Met's 2009-2010 Subscription Highlights and Lowlights

Dear Metropolitan Opera,

I would like to first introduce some proposed improvements to your recent presentation of subscriptions...Lowlights!

• Will someone PLEASE make sure that Rolando Villazon gets his life in order before we all get our hopes up about Contes d'Hoffmann????? From recent reports via Parterre and Opera Chic should we get the hint that maybe Rolando isn't going to be appearing at the Met if not after an extended absence, then ever? This whole situation makes me rather depressed.
• Someone just remind me why we are replacing the Zefferelli Tosca? No, no I shouldn't think like this. I'll be open minded: Will someone reassure me that the new production will be fantastic??
• Why, for goodness sake, can't the Met fit in a Der Rosenkavalier into any of the Saturday Evening subscriptions? That is one of the few operas that I am absolutely dying to go see and I can't squeeze it in to any of my subscription choices! I will have to buy tickets separately, but can't the Met replace anything with Rosenkavalier?
• Another little detail they forgot about in the Saturday subscriptions: The Nose. This is another opera I want to see so badly (just for Paulo Szot, but shhhh don't tell anyone!) and it's nowhere to be found on Saturday Evening!
• I just have this to say about Renee's new production of Armida: Can we trust Mary Zimmerman with another bel canto opera?

Alright, that's all the complaints I have. On a lighter note, here are some events I'm looking forward to this season...Highlights!!!

• I'm very curious about From the House of the Dead. I have a very funny feeling about it, but a good funny feeling. Something is going to make this opera interesting. I'm intrigued!
• The new Carmen! I'm usually very conservative when it comes to new productions, especially when they're for such staples as Carmen, but this is another case where I have a good feeling about it. I'm hoping that even if the production turns out eurotrashy or just flat out obnoxious (ie. the recent Sonnambula) the stellar cast will keep it afloat.
• As I said in the Lowlights, I'm looking forward to the Der Rosenkavalier and The Nose, but for very different reasons. The primary reason in The Nose is, of course, Paulo Szot, but I'm trying to branch out into more contemporary opera to see if I like it. Trying to stay hip and "with it." =) Der Rosenkavalier, on the other hand is a shameless guilty pleasure. Not only does it star my dear Renee Fleming, but oh look! there's Susan Graham and Thomas Allen! Did I mention that this is one of my favorite operas of all time?
• Maybe this season I'll finally get to see Damnation de Faust or Il Trittico. I wanted to see Damnation this year, but never got around to it. It looked like a strange production!!!! Il Trittico is in support of my darling Patricia Racette. She's got the triple bill going and I wouldn't miss it for the world!!!!!

This is sure to be a season of opportunity. There are so many new operas and genres to try, new productions to explore, and new singers to fall head-over-heels for (namely Paulo Szot). Even if we hate (or love to hate?) every single new production, or if we bash every singer in a revival, we KNOW that this season will NOT be boring. The blogosphere and Angela Gheorghiu will make sure that we will always have something to talk about during the 2009-2010 season!!!

Happy Listening!!! =)

PS. *sighhhhh* I missed posting! =)

3 New Desert Island CD's.

If you asked me "If you were stranded on a desert island and you could only choose a few CDs to bring with you, what would they be?" I would take a ridiculously long time to figure it out. Two that would immediately come to mind are the Solti Le Nozze di Figaro and one Renee Fleming disc (not sure which one...) I'd want to take all of mine of course, but only a few... Hmm...

Recently I was told that I needed to branch out more, listen to different things. Here I am thinking I've got a pretty diverse "repertoire." From Russian opera to German opera to Italian opera and some other obscure languages in between. Apparently I was mistaken. While the comment was intended to push me in a more contemporary direction, I took it in the exact opposite direction. (I'm a firm believer in going back before going forward.) In an attempt to push my boundaries into the past, I purchased Patricia Petibon's "French Baroque Arias" and Diana Damrau's "Arie di Bravura." I made a pact with myself that I wouldn't rush to the songs I knew, but listen to the entire disc.














What a revelation! I'm listening nonstop to these two fabulous artists in arias that I have never heard before, but now can't live without! Consider these added to my Desert Island Collection.
Diana Damrau's stunning voice flowed through these arias with ease and precision. Having only heard two songs from this CD (both Queen of the Night arias) I was a little nervous about my pact. I put on the CD and at the first song I was hooked! Diana Damrau is fabulous!
I first discovered Patricia Petibon from Sarah Noble's "Tubular Belles" and I am sooooooo thankful for it. Not only is this glorious soprano out of her mind, she sings like an angel and has introduced me to wonderful new (well...old) baroque arias! Her Doll Song from Hoffmann that is on youtube had me falling out of my seat. Let's just say, you've never seen a doll break down like this before. Some people find it vulgar, or something, but I think it's wonderful!


Another disc that I recently acquired is Rolando Villazon's "Cielo e Mar". I feel like I'm branching out with this disc also, although it's still in my "comfort zone" which is more in the Romantic style.
Having obviously heard "Cielo e Mar" before, but nothing else on the disc I made the same pact that I had with the above CD's. I had avoided Villazon's recordings before because (I'm going to be brutally honest) most were with Anna Netrebko and I do not like how her voice sounds IN RECORDINGS. (keys words there) I bought this after hearing from various sources how wonderful it was and I'm happy I took their advice. Rolando Villazon is truly one of the great voices of our generation. Two of my favorite arias from this CD (besides "Cielo e mar") are the Mercadente aria from Il Giuramento and the aria from Adriana Lecouvreur, but I love them all!
Another addition to my Desert Island Collection!



I advice a speedy purchase of these three wonderful albums. You won't regret it, I promise!



Happy Listening!!! =)

Villazon is Baaaacccckkkkk!!!!!!!!

Yessssssss FINALLY!!!

We missed you, Rolando!!! Stay healthy, 'aight?

Happy Listening!! =)

Rolando Villazon (Is everything okay?)

It has just been announced at the Met website that ROLANDO VILLAZON HAS CANCELLED ALL HIS PERFORMANCES DURING THE RUN OF "ROMEO ET JULIETTE."
Why?
Health reasons!

???????????????????????????

He's obviously been having some trouble. It's been said "thyroid problems", this problem, that problem. I'm seriously getting worried!!!! Not "oh, he'll be gone soon" worried... just worried about his health!!!!

Get well soon, Mr. Villazon! We'll miss you! (especially if Roberto Alagna is singing the Romeos)

Villazon's Crack

There has been a small dispute in the opera world about whether or not Rolando Villazon really did "crack" last night at the 40th Anniversary Gala.

Most people who were actually in the house (ex. Grand Tier, Balcony, etc.) say that they never heard the tenor crack once! Some people in the orchestra said that they heard him crack severely in his Manon aria.
People who were listening to the live stream from the Met (like me) and on Sirius Radio said that they distinctly heard him crack during both "Che Gelida Manina" in Boheme and in his Manon aria. It also sounded like he was having trouble in "O Soave Fanciulla," especially that final high note.

So, is this the fault of the radio transmission, the placement of the audience members, or Villazon's audibility? Usually, I hear, Villazon doesn't have these sort of problems. I'm guessing he was getting over a cold or developing one. It could have been vocal fatigue. It could have been many things, but I feel certain that Mr. Villazon is a better performer than what we heard last night. He deserves another chance, which he is getting next year in Romeo et Juliette.

I really wish the Met had recorded this Gala for either DVD or CD so we could tell what actually happened. I'm very curious, though, as to why the audience in the opera house couldn't hear the crack and us listening over the radio could!! Was it the placement of the microphones? Was it the volume of the orchestra overwhelming his voice so the audience didn't hear the crack? Was it how his voice carried into the upper tiers? Was it the audience members themselves? Some people suggested that the radio was to blame, and that the cracks were nothing more than a glitch in the transmission, which is ridiculous.
I firmly believe that Rolando Villazon did crack if not once, but twice, throughout the entire Gala performance. I will surely not hold this against him, but I hope he does better next season.

I sincerely hope Mr. Villazon feels better if anything is ailing him. May he have many better galas and performances ahead of him!!! =)