Casual reminder that Operavision is streaming this on Thursday, Feb. 28th, and will keep it online until the end of May (thank you, Operavision).
Ugh, the conflicting layers of 1) “I can never find someone in a Nazi uniform or the use of said uniform as an illustrative asthethic appealing or even remontely ok”, but also 2) “IERVOLINO FTW and HELLO, Arquez!!!”
Queer Lorgnette 
Well, it is a historical opera. And history has four periods: Star Wars, Now, World War II, and Game of Thrones. I could relate to a version in which Dr Who takes a sonic screwdriver to the head of the Cybermen leader, but in Holland, this version is probably the attention-getter. Nebuchadnezzar is an even older stereotypical baddie.
And they do sound marvelous.
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Even within a Durch setting, I find it problematic (but that may be a German thing). I’d probably prefer any on the other three time periods… but for opera, I’d have to add Xena, as Camp Antiquity Mix.
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Thinking again about this: how much more interesting, and perhaps better? to stage it colonially with visibly differing ethnicities. During the French attempt to reconquer Haiti, perhaps, or the British campaign in Malaysia. Situations in which the female characters are all too likely to have back stories. But that wouldn’t be triumphalism. Or commodified response.
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Well, it is a historical opera. And history has four periods: Star Wars, Now, World War II, and Game of Thrones.
thanks for the chuckle, it’s a mighty achievement to get one from me right now.
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Thanks for the reminder! Glimpsing in, the acting looks really convincing from close view.
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…of course I could only check in once Holofernes was already dead, so the replay is running along with the DL.
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have been on repeat on my end..
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me, too – had it running last night while writing. (then with Iervolino’s bits!)
I still have a hard time dealing with the uniforms, but both Iervolino and Arquez are fantastic.
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also Marcon and La Cetra.
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because the singers wear mics the orchestra doesnt cover them, which was the case at times in the house (for my ears).
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jeah i was explaining elsewhere .. growing up studying all kinds of Vietnam wars (against Chinese for 1000 yrs, 100 against the French, and so many more years after that.. as well as internal family discussion of war against communists) am not that familiar with the Nazi uniforms.. and had people not told me i might have missed it altogether (but can recognize Lenin in a blink), and thus didnt have any trouble with the clothings here.. and i remain floored by Arquez’s depths, colors, and expressions in her lower range
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the part sits exceptioanlly well for her. (though it may have been even better in the house, probably)
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(no, surprisingly she sounded the same in the house! as rich as heard in the video. the one time she got partially covered was that fast aria with lots of instruments, agitata infido flatu…
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still, she rocks that one!
(But she also has to climb rocks during, and work with the shifting acoustings of the turning stage…)
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This really is just as good audio only (if one can’t stand the setting any longer, though I thought it did help with the understanding of peoples motives). The mics help for the singers of course, but I remember the sound of La Cetra being very in the live performance as well, they were quite numerous.
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Yes, La Cetra sounds great, I can only repeat.
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