Dear all, the Académie is looking for your support!
Donations will be used to fund the photography exhibition “Cordes sensible” at Boulogne-Billancourt documenting the incredible journey of the Académie. Any excess money goes directly to supporting their important work.
With your help, a new generation of the most deserving students will get a head start.
If it is at all possible for you, please consider donating: [x]
Today we’re in for a surprise treat! An illustrous team of artists joins forces for the “Symphonie pour la vie“, a charity album benefitting the Fondation Hôpitaux de Paris – Hôpitaux de France.
You can stream the album already! The regular release is on 12th of June 2020. Here is where to stream and preorder! [x]
(Just a side note: You can easily order from Amazon France if you live in Germany for example, simply using your regular Amazon account.)
The remaining two concerts of Philippe Jaroussky’s Asia tour have just been cancelled. If you are holding any tickets for Taipei and Kaohsiung, the following link also details the process of how to get a full refund.
You can read the original announcement here: [x]
Tokyo Opera City cancels all concerts until March 15. This includes the concert of Philippe Jaroussky and his Ensemble Artaserse, scheduled on March 13.
Stay safe and healthy everyone! Our thoughts are also with the countless other artists affected by this crisis.
Source/Press release: [x]
I have just been informed that, responsibly, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Hall decided to prologue its cancellations until end of March to prevent further spreading of COVID-19.
Among others, Mr Jaroussky’s concert on March 15 2020 is affected.
We’re very sorry for the Chinese fans and all the ones who intended to travel.
We will keep you informed should other changes to Mr Jaroussky’s schedule occur as soon as we’re made aware.
Here is the original press release: [x]
Succeeding the pianist Sergei Babayan, Mr PJ is going to be “Curating Artist” at the Konzerthaus Dortmund for the 2020/21 season. Which means that in March, he is going to take over programming and concerts for a little while and is providing us with an unusual selection of events.
“Musically versatile” would be an understatement: There will be a masterclass, a moderated soirée, a classical recital, … An illustrious roster of artists is going to join him for a Nuit Française; there will be some solo concerts, and what seems to become his first conducting project.
Head over to the Konzerthaus Dortmund for tickets and more info!
Tickets are on sale already!
It’s hard to say for whom it was the greater honour: for Philippe Jaroussky to be the very first singer ever at the Elbphilharmonie, or for Hamburg, and, on a larger scale, Germany, to have secured a musician of indisputable world class to open the new venue.
After a stony trail of mismanagement and miscalculations concerning the planning of the gargantuan project, the Elbphilharmonie was finally inaugurated. Accordingly, a great amount of pressure was on the shoulders of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester and Thomas Hengelbrock, and also on that of the organisers. They had to balance introducing the hall as a public property, where everyone would be welcome and invited (the tickets for the two opening nights were all given away via a lottery), and creating an event that would be up to international standards in terms of performance, before an audience including our chancellor and other government officials, in an arena where the sound of the hall, designed by famed acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota, would be under public scrutiny. You can read more about his work here: [x]
Summary: it turns out you can’t please everybody. Some weren’t entirely happy with the sound (from a weird angle, as has been amended), some were overjoyed, some bemoaned the choice of pieces and composers. Actually, there was only one thing that drew unanimous consent: Mr. Jaroussky’s performance.
No matter what the general mood of the review, no one managed to find any fault in him. He was amazing. You don’t have to take me word for it; here’s…
… Die Welt, …
“Zum Glück werden die frühbarocken de Cavalieri- und Caccini-Solomadrigale von dem hinreißenden Philippe Jaroussky gesungen.”
[Luckily, the early baroque madrigals by de Cavalieri and Caccini are sung by the ravishing Philippe Jaroussky.]
… Die Zeit, …
“Als der Countertenor Philippe Jaroussky kurz vor der Pause die Arie Amarilli Mia Bella von Giulio Caccini singt, lediglich von einer Barockharfe begleitet, wirkt das Publikum zum ersten und einzigen Mal gebannt und betört, der angespannten Situation völlig entrückt.”
[Only right before the intermission, when the countertenor Philippe Jaroussky sings “Amarilli, mia bella” by Giulio Caccini, the audience seems to be spellbound and enraptured, completely set free from the tension.]
… FAZ, …
“Gute Sänger haben es gut: Wenn Countertenor Philippe Jaroussky mit seiner schmelzenden Zauberstimme den Renaissance-Schlager „Amarilli mia bella“ von Giulio Caccini hoch oben von Block L heruntersingt, sparsam begleitet von den glockig-zirpenden Stütztönen, die Barockharfenistin Margret Köll zuliefert, so wird das zum kulinarischen Hochgenuss.”
[That’s good news for good singers: when countertenor Philippe Jaroussky, with his mellifluous enchanting voice, is singing the Renaissance evergreen “Amarilli mia bella” by Giulio Caccini, from high above at block L, sparingly accompanied by the bell-like, chirping sustaining notes provided by the Baroque harpist Margret Köll, it turns out to be a feast.]
and my personal favourite, ... Die Süddeutsche Zeitung
“… Wer aber Jaroussky schon an anderen Orten und unter schlechteren akustischen Bedingungen gehört hat, weiß, dass dieser Mann immer so gut singt: androgyn, distanziert und mit einer leichten Drohung in der Tonfärbung, irgendwo zwischen Sadismus und Exzess. Die Akustik Yasuhisa Toyota[s] ändert rein gar nichts an Jarousskys phänomenalem Können. Sie erlaubt es aber dem Konzertbesucher, jede noch so feine Nuance seines Gesangs zu hören. Das allein ist schon grandios.”
[… However, [anyone] who has listened to Jaroussky before, in other locations, and under worse acoustic circumstances, knows that this man always sings this well: androgynous, distanced, and with a slight menace to the colouring of his voice, somewhere between sadism and excess. Yasuhisa Toyota’s acoustics change nothing at all about Jaroussky’s phenomenal skill; however, it allows the listener to experience the slightest nuances of his singing, This alone is terrific.]
But hear for yourself!
Because I didn’t see it mentioned anywhere, let me add an extra credit because only the day before the inauguration, Jaroussky had sung the last performance of Alcina in Zürich – Ruggiero, a whale of a role. So, probably as the only one from the cast, he wasn’t allowed to party after the dernière but had to get ready for Hamburg without any break. Furthermore, I can only imagine what it means to sing as the very first singer at an event of that scale, and without the comforting blanket of an orchestra, knowing every shade of what you do is going to be perceptible, for good and for worse, by the roughly 2000 people in the live audience, and the audience following the live stream worldwide, with people zooming in on Google 3D – including many people who most likely will never have heard you before. In short: a true feat, and a memorable performance.
Let’s hope his glorious singing broke the spell of bad luck that was hovering above the project!
Finally, my own two cents: as a person from Stuttgart, I’d happily take roughly ten times an Elbphilharmonie (and counting) for a probably eternally unfinished Stuttgart 21.
You can still watch the stream! Head to the …
Youtube channel of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester: [x]
… or to ARTE Concert! [x]
It’s only two days now – time to get excited! – and “Only The Sound Remains” is going to premiere at De Nationale Opera (the Dutch National Opera) in Amsterdam. For the ones who’d like to get familiar with the project, I put together some useful links and information for further reading, just to have it all in one place!
“Only The Sound Remains” is a piece written specifically with Philippe Jaroussky’s voice in mind, and it will be staged by the legendary Peter Sellars. The composer is Kaija Saariaho. She is the first female composer who has been contracted by the MET since 1903, so it’s definitely time to remember the name if you haven’t already. Here’s a very nice introduction by the Guardian: [x]
Saariaho’s music is imaginative, colourful, drawing from various backgrounds and seems to be influenced by many sources, … just hear for yourself! Here is a short excerpt performed for the Dutch TV Show “De wereld draait door.”
“Only The Sound Remains” is based on two separate Noh pieces. Kaija Saariaho isn’t the first western composer to get inspired by the classic Japanese plays; Benjamin Britten’s “Curlew River” is maybe one of the most famous western classical works that is based on a Noh play.
The two pieces used for “Only The Sound Remains” that share some motives but are entirely independent pieces are …
羽衣, Hagoromo, The Feather Mantle, and
In addition to the University of Virginia Library I linked above, there is another online resource I found very valuable, called the-noh.com: [x]
Next to Philippe Jaroussky, baritone Davone Tines is going to play the respective counterpart. In “The Feather Mantle,” it is a fisherman, in “Always Strong,” it’s a monk evoking the spirit of a dead warrior, Taira no Tsunemasa. If you never heard Davone Tines before: here he is singing a bit from Bellini’s “I Puritani,” Riccardo’s “O Elvira, Elvira, o mio sospir soave …”
A graduate from Juilliard, he is up to a couple of very interesting projects soon; you might want to keep an eye on him!
Be sure to visit the website of De Nationale Opera (The Dutch National Opera), with lots of introductions, interviews, a great video and additional information: [x]
For the dates of the performances, please see the website of De Nationale Opera, or just head over to our Concert Dates page: [x]
Finally – Toi toi toi to all of the cast and crew!
It’s not a good year so far. Anyone in the mailing list of the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées has probably heard the news already. Our heartfelt sympathy goes to Philippe Jaroussky, who has lost his father.
Tomorrow’s staging of “Partenope” is going to take place; American countertenor Lawrence Zazzo is going to stand in.
Cher Public,
Madame, Monsieur,C’est avec une grande tristesse que nous venons d’apprendre le décès du père de Philippe Jaroussky.
Philippe Jaroussky ne pourra vous retrouver demain soir pour interpréter le rôle d’Arsace dans Partenope. Le contre-ténor Lawrence Zazzo a accepté de le remplacer.
Toutes nos pensées vont à Philippe Jaroussky. Nous vous remercions de votre entière et sincère compréhension.
Le Théâtre des Champs-Elysées et ses équipes.
Toi toi toi to Mr. Zazzo and all of the cast and crew.
Next performances: [x]
Partenope is here! So if you’re importing the tracks from CD, and – like myself – aren’t patient enough to wait for the Gracenote database to catch up – here’s the track list, for your leisure, so you can copy paste the track names at least. (Typing track names by hand is a bugger.)
If you find a typo, you can tell us on our Facebook page: [x]
To further enhance the listening pleasure (depending on what’s your thing), here’s … :
If you haven’t bought your copy yet – what’s keeping you; just look at these cuties! Here’s a trailer about the production, featuring some interviews: [x]
Finally, don’t forget to check the tour dates section to see if Partenope might be performed somewhere within your reach! [x]
~~~
Georg Friedrich Händel, Partenope
Partenope – Karina Gauvin
Arsace – Philippe Jaroussky
Armindo – Emöke Baráth
Emilio – John Mark Ainsley
Rosmira – Teresa Iervolino
Ormonte – Luca Tittoto
Riccardo Minasi, Il Pomo d’Oro
2015 Erato
DISC I
01 Ouverture I
02 Ouverture II Allegro
03 Ouverture III Presto
04 ATTO I – Recitativo – Tu dell’eccelse mura – Partenope
05 Coro – Viva, viva, Partenope viva – Coro
06 Recitativo – Miei fidi, arride il cielo – Partenope
07 Recitativo – Arsace, Armindo – Armindo, Arsace, Partenope, Rosmira
08 Recitativo – Regina, il folte schiere – Ormonte, Arsace, Armindo, Partenope, Rosmira
09 Aria – L’amor ed il destin – Partenope
10 Arie – O Eurimene ha l’idea di Rosmira – Arsace
11 Recitativo – Cavalier, se gli dei – Rosmira, Armindo
12 Aria – Se non ti sai spiegar – Rosmira
13 Recitativo – Armindo, ardisci e prova
14 Aria – Voglio dire al mio tesoro – Armindo
15 Recitativo – Ah, ch’un volto fatal mi dà gran pena! – Arsace, Rosmira
16 Aria – Un’altra volta ancor – Rosmira
17 Recitativo – Rosmira, oh dio, Rosmira – Arsace
18 Aria – Sento amor con novi dardi – Arsace
19 Recitativo – Stan pronti i miei guerrier – Partenope, Ormonte
20 Aria – T’appresta forse Amore – Ormonte
21 Recitativo – Signora – Armindo, Partenope
22 Aria – Bramo restar, ma no – Armindo
23 Recitativo – E di che reo son io? Duettino – Per te moro – Arsace, Partenope
24 Recitativo – E se giunge Eurimene? – Partenope, Arsace, Rosmira
25 Aria – Sei mia gioia, Sei mio bene – Partenope
26 Recitativo – I novelli amor tuoi – Rosmira, Arsace
27 Aria – Dimmi, pietoso ciel
28 Recitativo – Ecco Emilio – Ormonte, Emilio, Partenope, Armindo, Rosmira, Arsace
29 Aria – Anch’io pugnar saprò – Emilio
30 Recitativo – Arsace, tu sarai – Partenope, Armindo, Rosmira, Arsace, Ormonte
31 Aria – Io ti levo l’impero dell’armi – Partenope
DISC II
01 Recitativo – Lascia, deh, lascia, oh prence – Arsace, Rosmira, Armindo
02 Aria – È figlio il mio timore – Arsace
03 Recitativo – Prence, di te mi lagno – Armindo, Rosmira
04 Aria – Io seguo sol fiero – Rosmira
05 ATTO II – Sinfonia
06 Recitativo – Forti mie schiere – Emilio
07 Marche
08 Recitativo – Ma le nemiche squadre – Emilio, Partenope
09 Coro – Con valorosa mano – Emilio, Partenope, Tutti
10 Sinfonia
11 Recitativo – Soccorso – Partenope, Armindo
12 Sinfonia
13 Recitativo – Renditi, oppure estinto – Emilio, Arsace, Rosmira, Partenope, Ormonte
14 Coro – Vi circondi la gloria d’allori!
15 Recitativo accompagnato – Contro un pudico amor – Emilio
16 Aria – Barbaro fato, sì – Emilio
17 Aria – Care mura – Partenope
18 Recitativo – Emilio! – Partenope, Emilio, Rosmira, Arsace, Ormonte, Armindo
19 Aria – Voglio amare infin ch’io moro – Partenope
20 Recitativo – Ti bramo amico – Arsace, Emilio, Armindo, Rosmira
21 Duetto – E vuoi con dure tempre – Arsace, Rosmira
22 Recitativo – Non può darsi in un petto – Emilio, Armindo, Rosmira
23 Aria – Furie son dell’alma mia – Rosmira
24 Recitativo – A pro di chi t’offese – Partenope, Arsace
25 Aria – Poterti dir vorrei – Arsace
26 Recitativo – Regina – Armindo, Partenope
27 Aria – Non chiedo, oh luci vaghe – Armindo
28 Recitativo – Più d’ogn’altro sarebbe – Partenope
29 Aria – Qual farfalletta – Partenope
30 Recitativo – Quanto godo, Eurimene – Armindo, Rosmira
31 Recitativo – Rosmira mia, mio bene! – Arsace, Rosmira
32 Aria – Furibondo spira il vento – Arsace
DISC III
01 ATTO III – Sinfonia
02 Recitativo – Regina, ti compiace – Armindo, Partenope, Arsace, Emilio
03 Quartetto – Non è incauto il mio consiglio – Armindo, Emilio, Arsace, Partenope
04 Recitativo – Partenope, Eurimene – Rosmira, Partenope, Arsace, Armindo, Emilio
05 Arietta – Arsace, oh dio, così – Rosmira
06 Recitativo – Chi m’apre i lumi? – Partenope, Emilio, Armindo
07 Aria – Spera e godi, oh mio tesoro – Partenope
08 Recitativo – Prencipe, ardir! – Emilio, Armindo, Rosmira, Arsace
09 Aria – La speme ti consoli – Emilio
10 Recitativo – Rosmira, ove ti guida – Arsace, Rosmira
11 Aria – Ch’io parta? – Arsace
12 Recitativo – Oh dio, par che dal petto – Rosmira
13 Aria – Quel volto mi piace – Rosmira
14 Recitativo – Ormonte, ti destino – Partenope, Ormonte, Armindo
15 Aria – Nobil core che ben ama – Armindo
16 Recitativo – Non chiedo, oh miei tormenti – Arsace
17 Aria – Ma quai note di mesti lamenti – Arsace
18 Recitativo accompagnato – Cieli, che miro! – Rosmira
19 Recitativo – Ma Partenope vien – Rosmira
20 Terzetto – Un cor infedele – Partenope, Arsace, Rosmira
21 Recitativo – Passo di duolo in duolo – Arsace
22 Aria – Fatto è Amor un dio d’inferno – Arsace
23 Recitativo – Di bel desire avvampo – Emilio, Armindo
24 Aria – La gloria in nobil alma – Emilio
25 Sinfonia
26 Recitativo – Regina, in queste arene – Ormonte, Partenope, Emilio, Rosmira, Armindo, Arsace
27 Aria – Sì, scherza, sì – Partenope
28 Recitativo – Armindo sia mio sposo – Partenope, Armindo, Arsace, Rosmira
29 Coro – D’Imeneo le belle tede – Coro
30 Recitatitivo – Regina, in queste arene – Ormonte, Partenope, Emilio, Rosmira, Armindo, Arsace
31 Aria – Seguaci di Cupido – Arsace
32 Recitativo – Tu vanne in libertate – Partenope
33 Coro – D’Imeneo le belle tede – Coro
