Diego Garcia Perez-Espejo, Author at Brío Clásica

A SPLENDID ELEKTRA, TO RECOVER IN WHICH VALENCIANO PALAU DE LES ARTS BEST OLD FEELING. By Diego Manuel García Pérez.Representations Elektra Richard Strauss, which they took place last January in the Palau de Les Arts in Valencia, They have been a real triumph, especially for the magnificent performance of the Orchestra of Valencia, this time extended to more than a hundred instrumentalists and very well directed by Marc Albrecht, great connoisseur of the Straussian repertoire. Among the voices highlighted the American soprano Sara Jakubiak, Chrysotemis and magnificent baritone Derek Welton Australian as Orestes. Canadian Robert Carsen, He made an excellent stage direction, moving highly expressive way to figurantes amount in a virtually empty stage especio. The capacity was almost complete, which was comforting, especially with a title like Elektra quite apart from the standard repertoire. An enthusiastic audience gave standing ovations at the end of representations. After several years of changes and uncertainties, The Palau de Les Arts has recovered their best feelings of antaño.Después of the great success achieved by Richard Strauss with Salome, their collaboration began with the great playwright and poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal Austrian, in which music and text perfectly complemented, producing six operas in twenty years: Elektra from 1909, Der Rosenkavalier (Der Rosenkavalier) from 1911, Ariadne auf Naxos (first version of 1912 and second and definitive 1916) Y The woman without a shadow (Frau ohne Schatten) from 1919, which can be considered true masterpieces, and two: The Egyptian Helena (Egyptian Helena) from 1928 Y Arabella, released in 1933, extreme quality. Hofmannsthal's death, in 1929, when he had almost completed the libretto Arabella, was a blow to Strauss. In 1903, Hofmannsthal successfully premiered his play Elektra (adaptation of Sophocles' play), Kleines Theater in Berlin by Max Reinhardt. Strauss attended a performance in autumn 1905, shortly before the premiere of Salome, and he considered that its dramatic structure was very suitable for an opera. In spring 1906, composer and writer met to discuss the conditions to turn the play into an opera. The composition lasted for more than two years, starting in summer 1906 and ending in autumn 1908. Elektra premiered at the Royal Theater in Dresden, he 25 of January of 1909, and that same year had successful performances in Munich place, Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Vienna, Graz, Milan and the following year, I premiered in London and New York. It can be considered the most revolutionary operas of Strauss, which requires a huge orchestra with over one hundred instrumentalists, running a highly expressionistic music, where the composer mixture with polytonality tonality and atonal bolder, with moments of great lyrical intensity. Composed in one act, It requires three great singers of great expressive vocalism and great capacity: a dramatic soprano for the obsessed and vengeful Elektra, one lyrical Spinta for her sister Chrysothemis and dramatic contralto or mezzo for the role of his mother Klytämnestra, along with a baritone in the role of Orestes, in possession of a powerful vocalism. More Episodic the paper Aegisth, played by a tenor voice light and extravagant stage movements. Notable standup Elektra, her duets with Chrysothemis (hallucinatory which it occurs at the end of the opera), which interprets Orestes, where they are mixed lyric and a dramatic intensity; Y, especially, the stunning duet with her mother Klytämnestra, where the voices should offer a considerable volume in conjunction with the initial sound impressive orquestal.El excellent tour of Elektra, over the years 1909 Y 1910, in major theaters around the world, He was overshadowed by the tremendous success of the two following two operas by Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (Der Rosenkavalier) Y Ariadna auf Naxos, which together with Salome, They became the trio of operas most represented Straussian. It will require the appearance of the Hungarian soprano Rose Pauly, whose interpretation of the role of Elektra in the late twenties and thirties, It will relaunch this opera in European and American scenarios. At the Salzburg Festival, with a strong Straussian tradition was never represented to 1934, with Rose Pauly and Chrysothemis of the great Viorica Ursuleac (favorite soprano Richard Strauss), Clemens Krauss with her husband to the front of the Vienna Philharmonic. Rose Pauly recorded the complete opera 1937, directed by Artur Rodzinky to the front of the New York Philarmonic- Symphony Orchestra; several fragments of this recording can be heard on YouTube and allow you to check the quality of Elektra interpreted by the Hungarian soprano. It is from the fifties, when Elektra receives its final push, especially in the interest of directors like Dimitri Mitropoulos, Karl Böhm y Fritz Reiner. As well, They show great interest in this opera sopranos Inge Borg Swedish and Astrid Varnay, large vocal and expressive media, who dominate the role of Elektra from 1950, until the mid-sixties, often interpreting, with many recordings, It is highly recommended for its extreme quality and good live sound decision made at the Salzburg Festival 1957 (Available Full on YouTube) directed by Dimitri Mitropoulos at the front of the Vienna Philharmonic, with impressive Inge Borg (Elektra), next to the beautiful voice of Lisa Della Casa (Chrysothemis) and the American mezzo extraordinary Madeira Jean (a referential Klytämnestra). Elektra interpretations performed by Astrid Varnay, They have been several magnificent recordings, among them are highly recommended two doses Live (Complete available on YouTube): the first held in the Metropolitan neoyorkimo, in 1952, orchestral address Fritz Reiner and the second in the Salzburg Festival 1964, directed by Herbert von Karajan. Taking the witness Varnay and Borg, another extraordinary Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson, She began singing Elektra from 1965 until 1980. Their most common partners in multiple functions will Leonie Rysanek (Reference Chrisothemis, I had already played this role with Varnay and Borg), y means the Regina Resnik (Klytämnestra). Must be heard (It is available on YouTube complete), Live decision made at the Vienna State Opera, in 1967, with three singers directed by Karl Böhm, the head of the Vienna Philharmonic. Hungarian soprano Eva Marton and German Hildegard Berens, during the nineties, They also made remarkable performances of Elektra, although not comparable to those made by Nilsson, Varnay y Borg. In recent times, from 2010, Swedish soprano Irene Theorin and German Evelyn Herlitzius, They are playing excellent Elektras, them has joined from 2015, another great Swedish soprano Nina Stemme (it seems that the Swedish sopranos have a great affinity with the character of Elektra). It can be considered a modern reference of this opera, making video (Available Full on YouTube), excellent image and sound, fraught with stunning close-ups, held at the Salzburg Festival 2010, a great deal: Irene Theorin (Elektra), Eva-Maria Westbroek (Chrysothemis), Waltraud Mayer (Klytämnestra) and a magnificent René Pape (Orestes), with stage direction by Likolaus Lehnhoff and Daniele Gatti musical, the head of the Vienna Philharmonic.

Production presented in Valencia, It comes from the National Opera of Paris, based on a co-production of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and the Tokyo Opera Nomori, with stage direction by Robert Carsen and Michael Levine scenery totally minimalist character, with a stage of absolute nudity consisting of a large enclosed by three walls that are curved in its support base on stage, with an earthy dark sandy soil where a multipurpose rectangular recess opens, because it is the tomb of Agamemnon and entry into the palace inhabited by kings Klytämnestra and Aegisth, murderers of Agamemnon. Actually, the attractiveness of this production lies in the ability of Robert Carsen to move with great dramatic sense a lot of extras around the protagonists. Entry is shocking scene Klytämnestra fully dressed in white on a white bed also, which is carried as a throne for the many ballerinas-figurantes. White is highlighted by a suitable spotlighting, within the scenic dark and black clothes of the other characters. Highlight of this staging the moment Elektra, in his opening monologue, He invokes the figure of his father Agamemnon and figurantes extract it from his tomb and handing it Elektra porting. Choreographic movements of the dancers and the focal lighting designed by Robert Carsen and Peter own van Praet, also confer real attraction to this scenery. Also noteworthy costume design by Vazul Matusz, black for the actors and extras, compared with white garments and carrying Klytämnestra Aegisth.

Elektra It is an opera where the vast orchestra of over one hundred musicians acquires absolute role and solo voices are inserted as an instrument. The Orquesta de Valencia, substantially enlarged hundred three performers, again demonstrated its extreme quality, with superb direction of Marc Albrecht, full transparency, with perfect differentiation of sound levels and offering a range of nuances in the dense and extraordinary orchestration that Strauss conceived for this opera. Albrecht handled well the dynamics. All orchestral sections scratched at high altitude, with a sumptuous string, capable of alternating sounds very strong forcefully and wonderful we pianissimos. Strauss has the novelty of three groups of first, second and third violins, each with eight instrumentalists, along with other three first, second and third violas, each with six instrumentalists, and severe rope first six cellos and six seconds, with eight double basses. Ya, single rope, no less than sixty two performers by far exceeds the dimensions of a classical orchestra. Metals also flashed high, with imposing sonorities of the tubes, trombones and trumpets, also capable of delicate issue we pianissimo. Orchestral response was always consistent with the complexity of this rich score where tonal passages are mixed with other immersed in pure atonalidad, in contrast to many fine moments almost chamber music melodismo. At the same start of the opera can be heard Agamemnon theme, fortissimo brilliantly issued by horn and trumpet unison with all the rope, to the following pianissimo faint sound of trombones and basses. This issue becomes recurring with different variations throughout the opera: appearance of Orestes in his big scene with Elektra, who returns to sing a ruthless tone and ironic when Klytemnestra and Aegisth are killed by Orestes, and reappears in the amazing duo of Elektra and Chrisotemys, almost at the end of the opera, with all the savage intensity of the beginning, repeated three times resembling lightning storm folded Elektra, after its frenetic dance to celebrate the death of Klytämnestra and Aegisth. The other recurring theme of this opera is called "Elektra chord", where Strauss uses polytonality, which you can already be heard for the first time, Episodic so in the opening scene of maidens and sumptuous reappearing mode, repeatedly executed by rope and wood in the scenic entrance Elektra. Highlight the subject of intense lyricism and melodic Chrysotemis expansions in the first of his duets with Elektras, where interventions have bright metals and especially the five tubes. Definitely, the climax of this opera and where the Orchestra of Valencia shone at higher altitudes, it is all the great scene Klytämnestra and Elektra, with an introductory orchestral interlude strongly atonal character, which involved all sections in a stunning orchestral crescendo, that during it allows the brilliance of percussion and metals, especially tubas and trumpets. In the dialogue of mother and daughter alternating dissonance and melody, highlighting the occasional presence of a trombone muted and the combined sound of harps and contrafagot, along with the numerous interventions of the celesta (instrument appreciated by Strauss). Another great moment is the interlude preceding the scenic eruption of Orestes, dominated by the sound of metals, with forays cello and bassoon. The orchestra also shone in the long Elektra and Orestes duo, which reappears "Elektra chord" executed soft, lilting way, small orchestral interludes are also inserted fine melodismo, abruptly interrupted by the powerful and dissonant bursts of horns and trumpets. finally note, the conciliatory work of Marc Albrecht very aware of the voices, some with problems through the immense orchestra, to be placed at the bottom of the stage.

Irene Theorin has played quite often the character of Elektra in the last ten years, highlighting brilliantly in the aforementioned production of the Salzburg Festival 2010. But, ten years does go in vain; Y, Valencian these functions had a modest start, in his great monologue initial "Allein! Sore, very allien ", with low volume, an emission somewhat irregular and lack of voice projection; It could also be due to stage imperatives having lying on the floor singing voice projecting upward. It improved significantly in his big scene with Klytämnestra, well played by veteran German mezzo Doris Soffel, and with seventy-one years, who showed great mastery of the song parlato, and a magnificent scenic capacity to refine each phrase, every word sung. Logically, given his age, Vocal problems showed deterioration in the low register and acute. Both singers were inserted well in the orchestral sound impressive. Theorin also made a good performance in his scene with Orestes of the Australian baritone Derek Welton, powerful vocalism and excellent singing line. But nevertheless, in his duets with Chrisothemis, It was clearly surpassed by the American soprano Sara Jakubiak Polish origin: one Chrisothemis of beautiful timbre, considerable, domain of all records, the ability to regulate the sound and project your voice forward, transferring the barrier orchestral. I was interested to hear live Sara Jakubiak, after knowing their interpretations edited on DVD, of Agathe The Marksman (The poacher) de Carl Maria von Weber, directed by Christian Thielemann; Y, especially, his extraordinary creation in Heliane The miracle of Sunray (The Miracle of Heliane), de Erich Wolfgang Korngold, directed by Marc Albretht. Aegist's character was played by tenor Stefan Margita Czech veteran, Whitish whose voice and histrionic gestures proved suitable in his duet with Elektra. Highlight the performances in the opening scene of the opera of the five maidens played by Eva Kroon, Evgeniya Khomutova Emilie Pictet Larisa Stefan y Aida Gimeno, also playing the confidant of Klitämnestra.

Excellent performance of the Choir of the Generalitat Valenciana, ringing off the stage at the end of the opera. also highlight the group of twenty dancers perform choreography by Philippe Giraudeau the, both on their travels online with open arms up. Also dancing in a circle or acting mimicked way with Elektra or around an ax hiding behind. Y, at the scene of Elektra and Orestes, when it says that even dogs of the palace would have recognized, and the dancers approach him, moving on all fours like dogs. Anyway, one magnificent Elektra.

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The Nabucco of Placido Sunday triumphs at the Palau les Arts in Valencia
By Diego Manuel García Pérez.En Valencia Palau de Les Arts, They have taken place six performances of Nabucco, the four first performed by Placido Domingo incombustible. Ya, for months that the tickets were sold out. Madrid tenor is a real media phenomenon, mobilizing crowds in each of their performances. A public come from around the world, with Japanese included, where they could see ladies wearing kimonos. The vocal state under the Madrid, and frisando the seventy-nine years, It matters little to these groups of enthusiastic fans, that they come with the premeditated idea applaud and show their admiration. To all this the fact that Domingo sing again in Spain was added, after being subjected to a wave of accusations of sexual harassment over thirty years ago, not having produced any legal complaint, but deteriorated figure this myth opera, to the point of having to give up their performances in the US and leave the artistic direction he held since 2001 Opera Los Angeles. In the representation I attended, I had the opportunity to converse with a critical come from Argentina, who told me with real sadness that the famous Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, He had also vetoed his presence. Large European operatic centers continue supporting him, as it has been in the past Salzburg Festival, Miller performing Verdi's Luisa Miller, where he was strongly applauded, and also he received the tribute at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, on the fiftieth anniversary of his debut at the theater, A few days later representations of Nabucco in Valencia, where the controversy about Sunday was served, as, in contrast to the enthusiasm of the audience inside the Palau de les Arts, for its presence and activities, had demonstrations outside rather than female groups carrying large banners, with the phrase "Nebuchadnezzar stalker". Regardless of these circumstances, Note that these functions Nabucco, apart from the presence of Placido Domingo, They had as big winner at Abigaile played by Neapolitan soprano Anna Pirozzi, who had already impressed the Valencian public with this same role, in the representations of Nabucco that took place in May 2015. The Orquesta de Valencia, well directed by Jordi Bernàcer, also shone high. Y, as usual, the Choir of the Generalitat Valenciana was a great success, in an opera as this where it has a very important presence, including the chorus "Va pensiero" the most famous and popular of the entire history of opera Italiana.Nabucco is the third opera composed by Verdi, Temistocle libretto by Solera, and its premiere took place at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, he 9 March 1842, constituting a great success, to the point of being represented in that season and the next, in 57 occasions, something that had never happened before. Nabucco may be influenced by Donizetti and Bellini, but his vigorous melodies, with passionate vocal language, and they are typically verdianos. In this opera, and for the first time, Verdi gives great importance to the baritone, assigning the title role of Nabucco. Y, Abigaille -of the extreme difficulty- a dramatic soprano of agility, It is played at its premiere by Giuseppina Strepponi, destined to become sentimental companion of Verdi and his future wife. The role of Zaccaria (Great high priest of the Hebrews), It is also very important and requires a low rotund voice and great extension. After a few years when this opera was massively represented in Italian and European theaters, He fell somewhat forgotten, very rarely being programmed. Its American premiere took place at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, in 1914. Nabucco true recovery was made by the master Vittorio Gui, in 1933, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, and also, that same year, transcurso en primer "Maggio Musicale Fiorentino", in both cases with two great singers Carlo Galeffi (Nabucco) y Gina Cigna (Abigail). Vittorio Gui also directed the famous performances, with a live recording- which they took place in December 1949, Teatro San Carlo in Naples, with the extraordinary creation of Abigaile by Maria Callas. The main pieces of this recording can be heard on YouTube. Ya, in 1951, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Verdi's death, RAI made a studio recording, directed by Fernando Previtali, with magnificent Abigaile de soprano Catherine Mancini, which can be heard integrated into Youtube. In 1960, Nabucco was first performed at the Metropolitan neoyorkino, played by the Austrian soprano Leonie Rysanek, with vocalism that demand Abigaile, although somewhat away from the style of singing verdiano. Along the Rysanek intervenían important you guys fully Verde: baritone Cornell MacNeill (Nabucco) and bass Cesare Siepi (Zaccaria). Elena Souliotis stunning vocalism and ephemeral career, Abigaile played in the sixties and seventies; Also the Bulgarian Ghena Dimitrova, It was an excellent Abigaile from the late sixties to the nineties. In 1968, He first played the character of Nabucco, the great baritone Renato Bruson, a real stylist singing, as it can be seen in its interpretation held at the Teatro Regio of Parma, in January 1979, Abigaile stunning along with our Angeles Gulin, died prematurely in 2004 (this year 2019 It has completed the eightieth anniversary of his birth). It is extraordinary to hear the great duo Nabucco and Abigaile in the voices of Gulin and Bruson, Available on YouTube. Renato Bruson will be the most important interpreter of Nabucco, for over thirty years. The Ukrainian soprano Maria Guleghina will become from the mid-nineties, in a reference to the character of Abigaile, by vocalism and great dramatic temperament. He first performed at the Paris Opera Bastille in 1995, Julia Varady alternating with, with a great cast that included great bass Samuel Ramey (Zaccaria), Jean François Lafont (Nabucco), Violeta Urmana (Fenena) and Jose Cura (Ismaele); Y, the next year, at the Arena of Verona with Renato Bruson (Full version video available on YouTube). From then until the most recent news, He has played on many occasions worldwide. Significantly making video DVD marketed by DGG in the Metropolitan neoyorkino, in 2001, James Levine direction, where Guleghina shared with Joan Pons cast (Nabucco) and Samuel Ramey. Fragments of this recording can be heard on Youtube. Overlapping Guleghina, arise in 2013, excelentes de dos interpretes Abigail: Anna Pizozzi at the Salzburg Festival, directed by Riccardo Muti (gran guarantor of this score), and the Ukrainian Liudmyla Monastyrska, Teatro alla Scala in, next to the magnificent Nabucco Leo Nucci, and that same year 2013, in Covent Garden, with Placido Domingo as Nabucco, and there is a live take marketed on DVD by SONY. Since then Pirozzi and Monastyrska, They are quite often played the character of Abigaile. Deutsche Opera Berlin scheduled Nabucco season 2019-2020, with alternating Maria Guleghina, Anna Pirozzi y Liudmila Monastyrska.

Nabucco production has been seen in the Palau de les Arts, It comes from the Washington National Opera in co-production with The Minnesota Opera and Opera Philadelphia, and has the stage direction and set design and costumes Thaddeus Strassberger Mattie Ullrich. This production aims to replicate what could be the Nabucco assembly when it premiered at the Teatro alla Scala, Here spiced with a proposal theater within the theater. Mediated long initial overture we see a number of couples dancing very Austrian nobles in the aesthetics of the film Il Gattopardo of Luchino Visconti, and later they began to occupy some boxes enabled to the left of the stage to contemplate the representation. They can also be soldiers guarding any hostile reaction from the Italian public to the Austrian nobility who then occupied Milan and all Lombardia. A stage decorated with a papier-mâché, friezes, mosaics and large columns, reproducing in Act I, Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem and in Act II, Palace in Babylon Nabucco, with a series of overlapping curtains that produce a real sense of depth scenic. In Act III, before the famous chorus "Va pensiero", action can be seen from behind the stage as if viewers were backstage. At the end of the performance the performers gather bouquets of flowers thrown by the Austrian public on stage, furiously returning them to the boxes and displaying two banners with the colors of the Italian flag and inscriptions, one in the "W", and the other the word VERDI, acronym which together they formed the words: Victor-Enmanuele live King of Italy (true symbol of Italian patriots against the Austrian domination). Costume design by Mattie Ullrich is in excess colorist for the Babylonians in contrast to the white hues of the Hebrews.

Proven leadership and strong, with large capacity concertmaster Jordi Bernàcer, the head of the Orchester de Valencia, which again proves to be a set of high quality, and this is evident from the excellent performance of the overture: a long page, articulated well full of contrasts, where different musical motifs and Iran reappearing long exposed opera, among them, -with the accompanying minor modifications- the famous chorus "Va pensiero". The orchestra has an outstanding performance, during the entire performance, shining in moments of intense lyricism: introduction and accompaniment of arias of Abigaille, Act II respectively and the closing of the opera, or Fenena's aria in Act IV. Y, by contrast, It shows an uncontrollable force, in the vibrant end of Act I, when Nabucco bursts onto the scene, whose recurring musical theme and exhibited in the overture, It is taken up in the orchestral introduction of Act III, and the coda of the final cabaletta performed by Nabucco, in his great scene of Act IV. Report also, the magnificent orchestral intervention Nabucco and Abigaille duet of Act III, and the overture to Act IV. At the direction of Jordi Bernàcer, It is blamed tendency to use sounds in forte. Finally, and in the high level offered by the members of the orchestra, include the splendid performance of severe rope especially the cellos, and the woods where they shine solo flute and oboe.

The big winner of these representations, ha sido Neapolitan soprano Anna Pirozzi, Abigaille who composes a great vocal and dramatic stature. voluminous voice and bright timbre, buen breath, excellent ability to regulate the sound, and a sharp, broad and well cast treble, (some extreme notes something forced), It is its weakest a limited range of serious. His voice stands out strongly in the moments of greatest orchestral forcefulness: the concluding concertantes of Acts I and II. It provides a good command of bel canto coloratura, and meets with expertise deviled octave jumps that punctuate much of their interventions. Makes a great performance in his big scene of Act II, initiated with violent recitative "Ben io t'inventi", to move to the lyrical and intimate singing the aria "Anch’ opened one day "y, then, show an overwhelming force in the cabaletta "Salgo già of the aurate throne". also highlights, his great performance in the duet with Nabucco Act III, inserting in its dialogues with a pleading Nabucco, a vibrant cabaletta, whose musical theme appeared exposed in the initial overture. Anna Pirozzi looks back his vocalism and interpretive force, in his beautiful aria end "Its me, dying, essanime "exquisite voices stockings, and issuing delicate notes in "pianissimo".

Since he started his stage baritone, I had occasion to hear Placido Domingo, in the Palace of Arts, in various roles verdianos: Francesco Foscari I due Foscari, in 2013, Macbeth, in 2015 and Rodrigo Marques de Posa in Don Carlo, in 2017, to which is added this Nabucco. Sunday is not a baritone but sings tenor baritone roles. During those six years between the creation of Francesco Foscari and Nabucco, the voice is gone Logically- deteriorating, with an increasingly lack of fiato, which prevents him properly build the Verdian long sentences. However keeps its beautiful timbre, miraculously youth, and a large theater capacity compensates his vocal limitations. Its scenic entrance in Act I, It turned hesitantly, with almost inaudibly in the great concertante that closes Act I, voices to side as strong as those of Anna Pirozzi and Alisa Kolosova. He improved considerably at the end of Act II, singing in the best Verdian style "S'appresan gl'istante". notably He faced his great Act II duet with powerful Abigaile Anna Pirozzi, full alternating moments of strong accents "Donna, who are you", “Oh, of qual'onta aggravasi ", with others full of pathos in his words repeated "Ah, The shadow miserable old man ... I am the King ", in contrast to the aggressiveness of Abigaile. Ya, in his great scene of Act III, They produced his best moments in the aria "Dio di Giuda", where he sings with delicate accents, lying on the ground face down, (something truly unusual for an almost octogenarian person), and plays hard and expressiveness the cabaletta "O Prodi miei, follow me".

The role of Zaccaria great vocal and stage requirement, She was played by the bass Riccardo Zanellato, verdiano good style of singing, although it lacking in volume and in serious difficulties Acute records, which are reflected in frequent octave leaps, to be performed in its many interventions throughout the opera. His performance was not discreet, in scenes of authentic brilliance as the aria "Sperate, or children…"Followed by the cabaletta" Come notte a glittering sun "Act I and the end of Act III" Oh,those who weep?…The future discern in the dark ". His best time was in the interpretation of the aria "Tu sul labro" belonging to the Preghiera, in Act II.

Russian mezzo Alisa Kolosova in the role of Fenena, He wore a voluminous voice of beautiful timbre. In his only solo, el aria "Oh disclosed is the firmament" of Acto IV, shows a delicate and elegant line full song lyric accents. also note, Speaking at the "Terzettino" of Act I, junto a Abigaille (both competing vocal volume) and Ismaele played by Mexican tenor Arturo Chacón the-Cruz, Voice bit bulky, but she sings with style and musicality, sobre todo en su vibrant airy "For the love of the living God dall'anatema cease", pertaining to Act II. Among the comprimarios roles include the magnificent performance of the Korean under Dongho Kim (The high priest), with a far superior vocal means to Riccardo Zanellato. Well in his brief interventions as Anna Sofia Esparza, Zaccaria's sister, and Ukrainian tenor Mark Serdiuk as Abdallo (Nabucco faithful officer).

"The Choir of the Generalitat Valenciana", directed by Francec Perales, He shone high, Obviously highlighting- in his extraordinary interpretation of the famous "Va pensiero", it starts again once the opera, after the rudeness of interpreters to Austrian nobles. As well, noting their great performances from other great choral moments: "The holidays Cadona broken down furniture", very beautiful invoice, with which starts the opera. As well, el de los Levitas chorus of Acto II "The Damned has no brothers", whose vibrant musical theme, already he appeared exposed in the initial overture. Y, interventions in the concluding concertantes of Acts I and II, or its significant presence throughout the end of Act III. In this production, The opera ends with the magnificent choir "Immenso Jeovha", usually precedes the "O-ary recitativo! those who see the wicked ... ..Su me, dying lifeless ", where death occurs Abiagaile.

Last 10 August took place andn the Auditorium of Peralada, an extraordinary concert with the performance of the Mahler Chamber orchestra & Friends directed by Gustavo Dudamel (Barquisimeto, Venezuela, 26 of January of 1981), with a program that included in the first part A midsummer night's dream (Full version) Felix Mendelssohn, with the intervention as narrator of the actress María Valverde, currently married to Gustavo Dudamel, that gave the concert an added expectation. In the second part, an impressive performance of the symphony No. 1 (The Titan) from Gustav Mahler.

Gustavo Dudamel is one of the great current conductors, whose dizzying career began in 2004, when he won the first prize in the Gustav Mahler Directing Competition. Since then it has triumphed in the main concert halls around the world, conducting prestigious orchestras. Since 2009 to date he is the principal conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. It was in 2017, the youngest conductor of the famous New Year's Concert in Vienna. His career is closely related to Gustav Mahler, of who has come to direct all his symphonies.

Drawing inspiration from his musical and pedagogical experiences, I believe in 2012, the Gustavo Dudamel Foundation, a charity whose goal is to seek access to music as a human right and as a catalyst for learning, integration and social change.

The Mahler Chamber Orchestra was founded in 2007 by Claudio Abbado, based on the shared vision of its members in being a free and international group, dedicated to creating and sharing exceptional experiences in classical music. Its base template is 40 musicians of 20 countries, to which other young musicians are added incidentally, on his tours of Europe and the rest of the World. An educational agreement between the Gustavo Dudamel and Mahler Foundations, has made possible the preparation of this symphony No. 1 Mahler, that has been heard in Peralada.

The dream of a nigth of summer Felix Mendelssohn (Hamburg, 1809 – Leipzig, 1847), is a stage music based on Shakespeare's play, whose premiere took place in Potsdam on 14 October 1843, accompanying a performance of the play. The "Overture" had already been written by Mendelssohn, in 1827, when the composer was barely eighteen. In the present concert, Dudamel's baton transmitted in the “Overture” a great sonic brilliance from all the orchestral sections., highlighting at the beginning the slow and luminous chords of the wood that give way to the caressing sound of the string. Magnificent the interventions of the horns and the rest of the brass instruments. In the "Scherzo" the sound of strings and woods stood out., especially the solo of the solo flute with which this movement concludes. Truly brilliant was the interpretation of the delicious song "You Spotted Snakes", introduced by the lucid interventions of clarinets and bassoons, followed by a flute solo, which gives entrance to the magnificent interventions of the soprano Mercedes Gancedo and the mezzo Lídia Vinyes-Curtis, with members of the L’Orfeó Català women's choir, with direction of Buia Reixach i Feises. At the "Intermezzo", melodic motifs are produced where woods and string shone. In the "Nocturno" the interpretation of the horns as well as the strings and flutes was magnificent.. In the well-known “Wedding March”, the interventions of three trumpets and three trombones shone greatly., along with the rest of the orchestra. In the "Fanfare and Funeral March", they had a lucid clarinet and bassoon performance talking about the percussion of the timpani. In the "Dance of the clowns", the “orchestral tutti” shone at a frenzied rhythm, with occasional solo interventions of the clarinets along with the oboes and occasionally the tuba. Preceded by the sound of the flute and horns, the solo singers and the choir performed again very brilliantly, performing "Through the House".

Parallel to the magnificent orchestral performance, A series of cartoon image projections were produced, that seemed taken from a fairy tale, but they do not contribute almost anything to the interpretation of the work and they even distract the public from what is really important: listen to the wonderful music of Mendelssohn. The presence as narrator of the actress María Valverde, It was quite discreet; visibly nervous, read the text, at times, with little clarity, without having memorized it properly, for authentic emphasis.

Gustav Mahler (Kaliste, Bohemia, 1860 - Vienna, 1911) conceived his first symphony as a long symphonic poem in two parts and five movements, whose premiere took place in Budapest, in 1889, with the composer's own direction and that was a real failure. Mahler performed a major revision, turning the original work into a symphony in four movements, whose premiere he directed in Berlin, in 1896, being the one that is usually heard habitually.

As a great Mahlerian interpreter, Gustavo Dudamel got an impressive orchestral response, with performance truly on the edge of the different sections, with a sumptuous string, next to a very bright sound of the woods, especially the oboe soloist in his numerous interventions throughout the work. Highlight the vibrant and unusual fanfare of clarinets, in the first movement “Langsam, dragging (Like a sound of nature). But, especially, It is worth noting the very fine sound of the numerous set of brass instruments, formed by seven tubes, four trumpets, three trombones and tuba, emerging with tremendous power in perfect conjunction with percussion, strings and woods in the numerous "orchestral tutti", that mark this score, especially in that imposing start of the fourth movement "Stürmisch bewegt (Tormented, hectic)”, and in the long concluding coda of the symphony. Inside a very high interpretive level, noteworthy is the execution of the third movement, esa “Trauermasch (Funeral march)”, which begins and ends with the famous melody "Frere Jacques", interpreted in canon form, and started with the faint sound of the timpani, to which the solo cello is incorporated, and it is being taken up by the fagots, the cello ensemble and the tuba. The melody reappears fleetingly to showcase clarinets, bassoons and horns, and it is once again the conclusive theme of the movement with the sounds of timpani, bassoon and violin in pizzicato, that are fading until they disappear. Great performance by Gustavo Dudamel and La Mahler Chamber Orchestra in Peralada.

Last 8 August took place in the Church of Carmen de Peralada, an extraordinary baroque music recital entirely devoted to works georg Friedrich Handel, with the participation of lsoprano Nuria Rial, tenor Juan Sancho and the Baroque ensemble Capella Cracoviensis, led by its owner Jan Tomasz Adamus. The concert was entitled HUMAN LOVE, LOVE DIVINE, with a program prepared by Juan Sancho, of arias and duets from operas, cantatas and oratorios of Händel. Soprano benefits, tenor and orchestra were of high quality. An enthusiastic audience applauded with great force interventions singers and orchestra. This recital shows again the interest Peralada Festival aims baroque music.

The Catalan soprano Nuria Rial, It is developing an important career since he debuted at the opera The secret marriage Cimarosa, in 1998, in the Teatro Principal in Barcelona. Nuria Rial he oriented his career towards the Lied, Baroque and Renaissance music, as well as some Mozart operas. It has emerged as a singer of great international prestige, especially in Germany. His discography is extensive, taking in the last ten years an exclusive contract with SONY CLASSICAL. Precious voice and penetrating timbre, very bright and very well planned, with excellent and contrasted fraseo, mastery of all records and excellent resolution of coloratura.

Seville tenor Juan Sancho, He specializes in Baroque and Renaissance repertoire, having performed in the greatest theaters in the world. It has an extensive discography. He holds a superb technique, with an attractive voice timbre, magnificent phrasing and mastery of all records. Achacársele only could the voice, at times it is left behind lacking projection.

Nurial Rial wore her magnificent voice in all its interventions soloists: in the aria "I was lazy river" Cantata Aminta is Fillide Gorge 89, He offered an excellent fraseo, with a ridge line full of inflections, to show melancholy and sadness. Very bright was his interpretation of the aria "Let the bright Seraphim Oratory Samson Gorge 57, with superb resolution of agility, aria where a slow and fast alternating sections. Small dialogues highlight singer and trumpet, within a magnificent orchestral sound. The aria moves in a high tessitura where the soprano showed excellent high register. En el aria “With darkness deep” del Oratorio Theodora Gorge 68, a perfect combination of orchestra and singer occurs, who shows his brilliant vocal conditions, with excellent phrasing and the issuance of beautiful notes in pianissimo. Extraordinary interpretation of the aria "Eternal Source of Light Divine", of the Ode for Queen Anne, Gorge 74, began with the execution of beautiful melismata in conjunction with the orchestra, which leads to the magnificent trumpet solo performance that will establish continuous dialogue with the singer and shading his voice. The melismatic singing in a high tessitura, with occasional execution of trills, It will be the keynote of this beautiful aria, where Nurial Rial gets one of his best performances of the entire recital.

Juan Sancho shines in his first solo intervention, the aria "Prigioniera ho l'soul" from the opera Rodelinda, Gorge 19, with a good resolution of agility. The tenor also moves well in the high register. In the aria "With honor let desert be crow" belonging to Oratorio Judas Maccabaeus, He showed a flawless performance style, with excellent resolution of melismatic singing. Important solo trumpet at the beginning of the aria and accompaniment intervention and dialogue established with the singer. In the aria "È un folle" opera Alcina Gorge 34, Juan Sancho offers a song of bravura moments, with excellent acute rises. Highlight its full interpretation of warmth and musicality of the aria "waft her, angels, througt the skies "belonging to Oratorio Jephta, Gorge, with beautiful notes played in pianissimo.

In the numerous duets, the two singers showed good rapport: The first "Tra amplessi innocenti" Cantata Cecilia, a turn thy gaze, Gorge 89, It was superbly played, inserting in virtuosic variations repetitions, profusely corner melismático, with excellent orchestral response which highlights the continuous sound of the harpsichord, in small interludes that punctuate this breakneck pace duo, where two singers follow or join their voices with beautiful effects. In the duo Iole and Hyllus "O prince Whose virtues" belonging to the opera Hercules, Gorge 60, highlights the brilliant orchestral performance, and shines exceedingly voice Nurial Rial, with excellent resolution melisma and the occasional trill; Y, converge when the voices of both singers the best projection of the soprano note. One of the highlights of this recital is the interpretation of the duet "As steals the mourn" the The Allegro, The Penseroso and Moderate, Gorge 55, with excellent introduction of oboe and bassoon whose sound will shine end duo. The orchestral sound was very bright in the accompaniment to both interpreters, they look with beautiful vocal inflections. Equally, It was very beautiful duet "Dite Spera and are happy" opera Ariorante, Gorge 33, with a magnificent performance. En “Who calls my parting soul” del oratorio Esther, Gorge 50, He highlighted the soft, lilting orchestral sound, with both singers offering a high level of interpretation and where warm voice Nuria Rial, emerges with absolute brilliance and beauty, showing a bright high register. In the last duet "Happy, happy we!" from Acis and Galatea, Gorge, the voices of soprano and tenor offer a full interpretation of overflowing joy.

Providing excellent magnificent ensemble Capella Cracoviensis, well directed from the harpsichord by its owner Jan Thomasz Adamus, with some brilliant performances of the dancers pages: “Sarabande”, “Menuett”, “Gavotte”, "Enter pleasant dreams", "Enter fatal dreams" y "pleasant dreams input scared" of ópera Alcina Gorge 34 and "Ballo" of Ariorante. also highlight the orchestral performance of the overture. Long (II) Opera The pastor fido, Gorge 8, where the woods were emerging with force of orchestral sound . Once the concert, before the continuous applause from the audience, singers returned to interpret the beautiful duet "As steals the mourn". In sum, a magnificent baroque concert.

Last 9 August the concert took place Juan Diego Florez in Peralada, with arias and duets from Italian and French repertoire, where the Peruvian tenor was accompanied by Armenian soprano Ruzan Mantashyan and the Symphony Orchestra of the Vallés, directed by Guillermo García Calvo. Juan Diego Florez again showed his superb vocal and interpretative quality and a great ability to call, since the auditorium was completely full Peralada (the tickets had sold out long ago) of an enthusiastic audience that he had even come from abroad.

Time passes at high speed and still remember that recital at the Church of the Carmen de Peralada, in 2002, where Juan Diego Florez, debutant festival ampurdanés, He enthralled the audience with his beautiful voice, elegant phrasing, great musicality and an extraordinary high register that the Peruvian tenor exhibited generously, Rossini ary different and, especially, in his interpretation of "A mes amis" of Daughter of the Regiment Donizetti, with its nine C4, always included in his recitals. So, I had occasion to interview, where I said his admiration for Alfredo Krauss, and came to tell me that was not among his future projects sing Edgardo Lucia of Lammermoor, considering it a role away from her vocal possibilities. For many years, his performances have been focused on Rossini repertoire, with assiduous attendance at the Festival of Pesaro, where it has come to play up to twelve different roles. Also it included in his repertoire characters from operas by Vincenzo Bellini great demand in the high register, as of Elvino La Sonnambula and Arthur I Puritani, next to another of his favorite creations: Tonio Daughter of the Regiment.

Juan Diego Florez has been able to wait for their vocalism matured and was ready to make a transition to a more lyrical repertoire, maintaining the beauty of its instrument timbres, careful phrasing and homogeneity of records. Definitely, the turning point in his career, It occurred when successfully debuted Edgardo Lucia, Liceu in Barcelona, in December 2015. Since then, with a wider central registry and a greater volume sound, He has been adding new roles to her repertoire: Werther by Jules Massenet Romeo Romeo and Juliette de Charles Gounod, near Hoffmann Tales of Hoffmann, de Ofenbach, Gennaro de Lucrecia Borgia. Y, Verdian their creations Fenton and the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto, He added Alfredo Germont from that of La Traviata. Definitely, It is getting to have a similar repertoire to that of his admired Alfredo Krauss, even, including two roles that the great tenor canary did not interpret considered unsuitable for voice: Roaul of Nangis of Huguenot of Giacomo Meyerbeer and Arnold Guillaume Tell Rossini. Y, Very recently, in April 2019, He added the character of Des Grieux Manon Massenet, another famous role which also made a great creation Alfredo Krauss. Next year, Juan Diego Florez debut of Rodolfo Bohemian Puccini precisely next to Mimi Ruzan Mantashyan- Krauss role only played two roles on stage and in studio recording a record, coming to sing Rodolfo say that quite often meant giving up the bel canto repertoire. Definitely, This will be the great future challenge of the Peruvian tenor.

In the recital has been heard in Peralada, Peruvian tenor has been accompanied by the young soprano Armenia Ruzan Mantashyan, good stage presence and possessing a beautiful timbre, moving well in the central register and an acceptable resolution of agility, although with a treble, at times, could not properly placed.

The concert began with the Overture to the opera Mignon of Ambroise Thomas, where Guillermo García Calvo managed to extract maximum performance to the discrete Vallés Symphony Orchestra. Interventions of the two singers began with fragments belonging to the opera Romeo and Juliet Charles Gounod. First, the tenor line showed excellent singing the famous aria "Ah! Lève-toi soleil "showing important idiomatic and stylistic mastery in the French repertoire. Then, the interpretó notable soprano manera "I want to live", and both singers, well attuned, They joined their voices in the beautiful duet "Nuit d'HYMENEE".

The orchestral performance of the overture The favourite de Gaetano Donizetti, I gave way to the second block of this concert dedicated to the belcantismo with fragments Lucia of Lammermoor de Gaetano Donizetti, starting with the great Act I duet "Sulla tomba che rinsera ..." very well played by Juan Diego Florez, showing her beautiful timbre, with excellent and proven fraseo, and where Ruzan Mantashyan made a remarkable resolution of agility but with obvious problems in their attacks on the high register, extreme and strident notes quite misplaced. The tenor faced with true mastery throughout the end of the opera, showing en el aria "Tombs of my ancestors, the last remnant of an unhappy ESTIRPE", a song full of melancholy, that makes, genuine anger and frustration at what it sees as a betrayal of Lucia "Ungrateful donna!... "to conclude his performance with the cabaletta" Fra little to me ricovero "where the tenor qualifies to the maximum his song to show the infinite penalty that has produced the news of the death of Lucia.

The second half began with the performance of the famous aria "Salut, chaste and pure dwelling "for Splendor Gounod, well played by Florez, but with little variety of accents, placing the bound C4, but the ease of yesteryear. Mantashyan Ruzan's performance improved considerably with respect to the first part, playing very significantly "Ah! I laugh to see myself so beautiful in this mirror " , the famous aria of the jewels, also Splendor, where coloratura soprano decided While French, and he offered a good line edge, better controlling uploaded to acute.

Muy buena interpretación del dúo "I marked the hour of departure ... .We live in Paris both", from Manon Jules Massenet, sung with style and great musicality. The remarkable orchestral performance of the overture to the opera L'amico Fritz de Pietro Mascagni, He gave way to the interpretation of the entire final scene of Act I of Bohemian Giacomo Puccini, where Juan Diego Florez was brilliant in the famous aria "Che gelid Manina", with an emission highly controlled, expressiveness and excellent phrasing, C4 emitting very well and concluding aria with great elegance. Ruzan Mantashyan showed his affinity with the character of Mimi, showing an expressive and delicate line singing the aria "Sì, My name is Mimi ", and both performers endowed intense lyricism of the duet "O soave Fanciulla", with which officially ended the concert. Strong and continuous applause led to a series of tips, the first one "Oh! My dear papa "de Gianni Schicchi, of the Triptych Puccini, where the Armenian soprano gave his best performance of the entire evening. Juan Diego Florez was showcased with the famous "Granada" by Agustin Lara, and two singers showed strength and gracejo in duo Solea Rafaelillo of the Gato Montes Manuel Penella. then, and like all the public expected, Peruvian tenor appeared to play guitar in hand with sympathy and strong communication skills with the public, the songs: “Palmero”, "The flower of the cinnamon" and a heady "Cucurrucú dove", and conclude the concert with an excellent rendition of "Nessun dorma", from Turandot Puccini, which it caused a real delirium of the public. Definitely, a concert to remember.

DONIZETTI, BRIGHTLY CLOSES THE SEASON IN VALENCIANO PALLUCIA GAETANO DI Lammermoor DAU DE LES ARTS.

By Diego Manuel García Pérez.

The six performances of Lucia di Lammermoor that have taken place in the Palau de les Arts, They have resulted in a major victory. this opera, true paradigm of bel canto repertoire, and it was represented at this theater, in 2010, with great success, especially by the presence, so, young Georgian soprano Nino Machaidze and Italian tenor Francesco Meli. The performances this year have fallen short of those, especially for the excellent performances of the Anglo-Australian soprano Jessica Pratt, Chinese tenor Yijie Shi and Alexander Vinogradov Russian bass, next to the magnificent performance of the Orchestra of Valencia, directed by Roberto Abbado, who he was dismissed as musical director of the Palau de Les Arts, after good work, not always recognized. Another attraction of this Lucia is the -Fortunately- suitable scenery to the time when the action unfolds. Y, as, the magnificent performance of the Choir of the Generalitat, which again showed his quality. An enthusiastic audience applauded at length and with great force at the end of representations.

Lucia di Lammermoor is the most famous opera by Gaetano Donizetti, whose prolific output ranks forty-seven of a total sixty-six titles, with scores preserved. Year 1835 It was especially important to the world of opera, since the 24 premiered January I Puritani, the last opera by Vincenzo Bellini, who died in 23 September of that year, just three days before the premiere of Lucia di Lammermoor, Teatro San Carlo in Naples. Salvatore Cammarano then artistic director of this theater, It was commissioned by Donizetti to write the libretto, which it was based on the novel The Bride of Lammermoor by Walter Scott, published in 1819, and which is recounted real facts occurred in August 1668, where Scottish aristocrat had forced his sister to marry another noble; she was in love with an enemy of his brother, tax stabbed her husband in the wedding night, for then mad. Unlike the novel and opera, the husband survived and imposed absolute secrecy family about everything that happened. However there were all sorts of speculation and history is kept alive by family tradition and was known by Walter Scott to write his novel. Premiere, Lucia di Lammermoor had extraordinary success that has been lasting until today. The first Lucia was interpreted by Fanny Tachinar-Persiani, one of the most famous sopranos of the era whose tessitura of lyric-light, It allowed him to make a full vocal and interpretive display at the big scene of madness, one of the great landmarks of the bel canto repertoire all. Edgardo's role was played by the great tenor Gilbert Duprez, the first to issue the famous C4, with chest voice.

For many years the character of Lucia was interpreted by voices in slight excess, more concerned exhibit vocal virtuosity, to the extent not interject cadences written by Donizetti, for lucimiento. Ya, in the twentieth century, There sound documents light sopranos interpreted Lucia: Maria Barrientos, Amelita Galli-Curzi, Mercedes Capsir (entity with greater vocal, and interpreter in 1929, the first studio recording of this opera), and especially the Franco-American Lily Pons, tiny voice, nice and penetrating timbre, with excellent projection, causing her to succeed in the old Metropolitan, large theater in which his voice expanded easily and where was the official Lucia since its debut, in 1931, until his last performance, in 1958, in both cases with that character, who would play in almost one hundred fifty performances. Lily Pons was able to perform true vocal prowess with absolute mastery of coloratura and superb upper register which held, easily, a stratospheric note as MI5. Lily Pons Lucia played with all the great tenors of his time: Beniamino Gigli, Giacomo Lauri-Volpi, Giovanni Martinelli y Francesco Merli, with younger voices like Ferruccio Tagliavini and Giuseppe Di Stefano; Y, especially, with American Jan Peerce and Richard Tucker, with whom he made a recording studio, in 1954. It can be heard on Youtube, in different interpretations of the scene of madness, as well as his great duet of Act I Edgardo, recorded in 1950, next to the beautiful voice of Giuseppe Di Stefano. As well, in Act II duet with Enrico, played by the great baritone Leonard Warren. Y, a curiosity, You can also hear full on Youtube, a shot live from Fort Worth (Texas, USA), in 1962, where a Lily Pons, virtually retired from the stage, sharing deal with a very young Placido Domingo twenty-one, which it offered its beautiful timbre and interpretive capacity.

In 1952, Maria Callas first he performed by the Edgardo Lucia Di Stefano Giuseppe, at the Teatro Bellas Artes in Mexico City, reinventing the character, giving it a dramatic entity hitherto unknown, based on his extraordinary theatrical ability, keeping the vocal virtuosity, within the concept of dramatic soprano of agility. two studio recordings made by EMI preserved: the first, in 1953, with the singer at his best vocal moment, junto a Giuseppe Di Stefano y la Orquesta de Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, directed by Tullio Serafin, and the second, in 1959, with the Philharmonia Orchestra, also directed by Tullio Serafin, next to Ferruccio Tagliavini Edgardo, with singer and vocal worse conditions, giving a view, at times, intimate and heartbreaking character. It should be noted between the two recordings live a shot, held in Berlin 29 September 1955, He has entered fully into the mythology of the world of opera, where Callas offers its magnificent vocalism, with an impressive dramatic performance, masterfully directed by Herbert von Karajan, in front of the RIAS Orchestra Berlin, producing a real symbiosis between director and singer; here again with Di Stefano and Giuseppe Enrico magnificent baritone Rolando Panerai Great. The famous sextet at the end of Act II, before the continuous applause, It is byssate. This recording can be heard entirely in Youtuve.

Callas's witness picked him up the great Australian soprano Joan Sutherland, wide center, good range of serious and extraordinary capacity for coloratura, with a perfect treble and treble emission, but not have the dramatic ability to Callas. He first performed at Covent Garden Lucia, in 1959 (you can hear full on Youtube, live a take those representations) and maintain the role in his repertoire for thirty years, being who more times it has played, over two hundred representations, with large Edgardos as Alfredo Kraus, Luciano Pavarotti y Carlo Bergonzi. Highlight their studio recording for Decca, in 1971, Luciano Pavarotti alongside a at its best, displaying his beautiful vocalism, Enrico powerful Sherrill Milnes and the magnificent and expressive interpretation of Nicolai Ghiaurov, como Raimondo, directed by Richard Bonynge leading the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Ya, at maturity, He participated in a series of performances at the Metropolitan, in 1982, directed by Richard Bonynge, Edgardo next to Alfredo Kraus, vocalism and flawless performance style. One of those representations was taken in video and DVD marketed by Deutsche GRAMMOPHON. Parallel to the performances of Lucia made by Sutherland, Creations include two other sopranos magnificent: Renata Scotto and American Beverly Sils, in the sixties and seventies of last century, Also alongside Pavarotti Edgardos, Kraus and Bergonzi. Later, They also made good creations Lucia, Edita Gruberova y June Anderson, although lower than sopranos aforementioned. It should be noted that in the last ten years has been Jessica Pratt, who very brilliantly he interpreted more times Lucia, with almost one hundred fifty performances.

The scenic proposal that has been seen in Valencia, It is a coproduction of the Monte Carlo Opera and the New National Theater in Tokyo, directed by Jean Louis Grinda. The sets designed by Rudy Sabounghi, are classic character, in line with the time the action takes place in the late seventeenth century. In the first scene it can be a great surrounded by water and cliff near a beach where Enrico Ashton move with several soldiers and his henchman Normanno, who he says mischievously has been seen prowling around a stranger, with all the appearance of being Edgardo di Ravenswood, the great enemy of Enrico Ashton. Decorated for changes repeatedly inserted a projection of a cliff, in beating the waves can be heard its maritime sound. In the second scene, the secret and passionate encounter Lucia and Edgardo occurs in the presence of Alisa, the chaperone Lucia, in a rocky enclave, where an old source is located, a painted background where menacing silhouette of the castle of Ashton Everyone appears sinister premonition! Act II, It takes place in a set that reproduces the great hall of the castle Ashton, and whose first scene are Lucia and his brother Enrico, who convinces with bad arts to marry his rich friend the noble Arturo Bucklaw; Y, Castle chaplain Raimondo Bidebent, friend and confidant Lucia, It advises her to accept the proposal of his brother. In the second scene, number of richly attired guests (excellent costume design by Jorge Jara) They sing and dance celebrating the upcoming marriage bond; Here you can be seen the successful stage direction by Jean Louis Grinda, moving many extras. The unexpected appearance of Edgargo, encourages the brilliant sextet Lucia, Edgardo, Enrico, Raimondo, Alissa y Normanno, where, in a different plane dramatic, each expresses his feelings, scenically very well resolved by Grinda. In this production, at the beginning of Act III, the scene of the tower is included, also with maritime background, which often often it omitted to avoid another change of scenery, and actually breaks the dramatic continuity and is only for the brilliance of tenor and baritone. Here the tense meeting Edgardo and Enrico occurs, can be a tower in ruins, whipped by the waves. In the second scene reappears the great hall of the castle where the wedding guests celebrated by; the celebration is suspended by the presence of Raimondo, who announces the tragic news of Arthur's death at the hands of Lucia in the marriage bed. The ghostly appearance of Lucia, with bloodied wedding dress, begins the famous mad scene; Here one of the best scenic moments of this production occurs, when Lucia, evocative mode, takes up the main theme of his great duet with Edgardo, back into the hall of the castle, the decoration of the fountain scene. At the conclusion of the opera a strongly romantic landscape shown, with maritime cemetery where lie the ancestors of Edgardo, who commits suicide after watching the funeral procession with the body of Lucia, in this case throwing vacuum from a cliff.

Roberto Abbado was leaving the Palau de Les Arts directing this Lucia, a work that deserves all kinds of praise, getting from the same excellent sound opening with an imposing presence of the fallopian, they will have great prominence throughout the opera. Bellísimo was the orchestral accompaniment throughout the grand Lucia and Edgardo duet of Act I. Brilliant orchestral sound throughout Act II, in the great duo Lucia and Enrico and, especially, in the wedding scene with the combination of orchestra and choir, which reaches its climax in the famous sextet and the closing stretta. Magnificent orchestral performance, at the start of Act III (Tower Scene), playing a storm in conjunction with the sound of a raging sea. Excellent entering the final scene of the opera with a funeral chords heralding the tragic events to be produced. In the famous mad scene used the glassarmonica (glass harmonica), that could be heard when the play premiered Donizetti. It is an instrument created by Benjamin Franklin in the mid-eighteenth century, formed by a set of glasses and glass tubes, on a wooden base, emitting a characteristic sound, to seek frotadas. Very lucida intervention Sascha Reckert, a specialist of this instrument, in the accompanying Jessica Pratt, He managed to extract spectral sounds, in perfect conjunction with the voice of soprano. Apart from the great performance of the four horns, Noteworthy is the large harp solo intervention before the first stage appearance of Lucia, In the second scene of Act I. Excellent performance of the cello accompanying the intervention of Edgardo around the end of the opera. Emphasize the conciliatory work of Roberto Abbado very aware of the voices, highlighting its great rapport with Jessica Pratt who had directed in this role on several occasions.

Great performance by Jessica Pratt, showing timbral beauty and great stylistic mastery of the bel canto repertoire, with an excellent line of singing and great ability to link long sentences. Highlighting his mastery of the middle voices and sound regulations. Domain displays all records, with color homogeneity. They are spectacular and its sharp treble. Y, especially, It offers a perfect execution of agility from his first aria "Regnaba nel silencio" followed by the cabaletta "Quando, rapito in estasi "introducing variations in their repetition virtuosic. then, its interpretation will crescendo in the beautiful duet with Edgardo, especially in its final section whose recurring musical motif reappears on the scene of madness, where the soprano offers an impressive resolution of coloratura. Excellent Chinese tenor Edgar Yijie Shi, with great stylistic mastery and excellent singing line, although its timbre is not too attractive, It's a great singer, It is offering an intense phrasing and contrasted, with great mastery of all records, exhibiting a magnificent acute strip. Excellent interpretation of the great duet with Jessica Pratt. It stands out greatly, in his final scene giving his singing pathetic accents. It is also magnificent in his duet with Enrico Ashton played by baritone Alessandro Luongo, whose voice performance is well below the main characters, with little command of bel canto style. A real shame, because Enrico is a character for baritone absolute brilliance, with great moments like his big scene at the start of the opera or the great duet with Lucia Act II, where, compared with the performance of Jessica Pratt, They can be checked all its limitations. Excellent Russian Alexander Vinogradov low as Raimondo, offering a powerful vocalism, highlighting the duet with Lucia and especially in his great solo intervention "Ah! Cease that happy ". Excellent performance of the young Basque tenor Xabier Anduaga as Arturo sposino, whose magnificent vocalism augurs a bright future career. Bien half the rusa Olga Syniakova, as Alisa. Correct the tenor Alejandro del Cerro as Normanno. Magnificent interpretation of famous sextet followed by "stretta", which he concludes Act II, where the voice of Jessica Pratt, emerges strongly from the chorus and solo voices.

The Choir of the Generalitat offered, a great performance, especially in Act II, where his performance shone high, as well as the introduction of the mad scene, and around the end of the opera. Anyway, Lucia di Lammermoor one to remember.

https://youtu.be/xlByMMGVW-M

Iolanta of CHAICOVKY OBTAIN A GREAT VICTORY IN PALAU DE LES VALENCIANO ARTS.Por Diego Manuel García Pérez.

The four performances of Iolanta that have taken place in the Palau de les Arts, They have resulted in a major victory, especially by the excellent performance of the Orchestra of Valencia, superbly directed by Henrik Nánási, with a remarkable set of singers, with perfect idiomatic and stylistic mastery as required in the Russian repertoire. All this combined with a simple but very attractive scenery visual, and the presence of the always bright Choir Valencia, in this case the female section. In January 2012, this opera could already be heard at the Palau de les Arts, in concert.

Piotr Ilich Chaikovski (1840-1893) It can be considered the most Russian composer of all time popularity; Y, Although it is known primarily for its contributions to the symphonic world and ballet, his operatic creations were important and showed great interest in this genre, with the composition of up to ten operas, of those who have just had real resonance Eugene Onegin (1879), and to a lesser extent The Queen of Spades (1890). His other operas of great quality are very poorly represented: The Maid of Orleans (1881), Mazeppa (1884), Cherevichki (Tsarina's slippers) y Charodeyka (the hechizera) both of 1887. His last opera Iolanta (1892), He is having in the last ten years some notoriety, since it opened in 2009, the production of the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, with stage direction by the Polish Mariusz Trelinski, it could also be that same year at the Festspielhaus Baden Baden and the premiere of this opera at the Metropolitan New York, in January-February 2015, always with the magnificent performances of Anna Netrebko as Iolanta and orchestral direction of Valery Gergiev. Liceu in Barcelona, in January 2013, Anna Netrebko also sang Iolanta, in concert, direction of Valery Gergiev. So, It has been instrumental in spreading the tandem Netrebko opera-Gergiev. As well, It was performed at the Teatro Real in Madrid, in January 2012, in a joint production of the Bolshoi Theater and the Moscow, what he supposed the premiere of the opera in Spain. In March-April 2016, It was performed at the Palais Garnier in Paris, production also including the ballet Nutcracker, both works with stage direction by Dmitri Tcherniakov. Precisely, Chaikovsky was released in a double program Iolanta and her Nutcracker ballet, Mariinsky Theater in, he 18 December 1892. January-February 2019, Iolanta has again been represented in the Metropolitan and functions that have taken place in the Palau de les Arts, in both cases, the Mariinsky Theater production of the, with the musical direction of Enrik Nánási and Mariusz scenic Trelinki. So, Notorious is the growing interest in this last opera by Tchaikovsky.

The libretto in a single act with eight scenes and a final scene, It was conducted by Modest Chaicovsky younger brother of the composer, based on the work Danish King's daughter René, The Herink Rudolf Hertz, set in the Provence of the fifteenth century, where the story of the blind princess Iolanta and her father King Rene account, which holds around a circle of fiction, so you may not be aware of their misery. Finally, the Count of Vaudemont Goffriett, Princess love, you will discover that what private lives, encouraging her desire to see, clincher to be cured by the Arab physician Ibn-Haqia, hired by King René. The story has another main character Robert Duke of Burgundy, friend Vaudeamont, foreordained child to marry Iolanta, without knowing his blindness. Roberto is in love with another woman, although willing to face their old commitments. Finally, Princess recover sight, and the story will end happily with the marriage of Iolanta and Vaudemont. wonderful music composed by Chaicovsky, shows the brilliance as an orchestrator of the Russian composer.

There are many recordings of Iolanta, both DVD and CD. Highlight a take on video 1982, held at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow and marketed by the label VAI DVD, which it has an excellent set of Russian singers: galina Kalinina (Iolanta), lev Kuznetsov (Vaudemont), Igor Morozov (Roberto), Artur Eisen (king René), Ruben Vardanian with at the front of the Bolshoy Theater Orchestra of the. One of the classic recordings of this opera, It is taking live with excellent sound, held in Paris Playel room, in 1984 and released on CD by the label ERATO, with magnificent and very nuanced interpretations of Galina Vishnevskaya (Iolanta) Nicolai Gedda the (Vaudemont), Mstilav Rostropovich led to the front of the Orchester de Paris. This recording can be heard complete on YouTube. The DVD published by the Teatro Real in Madrid, Iolanta synthesized representations with Perséphone Stravinsky held in January 2012, with a cast of good Russian singers: Ekaterina Scherbachenko (Iolanta), Pavel Cernoch (Vaudemont), Dmitri Ulianov (king René) and baritone Alexei Markov excellent (Roberto), led by Teodor Currentzis. Of great interest is making video, made in 2009, in the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, fully available on YouTube, of the aforementioned production of the theater, with musical direction of Valery Gergiev and stage of the Polish Mariusz Trelinski, with the excellent performance of Anna Netrebko (Iolanta), with magnificent Sergei Schorokhodov (Vaudemont) y Alexei Markov (Roberto). As it mentioned, this production is what has been seen in El Palau de les Arts.

This version, moves the action from the fifteenth century to a period that can fit in the forties or fifties of the last century, with a simple scenery designed by Boris Kudlicka, dominated by the structure of a cube, where it is only cover one side, a wall where deer skulls are hung with huge antlers; the wall has a door, when the structure turns can be input externally as a hunting lodge, just as Vaudemont and his friend Roberto come into play. In this structure quite oppressive lives Iolanta, giving the impression of a hospital room where her friends are watching over Marta, Briguitta and Laura, dour-looking nurses. Holographic projections show a mottled dark forest surrounding the passenger compartment, where trees floating in space with their roots bare, conferring to the place a truly ghostly, very much in keeping with the world of shadows surrounding Iolanta. After the initial meeting of Iolanta and Vaudemont, where strongly attracted, that dark forest begins to be pierced by the dim light of a sunrise, which lets you see the beat of the leaves of trees, one of the most beautiful scenic moments of this production, symbolizing the hope that Iolanta regain vision. In the final scenes there is excessive proliferation of lights and light beams, They are arriving to dazzle the public. The costumes designed by Magdalena Musial plays with the contrast of black and white colors, reflection of light and darkness that dominates this story. Ya, in the final scene, when the princess has regained sight, She appears wearing a bright dress, symbol of that radiant light, allowing you to see the real world. Highlight the stage direction of Mariusz Trelinski, who manages to extract the maximum of theatricality to the actions of each of the interpreters.

Dirección de excelente ENRI Nánási, with the magnificent performance of the Orchestra of Valencia. Hungarian director showed his knowledge of the score, knowing highlight the smallest details, While driving dynamics and intensities, with outstanding conciliatory work very aware of the voices, which in this case they were of sufficient volume to cross the barrier at times orchestral sound forte. It was bright orchestral intervention from the same opening, where only intervened instruments woodwind, highlighting the sound of the English horn and bassoon. Throughout the work include the magnificent performance of the string, already evident in the opening scene, gorgeous orchestration, which he highlights the sound of harps. Excellent speeches clarinet soloist at the scene and the concertmaster second violin in the long introduction of "nana" lovely ending with the third scene. The orchestra shone greatly in the great duo Iolanta and Vaudemont, especially in the recurring musical motif always related to light, it will reappear in the final scenes of the opera played by the protagonists and only by the orchestra. Was very bright conjunction conductor, solo voices and chorus in the great opera concertante closing. Highlight these dialogues orchestra and soprano solos that punctuate the Iolanta.

Very remarkable interpretation of Iolanta by Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian, displaying a beautiful timbre, domain of bound hand, moving well in all registers, especially with a powerful strip acute and showing a considerable volume, to surpass the orchestral sound in forte and emerge strongly in concertantes. Highlight the interpretation made in its initial aria "Atchevo eto ne prezhde znala. Neither I nor Toski mounts, ni slez (Why I never knew before or anxiety, nor pain, nor the tears?)"With an intense and expressive phrasing, glowing in the high register with increasingly higher notes and subtle scales down. Interspersed within his great duet with Vaudemont, interpreta el aria "Tvoe molchan'e mne neponjatno (I do not understand your silence)”, excelente associated with singing, While handling the voices stockings, regulating the sound of piano to forte and again showing great increases to ease acute. Very outstanding performance of the soprano in the great duet with Vaudemont, where both they interpret one arioso beautiful, with recurring musical theme, moving in a high tessitura, first tenor and soprano then with different messages, both voices coming together to sing so vibrant the same subject and conclude the duo with C4, Best projected by soprano. as Vaudemont, the young Ukrainian tenor Valentyn Dytiuk, shows a typical white timbre something Slavic voices, rotundas acquires sonorities in acute strip. He sang very well his aria "Nest! Chary lask mjatezhnoj mne nichevo ne govorjat (¡No! The charms of a fiery beauty not tempt me)”, where, apart from a brilliant rise to acute, mostro a song full of musicality with mastery of middle voices and regulators. Russian baritone Boris magnificent Pinkhasovich, in the role of Roberto, showing a beautiful and bright timbre, with a powerful registry grave, wide and bright treble center, with an incisive and full of expressive phrasing contrasted, playing with vehemence and passion his aria "Kto mozhet sravnit'sja Matilde 'doj MOEJ (Who can compare with my Matilda)”. Well the Russian bass Vitalij Kowaljow as King Rene, dominating role perfectly interpreted the I have on many occasions, with his deep, powerful vocalism, which looks at many moments of this opera, especially in his great solo intervention "Shto skazhet on? Kakoj promise proizneset ego doctrine? (What will he say? What will be the response of his science?)"Alluding to the Arab physician Ibn-Haqia, acceptably played by baritone Gevorg Hakobyan Armenian. Veteran magnificent performance under Russian Andrei Danilov as Almeric. Well the trio of friends from Iolanta performed by the mezzo-sopranos Olga Marina Pinchuk and Zharikova, with soprano Olga Syniakova, respectively Marta, Laura and Briguitta, especially in the "nana" lovely with a Iolanta sleeping in the third scene. Very prominent interventions of the Choir of the Generalitat Valenciana, Here restricted to female voices, first housed in the pit with the orchestra and the stage up to the end of the opera, shining greatly in the great conclusive concertante. Definitely, This is an excellent version of Iolanta, It is showing the beauty of this score.

https://youtu.be/mMmEwLvgk3Q

controversy “Magic Flute” The season opens in ArtsBy Diego Manuel García Pérez.

This controversial Magic Flute, with a transgressive staging of Graham Vick, It is purporting to show the serious imbalances affecting today's society, with a clear confrontation between the poorest and most privileged classes. Large placards and protest banners dominated the stage space and the lateral ends of the different floors of the room, with a lot of extras, They are moving both onstage and off. all, resulting is to divert attention from viewers what really matters: mozartiana wonderful music. Fortunately, Orchestra of Valencia, well directed by Lothar Koenigs, offered excellent sound and the Choir of the Generalitat was at his usual great height. Notable performance group solo singers, which include the Italian soprano Mariangela Sicilia, which he offered an excellent creation of Pamina.

The Magic Flute (The magic Flute) es un Singspiel (opera sung in German theatrical dialogues which include), in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. Its premiere took place at the Theater auf der Wieden popular in Vienna 30 September 1791, directed by Mozart with Schikaneder himself and playing the character of Papageno. It was the last premiere of composer, who died two months later, he 4 from December, with only thirty-five years. Today it seems clear that it was Mozart who proposed Schikaneder (multifaceted character: businessman, actor, singer, librettist and theater director), and not inverted, the creation of a German opera magical character. I wanted to repeat the great success, in 1782, with Singspiel The Enführung from the Seraglio (The Abduction from the Seraglio). The argument has been very controversial, through his messy network. It seems they started writing it Schikaneder and actor and singer Ludwig Giesecke, by the own Mozart, and criteria changed once written the first scenes, so that, magical comedy with a rueful Queen for the abduction of her daughter Princess Pamina and the gallant Prince Tamino in charge of rescue, It became more complex: an apology of Freemasonry, which clearly it alludes to convert the evil kidnapper of Pamina, the wise priest Sarastro, who governs a temple which is accessed beating tests where to display courage and strength of character. Tamino and Pamina, They manage to overcome sealing their love, despite the machinations of the Queen of the Night and the three ladies at your service. The most endearing character in the play is the simple Papageno, fowler, initially serving the Queen of the Night, and later become protector of the loving relationship between Pamina and Tamino. This argument is disjointed together by the extraordinary music of Mozart, orchestral fabric in which the voices of the different characters are inserted as an instrument. Obviously, It is a standard repertoire opera, There are many recordings on CD and DVD. Include two historic recordings, with magnificent orchestras and excellent performers, taken in studio and can be heard on YouTube complete. The first one was held in Berlin between 1937 Y 1938, with the great English conductor Sir Thomas Beecham, in front of the Berlin Philharmonic. In an environment already antebellum, Beechan could not finish recording; what, seems to be, It was completed by a young Herbert von Karajan. The cast was headed by two sensational performers: German soprano Tiana Lemnitz as Tamina, offering a voice of great purity and full of melancholy, next to Tamino Danish tenor Helge Rosvaenge, voluminous voice and beautiful, with a magnificent phrasing and absolute mastery of Mozartian style. The soprano Erna Berger makes an excellent creation of the Queen of the Night. The remastered edition for the Naxos label, significantly improves the original sound. The second recording recommended, It was made by EMI, in 1950, with the beautiful orchestral response of the Vienna Philharmonic directed by Herbert von Karajan, and a great voice cast with excellent Tamino Slovenian tenor Anton Dermota, auténtico estilista Mozart, a refined edge line, with German soprano Irmgard Seefried, a voice of great tonal beauty who plays a sensitive and delicate Pamina. Wilma Lipp makes a great creation of the Queen of Night, with superb mastery of coloratura. The other characters are played by great voices: great bass Ludwig Weber, a sensational plays Sarastro, Erich Kunz (Papageno), George London (speaker), Emmy Loose (Papagena). In the mid-fifties of last century, bursts into the opera scene the extraordinary German tenor Fritz Wunderlich, of beautiful vocalism and great dramatic temperament, Tamino whose creation is anthological, reaching often interpret. In 1964 (two years before his death, with just thirty-six years) Tamino played a recording studio in Deutsche Grammophon, with Karl Böhm in front of the Berlin Philharmonic, El Gran His Otter (speaker), Franz Grass (Sarastro), Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Papageno), Evelyn Lear (Pamina) and Roberta Peters (Queen of the Night). Escuchar a Fritz Wunderlich en el aria del retrato "This portrait is enchantingly beautiful", It is a true delight canoro.

There are two video shots, which can be heard complete on YouTube. The first one held in 1983, Opera in Munich, Wolfgang orchestral address Sawalisch, and sold on DVD by Deutsche Grammophon, with magnificent Tamino the Mexican tenor Francisco Araiza, of beautiful timbre and perfect adaptation to Mozartian stylistic repertoire, with excellent Pamina of the great Czech soprano Lucia Popp, a voice crystalline purity, and Queen of the Night of Edita Gruberoba, who shows his absolute mastery of coloratura. The second shot on video recommended, It was performed at the Zurich Opera House, Le year 2000 and sold on DVD by ARTHAUS MUSIC, Frantz orchestral address Welser-Möst, with gorgeous Tamino Polish tenor Piotr Beczała, whose voice is reminiscent of Fritz Wunderlich, Pamina next to the Swedish soprano Malin Hartelius, who brings voice and scenic beauty. The great Finnish bass Matti Salminen, It comprises an imposing Sarastro. Classic and very suitable Jonathan Miller scenic proposal.

It can not be said of scenic Mount Graham Vick, which has been seen in Valencia, coproduction with the Palau de les Arts, Birmingham Opera and the Festival of Macerata. Viewers who entered the room were surprised by a series of large posters hanging from all floors with protest messages: "Against gender violence", "In defense of the rights and freedom", "The system can not fight corruption because corruption is the system", "Fair pensions, the ". Number of extras invaded the stage and suffered some spaces viewers, what they wanted, He was having a good time listening to the wonderful music of Mozart. Y, all, It is the packaging of the set itself, performed by Stuart Nunn, (also responsible for costume design), where you can see three adjoining buildings: one of high altitude, on top of which, It appears the euro symbol (Financial power), Appel shop (The computing power, also home to the Masonic Temple) and a replica of St. Peter's Basilica (The power of the church). Of these buildings, at some point in the function, out amount of figurantes: financial executives smartly dressed and surrounded by sophisticated women, with military and ecclesiastical purple red, that make up the powers, oppressors of the people manifested with significant signs: “No, is not", "We also have voice", "We do not steal the future", "Diversity, Equality and Unity ", near these iconic buildings, bounded with defensive fences. The financial edifice is rotated at some point, can be seen in the back, missile battery connivance of economic and military power! or we shown the back of the basilica, where it appears a madonna, with his mouth covered The marginalization of women in the centers of power of the Catholic ecclesiastical world! Is inadmissible manipulation by Graham Vick of brilliant dialogues in German original text, with the inclusion of phrases in Spanish, where the impromptu chorus of figurantes acts as a Greek chorus leader, characters warning of the possible consequences of their actions or behavior reproaching. The aim of moving a work immersed in the world of the late eighteenth century to the current problems, should be entitled: The magic Flute with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Emanuel Schikaneder text, reviewed by Graham Vick. It ragtag costumes, from that elegant business suit carrying Sarastro, to Papageno wrapped in a chicken costume, through Tamino and Pamina dressed in tracksuit with a dress reminiscent of the doll Olympia The Tales of Hoffmann, or the three ladies crammed into monkeys workers, which they are removed exhibiting attractive clothing in line with leading her boss, the evil Queen of the Night Ah! Y, also signal the presence of an excavator which serves snake chasing Tamino, and a soprano scooters where children move. In the end, the collapse of the three emblematic buildings followed by a macrodanza where all participants evolve preamble of a world where peace and harmony!

Faced with so many extras, With continuous stage movements, It has much merit and the conductor Lothar Koenigs conciliatory work, with the excellent sound of the Orchestra of Valencia, already apparent in the overture, the largest composed by Mozart, with a surprising use of counterpoint, and is continued with music that envelops the arioso a frightened Tamino and scenic irruption of the three ladies. Orchestral highlight both the quintet resolution Tamino, Papageno and the three ladies, as the beautiful Pamina and Papageno duet. The orchestra shines greatly across the broad end of Act I, with that solemn accompaniment that gives real emphasis duo of Tamino and Sprecher, or sound of the magic flute solo in the second intervention Tamino, with music that marks the stage presence of Sarastro, and band-chorus assembly, which concludes that Act I. Ya, in Act II, Significantly, the introductory orchestral sound with the "March of the Priests" and the brilliant combination of orchestra and choir in the "Choir of priests". The orchestral sound envelops brilliantly the two solos Sarastro. Very prominent orchestral performance in the solo interventions of Papageno, with continuous audible presence of "glockenspiel". But, especially, noteworthy, the excellent orchestral sound across the broad end of the work, with musical moments of extraordinary quality: that great scene, where, Firstly, the two gunmen involved temple with Tamino, with a sound reminiscent of a dramatic oratorio, followed by the sublime duet of Pamina and Tamino, where beautiful orchestral interludes where looks are inserted the sound of the flute, with a concluding coda where conjoined brilliant way of chorus and orchestra. As in so many moments of this work, the contrasts between idealized world in which Tamino and Pamina move shows, and the tangible reality, with that comic Papageno and Papagena duet, where another plane also-- The orchestral sound is very bright. Beautiful combination of orchestra, solo voices and chorus in the brilliant end of this Singspiel. Within the high level of all orchestral sections include the sound of oboes, clarinets and bassoons with a special mention of the flute solo.

The large group of singers include the Pamina gorgeous Italian soprano Mariangela Sicilia, attractive voice timbre, with width and breadth, with excellent phrasing and ability to sound regulations. And shows his vocal quality in the beautiful duet with Papageno Act I, offering their best performance in Act II aria "Ach, I feel it, ESIST verschuwunden ", sung with great Mozartian style and dramatic high capacity. Magnificent interpretation of that sublime duet "Tamino mein! O welch ein Glück "next to Tamino played by the Ukrainian tenor Dmitry Korchak, wide voice with good high register, although showing gaps stylistic, sobre todo al afrontar la dificilísima aria del retrato "This portrait is enchantingly beautiful", which it requires refined technique and expressiveness. His performance improvement in the aria "Wie stark ist nicht dein Zauberton" accompanied by his magic flute. Emphasize his intervention in the trio of Act II with Pamina and Sarastro, played by German under Wilhelm Schwinghammer, very elegant stage presence, sings with style, but it suffers from those deep bass notes that requires the character. It is also subject to occurrences of Graham Vick, taking that move through the stalls and issue some words in Spanish. English baritone Mark Stone, comprises a funny Papageno, remarkable vocal and especially interpretive plan, taking also sing phrases in Spanish. Queen of the Night, Czech soprano Tetiana Zhuravel, It offers an attractive stage presence; Y, though his voice is small and slight excess, LOGRA resolver de manera notable la coloratura aria del "revenge Hell boils in my Hertz", with those very difficult chopped notes. While Moses Monostatos Marin. Very funny the three ladies: Camila Titinger, Olga Syniakova y Marta Di Stefano, belonging to the Centro Plácido Sunday. Sprecher acceptable played by the bass Deyan Vatchkov. Notably the creation of Papagena-soprano Júlia Farrés Llongueras, who, in his first appearance, Graham Vick, which forces her to stay contortionist in a small container, and genuine comedy that gives his duet with Papageno. While the rest of performers including three children-soprano moving in patinete.

The Choir of the Generalitat returns to its high quality in its many interventions throughout the work.

https://youtu.be/sMvyYmbFiD0
WITH REPRESENTATIONS THE DAMNATION OF FAUST OF HECTOR BERLIOZ, CLOSING THE SEASON OF THE PALACE OF ARTS. By Diego Manuel García Pérez.

The Damnation of Must (The Damnation of Faust) Hector Berlioz, He has closed the season at the Palau de Les Arts in Valencia. A season especially complicated by the resignations of Davide Libermore and Fabio Biondi. The Damnation of Must, It is a little-scheduled, despite his extraordinary musical quality, which usually are usually offered in concert, and in this case it was staged, with moments of undoubted interest, with others where excess prevail in the visual aspects. Definitely, the big winners of these representations have been the Orchestra of Valencia, and the Choir of the Generalitat Valenciana, next to the Choir School Boards Have Quart de Poblet and the Choir of the Virgin of the Helpless. Also noteworthy is the performance of Silvia Tro Santafe mezzo as Margarithe. Y, the extraordinary stage performance of low Ruben Amoretti in Mefhistophélès.

Hector Berlioz (La Côte-Saint-André, 1803 - Paris, 1869), still very young, had the opportunity to read the Should Goethe, in the French translation of Gérad de Nerval, and composed in 1829, Eight scenes from the life of Faust: 1.- "Songs of the Feast of Easter (Cantos Easter Festival)”, 2.- "Peasants under tillens (Peasants under the lindens)”, 3.- "Concert Sylphes (Silfides concert)”, 4.- "Écot of joyeur companions. Story of a rat (Presence of merry men. Story of a rat)”, 5.- "Song of Mephistopheles. History of a chip (Song of Mephistopheles. Story of a flea)”, "The King of Thule (The King of Thule)”, "Romanza Margarite Soldier choirs (Romanza de Margarita and chorus of soldiers)" Y 8.- "Serenade of Mephistopheles (Serenade of Mephistopheles)”. These eight scenes Berlioz served as the basis for the composition of Damnation Faust, conducted between 1845 Y 1846. The libretto was written by Berlioz himself and Almire Gandonnière. The play, halfway between the oratory and a symphony with vocals and lead vocals, It was called by Berlioz as "dramatic legend in four parts". The premiere concert version, It took place 6 December 1846 at the Opera-Comique (Salle Favart) from Paris, It is a complete failure and keeping only two representations poster. After the death of Berlioz, little by little, the work was having some impact, It is performed intermittently. Staged the first performance took place at the Monte-Carlo Opera, he 18 February 1893. Since then it has remained in repertoire, although with few representations, being interpreted, especially, in concert. It is from the fifties of the last century, when it began to be scheduled more frequently, especially as great singers such as Swedish tenor Nicolai Gedda and soprano Regine Crespin French, They begin to interpret, Having been made a shot live in 1959, during the Festival of Montreux, with the Orchestra and Choir of Radio French Television, directed by Igor Markevitch, Regine Crespin with (Margarita), Nicolaï Gedda (Splendor) and the great French baritone Ernest Blanc (Mephistopheles), full recording is available on Youtube and it is all a joy to listen to these singers. Nicolai Gedda maintained this composition in his repertoire for many years and you can listen to a live recording (also available on youtube), held at the Rome Opera, in 1969, with the Orchestra of the theater, superbly directed by Georges Prêtre. Here, Gedda makes an even better performance than ten years earlier, He is great at both ary, which he shows his great interpretive style and idiomatic domain, so necessary in the French repertoire. Margarita on this recording is played by a dazzling Marilyn Horne, who shines greatly in his two solos, and she and Gedda, They are extraordinary in their great duo. Nicolai Gedda also participated in a studio recording published by the Philips label, in 1973, superb sound takes, with the great Colin Davis (true specialist in Berlioz), leading the London Symphony Orchestra; Y, alongside the magnificent Gedda, you can hear the excellent performances of two French singers: the middle Josephine Veasey (Margarita) and baritone Jules Bastin (Mephistopheles). Ya, in the XXI century, They exist in video footage, both versions staged as in concert form, all available on Youtube. Include a magnificent first staged version, which it was taken on in the video Theater Monneie Brussels, in 2002, musically directed by Antonio Pappano, the head of the Orchestra of the theater, with a very young Jonas Kaufmann, doing a great interpretation of Faust, with excellent American mezzo Susam Graham as Marguerite and Mephistopheles of the great Belgian baritone José van Dam. You can also listen to Jonas Kaufmann in another staged version, which it was performed at the Paris Opera Bastille, in 2015, junto a Sophie Koch (Margarita) and the magnificent Mephistopheles Brian Terfel, with musical direction by Philippe Jordan, the head of the National Orchestra of the Paris Opera. English director Simon Rattle Orchestra, It has also shown great interest in this score, being it led in Berlin, in 2015, in front of the Berlin Philharmonic, in concert, with extraordinaria Margarita de la half norteamericana Joyce di Donato, Mephistopheles magnificent baritone Ludovic Tezier French and tenor Charles Castronovo American as Fausto. In September 2017, Simón Rattle, He returned to directing this work, Also in concert version, in front of the London Symphony, at the Barbican Theater in London, with an excellent cast made by American tenor Bryan Hymel as Fausto, with two English voices: Karen Cargill mezzo who plays a subtle and delicate Margarita, by the expressive baritone Christopher Purves Mephistopheles of.

Functions The Damnation of Faust, represented in Valencia, They have represented the first replacement of the co-production of the Palau de les Arts, Teatro dell 'Opera di Roma y el Teatro Regio in Turin, whose premiere took place in December 2017, en el Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, stage direction Damiano Michieletto, and he received the Franco Abbiati Italian critics award for best show of 2017. In this production, the protagonist is inspired equally in Splendor Goethe and Hamlet the Schakespeare, who experiences suffering as Fausto; see visions, attempts suicide and salvation is represented in a woman. Here you try to update the myth of Faust, giving prominence to a young man full of traumas, contradictory and full of life, who agree to participate in the evil Mephistopheles game.

In this assembly, the four parts nineteen scenes and an epilogue that includes the original work, They have become fifteen scenes each with a title and executed in continuity. Scenography designed by Paolo Fantin, It has a unique space: white room where you can see a large television screen, with two large automatic doors on each side, opening to a white halls with a bright and cold lighting. The entire top of the stage is occupied by a grandstand where the choir remains seated throughout the performance. A camera with Steadycam, He is recording characters and objects, that project in detail on the big screen. There are scenes really got, V like "LA NOSTALGIE (HOMESICKNESS)”, when we hear the chorus in "Canto Easter holiday", and where Faustus evokes a vision of his childhood with his mother, celebrating a birthday party. Margarithe also remembers his childhood in the scene VIII "LE PRESAGE (THE OMEN)”, seeing herself as a child, dancing and moving rhythmically stylish artistic gymnastics tape, while the music of "Les Sylphides Ballet" is heard. also note, parte of escena XI "THE GARDEN OF PLEASURE (THE PLEASURE GARDEN)”, during the great duo and Fausto Margarithe, with a projection reminiscent of the painting "Adam and Eve in Paradise" Cranach the Elder, complemented by a neon sign with the word "Paradisus", placed on stage. All final scene XV "LA PRIERE (THE SENTENCE)”, showing the funeral procession of Margarithe, It is of great beauty and emotion, enhanced by the superb lighting design Alessandro Carletti. But nevertheless, in moments of absolute orchestral role, It is enhanced too much the purely visual, and I mean the scene III "La peur (THE FEAR)”, where the protagonist is haunted, beaten and humiliated in school for several colleagues, before the impassive presence of others who recorded with their phones, of jocular, the terrible scene; Y, at those moments, He is running the famous "Hungarian March". No doubt, viewers tend to focus their attention on the stage action, rather than listening to great music being interpreted. Something similar happens in another major orchestral excerpts of this work "Menuet des Follets (Minuet Elves)”, belonging to the aforementioned scene (GARDEN FUN), with continued and histrionic presence on the television screen Mephistopheles, surrounded by several women makeup and help him dress snake. So, the staging is interesting but uneven, in an attempt to give continuity to a fragmentary dramatic work, that lends itself much more to be interpreted in concert. Highlight the excellent stage direction of Eleanora Gravagnola, Damiano Michieletto substitute these representations.

Good work of Roberto Abbado, maintaining pulse and dramatic tension, in an extraordinary musical quality score, where Orchestra Valencia, He shone high, with excellent brass and percussion, well combined with a sumptuous string and woodwind instruments, they have a major role throughout the entire work. Excellent orchestral performance of the famous "Hungarian March", and the "Ballet of Les Sylphides" at the scene VI "LE Presage (THE OMEN)"And" Minuet elves ", del "FUN GARDEN", definitely, one of the most brilliant orchestral parts of the work, where he highlighted the excellent combination of all instrumental sections, highlighting the sound of violas, with metals having excellent speeches trumpets and trombones along with the woods, especially piccolo, flutes and oboes. As well, in that same scene, include the orchestral sound in the "Serenata" Mephistopheles, to the accompaniment of pizzicato strings and the sound of flutes and oboes. Grand Conjunction orchestra, chorus and solo performers in the final part of the scene VIII "Le Desir (The desire)”, with outstanding interventions of metal and wood, especially clarinets and bassoon. Sounds impressive throughout the orchestral ensemble at the scene XIV "La Damnation (CONDEMNATION)"With a special mention of violas and oboe, marking the frantic race to hell. Beautiful music that accompanies the beautiful final scene "LA PRIERE (THE SENTENCE)”, with outstanding interventions harps and cellos.

The canary tenor Celso Albelo, Fausto plays. He began his performance with a small voice that came to be projected forward. Albelo was improving, although with certain problems when the orchestral volume grew. He sang remarkably, stylish and refined technique, famosa known aria "Thank soft twilight (Thanks sweet twilight)”, belonging to the IX "LA TENDRESSE scene (THE MELANCHOLY)”, with a beautiful fraseo, dominating with power and brilliance acute area. As well, He made a good performance in his other solo intervention "Nature immense, impenetrable and proud (nature immense, impenetrable and beast)"Scene XIII" LA victime (THE VICTIM)”, offering their best moments, in the intense and passionate duet with Margarithe, well it played by the magnificent mezzo Silvia Tro Santafe Valencia, who he wore his beautiful vocalism in the recitative-aria "Que l'air étouffaut ... ..Autrefois un roi Thule (The air is stifling ... .There was once a king in Thule ", X belonging to the scene "La Princesse ET LE DRAGON (THE PRINCESS AND THE DRAGON)”, singing with true style, Grand fraseo, adjusting the sound and moving very well in all registers, with brilliant highs and a great stage performance. Interventions excellent solo viola, during the aria, establishing a true duet with singer. True merit is his performance in this scene, where, while singing, It is beset by Mephistopheles, who even tries to abuse it. His big moment, It occurred in the beautiful aria "D'amour l'ardente flamme (Burning flame of love)”, in the scene XII "L'ATTENTE (WAITING)”, magnificently interpreted vocally and scenically, in this case with brilliant accompaniment of English horn. Also in this aria, the singer has to endure, stoically, scenic demands, performing the final part, pouring glasses of water over his head. Burgalés impressive performance under Ruben Amoretti, as Mephistopheles, with an almost continuous presence throughout the performance, showing a theatrical, to capture all the perversity of character, highlighted by expressive close-ups that appear on the TV screen. His vocal performance was also remarkable in its many interventions throughout the work. Highlight its interpretation of the aria "Voici des roses (Here roses)"Belonging to the scene VII" L 'PRESAGE (THE OMEN)”, or impressive performance throughout the scene XIV "La Damnation (CONDEMNATION)”. Eleazar correct under Jorge Alvarez as Brander in "The Song of the Rat" belonging to the scene VI "LA duperie (DECEPTION)”.

Outstanding performances of the choirs in their numerous interventions throughout the work. Highlighting greatly, across the great scene of "La Damnation" with that amazing chorus "Pandemoniun" sung in a language unintelligible infernal, invented by Berlioz. The Choir of the Generalitat next to the Choir School Boards Have Quart de Poblet and the Choir of La Mare de Deus, They offer a sublime interpretation, throughout the beautiful final scene of the play.

The five performances of Peter Grimes that have taken place in the Palau de les Arts, They have resulted in a major victory, because of the excellent combination of scenery, stage direction, a magnificent orchestral performance, magnificent performance of the solo voices, well complemented by a remarkable interventions of other performers that make up the extensive cast of this opera. Y, especially, a brilliant performance as always- Choir of Valencia Generalitad, true protagonist of the work. Highlight, Inter Palace of Arts, alternate titles for the more traditional repertoire, others like this Peter Grimes, which is complemented by two other operas by Britten: A Midsummer Night's Dream and Another twist, represented in previous seasons. Definitely, in the course of these performances of Peter Grimes, the public interest in attending them has increased, especially for the excellent reception given to the first function.

Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (Lowestoft, Suffolk County, England, 22 November 1913 – Aldeburgt, Suffolk County, 4 December 1976) It was one of the most important and unique musicians of the twentieth century, with a major symphonic production, concertística and especially operas with thirteen titles, which place him as a great composer genre, during the past century, junto a Richard Strauss, Leos Janacek and Giacomo Puccini. Peter Grimes emerged as Sergei Koussevitzky commissioned, director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Britten during the stay in the US, between 1939 Y 1942. Con a libretto by Montagu Slater from del poema The Borougt (The village) de George Crabbe, where also they involved significantly, Britten himself with the tenor Peter Pears (collaborator and life partner Britten) who he was destined for the role of Peter Grimes. The premiere took place at London's Sadler's Wells Theater the 7 June 1945, only one month after the conclusion of World War II. In the euphoria of victory achieved by Britten and Pears, pride representing the birth of a new English opera was added, the first since the death of Henry Purcell 1695 or the last play of Haendel 1741. Peter Grimes is a lone fisherman, dreamer and both primitive and brutal, totally marginalized by the social environment inhabited, and only try and respect the teacher Ellen Orford Village, in love with him and Captain Balstrode, old retired navy. Grimes lost and accidentally successively three of his apprentices, which leads him to madness and a tragic end. Britten tried a recurring theme in most of his operas: the drama of outcasts faced with a hostile society, hypocritical and cruel exterminating just. Musically it is a prodigious work, full of imagination, wit and eclepticismo, wherein shake hands various influences: Verdi, in fusion orchestra, voice and dramatic situation; Debussy, Mahler y Richard Strauss, in the harmonic and orchestral color painting; Stravinsky, in the imposing rhythmic force; Puccini, especially his Fanciulla del West. As well, It should be noted certain influences of Dimitri Shostakovich Lady Macbeth, who was a great friend of Britten, dedicating his Symphony No. 14. In its formal structure, clear divisions shown recitativos, arias, duos and set numbers, with admirable dramatic unity and an orchestral role waving dramatic tension and links the seven scenes of the opera with six symphonic interludes powerful effect.
After his first London functions, and in just three years, Peter Grimes premiered in Stockholm, Antwerp, Zurich, Paris, Milan, New York and Los Angeles. His very late release in Spain took place at the Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid 1991 and later he was represented at the Teatro Real in Madrid, in 1997. After its strong momentum, the opera was poorly represented in the fifties of the last century. From 1963, will return to the scene of his debut at London's Sadler's Wells Theater, directed by Colin Davis, who will become since then and for more than forty years, in Peter Grimes great Guaranty. There are several recordings on CD and DVD, enabling an approach to this opera. In 1958, the first studio recording was made for Decca, with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Benjamin Britten himself and an excellent Peter Pears as Peter Grimes. In 1969, the BBC made a film, superbly set, directed by Brian Large, currently marketed on DVD by Decca, Britten again in front of the London Symphony Orchestra, Ambrosiano Choir and Peter Pears, linking his great vocal performance an extraordinary performing arts, next to Ellen Orford, superbly played by soprano Heather Harper, who for many years will be the true benchmark of this character. Canadian tenor John Vickers first played Peter Grimes, in January 1967, in the Metropolitan New York, with musical direction of Colin Davis, since become, a key role in his repertoire, coming to interpret it for the rest of his career, in over a hundred functions, in major theaters around the world. Creating Vickers is excellent in the vocal plane, exhibiting a proven and incisive phrasing and equipping its expressive performance, highlighting the wild and crazy side of the character. Vickers made a studio recording for the label PHILIPS, in 1978, junto a Heather Harper, directed by Colin Davis at the helm of the Orchestra of Covent Garden. There is a take on video DVD sold by WARNER MUSIC, from 1981, performed at Covent Garden, production of the famous stage direction by Elijah Moshinsky and musical Colin Davis, where Vickers makes a retrospective creation of Peter Grimes, again accompanied by Heather Harper. Peter Pears o John Vickers, They are the largest Peter Grimes history, his creations are very different but complementary to give a complete picture of this complex character.

Valencianas these functions has been used historical production 1994, para el Bruselas currency Theater, dirigida por Willy Decker, which could already be seen in the Teatro Real in Madrid 1997. This has been François replacement of carpentries and Rebekka Stanzel, those responsible for the stage direction, with excellent results. The simple set design consists of a sloped floor where some large panels ranging delimiting different spaces move: church, Grimes's hut; Y, playful Tavern, with red hues that give a disturbing aspect, enhanced by the superb lighting design Trui Malten, especially when the door and a distorted shadow of Grimes opens projected on the wall, with a clearly expressionist tone. Y, especially, that seabed, more intuited that displayed, which dominates the whole work. In this scenery play a very important role numerous extras (protagonists and chorus members) moving on stage in compact groups, giving real boost to the development of dramatic action. scenically highlight the entire end of Act II, where, they are mixing with others visible spaces off: the party that forms the door with all the notables of the town, driven by the carrier Hobson drumming, towards the hut Grimes, and disappears from the scene, where there are only, in a first plane, four women: The Tabernera Auntie, his two nieces and Hellen Orford; Y, upstage can be up right and left dark silhouettes, as a birds of prey other women, finally they make a dark and stalker group, which it acts as a counterweight to the four women lying in the foreground perfectly visible. The dramatic action continued at the start of Act III, in another visible space: the cabin where are Peter Grimes and grumete, who begin to hear the drum sound announcing the arrival of the delegation cited above, which causes great disruption to Grimes, who forces the boy to fall into the sea off a cliff, where just despeñando; Grimes will help him (another scene off.) leaving the empty cabin, in which the party breaks, and again displayed. also note, the stunning end of the first part of Act III, scenically very well resolved, showing a vociferous and madding crowd, compact group, you want to lynch Grimes. In sum, a magnificent scenery of John Macfarlane, also responsible for costume design (based on black and red colors) while suitable -to 1830- in which the action takes place.

Orchestra of Valencia shone high, directed by American Christopher Franklin, to whom blame can not properly care for the dynamics, with a propensity to offer, at times, a sound somewhat flat line, using excessively sound in forte. This was illustrated, especially in the great "orchestral tutti", where some difficulty perceived in differentiating sound levels, with influence of metals on the remaining sections. This is no obstacle to highlight the magnificent performance of all orchestral sections, with a magnificent string, and the great brilliance of different instruments, especially in those precious "Sea Interludes": the first of them, "Dawn (Dawn)"As a prelude to Act I, descriptive in nature, where shines greatly the sound of flutes and violins in high register (very present during the development of the entire first scene of Act I) suggesting the flight and the cries of the seagulls or the combination of clarinets, violas and harp to show the flow of the waves. In the fourth interlude the famous "Passacaglia", located between the two scenes of Act II, with outstanding interventions of metals in conjunction with rope, and tubes with the harp or the brilliant finish sound confluence viola and celesta going to disappear fading. Very bright the implementation of the fifth Interlude "Moonligh (Moonlight)"Begins with Act III, with the impressive sound of the string as a funeral march which are inserted, at times, flute and piccolo and metals are incorporated in a large crescendo, to conclude with the sound set of xylophone and harp. also note, at the conclusion of Act II, conjoined sound of bassoons and celesta. Impressive orchestral sound in conjunction with the choir, in the concertante which concludes the first scene of Act III.

Gregory Kunde played for the second time Peter Grimes, the first was in Rome Opera 2013, and their performance was very noticeable in the vocal level and especially in the dramatic, penetrating the psychology of this complex character. Very well in his soliloquy in Act II "Now the Great Bear (Now the Big Dipper)" where, looking at the stars, meditates on his unhappy fate. Interprets notably in Act II aria "In dreams l'looks built (In my dreams he had built)"Where alternate moments of great lyricism, with those typical very Puccini inflections, with others where the song takes on aggression and violence. Y, It is very bright, with a very nuanced and theatrical performance, its final soliloquy "Steady! There you are……What harbour scheters peace (Calm! You are here!……What port it is possible to find peace?)"Where ya, completely crazy thinking, again, in that sad fate of which can not escape, and just sobbed and full of despair. Kunde is magnificent in duets Ellen Orford: which they interpreted a cappella, in the Prologue, full of hope, where both make plans for the future, with a delicate ridge line; Y, especially, the Act II, where they are contrasting serenity and sanity Ellen with violent and irrational behavior of Peter. Notable her performance in the great duet of Act I, with Captain Balstrode (well played by baritone Robert Bork) Grimes states where all your dreams and hopes and the great contradictions of his personality, in contrast to the realistic and accurate vision of Balstrode, who with his advice to Grimes, shows the great esteem he feels for him. American soprano Leah Partrigge shows certain deficiencies in the low and middle registers, but it is in possession of a sharp excellent and great theatricality that gives its interpretation. It is magnificent in its confrontation with the crowd, in Act I, and makes a wonderful and nuanced performance with exquisite singing line, in his aria in Act III "Embroidery in chilhood (when she was little)”, followed duo with Balstrode. also highlight its great performance in the beautiful quartet acute-a reflection of the role of women in relation to men- with Auntie tabernera (discreetly interpretada por la means Dalia Schaechter) and two well sung by sopranos nieces and Giorgia Rotolo Marianna Mappa, both belonging to Placido Domingo Development Center. Rosalind Plowright made an important career as a soprano in the seventies and eighties of the last century, combining a good vocalism and a great stage presence. Here as mezzo and sensitively aged, makes a remarkable interpretation of the gossipy and spiteful Mrs. Sedley. While the rest of the large cast.

Special mention Valenciana Choir Generalitad, shining a high level during his numerous interventions throughout the opera. Notably his performance in the course of the first scene of Act I, and that, in a perfect symmetrical structure, also closes the opera, when Ellen Orford and Captain Balstrade, after tragedy, re-integrate into the community dynamics. Anyway, an excellent Peter Grimes.

just ten years ago it was represented for the first time El Palau de Les Arts, Verdi's Don Carlo, then with the excellent direction of Lorin Maazel disappeared They were still good times for Palau! This opera has again scheduled to officially open, last 9 from December, the new season 2017-18, with the presence in the cast of incombustible Placido Domingo as Rodrigo Marquis de Posa. Madrid singer to turn seventy-seven years, still a real jerk, to the point that almost all entries of the five performances scheduled, had run out well in advance. The premiere was marked by controversy arose a few days before, Davide Livermore with the resignation as Mayor and artistic director of the Palau de Les Arts. Before the beginning of representation requested a spectator applause for Livermore, which it was followed by a standing ovation. After the break, when he was about to start Act III, a voice shouted "conceller coward", seconded by applause and numerous other voices saying "out political" or "do not be a burden opera". All these spontaneous demonstrations, show the tremendous discomfort of a public, who disagrees with political decisions, that can harm this important operatic center. Hopefully everything is resolved, for fans to the world of opera, we can continue to enjoy excellent programming offered by this theater. The complex world of opera should be managed by real experts, that are not mediated by political interests.

Don Carlos emerges as commissioned Giuseppe Verdi French government, on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition which was to take place in Paris, in 1867. The theme chosen was an adaptation of the play Don Carlos, Infante of Spain de Schiller. The magnificent drama of German poet dated back 1787, and it was a work of intense political content, where Schiller, performing a harsh critique of authoritarian Felipe II, strongly influenced by the Inquisition, against the desire for freedom from his son Don Carlos Infante and his friend Rodrigo Marquis de Posa. The playwright was inspired for his work, in an episode of the "black legend" that Felipe II, they devised William of Orange, responsible for rebellion against the Spanish Empire of the Netherlands and Antonio Perez, unfair secretary of Felipe II. That episode was the death in prison of Don Carlos, heir to the throne, in circumstances never clarified. It is a historical reality that when Infante was a child, She had thought of him marry the daughter of Henry II of France, Isabel de Valois. Finally, it was intended, when he was only thirteen years, to be the wife of Philip II, widower twice. Away all historical reality, Schiller's work argued that Isabel Valois, as a teenager, I had met in France to Don Carlos, I was his age, establishing a relationship between the two, finally cut short by the marriage of Isabel with Philip II. The reunion of Don Carlos and Isabel, It is the trigger for the drama written by Schiller, where the detention and death of Don Carlos had been caused by jealousy of Philip II, discovering the old relations of her son with Isabel and support the Infante was giving the Flemish rebels, harshly persecuted by his father. From the work of Schiller, Joseph Mery and Camille du Locle, They prepared a great libretto. With this material Verdi got put music to a long text moral and political dialogues, with fierce criticism of the Inquisition, represented by that terrible and sinister character of the Grand Inquisitor, in the shocking scene of his duet with Felipe II. This is a story about friendship, love, jealousy, the parent-child conflicts, who was always interested in Verdi; Y, especially, the loneliness of power, captured in a stunning monologue of Philip II. The work followed the conventions of the Grand Opera, with a structure in five acts, and in Act III insertion of a certain size ballet, called La Peregrina.
The premiere of Don Carlos was in the Imperial Opera in Paris (later called Palais Garnier) he 11 March 1867, with the assistance of Emperor Napoleon III and his wife Eugenia de Montijo, who greatly he disturbed by the way in which Verdi was Philip II. Parallel to the version written in French, Achilles Lauzières, He prepared a translation of the libretto into Italian, which it premiered at the Teatro Comunale of Bologna 27 October 1867. Over the years, Verdi decided to reduce the opera to four acts, where Act I of the French version is removed (Act of Fontainebleau) and ballet. This version premiered at the Teatro alla Scala, the 10 of January of 1884, and is that shown most commonly.
Don Carlo representations were very low during the first half of the twentieth century. From 1950 again it is programmed with some regularity, being the character played by Don Carlo Jussi Björling great tenors as, Richard Tucker, Franco Corelli, John Vickers y Carlo Bergonzi, who in 1965 He made an extraordinary performance, in a reference recording studio (Italian version in five acts) sello of Decca, with Renata Tebaldi as Elisabeth de Valois, the stunning Princess Eboli Grace Bumbry, the splendid Philip II of Nicolai Ghiaurov, the elegant and subtle Posa of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and the imposing Grand Inquisitor Martti Talvela, directed by Georg Solti at the head of the Orchestra of Covent Garden.
It should be noted the magnificent creations of Don Carlo conducted by Spanish tenor Jose Carreras as, Jaime Aragall, and especially Placido Domingo, who more times interpreted, since he debuted at the Vienna State Opera, in 1967, to about latest features, Also in that same theater, in 1992. During these twenty-five years, Sunday has left an important legacy of this opera record, with numerous live recordings, between them, two video shots: in 1978 (Teatro alla Scala) Posa next to the great Renato Bruson, with Claudio Abbado and 1983 (Metropolitan de New York) next to the magnificent Isabel Valois played by Mirella Freni, James Levine direction. Of all his interpretations, which include study conducted in (Italian version in five acts) EMI, in 1970, with Montserrat Caballé as Elisabeth of Valois, the extraordinary Éboli Shirley Verret, Felipe II Ruggero Raimondi of and Sherrill Milnes as Posa, with the superb direction of Carlo Maria Giulini at the head of the Orchestra of Covent Garden. This recording is referential next to the Solti, and it, Sunday makes one of the best performances of his career. curiously, and last twenty-five years of his last Don Carlo, Sunday has taken up this opera, playing the baritone role of Rodrigo Marquis of Posa, which he debuted at the Vienna State Opera, last June and he has returned to play in the Palau de Les Arts.

Don Carlo depicted in Valencia is the version in four acts, being a production of the Deutsche Oper Berlin scenically Marco Arturo Marelli directed by, also responsible for set design and lighting design. I know my predilection for reproducing productions, as closely as possible, both its scenery and costumes a particular historical period, and that more needed in operas such as Don Carlo is still made. Definitely, these productions are extremely expensive, but they are particularly bright. Y, can serve as an example of Franco Zeffirelli mounts, John Dexter or Hugo de Ana. In this Don Carlo he has opted for a minimalist scenery with large mobile panels that are moving to narrow scenic areas, enhanced, At different times, a good lighting. Gaps which form between the panels, for much of the representation, take the form of cross, in an attempt to show the great religious influence on political power at the time of Philip II. Scenic objects are minimal: a small monolith crowned by numerous candles that appears at the beginning and end of the opera, some sidewalks or vacuum conjugal bed, Philip II contemplated with infinite sadness in his big scene in Act III. Costume design is attractive Dagmar Niefind, the historical character being worn by women predominantly dark tones, except the character of Eboli, who wears a green dress. The menswear, It is timeless, with distinctly modern details like that carrying briefcase slung the Marquis of Posa. Dark colors contrasting with the deep red of ecclesiastical vestments, especially in the great scene Autodafé, one of the most accomplished moments of this production. Acceptable stage direction of Marco Antonio Marelli, who at the end of the opera takes license with respect to the original text, with the shooting of Don Carlo and his friends flamingos, reminiscent of the famous painting by Goya, "The Shootings of the Moncloa".

Great performance by the Orchestra of Valencia directed by Ramon Tebar, who showed great knowledge of this verdiana score, offering a careful reading, intense and contrasted, where the orchestral sound greatly shone in the "Song of the Veil" in Act I, and especially in the great scene of the Coronation and Autodafé, Closing of Acto II, with an outstanding intervention metals. As well, the orchestral accompaniment gave a tremendous dramatic dialogue between Philip II and the Grand Inquisitor in Act III. Note the execution of the soft and delicate music that introduces the Act II. Other great orchestral moments occurred in the duo of Felipe II and Isabel of Act III, and the same act trio with Éboli, Posa and Philip II, with excellent rendering of the cellos. Very beautiful flute sound and metals, when death occurs Posa. Lovely dialogue is serious rope and metals in the prelude to Act IV. Special mention deserves the brilliant solo cello intervention in the great scene of Philip II, at the beginning of Act III. Providing superb oboe and English horn accompanied Isabel's aria of Act I "Non pianger compagna mia". Brilliant orchestral sound accompanying the "Duo friendship" Don Carlo and Posa, Table I at the end of Act I, which appears repeatedly in different moments of the opera. Excellent work of conclusion of Ramón Tebar very aware of the voices, in particular by facilitating the work of Placido Domingo. In sum, orchestral performance was the great attraction of this Don Carlo.

Placido Domingo has expanded its huge repertoire, the role of Rodrigo Marquis of Posa, who played for the first time last June, at the Vienna State Opera, precisely when the fiftieth anniversary of his debut as Don Carlo was fulfilled in the same theater. Upon hearing the magnificent creation of the unfortunate Infante of Spain, by a jovencísimo Sunday, of beautiful timbre, with a splendid Verdian singing line, and check your logic current state vowel, arises at least for me- great sorrow and longing. Posa is one of the most beautiful Verdi baritone roles created by. It is a character of presence and vigor youth, the same age as Don Carlo. So, the first problem, Domingo is its absolute lack of scenic adaptation, because with their physical appearance today, -typical of someone about to meet seventy-seven years- in his scenes with Don Carlo, seems his father and even his grandfather. Another problem is the lack of timbral differentiation Don Carlo, and Domingo sings baritone with tenor roles. To this short fiato and loss of vocal volume which makes it almost inaudible in the concertante is added. But nevertheless, still it is able to offer a line of singing verdiano, much better than his castmates. Y, in his great scene of Act III, It is able to overcome shortcomings and interpret very significantly, While ligand notes, bellísima the air "came to me the day supreme", giving a singing lesson verdiano. When he went to say hello, at the end of the representation, the audience gave him a standing ovation, aware that they were in the presence of the last great myth of opera.
Andrea Caré in the role of Don Carlo, He offered an attractive timbre moving well in the acute area, although showing difficulties in the passageway. He was undemonstrative, with a monotonous and lacking phrasing of intentionality. His best moments were his duet with Éboli of Act I, and especially the great final duet of Act IV, with Isabel de Valois, played by Maria Jose Siri, who showed good vocalism, with secure high register, although with a very limited range of bass and singing, at times, inexpressive. He made a remarkable vocal performance on the expressive plane Worse- de on air Acto I "Do not weep my partner". It was pretty toned Trio in Act I, Eboli and Posa with. His performance was gaining in intensity in his duet with Felipe II, Act III, getting deliver a magnificent performance of his big aria in Act IV "Tu che la vanita", with excellent sound regulations even running a creditable "messa di voce" and beaming with certainly a Si4.
Violeta Urmana offered an interpretation of Eboli, full of expressivity, although the vocal plane had some difficulties in implementing the agility in his aria in Act I "Nell Giardin the beautiful" (Song veil), where, curiously, He was cut the last part of repetition, with a series of bars omitted, that advance the orchestral moment that marks the presence of Queen. Very well in her duet with Isabel Act III, followed by very difficult aria "O don fatale" who played with art and real courage, although it lacking in the low register and a sharp somewhat intemperate and suspenders.
Alenxander Vinogradov low as Felipe II, He offered a stunning vocalism, although not really into singing style verdiano, and this is evident in his duet with Posa Act I, where Placido Domingo, if it shows a good command of phrasing verdiano. The Russian bass made a very remarkable and nuanced interpretation of his big scene in Act III startup, "She giammai m'amo ... .Dormiró nel mantle sun" and is magnificent in the stunning duet with the great inquisitor played by Marco Spotti low, lacking the roundness of deep bass that requires this role, where it is clearly surpassed by Alexander Vinogradod, one of the big winners of this Don Carlo.
While the rest of the performers, emphasizing the soprano Karen Gardeazabal as the transvestite Tybalt, ridiculously characterized mustache including, and the voice of Heaven starring Olga Zharikova, It is appearing on stage with a baby being taken away.
As usual, excellent performance of the Choir of Valencia Generalitad, in its numerous interventions, proved highly commendable its work, in times where voices are imbedded in the gaps left by the movable panels, as in the case of the scene of the "Auto de Fe".

Like last year with Turandot, he Peralada Festival He has chosen another title Pucciniano, Madama Butterfly, with a big win for his starring Albanian soprano Jaho Ermonela, in the interesting scenic proposal Joan Antonio Rechi, located in Nagasaki devastated by the explosion of the atomic bomb. Scheduled for day 7 Y 9 of August. The second performance had to be suspended at the end of Act I, due to intense and persistent rain.

In the early twentieth century, Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 1858-Brussels, 1924) It was as a composer of great international prestige. his operas Manon Lescaut (1893), Bohemian (1896) Y Tosca (1900) They had achieved great successes. But nevertheless, the premiere of his next opera Madama Butterfly, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, he 17 February 1904, It was a complete failure, despite the presence of magnificent singers: Rosina Storchio como Butterfly, next to Pinkerton Zenatello Giovanni and Giuseppe De Luca Scharpless. Possibly, the great fiasco was due shortly trials (the composition was not completed until late December 1903), and the excessive length of Act II, which lasted about ninety minutes. Puccini undertook a review of the work by eliminating some passages of Act I, Act II dividing into two separate parts by a large orchestral interlude, including a new Pinkerton aria "Addio Fiorito asil" and shortening the end of the opera. The new version was released with great success in the Great Theater of Brescia on 28 May 1904.

A third version translated into French, It was premiered in Paris, he 28 December 1906, further cuts which mainly affected the end of the opera, conducted by Albert Carré, director of the Opera Comique, with the consent of Puccini. For the premiere at the Metropolitan New York, he 11 February 1907, Puccini again used the version of Brescia, with slight variations and with an impressive cast including the Butterfly Geraldine Farrar, Enrico Caruso as Pinkerton and Scharpless Antonio Scotti. Giulio Ricordi made an edit, in 1907, based on the Parisian version, which can be regarded as the definitive, with about twenty minutes less music with respect to the first version SCALIGERA. Geraldine Farrar became a benchmark Butterfly, being it played in every season of the Metropolitan between 1907 Y 1922, sharing deals, first with Caruso and later with other great tenors as Giovanni Zenatello (the first Pinkerton), John McCormack, Hipolito Lazaro, Giovanni Martinelli y Beniamino Gigli. Other famous Butterfly of the time were Elisabeth Rethberg, Claudia Muzio and Lucrezia Bori.

The fifties and sixties of last century were a golden era for opera, by the presence of large Butterfly as Eleanor Steber, Renata Tebaldi, Victoria de los Angeles, Clara Petrella, Maria Callas, Renata Scotto, Leontine Price, Antonietta Stella, Monserrat Caballe and Pilar Lorengar. Victoria de los Angeles Butterfly played many times in theater, since the debuted at the Metropolitan New York, in 1951, legacy having two excellent recordings for EMI: in 1954 Giuseppe Di Stefano y en 1959 junto a Jussi Björling, in both cases with the Orchestra of the Rome Opera, respectively led by Gianandrea Gavazzeni and Gabrielle Santini.

Renata Tebaldi was also a magnificent Butterfly, who played for the first time in theater, Liceu in Barcelona, in 1958, performing the same year a recording for Decca, next to Pinkerton of Carlo Bergonzi, directed by Tullio Serafin Orchestra in front of the Academy of Santa Cecilia. Renata Tebaldi sang Butterfly especially in Metropolitan neoyorkino, keeping it in his repertoire to 1961. Maria Callas was an occasional Butterfly bringing his vocalism and extraordinary dramatic talent, debuting the role in a recording for EMI, in 1955, with Nicolai Gedda and the great orchestral direction of Herbert von Karajan in front of the Teatro alla Scala Orchestra, and that same year performing at the Opera of Chicago its unique three performances in the theater next to Di Stefano Pinkerton Giuseppe.

In the sixties, He bursts with great force Butterfly Renata Scotto, bringing together voice beauty with great performing arts, and first he performed at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, in 1964, keeping it in their repertoire for over twenty years with some final performances at the Metropolitan, in 1987. His recording for EMI 1966, It is truly referential, with excellent Pinkerton of Carlo Bergonzi (much better than recording with Tebaldi), alongside the magnificent Sharpless of Rolando Panerai, and the extraordinary Sir John Barbirolli address in front of the Opera Orchestra of Rome. In 1974, and a recording for Decca, Herbert von Karajan reprized this score, the head of the Vienna Philharmonic, in a sumptuous version of the big Butterfly Mirella Freni (He not the never sang on stage), by the dazzling Pinkerton Luciano Pavarotti and the Suzuki Grand Christa Ludwig.

Last December was seen at the opening of the season at the Teatro alla Scala, the first version of Butterfly, orchestral Riccardo Chailly, and whose availability on the Internet allows you to set the differences with the smaller version usually often heard. The cast intervened Uruguayan soprano María José Siri as Butterfly, with two of the performers we have heard in Peralada: Pinkerton's American tenor Bryan Hymel and our Carlos Alvarez as Scharpless.

The Madama Butterfly Represented in Peralada is a co-production of this festival and the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, which it was released a few months ago in the German city of Duisburg (North Rhine-Westphalia), with the stage direction of the Andorran Joan Anton rechi. The scenery Alfons Flores places the action at the US consulate in Nagasaki, in a sumptuous lounge with high classical columns whose bottom wall can be a large US flag. A turntable allows the movement, at times, scenic elements like the elegant office of consul Scharpless, or the many characters appearing on stage during the wedding ceremony between Butterfly and Pinkerton, and even, the appearance of the marriage bed where both interpret the precious final duet of Act I. then, You can hear the engine noise of an airplane and a thunderous sound that reproduces the burst of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, being able to see the destruction of the consulate whose columns are plummeting based gorgeous visuals prepared by the lighting designer Alberto Rodriguez.

As well, It can be seen as an observatory, a crude platform that will play an important role throughout the end of the opera. Definitely, This scenery may be interesting from a dramatic point of view to highlight the physical and moral tragedy that has engulfed Batterfly, from the start-abandonment of Pinkerton, after the wedding. It should be noted glaring inconsistencies between text sung and performance space, when Butterfly Suzuki sends flowers to look at this barren place, or when Pinkerton says that after three years the landscape has not been changed. They are well resolved scenic movements of the many characters in the course of Act I, producing moments of great beauty when the figure of Butterfly appears completely surrounded by white umbrellas.

Highlight costume design by Merce Paloma, where the Western and Eastern world is mixed: elegant and appropriate costumes Pinkerton and Scharpless or traditional kimono bearing Butterfly, compared with Western clothing from relatives and friends, in the case of male extras combined with those typical bows that look in their hair. Good stage direction of Joan Anton rechi, who manages to extract the maximum of theatricality to the actions of each of the characters, especially the protagonist.

Madama Butterfly Wagner has clear influences, with the inclusion of number of repeat units within a brilliant orchestral fabric in which the voices are inserted as an instrument. It also contains many passages of an evanescent and colorful impressionist music. So, This is an opera that requires a good orchestra, whose director knows capture the many details of this rich score. In this case, the provision of the Symphony Orchestra of Bilbao was not discreet, with an address by the Israeli grandmaster Dan Ettinger unsophisticated, prone to excessive sound volume without getting to highlight the many moments when the score acquires a dimension of intense lyricism, the entry into scene Butterfly or conclusive great duo of Act I. Woods acceptable sound, metals and percussion, with an irregular supply of rope. It was incomprehensible sound interruption, when it was running a prelude to Act III, so it was divided into two parts.

Jaho Ermonela Butterfly has made its most paradigmatic role since I interpreted for the first time in Philadelphia, in 2009. He could already hear his magnificent performance at the Liceu, in 2013, and very recently, the months of June and July at the Teatro Real in Madrid. Without having vocal forcefulness, the character required in Act II, and especially around the end of the opera, It offers a nuanced performance, making the most expressive match each word and each phrase sung. During Act I, tímbrica clearly showed that it requires the naive and fragile Butterfly, of only fifteen, performing a rendition of "Ancora un passo" in a crescendo concluded with the phrase "they are venuta to richiamo d'amor, d'Love "topped with a stunning Re5.

Interpretative offers a lesson in the beautiful duet with Pinkerton at the end of Act I. Ya, in Act II, He made an extraordinary and nuanced interpretation of the famous aria "Un bel di vedremo", emitting beautiful filados; Y, He showed great ability to talk singing in duet with his long Sharpless, providing a tremendous dramatic content to phrases like "Due cose far potrei: back to the fun gente co oppur sing ..., better, die ", Scharpless when he raises the possibility that Pinkerton will not return. His interpretation throughout the end of the opera, It was impressive, with esa demoledora recitada phrase "he dies with honor who can not serbar life with honor" para continuar con el aria "Tu, you, Small god ", to which it equipped with pathetic accents, again showing its magnificent high register. Located throughout the final scene on the above platform; suicide when he fell down the dagger, having sufficient resources to resolve the situation. Ermonela Jaho was involved in such a way his character, he even greeted the audience sobbed.

American tenor Bryan Hymel, He showed a voice of great power and attractive timbral in acute strip, losing brilliance in the central and low registers. His stage presence shows the most arrogant and vile seducer facet of Pinkerton. All this is reflected in its initial duet with Sharpless, and when he sings the aria of self-assured manner "Amore or cricket, I could not say ". But nevertheless, their performance declines in the great final duet of Act I, with little singing nuances compared to the exquisite interpretation of Ermonela Jaho. Ya, the end of the duo, both together voices emitting a C4, well projected forward by the soprano and the tenor was left behind. His best intervention occurred in the aria "Addio Fiorito axil".

Sharpless of the Magnificent Carlos Alvarez, elegant and full of nobility, He is showing his beautiful vocalism and great stage performance, going qualifying, Firstly, in its initial duet with Pinkerton who accompanies his evil game. Ya, in Act II, in that great duet with Butterfly, where he shows his mastery of singing and conversation with an incisive phrasing contrasted. Speaking brilliant results in the lovely trio "Io so che alle sue pene" with Suzuki and Pinkerton, where the voice of baritone malagueño imposed on the other two. In the duet that follows with Pinkerton "Non ve detto l'avevo?"Again offers its excellent line of song ending his speech with a solemn and nuanced phrase" Andate, the sad truth alone will learn " . In sum, great interpretation of Carlos Alvarez.

The middle Gemma Coma-Alabert He outlined a Suzuki of great lyricism and expressive power, that he realizes from the beginning of the bad conscience of Pinkerton. Well in Act II, in their specific interventions well together with Ermonela Jaho, and it has its culmination in the moving Flower Duet. Viçens Esteve made a good interpretation of the person concerned and histrionic Matchmaker Goro. Excellent young baritone Carles Pachón in his brief speech as Prince Yamadori.

The performance of the Coro del Liceu, It was improving in the course of representation, resulting discrete input in the scenic Butterfly, improving the precious "O Kami! O Kami!, and getting their best performance in the famous "Coro mouth shut", that closes Act II.

Text: Diego Manuel García Pérez
pictures: all Ferrer

American veteran tenor Gregory customer (Kankatee, Illinois, 24 February 1954), He debuted in the early eighties of last century with a lyrical voice light, which allowed him to meet and bel canto roles mozartianos. Suffering from cancer 1994, diagnosed after some representations The Italian en Algiers from Rossini, at Teatro de la Zarzuela, He managed to overcome severe illness and resume his career 1996. Over the years his voice has changed, becoming more physicality and volume, deriving the tenor tessitura lyric-spinto. From 2009 a new stage of his career began to incorporate its first repertoire paper verdiano, the Arrigo The Sicilian Vespers. In 2012 He sang for the first time Otello from Verdi, paper that has succeeded in recent years in major European theaters, It is one of the few tenors in history that have addressed the two Otello, the rossiniano and verdiano, and this took place successively in the months of July and August 2015, in the Teatro alla Scala and at the Peralada Festival. In the past five years he has been debuting in other Verdian roles: Radames' Aida, Manrico de The Troubadour, Don Alvaro de The force of Destiny, Rodolfo de Luisa Miller, Riccardo A masked ball. He has also successfully tackled other roles as Turiddu of Cavalleria rusticana, Canio the I Pagliacci, Des Grieux in Manon Lescaut, Andrea Chènier and Pollione of Rule. In recent years he has sung more sporadically bel canto roles as Roberto Devereux, who played in the Teatro Real Madrid in 2015 and Mozart's Idomeneo in Palau de Les Arts Valencia in 2016; Obviously them- He has lost capacity for agility, It is addressed assiduously much more dramatic repertoires.

In his recital of Peralada, accompanied by the Valencian pianist José Ramón Martín, It has been able to confirm a voice fatigue given its incessant activity. Nowadays, the voice is certainly voluminous, easily for singing in strong, difficulties for middle voices, a serious problem, and trend, at times, an irregular emission color changes in the voice. All this is mitigated by its great theatrical capacity, To refine the most of their interpretations.

The concert began with a dedicated block Vincenzo Bellini composed of three beautiful and soft songs: "Vaga luna che inargenti", "Melancholy, gentle nymph " Y "Valve, or pink lucky ", well they interpreted and served for the tenor voice warm and then addressed brilliantly aria-cabaletta Pollione "Meco at the altar of Venus ... ..me protege, Me defends " in Rule, inserting in the aria the C4 and relevant variations in the repetition of aria and cabaletta. The recital continued with the performance of two songs Rossini: “Remoteness" Y "Tyrant to Spanish”, interventions both excellent pianist José Ramón Martín, and where Kunde offered a song full of musicality and expressiveness. The first part of the concert ended with the complex aria Arnold "Asylum hereditary" from Guillaume Tell Rossini, that Kunde faced with courage and good line edge, emitting vibrant treble, although not with the brilliance of yesteryear-the years take their toll- and I mean the interpretation offered by Guillaume Tell in Corunna, in 2010, directed by Alberto Zedda, sadly missing this year. So, their interpretation of "Asylum hereditary"It turned magistral, followed by cabaletta "Friends, friends" (omitted in Peralada) with excellent sustained rises to C4.

The second part of the program began with a dedicated block Verdi with three songs: "Sunset", "The Mystery" y "Brindisi" where the singer had some difficulties in their attempt to issue middle voices. It was magnificent interpretation of recitative-aria of Riccardo "Perhaps he drew threshold ... .But if I am forced to lose you" from A masked ball, sung in the best Verdian style, with an elegant and incisive phrasing. The inclusion in this recital of aria "How cold your little hand" from Bohemian from Puccini was not too appropriate, as the voice of Kunde, nowadays, lacks that youthful timbre required by the romantic Rodolfo. But nevertheless, the singer most notably played without using score, although he spent on tenterhooks in the C4, Quickly cut and toned down. Ya, to conclude the recital, It turned out brilliantly dramatic performance full of expressivity, the Air de Canio "Recite!….Wear the jacket" from Pagliacci, definitely, Your intervention. Highlight the magnificent performance by pianist José Ramón Martín, very attuned to the singer.

Gregory Kunde offered a couple of encores flawlessly performing songs “What a wonderful world” Y "My way”, which respectively they popularized in the sixties of the last century Louis Amstrong Y Frank Sinatra.

It is made at fault not included in this recital any aria Otello Verde, so many triumphs role has meant for the American tenor in recent years and has recently performed at Covent Garden in London, alternating deal with the media Jonas Kaufmann, with a much higher performance offered by the German tenor.

The Castell de Peralada Festival, He held its thirty-one edition, offering a varied program that included several opera recitals, among them, those offered by the young Russian soprano Julia Lezhneva and veteran American tenor Gregory customer, which they took place respectively on 5 Y 6 August in the Church of Carmen de Peralada.

Julia Lezhneva (Sakhalin Island, Russia, 5 December 1989) It is one of the great figures of the current lyric. Specialist baroque repertoires, Mozart y rossiniano. His meteoric career is proving, since inaugural gala performance at the Rossini Festival in Pesaro in its edition 2008, when he was only seventeen years. In May 2010 He was invited by Kiri Te Kanawa to the gala awards "Classical Brit Awards" at London's Royal Albert Hall. The big New Zealander soprano said in presenting it: "Occasionally a truly exceptional talent appears and I think Julia Lezhneva is just that. The brightness of the voice and technique deeply impressed ". In October 2010 She came his triumph at the International Opera Competition in Paris, and since then his career has gained special relevance, acting in numerous recitals worldwide, and interpreting different operatic roles as Asteria Tamerlano Handel, directed by Mark Minkowski (one of his mentors) which marked his debut at the Salzburg Festival 2012. He has sung Rosina The Barber of Seville Rossini, and Mozartian roles as Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte and Zerlina of Don Giovanni with which he debuted last June at the Liceu in Barcelona.

Beautiful voice timbre and extraordinary capacity for coloratura, with excellent fraseo. All this was evident in his recital of Peralada, accompanied on piano by Mikhail Antonenko. He began the program with the very difficult aria "agitata da due venti" opera Griselda from Antonio Vivaldi, where he showed real virtuosity with absolute mastery of singing agility and a safe and limpid issue, only altered by any acute or forced some difficulty in octave jumps somewhat contrived serious. As a counterpoint to this aria dominated by vocal pyrotechnics, singer shone greatly in his next intervention "Carmelitarum confirmet ordinem ut ... .or nox dulcis" motet Let the region between rigpray for Händel, where he shone his voice truly angelic, truly dream, especially in the final section of "The nox dulcis, Seren quies "with great sound regulations and an almost unquenchable fiato. In the recitative-aria "Rejoice, Cry from the heart to the heart of a lover ... ..Care "by motete Bright star in the sky from Nicola Porpora, again he showed his virtuosity, although with a line of singing some expressive monotony. Highlight its interpretation of "Alleluia" concluding aria, with a brilliant resolution of coloratura, highlighting the performances of chopped-linked notes. The first part of the concert ended with his interpretation of the Andante "Your virginum, crown "followed by final Allegro" Alleluia "belonging to motete exult, Jubilate from Mozart, making a good interpretation of the Andante, with excellent phrasing and superb execution of trills, again showing his mastery in resolving the complex coloratura of "Alleluia" final.

Ya, in the second part, he played Venetian Regatta, set of three songs: "Anzoleta forward the regatta", "Anzoleta co passes the regatta" y Anzoleta after the regatta ", Rossini composed to 1857, text attributed to Francesco Maria Piave in Venetian dialect. In its interpretation, Lezhneva continued to exhibit its pristine ridge line, though lacking the necessary expressiveness, to show humor and wit are requiring Rossini songs. then, He addressed three lieder Franz Schubert: "Night and dreams", "The young Nome" y "in the spring", well sung, with a good idiomatic domain, but without the necessary style and expressiveness that require these works. His best performance came in the beautiful "Im Frühling", excellent rapport with voice and piano.

Ya, at the conclusion of recital, Russian soprano returned to shine greatly in the beautiful aria 'Tanti affetti "of La Donna del Lago from Rossini, excelente tied with domain of singing, and a magnificent fraseo, highlighting, interpretation of the end section "father Fra il, and between lover ", introducing the relevant changes in its four repetitions. Good performance by pianist Mikhail Antonenko, as accompanist and solo performances of their Game No 2 from Johann Sebastian Bach and the impromtu nº 3 from Franz Schubert.

Before the continuous applause, the singer gave three encores, The first aria of Baroque composer Carl Heinrichs Graun, content recording his latest album, He repeated the "Alleluia" the motet Porpora, to conclude with the beautiful song "Daisies" from Sergei Rachmaninov.

Valencian Palau de Les Arts, He has brilliantly closed the season with five performances of the rossiniano Tancredi, who they have assembled a superb cast headed by voice Daniela Barcellona as Tancredi and Jessica Pratt in the role of Amenaide, next to the excellent performance of the Orchestra of Valencia directed by Roberto Abbado. As well, It should be noted the interesting proposal scenic Emilio Sagi. curiously, and being higher quality representations that have been seen throughout the season, the assistance of the public has not been massive, can be seen enough holes in the capacity of the Valencia theater. yes, The audience applauded with great force that's great singers and orchestra.

Gioachino Antonio Rossini (Pesaro, 1792 - Paris, 1868) Very soon he was attracted to the opera. In 1810, with only eighteen, It premiered at the Teatro Samuele Venice his first major work The marriage bill, to which will follow next year L 'wacky misunderstanding. You get his first big success with The stone of the Comparison premiered at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, in 1812, becoming a tremendously prolific composer, since before the end of the year, He had premiered two new operas: The silk stair Y The ocassion makes the thief. Rossini surprising ability to simultaneously compose, a limited period of time, a comedy like Mr. Bruschino, Y Tancredi (his first serious opera) both released in Venice respectively 27 January 6 February 1813. The success of the comic works of Rossini, you can hide its importance as a composer of operas serious. Great titles like The Italian Girl in Algiers (1813), The turkish in Italy (1814), The Barbers of Seville (1816) O Cinderella (1817), I sank into oblivion blatant serious operas he composed in his Neapolitan period, between 1815 Y 1823. In dramatic titles such as Otello (1816) Y The Lady of the Lake (1819), He resigned from the neoclassical heroism, to be outdone by the romantic atmosphere, I was starting to be born. Rossini concluded that bright stage, in 1823, with the premiere of Semiramide, last thirty-four Italian operas, starting the same year to France, where he will continue writing comedies like The trip to Reims (1825) Y Le Comte Ory (1828), dramatic titles such as The siege of Corinth (1826), Moses and Pharaoh (1827); Y, especially, his monumental Guillaume Tell (1829), which lays the foundation of the romantic melodrama, and with which he concluded his operatic cycle when she was thirty-seven years.

Tancredi It was composed by Rossini in December 1812 and January 1813, libretto by Gaetano Rossi from the play u Voltaire. The premiere took place on 6 February 1813 Teatro la Fenice in Venice, and the opera ended with a happy ending. He 20 March of the same year, Rossini premiered in Ferrara a revised version included several changes, the most significant being a new ending of tragic character, whose text was written by the poet Luigi Lechi. This end not like the public, and Rossini developed a new version, premiered in Milan, in December 1813, He is synthesizing those offered in Venice and Ferrara, with the inclusion of the happy ending. For twenty years, until 1833, the opera was performed with some regularity, subsequently falling into the most absolute forgetfulness. The score and text of the tragic end came to disappear, It is discovered by musicologist Philip Gossett, who prepared a critical edition, in 1976, from the version released in December 1813, but ended with the tragic end of Ferrara. The ultimate recovery of this opera came when the critical edition premiered at the Opera Houston (Texas), in 1977, with participation as Tancredi of the great American mezzo Marilyn Horne, who will become the great guarantor of this opera, who he played for more than a decade in various theaters around the world, Having legacy up to eight live recordings, including making video made in the Theater of the Liceu in Barcelona, in 1989. The middle Daniela Barcellona he played Tancredi for the first time in the Festival of Pesaro 1999, since become a referential Tancredi. This is evident in various audio and video jacks, especially marketed by TDK DVD, some functions that took place in the Teatro Comunale of Florence, in October 2005, next to one of the great interpreters of Argirio: Argentine tenor Raúl Giménez. In Spain, Barcelona Daniela has performed on many occasions Tancredi: Corunna (2003), Oviedo (2004), Teatro Real in Madrid (2007), Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville (2009), and now the latest features that have taken place in the Palau de Les Arts, where it is shown the critical version of Philip Gossett with tragic ending Ferrara.

He Tancredi represented in Valencia is a co Lausanne Opera and the Teatro Municipal in Santiago de Chile, stage direction of Emilio Sagi, moving the action from the XI century, at the time of the Crusades, to the nineteenth century, in the Italian Risorgimento period. The action begins in the great hall of a palace, with marble columns and large windows with beautiful stained glass polychrome, where many guests gather around a large table, dressed in colorful and reloaded uniforms designed by Pepa Ojanguren, regular contributor to Emilio Sagi. That same scenario is transformed, by rapid movement of its walls and moody lighting, in different scenic spaces: the small and intimate where the duo Tancredi and develops Amenaide Act I, and in Act II, becomes the elegant Argirio office or in prison where seclude to Amenaide.

Sometime, to finding an esthetician visual impact, scenic approach is unsuccessful, as in the battle sequence, in Act II, bounded in a space whose bottom is a panel where many small mirrors assembled, scenic dark alone is altered by the spotlight lanterns bearing figurantes and reflected in mirrors, seriously disturbing viewers. Appeals the final scene of the opera where you can see a large funerary monument at the base of Tancredi's death it occurs in the arms of Amenaide. Noting the inadequacy of the military fatigues carrying Tancredi, encorsetando his stage movements. We are excepting the scene of dazzling lanterns, it is quite appropriate lighting design by Eduardo Bravo, creating suitable environments scenic always in line with the development of the action.

Excellent address Roberto Abbado, who achieves high performance of the Orchestra of Valencia. The maestro Abbado knows very well this score, habiéndola led on many occasions, being able to hear a superb studio recording by RCA, in 1995, where he addressed the Münchner Rundfunk Orchestra, with Vesselina Kasarova como Tancredi, the Amenaide Eva Mei and excellent Argirio of Ramon Vargas, displaying a voice of great beauty. This record contains the two final version and alternative Amenaide aria "Ah, degg'io die is pur "Rossini composed for the version of Ferrara.

Roberto Abbado was presented with the immobilized right arm injury, what still he made his directorial work more meritorious, that already it revealed from the same opening (identical to a previous Rossini: The touchstone) whose first section cutting clearly mozartiano, shone metals and woods; Y, a second section, dominated by an orchestral crescendo reiterated, típicamente Rossini, which alternates with the interpretation of a graceful melody which include interventions in conjunction with the cello flute, bassoon and all the rope. Superb sound of the orchestral prelude that introduces the great scene of Act I Tancredi, with continuous sound of the bass string accompanying violins and wood, with lucid interventions of the solo oboe. Note accompanying the great duo Amenaide and Tancredi in Act I, ending with a bright coda. As well, orchestral performance at the end of Act I: Concertante sextet and conclusive. Ya, in Act II, delivery was excellent clarinet soloist during the aria of Isaura, followed by the brilliant performance of music, strong symphonic breath, which precedes and accompanies the recitative Amenaide "Di mia vita infelice". Very beautiful orchestral introduction and accompaniment of the aria in Act II Roggiero. Highlight the ethereal and faint sound of the string chamber music, that accompanies the scene of the death of Tancredi. In the numerous recitatives containing this opera, include the excellent performance of the basso continuo consisting of pianoforte (José Ramón Martín), cello (Rafal Jezierski) and bass (David Molina). Good concertante work of Roberto Abbado always aware of the voices.

The Great Means Trieste Daniela Barcellona Tancredi has made its most paradigmatic role, providing its precise belcantista vocalism, great dramatic interpretation and stage presence totally identified with the character. Ya, is bright entrance with its scenic interpretation of recitative "O patria, sweet and ungrateful Fatherland ", que starts where with half a voice, and where exhibits a refined edge line full expressiveness, with excellent sound regulations. El enlaza with recitative and arioso "You light up this core" para concluir con el famosísimo "Of the many heartbeats", interpreted in the purest bel canto style, masterfully executing relevant variations in the repetition started with the phrase "sara felice", where he shows his mastery of agility, with a sharp fine cast. Ya, in Act II, makes a great interpretation of the cavatina "Ah, scordar you are not "with the repeated phrase" the love anchor "increasingly expressed with different shades. Makes a great vocal and dramatic interpretation of the aria-rondo "Perché disturb the calm", with a first section slow, full of sad accents, which derives another much faster, aggressive initiated with the phrase "Traditrice! I surrender to you ", where he shows his mastery of agility with timely and accurate uploaded to acute. these changes occur rhythm slow-fast, in a continuous crescendo, to conclude the aria with the heroic and repeated phrase "field, to the field to trionfar "inserting superbly cast powerful treble. In a totally different register, about to die, endows accents recitative-aria pathetic "Oh Dio, lasciarte I ought ... .Amenaide, serbami tua "conclusive opera faith.

Amenaide great performance as the soprano Jessica Pratt, in possession of a voice attractive timbre, well planned, domain linked with the hand, excellent sound regulations and an absolute mastery of coloratura: trilling, scales, notes chopped, treble and treble with great cast. As well, include its magnificent stage performance. all, as evidenced in its initial cavatina "Come dolce all'alma mia" . In Act II, endows de gran lyricism of recitative-aria "Di my life miserable ... ..no, that the die is not ", with melancholic accents and excellent ability for middle voices and sound regulations, emitting beautiful notes in pianissimi. Its brightest moments occur in the recitative-aria "Gran Dio!…..Just God humble love "donde en primera y recitative section of air, shows a polished ridge line full expressiveness, emitting precious filados, apianando voice even in the high notes. Ya, in the second part of the aria, where music takes up the crescendo of the overture, it can be stated capacity for coloratura singer, issuing notes with real precision chopped, up easily acute and sobreagudo and ending aria with an impressive Mi5.

Extreme quality are the two duos interpreted Pratt and Barcellona, especially the middle section of the second "Ah, how come that soul ", with accompaniment of string pizzicato.

Argirio's character is played by the Chinese tenor Yijie Shi, magnífico singer Rossini, despite its unattractive timbre. During his numerous interventions he showed an elegant phrasing and excellent execution of agility. Especially turned bright interpretation of the recitativo-ary "Oddio Crudel! What name ... .Ah! segnar I try in vain ", offering in the recitative, a song full of expressiveness; Y, in the aria, meditative moments apianando voice, along with other genuine bravura singing with bright uploaded to acute and sobreagudo. Very well in his duet with Tancredi of Act II.

The bass Pietro Spagnoli, It has a lyrical voice over for the role of Orbazzano and its interpretation was not discreet, despite having real opportunities to shine, because in this version Tancredi if INSERTA and air "At the glory voices" (immediately before the duo Tancredi and Argirio of Act II) which is usually omitted. In the role of Isaura, the middle Martina Belli He showed a large though somewhat guttural voice, with good command of agility, in the interpretation of the aria "Tu che i miseri conforti" of Act II. The young soprano Rita Marques belonging to the Development Center Placido Domingo, He excelled in his aria "Torni Alfin ridente". Great numbers set closing Act I, especially the end concertante. Magnificent performance of the Coro de la Generalitat Valenciana (in this case only male voices) in its numerous interventions, highlighting his performance in Act II of the Coro di Saraceni: "Terror reigns in the city".

These functions Tancredi were dedicated to the memory of the conductor and musicologist Alberto Zedda, who died last March, whose work has been instrumental in the recovery of the entire work Rossini.

Werther has been represented for the first time at the Palau de les Arst in Valencia, in the course of five performances. Orchestra of Valencia, superbly directed by the Hungarian Henrik Nánási, It has been the big winner. The results in both the vocal level and stage have been more discreet.

Jules Massenet (1842 –1912) He came to compose up to twenty-five operas, being the best known and most represented Manon (1884), Werther (1892) Y Thaïs (1898). Other titles such as The Cid (1885), Esclarmonde (1889), The Navarreise (1894), The Juggler of Notre-Dame (1902) Y Don Quixote (1910). Ya, in 1880, Massenet began to consider the idea of composing an opera based on Goethe's work The Sorrows of Young Werther (The Misadventures of Young Werther) from 1774.

During a trip that the composer together with his editor Georges Hartmann made to Bayreuth, in 1886, to listen Parsifal, had the opportunity to visit the town of Wetzlar near Frankfurt, where Goethe had written his work. Is, since then, when Massenet begins the composition of Werther, with a script of Edouard blau, Paul Thousands Y Georges Harmant, who adapt Goethe's work, giving much more relevance to the character of Charlotte, the woman idealized by Werther, for which he feels an uncontrollable love passion. Upon completion of composition in June 1887, Massenet offered it at La Opera-Comique in Paris, whose director Leon Carvalho rejected it, considering that the argument was too sad to interest the public.

Finally, the opera translated into German, premiered with great success at the Vienna Hofoper Theater he 16 February 1892. The French version was premiered at the Geneva Opera on 27 December 1892 and the 16 of January of 1893 the premiere took place at the Opera-Comique in Paris, where it was praised by critics although received with reluctance by the public.

The opera was widely accepted in major theaters around the world. During the first half of the twentieth century, was performed with some regularity in France and more intermittently in the rest of the world, highlighting the extraordinary creation of Werther performed by the great French tenor Georges Thill, next to the magnificent soprano Charlotte Ninon Vallin, that can be heard on the record recording of 1931, directed by Elie Cohen in front of the Orchestra of La Ópera-Comique, remastered on CD by EMI in 1989 and even better sound by NAXOS in 2000.

Eighty-six years have passed and that recording of Werther continues to be a true reference. The Italian version of Werther had as its main protagonist Tito Schipa, who has already performed it at Liceu de Barcelona, in December 1918, and kept in his repertoire for three decades, there are many recordings of the famous aria from Act III "Why wake me" in Italian "Ah! Don't awaken me"And also from the aria of Act I"Come on, it's good here ... O Nature" in Italian "Allor sta propio too… ..O natura”And a selection of the opera with the Charlotte de la mezzo Gianna Pederzini recorded in 1940. Schipa was the model for other Italian tenors such as Giuseppe Di Stefano, Weather in Ferruccio Tagliavini, Cesare Valletti and Carlo Bergonzi who performed this opera on specific occasions during the fifties and sixties of the last century.

But nevertheless, the authentic resurgence of Werther came about when the great Alfredo Kraus incorporated it into his repertoire, in January 1966, at Municipal Theater of Piazenza, sung in italian; although soon the Canarian tenor will interpret the French version, whose first testimony is the live shot made in Madrid Zarzuela Theater in 1969, where Kraus shared a cast with the exquisite Charlotte from Los Angeles Victoria, who that same year had participated in a magnificent record version made by EMI, next to the excellent Werther of the great Swedish tenor Nicolaï Gedda, led splendidly by Georges Prêtre, conducting the Orchestra of the Paris Opera. Alfredo Kraus played Werther for thirty years, in innumerable performances by all the great theaters of the world, sharing deals with gorgeous Charlotte, between them: Tatiana Trojans, Teresa Berganza, Elena Obraztsova, Regine Crespin, Frederica von Stade o Martha Senn.

Numerous live shots in both audio and video, credit the extraordinary interpretation that Alfredo Kraus made of Werther, there is also a referential record recording, with excellent sound, conducted in study by EMI, in 1979, with orchestral direction by Michel Plasson conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra, where Kraus shared a cast with the excellent Charlotte de la mezzo Tatiana Trojans. He Werther by Alfredo Kraus, synthesizes the aristocratic style of Georges Thill with the colorful vocal of Tito Schipa. After Kraus, the interpretations made by Roberto Alagna Y Jonas Kaufmann. French tenor Jean Francois Borras, who has interpreted Werther at the El Palau de Les Arts functions, had his big opportunity by replacing an unwell Jonas Kaufmann, during a performance of Werther, in 2014, in the Metropolitan New York, This marked his debut in this role that he has played with some frequency in recent years.

He Werther represented in the Valencian Palau de Les Arts, is a co-production of this Theater and the Monte Carlo Opera, stage direction of Jean Louis Grinda, and scenery of Rudy Sabounghi, With the presence, from the very beginning of the Opera of a large mirror where a Werther in a bloody shirt is reflected. Suddenly the mirror breaks, it is crossed by the protagonist and his chopped molding moves to the ends of the stage, recomposing himself at different times: the beautiful scene from "Moonlight" in Act I and throughout Act IV, with which the representation ends.

The story is shown by way of a long flach-back, starting from the end, where Werther contemplate the tragic unfolding of your life in the past six months, which constitute the period of time between his own death and the moment when he is attracted to his feminine ideal represented by Charlotte. The way of telling the story is interesting, although it is somewhat unsuccessful, since this typically cinematic narrative procedure (recalls the one used by Billy Wilder in his famous movies: Bane and Twilight of the Gods) requires the continuous stage presence of the protagonist, something that does not happen in Werther.

He stage that appears in the first two acts is the garden of the house where Charlotte lives and in the background a forest of green colors at the beginning of the summer where Act I takes place, that drifts to the ocher tones of autumn during Act II. The Act III setting, it is very conventional, with a great room in Charlotte's matrimonial home, whose main elements are a harpsichord, and an illuminated display case containing a collection of pistols. The scenery only becomes relevant at the beginning of Act IV, with a projection where the frontal figure of Charlotte can be seen, with a disjointed face, within the reconstructed frame of that great mirror, running through the snow to Werther's house.

Little successful that presence of heavenly angels, with their corresponding wings, that appear surrounding Werther and Charlotte at the end of the opera. Nor does the lighting manage to enhance the simple scenery..

In an opera like Werther, where the orchestral framework is fundamental always embedded in the dramatic action: The Orquesta de Valencia was the great winner of these representations, splendidly directed by the Hungarian Henrik Nánási, who managed to extract from all the orchestral sections, expressive sounds, that are already evident in the execution of the initial overture with moments of great dramatic tension in the execution of that recurring musical theme, that translates the passion that Werther feels for Charlotte and that connects with the bucolic chords that show that other recurring theme of nature, with brilliant solo interventions of the concertmaster violin.

The orchestral sound was truly sublime in the performance of “El Claro de Luna” in Act I, which becomes the essential musical theme of the opera, and where the sound of the cellos stood out.

Magnificent orchestral response throughout Act III, in the accompaniment of Charlotte's arias, with special reference to the interventions of the sax, in the second aria "will! Let my tears flow!”And also the interventions of the cellos and the harp in the famous aria of Werther “Why wake me”. Highlight the great orchestral performance of the Act IV overture, which is subtitled "The Christmas night”. Superb rendering of the English horn enhancing passages with the most dramatic tension. Excellent sound of metals, especially horns. Highlight the organ solo as the concluding coda of the duo of Charlotte and Albert in Act II. One could only reproach an excessive volume of the orchestral sound, what, sometime, covered up the voices.

Werther It is an opera of true brilliance for the two protagonists through numerous arias and arioses, together with four great duos. In his portrayal of Werther, the french tenor Jean Louis Borrás, showed idiomatic and stylistic adequacy, with a lyrical voice with a beautiful timbre and acceptable volume, although somewhat light and that only acquires resounding dimensions in the high register. In his speeches, a greater variety of accents was missing, that will give their song authentic expressiveness. He made a remarkable interpretation full of melancholy in that song to nature that constitutes the recitative-aria "So, it's good here ...... Ô nature, gracious"Act I. Ya, in Act II, showed in his aria "Another is her husband!”That degree of frustration that it produces to see Charlotte already married to Albert.

Borrás offered his best moments in the famous aria “Why wake me”Inserted in the great duet of Act III with Charlotte, played by the mezzo Anna Caterina Antonacci, who shows his great quality as an interpreter by fully penetrating the psychology of the character, although with a rather worn voice, with an important vibrato in all registers, low volume and virtually inaudible bass range. These shortcomings are evident in his dramatic Act III interventions: the aria of the letters "Werther! Werther ... who would have told me instead”Acceptably resolved, and showing real problems in "will! Let my tears flow!” so demanding in the grave register.

Show a nuanced line of singing in the beautiful duet with Werther from “Claro de Luna” in Act I, compared to the flatter interpretation of Jean François Borras. Antonacci is also notable in the final duet with Werther, where Borrás abused the fluffed notes, with loss of tuning in some of them.

Very well Sophie's Helena Orcoyen, a light voice with a penetrating and well projected timbre, that shines in his recitative-aria of Act I "Brother, see the bouquet .... of the cheerful sun, full of flame”, where he shows a youthful joy linking the phrases well and offering magnificent treble. Also highlights his performance in the duet with Charlotte "Hello, big sister!” Act III, where her joy and carefreeness contrasts with the sadness of her downcast sister.

Very discreet interpretation of the bass-baritone Michael Borth, as Albert, showing real limitations in a demanding role, especially in the aria "She loves me, she thought of me"From Act I or in the duet with Charlotte" Trois mois! Three months ago ”del Acto II, where his vocal and interpretive deficiencies are revealed.

Acceptable interpretation of Alejandro López como Le Bailli (Charlotte's father magistrate). Exaggerated characterization of Moses Marin Y Jorge Lopez respectively playing drunkards Schmidt and Johann, with a remarkable interpretation of his duet “Vivat Bacchus, always live”At the start of Act II, that is usually cut, but what if it is included in this production.

Good performances from the children of La Choir of Our Lady of the Abandoned and of the girls of The Quarter Poblet Voices Together Choral School.

Text: Diego Manuel García Pérez
pictures: Tato Baeza

Lucrezia Borgia of Gaetano Donizetti, It is shown for the first time in El Palau de les Arst and has been a real triumph for soprano Mariella Devia, who has offered a complete masterclass bel canto, going to all the vocal and performing demands of this complex and contradictory character, their work being rewarded with sound ovations. The other attraction of these representations has been the magnificent performance of the Valencian Silvia Tro Santafe mezzo as the transvestite Maffio Orsini.

Gaetano Donizetti (Bergamo, 29 November 1797 – Bergamo, 8 April 1848) It was one of the most prolific composers of operas in the entire history of the genre, sixty five titles, over a period of twenty-eight, between 1816 in composing his first opera Il Pigmalione, until his last work Caterina Cornaro 1844. During his career he achieved great success with operas like L'elixir d'amore (1832), Lucrezia Borgia (1833), Lucia di Lammermoor (1835), The daughter of the Regiment are the Favorite of ambas 1840, Don Pasquale (1843) and the famous Tudor Trilogy composed of Anna Bolena (1830), Maria Stuarda (1835) y Roberto Devereux (1838). During the second half of the twentieth century, There have been a real renaissance see Donizetti work and many of his operas, including Tudor and Lucrezia Borgia Trilogy, and other less known, They have been recovered thanks to the interest of singers like María Callas, Leyla Gencer, Monserrat Caballé, Joan Sutherland, Beverly Sills, and in more recent times Edita Gruberova and Mariella Devia.

Ya, with an output of forty operas, Donizetti composed Lucrezia Borgia in autumn 1833, with libreto of Felice Romani, who had made an adaptation of the play of the same title of Victor Hugo, released in February of that same year. Opera structured in a prologue and two acts, with four players: Lucrecia Borgia, his son Gennaro secret, Alfonso D'Este Duke of Ferrara, Lucrezia's husband and Maffio Orsini Gennaro friend, along with a number of secondary characters, some interventions of some significance. Its premiere took place at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan 26 December 1833.

The performances of this opera in its early years of existence, They had all sorts of problems: when it was premiered in Paris, in 1840, Victor Hugo filed a lawsuit claiming its copyright, Romani and Donizetti having to rewrite the work placing the action in Turkey and denominating The Rinnegata. Problems with the censorship of the time and the protests of the descendants of the Borgia family, They made Donizetti had to rename his opera when it was released in different cities: Eustorgia da Romano in Florence, Alfonso, Duke of Ferrara en Trieste, Joanna I of Naples en Ferrara y Elisa by Fosco en Roma. Finally, opera regained its original title being displayed frequently during the second half of the nineteenth century.

In 1904 It premiered at the New York Metropolitan with Enrico Caruso as Gennaro. During the first half of the twentieth century, the performances were very rare, highlighting that took place in 1933, commemorating the centenary of the premiere, en el primer transcurso of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, con que un reparto extraordinario incluía uncommon and Giannina-Lombardi (Lucrecia), Beniamino Gigli (Gennaro), Gianna Pederzini (Orsini) y Tancredi Sparrow (Alfonso).

The real recovery occurred in Lucrezia Borgia 1965, during performances that took place at the New York Carnegie Hall, Monserrat Caballé as Lucrezia, replacing an indisposed Marilyn Horne and which represented the great international launch of the Catalan soprano, constituting for many years one of his great performances.

also note, the magnificent creations that made this character: Leyla Gencer, Joan Sutherland, Beberly Sill, and in more recent years, Renée Fleming, Edita Gruberova and Mariella Devia. Gennaro's character, It has been superbly played by Spanish tenors as Jaime Aragall, Josep Carreras; Y, especially, the great Alfredo Kraus. Donizetti made two versions of Lucrezia Borgia: first premiered at Teatro alla Scala in Milan 1833, with dificilísima cabaletta final de Lucrezia "It was my son ow", and a second, in 1840, also represented in the same theater, where Donizetti composed a new ending annulling the cabaletta and replacing Gennaro's aria "Mother, if evermore distant ".

At the end of the sixties of the last century, the conductor and musicologist Richard Bonynge, He discovered a copy of the recitative-aria of great beauty and difficulty "Partir degg'io qual ... T'amo s'ama un angelo", Donizetti composed for the Russian tenor Nikolai Gennaro Ivanov and Alfredo Kraus made extraordinary performances. In the many representations of Lucrezia Borgia directed by Richard Bonynge the recitative-aria is inserted and, melted, both ends, with Gennaro aria and cabaletta Lucrecia in which it can be called "Bonynge Version". This is an alternative option that is included in different productions. There are two magnificent studio recordings, the first edited by RCA in 1966, Monserrat Caballé and performed by, Alfredo Kraus, Shirley Verrett, and Ezio Swipe directed by Jonel Perlea. The second edited by DECCA in 1978, and performed by Joan Sutherland, Jaime Aragall, Marilyn Horne e Ingvar Wixell con dirección de Richard Bonynge, and where two end and recitativo-ary "Parti degg'io ... T'amo qual s'ama un angelo" included at the beginning of Act II.

In these representations Valencia was chosen version premiere at La Scala, in 1833. It is a production of the Palau de Les Arts scenically directed by Emilio Sagi, which it is a recycling IMPROVED! Sagi those who went in Bilbao (2001) and Oviedo (2004), with the scenery of Llorenc Corbella, based on large movable panels, on which abstract drawings that become relevant thanks to the magnificent lighting design project Eduardo Bravo, alternating warm and cool shades depending on the development of action and psychological state of the characters.

In the first scene of the prologue, these perfectly aligned in descending direction and with a profuse golden lighting panels, play a large hall of the palace Grimani in Venice, full of extras, including Gennaro and his friends, They are dancing and having fun during the celebrations of the Venetian carnival. Ya, in the second stage, of suddenly, Gennaro characters disappear except staying asleep, lighting becomes fainter, and upstage can see the arrival of a gondola from which descends Lucrecia, Gennaro approaching, producing a rapid movement of the panels gives the room a distinctly intimate character.

The scenario recovered at the end of the prologue, large initial dimensions with the appearance of Gennaro group of friends who chide extremely hard to Lucrezia. The scenery becomes a real visual appeal at the beginning of Act I, where a few panels with different heights bright illumination which gives them a silvery gray, reproduce Palace entrance Ferrara (residence of Lucrezia and her husband the duque Alfonso d'Este) large letters vertically supported on stage with surname BORGIA, They reflected on a polished floor scenic. The initial B is removed by Gennaro to become the word ORGIA, that will be the trigger for all subsequent drama. As well, in that Act I, again, the rapid movement of the panels narrows the Duke's private office, who maintain a strong argument with his wife Lucrezia, and this stay is reproduced spatially the famous "Vitruvian Man" drawing by Leonardo de Vinci, a distinctly Renaissance symbol, which places the action in a particular temporal space.

Ya, in Act II, Gennaro next to a model of the city of Ferrara are elevated stage where malicious intrigues unfold, in an attempt to capture, simultaneously, in different planes dramatic, crude real world and the fantasy that moves Gennaro. Visually striking is the tragic final scene of the opera, where the stage space bounded by the panels, It is dimly lit with cool blue colors that contrast with the beautiful red dress that shows Lucrezia, created by Pepa Ojanguren, who fully succeeds both elegant and glamorous dresses designed for Lucrecia, as sober and timeless clothes male cast.

Fabio Biondi who currently shares with Roberto Abbado musical director of the Palau de Les Arts, He has achieved real fame with a whole Europa Galante, in baroque and Mozartian repertoires. Lucrezia Borgia was his first foray into the bel canto repertoire, at least in this theater. Biondi has tried to give prominence to the orchestra authentic, offering a historicist reading, including in the pit on a pianoforte. But nevertheless, on this score are the most important voices, They are resulting, at times, damaged by excessive volume orchestral.

His address was guilty of some slow moments of the prologue and Act II. However, I was in front of the Grand Orchestra of Valencia, with excellent performance of metals and woods, especially flutes, clarinets and the beautiful sound of the solo oboe. As well, highlight the excellent speeches harp accompanying the solo performances of Lucrezia.

Orchestral best moments occurred in the overture whose initial gloomy chords derived cheerful music and carefree that, unbroken, introduces the festive and colorful opening scene. Really got that beautiful musical theme that recurrently marks the presence of Lucrezia in his big scene Foreword, and it will reappear in the magnificent trio of Act I. also note, the orchestral performance in conjunction with the chorus and solo voices in the great ending concertante with the Prologue. As well as, the instrumental coda-typically see Donizetti- conclusive vibrant cabaletta Lucrezia Gennaro at the end of Act I.

The great appeal of this Lucrezia Borgia was the magnificent performance of the soprano Mariella Devia, who to turn sixty-nine years, continues to show its great technique, with perfect positioning and voice projection, absoluto domain legato singing, fiato with great control on sound regulations; Y, They possess all the qualities required by the "bel canto".

Already in its scenic entrance, at the beginning of the recitative "Tranquillo ei posa" offers a magnificent "messa di voce", and then, faced with skill and agility stranglehold of the famous "Com 'aria è bello! What enchantment ", cuya en segunda parte "While the soft moans cor", It offers beautifully decorated complex variations and notes, especially in the final phrases of the aria "Gioia sogna, and an angio. Not that you awake to pleasure ". Impressive that note on piano holding for several beats at the end of the Prologue.

As well, shows real dramatic force in the duo with Alfonso Act I. Ya, in Act II, makes a great interpretation of the beautiful Largo "M'odi, ah! M'odi, I implore ", an expressive and dramatic use of coloratura. Y, at the conclusion of the opera, offers a dazzling interpretation of the cabaletta "Era il figlio mio desso", absolute virtuosity page, where he shows his mastery of agility in the execution of trills and complex scales, singing printing, at times, a breakneck pace, to conclude with the issuance of an impressive sobreagudo.

Silvia Tro excellent mezzo Santafe in their interpretation of Maffio Orsini, showing great musicality, mastery of all records and good resolution of agility. All this is evident from the very beginning of the opera, when he sings "Nella di Remini and memorabil fatal war ... ..the nella notte tacita ...." which expresses endearing and ambiguous relationship with Gennaro. Dota genuine dramatic power to phrases like "Maffio Orsini, lady, They are io "heading Lucrezia contemptuously at the end of the Prologue. Likewise, It makes a great performance with long duet of Act II Gennaro, el that intercalates el precious arioso "Where the law you mostri grateful", where Silvia Tro shows impeccable ridge line. Deslumbrante interpretación resulta of the famous brindis "The secret to being happy" cuya en segunda parte "us profit degl 'flourishing years", inserted with a number of variations master.

The young bass-baritone Marko Mimica Croatian, in the role of Duke Alfonso d'Este of Ferrara, It exhibits a powerful vocal media with good stage performance. Very remarkable and full of noble accents is his performance in Act I of recitative-aria-cabaletta "E questa è l'ultium'alba Vieni ......: my revenge ... for ..Mai Cotesti insane ". Poor performance of the American tenor William Davenport as Gennaro, with difficulty in projecting the voice. Discreet is his interpretation of the aria in the Prologue "Di pescatore ignobile", and shows all deficiencies in duets with Lucrezia, especially in the vibrant cabaletta "unfortunate! The poison have drunk!"With which ends Act I.

Good performance from the rest of the performers, almost all from the Center for Advanced Plácido Domingo, especially bass and tenor Michael Borth Moises Marín, respectively Aistulf and Rustighello, especially in his somber duet of Act I. As usual, I turned magnifies the performance of the Choir of the Generalitat Valenciana, directed by Francesc Perales owner.
Text: Diego Manuel García Pérez
pictures: Tato Baeza

El Palau de les Doctor, has started its new season with Sicilian Vespers, one Verdi opera authentic appeal, though little known by the general public, as it is shown rarely. Only, its magnificent overture is often included as part of concert. So, for the Valencian coliseum was challenging an opera like this, especially, for their great demands on the vocal level.

After the success of the so-called "Popular Trilogy" constituted by Rigoletto de 1851, together with Il Trovatore and La Traviata both premiered in 1853, Giuseppe Verdi begins to rethink his career, with the intention of slowing down their creative endeavors that 1839 Y 1953, they had produced eighteen operas, almost all of them marked by haste, having to compose at high speed - sometimes two operas in the same year- to meet the demands of theaters.

Busetto's composer decides to offer less quantity and more quality, fruit of a more relaxed work, with the choice of attractive texts, along with more elaborate music and an orchestration of greater complexity and sophistication. This new stage will begin with the composition of Les Vêpres Siciliennes (The Sicilian Vespers) commissioned by the Paris Opera.

Verdi arrived in the French capital in the spring of 1854, beginning the search for a text that had attractive and authentic dramatic force.

But nevertheless, afraid of not hitting the tastes of the French public, did not choose the topic, instead he commissioned it to Eugene Scribe, famous librettist closely related to Parisian opera, who proposed to Verdi as an argument an event took place in Sicily, specifically in its capital Palermo, in 1282, during the French occupation of the island and in the run-up to an uprising of the Sicilian people, supported militarily and financially by Pedro III of Aragon, openly confronted the French king Carlo I of Anjou.

Verdi dedicated almost a year to the composition of his new opera, whose structure was typical of "Grand Opera" with its five acts and an attractive ballet of certain proportions called "The Four Seasons", inserted in Act III. Finally, Les Vêpres Siciliennes premiered at the Grand Opera in Paris, in a "soirée de gala" the 13 June 1855, coinciding with the celebrations of the Universal Exhibition that was taking place in the French capital. The original libretto written in French was translated into Italian by Arnaldo Fusinato, and this new version with the title I Vespri Siciliani, premiered at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, he 4 February 1856. During later years, the opera in its Italian version had a certain tour at the international level, to fall into the most absolute of oblivion.

His recovery occurred in 1951, year of the fiftieth anniversary of Verdi's death, with a production premiered at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, musically directed by the great Erich Kleiber, that featured the imposing creation of Maria Callas as Duchess Elena, with another extraordinary interpreter, the bulgarian bass Boris Christoff on the role of Giovanni da Procida, the leading quartet was completed by the excellent Guido de Monforte played by the baritone Enzo Mascherini, just to the discreet rendering of the Greek tenor Giorgio Bardi Kokolios as Arrigo. The absolute success of those Florentine representations, led to the title chosen for the season opening of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan on 7 December 1951, with musical direction by Victor de Sabata, with the same interpreters of Florence and the significantly improved Arrigo of the North American tenor Eugene Conley.

In more recent times there have been important performances of this opera, like those that took place at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna, in 1986, directed by a young Riccardo Chailly and a magnificent cast that included Leo Nucci's Monforte, with the excellent tenor Veriano Luchetti as Arrigo, the very low solvent Bonaldo Giaiotti like Procida and Elena's magnificent performance, performed by the American soprano Susan Dunn.

also note, the functions that represented the inauguration of the scalígera season of 1989-1990, with the extraordinary direction of Riccardo Muti, and a very notable group of performers that featured Cheryl Studer as Elena, Giorgio Zancanaro in a brilliant interpretation of Monforte, Chris Merritt as Arrigo and Ferruccio Furlanetto in the role of Procida. Note that those Milanese performances included the beautiful ballet "The Four Seasons", which is usually omitted. There are two video shots, performed during performances at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna and at La Scala in Milan, which were later released on DVD.

The Palau de les Arts has chosen for these performances of I Vespri Siciliani, a co-production made by the Teatro Reggio di Torino and the Bilbao-based ABAO-OLBE, with a staging of Davide Livermore (current artistic director of Les Arts) which was premiered at the Teatro Reggio di Torino in 2011, on the occasion of 150 anniversary of Italian unity. Livermore moves the action to the Sicily of 1992, year in which the terrible attack in which the judge was assassinated by the Mafia took place Giovanni Falcone, his wife and three of his escorts.

Falcone's funeral took place in the Cathedral of Palermo and was televised live for the whole world. In Act I, the scenery of Centineo saints reproduce aquel funeral, this time dedicated to Federico the brother of Duchess Elena, executed by the French, with the coffin carried on his shoulders and a funeral procession where Elena and other ladies appear together with ecclesiastics.

The seriousness and recollection of the event is frivolized to the maximum by the video cameras that are taking it as a true “reality show” and whose images can be seen on two large screens. Definitely, This approach confirms the power of the media to manipulate reality, always at the service of the corrupt political class, in this case dominated by the Mafia.

Much more suitable is the scenery of Act II, where it shows, in a gloomy environment, two wrecked cars, alluding to the Falcone attack and marking the return to Palermo of the patriot Giovanni da Procida, willing to prepare a popular uprising against the French occupiers.

But nevertheless, this dramatic scenery, stays -totally out of place- during the rest of the act, encompassing the dance in the form of a "tarantella" that young Sicilians dance with their partners, that are taken from them by French soldiers who abuse them, all spiced up with profuse backlighting, that gives the scene a night orgiastic atmosphere. Y, Finally, in that same scenic space, a red carpet is spread where the couples invited to the Governor Monforte party go by. listening in the background a happy "barcarola".

By contrast, the scenery in Act III, it is an elegant building with rationalist architecture, which leads to a parliamentary chamber where the "Masquerade Ball" takes place, where the conspirators intend to assassinate Governor Guido de Monforte.

Ya, at the end of the act, in the large windows of the hemicycle, images of characters from all areas that have marked the history of "Unified Italy" are projected: politicians like Cavour, De Gasperi, Aldo Moro, Giulio Andreotti, together with athletes like Fausto Coppi or actors like Marcello Mastroianni and playwrights like Darío Fo, images that end up merging with flags of Italy.

And in Act IV, the jail where Elena and Procida are, it also has the style of the building described at the beginning of the previous act, with black and symmetrical vertical and horizontal structural elements, enhanced by excellent background lighting in fading orange tones to reveal a dark and oppressive stage space, drifting towards an open and cheerful space where Elena and Arrigo can be seen on a lectern with Monforte, who announces the marriage commitment of both. At the start of Act V, the style of "reality show" is recovered, of Act I, with the party where the wedding preparations are made that of Elena and Arrigo, spiced with the interventions of dancers whose costumes and evolutions suggest a magazine show.

The tragic end of the story, with the revolt of the Sicilians against the French and the massacre where the protagonists die, is cushioned showing only their lying bodies, in the recovered stage space of the parliamentary chamber, at the bottom of which the first article of the Italian constitution appears projected "Sovereignty resides in the people, who exercises it in accordance with the form and limits established by the constitution ". The Livermore staging, results, at times, interesting and original, although excessively circumscribed to the Italian world. The Orchestra of the Valencian Community once again demonstrated its great quality, conducted in a solvent manner by Roberto Abbado, current musical director of Les Arts.

The orchestral sound was of great brilliance in the execution of the extensive overture, one of the most beautiful verdian symphonic creations, where the vibrant and repeated central theme stands out, together with another of great melodic impulse that will reappear in the great duet of Arrigo and Monforte from Act III. Excellent orchestral resolution of Act II, with pages of great dramatic intensity along with others of a folkloric nature such as "La tarantela" and "La barcarola". Magnificent performances of the orchestral introductions of the remaining acts, where the lightness of that music alternates in the form of a dance that preludes Act III, with the very bleak and gloomy that marks the beginning of Act IV, in comparison with the festive and folkloric nature introduced by Act V.

Also note that the orchestra shone brilliantly in the imposing concert that closes Act III and in the course of the last two acts, especially, in the dramatic ending of the opera. Inside the excellent performance of all orchestral sections, it should be noted that Roberto Abbado gave more preponderance to brass and percussion, enhancing the moments of greatest orchestral force, although the string had moments of extreme quality in the accompaniment of Monforte's aria from Act III. Point out the precious orchestral sound that accompanies Procida's intervention "Goodbye, my homeland " of Act IV. Abbado showed concerted ability taking maximum care of the accompaniment of the singers, especially to the soprano.

Among the solo voices it is worth highlighting Gregory customer, as Arrigo, who, shows his mastery of the Verdian singing style, with an incisive phrasing, and a brilliant high register, along with a nuanced and expressive interpretation. The recitative-aria stands out in its great scene of Act IV “The sign is from Monforte….Day of crying, of fierce pain ", followed by the long and intense duet with Elena, full of intense lyricism and dramatic accents, where it offers a whole interpretive lesson.

The North American tenor is magnificent in the heroic duets with Monforte in Acts I and III, and in his great interpretation of the triplet with Elena and Procida at the end of the opera, where his song, acquires, at times, intense dramatic tones. As opposed, Show lightness in the festive duet with Elena from Act V "The breeze hovers around to caress my face", though, emitting the conclusive D-flat over the word "Goodbye" with an ugly falsetto note.

The Uvense Baritone Juan Jesus Rodriguez performs a good interpretation of Guido de Monforte, showing the changing moods of the character and shining brilliantly in his solo intervention of Act III, with a magnificent interpretation of the aria "In the arms of the wealth", where it offers an excellent singing line in the best Verdian style.

Also note his interventions in duets with Arrigo, especially the one in Act III, with those beautiful phrases “As I contemplate that beloved face, I feel my heart leap for joy…” where one of the musical themes of the overture is taken up.

The bass Alexander Vinogradov, offered a somewhat guttural voice in the low and central registers, that when ascending towards the sharp one gains brightness and intensity.

Perform a nuanced rendition of the nostalgic Aryan "Or your Palermo, adored land " one of the most beautiful pages composed by Verdi for bass. also highlights, his interpretation of the beautiful page "Goodbye, my homeland " in the quartet with Monforte, Arrigo and Elena from Act IV. Y, has vibrant performances in the dramatic trio with Elena and Arrigo at the end of the opera.

The day of the premiere it was the turn of the young Jerez soprano Maribel Ortega, sing the very difficult role of Elena, with extreme vocal demands. Serious responsibility that the singer faced with a high degree of professionalism. His performance was not discreet, in Act I, especially in his interpretation of the cabaletta "Courage, his, courage". It was not very accurate in the "Bolero" of Act V. Improved in duets with Arrigo, especially in the long and intensely lyrical Act IV. Also in the big scene with Monforte, Arrigo and Procida that closes this act. He had his best moment in the conclusive triplet of the opera with Procida and Arrigo, where he placed a pair of towering treble. Well the rest of the interpreters, almost all from the Center for Perfection Placido Domingo.

Again, he Choir of the Generalitat, He once again demonstrated his great quality in his multiple interventions throughout the opera. His performance in the great concertante of Act III was very outstanding, in the breathtaking moment of Act IV, singing one of the psalms "Deep", follower of the concertante “Minister of death arrests!”That closes the act: a very beautiful Verdi page. Ya, at the end of the opera the choir shines in the impressive “Vendetta! Vendetta!”.
Text: Diego Manuel Pérez Mirror
pictures: Tato Baeza

Sicilian Vespers
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)
Drama in five acts
Libreto by Augustin Eugène Scribe y Charles Duveyrier
D. musical: Roberto Abbado
D. scene: Davide Livermore
Scenography: Centineo saints
Locker room: Giusi Giustino
Lighting: Andrea Anfossi
Choreography: Luisa Baldinetti
Cor de la Generalitat Valenciana
Francesc Perales, director
Orchestra of Valencia
Distribution: Gregory customer, Maribel Ortega, Juan Jesus Rodriguez, Alexander Vinogradov, Andrea Pellegrini, Cristian Diaz, Nozomi Kato, Moses Marin, Andrés Sulbarán, Jorge Álvarez and Fabián Lara.

Two years ago there was the debut Peralada from Xavier Sabata (Avia, Barcelona, 1976), who scored a big win with the concert was entitled "Furioso or the footsteps of Orlando". His return to Peralada, He has been one of the greatest attractions in the programming of the thirty edition of the festival ampurdanés. Countertenor Barcelona showed again his musicological concerns, to develop a program around the figure of Alexander the Great, through different titles Baroque operatic repertoire, that its thematic focus on the figure of the great Greek conqueror. With the title "Alexander the Great, the man who conquered the world " The concert took place in the church of Carmen de Peralada, last 7 of August, where Xavier Sabata, He was accompanied by a chamber orchestra with members of the Polish side Capella Krakow, formed by violinists Zofia Wojniakiewick Y Thomas mountain beside the viola Mariusz Grochowski, cellist Agnieszka Oszańca, bass Zenon Skiba and oboes Taka Kitazato Y Alayne Leslie, all they led by Tomasz Adamus also in charge of the harpsichord. The merit of Xavier Sabata is recuperating a series of baroque operas that had not again been heard from the dates of their respective premieres haughtiness d'Alessandro (1690) from Alessandro Steffani. Abdolomino (1711) Y The Euleo festeggiante in return of Alexander the Great from indie (1699) from Giovanni Battista Bononcini. Alexander the Great in Sidon (1706) from Francesco Mancini. Alessandro nell'Indie (1732) from Giovanni Battista Pescetti. Alexander and Porus (1744) from Carl Heinrich Graun. Alessandro nell'Indie (1729) from Leonardo Vinci Y Alessandro in Persia (1741) from Leonardo Leo.

The program also included two operas pages best known and represented: Poro (1731) Y Alessandro (1726) both of georg Friedrich Handel. The concert began with individual orchestral pages well interpreted by the Capella Cracoviensis, belonging to the operas The pride of Alexander Steffani and Alessandro Abdolomino Giovanni Battista Bononcini, and another opera by the same author with the long title The Euleo festeggiante in the return of Alexander from indie, which it included two arias with the performance of Xavier Sabata started: in the first one "From your lights", a de bravura air with típica estructura again, the singer showed his technical mastery of coloratura with a range of serious fine issued; Y, as opposed, the second "Clear torches" clearly intimate character, where Sabata showed a fine singing full melodismo, with the sole accompaniment of cello, that make this page a real regret. In the same vein intensely melodic, the beautiful aria falls "Saving a great" Opera Alessandro nell'Indie de Giovanni Battista Pescetti, a beautiful orchestral introduction, where the singer showed his mastery of complex executions linked milismas, to conclude his performance in piano trill included. The first part of the concert ended with the interpretation of another bravura aria "Spirits proud to revenge" Opera Alexander the Great in Sidon de Francesco Manzini, whose first section, Xavier Sabata was a song full of fury notes issued dizzily, as well as its great theatrical capacity, even to face the passing score violently its pages.

Interpreted by the Capella Cracoviensis the andante of the symphony belonging to the opera Alexander and Porus de Carl Heinrich Graun, He marked the beginning of the second part of the concert, Xavier Sabata giving way to face the aria "Servati to large enterprise" with the same text and title of opera Alessandro nell'Indie but another author Leonardo Vinci, where, again, the singer showed his stylistic mastery and great ability to solve the most difficult agilities a highly ornate page, also showing his elegant phrasing and gorgeous legato. Next in "They can both two lights" Opera Poro Handel, started with a brilliant orchestral introduction, Sabata again offered a line of song that highlighted the intimate and melancholic tone of the Aryan, to conclude widening the voice and giving his interpretation of strong drama. El Air "To Tell, ben mio, I would like to "de Alessandro in Persia Leonardo Leo, it becomes a truly loving statement Alejandro her lover, with phrases such intimate and suggestive character "I love that, that adore, But I can not say " sung by Sabata with great style and authentic passion. The concert concluded with the interpretation of bravura aria "Love compartment" belonging to the opera Alessandro Handel, where the singer again showed his excellent technique to cope with complex coloratura, with passages executed at high speed, showing a wide fiato for the execution of lengthy melisma and perfect octave leaps, with a mastery of all records and contributing to its interpretation a high degree of theatricality.

Before the continuous applause of an ecstatic audience, Xavier Sabata performed two arias from Handel operas paths: "Early Rome and the early tè" of Scipione Y "Vibra courtly love " from Alessandro. In the first, with alternating fast and slow passages, with repeated repetition of the phrase's title aria, made with different intonations, where the singer again proved his performance art. In the second, Sabata returned to delight us with the intimate singing and great delicacy and offered at different times during this concert. Capella good performances of the Symphony Cracoviensis belonging to the opera Alexander the Great in Sidon from Francesco Mancini, where the violins are dialogues gorgeous with severe rope, joined by the sound of the key. particularly bright moment in the performance of the Polish Chamber Orchestra, It was the interpretation of the overture of the opera Händel Alexander’s Feast. Good performance Jan Tomasz Adamus both his directorial work as interpreter at the harpsichord.

In sum, a concert of true height, showing again, the great capacity of Xavier Sabata when developing attractive thematic programs, with its excellent quality as a singer, and also, as an accomplished actor capable of establishing a high degree of communication with the public.

The Castell Peralada Festival has celebrated its thirtieth edition, highlighting in its programming the two representations of the Puccinian Turandot, which they took place last 6 Y 8 of August, with great success of audience that completely filled the Auditorium Parc del Castell. Turandot was performed for the first time at the Empordà festival.

But, go to parties, since before judging these representations of Turandot, I would like to introduce the reader to the origins, genesis and great performers of this opera, which can be considered the masterpiece of Giacomo Puccini, being his last and unfinished composition and where the great master of Lucca build a score of rabid modernity, where he is receptive to the great musical changes introduced in the first part of the 20th century, by authors like Claude Debussy, igor Stravinski, Richard Strauss and even Arnold Schoenberg. But nevertheless, reserve spaces for that fine melodism present in his previous operas.

Renato Simone Y Giuseppe Adami, they were in charge of writing the libretto, adapting the play Turandotte of the Venetian playwright Carlo Gozzi, where elements of the “art comedy”, with characters from the mask theater, and whose premiere took place in 1762, at the San Samuele Theater in Venice. Gozzi's work was translated into German by Friedrich Schiller, being represented in Germanic lands at the beginning of the XIX century. In 1917, and at the Zurich Opera House the opera premiered Turandot, from Ferruccio Busoni, who besides the musical composition, was commissioned to write the libretto in German based on the work of Carlo Gozzi. So, Puccini and his librettists were challenged to return to a theme that had already been repeatedly addressed.

Genesis Turandot it occurred very slowly, starting in 1920 and lengthening over a long period of four years. In spring 1924, Simone and Adami completed the libretto; what, regarding the work of Gozzi, presented some substantial modifications, as the creation of an essential character in the development of the work: the slave Liu, sweet woman, of great femininity and self-denial, as opposed to the beautiful and cruel princess Turandot. The masks Tartaglia, Pants Y Truffaldino that appear in the work of Carlo Gozzi and in the opera of Ferruccio Busoni, they turn into Ping, Pang Y Pong who serve as ministers of the Chinese empire. Due to throat cancer, Puccini passed away in November 1924, leaving the final part of the opera musically unfinished, after Liù's death. Arturo Toscanini took over the score, commissioning the composer Franco Alfano your conclusion. Alfano worked from a few notes left by Puccini before he died, adding some own music and picking up some previous themes from the opera, with a brilliant and triumphant conclusion. At first, Alfano's work lasted approximately twenty-two minutes, which Toscanini reduced to fifteen. This shorter ending of Alfano, It is the one that has usually been performed since the premiere of the opera, happened the 25 April 1926, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, with the direction of Arturo Toscanini and the ensemble of interpreters formed by the Polish soprano Rosa Raisa as Turandot, the Calaf of our great Miguel Fleta Y Maria Zamboni in the character of Liù. At that premiere of Turandot, and right after Liù's death, the master Toscanini left the baton, And when the curtain fell slowly, addressed the audience with these excited words “Here the opera ends, because at this point the teacher died” The second show included the ending of Franco Alfano

He 25 of January of 2002, with Riccardo Chailly conducting the Amsterdam Concertgebow Orchestra, premiered at the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Festival, a new ending performed by the composer Luciano Berio, based on the notes left by Puccini, and also with own music, where a long musical interlude is included, as a transition from Turandot's radical change of attitude towards Calaf. Y, the final moment of the opera, poses open and meditative with piano sounds, compared with the forceful and triumphalist proposed by Franco Alfano. In new productions of Turandot, the ending composed by Luciano Berio is being adapted more and more frequently.

Turandot had a golden age between the end of the fifties and the beginning of the seventies of the last century, when two great singers came together: Birgit Nilsson like Turandot and Calaf de Franco Corelli, who not only interpreted their respective characters, but, in a rare vocal and dramatic identification, they were really Turandot and Calaf. They met on stage more than fifty times, having bequeathed us several recordings both in studio and live shots, where you can hear his extraordinary creations, in the company of alternatives and magnificent Liù, as Mirella Freni, Renata Scotto, Rossanna Carteri, Clara Petrella, Teresa Stratas, Anna Moffo, Pilar Lorengar or the russian Galina Visnevskaya. In the mid-1970s and almost in unison with Birgit Nilsson's last performances as Turandot, the Bulgarian soprano picks up the baton Ghena Dimitrova, and a few years later the Hungarian Eva Marton. Both singers will perform magnificent performances of the terrible Chinese princess, practically until the end of the last century. Placido Domingo has made numerous brilliant performances of Calaf, being the only one who has come to sing it with Birgit Nilsson, Ghena Dimitrova and Eva Marton. Swedish soprano Irene Theorin, has become the official Turandot in the last ten years, having interpreted it in more than a hundred performances. His powerful vocality and great stage presence have been the great incentive of the two functions of Turandot, represented in Peralada the past days 6 Y 8 of August.

One of the attractions of this new production of Turandot made for the Peralada Festival, is the set design made by Paco Azorín, whose minimalist character does not detract an iota of visual appeal, and that raises a rotating central structure with a timber framework in the shape of a pagoda, and an internal staircase that leads to a raised platform where Princess Turandot will appear in a majestic way in Act I. Interior staircase and platform disappear as of Act II. The back of the stage is dominated by a gigantic gong, illuminated with different colors depending on the development of the dramatic action. At the ends of the stage there are two boxes, that will accommodate different actions throughout the development of the representation. Definitely, This set of simple structures made possible an interesting staging, that in the hands of Mario Gas, it was extremely static. Only, the brilliant appearance on the scene of the Ping ministers, Pang y Pong, about two Chinese carts and their theatrical performances throughout the entire performance produce a certain scenic dynamism. Those carts reappear carrying beautiful courtesans, when the ministers want to bribe Calaf in Act III. The success of Mario Gas should be noted when showing a Turandot with the presence of a goddess on a raised platform, in his first stage appearance, that is becoming a more human and insecure being, when he almost vanishes on stage when he realizes that Calaf has got the third of the enigmas right. Ping, Pang and Pong are also very well characterized, showing his ambivalent character: comical and grotesque in Act I, of extreme cruelty when they have Liù tortured in Act III; Y, in his big scene from Act II, Mario Gas presents them as authentic cheers, what do they drink, They snort coca and smoke opium. Other details of this staging, they are quite out of place, how to use, at the beginning of the opera, of one of the aforementioned side boxes, by two courtesans who translate the Mandarin edict into sign language, allowing viewers to not focus properly on the singer's performance, nor in listening to the shocking music that is being played. This is repeated in Act II, this time by Ping, Pang y Pong, when the mandarin reappears. Y, it is totally incongruous, that those two boxes be used, in Act III, by Pang and Pong, to slaughter chickens, while Ping tortures Liú, turning into grotesque and in bad taste one of the most dramatic moments of the entire work. After the death of Liù, the orchestra stops, and Mario Gas himself launches the aforementioned speech by Arturo Toscanini over the public address system, the day of the premiere of Turandot; for, then, and in a very debatable way, run the entire ending of the opera -short version by Franco Alfano- with the performers dressed in modern ball gowns, as if it were a performance in the form of a concert.

The costume design made by Antonio Belart, especially in the sumptuous dresses of Turandot, and in general of the entire noble class, resulting highly original the outfits exhibited by Ping, Pang y Pong, with purely Western ball gowns covered by typically Chinese capes. Y, as opposed, the poor clothes of the popular classes, with clear nods to the Maoist era. Excellent lighting design by Quico Gutierrez, whose wise use, complements and brightens up the simple scenery.

The performance of the Liceu Symphony Orchestra, it turned out discreet, since the director Giampaolo Bisanti failed to give sufficient prominence to the rich orchestration performed by Puccini. As well, acoustics problems that occur in an outdoor setting should be noted, especially in an opera with such contrasting sounds. The Bisanti direction achieved its best achievements in the moments of the most beautiful melodic content, as is the case of the scene of “I sing to the moon” in Act I, of clear impressionist flavor. Also in the performance of exotic music, clearly Chinese in style, that accompanies Ping's interventions, Pang y Pong, in his long scene from Act II. In the most spectacular moments, Bisanti abused sounds in fortísimo. It should be noted the good concerted work of the Italian director in the accompaniment of the singers, especially in the delicate arias performed by Liù, or in those precious phrases when Calaf urges Turandot to guess his name before dawn: “My name you don't know. Tell me my name. Tell me my name before dawn and at dawn I will die ", definitely, one of the most beautiful moments of this opera.

In regards to solo singers, note first the great performance of Irene Theorin as Turandot, exhibiting her beautiful and powerful velvety-timbre voice, with a perfect legato and great capacity in the regulations, from sounds in forte to delicate notes in pianissimi, along with a nuanced interpretation, giving authentic dramatic relief to each phrase, to every word sung. The Swedish soprano faced with strength and courage the terrifying tessitura of "In this palace", with great profusion of high notes that must be attacked vertically, some of them issued by Theorin with a certain tension. His performance was gaining in quality and intensity in the course of the enigmas scene, follower of the air "Son of Heaven", where I masterfully alternate singing piano and forte, offering this time, some high notes very well placed. His performance was truly extraordinary throughout the ending of the opera, next to the Calaf of a Roberto Aronica woody timbre and irregular emission, which had already become apparent by being unable to qualify the poetic accents of Aryan "Don't cry Liù". He had real problems at the end of the first of the riddles, and omitted the alternate Do4, what arises, in the phrase “No, no, haughty princess! I want you all burning with love ", when Calaf rebukes Turandot, after the riddle scene. His interpretation of the famous "No one sleep", it was not more than discreet, with certain mismatches with respect to the orchestral sound.

Great performance by the soprano Maria Katzarava, Liu como, with an attractive voice timbre, showing a wide and elegant phrasing, great ability to regulate the sound and good command of all registers from well emitted bass to brilliant rises to high. He showed a delicate edge line in "Sir, listen", of Act I, to end the aria by regulating the sound from pianissimi to forte and back to pianissimi in a brilliant "Voice". Already in Act III, his performance scratched high in his two consecutive arias: "The love?…So much secret and unconfessed love ", and above all, in the precious andantino "You who gel inhabitant", sung with painful expression. In sum, a great interpretation of the young Mexican soprano, destined for a magnificent career.

Good performance as Timur of the young bass Andrea Mastroni, giving noble accents to all his interventions, especially in the concertante with whom Act I ends, and in his pathetic singable before the corpse of Liù.

Another of the attractions of these performances were the magnificent performances of the baritone Manuel Esteve and tenors Francisco Vas Y Stephen Vincent, respectively as ministers Ping, Pang y Pong, especially in his big scene from Act II. Of three, Francisco Esteve shone brilliantly, who is in charge of the longest interventions. All of them combined an excellent vocality and great theatrical capacity in their changing attitudes throughout the entire performance..

The presence of the tenor is a luxury Once Josep like Emperor Altoum, giving authentic relief to a role almost always assigned to tenors in frank decline. Definitely, in his duet with Calaf from Act II "An atrocious oath forces me" his performance was even better than Roberto Aronica's. Well the interpretation of Jose Manuel Diaz like mandarin, in his two stage appearances.

The choirs are fundamental in this opera, with its almost continuous stage presence, where it is underlining the changing attitudes of the people to the events that are developing. The performance of the Intermezzo choir conducted by Enrique Rueda was somewhat irregular, with truly brilliant moments, as in all the scenes of the “I sing to the moon” or in the procession towards the death of the prince of Persia, along with others of greater sound force, issued with excessive volume. It is also necessary to comment on certain imbalances in the female choir, and that the sound, at times, it won't be compact, possibly due to the dispersion of the singers all over the stage. Very good performance by the Amics de la Uniò children's choir directed by Josep Vila in his delicious intervention of Act I, taken up in the introduction to Turandot's imposing aria "In this palace".

The Palau de les Arts in Valencia He has made a strong commitment, by staging its own production, an opera by Mozart as Idomeneo, King of Crete, little-known Spanish public, despite its high quality music, as it is usually represented very rarely, at least compared with other famous titles like Mozartian: Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni , Così fan tutte The Magic Flute. The five scheduled performances of Idomeneo, They have proved a success, by mass attendances, He has applauded tackles the end of the same.

Mozart received in summer 1780, the order of the elector Karl Theodor of Bavaria, composing a serious opera written in Italian, finally take the title Idomeneo, King of Crete, to be premiered at the Munich carnival 1781. Abbe Giambattista Varesco He was commissioned to develop the script, where the mythological drama narrating the King Idomeneo of Crete, on his return to fight in the Trojan War. The neat and extensive booklet prepared by Varesco offered a wide range Mozart to write music, but soon he began to have doubts about its dramatic structure, having to review it thoroughly, in an attempt to adapt to the maximum text and music. Mozart was especially interested in showing the contrasts between the two pairs of female and male performers: sweet and kind Ilia, as opposed to evil and manipulative Elettra, with his outbursts of hatred, jealousy and anger; Idomeneo faltering as opposed to the sincerity and idealism that always shows his son Idamante. Mozart began composing the score in late summer 1780 Y, once completed the first two acts, in November of that same year, he went to Munich where he finished third and final act, it cost a great effort, with continuous reviews, until very shortly before the premiere at the Court Theater in Munich 29 of January of 1781. Mozart eliminated at the Munich premiere and several arias composed for Act III: Idomeneo "Peace returns to the core”, of Idamante “No, the dead", the complex of Elettra "D'Oreste, of Ajax "and the Arbace (Idomeneo counselor) "If there is written the fates en". At the premiere in Munich, It also included a brilliant ballet music.

Mozart's Idomeneo conducted a review that was presented privately the 13 March 1786 at the Palace of the Prince Johans Adam Auersperg Vienna. The singers were all amateurs and belonging to the nobility. In that version of Vienna, the role of Idamante sang a tenor, while in Munich he had made a castrato. Mozart made some changes in the score: Idomeneo scene and Arbace at the beginning of Act II, It is changed by another which involved Ilia and Idamante. In Act III, a new duo Ilia and Idamante is included, replacing written for the premiere of Munich.

Idomeneo fell into the deepest oblivion, and recovery occurred at the Glyndebourne Festival 1951, with a series of representations directed by Fritz Busch, being his assistant John Pritchard, who becomes the great guarantor of this opera, which often lead, Version essentially Vienna: You can hear the recorded Idomeneo study, in 1956, with John Pritchard to the front of the orchestra of the Glyndebourne Festival, and performed by Sena Jurinac (their), Leopold Simoneau (Idamante), Richard Lewis (Idomeneo) Y Lucilla widows (Elettra). As well, with address Pritchard, there is a live take held at the Glyndebourne Festival 1964, with Idamante, beautifully sung by a young Luciano Pavarotti, next to Gundula Janowiz (their), Richard Lewis (Idomeneo) and Catalan soprano Enriqueta Tarrés como Elettra. Ya, from the seventies of the last century, He began to represent, fundamentally, "Version Munich", where the role of Idamante is sung by a lyric mezzo. This is the version that has been heard in Valencia, with the inclusion of very difficult Elettra aria of Act III "D'Oreste, of Ajax ", which as already mentioned was suppressed by Mozart at the premiere of Munich.

This new production of Idomeneo conducted by the Palau de les Arts, He has as stage director and set designer to his current Mayor Davide Livermore, who makes a visual component proposal stage strong, It manifested from the very beginning of the opera, when it is running the overture, showing at the same time, the image of the face of a statue party, which is becoming a face Idomeneo, aging rapidly, and one of whose eyes the camera to show delves an astronaut wandering through space (clearly inspired by the famous film 2001, an odyssey of space Stanley Kubrick) for, then, another image displayed at the bottom of a platform appears space launch, and in the foreground, Idomeneo figure saying goodbye to a child Your child Idamante! This series of images coincide with the implementation of the overture to the opera, and this That's a personal opinion- You can distract the viewer to concentrate on hearing the brilliant music that is playing.

strong visual component that is maintained throughout the representation, with projections, one reiterative both, a calm sea, or rough with large waves breaking against cliffs and reach a beach, which is continued on the stage itself, with a sheet water present during the entire performance. The scenery is completed by metal platforms that become gateways where roaming characters like Elettra, Modern lecterns or those used by Idamante and Idomeneo to address his subjects.

Aesthetics 2001, an odyssey of space, again present at the end of the opera: first, when the voice of the oracle is heard and appears elegant room dieciochesca, It is returning to look at the final moment of the opera, and all the symbols used by Kubrick in his film: monolith, fetal bags and a character moving towards Idomeneo for both merge into a hug mortal. Although, actually, Idomeneo not die in history, only abdicates in favor of his son Idamante. Successful lighting created by Antonio Castro, It produces beautiful effects that enhance the visual appeal stage.

Highlight the work of Mariana Fracasso as designer clothing, disparate and timeless, It is including spacesuits, mythical Greek warrior costumes, in contrast to modern uniform soldiers and police. Y, in the case of Elettra, the sumptuous model that exhibits in its scenic entrance, compared to the other dressed in a miniskirt and boots used in Act II.

But, the essential part of Idomeneo is its brilliant music, served by a sumptuous orchestral fabric. Here I had a very outstanding performance Fabio Biondi in front of the Orchestra of Valencia, which again demonstrated its high quality and from the same execution of the overture, with splendid sound rope developing a theme that resembles the violent ocean waves, and it will reappear repeatedly in different moments of the opera. Biondi great work in the recitatives: many with orchestral accompaniment that make authentic ariosos. The orchestral sound of greatly looks on the bright marches and in its various interventions with the choir, especially, In between the first two acts, imposing the final Act II, and the concluding opera. Highlight the conciliatory work of Fabio Biondi, since the orchestra is not limited to emphasize and complement the voices, but go above and ahead of them. Finally, point out the great orchestral performance in the execution of the brilliant ballet music (Chaconne), closing the representation, as well as other small ballet: “The dance of the Cretan women ", in this production resumed interprets the representation, after intermediate produced, during Act II, at the end of the aria from Idomeneo "Fuor del mar".

Outstanding performance Gregory customer as Idomeneo, already evident in its scenic entrance, in Act I, with recitative "Here we are at last saved" followed by the aria "Vendromi around" well sung, alternating moments of intense lyricism with other accents full of bravos. His performance is superb in the beautiful cavatina with chorus, marked by sound of the string pizzicato "Acogli, oh kings of mar " belonging to Act III, or that warm final speech "Peoples, to you the last law ". Kunde faces notably the famous aria from Act II "Fuor del mar", especially in passages requiring a song full bravura, or wearing his magnificent record high on the scale ascending to ending aria, where if naturally emits followed by do4. Has some difficulties in the passages adorned profusely dotting this aria and require great vocal agility. The young soprano Brazilian Lina Mendes, it is too light in her role as Princess Ilia troyana, but it offers its pleasant timbre, with good projection and excellent mastery of agility; Y, It showed, in each of his lyrical interventions: at the very start of the opera, to the performing expressively and delicate accents "Father, Germni, goodbye". Showing an excellent line of singing in her aria from Act II, "If the father I lost". His best time is produced fronting the beautiful and delicate aria "Zeffirelli flattering" Act III. In the role of Idamante, the middle veteran Monica Pods, He showed a high degree of expressiveness, although the voice was small and low projection, and this is apparent in her duets with Lina Mendes Ilia. Only proved correct interpretation of the first of its arias of Act I "I do not blame, and I condani ", improving its performance in the second "The father adored", sung with strong accents marked by the rapid pace of the orchestra. Bacelli got his best moments in the recitative-duet with Idomeneo in Act III "Father, My dear father ".

Elettra is the best dramatic character definition of the whole work, and he found an excellent performer in the Valencian soprano Carmen Romeu, beautiful and resounding voice, well managed. He made a great performance, full of theatricality in his big scene in Act I, which begins with the recitative "Extinct is Idomeneo", whose orchestral accompaniment gives a character of arioso, with a song full of anger and tension, whose tone will crescendo in the aria full of difficulty "All I hear in my heart", expertly solving octave jumps and excellent command of agility. And in Act II, His voice was warm accents in the recitative-aria "Who would I try my sweetest pleasure……Idol mio, if backwards ", with a beautiful form of dance music, where the singer showed full intention fraseo, in perfect harmony with orchestral music. Carmen Romeu's performance had its climax in the aria "D'Oreste, of Ajax " Act III, where he again offered that wild and crazy song of Act I, dominating a fiendish coloratura, with complex vocal inflections, where he showed a broad fiato. Some sharp suspenders did not dampen somewhat the excellent performance Valencian soprano.

This opera contains two pages of beautiful invoice: the trio of Act II "Men in partir, Oh God" which involved Idomeneo, Idamante y Electra, with the quartet of Act III of the Act "I'll go and just wandering", sung by Idomeneo, Idamante, Ilia y Electra, well resolved in both cases by singers, although imbalance between the great voices of Gregory Kunde and Carmen Romeu compared to smaller Lina Mendes and Monica Bacelli. Emmanuelle Faraldo in the paper Arbace, He showed in his aria in Act II "If your grief", a voice excessively ugly light and buzzer, although with ease in the upper register. Performances Alejandro López Y Michael Borth, respectively interpreting Voice and High Priest of Nettuno, no discrete passed.

Great performance of the Choir Generalitad in its numerous interventions: in Act I "Let us enjoy peace" festive tone dialing and “Pieta! gods mercy!” with glistening effect the chorus divided into two parts that produce sounds near and far. And in Act II, the beautiful "Placido is the sea" and imposing "What new terror" Y "Let's run, flee”. In Act III, the impressive "Oh tremendous vote" and the concluding opera "Get out Amor, fall Hymen ", with magnificent concatenation of choir and orchestra. The performance of the Ballet of the Generalitad “Chaconne” closing the representation, He was somewhat lackluster, to having its components to dance, with obvious difficulties, on the sheet of water in stage.

These performances of Idomeneo has been devoted to the memory of the director Nikolaus Harnoncourt, recently deceased, and great student of this score.

By Diego Manuel García Pérez

IDOMENEO, KING OF CRETE
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
dramma per musica in three acts, K 366
Libreto de Giambattista Varesco, adapted from a French text of Antoine Danchet
Premiere: Munich, 29 January 1781,
Residenztheater Edition: Alkor Edition Kassel GmbH
D. musical: Fabio Biondi
Stage direction and set design: Davide Livermore
Locker room: Mariana Fracasso
Lighting: Antonio Castro
Videocreación: D-WOK
Choreography: Leonardo Santos
New production Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía
Ballet of the Government
Cor de la Generalitat Valenciana
Francesc Perales, director
Orchestra of Valencia
Distribution: Gregory customer, Monica Pods, Lina Mendes,
Carmen Romeu, Emmanuel Faraldo, Michael Borth
and Alejandro López

The new season of the Palau de Les Arst Valencia, It has started six successful performances of Verdi's Macbeth, played by Placido Domingo, with a massive public attendance, demonstrating the real pull of this incombustible singer, dedicated in recent years to baritone roles.

Giuseppe Verdi I had a special admiration for the plays of William Shakespeare, adapting in his youth the Macbeth, and in his bright senescence: Otello, and a compendium taken from The Merry Wives of Windsor and Henry IV, with the title of Falstaff, that become his last two great operas.

The Grand Master of Busetto, had in mind to bring other Shakespearean dramas to the world of opera: The Tempest, Hamlet or King Lear, projects that never materialized. The composition of Macbeth was a real challenge for Verdi, since in the middle of the XIX century, It was unthinkable a work where the excessive passion for power and the way to achieve it at any price was raised, even through treason and murder, in contrast to tragic romantic stories, that the Italian public liked so much at that time. The premiere of Macbeth took place at the Teatro Della Pergola in Florence on 14 March 1847, with great success for its author, who had to go on stage to greet the public up to thirty-seven times. Verdi extensively revised this score to be performed at the Paris Opera, in 1865.

The main modifications included a new aria for Lady Macbeth "The tongue luce”In Act II, the rewriting of some passages from the scene of the spectral apparitions of Act III, the inclusion of a ballet in that same act, a new beginning of Act IV, with the chorus of exiles "Patria oppressed”And a new ending, which included a structured music in the form of a fugue for the battle, which is followed by a triumphal chorus "Victoria! Victoria”, eliminating Macbeth's death on stage from the first version "Bad for me that I entrusted myself”.

Macbeth practically disappeared from the stage after the Parisian performances of 1865, with very few representations during the first half of the 20th century. The definitive recovery of this score occurred at the opening of the season of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan on 7 December 1952 with the extraordinary and unique creation of Lady Macbeth by María Callas, with a masterful concert and musical direction by Victor de Sabata. That scalígera performance was recorded live and has remained since then as an authentic reference of this opera. It should also be noted, the great contributions made from the seventies of last century, by directors such as Riccardo Muti and the late Claudio Abbado, who have bequeathed us highly representative recordings and video footage of this attractive Verdi title.

The version represented in the Palau de les Arts is that of 1865, excluding Act III ballet, and the conclusive triumphal chorus of the opera "Victoria! Victoria”, and retrieving the end of the version from 1947, with the aria from Macbeth "Bad for me that I entrusted myself”.

It's a real shame this production doesn't include that brilliant final chorus and Act III ballet., taking into account that the Palau de les Arts has an excellent dance corps.

This production was carried out jointly by the Rome Opera House and the Salzburg Festival, where its premiere took place in 2011, with the address of the prestigious registry Peter stone.

In this Valencian replacement he has assumed the stage direction Carlo Bellamio, who expertly solves the staging of the final battle, where the contestants use authentic swords that when struck produce sparks. As well, it is truly novel to represent the three witches by dancers who act and pretend to sing, work performed by members of the female choir disguised as trees. The four killers of Banquo, They also appear dressed as dancers, and in this case, it is the male voices of the choir that sing hiding under great black cloaks. But nevertheless, Carlo Bellamio neglects to control the movements of singers and choir on stage, many times, genuinely erratic.

The scenery Ferdinand Wögerhauer it turns out to be minimalist at all costs, with very few objects, among them, the panel that slides across the stage, with a door through which Lady Macbeth exits at the beginning of her performance, and where Macbeth penetrates to assassinate King Duncan, reappearing in the development of the sleepwalking scene of Lady Macbeth. Highlight the excellent lighting design by Joachim Barth, with stage backgrounds projected in different colors, always based on the dramatic development of the action. Y, that zonal lighting, when it emerges from the ground, a big kettle, in the scene of Act III witches. Very attractive costume design by Anna María Heinreich, totally adequate - much appreciated- to 11th century Scotland, in which the action takes place.

The Orchestra of Valencia, again demonstrated its excellent quality, with an address the hungarian Henrik Nánási, flexible, contrasted, of great dramatic force and well concerted, facilitating the work of singers. The orchestra exhibited a bright and compact sound. all, it was already revealed in the interpretation of the initial overture, where strong sounds alternate, with a recurring and beautiful orchestral sequence, who will reappear in the scene of Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking from Act IV.

Highlight the performance of that brilliant music, in march form when King Duncan and his retinue appear, in Act I, or those musical moments full of lightness and color during the banquet of Act II, in contrast to the gloomy and haunting sounds of the previous scene , in which the murder of Banquo occurs. Great orchestral performance in the concluding concertgoers of the first two acts, in the musical introduction of the choir "Oppressed homeland!”, at the beginning of Act IV, as well as the brilliant escape in the final battle. Within the magnificent rendering of all the members of the orchestra, It is worth highlighting the excellent solo interventions by Cristina Montes to the harp, the english horn of Ana Rivero; Y, especially, of the oboe of Christopher Bowman, the clarinet of John Moon Enrinc and the flute of Alvaro Octavio.

Extraordinary performance of Coro de la Generalitat Valenciana, very well directed by its owner Francesc Perales, in his numerous interventions throughout the performance, with that squeaky and morbid sound of the female choir in the scenes where the witches appear, and especially in the chorus of Act III "Three times the rattling cat meows”. Components of the male choir, they also have a great performance at the Banquo murder scene, in Act II singing “Who requires you to join ni"With that dark and threatening phrase"Trembles, Banquo! In your side”. The choir in full, makes brilliant speeches in concerters, highlighting greatly, the imposing coral "Your anger is formidable and ready”Of the concertmaster who closes Act I. Of impressive dramatic force was his interpretation of “Oppressed homeland!”At the start of Act IV.

The stage appearances of Placido Domingo, they become real events that move a huge amount of public, to listen to an artist who has managed to combine his excellent vocal and interpretive quality, with a tremendous capacity to enhance his image through the media and become one of the great media phenomena of the last fifty years. June 2009 I had the chance to listen to him, precisely in this Palau de les Arts, one of his last tenor interventions, in his remarkable rendition of the Siegmund from La Valkyrie, with direction of Zubin Metha, where the singer already sixty-eight years old, showed a conspicuous decrease in his high register, still preserving its beautiful center and great interpretive capacity.

That same year he began a second and successful career as a baritone.: Domingo sings baritone roles, with tenor voice, and as much as I want to darken the broadcast, has no baritonal setting, which distorts his interpretations of Verdian roles as Simón Boccanegra, Rigoletto, The Count of Luna from Il Trovatore, Giorgio Germont of La Traviata or Francesco Foscari of I due Foscari. In these Valencian performances he has been heard in the role of Macbeth, his latest Verdi baritonal creation, with uneven results given the difficulties of this character. Ya, almost seventy-five years old, Domingo was short of fiato, which caused him real problems to link long sentences, as in the case of that extensive soliloquy "Know my brideWhich he performs before assassinating King Duncan in Act I. As well, a decrease in volume was evident, that made him lose vocal presence in duets with the powerful Lady Macbeth of Ekaterina Semenchuk, and make him practically inaudible in concert.

His performance improved noticeably in the last two acts., offering a good on-scene performance of the spectral appearances of Act III, and sing the aria "Pity, respect love"Of Act III, although far from the interpretations of Italian baritonal voices of splendid singing line, like Renato Brusson, Piero Capuccilli or Leo Nucci, not to quote the North Americans Sherrill Mines, and especially Leonard Warren, who allowed, even, conclude this aria with a monumental sharp. Domingo made his best intervention, singing, rather reciting, the concluding aria of the opera "Bad for me that but I entrusted”. It is necessary to point out, that despite the limitations stated in his portrayal of Macbeth, Domingo continues to show - miraculously to his years- a great timbral beauty, coupled with a magnificent stage performance, being loudly applauded at the end of the performance.

Ekaterina Semenchuk como Lady Macbeth, showed great vocal power, along with a remarkable theatrical performance, which was already revealed in his stage entrance reciting with true style “On the day of victory I met them"To lead to singing with an excellent interpretation of the recitative-aria"Ambitious spirit you are, Macbetto……Come! T'afretta!”, sung with authentic Verdian accents and conclude with the cabaletta “Now all arise”, moving well in the central and high register, although showing some inconsistency in the bass range and some problems in the agility of the cabaletta, which also occur again in that repeated toast of a marked bel canto character "Fill the chalice”, during the banquet scene that ends Act II. The Russian mezzo made a good interpretation of the aria “The tongue luce”At the beginning of Act II, although with difficulties in the emission to the acute natural si in the final part of the aria, and lacking incisiveness in the phrasing to show the intrinsic evil of the character. Notable was his rendition of the great sleepwalking scene, in Act IV, giving his performance pathetic accents, with a nuanced edge line, though ugly cutting off the climb to the final over-treble d. Note his magnificent performances in duets with Macbeth, especially the conclusion of Act III "Where am I?"Finished with the vibrant stretta"Hour of death and revenge”. It is worth highlighting his interventions in the concertantes, where his voice emerged with force, above chorus and orchestra broadcasting in forte.

MacDuff's Tenor Paper, is secondary in this opera, but it has an intervention of authentic brilliance in the recitative-aria “O my children…..Ah, the paternal hand”One of the most beautiful pages composed by Verdi and interpreted in a remarkable way, although with some tuning problem due to Giorgio Berrugi, who exhibits a beautiful voice, although excessively lyrical, for a character that requires a lyrical tenor-pushed, as is the case of the great Carlo Bergonzi, who has bequeathed us an extraordinary and referential interpretation of this page.

The bass Alexander Vinogrador Correctly sang the role of Banquo, showing a voice of certain rotundity but with a little refined line of singing, in his duet with Plácido Domingo, at the start of the opera, improving his performance in the aria "Study the pass, or my son….As it falls from heaven”That precedes his assassination in Act II. Well the rest of the secondary interpreters, highlighting Federica Alfano, in her short appearance as Lady Macbeth's Lady in the Sleepwalking Scene.

Text: Diego Manunel Garcia Perez
Photograph: Tato Baeza

Memorable representation of Otello what took place the day 1 of August, in this edition of Festival Peralada Castle. An uncertain meteorology, propitiated continually look heaven in the presence of clouds-indeed, the night before had discharged a heavy storm- that could portend rains with the consequent suspension of representation. Fortunately, He could be seen this truly magnificent musical and theatrical Otello to level. In this new coproduction, commissioned by the Peralada and Macerata Festivals, the murcian Paco Azorín, as stage director, spins all the action around the wicked and manipulative Yago, masterfully performed by Carlos Alvarez, whose absolute mastery of the stage is already evident in the prolegomena of the performance, moving like a true "master of ceremonies", attentive to all the details, even, urging the head of lighting technology to change the big label of the show “Otello de Giuseppe Verdi”, by “Yago de William Schakelespeare”.

Azorín shows his predilection for the English playwright, when inserting, very aptly in the context of the action, his beautiful sonnets 43 Y 138, whose texts projected on the stage curtain introduce Acts II and IV. The scenography designed by Paco Azorin, results of absolute simplicity consisting of two large solid blocks, who are taking different positions and, at times, fit a steep central staircase. The blocks have ramps that allow the characters to position themselves in different dramatic planes. The scenic effects are complemented by various projections designed by Pablo Chamizo: a stormy sea at the start of the opera, and in whose end that beautiful sea is shown in total calm, as the background of the inert and intertwined bodies of Otello and Desdemona already united for all eternity.

As well, that willow tree that sets Desdemona's song, that is losing its leaves, turning into a sinister forest, as the scene drifts towards its tragic end, or that infernal reddish background in the development of the intense and dramatic duo of Otello and Yago, at the end of Act II. Y, when Iago is introducing the demon of jealousy into Otello, The silhouettes of Desdemona and Cassio can be seen in shadows, conversing, image manipulated by Iago makes Otello believe in the love relationship of both. The attractive lighting design by Albert Faura, complete this successful staging. The costumes designed by Ana Garay It is timeless and black in the clothes of all the characters, in contrast to the immaculate white that the naive and innocent Desdemona always wears.

In Yago's case, and to capture his double game throughout the work, we can see him with a leather jacket, typical of a badass biker, who changes into his official uniform when he is in the presence of Otello.

Notable performance of the Liceu Orchestra, with a detailed address of Riccardo Frizza, differentiating sound planes, seeking to establish tensions and conjugate the moments of greatest sound impact at the beginning of the opera, with others of intense lyricism, as the music that introduces and accompanies the duo of Otello and Desdemona at the end of Act I, or the beautiful musical theme on Desdemona's words “Dammi la dolce, happy word of forgiveness ", that reappears in the course of the Otello-Desdemona and Yago-Emilia quartet (both couples located in different dramatic planes) of Act II. The strong symphonic orchestral introduction of Act III was well executed. Good rendering of the different orchestral sections, although with some metals, at times, so much misfit.

Gregory customer has become in recent years a reference Otello, following in the wake of other great interpreters of this character: Francesco Merli, Ramon Vinay, Mario del Monaco, the recently disappeared John Vickers Y Placido Domingo. For his careful phrasing and total respect for all the notes written by Verdi, Kunde's Otello bears similarities to that of Vickers, although without possessing the serious register exhibited by the great Canadian tenor.

On the other hand, It is truly unusual for Gregory Kunde to be able to sing the Otello Rossini at the Teatro alla Scala within a few days, whose last performance took place 24 of July, and the Verdian Otello in Peralada, he 1 of August. His heroic “Esultate” at the beginning of the opera is already impressive, in contrast to the lyricism offered in his interpretation of the intense duet with Desdemona "Già nella notte densa" with which Act I ends. Ya, in Act II, his great interpretation of “Tu? Back! Flee….Goodbye now and forever ", together with the dramatic duet with Yago “Oh! Monstrous guilt…… Yup, pel ciel marmoreo giuro ”full of heroic accents. His extraordinary and nuanced performance of “Dio! You could have thrown me ", in Act III, where an impeccable phrasing shines, his ability to sing legato, the half voices and some easy and round highs. Doses its sound flow to reach the end of the opera in optimal condition and sing with pathetic and shocking accents "Niun mi tema". Along with his excellent vocality, Gregory Kunde gives a great theatrical performance.

Carlos Alvarez composes an exceptional Yago, combining his magnificent vocality with an extraordinary theatrical performance. This is a character that the great Malaga baritone masters to perfection, and that I was fortunate to hear him when he sang it for the first time, with great success, in the already distant autumn of 2002, at the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville, with musical direction Jesus Lopez Cobos placeholder image.

In this representation of Peralada, Carlos Alvarez dominates the scene from the very prolegomena of the representation, wasting its evil plot, which concludes at the end of Act III, putting his foot on top of a faded Otello, with the despectiva phrase "Here is the lion". Ya, during the development of Act I, eminently coral, Alvarez shines theatrically in his duets with Roderigo and Casio. In Act II, performs splendidly the recitative-aria “Vanne! Your destination……Credo en un Dio crudel ”where he shows all his nihilism and evil, with a phrasing full of intentionality and emphasis, especially at the end of the aria "E poi? Death is nothing. Heaven is an old story ". His sibylline interpretation of “Era la notte, Cassio was sleeping "interspersed in his long duet with Otello, masterfully concluded when Alvarez and Kunde put their voices together “Yes, for the marble sky I swear ". In Act III his manipulative duo with Cassio “Vieni, the classroom is deserted ", with the presence on a different dramatic plane of a maddened Otello. Raids Eva-Maria Westbroek in various repertoires: wagneriano, bloody, Puccini, Verde, from Janacek, o Lady Macbeth de Shostakovich, they start to take their toll; Y, its powerful vocal media are affected by an ostensible vibrato together with a certain loss of homogeneity in the emission. This is evident in his interpretation of Desdemona, especially in the moments of most delicate lyricism, like the great duet with Otello from Act I, or in their interventions during Act II: dúo with Otello "Of a man who moans" follower of the cuarteto "If unconscious against you, groom, I sinned".

The Dutch soprano gets her best performance in Act III, in moments of greatest dramatic thrust: dúo with Otello “God, you play, or bridegroom…..Fixed fixed "y, especially, in “A terra! And, nel livido mud ”marked with pathetic accents before the contempt and humiliation to which it is subjected by Otello. And in Act IV, better control the broadcast by performing a good performance in "Piangea cantando nell'erma landa" (Willow song), followed by "Ave Maria", full of grace ". Seems to be, que Eva-Maria Westbroek, he was not in full vocal capacity and this was already evident in Otello's dress rehearsal. I remember your splendid Sieglinde (one of his great creations) by La Walkiria, in 2009, next to the Siegmund of Placido Domingo, at the Valencian Palau de les Arts, which marked his debut in Spain. Y, especially, his extraordinary creation of Lady Macbeth from Shostakovich at the Teatro Real in Madrid, in 2011, where I had the opportunity to interview her, in a very pleasant and relaxed conversation conducted in Spanish, where he showed his great admiration for Renata Tebaldi. Listening to a video recording of La Forza del Destino, in 2008, from the Brussels Mint Theater, you can see his magnificent creation by Leonora following the model of Tebaldi, and quite appropriate to the so-called "Verdian song". But nevertheless, the seven years that have passed have not passed in vain.

Report also, in this Otello, the remarkable performance as Cassio of the tenor Francisco Vas, as well as Mireia Pinto in the role of Emilia and Stephen Vincent as Roderigo. Good performance of the Liceu Choir, well run by Conchita Garcia, with his great role in Act I, or the magnificent concertante of Act III. Finally, point out good acting - just as actors- of the six minions of Iago.

Text: Diego Manuel Garcia Perez-Espejo
pictures: Miquel González / Shooting

Before this magnificent representation of Otello, The German tenor's recital pales quite a bit Klaus Florian Vogt, accompanied by pianist Jobst Scheneiderat, that took place yesterday in the Church of Carmen, from Peralada. With a program that included four Lied: "The walk", “Halt!”, "On Feirerabend" y "The Miller Flowers" del Ciclo The Beautiful Miller (The beautiful molinera) from Franz Schubert, correction sung by German tenor, far from the interpretations made by baritones Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Y Hermann Prey; Y, Of course, of the anthological creation of the tenor Frich Wunderlich with pianist Hubert Giesen. His performance was noticeably improved with his magnificent performance of “Dies Bidnis ist bezaubernd schön” from The Magic Flute of Mozart, followed by “Winterstüme” by Wagnerian La Walkiria, where he widened his voice considerably, offering strong sounds, that contrast with those moments when the tenor's voice sounds excessively sweet, amielada, and with a whitish color. The first part of the concert concluded with his remarkable performance of “In fernem Land” by the also Wagnerian Lohengrin, his most famous title in this repertoire. On both pages, his interpretations are far from those currently offered by his colleague Jonas Kaufmann.

In the second part he remarkably interpreted two lies of Johannes Brahms “Sunday” y “Down there in the valley”. Continuing with his excellent interpretation of "Ein Lied geht um die Welt" central theme of the musical film of the same title 1933, directed by Richard Oswald with music Hans May. The entire last section of the concert was dedicated to operetta pages, where the tenor offered his best performances showing his affinity with this genre: "My Wine" de la opereta Countess Mariza de Emmerich Kalman; Y, especially, the operettas songs of Franz Lehár: “Oh girl, my girl ”de Friederike, junto a “Always smile” en The land of smiles, and from this same operetta the famous “Dein ist mein gances Herz”, where the tenor showed an exquisite singing line.
To the applause of the public he sang two tips: a discreet version of West Side Story's “Maria” from Leonard Bernstein Y, Finally, a brilliant interpretation of another page by Franz Lehár “Freunde, life is lifelong! de la opereta Giuditta. The pianist Jobst Schneiderat I do a good job of accompaniment. At the exit of the concert, lightning and thunder, as a preamble to an intense and prolonged storm, which made the festival organizers fear for the representation of Otello the next day, what, fortunately, could be done.

Diego Manuel Garcia Perez-Espejo

The seven representations Nabucco, which they have taken place in the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, with a massive public attendance, They have been the real triumph of a season full of ups and downs and difficulties of all kinds.

Nabucco is composed of the third opera Verdi, libretto by Temistocle Solera, and its premiere took place at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, he 9 March 1842, constituting a great success, to the point of being represented in that season and the next, in 57 occasions, something that had never happened before. Nabucco may be influenced by Donizetti Y Bellini, but his vigorous melodies, with passionate vocal language, and they are typically verdianos. In this opera, and for the first time, Verdi gives great importance to the baritone, assigning the title role of Nabucco. Y, Abigaille -of the extreme difficulty- a soprano dramatic agility, He is sung in its premiere by Giuseppina Strepponi, destined to become sentimental companion of Verdi and his future wife.
After a few years when this opera was massively represented worldwide, He fell somewhat forgotten, It is recovered by the teacher Vittorio Gui, in the thirties of the last century, also directing, in the famous performances, with a live recording- which they took place in December 1949, Teatro San Carlo in Naples, with the creation of Abigaille unsurpassed by Maria Callas.

Nabucco production has been seen in the Palau de les Arts, Bayerische Staatsoper comes from Munich, and it was released in 2008, He is its creator Yannis Kokkos, responsible for the scenography, stage direction and costume design. It is a dark and simple scenery, a background where geometric shapes predominate: in Act I, six windows with large gilt frames and a staircase representing the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem; Y, in Act II, a large door the palace of Babylon.
Ya, in Act III, the door overlies the windows, meaning the oppression of the Babylonians about Jews. Only a scenic change occurs, when the famous interpreted "Va pensiero”, where members of the choir, They are representing the people of Israel, They are located behind a fence, in a possible allusion to the Nazi death camps, during world war II. Moody lighting dim and fails to alleviate the grim and gloomy stage space, except the two times when a panel of lights symbolizing the emergence of "God of Israel”, descends from on high and is increasing its power to produce a real flash that dazzles audiences. The scenery changes, with rapid movements of the scenic elements, moving horizontally and vertically, as in the case of the arrival of King Nebuchadnezzar in Act I, wrapped in a cloud of smoke and on a raised platform that descends slowly. Unattractive and unoriginal is costume design, where Jews appear dressed in black, and dark blue Babylonians guards, who use guns instead of spears, to give the work a sense of timelessness.

proven and energetic address Nicola Luisotti, the head of the Orchester de Valencia, which again proves to be a set of high quality, and this is evident from the excellent performance of the overture: a long page, very attractive, and full of contrasts, where and different musical motifs that will reappear throughout the opera exposed, among them, -with the accompanying minor modifications, the famous chorus "Va pensiero”. The orchestra has an outstanding performance, during the entire performance, shining in moments of intense lyricism: introduction and accompaniment of arias of Abigaille, Act II respectively and the closing of the opera, or Fenena's aria in Act IV. Y, by contrast, It shows an uncontrollable force, in the vibrant end of Act I, when Nabucco bursts onto the scene, whose musical theme -recurrente- and exposed in the opening, It is taken up in the orchestral introduction of Act III, and the coda of the final cabaletta performed by Nabucco, in his great scene of Act IV. Report also, the magnificent orchestral intervention Nabucco and Abigaille duet of Act III and, attractively, and full of contrasts overture Act IV. To address Nicola Luisotti, It is blamed tendency to use sounds in forte. Finally, and in the high level offered by the members of the orchestra, include the splendid performance of the solo flute Alvaro Octavio, and the magnificent intervention Rafal Jezierski cello and Pierre Antoine Escoffier al oboe.

The big winner of these representations, It has been the Neapolitan soprano Anna Pirozzi, Abigaille who composes a great vocal and dramatic stature, the singer has matured in his numerous interpretations of this character, especially, which performed at the Salzburg Festival 2013, with a resounding victory under the leadership of Riccardo Muti. voluminous voice and bright timbre, good breath, excellent ability to regulate the sound, and a treble and treble well placed and perfectly cast, what, even, stand strongly, in moments of greatest orchestral forcefulness. It provides a good command of bel canto coloratura, and meets with expertise deviled octave jumps that punctuate much of their interventions. Makes a great performance in his big scene of Act II, initiated with violent recitative "Well I t'inventi”, to move to the lyrical and intimate singing the aria "Anch 'opened one day" Y, then, show an overwhelming force in the cabaletta "I climb the throne already aurato”. also highlights, his great performance in the duet with Nabucco Act III, inserting in its dialogues with a pleading Nabucco, a vibrant cabaletta, whose musical theme appeared exposed in the initial overture. Anna Pirozzi looks back his vocalism and interpretive force, in the beautiful aria from the opera conclusive "its me, dying, essanime"Exquisite middle voices, and issuing delicate notes "pianissimi”.

I had planned my attendance at the function of the day 10 of May, to hear the Nabucco, sung by veteranísimo Leo Nucci, its still active 73 years, and already become a legend of opera. I had occasion to watch on DVD, his magnificent performance at the Arena di Verona, year 2007, with excellent and temperamental Abigaille of María Guleghina and address orchestral Daniel Oren. Finally, Nucci canceled, It is replaced by last minute David Cecconi, Voice unattractive tímbrico, although well managed, that during the first two acts, He could not project forward. His performance improved significantly in duet with Abigaille Act III, and the great scene of Act IV, noble accents singing the aria "God of Judah!”, and hard and force the cabaletta "O my brave, follow me”.

The role of Zaccaria great vocal and stage requirement, It was played by the Russian bass Serguei Artamonov, who showed an acceptable central register, having serious difficulties in the range of bass and treble and, so, frequent breaks in the eighth, to be performed in its many interventions throughout the work. His performance was not discreet, in scenes of authentic brilliance as the aria "Sperate, or children…"Followed by the cabaletta"As night sun shining"Act I or, the end of Act III "Oh,those who weep?…The future discern in the dark”.

The middle Armenia Varduhi Abrahamyan, in the role of Fenena, She wore a beautiful, warm voice, in his only major, the aria "Oh disclosed is the firmament"Act IV, which shows a delicate and elegant singing line. also note, Speaking at the "terzettino"Act I, Abigaille with Ismaele and interpreted by the American tenor Brian Jadge, powerful voice timbre and brightness, exhibiting, especially, in its vibrant arioso "l”, pertaining to Act II. Correct in their brief interventions Hyekyung Choi como Anna, Zaccaria's sister, el Abdallo (Nabucco faithful officer) from David Fruci Y Shi Zong as High Priest, three belonging to the "Training Center Placido Domingo”.

"The Choir of the Generalitat Valenciana", directed by Francec Perales, He shone high, Obviously highlighting- in his extraordinary interpretation of the famous "Va pensiero”, It ended with an almost unquenchable note "pianissimi". As well, noting their great performances from other great choral moments: “The furnishings Holidays broken down Cadona”, very beautiful invoice, with which starts the opera. As well, el de los Levitas chorus of Acto II "The Damned has no brothers", whose vibrant musical theme, already he appeared exposed in the initial overture. Y, interventions in the concluding concertantes of Acts I and II, or its significant presence throughout the end of Act III.

NABUCCO
Giuseppe Verdi
Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia
Valencia, 10 of May 2015
D. musical: Nicola Luisotti
D. scene: Yannis Kokkos
Lighting: Michael Bauer
Production: Bavarian State Opera
Cor de la Generalitat Valenciana
D. choir: Francesc Perales
Orchestra of Valencia
Distribution: Anna Pirozzi, David Cecconi,
Serguéi Artamonov, Brian Jadge,
Varduhi Abrahamyan, David Fruci,
Hyekyung Choi, Shi Zong.

THE BICENTENNIAL OF VERDI AND WAGNER, VERY PRESENT AT THE OPENING OF THE SEASON VALENCIANO Palau de les Arts.

Although immersed in a deep economic crisis that has led to a drastic budget cut, as we pointed out to the media Helga Smith, top leader of the Valencia Palau de Les Arts: the planned schedule for this season 2013-2014, It is attractive and with undoubted quality productions, having been chosen by the presence of young singers, and with significant baggage behind and good future prospects.

We are in the year of bicentennial from Verdi Y Wagner, whose races together, They occupy much of the nineteenth century. The first two operas of Richard Wagner: The fairies (The fairies) composed 1833, whose release did not occur until 1888, five years after his death; Y, The Ban on Love (The Liebesverbot) released in 1836, and it has not come to Spain until last summer, Festival Peralada Castle, and I offered an extensive review in our magazine. Verdi premiered in 1839 with Oberto conte of San Bonifacio.
So, and considering together the works of Wagner and Verdi, that long period of the nineteenth century, It covers sixty years between Die feen (1933) and last opera Falstaff Verdi (1893).

I had occasion to attend The Valkyrie last 9 November and La Traviata the next day. Truly, a luxury that few theaters worldwide are able to offer.

In THE VALKYRIE one could see the Palau de les Arts co-Maggio Musicale Fiorentino "La Fura dels Baus”, which it was for the first time at the Palau de les Arts in 2007, and subsequently 2009, with the important presence, the function I attended, Plácido Domingo and Eva María Westbroek, respectively as Siegmund and Sieglinde. So, the initial shock that caused me this production has been more diluted, although these are always very interesting and original projections shocking panels upstage. They have less attractive, gadgets as cranes perched where they appear: Wotan, Brünnhilde, Fricka and Valkyries.

Grand Orchestra of Valencia, showing cohesive, with perfect definition of sound levels, highlighting, within the high level shown by all orchestral sections, thumping and refined metals. The interpretation of the famous Ride of the Valkyries was of great brilliance and showmanship. Zubin Metha masterfully directed this orchestra he knows so well, and which undergoes extensive testing to obtain very high yields. Anyway, the great Indian master, He showed us his great knowledge of this monumental score; Y, a public fully delivered, that filled the theater, He showed his enthusiasm by dedicating long ovations.

The vocal cast was a remarkable height, the presence of Heidi Melton como Sieglinde. American soprano began with a volume of voice not too big, but it was widened considerably in the course of representation, especially when he left the quadruped position (like an animal), by erecta- to offer a magnificent voice and dramatic performance, highlighting those long and beautiful duets with Siegmund, well sung and played by Nikolai Schukoff.
As well, an excellent and rotunda providing dramatic soprano Jennifer Wilson as Brünnhilde, is those long, philosophical parliaments with his troubled father god Wotan, whom he gave a convincing voice and theatrical performance Thomas Johannes Mayer. Magnificent and very strong vocal work Stephen Miling as Hunding, showing, in all its splendor bad grape character.

Elisabeth Kulman He brought his beautiful stage presence, performing a remarkable interpretation of Fricka, especially in that vast duet with her husband Wotan, who materially, crushes with his reproaches. Anyway, Die Walkure a very remarkable, with good voices, especially original scenography, for those viewers who did not know her- Y, a musical high altitude resolution by the Orchestra of Valencia, superbly directed by Zubin Mehta.

Y, as to LA TRAVIATA, we offered the minimalist production famous Salzburg Festival 2005. famous, fundamentally, that marked the international launch of the Russian soprano Anna Netrevko, then flanked by the Mexican tenor Rolando Villazón, Also at that time, rising star in the opera scene, and consecrated by the American baritone Thomas Hampson.

With the omnipresence of that big clock circular also -used as a casual gaming table- whose progress is accelerated or slowed depending on the events surrounding the protagonist, and in relation to the presence of that old character and dour, which marks the evolution of Violetta, and already, in the last act, It goes back into the role of the doctor who certifies death.

The scenery Wolfgang Gussmann, despite its simplicity it is successful and itinerant operations with those sexy red sofas, as the protagonist dress, who is torn between his harmful and crazy life of courtesan, and that sincere love for Alfredo Germont, materialized in the background decorated flower-based, resembling the Violetta and Alfredo stay in a cottage on the outskirts of Paris, both living an intense and full idyll, truncated by the presence of the calculator and mean end -at human shows sensitivity- Giorgio Germont character named.

Again, Zubin Mehta, in a real pirouette evolving musical germanismo proposed the day before with Die Walküre, the Southern music composed by Verdi La Traviata. The results are again outstanding, and the great Indian master shows his wisdom and stylistic adaptation to extract brilliant sonorities of the Orchestra of Valencia, from that much-a grim overture, that is reiterated at the beginning of the last act- to the colorful scenes and you desenfadas Act II. Very bright, the performance of the Choir of the Generalitat Valenciana directed by its owner Francesc Perales. As well, highlight the good performance of the ballet of the Generalitat, directed by Immaculate Gil-Lazaro.

As for the solo voices emphasize the presence of the young Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva, winner 2010 Operalia competition, Plácido Domingo. We find a lyrical singer significant volume and attractive voice timbre. In Act I, greatly exceeds the requirements of cut belcantista, although at the end thereof, at "always free”, omits the optional Mi5. His performance earn enough integers from Act II, until the end of the opera pathetic, both from the point of view vowel, as dramatic. Emphasize her performance in the long duet with Giorgio Germont, vocally and theatrically well played by baritone Simone Piazzola, who has his best moments in the famous aria "Of Provence on Tue"And subsequent cabaletta"Do not you hear reproaches”.

Italian tenor Ivan Magri, whom we heard last season, in this same theater, the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto and Jacopo Foscari I due Foscari of verdiano, begins his performance somewhat intemperate, to improve substantially as the representation progresses. His singing line is acceptable, but has serious difficulties in coping with their great start scene of Act II, “Long from her.."Whose interpretation requires great technical skill and style, which compels us to remember the creations of this Alfredo Kraus or a Carlo Bergonzi. Magri has an excellent high register that allowed him to finish the cabaletta "O my remorse.."With a blunt C4. In sum, a good representation of La Traviata, where again shone high orchestra conductor Zubin Mehta and.

THE VALKYRIE
Richard Wagner
D. musical: Zubin Mehta
D. scene: Carlus Padrissa (La Fura dels Baus)
Allex Aguilera (replacement)
Videocreación: Franc Aleu
Scenography: Roland Olbeter
Locker room: Chu Uroz
Lighting: Peter van Praet
Copoducción de Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía y Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Orchestra of Valencia
Distribution: Nikolai Schukoff, Stephen Milling, Thomas Johannes Mayer, Heidi Melton, Jennifer Wilson, Elisabeth Kulman, Eugenia Bethencourt, Bernadette Flaitz, Julia Borchert, Pilar Vázquez, Julia Rutigliano, Patrizia Scivoletto, Nadine Weissmann, Gemma Coma-Alabert

LA TRAVIATA
Giuseppe Verdi
D. musical: Zubin Mehta
D. scene: Willy Decker
Girl Barbara Hummel (replacement)
Scenography: Wolfgang Gussmann
Locker room: Wolfgang Gussmann and Susana Mendoza
Lighting: Hans Toelstede
Choreography: Athol John Farmer
Coproduction of De Nederlandse Opera, Amsterdam, based on the original production of the Salzburger Festspiele
Immaculate Gil-Lazaro, Ballet director of the Generalitat
Francesc Perales, Director Cor de la Generalitat Valenciana
Orchestra of Valencia
Distribution: Jessica Nuccio y Sonya Yoncheva, María Kosenkova, Cristina Pupil, Ivan Cordoba, Simone Piazzola, Mario Cerdá, Javier Franco, Maurizio Lo Piccolo, Luigi Roni, Valentino Buzza, David Astorga, Germán Olvera, Olivieri Mattia

Last season the Auditorium of the Provincial de Alicante, He offered a great program, with excellent musical events, as in the case of the concert conducted by Vasili Pretenko front the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic to, with the presence of the great Joaquin Achucarro in the Piano Concerto No. 2 God give, and the magnificent performance of Symphony No. 10 Dimitri Shostakovich.
As well, that Symphony No. 9 Beethoven, -BRIO discussed in class- Riccardo Chailly and which imposed a fast tempos, following execution criteria designed by the great musician of Bonn. Y, maybe, as a great milestone of that past season, it is worth noting the concert in mid-January 2013, with the Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, with the always excellent address of the owner Valery Gergiev, and a program including Concerto No. 3 Rachmaninov and, especially a magnificent, in every sense, interpretation of La Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz, which left the audience spellbound materially, This concert was also widely discussed in our magazine.
As well, highly noteworthy was the concert by the Bamberg Symphony, directed by Jonathan Nott, with that attractive mix of a pre-romantic and classical represented by Symphony 5 Frank Schubert, and that innovative and Symphony No. 4 Mahler Gustav straddles the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The season ended with another great concert by the State Symphony Orchestra of Moscow, with good pulse directed by Pavel Kogan, and it included the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, nicely executed by Boris Belkin, and that work so attractive and spectacular orchestrated by Maurice Ravel version, of Pictures at an Exhibition Mussorgsky, who originally he conceived for piano. Just a week ago we heard this version for piano, at the opening of the season SOCIETY ALICANTE CONCERTS, notably performed by American pianist Nicholas Angelich.

As well, the autumnal start programming 2013-2014, We also holds important musical events, since the same season opening, in the concert that will take place on Friday 18 of this October, with the Orchester National de France directed by Daniel Gatti, and a very attractive program that includes: Egmont Overture by Beethoven were Luwig, Symphony No. 96 (The miracle) Joseph Haydn, released in 1791 and belonging to the group of twelve <<London symphonies>>, ranging from Symphony No. 93 also it composed 1791 the Symphony 104 (London) from 1795, which together constitute a true jewel of the classical symphonic catalog. Y, to conclude, classicism of the postromanticism with the execution of the Symphony No. 1 (Winter Dreams) de Tchaikovky.

The second concert will take place on Tuesday 19 of November, con la World Symphony Orchestra, directed by Josep Vicent. The program includes two works by Maurice Ravel: La valse and Sheherezade, the latter work performed by the soprano Ángeles Blancas. In the second part, the audience will enjoy listening to the most significant musical fragments of the ballet Romeo and Juliet, its author Sergei Prokofiev epitomized in the "Suites I and II".

Ya, Monday 2 December is scheduled summits of choral works: the oratorio The Messiah Friedrich Händel, interpreted by the Wiener Akademie, Sine Nomine choir and soloists Anna Prohaska (soprano), Robin Blaze (countertenor), Steve Davislim (tenor), all led by Martin Haselböck.

The last concert of this fall will take place on Saturday 14 from December, the interpretation of Verdi's Requiem -we are in the "Year Verdi" (second centenary of the great musician Busetto)- with the excellent Orchestra of Valencia, Riccardo Chailly and directed by the magnificent Choir of the Generalitat Valenciana, directed by its French owner Perales. Great orchestral work packaging, with stunning coral interventions, where four solo voices are inserted: soprano, tenor, mezzo and low, played respectively by Carmen Giannattasio, Giorgio Beruggi, Veronica Simeon and Li Liang. Surely it will be a good orchestral and choral version by the presence of Valencian formations already mentioned.
But nevertheless, and is a possible recommendation for attendees to this work live, preview, one of the following versions on CD or DVD: Decca Recording 1960, with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the sensational voices of Jussi Björling and Leontine Price, flaqueados well by mezzo Rosalind Elias and bass Giorgio Tozzi, all led by Fritz Reiner. It is also necessary to point out another historic Requiem, with the magnificent performance of the young Luciano Pavarotti, next to a Leontine Price, with, even, even more interpretive freedom in the Viennese aforementioned recording; Y, junto a ellos the great means Fiorenza Cosotto, and Bulgarian low -then in his best vocal moment- Nicolai Ghiaurov, all directed by Herbert von Karajan at the front of the Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala, a function filmed at the Teatro in Milan 1967 and later remastered and released on DVD by Deutsche Grammophon.

How could it be less this year 2013, commemorative of the bicentennials of Richard Wagner (Leipzig, Germany, 22 May 1813 - Venice, Italy, 13 February 1883), Y Giuseppe Verdi (the Roncole, Bussetto, Parma, Italy, 10 October 1813 - Milan, Italy, 27 of January of 1901):
He Festival of Peralada Castle, He has dedicated an extensive program to celebrate both events. First of all, It should be noted-that just and necessary- the perfect and exemplary organization of this summer festival, in that beautiful setting of the Catalan "Alt Empurdà", already very close to the French border, and which I had the pleasure of attending for the first time in a distant 2002, in a recital, with included interview of the Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez, when he was beginning to be known and was shaping the path to that great fame that he has acquired in later years.
That magnificent lyrical program dedicated to both bicentennials, It started from the same day of the opening of the Festival, he 17 of July, with the interpretation of the Verdiana Messa di Requiem, performed by the Choir and Orchestra of the Gran Teatre del Liceu, under the direction of its owner Josep Pons, who gave the orchestra a vibrant rhythm and, in unison, achieving that high dramatic tone that this work requires: whose premiere took place in 1874, in homage to the great poet Alessandro Manzoni, died just a year before. Verdi's ability as an orchestrator can be seen in this composition., achieved little by little, during the thirty-five years of intense work that mediated between his first opera Oberto Conte di San Bonifacio (1839) and that year 1874 of the premiere of the Requiem. The vocal soloists were of authentic category led by the magnificent Dutch soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek, voluminous and timbred voice, endowed with that <<ring>> and rotundity that this work requires. The performance of the Italian mezzo Luciana D’Intino was not behind. As well, good rendering of the bass Michele Pertusi. Y, more discreet, el tenor Giuseppe Filianoti, of beautiful and timbred emission, but something light for this work that requires a more resounding voice; Y, it becomes evident, in his great solo moment the "Ingemisco", where his interpretation is very far from those performed by a Jussi Björling with Zinca Milanov in 1940 o Leontine Price and 1960, in his recordings directed respectively by Arturo Toscanini and Fritz Reiner.
Toscanini himself directed another historical Requiem in 1951, at New York's Carnegie Hall, with the wonderful voice of the young Giuseppe Di Stefano, flanked by two other greats of the lyric: Fedora Barbieri and Cesare Siepi. It is necessary to highlight another historical Requiem, with the magnificent performance of a young Luciano Pavarotti, con Leontine Price, the great half Fiorenza Cossotto, and a Nicolai Ghiaurov in his best vocal moment, all directed at 1967 by Herbert von Karajan, in a scaliger function filmed, and later remastered and released on DVD, which has become an essential document of this great Verdi religious work.
Anyway, This Peralada Requiem was quite high carats, especially by the direction of Josep Pons, and the vocal performances of Eva-María Westbroek and Luciana D’Intino.
The interpretation of this work was also a tribute to the memory of the poet, Catalan-language playwright and novelist Salvador Spriu, on the centenary of his birth on 10 July 1813, one hundred years after Verdi and Wagner.
Y, we go to the second lyrical day on Friday 2 of August, dedicated to Wagner with the Saint Petersburg Mariinsky Theater Orchestra conducted by its owner Valery Gergiev, with that strength and conviction that are common in him. Maybe, in the first part dedicated to the interpretation of Act I of Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), some instrumentalists did not get fully orthodox solo introductions, and I mean bass strings and brass. In compensation if we had the fortune to listen to three Russian singers with resounding and intoned voices, with a good command of the German language, something fundamental to duly qualify their respective roles. Very notable is the Sieglinde of the soprano Mlada Judoléi with a very attractive timbre, and blending very well with the Siegmund of the tenor August Amonov, quite intoned in the passages of greater heroic thrust, with a phrasing full of intentionality, though not overly refined in the lyrical moments of those long and precious duets with Sieglinde.
Magnificent for stage presence and vocality the bass Mikhail Petrenko, who performed a great performance of the jealous and malevolent Hunding.
The orchestra was much better in the second part, with excellent interpretations of the overtures by Lohengrin and Los Maestros Cantores. Although, the great moments of this concert, were run by a magnificent Eva-Maria Wetbroek, who after having faced with true brilliance the most lyrical Wagnerian roles such as Elisabeth de Tannhäuser, the Eva of the singing teachers, Sieglinde de The Valkyrie, y la Gutrune de Götterdämmerung, is preparing her debut as Isolde, rehearsing this complex role, in their interpretations of the <<Imprecation of Isolde>> and the <<Death of love>>, where he was impressive for his great dramatic ability, vocal rotundity, and absolute control of all records: graves, center and treble. A devoted audience applauded both Gergiev and Westbroek with great force..
The next day saturday 3 In August another Wagnerian event took place with the absolute premiere in Spain of Das liebesverbot (The Liebesverbot), Richard Wagner's youth opera premiered 1836 in Magdeburg - with a thunderous failure- when its author was only twenty-two years old. The montage, performed by stage director Georgios Kapoglou, was commissioned by the Bayreuth Young Artists Festival in 2005, in a version where the almost three and a half hours of the original score are reduced, less than two, performed by composer Frank Böhme in modern key, for the chamber ensemble Ensamble Orquesta de Cadaqués, with additional instrumentation of electric guitar and saxophones, that Fausto Nardi knew how to direct with real skill. The musical arrangement could remember, at times, Kurt Weill's musical theater.
This version tries to concentrate the most essential of the action, with a special attention to showing an uncompromising defense of free love and female emancipation, marking excessively, the right of women to have absolute freedom to choose the man they like best, no family or social restrictions. It is an adaptation that Wagner himself made of Schakespeare's play Measure for Measure.
The staging inside the Church of Carmen de Peralada is very interesting, with the orchestra in the background, and the action developed within a rectangular and closed bleachers where spectators could follow the action from very close, practically listening to the breathing of the different performers.
Magnificent vocal and theatrical performance by young singers, like the baritones Enric Martinez-Castignani and Àlex Sanmartí, the sopranos Júlia Farrés-Llongueras, Rocio Martinez and Mercedes Gancedo, and the tenor David Alegret.
Good performance by the Chamber Choir of the Palau de la Música Catalana. Magnificent premiere performance of this authentic Wagnerian rarity. Only, signify the suffocating heat inside the Iglesia del Carmen where the representation took place.
Anyway, these three musical events reviewed, have been the magnificent contribution of the Peralada Festival 2013, to the bicentennials of Wagner and Verdi.

Diego Manuel Garcia Perez-Espejo

With functions The Magic Flute, ends this fall season, winter and spring in Valencia "Palau de Les Arts”, which has combined the inevitable budget cuts, with a program based on five titles of different repertoires: La Bohème and The Barber of Seville, with two Verdi operas we're in the 200 anniversary of the composer Busetto- a popular and superconocida as Rigoletto, and a much less represented, but of undoubted appeal as I due Foscari, with the ever charismatic presence of Placido Domingo, baritone roles gotten into, while retaining its attractive timbre, and a line of truly unthinkable sing for their seventy-two years.

As well, all these productions had magnificent scenery, to the minimalist very attractive scenic mozartiana proposal but adds Die Zauberflöte.
Despite the reduction in securities compared to previous years, the Opera Palace Valencia, He has taken care of the musical results, vocal and stage of each of his operas scheduled, to which Brío Classic is devoting extensive and didactic reviews.
Die Zauberflöte is a work which could be called in different ways: grand opera, as called Mozart, It could also be ascribed to the genre of Viennese operetta or even a "Singspiel" as in the case of The Abduction from the Seraglio. Also like a fairy tale.
But nevertheless, its manifest Masonic iconography is evident, because from start to finish, the whole theme of this opera brings us to freemasonry. Take into account that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a Freemason, and his opera singing is an on universal brotherhood. Its two main protagonists Prince Tamino with his beloved Pamina, They are introduced into the Masonic rite of passage.
One might think that this opera is just a parable of the struggle between good and evil, of the ridiculous and the sublime, of male and female elements. But nevertheless, Die Zauberflöte be considered a great work that brings together all these contradictions, extolling love associated with the search for truth, mutual solidarity, Justice, fraternity and tolerance.

As in all great Mozartian operatic creations, singing must prevail in its purest form: refined technique, vocal quality, expressivity.
Within vocal typology requiring Magic Flute, the character of the Queen of the night precise soprano freehold dramatic coloratura, joined push and bravura. Sopranil type that existing at the time of Mozart, and revisited in some operas of Bellini and Donizetti, by sopranos like Giuditta Pasta, Giulia Grisi, and in more recent times by the great Maria Callas: no longer exists. So, The role of the Queen of the Night is played lyrical light of great extension and easy mastery of agility.
As for the two main roles of Pamina and Tamino, require respectively: a lyric soprano certain width, good legato, dynamic domain regulations; Y, especially, a highly refined ridge line; and tenor of sufficient width for heroic face and dramatic moments.
Y, the character of Sarastro, of great importance throughout the opera, It requires a deep bass with a song of great nobility.
Finally, Let us quote, the birdman Papageno character baritonal, that must combine a comic action and lighthearted, more serious moments and certain drama.

Having said all that, to put the reader in history, always I want to make a constructive comment to this production of Teatro Regio di Parma The Magic Flute, which it was performed during six performances last April at the Opera Palace Valencia: first, you can perform a staging -atractiva- Minimalism tinting, created by Simon Corder, also responsible for the very successful design lighting that takes tremendous advantage of the easy stage show. Highlight, expressive ballet numbers, excellently resolved by acrobatic dancers, with superb choreography Duncan Macfarland.
The Coro de la Generalitat Valenciana (as usual) performs an outstanding performance led by its owner Francesc Perales, highlighting, especially in the impressive and very emotional chorus of Act II.
it is always necessary to comment on the quality of the Orchestra of Valencia, riddled with magnificent professionals able to fit many-colored repertoires: in this case the music of Mozart, Always great symphonic height, and director exposing knew with absolute brilliance.
In the vocal plane should highlight vocal and stage performance of the young Italian soprano grace Doronzio, who made an outstanding performance as Pamina, It is magnificent in all its interventions, especially, in his very complicated aria in Act II, “Ash, I feel it (¡Ay, I have the feeling)”, fulfilling a vast percentage, all benefits that requires vocal character, already pointed above; Y, showing despite its youth- in line with other major Paminas as, for example: Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Gundula Janowitz, Anneliese Rothenberger or our Pilar Lorengar.
Also noteworthy is the magnificent Sarastro Korean low In-Sung Sim, with a fine and noble ridge line. His performance is very bright throughout the entire opera, highlighting its Act II aria "healing in these'Gene Hallen.
Remarkable and funny performance as Papageno Baritone Thomas Tatzl, next to the Papagena well sung and acted in Helen Kearns, who shows great body flexibility, when fully bent for quite some time, then appear as a slender young girl who captivates Papageno.

Leave it to the end what I consider looser entire cast: Queen of the Night soprano Mandy Fredrich, who sang her aria discreetly Act I "About zittre them, my dear son! (This portrait is enchantingly beautiful)"To improve its devilishly difficult aria in Act II"Hell's Revenge..” (Vengeance of hell ..)”
The Tamino Daniel Johansson, this, more or less acceptable, in their interventions with Pamina, Papageno and Sarastro.
Ya, the results are more discreet in his big scene of Act I "This portrait is already bezubernd (This portrait is enchantingly beautiful)”, if we compared with Fritz Wunderlich (Tamino best in history), elegantísima or the creation of young Nicolai Gedda, Pamina next to Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Papageno and Giuseppe Taddei, take in the magnificent live 1953, led by the flaming baton of Herbert von Karajan; e, even, excellent creation, in more recent times, the Mexican Francisco Araiza, on taking video 1991, directed by James Levine from Metropolitan New York.
Anyway, a remarkable Magic Flute, especially some of the singers.

This Valencian Barber of Seville, with a very original and modern scenery of Paolo Fantin: and rotating building a popular neighborhood, where the eyes of viewers can scan, as in the case of casting James Stewart (Jeff. B. Jeffries), that was dedicated to look, from Rear Window, the activities and developments of all its neighbors in the great Alfred Hitchcock Read Window.

The overflowing grace of The Barber of Seville, He born of the perfect combination of a magnificent libretto by Cesari Sterbini, basado en la comedia The Barber of Seville, or The useless precaution of Pierre Beaumarchais, and the brilliant musical score Rossini, to be surpassing ingenuity and resourcefulness, with each of your numbers, truly amazing progression. From the "Piano pianissimo"To stretta that ends Act I. Y, from the duo "Peace and Joy I"Until the end sextet dazzling, the whole opera is a real growing wealth of melodic, perfectly adjusted to the action posed lighthearted.
In addition to a series of numbers, indeed "milestones", all the repertoire as "Ecco, laughing in heaven"Or aria-cabaletta"Cease to resist any longer ... Ah, more pleased”, loaded very difficult agility, magnificently resolved, we remember- by tenors as Alfredo Kraus, Cesare Valetti, Nicolaï Gedda, Fritz Wunderlich or Argentine Raul Gimenez (great stylist of the belcantismo); Y, nowadays, by Juan Diego Florez, we remember his magnificent Count Almaviva, at the Teatro Real in Madrid, also released on DVD- O, the "Largo to the factotum" of Figaro, and "Slander" Don Basilio. Not to point out that "A voice just now”, where so many singers have failed, in the attempt to give a truly expressive content to the phrase ma my toccano.
The Barber is another irrefutable proof of the orchestral mastery of Rossini. "The overture" or accompaniment "slander”, can testify.

something also, Highly noteworthy is the portrayal of different characters through music: the full character of great nobility Song Count, the various aspects of the personality of Rosina exposed in their "a voice just now" O, the bad idea of Bartolo in "To a doctor”, and the graceful rococo imitation of the language in its Arietta of Act II, reminiscent of his youth. All these aspects contribute to this Rossini opera has been compared without any resort to Mozart masterpieces as The Abduction from the Seraglio and The Marriage of Figaro. Report finally, Act I that is greater than the second, and this is not a defect, since the sum rapidity of the outcome of this opera, serves as a balance to the prolonged presentation constitutes the entire Act I.
In this Rossini opera, we can find clear reminiscences of the famous trilogy of Mozart-Da Ponte: The Marriage of Figaro, Y Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte.
After this long introduction I am thinking didactics- to put the reader on, back to focus on this Barbero has been seen during last March in Valencia.

This production from the Grand Théâtre de Geneve, , as it has already been pointed out- with excellent and modern scenery, consisting of the faithful reconstruction of a popular multi-storey building, where even, we see parked the Ford 'All right! propaganda of the Valencian factory- of Count Almaviva, madly in love with the pert and graceful Rosina, who lives in this protected building, rather subdued, the dodo and jealous Don Bartolo.
This set can rotate completely, to allow see the internals of the different floors, and that viewers can scan and target different actions sung, simultanean that other merely theatrical; Y, all, complemented by a successful lighting design that marks the temporal transitions of action arises. So, a remarkable, remarkable scenery.

Excellent music created by Gioachino Rossini is outstandingly performed by the orchestra of the Valencia Grand, well directed by its owner Omer Meir Wellber, wearing of excessively on the "overture" (true prodigy of colorful and concise music), and if the provision is important throughout the opera, reaches heights of high in the long -very end to the Mozartian style- of Act I. The Omer own Wellber, deals with the key, accompanied recitatives.
And in the vocal level include the most serious voices: the remarkable Figaro Mario Cassi, who exhibits a broad and emphatic voice, showing that dynamism on stage that requires this role, whose personality shows clearly, in his famous aria "largo al factotum”. Grand Basilio of the young under Bulgarian orlin Anastassov, voice of a great package that looks exceedingly in the famous aria "Slander is a breeze”, and in all other interventions within a great vocal and stage performance.
Orlin Anastassov only sang in the functions of day 12, and the day of my attendance 15 of March. Anyway I know the magnificent performance of the great under Georgian Paata Burchuladze, in other representations. Funny and very theatrical Bartolo of Marco Camastra always following the slipstream of Rosina, and solving its expertly Act I aria "To a doctor of my fate”. Special mention of the Valencian mezzo Berta Marina Rodriguez Cusi, brilliant career in the last twenty years.
Rodriguez-way, It gives a lesson theater, because without singing, acting alone, comes to focus fully, with their stage movements the attention of viewers, and already wearing his vocalism attractive during Act II, in her little duet with Bartolo "Ah, wretched me!"Followed by her aria"The antiquated Coming”.
As for Rosina from Valencia de Sagunto Silvia Vázquez, It is pretty well in theatrical background, and a remarkable vocalism shooting, especially in the resolution of the bel canto agility shining in his famous aria "A voice just now”.
Uruguayan tenor Edgardo Rocha (bright pupil other Almaviva: American tenor Rockwell Blake), It has a good vocal technique, associated with a voice inhomogeneous, total absence of serious, and a central register no light but ultra-light tenor; what, only takes up a width body and to move well in acute. These features will remain lucimiento in their important interventions of both acts. El Figaro de Mario Cassi, tells true brilliance in the duo both in their duet of Act I "The idea of that metal”. The large number of magnificent set that closes Act I, with that excellent Coro de la Generalitat Valenciana. Anyway, a very remarkable Barbero, especially for its theatrical approach and the most serious voices.

The Barber of Seville
Gioachino Rossini
Palau de les Arts in Valencia
D. musical: Omer Meir Wellber
D. scene: Damiano Micheletto
Mario Cassi, Silvia Vázquez,
Edgardo Rocha, Marco Camastra,
Orlin Anastassov, Marina Rodriguez-Cusi,
Oliveri Mattia

It has started the year VERDI, at 200 anniversary of his birth, and the Palau de Les Arts celebrates the anniversary with a title young Verdi I due Foscari, along six performances that began -exitosamente- last 24 from January, and will run until 8 February. Y, to be followed by the roles of Otello, one of the peaks of art verdiano- which will take place the next months of May and June, directed by Zubin Mehta, Festival of the Mediterranean.

DEATHS IN VENICE
In the famous film of Luchino Visconti in 1971 Y, as well, the last opera by Benjamin Britten 1973, Death occurred in Venice, of the tormented musician Gustav von Achenbach: -A Francesco Maria Piave from the drama of Lord Byron, The two Foscari- He wrote the libretto of the opera by Verdi composed sixth, the title italianized I due Foscari. It presents an oppressive and highly dramatic plot, that ends with the deaths, in the Venice of the Quatrocento, of the Doge of the Serene Republic, Francesco Foscari and his son Giacopo.
This opera inaugurates a period of frenetic creative activity for the composer of Busseto, who since 1844 (year of the premiere of I due Foscari) until 1850, will compose eleven operas. These intense seven years are known by the name of "galley years". This name is based on a letter from Verdi himself to his friend Countess Maffei, in which he complained about the way
next: “From Nabucco it can be said that I have not had a single hour of tranquility. It was seven years of galley!"Later the expression reached fortune, but applying it to the six-year period between I due Foscari and Stiffelio premiered in 1850.
Two may be the reasons for this great creative effort: the requests of the theaters to represent new operas and the strengthening of the economic position of the composer, whose triumphs on stage were providing him with a healthy financial situation. Both reasons are plausible, although the first is usually used to the detriment of the second, less romantic. Certainly, back then there was a real public craving for, materially, devour new operas; this circumstance forced the composer to create one opera after another incessantly, and travel continuously to attend premieres or supervise rehearsals and reruns. But it is no less true, that due to its humble origins, Verdi had a great attraction for money.
So, that frenetic work of "the years of galley", to which can be added the period between 1851 Y 1853 where he composed his popular trilogy, that make up Rigoletto, Il Trovatore y La Traviata, make you a millionaire songwriter who, since then, it is gradually slowing down its production, as, in the next forty years, and even his last Otello premiered in 1887, and Falstaff from 1893, he will only compose eight operas.

But, let's go back to this Valencian and very remarkable I due Foscari: where, again, as in the previous cases of Rigoletto and La Bohème, during this season, we are shown an original scenography. Ya, at the very start of the representation, we can see a dynamic sea projected on a transparent backdrop, that symbolizes that beautiful Venetian blue horizon, through which one can glimpse the ugly and sinister prison universe that, once that maritime curtain was raised, can be seen in all its sordid sharpness, and where Jacopo Foscari is imprisoned in a cage,to the son of the Doge Francesco Foscari, surrounded by torturers, and some inquisitive clergyman who blesses the punishment of the captives. Again, in Act III, this oppressive underground universe interacts with a colorful merriment, where the characters sing and dance in the celebration of that historical festive event called "Venetian Regatta". Very successful costume design by Mattie Ullrich, with proliferation of red and white colors, along with the pretty outfits worn by Chinese soprano Guanqun Yu, in the role of Lucrecia Contarini. Excellent stage direction by Thaddeus Strassberger, getting the characters to show the tension and drama that afflicts them.

musically, in this opera you can see the progress in orchestration achieved by Verdi in relation to his previous works. Here the composer experimented for the first time with the so-called "recurring themes" or "leit motiv", that announce the stage presence of the different characters, and including the choir. So, Busseto's teacher shows in I due Foscari, new forms of musical expression, mainly with those recurring themes, by which each character is defined by a musical motif that identifies him on stage. For the octogenarian Francesco Foscari, it's the bass strings: cellos and basses, that develop a beautiful melodic descending figure, that reflects fragility and old age. Lucrecia Contarini's appearance on the scene is marked by an "allegro agitato" played by the string, with a restless and fiery melody that shows the high degree of constant agitation of the character. Even the chorus, in the interventions of the "Council of Ten", has its musical motif: a "walker with a motorcycle", what reflect, somehow, cruelty and intransigence.

Omer Wellber conducted the Valencian Community Orchestra with a good pulse, from the very beginning of the opera, with those strong and vigorous chords that start the overture, and the execution of that funereal and melancholic theme in minor mode, played first by the clarinet and later by the flute, with evident brilliance of both instruments, and that the presence of Jacopo Foscari is going to mark musically.

The orchestra shows off its benefits at the start of Act II, with that beautiful chamber music, with shining violin and cello alternating and talking, to which the voice of Jacopo Foscari joins, well performed by the tenor Ivan Magri - covering the passage, verdiano good style of singing- at the beginning of his great scene “Notte! Perpetual night that reigns here ... ". The tenor also lucidly confronts his intervention in Act III, "His inexorable rock core". Although Ivan Magri is far from the extraordinary performances of the young Carlo Bergonzi, in the live shot of this opera performed in 1951, with musical direction by Carlo María Giulini or the young Josep Carreras, in the magnificent Philips recording of 1976, directed by Lamberto Gardelli, and where the Catalan tenor offers us his beautiful timbre of then, together with a Verdian temperament - especially in the cabalettas- of the first magnitude.

Last season, Plácido Domingo faced a lyrical baritone role, como el Athanael de Thais de Jules Massenet. Again we listen to him in this position, embodying the old Francesco Foscari who, actually, requires a more dramatic baritone as in the cases of Renato Bruson and Leo Nucci, who have played this role repeatedly in theater, and they have left us with DVD recordings of undoubted quality. Anyway, Domingo is successful in the test, still showing us that youthful and beautiful timbre, incredible in a singer who has already turned seventy-two.
Y, is notable in his first stage appearance "Eccomi solo alfine ...", that presents the ruler in the solitude of power. As well, in his solo interventions of Act III “Egli ora parte!… And inocent part!”, to finish his important performance around the end of the opera “Questa dunque è l’iniqua mercede… Principe”, where, then dies before so much misfortune. But, maybe, where Domingo shines more strongly in duets with his daughter-in-law Lucrecia Contarini, magnificently performed by young Guanqun Yu, -big winner of the night- winner of the edition 2012, of the Operalia-Plácido Domingo contest, and disciple of Carlo Bergonzi, Reneé Fleming y Eva Marton. The Chinese soprano has a nice timbre, and a very well projected voice, with round and sharp treble and treble. But nevertheless, its bass range, results limited. His performance was very lucid, since he first appeared on the scene, during Act I, with the recitative-aria-cabaletta "No, leave me ... you look at me omnipossente ... O patrices tremble ... the eternal", of a Donizettian bel canto style and great difficulty. Likewise, He also had a brilliant intervention in the Act III cabaletta “Piu non vive! The innocent .. ". Special mention deserves the performance of the vibrant Act II quartet, with Lucrecia, Francesco, Giacopo and the evil Loredano, very well played by that bass of great vocal media that is Gianluca Buratto. As usual, magnificent performance of the Choir of the Generalitat Valenciana, directed by Francesc Perales. Anyway, an opera by the young Verdi well resolved vocally and scenic.

Within the program of the Concert Society Alicante, They have taken place the last days 12 Y 17 from December, respectively, the brilliant concerts of the great American violinist Joshua Bell, accompanied by pianist Sam Haywood, y de la famous Portuguese pianist Maria João Pires, cellist with Brazilian Antonio Meneses.
Concert Society of Alicante is a model and flagship entity, during the last forty years, and since its first concert by Victoria de los Angeles, in the distant 22 September 1972, He has filled the musical environment alicantino, with the presence of great performers, both instrumentalists and singers.
Among the former include, among many others, pianists who have done time as Sviatoslav Richter, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Wilhelm Kempff, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Shura Cherkassky, Alexis Weissenberg, Aldo Ciccolini, Joaquin Achucarro and Nikita Magalof, also subsequent figures, as the triad of great Hungarian pianist Zoltan Kocsis formed by, Andras Schiff y Dezso Ranki o Ivo Pogorelich, Rado Lupo, Elisso Virsaladze y Krystian Zimmerman, along with the repeated presence over the last thirty years of the Portuguese, whose concert in question- Maria João Pires.

Y, among violinists, legendary figures as Yehudi Menuhin, Henryk Szeryng, Christian Ferras, Salvatore Accardo, Felix Ayo o Vladimir Spivakov, with newer generations as Victoria Mullova, Shlomo Mintz, Joshua Bell Vadim Repin and He shall describe below his last concert in Alicante or, as well, the young generation represented by: Sara Chang, Julia Fischer y Hilary Hahn junto a Renaud Capuçon.
Cellists Janos category Staker, Natalia Gutman, Pierre Fournier, Pinchas Zukerman, Mischa Maisky and Yo-Yo Ma.También the great guitarists Andres Segovia and Narciso Yepes. Among the singers: the aforementioned Victoria de los Angeles, Pilar Lorengar, Eva Marton, Jessye Norman, Katia Ricciarelli, the legendary Elisabeth Schwarzkofp, and -in the best moments of his career- the great Montserrat Caballé, or the famous mezzos: Janet Baker, Teresa Berganza, Christa Ludwig y Brigitte Fassbaender.
Anyway, the list is endless, enumerating the huge amount of great performers, who have come over the last forty years in the Main Theater of Alicante, often hosts concerts program The Concert Society Alicante.

The concert we could hear Joshua Bell and Sam Haywood, He began with brilliant Rondo in B minor, On. 70. D. 895 Franz Schubert. In October 1826, Schubert returned to resume a composition for violin and piano, genre that had abandoned for nearly ten years.
This brilliant Rondo was designed so that it interpreted the young Czech violinist, Joseph Slavik, whom Chopin considered one second Paganini, and it was released in January 1827. In his first Andante part we could already see the absolute mastery of the American violinist, singing a melody light, overshadowed by the piano, and both instruments interacting, address the issue of heroic conclusive court. In the second part Allegro, Joshua Bell showed us his technical skills getting a good volume of sound and great vivacity, in an ornate chorus of certain lightness and a strong Hungarian character. Here, as well, violinist and pianist showed lyricism and instrumental bravura, and the coda with ending the work.

Then, both instrumentalists executed Sonata for violin and piano in E flat major, on. 18 Richard Strauss Composed between 1887-1888, and premiered in Munich 1888, Strauss himself with the piano and violinist Robert Heckmann. Work of "absolute music" where the author concludes his years studying and go for the last time the chamber music genre in the classical sense.
In the first movement, Allegro ma non troppo, powerful character, broad and generous, both instrumentalists expose a rich melodic invention through two main themes of eminently heroic, very much in line Straussian; but also, running sweetly and precious delicacy pianissimi in the two sub-themes full of fine melodismo. In the second movement a 'Andante cantabile "entitled" Improvisation "arc of Joshua Bell, at times, materially caresses the strings playing melancholy pianissimi.

Sam Haywood's piano takes a hectic and almost dramatic role in the central part, for, then, serve as accompaniment to singing violin, with a repeated theme that recalls the night chopinianos, brilliantly before facing a coda whose theme seems to connect with the "Adagio" from Beethoven Sonata Pathetique.
Ya, the last movement Allegro, and the most significant of the work, It is initiated by the pianist with a series of measures in shady character, that gives way to a compelling and passionate subject where both instrumentalists, in perfect conjunction, shine exceedingly. Although, the sound of the violin is imposed on the churning surf the piano in an almost orchestral treatment. Both instrumentalists again show his mastery in the frenetic coda concluding the work.
Both Bell and Haywood pay particular tribute to American music running with enthusiasm and musicality Three Preludes by George Gershwin, short lasting, but quite difficult; Y, where both artists show off their skills and warm up their instruments for the implementation of the main work of this concert: the Sonata No. 2 for violin and piano by Sergei Prokofiev, work for which I feel a special weakness, since I first heard about ten years ago, Deutche Gramophone in a recording extraordinarily interpreted by the violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter and pianist Lambert usual accompanying the Orkis. Of course, the interpretation made in Alicante Joshua Bell and Sam Haywood does not lags behind.

In September 1942, during world war II, and in full German invasion of Russian soil: Sergei Prokofiev was in Alma-Ata (Urals), working with filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein Ivan The Terrible Cantata, as the soundtrack of the film of the same title. parallel, composed a Sonata for flute and piano ended in spring 1943, after his return to Moscow. The premiere took place in December of that same year, at the Moscow Conservatory, It is its interpreters Richter Sviastoslav pianist and flutist Charkovski, with the presence in the audience of David Oistrakh Violinist, who he was seduced by the work, Prokofiev and asked him to do a transcription for violin and piano. In this new Sonata it was ranked No. 2 for violin and piano in D major, on. 94, and it was released in June 1944, also at the Moscow Conservatory, by David Oistrakh and Lev Oborin pianist.

The sonata begins with an Andantino, where Bell's violin sang with a fine lyricism two issues that make up this first movement, that they are intertwined with moments of greatest tension, with a piano and accompanying links the full violin phrases melodismo, whose sound oscillates between forte and piano to finish with a perfect stop sound pianissimi.
In the second movement Allegro, the two instrumentalists fast-paced passages give us great virtuosity, two issues of character and great difficulty danzante. In the first one, Bell's violin interspersed with true mastery a very fast pizzicato in different repetitions of the theme, and meets with great expressiveness and technique, extremely difficult passages. The two performers look heavily upon the strong concluding coda.
The third movement Andante, exudes a great lyric breath, and both instruments in perfect conjunction, run a particularly expressive romanza, the first part is constituted by a delicate rêverie reminiscent Schumann.
In the last movement Allegro con brio, tanto Joshua Bell como Sam Haywood, They show us your skills into a veritable parade of lush virtuosic episodes, highlighting, of exceedingly, at the beginning, Implementation of the brillante a march of sonoridades orfeonísticas, where violin and piano shine in very complicated exercises, and that's it, in the central part, both instruments expose a lyrical interlude meditation, to show his virtuosity again, fortissimo with repetition of the initial theme of this last move.

Truly, a marvel! For those readers who want to come with immediacy, this extraordinary chamber music works of the twentieth century, I recommend you see and hear, in the always relieved YouTube, and a version video taken in Tokyo, Many years ago, with two exceptional instrumentalists: Latvian violinist Gidon Kremer and the pianist Martha Argerich Argentina.

Although, habitually, and as already I quoted above, concerts have as a framework the Teatro Principal in Alicante, This took place in the very attractive Auditorium of the Provincial de Alicante, filled with an audience who applauded strongly Joshua Bell and Sam Haywood.

Maria João Pires is a regular assistant, from the distant 1985, and even seven seasons, concerts organized by the Society Alicante Concert. Y, last 17 December has become an eighth time, to offer a magnificent concert with cellist Antonio Meneses Brazilian. As usual, Portuguese pianist was traveling with his Yamaha piano and a Japanese refiner.
The concert began with the interpretation of the Arpeggione Sonata for cello and piano, in A minor D. 821 Frantz Schubert. This work currently retains some popularity and was written by its author to promote the qualities of an instrument called "arpaggione", ephemeral existence, derived from "the viola da gamba", twinned with the cello by and with the guitar by his six strings, and it was put into circulation in 1823 by Viennese luthier, Johann Georg Staufer.
This sonata is written in three movements. In the first Allegro, where two topics are discussed: the first one, It is started by Pires, with a melancholy notes, sweetly executed. Although, Meneses quickly cello takes center stage to sing with piano accompaniment.
The cello announces the second issue, which is an extension of the first, and rechallenge both instruments are intertwined with leadership and skill equivalent. In the second movement Adagio has a special role cello Meneses,
both the musical and expressive plane, delighting with the execution of passages of dreamy beauty, with discreet but effective accompaniment from Pires.

Brazilian cellist masterfully executed a final cadence, links with the last movement Allegretto, it structured as a rondo, where, again, shines virtuosic way. The concert continued with Three Intermezzi op. 117 Give Johannes Brahm, addressed by Pires with great sensitivity and maximum qualification, fleeing from any kind of exhibitionism in favor of musical truth.
Ya, in the second half both instrumentalists approached with great sensitivity these Songs without Words for Cello and Piano in D minor op. 109 Felix Mendelssohn. The concert concluded with the Sonata for cello and piano, in D major, on. 38 Give Johannes Brahm, released in 1865 and written in three movements.
In the first Allegro ma non troppo, Meneses cello sings in an expressive legato, a first subject where the piano accompanies Pires, for both instruments converge in unison toward a second theme: abrupt, tumultuous and more rhythmic.
By contrast, a third topic well resolved by Pires and where the Portuguese pianist shows us a tender and fine melodismo wrapped in a mysterious air. The two instrumentalists shine in the wide and beautiful concluding coda. In the second movement Alegretto quasi minuetto, especially in its central part, cello and piano beautifully vibrant moments and face absolute passion. Already in the final movement Allegro, which it takes place in a runaway style quite complex, and where Maria João Pires used
authority his left hand. Definitely, in this part of the work shines high the great Portuguese pianist. In a stunning final two instruments they get to be the limit of their sound and expressive possibilities.

Before the continuous applause of enthusiastic crowd, Pires and paths Meneses gave tips: Pastoral Care of Bach and Nana de Falla. Anyway, a bright and vibrant concert.

? The magnificent performance, last 15 from January, of the Symphonie Fantastique from Hector Berlioz by the The Mariinsky Theater Orchestra St. Petersburg, directed by Valery Gergiev (one of today's great directors, que no trampoline, does not use as), has risen to new heights the musical level alicantino.

But go to parties: The concert began with a beautiful and dreamy performance of "Prelude" from Lohengrin Wagnerian, with a delicate and almost ethereal interventions of the rope. This first part of the program continued with the Concerto for Piano and
No orchestra 3 de Sergei Rachmaninov. Premiered by its author at the piano, in November 1909 In New York. Almost as popular as the No. 2, though endowed with larger, and certain very own avant-garde touches of the time. Implementation is very complicated for pianists becoming a real challenge.

In the first movement "Allegro non tanto”, The Russian pianist Denis Matsuev, He was able to attack with courage and firmness dizzying descent hammered chords, alternating with both hands; as well as, run in the second movement "Intermezzo”, Tumultuous bars that link to the last movement "Alla breve", where the pianist showed his refined technique, though, offering at times, a sound somewhat metal.
In the second part, Entree as this concert, Russian orchestra played Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique: after the incomparable symphonic achievements beethovenianos, two years have elapsed from the death of the genius of Bonn, occurred in 1828, young French composer Hector Berlioz name, with just twenty-seven years, He stunned the Parisian public with the premiere, he 5 December 1830, his Symphonie Fantastique, actually, an instrumental opera. In fact, listeners of this "premiere" they were provided a playbill, to follow an argument suggested by different instruments, players a percutante, colorful and brilliant orchestration. The premiere of Symphony Fantática (highly romantic work), almost it coincided with Victor Hugo's Hernani, considered historically as the "romantic manifesto". It is arguable that Hector Berlioz, Victor Hugo and the painter Eugene Delacroix, They form the "Holy Trinity" of romantic art.
Every artist immersed in romanticism, I feel motivated by a desperate love to a woman, most of the time, It is not reciprocated. But, in that period where the artist is engaged in its creation, You feel euphoric and fantasizes, thinking that the feeling he has for his beloved will be reciprocated when she came to know the work done in his honor. But nevertheless, most of the time, Women are shown contemptuous with these beings who come to love them both, and so desperately. This happened to Berlioz, when he had the chance to see the twenty years of acting in Paris, the English actress, shakesperiana Henrietta “Harriet” Constance Smithson, playing the role of Ophelia in Hamlet. this actress, They count the critics of the time, Nor was nothing short of the next world.
A Harriet Smithson, the letters he sent her admirer, They seemed so overly passionate, he completely rejected. However it was the muse of the Symphonie Fantastique, Berlioz was preparing at that time.
In 1930, this work generated by those emotions was considered "amazing and vivid", but the English actress would not attend the premiere in Paris. At that time the autobiographical nature of this work, with a program music, it was considered fairly: sensational and Innovadora. Criticism began to say: Beethoven died, with Hector Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique and, He was born his true epígono.

Symphony subtitled "episode in the life of an artist" , It has a very detailed argument. Is that the reason why it is considered one of the best examples of program music. In the first movement "Dreams and passions", desperate young musician has been poisoned with opium, and a long sleep has a series of visions and nightmares with the idea of his beloved continually hovering on his head. Recalls the joys and depressions of the past, before meeting, and later, a jealous neurotic when it became when she came into his life, leaving him only the consolation of religion. In the second movement "Dance", the protagonist discovers his beloved dancing a modern dance, for that time, called vals. This movement has come to stage for ballet, under the name of "La Sonnambula".
In the third movement "Scene in the field": a cowherd sing a melody with their flutes. Everything is quiet until the beloved appears again, causing tremendous concern to the artist. In the fourth movement "March to the torture": the protagonist dreams that murdered his beloved and has been sentenced to death, taking the road to the place of execution by guillotine.
As a real innovation on the classic sinfonismo, there is a fifth movement subtitled "Dream Night coven": a wild orgy in a demonic celebration, where the beloved has become a witch, Finally, with the hymn "Dies Irae", It is burned at the stake.

Great performance by the Mariinsky Theater Orchestra of the, directed by Valery Gergiev, who gave a true recreation of this work, at least comparable to the executions of the great master Latvian Mariss Jansons, in front of the Berlin Philharmonic (released on DVD), y de Herbert von Karajan, who also front of his big band berlinesa, He interpreted on many occasions, regrabándola recording it and Deutche Grammophon label for, and always extracting novel shadings.

Instrumentalists Russian orchestra performed very bright work, well combined for expressive play and iferenciados
sound plans. Metals up four horns, and severe rope, They glowed greatly with perfect sound. In an exemplary symphonic construction, It would highlight the implementation of that precious second movement to the rhythm of dance, with that brilliant coda where the harp arpeggios give this instrument a relief almost solo.

The fourth movement, that "Up to the torture"True paradigm orchestration, with those repetitive drum rolls, giving way to the rope, especially cellos and basses playing a sound from beyond the grave, and the fanfare of a brass afinadísimos, together with the expertise of the woods, with that fixed melody, exposed by the clarinet. This confess movement that has always impressed me- for its vibrant and brilliant orchestration, truly, He came to shake listeners.

Ya, in the fifth movement the trombones sounded brilliantly and unison, playing cartoony effects; O, those touches bell grim and funerary, which they are mixed with the sounds of the "Day of wrath”. Anyway, truly breathtaking moments that blew a public, who applauded loudly and for a long time director and orchestra. Given these samples of musical passion, there was a tip: The brilliant performance of the overture to Die Meistersinger, what he gave this concert a symmetrical character, with implementation at the beginning and at the end, of the two preludes Wagnerian. Not forget that, in this 2013, Apart from the "Year Verdi", It is also the "Year Wagner", at the two hundredth anniversary of the great German composer.

n the start of the season 2012-2013, Valencia Palau de Les Arts, still committed to well-known and popular repertoire titles. After the bright Rigoletto, which he opened the season, It has staged a magnificent production of La Bohème, with an enthusiastic audience that packed the hall and repeatedly applauded both at the end of Act II, as the end of the representation.

First, highlight the attractive and very original scenery of Turin David Libermore, also responsible for stage management and lighting. We propose a stage of the attic of the Bohemians, symmetrical in Acts I and IV, where the painting easel Marcello, and from the very beginning of the opera, takes life to collect footage of the waters of the Red Sea, coinciding with the first sentences of Marcello "This Red Sea ...”, It is projecting one of the side walls of the stay. Then a decorated projecting static-dynamic, where it can be seen flowing smoke emanating from chimneys Parisian buildings, with day and night lighting, to show over time.
these attachments, confer a complementary and urban touch, Parisian interior where the poet Rodolfo and Marcello the painter work, accompanied by their friends. changing paintings, impressionistic character, that they appear in the pictorial frame Marcello, and that, Also in unison, they are planning.
Libermore was inspired by the film Dreams (dreams) de Akira Kurosowa, to insert projections Paolo Gep Cucco, in its portrayal of Paris in the late nineteenth century.
Bustle and joy, It is perfectly reflected in the multitudinous Act II, coffee on the terrace of Momus, the presence at the bottom of most genuine Parisian symbol: The Eiffel tower. This second act, speaking in filmic terms, it becomes a real sequence shot, where the eyes of spectators turned on camera, They can move freely to target different actions proposed. As opposed, appears that austere and cold decorated Act III, very much in keeping with music and theatrical shows action.

The goal coveted by Puccini, composing Bohemian, It was to achieve a musical continuum and
dramatic, in which arias, duettos and other traditional numbers, insertasen perfectly in the orchestral texture, what
a motley structure and always extreme quality music. The big Riccardo Chailly, with the Orchestra of Valencia, He managed to bring us into the rich orchestral palette of this score.
Chailly won the best musical results like no- in this extraordinary Act III, showing the wealth of topics, linked by an exquisite orchestration, which it becomes one of the most perfect moments of the entire repertoire.
Also in that Act IV, where the music moves from comedy to drama purest. In sum, great directorial work, in front of the magnificent Valencian orchestra, the great Milanese master, who already 1998, for Decca, with the Orquesta del Teatro alla Scala, He bequeathed the best record modern version of the opera, with excellent Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna. Amen, historical and anthological record versions of Herbert von Karajan, in front of the Berlin Philharmonic, also for Decca, with Luciano Pavarotti y Mirella Freni, from 1973, and directed by Sir Thomas Beecham, EMI, He is leading the Orchestra of the RCA, Jussi Björling and with Victoria de los Angeles, from 1956.
In this representation, shone quite high almost stranger-physical transformation- Aquiles Machado, who confessed to me after the show, having lost fifty kilos, That is said very soon! Venezuelan tenor retains its beautiful timbre and a refined line of song, in a role as Rodolfo who has played a lot in theater in the last fifteen years. His voice has gained in breadth and roundness, at the cost of acute insolent old. I had occasion to hear in a Faust in Santander 2000, where voice expanded up brightly. Its "What a frozen little hand"It was very well sung, although the sharp was somewhat strained, near the relevant C4, easy note for him a few years ago. Either way his vocal delivery was very noticeable throughout the opera, especially in Act III, empastando well with the Israeli soprano Gal James, also a courageous Mimi, it was more even more vocal volume- as he advanced representation, to sing nicely Act III, especially that extraordinary quartet, what, actually, are two duos: Rodolfo and Mimi the, and another dramatic plane Marcello and Musetta that of. In Act IV, James Gal's performance, really into the skin of the dying Mimi, goes deep and arrives to thrill.
baritone Massimo Cavalletti, He holds considerable vocal volume, which allows you to pass without any problems orchestra, even when it airs on forte. It's not an overly refined interpreter, but complements his singing with good stage performance. Definitely, best moments in Act III offers, in her duets with Mimi, Rodolfo and Musetta, superbly played by the young Valencian soprano Carmen Romeu just twenty-eight years, student of the famous professor Ana Luisa Chova. Romeu has a striking appearance in Act II, endowing her character true nonchalance and fine eroticism. She sings very well his famous waltz. Well its provision in Act III fighting with Marcello. And in Act IV, his performance truly becoming even dramatic. A female singer, definitely, rather future.

The rest of the large cast, include work under Gianluca Buratto, in the role of Colline, who sings with great dramatic style his famous aria in Act IV "Old zimarra”.
As well, it should be noted the good performance of the young baritone Olivieri Mattia como Schaunard. This singer is in possession of a pretty voice and, nowadays, It is integrated into the Center for Advanced Placido Domingo, Attached to the palace of Ars.

As usual, great performance the Choir of the Generalitat Valenciana, directed by Francesc Perales, reinforced in the multitudinous Act II, Have fear of the Choir School Boards Quart de Poblet, directed by Jordi Blanch, and by the Choir of Our Lady of the Abandoned directed by Luis Garrido. His performances are produced only in Act II, going all out to greet its conclusion, and they are rewarded for long and loud applause from an enthusiastic audience.
Anyway, a magnificent Bohème, opera essential entire repertoire, and always topical since its premiere at the Teatro Regio in Turin on 1 February 1896, with musical direction of Arturo Toscanini jovencísimo.

Last Saturday 10 October season opened 2012-2013, Valencian Palau de Les Arts, with a remarkable representation of the verdiano Rigoletto. Upon arrival the directorial podium, Omer Meir Wellber carefully read the document vindictive workers in the Palau de Les Arts, distributed to attendees at the entrance of the enclosure. Israeli director for this gesture received a strong applause from the audience.

Last Saturday 10 October season opened 2012-2013, Valencian Palau de Les Arts, with a remarkable representation of Verdi Rigoletto. Upon arrival the directorial podium, Omer Meir Wellber perused the document vindictive workers Palau de Les Arts, distributed to attendees at the entrance of the enclosure. Israeli director for this gesture received a strong applause from the audience.
After first dark chords, advancing the tragedy raised in this popular score, The curtain rose to show us the splendid scenery of the Ducal Palace in Mantua, performed by Ezio Frigerio, in the mid-eighties of the last century, and it was used in very bright scalígeras representations, since Riccardo Muti, in 1987, take charge of the artistic and musical director of the Teatro Milanés.
Functions with great players like Renato Bruson, Leo Nucci, Andrea Rost Ramon Vargas, who participated in this production by Frigerio, with costumes designed by his wife, Oscar winner Franca Squarciapino. Y, with bright musical direction, in the purest style verdiano, of the great Neapolitan director. This production was taken over by the Wilelki Theater (Polish National Opera).

Returning to this Valencian function: after a mere twenty minutes from representation, and at the end of the first frame of Act I, There was a long break, to show for the rest of that act decorated a dark and gloomy, in contrast to the initial, very much in line with the meeting between Rigoletto and Sparafucile sinister hitman, in the vicinity of the house where the jester, jealous and very secretly keeps his beloved daughter Gilda.
Ya, in Act II, again appear bright decorated Classic-cut as it should be- which reproduces a stay of the Ducal Palace, with large windows to the bottom, that give even greater splendor.
In Act III, we are resubmitted a gloomy and sinister decorated, representing the house of Sparafucile, where it is consumed tragedy, built by Verdi and his librettist own usual in those years Francesco Maria Piave, based on the romantic melodrama Le roi s'amuse Victor Hugo.
Initially, when this production was circulated, stage direction was carried out by the prestigious Gilbert Defló. In this Valencian representation, The director was Beata Redo-Dobber, who gets a good theatrical performance of interpreters, and for his stage work, It was rewarded with applause from the audience, when he appeared to greet the end of the performance.
Tell, at this stage, the Orquesta de Valencia, It is one of the best trench across Europe, It is nothing new. Here, well directed by Omer Wellber, heavily involved in the score, supported by visible movements and gestures; Y, extracting the maximum orchestral performance. The different sections show a balance nuanced sound, to capture the cheerful and humorous moments, as opposed to the much more somber, dramatic and even gloomy, of this score Verde, where the great master of Busetto, try again, and his Macbeth, an interaction between music and dramatic development.
Within an outstanding performance of the orchestra throughout the development of the work, it is worth noting his performance during the first meeting between Rigoletto and Sparafucile; Y, especially, during the entire Act III.
Highlight, como Rigoletto ,the great vocal and stage work of the baritone onubense, Juan Jesus Rodriguez, who spends a frivolous and biting action at the beginning of the opera, a bleak initial encounter with Sparafucile.
Also, in his emotional duets with Gilda or that awesome "vendetta", where he sings with authentic Verdian style, exhibiting
magnificent high register. Outstanding, his performance throughout the Act III, full of drama and good vocalism. Definitely, Juan Jesus Rodriguez was the big winner of the night, It is compensated for and the end of the performance, with great applause.
Italian tenor Ivan Magri, as Duke of Mantua, He had, together a remarkable performance. It was good in the duet with Gilda that closes Act I, where in the "hold"Which tops the duo, He raised his voice to a C4.

One of the key moments for the tenor, in this opera, It is the start of Act II, with recitative-aria "She was kidnapped me ...... I seem to see the tears ...”, They are requiring great vocal technique and singing stylish, to link long sentences and regulate sound: Suffice it to recall the magisterial lessons to this page, Alfredo Kraus made a Carlo Bergonzi and the, even singers like Pavarotti, Jussi Bjorling, Josep Carreras and Richard Tucker. This function Valencia, ese recitativo-air, He choked Ivan Magri, llegándosele, at times, a jarring voice.
In compensation, If he sang quite well the subsequent cabaletta "Mighty love calls me.."rematándola, bravely, with the relevant re bemol, tenors few have dared to give, since the cabaletta -usually omitted- It was put back into circulation in the early fifties of the last century, and that can be seen in a recording of the Metropolitan neoyorkino, from 1951, recently released by the label MYTO, con Leonard Warren, Hilde Gueden y Richard Tucker, who, as in the case of other singers omit the re bemol, and in an octave jump the note drops to the bass.

After this note, and returning to the vocal performance Ivan Magri, point out that his performance was quite good in Act III, with a "Donna e movile.."Together with the quartet"Beautiful daughter of love..”, well sung.
The American soprano Erin Morley like Gilda, Went from less to more, discreet in duets with Rigoletto and El Duque in Act I, the Aryan pyrotechnics sang with good colorature "Dear Name..”, though skipping the my high end.
Already in the course of Act II, the voice was wider and more forceful in his duets with Rigoletto. Y, in Act III, especially in the quartet, his acting was pretty good, both vocally and dramatically.

The great Georgian bass Paata Burchuladze do an outstanding job as Sparafucile. Well the Maddalena of Adriana de Paola, as well as the Monterone de Amartuvshin Enkhbat, and the rest of tablets.
Very good performance by the Valencian Generalitat Choir directed by Francesc Perales. Also highlight the performance of the Generalitat Ballet, performing the choreography of Zofia Rudnicka. Anyway, a Rigoletto of quite a few carats.

RIGOLETTO
Giuseppe Verdi
Opera in three acts
Libreto de Francesco Maria Piave, Le roi s'amuse based on Victor Hugo
10 November, Palau de les Arts
D. musical: Omer Meir Wellber
D. scene: Gilbert Deflo
Scenography: Ezio Frigerio
Locker room: Franca Squarciapino
D. choir: Francesc Perales
Distribution: Rodríguez, Morley, Magrí,
Burchuladze, Di Paola, Enkhbat, Pinchuk

It is important to clarify to readers, of the various versions of this opera, true "masterpiece" Modest Musorgski. The first or primitive version, from 1869, It included seven scenes and was not accepted -curiously a feminist stance in those years!- for not having any female role. It took nearly sixty years, so this version was represented on stage: specifically in the Opera and Ballet of Leningrad 16 February 1928. In 1871, Mussorgsky concluded a version that includes the two scenes of the Polish act and certain changes: added the two songs at the scene of the border, Clock situation and other minor at the scene of the tsar room, replacement of San Basilio box by Kromi forest. This revised by its author version premiered in 1874. In 1896 It was released the first Rimsky-Korsakov review what, despite harmonies dulcificar, reorchestration by more than three-fourths of the Opera, He contributed decisively to the recovery of the work. This release was comprised of nine scenes version 1871.
To the detriment of his own works, Rimsky-Korsakov made a new version at the end of his life, adding even own music. It is the version of 1908 made for the greater glory of the legendary Russian bass Feodor Chaliapin, and enshrine this opera in the repertoire.
In 1926 Ippolitov-Ivavov He reviewed the scene of San Basilio, who often stays near the forest Kromi. Pavel Lamm, to late twenties, He made a critical version of the original, which it premiered at the Kirov Theater in Leningrad 1928, in ten scenes, with the original instrumentation of Mussurgki 1871, and incorporating the scene of St. Basil's Cathedral, of the version of 1869, which is representing the Teatro Real in Madrid. Finally, must review the review by Shostakovich, which it premiered at the Kirov, in 1959. Shostakovich respects the most of the music of Mussorgsky, making certain cuts and revising the orchestration.
Another criticism of the original edition is David Lloyd Jones from 1975 what, precisely, which it was staged at Covent Garden in London in the production of filmmaker Andrei Tarskovsky in 1983, and is that shown in this function taken in video, in 1990, in St. Petersburg, still under the communist regime, in Kirov Theater, in which curtain may be the hammer and sickle. David Lloyd Jones reviewed the original voice and orchestral score, going further than any of the previous versions, in investigating the sources of the original manuscript of the composer.

Much has been written about the Boris Godunov, true jewel of opera of all time. It is a work full current, and he has not aged a bit since its creation, over one hundred and forty years ago. His three great originalities are: "Dramatic structure, the protagonist character of the people and the empowerment of the word as musical language ". The orchestral writing is rough and concise, corresponding with very specific vocal performance characteristics. Of the three major low is in the works, because the character of Rangoni, You can also sing a baritone: Tsar Boris Godunov is the most important, both from the point of view as dramatic vowel; Y, writing and features require a bass singer or a dramatic baritone, you can move easily between serious and acute if fa.
The monk Pimen must have a deep bass own vocalism, To access Notes between the severe and acute MI.
Vaarlan requires a voice flexible low, forceful and vigorous.
False Dmitri, It must be interpreted by a lyrical voice and wide breath, also attentive to a nuanced and full wording of intentionality.
Prince Shuski requires a light lyric, with good ability to show their own opportunism and falsity of a politician who fits any circumstances.
Marina's character requires a mezzo voice and suggestive timbrada, to express changing moods.
Xenia tsar's daughter is a role for soprano and has a remarkable intervention at the end of Act II. Tsar Feodor's son usually assigned to a mezzo, intervening both in the same scene, and the death of Boris.
The nurse is also a role for contralto or mezzo grave, It has a remarkable performance in the same scene.

Magnificent in every aspect this dramatization in St. Petersburg, Mariinsky Theater in, with the production of the great Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarskosvsky, which as already it pointed, It premiered in London in 1983, although Tarskosvsky had died prematurely in 1986. As also it indicated it is critical version of David Lloyd Jones, published by Oxford University. The scenery is of great brilliance. But, maybe, most significant is the magnificent orchestral direction of the then young Valery Gergiev, who already showed great ways, that they have been aupando over the last twenty years the top in the orchestral direction, oporística both as symphonic. Gergiev address, the head of the Kirov Theater Orchestra, very it contrasted and intense, showing all the nuances of this monumental musical score.
Years later, in 1997, Gergiev conducted for the Philips label filed an extraordinary recording 5 CD, with both versions made Mussurgski, with the participation of the fascinating mezzo-for vocalism and great beauty- Olga Borodina, who becomes the ideal Marina entire discography and videography, and it is also involved in the filming in St. Petersburg, and the director of the video takes Humphrey Burton, It revels in first and close-ups, showing the beauty of this mezzo. Its role is all in Act III, “Polish subtitles act”, definitely, the most accomplished of this production.
Marina's monologue, where he shows his boredom and ennui, that reminds us, somehow, the initial intervention by Katerina Izmailova, en la Lady Macbeth de Shostakovich: It is superbly resolved by Borodina, who delights us with a voice of great beauty timbre, yet it is emanating erotic and high doses of sensuality, and this is reflected in the long and intense duet with the false Dmitri, one of the most beautiful in the entire history of opera.
Borodina and tenor Alexei Steblianko pasted well, he shows a resounding voice, sings very well, but it lacks musicality and modulation capability, for example, the young man Nicolaï Gedda, in his extraordinary creation of the false Dmitri, in the Parisian recording (the first we held in the Boris) directed by Issay Dobrowen, in 1952, there, junto a Gedda, I could hear the great Russian mezzo Eugenia Zareska, both they sing a duet of dream, that only he could have -jugando to music fiction- being overtaken by Gedda singing with Olga Borodina.
Polish excel in this act, execution by the dance ensemble of the Kirov, of polonaises, and the great performance of the baritone Sergei Leiferkus, in the role of the sinister cleric Rangoni. Boris is under British Robert Lloyd, who has stage presence for this character and good theatrical performance, sometimes the voice is muffled and throaty, and it can not be compared with other great Boris in the past as Ezio Pinza, Boris Christoff O Nicolai Ghiaurov. Anyway, the performance of Robert Lloyd, It is of great packaging at the scene of the coronation, moving in the final scene of Act II; Y, truly awe at the scene of his death.

Good interventions Alexander Morosov as Pimen and Yevgeny Boitsov in the role of the false and twisted Shuisky. Highlight the magnificent performance as the mezzo Feodor Larissa Diatkova (intended for a later career major), with important interventions at the end of Act II, Boris and Shusky. As well, from Yevgenia Perlassova as the nurse, who with Diatkova, sings in the final scene of this act, an attractive Russian song. Outstanding performance so important in this opera chorus.

BORIS GODUNOV de MODEST MUSSORGSKY (full version of 1872)
2 DVD DECCA 075 089-9
Robert Lloyd, Olga Borodina, Alexei Steblianko, Sergei Leiferkus, Larissa Dytkova, Olga Kondina, Yevgenia Perlassova, Alexander Morosov
Production for The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden de: Andrei Tarkovsky
stage direction: Stephen Lawless
TV address: Humphrey Burton
Orchestra and Chorus of the Kirov opera in St. Petersburg
Director: Valery Gergiev
English subtitles, German, French, Español, Italian and Chinese
duration 221mn
Good image and excellent sound