Met Opera Die Walkure 28.4.12

[kernelbogey]

Live from the Met starting at 1600.

Siegmund.....Jonas Kaufmann (Tenor)
Sieglinde..... Eva-Maria Westbroek (Soprano)
Hunding.....Hans-Peter Konig (Bass)
Wotan.....Bryn Terfel (Baritone)
Fricka.....Stephanie Blythe (Mezzo-Soprano)
Brunnhilde.....Katarina Dalayman (Soprano)
Gerhilde.....Kellie Cae Hogan (Soprano)
Ortlinde.....Wendy Bryn Harmer (Soprano)
Waltraute.....Marjorie Elinor Dix (Soprano)
Schwertleite.....Mary Phillips (Soprano)
Helmwige.....Molly Fillmore (Soprano)
Seigrune.....Eve Gigliotti (Mezzo-Soprano)
Grimgerde.....Mary Ann Mccormick (Mezzo-Soprano)
Rossweisse.....Lindsay Ammann (Mezzo-Soprano)
New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
New York Metropolitan Opera Chorus
Fabio Luisi.....Conductor.

(Whoever puts up this kind of material on the BBC website obviously doesn't know that (a) an umlaut over the u is part of the spelling; and (b) if you haven't got an umlaut on your keyboard you put an e after the vowel. Goetterdaemmpoorwebsite! [with apologies to The Economist].)

[Beef Oven]

Live from the Met starting at 1600.

Siegmund.....Jonas Kaufmann (Tenor)
Sieglinde..... Eva-Maria Westbroek (Soprano)
Hunding.....Hans-Peter Konig (Bass)
Wotan.....Bryn Terfel (Baritone)
Fricka.....Stephanie Blythe (Mezzo-Soprano)
Brunnhilde.....Katarina Dalayman (Soprano)
Gerhilde.....Kellie Cae Hogan (Soprano)
Ortlinde.....Wendy Bryn Harmer (Soprano)
Waltraute.....Marjorie Elinor Dix (Soprano)
Schwertleite.....Mary Phillips (Soprano)
Helmwige.....Molly Fillmore (Soprano)
Seigrune.....Eve Gigliotti (Mezzo-Soprano)
Grimgerde.....Mary Ann Mccormick (Mezzo-Soprano)
Rossweisse.....Lindsay Ammann (Mezzo-Soprano)
New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
New York Metropolitan Opera Chorus
Fabio Luisi.....Conductor.

(Whoever puts up this kind of material on the BBC website obviously doesn't know that (a) an umlaut over the u is part of the spelling; and (b) if you haven't got an umlaut on your keyboard you put an e after the vowel. Goetterdaemmpoorwebsite! [with apologies to The Economist].)

By coincidence, I just had an umlaut for breakfast.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Jonas Kaufmann is out of this performance through illness, so Siegmund will be sung by Frank van Aken (Mr Westbroek), making his Met debut.

[DracoM]

The loss of Kaufmann is crippling. He is surely the best heldentenor around.

[Belgrove]

He is surely the best heldentenor around.

Indeed he is. An electrifying performance with Westbroek last year, some of the best Wagner singing (and acting) I've witnessed. Perhaps the husband/wife team will make the sparks fly this afternoon.

[gurnemanz]

The loss of Kaufmann is crippling. He is surely the best heldentenor around.

Having programmed my recorder, I agree that he is a huge loss. (He was indisposed when we went to Don Carlos at ROH). He can certainly "do" heldentenor but I think of him as much more versatile.

[Resurrection Man]

Having programmed my recorder, I agree that he is a huge loss. (He was indisposed when we went to Don Carlos at ROH). He can certainly "do" heldentenor but I think of him as much more versatile.

I agree. Really disappointed with van Aken. Far too much vibrato for my taste. Why is this? If I waver around enough I'll get the right pitch somewhere along the line?

I like the orchestral playing/conducting. Will have to see how the rest pans out.

[Nick Armstrong]

Is it obligatory for ladies who sing on the stage of the Met (whether soloists or chorus) to have a vibrato a mile wide?!?

I made the mistake of leaving the radio on in the bedroom... I was within earshot just now and hastened to switch off the most horrendous caterwauling

[mercia]

caterwauling

have you discussed vibrato with "the archangel" ?

[Nick Armstrong]

have you discussed vibrato with "the archangel" ?

French frank?!

[RobertLeDiable]

You can't really be too critical of van Aken, since he seems to have stepped in at literally a day's notice, but it sounds as if his voice isn't in great nick and is already (at the end of Act 1) sounding pretty frayed around the edges. I wonder if he can be heard in the theatre? It's a frighteningly huge space to fill. Westbroek isn't really to my taste. She's a fantastic singing actress but she can sound a bit squally at times. So far, though, the conducting is all a bit plodding and uninspiring. Levine is sorely missed.

[Resultant Bass]

I thoroughly agree - what a dreadful noise, and the replacement tenor sounded as if he'd been hauled off the scrap heap. He really did find it a bit of a struggle. If those two are married to each other I pity their neighbours, and is this really is the best the Met can do?

[mercia]

French frank?!

er no I was thinking of our resident defender of the professional BBC chorus

ignore me I'm stirring

[Resurrection Man]

I find the Met performances generally pretty mediocre. They do occasionally have a few gems but that is the exception. It's not high on my list of opera houses to go to.

[Anna]

Why, is it just money? Are the BBC tied to the Met every Saturday. Why cannot they broadcast from European Opera Houses?