Opera in NYC: The Queen of Spades at The MetOpera

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Opera in NYC: The Queen of Spades at The MetOpera

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s opera about the vices of gambling and greed is performed at The MetOpera by the impressive international cast

Larissa Diadkova as the Countess, Lise Davidsen as Lisa, Yusif Eyvazov as Hermann, and Igor Golovatenko as Prince Yeletsky in Tchaikovsky's "The Queen of Spades" at the MetOpera
Larissa Diadkova as the Countess, Lise Davidsen as Lisa, Yusif Eyvazov as Hermann, and Igor Golovatenko as Prince Yeletsky in Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades.” Photo: Ken Howard / Met Opera

Mysterious and alluring, the Imperial Russia of Catherine the Great’s time takes the stage of the Met Opera this December. The critics call The Quees of Spades, a masterpiece created by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, the highlight of the season so far. The splendid and imperially rich set and costume design by Mark Thompson recreates the times of extreme fashion, endless balls, and futile gambling and drinking nights. Premiered in 1995, Elijah Moshinsky’s production of The Queen of Spades is also memorable to the opera fans for Dmitriy Hvorostovky’s debut at the Met Opera.

This year’s production features a superb cast of international stars with a radiant soprano Lise Davidsen as Lisa, an expressive tenor Yusif Eyoavazov as Hermann, impeccable baritones Igor Golovanenko and Aleksey Markov as  Tomsk and Yeletsky, and a moody mezzo-soprano Larisa Diadkova as the countess. The conductor Vasily Petrenko makes his debut on the Met stage and takes full control of the splendid music score, leading the musicians in perfect alignment with the singing and acting.

Alexey Markov as Count Tomsky in Tchaikovsky's "The Queen of Spades."
Alexey Markov as Count Tomsky in Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades.” Photo: Ken Howard / Met Opera

Davidsen’s stormy entry into the opera world can only be fully appreciated when her powerful performance is observed on stage. With an understatement so suitable for Lisa, a young Russian lady of modest means, Davidsen uses her vocal strength to deliver the angst and desperation because of her lover’s betrayal in the name of material possessions. The colorful and exquisitely designed chorus scenes contrast with the gloomy mood and greedy aspirations of the high society. But the gorgeous music and the impressive signing save the day to the elation of the audience.

The opera is sung in Russian with subtitles; run time 3 hours and 35 minutes with one intermission. Performances are from December 5 – 21, 2019. 

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Music in NYC: Andrea Bocelli 2019 Holiday Concert at Madison Square Garden

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Music in NYC: Andrea Bocelli 2019 Holiday Concert at Madison Square Garden

Tickets to the unforgettable Christmas-themed concerts on December 18, 2019 and December 19, 2019 at Madison Square Garden in New York City

Italian Singer Andrea Bocelli playing piano
Andrea Bocelli at Premio Faraglioni 2009; photo by Sannita / Image licensed by Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Andrea Bocelli, an Italian classical and pop music singer returns to Madison Square Garden in New York City to celebrate the holidays with his fans and followers. Bocelli will be sharing a stage with the conductor Eugene Kohn, soprano Larisa Martinez, and guest artist Heather Headley. Nominated in 2016 for three Latin Grammy Awards including Album of the Year and awarded a 2017 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for “Cinema”, a Holiday concert by Bocelli will offer an unforgettable experience and bring a lot of joy.

Dates and Tickets :

Wednesday, December 18, 2019, 7.30 pm        BUY TICKETS

Thursday, December 19, 2019, 7.30 pm             BUY TICKETS 

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Theater in NYC: Betrayal by Harold Pinter on Broadway

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Theater in NYC: Betrayal by Harold Pinter on Broadway

Betrayal, the most famous play by English playwright Harold Pinter is running on Broadway with incredible Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Cox, and Zawe Ashton; until December 8, 2019

Zawe Ashton, Charlie Cox, and Tom Hiddleston in BETRAYAL at London's Harold Pinter Theatre
Zawe Ashton, Charlie Cox, and Tom Hiddleston in BETRAYAL at London’s Harold Pinter Theatre; photo by Marc Brenner

The play Betrayal, directed by Jamie Lloyd, a recognized interpreter of Pinter’s oeuvre, and staged by a scenic designer Soutra Gilmour, comes to New York after a triumphant run in London at the standing-room-only sold-out house at Harold Pinter Theater. The reverse chronology of the script coupled with the bare stage design put a premium on acting in this tense psychological drama. This is where the superb cast shines. Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Cox, and Zawe Ashton successfully navigate the intricacies of the script progressing from the first scene when the affair is over back in time to its start.

Hiddleston’s refined performance as Robert, the deceived husband, sets the finely measured tone and carries the plot to its highest points of controlled tensions. Cox as Jerry, Robert’s close friend, excels in depicting a character that goes with a flow. Emma, Robert’s wife, and Jerry’s lover, in Ashton’s interpretation, comes across as reserved and underwhelming.

Lloyd employs the novel technique of keeping all three characters on stage even in the scenes written for two. This is a cunning way to stress the unconscious awareness of guilt. Locked in a bitter love-triangle, each of the three is guilty in deceiving the other two. Coupled with the reverse chronology of the script, the production is deceptively simple yet deeply sophisticated. A few fine accents like costume change would help in articulating the passage of time for this otherwise fluid and well-balanced spectacle.

Betrayal runs for only 17 weeks on Broadway until December 8, 2019. Click below for tickets at 56% off.

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Theater in NYC: The Rise and Fall of Macondo at Pushkin Hall

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Theater in NYC: The Rise and Fall of Macondo at Pushkin Hall

The Russian Arts & Theater Studio presents the Rise and Fall of Macondo, a play inspired by One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez; at Pushkin Hall from October 30 – November 24, 2019 

The cast of The Rise and Fall of Macondo; The Russian Arts & Theater Studio
The cast of The Rise and Fall of Macondo; The Russian Arts & Theater Studio / Image courtesy of the theater

Selecting One Hundred Years of Solitude for a stage adaptation takes tenacity and ambition. After all, to recount the tales of the long list of Buendia family members, their close and distant relatives and neighbors in the town of Macondo from Marquez’s masterpiece would seem to take an eternity in theater terms. Or, it could feel like eternity for the theatergoers. Yet, the company’s artistic director Aleksey Burago accomplished the task with fluidity and charm.

Adapted with the broad strokes of a pen, the script has all the major turns of Macondo’s history, from its founding as a place of seclusion to the ups and downs of the time of peace to the honors of the years of war and ultimate decimation. Skillfully weaving in the inventive soundtrack and elaborate ensemble scenes, Burago sets a perfect pace for the narrative and condenses the epic story into a little over a two-hour running time. The acting by the cast of The Russian Arts and Theater Studio is spot on and flows with ease.

The spirit of a big family all living under the same roof is recreated by the 15 cast members who are present on stage throughout the play. In keeping with the orthodox traditions and orders, male and female characters are positioned on the opposite sides of the stage for clear delineation of gender roles. But soon, Ursula, Di Zhu, the family matriarch takes control of the household in her hands and raises its 6 generations. She eventually passes the baton on to her great-grand-daughter Amaranda also played by Zhu. Fate defies the high expectations for Ursula’s sons and grandsons, so Amaranda is the last member of the Buendia family who ends the line. However, the ghosts of procreation and hope remain in the air even when the only creatures left on stage are ants.

Enjoy this sleepless journey of vivid allegories, earthy emotions, and the dreams of a simple life. The play is performed in English; running time is 2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission.

Inspired by the novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Adapted and directed by Aleksey Burago

Cast: Jaime Carrillo, Micheal Donaldson, Roman Freud, Kristina Korop, Alex Malyi, Luisa Menzen, Ariel Polanco, Paulo Quiros, Riccardo Ripani, Tom Schubert, Lana Stimmler, Desen Uygur, Oleksiy Varfolomiyev, Naira Zakaryan, Di Zhu

 

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Dates: October 30 – November 24, 2019

Venue: Pushkin Hall, 165 W 86th St, New York, NY 10024

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Music in NYC: Russian Elegy Program of Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Lyadov at Aspect Chamber Music Concert

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Music in NYC: Russian Elegy Program of Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Lyadov at Aspect Chamber Music Concert

Aspect Chamber Music Series presents the Russian Elegy program performed by violinist Misha Keylin, cellist Zlatomir Fung, and pianist Pavel Nersessian on Wednesday, December 4, 2019 at 7.30 pm at Bohemian National Hall; illustrated talk by BBC radio host Stephen Johnson

Mikhail Glinka, Piotr Tchaikovsky; violinist Misha Keylin, pianist Pavel Nersessian, cellist Zlatomir Fung
Mikhail Glinka, Piotr Tchaikovsky; violinist Misha Keylin, pianist Pavel Nersessian, cellist Zlatomir Fung

Introspective and moody, the music of the Russian composers projects the warmth and emotional depth which are precious gifts for chamber music lovers. This Holiday season three brilliant musicians, violinist Misha Keylin, cellist Zlatomir Fung, and pianist Pavel Nersessian, are teaming up for an elegiac program of music by Lyadov, Glinka, and Tchaikovsky.

Veteran BBC radio host and musicologist Stephen Johnson leads an illustrated lecture on the three Russian composers on the bill, exploring the theme of the Russian elegy. Johnson is a writer, broadcaster and lecturer on music.

Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857), influenced by the rich folk tradition and orthodox church chants in the Russian province which he heard in childhood, is considered to be the grandfather of Russian classical music. Better known for the distinctly Russian operas, his oeuvre includes expressive chamber music written yearly in his career. Glinka’s work had inspired a plethora of Russian composers including Tchaikovsky and Lyadov.

Treat yourself for an evening of exceptional music played by the amazing young musicians.

Get tickets at 33% off with code ARTSNY23 at checkout when attending the Aspect Chamber Music Series for the first time. 

BUY TICKETS at 33% off with ARTSNY23 code

Program:

Lyadov — Three Pieces, Op. 57
Glinka — Trio Pathétique
Tchaikovsky — Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50         

             

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