Dear Friends,
Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment - a video trailer of tenor Jack Swanson's recital “Songs of Love and Loss,” which Opera Lafayette will present online on Sunday, October 25, 2020, 2:00 p.m. (EST). You may recall Jack from Opera Lafayette's trailer for The Blacksmith. This free, virtual recital features Jack with pianist Roderick Phipps-Kettlewell performing songs by Schumann, Grieg, Puccini, Quilter, Rossini, and several others. It was recorded at the historic Triune Masonic Temple in St. Paul, Minnesota and audio recorded by Steve Kaul of Wild Sound Studio. The cinematography was shot by Flight Creative Media. You will have an online opportunity to ask Jack questions following the hour-long recital.
Jack, who takes the role of Cody in one of Opera Lafayette’s casts of The Blacksmith, is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after young tenors in the opera world. His distinctive high lyric voice is known for singing the acrobatic arias of Rossini and the legato melodies of Donizetti.
This online performance is a special free pre-season introduction to our 2021/2022 season, which includes a recital series.
We look forward to seeing you online Sunday, October 25, 2020, 2:00 p.m. (EST).
Friday Musical Moment: Fun in Rehearsals with The Blacksmith!
We would like to share a moment with you from our second week of rehearsals featuring our cast members as we prepare to perform The Blacksmith at the Mancos Opera House in Mancos Colorado. We hope you enjoy!
Song featured: “Careless Love”
Performers:
Emilie Faiella: Jeannie (cover)
Arnold Livingston Geis: Cody
Dominique Cote: Marcel (The Blacksmith)
Joshua Conyers: Eustis
Frank Kelley: Slim MacBride/ Banjo
Pascale Beaudin: Claudine
Friday Musical Moment: A Note from Ryan Brown About Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Opera Lafayette would like to add its voice to the many tributes to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She was well known as a supporter of opera, and OL was one of the many beneficiaries of her generosity. Despite her status as a crusader for women’s rights, a distinguished jurist, and more recently a liberal icon, she somehow managed to give me an opportunity to view her as a personal friend, or at least as someone who showed genuine interest and support in what was important to me artistically.
When I first met her, at a benefit the French Ambassador gave for Opera Lafayette, her gregarious husband made the biggest impression; I’m not sure the Justice said a word, and if she did, I strained to hear it. Subsequently, however, I would write and invite her to performances, and, to my surprise, she invariably wrote back. She was one of the most polite and consistent correspondents I have ever known, an experience I’m sure many share. There was one time when she made me especially proud, and another when she won my heart. The first was when she was the invited keynote speaker to the annual Opera America convention, held that year in Washington, during which she made a point of mentioning to the audience the importance of Opera Lafayette’s work. The other was when I conducted an opera at the Glimmerglass Festival.
As I approached her at an after party, she threw out her arms to give me an enthusiastic hug. In my surprise and eagerness to reciprocate, I stepped on her foot, and nearly knocked her down, whereupon several Secret S-service agents lunged forward to make sure she was ok! Thank goodness she apparently wasn’t too put off by my clumsiness, and our association continued. The last opera I spoke to her about was Leonore, and I’ll always associate her with that remarkable heroine. We will miss her, but know that like Leonore, her courage, perseverance, and generosity will continue to inspire for years to come.
Friday Musical Moment: Bartender's Special
Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment! As we prepare for our performance of Philidor's The Blacksmith we'd like to introduce you to Adam Gardino, our guitarist for the production.
"This is called 'Bartender's Special', and I wrote it over the quarantine for my brother. He's a bartender down in Savannah, Georgia - and a good one from all reports. Last time we visited him, he made us a few drinks and when we asked the name of this one in particular it was a 'Bartender's Special'.
The tune is played on a Rocky Mountain Guitar Company guitar (in Drop D tuning) in the stylistic vein of Jerry Reed and Jim Hurst (which funny enough, are both from Georgia)
The first few notes are reminiscent of when folks walk in the door to the bar; the bell rings, the bartender asks 'What'll it be?', to which the person responds 'What would you recommend?'." - Adam Gardino
Friday Musical Moment: Conquest of the Heart
Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment! Today we feature Lully’s Armide 'Ah! Si la liberté me doit être ravie' by Stephanie Houtzeel and the Opera Lafayette Orchestra.
At war with the Christian Crusaders, the sorceress Armide deplores the conquest of her heart by her enemy Renaud.
![Houtzeel-Stephanie-01[Julia_Wesely].jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dadf5b4cf752a126dde43a0/1599750101025-61OVC1QHO90AILW8OYJS/Houtzeel-Stephanie-01%5BJulia_Wesely%5D.jpg)
Friday Musical Moment: Listening to the People
Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment! Today we feature Philidor’s Sancho Pança “Chantons, chantons la bienvenue”, Ensemble (Andrew Sauvageau, Darren Perry, Elizabeth Calleo, Eric C. Black, Karim Sulayman, Meghan McCall, Tony Boutte), and the Opera Lafayette Orchestra.
In this lively sextet all the villagers are asking Sancho for favors now that he's the 'Gouverneur'.
Friday's Musical Moment: A Journey into the Underworld
Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment! Today we feature Gluck’s Orphée et Euridice, Act III Scene 1, ‘J’ai perdu mon Euridice’ by Jean-Paul Fouchecourt and the Opera Lafayette Orchestra.
Orfeo is allowed into the underworld to find his beloved Euridice under the condition that he does not look back at or talk to her. On their way out of Hades, Euridice is delighted to be returning to earth but is devastated that Orfeo will not communicate with her. She takes this as a sign that he no longer loves her and refuses to carry on. Unable to take any more, Orfeo turns and looks at Euridice; again, she dies. Orfeo sings of his grief in the famous aria "J’ai perdu mon Euridice" ("I have lost my Euridice").
Friday Musical Moment: Running Toward Freedom!
Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment! Today we feature Félicien David’s, Lalla Roukh, Act II Scene 2: Duettino. ‘Loin du bruit, loin du monde’ (Lalla Roukh, Mirza) by Marianne Fiset, Nathalie Paulin and Opera Lafayette Orchestra.
In this duet, Lalla Roukh, while in route to meet her betrothed, sings to her confidante Mirza. She fantasizes about running away so she can be with the minstrel she has fallen in love with. Mirza, however, reminds her of her obligations to her betrothed (who is in fact disguised as the minstrel).
Friday Musical Moment: Gnomes, Nymphs & Spirits!
Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment! Today we feature three orchestral tracks from our production of Zélindor where dancers imitate gnomes, nymphs, spirits, and salamanders.
Enjoy selections from Rebel and Francœur, including, Zélindor, roi des Sylphes 'Dance with Gnomes, Ondins, Sylphes, and Salamandres!'
Catherine Turocy, founder and Artistic Director, New York Baroque Dance Company
Friday Musical Moment: A Song of Longing
Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment! Today’s piece is Monsigny’s, Le Deserteur, ' ‘Il m’eut été si doux de t'embrasser' with William Sharp and Opera Lafayette orchestra
The heart of the third act of Monsigny’s Le Deserteur is Alexis’s aria ‘Il m’eut été si doux, where he sings of his longing to see his beloved Louise before he is executed for deserting his regiment.
Friday Musical Moment: Memorable Melodies, Magical Orchestration
Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment! Today’s piece is Félicien David’s, Lalla Roukh, Act 1 Scene 5: Melodie “Sous le feuillage sombre.” It is sung by Marianne Fiset and the Opera Lafayette Orchestra.
David’s evocative and magical orchestration is harnessed to memorable melodies in Lalla Roukh’s deftly harmonized aria ‘Sous le feuillage sombre’ (Under the dark foliage), in our world premiere recording.
Friday Musical Moment: What Could Go Wrong?
Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment! Today’s piece is from Grétry’s, Le Magnifique (Act I, Scene 7) sung by a trio consisting of Emiliano Ganzalez Toro, Jeffrey Thompson, and Karim Sulayman.
Three tenors singing together, what could go wrong?
Aldobrandin wants to marry Clémentine who has been in his charge since her father disappeared in a shipwreck. Fabio, his helper informs him that Le Magnifique, Octave, is willing to give his best horse in order to have 15 minutes to talk with Clémentine. Aldobrandin, unable to believe his luck, accepts the deal with Octave and all three men leave singing the trio we hear in this week’s musical moment.
Friday Musical Moment: A Pact of Love and Power
Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment! Today’s piece is from Antonio Sacchini’s Oedipe A Colone, Act 1, Scene 3, “Je ne vous quitte point”. The part of Eriphile is performed by Kirsten Blaise and the music is of course performed by the Opera Lafayette Orchestra.
In this piece, Eriphile is destined to marry Polynices who formed a pact with Theseus (Eriphile’s father) in a bid to retake the throne of Thebes. She sings “I am not leaving you.” to Polynices.
Friday Musical Moment: Nature is Magic!
Welcome to your Friday Musical Moment! This one act opera-ballet, Zélindor, roi des Sylphes by François Rebel and François Francoeur features a magician (Jean-Paul Fouchécourt) who has fallen in love with a mortal (Heidi Grant Murphy). In this aria, Fouchécourt enchants the rocks and trees in her honor:
In the air may your harmonious songs,
May fire and earth and water,
May everything pay homage to eyes
Which are the charm and the glory of the world.
Jean-Paul Fouchécourt
Friday Musical Moment: Time for Some Fun!
Act 1 Scene 2 of L’epreuve villageoise
In this Friday’s musical moment, we bring you Act 1 Scene 2 of L’épreuve villageoise. “Bonjour Monsieur.” In this scene, Madame Hubert (Talise Trevigne) decides to have some fun with M.. de la France’s (Thomas Dolie) after learning that his pursuit of her for the past five years was only done in the hopes of marrying her daughter. In this fun duet Madame Hubert feigns love for M. de la France, pushing him to admit his true intentions.
Friday Musical Moment: Power and Vulnerability
Act 2, Scene 5, “Enfin, il est en ma puissance
Lully Armide, CD 1, Track 13 (Act 2, Scene 5, “Enfin, il est en ma puissance”) in which the sorceress Armide (Stephanie Houtzeel) intends to kill the warrior Renaud, but is moved by his sleeping gaze and cannot bring herself to do so.
Friday Musical Moment: Two Generations of French Baroque Music
It is Friday which means we are honored to share a Musical Moment with you all. Today, we focus on two generations of French baroque music and performers of that music. French tenor Jean-Paul Fouchécourt made his debut with Opera Lafayette in 1997 and recorded this album of Rameau Operatic Arias for Haute-Contre with us a few years later.
Rameau’s Dardanus Act IV, Lieux funestes
From the 1744 version of Rameau’s Dardanus opera
After being taken captive by the Phrygians during a battle, a despairing Dardanus sings the aria Lieux funestes.
Jean Rondeau and Thomas Dunford
Debut lute and harpsichord album
Jean and Thomas made their debut with Opera Lafayette in 2017 for our Monteverdi program. Thomas Dunford was the music director for our November 2019 production of John Blow’s Venus and Adonis.