In the wonderful wide world of COVID-crisis free opera streaming, opera companies are joining in every week. Our very own Opera Australia came to the party late, with 'OA/TV' and is only now getting a catalogue up (though the Director, Lyndon Terracini, says they’ve been wanting to do this for years.) You can currently watch Traviata on the Harbour or Merry Widow in 1988 with Joan Sutherland. (See below for the Met’s Sutherland – 1982, in Lucia di Lammermoor. OA archives have her Lucia in 1980, but it’s not available yet.)
In this new world of available opera, we are really being looked after, not only with free livestreaming of pretty much everything in the arts world, but also with schedules of what's on. In case you missed it, the ABC (bless it) is now trialling an Australian Arts Online diary, with day by day listings and really useful information about what's on.
Too many gems to mention specifics. We love our ABC!!
And overseas? Here's the link to Limelight's On With the Show giving carefully indexed listings of events, summary and diary. We love our Limelight too!
I keep trying to get away from the Met offerings, but coming week has gems. And the shiniest is from Shakespeare.
On Wednesday, to borrow from our U3A course title, The Tempest rocks!
Screening Wednesday, May 13 is Thomas Adès’s The Tempest. (the composer conducts.) The libretto takes getting used to, as Shakespeare’s poetry is reshaped as rhymed couplets. But the mystery, the magic and the monsters are exquisitely placed in stunning modern music.
Adès loves Shakespeare, and the cast is superb: Simon Keenlyside possesses Prospero and Isabel Leonard is a glorious Miranda. And Ariel was clearly always a stratospheric soprano athlete, a character waiting to make it to music! Lots more detail and discussion of this opera, here in our 2018 archive.
This is a production by Robert Lepage (he of the controversial Met Ring Cycle, and the superb ocean set for last week’s L’Amour de Loin.) For The Tempest he presents Prospero as impresario (an image that splendidly suits the extraordinary talents of Keenlyside.) Review here.
Then Thursday and Saturday are diva nights at the Met.
The Met’s 1988 production of Ariadne auf Naxos brought together Jessye Norman (as Ariadne) and Kathleen Battle (as Zerbinetta) in sets and style from the 60’s that were pretty dull by modern standards. But there’s some great singing to be heard. Watch it for the joy of seeing the bickering of a prima donna and commedia artiste brilliantly played out by two of opera’s greatest divas, Jessye at her haughtiest and Battle having coloratura fun. (Commedia del arte is discussed way back in this blog.)
And then Saturday is Sutherland - in her most famous role, as Lucia in Donizetti’s drama of doomed love in Scottish gloom. (There's introduction to Lucia di Lammermoor and different divae meeting its challenges on our 2016 webpage here. )
The Met screens their 1982 production; she’s 56 and the voice is glorious. Richard Bonynge conducting. There’s a delicious review here in NYTimes. It's more than a mad scene – and there are some great voices beside Joan’s - here’s the famous sextet.
The full Met programme (Melbourne times)
Monday, May 11 Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci Cavalleria Rusticana: Starring Eva-Maria Westbroek, Marcelo Álvarez, and George Gagnidze. Pagliacci: Starring Patricia Racette, Marcelo Álvarez, and George Gagnidze. Conducted by Fabio Luisi. From April 25, 2015.
Tuesday, May 12 Massenet’s Werther Jonas Kaufmann made Werther his owned-role, in several productions. This one (2014) has brilliant costars - Lisette Oropesa and Sophie Koch.
Wednesday, May 13 Thomas Adès’s The Tempest It's modern, exciting and brilliant singing. Starring Audrey Luna, Isabel Leonard, Alek Shrader, Alan Oke, and Simon Keenlyside, conducted by Thomas Adès. From November 10, 2012.
Thursday, May 14 Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos How many layers can an opera have? This one is by the team that produced Der Rosenkavalier, and it makes that complicated plot seem quite straightforward. Good reading about the history of the opera and the partnership here.
Friday, May 15 Britten’s Peter Grimes Starring Patricia Racette, Anthony Dean Griffey, and Anthony Michaels-Moore, conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles. From March 15, 2008.
Saturday, May 16 Viewers’ Choice: Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor Starring Joan Sutherland, Alfredo Kraus, Pablo Elvira, and Paul Plishka, conducted by Richard Bonynge. From November 13, 1982.
Sunday, May 17 Verdi’s Rigoletto Starring Diana Damrau, Oksana Volkova, Piotr Beczała, and Željko Lučić, conducted by Michele Mariotti. From February 16, 2013.
Monnday, May 18 Verdi’s Nabucco Starring Liudmyla Monastyrska, Jamie Barton, Russell Thomas, Plácido Domingo, and Dmitry Belosselskiy, conducted by James Levine. From January 7, 2017.