The Metropolitan Opera' 2007 - 2008 season (sixth part)

Ok, here's the last part of the Met's new Opera Season productions. Wagner and Prokofiev are the stars of this part.

"Tristan und Isolde" - 2008 - Mar 10, 14, 18, 22, 25, 28
Composer: Richar Wagner - Librettist: Richard Wagner
Approximate running time: 5hs. 0min.

Isolde: Deborah Voigt
Brangäne: Michelle De Young / Margaret Jane Wray
Tristan: Ben Heppner
Kurwenal: Eike Wilm Schulte / Richard Paul Fink
King Mark: Matti Salmine
Conductor: James Levine

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"Die Walküre" - 2008 - Jan 7, 14, 28 | Feb 2, 6, 9
Composer: Richard Wagner - Librettist: Richard Wagner
Approximate running time: 5hs. 0min.

Brünnhilde: Lisa Gasteen
Sieglinde: Adrianne Pieczonka / Deborah Voigt
Frika: Stephanie Blythe / Michelle De Young
Siegmund: Clifton Forbis / Simon O'Neill
Wotan: James Morris
Hunding: Mikhail Petrenko
Conductor: Lorin Maazel

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"War and Peace" - 2007 - Dec 10, 13, 15, 18, 22, 26, 28 | 2008 - Jan 3
Composer: Sergei Prokofiev - Librettist: Sergei Prokofiev, Mira Mendelson
Approximate running time: 4hs. 15min.

Natasha: Irina Mataeva / Marina Poplavskaya
Sonya: Ekaterina Semenchuk
Mme. Akhrosimova: Larisa Shevchenko
Count Bezukhov: Kim Begley / Alexei Steblianko
Prince Andrei: Vasili Ladyuk / Alexej Markov
Napoleon: Vassily Gerello
Kutuzov: Samuel Ramey / Mikhail Kit
Conductor: Valery Gergiev / Gianandrea Noseda

The Metropolitan Opera' 2007 - 2008 season (fifth part)

Fifth part ef the Met's new season. Great productions! Hope you like them!

"Otello" - 2008 - Feb 11, 15, 18, 22, 26 | Mar 1, 4, 8
Composer: Giuseppe Verdi - Libretist: Arrigo Boito
Approximate running time: 3hs. 5min.

Desdemona: Renée Fleming
Otello: Johan Botha
Iago: Carlo Guelfi
Conductor: Semyon Bychkov

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"Roméo et Juliette" - 2007 - Dec 8, 12, 15, 20, 27, 31
Composer: Charles Gounod - Librettist: Jules Barbier, Michel Carré
Approximate running time: 3hs. 5min.

Juliette: Anna Netrebko
Stéphano: Isable Leonard / Kate Lindsay
Roméo: Joseph Kaiser / Roberto Alagna / Matthew Polenzani
Mercutio: Jeff Mattsey / Nathan Gunn
Frère Laurent: Robert Lloyd
Conductor: Plácido Domingo

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"La Traviata" - 2008 - Mar 6, 12, 15, 19, 22
Composer: Giuseppe Verdi - Librettist: Francesco Maria Piave
Approximate running time: 3hs. 5min.

Violetta: Ruth Ann Swenson
Alfredo: Matthew Polenzani / Jonas Kaufmann
Germont: Dwayne Croft
Conductor: Marco Armiliato

The Metropolitan Opera' 2007 - 2008 season (fourth part)

Great titles in this fourth part of the Met's Opera Season!

"Lucia di Lammermoor" - 2008 - Mar 5, 8, 13

Composer: Gaetano Donizetti - Librettist: Salvadore Cammarano
Approximate running time: 3hs. 25min.

Lucia: Nataly Dessay
Edgardo: Giuseppe Filianoti
Enrico: Mariusz Kwiecien
Raimondo: John Relyea
Composer: James Levine / Joseph Colaneri

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"Macbeth" - 2008 - Jan 5, 9, 12, 15 | May 9, 13, 17
Composer: Giuseppe Verdi - Librettist: Francesco Maria Piave
Approximate running time: 2hs. 50min.

Lady Macbeth: Maria Guleghina / Andrea Gruber
Macduff: Roberto Aronica / Dimitri Pittas / Jospeh Calleja
Macbeth: Lado Ataneli / Carlos Álvarez
Banquo: John Relyea / René Pape
Conductor: James Levine

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"Manon Lescaut" - 2008 - Jan 29 | Feb 1, 5, 9, 12, 16, 20, 23
Composer: Giacomo Puccini
Approximate running time: 3hs. 20min.

Manon Lescaut: Karita Mattila
des Grieux: Marcellio Giordani
Lescaut: Dwayne Croft
Geronte: Dale Travis
Conductor: James Levine / Donald Runnicles

The Metropolitan Opera' 2007 - 2008 season (third part)

More productions of the Met's new season! As one of the most popular Opera Houses, the Met presents several titles for its Opera Season which I will be publishing in the next posts. Hurry up and buy your tickets! There are very few left!

"Ernani" - 2008 - Mar 17, 21, 26, 29 | Apr 2, 5, 10
Composer: Giuseppe Verdi - Librettist: Francesco Maria Piave
Approximate running time: 3hs. 40min.

Elvira: Sondra Radvanovsky
Ernani: Marcello Giordani
Don Carlo: Thomas Hampson
de Silva: Ferruccio Furlanetto
Conductor: Roberto Abbado

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"La Fille du Régiment" - 2008 - Apr 21, 26, 29 | May 5, 8, 12, 16
Composer: Gaetano Donizetti - Librettist: Jules Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges, Jean-Francois-Alfred Bayard
Approximate running time: 2hs. 45min.

Marie: Natalie Dessay
Marquise of Berkenfeld: Felicity Palmer
Tonio: Juan Diego Flórez / Barry Banks
Sulpice: Alessandro Corbelli
Duchess of Krakenthorp: Zoe Caldwell
Conductor: Marco Armiliato / Joseph Colaneri

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"The First Emperor" - 2008 - May 10, 14, 17
Composer: Tan Dun - Librettist: Ha Jin, Tan Dun
Approximate running time: 2hs. 55min.

Princess Yueyang: Sarah Coburn
Shaman: Ning Liang
Mother of Yueyang: Susanne Mentzer
Emperor Qin: Plácido Domingo
Gao Jianli: Paul Groves
Gan. Wzng Jong: Hao Jiang Tian
Conductor: Tan Dun

The Metropolitan Opera' 2007 - 2008 season (second part)

This is the second part of the Met's new season. Enjoy it!

"Carmen" - 2008 - Feb 4, 8, 13, 16, 19, 23, 27 | Mar 1
Composer: Georges Bizet - Librettist: Henri Meilhac, Ludovic Halévy
Approximate running time: 3hs. 35min.

Micaela: Maija Kovalevska / Krasimira Stoyanova
Carmen: Olga Borodina / Nancy Fabiola Herrera
Don José: Marcelo Álvarez
Escamillo: Lucio Gallo
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume

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"La Clemenza di Tito" - 2008 - May 3, 6, 10, 15
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Librettist: Caterino Mazzolà
Approximate running time: 2hs. 50min.

Servilia: Heidi Grant Murphy
Vitellia: Tamar Iveri
Sesto: Susan Graham
Annio: Anke Vondung
Tito: Ramón Vargas
Publio: Oren Gradus
Conductor: Harry Bicket

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"Die Entführung aus dem Serail" - 2008 - Apr 26, 30 | May 3, 7
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Librettist: Chistoph Friedrich Bretzner
Approximate running time: 3hs. 5min.

Konstanze: Diana Damrau
Blondchend: Aleksandra Kurzak
Belmonte: Matthew Polenzani
Pedrillo: Steve Davislim
Osmin: Kristinn Sigmundsson
Pasha: Matthias von Stegmann
Conductor: David Robertson

The Metropolitan Opera' 2007 - 2008 season (first part)

Here's a brief review on the Met's new season for the ending of 2007 and 2008. Astonishing productions, great titles and excellent singers as only the Met can offer. Don't miss the oportunity to be part of the "Met Experience".

"Un Ballo in Maschera" - 2007 - Dec 17, 21, 24, 29 | 2008 - Jan 1, 5, 16, 19, 23
Composer: Giuseppe Verdi - Librettist: Antonio Somma
Approximate running time: 3hs. 20min.

Amelia: Michèle Crider / Angela M. Brown
Oscar: Ofelia Sala / Kathleen Kim
Ulrica: Stephanie Blythe
Riccardo: Salvatore Licitra
Renato: Dimitri Hvorostovsky
Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda

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"Il Barbiere di Siviglia" - 2008 - Jan 12, 22, 26, 30 | Feb 2, 7, 14, 21, 25, 29
Composer: Gioacchino Rossini - Librettist: Cesare Sterbini
Approximate running time: 3hs. 10min.

Rosina: Elina Garanca
Il Conte d'Almaviva: Michael Shade / José Manuel Zapata
Figaro: Franco Vasallo
Dr. Bartolo: Bruno Praticò / Maurizio Muraro
Don Basilio: Peter Rose / Ruggero Raimondi
Conductor: Frédéric Chaslin

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"La Bohème" - 2008 - Mar 29 | Apr 1, 5, 9, 12, 15, 18
Composer: Giacomo Puccini - Librttist: Giusppe Giacosa, Luigi Illica
Approximate running time: 2hs. 55min.

Mimì: Angela Gheorghiu
Musetta: Ainhoa Arteta
Rodolfo: Ramón Vargas
Marcello: Ludovic Tézier
Schaunard: Quinn Kelsey / Jeff Mattsey
Colline: Oren Gradus
Benoit / Alcindoro: Paul Plishka
Conductor: Nicola Luisotti

Luciano Pavarotti (Oct 12, 1935 - Sep 06, 2007)

When looking at this picture I cannot help it to feel a deep sadness for the loss of this great tenor. Certainly the world of opera is different without him.

Born in the outskirts of Modena, northern Italy, Pavarotti was the son of Adele Venturi and Fernando Pavarotti, a baker and singer that encouraged his son to take singing lessons. The early years were not easy for Luciano, his family had little money and lived in a two-room apartment. His first musical influences were his father's recordings featuring Beniamino Gigli, Tito Schipa and Enrico Caruso, but his true idol was Giuseppe di Stefano.

After graduating from the Scuola Magistrale, Pavarotti faced the dilemma of a carreer choice: he was interested in becoming a professional football goalkeeper. Finally, he let his love for music win out. Aware of the risks involved, his father gave his consent reluctantly. At the age of 19, Pavarotti began the serious study of music with Arrigo Pola and later on with Ettore Campogalliani, his mentors in belcanto repertoire.

Pavarotti made his debut in April 1961 as Rodolfo in Puccinni's La Bohème at the Teatro Municipale in Reggio Emilia. During the following years he performed several roles such as the Duca di Mantova in Rigoletto, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoore, Tebaldo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi and Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore. But it wasn't until February 1972 in the production of Donizetti's La fille du régiment at the Metropolitan Opera House that he had his major breakthrough with the nine high Cs in the signature aria. These performances earned him the title of "King of the High Cs".

During the 80s and 90s, Pavarotti recorded several duets with Eros Ramazzotti, Sting, Andrea Bocelli, U2 and Frank Sinatra. He formed "The Three Tenors" with Plácido Domingo and José Carreras in their first performance at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome conducted by Zubin Metha, which became the biggest selling classical record of all time. They subsequently sang at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles for the 1994 World Cup finals and at the Champs de Mars in Paris in 1998.

He married Adua Verona for 34 years and they had three daughters: Lorenza, Cristina and Giuliana. In December 2003 he married his second wife, Nicoletta Mantovani, with whom he had his fourth daughter Alice.

Pavarotti gave his last performace at the Met on March 2004, for which he received a 12-minute standing ovation for his role as Cavaradossi in Puccini's Tosca. On December, the same year, he announced a 40-city farewell tour. Despite of his retirement, on February 2006 Pavarotti sang Nessun Dorma at the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Turin, Italy. Unfortunately, the "Farewell Tour" was cancelled due to a pancreatic cancer diagnosed on July in that year.

On September 6, 2007 Terri Robson, Pavarotti's manager, wrote in an e-mail statement "The Maestro faught a long, tough battle against the pancreatic cancer [...] he remained positive until finally succumbing to the last stages of his illness.". Pavarotti's funeral was held in Modena Cathedral under the Roman Catholic Church's ritual and he rests in the Montale Rangote cemetery.

"I think a life in music is a life beautifully spent and this is what I have devoted my life to." - Luciano Pavarotti.

Personaly, I like to remember him like this, with a joyful expression on his face for the surrounding applause of the audience.

Donizetti's Don Pasquale in Colombia

Don Pasquale - Gaetano Donizetti; Teatro Colón, Bogotá, Colombia; opening night: Oct 09, 2007.

Don Pasquale, Valeriano Lanchas
Dottor Malatesta, Homero Velho
Ernesto, Alejandro Escobar
Norina, Gabriella Pace
Notario, David Garzón
Conductor, Hilary Griffiths

Though small dimensions but splendid style, the Teatro Colón of Bogotá seems the ideal place for belcanto repertoire. It was the case of Donizetti's posthumous opera, Don Pasquale, chosen by the Opera de Colombia as the second title for its annual season.

Formed by young musicians, the del Valle's Philharmonic Orchestra rendered a mor-than-satisfying version of this opera with a great balance in style and excellent tuning. From the first measures it was noticeable a brillant work of the british conductor Hilary Griffiths who had a deep knowledge of Donizetti's work.

Valeriano Lanchas, colombian baritone with lovely timbre, perfect tuning and winner of two world competitions (Luciano Pavarotti and Operalia), gave an excellent performance in the opera's title role. Gabriella Pace was perfectly suited for the role of Norina. With flattering musicality and flexibility plus a talented acting, Pace performed an unforgettable and genuine creation. Homero Velho standed out from this group of great singers for his stage display and elegance. Though not assisted bt his voice timbre, he was the ambiguous and seducer Dottor Malatesta the audience always expects. In the role of Ernesto, Alejandro Escobar sang with taste and knowledge of the repertoire though he overused the falsetto and had some tuning problems in the first part of the opera. Nevertheless he reached an excellent level in the second part.

Regarding the setting, there was some lack of respect to the composer. The opera took place in New York during the 30s where the ArtDéco prevailed. Congruent with this, the scenery and clothes were elegant, functional and well suited for the chosen time and place.

Despite of the latter, the audience was very receptive and at the end gave a big appalause of approval.

Overture

Ladies and gentlemen from all over the world, welcome to this brand new forum destined to all those opera lovers. It is my intention to create a cultural space to remember the great composers such as Verdi, Puccini, Donizetti, as well as all the stars that walked through the most famous stages around the world like Caruso, Gigli, di Stefano, Pavarotti... I also intend this forum to be a debating space where readers can state their opinions, ideas, advises, likes and dislikes.

Through the last years opera has been losing popularity at the expense of more modern music, and though the heyday of the latter is a social and cultural worldwide phenomenon, it would be of great value to retrieve the transcendental meaning of opera in the history of man.

Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, may the world take its seat, let the curtain raise, come up to the stage with me and be the performers of this experience.