Well, the Academy has sat, and come up with the list of nominations for the Kurt Awards of 2013.
They sat in my bed, because the Academy (like all effective Academies) consists of one person. And this time its ME!
I've spent April to October in Germany, and I've had a splendid time in opera houses, theatres and concert-halls, mostly in Berlin, but with side trips to such as Vienna, Dessau and Biedenkopf. Most of what I've seen was good to great, very little was self-indulgent and weak. So what was the best? Well, I don't do 'best this' and 'best that'. That's far too presumptuous. Chuckle. Even for an Academy with my credentials!
I do 'my favourites'. The people and productions -- large or small -- which have given me the most pleasure. And after mature consideration and discussion with myself, here they are!
My favourite opera performances :
Michael Volle in DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER
Alex Esposito in LUCREZIA BORGIA
Andrezej Dobber in RIGOLETTO
Roberto Tagliavini in ATTILA
Agnes Zwierko in BALL IM SAVOY
Hila Fahima in LOVE FOR THREE ORANGES
Alexandra Hutton in LES CONTES D’HOFFMAN
I am putting Madame Gruberova hors concours, likewise Olesaya Golovneva who sang in RIGOLETTO while her alter ego acted.
My favourite staging of an opera:
Basel Theatre/Staatsoper DER FLIEGENDE
HOLLÄNDER
Anhaltisches Theater, Dessau: ESCLARMONDE
Deutsche Oper/Tischlerei: LES CONTES
D’HOFFMAN
My favourite musical theatre performance:
Veit Schäfermeier in TANZ DER VAMPIRE
Annemieke van Dam in ELISABETH
Katie Bolding in TOI C’EST MOI
Lisa-Marie Joch in EINGEFÄDELT
My favourite Concert:
Radialsystem: Deutsches Rundfunkchor: Brahms THE HUMAN REQUIEM
Spiegelsaal: TRIO DAN (piano, violin, flute)
Piano Salon Christophoroi: Bele Kumberger and Lena Haselmann (vocal duets)
Philharmonie: Mahler Chamber Orchestra and
Petr Migunov Shostakovitch 14th
Kurt’s Lemon for my Worst Experience of the
year
Staatsoper DER FREISCHUTZ
Berliner Ensemble PETER PAN
Ronacher, Vienna NATÜRLICH BLONDE
Konzerthaus: Slaughtered Strauss by the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie
Ronacher, Vienna NATÜRLICH BLONDE
Konzerthaus: Slaughtered Strauss by the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie
Hold your breaths, the winners will be announced when I've had time to discuss a little further with myself, and see if my right hand votes the same as my left ..
2 comments:
Hi Kurt. Would love to have experienced some of the performances you wrote about! Particularly Tales of Hoffman. Remember me? I'm the dancer whose teacher, Igor Schwezoff, choreographed La Lutte Eternelle for the Ballets Russes 1939 Australian tour. We corresponded early in the summer about the Ballets Russes photos and materials you have which I would appreciate having to use as research materials for the book I am writing about Schwezoff and his colleagues. You said to remind you when you got hime and you would send them to me,. I am reminding you now. Please email me and I will send you a mailing address. Thanks! Tina Peterson
Hi Kurt, Not sure if my comments are posting. Are they?
Tina Peterson
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