For What's The Sound of the World Out There? Those Opera Noises Pervading the Air.

As if you couldn't tell, I am beyond excited for the spectacle that is Opening Night at the Metropolitan Opera. Although I will not be in the actual opera house, I will be diligently reporting from my local movie theater. I think it's almost cooler to be in the movie theater for this season's opening night. It's historical! History in the making! Don't you want to be a part of that? Plus, you get to see those gorgeous couture gowns up close! Maybe they'll even spray in some of "La Voce Renee Fleming" into the theaters. They could if they really wanted to. It's the Met! They can do anything!
I will be "mobile blogging" periodically (meaning at every pause or catastrophic event) and then maybe one mass review on Tuesday?

I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Happy Listening!!! =)

Quel Jour de Fete! (en HD)

Tonio- Juan Diego Florez

Marie- Natalie Dessay

Marquise of Berkenfield- Felicity Palmer

Sulpice- Alessandro Corbelli

Duchess of Krankenthorp- Marian Seldes

Hortensius- Donald Maxwell

Conductor- Marco Armiliato

A sigh and a groan went up in the Metropolitan Opera House when, after minutes of applause and a few mid-opera bows, Juan Diego Florez did not begin an encore. *sigh* Everyone in the movie theater just went "Aw, man." Life went on. Ohhhh, but the JDF fun doesn't stop there! He was simply glorious the whole show! His acting was (in my opinion) even better than at the Barber's last season. His voice was, as usual, amazing and the D flat at the end of his second act aria blew me away! It's still ringing in my ears. I've never heard something like that before, it was beautiful! Well, he's beautiful so it works.

It was wrong of me to say that Natalie Dessay was "sadly neglected" because she received enormous ovations for her numerous arias and final curtain call. I had always thought well of her, and liked her Lucia earlier this season, but this performance sealed the deal! I have officially hitched onto the Natalie Dessay bandwagon!!! Her singing is amazing and her acting is impeccable. Her coloratura is fast and furious, her high notes are sharp, and her personality is as big as the Met stage. Brava.

Felicity Palmer and Alessandro Corbelli were fabulous as the Marquise and Sulpice. Last season Corbelli was dee-heelightful as Gianni Schicci and I'm so glad he's back doing another comic role! Felicity Palmer is no stranger to opera fans and she sounded so wonderful! It made me so happy to hear her. They were so funny together, they worked off of each other and the other cast members so well. They obviously love what they are doing and it was so enjoyable to watch them.

The illustrious (strait-laced, anyone?) Duchess of Krankenthorp was played by the famous Marian Seldes. While this is only a speaking role, it is quite easy for the Duchess to steal the show. Although she had a commanding presence and a knack for all things comic, Madame Seldes might not have a strong hold on the French language. It's tough stuff (I would know, I'm studying it now), so we won't hold it against her! I think that maybe some of her scripted comedy and bursts of English were a little over the top, she was hysterically funny and it's easy to say that she left a lasting impression on the Met audience.

Some may not love this new production my Laurent Pelly, but I thought it was marvelous! His vision of Marie was very different from some other productions (i.e. Sutherland at Covent Garden), but I think it went perfectly with the role. Instead of having Marie be dressed up, Pelly had Dessay in a tank top and overalls, doing all the dirty work and getting messy. She was a true tomboy, and I loved it! The production as a whole was beautiful. Very modern, but not obnoxious or Eurotrash-y. Alessandro Corbelli said in the intermission interview that it was "fresh" and that he loved it. He's absolutely right!

What is there to say about the chorus and orchestra? Marco Armiliato kept the tempo up and made the orchestra sound its best. The best it sounded was during the orchestra and the entr'acte, but it sounded wonderful throughout. The chorus sounded superb and it was a delight to watch them commit to all the physical demands this production calls for.

I'm also seeing this on Friday, so I will have more details then. GO SEE THE ENCORE TOMORROW IN MOVIE THEATERS!!!!!!

Happy Listening!! =)

Mr. Gelb, I'm Ready For My Bis..

Alternate Titles:

To Bis or Not To Bis. That is the Question.

Bis in Our Time.

(both conveniently taken by La Cieca, but that's okay because I like this title, too.)

I tend to buy my HD tickets a little late. I might have to stop doing that since word is getting around that my town movie theater is doing the transmissions. Anyway, I bought mine earlier and can't wait!!!! Juan Diego Florez = <3

Big Question: Will he bis?

I hope so. What a piece of history!

Happy Listening!!!!! =)

(Official) HD List in Met Press Release

It's even more exciting than we thought! Considering the fact that my local movie theater (which is within easy walking distance) has adopted the Met in HD, I am happy to announce that there will not be just 10 HD transmissions like Renee said during La Boheme, but there will be ELEVEN.
I'll save the best for last and give you these 10 first (straight from the Met website)...

Saturday, October 11, 2008 SALOME (1:00 p.m. EDT / 12:00 p.m. CDT / 11:00 a.m. MDT / 10:00 a.m. PDT/ 17:00 p.m. UTC / 18:00 p.m. BST / 19:00 CEST) – Soprano Karita Mattila reprises her acclaimed interpretation of the title character of Strauss’s Salome, with baritone Juha Uusitalo as Jochanaan. Mikko Franck conducts.

Saturday, November 8, 2008 DOCTOR ATOMIC (1:00 p.m. EST / 12:00 p.m. CST / 11:00 a.m. MST / 10:00 a.m. PST/ 18:00 p.m. UTC / 19:00 p.m. CET) – Penny Woolcock directs the Metropolitan Opera premiere of John Adams’s Doctor Atomic, starring Gerald Finley as Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer and Sasha Cooke as his wife, Kitty, with Eric Owens and Richard Paul Fink. Alan Gilbert conducts. NEW PRODUCTION

Saturday, November 22, 2008 LA DAMNATION DE FAUST (1:00 p.m. EST / 12:00 p.m. CST / 11:00 a.m. MST / 10:00 a.m. PST/ 18:00 p.m. UTC; 19:00 p.m. CET) – Robert Lepage directs Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust, starring Marcello Giordani in the title role, with Susan Graham as Marguerite and John Relyea as Méphistophélès. James Levine conducts. (A new production reconceived in collaboration with Ex Machina for the Met, based on a co-production of the Saito Kinen Festival and Opéra National de Paris.) NEW PRODUCTION

Saturday, December 20, 2008 THAÏS (12:00 p.m. EST / 11:00 a.m. CST / 10:00 a.m. MST / 9:00 a.m. PST/ 17:00 p.m. UTC; 18:00 p.m. CET) – Renée Fleming stars in the title role of Massenet’s Thaïs, with Thomas Hampson as the monk Athanaël in John Cox’s production, which originated at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Jesús López-Cobos conducts. NEW PRODUCTION

Saturday, January 10, 2009 LA RONDINE (1:00 p.m. EST / 12:00 p.m. CST / 11:00 a.m. MST / 10:00 a.m. PST/ 18:00 p.m. UTC; 19:00 p.m. CET) – Nicolas Joël directs Puccini’s La Rondine, starring Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna in a production originally mounted by the Théâtre du Capitole, Toulouse, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Marco Armiliato conducts. (Co-production with the Théâtre du Capitole, Toulouse, and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.) NEW PRODUCTION

Saturday, January 24, 2009 ORFEO ED EURIDICE (1:00 p.m. EST / 12:00 p.m. CST / 11:00 a.m. MST / 10:00 a.m. PST/ 18:00 p.m. UTC; 19:00 p.m. CET) – Stephanie Blythe and Danielle de Niese star in Mark Morris’s production of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice. James Levine conducts.

Saturday, February 7, 2009 LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR (1:00 p.m. EST / 12:00 p.m. CST / 11:00 a.m. MST / 10:00 a.m. PST/ 18:00 p.m. UTC; 19:00 p.m. CET) – Dynamic opera duo Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón star in Mary Zimmerman’s acclaimed production of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. Marco Armiliato conducts.

Saturday, March 7, 2009 MADAMA BUTTERFLY (1:00 p.m. EST / 12:00 p.m. CST / 11:00 a.m. MST / 10:00 a.m. PST/ 18:00 p.m. UTC; 19:00 p.m. CET) – Cristina Gallardo-Domâs sings the title role of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly in Anthony Minghella’s stunning production. Marcello Giordani stars as Pinkerton. Patrick Summers conducts.

Saturday, March 21, 2009 LA SONNAMBULA (1:00 p.m. EDT / 12:00 p.m. CDT / 11:00 a.m. MDT / 10:00 a.m. PDT/ 17:00 p.m. UTC; 18:00 p.m. CET) – Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Flórez star in Mary Zimmerman’s new production of Bellini’s La Sonnambula, conducted by Evelino Pidò. NEW PRODUCTION

Saturday, May 9, 2009 LA CENERENTOLA (1:00 p.m. EDT / 12:00 p.m. CDT / 11:00 a.m. MDT / 10:00 a.m. PDT/ 17:00 p.m. UTC; 18:00 BST; 19:00 p.m. CEST) – Elīna Garanča stars in Rossini’s bel canto Cinderella story, La Cenerentola. Lawrence Brownlee stars as her Prince Charming, Don Ramiro. Maurizio Benini conducts.


AND MOST EXCITING OF ALL... IN NORTH AMERICA ONLY (sorry)...

Monday, September 22, 2008 OPENING NIGHT GALA (6:30 p.m. EDT / 5:30 p.m. CDT / tape delayed to 8:00 p.m. MDT / 7:00 p.m. PDT) – Opening Night Gala starring Renée Fleming in fully staged performances of scenes from three different operas: Verdi’s La Traviata (Act II), Massenet’s Manon (Act III), and the final scene from Richard Strauss’s Capriccio. Tenor Ramón Vargas and baritones Thomas Hampson and Dwayne Croft co-star. Met Music Director James Levine and Marco Armiliato conduct.

Woooooooooaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh... So just in case I can't get tickets to the actual opening night, I can either sit in the plaza/Times Square in the cold and watch it or I can sit in a nice warm movie theater. There is always the possibility that La Fleming will take a bow on the Grand Tier balcony a la Dessay this season, but we might have to take that chance.


Did I mention lately that Peter Gelb is my hero?

Happy Listening!!! =)

Let's Get Ready for HDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, this list isn't official, but I'm going to put it here anyway so that we can plan our lives around it. Alright? Cool.

Saturday, October 11, 2008, 1:00 pm
Salome
Franck; Mattila, Komlósi, Begley, Kaiser, Uusitalo

Saturday, November 8, 2008, 1:00 pm
Dr. Atomic
Gilbert; Cooke, Arwady, Finley, Fink, Owens

Saturday, November 22, 2008, 1:00 pm
Le Damnation de Faust
Levine; Graham, Giordani, Relyea

Saturday, December 20, 2008, 12:00 pm
Thais
López-Cobos; Fleming, Schade, Hampson

Saturday, January 10, 2009, 1:00 pm
La Rondine
Armiliato; Gheorghiu, Oropesa, Alagna, Brenciu, Ramey

Saturday, January 24, 2009, 1:00 pm
Orfeo
Levine; de Niese, Murphy, Blythe

Saturday, February 7, 2009, 1:00 pm
Lucia di Lammermoor
Armiliato; Netrebko, Villazón, Kwiecien, Abdrazakov

Saturday, March 7, 2009, 1:00 pm
Madama Butterfly
Summers; Gallardo-Domâs , Zifchak, Giordani, Croft

Saturday, March 21, 2009, 1:00 pm
La Sonnambula
Pidò; Dessay, Flórez, Pertusi

Saturday, May 9, 2009
La Cenerentola
Benini; Garanca, Brownlee, Alberghini, Corbelli, Relyea


Right off the bat count me in for Cenerentola, Sonnambula, and Faust. The rest I'm planning on seeing anyway. My new season resolution (since my new year starts with the season/school) is to see all the HD transmissions and to see as many operas as possible!!!
I'll let you know when the official list is out. =)


Happy Listening!! =)

Sliced Bread No More!

The entire sliced bread thing went up in smoke today when the Metropolitan Opera announced that it will NOT be offering it's HD telecasts On-Demand 30 days after the live broadcast in movie theaters. Oh well, that's sad. Apparently the theater directors thought people wouldn't go to the movie theaters and just wait for the on-demand. All I have to say is, if that's the case, why are people still in the opera house when they can see the same opera for much cheaper in a movie theater? (Yes, thank you, we all know the answer.)


Happy Listening!! =)

Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin Moviecast

(Just for the record it's pronounced "Yevgenee Ownyaygin")

What a miraculously, amazingly perfect performance! This being my first Russian opera and my first opera in a movie theatre, maybe I shouldn't be talking, but it was just fantastic. Renee Fleming was a dream as Tatiana! What it must have been like to see/hear her in the house, I can't even imagine! Her Letter Scene was simply amazing! I loved how she ran around the stage with leaves in her hands, it was great! I don't care what people say about her, when she tries she is the best! Her tone is perfect and throughout the opera it was flawless. What miraculous work.
Dmitri Hvorostovsky never really caught my attention, UNTIL NOW! Holy moly! It was amazing. He looked every bit as snobbish and jerk-ish as he was supposed to in the first two acts, and then in the final act (when he totally loses it) he looks enraptured and then heartbroken. His singing was unbelievable and it helps that he's good looking. During the polonaise he gets to take his shirt off for a costume change on stage and my friend and I were at the edge of our seats with our jaws dropped. HELLO MR. HVOROSTOVSKY. But he was a jerk to Tatiana, so he can stay heartbroken =P.
Anyway, the rest of the cast was glorious! Ramon Vargas as Lensky was a stroke of genius. What a warm tone! Lately I've been sort of disappointed with some of the tenors the Met has produced, but I wasn't here! What a pleasant surprise! How sad that he has to get shot by his best friend =(, that's the only downfall of the opera. I would have liked to see Lensky live and ONEGIN SHOT! (what a jerk Eugene is, psh) Elena Zaremba's Olga, on the other hand, was slightly disappointing. The acting and attitude was just right, but the singing was a little off. It bugged me that the character was not a soprano because then she sounds too old. Zaremba was, I regret to say, quite a bit wobbly, but enjoyable none-the-less. Sergei Aleksashkin was a wonderful Prince Gremin. His aria almost stopped the show, and rightfully so, it was glorious. Gergiev....Gergiev...there's nothing to say, really, without going overboard! It was perfect, don't let anyone else conduct it!!!!

I'm not so sure if you're supposed to, but I clapped with the audience sitting in the Met. I was one of few who did so, but I wasn't ashamed. It's boring to sit there and listen to other people clap, I wanted it to be like I was right there with them. Most people in my theatre clapped during the curtain calls, but no one dared to let out a "bravo." And it's hopeless to try and see it live AT the Met because the last two performance's are completely and totally sold out =(. Maybe next season???
As for the movie aspect of it, I felt it was mostly good. I would really prefer less "in their face" approach to the singers, I'd rather see the whole stage then just one singer's face for five whole minutes, because the whole stage is what the real audience sees. Some times pulling back is a good thing! However, seeing shots of the orchestra clapping for the performers was charming and I loved seeing the house in it's full glory. Watching the audience during ovations was fun and it really got you into the whole experience.

For anyone who has never gone to one of these moviecasts should definitely go! It was wonderful, my friend and I enjoyed it immensely. And for anyone who has never seen or hear Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin absolutely should! It's a masterpiece!