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The master list of news, features and interviews
NICOLAI GEDDA (1925 -2017)
His daughter, Tania, announced the death of Nicolai Gedda on January 8 at his residence near Lausanne, Switzerland. His death occurred a few months after that of his first wife, the pianist Nadia Gedda-Nova – Tania’s mother – and a few days after that of Georges Prêtre with whom he collaborated several times, notably as Don José in the recording of Carmen alongside Maria Callas.
Michael Volle talks to Michael Cookson
Michael Volle one of the leading baritones on the international stage today is a recipient of eminent German Theatre Award ‘Faust’ and in 2008 and 2014 was named ‘Singer of the Year’ by opera magazine ‘Opernwelt’. In a 2008 interview with Jim Pritchard for Seen and Heard, Volle had yet to sing Hans Sachs a role which has since established him as one of the greatest acting baritones of his generation. A pinnacle of Volle’s career was singing Sachs in Stefan Herheim’s production of Die Meistersinger at the Salzburg Festival 2013.
Alexander Karpeyev in Conversation with Robert Beattie
Alexander Karpeyev has been a major prizewinner in a number of international piano competitions including first prize at the 2007 Dudley International Piano Competition. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory and with Joan Havill at the Guildhall School of Music in London. He is a noted exponent of Medtner’s music and recently defended his doctoral thesis on the performance practice of the music of Medtner at City University of London. Last year he organised the first International Medtner Festival in the UK and he is the curator of the Pushkin House Music Salon in Bloomsbury Square which showcases Russian chamber music. He recently gave a superb recital in Kings Place which focused on Russian music composed immediately prior to the Revolution of 1917 (review).
India Various composers: Maria José Siri (soprano), Simon O’Neill (tenor), Kai Rüütel (mezzo-soprano), Long Zhang (tenor), Andrea Vincenzo Bonsignore (baritone), Matteo Peirone (bass), Symphony Orchestra of India / Carlo Rizzi (conductor), Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai, 2.2.2017. (JSM)
Verdi – Overture to La forza del Destino; Otello (excerpts)
Giordano – Andrea Chénier (excerpts)
Bizet – Carmen Suites (excerpts)
India Puccini, La Bohème Revisited: Soloists, Symphony Orchestra of India / Carlo Rizzi (conductor), Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai, 8.2.2017 (JSM)
Cast:
Rodolfo – Giordano Lucà
Mimì – Olena Tokar
Marcello – Andrea Vincenzo Bonsignore
Musetta – Maria Mudryak
Colline – Andrea Concetti
Schaunard – Daniele Terenzi
Alcindoro/Benoit – Matteo Peirone
Narrator – Sax Nicosia
Production:
Director – Sax Nicosia
Lighting – Alberto Giolotti
Artwork – Francesco Calagnini
Projections – D-Wok
The Fifth Ealing Music & Film Festival – 8 to 12 February 2017
The Ealing Music & Film Festival returns in 2017 with a mix of music and film to entertain and lighten February’s dark days. Now in its fifth year the festival programme continues to celebrate Ealing’s cultural heart and to support the wealth of creative young artistic talent in the local area through outreach and scholarships.
Saffron Opera Group’s Ring continues on 12 February, 2017
Internationally acclaimed soloists in concert performance
Superb reviews for previous instalments
(Click for Jim Pritchard’s reviews of Das Rheingold and Die Walküre)
Having achieved a host of ecstatic reviews for the first two concert-performance instalments of the Ring Cycle, Saffron Opera Group (SOG) continues its triumphant journey through Wagner’s epic score with Siegfried in Saffron Hall on Sunday 12 February, 2017.
English National Ballet’s Giselle – the classic ballet by Mary Skeaping
Click here to read Jim Pritchard’s first night review
London Coliseum
Wednesday 11 – Sunday 22 January 2017
Performances at 7.30pm (mat at 2.30pm)
Tickets: £14 – £79
www.ballet.org.uk/giselle
Fighting Back From What Life Throws At You And Inspiring Others: Jim Pritchard Interviews The Soprano Elisabeth Meister
One of the highlights of the recent concert performance of Die Walküre for the Saffron Opera Group was Elisabeth Meister’s wonderful Sieglinde. Peter Reed in Opera magazine described how ‘gathering depth and brilliance’ she ‘built towards an orchestra-surfing “O hehrstes Wunder!” of pulverizing grandeur’. On this site I said she just ‘got better and better’ and how ‘Meister is an intelligent singer who knows how to project her voice, and she achieved extraordinary heights of passion in Act III without pushing the voice beyond its limits.’ (For full review click here.) I also mentioned how Elisabeth was – with this performance – returning to singing after something of a hiatus to her singing career, which was set to have a meteoric rise after leaving the Royal Opera’s Jette Parker Young Artists Programme. Elisabeth has a remarkable – and inspirational – story to tell which involves losing and regaining her singing voice.