Puccini sets the mood for his proverbially adored opera, La Boheme in the very first bars; a pungent, disarming motif outlining the first three pitches of a minor scale in descending order that leads directly into the action without an overture. It is modern, and life affirming, in a jazzy nonchalant sort of way, with a definite tinge of melancholy.
Hansel und Gretel is filled with charming melodic music that contains gentleness, sweetness, as well as dark motifs. Humperdinck used German folk elements together with original folk tunes to flavor his opera. The score demand much vocal dexterity and Kanyotova and DeShong delightfully have that element in their fine performance. I was thrilled by the darkly comic work by Jill Grove as the manic witch. Brian Williams’ father was also appreciated.
Donizetti’s delightful Don Pasquale (1842), which opened today at Chicago’s Lyric Opera, is an embarrassment of bel canto riches, with a seemingly endless stream of glorious Italian melodies wedded to a lighthearted yet often witty comedic plot about an elderly man who gets more trouble than he bargained for when he decides in his 70s to finally get married.
Jules Massenet’s Werther (1892) is a dramatically exciting and intensely passion and totally romantic French opera. Massenet’s varied music moves form lightly friendly even tranquil melodies depicting nature and happy children to intensely emotional feelings of a young poet madly in love with a woman he can never have.
The lush melodies were sweepingly romantic as they exude richly deep emotions. The unity of music with libretto in Simon Boccanegra worked strikingly well with the baritones and bass. The two romantic duets are to be cherished. The preponderant of low male voices seemed a tad dark until the music and the glorious soprano from Krassimira Stoyanova balanced the sound in her Lyric debut.
Richard Strauss’ music is avant-garde, grandiose, and dissonant. The power and emotional range of the tragedy is heard in the strength of the moving musical tones. They work marvelously with the tour de force performance by Christine Goerke in the title role
Kudos to the creatives at Light Opera Works for creating a revue of the finest songs from Viennese, Berlin, London, and American operettas. These wonderful songs can easily stand on their own devoid of plot. They range from waltzes, ballads, polkas, and marches contain lush music and fine lyrics; romance, frivolous encounters, often satirical, and sentimental tones prevail.
The classic singspiel of strange magic and quests for love gets its first new Chicago production in 17 years. Complete with a new English translation, there are only three performances left!
What a joy it was to see and hear the concert rendition of one of the greatest opera – The Magic Flute. Conductor James Conlon’s Chicago Symphony Orchestra played the melodic Mozart score with zest and bravado
The intimate space and the use of contemporary English sung most articulately by the principals made the opera work surprisingly well. Led by the rich baritone vocal chops of David Govertsen as scoundrel Don Giovanni with the soothing tenor work from Benjamin De Los Monteros as Don Ottsvio, the cast featured harmonious arias rich in emotion and verve.