Kill da wabbit....

For those who get the reference, well done. For those who don't, it is from Warner Brothers' "Whats opera doc?" that awesome cartoon which has Bugs and Elmer Fudd making fun of Wagner's Ring Cycle. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQlmXU1zqfc&feature=related )

So, this afternoon, a small handful of us went to the cinema to see another "Live from the Met in HD" opera recording (which was only about a month late!) This time, it was the second part of The Met's new Ring Cycle, Die Walkure, featuring a great cast and "the machine"

First, a bias. Part of me had been hoping in the lead up to the recording, that the Siegmund was going to be unable to sing on the day and the Australian tenor Stuart Skelton, his understudy, would get to sing. Sadly, this was not to be. However, having heard Jonas Kaufmann (and watched him as well) I certainly am not going to complain. Jonas is an outstanding singer, and cute to boot. His Siegmund was a masculine, virile presence who certainly was believable from the word go as the outcast who had spent his life fighting with his sword, till he collapsed totally exhausted. Not to mention, he sang outstandingly, and was convincing as the tortured soul that he played.

As his love interest/twin sister (yes, there is incest in opera, not just in Game of Thrones), Eva-Marie Westbroek was also suitably impressive. She, too, sang beautifully, and her transformation from abused wife, to woman in love, to woman in fear of what was to happen next was totally believable..

Her husband in this was performed by someone I have not come across before, a singer I hope to hear again in the future. And once again, it was a villain who I wanted to hear singing Wotan, for his sheer vocal power, and his ability to act with his singing, without losing the quality of his sound. Hans-Peter Konig (who sang Hunding) is definitely worth investigating further.

As Fricka, Stephanie Blythe proved why she is one of the US's most sort after dramatic singers. She only had one scene, but it is pivotal. She is the one who convinces her husband Wotan to go against his plans, and Blythe is convincing. She has a big powerful voice, and a physical presence that she uses to dominate the scene. Doing that against Bryn Terfel is no mean feat.

As Wotan, Terfel is much more at ease this time, than he was in Rheingold. He just sounded more at ease, and seemed much more in command of his performance. He was of course, as is required by the role, much more troubled by doubts and fears, but he carried that off in spades.

Which brings us to Deborah Voigt as Brunnhilde. I think we can say that in Deb we have found the next great Brunnhilde. She was convincing from the first notes. As the performance progressed you saw her change from the carefree, girlish figure who is the favourite of her father Wotan, into a woman making her own choices and learning to live with the consequences, even if it means becoming mortal. Her bright silvery tones rang out clearly, making the role seem easy, even though we know it not to be the case. She did not sound tired even by the end, after that long last act where she sings constantly.

Which brings us to the production, and The Machine, that piece of staging that dominates this Ring cycle, in a way no other set would. Unlike the first opera, this time I did not feel like there were times when it was used because they wanted to show of the toy, rather than because it was a good choice. Hunding's hut was cleverly created, as were the various forest scenes. The rocky crags that feature prominently in this opera also worked well. Perhaps less well was using the machine to provide the horses, but I personally liked that, even though others felt it was a bit too "cutesy" It certainly was a better solution than having horses on stage with all the risks that come with them. My only real complaint about the machine was the ending when Brunnhilde ends up surrounded by fire. Somehow I cannot see Wotan leaving his favourite daughter upside down when he leaves her for the future hero to come. Also, call me old fashion, but if it calls for fire in the script, I want it to look convincingly firelike. It took for a long time before the magic fire looked convincing. Surely, if it were magic, it would look convincing from the word go? A minor quibble, but considering this was at the end, and what people were going to walk out of the theatre with, this matters.

So, in the end, I am left with this. A great cast, mostly served well by the production, but not all the time...

I will settle for a great cast anytime, myself..

Some people are special

Yes, I guess that title is fairly obvious. But, I was at a loss to explain what I needed to write about any other way. Because some people ARE special.

This came up because today, while heading home, I found out via Facebook (of all places) that someone who I have never met, but count as a friend, had been in a horrific traffic accident (along with her husband) and had been airlifted to hospital to undergo emergency surgery. This hit me in the pit of my stomach. I was almost in tears.

Why you ask? Well, Susan Eichhorn Young IS special.

She is one of the most generous people I have come across online. She is a singing teacher based in New York (or just out of it) who regularly also travels to other places to give lessons as well. She also runs group classes on performing, writes a regular blog about issues associated with singing, as well as regularly posting on various message boards, helping others to develop their vocal potential, because that is what she loves.

She has also been generous to me at times too, knowing the crap I have been through, and happy just to connect to have a chat.

She also has a hilarious sense of humour, and truly enjoys life. I would feel privileged to be compared to her, and I know many people who know her in person feel the same way.

So, to the lovely Susan, hang in there love! Do not allow your voice to be silenced. Sing out, and stand up to the world as you long have. We need more people like you who make a difference in the world.

La Nozze di Figaro in cinema extravaganza

Ok, before I start this, allow me to make a few disclaimers.

1) This was a free ticket. I won mine, and my companions also won tickets, so we were very happy to be seeing something for free.

2) I admit to being somewhat biased about Opera Australia. When they get it right, they are up the with the best. Not that they always do of course, but they CAN do...

3) I love funny Mozart productions, and this was very funny.

4) I have competed in an eisteddfod against at least one, and I suspect 2 of the leads in this show many years ago, and am always really pleased to see them doing well.

5) There was a problem with the sound not being totally in sync with the visuals. At times this was annoying, other times you barely noticed it, but it was there. Why? I have no idea, but it needs to be fixed for future productions.

Okay, now to the meat and potatoes, as it were.

First, let me say that I was not entirely convinced by the production design of this show. It did not really strike me as a convincing country residence of a wealthy aristocracy member. The first act set was a nondescript brownish fabric backdrop, which was draped rather than hung. There was an opening in it for the door, and doors on either side of the stage which were fixed in place for all acts of the opera, and looked the worse for wear, being plain wood, not the sort of thing you would expect to see in a count's bedroom, for example, or in his 2 highly placed and respected servants, whose marriage the opera revolves around. The following acts also featured scenery that did not entirely match what was required, or what was referred to, which is annoying.

The set also frequently featured things that were totally out of place, deliberately so. In Figaro and Susanna's bedroom, there was a red vinyl reclining rocker chair, and a steam iron that Susanna is using at the start, on a wooden folding ironing board, that, if it had a metal frame would look at home in a modern home. The ironing board was the subject of much amusing business, with people getting bent over on it, or in one case, having it wind him rather painfully. There was also a hairdryer on a stand in the Countess's bedroom, the sort you see in hairdressers that cover your whole head (?) These incongruities were both amusing and confusing, leading to “why were they there” thoughts.

The business in the first act, with first Cherubino hiding, then the Count hiding, with the chair was handled very well, if a touch unbelievably. It was also hilarious, because you could see what was coming, yet the reveal of the hidden characters was farcical in the true sense of the word, not corny or hackneyed. This was also one of those moments where a more true to life setting would have worked better, with more places to hide as the characters moved around the room. On the other hand, the final aria of the first act, where Figaro sings about Cherubino joining the army was probably over played. It was funny, but you would have expected Figaro to show a bit more sympathy to Cherubino, rather than making him suffer quite so much. It was funny, but it felt a bit forced as it got more over the top. On the other hand, the interplay between Marcelina and Susanna was priceless. The frostiness between them as they tried to get the other to leave first was both real AND funny, just like most of this production.

The Countess's bedroom scene also was played for laughs. Apart from the very affecting opening aria Porgi amor, the comedy came fast and furious. Rachelle Durkin sang a very beautiful Countess, all too real, and both driven to distraction by her husband's behaviour, and longing to get him back, to return to the days when he was affectionate and loving. Her's is a high sounding soprano with a faster vibrato than is common these days, but with a strong powerful sound, which made a clear distinction to Taryn Fiebig's more darker sound. The interplay between them worked very well both musically, as well as their acting, the years of having sung together showed. They were totally believable as the lady and her maid, who knew all her secrets. Both sang beautifully throughout, and shon in the glorious solo music they both get.

Sian Pendry as Cherubino is one of those cases of great casting. She is believable as a boy. She plays the boy in the control of his hormones very well, and totally looks the part. Indeed, if it was not for the voice, you would think she WAS a boy. But, no, this mezzo sings with a clarity, putting all the enthusiasm required for this gift of a role to it's service.

As Marcelina, Jacquie Dark is surprisingly sexy. Yes, she is old enough to have been around and seen and done most of it. Yes, she is that stereotyped bitch that her character is meant to be. But she was more. From the start, there was the human warmth behind her, so that the Act 3 sudden change was not so much "Oh my God!" but a natural and logical reaction for someone who has previously been crushed by her life, but saw a chance to redefine herself. In short, she was a real person, and a walking, singing demonstration of the adage, there are no small roles, only small performers.

Kaneen Breen also was very strong as the music master. He was every bit the fussy prissy nasty gossip the story makes him out, the butt of many jokes. He also grabbed the role with both hands and made it his own, with lots of minor scene stealing moments that made his character more than just a figure of fun. In fact, he was clearly having enormous fun being the figure of fun..

I have not really said much about Figaro and the Count yet. Having Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Peter Coleman Wright in the same show really is a gift to any audience. Teddy with his undeniable physical charms, as well as a virile baritonal sound really makes the former barber turned manservant role his own. He is convincing as well as funny, and from the opening duet, you know he is well cast in this role.

Likewise Peter Coleman Wright as the Count is everything you would expect from this experienced performer. He plays him for his faults, and works to bring the humour out. If he is not the natural comic that TTR appears, that also works, because the Count is supposed to be a serious figure, with very obvious flaws. That he manages to humanise him says much about his skill as a performer.

And yet, for all the obvious strengths of the male cast members, the things that remain for me as I write this, is just how amazing the women were in this. They really were the heart of this performance. Taryn and Rachelle were the glue that made everything stick. Their Sull' aria duet was the music that stuck in your head afterwards (and this is an opera full of great tunes). Not because it was staged funny or something unexpected happened, but rather because they allowed the beauty of the music to express the emotions of the characters, and the closeness between them. Not to mention, they sang it beautifully. I went with 2 others who also have sung in opera, and knew this opera quite well. Each of us, after leaving the cinema sang snatches of sull' aria as we headed off. Somehow, it seemed to sum up the production. And, I guess in an opera about relationships and their difficulties, that is probably a good thing.