Opera Japonica/Archives/Letters from America, March to December 2000

Maria Nockin's Letters from America 2000

March

José Cura and Veronica Villaroel in Otello at the Washington Opera

March was an exciting month for opera lovers in the United States. On its first evening the Washington Opera presented Verdi's Otello with matinee idol, Jose Cura, in the title role and the man who has been the leading exponent of that role for decades, Placido Domingo, conducting. Their interpretation presents us with an Otello who is more sensitive than enraged, and thus accommodates Cura's dark-timbred medium-sized voice. Critics were in disagreement as to his vocal achievement, but most praised his charismatic stage presence and acting ability.

Veronica Villaroel, the Desdemona, stepped in for Daniela Dessi with only three rehearsals, impressing all who attended with her ample sound and sensitive interpretation. Unfortunately, Justino Diaz was suffering from a cold, over which he had considerable difficulty singing and his "Credo" was a disappointment.

Placido Domingo probably knows more about this opera than anyone else now living, but at this performance it was also evident that he is still in the process of leading his orchestra to the achievement of a flawless reading of the piece.

While the denizens of the nation's capital were enjoying Otello, the opera goers of Los Angeles were being treated to a new production of Rigoletto by popular filmmaker, Bruce Beresford. In his version of the well known Verdi opera the licentious Duke Mantua, portrayed by Frank Lopardo, is a film producer and Rigoletto, Haijing Fu, is a sleazy theatrical agent who is presented to the audience with a crutch instead of a physical deformity. As the orchestra begins the prelude, the finale from Mantua's film, The Vendetta, is shown effectively, but after the first scene the new setting loses much of its punch and we are back in the more familiar realm of opera.

Albanian soprano, Inva Mula, winner of the 1993 Placido Domingo Contest, sang a silver-toned Gilda and it is evident that she has matured into a fine Verdi soprano in the seasons since her last appearances in L. A. as Musetta. Mr. Lopardo put forth a fine lyrical performance, but Mr. Fu was found wanting in both voice and acting ability. The orchestra, however, as conducted by Richard Hickox, played with consummate skill in this fluent, if occasionally rushed, performance.

Still on this first night of the month, the Lyric Opera of Chicago presented Tristan und Isolde with Jon Frederic West replacing Ben Heppner opposite the stalwart Jane Eaglen. Chicago reviewers found his interpretation of the role to be more than adequate, but they noted that his voice does not have the traditional dark-hued heldentenor sound, and it seemed rather small for the role. Although he gave a performance replete with melodramatic intensity, he seemed to be at the outer edge of his resources by the final act. Not so Ms. Eaglen, whose voice soared over Semyon Bychkov's opulent orchestral sound in brilliant splendor.

One of the most interesting offerings from the New York City Opera this month was its revival of George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess in a traditional production directed by Tazewell Thompson. As conducted by John De Main, this version does not try to be a song and dance show, but instead shows off a cast of fine singers: Marquita Lister, an earthy Bess with lovely pianissimi, and Alvy Powell, a solidly grounded Porgy, were only two of the fine artists to be found in this straightforward, realistic production of a much too rarely heard piece.

The Metropolitan Opera revived its 1982 production of The Barber of Seville on March 13 with Thomas Hampson in the title role. He has been singing more serious roles lately and it was a treat to see him again exhibit his immense gift for Rossinian bravura and comedy. His foil for that evening was the veteran bass, Paul Plishka, an excellent replacement for the ailing John Del Carlo.

Unfortunately the rest of the cast did not fare nearly as well. Michael Schade as Almaviva and Sonia Ganassi as Rosina produced labored coloratura, while Egils Silins, who made his debut as Don Basilio, seemed insecure. Fortunately, the orchestra under the direction of Rossini specialist Bruno Campanella gave a fine idiomatic reading of the score and tidied up some of the loose ends left by the singers.

The Baltimore Opera is not always in the forefront of opera production in the US, but on March 16th it unveiled a new production of Wagner's Tannhäuser that made news. Like the L. A. Rigoletto, it was the work of a filmmaker, Werner Herzog, and his use of diaphanous draperies received almost as much coverage as the music. Jon Frederic West, our Chicago Tristan, was much more favorably received in this somewhat lighter role, but the real star of the show was Petra Lang, the Venus, whose strong voice and fine acting in her red satin boudoir were universally praised.

Eva Johansson offered a fine interpretation of Elizabeth but some of her tones were harsh, while James Johnson, a rather light voiced Wolfram, scored a success with his Hymn to the Evening Star. As might have been expected, the Baltimore Opera Orchestra had a few shaky moments at the beginning, but under the expert leadership of Christian Badea they eventually settled down to turn in a fine performance.

The New York City Opera was in the spotlight again on March 19 when it presented Virgil Thompson's The Mother of Us All, a rather unusual piece with a libretto by Gertrude Stein, which was first seen in a production by the controversial director, Christopher Alden, at the Glimmerglass Opera during the summer of 1998. Although the libretto is unconventional, the music is not. When other composers were writing 12 tone serial music and eschewing melody, Thompson was constructing his work from hymn tunes and parlor songs of the 1890s in a refreshingly simple American style.

Lauren Flanigan, already known to a wide audience from the telecast of Central Park, was a powerful Susan B. Anthony and her charisma dominated the stage all the way to the finale when she was crowned with a laurel wreath. Other members of the cast of 30 also gave excellent performances and the orchestra under the baton of George Manahan added to a well paced performance that had only a few moments of ragged playing.

At the end of the month the Metropolitan Opera began its long awaited Ring of The Nibelungen, but since only two of the four operas were played in March I will review the whole cycle in April.

Until then, have a great time at the opera!

April

Das Rheingold: Wotan and Loge visit Alberich in Nibelheim

Winnie Klotz/ Metropolitan Opera

New York's Metropolitan Opera crowned its 1999 - 2000 season in fine style with Richard Wagner's Der Ring Des Nibelungen.

March 22, 2000: The first presentation of the cycle, Das Rheingold, is more of an ensemble piece than a vehicle for stars, but the Met put together thoroughly a memorable cast including: James Morris as a majestic Wotan, Hei-Kyung Hong as a beautiful and vocally enchanting Freia, Philip Langridge as a wily Loge and Ekkehard Wlaschiha as a rough-voiced but effective Alberich.

Das Rheingold: The gods prepare to cross the rainbow bridge to Valhalla

Winnie Klotz/Metropolitan Opera

March 28, 2000: Die Walküre, on the other hand, is an all star affair and the Met gave us Placido Domingo, Deborah Voigt, James Morris and Jane Eaglen in some of their finest Wagnerian performances to date. Domingo gave New York audiences a passionate Siegmund whose tenderly sung 'Winterstürme' was beautifully answered by Voigt's radiant, creamy 'Du bist der Lenz', which Sieglinde sings as she realizes that Siegmund is the man destined for her and prepares to run off into the forest with him.

Jane Eaglen is a Brünnhilde from a different mold than those we have become accustomed to in the past. She actually sings the ornaments: trills, etc., that many Wagner lovers had never realized were in the score. Although her voice is not perfectly even up and down its range, she gives us a bel canto quality that makes her performance unique. James Morris may no longer be in his vocal prime, but he still has the power to cut through a huge orchestra and his interpretation of Wotan the despairing, tormented father is unexcelled.

Die Walküre Act II: The Valkyries meet at the rock

Winnie Klotz/Metropolitan Opera

April 15, 2000: Siegfried brought us a new title character, played by the Danish tenor, Stig Andersen. This role is the cornerstone on which the rest of the Ring cast is built. It is always difficult to find a tenor with the stamina to sing over the Wagner orchestra for close to four hours in a large house and produce the beauty of tone needed for the 'Forging Song' and the final duet. Andersen looked the part and succeeded in fulfilling almost all of the vocal requirements - no small accomplishment.

James Morris, the 'Wanderer' as Wotan is called in this opera, gave a commanding performance both vocally and histrionically, while Jane Eaglen, who only appears toward the end of the last act when Siegfried braves a wall of fire to awaken her, sang her part of the great duet with vitality and resonant passion. Best of all, Andersen, who managed to pace his performance extremely well, seemed revitalized by her presence and both of them finished this most difficult of operas with unflagging energy and musicianship.

Siegfried Act III: Siegfried finds the sleeping Brünnhilde

Winnie Klotz/Metropolitan Opera

April 22, 2000: Götterdämmerung, the culmination of the Ring, requires an enormous cast and the Met did not stint on any of it. Jane Eaglen easily sailed past the vocal obstacles posed by the difficult role of Brünnhilde and crowned her performance with a glorious Immolation Scene. Although Stig Andersen was suffering from a bronchial infection at this point, he fought it valiantly and proved that he is not only a fine artist but an excellent trouper as well. Eric Halfvarson as Hagen, Alan Held as Gunther and Felicity Palmer, making her Met debut as Waltraute, were all received with thunderous applause.

Götterdämmerung Act II: Hagen summons the vassals to welcome Gunther and his bride

Winnie Klotz/Metropolitan Opera

Even smaller roles like the Norns were cast with leading singers like Christine Goerke, whose triumph in the Dialogues of the Carmelites in Santa Fe last summer is still being spoken of, while Gutrune was given to another one of the Met's promising young singers, Sondra Radvanovsky, who had received fine reviews for her performance in Il Trovatore at San Diego Opera.

James Levine conducted all of these Ring performances, with the kind of artistry that defies any writer's store of superlatives. Not only did he do a wonderful job of conducting, although his tempi were occasionally on the slow side, but most importantly, he has made these players into the finest opera orchestra in the US. There is not much more left to say except 'Bravi!' to all who worked on this memorable project. We hope it will not be too long before we get to hear it again.

Götterdämmerung Act III: Brünnhilde orders the building of Siegfried's funeral pyre.

Winnie Klotz/Metropolitan Opera

April 14, 2000: While the Met was recreating the wonders of the nineteenth century, the Houston Grand Opera presented the newest work in the operatic firmament, Carlisle Floyd's Cold, Sassy Tree. Based on Olive Ann Burns' hilarious novel of rural Georgia, Floyd's newest opera is written in an accessible tonal style which includes arias and ensembles, each of which has a definite theatrical purpose.

Patricia Racette's role of Love Simpson is tailored to her abilities and shows them off to perfection. As Rucker Lattimore, Dean Peterson brought out the strength of his role, while John McVeigh, as the grandson and narrator handles difficult tessitura with ease. Conductor, Patrick Summers, seemed to bring out the best of both the composer's and singers' abilities. More performances of this brand new opera are planned for San Diego next year, so visitors to the US may be able to catch it there.

May

Il barbiere di Siviglia in Seattle: The local police attracted by the commotion attempt to arrest the group

Gary Smith/Seattle Opera

On May 6th the Seattle Opera presented Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia in an energetic staging by Linda Brovsky using a revolving set by John Stoddart which appeared to be tugged into place by street children.

Conductor, Eduardo Mueller, gave a buoyant but unrushed reading of the score allowing the cast time to breathe and, occasionally, to embellish their lines. The Figaro, Earle Patriarco, gave a bravura performance while mezzo, Vivica Genaux, as Rosina, showed off her luscious low tones as well as her coloratura expertise. As Almaviva, Kurt Streit was not quite up to their lofty standard but nevertheless he turned in a fine performance, while John del Carlo, as Dr Bartolo, enchanted the audience with his vocal and comedic abilities. Seattle may be a gloomy city, but inside the opera house the audience was transported to sunny, sparkling Seville.

Il barbiere di Siviglia in Seattle: Almaviva (Kurt Streit) disguised as a soldier fights with Dr Bartolo (John Del Carlo). Far left Mimi Lerner as Berta, at rear Archie Drage as Ambrogio

Gary Smith/Seattle Opera

On the same evening Opera Colorado presented Beethoven's Fidelio at Boettcher Concert Hall in Denver. The sets, by Jörg Madlener and Midori Kurihana, consisted mainly of massive doors which seemed denote denial of exit or entry. Although they may have cut down on the flow of action during a large part of the opera, they were startlingly effective at the finale when they opened onto light and freedom.

The voice of Jeanne-Michele Charbonnet, the Fidelio, cut through the orchestra with impressive power, while the Florestan, Gary Lakes, produced ringing heldentenor tones. As Marzelline, Lisa Walecki showed a bright silvery soprano while the warm sympathetic bass of Rocco, Dale Travis, made his character come to life. All of the aforementioned singers managed to match their vocal abilities with eloquent stagecraft, but Robert McFarland, as Pizarro, acted mainly with his dark timbred voice. Peter Furlong Gage, as Jaquino, and Arthur Woodley, as Don Fernando, were effective in their smaller roles.

The Metropolitan Opera ended its regular season in April, but presented a Three Tenors' Gala as a benefit for the Pension Fund on May 11th. Placido Domingo, Daniela Dessi and Nicolai Putilin appeared in Act two of Umberto Giordano's Andrea Chenier, which some audience members found disappointing because it lacks a tenor aria. It was, however, very well sung and showed off the abilities of all involved.

The second presentation was the last act of Carmen, starring Jose Carreras as a somewhat vocally constricted Don Jose, and Lorraine Hunt Lieberson as a creamy voiced but subtle Carmen. After a second intermission this extremely chic New York audience was treated to the last act of Turandot with Jane Eaglen as a somewhat subdued princess, Patricia Racette as a poignant Liu and Luciano Pavarotti, once again, as a still vocally impressive Calaf.

The excellent Met orchestra accompanied all this, of course, under the capable direction of James Levine, but the ensemble seemed a bit lackluster compared with the incredible performances of Richard Wagner's Ring of the Nibelungen heard a few weeks before.

Much more interesting to operatic connoisseurs was the Brooklyn Philharmonia's concert presentation of scenes from Olivier Messaien's Saint Francois d'Assise at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Conductor, Robert Spano, supplied the excellent pacing and expressive force while David Wilson Johnson as an imposing St. Francois and Heidi Grant Murphy as the radiant voiced angel brought the gentle saint to life in a triumphant setting. One would hope that American audiences will soon get to hear a more complete, fully staged version of this exciting work.

The biggest bash of the month, though, was the Los Angeles Opera Gala Concert celebrating the 14 year tenure of Peter Hemmings, who is retiring from his position as general manager at the end of this season.

After some political presentations, Placido Domingo opened the program with 'Esultate' from Giuseppe Verdi's Otello showing once again that this experienced artist still has majestic power to offer. He and Carol Vaness then performed that opera's love duet with magically smooth legato.

Some other highlights of the evening were: The duet "Suoni la tromba" from Vincenzo Bellini's I Puritani with Rodney Gilfry and Richard Bernstein, Gwendolyn Bradley's "Quando m'en vo" from Giacomo Puccini's La boheme and the Trio from the last act of Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier sung by Carol Vaness, Cynthia Jansen and Gwendolyn Bradley.

Jennifer Larmore was to have sung the 'Habanera' from Georges Bizet's Carmen, but was unable to appear because of illness. The aria, however, was sung very effectively by a barefoot Susanna Guzman who aimed her seduction directly at the conductor, Placido Domingo.

The final scene from Giuseppe Verdi's Falstaff capped off the evening in great style. The actual Hemmings era continues through June with the final production of the season, Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd. Next season at the Los Angeles Opera will be the work of Maestro Domingo and if we can get an idea of his influence on an opera house from what has been taking place in Washington, D. C, it should be a great season indeed.

June

William Stone as Miller and Beth Clayton as Federica in Luisa Miller at the Spoleto Festival

Photo: William Struhs

June was a busy month for regional opera in the US. When the weather gets warm the summer music festivals begin. One of the first to open is the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, which presented Verdi's seldom seen Luisa Miller on June 4th.

Sondra Radvanovsky at Luisa Miller and Martin Thompspn as Rodolpho in Luisa Miller at the Spoleto Festival

Photo: William Struhs

Allen Moyer's sets were dark and rigid, underlining director, Christopher Alden's conception of the rigid religious conservatism exhibited by the community in which the characters live. As Luisa, Sondra Radvanovsky gave a forceful and dramatic interpretation both in her acting and with her opulent, delightfully resonant voice. Martin Thompson, the Rodolfo, also sent forth burnished, ringing tones, while William Stone embodied a strong Miller and Gidon Saks was appropriately malevolent as Wurm. The entire performance was brought together in fine form by the conducting of Yves Abel who elicited a good instrumental balance and accurate playing from the festival orchestra. (Radvanovsky can be heard in Japan as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni under the direction of Seiji Ozawa in April 2002.)

Left to right: William Stone as Miller, Beth Clayton as Federica, Martin Thompspn as Rodolpho and the Westminster Choir at the Spoleto Festival

Photo: William Struhs

Los Angeles Opera's final production of the season, Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd, opened on the same evening. This Francesca Zambello production which was seen in Covent Garden in 1995, is noted for some very striking scenery by Alison Chitty, one piece of which is lifted up to a dizzy height by hydraulic jacks.

Rodney Gilfrey has truly made the role of Billy his own. Vocally it fits his lyric voice to a T and he has the physical ability to climb up and down the ship's rigging, sometimes holding on with only one hand, while singing with exquisite beauty of tone. Jeffrey Wells dominated the stage as a black voiced, malevolent Claggart while Robert Tear, as Captain Vere, gave a moving, expressive characterization of a man looking back in regret. This fine performance was under the musical direction of Roderick Brydon, who had conducted three previous Britten operas in Los Angeles. His careful leadership was rewarded with excellent cooperation and, for the most part, accurate playing from the orchestra.

Long Beach Opera, known for its unusual repertoire, offered a combination of Giacomo Puccini's Il Tabarro which was premiered in 1918, and Luigi Dallapiccola's Volo di Notte, first produced in 1940. This juxtaposition of the melodic, verismo Puccini and the serial harmonies of Dallapiccola was designed to exhibit some of the changes in music that took place during the first half of the twentieth century.

Director Julian Webber, set designer Dick Bird and lighting designer Adam Silverman combined their talents to emphasize the stark violence of the Puccini followed by the warmer, more ethereal climate of the Dalapiccola. This production utilized the same two lead singers for both pieces. Susan Bullock sang Giorgetta and the wife of the pilot, Fabien, while Matthew Kirchner sang Giorgetta's lover, Luigi, and the Pilot, Pellerin. Both of these artists have large powerful voices which would easily have filled a larger auditorium than the one at California State University, and they sang with commitment to the drama and tonal beauty when it was appropriate. As for the other roles, Brent Ellis was a believable Michele in Tabarro and Victor Ledbetter proved his ability to act with his voice as Riviere in Volo di Notte, while conductor, Andreas Mitisek, kept all the forces together so that each opera was artfully played in its appropriate style.

The Opera Theater of St. Louis presented the world premiere of Minoru Miki's The Tale of Genji and the production is discussed elsewhere on this website, so I will just offer a few notes from reviews of the performance. The librettist for this opera is Colin Graham who also directed the production, while Steuart Bedford was in charge of the diverse musical forces. Genji, the title role, was assumed by Mel Ulrich whose excellent characterization involved dramatic singing, acting and dancing. Other singers, Elizabeth Commeau, Josefa Gayer and Andrew Wentzel were congratulated on their fine portrayals of the multiple characters involved in this epic story.

On June 18, the San Francisco Opera presented its new production of Parsifal. The concept is that of director, Nikolaus Lehnhoff, with sets by Raimund Bauer and costumes by Andrea Schmidt-Futterer. All the sometimes controversial Christian symbols usually found in this opera have been eliminated, possibly making this version rather empty for strict Wagner lovers. Instead of feudal castles, the audience is presented with a cold, rubble strewn wasteland and costumes from a completely timeless imagination.

Making his US debut as Parsifal, Christopher Ventris proved that he has both impressive vocal size and a ringing lyrical sound. Catherine Malfitano, in her first Wagner role, gave an intensely dramatic portrayal of Kundry, although some of her low notes were hard to hear. As Gurnemanz, veteran bass Kurt Moll proved that he still has those resounding low notes that made him famous, while Franz Grundheber, who sang Amfortas offered dramatic intensity.

The guiding spirit of the whole wonderful five-hour performance was, of course, conductor, Donald Runnicles. From the overture to the end of the final act, he brought out the lyricism and otherworldly blended sound that this fine orchestra is capable of achieving.

On June 23 the Des Moines Metro Opera presented Norma in Indianola, Iowa. That is quite a big bite for a small regional opera company to chew, but it would be of little interest if there were not some notable rave reviews issuing forth from reliable sources in Mid America. Caroline Whisnant showed that she had the high notes, the coloratura, the fine spun pianissimi and the dramatic force to be a commanding Norma and Gwendolyn Jones, whose voice is pleasant if not overly distinctive, had sufficient ability to keep up with her. Tenor Jeffrey Springer had some difficulty in the first act but was able to produce a warm ringing sound after that, while Matthew Lau was a dramatic Oroveso. The conductor, Robert Larsen, is to be congratulated for having produced opera in this artistically growing area for almost three decades.

Next month I hope to spend some time at the Santa Fe Festival in New Mexico and expect to review each of the productions there.

July

July is a hot month in many parts of the US when many people go on vacation but not necessarily from opera. In summer there are many performances to be heard both in the city and out in the lush, green countryside.

La bohème at Glimmerglass: left to right: Maksim Ivanov (Schaunard), Oren Gradus (Colline), Kelley Nassief (Mimi), Raúl Hernandez (Rodolfo), Frank Hernandez (Marcello)

2000 copyright George Mott/ Glimmerglass Opera

The Glimmerglass Opera, a summer company in the town that also houses the Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, N.Y., offered an updated version of Puccini's La bohème which will be seen at the New York City Opera and at the Houston Grand Opera. Director, James Robinson, set this production at the beginning of World War I, thus silhouetting the poignant Paris love story against the background of the impending disaster of war. The sets and the lighting are used most effectively, especially in the contrast between the first and last act garret scenes where the initially vibrant colors grow pale along with the dying heroine.

All the artists in this production were pleasing to both the eye and the ear. As Mimi and Rodolfo, Kelley Nassief and Raúl Hernandez showed themselves to be fine young artists in their affecting rendition of Puccini's most romantic music. Kara Shay Thompson and Frank Hernandez were equally strong as the warring couple, Musetta and Marcello, while bass, Oren Gradus, the Colline, was universally congratulated for his resonant rendition of 'Vecchia Zimarra'. This fine performance was under the leadership of Stewart Robertson, who filled the air with wave after wave of exquisite sound. No matter how many Bohèmes you have seen this kind of performance tugs at your heart strings.

The Glass Blowers at Glimmerglass: left to right: Hugo A. Vera (James Smith), Jennifer Dudley (Geraldine Pompton), Jeffery Lentz (Jack Bartlett), Maria Kanyova (Annabelle Vandeveer), Richard Whitehouse (Duke of Branford)

2000 copyright George Mott/ Glimmerglass Opera

Another of the July new productions at Glimmerglass was John Philip Sousa's operetta The Glass Blowers. This score, carefully reconstructed from various sources by Jerrold Fisher and William Martin, is tuneful but considered rather mediocre by most critics. Although the libretto by Leonard Liebling makes a futile attempt at social commentary, it is obvious that the point of this piece is to provide a setting for the Sousa march.

John Conklin's scenery, involving a turn-of-the-century greenhouse, provided a sumptuous contrast to Gabriel Berry's neon-bright costumes. Director, Christopher Alden played along with the less-than-serious plot, allowing everyone to have a good time despite the many clichés of the piece.

Jennifer Dudley brought tonal quality and stylish acting to the role of Geraldine, fully equalling the verve of tenor, Jeffrey Lentz as Jack. Maria Kanyova, as Annabelle, tossed off her mock bel canto aria with gusto, Richard Whitehouse sang with burnished baritone resonance, while conductor, John De Main, brought all the elements of the performance together in harmony and showed that he, at least, has great faith in the score.

On the other side of the country, Festival Opera in Walnut Creek, California, opened its season with a sparkling production of Gaetano Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore. Conductor, Scott Parkman, allowed the singers a good bit of latitude with the tempi which sometimes resulted in a lack of coordination between singers and accompaniment. Adler fellow, Tammy Jenkins, was a flirtatious Adina with a secure top and accurate coloratura, She also proved to be a skilled comedienne. Her Nemorino, John Bellemer, seemed nervous at first, but sang the aria 'Una furtiva lagrima' with warmth and tenderness.

That loveable old schemer, Dr. Dulcamara, as personified by Bojan Knezevic had no trouble with the tongue twisting patter demanded of him, and he even managed to wolf down a plate of spaghetti between phrases. It could be said that director, Daniel Helfgot, made the piece too much of a comedy, but the actions never got in the way of the singing and L'elisir provided a fine entertainment for all who attended.

On July 9th, in Stern Grove the members of the San Francisco Opera Merola Program presented Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto. These young singers are always ones to watch as this program attracts the cream of the crop year after year.

The opera's sets by Jay Kotchner were less than imposing, but Christopher Mattaliano's staging left nothing to the imagination and the tender moments between father and daughter were well played. Although the court was a bit less opulent than expected, the revelry was energetic and effective.

Unfortunately conductor, Joseph Colaneri, was not able to achieve the perfect coordination of his forces at all times, but this performance did take place out of doors on a less than perfect day. Korean baritone, Kwang Shik Pang sang with well rounded tones and proved to be a competent actor. Yoon Soo Shin was a light voiced Duke but his tone production was effortless. As Gilda, Susan Tillbury seemed miscast as she had difficulty with the top notes, but the rest of her coloratura was excellent. It was not a perfect performance, but this was a well spent afternoon in a beautiful setting.

Writing to Vermeer, the new opera by Louis Andriessen, opened the Lincoln Center Festival with torrents of controversy. The libretto by Peter Greenaway consists of fictional letters written by the artist's wife, mother-in-law and model to Jan Vermeer in the economically difficult year of 1672. The most controversial aspect of this production was the stage direction. Each of the singers was followed around the stage by two dancers, or 'shadows' which made it difficult to know who was actually singing. As part of the decor, there were incredible amounts of water used. It flowed on the stage, it turned into milk and even blood, and sometimes showered the singers and their shadows from above.

There was also considerable film used as background material so that the onlooker never had time to just sit back and listen to Andriessen's graceful and songlike post-tonal music. Played by the Asko and Schoenberg Ensembles led by Reinbert de Leew, the music has a large electronic component and some of it is pre-recorded, making it necessary to place microphones on the singers. Susan Narucki, the wife, Susan Bickley, the mother-in-law, and Barbara Hannigan, the model, are all members of the Netherlands Opera and obviously able to sing without amplification, but one cannot assess their performances very accurately from this work.

Perhaps the definition of opera is in the ear of the listener, as there is no consensus on Writing to Vermeer.

August: Summer in Santa Fe

The American Premiere of Hans Werner Henze's Venus and Adonis at The Santa Fe Opera: (Left to Right) Steven West as the Hero-Player, Sarita Allen as Venus, Brock vonDrehle Labrenz as Adonis, Christopher Ventris as Clemente, Peter Mantia as Mars and Lauren Flanigan as the Prima Donna

Photo: Ken Howard

A summer excursion to Santa Fe is a very special treat and attracts connoisseurs of fine art and native American artifacts as well as music lovers. Originally built in 1957 by John Crosby, who retires at the end of this season as general director, this unique, accoustically excellent theater, high in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains seven miles outside of the city, is open to the evening breeze at the sides and back, but roofed over with white canvas to protect the audience from thundershowers.

Santa Fe Opera has become well known for productions that compete with the great summer festivals of Europe. This summer, as usual, five works were presented: an American premiere, Hans Werner Henze's Venus and Adonis; a rara avis, Rossini's Ermione; a piece by Richard Strauss, Elektra; and two operas from the traditional repertoire, Rigoletto and Le nozze di Figaro.

Robert McFarland as The Stallion and Amy West as the Mare in Hans Werner Henze's Venus and Adonis

Photo: Ken Howard

Venus and Adonis is as much a ballet as it is an opera, since each major role is played by both a singer and a dancer. With its lyrical, poetic libretto and tonal but tensely dissonant music this piece exerted considerable force, pulling the audience along with its powerful undertow.

Venus/The Primadonna was danced energetically by Sarita Allen and sung by the soaring dramatic voice of Lauren Flannigan. Adonis/Clemente was ardently danced by Brock vonDrehle Labrenz and sung with ringing resonant tones by Christopher Ventris, a young tenor who seems to have a fine future. Mars/The Hero Player was powerfully danced by Peter Mantia and impressively sung by Stephen West. Also part of the mix were Robert McFarland and Amy West as a stallion and a mare wearing David C. Woolard's most inventive costumes and dancing erotically in boots made to resemble horses' hooves.

The vocal star of this piece, however, is the chorus, which sings the 'Madrigals' connecting the solo scenes. Under the excellent direction of Robert Moody, this chorus, made up of the company's apprentices, sang its difficult, close harmonies with great beauty of tone and perfect accuracy.

Venus is a rather unusual work and may never enter the traditional operatic repertory, but it was a great thrill to experience it in this most beautiful of settings.

Alexandrina Pendatchanska (centre) as Ermione

Photo: Ken Howard

Gioacchino Rossini's Ermione was first performed in 1819 only to be subsequently neglected, not because it isn't a memorable work, but because it requires spectacular casting, including three leading tenors. Santa Fe obliged with Gregory Kunde, Barry Banks and Charles Castronovo. Although Kunde's coloratura was a bit fuzzy on the night I heard him, he had all the top notes and gave a fine interpretation of his role, while Banks and Castronovo seemed to have been made for these roles and had no difficulty at all with the Rossini fiorituri.

On the distaff side, Alexandrina Pendatchanska sang her dizzying coloratura with seeming ease and Sara Mingardo's creamy, smooth, beautifully controlled chocolate contralto was a total delight. One would hope that these fine artists will sing in the United States more frequently. Patricia Brauner and Philip Gossett prepared the critical edition of Ermione which was ably conducted by Evelino Pido.

Gregory Kunde as Pirro and Sara Mingardo as Andromaca in Giachino Rossini's Ermione at The Santa Fe Opera

Photo: Ken Howard

The performance for which most of the connoisseurs had come to Santa Fe was Richard Strauss' Elektra, knowing that this would not be a cut down version, but the original orchestration in all its exotic color and fullness of sound. Although John Crosby's lyrical interpretation was a bit on the slow side, it encompassed all the excitement and scope of the score.

Mary Jane Johnson's enormous voice warmed up slowly, but she has a very responsive, if not overly distinctive instrument and she used it to give a definitive portrayal Agamemnon's daughter. As Chrysothemis, Susan B. Anthony, the possessor of a much more individual sound, interpreted her role skillfully, but less dramatically than her stage sister.

Mary Jane Johnson in the title rols in Elektra at The Santa Fe Opera

Photo: Ken Howard

For many people, the star of this performance was frequent Santa Fe participant, Judith Forst, who interpreted Klytemnästra as a truly malevolent being, handling the punishing vocal demands of the role with seeming ease.

Although the men have much less to do in this opera, they acquitted themselves with distinction. Greer Grimsley's Orest was the personification of revenge, while Ragnar Ulfung, as Aegisth, who has been a regular at this festival since the 1960's, projected the sonorities of a much younger man. Santa Fe is well known for its apprentice program and some of their young singers, such as Barbara Quintiliani who sang the Fourth Maid in Elektra, appear to be on the verge of flourishing solo careers.

Judith Forst as Klytemnästra

Photo: Ken Howard

Rigoletto offered its audience the chance to see Elizabeth Futral, whom we all know here from TV as 'Stella' in Andre Previn's Streetcar Named Desire, in the traditional coloratura role of Gilda, and she proved that she can do both genres with extreme ease. She sang Verdi's florid music with great beauty of tone, and presented the unfortunate young girl as a real person who goes from the innocence of youth to the self sacrifice of a woman who loves passionately but not wisely.

In the title role, Kim Josephson was a dominant presence as he drew the onlooker into his spell, showing a roughness in his voice when dealing with the courtiers and a heart-rending smooth legato in his scenes with Gilda. On the evening I heard him, Martin Thompson, who sang the part of The Duke, was said not to be feeling his best and his vocal powers seemed slightly diminished, nevertheless he gave a fine portrayal of this self-centered character.

In the smaller parts, Raymond Aceto as Sparafucile was thoroughly menacing, handling his low notes with ease, while Beth Clayton as Maddalena and apprentice, Jennifer Powell, as Giovanna both showed promise. Rigoletto's sets by Mikael Melbye were functional and traditional. Its staging, also by Mr. Melbye, was sensitive, while Richard Buckley's conducting propelled the performance along at a lively pace.

The revival of the Robert Perdziola production of Le nozze di Figaro showed off the ringing tones of John Relyea whose accurate pitch, fine sense of rhythm and excellent acting skills made him a wonderful choice for the part. Perky Catrin Wynn-Davies was a fitting Susanna. Their opposite numbers, Jochen Schmeckenbecher and Alwyn Mellor as the Count and Countess carried their roles off with authority. The elderly couple, pompous Dr. Bartolo and dithering Marcellina were played to the hilt by Kevin Langan and Judith Christin, while Joyce di Donato drew a memorable portrait of the adolescent Cherubino and, in the end, received more applause than anyone except the Figaro.

Other notable assets in this cast were Patrick Carfizzi, a resonant, bumbling Antonio and apprentice, Deborah van Renterghem, a creamy voiced Barbarina. Kenneth Montgomery presented this opera with traditional cuts, directing with flexible tempi and keeping the orchestral volume low so that the singers had no trouble being heard.

The theater of the Santa Fe Opera

Photo: Robert Reck

Note for anyone considering a visit to the Santa Fe Opera : Santa Fe is a distant destination from most of the world's centers of operatic activity, but what could be more worthwhile than world class opera in such a wondrous natural setting? From Tokyo you would probably fly to Los Angeles and from there go by commuter flight to either Albuquerque or Santa Fe, where you might rent a car. You need the car to get out to the theater. Santa Fe does have an airport but not for international flights. The Grand Canyon, the Navajo Reservation and the Painted Desert are all within a day or two's drive of Santa Fe.

September

Don Giovanni at the Met: Bryn Terfel in the title role

Photo: Winnie Klotz/Metropolitan Opera

One of the major events of the New York social season is the opening of the Metropolitan Opera. Not since 1941, however, has a Mozart opera been heard at this august occasion. It had been thought that the social set cared more about intermissions and champagne than arias, but this time most of the sparkle was on stage and the audience drank it in gratefully.

Don Giovanni featured detailed, decorative sets by Franco Zeffirelli with faithful period costumes by Sylvia Nolan and Anna Anni. A detour from the usual was offered by Stephen Lawless' stage direction in that his Don has truly evil intentions and glories in carrying them out. He is not just a playboy, he has become a dangerous criminal, creating a contrast between the character and Terfel's powerful, virile voice with its wealth of colors and finely focussed tones. Although his Don is not as strikingly handsome as some have been, his excellent vocalism is enough to more than make up for that.

Paul Groves as Don Ottavio and Renee Fleming as Donna Anna

Photo: Winnie Klotz/Metropolitan Opera

The reigning Met diva of the moment is Renee Fleming who brings her physical beauty and warm, creamy tones to the role of Donna Anna. Her voice is not huge, but it carries well and, after showing the fierceness of which her character is capable in the first few scenes, her 'Non mi dir' was tender and moving as she brought forth the luxurious velvet timbre familiar to her fans.

As Donna Elvira, Solveig Kringelborn showed a sizeable if pale colored voice and fine musicianship, while Ferrucio Furlanetto as Leporello was a comical, if sometimes unhappy, servant. Paul Groves was a dignified Ottavio with excellent vocal style and Hei-Kyung Hong's Zerlina was a hit, both vocally and histrionically. John Relyea, fresh from a major success as Figaro in Santa Fe, was a strong Masetto and Sergei Koptchak's Commendatore was effectively menacing.

This wonderfully well sung, precisely played performance was, of course, conducted by James Levine who maintained the most exquisite balances and kept all the voices audible both within and above the orchestral texture. It was a grand evening and every part of this performance lived up to the highest expectations.

Ferrucio Furlanetto as Leporello and Bryn Terfel as Don Giovanni

Photo: Winnie Klotz/Metropolitan Opera

The Los Angeles Opera opened its 14th season on September 6, 2000, with a visually stunning co-production of Aida which it is sharing with the Houston Grand Opera. Pier-Luigi Pizzi's ingenious sets for the Verdi epic even include elephants on wheels, while his costumes utilize great lengths of rich fabric which flatter larger figures.

Stage director, Stephen Pickover's attractive, realistic stage pictures work well, especially in the Triumphal Scene, and with Los Angeles' new artistic director, Placido Domingo, in the pit, the music surged propulsively as the orchestra played with shimmering colors and Italianate style.

Deborah Voigt, as Aida, handled her most difficult music with ease. Her huge voice soared opulently over orchestra, chorus and other soloists in the ensembles, and she had the pianissimi to fulfill all the demands of 'O patria mia' while her acting showed considerable characterization. Her Radames, Johan Botha, is less of an actor, but he interpreted his role resourcefully utilizing the stunning tones of his resonant voice and his strong, flowing Celeste Aida was a joy to hear.

Nina Terentieva's Amneris was somewhat understated at the beginning of the opera, but she gave her all in the Judgment Scene where her voice bloomed beautifully on top. As Amonasro, Simon Estes was portraying a role that has been associated with him for many years. Along with great emotional intensity, he exhibits a marvelous technical control over his voice while portraying a character that is at once fierce and compelling. Jaako Ryhanen, who sang Ramfis, is an authoritative new bass and all the smaller parts were impressively sung at this stellar season premiere.

If this visually splendid production with its exquisite singing is an example of things to come, Los Angeles will soon take its rightful place among major operatic capitals.

Two nights later the San Francisco Opera celebrated Lotfi Mansouri's 13 years of leadership with its gala opening night. Conducted by music director, Donald Runnicles, Patrick Summers and Richard Bonynge, many of the brightest lights of the operatic world flew in to sing their vocal tributes to the man with the 500 watt smile.

One of the most memorable segments was Olga Borodina's resplendent 'Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix'. San Fransciscans hope that she will soon be singing the whole role there. Another delight was Anna Netrebko's beautifully idiomatic rendition of the Wedding Aria from Glinka's Ruslan and Lyudmila.

Renee Fleming took time off from her New York duties as Donna Anna and sang a radiant version of Blanche's aria 'I can smell the sea air' from Andre Previn's Streetcar Named Desire. Marcello Giordani's offering was a vocally stunning 'E lucevan le stelle' from Puccini's Tosca, while Ruthann Swenson enveloped the audience with the hauntingly beautiful sounds of 'Ah, non credea mirarti' from Bellini's La Sonambula.

Later, Fleming and Netrebko were joined by Susan Graham in an exquisitely sung, glistening, silvery rendition of the last act trio from Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier. It was a fine tribute to Mansouri and an impressive opening for their season.

On September 12 the New York City Opera took its turn in the spotlight with a controversial production of Donizetti's Roberto Devereux, starring their most versatile diva, Lauren Flanigan.

Andrew Lieberman's unit set resembles a theater lobby complete with a marquee, and the protagonists are clothed in vividly colored, sumptuous costumes by Judy Levin. Mark Lamos stylized direction is the most controversial aspect of this unusual production. He has Flanigan's Queen behave mechanically up until the finale when she loses control of her emotions, at which point the entire scene is bathed in blood red lighting.

Lauren Flanigan is a singer who can contend with many styles of music, but bel canto is a very specialized technique and she is not completely up to the level of today's best coloraturas. She did, however, perform an extremely difficult role in a version with few cuts and she gave a much more interesting interpretation of the Queen than we would see from any of the usual bel canto purists. As a result, she received a vociferous standing ovation at the close of the opera.

Fernando de la Mora, an ardent Roberto, was a convincing interpreter of his role and he used his beautiful lyric tenor to good effect, handling the music with idiomatic flair. Jane Dutton's Sarah had a strong stage presence, while Mark Delavan's Nottingham was secure, dark toned and Italianate, but rather blustery. Kevin Burdette as Raleigh also made a strong impression.

The New York City Opera Orchestra under George Manahan captured the bel canto shape and style of this piece although the 'sound enhancement' system of the house may have muffled their sound somewhat.

In summary, Roberto Devereux is a strong visual experience and an interesting experiment in opera. It is interesting to note that the Devreux production team took no curtain calls at the premiere.

On September 26th the Chicago Lyric Opera opened its season with its first performance in 46 years of Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades, led by new Musical Director, Sir Andrew Davis who is replacing Bruno Bartoletti.

Richard Hudson's angular, box-like set seemed to recall Germany of the 1920's while his costumes were a combination of eighteenth and nineteenth century styles. This intensely brooding production worked well with the effective stage direction of Graham Vick and the bold lighting of Matthew Richardson. The final scene in the gambling hall was particularly well realized with whirling fog and deep red floodlighting.

Vladimir Galouzine, who portrayed a fascinating but dangerous character, triumphed in his debut as Gherman. His singing was as close to perfection as one is likely to hear in a live performance, and he was the recipient of an extended ovation at the end of the evening.

Not to be outdone by her tenor debutante soprano, Katarina Dalayman, gave a radiant vocal portrayal of the demanding role of Lisa and created an enchanting stage picture. Also making his debut, Danish heartthrob, Bo Skovhus, was an effective Prince Yeletsky who suffused his appealing aria with deep emotion.

The star of the evening, however, was a singer more familiar to the Chicago audience, Felicity Palmer, who imbued the part of the aged countess with understatement and dignity. Her Gretry aria was more than an old lady's distant recollection, it was the recreation of the memorable moment by an artist who possesses an exquisite legato. As a result, she was greeted most warmly at its conclusion.

Maestro Davis brought forth some of the best playing that has been heard from the Lyric Opera Orchestra in some time and the chorus sang with gusto while moving as individuals rather than as a static mass.

September had so many grand openings that we were not able to cover them all, but the 2000-2001 Season is off to a fine start and there will be many fine performances to be heard all over the United States from now until summer.

October

Theresa Hamm-Smith (Sister Rose) and Susan Graham (Sister Helen Prejean) in Dead Man Walking at the San Francisco Opera

Photo: San Francisco Opera /Ken Friedman

The 2000-01 Season has begun and opera houses all over the country are presenting their new productions, which in some cases are brand new operas. San Francisco's most interesting entry was the world premiere of the Jake Heggie-Terence McNally opus, Dead Man Walking which took place on October 7th. The house was packed to overflowing and the audience included stars of the movie of the same name as well as Sister Helen Prejean, the author of the original book.

The opera opens with a dimly lit scene showing the murder for which the killer, Joseph de Rocher, is eventually sentenced to death. The rest of the settings, conceived by Michael Yeargan, are basically gray prison walls, but they are powerful and the changes are smooth. Sam Fleming's costumes reflect the simple life of the Louisiana poor and fit in well with Joe Mantello's direction of this sometimes violent piece.

Susan Graham (Sister Helen Prejean) and John Packard (Joe de Rocher)

Photo: San Francisco Opera /Ken Friedman

Clearly, the star of the evening is Susan Graham, one of the finest singing actresses of our time, who plays the part of Sister Helen Prejean. With her charismatic stage presence and beautifully focussed, creamy mezzo-soprano voice, she captures the nun's radiant inner strength while creating a truly unforgettable character. After the final scene, patrons left the auditorium with the memory of her clear and distinctive singing of an unaccompanied gospel melody, something not to be forgotten for a very long time.

John Packard gave an intense, deeply affecting portrayal of the condemned man with his brooding demeanor and rough sound. His interpretation is sympathetic from the start and, although no attempt is made to persuade the audience that the death penalty is wrong, you know where Sister Helen stands on the question. As the mother of the convict, Frederica von Stade delivers a short but unforgettably impressive performance in an unglamourous role.

Frederica von Stade (Mrs. Patrick de Rocher) and John Packard (Joe de Rocher)

Photo: San Francisco Opera /Ken Friedman

Jake Heggie is best known for his songs. Dead Man is his first opera and, as such, it is a fine specimen. He incorporates various types of American music, blues, jazz, rockabilly, and gospel into his tonally distinctive style, recalling the culture of Louisiana in a cohesive score that always flatters the singers. While some of his music is rather generic, there are frequent passages of powerful, original ensemble writing, and his work has no trouble holding the audience's attention for three hours. The flexible conducting of Patrick Summers kept all his forces well balanced and emphasized the lyrical melodies of the opera without detracting from any of the force of the dramatic scenes.

Dead Man Walking is not a piece for easy listening, but the serious operagoer will find it thought provoking for a long time to come. It will be given at Opera Pacifica in Orange County, California, next season, and there are a number of opera houses around the world now clamoring for performance rights, so people in many parts of the world will be able to see it over the next few years.

Like San Francisco, the Metropolitan Opera also put forth a new production of a prison epic, but instead of a new opera, they presented Beethoven's monumental Fidelio in a new guise. Director Jurgen Flimm with his production team, scenic designer Robert Israel and costume designer Florence von Gerkan, set the well known story in a 'banana republic' of our own time and added a great deal of stage business, some of it of questionable value.

Plainly, the star of this show is Karita Mattila, the tall slim Finish soprano who cut her long hair in a boyish bob for this production. Not only is she a convincing actress, but her radiant soprano voice, although not as large as many who have portrayed this role before, shone forth in radiant glory thanks to James Levine's careful conducting which never allowed the orchestra to overpower her.

As Florestan, her imprisoned husband, Ben Heppner again showed his well projected warm sound and his ability to act with the voice. Even though the scene in which he sang his aria was so dark that one could hardly see him, he was a convincing prisoner of conscience.

Rene Pape is a splendid singing actor and as Rocco, the jailer, he thrilled the audience with his glorious lyric bass. The other roles were also very well sung. Jennifer Welch-Babbidge, a name not familiar to many operagoers, gave a superb performance as Marzelline and one can hope to hear much more of her in the near future. Falk Struckmann was a villainous Pizarro, Matthew Polenzani gave a good account of Marzelline's suitor and Robert Lloyd's bass voice was effective in the part of the messenger.

Many people have lamented the loss of much of the dialogue and of the Leonore Overture Number 3 in this version, but the drama works well and it is always interesting to see a new conception of a familiar piece.

Some new conceptions work well with familiar operas, and others leave the audience wondering what the production team was thinking. The Lyric Opera of Chicago's Rigoletto has been a subject of controversy since its premiere on October 21. The sets and costumes by Michael Levine place the action in a Victorian men's club where the only women to be seen are obvious courtesans, and the stage direction of Christopher Alden causes the story to unfold in a rather unexpected manner. There seems to be little of of the familiar to be seen on the stage during the course of this well known opera, but the music is wonderfully well performed.

Ramon Vargas made an impressive house debut as the Duke of Mantua, following his very stylish assumption of the same role for La Scala in Tokyo in September. His warm voice with its stylish legato phrasing easily encompassed all that Verdi has ever asked of the part. He looked the part and was an effective villain as well.

As Rigoletto, Alexandru Agache played his role as a bitter, cynical jester whose deformity is as much mental as physical. Although he had a few vocal problems at the opening, his voice is huge and his 'Cortigiani, vil razza dannata' was memorable for its intensity. Andrea Rost, as his daughter Gilda (also fresh from the same role in Tokyo), had somewhat of an edge to her tone, but she phrased well and gave a glittering rendition of 'Caro nome' with an excellent trill.

The Maddalena who completed the quartet, Jennifer Dudley, was suitably sexy of voice and demeanor. Also making his debut, as Sparafucile, Andrew Silvestrelli has a very dark, commanding bass voice and is a young artist to watch in the future.

Although there were times when the ensemble was less than perfect, conductor, Fabio Luisi, showed a good approach to bel canto as he supported the singers without overpowering them, skillfully varying his tempi and dynamics.

An interesting evening, this Rigoletto will probably be the subject of conversation in Chicago for seasons to come.

On the same evening The Washington Opera presented Piero Faggioni's charming production of Massenet's Don Quichotte which has already been seen in Tokyo in May of this year with same team, though a different squire and a different heroine, and previously in a number of opera houses in Europe. The production is purely decorative, a loose succession of art nouveau vignettes featuring bass, Ruggiero Raimondi, a type cast Don Quichotte who sings smoothly and sets the right mood, but without much charisma.

Denyce Graves is a lovely Dulcinée with gutsy tones in her lower register. Her part ranges from soprano to contralto and she showed herself equal to the required vocal aerobics, even managing to sing unaccompanied coloratura while running up and down stairs. Despite the fact that her character does not appear in many scenes, she gave a sexy, involved portrayal. New to American Audiences is Alain Vernhes who used his powerful baritone effectively and was an extremely impressive Sancho Panza. His comic aria on the loyalty of women was the hit of the evening.

The orchestra under Alain Guingal was in excellent form for the most part with pleasingly flexible phrasing and effective, appropriate tempi.

It was hard to select a just few performances from the interesting fare offered by American opera houses this past month. Opera is thriving all over the country and fine singing as part of interesting productions is to be heard not only in the largest cities but in the halls of regional companies as well.

November

Karen Huffstodt (Kundry), Matti Salminen (Gurnemanz), and Plácido Domingo (Parsifal) in the Washington Opera production of Parsifal

Photo: Carol Pratt / The Washington Opera

On November 4th, The Washington Opera presented the Roberto Oswald production of Richard Wagner's Parsifal, which had originally been staged in Santiago Chile. With its misty forest scenes, its magical background for Klingsor and its crimson-glowin