Joyce diDonato at the Wigmore Hall

[LHC]

Performance on 3 tonight (Friday 6 July) features a recital by Joyce diDonato at the Wigmore Hall.

The theme for the recital is Venice and features pieces by Vivaldi, Faure, Hahn, Schubert, Schumann and Michael Head (a short cycle of songs on Venice he wrote for and dedicated to Janet Baker). She recorded a similar programme at the Wigmore Hall six years ago and is repeating it now for the first time. She mentioned during the concert that she loved the programme, but had only given it the once before and therefore jumped at the chance to repeat it again.

Joyce gave the same programme on Wednesday night, so I can heartily recommend tonight's concerts. If it is even half as good as Wednesday night then it should be a real treat. Joyce diDonato has been a favourite singer ever since she appeared in the Opera House's Barber of Seville with a broken leg. The singing was of a very high standard and her interaction with audience (she introduced many of the items herself from the stage) is to be applauded.

Review here:

http://www.theartsdesk.com/classical-music/joyce-didonato-wigmore-hall-0

[amateur51]

Performance on 3 tonight (Friday 6 July) features a recital by Joyce diDonato at the Wigmore Hall.

The theme for the recital is Venice and features pieces by Vivaldi, Faure, Hahn, Schubert, Schumann and Michael Head (a short cycle of songs on Venice he wrote for and dedicated to Janet Baker). She recorded a similar programme at the Wigmore Hall six years ago and is repeating it now for the first time. She mentioned during the concert that she loved the programme, but had only given it the once before and therefore jumped at the chance to repeat it again.

Joyce gave the same programme on Wednesday night, so I can heartily recommend tonight's concerts. If it is even half as good as Wednesday night then it should be a real treat. Joyce diDonato has been a favourite singer ever since she appeared in the Opera House's Barber of Seville with a broken leg. The singing was of a very high standard and her interaction with audience (she introduced many of the items herself from the stage) is to be applauded.

Review here:

http://www.theartsdesk.com/classical...wigmore-hall-0

She's the real deal and a committed London-o-phile too

This should be a wonderful concert but I'm out this evening & will Listen Again

[doversoul1]

She's the real deal and a committed London-o-phile too

This should be a wonderful concert but I'm out this evening & will Listen Again

It was indeed.

A couple of surprises: being able to hear JdD’s speech. This doesn’t usually happen on live broadcast, or is it more common in song recitals than in instrumental concerts? Another surprise was Vivaldi on the piano. The singing was fabulous but the accompaniment did sound, to me, rather …odd.

I was rather disappointed by the last encore (Over the Rainbow). After an absolutely enchanting journey through Venice, it was like being brought back to the mundane world. The song is pretty in itself but after all those art songs, it was like a whipped soft ice cream: no substance. Not that it spoilt the recital.

Chris would have loved it.

[Flosshilde]

It was indeed a lovely, very enjoyable recital, & Ms diDonato came across as really nice, engaging person. Does she do some of the back-stage interviews for the Met broadcasts? I thought I detected something of the manner in her chat between songs, but toned down for a London audience?

I quite liked Over the Rainbow (I always do), & it was the fourth encore, so I think she deserved to have some indulgence.

[amateur51]

It was indeed.

A couple of surprises: being able to hear JdD’s speech. This doesn’t usually happen on live broadcast, or is it more common in song recitals than in instrumental concerts? Another surprise was Vivaldi on the piano. The singing was fabulous but the accompaniment did sound, to me, rather …odd.

I was rather disappointed by the last encore (Over the Rainbow). After an absolutely enchanting journey through Venice, it was like being brought back to the mundane world. The song is pretty in itself but after all those art songs, it was like a whipped soft ice cream: no substance. Not that it spoilt the recital.

Chris would have loved it.

An interesting choice of encore - perhaps a wink towards today's LGBT Pride march through central London?

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

An interesting choice of encore - perhaps a wink towards today's LGBT Pride march through central London?

Possibly... but more likely a personal reference, as Joyce is from Kansas.

I was there for last night's recital and her platform presence is entirely natural. Her introductions and anecdotes were charmingly done.

[amateur51]

Possibly... but more likely a personal reference, as Joyce is from Kansas.

I was there for last night's recital and her platform presence is entirely natural. Her introductions and anecdotes were charmingly done.

Very nice, IGI

[Flosshilde]

I liked her annecdote about being maried in Las Vegas in a gondola

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

It was a very enjoyable recital. Review here: http://www.opera-britannia.com/index...iews&Itemid=16

[doversoul1]

It was a very enjoyable recital. Review here: http://www.opera-britannia.com/index...iews&Itemid=16

‘she added two Vivaldi arias…the gloriously inauthentic piano accompaniment’

As for Over the Rainbow, I wonder if it has a special appeal to a kind of collective memory of Americans. Dorothy’s story is one of a few, if not the only one, genuine American ‘fairy tale’.

[amateur51]

‘she added two Vivaldi arias…the gloriously inauthentic piano accompaniment’

As for Over the Rainbow, I wonder if it has a special appeal to a kind of collective memory of Americans. Dorothy’s story is one of a few, if not the only one, genuine American ‘fairy tale’.

The fairies are often known as 'Friends of Dorothy', dovers

[Flosshilde]

I rather liked it when fairies were musical (even though that was before my time)

[amateur51]

I rather liked it when fairies were musical (even though that was before my time)

Yes of course it was, Flossie

[Flosshilde]

Ams, I might have had some inkling while I was at primary school, but there wasn't much opportunity to mix in fairy company in the small village I lived in.

[amateur51]

Ams, I might have had some inkling while I was at primary school, but there wasn't much opportunity to mix in fairy company in the small village I lived in.

Me neither Flossie but while there were mirrors in the house and Noel Coward on Two-Way Family Favourites and Mrs Edwards' dressing-up box ...