starting off the season

Yesterday I had the pleasure of hearing my first opera of the season. With my pass jeune in hand, I was off to the Bastille for a matinee performance of Der Fliegende Holländer by Wagner. I showed up an hour before the performance, and managed to snag a seat in the second row (one of the many beauties of being under the age of 26 in Paris). Though I do not particularly advise the second row for Wagner, as my ears were still ringing hours after the performance.

While familiar with the plot and music of the Dutchman, this was my first time seeing it in person, and it most certainly delivered. I enjoyed the staging for the most part, though the stage entirely slanted downwards towards the audience was slightly unnerving at times. James Morris, well-known for his interpretation of Wagner, was the headliner for the afternoon, but for me it was the full-voiced and ravishing soprano who the stole the show. The performance marked both a role and house debut for Canadian Adrianne Pieczonka, and it was easy to see why. I especially enjoyed her beautifully nuanced high notes--quite exceptional for a repertoire usually associated with the "park and bark" method of singing. I also enjoyed the fresh voice of swiss tenor Bernard Richter.

As this was her role debut, there was no video available of Pieczonka singing my favorite passage of the opera, Senta's Ballad. Here is Nina Stemme instead:




And here is Pieczonka singing the aria from Dvorak's Rusalka:




My first opera was quite breath-taking, and I have high hopes for the season to come.