm confused as to where Mr. MacMaster went...) So, during the love duet Ms. Voigt suddenly ran off the stage, leaving her Tristan confused and shocked. Mr. Levine kept the orchestra going, but the curtain soon closed. After a few minutes an announcement was made that Deborah Voigt was ill. The cover Janice Baird came to a heroic rescue! Both singers received enthusiastic applause at the end of the act.


I just hope everyone gets well soon. It's terrible to have both lead singers sick at once.


Happy Listening!!! =)

The Gasp Heard 'Round the (Opera) World

Some one was booed at the Met?!?!??!?!!

The Met?

As in the Metropolitan Opera House?

Unheard of! Insane! Ridiculous!



Discussions concerning the "softies" and "too nice" Met audience have been had. Last night they were abruptly silenced when at the curtain calls of the season premiere of Tristan und Isolde tenor John MacMaster was booed by some members of the audience. Some does not necessarily mean unheard. It was (according to La Cieca) the worst booing incident in 37 years. That's pretty rough.
Having heard some of the Sirius broadcast myself I can say that MacMaster was obviously not *gulp* at his best. However, no matter what anyone else may say, I thought that Deborah Voigt sounded wonderful! I personally think she is amazing. Her voice sounded great from what I heard and although I didn't hear Michelle DeYoung I heard she all but stole the show.

Still, this booing.... What are we, La Scala? =)


Happy Listening!! =)