Since the ingrati readers at Parterre are always complaining of Maestro Levine’s ‘mechanical’ style, perhaps the Met can consider saving a few bucks by replacing their well-paid musical director with this robot instead. The Detroit Symphony orchestra are already converts. View concert highlights at http://world.honda.com/HDTV/ASIMO/20080513-ASIMO-DSO.
In conjunction with the International Festival Chorus’s performance of the Faure Requiem this Sunday, lets hear some music from the piece, starting with Lucia Popp singing the aria Pie Jesu:
Next, we’ll hear the Libera Me movement as performed by the Konzertverein Bern and Berne Chamber Orchestra, with conductor Agata Mazurkiewicz and baritone soloist Partick Oetterli. This is IMHO the best part of the roughly 35 minute work, and one of the best pieces in the baritone concert repertoire. Oetterli’s enunciation here is a little iffy but otherwise its a good musical performance delivered with a beautiful voice:
Dying to hear more? Then get your tickets to the IFC’s performance this Sunday! Details can be found on the Events Page.
Read also:
International Festival Chorus Presents Faure & Vaughan Williams
For Mad Scene readers who are not quite up to date with the latest opera scandale, this talented young singer made the headlines last year when she replaced Angela Gheourghiu in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of La Boheme, the tempesteous diva was fired for missing 6 out of 10 rehearsals (and giving director Renata Scotto the “talk to the hand” treatment). With all the subsequent press generated, the production became the springboard for Alvarez to hit the big time.
Curious readers who are eager to hear what she sounds like can visit her MySpace page, where she has uploaded numerous clips taken from live performances. The voice is rich, thick and potent, like an undilluted shot of Baileys. Coloratura can use a lighter touch, but this is certainly a talent to watch out for.
Visit her MySpace page here. Don’t you think she sounds a bit like young Renee?
And Opera Chic, who h8s Gheourghiu’s guts, has been consistently following up on La Alvarez since that fateful production. Read her contributions here. Scroll down and read the posts from bottom up to put them in the right time context.
Just because its a show meant for the kiddies, I brought my (non-singing) 12 year old cousin along; both of us found it quite a non-event. He told me he had no idea what the actors were singing about, even though they were performing in English (it didn’t help that the titular dragon looked nothing like the mythical creature). Personally, I thought it looked like a low-budget Hi-5 production, starting from the cast: 3 guys and 2 girls, all Caucasians, singing, performing skits and dancing in sync, only without the support of a proper band or stage razzle-dazzle. While the performers are talented, their singing can hardly be considered operatic in any sense, more like a light belt that was amplified with stage mikes.
Pianist Shane Thio was the sole accompanist, leading the SLO Children’s Chorus and aforementioned 5 ‘grown-up’ soloists (who’s ages range from late teens to early 20s) from upstage, piano and player cleverly hidden behind sets. Musically, chorus and soloists were in perfect harmony, the chorus sang perfectly in tune and got all their musical entrances right even in the most complex numbers, achieved without the aid of a live conductor (a seemingly easy task that even grown-up choruses have problems with). Soloists sang, acted and danced their parts with expertise that belie their youth (their bios feature some seriously impressive credentials) but lacked the crucial chemistry to engage the young audience. John Rutter’s music is witty and melodious, mixing vaudeville and Broadway influences with classical choral styles. While all cast and crew were well-prepared, the overall delivery that night lacked some serious oomph, exacerbated by the single piano accompaniment, monotonous sets and lack of audience interaction. It was all rather underwhelming. Better to wait for the Turandot juggernaut to hit town for a better introduction to opera for the kids.
Let’s make one thing clear, Max Emanuel Cencic sounds nothing like true Rossini contraltos such as Marilyn Horne or Ewa Podles. This is very much a countertenor taking on music meant for low female voices. Nonetheless, this is an all out tour de force of a performance. The voice, at least in the studio, is full and clear and has a smooth blend between head and chest registers, so that one hardly notices the difference even in such ‘chesty’ favourites like Di tanti palpiti.
Perhaps knowing that the public will scrutinize closer for this recording’s potential controversial value, Cencic goes for broke with maximum virtuosity and dramatic commitment. He is adventurous with ornamentation, unafraid of high notes and sings expressively with cues taken from the words and music. Cencic is keen to explore the maximum potential of each number and pulls each of them off with aplomb. Even the marathon of a coloratura aria, Arsace’s Ah quel giorno from Semiramide, sounded like a completely natural emotional outpouring from him. Perhaps in this age of smaller bel canto voices and experimentation, there might just be space for him to sing this music in live opera productions.
The Orchestre de Chambre de Geneva is similarly inspired, playing with an abundance of energy that emits palpable excitement. Under the baton of Michael Hoffstetter, every instrumentalist played with uninhibited virtuosity as they raced together towards the finish line. Therefore the overtures presented are not just filler material but tracks equally deserving of the listener’s attention. This CD is definitely one that’s worth checking out, not just for its novelty but also for its genuine artistic values.
Find out more about Max Emmanuel Cencic at his official website http://www.cencic.net.
The International Festival Chorus together with the Singapore Polytechnic Symphonic Band, will be presenting Faure’s Requiem and Vaughan William’s English Folk Song Suite and Five Mystical Songs. Soloists performing are soprano Anita Liu and baritone Chia Wei Kuan in the Faure, and Jeffrey Chew for the Vaughan Williams song cycle. They will be led by conductors Ng Eng Kee and Leonard Tan.
I had first heard Jeffrey Chew, a bass baritone of great potential, in an art song competition held way back in 2005. He has since performed with great success in Rossini’s Stabat Mater and as Antonio (the drunken gardener) in The Marriage of Figaro. If the voice develops to its full potential, we may just have a future Verdi baritone waiting in the wings, so do get tickets to hear him if nothing else.
And just for old times sake, here’s an interview I did with him back in 2005 for The Flying Inkpot.
Concert details and ticket information can be found on the Events Page.
Courtesy of Opera Chanteuse, now we know that the Vampire look of old time Hong Kong horror comedies is now the hottest look on the runway this Autumn/Winter season. But in the interest of authenticity (not that anyone cares about that in fashion), shouldn’t the emaciated model be hopping with both arms outstretched instead? A yellow piece of paper with red calligraphy writings glued to her forehead would help too.
Symphony orchestras and period ensembles are so yesterday, this group prefers to play their Bach and Tchaikovsky with sledgehammers, axes, chainsaws and crowbars on cars instead. It all sounds rather entertaining, except that the poor miser in me would scream at all the brand new cars being pulvarized before my very eyes. Those of you who can well afford your cars, condos, credit cards, country clubs and Chanel will probably get a chuckle out of it. Check out the SISTIC page for details.
The Mad Scene wishes all our Buddhist friends a happy Vesak Day!
As seen on the SLO website:
(Start quote)
The Singapore Lyric Opera is seeking volunteers for non-singing roles for its upcoming production of Puccini’s Turandot.
The following roles are up for grabs
- Persian Prince: Male, young, tall, slim and really good looking
- Executioner Pu Tin Pao: Male, big built muscle man (at least 1.8m tall)
- Guards, priests, officials & servants: Male, big built and handsome
(End quote, underlines by The Mad Scene)
First of all, I didn’t know the executioner even had a name. More importantly, filling an opera production with good looking muscular men? Wonder where that idea came from?
(Auditions are waaaay over but you can still read the excerpt in its proper context at http://www.singaporeopera.com.sg/auditions.php)
Meanwhile, the SLO revives its sold out run John Rutter’s The Reluctant Dragon and The Wind in the Willows this week, opening on Thursday (22 to 24 May at Victoria Theatre). Check out the Events Page for details.