Metropolitan Opera Guild news, October 2009
For some years,
opera fans have looked forward with special enthusiasm to October’s Opera News because it’s the annual “diva
issue”. This year’s cover diva is
American soprano Patricia Racette, just back from a stirring success in Santa
Fe Opera’s world premiere of The Letter.
This season she sings all three heroines of Puccini’s Trittico in back-to-back productions at
San Francisco Opera and at the Met. Scott Barnes tells readers about what
has established Ms. Racette as one of opera’s most exciting – and most
independent – sopranos.
Other divas
documented this month include the one and only Anna Moffo, “The Girl Who Had
Everything,” including the beauty, brains, and charisma that made her one of the
brightest stars of her generation. Ira Siff reports on her opera house triumphs
as well as her television, film, and recording successes, and how her
performing career ended all too soon. Excerpts from early recordings by Ms.
Moffo can be heard on the web site www.operanews.com.
Young soprano
Julianna Di Giacomo is the subject of Editor F. Paul Driscoll’s “Sound Bites”
column; and David Shengold writes about a diva from an earlier generation:
Frances Alda, a Met stalwart for 22 years. He discovers that she’s best remembered today for her way
with words (her memoir is titled Men,
Women and Tenors), and also finds that Ms. Alda’s recorded legacy makes for
some surprisingly pleasant listening.
Nobody loves the music of Richard Strauss more than the sopranos who sing it. In the article
“Heroine Addiction”, James C. Whitson chats with three of
today’s foremost Strauss divas – Susan Bullock, Angela Denoke and Anne Schwanewilms – aboutwhat makes the composer’s music work its magic.
The subject of Stephen J. Mudge’s Reunion column is Denise Duval, an
icon of French style remembered for her association with composer Francis
Poulenc, including her famous portrayals of Blanche de la Force in Dialogues of the Carmelites and
the heroine of La Voix Humaine.
Soprano Marquita Lister, whose career was interrupted by
life-threatening illness, reveals to Susan Dormady Eisenberg the story of her
long recovery and the road back to vocal health.
International performance reviews survey many summer
festivals in North America and abroad; among recording reviews, a 2007 revival
of Thomas Adès’s Tempest garners a
Critic’s Choice, and many other new and unusual CDs, DVDs, and books of
operatic interest are examined.
Finally, Adam Wasserman surveys “Retail Therapy” and
discloses what’s new in the world of sight and sound for the home.
The 2009 Opera
News Awards
One of the most popular events presented by the Guild in
recent years is the Opera News Awards. The fifth annual event takes place on
November 19, 2009. The awardees
for 2009 are: soprano Martina Arroyo, mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, baritone
Gerald Finley, composer Philip Glass, and mezzo-soprano Shirley Verrett. Last
year’s co-hosts, Susan Graham and Thomas Hampson, return by popular demand to
emcee the evening’s entertainment.
And the Opera News Awards have a new venue in midtown New York’s Gotham
Hall, a stately space well suited to celebrating the stars of opera past and
present.
Lectures and
Community Programs
Just a year ago, the Metropolitan Opera Guild opened its
Opera Learning Center, on the sixth floor of the Samuel B. & David Rose
Building on the Lincoln Center campus.
This versatile space is the site of lectures, interviews, and panel
discussions; professional development for teachers; workshops and seminars; and
many other kinds of meetings and events.
With this dedicated space, the Guild is able to produce more events and
reach more people than ever before.
Indeed, October’s Guild events number 17 in all! The Guild also continues to provide top-of-the-house
Metropolitan Opera score desk seats (with no stage visibility) to students and
other opera fans, enabling them to follow an opera score – or just the sound of
the performance – at virtually no cost.
The Met Guild’s encyclopedic autumn lecture series starts on
October 1, with the first of four lectures on the “Women of Strauss and
Mozart”: Jane Marsh’s presentation titled “Three’s Company – The Ladies of Don Giovanni”. Further information and
details on all the Guild lectures and other events follow below.
Met Guild
Multi-Lecture Series in October 2009
Cunning Little Vixens: The Women of Strauss and Mozart
(Four
Thursdays: Oct. 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2:00pm-3:15
pm)
Although Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Richard Strauss lived in
different centuries, Strauss combined experiments in the tonalities of his era
with the sensibilities of Mozart’s time, openly drawing on the earlier composer
for inspiration. The female voice was central to the operatic ambitions of both
composers, who created some of the most unforgettable heroines known to the
lyric stage.
October 1, 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm – Three’s
Company: The Ladies of Don Giovanni
Presented by Jane Marsh
October 8, 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm – Ariadne auf Naxos and Elektra: Music of Mythic Proportions
Presented by Jane Marsh
October 15, 2:00 pm– 3:15 pm – Coping
Womanfully in a Man’s World
presented by Nimet Habachy
October 22, 2:00 pm– 3:15 pm – Sisters
in Trousers: Cherubino, Octavian, and the Composer
Presented by Martin Bernheimer
Purchase all 4 sessions and SAVE! Price: $56.00
Opera Boot Camp:
Basic Training – Four Saturdays: Oct 3, 10, 17 & 24, 11:00 am–12:15 pm
Newcomers and lifelong opera-goers
alike will deepen their appreciation of the lyric arts with this enlightening
series. The Metropolitan Opera Guild’s resident experts reveal secrets of
listening that maximize enjoyment and minimize boredom; they recount the
history of the art form, from its Renaissance roots to its place in
contemporary culture; and they examine operatic mysteries and myths, such as: who
is that fat lady after all?
October
3 – Vocal Verbiage and Vocabulary
presented
by Laura Day
October
10 – Opera Evolution: 1600-1800
presented
by Dottie Allen
October
17 – Opera Revolution: 1800 to Today
presented
by Dottie Allen
October
24 – The Opera, Seen from Behind the Scenes
presented
by Laura Day
Purchase
ALL four Boot Camp sessions and SAVE! Price: $56.00
The French
Connection (lecture course)
Four Mondays:
Oct. 19 & 26, Nov. 9 &16, 6:00 pm–7:15 pm
French Opera is sometimes bullied by its better known cousins to
the south (Italy) and east (Germany), but developments in France have shaped
the course of operatic history. Dr. Jeffrey Langford traces the origins,
contributions, and lasting influence of French opera.
Presented by Jeffrey Langford
October 19 – Who put the “Grand” in
French Grand Opera
October 26 – Faust’s Truest Telling is French: Berlioz’s Damnation
November 9 – The Conquests of Carmen
November 16 – Pelléas et Mélisande: Impressions of Change
Price: $56.00
A chronological list of upcoming Metropolitan Opera
Guild events follows. Visit the
following web sites for additional information about the Metropolitan Opera
Guild’s activities and publications:
http://operanews.com http://metguild.org http://operaed.org
Upcoming Metropolitan Opera Guild events:
Unless otherwise
noted, all lectures are held in the Metropolitan Opera Guild Opera Learning
Center on the 6th floor of the Samuel B. & David Rose building at Lincoln
Center, on the north side of West 65th
Street between Amsterdam and Broadway.
October 1, 2.00 pm – 3.15 pm
The Women of
Strauss and Mozart: Three’s Company – The Ladies of Don Giovanni
Presented by Jane Marsh
Mozart’s Don Giovanni
had many women, but three of them (Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, and Zerlina) share
the stage in the opera bearing his name. Each inhabits a different, sophisticated
sphere of vocal expression, but they come together to show many sides of the
same story.
Price: $16.00
October 3, 11.00 am – 12.15 pm
Opera Boot Camp:
Vocal Verbiage and Vocabulary
presented by Laura Day
Don’t know the difference between a soprano and a tenor, or an
aria and a recitative? Think a sforzando
is a military command or a sushi order? Learn the language of music and the
sounds of the singers in this fun-filled session. Price: $16.00
October 6, 6.00 pm -7.00 pm
Women of Strauss
and Mozart: Noblewomen of a Certain Age (Part 3 of 4)
presented by Dr. W. Anthony Sheppard
They may find themselves in operas with masculine titles, but
Susanna and the Countess in Mozart’s Figaro and the Marschallin in Strauss’s
Der Rosenkavalier end up pulling the strings. Dr. W. Anthony Sheppard explores
how these two male composers (and their librettists) created some of opera’s
most famous designing women. Price: $16.00
October 8, 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
Women of Strauss
and Mozart:
Ariadne and
Elektra: Music of Mythic Proportion (Part 2 of 4)
presented by Jane Marsh
Richard Strauss exalted in vocal theatrics, often using myth as
his motive. In this high-voltage conversation, we’ll look at the ladies of
Strauss’s tragic Greek drama, Elektra,
and the prima donnas and clowns in his more lighthearted Ariadne auf Naxos. Price: $16.00
This lecture is
also offered on Tuesday, September 29 from 6:00 – 7:15pm.
October 10, 11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Opera Boot Camp:
Opera Evolution: 1600-1800
(Part 2 of 4) presented by Dottie Allen
What is opera and where did it come from? Who were Monteverdi,
Handel, and Mozart, and why are they important to this splendid synergy of art
forms? Find out as we tour opera’s first 200 years. Price: $16.00
Sunday, October 11, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm,
Character
Crafting
presented by Stephen Wadsworth
Singers work for years developing vocal technique, but what goes
into developing their acting “chops”? Celebrated opera and theater director
Stephen Wadsworth works with young professionals in this exciting master class.
Price: $20.00
**Part of the Masterly Singing Series
These workshops and master classes probe areas of performance and
preparation vital to the development of young performers, while showcasing
opera’s most valuable assets—the directors, coaches, conductors, and singers of
our stage.
Tuesday, October 13, 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm
Women of Strauss
and Mozart: Sisters in Trousers Cherubino, Octavian, and the Composer
(Part 4 of 4) – Presented by
Martin Bernheimer
Much to the displeasure of his librettist, Strauss cast the parts
of Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier and
the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos for
a female voice—consciously harking back to the trouser roles of Mozart. Martin
Bernheimer shows that these ardent young “men” have more in common than just
their voice type.Price:
$16.00
This session
also offered on Thursday, October 22nd from 2:00-3:15pm.
Thursday, October 15, 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
Women of Strauss
and Mozart: Coping Womanfully in a Man’s World
(Part 3 of 4) presented by Nimet Habachy
Today such quick-witted and commanding women as Susanna and the
Countess (from Le Nozze di Figaro)
and Sophie and the Marschallin (from Der
Rosenkavalier) might be running Fortune 500 companies or aspiring to high
office. These women had spunk, agility, and smarts—and their men at their
mercy.Price: $16.00
Saturday, October 17, 11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Opera Boot Camp:
Opera Revolution: 1800 to Today (Part 3 of 4)
presented by Dottie Allen
Who were Wagner, Verdi, and Puccini, and how did their revolutionary
ideas propel opera into superstardom? Learn how opera has continually
transformed itself since the nineteenth century, and what it’s doing to stay
vital and relevant today. Price: $16.00
Monday, October 19, 2009 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm
The French
Connection: Who put the “Grand” in
French Grand Opera
Presented by Jeffrey Langford
Composers as varied as Rossini, Wagner, Verdi, Meyerbeer, and
Berlioz each had a hand in constructing grand opera. This lecture illustrates
the essential ingredients of this, the most important French contribution to
the history of nineteenth-century opera. Price: $16.00
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Opera
Octoberfest: Talk and Tasting – Lecture
Metropolitan Opera Guild
An affinity for opera is not unlike a fine wine: it only grows
richer and more intense with age. The two make for a lively pairing, as seen in
this talk and tasting, in which we sample fine varietals, provided by Premier
Cru Wine Merchants, while taking in some of opera’s finest drinking songs.
“Libiamo!” Price: $16.00
This event is also
offered on Tuesday, October 27 from 7:30-9:00pm.
Thursday, October 22, 2009 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
Women of Strauss
and Mozart: Sisters in Trousers – Cherubino, Octavian, and the Composer
Presented by Martin Bernheimer
Much to the displeasure of his librettist, Strauss cast the parts
of Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier and
the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos for
a female voice—consciously harking back to the trouser roles of Mozart. Martin
Bernheimer shows that these ardent young “men” have more in common than just
their voice type. Price: $16.00
This session
also offered on Tuesday, October 13th from 6:00-7:15pm.
Saturday, October 24, 2009 11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Opera Boot Camp:
The Opera, Seen from Behind the Scenes (Part 4 of 4)
Presented by Laura Day
Not everyone involved in staging an opera gets to take a curtain
call – more than 1,500 individuals are responsible for every opera performance
at the Met. We’ll talk shop and get to know the many off-stage roles that give
direction and bring a production from page to stage. Price: $16.00
Monday, October 26, 2009 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm
The French
Connection: Faust’s Truest Telling is French: Berlioz’s Damnation (Part 2 of 4)
Presented by Jeffrey Langford
Is there a story that has been given musical life more than Faust?
While Gounod’s version may be the most famous operatic treatment, Berlioz’s
LaDamnation de Faust, which occupies an uneasy place between symphony and
opera, may be truest to the wild spirit of Goethe’s drama. Learn about the
diabolical delights of this Romantic masterpiece. Price: $16.00
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Opera
Octoberfest: Talk and Tasting – Lecture
Metropolitan Opera Guild
An affinity for opera is not unlike a fine wine: it only grows
richer and more intense with age. The two make for a lively pairing, as seen in
this talk and tasting, in which we sample fine varietals, provided by Premier
Cru Wine Merchants, while taking in some of opera’s finest drinking songs.
“Libiamo!” Price: $16.00
This event is
offered twice! Tuesday, October 20 or Tuesday, October 27 – from
7:30-9:00pm.
Thursday, October 29, 2009 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
National
Treasures I: Lessons in Listening for the Armchair Enthusiast (Fall Lecture Course)
Many countries and regions have not only their own musical style,
but their own style of vocalism as well. Martin Bernheimer surveys opera’s
national schools of singing, illustrating the particular colorations and
phrasings that indicate a singer’s origins.
Presented by Martin Bernheimer
Price: Entire, 3-part series: $42; Individual lectures: $16
Part 1: October 29 – The Italian Lesson
Part 2: November 5 – The British Invasion
Part 3: November 12 – The German Way
Saturday, October 31, 2009 11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Puccini the
Popular: Living La Vie Bohème (Part 1
of 4) – Lecture
presented by Fred Plotkin
Over a century has passed since the world premiere of Puccini’s
iconic opera, and yet its heartbreaking story and lush melodies keep audiences coming
back for more. Fred
Plotkin shows us why. Price: $16.00
This session is
also offered Tuesday Evening, November 3.
Puccini the
Popular (Lecture Course)
Giacomo Puccini’s soaring melodies and instinctively dramatic
music make him one of the most popular operatic composers of all time. Each of
his works uniquely evokes a new world filled with rich sounds and captivating
characters. Join us for an in-depth look at the life and work of this prolific
composer.
Price: $56.00
This course is
also offered on Tuesday evenings, November 3rd through November 24th,
from 6:00pm-7:15pm
October 31 – Living La Vie Bohème
presented by Fred Plotkin
November 7 – For the Love of Tosca
presented by James O’Leary
November 14 – Turandot: Puccini’s Final Bow
presented by Dr. W. Anthony Sheppard
November 21 – “Il Trittico”: Portraits of Puccini
presented by Jane Marsh
And – Please Save the Date…
Thursday, November 19
The 2009 Opera News
Awards
Gotham Hall, 1356
Broadway at 36th Street
Honorees: Martina Arroyo,
Joyce DiDonato, Shirley Verrett, Gerald Finley, Philip Glass
Co-hosts: Susan
Graham and Thomas Hampson
6.00 pm – Cocktail reception with the honorees
7.00 pm – Dinner, followed by spoken and video tributes and
award presentations
For tickets and other
information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild at (212) 769-7009
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© 21C Media Group, September 2009