Les contes d'Hoffmann review - 19th December 2009

"My wife Paula and I attended the Les Contes d'Hoffmann performance at the MET on
19-December which was also simulcast around the world as a live broadcast. As
snow was encroaching on New York City, the crowds came out to see the Tales of
Hoffmann. I totally agree with Irina, that there is truly nothing like a live
performance, although this spectacle deserves a second review with the encore HD
performance in January. Although there were some vacant seats due the inclement
weather it was clear that Netrebko has her devoted following. The gift shop was
playing a DVD of her Berlin Concert with Villazon and Domingo and copies were
literally flying off the shelves. One woman flew in from Dallas just for this
performance. The MET intentionally sanitized this production leaving out the
partial nudity (G strings and pasties) reviewed by Anthony Tommasini of the New
York Times.

There was a rousing ovation for James Levine who recently returned from back
surgery for a ruptured disc. He has the uncanny ability to allow the orchestra
to support, but not overpower the singers. Bartlet Sher the director pretty
much took a static opera with no dimension of time or change of venue. and made
a spectacle of the opera. While there were some incongruities, it pretty much
came off rather well and was very well received. Olympia, the mechanical doll
played by Kathleen Kim was adorable, cute and sang with coloratura ease. She
danced and walked like a mechanized doll as the voice lifted just like a young
adolescent nymph. This was not the role for Netrebko. Although other
productions have had wind up keys built into the costume, this rendition was
just adorable. Ekaterina Gubanova as Giuletta was stiff and uninspiring. The
part of Nicklausse sung by Kate Lindsay was just average, as her voice and
expression appear not ready for prime time. Alan Held had a commanding presence
as Dr. Miracle and sang with convincing authority. The clear winners of the
afternoon were Joseph Calleja as Hoffmann and Anna Netrebko as Antonia. Calleja
displayed confidence, presence and endurance. His voice has an unusual
tenderness and affection that is reminiscent of Jussi Bjorling. Calleja had
strength, the ability to project and literally sang the entire opera without
much rest. His tenderness in recounting his lost loves came across with passion
and conviction. This is an enormous role early in his career and it was clear
that he was up to the task. Although Anna Netrebko's role as Antonia in the 2nd
act was limited, she ruled the stage with passion, illumination and exquisite
acting ability. One only has to think of her Salzburg Traviata for an analogy.
Her deep Slavic tone and elegant poise was well suited to this role. She truly
commanded the stage and all around her. Her duets with Hoffman were poignant,
elegant and dramatic. She had the ability the sing along with his commanding
presence. She was dressed in a beautiful nightgown that highlighted her style,
grace and sumptuous figure. It is evident that she has lost much weight after
her pregnancy, but her voice and timbre have become richer, more colored and
exquisite. There were time when you could pick out her voice on top of the
chorus. She has not lost her high register at all and there were some hints of
exquisite trills in her singing. In short, this role was made for her, a
sumptuous, melancholy lover with a great sense of pathos and drama.
At intermission, I met a gentlemen who was at her MET debut in War and Peace.
He said that he heard a lone voice above the chorus that transcended all. He
said that he knew then that she was very special as only time would demonstrate.
He loved her role here, but was not as enthusiastic about her coloratura
capabilities in Lucia last year.

The production did have some weaknesses that seemed to detract from the overall
message. In the opening of the third act which simulated an orgy or bordello,
the well choreographed dancers with exquisitely flexible bodies were on top of
men reminiscent of strippers at a bar. Their modern day costumes seemed out of
place from the elegant victorian gowns and long coat worn by Hoffmann. My wife
found some of this mildly offensive and inappropriate. If this was the
sanitized version, I am sure that other performances had similar responses.
Parts of the opera appeared to make fun of the Jews and were mildly anti-Semitic
in nature. While not offensive, it is clear that Bartlet Sher chose to
highlight these issues in his interpretation. I found it to be mildly amusing
and perhaps this reflects some of Offenbach's beliefs.

Some general thoughts are in order. Having attended opera and concerts
throughout Europe, I am astounded by the lack of decorum of many participants in
the audience. On a Saturday afternoon where tickets are rather expensive, I am
shocked by people dressed in dungarees and sweatshirts. My opinion is that the
audience should be respectful to others in the audience as well as the
performers. People sitting next to me in the opera talked throughout the opera
and you could hear the incessant vibration of cell phone and occasional audible
ones that were extremely bothersome. As Hoffmann was singing his heart out in
the 3rd act, a cell phone went off at the most inopportune time. I realize that
times are much more casual than in the past, but a modicum of decorum,
appropriate dress and behavior is a rather low bar for such an exquisite art
form.

In closing our trip to NYC was well worth the effort. Netrebko was enchanting,
ravishing and skilled in her abilities. Our trip home was delayed by snow and
ice, but fortunately we had a young female bus driver that was safety conscious,
courteous and skilled in her driving abilities. She had to stop 4-5 times to
clear ice from the wipers. Fortunately she beat the storm as she traveled North
to Boston.

Looking forward to Boheme later this spring as well as Carmen with Garanca.


Howard"

Many thanks to you, Howard, for your great and detailled review ! Feels like you have been there yourself !

(I'm sorry I don't know why it appears like this...and I don't know how to change it...)

Hoffmann photos

Hoffmann reviews

The Old Stories, Updated With G-Strings

There is much to cheer about in the Metropolitan Opera’s phantasmagorical new production of Offenbach’s “Contes d’Hoffmann” (“Tales of Hoffmann”), which opened on Thursday night.

The mezzo-soprano Ekaterna Gubanova as the Venetian courtesan Giulietta
As conceived, this production was to have featured the tenor Rolando Villazón as the poet, wild-eyed dreamer and delusional lover Hoffmann. When Mr. Villazón, in the midst of a vocal crisis, pulled out last spring, the young Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja, who had never sung this daunting role, accepted the assignment. On Thursday he gave his all, singing with ardor, stamina and poignant vocal colorings and winning a rousing ovation. There were technically shaky elements to his performance, and his focused, quick vibrato revealed every slight inaccuracy of pitch. Still, the insecurity actually befitted Mr. Calleja’s take on the character, laid bare emotionally.

The soprano Anna Netrebko may have disappointed her fans by deciding not to sing all four of Hoffmann’s love interests, as originally planned. But she was vocally lustrous, charismatic and wrenching as Antonia, the sickly and frustrated singer who has been warned that singing will lead to her death. She also made a captivating and tart Stella, the prima donna Hoffmann is smitten with.

And James Levine, in his first performance at the Met since losing some two months of work because of back surgery, received a prolonged ovation from a welcoming audience when he appeared in the pit. He then drew a supple and bewitching performance from the great Met orchestra.

Still, the post-premiere discussion will probably focus on the acclaimed director Bartlett Sher’s fantastical production. Mr. Sher proved himself to opera buffs with his sleek and charming 2006 production of Rossini’s “Barber of Seville,” in revival at the Met this season. “Hoffmann” is a far more challenging and elusive assignment.

For me, the staging is marred by moments of excess and busyness. And Mr. Sher may have done too much analysis of the work’s psychological subtexts. We get a little bit of everything in the stage imagery: pasty-faced characters out of a Kafka tale; waiters in bowler hats who could have stepped out of a Magritte painting; decadent, orgiastic Felliniesque scenes at the palace in Venice where the courtesan Giulietta presides; and more.

Yet Mr. Sher, working with the set designer Michael Yeargan and the costume designer Catherine Zuber, does get to the emotional core of the opera. This Hoffmann, dressed in a plain suit suggesting 1920s Eastern Europe, spends most of his days seated at a humdrum writing table, with a battered typewriter and a small desk lamp. That desk is where he belongs. At least that is the conviction of the Muse of Poetry, who in the guise of Nicklausse, Hoffmann’s devoted friend, follows him everywhere. The mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey, singing with warmth and subtlety and looking alluringly androgynous, makes a trustworthy muse.

Luther’s tavern, next to the opera house where Stella is starring in “Don Giovanni,” is the only public place where Hoffmann is in his element. During the Prologue, egged on by the students who frequent the tavern and hang on his stories, Hoffmann sings an impish ballad about the dwarf Kleinzach, which Mr. Calleja dispatched with snappy energy and ringing top notes.

After the Prologue, during the next three acts, all flashbacks, Hoffmann tells the students the stories of his three disastrous romantic obsessions. Mr. Sher makes clear that these really are tall tales. Imagery and characters bleed from one story into the others. In the workshop of the eccentric inventor Spalanzani (the hearty tenor Mark Schowalter), where the guests assemble to see the demonstration of Olympia, his mechanical doll, voluptuous women dressed in nothing but G-strings and pasties wander through the audience. Two acts later they are seen again as occupants of the palace of the Venetian courtesan Giulietta.

It makes sense that Hoffmann’s stories would become jumbled in his mind, and in his telling. Still, the act featuring Olympia is quite a jumble. This mechanical doll is one of a whole product line of dolls, who strut about in garish ballet dresses. Some of the guests seem to have drifted in from “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.” The staging has style and wit, but it seems too busy, too much.

Ideally, Offenbach wanted one soprano to sing all four of Hoffmann’s love interests. Ms. Netrebko may have been wise to pass on Olympia. The role’s high-flying runs and roulades require a true, agile coloratura soprano, and this production has one in the petite Kathleen Kim, who excelled in Olympia’s showpiece aria, singing with pinpoint pitch, bright tone and impressive accuracy.

The mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova was a suitably dark-hued and sensual Giulietta, dressed incongruously in an 18th-century gown. The baritone Alan Held was husky-voiced, imposing and often chilling, portraying the four devilish villains who torment Hoffmann.

The tenor Alan Oke was delightful in four minor character roles, especially as Franz, the hapless servant in Antonia’s house who secretly longs to be a singer. (This was a far cry from his Met debut performance as Gandhi in Philip Glass’s “Satyagraha.”)

Whatever the vocal issues with Mr. Calleja’s Hoffmann, he withstood the pressure of singing this formidable role for the first time in a major new production at the Met, and saved the day. He needs to do more work with his voice, but he is a gifted and promising tenor.

There is an enormous controversy about the score of this opera. Offenbach died four months before the work’s 1881 premiere in Paris. None of the versions of the work that have appeared over the years, some of them corrupted, can be said to be authentic. I will have more to say on this question later. Mr. Levine, as is his prerogative, conducted a version that he and advisers at the Met fashioned from existing sources.

Whatever scholars of “Hoffmann” believe about the validity of the choices made here, the opera as presented had integrity and dramatic flow. If the production is not a revelation, the Met’s new “Hoffmann” is a musically gratifying and vividly theatrical staging of a haunting and, in its way, profound work.

And click here and here

03rd December 2009 - Les contes d'Hoffmann premiere

For more click HERE

GOOD LUCK ! =D

News

Metropolitan Opera Announces Three Week Tour to Japan From May 30 to June 20, 2011

Performances in Tokyo and Nagoya to include fully-staged performances of La Bohème, Don Carlo, and Lucia di Lammermoor featuring Met stars

The Metropolitan Opera announced plans today to return to Japan for a three-week tour in June 2011, presenting 13 performances of three fully staged operas in Tokyo and Nagoya. The operas will include Puccini’s La Bohème and Verdi’s Don Carlo, both conducted by Met Music Director James Levine, and Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda.

More than 350 solo singers, orchestra, chorus, ballet, and administrative and technical staff will travel to Japan for the tour. Star singers include Ildar Abdrazakov, Piotr Beczala, Olga Borodina, Joseph Calleja, Diana Damrau, Dmitri Hvorostovky, Jonas Kaufmann, Mariusz Kwiecien, Željko Lučić, Anna Netrebko, and René Pape.

Performances will begin on June 4 at the Aichi Prefectural Arts Center in Nagoya with La Bohème, starring Netrebko, Susanna Phillips, Beczala, and Kwiecien. A performance of Don Carlo follows on June 5, with Barbara Frittoli, Borodina, Kaufmann, Hvorostovsky, and Pape in leading roles.

The company then moves to Tokyo for a performance of La Bohème at NHK Hall on June 8 and the first performance of Lucia di Lammermoor on June 9 at the Bunka Kaikan Theater, starring Damrau, Calleja, Lučić, and Abdrazakov.

The Met continues its performances in Tokyo through June 19, with Don Carlo on June 10, 15, and 18 at NHK Hall; La Bohème on June 11, 17, and 19 evening, at NHK Hall; and Lucia di Lammermoor on June 12, 16, and 19 matinee at the Bunka Kaikan Theater.

This will be the Met’s seventh tour to Japan; the first was in 1975, and the most recent was in 2006. The tour is being presented by the Japan Arts Corporation of Tokyo, and the Crown Sponsor is KDDI.

The Met: Live in HD, the company’s groundbreaking transmissions of live performances into movie theaters worldwide, has been shown regularly in Japan since the award-winning series began in 2006. More than 900 theaters in 42 countries around the world are participating in The Met: Live in HD this season, including ten theaters in Japan. A record number of more than 1.8 million Live in HD tickets were sold around the world last season.

Dates & casts

SATURDAY, June 4 (Aichi Prefectural Arts Center, Nagoya) Puccini’s “La Bohème” with James Levine conducting; Anna Netrebko (Mimì), Susanna Phillips (Musetta), Piotr Beczala (Rodolfo), Mariusz Kwiecien (Marcello), Edward Parks (Schaunard), John Relyea (Colline), Paul Plishka (Benoit & Alcindoro).

WEDNESDAY, June 8 (NHK Hall, Tokyo) Puccini’s “La Bohème” with James Levine conducting; Anna Netrebko (Mimì), Susanna Phillips (Musetta), Piotr Beczala (Rodolfo), Mariusz Kwiecien (Marcello), Edward Parks (Schaunard), John Relyea (Colline), Paul Plishka (Benoit & Alcindoro).

SATURDAY, June 11 (NHK Hall, Tokyo) Puccini’s “La Bohème” with James Levine conducting; Anna Netrebko (Mimì), Susanna Phillips (Musetta), Piotr Beczala (Rodolfo), Mariusz Kwiecien (Marcello), Edward Parks (Schaunard), John Relyea (Colline), Paul Plishka (Benoit & Alcindoro).

FRIDAY, June 17 (NHK Hall, Tokyo) Puccini’s “La Bohème” with James Levine conducting; Anna Netrebko (Mimì), Susanna Phillips (Musetta), Joseph Calleja (Rodolfo), Mariusz Kwiecien (Marcello), Edward Parks (Schaunard), John Relyea (Colline), Paul Plishka (Benoit & Alcindoro).

SUNDAY, June 19 (NHK Hall, Tokyo) Puccini’s “La Bohème” with James Levine conducting; Anna Netrebko (Mimì), Susanna Phillips (Musetta), Joseph Calleja (Rodolfo), Mariusz Kwiecien (Marcello), Edward Parks (Schaunard), John Relyea (Colline), Paul Plishka (Benoit & Alcindoro).

Met opens final dress rehearsal of “Hoffmann” to the public

Met opens final dress rehearsal of “Hoffmann” to the public

The Metropolitan Opera’s fourth season of free final dress rehearsals continues on Monday, November 30 with Bartlett Sher’s new production of Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann, staring Anna, Joseph Calleja, and Alan Held, and conducted by Met Music Director James Levine. The dress rehearsal begins at 11:00 am; and the doors will open at 10:30 am. Approximately 3,000 free tickets will be available (2 tickets per person) through an online ticket drawing; entries will only be available at the Met’s website at http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/ The entry dates are from Friday, November 13 through the evening of Wednesday, November 18. Winners will be chosen on Thursday, November 19 and names will be posted on the Met’s website that afternoon.

Message of Rolando (!!!), Anna at the Richard Tucker gala and "The winners are..." ECHO 2009

Puuhhh sorry for not being always totally in time with my posting, but please be lenient towards me ;) In Landshut is at the moment the "Landshuter Hochzeit" and so I will not be online so often the next 3 weeks. Well first the best message of the week !!! How could it beginn better ?! =) -> Rolando's latest message for his fans:

Dear friends,

This is just a quick note to tell you how touched I am by the many beautiful messages I have received from you over the past weeks. Every message, every postcard, every book you have sent me is like a flower. My garden is full of colors and I am the little colibri drinking from all of them. Thank you!Some of you have expressed worries about my recent withdrawal from the "Carmen" -production in Vienna. Don't be concerned! I have not yet had the operation (it will take place in these days), but I decided I want to be careful with my repertoire in the next year.I have spent this time playing with my kids and taking walks with my wife, joggling, reading Darwin's fabulous "The Origin of Species", joggling, listening to all of Brahms and going to the theater, joggling, dreaming, writing a little fiction and joggling!.I wish you all the very best for a wonderful summer and promise to be in touch again soon!

Rolando

These words are going down like butter...You don't leave your fans out in the rain ! THANK YOU ROLANDO !

So what happened also the last days ?? Let's see...Anna will participate, next others like Joseph Calleja, at the John Tucker gala at the Avery Fisher Hall in New York on 22th November 2009.

Anna and Rolando recieved the ECHO 2009 in the category "Opera recording of the year (19th century) - La Bohème" Congratulations ! You both really deserve it !

SOKO München in Bildern - Das spricht für sich

Sonntag

Im Biergarten





















Big buisness in der U-Bahn





















Endlich die Oper ! Und außen schon Plakate zu Bohème ! Musste natürlich genauestens festgehalten werden !













Sophie Marceau...





















Danielle Callegari













Vorhang auf für Joseph Calleja !













New best friends: Joseph and Lisa =)













Und jetzt THE ONE AND ONLY -> ANNA NETREBKO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!













"Outside, outside ! I need fresh air !"





















Auf diesem Bild zu sehen die deutsche Star-Abiturientin Lisa W. und links neben ihr irgendeine Russin ;))))))))) ANNA & LISA ! OMG !













Hier die Menschentraube um sie herum...





















After Anna...um geschätzte 3 Uhr morgens und um einige Euros erleichtert...













Montag

Posing à la "ddNngwd" vor dem Rathaus ;)






















Soo und hier natürlich noch mal alles bei Tageslicht, sieht ja alles gleich gaaanz anders aus !













Der Chopard shop (leider ohne Anna im Schaufenster) musste auch noch ausführlichst begutachtet werden
















So das war unsere "SOKO München" ! Lisa und Christina sagen tschüss und bis zum nächsten Mal wenn es wieder heißt: "SOKO ..."