And of course it couldn't have come at a worse time - we've got a lot going on in the next few days.
- Tonight is our first subscription ballet night - a rather strange evening built around works designed by the Greek-Italian Surrealist Giorgio de Chirico.
Set design for Bacchus e Ariane by Giorgio de Chirico (Source: Rome Opera)
Its a varied programme involving the disparate talents of Igor Stravinsky, Albert Rousell, Vittorio Reiti, Serge Lifar, George Balanchine and Luigi Pirandello. Aside from the Stravinsky-Lifar Appollon I can honestly say I only recall reading about the other ballets as Ballets Russefootnotes. Next week we'll be getting three ballets designed by Picasso. - Tommorrow night is our regular night at the Academia de Santa Ciecila and the promise of the Brahms Symphonies 1 and 2 conducted by Antonio Papano. The season thus far has been plagued with cancellations and not all that memorable.
However last month's concert with Maurizio Pollini doing the Brahms Number 1 Piano Concerto was a truly moving experience. He's such an unassuming man - slightly stooped and almost apologetic as he approaches the piano. Then he sits down, his fingers touch the keys and he becomes a Titan. Jack tried to get a few shots with his Cell camera during the curtain calls but none of them turned out except this one of Pollini with his back to us. - As this horrid flu was starting to take affect I turned to some of my favorite bloggers (many of whom seemed to have the same thing - could it be a real computer virus????) for solace and comfort. OC, that divine diva of Opera Bloggers, had just come back from opening night at La Scala of Alfano's Cyrano de Bergerac with Placido Domingo. Even before she had her Prada heels off she was writing a quick review that sent me running to the La Scala website. There were a few tickets left for this Tuesday's performance. Snapped one up real quick like; navigated the shoals of the treacherous TrenItalia website to book a train (its only 4 hours 30 minutes) and used travel points to get a hotel near the opera house. When I read her complete review I knew I had made the right choice.
As OC observes Domingo is approaching his 70s and we can't expect him to go on forever, so this may be the last chance I'll have to see him on stage. I know it won't be the voice I heard in 1976 in SFO or Paris in 1986 but I do know that he is still the greatest tenor around and it will a spectacular event. I am getting antsy with anticipation.
(Photo from Royal Opera House Covent Garden - Catherine Ashmore)
01 febbraio - San Orso
8 comments:
I don't mean to point fingers or anything, but Cowbell might have given you the virus.. Everytime I go over her way I wear a surgical mask and wash my hands as soon as I leave. Lately I think the amount of bloggers that have been sick...it is definately contagious. Gotta go wash my hands. Hope you get better.
Jeeze- everyone has it! Two darn weeks and I still sound like a cross between Darth Vader's mother and Kathleen Turner..
Spring can't get here soon enough!! Hope you're better in very short order dear-
Oh no! Feel better. (yes yes, my demanding it will surely make it so. Can you feel the power?)
Don't worry..with your luck,you'll probably live.
Get well soon buddy!
oh no! A computer virus ... hmm, you may be on to something. Well sweets, I hope you get over it soon; what I have is hanging on like the devil on a hussy, and from what I hear, others are slow to kick it as well. Good thoughts.
You're going to love it, Willeeeee! The conducting (with a sumptous, heartbreaking score thanks to Alfano) is the biggest lure, even without the living legend Domingo. The last scene will tear your heart out, when Domingo comes hobbling out to visit his Roxane! Between the chorus, main singers, and the orchestra, they've all got this production down to an exact science, and it was a night of perfection (which was *sorely* needed after their half-a$$ed "Maria Stuarda").
btw, I missed out on Pavarotti's last stage performances at the MET years ago, and vowed to never miss out on a close-to-retiring artist again. So you can't go wrong!
The production managed to make loads of gorgeous set changes without gaping maws of long pauses, so the night doesn't feel terribly long. Zeffirelli needs to learn something from this, 'cause his Aida was as long as Wagner.
Shoot me an email if you need recommendations for places to go before or afterwards for some munchies. Trussardi Cafe is closed until March, btw (which means at least April), and the newly-opened Savini I tried, but it still needs to pull it together a bit. Although, all panini are named after operas, which is a cute touch (although "the Nabucco" panino puzzlingly has prosciutto in it...heh heh heh).
Remember to dress light to the theater...The "central air system" that Scala has in place has always tended to run waaaay too warm, but lately it's been a sweat box in thare.
I hope you are feeling better! I was hit with that flu, but I got it right after la prima, and suffered wiht it from like the middle of December until two weeks later. Sip on some brodo and take your tachipirina (although I always bring back advil cold & sinus, which without i'd be prolly dead). Hugs!
Oh dear, it is going around. I've had it too - I've been a brain dead sodden pile of yuck. Maybe Sageweb is right and we should blog wearing latex gloves.... Hope you feel human(ish) soon.
poor little pumpkin. we had brief bouts of some wretched thing. it's a misery being sick, though it's made a bit more tolerable, i imagine, to be able to whine and moan in such an elegant language.
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