tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33683865293468266872024-03-13T03:52:27.121-07:00Trend FEMTheatre and Opera Reviews by @MaryGNguyennguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.comBlogger172125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-37347526499535174752017-01-15T02:09:00.000-08:002017-01-15T02:14:48.625-08:00TrendFem.Com<a href="http://trendfem.com/">Trendfem.com</a> - <a href="http://trendfem.com/">Click here</a><br />
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<br />nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-6298187553388219302016-11-12T05:55:00.000-08:002016-11-12T19:41:54.845-08:00ENO: Kentridge's Lulu ★★★★<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaeit2WWuPHY32CXXd29C7mK56b2FqfM9dx_XPZo5Xhl2mB9YV6B5tp8JLr0p1BgOxbcHKB_-oybUXMXouLwvNzpbDihQ1R93znJmtE7LH-RyKP-2HGr6ZIyYsed2ewFA7GKfJCPosLm4/s1600/113268021_Lulu_3-xlarge_trans%252B%252B1DujuffDnVkYWS3aXLVehVzxa68PhsWB-xgockBg5ns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="639" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaeit2WWuPHY32CXXd29C7mK56b2FqfM9dx_XPZo5Xhl2mB9YV6B5tp8JLr0p1BgOxbcHKB_-oybUXMXouLwvNzpbDihQ1R93znJmtE7LH-RyKP-2HGr6ZIyYsed2ewFA7GKfJCPosLm4/s640/113268021_Lulu_3-xlarge_trans%252B%252B1DujuffDnVkYWS3aXLVehVzxa68PhsWB-xgockBg5ns.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brenda Rae in ENO's 'Lulu'<span style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: "austin news text semibold" , "georgia" , "times" , serif; font-size: 10px;"> (C) Alastair Muir </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This week is another tasteful and satisfying evening out at the ENO. It is also the second time the ENO has presented a revival work, following The Pearl Fishers <a href="http://trendfem.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/eno-pearl-fishers-2016.html">(click here for my review),</a> that went down a treat in <a href="http://trendfem.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/live-in-hd-met-opera-bergs-lulu.html">New York's Met opera house last year</a> (<a href="http://trendfem.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/live-in-hd-met-opera-bergs-lulu.html">click here for my review)</a>, also shown in Amsterdam as a co-production with Dutch National Opera. The formidable artistic director William Kentridge has brought his magnetically animated production of Berg's Lulu to the ENO stage, and for an English conversion it seemed to work so, so well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Alban Berg didn't live long enough to finish his three-act opera, and it was in the hands of Friedrich Cerha to complete the final and most ghastly act where our lead character is murdered by London's mysterious killer - Jack the Ripper. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The narrative of Lulu isn't, at all, complicated, yet the musical mastery of Berg's score shows the depth of his innovation, out of the Second Viennese School, with expressionist composers Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern. Berg wrote his second opera, after a successful Wozzeck, during a time in Germany where women were repressed, and writing Lulu was his escapism. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEyNTCohfzqxX5SzrnLtxuy0zx36QQVwfZYhpXFqHNyiL_xa4fTNU5lt-chJjQomA3GfUoSJmGkjQrIqTdjYzUvZJX2r8uufm8ys9kBHEWn8soTGpeDgOsKUqKgD2gwqPYIqya997WHw/s1600/113268022_Lulu_1-large_trans%252B%252BAV_cn36SxFUBspGHt4Ut6Te1LxJ96MF2XM5q9WNUeW0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEyNTCohfzqxX5SzrnLtxuy0zx36QQVwfZYhpXFqHNyiL_xa4fTNU5lt-chJjQomA3GfUoSJmGkjQrIqTdjYzUvZJX2r8uufm8ys9kBHEWn8soTGpeDgOsKUqKgD2gwqPYIqya997WHw/s640/113268022_Lulu_1-large_trans%252B%252BAV_cn36SxFUBspGHt4Ut6Te1LxJ96MF2XM5q9WNUeW0.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James Morris as Dr. Schöen and Brenda Rae in ENO's 'Lulu'<span style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: "austin news text semibold" , "georgia" , "times" , serif; font-size: 10px;"> . (C) Alastair Muir </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This modern opera (1937) is atonal and remarkable for a narrative filled with diverse voices; brimming with scandal, mistresses, clandestine relationships, sex, blood, and suicide. That said, everything is left to the audience's imagination in Kentridge's stylish production; you may see underwear and legs, but hardly a sight of nudity - the projections do the work. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Lulu, an alluring, yet brazenly sexual woman is loved and lusted over by many. It is her sensuality and seductive powers that bring her admirers down, yet as the opera progresses audiences see that it is the essence of her ultimate demise as well. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The production has various dynamic parts and components happening at the same time. The stage is a party of all sorts: mime, moving imagery, strong visuals, projections of expressionist artwork, thick paint marks, and a rainbow set that perfectly sits within the 1920-30s vintage style and couture. Audiences applauded Kentridge, Sabine Theunissen, Greta Goiris, Catherine Meyburgh and Urs Schöenbaum for their creative achievements at ENO's opening night. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mark Wigglesworth drains out the best he can of the ENO Orchestra as it is his last performance as ENO's music director. The orchestra sets in motion a buttery, rich and unbroken interpretation under the baton of an exceptional conductor. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brenda Rae and Sarah Connolly as Countess Geschwitz in ENO's 'Lulu'. (C) Alastair Muir<span style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: "austin news text semibold" , "georgia" , "times" , serif; font-size: 10px;"> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />Having seen <a href="http://trendfem.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/live-in-hd-met-opera-bergs-lulu.html">Marlis Petersen, who had mastered the role of Lulu for 20 years, at the Met Live production last year,</a> it is hard to compare American soprano Brenda Rae for her own vigourous interpretation of the title-role. Lulu is a challenging and tough role, but Rae is consistent. Ready for each scene, she has vocal charm, yet it would have been nice to see something that stood out in her performance - something she could call her own. All of Lulu's admirers - Countess Geschwitz, a schoolboy, painter, athlete, animal tamer, Dr. Schön and Schigold - are performed by sublime soloists, Sarah Connolly, Clare Presland, Michael Colvin, David Soar, Nicky Spence, James Morris and Willard White. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Joanna Dudley gives a fine performance as the symbolic mime figure of Lulu's alter ego. While Lulu arouses Dr. Schön's son's Alwa, Dudley distorts her body, opening her legs but holds them in the air for minutes, suggesting she is ready to commit adultery on the same sofa her second husband bled to death. Andrea Fabi is also a bold mute figure from a black and white film that acts like a butler to the stage, helping the characters along with the narrative. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This is a unique and tenacious production, worth seeing, but it is three hours and 40 minutes long. The ending may receive some mixed opinions and the opera won't be to everyone's taste, yet why stick to what you like and know? Try something new and get a ticket to a unique opera which will give your brain an opera orgasm. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;">Lulu is showing at the ENO until November 19th 2016. <a href="https://www.eno.org/whats-on/lulu/">Get your tickets now here!</a></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Intervalphoto?src=hash">#Intervalphoto</a><br />
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Capturing another shot of William Kentridge's spectacular set design of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENOLulu?src=hash">#ENOLulu</a>. <a href="https://t.co/ZoB8WiZ6Yt">pic.twitter.com/ZoB8WiZ6Yt</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/796495282670333952">November 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
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English Opera worked for me in this colourful, exquisite, yet dark production.An absorbing and thrilling Wednesday night at <a href="https://twitter.com/E_N_O">@E_N_O</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/enolulu?src=hash">#enolulu</a> <a href="https://t.co/IzSTcv23WP">pic.twitter.com/IzSTcv23WP</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/796487575888416768">November 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Current view and I'm not complaining. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/enolulu?src=hash">#enolulu</a> <a href="https://t.co/EDgrmSNwmy">pic.twitter.com/EDgrmSNwmy</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/796446186534268928">November 9, 2016</a></blockquote>
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nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-47063062538829958502016-11-06T07:31:00.001-08:002016-11-06T08:00:07.410-08:00ENO: The Pearl Fishers, 2016 ★★★<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlRMJO5ssd9Oc530rvDbvs660r3LNmXOIZOnkhpeosEN2d_axgP2_a9cYWDY4XfTNJc68JYZ0U0QAJrIiwxzWswCokdZIlHOlHGegx3m11qG1zJSjJq92D74RqAYcJa58lc3XaMNnPEnU/s1600/111517192_The_Pearlfishers__3_Claudia_Boyle_as_Leil-xlarge_trans%252B%252BjbKN8q7TveG9ePBu0kIyPebpo7G1VwoXegPxtec0UW0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlRMJO5ssd9Oc530rvDbvs660r3LNmXOIZOnkhpeosEN2d_axgP2_a9cYWDY4XfTNJc68JYZ0U0QAJrIiwxzWswCokdZIlHOlHGegx3m11qG1zJSjJq92D74RqAYcJa58lc3XaMNnPEnU/s640/111517192_The_Pearlfishers__3_Claudia_Boyle_as_Leil-xlarge_trans%252B%252BjbKN8q7TveG9ePBu0kIyPebpo7G1VwoXegPxtec0UW0.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Claudia Boyle as Leïla <span class="lead-asset-copyright-label" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #888888; font-size: 9px; text-transform: uppercase;">CREDIT:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-size: 9px; text-transform: uppercase;"> ALASTAIR MUIR</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This is the third time I've seen Penny Woolcock's visually stunning production of The Pearl Fishers and I still haven't got tired of it. English National Opera has brought its original showing of Bizet's less successful opera (first premiered in Théâtre Lyrique, 1863), compared to his passion-raged opera, Carmen, back for the London audience, which has some small amends that make for a less messier outing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">I first saw the ENO production in 2014, with singers George von Berger, John Tessier and Sophie Bevan who sung with heartfelt tendency and poignancy, yet I was concerned about the loud, distracting noises which took place behind the main stage. Then it was at the beginning of the year that I caught up with Metropolitan Opera's HD Live screening with superb singers; Diana Damrau, Matthew Polenzani and Mariusz Kwiecien: obviously an incomparable experience. For one, the Met have a larger budget; commissioning 59 Productions to coordinate visual projections, and implementing airplane machinery for acrobats to emulate diving pearl fishers, searching for pearls in the ocean. Secondly, there's the camera direction that brought audiences closer to the lead singers' facial expressions, making the viewing experience far more sophisticated and intimate.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">ENO Chorus and Jacques Imbrailo as Zurga <span class="lead-asset-copyright-label" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 9px; text-transform: uppercase;">CREDIT:</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 9px; text-transform: uppercase;"> ALASTAIR MUIR</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Nonetheless, Woolcock's production is unique, and for any opera newbie, it is guaranteed to impress . Yet there are some elements of the opera that may stray some audiences away, including its storyline of two best friends fighting over the same 'pure' priestess who vows to protect a village but falls in love with a man, when she isn't supposed to, anyway.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Maestro Roland Böer gives an enticing performance of the sensitive overture with the consistently brilliant ENO Orchestra, which sets the mood of a tranquil Ceylon (modern day Sri Lanka) that soon diminishes through betrayal and mistrust. The famous aria Au fond du temple saint, sung by Jacques Imbrailo and Robert McPherson, as Zurga and Nadir, is enjoyable to listen to. They both appear to be in their element, both understanding the music, and there's that sense of hope that nothing can come between their friendship.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Dickie Bird's gorgeous shimmer of the Indian Ocean still stands as one of the best stage settings I've, ever, seen at the London Coliseum. This time round, the 2016 production brought together a collage of footage from recent tsunamis that had destroyed villages and homes. Focusing on countries that suffer from droughts, flooding and tsunami (Bangladesh being a major example as supplied in the programme notes), Woolcock aims to remind her audience that although nature causes these disasters the people who endure them are still human; they still fall in love, they still undergo heartbreak, and still have friendships that collapse.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5RNuwBMv76wX_xM1goCl6unXbS5nauhxmFLvXZv89slGP4vdmjPxR-CVlwYYRiVcsdJdwZbkzKR21hXvk3Iky66aMKP3nTGG81fgWrP5DqnU8AmUHCGWcxy79eZu_cu2P3tFczW76YE/s1600/111517180_Pear_1_Claudia_Boyle_as_Leila-large_trans%252B%252BKabHkIuyFBohMJSHQuI6WiKO9EHQxNUpthDxDy0Trpo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5RNuwBMv76wX_xM1goCl6unXbS5nauhxmFLvXZv89slGP4vdmjPxR-CVlwYYRiVcsdJdwZbkzKR21hXvk3Iky66aMKP3nTGG81fgWrP5DqnU8AmUHCGWcxy79eZu_cu2P3tFczW76YE/s640/111517180_Pear_1_Claudia_Boyle_as_Leila-large_trans%252B%252BKabHkIuyFBohMJSHQuI6WiKO9EHQxNUpthDxDy0Trpo.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Claudio Boyle as Leïla (Copyright: <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Alastair Muir.)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Bizet's music cannot be questioned here. The ENO Orchestra are, hands-down, successful in drawing on the finer details of Bizet's account. This includes the courageous ENO Chorus who were vocally heroic at the end of act 1; their climactic singing sent shivers down my spine and teleported me into the powerful waters which destroy the village after Leïla, the priestess, and Nadir are caught intimately together: a violation of Zurga's laws.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Claudia Boyle gave a strong appearance as the easily swayed priestess, yet vocally she could have been more passionate and stronger, I felt. Her efforts are noted nevertheless. James Creswell, a resident singer at the London Coliseum for the past couple of years, warrants credit for his solid and stoic performance as the high priest, even if it is a small part.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Jacques Imbrailo is a confident Zurga and matched the title role as village leader. His singing was neat, and his character's transgressions, which he shows in act 2, is equally convincing. There is particularly something likable about Robert Mcpherson's singing as lovestruck Nadir. Although his colouring was slightly higher than I am used to, compared to other recordings and performances I've heard, I thought that it worked for Nadir's naivety and besotted manner, in loving Leila and the desire to be privately alone with her.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">There is a 'but' however. As much as I enjoyed this production, there was no fire burning for me in this production. Yes, at the end, Zurga burns the village and there is literal fire on stage, but there was absence of an emotional spark that pulled me to love this opera. The friendship duet seemed rather loose, and there also appeared to be no visible chemistry between Boyle</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and McPherson's characters. I just needed that extra nudge. Simply enjoying something is, clearly, not enough.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The Pearl Fishers is showing at the ENO until December 2nd. <a href="https://www.eno.org/whats-on/the-pearl-fishers/">Click here to purchase tickets and more information. </a></b></span></span>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">An "enjoyable" treat ⭐⭐⭐ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Review?src=hash">#Review</a> My thoughts on seeing Penny Woolcocks's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENOPearlFishers?src=hash">#ENOPearlFishers</a> for the third time <a href="https://twitter.com/E_N_O">@E_N_O</a> <a href="https://t.co/JB4zvY1okk">https://t.co/JB4zvY1okk</a> <a href="https://t.co/Y4voVv4Zf7">pic.twitter.com/Y4voVv4Zf7</a></p>— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/795292987089702912">November 6, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-37860649057510171842016-10-23T07:57:00.000-07:002016-11-06T09:07:48.659-08:00Met HD: Don Giovanni with the return of Simon Keenlyside ★★★★★<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Simon Keenlyside as Don Giovanni </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">© Marty Sohl/ Met Opera photography.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It was Simon Keenlyside himself who told Michael Cooper of the New York Times, “I felt a tick, and I knew it had gone” when recounting the night in Vienna, where he had to leave mid-opera. (I reported the event <u><a href="http://trendfem.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/simon-keenlyside-if-opera-singers-are.html">here</a></u>.) It was thereafter that the British baritone underwent intense thyroid surgery, which the singer recalled as ‘a bad job.’ Just under two years later, he is - now - back on New York’s Metropolitan stage to perform one of his favourite opera roles, Don Giovanni. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">His much-anticipated performance for many of his fans, including myself, was a simulcast, broadcasted to all around the globe. It is not the first time Keenlyside has had to sing as the Don in Michael Grandage’s dark and, often considered, lifeless staging. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Set in Spain in the early 18th century, a first-class cast including Hibla Gerzmava, Malin Byström, Serena Malfi, Adam Plachetka, Paul Appleby and Matthew Rose, gave way to a musically hypnotising and exciting work of scandalous drama - betrayal, deceit, and revenge. And let’s not forget – there’s plenty of womanizing from Giovanni. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Met HD event was hosted by esteemed soprano Joyce Didonato who managed to catch up with some of the soloists during the interval. This included Keenlyside himself. Within seconds of the curtain going down at the end of the first act, Didonato was spoken to about revolution, liberty and the history of humanity by Simon, enthusiastically thanking the Zoology department of Cambridge University, a subject which he studied there. Seeming like much more than one had bargained for a Saturday night viewing, I couldn’t see the relevance these academic references had to the opera or Mozart, yet given the limited time, it was a testament to Keenlyside’s in-depth understanding, passion, and respect for Mozart’s work. Didonato hardly got the chance to ask him a second question.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Last night Keenlyside proved that he had mastered the role of Giovanni. He has the ability to display both a vulgar and licentious Giovanni to his servant Leporello whilst presenting a more polished Spanish gentlemen to others, including the noblemen and ladies he intends on wooing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Many love the opera, Don Giovanni, for various reasons. Some believe that Mozart wrote it grieving the death of his father, which happened a year before the premiere of the opera. According to them, this generated his creative urge, making it a touch more personal to him. Other sources say he completed the overture the night before it premiered. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Despite the grey and unimaginative background, there’s much to enjoy in this Met production including the harmonious key structure and the musical symmetries which are tightly executed by the Met Orchestra under the baton of versatile conductor Fabio Luisi (well, at least from what I heard from the screens of Wimbledon’s Curzon cinema.) Luisi commanded a lyrical and yet powerful introduction to this performance, and the Met Orchestra performed with precision, paying particular attention to tempi and retaining full force for pivotal moments. The D minor chords from the overture and the supper scene, distinctively highlighting the Commendatore and the authority of moral justice, is just an example of one of these crucial moments. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">Paul Appleby and Hibla Gerzmava as Don Ottavio and Donna Anna </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">© Marty Sohl/ Met Opera photography.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Alongside the music, there’s the introspective viewpoint from all of the main characters. Mozart and his librettist, Lorenzo Da Ponte deliberately imposed this as it gave the audience the opportunity to see these characters voice their deeper thoughts, concerns, and worries, serving to make the story more relatable to the audience. With Met HD, cinema audiences got an enhanced experience with cameras focusing on the character’s facial expressions when they were singing solo, or in a duet. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Plachetka did a tremendous job as Giovanni’s desperate servant. He seemed particularly at home singing the catalogue aria where he tells Don Elvira of the 1,003 Spanish, 640 Italians, 231 Germans, 100 French and 91 Turkish women he had seduced. Plachetka’s characterisation is inward thinking, constantly questioning the lack of morality of his employer, and at one point seeks to quit and leave, yet he’s won over by the four coins of gold which Keenlyside drops on the floor like crumbs of bread. A rotten scoundrel and deceiver Giovanni is, he points the finger at Leporello when he doesn’t succeed in getting his way with country, newbie bride Zerlina. Keenlyside’s Giovanni is cold, he has no merci for those that try to get in the way of what he desires. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Malin Byström deserves a salute for her challenging role as Giovanni’s former conquest Don Elvira. Her singing reflected the heartbreak and disappointment of Giovanni, so there was sheer gusto to her performance with vocal fluidity, which shined throughout the night. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adam Plachetka and Malin Byström as Leporello and Donna Elvira. <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">© Marty Sohl/ Met Opera photography.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Serena Malfi’s Zerlina was completely likable, enough to calm down Matthew Rose’s Masetto when he had been physically crushed by the Don. Little effort was required from Malfi to sing Batti, batti bel Masetto, and both her and Rose worked comfortably together, even though the woman considered leaving him on their wedding day. Rose also stood out as a fantastic singer as vengeful Masetto, playing the role of a duped lover, angry and frustrated to be sidelined by his love.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Donna Anna was gorgeously sung by Hibla Germzmava. She was absolutely astonishing. It was the first time I had seen her perform, and I’d love to her again in another coloratura role - she’d definitely hit the mark. You could sympathize with her Donna Anna who had not only been subjected to a horrifying rape attempt but saw her father’s blood drip to the ground. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Her fiancé Don Ottavio was performed by Paul Appleby, and he gave an entirely unique act. Don Ottavio’s character is usually written to be wet and weedy as he swears revenge to Donna Anna. Don Ottavio sings 'if she sighs, I too must sigh', and is usually conceived as a bore, yet Appleby revolutionizes Ottavio and makes him stronger and almost alpha-like. Mozart gave him beautiful music, which is the direct opposite to the lustful music of Giovanni, and Appleby more than complements this. When he sang Il mio Tesoro, he was a joy to listen to – I felt musically seduced.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Singing was pretty seamless last night, yet the camera work was poor, I’m afraid. There were several tweets from cinema viewers complaining there was a lack of surtitles and sound. For me, the serenading song to Don Elvira's maid can easily capture the heart of anyone, however, for those sat in front of a cinema screen, the camera director decided to focus the singing on Keenlyside as oppose to the discreet and curious maid behind the curtain, which would have produced a much more lustrous and sensitive touch to the scene. Shame on them! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Other favourite scenes include the astonishing scene where there were two different dances happening at the end of the first act. The music is distinctive, and you can tell the difference between the peasants' dance versus the noble. All characters are on stage, from country dancing to a waltz and a minuet. There's also the sextet in act II which reaches a climax and everyone admits to being confused as to who the man is in front of them is. We know it is Leporello, but he is dressed as the Don. Disguised or not, in the face of god, we are all judged for our moral and immoral behaviour. Viva la liberty!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>More information about the HD Cinema showing is <a href="http://www.curzoncinemas.com/ripon/film-info/met-opera-mozarts-don-giovanni">here</a>. In New York it is still available at the Metropolitan until May 11th 2017. The next showing is on November 4th. <a href="https://www.metopera.org/Season/2016-17-Season/giovanni-mozart-tickets/">Click here to purchase tickets. </a>Next viewing of Met HD is L'Amour de Loin on December 10th. <a href="http://www.metopera.org/Season/In-Cinemas/SynopsisCast/Amour-de-Loin/">More information here.</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>This blog post continues from a <a href="http://trendfem.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/simon-keenlyside-if-opera-singers-are.html">post I wrote</a> about Keenlyside in December 2014. <a href="http://trendfem.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/simon-keenlyside-if-opera-singers-are.html">Click here to acces it.</a> </i></span></div>
nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-88483083768312206822016-10-14T23:00:00.000-07:002016-10-20T01:19:30.912-07:00Amadeus LIVE : The Royal Albert Hall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Friday was a special occasion for many who had waited for the live orchestra event to the Oscar-winning film, Amadeus (1984). The Royal Albert Hall was full to the brim of spectators seeking a Friday night thrill with Mozart's grand music, taking them back to 17th century Vienna through the ears and eyes of maestro Ludwig Wicki, pianist extraordinaire Patricia Ulrich and the fascinating orchestra who recorded the soundtrack of the film, the Academy of St. Martin in the Field.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The screenplay, originally written for the stage, by Peter Shaffer, saw success on London's West End and New York's Broadway during the height of the 80s. It was here that the production caught the attention of producers Saul Zaentz and director Milos Forman as casual audience members who decided to reinvent the show into a film.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fleshing out the complicated and often curiously-studied relationship between the two composers, Salieri and Mozart, Amadeus shows a wittier and child-like side to Mozart, which moves off from the original play. Moreover, it was a phenomenal opportunity to piece together the music of Mozart which made him the legendary composer and devoted music-maker as we know him today. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">History provides proof suggesting that a 35-year-old Mozart died of Miliary Fever and that both composers had a healthy rivalry. Yet there are myths surrounding a supposed jealousy and disdain for Mozart by Salieri, who poisoned him to death.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In the film, Shaffer takes an interesting turn with this myth and takes the murdering of Mozart to an abstract level, through a third character, arguably the most important character in this feature film - his music. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In 1984, Amadeus became a box office success and won eight Oscars, and a Golden Globe, after its premiere in Los Angeles including 'Best Picture', 'Best Director', and Best Actor in a Leading Role' (F. Murray Abraham). The stunning pictures and scenery goes back to Prague, and given the then communist rule at the time of shooting, the center of the old Czechoslovakia seemed an ideal location to depict old Vienna; there wasn't the slightest sight of modernity, the only things needed included gas lights and snow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Back at The Royal Albert Hall, this evening's event was dedicated to the orchestra's founder Sir Neville Marriner who sadly passed away this year. He conducted and performed the original soundtrack of Amadeus back in the 1980s, and Wicki did an exceptional job, tonight, keeping the music fresh and alive for an excited audience. Wicki has conducted many live performances of various blockbusters, such as Fantasia, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Fellowship of the Ring, internationally, including the Royal Albert Hall and Radio city Hall in NYC. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Sir Neville Marriner once described Tom Hulce (Mozart) as being note perfect in every scene as both he and Abraham's (Salieri) had to learn how to play the piano whilst filming. The soundtrack altogether plays an emotional and impactful part in the film, adding to the drama between the composers, the festering anger within Salieri and the conflicts developing in Mozart's personal life, with his father (Roy Dotrice) and his wife, Constanze (Elizabeth Kerridge).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The recurring motifs performed throughout the movie derive from the ominous chords from the Overture and finale Commendatory scene from Mozart's opera, Don Giovanni, which is commonly associated with Mozart's father and the masked messenger who requested he write a Mass Requiem. There's also a grand scene to his magical and mythical opera, The Magic Flute, which saw a younger Simon Callow singing as Papageno, in English, in a Vaudeville theatre. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Throughout the evening, the hall's audience laughed and giggled to the charming dialogue between the Emperor Joseph II and Mozart, and the rest of his court composers and music directors by his side, also misjudging the Salzburg-born maestro. The winning words, however, go to Abraham for depicting a disgruntled and unsatisfied Salieri, gone mad. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The audience were completely blown away by the careful instrumental and passages shown through the Academy of St. Martin in the Field and the Philharmonia Chorus who steadily presented Mozart and Salieri composing roles in the mighty Requiem Mass. Watching the tenors, altos, basses, clarinet, oboe, strings, and timpani work singularly to then progress into a masterful harmonious collaboration was a true reminder of what they had been waiting for. It was a heroic moment for those performing at the pit to show what Shaffer wanted the audience to understand about Mozart's love for music, and if not necessarily the truest way he composed his Requiem Mass, it proved the intricacies of Mozart's musical mind and how he had developed a beautiful relationship with musical notes, ever since he had learnt them as a three-year-old boy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>This event has ended, more information <a href="http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2016/amadeus-live/">can be found here.</a> The Royal Albert Hall will be presenting <a href="http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2016/war-horse/">Michael Morpurgo's War Horse on October 27th</a> and <a href="http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2016/et-live-in-concert/">E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial with live Orchestra on December 28th.</a> Hover for more information and to purchase tickets.</b></span></div>
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Ecstatic! Been waiting almost a year for this, and finally it's happening. Toi x3 <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMForchestra">@ASMForchestra</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Philchorus">@Philchorus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmadausLive?src=hash">#AmadausLive</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalAlbertHall">@RoyalAlbertHall</a> <a href="https://t.co/hIrPUnPpiz">pic.twitter.com/hIrPUnPpiz</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/786968383027896320">October 14, 2016</a></blockquote>
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I am screaming inside! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmadeusLive?src=hash">#AmadeusLive</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalAlbertHall">@RoyalAlbertHall</a> <a href="https://t.co/IXOxKxiDuf">pic.twitter.com/IXOxKxiDuf</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/786988376696184832">October 14, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Don Giovanni finale - just before the interval - blew us away. Fantastic <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMForchestra">@ASMForchestra</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Philchorus">@Philchorus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmadausLive?src=hash">#AmadausLive</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalAlbertHall">@RoyalAlbertHall</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/787018459687358464">October 14, 2016</a></blockquote>
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That scene w/ Mozart dying while explaining the harmonies to Salieri was impressive <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmadeusLive?src=hash">#AmadeusLive</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMForchestra">@ASMForchestra</a> + <a href="https://twitter.com/Philchorus">@Philchorus</a> IN FULL FORCE!</div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/787041215766200320">October 14, 2016</a></blockquote>
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nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-70306719427466614842016-10-04T17:21:00.003-07:002016-10-04T17:30:55.765-07:00ROH: Norma with Sonya Yoncheva ★★★<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIYpbEmVtiqypTJC6Zrm06_0vBTctz_kyGEIROtSPf3ww91sAvfjzGqLS7q-fo5qJjU5dKTHGj9XbgxVxm8CjtFwyNBgNQtqNHh32Tcc5cGdxzvLZSQZ6fzlIjcnFQnxl3WiQQZGqS04/s1600/Norma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIYpbEmVtiqypTJC6Zrm06_0vBTctz_kyGEIROtSPf3ww91sAvfjzGqLS7q-fo5qJjU5dKTHGj9XbgxVxm8CjtFwyNBgNQtqNHh32Tcc5cGdxzvLZSQZ6fzlIjcnFQnxl3WiQQZGqS04/s640/Norma.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: url("../images/rohproscenium/flickr-media.png") 0px -2px / auto no-repeat scroll padding-box border-box rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block !important; line-height: 1.3rem; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Sonya Yoncheva in Àlex Ollé's Norma, The Royal Opera © 2016 ROH. Photograph by Bill Cooper</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It's been a while since I was at the Royal Opera House (that's two months actually,) and this time round I was coming back to see Bellini's bel canto fantasy world where religion, chastity, and loyalty just isn't enough. After Alex Ollé's (of La Fura dels Baus) production was first announced to the public, its signed-off soprano, Anna Netrebko bailed out where Sonya Yoncheva came in. And may I add, this isn't the first time this has happened. It was this Spring at the Covent Garden that she was her replacement in La bohème, where she provided a worthy Mimì- encouraging tears and tissue hugging from most members of the audience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sonya Yoncheva is gaining a strong fan base, and her presence on the stage is enough to warrant grabbing a ticket to any of her performances. For a soprano role as tough as Norma, let alone La bohème, or La Traviata, she has truly proven her mettle. The strongest highlight of the show and one that shall stick in my memory is her interpretation of Casta Diva. Yes, once used in a Jean Paul Gautier TV commercial, this aria was popularly known in the 19th century as well. It is a spectacular one that relies on a simple melody with the symbolism of purity and holiness engraved into the character of Norma. Yoncheva achieves lightness and softness of tone, compared to other voices such as Maria Callas and this year's lead, Marjorie Owens at the English National Opera, who sang with more fire and gusto, equally enjoyable nonetheless.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Norma is a Druid priestess who finds herself in a struggle; amongst her people who seek a rebellion and the clandestine relationship she has with an officer in the forces occupying her land, Pollione. The drama lies in a secret. Although she is meant to be chaste as priestess she bears two children with Pollione, which no one knows about until Adalgisa, the priestess at the temple of Irminsul, informs her of her own infidelity. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Sl3ve7h4BAL0OZMKXo7c2tSbYeC3ivz6AUmcxdbAfBOi3r66jsj1cg6r3w1_Y3u0trr6o-DPVpk2ld04qadYVymnPxtv4o5ALICwNJOVETGDRFPW4KZCzC-u0gaIzjrZaT67fYT5jro/s1600/20161004_222648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Sl3ve7h4BAL0OZMKXo7c2tSbYeC3ivz6AUmcxdbAfBOi3r66jsj1cg6r3w1_Y3u0trr6o-DPVpk2ld04qadYVymnPxtv4o5ALICwNJOVETGDRFPW4KZCzC-u0gaIzjrZaT67fYT5jro/s640/20161004_222648.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Cast of Norma, Royal Opera House Chorus and Orchestra with maestro Pappano.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There is even reference to infanticide in Bellini's last bel canto opera, which was inspired by French poet Alexandre Somet. Ollé places Norma's world into a contemporary setting where religion is solid as governing a country. Spanish priests, with traditional robes often confused with the ku klux klan, mill around the stage, which is a rare sight - hundreds of religious crosses stacked together emphasizing the religious influence and its omnipresence. However, this seemed overbearing at times when audiences could have comfortably understood where they were in the storyline had the scene been less crowded. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The first hour and a half is the long haul with no interval, which was slow on direction and staging. Yet superior voices from Joseph Calleja, Yoncheva, Brindley Sherratt and Sonia Ganassi, alongside superb music performed by the ROH orchestra under the ruthless baton of Antonio Pappano had me nicely nestled in my seat. Yoncheva's duets with Ganassi and Calleja are a pleasure to listen to as they sweetly complemented Bellini's lush score. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The second half is a complete game changer, however. It was as if I was watching an entirely different opera, visually. The stacks of crosses were gone and a modern-day living room with children's cartoon playing on a flat screen TV, a toy train crashing and a space-hopping child energetically bouncing to the beat of Bellini's score came together to a climactic duet between the two priestesses. The pace also quickened with both Pollione and Norma sentenced to death. There's also an unexpected bang at the end that certainly converted some parts of my view of this production. Sadly not all. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuehtkwC9xC12HcivBfb8WnFai_JPPum45NuUqpfEt0j_p4lqOLK6iUmaXZYGqzoCMjpAWOpsKWDC-cDAQNOAkH9etFJE_uHNUBnAVnK8Pg50iLUFAPH0DNZS1YnrJyRm0HhFEfVESRCo/s1600/norma+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuehtkwC9xC12HcivBfb8WnFai_JPPum45NuUqpfEt0j_p4lqOLK6iUmaXZYGqzoCMjpAWOpsKWDC-cDAQNOAkH9etFJE_uHNUBnAVnK8Pg50iLUFAPH0DNZS1YnrJyRm0HhFEfVESRCo/s640/norma+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f3f5f6; color: #212124;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Brindley Sherratt as Oroveso, Sonya Yoncheva as Norma and Joseph Calleja as Pollione in Norma, The Royal Opera © 2016 ROH. Photograph by Bill Cooper.</span></span></td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">This production of Norma ends this Saturday 8th October. <a href="http://www.roh.org.uk/productions/norma-by-alex-olle">Click here for more information</a> or call up the box office for returns. The Covent Garden (ROH) are also showing Cosi fan tutte and The Barber of Seville, and many other operas and ballets. <a href="http://www.roh.org.uk/productions">Click here to find out more. </a></span></b></div>
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Worthwhile waiting until the second half. Congratulations <a href="https://twitter.com/ROHchorus">@ROHchorus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MalteseTenor">@MalteseTenor</a>, and most of all <a href="https://twitter.com/sonyayoncheva">@sonyayoncheva</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROHNorma?src=hash">#ROHNorma</a> .😀 <a href="https://t.co/iDPpzTZt7X">pic.twitter.com/iDPpzTZt7X</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/783419951319228418">October 4, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-79542984516389924872016-09-03T10:46:00.003-07:002016-09-03T10:54:28.247-07:00#edfringe2016: Ghost Quartet: Summer Hall ★★★★★<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebx63ozjgAKIgUTWX2fkRlaGini5W3a11yZfTJOgnrho0AJ7bCmpkfSSY7jbH3juWl1IxyPgBaXAGGaiwkoBXRfHOPjB5De_wRtaySXOkxesVc7UTWMlAE8BDnIkXGfcYNpBItHVmFH4/s1600/GhostQuartet10%2528Ryan+Jensen%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebx63ozjgAKIgUTWX2fkRlaGini5W3a11yZfTJOgnrho0AJ7bCmpkfSSY7jbH3juWl1IxyPgBaXAGGaiwkoBXRfHOPjB5De_wRtaySXOkxesVc7UTWMlAE8BDnIkXGfcYNpBItHVmFH4/s640/GhostQuartet10%2528Ryan+Jensen%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Dave Malloy - Photography by Ryan Jansen</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A 9pm showing of Ghost Quartet, by Ghost Quartet, was how I spent my last night at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Set at the Roundabout, a large tent at the back of Summer Hall, encased musical curiosities and explorations of ghost stories read to fringe audiences in a spectacular blend of music styles. Jazz, slow rock, gospel, ballad or emo, call it what you want, but one thing's for sure and that's that the music is a collection of crafty creativity you've never heard of before. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The music and lyrics were composed and written by New York-based Dave Malloy, and he has accolades to boast. Success from his off-Broadway hit Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 grabbed punters attention, and Ghost Quartet is a testament that his individual score writing prevails. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There in a carpet floored, round swirl of eager music lovers, Molloy, Gelsey Bell, Brittain Ashford and Brent Arnold took to the small circle stage facing each other with a wide range of peculiar instruments at hand. This included an erhu, dulcimer, ukulele, Celtic harp, metallophone and their exhilarating, harmonising voices.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As the marketing suggests there are moments where audiences are left in the dark, encouraged to listen to the music for itself and pay attention to the pivotal details of the ghostly tales. However, the performance as a whole isn't linear or perhaps it is and I may have missed the punch; there are patchy mentions of a broken camera, a talking bear, a Thelonious monk, an astronomer, a man that dies in a subway and lost sisters reunited, but all seem unrelated, and somehow related. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Arnold is an intelligent cellist. Malloy is the man with a capital M - a pioneering rhythm-maker, while Armold and Bell produce the most amazing vocal sounds that can bring you to tears in their solo ballads. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Engaging talent, enthusiasm, and passion are harmoniously harnessed by Ghost Quartet. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves soul and the idea of clapping and stomping until their hands and feet hurt, to the sound of loud percussions instruments. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Edinburgh Fringe 2016 has ended, <a href="http://davemalloy.com/ghost.html">but click here to find more information about Dave Malloy and hear samples of Ghost Quartet here.</a></b></span></div>
nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-11607660995259434002016-09-03T04:14:00.004-07:002016-09-03T06:07:09.413-07:00#edfringe2016: The Snow Child - Bloody Chamber Opera ★★★★<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhw3XrhZYVg5SrRY_nppKEAA3CLkrD-xseZbrixzdCXcwTTonScJrfCt0JQZvicwugJ6dK1ryVQkm3eUEKPj8PTIvfaGeY8p2LryD5fp7eVpLd2rSSXQwPNsoVr9JXNMp1nXsQ2SGrac/s1600/hjorthmedh-snow-child-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhw3XrhZYVg5SrRY_nppKEAA3CLkrD-xseZbrixzdCXcwTTonScJrfCt0JQZvicwugJ6dK1ryVQkm3eUEKPj8PTIvfaGeY8p2LryD5fp7eVpLd2rSSXQwPNsoVr9JXNMp1nXsQ2SGrac/s640/hjorthmedh-snow-child-9.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d; line-height: 107%;">Helena Moore sings as the Snow Child - </span>Photography by <span style="background-color: white; color: #4d4d4d; line-height: 24px;">Johannes Hjorth</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Owain Park, a young composer literally at the end of his final year studying Music at Cambridge University, presented his chamber opera The Snow Child at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival. His eerie, bleak musical landscape instils the haunting story of a count and countess and their encounter with a beautiful snow child in the dead of winter. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Adapted from Angela Carter’s fairy tale from her short stories book The Bloody Chamber, Park captures the disturbing, dark shadows that befall the innocent snow child. Gareth Mattey’s staging was minimal. Paper was sporadically laid on the stage with moody lights above, alluding to icicles and setting our frosty scene.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With a unique chamber orchestra and six talented voices, which include three narrators, the music is unsettling, atmospheric and distinctive. Through the poetic chamber score, the opera subtly combines with splendid solo passages from its singers, which hint on the macabre and ghastly nature of the short tale.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The musicians of the performance (currently waiting for official names from the company) I saw at Edinburgh’s Paradise in Augustines were superb. String, percussion, and woodwind instruments had their own place within the score that evolved into a variety of textures and intricate details, highlighting the sinister winter’s journey. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Peter Lidbetter and Amber Evans gave fine performances as the count and countess. They evoked their characters well – a passive and lustful count besotted by the naked child in the snow and a green-eyed countess. The narrators, Hannah King, Ed Roberts and Sam Mitchell, also provided interesting vocal colouring as a group ensemble or solo act. Yet, Helena Moore provided the purity and virtuousness of our Snow Child. Dressed in white, her voice conjured the angelic and naïve victim, the counter balance of the count and countess who eventually murder and ravage her. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindyrtb7kNcmrfPy7QUgEF1NDR6ln4YBzqxUgTkcecLYmgYDcy95YFMB4ZommAJZ5u-Hf_uXdEfHE2ZefWjTmTbScClPEmR9cpl_SqLqojkItYQsB9XZMCjs9MFFlqIzyExkKEMPxfM_c/s1600/hjorthmedh-snow-child-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindyrtb7kNcmrfPy7QUgEF1NDR6ln4YBzqxUgTkcecLYmgYDcy95YFMB4ZommAJZ5u-Hf_uXdEfHE2ZefWjTmTbScClPEmR9cpl_SqLqojkItYQsB9XZMCjs9MFFlqIzyExkKEMPxfM_c/s640/hjorthmedh-snow-child-19.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d; line-height: 107%;">Amber Evans sings as the Countess - </span>Photography by <span style="background-color: white; color: #4d4d4d; line-height: 24px;">Johannes Hjorth</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Intriguing as this new work was, however, I felt that surtitles or a libretto at hand would have been beneficial. At times I felt out of the loop and unsure of where we were in the story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Before we were introduced to the opera, Moore sang Marco Galvani’s work The Deserted House, a poem written by Alfred Lord Tennyson, to</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #4d4d4d; line-height: 10.7px; text-align: center;"> </span>open up the evening. Acting as a warm-up and neat pathway into The Snow Child, it wasn’t as inspiring o</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">r stimulating as the chamber opera itself. Yet the intention was there to prepare the audience for a gruesome expedition of grime story-telling. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">Edinburgh Fringe is over, but to find more information about<a href="http://www.owainpark.co.uk/"> Owain Park, please click here. </a></span></div>
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nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-29524128032440213872016-09-01T15:49:00.002-07:002016-09-01T23:26:02.957-07:00#edfringe2016: Brundibár - Abridged Opera<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7tPGK3vR7HgZFYQdQu7JHiouE_StgTjeYaoP3WXMWG-BKI5XAO8PwX521gjofTmOVDvF4yTJADKEHy_WHGDlBdDtwq0jCrCFgDFZuVV3D-dlGr-IB4mrYZBBG9iob6kV64SVMftSVN4/s1600/image1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7tPGK3vR7HgZFYQdQu7JHiouE_StgTjeYaoP3WXMWG-BKI5XAO8PwX521gjofTmOVDvF4yTJADKEHy_WHGDlBdDtwq0jCrCFgDFZuVV3D-dlGr-IB4mrYZBBG9iob6kV64SVMftSVN4/s640/image1.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Children <span style="text-align: start;">of the Abridged Opera Company perform at Edinburgh Fringe Festival</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Brundibár is a children’s opera that was written in a concentration camp in Theresienstadt. In 1942, it was performed there 55 times by Jewish musicians and children. It is a rarity to see this opera nowadays, yet given its duration (hardly 30 minutes) and sharp message of good over evil, there are things to learn and cherish about this historical piece.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had the pleasure of seeing Brundibár performed live by children of the Abridged Opera Company. The company, originally from Canada, has been touring, showcasing the tale of a brother and sister Pepíček and Aninku. The story watches them agonise over the health of their mother. They decide to sing for money so they can buy milk for her, yet a greedy organ grinder Brundibár chases them away.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, in Paradise in Augustines Church, Tracey B. Atin’s stage was brightly lit with enthusiastic children ready to sing and show the goodness of Hans Krasa's innocent story-telling. Yet there was a subtle and sinister tone to the music, which had you thinking innocence doesn’t prevail after all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sung in English, the Children were dressed as if they were animated characters from a folk tale. The setting was a quaint little village filled with helpful animals including a cat, dog, and courageous sparrow. These three animals assist the siblings in scaring away Brundibár .</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The scenes flowed excellently together, and the children were a joy to watch. Robert Godden looked villainous as one would expect from a pantomime as the evil organ grinder. Pianist Joanna Shultz and Trevor Pittman, on the clarinet, revealed the intricate layers and multiple meanings in Krasa’s composition. And Erin Armstrong showed respect for the music and gave the children the extra push to perform as best as they could, to which they charmed and showed much enjoyment in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Productions like these, invented by fringe-like companies such as Abridged Opera, are a great place to restore knowledge for audiences of lost histories with personal voices and spectacular music. It is also a great place for little ones to start out on the stage and become fully engrossed with opera.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">To find out more about Abridged Opera Company, <a href="http://www.abridgedopera.com/#!auditions/c12dm">please click here for their website. </a></span></b></div>
nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-50212617553584739172016-08-30T14:46:00.000-07:002016-08-30T14:50:26.991-07:00#edfringe2016: Theatre Témoin - The Marked ★★★★<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrEkYAOUN37ent8cm63c_6gnbkW_lAWytpq_1wN5UtNHPfYfBUqwqXe5_7bJ7-SqYLbjjXSwF2v9aCTIlrcpVk2GmwvY4p0GK_9Qi4YWdPXTtTVpExDAlX6rzHqIebX0mtI1hfx_tKys/s1600/The+Marked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrEkYAOUN37ent8cm63c_6gnbkW_lAWytpq_1wN5UtNHPfYfBUqwqXe5_7bJ7-SqYLbjjXSwF2v9aCTIlrcpVk2GmwvY4p0GK_9Qi4YWdPXTtTVpExDAlX6rzHqIebX0mtI1hfx_tKys/s640/The+Marked.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Marked caught me off guard. I knew it was a puppets show, but it was only until after I saw it that I realised that it had a special message about child abuse and alcoholism. Theatre Témoin has worked together with Everyday Theatre Cheltenham to raise social issues in an inventively raw way. Its masks, designed by Grafted Cede Theatre, may be grotesque, yet their eyes and expressions are completely human.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Set in London’s groggy back streets and alleyways, Jack sleeps rough and sees demons whenever there’s a bottle of alcohol in front of his eyes. Theatre Témoin creates dramatic imagery of Jack’s horrific past through a puppet-made mother with blood flowing through her eyes and long spider-like arms whenever she takes to the drink.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There’s loud noises (you might want to cover your ears), and strobe lights in violent domestic scenes shown through neat and sharp puppetry work. The most unsettling scene is seeing Jack’s mother break a bottle and stab Jack, the little puppet boy, on the neck. Yet there’s a tiny bit of humour with talking Pigeon puppets, some that come in human-size as Jack’s company on the lonely streets. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not everything seems to make sense in The Marked, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The moral of the story is clear - drink responsibly, especially if you have children, but also remember that children soak things up fast from a very young age, which eventually creeps up with them later on in their adult life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Director Aillin Conant gives us a lesson worth remembering, and its cast shake and move on the stage with energy and dynamism. Extraordinary performances are worth naming here. Dorie Kinnear plays the pregnant girlfriend who hides away in squatting areas with her abusive boyfriend, played by Tom Stacy. Bradley Thompson is a vital force performing the role of abused victim Jack. His character is much to sympathise with, and he cleverly captures the soul of a boy seeking his mother’s love. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In The Marked, the imagination is there to raise these issues to a broader audience. For topics that can often be difficult to discuss, Theatre </span>Témoin<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> breaks the foil and allows its audiences to have a larger debate about it. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This show has ended at the Edinburgh Fringe. More information about Theatre </span>Témoin<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> can be found here. They are showing The Marked in London, Cheltenham and throughout the UK until Spring 2017. <a href="http://www.theatretemoin.com/">Click here for more information. </a></span></span></b></div>
nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-68175764411916528752016-08-30T13:40:00.000-07:002016-08-30T13:40:18.805-07:00#edfringe2016: Manual Cinema - Ada/Ava ★★★★<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjptvehs25oFVqPfxJUbs4Yt6XOaa1AvjGJD6Ncb2Y885eljcb5Iuqb2dnd-05pxCBKBn4upqApG_5rySw9By_yDYZ3pnUCtRZULs8sYl3xmayCOLu95__1hYZsKK96vKTLLAJQPOnvIDM/s1600/AdaAva_2016web6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjptvehs25oFVqPfxJUbs4Yt6XOaa1AvjGJD6Ncb2Y885eljcb5Iuqb2dnd-05pxCBKBn4upqApG_5rySw9By_yDYZ3pnUCtRZULs8sYl3xmayCOLu95__1hYZsKK96vKTLLAJQPOnvIDM/s640/AdaAva_2016web6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: start;"> </span>Lizi<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: start;"> </span>Breit<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: start;"> (Ava) and Julia </span>Vaarsdale<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: start;"> Miller (Ada)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ada/Ava by Manual Cinema is a quirky presentation of shadow puppetry and emotional sentimentality, and there’s no hiding from its creators; they reveal the creative process live to the audience as it happens. Manual Cinema takes you on a surreal journey of two elderly twins, close as best friends, ever since childhood, until one of the sisters dies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is the sad realisation that Ada and Ava are no longer together, which devastates and resonates the most with this show, which Manual Cinema captures beautifully through its touching narrative and unique artistry. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Directors Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace, Ben Kauffman, Julia Vanarsdale Miller (who also performs as Ada) and Kyle Vegter have been successful in North America and won an award in 2014 at the Tehran International Festival. They made their European debut at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe at the Underbelly, which had many audience members give the theatre company a standing ovation on the day I attended. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The craftsmanship takes place on simple projectors with ready-made images for projecting onto a large white screen. Below Lizi Breit (Ava) and Julia Vaarsdale Miller (Ada) mill around, creating the story of the sisters with various masks, hair buns and old granny clothes to match. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ready-to-use cut-outs and stencils are carefully placed to show the audience an animated tale of life, death, and memory. Flying back to their youth, the twins are shown playing fondly together in the sea, watching their feet catch the splashes of waves, yet melancholy arises when the dead sister becomes a skeleton - a fear the other sister doesn’t want to accept. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Musicians Maren Celest, Michael Hilger, Kyle Vegter and Alex Ellsworth play a huge part of the show by creating the solemn, atmospheric music with a guitar, Rhodes piano, cello, clarinet, synthesizer and live sound effects. This emotional tale can be dramatic and deeply philosophical. One may feel the need to call a loved one immediately after seeing this. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://manualcinema.com/company/">Ada/Ava are not longer showing at the Edinburgh Fringe, but click here for more information about Manual Cinema. </a></b></span></div>
nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-87926112572000901482016-08-26T11:44:00.002-07:002016-08-26T11:45:46.887-07:00#edfringe2016: Opera Bohemia - La Traviata ★★★★★<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">La Traviata is Opera Bohemia’s seventh production and for the first time they are performing a work by Verdi. The independent opera company has been touring around Scotland ever since July and last night they performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in St Cuthbert’s Church.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There’s no denying the vitality of music in La Traviata – based on the story that has inspired films including Pretty Woman and Moulin Rouge - which explains why the venue had packed out. Music Director Alistair Diggs has a way of conducting, which is almost like a performance in itself. He gave clear instructions where the ensemble of musicians followed, giving a refined performance and gravitating the music towards a more poetic and highly structured tone. The pace was neither fussy or rushed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Catriona Clark is a starry diva as Violetta - the courtesan who dies of consumption. Clark is a vocal lecturer and consultant, outside of her opera singing, which speaks volumes about her own abilities, which is supremely impressive. Her ability to move up and down scales with little effort, or at least what seems like little effort, is astounding. Her performance of sempre libera was thrilling and had audiences gleefully bouncing to and fro in their seats. She also engages with the text and presents an excellent understanding of Violetta's disposition, making her performance a memorable one I'd happily see again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Together with Alfredo, performed by Thomas Kinch, they convince the audience of a true romance. His characterisation is confident and fresh, and he sings with clear Italian and warmth to suit. Aaron McAuley as Giorgio Germont combines all those anti-hero characteristics one would expect from a selfish father. Yet McAuley pays special attention to Germont’s better qualities in the last few acts. His voice is also rich and his duets with Clark in act II are pivotal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This La Traviata sparkles with great voices, sentimentality, and thoughtfulness. Even the detailed staging by Director Doughlas Nairne, is carefully managed, which changes in each act. It seems as if Opera Bohemia has covered every corner of their production, and what was performed in a small church seems as rich as an opera staged in a grand opera house. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.operabohemia.co.uk/la-traviata/"><b>Opera Bohemia is no longer showing La Traviata at Edinburgh Fringe but will be at Old Kirk, Kirkcaldy on 27th August and in St John's-Renflield Church, Glasgow on 28th August. Click here for their website with more information. </b></a></span></div>
nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-44959223232575318672016-08-26T07:43:00.000-07:002016-08-26T07:43:53.448-07:00#edfringe2016: DugOut Theatre - Swanson ★★★★★<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Imagine being stuck in the middle of the sea in a pedalo with a bunch of strangers with clashing personalities. The world has ended, there’s no way out of the flood, all you see is endless water and you’re left playing boring games like I spy or never have I ever. Not to mention you’re stuck paddling with a toff, vegan hippy, competitive fitness freak and a, somewhat, know-it-all. Well, imagine no more as Tom Black and Sadie Spencer’s have already written a hilarious play that’s currently showing at the Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">DugOut Theatre’s Swansong is a bizarre concoction of a cappella singing, swan impersonations and cutting comedy. Watch as these four characters argue, sing and giggle over their post-apocalyptic mess. After carnivorously killing a passing swan, of which the vegan hippy enjoyed devouring, they decide to become new world warriors in hope of rebuilding the next generation. It’s a comical response to first world problems. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">They use a notebook as a place to list things they miss, such as chips and mayo, Provence and moon cups, and write down stories for the new generation. Sadly, the last page is limited down to either Bruce Willis or a poem about plums in your icebox.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Throughout the performance, the foursome sings calming ritual songs with the lyrics ‘Serene swan, beautiful swan…’ which only enhances the founders of the new world story. Ed Macarthur, Tom Black, Nina Shenkman and Charlotte Merriam are remarkable performers, and really know how to add extra punch to Black and Spencer’s words. George Chilcott's direction makes this an original and authentic show, totally worth running to see on the last days of the Edinburgh Fringe festival. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Swansong runs at the
Pleasance Theatre at 5pm until 29 August (not 16). <a href="https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/swansong">Click here to purchase tickets.</a> <a href="http://www.dugouttheatre.com/">Click here for more information about DugOut Theatre. </a></span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-42088500255567571942016-08-25T03:33:00.000-07:002016-08-25T03:37:11.501-07:00#edfringe2016: Magnetic Opera - La bohème ★★★★★<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHT0_tjdTBa8HXf5B28EZnzRzbSwgpI9oS34YojwxDkgTtpl2N3F_mltx-RSAQe3FOU4yk-YlfBDI24UXR3G_47fQHjXGYiH43J3XPelh5NpTgpXaXnBbTx4KZuXcSB4kw9K_diZ2lpGY/s1600/Boheme-poster-all-724x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHT0_tjdTBa8HXf5B28EZnzRzbSwgpI9oS34YojwxDkgTtpl2N3F_mltx-RSAQe3FOU4yk-YlfBDI24UXR3G_47fQHjXGYiH43J3XPelh5NpTgpXaXnBbTx4KZuXcSB4kw9K_diZ2lpGY/s640/Boheme-poster-all-724x1024.jpg" width="451" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“Fucking Daily Mail” says Marcello as he, Rodolfo, Colline and Schaunard huddle together around a table to keep each other warm. It’s an empty room of hope with a lampshade, bookshelf and table to seem like home, except there’s no heat. The men need each other to keep their spirits high when the economy isn’t great in their pocket. Magnetic Opera teleports the frostiness of Puccini’s much-celebrated opera, La bohème to Lauriston Halls at Edinburgh Fringe, and it has all the imagination, talent and stage trickery to bring the Parisian 1830s to modern-day poverty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Director Thomas Henderson’s production encompasses 360 degrees of talent from soloists, lighting design by Tom Turner to the orchestra of Magnetic Opera. Calum Fraser draws out the luster of Puccini’s score with Magnetic Opera's nine musicians, who perform with grace and fine detail. For Lauriston Halls, their musical touch is more than enough to capture Puccini’s music mastery. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Francesca Matta and Ian McBain perform La bohème –a tale of love and lost in poor and cold conditions – as the lovers, Mimì and Rodolfo. Unexpected, Mimì knocks at Rodolfo’s door to ask for some light and they instantly fall in love, but love is torn apart when Mimì dies from the cold. This sentimental opera is performed heroically and touchingly by Magnetic Opera. All young singers charm and beguile the audience with amazing vocal flair and tenacity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">McBain’s sings one of the most famous and romantic opera arias "What a cold little hand" with beauty and lyricism while Matta performs ‘Yes, they call me Mimì’ with sweetness and tremendous vocal power. James Schouten and Catriona Hewitson provide animated interpretations as macho Marcello and temptress Musetta - the parallel couple who swear and shout at each other even if they adore one another. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After enduring Musetta’s flirting with every man at Café Momas, singing ‘When I go along’, Schouten’s Marcello caves in and sings delightfully with her and the gang including Jerome Knox, Sam Carl, Christopher Head who perform as Schaunard, Colline, Benoît and Alcindoro. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Perhaps La bohème is the perfect type of opera to perform at the fringe. Think about it. Fringe is about performing artistic creativity, storytelling and presenting talent and expertise with very little budget, without the prettiness and polish of a grand establishment. Puccini encapsulated the aftermath of the revolution in France with artists struggling to make ends meet, and, as we know, through independent festivals like Edinburgh Fringe talent and passion for the arts is worth sharing to everyone, on any type of stage. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Magnetic Opera are performing at 6pm on the 26th and 27th at Venue 163. Edinburgh Fringe Festival. C<a href="https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/la-boheme">lick here to books tickets</a>. Click here for <a href="https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/la-boheme">more information about the</a> company. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>They are performing a new production of The Medium at London's Barons Court Theatre. <a href="https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/la-boheme">Click here for more information. </a></b></span></div>
nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-33800329118999596842016-08-24T17:52:00.000-07:002016-08-24T18:09:03.565-07:00#edfringe2016: Katie Brennan's Quarter-Life Crisis ★★★★<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Jimmy Jewell and Stephen McGill present Katie Brennan's Quarter-life Crisis at the Underbelly – George Square that has toured around the Fringe scene and settled in Edinburgh for the last three weeks. What’s a quarter-life crisis anyway? I had to think about it because I know what a mid-life crisis is. It means 25-years-old, right? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Being a twenty-something means (or meant) something different to everybody. For Katie Brennan, it’s everything from finding any job in the big city, impressing the boys in the bedroom, trying to not misbehave at your best friend’s wedding, (but failing badly,) keeping up with Carrie Bradshaw trends on a budget and dreaming to be whatever you wanted to be – that is if you have a clue of what that is exactly. Paying expensive rent or dealing with unexpected stains on your satin dress comes part and parcel for Katie unfortunately.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">She sings great songs performed with pianist Joseph Atkins. Her vocals sound as if they had fallen out of a musical, and she is a joy to listen to. Atkins also composed the musical slash cabaret tunes with witty lines that literally shoot at you when you least expect them – he is brilliant on the keys. The gags and humour can be graphic and too-in-ya-face, but it’s ideal for an audience awake at 10.50pm with G & T to keep them warm, which Katie pulls out of her bra.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">An evening with
Katie will not disappoint. It's full of laughs, and one to make you feel
nostalgic about 90s pop songs including the likes of Spice Girls, Aqua,
Britney, Vengaboys and much more, yet there’s also a touching source of hope and
positivity to give the folks some life lessons. That includes killing our
insecurities as if they were vampires and goblins and singing Doris
Day’s Que Sara Sara, with the audience, to wash away the blues.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>The show is going on until 29 August 2016 at the Underbelly - George Square. <a href="https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/katie-brennan-s-quarter-life-crisis">Click here to purchase tickets. </a></b></span></div>
nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-41670919314555399182016-08-24T09:45:00.000-07:002016-08-25T03:58:59.192-07:00#edfringe2016: Unseal Unseam, an electroacoustic opera - A White Boy Scream Production★★★★★<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In the United States, 20 people are physically abused by a partner every minute, and 1 in 4 women in England and Wales experience domestic violence once in their lifetime. These disturbing numbers indicate the injustice that takes place at home, in private, and the lack of voices that are never given the chance to speak before it is too late. Straight from the West Coast, Unseal Unseam, by A White Boy Scream production, is an artistic performance showing at Venue 13. It comprises of many art forms, where the experience is, unbelievably, palpable, leaving audiences emotionally exhausted by the end of it. (Well, that’s how I felt anyway!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Director and scenographer, Shannon Knox provides a mash-up of improvised music, opera, film, art installations, voice techniques and graphic imagery. Sound designer William Hutson, and videographers Giuliana Foulkes and Asuka Lin work with Knox to make it all happen. This immersive experience makes audiences feel so many things, including anger and hatred for the male figure in the film who causes physical pain to our vulnerable victim Judith.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Composers Sharon Chohi Kim and Micaela Tobin have dished out parts from Bela Bartok’s Bluebeard’s Castle and Arnold Schoenberg’s Erwartung. The Hungarian and German composers have one thing in common, which includes melodrama and atonality; it is the way that their intense and highly atmospheric music feel real and seem to happen before your very eyes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Being a big fan of Bluebeard’s Castle made it easier for me to see some parallels between the abstract objects used in this performance and the many rooms Bluebeard’s wife enters before her ultimate demise in the opera. In a similar way, the stages of objects are utilized with deep effect. Armory, Blood Garden, Domain and Lake of Tears are just a few of these stages written on a piece of paper in real time, by the man behind the screen. At the same time, different types of torture take place on video, from wrapping aircraft cable around Judith's head to painful teeth flossing – the tortuous type that leaves blood on your lips. This grotesque list goes on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Judith - the innocent victim - is performed by Tobin with stage wife Sara Sinclair Gomez. Both in long dresses, they move across the stage as the performance moves with the cycle of domestic violence. They produce beautiful vocal sounds in one duet, which goes back to Shakespeare’s Othello, specifically Desdemona’s Willow Song – it is the point where she knows her aggressive and jealous husband is about to murder her. There is a poignant scene where Sinclair Gomez looks as if she is suffocating Tobin. This reminded me of the harrowing moment the Moor attempts to kill is pure wife. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">From start to finish, there's five contact microphones active on stage, which heighten the sounds and echoes of each object: coins dropped in a jar, five foot long chains bashed onto the floor, sand poured onto the table and two butter knives repeatedly stabbing a white panel. The experience is uncomfortable and unsettling. Audiences won't come here for a good time, they'll come to learn and experience something new. Unseal Unseam is a political piece of art about domestic violence utilizing a kaleidoscope of artistic skills, sound techniques and philosophy to bounce onto. It's worth making a loud noise about. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">They are showing at Venue 13 until the 27th August. Click<a href="http://www.unsealunseam.com/"> here for more information</a> <a href="http://www.unsealunseam.com/">www.unsealunseam.com</a> and <a href="https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on#q=%22Unseal%20%2F%20Unseam%20%26%20Erwartung%22">purchase tickets here. </a></span></div>
nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-27739806126312719612016-08-24T02:55:00.000-07:002016-08-24T03:19:30.986-07:00#edfringe2016: The Mikado - Cat-Like Tread ★★★★<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhno3cd0lB3zJoMr931FMLduxmfUbPR4fL7RQeN7HcoER8Fy6pZeuy3NipjQc8uSypkQlUwYGlzXCZTOmCfdO3bwhuYZmEAgef9_KHuyp1a5QuG4Udctf9hV4VL84PiFQJev8TOB5C10PE/s1600/13653311_1042277509213239_232905225770432593_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhno3cd0lB3zJoMr931FMLduxmfUbPR4fL7RQeN7HcoER8Fy6pZeuy3NipjQc8uSypkQlUwYGlzXCZTOmCfdO3bwhuYZmEAgef9_KHuyp1a5QuG4Udctf9hV4VL84PiFQJev8TOB5C10PE/s640/13653311_1042277509213239_232905225770432593_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Photos by Tom Paton, assisted ably by Scott Thomson and two very helpful prop masters. </span></span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/CatLikeTread">https://www.facebook.com/CatLikeTread</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cat-like Tread loves Gilbert and Sullivan and they want to share their magical music world to everyone. Having produced sold out shows, including The Pirates of Penzance and H.M.S. Pinafore, they’ve arrived at Edinburgh Fringe and tickled audiences last night at Space Triplex with everyone’s favourite sing-along-opera The Mikado.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The enthusiastic troupe allowed Nanki-Poo to have his Yum-Yum, eventually. But it wasn’t easy - the drunken stag do and hen party seemed pretty brutal with not-so-pretty hangovers which followed shortly after.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Mikado is pickle of a story. Nanki-Poo, the Mikado’s son, doesn’t want to marry Katisha, with her dashing elbows and shoulder blades, so he runs away pretending to be a second trombone and falls in love with Yum-Yum, who is already betrothed to the Lord High Executioner Ko-Ko. But Yum Yum doesn’t want to marry the Lord High Executioner and, sadly, she has no choice on the matter, which leaves Nanki-Poo feeling very suicidal. Then as The Mikado demands an execution to take place, as there hasn’t been many going on lately, (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but this is fiction, so it doesn’t matter) Ko-Ko chooses to execute Nanki-Poo seeing as he is willing to top himself. The real trouble begins when they all discover that Nanki-Poo is, in fact, the next ruler of Japan, but they have many laughing gags and dance routines before their execution, which never happens because it's a comedy opera!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Directors Rae Lamond and Sarah Whitty have worked hard getting their performers sharp and poised for this fast-paced show. Gillian Robertson is on the mark as musical director as she looks to skilled pianist Jamie Wilson, who performs the entire score, and the chorus of singers and soloists. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Dance and movement choreographies are tight with sophisticated clapping formations between the ladies of the chorus and talented performer Scott Thomson, who plays Pooh-Bah The Lord High of Everything Other!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Nick Clelland and Anna Thomson give cutesy performances as the lovers. Clelland’s wandering minstrel is weedy, but he has a heart of gold for his true love and sings lyrically throughout. Thomson’s Yum Yum is a fiery minx in a karate outfit who needs her Nanki-Poo. Thomson is a talented singer, which is shown best in her performance in The Sun whose rays are all ablaze in the second act.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Matthew Sielewicz’s Mikado seemed to have walked out of an 80s movie. His vocals were solid and rich, with Dougal Freir giving an awesome performance singing as Ko-Ko with his very up-to-date execution list – it was as if he wrote his list off the cuff on the day; he sung about 30-year-olds playing Pokemon Go, Brexit, piano organists and those annoying people on a detox, which was a major giggle fest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Debora Ruiz-Kordova gives a standout performance as Katisha, singing impressively and giving her all into her own characterization of the middle-aged unwanted woman of the court. There were moments in her performance where I saw the Queen of the Night from Mozart’s Magic Flute.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The opera that parodies 19th century British politicians through all things kimono and Japanese is a brilliant show with witty music, which keeps you hooked, particularly if you enjoy tapping your shoes and singing along to some witty lines. Some favourites include Behold the Lord High Executioner and Tit Willow, Tit Willow, and Cat like Tread gives warm, glowing performances for such songs, and more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cat-Like Tread are showing The Mikado now to August 27th. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_793012076">Click here to purchase tickets. </a></span><a href="https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/mikado">https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/mikado</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Find them on <a href="https://twitter.com/catliketheatre">Twitter</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Find them on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CatLikeTread">Facebook</a></span></div>
nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-67925399577404255352016-08-23T10:50:00.000-07:002016-08-23T10:57:35.107-07:00#edfringe2016: The Diary of Anne Frank (The Space) ★★★★<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7wsrq6dYoz3b3Uz8R03YYTBVpeW35QIALgPZGqAFqdSFxwTRfVSFZLf0OQo0Bq8C7ZCbWNbWTy_BR8WIODeHk4Y0XiA1ZI4n1kF627PnNkPvPUfcOwA4DCTOEX3Q4TPiKVQC3EukvwJ4/s1600/14100299_940200036089459_7470767076603104879_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7wsrq6dYoz3b3Uz8R03YYTBVpeW35QIALgPZGqAFqdSFxwTRfVSFZLf0OQo0Bq8C7ZCbWNbWTy_BR8WIODeHk4Y0XiA1ZI4n1kF627PnNkPvPUfcOwA4DCTOEX3Q4TPiKVQC3EukvwJ4/s640/14100299_940200036089459_7470767076603104879_n.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anne Frank played by Polly Ott. (photograph from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aboutturntheatre">www.facebook.com/aboutturntheatre</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I remember learning about the Diary of Anne Frank in school when I had never heard of the word ‘holocaust’ before. I remember the profound affect it had on the other children in the class, and I even recall a friend in her teens re-reading it. This is one of the reasons why I was, so, keen to see <a href="https://twitter.com/AboutTurnTC">About Turn Theatre</a>’s very own mono-opera at Edinburgh Fringe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It is the first show I have seen so far, since flying in from Heathrow this morning, and it is more than I had envisioned. Rather than a simple retelling of a young Jewish girl’s diary and the injustice many Jewish communities suffered in the 1930s, it looks to the future and the lessons of the past. These are the inspirational ideas of its director Sebastian Ukena, where a clever 15-year-old girl wrote the poignant words, ‘I must hold on to my ideals. Perhaps the day will come when I’ll be able to realize them.’ </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">At The Space (Venue 45), Anne faces you, smiling and ready to read her diary to you. It’s fascinating to hear the first few words of the diary sung by Polly Ott who gives a bold and strong performance, portraying Anne’s turbulent journey through it all. No doubt - it is obvious - she plays a young Anne, yet her depiction of her is a confident and articulate one, of a girl attuned with her emotions and fully aware of the world that is crumbling around her. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Her hair is neat, and her jumper and skirt are as minimal as any schoolgirl stripped away from her dreams. After each scene, of which there are 19, Ott brings out a photograph of a child from a different part of the world. This captures the voices of various children who also suffered under genocide and civil wars, and never had the opportunity to write down their experiences in a diary. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Cypriot concert pianist Stavroula Thoma also gives an effective and thoughtful performance with an atmospheric score, composed by Grigori Frid, which blends into the words sung by Ott. Together they reflect the highs and lows of Frank’s unstable and petrifying experience. The scenes veer from happiness, suspense, and fear from her birthday with many gifts, the first notice from the Gestapo and the intensifying scene where the Nazis find Anne and her family hiding in the attic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">With some charming scenes lyrically sung, there are disturbing ones too of a crucial period of history. You won’t be leaving the venue with a happy song to sing, but a reminder of how some parts of the world, unfortunately, haven’t progressed from history’s mistakes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">More information about About Turn Theatre can be found here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://twitter.com/AboutTurnTC">https://twitter.com/AboutTurnTC</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.aboutturn.co.uk/">http://www.aboutturn.co.uk</a></span></div>
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Anne is performed by Polly Ott and Vera Hiltbrunner. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">They are showing at theSpace @Venue 45 from 11th - 27th August 2016. <a href="https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/diary-of-anne-frank-1">Click here to purchase tickets. </a></span></span></div>
nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0Edinburgh, UK55.953252 -3.188266999999996255.8109675 -3.5109904999999961 56.0955365 -2.8655434999999962tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-4499302091537278122016-08-20T05:53:00.000-07:002016-08-20T06:28:20.942-07:00BBC PROMS: Janáček’s The Makropulous Affair - Karita Mattila ★★★★★<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"> Eva Štĕrbová, Jan Vacík, Gustáv Beláček, Kartia Mattila, Aleš Briscein and Svatopluk Sem perform under the direction of Jiří Bĕlohlávek at the BBC Proms 2016. (</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">BBC/Chris Christodoulou.)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you had the chance to live for three centuries would you take it? This is one of the questions you may ask yourself after an evening of witnessing the suffering of Emilia Marty - a beautiful opera singer with a world of knowledge that goes far beyond our time. Leoš Janáček’s (1854 – 1928) Makropulous Affair was performed semi-staged last night at the Royal Albert Hall, after more than 20 years of absence from the BBC Proms, by the BBC Symphony Orchestra with its former conductor Jiří Bělohlávek, an all-round talented cast of Czech soloists and the radiant Finnish soprano, Karita Mattila.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mattila is no stranger to Janáček as she has performed many lead roles from the Czech composer’s work, which includes Katya Kabanova, Jenůfa and most recently the Kostelnička – one of opera’s villainous evildoers – at the Royal Festival Hall with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra this April. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWYfY_iSlPGulUz790qCoxM1nYWDqiZhOgK6RY4-VxTaTWa4kpNYi_hMoGL9TRnDvXZw2RGZtTGTTpefmmgtocxcYM84hctCiHRAtdu8utSfoA9ps4UdVlrBiEqwNPZDVgUCvZHm1B_g/s1600/Prom+45_CR_BBC+Chris+Christodoulou_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwWYfY_iSlPGulUz790qCoxM1nYWDqiZhOgK6RY4-VxTaTWa4kpNYi_hMoGL9TRnDvXZw2RGZtTGTTpefmmgtocxcYM84hctCiHRAtdu8utSfoA9ps4UdVlrBiEqwNPZDVgUCvZHm1B_g/s640/Prom+45_CR_BBC+Chris+Christodoulou_3.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Soprano Karita Mattila performs in Janáček’s The Makropulos Affair at the BBC Proms 2016. (</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">BBC/Chris Christodoulou.)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Originally influenced by the play written by Karel </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #292f33; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Čapek</span>,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> the opera begins in 1922 at Dr. Kolenatý’s office where a clerk Vítek is fussing over papers for a century-long family case, where Baron Josef Ferdinand Prus’s estate is challenged by Ferdinand Gregor. Yet, what may seem a like a legal battle between families swiftly turns into a puzzling mystery over Emilia Marty’s acute knowledge of Baron Prus and Ferdinand Gregor. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">By the final act, in a tense and dramatic dialectic, where words and ravishing music is revealed, we discover that Emilia Marty is, in fact, Elina Makropulos - the daughter of Emperor Rudolf’s Greek physician who was ordered to test his elixir of life to his 16-year-old daughter. Through the generations, she has changed her name with the same initials EM – Eugenia Montez, Elsa Muller, Ekaterina Myshkin, Ellian MacGregor – and finally, she finds solace in her last days aged 337.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When Matilla comes to town it is always worth trying to wangle a ticket to see her - last night was no exception. Her empowering stage presence in a dashing red dress captured the complexity and seductive qualities of Emilia's character. Singing as the revered opera singer, she laughed and humoured those around her including young, aspiring singer Kristina. She also titillated and enticed many men such as Janek, Prus’s son, who commits suicide for her love, and Prus himself who she leaves feeling cold. Mattila’s voice, however, is bold and animated as ever. She manages to hold out and show the best part of her vocal prowess until the very last scenes where all is revealed, and her identity is exposed. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mRYJn90O-sPAE-x_shQF5F26juJtGRsj_23sC0EuX3K2v3ffCjCUIkrg09xaRgXChP3O07mQ6mCIkwGtdw1tMT3TciXigDyxmat7ApS0s_LhJ1b7PmVmmXn9JBSrDStXDoEfardXrUc/s1600/Prom+45_CR_BBC+Chris+Christodoulou_4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mRYJn90O-sPAE-x_shQF5F26juJtGRsj_23sC0EuX3K2v3ffCjCUIkrg09xaRgXChP3O07mQ6mCIkwGtdw1tMT3TciXigDyxmat7ApS0s_LhJ1b7PmVmmXn9JBSrDStXDoEfardXrUc/s640/Prom+45_CR_BBC+Chris+Christodoulou_4.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Tenor Aleš Briscein performs in Janáček’s The Makropulos Affair at the BBC Proms 2016. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">(</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">BBC/Chris Christodoulou.)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The cast also deserves credit for giving a grand picture of this contemporary opera, which takes place in various locations; a lawyer’s office, the backstage of a theatre and a hotel room. Given the lack of scene changes or props provided, the extraordinary cast succeeded in bringing the story to life. Aleš Briscein (Gregor), Gustáv Beláček (Dr Kolenatý) and Svatopluk Sem (Baron Jaroslav Prus) sang with richness and depth as Emilia’s pawns in the legal battle over a will that had more than they had ever dreamed of. With smaller roles sung by Jan Vacík (Vítek), Aleš Voráček (Janek), Jan Ježek (Hauk-Šendorf), Jana Hrochová Wallingerová (Chambermaid) and Jiří Klecker (Stage Technician) as part of the comedy features, which balance out the opera seria at the opera's conclusion. This leaves soprano Eva Štěrbová as the curious and sweet-tone Kristina, the benchmark to Emilia’s beauty. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">Jiří Bĕlohlávek conducts the BBC Singers and BBC Symphony Orchestra in Janáček’s The Makropulos Affair at the BBC Proms 2016. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">(</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;">BBC/Chris Christodoulou.)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There is no question that Jiří Bělohlávek felt at home with the BBC Symphony Orchestra - his knowledge of Janáček’s music is visible through and through. There is a cinematic and dream-like quality about Janacek’s score, here, that is spellbinding and easy to love. The BBC Symphony Orchestra was also superb. They seemed comfortable with the challenges of the music particularly since there isn’t a specific aria to remember, yet this is the charm of the opera. The final scene is the most devastating and ardent, where the stage went green and Emilia sang with her last breath. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "utopia" , "palatino linotype" , "palatino" , serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>If you would like more information about the BBC Proms and future events, please click <a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_27669455" style="color: #191919; text-decoration: none;">here: </a></b></span><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms" style="color: #191919; text-decoration: none;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms</a></span></span></div>
nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.1277582999999822351.1912379 -0.77320529999998222 51.8234639 0.51768870000001777tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-70341814527133074112016-08-07T03:44:00.000-07:002016-08-07T03:52:23.194-07:00★★★ London Armenian Opera: Fire Ring at Grimeborn Festival 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Armenian opera Fire Ring came with crimson power and Avet Terterian’s musical imagination at the Arcola Theatre for its annual Grimeborn Festival. It was the first time many theatregoers had seen or heard an authentic Armenian Opera, which left many thoroughly enlightened. It was in the main studio that a diverse range of artistic types made their mark on director Seta White’s stage: tragic opera, harmonic and atonal music with translucent dance performances to balance out the hard tension intended by its composer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The London Armenian Opera (LAO) presented Armenian mysticism and creative flair, encapsulating its influence from the story by B. Lavrenev <i>Forty First</i>, a tale of love, war and revolution, and they weren’t alone. Akhtamar Performance Group and a small ensemble, conducted by music director Richard Harker, thrilled audiences which had them hanging off the edge of their seats. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Not many are familiar with the Armenian composer Terterian (1929-1994), yet he produced several works including symphonies and chamber works from behind the Iron Curtain and was praised by Russian composer, Dmitri Shostakovitch. His opera Fire Ring demonstrates the composer’s creative spark for the eclectic: modern experimentalism and Armenian motifs with atonality. This is completely justified for an opera that goes as far back as 1967 which found familiar footing in LAO’s 2016 staging. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Grimeborn has co-produced the work with LAO which expresses the bittersweet torment of a brave girl stuck on an island with the enemy. The opera captures the unsettling and internal struggles of the girl performed by Tereza Gevorgyan who sang with authority and confidence. She provided no sign of vulnerability but pure strength and loyalty to her comrades in the battle. Gevorgyan was vocally charged with passion, yet it was hard to find a sense of affection in her voice, which was also the case for Aris Nadirian, the officer from the other side. Nadirian is a talented performer who also has a gift for the stage, yet the union between these lovers seems invisible, which, unfortunately, cut out a vital part of the story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Sami Tammilehto made tough swings on the drums and cymbals, Brant Tilds performed with a fiery trumpet while Kristina Arakelyan provided dissonant chords on the piano, seizing the range of Terterian’s musical mastery. Yu-Wei Hu, on the other hand, hummed the songs of a lilting flute which was accompanied by the instrument of voices from a talented cast of young opera singers, underlining the intimacy between the rival lovers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Bass-baritone Benjamin Beurklian-Carter and tenor Stephen Mills sung from the back on the right side while mezzo Anaïs Heghoyan and soprano Tanya Hurst were on the left. Together they created penetrative sounds that revealed the web of destruction stuck on the island. ‘Da da da da da’, ‘da dum, du dum’ and high-pitched notes from the mezzo and soprano, although uncomfortable in the beginning act, were performed on repeat with tense music which was best explored in the second act.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Dancers: Arpi Kojayan, Maria Khorozyan and Asya Ghalchyan were a visual splendour to the show. Dressed in white, they lightened the mood by bringing down the tension with soft, synchronised choreographies, reminding the audience of the romantic narrative, and the moon and the mountains that surrounded the girl and the officer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In studio one, the performance became alive by the second half while the first didn't waste time and headed straight into a midst of fierce instruments and violent voices, which may put off some audiences. That being said, those who are up for a challenge may enjoy it, this one isn’t for the faint-hearted though. Fire Ring has a lot of firepower and emotion, which requires mental preparation, yet there’s a satisfactory ending with an unexpected conclusion. Hold on if you can. </span><br />
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">Grimeborn Festival is still taking place for the next coming weeks with more opera performances including <a href="http://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/grimeborn-the-marriage-of-figaro/2016-08-16/">The Marriage of Figaro</a> and <a href="http://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/grimeborn-mozart-and-salieri/2016-08-09/?spektrix_bounce=true">Mozart and Salieri.</a> <a href="http://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/grimeborn-fire-ring/2016-07-31/?spektrix_bounce=true">Click here for more information and purchase tickets. </a></span></b></div>
nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-24435624849546798312016-07-26T06:05:00.003-07:002016-07-27T10:24:32.184-07:00BBC Proms: Glydebourne: The Barber of Seville ★★★★<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Taylor Stayton as Count Almaviva and Alessandro Corbelli as Dr Bartolo in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville at the BBC Proms 2016</span><br style="color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Copyright: BBC/Chris Christodoulou</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Glyndebourne has returned to the Proms for Rossini’s mad opera of disguises and shaved beards, where the smiles and double entendres never seem to end. It is the first time that the BBC Proms have added The Barber of Seville to its programme, performed as a semi-stage presentation, and as last night highlighted it proved to be a spectacular night of giddiness, charming music and theatrical comedy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The opera, based on the first of a triology of plays by Beaumarchais, follows the journey of the Count (Taylor Stayton) as he seeks means to claim his love Rosina (Danielle de Niese), yet her brutish bore of a guardian Bartolo (Alessandro Corbelli) intends to marry her, and keep her for himself. But then, there is Figaro (Björn Bürger) – he’s the fixer. Together with the Count, Figaro assists him in his mission for love whilst getting themselves into numerous silly mishaps.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Both lead characters Figaro and the count, performed by Bürger and Stayton, are confident and animated - they play off well together. Vocally and theatrically they make a good duo, like jumping into each other’s laps, and harmonise with poise and lyricism. Corbelli gave a mighty and hilarious performance as the curmudgeon Bartolo, and was a great sport at it. In certain parts Corbelli had to sing fast and his vocal skills and timbre may have been compromised, but there’s an edge to his talents which makes him completely likable and amusing to watch.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px;">Danielle de Niese as Rosina and Alessandro Corbelli as Dr Bartolo in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville at the BBC Proms 2016</span><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px;">Copyright: BBC/Chris Christodoulou</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Niese, the wife of Glyndebourne’s chairman’s grandson, envisions Rosina to be a strong-willed cheeky flirt with eyes only for one man Lindoro, who the Count disguises himself as. Although her Rosina may bat her eyelids and appear tied to Bartolo's chambers, Niese assures the audience that Rosina has a spirit that wants to run free, away from a restricted married life with Bartolo's crankiness. Her Una voce poco fa was dynamic and entertaining; it called for a huge round of applauses as her voice was loud enough for the Royal Albert Hall to hear, yet I’ve heard stronger performers of Rosina’s pinnacle aria elsewhere. As she specified in an interview with Rebecca Franks, she is aware that Rossini wrote some parts of the opera for ‘super-high ranges’ and as she is a lyric, not coloratura, soprano, who sticks with the mezzo-soprano range, this inevitably causes some challenges for her. Nonetheless her performance was an impressive one, which enthralled prommers, including the male prommer who she ran to – she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and jumped back on the stage again (well, that’s what I gathered from my seat).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Italian conductor Enrique Mazzola provided Rossini’s sweet scented score with a dash of stage pizazz. This was light-heartedly performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra demonstrated through delightful harps, graceful clarinets and lively strings which enchanted prommers. Mazzola and the LPO also played a part in the storyline frolics too, by breaking the fourth wall; passing Rosina’s love letter to the Count and Mazzola having fun with the grumpy Bartolo who seemed to think he knew more about music than the maestro.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px;">Conductor Enrique Mazzola and Alessandro Corbelli as Dr Bartolo in</span><b style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;"> </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px;">Rossini’s The Barber of Seville at the BBC Proms 2016</span><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px;">Copyright: BBC/Chris Christodoulou</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Joanna Parker’s costume designs seemed to set our opera somewhere in Seville in the 17th century, with vivacious and handsome colours yet there were slices of the modern shown through Stayton’s cool full-length jacket and Niese tightly fitted, glamorous dresses. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Director Sinéad O’Neil's staging is a simple yet effective one. The performance at the Royal Albert Hall was clean, witty and infectiously fun. To think that the premier of the opera was a sham in 1816 baffles me as performances like last night, where there's a joke hidden in every corner of the staging, verify why The Barber of Seville is a popular masterpiece </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: large;">- not only composed to entertain opera newbies. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Danielle de Niese as Rosina, Björn Bürger as Figaro, Taylor Stayton as Count Almaviva and Janis Kelly as Berta in</span><b style="color: #222222; text-align: start;"> </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Rossini’s The Barber of Seville at the BBC Proms 2016</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">Copyright: BBC/Chris Christodoulou</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>If you would like more information about the BBC Proms and future events, please click <a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_27669455">here: </a></b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms">http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms</a></span></span><br />
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nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-70204721224083145072016-07-06T14:48:00.002-07:002016-07-06T14:54:26.822-07:00ROH: Il trovatore ★★★★<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RIsR0dVll6s/V314UXjJScI/AAAAAAAAQqk/lAcOrMIh-p0-31gwMwHK2Bjue0iCqW5QACKgB/s1600/DSC_2136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RIsR0dVll6s/V314UXjJScI/AAAAAAAAQqk/lAcOrMIh-p0-31gwMwHK2Bjue0iCqW5QACKgB/s640/DSC_2136.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left to Right: Christopher Maltman (Count di Luna), Anna Pirozzi (Leonora), Conductor Gianandrea Noseda, Gregory Kunde (Manrico) and Marina Prudenskaya (Azucena).</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Covent Garden stage is dark, covered with barb wire and full of flames for director David Bösch’s new production of Verdi’s great epic Il trovatore. Back in the 19th century, when it was first staged, many critics respected the work for its composition and the musical mastery of Verdi, however, there were many reservations over the horrifying and perplexing nature of its storyline. This entails child death <a href="http://culturevulture.net/music/jenufa/">(similar to what’s showing down the road at the ENO's production of Jenufa)</a>, vengeful gypsy mothers, family feuds and war. Of course, the tragic opera isn't complete without lovers caught in the fire, set back by impossible circumstances. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lead cast with Maurizio Muraro (Ferrando), Lauren Fagan (Ines), and David Junghoon Kim (Ruiz). </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Revenge, anger, hatred and determination, to right the wrongs of the past, are the core pillars of this opera classic, which makes Il trovatore a passionate and engrossing work of art. The troubadour Manrico steals the heart of Leonora who is also loved by Manrico’s rival Count di Luna. Manrico’s mother Azucena seeks revenge on those who murdered her own mother, while Count di Luna vows to find his lost brother Garzia, believed to have been murdered by Azucena. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the box.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">These tormented and blood-lusting characters in Verdi's and librettist Salvardore Cammarano’s masterpiece are full of fiery emotions, and include many arias and music pieces, often, used in popular commercials, from the Anvil Chorus and Manrico’s ‘Di quella pira.’ Here it is brought together by neatly measured and impassioned conducting by Italian maestro Gianandrea Noseda, as well as sophisticated playing by the ROH orchestra - sweet and tender in Leonora and Manrico’s duet ‘Miserere’, and feverishly intense for Azucena’s 'Stride la vampa’. There's also glorious singing from the ROH chorus at the highly dramatic parts including 'Or co' dadi ma fra poco' in act three.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The glowing music and brilliant vocal talents of the production's cast is a marvel in itself. Naples-born soprano Anna Pirozzi - certainly - brings the house down for instilling a tenacious Leonora with impressive top notes and vocal skill. Marina Prudenskaya also makes her Royal Opera House debut as the relentless Azucena. She’s the tour de force in this staging and presents a deeply tainted mother, tarnished by the child and mother she's lost. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">American tenor Gregory Kunde also charms the audience with a moving rendition of 'Di quella pira', which is a reminder of how difficult Verdi made the role of Manrico. And baritone Christopher Maltman returns to the Royal Opera House singing ‘Il balen del suo sorriso’ beautifully as the Count di Luna. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Bösch’s red-hot production, however, is slightly troubled by its drab staging. The production is saved by Verdi’s music and a great cast of performers, yet the visual projections, coordinated by video designer Patrick Bannwart, are weak links. Animated butterflies fly on to the stage screen, during various scene changes, without any meaning, and it felt as if no visual life was offered elsewhere. Yet an army tank and a heart made out of barb wire and sticks, burning at the most crucial moment of the entire opera, are some of the production's saving graces. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It is Verdi’s music that will make one go and see this opera, and nothing else. For any first-timer to Il trovatore, this opera is a pleasure to watch, which Covent Garden frames as a musical triumphant. My feelings for the opera are renewed - from a Verdi opera I haven't heard of before to an opera I've learnt to cherish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>There are two casts for this production, so please check the website for further details <a href="http://www.roh.org.uk/productions/il-trovatore-by-david-bosch">here</a>. </u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Showing until July 17th. </u></b></span></div>
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Anna Pirozzi deserves all the flowers and praise for instilling a tenacious Leonora. Brava! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROHTrovatore?src=hash">#ROHTrovatore</a> <a href="https://t.co/yjiiRxgOln">pic.twitter.com/yjiiRxgOln</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/750087316929179648">July 4, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Completely spent! Marina Prudenskaya is a tour de force as Azucena. Powerful performance! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROHTrovatore?src=hash">#ROHTrovatore</a> <a href="https://t.co/p0xiY9IQLw">pic.twitter.com/p0xiY9IQLw</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/750087312835506177">July 4, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Enjoyed Manrico performed by Gregory Kunde.His Di quella pira in Act 3 is moving. SOLID vocals <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROHTrovatore?src=hash">#ROHTrovatore</a> <a href="https://t.co/9hcy7lhwhQ">pic.twitter.com/9hcy7lhwhQ</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/750087272511500289">July 4, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Christopher Maltman on great form singing beautifully Il balen del suo sorriso, as Count di Luna <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ROHTrovatore?src=hash">#ROHTrovatore</a> <a href="https://t.co/J0iqkBSBdO">pic.twitter.com/J0iqkBSBdO</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/750087261140594688">July 4, 2016</a></blockquote>
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nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-24074701059040017432016-06-29T16:09:00.001-07:002016-06-29T16:28:35.165-07:00ENO: Tristan and Isolde ★★★★<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Many opera lovers know that there is much luscious music to discover with Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde. The climactic love-death song that is Liebestod (otherwise known as Isolde’s Verklärung), the glorious intensity of the score alongside the romantic verse written by the German composer himself are a few reasons, out of many, as to why it is considered a landmark opera which has influenced music history. Not forgetting the tragic story where two lovers down a love potion which leaves them stuck in a world they cannot exist together in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The English National Opera (ENO) last staged Wagner’s visceral opera twenty years ago, yet its newly appointed artistic director Daniel Kramer has introduced a new production with grand designs by award-winning contemporary artist Anish Kapoor – the man who designed the Orbital Tower at the heart of the Olympic Park and controversial sculptures for the French palace of Versailles. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The inspiration behind Wagner’s four-hour opera includes his admiration for Arthur Schopenhauer and his metaphysical ideas of the annihilation of the self, as well as his keen interest in medieval literature and another love; a love that is revealed through various letters he wrote to the wife of his benefactor, Mathilde Wesendonch.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although Wagner was already married, living in exile in Switzerland for his part in the Dresden Uprising of 1894, he felt compelled to write the ‘most full-blooded musical conception’. One could describe Wagner’s reasons for composing his monumental opera as a way of hammering out a message to Mathilde or releasing his own frustrations on such a sensitive situation. Regardless of his motivations, one thing that cannot be negated is the biopic nature the opera had on Wagner, where ‘words, stage setting, visible action, and music come together in closest harmony towards the central dramatic purpose.’</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The ENO’s previous musical director Edward Gardner returns to his former residence, and in this case for Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde, which he performs with warmth and vitality from start to finish. The ENO Orchestra also presents Wagner’s Gesamtkunstwerk (total artwork) exquisitely - the prelude and lovely ‘Tristan chord’, which lingers throughout the opera are a wonder to hear. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="456" mozallowfullscreen="true" src="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Mxn7C7apelm0cDt_wNNRRRlReifGtg7mvOH8wCbBqM8/embed?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="760"></iframe>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Following the nihilistic notions of Schopenhauer; the yearning for the dark, escape from the realities of the day in exchange for an existence beyond the physical, light plays a huge part of the production's staging and this is executed by Paul Anderson’s light designs, which assists Kapoor’s large scale artworks. However, some audience members may feel a bit left behind with what they see before them.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A golden stage divided by three, a huge ball sliced in half with our lovers hiding in its inner cave, and a ripped out hole, which releases blood, are the artist’s ‘vision for a complete artistic experience’, yet these abstract works can appear ambiguous unless one is familiar with Kapoor’s work. Much praise goes to the visual lighting effects that take place on stage, but a visually stimulating stage isn’t necessary for a grand opera that is already a musical masterpiece in its own right.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The production’s costumes, designed by Christina Cunningham, are filled with characteristics from a Star Wars movie, which also seem weak in relevance to the opera or Kapoor's complex staging despite their craft and sophistication.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nonetheless, justice can be found from outstanding performances including Stuart Skelton as Tristan. His robust and silvery voice makes his Tristan a triumphant performance which is no surprise for a tenor who received positive reviews for his role as Peter Grimes at the ENO. Karen Cargill, as Brangäne, and Craig Colclough, as Kurwenal, sing effectively and energetically while Matthew Rose deeply impresses and charms the audiences as elderly King Marke. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Making her debut at the ENO is Heidi Melton. Many members of the audience sob as she closes the opera with her version of Liebstod. Singing the role of Isolde is a tough challenge, bestowing a devoted and headstrong princess but Melton doesn't falter. She is solid in the beginning scenes, but performs best at its conclusion, rendering the auditorium speechless. It is a touching sight seeing Isolde sing romantic words, similar to a sonnet, as she holds Tristan's face - an image that will stay with me for a long time. </span></span><br />
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 2.5rem;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.eno.org/whats-on/tristan-and-isolde/?action=book">Tristan and Isolde</a> is playing at the London Coliseum until July 9. <a href="https://www.eno.org/whats-on/tristan-and-isolde/?action=book">Click here to book tickets. </a></span></span></div>
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Climax!Heidi Melton gives us the catharsis needed. I haven't cried, at an opera, like that for months! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENOTristan?src=hash">#ENOTristan</a> 😵 <a href="https://t.co/3VlxdfVlUv">pic.twitter.com/3VlxdfVlUv</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/747154766552260609">June 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Mind the blood!<br />Bravo tutti <a href="https://twitter.com/StuartSkelton">@StuartSkelton</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/cargillmezzo">@cargillmezzo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/roseandfriends">@roseandfriends</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hojotoheidi">@hojotoheidi</a>.Another spectacular production <a href="https://t.co/YrkLJwlzOi">pic.twitter.com/YrkLJwlzOi</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/747158662418993152">June 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hojotoheidi">@hojotoheidi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/cargillmezzo">@cargillmezzo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AnnieLydford">@AnnieLydford</a> The upper circle was filled with sobbers.I had my hand on my chest, couldn't stop the tears. Boo!</div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/747159190133743616">June 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Quality cast, orginal set designs by an award-winning artist,glorious conducting, passionate playing, and most of all - Wagner! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENOTristan?src=hash">#ENOTristan</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/747155857440391169">June 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Anish Kapoor's set designs are an artistic marvel.He's placed <a href="https://twitter.com/StuartSkelton">@StuartSkelton</a> (Tristan) &Heidi Melton on a mystical moon in Act 2 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/enotristan?src=hash">#enotristan</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/747121353258565632">June 26, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-6918436168210676472016-06-16T14:45:00.003-07:002016-06-16T14:51:44.602-07:00The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, West End ★★★★★<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKAwe5hEHlOSIaApFZKCjrqsRQVYA8mrfSHZNxpgOnqRgS4VRkvNYfu_oyPTCpwrtuRb9r2mAMKDbBSg3w3U-B6FxbxuRoWR_3JzCRXMtTKWEPQ_e7r6F3GvaxHhp4ZAQ8jkJuweBXb58/s320/The+Curious+Incident+of+the+Dog+in+the+Night+Time_Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKAwe5hEHlOSIaApFZKCjrqsRQVYA8mrfSHZNxpgOnqRgS4VRkvNYfu_oyPTCpwrtuRb9r2mAMKDbBSg3w3U-B6FxbxuRoWR_3JzCRXMtTKWEPQ_e7r6F3GvaxHhp4ZAQ8jkJuweBXb58/s320/The+Curious+Incident+of+the+Dog+in+the+Night+Time_Poster.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Just
like three years ago, when I first saw the National Theatre’s production of The
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, I had a warm fuzzy feeling as I
left the Gielgud Theatre last night. It was just as inquisitive, visually
stimulating and theatrical as I recall. Back then it was staged at West End’s
Apollo Theatre and suffered from its stage ceiling collapsing which meant that
the show was absent from the West End for a few months, yet it soon returned,
in a new location.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Since
2013, the production has gained international recognition and continues to pull
in new audiences. Writer, Simon Stephen adapted Mark Haddon’s acclaimed
novel for the stage (now used in the classroom as a children’s textbook), which
blew both West End and Broadway away; last year it won five Tony Awards
including Best Play and Best Director. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The
show itself has so many things to love about it. Firstly, its lead character -
the socially awkward 15-year-old with behavioral issues - Christopher Boone is
something out of the ordinary and I don’t mean that to highlight his mental
disability, in this case Asperger Syndrome, but that it pinpoints the
difficulty endured by those who can't interact or engage with others, who
detest human touch and physically lash out when stuck in an uncomfortable
situation. Often the actor who plays Christopher has a tough challenge,
remembering line after line of theorems and algebraic formulas whilst pacing
fast up and around the stage (literally!) – it takes real courage and skill to play
the role. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I’ve
had the pleasure of seeing the original Christopher played by Luke Treadaway.
He was a wonder to watch and truly encapsulated the attributes of Christopher’s
peculiar personality and wild imagination. Sîon Daniel Young is the most current
version of Christopher who also provides a memorable performance, bringing the
human story much closer to the audience. Both brilliant actors, there is no set
way of showcasing the traits of a person with Asperger Syndrome, and I doubt
this was their intention, nor the director’s, Marianne Eliott. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The
second reason I love this production is that the staging is utilised to the T. It lights up like stars, beams at you in emergency red and has layers
of hidden cupboards and doors filled with LEGO models and other surprises.
Given the logical and systematic mind of Christopher, the stage is fashioned as
a place to see Christopher’s thought process as he identifies who killed
Wellington, the neighbour’s pet dog. With dreams of becoming a scientist, and - perhaps - travelling up to space and in it, Christopher’s mathematical ability
is explored - it is a mirror of today’s university departments that have a high
concentration of mathematicians with Asperger’s; it is associated with their
brain's capacity to focus on a problem and cancel everything else out. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Adrian
Sutton’s music – a whiff of electronica and moving themes – also sets the tone
for a play not solely based on a dog murder mystery. Stephens is known for
writing stage works of a macabre and realistic nature, as I've seen in his other work, Wastwater <a href="https://www.londontheatre1.com/news/138098/4-star-wastwater-at-the-tabard-theatre-review/">(click here to read the review)</a>, and in Christopher's case it’s
a slightly abusive, jilted father and a depressed mother who left him as a
result of the hardship of raising him. Without giving any spoilers away, it’s a
real human story that has its poignant moments that are lifted with some dark
humour, smart stagecraft, and ambient lighting.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My
third reason for admiring the show is the ensemble, of up to nine cast members.
On top of being skillful and energetic, they are a significant force that
pushes Christopher through his mathematical adventures and dog investigation. Together they play over
thirty characters whilst physically carrying Christopher on their backs,
holding him up to the wall and turning him around in mid-air. Overall, it’s a
fast-paced, intelligent and entertaining show that will remind audiences' of
the chaotic journey commuters have to take on the TFL, and somehow come out
alive once they have reached their destination. </span><span style="font-family: "avenir heavy";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>To book tickets, please click here for<a href="http://www.boxoffice.co.uk/arts-and-theatre-tickets/plays/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time-tickets.aspx"> Box Office.co.uk</a>. - It is showing until February 2017.</b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><b>For more information on the production, please click here <a href="http://www.curiousonstage.com/">http://www.curiousonstage.com</a></b></span></div>
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nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3368386529346826687.post-23200257986625909912016-06-06T15:28:00.000-07:002016-07-06T15:37:19.478-07:00ENO: Jenůfa ★★★★<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.thestage.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/ENO-Jenufa-ENO-Chorus-Laura-Wilde-and-Valerie-Reid-c-Donald-Cooper-1-700x455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://www.thestage.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/ENO-Jenufa-ENO-Chorus-Laura-Wilde-and-Valerie-Reid-c-Donald-Cooper-1-700x455.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Donald Cooper.</td></tr>
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<div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px !important; margin-bottom: 11px; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.00392157) 1px 1px 1px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Despite how musically rich and sensitive Janáček’s opera Jenůfa is, its grotesque storyline, which includes the murdering of a child, is not. It captures a sample of small-town life in Moravian Slovakia during the mid-1850s, which first influenced Gabriela Preissová to write Její Pastorkyňa (“The Stepdaughter”), which inspired Janáček to compose his opera.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/opera/2016/06/27/jenufa1-xlarge_trans++qVzuuqpFlyLIwiB6NTmJwZs98gPXSUmxOpdeTYrrb_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/opera/2016/06/27/jenufa1-xlarge_trans++qVzuuqpFlyLIwiB6NTmJwZs98gPXSUmxOpdeTYrrb_8.jpg" height="248" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Alistair Muir</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It took 10 years to complete and during that time Janáček’s work took an autobiographical turn as his daughter, also caught up in an unhappy affair and a similar fate to Jenůfa, died from typhoid fever. Janáček takes us to a sound world of grief, shame and guilt in a society where tragic consequences, prejudice, and hypocrisy took place for a woman who bore a child out of wedlock – it was considered a mortal sin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Janáček’s musical achievements are often neglected, unfortunately, and underperformed, though in the last couple of years there has been a surge of his great works programmed at some the UK’s top concert halls; The Cunning Little Vixen and Jenůfa is one of them. David Alden’s 2006 production, of the latter, has returned to the London Coliseum in luminous and triumphant form.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.markronan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/2.ENO-Jenufa-Michaela-Martens-and-Nicky-Spence-c-Laura-Wilde.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.markronan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/2.ENO-Jenufa-Michaela-Martens-and-Nicky-Spence-c-Laura-Wilde.jpg" height="521" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Donald Cooper</td></tr>
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<div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px !important; margin-bottom: 11px; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.00392157) 1px 1px 1px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Back then the production won an Olivier Award for Best New Production, and if the 2006 production was as good as it was last night, then much credit is due to the intense focus of its outlandish characters, dramatic and minimal staging as well as its refined and impassioned melodies.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px !important; margin-bottom: 11px; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.00392157) 1px 1px 1px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">An empty run-down Eastern bloc of a factory yard, plucked from a Communist system, is how Charles Edwards’ displays Janáček’s Moravian Slovakian community. Jon Morrell presents simple costumes for the cast, drawn from a closed off society, while the lyrical score is welded together by the unwavering prowess of the ENO chorus and the finesse of the ENO’s most recent music director, accomplished Mark Wigglesworth. (He resigned from the position over controversial disputes with ENO’s senior management this year.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Stage and vocal performances from the lead cast are courageous too. Nicky Spence provides a vivid picture of Jenůfa’s lover Steva; he’s an obnoxious alcoholic and reckless womanizer, yet he sings with a rich and fluid voice. His brash character is so superficial that he leaves Jenůfa after his jealous half-brother Laca, sung impressively by Peter Hoare, slashes her cheek with a knife, out of frustrated love for her.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px !important; margin-bottom: 11px; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.00392157) 1px 1px 1px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Laura Wilde offers a true and honest depiction of a troubled woman starved of love, childless, and left bitterly disillusioned. Although Wilde’s vocal lines brim with empathy and sentimental force as Jenůfa, it isn’t as powerful as I would like. Hopefully, this is insight based on the first night only and her performance enhances as the production goes on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Michaela Martens, on the other hand, took charge of the stage as Jenůfa’s paranoid and concerned stepmother Kostelnicka – her voice is utterly spellbinding. Her character is the catalyst in the opera, and Martens encapsulates the trauma of a mother consumed by a community controlled by religious and social pressures.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px !important; margin-bottom: 11px; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.00392157) 1px 1px 1px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Rarely performed, David Alden’s production at the ENO is worth the watch even if it is almost three hours long. Any die hard Janáček fan should make it their mission to see it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://culturevulture.net/music/jenufa/">This review was first published on CultureVulture.net.</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This production is showing until the <b>8th of July</b>.<a href="https://www.eno.org/whats-on/jenufa/"> Click here to see the ENO website and purchase tickets. </a></span></div>
</div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="fr">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENOJenufa?src=hash">#ENOJenufa</a> <br /><br />L U M I N O U S! <a href="https://t.co/gHV9wNBBIw">pic.twitter.com/gHV9wNBBIw</a></div>
— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryGNguyen/status/746095043065294848">June 23, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>nguyenuk11http://www.blogger.com/profile/05018220599321337585noreply@blogger.com0