Miss Alexandra Deshorties has JUST been announced to portray MEDEA at Glimmerglass 2011. This artist in THIS Opera will bring the house down and is to be considered one of the most sought after tickets for the entire 2011 season virtually anywhere on the globe. This is a dream come true for those who follow Opera deeply and are aware of the outstanding vocal resources of the fearless Miss Deshorties. Here is why:
COMMANDOpera will be in attendance for the prima in full regalia (with the proviso something other than bed and breakfast accommodations which abound in the region, can be suitably managed). Further, this venue has opened negotiations for an exclusive interview with this singularly phenomenal artist. Here is the press release from Glimmerglass verbatim:
“Medea, Cherubini’s rarely performed opera, will be presented in Italian as a co-production with Ireland’s Wexford Festival Opera. The role of Medea, the scorned wife who will stop at nothing for revenge, will be sung by Alexandra Deshorties in her role and company debut. A graduate of the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, Deshorties made her Met debut as the High Priestess in Aida and has since appeared as Elettra in Idomeneo, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte and First Lady in The Magic Flute. Jason Collins, seen last summer in Seattle Opera’s Ring Cycle, will sing the tenor role of Jason. Collins last performed at Glimmerglass in 2002 as The Chevalier in Dialogues of the Carmelites. Wendy Bryn Harmer, also a graduate of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, will sing the role of Glauce. The role of King Creon will be sung by David Pittsinger, last seen at Glimmerglass in 2005 as The Traveller and The Elderly Fop in Death in Venice. Pittsinger has most recently performed at the Met as The Animal Trainer/Acrobat in Alban Berg’s Lulu and The Speaker in Julie Taymor’s production of The Magic Flute. Other engagements include performances as Emile de Becque in South Pacific at Lincoln Center Theater. He also appeared as Enobarbus in a Carnegie Hall concert performance of Antony and Cleopatra with New York City Opera. Englishman Michael Barker-Caven, known for his work in London’s West End and the Royal Opera House, will direct and Italy native Daniele Rustioni will conduct, both in their U.S. debuts. They will be joined by Joe Vanek, who will design sets and costumes. Robert Wierzel will design lighting.”
Chamberfest Ottawa 2010
Readers of www.commandopera.com rarely enjoy articles on classical music which do not include the vocal arts. However when the General Director and Artistic Director of an internationally acclaimed chamber festival agree to sit down with this venue to discuss the art form, the calendar is cleared. The Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, more readily known as Chamberfest has been a fixture of the Ottawa music scene for seventeen years. Such longevity in this rather cultured city is not surprising. While Ottawa plays host to an endless variety of musical festivals, the European flavour so innate to the city behooves a special importance to classical forms. This undefinable social element so oddly foriegn to the North American metropolis, explains why a symphonic conductor of the rare calibre of a Pinchas Zuckerman determines to head the esteemed National Arts Centre Orchestra over other advantageous European ensembles.
The festival is headed by two extremely diverse individuals. The Executive Director Mr. Glenn Hodgins whose C.V. is rather impressive owns an air which is decidedly all business neatly hidden behind a most pleasant and engaging personality. If ever there was an iron fist under a leather glove, this man would personify such a concept. On the extreme other side is Mr. Roman Borys the Artistic Director, an exceedingly extroverted man whose mind is a profound encyclopedia of the art form of chamber music. These two gentlemen as a pair are exceedingly well matched and, without question this was going to be an audience COMMANDOpera would thoroughly enjoy given the obvious intellect on the other side of the boardroom table. Mr. Borys is a member of the Gryphon Trio, an internationally esteemed ensemble which recently released a Beethoven disc highly favoured by the BBC Music Magazine. The Gryphon Trio has been a part of the festival since inception seventeen years ago, but recently agreed to take on a more formal role regarding artistic direction with Chamberfest.
The Gryphon Trio.
The announcement for this seasons schedule was made public in the spring of this year, which in the opinion of COMMANDOpera is fine for local audiences, but perhaps not so much for the European audience who regularly fly in for the two week festival. As readers are well aware, Opera seasons are booked three years in advance with only a few changes necessary as the actual season approaches release. Chamber music however is a far more intimate affair, comprised of quartets, trio’s, soloist’s et al., which underscores a certain volatility when engaging artists. One can only imagine the extremities of nuances required to put together a cohesive season which surpasses each previous year. How is it possible for example to surmount one of the finishing acts which was the Ying Quartet from Jessup Iowa and their late night Dim Sum which featured a collection of short works from Chinese Canadian and Chinese American composers? Perhaps by inviting the quartet back this year for further performances? Done.
Opera goers are a most assured audience of chamber music over full tilt orchestral works for one rather obvious reason. Opera audiences understand the significance and nobility of unique, subtle artistry and thusly own a natural instinct for chamber works. COMMANDOpera for example looks for what an artist can do with a particular air. There is a uniqueness to the vocal instrument which illuminates any work distinctively. One has often found while attending orchestral performances a rather large sound, and while often beautifully nuanced, there is zero room for any instrumental artist to flourish. Chamber music is diametrically opposite: it’s all about a soloist at one with their instrument imbuing whispering colours and shades.
A performance by Taffelmusic at Dominion Chalmers Church Ottawa.
And just where does this festival take place over a fourteen day period with 6-8 unique performances each day? In churches around the city core by and large, many with rather historic and Gothic interiors perfect for chamber music. Here is a link to this seasons schedule to give readers an idea of how Chamberfest moves. It really is something to be in the core of Ottawa while Chamberfest is in play: lineups which curl around city blocks, with mad dashes by hundreds of festival goers from one performance to the next. Dedicated and seasoned chamber music aficionados buy the inexpensive all inclusive two week pass, sort out their preferred 30 or so performances long in advance and plan strategies to get to the front of the line to each performance. COMMANDOpera will be most curious to see the reaction to the Sunday Keyboard Contemplations at the Beechwood Cemetery with famed Hungarian pianist, Mr. Adam Gyorgy.
The entire event commences tomorrow evening with none other than a recital by Miss Frederica von Stade who is on her farewell tour. The program for the evening can be found here. A most interesting performance involves the new vocal work; Constantinople by composer Christos Hatzis. The Gryphon Trio headlines this performance with Miss Patricia O’Callaghan and Miss Maryem Tollar handling the vocals.
Trailer for Constantinople with the Gryphon Trio 2010.
COMMANDOpera was quite impressed to hear Chamberfest would be mounting The Complete Beethoven Piano Sonata’s. ALL 32 of them to be performed by Mr. Stewart Goodyear. This in itself is a stunning achievement for any artist, however incredible kudos’ are in order to Chamberfest for undertaking such an extraordinarily difficult program. An interest point for knowing European readers is the inclusion of septuagenarian musicologist, Mr. Harry Halbreich who could be somewhat understood by North American readers as Andrew Porter with all the edge and opinion such years magnify. COMMANDOpera has no doubt these daily morning ‘Musical Musings’ will be rather entertaining to hear. One would be remiss not to mention the performance titled: “Take the Dogsled” which will feature Inuit throat singing. At 10:30 every evening there are late LATE performances which serve alcohol (not found in church venues) where one will find Mr. Borys on many evenings enjoying performances which imbue a rather edgier tone given the hour.