Precisely one month ago today I received the news that I had won the Operaplot contest and since then not only has my life been almost entirely pre-occupied with the myriad things that followed that announcement but you, dear readers, have read of almost nothing else here. Normally of course I try to be eclectic in my posts. Jim Fullan the Director of Marketing for Portland Opera who is ultimately responsible for what you read here describes it, not unkindly, as being "All over the map!" However, this seems to be what you want and it's pretty much the only way I can write so until someone tells me to do it differently that's what you get. Thus, for me to post almost exclusively about one matter has been a distinct break from the norm and for the time being at least you can expect me to revert to my normal form.

Cardiff Singer of The World Competition
When I was a boy, Wales was known for a handful of things: coal-mining, a populace noted for being insular and of a distinctly suspicious nature, eisteddfods (so-called festivals at which men in funny robes would sing or recite to each other in an incomprehensible tongue), a railway station with the unlikely name of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
and an unwholesome reputation for the rustic bachelors having a great fondness for sheep.

To that list may now be added the Cardiff Singer of The World Competition. Every two years since 1983 Cardiff has been the focus of attention for all those interested in hearing up-and-coming young opera stars from around the globe. From the hundreds who audition 25 singers are invited to Wales and go through a rigorous competition at the end of which one of them walks away with something in excess of twenty thousand dollars and some exciting performing and recording prospects. Past winners have included Finnish diva Karita Mattila and my fave Russian Dmitri Hvorostovsky (who beat out Bryn Terfel in the final - that's how high the standard is!). So chopped liver this contest isn't. This year's winner is another Russian, soprano Ekaterina Shcherbachenko (see pic above). Unfortunately I cannot find a small clip of her for you to listen to but should you wish to listen to the entire final of the competition you can go here.  If you don't want to sit through all of that then as a consolation prize here's Hvorotsovsky with Renée 'The Voice' in the closing scene from Eugene Onegin.

If you Google images of Dmitri perhaps like I did you will marvel at how his hair has gone from brunette to white in a very short space of time.

Whine of The Week
Because I am a very fortunate man who has wonderful friends one of my birthday gifts last week was a year's subscription to the Met Player. This will allow me unrestricted access to the vast Met Opera archives of audio and video recordings to watch on my desktop Mac. I am thrilled! My whine concerns the appalling customer service experienced by Holly when she ordered the subscription and my own experience when I tried to activate it over the telephone. I won't bore you with the details - much as I would like to - but vouchsafe to say the people we dealt with, with one very notable exception, were either uninterested, incompetent and/or untruthful. And this from the opera company which purports to be the finest in the world. I finally spoke with the Director of Donor Relations, Maryann Gallagher and told her exactly how we had been treated and what I thought. She was first rate in her response and managed to smooth my very ruffled feathers. Let there be no doubt, whatever the quality of underlings, this lady is first class.  How can the Met not get that it is a very bad idea to tick off people who are trying to give you money? Anyway, the upshot is that Holly and I have been promised a bel canto CD and comp tickets to the Met next season!

Update

I just received a package from Ms Gallager containing a CD, a fine book and some William Wegner opera note cards.  Well, it cannot be said she is not doing her very best damage-control efforts.

You couldn't get another job, Stanley?
Stanley Drucker has retired. Big deal? Darn right it's a big deal! Stanley was a clarinetist with the New York Philharmonic. For. Sixty-one. Years. For the last fifty of those years he was the orchestra's principal clarinetist and a legend. As someone who himself has had some success as a clarinet player (I was second-chair clarinet in my school's orchestra for almost two full years) I am left slack-jawed at Stanley's dedication and skills.

Everone who knows him or has followed his career at all has his own favourite Stanley Drucker story. Here's mine: Bernstein wanted to record the Nielsen Clarinet Concerto with the New York Philharmonic and Stanley was to play the solo clarinet part. It is a very difficult work, particularly for the soloist, partly because it is in one extended movement so the clarinet player doesn't get a chance to relax and re-group. For this reason more studio time than normal was booked. I heard four days but do not know if this is true. Anyway, on day one the orchestra assembled, Stanley warmed up and the red light glowed indicating recording had begun. It had been decided that there would initially be a straight run through as a rehearsal to see where the hot spots were that would need special attention. The producer's voice came over the intercom: "Quiet everyone. Nielsen Clarinet Concerto. Take one!" Bernstein lowered his baton and the orchestra began. At the conclusion of the piece Bernstein went into the control room where he, Stanley, the producer and engineers listened to the recording in increasing amazement. At the end there was an ominous silence finally broken by Bernstein : "What do you think?" Somewhat reticently the producer said "Frankly, Lennie, I think it's great!" "So do I" answered Bernstein, switched on the intercom mic and said "Thank you gentlemen. That's a wrap! Great work, Stanley. Great work!" Applause all round.  The Nielsen Clarinet Concerto recorded in one take.

The NY Phil will never be quite the same.

Tomorrow I am having lunch with Bob Kingston and Jennifer Peterson. You all know Bob of course. Jennifer is a New York-based harpsichord player and opera conductor who is in Oregon to play the Brandenburg Concerto Number 5 at the Chintimini Chamber Music Festival in Corvallis. Judging by her resumé Ms. Peterson is talented and erudite. From our telephone conversations it is apparent she is also very nice. I expect we'll talk opera. I'll report back to you.

Have a great week.