The Silver Screen Oasis

One Fine Day

Apparently abandon by her American husband (the cad!) Cio-Cio San (Madama Butterfly) still hopes that one fine day he will return to her. Renata Tebaldi was one of the finest actors on the operatic stage and she exhibits this here (an artful use of her face and hands, e.g.). Her sense of commitment to her character is palpable. Not all top singers can (or won't) do this. As well as being one of the finest sopranos ever.

Swithin wrote: ↑June 7th, 2023, 9:10 pm One great Queen of the Night deserves another:

GO FLO !!!!!

Please!

It was said that when the great English contralto Dame Clara Butt sang "Land of Hope and Glory" at Dover, she could be heard across the Channel in France. This being an opera thread, here she is singing "Ombra mai fu" from Handel's Serse (Xerxes).

This is a reminder of a fabulous site which offers full performances of opera, mostly from opera houses across Europe. Excellent productions, great variety. Free.

https://operavision.eu

...oh, and yes, those pesky academic colleagues, all that dissonance and difficulty. If Sondy has eschewed these, as well as those arty intervals between notes so often found in tradionally famous operas and therefore are not catchy enough for normal people, then maybe it's not true opera after all.

Couldn't resist, King, and being just a tad facetious. I'm curious and will try it.

This is the rousing last three minutes of Il Trovatore by Verdi. Lots of revelations in this last three minutes. The lady in red is dying. The last male character is being told by the lady that he has just killed his brother. The lady who is staggering around the stage is a gypsy who is apparently going mad because she has found that her son has been killed. Whoopie!

laffite wrote: ↑September 27th, 2023, 6:35 pm This is the rousing last three minutes of Il Trovatore by Verdi. Lots of revelations in this last three minutes. The lady in red is dying. The last male character is being told by the lady that he has just killed his brother. The lady who is staggering around the stage is a gypsy who is apparently going mad because she has found that her son has been killed. Whoopie!

Uplifting stuff!

Il Trovatore is a grand opera with the best arias, duets, choruses, etc. That's probably why the Marx Brothers used it in A Night at the Opera. The longest ovation I ever witnessed at the Met was when Monserrat Caballe sang "D'amor sull'ali Rosee."

Swithin wrote: ↑September 27th, 2023, 10:28 pm Il Trovatore is a grand opera with the best arias, duets, choruses, etc. That's probably why the Marx Brothers used it in A Night at the Opera. The longest ovation I ever witnessed at the Met was when Monserrat Caballe sang "D'amor sull'ali Rose."

Gorgeous!

I didn't realize that a film was in development based on Saul Bellow's novel, Henderson the Rain King until Laffite mentioned it in another thread. But it reminded me that, in 1977, at the New York City Opera, I saw an opera called Lily, based on the novel. The composer was Leon Kirchner. I remember enjoying it, and that there were a lot of frogs on stage. I just googled Lily and found that it's a "lost opera."

The opera was directed by Tom O'Horgan. Ara Berberian sang the role of Henderson. George Shirley was also in the cast.

Here are quotes from The New York Times review, which was not favorable, apart from the singing.

On the face or it Saul Bellow's “Henderson, the Rain King” would be a strange subject for an operatic libretto. But Leon Kirchner has made the attempt, writing his own libretto, and his new opera, “Lily”—the first one by this veteran composer—had its world premiere last night at the New York State Theater. Mr. Kirchner himself conducted the New York City Opera forces.

It is a strange subject, for the novel takes place half in America, half in Africa, is full of symbolism, has a nonhero as its leading character, deals with ideas more than with action. What Mr. Kirchner has done is build “Lily”‐‐‐that character being Henderson's wife—around one episode in the novel, Henderson's encounter with the cow people.

txfilmfan wrote: ↑September 27th, 2023, 8:05 pm

laffite wrote: ↑September 27th, 2023, 6:35 pm This is the rousing last three minutes of Il Trovatore by Verdi. Lots of revelations in this last three minutes. The lady in red is dying. The last male character is being told by the lady that he has just killed his brother. The lady who is staggering around the stage is a gypsy who is apparently going mad because she has found that her son has been killed. Whoopie!

Uplifting stuff!

Nor was it meant to be. That's La Tragedia for ya.