Rigoletto is no slouch! A wonderful evening with Florida Grand Opera

Florida Grand Opera raised the curtain last night on Verdi's masterpiece, Rigoletto.  The evening's performance was a highly-anticipated event, and the opera house was packed with people eager to see this wonderful opera.  The air crackled with excitement as they filed in with high hopes, and they waited with bated breath for the lights to go down.  They were hoping for a very special show, and they were not disappointed.
As the music began, a spotlight came on in the center of the darkened stage, revealing a shirtless hunchback crouched over his jester's hat and scepter.  As the light revealed his deformed body, one could easily believe that the singer himself bore a hunch, so flawless were his prosthetics.  The rest of the costumes, as it soon became apparent, were no less well-done.  The scenery, too, was masterfully constructed, and helped to set the mood perfectly in every scene.  And without giving anything away, the audience was presented with a slightly unexpected take on the ending that was hair-raisingly effective. 
Musically speaking, the overall performance was very good.  There were a few opening night kinks that need to be worked out, such as several brief moments when the orchestra slightly overpowered the singers.  These moments, however, were the exceptions in an otherwise brilliantly performed work.  And while, at times, the tempo ran a bit faster than I personally prefer, it was more than made up for by the beauty and power of the singing.
The role of the Duke was sung by tenor Michael Fabiano, who makes his Florida Grand Opera debut with this production.  He fit the character perfectly with his youth and dashing looks, and his portrayal of the callous young nobleman was a perfect blend of seductive charm and heartless indifference.  Vocally, he gave an admirable performance, and while his was not always the largest of instruments, the beauty of his tone and brightness of his delivery made him an absolute pleasure to watch.

Baritone Mark Walters sang the part of the hunchback Rigoletto, a man torn by the double life he must lead in order to protect his daughter from the clutches of his hated employer, the womanizing Duke.  He delivers a poignant, heart-rending performance that grips the viewer from almost the first note.  Never before have I seen a Rigoletto who so effectively demonstrates the depths to which he is forced to stoop in the service of the Duke.  His voice is warm, rich, and powerful, easily filling the farthest corners of the hall with his full, intense tones.  Tender and loving one moment, bursting with rage the next, Mr. Walters created a powerful image of a man who will go to any lengths for his daughter.
And then there was Nadine Sierra, the soprano who sings the role of Rigoletto's innocent daughter Gilda.  The South Florida native was the real star of the show, with a light, beautiful, yet strong voice that soared gracefully above the orchestra.  Her delivery was nearly flawless and seemingly effortless.  Her Caro Nome was charmingly playful and sweetly endearing, and her delicately gorgeous tones were an absolute joy to experience.  Her final moments were filled with such tragic beauty that many in the audience were rendered speechless for quite some time after the final curtain.

Unfortunately, not all of the audience was rendered speechless during the actual performance.  As wonderful as the performance was, I would be remiss in my report of the evening if I failed to mention that last night's audience contained some of the least considerate opera-goers I have ever seen.  Aside from multiple conversations taking place in normal speaking voices during the music, no fewer than three cell phones rang in my general vicinity.  Two of those phones rang during Caro Nome.  One of those calls was actually answered, and the offender proceeded to carry on a phone conversation that lasted a good thirty seconds!  During Caro Nome!!!  I mean, this guy made the Marimba incident at the New York Philharmonic look like child's play!
But even that could not destroy the magic of the evening.  Florida Grand Opera's Rigoletto is at once beautiful, powerful, and heartbreaking.  The spell is cast the moment the music begins, and is not broken until after the final crashing notes.  South Florida opera lovers, do not miss this one!

The swallow soars! La Rondine at Florida Grand Opera is a delight!

 Last night, Florida Grand Opera debuted La Rondine by Giacomo Puccini.  The evening marked the first time the company has produced Puccini's eighth opera, one of Puccini's least-known works.  La Rondine is performed so infrequently, in fact, that it was absent even from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera for 70 years.  So we have been given a rare treat in the form of this delightful opera!
After composing several tremendously successful operas, Puccini began to search for new source materials.  He was persuaded to write an opera in the style of Viennese operetta, and so La Rondine was born.  While it was originally commissioned for Vienna's Carltheater, the outbreak of World War I  forced the premiere to be moved to Monte Carlo.  It was well-received by audiences and critics alike, but as time passed, its popularity waned.  Today, the average opera-goer is usually only familiar with the famous aria, Ch'il bel sogno di Doretta.

La Rondine tells the story of a kept woman who meets and falls in love with a young man who has come to Paris.  After calling on her protector, he is sent to a local cabaret to spend the evening.  She later sneaks out, meets up with him there, and the pair move to the Riviera together.  When he writes home and receives permission to marry her, however, she realizes that her past would prevent such a marriage.  She reveals her true identity to him and returns to her protector in Paris, leaving him brokenhearted.
While La Rondine is rare for a Puccini opera in that nobody dies, Puccini (of course) couldn't leave well enough alone.  An alternate ending has the young man leave her when he discovers her past, and she drowns herself in the sea rather than return to her old life.  However, the first version is the most commonly accepted ending for the opera, and most productions end with every member of the cast still among the living.
Florida Grand Opera presents us with a sparkling, thoroughly charming production set in 1920s Paris, complete with a lively cabaret, vintage bathing costumes, and my personal favorite, lots of shiny stuff.  The scenery was lovely, and very well done.  While the dancing in Act II is integral to telling the story and setting the mood, however, I found it to be a bit too much.  At times it seemed to almost distract me from what I was actually there for: the opera.  At other times, though, I was completely caught up and swept away by the beauty of the music and the power of the principle singers.
The role of the young man, Ruggero, is sung by Portuguese tenor Bruno Ribeiro, who makes his Florida Grand Opera debut with this production.  He has a lovely, lush voice that easily reaches the back of the house.  He beautifully conveys the hopes and dreams of the young Ruggero, and when he is left alone at the end of the opera, the audience feels his heartbreak right along with him.

But the real star of the evening was Elizabeth Caballero, the Cuban soprano who sings the role of Magda, the "swallow" of the title who flies toward the sea to find love.  She was charming, graceful, and full of playful energy.  Her voice is rich and full, at times gentle and tender, and at times raw and torn with conflicting emotions.  Her rendition of Ch'il bel sogno di Doretta is among the most beautiful I have heard, and it earned her much well-deserved, rather enthusiastic applause.  Here she can be heard delivering this famous aria:

La Rondine was a new experience for me.  I was unfamiliar with most of the opera, with the exception of one aria and a couple of duets.  I was therefor not really sure what to expect.  It is, after all, one of Puccini's least-successful operas, and I assumed there must be a good reason for that.  Well, you know what they say about what happens when you assume.  Anyway, I found that my assumptions were incorrect, and while the story didn't grip me in quite the same way that most Puccini operas do, the music was absolutely lovely, and the evening thoroughly enjoyable.  I would strongly urge all lovers of grand opera to seize this rare opportunity and go to see La Rondine while they can.  It may be many years before we are again given the chance to experience this uncommon yet splendidly delightful opera.

Madama Butterfly flutters in to Palm Beach

I have never been to the Palm Beach Opera before. Never made the one-hour drive (an hour and a half in traffic) north to the Kravis Center. That's partly because it's such a schlep.  But it's mostly because, up until this season, I only knew about the Florida Grand Opera.  I thought that, aside from the Met's Live in HD transmissions, that was all the opera we had here.  (Don't get me wrong, though.  I'm not complaining about either one of those.)  Well, that's all changed now.  Because on my journey to discover every last bit of opera in South Florida, I not only stumbled upon PBO and the wonderful season they have planned, I was fortunate enough to attend the final dress rehearsal of Madama Butterfly last night.  And after that performance, I will not think twice before making the trek to West Palm Beach again.

Palm Beach Opera opens its 2011-2012 season tonight with Puccini's tragic masterpiece.  Madama Butterfly, which premiered in 1904, is one of the most frequently performed operas today.  Although it was originally composed in two acts, Puccini later revised it and divided the second act into two separate acts.  It is the three-act version that is most commonly performed, although while some opera companies take a short intermission between Acts II and III, others present them both together.  (PBO does the latter, and the effect is overwhelming.  But more on that later.)
First, the set.  The stage was very simple and uncluttered.  The scenery consisted of sliding screens, as in most productions of Butterfly.  But these screens were beautifully detailed, and provided a very authentic atmosphere.  The costumes, too, were very beautiful, and the careful attention to detail, especially in mannerisms, all made it so real.  But back to the setting.  In the middle of this simple, beautiful Japanese home, Pinkerton arrived accompanied by a collection of American furnishings, and immediately set the tone for the rest of the opera.  He very clearly had no respect for his Japanese hosts, and the incompatibility of the two cultures was subtly yet clearly portrayed with simple movements and gestures.  For example, upon meeting Suzuki, he offered his hand to shake, and was startled when she did not accept, but rather responded with a bow.  There was a complete disconnect between East and West, and it was played out perfectly throughout the entire performance.
Now the music.  First of all, Palm Beach Opera has an excellent orchestra, and under the baton of Maestro Bruno Aprea, they played marvelously.  Not once did I find myself thinking, as I often do during a performance, that a given passage should have been played faster or slower, louder or softer.  It was, in other words, exactly how Madama Butterfly should be played, at least to my ears.
Next, the singers.  The supporting cast were all very good.  As this was a dress rehearsal, some of them chose not to sing at full volume.  This was barely noticeable, however, as everything blended together so beautifully to really be almost perfect.  The Bonzo, sung by Valentin Vasiliu, was particularly powerful, and Irene Roberts was absolutely lovely as Suzuki.  The part of Sharpless was sung well by Michael Chioldi, and while at times I felt he could have put more power into it, I assume that he was simply preserving his voice for the weekend run.

Now, Pinkerton.  For this production of Madama Butterfly, Palm Beach Opera has obtained two Pinkertons and two Cio-Cio-Sans, who will be singing on alternating nights.  Tonight's Opening Night performance stars James Valenti as Pinkerton, and I was hoping to see him at last night's performance.  It was not to be, and yet I was not disappointed.  Rafael Davila, who will be performing on Saturday night, sang the role with such beauty and skill as to rival any other Pinkerton I have ever seen.  His voice is full and bright, overflowing with amusement, yet softened with tenderness and touched with sorrow at all the right moments.  He played the role with such callous nonchalance that, despite his wonderful singing, he elicited boos from the audience at the final curtain. 
Next, Cio-Cio-San.  Where to begin?  First, Opening Night will star Maria Luigia Borsi.  Last night, however, the beautiful Butterfly was sung by soprano Michele Capalbo, who will also be performing on Saturday night.  And I'll tell you this: anyone attending that evening is in for a real treat.  Beautiful, delicate, heartwrenching, and any other word you could associate with Butterfly could be applied to her performance.  Her voice is powerful, yet exceedingly gentle and full of innocence.  She floated gracefully through the opera, and one could almost believe, while watching her, that she really was the naive fifteen-year-old Geisha.  She wrung tears from my eyes long before the full extent of the tragedy was known to her, and her final moments were simply devastating.  Here she is, singing Un Bel Di from Act II.      



And finally, little Dolore.  The child was so beautiful, and played along charmingly.  He played with the flower petals, wrapped himself in an American flag, and waited patiently for his father.  After the performance, I learned that "he" was played by a little girl.  Apparently they sit still and follow directions better than little boys do.  (I don't know, my four-year-old boy would have probably been up for the task.  He would come out, see the audience, realize he was in an opera, and burst out singing Ferrando... Oh, wait.  That would be exactly what he's NOT supposed to do.  So yeah, I guess little girls are better at following directions, after all.)
I left the Kravis Center choked up and with teary eyes.  I drove home in silence, not wanting to ruin the effect of the evening, spending the hour-long drive reliving some of the most beautiful moments in my head.  Madama Butterfly is one of my favorite operas, and Palm Beach Opera offers a moving, stunningly gorgeous performance.  This is not one to miss, even if you do have to drive an hour and a half to get there.  It is well worth the time.

Bravo, Luisa Fernanda! Florida Grand Opera's first zarzuela is a gem!

Last night I had the pleasure of attending a performance of Luisa Fernanda at the Florida Grand Opera.  This was my first experience with zarzuela, and after I saw the previews, I was really looking forward to it.  I had a very charming date for the evening, in the form of my eight-year-old son.  I wasn't sure whether he would want to go, or if he would enjoy it, since he didn't know the story or any  of the music yet, and (obviously) would not be able to ask me questions during the show. However, he very eagerly accepted the offer, got dressed up in his suit and tie, and excitedly counted off the miles on the drive down to Miami.

Since Luisa Fernanda was new to both of us, we had intended to arrive early enough to attend the pre-performance lecture.  Unfortunately, last-minute pre-Thanksgiving grocery trips were necessary before we set out, and by the time we arrived, it had already begun.  We were, however, early enough to leisurely explore the opera house and browse the books and CDs offered for sale before we found our seats.  After I showed him around, we entered the auditorium with plenty of time to spare, set down our programs, and went to have a look in the orchestra pit.  My son was immediately drawn to the woodwind section, and quickly struck up a conversation with the bassoonist.  The bassoon has always fascinated him, as I played it throughout my youth and often draw his attention to it when it can be picked out from the rest of the orchestra.
When it was almost curtain time, we returned to our seats and went over the synopsis.  Then the lights went down, the conductor came out, and the fun began.  First of all, the music was absolutely delightful.  The melodies were at once beautifully stirring and charmingly captivating, and I found myself smiling throughout the entire evening.  It has been many years since I last attended an opera of which I didn't already know almost every note, but I found that it really didn't matter.  The music felt familiar, as though I had known it for years, and I was quickly swept away by it.  Beside me, my son was sitting in open-mouthed wonder, applauding enthusiastically at every full stop and marveling at the beauty of the voices. 
 Ah, those voices!  Every single one of them was gorgeous.  Antonio Gandia, the tenor who sings the role of Javier, has a beautifully lush, smooth voice.  And while at one or two moments early in the performance it seemed to me that he might not have the strength to project over the full orchestra, as the evening progressed, he quickly disproved that initial impression.  He sang with such a rich warmth that at times, his voice seemed to fill the entire stage with dazzling light.
Amparo Navarro gave a stunningly moving performance as Luisa.  Her voice was full and smsooth, and the melodies seemed to flow from her mouth with ceaseless beauty.  Davinia Rodriguez gave a flawless performance as Carolina, both vocally and dramatically.
Among all these wonderful performances, the real star of the show was Angel Odena, the baritone who sings the role of Vidal.  I admit to being particularly partial to baritone voices, but because of this, I am perhaps more demanding of them than of any other male voice.  That being said, I was very impressed.  Odena's voice was rich, velvety, warm, full, and it was just dark enough to paint an effective portrait of Vidal's personality.  It was a joy to listen to him sing, and I found myself at times just closing my eyes and getting lost in the sound of his voice.

Visually, the production was stunning.  The scenery, which was almost completely white set against black, was very crisp, clean, and refreshing.  The costumes were also all either white or black, and the resulting combination was very striking.  There were lovely dance numbers at several points during the opera, and during one of these in the second act, I looked over at my son and saw his mouth hanging open in gleeful awe.  He had never seen anything quite so beautiful before that wasn't on a television screen.
All in all, it was a truly wonderful performance.  As we left the opera house, my son turned to me and asked me to buy him a DVD of Luisa Fernanda.  (He also used some not-so-age-appropriate language to describe how amazing the whole thing was, but that's beside the point.)  It was a perfect production of a delightful opera, and it was a wonderful introduction to the world of zarzuela.   

Opera in London, without the plane ticket!

Last night I had a truly wonderful experience.  I attended a performance of Tosca, sung on the stage of the Royal Opera House by Jonas Kaufmann, Angela Gheorghiu, and Bryn Terfel.  I got dressed up, went to the theater, picked up my tickets, settled down in my seat, and looked around the opera house.  The lights went down, the conductor came out, and the music began.  It was the most incredible Tosca I have ever seen, and believe me when I say I have seen a lot of Toscas.  And here's the thing: I didn't even have to cross the Atlantic to see it!  It was broadcast on the screen of Cinema Paradiso in Fort Lauderdale as part of Emerging Pictures' Opera in Cinema series.
First, a couple of words on the performance itself.  As I have said before, I have seen and heard many Toscas, live and recorded, on TV, in the theater, and in the second row of the Met, in the days of the Zefferelli production.  This one easily beat them all dramatically, and probably even musically.  Bryn Terfel, of course, was no surprise to me.  If you have read my previous post on the many portrayals of Scarpia, you know that I had high expectations for him.  I was not disappointed.  He took every subtle difference that many singers have brought to the role, and managed to combine them so perfectly, and then to add a bit of his own flavor, that one might say he didn't play the part of Scarpia at all; he WAS Scarpia.  Opposite him, Angela Gheorghiu played Tosca admirably.  Her singing was beautiful, and my trepidation about her dramatic abilities (after seeing her performance with Raimondi) was quickly put to rest.  The real surprise of the evening, at least for me, was Jonas Kaufmann.  I had previously only seen YouTube clips of him in concert, usually opposite Dmitri Hvorostovsky, and I didn't like him.  I thought his voice sounded muffled, and I wondered what everyone else seems to see in him.  I did not have high expectations for him at all.  So I was completely blindsided and totally blown away when he not only acted it better than anyone I have ever seen, but also sang it so incredibly that his performance was second only to Domingo.  While I still think his pianos were at times a little muddy, at full volume his voice was so rich and warm that I am ready to search out as many of his other performances as I can find.  Also worth mentioning was the supporting cast, particularly the Sacristan, who played the role with just the right amount of humor to be positively delightful.
Now on to the Opera in Cinema program.  We all know about the Met Live in HD transmissions.  They are well-publicized, and are available in about two dozen theaters in the South Florida area.  Most people, however, have never even heard of Opera in Cinema, which brings performances from such great venues as the Royal Opera House, La Scala, the Salzburg Festival, and the Liceu in Barcelona.  I only found out about it because, as a diehard Hvorostovsky fan (in case you couldn't tell), I was desperately searching for a theater that was showing Faust from the ROH.  I eventually found two, Cosford Cinema in Miami and Cinema Paradiso in Fort Lauderdale, but ultimately I missed both showings.  However, in the process, I discovered that there is so much more opera available to us here than I ever imagined.  (This, incidentally, is how I came about creating this blog in the first place.)  And while I am still working on updating the calendar past December, I can tell you that there is no shortage of performances to carry us through the opera season.

Last night was my first time at Cinema Paradiso.  I arrived less than ten minutes before the performance began, stressed as I always am when I get stuck in traffic on my way to the opera.  But as soon as I stepped through the front door, I immediately began to relax.  The theater has such a warm, inviting feel, and the attendees all seemed to know each other.  It was like sharing the performance with an extended family.  The seats were very comfortable, and the view was unobstructed.  Champaign and hors d'oeuvres were served during intermission, and everywhere I turned, I heard people discussing this and other performances.  It was a truly special evening, as it brought together spectacular opera and a wonderful community of opera lovers.  I will definitely be back, and I eagerly look forward to sharing the experience with as many of my friends and family as possible!

Special delivery: From Madrid to our doorstep!

This Saturday, Florida Grand Opera will open its 2011-2012 season with its first-ever zarzuela, Luisa Fernanda, and will be joined on November 15, for one night only, by the legendary Placido Domingo.  For many opera lovers, myself included, zarzuela is a new experience.  I, of course, have for years heard it described simply as "Spanish musical theater", but I just left it at that and never learned anything more about it.  Italian Romantic opera was always my favorite when I was growing up, and Verdi and Puccini were usually what I put on when I didn't really know what to put on.  Over the years, I also made occasional forrays into French, Russian, Czech, (I was lucky enough to see Renee Fleming in Rusalka relatively early in her career), and yes, even occasionally that frightening (at least to me) territory of German opera.  The operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan have always been a delightful source of entertainment when I wanted something more lighthearted and comical.  And yet, somehow, I managed to overlook Spanish-language works.  Maybe it's because, at least during the years I lived in those places, the Seattle Opera, Eugene Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera never performed any zarzuela.
So I decided to do a little research.  I started with the words of Maestro Domingo himself, who described it thus: "Zarzuela is a traditional Spanish musical genre that is frequently compared to the works of Gilbert and Sullivan and the Viennese operettas of Johann Strauss."  Okay, this is already starting to sound good.  Then I tracked down a synopsis of the plot, which I will not give away here, other than to say that there is, of course, the requisite love triangle.  And then I found the videos, and in the process, I found something new to love.  The music is beautiful and absolutely delightful!  Here is the "teaser trailer" for Luisa Fernanda, and okay, so I lied, I guess it does give away at least part of the plot.



Luisa Fernanda lies outside my realm of familiarity, and so I very nearly overlooked it again.  That would, indeed, have been a shame, because a whole new door of operatic bliss has been opened for me.  This is one production that I definitely do not want to miss!

Siegfried: Not to be missed (or is it?)

To go, or not to go, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous Wagner,
Or to take arms against operatic pressure
And by staying home... well, miss it.

The great composer Giaochino Rossini once said of his esteemed colleague, "Wagner has some good moments, but some bad quarters of an hour."  Others, however, (himself included,) hail him as the greatest composer who ever lived.  Certainly, he had a great influence on most music that came after him, and particularly on the development of verismo opera.  Basically, people either love him or hate him.  Period, end of story.  There is no middle ground.  Either he is the genius who revolutionized the use of harmony,tonality, and leitmotifs, or he's the guy who pierces our eardrums with the stereotypical sopranos in horned helms.

But love him or hate him, Wagner's Ring cycle is an event that every opera lover must experience at least once in his or her lifetime.  And only once, if they fall into the second category.  Nobody should be forced to go through that a second time.  I put in my time when I was 14 years old, at the Seattle Opera, which is famous for its Ring cycles.  It was an exciting experience: all the drama and action, and the sheer grand scale of it all.  However, (in case you couldn't already tell,) I'm one of those people whose opinion about Wagner falls into that second category.  Maybe it's because I haven't really taken the time to get to know the music better.  Or maybe because it really does make one's eardrums bleed.  Either way, I was not planning on going to see the Met's HD broadcast.  I already missed last season's transmissions of Das Rheingold and Die Walkure, and I was not too distraught about that.
But then I saw the casting.  One word: perfect.  Siegfried is sung by Jay Hunter Morris, and I can't imagine anyone looking the part more. 



Deborah Voigt is Brunnhilde, and she is also perfect for the role.  And then there's Bryn Terfel as the Wanderer.  I could almost believe that Wagner had him in mind when he conceived the character.  I was blown away when I saw the YouTube clips of him in Die Walkure.  He almost made me want to watch the whole thing.  All four operas.  From start to finish.  All fourteen hours, plus intermissions.  Wait, fourteen hours of this?!?  Really???  I'd have to be crazy to do that!
Seriously, though, this production looks absolutely brilliant, for what it is.  I know that doesn't sound too enthusiastic, but hey, I'm trying here.  I may just bite the bullet and go to see this.  Then again, I may not.  I'll let you know.   

Bolshoi: A grand performance!

Hi, everyone!  First off, I'm sorry I didn't get this up sooner.  I wanted to do it the moment I finished watching the performance.  Alas, I have to occasionally spend some time doing other things besides sitting around watching and writing about opera.  But be that as it may, here goes.  In short, it was a spectacular event!  The theater is beautiful, and the dimensions are staggering:

After a few minutes of opening remarks from Medvedev and shots of the auditorium, the curtain opened.... to several dozen construction workers with noisy machinery working on renovations!  Well, those construction workers turned out to be members of the chorus and orchestra, and they burst into Glinka's "Glory to the Russian People!"  The performance continued with an all-Russian program of opera, ballet, and various other orchestral and choral works.  At times during the evening (or morning, for us) the music would stop completely and we would be treated to various fully-staged street views of the theater from several points in its history.  And then there was the ballet.  Ballet doesn't usually do much for me, and at times I found my attention wandering from it.  But at others...  There was a beautifully elegant performance from Swan Lake, and the Polovetzian Dances from Prince Igor were a joy to watch.  And finally, the opera.  First of all, no Placido Domingo.  I guess squeezing a night in Moscow in between two nights in London would have been too much even for him.  The soprano bits were lovely but unmemorable, with Angela Gheorghiu, Natalia Dessay, and Violeta Urmana all giving nice enough performances.  I am pretty new to Russian opera, though, and I wasn't really familiar with anything they sang.  In fact, where Russian opera is concerned, I pretty much know Eugene Onegin and Prince Yeletsky's aria from The Queen of Spades.  Oh, but what an aria!  Performed, of course, by none other than the great Siberian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky.  I could go on about the rich, velvety voice, but I'd rather just share the moment we were all (or at least, I was) waiting for:



The evening finished off with nearly every singer and dancer on the stage for Tchaikovsky's Coronation March.  It was a truly grand event, and we were very fortunate to have the opportunity to participate!

This Sunday: Carmen at La Scala, coming to a theater near you!

Okay, this is the first of two posts I will be sharing today.  The second will come after I have watched the Bolshoi Gala.  In the meantime, here is a brief look at what we can expect from La Scala's broadcast of Carmen, which we can see on Sunday at noon at the University of Miami's Cosford Cinema.  This production stars Anita Rachvelishvili, Jonas Kaufmann, Erwin Schrott, and Adriana Damato.  I really haven't heard much at all from Rachvelishvili, Schrott, or Damato yet, so I'm not sure what to expect from them.  Now, Kaufmann.  I know I am going to make some people upset, and I have yet to see him in a complete opera, but from what I've heard so far, I just don't like him.  I think he would have made a splendid baritone, but to me, as a tenor his voice sounds muffled.  I keep trying to see what everyone else seems to see in him, but I haven't found it yet.  I have heard, however, that he does a very good Don Jose, so I will reserve judgement until I have seen it.  In the meantime, here is Rachvelishvili singing the Habanera in Salerno.

Bolshoi reopening: There's hope for us yet!

Good news for the Bolshoi reopening!  While we still won't get to see it on the big screen, it will be broadcast live on the Bolshoi Theater's YouTube channel!  http://www.youtube.com/bolshoi  It will begin at 10:00 am Eastern time, so make sure you're glued to your computers tomorrow morning!

The Bolshoi is reopening, and we're not invited!

After a six-year, $700 million renovation, the Bolshoi Opera is reopening its doors with a star-studded gala celebration on Friday, October 28.  The performance will include opera and ballet, and will feature such artists as Natalia Osipova, Svetlana Zakharova, Ivan Vasiliev, Plácido Domingo, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Natalie Dessay, and Violeta Urmana.  It promises to be a magnificent event, and I think I speak for opera lovers everywhere when I say that we are all very envious of those lucky enough to get to attend this spectacle.

 

Now, first the good news.  While it may not be quite the same as being there in person, many of our fellow opera lovers will still have the opportunity to share in the experience.  This gala performance will be broadcast on over 600 movie theater screens around the world.  Great news, right?  Well, next comes the bad news.  Unfortunately, not one of those theaters is located in the Broward/Dade/Palm Beach area.  Not a one!  Somehow, we managed to get overlooked.  Finally, the not-so-terrible news, if you don't mind driving a couple of hours to get to a movie theater.  Several theaters in Northern and Central Florida will be showing this.  The closest two are the Silverspot Cinema in Naples and the Carmike Lakeshore 8 in Sebring.  I know I won't be able to make it, but if anyone else manages to, we would love to hear all about it in vivid detail.  Particularly those pertaining to Dmitri Hvorostovsky!