The Copenhagen 2013 “Aci, Galatea e Polifemo” Liveblogging Thread

Welcome to the White Shirt live comment thread for Handel’s “Aci, Galatea e Polifemo” from Copenhagen (2013), with Sonia Prina as Galatea, Deborah York as Aci and João Fernandes as Polifemo.
Concerto Copenhagen is conducted by Alfredo Bernardini, the staging is by Deda Cristina Colonna (special mention to Hair and Make-Up by Jens Gunnar).

The production is available via YT; libretto (1708 version) can be found here in English and Italian, here in German and Italian.

The Aix 2012 “Figaro” Liveblogging Thread

Welcome to the White Shirt live comment thread for Mozart’s “Le nozze di Figaro” from the Aix-en-Provence festival in 2012, starring
Patricia Petibon as Susanna
Malin Byström as the Countess
Kate Lindsey as Cherubino
Kyle Ketelsen as Figaro
Paulo Szot as Count
Anna Maria Panzarella as Marcellina
Mario Luperi as Bartolo
John Graham-Hall as Basilio
Emanuele Giannino as Don Curzio
Mari Eriksmoen and Barbarina
René Schirrer as Antonio

Jérémie Rhorer conducts Le Cercle de l’Harmonie, the staging is by Richard Brunel.

The production is available  on YT; the libretto in English, German and Italian can be found here.

The Toulon 2015 “Giulio Cesare” Liveblogging Thread

Welcome to the White Shirt live comment thread for Handel’s “Giulio Cesare in Egitto” from Toulon 2015, starring
Giulio Cesare: Sonia Prina *screaming*
Cleopatra: Roberta Invernizzi
Cornelia:Teresa Iervolino *screaming*
Sesto: Monica Bacelli *screaming*
Tolomeo: Daniela Pini *more ladies!*
Achilla: Riccardo Novaro
Nireno: Benedetta Mazzucato *yet more ladies! Maximum of ladies!*
Curio: Pierre Bessière.

Rinaldo Alessandrini conducts the Toulon opera orchestra, the Xena-levels-of-camp staging is by Frédéric Andrau.

The show can be found on YT in an 8-part playlist; the libretto in English, German and Italian can be found here.

The Fenice “Juditha Triumphans” (2015) Liveblogging Thread

Welcome to the White Shirt live comment thread for Vivaldi’s “Juditha Triumphans” from la Fenice in 2015, starring Manuela Custer (Juditha), Teresa Iervolino (Holofernes), Paola Gardina (Vagaus), Giulia Semenzato (Abra) and Francesca Ascioti (Ozias).

Alessandro de Marchi conducts the orchestra and chorus of La Fenice, the staging is by Elena Barbalich. Special mention for the costumes, since they will no doubt also be covered by some discussion, by Tommaso Lagattolla.

The original (Italian) program book (containing a libretto in Latin and Italian some interesting essays on the employ of voices and the development of the costumes) for the production can her found here at La Fenice (pdf), a html-based libretto in Latin and Italian here, a bilingual edition in Latin/English (from the Pinchgut production) is available here.

The 1999 Vienna “Don Giovanni” Liveblogging Thread

Welcome to the White Shirt live comment thread for Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” from the Vienna Staatsoper @TADW in 1999, starring Anna Caterina Antonacci (Donna Elvira), Adrianne Pieczonka (Donna Anna), Angelika Kirchschlager (Zerlina), Ilebrando d’Arcangelo (Leporello), Michael Schade (Don Ottavio), Carlos Álvarez (Don Giovanni), Franz-Josef Selig (Commendatore) and Lorenzo Regazzo (Masetto).

Riccardo Muti conducts, the staging or lack thereof has been hoisted upon us by Roberto de Simone.

Snark away!

The Aix “Così fan tutte” Liveblogging Thread

Welcome to the White Shirt live comment thread for Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” from the Aix-en-Provence festival 2016, starring Sandrine Piau (Despina), Lenneke Ruiten (Fiordiligi), Kate Lindsey (Dorabella), Rod Gilfry (Alfonso), Nahuel di Pierro (Guglielmo) and Joel Prieto (Ferrando).

Louis Langrée conducts the Freiburger Barockorchester, the staging is by Christophe Honoré. Further production details can be found on the Aix festival website, the video stream of the production is available through ARTE.

The libretto is available in Italian here, in English here.