News Ferdinando Orlandi

[…] gambling, which ends up turning him into a demonic character who eventually plunges into self-destructive madness. Pikovaya Dama (c) Gran Teatre del Liceu 2022 The production of Pikovaya Dama at Liceu, signed by Gilbert Deflo as stage director, has the same merits as the skilful libretto by Modest Tchaikovsky: it works very well in both of the piece’s registers. The sumptuous costumes as well as the costly and well-crafted scenography by William Orlandi, with the added spectacular lighting by Albert Faura, maintain the grand opéra register. Yet, the in crescendo underground level that begins to emerge and develops into a dominant feature in the final scenes, also works perfectly thanks to an insightful and sensitive stage direction that deepens the characters. Musically, this Pikovaya Dama achieved a rather good level, with conductor Dmitri Jurowski debuting at Liceu. This penultimate opera by Tchaikovsky is a piece with […]

Death of a popular Verdi soprano, 79 

The Italian soprano Rita Orlandi, who was billed as Rita Orlandi Malaspina after her marriage to the bass Massimiliano Malaspino, died in Milan on April 8. Originally from Bologna, she made her 1963 debut in Giovanna d’Arco, reached La Scala three years later in Forza and specialised throughout her international career in Verdi roles, though she also sang Elsa in Lohengrin and, inevitably, Tosca. For a soprano of her stature, she made comparatively few recordings.

Happy 50th birthday tenor Piotr Beczala. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG5zK7GBXwQ Born on this day in 1893 tenor Miguel Fleta. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYJl1B-b3tU Born on this day in 1896 composer Roger Sessions. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZRAEptKltc On this day in 1910 Engelbert Humperdinck‘s “other” opera Königskinder premiered at the Met. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=K83t9C7vi2k Born on this day in 1913 baritone Paolo Silveri. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwYwkeuDsP0 Happy 79th birthday soprano Rita Orlandi Malaspina. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcN3dfBQ3nY On this day in 1944 the Leonard Bernstein-Betty Comden-Adolph Green musical On the Town premiered on Broadway. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PIlTlJv8UE And from yesterday, December 27, 2016: Born on this day in 1888 tenor Tito Schipa. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=d83ODZFFP04 Born on this day in 1892 soprano and teacher Elvira de Hidalgo. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1bO8iEFulU Born on this day in 1897 soprano Augusta Oltrabella. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNMzQGrlKXY Born on this day in 1901 actress Marlene Dietrich. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU2fVyYfdTk Happy 73rd birthday director Giancarlo Del Monaco. //www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wq83W8cSDo Happy 70th birthday […]

On this day in 1910 Engelbert Humperdinck’s “other” opera Königskinder premiered at the Met. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K83t9C7vi2k Born on this day in 1893 tenor Miguel Fleta http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYJl1B-b3tU Born on this day in 1896 composer Roger Sessions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZRAEptKltc Born on this day in 1913 baritone Paolo Silveri http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwYwkeuDsP0 Happy 78th birthday soprano Rita Orlandi Malaspina http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcN3dfBQ3nY Happy 49th birthday tenor Piotr Beczala http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG5zK7GBXwQ Happy birthday to American tenors Richard Troxell… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iisfAEn7nI … and Jonathan Blalock. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMqneNwIGmI