Drottningholm 2012

Opera performances:
"This summer at Drottningholm we will be dipping into two of the richest myths of our western culture: the ancient Greek epic recounting the exploits of Jason and Medea, and the mediæval legend of Roland. They are united by a fascination with the unfathomable experience of human love. Jason falls in love with Medea, but isn't she a sorceress? Orlando is in love with Angelica, but it's a love that sends him mad. We talk of the magic and madness of love even today, and, what's more, both stories deal with love across cultural and religious boundaries… So-called forbidden love. But isn't this a non sequitur?"Mark Tatlow, Artistic Director

Jason & Medea, read more

Orlando paladino, read more

http://www.dtm.se/eng/eprogram/index.html

Tickets are on sale for the two operas. Tickets for Peter Mattei will be released on March 27.

Classicalify on tour...

What is better than to catch the spring at the continent? Classicalify recently did a small tour to Brussels, Berlin and Frankfurt to enjoy the spring heat and sun and of course some good opera performances.

We started in Brussels, who welcomed us with RAIN! This ugly city, filled with VIP:s from the EU and a high number of immigrants, does have THE opera house of the year (2011) and maybe some of the most interesting productions in Europe. So, even if Classicalify does not like the city, Classicalify LOVE the opera house, La Monnaie/De Munt.

This time we went to see Dvorak's "Rusalka", a production by Norwegian director Stefan Herheim that opened some years ago. And what a show this was! Fun, witty, kitschy and lots of stuff to look at ON stage and IN the auditorium. This performance took place all over and made us very happy.

Rusalka was sung by Tatiana Monogarova (born in Moscow). A creamy soprano reminding us of Renée Fleming. Her song to the moon was delivered very accurate and with much passion. The satellite TV dishes on the balconys of the houses around the town square were spotlighted and accompanied Rusalka as four moons - very nice! A happy surprise for Classicalify was swedish soprano Annalena Persson singing Princesse étrangère. For the first time she showed us a comic side and she did it very good. You could see she really enjoyed it. Her full dramatic soprano was used to the maximum for her small part, and so was her acting skills! To see her and the prince having sex in the Royal box added to all the fun.

From Brussels, Classicalify, went to Berlin and straight to Staatsoper at Schiller Theater. "L'Elisir d'amore" with Rolando Villazon back after his throat problems, what could that be? Well, the glitter and the brightness on the top notes was not there. In duets and ensembles Villazon disappeared in the crowd... This was not what it used to be. Classicalify do hope he slowly will work his way back o the top. The voice is there, but it feels like he dosen't dare letting it all out...and we understand! Take care Rolando!

One of the most writen about performances in Berlin for the moment is "Der Freischütz" at Komische Oper. Spanish director Calixto Bieito is, as usual, making headlines and uproar. Nude scenes, blood, sex, dead animals and weapons are common stuff in his productions. The performance started out with a big, fat pig walking around in the woods... and Classicalify and company waited for someone to shoot the pig. The tension was spectacular and horrifying!

The russian tenor Dimitry Golovnin sang Max and obviously did not approve of Bieito's intensions. He was wearing his underwear all the time. The tenor in the first cast went on diet, lost 50 kg, and act nude! A little disappointment for Classicalify! If you are going to see this, do not bring your underaged children along, they will not be admitted to the performance if they are under 16!

Back to Unter den Linden at Schiller Theater and "Tristan und Isolde". This is a performance Classicalfy have seen a couple of times before. The fallen angel version. Waltraud Meier was casted as Isolde but was replaced by swedish international soprano Irene Théorin. And was that a luck! What a voice! Théorin (49 years old) must be at her peak righ now. In the beginning of the year she sang three Elektras in Stockholm to much acclaim and here she stepped in and did an Isolde of world class. Her Tristan was Ian Storey and King Marke was sung by René Pape. Daniel Barenboim conducted. In the audience we spotted Patti Smith who we hope enjoyed it as much as we did.

From Berlin to Frankfurt and a concert performance of Mascagni's "L'amico Fritz". Star Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja in this rare piece is really a wonder of singing and passion. A clear, distinct voice and pianissimos nevere heard before. A most enjoyable eavning!

The Baltic Sea Festival celebrates 10 year 2012... and what a stellar cast Festival it will be...

The famous "Tsunami-Tristan" will at last come to Stockholm. The video installation by Bill Viola has been on everyone's lips since it started out several years ago... Classicalify saw it in Paris and was of course impressed by the singing... and if you like video installations you have to see it... Say no more! The singers will knock your heads off!

There will also be a Jubilee concert with Nina Stemme, Beethoven 9 (Herbert Blomstedt) and of course Valerij Gergiev will conduct, this year he brings the Marinskij Ballet to Stockholm.

Tickets on sale March 6.

24 augusti kl 18.00 Tristan och Isolde

Föreställning av videokonstnären Bill Viola, regissören Peter Sellars och Esa-Pekka Salonen

Finska Radions Symfoniorkester

Orphei Drängar

Esa-Pekka Salonen, dirigent

Gary Lehman, tenor (Tristan)

Violeta Urmana, sopran (Isolde)

Matti Salminen, bas (Marke)

Michele de Young, mezzosopran (Brangäne)

Jukka Rasilainen, baryton (Kurwenal)

Waltteri Torikka, tenor (Melot)

Tuomas Katajala, baryton (Sjömannen och Herden)

Arttu Kataja, baryton (Styrmannen)

Peter Sellars, regi

Bill Viola, videoinstallation

Read more here:

http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=3429&artikel=4988108

Peter Mattei to sing Amfortas

This will probably be THE performance of the year 2013. Metropolitan launches a new "Parsifal" and the cast is STAR filled...

Jonas Kaufmann stars in the title role of the innocent who finds wisdom. His fellow Wagnerian luminaries include Katarina Dalayman as the mysterious Kundry, Peter Mattei as the ailing Amfortas, Evgeny Nikitin as the wicked Klingsor, and René Pape as the noble knight Gurnemanz. Daniele Gatti conducts.

More info on Met Opera homepage here:

http://www.metoperafamily.org/opera/parsifal-wagner-tickets.aspx

Young Donizetti in Vadstena summer 2012

Summer 2012 Classicalify advice all bel canto-freaks to go to Vadstena, small summer city at lake Vättern in Sweden. Famous for it's Vadstena Academy where young singers develop.
This summer you can see Donizetti's Enrico di Borgogna, not played for 193 years!

First performance of "Enrico di Borgogna" took place in Venice 1818. Second performance will take place in Vadstena 2012.

From Vadstena Academy site we copy this:

We will revive an opera that has been "sleeping" for 193 years, Donizetti's first opera "Enrico di Borgogna". The first performance will be on July 20, 2012 at Vadstena Castle. Enrico di Borgogna as a production is also a study period for the young singers who are participating in the opera academy this year. In the principal roles of Enrico and Guido we will see Kinga Dobay and Thomas Volle.

Enrico di Borgogna will play in The wedding hall at Vadstena Castle July 20- August 7.

Ensemble:
Enrico - Kinga Dobay (mezzo soprano).
Pietro - Markus Pettersson (tenor).
Elisa - Rebecca Rasmussen (soprano).
Guido - Thomas Volle (tenor).
Gilberto - Christian Oldenburg (baritone).
Brunone - Ludvig Lindström (bass-baritone).
Nicola - Peter Nyqvist (tenor).
Geltrude - Christina Nilsson (soprano).

Composer: Gaetano Donizetti (1818)
Libretto: Bartolomeo Merelli.
Director: Clara Svärd
Conductor: Olof Boman.
Stage design: Clive Leaver.
Costumes: Anna Kjellsdotter.
Lighting designer: Jimmy Ström
Mask design: Katrin Wahlberg
Orchestra: Twenty-eight musicians.

For tickets and more info, check their site:

http://www.vadstena-akademien.org/

Classicalify need and want...

http://www.klaus-florian-vogt.de/

http://www.mariuszkwiecien.com/

Classicalify need to extend the CD-collection with these items!

Nina Stemme as Turandot

According to Swedish morning paper Svenska Dagbladet (SvD) and interview with Birgitta Svendén, head of Royal Opera Stockholm, Nina Stemme will debut her Turandot spring 2013 in Stockholm. Same year Stemme will also sing a new Salome in Stockholm.

Well, there is a tradition of quite good Turandots, Classicalify would say... First Birgit Nilsson and then...eeee... Well, Stemme will do!

For the moment Stemme sings Minnie in "Fanciulla del West" in Stockholm (later she will sing Minnie in Vienna and Paris).

Here are some news for 2012-2013:

HÖSTEN 2012

Trollflöjten

Regi: Ole Anders Tandberg. Dir: Stefan Klingele.

Med Daniel Johansson, Ida Falk Winland, Carl Ackerfeldt.

Maskeradbalen

Regi: Tobias Theorell. Dir: Pier Giorgio Morandi.

Med Andrea Caré, Emma Vetter, Fredrik Zetterström.

VÅREN 2013

Turandot

Regi: Marco Arturo Marelli. Dir: Thomas Søndergård.

Med Nina Stemme, Riccardo Massi, Yana Klayn.

Peter Grimes

Regi: Johanna Garpe. Dir: Lawrence Renes.

Det gyllene skeppet(Benjamin Brittens The golden vanity)

HÖSTEN 2013

Salome

Regi: Sofia Jupither. Dir: Lawrence Renes.

Med Nina Stemme.

Parsifal

Dir: Patrik Ringborg.

If you can read Swedish the interview is found here:

http://www.svd.se/kultur/blockpolitik-tar-over-pa-operan_6785463.svd