(George Enescu Legend, trumpet Wynton Marsalis)
Thank you gxgfree4rhyme for the video
Ok, this is me, all over the place as usual, this post was supposed to be an entry post into the new year, but since then daily life and events took over... But since some of the feeling in this post is still lingering around I decided to still do it.
This hasn't been a great start in the new year over all and until yesterday the mood was gloomy, friends are not feeling well, everyone has had problems from the tiny and annoying to the big and potentially lifechanging, so this is somehow for them. I didn't feel all cheery to begin with myself, so i decided to start the year on the blog with a musical piece that fit the mood, not all that black, but definitely a bit pensative. I was saving it for some appropriate moment, but it is special to me so here it is :-) On this note let's look back and then scroll forward to the present:
Hoffmann at the ROH -A different Rolando? - I saw one more and looking back at the year and on hearing Rolando Villazon for the first time earlier and then again at the end of the year i saw interesting changes. I think he definitely ended the year on a high note, with some powerful confidence again his and also with different options and roads open to him. I think a different Rolando finished the year than the one that began it, one that has challanging artistic plans ahead and who has more of a mind of his own and is more than ever before in charge of his artistic future. Some might questions his choices for the coming year but I say why not?? People have tried to tie him to numerous preconceptions and squeeze him in many drawers. I am glad he won't stay there and is bold enough to break these imaginary limits and go after what he wants musically. I don't know if the new choices are the right ones, but who cares and kudos to him for trying and the results should be more than interesting to watch and listen to. I think for the future he will be somebody even more intersting to follow than before, whether or not you agree with his choices. Critise, love, enjoy, buy or don't buy his CDs, but let him make his choices!
Turandot at the ROH - This was the last performance i saw in 2008 and although it isn't really one i would choose for New Year's it was worth seeing. Both Cura and Irene Theorin had the sniffles, but they still gave good interpretations, although I wished JCura had been in better form because there was a bit of a missing connection, which he otherwise never fails to create, with the public. Still, his Nessun dorma (my black list aria Nr1!) was interesting and well told and sung and he deserved more credit for it than he got. I haven't seen this opera in a while and i found myself being more interested than i thought. Still a silly story , well actually 2 stories in one. I was abit bothered by the volume of the orchestra which covered the singers more than i would have wished for, but i have thought about it and maybe it was partly because i sat practically on top of it and the singers weren't having their best day. I loved the production and Andrei Serban has managed to create an interpretation which is both suited but not heavy, i agree with what has been said about the production, that it has stood the test of time very well, you couldn't tell it was from 1985! As said, i liked the sound of the orchestra and i was definitely drawn into the enthusiastic conducting, but i had a bit of an issue with the volume. However i reconciled myself with it, party also because of this interview Nicola Luisotti gave in musicalcriticism. I felt the emotion in his conducting and i like the way he thinks and the boldness and passion that lies within his beliefs.
Thais from the Met - what a wonderful opera!!! Give me music French music anytime, it goes straight to my heart, however corny that may sound! Rene...well she is a diva and her costumes would have fit any fashion runway anytime. Beautiful, if artificial (My God her fans are gonna kill me but i have to say, still beautiful voice, but i somehow have the feeling that the Diva persona sometimes upstages the artist.) Mind you, if she didn't sing that well, the opera wouldn't have been as good to hear and watch, so i'm just saying she ain't my cup of tea. Hampson on the other hand so definitely is!! (and don't give me the stinky eye!! I never said my taste is flawless or that i even have one, i'm all subjective and full of weak spots and of course i don't expect people to agree with me). He sang wonderfully for my ears and he was absolutely fanatically scary!!! Now i believe he can do Scarpia and i am looking forward to it. The production was "suitable".. Met style with a lighter touch ( for the Met, that is ;-))))))) Didn't go too far in the sparkly OTT direction, but also wasn't bold enough to go beyond pretty.
New Year's Day in Wien - right, in my dreams!!! But i did get up to the obligatory morning glass of bubbly and the Wiener Philarmoniker concert. I wouldn't want my year to start any other way. The Wiener Philarmoniker had fun with Barenboim, he had fun conducting, i had fun watching and there is nothing like a bit of Radezky and Strauss to put the swing..er that would be the walzer... in the new year.
And so began 2009 and the first thing I saw was La Rondine from the Met... everyone is bitching but everyone has seen it, isn't that just hilarious???? I liked it, Angela had a cold and you could hear it at the beginning, but then was she ok. She was beautifully dressed and sang nicely and was just herself. That's just the way it is, some like her and some don't and i sometimes do and sometimes don't. I was neutral about this one. I thought it was a nice performance and as I hadn't seen the opera before, i quite enjoyed it. I thought Roberto sounded sometimes strained in the 1 part (act 1+2) and i was going to say Lisette and the Prunier stole the show. But ahhh, Roberto is still Roberto! Put feelings to his voice and it just blooms, and he was very very good in the 3rd act, and me and him were probably the only ones bawling their eyes out in the end. His non lasciarmi solo was just heartwrenching!! And it takes guts to open up so much on stage to the feelings within that you openly cry. So he's a sap (and so am i), but he's an adorable one. I was happy to see within him still that Roberto that i first heard in 1992. And they may critise him, but he still is somebody you want to watch and hear (if not, why are the tickets for the Trovatore so in demand, ey? Ok, there is Dima as well :-))) And there is Sondra..and what fun it will be!! And i can see everyone just dying to critise this Manrico, but again, everyone is also cueing up to hear him.. Some love to hate him, but deep down we actually hate that we so still love him :-))
So my reason to remember this is that Roberto moved me to tears and that Marius Brenciu was in it!! I've heard of him before and i was really proud of his Prunier, and of his excelent English, and of his easy presence and calm demeanor as a singer. His falsetto was a bit shaky at the beginning but otherwise very good singing. I hope to see him life, maybe at the ROH one day, why not? Someone to watch and definitely someone i will watch out for! Oh, and Lisette was wonderful as Lisette. After all, this Rondine was wonderfully cast and a good night out!
And since we are on Manrico i am back where I so impulsively started this year's blogging, in the midst of the friends battle for tickets :-) (Soooooo looking forward to the battle for bookings 4... let me just drop the scary word... Barbiere!!! ;-))))
So, are you still with me or are you asleep??? If i confused you, sorry, i know this was a mix and match, but i'd rather you look at it like a tasty Greek salad!! And with that i am still in Athens and my ears, my heart, by brains are still buzzing from last night's concert where Jonas was amazzzzzzzziiiiiinnnggggggggggg!!!!!! Like you didn't know I was gonna say that :-) But don't be mad ;-) Look how i started the year and look where it has gone, it could only get better and it has!
