Mariinsky Ballet, 30/08/2012

Prokofiev : Cinderella

Mariinsky Ballet
Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra
Valery Gergiev

Edinburgh International Festival, 30/08/2012

Liszt :
La Vallée d'Obermann
Petrarch Sonnet No. 104
Les jeux d'eaux à la Villa d'Este
Tarantella (from Venezia e Napoli)
Sonata in B minor

Llyr Williams, piano

Festival de Saint-Lizier, 24/08/2012

Tchaikovsky - Debussy - Delibes - Fauré - Ravel - Stravinsky

David Lively, piano

Festival de Saint-Lizier, 20/08/2012

Nights in the Gardens of Spain - traditional flamenco songs

Arcángel (singer)
Miguel Ángel Cortés (guitar)

Festival de Saint-Lizier, 17/08/2012

Paris by Night - French Songs from the Belle Epoque

Hélène Delavault (mezzo-soprano)
Cyrille Lehn (piano)

Festival de Saint-Lizier, 11/08/2012

Debussy - Mussorgsky - Wagner - Couperin - Berlioz

Ensemble Carpe Diem
Isabelle Irène (puppeteer)
Léa Sarfati (soprano)
Sibylle Cornaton (violin)
François Duchesne (viola)
Marianne Gaiffe (cello)
Isabelle Pierre (flute/piccolo)

Jean-Pierre Arnaud (oboe/director)

Festival de Saint-Lizier, 02/08/2012

Debussy - Grieg - Rameau - Chopin

Philippe Cassard, piano

A little more summer viewing...

I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but it is (just) possible to have too much Mozart.  Since the start of July, I have seen on TV Entführung, Clemenza, two Nozze, a rather quirky Don Giovanni live from Stuttgart, and a fearfully boring Zauberflöte live from Salzburg.  Enough, thank you.  However, grateful I am for the alternative to the bombardment of sport this summer, a little variety in the diet would be nice too.  The other broadcasts have all been from Orange; a Pagliacci and Tosca from past years, the previously mentioned Bohème and last night's Turandot, which Alagna battled through valiantly, with considerably better results than those reported on Saturday night, when apparently the top B-flat of "Nessun dorma" just didn't come out at all!

Several concerts/recitals now programmed for this month.  Although I will try to stick to my 24-hour posting rule, it may not always be possible, but there will be reports within a few days.

[Next: 2nd August]

A little summer viewing...

There's been more opera on TV here this last ten days than I've seen in the last twelve months.  Of course, most of it's being shown at an ungodly hour of the night, but that's what PVRs were invented for, after all.  Most of it's been recent, and two have been live, with a third promised at the end of the month, and the prospect of some more from Salzburg next month.  The lives this month have been the Bohème from Orange, and a Nozze from Aix-en-Provence.  The Puccini was pretty good, on the whole.  I quite liked the look of the production, though it has to be said that reading the newspaper reviews afterwards was interesting, showing just how much the view from the camera can change perspective.  Inva Mula was a little retiring as Mimì, but then everyone on the plateau would have seemed like that faced with the ebullience of Vittorio Grigolo.  Thank goodness the man can actually sing, he'd be fatiguing otherwise.  The Nozze was sort of humdrum, an orchestra far too much in retreat, a cast mostly good, but not outstanding, with one notable exception, Kate Lindsey's superb Cherubino.  Very definitely one to watch, there.

There's a Turandot due live from Orange on the 31st, in which much will no doubt depend on whether Alagna is on form or not.

[Next : Well, the 21st July is definitely off, and the next definite date is 19th September, but there should be something before then.]

BRB, 26/06/2012

Matthew Hindson: Faster
(chor. David Bintley)

Birmingham Royal Ballet
Royal Ballet Sinfonia
Paul Murphy