Posts Tagged ‘Stuart Skelton’
Stuart Skelton to revisit PETER GRIMES at BBC Proms
May 15, 2012 | Author insider
Last week the BBC Proms launched their program for 2012. The exciting program includes a concert performance of the much lauded, 2009 English National Opera production of Benjamin Britten’s PETER GRIMES, again starring Australian tenor, Stuart Skelton. The concert will also include Amanda Roocroft as Ellen Orford, Iain Paterson as Captain Balstrode, Felicity Palmer as Mrs Sedley, and will be conducted by ENO Musical Director, Edward Gardner.
This is the third time that Mr Skelton has performed at the BBC Proms, following performances in 2004 in the title role of Dvorak’s DMITRIJ and in 2011 in Mahler’s DAS KLAGENDE LIED.
Other exciting operas and choral works announced in the BBC Proms 2012 Program include:
Debussy’s PELLEAS AND MELISANDE
Lerner and Lowes’ MY FAIR LADY
Berlioz’ THE TROJANS
Gilbert and Sullivans’ THE YEOMAN OF THE GUARD
Mozart’s THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Adam’s NIXON IN CHINA
Bernstein’s MASS
Schoenberg’s GURRELIEDER
Bach’s MASS IN B MINOR
Handel’s JUDAS MACCABAEUS
Elgar’s THE APOSTLES
Berlioz’ REQUIEM
The program is extremely varied with many exciting works being presented. If you wish to read more on the BBC Proms 2012 Program look here:
Coming opera events with Aussies in London
April 3, 2012 | Author insider
With momentum building for the London Olympics, opera companies are ramping up for the Olympic Arts Festival with some interesting works many of which feature Australasians. Here is a smattering of some of our home grown stars planned work over the next few months.
ROYAL OPERA, COVENT GARDEN
4 Cycles of Wagner’s RING during September through to November including Simon O’Neill as Siegmund, Peter Coleman-Wright as Donner and Gunther and Susan Bullock (soon to be adopted as an Aussie after her electrifying performance as Katerina Ismailova in LADY MACBETH OF MTSENSK, and our future Brunhilde for Opera Australia in 2013) as Brunhilde
Berlioz’ THE TROJANS with Ji-Min Park (recently Rudolpho in LA BOHEME, Alfredo in the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour LA TRAVIATA, and rumoured to be Ernesto in a forthcoming DON PASQUALE with Opera Australia) as Iopas, and Pamela Helen Stephen (a much underrated singer when she was with Opera Australia) as Hecube
A new production of Britten’s GLORIANA with Susan Bullock as Elizabeth I and Peter Coleman-Wright as Sir Robert Cecil
A revival of Elijah Moshinsky’s production of Verdi’s SIMON BOCCANEGRA to be performed in the 1881 version
ENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA
A new production of Wagner’s FLYING DUTCHMAN with Stuart Skelton as Erik (replacing Julian Gavin who has unfortunately had to withdraw for health reasons) and Orla Boylan as Senta (another adopted Aussie after singing Mimi in LA BOHEME, Ellen Orford in PETER GRIMES, Procne in Richard Mills LOVE OF THE NIGHTINGALE and a terrific Chrysothemis in ELEKTRA all for the West Australian Opera)
A revival of Puccini’s MADAME BUTTERFLY with Pamela Helen Stephen as Suzuki and conducted by Oleg Caetani (ex-Melbourne Symphony Orchestra)
A new production of Glanert’s CALIGULA starring Peter Coleman-Wright in the title role, directed by Benedict Andrews, sets by Ralph Myers and costumes by Alice Babidge. Translation by Amanda Holden
A new production of Britten’s BILLY BUDD with Jonathan Summers as Mr Redburn and directed by David Alden (director of the recent controversial TOSCA and delightful PARTENOPE for Opera Australia)
OPERA HOLLAND PARK
A new production of LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR with Elvira Fatykhova and Aldo di Toro as Lucia and Edgardo, and directed by Olivia Fuchs (Opera Australia I CAPULETI e i MONTECCHI). A shame that Richard Bonynge was not engaged to conduct to rekindle the magic found in the recent Queensland Opera LUCIA with Elvira Fatykhova
New Zealand soprano Anna Leese singing Tatiana in EUGENE ONEGIN
Peter Robinson (an old friend of both Opera Australia and Queensland Opera) conducting Verdi’s FALSTAFF
Stuart Skelton – rave reviews as Parsifal at ENO
February 18, 2011 | Author insider
Australian born Stuart Skelton has received rave reviews for his thrilling and highly intelligent performance of the role of Parsifal in the English National Opera’s revival of Wagner’s PARSIFAL.
The critic, Hugo Shirley, reviewing the performance for MusicalCriticism.com states “Vocal honours for the evening must go to Stuart Skelton‘s powerful Parsifal. The voice is big, and there’s a visceral thrill in hearing it get cranked up to full power. However, this was also an intelligent performance, charting the character’s trajectory from impetuous inquisitiveness in Act One, via moving anguish in Act Two, to true nobility in Act Three”.
The review on Whatsonstage.com has the following to say about his performance – “In the title role Stuart Skelton was quite simply a revelation. He is a true Heldentenor – his cries of ‘Amfortas’ in the second act pinning you to the back of the seat – yet he never forces, is capable of much soft singing, phrases sensitively and is a consummate actor. His transformation from the ‘fool’ of Act One, through his emotional growth in Act Two, to the wise and worldly knight in Act Three was not only achieved through his acting but with the voice as well. Suffice it to say his is the most complete portrayal of the role I have ever seen”.
High praise indeed !
Stuart will be singing in Mahler’s DAS LIED VON DER ERDE with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Pierre Boulez in March 2012 and making his Metropolitan Opera debut as the Drum Major in Berg’s WOZZECK later this year. The Metropolitan Opera has just announced it’s 2011/12 Season which will see Stuart return to the Met to sing Siegmund in their new RING. Jonas Kaufmann is Siegmund in the second cast.
Theorin withdraws from ENO Parsifal
February 4, 2011 | Author insider
The supposed shooting star of dramatic sopranos, Irene Theorin has withdrawn from the English National Opera’s production of Wagner’s PARSIFAL. An official announcement by Dan Phelan, Director of Communications at ENO, passed on the following statement from Irène’s agent:
“Irène Theorin has withdrawn from the role of Kundry in Parsifal because of artistic differences.”
Rumours concerning her departure are flying willy nilly and range from not being able to sing the role adequately in English, to being dismissed by the conductor, Mark Wigglesworth (who conducted the electrifying PETER GRIMES for Opera Australia in 2009), or being told to do it by Klingsor. Personally, I would sack her for using too much peroxide and heavy black eye shadow.
American mezzo soprano Jane Dutton will now be making her debut in a Wagner role singing Kundry.
The Nikolaus Lehnhoff’s Parsifal is acclaimed as one of the great Wagnerian stagings of our time. It has already had triumphant performances in San Francisco, Chicago, Baden-Baden and Barcelona. So what artistic differences could Ms Theorin have with the production? And when did she withdraw? The production opens in 14 days. If the withdrawal was as late as the 29th January as suspected, that leaves a very small window for Jane Dutton to take over such a massive role.
Anyway, the Insider wishes Sydney born Stuart Skelton and the rest of the cast best wishes for a fabulous opening night and run.