Bizet's Carmen at HGO

So, you say, you know CARMEN!

As I know CARMEN? I have seen and heard the Carmens of, among others, Agnes Baltsa (yes..that long ago-see clip ), sexy Julia Migenes (in the famous filmed version at Ronda with a young (and sexy, too) Domingo), leopard clad Denyce Graves,  more classical Beatrice Uriah Monzon, and others. The sole exception is Beyonces attempt as Carmen most recently.
As I much younger opera lover I really liked Carmen. And as I (I confess) like las Corridas a las cinco de las tardes, especially. There is something in los toros, that I also find in Operas and Hockey! The excitement, the music, the individual feats of action, the unrealistic drama.......sorry, I digress!
Aging, gracefully I hope, Carmen became just another popular opera whilst appreciating the rarer gems. And so I went to HGO's Dress rehearsal of CARMEN with pleasant anticipation because several in the cast were 'old' acquaintances, singers from past operas, and studio.
And guess, what...I was captivated again by this Carmen. Ana Maria Martinez simply IS Carmen. With flair, with grace, defiance, come-hither, and repulse. She dances really well, looks ravishing, acts impressively all the while singing sultrily or scathingly.  Using her astonishing voice superbly. One can readily believe all men are at her feet in adulation. Martinez is HOT!
Her Don Jose is Brandon Jovanovich and HE matches her in HOTness ;-) with a clear tenor, flexible and expressive; he, too acts very well.
Ryan McKinny is an energetic acrobatic Escamillo, his voice IMO is a bit too husky for the part. But he acquits himself with pundonor como una famosa espada ought. Natalya Romaniv's Micaela is played and sung quite prettily as it ought to be; she is, after all, goodness personified.
Of the other members in order of appearance:
Morales is Samuel Schultz, a newcomer, he does it well, in this somewhat easily overlooked, cameo, role.
Robert Gleadow returns as Zuniga and sounds suitably officerlike.
Uliana Alexyuk sings Frasquita sweetly with a clear sound,
Carolyn Sproule is Mercedes, who matches Uliana in sound.
As Dancaire, Reginald Smith, Jr., powerfully overshadows his comrade in arms, Remendado, sung by John McVeigh. I recall well McVeigh's somewhat distinct tenor from his time here, and in productions heard on the radio. Here he sounds lost beside the big voiced Smith.
What makes this production so exciting and DIFFERENT were the dancers.
On the, primarily, spare set (by David Rockwell)  and unusually lit brighter than I have seen (by Donald Holder),
the solo dancer, as el toro, was Rasta Thomas. AND HE WAS EXCELLENT!
The costumes (by Julie Weiss) for the dancers outshone the others with the exception of Martinez's which seemed painted on in a most pleasing (or should that be teasing way?)
The children's chorus (directed by Karen Reeves) sing and act prettily, and the HGO Chorus, as we have come to expect, sing well as usual under the direction of Chorus Master Richard Bado. 
Rob Ashford as Director and Choreographer essays several innovative ideas which makes this production better than many I have seen in the past.
HGO orchester is energetically, at times too (lol) energetically requiring the drinking of lots of water, conducted by, a very youthful, Rory Macdonald.
Looks like the whole cast and creative team is YOUNG.
And that, chers readers, gives me hope for the survival of opera into the future. Young singers, young creative teams..  and - hopefully - young audiences. All is not lost on planet Opera, methinks.

Aida, the turquoise and lots of blue, and gold version Update 10/20

HGO honors Verdi's anniversary by reprising an AIDA of golden pomp and turquoise circumstances under the watchful eye of Horus :-), as envisioned by Zandra Rhodes, who IS responsible for design and costumes.

Which stunned years ago when premiered at HGO, and still does with this reprisal.  Only the singers are different, well almost all.

And if we think Aida we hear the Triumphal March from it's Act 1.
Amazingly, this opera. mostly known for its monumental scope, actually relies only on 3 major singers, Amneris, Radames and Aida. The other 3 soloists (Ramfis, Amonasro and the King) are just the icing on the cake. Dancers, huge chorus and super numbers could be seen as the whipped cream atop the whole confection :-). If one wants to see it that way.

The Amneris of Dolora Zajick will be remembered well by the HGO audience! If one believes in reincarnation, then one must believe Amneris to have come back as Zajick! She does own that role!! And is still a powerhouse on stage with her unique voice that can sound so seductive, yet still manages to threaten from the deep reaches of her chest!
Below her performance as Amneris at the Met in 2009:

The huge Chorus as usual well prepared and coached by Chorus Master Richard Bado, of acclaimed fame!

 

The masses on stage are filled out with non-singing supers, and Dominic Walsh Dancers who despite their costumes (as a friend remarked on the way home :Think "Cats") did rather well, although.. causing a few chuckles be same friend!

Liudmila Monastyrska As Aida delivered all that her critics promised. A powerful voice, that got better as the opera progressed and ended in fine softly delivered last song!

Riccardo Massi - Radames  here as Pollione from Norma, impressive in purple and gold, yup very impressive!! :-)

 

And he is equally impressive in turquoise (lol), a commanding present on stage with clarion sound, what more can one ask of a Radames. That he is a rather handsome man did him great service and the applause proved it, especially after Celeste Aida! We muts hope he will be asked back many times to sing us more Verdi!

Scott Hendricks, former HGO Studio member returns to the stage as Amonasro, the Ethiopian king, Despite the beggarly costume and half shaved (wig) head, Studio alumnus used his histrionic talent accompanied by stentorian singing to good avail. he still is as limber as we have seen him as Rigoletto.

Ain Anger, a new comer to HGO sings Priest Ramfis. He is a truly sonorous bass. The orangy (lol) pleated skirt of his priestly costume looked perfectly apropriate on his tall imposing figure, setting him apart from the other pleated skirted masses! I would not mind having him back, as well.

Bass Robert Gleadow is the Egyptian King, I am always a bit surprised when I hear such deep and yet, mellow, voices issue from slender men! This deep sound ought to burst forth from a  much bigger chest, right? Well, Gleadow, bass baritone, who has been here previously, did not disappoint and is am impressive King!

HGO Studio member Natalya Romaniw as priestess, sings beautifully from backstage or side stage.
And the Messenger is sung acceptably by Kevin Rayn. 

Maestro Antonino Fogliani conducts with enthusiasm and - I perceive -  real admiration for Verdi's monumental opera. And this was just the final dress rehearsal, when sometimes singers conserve their voices, which this cast seemingly had no need to do!
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Sunday evening:
The big surprise this afternoon was TENOR ISSACHAH SAVAGE as Radames who will sing the role again November 1.  I was quite beguiled by this more lyrical voice than Massi. A real buttery voice, IMO. So if you can go on November 1!

The other event:
Dolara Zajic announced she has a cold, but would sing anyway.
AND SHE DID!
The consummate professional she truly gave her best.
From a cold I, and several others, could not 'hear or see' a sign!

Maria Stuarda

by Donizetti. A Bel Canto Opera and so it was.
Two unfortunate events made this an interesting rehearsal:
1) Tenor Cutler was indisposed and HGOStudio member Touhy sang from the side while a staff member mimed action on stage.
2) Bass Gradus sang with less than usual fervor in order to conserve HIS voice.

But the result was the same: an incredibly beautifully realized opera, sets, staging, lights, costumes, music, and ABOVE ALL singing as it should be (Bel Canto !!)

Here a clip from 2005:Di Donato as Maria and Cutler as Leicester

BIG LIKE: Joyce Di Donato as a mesmerizing Maria Stuarda, oh, boy, can she sing, can she act, and CAN she keep the audience so enthralled during her pianissimos that nor a rustle, sniffle or any other sound was heard. The orchestra took a break and only she was heard even when she just barely whispered (pianissimo of pianissimos!).
OH MY YES!

Katie Van Kooten, as Elisabeth I, was imposing and did real justice to her role as the vindictive queen. And yet one could almost, almost, feel sorry for her being so tortured as she appeared to be, too strongly influenced by Cecil (Oren Gradus- who labored mightily overcoming a vocal problem due to?? and so sounding much less imposing than he usually is).


Van Kooten: Photo
OPERA today

Eric Cutler, slated to sing Leicester, was announced to be ill, and so Brendan Touhy of the HGO Studio vocally stood in for him from stage right (audience view) and truly sounded very, yes, very well!
To me, admittedly predisposed to like deep voices, Robert Gleadow as Talbot was just right. Of course that he had a very sympathetic role may have something to do with being liked!
At least by me. I cannot, of course, speak for others.
Opera IS so much a subjective art form, after all.

Since is it BEL CANTO.. the singing must be in the forefront, IMO.
And so it was.

Sets and staging were simply (I am not saying cost effective LOL) and nothing, really detracted from the singers!

A beautifully copied coffered ceiling with movable columns (sets by Neil Patel) seemed just right to me! Stage was frequently empty and stark, but that too, seemed just right! After all the play/opera is stark.  About emotions of love, hate, evil incubus (Cecil?) and so forth. The lightning by Wood/Clark was also simple and stark and effective.
Costumes by Jessica Jahn were period and - that was a real pleasure! (after the other mish mash as posted before. Especially so).
Patrick Summers honed (it was the last rehearsal remember) the HGO orchestra to perfection, while Richard Bado managed the chorus well, especially during the last act to give much pleasure.
It will be a fitting end to a great season at HGO IMO.
As I am neither singer nor musician, my feelings are strictly due to having seen/heard many operas in many houses.

If you did not like it DO feel free to comment!

A Smattering of Crosses

Houston Grand Opera's 5 acter DON CARLOS sung in the long original (1887 ? version) French, boasts crosses. Lots of them.
Black ones, small ones,  big ones!
Red ones, and red ones glowing ominously in the dark.

Stark, dark, ominous and threatening.
Fitting sets to the dark, ominous and strong music Verdi composed for this tragedy in 5 acts set during the deepest gloom in Spanish history- the inquisition after a play by Schiller.
The most glorious voices were assembled as cast.
From Soprano Tamara Wilson's silvery yet big voiced Elisabeth to the deepest male voices.
Yes, the basses were upfront on stage here.
From the veteran Samuel Ramey as the Grand Inquisitor who trumps everyone and everything singing gravelly with power (at age 70 yet); via Oren Gradus, a truly sepulchral spirit of Charles V; and Andrea Silvistrelli as Philippe II, the tortured father and anguished husband of Elisabeth, who was originally slated to be his own son's fiancee, to the lighter voiced Boris Dyakov, as always so elegant, as Count Lerme.

The baritones did not stay far behind.
The dramatically sung and especially acted Marquis Posa of Scott Hendricks was  rather emotional to behold. Mark Diamond's Forester showcased his fresh baritone voice in this cameo role.

But the glory of the show went, without hesitations to the 3 main characters.
Soprano Wilson, a regal and yet very sympathetic Elisabeth, trying to uphold her vows.
Christine Goerke,  as Countess Eboli, embodied unrequited love scorned and turned to vicious hatred with a powerful mezzo. But was equally believable in her solo O don fatale, bemoaning her fatal beauty and atoning for her misdeeds.

And Brandon Jovanovich  as Don Carlos used his amazingly big ringing tenor voice to portray love, desire, desperation, resolution and friendship. And his good looks did not hurt at all. He was undoubtedly easily accepted as the love interest of 2 beautiful and powerful women, plus the inspiration of devotion by his best friend.

In other cameos we heard the fine soprano Brittany Wheeler as celestial voice, soprano Lauren Snouffer in the travesty role of Thibault, page ot Elisabeth, Scott Quinn as King's Herald and Judith Irvington as Countess Aremberg.
The HGO orchestra was led by Maestro Summers with sensitivity, while  Chorus Master Bado, as usual, had the HGO chorus singing uniformly with beauty.

Direction by John Caird who placed singers well on stage easily viewed from most seats in the house, (sitting on side orchestra I can attest to that). The set of crosses in all forms and colors was by Johan Engels, well highlighted by lighting designer Levings. Choreography by Sayers.

And now I come to the crux (truly cross to bear, IMO) of the matter:
 the costuming by Oberle!
A terrible mish mash of traditional, modernized (but from which decades?) customes. costumes.
The chorus women's royal blues in various shades at least were becoming.
Elisabeth's dresses were y demonstrative of her role as innocent princess and later wronged queen.
Eboli's simply did not convey the countess's implied (O don fatale! remember) attraction. Oh my, that insipid pink at first.
Later the deeply decolletage'd black lace (a midi-skirted fifties look?) did give perhaps a slight hint of a night of debauchery with the King!

But the men's.
Deliver me from the men's.
From Don Carlos' first appearance in a semblance of Raiders of the Lost Ark get up, to his later costume reminiscent of Pontevedrian counts, with perhaps a soupcon of Mikado thrown in; to the gangster (not gangsta - thank heavens) look complete with black fedoras of the male court, and finally the black stormtrooper looks of the jailers and guards, IMO caused hysterical rather than sinister impressions and seemed, to me, without rhyme nor reason.

Oh, I should not forget the red "Ku Klux clannishly" (:-) clad inquisition executioners. While the Grand Inquisitor was cardinally (lol) dressed simply in black with purple sash and scull cap.

The production by HGO is worth going to, just to the hear the original opera composed by Verdi for the French in the French language (later it was translated into multiple versions, shortened, and re-shortened LOL into Italian which IMO sounds more suited to Verdian Music). But the singers overall did a magnificent job singing en Francais, in French that was actually understood rather well by those in the audience who have knowledge of that tongue, moi included!