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Oct 27 Ivo Pogorelich, piano |
| PROGRAM:
Beethoven- Sonata No. 24 in F#, Sonata No. 32 in c;
Rachmaninov- Moments musicaux Op.16. No.1; Scriabin- Sonata No.
2; Liszt- Etudes d'execution transcendente No. 5, 8, 10. |
| It was at UC Irvine's
Barclay Theatre that Pogorelich chose to make his long-awaited
appearance -- in a difficult, almost willful, program of late
Beethoven and Liszt that many sane pianists would have balked
at. Many would no doubt question Pogorelich's sanity in the
perverse disfigurement of the Beethoven sonatas -- an appalling
vision of Beethoven as seen through an opium-induced haze.
It was almost as surreal as the total lunar eclipse outside the
theatre. The exhilarating accounts of the Liszt and
Scriabin (and Balakirev's Islamy encore) nonwithstanding,
the harm had already been done. It was the memory of the
grotesquely disfigured Beethoven that stuck. A most
bizarre recital. |
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Oct
29 Carmen, Los Angeles Opera |
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CAST: Catherine Malfitano (Carmen), Mario
Malagnini (Don Jose), Angela Marambio (Micaela), Erwin Schrott
(Escamillo), Nicola Luisotti conducts |
In the Third Act of "Carmen", bullfighter Escamillo and Don Jose
are fighting a duel when Carmen enters to break up their fight.
With Jose prostrate on the ground, Escamillo exclaims, "Ahh
Carmen! how grateful am I to see you come to save my life!"
It was this kind of numbskull stage direction (by Emilio Sagi)
and heavy-handed conducting by Luisotti that nearly tanked the
show. It was only saved by the devilish charms of hotthrob
baritone Erwin Schrott (last seen here as Figaro and Don
Giovanni), who excelled vocally as well as, dare I say,
physically. Malfitano's Carmen was neither lithe nor youthful,
but compensated in the dramatic delivery in Act Four.
Marambio's Micaela easily overpowered the wimpy-sounding Don
Jose of tenor Malagnini. There was clearly no contest
between Carmen's two suitors. Schrott was the hands-down
winner.
The sets and costumes from Madrid's Teatro Real were bright and
cheerful, especially in the Lilla Pastia's ultra-posh tavern in
Act Two. |
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Nov
13 Howard Shelley, piano. Pasadena Symphony |
| PROGRAM:
Dvorak- Scherzo capriccioso, Stravinsky- The Firebird Suite
(1919), Rachmaninov- Piano Concerto No. 3 in d minor |
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I was alarmed at first to see a world-class pianist sight-read
through a beloved repertory warhorse -- an astounding feat
without the aid of a page turner. I am jesting, of course.
This was veteran British pianist Howard Shelley's second
appearance with the Pasadena Symphony in as many years, and,
despite fears of memory lapse, his fingers had not failed him --
for they turned out a steller, adrenaline-rushing performance
that would have put many pianists half his age to shame (yes I
am referring to the likes of Lang Lang and Volodos.) The
Pasadena players were top-notch under conductor Jorge Mester.
This is an orchestra that, on its worst night, still manages to
sound beautiful. The Dvorak and Stravinsky works were well
executed for their solo turns (chiefly Leanne Becknell's oboe),
but there was no mistaking what the audience went to hear.
They got their money's worth in the deafening applause and
shouts of bravo for the Third Concerto. Kudos again for
Mr. Shelley and the Pasadena Symphony. |
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Nov
27 Vanessa, Los Angeles Opera |
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CAST: Kiri te Kanawa (Vanessa), Lucy Schaufer
(Erika), Rosalind Elias (Baroness), John Matz (Anatol), David
Evitts (Doctor), Simone Young - conductor |
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The last time I heard Kiri live was 10 years ago in San
Francisco Opera's "Capriccio". At the time, I thought I
was hearing the most beautifully exquisite sound imaginable
coming from a human throat. The intervening years have
been kind to Kiri who, at 60, sounds and looks half her age.
Moreover, her fabled silvery voice has acquired a deeper
resonance that had heretofore proved elusive. The role of
Vanessa, with its Isolde-like dramatic soliloquies and lyrical
outbursts, would have defeated the young Kiri, but is now a
perfect vehicle for her. It is truly the crowning
achievement of Kiri's career. The rest of the cast were
uniformly strong, too, with Lucy Schaufer's unforgettable Erika
and Rosalind Elias' chilling portrayal of the Baroness. A
great find was tenor John Matz, a bouncer-turned-opera singer,
who sounded a lot like the young Pavarotti but unfortunately
swallowed all his vowels, rendering most of his words
unintelligible. Conductor Simone Young whipped up some
real passions in the pit with lush romantic strings (think
Barber's "Adagio for Strings"). The sets -- a spiral
staircase, sparsely furnished great room, and a hall of mirrors
-- are minimalist but highly effective in depicting the opera's
desolate emotional landscape. This is quite the finest
thing I've seen at L.A. Opera all year long. |
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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