6. Non so più - Frederica von Stade (Le nozze di Figaro Met'85)

See the playlist for this performance
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=3BAB77289B0C9B7F

Date: 14 December 1985
Venue: Metropolitan Opera, New York
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Librettist: Lorenzo da Ponte

Conductor: James Levine

Production: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle

Figaro: Ruggero Raimondi
Susanna: Kathleen Battle
Count Almaviva: Thomas Allen
Countess Almaviva: Carol Vaness
Cherubino: Frederica von Stade
Dr. Bartolo: Artur Korn
Marcellina: Jocelyne Taillon
Don Basilio: Michel Sénéchal
Antonio: James Courtney
Barbarina: Dawn Upshaw
Don Curzio: Anthony Laciura

Category:

Music

Tags:

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• figaro
• opera
• mozart
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• piu
• frederica
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• stade
• marriage
• metropolitan
• james
• levine
• cherubino
• aria
• mezzo
• mezzosoprano

[schweitzer006325]

Von Stade as Cherubino is simply phenomenal and definitely deserves the praise she's had for the role.

However, the applause from the audience in this broadcast is slightly vexing since it goes on a little more longer than necessary. Plus it makes it quite awkward for Battle onstage who obviously wants to say her line of recitative in order to keep the flow of the opera going. If I saw this live, I'd definitely try to keep my rapturous applause for von Stade at the curtain call.

[antmusique]

Second part of my comment: I was just watching a clip of Alfredo Kraus singing "Povero Ernesto" from Don Pasquale, and the audience clapped in the pause between the aria and the cabaletta. Couldn't they just wait until the singer was done? As good as he was, it just smacks of star-worship.

Funnily enough, it was at the Met.

[schweitzer006325]

Hmm...why am I not surprised (regarding the venue)...

It only makes sense (and good manners) that singers be allowed to at least finish their song before being applauded. Imagine clapping after Figaro hits the high G in 'Largo al Factotum'...unthinkable!

[antmusique]

I'm actually not sure if it's customary to clap between the aria and the cabaletta in "Povero Ernesto" but, from my limited exposure to Don Pasquale and plain ol' common sense, I would say that it isn't. I suspect one of the main reasons why the audience clapped is because they didn't know the opera. What they did know was that what they had just heard was an aria, and that there was a pause right after it. They presumed the singer was done and clapped.

[brianusamd]

THE PERFECT CHERUBINO!!!!!!!!!!!

[1776amg]

@schweitzer006325 I did see this live and I can say unequivocally the audience was simply breaking out in response to the vigorous wonderful performance by Von Stade. As for Kathleen Battle, it was not her moment, nor her best,a and she deserved to wait while applause was delivered. Opera should not be static, but dynamic and inclusive, meaning; the audience is welcome to show their appreciation.

[drtmuir]

@antmusique We do everything wrong. ;)

It's just life at the Met. Everybody's used to it, people would think there was something wrong if it didn't happen. The only thing that ever really upset me was a woman talking during the Prelude to "Parsifal." I definitely bleq a gasket over that.

[drtmuir]

Believe it or not, in the '80s, that wig didn't look too extreme. :P

[drtmuir]

@schweitzer006325 Hey, we always applaud for scenery! It's just what we do. :P

[GosfordAbercrombie]

'povero cherubin siete voi pazzo' is the best line in the whole opera!!!!!

[o0BeriiShirayuki0o]

Bravissimo.

[antmusique]

You just reminded me of a particular case of irrepressible applause at a production on YouTube. Search for Lott + Beuron + "Ce n'est qu'un rêve". It's from a performance of La belle Hélène in Paris. They're not applauding the sets themselves, but I won't spoil it in case you haven't seen it.

[schweitzer006325]

Applauding at scenery? Yes, that is rather a WTF-worthy moment! Unless the scenery is so aweinspringly fantastic that it requires special attention. *raises brow*

Maybe I'm just a stickler for precise amounts of applause...ah well!