Showing posts with label Charles Castronovo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charles Castronovo. Show all posts

Friday, October 16, 2009

L'Elisir d'Amore, Opera Bastille, Paris 15. Oct 2009

After the stunning premiere on 10. October 2009, yesterday it was the second Anna Netrebko's performance of Donizetti's "l'Elisir d'Amore" at Opera Bastille, Paris, starring Anna Netrebko as Adina, Charles Castronovo, replacing Giuseppe Filianoti who was ill, as Nemorino, George Petean as Belcore, Paolo Gavanelli as Dulcamara and Jaël Azzaretti as Gianetta. Paolo Arrivabeni was conducting the Orchetra and Chorus of the Opera National de Paris. This is a coproduction with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, staged by Laurent Pelly.

Two more performances with Anna Netrebko are scheduled on 20. and 23. October 2009.

L'Elisir d'Amore
Melodramma Giocoso in 2 Acts (1832)
Music by Gaetano Donizetti
Libretto by Felice Romani after that of Eugène Scribe for Daniel Auber's Le Philtre

Opera Bastille, Paris 15. October 2009

Cast
Adina: Anna Netrebko
Nemorino: Charles Castronovo
Belcore: George Petean
Il Dottor Dulcamara: Paolo Gavanelli
Giannetta: Jaël Azzaretti

Production
Musical Director: Paolo Arrivabeni
Stage Director and Costumes: Laurent Pelly
Sets: Chantal Thomas
Lighting: Joël Adam
Dramaturgy and collaboration with the Stage Director: Agathe Mélinand
Chorus Master: Alessandro Di Stefano

Orchestre et Choeur de l’Opéra National de Paris
Coproduction of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London

About the Opera
L'Elisir d'Amore in Wikipedia [English]
L'Elisir d'Amore: Synopsis [English]
L'Elisir d'Amore: Libretto [Italian]

About the Production
As it was mentioned in the post devoted to the premiere, the programme booklet contains a very nice and well selected collection of wonderful photos from italian movies such as "Riso Amaro" (1949) by Giuseppe de Santis with Silvana Mangano and Vittorio Gassman, "Brutti sporchi e cattivi" (1976) by Ettore Scola, "La Strada" (1954) and "Amarcord" (1973) by Federico Fellini or "Pane, amore e..." (1955) by Dino Risi. The production by Laurent Pelly was pretty much inspired in those movies.

Here they are some photos and some excerpts of the magnificent "Riso Amaro" (1949) by Giuseppe de Santis with a stunning 19 year old Silvana Mangano and Vittorio Gassman.





Silvana Mangano in Riso Amaro (Giuseppe de Santis, 1949)

Excerpt of Riso Amaro (Giuseppe de Santis, 1949)


Excerpt of Riso Amaro (Giuseppe de Santis, 1949)


Excerpt of Riso Amaro (Giuseppe de Santis, 1949)


Excerpt of Riso Amaro (Giuseppe de Santis, 1949)


Reports
Anne-Laure has attended the performance of l'Elisir d'Amore at Opera Bastille on 15. Oct 2009 and she wrote the following short report:
Anna was again fantastic. Castronovo sang instead of Filianoti who was ill. It seems that Anna was also ill but I'm not sure. I think that I heard her tell a friend that she was sorry for not being at 100% because she had a cold, but no one could imagine that, as her singing was breathtaking and gorgeous. During her aria in the second act, she sustained a high note with a magnificent piano, that lasted and lasted... and I could not breath. It was absolutely incredible to hear such a magic sound.

Now she's flying to Russia to see her father who celebrates his 75th birthday.

Press Reports
Sur scène, un couple de rêve qui est accueilli triomphalement au salut final. Anna Netrebko chante le rôle avec une facilité déconcertante, un plaisir évident et la légère distance qu’on lui connaît sied très bien au personnage. La voix est belle, fruitée, égale sur toute la tessiture, et la technique, virtuose.
Marcel Quillévéré, Forum Opera 15. Oct 2009

On-line Press Reports
Un élixir bonifié - By Didier van Moere, ConcertoNet.com [French]****
Un Elisir à déguster sans façon! - By Marcel Quillévéré, Forum Opera 15. Oct 2009 [French]*****

Photos
Anna Netrebko backstage after the performance of l'Elisir d'Amore at Opera Bastille, Paris 15. Oct 2009. Photo: Alice

Related Posts
Anna Netrebko 2009-2010 Season
L'Elisir d'Amore, Opera Bastille, Paris 10. Oct 2009

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Saturday, June 13, 2009

La Traviata, San Francisco Opera, San Francisco 13. Jun 2009

La Traviata
Giuseppe Verdi
Francesco Maria Piave

War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco
Saturday 13. June 2009


Production
Conductor: Donald Runnicles
Director and Designer: Marta Domingo*
Choreographer: Kitty McNamee
Chorus Director: Ian Robertson
Lighting Designer: Mark McCullough

Cast
Violetta Valéry: Anna Netrebko
Alfredo Germont: Charles Castronovo
Giorgio Germont: Dwayne Croft
Flora: Leann Sandel-Pantaleo*
Gastone: Andrew Bidlack
Baron Douphol: Dale Travis
Marquis D’Obigny: Austin Kness
Grenvil: Kenneth Kellogg
Annina: Renée Tatum*
Giuseppe: Dale Tracy
Messenger: Bojan Knezevic
Flora’s Servant: William Pickersgill
Matador: Jekyns Pelaez*

Orchestra and Chorus of the San Francisco Opera

About the Opera
Overview
Synopsis
The Traviata Saga

Reviews

Press Reviews
When she sashays across the stage, it is a star's entrance. And at Saturday's opening performance in War Memorial Opera House, the Russian diva delivered a searching and often spectacular performance as Violetta Valéry, the Parisian demimondaine who is the heroine of Verdi's tragedy. There was the sheer beauty of her voice to consider: pouring like liquid amber, then bubbling up to all those high A-flats and Cs.
San Jose Mercury News, 14. Jun 2009
In superb voice, used impressively through the evening, and with a believable, moving portrayal of Violetta, Netrebko tonight earned respect and admiration. I don't recall a more convincing Act II performance in the heroine's psychologically and practically bizarre capitulation to the demand to leave Alfredo than in Netrebko's - and in Domingo's direction of plausible body language supporting the plot and the music.
San Francisco Examiner, 15. June 2009
Netrebko’s sculptural approach to the musical phrasing is informed by her natural understanding of the character she depicts, and buttressed by her assured vocal abilities. The voice is voluptuous and balanced in all registers, with a fascinatingly complex range of vocal colors. This is a soprano with grande abbandono in her forte notes, and a genuine pianissimo that’s natural to her voice — not a fake falsetto requiring a shift into another gear. Over the years the voice has grown richer and more powerful. The lower register has acquired a dark, Slavic hue. I hope the temptation to accent this sensual register will not lead to an unbalancing of her magnificent voice.
San Francisco Classical Voice, 16. June 2009

On-line Press Reviews
Splendid Netrebko-Castronovo "Traviata" by Janos Gereben, Opera-L Archives, 14. Jun 2009, San Francisco Examiner, 15. Jun 2009[English]
Review: Anna Netrebko brings glamour and star power to 'La Traviata' at S.F. Opera by Richard Seinin, San Jose Mercury News, 14. Jun 2009 [English]
Anna Netrebko returns to S.F. in 'La Traviata' by Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, 14. June 2009 [English]
Anna Netrebko's jazzy opening of Verdi's "La Traviata": Diamond tiara and sparkling performances by Cindy Warner, San Francisco Opera Examiner, 14. June 2009 [English]
Embracing Abandon at S.F. Opera by Olivia Stapp, San Francisco Classical Voice, 16. June 2009 [English]
Verdi: La Traviata by Harvey Steiman, Seen and Heard Opera International Review, 16. June 2009 [English]
Patricia Zohn: A Girl’s Guide to Love and Opera: La Traviata, 19. June 2009 [English]

Videoclips
Video excerpts from rehearsals by San Francisco Opera. Uploaded to Youtube by Sfoperamedia


Video excerpt from rehearsals. "Libiamo ne'lieti calici (Brindisi)" uploaded to Youtube by tactus72


Video excerpt from rehearsals. "Un di felice, eterea" uploaded to Youtube by tactus72


Anna Netrebko on the stage, behind the curtains, just after La Traviata's premiere at the San Francisco Opera. Video uploaded to Youtube by madonna4president


Radio Broadcasts
La Traviata will be broadcast on Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 10:30 AM on WFMT and Sunday, December 06, 2009 at 8:00 PM on KDFC.

Related posts
Anna Netrebko lights up stage in "La Traviata", San Francisco Examiner 8. Jun 2009
Sultry soprano Netrebko prepares for "Traviata" in S.F., Mercury News 8. Jun 2009
Anna Netrebko - an opera star but not diva, San Francisco Chronicle 12. Jun 2009

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Wednesday, January 16, 2008

La Traviata, San Francisco, Season 2008-2009

Anna Netrebko will make her debut as Violetta at the San Francisco Opera during the next season 2008-2009. Anna Netrebko is scheduled in seven performances of La Traviata, with Charles Castronovo as Alfredo and Dwayne Croft as Giorgio Germont. The conductor will be Donald Runnicles. The Director will be Marta Domingo, being her San Francisco Opera debut.

La Traviata, San Francisco 13. Jun 2009 – Anna Netrebko (Violetta), Charles Castronovo (Alfredo Germont), Dwayne Croft (Giorgio Germont); Chorus and Orchestra of the San Francisco Opera, Donald Runnicles

La Traviata, San Francisco 16. Jun 2009 – Anna Netrebko (Violetta), Charles Castronovo (Alfredo Germont), Dwayne Croft (Giorgio Germont); Chorus and Orchestra of the San Francisco Opera, Donald Runnicles

La Traviata, San Francisco 19. Jun 2009 – Anna Netrebko (Violetta), Charles Castronovo (Alfredo Germont), Dwayne Croft (Giorgio Germont); Chorus and Orchestra of the San Francisco Opera, Donald Runnicles

La Traviata, San Francisco 25. Jun 2009 – Anna Netrebko (Violetta), Charles Castronovo (Alfredo Germont), Dwayne Croft (Giorgio Germont); Chorus and Orchestra of the San Francisco Opera, Donald Runnicles

La Traviata, San Francisco 28. Jun 2009 – Anna Netrebko (Violetta), Charles Castronovo (Alfredo Germont), Dwayne Croft (Giorgio Germont); Chorus and Orchestra of the San Francisco Opera, Donald Runnicles

La Traviata, San Francisco 1. Jul 2009 – Anna Netrebko (Violetta), Charles Castronovo (Alfredo Germont), Dwayne Croft (Giorgio Germont); Chorus and Orchestra of the San Francisco Opera, Donald Runnicles

La Traviata, San Francisco 5. Jul 2009 – Anna Netrebko (Violetta), Charles Castronovo (Alfredo Germont), Dwayne Croft (Giorgio Germont); Chorus and Orchestra of the San Francisco Opera, Donald Runnicles

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