Have diva, will travel: American edition

As some of you may remember, two years ago (to the day, as it happens) I announced that I was throwing caution to the wind and flying to the other side of the world in pursuit of diva.

Well, I'm doing it again. My Canadian grandmother is flying me over to Vancouver for a visit. On the way home, I'll spend five nights in San Francisco. The timing is obscenely good. I'm almost jealous of myself.

I'll see my first Das Rheingold, with a cast which includes a serious and long term favourite of mine, the gorgeous Jennifer Larmore. And since I like doing things in order, I'm pleased that my first live Ring opera happens to be the first one.

I'll see Handel's Ariodante. The cast is overwhelmingly starry. Susan Graham sings the title role. Ewa Podles — Ewa Podles!!!! — is Polinesso. And as Ginevra, the woman whose disc of Italian arias was one of the main reasons I fell in love with opera, the woman who essentially introduced me to the concept of bel canto, the ever beautiful Ruth Ann Swenson.

And. I will see. Natalie Dessay in Lucia di Lammermoor. If you read this blog with anything even approaching regularity, you can perhaps begin to imagine just how significant this is for me. Just writing it makes my eyes water. What kind of state I will be in upon seeing her live, and in Lucia, I don't know. Natalie. In Lucia. Repeating it doesn't make it any less mindblowing.

So that's the plan. I fly in June. Meanwhile any suggestions about what to do with the rest of my time in fabulous San Francisco — or insiders' tips on SFOperagoing, for that matter — are of course heartily welcomed.

Comments

[David Palmer]

San Francisco - a great town to walk around - from Nob's Hill down to the Bay - spectacular views and a fine place for music. The Opera? I wish I could offer some ideas, but like all journeys you're probably better off just showing up and finding what you didn't expect.

I did this in Tokyo, near Ginza, at Kabukiza - you can get a 1000 yen standup seat in the back just showing up an hour or less before the performance (in season they have 3 a day - packed, with reserved seats for those who see an entire session).

Natalie Dessay - should be superb given her latest album.

As for Wagner - have never seen any of the Ring operas performed - only on TV (Levine) and recordings - not even the Ring here in Adelaide! You can't go wrong with SF Opera, I suspect.

If you can, see the Redwoods - across the Golden Gate and north. And Monterey to the south, the seaside. The best part about the Bay area is probably outside the city.

Music? Well...go east...NYC? Less caution, more flying...

[Sarah]

No NYC for me for the moment! Not unless I acquire another grandparent willing to fund my travels.
A walking kind of town is my kind of town, so that is good to hear.
As for Natalie, as far as I'm concerned there's no should be about it; she's magic by definition. She could mime the whole thing and I'd still be her #1 Fan.
The SF Opera Rheingold is the Francesca Zambello so-called "American Ring" which ought to be, well, interesting if nothing else. At least a bit more unusual than her very standard Carmen.
Mostly at this point I'm just going slightly crazy every time I remember that I'm about to see NATALIE live. Something I had resolved to do One Day but didn't quite expect to do so soon.

[Sarah]

I'm going to SF to see Natalie and Susan/Eva/RuthAnn as well! You can also check www.sfcv.org for a music events calendar. There is something called "San Francisco Pocket Opera" and they are doing "Robert Devereux" in June; I may try it. Back to SF Opera - I went for the first time last summer; it certainly is grand. If you will be taking a taxi after the show, be sure to book with the doorman at the side door (south?) so as to have one reserved for you (my hotel wasn't near public transport). He's a character.

If you're into art, I've discovered that the big museum (Legion of Honor) is opening a "Women Impressionists" special exhibit on 6/21.

BTW, what diva did you fly across the world to see two years ago?

[Sarah]

Oh never mind - I clicked on the link (duh).

[David Palmer]

Ah, divas across the world - well haven't managed that one. But did see Pavel Haas Quartet at the Louvre last year (and still haven't paid the credit cards for that one) - best quartet I've ever heard - didn't know them at the time - but they got Gramaphone "best new group" award at the end of 2007.

I must confess that for me it's not so much "divas" as the music itself - Carmen of course, Rigoletto (Pavarotti), Tosca (Callas - who else??), and anything Russian conducted by Gergiev (Prokoviev, Mussorgsky). When I was a teenager I hated opera - playing violin I was deeply prejudiced against the human voice unless it was Jimi Hendrix or John Lee Hooker. Then I saw L'Ange de Feu (Angel of Fire) by Prokoviev, live at Chicago Civic Opera - absolutely amazing. I was cured. Still today prefer the French version (that's what they did in Chicago) to Gergiev's Russian version (though it too is great on CD). More lyricism... I feel the same with Verdi's "Don Carlos" (Abbado, Domingo) - the French seems to bring lyricism to Giuseppi that I can't hear in the same way in Italian.

"Pocket Opera" - hmmm.

So my thoughts are - music first, then the divas. But to each their own - sounds like a great trip.

[Sarah]

Sarah - Thankyou for the tips. That Roberto Devereux looks seriously intriguing.

David — Oh of course the music itself comes first. Anything else would be rather missing the point. But amazing singers (divas or otherwise - not every singer I love could really be classed as a diva in the usual sense) are part and parcel of the overarching magic. I suppose for me they come first equal.
Sometimes you sort of need a diva - Lucia for instance. Rheingold, on the other hand, would probably knock me sideways regardless of cast. Wagner has that effect on me.

[Barbara]

Sometimes Pocket Opera is excellent. You should go. Ride the ferry to Sausalito. Palace of the Legion of Honor is good. Eat at the slanted door if you can afford it. Eat at Louis's by Seal Rock. Maybe you won't like it, but I always eat there. Have the cheese omelet.

I have a friend who loves to take people on tours. I don't know if he's still doing this.

[Barbara]

Oh, and I should be going to most of those operas, too.

[Hamish (Youtube: "Operaphile")]

JEALOUS!!!!! Natalie AND Ruth Anne = coloratura heaven :)
Oh, and Podles - that will be interesting - she's such a viscerally thrilling singer! She makes me tremble!!!!

[David Palmer]

Sarah, Hamish, and others - Now Natalie I know - but "Ruth Ann"? Please fill me in. Have to confess that being in Adelaide I have to rely on Gramaphone / BBC Music and my own collection. Divas - well, I agree that "sometimes you sort of need a diva."

Leontyne Price in Carmen - ancient history - but she was a diva. So I agree.

The live performance makes all the difference, doesn't it? All the more reason to sojourn to San Francisco. (But please, take me to the Paris Opera - if I had a choice).

[Sarah]

Ruth Ann Swenson is a gorgeous American lyric coloratura, most recently seen singing Violetta at the Met. You can read more about her here.

[Sarah (from MN)]

Hey Sarah! I don't know when exactly you are going to be in SF, but I just found out that there will be a simulcast of Lucia on Fri 6/20 at 8 pm in the Giants ballpark: http://sfopera.com/press/OperaattheBallparkLucia.pdf
I guess I didn't need to purchase a ticket (haha). Anyway, that's the day I'm arriving so I may register to go. It's not too far from downtown and from the Opera.