Oberon's Grove

Nicola Martinucci ~ Improviso

Nicola Martinucci sings the Improviso from Act I of Umberto Giordano's ANDREA CHENIER from a performance given at Santiago de Chile in 1985. Michelangelo Veltri conducts.

Watch and listen here.

Renée Fleming ~ Oh! Quand je dors

Renée Fleming sings Franz Liszt's Oh! Quand je dors with Yvgeny Kissin at the piano at the Verbier Festival, 2023. 

Watch and listen here.

Graham Company ~ Open Rehearsal

Above, from Dark Meadow Suite: Ane Arrieta, Leslie Andrea Williams, Meagan King, Amanda Moreira, and Devin Loh

~ Author: Oberon

Wednesday October 2nd, 2024 - Down at the Martha Graham Dance Company's homespace on Bethune Street this evening, we were treated to an open rehearsal of two works: Martha Graham's gorgeous Dark Meadow Suite (1946) and Jamar Roberts' powerful We The People, which premiered earlier this year. 

The rehearsal gave me a chance to reconnect with the incredibly talented Graham dancers; they are fascinating people, and spellbinding to watch.

Janet Stapleton, the Company's publicist, very kindly sent me a set of images by photographer Melissa Sherwood from the previous night's open rehearsal.

First. from Dark Meadow Suite:

Anne Souder

Lloyd Knight

Anne Souder

Anne Souder and Lloyd Knight

Devin Loh & Jai Perez (foreground) with So Young An and Richard Villaverde (background)

Anne Souder & Lloyd Knight

Richard Villaverde & Amanda Moreira

The following are from We The People:

Devin Loh, Ane Arrieta, Laurel Dalley Smith, Leslie Andrea Williams, Meagan King, and So Young An

Laurel Dalley Smith

Meagan King

Lloyd Knight

Devin, Ane, Laurel, Leslie, Meagan, and So Young

A wonderful evening...and it's always a great pleasure to run into Graham superstar Blakeley White McGuire!

As the Graham 100th celebration continues, there will be more studio events to come here in New York City and extensive touring, and then a season at The Joyce from April 1st - 15th, 2025.

~ Oberon 

BALLO IN MASCHERA @ Covent Garden ~ 1971

Above: Carlo Bergonzi as Riccardo

Audio-only recording of a performance of Verdi's UN BALLO IN MASCHERA given by the Royal Opera at Covent Garden in 1971.

Listen here.

CAST: Carlo Bergonzi; Renato - Sherrill Milnes; Amelia - Ángeles Gulin; Ulrica - Rita Gorr; Oscar - Joan Carlyle; Silvano - Hugh Sheehan; Sam - Forbes Robinson; Tom - Dennis Wicks; Judge - Glynne Thomas; Servant of Amelia - Arthur Cobbin

Conductor: Anton Guadagno

Jard van Nes: Mahler ~ Rückert-Lieder

The Dutch mezzo-soprano Jard van Nes (above) sings Gustav Mahler's Rückert-Lieder with Yoav Talmi conducting the Arnhem Philharmonic.

Listen here.