Liceu Carmen with Alagna, Uria-Monzon, Poplavskaya and Schrott

Photo via http://www.musicweb-international.com/ Liceu, Antoni Bofill

Most importantly and before i say anything else :
Muchisisismas gracias a todos los amigos de Barcelona! Por la cálida acogida, por la ayuda con las entradas, por los cafés y las charlas, por la riquísima comida, por la agradable compañía. Por hacerme sentir como en casa, solo que a temperaturas más agradables ;-) Por hacer que la visita a Barcelona me sepa a demasiado corto, por dejarme con tantas ganas de volver lo más pronto posible.
Cruzo dedos y espero de todo corazón que la ocasión que todos deseamos venga rapidoooooo para poder compartirla con vosotros en el Liceu.
Molts petonets!!!!!! *

Y ahora con la Carmen….

I started this opera season a bit later and somewhere else tan expected. Turns out the first full opera production I got to see this season was the Carmen at the Liceu in Barcelona. Terrific choice as it turned out! And definitely more than just another Carmen.

It was an evening full of good surprises. Starting with the fact that the Liceu is likely to become one of my favourite venues. Based on recent experiences I didn’t expect a theatre that looked old to be so comfortable. Fact is of course the Liceu has been recently rebuilt from scratch after a fire destroyed the theatre. So it looks lush but is full of modern comfort and service. From the many elevators, the back-hugging seats, the pleasant temperature ( no boiling or freezing!!! Didn’t think that existed in an opera house…) , the modern café, the un-crowded and elegant toilets (yes, no mile-long cue at the ladies, fancy that! You actually have time for a chat in the interval!! ), the spacious shop (1+ on the ROH on that one) this place makes you feel welcome every step of the way. And so does the cheery and pleasant staff (equally as nice as the ROH one and it is the only place I have been able to say that so far) . And let me tell you about the acoustics!!!!!! Gorgeous!!!!!! No ceilings too low to cover the sound and in spite of being a 2300 seats house it is quite tightly packed around the stage so that the sound feels like almost coming from the centre of it.

Old world charm with today’s comfort, I felt spoiled!!! And I’ll look forward to treat myself again :-) By the way, the Liceu also sports a nice “choose your own place” internet selling system. Disadvantage is however that the whole season comes on sale at once; but it is one of those places where as a foreign traveller you have good access to, a sales system you can handle and where you can chose you rapport price-seat. Definitely a place to visit. Literally as well, apparently the tours are good and very interesting, it’s on my to-do list for next time. Among others I’d like to see if backstage or rather behind the curtain it is as well organised as in the hall :-)

This Carmen was different in more ways than one. For example, it is definitely something different to see a Carmen in Spain, directed by a Spanish director. So many Carmens dish up some kind of fake Spain that just feels kitschy. This wasn’t it, although it was as full of toreros and bulls as you could want it ;-) But not all bulls and toreros are the same. It’s an updated, profoundly authentic Spanish Carmen, just that it is sung in French :-) There are slight changes which might bother some, like for example they swiped almost all recitatives out and there is “a dos cuartos” in the chorus in the last act. But what it had lost in potentially badly spoken French dialogues it gained in fluency and tension. Don’t get me wrong, there are full extended versions I love, but in this case it worked better with the cuts.

There were cars on stage, big wooden bulls dominating dusty planes (loved the way light swathes of smoke blown on stage suggested the dust being kicked up by the singers’ steps ), chalk circles delimiting the arena , a flag pole, a telephone box and little else. Physically at least, but there was so much more added through lighting! It is one of the shows that I have seen where lighting stands out by a mile, effective, clear, highly natural and very creative. Shadows and light filled the space in amazing ways, reducing or expanding it according to the scene. It really can’t be described, it has to be seen (only one of the many reasons to buy a ticket for tomorrow’s cinema broadcast if you can go) .

It is also one of the few times I can remember sitting for 3 hours in an opera and feeling as if I am watching a movie. I keep coming back to the word natural, but that is how it was. No stop and go, seamless transition and most of all, development. Of course the director got lucky with this cast as well, as they are all willing and able to step into their characters. But there is great acting from the chorus as well! The fight of the cigarette factory workers was choreographed but real. There was enough violence to transmit the conflict and kudos for the chorus members carrying away their colleagues on their backs, in their arms, while being kicked and pulled at :-) I had to remember the similar scene in the Scala Carmen last December and the effect couldn’t be more different, one over-doing it and taking the scene practically out of the opera, the other adding the natural touch effectively.

I might not fully agree with all character portrayal choices, but some I thought were spot on. Most of all I liked Micaela! This one finally gets a personality, or is allowed to show one, from the fun-loving, camera carrying visitor to Jose’s regiment to the gutsy young women definitely pushing Jose out of the smuggler camp, rather than begging him to go. Just because Jose is not on love with her, doesn’t mean Micaela can’t be a women in her own right :-) And the youthful fun of her first encounter with Jose also worked well in the context and became an up to date, modern version of a relationship of childhood friends (she steals his cap and they take funny pictures of themselves:-)).

What I didn’t quite get was the second act where the tavern scene is replaced by a scene with just the 5 smugglers around a car at night in the fields. It works in context, but the absence mostly during the scene of larger groups of people made the intimacy of Carmen and Jose’s encounter a bit less poignant. You just don’t get that hard sudden shift from euphoria and loud noise to the heightened tension of the scene between just the two of them. Instead you get a kind of continuity of behaviour, with Jose and Carmen frolicking around just like the smuggler group right before. Which kind of makes their relationship less different from the others, as he already behaves just like them. Even when the smugglers come back to stop the fight with Zuniga, the girls calm Jose’s anger as if he were one of them. There is also much less hesitation in Jose’s action, he is neither as reluctant to fall in Carmen’s arms nor as reluctant to push her away twice. Generally it’s a case where the relationship with Carmen forms with more ease and less inner turmoil, as if they would belong together. This however makes the conclusion of the story more dangerous, violent, because as differences are not as obvious in the beginning you build a false sense of possible reconciliation and you never get a sense of real danger until it is too late. It’s made a slightly different take, but it works very well. You basically get lulled in watching the movie of the smuggler life unfold, almost like a documentary and then it literally accelerates into the precipice.

Other scenes were also altered from the usual context with striking impact. Escamillo and Carmen’s short last dialogue is not carried out amongst the masses but in a darkened arena, with a spot light on just the two of them, Escamillo down on one knee preparing for the fight. A moment taken from display to intimacy in a very simple way, but which conveys the intensity of the relationship perfectly.

Then there is the use of the cars! In getting rid of Zuniga (will not give details, don’t want to ruin the fun for people watching in the cinemas ;-)), in jumping up, down and around them during the fight between Jose and Escamillo ( Erwin and Roberto get definite brownie points for the enthusiastic workout!), in having Carmen slither along it to entertain Jose, etc :-)

There are the props that you don’t find in any libretto, like the phone booth or the flag pole, the wooden bull advert, etc. All not indispensable, but definitely entertaining and making the story more real visually. From the factory workers fighting over the first phone call to the soldier practicing to become a torero in the empty night field, they all add colour to the story.

Luckily, this was by far not all!!! With the story came the music and the singing!

What a great night for the chorus, including the girls chorus who represented the kids on stage. The slightly crescendo chorus before the exit of the factory workers into the square was one of the most beautiful I have heard in a while. The have good voices and were spot on and alive all throughout, at no point did they let the tension slip or slow and quite a pleasure to hear the chorus kick up some volume without sounding screechy at all, on the contrary, they sounded warm and full all the way, bravi!!! And bravi also for the committed acting from every single one of them.

Erwin Schrott was announced with laryngitis ( oh yes, we did have that “can we have your attention please – moment, where I couldn’t help but thinking, oh, no, what nooooooowww???!!!!”) but decided to soldier on. Hope he didn’t fall flat tired afterwards, he definitely threw himself into it. Good thing is after the aria, which comes first the rest is as much about acting as about singing. He sounded more comfortable with it than I heard him on TV from Scala, good for him! It’s not the same as the way he absolutely dominates his Mozart roles, but it works. And he is probably unbeatable at suggesting quite the right amount of assuredness, macho air, charm and irony to attract a Carmen and enrage Jose. With the dark suit and hat I couldn’t help but think of his upcoming tango CD. But then again, there is so much about torero movements that comes close to the elegance of tango dancing, so the comparison and similarity works when played out in Escamillo. The French probably needs some more work though :-)

Photo Liceu, Antoni Boffil

And finally in Marina Poplavskaya I found a Micaela to stand up for herself and from the crowd. Yes the character had personality, but so does she. Really refreshing, a Micaela who acted differently from what you expected and which drew your attention to her. And sung gorgeously! It just is the right package, the personality is reflected in the voice and vice versa. The duet with Alagna in the first act which I had been looking forward to proved to be all I expected and more. They both have very characteristic and individual colours of voice and her darker and his lighter version produced a really unique sounding duo, which they matched with perfectly intertwined piani. It definitely is one of the most interesting and beautiful versions of this duet I ever heard. And atypical in many ways, less remote and lost in thought, more emotional and engaged with each other, perfectly mirrored in their voices. Probably my favourite musical moment of the night.

Same kind of more urgent tone in their interaction and in her aria in the 3rd act. Fearless and decided (de armas tomar la Micaela esta ;-))). Well done Marina for giving power to Micaela. The public reaction also showed that she made her character much more likeable, including vocally.
I had heard quite a bit of quibbles about Uria Monzon’s Carmen, but I found she warmed up nicely after the Habanera. She is no longer as even and as in control of her instrument as she might have been maybe some year ago, but her Carmen is still a good option. She gives a convincing portrayal, although for some reason not really engaging enough for you to sympathise with her. She doesn’t quite build the necessary tension in her relationship with Alagna’s Jose and this unfortunately fails to make her his equal in this Carmen. It’s a pity because this is called Carmen after all and she should be more of a centre of attention. With everyone else around bringing an extra something to the role, musically and in character, her otherwise good Carmen doesn’t quite shine as bright, as much as I wish I could say otherwise.

And yet again I bumped into a Carmen where the Jose outshines his Carmen (ladies, you need to start standing up to these guys! ;-)) Whatever Roberto has been doing lately or not doing, he should keep at it :-) I’ve liked him for many years now, but I have to join the chorus and say: Roberto, you sound gorgeous! And I mean it in an absolutely positive way when I say like 10 years ago! In comparison to his ROH Jose this was from a different place. He was comfortable all the way and stayed away from the dramatic edge up until the end, where it came with force and energy, and for that all the more effective. And this way we got to enjoy that which Roberto does best, sing sing sing, which ease, warmth, lyricism and in those mezza voce tones which are his alone. And they are now as brilliant and as fresh as one can almost not hope to hear them again after quite a few number of years of career, but there they were. (Honestly, if I could have, I would have begged him to sing one more Romeo now, for all of us who would love to hear it again from him… ) In any case, considering that I have heard his Jose a number of times this year, this was by far, far the best of them and centred in that place where he is best and where we all love him to be. And he was jumping on cars, and fighting with Schrott and pulling Carmen around and slashing her throat… chilling. I though the idea of Jose slowly pulling Carmen’s inert body towards him in the centre of the area was the most beautiful picture for the ending.

There is no doubt about the fact that he was the star of the show, as we all in the public agreed and took pleasure in showing :-) I’ ve never seen him do anything else then give it his all on stage and when it works out this well, all the more reason to celebrate, as he is truly amazing.
All would have not been as well rounded without a great night from the orchestra and all other members of the cast. And a conductor that stayed away from kitsch in the pit as well and drove proceedings with conviction and energy. The cellist alone could have made my day with his solo! I know locals have complained about their orchestra sometimes, but they were in great form the other night!

And by the way, the undoubtedly talented and knowledgeable director is a guy who goes by the name of Calixto Bieito. Someone who as far as I was able to see, in spite of general opinion, is not at all out for gratuitous provocation, who I am sure doesn’t always produce things that one can relate to or agree with, but who obviously knows a lot about storytelling and also knows how to inspire others to become storytellers themselves. We shall see about other productions, but for this Carmen, very well done indeed! And special thanks to his team for creating costumes that fit the story and complimented the singers and for that impressive light work!

If you can, go to see this at the cinema on the 13th!

9 October 2010 - Carmen Liceu

Conductor Marc Piollet
Stage direction Calixto Bieito
Scenography Alfons Flores
Costumes Mercè Paloma
Lighting Xavier Clot
New co-productionGran Teatre del Liceu / Teatro Massimo (Palermo) / Teatro Reggio (Torí)
Cast
Carmen Béatrice Uria-Monzon
Don José Roberto Alagna
Micaela Marina Poplavskaya
Escamillo Erwin Schrott
Frasquita Eliana Bayón
Mercédès Itxaro Mentxaka
Le Dancaire Marc Canturri
Le Remendado Francisco Vas
Moralès Alex Sanmartí
Zuñiga Josep Ribot
Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of the Gran Teatre del Liceu
Cor Vivaldi-Petits Cantors de Catalunya

Reminder: Don Carlo ROH, Saturday BBC Radio 3

Update: the microphones were stuck to the border of the stage, above the orchestra, that is why you can at times hear the orchestra, especially horns, flutes etc and percussion louder and you can also hear Simon's decided steps ;-))) And Jonas singing from Popy's lap as if he was singing into you ear...

Gorgeous isn't it? Ahhhhhhhh..... reliving it exactly as i remembered it ... http://operaismagic.blogspot.com/2009/10/don-carlo-roh-from-heart.html

Can't wait for the La pace dei sepolcri!!!! ;-)
PS BBC stream seems to be good and holding up to the international "attack" ;-)



Photo: Catherine Ashmore Marina Poplavskaya (Elizabeth de Valois) and Jonas Kaufmann (Don Carlos)

On BBC Radio3 at 18:00 UK time ; 19:00 CET (Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, Austria, etc), 13:00 US East coast (New York), for other locations and times, this is a useful site.

On the BBC Radio 3 page, there are also some longer interviews with Semyon Bychkov and Jonas Kaufmann, to listen click HERE (there is also some more information as well as pictures).

For those who couldn't listen to the JK interview on line, here it is:

To listen tomorrow evening to the broadcast on the internet click HERE or HERE.

To listen with surtitles click HERE.

Don Carlo ROH ...from the heart

photo Catherine Ashmore at musicweb-international.com

Ohh Carlo…..

How do you put so much music into words without exaggerating, without leaving important things out and without boring everyone to death… I suspect I’ll become one of those old grannies who will forever pester her grandchildren and everyone else she meets with the story of the Don Carlo she once saw… and nothing will be quite like that Carlo she saw in her days :-)

Of course every performance is unique in its own way and maybe many are worth seeing and some even remembering for a long long time… But we probably all have some recordings at home which leave us wondering what it must have felt like to be there, what did the public think when they listened to it live? Did they think 20, 30 years later or more people would think it special, reference it and constantly compare others to it? I’d love to be able to go back and sit through one of these and compare the feeling to the one I’ve had during this Don Carlo run. And apparently I wasn’t the only one thinking that this was not just your good performance of the week, or the season. I’ve heard many people around me say that it is the best they have seen, or rave about how extraordinary x or y was. The overall smiling faces at the exit also confirmed the kind of festive feeling the evening had surrounding it. It’s not that usual to see smiling faces after almost 4h and a half hours of opera, especially when the most loved characters end in brutal death :-) And still this tale of love, betrayal, freedom and politics left many elated. It also seems the word spread during the run that this is a must see thing, as many famous faces were sighted in the hall ;-) Even singer colleagues travelled to enjoy it.

Having said all this …. I am reluctant to be so definitive about things that I see, because it always is a personal view and my criteria may well be different than other people’s; besides this is not about giving out titles and prizes. So I will rather stick to this:

They have been of the performances I have most enjoyed over all the years I have been seeing opera and will definitely be of the ones I will never, ever be able to forget. Musically this cast and this orchestra and this conductor have revealed so many new facets of this piece, I am grateful for being able to see all performances! It has been a very very happy time, more so than I even expected and the feeling of joy was increased by the feeling that every evening I shared the “buzz” with people surrounding me in the audience. What more can I ask from going to the opera than being given these short, but unforgettable moments of happiness :-)

In a piece where I heave learned to love every single note it is hard to single out those which are “extra special”… I’ll try to mention a few, but wouldn’t be surprised if I ended up retelling the whole opera ;-)

So, I loved…


Jonas doing the softest little trills on “Benedici un casto amor” in the first act and the audience on the last performance remembering that is was his only aria and giving into the impulse of applauding him…

Popy and Jonas really bringing out the fresh chemistry in the first duet; it felt like the perfect carefree young couple freshly in love….

Jonas posing as if in the portrait he has just given Elisabetta and making the audience giggle very single time and then bursting into the “Caaaaarlo son ioooo... e t'aaaaaamo!”…. ohhhhhh….

Pumeza Matshikiza well sung and lively Tebaldo, she definitely was a sparkling stage presence :-)

Robert Lloyd for being part of this production and lending the ghost of Carlos V that world-weary and at the same time peaceful quality

Simon and Jonas for delivering my favourite “Dio, che nell'alma infondere” ever !!!! especially the retake in piano is the most touching and musically stylish I could have imagined. I am grateful to both for putting all their singing and acting skills into creating the friendship bond between Rodrigo and Carlo on stage. It was natural and warm and very touching. Of course there was general choreography, but in all the times I have seen it there was never a gesture that seemed purposely placed or born out of anything else than live interaction. It actually was different every single time and made it exciting to go and see what they come up with or end up doing on the night. Which doesn’t mean I didn’t find the fist on chest thumping just a tiny bit funny… I know it fits the plot and it ties the friendship and Flanders and it is an encouraging gesture, but grown men doing this kind of exaggerated gesture today do look a bit odd :-)

Simon “handling” the court ladies and their curiosity in a most elegant and clever fashion. After the first performance I was waiting for the “D'un gran torneo si parla già, E del torneo il Re sarà.” like for a piece of candy... Verdi must have really loved Posa’s character, because there is not a note he sings that isn’t delightful! And Simon’s slightly annoyed smiles while responding to Eboli were priceless :-)

Popy delivering with dignity and total regal air “Un favore chiedete alla Regina.”

The whole duet between Carlo and Elisabetta in the garden.. from the “Io vengo a domandar grazia alla mia Regina” to the “Ah! maledetto io soooooooon!” Here like in the duet Rodrigo/Carlo each performance brought something new and the interaction became increasingly natural. I love every note, every word of it… Jonas burnished and finite tone in “Mi volsi a un gelido marmo d'avel” and the desperate dip into the fountain , Popy’s equally emotional “Perchè, perchè accusar il cor d'indifferenza?”, Jonas singing the most unbelievable “Perduto ben, mio sol tesor, Ah, tu, splendor di mia vita” (especially that last viiiiiiiiit-aa somehow touched you straight in the heart), Popy singing ever so softly over Carlo’s head in her lap “Ahimè! Il dolor l'uccide... /Tra queste braccia io lo vedrò Morir d'affanno, morir d'amore... /Colui che il ciel mi destinò! ” and Carlo coming back to his senses in a lost piano and then in an emotional outburst on “Elisabetta! tu... bell'adorata” while trapping her within this arms and Popy bravely resisting :-) and pulling herself proudly up in the “Compi l'opra, a svenar corri il padre/Ed allor del suo sangue macchiato /All'altar puoi menare la madre.”. You have to admire a woman and singer who can deliver those lines with such willpower and despair at the same time.

Sparks flying in the confrontation between Rodrigo an Philip … it was never any other way than heart-stopping and riveting. I almost stopped breathing every single time and the gradually darkening lights to intense red perfectly accompanied the tension… which was for me absolutely explosive when Simon delivered the “Orrenda, orrenda pace!(deathly silcen) /La pace dei sepolcri (buuuummmm!!!!!)O Re, non abbia mai di voi l'istoria a dir:Ei fu Neron! (in chilling voice)” aaahhhhhh, amazingggg!!! Simon’s exaltation in the delivery of the aria ending in “Date la libertà!” and Furlanetto’s amazingly shaded, varied depiction of the king with his deeply ingrained convictions of reigning through fear and death, his admiration of the idealist, his well meant warnings, his doubts regarding the Queen, every gesture perfect, nothing too much, nothing too little… “La morte in questa man ha un avvenir fecondo.” The whole weight of the world is lying in his voice and words when the king says “O strano sognator! Tu muterai pensier,Se il cor dell'uom conoscerai,Qual Filippo il conosce!” Up to that last gesture which is looved and waited for where he extends his hand to be kissed and then almost seems to want to caress Rodrigo’s hair and in the end decides to do neither... The whole play of voices and words, of piani and forte or covered darkness and open sounds… so much to see, hear and feel in something over 10 minutes.

Back to the “lovely” things in life … Jonas saying “A mezzanotte al giardin dellaRegina sotto gli allor della fonte vicina… È mezzanotte” with so much lightness and youth fullness that you can’t help being touched but Carlo’s forever hopeful soul :-) Simon almost dashing out of Carlo’s arms after Eboli with drawn dagger …scary that one. I liked the fact that it was physically challenging, there wasn’t any mock fury, the struggle, pulling and pushing was all real.

Verdi’s genius in creating the terzetto started by Eboli with “Trema per te, falso figliuolo” it takes a really good orchestra, an excellent conductor and 3 great singers to pull that one off with such punch!

Then the next bit of Carlo&Rodrigo interaction with the “A te! All'intimo del Re...!...Sospetti tu di me? ...No; del mio cor sei la speranza. /Questo cor che sì t'amo /A te chiudere non so. /In te riposi ogni fidanza; /Si, questi fogli importanti ti do. Io m'abbandono a te ......Tu puoi fidar in me.” Incredible! The contempt in Jonas “Intimo del re” and Simons shades of anger, disappointment, disbelief and hurt in “sospetti tu di me?... di me? ” On one night he actually shoved Jonas hard ;-) and that heart felt hug at the end… ahhhh and yes, the fist on chest thing again :-)

The bells going round the house before the autodafe , the Flemish deputies choir and the looks exchanged between Elisabetta, Philip and Carlo in this scene

Furlanetto’s “Ella giammai m'amò...!” , the very very very best today, no doubt about it. The setting for the scene is perfect, every single word and turn of voice fits every word. It never felt like singing of certain known phrases, but like what it really should be ... an intimate confession. You are held captive by every word and although long and intricate it always felt over in a second. Grazie maestro for the understated, elegant and exquisite demonstration of what a wealth of experience, talent and a wonderful voice can do in this role. Regal in every aspect :-)

Rarely in an opera are political conflicts so ironically and effectively presented like in Don Carlo, and the “chat”between the Inquisitor and the king is an excellent example thereof. I’m going to stop myself from citing the entire libretto from it, although I honestly think I would enjoy it even if the muppets sang it! Luckily, not the case here :-) I do have my favourite words, shreds of music even here : the Inquisitor saying “Le idee del novator in te son penetrate!” and of course famous almost last words ;-))) “Perché evocar allor l'ombra di Samuel? /Dato ho finor due Regi / al regno tuo possente...! /L'opra di tanti di tu vuoi strugger, demente! /Perchè mi trovo io qui? /Che vuol il Re da me?/” “Santa Claus” Tomlinson was really scary here and I felt an incredible chill when he said in his deep, hot-as-the-flames-of-hell voice the last two lines, finite and like a unmoveable death sentence. You can hear in these deceptive words all the crucial decisions he has made and that this will have consequences, and not of the happy kind. Bravi!
I love the next scene between the king and Elisabetta just as much, and a little bit more for Popy than for Furlanetto ( not that he wasn’t great, it needs two for this martial drama to unfold). But Popy was here every single time better and better and a true French princess and Spanish queen. There is incredible strength of character and power of expression in this young, slender, elegantly pale singer and you can’t help but feel proud of her in this scene. Her “Io l'oso! Sì! /Ben lo sapete. Un di promessa /al figlio vostro fu la mia man; /Or v'appartengo, a Dio sommessa, /Ma immacolata qual giglio io son. /Ed ora si sospetta /L'onor di Elisabetta...! Si dubita di me... /Chi m'oltraggia è il Re!” I like it so much that she isn’t just the unjustly accused, but the whole weight of her acknowledgment of her destiny, duty but also status comes through. Overall I really liked Popy’s gutsy Elisabetta, no meek, oppressed women, but a real queen, even though a deeply unhappy one. And Furlanetto’s king is frighteningly out of control in his “Ardita troppo, voi favellate! /Me debole credete e sfidarmi sembrate: /La debolezza in me può diventar furor. /Tremate allor, per voi, per me.” Another one of those many moments which make your pulse race…


Posa’s death scene…really hard to describe, because this too was born again every single time… I’m dangerously close to thinking that I’ll never see another Posa dying more beautifully and realistically in the arms of another Carlo… I had a big knot in my throat already when Posa sings “Felice ancor io son se abbracciar ti poss'io!”… And I like that this particular Carlo doesn’t take that long to understand what Rodrigo is talking about, you feel his stupor and dread already at “Convien qui dirci addio!”. I’ve rarely heard a voice as sweet at that of this Rodrigo telling Carlo not to cry: “Ci congiunga Iddio nel ciel, /Ei che premia i suoi fedel'. /Sul tuo ciglio il pianto io miro; /
Lagrimar così, perché? /No, fa cor, l'estremo spiro /Lieto è a chi morrà per te.” And that last word held on a seemingly endless tone while touching their foreheads... It almost felt like the connection between the two singers gave their joint force to the phrases. After the gun shot the last performance gave the perfect ending to Rodrigo’s life as well. The choreography of this scene has always been brilliant, but given the circumstances must be really hard to execute because both singers are facing the audience and supporting a dying Rodrigo or holding his hand while not really facing each other is not easily achievable without it looking awkward. Thursday they both fell with perfect coordination and without even exchanging a look on their knees, where Rodrigo tells Carlos Elisabetta is expecting him in the monastery and gradually falls in his arms while dying. Carlo supports him partially so that singing doesn’t become an act of torture while resting his head crying on Rodrigo’s shoulder. At the right time according to the text he extends his arm to grab the one extended by Rodrigo and when he finally dies “Ah! ... di me... non... ti... scordar...! “ Carlo gently slides Rodrigo to the floor, while holding his head so that he doesn’t end up bumping his head on the stage floor, making sure he doesn’t role into a position that he would either not look lifeless or which would be impossible to hold until the soldiers lift his body up. It really takes these two to pull something like this off, unspoken coordination and attention and consideration for the colleague and all this while singing and listening to the text as if having a conversation in a lunch break. I really can’t thank Simon and Jonas enough for the faultless singing in this scene as well as for all the efforts made to create it anew every time and make it absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking to watch.

Almost the end, you’ll be happy to know :-)

Popy huuuge aria in act 5 is something for which she deserves many many Bravos. I am not a big fan of long soprano arias, not even with Verdi, but she worked and worked and worked on this one until she too managed to fill the hall with only absolute silence and her voice. Although a certain tenor would certainly love for the old forgotten Verdi aria here to be reborn.. I wouldn’t want to miss this one… ideally I would have them both ;-)))

The final duet Elisabetta/ Carlo is almost as beautiful as the one in the garden scene, and even sadder if possible… and if you are not yet under the spell of those magically spun piani, this will get you there for sure! I really felt my heart soar on the “Si, con la voce tua quella gente m'appella./E se morrò per lei, la mia morte fia bella!” and just dissolve at “Non vedi, Elisabetta! /io ti stringo al mio seno, /Nè mia virtù vacilla, /nè ad essa io mancherò! (desperate!)/Or che tutto finì /e la man lo ritiro dalla tua man, /Tu piangi? (of course she does, who wouldn’t????)”.
Of course there is the killing and the excellently choreographed swords fight, however for me it could end ethereally and oh so sadly on their intertwined voices singing: “Ma lassù ci vedremo in un mondo migliore, /Dell'avvenire eterno /suonan per noi già l'ore; /E là noi troverem nel grembo del Signor /Il sospirato ben che fugge in terra ognor!/In tal di, che per noi non avrà più domani, /Tutti i nomi scordiam /degli affetti profani.”... Brava Popy for holing her own in the piani and those who haven’t heard Jonas sing them, you have to try and catch him do it!!... you have no idea what you are missing :-)


Fine.

More Don Carlo ROH...

All photos Catherine Ashmore from playbillarts.com



A few brief words about the production itself….

This is not a revolutionary, controversial take on the opera, but a classic and composed one. The sets are minimalistic and for those put off by the black walls with tiny windows all I can recommend is for them to buy the program where they will discover this a very realistic replica of the Escorial. I remember from the insight evening last year that both Bob Crowley and Nicholas Hytner visited the place and the designs reflect that, apparently even the black angels on Carlo V tomb exist and Philip’s chamber is also realistic. I think if you decide to place to story where and when it really happened, this production does it’s job. Especially costumes are elaborated to a surprising degree of detail! Unfortunately if you are not seated in the first rows or use binoculars you might miss all the intricacies and refinement of said costumes. They are most likely quite uncomfortable to wear for the singers, but they definitely help place you in time at the Spanish court. I am honestly torn on the subject… I personally love the costumes and the amazing craft of the tailors and embroiders and I am lucky to have seen them up close in the said insight evening. Jaw-dropping!! I’d love to be able to wear one of those dresses once! However, did anyone notice the Infante is actually wearing two different costumes? That in act 3 he changes into one made of black satin and until then is wearing a leather one? How many actually appreciate the embroideries, the fitting boots, the delicate stockings, the lush taffetas and incredible variety of silk and embroideries black on black on the ladies’ dresses? I can’t bring myself to call it a waste... but I sadly wonder if it is appreciated at it’s true value….

I really like the black walls and the rays of light penetrating through the tiny windows… they probably make you feel like they must have felt in that monastery, doomed, incarcerated, alone. I am not sure the moving tomb adds something, the fact that it retreats in the background does no actually manage to convey the feeling we have moved inside the space of the monastery. The box design in itself does provide almost seamless changing of scenes, which I much appreciate as it keep you captive in the music without interruption. It also improves acoustics, which is a bonus. I never get a feeling of the set being too dark, of there being too much black because it must feel like that, to show off the contrast to the scorching sunlight even more. The light in the garden scene I am told by a Spanish friend is strangely realistic and the singers probably feel in those costumes the full power of the heat under the stagelights… I thought the red brick wall was slightly strange at first de to the cone shapes on it, but on repeat viewings it just is a red brick wall and in terms of colour coding works well with the rest I believe.

I don’t think the concept in itself is original, but with the focus to make it realistic it couldn’t be. To me personally it is largely similar to Luc Bondy’s previous one, with the exception of the colour coding, where we have red here, there we had marine blue and the yellow was much more intense. However, I like the costumes by Bob Crowley more, as they go all the way and look truly authentic, not only a stylised version and therefore fit better.

The one scene which I feel is weaker than the rest is the auto-dafe. There is just too much going on. Understandably there should be a contrast between the monastery and this public scene of celebration, but it is total overkill and end up being much less scary than it should be. The church is golden, the heretics have flames painted/stitched on their costumes which look like modern paintbrush additions, the masses are screaming, the priest is preaching, the gas installation makes strange noises and finally the big image of Christ’s head comes alight with the bodies of burning heretics behind it ( bodies which from anywhere closer than 6-7 row look decidedly fake). By the way, in the first part of the hall the image is never really obscured, the cloth being from close up rather transparent showing the metal poles and make-believe bodies clearly. I agree that the angry , hissing masses are probably a more realistic depiction of truth than a composed chorus, however all the rest I could do without. We know they will be burned, the music and text emphasise it and the golden church at the back is just kitschy. I don’t think all elements should be dropped, but some rationalisation should help take the glitter factor out and put the scary factor back in. I found the slowly dropping ashes in Bondy’s version much more chilling than the flames against the Christ image with the golden walls at the back, but maybe it is just my taste.

All in all I see no problem in sitting through this performance for years to come as long as the singers are as engaged as the current cast; the production is bare enough to increase the impact of exceptional singing and acting but will also cruelly expose any weaknesses.

Talking about exceptional singing, the performances this week brought some really memorable moments.

Monday Jonas was the totally destroyed and melancholic Carlo, his own slight tiredness (due to the incredible heat suffered on stage at the hand of both lighting and leather costume with puffy pants… don’t know what is up in the House with aircon, on Friday the 18th I froze my toes off and on Monday the 21st I could have sat through it in a bathing suit, those costumes must have been true torture instruments on the day… )feeding back into the character in an amazing way, which made as far as i was concerned for the most emotional rendition of Carlo from the run. The scene in the garden with Marina Poplavskaya (called hereby - I assure you - respectfully but warmly and with my readers’ permission Popy) made your hair stand up! It is amazing how, when he has to be extra careful while singing, the piani become more fascinating and the whole singing takes on even more colours than usual. For instance in terms of the duo with Posa, the one on Monday was the very very best of the run... beyond words!!! Simon Keenlyside himself in amazing form contributed to the absolute perfection of the duet. I can’t imagine what the two could do to outdo their performance on Monday. Popy was good, but she had some trouble softening down to the level Jonas was at on Monday, however to be fair, that level of emotional connection or communication with the public is not easy to achieve.

However, on Wednesday she was a different singer!!!! You wouldn't believe how much better she was in terms of interpretation! I could really really hear how she has sung Violetta, the emotions really came through in her singing, like never before. All the duos were better and it was interesting all the way through, not only in the big aria at the end. I have no idea what determined her to put herself more out there, but it definitely worked. There were still some uphill battles on some high notes, where there is a bit of a scoop, but altogether there was so much more in her singing, her piani really were better and it sounded so much warmer and believable. More people have seen both performances and we all noticed the change, she just expressed so much more emotion all the way through. Even if at times it might sound less controlled than before it is more interesting and enjoyable. Her Elisabetta really became a human being showing love, anger, hurt, passion.. so much more than just the composed queen.

Jonas on Wednesday was a different story entirely! I've rarely seen him so bursting with energy! In his first entrance he almost knocked over a big white tree and had to actually hold on to it as it was dangerously wobbling! Both voice and presence were simply explosive. He so clearly dominated the 1 part it was palpable. I have to say it is sometimes really nice to see him become so naturally the star of the show, he is THE TENOR! And Verdi has given him some amazing music :-) The voice was just unstoppable, flowing with amazing power and confidence. Listening to his first aria literally makes my mouth water! Biiiiiig applause, probably so surprising for him as well that he started his next entrance a whole phrase earlier ;-) You should have heard his Carlo son iooooo..... Mein Gott!! And he just kept on along the same line... "Feuer und Flamme!" Any high note was so beautiful, in a crushing kind of way :-) Everyone in the audience was blow away. It was one of those nights for him that just lifts the hall. All those desiring of all things “Italianate” got all their wished fulfilled on the night ;-) He had so much excess energy he stumbled not only into the fountain, but also on the black backstage wall, almost doubling over on his exit before the veil song, he splashed the water in the fountain in the garden all over himself in the garden scene with Popy, he promptly sat on the bouquet of artificial poppies while declaring his undying love for Isabella (and made me smile in the middle of teary sniffles…poppies proved to be sturdy enough to withstand the puffy pants attack ;-))) ) … unstoppable in every way :-) The pressure was palpable also in the duet with Simon Keenlyside’s Posa, who had a slightly weaker day. His "i will sing my heart out" style on the night was totally charming while at the same time giving a very different version of Carlo. The weak and hesitating Carlo didn't really show up that day and we got much more of the revolutionary infante :-) It is just hard to feel much pity for such a feisty Carlo, when he is so obviously doing great!! :-) On the other hand he was a wonderful colleague to SK, supporting him all the way through the long and hard death scene, where the balance on the night was very different to the previous show, but nevertheless worked in terms of the Posa+Carlo bond.

Bychkov must have shared some of that energy on the night because i think the garden scene with Eboli, Posa and Carlo was faster than ever.

I am impressed as ever with Furlanetto’s Philip, a bit underwowed by Tomlinson’s Inquisitor, pleased by Marianne Corentti’s energetic approach to the O don fatale, admiring Keenlysides elegant and stylish rendition of Posa - a role which now truly fits him like a glove-,conquered by Popy’s work, dedication and growth (she has really won me over!) and simply grateful for being there and being able to listen to Jonas’ Carlo, whichever the mood of the “infante” on the day :-)

So, one exiting evening after another... wonder how the next one will be? I have no idea how the BBC will chose the bits to air on the broadcast night... the microphones for recording have been there on every night.

Last, but not least, here a review from Rupert Christiansen in the Telegraph (“that dream of a tenor…” ;-))) ):

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/opera/6227663/Don-Carlo-at-the-Royal-Opera-House-review.html



By the way, has anyone ever noticed how in Elisabetta’s aria in act 5 the last bit is introduced by a strings passage that resembles a similar one in Lohengrin in a really striking way? Really quirky coincidence this one :-)

Don Carlo ROH

Photo from the Times online Catherine Ashmore


Update - a rare treat - Simon Keenlyside interviewed by MusicwebInternational!


I keep getting one alert after the other reminding me that I am in the middle of my experiment :-) Now if the ROH software which sends out the reminders would only know!! They’d save themselves a lot of bytes by saying: Here is your summary reminder for this month, we hope you will enjoy your run and thanks for your business ;-)

Since there will probably be more posts on the Don Carlo I’ve decided to talk about the production at a later stage and focus more on the musical bits in this first one.

It is hard to define what this Don Carlo is like and I didn’t want to comment just after the general rehearsal, since things might change and first impressions are not always the last as well :-) I don’t know where I will end up at the last performance of the run, but at the moment the journey there is fascinating. I’ve rarely, if ever, felt so engaged with a piece. The GR felt extremely long and complex, not in terms of actual physical time but in terms of density of story, characters and music. After the second take the work is more and more like a dark, mysterious black sea… that calls out to you, draws you in and traps you in its waters.

It is so intense it takes some time to disentangle oneself from the four and half hours of Verdi score and so far, getting to know the work better has only meant its spell has grown stronger rather than weaker. It is not like I wasn’t familiar with it from recordings, but live it has become a much more challenging experience. Perhaps because of all of Verdi’s works it is here where the characters are defined to the greatest detail. The music supports and shades the characters as well as the story line. The music colours itself to suit the character on stage but also to point the way of their destiny. It is both varied and tightly knotted around central lines. Characters are clearly build into the story and although driven inescapably towards their individual destinies, there is enough space around them for their personality to be revealed gradually. Each character trait discovered, each side of their personalities revealed ties them only closer into the net that is insidiously spun around them. In spite of the considerable pace of the rush towards the abyss there is a sense of balance in the work that I think comes mainly from the almost equal weight given to each player in the piece. Each scene progresses the story, but also completes the picture and gives enough variety to keep one permanently engaged and breathless.

For me this run is a particular happy case in that we benefit from gorgeous voices, which are never used to display vocal technique alone , but become the expression of the person they are inhabiting and are doubled in most cases by considerable acting capabilities and commitment to become the character, not just play it.

I have been tempted to read a number of reviews that have been written about this and production controversy aside, Semyon Bychkov’s conducting seems to split the reviewers. Technical knowledge aside that I sadly don’t possess, this is how the music felt to me these nights: The orchestra is in excellent shape and however this particular sound is obtained, to me it feels incredibly natural. Not in the sense that this is the most logical take on the score (… who knows what that is?) but in the sense that the music is truly alive! It is like a spring born at the first notes that grows, flows and blossoms naturally in every following note. I don’t know if this is a too academic or cerebral interpretation as some have said, the effect is certainly emotional, more than anything else. There is no particular sense of surprise, but definitely one of inevitability, of development and evolution in the music. Like a living thing that transforms continuously around you, with new colours continuously unfolding after each phrase. It’s not a comforting feeling, more like being trapped in a huge jungle plant, which closes its stems around you. It let’s you breath but will not let you go until it dies naturally, just as it was born.

I don’t know if this will be the version of Don Carlo that I will like most over the years, but I am certain it is the most touching and engaging I have ever experienced. It has brought me closer to both the music and its incredible variety as well as to the characters and their story. Giving the libretto a renewed read I have discovered how beautiful it actually is, in this case to no little extent due to the fact that most singers (particularly Jonas Kaufmann, Simon Keenlyside and Ferruccio Furlanetto )have excellent diction and each word is full of meaning.

Another reason why I am so taken with this Carlo is that it is different! There is little if any of the classic belt it out style of most interpretations. I’ve never heard so much of this opera sung in piano and with so much care. There is so much human suffering and doubts in this piece, why should the heroics prevail, when they clearly lead nowhere? Which brings me back to some critics raised about the apparent restraint in this retake….These come more than obviously from comparison to the previous version of this production and also from prejudices about the current singers. It always puzzles me how people think that there is only one right version of interpretation. Why can’t different singers have different takes on the personalities they are supposed to give life to? Each see them in a different light and filter their interpretation through their own personality. I have seen both and both have touched me, why not? That is what makes a revisit interesting for me, how does a different singer interpret his part, how will his singing reflect his interpretation, etc. Otherwise what would be the point of seeing a live show? I’m obviously talking about Rolando Villazon’s and Jonas Kaufmann’s Carlo, different in voice and gesture as they two are different as artists. Which you prefer is obviously a matter of taste, I still don’t see a valid reason why one can’t actually like both…

Besides repeating complaints about the production already aired one year ago ( I guess we will be revisiting those with every new revival… how... boring!) there were the obvious preconceptions about the singers: Simon Keenlyside is not a Verdian baritone… how many times have I read that now? Jonas Kaufmann is a German tenor with an unsually dark voice. Yep, that one we’ve heard before as well. The mix of the two was obviously deemed unsuccessful before they even uttered a note.. at least by some. I have to say this “pairing ” is probably the thing that delights me most about this production! Verdi baritone.. what is that? A booming voice? Now where is it noted in the score by Verdi that we need to be left half deaf by a deep dark voice ? Same goes for Carlo, who says what kind of voice the tenor must have? All Verdi said was what notes he was supposed to sing and how. As long as both tenor and baritone can do it, well then it is a valid pair of Posa and Carlo! I knew the "too dark tenor + too light baritone" was just around the corner… but has anyone actually opened their ears and listened to the two sing together? As if they have never heard the duo before? This duo as pictured in the story is that of a deep friendship of two young people who have known each other since childhood and who are deeply fond of each other. They share common ideals, albeit one is more romantically “disoriented” while the other more “practically focused” ;-) So their leitmotiv, their duos should be about shared harmonies and feelings. Remember only one of the them is a soldier, the other just a dreamy idealist. The common ground they find is in their ideals and their fondness of each other. So there is no reason why each encounter should be punctuated by displays of heroic fortes… So why should JK and SK not make wonderful music together? Why when they so obviously share common musical tastes and style, when they are each refined and accomplished artists. Yes they have similar singing styles and their voices are maybe from the timbre closer than other two artists. But in this particular case this is a major advantage, by no means a reason for critique. That their display of Posa and Carlo is more subtle, refined does not mean that it is any less powerful, quite the contrary, there is immense intensity in subtlety. I liked their take on the 2nd act duo at the premiere, but I absolutely loved the one at the general rehearsal!!! If I had my wish I would want to hear that duo, sung partially in the most tender piano, again and again and again… I do hope they will go for that more sensitive version again! It was divine!!! Now those are two singers who have mastered the piani to perfection! And I have never heard a tenor and baritone fall so naturally in sync in this duo, with as little as a side-glance, it was a glory of harmony rather than a display of competitive force :-) More appropriate for two friends, wouldn’t you say?

And when music and singing achieves such beauty it is impossible for the soul not to be touched. Who says you have to force your way into the audience’s heart????
On that note, many reviewers don’t even bother to mention the audience reaction on the premiere night for example… Roars like that night come seldom along at the ROH, at least from what I have seen. Neither Carlo nor Rodrigo were ever interrupted in their duos ( wonder if it wasn’t because the audience was too touched by the singing and music to barge in, hm???) but the applause came crashing down on both at the end, very deservedly so! Ok, you might dislike production and even conducting might be controversial, but I feel it only fair to say the audience at the ROH liked it very much.

But it is an extraordinary night out not only due to these two, Furlanetto IS Filip, in such a powerful way that he almost sings the Inquisitor ( J Tomlinson) off the stage, Marina Poplavskaya has obviously had a wonderful positive development since last time and has grown into an altogether more natural Isabella, Marianne Cornetti is an effective dramatic Eboli and they all boost each other to create what is an unmissable evening of Verdi!

By the way, since it has been pointed out repeatedly that this is subtle, restrained, etc performance DO take you opera binoculars with you!! You wouldn’t want to miss out on those details others have obviously not observed , would you? So what if you sit front row?.... I assure you those white lacy collars are fascinating!!! And there are some stitchings on the costumes ..amazing!!! Who cares what others will think of it? These are some beautiful costumes that don’t come around that often and those swords are definitely worth admiring from up close… after all, it is about enjoying oneself and not missing out on anything worth taking in… so go ogle!! And come back and share your impressions if you will ;-)

PS The other night i went full of expectation to see the ROH shop window display and what a dissapointment! No recordings of any DC in the window, none with CDs of the singers and at least two have recent CDs.. I understand contractual obligations with sponsors... but really there always was at least a corner dedicated to the current piece performed, and after all this is the opening of the season!!! ....

Reviews! ... knock yourself out if you will , i've done my homework so to speak and this was as pleasant as homework can be...

New- Times (H Canning)
DailyExpress
MusicwebInterntional
Independent
Times
Guardian
Thisislondon
FT
Musicalcriticism
Musicomh
TheStage
Whatsonstage
Classicalsource
OperaBritannia
Intermezzo
TTTCritic

Marianne Cornetti will be Eboli in the ROH Don Carlo

Marianne Cornetti as Amneris and Elena Zelenskaya as Aida Photo © 2001 Ken Howard at www.operajaponica.org

This year's Don Carlo brings with it some new voices compared to the cast of last season . One of them is the American mezzo Marianne Cornetti and Eboli will be her ROH debut :-)

Photo at http://www.musicalcriticism.com

For those of you wanting to know more about her and her career there is an interesting interview over at musicalcriticism.com

She seems to love all those Verdi mezzo roles which are powerful and interesting women, so Eboli should be in good company in her repertoire. And she has some interesting things to say about the ongoing Don Carlo rehearsals: Nicholas Hytner is polishing all those little details and Semyon Bychkov is promising some pianississimo :-)

About the former i am thrilled, i thought there was some really great choreography in the production the first time around and i'd love that to continue this second time round. And if he has another thought about those screaming priests in the auto-da-fé i'd be even happier ;-)))

About the latter i am sure Marianne will not be the only happy one among the singers :-) I'm all for some piano in the right places!

And i expect Mr Bychkov to absolutely nail those duets and ensembles :-) At certain points i wouldn't mind for example Posa and Carlo to meld their voices into one line until becoming ...almost.. undistinguishable :-)

But let's hear Marianne Cornetti sing!

Marianne Cornetti sings La luce langue from Verdi's Macbeth



Thanks to SixtusBeckmesser1 for the video

Marianne Cornetti as Azucena sings Stride la vampa in Parma, april 2006.


Thanks to signorinaermione for the video

Nelly Miricioiu - Marianne Cornetti - Anna Bolena duet



Thanks to coloraturafan for the video

The ROH Don Carlo experiment

Photo from the ROH website

I have a confession to make…

I have decided to conduct a very serious scientific experiment! And while at it improve my knowledge of this complex and admired piece of music :-)

So, after careful consideration, I have decided to attend all Don Carlo performances at the ROH. Yes, all 6 of them… plus the general rehearsal.

And I’ve made sure I sit all over the place to get the best combination of sound and vision for my experiment :-)

Now, before you shake you head in disbelief... it’s not exactly an unusual idea in my case ;-) I’ve seen the Don Giovanni last season 3 times and several other productions twice and years back there is a whole list of productions I have seen 20, 30 times or more.. with different casts of course!

With certain shows it really is worth it to see more than one if you can, so you can slowly and gradually explore every nook and cranny of the music and the production. Or to just see/hear the bits you like most again and again and again ;-)

But don’t worry, I’m not just going to overdose on Verdi this September. I’ll see the Linda di Chamounix, I was even lucky enough to catch a Tristan and Isolde ticket! And I’ve got things planned at the Wigmore Hall and the Barbican. If you will, I’m having a bit of a musical celebration of my first year in the big city :-)

It might sound like too much indulgence, but I worked myself knackered over the summer and have decided to have a bit of vacation in the city instead of a summer holiday on he beach. Just stay home and enjoy the treats on offer ;-)))

So, as far as I’m concerned… let the experiment begin!