An Idomeneo from the North

There are people who like to dislike – I am not like that. When one dislikes something, one generally tends to miss an important aspect of what he or she dislikes. For example,  I like René Jacobs – I like his Bach, Handel and Haydn recordings. I even found his Rossini interesting – but I [...]

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Fidelio in Paris

In the booklet to his performances of Beethoven’s Fidelio for the Paris National Opera, Sylvain Cambreling explains why he believes that some ideas in early versions of this work (usually referred to as Leonore) are, in his opinion, more effective than the definitive alternatives settled in the composer’s final 1814 version. Naturally, Beethoven’s own ideas [...]

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Tristan, Isolde and the videos

First seen at the Opéra Bastille in 2005, Peter Sellars’s staging of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde has become famous for the projection of videos by Bill Viola, while the action takes place in a dark setting with no props or other pieces of scenery. It is true that the videos might be an efficient tool [...]

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A matter of mattress

Although the production of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte presently performed at the Opéra de Paris has been warmed-up several times since its première at the Opéra Bastille in 2005, it still elicits some booing.  It am not a partisan of such public demonstration of dislike, but I can certainly understand why that happens. It is true [...]

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Salut à la France

Well, Figaro had to wait, for I am in Paris right now to sample a bit of the Paris Opera’s season and enjoy the town.  Reviews will follow.

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Perdono vi chiedo

I haven’t posted anything for a while, but I have an excuse – I have been reviewing the commented discography of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. This involves listening to many CDs and watching many DVDs – but I’ll be finishing that soon.

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