WW84 Confusingly Uses Mozart For Emotional Affect

Remember coloratura soprano Christine Johnston? Well, she's resurfaced in the second full-length feature Wonder Woman film titled WW84. Unfortunately it's not flattering for anyone. For some reason the producers decided to use the aria "Voi che sapete" from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro in what is supposed to be a fantastical scene of discovery as Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) sees the technology in the world of 1984 that he's been thrust into after being resurrected from 1918. Much of this film reads as a cheesy B-movie from the '80s, but this was a real lost opportunity. In the context of the opera, the character of Cherubino is Count Almaviva's page and a teenage boy who is girl-crazy. In opera this is known as "pants role" and sung often times in modern day by a mezzo-soprano. For this aria, we find out that the Count is tired of Cherubino's philandering with women so he's sending him off to army duty in Seville. Cherubino sings to Countess Almaviva and the servant Susanna about how much love he has to give. Hijinks ensue as any good as any plans that Beaumarchais created in his play La Folle Journée, ou Le Mariage de Figaro on which Da Ponte based his libretto. The opera premiered in 1786, so maybe there is supposed to be some cleverness about the '80s? The film score was hammered out by Hollywood veteran Hans Zimmer so maybe this was his idea? At any rate, the audience has to endure a pedantically sung piece that has no place in this movie. You can watch the film on HBOMax: https://www.hbomax.com/wonder-woman-1984. After the jump is a performance of "Voi che sapete" by Frederica von Stade.

Joseph Colaneri And Francesca Zambello Talk 40th Anniversary

Opera Titan: Francesco Zambello leads the
Glimmerglass Festival into its 40th Season.
(Photo: Claire McAdams)

"The Glimmerglass Festival this year seems grander than ever before. The opera company, with its Alice Busch Theater and campus on the western shore of Otsego Lake north of Cooperstown, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Artistic and general director Francesca Zambello has put together a remarkable season of events and activities, running from July 10 through August 23. Scheduled for the opening and closing performances is the familiar and beloved Mozart masterpiece, The Magic Flute. Other mainstage productions are Verdi’s dark tragedy Macbeth and an amazing unknown opera by Antonio Vivaldi, Cato in Utica. The traditional American musical theater offering is Leonard Bernstein’s witty and clever take on Voltaire’s classic short novel, Candide. Voltaire ends his philosophical reflection on the meaning of life with Candide’s words, 'we must cultivate our garden.' This year the Glimmerglass 'campus' will have a three-part modern landscape installation for sharing stories and quiet person reflection. 'A beautiful garden has both unity and variety,' Zambello says, and the golden thread running through this season is the importance and beauty of our natural surroundings....The festival will also present a lecture by Supreme Court Justice Ruth

Frederica Von Stade Continues Astonishing Stage Performances

"As is the case with movie actresses, opportunities decrease when female opera singers reach a certain age. There are only so many chances to be the Countess in Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades, for example. So when the much-beloved mezzo Frederica von Stade retired from the opera stage in February 2011 at age 65, with a final outing as Mrs. De Rocher, the show-stealing featured part that Jake Heggie wrote for her in Dead Man Walking (2000), her many fans assumed that was the end. It wasn't. Ms. von Stade is back, this time at center stage in A Coffin in Egypt, a one-act chamber opera written for her by Ricky Ian Gordon. The work had its premiere at the Houston Grand Opera in March, went on to Beverly Hills and is now at Opera Philadelphia. Working with librettist Leonard Foglia, Mr. Gordon based the opera on Horton Foote's play of the same name. It's a ferocious character study. Myrtle Bledsoe, age 90, living in the tiny backwater town of Egypt, Texas, looks back on her life, and for the most part, it isn't pretty. In 1900, at 19, a beautiful, much-pursued city girl, she married a rich farmer, but the promise of that beginning was never fulfilled. Her husband, Hunter, cheated on her openly, first with a black prostitute, and later with a 17-year-old high-school girl whose father he shot and killed. His crime went unpunished, and Hunter and Myrtle's nephew, assuming he would be similarly immune, murdered his own father. Even Myrtle's daughters were no comfort to her; they blamed her for Hunter's tomcatting ways." [Source] Read the full Wall Street Journal review of the show here.

Remembering Maestro Claudio Abbado And His Opera Stars

Claudio Abbado backstage with Renata Scotto after I Capuleti e i Montecchi at Teatro alla Scala in 1967

Conductor Claudio Abbado passed away on Monday, January 20, 2014, at the age of 80. He left an immaculate legacy of live musical performances and countless recordings on a variety of labels. He conducted a great majority of opera throughout his career and subsequently had many friendships with singers from around the globe. Check out some spectacular photos of the Maestro with singers from the past 50 years, along with some biographical information, after the jump.

Marilyn Horne Celebrates 80th Birthday With Song

Marilyn Horne Song Celebration

Thursday, January 16, 2014 at 7:30 PM

Zankel Hall

"Marilyn Horne, founder and guiding voice of The Song Continues series, has long demonstrated a commitment to nurturing gifted young vocal talent. The legendary songstress is honored on her 80th birthday in a festive evening of songs performed by an all-star lineup of special guest artists." Performers
Samuel Ramey, Host
Frederica von Stade, Host
Barbara Cook, Vocalist
Renée Fleming, Soprano
Brenda Rae, Soprano
Jamie Barton, Mezzo-Soprano
Isabel Leonard, Mezzo-Soprano
David Daniels, Countertenor
Piotr Beczala, Tenor
Lester Lynch, Baritone
Martin Katz, Piano
Warren Jones, Piano
Lee Musiker, Piano
[Source]

Joyce DiDonato Markets New Album With Famous Friends

Metropolitan Opera Guild Luncheon to Honor Marilyn Horne

The lady of the hour: Miss Horne

77th Annual Guild Luncheon
Jackie! Celebrating Marilyn Horne

October 31, 2011 12:15 PMWaldorf-Astoria

The honoree of this year’s Annual Guild Luncheon is the legendary Marilyn Horne. Join us as we salute one of the greatest singers of our time, with appearances by her colleagues and friends, video performances and a vocal tribute by Stephanie Blythe. Guests at the luncheon will include June Ander­son, Lucine Amara, Mar­tina Arroyo, Har­o­lyn Black­well, Judith Ble­gen, Richard Bonynge, Nedda Casei, Barbara Cook, Frank Corsaro, John Corigli­ano, Dwayne Croft, Tyne Daly, Ray­mond Gniewek, Florence Henderson, Martin Katz, Jean Kraft, Shir­ley Love, John Mac­urdy, Spiro Malas, Terrence McNally, Marnie Nixon, Betsy Norden, Roberta Peters, Eve Queler, Samuel Ramey, Regina Res­nik, Ren­ata Scotto, Rita Shane, Bryn Ter­fel, Ben­ita Valente, Deborah Voigt, Fre­der­ica von Stade and Robert White.

TICKETS
Regular Tickets: $250 ($125 tax-deductible)
Benefactor Tickets: $475 ($350 tax-deductible)
President’s Circle Tickets: $750 ($625 tax-deductible)
Benefactor Tables for Ten: $4,750 ($3,500 tax-deductible)
President’s Circle Tables for Ten: $7,500 ($6,000 tax-deductible)

Buy tickets for the event by clicking here.

Happy Birthday: Frederica von Stade

"Clair du lune" Fauré

Frederica von Stade (born June 1, 1945) is an American mezzo-soprano. Born in Somerville, New Jersey, she acquired the nickname "Flicka" in her childhood. Von Stade attended the Mannes College of Music in New York City. She made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera in 1970 and in 1971 appeared as Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro at the Santa Fe Opera. "It was two of the newcomers who left the audience dazzled: Frederica von Stade as Cherubino and Kiri Te Kanawa as the Countess. Everyone knew at once that these were brilliant finds. History has confirmed that first impression." Trained in the bel canto style, von Stade is known for her roles in Rossini's The Barber of Seville and La Cenerentola. In addition to opera, von Stade has also performed a wide range of musicals, from Show Boat to The

"Ah, non credea...Ah, non giunge"
La Sonnambula (Bellini)

Sound of Music to A Little Night Music and has appeared on numerous PBS specials, most notably in 1991's A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert. She has also appeared in many Kennedy Center Honors broadcasts for CBS. Von Stade is also a respected recital artist, performing works ranging from Mozart and Haydn to Mahler to Broadway show tunes. Her LP album of Mahler songs was praised as "cherishable" by Peter G. Davis of The New York Times. Composers, including Dominick Argento, Jake Heggie and Richard Danielpour, have produced works specifically for von Stade. She originated the role of "Tina" in Dallas Opera's world premiere production of Argento's The Aspern Papers. She has also recorded other works by Argento. Danielpour composed Elegies for orchestra, mezzo-soprano, and baritone in memory of von Stade's father, Charles von Stade, who was killed late in World War II, two months before von Stade's birth. Elegies premiered in January 1998 with the Jacksonville Symphony led by Roger Nierenberg and has now been recorded by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2008, she created the role of "Madeline" in the

"Evening prayer" Hänsel und Gretel
(Humperdinck) w/Judith Blegen

opera Last Acts, a part which the composer Jake Heggie had especially written for her. Von Stade was the featured performer at the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and also sang with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the Cultural Olympiad held in conjunction with the games. She also sang at the choir's annual Christmas Concert the following year. She currently resides in Alameda, California where she gives performances supporting the arts in local schools. She has made over sixty recordings, including complete operas, aria albums, symphonic works, solo recital programs, and popular

Arkiv Music Revives Classics From CBS/RCA Catalog

Many recordings by fine artists like Frederica von Stade and Shirley Verrett have never seen the light of day on compact disc. That has changed now that Arkiv Music has licensed eight releases from Sony, which holds the rights to the catalogs of CBS Masterworks and RCA, allowing the artistry of these two singers to be brought to the world. Now, any chance we could get re-issues of Anna Moffo's French Opera Arias, complete Thaïs, Debussy songs, Verdi arias, Irvin Berlin and Gershwin songs, La Juive highlights, bel canto songs of Bellini, Verdi, Rossini and Donizetti, Dream Duets with Sergio Franchi, One Night in Love with Skitch Henderson, the album of her singing works she composed, etc.?

Frederica von Stade Channels Callas Master Class Experience

An early portrait of Frederica von Stade

The famous mezzo-soprano who made her San Francisco Opera debut in 1971 will be appearing in the city this coming Tuesday in a program titled "An Evening with Frederica von Stade." The event will be at the Conservatory of Music promises to "share technique tips with a select group of conservatory voice students on stage, interspersed with personal stories told to the audience..." The singer actually attended a pair of master classes that the legendary master classes of Maria Callas at the Juilliard School of Music in New York during the early 1970s. She fondly remembers, “Callas was humble and committed and devoted with all her might to her art." One singer currently singing on opera stages today that impresses von Stade is Russian soprano Anna Netrebko, "[she] is out of this world and actually started as a Merola and Adler Fellow at San Franciso Opera.” The event will be free. For more information click here. [Source]

Houston Grand Opera Honors Frederica Von Stade

(Photo: Eric Melear)

"In recognition of her stellar career and long association with the company, HGO named her an Honorary Board Member and created the The Silver Rose Award. She has won almost every award possible for her music, and she holds the distinction of simultaneously holding the first and second spots on national sales charts. She's been nominated for six Grammys, won two Grand Prix du Disc awards, and in 1998 was awarded France's highest honor in the Arts when she was appointed an officer of L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Von Stade was given a special award at The White House by President Reagan in recognition of her significant contribution to the arts, and she's constantly asked to sing at global opening ceremonies, most recently the 2002 Winter Olympics. Elegies, an opera by Richard Danielpour (co-writer of Dead Man Walking with Jake Heggie), was written specifically for von Stade." [Source]

Joyce DiDonato Asks: Pantalones o faldas?

As subjects answer the all important question, "Pants or Skirts?", there seems to be
some dissension amongst the ranks! Let's hope it got settled peacefully.

In an ongoing effort to promote her new CD, mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato has taken to guerilla media tactics by filming anyone she can find at the Houston Grand Opera (including Frederica von Stage, Jake Heggie, Anthony Freud, stage door guards,

ushers, choristers, etc.) to ask them "Pants or Skirts?" and "Divas or Divos?" The results are quite funny, if not completely real and authentic. My personal favorite is the guy at the 2:20 mark (wearing the Department of Corrections cap) who tells the story of Montserrat "Cabriel." More information about Joyce's new CD is here. Video is after the jump.

Congratulations Grammy Award Winners!

BEST CLASSICAL ALBUM

Verdi: Requiem

Riccardo Muti, conductor; Duain Wolfe, chorus master; Christopher Alder, producer; David Frost, Tom Lazarus & Christopher Willis, engineers/mixers; Silas Brown, mastering engineer (Ildar Abdrazakov, Olga Borodina, Barbara Frittoli & Mario Zeffiri; Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Chicago Symphony Chorus) [CSO Resound]

BEST OPERA RECORDING

Saariaho: L'Amour De Loin

Kent Nagano, conductor; Daniel Belcher, Ekaterina Lekhina & Marie-Ange Todorovitch; Martin Sauer, producer (Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin; Rundfunkchor Berlin) [Harmonia Mundi]

BEST CHORAL PERFORMANCE

Verdi: Requiem

Riccardo Muti, conductor; Duain Wolfe, chorus master (Ildar Abdrazakov, Olga Borodina, Barbara Frittoli & Mario Zeffiri; Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Chicago Symphony Chorus) [CSO Resound]

BEST CLASSICAL VOCAL PERFORMANCE

Sacrificium

Cecilia Bartoli (Giovanni Antonini; Il Giardino Armonico) [Decca]

BEST CLASSICAL CROSSOVER ALBUM

Tin, Christopher: Calling All Dawns

Lucas Richman, conductor (Sussan Deyhim, Lia, Kaori Omura, Dulce Pontes, Jia Ruhan, Aoi Tada & Frederica von Stade; Anonymous 4 & Soweto Gospel Choir; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) [Tin Works Publishing]

Mark Diamond Wins Eleanor McCollum Competition

Diamond (right) getting a lesson at Glimmerglass

"The 23-year-old baritone took first place in Houston Grand Opera's 23rd annual Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers. The winners were selected during last week's Concert of Arias at Wortham Theater Center, the final round in which eight singers each performed two arias. 'I did not expect to win,' Diamond says, 'so it's pretty exciting. HGO is an amazing company, and this competition has a spectacular reputation.' Diamond won with his performances of the arias 'Hai già vinta la causa; from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro and 'Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen' from

The winner with Flicka

Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Die tote Stadt." Judges for the competition included Frederica von Stade, Patrick Summers and Anthony Freud. More than 700 singers from around the world applied for this year's competition. Contestants vied for $25,000 in cash prizes. Baritone Thomas Florio won the second-place prize, soprano Lauren Snouffer won third place, and bass Adam Lau received the Audience Choice Award. Mark Diamond has accepted an offer to join the Houston Grand Opera Studio beginning in the fall 2011. Biography and pictures of Mark Diamond after the jump. [Source, Source, Source]

Robert Mapplethorpe Portraits Includes Frederica Von Stade

Mum by Robert Mapplethorpe

"As a result, 'Portraits' includes striking blue-and-white photographs of numerous people who are, arguably, more famous than the artist himself. There's Smith, of course, notably the famous portrait that was used on the cover of 'Horses,' her 1975 debut album. There are other New York rockers of the period (Iggy Pop, Deborah Harry, David Byrne) and Mapplethorpe's contemporaries in the world of art (Louise Bourgeois, Keith Haring). There are representations from the worlds of fashion (Carolina Herrera), performance art (Laurie Anderson), dance (Bill T. Jones), writing (William Burroughs, Truman Capote) and acting (Richard Gere and Glenn Close, both

Fiancée Swapping Sisters In 1790 Vienna

Sisters (Ray Caesar, 2005)


Kiri Te Kanawa, Frederica von Stade, Jules Bastin
"Soave il vento"

The first performance of Mozart's Così fan tutte took place at the Burgtheater in Vienna on January 26, 1790. The subject matter did not offend Viennese sensibilities of the time, but throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries it was considered risqué. The opera was rarely performed, and when it did appear it was presented in one of several bowdlerised libretti. After World War II, it regained its place in the standard operatic repertoire. It is frequently performed and appears as number fifteen on Opera America's list of the 20 most-performed operas in North America.

Knight of the Rose Sells Out in 1911

Kathleen Battle, Frederica von Stade, Renée Fleming
"Marie Thérèse! Hab' mir's gelobt"

Der Rosenkavalier (Op. 59) (The Knight of the Rose) is a comic opera in three acts by Richard Strauss to an original German libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. It is loosely adapted from the novel Les amours du chevalier de Faublas by Louvet de Couvrai and Molière’s comedy Monsieur de Pourceaugnac. It was first performed at the Königliches Opernhaus in Dresden on January 26, 1911 under the direction of Max Reinhardt. Until the premiere, the working title was Ochs von Lerchenau. (The choice of the name Ochs is not accidental, for in German Ochs is translated as ox, which depicts the character of the Baron throughout the opera.)

When Classical Record Labels Give You No Other Choice

Buy

Over a quarter of a century after facing the dilemma to switch over from vinyl LPs to the shiny new medium known as compact discs, I face a new crisis. Will I collect recordings in MP3 format only? 

Check out some of the re-issues from Felicity Palmer, Bernadette Greevy, Helen Watts and more, after the jump.

Frederica von Stade Talks Miracles

Zheng Cao, born during China's Cultural Revolution, came to America 23 years ago with virtually nothing. "Zheng is one of God's best creatures," said Frederica von Stade, a fellow opera singer. "When he puts a lot of good things all in one person, it results in someone like Zheng."

With two suitcases at $45 in hand, Cao arrived Dec. 17, 1988. After formal training she became a household name on America' grandest stages, as one the great mezzo-sopranos to come from abroad. But in 2008, on stage and off, something was wrong. Zheng had a pain that wouldn't go away. Soon medical tests delivered grim news. "I said, how bad is it?" Zheng, 44, recalled in an interview with Good Morning America. "And she said 'it's stage four.'"

(Photo: ABC News)