Vice President: Sir John Tomlinson CBE
Events B L O G
Posted 22 July 2010
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Wagner at the 2010 Edinburgh International Festival
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra – concert 01
Sakari Oramo Conductor
Petra Lang Mezzo soprano
Nielsen Overture, Helios
Wagner Wesendonck Lieder
Nielsen Symphony No 4 ‘The Inextinguishable’
The great Danish romantic composer Carl Nielsen took inspiration from a glorious summer in this overture named after the Greek God of the Sun. The music joyously and poetically depicts the sun over the Aegean Sea.
Wistful, romantic and intense, Wagner’s settings of Mathilde Wesendonck’s poetry were written amidst rumours of an affair between the two. Leading mezzo soprano Petra Lang’s sensitive interpretations of romantic lieder are compelling, intuitive and insightful.
Nielsen’s dramatic Fourth Symphony, also known as The Inextinguishable, explores the elemental life force within each of us. Sakari Oramo and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra bring Nielsen’s poetic and lyrical works thrillingly to life.
Broadcast by BBC Radio 3 on Wednesday 15 September at 7.00pm
Sunday 15 August 8.00pm
Usher Hall
Tickets
£40 £35 £28 £24 £20 £17 £12 £10
1 hour 40 minutes approximately
eif.co.uk/frso1
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra 02 – concert 02
Sakari Oramo Conductor
Juha Uusitalo Bass baritone
Wagner Overture, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg Dutchman’s Monologue, Der fl iegende Holländer Wotan’s Farewell, Die Walküre
Nielsen Symphony No 5
The Dutchman in Wagner’s Flying Dutchman has become a signature role for Finnish baritone Juha Uusitalo. He has performed it at La Scala in Milan, Vienna State Opera, San Francisco Opera and Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin. Here he sings the Dutchman’s
Monologue alongside Wotan’s emotive Farewell from Die Walküre.
Invigorating Baltic blasts characterise Carl Nielsen’s work. His Fifth Symphony depicts an immense struggle for supremacy between good and evil.
Juha Uusitalo: ‘towering presence, scrupulous musicianship’ Financial Times
Monday 16 August 8.00pm
Usher Hall
Tickets
£40 £35 £28 £24 £20 £17 £12 £10
1 hour 50 minutes approximately
eif.co.uk/frso2
Box Office 0131 473 2000
Book online www.eif.co.uk
Posted 8 July 2010
Parsifal: The Search for the Grail
Tony Palmer's film about the Parsifal legend, Parsifal: The Search for the Grail, is being given a special screening at the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre, London SE1 8XX. on Monday 26 July at 7.45pm.
Plácido Domingo sings Parsifal, with Valery Gergiev conducting the orchestra & chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre. Keep your eyes open for Anna Netrebko as one of the Flower Maidens.
Filmed in Ravello, Siena Cathedral, Glastonbury and Bayreuth, the film also includes one of the last ever interviews given by Wolfgang Wagner, with contributions from Steven Spielberg, Ingmar Bergman – and Monty Python!
Tony Palmer will be present at the screening.
Tickets are £8.50, with concessions also available. SBC Box Office: 0844 847 9910.
Posted 30 June 2010
I hope you'll enjoy this feature on Alwyn Mellor that appears in the July /
August 2010 issue of OPERA NOW ahead of her first Brünnhilde in Die Walküre
next month. All good wishes, James Black
2Posted 1 June 2010
Matilde Wallevik (finalist in 2004 Wagner competition) singing the
Matilde Wesendonk lieder
Sunday 27 July 20010 7 for 7.30 pm
St Peters Church
Black Lion Lane
Hammersmith W6
St Peters festival orchestra conducted by Steven Moore
Program:
Overture- Coriolanus- Beethoven
Wesendonk Lieder- Wagner
Maria Theresa Mass no 12 - Haydn
Yvonne Kenny- Soprano
Matilde Wallevik- Mezzo Soprano
Philip Bell- Tenor
Lukas Jakobski- Bass
Posted 28 October 2009
OPERA America is the national service organization for opera. We lead and serve the entire opera community, supporting the creation, presentation and enjoyment of opera.
As part of our commitment to engaging and informing current and prospective opera audiences, OPERA America hosts in-depth, interactive Online Learning courses each year on different operas. These courses offer an opportunity to explore the many dimensions of opera – literature, music, visual art – and learn about the artists who make a night at the opera truly unforgettable.
One of our courses this season will focus on Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen. For eight weeks starting on April 6, 2010, instructor Thomas May, author of Decoding Wagner, will provide a comprehensive journey through Wagner’s endlessly fascinating world where participants will learn about his musical methods, mythological sources and the history of Ring productions.
Our Online Learning courses are available for only $10 per person. We invite you to take our course and welcome the opportunity to share this information with your members.
Click here for more information, to register and to view a sample of a previous course on John Adams’ Nixon in China.
Posted 5 October 2009
Opera North has announced outline details of its proposed concert versions of the Ring which should be good news to many Northern Wagnerians.
Posted 1 October 2009
On Monday 5th October 2009 there is a programme on Jeffrey Tate the current Music Director at Naples Opera (Conductor of the first Ring & Parsifal in Australia) Details are on their website at http://www.arte.tv/de/programm/242,date=5/10/2009.html
Posted 25 September 2009
PLÁCIDO DOMINGO
ELI AND EDYTHE BROAD GENERAL DIRECTORJAMES CONLON
MUSIC DIRECTORYOUR SPECIAL PRIORITY INVITATION
FOR A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE
OPERA’S GREATEST MASTERPIECE
DAS RHEINGOLD
DIE WALKÜRE
SIEGFRIED
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
Barry Millington review of Tony Palmer Bayreuth film
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Posted 1 September 2009
Interview with Andrew Shore.
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Bayreuth Festival News
Live webcast of Bayreuth Tristan on Sunday Aug 9 costs Euros 14.90
It starts 2pm UK time. This is a 'closed' performance.
Bayreuth Festival News
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/opera/article6685351.ece
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Posted 22June 2009
You can download the whole of T&I (with Nina Stemme and Robert Gambill) for £24.99, plus some of this summer's Glyndebourne productions (at various prices).
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Posted 8 June 2009
Irish Times article about Paul McNamara
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2009/0605/1224248092893.html
Posted 3 June 2009
11–28 June 2009
“WAGNER IN Budapest”
OPERA FESTIVAL
Béla Bartók National Concert Hall
Artistic director and conductor: Ádám Fischer
MR Symphonics
Assistant conductor: László Kovács
German language performances
Der Ring des Nibelungen
June 18: Das Rheingold
June 19: Die Walküre
June 20: Siegfried
June 21: Götterdämmerung
Director, stage designer: Hartmut Schörghofer
Dramaturg: Christian Martin Fuchs
Choreography: Teresa Rotemberg (Das Rheingold, Die Walküre)
Gábor Vida (Siegfried, Götterdämmerung)
Costumes and puppets: Corinna Crome
Light designer: Andreas Grüter
Video: Momme Hinrichs, Torge Møller (fettFilm)
Assistant directors: Daisy Boschán, Katharina Kühnel
Musical assistants: Gábor Bartinai, Orsolya Fajger, Richard Lewis
Parsifal
June 26, 28
Semi-staged performance
Stage design, concept: Magdolna Parditka and Alexandra Szemerédy
Light designer: Károly Györgyfalvai
Musical assistants: Gábor Bartinai, Orsolya Fajger
The Palace of Arts now organises the “Wagner in Budapest” Opera Festival for the fourth time. 2009 presents a summary of the previous years and in two and a half weeks; the musicians will again perform all the operas staged so far. Repeating the events of 2008, Der Ring des Niebelungen – probably uniquely in the world – will be performed on four consecutive days, in fact on two occasions as well as Parisfal.
The resident orchestra remains the MR Symphonics and Ádám Fischer will conduct each performance. He made his debut conducting the Ring at the Bayreuth Festival in 2001. He conducted probably the greatest operatic cycle in music for the next three years on the Green Hill where he returned to conduct Parsifal in 2006 and 2007. In 2007 he received the highly prestigious Eichala chalice which the city of Bayreuth donates to artists who have enjoyed extended periods of success at the Festival.
Hartmut Schörghofer was born in Salzburg and studied interior design in Linz before learning set design at the Mozarteum in his native city. He made his international reputation as a set designer primarily at opera houses. These days, he is primarily occupied with opera direction, and his joint role as a set designer allows him to approach operas from an unusual and fruitful angle.
Magdolna Parditka and Alexandra Szemerédy have worked together on several projects in Salzburg and they were invited in 2006 by Ádám Fischer to stage the Parsifal in the very first “Wagner in Budapest” Opera Festival. Their work was enthusiastically praised by both professionals and audiences.
Further information (in English) and booking visit: http://www.muveszetekpalotaja.hu/programok.jsp
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Posted 28 May 2009
12 June 2009
Barbican Centre
Concert on 12 Jun with soprano Deborah Voigt. She will be performing some of the most memorable operatic moments from Wagner and Strauss conducted by Asher Fisch and accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra.
Wagner Society members are being offered the special offer of £15 for best available seats.
Box Office:
Telephone: (020 7638 8891)
Mon - Sat: 9.00am - 8.00pm
Sunday - 11am - 8.00pm
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Posted 23 May 2009
Aldeburgh "London Rings" Weekend event review
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Posted 12 May 2009
Miss Sue Bullock wins the Singer award from the Royal Philharmonic Society classical music awards
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Posted 29 April 2009
Simon O'Neill interview by Jim Pritchard
http://www.musicweb-international.com/SandH/2009/jan-jun09/oneill_interview.htm
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Posted 28 April 2009
Forthcoming performance of the opening
scene of Das Rheingold. It will be performed by students of the Morley College
opera course, on 1st to 4th July at the Bridewell Theatre iSt Bride
Foundation, Bride Lane, Fleet
Street, London EC4Y 8EQ. at 7.30pm (weekdays) or 2.30pm (Saturday).
Tickets are £8 or £6 for concessions,
available on the door for cash only. There is no reservation system
but it is a large theatre for a show of this kind and I'm sure no one
will be disappointed.
As well as Rheingold we will be performing extracts from Così fan
Tutte, The Medium and Orfeo et Euridice
1/3 July 2/4 July
Wagner – Das Rheingold – Scene 1
Woglinde Joanne Roughton-Arnold Michelle Cressida
Wellgunde Emma Noakes Anna Kirby
Flosshilde Jenny Fraser Louisa Barry
Alberich Nicholas George Roger Mortimer-Smith
Mozart – Così fan Tutte – various excerpts from Act 1
Ferrando Thorsten Terweiden Thorsten Terweiden
Guglielmo John Furlong Mark Mallon
Fiordiligi Masami Uehara Penelope Manser
Dorabella Cecilia Calancha Rosalind O'Dowd
Despina Katy Powis Tiffany Franck
Don Alfonso Nicholas George Roger Mortimer-Smith
Menotti – The Medium – extract from Act 1
Monica Anna Jeruc Sophia Bowden
Madame Flora Marina Barker Susan Grant
Mrs Gobineau Michelle Cressida Emma Noakes
Mr Gobineau John Furlong Mark Mallon
Mrs Nolan Jenny Fraser Louisa Barry
Toby Katy Powis Tiffany Franck
Gluck – Orfeo et Euridice – no 45 Trionfo Amore
Orfeo Jenny Fraser Louisa Barry
Amor Katy Powis Tiffany Franck
Euridice Joanne Roughton-Arnold Anna Kirby
Plus chorus for the Orfeo. The shows are directed by Jonathan Cocker,
conducted by Alexander Ingram and the piano played by Fran Hills
Posted 31 March 2009
Victor Hochhauser will be
presenting the Mariinsky Opera’s acclaimed production of Wagner’s Der Ring des
Nibelungen at the Royal Opera House, under the direction of Valery Gergiev. The
Cycle will be presented over four consecutive nights from July 29 – August 1,
2009.
They are expecting keen competition for tickets and believe that it will
sell out quickly. With this in mind, they wanted to give plenty of notice, so
that members of the society can book tickets in advance. Public booking for the
four operas in the Ring Cycle opens on 28 April 2009 (ticket applications
for the entire cycle only accepted at this point). Tickets can be booked online
at
www.roh.org.uk/mariinsky, or by post:
Box Office, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD. You can
also find detailed information about ticket pricing on the ROH Website. Prices
for the entire cycle range from £40 - £840.
The times and dates of the performances are as follows:
Das Rheingold
Wednesday 29 July at 7.30pm
Die Walküre
Thursday 30 July at 5pm
Siegfried
Friday 31 July at 5pm
Götterdämmerung Saturday 1
August at 4pm
The production, which was described by the New York Times as “one of the four or
five most important stagings since the middle of the last century”, received its
historic premiere in 2003 at the Mariinsky Theatre on the occasion of the 300th
anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg. It is the first Ring Cycle to be
produced by a Russian opera company since 1914, and the first complete
performance in Russia to be sung in the original German.
The production has since been rapturously received by audiences and critics in
Europe, Korea, Japan, Beijing and New York. According to the UK’s Financial
Times “This Ring is a testimony to the reservoirs of talent Gergiev has
unleashed.”
The main roles will be sung by Oleg Balashov, Gennady Bezzubenkov, Zlata
Bulycheva, Larissa Diadkova, Vasily Gorshkov, Anastasia Kalagina, Mlada Khudolei,
Mikhail Kit, Viktor Lutsyuk, Elena Nebeira, Yevgeny Nikitin, Mikhail Petrenko,
Andrei Popov, Nikolai Putilin, Olga Savova, Sergei Semishkur, Olga Sergeyeva,
Alexei Tanovitsky, Eduard Tsanga, Svetlana Volkova, Viktoria Yastrybeva and
Leonid Zakhozhaev.
[As at 17.2.09]
Posted 27 March 2009
The ROH Dutchman will be broadcast 30 May 1800hrs & Lohengrin 27 June 1800hrs on Radio 3
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Ovation Opera Tours Inc are offering tickets or a tour to Seattle for the complete Ring Cycle, August 8-15, 2009. Prime orchestra (stalls) seats for the complete cycle at USD 978, or a place on a tour. The tour includes top-price orchestra seats for all four operas, seven nights at the deluxe Fairmont Olympic Hotel downtown, tickets for the Seattle opera series of four ‘Exploring the Ring’ lectures given by Seattle Director of Education Perry Lorenzo, all transportation, city sightseeing, a boat cruise and two meals. There will be a maximum of 25 on this tour. The cost is USD4095.00 per person double occupancy. The website is given as www.ovationoperatours.com (but I could not access it)
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The Wagner Society of Washington have been offering tickets for Bayreuth and their website indicates that they still have tickets to sell www.wagner-dc.org/
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Posted 06 March 2009
Brunhilde's act, or, why was it so difficult for Wagner to find a proper ending
for his twilight of the gods?
Talk and on-stage interview chaired by Professor Derek Scott of the University
of Leeds.
World-renowned public intellectual, Slavoj Žižek applies philosophy and psychoanalysis to both high and low culture in his own uniquely engaging style. He is the best-selling author of numerous international books; subject of his own documentary movie; and the presenter of the TV series 'The Pervert's Guide to Cinema'. Opera North is delighted to present a public lecture and on-stage interview with Prof. Žižek relating to the work of Richard Wagner.
Talk last approximately 90 mins.
In cooperation with the University of Leeds.
Howard Assembly Room
Box Office: 0844 848 2727
Tickets £3
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Posted 10 February 2009
The next 'About the House' sent to Friends of Covent Garden indicates that Victor Hochauser is promoting a visit of the Mariinsky Opera with Valery Gergiev to perform George Tsypin's production of The Ring performed at the ROH over four consecutive days 29 July - 1 August.
Ticket prices will be approximately the same as for ROH productions i.e. £840-40 for the complete cycle. Booking goes on sale to Friends on 25th March.
Details are not yet on the ROH website.
Posted 23 January 2009
ORCHESTRA OF OXFORD
Concert performance of Das Rheingold
Saturday, 7th March, 2009 19:30
Oxford Town Hall, Oxford
Orchestra of Oxford, conducted by James Longstaffe
Cast List
Wotan Jeremy White
Alberich Malcolm Rivers
Loge Justin Lavender
Mime Daniel Norman
Fricka Deborah Miles-Johnson
Fafner Alan Ewing
Fasolt Giles Underwood
Donner Paul Carey Jones
Froh Adam Tunnicliffe
Erda Bridget Budge
Woglinde Elisabeth Meister
Wellgunde/Freia Sara Jonsson
Flosshilde Katherine Cooper
Tickets: £40, £35, £25, £20 (stalls)
£15 (gallery)
Tickets for Das Rheingold in Oxford can obtain more information from the web site: http://www.orchestraofoxford.com/
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Posted 2 December 2008
BBC Radio 3 will broadcast a live relay from the Metropolitan Opera of Tristan und Isolde on Saturday December 6th at 4.00 pm. It is advertised as featuring Katarina Dalayman, and Peter Seiffert (but there had to be several Tristans in the last run) and will be conducted by Daniel Barenboim. Unfortunately it will NOT be available on ‘listen again’.
Conductor:
Daniel Barenboim
Isolde:
Katarina Dalayman
Brangäne:
Michelle DeYoung
Tristan:
Peter Seiffert
Kurwenal:
Gerd Grochowski
King Marke:
Kwangchul Youn
It is a pity because Rene Pape sang Marke
on the first night of the run on Friday
BBC Radio 3 is also planning to provide live relays of the Ring from the Metropolitan Opera:
28 March at 6.00pm
Das Rheingold
Conductor:
James Levine
Freia:
Wendy Bryn Harmer
Fricka:
Yvonne Naef
Erda:
Jill Grove
Loge:
Kim Begley
Wotan:
James Morris
Alberich:
Richard Paul Fink
Fasolt:
Franz-Josef Selig
Fafner:
John Tomlinson
11 April at 5.00pm Die Walküre
Conductor:
James Levine
Brünnhilde:
Christine Brewer
Sieglinde:
Waltraud Meier
Fricka:
Yvonne Naef
Siegmund:
Johan Botha
Wotan:
James Morris
Hunding:
John Tomlinson
18 April at 5.00pm Siegfried
Conductor:
James Levine
Brünnhilde:
Christine Brewer
Erda:
Jill Grove
Siegfried:
Christian Franz
Mime:
Gerhard Siegel
Wanderer:
James Morris
25 April at 5.00 Götterdämmerung
Conductor:
James Levine
Brünnhilde:
Christine Brewer
Gutrune:
Margaret Jane Wray
Waltraute:
Yvonne Naef
Siegfried:
Christian Franz
Gunther:
Iain Paterson
Hagen:
John Tomlinson
Posted 1 December 2008
First of the Bloomsbury Book Launches: Wagner Beyond Good and Evil
Date:
Thursday 4th December 2008
Time: 6pm - 8pm
Location: Royal Holloway, Gower Street
London Centre for Arts and Cultural Exchange Presents the first of the Bloomsbury Book Launches, a series of soirées showcasing a range of publications from within the LCACE partnership.
In his recent book, Wagner Beyond Good and Evil, Professor John Deathridge presents a fresh perspective on this much discussed and controversial composer. Drawing on a variety of diverse sources, including seldom discussed letters and diaries, he argues that to in order to truly assess Wagner’s achievements and worth, we need to confront and debate the controversies and unpalatable truths about the man and his work. We invite you to join him, and Fiona Maddocks (Chief Music Critic, Evening Standard) in such a discussion at the first of our Bloomsbury Book launches.
6.00pm the
author and in conversation with Fiona Maddocks, Chief Music Critic of the
Evening Standard
Followed by drinks and signing. Copies of the book will be available at
discounted rate (cash or cheque only).
This is a free event, but space is limited and booking is essential, to book please fill in our booking form. See link:
London Centre for Arts and Cultural Enterprise
Posted 26 November 2008
Yesterday's In Tune featured about 15 mins about this Thursday's performance of the Dutchman.
You can 'listen again' on:
and go to 1hr 15 min - 1hr 35 min.
Posted 19 November 2008
The European Union Prize for Culture and Communication has been awarded to Mr. Josef Lienhart, Founding President of the International Association of Wagner Societies.
Posted 10 November 2008
Edward Gardner on Wagner
In an interview with Henrietta Bredin in the Spectator he is quoted as saying:
"It's like a huge jigsaw, I'm always talking with colleagues, thinking of the shape and balance of performances, what particular singers should be doing in five years time, when should Iain Paterson sing his first big Wagner role here ........"
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