Manon Lescaut at the Metropolitan Opera in NYC with Roberto Alagna and Kristine Opolais

Posted on March 1, 2016 by editoreusa

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Soprano Kristine Opolais and tenor Roberto Alagna join forces in Puccini’s obsessive love story. Opolais sings the title role of the country girl who transforms herself into a Parisian temptress, while Alagna is the dashing student who desperately woos her. Director Richard Eyre places the action in occupied France in a film noir setting. “Desperate passion” is the phrase Puccini himself used to describe the opera that confirmed his position as the preeminent Italian opera composer of his day. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi leads the stirring score.

Feb 12 – Mar 11

Sung in Italian
Met Titles In English, German, Italian, Spanish
Estimated Run Time: 2 hrs 58 mins

Production Sir Richard Eyre

Set Designer Rob Howell

Costume Designer Fotini Dimou

Lighting Designer Peter Mumford

Choreographer Sara Erde

SETTING

The first three acts of the opera take place in various locations in France, around the year 1720: the first in the town of Amiens, the second in a magnificent palace in Paris, and the third on the waterfront of the port city of Le Havre. The fourth act is set in a desolate location in the New World, an imaginary place described in the libretto as “a vast desert near the outskirts of New Orleans.” Richard Eyre’s new production moves the action to the 1940s.

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CAST

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SYNOPSIS

World premiere: Teatro Regio, Turin, 1893. Met premiere: January 18, 1907.

Few operas have surpassed Manon Lescaut in the depiction of the urgency of young love. The French tale of a beautiful young woman destroyed by her conflicting needs for love and luxury had already inspired Massenet’s Manon (1884), a relatively new and immensely popular work at the time of Manon Lescaut’s premiere. Puccini made the story his own and infused it with a new level of frank emotion and a flood of melody.The opera was his first great success, leading George Bernard Shaw to name him “the successor to Verdi.”

ACT I France, the 1940s.

A square in Amiens. Edmondo, a songwriter, and his student companions flirt with some factory girls. His friend, des Grieux, also a student, stays apart from them. A coach arrives, bringing Geronte, a tax collector, and Lescaut, a soldier, who is accompanying his younger sister, Manon. Des Grieux falls in love with her at first sight, finds out that her father is sending her to a convent, and makes plans
to prevent this from happening. But Geronte, with Lescaut’s connivance, intends to abduct Manon. Edmondo overhears his plans and warns des Grieux, who escapes with Manon to Paris. Lescaut consoles Geronte by telling him that Manon will not stay long with a student and that he will bring her back to him.

ACT II A house in Paris.

Manon has left des Grieux and is living a life of luxury with Geronte. She’s bored and her brother promises to arrange for des Grieux to visit her. Some singers serenade Manon with a madrigal written by Geronte. Then she dances and sings for him and his friends. When they leave she tells Geronte that she will follow shortly, but des Grieux appears and Manon starts to seduce him. Geronte interrupts their lovemaking, chillingly threatens the two of them, and leaves, telling them he will return soon. Lescaut runs in, warning the lovers that Geronte is going to get Manon arrested and that she must escape. She delays, trying to collect her jewelry, but is arrested before she can escape. Intermezzo Imprisonment: The journey to Le Havre. The thoughts of des Grieux.

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ACT III

Outside a prison in Le Havre by the harbor. Dawn. Des Grieux waits outside the prison where Manon is held. Lescaut bribes a sentry to allow his sister to spend time with
des Grieux, while he organizes a group to enable her escape. The effort fails, a shot is fired. Townspeople run in. The soldiers restore order and the captain of the ship processes Manon and the other prisoners—mostly prostitutes—before they are deported. In desperation des Grieux grabs Lecsaut’s weapon and threatens the captain, who faces him down. Des Grieux pleads with the captain to be allowed to sail with them as one of the crew.

ACT IV A desert.

Des Grieux and Manon are on the run. They are at the end of their strength, collapsing from thirst and exhaustion. Des Grieux leaves Manon, searching for water. When he returns, he finds her dying. In her last breath she says she loves him.

GALLERY (Photos Copyright by Metropolitan Opera)

Manon Lescaut at the Metropolitan Opera
Manon Lescaut at the Metropolitan Opera
Manon Lescaut at the Metropolitan Opera
Manon Lescaut at the Metropolitan Opera
Manon Lescaut at the Metropolitan Opera
Manon Lescaut at the Metropolitan Opera
Manon Lescaut at the Metropolitan Opera
Manon Lescaut at the Metropolitan Opera
Manon Lescaut at the Metropolitan Opera
Manon Lescaut at the Metropolitan Opera
Manon Lescaut at the Metropolitan Opera
Manon Lescaut at the Metropolitan Opera
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Madama Butterfly in Marseille

Posted on March 1, 2016 by editoreusa

operamarseillelogo

Madama Butterfly

GIACOMO PUCCINI

Wednesday March 16th, 2016 > 8:00PM
Friday March 18th, 2016 > 8:00PM
Sunday March 20th, 2016 > 2:30PM
Tuesday March 22nd, 2016 > 8:00PM
Thursday March 24th, 2016 > 8:00PM

No one ever tires of Puccini and even less so of this Madame Butterfly, with a cast so outstanding it could ensure it was on the programme every year

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MADAMA BUTTERFLY

Opera in 3 acts
Libretto by Giuseppe GIACOSA and Luigi ILLICA
from the play by David BALESCO from the story by John Luther LONG
First performed in Milan, Teatro alla Scala, on February 17th 1904
Last performed at Marseille opera, on October 28th 2007
Coproduction Opéra de Marseille / Opéra National de Bordeaux

Conductor Lawrence FOSTER
 Director Numa SADOUL
 Scenic Designer Luc LONDIVEAU
 Costume Designer Katia DUFLOT
 Lighting Designer Philippe MOMBELLET

CAST

Cio-Cio San Svetla VASSILEVA
Suzuki Cornelia ONCIOIU
Kate Pinkerton Jennifer MICHEL

Pinkerton Teodor ILINCĂI
Sharpless Paulo SZOT
Goro Rodolphe BRIAND
The Bonze Jean-Marie DELPAS
Yamadori Camille TRESMONTANT
The Imperial Commissioner Mikhael PICCONE

Marseille Opera Orchestra and Chorus

 

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Madame Butterfly at the Los Angeles Opera

Posted on February 27, 2016 by editoreusa

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madameProduction new to LA.

A love that knows no boundaries goes horribly wrong in a fateful meeting of East and West. What begins as an idyllic liaison in an enchanting land of cherry blossoms turns into the wrenching tragedy of an abandoned bride forced to make an excruciating decision.

Puccini’s cherished music expresses the heartbreak of a naïve young woman who commits herself to a man unworthy of her loyalty. Soprano Ana María Martínez returns as the beloved geisha, one of her signature roles. “Ana María Martínez sang with a poignant vitality that brought forth both the teenage Butterfly’s youthful innocence and, later, her darkest despair. Martínez’s best moments coincided with Butterfly’s most desperate ones: the fragile quality to her singing in ‘Un bel dì’ underscored a deeply affecting, pitiful clinging to hope beyond all reason.” (Opera News)

Ana María Martínez is “Theatrical magic… A beautiful performance.” – The New York Times

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Cast

Creative Team

* LA Opera debut artist
 + Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program member
 ++ Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program alumnus

Gallery

Synopsis

ACT I
Outside a house in turn-of-the-century Nagasaki, Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton, an American naval officer, arranges with the marriage broker Goro to lease a residence for himself and his new bride Cio-Cio-San, also known as Butterfly. He is then introduced to Butterfly’s servants, one of whom is Suzuki. While talking to Sharpless, the American consul, Pinkerton reveals that he purchased his bride for 100 yen and that he can bow out of the marriage contract whenever he wishes. Sharpless tries to warn the officer that his teenage bride might really love him, but Pinkerton ignores the consul, drinking to the day when he will marry an American woman.

Butterfly arrives with friends and relatives, greeting Pinkerton and showing him her paltry belongings, including the dagger her father used to kill himself. She confides to Pinkerton that she secretly converted to Christianity the day before so that she could worship the same God as her husband, for whom she is willing to forget her own people.

During the wedding celebration, the Bonze, Butterflyʼs uncle, arrives. He has heard that Butterfly has renounced her religion, and he calls upon all of her relatives to renounce her. Pinkerton demands that they all leave, then comforts his new bride. As night falls, Butterfly rapturously confesses her love for Pinkerton. He leads her into the house.

ACT II
Three years have passed since Pinkerton sailed away for America. The devoted Butterfly tells Suzuki that one day soon they will see Pinkerton’s ship enter the harbor. Sharpless, who has learned that Pinkerton will soon arrive in Nagasaki with a new wife, tries to persuade Butterfly to marry his client Prince Yamadori, who hopes to marry her. She refuses to listen, insisting that she is already married. Furthermore, she shows the American consul the son that she has borne Pinkerton, convinced that her husband would never abandon her or his own child. The harbor cannon announces the arrival of Pinkerton’s ship, and an elated Butterfly prepares for his imminent arrival, waiting and watching for him all night with her son and Suzuki.

Morning comes and still Pinkerton has not returned. When Butterfly carries the sleeping child to bed, Suzuki sees Sharpless, Pinkerton and an American woman—his new wife, Kate—in the garden. Suddenly overwhelmed by remorse, Pinkerton leaves, unable to face the Japanese wife he had abandoned. While Kate asks Suzuki to explain to Butterfly that Pinkerton’s son would be better off in America, Butterfly awakens and emerges, seeing the strange woman in her garden. Sharpless tells her that the woman is Pinkerton’s wife. Distraught, Butterfly sends them away, telling them that Pinkerton should come for the child in half an hour. She retreats to the house and takes her father’s dagger. She is about to stab herself when Suzuki pushes the child into the room. Butterfly parts sorrowfully from her son and sends him outside to play; she then commits suicide. Pinkertonʼs voice is heard calling in the distance as Butterfly dies.

RUNNING TIME

Two hours and 45 minutes, including one intermission.

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The Flying Dutchman in Poland

Posted on February 25, 2016 by editoreusa

WagnerTitleRomantic opera in three acts
polandlogoLibretto: Richard Wagner after Heinrich Heine’s From the Memoirs of Herr von Schnabelewopski
World premiere: 2.01.1843, Semperoper, Dresden
Polish premiere: 6.02.1902, Teatr Miejski, Lviv
Premiere of this production: 16.03.2012, Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera

In the original German with Polish surtitles

26 February 2016 Friday 19:00 Moniuszko Auditorium

28 February 2016 Sunday 18:00 Moniuszko Auditorium

01 March 2016 Tuesday 19:00 Moniuszko Auditorium

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The first epoch-making opera by Richard Wagner, evidence of the incredible artistic and at the same time reformist genius of the composer. The myth behind the opera stems from the seventeenth century and has inspired many artists of various professions. Wagner encountered it through an ironic retelling by Heinrich Heine, not entirely devoid of misogynist references.

For Mariusz Treliński The Flying Dutchman is a score full of multidimensional and often shimmering meanings. Known for his penchant for lavish stagings, the artist, along with the set and light designers, built a very dark and surprisingly minimalist show. It is dominated by the colour black, a sign of the vampiric Dutchman wandering the world and of his spiritual abyss, a sign definitely overwhelming the white — a symbol of Senta, devoted to her eternal wanderer.

The show has a lasting effect, imprinting itself in one’s memory. But how could it be otherwise? Throughout almost the entire show the stage is literally flooded with water, bringing on associations with the mare tenebrarum concept. The sea of darkness and the unconscious is crossed in deafening silence by a ghost ship, and the depths of that sea serve as a background for the conflict of the darkest demons of the male psyche.

GALLERY (Photos Opera Narodowa)

CAST

Aleksander Teliga
Daland

  • Erika Sunnegårdh
    Senta
  • Daniel Kirch
    Erik
  • Anna Lubańska
    Mary
  • Mateusz Zajdel
    Steersman

 

 

 

CREDITS

Keri-Lynn WilsonConductor

  • Mariusz TrelińskiDirector
  • Boris KudličkaSet designer

  • Magdalena MusiałCostume designer

  • Tomasz WygodaChoreography
  • Felice Ross Lighting designer
  • Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera
    Dancers and mimes
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International Competition “Riccardo Zandonai” for Young Opera Singers

Posted on February 25, 2016 by editoreusa

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It’s Rossini’s Birthday! WORLD-WIDE CELEBRATIONS

Posted on February 24, 2016 by editoreusa

It’s Rossini’s Birthday! Zedda conducts The barber of Seville in Pesaro…

 

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The barber of Seville, Rossini’s most famous opera, was composed two hundred years ago, and on Monday 29th February, Gioachino Rossini’s birthday, Pesaro will be dedicating a concert performance of the opera to the memory of her most illustrious citizen. The performance, organized by the Conservatorio Rossini, will begin at 8.30 p.m. at the Teatro Rossini. (On that same day the Conservatory will be commencing its 134th academic year.)  The Rossini Opera Festival’s Accademia Rossiniana, the Town Council of Pesaro, AMAT and the Rossini Foundation are also involved in the organization of the event.  Alberto Zedda will conduct the Chorus and Orchestra of the Conservatorio Rossini.

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Maestro Zedda, having dedicated much of his life to the study of Rossini’s music, was the first person to complain about the discrepancies between the scores generally used for performances of the Barber and Rossini’s autograph score.  The critical edition of the opera that he prepared, using  original methods that were later adopted by the Rossini Foundation for the publication of Rossini’s complete works, was so widely praised and adopted that it has become a foundation stone of the Rossini Renaissance that has transformed our ideas about Rossini and has led to the revival in the theatre of all his operatic works, largely forgotten, above all where the “serious” operas are concerned.  That Critical Edition, absolutely the first ever realized of any major Italian opera, has strongly influenced our way of preparing and performing operas in the bel canto repertoire.

Following in the spirit of Zedda’s work of teaching young singers,  the cast of the promised Barber will be drawn from some of the most brilliantly promising young singers heard in recent editions of the Accademia Rossiniana, an institution that he has directed from its foundation (1989) as part of the Rossini Opera Festival: Sunnyboy Dladla (Count Almaviva), Filippo Fontana (Bartolo), Cecilia Molinari (Rosina), Yunpeng Wang (Figaro), Dimitri Pkhaladze (Basilio).  They will be joined by some of the best pupils of the Conservatorio Rossini’s singing classes: Giorgia Paci (Berta), Li Shuxin (Fiorello), Giuseppe Lamicela (Ambrogio)  and Xue Tao (an Officer).

Founded in 1869 by the terms of Gioachino Rossini’s last will and testament, Pesaro’s Conservatory, named after him, began academic courses in 1882 and is one of the oldest and most respected.  Right from the beginning the school’s high artistic level has been guaranteed by the presence, in the direcotr’s chair, of some of the leading Italian composers of their day.  The first director was Carlo Pedrotti, an opera composer from Verona, who, in order to take on the new job, resigned his post as conductor of the Orchestra of the Teatro Regio, Turin, and persuaded some first-class teachers to follow him to Pesaro.  Later, other famous directors included Pietro Mascagni, Amilcare Zanella, Riccardo Zandonai, Lino Liviabella, Marcello Abbado.  Many of the school’s pupils have also, in recent years, distinguished themselves in the international world of music and have followed brilliant careers  bearing witness to the seriously high quality of the courses they studied.  Among the most historically significant pupils of the Conservatorio Rossini we may mention the soprano Renata Tebaldi, the tenor Mario Del Monaco and the composer Riz Ortolani.

WORLD-WIDE ROSSINI CELEBRATIONS

The ROF, in collaboration with Italian Cultural Institutes and the Casa Italiana Zerilli Marimò NYU, is organizing a series of events in honour of Rossini’s birthday.

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IIC Los Angeles
29th  February, Happy Birthday Gioachino Rossini!
An introduction to the Rossini Opera Festival and a recital by the soprano Elisabetta Russo (a pupil of the 2004 Accademia Rossiniana) and baritone Roberto Perlas Gomez accompanied by Bryan Pezzone, piano. Introductory talk by Maestro Carlo Ponti of the Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra.

IIC Chicago
29th February, In Homage to Gioachino Rossini
The musicologists Jesse Rosenberg (Northwestern University) and Robert Kendrick (University of Chicago) talk about Rossini and the Rossini Opera Festival productions. Excerpts will be projected from La gazza ladra (2007, ROF / Dynamic), L’Italiana in Algeri (2013, ROF / Unitel Classica) and Il barbiere di Siviglia (2011, ROF).

New York, Casa Italiana Zerilli Marimò NYU
29th February, Happy Birthday Maestro Rossini!
Projection of L’Italiana in Algeri (2013, ROF / Unitel Classica).

IIC Istanbul
29th February, Rossini Concert – transcriptions and compositions in honour of Rossini
Eugenio Della Chiara, guitar
Presented by the Rossini Opera Festival

IIC Hamburg
29th February, Happy Birthday Gioachino!
Recital by Benjamin Popson, tenor, accompanied by Claudia Cecilia, piano. Introductory talk by Volker Wacker (Opernwerkstatt, Staatsoper Hamburg).

IIC Dublin
11 February, In Homage to Rossini
Projection of Il barbiere di Siviglia
Conducted by Claudio Abbado, production by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, with Teresa Berganza, Luigi Alva, Enzo Dara, Paolo Montarsolo.

IIC Sydney
4 March, Celebration of Rossini’s Birthday
Projection of Il barbiere di Siviglia (2011, ROF).
Introductory talk by Maestro Robert Mitchell (Opera Australia).

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The Magic Flute at the Komische Opera in Berlin

Posted on February 24, 2016 by editoreusa

komische_opera_berlin_logoWolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The Magic Flute

Grand opera in two acts (1791)
Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder

The Komische Oper Berlin’s production of The Magic Flute, »a deliciously absurd mixture of silent film and cartoon« [Berliner Morgenpost], has caused a furore, and not just in Berlin: in Los Angeles, Minneapolis and at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, it received euphoric acclaim both from audiences and the press. »Barrie Kosky has transformed The Magic Flute into a stunning live-action cartoon, so bewitching as to silence every criticism.« [Los Angeles Times] »You are amazed by the perfection, you laugh in appreciation of the virtuoso design behind each of these scenes… Breath-taking!« [taz]

PERFORMANCES

March 24, 2016
April 2, 16, 27, 28, 29, 2016
May 4, 8, 13, 2016
June 14, 2016

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Who is »1927«?

A show that oozes technical accomplishment, and there’s no doubt, with a debut as slick as this, that these young artists have a bright future ahead of them.” The Age, Melbourne

1927 is a London based performance company that specializes in combining performance and live music with animation and film to create magical filmic theatre. Celebrated at home and overseas, the Company was founded in 2005 by Writer, Performer & Director Suzanne Andrade and Animator & Illustrator Paul Barritt.  In 2006, Performer & Costume Designer Esme Appleton and Performer, Composer & Musician Lillian Henley joined and  in 2007, Producer Jo Crowley began collaborating with the company.  All  four  creative  members  of  1927  come  from  different  artistic backgrounds, and it is the collaboration between these artists and the complete integration of artistic  disciplines, that has paved the way for 1927 to create it’s unique, innovative and highly original work.

At the heart of 1927’s practice is the desire to explore the relationship between live actor and animation to  create dynamic and innovative live theatre.  1927 fuse, merge and mix creative mediums to create a unique  performance style.  The company has developed an approach to  combining the mediums of film,  performance and music to great effect, both technically and conceptually; pushing the forms the company  works in to new and exciting places.  1927 has mastered a delicate marriage of live music, animation, film,  performance and song  –  taking  disparate  elements  and  making  them  work  in  harmony  to  create  unique  theatrical experiences.

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CREATIVE TEAM 

Musical direction Henrik Nánási, Alexander Joel, Hendrik Vestmann, Gabriel Feltz
Staging Suzanne Andrade, Barrie Kosky
Animations Paul Barritt
(Suzanne Andrade und Paul Barritt) und Barrie Kosky
Stage design and costume Esther Bialas
Dramaturgy Ulrich Lenz
Chorus David Cavelius
Lighting Diego Leetz

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CAST

Pamina
Brigitte Geller, Sydney Mancasola, Adela Zaharia
Tamino
Tansel Akzeybek, Adrian Strooper
Queen of the Night
Beate Ritter
Sarastro / Speaker
Alexey Antonov, Stefan Cerny
Papageno
Dominik Köninger, Tom Erik Lie
Papagena
Julia Giebel, Sheida Damghani
Monostatos
Peter Renz, Ivan Tursic
First lady
Nina Bernsteiner, Mirka Wagner
Second lady
Karolina Gumos, Maria Fiselier, Theresa Kronthaler
Third lady
Caren van Oijen
First armoured man
Christoph Späth, Johannes Dunz
Second armoured man
Carsten Sabrowski, Philipp Meierhöfer
Three boys
Solisten des Tölzer Knabenchores
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SYNOPSIS
ACT ONE
In a dark forest, far away …
As he flees from a dangerous giant serpent, Tamino is rescued at the last second by the three ladies who serve the Queen of the Night. When he regains consciousness, the first thing Tamino sees is Papageno, and he believes him to be his rescuer. Papageno, a bird catcher in search of love, does nothing to dispel the misunderstanding. The three ladies return and punish Papageno for his lies by rendering him mute. They show Tamino a picture of Pamina, the daughter of the Queen of the Night, whom Tamino instantly falls in love with. Shortly thereafter, the Queen of the Night herself appears and
tells Tamino of her daughter’s kidnapping at the hands of Sarastro. Tamino responds with great enthusiasm to her command that he free Pamina. The three ladies give Papageno back his voice and instruct him to accompany Tamino. As a protection against danger, they give Tamino the gift of a magic flute, while Papageno receives magic bells. The three ladies declare that three boys will show Tamino and Papageno the way to Sarastro.
Pamina is being importuned by Sarastro’s slave Monostatos. Papageno, who has become separated from Tamino on the way to Sarastro, is as scared by the strange appearance of Monostatos as the slave is by Papageno’s. Alone with Pamina, Papageno announces that her rescuer Tamino will soon arrive. Papageno himself is sad that his search for love has thus far proved fruitless. Pamina comforts him.
The three boys have led Tamino to the gates of Sarastro’s domain. Although he is initially refused entry, Tamino begins to doubt the statements made by the Queen of the Night regarding Sarastro. He begins to play on his magic flute, and enchants nature with his music. Papageno meanwhile flees with Pamina, but they are caught by Monostatos and his helpers. Papageno’s magic bells put their pursuers out of action. Sarastro and his retinue then enter upon the scene. Monostatos leads in Tamino. The long yearned-for encounter between Tamino and Pamina is all too brief. Sarastro orders that they must first face a series of trials.

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ACT TWO

The trial of silence
Tamino and Papageno must practise being silent. Because of the appearance of the ladies and their warnings, their ordeal is a truly testing one. Tamino remains resolute, while Papageno immediately begins to chatter.

Meanwhile, Monostatos again tries to get close to the sleeping Pamina. The Queen of the Night appears and orders her daughter to kill Sarastro. Pamina remains behind, despairing. Sarastro seeks to console Pamina by foreswearing any thoughts of revenge.

The trial of temptation
Tamino and Papageno must resist any temptation: no conversation, no women, no food! As well as the magic flute and magic bells the three boys also bring Tamino and Papageno food, which Tamino once again steadfastly resists. Even Pamina fails to draw a single word from Tamino’s lips, which she interprets as a rejection. She laments the cooling of Tamino’s love for her.
Before the last great trial, Pamina and Tamino are brought together one last time to say farewell to one another. Papageno is not permitted to take part in any further trials. He now wishes for only a glass of wine – and dreams of his great love.
For her part, Pamina believes that she has lost Tamino forever. In her despair, she seeks to end her own life, but is prevented from doing so by the three boys, who assure her that Tamino still loves her. Gladdened and relieved, Pamina accepts their invitation to see Tamino again.
Reunited at last, Tamino and Pamina undergo the final trial together.

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The trial of fire and water
The music of the magic flute and their love for one another allow Tamino and Pamina to conquer their own fear and overcome the dangers of fire and water.
Papageno is meanwhile still unsuccessful in his search for his great love. Despairing, he now also seeks to end his life, but is also prevented from doing so by the three boys. Papageno’s dream finally comes
true: together with his Papagena, he dreams of being blessed with many children.

Meanwhile …
… the Queen of the Night, the three ladies, and the turncoat Monostatos arm themselves for an attack against Sarastro and his retinue. However, the attack is repelled.
Tamino and Pamina have reached the end of their trials, and can finally be together.

 GALLERY (Photos Copyright Iko Freese, Berlin)

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“Così fan tutte” in Vienna

Posted on February 23, 2016 by editoreusa

logo_Vienna

Così fan tutte

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

24. February 2016
19:00-22:30|1 Intermission

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Artistic team

  • Tomáš Netopil | Conductor
  • Roberto de Simone | Diretor
  • Mauro Carosi | Stage
  • Odette Nicoletti | Costumes

CAST

  • Caroline Wenborne | Fiordiligi
  • Stephanie Houtzeel | Dorabella
  • Markus Eiche | Guglielmo
  • Benjamin Bruns | Ferrando
  • Maria Nazarova | Despina
  • Wolfgang Bankl | Don Alfonso

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SYNOPSIS

Don Alfonso engages the officers Ferrando and Guglielmo in a lively discussion about the fidelity of women. The young gentlemen are convinced of the steadfastness of their fiancées, the two sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella. Alfonso does not share their opinion, however, and the men enter into a wager. Alfonso intends to demonstrate that a woman’s fidelity will not even last 24 hours. He hurries to Fiordiligi and Dorabella, explaining to them that their fiancés have been summoned to the field of battle. Ferrando and Guglielmo pretend to take their leave of the despondent ladies. Alfonso enlists the assistance of Despina, the chamber maid, revealing only as much of his plan as necessary. She is to make life easier for the two foreign gentlemen wishing to court the two sisters. These gentlemen are none other than Ferrando and Guglielmo, who now appear heavily disguised, just as Fiordiligi and Dorabella are about to turn the “strangers” out, Don Alfonso welcomes them as old friends. Since the ladies do not immediately submit to their advances, the men develop a new strategy. They rush to Fiordiligi and Dorabella claiming that their unrequited love has caused them to take poison: they act out a dramatic death scene. In the guise of a doctor, Despina “saves” the two lovers with the assistance of the ladies, who have now become more compassionate. Just for fun, Fiordiligi and Dorabella pretend to give their new lovers a hearing: without realizing it, each of them chooses the wrong partner. Gradually they fall in love with the “new” lovers, and are soon ready to marry them. Despina dresses up as a notary to perform the “wedding ceremony”. At this precise moment, Alfonso announces the return of the “former” lovers. The latter now appear in their original uniforms and “find” the marriage contract. In the end all is explains to the disconsolate ladies, and Alfonso is able to unite the right couples with one another again. ​

GALLERY Photo © Wiener Staatsoper GmbH

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Tannhäuser at the Estonian National Opera

Posted on February 22, 2016 by editoreusa

tannhauserTitle

Grosse romantische Oper in three acts by Richard Wagner
World premiere in Dresden Hoftheater on October 19, 1845
Premiere at the Estonian National Opera on March 14, 2013

“Tannhäuser” is the best production of year 2014 in Estonia. The award was handed over on 27 March. Different awards were also given to Mati Turi and Ain Anger, who participated in the production.

T, 31 March 2016 / 19:00
S, 2 April 2016 / 19:00
S, 30 April 2016 / 19:00

“Tannhäuser”, belongs to the composer’s more romantic stage in his creative career together with “Der fliegende Holländer” and “Lohengrin”. Telling the story of man’s struggle towards his dreams and the danger of losing touch with the reality, “Tannhäuser” unites the historical with the mythological, creating a world of magic realism common to Wagner’s operas. The composer drew on legends about the Minnesinger Tannhäuser and the Wartburg singing contest, combining the historic figure of Tannhäuser with the myth of Venus and her world of love pleasures. As an antithesis Wagner set off Elisabeth’s pure and redeeming love. Today the most famous melodies from “Tannhäuser” are the Pilgrims’ Chorus and Wolfram’s aria “O du mein holder Abendstern“ from Act 3.

In 2013 all the world celebrated the 200th anniversary of Richard Wagner’s birth. For this occasion, “Tannhäuser” was staged at the Estonian National Opera by an internationally renowned stage director Daniel Slater, whose productions are known for their originality, humanity, intelligence and modernity. His award-winning productions have been successfully staged in Great Britain, Germany, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Spain, USA and New Zealand.

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Synopsis

Having left the Castle of Wartburg in Thuringia with a quarrel, the knight and Minnesinger Tannhäuser has fallen for the charms of Venus and lives with the goddess on Venusberg. After a year, he grows tired of heavenly pleasures and asks Venus to release him. The goddess curses Tannhäuser and foretells that he will return to her on the hour of utmost despair. Tannhäuser finds himself near the Wartburg Castle, where he meets his old friends, who remind him of Elisabeth, the Landgrave Hermann’s niece who was once in love with him. Tannhäuser is moved by the news, joins the court again and begs for Elisabeth’s forgiveness. The Landgrave announces a song contest in which the winner will be crowned by Elisabeth. Tannhäuser’s best friend Wolfram, who is secretly in love with Elisabeth, praises the purity of true love. Angered Tannhäuser interrupts him, saying that real love is not pure but passionate and breaks into a hymn in praise of Venus. The court realises that during his absence, Tannhäuser was in Venusberg and they want to attack him for his shameful behaviour, but Elisabeth asks them for mercy. The Landgrave sends Tannhäuser together with other pilgrims to the Pope in order to ask the Pope to pardon him. After half a year, other pilgrims return to Wartburg, but Tannhäuser is not among them. Elisabeth prays to the Virgin Mary to be allowed to die and, through her death, to redeem Tannhäuser. Wolfram, wandering in the woods, meets the weary Tannhäuser, who tells him that the Pope refused to pardon him, saying “You can find no more forgiveness than the Pope’s staff could blossom”. In great despair, Tannhäuser returns to Venusberg. Wolfram tries to prevent him from yielding to the charms of Venus, reminding him of Elisabeth who still loves him. A procession passes that announces the death of Elisabeth. Grief-stricken Tannhäuser cries out Elisabeth’s name and Venus vanishes. Tannhäuser collapses dead with the cry “Holy Elisabeth, pray for me!” The pilgrims and the crowd announce that a miracle has happened: the Pope’s staff has blossomed! Tannhäuser’s soul is saved.

GALLERY

Staging team

  • Conductors: Vello Pähn, Jüri Alperten
  • Stage Director: Daniel Slater (England)
  • Designer: Leslie Travers (England)
  • Lighting Designer: Anton Kulagin
  • Movement Director: Kati Kivitar

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Vello Pähn Conductor

  • Jyrkki Anttila web

    Jyrki Anttila

  • Heli_Veskus

    Heli Veskus

  • Rauno_Elp

    Rauno Elp

  • New Image

    Pavlo Balakin

  • oliver_kuusik

    Oliver Kuusik

  • Jassi_Zahharov
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Jules Massenet’s Manon at the Wiener Staatsoper in Vienna

Posted on February 21, 2016 by editoreusa

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Manon

Jules Massenet

22. February 2016  | 19:00-22:15|1 Intermission

  • 25. Feb. 2016 | 19.00
  • 28. Feb. 2016 | 18.30

 

Massenet’s musical rendering of the story of the frivolous and charming Manon, to whom the young nobleman Des Grieux loses his heart, has been one of the most popular French operas ever since it was premièred in 1884.

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Artistic Team

  • Frédéric Chaslin | Conductor
  • Andrei Serban |Production
  • Peter Pabst | Equipment

CAST

  • Diana Damrau | Manon Lescaut
  • Ramón Vargas | Chevalier Des Grieux
  • Dan Paul Dumitrescu | Graf Des Grieux
  • Boaz Daniel | Lescaut

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SYNOPSIS

The wealthy Guillot de Morfontaine, the farmer-general Brétigny and their female companions Poussette, Javotte and Rosette are enjoying themselves in a tavern at a staging post in Amiens. The approach of a group of travellers is announced, and curious town-folk gather to watch them, amongst them Sergeant Lescaut, who has come to meet his cousin Manon to take her to a convent. The young Manon is indeed amongst the new arrivals, enchanting all the bystanders – including Guillot – with her beauty. The latter offers her a life of luxury if she will become his mistress. Though Manon rejects his advances, she feels irresistibly attracted by the prospect of wealth. Chevalier Des Grieux alo arrives on the scene. Hardly has the young noblemen set eyes on the young girl than he, too, falls in love with her completely. Manon is also attracted to him, and agrees to flee to Paris with him. However, the time which the young lovers spend with one another is all too short, as Manon finally gives in to the advances of the wealthy Brétigny. Chevalier Des Grieux is forcefully abducted at the instigation of his father, the old Count Des Grieux., who wishes to put his son back on the straight and narrow. Some time later, Manon chances to hear that the young Des Grieux is about to take holy orders. She immediately goes to visit him at the monastery of Saint-Sulpice. It only takes a few tender words from Manon for Des Grieux to succumb to her charms: once again the couple flee together. Since Manon is still unwilling to do without her luxury, Des Grieux endeavours to improve his financial circumstances by gambling at the sleazy Hotel de Transylvanie. Guillot sees him there and drums up a scandal, accusing Des Grieux of cheating. He fetches the police, and both Manon and Des Grieux are arrested. Though Count Des Grieux is able to secure the release of his son, Manon is to be deported to America. However, worn down by the exertions of prison life, Manon dies in des Grieux’s arms on the way to the harbor.

GALLERY

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