Theater an der Wien: Rodelinda
March 20, 2011 by Maria
Filed under Best Arts & Culture, Best Events, International and Highlights, Opera in Vienna
Theater an der Wien: Rodelinda
Sunday, March 20, offers an unusual opportunity for the Viennese music lover: it’s the opening night of Theater an der Wien’s Rodelinda, Regina de’ Longobardi. Georg Friedrich Händel, one of the most celebrated composers in London at the time, composed this 3-act opera seria in 1719 for the Royal Academy of Music. His reputation allowed him to cast the 1725 premiere with well-known singers, including those who had sung in his successful opera, Tamerlano, the previous year.
The opera was immediately popular. The Lombard queen’s legendary ordeal provided a emotional feast for the audience. N. F. Haym’s libretto was based on Antonio Salvi’s earlier work derived from Pierre Corneille’s play Pertharite, Roi des Lombards. The intense love, grief, terror, and joy of Rodelinda’s struggle were apparently fascinating to the London theatergoers: there were 14 initial performances and two subsequent revivals.
The first modern performance of the opera was in 1920, in highly abbreviated form, as part of the re-discovery of Händel’s stage works. Rodelinda was not performed by the New York Metropolitan Opera until 2004. It has remained a rare treat and is now performed in a version closer to the one Händel knew. The presentation is another facet of the growing Theatre an der Wien tradition of combining innovative programming and staging with renowned artists.
The current production unites famed conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt and his son, director Philipp Harnoncourt, with Concentus Musicus Wien and an exceptional cast.
Rodelinda: Danielle de Niese
Bertarido: Bejun Mehta
Grimoaldo: Kurt Streit
Garibaldo: Konstantin Wolff
Eduige: Malena Ernman
Unulfo: Matthias Rexroth
Synopsis:
King Bertarido has been deposed by the interloper Grimoaldo, who intends to marry the queen to consolidate his power. Yet Queen Rodelinda seems incapable of loving anyone but her husband: she is nearly overcome with grief, believing him dead. King Bertarido, however, is not dead, but preparing to return in disguise to rescue his family.
Garibaldo, the wicked advisor to Grimoaldo, is not above threatening the life of Rodelinda’s son to cause her to accept marriage with the pretender to the throne. She cannily seems to accept his proposal, initially alarming the hidden king. But when he realizes that Rodelinda, too, has a plan, he rushes to embrace her. Grimoaldo, seeing only an unknown rival, has Bertarido imprisoned. But the king’s sister, having previously conspired against him, penitently frees him. Bertarido subsequently discovers the unguarded Grimoaldo in a troubled sleep and intervenes as the pretender’s malicious counselor Garibaldo attempts to murder him. Bertarido’s heroic defense of his enemy transforms Grimoaldo. Having seen the extraordinary nature of love inspiring the royal couple, he returns Queen Rodelinda and the kingdom to the man he admires, humbled by the noble character of his adversary.
Perhaps more than any of Händel’s other operas, Rodelinda is ignited by passion and grace. This celebration of loyalty and love, radiant with some of his best music, provides an exceptional experience for any listener.
Rodelinda at Theater an der Wien: March 20, 22, 24, 26, 29, and 31
Karen Bentley
Austria for Japan
March 18, 2011 by Maria
Filed under Best Arts & Culture, Best Charities, Clubs & Associations, Inspirational, International and Highlights, Opera in Vienna
Voluntary donation of EUR 33,212.87 was collected during the first 3-day campaign that will continue until 31 March. This overwhelming result would not have been possible without the contribution and team work of everyone who volunteered throughout the campaign.
The project “Austria for Japan” is a private initiative by Japanese musicians and music producers in Austrian orchestras, opera houses or music conservatories, conducting a series of charity concerts in Vienna (starting at the VIC on 22 March) followed by concerts in Linz, Salzburg and other parts of Austria to support the Japanese Red Cross Society in its response to the situation in the crisis region to help people who lost everything during the terrible disasters. All admissions and donations are fully transferred to the Japanese Red Cross Society.
Highlights from the charity concert
at the VIC – United Nations in Vienna on 22 March 2011
Daichi Fujiki (Countertenor), Yuka Onishi (soprano), Mari Moriya (soprano), Yasushi Hirano (baritone),
Noriko Takenaka (violin) and Aiko Shibata (violin)
All photos and videos made by The Best of Vienna blog
Copyright: performing artists
Violin Duo
Noriko Takenaka and Aiko Shibata, violinists of the Tonkünstler Orchestra
G.F. Handel: Lascia ch’io pianga (“Let me weep”)
Mari Moriya, soprano at the Linzer Oper
Daichi Fujiki (Countertenor, Concertmanager, Internship at Wienerstaatsoper Administration)
Amazing Grace
Yasushi Hirano, bass-baritone at the Wiener Volksoper
W. A. Mozart: Ave verum corpus (KV 618)
If you want to donate to the affected population of earthquake and tsunami in Japan you can directly send your donations to the Japanese Red Cross Society.
Name of Bank: Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Name of Branch: Ginza
Account No.: 8047670 (Ordinary Account)
SWIFT Code: SMBC JP JT
Payee Name: The Japanese Red Cross Society
Payee Address: 1-1-3 Shiba-Daimon Minato-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN
Voluntary donations can also be transferred to:
Global Giving:
http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/japan-earthquake-tsunami-relief/
Save the Children:
http://www.savethechildren.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=8rKLIXMGIpI4E&b=6478593&ct=9170883¬oc=1&msource=wenlpaqk0311
http://www.SavetheChildren.org/JapanQuake
Caritas Internationalis:
http://www.caritas.org/activities/emergencies/MassiveEarthquakeHitJapan.html
For current and developing information on the unfortunate disaster, please visit the following websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_I_Nuclear_Power_Plant
http://www.jaea.go.jp/english/jishin/index.html
http://www.ustream.tv/channel-popup/nhk-world-tv
http://www.jaif.or.jp/english/index.php
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110315004749.htm
Website of the Japanese Red Cross:
http://www.jrc.or.jp/english/relief/l4/Vcms4_00002070.html
Website with a timeline and details:
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Japan_disaster_timeline_999.html
Useful website with donation links:
http://wien.orf.at/stories/504253/
Wieviel Katastrophen verträgt ein Land eigentlich? Könnten wir Österreicher auf Menschlichkeit und Solidarität aus dem Ausland hoffen, vertrauen? In Japan passierte am 11 Maerz 2011 ein entsetzliches, katastrophales Erdbeben, danach zwei weitaus schlimmere Katastrophen, der Tsunami und in deren Folge der Atomkraftwerksunfall. Und wir wissen noch nicht, wie es in unserem dicht besiedelten Land weiter gehen wird. Was werden die Folgen sein? Wir Japaner, die zur Zeit in Österreich Musik studieren oder an den verschiedenen Theatern und Musikuniversitäten angestellt sind, haben uns überlegt, was wir für unser Land und unsere Mitmenschen in Japan tun können, außer an zuhause zu denken und zu beten.
Wir Musiker verdienen das Geld im täglichen Leben mit der Musik. In dieser Notsituation wollen wir auch durch die Musik die Leute ermutigen und finanziell unterstützen. Wir organisieren mehrere Benefizkonzerte an verschiedenen Orten, damit wir so viel wie möglich Spenden sammeln können. Es wäre für uns eine große Hilfe wenn Sie dabei uns unterstützen können. Wir verzichten klarerweise auf die Gagen. Alle Eintrittspreise und Spenden werden direkt an das japanische Rote Kreuz überwiesen, damit diese Organisation das eingenommene Geld für die notwendigen Maßnahmen verwenden kann. International bekannte japanische Musiker konnten wir für die Benefizkonzerte gewinnen, so wie Orchestermusiker, Opernsänger, Dozenten der Musikuniversität, Solisten und freischaffende Musiker.