The Eternal Womanizer

Don Giovanni strikes again at HGO.
It mostly does not make any difference how this opera is presented.  
Mozart's music continually lures and enchants.

Even if, as led by Trevor Pinnock, the orchestra started slow to build to almost Wagnerian sounds often drowning out some singers.
Even if, the set by Oberle, designed with longevity in mind (lol) is used again and again, with lots of simple, clean lines and in neutral colors, could be used for numerous operas, not only for Mozart's. Goeran Jaervefelt's  original directions were more or less faithfully executed by Harry Silverstein

Even if, as was the case, a smallish voiced singer however cute, did not do justice to the role.

Overall, the cast was led with stunning force by the Donna Anna of Rachel Willis Sorensen (in a video clip from Tannhaueser), a HGO Studio alumna,  whose patient lover Don Ottavio sung with precise enunciation and clarity by Joel Prieto (photo above by Felix Sanchez).

PhotoCredit Felix Sanchez HGO website

Equally exciting, and as promised (Showboat's Joe:!), was
the stentorian deep voice of Morris Robinson (right as her slain father, the Commendatore ,
And the resolute, and easily heard over the loudest orchestra, Leporello  by Kyle Ketelsen.

Veronika Dzhioeva as Donna Elvira sang creditably, but with somewhat less fervor than the Donna Elvira of the past, Ana Maria Martinez, although in looks they could be twins.

Malin Christensson, a pipingly voiced pretty little Zerlina was frequently inaudible over the crashing sounds of the orchestra, alas. What was heard though, did sound sweet.

Masetto, sung with a warm bass bariton by former HGO Studio alumnus Michael Sumuel, provided some comic relief.

IMO, the best chosen singer for the role of the dissipated womanizer Don Giovanni, was undoubtedly Viennese born Adrian Eroed  (right) who embodied the dissolute aristocrat perfectly.

Photo Credit Felix Sanchez HGO website

He looked it, he sounded it, he acted it well, very well. He made us sympathise with this man even as we despised him. But what can one do when a man sticks up for his life/belief in the face of going to hell, however misguided that is.

This image of  the Don has fascinated audiences, singers,
directors for centuries. We are appalled, and yet attracted to a scoundrel with panache! Aren't we?

And Mozart wrote music, that is so integral to this image. The Don has fewer soli than the rest and yet dominates.
 
As much as we like the idea of an adoring lover (Ottavio) in principal,  we perhaps feel he is a wimp opposite the forceful and (maybe a bit) homophobic Donna Anna.
The one we do feel sorriest for, is Donna Elvira  who stays optimistic till almost the end.  A woman  scorned but still infatuated.

The moralizing end is so ambiguous, that IMO, it should be left off!
Maybe it was written to warn us not to admire the DON with his evil {?}ways, too much!

Hmm, if that was the reason, it does not quite make it.
We still are on his side, nevertheless ;-)!

Wahre Liebe fuerchtet nicht!

True Love knows no fear! Fidelio - finally seen at HGO today.
And it was a tour de force by Karita Mattila, Kristinn Sigmundsson and Simon O'Neil.
Mattila did the role of Leonore=Fidelio great justice.
She sang with conviction, a vocal force with strong expression, but also lyrical softness when called for and beautifully enunciated German.

She was the most loyal wife in search of her missing husband.
Who was sung with steely clarity in good German by Tenor Simon O'Neil.

When he sang GOD! - spinning it out for ever, or so it seemed - at the first moments of the second part shivers crept down my spine!

Rocco, sung by  Kristinn Sigmundsson I truly liked very much. His voice rang out powerfully with the best German pronunciation of them all. IMO.  Unfortunately no video clips of him as Rocco.. but here as Dr. Basilio his rich bass shines.

Tomas Tomasson's baritone seemed a bit forced as Don Pizarro. But he coped well to garner boos from the audience - not for his singing but for the kind of character he portrayed, rather effectively.

Soprano Brittany Wheeler (*) successfully sang Marcelline.. her German was very good as well.
And Bass Baritone Kyle Ketelsen as the Minister Don Fernando, Tenor Norman Reinhard (+)as Jaquino  gave good accounts for themselves.
Tenor Brendan Touhy (*) sang the First Prisoner with a bell like tenor while Mark Diamond's (*) suave baritone as Second Prisoner seemed a bit drowned out by the swell of the orchestra.
Which was conducted by Michael Hofstetter (Beatrice and Benedict - you may remember his conducting of that opera) in quite a suitable manner given that much is more symphonic than most operas.
The horns were superb.

Wagner may have borrowed from Beethoven in HIS use of horns and other wind instruments.
And he could not have paid as stronger compliment to the genius that was Ludwig Van Beethoven.
(*) current studio members, (+) former studio member.
Staging was stark, effective, with tiers. Costumes updated to a non-specific modern time somewhere!
Prisoner chorus (clip below) well rehearsed by Richard Bado, HGO's Chorus master

Meanwhile at the Toyota Center the Houston Aeros have 5 goals  vs. Charlotte Checkers with 2 goals.

Aeros scored 2 in the First, 2 in the Second. 1 in Third/

SOG's by the Aeros have diminished from 12, 10 to 5

DiSalvatore with 2 goals.

Ortmeyer 1 goal.

Wellman scores an empty net PP goal!

Other AHL Action:

Rampage win vs Texas 3-2 (stopping a long loosing streak).

Hamilton 5 - Binghamton 2

Whale 3 - St. John's 4

Providence 3-Worcester 2 (Anton Khudobin stopping 47 of 49 SoGs)

Toronto 4 - Albany 3

Bridgeport 4 - Hershey 3

 OKC 2 - Milwaukee 3