Read what Mr. Farkas has to say at the Seattle Opera blog. (Gee, I wonder if Opera San José would consider a blog?!)
He talks about more than Tristan & Isolde:
The English horn solo from Wagner’s Siegfried is one that quickly comes to mind, because we played it last summer, and it is perhaps unique in that it is one solo that you want to make sound as BAD as possible. That’s because it portrays Siegfried’s unsuccessful efforts to play a small pipe which he fashions out of a piece of cane he finds in the forest.
Hmmm. I think I could sound bad. Really. Easily.
While all this adulation might get the better of someone else, Mr. Ma is—to use the common parlance—too grounded for ego flights. “I just don’t think that way,” he said. “People will ask, ‘Are you famous?’ And I always answer, ‘My mother thinks so.’” Besides, even exceptionally talented artists need to practice and grow. “I may be playing the same pieces, but the way I’m thinking about them is different. In my 40s, I was exploring what else is going on in the neighborhood. In my 50s, I’m more interested in how young people think. Plus I’m trying to play the cello as well as I can. Between the measurable and the immeasurable things, that’s where I live.”
-Yo-Yo Ma
I read it here. I think the link will be up for a short time.
I can only speak for myself and my few encounters with Mr. Ma, but he was a delight every time he played with us, and I found him to be genuine and kind.
Just received from those in the know:
“Patty, Sunday is nearly sold out, but we still have great seats available for Thursday, Friday and Saturday! If you don’t have your tickets yet, it’s not too late!”
So get those tickets if you want ‘em! :-)
He certain lived a long life!
Mitch Miller conducted San Jose Symphony a few times. We oboists hid our oboes as he walked by, as we’d been told he’d grab one and, using one of our own reeds, start playing it if we weren’t careful.
i was born to play the oboe.
Okay now this situation has been really getting my last nerve, and I would like some advice from an experienced oboist… or someone of that sort.
So I have been playing Oboe for about a month now, and I can not get the dang thing to stay in tune.
My electronic tuner goes from sharp to flat, from flat to sharp, it is just ridiculous. If I attempt to play a phrase the tuner will just wave back and forth. It is frustrating me because eventually I really hope to develop a nice, natural vibrato. but that’s kind of impossible without being in tune.Details:
I am teaching myself to play oboe. This is because my high school band teacher isn’t an oboist, and private lessons really aren’t optional because for one thing we don’t have enough money for that, and another reason is that there simply aren’t any teachers for that in the small town I’m living in. I currently play trumpet, but I wanted to switch instruments because trumpet just isn’t appealing to me anymore ><
I’m using a Student Model Selmer Oboe, and Jones Medium-Soft reeds.
Please, any advice could help.
The question was found here. The player is using a Selmer. Sigh.
This Thursday through Sunday you can hear some mighty fine voices. Truly. This is my fourth year playing with Merola, and I must say I’m really blown away this year by the quality.
Someone complained that the prices were too high, which I find rather ridiculous. You have an orchestra. You have a staged opera. And you are hearing some wonderful singers, some of whom will, I’m sure, go on to sing on the big stages where the prices will be far too high. But they’ll be (and are) worth it!
L’Elisir d’Amore
by Gaetano Donizetti
Libretto by Felice Romani
Sung in Italian with English supertitles
Thursday – Saturday, August 5, 6 and 7, 8:00 PM
Sunday, August 8, 2:00 PM
Cowell Theater at Fort Mason Center
$60 | $40 | $25 StudentsThursday, August 5 and Saturday, August 7 at 8:00 PM
Adina: Nadine Sierra
Nemorino: Daniel Montenegro
Belcore: Benjamin Covey
Giannetta: Hye Jung Lee
Dulcamara: Thomas FlorioFriday, August 6 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, August 8, 2:00 PM
Adina: Valentina Fleer
Nemorino: Alexander Lewis
Belcore: Ao Li
Giannetta: Abigail Santos Villalobos
Dulcamara: Sidney Outlaw
We saw a production (see below) of this with the Big Guys up in San Francisco a while back. Believe me, the tickets cost more. (Of course at this point it doesn’t matter, since “my” Elixir is sold out!)
finally. my own oboe. nobody knows how excited I am about. absolutely nobody :))
I absolutely adore flute and piccolo, but I feel an odd inclination to take up oboe. I don’t know why as I hate the sound of oboes before they reach like grade VII Are there any people out there who play both, does oboe completely ruin flute tone and embouchure and vice versa? And do you get the fingerings mixed up between instruments? Also I can’t afford lessons for oboe so I would be self-taught which I know isn’t good at all and I will probably get into all sorts of bad habits. Also I don’t really know if it’s worth it as oboes are so expensive I could get a new flute or picc for that money, I dunno it’s probably just a faze I’ll get over it but it’s an interesting topic anyway.
Today we begin our final week with Merola; two more rehearsals, and four performances to go. The singers really are fantastic. I’d tell people to buy tickets, but I was told they sold out a month ago, so never mind. (If I find out there are seats available you can be sure I’ll blog about it!)
I’m having a great time; the principal oboist is great fun to work with, my carpool buddies are great, and it’s a rather non-stressful job, which I’ve not had for a long time. The only “but” in all of this is the fact that I have to play softer than I’ve ever played. I finally gave up and shoved a swab in the bell. I play nearly the entire opera with that thing crammed in the oboe. The issue is the hall; there’s no pit! So we are on the same level as the audience, and the stage is only a bit above us. This does cause issues for balance. Ah well … keeps me working hard, to play that softly.
Here’s Valentina Fleer, who sings Adina in one of the casts:
I would love to put videos up of all the singers, but I couldn’t find any more. Too bad. I wonder if they haven’t been allowed to put any up, or if they just don’t have any yet, as they are rather young.
I’ve written about this before, and I’m sure I’ll continue to write about this: I do hope the union rules change about things recording use. I think we should all be allowed to use video clips and recordings. I’m not asking for a full work, but to not even allow 5 minutes of work is ridiculous. Times have changed, and the union hasn’t kept up. They need to.
I found this a kick to watch. And of course I played this a number of times some years ago. Yes, I know these aren’t the proper instruments … but it just made me smile. Hope you do too! Clever and fun!
The main library, Dr. MLK Junior, will be having some events in August that you might want to check out. The opera, Anna Karenina, by David Carlson, will be new to most, and often it helps to learn about the work, and here some of the music. I don’t know if they’ll be singing for us, but I do know that some of the performers will be at one event, as will the composer.
Here’s the information:
GALLERY EXHIBIT
August 3 – August 30
All Library Open Hours
2nd Floor exhibit areaOSJ patrons and members of the public are invited to visit a gallery exhibit featuring composer David Carlson’s personal collection of orchestral manuscripts. Visitors will have the opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process of the making of a modern American opera with a rare glimpse at musical composition artifacts, costume and set design renderings and still photos.
FILM SCREENING
Screening of Anna Karenina, 1948 film starring Vivian Leigh
August 14 at 2 pm
2nd Floor, Room 255/257Visitors can attend a screening of the 1948 film version of Anna Karenina starring Vivien Leigh, followed by a guided tour of the gallery exhibit by OSJ General Manager Larry Hancock.
PREVIEW/PANEL DISCUSSION
August 30 at 12 noon
2nd Floor, Room 225/229Anna Karenina preview by members of the cast and panel discussion with composer, David Carlson. Moderated by San Jose State Professor Arlene Okerlund.
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library is located at
150 E. San Fernando St., downtown San José
