Pursuing Entertainment in 2011

photo by Karigee

2011 was quite a year, filled with lots of laughs and thrills.  I managed to take advantage of at least 99 entertainment opportunites, mostly good.  Travel was fun and I visited Washington, DC, four times, Austin, TX to see old friends,  Midland, TX to see my Little Loves, Paris, FR with Karigee, San Francisco, CA with my Mom and sister and finally Seattle, WA.  On top of this, I worked 2,057.4 hours at my day job - the most exciting, successful and challenging yet of my 17 year career as a corporate bankruptcy paralegal. 

It's hard to narrow down my favorites of 2011 and of course, I choose carefully to begin with and enjoy almost everything I see, although there were a few clunkers this year (ack - War Horse).   I can't narrow it down to a top ten list but my favorites were definitely Selma Jezkova by the Royal Danish Opera at Rose Theatre, Follies both at the Kennedy Center and on Broadway, Sweeney Todd at the Chatelet du Paris, Kate Baldwin with Sheldon Harnick at Feinstein's, Betty Buckley at Feinstein's, Raúl Esparza at American Songbook, Renée Fleming Rodelinda at the Met Opera, Maria Guleghina in Nabucco at the Met Opera, Seance on a Wet Afternoon at City Opera, Blackwatch at St. Ann's Warehouse, Candide at the Shakespeare Theatre Company, An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin on Broadway, Hugh Jackman on Broadway, The Tempest by the Tempest Ladies, and The Birthday Boys by ArtEffects Theatre. 

My ticket vault already includes some choice opportunities into June and the rest of 2012 is starting to take shape with rumored and announced shows, and of course, I have a few trips to plan as well.   Thanks to all of the performers who shared their talent and to everybody who attended a show with me - I can't wait to see what 2012 brings all of us!

2011 Entertainment:
1. January 8 - Candide at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC
2. January 8 - Renée Fleming Recital at the Kennedy Center
3. January 11 - Renée Fleming Recital at Carnegie Hall
4. January 13 - Carmen at the Met Opera
5. January 24 - Simon Boccanegra at the Met
6. January 29 - Angie Day Party
7. February 7 - Drama League Gala for Patti LuPone
8. February 15 - Nixon in China at the Met Opera
9. Feburary 18 - Raul Esparaza at American Songbook
10. February 19 - Kate Baldwin at American Songbook
11. February 27 - The Body Politic at 59E59
12. March 6 - Joyce DiDonato Recital at Carnegie Hall
13. March 9 - Arcadia on Broadway
14. March 12 - The River has No Water, The Stronger and The Human Voice, directed by Noah Himmselstein at Columbia University
15. March 12 - Kate Baldwin with Sheldon Harnick at Feinstein's
16. March 13 - National Council Finalists Concert at the Met
17. March 15 - Mary Poppins on Broadway
18. March 22 - The Milk Train off-Broadway
19. March 25 - Bernadette Peters at the Paramount in Austin
20. March 28 - Acting Company Benefit celebrating Terrance McNally
21. March 30 - How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway
22. April 2 - The Manchurian Candidate - TCM Festival + Talk with Angela Lansbury & Robert Osborne
23. April 3 - Dorothea Roschmann and David Daniels Recital at Carnegie Hall
24. April 5 - Met Museum Talk on Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney
25. April 7 - Cappricio at the Met Opera
26. April 9 - Betty Buckley in concert in Brooklyn
27. April 13 - Wozzeck at the Met Opera
28. April 16 - Wonderland on Broadway
29. April 17 - War Horse on Broadway
30. April 19 - Seance on a Wet Afternoon at City Opera
31. April 21 - High with Kathleen Turner on Broadway
32. April 23 - Cappricio in HD Broadcast
33. April 24 - Blackwatch at St. Ann's
34. April 27 - The School for Lies at Classic Stage Company
35. May 2 - Die Walkure at the Met Opera
36. May 7 - Sweeney Todd at Chatalet du Paris
37. May 14 - Die Walkure in HD Broadcast
38. May 19 - Deborah Voigt with the Collegiate Chorale at Carnegie Hall
39. May 28 - Follies at the Kennedy Center
40. June 2 - The Tempest  by the Tempest Ladies
41. June 3 - Marilyn Maye at Feinstein's
42. June 5 - The Normal Heart on Broadway
43. June 10 - Orpheus and Euridice off off Broadway
44. June 12 - A gathering for The Tonys
45. June 16 - The Next Thing You Know at Cap21
46. June 18 - Follies at the Kennedy Center
47. June 19 - Follies at the Kennedy Center
48. June 23 - Cunning Little Vixen at the NYPhil
49. June 25 - Cirque Zarkana at Radio City
50. July 8 - Brilliant Traces at ArcLight
51. July 11 - Angela Meade, et al in Met Opera Concert at Central Park
52. July 14 - Kate Baldwin's CD Release Party at Feinstein's
53. July 16 - Anything Goes on Broadway
54. July 18 - "Breakfast" directed by Noah Himmelstein at Metropolitan Opera Project
55. July 28 - Renee Fleming with the Israeli Philharmonic in movie theatre
56. July 29 - Selma Jezkova by the Royal Danish Opera at Rose Theatre
57. August 3 - Jerusalem on Broadway
58. August 6 - Rent off Broadway
59. August 6 - Master Class on Broadway
60. August 13 - Yeast Nation at NYFringe
61. August 17 - Carol Channing: Larger Than Life - Film Screening in Central Park
62. August 18 - Catch Me If You Can on Broadway
63. August 20 - Sammy Gets Mugged directed by Noah Himmelstein at NYFringe
64. August 30 - La Rondine - Met HD Festival at Lincoln Center
65. September 12 - Follies - Opening Night on Broadway
66. September 16 - King John off Broadway
67. September 18 - The Birthday Boys off Broadway
68. Spetember 29 - Follies on Broadway
69. October 2 - Faust from Covent Garden at Opera in Cinema
70. October 4 - Follies on Broadway
71.  October 5 - Sons of the Prophet off Broadway
72. October 7 - Betty Buckley at Feinstein's
73. October 10 - Kate Baldwin, Alex Gemignani at Manhattan School of Music
74. October 12 - Nabucco at the Met Opera
75. October 16 - Broadway Originals at Town Hall
76. October 17 - Carole Deemas at Laurie Beechman
77. October 21 - Maria Guleghina - Met Opera Guild Talk
78. October 23 - Britten's War Requiem at Avery Fisher
79. October 24 - Anna Bolena at the Met Opera
80. October 25 - Hugh Jackman on Broadway
81. October 27 - Siegfried at the Met Opera
82. October 29 - Betty Buckley at Feinsteins'
83. October 30 - Jonas Kaufmann Recital at the Met
84. November 1 - A Charity Case off Broadway
85. November 2 - Sister Act on Broadway
86. November 5 - Siegfried in HD Broadcast
87. November 6 - Richard Tucker Gala Concert
88. November 8 - Satyagraha at the Met Opera
89. November 11 - Rodelinda  Dress Rehearsal at the Met Opera
90. November 13 - Foo Fighters concert at Madison Square Garden
91. November 15 - ` Jackman on Broadway
92. November 19 - Xerxes at San Francisco Opera
93. December 2 - Hansel and Gretel, assistant directed by Noah Himmelstein at Virginia Opera
94. December 3 - Rodelinda in HD Broadcast
95. December 7 - Rodelinda at the Met Opera
96. December 10 - Karita Mattila Recital at Carnegie Hall
97. December 17 - The Pipes of Christmas
99. December 28 - Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin on Broadway

Quote of the Day: Angela Lansbury + DiVaR Alert

"I'm not one of those people who sits in the dark, looking at their work from 70 years earlier," Angela Lansbury insists. "I'm really not."

From  "Angela Lansbury 'very grateful' for Turner Classic Movies spotlight and 'Murder' move" by Jay Bobbin for Zap2it, 12/28/11

That's okay, Angie; that's what I'm here for.

Important news in Bobbin's article:  of course I already own all twelve seasons of Murder, She Wrote on dvd,  but it's good to know that re-runs of the series are jumping from Hallmark to TV Land beginning January 1st; hopefully, the commercials will be a little more tolerable and not solely for the incontinent set.   But first, there are dueling marathons on New Year's Day - all day on Hallmark Movie Channel and a mini set on TV Land.  

Also, it's a good reminder that Angela is the TCM Star of the Month for January.  Here's the TCM line-up (times are Eastern):

Wednesday, January 4-5
8:00 pm Gaslight (1944)
10:00 pm National Velvet (1944)
12:15 am The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)
2:15 am The Harvey Girls (1946)
4:15 am The Hoodlum Saint (1946)
6:00 am If Winter Comes (1947)
7:45 am Tenth Avenue Angel (1948)
9:00 am The Red Danube (1949)

Wednesday, January 11-12
8:00 pm State of the Union (1948)
10:15 pm The Three Musketeers (1948)
12:30 am Samson and Delilah (1949)
2:45 am Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)
5:15 am Kind Lady (1951)
6:45 am A Lawless Street (1955)
8:15 am – Screen Directors Playhouse: Claire (1956)

Wednesday, January 18-19
8:00 pm The World of Henry Orient (1964)
10:00 pm The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
12:15 pm All Fall Down (1962)
2:15 am The Court Jester (1956)
4:00 am Season of Passion (1959)
5:45 am The Reluctant Debutant (1958)

Wednesday, January 25-26
8:00 pm – Private Screenings: Angela Lansbury (2006)
9:00 pm – Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1982)
11:30 pm – Death on the Nile (1978)
2:00 am – Mister Buddwing (1966)
3:45 am – Dear Heart (1964)
5:35 am – In the Cool of the Day (1963)
7:15 am - The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
 
I've seen all of these films except The Greatest Story Ever Told - I just can't get past the creepy Max von Sydow as Jesus. Otherwise, I suggest you watch them all but my Do Not Miss Picks of this screening festival are The Picture of Dorian Gray, Gaslight, If Winter Comes, Tenth Avenue Angel, State of the Union, The World of Henry Orient, The Manchurian Candidate, Death on the Nile, The Court Jester and Sweeney Todd.  Angela is not the star of most of these films, but she always turns out a stellar performance.  
 
It's remarkable to see a teenaged Angela handle the depth of the roles in Dorian Gray and Gaslight.   Angela garnered Oscar nominations for best supporting actress for both of these roles.   She is saucy and trampy in Gaslight, while she is tragic and meek in Dorian Gray.  We get to hear hear Angela sing for the first time in Dorian Gray, although it's before she developed her stage voice so it's very high and sweet.  Notable about Dorian Gray is that Hurd Hatfield, who played Dorian, introduced Angela to Peter Shaw, who would become her husband in 1949 until his death in 2003.
 
I first watched If Winter Comes to see Deborah Kerr, but the real hero of the film is Walter Pidgeon, whom Angela's character is married to.  Angela was 22 years old while Walter was a fairly old 50, although as dapper as always.  It's a melodrama, but Walter plays a delightful and kind man. Janet Leigh plays the ingenue in her second movie role of Effie, the character that Angela wanted to play and even stood up to Louis B. Mayer to get...instead, he stuck her in another bitchy, way older than her years role, even though they were often bridge partners. You won't want to miss this one on TCM, because it isn't available on dvd. 
 
Tenth Avenue Angel is a sweet film starring child actress Margaret O'Brien while Angela plays her aunt.  It's really a Christmas movie, but is always an uplifting look at life in depression era New York City.  You won't want to miss this one either on TCM, because it isn't available on dvd. 
 
State of the Union should be required viewing for all politicians.  It's the fast moving story of a would be presidential candidate whom is believed to be an outsider, played by Spencer Tracy.   Katharine Hepburn plays his wife, while Angela plays his mistress.  It's notable also because Angela's character is not just the backseat mistress, but a young woman who is pulling the strings behind her lover's candidacy and she runs a powerful newspaper. Spencer was Angela's senior by 25 years, but once again  Angela was once again called on to act way beyond her years. Katharine Hepburn was responsible for getting Angela cast in this movie and Angela more than holds her own against these two cinematic giants. 

The World of Henry Orient has become one of my favorite movies of all time.  It's set in New York City in the 60s and the city is practically a leading character as the two teenaged girls race through it's streets in adventures.  Angela plays the bitchy, cheating mother of one of the girls while Tom Bosley (Angela's future co-star in Murder, She Wrote) plays the girl's father.  Peter Sellers is a riot as the object of the girls' affection.
 
The Court Jester is an adorable, hysterical movie.   In a rare switch, Angela gets to play a beautiful princess and gets to be seduced by a very, very funny Danny Kaye.   Glynis Johns plays the beautiful peasant, also attached to Danny Kaye.  It's a riot of a movie.
 
Death on the Nile is a must for anybody who loves a good Agatha Christie mystery.  It's also a must because it stars Betty Davis, Maggie Smith, David Niven, Mia Farrow, Peter Ustinov, and Angela Lansbury.  It's an amazing ensemble cast.  Betty Davis delivers one hilarioius quip after another, while Dame Maggie is her downtrodden assistant.  In one of her most comedic turns, Angela plays the boozy, sex-starved authoress of trashy novels, "Salome Otterbourne." Also notable is that Peter Ustinov was married to Angela's half sister Isolde. 
 
Even though The Manchurian Candidate is black and white and is a political thriller about the cold war, it's a timeless film.  It's shocking, terrifying and Angela delivers a terrifying performance as possibly the most evil mother of all time.    She won her second Golden Globe for this performance and garnered her third nomination for the 1963 Oscar. 
 
Finally, most suggested, is Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street.   Sondheim wrote "Mrs. Lovett," the meat pie wielding accomplice of Sweeney, for Angela and it's arguably her greatest role and one of the greatest of musical theatre. After winning the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical on Broadway in 1979, Angela took it on the road with George Hearn as Sweeney for an extended national tour.  In 1982, while in Los Angeles, the production was filmed (partially before a live audience) for television.  Both Angela and George were nominated in the same category for the Emmy - he won.  They also both won the CableAce Award.  It's Sondheim's greatest masterpiece, in my opinion, and is full of  both the most humorous and beautiful music ever written for the theatre.    

Patti and Mandy on Broadway

Karigee and I saw An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin on Broadway last night.  Wow!   It's such a fun show!  It's gorgeous too, even or rather especially in it's simplicity.  The two actors are so larger than life, that really nothing else is needed other than Paul Ford on piano, John Beal on Bass,  a stage full of ghost lights and really gorgeous lighting design by Eric Cornwell.  

Patti and Mandy have been friends since they starred in the original Broadway production of Evita in 1979.   There chemistry is undeniable and they wear their love and friendship for each other on their sleeves.   They only take a few moments to talk about how they met, otherwise, it's all music and scenes from shows, mostly heart-rending, particularly a long scene from Carousel that included "If I Loved You" and finishing with a glorious "You'll Never Walk Alone." 

They show off their comedy with an office chair ballet, which legendary dancer Ann Reinking gets credit for.  I thought I would die laughing, but first I almost died laughing from Patti's masterful spit-take - she is afterall Julliard trained.  

Most thrilling for me was hearing each of them sing the Evita songs they originated on Broadway - he sang "Oh What a Circus" while she knocked the roof off with "Don't Cry for Me Argentina."   Thrilling!

I absolutely loved this show.  It plays at the Barrymore on 47th Street through January 13th. 

DiVaR Alert: Barbara Cook at the 2011 Kennedy Center Honors

Barbara Cook & me - Opening Night of Deuce 

One of my favorite performers people is Barbara Cook and she is a 2011 recipient of the Kennedy Center Honor!


On Broadway, Barbara  was the original Cunegonde of Candide, the original Marian the Librarian of The Music Man, the original Amalia of She Loves Me, after making her Broadway debut  in the 1951 Flahooley.  She won her Tony award in 1958 for The Music Man. Her high soprano voice was crystal clear and stratosperic - she sang 21 high C's in Glitter and Be Gay as Cunegonde. 

Barbara is still singing - last year she returned to Broadway to star in the musical revue Sondheim on Sondheim, for which she garnered yet another Tony nomination.  She has recorded over 40 solo and cast albums, many of which are treasured listening on my playlists.


But what Barbara is best as is making you feel like you're the only one in the room as she sings you a story.  While her voice is not longer the high clarion, it is now a warm and luscious sound that wraps around you like a blanket.   I felt this way seeing her from the balcony of Carnegie Hall and even in her sold out concert at the Metropolitan Opera, where she was the first female "pop" singer to sing in a solo concert at the 4,400 seat house.  She also continues to teach master classes - one of her famous students is Hugh Jackman. 

Seeing her at the Met is one of my best memories - Noah and I dressed up to the nines and sat right down front in that packed house.  It was a thrill to see her sing there especially knowing that she is a huge fan of the Met Opera, ever since she was a little girl and would listen to the Met Opera radio broadcasts.   I've also seen and visited with Barbara when we were both patrons at dress rehearsals or visiting one of the divas backstage.   It's fun to know we have similar tastes. 

The performance celebrating the Kennedy Center Honorees - also including Neil Diamond, Yo-Yo Ma, Sonny Rollins and Meryl Streep - was filmed on December 4th and will finally air tomorrow night, December 27th, on CBS at 9:00 pm (Eastern).  It promises to be a great telecast this year! 

It's not Christmas until Darlene Love blows the roof off the dump!

This morning I was reminded by my friend Tim Dunleavy that it's time that time of year again for Darlene Love to sing her fabulous Christmas song "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" on the Late Show with David Letterman.   It airs tonight on CBS.   Paul Shaffer, conductor of the Late Show Band, and Darlene Love made a documentary about the making of her annual appearance on the show, which CBS posted on youtube this week.  It's such fun to see - and yes, that's Annie Golden of the original Assassins, and various Broadway shows, singing backup  A few years ago, my friend Vicki and I went down to Joe's Pub to see Darlene do her Christmas show there - it's an annual event in New York City  and it is SO MUCH FUN!    Merry Christmas, y'all!

Noah in the News

In the Playbill News today:  My dear friend Noah Himmelstein is directing the premier of  "Positions 1956" by Michael Korie (Tony nom. Grey Gardens) and Conrad Cummings (Denouement, I Wish They All Could Be . . .) at Urban Arias in Arlington, Virginia this spring 2012.   Urban Arias is an opera company dedicated to producing short, contemporary operas.

47 more performances of Follies on Broadway = WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

There are only forty-seven (47!) more performances of FOLLIES on Broadway.   Why haven't you seen it?  What are you waiting for?    I saw it five times at the Kennedy Center and will have seen it five times on Broadway before it closes.   It's divine.

The cast album is available too; needless to say, I'm rather fond of it.

Broadway Cares

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aides (BCEFA) is an amazing organization that funds numerous causes for actors and performers in the arts. Broadway Cares and the Broadway Community raise money for HIV/AIDS assistance and cure research, BroadwayBarks, and programs of the Actors' Fund, including The HIV/AIDS Initiative, The Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative, The Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic, The Actors Fund Work Program, The Dancers’ Resource, The Stage Managers’ Project and three supportive housing residences. BC/EFA also awards annual grants to more than 400 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide.  You can show you also care by donating to their holiday appeal by clicking on this link and donating any amount you can.

Today: The Pipes of Christmas

With so many, many options for Christmas shows in New York, The Pipes of Christmas is one of the best and the one I choose.   I attended last year for the first time, after seeing street lamp banners when I was walking to my office.  I am very much looking forward to today's performance.  It's a festive array of traditional Celtic music, sacred music and Christmas carols featuring Scottish, with narration of the Christmas story.   I have wee drops of Scottish and Irish blood in me and it's great fun to celebrate the season in this way.

The Pipes of Christmas is produced by  Clan Currie Society to both celebrate the season and raise money for its music scholarship.  The performances are today and tomorrow, December 16th and 17th, att Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church (Madison at 73rd Street).  Last year's performance was sold out, but there are still a few tickets available this year:  purchase at the door or call SmartTix at 212-868-4444 or buy online at www.smarttix.com.

Just in time for Angie Day 2012

The 6th Annual Angie Day is January 30, 2012 and plans are shaping up for the annual celebration.  First, with a huge huzzah!, Angela Lansbury is the TCM Star of the Month for January 2012.  Wednesdays in January will be chock-full of her movies, including Sweeney Todd with George Hearn!    Second, with perfect symmetry, January 30th is the first day of rehearsal for the new Broadway revival of The Best Man, which stars Angela.  

My Visit to Cabot Cove, Maine

On the last day of my recent California trip, I spent a day in Cabot Cove, Maine.   Actually, it was Mendocino, California, but it served as "Cabot Cove, Maine" for the twelve seasons of Murder, She Wrote, which starred Angela Lansbury as the murder mystery novelist. 

Driving up from San Francisco was a beautiful, if long and terrifying, roadtrip up the 101, cutting thru wine country and then a very winding road thru Redwood National Park, to finally hitting Highway 1 to Mendocino on the northern coast of California.  

When I finally hit the Shoreline Drive/Highway 1, I nearly cried from a combination of exhaustion and the site of that breathtaking view. Seeing in person the familiar coastline from the shots on the tv series that I had seen so many times was almost too much.  

Only nine Murder, She Wrote episodes where filmed in Mendocino, but throughout the entire run, Mendocino exterior shots were used in a number of episodes which were set in "Cabot Cove."


Mendocino itself seemed a nice small town.  There was lots of shopping to do on the main street, especially art and craft shops.   I luncheoned on a bowl of clam chowder, which seemed like a Maine thing to do.   The pièce de résistance was seeing "Jessica's" house.  It's now a bed and breakfast called Blair House.  Had I known that the drive would be so trying, I would have planned to stay overnight here  - one of the suites is named "Angela’s Suite" (however, interors of the house were not used in filming).   The harbor scenes on Murder, She Wrote were filmed in Fort Bragg, just about 10 miles north of Mendocino, so I checked out that area too.  

Aside from some postcards of "Jessica's" house, I didn't see any Murder, She Wrote memorabilia.   In the cafe in which I luncheoned, there were movie posters of all the films that Mendocino has served as location, notably Same Time Next Year, East of Eden, Racing with the Moon, Overboard, among others.

It was a long day, but worth the adventure of seeing the location of my favorite tv series from the time I was a teenager. 

Xerxes at the San Francisco Opera

Last year when the Met's season schedule was released and my favorite mezzo soprano Susan Graham wasn't on it, I immediately made up my mind that I would see Susan in an opera somewhere, somehow during 2011/12.   The San Francisco Opera provided the perfect opportunity for this to happen with their production of Handel's Xerxes.  It also gave me the opportunity to attend an opera in a city I've been dying to get to know - I'm going to travel and I'm going to se an opera - the best argument for combining the journey.    The bonus this time was that my mother and sister joined me on the trip and we could not have had a better time, especially since they are from Midland, Susan's childhood grounds, and have seen her perform there.

I loved the War Memorial Opera House, the home of the San Francisco Opera.  It was grand but also in the art deco style.   If you saw Pretty Woman, then you remember that its where Richard Gere took Julia Roberts to see La Traviata.  While I didn't see Julia or Richard on this visit, for the last night of Xerxes the house was packed and fairly demographically diverse.   Many (or most) of the ushers seemed to be volunteers and were all very lovely and helpful.   After the opera, I was impressed with a volunteer taxi wrangler who stayed extra long to help patrons find a taxi  (the only drawback to the War Memorial Opera House was that it didn't seem to be very conveniently located to public transportation).

The production itself, directed by Nicholas Hytner and conducted by Patrick Summers was visually beautiful and quite hysterical.  

Susan Graham played King Xerxes and David Daniels played his brother Arsamenes. Lisette Oropesa played the love interest Romilda. Heidi Stober played her sister Atalanta. Their father Ariodates was played by Wayne Tigges. Sonia Prina played Amastris, Xerxes’ fiancé. Michael Sumuel rounded out the principal cast as Elviro, Xerxes’ servant. Handel wrote Xerxes as a comedy as a comedy, but it also includes his signature baroque heart melting melodies. The opening aria is "Ombra mai fù” and was performed by Susan Graham. It wasn’t my first time to hear her sing it, but it was excellent to hear it within the story, although instead of a love of a woman, it’s for a tree which made it quite hysterical.

There was plenty of mistaken identity, people in disguise, misunderstandings and star crossed lovers. The female and some of the male chorus as the king’s court were dressed completely in grey, even down to their make-up and hats. The servants were dressed in black wastecoats, but their faces and heads were completely covered in white, making them seem like a courtly blue man group, right down to some of their antics. The set was sparse, but bright and effective.

My favorite funny scene was set in a small café or tea room – Xerxes and Ariodates each ordered a large piece of cake and it was hysterical to see Susan as Xerxes shoveling down some of the cake. While Susan is always brilliant with the comedy, Michael Suuel as Elviro almost stole the show with his hilarity. One other tiny moment that stays with me is that the curtain was astro turf – at the beginning of a scene change, it lowered from the top and one of the “white men” servants began clipping the top of it as if it were a hedge. We loved it!

I always love Susan in anything she does - she's brilliant at it all. Her voice makes me so happy. I like David Daniels too - he was the first counter tenor I ever heard (Rodelinda in 2004) and I think he's the best (I've heard 6 different counter tenors in the last 6 weeks between Rodelinda, Hansel & Gretel and Xerxes).


We completed our visit by going backstage to say hi to Susan.  My mother immediately demanded to know when they would be able to hear her in Midland again, especially now that the new Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center is up and running.  She noted that she would have been available for the gala opening for $1 million when Elton John wanted $2 million for it (Rod Stewart ended up opening it).  The best news is that she said she will be back at the Met in 2012/13 (I think it's Les Troyens) and of course, we'll see her with Malcolm Martineau in recital at Carnegie Hall on February 1, 2012.

Hansel and Gretel at the Virginia Opera

I traveled to Fairfax, Virginia on December 2nd to see Virginia Opera's production of Hansel and Gretel.  

The modern production was directed by Kevin Newbury and more importantly to me, assistant directed by Noah Himmelstein.    I was thrilled to be able to go, but honestly I am even more thrilled now that I've seen it. 

I had seen Hansel and Gretel at the Met so I was familiar with the music and the operatic version, and of course the Grimm's fairy tale version.   Seeing this production was seeing the story in a very fresh and exciting way. 

The family of Hansel and Gretel were German immigrants.  They sang in English, except for any German folk songs, which was a clever take.  The set and lighting were witty and delightful.  I loved certain little jokes that fleshed out the characters - the German country decal on the family station wagon, that actually seemed to be driving on stage;  vaccuum cleaners instead of a broom for the witch; and a magical carnival in which the witch was the ultimate crazy Carny.    In fact, the stepmother and witch were played by the same performer, which lent further emotion to the proceedings.

The cast was fabulous.   Hansel was played by  Karin Mushegain;  Gretel was  Julia Ebner; the Witch/stepmother was Margaret Gawrysiak; the father Peter was Eric Greene;  the Sandman was played by  Jason Abrams and the Dew Fairy was by Elizabeth Baldwin.   I was taken with all of them, but in particular mezzo sopranos Karin Mushegain and Margaret Gawrysiak.   Karin Mushegain has a gorgeous clear higher mezzo voice with impeccable diction.   Margaret Gawrysiak (who by the way already has the Wolftrap Opera Mrs. Lovett under belt at a very tender age) is not only a fabulous singer, but a fantastic actor and comedienne to boot.   I hope to see both of these young ladies in future performances.

I loved seeing a regional opera production and am encouraged to see more.  My friends are regular subscribers at the Virginia Opera in Fairfax, which is produced at George Mason University.   This was Noah's first gig of this level on the road and I'm so proud of his contribution to this beautiful production.   

Rodelinda at the Met

Oh Rodelinda of the Metropolitan Opera!  I can't believe you've already come and gone.  I saw you at the dress, in the HD and finally at the December 7th performance.  You were the first opera in which I saw Renée Fleming.  I saw you again in 2006.   Alas, my love for you knows no bounds.  Your arias - especially "Dove sei, amato bene," "Ritorna," "Io t'abbraccio"  and "Mio caro, caro bene" - cause my heart and soul to leap.  Seriously, "Io t'abbraccio" may be the most heart-rending duet in all of music.   And oh!  Your love triumphs over evil ending when the entire cast joins in on "Dopo la notte oscura" just had me dancing in my seat! One more thing - could you be better acted?  I think not, especially by Stephanie Blithe and Renée Fleming. 

Will you visit us again?  I can only hope and dream...and wait for the PBS broadcast and hopefully the dvd.  

[Like the icing on top, the evening was just as satisfactory as Rodelinda itself.   I've been working many hours at my day job, but was determined not to miss this one:  my boss said, "You may invoke the Renée Fleming exception."   We sat in $20 orchestra seats, courtesy of Sally's time waiting for Varis Rush Tickets.  After the opera, we visited Renée backstage who declared that this was the best performance yet.   I also talked to that famous opera fan Christine Baranski and was delighted to see my friend Michael Stinchcomb, whom I hadn't seen in many moons.  Sigh.  Perfection.]

Karita Mattila at Carnegie Hall

photo from NPR.org


















I attended Karita Mattila's recital with Martin Katz at Carnegie Hall on Saturday night with Noah, Zach, Chelsea (her first time at Carnegie Hall!).  This picture doesn't do Karita's dress proper justice.  From our heavenly seats in the front balcony, Karita looked like a full length disco ball, or a full length mirror as Chelsea said.  Either way,  it knocked us out of our seats.  What a dress!   It may be my favorite recital dress ever.   For the second act, she changed to a another form fitting dress, this time purple.  Both dresses:  va va va voom and then some.   

To me the program was pretty sexy too.   Karita's Poulenc and Debussy were sensuous and very evocative.    "Hotel" by Poulenc made me want to take up smoking immediately and "Voyage a Paris" made me long to be in Paris once again.     Karita's soprano is warm and sumptuous and only until she travels into her higher octave is their brightness. 

Karita, a Finnish soprano, regularly promotes Finnish composers.  She took the opportunity this evening to sing Aulis Sallinen's "Four Dream Songs."    They were beautiful but the imagery was fairly dark.    She finished the program with Joseph Marx - "Selige Nacht" was beyond seductive. 

Karita performed "I Could Have Danced All Night" as her encore - performed means sang and DANCED  - she was joyfully all over that stage.   Zach said, "Karita Mattila managed to turn her encore of 'I Could Have Danced All Night' into 3 acts with 2 intermissions."   It seems that it's a typical encore piece but this was one of the most enjoyable renditions I've encountered. 
POULENC Banalités

·· Chanson d'Orkenise
·· Hôtel
·· Fagnes de Wallonie
·· Voyage à Paris
·· Sanglots

DEBUSSY Cinq poèmes de Baudelaire
·· Le balcon
·· Harmonie du soir
·· Le jet d’eau
·· Recueillement
·· La mort des amants

AULIS SALLINEN Four Dream Songs, Op. 30
·· Man made from sleep
·· Cradle Song for a dead horseman
·· Three dreams, each within each
·· There is no stream

MARX "Nocturne"
MARX "Waldseligkeit"
MARX "Selige Nacht"
MARX "Valse de Chopin"
MARX "Hat Dich die Liebe berührt"

Encore: 
LERNER & LOWE'S "I Could Have Danced All Night"
"My Gal Is So Pretty" (Finnish folk song)

Photo by Chelsea

Tonight: Hansel & Gretel at Virginia Opera

And now I travel to Virginia where I will see the Virginia Opera's production of Hansel & Gretel.  It is directed by Kevin Newbury and more importantly to me, assistant directed by Noah Himmelstein.   I'm so thrilled to see what they've done!