Video: Netrebko, newly single, rehearses Trovatore in Berlin

Video: Netrebko, newly single, rehearses Trovatore in Berlin

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norman lebrecht

November 25, 2013

‘Its a damned difficult role,’ says the diva, who has announced her separation from baritone Erwin Schrott. In a huge bustle, she’s made to look a great deal larger than life.

Watch a five-minute report here.

Netrebkoomingo-300x168

 

Comments

  • Spen says:

    I’ve never been a Netrebko fan, but when I heard her last year live, singnig Iolanta, I was truly empressed. It was an amazing thing, how her voice filled the hall.

    This production of Il Trovatore looks nice, although I don’t like the ”funny” acting.

  • sdReader says:

    Judging from the clip, I’d say this “funny” Trovatore is a disaster in the making — not only dramatically but also musically in that 990-seat theater, for Barenboim (who doesn’t relate to the score), for Anna (who has regained sudden weight and is coping with a tough role as well as her “marriage” break-up), for Plácido (who lacks the fortitude for di Luna), and for the light substitute tenor (taking on the ringing tessitura of Manrico).

    But we’ll see (and hear)!

    • David H. says:

      No, you will not see and hear, because you have already made up your mind before that.

      • sdReader says:

        Yes, I certainly have. And you?

        • Musiker says:

          Wow, someone who is proud and relishes in their ignorance, prejudice and narrow-mindedness. Thanks heavens not all opera lovers are like you.

          • sdReader says:

            So what is *your* view, Musiker, savvy and broad-minded as you are?

            Your know this opera, you know Barenboim’s capabilities, you know Domingo’s, you know what it takes to sing Manrico.

            Can you join the dots in advance of the premiere? Or must you wait to be told?

          • Musiker says:

            I don’t need to be “told” anything. I can wait and see the production and performance and judge for myself.

            Quite simple really.

            Only no-brains dismiss an entire production as a “disaster” before they’ve even seen it.

            End of.

          • sdReader says:

            No, you don’t need to be told, if you’re going to be there.

            The question was, can you, with your knowledge of the “ingredients,” figure out the result in advance?

            I believe I can. Hence my post, You’ve responded only with insults.

          • Musiker says:

            I apologise. My tone was uncalled for.

            But I would hope that stars of that calibre — Barenboim, Netrebko and Domingo — know what they’re doing and their limitations. Domingo and Netrebko have always carefully husbanded their vocal capabilities and never ventured into repertoire if they felt they weren’t yet ready.

            Perhaps it will prove to be a mistake for one or either of them. Perhaps it won’t.

            We can only judge after the performance.

          • Musiker says:

            First reviews aren’t out yet, but the premiere-night audience seem to disagree with your pre-assessment, sdReader.

            http://newsticker.sueddeutsche.de/list/id/1520560

            Seems like it was a bit of a triumph for Barenboim, Domingo and Netrebko.

            But, of course, let’s wait and see what the “critics” say.

          • Michael Schaffer says:

            sdReader says:

            November 26, 2013 at 4:39 pm

            “The question was, can you, with your knowledge of the “ingredients,” figure out the result in advance?

            I believe I can.”

            Maybe you can. But how are we supposed to know if you can? You are just an anonymous poster who claims to know it all, and even in advance. There’s countless people like that on the net, most of them really totally clueless. So how can we know you aren’t one of those, but the real thing?

            And how do you know which scores Barenboim relates to and which not?

          • sdReader says:

            Michael, I’ve been listening to Barenboim and Domingo for nearly forty years, with great admiration. I know that DB is ill-tuned to Verdi and that Plácido is too old for di Luna. I also know that “Trovatore” is no farce. Many other listeners know these things too. No special insight is claimed.

            The point of my original comment was that finite resources, in assembling an opera project, are being squandered here because PD “wants” to add di Luna, a director-idiot “wants” to build a reputation by putting a new twist on a staple opera, and Barenboim has enough unchecked POWER to make it happen, regardless of the merits.

            The assembling of this project is what deserves criticism. Berlin arts funds down the drain!

  • Putin – shmutin I like anyway

  • her voice – at least

    LMAO

  • Musiker says:

    So, sdReader, the first reviews are in.

    And funnily enough, none — not even the most critical — suggest that this production is anywhere near the “disaster in the making” that you so “expertly” predicted it would be.

    Makes me wonder what “qualifications” and “expertise” someone has in making such pre-judgements, especially when they’re based on nothing but a 5-minute TV clip with only scant coverage of the rehearsals.

    Sort of makes these prediction-games all seem a bit childish and petty-minded, don’t you think?

    As I said above, it’s always wiser best to wait and see the full production and then make your judgement.

    http://www.welt.de/kultur/buehne-konzert/article122437125/Netrebko-Domingo-und-das-Geheimnis-der-Oper.html

    http://www.tagesspiegel.de/kultur/il-trovatore-an-der-staatsoper-treibhaus-der-gefuehle-netrebko-und-domingo-in-berlin/9152262.html

    http://www.br.de/radio/br-klassik/sendungen/piazza/netrebko-domingo-il-tovatore-berlin100.html

    • sdReader says:

      Musiker, I stand by my original criticism of this project. It was put together to do mutual favors, and that is the wrong way to spend limited public arts funding.

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