The Italian principal flute Silvia Careddu learned today that she had failed her regulation two-year trial after one year and five months with the Vienna Philharmonic.
Silvia, one of a dozen women presently in the orchestra, gave a stellar performance during the New Year’s Day concert three weeks ago and was generally well liked across the ensemble.
But certain players in the wind section had reservations (we hear) about her timing, and their view apparently prevailed in the vote. Other players have told us they are very disappointed.
There was no question about her sound, which was universally appreciated.
Silvia, 41, will leave the orchestra at the end of the season.
She was previously principal flute of the Wiener Symphoniker. Although appointed by the Vienna Philharmonic in September 2016, she did not start to play until her predecessor retired in August 2017.
UPDATE: We hear that the principal of almost every section in the orchestra voted in favour of Silvia, but they were outnumbered. The absence of one player is thought to have made the difference to the final, tight result, denying Silvia the two-thirds majority required.
The virtuoso accompanist Marcel Azzola died yesterday in Paris.
He has an almost symbiotic understanding with Brel, as you can see on the video below.
He also worked extensively with Yves Montand, Edith Piaf, Barbara and Stéphane Grapelli.
Born in the 20th arrondissement in July 1927, he was the very spirit of Paris.
The artistic director of Rome Opera, Alessio Vlad, has spoken to the journal Musica about the events that led to the dismissal of Jessica Nuccio as Violetta in the present Traviata production.
In Vlad’s account, the soprano threw a tantrum on being asked politely to sing out for the benefit of students who had been invited to the general rehearsal.
We present Vlad’s version in the original Italian, since the Google translation engine distorts it.
UPDATE: Here’s a translation by one of our readers:
Understanding that this dress rehearsal was organized to put at ease Ms. Nuccio who, alone
among the three sopranos, had not sung in this production, these are the facts:
1. The dress rehearsal was not closed but was meant for an audience of students.
2. The singer, Jessica Nuccio, announced before the rehearsal that she would not sing all of it
in full voice, but part of it in a soft voice. To sing in a soft voice in a dress rehearsal means
saving one’s voice by omitting the more tiring parts and adapting some parts of the role, but
assuring the singing line can be a reference for the singers, the chorus and the orchestra and
all the other collaborators. From the beginning of the dress rehearsal, the singer not only did
not sing the vocal line in a soft voice, but she obstinately recited the verses in a talking voice
and therefore was not able to be heard.
3. The artistic director went onto the stage and, without interrupting the rehearsal, asked her
gently (there’s a video) to sing. Jessica Nuccio rudely refused.
4. At that point, the principle cellist of the orchestra, politely and without interrupting the
rehearsal, as he could not hear the star of the opera (all the other singers sang their parts
normally), asked the conductor what was happening. The singer, interrupting the rehearsal on
her own initiative, came to the proscenium and looked at the orchestra in an arrogant and
disrespectful manner. At that point the conductor suspended the rehearsal, having decided
that it was useless to proceed under these conditions.
5. Immediately after the artistic director announced to the singer at the door of her dressing
room that her behavior would be protested and she would be replaced immediately, she lashed
out at him violently by shouting, insulting him and verbally attacking him. Still screaming while
moving away from the artistic director, she asked to see the theatre’s doctor, for an ambulance
and for the police. The doctors couldn’t find anything wrong and the police left the theatre
quickly after having written a report.
6. We should mention that during preceding rehearsals, she received diverse corrections to her
way of singing and her concept (overall setup) of the role. These requests were never followed
by Ms. Nuccio in a satisfactory way and the dress rehearsal remained the last chance to verify
the correct execution of the requests made by the conductor and the artistic director.
7. The audience, composed of students, later with conviction protested to the Superintendent
and the artistic director.
8. Not only did the artistic director make a protest against Ms. Nuccio, but also the
Superintended himself wanted to co-sign the document in order to underline the fact that this
protest was the choice of the whole theatre.
Alessio Vlad concluded affirming that “there are reports on the matter written by the conductor
Pietro Rizzo, the choral director Roberta Gabbiani, the stage musical director Carlo Donadio
and the scene director Giordano Punturo which describe the event in the same way,” as well as
a video that caught the whole scene.
Premettendo che questa prova generale era stata organizzata proprio per mettere a suo agio la signora Nuccio, unica dei tre soprani a non avere ancora cantato in questa produzione, questi sono i fatti:
1) La prova generale non era chiusa ma destinata ad un pubblico di studenti.
2) La cantante Jessica Nuccio prima della prova aveva annunciato che non avrebbe cantato tutto in voce, ma in parte accennato. Accennare, soprattutto in una prova generale, significa risparmiarsi, omettendo le parti più faticose e adattando alcune parti del ruolo ma comunque assicurare una linea di canto che possa in ogni caso essere di riferimento ai cantanti, al coro e all’orchestra e tutti i maestri collaboratori. Fin dall’inizio della generale la cantante non solo non ha accennato una linea vocale ma si è limitata ostinatamente a “recitare” i versi parlando e quindi a non risultare “udibile”.
3) Al direttore artistico che, salito sul palcoscenico e senza che la prova si interrompesse, le chiedeva, gentilmente (esiste un video) di cantare Jessica Nuccio opponeva un netto e sgarbato rifiuto.
4) A quel punto il primo violoncello dell’orchestra, garbatamente e sempre senza interrompere la prova, continuando a non sentire la protagonista dell’opera (tutti gli altri cantanti facevano la loro parte normalmente), chiedeva al direttore d’orchestra cosa stesse succedendo; la cantante, interrompendo di sua stessa iniziativa la prova, si avvicinava al proscenio e si rivolgeva all’orchestra in modo arrogante e irrispettoso. A questo punto il Maestro sospendeva la prova, giudicando inutile andare avanti in quelle condizioni.
5) Non appena il direttore artistico, sulla soglia del camerino, annunciava alla signora Nuccio che dopo tali comportamenti sarebbe stata protestata e immediatamente sostituita, ella gli si scagliava contro violentemente, urlando, insultandolo e aggredendolo verbalmente. Allontanatosi il direttore artistico, sempre urlando, chiedeva l’intervento del medico del Teatro, di una autoambulanza e della polizia.
I medici non riscontravano alcun male e la polizia lasciava in breve tempo il Teatro dopo aver redatto un verbale.
6) È bene precisare che durante le prove precedenti alla Nuccio erano state fatte diverse correzioni al suo modo di cantare e alla sua impostazione della parte. Queste richieste non erano mai state eseguite dalla Nuccio in modo soddisfacente e la prova generale era rimasta l’ultima possibilità per verificare la corretta esecuzione delle richieste fatte dal direttore d’orchestra e dal direttore artistico.
7) Il pubblico di studenti, successivamente, con decisione ha protestato con il Sovrintendente e con il Direttore Artistico.
8) La signora Nuccio è stata protestata non solo dal direttore artistico, ma il Sovrintendente stesso ha voluto controfirmare l’atto, per sottolineare come sia stata una scelta di tutto il teatro.
The Latvian tenor Aleksandrs Antonenko, who has received terrible reviews as Gherman in a controversial ROH Queen of Spades, pulled out due to illness.
The Russian Sergey Polyakov, who has sung the role at the Mariinsky, flew in to sing the role fully on stage, despite having no time for rehearsal.
UPDATE: Antonenko returned to sing Gherman on the 19th and will sing again tonight.
UPDATE: This just in from ROH at 1830: Aleksandrs Antonenko is indisposed and not able to sing the performance of The Queen of Spades this evening. The role of Gherman will be performed by Sergey Polyakov
Now he has cancelled the same opera in Houston ‘due to personal circumstances’.
Alexander Birch Elliott, who replaced Mariusz at the Met to great reviews, will step in once more.
In competition with desperately please-please-you BBC Radio 3 and snooze-mode Classic FM, Bauer Media are to launch Scala Radio next month, staffed mostly by rock jocks.
Worth a listen, for sure.
Here’s the PR blurb:
Offering classical music for modern life, Scala Radio is set to be the biggest launch in UK classical music radio in nearly thirty years, Scala Radio anticipates explosive growth in the genre and an ever growing cross-over into the mainstream – the new station will break the mould of classical music in the UK.
Bringing together familiar masters along with fresh and exciting new classical pieces, Scala Radio will be presented with an informal ‘come as you are’ attitude. The new station will surprise and delight listeners with its accessible tone and unique format inspiring musical discovery, along with interesting conversation and features.
Leading the presenting line-up is much-loved and award-winning broadcaster Simon Mayo who will host a brand-new mid-morning entertainment show, with celebrity interviews, listener interaction and a new re-imagined ‘Classical Confessions’ feature.
Ensuring the conversation is as absorbing as the music, the new station will feature Angellica Bell leading the weekend, Mark Kermode who will bring alive his love of film scores and Chris Rogers hosting a live Sunday brunch show with guests.
Music innovators Goldie and William Orbit will also launch their own series. ‘Goldie’s Classic Life’ will feature classical music mixes, alongside a narration of his own journey into classical music, explaining how it inspires him to write, perform and paint – as well as introducing listeners to exciting new classical artists. ‘William Orbit in The Space’ will be a curation of well-known artists, unusual pieces and new composers, mixed with classical versions of songs from other genres as well as William’s insight and exploration into classical music. In addition, one of Britain’s youngest commissioned composers – 19-year-old Jack Pepper will bring a new fresh point of view to classical music on the radio. Also on the line-up are presenters, Charles Nove, Mark Forrest, Sam Hughes and Jamie Crick.
Bloomsbury has announced another biography of Alma Mahler, out in June.
It’s by Cate Haste and draws ‘extensively on hitherto unpublished diaries and letters’ (as do we all).
Cate Haste has previously confined herself mostly to politics. She is co-author with Cherie Blair of a book on British Prime Ministers’ wives, The Goldfish Bowl (2004) and has written Nazi Women (2001) about women in Nazi Germany.
The go-to Alma biography at present is Oliver Hilmes’s Malevolent Muse (2015).
Out of 30,000 who auditioned for the central role in West Side Story, Stephen Spielberg has picked Rachel Zegler, 17, from New Jersey.
Her family are migrants from Colombia.
Ansel Elgort will play Tony.
Rachel is an avid Youtuber and Instagrammer who has sung Maria in a school play.
Instagram pic.
Our pals at Ludwig Van report that Toronto will no longer have a Sony Centre for the Performing Arts.
Under a new naming deal, running to 2034, it will be known as Meridian Arts Centre.
