If you've been reading for a while, you probably know by my incessant harping that Susanne Mentzer is one of a few singers I consider truly out of the ordinary, and artist and not just a pretty voice. I notice on Chicago Opera Theater's site that she is joining the faculty at Rice after years at DePaul. Lyric, it seems to me, never made much use of her. I wonder if she will now be gracing the stage of Houston Grand Opera, in many ways my home company, the first place I saw a real operatic star turn (Bartoli's US opera debut as Rosina) and the first place I heard Mentzer, as Octavian in 1993. Lucky Houston, if so.
3 comments:
That's an Octavian I'd like to see (and hear)!!!
Apropos of (am I the only blogger who can use the phrase "apropos of" and get away with it?) apropos of Octavians, we've been hammering away at good/historic/memorable (I did not say "definitive"!) recordings & productions of Rosenkavalier, and someone mentioned that Christa Ludwig had performed the Marschallin.
Have you ever heard or heard of that?
Sure, Ludwig is on the uh...Bohm recording I think. With Troyanos and I think Edith Mathis. Ludwig and Troyanos are magnificent, as is the orchestra. Mathis or whoever it is, well...she doesn't have the sound I love in a Sophie, but mostly I can't forgive anyone who isn't Popp for not being Popp. It's really good. I recommend.
Yikes! Ludwig & Troyanos AND Bohm? That sounds like [another] "must have"!!!
Post a Comment