Régine Crespin sings Berlioz's Le Spectre de la Rose from LES NUITS D'ÉTÉ from a televised concert given by the Orchestre Philharmonique de l'ORTF in 1966. The conductor is Jean Claude Hartemann.
Watch and listen here.
« November 2021 | Main | January 2022 »
Régine Crespin sings Berlioz's Le Spectre de la Rose from LES NUITS D'ÉTÉ from a televised concert given by the Orchestre Philharmonique de l'ORTF in 1966. The conductor is Jean Claude Hartemann.
Watch and listen here.
December 31, 2021 | Permalink
Wednesday December 29th, 2021 - Mezzo-soprano Gwendolyn Killebrew passed away on December 24th, 2021, at the age of 80.
Strikingly beautiful, and with a voice to match, Gwendolyn Killebrew studied at the Juilliard School and was a Met Auditions winner in 1966.
In 1967, Ms. Killebrew made her Met debut as Waltraute in the Karajan WALKURE. She sang a series of Carmens at The Met in 1979. In 1971, she had also joined New York City Opera, where she sang Ulrica in BALLO IN MASCHERA (debut) and Genevieve in PELLEAS ET MELISANDE. I had the good fortune to see her in both these roles.
Joining the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Düsseldorf, in 1976, Ms. Killebrew sang a wide repertoire there including Azucena, Amneris. Fricka, Jocasta, Baba the Turk, Orfeo, and the Monteverdi contralto roles. At the 1978 Bayreuth Festival, she made a striking impression as Waltraute in Patrice Chéreau's wildly controversial staging of the "centennial" RING Cycle. Listen to her in Waltraute's doom-ladened narrative from GOTTERDAMMERUNG, from the 1980 international telecast of the Cycle:
Gwendolyn Killebrew as Waltraute ~ Götterdämmerung - Boulez cond - Bayreuth 1980
Ms. Killebrew's appeared at Santa Fe, Cologne, Paris, Stuttgart, Copenhagen, and Geneva, and at the great music festivals of Salzburg, Ravinia, Tanglewood, and Aspen. She worked with such illustrious conductors as Wolfgang Sawallisch, Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, James Levine, Pierre Boulez, Herbert von Karajan, Sir George Solti, Zubin Mehta, Fabio Luisi, and James Conlon.
Upon retiring from the stage, Ms. Killebrew taught and coached at her studio at Düsseldorf.
Enjoy this brief delight of a trio from Handel's TAMERLANO sung by Ms. Killebrew, Alexander Young, and Carole Bogard, and a marvelous At II of TRISTAN UND ISOLDE here, wherein Ms. Killebrew and Jessye Norman each revel in their vocal richness.
More from Ms. Killebrew:
Gwendolyn Killebrew - Bella gara che faranno ~ Handel's TAMERLANO
Gwendolyn Killebrew - Dammi pace ~ Handel's TAMERLANO
Gwendolyn Killebrew - Prendi! É Un Ricordo..Son La Vecchia Madelon ~ ANDREA CHENIER
~ Oberon
December 29, 2021 | Permalink
Above: Sándor Kónya and Régine Crespin
The final scene of Act II of PARSIFAL from the 1966 Met broadcast. This was the first time I ever heard this opera, which became a favorite of mine over time.
Kundry: Régine Crespin
Parsifal: Sándor Kónya
Klingsor: Morley Meredith
Conducted by Georges Prêtre
Listen here.
December 28, 2021 | Permalink
I was at the December 3, 1966 Met matinee of TURANDOT, a performance which found the illustrious pairing of Birgit Nilsson and Franco Corelli at the height of their powers. The audience broke in with vociferous applause after "In questa reggia", and again after Corelli's interpolated high-C on "...ti voglio ardente d'amor!".
For years, I had this performance on reel-to-reel tape. Eventually, lugging these hundreds of tapes around with me from place to place grew wearisome, and I gave the collection away. So I was happy to find the big scene from Act II on YouTube, audio-only, in excellent sound.
Listen here.
December 26, 2021 | Permalink
The Wolfscrag Scene from Donizetti's LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR sung by tenor Francisco Araiza (above) and baritone Brian Schexnayder from a 1988 performance.
Watch and listen here.
December 22, 2021 | Permalink
Sunday December 19th, 2021 - Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's annual Yuletide performances of Bach's immortal Brandenburg Concertos are always a highlight of the New York musical season. Music lovers turn out on droves for each of the program's three presentations, giving themselves an early Christmas gift.
One tradition at the CMS Brandenburgs is the annual reshuffling of the order in which the six concetros are played. This year, the odd-numbered concertos were played first, with the even-numbered ones coming after the interval.
The 1st Brandenburg (in F-major) briought together the program's largest ensemble of players, which produced a wonderful fullness of sound. The wind instrument lineup tonight was impressive indeed: there are three oboes, led by Stephen Taylor with Randall Ellis and Mr. Smith, two mellow horns (David Byrd-Marrow and Stewart Rose); and Marc Goldberg's rich-toned bassoon. On the string team, led by violinist Daniel Philllips (excellent in the Adagio), Arnaud Sussmann and Sean Lee (violins) were joined by Che-Yen Chen (viola) and Dimitri Atapine (cello). The outstanding continuo duo - Kenneth Weiss (harpsichord) and Joseph Conyers (double bass)- made marvelous music all evening. Mr. Phillips made a lovely thing of the Adagio, where he and Mr. Taylor duetted cordially. The bustling Allegro drew a warm round of applause, but then comes a built-in 'encore', in which the wind players outdid themselves.
The 3rd concerto, in G-major, is unique in that the anticipated central slow movement is replaced by a mere couple of chords and a violin flourish before going immediately on to the exhilarating Allegro. Bach calls for three trios of strings: violinists Sean Lee, Arnaud Sussmann, and Alexander Sitkovetsky gave us lively playing in the opening movement, whilst Mr. Phillips traded his violin for his viola to join Mr. Chen and Yura Lee. Add the cello trio of Timothy Eddy, Mr. Atapine, and Inbal Segev, and you have a veritable string-fest. My companion, Cherylyn Lavagnino and I were much taken with Mr. Conyers' rich and nimble bass playing. The final Allegro sailed blithely onward: so many notes!
In the 5th concerto (in D-major), harpsichordist Kenneth Weiss mesmerized the crowd with his fantastic playing of the long cadenza; people stood up and cheered when he stepped forward for a bow at the end of the evening's first half. From its familiar opening theme, the 5th concerto puts the violin (Sean Lee) and the flute (Ransom Wilson) in the spotlight; these two gentlemen played the central Affetuoso divinely, whilst Mr. Weiss's harpsichord cunningly etched a filigree around their melodies. In the concerto's light and lively final Allegro, Mssrs. Sitkovetsky, Phillips, Eddy, and Conyers were a top-class ensemble.
Following the interval, flautist Tara Helen O'Connor drew a warm welcome as she walked out onto the Tully Hall stage, goddess-like in a glimmering red gown. Yura Lee and Inbal Segev had also chosen red frocks for the evening, giving the scene a festive Yuletide glow. In the 2nd concerto (in F-major), dazzling trumpet virtuosity from David Washburn set the hall alight, whilst Ms. O'Connor's timbre had its familiar crystalline clarity.
In the Andante, the quartet of Ms. O'Connor, James Austin Smith (oboe), Arnaud Sussmann (violin), and Timothy Eddy (cello) wove a tapestry of sound that warmed the soul: simply perfect. Then Mr. Washburn's trumpet calls rang out, summoning us to revel in the concerto's festive finale. A rock-star ovation saluted these extraordinary musicians as they returned for a bow.
Yura Lee and Che-Yen Chen put us under a viola spell with their playing of the 6th concerto (B-flat major) - the one in which no violins are heard: a trio of cellists (Mr. Atapine, Ms. Segev, and Mr Eddy) and the continuo players are all Bach needed here. The Adagio - one of Bach's most moving and melodious inventions - was entrancing as Ms. Lee and Mr. Chen exchanged phrases. This could have gone on and on - such a balm to the ear - but the closing Allegro sweeps us inexorably forward with its thrice familiar theme..
The evening ended with the fourth concerto (in G-major), in which Alexander Sitkovetsky dazzled us with his silky tone and incredible dexterity. Duetting flautists Ransom Wilson and Tara Helen O'Connor displayed jewel-like qualities in their playing of the animated phrases of the outer movements, whilst bringing a sweet sadness to the harmonies of the central Andante. Mr. Conyers' double bass and Ms. Segev's cello provided a resonant counterpoise to the high voices of the flutes and violin. Then we are down to the final Presto: a fugue-like race in which Mr. Sitkovetsky's fabulous virtuosity led his colleagues in a final sprint to a victorious finish. The audience saluted the musicians with a vociferous standing ovation, recalling them for a second bow.
Leaving Alice Tully Hall, which has become dear to me over these past few years as a refuge of peace and beauty in an increasingly perilous world, we stepped out into the brisk evening air, feeling on top of the world. How wonderful to experience this concert with my friend Ms. Lavagnino, who is truly a kindred spirit.
~ Oberon
December 20, 2021 | Permalink
Above: Rolando Villazón rehearsing the role of Papageno; a Met Opera photo
Saturday December 18th, 2021 - Though I would like to have seen The Met's Julie Taymor MAGIC FLUTE again, financial constraints decided me to get score desks for all but a couple of Met performances this season. One of the main draws for FLUTE this time around was to hear Rolando Villazón essaying the role of Papageno. When Villazón's career as a primo tenore faltered a few years back, he shifted into different repertory. But I believe his taking on Papageno might be a first step towards joining the ranks of baritones.
In the event, though he was HUGELY cheered at his solo bow, Villazón's Papageno didn't really work in vocal terms. His voice is no longer very attractive, being a bit dry and lacking in resonance. Much of the time he semi-spoke his musical lines, whilst the actual spoken passages, charmingly accented, were not always understandable. He made bird noises from time to time; his rooster crow was hilarious. It struck me that Placido Domingo in his 80s has more voice at his disposal than Villazón, who is not yet 50.
The remainder of the cast has its pluses and minuses. Outstanding were Matthew Polenzani's beautifully turned phrases, exquisite piano notes, and clear diction as Tamino, and the rich and rolling sound of basso of Morris Robinson, whose diction was also superb, as Sarastro. Patrick Carfizzi's Speaker, Rodell Rosel as Monostatos, and Ashley Emerson's Papagena were excellent, making much of their roles. Daryl Freedman's Third Lady and Adam Lau's Second Guard stood out.
Kathryn Lewek dazzled with the Queen of Night's first aria, climaxing with a sustained high-F; later, in her Vengeance aria, Ms. Lewek's singing was not quite as impressive as she has been in previous seasons. Hera Hyesang Park's attractive lyric timbre acquired an edgy quality when she put too much pressure on the tone higher up. Felicia Moore has impressed me on YouTube, but today as the First Lady she sang well but not memorably, though the voice blossomed more as the afternoon went on. Sarah Larsen was fine as the 2nd Lady, Matthew Burns and Mark Schowalter spoke clearly as the Priests, and Richard Trey Smagur was a forthright 1st Guard. The Three Spirits were under-powered and pitchy; I hope when The Met gets a new ZAUBERFLOETE, the music of these Three Spirits will once again be sung by petite women, of the same ilk as Suzanne Adams, Christine Weidinger, Frederica von Stade, Helen Vanni, and Joann Grillo, all of whom were Spirits at The Met over the years.
Jane Glover's conducting was well-nigh perfect, and the orchestra played well; Chelsea Knox's flute solos fell gracefully on the ear.
An annoying child in the Family Circle whined and muttered often throughout the opera, and the sound of moving sets around behind the drop curtain during "O Isis and Osiris" spoiled that beautiful passage. But...all's well as ends well. As the Three Spirits remind Papageno - and us: "You have a life, so live it while you can!"
Saturday December 18th, 2021 matinee
THE MAGIC FLUTE}
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Pamina.......................................Hera Hyesang Park
Tamino.......................................Matthew Polenzani
Queen of the Night...........................Kathryn Lewek
Sarastro.....................................Morris Robinson
Papageno.....................................Rolando Villazón
Papagena.....................................Ashley Emerson
Monostatos...................................Rodell Rosel
Speaker......................................Patrick Carfizzi
First Lady...................................Felicia Moore
Second Lady..................................Sarah Larsen
Third Lady...................................Daryl Freedman
Genie........................................Julian Knopf
Genie........................................Julian Fertel
Genie........................................N. Casey Schopflocher
Priest.......................................Ashraf Sewailam Priest.......................................Mark Schowalter
Guard........................................Richard Trey Smagur
Guard........................................Adam Lau
Slave........................................Stephen Paynter
Slave........................................Kurt Phinney
Slave........................................Craig Montgomery
Solo Dancer.......................................Maria Phegan
Flute Solo...................................Chelsea Knox
Conductor....................................Jane Glover
~ Oberon
December 18, 2021 | Permalink
Above: Kathryn Bouleyn
An English-language production of Tchaikovsky's EUGENE ONEGIN given in 1983 at the National Arts Centre, Ottawa, Canada. Watch and listen here.
Neeme Järvi conducts this performance, staged by John Copley.
The singers are Thomas Allen, Kathryn Bouleyn, David Rendall, Don Garrard, Diane Loeb, Gabrielle Lavigne, Lois Marshall, and Bernard Fitch
I am especially glad to have this souvenir of the wonderful soprano Kathryn Bouleyn, who I saw at the New York City Opera as Countess Almaviva. It is also lovely to see Lois Marshall as Filipyevna; this great singer had a highly successful concert career but rarely appeared in staged opera. Mssrs. Allen, Rendall, and Garrard are excellent.
December 18, 2021 | Permalink