Popoloso deserto or not, this is where we're headed tomorrow and where we'll remain for about two months and seven – count 'em, seven – performances of Die Walküre. Yes, I am a little excited. It's not my first time, but it will be my first time with proper music: the first time I was there, I was more into Julie Andrews than opera and the second time I managed to land smack bang in the middle of everybody's off season. Well done, me.
Now Paris is making it up to me. I have a couple of tickets booked, for two potentially not dissimilar concerts: Vivica Genaux at the Salle Gaveau, singing Handel, Hasse and Vivaldi, and Joyce DiDonato a week later, bringing her Drama Queens tour to the Théâtre des Champs Elysées: Handel again, Hasse again, plus Monteverdi, Giacomelli, Gluck and Haydn. With the possibility of Alice Coote in La favorite sandwiched in between, it's going to be a mezzotastic seven days.
And there's so much more on my shopping list. Marie-Nicole Lemieux singing the Sea Pictures and as Quickly in Falstaff, Joe Calleja doing his irresistible Lanza tribute thing, concerts at Versailles by Véronique Gens and Patricia Petibon, and performances of La damnation de Faust, Khovanschina, Radamisto, Der Zwerg, L'enfant et les sortilèges and King Arthur, none of which I've ever seen live.
That's not even all of it, and I'd be willing to bet there's stuff I haven't even found out about yet. So, let the crowdsourcing begin. Your advice on what to see and where to sit will be gladly received, as, for that matter, will any clever tips about Parisian tourism in general. I've been sightseeing there before, but hey, it's Paris: there's always more to discover.
Oh this sounds like a dream! Have a wonderful wonderful time!
Posted by: Ivis | Friday, January 11, 2013 at 10:27 PM
If you are in Paris for that long (lucky you) why not hop on the Eurostar to London and take in a performance of new David McVicar production of Medea at ENO? It might be your only chance to see it. According to tweet by Sarah Connolly today, it is not likely to be filmed for DVD - booh! :(
Posted by: Avis | Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 06:54 AM
SO tempted to do exactly that - I've had all the performances marked in my calendar for months - but the dates are difficult, as most clash directly with Walküre. Or with the WNO Butterfly, which is the other thing I was thinking about hopping over to the UK for. It's a conspiracy!
Posted by: Sarah | Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 06:53 PM
Ah, life is so tough ...;)
Posted by: Avis | Thursday, January 17, 2013 at 08:53 AM
Just saw walkure Sunday matinee at Bastille. Totally besotted with Stuart Skelton and incredible performance. Stunning! And he was clearly the darling of the audience despite the other superb singers. I hope he knows that. We had great seats and you could feel the audience reaction as well as hear it. First thing this morning I googled his name and got your blog. Can't wait to see him sing again. Wonderful, blissful afternoon/evening. The opera was just too short! Now going to look for some CDs of his. Wow.
Posted by: Carol Coe | Monday, March 04, 2013 at 07:04 PM
Thank you for this lovely comment! It's been a really great season of Walküre and the audiences have been SO fantastic. I hope we're back in town again soon.
Posted by: Sarah | Wednesday, March 06, 2013 at 05:57 AM