Aida At The Met!

Aida is an opera written by Guiseppe Verdi. Aida is about an Egyptian warrior named Radames. He falls in love with an Ethiopian slave named Aida. Unfortunately, Amneris, the king's daughter, wants to marry Radames. The king decides that Radames and Amneris must marry.

Then, more slaves are brought and one of them is the king of Ethiopia. He is also Aida's father. Her father tells her that she can help them escape if she tricks Radames. She does so but her father is killed and Radames is accused of treason.

Amneris meets with Radames and begs him to marry her and she will grant him his life. He refuses and says that he will die for Aida. He is buried alive but Aida sneaks into the tomb and they die together.

Radames: Marcelo Alvarez

Aida: Violetta Urmana

Amneris: Stephanie Blythe

Written By: Rubina H.

Rigoletto!

The SF Opera is putting a production of Rigoletto by Guiseppe Verdi.

Rigoletto: Zeljko Lucic/Marco Vratogna

Gilda: Aleksandra Kursak/Albina Shagimuratova

The Duke of Mantua: Francesco Demuro/ David Lomeli

Maddalena: Kendell Gladen

Count Monterone:Robert Pomakov

Spatafucile:Andrea Silvestrelli

Kendell Gladen sang Carmen in the SF opera.

Nicola Luisotti will conduct.

Written By: Rubina H.

Cosi Fan Tutte in SF Opera!!!

The SF Opera is putting a production of Cosi Fan Tutte in the next season. Cosi Fan Tutte is an opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Fiordiligi: Ellie Dehn

Dorabella: Christel Lotzsch

Despina: Heidi Stober

Ferrando: Francesco Demuro

Guglielmo: Philippe Sly

Don Alfonso: Marco Vinco

Ellie Dehn sang Donna Anna in Don Giovanni and Countessa Almaviva in Le Nozze Di Figaro in the San Francisco opera. Marco Vinco sang Leporello also in Don Giovanni. Heidi Stober sang Susanna in Le Nozze Di Figaro after Danielle De Niese.

Conducter: Nicola Luisotti

Director: Jose Maria Condemi

Production Designer: Robert Perdziola

Chorus Director: Ian Robertson

Libretto By: Lorenzo Da Ponte

Written By: Rubina H.

Susan Graham Sings In Berkeley!!!!!!

On January 14, 2012, Susan Graham had a performance. She sang different composers. Mignon was one of the composers.

For those of you who read my post about Frederica von Stade and her recital at the Herbst Theatre, you remember that Susan Graham was singing there along with Frederica von Stade, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and other famous singers.

Jake Heggie was the pianist and the composer. Susan Graham sang one of his songs on her recital.

Susan Graham also sang in Xerxes in the SF opera.

On the recital, she had a list of songs and arias in her program but then she sang a few more songs, telling the audience about the songs that she was about to sing.

Written By: Rubina H.

Anna Netrebko Sings Don Giovanni in La Scala Teatro!

I am back to Don Giovanni. It is like an obsession of Don Giovanni around the whole world. Anna Netrebko, a primadonna in the operatic world, sang Donna Anna in the production of Don Giovanni in La Scala. The La Scala Teatro opened its season with Don Giovanni. The cast consisted of these people:

Anna Netrebko : Donna Anna

Don Giovanni: Peter Mattei

Il Commandatore: Kwangchul Youn

Don Ottavio: Guiseppe Filianoti

Donna Elvira: Barbara Frittoli

Leporello: Bryn Terfel

Mazetto: Stefan Kocan

Zerlina: Anna Prohaska

If you wish to read the synopsis, click here: http://anna-netrebko.blogspot.com/

You can also see videos of the opera through that link.

Anna Netrebko sang in Anna Bolena, by Donizetti, with Elina Garanca in the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Written By: Rubina H.

Frederica Von Stade's Retirement in the Herbst Theatre

Frederica von Stade is one of the best mezzo-sopranos that were born, She retired yesterday, on Saturday, December 3, 2011. You could buy tickets to the Herbst theatre and watch Frederica von Stade and many others sing. The people that were there were Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, (dramatic soprano), Susan Graham, (mezzo-soprano), Susannah Biller,(Soprano), Zheng Cao,(mezzo-soprano), Richard Stilwell,(baritone), and Sameul Ramey,(Bass). Sir Thomas Allen was also supposed to come but he could not make it. Instead of him, Marilyn Horne!

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is also a world wide known opera singer. She sang and played the role of Donna Elvira in the movie, Don Giovanni.

Susan Graham sang Xerxes in this seasons Xerxes at the San Francisco Opera.

Since Sir Thomas Allen could not make it to the retirement party, SF Opera director, David Gockley read a letter that Sir Thomas Allen sent to Frederica von Stade.

All of the singers there sang something. The accompanist, John Churchwell, was a composer and most of the singers there sang something that he composed. For example, Mr. Churchwell composed a series of songs, based on the poetry that Frederica von Stade wrote herself, about Ferderica's daughter Lisa.

For once in my life, I saw Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in real life!!! I am going crazy right now!

By: Rubina H.