Teatro alla Scala, I due Foscari

Teatro alla Scala, I due Foscari

Thursday, November 3, 2011

THE ALTAMURA/CARUSO INTERNATIONAL VOICE COMPETITION -- Results 2011 edition


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - CARMELA ALTAMURA 201 863-8724
OPERA COMPETITION CROWNS WINNERS
November 1. 2011, Union City, New Jersey - The final round of this year’s Altamura/Caruso International Voice Competition was held Sunday October 30 at the Liederkranz Hall in New York City. Preliminary rounds in Italy and in Canada had winnowed the field of singers from over one hundred to just twelve.
The Altamura/Caruso Competition, now in its 22nd year, is dedicated to the discovery and the development of operatic talent from around the world. All winners received cash awards of between $5,000 and 12,500. This years grand prize winners were Naomi O’Connell, Ireland, Mika Nisula, Finland, and Ann Tormela of the United States. Miss Tormela also received an award as the audience’s favorite. Mr. Nisula was chosen to study with noted tenor Francisco Casanova who also sat on the jury. (*)
Additional jurors from the classical and opera world included Carmela Altamura, Michel Brousseau, Anton Coppola, Camile Coppola, Lewis Ehlers, Stefanos Koroneos, and Roger Malouf.
Mrs Altamura who founded and directed the competition noted that the depth of this year’s field made the judges decision difficult but spoke well for the future of opera. Kim In Hui, Korea; Sheri Jackson, USA; Steeve Michaud, Canada; Alessandro Moccia, Italy; Raphaelle Paquette, Canada; Maurizio O’Reilly, Mexico; Maria Tomassi, Italy; and Anna Tonna, USA, all delivered excellent performances and were acknowledged with Honorable Mention and cash awards.
This years’ Altamura/Caruso International Voice Competition was dedicated to the memory of mezzo soprano Giulietta Simionatto who was the first President of the jury at its inauguration in 1988. The 12th, 2011 edition was held under the auspices of the Consul General of italy in New York, Natalia Quintavalle.
INTER-CITIES PERFORMING ARTS, INC
(*) The scholarship given to Mr. Nisula to study with Francisco Casanova was given in the memory of Tenor Pier Miranda Ferraro (1924-2008), by his wife Mrs. Miranda Ferraro, and children Beatrice, Ferdinando, Amelia and Andrea Ferraro.





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Sunday, October 30, 2011

IL MAESTRO PIETRO: A Man who also sang...



Remembering Pietro Ferraro on year 87 of his birth.
From New York City, 30th October 2011.
By Francisco Chahín-Casanova
Ferraro was born in Altivole, province of Treviso, in the Veneto region of italy, on the 30th of October 1924.
To me he was Maestro.
He was also a dearest Father who nurtured me and prepared me for my life, and not only for my life as a singer.
The year of his death, 2008, I wrote some words for a program prepared to celebrate his life which was given in Brazil. I published it in the ethernet, in my website http://veramusicaltd.com/Veramusica/Tribute.html, in his mother tongue. Three years later, as I sit down to remember him (I do so every day, such as I do with my own carnal Father, Alfredo Chahín), the pain provoked by this irreversible separation is as alive as it was that cold morning of the 18th of January of 2008, when Bea called to tell me that Papa had passed on.
It was very cold outside that morning in Little Compton... but the solitude I felt in my heart at learning this horrible news was even more terrifying to me than the prospect of freezing to death.
It was said to me later that his was a blessed death: he died in his sleep. That was little comfort to me, who would have wanted to have my beloved Maestro in my life for much longer than I did.
After an illustrious career of over 30 active years on the stage, singing in the most important theaters of the world -77 leading roles, amongst them more than 350 performances of Otello-, Pier Miranda Ferraro retired and began teaching. An injury to his lower back suffered during a bicycle accident in the city of Milan was the reason for his early retirement.
For the next 30 years he taught first at the Conservatory of Milan, and then privately at home as well as in other schools that he was asked to direct. Hundreds of singers of all nationalities visited him and received his words of vocal wisdom, accumulated in a life time of study and experiences.
Ferraro was impressive  for the strength of his character, yet extremely humble before the greatness of God and His creation. He recognized in every creature the Hand of the Creator. I felt so ashamed many times by his Faith which was not a blind one, but more of a Certainty. Strong as his beliefs were, he was not a fanatic; he respected everyone’s way of conducting his or her life, while maintaing his own code of conduct with pulchritude and was beyond reproach.
He often spoke to me about two things:
  1. In terms of the craft he would say: “What we sing is the culture, and the culture comes to us in the language...” He would also say: “Devi cantare giusto.” (Your singing must be balanced...)
       2)About life: God, duty, family and respect for others.
If one could call it so, Ferraro possessed one defect and only one in my way of seeing things, and it was that when he loved you... you were his forever. And you had no say on the matter. First he would be very curious about you. He would proceed (at least in my case) by looking very intensely at the cause of his curiosity: a scrutiny like that I have not experienced since the day in which he subjected me to it. But then you felt invaded by such warmth and generosity, a feeling that is impossible to describe for me, even twenty years after having met him. He never made you feel uncomfortable, on the contrary, you felt always extremely safe in his presence: He knew the extent and the strength of his energy and he only used of it what was needed, never more. Justice, Balance, were a strong characteristic of his personality.
With him one felt as if all were justified, and all you had to do was to carry on: you had been blessed not in words...
Since his death, the world has changed so little, yet is is so different from the one he left behind almost four years ago.
So many I-pods and computers in the streets, people seem afraid of owning their souls... I know he would say to me.
I wonder if his spirit, wherever it maybe, is aware of all the uncontainable strife that affects all our lives...
And then I imagine that if it is so aware, he would sing to us Simone’s words in the music of the Great Verdi: “E vo’ gridando pace... e vo’ gridando amor!”
A childhood friend, at his funeral, was so right: “Pietro was a Man... who also sang.”
My heart aches in such pain from missing him so...



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Tuesday, October 25, 2011

NABUCCO at YORKTOWN, NYS


NABUCCO performed by the TACONIC Opera
of Yorktown, New York State
October 23rd, 2011.
Little Compton.
Excellent performance of Nabucco yesterday afternoon with the Taconic Opera of Yorktown, New York State. The company will be at the SUNY / Purchase (NYS) stage this coming weekend. I recommend highly this production: all should go and listen. Check the link below for details.

Yesterday’s cast was in top form, headed by Rosa d'Imperio (Abigaille) and Stefanos Koroneos (Nabucco): both sang their grandiose roles filled with pathos, using their impeccable technical means and musical knowledge intelligently, to bring forth the drama. Their duet of the third act was one of TITANS . Jorge Ocasio as Zaccaria, was also a good choice for this company: his meaningful phrasing and gorgeous low register earned him a big hand in the prayer of the third act. Tenor Jin Ho Hwang sang Ismaele with vibrant voice.
One piece of advice I permit myself to give these young singers is one my teacher, Tenor Pier Miranda Ferraro, gave me one day long time ago: “We sing the culture, and the culture is given to us in the language...” In other words: the specificity of what we are doing is to be found in the text. And how we put it across is extremely important. So, although a very satisfying performance from everyone’s part, we all need to pay attention to that very important tool of our craft, and which we generally forget: the language and its effective, theatrical use.
Maestro Jun Nakabayashi did an excellent job accompanying the singers in this excruciatingly difficult score.
The sets were modest, nevertheless so beautifully conceived and executed, that during the time spent in the theatre one could really feel transported to the moment and place specified in the score. 
What was important about this performance, about this company I should say, is that the music, through the singing, told the drama, as it should be.

Bravo Maestro Montez, for keeping this precious art form in its proper context. And thank you also for a performance that I will not forget. http://www.taconicopera.org/index.html

Francisco Chahin-Casanova 
www.vermusicaltd.com

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Monday, May 23, 2011

MARVELOUSLY IN CONTEXT: Music is istill alive, in spite of it all...

By Francisco Chahín-Casanova
The Hellenic Music Foundation of New York presented last night, in celebration of the bicentennial of Franz Liszt a beautiful concert with Greek tenor Mario Zeffiri, accompanied at the piano by Mtro. Yannis Xilas. The event took place in the Episcopal Church of Christ and St. Stevens, in Manhattan.
Mr. Zeffiri presented an ambitious, well packed program by two authors: Richard Strauss and Franz Liszt.
Mario Zeffiri exhibited unheard of control of his craft from the very beginning to the very end of the evening: the music, text, technique, delivery and style, all concentrated in one action of his mind, which transformed the air which he exhaled into music and the purest expression of vocal art. A veritable Master Class in singing, all of it in context. Because this music is dated, and in the way in which Mr Zeffiri performed it, I dare say that Franz Liszt and Richard Strauss would have smiled approvingly in hearing it performed so beautifully and full of meaning.
None of the sterility of the age of the iPod and computer games was present in his music making ... THANK GOD. No gimmicks or distracting trickery in his presentation, just the text and the music between him and his audience. This things have their place in modern life, but not when it comes to this type of artistic expression... alas...
Disarmingly simple.
Mr Zeffiri was assisted ably at the piano by Mtro. Yannis Xilas, who interpreted as well the Intermezzo Op.117, No. 1 by Johannes Brahms, as well as a Nocturne for piano by Claude Debussy.
Finished the program, Mr. Zeffiri generously sang for the audience two encores by Bizet and Rimsky-Korsakov.
At the end the entire audience expressed their satisfaction with a standing ovation for both artists.
Mario Zeffiri, tenor
Yannis Xilas, accompanist
Bicentennial Concert Celebration of Franz Liszt birth
Church of Christ and St. Stevens
New York
Program:
First Part
RICHARD STRAUSS Zueignung Op. 10, no1
              Heimliche Aufforderrung Op. 27, no. 3
                                    Die Nacht Op 10, no. 3
                                    Ständchen Op.17, no. 2
JOHANNES BRAHMS Intermezzo Op117, no. 1 for piano
RICHARD STRAUSS Befreit, Op. 39 no. 4
Breit’ über mein Haupt, Op. 19 no.2
Liebeshymnus Op 32 , no.3
Second Part
CLAUDE DEBUSSY Nocturne, for piano solo
FRANZ LISZT Tre Sonetti di Petrarca
Pace non trovo
Benedetto sia ‘l giorno
I vidi in terra angelici costume


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Sunday, May 22, 2011

BEAUTIFUL AND REFRESHING PERFORMANCE OF PERGOLESSI'S La Serva Padrona

By Francisco Chahín-Casanova
25th April 2011.
This past March the 27th I had the good fortune, together with 400 other people, to attend a production of the Altamura-Caruso Foundation in the main nave of the Episcopal Church of Christ and St. Stephen of New York City.  Singing this very beautiful performance of Pergolessi’s La Serva Padrona, in the roles of Serpina and Uberto, respectively, were soprano  Anne Tormella, and baritone Stefanos Koroneos.  Maestro Michel Brousseau expertly conducted the Altamura Ensemble.
The production and staging of La Serva Padrona, under the experienced hand of Camille Coppola, acquired life, charm, and direction, always following the path marked by the musical beat of Pergolessi’s brilliant score. Under her direction and that of Maestro Brousseau’s accurate conducting, Ms. Tormella and Mr. Koroneos gave impressive vocal performances of this difficult score, paying attention to, and bringing forth each and every detail of the musical writing style of this epoch, which resulted in a delightful performance of an opera very much missed in the local theaters.

La Serva Padrona was originally conceived as short intermezzo for Pergolesi’s opera seria Il Prigionier Superbo so, we heard in the first part of the program baritone Larry Harris, and soprano Maria Knapik, who sang each four solos.  Mr. Harris sang four songs by F. P. Tosti, and Ms. Knapik four pieces by Dvorak, Chopin, Bizet and Cilèa.

The first thing that must be said here in regards to the performers is that they were all in top form that day and that, in this particular evening, Music was the Queen... thank God. Ms Tormella was enchanting as Serpina, singing with ease and filled with the spirit of the score, showing a beautiful full top voice which she uses intelligently. Mr Koroneos, with his large, dark voice, gave a performance, technically worth of a virtuoso, and full of expression and meaning.
Mr. Harris possesses a beautiful, rich baritone voice which he uses sensibly to achieve a high artistic result.  His legato singing makes for unforgettable Tosti phrasing. On the other hand, Ms. Knapik began with a very expressive interpretation of the Song to the Moon, from Rusalka, followed by the Seguidilla from Carmen, a song by Frederick Chopin, closing with Io sono l’umile ancella, showing throughout control, and knowledge of her craft. Good diction in all languages allowed her to put across very expressive and melodramatic phrasing, in the best sense of the word.
I was very happy to see parents in the audience, with their children, and the smiles in their     faces, showing the delight they had experienced during the entire afternoon.

We must applaud the well-guided efforts of the Altamura-Caruso Foundation, as they present these productions, keeping in mind the musical performances in their historical and stylistic perspective.

In the age of FaceBook, iPods, instant messaging and twits, people who want to present their own ideas on the stage and not that of the geniuses the gave us in inheritance this music and this craft, it is good to know that there are other people who understand what is historic and stylistic context, who like to work within it, and who are not afraid to do so.
In my opinion, this is what real talent is about: do the same thing that has been done... but make it look every time as if it had been written yesterday, expressly for your performance.

Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Altamura, for the magnificent musical gift you gave us in the performance we enjoyed this past March the 27th.
La Serva Padrona,
by Giovanni Battista Pergolessi (1710-1736),
Premiered 5th September 1733, Naples.
Serpina - Anne Tormella
Uberto - Stefanos Koroneos
The Altamura Ensemble
Mo. Michel Brousseau, conductor
Reggie Camille Coppola
First part: Concert.
Larry Harris, baritone; four songs by Tosti
Maria Knapik, soprano; Song to the Moon, Seguidille, Song by Chopin,
Io sono l’umile ancella.














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