Prima la musica, poi le parole

Barbara

Barbara Barbara Barbara. What more is there to say? The 'Voices of our Time' has already given us quite a lot of Schumann, sung very well by Grace Bumbry and Angelika Kirchschlager, and it was all very gorgeous. But Barbara Bonney is on a whole different planet. I don't know why, technically speaking. She just is. The recital on TV tonight was fabulous. The first half was the 'Dichterliebe' cycle: it's more often sung by men, but Barbara makes it her own. The second half was Scandinavian, à la her CD Diamonds in the Snow. I'm finding it rather hard to review this in fact. The words I'd like to use all seem a little, well, flowery. But really, if you've heard Barbara singing this music then you know how fabulous she is- seeing her do it just lifted the whole thing even higher. If you haven't heard Barbara singing Schumann or Scandinavian lieder, then there's a serious gap in your life which needs filling, I think.I like the interview footage they include in the 'Voices of our Time' recitals too. It's always fun seeing sopranos speak, especially people like Barbara who obviously adore the music they're singing. On the other hand, I do hope that the DVDs of these recitals offer the option of recital sans interview- although I fear they don't. Personally I can imagine that if I owned any of these recitals on DVD there would be times when all I wanted was the music (or, when all I wanted was the interview). However when they're on TV and demanding my undivided attention (whereas a DVD might play in the background) I like going back and forth between singing and interview- I think it sort of makes for a proper experience. I would just love to see Barbara Bonney live. Tonight was actually, incredibly, the first time I've seen her on film. She's not intense like Cecilia but she's still very much immersed in what she's singing, in terms of words and of music. And she just does it so so well. She's already establised as one of her generation's best lieder singers (if not the best)- I don't need to add to that, except to say I think she's one of her generation's best voices, full stop. As I say, I wish I could see her live. She's singing in Australia next month which is only a reasonably-priced airfare away. But they're not proper recitals, just two appearances singing four or five songs before orchestras in Sydney and Melbourne play Mahler symphonies. Obviously even those four or five songs would be sublime but if I'm going to spend hundreds of dollars, I'd rather spend a few hundred more and get a full-blown recital. Here's hoping it shall happen one day.CD du jour goes rather nicely with all this, and it might be hard to believe that that's an accident. But it is. This afternoon when I put Barbara Bonney: Schumann Lieder on, I truly had forgotten about the recital on TV tonight. The CD also has the 'Frauenliebe und -leben' cycle on it, along with some songs by Clara Schumann. Then again, the filmed recital has Grieg and Sibelius & co. Hard to say which I'd rather have- luckily I got both.

Midwinter Messiah

In the end I did battle the elements and go to the University Staff & Student Choir's 'Midwinter Messiah' tonight. I spent all morning trying to find out who the soloists were, to no avail, but eventually managed, via a member of the choir, to get an answer. The same person also told me that it was an edited highlights-type concert: not the whole Messiah. So it really wasn't a very hard decision, especially considering the female soloists: Hayley Carrick, Danielle White and Claire Barton. Or at least that's what the front of the programme said. As it turned out- although nobody told us why- Danielle wasn't in it after all. Which was a real shame: I heard her sing last year in the competitions and in her exam recital and she's fabulous.

Nevertheless the remaining four soloists- Hayley (soprano), Claire (alto), Brendon Shanks (tenor) and Robert Tucker (baritone)- did an excellent job. Hayley has one of these sort of sparkly and adorable soprano voices, and although I wasn't too convinced when she sang words like 'And they were all afraid', she was an absolute pleasure to listen to. Claire was very very good too- I hope she'll get to sing some more Händel in future because I think it works for her. And Robert. I can always count on Robert to be good and tonight was no exception. I really do hope he has a proper career ahead of him because he deserves one; and his 'And The Trumpet Shall Sound' was excellent, despite the rather severe difficulties the trumpet player seemed to be having with his instrument (I think it really was an instrument problem and not a player problem, when he sounded good he sounded really good). But I have to say, it's a testament to Händel that even when the trumpet solo wasn't working, just the suggestion and the memory of it had me smiling. It would have been nice to hear 'Rejoice Greatly'- I was listening to Kathleen Battle singing it this morning, so it was in my head- but alas, it was not to be: at a guess I'd say that Danielle was to sing it. And I imagine she'd have sung it superbly too.

It was quite a nice way to experience Messiah: a little strings-only orchestra with organ continuo a small choir and small venue. Sadly a small audience too, which probably wouldn't have been the case except that there has been almost no advertising for it anywhere. As I said when I was still considering whether or not to go, the Staff and Student choir ain't the City of Dunedin choir. But they were fine. When you see Messiah done on its usual big grand scale, it's loud and it's exciting and so on; I think hearing it this way makes you realise how pretty the music is as well: after all, this is Händel.

CD du jour is, unbelievably, a new addition to my Cecilia Bartoli collection. I've always thought of myself as having every single one of her solo CDs- but I kept forgetting Cecilia and Bryn, her CD of duets with the lovely Mr Terfel. It has, I think, a number of tracks in common with the Cecilia and Bryn Glyndebourne recital but there's some other stuff there too and besides: it's Cecilia. I thought I was going to have to wait for her next release before I could buy a new Cecilia CD but when I realised this one was still sitting at the shop calling to me, I had to take it. But if that woman doesn't make a new CD soon I might have to start forking out big money and getting more complete operas. The addiction needs feeding!

Dunedin singing

It's that time of year again, or almost. The Dunedin Senior Vocal competitions are coming up (September 9th-12th). Dunedin has two sets of vocal competitions: the Green Island competitions, which I've been to twice, and both times really only to see people I knew sing; and the ones which are coming up and take place in town (the Green Island ones are held in Mosgiel, a rather quiet, shall we say, outskirt of Dunedin). The second ones are the really good ones. Most of the voice students compete, along with a bunch of other Dunedin singers and a good-sized handful of people from out of town. Last year there was even someone based in Brisbane who came down to sing (more about her in a moment actually).

Last year was my first time going to watch the vocal competitions, and although sometimes things can get a little tedious (or painful), it really is rather good fun. Unlike going to a recital, there's no real guarantee of good singing. Obviously for the most part the people who enter are at least reasonably talented- and in fact most of them are very very good indeed- but nevertheless there's always a risk. All this is of course what makes it a competition- and what makes it entertainment. I don't much go in for the Olympics but this is quite exciting. And besides, for not much more than the admission fee for one Marama Hall recital, you can have a whole morning, afternoon or evening of singers.

One thing I've learnt to avoid, however: the test song. It doesn't matter how nice the song is- unless it's your absolute favourite song ever, there is no song you want to hear sung ten times in a row. Plus the test song tends to be something British about children or flowers or something like that. Luckily, you can more or less work out from the programme when a given class will be on, and thus avoid the boring bits and see the good bits. The whole things culminates in an aria contest, and the heats (and final) for that are my favourite part. But it's all pretty good fun. I do tend to feel a little strange when I'm there though: it's a small venue, and I'm one of a very small minority of audience members who are neither teachers nor family of the competitors, but just there for the singing pure and simple. Not to worry. Oh and the judge this year is a real live opera singer. Last year I spent rather a lot of time silently arguing with the judge but I think I'll trust this year's a little more. She's Patricia Wright, and I heard her singing in Falstaff on the radio a month or so ago. So she should be good.

Now, I said above that I would come back and mention the Brisbane based singer, and so I shall. Her name is Kerry Scurr and she's originally from Dunedin. In fact, she went to my school, although she was a few years ahead of me. She used to sing in the all the school productions but I never went to see them. She starred in the Dunedin Operatic's production of Kismet a few years ago, and while I went to see it I unfortunately have nothing but the vaguest memories of it (there were other fabulous people in that show too.. Judd Arthur, Brendon Mercer, Alethea Chittenden..). So it wasn't until the competitions last year that I finally really heard her sing. She's excellent. I saw her in the Oratorio class and she did 'With verdure clad' from Haydn's Creation. She sang it in German in fact, but it's the same aria as Anna Leese sang when she won the Mobil Song Quest. So naturally I was a little biased against Kerry's version, since Anna's was so wonderfully good. But then she started singing and she really was quite stunning: as good as Anna without a doubt, although she approached it in a very different way. Anyway, Kerry's not singing in the competitions this year. But she is in the cast of Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience which is on at around the same time. So I'm looking forward very much to seeing her in that.

Upcoming

This Friday at Knox Church the Otago University Staff & Student Choir is presenting 'A Mid Winter Messiah'. I haven't yet decided whether to go or not. I mean it does have several things going for it: it's Händel; it contains a soprano; and I believe that the excellent Holly Mathieson is in charge- and I'd certainly trust her to make it as good a performance as possible.
But well, it is Messiah. Don't get me wrong, I think it's wonderful. However it's less than a year since I saw it last, and that was my third time. And it's rather long. It's not so bad spending all that time in the comfort of the Town Hall, but the seats at Knox are a little less comfortable. Also, there's the issue of the choir. I heard them last year doing Fauré's requiem and they're good, but they're nevertheless not the City of Dunedin Choir (who do Messiah every second year).
So in the end I think it's going to come down to who the soloists are (soprano and alto especially). I haven't seen any posters yet to tell me who they are so I may have to engage my investigative skills to find out. Because, of course, if there's some irresistable soprano to be seen, other concerns rather pale in comparison- as they should.

CD du jour is playing on my computer as I type. It's Kathleen Battle at Carnegie Hall. When I was studying for exams in my final year of school, I had this CD more or less on loop. I kept waiting to get sick of it but of course I never did, and it's still one of my favourites. 'Als Luise die Briefe ihres ungetreuen Liebhabers verbrannte' is stunning, as are the Strauss and Liszt lieder. And I have to admit a soft spot for the spirituals. Some people, I know, don't like them, or don't like Kathleen doing them. But I adore them. I like them well enough as music in themselves, but when Kathleen sings them I think they're just (literally, I suppose) divine.

A few (more) sopranos

It was strange. The other night I was sitting at the computer, doing my usual thing, with Anna Moffo playing in the background, being gorgeous as ever. And then I suddenly remembered that 1. my music was being chosen by Operadio, not me and 2. I'd never heard Anna sing that aria before. Seems I'm so used to having Anna playing that it takes me a moment to realise she's arrived unbidden. It was wonderful too- she was singing 'Senza mamma' from Suor Angelica. Quite possibly the best 'Senza mamma' I've heard.

But speaking of Suor Angelica- am I alone in thinking there ought to be more operas written for a cast like this? 100% female voices! Not a tenor or baritone in sight! Not that I dislike the male singers of course, but every now and then it's nice to have a bit of non-stop soprano rapture like this. Richard It helps, of course, that the Suor Angelica in my collection stars the lovely Lucia (Popp, that is). Her 'Senza mamma' ain't too shabby either.

Sometimes it seems like there are only five or six singers I ever talk about on here. So for once I want to mention a few (sopranos, naturally) whose names have never come up before. The first is actually a New Zealander. I stumbled across the fact of her existence, and luckily she has an official website. Her name is Gina Sanders and her website is here. She's rather well established it seems, but I'd never heard of her until last week. If you go to the website you can hear clips of 'Let the Bright Seraphim' and 'Vissi d'arte' which I think are rather nice. It's good having another New Zealand soprano to like: it's somebody I can reasonably hope to see live some day, without spending huge amounts of money on airfares.

Concert FM's 'Composer of the Week' this week is Alessandro Scarlatti- father of the more famous Domenico- and they started the week with some of his works for solo soprano. It was just the loveliest voice. Sometimes I find that the sopranos in music like that, while very nice, don't seem particularly special; but somehow this one distinguished herself. And so she should have: it was Lynne Dawson. I've known the name for a while, but I'd never heard her before. Rather good isn't she?

And the third soprano I've become interested in, just in the last few days, is Patricia Racette. Everything I've read about her suggests she's rather fabulous; unfortunately there's very little out there to listen to. She's only got two or three recordings out. What little I have heard sounds promising however. Her official website is here, and if you go to the very bottom of the gallery page (full of gorgeous photos) you'll see the word 'nothing'. As it turns out, it's a link to a one minute clip of Patricia singing in the contemporary American opera Emmeline, which seems to be something of a claim to fame for Ms Racette. It's about the most substantial clip I've been able to find, and it's very very nice. I would just love to hear her Violetta.

That's it for tonight. Despite all the new (to me) singers above, CD du jour is a Lucia Popp one. Lucia in recital at the Salzburg Festival- I can't seem to find an actual title but the Amazon entry for it is here. I listened to it today and it's rather special I think. The best of both worlds: we have lieder by Brahms, Kodaly, Rachmaninoff and others, sung sublimely of course; and then some rather more mainstream and equally excellent encores: Rusalka's 'Lied an den Mond', 'Vilja' from The Merry Widow, even 'O mio babbino caro'. Can this woman be anything but perfect? Apparently not.

Djamileh

A little while ago I named Bizet's opera Djamileh as the CD du jour, with the intention of then going and listening to it straight away. When I tried to, however, I found that the CD actually inside the Djamileh case wasn't Djamileh at all, but a Lucia Popp recital. Hardly a crisis, as you might imagine, but nevertheless I've been itching to find the rightful inhabitant of that CD case ever since, and today I finally did. I think I'd forgotten how much I like it. It's just little- one act. And it's a bit silly. But it's fantastically beautiful: as a listening experience I have to say I much prefer it to Carmen. I mean, obviously there's a reason why Carmen is one of the most famous operas ever and Djamileh, well, isn't. Still, Djamileh is the one I'd take to my desert island. It's sweeter, I think, than Carmen, if you know what I mean. And Lucia Popp's aria which is about Track 11 (I'm not sure what it's called) is meltingly gorgeous. I don't know how to describe it really. But it's one of those pieces of music that just gives me goosebumps time and time again, no matter how many times I hear it. Off the top of my head, one of the only other things that makes me smile the same way is 'Sull'aria'- so you get the picture.

So that was today's highlight really. Because much to my disappointment I didn't manage to go to the Otago Girls' High School auditorium for Emma Fraser's benefit concert. And I really really wanted to, because Emma's fantastic, and her list of guest performers looked rather good. But, alas, it was not to be. I hope, though, that there was a big turnout as the concert was to help her raise money towards her study at the Royal College of Music in London (where all good Dunedin singers go). I'm sure she'll get the money together in time to go. Hopefully there'll be a review in the paper tomorrow so I'll know what I missed, although if anyone reading this saw it, do leave a comment and tell me about it! I've just got my fingers crossed that Emma will be doing something more before she's gone.

CD du jour is the CD which has just this moment finished playing. It's one of these wonderful $2.99 bargains, a 'Basic Edition' from Teldec: Mozart: Famous Arias. Mozart's Greatest Hits, really, although at least it's not called that (I have seen titles like that around..). Cecilia, Barbara Bonney, Lucia Popp, Thomas Hampson, the list goes on. But one of my absolute favourite things on it is actually Edita Gruberova's 'Or sai chi l'onore' from Don Giovanni. I haven't heard any more of her Donna Anna anywhere else, so I can only imagine: but I love her in this aria. It's quite a different sound to the other Donna Annas I've heard (Isabel Rey on DVD, Cheryl Studer on CD) but personally I think it's perfect. Maybe the tiniest bit detached from what she's singing about, but as far as making an excellent and appealing sound, I think Edita's 'Or sai chi l'onore' is fabulous.

Free concert

The free lunchtime concerts are on again at First Church. And today there were singers. I thought I wasn't going to be able to make it, but in the end I did, about five minutes late. And it was rather a nice way to spend my lunch hour really. Not a soprano in sight, but nevertheless rather enjoyable. I missed Stephen Chambers' aria from Die Entführung aus dem Serail, but came in in time to hear most of his 'Ouvre ton cœur' by Bizet. Interesting, this. I absolutely adore the song, it's one of my favourites ever. But there's a reason for that: it's on Cecilia's Chant d'amour CD and she does it unbelievably well. So while, as you might imagine, Stephen's version is in no danger of overtaking Cecilia's, it was still rather well done. A nice surprise too: walking in and hearing that song in progress, I couldn't help but smile as I sat down. And then we had Robert Tucker. Again. Feels like I've been at every performance he's done in the last little while, but not to worry. He was doing the Five Mystical Songs by Vaughan Williams, which I saw him do just last weekend at the 'Best of British' concert. Still I'm glad I was there today to hear them again. At 'Best of British', Robert had to share his spotlight with the choir and the organ. Today it was just him and the piano and I think I enjoyed the songs all the more this time around.

And before I forget, I meant to mention this earlier. In the programme for 'Best of British' I noticed two rather interesting things. Firstly, we now know who the soloists are to be for Carmina Burana on November the 13th: Morag Atchison and the incomparable Roger Wilson. I've not heard of Morag Atchison before, but a quick Google search looked rather promising; and Roger Wilson is always great. And the same concert is also to include Constant Lambert, with Terence Dennis on piano. Brilliant. But the second and most exciting thing is the little tiny note on the bottom of the back page. "On the 20th of March 2005 the Choir will perform the great work of Bach's St Matthew Passion." St Matthew Passion! I'm very very excited. Bach just makes me melt. It's a long long way away I know but I can't wait. Here's hoping for some fabulous soloists, too, although the presence of the City of Dunedin Choir will be enough to guarantee a good night. Roll on March 2005!

And sticking with the Bach theme, CD du jour is highlights of his Mass in B Minor, conducted by Peter Schreier and with soloists Theo Adam, Carolyn Watkinson and Lucia Popp. I was up far too early this morning to get things sorted for an English tutorial, but it was all made much much easier by Lucia's 'Laudamus Te' at rather high volume. I'm used to Magdalena Kozena's recording of the aria from her fabulous Bach Arias CD, and Lucia's is quite different. But this is Lucia Popp and so it's just as gorgeous as can be.

Anna Leese

What can I say? Marama Hall recitals are always good, and always worth much more than the $2 admission charge, but Anna's recital there today went well beyond even that: just fabulous. Unbelievably so. I mean, I knew it would be great. She was fabulous before she left Dunedin for the Royal College of Music in London; she was even better when she came back here to sing in Messiah. But today was the first time I've seen her in solo recital and she's just out of this world. I hope that all the elements which are up to chance work in her favour, because talent-wise, this girl deserves to have an amazing career. And, thank god, it's looking very likely that she will.

She started today with Ilia's three big arias from Idomeneo.Fair enough really, since she's just sung the role in a production of Idomeneo in Auckland. Those lucky, lucky Aucklanders: judging by what we saw and heard today, she must have been just wonderful on stage. Then we had some Poulenc, some Debussy and finally some Richard Strauss. It was all just unendingly excellent. What more can I say? She's a star. The place was packed, and I'm sure it would have been just as full if tickets had been ten times the price they were. As it was, this was probably the last chance we'll have in Dunedin to pay $2 (or $5 for non-students) and be treated to an hour's worth of this soprano who, let's hope, is about to conquer the world. Well done, Anna.

By the way, if you'd like to see reviews of Anna in Idomeneo there's one here and one here.

Because of Anna's Ilia, I'll say that CD du jour is the complete Idomeneo starring Placido Domingo, Cecilia Bartoli, Carol Vaness and Heidi Grant Murphy, among others. I love it to bits, naturally. Especially the girls. But at this very moment, I think I'd rather hear Anna Leese's Ilia again than anybody else's.

I fear this is to be rather a long post: I have tonight and last night to cover. Not that I'm complaining- there's nothing wrong with two nights worth of singers.

First things first then: 'Best of British'. This was a concert in St Paul's Cathedral (the quite pretty one in Dunedin, New Zealand, as opposed to the legendary one in London and Mary Poppins) of choral and organ music composed in Britain in the first half of the twentieth century. I'll admit, it's not a concept which particularly stirred my blood, but the promise of some solo spots for Robert Tucker and a couple of sopranos got me interested, so in the pouring rain I made my way very carefully up the cathedral steps (because if I'm going to die on my way to a recital, I'd rather it's something a little more soprano-centred) and found myself a pew. I actually enjoyed it more than I expected. Robert Tucker was fabulous, naturally, in Ralph Vaughan Williams' 'Five Mystical Songs'. The other soloists, who I think were all drawn from the stunningly good St Paul's Cathedral Choir, were also excellent: Elisabeth Tyrrell and Anna Vanderley (sopranos), Nick Madden (tenor) and Jon Waters (bass). The City of Dunedin Choir was in fine form as ever- really I don't think they're capable of a bad performance. So yes. Choral music isn't really my thing, but this nevertheless was rather enjoyable- I particularly liked the very first piece, 'Give Unto The Lord' by Elgar. If I'm to be honest, I wouldn't have gone if Robert Tucker hadn't been singing, but as it is, I'm glad I was there. Oh, and I should probably throw in a mention here of David Burchell, who was conducting the choir and who also did two organ solos. He's a very very impressive man.

And now on to tonight. I love the Arts Channel. The programming guide might be difficult to read and badly typed, the announcers might mispronounce things rather frighteningly, but for the first time ever there are opera singers on TV. It's brilliant. At 5.30 this evening we had another 'Voices of our Time' recital, this time from the Austrian mezzo Angelika Kirchschlager, singing Schumann lieder. She's fabulous beyond words. I haven't really ever heard very much of Angelika before, although lately, knowing that this recital was to be on, I've read a few articles online. I'm rather taken by her, I have to say. Although I worry about her a little, given that one relatively recent interview mentioned her chain smoking. She can do what she likes of course, I just don't want that voice ever to go away. The recital was fantastic, and made even better by the fact that, like the Grace Bumbry recital in the same series, the songs were interspersed with interview footage with Angelika (and her accompanist, Melvyn Tan). She's wonderful! Very clever and very funny and very very difficult to dislike. All of which would probably make her my mezzo of the moment, were it not for one thing...

At 8.30 on the same channel we had Bartoli on Vivaldi, a South Bank Show documentary about Cecilia's recording of her Vivaldi Arias album. I never forget, of course, how good Cecilia is; but every now and then I hear or see her do something which reminds me just how perfectly wonderful she is. And I love watching her in recording sessions. She's adorable. And when at the end of a particular gut-wrenching, heart breaking aria, she's actually in tears, well, how can you help but love the girl? I think that more than anything else, seeing Cecilia in this documentary reinforces something which is already pretty obvious if you see her in recital: she genuinely cares about the music she sings, and about what she's singing, not just how it sounds- the text as well as the music, and the way they work together. I read a German review of one of her recitals once which said that she doesn't just sing her arias but 'durchlebt' them- lives through them. I think it's the perfect word for it. I know that some people are find all the moving around and facial expressions she goes through when she sings a little offputting; for me it just adds to the whole Cecilia experience. I've read the negative reviews of her CDs as well as the positive ones, and while sometimes I know in theory what her critics are talking about, the fact is I just can't find a single thing to dislike about la mia Cecilia.

Which brings me to a close, I suppose. Time for CD du jour which I've decided is Fairest Isle, Barbara Bonney's album of 16th and 17th century English songs: Byrd, Dowland, Purcell- that sort of thing. This CD was my introduction to Barbara Bonney, and even though I know that Emma Kirkby is the queen of this sort of music, Fairest Isle is still my absolutely favourite example of it. Meltingly gorgeous singing, fabulous music...I try putting it on in the background but usually find it needs my undivided attention. Now this is what I would call 'best of British'.

There was one thing about the French music recital at Marama Hall that I forgot to mention. There was a series of four Fauré songs performed, and one of them- 'Chanson d'amour'- I've just (appropriately enough) fallen in love with. It's absolutely gorgeous- text and music- and it's one of those songs where the text almost seems like it was written with the music in mind: a perfect match. The text is written for a male voice but the song itself has been recorded by both men and women: including The Fabulous Victoria de los Angeles (the album it appears on is actually called that). So that's the version I want to own, and I want to own it now. I don't know how possible that will be of course.

And continuing with country-themed evenings, tonight is The City of Dunedin Choir and Rober Tucker at St. Paul's Cathedral with 'Best of British'. I think it's mostly going to be choral and organ music, but Robert gets some solos as do a couple of sopranos so I'm going to brave the cold and wet (it's winter here and it's awful outside) and go. I can only hope it will be warm in the cathedral- and that I won't, like the last time I went to an event there- end up sitting behind a pillar with no view of the performers. I shall just have to try and be there nice and early.

I went to the launch of the programme of our local Arts Festival last night. I had hoped there'd be some nice operatic surprises but there weren't really. There are two opera events- they just weren't surprises. They are, however, very exciting: Anthony Ritchie's opera of The God Boy and a concert by Jonathan Lemalu with the NZSO. I've never looked forward so much to an event by a male singer; but Jonathan really is amazing. I think it will probably sell out though so I'll have to try and remember to get tickets soon, even though it's not until the 2nd of October. Jonathan Lemalu, Thomas Quasthoff, Robert Tucker...I think I've written more about boy opera singers in the last week or so than I did in all the months previous!

I won't name a CD du jour just yet- I'll wait and see what 'Best of British' puts me in the mood for.