Metropolitan Opera

There was something I should have mentioned about last Saturday's performance of Simon Boccanegra that I omitted. Most importantly, the role of Gabriele Adorno was sung by tenor Marcello Giordani, a singer who is having a tremendous career, not just at the Met but worldwide, and seems to be getting better and better. Why does that have anything to do with us? Because, gentle readers, Giordani made his US debut with our very own Portland Opera in 1988, playing the role of Nadir in Bizet's Pêcheurs de Perles. Didn't he do well? He obviously just needed something only Portland could give him.

News has issued from the Met that Peter Gelb has hired his predecesor, Joseph Volpe, (seen above with Beverley 'Bubbles' Sills), to undertake, on behalf of the Met Opera management, the negotiations with unions and other employees over fresh contracts. For a number of reasons this was not a ho-hum announcement. I could explain to you why that is the case, but Zach Woolfe has written a splendid article about it in The New York Observer, and I encourage you to read it. This is important stuff and Woolfe gives us some tremendous insights into the machinations at our premier opera house. I suspect Volpe is the perfect man for this job. He began life at the Met as a carpenter and worked his way up to being the boss of the whole shebang. Now, there's a guy who knows how to get along with people.

Così fan tutte

I saw the opening night performance of this show, and I have to say I loved it! As you know, I do not review Portland Opera productions but there are just a couple of things I would like to mention. From time to time you may have noted that I mention Richard Zeller in this blog. He is a singer, and a man, whom I think we are very fortunate lives in our area and is available to perform here with some regularity. I always comment about how Zeller is the consummate professional. Precisely the same may be said of Angela Niederloh, who appears in our current production as Dorabella. Angie had her debut with us in the role of Cenerentola a couple of seasons ago. She has a tremendous voice, huge personality and fabulous stage presence. Like Zeller, we are very fortunate she lives locally so we get to hear and see her often.

It is also noteworthy that the director of our current production, Elise Sandell, is also a Portland native. Elise has been an assistant director on a number of shows here and this is her first gig as the director. Brava, cara! I hope we'll see you here again soon. In the meantime, Elise is off directing a production of Le Nozze di Figaro in Tacoma.

On a personal note...

Two of Operaman's friends and readers have both recently undergone hip-replacement surgery. My chum Mike Ellyson, who always looks after me, at Jake's Grill, as though I were the most important customer he has ever had, has finally driven his lovely wife, Maura, insane around the house and she has sent him back to work. We missed you, Mike, and hope you make a full and very speedy recovery. Brenda Large, one of my readers and correspondents from Prince Edward Island, Canada, has recently undergone surgery similar to Mike's. Again, Brenda, our thoughts and best wishes go out to you. I do hope that being laid up has given you a chance to catch up on un-read previous Operaman blog entries!

Okay, boatman, you can chain 'em all back to the oars! Back to work, you lot! See you next Tuesday.