Comments for University Assisted Living

Comment on CARMEN by Mimi Harris

Mimi Harris — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:11:10 +0000

Sat. was outstanding. I just saw the movie production. That Carmen I found more evil and manipulative. Hard to believe she had the capacity to love even briefly. Garanca blew me away. Besides her magnificent voice, outstanding beauty and fabulous body she was believable. Usually if I have seen Domingo in a role I am disappointed in any other tenor, but I thought Alagna was wonderful. Really liked his voice and thought his acting was great. My friend Syd was less enthusiastic. Agreed that Carmen was the best he had ever seen but not so pleased with Alagna or the production. Agreed with all the above about Micaela. However, the movie one was cloyingly sweet.

Comment on CARMEN by Barbara Lamar

Barbara Lamar — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:33:13 +0000

I agree with Richard. This was an exciting, memorable performance. I agree with all of his comments, except for not having another production to compare it to. I can’t really imagine a better Carmen, and the toreador was outstanding. To think he stepped into the role with notice only that morning. I agree that Michaela would have been more convincing as a younger, more naive version. My husband had agreed to accompany to Carmen, and then we learned the tickets were sold out. We were both disappointed, and are planning to go together to the reprise on February 4th.

Comment on THE TALES OF HOFFMANN by Mimi Harris

Mimi Harris — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 13:55:06 +0000

I saw tales of Hoffmann last night. I did not get to either of the DVDs and never saw the opera before.
Ilove it . It may be my favorite so far. The only negative I agree with is re the tasteless and distracting courtesan scene.
I disagree with Richard’s comment about Hoffmann. I thought his voice was one of the best tenors we have seen this season.
Maybe, if I had seen other productions I would feel differently .

Comment on THE TALES OF HOFFMANN by Barbara Lamar

Barbara Lamar — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:15:41 +0000

Before the Saturday HD performance, I watched the DVD of the 1951 version with Moira Shearer, so my reactions mainly contrast the two interpretations. The Pressman and Powell, 1951, version was to me superior in the portrayal of Octavia. I preferred Shearer’s looks and balletic style as a lovely porcelain doll, to Kim’s windup Raggedy Ann style. It didn’t fit the story as well, although Kim’s singing was fine. I preferred the HD version of Antonia, with voices and acting of both Antonia and Hoffmann. The courtesan scene with Giulietta was awful in the HD version, pointlessly tasteless and distracting, and not such great singing or acting. The HD version was better with Nicklausse/muse who was much more plausible and whose purpose was more clear than in the 1951 version. I actually preferred the villains in the HD version to those of the 1951 version. The villains in the HD were less sinister, but their fungibility was more to my liking. I seem to be coming down on the side of simplified staging in the operas we have seen so far, which surprises me.

Comment on Turandot by Ina Sandalow

Ina Sandalow — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:55:58 +0000

Anthony’s essay was wonderful. I wish that the directors of Shakespeare and of Opera’s would read it and not try to make the opera (or play) “modern.” Often the modern interpretation detracts from the words or music of the genius who created it.

Comment on News Articles by Elaine Meinzer

Elaine Meinzer — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:37:43 +0000

In regards to the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, it does not hold much meaning for me personally since I was not alive during the time. I do understand how the people during that time feel the significance of the unity and peace that it symbolizes.
Musicians Who Poked at the Iron Curtain: The unity of the different bands in Germany for the anniversary really symbolizes the unity of Germany when the wall fell. It’s terrible when even the music scene is oppressed and kept from expanding. A lot of people in the younger generation enjoy a variety of music and feel it is an escape from stress. Therefore, having limited music options would be unspeakable to the younger generation. When the wall and communist control fell, the music scene rose up and expanded drastically.
Remembering the night the Berlin Wall fell: I did not notice how different the tow sides of Germany were while the wall was up. It must have been strange for the correspondents to go from a wall with many symbols of the culture while the east had plain, clean walls. It must have been very overwhelming when everyone wanted to be in west Germany. It was hard for the easterners as well later, when the westerners basically took over the eastern areas.

Comment on Turandot by Ina Sandalow

Ina Sandalow — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:08:03 +0000

Despite the interruptions of the broadcast, which we at Showcase, were assured were “world wide” it was a wonderful afternoon of Opera. The set and costumes were magnificent and all of the principals sounded and acted beautifully. Seeing the earlier performance on Monday (I didn’t see Tuesday’s) helped me appreciate Saturday.
Ina Sandalow

Comment on Sholom Aleichem by Elaine Meinzer

Elaine Meinzer — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:34:33 +0000

I felt Fiddler on the Roof was a very good movie. It displayed a lot of issues that were going on at the time in Russian culture. What shocked me in the story was how Tevye could say Chava was dead to him for awhile because of marrying Fyedka. Also what shocked me was how the Russian Tsar evicted the Jewish residents of Anatevka. It seems like tradition and religion payed an important role in Russian families. The government also seemed to be oppressive of the Jewish people when they had to “maintain order” by routinely rioting against them then evicting them.

Comment on Nikolai Gogol by Elaine Meinzer

Elaine Meinzer — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:21:54 +0000

My opinion on Taras Bulba the movie was that the story focused on nationalism and loyalty a lot. Taras had taught his sons since birth how to live like Cassacks soldiers. His sons are loyalty to their father and the Steppes as well, until Andrei falls in love. During discussion, I heard that this romantic part of the movie was not as important in the novel and it was glamorized in the Hollywood version. The novel seemed to be based more on the nationalism concept.

Comment on Aida by Richard by Marika Bonacorsi

Marika Bonacorsi — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:42:59 +0000

I loved Wednesday night’s performance of Aida. I thought that this was the best soprano-tenor match-up of all the opera performances we’ve seen thus far. I loved how the richness of Pavarotti’s voice sounded when pared with the lightness of Price’s voice. Specifically, their last duet together was probably one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard.
Personally, I look at the pageantry and the intimacy of Aida as independent of one another. In my opinion, the spectacle of Aida is as much a part of the opera as the music itself, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. However, I feel that the pageantry only has the capacity to affect the opera’s entertainment level, whereas the musicality of the production has the ability to affect the emotional levels of the performance.
I personally don’t feel as though Verdi composed Aida with any sort of political statement in mind. I merely think that he went for the most dramatic plot line, and it happened to address the issue of theocracy. I like to think that sometimes, opera is just opera…