Philip Langridge (1939 - 2010)

It is with some sadness that I have to mention the passing of English tenor Philip Langridge, who died from cancer last week, aged 70. He was seen in performance as recently as January of this year, when he performed the role of the witch in the Met's production of Humperdink's Hansel and Gretel. While he made a name for himself in operatic roles by composers as diverse as Mozart and Stravinsky, it is his singing of English composers for which I will best remember him. His performances in the operas of Britten were marvels to behold. Opera News had a splendid article about him and you can read it here. The announcement in the Daily Telegraph of his death is here. In addition to his operatic performances, Langridge was a consummate singer of oratorio, and many say that his performances of Handels' Messiah are unequaled.

Here he is singing Comfort Ye and Ev'ry Valley from that work.

He will be missed. His picture appears at the head of this post.

Samuel Barber (1910 - 1981)

On a happier note, tomorrow marks the 100th. anniversary of the birth of Samuel Barber. While he is best known today for his Adagio for Strings, which originally saw the light of day as a movement in his string quartet Number 1 Opus 11, and had a later iteration as a choral work, named Agnus Dei, Barber was also a composer of opera.  Here is Leontyne Price singing an aria from his 1957 opera Vanessa.  The libretto was written by Barber's life partner GianCarlo Menotti.

Placido Domingo

Maestro Domingo has just undergone surgery to remove a malignant polyp from his colon. He has been released from hospital, and is expected to make a full recovery. Let's send him the love, gentle readers. This man is one of the operatic giants of our time, and we need him among us and in good health. Among his many other gigs, Maestro Domingo is General Director of Los Angeles Opera. Here is what the LA Times is reporting.

Le Nozze di Figaro

Yesterday I awoke to a gorgeous Portland morning, and after coffee and breakfast, set off with a ladyfriend to Tacoma where we attended a performance of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, produced by Tacoma Opera. As we drove north it became clear we were entering opera territory, when we saw signs for Figaro Pizza and Norma's Bed and Breakfast. I kept an eye out in case we should see Wotan's Saloon but did not espy it. Once in Tacoma, we found our way to the Pantages Theater, which forms a part of the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts, and where the matinée performance was to take place. This theater was built in 1918 and retains a good deal of its old-world charm. It is a relatively small house (I am guessing that it seats around 1200 patrone) which yesterday was gratifyingly full. I need not tell you what a glorious opera Nozze is. What I am most pleased to be able to report to you is that the performance was a total delight! I do not propose to give a full review here but should tell you that all of the principal roles were handled with skill and humour, in particular Thomas Forde as Figaro and Chad Sloane as Count Almaviva. I must make special mention of Hannah Penn as Cherubino. This was her first pants role and it was as thought she was born to it! Her sense of comedic timing was spot on and her singing gave great joy. I was very proud that she is a product of the Portland Opera Young Artists programme and that I get to call her 'friend'. I understand that Chris Mattaliano and Clare Burovac had seen the show on opening night. I am looking forward to chatting with them about it. The director of the show was Elise Sandell, fresh from her success directing Così fan Tutte for Portland Opera. She told me that she had had such a wonderful time with this cast that she stayed for yesterday's performance rather than leaving town after opening night, as is usual with directors.

After the show, my partner and I hung out with Elise and Hannah as well as Joe Muir (Hannah's husband) and Bob Kingston, who like me had come up from Portland. Bob was still buzzing from having been sky-diving on Saturday - an event he described as "The best thing evah!" We also got to chat with Weston Hurt, a friend of Hannah and Joe and who is currently performing the role of Ford in the Seattle Opera production of Verdi's Falstaff.

The drive back to Portland was made in the driving rain but the day had been a huge success. I am very impressed with the work of Tacoma Opera and heartily encourage you to think about putting them on your calendar when planning your next season of opera. It's just a couple of hours from Portland and well worth the trip. This evening I shall be seeing Hannah's voice coach, Christine Meadows, at a Portland State University Opera Workshop. I know Christine had wanted to get up to Tacoma to see Hannah, but that her overwhelming work schedule prevented it. I shall be giving her a full report and I know she will be very happy.

Portland Youth Philharmonic

So, what do one hundred hormone-ravaged high school teenagers do when you put them in a school cafeteria in the evening? Start a food fight? Split into gangs and begin to rumble? Trash the place? I went along to Jackson Middle School last Monday evening to find out. And what did they actually do? They rehearsed Shostakovitch's 5th Symphony and Saint-Saens' Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso! This was the Portland Youth Philharmonic Orchestra being prepared by Maestro David Hattner for their Winter Concert which takes place this coming Saturday at the Schnitz at 7:30pm. I think you probably know by now that I am a big fan of this organisation and greatly admire conductor David Hattner. It was a pleasure to see him working through the nuts and bolts of a programme and to watch how he encouraged the young musicians to give of their best, to concentrate, and to respond to his instructions. It also impressed me that he knew when they were tired and called the rehearsal earlier than usual. When speaking to me during a break in rehearsal he likened the orchestra to a race horse, saying that once he felt they were 'race-ready' he is anxious they not be over-trained. I am hoping to have a chat with Maestro Hattner within the next couple of days and will report on our discussion here, of course, In the meantime, you can take it from me that this upcoming concert will knock your socks off and you need to be there.

I should report that during the orchestral break the youngsters reverted to their more usual way of being, playing pat-a-cake, whooping and hollering when told there were Three Musketeer candy bars for them and generally behaving as one might expect - only without the rumbles or food fights.

Washington National Opera

As I mentioned to you last week, I have exciting news! Believe it or not, it is almost a year since Priscilla's Great Adventure (see here and subsequent entries if you missed it first time around). I think that something I did not mention in my blogging about the events last year, is that about two weeks before the Opera Ball, Michelle Pendoley from Washington National Opera called me and said that, notwithstanding I had given my #operaplot prize away, WNO would like to invite me as their guest to attend the functions in addition to Priscilla and Larry Barrow, who had been the beneficiaries of my prize. I declined with thanks. It seemed to me (and I still feel like this, actually) that it was important that nothing take attention away from Priscilla on her special nights, and that my presence could be a distraction. Imagine, then, my delight when a few days ago I received an email from WNO inviting me to attend this year's Opera Ball, to be held at the Russian Embassy, and to see a performance at the opera house the following evening "as our special guest." This time I am going! I have a delightful, fun and beautiful partner to go with me who is already in I-shall-need-a-new-ball-gown mode and initial arrangements are being made. I shall keep you informed as we go along, gentle readers and you can take it from me that I AM VERY EXCITED!!

Have a happy and productive week and be sure to come back here on Thursday for my mid-week post.