Opera North's "Salome"

There was a little girl,
Who had a little curl,
Right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good,
She was very good indeed,
But when she was bad she was horrid.

I often feel that the words of Longfellow’s little poem apply to Opera North. I have seen some marvellous things from them: “The Bartered Bride” and their updated “L’Elisir D’Amore” with Dulcamara arriving in a balloon spring to mind. They were the first company, certainly in the UK, to recognize Puccini’s “La Rondine” for the masterpiece that it is.

But when they are bad, they are truly horrid: undercast, badly conducted, and with productions that have made my toes curl with embarrassment at their awfulness. Anyone remember their “Tosca”? Or “Pagliacci”?

I am happy to report then that their current “Salome” (seen at the Sage on Saturday 11 February) is very definitely in the ‘very good’ column.

It is a concert performance, but with appropriate entrances and exits and the squabbling Jews placed in the balcony. I often find concert performances of opera surprisingly effective and so it was with this.

The performance was built round the considerable presence of Susan Bullock as Salome. Not the most beautiful voice, it is nevertheless a solid and expressive instrument and used here with both subtlety and, where needed, enormous power. Matching her for volume at times was Anne-Marie Owens as a wonderfully hatchet-faced Herodias.

Perhaps the most dramatically effective performance came from Peter Hoare as Herod (even though he was using a score). This was excellent singing, diction and presentation in a gift of part for a good character tenor.

Philip Joll (Jokanaan) must be considered something of a veteran (he sang Kurwenal for Goodall in 1981) and the voice does have occasional gruff patches in it now. When it rang freely, particularly at the top, it can still be a thrilling sound.

All the minor parts were very well taken, with particular mention of Leonardo Capalbo’s lovely lyric Narraboth.

Terrific playing from the orchestra under Richard Farnes, never drowning the singers but able to release shattering volume when required. The moment of the arrival of Jokanaan’s had the whole hall shaking.

This was as enjoyable a presentation of Salome as I can remember and when Opera North are on this form they are world class.

Mozart (and Florez!) in Tenerife

This was my first visit to Tenerife and my first visit to the CanaryIslands Music Festival, which is now attracting some high quality, not to say star quality participants.

The Tenerife part of the Festival is centred on the new Auditorio deTenerife and both concerts I attended took place there. This is a spectacular building designed by the Spanish architect Calatrava and is reckoned to be his tribute to Gaudi. The form of the building is based on the shape of an ancient Greek helmet and is indeed very Gaudi-esque with lots of curves and curls and a huge 'plume' that sweeps over the top of the whole construction. The outside is decorated with white mosaic so when the floodlights come on at night the whole building glistens: stunning!
http://www.auditoriodetenerife.com/galeriafotos.php

The main auditorium is all in one tier and seats about 1600. Lest I be accused of disloyalty to my native Tyneside, I don't think the acoustics are as good as the Sage! But the staff are more smartly turned out, the programmes are free and a glass of wine only cost two euros...

The highlight of the whole trip was the recital by Juan Diego Florez: one of the most extraordinary singers I have ever heard. He sang a demanding programme not just immaculately but thrillingly, moving from simple tenderness to bravura brilliance. An unforgettable evening.

The concert started with three Mozart arias. Of these, the most interesting experience was to hear JDF sing "Il Mio Tesoro". His singing here could be analysed at three levels. Firstly his technical expertise meant that he could sing the music as it is written without the little pauses and other tricks that are so often heard. Secondly, that technical accomplishment meant that this was more than a mere obstacle-course but a genuine piece of music making. Thirdly, the previous two assets meant that he was able to take us beyond ‘mere’ music to an even greater completeness of communication. In less pompous terms, he ‘tells the story’.

The first half of the concert was completed by more familiar JDF material: arias from "Il Turco in Italia" and "Semiramide" showing that he has lost none of his feel for Rossini style.

The second half opened in quieter mood with three Bellini songs. "Malinconia" is well known but the charming "Vanne o rosa" was new to me. No spectacular coloratura or thrilling high notes; just seamless legato and beauty of tone.

More bel canto to round off the programme: arias from Donizetti’s "Linda di Chamounix" and "Lucrezia Borgia".

By the end of all this the capacity audience were in a JDF frenzy and roared him on through four encores, the best of which was "Spirito Gentil" from "La Favorita"; but the loudest cheers came for "La Donna e Mobile" with an outrageously held final top note.

This was a fabulous concert. Leaving aside the high notes and the amazing skill in fast passage-work, what makes JDF such a special singer is his demonstration of the basic skills of singing: beauty of tone, steadiness of emission, perfect legato; breadth of phrasing (built on wonderful breath control); clear diction.

It all sounds so simple, yet is so difficult to accomplish. This man, as much as any singer I have every heard, is the complete article.

I was not sure that I would enjoy the second concert (Mozart's "LaClemenza di Tito") but that also turned out to be a great success. They shortened the opera by cutting out the recitative (which is reckoned not to be by Mozart anyway) so things fairly sped along. The singing of the principals (Iris Vermilion, Hannah Esther Minutillo, Nicola Uliveri,Charles Workman and Melanie Diener) was very good indeed as were the local orchestra and chorus conducted by Victor Pablo Perez. The evening was summed up by one of the elderly ladies from my tour group with whomI shared a taxi back to the hotel. 'Here we are', she said, 'we only met two days ago, we are from different backgrounds and different generations, but I can tell we have both been given a real lift by that music tonight'. And she was right.