20.07.2012
Closing of the Opera Season
The Mikhailovsky Theatre brought down the curtain on the opera season on 17 and 18 July with two concert performances of Carmen conducted by Vasily Petrenko.
The production’s musical director sought to bring out the drama in the opera rather than splitting it up into individual popular arias. The conductor’s talent and taste, and his attention to the vocal ranges and stage temperaments of the performers meant that the two evenings featured two different stories. The role of Carmen was sung by invited soloists who are acknowledged international stars, both of them making their Russian debuts. Vasily Petrenko took into account that the two Carmens were very different: “With one of them her passion was enclosed within the classical framework — Caitlin Hulcup is from Australia, but she belongs to British society. As for the other — Rinat Shaham, a young woman from Israel, her passion simply bursts forth.” Micaëla was sung by Maria Litke and Tatiana Ryaguzova; the role of José was performed by Ahmed Agadi and Dmitry Golovnin. A highlight of the production was the performance of Alexander Vinogradov as Escamillo: this outstanding singer is now rarely seen on the Russian stage and the audience highly appreciated his model interpretation of the role.
In this season, some outstanding members of the young generation of conductors have appeared at the Mikhailovsky Theatre. From January this year the theatre’s Musical Director and Principal Conductor has been Mikhail Tatarnikov, a representative of the St. Petersburg school of conducting. On two evenings maestro Vladimir Jurowski presented an opera-symphony programme to mark Sergey Slonimsky’s 80th birthday. On the eve of the closing of the opera season, Vasily Petrenko stepped on stage in his new status of Principal Guest Conductor.
In the past season the theatre has hosted some outstanding vocalists, such as Iréne Theorin, Elena Pankratova, Neil Shicoff and Aris Argiris; Olesya Petrova has regularly appeared in Mikhailovsky productions. One of the highlights of the theatre’s opera season was a concert in March marking the centenary of the famous Savonlinna Opera Festival. The Mikhailovsky Theatre’s touring performances in Moscow included La Bohème, which was highly rated by critics and warmly received by audiences.
The 180th anniversary opera season at the Mikhailovsky Theatre will open on 20 September with Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera. to be conducted by Mikhail Tatarnikov. For true opera connoisseurs the theatre is rehearsing a new production of Eugene Onegin, directed by Andriy Zholdak, which will be premiered on 26 October.
The production’s musical director sought to bring out the drama in the opera rather than splitting it up into individual popular arias. The conductor’s talent and taste, and his attention to the vocal ranges and stage temperaments of the performers meant that the two evenings featured two different stories. The role of Carmen was sung by invited soloists who are acknowledged international stars, both of them making their Russian debuts. Vasily Petrenko took into account that the two Carmens were very different: “With one of them her passion was enclosed within the classical framework — Caitlin Hulcup is from Australia, but she belongs to British society. As for the other — Rinat Shaham, a young woman from Israel, her passion simply bursts forth.” Micaëla was sung by Maria Litke and Tatiana Ryaguzova; the role of José was performed by Ahmed Agadi and Dmitry Golovnin. A highlight of the production was the performance of Alexander Vinogradov as Escamillo: this outstanding singer is now rarely seen on the Russian stage and the audience highly appreciated his model interpretation of the role.
In this season, some outstanding members of the young generation of conductors have appeared at the Mikhailovsky Theatre. From January this year the theatre’s Musical Director and Principal Conductor has been Mikhail Tatarnikov, a representative of the St. Petersburg school of conducting. On two evenings maestro Vladimir Jurowski presented an opera-symphony programme to mark Sergey Slonimsky’s 80th birthday. On the eve of the closing of the opera season, Vasily Petrenko stepped on stage in his new status of Principal Guest Conductor.
In the past season the theatre has hosted some outstanding vocalists, such as Iréne Theorin, Elena Pankratova, Neil Shicoff and Aris Argiris; Olesya Petrova has regularly appeared in Mikhailovsky productions. One of the highlights of the theatre’s opera season was a concert in March marking the centenary of the famous Savonlinna Opera Festival. The Mikhailovsky Theatre’s touring performances in Moscow included La Bohème, which was highly rated by critics and warmly received by audiences.
The 180th anniversary opera season at the Mikhailovsky Theatre will open on 20 September with Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera. to be conducted by Mikhail Tatarnikov. For true opera connoisseurs the theatre is rehearsing a new production of Eugene Onegin, directed by Andriy Zholdak, which will be premiered on 26 October.
