Last Saturday, May 8, at 20:30 (cet), there was a live broadcast from Brussels of the new Laurent Pelly's production of Don Quichotte, on Arte-Live Web. For the next 60 days when you find some time you can watch it for free:
Marc Minkowski conducted the show which is most probably the last time we could see José van Dam singing in an opera.
A good note about this opera can be found on Wiki.
Saw this yesterdasy with Le Texier alternate Don but I am not sure he was a good fit for this basso role.
ReplyDeleteI was relieved that it wa not one of Pelly's jokey productions catching as it did the tristesse and the delicate undercurrents of Massenet's own old age and relationship with the original Dulcinee, Lucy Arbell.
The Don subtlely changes from a Massenet look alike in Act 1 to the more familiar image of the Knight of the Doleful Countenace in the later acts.
The stage is dominated by huge piles of paper including a paier mache Rosinante.
The last sad act was unbearably moving, all regretful orchestral tints, though Minkowski did catch the brash Spanish colours in the earlier acts.
Very nice moules and frites for lunch too, and a waffle on the back back to Eurostar.