Thursday, February 27, 2025

New York - American Ballet Theater Summer Season 2025

Isabella Boylston will be in charge of kicking off this new and eagerly awaited series of performances of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake that will be given in New York this coming June. Exactly, on June 10th at 7:30 p.m., the curtain will rise to see this fabulous company and in the main role of Odette Odile we will see the star of the company, Isabella Boylston. On the 11th Chloe Misseldine will dance, and in the evening, Skylar Brandt. On the 12th Hee Seo, on the 13th Christine Shevchenko, and in the evening, Catherine Hurlin. Devon Teuscher will be Odette and Odile on the 14th. and in the evening, the great international star of the company Gillian Murphy will dance her penultimate Swan Lake. Afterwards, there will be performances of the WoofWorks ballet and then we will enter the long-awaited series of the wonder of wonders, Giselle. The 21st will be the day of the premiere, the opening night, the long-awaited night, the chosen dancer has been Christine Shevchenko. The 21st is an extraordinary day because we will have the great international superstar Olga Smirnova in her role that suits her best, Giselle. She will dance alongside Daniel Camargo the role of Albrecht. Olga Smirnova, considered one of the best dancers in the world, will dance a Giselle that promises to be memorable. Devon Teuscher, Skylar Brandt, Gillian Murphy, Isabella Boylston, Cassandra Trenary, Hee Seo, Catherine Hurlin, Chloe Misseldine will also be Giselle in this series that closes in June 2025.

Изабелла Бойлстон будет отвечать за открытие новой и долгожданной серии представлений «Лебединого озера» Чайковского, которые пройдут в Нью-Йорке в июне этого года. Именно так, 10 июня в 19:30 занавес поднимется, чтобы увидеть эту замечательную труппу, и в главной роли Одетты-Одиль мы увидим звезду труппы Изабеллу Бойлстон. 11-го числа выступит Хлоя Мисселдин, а вечером — Скайлар Брандт. 12-го Хи Со, 13-го Кристина Шевченко, а вечером Кэтрин Херлин. 14-го числа Девон Тойшер исполнит партии Одетты и Одиллии, а вечером международная звезда труппы Джиллиан Мерфи станцует свой предпоследний «Лебединое озеро». Затем пройдут несколько выступлений балета WoofWorks, а затем мы приступим к долгожданному циклу чудес из чудес — «Жизель». 21-го числа состоится открытие, долгожданная ночь, выбранной танцовщицей стала Кристина Шевченко. 21-е число — необыкновенный день, потому что у нас будет великая международная суперзвезда Ольга Смирнова в своей лучшей роли — Жизель. Она исполнит партию Альберта вместе с Даниэлем Камарго. Ольга Смирнова, считающаяся одной из лучших танцовщиц мира, исполнит «Жизель», которая обещает быть незабываемой. Девон Тойшер, Скайлар Брандт, Джиллиан Мерфи, Изабелла Бойлстон, Кассандра Тренари, Хи Со, Кэтрин Херлин, Хлоя Мисселдин также сыграют Жизель в этом сериале, который завершится в июне 2025 года.

Isabella Boylston sera en charge de donner le coup d'envoi de cette nouvelle et très attendue série de représentations du Lac des Cygnes de Tchaïkovski, qui aura lieu à New York en juin prochain. Exactement, le 10 juin à 19h30, le rideau se lèvera pour voir cette fabuleuse compagnie et dans le rôle principal d'Odette Odile nous verrons la star de la compagnie, Isabella Boylston. Chloe Misseldine dansera le 11, et le soir, Skylar Brandt. Le 12 Hee Seo, le 13 Christine Shevchenko et le soir, Catherine Hurlin. Devon Teuscher sera Odette et Odile le 14, et le soir, la grande étoile internationale de la compagnie, Gillian Murphy, dansera son avant-dernier Lac des Cygnes. Ensuite, il y aura quelques représentations du ballet WoofWorks et nous entrerons ensuite dans la série tant attendue de la merveille des merveilles, Giselle. Le 21 sera le jour de l'ouverture, la soirée d'ouverture, la soirée tant attendue, la danseuse choisie a été Christine Shevchenko. Le 21 est un jour extraordinaire car nous aurons la grande superstar internationale Olga Smirnova dans son meilleur rôle, Giselle. Elle dansera le rôle d'Albrecht aux côtés de Daniel Camargo. Olga Smirnova, considérée comme l'une des meilleures danseuses du monde, dansera une Giselle qui promet d'être mémorable. Devon Teuscher, Skylar Brandt, Gillian Murphy, Isabella Boylston, Cassandra Trenary, Hee Seo, Catherine Hurlin, Chloe Misseldine seront également Giselle dans cette série qui se terminera en juin 2025

Sarà Isabella Boylston a dare il via a questa nuova e attesissima serie di rappresentazioni del Lago dei cigni di Čajkovskij, che si terranno a New York il prossimo giugno. Esattamente, il 10 giugno alle 19.30 si alzerà il sipario su questa favolosa compagnia e nel ruolo principale di Odette Odile vedremo la stella della compagnia, Isabella Boylston. L'11 ballerà Chloe Misseldine e la sera Skylar Brandt. Il 12 Hee Seo, il 13 Christine Shevchenko e la sera Catherine Hurlin. Il 14 Devon Teuscher sarà Odette e Odile, mentre la sera la grande star internazionale della compagnia Gillian Murphy danzerà il suo penultimo Lago dei cigni. Successivamente ci saranno alcune rappresentazioni del balletto WoofWorks e poi entreremo nell'attesissima serie della meraviglia delle meraviglie, Giselle. Il 21 sarà il giorno dell'inaugurazione, la serata inaugurale, la serata tanto attesa, la ballerina scelta è stata Christine Shevchenko. Il 21 è un giorno straordinario perché avremo la grande superstar internazionale Olga Smirnova nel suo ruolo migliore, Giselle. Danzerà il ruolo di Albrecht accanto a Daniel Camargo. Olga Smirnova, considerata una delle migliori ballerine del mondo, danzerà una Giselle che promette di essere memorabile. Devon Teuscher, Skylar Brandt, Gillian Murphy, Isabella Boylston, Cassandra Trenary, Hee Seo, Catherine Hurlin, Chloe Misseldine saranno anche Giselle in questa serie che si chiuderà a giugno 2025

In July we will see the ballet The Winter's Tale and then we will see the splendid ballet Sylvia by Léo Delibes. In the first performance the star Catherine Hurlin will dance, followed by Christine Shevchenko, Isabella Boylston, Chloe Misseldine and Skylar Brandt. The 9th and 12th of July will be two special days, as the most famous dancer of the Royal Ballet will travel to the city of skyscrapers to offer his interpretation of Aminta alongside Christine Shevchenko as Sylvia, a performance that promises to be memorable. On the 14th there will be new performances of Swan Lake, this week Catherine Hurlin will play Odette and Odile, alongside James Whitside as the Prince. On the 15th, Cory Stearns will be the Prince in the wonderful Odette by Hee Seo. On the 16th of July, the international star Isabella Boylston will dance Odile and Odette, masterful in both roles, alongside Daniel Camargo, another evening that promises to be unforgettable. Chloe Misseldine and Aran Bell will delight the audience with their union in this romantic ballet, ideal for this charming couple with wonderful technique. Christine Shevchenko will dance alongside Calvin Royal III, in a show that promises to be fabulous. July 18 is the most eagerly awaited day of the year. At 7.30pm the curtain will rise for the last time on the great and unique, truly unsurpassable star of all these years, the dancer Gillian Murphy, in her interpretation of Odette and Odile that I saw for the first time a few seasons ago and which is the best I have seen in many years, she is without a doubt one of the best Odettes and Odiles in the world. Gillian gives an impressive technical performance that reflects both the duality of the characters and her virtuosity in classical ballet. In Odette, Gillian stands out from the rest of the dancers for her ethereal grace and lyricism. Gillian's technique is impeccable and allows her to move fluidly around the stage, as if floating, as we will see in Giselle a couple of weeks before. That Giselle is equal to or better than Odette is a marvel. Her posture is fluid and her movements, soft, reflect Odette's fragility and desperation. Gillian has a fluid and detailed arm line, with an exquisite style in her pirouettes, maintaining an emotional connection with the character through each gesture. Amazing. Gillian uses her great balance to execute the famous fouetté with a precise and controlled technique. Her jumps are light, almost ethereal, which highlights the spectral character of Odette's figure and also of Giselle. The transition between Odette's sweetness and the impeccable elegance of her technique denotes the vulnerability of the character. Gillian Murphy is very famous for her Odile. She adopts a more powerful posture and a decisive attitude. It is more dynamic and demanding, with a focus on agility and precision. Her movements are more determined and bold, a testimony to the character's deception and cunning. The famous fouettés of the third act are a clear example of her technique. She performs these turns with complete control and speed, creating one of the most spectacular versions of the show today. Gillian Murphy's performance as Odette and Odile is a masterful combination of grace, technique and emotional acting. Her ability to shift not only technique but also stage presence and energy demonstrates her mastery of classical ballet and her ability to bring two such different and complex characters to life. A unique dancer, I would say one of the best in the history of world ballet.

В июле мы увидим балет «Зимняя сказка», а затем великолепный балет «Сильвия» Лео Делиба. В первом представлении примет участие звезда Кэтрин Херлин, за ней последуют Кристина Шевченко, Изабелла Бойлстон, Хлоя Мисселдин и Скайлар Брандт. 9 и 12 июля станут двумя особенными днями, поскольку самый известный танцовщик Королевского балета отправится в город небоскребов, чтобы представить свою интерпретацию партии Аминты вместе с Кристиной Шевченко в роли Сильвии. Выступление обещает быть незабываемым.

14-го числа пройдут новые постановки «Лебединого озера», на этой неделе Кэтрин Херлин исполнит партию Одетты и Одиллии, а Джеймс Уитсайд исполнит партию Принца. 15-го числа Кори Стернс станет принцем прекрасной Одетты в исполнении Хи Со. 16 июля международная звезда Изабелла Бойлстон выступит в роли Одиллии и Одетты, виртуозно исполнив обе роли, вместе с Даниэлем Камарго. Это будет еще один вечер, который обещает быть незабываемым. Хлоя Мисселдин и Аран Белл порадуют зрителей своим союзом в этом романтическом балете, идеально подходящем для этой очаровательной пары с великолепной техникой. Кристина Шевченко выступит с Кэлвином Роялем III в шоу, которое обещает быть потрясающим. 18 июля — самый ожидаемый день в году. В 19:30 занавес в последний раз поднимется над великой и уникальной, поистине непревзойденной звездой всех этих лет, танцовщицей Джиллиан Мерфи, в ее интерпретации Одетты и Одиллии, которую я впервые увидел несколько сезонов назад и которая является лучшей из тех, что я видел за многие годы. Она, без сомнения, одна из лучших Одетт и Одилий в мире. Джиллиан демонстрирует технически впечатляющее выступление, отражающее как двойственность характеров, так и ее виртуозное мастерство в классическом балете. В партии Одетты Джиллиан выделяется среди остальных танцовщиц своей воздушной грацией и лиризмом. Техника Джиллиан безупречна и позволяет ей плавно двигаться по сцене, словно плывя, как мы увидим в «Жизели» парой недель ранее. Удивительно, что Жизель равна Одетте или даже превосходит ее. Ее поза плавная, движения мягкие, что отражает хрупкость и отчаяние Одетты. У Джиллиан плавная и детализированная линия руки, изысканный стиль в пируэтах, сохраняющий эмоциональную связь с персонажем через каждый жест. Удивительный. Джиллиан использует свое великолепное равновесие, чтобы исполнить знаменитое фуэте с точной и контролируемой техникой. Ее прыжки легки, почти невесомы, что подчеркивает призрачный характер фигуры Одетты, а также Жизели. Переход от кротости Одетты к безупречной элегантности ее техники подчеркивает уязвимость персонажа. Джиллиан Мерфи очень известна своей ролью Одиллии. Займите более сильную позицию и решительный настрой. Он более динамичен и требователен, с упором на маневренность и точность. Его движения более решительны и смелы, что свидетельствует о коварстве и хитрости персонажа. Знаменитые фуэте третьего акта — яркий пример его техники. Выполняйте эти повороты с полным контролем и скоростью, создавая одну из самых зрелищных версий, доступных сегодня. Исполнение Джиллиан Мерфи ролей Одетты и Одиллии представляет собой мастерское сочетание грации, техники и эмоциональной игры. Ее способность менять не только технику, но и сценическое присутствие и энергетику демонстрирует ее мастерство классического балета и ее способность воплощать в жизнь два таких разных и сложных характера. Уникальный танцовщик, я бы сказал, один из лучших в истории мирового балета.

A luglio assisteremo al balletto Il racconto d'inverno e poi vedremo lo splendido balletto Sylvia di Léo Delibes. La prima esibizione vedrà come protagonista Catherine Hurlin, seguita da Christine Shevchenko, Isabella Boylston, Chloe Misseldine e Skylar Brandt. Il 9 e il 12 luglio saranno due giorni speciali, poiché il ballerino più famoso del Royal Ballet si recherà nella città dei grattacieli per offrire la sua interpretazione di Aminta insieme a Christine Shevchenko nel ruolo di Sylvia, uno spettacolo che promette di essere memorabile.

Il 14 ci saranno nuove rappresentazioni del Lago dei cigni: questa settimana Catherine Hurlin interpreterà Odette e Odile, accanto a James Whitside nel ruolo del Principe. Il 15, Cory Stearns sarà il principe della meravigliosa Odette di Hee Seo. Il 16 luglio la star internazionale Isabella Boylston danzerà Odile e Odette, magistrale in entrambi i ruoli, al fianco di Daniel Camargo, un'altra serata che si preannuncia indimenticabile. Chloe Misseldine e Aran Bell delizieranno il pubblico con la loro unione in questo balletto romantico, ideale per questa coppia affascinante e dotata di una tecnica meravigliosa. Christine Shevchenko danzerà al fianco di Calvin Royal III in uno spettacolo che promette di essere favoloso. Il 18 luglio è il giorno più atteso dell'anno. Alle 19.30 si alzerà per l'ultima volta il sipario sulla grande e unica, davvero insuperabile star di tutti questi anni, la ballerina Gillian Murphy, nella sua interpretazione di Odette e Odile che ho visto per la prima volta qualche stagione fa e che è la migliore che abbia visto in molti anni, è senza dubbio una delle migliori Odette e Odile del mondo. Gillian offre un'interpretazione tecnicamente impressionante, che riflette sia la dualità dei personaggi sia il suo virtuosismo nel balletto classico. In Odette, Gillian si distingue dal resto delle ballerine per la sua grazia eterea e il suo lirismo. La tecnica di Gillian è impeccabile e le consente di muoversi fluidamente sul palco, come se fluttuasse, come vedremo in Giselle un paio di settimane prima. Che Giselle sia uguale o migliore di Odette è un miracolo. La sua postura è fluida e i suoi movimenti sono morbidi, riflettendo la fragilità e la disperazione di Odette. Gillian ha una linea del braccio fluida e dettagliata, con uno stile squisito nelle sue piroette, mantenendo un legame emotivo con il personaggio attraverso ogni gesto. Sorprendente. Gillian sfrutta il suo grande equilibrio per eseguire il famoso fouetté con tecnica precisa e controllata. I suoi salti sono leggeri, quasi eterei, il che mette in risalto il carattere spettrale della figura di Odette e anche di Giselle. Il passaggio tra la dolcezza di Odette e l'impeccabile eleganza della sua tecnica denota la vulnerabilità del personaggio. Gillian Murphy è molto famosa per la sua Odile. Adottare una posizione più decisa e un atteggiamento deciso. È più dinamico e impegnativo, e si concentra su agilità e precisione. I suoi movimenti sono più decisi e audaci, a testimonianza dell'inganno e dell'astuzia del personaggio. I famosi fouettés del terzo atto sono un chiaro esempio della sua tecnica. Esegui queste curve con controllo e velocità totali, creando una delle versioni più spettacolari disponibili oggi. L'interpretazione di Gillian Murphy nei panni di Odette e Odile è una magistrale combinazione di grazia, tecnica e recitazione emotiva. La sua capacità di cambiare non solo la tecnica, ma anche la presenza scenica e l'energia, dimostra la sua padronanza del balletto classico e la sua abilità nel dare vita a due personaggi così diversi e complessi. Un ballerino unico, direi uno dei migliori nella storia del balletto mondiale.

En juillet nous verrons le ballet Le Conte d'Hiver puis nous verrons le splendide ballet Sylvia de Léo Delibes. La première représentation mettra en vedette la star Catherine Hurlin, suivie de Christine Shevchenko, Isabella Boylston, Chloe Misseldine et Skylar Brandt. Les 9 et 12 juillet seront deux jours spéciaux, puisque le danseur le plus célèbre du Royal Ballet se rendra dans la ville des gratte-ciels pour offrir son interprétation d'Aminta aux côtés de Christine Shevchenko dans le rôle de Sylvia, une performance qui promet d'être mémorable.

Le 14, il y aura de nouvelles représentations du Lac des Cygnes, cette semaine Catherine Hurlin jouera Odette et Odile, aux côtés de James Whitside dans le rôle du Prince. Le 15, Cory Stearns sera le prince de la merveilleuse Odette de Hee Seo. Le 16 juillet, la star internationale Isabella Boylston dansera Odile et Odette, magistrale dans les deux rôles, aux côtés de Daniel Camargo, une autre soirée qui s'annonce inoubliable. Chloe Misseldine et Aran Bell raviront le public par leur union dans ce ballet romantique, idéal pour ce couple charmant à la technique merveilleuse. Christine Shevchenko dansera aux côtés de Calvin Royal III dans un show qui promet d'être fabuleux. Le 18 juillet est le jour le plus attendu de l’année. A 19h30 le rideau se lèvera pour la dernière fois sur la grande et unique, vraiment insurpassable star de toutes ces années, la danseuse Gillian Murphy, dans son interprétation d'Odette et Odile que j'ai vue pour la première fois il y a quelques saisons et qui est la meilleure que j'ai vue depuis de nombreuses années, elle est sans aucun doute l'une des meilleures Odette et Odile du monde. Gillian offre une performance techniquement impressionnante qui reflète à la fois la dualité des personnages et sa virtuosité dans le ballet classique. Dans Odette, Gillian se distingue du reste des danseurs par sa grâce éthérée et son lyrisme. La technique de Gillian est impeccable et lui permet de se déplacer avec fluidité sur scène, comme si elle flottait, comme nous le verrons dans Giselle quelques semaines plus tôt. Que Giselle soit égale ou meilleure qu’Odette est une merveille. Sa posture est fluide et ses mouvements sont doux, reflétant la fragilité et le désespoir d'Odette. Gillian a une ligne de bras fluide et détaillée, avec un style exquis dans ses pirouettes, maintenant une connexion émotionnelle avec le personnage à travers chaque geste. Incroyable. Gillian utilise son grand équilibre pour exécuter le célèbre fouetté avec une technique précise et contrôlée. Ses sauts sont légers, presque éthérés, ce qui met en valeur le caractère spectral de la figure d'Odette et aussi de Giselle. La transition entre la douceur d'Odette et l'élégance impeccable de sa technique dénote la vulnérabilité du personnage. Gillian Murphy est très célèbre pour son film Odile. Adoptez une position plus puissante et une attitude décisive. Il est plus dynamique et exigeant, mettant l’accent sur l’agilité et la précision. Ses mouvements sont plus décisifs et audacieux, ce qui témoigne de la tromperie et de la ruse du personnage. Les célèbres fouettés du troisième acte sont un exemple clair de sa technique. Effectuez ces virages avec un contrôle et une vitesse totaux, créant l’une des versions les plus spectaculaires disponibles aujourd’hui. La performance de Gillian Murphy dans le rôle d'Odette et d'Odile est une combinaison magistrale de grâce, de technique et de jeu émotionnel. Sa capacité à changer non seulement la technique, mais aussi la présence scénique et l’énergie, démontre sa maîtrise du ballet classique et sa capacité à donner vie à deux personnages si différents et complexes. Un danseur unique, je dirais l’un des meilleurs de l’histoire du ballet mondial.

the last performances of Swan Lake will be performed by: 

Skylar Brandt (Odette/Odile), Herman Cornejo (Prince Siegfried)

Devon Teuscher (Odette/Odile), Joo Won Ahn (Prince Siegfried)

Saturday, February 22, 2025

Venezia - Belisario - Gaetano Donizetti - 1836
















Belisarius by Jacques-Louis David ( 1781 )


Belisario is a tragedia lirica (lyric tragedy) in three acts composed by Gaetano Donizetti to a libretto by Salvatore Cammarano. The text was based on an adaptation by Luigi Marchionni of a drama by the German playwright Eduard von Schenk.

Cammarano — one of the most important librettists of the 19th century — wrote around forty libretti. His collaborations with Donizetti include Lucia di Lammermoor, Roberto Devereux, and Poliuto. For Verdi, he would later write Il trovatore and Luisa Miller. His gift for high Romantic drama is clearly evident in Belisario, even if the opera’s structure has sometimes been criticized for dramatic unevenness.

The opera followed closely after Lucia di Lammermoor (1835) and Maria Stuarda (1835). While those two works have remained firmly in the repertory, Belisario gradually became a rarity.
















Premiere

Belisario premiered at Teatro La Fenice in Venice on 4 February 1836.

The premiere was a resounding success. Contemporary critics praised the work enthusiastically. One review in La Gazzetta privilegiata proclaimed:

“A new masterwork has been added to Italian music… Belisario not only pleased and delighted, but also conquered, enflamed and ravished the full auditorium.”

Despite this early triumph, Donizetti himself later acknowledged that the opera did not reach the artistic height of Lucia di Lammermoor. He felt that the dramatic weaknesses of the plot limited its ultimate impact.


Premiere Cast (4 February 1836)

The original cast assembled at La Fenice was distinguished:

  • Antonina (Belisario’s wife) – Soprano

  • Irene (their daughter) – Mezzo-soprano
    Antonietta Vial

  • Belisario (General of the Byzantine army) – Baritone
    Celestino Salvatori

  • Giustiniano (Emperor of the Orient) – Bass
    Saverio Giorgi

  • Alamiro (a prisoner of Belisario) – Tenor
    Ignazio Marini

Carolina Ungher was particularly important to Donizetti. So impressed was he with her artistry that he created the role of Antonina specifically for her. Two years later, he would also compose the title role of Maria de Rudenz for her, again at La Fenice.


Subject and Plot

The opera is loosely based on the historical figure Belisarius, the great 6th-century general of the Byzantine Empire under Emperor Justinian I.

However, the story takes considerable dramatic liberties. The plot centers on betrayal, false accusation, paternal tragedy, and eventual reconciliation:

  • Antonina, convinced (incorrectly) that her husband Belisario ordered the death of their infant son years earlier, seeks revenge.

  • Through intrigue and false testimony, Belisario is accused of treason.

  • He is blinded and exiled.

  • Their daughter Irene remains devoted to him.

  • Alamiro, initially presented as a prisoner, ultimately turns out to be the long-lost son.

  • The opera concludes with belated recognition and reconciliation — but too late to prevent tragedy.

The themes of injustice, paternal suffering, and redemption echo other 19th-century operatic subjects, and one can sense dramatic elements that anticipate Verdi.


19th-Century Reception

After its Venetian success, Belisario spread rapidly. During the 19th century, it was staged in 31 cities across Europe and the Americas.

Notable early performances include:

  • London – 1 April 1837

  • Philadelphia – 29 July 1843

  • New York – 14 February 1844

Its popularity endured for several decades. However, by the end of the century the opera had faded from the repertory. After a performance in Koblenz in 1899, it virtually disappeared.


20th- and 21st-Century Revivals

The revival of interest in Donizetti’s lesser-known works during the 20th century brought Belisario back to life.

Important modern revivals include:

  • 1969 – Teatro La Fenice

  • 1970 – Bergamo

  • 1972 – London

  • 1973 – Naples

  • 1981 – Buenos Aires

  • 1990 – Rutgers University (New Jersey)

Among the most celebrated interpreters of Antonina in modern times was the Turkish soprano Leyla Gencer, whose performances were instrumental in restoring attention to the opera. The baritone Giuseppe Taddei also contributed significantly to its rediscovery.

In 2010, the opera was performed by Buenos Aires Lírica. In February 2011, a concert performance at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London featured soprano Nelly Miricioiu under the baton of Richard Bonynge.

In 2012, the opera received a new production at the Teatro Donizetti as part of the Donizetti Festival, using the critical edition. That same year, the BBC Symphony Orchestra performed it in concert in London with soprano Joyce El-Khoury and baritone Nicola Alaimo. This cast recorded the opera for Opera Rara, providing a high-quality studio reference.

Despite these efforts, statistics from Operabase confirm that Belisario remains rarely staged in modern seasons.


Musical Characteristics

Musically, Belisario belongs firmly to Donizetti’s mature bel canto period. The score contains:

  • Noble baritone writing for the title role

  • Dramatically intense soprano scenes for Antonina

  • Lyrical and filial tenderness in Irene’s music

  • Large ensembles and concertati typical of the period

The baritone role is especially noteworthy. It anticipates the strong, morally complex Verdi baritone — one reason the opera is of particular interest in the evolution of Italian Romantic opera.

While critics have sometimes faulted the libretto’s structure, many agree that Donizetti’s melodic inspiration remains abundant, especially in the great scenes of paternal suffering.


Gaetano Donizetti


Belisario stands as one of Donizetti’s most intriguing neglected operas — admired in its day, forgotten for decades, and revived thanks to devoted artists and specialist labels.

It may not have the flawless dramatic architecture of Lucia di Lammermoor, but it contains powerful music, a commanding baritone role, and moments of genuine emotional depth. For lovers of bel canto rarities, it is not merely a curiosity — it is a work of real beauty and historical importance.

If you’ve never seen it staged live, you are in excellent company. But thanks to recordings — especially the Opera Rara edition — we can rediscover this unjustly overlooked jewel and appreciate it on its own noble terms.

There are operas that blaze across the centuries like comets, and others that glow more quietly — waiting for patient listeners to rediscover their light. Belisario belongs to the latter. Among the many jewels created by Gaetano Donizetti, it remains one of the most noble and unjustly forgotten.

Yet its birth was anything but obscure.


A Night of Fire and Glory in Venice

On the evening of 4 February 1836, the chandeliers of Teatro La Fenice shimmered above a glittering audience. Venice, suspended between water and sky, was wrapped in winter mist; gondolas rocked gently along the canals, and the great opera house — already famed for its elegance and acoustics — glowed like a palace of music.

La Fenice, “The Phoenix,” had risen from fire more than once, and even today it remains one of the most beautiful theatres in the world — a sanctuary of gold leaf, velvet, and whispered expectation. On that night in 1836, it witnessed the premiere of a new opera: Belisario.

Donizetti was at the height of his creative powers. Only months earlier, he had conquered Europe with Lucia di Lammermoor. Now he returned to Venice with a work of darker hue, shaped not by romantic madness but by injustice, betrayal, and paternal suffering.

The libretto was by Salvatore Cammarano, one of the great poets of Italian opera. Cammarano, who would later give Verdi Il trovatore and Luisa Miller, and Donizetti Roberto Devereux and Poliuto, had already demonstrated his genius for high Romantic tragedy. For Belisario, he drew upon an adaptation of a drama by Eduard von Schenk, transforming historical material into operatic passion.

The story was loosely based on the legendary 6th-century Byzantine general Belisarius — hero, exile, and victim of cruel fate.

When the curtain rose, Venice listened.



The First Voices of Belisario

The premiere cast assembled at La Fenice was distinguished and carefully chosen:

  • Belisario, General of the Byzantine army — Baritone
    Celestino Salvatori

  • Antonina, his wife — Soprano
    Carolina Ungher

  • Irene, their daughter — Mezzo-soprano
    Antonietta Vial

  • Giustiniano, Emperor of the Orient — Bass
    Saverio Giorgi

  • Alamiro, a young prisoner — Tenor
    Ignazio Marini

At the heart of the evening stood Carolina Ungher. Donizetti admired her deeply and wrote the role of Antonina specifically for her. Her voice — dramatic, flexible, capable of both fury and remorse — shaped the character from the very first note. So impressed was the composer that he would later create another major role for her, the title character in Maria de Rudenz, also premiered at La Fenice.

The audience that night responded with fervor. Contemporary critics spoke of triumph. One review declared that a new masterpiece had been added to Italian music, and that the opera had not merely pleased but conquered the entire auditorium. Applause resounded beneath the painted ceiling; Venice had embraced its new tragedy.


A Story of Love, Blindness, and Recognition

The drama of Belisario unfolds with almost Shakespearean intensity.

Belisario, victorious general of the Byzantine Empire, stands at the height of glory. Yet within his own home, suspicion festers. His wife Antonina believes that years earlier he ordered the death of their infant son. Consumed by grief and convinced of his cruelty, she turns against him.

Through intrigue and false accusation, Belisario is charged with treason before the Emperor Giustiniano. Stripped of honor, condemned unjustly, he is blinded — one of the most harrowing moments in bel canto opera — and sent into exile.

Only Irene, his devoted daughter, remains faithful to him. She becomes his guide, his comfort, his living conscience.

Meanwhile, Alamiro — a young prisoner taken under Belisario’s protection — gradually emerges as more than he seems. In one of opera’s most moving recognitions, he is revealed to be the lost son, believed murdered long ago.

But revelation comes too late to restore what injustice has destroyed. Reconciliation is achieved, yet tragedy leaves its mark. The opera closes not in easy triumph but in a noble, wounded dignity.


From Triumph to Oblivion

After its Venetian success, Belisario traveled widely. Throughout the 19th century it was performed in 31 cities across Europe and the Americas. London heard it in 1837; Philadelphia in 1843; New York in 1844. For decades it remained part of the international repertory.

And yet, gradually, tastes shifted. Donizetti’s own judgment was sober: he recognized that Belisario, for all its power, did not equal the dramatic perfection of Lucia di Lammermoor. Critics later observed that had he poured into it music of the same consistently inspired caliber as Lucia, its structural weaknesses might have mattered less.

By the end of the century, it disappeared. After a performance in Koblenz in 1899, silence fell.


Resurrection in the 20th Century

Like the theatre of its birth, Belisario would rise again.

In 1969 it returned to Teatro La Fenice, where it had first triumphed. Revivals followed in Bergamo, London, Naples, Buenos Aires, and even at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Among its champions, the luminous Turkish soprano Leyla Gencer stands pre-eminent. Her passionate advocacy restored Antonina to the stage and revealed the opera’s dramatic depth to a new generation. The great Italian baritone Giuseppe Taddei also contributed to its revival.

In the 21st century, further performances — including a concert in London under Richard Bonynge and a critically significant production at the Teatro Donizetti — renewed interest. The BBC Symphony Orchestra presented a concert performance in 2012 with Joyce El-Khoury and Nicola Alaimo, later recorded for Opera Rara, giving the work a modern studio monument.

Yet even today, it remains rarely staged — a precious rarity rather than a repertory staple.


The Music: Noble and Wounded

Musically, Belisario offers treasures for those willing to listen.

The title role is one of the great early Romantic baritone creations — noble, introspective, wounded. It foreshadows the psychological depth that Verdi would later explore. Antonina’s music ranges from fiery accusation to broken remorse. Irene embodies filial devotion in lyrical, tender phrases. The ensembles rise with the grandeur typical of Donizetti’s mature style.

There are pages of genuine inspiration — moments when melody seems to suspend time. And perhaps that is the true heart of Belisario: not perfection, but humanity.


La Fenice and the Echo of 1836

To imagine that premiere at La Fenice is to glimpse a moment when Venice breathed as one with the music. The gold balconies, the flicker of candlelight, the rustle of silk gowns, the rising murmur before the overture — all of it forming the cradle of a new tragedy.

Even today, when one enters La Fenice, restored again from fire and loss, it is easy to imagine Donizetti standing in a stage box, listening to his music soar upward into the painted heavens.

Belisario may not be performed often. You may never have seen it live — and few have. But in its pages lives a profound meditation on honor, blindness, forgiveness, and paternal love. It is an opera that waits patiently, like its hero in exile, for audiences willing to hear its noble voice once more.

And perhaps that very rarity makes it all the more precious.



Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Denver - Landmarks of Denver, Colorado

 













Denver, the capital and largest city of Colorado, stands as one of the most architecturally and historically significant urban centers in the American Mountain West. With a metropolitan population of approximately three million people, Denver combines modern urban development with deep historical roots. Its skyline, civic architecture, and public monuments together tell a powerful story about ambition, identity, politics, and transformation in the American West.

Among its most remarkable landmarks are the skyscraper 1801 California Street, the majestic Colorado State Capitol Building, and the evocative bronze sculpture The Closing of an Era. Each represents a different dimension of Denver’s development: economic power, democratic governance, and the cultural memory of westward expansion.


1801 California Street: A Symbol of Modern Ambition

1801 California Street is one of the defining features of Denver’s skyline. Completed in 1983, the skyscraper rises 709 feet (216 meters) and contains 53 floors. It is the second-tallest building in Denver and in the state of Colorado, standing just five feet shorter than Republic Plaza. Nationally, it ranks among the tallest buildings in the United States.

Architecturally, the building is an example of late-modernist high-rise design. Its brown concrete façade and stepped form create a striking silhouette against the Rocky Mountain horizon. The structure features four setbacks as it rises, a design choice that reduces wind load while adding visual interest. Its overall shape resembles two interlocked octagonal sections, creating a dynamic vertical presence that distinguishes it from simpler rectangular towers.

At one time, 1801 California Street was known for hosting some of the brightest high-rise signs in the world—reportedly even surpassing the illuminated skyscraper logos of Shanghai and Hong Kong. The building’s exterior gained additional recognition when it was used for exterior shots representing “Colbyco” in the television series Dynasty, further embedding it in popular culture.

More than just a tall structure, 1801 California Street symbolizes Denver’s economic growth during the late twentieth century, when the city expanded as a center of finance, energy, and regional corporate power.


The Colorado State Capitol: Democracy in Stone and Gold

The Colorado State Capitol, located at 200 East Colfax Avenue, is one of the most iconic civic buildings in the western United States. Serving as the home of the Colorado General Assembly and the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and State Treasurer, the building stands at the symbolic and geographical heart of the state’s political life.

Designed by architect Elijah E. Myers and completed in November 1894, the Capitol was intentionally modeled after the United States Capitol. Constructed primarily from Colorado white granite, the building reflects the ambition of a young state eager to assert its importance within the Union.

One of its most distinctive features is its gold dome, covered in real gold leaf added in 1908 to commemorate the Colorado Gold Rush. The shimmering dome is visible from many points across the city and serves as a reminder of the mineral wealth that fueled Colorado’s early economic development.

The Capitol stands slightly elevated above downtown Denver at the beginning of the Capitol Hill district. Inside, the main entrance hall rises 180 feet to the interior of the dome—roughly the height of an 18-story building—creating a dramatic sense of space and grandeur.

Outside the west entrance lies one of Denver’s most famous markers: the engraved fifteenth step reading “One Mile Above Sea Level.” At 5,280 feet (1,609 meters), Denver proudly embraces its nickname as the “Mile High City.” Later resurveying identified the 13th step as the most accurate mile-high point, and an additional marker was installed there in 2003.

The building forms part of the Denver Civic Center and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It also became part of the Denver Civic Center National Historic Landmark District in 2012. Major safety renovations completed between 2001 and 2009—designed by Fentress Architects—carefully integrated modern security features while preserving the original nineteenth-century design.


The Closing of an Era: Art, Memory, and the American West

Perhaps the most emotionally complex of these landmarks is The Closing of an Era, the bronze sculpture installed on the east side of the Colorado State Capitol.

Created in 1893 by sculptor Preston Powers, son of the renowned neoclassical artist Hiram Powers, the statue depicts a Native American hunter standing over a dying bison. The composition is dramatic and symbolic: the hunter gazes downward as the once-mighty animal collapses beneath him. The scene is not triumphant but somber.

Originally created for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, the sculpture was later donated to the state of Colorado and placed on a granite base sourced from Cotopaxi in Fremont County. The work represents what nineteenth-century Americans perceived as the “end” of the traditional Indigenous way of life in Colorado and the broader West.

The title itself—The Closing of an Era—reflects a late nineteenth-century worldview shaped by Manifest Destiny, westward expansion, and the near-extinction of the American bison. By the 1890s, bison populations had been reduced from tens of millions to only a few hundred animals. Their destruction was not only ecological but also deeply tied to federal policies aimed at weakening Native American tribes who depended on the buffalo for food, clothing, tools, and spiritual practices.

The statue captures this historical turning point. The Native hunter is portrayed with dignity and strength, yet the imagery implies loss, finality, and irreversible change. It embodies the idea—popular at the time—that the frontier had closed and that Indigenous cultures were disappearing. Today, however, the meaning of the sculpture is more complex and sometimes controversial.

From a modern perspective, the statue invites reflection on colonization, displacement, and cultural survival. While it was originally intended to symbolize progress and transition, contemporary audiences may interpret it as a reminder of cultural resilience and historical injustice. The narrative that Indigenous life had “ended” is contradicted by the ongoing presence and cultural vitality of Native communities in Colorado and throughout North America.

Preston Powers even commissioned a poem from John Greenleaf Whittier to accompany the sculpture, further emphasizing its symbolic weight. The statue’s origins also reveal its promotional intent: real estate investors initially sought a dramatic monument to attract settlers to the Perry Park area. When that plan failed, members of the “Fortnightly Club,” including Mrs. E. M. Ashley and Eliza Routt, redirected the project to represent Colorado at the World’s Fair.

Thus, The Closing of an Era is not merely a sculpture but a historical document in bronze. It encapsulates late nineteenth-century attitudes toward Native Americans, westward expansion, and the myth of the American frontier. Standing in front of the Capitol, it creates a powerful contrast: a democratic government building representing the present and future of the state, and a monument symbolizing a past shaped by displacement and transformation.


Conclusion: A City Told Through Stone, Steel, and Bronze

Together, 1801 California Street, the Colorado State Capitol, and The Closing of an Era illustrate the layered identity of Denver. The skyscraper reflects economic ambition and modern growth. The Capitol embodies political authority, state pride, and civic tradition. The statue offers a solemn meditation on cultural change, loss, and historical memory.

Denver’s built environment is not merely decorative; it is narrative. Its skyline tells a story of aspiration. Its civic architecture speaks of governance and identity. Its monuments remind observers that progress often carries complex and painful histories.

In walking through Denver, one moves not only through space, but through time—across eras of gold rush optimism, frontier mythmaking, political development, and contemporary urban dynamism.



Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Moscow - Le Corsaire by Adolphe Adam






















Le Corsaire is one of the most fabulous ballets in the classical repertoire and unquestionably one of those endowed with the most impressive and sumptuous musical scores. Its music is exquisite, rich in color, drama, and melodic invention, making it a jewel of 19th-century ballet.

Le Corsaire is a ballet in three acts, five tableaux, and an epilogue, based on a libretto by Jules-Henry Vernoy de Saint-Georges, inspired by Lord Byron’s poem The Corsair (1814). The original music was composed by Adolphe Adam, though the score as it is performed today includes significant additions by other composers. The ballet was first created on 23 January 1856 at the Paris Opéra, with choreography by Joseph Mazilier. The principal roles were originated by Carolina Rosati as Médora and Domenico Segarelli as Conrad. The work remained in the repertoire for two years and was revived in 1867 for the Paris Universal Exposition.

During this revival, a grand Pas des fleurs was added in honor of the ballerina Adèle Grantzow, who danced Médora. The music for this new number was commissioned from Léo Delibes. Despite this success, Le Corsaire later fell into obscurity in France and was never again staged by the Paris Opéra.

The survival of the ballet is largely due to its transmission in Russia. On 24 January 1858, Jules Perrot presented Le Corsaire at the Imperial Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre in Saint Petersburg, adapting Mazilier’s version. Marius Petipa participated in this production both as a dancer and as Perrot’s assistant. In subsequent years, Petipa took charge of reviving and reshaping the ballet, continuing his work on it until the dawn of the 20th century.











One of Petipa’s most significant contributions was the expansion of Delibes’s Pas des fleurs into a large and lavish tableau known as Le Jardin animé, enriched with additional music. Through these Russian revivals—and thanks to the choreographic notations made during Petipa’s lifetime—the ballet was preserved. While it is now impossible to determine precisely how much of Mazilier’s original choreography survives, a substantial portion of Petipa’s work can be reliably reconstructed.

The celebrated Pas de deux (or Pas de trois in full productions) that is now inseparable from Le Corsaire owes most of its music to Riccardo Drigo, assembled from various works by Andrianov. Drigo composed the entrance adagio, the male variation, and the final coda, while the female variation is attributed to Baron Schell. From 1915 onward, this Pas de deux—with Drigo’s music and Andrianov’s choreography—achieved worldwide fame and was incorporated into nearly all subsequent productions, replacing an earlier Pas de deux composed by Drigo in 1887.

Le Corsaire was first staged in Russia for the Imperial Ballet of Saint Petersburg by Jules Perrot, who served as Premier Maître de Ballet of the Imperial Theatres from 1849 to 1858. The premiere took place on 24 January (12 January O.S.) 1858, with Ekaterina Friedbürg as Médora and the young Marius Petipa dancing Conrad. For this production, Petipa assisted Perrot in rehearsals and revised several key dances.

Petipa’s final and most important revival premiered on 25 January (13 January O.S.) 1899 at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre. This production was mounted especially for the benefit performance of Pierina Legnani, Prima ballerina assoluta of the Imperial Theatres. Olga Preobrajenskaya danced the role of Gulnare, and Pavel Gerdt appeared as Conrad.

Among modern recordings, the complete score performed by the English Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Richard Bonynge (Decca, 1990, 2 CDs) is widely regarded as the finest available today—a true treasure, frequently listened to and deeply cherished by ballet and music lovers alike.


















Le Corsaire à Moscou : une histoire de transmissions et de métamorphoses

L’histoire de Le Corsaire à Moscou occupe une place essentielle dans la survie et l’évolution de ce ballet. Dès le XIXᵉ siècle, le Ballet du Théâtre Bolchoï impérial de Moscou joua un rôle déterminant dans la transmission et la transformation de l’œuvre, en dialogue constant avec la tradition pétersbourgeoise.

En mars 1858, Marius Petipa fut envoyé à Moscou afin de monter pour le Ballet du Théâtre Bolchoï impérial la version de Le Corsaire créée par Jules Perrot à Saint-Pétersbourg. Cette production s’inscrivit durablement au répertoire du théâtre, qui continua à la représenter régulièrement au fil des décennies, au travers de multiples reprises et adaptations. En 1888, Petipa supervisa personnellement la création d’une nouvelle production pour la troupe moscovite, laquelle connut un succès retentissant et confirma l’importance de son autorité chorégraphique dans la Russie impériale.

En 1894, le nouveau maître de ballet du Bolchoï, Ivan Clustine, présenta sa propre mise en scène de Le Corsaire, créée le 22 mars (9 mars, ancien style). Cette production suscita toutefois la controverse : Petipa affirma par la suite que Clustine avait largement plagié sa chorégraphie, notamment dans la célèbre scène du Jardin animé, l’un des tableaux les plus emblématiques du ballet.

Un tournant majeur survint le 25 janvier 1912 (12 janvier, ancien style), lorsque Alexandre Gorsky, alors Premier Maître de Ballet du Théâtre Bolchoï, présenta sa grande reprise de Le Corsaire. Les rôles principaux furent interprétés par Ekaterina Geltzer (Médora) et Vassili Tikhomirov (Conrad). Pour cette production, Gorsky entreprit une révision approfondie de la partition d’Adolphe Adam, enrichie d’un grand nombre d’interpolations musicales destinées à accompagner de nouvelles scènes, variations et divertissements.

Gorsky intégra des musiques de compositeurs aussi divers qu’Edvard Grieg, Anton Simon, Reinhold Glière, Karl Goldmark, Frédéric Chopin, Piotr Ilitch Tchaïkovski et Antonín Dvořák. Parmi les ajouts les plus remarquables figurait une scène de rêve sur un Nocturne de Chopin, dans laquelle Médora imagine son bien-aimé Conrad. Un autre épisode marquant fut l’introduction d’un divertissement pour esclaves turques, persanes et arabes lors de la scène du bazar à l’acte I. Malgré l’abondance de ces ajouts, Gorsky conserva également de nombreux pas et tableaux hérités des versions de Mazilier et de Petipa, créant ainsi une synthèse entre tradition et modernité.

La version de Gorsky demeura au répertoire du Théâtre Bolchoï jusqu’en 1927. Par la suite, bien que des extraits de Le Corsaire continuassent d’être fréquemment présentés, le ballet dans son intégralité ne fut plus repris à Moscou avant 1992, année où Konstantin Sergueïev en proposa une nouvelle production pour la compagnie.

Au début du XXIᵉ siècle, le Bolchoï renoua avec l’ambition historique du ballet en présentant, le 21 juin 2007, une reprise fastueuse de Le Corsaire, mise en scène par Iouri Bourlaka en collaboration avec le directeur artistique Alexeï Ratmansky. Cette production se distingua par son approche historiquement informée : Bourlaka s’appuya sur les notations chorégraphiques de la collection Sergueïev, ainsi que sur des documents conservés à la Bibliothèque nationale de France, au musée théâtral Bakhrushine et au Musée d’État du théâtre et de la musique de Saint-Pétersbourg.

Cette version, estimée à 1,5 million de dollars, devint la production de ballet la plus coûteuse jamais montée à ce jour. Elle confirma une fois encore le rôle central de Moscou — et du Théâtre Bolchoï — dans l’histoire, la préservation et la réinvention de Le Corsaire, ballet dont la richesse n’a cessé de se renouveler au fil des générations.





Saint Petersburg - Giuseppe Verdi - La forza del destino - Mariinsky Theatre - 30th April 2026

On Thursday, April 30th, 2026, Mariinsky Theatre will host an event of truly exceptional artistic and historical importance: a rare performa...