Parsifal in concert, or the return of Jonas

The gloriously wacky Herheim Parsifal for Bayreuth (the Prelude)


Well, that was rather special. A mostly all star cast with some fabulous work by the locals in the small parts. And star power in the main leads, with all producing amazing results, even if a couple left me wondering if we could not have cast better locally, if the company leadership had bothered. But, company politics aside, this was a truly special night. And, dare I say it, not for the reasons I expected.

First of all, I have to give full credit to the work of Pinchas Steinberg conducting an enlarged chorus and orchestra, all performing better than I have heard before. Yes, partly that is due to them not being in the pit of doom, that sucks the bloom from the strings and makes everything muddy, but, hearing things clearly also meant we could hear them performing amazingly, responsive to Steinberg's every command. And if, watching him, I found his beats confusing at times, there was no mistaking the unity of sound he was getting, or, his ability to shape, colour and guide the orchestra through this complex score, producing sounds from chamber ensembles to the full blast of a full Wagnerian orchestra in full flight. I also have no doubt that the work of Tahu Matheson and Anthony Hunt preparing the chorus and orchestra was thorough, this sort of result does not come quickly. Especially for a company that rarely performs Wagner.

For most of act 1 of course, besides the various esquires and knights (all performed fantastically by local singers) the act really belonged to the orchestra and chorus, and the fantastic Gurnemanz of Kwangchul Youn. I had only heard him live once before in a small role in William Tell, but he has straight away joined the list of basses I would travel to hear. I admit, I was less than enthusiastic about him going in, but thought, I know he knows this role backwards, so.... I now know why he is one of the in demand Wagner basses. Huge voiced, with a warm sound, he had the hall ringing with sound, yet also easily dropped to pianissimo as required by the music. It really was one of those cases where at the end of act 1, you wonder if the Gurnemanz should have had top billing, as he had been worth the price of admission (which, for a concert was outrageous) just for act 1. The fact that he then returned to sing up a storm in act 3, is beside the point.

As Parsifal, Jonas Kaufmann showed why he is currently the most sought after tenor around. If last time I heard him live, I had some concerns about his voice and the longevity of that sound, this time he sounded like the Jonas of a few years ago, when he stunned the opera world with performances of Parsifal at the Metropolitan Opera that declared his ownership of the role any time he wanted to take it up again. This was a performance, in concert only, that matched those. Secure from beginning to end, going through the journey of beginning a fool, gaining understanding, and returning to the knights, bringing the longed for healing of them all. This was as much acting, as singing, while in white tie and tails, yet still throwing the sound to the back of the concert hall, with an ease of production that I felt missing last time I heard him live. That he seemed overwhelmed by other performers in the opening act, was entirely appropriate, and felt right, especially when followed by act 2 where he changes from the brave but foolish youth, into one learning compassion and understanding of suffering before our eyes. We could hear it in the words he sang, not just the surtitles behind him, as the change took place.

As Klingsor we had Warwick Fyfe showing just why people raved about him as Alberich in the Melbourne Ring Cycles, which I have sadly missed. This was again, someone in full command of his text and music, spitting out words with venom, while still singing with control and on the breath and basically revelling in the chance to play the bad guy. Perhaps a lighter sounding voice than I am used to in the role, he certainly had the power and the ability to menace all concerned. Someone give him this role staged, soon. He is too good for it not to happen.

As his partner in crime/the woman who causes things to happen our Kundry was something of a mixed bag. Yes, she sang all the notes, yes I never had trouble hearing her, but a lot of her music seemed to sit in places that did not sit well with her voice. There were times when it was magical (mostly higher sections) and a lot when I wished someone else was on stage. Not that she was bad, just she really appeared out of place. At the end, I did wonder what would the original singer cast have made of it? We will most likely never know because I doubt she will ever get the chance to sing it, which is a pity. Instead, we had Michelle De Young, who as I said, sounded like she is not comfortable in the role, which I guess is not surprising. Kundry is not an easy sing, much less an easy role to act convincingly.

We also had Michael Honeyman who was much better than I expected, but still was very much in a role he should not be singing. In the first act, he was the singer the conductor kept making the orchestra quiet for (which they did remarkably well), rather than him singing out over the top of a swelling orchestra, as written. But, he sang all the notes and got through without ending up a train wreck in the final act, even if failed to fully convey the hell his character is living. Why he was given the part when we have other baritones who have the power to sing that, I cannot explain. And that is a common complaint I have about him, I know.

However, the night belonged to the chorus and orchestra, and our three male leads who really took this to a higher level altogether, and our conductor taking us there. It also was a tribute to the range of talent that we have, that the small parts were all well sung, and cast with the sort of luxury casting I would expect at The Met or similar. David Parkin, an effective Titurel, begging for refreshment. The knights of Dean Bassett and Alexander Hargreaves really impressed. And the Flower Maidens of Stacey Alleaume, Jane Ede, Anna Dowsley, Eva Kong, Julie Lea Godwin and Dominica Matthews, all relishing a chance to sing something they would most likely never get a chance to again, all regular much loved soloists here, getting to sing in ensemble that would do any opera house proud.

Truly, this was a night that was one I will remember. And, I will remember for the good reasons, not for two casting choices that were not bad, but just not up to the level of everyone else.

This was Jonas Kaufmann at The Met 2013

Ferruccio Furlanetto is God, or something damn close to it

If there is a scene that is the heart and soul of Don Carlo, or Don Carlos, as OperaAustralia insist on calling it, it is that big scene for Filippo at the start of the third act. First of all he pours out his heart lamenting the fact that he is married to someone who has never loved him, who he should never have married. Then, he is joined by the Grand Inquisitor, who proceeds to tell him what he should do, and threatens the king, showing clearly that despite his temporal power, he is only there at the mercy of the church, and possibly also because he is easier to control than who might follow. It is also the big showpiece for the bass playing the king, being the time when he gets to allow himself to be the man, rather than the monarch and husband. In the right hands it can be a riveting piece of singing acting that shows the man behind the crown. In the wrong hands, it becomes a piece of indulgence that holds up the story.

Needless to say, in this production we had the master of this role, singing as if he has lived this life, slipping into the troubled King's shoes as comfortably as we might our favourite pair of slippers. And what a treat, to see and hear the definitive Filippo of our time, live in the flesh! When his opening notes of the monologue, which he effectively sings into his hand that is supporting his head, and which are still clarion clear at the back of the theatre, you know why this man has the reputation he does. That he can do that, and make us care for this tyrant who we already know is responsible for the death of thousands, such is the power of his performance. Oh, and the power of Verdi's masterful writing too, of course.

And yes, having Ferruccio Furlanetto sing this role was the reason I had decided that this would be a must see performance, even before I knew we had Latonia Moore in the role of his wife Elisabetta de Valois. As probably the current Aida of choice for opera companies everywhere, her performance in the theatre here a few years ago remains something I will not forget. If this was not quite that potent a performance, I do think that it is one that she will grow into, with a few more outings, till it is the equal of her Aida. So, think not incredible, but merely very good. This is a queen being torn apart by duty vs emotion, who fell in love on first sighting the young man who later becomes her stepson. Yes, I know, only in opera! To be sure, that glorious voice with its beautiful creamy high notes is still glorious, and the ability to put into a look so much feeling that it carries to the back of the theatre was there. But I still think that she has more to give in this role, I do not think she has plumbed its depths yet and lived with it long enough to build the strength of characterisation that makes her Aida so devastatingly good.

Then we had the Rodrigo of Jose Carbo, a role I know he has long wanted to play, and clearly relishing the opportunity he has been given. Hearing someone you used to sing with a significant number of years ago living up to their potential is always a thrill. When they are singing in such exalted company and showing they belong there too, it is a magical thing. Needless to say, he lives the role, and he is singing better and better each time I hear him, pouring out the sounds in a way that clearly shows he knows the role backwards and lives the meaning of all of it. His death scene was especially well sung.

I mentioned before the Grand Inquisitor (played by Daniel Sumegi) who has that delicious snarling duel of a scene with the king. I did not mention that he was played and sung beautifully. He clearly plays someone who is used to getting his every demand met, who has grown old and yet remains still very much the feared arm of punishment that the church uses to bend others to its will. The somewhat harsh sound that he produced was just right for the elderly but still in control priest.

I also have to say, for a small chorus, we get a lot of sound out of them. The start of the auto da fe scene may have been a bit quiet where I sat, but by the time the chorus were all on stage and not at the back, the sound was impressive. It is a scene that never quite makes sense to me, but Elijah Moshinsky has tried to make it work. To modern sensibilities, being excited over people going to their deaths will always be a big ask. But, he tries, and succeeds in making us see some at least in the crowd are excited.

I will say however, that the casting of Diego Torre as Don Carlo was not something I was overly pleased with. To be sure, he has the ability to sing all the notes, and sing them in a way that ensures he can be heard by all. The problem is, I am not sure it is a voice I want to hear. In the first half, he came across as having a harsh overtone somehow, or maybe it was an awkward resonance the theatre was picking up. I want to say he has the voice of a tenor villain, but I can't think of any tenor villain that needs to be that loud, apart from maybe Grimes. Either his voice improved in the second half, or I got used to it, but he still remained someone who could only sing loud or louder, which was grating against the nuanced performances of the other singers. He also did not convince me that he was still madly in love with his mother in law, which while a stretch for anyone, is essential for his character to be believable.

Also in the less than successful department was our Princess Eboli, Milijana Nikolic. Constantly drowned out in ensembles and at times seeming to run out of breath in her two big arias in awkward places. Last time I heard her in Verdi (as Azucena) I was impressed at how well she took on the role and sang it. This time, I was constantly thinking she was trying to sing a role that is much too big for her. It was quite odd. Of course, having to sing alongside some very big voices would not have helped, but it was a surprising let down given her Azucena was most impressive.

Now, having said all that, I have to say, who in their right mind when setting up the bows puts the unsatisfactory tenor in the title role in as the last to bow in a cast, when you have  two big names in opera in leads? Well, apparently our national opera company do. I could not believe they did not put Furlanetto on last, as quite frankly, he was what made this a special night. He deserved it, both for being the big name star in the company, as well as being far and away the best performer in the cast.

Now THAT is how you Turandot!

That is how you Turandot, or, maybe I should say, THAT is how you CALAF, for as much as Lise Lindstrom is amongst the finest Turandots you can hire at the moment (and, yes, she is VERY GOOD) last night's Turandot from opera Australia was very much the show of Calaf. I say that, having seen another very good Calaf in the same production previously (albeit with a less successful Turandot) a few years ago.

But, last night, was special. Very Special. I cannot remember a time when the star imported soprano got a smaller applause than the tenor in a big role. And, when that star imported soprano was singing her career defining role, and singing it very well. But, such was the caliber of the performance, that any of the six big leads in this show (Calaf, Turandot, Liu, Ping, Pang and Pong) would have not been out of place in any cast in any major opera theatre. The fact that four of them are Australian, makes me very pleased.

So, first of all, this was the much loved Graeme Murphy Turandot with the gorgeous designs of  the late Kristian Fredrickson. And yes, it is glorious magnificent from start to finish, with both costuming and other fabric used to create mood and beautiful stage pictures (see here). And, yes, this production was created with a great deal of thought, time and care. It was Graeme Murphy's first opera production, and probably will remain his finest, born of a long standing love of this opera, and his innate sense of theatre. Yes, he makes the cast move a lot more than normal (as expected when your main claim to fame is choreography and dance) but it is all done with thought, and care. If, the Ping Pang & Pong reminiscence scene is a bit too busy and silly (and I did not notice it being so last night, which reflects well on the performers) that can be blamed as much on Puccini and his librettists as on Murphy. That scene does seem too long many times, and holding up the action. But, that is its point. Last night, it became a calm peaceful respite, before the glorious loud noises of the riddle scene.

So, to the cast. It was a measure of the strength of this cast, that despite my decision to go to this performance based on the Turandot of Lise Lindstrom, at the end of Act 1, with Turandot not having sung a note, I was very happy with what I had heard.The trio of Ping Pang and Pong, in the hands of Luke Gabbedy, Graeme Macfarlane and John Longmuir really did function as one. Their antics were never a threat to their sound, and their ensemble singing was impressive.

As Timur, the mystery prince's father, we had the imposing Jud Arthur. His was a convincing old man, which for those of us who know what he looks like (tall, fit and muscular), is impressive. His was a Timur we could care about, especially as he was ably assisted by the glorious Liu of Hyeseoung Kwon. Her years of singing this role means she probably can sing it in her sleep, but, she really does embody this role. Her death will bring a tear to your eye. Everytime.

As the ice princess herself, we had the reason I chose to come to the first cast, the lovely Lise Lindstrom. Her voice is not the big warm Italianate sound of many Turandots, but the ice of a Nilsson or similar. It is a metallic sound that cuts clearly through the complexity of the orchestra and chorus singing at full pelt. And, considering that where I was sitting meant that full volume felt like low level aural assault, yes, she is loud!! And, yes, she does come much closer to a successful portrayal of the ice princess melting than most Turandots do. But, doing that is a challenge for anyone, with how it is written. Going from watching the person you are about to have tortured kill herself, to turning yourself into someone allowing herself to fall in love for the first time. Its a big ask for anyone, even with Puccini writing the music for it (though, that is assembled by Alfano for the final act in the version we heard). That Lindstrom makes you see the wavering to allowing love, and make you believe,  is no mean feat.

But, ultimately, the night belonged to the Calaf of Yonghoon Lee, and the glorious chorus. That such a small chorus can sound so large, and produce so much sound with such precision, is a powerful statement. They have long been good, but under Anthony Hunt, they are growing even stronger. Small numbers do not mean small sounds.

And the Calaf. Yonghoon actually managed to make me forget that Calaf is a complete selfish prick. His is a likeable foolhardy Calaf who you wanted to win. He poured forth large amounts of beautiful ringing secure tenor sounds from start to finish. He has a much lighter higher sound than most of the Calafs you hear. It is more the sound you might expect to hear as say Rodolfo, rather than Calaf. But, he certainly had the power to sing over the chorus, and to sing that aria with sufficient style and conviction, that to compare him to other recent tenors of significance would be churlish. This is a voice that should much better known.

But, really, last night was a night of great opera. It sounded great, it looked magnificent, and, that ultimate arbiter of technique, my throat, never started feeling sore in sympathy with any of the singers. It was the sort of night where everything was just gloriously good, and you could just wallow in the beautiful sounds that Christian Badea was pulling from the cast and orchestra. Could you ask for more?

This is the tenor who takes over in August, showing what the production looks like in full flight

The great last minute soprano strikes again

So, second opera in two days, and I am very glad I got them the right way around. Because frankly, Rigoletto, as good as it was, would have seemed very dull after Otello. Not only was the production far and away better thought through (well, it was Harry Kupfer who staged it so, yeah) the singers were all amazing, and in roles that showed them off. It is also, to be frank, more satisfying musically. There are times when Rigoletto seems trite, and the orchestral writing frankly pedestrian. There is nothing pedestrian about Otello. This is Verdi at his most potent. An opera written towards the end of his life, that he spent years on, unlike some of his earlier operas rushed out in six months, utilising all his melodic and dramatic skills to present the essence of this Shakespearean tale of jealousy, deliberate lies and murder.

So, aided by much better conducting in the hands of Christian Badea, the score came alive in the telling. He drew strong, unified performances from the orchestra and the cast, even if the thunder and lightning sound effects of the opening were overdone. The rest was a model of clarity and focus.

As Otello, the Wagnerian Simon O’Neill certainly sang brilliantly, and was a fearless stage presence. Possibly not the voice you would expect for Otello, being a much brighter, higher tone than usual, he none the less was a powerful figure striding the stage, and never came close to showing signs of strain, despite the length and demands of the role. He also showed few signs of effort from negotiating the tall set (basically a huge set of stairs, that were angled off kilter), I know I would have been worn out just from travelling his route over the stage, let alone expecting me to sing!

As Iago, in many ways the heart of this piece, we had the (new to me) Italian baritone Claudio Sgura singing a role he clearly relished. A tall physically intimidating presence, he suits a big villain role. In this production, I was surprised his size was not used more to advantage, but, then again, he was not the original Iago in this production. However, he is definitely a singer I want to hear more of. A big bright sound, with plenty of snarl and malevolence to suit all those big bad villain roles.

As Cassio, we had James Egglestone, singing brilliantly. Considering the last time I heard him I was underwhelmed, I was very pleased to hear him singing well and producing such a large sound. It suggests that he was cast in the role before he was ready for it, in the last production I saw him in.

The other Australian who really impressed was Pelham Andrews as the Lodovico, the Venetian who arrives to announce the replacement for Otello. A big bass voice that sounds positively cavernous, it was positively luxury casting in such a small role. Yet, he is young, and this is exactly the sort of role he needs, as he grows as a performer, big enough to develop a character, while not pushing him into the roles he will be singing in ten years as his voice hits maturity. I look forward to watching him develop in the future.

But, ultimately, for so many reasons, this production was about the Desdemona. After all, this was the production that the (name withheld deliberately) Georgian soprano was pushed out of, owing to the outcry about her past statements regarding a gay pride event. And, to be fair, if she had sung in this performance, I would not have been there, simply because I would have saved my money for other events.

Instead, in a huge coup for Sydney audiences, we had the Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian, a singer I had heard amazing things of previously, from friends in London, and seen on film. I can safely say, the descriptions were not exaggerated. She brought a big beautiful voice to the role, and a sympathetic stage presence. There was no hard or harsh sounds to be heard and lots of very beautiful ones. In this role, she totally lived up to the hype, and made us care for her fate. Her final scene with her big solo aria, was the equal of many big name sopranos we know only from recordings, and this was live, taking place in front of us. And it was good, and intense. It made me care for her future, despite knowing she was doomed. It was exactly the sort of thing we go to operas to hear. And you cannot ask for more than that.

The Emma & Giorgio Show redux

So, a new Rigoletto production. Which aims to take it back to sixteenth century Mantua of the setting, rather than the La dolce vita of Opera Australia’s venerable production it replaced, or the Las Vegas of The Met production or… Well, let’s be honest, these days, setting Rigoletto in the correct location, in the depicted period, is something of a novelty these days. Does it work still, in our days of demanding a visual feast of excitement and new interpretations? Or is it too, just another gimmick to appeal to our jaded tastes?

Well, first of all, the source material is very strong. Some of Verdi’s best known tunes, La donna é mobile (aka the Leggos ad music), Caro nome, Questa o quella, the quartet at the end, in a dramatic tale. These are all works of genius tossed throughout the opera, working as stand alone pieces, yet taking on an amazing strength when staged well. And, mostly, it is. This is a stripped back to the roots production, with a focus on the performers, not one where your eye is drawn left right and centre distractedly.

And what performances. Reuniting the Lucia cast of two years ago was the principal reason I wanted to see this production, and this cast. And, I was not disappointed. Giorgio Caoduro and Emma Matthews are one of those pairings that we dream of. With huge respect and love for each other, they also are both amazing singers, setting a high standard for all of their colleagues to follow. it is easy to believe in them as father and daughter, despite their ages suggesting nearly the opposite.

Emma brings her beautiful, flexible, silvery tone and intelligence to this role. Her Caro nome is every bit as gorgeous as expected, as well as an aria she lives. She takes the idea of teenage emotional excess and runs with it, at the same time, remaining curiously naive. By the time this is finished, we have no doubt that this girl is both deeply infatuated with the bad boy tenor, but has no experience of life. This is the big first love of her life, and she has no idea of what that means.

As her father, Caoduro was better than I hoped. He brought both the fearless mocker of all, as well as the loving father, and made them connected. His singing continues to impress, bringing a clear ringing sound of considerable beauty and power to the role. If at times, it seemed not as rich as expected in this role, it was only in the quieter moments, when some extra strength seemed needed. But, he is a very young Rigoletto and with age, he will prove to be an astonishing one. At the moment, vocally, he is merely very good. I only hope I get to hear him sing this again, in ten years time, when his voice has grown in richness.

Our Duke was Gianluca Terranova, bringing a reliable Italianate sound to the role. His is not the voice of a Pavarotti or other starry tenor, but he is a capable singer, and relished the chance to sing such glorious music. If it was not a performance of great depth, part of me feels that was partly a matter of direction, and partly a matter of performing approach. It felt more a colour by numbers performance, lacking the intensity of the other two leads. That said, in some ways, his job is to be a cypher, a character that does not have a significant emotional range or journey, rather someone who causes them in others.

The Sparafucile of David Parkin continues to impress. His voice continues to improve and his stage presence shows how far he has come from his days of Operatunity, even if he is again singing the first role he sang for Opera Australia, not that many years ago.

Indeed, it has to be said, a big pleasure of this production is that there was no one on stage who sang badly. Every solo role was heard clearly, in pitch and in character. Even Lisa Cooper, who had stepped in to replace the usual (indisposed) Page was clear and assured.

If there was any disappointment, it would have to be in the fact that after opening for the rowdy first scene, the two revolves that the set was built on failed to work. The change to scene 2 where Sparafucile and Rigoletto meet was delayed by more than ten minutes, while the gremlins were dealt with. it was a curiously disappointing note on an other wise highly impressive evening. It also made me think back to the last Rossini opera I saw, where the single revolve for that set refused to work at all, causing some on the night restaging. Does OperaAustralia have a backstage maintenance problem?

But, to be fair, fifteen minutes of waiting for a fix was a small price to pay, when for everything else, the opera gods were smiling.

Can we talk about Tatyana instead?

So, Eugene Onegin, that glorious lush Russian opera full of dance music and angst and love and death. It also starred a great cast singing beautifully and acting up a storm...

And yet, I was not happy. Mainly because the production of Kaspar Holten worked against the story, adding extra elements that worked against the story, to create the idea that the story was all about the memories we carry, not that it was just the sad tale of young lovers who make bad choices, then live to regret them.

It is also fair to say, that when he planned the production for the Royal Opera (it is a co production with Covent Garden and Teatro Reggio, Turino), that he expected much older leads, which could make the young lovers/old lovers thing work, but when you have a singer in the (old) role who is probably the same age as the young dancer doubling her, it becomes both confusing and distracting. "Is that Young Tatyana, or is it Old? Oh, she is singing, its the Old one." is the sort of thing that would go through the heads of the audience, assuming of course they had read the information beforehand, and knew this was happening, and did not just think there was a mute sister who danced (at one point I was asked "Is she meant to be miscarrying?", which would make for a very different Letter Scene!!!)

Also, it took a while, but eventually, I got the point of why everything got left on stage and never cleared, the books, the letters, the tree, the snow, dead Lensky, the broken chair, etc. It was to highlight that these people are carrying their history with them, as surely as if it was packed in a backpack and permanently attached to their backs. Well, we get that, it is constantly reinforced in the story and in the music; that the awkward mistakes that these characters make and must live with, are what has caused the traumatic ending for them. Doomed to love each other, but unable to do anything about it, because of the decisions they made in the past, that lead to this point.

But, we do not need to have that drummed into us, it is there in the story and the words, and the music, for all to see. Leaving all these reminders is just awkward, and does not help the story. Having Tatyana come close to falling on dead Lenksy is not going to make things believable, nor is she catching her dress on the branch left behind, as she tries to turn and walk angrily away from Onegin while inside her palace!

So, yes, there was lots about this performance that I did not like.  And most of those related to the work of Kaspar Holten, whose work I have seen before on DVD and found awkward. On the other hand, there was also much to admire. There were no weak performers in the cast, and lots to admire. I have to say, most of that flowed from the high musical standards, held together with precision and fire by Guillaume Tournaire. This is the second time I have attended OperaAustralia this year, and the second time I have found myself in awe of their musical standard.

First of all, if this is not the role that marks Nicole Car as a star, then, I would be curious what would. She inhabits this role as if born to it. Her sweet lyrical voice rose to the occasion beautifully, never feeling underpowered, and sounding every bit the dreamy, yet innocent girl who she portrayed. Considering her age, I was surprised to hear she was cast in this, but having heard her, I could not imagine another local singer come even close to her in this role.

As her would be suitor Onegin, we had the Slovak Baritone Dalibor Jenis in his first season here. He sounds strong and powerful, but I found his soft notes a bit off. An off night? Problems with Russian? I can't say, but it affected the way I viewed his performance. I thought he seemed to be portraying Onegin as a heartless bully and very abrupt, until I realised, it was actually his voice I was reacting to, not his acting. Once I realised that, I could see a much more nuanced performance, just one with a vocal challenge.

As Tatyana's sister, we had Sian Pendry, released from the realms of pants roles, and freed to play a very girly girl, one not yet ready to settle down with the ardent Lensky, and more than eager to flirt back with Onegin, setting up the duel that is in many ways the centre of the piece. Her early scenes with Tatyana showed beautifully matched voices, setting the tone for the opera well.

As Lensky, James Egglestone was ardent and hot headed as we expect. His argument with Onegin at the party was quite physical, and believable. His voice is a bit darker than expected in this role, and his Kuda kuda, was beautifully sung, but not quite the meltingly lovely tone that we hope for in this role. The fact that he then got killed at the front of the stage and remained there till the end of the opera, deserves special praise for being dead so effectively, though why it was thought needed is another question.

Also worthy of mention were the glorious cameo arias of both Kaneen Breen as Triquet (hilarious) and Konstantin Gorny as Prince Gremin, bringing a cultured authority to his part, though why he had to appear briefly to witness the big scene between Onegin and Tatyana was beyond me. It was not needed, and just drew focus away from the fine anguished and passionate performances we were riveted by.

So, to sum up, this is not an Onegin to go see if you do not know the story. This is also not a production to see if you get annoyed by directors who play with stories to suit their pet ideas. I admit, I left both annoyed by what I had seen, yet blown over by the performances.

However, it is a production to go hear if you love this music. That was very well served by all, and has been haunting me for days since. I can think of no better praise for a performer, than that they served the music as well as this cast.

As they say, murder your mother for a ticket....

Right, so, Elektra by Richard Strauss, an opera I have never really got. Sung in a semi staged concert with the Sydney Symphony, and with the Sydney Dance Co providing additional stuff. Yeah, totally not what I would want to see. Except, it had The Goerkinator singing. My opera friends in the UK had all been raving about her performances last year at Covent Garden in this same role, and it seems safe to assume, that this is probably the only chance I would get to hear her live in person.

So, with quite some trepidation, we went, only paying for choir stalls seats, which means we rarely saw the singers faces as they sang facing away from us. Yet, I was still fairly certain I would hear every note from Elektra.

So, basically, I can now say I have heard Elektra live. Sung by the only person I can think of, who actually can sing all the notes, and be heard over that huge orchestra, without resorting to shouting, shrieking, or any other ugliness you care to think of. In short, Christine Goerke is a force of nature with a voice that does not demand to be heard, it gives you no choice, YOU WILL HEAR THIS VOICE! That she can do that over an enlarged Sydney Symphony, unamplified, with her back to us, probably says it all.

To be fair, it is hard to describe performances of an opera that you do not like, without sounding like a prick. I still do not like Elektra, but after this performance, I do get a sense of why people might. But, for me, it is still an opera I can't get past the unlikeable characters, to be moved by their plight. We are not talking music that makes you want to like it, but rather music that reflects the inner turmoil of the characters. It is impressive, but ultimately, if I do not hear it again, I won't be upset.

So, to the singers, really all I need to say is Christine Goerke rocks. She makes this madness musical, she lives those notes, sings them through that orchestra, and does it with ease. Her command of this part, suggests that it was written with her voice in mind. It wasn't, but it might as well have been.

As her mother Klytemnestra, we have a former Elektra in the form of Lisa Gasteen. Like Ms Goerke, she too has power to burn and claimed this part as hers. She made the scary mother, if not likeable, at least believable, with her fears, and her determination to kill and kill again, until she finds peace from the dreams that are slowly driving her mad. The dreams that stem from her killing her husband. Her voice is not as large as Ms Goerke's, and when you think she was one of the go to Brünnhildes of the recent past, you might begin to understand my comments on vocal size. But, she also sang her role in a way that left you understanding these roles can be sung, and not shouted. How rare to hear this, and how wonderful!

As Chrysothemis, Cheryl Barker was also impressive. I was much more impressed with this than some of her other Strauss roles, making me wonder if it is more the length of some of these roles that makes her hold back. In this smaller role, she was vocally fearless, in a way that she was not in say Capriccio a couple of years ago. She threw herself in vocally, and sang out with far more power than we often see from her, making me wish she did it more often.

As Orestes, I was less impressed with Peter Coleman-Wright. To be sure, I rarely like his voice, and this night was no exception. His voice sounded tired, leaving me wish for pretty much any other large baritone in the role. He really was the one weak link I noticed in an evening of very high musical standards.

I also have to say, that all the servants and other minor roles were sung superbly. The fact that most of them are not singing for Opera Australia is quite surprising. I have heard leads in large roles who were less impressive than some of the maids. Or the male servants for that matter (though, only one of them has not sung for them, and Pascal Herrington has just finished his stint at the Conservatorium!)

I also must mention the dancers of the Sydney Dance Company who were a frequent recurrence throughout the evening. While they were decorative, I have to wonder were they really adding to the presentation? Or were they distracting? I tend to feel the later, but, admittedly, I was watching from the back, so they were between the singers and me. They felt too much like an added touch, as if someone suggested it, but no one really thought through the why, just "this seems a good idea" I just found them distracting, not enhancing the action.

On the other hand, definitely enhancing the action was the conductor David Robertson. He has the Symphony sounding amazing, and responding to his every command. I think this may also be the first vocal concert where I heard no brass fluffed notes at all, which certain of my readers will be thrilled to hear!

So, to sum up. This was a concert to go to, to hear some extraordinary voices, sing music that I do not like. That I walked away amazed and thrilled probably says it all.

Christine singing Fidelio.

Il Turco in Italia (Or, gosh, a sex farce, Rossini style)

So, yes, Rossini and sex romps, not exactly what you think of together. Well, not until you get to know the plots of most of his comic operas. Then, yes, its all about who gets it, who doesn't, who is chasing it, and who ends up winning in the end.

And, then you need the sort of cast, who can not only throw of the vocal high jinks with ease (as shown above), but also carry off the sort of staging that makes the crazy stories work. In Turk, we basically have a bedroom farce, revolving around the young Fiorilla, busy sleeping her way through the town, her husband, her lover, the Turk of the title who arrives to stir the plot, and a young gypsy, who of course, turns out to be the Turk's long lost love. Throw in the playwright who is busy recording the goings on to make his first great play, add a chorus and cook till light, frothy, effervescent, and serve with a chilled bubbly, probably prosecco, considering the music (ably held together by Andrea Molina from the pit). That is basically all you need to know.

So, like most of Rossini's operas, there is always a star role that the whole opera revolves around. In this case, it is Fiorilla, the girl who is open all hours and seemingly to all comers. How she came to marry Geronio is anyone's guess, but it is your typical young excited vixen/old crotchety fool type couple that is the stuff of these plots. Needless to say, Emma Matthews takes the challenges of Fiorella's music, throws those notes off against the back wall of the theatre, and vamps her way up, basically having a great time doing it; relishing the chance not to play the tragic heroine, but rather showing off her great comic skills as well as her sizzling coloratura. It is the first time I have seen her play comic in a long time (I think the last I saw live was back in the 80's as Cupid in Orphee aux enfers) but, just like in Lucia, she remains the one character your eyes are constantly drawn to on stage, as she turns the vamp level up to 11.

As her husband, the mislead fool, Conal Coad gives us more of what we expect. This role could have been written with him in mind. His fearless portrayals of comic roles are legendary, and here, he is once again in his element. If at times his coloratura was not as clear as it could have been, who cares? He clearly relishes being the butt of jokes and can teach a thing or two to many performers about singing loudly, even when motorboating Fiorilla.

As the Turk, Poalo Bordogna had fun with pretty much every stereotype of Turks you can think of. It is not exactly a subtle comedy, but getting to play the exotic playboy with two girls at your beck and call is probably most baritones' dream. He had fun doing it. He even does a mean Elvis hip swivel as required by the staging. If his voice was not as good as some of the others, he clearly had no problem negotiating the challenging vocal lines. Though, lacking the beauty of some of the other voices on display, he left me wishing for Jose Carbo at times, who would have been just as funny, with a beautiful flexible voice to match the others. Not that I did not like him, I just wished for a nicer sound, and when you know an Australian could do it better....

As Narciso the lover, Luciano Botelho was hilarious and sang with a darker tone than we sometimes get from Rossini tenors. However, he had no problems negotiating the vocal writing, even while changing on stage (twice) and dealing with a range of sight gag props (anyone who can sing clearly and beautifully, while wearing goggles, swimming flippers and carrying an inflatable mattress deserves some sort of award).

Also impressive was the Prosdocimo of Samuel Dundas, the playwright to be, whose frequent asides to the audience were as much to elaborate the action, as to explain his future play.  He almost worked as Greek chorus at times, but never had to drop character, indicating many great characterisations ahead of him. If his singing got lost in some of the ensembles, that was unsurprising. A young baritone singing Rossini is always a big ask...

And, of course, mention must be made of Anna Dowsley making her mainstage debut for OperaAustralia as Zaida, the gypsy/lover of the Turk. Maybe she was not as secure in her comedy as some of the other performers, but her voice was clear and very well produced. This was a very promising debut for a voice that had no problems in filling the theatre. And one I look forward to hearing more of in the future.

I suppose I should mention that the staging was updated to the 1950's - resulting in fabulous loud colours and dresses that flatter curves (always a good thing for opera!) While the set looked fabulous, like some 50s diner designed by a cubist, the revolve that was a feature (and intended to speed the scene changes) failed to revolve, resulting in a very late start as they tried to fix it. However, with Prosdocimo acting as the barman taking on extra duties of removing tables and chairs as needed, it was not missed much. A couple of times things suffered slightly, but it did not affect the story telling significantly. It still flowed smoothly from one scene to another, things just may have happened in earshot of characters that were not supposed to hear them. Which is nothing new for opera, of course! It also meant a lot more people had to leave via a small space into the wings, than was probably planned.

I should also make special mention of the surtitles that the director Simon Phillips prepared. They were a treat in themselves, filled with all sorts of unexpected slang, clearly aimed at Australians. Referring to the Turk as a doner kebab was a good example of what I mean.

So, all in all, this is definitely a great night out. It is not serious, nor does it make any pretense to offer any deeper meanings. But it does offer some truly amazing singing, and lots of belly laughs, especially in the second act. I had thought based on the cast, that this was going to be one of the must sees for this year's opera season. Having seen it, I have no hesitation in saying that now. Go, laugh, and live life loud.

I shall leave you with our heroine, singing something different, but equally vocally challenging.

2013 highlights and low lights

To start this summary of what I saw this year, I have to start with the statement, that I did not see all I wanted to see, not even locally. I mostly chose to see things that I felt I had to see, not things I wanted to see, given the chance. Thus, no Ballo at Opera Australia, and no Melbourne Ring either, since, it had initially been declared sold out. When I heard there was tickets available, it was too late for me to organise to go.

But, I also got to see some unexpected treats, in part due to some generous friends. Both the Carmen on the Harbour and the Verdi Requiem I saw via free tickets, and both I enjoyed immensely, even if they were not my peak highlights.

But, having said that, my first highlight of the year came in April, courtesy of a Met in HD production. I think it is fair to say that pretty much anyone that went to that Parsifal came away moved/stunned/shocked/wowed. What it was like live I can only imagine (I got lots of reports of "amazing" from people who went), but it burst forth on screen with an intensity often missed. I suspect the DVD of this production, will quickly become regarded as the one to judge others by. Both impressive musically and visually, it allowed the story to be told true to text, while modernising it in a way that made it more meaningful, not less. It was both traditional and modern, an exercise in direction that many opera directors would do well to watch and learn from, in my opinion.

The next highlight was finally hearing Bryn Terfel in concert. Not because he was in fine vocal form, or because he is one of the best singers around. But, rather, because he is that rare thing, the consummate showman in classical music. His performing will always be interesting, no matter how he is sounding, simply because he comes across as generous friend who wants you to like his singing, and who is a nice guy. I found his voice definitely showing wear and tear that night, but his performance was still entertaining and frankly, compelling. As I said at the time, maybe not the voice I wanted on recordings of the repertoire, but as a live experience, hard to beat.

Then, the next highlight was hearing Stuart Skelton in concert with the Philharmonia proving what an amazing singer he is. Seriously, I fail to understand why he is not better known, this is a singer who you need to go hear, any time you have the chance. And why his Lohengrin (or his Parsifal, for that matter) are not available on video, is one of the modern mysteries of opera (or at least, the recording industry)

I also got the chance to hear Eric Owens sing The Flying Dutchman, in a concert with the Sydney Symphony, and Orla Boylan and Ain Anger. Let's just say that they are all singers who if you do not know, you should. All singing roles that suit them, in concert with the forces that this opera begs for. If you have not heard a big chorus sing this, you have not heard it! This was far and away my highlight for concert of the year.

I have two choices for the best staged live opera I saw. I can't quite decide which was better. Both were well performed, in clever stagings that brought the stories to life. Both used minimal sets, focussing more on the performers to bring things to life. The stunning production of La forza del destino by Opera Australia was a dramatic and a vocal triumph for them. With a great cast, all singing amazingly, in  a production with no weak link (except the overlong music, Verdi really needed to cut some things out) This was a production where you really did feel their anguish and despair at what has happened.

But, I also can't go past the Sydney Chamber Opera production of Owen Wingrave, where on the smell of an oily rag, they produced riveting theatre that was more real than anything I have seen on stage. The cast were all impressive, but the stunning performance of Morgan Pearse in the title role was one of the best performances I have seen in person on stage. Even in an opera I had never heard before, which, to be honest, is not the easiest music to like on first listen, he held the audience in the palm of his hand the whole time, and his death at the end produced audible gasps of horror in the audience. You cannot get more vivid performances than that!


Sydney Chamber Opera - Owen Wingrave from Hospital Hill on Vimeo.

The Nose, or Shostakovich giving the Soviet system the finger

The Nose is really one of those pieces that defies description. Its manic and fun and full of invention, both a trifle about nothing, that also at the same time, makes it clear that beyond the absurd tale, there is indeed deeper ideas afoot. Not that they all appear in one quick sitting, but complexities certainly there are.

To start with, I have to say, this is one of the busiest productions I have ever seen. The height of the Met Opera theatre stage is taken advantage of in many ways. William Kentridge's staging from the outset does not attempt to treat this story naturalistically, with  scenic elements that only appear as they are needed. Kovalyov's bedroom, the barber's room, the pressroom, the police station. They were all suggested, rather than depicted fully, and always skewed, or indeed, bent as if in a surrealist painting. But, that added to the sense of a world gone mad, helping this seemingly light fancy on its way, inviting the watcher to pick up other thoughts thrown out along the way.

But, yet, everything about the plot happened, there was no attempt to ignore the story, rather the non realistic sets made the characters more real, helped the performers build a sense of other, that worked in this mess of a morality tale gone awry. Yet, tho messy, there was clearly a firm hand on the direction. Everything linked back to the central story and fed from it. Constant projections onto walls showed the passage of the Nose as it travelled around while free, or words from what was sung, or pieces of text that gave the sense of newspaper reports, the breathless sort that the tale would generate.

So, to the singers. First of all, dominating over the whole plot, the man with no nose, Kovalyov, was played by Paulo Szot, in what should be a career defining performance, if he was not already well known for being the Emille that made South Pacific popular again a few years ago.   Here, he shows himself far more than the good looking French seducer (indeed, it is hard to imagine a less likely role to follow Emille Debecque with than this one, while staying in fach) Truly, this is one of those roles that dominates everything else. He brought us a vision of a man totally lost in his world, with his circumstances turned upside down, and did it convincingly, while singing beautifully. In honesty, his was the only performance that really mattered, it all stood or fell on his shoulders. Needless to say, it stood up, and tap danced!!

Not to say that no other performance was good, far from it. But, after Kovalyov, you then have His Servant Ivan, the Police constable, the barber and the Podtochina's, with the rest all being cameo roles who appear for one scene, then disappear into the crazy ensemble. Really, no performer stood out, as bad or good, tho for sheer madness, the pretzel seller will remain in memory, as a good example of how to make a crazy outfit work.

But ultimately, this production is all Paulo's, (and the directors) I will leave you with some of his work from it. Feel free to click on the link below if you want to see who else featured (all were good btw)

Full cast list from the Met Archives

Lise Lindstrom shows how to do Turandot. (Royal Opera House cinema presentation)

Lise Linstrom singing "In questa reggia"


Turandot is always a bit of an odd opera. Its title role does not sing until after the first interval.And its a role that often seems to end up as being judged not by how well the lead soprano sings, but is she loud enough to be heard, because the role is such a cruel piece to sing, that only the largest voices can do it justice. Which often means we miss out on the other things this role needs. The ability to turn from the ice maiden into the woman in love in a short space of time. The ability to convey the idea that everyone is afraid of you.

So, for this cinema production of Turandot, we have a soprano who I only knew of by reputation. But, what a big reputation. People who heard her in London in the theatre for this run, described her as the best Turandot since Gwyneth Jones, without Jones' wobble. A big call, to be sure, but having heard her in the cinema I can see why. Lise brings a very loud focused voice to this role. Her voices is totally at her command, no wayward notes, no spread top, everything totally controlled. To be sure, her quiet notes are not always as pretty as some, but, when you can sing with such a potent clarion tone, so reliably, who really cares in this role? She portrays the ice cold princess well, yet also portrays the eventual realisation that she actually loves this man well. Why, we never really work out, but then, it is opera, do they need a reason, besides the glorious music? Not to mention, a truly extraordinary In questa reggia (see above)

So, in many respects, this performance was all about worshiping the current great Turandot. That is not to say that there were not other things good about it, But her performance stood head and shoulders above the others. The first act in some respects seemed dull, lacking in fire. Dare I say it was because we did not have our Turandot? Certainly no one else on the stage was making that sort of performance that stood out as amazing. When the best thing on the stage besides the Turandot is the combination of Ping, Pang and Pong, you know that the other leads lack fire.

The Calaf (Marco Berti) spent the first two acts basically doing a Pavarotti stand and bellow. Which is fine, if you can sing like Pavarotti. If you can't you really need to offer more. To be sure, he sang with a big bold Italianate sound, full of ardour, but he scattered off pitch notes freely around the stage, only really coming good both with physical acting and pitch in the final act. That the Royal Opera cannot provide a better tenor than Opera Australia did with Rosario LaSpina (which several people commented on in the cinema) probably says all you need to know.

Even the Liu of Eri Nakamura only really came good in her final scene. Her Signora ascolta gave every appearance of a singer trying too hard, of working to make the sounds, rather than trusting in her voice to do its job and focus on portraying her character. Again, Opera Australia has a history of great singers in the role with Hyeseoung Kwon, for example, singing this aria and leaving the audience teary eyed. Did not happen here. However, her final scene was much more affecting, and did bring a lump to the throats of many.

On the other hand, the energetic trio of Ping (Dionysios Sourbis) Pang (David Butt Phillip) and Pong (Doug Jones) were very strong performers. They took their long scene and made it memorable. Their interaction with the rest of the cast was also strong. How they kept the energy up to perform what amounted to almost ballet while still singing, was beyond me, but they did it, and did it well.

Also, credit must go to the ballet and chorus who performed admirably. With such a frenetic staging, the dancers seemed constantly on the move in every crowd scene, while in many scenes, it is the chorus who must carry the most music. The sounds produced by them continue to be some of the best opera choral work I around at the moment.

However, for all its frantic movement, clearly Asian inspired (I was seeing a mix of Chinese opera as well as the tai chi that the choreographer claimed) I still found this at its heart a very traditional production. There was a strong sense of place, the costumes were all clearly designed as ancient Chinese, and the story was basically told clearly, with very little deviation from what is written. And, the score and the libretto were allowed to work their magic. And it worked. It worked mainly because of the strength of the Turandot, but, it worked. And we knew that we had seen a great performer in what is her signature role. That the others failed to live up to her so prominently is something that the Royal Opera should be considering.

Rosario La Spina singing in the Opera Australia production

Britten showing his pacifist side

Strange choice, yes, but it is the best recent video I could find, to show how Morgan Pearse sounds now.

So, Owen Wingrave, hey? Or, if you like, the time I finally pop my live Britten opera cherry. And, the first time I walked out of the end of an opera stunned. Stunned in a good way, as, having no idea of the story going in, beyond the outsider not fitting into the military family idea, I was invested in the story and the ending when it happened, was a powerful kick to the heart. I firmly believe that the sobs I heard on stage, were being matched by someone behind me, who was stunned by the ending. If you do not know the story, I recommend you see this without finding out the ending, it is so much more powerful that way.

So, yes, I loved this. But, as impressed as I was watching it played out on stage, I do not believe I would have enjoyed this as much just listening. This is an opera to watch, to listen and to absorb, then get angry about. It would not work as a pleasant listen like a Mozart or similar would, it all derives from the story.

So, anyway, this really was Owen's show, or, should I say, Morgan Pearse's show. If last time I heard him I was impressed, this time, I was shocked and stunned. This was the sort of performance that careers can be built on. Powerful, yet always musical and vocally in control, he portrayed the progression from confused but determined to determined but crushed by the family ghosts that surround him. To say that this was the most powerful and moving staged performance I have seen since Emma Matthew's Lucia gives you an idea of how he takes this role and makes it his own. This will stay with me for a long time. And haunt me.

As his good friend Lechmere, Pascal Herrington gave another of his fine performances. Yes, he was in the shade of Morgan, but, considering his strength as a performer, this was no surprise. His singing and acting, once again proving this is a performer with a big career ahead of him, as his voice grows to match his already impressive acting skills. A tall fair haired tenor who acts? That hardly seems fair. The fact that I know him for a genuinely nice guy as well is cruel! He brought humanity and a sense of normality with his role, as well as singing the crucial "there was a boy" telling of the ghost story in clear diction that in many ways was the emotional heart of this piece.

Also another impressively good was Emily Edmonds as Kate, the girl who had expected to marry the hero soldier Owen, but does not know how to deal with the new found pacifist Owen. The big demands of the role were a great fit for her big voice, and she was convincing as the girl with her eye on the prize, found wanting when the prize is not what was expected. Another performer I want to hear a lot more of.

As is Georgia Bassingthwaighte as Mrs Coyle, the wife of his military teacher, the only sympathetic characters who try to understand and care for Owen, when his family turn against him. Bringing the sympathetic characters to life against the cruel and tradition bound family, the Coyles were both well played and sung, though Simon Lobelson seemed lacking power vocally in his role.

But really, there were no bad performances in this piece. A couple of voices seemed miscast, but all the characterisations were vivd and strong, with some clever use of the space, although, I can't help wondering if maybe we would have been more shocked by the ending, if the room had not been set front and centre, and rather Owen was out of site, making the ending purely the reactions, not what happens.

But, that was a small quibble, for what was a very powerful night of theatre, where they also sang.

This is the "there was a boy" section, only half as chilling as it was presented by Sydney Chamber Opera.




The original production, for TV, conducted by the composer




Sydney Chamber Opera - Owen Wingrave from Hospital Hill on Vimeo.

 This was just recently put on line. You really get a feel for what the production was like with this.

Come fly with the Dutchman

Well, that was a ride and a half! Up close and personal with with the Sydney Symphony and some fabulous soloists for a Wagnerian opera. Like, really close. Third row close. My ears will take some time to recover from the eargasm.

To be sure, it may not have been the best place to hear some of the voices, as singer's voices do tend to be quite directionally focused, and they were definitely singing over our heads. Thus some passages may have struggled to carry to our seats, but it was only small patches, with most reaching us fine, even if not with the full power those voices displayed.

And what voices! Anytime you have Eric Owens on stage is a good time. Adding the fearless and magnificent Orla Boylan and Ain Anger as well, and you have the foundations for an astonishing performance.

So, from the outset, despite this being a concert in the symphony season, it was a very theatrical event. Before the concert started, the lights were dimmed till only the stage was lit. The backdrop lit up with images of the sea as the opening chords of the prelude kicked in. From there on, the magic of Wagner began to cast his spell, weaving his impossible gothic tale of horror and redemption.

It has to be said, from the word go, the orchestra and its conductor David Robertson were on fire, wringing out every inch of drama and excitement of an admittedly already exciting score. As mentioned before, this was a very theatrical concert, so as the usual choir stalls were behind the screens, the choir was set up with the men on one side of the stage and the women the other. The offstage horns for the calls to the Dutchman's ship were towards the back of the auditorium.

From the opening notes of Anger's Daland, there was no doubt we were in for a treat. His huge beautiful bass, used to good effect last week in the Verdi Requiem took on a new level, as he clearly revelled in the role, bringing nuance born of a clear understanding of the text. This was text driven singing, rather than just singing the notes, coupled with a beautiful expressive voice.

Beside him, the Steuermann of John Tessier seemed at first a little overwhelmed, but quickly grew in strength. His higher notes soared across beautifully, expressing the longing to be back home with his unnamed (possibly nonexistent) beloved. The timbre of his voice was just right for the role, making that youthful cry all the more right.

Then of course, the Dutchman of Eric Owens arrives, the reason for this performance in many ways. Sounding at once world weary, yet still also longing for release, he brought the mythic sailor to life, in both glorious sound and menace. His performance is every bit as good as as you would expect, but like many bass voices, his comes across much richer in person than in recordings. It's an unusual sound, as you would know if you have heard it, instantly distinctive, and glorious in villainous or troubled roles. The Dutchman is very much his role, just like his Alberich for The Met, a tour de force of singing a role, seemingly written for him.

I was also expecting good things of Orla Boylan as Senta. I was not disappointed. This is not Senta as ice maiden, this is Senta as glorious flesh and blood woman, a conflicted whirlwind of emotions, powered by a glorious sliver toned voice that cut through the orchestra with ease. She made the Ballad that is her big opening number both dramatically and musically cohesive, allowing the lyrical beauty to come through, as well as the intrinsic creepiness of the piece. She could make a fine career, just singing Senta around the world if she wanted, I expect.

To me, the Erik of John Dazsak was much stronger than his tenor soloist in last week's requiem. Whether the repertoire suits him better, or if having a character to portray is what made the difference, I'm unsure, but the difference was noticeable. He was convincing as the suitor rejected by Senta, abandoned for the hero who has haunted her dreams for years.

And, while it is only a small role, I also have to say the Mary of Sally-Anne Russell was a treat. She vividly brought life to the role, and was a clear demonstration that despite the starry talent on stage, Australia too has plenty of great singers, which Sydney Symphony needs to remember when casting. I know we have some great voices around, who we should be hearing and aren't.

And, as well as the great soloists we also had excellent singing (with much better diction this time) from the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. They clearly relished being in character, and brought life to what could have been just stand and sing moments.

So, all in all another fabulous night of singing. I'm tempted to look for a ticket for Monday night to go again, though I suspect it is now all sold out...

 

I'll leave you with Ain Anger singing, for those who have not heard before...

Go see LA Forza!!!

Any opera called "the Force of Destiny" (or La Forza del Destino, in the original Italian) has to ask big questions, or at least attempt to, to avoid being laughed at. Its debateable whether Verdi does ask such question, but he does certainly fill his pot boiler of an opera with characters who seem to be doomed to spend their lives unhappily, their destiny set from before the opera starts, it would seem.

Tama Matheson has directed a very dark retelling of this tale. He has opted to focus on the story and its themes, and tell that, rather than try to update it to some other time, trusting in the source, rather than feeling the need to change the story to fit his ideas. Thus, the stage is filled with characters in period appropriate costumes.

And yet, the set itself, tended to be non naturalistic. Props that were needed were always available, and era appropriate, but the stage itself was mostly left blank, with a series of platforms and staircases wheeled in out and around, as needed, with curtains and a large revolve, used to change spaces as needed. At various times, other pieces were added and removed as required. A large skull often featured, with a giant statue of the Madonna, an altar, massed candles, and a crucifix, all appearing at times to add to the atmosphere of religious fervour, and oppression.

This production does take a few small liberties with the story though. Preziosilla, ably sung and acted by Rinat Shaham, became, not just a fortune telling gypsy, but an embodiment of Fate itself. She lurks menacingly whenever any scenes ripe for death or "significant plot event" happen. As characters die, she has kissed them immediately before, becoming the hand of fate that brings death. At times, the women of the chorus join her in this role. In the battle scenes, the women, hidden behind death masks, wander amongst the soldiers, touching them, which results in them dying.

So, about the performers. First, let me say, this is probably the best cast opera I have seen live in Sydney. There were no weak links. With five leads all at a very high standard, this is no mean feat!

First, of course, our Leonora, played by Svetla Vassileva, bringing a slight figure and huge voice to the role. Hers is a big, beautiful voice, used to good effect in this role. A few times her loud notes became a bit squally and wayward, but mostly she sang with gorgeous tone and portrayed the initial nervousness and then anguish of her character well. Singing much of her final aria Pace pace mio Dio lying on the floor, her torment at what had become of her life was almost too painful to watch.

As her fiance Don Alvaro, Riccardo Massi brought a strong tenor voice to the role. He was convincing as the impulsive foreigner in love with Leonora and whose plan to elope was destroyed by the intrusion and then death of her father, (well sung by Richard Anderson)

A welcome return to the OA stage was by Jonathan Summers as Don Carlo. Hearing the veteran sing with the strength that puts most younger baritones to shame, reminds us of a time when he was a regular singer here. His determination to get vengeance and repair the honour caused by the loss of his father was palpable, as was his brokenness from his loss.

And I mentioned Rinat Shaham before, so all I need to say is, how good is it to have a singer who can sing from the back of the stage, on a raised platform and still have her heard at the back of the theatre, over the chorus in front of her? Very good! Though why every director chooses to go nuts with at least one of Preziosilla's scenes, I have no idea. This time, her "Rataplan" results in all the chorus dying as she sings. Not the effect that Verdi was aiming at!

The lead that gets the least time though, who also impressed me the most was Giacomo Prestia. Big beautiful sounds poured out of him effortlessly, every time he opened his mouth. Can we have him back soon to sing King Phillip in Don Carlo? Please?

To give you an idea how big his voice is. His Melitone, Warwick Fyfe, who sang Falstaff earlier this year at OperaAustralia, seemed small voiced when singing next to him. Not that this was bad, Melitone is a smaller role after all (and Warwick filled it well) but the difference in voice size between them was noticeable.

It has to be said, there were lots of clever touches throughout this opera, things that showed the director and designers had thought long and hard how to create a strong sense of the atmosphere and story. These occurred throughout the opera. For example, in the opening, Leonora starts in a big elaborate wide dress and wig, which during her first big aria, she is helped out of by servants, as if her rebellion requires her to first be freed of the shackles society has put on her. She later spends the rest of the performance in plainer costumes, indicating that she has left her past behind her, even as her past will not leave her. At the end of Act2, as she puts on the monk habit before beginning as a hermit, the monk assisting her removes the hood from his head, revealing to us that, in her mind, she sees her dead father, and because almost paralysed with fear.

Andrea Licata was the conductor, keeping the forces well controlled. Personally, I prefer a little more forcefulness in my Verdi, but, the ensemble was tight and controlled, working with the singers to comment on the action.

So, my advice? If you like Verdi, go. You won't see a cast like this locally again in a hurry.