Last night to the Barbican for the much anticipated concert featuring the 'Golden Couple' Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón. Much anticipated, long ago sold out, and a very long queues of the dejected wanting returns.
A buzz of anticipation about the place. And me suffering from Audience Anxiety. The full programme below the fold. Anticipation as the audience took its seats. I was in the Stalls, on the ground level, staring up at the shoes on stage, and positioned very close to the artists entrance.
The conductor took to the stage and started the orchestra on the first of the orchestra pieces which, with the best will in the world, were only there to whet appetites and provide interludes between the singing.
Then Anna walked on stage to warm applause. I have never heard her live before, and it as rather nice to be so close. Someone already a legend, and looking glamorous in a black dress. Escada, apparently. (Means nothing to me, but Faye asked her...). She changed into a different gown for the second half.
I do so like the Je veux vivre, and I was enjoying listening to her singing it. I've said before, I'm not a great soprano fan, although I had heard some really lovely ones already in October. But I was enjoying listening to her, thinking, I can see why she is so popular, even though I'm not about to jump on the bandwagon. Then, suddenly, something happened, and I got goose pimples. Lovely voice. She'll do, I decided.
Then Rolando came on. I am a big fan of Rolando, and have been ever since I heard him in Les Contes D'Hoffman back in February 2004. Nevertheless, of the three arias discs I have, the award-winning Massenet and Gounod is the least played. I can't get into Massanet in a big way. And when I heard him sing Ah! Parais! Parais, astre de mon ciel, my reaction was "I've heard him sing better". This has to be put into context: when I hear a superstar I demand perfection, or something close to it; if this had been a non-superstar, I would have been thinking, how wonderful. I thought he was singing a bit too much in the mask (like I know what I'm talking about...) and interestingly, later on, someone commented that it is always a mistake to start a concert or recital with French rep, because the nasal quality of the language pushes the voice into the mask.
Next was a duet, Toi vous from Massenet's Manon. Their on-stage chemistry is much talked about and it was very evident in this, and subsequent duets. In fact, throughout the evening, I enjoyed the duets even more than the solo numbers. Not just the singing but the on-stage chemistry. Obviously, there is not much scope for acting in a few square feet at the edge of the Barbican platform, but I would definitely say they managed it. Acting isn't about moving around with grandiose gestures but about conveying meaning through facial and body language.
I won't go through every piece in detail. That would be tedious for you to read, although it was far from tedious for me to listen. There wasn't one that I didn't hugely enjoy, although, inevitably, some sounded better than others. The highlights were, from Rolando, Mamma, quel vino, which was a wonderful passionate delivery from a singer I adore so much. From, Anna, 'Les filles de Cadix', a singer I have just started to adore. Duetwise, the most outstanding was Tvajo malchanje nepan atna from Iolanthe which was absolutely splendid, sung and acted with such heartfelt passion, spoilt only by the attention-seeking old bag next to me who insisted on shouting out "Bravi" before the music had finished...how about listening to the music? Or if that is beyond your limited capacity, watch the conductor. He's the bloke waving the stick and sniffing very loudly. I have to say the conductor's sniffing was the low point of the evening. I don't think that he had a cold, more that it was a tic developed into a technique, and it quite ruined Kuda Kuda for me. Well, okay, not ruined. I have to be fair and say that it was one of the best renditions of Kuda Kuda I have ever heard. Trouble was, it was nothing like as good as I heard Rolando sing it at the Royal Opera House earlier this year. As I say, criticism, because of my extremely high expectations. If it had been just about almost anybody else, I would have been beside myself with superlatives...!
Some encores, one I recognised but can't name, Maria from West Side Story, which was pleasant but probably the weakest part of the evening - oh heck, they're opera singers, they don't really need to sing hits from the musicals! Then they returned for Libiama, the Brindisi from La Traviata, Anna in a witch's hat and mask, and Rolando with an eyepatch, hook in place of his hand, and a pirate's hat.
And so a thoroughly enjoyable concert with two fabulous wonderful singers, to end a rather splendid two weeks of concert attending.
Afterwards, was a signing session. By the time I had had a cigarette by the Lake, the queue was massive, crossing all the way from in front of Farringdons to the far stairs, three or four deep and then snaking round. I never join queues that long; either it will eventually subside and you join the tale-end, or else the session is time-limited and you miss out, as you would have done if you had joined the back of the queue.
Instead I hung around the foyer with Faye, Caro, Jill (who had to leave for a long journey) and Stephen, chatting about stuff, and people watching, spotting familiar faces. We joined the tale end of the queue, and got to spend a reasonable amount of time with Our Stars. We noticed that a picture of Rolando on the display stand had been defaced, with an eye gouged out, seemingly wearing an eyepatch. We have our suspicions as to the culprit, but it would be wrong, quite wrong, to name names.
A woman a few places in front of us requested a cartoon from Rolando so he obliged, and Anna added to it. We, well, mainly Faye, were chatting quite a bit to Anna, who seems really lovely, really sweet, no ego, quite quiet. Faye had mentioned that she was a soprano, too, but a not very good one, and Anna told her she mustn't put herself down, she must have faith in herself. Faye asked her if the diamonds were real, so Anna explained that she gets lent them, but if they're big she has to give them back. but she gets to keep the dresses. I got her autograph.
Rolando looked at me and before I had a chance to say anything he asked me what I was going to write on my website...well, I had been so busy enjoying the concert I had not got round to drafting a blog post in my head, so, not really thinking, I said "One of the best tenors I've seen this week," which made him laugh, and he asked who else I had seen, at which point I had a mental blank, but fortunately Faye helped me out by saying "Marcelo Alvarez", so that seemed alright...Otherwise, I can't really remember what we talked about but I do recall that it was an enjoyable conversation.
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