A blog dedicated to Ferruccio Furlanetto the greatest voice in the world and Agnes Baltsa, the unbeaten best mezzo soprano (and female opera singer in general).
Now wasn't that a long, long summer? Now I'm back and well, the new opera season in Vienna has started 2 weeks ago - I think by now I can say that opera house is my 2nd home! Seems to be so anyways, hahaha. However, the other day I was at the José Carreras Gala. It was a beautiful and quite touching matinée. I had seats for a change! The seats weren't expensive at all and the good thing was that a big part of the money you paid benefited José Carreras' leukemia foundation!! So this matinée was the most wonderful thing in any aspect.
The concert itself featured not only Carreras himself, but also some younger singers. 2/3 of these young singers were good. The baritone and the soprano did a nice job (though he got the lyrics wrong one time and she breathed terribly wrong at one point - but hey, not that big of a deal this time), but the mezzo soprano was terrible. ANYWAYS. Carreras was in a WONDERFUL shape, I tell you! Loved his singing♥ Also they sang SO many encores! I don't remember how many, actually! José Carreras also got the "Ehrenring der Wiener Staatsoper" in the course of that matinée. It was quite some touching moment!!! There was only one criticizable moment ... When the director of the State Opera gave him that award, the director held a little speech (at least he tried to...) and he mentioned for only split seconds what an important singer Carreras is for the opera house, then he changed to the subject of the younger singers that were performing in that matinée. I mean - who does that!? In that moment you have to honor one of the most important singers of all time and NOT talk about how great the younger ones are, right? That should have been Carreras moment and his moment ONLY!!! After that event he could have talked about the younger generation as much as he wanted, but NOT DURING THAT MATINÉE!!!!! OMG! Enough said about that now. He also wrote so many autographs that day for such a long time (2 hours I estimate that was)! Admirable! Also I got one :) And a photo:))) --->>>happiest girl;) Today in the news I saw that also Baltsa was there. I expected her to be there actually. Tried to see where she sat, but I couldn't find her among the crowd. Here's a small article from today's newspaper. The picture above = Baltsa & Carreras --->> L-O-V-E-L-Y
On Wednesday (September 18) there will be Agnes Baltsa's solo concert at the State Opera - she'll be performing her Greek Songs. I'm SO looking forward to it! I've actually got 1rst row tickets!!!!! (btw she performs the Greek songs again in November - in Linz)
Here's a short clip I uploaded on YT:
Programme of the Gala: La gazza ladra - Ouverture Te voglio bene assaje (Gaetano Donizetti) - José Carreras Nel giardin' sotto il tiglio (Franz Schreker) - José Carreras Una voce poco fa (Gioachino Rossini) - Margarita Gritskova La ci darem la mano (W.A. Mozart) - Adam Plachetka, Anita Hartig Vedrò, mentr'io sospiro (W.A. Mozart) - Adam Plachetka Terra e mare (Giacomo Puccini) - José Carreras Sole e amore (Giacomo Puccini) - José Carreras Oh dieu, que de bijoux (Charles Gounod) - Anita Hartig Je te veux (Erik Datie) - José Carreras, Anita Hartig T'estimo (Edvard Grieg) - José Carreras El eco de tu voz (Isaac Albéniz) - José Carreras Canción del gitano (Francisco Alonso) - José Carreras Les filles de Cadix (Lé Delibes) - Anita Hartig Sogno (Francsco Tosti) - Adam Plachetka Pecchè (Francesco Pennino) - José Carreras Vierno (Vincenzo Acampora) - José Carreras Habanera (George Bizet) - Margarita Gritskova Dúo y Jota (Manuel Caballero) - José Carreras, Margarita Gritskova Core n'grato (Salvatore Cardillo) - José Carreras
So after a 3 month long absence from blogging I'm back again. That were quite some 3 months when I look back on what I experienced this time, when thinking about opera. Thanks to Ferruccio Furlanetto and Agnes Baltsa - but especially Ferruccio Furlanetto that I must emphasize. Now I don't want to go back too far, don't feel like talking about "L'Italiana in Algeri" tonight, but that will surely come sooner or later. Just that much - it was magic. Tonight I want to get my critique of "Don Carlo" off my chest. Most certainly, for those who read that I'm from Austria, it will be understandable when I say I just heard the performance from 22 February 2013 at the MET. There are several live-streams on the MET's radio station, so I'll always be up-to-date now when it's about the "Don Carlo" performances. Too bad it's no TV broadcast! But I know Nicholas Hytner's production of the piece, so I can at least imagine where all singers were "running around". The cast is as follows:
Philip II, King of Spain Ferruccio Furlanetto
Don Carlo, Ramon Vargas
crown prince of Spain
The Princess of Eboli Anna Smirnova
Elisabeth of Valois, Barbara Frittoli
daughter of Henry II
of France
Rodrigo, Marquis of Posa Dimitri Hvorostovsky
The Grand Inquisitor Eric Halfvarson
conducted by Lorin Maazel
Performances on: February 22, 25, 28, March 6, 9, 13, 16
I'll keep my critique as short as possible.
Well, I've got to admit that I was extremely curious about this "Don Carlo". Not only because Ferruccio Furlanetto would sing Philippo - no, he's always amazing, I don't have to be curious here. No, I was curious about finally getting to hear Ramon Vargas as Don Carlo. I've heard him several times here in Vienna, once he had a solo concert here which was good and I heard him as Gabriele Adorno in "Simon Boccanegra" in November 2012. I've always liked his voice, he's one great tenor in my opinion! Also he himself is just a nice person so he also has a good appearance on stage. However, this time his voice sounded a bit restrained in my opinion! Though, it was his first "Don Carlo" at the MET, so I will just skip my thinking about his voice being "restrained". He -his voice at least- absolutely suits this role, I liked to hear him very, very much - he's a true delight to hear in Verdi operas!
Anna Smirnova as Eboli, she was OK.. Finally a singer who puts a bit of fire in her "O don fatale" ! There are so many mezzos who perform this wonderful, furious aria in the most boring way possible! But she put at least a bit of fire into this famous part of the opera. Not an Agnes Baltsa, not a Luciana d'Intino, but she was OK. Case closed!
Dimitri Hvorostovsky was a very good, emotional Rodrigo, I've got literally nothing to complain about his performance, absolutely nothing! (though as personal side note: my favorite Rodrigo will always be Simon Keenlyside.... saw him last September as Rodrigo here - amazing! Apropos Keenlyside - he'll perform Alban Berg's "Wozzeck" here soon!)
Eric Halfvarson, well I don't really know what to comment here. I mean - the Grand Inquisitor is HIS role and he does it in the best way possible. His voice here sounds like the 90 year old Inquisitor, a very rough voice to my ears, but well.
Ferruccio Furlanetto did the most amazing Philippo. His voice actually got new colors also in this role actually - that's what I think at least! Amazing!!! SO beautiful - I mean, there's nobody in this entire world who could do a Philipp more emotional, more authentic to the character! As soon as he puts on the costume HE IS the character! The "Ella giammai m'amo" - he shows the pain Philipp feels, he felt every single word! This performance made me cry. I cried. Literally.
The anger during his duet with Elisabetta is overwhelming and makes me simply speechless. I loved it, every single second he sang. Looking forward to hearing him and seeing him performing Philippo in London!
The only actual complaint is about Barbara Frittoli. The worst Elisabetta I've ever heard! Surely she's a good singer, but the worst Elisabetta that I possibly could imagine. Emotionless and bland. The "Tu che le vanità" were some lifeless 11 minutes to me. She somehow sounded more than a bit nasal and I think she should pronounce the words a bit more clearly. The duet that I mentioned before, the "Giustizia, Sire" in Act IV - this duet should be full with emotions, full with anger from Philipps side -as it was- and it should include an Elisabetta who is absolutely indignant about what Philippo accuses her of and everything should be extremely vivid. It wasn't the case at all from Frittoli's side! Furlanetto performed his part of the duet full with rage and energy, but Frittoli just performed her part like a lullaby! Such a boring and lifeless Elisabetta, it's sad I couldn't skip her parts.
All in all it was a performance of the opera that was OK. No singer, but Furlanetto, took my heart with his/ her performance, it was a performance that could have been 100000000 times better. That is sad to say, since when somebody like Lorin Maazel is conducting, I should be telling the opposite.
Thank you Ferruccio Furlanetto, for saving this "Don Carlo"!He will always be the most amazing Philippo ever!
Here you can listen to my so loved duet from Act IV that was sort of destroyed by the lifeless performance of Barbara Frittoli. Nevertheless, the most amazing, enraged Philipp II of Spain by Ferruccio Furlanetto.
Lyrics&Translation below the video. If the video doesn't display, click HERE
ITALIAN:
ELISABETTA
Giustizia! o Sire! Ho fè
Nella lealtà del Re.
Son nella Corte tua crudelmente trattata
E da nemici oscuri, incogniti, oltraggiata.
Lo scrigno ov'io chiudea, Sire, tutt'un tesor,
I gioiel'... altri oggetti a me più cari ancor...
L'hanno rapiti a me!... Giustizia! la reclamo
Da Vostra Maestà!
FILIPPO
Quello che voi cercate
Eccolo!
ELISABETTA
Cielo!
FILIPPO
A voi d'aprirlo piaccia.
FILIPPO
Ebben, io l'aprirò.
ELISABETTA
(Ah! mi sento morir!)
FILIPPO
Il ritratto di Carlo!...
ELISABETTA
Sì.
FILIPPO
Tra i vostri gioiel'!
ELISABETTA
Sì.
FILIPPO
Confessarlo osate! A me!
ELISABETTA
Io l'oso! Sì!
Ben lo sapete, - un dì promessa
Al figlio vostro - fu la mia man;
Or v'appartengo - a Dio sommessa,
Ma immacolata - qual giglio io son.
Ed ora si sospetta
L'onor d'Elisabetta!..
Si dubita di me...
E chi m'oltraggia è il Re!
FILIPPO
Ardita troppo - voi favellate!
Debole me credete e sfidarmi sembrate:
La debolezza in me può divenir furor.
Tremate allor - per voi, per me.
ELISABETTA
Il mio fallir qual è?
FILIPPO
Spergiura!
Se tanta infamia colmò la misura,
Se fui da voi tradito, lo giuro innanzi al ciel,
Il sangue io verserò!...
ELISABETTA
Pietà mi fate.
FILIPPO
Ah! la pietà d'adultera consorte!
ELISABETTA
Ah!
FILIPPO
Soccorso alla Regina!
ENGLISH:
ELISABETH Justice, Sire! I have faith
in the King's loyalty!
I have been unworthily treated in your court,
and insulted by unknown enemies …
My casket … it contains, Sire, a whole treasury,
my jewels … some even more precious objects …
It has been stolen! From my rooms! I beg justice
from your Majesty! PHILIP
Your casket, Madam,
here it is!
ELISABETH
Heavens!
PHILIP
May it please you to open it!
Elisabeth declines with a gesture.
Then I shall open it myself! ELISABETH
(God! come to my aid!)
PHILIP
A portrait of the Infante! A portrait of the Infante!
ELISABETH
Yes!
PHILIP
Among your jewels?
ELISABETH
Yes!
PHILIP
What! You admit it before me!
ELISABETH
Yes, before you!
You know it!
I was promised to Don Carlos, to your son!
I came to you, submissive to God,
as pure as the French fleur-de-lys!
You dare, in a fit of madness,
to doubt a King's daughter!
To doubt a daughter of France! …
the Queen of all Spain … me!
PHILIP
You speak to me rashly!
You have known me only in my days of frailty!
But frailty may one day turn to fury.
Then, woe, woe betide you. Ah!
ELISABETH
What crime have I committed?
PHILIP
Perjury!
If your wickedness has run its full course,
if you have betrayed me … by almighty God
tremble! Tremble! I shall have blood!
ELISABETH
I protest!
PHILIP
You, protest, an adulterous wife!
ELISABETH Ah!
PHILIP Help for the Queen!
GERMAN:
ELISABETH
Gerechtigkeit! Sire! Ich vertraue
auf den gerechten Sinn des Königs!
Ich werde an Eurem Hof unwürdig behandelt
und von unbekannten Feinden beleidigt …
Meine Schatulle … Sire, sie enthält alles, was mir wert ist,
meine Juwelen … noch grössere Kostbarkeiten …
Man hat sie gestohlen! Aus meinen Räumen! Gerechtigkeit! Das fordere ich
von Eurer Majestät!
PHILIPP
Eure Schatulle, Madame,
hier ist sie!
ELISABETH
Himmel!
PHILIPP
Geruht Ihr sie zu öffnen?
Dann werde ich selbst sie öffnen!
ELISABETH
Gott! Stehe mir bei!
PHILIPP
Ein Porträt des Infanten! Ihr hüllt Euch in Schweigen?
Ein Porträt des Infanten!
ELISABETH
Ja!
PHILIPP
Unter Euren Juwelen?
ELISABETH
Ja!
PHILIPP
Wie! Und Ihr gesteht es vor mir!
ELISABETH
Vor Euch!
Ihr wisst es! Ich war
Don Carlos versprochen, Eurem Sohn!
Ich war Gott gehorsam und kam zu Euch,
rein wie die Lilien Frankreichs.
Ihr wagt es, mit Blindheit geschlagen,
einer Königstochter zu misstrauen,...
einer Tochter Frankreichs,...
der Königin von Spanien.... mir!
PHILIPP
Das nenne ich beherzt gesprochen!
Ihr habt mich nur ... an Tagen der Schwäche gekannt.
Doch die Schwäche kann eines Tages in Zorn umschlagen.
Dann wehe Euch und allen!
ELISABETH
Welches Verbrechen habe ich begangen?
PHILIPP
Meineidige!
Wenn das Mass der Schändlichkeit voll ist,
wenn Ihr mich betrogen habt,beim allmächtigen Gott,
dann müsst Ihr zittern! Dann vergiesse ich Blut!
ELISABETH
Ich kann Euch nur bedauern!
PHILIPP
Ihr! Mich bedauern! Eine Ehebrecherin!
ELISABETH
Ah!
PHILIPP
Helft der Königin!
