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Anna Netrebko at SFO in June, new CD; Natalie Dessay live; Berkeley Opera celebrities Sun March 29
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Photo: Esther Haase
Russian soprano Anna Netrebko sings the part of Violetta in La Traviata this June at SFO.
Jay Stebley who manages the opera shop emails:
Anna Netrebko also has a new CD out called Souvenirs. Since we have three operas in June that have been widely recorded, I expect Netrebko’s new recording with Villazon on DG to be the top seller.
Speaking of beautiful European sopranos, Natalie Dessay owns the part of Olympia the living doll in Tales of Hoffman. Has anybody seen this clip from Paris? I can’t stop watching it. A definitive coloratura.
Natalie Dessay's Olympia in Paris
My buddy Carter Krizman sent this to me. He also got his money’s worth being in Bravo at SFO since he met a nice woman there but that’s a different story.
My colleague and fellow supernumerary Pam DeWeerd says she’s going to see Natalie live soon: I will be seeing her LIVE in Metropolitan Opera HD on Sat. in a movie theater. It is "La Sonnambula".
La Sonnambula shows live in local theaters starting at 10:00 AM Saturday. It's at the Century San Francisco Centre at 845 Market Street for example.
Ron Mann, also a fellow super, emailed on Tuesday about Dessay’s Olympia: Brava! Outstanding coloratura performance. What a top!
Hoffman is one of my favorite operas, BTW. If you haven't seen it, rent it. All three of Hoffman's dreams have a great soprano with a great aria.
I vividly remember Dessay's Lucia. Probably the best of the three I have heard. Was the highlight of last summer SFO offerings. Dessay is probably passing Rene Flemming as the world's top soprano. If not, she's certainly one of the top two or three.
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Here's Ron supering in Salome some years back at SFO. Why do men lose their heads over beautiful sopranos?
Fellow super and opera photographer John Martin emails: That is magnificent! Thank you. Just what I needed right now.
On that note, that sentiment is exactly why we should support the arts, it’s good for the soul in good times and bad. How much is happiness worth?
Speaking of which. Pam and her own story. 
I was in "The Magic Flute" two seasons ago and I was a turtle with a bird head and feet.
Right before I was to go on stage., I tripped over a lighting cord and fell down and I couldn't get up!! You know how a turtle falls on its back?
Well, thankfully, it didn't happen on stage! Everyone was trying to help me up to no avail.
Back to Tales of Hoffman. What brought all this Natalie Dessayism would be the production Berkeley Opera put on recently. The Berkeley Opera, created to adapt opera into English, will celebrate it’s 30th anniversary on the 29th. Ruth Ann Swenson will perform two arias, says Siggy Seigel. Plus the founder of the Berkeley Opera will perform, that’s Richard Goodman the baritone and former engineering professor at my alma mater, UC Berkeley.
Siggy Seigel mentions the champagne and chocolate reception after the recitals but it’s an entire evening of treats including:
- Donna Olson the mezzo comedian. She's performed in Daughter of the Regiment as well as La Traviata.
SFO brings each of these productions to the stage this season. - John Minagro, a bass baritone who was in San Francisco’s Phantom of the Opera.
- Pedro Rodelas, a tenor who performs as the chef at Yosemite's Bracebridge Dinner. It's the 17th Century old English dinner set in winter, performed by SFO choristers. He's been Dick Johnson in Girl of Golden West, which comes to SFO this season; and Alfredo in Traviata. In boca al lupo.
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For more info: www.SFOpera.com, www.BerkeleyOpera.org
Photo of Anna Netrebko: Esther Haase
Photos of Pam DeWeerd courtesy of Pam DeWeerd
Photo Ron Mann courtesy of Ron Mann
Traviata photo courtesy of SFO
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Contact the writer at SFOperaExaminer@Yahoo.com
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