Very Exciting
I just ordered the DVD of the Met's Production of "Carmen" featuring the enchanting Elīna Garanča whose "Habanera" I linked in a post below. Wonderful music, terrific staging, superb singing and diva eye candy like total madness. Is there a drawback here? Well, it is about $30 from the 'Zon but my DVD collection needs a little more culcha.
Showing posts with label opera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label opera. Show all posts
Friday, October 08, 2010
Sunday, September 05, 2010
Unembeddable
This link is to a sample of the Metropolitan Opera's HD player. It's not, unfortunately, embeddable or I'd do so but please follow the link. It is Elīna Garanča singing the "Habanera" from "Carmen" and it is magnificent. Expand it to full screen to watch. The video is absolutely crisp and stunningly clear and you get to hear the superb Ms. Garanča singing one of the most famous, justly so, songs in opera.
Once again I call your attention to her acting. The stage business with the washed garment, the "washing" of the legs. And look at her eyes when she bites through the stem of the flower - there is a flash of fire that shows the bewitching gypsy for all she is.
The Met offers a free trial week of its HD player and when I have the chance to watch a lot, I'm going to take them up on it. They want a little too much cash for access to the player generally but look at that lush HD video and tell me that it's not at least worth considering. But watch the free clip please.
This link is to a sample of the Metropolitan Opera's HD player. It's not, unfortunately, embeddable or I'd do so but please follow the link. It is Elīna Garanča singing the "Habanera" from "Carmen" and it is magnificent. Expand it to full screen to watch. The video is absolutely crisp and stunningly clear and you get to hear the superb Ms. Garanča singing one of the most famous, justly so, songs in opera.
Once again I call your attention to her acting. The stage business with the washed garment, the "washing" of the legs. And look at her eyes when she bites through the stem of the flower - there is a flash of fire that shows the bewitching gypsy for all she is.
The Met offers a free trial week of its HD player and when I have the chance to watch a lot, I'm going to take them up on it. They want a little too much cash for access to the player generally but look at that lush HD video and tell me that it's not at least worth considering. But watch the free clip please.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
The Brief Opera Babe Mention Post
Let's see. I still owe a commentary on Renée Fleming which I hope to get done in the next day or so. But last night, as I contorted sleepless through the darkness (my sleep patterns are really screwed up, though I'll get back to regular sleep shortly I hope), I found that PBS was showing a "Live from the Met" episode of "Great Performances" which was "Carmen" with the previously featured Elīna Garanča. Wow. Just wow. Her performance was stunning. I almost didn't recognize her in the dark hair but the eyes are a complete giveaway. And the singing and the acting and the set design and .... you get the idea. If you see it come up on your local listings, please don't miss it.
Let's see. I still owe a commentary on Renée Fleming which I hope to get done in the next day or so. But last night, as I contorted sleepless through the darkness (my sleep patterns are really screwed up, though I'll get back to regular sleep shortly I hope), I found that PBS was showing a "Live from the Met" episode of "Great Performances" which was "Carmen" with the previously featured Elīna Garanča. Wow. Just wow. Her performance was stunning. I almost didn't recognize her in the dark hair but the eyes are a complete giveaway. And the singing and the acting and the set design and .... you get the idea. If you see it come up on your local listings, please don't miss it.
Sunday, May 09, 2010
Saturday, May 08, 2010
Damn It
I awoke this morning pressed under the weight of unremembered dreams. It feels like the medieval torture where increasing numbers of stones are piled on until the breath is crushed out then the muscles and bones can not open the lungs to take more air in. But since it's a pressure of mind, an insubstantial thing, all the crushing weight only forces out tears. So I wake up, as Kang or Kodos once put it, leaking ocular fluid yet there's no reason why. Though, of course, there always is.
I suppose if I remember the dreams, it was a night as full of dreams as it was of lack of sun, it may become clear. I've had dreams like that. I even remember some of them. I'm not going to write them here. I'm just going to mention them.
UPDATE: On top of that, today's "Live from the Met" is seriously not to my taste: Berg's "Lulu." Too non-melodically modern for my taste. The story's engagingly perverse though (link will take you to Wikipedia where it's all laid out - and I do mean "laid"). Oh well. After a string of several wonderful broadcasts, the last of the season hits a clinker for me. There are those who like this sort of thing and more power to them. No! Less power to them. Just a little bit of power to them. Not enough to power to screw up the opera broadcasts for me. Tomorrow, the glorious Renée Fleming in my on-going opera babe series.
I awoke this morning pressed under the weight of unremembered dreams. It feels like the medieval torture where increasing numbers of stones are piled on until the breath is crushed out then the muscles and bones can not open the lungs to take more air in. But since it's a pressure of mind, an insubstantial thing, all the crushing weight only forces out tears. So I wake up, as Kang or Kodos once put it, leaking ocular fluid yet there's no reason why. Though, of course, there always is.
I suppose if I remember the dreams, it was a night as full of dreams as it was of lack of sun, it may become clear. I've had dreams like that. I even remember some of them. I'm not going to write them here. I'm just going to mention them.
UPDATE: On top of that, today's "Live from the Met" is seriously not to my taste: Berg's "Lulu." Too non-melodically modern for my taste. The story's engagingly perverse though (link will take you to Wikipedia where it's all laid out - and I do mean "laid"). Oh well. After a string of several wonderful broadcasts, the last of the season hits a clinker for me. There are those who like this sort of thing and more power to them. No! Less power to them. Just a little bit of power to them. Not enough to power to screw up the opera broadcasts for me. Tomorrow, the glorious Renée Fleming in my on-going opera babe series.
Sunday, May 02, 2010
L'amour Est Enfant De Bohème
(editorial comment deleted as no longer relevant)
This will be featuring the stunningly beautiful Romanian diva Angela Gheorghiu. A treat worth the wait, I assure you.
More comment on the morrow, but for now, you know the music but the face and voice may be new to you. It' a little unusual for an aria to be put together as a music video per se but here it is. Yes, she is that gorgeous.
(editorial comment deleted as no longer relevant)
This will be featuring the stunningly beautiful Romanian diva Angela Gheorghiu. A treat worth the wait, I assure you.
More comment on the morrow, but for now, you know the music but the face and voice may be new to you. It' a little unusual for an aria to be put together as a music video per se but here it is. Yes, she is that gorgeous.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
The Continuing Women Of Opera Posting
Today, for your listening and viewing pleasure I present the lovely coloratura soprano Diana Damrau in the role of Queen of the Night in Mozart's glorious "Die Zauberflöte." The Metropolitan Opera recently broadcast "The Magic Flute" in its regular Saturday "Live from the Met" series and it was superb. I haven't listened to it for, well, I really can't recall when I last listened but it was so beautifully done that I bought the DVD whence Ms. Damrau's performance here was taken. I love the staging and her performance has all the beauty and simmering menace the Königin der Nacht is meant to have.
I know the opera is supposed to be laden with all sorts of intentional references to Freemasonry but that's one of those aspects about which I care not a whit. It's an opera (technically a "singspiel" since not all the dialog is sung) that's dramatic, funny (Papageno has to be one of the best comic characters in all opera) and the music ... Well, it's Mozart. Need one say more? So, without further delay, the lovely Ms. Damrau sings.
Today, for your listening and viewing pleasure I present the lovely coloratura soprano Diana Damrau in the role of Queen of the Night in Mozart's glorious "Die Zauberflöte." The Metropolitan Opera recently broadcast "The Magic Flute" in its regular Saturday "Live from the Met" series and it was superb. I haven't listened to it for, well, I really can't recall when I last listened but it was so beautifully done that I bought the DVD whence Ms. Damrau's performance here was taken. I love the staging and her performance has all the beauty and simmering menace the Königin der Nacht is meant to have.
I know the opera is supposed to be laden with all sorts of intentional references to Freemasonry but that's one of those aspects about which I care not a whit. It's an opera (technically a "singspiel" since not all the dialog is sung) that's dramatic, funny (Papageno has to be one of the best comic characters in all opera) and the music ... Well, it's Mozart. Need one say more? So, without further delay, the lovely Ms. Damrau sings.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Your Sunday Opera Moment
For your listening and I rush to say, viewing pleasure, the absolutely stunning mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca singing "Una Voce Poco Fa" from Rossini's "Barber of Seville." Her singing stands on its own (for those who watch the viddy) but I want to point out the facial expressiveness. This woman acts while she sings which is not always the case with great singers. I may have to dial down my enduring crush on Renee Fleming in favor of Ms. Garanca. And, if Latvian women looks like this, I know where I'm going for my next vacation!
For your listening and I rush to say, viewing pleasure, the absolutely stunning mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca singing "Una Voce Poco Fa" from Rossini's "Barber of Seville." Her singing stands on its own (for those who watch the viddy) but I want to point out the facial expressiveness. This woman acts while she sings which is not always the case with great singers. I may have to dial down my enduring crush on Renee Fleming in favor of Ms. Garanca. And, if Latvian women looks like this, I know where I'm going for my next vacation!
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