oboeinsight

I’ve been instructed on how to download the photos at the Opera San José site (thanks, Elizabeth!) so here they are. (Comments below each photo are from OSJ):

Cast A: Rebecca Davis as the Trojan princess Ilia in Opera San José’s production of Mozart’s Idomeneo. Photo by P. Kirk, courtesy of Opera San Jose.

Cast A: Christopher Bengochea in the title role and the Opera San José chorus in Mozart’s Idomeneo. Photo by R. Shomler, courtesy of Opera San Jose.

Cast A: Christina Major as the fiery Electra in Opera San José’s production of Mozart’s Idomeneo. Photo by R. Shomler, courtesy of Opera San Jose.

Cast 1: Betany Coffland as Idamante, the king’s son, in Opera San José’ production of Mozart’s Idomeneo. Photo by P. Kirk, courtesy of Opera San Jose.

Cast A: From L to R: Ilia (Rebecca Davis), Idomeneo (Christopher Bengochea) and his son, Idamante (Aaron Blake) in Opera San José’s production of Mozart’s Idomeneo. Photo by P. Kirk, courtesy of Opera San Jose.

Cast 1: Sandra Bengochea as the Trojan princess Ilia in Opera San José’s production of Mozart’s Idomeneo. Photo by P. Kirk, courtesy of Opera San Jose.

Cast 1: Jasmina Halimic as the fiery Electra in Opera San José’s production of Mozart’s Idomeneo. Photo by B. Shomler, courtesy of Opera San Jose.

Cast 1: Alexander Boyer as the king of Crete in Opera San José’s production of Mozart’s Idomeneo. Photo by P. Kirk, courtesy of Opera San Jose.

Cast 1: Alexander Boyer in the title role and the Opera San José chorus in Mozart’s Idomeneo. Photo by B. Shomler, courtesy of Opera San Jose.

I’m so appreciative of Mr. Kirk an Mr. Shomler. This is the way we in the pit get to experience more of the opera. Fantastic photos!

I have permission from Opera San José to post photos they have provided over on Facebook. All photos are, at this point, by Pat Kirk. There are also some by Bob Shomler, but for some reason I can’t get them in full size via their press page, so just go here to see them!

As you will see, this production looks fantastic!

Idamante (Aaron Blake) declares his love to Ilia (Rebecca Davis). Image by Pat Kirk Photography, courtesy of Opera San José.

Idamante (Betany Coffland) frees the Trojan captives to please Ilia (Sandra Bengochea). Image by Pat Kirk Photography, courtesy of Opera San José.

The king’s (Christopher Bengochea) ship is wrecked. Image by Pat Kirk Photography, courtesy of Opera San José.

Idomeneo (Christopher Bengochea) leads his soldiers home from the Trojan war. Image by Pat Kirk Photography, courtesy of Opera San José.

The Cretans sing their praises to Neptune. Image by Pat Kirk Photography, courtesy of Opera San José.

Elettra (Jasmina Halimic) prepares for her voyage home. Image by Pat Kirk Photography, courtesy of Opera San José.

lettra (Christina Major) sees the advantages to a voyage alone with Idamante. Image by Pat Kirk Photography, courtesy of Opera San José.

King Idomeneo (Alexander Boyer) consults with his advisor, Arbace (Nova Safo). Image by Pat Kirk Photography, courtesy of Opera San José.

The captive Trojan princess, Ilia (Rebecca Davis), seeks a kind word from her rival, Elettra (Christina Major). Image by Pat Kirk Photography, courtesy of Opera San José.

King Idomeneo (Alexander Boyer) sends his son Idamante (Betany Coffland) into exile. Image by Pat Kirk Photography, courtesy of Opera San José.

Cretans prepare for the sacrifice. Image by Pat Kirk Photography, courtesy of Opera San José.

King Idomeneo (Christopher Bengochea). Image by Pat Kirk Photography, courtesy of Opera San José.

The Cretans rejoice at the heavenly proclamation. Image by Pat Kirk Photography, courtesy of Opera San José.

A happy ending for the people of Crete, as Idomeneo cedes the throne to his son, Idamante (Aaron Blake) and Princess Ilia (Rebecca Davis). Image by Pat Kirk Photography.

Dan and I were up in San Francisco for the past few days, enjoying both Das Rheingold and Die Walküre. Today is a break, and we go back to see and hear Siegfried Friday night, and we finish it off with Götterdämmerung on Sunday. I’ve been incredibly impressed with the San Francisco Opera production. The singers are great … and that orchestra! They sound fantastic. I had heard a bit of grumbling via the web, although I’ve attempted to avoid all reviews. I sure have nothing to complain about.

I can’t imagine playing these operas! The first is “only” 2 /12 hours … with NO intermission! From then on you are talkin four or more hours. The singers do all of this by memory (with the help of a prompter, whom they readily thank when taking bows). I really don’t know how they do it! But then I haven’t a clue how singers do what they do, being a person of very little voice.

And then there’s the orchestra. The majority of them sit through every single act. (A few don’t play every act, and some do have the ability to come in and out of the pit.) Concentration has to remain incredibly high. As tired as they might be, they can’t step out for a breath of fresh air. They can’t stand and stretch if they need a moment to do that. They just work. And work. And work. And they sound incredible! Bravi tutti, and especially, of course, to the oboe section! (Sure, I’m a little biased.)

And to think we call it playing! Go figure.

In preparation for the Ring Cycle I have been watching a different production. I now feel as if I have WagnerBrain™. I suspect it is going to take some time to recover!

Prior to the first opera Dan and I met up with some other “tweets” (other opera attendees who are on twitter). It was pretty darn fun to see these people I knew by their twitter names. (Granted, I’d met a few before.) Dan had his camera so I’m going to guess he’ll have some nice photos. I just shot with my iPhone, so mine aren’t fab, but here are a few, giving you their twitternames if I have them:

@operatattler has dressed in costume for each performance, I believe! She is here with @mr_skot and @nffo

@operaAnt and @operaskank

A group photo … I’ll put up twitternames I have, but I am missing some … @Herzeleide, @operaskank’s wife Ann (Bob, does she have a twitter account?), @mlaffs, @gdanmitchell

@domb_opera, @dredbeveridge, @mlaffs (sorry about the eyes there … I’m not a great photographer, as you can see!)

After getting together Tuesday night we’ve been named (I think by Maura … @mlaffs, that is) #operaposse.

Sort of makes me feel sort of powerful. Or something.

Update/Correction
Oops! It’s #ringposse … that’s sort of double powerful, you know? ;-) (And thanks, @joncaves!)

I spent my morning (and 30 minutes of my afternoon) at the Met. Not in New York, of course (although some year I sure hope I get to a live performance!), but at one of the movie theater performances. It was Richard Strauss’s Capriccio … and it was wonderful! I’m so glad I went.

Below are just a few photos, completely untouched up or straightened, but I’m too tired and lazy to do anything other than post ‘em!
Countdown time. (They began at about 10:15, I believe; does the Met always start late, or do they delay these simulcasts? Or both?)

Another fave of mine (and great blogger) Joyce DiDonato, interviewed Renée Fleming before the start (prerecorded, perhaps? I wonder!):

Not a lot of younger folks in this photo, but I did see one young girl in a when the showed the crowd at another point:

I was happy to get to hear Russell Braun again — he sang in Nixon in China and I really enjoy his voice):

Renée Fleming takes a bow:

I just landed here (Sorry! I had a link to the photo but it has since disappeared.), where I see the Opera San José resident artists for 2011-2012. I don’t believe our season has been announced yet, so I’ll remain quiet about that until I’m sure I can post the info. But isn’t this a good lookin’ bunch of singers? I think so! (I’d post the photo here, but I don’t even know who to ask about that at this point, and I’m sure no one is there to answer in the middle of the night!) Anyway, it’s a fun photo. Looks like something that would be in Vanity Fair or something, don’tcha think?

Side Note: Someone did suggest I could use the photo because it was “on the web” and, thus, in “the public domain”. But if you find photos on the web that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are in the public domain. The same goes for poetry, essays, and nearly anything … look at the page. Do you see a copyright notice? Probably so! I try to be careful about these things. We musicians are all so very picky about our own work, and I think I should be considerate of others’ work as well. It seems only right. I know I can take snippets of articles as long as I credit them, and I always link to the page where I found the snippet. I know quoting a full or partial poem under copyright is not legal. I’ve heard that the same goes for song lyrics, although I haven’t read up on that recently. (Here is a site I plan on investigating more about copyright.)

Of course if Opera San José give me permission to post the picture here I’ll go ahead and do that! You can count on it!

This is us … in all our splendor. I can’t say the picture is perfect, but at least we mostly look awake! ;-)

I just saw a photo of Anna Karenina’s suicide scene, where she is standing in front of the train. Underneath is this caption “Anna Karenina dies of a drug overdose.”

Huh?

Seen here.

(Okay … enough of me! I must get this house cleaned before Dan gets home, and then it’s ReedTime™!)