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NATIONAL CAPITAL OPERA SOCIETY • SOCIÉTÉ D'OPÉRA DE LA CAPITALE NATIONALE Newsletter • Bulletin Winter 2006 Hiver P.O. Box 8347, Main Terminal, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 3H8 • C.P. 8347, Succursale principale, Ottawa (Ontario) K1G 3H8 Cathedral Arts Strikes Gold by David Williams Although only in its third year the Cathedral Arts had waited until the end of each set before applaud- program at Christ Church Cathedral is ing enthusiastically but, following an anec- already making a significant contri- dote of a recital where every single song bution to the Ottawa music scene. was applauded, we were told that we The first half of the 2005-2006 sea- could relax. Naturally, every song af- son consisted of four recital/con- ter that was vigorously acknowl- certs with Ben Heppner, En- edged as befitted the nature of the semble Galilei, the National five Italian songs by Tosti which Capital Concert Band, and were sung very much in the Italian Isabel Bayrakdarian. fashion. Following a standing ova- The season opened with a tion from the essentially full house, classic Ben Heppner recital al- there were two encores with the sec- though the program was somewhat ond encore being “Come un bel di unusual, featuring mainly songs di maggio” from Andrea Chenier. from northern European composers; Isabel Ably accompanying Ben Heppner was not always in the expected language. Bayrakdarian pianist Craig Rutenburg, a well-known The first half of the evening opened with collaborator and opera coach. Although the six songs in German by Grieg, a Norwe- original words and the English translation gian, and closed with seven songs in were provided in the program, the low Swedish by Sibelius, a Finn. These lighting level made it almost impos- were well sung in a cool, lieder sible to consult them during the style befitting their origin. A stu- songs. Purists would probably dent voice major commented at turn in their graves but couldn’t the intermission that he had modern technology give us the learnt more observing equivalent of opera surtitles Heppner’s technique and in- so that we language chal- terpretation of these songs lenged listeners could enjoy than he would have learnt in these recitals even more? ten university lectures. The Ensemble Galilei was second half of the recital be- formed in 1990 and took its gan with six Russian songs name from the composer and by Tchaikovsky, sung with father of the astronomer more energy and passion even Galileo Galilei. The group is though he needed to have the currently made up of six women, lyrics in front of him. As he said all classically trained, most of “I can’t get the Russian words into whom participate in the folk mu- my head”. The audience to that point Ben Heppner sic world as well, either playing in (Continued on page 7) Winter 2006 NEWSLETTER • BULLETIN Hiver 2006 Murray's Message N.C.O.S. As a former teacher I know the great joy of having pupils Board of Directors become very successful. As supporters of the National Capi- tal Opera Society we should all be proud that our fund-rais- Co-President ing efforts directed mainly at the Brian Law Opera Scholar- (Brian Law Scholarship) Bobbi Cain ship have helped so many young singers to work towards Co-President their goals. 2006 is not one of the years in which a compe- (General Administration)Murray Kitts tition is held. But we have many reminders of the success Secretary Jean Saldanha of our winners and participants in the past. Joshua Hopkins Membership Mary Vuylsteke has already made his mark this year with the COC in Carmen Treasurer Gordon Metcalfe and will appear with the Opéra de Montréal in Mozart’s La Publicity Renate Chartrand clemenza di Tito in the new year. As for Opera Lyra Ottawa Ute Davis it will be featuring Julie Nesrallah and Shannon Mercer in Events Pat Adamo Verdi’s Falstaff. What a delight to see and hear these two Newsletter David Williams again. Other winners are making their mark far from us. Should we take pleasure and pride from these outstanding For information: telephone 830-9827; people? Of course. Should this encourage us to continue to email kmitts1637@ rogers.com raise funds to support promising young singers? I’ll leave the answer to you. Welcome to the Board of Directors to Mary The Opera Quiz Vuylsteke, who is taking over from Jean Saldanha as Mem- 1. What are the famous stage names of these sing- bership Chairperson. A special welcome to former Board ers? a) Maria Kalogeropoulos; b) Jacob Member and enthusiastic supporter of NCOS, David Will- Perelmuth; c) Helen Mitchell; d) George iams, who is the new editor of our newsletter. Bernstein; e) Ernst Seiffert; f) Morris Miller. 2. Can you name the composer of each of these operas? a) Don Sanche; b) Fierrabras; c) The Tender Land; d) Genoveva; e)The Nose. Web site News by Jim Burgess 3, How old are these characters in their operas? a)Antonia in Les Contes d’Hoffman; b) Cio-Cio For some months now, the NCOS has had a new web site. To San; c) Gianni Schicchi; d) Papagena; e) the reach it, you should go to www.ncos.ca. (There are some other Grand Inquisitor in Don Carlos. combinations that sometimes work in some browsers, but for- 4. In which operas do these religious characters mally the correct address is www.ncos.ca.) And once you get appear? a) Suor Osmina; b) Rev. Horace Adams; there, be sure to add it immediately to your bookmarks or c) Padre Guardiano; d) Mme. de Croissy; e) Fa- favourites! That way, you don’t have to remember the address. ther Chapelle; f) Rev. Harrington. The web site contains useful information on NCOS, 5. (a) Which countertenor made his name in 1995 such as the names of board members and a list of upcoming for his performance in Glimmerglass Opera’s events. Perhaps most important is the information on the Brian Tamerlano? Law Competition. Prospective competitors will find full de- (b) Which countertenor shared the bill with him tails on how to apply, together with biographies and pictures of in Glimmerglass Opera’sMark L’Incoronazione di Poppea? past winners. Then there’s the link “From the Newsletter Ar- (c) In 1988 countertenors first sang at the MET. chives”: we’ve published every article that has appeared in What Januarywas the opera and who29, were 2005the two coun- the Newsletter from the Winter 1996 edition onward. We’re tertenors? working on going even further back. But we’re also trying (d) In the movie Farinelli, which two singers to stay ahead of the Newsletter: the article “A Special Trib- voiceson were usedyour to create calendar the castrato sound? ute to Gerald Finlay” (in this issue) has been on the web site (e) Who was the first countertenor to win the for several months already, and this issue of the Newsletter MET National auditions? (Answers on Page 7) has been on the web site for some days now. 2 Winter 2006 NEWSLETTER • BULLETIN Hiver 2006 Playful, Polished A Special Tribute Cosi s by Ute Davis To Gerald Finley In a nutshell, this was a thoroughly entertaining by Murray Kitts production of Cosi fan tutte which very much de- served a bigger audience. On May 7, 2006 we Artistic director Maria Pellegrini and con- are holding our An- ductor Yves Lacoursière brought us into the work nual General Meet- effectively by a combination of preliminary plot ing to be preceded by summary by Stuart Hamilton, recitative in English an opera showing and speedy tempi with efficient changes of props and to be followed by and costumes. Mr. Hamilton was his invariably en- dinner at our usual lo- gaging and entertaining self, providing a timely re- cale – St. Anthony’s minder of forthcoming action plus a few salty asides! Soccer Club. In her production, Maria Pellegrini delighted At that time the audience with the humour of the plot without laps- we will present a ing into farce. The high quality of the voices and the newly available excellence of Jiyong Ryu’s piano accompaniment tem- DVD of Britten’s pered the fun and games with sincere pathos. Owen Wingrave with The major tribute has to go to the two ladies, Gerald Finley in the Rachel Cleland-Ainsworth (Fiordiligi) and Carla title role. Based on a story by Henry James, Britten wrote Dirlikov (Dorabella). While individually excellent in this opera to be presented on television. Subsequently it voice and action, their duets were utterly charming. was produced at Covent Garden. This new version is a Nicole Bower made an appropriately cheeky and film by Margaret Williams and the critics seem to agree amusing Despina, while Christopher Wilson made a that it is much superior to the earlier productions. crafty but likable Don Alfonso. Vincenzo Pellegrini A good deal of the film’s success is due to the found the Guglielmo role well suited to his baritone performance of Gerald Finley. Richard Fairman in The and clearly enjoyed the range of acting from young Gramophone states as follows: “Gerald Finley is a tower soldier-fiancé to mysterious Albanian-lover. Mean- of strength as Owen Wingrave, completely believable while Jason Hales (Ferrando) displayed a delightful as the sturdy but sensitive scion of an upper-crust fam- comedy style to support his very able tenor. ily.” William R. Braun in Opera News is even more en- This smoothly organized production was thusiastic as follows: “Gerald Finley’s Owen offers, sim- staged by Maria Pellegrini with the capable assistance ply, singing of the English language as fine as any on of David McAdam, Jean-E Hudson and Michael record.