Travelling and enjoying opera performances
My plan coming to Munich to see Mefistofele by previously undiscoved composer Arrigo Boito, whom I have known as librettist for last operas of Verdi: Falstaff and Otello, was mostly driven by weekend performance date to fit the work schedule. It did not come to my mind that this particular weekend – last day of […]
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Werther as the character of most famous suicidal poet is probably known by everyone who have read Goethe’s novel Die Leiden des jungen Werther (The Sorrows of Young Werther) in their youth, for most of us – as part of compulsory program in foreign literature class. Even if many years have passed since graduation, the […]
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It seems like there is certain pattern in writing up reviews and impressions from the performances I have immensely enjoyed – it is much harder and time consuming rather than many good and some average performances required. Also this time has not been different as the only show I have seen twice, and got long-lasting […]
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The final opera of Puccini, completed by Toscanini, with its roots in Chinese folk tales and recognisable melodious hit “Nessun dorma!” is one of the all time favourites for most of opera houses. Usually the story also gets beautiful sets and keeps traditional Chinese flavour both in music and appearances. The Metropolitan Opera production is […]
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Sondra Radvanovsky has decided to undertake the challenge of olympic heights by creating complete story of Tudor queens in one season at The Met. The comparison of athletic challenge is so appropriate when you think about all the components and time and effort investment required to get prepared for such project: vocal technique and stamina, and psychological […]
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The cast: Otello: Aleksandrs Antoņenko Desdemona: Sonya Yoncheva Iago: Željko Lučić Cassio: Dimitri Pittas Lodovico: Günther Groissböck Roderigo: Chad Shelton Montano: Jeff Mattsey Conductor: Yannick Nézet-Seguin Production: Bartlett Sher Set designer: Es Devlin Costume designer: Catherine Zuber Lighting designer: Donald Holder Projection designer: Luke Halls The 328th Metropolitan Opera performance That was an evening filled […]
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It has been already quite a time since I enjoyed fantastic performances at Bayerisches Opernfestspiele or Munich Opera Festival. For me it is second year in a row when I carefully plan extended weekend with great hope to get all wished- for tickets from the Bayerisches Staatsoper box office in line with priorities defined in some 8 […]
Read More…LUDWIG V. BEETHOVEN • Triple Concerto for Piano, Violin, Cello and Orchestra in C, Op. 56 PERFORMERS Daniel Barenboim, Piano and Conductor Guy Braunstein, Violin Kian Soltani, Cello West-Eastern Divan Orchestra Amazing, emotional and god- like sounding cello by Kian Soltani, afterwards I read in the programme that he has studied with Sol Gabeta and […]
Read More…VIENNA PHILHARMONIC • RICCARDO MUTI PROGRAMME PYOTR I. TCHAIKOVSKY • Concert for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 35 JOHANNES BRAHMS • Symphony No. 2 in D, Op. 73 The concert was unique as it was the most obvious proof what extraordinary conductor can achieve with first class orchestra, the sound was full, lush, nuanced! […]
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GIUSEPPE VERDI • IL TROVATORE, Salzburg Festspiele, Aug 14, 2015 This was the best performance seen this season in Salzburg, great comparison of impressions after seeing production live with perceptions from recorded/ streamed performances. The cast was well balanced and complementing each other, Anna Netrebko run the performance, while both Meli and Rucinski were believable […]
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