Various

Well, you know what they say about good intentions. I could claim that signing up for NaBloPoMo was what cursed me, but I ought really to blame my own hopelessness for the fact that nearly a week has passed and I've not blogged a single word. Not that I imagine this frustrates anyone as much as it does me, but it does frustrate me — so here I am. And yet inspiration is still lagging behind, so all I can offer for now is a few bullet points. They'll fill the gap, and I hope to be back shortly — maybe even tonight! — with something a little more substantial. 
 

• A few newspaper articles are worth pointing out, in case you've not seen them already. "Opera Australian?" has a range of views from Richard Mills, Andrew Ford and others about the appointment of Lyndon Terracini and the future of Opera Australia. In the SMH, Marcus Westbury asks if we should be funding opera; and The Age has a response from Richard Gill, who, by the way, now has a characteristically entertaining blog. 
• Meanwhile, The Australian brings us the unhappy news that Lisa Gasteen's neck injury might have stopped her singing for good. The only time I've heard Lisa live was in one aria at Opera Australia's 50th Anniversary Gala. I've always just assumed I'd hear her in an opera one day; now it looks like maybe not. Which would be a real shame. So fingers crossed she'll find a way back.
• Speaking of Lisa, I note that Opera Australia has yet to announce her replacement as Minnie in La fanciulla del West. And apart from Anthony Warlow, we still don't seem to have a cast for Pirates of Penzance. Come on, OA, enquiring minds want to know.
• A quick word of kudos to all involved in the concert at St Luke's in Roseville on Wednesday evening. A group of Con opera school students presented Figaro highlights and miscellaneous arias. I only found out about it a few hours before it started, but I'm glad I did, it was really very fun. Especially the chance to hear the two German exchange students Simone Lerch and Franziska Guendert (Franziska's Letter Scene from Werther was particularly fabulous); not to mention a pretty amazing "Dove sono" from Ali Manifold and much baritonal hilarity from David Hidden and Javier Vilarino.
• Finally, let me once again plug The Mad Scene, our new(ish) Facebook group devoted to operatic insanity both here in Sydney and further afield. We've changed address since the initial announcement — the vagaries of Facebook mean we work better as a Page than a Group — but meanwhile the madness continues, and if you haven't joined in yet, well, you should. Number obsessive that I am, I'm hoping we can make it to 100 members by the end of the year.

And for my next trick ... I'm not entirely certain. If all else fails, I'm considering running a random "My Favourite Singers" series and just effusing over various objects of my devotion. Suggestions welcome. There's Pinchgut's L'Ormindo on the horizon too, of course; and if you or somebody you know has a concert coming up, do let me know — I'm obviously in need of an opera fix, however small. I might even consider Messiah. 

Comments

[ken nielsen]

So, you're not coming to Pinchgut?
No recording this year, so no radio mikes.

[Sarah]

Of course I'm coming! That's why it's on my (near) horizon. I'm upset about the lack of recording though - I just assumed it would be recorded.

[David]

As much as I do not like Lisa Gasteen (some rather ugly and ill-founded comments that she made some years ago in the Australian about Richard Hickox-the usual blah and how she was always overlooked by him and some rather spiteful comments aout other ustralian singers)I was bowled over when she did Salome here in Sydney some years. Her singing was just magnificent and it will be a dreadful shame to possibly lose her for good. A great loss to not have her as Minnie as I think I am correct in saying that this would have been her debut as a Puccini heroine?

[Barbara]

So how do you feel about this staged Messiah they are doing at ENO?

[Sarah]

Personally I don't object to the concept of a staged Messiah, although I've seen nothing of this particular staging so can't comment specifically. Actually I think I'd quite like to see it staged, if only for novelty value.

[travelling mezzo]

Good that you are back blogging. There are 2 Messiahs on the horizon. I think my pick would be the Combined Churches one in Angel Place. It has current young singers, Simone Easthope, Celeste Haworth, Simon Gilkes & Morgan Pearse. The latter sang divinely in the Philharmonia St Cecilia concert last week & Simon Gilkes (along with David Hidden) sang some unusual but wonderful English church music with Bel a cappella as well last week. OTOH the Philharmonia Messiah has former young singers Elena Xanthoudakis, Catherine Carby, Christopher Saunders & Pelham Andrews - maybe hearing both is the answer.

[wanderer]

And there's Haydn's Creation: SSO c Martin Haselböck (debut) with Cantillation, Sara MacLiver (replacing Joan Rogers), Steve Davislim, and Florian Boesch.

But wait, there's more - Feb in Sydney kicks off the Mahlerfest with Markus Eiche in Songs of a Wayfarer, and the 8th with a fantastic lineup, google among yourselves, here's the list:

Annalena Persson soprano
Marina Shaguch soprano
Sara Macliver soprano
Dagmar Pecková mezzo-soprano
Bernadette Cullen mezzo-soprano
Simon O’Neill tenor
Markus Eiche baritone
Martin Snell bass

and choirs of choirs. and..

[Sarah]

Well of course by February I'll be spoilt for choice. Tosca, you know. (And the rest.)
Whereas now I feel slightly guilty, staying at home and seeing nothing and then finding there's nothing to blog about. Which isn't really true, there's always something to blog about - but my laziness looks for any excuse to take hold, alas.

[Boywonder]

The Combined choirs concert should be a wonderful gig and all the best to all fellow Con collegues who are involved, perhaps a staged Strauss Opera at work Sarah?

I have a veil that i'm itching to get out of the wardrobe......