La Bohéme under review

Peter Bradshaw reviews La Bohéme for The Guardian:

The film does its best to deliver Puccini's music with all its chocolatey richness directly into the vein, and it is so intensely sugary that an emergency DVD could be kept in hospitals for acute hypoglycaemia cases

(lol)


Parsi watched the movie and has to agree but I find nothing wrong with sugar.
And I 'm not hypoglycaemic whatsoever.


Watch 30 seconds from the finale of La Bohéme exclusively here...

Parsi is spoilt but not a spoiler, so, you WON´T find here the last bars of the finale...
Go to a movie near you, hon!



All pics (C) Parsi (lol)

ps. I wonder if Peter Bradshaw could contain his tears at the finale...

In Conversation with Rolando

Parsi's spy and reader, the mighty DMC reports from London for "Just got back from the event at RoH called In Conversation with Rolando Villazon. I'm so overwhelmed that I really don't know where to start!

It was fantastic and I really mean it! It was an hour and a half of pure Rolando plus an interviewer (Christopher Cook) who, I thought, was rather dull to say the least.

However,in the end he became obsolete as Villazon hijacked the whole thing with his explosive personality. In doing so he made it an extremely entertaining event, full of jokes, anecdotes, mad gesticulation. His exuberance was on full display. It was a real show and the tickets should have been priced the same as for a stand up comedian."


The (my) highlights:

• Domingo; for Villazon opera will never be the same after the Maestro (even though they go out of a beer together, he finds it impossible to address him by his first name and gets annoyed if other young singers do so)
• Serious stuff: recently he's been trying to define the role of a performer and the role of art in general; how to convey the essence of a piece to an audience so that it becomes a total experience; for him it is more than just a technique; we shouldn't be just sitting and judging the skills but losing ourselves being immersed in the work (or sth like that).
• He mentioned his therapist, and the cracked notes at the opening night in DC at RoH, and other cracked notes, and fears and weak nerves, completely lost his thread once or twice (for me there was an all-pervading sense of insecurity and I thought there was something really poignant about it).
• He kept stressing how important it is for a singer not to get too emotionally involved in the role and the character's feelings otherwise the emotions can really affect the voice (difficult to know who is speaking here, Rolando or his therapist or other people with their common sense advice)
• Mention of Bach and lieder.
• At the end of his CD signing session he joked that his next CD is called Rolando is Trying to Sing Handel.

Parsi thanks DMC and sends her the most bizarre of Rolando's photos from Athens!
(that nobody else but her will eva eva see).

Rolando has a message for his fans!

And take this as the Closing Ceremony of the Rolando-in-Athens period...

Libiamo!

Rolando and Nino.

Athens, 29 October 2008

Get set...ready....GO!

The Athens Megaron is ready to receive Rolando and Nino.

If you 're not there tomorrow, you have absolutely no excuse.

Rolando is in top form -I heard him with my own ears- and very excited!

So is Nino Machaidze! (Who by the way, is the most beautiful woman in the opera world today, I saw it with my own eyes too).

Rolando, the sketcher

Rolando: the press conference

"The dream of a lifetime". This is how Rolando Villazón described his first performance in Greece. "Homer, Kazantzakis, Seferis, are among my favourite authors. When I began this career I used to read the Iliad very often. The description of battles would inspire me and help me in my very own battle, with myself and the onstage battle"

Rolando also spoke about his colleague, greek soprano Alexia Voulgaridou, and that Greece is often his destination when on vacation.

"I hope it's gonna be a great concert and that we will have a great time"

You can count on that, querido Rolando...

Read more on the press conference at the Villazonistas.

Rolando singing greek opera

80 hours before the concert.

Listen to Rolando singing Lysia's aria "Marinar" from Spiro Samara's opera "RHEA".

4 days to go!

Rolando singing "O Gennaris tou 1904", in english.

Music: D. Papadimitriou on a poem by C. Kavafis

Sorry for the quality of the video towards the end...my VCR decided to devour the tape at that very moment...

Fra 1 settimana #2

Here's the second video of Rolando singing greek music in New York.

Fingers crossed: Rolando cancelled his last night performance as Lenski in Berlin due to a throat infection. One more Onegin left (on Saturday), and on Sunday he will be in Athens.

Fra 1 settimana!

In a week, at about this hour, Rolando's recital in Athens will be over.

I don't know if he's going to sing us any Greek songs but what I know is that I will have a huge smile on my face...

Instead of a countdown, during the 7 days left till the Recital, I will be uploading 1 video everyday. 7 videos of Rolando Villazón in New York, singing Greek music...And Granada at the end as an encore...

Let's begin with...

"Me tin proti stagona tis vrohis"



Music: Manos Hadjidakis

Poetry: Odysseas Elytis (1979 Nobel Prize in Literature)

Download HERE the complete program of the performance "Greece: Poetry in music" with full details on the composers and the poets and translation of all the songs that I will be uploading.

2 Weeks left...

...to Rolando's Recital in Athens (29 of October).
Those of you who haven't bought tickets yet have no excuse.

Rolando will arrive on the 26th of October and -just in case you wanna stalk him- will stay at the Athens Hilton (which is also among the Recital's sponsors), at the King Acropolis Suite (how suited to King Roli) of 135 m². Nino Machaidze will not stay at the same hotel according to my sources...

Rolando: Interview and photo shoot in Berlin, on occasion of his upcoming Athens Recital

Rolando Villazón was interviewed in Berlin, a few weeks ago, for the Greek newspaper "TO VIMA" and it's Sunday magazine "VIMAgazino". The interview, that was given to Margarita Sfetsa, was also accompanied by a photo-shoot in the streets of Berlin.

Greek readers will be able to buy the newspaper tomorrow but before that, you can all have a preview at parsifal's exclusively.

Singing where Homer and Maria Callas were born is an exciting experience.

[Maria Callas was born in NY but OK]

Singing in Athens was a priority to me. I feel happy that this dream comes true. While I was a student in Mexico but also a singer, I used to read the Iliad and the Odyssey while I was waiting my turn to come, in auditions. This great literature would inspire me and it was an excellent way to be abstracted from the anxiety I had during the first years of my career.

I must say that (Greek music) fascinates me. It is so interesting, so particular; it had nothing to do with what I had sung in the past. These composers have a very personal style that makes you recognise the uniqueness of their composition.

I love Greek history and I have read some many books that -even if I sound exaggerated- i feel half Greek. I have Greek friends and partners. They’re all warm, open-hearted, wonderful people.

My European debut with Manon in Genova was a great experience. So many things happening for the first time in this first attempt: my debut as Des Grieux, my European debut, my Italian debut. The audience was very kind and treated me well as, you know, they were all children! My first performance was an afternoon performance exclusively for students. So, my exposure to the European audience had no problems. I think that this performance launched my career as it opened the gates of Europe to me. Who would have thought that I would find the artistic director of La Monnaie of Brussels in school performance in Genova? He offered me a contract to sing in La Boheme in Brussels under Antonio Pappano.

It may sound a bit cliché but every single place where I sing is of unique importance to me. Of course I feel very comfortable at Covent Garden, or Berlin and Berlin, maybe because these are the theatres where I have sung most.

[I dream of singing] Lohengrin, the title role in Wagner’s opera. I hope one day my dream comes true.

The cover of the magazine....in Mexican Chic.

I have a very special relationship with Daniel Barenboim. He ‘s the reincarnation of the “renaissance man” as he has been a successful pianist, conductor, stage director…he’s a man who has what we call “musical genious”. We have worked together in opera, recitals and recordings and every experience with him is unforgettable. At this very moment we work together in Berlin, in a new production of Eugene Onegin.

(You have worked with many conductors and stage directors, have you ever disagreed with them or have you ever given an end to your collaboration ? )

In some occasion I wanted to. However I have never done anything like that ‘cause I respect the vision of an artist even if I don’t agree.

My performance of Romeo in Salbuzrg last summer, was very satisfying. I love Romeo. We had a terrific cast, a great maestro and stage director and so the result was an extremely good production.

Paris owns a unique place in my heart. It’s the place I live with my family. My wife and I always loved Paris and living there is like a dream come true. Berlin is an alive, cosmopolitan city that changes and develops daily. It’s one of the most interesting cities in Europe, and offers a great amount of cultural choices. That’s why I chose Berlin for this photo shooting

I feel grateful for all the amazing things that I have experienced in my personal and professional life. ‘Cause when you give performances and travel as much as opera singers do, at the end you find out that personal and professional life mix together. Singing means so much to me, but no matter how much I love singing and music, my devotion to my wife and children is the most important thing. They are my real treasures in life, and for that I am grateful.

(What about your voice? Isn’t that a valuable gift too? Aren’t you lucky to have it?)

I feel lucky. Luck always had a good role in my career. But combined with hard work and effort to achieve my goals. The ones that some considered unachievable. I also feel lucky that I can dedicate myself to music and offer beauty and happiness to others.

I try to stay fit. If some think that I look comfortable on stage, it’s because that’s exactly the way I feel when I perform. I feel very comfortable. If I manage to communicate this feeling to the audience then I have accomplished my goal.

With my wife [Lucia] we love going to Spain where we own a house in Mallorca. It’s so beautiful.

My beautiful Lucia means everything to me. She’s my partner, my companion and my inspiration in my life and my career. We met in Mexico when we were just teenagers. And yes! It was love at first sight!

I don’t have a lot of free time, but when I find some I like to spend it playing or reading with my sons.


You understand that, that's not all! It wouldn't be fair to the journalist that took the interview to translate/post the whole thing. A few answers were left out. De toute façon I will scan and upload the cover and the pages tomorrow. Till then watch an exclusive, private and funny video of Rolando doing pattycake

Rolando on a bus-stop!

While at the bus-stop next to the Athens Concert Hall and while eating a huge hot-dog (I know quite a few singers who adore the
next-to-the-Concert-Hall-hot-dogs)
after last night's performance
(on which I will review later)
I came across this:


Right....and some minutes ago I was telling people that it's soooo nice that there has been no publicity on Rolando's recital and that when tickets are out we 'll get the best seats blah blah blah....

Then I got back in the car, happy that Rolando might have the exact same hot-dog in a few days (it's a must!) and I drove back home with Rolando and Cecilia (ok, Cedolins too) right next to me...

A strange loudspeaker...

Festpiele magazine awards the Best Artists for 2008 (among them, Rolando, La Garança, La Netrebka, Carlos Álvarez, Bryn Terfel, Juan Diego Flórez, Christian Thielemann, Riccardo Muti, Claudio Abbado, Patrice Chéreau etc) and carries Rolando on its cover using El País as a loudspeaker.

The article on Rolando has the title "MR. 100.000 VOLT"
(while an article on Erwin Schrott is entitled "MR NETREBKO".... He should 've known better...).

Tenor zu sein!

My friend Teresoulini (hehehe, she's gonna kill me for calling her that) bought the new book on Rolando "Die Kunst, Tenor zu sein" and she's got some pics for us.




As you can see, Rolando was born a star!