Die Zauberflöte

Metropolitan Opera production of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte designed by Julie Taymor. Really wanted to see Taymor’s puppets, etc., and couldn’t swing a trip to New York, so I saw a High Def “broadcast” (it was a recording, but originally was a live broadcast) at a local theater. One highlight was the interval interview with Kathryn Lewek, who sang the Queen of the Night.

Back after an absence

Moving hosts a couple of times, other interests, Facebook, yadda yadda. Pondering some changes to my online life, including perhaps a return to documenting things here.

Because of the hosting moves, all previous images are broken until/unless I fix them manually. Some of the structure may be disordered as well until I select a theme.

A Boy Is Born

The Tallis Scholars, Boston Early Music Festival, St Paul’s Church, Cambridge. December 12, 2015.

Music by John Sheppard, Thomas Tallis, and Arvo Pärt. The Seven Antiphons were bracing. The singers’ voices were crystalline, and the venue seemed to vibrate with the sound.

Handel’s Messiah with period instruments, countertenor

Boston Baroque, Jordan Hall. December 11, 2015

I decided to attend this performance because there was a single seat available in the center of the first row, and because the alto soloist was a countertenor. Both turned out to be great reasons!

The soloists were Jeanine De Bique, soprano; Christopher Lowrey, countertenor; Thomas Cooley, tenor; and Dashon Burton, bass-baritone. Both Lowrey and Burton were magnificent. Lowrey’s ornamentation was especially fluid.

The conductor-harpsichordist's score was placed on the stage while the instrument was being tuned at the intermission.
The conductor-harpsichordist’s score was placed on the stage while the instrument was being tuned at the intermission.