February 6 - February 13, 2013

This week on Rhode Island Public television,

WSBE:  (Comcast 294, Cox 808, Full Channel 109, and Verizon 478)

MANON

Great Performances at the Met Saturday, February 9 -- 8:00pm; Sunday, February 10 --  3:00am; Monday, February 11 -- 12:00am

Manon

Soprano Anna Netrebko stars in Jules Massenet's "Manon," about a country girl who, while on her way to a convent, falls for a young man (Piotr Beczala) before succumbing to a promise of a luxurious life offered by a rich nobleman (Christophe Mortagne).

DURATION: 180 MIN

DETAILS: [CC] [STEREO]

GENRE: PARENTS PICKS

SYNOPSIS: http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/history/stories/synopsis.aspx?customid=130

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COMING TO MET HD, February 16, 2013:
Verdi’s Rigoletto - New Production

Saturday, February 16, 2013, 1:00 pm ET
Michael Mayer’s bold new production locates Verdi’s tragedy of lust, betrayal, and revenge in Las Vegas in 1960. Željko Lučić sings the title role and Diana Damrau is his beautiful daughter, who falls under the spell of Piotr Beczala’s womanizing Duke.

And if you have time for a jaunt to New York City, say hello to Diana and Piotr for me!

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COMING TO MET HD, March 2, 2013:

PARSIFAL

Jonas Kaufmann, Katarina Dalayman, Peter Mattei, Evgeny Nikitin, and René Pape star in Parsifal, Wagner's final masterpiece. Opening at the Met on February 15: http://bit.ly/11QYs9z

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HAYDN'S 'THE CREATION' AT TEMPLE EMANU-EL

February 6, 2013 2:19 pm

http://news.providencejournal.com/arts-entertainment/2013/02/haydns-the-creation-at-temple-emanu-el.html

By Channing Gray

The Providence Singers tackles Haydn's triumphant oratorio "The Creation" Sunday afternoon (February 10)  at Temple Emanu-El on the East Side of Providence. Haydn took his inspiration for "The Creation" from the oratorios of Handel and texts from Genesis and John Milton's "Paradise Lost." It begins with a remarkable depiction of chaos and proceeds through the six days of creation.

Backing up the singers are members of the New Bedford Symphony, along with a trio of acclaimed soloists. Artistic director Betsy Burleigh conducts.

The concert takes place at 4:30 p.m. and tickets are $38, $15 for students. Call (401) 751-5700, or visit providencesingers.org. Temple Emanu-El is at 99 Taft Ave., Providence.

OPERA ON THE INTERNET 

WITH  

DAVE  D' AGUANNO

Those of you who may have missed out on the HD-transmission earlier this season of Donizetti's "L'Elisir d'Amore" can listen in as many internet radio stations will be relaying the Met's LIVE broadcast of this same opera this coming Saturday (Feb. 9) with practically the same cast that was seen at the movies -- with the exception of Erwin Schrott as Dr. Dulcamara. Schrott, as many of you already know, is Anna Netrebko's husband in real life.

(www.wrti.org/)

Other noteworthy broadcasts this weekend include the recent La Scala performance of Verdi's comic masterpiece "Falstaff" which can be heard on Radio 4 (the Netherlands).

(www.radio4.nl/)

Another Italian opera (coincidentally, written around the same time as "Falstaff") can be heard on the Belgian station Klara. It's Puccini's "Manon Lescaut" in a performance from Brussels & starring soprano Eva Maria Westbroek who will be singing the lead role in the HD-transmission next month of Zandonai's "Francesca da Rimini." While this particular performance of "Manon Lescaut" is audio-only, according to the Brussels website, a video of this opera will be available for streaming (FREE) from February 12 through March 4. More on that later!

(http://radio.klara.be/radio/10_home.php)

Mussorgsky's epic opera "Khovanshchina" gets broadcast on French Radio in a recent performance from the Paris Opera.

(http://sites.radiofrance.fr/francemusique/accueil/)

Last but not least, fans of 20th century opera can enjoy a LIVE performance on German Radio of Benjamin Britten's "Peter Grimes."

(www.dradio.de/dkultur/)

Hopefully, we opera lovers will be able to listen to at least a portion of one of these opera broadcasts; otherwise, we may be too busy digging ourselves out after Friday's snowstorm which ("they" say) has the potential for dumping over 6 inches of snow on us poor Rhode Islanders. Hopefully "they" don't know what they're talking about!

Enjoy!

DAVE

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Some interesting articles

Swiontek receives Encouragement Award at regional Metropolitan Opera auditions

http://media.obu.edu/2013/02/obus-swiontek-receives-encouragement-award-at-regional-metropolitan-opera-auditions/

See how a tenor is transformed into an emperor (Special to The Globe and Mail)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/theatre-and-performance/see-how-a-tenor-is-transformed-into-an-emperor/article6832705/?from=8263796

San Francisco Opera

There is a whole lot that goes into the creation of a new opera! We recently had the opportunity to see a model created by David Korins of the set for the upcoming world premiere of The Gospel of Mary Magdalene. Take a look! Photo by Cory Weaver.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151276252432616&set=a.376062057615.158984.19652732615&type=1&theater

Did you know that Bloomberg online has a page dedicated to Met Opera news? It stands to reason since it is the biggest financial supporter of the Metropolitan Opera.

http://topics.bloomberg.com/metropolitan-opera/

ON JOYCE DiDONATO:

Joyce DiDonato |Queen of Opera (BBC Magazine)

http://www.joycedidonato.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/JD_BBCMusicCover2012.pdf

Ode to Joyce [DiDonato] (435 Magazine)

http://www.joycedidonato.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/JD_KCArtMatters.pdf

Dream Girl. The Sweet Voice of Reason (Opera News)

http://www.joycedidonato.com/2011/11/18/dream-girl/

Joyce DiDonato (Opera News)

http://www.joycedidonato.com/2009/11/24/joyce-didonato/

Joyce DiDonato Breaks the Opera Mold (Los Angeles Times)

http://www.joycedidonato.com/2009/11/29/joyce-didonato-breaks-the-opera-diva-mold/

In Italian: (Worth seeing the great pictures even if you don't read Italian)

Non ho paura di volare: Joyce DiDonato alla ricerca della verita (Musica 234)

http://www.joycedidonato.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/JD_Musica.pdf

Il Mezzosoprano Joyce DiDonato (Corriere della Sera ITA - Beauty)

http://www.joycedidonato.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/corriere_spread2011.pdf

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Rolando Villazon

Viva Verdi! Rolando's recording of 'La traviata' has been selected as an iTunes Essential! Explore other selections and add this Verdi album - specially mastered for iTunes - to your collection. http://bit.ly/TraviataRV

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The Met radio broadcast,

February 9, 2013 @ 1:00pm

Gaetano Donizetti's

L'ELISIR D'AMORE

Listen to the Met Opera Saturday afternoon

broadcasts on Harvard Radio, 95.3 in the Boston area or live-streaming online at http://www.whrb.org

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GIMMICKS AND CLASSICAL MUSIC: 

Violinist Tai Murray Ted Talks

By Dianne Nicolini

http://www.kdfc.com/Blogs/12626407

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Now playing at the Avon (Providence) and the Jane Pickens Theater (Newport):
Not opera but a movie about elderly opera singers-- 

Quartet

Tom Courtenay and Maggie Smith

Quartet is a 2012 British comedy-drama film based on the play of the same title by Ronald Harwood, which ran in London's West End from 1999 - 2000, about retired opera singers who get together every year to celebrate Verdi's birthday. 

Release date: January 11, 2013 (USA)

Director: Dustin Hoffman

Running time: 98 minutes

Screenplay: Ronald Harwood

Cinematography: John de Borman

Cast

Maggie Smith

Jean

Billy Connolly

Wilf

Tom Courtenay

Reginald

Michael Gambon

Cedric

Pauline Collins

Cissy

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NO OPERA ON WGBH TV 

THIS WEEK!