What's Richard Croft (Singing God) Up to These Days?

This clip is from about two years ago. He was an amazing Tito at Glyndbourne in 2017. What's he up to this year? Lovers of gorgeous tenor singing want to know.

Gratuitous Friday, Part 2 – Richard Croft as Tito

Richard Croft, singing god; one tenor for whom Tito holds no terrors. 

Sadly, this is audio only. But what audio!!

Tito @ Glyndebourne – Watch it Now!

If you have any interest at all in Mozart, La Clemenza di Tito, Claus Guth, Glyndebourne, staged opera, sung opera, Richard Croft, Alice Coote, mezzo-sopranos in general, or just about anything to do with music, singing, and opera, stop what you're doing and go to the Telegraph’s website (or Glyndebourne.com) and see this opera. 

You have less than five days now.  According to fellow blogger, dehggial (who has an awesome review of the production) there is a planned DVD release, but: (1) nothing is life is 100% certain; and (2) see it now anyway—you can always buy the DVD later (I know I will). The new Salzburg Tito has its merits; and it will be online at Medici for a while. We can talk more about both of them later. Go watch/listen the Glyndebourne performance now!

Random Thoughts While Listening to Lirico Spinto on France Musique

I wish I understood French. I don't even understand most of the singers' names in French. Even the French singers. 

Most of the time, I really dislike Maria Callas' voice (Sorry, everyone. I know that's a special kind of operatic heresy.) She made some truly dreadful sounds. (Gluck – see below)

Sometimes, I really like Maria Callas' voice. She made some absolutely lovely sounds (now and then)! (Bellini – see below)

Speaking of Bellini, almost everything he wrote sounds the same to me – even the bits that I already know. 

Almost everything Gluck wrote also sounds the same to me – even the bits from Orfeo/Orphee; although I definitely like Gluck better than Bellini.

Anna Moffo had a pretty spectacular voice (I know, that's not really news.) At least Bellini is really pretty when she sings it.

Véronique Gens also has a spectacular voice, especially when she’s singing in French.

James King sounded pretty darned good back in the early 60s – even singing Gluck in German.

Vesselina Kasarova has at least three voices, and she uses them all to great effect, especially in this Orphee excerpt in the Gluck program. (It's credited to an RCA CD, but I think it's the same performance as on this DVD.)

Richard Croft's voice is still god-like. (Also not news, but...oh my!)

Google Chrome continues to aggravate by automatically translating (or trying to translate) any page that's not in English. OTOH, it does provide a hearty giggle now and then. For example, this aria from I Capuleti e i Montecchi  entitled "O, fifty flip" (O, quante volte).  

The Bellini Program

 The Gluck Program

Three Rs: Rosenkavalier, Röschmann, and aRiodante (not together)

Der infamous Rosenkavalier from Glyndebourne (Video available for about 6 days.)

Dorothea Röschmann singing Faure, Liszt (somewhat surprisingly), Strauss, and Wolf (less surprising) in recital from Wigmore on Radio BBC 3 (For about 7 more days.)

Handel’s Ariodante in a 1997 performance from the Concertgebouw on Radio 4 Concerthuis (for about 16 more days) with Anne Sofie von Otter, Richard Croft, Marc Minkowski, and others.

Gratuitous Friday – Richard Croft Sings Handel (audio only)

Richard Croft sings I Must With Speed Amuse Her, Jupiter’s aria from Act II of Handel’s Semele. (He’s Jupiter! See, I told you he was god-like!) This clip also includes the chorus: Now love that everlasting boy invites.

Bonus track: Where’er you Walk, also from Semele (lightly and tastefully ornamented).

Both clips feature Les Talens Lyriques and Christophe Rousset from a performance at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris, 07/02/2010.

Monday Mozart – Speaking of Richard Croft

Richard Croft, a Mezzo in Pants (and from Mezzo TV), and the Arnold Schoenberg Choir! 

This November 2013 performance from Theater an der Wien is on Yoo Toob in four segments. Here's the first section of Act 1:

Idomeneo: Richard Croft

Idamante: Gaëlle Arquez

Ilia: Sophie Karthäuser

Elettra: Marlis Petersen

Arbace: Julien Behr

Gran Sacerdote di Nettuno: Mirko Guadagnini
Orchestra Freiburger Barockorchester
Chorus Arnold Schoenberg Choir
Conductor: René Jacobs

Director: Damiano Michieletto

Gratuitous Friday – The god-like Voice of Richard Croft

The subject of the god-like voice of Richard Croft came up in Twitterville this week, and of course that sent me searching for more of his golden tones. He recorded a complete Orphée with Marc Minkowski. I'm not sure the audio is of this live performance, or if the performance was in conjunction with the recording. Who cares? It's a great listen! Happy Friday!

More Richard Croft

The Orfeo/Orphee Comparo Edition (Part 1)

Franco Fagioli

So I keep listening to the new Orfeo broadcast, and I keep trying to figure out who Franco Fagioli reminds me of. While I was thinking, I decided to post the Act 3 duet, so we can all hear how well his voice blends with Malin Hartelius. What a lovely combo!

After a few listens, I realized that Fagioli kind of reminds me of Marilyn Horne. Wait, I know that sounds weird, but when he goes into his awesome chest voice...well, here is MH with Pilar Lorengar for comparison:

And just for good measure and because I was listening to all the different recordings I have, here are Richard Croft and Mireille Delunsch singing the French version. Have I mentioned that I think Richard Croft is a musical god?

And finally, Berlioz must have his say, too. So here are Anne Sofie von Otter and Barbara Hendricks:

Monteverdi Monday – Richard Croft & Patricia Schumann

Richard Croft and Patricia Schumann as Nerone and Poppea sing Pur ti miro. It’s not an "authentic" performance, although the edition was prepared by René Jacobs. But when Richard Croft is singing, who cares? This is from 1993; he had (and still has) such a bright clear, unaffected voice.  And the staging is kind of erotic, in a non-explicit way. Happy Monteverdi Monday!

L'Incoronazione di Poppea: Pur ti miro

Gratuitous Friday – Richard Croft is Belmonte

Richard Croft rocks Belmonte in this 1990 performance from
the Drottingholm Palace Theater. This difficult aria from Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail is often cut, and many tenors (unwittingly) demonstrate why that's a good idea. 

In this case, keeping it in was an even better idea.

Pelléas et Mélisande, Glyndebourne, 1998 – Part 2: Relax and Float Downstream

John Tomlinson

So, what the heck is this opera about anyway? Golaud is so angry. He is abusive and bullying, especially towards Ynoild and Mélisande.  Did he abuse his first wife, or did his personality change due to anger and grief over her…death? …abduction? …escape? …nervous breakdown? He’s dismissive of the young lovers—maybe he is in denial about their romance—referring them to as children engaging in child’s play. 

Pelléas et Mélisande, Glyndebourne, 1998 – Part 1: Turn Off Your Mind...

In an impressionist work of art nothing can be assumed to be as it appears; it's symbolic. How can people possibly complain about the setting not being literal? Isn't that the point of impressionism?

Richard Croft

What the heck is Pelléas et Mélisande about, anyway? Maeterlinck and Debussy deliberately left things vague, and I wonder if any physical production by its very nature will place more interpretive weight on the story than the composer and playwright intended. Perhaps the closest one could come would be to sit in a quiet room and silently read the score. However, this opera is much better heard and seen, even if you disagree with the vision.

Messiah – Theater an der Wien, 2009 (Part 3: Not Your Mother’s Messiah, Either)

Claus Guth's staging of Handel's Messiah is strange and wonderful; weird and exquisite; disturbing and comforting. 

O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion

Wonderful, exquisite, and comforting all describe the musical performance; and all six adjectives describe the staging. His alienating gray and institutional set is on a turntable, making scene changes swift. This plus the stark contrasts of light and shadow give the production a cinematic feeling. 

Messiah – Theater an der Wien, 2009 (Part 2: Strange and Wonderful)

I noted in the previous post that Claus Guth has chosen to add a new layer of narrative to Messiah. He builds on the emotions and images from Handel's text, but doesn't stage the oratorio in a literal way.

The action begins at a funeral. People are sad, some are angry. In Every valley the minister (tenor Richard Croft) preaches comfort, but is uneasy, and seems to know more than he is telling. An angry man, perhaps the deceased’s brother (bass Florian Boesch) opens the casket to reveal that the deceased slashed his wrists. Another brother (?) (countertenor Bejun Mehta) freaks out, exhibiting remorse, fear, grief, and anger. Meanwhile, the chorus seem to be the people that are walking in darkness. Asking, questioning, reassuring, usually clustering together or moving close to walls, and almost always moving as a unit.

Vensday Wagner Vexation: Wagner's Dream? Or Bob's Machine?

Das Rhinegold: Still Life with Machine

After watching the documentary on Robert Lepage's Ring Cycle on PBS Monday night, and most of Das Rhinegold on Tuesday, I can't help but wonder: What would the opera have been like if M. Lepage had expended as much creative energy directing his singers as he did worrying about the Machine?

Mozart: Mitridate, Re di Ponto – M22 (Part 2: I Can See Clearly Now)

At 14, Mozart had neither the clout nor the maturity yet to write the character-specific music of his later music dramas.  He was required to write pretty, flashy music so the singers could show off. However, many of the arias in Mitridate are quite expressive.  “So," you ask, “Speaking of the arias, how is the singing?”

One might expect the smooth light voice of Bejun Mehta to be overshadowed by all the soprano/tenor brightness, but it's not. His acting skills and agile voice characterize Farnace’s journey from snottiness to maturity. His final aria, much of it sung almost sotto voce, is heartbreaking.

Blindfolded, Farnace finally sees the light.

Mozart: Mitridate, Re di Ponto – M22 (Part 1: Make Room for Daddy)

Here is the setup: Aspasia is supposed to marry King Mitridate (whom they think died in battle); but she falls mutually in love with his son Sifare; Farnace is also in love with Aspasia, but he is supposed to marry Ismene. They all express themselves in beautiful but lengthy arias. It sounds challenging but I think it’s worth it. Stick with the weird Mozarts and the odd initial behavior of the principals; patience is rewarded. Let the games begin!