On Opera on 3 tonight we have Live from the Met - Rossini's 'La Donna del lago'. I have the terrific new DVD/Blu-ray of this Paul Curran staging from the Met filmed on this run earlier this year on Erato. The cast for tonight's live radio broadcast is Joyce DiDonato; Lawrence Brownlee, Daniela Barcellona; Oren Gradus & John Osborn. The only difference on the Erato release is that Juan Diego Flórez replaces Bownlee. I thought this was a wonderful staging by Curran superbly sung by all the principals. Hardly known this is a Rossini gem. Highly recommended!
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Last edited by Stanfordian; 19-12-15, 16:46. -
It is a pity that your recommendation was not available in NYC as there are still an enormous number of unsold seats for today and for the rest of the run. -
Hiya johnn10,Originally posted by johnn10 View Post
I'm not sure how true this is but I read somewhere recently that the Met audiance is highly convervative and prefers operas that they know and is a graveyard for the lesser known works. Personally I can't really understand the neglect of La Donna del lago as it's full of interest with some wonderful set-pieces and I rather enjoyed Paul Curran's direction. Apart from Lucia di Lammermoor Sir Walter Scott inspired operas appear to be out of fashion.Comment
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But this opera still seems to be loved by Ira Siff who mentioned that he might be wearing a kilt in the radio booth today in homage.Comment
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"La Donna del Lago" was terrific at Covent Garden a couple of years ago, also with DiDonato and Barcellona. Marvellous tunes, superbly sung. Highly, highly recommended.Comment
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Hiya David-G,Originally posted by David-G View Post
Thanks very much for that. I greatly admire the DVD/Blu-ray of the Paul Curran production from the Met. The ROH staging you refer to is by John Fulljames, I believe, and I glad you enjoyed it. I wish I had been there at either of the stagings!Comment
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The Fulljames production at CG was generally not very well received. There was of course the obligatory abuse of women which had nothing to do with the story, with the uncouth Highlanders as the abusers. But this was a relatively short episode, and I allowed myself not to get worried about it. The opera started in the Museum in Edinburgh with the characters coming alive from their showcases, and ended with them going back into the showcases. This I found absurd, but tried hard not to let it spoil the opera for me. In which I succeeded, as (dare I confess?) I saw the piece six times. The singing was simply to die for.
I saw the Met production in the cinema earlier this year. It didn't have the absurdities I have been referring to, but it was a bit conventional, and the positioning of the sets on the stage was sometimes awkward. Neither production seemed a definitive "Lago", but this seemed a detail in comparison with the glories of the musical performance.Comment
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As is typical for Rossini (and Donizetti) it should be familiar and conservative to anyone that knows a few of his other works. Rossini scholars can correct or extend this but... La donna del lago draws from Otello, which in turn reuses overtures from Il Turco in Italia / Sigismondo, etc. probably back to his first, ha, my play list for this afternoon is now La cambiale di matrimonio and Demetrio e Polibio. Certainly L'equivoco stravagante, 1811, hints at many better known later works including La donna del lago. Donna del lago was later reused in the pastiche Robert Bruce.Originally posted by Stanfordian View PostComment
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If equipped with a Lone Ranger regiemask. Just listening it was good, I particularly remember Daniela Barcellona was excellent as Malcolm.Originally posted by David-G View PostComment
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Lightweight! A person I sat next to (at D de L) claimed 7 of 8 with only a clash preventing the set.Originally posted by David-G View PostComment
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