A Journey Into the Fire

SFO’s Ring

Two years ago I began a journey into the fire…into San Francisco Opera’s new production of Wagner’s Ring Cycle. That journey comes full circle (pun intended) this month.

It all started when I was invited to collaborate on the iconic brand image and identity for this Ring (with the fantastic design and marketing studio Mission-Minded). This alone was a dream come true. I had become an official Wagner-phile when I experienced SFO’s previous naturalistic production in 1999, with my dear operagoing friend Gil. (Watch the documentary Sing Faster for a great glimpse of that beloved production.)

The creative process began with a meeting with Director Francesca Zambello and General Director David Gockley, to discuss the particular approach of this new production (shared with ENO and WNO, but not yet performed in its entirety). The goal: to highlight the concept of destruction and rebirth, and portray a dose of the production’s modernity, including an accessible and familiar visual vernacular. (The production employs a trailer, projections of power lines and electrical towers, an office building board room, a stylish, contemporary bedroom…to mention just a few of these modern nods.)

The iconic image evolved in a direction that also took a tragic nod from 9/11, using the burning and fall of city skyscrapers to show the destruction of a civilization, parallel with that of nature (via a forest). Perched atop this, a reborn/renewed female visage…a triumphant Brünnhilde. The photo-illustration was made up of 15 or so separate images.

jumping clapping man: 2010 in Review, A Blog Assessment

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how jumping clapping man did in 2010, and here’s some interesting data on how the year looked!:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow!

Crunchy numbers

Madison Square Garden can seat 20,000 people for a concert. jcm was viewed about 68,000 times in 2010. If it were a concert at Madison Square Garden, it would have performed about
3 times.

In 2010, I had 85 new posts, growing the total archive to 170 posts. I uploaded 265 pictures, taking up a total of 45mb. (That’s about 5 pictures per week.)

The busiest day of the year was February 16th with 1,469 views. The most popular post that day was Olympic Reigns Ending: Likelihoods or Naysaying?.

Where did they come from?

My top referring sites in 2010 were loopaxles.blogspot.com, parterre.com, requiredelements.com, en.wordpress.com, and lifeskate.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for cheeseburger, olympics 2010,
2010 olympics, vancouver olympics, and cheese burger. (“Cheeseburger”?…REALLY?!)

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

Olympic Reigns Ending: Likelihoods or Naysaying? July 2009
1 comment

2

“Cheese Berger” July 2009
2 comments

3

jcm’s ‘10 Olympics’ Podium Predictions Contest January 2010
42 comments

4

Missteps, Falls & Wet Tushes March 2009

5

Heidi Melton: The Official Berlin E-Interview January 2010
6 comments

jcm’s Top 10 Best LIVE Performances of ‘10

It’s that time again! I’m serving up my second annual Top 10 LIVE Performances of the year. It’s a follow-up to my ‘09 list. Sadly, there are no Broadway shows on this list. I plan on remedying that in 2011!

1. Die Walküre, San Francisco Opera (Details)

This production offered one of the finest casts that could possibly be assembled for this opera (and The Ring) in the current operatic landscape. The production said some new things, and offered a few fresh perspectives, but didn’t try too hard, or overshadow the score. Maestro Runnicles is a Wagnerian master, and he and the orchestra rose to the occasion again. Yeah, I was a “Supernumerary” in the production, but I was able to watch much of it from the orchestra during rehearsals, and even accounting for my bias, this would still takes my top spot. Enjoy my full review here.

Mark Delavan (Wotan) & Nina Stemme (Brünnhilde); Photo by Cory Weaver

2. Scalpel! The Musical, Brava Theatre (Details)

Can you say fun? It had me at the opening number, with countless heals and drag runway walks. It was the first show I’ve seen in the Brava, and I immediately loved this venue…the warm lighting, the urban ambience, and the straight, raked seating offering direct views. Even with all the camp and hijinks, the entire cast was completely committed to the material. This was the second mounting of the show, and my fingers are crossed that it returns yet again. Apparently, there was a bit of a curse on the production, with multiple cast injuries (including a very unfortunate broken leg for leading man, Mike Finn), but they pushed through, with some quick and fortuitous replacements and prevailed. Picturing Sara Moore as “poop-raking” TV reporter Kitty Kelly (“Hardballs” host) still makes me laugh.

 

Emily McGowan: Fritzy, Arturo Galster: Pepper Van Allen, Cindy Goldfield: Jacqueline Bulgari

3. Heidi Melton: Salon at the Rex, The Rex Hotel (Details)

To hear Heidi Melton plead in spoken french AND debut her chest voice was alone faint-worthy, and positively scintillating. And, to hear her in repertoire much outside her core operatic rep and comfort genres was a treat (ie: Irving Berlin and Kurt Weill cabaret, and Korngold songs). Her rendition of Berlin’s “Always” left not a dry eye in the audience. (Her Noe Valley Chamber Music Recital a few weeks before was also very beautiful). No thanks to the Adler “Future is Now” concert, which was on the same night, the recital was over all too soon (evidenced by a jcm quotation here and here)! I stuck around and imbibed and dined at the bar…I wanted to savor the spell Heidi had cast.

 

Dramatic Soprano Heidi Melton’s Official Website Launched!

I’m ecstatic to announce the launching of Heidi Melton’s Official NEW Website!

Click on the image or link below to visit her site. Once there, review her upcoming performances (book your flights!), sample her incredible artistry (via multimedia), read her blog musings, and more! She’s taking the opera world by storm. GO HEIDI!

I designed and built the site from start to finish (using the SquareSpace platform). It’s an honor be her friend, FANatic, AND web designer.

www.heidimeltonsoprano.com

Heidi Melton: The Official Berlin E-Interview

Since I first sang the praises of my friend, soprano Heidi Melton on jcm, she has moved several steps closer to the exposure that her prodigious gifts hinted at. I’m very excited to share with you (Melton fans and newbies alike) my new e-interview with her: she, in Berlin, sidled up to her laptop with frosty brew-in-hand, and me, in San Francisco, eagerly awaiting her return to SFO, in 2011. Ah, it’s the next best thing to sitting down in-person at a pub!

It’s not surprising that, despite the 5,657 miles between us, her appeal, warmth, irrepressible sense of humor, and passion for her art still shine through. Enjoy this glimpse into her life, career and heart…

Photo: Kristin Hoebermann

jcm: What is your very first memory of singing or performing?

HM: I suppose that my first memory of music would be of my grandma sitting next to me on the piano bench, teaching me how to play. It is how I spent the majority of my formative years, and was very gratifying.

jcm: Are you from a musical family? Or, were your gifts helped along in any way in your childhood home?

HM: My family has always loved music, although not necessarily opera. But, they have really started finding an appreciation for it — except for my sister, who still feels that opera sounds like someone is stepping on nails! My grandma went to college for piano performance, so that was always a part of my home, but I will admit to not really discovering opera until I was about 14 or 15.

jcm: Have you always been on track to be a performer, and when did your trajectory shift towards opera?

HM: When I first started applying to undergraduate schools, I did so under music performance and music education. I applied mostly to state schools in Washington, but I had my one “pie in the sky” school, which was the Eastman School of Music. I was accepted into Eastman, but only as a music education major. I wasn’t good enough to get into their performance program. Anyhow, I’ve never been good at accepting a “no,” so I worked hard and juried into performance, and haven’t looked back.

jcm: When did it become clear that your voice was that very special and true dramatic soprano, like one of your favorites, Régine Crespin, or perhaps even a Hochdramatische (“heroic”), like another favorite, Astrid Varnay? Is it a pressure, or instead empowering to know you hold this rare gift?

HM: It does seem to be heading in that direction, doesn’t it? I do consider it a gift, and with any gift comes responsibility, so I am just trying to do all that I can to ensure that I give “the beast” everything that it needs to be the best it can be. But to answer your question, it is both a pressure and empowering.

jcm’s Best of ’09: A Look Back

In the quieter, darker, colder days of January, in addition to looking ahead to what the year will bring, and setting goals, it’s always especially nice to reflect back on the previous year, to recall and relive some of its finest moments. So, it is in that spirit that I share my Top 10 LIVE Performances List for the year.

1. Hair on Broadway (8/2): I’ve certainly said enough about this love-rock musical on my blog in the past 6 months, but for good reason. Attending the acclaimed Broadway production with CJ and some dear friends was deeply moving, and a wonderful way to further launch me into my ACLO production. Although the singing style was more “pop” than I’d like (relative to the original productions), when seeing it live, any stylistic qualms fell away, and the raw honesty of the production swept me away. Steel Burkhardt was a surprisingly good understudy for Will Swenson, as Berger.

2. Heidi Melton Recitals: (2/4) Her Salon at the Rex featured Purcell, Berg, Messiaen, Debussy, and Bolcom; (10/20) Her LIEDER ALIVE! recital second half at the SF Conservatory featured Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder. Now in Berlin preparing for her Deutsche Oper Berlin debut, and just off her Met debut in Elektra, she thankfully gave San Francisco two satisfying recitals before her departure. The first was very casual in spirit, much like the salons of old, I imagine…a great artist sidled up to the piano, friends and fans with cocktails in hand, and the artist just telling stories, in words and song. Perfect! The second prooved her Wagnerian chops in the demanding Wesendonck.

3. The Cockettes’ Pearls Over Shanghai (8/15): Straight from The Cockettes’ closet and into The Thrillpeddlers’ Hypnodrome…this irresistable tale is told in glitter, technicolor, pasties, and skin, with raw, campy delivery, and a bawdy flavor. I am happy to now be a part of this production, its first revival since its creation in the late ’60s. John Waters just graced our audience. Don’t miss it!

4. David Wilcox at the Swedish American Hall (3/23): First row, perfect intimacy and completely disarming open-heartedness.

5. Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment at SF Opera (10/22): This Pelly production is an example of a fresh take on an opera that enhances a classic, not apologizes for or covers it up. Diana Damrau and Juan Diego Florez struck the perfect balance of bel canto purity and knee-slapping hijinx. It was genuinely funny throughout…true laughter spilled forth from the audience, not just the polite opera-laughter one is accustomed to. Meredith Arwady’s turn as The Marquise de Berkenfeld was beyond her years in comedic timing, and positively ebullient.

6. Next to Normal on Broadway (8/2): Like really good therapy…onstage. Vocal chops for days from all 6 performers. Alice Ripley may be crazy, but she’s perfect in this role, and the show lives up to its buzz.

7. Verdi’s Requiem at SF Opera (5/29): This was a moving farewell for Donald Runnicles. Heidi Melton and Stephanie Blythe melded beautifully. Melton stepped in last minute for an ailing Patricia Racette. The performance just crackled with emotion and commitment. And, how special to experience a sacred choral masterwork in our opera house!

8. Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess at SF Opera (6/12): To finally hear this score performed live in its original operatic context was a true thrill, especially after growing so fond of pop and jazz renditions for decades. Laquita Mitchell and Eric Owens lovingly gave 120%.

9. Rossini’s Semiramide at Caramoor (7/31): In this case especially, it’s hard to separate memories of the setting and journey from the performance itself, but the warm summer air, cultivated audience, and Queer Opera Punk friends in tow helped make it very memorable. It starred bel canto masters Angela Meade, Vivica Genaux, Lawrence Brownlee, and Daniel Mobbs. And, how lovely to discover my old choir friend Heather Meyer in the chorale!

10. Paul Taylor Dance Company at YBCA (5/2): This Program C included Arden Court, (Music by William Boyce: Symphonic Excerpts), Private Domain (Music by Iannis Xenakis: Atrees), and Offenbach Overtures (including La Grande-Duchesse de Gerolstein and Berbe-Bleue Overtures). Unfortunately, this year held few dance performances for me, but, at least included this one! CJ’s high school acquaintance Rob Kleinendorst is a long-time company member. The Offenbach was absolutely hysterical, not the sort of tone I expected from the company. A real fresh surprise! Last time I saw their tour, I was floored by their dramatic, apocalyptic Promethian Fire. Although not intentional, it felt like a 9/11 tribute. Well, this Offenbach couldn’t be more different, and shows their breadth.

Honorable Mentions: South Pacific Tour, GG Theatre, SF; American Idiot, Berkeley Rep (World Premiere, and Broadway-bound); Kylie Minogue concert, Fox Theatre, Oakland, CA; Pink Martini in concert, Davies Symphony Hall, SF; Souvenir, with Judy Kaye and Donald Corren, Geary Theatre, SF; SF Opera Auditions for the General Director (David Gockley) highlights: Michael Sumuel’s “O! Du mein holder Abendstern”, Ryan Belongie’s “Cara Sposa” and Nathaniel Peake’s “Salut demeure chaste et pure” and “Ah! lève-toi soleil!”.

Overrated/Yawners: In the Next Room: The Vibrator Play, Berkeley Rep (now on Broadway?! I fell asleep.); Billy Elliot on Broadway (some great moments and some great dancing do not a great musical make).

Heidi Melton Wesendonck: A Short-Term Farewell

On October 20, 2009 LIEDER ALIVE! presents a benefit recital, featuring Heidi Melton (soprano), Eleazar Rodriguez (tenor), and John Parr (piano). It will be at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Concert Hall, at 8:00pm.

Eleazar, an elegant lyric tenor from the current crop of Merolini, will offer Beethoven’s Adelaide, and Schumann’s Dichterliebe in the first half. And, Heidi will offer three Brahm’s lied, AND the Wesendonck Lieder in the second half. This is Heidi’s last scheduled public performance in the Bay Area, before she jets off to New York, and then Berlin. I believe she is covering the Trovatore Leonora at SFO, so only an indisposition by Sondra Radvanovsky (and the understudy) would give us her Leonora so soon.

Buy tickets now!

Visit the LIEDER ALIVE! main site for other event or general program info.

Heidi Melton’s youtube Debut

At last!

My friend Heidi Melton now has a footprint on youtube. After understudying Alceste for Christine Brewer at Santa Fe Opera, and Chrysothemis for Debbie Voigt at the Met this winter, she’ll continue to emerge as THE leading dramatic soprano of the next generation. Someone in france recorded and has just posted excerpts from her recital, likely from the same time as her Amelia, in last season’s Un Ballo in Maschera at Opéra National de Bordeaux.

Although a “pirate” recording, and perhaps not sanctioned by the artist, this is a wonderful introduction to her art, for those who haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing her live. Even though the sound quality is not ideal, her voluptuous bottom and molten top are in full display here. Be sure to listen to her other three videos posted as well, either in the youtube “Related Videos” or in my vodpod sidebar widget.

Stay tuned for news of her October recital for LIEDER ALIVE! at the SF Conservatory of Music (details not yet available). It will be her last Bay Area performance for some time, as she will then be on her way to New York, and Berlin in ’10.

Karmic Retribution: Melton in Verdi’s Requiem

Surely the ghosts of Verdi and Britten (not to mention St. Patty, aka Patricia Racette) conjured up this gift! After the very disappointing cancellation of Britten’s Peter Grimes at the San Francisco Opera, robbing diva Heidi Melton (and us) of her formal debut in a leading role (Ellen Orford) on its stage, what glorious news the title of this May 28th SFO “Media Advisory” bore:

SOPRANO HEIDI MELTON TO REPLACE PATRICIA RACETTE
IN MAY 29 VERDI REQUIEM CONCERT CONDUCTED BY
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA MUSIC DIRECTOR DONALD RUNNICLES

This was especially welcome, after Heidi had a cancellation of her own mid-week, from Berkeley Opera’s Annual Gala, celebrating their 30th anniversary. At the time, I didn’t care if she was only to sing a single aria, I had to be there. Little did anyone know that a few days later she’d be delivering up one of the most demanding and exciting parts in the entire Italian (opera) rep.

This performance was crafted in honor of Donald Runnicles, and his 17 years as Music Director of the SFO. Although I hadn’t originally intended to go, with Heidi on board, it was NOT be missed.

It was a sold-out house, packed to the gills. It was heartening to see this, as Runnicle’s commitment to the company, and investment in the evolution of the orchestra, choir, and artists has been invaluable. He has set the bar very high for Luisotti, and the orchestra on a trajectory for the finest quality. In particular, his musical tastes seem to be very in line with mine…built on a foundation of Mozart, Strauss and Wagner (a not so subtly german trio!).

After my friend scored a single last-minute seat in the Orchestra, I scaled the heights to find the last standing room spot in the Balcony (aka “nose-bleeds”). When the first notes of the Requiem started and I looked around me, I felt as if we were in our spiritual home, here to worship Verdi, Runnicles (and Heidi…NOT in that order!) at the altar of music. It sent a chill up my back. It’s so rare to experience rep like this in the opera house, so it was truly special.

I was reminded that where I stood was the real acoustic sweet spot of the house, and nowhere else can one hear such fine textures in the soundscape, far better than in the rear Orchestra, where I first scavenged for a spot. It does seem to favor voices over instruments, as the chorus actually seemed to overpower the orchestra a bit…but I’m certain that’s just a slight acoustic imbalance, and was hardly a problem.

When basso Andrea Silvestrelli sang his first “Kyrie”, out of him spilled a generous, throaty, almost “black” Russian-like tone. However, he was capable of reigning it in to render more tender expressions as well. It was hard to believe he could extend such a dark sound up to the upper reaches of his range. There is something wild and untamed about his instrument, which is also supported by hints of the Italianate lisp I most associate with the operatic lion himself, Corelli.

Mezzo Stephanie Blythe offered her signature smooth tone and sensitivity to the score, but knew when to draw some thrilling edge forth from her voice. Her recent Amnerises have likely helped take her even further to these Simionato extremes. She is a model for what it means to be a truly collaborative artist. When singing with Heidi, she would lean into her, look at her, and exchange in a real give-and-take, as the phrases allowed it. And, when not singing, she was rapt and intent on those who were…really listening. Beautiful!

Tenor Stefano Secco was a shade lyric in this company, and relative to the great recordings I’ve grown accustomed to, but he sang with beauty of tone, blended well in the ensemble, and nailed every challenge in the score. He had the required squillo one is wanting from this piece.

It was overwhelming to see Heidi Melton perform this piece, on the stage of her beloved SFO, in her final year as an Adler Fellow. She has truly “arrived”, and it was clear she was meant to be, and deserved to be up there in that company. I’m so pleased that with the memory of this grand experience, she is supportively launched into her international career. I think her voice was born for Wagner and Strauss (german rep.), but she proved she is a worthy Verdian too. In particular, she shaped beautiful phrases in the “Salve me”, from voluminous fortes to caressed pianissimi. She also exhibited a lovely trill. She sustained a perfectly supported mezza voce in the Agnus Dei, and sang as one voice with Blythe. Perhaps because of the Caballe/Cossotto recording, I never feel this movement is conducted slowly enough, but imagine the breath support required to do so would be cruel. She commanded the stage in the scena Libera Me, and effectively rode the orchestra through its swells and crests.

Maestro Runnicles led his forces with vigor, and let the score guide him, rather than imposing an “interpretation”. In my 15 years in the Bay Area, he is the only SFO Music Director I have “known”, so this is truly the end of an era, and a book-end on a glorious run. His presence and manner alone have always lent a gravitas and reverence to our Company, and this art form we cherish.

Having just attended the Requiem at the SF Symphony last season it was interesting to draw some comparisons. This piece is more standard rep for a Symphony Orch and Choruses’, and they had the benefit of an actual run, so this may have contributed to it being the cleaner and more nuanced performance. Christine Brewer and Stephanie Blythe (again) put their own magic imprint on the material (shades of Sutherland/Horne as Norma/Adalgisa). BUT, the Verdi Requiem is really more operatic in character than “oratorio” or “symphonic”, and was rightfully performed in the opera house this time around. And, the Opera Orchestra and Chorus delivered a take-no-prisoners drama, with red-blooded fervor…a bit rougher around the edges, but fully committed.

Afterwards, SFO General Director David Gockley, Chairman of the Board of Directors John Gunn, and President of the San Francisco Opera Association George Hume presented Maestro Runnicles with the San Francisco Opera Medal, the highest honor awarded by the Company to an artistic professional (created by Kurt Herbert Adler in 1970). This was a very moving tribute, especially since it’s not frequently given (and rarely to conductors). Other recipient highlights include: Dorothy Kirsten (1970), Leontyne Price (1977), Joan Sutherland (1984), Marilyn Horne (1990), Plácido Domingo (1994), Frederica von Stade (1997), Samuel Ramey (2003), Pamela Rosenberg (2005), and Ruth Ann Swenson (2008).

Runnicles offered a very heart-felt and sincere acceptance and acknowledgement of the SFO and SF as his home, and expressed his great love for all his fellow artists, and us, the SF audience. He offered a special mention of Heidi, who he shared could have had no idea two days before when she woke up what opportunity would come her way. AND, he made the official public announcement that she will be joining him at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, as a member of its famed ensemble. I felt so proud for Heidi…she must have just been beside herself. Having been so scarce on the mainstage of late, this was a true triumph of performance and recognition!

And, there’s more good news to report on the horizon…her bio insert announced that she is scheduled to perform the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos and Ada in Wagner’s rarely heard Die Feen with Frankfurt Opera, both in 2011. That she would make her home in Germany, at least in the short term comes as no surprise, and I hope is a very nurturing setting for her rare gifts!

Keeping Tabs on Heidi Melton

Thanks to operabase.com I discovered that while diva Heidi Melton is in the middle of her career-first run as Elisabeth in Tannhäuser at Opéra National de Bordeaux, she already has quite a line-up of early career roles next season at Deutsche Oper Berlin! I presume this is in addition to her duties covering Brewer’s Alceste, and Voigt’s Chrysothemis.

2009

September – December: Die Frau ohne Schatten, Kinderstimmen / Stimmen der Ungeborenen, Conductors: U Schirmer / Rogister / A Kober

September ’09 – April ’10: Die Zauberflöte, Erste Dame, Conducter: Foremny

2010

February – March: Der Rosenkavalier, Marianne Leitmetzerin,
Conductor: Runnicles

April: Die Walküre, Helmwige, Conductor: Runnicles

April – May: Gotterdammerung, Dritte Norn, Conductor: Runnicles

May: Nabucco, Anna, Conductor: J Fiore

Click here to see her actual posted schedule, and search for your own favorite artist’s upcoming performances by clicking in the left side nav on “Artists”.

Upcoming, Bay Area:

Berkeley Opera’s 2009 Annual Gala
Sunday, May 31, 4:00 – 7:00pm
At Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave., Oakland
Funds raised at the Gala support Berkeley Opera’s 30th Anniversary Season productions. With sopranos Heidi Melton (Adler Fellow 2007-2009) and Nicolle Foland (Adler Fellow 1995-1996) and bass Kenneth Kellogg (Adler Fellow 2008-2009). Tickets: $65. (510) 841-1903, berkeleyopera@gmail.com, or www.berkeleyopera.org.

If you hear of any additional upcoming performances by Heidi, please post them here in Comments. Thanks! We have to enjoy her Bay Area performances before she becomes more scarce here.