Wuerzburg, Berlin, Parma…
Hi there, this week was a very intense one. I was in Chemnitz at the beginning of the week, preparing the first act of Boheme (Puccini) for the Vordirigat of three candidates for 1st Kapellmeister at Mainfranken Theater Wuerzburg. I went there since Thursday, then on Friday and Saturday morning we sang for the three candidates. It was really nice to sing after 6 years Boheme again and “Che gelida manina” with orchestra again was so special. As well to sing with most of the colleagues with whom I did Boheme those years ago. I really like singing Boheme. I had time to catch up with some of my colleagues and it was really nice to see also the members of the Orchestra with whom I worked for 8 seasons.
During the days before going to Wuerzburg I saw Akiho performing Mimi and she did great, she is really getting her Mimi every time better and better, I am proud of her. While at the same time rehearsing Violetta, she is a real tiger (she was born the year of the tiger), hehe. I also had to plan as well for my trip to Parma and Bologna to take for 2nd time a course with Renato Bruson which starts tomorrow Monday and, for the weeks I will spend in Mexico. So, I am taking a big suitcase and a small one plus my Rucksack. This means a lot of trains and flights, starting with my first flight yesterday to arrive here in Parma. Yesterday after the Vordirigat I took a train to Berlin and I stayed at a friends house, a lovely flat near Deutsche Oper Berlin and then this morning really early I had to go to the airport to take my first flight to Bologna and then a train to Parma. I checked in in this lovely flat near the center of Parma. I was here last time in Parma back in February and I am glad to be again here.
I am however really looking forward to see Gregory Kunde singing Andrea Chenier at Teatro Regio di Parma. This theatre is famously hard on tenors, and this will be the third time in about 6 months that I see Mr. Kunde on stage. The first time as you may remember from one of my previews blogs when I saw his Otello in Dresden, and I was amazed of how he sang, then, a second time when I saw him in Billy Budd as Captain Vere, again and incredibly strong performance, and now I will see him here in Italy singing Andrea Chenier. He has been such an inspiration, singing main roles with over 70 years of age and at such high level and with such mastery of his craft. He is a true example of vocal longevity. Singing for many years only Belcanto repertoire and only at around 50 starting to expand to Verdi and other composers until Verismo and now this season alone, he has already sang Turandots, Fanciulla del West, Otello, Billy Budd, now Andrea Chenier and some other roles, travelling across Europe and also debuting roles. What a person full of energy and at his age still learning new roles. Not only any roles, title roles which tenors half of his age find so challenging and many do not succeed like him at that level of artistry and dominance of the style and musicality. He may be perhaps the only tenor in the whole world doing that at his age. Do not forget he sang Otello both from Rossini and Verdi at the same time not so many years ago. The only tenor to do that in the whole history of opera. I cannot wait to see him again on stage. I also remember with such happiness that I got already one class with him back in Vienna for one hour. I wrote about in one of my blogs, I sang Edgardo’s aria to him and we work on it really well.
I keep doing my 4 times a week exercise and reading my Daily Stoic and Tolstoi, plus reading “Seven habits of highly effective people”. Also doing my daily morning pages. Take care and see you next week.
