I spent most of the morning yesterday with Emmanuel Villaume, Dallas Opera’s new music director (who is in Santa Fe this summer conducting Offenbach’s LA GRANDE DUCHESSE) and general director Keith Cerny (who was back in Dallas but with whom we were meeting via a telephone conference call) discussing plans for the future. Keith was in Santa Fe all last week with a large group of donors to attend performances and for the group to get to spend time with Emmanuel, who evidently charmed everyone. The Dallas Opera has begun what promises to be an exciting new chapter in its long and illustrious history! Read more →
From the Desk of Artistic Director Jonathan Pell – Santa Fe Part I
Last night was the first of two separate programs on successive Sunday evening’s that showcase the young artists who participate every summer in the Santa Fe Opera’s renowned apprentice program. These talented young singers are recruited from around the country (this summer there are more than forty of them) and they appear throughout the season as the chorus, in smaller roles, and “cover” (or act as understudies) for leading roles. In addition to that, they receive private coaching from the music staff and visiting artists, and are given the opportunity to display their talent in these fully staged and costumed scenes. Read more →
From the Desk of Artistic Director Jonathan Pell – Seattle Part III
Well, Alwyn Mellor’s “vocal allergy” was later diagnosed as a viral infection, and she had to cancel last night’s performance. At least the audience who came for this first of Seattle’s RING cycles (of three) had the pleasure of hearing her impressive Seattle debut in DIE WALKUERE on Monday evening.
I doubt if anyone in the audience could have been too disappointed, though, since understudy Lori Phillips rose to the challenge magnificently. With weeks of observing rehearsals she knew the blocking, but with little musical rehearsal and absolutely no time with the orchestra or the conductor, this was an impressive feat. Read more →
From the Desk of Artistic Director Jonathan Pell – Seattle Part II
Last night’s performance of Wagner’s SIEGFRIED was filled with surprises, both expected and unplanned. The physical production is still breathtaking (scenery by Thomas Lynch, costumes by the late Martin Pakledinaz and lighting by Peter Kaczorowski), and the singing at a remarkably high level. German tenor Stefan Vinke in his Seattle debut sang the title role with great conviction and seemingly endless vocal stamina. The surprise here was his committed acting, an asset I don’t remember from my previous encounter with him singing this role in Robert Carsen’s production from Cologne and Venice. This must be attributed to both his maturity as an artist (although he still looks believably boyish) and to stage director Stephen Wadsworth. Particularly notable was the scene with “Siegfried” cutting reeds to try to imitate the call of the Forest Bird. I cannot recall this scene ever played so broadly, but the laughs were genuine and the audience loved it.
The unplanned surprise, and it was a thrilling one, was the last minute replacement of soprano Alwyn Mellor as “Bruennhilde.” Miss Mellor, who had been so effective on Monday night in DIE WALKUERE, had apparently awakened yesterday with some sort of vocal allergy. In order to preserve herself for Friday’s GOETTERDAEMMERUNG and the remaining two cycles, she decided to withdraw from last night’s performance late yesterday afternoon. Since the character doesn’t appear until the last twenty minutes or so of the opera, general director Speight Jenkins didn’t have an announcement made until just before the beginning of Act III.
The audience was slightly alarmed, but they needn’t have been. The “cover” or understudy, Lori Phillips, had a triumph in the role. Lori, who was one of the valkyries when Dallas Opera last did DIE WALKUERE, was magnificent. She also sang the role of the mother the last time Dallas Opera did HANSEL AND GRETEL, but last night’s performance in Seattle was one of those nights where the understudy goes on and becomes a star! At least I hope that this is what happens…
Lori’s identical twin sister is mezzo-soprano Mary Phillips, who was so wonderful two seasons ago as “Brangaene” in the Dallas Opera’s production of TRISTAN UND ISOLDE, and also appeared at Dallas Opera in DIE WALKUERE, as well as Handel’s ARIODANTE and Lee Hoiby’s THE TEMPEST.
I don’t know what their parents fed them growing up, but whatever it was, it turned them into extraordinary singers.
The rest of the cast last night was very good, too, including Greer Grimsley’s “Wanderer” and Richard Paul Fink’s “Alberich.” Richard was the “Alberich” in the Dallas Opera RING, and he continues to give a remarkable performance as this unsavory character, both physically and vocally.
Asher Fisch led a taut performance from the pit, and managed to keep the piece from seeming as long as it is!
This RING cycle comes to an end on Friday, and we’ll just have to wait and see what surprises are in store!
From the Desk of Artistic Director Jonathan Pell – Seattle
The curtain call from last night’s DIE WALKUERE in Seattle
Two down and two to go—I am halfway through the Seattle RING cycle, and so far it has been a terrific journey! This RING is the last one produced by Seattle Opera’s long time general director Speight Jenkins (originally from Dallas, by the way) and a fitting tribute to his thirty years here.
This is a sumptuous production, with hyper-realistic scenery designed by Thomas Lynch, and detailed, naturalistic acting wonderfully staged by Stephen Wadsworth. It is in almost every way the diametric opposite of other recent RING cycles, which have been abstracted or pigeon-holed into “concept” productions, which however intellectually stimulating, often fall short of telling the story in a comprehensible way. Read more →
From the Desk of Artistic Director Jonathan Pell
Tenor Sean Panikkar, “Cassio” TDO Otello 09
Karen Almond, Photo Credit
I have heard that some of my loyal readers have been wondering where I have been this summer since there haven’t been any postings since the beginning of July.
Well, I should report that I just returned from the Galapagos Islands, where I was auditioning sea lions and marine iguanas, but honestly, don’t expect any of them to appear on stage at the Winspear Opera House any time soon.
I head off this weekend to Seattle and Speight Jenkins’ last Ring cycle as general director of that company. He retires at the end of this season after thirty years with the Seattle Opera, and this promises to be a memorable production of Wagner’s magnum opus.
It boasts what looks “on paper” to be a wonderful cast and has a brilliant conductor, so I am really looking forward to going.
On another subject, I don’t know how many of you are addicted to watching this summer’s number one TV hit, America’s Got Talent on NBC, but this year there is a particularly interesting participant. Read more →