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.

Leontyne Price Live MET Performances Get 2-CD Release

"Celebrate one of opera's greatest artists with Leontyne Price at the Met. This new release features excerpts from the beloved American soprano's Met performances of Aida, Tosca, Il Trovatore, Antony and Cleopatra, and much more." Pirate recordings of the American soprano have previously been available to the public, but now the Metropolitan Opera attempts to get the highlights of the most famous moments that Leontyne Price sang at the house in this new compilation. Pre-order your copy here.

Watch a video of Leontyne Price's farewell performance at the Metropolitan Opera in the title of Verdi's Aida.

Celebrating Kathleen Battle's 72nd Birthday With MET Streams

Kathleen Battle (center) is featured in the 1982 Metropolitan Opera production of Mozart's Così fan tutte with Maria Ewing (left) as Dorabella and Kiri Te Kanawa (right) as Fiordiligi (Photo: Winnie Klotz).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Metropolitan Opera has been deep-diving into its video broadcast troves to stream the content out to users in hopes of fundraising and continued engagement. In honor of Kathleen Battle's birthday today (see our previous tribute here), we highlight the recently aired performance of L'Elisir d'Amore featuring her performance alongside Luciano Pavarotti (view here) and on August 22 they will present Il Barbiere di Siviglia with fellow artists Rockwell Blake and Leo Nucci (view here). Read the company's feature "Practically Perfect," written by photo editor Jonathan Tichler, on Ms. Battle here. More of the soprano's MET production photos after the jump.

Kathleen Battle with Luciano Pavarotti in L'Elisir d'Amore (Photo: Robert Cahen).

Alexa Goes For Hell's Revenge In New Commercial From Amazon

Alexa, Amazon's virtual assistant that uses artificial intelligence technology, is activated by voice interaction to control music playback, making to-do lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, playing audiobooks, and providing weather, traffic, sports, and other real-time information, such as news. In their latest television commercial, they tap one of Mozart's most famous arias from Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) sung by the Königin der Nacht (Queen of the Night): "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen." Known as the "Vengeance Aria," it is wickedly high and hard to sing. The promo is pushing customers to create playlists with Summer Vibes. The client trying to relax interrupts the performance to request "something more fun" which quickly transforms the scene to Donna Summer singing "I Feel Love." Watch the full Amazon commercial, a performance of Edda Moser singing the complete aria, a video of Donna Summer, and check out the lyrics with translations for the aria after the jump. [Source, Source]

Sabine Devieilhe Follows The Love Mozart Had For Weber Sisters

Mozart was in love with three sisters of the Weber family: Josepha, Aloysia and Konstanze. He wrote music for all of the muses (and their high tessituras) during the last 14 years of his life. This new recording, Sabine Devieilhe's second solo disc for Erato, features conductor Raphaël Pichon and Pygmalion creating a journey of Mozart's amorous awaking for these women as told through music that is bold, dangerous, naive and tormented. Some of the featured tracks include: "Der Hölle Rache" from Die Zauberflöte; "Non so d'onde viene" K.294; "Io non chiedo, eterni Dei" K.316; "Nehmt meinen Dank" KV 483; "Ah, vous dirais-je maman"; and more. Due out November 6, you can pre-order this limited edition disc by clicking here. Watch a video of the recording session after the jump.

Susan Graham Sings For Pope Francis In New York Vespers Service

Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham sang "Laudate Dominum" from Mozart's Vesperae solennes de confessore for the Papal visit to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. See two clips of her performance, after the jump.

"Mission: Impossible" Gets The (Vienna State) Opera Treatment

Soprano Lise Lindstrom has sung the title role of Puccini's Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Les Choregies d'Orange, and many other opera companies around the world. (Photo: Lisa-Marie Mazzucco)

Critic Alex Ross brilliantly covers the classical music-infused sequences of the new Tom Cruise thriller Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation. From opening scenes featuring Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro overture to extended excerpts of Puccini's Turandot. Although actors portray the opera roles of Turandot (America Olivo) and Caláf (Jesus Alvarez), the parts are sung here by Lise Lindstrom and Gregory Kunde under conductor Philippe Auguin (played by Nicholas Lupu in the film). Most of the action takes place at the Vienna State Opera. There's even a splash of Beethoven's Eroica Symphony thrown in for classical good measure. And it is probably no coincidence that the femme fatale of the film, played by Rebecca Ferguson, is named Ilsa Faust. Hélas, no Gounod is found in the film. Read the entire review by clicking here. Watch a clip of Lise Lindstrom singing the role of Turandot, after the jump.

Tom Cruise as the indestructible Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation.

British Coloratura Finds A Home At Prague State Opera House

"Opera singer Christina Johnston says she would love to be based in her home country but there is simply much more opportunity in Prague. 'Prague has a lot more cultural enthusiasm for opera than England,' she told the Prague Post. 'In England you have this stereotype it’s for people who have money, and here it is young people, old people, no matter where they are from,' she said, adding that London with a population of more than 8 million has two opera houses, while Prague with a population of 1.25 million has three opera houses. 'The whole culture is a little more available,' she said. Her favorite venue in Prague is the State Opera. 'As a little girl it is what I dreamed an opera house would look like,' she said. She also finds the atmosphere in Prague less competitive. 'So many wonderful opera singers here are so wonderful and so down to earth, really the opposite of [the stereotype]. It has always been a pleasure to work with people in the Czech Republic It has always been a team effort,' she said. 'In England I think there is a lot more competition.' She also said she is probably treated a bit better since she is a foreigner here. 'I feel very lucky to come here and be accepted by these people,’ she added. Between July and August, she will be appearing in a production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the Estates Theater. This is a different one than is put on in the regular season. 'We are doing it the way Mozart did it,' she said, adding that this production is intended to be a re-creation of the premiere in Prague in 1787 at the same theater where Mozart conducted it." [Source] Read more of the article here and watch a performance of Christina Johnston singing, after the jump.

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

The Santa Fe Opera Announces 2016 Anniversary Season

The Santa Fe Opera has announced the 60th Anniversary Season for the summer of 2016! Operas will include La Fanciulla del West, Don Giovanni, Roméo et Juliette, Capriccio, and Vanessa. See the press release after the jump. (Photo: Paul Horpedahl)

Mozart Lends Music For 2015 Turbo Tax Season

"It’s not always easy, but love finds a way. No matter what you went through last year, answering questions about it is simple. Get your taxes done right with TurboTax." The tax company uses "Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen" from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte. Watch Lucia Popp (Pamina) and Wolfgang Brendel (Papageno) perform the piece on stage under conductor Wolfgang Sawallisch.

"Sex And The City" Features Mozart's "La Clemenza Di Tito"

Ballo in Maschera: Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) and
Jack (Joseph Murphy) are looking for [more] love.

Sex and the City, Season 1, Episode 8: "Architect and amazing lover Jack, an ideal catch for princess Charlotte, whom she met at many disease benefits, strongly suggests a trio with another woman- the friends are divided if or how....She talks about this to her friends and finds out that Samantha loves it, but insists that one should only be a 'guest star' in one to avoid complications." Charlotte and Jack attend a masked ball fundraiser for Attention Deficit Disorder where they set their sights on a willing third person for their ménage à trois fantasy. As the flirtation begins, the scene's accompanying music is the tenor aria "Se all'impero amici dei" from Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito. [Source] "Titus (Latin: Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus Augustus; December 30, 39 – September 13, 81) was Roman Emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death, thus becoming the first Roman Emperor to come to the throne after his own biological father. Prior to becoming Emperor, Titus gained renown as a military commander, serving under his father in Judaea during the First Jewish-Roman War. The campaign came to a brief halt with the death of emperor Nero in 68, launching Vespasian's bid for the imperial power during the Year of the Four Emperors. When Vespasian was declared Emperor on 1 July 69, Titus was left in charge of ending the Jewish rebellion. In 70, he besieged and captured Jerusalem, and destroyed the city and the Second Temple. For this achievement Titus was awarded a triumph; the Arch of Titus commemorates his victory to this day. Under the rule of his father, Titus gained notoriety in Rome serving as prefect of the Praetorian Guard, and for carrying on a controversial relationship with the Jewish queen Berenice. Despite concerns over his character, Titus ruled to great acclaim following the death of Vespasian in 79, and was considered a good emperor by Suetonius and other contemporary historians. As emperor, he is best known for completing the Colosseum and for his generosity in relieving the suffering caused by two disasters, the eruption of Mount

Mercy, Mercy: Victory is at hand for the couple

Vesuvius in AD 79 and a fire in Rome in 80. After barely two years in office, Titus died of a fever on September 13, 81. He was deified by the Roman Senate and succeeded by his younger brother Domitian." [Source] Watch the scene from 1998 by clicking here. After the jump is a full text translation of the aria and a video of Jonas Kaufmann singing the aria from a 2005 production of Mozart's opera at the Opernhaus Zürich. You can purchase the entire first season of Sex and the City by clicking here. 

New Zealand Opera Explores The Seediest Side Of "Don Giovanni"

"Almost done with this pole dance, but first....let me take a selfie"
(Photo: Stacy Squires/Fairfax)

"New Zealand Opera's production of Mozart's Don Giovanni opened its Auckland season on Thursday and had already courted a little bit of controversy as to its staging. Not the stuffy, fusty 18th Century costumes and street scenes for this production directed by Sara Brodie. Rather, the setting is in a seedy, dingy Spanish nightclub, completely devoid of any sophistication whatsoever. There are poledancers and a DJ in residence and smartphones, and selfies are taken. Apparently, there's some substance abuse as well although I have to say I missed that. But you get the idea. Not surprisingly, this has detracted from the other, arguably more important elements. How's the music, for starters? Were there any sacrifices made to the plot or libretto to accommodate the setting? And was it any good at all? The good news is that the music is good and it is a pretty decent production. While some might argue that some of the traditional elements to the story are reworked to suit the setting, the sets, created by designer John Verryt, are dynamic and up to the usual high standard we have become

Hell Hath No Fury: Anna Leese stars as Donna Elvira
(Photo: Mark Stone)

accustomed to with a New Zealand Opera production. NZO's music director Wyn Davies and the Auckland Philharmonia give their customary quality performance. And, most importantly, the cast is vocally strong. The two standouts in the cast have to be New Zealand soprano Anna Leese as Donna Elvira, one of Giovanni's victims, and Australian bass baritone Warwick Fyfe as Giovanni's long-suffering manservant Leporello." [Source]

Sandrine Piau Offers Insight To Her New Mozart Recording

(Photo: Sandrine Expilly)

"When Naïve offered me the chance to record a Mozart recital in 2001, it was something I hadn't even dared to dream of, because he seemed to me to be the composer most emblematic of every kind of perfection. I made the disc with a feeling almost of transgression and a tremendous fear of not being worthy of him. Now, thirteen years later, I come back to Mozart with the experience of the roles I've tackled on stage in the meantime. Donna Anna is probably the character I most wanted to include, not only because I've sung her in the theatre but also because the part is traditionally given to heavier voices than mine. Like any so-called Baroque singer, I'm suspicious of traditions, and I like the idea that behind her cries of suffering she has still retained a redemptive gentleness, which one can sense in 'Non mi

dir.' The arias I've chosen are often tormented. I suppose this is a disc of maturity, which both reflects my trajectory over these past few years and catches me at a specific moment in my life, like a snapshot." - Sandrine Piau [Source] The recording features arias from Lucio Silla, Don Giovanni, La Finta Giardiniera, Le Nozze di Figaro, Idomeneo, Mitridate, and Il Re Pastore. Purchase the new album, Desperate Heroines, by clicking here and read an inspiring review of the disc here. You can listen to audio clips of each track by clicking here. 

"Don Giovanni" Gets Decoded In ABC's "Scandal"

Musical Scandal: Harrison (Columbus Short), Olivia 
(Kerry Washington),and Huck (Guillermo Díaz), 
decode the operatic message.

Season 2 - Episode 6: "A man rushes down the sidewalk to hand over a package to his neighborhood postal carrier. The mail truck turns the corner leaving the man standing on a peaceful suburban street. BANG! The man shoots himself in the head. The package he was so anxious to send off before committing suicide is addressed to Olivia Pope. There’s sheet music inside. Huck quickly determines this is actually a coded message asking for protection for a group of covert operatives. He knows the people on the list are spies because his name is amongst them." [Source] The sheet music that's inside the envelope is the tenor aria "Il mio tesoro" sung by the character Don Ottavio from Mozart's Don Giovanni. Listen to the full aria and see a full translation after the jump.

Operatic Connections Run Deep For "The Strain" On FX Networks

More menacing than Vincent Price: Jonathan Hyde
as Stoneheart Group CEO Eldritch Palmer. But
where did this character get his name?

"The Strain is an American vampire horror–drama television series that premiered on FX on July 13, 2014. It was created by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, based on their novel trilogy of the same name. Del Toro and Hogan wrote the pilot episode, 'Night Zero,' which del Toro directed. A thirteen-episode first season was ordered on November 19, 2013. The pilot episode premiered at the ATX Television Festival in Austin, Texas, in early June 2014....On August 6, 2014, FX renewed The Strain for a 13-episode second season, with production set to begin in November 2014." [Source] The only way to make a television series about vampires and the holocaust more dramatic, is to score it with hints of opera and classical music. The show has thrown brief sound clips into scenes specific to two characters: Eldritch Palmer and Thomas Eichorst.

One German-composer-loving Nazi vampire:
Richard Sammel as Thomas Eichorst

The composers approved by the Nazi regime during WWII (a theme used heavily in the show) were Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Wagner, and Anton Bruckner. So far, we've gotten some Beethoven and Viennese composer Mozart in the first nine episodes. It will come as no surprise if the other Germanic composers make an appearance later in the series. Beyond the music clips, there are many other real-life opera connections to the lead actor in the show and his character's name as well. Read all about the opera connections surrounding the series, and listen to music presented in the show, after the jump.  The Strain airs Sunday nights at 10:00 PM ET/PT, only on FX. Watch the full episodes of The Strain by clicking here. [Source, Source]

"Zombieland" Rule #32: Genießen Sie die kleinen Dinge

"A shy student trying to reach his family in Ohio, and a gun-toting tough guy trying to find the Last Twinkie and a pair of sisters trying to get to an amusement park join forces to travel across a zombie-filled America." The 2009 cult classic film Zombieland, from director Ruben Fleischer, features a scene where actors Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, Abigail Breslin, tear up a souvenir shop while the overture from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro serves as the soundtrack to the scene. As the destruction is complete, the phrase "Rule #32: Enjoy the little things" pops above the screen. Watch the clip from the movie, as well as the complete overture, after the jump. [Source]

All In The Family: Diana Montague & David Rendall Produce Heir

Portrait of Huw Montague Rendall
 by Walter van Dyk

Sometimes in the opera world, celestial singers come together to create some formidable offspring. Such is the case with mezzo-soprano Diana Montague and tenor David Rendall. The English couple made Brockenhurst, Hampshire, their home and produced four children: Mimi, Ed, Nell, and Huw. It is impossible to not have talent on some level when growing up in a house surrounded by music. Witness the jazzy vocals of daughter Nell by clicking here. But it can be expected with such dramatic vocalists for parents, one of the children would venture into the world of opera. Such is the particular case of Huw Montague Rendall. He attended the Ballard School in New Milton, Hampshire, where he graduated in 2010. He went on to study at Brockenhurst College where he received a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts. Currently living in London, he is attending the

The Montague-Rendall clan with the
matriarch: Ed, Mimi, Diana, Nell, and 
Huw (Photo: Facebook)

Royal College of Music where he is studying as a baritone and will graduate in 2016 with a Bachelor of Music degree. Thanks to YouTube, we are able to witness his budding talent. Below are videos featuring Huw singing "Questo amor, vergogna mia" from Edgar by Puccini, "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" from Oklahoma by Rodgers & Hammerstein, "Ombra mai fu" from Xerxes by Händel, "Les Berceaux" by Fauré, and "Se Vuol Ballare" from Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart:

The name Huw is of Welsh
origin and means "heart,
mind and spirit"
(Photo: Facebook)

Other than a brief work stint at Tesco, a multinational grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in the UK, Huw's only other venture outside the classical music realm has been performing with the band Shrunk In The Wash. He has been lead singer since 2004. The band plays jazz and rock, among other favorites, for various functions. You can see the band in action by clicking here and listen to an amazing rendition of "It Ain't Necessarily So" below:

(Photo: Twitter)

Best of luck to Huw Montague Rendall on his future in music and we will be sure to feature him more often when he reaches the stages of the world's leading opera houses. Be sure to visit his Facebook page and his Twitter page to keep abreast of current engagements. You can read more about Diana Montague and David Rendall after the jump. [Source]

Leandra Ramm Reveals Dangerous Obsessive Stalker On TV

The real Leandra Ramm (pictured above)
suffered intense mental anguish.

"A man masquerading as a musical sponsor turns opera singer Leandra Ramm's life into a nightmare." [Source] Originally airing in October 2013, the Investigation Discovery channel featured the intense stalking situation of up-and-coming soprano Leandra Ramm (played by Alison Arnopp in the re-enactment). After a promotional stint on Anderson Cooper, Ms. Ramm started receiving telephone calls from an Asian man named "Carl" who promised a contract for performing at the Singapore Opera Festival. It didn't take long for the 20-year old starlet to realize that he was a fraud and was not going to help her at all. That is where her personal nightmare began. Soon thereafter he started stalking her by phone and email, to the point of destroying her personal and professional relationships. After approaching the police and the FBI, she was left on her own to watch the destruction of her career.  See more about her imprisoned stalker here. Music featured in the episode and a video of the real-life Leandra Ramm performing, after the jump.

Baltimore Ravens Justin Tucker Sings Opera (And Likes Soda)

Be a Pepper, Drink Dr. Pepper: Justin Tucker enjoys making music of all varieties

"Justin Paul Tucker (born November 21, 1989) is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He played college football at the University of Texas. He graduated from Westlake High School, near Austin. Tucker played college football at the University of Texas. In 2011, concluding a 118 game rivalry with Texas A&M University and The University of Texas, Tucker kicked the game winning field goal as time expired. Texas (then ranked #25) won, 27-25. He played in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl." [Source] Watch the video of footballer Justin Tucker, performing "Deh vieni alla finestra" from Mozart's Don Giovanni as he sings the praises of Dr. Pepper, after the jump. You can also read more about the soda promotion by clicking here.