La Traviata live from the Met

Saturday 30 March 2013 at 16.30 GMT on BBC radio 3

Note the early time! – world time converter in the side bar — >

Verdi’s La Traviata live from the Metropolitan Opera, New York

Plácido Domingo and Diana Damrau

photocredit: Ken Howard/Met Opera

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This week’s live broadcast from The Metropolitan Opera is Verdi’s La Traviata.

Soprano Diana Damrau tackles Verdi’s eternal heroine in a role debut. Plácido Domingo expands his repertoire to sing the baritone role of Germont, Violetta’s tormentor. Tenor Saimir Pirgu sings Alfredo, her naïve lover. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts. Willy Decker’s production had its Met premiere on New Year’s Eve 2010 with Marina Poplavskaya as Violetta.

The courtesan Violetta decides to put her party days behind when she meets Alfredo and settle down with him. But Alfredo’s father begs her to leave him for the sake of his family name, and she agrees to sacrifice her love. By the time Alfredo discovers the truth behind her departure and hurries back to her, tuberculosis has set in, and it’s too late.

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Presented by Margaret Juntwait with guest commentator Ira Siff.

Violetta Valery …..Diana Damrau (soprano)
Alfredo Germont…..Saimir Pirgu (tenor)
Giorgio Germont …..Placido Domingo (baritone)
Flora Bervoix …..Patricia Risley (mezzo-soprano)
Annina…..Maria Zifchak (soprano)
Gastone…..Scott Scully (tenor)
Barone Douphol…..Jason Stearns (baritone)
Marchese d’Obigny…..Kyle Pfortmiller (bass)
Dottore Grenvil…..James Courtney (bass)
Giuseppe…..Juhwan Lee (tenor)
Flora’s servant…..Seth Malkin (bass)
Messenger…..Joseph Turi (bass)
A Gentleman…..Paul Corona (bass)
Chorus and Orchestra of The Metropolitan Opera, New York
Yannick Nezet-Seguin, conductor.

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Duration 3 hours

Review from the New York Times

A Met interview with Diana Damrau

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The BBC thinks it’s Spring

“Baroque Spring” on BBC radio 3

Starts on Sunday 3 March 2013

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Painting by Evaristo Baschenis (1617–1677)

Still Life of Musical Instruments, 1650, oil on canvas

image from Wikipedia

A month-long Baroquefest with live concerts, discussion, masterclasses, comedy and poetry put together to bring alive one of the most significant periods of musical development and discovery. The composer of the week is Handel so expect some opera goodies ( that Rinaldo from the Proms ) as well as harpsichord recitals, Buxtehude from Oxford, Bach orchestral suites from Shrewsbury and a stellar line-up of performers.

You need to go to the BBC radio 3 web site to appreciate all that is going on but there should be something to suit everyone. Enjoy.

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Baroque Spring website

Highlights, links, clips, galleries and resources

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Joyce DiDonato recent masterclass from Juilliard now on Youtube

THANK YOU JUILLIARD SCHOOL!

screengrab from video

Internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato gave a master class at Juilliard on Friday, January 25, 2013. She worked with four voice students and followed up with a brief Q&A period

Link to playlist on YouTube - be quick, some already deleted

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Rigoletto: live from the Met

Saturday 16 February 2013 at 18.00 GMT on BBC radio 3

Rigoletto live from the Metropolitan Opera, New York

World time converter in the sidebar  – >

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Piotr Beczala performs as The Duke during the final dress rehearsal of Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto

Photocredit: Mary Altaffer/AP

Radio 3′s Verdi 200 celebrations continue with a live performance from the Met of one of Verdi’s most popular works, Rigoletto.

Verdi and his librettist Piave based the work on a drama by Victor Hugo which had been banned after just one performance. The problem was that it showed a king as immoral and as a womaniser. In Piave’s libretto the king was changed to a duke who ruled over Mantua. This placated the censors and eventually the premiere went ahead at La Fenice in Venice. It was a great success with the Duke’s aria La donna e mobile an immediate hit. It also contains one of the most heartfelt father daughter relationships in all of Verdi’s work, between the court jester Rigoletto and Gilda.

This new production by Michael Mayer sets the action in Las Vegas in 1960 and stars the Serbian baritone Zeljko Lucic in the title role with German soprano Diana Damrau as Gilda and the Polish tenor Piotr Beczala as the Duke.

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Rigoletto….. Zeljko Lucic (baritone)
Gilda….. Diana Damrau (soprano)
Duke of Mantua….. Piotr Beczala (tenor)
Sparafucile….. Stefan Kocan (bass)
Maddalena….. Oksana Volkova (mezzo-soprano)
Giovanna…… Edyta Kulczak (mezzo-soprano)
Count Ceprano…..David Crawford (bass)
Countess Ceprano…..Emalie Savoy (mezzo-soprano)
Matteo Borsa…..Alexander Lewis (tenor)
Count Monterone…..Robert Pomakov (baritone)
Marullo…..Jeff Mattsey (baritone)
A Court Usher…..Earle Patriarco (bass)
A Page…..Catherine Choi (mezzo-soprano)
Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera, New York
Michele Mariotti, conductor.

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Duration: 3 hours, 15 minutes

“Briskly entertaining, richly sung” (New York Magazine)

“An entertaining, bold rendition” (Associated Press).

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Editaaaaaaa !

EDITA  GRUBEROVA  LIVESTREAM 

Now archived for watch on demand until 1 March

18 February  at 19.30 CEST (GMT + 1) on Sonostream TV

From the Wiener Musikverein Goldener Sall

Vincenzo Bellini’s La Straniera

photo source gruberova.com

Vincenzo Bellini’s La Straniera at Wiki

Information from Sonostream TV

On the occasion of legendary soprano Edita Gruberova’s 45th stage anniversary, she will perform her very first live streamed concert.

The event features an exciting international cast of renowned singers, including tenor Jose Bros, mezzo soprano Sonia Ganassi, and baritone Paolo Gavanelli. Several up-and-coming talents will also be performing: tenor Randall Bills—a member of the ensemble of Oper Leipzig, who will make his NYCO debut this spring—and basses Leonard Bernad, currently a member of the Opera Studio of Oper Köln, and Sung Heon Ha, a member of the ensemble of Nationaltheater Mannheim. The concert will be conducted by Pietro Rizzi, who leads the Münchner Opernorchester and the Philharmonia Chor Wien.

Gruberova, a native of Slovakia, is one of the most acclaimed coloratura sopranos of recent decades. She made her professional debut as Rosina in The Barber of Seville on February 18, 1968, at the National Theater in Bratislava.

Link to sonostream tv for archived video

Link to the event live

Link to the venue

With thanks to Gesamtkunstwerk for the initial alert

Article in kurier.at

Article in die presse

A recent TV interveiew

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L’elisir d’amore live from the Met

Saturday 9 February 2013 at 18.00 GMT on BBC radio 3

Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore live from the Metropolitan Opera, New York

World time converter in the side bar  – >

photocredit:Ken Howard/Met Opera

Nemorino is hopelessly in love with the fickle Adina, who seems more interested in the dashing Sergeant Belcore. Luckily for Nemorino, the quack doctor Dulcamara is selling a potion which he claims is an elixir of love. Donizetti’s tuneful comedy is broadcast live from the Met by a top cast including Anna Netrebko, Matthew Polenzani and Erwin Schrott.

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Presented by Margaret Juntwait and Ira Siff.

Adina ….. Anna Netrebko (soprano),
Nemorino ….. Matthew Polenzani (tenor),
Belcore ….. Mariusz Kwiecien (baritone),
Dulcamara ….. Erwin Schrott (bass-baritone),
New York Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Maurizio Benini, conductor

Duration: 2 hours, 55 minutes

Review from New York Classical and Dance

Review from Seen and Heard International

Review (HD broadcast) from Regie or Not Regie? (blog)

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Ariadne auf Naxos

Thursday  7 February 2013 at 14.00 GMT on BBC radio 3

Ariadne auf Naxos recorded at the Vienna Staatsoper last year

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Christine Schäfer as The Composer and Daniela Fally as Zerbinetta

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Opera matinee: Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos from the Vienna State Opera

General Music Director, Franz Welser-Möst conducts his Vienna forces in Richard Strauss re-telling of the myth of Ariadne. But with typical ingenuity, Strauss and his librettist, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, combine the serious classical story with commedia dell’arte slapstick as high and low art vie with one another for the public’s attention. This version of the opera, first heard in Vienna in 1916 contains some of the most Strauss’s most beautiful music.

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Ariadne….. Krassimira Stoyanova (soprano),
Zerbinetta….. Daniela Fally (soprano),
Bacchus….. Stephen Gould (tenor),
Harlequin, a player….. Adam Plachetka (baritone),
Scaramuccio, a player….. Carlos Osuna (tenor),
Truffaldino, a player….. Andreas Hörl (bass),
Brighella, a player….. Pavel Kolgatin (tenor),
The Composer….. Christine Schäfer (soprano),
His Music Master….. Jochen Schmeckenbecher (baritone),
The Dancing Master….. Norbert Ernst (tenor),
A Lackey….. Marcus Pelz (bass),
An Officer….. Daniel Lökös (tenor),
The Major-Domo….. Peter Matic (spoken role),
Naiad, a nymph….. Valentina Nafornita (high soprano),
Dryad, a nymph….. Margarita Gritskova (contralto),
Echo, a nymph….. Olga Bezsmertna (soprano)
Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Franz Welser-Möst (conductor).

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Access to free scores

Review from Bachtrack

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Live from the Met: Le Comte Ory

Saturday 2 February at 18.00 GMT on BBC radio 3

Rossini’s comic opera Le Comte Ory live from the Metroplitan Opera in New York

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photocredit: Marty Sohl/Met Opera

Presented by Margaret Juntwait with guest commentator Ira Siff.

 BBC iPlayer time now expired

Count Ory is determined to win the countess Adele, and will do anything to get access to the castle where the women are, including disguising himself and his men as nuns. Rossini’s sparkling comedy, premiered in the 2011-12 Met season, stars tenor Juan Diego Florez as the count, Pretty Yende as Adele and Karine Deshayes in the trouser role of Isolier where she gets to wear the fabulous red leather coat!

Countess Adele ….. Pretty Yende (soprano)
Isolier ….. Karine Deshayes (mezzo-soprano)
Ragonde ….. Susanne Resmark (mezzo-soprano)
Count Ory ….. Juan Diego Florez (tenor)
Raimbaud ….. Nathan Gunn (baritone)
The Tutor ….. Nicola Ulivieri (baritone)
Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera, New York
Maurizio Benini, conductor.

Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Review from The New York Times

Review from The Wall Street Journal

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DiDonato as Romeo on the radio

Anyone who missed Joyce DiDonato’s Romeo in The Capulets and The Montagues from San Francisco Opera last year may like the chance to catch it on the radio or catch it again?

photocredit: Cory Weaver

Giulietta: Nicole Cabell.
Romeo: Joyce DiDonato.
Tebaldo: Saimir Pirgu.
Lorenzo: Ao Li.
Capellio: Eric Owens.

San Francisco Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Frizza.

Here is the San Francisco Opera page with the details, photos and video.

The radio broadcast stream is here  on Monday 4 February at 04.00 GMT so if you live on the west coast USA …. that’s good for you!

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White Shirt Weekend

Anyone object to a red dress – just for a change?

No? – didn’t think so!

Image from Opernhaus Zürich web site

Vesselina Kasarova as Venus in Tannhäuser - Opernhaus Zürich January/February 2013

[ For a vividly descriptive account with photos and curtain call video, visit here ]

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Whether you are visiting Venus or not …

HAVE A WONDERFUL WHITE SHIRT WEEKEND!

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Britten’s Billy Budd from ENO.

Saturday 26 January 2013 at 18.00 GMT on BBC radio 3

 ENO’s production of Billy Budd recorded last year

World time converter in the side bar  – >

photo from ENO flickr page

BBC radio3 kicks off the broadcast of all Benjamin Britten’s operas with a new production of Billy Budd, recorded last year at the English National Opera in London. Director David Alden sets the events at the HMS Indomitable, in a claustrophobic and dark world where good and evil, innocence and betrayal clash with tragic consequences. Edward Gardner conducts a stellar cast, including the debut of Benedict Nelson in the title role, the ever pure and charismatic, but eventually doomed young sailor. Kim Begley is the tormented Captain Vere, seeking redemption from his moral dilemma, and Matthew Rose  the evil Master-at-Arms Claggart, who masterminds Billy’s unfair downfall.
During the broadcast there will be an introduction to the opera which will be available as a free download as part of the Radio 3 Opera Guides series.

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Billy Budd …. Benedict Nelson (baritone)
Captain Vere …. Kim Begley (tenor)
Claggart …. Matthew Rose (bass)
Mr Redburn …. Jonathan Summers (baritone)
Mr Flint …. Darren Jeffery (bass-baritone)
Lieutenant Ratcliffe …. Henry Waddington (baritone)
Red Whiskers …. Michael Colvin (tenor)
Donald …. Duncan Rock (baritone)
Dansker …. Gwynne Howell (bass)
Novice …. Nicky Spence (tenor)
Squeak …. Daniel Norman (tenor)
Bosun …. Andrew Rupp (bass)
The Novice’s Friend …. Marcus Farnsworth (baritone)
First Mate …. Oliver Dunn (bass)
Second Mate …. Gerard Collett (bass)
Maintop …. Jonathan Stoughton (tenor)

Chorus and orchestra of English National Opera,  Edward Gardner, conductor.

Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Trailer

video from ENO

Review from The Telegraph

Review from The Arts Desk

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Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda with DiDonato

Saturday 19 January 2013 at 18.00 GMT on BC radio 3

Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda live from the Metropolitan Opera, New York

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Director David McVicar turns to the second opera of Donizetti’s Tudor trilogy, which explores regal characters at fateful moments of their lives. 

In the words of the BBC:

Facts rarely get in the way of a good story in the world of opera and Donizetti’s history-based Maria Stuarda is no exception: its dramatic climax is a meeting that never happened. When queens Elizabeth and Mary confront each other, regal pride, years of hatred and mistrust (plus, of course, love-triangle issues) ignite one of Donizetti’s most compelling scenes. ‘Vil bastarda!’ screams Mary Stuart at her cousin once removed. And the opera is full of Bel Canto plums leading up to Mary’s final moments before her execution. As ever at the Met, a stellar international cast has been assembled, headed by Joyce di Donato and Elza van den Heever as the regal rivals.

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Maria Stuarda, Queen of Scotland ….. Joyce DiDonato (mezzo)
Elisabetta, Queen of England ….. Elza van den Heever (soprano)
Anna Kennedy, Maria’s companion ….. Maria Zifchak (mezzo)
Roberto, Earl of Leicester ….. Matthew Polenzani (tenor)
Lord Guglielmo Cecil, Chancellor of the Exchequer ….. Joshua Hopkins (baritone)
Giorgio Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury ….. Matthew Rose (bass)
Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera, New York
Maurizio Benini, conductor.

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video courtesy of FathomEvents

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Live in HD in selected cinemas world wide

Personal perspective from The Earworm

Review from operaworld.com

Review from The Financial Times  ….

“Once again, primary problems begin, and end, in the pit.”

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Il Trovatore from The Met

Saturday 12 January 2013 at 18:00 GMT on BBC radio  3

Live from the Metropolitan Opera House, New York.

IL TROVATORE: GUISEPPI VERDI

photo from The Met

Presented by Margaret Juntwait with commentary by Ira Siff.

Jealousy, vengeance and war intertwine in Verdi’s melodrama, Il Trovatore. Set in wartime Spain, it revolves around the Count di Luna and his exploits in love and in battle, and Azucena, a gypsy who took revenge for her own mother’s death by killing the count’s baby brother many years earlier. When her own son, Manrico, rival to the Count in love and war, is captured, the events set in motion in the past play out with inevitably tragic consequences.

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Leonora ….. Patricia Racette  -  replaced by Angela Meade
Manrico ….. Marco Berti (tenor)
Count di Luna ….. Alexey Markov (baritone)
Azucena ….. Stephanie Blythe (mezzo-soprano)
Ferrando ….. Christophoros Stamboglis (bass)
Ines ….. Edyta Kulczak (soprano)
Ruiz. ….. Hugo Vera (tenor)
An old gypsy ….. Brandon Bayberry (bass)
A messenger ….. David Lowe (tenor)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera, New York
Daniele Callegari, conductor

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Friday photo

There is nothing like a Dame

Dame Gwyneth Jones with director Dustin Hoffman on the set of “Quartet”

Two lovely and unusual things happened on New Year’s Day. Firstly the sun shone – an increasingly rare event in these parts and secondly I went to the cinema – also a rare event as I do not often enjoy such visits. However, on this occasion I was very glad that I did make the effort as the film “Quartet” was really, really good.

I knew beforehand that the plot concerned a retirement home for ageing musicians and starred Maggie Smith, Pauline Collins, Albert Finney and Billy Connolly as retired opera singers and that the supporting cast involved the cream of British actors of a certain age. I had also seen the photo above and assumed that perhaps Dame Gwyneth was brought in as music consultant. Not a bit of it. She turned out to be an important member of the cast, being the nemesis of Maggie Smith’s character – a rival star soprano. And she got to sing her own aria in the concert at the end of the film.

I came away strongly impressed by two aspects of this film. Firstly the actress Pauline Collins gave an astonishingly sensitive, accurate and believable portrayal of the early stages of dementia especially the occasional haunted look in her eyes. Secondly ALL the residents of the home were real retired musicians playing and singing during performances. Don’t you just hate it when actors mime and pretend to be musicians? The only non-professionals I spotted were Andrew Sachs who conducted and the quartet of singers themselves who never actually sang! Furthermore every participating musician was acknowledged in the titles at the end, complete with archive photos and information of their career before retirement. This made an unusual and fittingly respectful ending.

The two unsung heroines of the film were the English countryside, wearing glowing autumn hues, and the most magnificent spreading oak tree you have ever seen.

Should you see this film? If you love gentle humour and wise observations with believable portrayals and a broad range of entertaining music then yes. If you fear an outbreak of sentimentality and a rather thin, predictable plot then probably not.

A lovely gallery of photos from Sky Movies

Release dates for some countries

A BBC interview with Billy Connolly

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Berlioz’s Les Troyens: live from The Met

Saturday 5 January 2013 at 17.00 GMT on BBC radio 3

Hector Berlioz’s “Les Troyens”  live from the Metropolitan opera house, New York

World time converter in the side bar  – >

This week’s  ”Live from the Met” is Berlioz’s epic opera based on Virgil’s poem The Aeneid about the Trojan War. The Greeks have departed Troy after ten years of siege, leaving behind a huge wooden horse. While the Trojans see it as an offering to the goddess Athena, only King Priam’s daughter Cassandra suspects it signifies impending disaster for Troy.

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Presented by Margaret Juntwait and Ira Siff.

Cassandra ….. Deborah Voigt (soprano),
Dido ….. Susan Graham (mezzo-soprano),
Anna ….. Karen Cargill (mezzo-soprano),
Aeneas ….. Marcello Giordani (tenor),replaced by Bryn Hymel
Iopas ….. Eric Cutler (tenor),
Chorèbe ….. Dwayne Croft (baritone),
Narbal ….. Kwangchul Youn (bass),
Panthus ….. Richard Bernstein (bass),
Helenus ….. Eduardo Valdes (tenor),
Ascanio ….. Julie Boulianne (mezzo-soprano),
Hecuba ….. Theodora Hanslowe (mezzo-soprano),
Priam ….. Julien Robbins (bass-baritone),
Astyanax ….. Connell C. Rapavy (child actor),
Ghost of Hector ….. David Crawford (bass-baritone),
Voice Of Mercury ….. Kwangchul Youn (bass),
Hylas – Paul Appleby (tenor),

The Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra. Fabio Luisi, conductor.

Duration: 5 hours, 30 minutes !

LOVELY PHOTO GALLERY

Review from The Earworm ( blog )

Review from The Washington Post

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The Tempest by Thomas Adès: from The Met

Saturday 29 December at 18.00 GMT on BBC radio 3

THE TEMPEST –  from the Metropolitan Opera, New York

video courtesy of The Met

In the words of the BBC:

Miranda suspects that the magic practices of her father, Prospero, are responsible for a huge storm that has sunk a passing ship. She’s right: those on board were his enemies. Prospero nevertheless instructs his spirit Ariel to revive them and bring them to the island.
One of them is Prince Ferdinand who, when he arrives ashore, finds Miranda and the two fall instantly in love. Prospero is not pleased. He immobilizes Ferdinand and prepares to further his vengeance on the rest of the court.

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The New York Times called Thomas Adès’s masterpiece “one of the most inspired, audacious and personal operas to have come along in years,” noting that “Adès drew a textured, glittering and suspenseful account of his opera from the great Met orchestra.” The Financial Times lauded the performance’s “rare virtuosity… Keenlyside sang with sensitive force… [and] loomed and brooded magnetically.”

Ariel ….. Audrey Luna (soprano)
Miranda ….. Isabel Leonard (mezzo)
Trinculo ….. Iestyn Davies (countertenor)
Ferdinand ….. Alek Shrader (tenor)
Caliban ….. Alan Oke (tenor)
King of Naples ….. William Burden (tenor)
Antonio ….. Toby Spence (tenor)
Prospero ….. Simon Keenlyside (baritone)
Orchestra and Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera.  Thomas Adès, conductor.

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Duration: 3 hours, 15 minutes

Review from MusicalCriticism.com

Review from Latinos Post

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Wagner re-cycled on the radio

Der Ring des Nibelungen

Keith Warner’s production from the ROH with Pappano conducting

Repeated on BBC radio 3 and again on iPlayer!

If you happened to miss the BBC radio3 broadcast of Wagner’s Ring Cycle from the Royal Opera House Covent Garden earlier this year then there is another opportunity as the whole thing starts all over again on Christmas Eve.

Click on the link for details, cast, reviews and production photographs

Das Rheingold on Christmas Eve at 16.30 with Bryn Terfel and Sarah Connoly.

Die Walküre Act 1 on Christmas Day at 16.30 with Westbroek and  O’Neill.

Die Walküre Act 2 on Boxing Day at 16.30 with all four above singers.

Die Walküre Act 3 on 27 December at 16.30.

Siegfried Act 1 on 28 December at 16.30.

Siegfried Act 2 on New Year’s Eve at 16.30

Siegfried Act 3 on New Year’s Day at 16.30

Götterdämmerung Prologue and Act 1 on 2 January at 16.30.

Götterdämmerung Act 2 on 3 January at 16.30

Götterdämmerung Act 3 on 4 January at 16.30.

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Robert le diable: live from the ROH

Saturday 15 December 2012 at 17.45 GMT on BBC radio 3

World time converter in the side bar  – >

MEYERBEER’S ROBERT LE DIABLE – Live from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

Robert Le Diable sitzprobe November 2012. photocredit ROH

In the words of the BBC:

Laurent Pelly’s new production of Robert le diable brings Meyerbeer’s grand opera to the Covent Garden stage for the first time since 1890. Though hugely successful when it had its premiere in Paris in 1831 – Chopin described it as “a masterpiece…Meyerbeer has made himself immortal” – the opera subsequently fell out of favour and was rarely performed in the 20th century. It depicts a grand battle between good and evil, as Robert’s genuine love for Isabelle, expressed in tender duets, is threatened by the malevolent influence of the deceptively charming Bertram. With a sensational plot featuring courtly entertainments, jousting, romance and the supernatural, the work features one of opera’s most memorable scenes – the ballet of the nuns.

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Robert ….. Bryan Hymel (tenor)
Bertram ….. John Relyea (bass)
Raimbaut ….. Jean-François Borras (tenor)
Alice ….. Marina Poplavskaya (soprano)
Isabelle ….. Patrizia Ciofi (soprano)
Alberti ….. Nicolas Courjal (bass)
Priest/Chevalier ….. Jihoon Kim (bass)
Herald/Chevalier ….. Pablo Bemsch (tenor)
Master of Ceremonies/Chevalier ….. David Butt Philip (tenor)
Chevalier ….. Ashley Riches (baritone)
Dame ….. Dusica Bijelic (soprano)
Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden - Daniel Oren, conductor

Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes

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Intermezzo’s entertaining review and lots of production photos

Read about the role of Isabelle being recast at the last moment in the Mail Online

Curtain calls from 9th December performance on YouTube

A selection of tweets about the production

Access to free scores

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Un Ballo in Maschera live from the Met

* This programme has not been archived for re-listening on BBC iPlayer *

Saturday 8 December 2012 at 18.00 GMT on BBC radio 3

World time converter in the side bar  – >

Live from the Metropolitan Opera House,  New York, Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera”

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Photocredit: Brigitte Lacombe/Metropolitan Opera

Marcelo Álvarez (seated) as Gustavo and Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Anckarström

In the words of the BBC:

Live from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera”, a drama loosely based on the real events leading to the assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden. Verdi masterfully develops this story at various levels: with the backdrop of a political conspiracy, he tells of the personal tragedy of a king and his forbidden love of his best friend’s wife. This new production by David Alden features the Met’s Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi at the helm of a starry cast lead by Marcelo Alvarez as King Gustav, Sondra Radvanovsky as Amelia Anckarstrom, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky as her husband, the King’s friend and advisor Count Anckarstrom.

Link to BBC for synopsis and photo gallery

Amelia Anckarstrom ….. Sondra Radvanovsky (soprano)

Oscar ….. Kathleen Kim (soprano)

Madame Ulrica Arvidsson ….. Dolora Zajick (contralto)

King Gustavo III ….. Marcelo Alvarez (tenor)

Count Anckarstrom ….. Dmitri Hvorostovsky (baritone)

Christiano ….. Trevor Scheunemann (bass)

Count Ribbing ….. Keith Miller (bass)

Count Horn ….. David Crawford (bass)

The Chief Justice ….. Mark Schowalter (tenor)

Amelia’s Servant ….. Scott Scully (tenor)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera New York, Fabio Luisi, conductor.

Also Live in HD at selected cinemas in many countries

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Review from The New York Times.     Review from The Huffington Post

Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Synopsis in many languages

Access to free scores

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L’elisir d’amore live from ROH

Saturday December 1 2012 at 19.15 GMT on BBC radio 3

World time converter in the side bar  – >

Laurent Pelly’s production of Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore

live from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

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video courtesy of ROH

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The young farm worker Nemorino is passionately in love with Adina, the farm’s beautiful owner, but his attempts at winning her heart are thwarted by the boastful military sargeant Belcore, who secures Adina’s hand in marriage. Can Nemorino’s fortunes in love be turned around by the quack doctor Dulcamara and his magic potions?

BBC iPlayer time now expired

Adina ….. Aleksandra Kurzak (soprano)
Nemorino ….. Roberto Alagna (tenor)
Belcore ….. Fabio Capitanucci (bass)
Dulcamara ….. Ambrogio Maestri (bass)
Giannetta ….. Susana Gaspar (soprano)

Chorus of the Royal Opera
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden,  Bruno Campanella, conductor.

Review from One Stop Arts

Review from The Guardian

Review from Opera Britannia

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