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SATURDEE OPRY LINKS 76:
Grab-bag
Raquel Gonzalez (with Michael Brandenburg) in "La Boheme."
Saturdee Opry Links Overture!
Tannhauser, by Wagner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OomkOrOl8WM
1.
This is the only clip of Raquel Gonzalez on Youtube, but probably not for long.
The unknown soprano just got a terrific notice in Opera News for her "Mimi" in
"La Boheme," which read, in part: "Her complexly shaded lirico-spinto soprano
proved an instrument of ideal weight for the role. . .her seamstress never
begged for our sympathies, but instead elicited them through her simple, direct
manner. . .so unaffected, so thoroughly in the moment. . .the work of a true
artist." So here she is at a Renee Fleming master class, singing a Tchaikovsky
aria from "Eugene Onegin."
Setting: Tatiana's bedroom in Madame Larina's house, St. Petersburg, Russia,
late 1700s
Synopsis: Tatiana decides that the only way to express her love for Onegin is to
write him a letter in which she explains her feelings towards him. As she
writes, she discovers more and more about the depth and strength of her love for
him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PpVmhg4rLc
I suggest you really listen to Fleming's critique, as it demonstrates just how
complicated and difficult operatic singing is. You'll be hearing more about
Gonzalez, and from her, without a doubt:
http://www.kennedy-center.org/wno/mto/Artist/7549
2.
Not all divas are divas. Dolora Zajick has always been true to her nature, which
is that of the introvert. The mezzo once said, "It's not that I'm disconnnected
from reality, but given my druthers, I'd rather spend my time alone." Here is a
wonderful sequence in which Ms. Zajick sings "Nel giardin del bello saracin
ostello" from Verdi's "Don Carlo." In it, Princess Eboli, lady in waiting to the
Queen of Spain, sings a Moorish love song about an encounter between a young
veiled woman and the King who has tired of the Queen's attention. It is only at
the end of the song that the King finds out the veiled woman is actually the
Queen herself. No translation available, but the entire scene---which features
lovely chorus parts---is too pleasing to pass up. Note how the Moorish love song
sounds. . .Spanish.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKLd8g1vOMU
Good short profile of Ms. Zajick:
http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2016/8/Departments/Backstory__Dolora_Zajick.html
3.
Generally, whenever Saturdee Opry Links hauls out the duet from "The Pearl
Fishers," by Bizet, we go with the duly enshrined version with Jussi Bjorling
and Robert Merrill. Probably unsurpassable. But this time, it's Jonas Kaufmann's
rich, dark tenor and Dmitri Hvorostovksy's rich, dark bass-baritone. There is
such a breadth, warmth, depth to this rendition of "Au Fond du temple saint," a
pledge to friendship (not the Facebook kind.)
Synopsis : Nadir and Zurga have reunited after Nadir has been wandering in the
jungle for years. At one time, Zurga and Nadir were friends but their friendship
broke up over the Brahmin priestess Léïla, whom they both loved. They discuss
their old grudges against each other but they declare that the strife their
disagreements have caused in the past is no longer an impediment to their
friendship.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2MwnHpLV48
Translation:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Au_fond_du_temple_saint
4.
Of course, the "Pearl Fishers" friendship between Zurga and Nadir goes bad, as
these things can when a woman is involved. Here, Zurga nobly agonizes over the
lost friendship, and how to resolve things. "L'orage s'est calme" ("The storm
has calmed"), sung by Leonardo Neiva.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1EoxNyhCg0
Setting: An Indian tent in Ceylon in ancient times
Synopsis: Zurga has broken off his friendship with Nadir because Nadir disobeyed
his order to leave the priestess Léïla alone. Instead Nadir and Léïla have
fallen in love. Zurga's mind is unsettled and restless like the storm which only
recently has ceased.
Translation:
http://www.opera-arias.com/bizet/les-p%C3%AAcheurs-de-perles/l'orage-s'est-calme/
FUN READ: "Pearl Fishers" Not a One-Hit Wonder
http://dropera.blogspot.com/2012/10/beyond-duet-other-pleasures-of-pearl.html
5.
There is "the other duet" from "Pearl Fishers" by Bizet, and quite an affecting
one, between Leila and Nadir, in Act 2. "Leila! Dieu puissant,le voila!" with
Diana Damrau and Mathew Polenzani, in rehearsal for last year's Met production.
Yes, it's a bit melodramatic. This is opera, whaddya 'spect? It gets more
melodic as it goes along.
Synopsis: In the temple with Nourabad, Leila expresses fear at being left alone,
but Nourabad exhorts her to be brave and to fulfil her vows to Brahma on pain of
her own death. She tells him of the courage she once displayed when, as a child,
she had hidden a fugitive from his enemies and refused to give him up even when
threatened with death ("J'étais encore enfant"). The fugitive had rewarded her
with a necklace that he asked her always to wear. She had kept this promise, as
she would her vows. On the priest's departure, Leila quietly muses on the former
times when she and Nadir would meet together secretly ("Comme autrefois dans la
nuit sombre"). Nadir then enters; in her fear of Nourabad's threats Leila begs
him to leave, but he remains and the two declare their love in a passionate duet
("Léïla! Léïla!...Dieu puissant, le voilà!").
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WymgC_-gZlg
Translation:
http://www.opera-arias.com/bizet/les-p%C3%AAcheurs-de-perles/leila-leila-dieu-puissant/
6.
You all know Erich Wolfgang Korngold's music from the great old movie, "The
Adventures of Robin Hood," with Errol Flynn (and other lusty film scores.)
Principally a "serious" composer who had mixed feelings about writing for
Hollywood, Korngold wrote the very moving opera, "Die Tote Stadt" ("The Dead
City"), which is known for this utterly beautiful duet, "Glück, das mir verblieb
(Marietta's Lied"). Here are Karan Armstrong and the heldentenor, Siegfried
Jerusalem. Korngold eventually quit film, returning to "serious" composition. He
spent his last years in North Hollywood, of all things ordinary. . .
Setting: Paul's room devoted to his dead wife Marie, Brussels, late 19th century
Synopsis: After Marietta and Paul meet for the first time, she sings a intensely
sad song about lost love for him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5C_QU16zrSU
Translation:
http://www.aria-database.com/search.php?individualAria=844
7.
Here is a bit of a change of pace. Ravel, who I think is practically singular in
his style (despite musicologists showing influences of many other composers),
wrote two operas. One was a bizarro comedie about a clockmaker, "L'Heure
Espagnole," and this is an "aria" (for lack of better descriptor) from it: "Oh!
La Pitoyable Aventure" (Roughly, "Oh, the pathetic love affair!") In it, the
principal character, Concepcion, gripes about the two men pursuing her. The
music is as roiling with anger and outburst as she is, and yet is actually based
on the Seviliana, a Spanish folk dance from Andalusia.
Here is Anna Stephany, with English subtitles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wElAc7Aso4
About the opera:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27heure_espagnole
More about the aria:
http://lheureespagnole.weebly.com/o-la-pitoyable-aventure.html
(If Ravel's allegedly Spanish influence does not come through here, I guarantee
you will discern and enjoy it in his "Rhapsodie Espagnole:"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu1-oVjGF3Y )
8.
Mozart plots, to my vastly impatient taste, are not rewarded by close study.
They quickly devolve, if not dissolve, into flailing tentacle-like tangents. To
call them "Byzantine" is gentle. So I never pay much attention to Mozart plots,
which, as I suggested, is my failing. You might love them! Perhaps you also
enjoy "women's literature," gawd help you. But both of us, I expect, love a good
Mozart melody, and please forgive Saturdee Opry Links for yet again (well, it's
been months) posting "Soave sia il vento," or "May the wind be gentle" from "Cosi
Fan Tutte." Mozart's melodic writing is in profound opposition to the
harum-scarum storylines. You almost get the idea that he invented melody, and to
some extent, he did.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wi7UsXW1As
Partial Synopsis: Scene 1: A coffeehouse
In a cafe, Ferrando and Guglielmo (two officers) express certainty that their
fiancées (Dorabella and Fiordiligi, respectively) will be eternally faithful.
Don Alfonso expresses skepticism and claims that there is no such thing as a
faithful woman. He lays a wager with the two officers, claiming he can prove in
a day's time that those two, like all women, are fickle. The wager is accepted:
the two officers will pretend to have been called off to war; soon thereafter
they will return in disguise and each attempt to seduce the other's lover. The
scene shifts to the two women, who are praising their men (duet: Ah guarda
sorella—"Ah look sister"). Alfonso arrives to announce the bad news: the
officers have been called off to war. Ferrando and Guglielmo arrive,
brokenhearted, and bid farewell (quintet: Sento, o Dio, che questo piede è
restio—"I feel, oh God, that my foot is reluctant"). As the boat with the men
sails off to sea, Alfonso and the sisters wish them safe travel (trio: Soave sia
il vento—"May the wind be gentle").
Translation: Italian:
Soave sia il vento,
Tranquilla sia l’onda,
Ed ogni elemento
Benigno risponda
Ai nostri {vostri) desir.
English translation:
Gentle is the wind,
Calm is the wave,
And every one of the elements
Answer warmly
To our (your) desire.
9.
Ah, it's the old "speaking truth to power" routine, eh? Never gets old with me.
. .Here we are at roughly the time of the French Revolution, with one Andrea
Chenier, a poet, attending a lavish ball given by the riche.
Synopsis:
The guests arrive. Among them is an Abbée who has come from Paris with news
about the poor decisions of King Louis XVI's government. Also among the guests
is the dashing and popular Chénier. The soirée begins with a "pastoral"
performance. A chorus of shepherds and shepherdesses sing idealized rustic
music. The Countess asks Chénier to improvise a poem but he says that
inspiration has abandoned him. Maddelena asks Chénier to recite a verse, but he
refuses her also, saying that "Fantasy is not commanded on cue." The laughter of
the girls draws the Countess' attention, and Maddelena explains mockingly that
the Muse of poetry is absent from the party. Chénier now becomes angry and
improvises a poem about the suffering of the poor, ending with a tirade against
those in power in church and state, shocking the guests.
Here is mighty Mario del Monaco, the man who could not sing quietly, with "Un di
all'azzurro spazio" ("One day to the blue skies"), also known as "L'improvviso,"
live in 1961.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7xcDnyri0s
Translation:
http://www.aria-database.com/translations/chenier03_un.txt
FINAL BOW: Mario del Monaco with what is perhaps the most powerful and affecting
short aria in all literature, "Addio, Fiorito Asil" or "Farewell, Flowery
Refuge," from Puccini's "Madame Butterfly," in which the callow Pinkerton
attempts to resolve his self-centeredness, his guilt, and his having confused
falling in love with a girl with falling in love with a place. This is a poor
film clip, but the sound is clear, and downright thrilling. Nice lady conductor,
too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS4Z9ESGJKEz
Translation:
http://operainenglish.blogspot.com/2013/08/addio-fiorito-asil-madama-butterfly.html
Saturdee Opry Links Encore!
Hvorostovksy and Kaufmann once more. . .
"What a beautiful thing is a sunny day. . .
But another sun that's brighter still,
It's the that's upon your face. . ."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmKUZeJB_Nw
Translation:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E2%80%99O_sole_mio
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