The Tsar’s Bride at the Estonian National Opera

Posted on September 13, 2016 by editoreusa

tsartitle

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera in four acts
Libretto by Ilya Tyumenev based on the drama of the same name by Lev Mey

T, 13 October 2016 / 19:00             S, 15 October 2016 / 19:00

World premiere on November 2, 1899 at the Moscow theater of the Private Opera of S. I. Mamontov
Premiere at the Helikon-Opera on September 6, 1997

  • Approx. running time: 2 h (one intermission)
  • Performed in Russian, subtitles in Estonian

    The dreadful story telling of a beautiful fiancée of Ivan the Terrible, brutal rivalry, withering love and poisoned jealousy is based on the true events of the past. Not trying to recreate the colorful details of the way of life, the theatre is thoroughly recreating the spirit of those dark times, searching for psychological motives of the deeds, trying to answer eternal questions standing before a native Russian.

 

HISTORY
The plot of“The Tsar’s Bride” by Lev Aleksandrovich Mei provoked interest in Rimski-Korsakov yet in his young days. In “Chronicle of My Musical Life” Nikolai Andreevich wrote about the winter of 1867/68: “At Borodin’s we looked through the score of his symphony, talked about “Prince Igor” and “The Tsar’s Bride”, the wish to compose which had been first a Borodin’s fleeting dream of a composer and then mine some time ago”. He might be mistaken: the concept of “Prince Igor” relates to 1869. It is proven that Rimski-Korsakov turned to “The Tsar’s Bride” in February 1898. The script was developed by the composer himself, while the libretto was written by his student Ilya Fyodorovich Tyumenev.

Mei’s drama was inspired by true events. Among its sources is “The History of the Russian State” by Nikolay Mikhailovich Karamzin, who said about Ivan the Terrible: “Being bored with his widowerhood, though not celibate, he had already long been looking for a third wife… The brides from all the Russian cities both noble-born and simple of over two thousand were brought to the Alexandrov Kremlin: each one was personally introduced to him. First he chose a 24-year-old, then a 12-year-old… he was comparing their beauty, manners and intellect for a long while; finally he preferred Marfa Vasilyevna Sobakina to the others, a daughter of a Novgorod merchant, at the same time he chose the bride for the senior prince — Evdokia Bogdanovna Saburova. The fathers of the lucky beauties suddenly became boyars from nothing. Beside the titles they also got the wealth, opal mining, estates, taken away from the ancient knyaz and boyar families. But the tsar’s bride fell sick, began to thin and dry: people said she had been spoilt by the malefactors, who hated Ivan. A wicked slanderer doctor Yelisey Bomelius had offered the Tsar to poison the malefactors and composed, as people said, a poisonous philtre so craftily, that the poisoned person died exactly in a designated minute. Ivan executed one of his favorites Grigory Gryaznoy this way and many others, who were accused of the participation in the poisoning of the tsar’s bride…” The author completed the play in 1849 and it became ingrained in the repertoire of the Russian theatres. One of the outstanding performers of Marfa was Maria Nikolaevna Yermolova. But the popular drama was eclipsed by Rimski-Korsakov’s opera of the same name that premiere half-a-century later. There were no significant changes in the plot; many verses of the drama were included in the libretto. Two new episodes appeared: the scene, when Grozny meets with Marfa and the scene of the crapulence of the oprichniks in the second act. Tyumenev worked quickly alongside with the creation of the music, and the opera was completed within ten months.

“The Tsar’s Bride” premiered on 22 October (3 November) 1899 by efforts of private theatre company of Savva Mamontov, those time bearing the name “Winter Private Opera”. The part of Marfa was sung by Nadezhda Ivanovna Zabela-Vrubel, the sets were made by Mikhail Vrubel, and the conductor was Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov.

SUMMARY
The Feast
The Tsar’s oprichnik Grigory Gryaznoy is fatally in love for the first time in his life. He vainly sends the in-laws to the father of his beloved Marfa: the merchant Sobakin refuses him flatly, because Marfa has already been betrothed to the boyar Ivan Lykov.
The guests are arriving at Grigory’s. Among them are Malyuta Skuratov, Bomelius (the Tsar’s healer) and Ivan Lykov who just returned from overseas. Grayznoy secretly asks the healer to get the love philtre for the Marfa’s binding and promises to award him generously for his help. Their talk has been overheard by Gryaznoy’s lover Lyubasha. She won’t concede her happiness and will take revenge to her wicked rival in love.

The Love Philtre
A street in the Alexandrov Kremlin. Marfa is telling Dunyasha about her beloved groom Ivan Lykov. The conversation has been interrupted by a terrible ghost — Tsar Ivan has walked at a distance, looking at them. In the gloaming Lyubasha steals up to the Sobakin’s house. She is amazed with the Marfa’s beauty. Lyubasha decides to kill her rival, replacing the love philtre with poison. Bomelius is ready to carry out her wish, but demands her love in exchange for it. Lyubasha agrees to this shameful bargain.

The Best Man
There are wedding preparations in the Sobakin’s house. It is high time they celebrated, but everything has been interrupted by the Tsar’s request for the brides, for which the best beauties have been gathered at the palace. Lykov is worried as well as Grigory. Finally Marfa returns. Everybody is calmed down, congratulating the groom and the bride. Taking the opportunity, Gryaznoy pours the philtre into Marfa’s glass. Suddenly Malyuta and boyars appear: the Tsar has chosen not Dunyasha to be his wife as the couple has hoped, but Marfa.

The Bride
Sobakin is deeply saddened by his daughter’s incurable illness. Gryaznoy tells Marfa, that under torture Lykov confessed his intention to kill the Tsar’s bride with poison and has been executed for it. Marfa can’t bear the grief. In her insanity she sees not Gryaznoy beside her, but her beloved groom Vanya. She tells him about her strange dream. Gryaznoy is frightened by Marfa’s insanity: he has ruined her instead of binding to himself. Being unable to bear the sufferings Gryaznoy confesses the crime — he poisoned Marfa and maligned Lykov. Lubasha confesses that she has replaced the love philtre with the poison and Gryaznoy kills her in a bout of fury.

Staging team

Stage Director: Dmitry Bertman
Musical Director of the Production: Kirill Tikhonov
Conductor: Eugene Brazhnik
Set and Costume Designers: Igor Nezhny and Tatiana Tulubieva
Lighting Designer: Denis Yenyukov
Stage Movement Director: Yuri Ustyugov

Cast:

Grigory Gyaznoy, an oprichnik Alexey Isayev
Lyubasha, Grigory Gryaznoy’s lover Larisa Kostiuk
Marfa, Vasily Sobakin’s daughter Lidiya Svetozarova
Ivan Lїkov, boyar Igor Morozov
Yelisey Bomeliy, the Tsar’s physician Dmitry Khromov
Dunyasha, Domna Saburova’s daughter and Marfa’s friend Irina Reynard
Vasily Sobakin, Novgorodian merchant Mikhail Guzhov
Grigory Malyuta-Skuratov, an oprichnik Dmitry Skorikov
Domna Saburova, the merchant’s wife Elena Mikhailenko
The Tsar’s stoker Dmitry Korotkov
A maiden Ekaterina Myazina
A bell-ringer Andrey Orekhov

Helikon-Opera Chorus and Orchestra

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Falstaff at the Landestheather in Linz, Austria

Posted on September 13, 2016 by editoreusa

falstaff

Falstaff, a knight and libertine par excellence, just as hard-drinking as he is chronically bankrupt, has the ingeniously impertinent idea two write two identical love letters to two wives of wealthy citizens. Too bad that the two women know each other and swear to take revenge. In the course of this entertaining evening of opera, things become more and more complicated until finally no one knows exactly who is the joker and who is the butt of the joke.

Friday, 16. September 2016
Wednesday, 21. September 2016
Saturday, 24. September 2016
Tuesday, 27. September 2016
Friday, 07. October 2016
Wednesday, 12. October 2016
Friday, 14. October 2016
Monday, 17. October 2016
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Credits

Musical director                     Dennis Russell Davies
Director                                      Guy Montavon
Stage, costume designs       Hank Irwin Kittel
Choir conductor                     Georg Leopold
Dramaturgy                              Christoph Blitt

falstaff3Sir John Falstaff                   Federico Longhi
Ford, Alice’s husband         Martin Achrainer, Seho Chang                                                    
Fenton                                       Iurie Ciobanu, Jacques le Roux
Dr. Cajus                                  Hans-Günther Müller, Pedro Velázquez Díaz
Bardolfo, Falstaff’s servant Sven Hjörleifsson, Matthäus Schmidlechner
Pistola, Falstaff’s servant  Nikolai Galkin, Dominik Nekel
Mrs. Alice Ford                     Myung Joo Lee
Nannetta, Alice’s daughter Theresa Grabner, Fenja Lukas
Mrs. Quickly                          Christa Ratzenböck
Mrs. Meg Page                      Martha Hirschmann

Chor des Landestheaters Linz
Statisterie des Landestheaters Linz
Bruckner Orchester Linzlonghi3

FOCUS ON:

FEDERICO LONGHI

Federico Longhi began his musical studies as flautist at the Musical institute of Aosta. He then continues into singing studies under the guidance of G. Valdengo, A. Pola, Franca Mattiucci.B.M.Casoni and actually with Alida Ferrarini. He improves his voice techniques at the Accademia Musicale Catalani of Senigallia, at the Toscanini Foundation of Parma, at the Rossinian Accademy of Pesaro and at the International Accademy for Lyrics Katia Ricciarelli in Parma. Winner of numerous International Competitions, in 1995 Federico Longhi has started his professional career in Operas that in year 2000 has seen him in performing in multiple roles, singing with international celebrities such as Katia Ricciarelli, J.Cura, Francesca Patanè and Renato Bruson.

Copyright Federico Longhi 2016

Copyright Federico Longhi 2016

In Chamber Music, Federico Longhi has performed with the guitar-duo G.Rosetta, with the pianist Giulio Zappa in a vast repertoire of French vocal music. In year 2000 he participated at the production of opera “Tosca”, produced and broadcasted by the Italian State Television network RAI2. Performed with Katia Ricciarelli and the Choir “Emile Chanoux” at the concert “San Grato 2001” in Aosta. In 2002 Federico L. sung in Lecce in “Gianni Schicchi”, under director Pippo Baudo, and in “Tosca” with Daniela Dessì. Also during Summer 2002, he contributed at the “Concert du Printemps” in the Cathedral of Aosta, singing with Cecilia Gasdia and the “Choir Emile Chanoux”. He has also performed as Guest Singer at the Puccini’s Festival at Torre del Lago, singing in “Manon Lescaut” and, with Andrea Boccelli in “Madama Butterfly”, contribuiting afterward with the Theatre “La Scala di Milano” for a tournee of concerts in South Africa.

longhi7In September 2003 Federico Longhi has given Concerts in San José in Costarica, where he also gave a “Master Class” on vocality and on Italian Opera Lyrics at their State University. Among his most relevant is the “Christmas Concert” at the Teatro Regio di Torino. During the 2004’s Opera Lirica season, Federico Longhi has participated at “Madame Butterfly”, during the celebrations for the 50th Puccini’s Festival at Torre del Lago, in “Traviata” at the Arena of Verona and in a tournee with “The Barber of Seville” to continue with September in Japan as one of the main singers in the celebrations for the centenial of “Madama Butterfly” produced there by the Festival Pucciniano di Torre del Lago.

Among his most relevant performances that sustain his constant ascent as Opera Singer, also in 2005 is again “Guest of the Arena of Verona” in “La Bohème”, directed by D. Oren, at Torre del Lago with the new production of “La Fanciulla del West” of G. Puccini, performance that will be produced in DVD, and at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna where he debuts with “Malombra” of M.E.Bossi. At the Philarmonic Theatre of Verona, Federico Longhi is the main protagonist of the Opera “Una Notte nel Bosco” of A.Zanon. Outside his usual repertoire, Federico Longhi has produced a CD “Vos sos El Tango” latest success produced with the quintet “PenTan’go!”, where music from A.Piazzolla, C.Gardel and S.Palumbo are beautifully performed.

In 2006 Federico Longhi is the main artist at the Philarmonic Theatre of Verona on “Barbiere di Siviglia” of G. Rossini, on “Don Pasquale” by G.Donizetti, and “Via Crucis” by F. Listz.

During the actual Opera Season, has performed at “Pagliacci” by R. Leoncavallo, and on “Madame Butterfly” by G. Puccini, under the direction of F. Zeffirelli. Several are the concerts where Federico Longhi performances are acclaimed for his interpretations, not only in Italy, but also in Argentina, Brasil, again in Japan, and in many other European capitals.

After having produced and participated in the DVD production of Liszt’s “La Via Crucis” at Aosta under the direction of Daniele de Plano, in 2007 Federico Longhi performed the  “St. Mark Passion” by Perosi at the Festival of Sacred Music in Monte Carlo, with the Orchestra Sinfonica of Sanremo. He has also frequently performed Orff’s “Carmina Burana”, in Porto Cervo, Venice and Santa Dona. In the summer of 2007 he took part in the new productions of “La Bohème” and “Il barbiere di Siviglia” at the Arena di Verona.

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Federico Longhi appeared, alongside Arnoldo Foà, in a new production of “Maria de Buenos Aires”, by Piazzolla, at Casino de Saint-Vincent, and in “La Bohème” as Marcello at the Teatro Coccia in Novara and at the Teatro Sociale in Mantua, under the direction of Aldo Tarabella. In 2008 Longhi sang Verdi’s “Nabucco” at the Kiemsee Festival in Austria, and participated in “Rigoletto” at the Arena di Verona, sang the role of Silvio (Leoncavallo’s “I Pagliacci”) in Mantua, and various sacred concerts including Fauré’s Requiem. In 2009 there were again performances of “Maria di Buenos Aires” and “Carmina Burana” , as well as performances of Mercutio (Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette”), directed by M. Rota, and “Maestro di Cappella” directed by G. Guida. In the summer Federico Longhi sang Schaunard (“La Bohème”) directed by M. Rota at the Puccini Festival in Torre di Lago. Later that year he participated in “Bianco Rosso e Verdi” directed by F. Villard, and in “Rigoletto” (directed K. L. Wilson) at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo. In November he sang the Duruflé’s “Requiem” , and sang in the new production of “Il vestito nuovo dell’Imperatore”, by Paolo Furlani at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa, further performances of which took place in January 2010.

In 2010 Federico Longhi performed again the role of Silvio (“Pagliacci”), directed by E. Maschio, as well as Figaro (“Barbiere di Siviglia”), directed by Ratti. He also recently sang in “La Bohème” with the Puccini Festival company in Abu-Dhabi in the Emirates, under the direction of A. Veronesi.

2011 :

– Invited again in the Emirates for some lyrical-symphonic concerts in occasion of the “Festival Italia”  under the patronage of the italian Embassy

– Naples, San Carlo Theatre, G. Bizet’s Carmen

– Trieste, Teatro Verdi, G. Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi

– Alba, Music Festival-Italia&USA-primavera 2011 (8° ed.), J. Brahms’ “Deutches Requiem”

-Trieste, 42° Festival dell’Operetta,  J.Offenbach’s “La metamorfosi di una gatta“ (La chatte metamorphsèe en femme– Torre del Lago, 57° Festival Puccini, in G. Puccini’s Bohème

– Aosta, Teatro Romano, in occasion of the event Aosta Classica, for the concert “Il Canto Intorno a Verdi”

– Muscat (Oman), Royal Opera House, G. Verdi’s Rigoletto

– Porto (Portugal), Coliseum Theatre, C. Saint-Saëns’s Sanson et Dalila

– Porto (Portugal), Amarante, lyric-Symphonic concert

– Palermo, Teatro Massimo, “Bianco Rosso e Verdi” of G.D’Aquila e F.Micheli

– Saronno, association “Giuditta Pasta”, chamber music concert with the harp player Stefania Saglietti

– Principality of Monaco – “Concert de Noel”

– Pisa, chamber music concert with the harp player Stefania Saglietti

– Novara, Teatro Coccia, New Year’s Eve Gala’, “La nuit des Chansonnier”

2012:

– Torgnon (AO) – Chamber music concert with the harp player Stefania Saglietti

– Torino, Teatro Regio, G. Puccini’s “La Tosca” – dir. J.L. Grindà, cond. G.A. Noseda

– Palermo, Teatro Massimo, G. Verdi’s “Traviata”, dir. H. Brockhaus, cond. A. Polastri

– Torino,  Sala Verdi, D. Cimarosa’s “Il Maestro di Cappella” dir. R. Rega

– Verona, Arena di Verona, G. Bizet’s “Carmen”, dir. F. Zeffirelli, cond. J. Kovatchev

– Palermo, Teatro Massimo, G. Puccini’s “Madama Buttefly”, dir. G. Ferrara, cond. M.Mottadelli

– Aosta, Cathedral, G. Rossini’s “Petite Messe Solennelle”, cond. Jeff Silberschlag

– Torino, Teatro Regio, G. Bizet’s “Carmen”, dir. C. Bieito, cond. Y. Sado

– Torino, Teatro Regio, C. Orff’s “Carmina Burana”, cond. G. Monte

2013:

– Torino, Teatro Regio, U. Giordano’s “Andrea Chenier”, dir. L. Puggelli, cond. R. Palumbo

– Torino, Teatro Regio, G. Puccini’s “La Bohème”, dir.V. Borrelli, cond. R. Palumbo – Torino, Teatro Regio, W.A. Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” dir. M. Placido, cond. C. Hogwood

– Torino, Auditorium Orpheus, chamber music concert (music by Fauré, Hahn, Gounod, Debussy, Tosti, Montanaro) – Danzica, G. Verdi’s “Rigoletto”, Baltic Philarmonic Orchestra, cond. M. Caldi

– Badia di Ganna (VR), chamber music concert with harp “Verso il Novecento”, music by Fauré, Hahn,    Gounod, Debussy –  Aosta, Teatro Splendor, “Buon Compleanno M. Verdi”, symphonic-lyric concert cond. S. Praduroux –  Istanbul – Concerto under the patronage of the Fondazione Arena di Verona –  Verona, Teatro Filarmonico, lyric concert – Aosta, chamber music concert “Suona Francese”, music by Fauré, Hahn, Gounod, Debussy, Tosti – Torino, Teatro Regio, G. Rossini’s “Italiana in Algeri”, dir. V. Borrelli, cond. D. Rustioni

–  Friuli Venezia-Giulia, Festival “Verdi200”      Sacile -PN-, Palazzo Regazzoni “Verdi a Palazzo”      Tricesimo -UD-, Castle “Verdi in Castello”      Duino -TS-, Castle “Verdi sul Lido” – Verona, Arena 19-23-26 luglio e 2-8 agosto, G. Verdi’s “Traviata”, dir. H. De Ana, cond. A.Battistoni –  Bergamo, Teatro Donizetti, G. Donizetti’s “Il Furioso nell’isola San Domingo”, dir. F. Esposito, cond.

  1. Di Stefano –  Savona, Teatro Chiabrera, G. Donizetti’s “Il Furioso all’isola di San Domingo”, dir. F. Esposito, cond.
  2. Di  Stefano

–  Bruxelles, Albert Hall, lyric concerto under the patronage of Arena di Verona –  Teatro Regio’s Tournèe in Japan: G. Puccini’s “Tosca” and  G. Verdi’s “Un ballo in maschera”, cond. G. Noseda –  Bari, Teatro Petruzzelli – sala Unione, lyric concert –  Principality of Monaco- Christmas Concert
2014
 – Maribor, Drama Theatre, G. Verdi’s “La Traviata”, cond. F. Rosa, dir. H. de Ana – Rovigo, Teatro Sociale, G. Donizetti’s “Il Furioso all’Isola di San Domingo”, cond. G. Distefano, dir. F. Esposito – Verona, Teatro Filarmonico, G. Rossini’s “Italiana in Algeri”, cond. F. Lanzillotta, dir. P. L. Pizzi – Ravenna, Teatro Alighieri, G. Rossini’s “Il Furioso all’Isola di San Domingo”, cond. G. Distefano, dir. F. Esposito – Ivrea, Auditorium Olivetti, G. Rossini’s “Petite Messe”

– Venezia, Palazzo Albrizzi, J.Brahms’  “Ein Deutsches Requiem” – Aosta,   Teatro Splendor, concert “AVEC AMOUR”, tribute to Edith Piaf – Parigi, Chamber music concert – Salle de Pentemont – rue de Grenelle – Torino, Teatro Regio, F. Léhar’s “La Vedova Allegra”, cond. C. Campestrini dir. U. De Ana – Utrecht, Olanda –  Opera Concert – Palazzolo (Bs) – Opera Concert – Sofia, Bulgaria – Opera Concert

– Verona, Arena – G. Bizet’s “CARMEN” – cond. H. Nanasi dir. F. Zeffirelli – Torre del Lago – Festival Puccini Torre del Lago – “BOHEME” – cond. V. Galli dir. E. Scola – Verona, Arena – G. Puccini’s “Madama BUTTERFLY” – cond. M. Armiliato dir. F. Zeffirelli – Novara – G. Rossini’s “BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA”- cond. F. Omassini – Zhuhau, Cina – G. Puccini’s “TURANDOT”- Tournèe Festival Pucciniano- cond. V. Galli dir. A. Bertini – Maribor- G. Verdi’s “TRAVIATA” – cond. F. Rosa dir. H. De Ana – Casale Monferrato – Duomo- J. Brahms “Requiem” – cond. dir. Y. Khutoretskaya – Berlino – Galà Liri – Arena di Verona Foundation – Rimini – Teatro Novelli – Sagra Musicale Malatestiana – Palazzolo (BS) – Opera Concert

– Chatillon (AO) – Sacred music Concert

– Roma – Opera Galà – Arena di Verona Foundation – Fivizzano (MS) – Opera concert – Ensemble Puccini

2015
– Firenze – Opera di Firenze – Maggio Musicale Fiorentino- V. Ullman’s “Der Kaiser von Atlantis”                                                                                 dir. P. Paolo Pacini cond. R. Misto – Reggio Emilia-Teatro Valli – G. Verdi’s “Falstaff” – cond. N. Paszkowsky dir. C. Mazzavillani Muti – Ferrara-Teatro Comunale – G. Verdi’s “Falstaff” – cond. N. Paszkowsky dir. C. Mazzavillani Muti -Trieste-Teatro Verdi – G. Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale” – cond. H. Yoshida dir. S. Vizioli -Verona-Arena – G. Puccini’s “Tosca” – cond. J. Kovatchev dir. U. De Ana -Ravenna-Teatro Alighieri – Ravenna Festival – G. Verdi’s “Falstaff” – cond. R. Muti   dir.   C.Mazzavillani Muti -Oviedo-(Spagna)- G. Verdi’s “Falstaff” – cond. R. Muti dir. C. Mazzavillani Muti -Lapedona-Fermo- Festival “Musica in Collina” recital with the pianist M. Cristina Pantaleoni -Verona-Arena -G. Puccini’s “Tosca”

-Helsinky-Finnish Nationale Theatre  – Matinée del Foyer – Classic Concert with harp player Stefania Saglietti -Ancona-Teatro delle Muse – G.Verdi’s “Falstaff” – cond. N. Paszkowsky dir. C.Mazzavillani Muti

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The Barber of Seville at the Royal Swedish Opera

Posted on September 9, 2016 by editoreusa

bar5

Music by Gioachino Rossini

bart2
logooperanPerformed in Italian with Swedish text on surtitles

One of opera repertoires’ most witty comedy show with true carnival mood about youth and love down to old age and greed. Barber of Seville premiered in February 1816 and it is said that Gioachino Rossini wrote the music in just 19 days. The first night was a fiasco, but then came the successes and the opera is one of the most played. The director is the opera legend Knut Hendriksen and in some of the characters we see brilliant young singer Joel Annmo, Ms Holmberg, and Jens Persson.

Brief Synopsis: Count Almaviva is in love with Rosina. To ensure that she is not simply attracted by his money, he pretends to be the poor student Lindoro. However, he is not the only man fond of her. Rosina’s guardian, Doctor Bartolo, wishes to marry his protégée and keeps her under lock and key for this reason. In order that his advances might succeed, Count Almaviva employs the help of the town barber, the crafty fixer Figaro.

The Barber of Seville is Gioacchino Rossini’s exurberant comic opera based on Beaumarchais’ trilogy, which continues with the famous Mariage of Figaro. Even the overture is a miniature masterpiece.

barber_videoBarberMusic

barCastdates

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NORMA at the Edimburgh International Festival with Cecilia Bartoli

Posted on September 7, 2016 by editoreusa

festivalnorma

5 – 9 August 2016
Festival Theatre

Cecilia Bartoli sang the title role in a powerful, passionate production of Bellini’s searing opera masterpiece on love, betrayal and revenge. Since its unveiling at the 2013 Salzburg Whitsun Festival, it has been acclaimed throughout Europe, winning that year’s International Opera Award for best new production.

Eminent directors Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier have set Bellini and librettist Felice Romani’s tragic tale of ancient druids rebelling against Roman occupation in more modern times – Second World War France, where the French Resistance struggles against its Nazi oppressors. Bartoli’s Norma is torn between loyalty towards her community and her illicit love for Pollione, chief of the occupying forces (and the father of Norma’s two children), who has diverted his affections to the younger Adalgisa.normachansjorgmichel3_0

The iconic role of Norma featured one of the most famous arias in all opera – the prayer to the moon goddess ‘Casta diva’. Bartoli performed the role as Bellini originally envisioned it thanks to a newly prepared critical edition that restores the originally intended vocal colours.

‘Only in this way can we appreciate once more the true magic, the colour and emotion in this music,’ Bartoli has explained. ‘It was my wish to bring Bellini’s opera closer to the sound world of the bel canto period.’

Cecilia Bartoli is one of the world’s finest and most sought-after singers, celebrated internationally for her astonishingly versatile voice and her searching, enormously expressive interpretations. She is joined by a superb cast including US tenor John Osborn as Pollione and Mexican-born soprano Rebeca Olvera as Adalgisa, alongside Péter Kálmán, Liliana Nikiteanu and Reinaldo Macias. I Barocchisti will be playing on authentic instruments from the 19th century.norma_c_hans_jorg_michel_2

Opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini (1801–1835). Performance of the new critical edition by Maurizio Biondi and Riccardo Minasi

Libretto by Felice Romani (1788–1865) based on the tragedy Norma ou L’Infanticide (1831) by Alexandre Soumet (1788–1845).

A Salzburg Festival production in association with U-Live/Universal Music Arts and Entertainment, London

Cecilia Bartoli Norma
Rebeca Olvera Adalgisa
John Osborn Pollione
Péter Kálmán Oroveso
Liliana Nikiteanu Clotilde
Reinaldo Macias Flavio

Gianluca Capuano Conductor
Moshe Leiser, Patrice Caurier Directors

I Barocchisti
Swiss Radio and Television Chorus, Lugano

A Salzburg Festival production in association with U-Live/Universal Music Arts and Entertainment

norma_c_hans_jorg_michel_1

 REVIEWS

  The New York Times       April 14th 2016

…a triumph        Read the full review by George Loomis

The Telegraph             August 6th 2016

Cecilia Bartoli’s Norma is a furious triumph ★★★★

She conveyed Norma’s confusion and fragility as well as her superb fury, and she made the immortal Casta Diva aria tremulous with suppressed emotion

Read the full review by Ivan Hewett

 

The Herald                August 7th 2016

Rebeca Olvera’s Adalgisa is a gorgeous portrayal of corrupted innocence

Read the full review here

 

The Sunday Times        August 14th 2016

Bartoli can project Norma’s dilemma… with fierce and devastating intensity

Read full review

 

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Natalka Poltavka in Kiev on September 9th

Posted on September 5, 2016 by editoreusa

Natalka Poltavka

Mykola Lysenko

nationalOperaUkraineLogoOpera in 2 acts
Beginning: 9.09.2016 – 19:00
Completion: 20:50

Based on I.Kotliarevsky’s play.
Edited by M. Skoryk and A. Solovyanenko.
Premiered on the stage of the Kyiv Opera on July 5, 2012.

GALLERY

 

CAST

SYNOPSIS

Act I

Natalka awaits the return of her fiance Petro, who is working abroad. She is noted by the elderly landowner Vozniy, who persuades Viborniy to intercede with her on his behalf.

Act II

Viborniy persuades Natalka’s mother, Terpilikha, that her daughter should marry the wealthy Vozniy, rather than await the uncertain return of Petro. The village maidens prepare Natalka for her wedding, although she is in despair.

Act III

Petro returns: Mykola informs him of Natalka’s engagement. Natalka appears and tells Petro she loves only him. Terpilikha objects, and Petro undertakes to leave the village if it will prevent bad feeling. Touched by this gesture, Vozniy relents and all ends happily.

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Turandot in Vienna at the Wiener Staatsoper. Also on live streaming!!

Posted on September 1, 2016 by editoreusa

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Turandot

Giacomo Puccini

04. September 2016
19:00-21:30|1 Intermission

In his last, unfinished opera, Giacomo Puccini once again takes up the theme of love and death. On the one hand, Turandot, for whose love men have to die, on the other Liù, who dies for love, and between them Calaf, who solves the riddle and overcomes Turandot. Influenced by his own personal experiences, Puccini wrote a story that added a psychological level to Carlo Gozzi’s earlier fairytale – and that asks questions about the nature of true love. It was not by chance that he noted on a sketch for the final duet: “and then Tristan” – eternal desire, in other words, or fulfillment in transcendence?

LIVESTREAMING INFORMATION

GALLERY

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CAST

  • Marco Armiliato | Conductor
  • Marco Arturo Marelli | Direction and Lights
  • Marco Arturo Marelli | Sets
  • Dagmar Niefind | Costumes
  • Aron Kitzig | Video
  • Lise Lindstrom | Turandot
  • Dan Paul Dumitrescu | Timur
  • Marcello Giordani | Calaf
  • Olga Bezsmertna | Liù
  • N.N. | Timur
  • N.N. | Mandarin
  • N.N. | Ping
  • N.N. | Pang
  • N.N. | Pong

SYNOPSIS

The mandarin proclaims the law: Turandot will only marry the man who can solve three riddles that she poses. But whoever fails must die – a fate that has befallen many, most recently a Persian prince. The “unknown” Prince Calaf, who has seen the beautiful but cruel Princess Turandot, is spellbound by her – and determines to take the risk. Before he can do so, he encounters his father, the banished Tartar King Timur, who is accompanied by Liù, a slave. She in turn is in love with Calaf…
Ping, Pang and Pong report on life in China and complain: since Turandot has been posing her riddles, their tranquil life has ended and they have been reduced to “ministers of the executioner”. Despite all advice to the contrary, Calaf accepts the challenge of answering Turandot’s questions. And he learns the reason for her inhumanity: once, in the dim and distant past, her ancestor Lou-Ling was robbed and raped – and these deeds must now be avenged and expiated. Calaf is able to solve the riddles; against her will, Turandot must now become his wife. But Calaf wishes win her affections, and so places himself at her mercy. So he now puts a riddle to her; if she can solve it, it will mean his death (and her freedom): What is his name?
In spite of all their efforts, no one can find out the name of the prince. Then Liù and Timur, who were seen talking to Calaf, are brought in. In order to protect Timur and out of love for Calaf, pretending to be the only person who knows the prince’s name, Liù kills herself. Love finally wins the day. Although Calaf has revealed his true name to her and placed his fate in her hands, Turandot declares that the name of the unknown prince is “Love”…

FOCUS ON:

Armiliato_M2013

Marco Armiliato

Marco Armiliato studied piano at the Paganini-Conservatoire in his hometown of Genova. In the 90s, he became intensely active in the big opera houses of the world. At the New York Met, he conducted Il trovatore, La Bohème, Stiffelio, Madama Butterfly, Sly, Aida, Turandot, La Fille du Ré­giment and Rigoletto, and at the San Francisco Opera La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, Turandot, La traviata, Tosca, Aida and Ca­valleria rusticana.

MarcoArmiliatoAt the Wiener Staatsoper, where he made his debut in 1996 with Andrea Chénier, he has conducted among others, Il barbiere di Siviglia, La Bohème, Carmen, Cavalleria rusticana, Don Carlo, L’elisir d’amore, Falstaff, La forza del de­stino, Lucia di Lammermoor, Manon, Manon Lescaut, Pagliacci, Simon Boccanegra, Stiffelio, Tosca, La traviata, Turandot and Werther.

armiliatoRecord1He received further engagements at the opera houses of Barcelona, Madrid, Zurich, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Turin, Rome, at the Deutsche Opera Berlin, the Bavarian State Opera, at the ROH Covent Garden, at the Théâtre du Châtelet and Opéra Bastille in Paris, at the Hamburg State Opera and Verona. He is also internationally successful as a concert conductor.

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Il Barbiere di Siviglia sung in Ukranian in Kiev

Posted on August 30, 2016 by editoreusa

barbTitle

nationalOperaUkraineLogoLibretto by C. Sterbini based on Pierre Beaumarchais’s French comedy Le Barbier de Séville.

Translated into Ukrainian by M. Rylskyy.

Premiered on the stage of the Kyiv Opera on October 25, 1990.

Beginning: 7.09.2016 – 19:00
Completion: 21:35
Sung in Ukrainian
PERFORMERS

GALLERY

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SYNOPSIS

Time: 18th century

Act 1

The square in front of Bartolo’s house

In a public square outside Bartolo’s house a band of musicians and a poor student named Lindoro are serenading, to no avail, the window of Rosina. Lindoro, who is really the young Count Almaviva in disguise, hopes to make the beautiful Rosina love him for himself—not his money. Almaviva pays off the musicians who then depart, leaving him to brood alone. Rosina is the young ward of the grumpy, elderly Bartolo and she is allowed very little freedom because Bartolo plans to marry her, and her not inconsiderable dowry, himself – once she is of age.

Figaro approaches singing. Since Figaro used to be a servant of the Count, the Count asks him for assistance in helping him meet Rosina, offering him money should he be successful in arranging this. Figaro advises the Count to disguise himself as a drunken soldier, ordered to be billeted with Bartolo, so as to gain entrance to the house. For this suggestion, Figaro is richly rewarded.

Act 2

A room in Bartolo’s house with four doors

The scene begins with Rosina’s cavatina. Knowing the Count only as Lindoro, Rosina writes to him. As she is leaving the room, Bartolo and Basilio enter. Bartolo is suspicious of the Count, and Basilio advises that he be put out of the way by creating false rumours about him. When the two have gone, Rosina and Figaro enter. Figaro asks Rosina to write a few encouraging words to Lindoro, which she has actually already written. Although surprised by Bartolo, Rosina manages to fool him, but he remains suspicious.

As Berta, the Bartolo housekeeper, attempts to leave the house, she is met by the Count disguised as an intoxicated soldier. In fear of the drunken man, she rushes to Bartolo for protection and he tries to remove the supposed soldier, but does not succeed. The Count manages to have a quick word with Rosina, whispering that he is Lindoro and passing her a letter. The watching Bartolo is suspicious and demands to know what is in the piece of paper in Rosina’s hands, but she fools him by handing over her laundry list. Bartolo and the Count start arguing and, when Basilio, Figaro and Berta appear, the noise attracts the attention of the Officer of the Watch and his men. Bartolo believes that the Count has been arrested, but Almaviva only has to whisper his name to the officer and is released right away. Bartolo and Basilio are astounded, and Rosina makes fun of them.

Act 3

A room in Bartolo’s house with a piano

Almaviva again appears at the doctor’s house, this time disguised as a singing tutor and pretending to act as substitute for the supposedly ailing Basilio, Rosina’s regular singing teacher. Initially, Bartolo is suspicious, but does allow Almaviva to enter when the Count gives him Rosina’s letter. He describes his plan to discredit Lindoro whom he believes to be one of the Count’s servants, intent on pursuing women for his master. Figaro arrives to shave Bartolo. Bartolo demurs, but Figaro makes such a scene he agrees, but in order not to leave the supposed music master alone with Rosina, the doctor has Figaro shave him right there in the music room. When Basilio suddenly appears, he is bribed by a full purse from Almaviva and persuaded to leave again, with much discussion of how ill he looks. Figaro begins to shave Bartolo, but Bartolo overhears the lovers conspiring. He drives everybody away.

The scene returns to the location of act 1 with a grill looking out onto the square. Bartolo orders Basilio to have the notary ready to marry him to Rosina that evening. He also explains his plot to come between the lovers. Basilio leaves and Rosina arrives. Bartolo shows Rosina the letter she wrote to “Lindoro”, and persuades her that this is evidence that Lindoro is merely a flunky of Almaviva. Rosina believes him and agrees to marry him.

The stage remains empty while the music creates a thunder storm to indicate the passage of time. The Count and Figaro climb up a ladder to the balcony and enter the room through a window. Rosina shows Almaviva the letter and expresses her feelings of betrayal and heartbreak. Almaviva reveals his identity and the two reconcile. While Almaviva and Rosina are enraptured by one another, Figaro keeps urging them to leave. Two people are heard approaching the front door, who later turn out to be Basilio and the notary. However, when the Count, Rosina, and Figaro attempt to leave by way of the ladder, they discover it has been removed. The Count quickly gives Basilio the choice of accepting a bribe and being a witness to his marriage or receiving two bullets in the head (an easy choice, Basilio says). He and Figaro witness the signatures to a marriage contract between the Count and Rosina. Bartolo barges in, but is too late. The befuddled Bartolo (who was the one who had removed the ladder) is pacified by being allowed to retain Rosina’s dowry.

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Better results than ever for the Rossini Opera Festival 2016

Posted on August 27, 2016 by editoreusa

rossini16logofestivalRossiniUnprecedented success for the XXXVII edition of the Rossini Opera Festival. The box office registered an absolute record in takings (1.158.000 euro) and a number of patrons (17.250) never recorded in the recent history of the event. The percentage of foreigners has even reached 71%, showing the ever-growing interest of the public and the popularity of the Festival; the largest numbers came from France, Germany, Japan, England, the USA, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain and Holland. No fewer than 42 nations were represented, including newcomers such as Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica and Turkey.

Many of the journalists also come from abroad. Articles on the Festival have been written by journalists from 24 countries throughout the world: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, the Vatican, France, Germany, Japan, Greece, England, Latvia, Luxembourg, Peru, the Czech Republic, Rumania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, the USA, Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa, Hungary.

Rai Radio3 has broadcast live the operas presented in the Festival, repeated by the radio of 14 countries in 3 continents (Australia, Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, England, Latvia, Poland, Portugal,  Rumania, Serbia, Spain, the USA, Sweden). Furthermore, the three operas were heard live on line all over the world, and, for a week, on streaming on demand on the RAI Radio3 website.

On the 12th August Il viaggio a Reims was broadcast on live streaming on the Rossini Opera Festival’s website, Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Together with the big names of the international critical faculty, the Festival was visited by representatives of some of the most important opera houses and concert organizations: the Metropolitan Opera, the Japan Opera Foundation, the Theater an der Wien, De Vlaamse Opera, the Opera Vlandeeren, the Opéra Royal de Wallonie, the Dutch National Opera & Ballet, the Semperoper Dresden, Rossini in Wildbad, the Bayerische Staatsoper, the Opéra National de Paris, the Théâtre Châtelet de Paris, the Opéra de Rennes, the Opéra National du Rhin, the Royal Opera House of Muscate, the Teatro Comunale, Bologna, the Teatro Comunale, Ferrara, the Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa, the Macerata Opera Festival, the Teatro San Carlo, Naples, the Teatro Massimo, Palermo, the Teatro Regio, Parma, the RAI International Orchestra.

The XXXVIII Rossini Opera Festival (10-22 August 2017) will propose two important musicological novelties, realized in collaboration with the Fondazione Rossini: Le siege de Corinthe (conducted by Roberto Abbado and staged by Fura dels Baus) and La pietra del paragone (conducted by Daniele Rustioni and staged by Pierluigi Pizzi).  Beside these, a revival of the very rarely performed Torvaldo e Dorliska (conducted by Francesco Lanzillotta and staged by Mario Martone).ROF2016_programma2

Ciro in Babilonia returns to the ROF 2016

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After the triumphant first performances in 2012, Ciro in Babilonia returned to the Rof (performances on the 10th, 13th, 16th and 20th August at 8.00 p.m. at the Teatro Rossini) as the third opera on the bill of the XXXVII Rossini Opera Festival. Jader Bignamini, a well-established conductor making his Pesaro début, conducted the Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Comunale, Bologna, and a cast led by the indispensable Ewa Podles in the title role; joined by Pretty Yende (another important début at the Rof), the confirmed Rossini specialist Antonino Siragusa, the promising Oleg Tsibulko and some of the promising singers issuing from the Accademia Rossiniana: Isabella Gaudì, Alessandro Luciano and Dimitri Pkhaladze.

Davide Livermore, assisted by D-wok (video design), Nicolas Bovey (sets) and Gianluca Falaschi (costumes, for which he won the Abbiati Prize), have placed the action in the sets typical of the early cinema. Cuttings of silent films were used (among them the complete Babilonian scene from David W. Griffith’s celebrated film Intolerance), the projection of which forms a background to the intricate biblical story, which takes on all the colouring of a colossal historical film. The show has been realized in collaboration with the Museo Nazionale del Cinema of Turin.

CIRO IN BABILONIA

Dramma con cori per musica by Francesco Aventi

Conductor Jader Bignamini

Director Davide Livermore

Videodesign D-WOK 

Settings and Lighting designer Nicolas Bovey

Costumes Gianluca Falaschi

Interpreters Baldassare Antonino Siragusa, Ciro Ewa Podles, Amira Pretty Yende, Argene Isabella Gaudí, Zambri Oleg Tsybulko, Arbace Alessandro Luciano, Daniello Dimitri Pkhaladze

Orchestra e Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna

Chorus Master Andrea Faidutticiro2

Il Turco in Italia second opera on the  programturco

The second opera on the bill at the XXXVII Rossini Opera Festival is Il Turco in Italia (to be performed on the 9th, 12th, 16th and 18th August at the Teatro Rossini at 8.00 p.m.). Speranza Scappucci will conduct the Filarmonica Gioachino Rossini, the Chorus of the Teatro della Fortuna, Fano, and a brilliant young cast: Erwin Schott, making his first appearance in Pesaro; welcome return appearances of true Rossini stars such as Olga Peretyatko, Nicola Alaimo, Rene Barbera, Pietro Spagnoli; young students from the Accademia Rossiniana like Cecilia Molinari and Pietro Adaini, the last a graduate of this year’s course. This is a co-production with the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, Valencia.

The production has been entrusted to the visionary liveliness of Davide Livermore, who has created such important productions for the Rof as Demetrio e Polibio, Ciro in Babilonia (revived this year) and L’Italiana in Algeri. Together with D-Wok (video design) and the costumist Gianluca Falaschi, Livermore has imagined the intricate love-passages between Selim, Fiorella, Geronio and Zaida in a setting typical of Fellini, full of references to 8½: the poet Prosdocimo is dressed as Marcello Mastroianni, Fiorilla as Claudia Cardinale, while Selim is the classic playboy.

Livermore explains: “Just as happens to Mastroianni in 8½, Prosdocimo is also always on the look-out for a story. The similarity between the two scripts was so appealing, for each has the same ferocious social criticism, that we wanted to pursue it as far as possible. Together with the revival of Ciro in Babilonia, it amuses me to create a kind of cinematic and musical diptych. Then, truth to tell, Rossini and Fellini are sons of the same soil.”

IL TURCO IN ITALIA

Dramma buffo per musica by Felice Romani

Conductor Speranza Scappucci

Director and Settings Davide Livermore

Videodesign D-WOK

Costumes Gianluca Falaschi

Lighting designer Nicolas Bovey

Interpreters Selim Erwin Schrott, Fiorilla Olga Peretyatko, Geronio Nicola Alaimo, Narciso René Barbera, Prosdocimo Pietro Spagnoli, Zaida Cecilia Molinari, Albazar Pietro Adaini

Coro del Teatro della Fortuna M. Agostini

Chorus Master Mirca Rosciani

Filarmonica Gioachino Rossini

New coproduction with Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, Valencia

turco2

La donna del lago  amazes the audiencelago

La donna del lago (performed on the 8th, 11th, 14th and 17th August at 8.00 p.m. at the Adriatic Arena) has been entrusted to Damiano Michieletto, assisted by Paolo Fantin and Klaus Bruns: his well-known talent enabled him to put on one of the operas most difficult to stage. This was a co-production with the Opéra Royal de Wallonie of Liège. The Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Comunale, Bologna, was led by Michele Mariotti, returning here fresh from his triumphs in conducting this opera at Covent Garden, London, and the Metropolitan, New York. The cast featured international stars who have already enjoyed spectacular successes at the Rof, like Juan Diego Flórez and Michael Spyres, and others coming from the Accademia Rossiniana, like the discovery of the 2015 edition, Salome Jicia, who undook the title rôle, and then Marko Mimica (the Podestà in La gazza ladra), Ruth Iniesta and Francisco Brito. The actors Giusi Merli and Alessandro Baldinotti also took part. The promising and rapidly progressing young mezzo-soprano Varduhi Abrahamyan sang Malcom for the first time. This is how Michieletto introduced his production: “This is an all-female story, in which the themes of nostalgia and memory play their part in creating an ambiguous atmosphere. The title itself does not tell us the name of the leading lady, but indicates a place, a liquid element from which all the story seems to originate. My dramaturgy brings back the day when Elena met the King: the elderly lady of the title is celebrating the anniversary of her wedding to Malcom and opens the gateway to the past through the filter of her memory. Thus nostalgia becomes the theme of a tale, dominated, as in Walter Scott’s poem, by rugged nature and ruins.”

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LA DONNA DEL LAGO

Melodramma by Andrea Leone Tottola

Conductor Michele Mariotti

Director Damiano Michieletto

Settings Paolo Fantin

Costumes Klaus Bruns

Lighting designer Alessandro Carletti

Interpreters Giacomo V-Uberto Juan Diego Flórez, Duglas Marko Mimica, Rodrigo Michael Spyres, Elena Salome Jicia, Malcom Varduhi Abrahamyan, Albina Ruth Iniesta, Serano / Bertram Francisco Brito

Elder Elena Giusi Merli, Elder Malcom Alessandro Baldinotti

Orchestra e Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna

Chorus Master Andrea Faidutti

New coproduction with Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège 

This production is dedicated to the memory of Gae Aulentilago

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Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona

Posted on August 23, 2016 by editoreusa

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Opera buffa in two acts. Libretto by Cesare Sterbini based on the comedy of the same title by Pierre-Augustin de Beaumarchais. Music by Gioachino Rossini. Premiered on 20 February 1816 at the Teatro Argentina in Rome. First staged at the Gran Teatre del Liceu on 18 September 1847. Last performance as part of the Liceu season on 30 June 1997 (at the Teatre Victoria).

Despite being whistled on the first night, the most famous opera buffa of all time won undying fame for its composer, Gioachino Rossini. He wrote it in under two weeks, using materials from the overtures to two previous operas, a technique that often enabled him to work fast. It tells of the efforts of grumpy old Bartolo to keep Rosina away from all suitors except one: himself. Bartolo is the archetype of the old world battling against modernity, here embodied by Count Almaviva, assisted by Figaro, the barber. This version by Joan Font (of Comediants) uses devices from popular and street drama that are characteristic of that company’s style. In the end love triumphs over everything and everyone, as in any opera buffa. The characters and plot created by Beaumarchais in 1775 are magnificently set off by the lively, sophisticated music.

GALLERY

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Conductor  Giuseppe Finzi

Stage Direction  Joan Font (Comediants)

Scenography and Costumes  Joan Guillén

Lighting  Albert Faura

Choreography  Xevi Dorca

New production
Houston Grand Opera, Canadian Company, Opéra National de Bordeaux and Opera Australia

Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of the Gran Teatre del Liceu

CAST
The Count of Almaviva Juan Francisco Gatell 14, 16, 18, 20 and 23 Sep
Bogdan Mihai 19, 22 and 25 Sep
Bartolo Carlos Chausson 14, 16, 18, 20 and 23 Sep
José Fardilha 19, 22 and 25 Sep
Rosina Annalisa Stroppa 14, 16, 18, 20 and 23 Sep
Ketevan Kemoklidze 19, 22 and 25 Sep
Figaro Mario Cassi 14, 16, 18, 20 and 23 Sep
Lionel Lhote 19, 22 and 25 Sep
Basilio John Relyea 14, 16, 18, 20 and 23 Sep
Dmitry Ulyanov 19, 22 and 25 Sep
Fiorello Manel Esteve
Berta Marisa Martins

Length of performance

Act I: 95 min.
Pause: 30 min.
Act II: 60 min.
Total time: 3 h 10 min.

FOCUS ON…

GIUSEPPE FINZI, CONDUCTOR

Conductor Giuseppe Finzi conducts the San Francisco Opera production of Giacomo Puccini's "Turandot," Friday, Nov. 18, 2011 at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco. (Photo by D. Ross Cameron)

Conductor Giuseppe Finzi conducts the San Francisco Opera production of Giacomo Puccini’s “Turandot,” Friday, Nov. 18, 2011 at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco. (Photo by D. Ross Cameron)

Giuseppe Finzi holds degrees in Piano from the Conservatorio N. Piccinni – Bari, in Orchestra conducting, Chamber vocal music at Conservatorio G. Verdi – Milano and a Master in conducting at the Accademia Chigiana – Siena.

After a long experience in the music staff of the Teatro alla Scala, where he worked alongside Riccardo Muti and the most important names of the international scene, he made his debut in 2003 with Tosca at the Teatro Rendano-Cosenza, which was followed by productions of La Traviata, L’Elisir d’amore, Madama Butterfly, Rigoletto, Carmen and Così fan tutte (the latter at the Piccolo Teatro-Milano with the soloists and the orchestra of the Accademia del Teatro alla Scala).

Since 2011 he is the Resident Conductor of the San Francisco Opera, where, after his debut with L’Elisir d’amore and La Bohème in 2008, he has conducted more than 70 performances of Aida, Turandot, Entführung aus dem Serail, Faust, La Fanciulla del West, Carmen, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, La Traviata, Rigoletto as well as new productions of Il Barbiere di Siviglia, La Bohème and symphonic concerts.Giuseppe Finzi2In 2012 Carmen at the Deutsche Oper Berlin marked his German debut and the beginning of an international career followed by The Nutcracker at the Teatro San Carlo-Naples, new productions of Idomeneo at the Theater Lübeck, Rigoletto at the Teatro Massimo-Palermo and Madama Butterfly at the Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari, the return to the Deutsche Oper Berlin with Carmen, that he also conducted in Menorca, Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Liceu of Barcelona, L’elisir d’amore at Teatro San Carlo of Naples, , Turandot at the Bregenz Festival.

Among his recent and future engagements: the opening of the season at the Korea National Opera with a new production of Les pêcheurs de perles, Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville in occasion of the 200th anniversary of the premiere, La Traviata in Essen, his return in Bregenz with Turandot, a new production of Don Pasquale in San Francisco, as well as Nabucco at the Opéra Monte-Carlo and La fille du régiment in Barcelona.Giuseppe Finzi3

The conductor’s web site: http://giuseppefinzi.com/eng/index.php

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Falstaff in Frankfurt on September 23, 2016

Posted on August 18, 2016 by editoreusa

operfrankfurtlogoFalstaff

Giuseppe Verdi 1813-1901

Commedia lirica in three acts
Libretto by Arrigo Boito based on Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor (1597) and King Henry IV (1597)
first performed February 9th 1893, Teatro alla Scala, Milan

Sung in Italian with German surtitles, c. 2hrs 45 mins, including one intervalfalstaff6

Sep 2016
Friday 23; Thursday 29.
Oct 2016
Sunday 02; Friday 07; Sunday 09; Saturday 15.

ARTISTIC TEAM

Conductor Julia Jones

Director Keith Warner

Revival rehearsed by Dorothea Kirschbaum

Stage Designer Boris Kudlička

Costume Designer Kaspar Glarner

Lighting Designer Davy Cunningham

Chorus Master Markus Ehmann

Dramaturge Norbert Abels

Cast

Sir John Falstaff Željko Lučić
Ford James Rutherford
Fenton Martin Mitterrutzner
Nannetta, Elizabeth Reiter/Kateryna Kasper
Alice Ford Jessica Strong
Meg Page Paula Murrihy / Claudia Mahnke
Mrs Quickly Anna Larsson
Dr Cajus Hans-Jürgen Schöpflin
Bardolfo, Falstaff’s servant Ralf Simon
Pistola, Falstaff’s servant Barnaby Rea

It is hard to believe: with his 28th, and last opera, 80 year old Verdi reinvented himself again. Leaving all 19th century Italian operatic conventions behind, he had fun with them and quotes from his own works and some of his antipode, Richard Wagner. Seven years earlier Verdi had allowed himself to be seduced by Arrigo Boito into composing another opera based on Shakespeare – Otello. Keith Warner directed the work with light hand in a versatile stage design based on the Globe Theatre on the banks of the Thames. In the end the fat knight Sir John, who was made to look a fool to pay him back for trying to court two married ladies in the hope of getting himself out of a tight financial corner, starts off the closing fugue: »Everything in the world is a joke.«

GALLERY

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FOCUS ON:

zeljkoŽeljko Lučić

Željko Lučić, a native of Serbia, continues to garner acclaim for his performances of the dramatic baritone repertoire in the world’s leading opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, San Francisco Opera, and L’Opéra National de Paris. For his appearance in La forza del destino with San Francisco Opera, the Financial Times declared, “with this Don Carlo, Željko Lučić served notice that he is one of today’s pre-eminent Verdi baritones.” In the 2015-16 season Lyric Opera of Chicago audiences will hear him in the title role of Nabucco, and he returns to the Metropolitan Opera as Scarpia in Tosca, Iago in Otello (also HD broadcast) and the title role of Rigoletto. In summer 2015 he sang Scarpia at Teatro alla Scala.  zeljko1

In season 2014-15 he reprised the title role of Macbeth and sang Amonasro in Aida at the Met; reprised the role of Gérard in David McVicar’s new production of Andrea Chénier at the Royal Opera House, broadcast cinematically worldwide; and stepped into the title role of Nabucco with Wiener Staatsoper. His 2013-14 season engagements included Germont in La traviata with Diana Damrau, also Amonasro in Aida in returns to Teatro alla Scala; and his return to the Metropolitan Opera as Gerard in Giordano’s Andrea Chénier. Other European engagements included Scarpia in Tosca and the title role in Nabucco with Wiener Staatsoper; Iago in Otello with Opernhaus Zurich; the title role in Falstaff with Stadtische Bühnen Frankfurt; the title role in Simon Boccanegra with Semperoper Dresden; and Scarpia with Bayerische Staatsoper. In 2012-13 he sang the title role in Rigoletto for the Metropolitan Opera’s new production, for San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago and Teatro all Scala, title roles in Simon Boccanegra and Macbeth in returns to Bayerische Staatsoper, and Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera in a return to Teatro alla Scala.

In Otello at the Metropolitan Opera. Photo by Ken Howard

In Otello at the Metropolitan Opera. Photo by Ken Howard

Recent successes include Rigoletto with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, under Gustavo Dudamel, his return to the Metropolitan Opera in the title role of Nabucco; to Stadtische Bühnen Frankfurt as Scarpia in Tosca and Iago in Otello; to Opéra de Paris in the title role of Rigoletto, also to Oper Köln in the same role; to Bayerische Staatsoper (Munich) as Miller in Luisa Miller; to Wiener Staatsoper as Germont in La traviata and Scarpia in Tosca; and making his Salzburger Festspiele debut in the title role of Macbeth in a new production directed by Peter Stein, conducted by Riccardo Muti. After his monumental success as the title role in the Metropolitan Opera’s live, international HD broadcast production of Macbeth, Željko Lučić returned to sing the title role in Rigoletto, Germont in La traviata, Di Luna in Il trovatore, the title role in Rigoletto, Enrico in the company’s Japan tour of Lucia di Lammermoor,and Michele in Il tabarro.

Internationally, he has performed the role of Scarpia in Tosca at Teatro alla Scala, Don Carlos in La forza del destino with Wiener Staatsoper, Miller in Luisa Miller with Bayerische Staatsoper, the title role in Nabucco with both Wiener Staatsoper and Oper Frankfurt; Don Carlo in Ernani with Asociacíon Bilbaína de Amigos de la Opera; the title role in Simon Boccanegra with Oper Frankfurt; Iago in Otello with Deutsche Oper Berlin; and Germont in La traviata with Royal Opera House: Covent Garden. Other successes include the title role in Macbeth, Miller in Luisa Miller, and Germont in La traviata with the Bayerische Staatsoper; a return to Oper Frankfurt to perform as Rodrigo in Don Carlo in a gala concert, as well as Zurga in Les Pêcheurs de perles; and the title role in Rigoletto for Teatro Real in Madrid. He has also performed at the annual Richard Tucker Gala in New York City.

Mr. Lučić’s many return engagements in recent seasons included the Wiener Staatsoper to sing the role of Germont; Staatsoper Dresden as the title role in Rigoletto; and Oper Frankfurt as the title roles in Simon Boccanegra and Macbeth, Iago in concert performances of Otello, Michele in Il tabarro, and the title role in Gianni Schicchi. He also performed the title role in Macbeth at both Bayerische Staatsoper and Amigos de la Opera in Coruña, Spain and performed the title role in Nabucco in Zagreb.zeljko2

Other successes include his Metropolitan Opera debut as Barnaba in La Gioconda, his performance with Dallas Opera as the title role in Nabucco, with Bayerische Staatsoper as Don Carlo in La forza del destino and with Wiener Staatsoper as Germont in La traviata. He appeared with Oper Frankfurt as the title role in Simon Boccanegra, Renato in Un ballo in maschera, and Yeletsky in Pique Dame. In the summer of 2007, he made his Boston Symphony Orchestra debut at Tanglewood as Rodrigo in a concert performance of Don Carlo under James Levine, and sang Amonasro in Aida for Staatsoper Dresden.

Mr. Lučić made an unscheduled debut with L’Opéra National de Paris singing Count di Luna for the opening of the new Francesca Zambello production of Il trovatore. He has also sung at Bregenz Festival, Hamburgische Staatsoper, and with Oper Frankfurt. He returned to San Francisco Opera to sing Don Carlo in La forza del destino after his debut with the company as Germont in La traviata – a role he has also sung at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, the Grand Théâtre de la Ville de Luxembourg, and the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence.  zeljko-lucic

Željko Lučić’s extensive performance repertoire also includes Lescaut in Manon Lescaut with Bayerische Staatsoper; Guy de Montfort in Les Vêpres siciliennes with Radio Filharmonisch Orkest at Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw; Sharpless in Madama Butterfly at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, Semperoper Dresden, and Oper Frankfurt; and both the title role in Eugene Onegin, and Graf von Nevers in Les Huguenots with Oper Frankfurt. He has also appeared with many orchestras, including the Hessischer Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra, Belgrade Filharmony, and RTB Symphony Orchestra.

(Biography by Barrett Artists)

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