Five-Spot: What caught my eye on November 24, 2011

By Robert D. Thomas
Music Critic
Pasadena Star-News/San Gabriel Valley Tribune/Whittier Daily News
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Normally each Thursday morning, I list five events that peak my interest, including (ideally) at least one with free admission (or, at a minimum, inexpensive tickets). However, because of the Thanksgiving holidays, I’ve only found two events — admittedly important ones — for this week’s listing. However, there are also some upcoming events that are worth adding to your calendars.
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• Tomorrow and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. at Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles Philharmonic: Esa-Pekka Salonen returns to the Phil

Whether it’s a case of “absence makes the heart grow fonder” or the fact that the L.A. Phil always seems to play with extra fervor under the baton of its former music director, whenever Esa-Pekka Salonen (pictured right) comes “home” to conduct the LAPO it’s a special occasion. For those new in town or to classical music, the now-53-year-old Finnish-born Salonen was the Phil’s music director for 17 seasons (1992-2009), the longest tenure among the 11 people to hold the position.

This weekend is the first of two consecutive Salonen programs: Beethoven’s Leonore Overture, No. 2 and Piano Concerto No. 2, along with the world premiere of Sirens by Swedish composer Anders Hillborg.

Sirens is scored for large orchestra, mixed chorus (the Los Angeles Master Chorale), and two soloists: soprano Hila Plitmann and mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter. The 30+ minute piece was commissioned by the late Betty Freeman and dedicated both to her and to the conductor. Salonen has a three-minute video on his Web site (LINK) where he discusses the work’s genesis and speaks lovingly of Freeman, who he described as “sorely missed and a great supporter of new music.”

Hilborg writes of the piece: “In Greek mythology, the Sirens were murderous bird-women who used their voices to lure sailors to their island. In Homer's The Odyssey, Ulysses orders his crew to plug their ears and tie him to the mast so he will be able to hear, and survive, the deadly singing.
• The calm sea starts stirring, ghostlike whispers emerge from the depths, strange fragmented voices agitate the surface. The scene suddenly clears and the Sirens appear.
• The Sirens try to lure Ulysses in numerous ways: they flatter his ego; they appeal to his mind and soul, promising him they'll disclose all the secrets of the world; and they sing seductively, arousing him.
• Then the Sirens' true monstrous identity is revealed, as their powerful singing transforms into horrendous screaming. The hallucination dissolves and all reverts back to calm sea, as Ulysses' vessel sails out of danger.”

Read the complete program note HERE.

Emanuel Ax, a long-time collaborator with both Salonen and the Phil, will be the soloist in the concerto, which (despite its number) was actually the first piano concerto that Beethoven composed. Well-known harpsichordist and conductor Lucinda Carver will deliver a lecture an hour before each concert. Information: www.laphil.com

• Friday at 9 p.m. on PBSSoCal TV (aka KOCE)
Los Angeles Opera’s production of Daniel Catán’s Il Postino

The PBS series Great Performances taped the world premiere of Il Postino (The Postman) by Southern California composer Daniel Catán. Plácido Domingo stars as Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, Charles Castronovo sings the title role, and Grant Gershon conducts.

The opera was based on Ardiente Pacienca (Burning Patience), a 1985 novella by Antonio Skármeta, and the award-winning (and beloved by many) 1994 film, Il Postino, by Michael Radford, but Catán turned it into his own very special and, as it turned out, final work (the composer died unexpectedly last April). A link to the laudatory reviews, including mine, is HERE.

Information (including a video preview clip): www.pbsssocal.org
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For the “futures” section of your calendar:

The Metropolitan Opera had originally scheduled two “Live in HD” telecasts for December: Handel’s Rodelinda, starring Renée Fleming with Harry Bicket conducting, on Dec. 3; and Gounod’s Faust, with Jonas Kaufman in the title role and Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting a new production, on Dec. 10.

The company has added two “encore” presentations (i.e., previously recorded telecasts), both of which are worth attending: Mozart’s The Magic Flute on Wed., Dec. 21 at 6:30 p.m. and Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel the following evening. There are several things that make these productions noteworthy:
• They’re short (The Magic Flute clocks in at 110 minutes and Hansel and Gretel runs 123 minutes) as opposed to Rodelinda and Faust, both of which are more than four hours in length.
• They’re both sung in English.
• They’re both labeled as “family friendly.” The Magic Flute was staged by Julie Taymor with the same sort of puppet and fantasy magic that characterized her production of The Lion King. The fairy tale setting of Hansel and Gretel is equally enchanting. Both are great for adults and kids alike.

A couple of added bonuses:
• Hansel and Gretel was one of the last roles (The Witch) for the great English tenor, Philip Landridge, who died on March 5, 2010 just a few months after this production aired.
• The Magic Flute was conducted by James Levine and it’s no telling how long it will be before we see the Met’s music director back in the pit (he’s recovering from back surgery).

One downside: you’re going to have a hard time finding a theater locally for Hansel and Gretel, at least as of this writing. While The Magic Flute will be shown at the Alhambra Renaissance 14, Covina 17 and Puente Hills 20, the closest theater (to me) for Hansel and Gretel is the Cinemark 14 in Long Beach, which does have the advantage of being within walking distance of the Metro Blue Line stations at 1st St. and the Long Beach Transit Mall.

Information: www.metoperafamily.org
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(c) Copyright 2011, Robert D. Thomas. All rights reserved. Portions may be quoted with attribution.

Comments

[freelance writer jobs]

taking time to read to your article is not waste of time for me. I learned.. thanks! :)

[MarK]

In English language writing, each of the three Beethoven's Overtures are usually called "Leonora" or "Leonore".
The last name of the Swedish composer who wrote Sirens is Hillborg.
The last name of our leading local choral conductor is Gershon.

[Bob Thomas]

Thanks. Writing too fast and too early in the morning.

[MarK]

You are welcome, but - "Lenonre"???