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Some Books on Classical Music and Opera
Victoria Livengood: Official Site

Three Operas

These operas were seen at the METROPOLITAN OPERA Fall 1996:

CARMEN,

RIGOLETTO, and LA TRAVIATA

Thursday Evening, November 7, 1996, 8:00-11:35
NEW PRODUCTION

Georges Bizet's
CARMEN
Opera in four acts
Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy based on the story by Prosper Mérimeé

Conductor:James Levine
Production:Franco Zeffirelli
Set Designer:Anna Anni
Lighting Designer:Duane Schuler

Characters in order of vocal appearance:

Moraleés, an officer:Christopher Schaldenbrand
Micaëla, a peasant girl:Angela Gheorghiu
Don José, a corporal of dragoons: Plácido Domingo
Zuniga, a captain: Jeffrey Wells
Carmen, a gypsy: Waltraud Meier
Frasquita, gypsy, friend of Carmen: Mary Dunleavy
Mercédès, gypsy, friend of Carmen: Kristine Jepson
Escamillo, a toreador: Sergei Leiferkus
Le Dancaïre, smuggler: Kim Josephson
Le Remendado, smuggler: Tony Stevenson

Comment: The production was spectacular, with the most outstanding performance by Angela Gheorghiu. Plácido Domingo was excellent, but the role Carmen was, in our humble opinion less well sung by German mezzo-soprano, Waltraud Meier, better suited for Die Walküre.
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Friday Evening, November 8, 1996, 8:00-11:05

Giuseppe Verdi's
RIGOLETO
Opera in three acts
Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave

Conductor:Carlo Rizzi
Production:Otto Schenk
Set and Costume Designer:Zack Brown
Lighting Designer:Gil Wechsler
Stage Director:Sharon Thomas

Characters in order of vocal appearance:

The Duke of Mantua:Frank Lopardo
Borsa:Bernard Fitch
Countess Ceprano:Emily Pulley
Rigoletto: Juan Pons
Marullo: Stephen Powell
Count Ceprano: Denis Sedov
Monterone: Stephen West
Sparafucile: Sergei Koptchak
Gilda: Ruth Ann Swenson
Giovanna: Jane Shaulis
A Page: Melissa Lentz
Chief Guard: John Russell
Maddalena: Victoria Livengood

Comment: Again the production was spectacular, with outstanding performances by Frank Lopardo, Juan Pons, Sergie Koptchak and Victoria Livengood. But a particular kudo goes to Ruth Ann Swenson for her role as Gilda, she really brought down the house.

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Saturday Evening, November 9, 1996, 8:00-11:05

Giuseppe Verdi's
LA TRAVIATA
Opera in three acts
Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave

Conductor:Maurizio Barbacini
Production:Franco Zeffirelli
Set and Costume Designer:Franco Zeffirelli
Lighting Designer:Gil Wechsler
Stage Director:Sharon Thomas

Characters in order of vocal appearance:

Violetta Valéry:Ainnhoa Arteta
Flora Bervoix:Reveka Mavrovitis
The Marquis d'Obigny:James Courtney
Baron Douphol: John Fiorito
Doctor Grenvil: Vaclovas Daunoras
Gastone, Vicomte de Letorières:Tony Stevenson
Alfredo Germont: Marcello Giordani
Annina, Violetta's companion: Diane Elias
Giuseppe, Violetta's servant: John Hanriot
Giogio Germont, Alfredo's father: Roberto Frontali
A messinger: Mitchell Sendrowitz

Comment: The production was breathtaking, with mid-act scene changes right on stage, brilliant choreography and a marvelous orchestra. All the roles were strong with a particularly arresting Violetta by Ainhoa Arteta. Marcello Giordani's portrayal of Alfredo and his father, Giorgio Germont sung by Roberto Frontali together with an impeccable supporting cast brought continuous bravos and a long-lasting standing ovation from the sophisticated [hey! we were there] New York audience. It was our favorite.

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Angela Gheorghiu is a marvelous Romanian soprano who was clearly the star of Carmen at the fall 1996 Metropolitan Opera performance. Her debut at the Met was in 1993 where she played the role of Mimi in La Bohème. Her arias are featured in a 1996 CD [Decca 452 417-2] where I have extacted part of the liner notes: "The morning after Angela Gheorghiu appeared in La Traviata at Covent Garden in November 1994, her name was on everybody's lips. Suddenly, a new star had arrived and there was a rush to find out who she was, where she had come from, and even how to pronounce her name. It is said 'Gyor-gyou', declared The Times definitively. The popular press avoided the question and simply dubbed her 'the diva to die for'...." The recording of Verdi's La Traviata [1995 Decca, London, 448 119-2] from the Covent Garden performance in 1994 is regarded by many as the definitive production - The CD was the top Classical Recording of 1995.

Some books on Classical Music and Opera

The NPR Guide to Building A Classical CD Collection, Ted Libby 1994
ISBN: 1-56305-051-X
The Portable Kobbés Opera Guide, Edited by The Earl of Harewood 1994
ISBN: 0-399-51872-X
Opera 101: A Complete Guide to Learing and Loving Opera, Fred Plotkin 1994
ISBN: 0-7868-8025-2

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