White Shirt Monday: Triple Sec
[Karolina Blixt and the mojo of Handel's "Serse", Stockholm 2010. - Photo Credit: Alexander Kenney/Royal Swedish Opera]
…
What’s it with Swedish mezzos and “Serse”?
von Otter did it.
Ernman did it.
(most recently at Versailles, because Serse always travels in style. And there is not nearly enough Ernman around here lately. Must change that!)
That means my personal Nordic pantheon is already involved. And after Tove mentioned Karolina Blixt last week, I was happy to fit another Swedish mezzo take on “Serse” into WSM this week.
What’s it with Serse and the Swedes?
Are all Persian kings blond and blue-eyed?
(and why do I have to think about “One against an Army” now?)
Either way – thank you, Sweden. WhiteShirtania owes you beyond the ESF credit limit.
Glad to see Blixt make it into the White Shirt Monday pantheon! She was after all my first white shirt – yes, look, there is a white shirt with ruffles under there – http://www.svd.se/kultur/musik/karolina-blixt-en-idealisk-orfeus_3186317.svd
Oh, but Blixt is neither blond nor blue-eyed. And whether Ernman is really blond, well, who knows?
I think blonde is a state of mind
Blixt looks like she’s channeling Travolta in Grease there!
Because she’s worth it ! 👢
Hey Sarah – those boots only show up on iPod/iPhone, not desktop unfortunately!
We’ll just have to use good old fashioned imagination !
Just to help you along with a bit more Ernman (from last weekend’s concert in Dalhalla) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPMHoGFxMq0
How to end a concert with a splash
Btw Katarina Karneus was the Swedish mezzo who first did Xerxes in the staging that Karolina Blixt then took over.
Thank you for this Swedish freshness:-)
thank you for the link and for yet another Swedish mezzo! (there can simply never be enough!)
You can enjoy Operas from Aix en Provence Festival on Arte Live Web
Live transmission this evening of Le Nozze di Figaro – dynamic staging by a young French director and very good Cherubino!!! (Kate Lindsay) (and pregnant Contessa). It will be availible 6 months.
http://liveweb.arte.tv/fr/video/Les_Noces_de_Figaro_Aix_en_Provence/
Starting July 16, David & Jonathas – French baroque opera by Charpentier after the biblical legend – the tragic love between David and Jonathas, son of king Saul. Wonderful music, singers and inventive staging (A. Homoki)
http://liveweb.arte.tv/fr/video/David_et_Jonathas_Festival_d_Aix-en-Provence/
Live transmission on July 14 of Written on Skin – Opera composed by George Benjamin especially for the Festival (have not seen it) : after a legend of Provence from 12 century – a husband who makes eat to his wife her lover’s heart…
http://liveweb.arte.tv/fr/video/Written_On_Skin_Festival_Aix-en-Provence/
La Finta Giardiniera by Mozart – availible now and for 6 months – sung by young singers from the Academie of the Festival (a training program) and which is presented in a place outside the town “plein air”
http://liveweb.arte.tv/fr/video/La_Finta_Giardiniera_Festival_d_Aix-en-Provence/
thanks, Al. I had planned to wirte a post on this, but I guess that would be a little pointless now – definitely check out FInta & Figaro for the White Shirt factor, and I am looking forward to the other two as well (I’ve enjoyed most Homokis I’ve seen so far).
This is the first thing I see of Homoki and find it very interesting.
I would like very much to have your point of view on these, sorry if I have spoiled something with my too early comment
Nah, you just took some work off my hands
perhaps I’ll do a round-up after seeing the productions, or I’ll simply add La Monnaie’s Trovatore – very intriguing stage concept, too: Azucena locks everyone in an old mansion and tries to figure out what the hack happened in that plot. I still haven’t figured out whether half of them are ghosts or not, but it’s a really inventive reading.
Sarah Connoly, tonight on BBC2 tele. 8-30pm !!
or on BBC radio 3 at 19.30!
which is available also to residents outside of Britain – great, thank you!
and for those who can listen and not watch here is a quick pic of Ms Connolly looking (and sounding) resplendent at the concert –
http://eyesometric.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/connolly-proms-2012.jpg