The Opera Tattler

Märchenhafte Teestunde

This evening I happened upon Katja Popwo telling the Grimm fairy tale "Die alte Hexe und ihre Tochter," also known as "Der Krautesel." This was part of a weekly series at the Tadschikische Teestube (Tajik Tearoom) in the Palais am Festungsgraben. Ms. Popwo told the story from memory quite charmingly, relating the adventures of a huntsman. The tale is of the Aarne-Thompson-Uther Type 567, The Magic Bird Heart, and also involves a wishing cloak, witches, and cabbages. Listening to this certainly was a fun exercise for someone learning German. The adorable tearoom has much to recommend it as well, the Assam tea I had was pleasant and served nicely, and the pelmeni was tasty. Stories are told each Monday at around 7:30pm and the entrance fee is 9 Euro.

Official Site of the Märchenfrauen | Description of the Tadshikische Teestube

The Opera Tattler in Berlin

So far I've only gone to hear Don Carlo at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, which was not as amusing as it could have been, despite featuring quite a lot of nudity during the auto da fé scene. One cannot complain too much, as René Pape is singing Filippo II. I also took several photographs of Deutsche Oper Berlin, as I am convinced it is the least beautiful of all opera houses. I've walked past Komische Oper Berlin, but was more impressed by their current ad campaign, which I saw on a bus. It claimed to be the opera house of the year and also featured two men with their trousers around their ankles. I cannot wait to see what they've done with Die Entführung. Can the production rival the one on sofas from Munich? The photographs indicate some nudity and bad makeup, but at least there is no intermission, so it will be over quickly at any rate. I am also terribly curious about the Oper in der U-Bahn, apparently they are performing Die Zauberflöte from April 26-May 25.

Paris Opera's 2008-2009 Season

September 6-11 2008: Eugene Onegin
September 24- November 2 2008: Rigoletto
October 11- November 2 2008: The Bartered Bride
October 13- November 12 2008: Cunning Little Vixen
October 30- December 3 2008: Tristan und Isolde
November 17- December 23 2008: Die Zauberflöte
November 25- December 21 2008: Fidelio
January 17-30 2009: Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk
January 24- February 8 2009: Yvonne, princesse de Bourgogne
January 29- March 4 2009: Madama Butterfly
February 27- March 22 2009: Idomeneo
February 28- March 26 2009: Werther
April 4- May 8 2009: Macbeth
April 10- May 23 2009: Un ballo in maschera
May 4-18 2009: The Makropulos Affair
May 20- June 5 2009: Tosca
June 13-21 2009: Demofoonte
June 18- July 2009: King Roger

Riccardo Muti conducts Demofoonte. Waltraud Meier sings Isolde opposite of Clifton Forbis. Paul Groves sings the title role of Idomeneo, with Joyce DiDonato as Idamante and Camilla Tilling as Ilia. Rolando Villazon shares the role of Werther with Marcus Haddock. Deborah Voigt shares the role of Amelia with Angela Brown and Ulrica Elena Manistina.

2008-2009 Schedule | Official Site

ENO's 2008-2009 Season

September 20- October 28 2008: Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacci
September 22- October 10 2008: The Barber of Seville
October 10- November 12 2008: Partenope
October 22- November 22 2008: Aida
November 10- December 1 2008: Boris Godunov
November 27-30 2008: Riders to the Sea
June 12- July 10 2009: Madam Butterfly

Rosemary Joshua sings the title role of Partenope at English National Opera next season.

2008-2009 Season | Official Site

Baltimore Opera's 2008-2008 Season

May 10-14 2008: Madama Butterfly
October 11-19 2008: Aida
November 15-23 2008: Norma
March 28- April 5 2009: Il Barbiere di Siviglia
May 9-17 2009: Porgy and Bess

Ruth Ann Swenson sings Adalgisa in Norma.

2008-2009 Season | Official Site

Sacramento Opera's 2008-2009 Season

November 21-25 2008: The Pirates of Penzance
February 27- March 3 2009: Le Nozze di Figaro
May 8-12 2009: La Bohème

Press Release [PDF] | Official Site

Race

  * Notes *
Shot in South Africa and Dubai, the fast paced film Race came out at the end of last month. The plot is fantastically ridiculous, with an alarming plethora of twists and turns. The songs are fun, though some of the dancing from Katrina Kaif and Bipasha Basu was less than convincing. The baby-blue faux flapper outfit that Ms. Kaif wore during "Zara Zara Touch Me" was also particularly unflattering. However, overall the movie was entertaining and the production values were quite high.

This certainly is the raciest Indian movie I've seen, no on-screen kisses, but exposed torsos of both leading men and an almost graphic love scene. I could have really done without seeing Saif Ali Khan play guitar without a shirt on at the end. 

* Tattling *
There were hardly any people in the theater, and it must be said I was unsubtly the most badly behaved. I could not stop laughing for most of the two and a half hours of the film, as I was so amused. Apparently this film was inspired by Goodbye Lover, which, thankfully, I have not seen. 

An International Salute to SF Ballet

* Notes *
The National Ballet of Canada, the New York City Ballet, and Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo are performing in a program at the San Francisco Ballet this week. The opening was last night, the National Ballet of Canada took the stage first in a piece titled A Delicate Battle. The dancing was good, though some of the angles of arms and hands were slightly off from person to person. The dance uses J.S. Bach and Gavin Bryars, and the juxtaposition was not jarring, as was intended, but simply arbitrary, any Baroque piece paired with any contemporary one would have done as well. Matjash Mrozewski's choreography was very pretty and the ending was particularly lovely.

New York City Ballet presented Duo Concertant, choreographed by Balanchine, of course. The violinist and pianist played Stravinsky beautifully. The dancers were clearly accomplished, but the piece lacked drama. The highlight of the evening was certainly Altro Canto, performed by Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo. Jean-Christophe Maillot successfully pairs contemporary movement and Monteverdi. The staging involves candles suspended from the ceiling, and this could have very easily been ridiculous, but somehow it was not. The dancing was impressive, especially the liquidness of the movement and the synchronized headstands.

* Tattling *
The audience was fairly well-behaved, though the people in front of me insisted on perching with their seats flipped up, and a couple of them could not stop whispering during the third dance.

Former Secretary of State George P. Schultz was spotted at the ballet, as was Ambassador of Monaco to the United States Gilles Noghès.