Alcina by Händel.

Philippe as Ruggiero!  

For all of us who can not be there live -

Broadcast on ARTE at 10.07.2015 , 21.45.

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AlexanderBendo ,

thank you soooo much for this info!
You´ve made my day, my week, my month!

Just to put you in the mood ...

Some public-spirited person has uploaded this gorgeous production of "Alcina" on youtube (see below). Sandrine Piau gives a searing performance as "Alcina" which stays with you long after the curtain has come down. Be quick to watch; it won't be long before Mezzo realizes that it's out there and requests its removal!

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A.

Artemis,
Thanks a lot!

I'd prefer this version with Mme Naglestad and Alice Coote, of course. I don't like Sandrine Piau so much in the role of Alcina, she simply doesn't convince me and her voice sometimes lacks of facets...only a personal opinion...

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Hi Duffy,

Alice Coote is wonderful and my all-time favourite Handelian Ruggiero (but I haven't seen Philippe yet).

Re Mme Piau, in common with quite a few artists, I think her voice sounds quite different in-house where I really didn't get the impression that it lacked colour or dimension. I think in some strange way, TV frequently "flattens" operatic performances (I'm not expressing myself very well here). The harsh close-ups don't help either - wish they wouldn't do that ...

A.

Hi Artemis,
after hearing Philippe in Halle last week, I'm convinced he'll set the pattern for the role of Ruggiero in Aix, as he did when he sang Sesto in Salzburg in 2012.
Concerning the Brussels rendition of Alcina, I think Behle is overwhelming, how he interpretes his role. Maite Beaumont uses strange ornamentation. I feel baroque isn't quite her pair of shoes....I saw her live two years ago, having the same impression then. The Stuttgart rendition with Behle added would have been the ideal event for me.

Lots of photos! Thanks to SJuli for finding and sharing !

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Reviews:

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Review "Alcina: A bewitching start to the Aix-en-Provence Festival" (en)

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“Alcina”, à Aix : deux sœurs maléfiques et brisées

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I was so lucky to be there, it was sheer bliss. One of the most beautiful parts of France, and this incredible rendition of Alcina as "cerise sur le gateau" All singers were fantastic, Philippe on the peak of his vocal art.

Another review in English.

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Thanks for the links, Alison!

A.

Thank you, AB. The article is not new, 2008, but comments I really like

Nobody gives his opinion about Alcina?
Moving in Aix ( four hours by train by a terrible heat) was a test , but I do not regret it .   I saw the second show and I was seduced by the staging very surprising. This version was consistent and showed off the interpreters. The couple Patricia/Philippe was working fine.
(Sorry for the translation... google traduction).I wanted to share my emotion on this beautiful show. The television version obviously does not give all the beauty felt by the public, but I was glad to see the opera on Arte.

I only watched it on my computer so it may not be the right impression but I thought there was too much going on on the stage which, to me, got in the way of the music. I admit that I am old fashioned but I really could have done without the antics on the bed. I was wishing for the first two arias to end, and they were two of the loveliest Handel’s arias. Philippe’s singing was, needless to say, wonderful but I had an impression that he wasn’t quite comfortable in a production like this. Anyway, this is just my impression.

I would love to see Philippe in something like the Amsterdam production: just his singing as Ruggiero instead of being one of many young men who was tricked by a 70-something woman disguised as a 30-something. Sorry about this. I really did not like this production. Just me, of course.

I was so lucky to get tickets and saw it live during my holidays in Aix. He didn't have any problem with the role, so didn't Mme Petibon. This rendition of the opera was the closest to the libretto I know. I didn't feel offended by any of the scenes. The most intelligent directory work I've seen recently. A wonderful cast in splendid form and a ravishing scene. I would have loved to go again. Sheer bliss. There's much fuss concerning sex scenes, I can't really follow that. 8 minutes out of 180, and the whole opera is, based upon Arioste, literally about sex and seduction....

"A DVD is being produced; we will notify you when it becomes available!"
on the fb page of the Aix festival

Thanks, Mon! I look forward to it.

On a (sort of) related matter - if anyone would like me to translate Philippe's contribution to the interview with Anna Prohaska which is the current masthead, I would be happy to do it. There have, apparently, been some complaints about Youtube's translation software. No kidding!!

A.

Artemis,
It would be great! Thank you so much for your kindness!

OK, Coder, I'll do it as soon as I can - probably tomorrow afternoon!

A.

Artemis,

it would give me a great pleasure if I could understand not only half of Philippe's part but hundred per cent  thanks to your kindly offered translation.

Big thanks in advance!

Coder et compagnie,

For better or worse, here it is!

A.


Ph. J. at 1,28

Yes, you could say that I’m a bit of a spanner in the works in this world of women.  (The expression that Ph. J. uses is “le grain de sable (dans la mécanique)” meaning something very small which brings about the collapse of a large enterprise – A.).  I frequently compare Alcina and Morgana to vampire-like creatures; they are ten thousand years old and a bit blasé.  They literally use men and, of course, Alcina did not foresee that she would fall in love, just like Morgana, and it’s this that sets a complete upheaval in motion, creating a huge fault line.  At the very beginning of the first part (of the opera), I’m completely under the spell of Alcina.  Already, when we get to the second act – the revelation – I see Alcina as she really is.  What really appealed to me right from the early rehearsals with Katie Mitchell is that she didn’t cast aside the magical aspect of the libretto, as Anna (already) said.  It’s really very strong – and with these passages between the doors with the old witch and her younger counterpart, Katie Mitchell wanted to make some profound observations about the different ages (of women) and the definition of beauty.  

We also have a child playing the role of Oberto and it’s very interesting because we have more or less all the ages on stage.  It’s quite wonderful and also very touching.  I’ve wanted to sing Ruggiero for a long time; it’s one of the rôles that I really wanted to play once in my lifetime.  It’s interesting because although I’m not a castrato obviously, it’s one of the rare productions where the original cast list is respected – that is to say that Ruggiero is played by a man and Oberto by a child and I find the similarities between the voice of a child and that of a countertenor in an opera quite beautiful.  

I have to say that during rehearsals we worked in a really intensive way but we laughed a lot and this really appealed to me.  We needed it (to laugh) because there are really some very intimate scenes – notably with me and Alcina – and humour is a very constructive driving force during all these rehearsals where we try to find all the inner workings between the characters.  


Ph. J. at 5,40

Katie’s (direction) is meticulous.  She asked us to think about the “back story” – that is about our relationships before (the opera begins).  She asked me to think about the length of my relationship with Bradamante before I was shipwrecked and landed on the island.  She asked a lot of things like that.  How long had I been with Alcina?  She also tried to get us to act through feeling things deeply.  Throughout the rehearsals, we always tried to erase, to eliminate, the “operatic” posturing – something you do when you’re an opera singer, of course.  It’s always a very difficult balance to achieve – you want (to have) realistic acting but sometimes you sing arias that can last for 10 minutes.  The timing is not realistic.  The play acting needs to seem realistic in a time frame that is drawn out and much longer than a normal action.  

Ph. J. at 6.58

Ruggiero is a rather elusive character.  You could say that he’s an astonishing character – a bit like a caricature of what we think of as a modern man – that is, he lies, he never says what the (really) thinks and has difficulties in breaking up with women.  In that aspect, the libretto is very modern, very interesting and the modern transposition (of the opera) works very well as far as the relationships between men and women are concerned.  


Ph.J. at 8,32

I like this rôle very much – notably because of my first aria in the second part of the opera.  It’s an aria which is a little bit detached from the rest of the story.  It’s a sort of “freeze frame” – a moment of simplicity and purity.  It’s “Verdi prati” which is one of the opera’s most well-known arias – very, very simple.  I love the story about the creation of the opera when the great castrato Carestini (my favourite castrato, by the way!), at first refused to sing this aria because he considered it to be an insult to his virtuosity.  Oddly enough, it was the one aria which was “encored” at every performance of the opera – as if Handel knew better than the singer himself what he was capable of.  I think it’s one of the arias where one senses a kind of aesthetic turnaround in Handel – that is, a kind of paring down.   I think “Alcina” is a turning point in Handel’s writing.  Just before “Alcina” there was the very virtuosic “Ariodante” with very grand arias.  In “Alcina” we have varied forms but also much purer and simpler writing – almost a precursor of a pre-classical revolution.  This aria is totally disarming – just a few notes - and that’s what demonstrates the genius and the magic of Handel.  You couldn’t say that it’s a dramatic aria.  It’s a timeless aria which could possibly explain the charm of Ruggiero and why Alcina is so attracted to him.

Artemis,
Thanks a lot for your translation!
It's so great to know what he was talking about his Ruggiero and this performance.

You're welcome, Coder!

A.

Artemis,

endless thanks also from me!

Artemis,

here an other virtuel laurel wreath comes in appreciation of your fine and quick translationwork!

Many many thanks, dear Artemis!
We´ll make subs!

Thank you, Artemis. Your attention is pleasant

Hi everyone,

Late but I wanted to share my experience there in Aix. I was very lucky because I wasn't expecting to be there it was a wonderful last minute present

The production was just amazing, everything was perfect: singers, musicians, stage decorators, etc. The vibe was electrifiying from the very beginning. I wasn't very sure about Petibon, she is not my cup of tea but after watching the opera I was convinced. She was a perfect Alcina: beautiful, proud, convincing as an actress and overall her airs were bouleversant!! Morgana was as well magnificent, flirty and sad at the same time. Bradamante was a strong character with a very beautiful voice and she was also a great actress, I enjoyed very much how she developed her relationship with Ruggiero. Obviously Ruggiero was my favourite, the role was just perfect for him. His voice was sweet, flexible and warm. Verdi Prati and Mi Lusinga were the greatest hits as well as Sta nell'ircana, where he was outstanding. However I have to confess that my favourite moment was Mio bel tesoro. The music wrapped delicately his voice, the coloratura was bellissima It was a very difficult air to perform, all those feelings and nuances, he is actively deceiving Alcina but he has second thoughts...so beautitul and breathtaking.

Regarding the satge design and all that fuss about the sex scenes, I have nothing to criticise. The whole performance was really chic and tasteful, even in the most "hot" scenes. I asure you that being there wasn't at all unconfortable as a viewer and come on you turn on the tv and you see more sexual messages in a deodorant add! In fact, everything was very smooth and natural, you can feel it whe you saw the singers together. And seeing Philippe in his boxers was a great view...