Magdalena Kozena: Songs my mother taught me

Magdalena Kožená: Songs my mother taught me. Songs by J.J. Rösler, A. Dvořák, V. Novák, L. Janáček, B. Martinů, E. Schulhoff and P. Eben. Accompanied by Malcolm Martineau and guitarist Michael Freimuth
Full track list here. Further information here.

According to the promotional material this new Magdalena Kožená disc "presents a personal collection of songs she has known since childhood and that form some of her earliest musical influences...they are just the sort of songs a mother would sing to her baby".

Named after one of Dvořák´s Gypsy Song, "Songs my mother taught me", the disc features 34 relatively short songs exclusively by Czech composers, including several rarities. She is accompanied by the excellent Malcolm Martineau on piano and guitarist Michael Freimuth in Eben´s beautiful (and previously unknown to me) Lute songs. For Dvořák´s Moravian duets, Magdalena Kožená was joined by Dorothea Röschmann, a work they also performed together in Berlin earlier this year.

That Magdalena Kožená has a very beautiful and even lyrical mezzo-soprano voice is not new. Neither is her exquisite sense of characterization also heard on previous CD´s such as her Mozart recital disc or her exquisite French Arias all previously released under her solo contract with Deutsche Grammophone, as is this disc.

Here she sings songs from her native country in her native language. And perhaps this contributes to the added impression of commitment she brings to this repertoire. With more individuality in expression, she could be one of the greats.

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

4-5

Superb Stephen Milling and Johan Reuter in Copenhagen Don Carlo

Don Carlo (Ital. 4-act). Royal Danish Opera, Copenhagen Opera House, October 9th 2008. Production: Kasper Bech Holten. Cast: Stephen Milling (Filippo), Jean-Pierre Furlan (Carlo), Johan Reuter (Posa), Tina Kiberg (Elisabetta), Susanne Resmark (Eboli). Conductor: Graeme Jenkins. Further information here.


Last year, Morten Messerschmidt, member of the Danish Parliament representing the rightwing party Dansk Folkparti (tr: Party of the Danish People) made the unfortunate decision to become dead-drunk during a party in the Copenhagen Tivoli Gardens and according to some eyewitnesses “make Nazi greetings and sing Nazi songs”. Something Morten Messerschmidt and other eyewitnesses denied (although he admits to being dead-drunk and perhaps not remembering the exact course of events), claiming they only shouted “Deutschland, Deutschland über alles” as a harmless joke. Nevertheless a joke gaining him a considerable amount of negative publicity as well as being expelled from his party, though he was later readmitted.

Now Morten Messserschmidt tries hard to create controversy in areas less related to such leisure-time activities. Such as opera where Morten Messerschmidt attended the premiere of Kasper Bech Holten´s new production of Don Carlo last November at the Royal Danish Opera. So did I.

Subsequently this staging, for rather obscure reasons has been surrounded with controversy. Some of it initiated by Morten Messerschmidt´ letter to a major Danish newspaper, in which he
complained about the allegedly unacceptable (ie. different from his own) political views put forward. Morten Messerschmidt´s main point is that the Royal Danish Opera is financed by the Danish tax-payers (true) and subsequently should refrain from politically flavoured productions. In fact it is a rather non-debate as far as I am concerned. Of course Kasper Bech Holten´s staging discusses the political aspects of Don Carlos. Why else stage it?

I described Kasper Bech Holten´s production in detail after the 2007 premiere, and not much has changed. I still find it one of his most successful productions.

Irrelevant quibble aside. Musically it was a major success.

The Filippo-Posa constellation was just unbelievable. Stephen Milling is simply staggering as Filippo. His voice is rather rough, but his portrait of the ultimately insecure monarch is immensely consistant and nuanced. And ultimately very, very touching. Furthermore the middle and lower register of his voice projects like a loud-speaker with a power exceeding anything I have ever heard in that, or other basso parts, for that matter. Stephen Milling is a very close contender to the throne of Spain. That the Grand Inquisitor was completely overpowered was rather expected.

This high level continued with Danish bass-barytone Johan Reuter, who was quite simply the best Posa I have seen or heard on stage. Currently Johan Reuter is venturing into the dramatic bass-barytone fach with upcoming performances of Orestes and Flying Dutchman, so Posa is actually one of his “easier-for-the-voice” parts. As opposed to most Posa´s, who are overstretched lyrical baritones, Johan Reuter clearly does not dig into his reserves but has the necessary vocal surplus to make the part sound easy. Furthermore he effortless projects his voice evenly throughout the range and he is a great actor completely believably as the nerdy Posa. The confrontation between him and Filippo is the highlight of the opera.

Susanne Resmark, also embarking on an international career, is physically perhaps not the most convincing Eboli, though her stage presence is immense and vocally she negotiates the part as well as anyone. In fact better than anyone I remember having seen live.

The Carlos-Elisabetta pair did not quite perform on this high level, though they were nevertheless more than fine.

The orchestra conducted by Graeme Jenkins also sounded great..

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Stephen Milling: 5
Johan Reuter: 5
Susanne Resmark: 4
Tina Kiberg: 3
Jean-Pierre Furlan: 3

Kasper Bech Holten´s production: 4

Graeme Jenkins: 4

Overall impression: 4-5

Turandot DVD: Franco Zeffirelli is almost alive..

Turandot. Metropolitan Opera 1986. Director: Franco Zeffirelli. Cast: Eva Marton (Turandot), Plácido Domingo (Calaf), Leona Mitchell (Líu). Conductor: James Levine. Further information here.

For the first two acts, the first one in particular, Franco Zeffirelli gets away with it so well, that I almost felt compelled to stop referring to him as Franco "the undead" Zeffirelli. Though, based on the tasteless final act, the term still comes in handy, though admittedly it is not very sophisticated..

What exactly makes Franco Zeffirelli deserve the label "opera director" I do not know: He designs the lavish sets and dumps authentic-costumed singers in them. A set designer in productions without a director seems more appropriate.

Needless to say, he presents a genuinely conventional Turandot. Which actually works rather well in the first two acts due to the rather fine and realistically created environment of ancient China. For the third act, the set suddenly explodes in tastelessness..

Plácido Domingo is predicably superb as Calaf, by far the best on DVD. Eva Marton gets reasonably away with Turandot, thought she would have gained much had she not been flat. Leona Mitchell´s Líu I never really warmed too, contrary to the audience.

James Levine? Superb. The structure of Puccini´s operas is something he apparently seems to have an intuitive understanding of.

In summary, not the worst of the Metropolitan Opera´s Zeffirelli productions by far. If one leaves before the third act that is, which also has the advantage of avoiding Alfano´s ending.

For a Turandot on DVD, David Pountney´s superb totalitarian nightmare will be preferred for those inclined towards a directed version of Turandot, though not for those wanting to hear/see a fine interpretation of Calaf or a memorable reading of the score.

Straniero ascolta (Eva Marton and Plácido Domingo):

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Plácido Domingo: 5
Leona Mitchell: 3
Eva Marton: 3

Franco Zeffirelli: 3

James Levine: 5

Overall impression: 3-4

Bryn Terfel in Copenhagen

Bryn Terfel, Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen. Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Gareth Jones. October 21th 2008.


Bryn Terfel´s fist-ever visit to Copenhagen (and second-ever to Denmark) was the first installment of a small Scandinavian Tour, bringing him to Stockholm, Oslo, Gothenburg and Trondheim within the next couple of months. “I have taken this year off from opera, which is why I have the opportunity to perform here tonight” he announced from the stage [!].

On this tour Bryn Terfel is joined by two Welsh artists, conductor Gareth Jones and harpist Catrin Finch. Terfel appeared the consummate professional with a top-tuned program showing off his greatest strengths as expected, as well as his greatest weaknesses (less expected).

First of all Bryn Terfel is a superb performer. He is a superb physical as well as vocal comedian. He has superb sense of characterization and a virtually immaculate diction. He has star quality in spades as well as plenty of the indefinable likeability factor. He simply appears genuinely sympathetic as well as down to earth in a charismatic way. All to a degree that you´d almost not believe anybody to be so insolent as to accuse this man of unprofessionalism…
Looking at the glossy premade Scandinavian Touring programmes in English (sold for 8 Euros) stating that “Bryn is pleased to have an association with several companies, most notably Rolex, Clogau Gold and Penderyn Distillery” made this feeling disappear, though.

There is no doubt that Bryn Terfel is firmly rooted in his native Wales, and luckily the traditional music of Wales has an allure sufficient to warrant an entire solo-album as well as half a section of a concert. Though apparently not quite half a section, as Welsh traditionals were spiced up with Granada (I suppose if Rolando Villazón can, why not Bryn Terfel?) and Irish as well as Scottish traditionals..

I´ll admit that singing along to Molly Malone is not my favourite pastime, though the audience in general, including a hard-core bunch of Welsh fans sitting right behind me, seemed to love it all, including the flirtatious remarks aimed to charm ladies in their 50´s without offending their husbands (the majority of the audience).

A calculated attempt to make easy money or a genuine wish to champion the music of his native country (as well as to promote young Welsh artists such as harpist Catrin Finch)? An unanswerable question as well as ultimately an unimportant one. Either you are entertained or you are not, Bryn Terfel´s personal considerations apart. And who can blame him for wanting to make money, while he can? And, by the way, he was entertaining. But also a bit too calculated.

Obviously nobody paid these top tickets prices to hear the young harpist Catrin Finch. However, the pieces she played seemed to substitute for the usual routine performances of routine operatic orchestral interludes, in which case she provided a rather welcome departure from the norm.

However, I am puzzled as to why Bryn Terfel chose to open and close the first section of the concert with three arias showing him at his weakest: Iago´s Credo from Otello (a role he has not performed on stage) and the Faust Méphistophéles Serenade and Veau D´Or. It was quite evident that he simply does not have the required support in his middle voice for these dramatic parts. Already at the D´Or in the first line Le Veau D´Or he was in trouble.
Bryn Terfel´s voice doesn´t have the steely projection of a dramatic bassbarytone. And technically he simply doesn´t seem to control the outerlying segments of his voice upon applying pressure.
His most unfortunate, in my opinion, artistical decision to play Méphistophéles as a comedian resulting in widespread laughter during both the Serenade and the Veau D´Or just seemed to underscore my point. I am sure the audience would have responded at least as enthusiastically had he chosen to sing Mozart or something more suitable to show off his considerable strengths.

Like Wolfram´s song to the Evening Star (Tannhäuser), where he was simply superb floating some of the most exquisite pianissimos I have yet heard. Or his famous characterization of Falstaff, probably his best part.

This is Bryn Terfel´s true fach: A lyrical bassbarytone and a comedian with character in spades. Also demonstrated in the second half of the program, superbly performed, though admittedly less to my taste. According to recent interviews, Bryn Terfel looks at his future and sees a line-up of heavy Wagnerian bass-barytone parts such as Wotan, Hans Sachs and Flying Dutchman. He just seems such a nice, down to earth person. How can you not wish him good luck? I still wish he would do more Leporello´s, Figaro´s (this part he has "officially" retired), Wolfram´s and Falstaff´s.


Programme (which will be repeated throughout the Scandinavian Tour):

Nabucco ouverture
”Credo” – Otello
"Ehi! Paggio! L´onore! Ladri!” – Falstaff

Debussy: ”Danse Sacreée et profane” with Catrin Finch
”Wie todesahnung---O du mein holden Abenstern” – Tannhäuser
Eugene Onegin polonaise
”Vous qui faites l´endormie” – Méphistophéles´ Serenade from Faust
”Le Veau D´Or” – Faust

Intermission

Granada“Carneval de Venice” – Catrin Finch
Welsh Traditional – Bryn Terfel/Catrin Finch
Loch Lomond and Molly Malone – Bryn Terfel
Candide ouverture.
”How to handle a woman” – Camelot
”You´ll never walk alone” – Carousel

Extra: A Welsh traditional (Bryn Terfel) plus a harp-solo (Catrin Finch)

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Overall impression: 4

DVD: Lulu from Zurich

Lulu. Zurich Opera House 2002. Director: Sven-Eric Bechtolf. Cast: Laura Aikin (Lulu) etc. Conductor: Franz Welser-Möst. Further information here.

This is Sven Bechtolf´s first opera staging, a source of stress to conductor Franz Welser-Möst until he met Bechtolf at the first rehearsal, the latter arriving fully prepared and familiar with the opera from A to Z, including the score.
Quite possibly, this is also Bechtolf´s best staging to date, at least the best I am familiar with. In the accomanying 30 minutes documentary, we hear about all the fun the cast seemed to have had during rehearsals, and they do indeed seem a very solid team. All singers are equally fine actors as singers, a prerequisite for success (in any opera, really)..

Becholf´s Lulu is a girl abused by Schön at the age of 12. As a consequence of this abuse she mirrors herself in the men around here. Eerie film footage to that effect is shown at interludes, and Bechtolf illustrates this split-personality by introducing the body double, to be used extensively in his later Pélleas and Mélisande staging. Another idea, frequently used in his later productions, are leaving characters confined to wheelchairs, probably symbolising psychological immobilisation/isolation.

When Lulu is killed by Jack the Ripper/Schön in the end, a child doll is killed first and Lulu is then dragged into the corner and covered by litter. The message is clear: Lulu was killed years ago, as a child. Only her shallow surface has remained.

In Laura Aikin Bechtolf has a superb performer, giving everything on stage, including semi- nudeness in what may be her finest achievement as yet.

Franz Welser-Möst, as always, is far more than merely competent, however when he has to compete against Boulez and Andrew Davis it´s hard not to somehow end up with the shortest straw.

One may argue endlessly whether the two act (uncompleted as Berg wrote it) or the three act (completed by Cerha) is to be preferred. This Zurich DVD presents the two act version. The Glyndebourne DVD is of the three act version. Cases may be made for both.

Overall I´d still prefer the Glyndebourne production with Christine Schäfer provided the Boulez/Chéreau Paris production will not be released, but this Zurich production is highly recommended for an alternative take on this fascinating work.

Laura Aikin is Lulu:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Laura Aikin: 4

Sven-Eric Bechtolf: 4

Franz Welser-Möst: 4

Overall impression: 4

DVD: The 1995 Götz Friedrich Meistersinger

Meistersinger. Director: Götz Friedrich. Deutsche Oper Berlin 1995. Cast: Wolfgang Brendel (Sachs), Gösta Winbergh (Walther), Eva Johansson (Eva), Victor von Halem (Pogner), Eike Wilm Schulte (Beckmesser). Conductor: Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos. More details here.

This 1995 Götz Friedrich Meistersinger production from Deutsche Oper is still on the repertoire, most recently in February 2008, where I attended a rather fine live performance in Berlin.

Why several reviewers have praised this DVD as both insightful, interesting and revelatory is beyond me. I simply find it boring, though not as much as Wolfgang Wagner´s un-dead Bayreuth productions.

The staging is simplistic with a declining toy village image of the city of Nürnberg in the backgounrd as well as some images of 1945 Nürnberg apparently serving to distance the staging from the nationalistic aspects associated with the work, allegedly Hitler´s favourite Wagner opera and performed during the 1930´s party rallies in Nürnberg. Other than that, Götz Friedrich´s ideas seemed rather sparse.

Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos is an interesting conductor, and musically many aspects work rather well. However, Meistersinger is above all a conductors opera and both James Levine and Daniel Barenboim are hard to beat on DVD, the latter in particular.

Wolfgang Brendel is a rather fine Sachs, though I´d personally prefer more sparkle as well as more (some?) chemistry with Eva Johansson´s Eva, a part she can sing, but which doesn´t seem ideal for her. Best was Gösta Winbergh as a both vocally solid and dramatically believable (though not too young) Walther. The additional cast all performed well, without stealing the show.

For those not keen on the Metropolitan Opera Schenk production, this may be worth exploring.

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Wolfgang Brendel: 4
Eva Johansson: 3-4
Gösta Winberg: 4
Eike Wilm Schulte: 3

Götz Friedrich´s production: 3

Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos: 4

Overall impression: 3

DVD: Paris Magic Flute

Die Zauberflöte. Palais Garnier, Paris, 2001. Director: Benno Besson. Cast: Dorothea Röschmann (Pamina), Matti Salminen (Sarastro), Piotr Beczala (Tamino), Desirée Rancatore (Queen of the Night), Detlef Roth (Papageno). Conductor: Ivan Fischer. Further information here.

The Swiss director Benno Besson who died in 2006, was previous director of the Volksbühne Berlin and collaborator such notabilities as Bertold Brecht and Heiner Müller. However, these are obvious influences in this Magic Flute staging at the Palais Garnier (Paris), in which Besson quite simply created a fairytale for children.

This Magic Flute is an eclectic childrens world of Egyptian temples, Norse mythology, Oriental influences and African tribal arts. The opening scene almost exactly mimicks the Pierre Audi/Karel Appel production with grey mountains rolling in on a stage, wher also stuffed lions and birds appear. Tamino looks like Aladdin and costumes are generally very luxurious, not far from kitsch.

Personally, I find David McVicar´s production more charming and Audi´s more stunning. However, children may well like this one the best.

Musically, it is superb, mainly due to the both vivid and interesting reading of Ivan Fischer. I´d give one star for the ouverture alone.
Of the singers, Dorothea Röschmann was clearly the best in her second Pamina DVD and Desirée Rancatore was clearly the worst. The rest were fine, though unspectacular, though Matti Salminen does deserve special mention for his noble Sarastro.

Dorothea Röschmann: Ach, ich fühl´s :

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Dorothea Röschmann: 5
Piotr Beczala: 4
Matti Salminen: 4
Detlef Roth: 4
Desiree Rancatore: 2

Besson´s staging: 3

Ivan Fischer: 4-5

Overall impression: 3

natalie dessay - le miracle d´un voix

Natalie Dessay: Le miracle d´une voix - Greatest moments on stage. Further information here.

For Natalie Dessay, opera is as much theatre as music, clearly evident in the 13 video clips of virtually all her major roles 1993-2003.

There is something so very French about Natalie Dessay (who is from Lyon, which may explain the many clips from the Lyon Opera), who appears to be very straight-forward and honest as well as funny. The only problem with this DVD is that it appears rather disorganized - ideally I´d have preferred the clips to be chronologically organized, instead of mixed in no apparent pattern. Natalie Dessay gives a short (optional as well as excellent) introduction to each piece.

Some arias appear in several versions, such as two times Zerbinetta "Grossmächtige Prinzessin" and three different versions of Natalie Dessay´s early calling-card Olympia´s aria from Offenbach's "Contes d'Hoffman."

Even for those not particularly interested in Natalie Dessay, this DVD provides a very interesting documentation of her vocal development, with particular reference to her vocal troubles including surgery on the vocal chords, beginning 2002.

We hear the lush, unrestrained beauty of her voice in the early 90´s (1993 Frühlingsstimmenwalzer (Vienna), Olympia (Lyon), 1994 Les enfants des sortileges (Lyon) and Magic Flute (Aix)).
It is obvious that Natalie Dessay´s voice has lost much of it´s glow at the end-90´s with a drier sound. This development is already audible in the excerpts from the 1996 Olympia (Vienna State Opera) and continues with the 2000 Orange Olympia, 2001 Salzburg Zerbinetta, 2002 Lyon-Lucie, 2003 Barcelona Hamlet and Paris Zerbinetta 2004. In the middle of which she had surgery on her vocal chords.

Her highest post-2000 notes are often mimicking screams, and even the way she sang in 1995 appeared unhealthy. That said, she was in splendid voice for her 2003 Ophélie, complete with blood dripping down her dress. And dramatically, she seems to continue to grow. 100% committed acting she has always provided. You may like her or not, but she is certainly not boring.

Personally I prefer her in the "lighter" repertoire, such as Zerbinetta, though there is nothing light or comical about her 2001 Salzburg Zerbinetta (Wieler-Morabito´s production) in which Zerbinetta is a disillusioned prostitute working from Harlequin. Or about the 2003 Paris Zerbinetta, a deep-tanned tourist on a Greek island.

As evident from the video clip, Natalie Dessay was Queen of the Night in the Benno Besson Magic Flute production in Paris 2000, but unfortunately she did not perform the role on the recently released DVD of the production..

This DVD is highly recommended.

Below, a curiousity not from this Dessay DVD. Natalie Dessay´s debut as Olympia in Roman Polanski´s Hoffmann production, Paris Bastille 1991, which kick-started her career:

The bottom line:

Overall impression (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

5

DVD: Merry widow with Skovhus, Kenny and Kirchschlager

The merry widow. San Francisco Opera 2001. Production: Lotfi Mansouri. Cast: Yvonne Kenny (Anna Glawari), Bo Skovhus (Danilo), Angelika Kirchschlager (Valencienne), Gregory Turay (Rosillon). Conductor: Eric Kunsel. Further information here.

This is Lotfi Mansouris last production after 39 years with the San Francisco Opera, general director from 1988-2001. An entirely traditional production, applying grand opera to The merry widow and brought to life mainly by the superb acting skills of the involved singers. Individual taste will decide whether this is the way of the merry widow or not..

Both Bo Skovhus and Angelika Kirchschlager were in splendid voice as well as being superb comic actors. So was Yvonne Kenny, who has a very beautiful timbre to her voice, though perhaps not the plushness ideal for the Widow. Additionall, she looks more like Bo Skovhus´ mother than his future wife..

All of the supporting cast equally was up to the task. As was conductor Kunzel, providing a vivid accompaniement.

New and funny dialogue was provided by Wendy Wasserstein. Sung in English, it was apparently decided that providing English subtitles were not necessary to understand what was going on (they are...).

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Yvonne Kenny: 4
Bo Skovhus: 5
Angelika Kirchschlager: 5

Mansouri´s production: 2

Eric Kunzel: 4

Overall impression: 3

Ageless

Russian bass Mark Reizen (1895-1992) sings Gremin´s aria (Eugene Onegin) for his 90th birthday in 1985 at the Bolshoi:

The following anecdote is from OperaGems:

In 1930, Reizen (from Leningrad) visited the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow. Mark Reizen was Méphistophéles and during the the intermission he, dressed as the Devil, was introduced to Stalin.

The dialogue went something like this:

Stalin: You sing very well.
Reizen: Thank you.
S: Why don't you come here more often?
R: You see, I sing in Leningrad and only visit here.
S: Why not move here and visit there?
R: You see, I have a contract there, and an apartment too…
S: Perhaps we can do something and find you an apartment here.

The following day and in typical Soviet style, he was surprised by the unannounced visit of an official car with a soldier, who was under orders to take him hunting apartments. This is how Mark Reizen was engaged at the Bolshoi.

Video courtesy of Arclog66 on YouTube