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Jan
15 Pasadena Symphony/Jennifer Frautschi, violinist |
| PROGRAM:
Liadov- symphonic poem "Kikimora", Tchaikovsky- Violin
concerto, Shostakovich- Symphony No. 10 in E minor. Jorge Mester, conductor |
| The Pasadena Symphony
hit its stride last Saturday night with an all-Russian program
of Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky and...Liadov. Liadov? He was
all but forgotten today for writing fairytale music in an era of
anxiety and post-war angst. His symphony poem "Kikimora"
portrays a mischievous goblin with a rich orchestral palette,
including a humorously lugubrious cor angelis solo in the
opening. Tchaikovsky's ever-popular violin concerto
received a pleasant, warm reading from Ms. Frautschi, an
accomplished chamber music artist, who opted for lyrical
intimacy rather than cold brilliance. One would have
wished for more tension in the buildup to the presto finale, but
overall it's a most solid, congenial performance.
Shostakovich's tenth symphony is notable for its cyclical motif
and for the first appearance of the DSCH personal monogram in
his music. Conductor Jorge Mester's tempi, phrasing and
dynamics were right on the mark per Shostakovich's score and
there were no excesses of angst, since it is all too fashionable
these days to play his scores as if our entrails were lying
bloodied, on the floor. This tends to make the pieces much more
hysterical than they are. His music deserves better. Maestro
Mester served the composer admirably by not letting the
emotional elements run amok, but instead letting the music speak
for itself. Bravo! |
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Jan
27 L.A. Opera - Aida |
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CAST: Michele Crider (Aida), Franco Farina
(Radames), Irina Mishura (Amneris), Lado Ataneli (Amonastro),
Reinhard Hagen (Pharaoh), Arutjun Kotchinian (Ramfis), Jamie
Chamberlin (Priestess), Peter Nathan Foltz (Messenger), Susan
Gladstone (Solo Dancer- Head Priestess), Shell Bauman (Solo
Dancer- Egyptian leader), Rocklin Thompson (Solo Dancer-
Ethiopian leader). |
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After the exhilarating spear battle dance in Act II finale,
which choreographer Peggy Hickey famously dubbed “Verdi’s
Rite of Spring”, there can be no doubt that opera in L.A. boasts
not just dance, a cursory affair at best in most U.S. opera
houses, but real choreography. The names of three solo dancers
show prominently in the program – all of whom deserve kudos for
their outstanding work. L.A. Opera assembled a dream cast with
Michele Crider in the eponymous role – innocent and pure in a
fautlessly-intoned “Numi pieta”, and unflinchingly
defiant in the dramatic Amneris-Aida duet. Irina Mishura’s
Amneris was another ideal portrayal that spanned t! he emotional
gamut from vengeance to pity with every vocal hues in between.
What has happened to Franco Farina, an erstwhile run-of-the-mill
tenor who has gone big league? The seemingly inexhaustible
breath and the ravishing mezza voce soft singing (a pity he
didn’t attempt it at the end of “Celeste Aida”) that were
the mark of a great tenor. The balance of the huge cast were
memorable for Lado Ataneli’s emotionally overpowering Amonastro
and Peter Nathan Foltz’s incisive singing in a small role of the
messenger. The only fly in the ointment was the lackluster
conducting of Dan Ettinger, whose unidiomatic reading and tempi
threatened to drown out and derail the efforts onstage. Clearly,
maestro Ettinger is no singers’ conductor. The set design by
Pier Luigi Pizzi features simple but powerful angular lines that
effectively evoke the grandeur of ancient Egypt. With this
Aida, the Los Angeles Opera has struck gold in Egypt. |
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Jan
29 L.A. Opera - Romeo et Juliette |
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CAST: Rolando Villazon (Romeo), Anna Netrebko
(Juliette), Anna-Maria Panzarella (Stephano), Florian Laconi
(Tybalt), Marc Barrardo (Mercutio), Simone Alberghini (Lord
Capulet), Suzanna Guzman (Nurse). Frederic Chaslin, conductor |
Believe it or not, there are over 200 operas based on
Shakespeare's plays -- from the faithful adaptations (e.g.
Verdi's Otello) to the very loose (e.g. Bellini's I
Capuletti ed i Montecchi) Gounod's take on the Bard's
play is full of amiable melodies with some fine dramatic
moments, notably the lovers' duet in Act One, Romeo's exile in
Act Three's ensemble finale, and the extended suicide scene in
Act Five (operatic conventions require that Romeo live to sing a
final duet with Juliet before they both expire together.)
And how this Romeo sang! Tenor Rolando Villazon's virile,
suave vocalism was balm to these ears chronically assaulted by
brawny, tasteless tenor singing. Villazon effortlessly
sailed through the long arching lines of "leve toi soleil"
with a single breath and into the hearts of the audience.
As Juliette, Anna Netrebko sang and acted beautifully -- if in a
rather generic sort of way, and without the requisite trill in
her Act IV "potion" aria. A surprise find was
mezzo-soprano Anna-Maria Panzarella, who gave a sparkling
account of Stephano's aria. Remember La Panzarella!
The drab, dark, skeletal set design by John Gunter supposedly
portrays the stark psychological states of the star-crossed
Verona lovers. Director Ian Judge opts for 'reality opera'
with a gratuitous, raunchy sex scene that drew smirks and groans
rather than artful appreciation from the audience.
Conductor Frederic Chaslin wielded a sensitive baton and brought
out the shimmering beauty of Gounod's score.
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Truman C. Wang is editor-in-chief of Classical Voice,
whose articles have appeared in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, the
Pasadena Star-News and other Southern California publications.
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