tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73990187435546697422024-02-02T04:45:08.185-05:00Maestro Mark's MusingsPeter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-51868849405510532682010-07-23T12:01:00.001-04:002010-07-23T14:31:02.320-04:00Mid-Summer UpdateAfter a long silence I thought it would be good to give you all a mid-summer artistic report. <br />
First of all, the <a href="http://vaopera.org/">Virginia Opera season</a> (<a href="http://www.vaopera.org/">http://www.vaopera.org/</a>) just past.<br />
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I was very proud of the season we were able to present, especially given the budget cuts forcing reductions to the normal requirements of the repertoire we presented. In fact many people said that our DON GIOVANNI and PORGY AND BESS productions were among the best they had seen ever, ANYWHERE. And that is a real achievement given that we were budgeted more for a concert version of PORGY AND BESS than as an opera! Kudos to all of our behind-the-scenes talent and teamwork that pulled that off! And I was particularly pleased that we had given the ground-breaking title PORGY role to our fabulous young Schaunard from BOHEME, Michael Redding, who turned out to be singularly moving and brilliant in the role. We will hear more from and about him I’m sure.<br />
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In fact I brought Michael and our Serena (the extraordinary young Aundi Marie Moore) with me to the 6th <a href="http://www.maputomusic.com/">Maputo International Music Festival</a> (www.maputomusic.com) and presented both of them in a fluid 90-minute version of PORGY AND BESS in Jewel Box production along with a pre-selected group of Mozambican choristers and dancers who were trained by Joe Walsh and our Broadway director Greg Ganakas. It was a phenomenal and even a transformational experience for all involved (which you can almost <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/peter.mark579/MaputoPORGYRehearsal?authkey=Gv1sRgCNK7z4uBgO7WZw#">see in the photos</a>). Moira Forjaz, the head of the Festival, also brought <a href="http://www.intermezzofoundation.org/artists/evrard.html">Manon Strauss Evrard</a> to sing two orchestral concerts with the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra (South Africa's top orchestra) in both Durban and Maputo, and she was a big success.<br />
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Immediately after that I was able to catch up with dozens of colleagues and friends at the Opera America conference in Los Angeles and introduce our VOA President to LA Opera President Carol Henry (who had attended our TRISTAN in the Harrison Opera House), Impresaria Irene Dalis, the MET International Mezzo and Isolde (who has run Opera San Jose so successfully in the decades since she retired from her singing career), Marilyn Shapiro (friend, and chief fund-raiser for the MET Centenniel Campaign and in recent years for LA Opera), and several other opera luminaries. And attend the Iturbi International Voice Competition where our own Serena -- Aundi Marie Moore walked off with the Audience Favorite Award in LA this June, and Thea and I were there to support her!<br />
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Shortly after that I traveled to the Greek Island of Syros to help founder/soprano Eilana Lappalainen create the Greek Opera Studio there this past June/July -- where singers and coaches from Europe and the Americas came to join my Masterclasses. It is a beautiful island, a major port, and has the most beautiful small horse-shoe opera house (Apollo Theater). Photos of the hall and the classes there are posted; just <a href="http://www.buckhillskytopfest.org/#/GALLERY-07-01/">click on the Masterclasses</a>. Eilana herself is transitioning from a more lyric soprano into a more dramatic soprano. After she sang Micaela, Liu, and Violetta for us a decade ago in Virginia, I brought and conducted her BUTTERFLY at Bellas Artes in Mexico City -- before she expanded her repertoire and career to Germany, where she is known for her SALOME. She returned to VOA for TROVATORE the season before last, and is now singing TURANDOT and preparing the Wagner roles.<br />
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I have been preparing our new Virginia Opera season for well over a year now – having worked in NYC this Winter vacation and Spring weekly with the magnificent South African baritone Fikile Mvinjelwa as our RIGOLETTO, who is already covering this and other leading roles at the MET. Fikile has a truly world-class voice and he is a very special and charismatic person -- who came up from the townships of Cape Town under apartheid to arrive at the MET, -- and I look forward to guiding and presenting him first in Virginia in this important career-defining title role. <br />
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However the big news of the summer is that I will oversee the first<a href="http://www.buckhillskytopfest.org/"> Buck Hill-Skytop Music Festival</a> in the Poconos -- where I have been invited as Founding Artistic Director to create a unique Festival starting this August 6-14. The Festival is located in two affluent Pocono communities -- Buck Hill Falls, a community of 300 'cottages' and Skytop, 100 'cottages' and with its major Lodge and leisure activities.<br />
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I have put together an unusual mix of opera (PORGY AND BESS on Aug 7, 5 days of MASTERCLASSES Aug 9-13, and a closing night OPERA GALA Aug 14 co-hosted by MET mezzo-soprano Victoria Livengood: Vicky sang Mercedes with Renee Fleming as Frasquita in our CARMEN back in 1988!), chamber music (with a resident FESTIVAL PIANO QUARTET) and Broadway and Jazz (headed by our NYC friend Jimmy Roberts - composer of I Love You...You're Perfect...Now Change!). Do look at our website <a href="http://www.buckhillskytopfest.org/">http://www.buckhillskytopfest.org/</a> and artists and consider a visit this August between August 6 and 14. We present a similarly abbreviated PORGY AND BESS Jewel Box production (like in Maputo) in a single "free" performance is August 7. Tickets to that event are moving rapidly, so please reserve immediately if you plan to come. It is only an hour and a half drive from either NYC or Philly, and there are many very nice places to stay (also on the website). I am attaching the daily schedule so you can see just how many sessions are taking place during the Festival. We have a fabulous management team in place there with President David Mazza and our young but brilliant Chinese-American General Manager Phil Chan. I am very proud of this summer's program, and I know anyone who enjoys singing will especially appreciate this Festival.<br />
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The real work for singers is usually accomplished through closed working/coaching sessions, but the Festival is sponsoring a 5-day open series of Masterclasses "From the Conductor's Perspective" which I think could interest you very much.<br />
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As Artistic Director of the Festival I have been able to invite many much more advanced mid-career artists to take part in what will be a very high level series of Masterclasses Aug 9-13 -- in exchange for a week in the Poconos and their appearance in our final closing night Opera Gala August 14. Although we have recruited some good less-experienced paying participants as well, I have managed to attract all the artists listed below to be in these first Buck Hill-Skytop Festival Masterclasses, and I think you will be thrilled to hear them. Many of them have or will sing with <a href="http://vaopera.org/">Virginia Opera.</a><br />
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6-Sop-<br />
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Eilana Lappalainen, now singing heavier rep <br />
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Sang Eun Lee, upcoming VOA Gilda (RIGOLETTO)<br />
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Kenneithia Mitchell, musical high laser lyric, former VOA SPECtrum artist<br />
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Aundi-Marie Moore, our recent Serena (PORGY)<br />
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Lynne Morse, full lyric with spinto drive, former SPEC<br />
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Mary Ann Stewart, up from mezzo, former VOA Brangaene (TRISTAN)<br />
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3-Mezzo –<br />
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Nina Lorcini, our upcoming VOA Fricka (VALKYRIE)<br />
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Carla Dirkilov, Carmen in Syros and Merida<br />
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[**Victoria Livengood co-host of Gala and Master teacher]<br />
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3-Tenors- <br />
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Aurelio Dominquez, our upcoming VOA Duke (RIGOLETTO)<br />
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Dan Snyder, former VOA Alfredo (TRAVIATA) & HOFFMANN, and Tristan cover<br />
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Eric Nelson Werner, our upcoming VOA Siegmund (VALKYRIE)<br />
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3-Baritone – <br />
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Lawrence Craig, our recent VOA Sportin’Life (PORGY)<br />
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Bryan Davis, our upcoming VOA Wotan (VALKYRIE)<br />
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Mark Walters, terrific full baritone w/kernel (RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTY)<br />
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1-Bass<br />
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Ashley Howard Wilkinson, former Ferrando (VOA TROVATORE before last one) and Crown in Washington National Opera's PORGY<br />
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2-Pianists<br />
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Craig Ketter<br />
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Wilson Southerland<br />
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So please seriously consider dropping by or even catching the whole Festival in the cool Poconos this August. <br />
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I look forward to returning to Virginia early in September to begin finally the<a href="http://vaopera.org/"> full RIGOLETTO</a> with the magnificent Fikile Mvinjelwa in the title role. He will be surrounded by the Venezuelan tenor Aurelio Dominquez and the Korean soprano debuting as the Duke and Gilda -- both of whom will be in the Buck Hill-Skytop Masterclasses this August 9-14 to work in advance with me. This is followed by a delicious cast for COSI directed by Lillian Groag and conducted by Joe (like this past DON GIOVANNI), then by our 3-hour (!) WALKURE (Siegmund, Wotan, and Fricka will also be refining and performing in Buck Hill-Skytop), and finally a BUTTERFLY which Joe Walsh conducts to close our season starring Sandra Perez in the title role.<br />
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Peter<br />
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Peter Mark<br />
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Founding General Director and Artistic Director <br />
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Virginia Opera, www.vaopera.org <br />
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Box 2580, Norfolk, VA 23501<br />
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pmark@vaopera.org<br />
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www.petermarkvoa.blogspot.com<br />
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757 627 9545 x3337<br />
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General Director and Artistic Director<br />
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International Opera Alliance<br />
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ioa.gmu.edu<br />
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pmvoa@aol.com<br />
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Artistic Director<br />
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Buck Hill-Skytop Music Festival <br />
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www.buckhillskytopfest.org<br />
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Peter@buckhillskytopfest.org <br />
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August 6-14, 2010Peter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-87587040878589709052010-04-05T07:22:00.000-04:002010-04-05T07:22:35.143-04:00Not so easy to conduct VERDII think the following two articles give one a great vision into the difference between conducting (as well as playing) symphonic works -- where the orchestra and conductor have total control of the music between them -- and opera -- where the element of drama and the scope and capacity of the human voice to express more physically grounded emotions, both complicate and enrichen the experience. With all its inherent vulnerabilities, its intimacies as well as its passions, opera continues to tie its music-making to the human story in palpable and visceral ways -- both subtle and grand.<br />
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/31/arts/music/31traviata.html">Read here</a> how even a distinquished symphonic conductor such as Leonard Slatkin comes a cropper in TRAVIATA at the Met and has to withdraw.<br />
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And <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/05/arts/music/05traviata.html">read here</a> the same reviewer's analysis of the sensitive issues which define the limits of the VERDI style.Peter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-35197761645308736182010-03-21T09:09:00.001-04:002010-03-21T09:10:48.797-04:00The High Cost of WAGNER's RING:L.A. Opera and its $32-million RingRead about the standard enormous costs of producing any of Wagner's music-dramas for opera companies around the country, especially his RING operas, and marvel that we here at Virginia Opera will be treating our audiences again next season to the glories of THE VALKYRIE in January/February 2011.<br />
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<a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-ring21-2010mar21,0,2900921.story">Read it here.</a>Peter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-27163307618070753352010-01-09T10:14:00.000-05:002010-01-09T10:14:27.675-05:00Happy New YearWith the New Year upon us, I want to let you know that we begin DON GIOVANNI rehearsals with our extraordinary director and cast (<a href="http://vaopera.org/html/currentoperas/opera3.cfm">click here</a>) momentarily.<br />
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December was a very full month, what with the final performances of DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT, our French Embassy Concert at Washington's Maison Francaise, our NYC Annual auditions, and my International Opera Alliance (<a href="http://ioa.gmu.edu/">IOA</a>) Masterclasses.<br />
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And we wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year!<br />
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Peter<br />
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Videos and Articles of particular interest that I recommend to you follow directly below:<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCFCeJTEzNU">Silent Monks Singing Halleluia</a> where you can learn the basics of music enjoyably!<br />
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Be sure to watch the <a href="http://www.backstage.com/bso/reviews-movie-tv-reviews/the-audition-1004057884.story">MET AUDITION PBS</a> special January 20th at 9PM<br />
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This is a real lesson in vocal technique by one of the greatest recent Wagnerian singers Birgit Nilsson, singing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mOA8pZ_I4M">Isolde's Liebestod</a> in concert version with orchestra early in her stupendous career..Notice the calm, accurate way she negotiates the heavy demands of this final Love-Death aria of Isolde which closes TRISTAN UND ISOLDE. All her physical support is internally controlled without excessive heaving or huffing and puffing physically. You can see all of her accurate vocal placement adjustments for each note very clearly from the side view from about 5 minutes into the video. I recommend this to all of you who are interested in the very real skills that go into opera singing. No wonder she stayed strong while <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,894646,00.html">three Tristans</a> bit the dust in that famous performance at the MET years ago (Dec 1959)!Peter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-52747229472180728162009-11-24T09:30:00.000-05:002009-11-24T09:30:07.363-05:00Seriously, someone has to do that.Did you ever wonder how the parts get prepared for all orchestral and opera performances?<br />
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Well someone has to do that. And he or she is called a Music Librarian.<br />
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Even before the first rehearsal, parts have to be ordered, marked with cuts, bowings, expression marks, etc., so that the chorus and orchestra can follow the same guidelines. The person who does that job, is called a 'music librarian.'<br />
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This job is often split in an opera company such as ours, between the Music Department -- in our case headed by Associate Artistic Director and Conductor Joe Walsh, who orders the edition and the parts and then discusses and identifies and distributes the cuts, and also in his case prepares all the preliminary chorus parts with diction and translation markings for the first rehearsal, --- and the Symphony librarian, who is hired to place the cuts, bowings, and important markings into the orchestral parts which will be rehearsed and performed by our two orchestras depending upon the opera -- the Virginia Symphony or the Richmond Symphony.<br />
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I think this article by the Seattle Opera Music Librarian will give you a good view of what needs to happen before even the first rehearsal.<br />
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<a href="http://seattleopera.blogspot.com/2009/11/music-librarian-seriously-someone-has.html">Click here to read it.</a>Peter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-8838785691355713132009-11-24T09:13:00.001-05:002010-07-23T14:31:02.328-04:00Ever wonder what a Music Librarian does?Peter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-57742075145314021302009-11-24T09:11:00.000-05:002009-11-24T09:11:56.908-05:00Between Acts of BOHEME Dress rehearsals in VirginiaHere I am caught by the camera in an impromptu interview between acts of our LA BOHEME Dress rehearsal (Young People's Night at the Opera) at the Harrison Opera House, with a hall packed with school children, anticipating the continuing thrills they are about to experience when we resume.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQCLeikZmyQ&feature=related">Click here to watch</a>..Peter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-30400323864514875152009-11-05T08:34:00.002-05:002009-11-05T08:47:07.724-05:00Birgit Nilsson and her amazing vocal technique, and Manon and hersYou really have to hear and watch the young Birgit Nilsson negotiate the difficulties of Wagner's Liebestod in concert with orchestra to appreciate the enormous control she has technically. It has many close-ups of her face, which demonstrate the accurate techical adjustments to maximize the inner height and flow of air behind her "mask" -- which keep the continuity of the air stream in the right place for continued resonance without engaging other unnecessary muscles. Watch particularly the physical calm of her body, the changing facial muscles and mouth position as the pitches and words flow in a continuous vocal line; each note perfectly supported and positioned. And the side view at the final phrases -- at around 4:50 -- is most instructive. Definitely the LEXUS of vocal techniques.<br />
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We are about to open Donizett's DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT with Manon Strauss Evrard in the title role. Although both the voice and the repertoire are <em>bel canto</em> rather than <em>Wagnerian</em> I think there are many similarities of technical prowess -- Manon's moving much faster and in a much more varied way as the repertoire demands of course. But here we have an equally prodigious vocal talent and technique in its early stages, but one driven by a totally engaged and fast-paced physical and musical vocal personality. Very interesting. Don't miss it! Starting Nov 14 in Virginia. <br />
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Click <a href="http://www.vaopera.org/html/currentoperas/opera2.cfm">here for dates in our three cities</a>.Peter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-72654304276944777662009-10-19T11:24:00.001-04:002009-11-05T08:45:28.474-05:00Behind the scenes at Virginia OperaHe's the master of disguise behind the scenes at Virginia Opera. <a href="http://www.dailypress.com/features/family/dp-life_wigmaster_1019oct19,0,5900889.story">Read about and see our Wig and Make-up Master James McGough.</a><br />
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<embed type='application/x-shockwave-flash' salign='l' flashvars='&titleAvailable=true&playerAvailable=true&searchAvailable=false&shareFlag=N&singleURL=http://dailypress.vidcms.trb.com/alfresco/service/edge/content/f5168912-64f9-469a-bc3b-5129c401157f&propName=dailypress.com&hostURL=http://www.dailypress.com&swfPath=http://dailypress.vid.trb.com/player/&omAccount=tribglobal&omnitureServer=dailypress.com' allowscriptaccess='always' allowfullscreen='true' menu='true' name='PaperVideoTest' bgcolor='#ffffff' devicefont='false' wmode='transparent' scale='showall' loop='true' play='true' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer' quality='high' src='http://dailypress.vid.trb.com/player/PaperVideoTest.swf' align='middle' height='500' width='350'></embed>Peter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-65346999134615860452009-10-17T09:00:00.001-04:002009-10-17T09:07:12.199-04:00BOHEME opens in Fairfax-DC at GMUTerrific opening last night! Thrilling orchestral mix with voices in the Center for the Arts. Looking forward to Sunday.<br />
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<a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/entertainment/Virginia-Opera-presents-_La-Boheme_-at-George-Mason-8391930-64415147.html">Click on this for info.</a>Peter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-11641865355868767992009-10-09T15:47:00.001-04:002009-11-05T09:02:21.271-05:00Cyber Dirigent (Conductor)Conductor of the future --or do it yourself. Coming soon to a remote near you...<br />
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PeterPeter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-69106514774926555672009-10-09T08:28:00.002-04:002009-11-05T09:04:41.911-05:00MET AT THE MOVIESDon't forget to sign up for MET AT THE MOVIES starting this Saturday (tomorrow) with Luc Bondy's production of TOSCA which was so controversial in the press recently. (Replacing the lavish Zeffirelli one)<br />
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Click on <a href="http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/hd_events_current.aspx"><span style="color: blue;"><b>MET MOVIES</b></span></a> for the complete 2009-10 schedule.<br />
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Peter<br />
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<b>Interesting articles on this:</b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/the-night-at-the-opera-white-tie-and-jewels-and-giant-screens-for-the-masses/%3Fhp&ct=ga&cd=3NDFzgzgS3U&usg=AFQjCNGmmLr3ztJI-tL9BUg0a72DaLyojw"><span style="color: blue;">MET Opens</span></a><span style="color: blue;"> </span></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/classicalmusic/2009/10/new_york_report_part_1_tosca_a.html"><span style="color: blue;">Bondy’s TOSCA</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gYmKxKD_hTkB6vN-LwdKi448KVvgD9AU3KDO1"><span style="color: blue;">More bumps for MET TOSCA</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/arts/music/04tomm.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1"><span style="color: blue;">Tommasini’s TOSCA LA RING halfway comparisons on production concepts</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/arts/music/20gure.html?pagewanted=print"><span style="color: blue;">German vs American taste in opera production</span></a><br />
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</b> ’TOSCA’ (Monday) Say what you will about Franco Zeffirelli’s extravagantly realistic 1985 production of Puccini’s “Tosca,” it was a hit with audiences. A similar future does not look likely for the Met’s new production. On opening night the cast was cheered, but the director Luc Bondy and the production team were vehemently booed. The sets give the staging a spare, stark, forbidding and, in Scarpia’s study, a strangely garish look. But it is Mr. Bondy’s attempt to flesh out the dark side of the opera that goes seriously wrong, especially in his handling of Scarpia, who becomes a cartoonish villain and sadistic weirdo: this chief of police, an aristocrat, is sexually aroused by a statue of the Madonna and consorts with prostitutes in his study. The charismatic soprano Karita Mattila may not be the vocal ideal as Tosca, but she sings with gleaming sound, intelligence and fearless abandon. The tenor Marcelo Álvarez excels as Cavaradossi, singing with Italianate style and impassioned expressivity. The baritone George Gagnidze brings his leathery, bellowing voice to the role of Scarpia, but cannot survive the tasteless excess of Mr. Bondy’s conception. James Levine conducts a vibrant performance. (Through May 13.) At 8 p.m., Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center , (212) 362-6000, metopera.org; $20 to $375. (Anthony Tommasini)<b><br />
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</b> In Chicago <a href="http://newcitystage.com/2009/09/28/review-toscalyric-opera/">Another Tosca</a> opens<b><br />
</b>Peter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-60699942726462853342009-10-07T14:27:00.000-04:002009-10-07T14:27:46.882-04:00Whatever floats your boat!<a href="http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/article/705971--seaborne-opera-a-major-logistics-challenge">Click here to read a new type of Water Music.</a>Peter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-63353969057319447802009-10-07T14:23:00.001-04:002009-11-05T09:09:04.698-05:00Ballsy Baroque BartoliCecilia Bartoli at her Baroque best in these Castrati Arias. <br />
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<a href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/classical/article6857216.ece#">Click here to hear her virtuosity</a>Peter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-50908197964357064132009-10-07T13:29:00.002-04:002009-10-07T14:17:08.908-04:00Down Memory Lane<span style="color: black;"><strong>This article by Frank Johnson jogged my own memory about my early attraction to opera.</strong><br />
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<strong>First read the article:</strong></span><br />
Frank Johnson: why being clasped by Maria Callas was my finest hour<br />
<em>By Frank Johnson<br />
<br />
Last Updated: 7:23AM BST 04/10/2009</em><br />
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Renowned as a peerless parliamentary sketchwriter, the Telegraph's Frank Johnson also had a passion for opera. In an extract from a new collection edited by his widow, he recalls the thrill of performing at Covent Garden, aged 14, with the legendary Maria Callas<br />
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Frank Johnson was master of the parliamentary sketch<br />
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Experience has taught me that one interesting thing has happened to everyone, but only one. Politicians, most columnists and nearly everyone who goes on television are under the impression that everything that has happened to them is interesting. Such people are no exceptions to this remorseless law.<br />
<br />
All of which is by way of being an overture to the announcement that the interesting thing that happened to me took place when I appeared with Maria Callas in the first two performances at Covent Garden of Bellini'sNorma.<br />
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The secondary school in Shoreditch of which I was an inmate happened to supply the human material for the children's parts at the Royal Opera House. The qualification for getting into this academy was stiff: one had to fail the 11-plus. In my day, one had to be almost feral to fail the 11-plus. I shall always be grateful to my early teachers that I managed the feat.<br />
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Having won a place in the school, the privileged pupils discovered that, because the rehearsals took place during the day, if you volunteered for the opera, you got out of maths. On the strength of a few mid-1950s television programmes, I disliked opera. On the strength of a few lessons, I feared maths. I volunteered for the opera.<br />
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My Covent Garden debut was in 1955 as one of the Nibelheim dwarfs in Das Rheingold. We were required to scream when the late Otakar Kraus, the greatest of Covent Garden Alberichs, cursed the ring. Over the next three years, we were the urchins in Act One ofCarmen, the urchins in Act Two of Bohème, the urchins in Acts One and Two of Otello, and both Trojan and Carthaginian urchins at various stages of Berlioz's immense The Trojans.<br />
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It was extraordinarily casual. In some of the works we were required to sing. But of the vocal arts we were entirely deficient. We simply shouted with the utmost vigour, usually in English, such was Covent Garden's linguistic policy at that time.<br />
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Early in 1957, we learned that there was an opera coming which would require only two of us: Norma. Apparently, the heroine of that name had two children, whom she decides to stab to death, changing her mind at the last minute and opting instead for a duet with a mezzo-soprano. I and a boy called Arthur were chosen. The choice was dictated by our height rather than innate musicality, which was just as well since no singing was required.<br />
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I embarked on this memoir resolved to be honest, to tell only that which I could remember. So now the sad truth must be faced: of this, the one moment of my life which makes me immortal, I can recall very little. Just a few images in my memory. For I was just turned 14.<br />
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I remember that there seemed to be something exciting and tense about the atmosphere in the weeks before the performance. Arthur and I were constantly enjoined to be on our best behaviour, especially at the first rehearsal. At some point, we must have learned that someone exceptional was involved, which meant someone with a foreign name. Hitherto, the singers tended to have such names as Elsie Morrison and James Johnston, the latter a ringing Irish tenor who used to tell Carmen: "Carmen, oil never leaf your soid."<br />
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Then, probably in the Daily Mirror, Arthur and I learned with some consternation that a woman was coming to Covent Garden who was known as ''Opera's Tigress''. Furthermore, she had been in a ''storm'' in New York. She had got the sack for a baritone who had held a final note longer than she had in a duet. The latter was untrue, as the books now make clear, but that was no good to Arthur and me at the time.<br />
<br />
Come the rehearsal, the late Christopher West, the producer, seemed nervous. An efficient-looking woman came in wearing sculpted horn-rimmed glasses, a tight black sweater, a green two-piece suit and stockings with black seams down the back to which were affixed stiletto heels in accordance with the fashion of the day. (Pubescent boys take note of such details.)<br />
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"That's her," Arthur said.<br />
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"Don't be bloody daft," I distinctly remember telling him. "That's West's secretary." But Arthur was right.<br />
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"These are the children," West said to the great soprano of the age.<br />
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"They're a little big," she replied, speaking I recall with a sort of American accent. At this, West, a somewhat epicene figure, began to flap his wrists with some consternation. He gabbled something about younger ones not being allowed on stage under British law. Callas stared at us. Arthur and I cowed. If this bitch gets the boot for baritones, what would she do to us, we no doubt pondered, I regret, in our rough way.<br />
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"I understand," Callas told West, who breathed again. But there was still trouble. It came, however, not from Callas but from the mezzo-soprano, the late Ebe Stignani. She was singing Norma's rival in love, the "young temple virgin Adalgisa". Stignani was 52 at the time. I now know that she was a singer of much distinction. "Her acting was all in the voice," says my edition of the Oxford Dictionary of Opera, which was just as well, because she was a short, round woman with a terrifying face. "Not understand to him, not understand to him, Maria," she told Callas. "They're too bigga."<br />
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Though I cannot claw the precise words back from memory, Callas replied with something about even the great Stignani having to abide by the law. West giggled.<br />
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I remember little of the two performances themselves. But I do recall that when we emerged from Covent Garden Underground station, people were already at the barriers offering clusters of £5 notes for return tickets.<br />
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And I could not forget that when Callas bore down on us with the knife, her nostrils flared; that when, dropping the knife, she repentantly clasped us to her bosom, her perfume smelt like that of an aunt who was always kissing me; and that at the first performance there penetrated, into my left eye, the top of the diva's right breast, which partnership remained throughout the subsequent duet with Stignani.<br />
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In that eye, I felt the most distinct pain as that voice of myth and legend rose and fell. In the other eye, all I could see was the exit sign at the far corner of the gallery. At the second performance, I ducked and secured a safer refuge in a more central portion of the diva's bosom. And that is all. Still, there are few men who can truthfully say that their eye made contact with the right nipple of Maria Callas.<br />
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Best Seat in the House by Frank Johnson (JR Books, £18.99) is available from Telegraph Books for £16.99 plus £1.25 p&p. Call 0844 871 1516 or go to books.telegraph.co.uk<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong>I have a similar confession to make...</strong><br />
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<strong>In ANDREA CHENIER at the MET, at the tender age of 14, I was regularly clasped to the surprisingly plush bosom of mezzo Sandra Warfield (wife of tenor James McCracken) who tearfully bid me an emotional good-bye as she gave her only tangible remaining gift -- her 14 year old grandson -- to the cause of the French Revolution in the extended solo vignette MADELON scene in Act 3.</strong><br />
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<strong>And that is how my more "mature" love of opera really caught fire ... so to speak.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Peter</strong></span>Peter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399018743554669742.post-63345263397698155382009-09-29T09:45:00.000-04:002009-09-29T09:59:43.862-04:00Dear VOA Family<div><div>I am very excited about opening our 35th Anniversary Season this Saturday night. Last season was a very special one, and before we embark on our new one, I thought I would summarize the high points of both seasons for me here for our Opera family.<br /><br />Last season started with my 100th production personally conducted for Virginia Opera (which surpassed 700 performances!!) -- TROVATORE to kick off our 34th Virginia Opera season with a stellar returning cast and some IOA favorites.....Eilana Lappalainen, Jeniece Golbourne, Gustavo Lopez Manzitti, and Nmon Ford. The fabulous celebration party honoring me was sold out on October 12 -- thank you all -- especially Dot (Doumar) and Dixie (Wolf) --- for a truly incredible party!!!<br /><br />Please enjoy all the information and kudos from singers and professionals and special friends and community supporters on the links below my pictures at <a title="http://www.vaopera.org/100" href="http://www.vaopera.org/100" target="_blank">www.vaopera.org/100</a>. My personal favorite is Pete Decker's in the Special Friends Guestbook section I am sure you will see why. Pete is the best!<br /><br />I was very proud to present members of our TROVATORE cast at the IOA HARMONIE CLUB OPERA GALA on October 29th. We followed that with 5 Masterclasses in NYC at the Lincoln Center Institute in November, and then I accompanied Thea on a whirlwind 2-week tour of her performances and premieres and honors in London, Newcastle (where I went on my first pheasant hunt on the Blagdon Estate where we stayed!), Glasgow and Edinburgh, where we also saw (and made) many friends. We stayed in (VOA donor) Carol Colburn Hogel's Carlton Terrace home in Edinburgh. Her DUNARD FUND also supports the Edinburgh International Festival.<br /><br />Back in NYC we held our VOA annual auditions and coachings before the holidays as usual. Among the knock-out singers was Fikile Mvinjelwa, an extraordinary South African baritione -- already covering leading roles --Rigoletto and Amonasro -- at the MET.<br /><br />Jane Redding, whom I had taken to China last season with Cristina Nassif, sang Adina (ELIXIR) in Virginia prior to the New Year. Our sensational debuting TOSCA Mary Elizabeth Williams came to Africa with me to sing in three concerts at the Maputo (Mozambique) International Music Festival in April along with tenor Daniel Snyder (our Hoffmann). But not before the glorious Manon Strauss Evrard closed our season with her first Rosina in one of the zaniest and most fast-paced BARBER OF SEVILLE's ever, where she demonstrated a unique and natural and outrageously funny affinity for comedy . The director of that BARBER was Greg Ganakas who is from the B'dway and musicals world (he had done OKLAHOMA and CAROUSEL for us in the past), and who brought a very special theatrical zaniness to this BARBER, his first directorial assignment in Italian (opens up some interesting possibilities for the future). Greg is preparing an intensely theatrical PORGY & BESS for us in Virginia to close this season. Manon of course is back after BOHEME to debut another title role with Virginia Opera, this time Donizett's DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT.<br /><br />Moira Forjaz, the Director of the Maputo Festival -- introduced to me via my prior HARMONIE CLUB GALA and NYC MASTERCLASSES -- invited me to bring two of our best singers and our own Joe Walsh to Africa where he trained the Majescoral (local chorus) to join us for TRAVIATA and CARMEN ensembles, and where between the AIDA duets, CHENIER, WALKURE, TOSCA and TURANDOT arias, we were also treated to some music in the Xhosa tradition. The Festival was a huge success, and Moira has successfully shifted this year's MAPUTO INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL to later in May/June so that it would clear our PORGY dates in Virginia, and also so that Joe and I can accept her offers to return to Maputo for her 6th Festival, bringing some of our PORGY AND BESS singers to Mozambique after we close in Virginia.<br /><br />Thea and I then flew to Cape Town where I met wonderful singers and key music people. Masterclasses at Cape Town Opera and at the University of Cape Town were very thrilling, and filled with operatic talent. Cape Town has a very well developed operatic environment thanks to one person, Dr. Angelo Gobbato who came to CT from Italy (at the age of 7), and realized how fabulous the Xhosa and Zulu voices, vowels and singing traditions were. He taught them opera right through the apartheid period In fact Fikile Mvinjelwa was one of his early students. We had a three hour breakfast with Angelo -- a fabulous person and pioneer of opera in SA --- the day before we left.<br /><br />Then, in exchange for coaching him there in Cape Town, Fikile took Thea and me around to four of the townships which surround CT -- Langa, Kayelishia, Gaanga, and Guguletu. He had grown up in the oldest, Langa Township, and his mother-in-law still lives (very comfortably) there. His two young daughters tried to teach us both how to click in Xhosa, but we haven't yet mastered the variety and sheer technique of theirs yet. But we had no trouble devouring the lunch served at Mzoli's Meat -- a famous butcher/restaurant in Guguletu Township!<br /><br />With the whole opera field reeling from the economic meltdown this year, we have delivered four extraordinary productions and artists, and have also extended the resonance and reputation of Virginia Opera now to a fifth continent, -- Africa, ---singing for Ambassadors and international and national audiences there.<br /><br />I am also proud to announce that Virginia Opera has just hired Fikile Mvinjelwa to sing a title role to open our 2010-11 season. You will love him.<br /><br />Moira then introduced us in Lisbon, where she lives, on the way back to NYC last May. We saw the famous Sao Carlo Opera House (the scene of Callas' famous Lisbon Traviata) and even got to hear some of their chorus and young artists.<br /><br />After returning from Maputo, I judged the IRENE DALIS INTERNATIONAL VOCAL COMPETITION in San Jose and held a series of Masterclasses (August 5-9) again in the stunning Beverly Hills home of Jon and Lillian Lovelace whose previous support of VOA has been extraordinarily generous<br /><br />[I have photos of all of the above uploaded via PICASA on my gmail account.]<br /><br />As we look ahead to this BOHEME, I can't wait to unveil it in our opening Saturday Night this sweek. The entire cast is superb, as is our director, Julia Pevzner. Our lovely Tatiana Veronica Mitina is here singing a superlative Mimi, along with some sensational debuts in the cast.<br /><br />Cristina Nassif who sang a season preview in the Harrison Opera House in Norfolk this summer for us, sings Donna Elvira in Jan/Feb's DON GIOVANNI; Manon has been singing in Europe where she sang in Pesaro last summer, and she arrives in VA in two weeks to begin rehearsals as our THE DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT<br /><br />You are always encouraged to go to our web site <a title="http://www.vaopera.org/" href="http://www.vaopera.org/" target="_blank">http://www.vaopera.org/</a> for season, dates and casts. Invite all of your friends. This should be the most popular season for new friends and helping us make opera converts. Spread the word and help us grow.<br /><br />Thank you for your support and encouragement. I believe in our artists and continue to be inspired by the importance of our mission to identify, train, and present them, and help them in every way we can.<br /><br />See you at the Opera,<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobIMAXmu7MY8c7rao0okw7HffGW_zVjMFkC-fDHTwifiKL2t3_kLS1m5tLCba063ncMJPsLLBrKXvvVAj5ZyyN0GJ-9vYueA9EzNYNLIOjht2TL115QW6PsF98DXjX8nv5rFZdIAkg9U/s1600-h/PeterThick-Sig.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobIMAXmu7MY8c7rao0okw7HffGW_zVjMFkC-fDHTwifiKL2t3_kLS1m5tLCba063ncMJPsLLBrKXvvVAj5ZyyN0GJ-9vYueA9EzNYNLIOjht2TL115QW6PsF98DXjX8nv5rFZdIAkg9U/s1600-h/PeterThick-Sig.JPG"></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Peter Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06334135324373322394noreply@blogger.com0