Opera Chic

La Bumbry for Scott Joplin's Treemonisha in Paris

 

Grace Bumbry is currently performing in Scott Joplin's early 20th century opera, Treemonisha, at Paris' Théâtre du Châtelet. Joplin's opera is full of his trademark ragtime style, with lots of traditional Black folk music, spirituals, and bluesy lines. Set in the Fall of 1884 on an Arkansas plantation, the opera is about salvation through education. Joplin finished his opera in 1911 and lived only to see a concert version of the work in 1915 in Harlem. For Théâtre du Châtelet's production, Treemonisha is Adina Aaron, Monisha is Grace Bumbry and Ned is Willard White.

Go here for an embedded video of la Bumbry!

By Cyrano's Mullet! Plácidone & Alfano Together Forever!

Plácidone puts on the prosthetics again for Théâtre du Châtelet's forthcoming production of Franco Alfano's Cyrano de Bergerac. He's singing the title role with soprano Nathalie Manfrino as Roxane and Saimir Pirgu as Xtian. Patrick Fournillier conducts with Mise en scène by Petrika Ionesco.

Opera Chic caught The Dominger's excellent February 2008 Scala Cyrano (also with Fournillier, 'tho in the Zambello production...and with top-form Sondra Radvanovsky as Roxane), and was touched by his compassionate and dedicated performance so much that she couldn't get her Dior mascara stains off of her vintage Hermes handkerchief. We're certain he won't disappoint in Paris.

Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid: David Cronenberg's The Fly @ Théâtre du Chatelet

 

~^~ ~^~ (Above: Romanian Mezzo-soprano Ruxandra Donose sings Veronica Quaife and Canadian Bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch sings Seth Brundle/Teh Fly.)

We reported it back in February 2007, and can't believe this production ever flew off the ground lol.

Tomorrow night, David Cronenberg's opera, The Fly, will have its Parisian premiere at Théâtre du Chatelet (with Plácido Domingo trying to keep a straight face on the podium to the tune of Howard Shore's composition).

Opera Chic blog carries the exclusive photos of the Akira/Toxic Avenger-inspired offspring between Seth Brundle and a housefly. Try to control the loool. THIS IS ART! It's like a fusion of Rick Baker's wet dream and opera coming together at molecular-genetic level.

If I was in the theater, I'd teleport my a$$ up outta my seat. I truly love the internet because without it you wouldn't get to see how insanely groce this production looks if you can't hop on your private jet to Paris. This opera is going to go places.

~^~ ~^~ (Above: Close up of Ruxandra Donose and Daniel Okulitch.)

 

~^~ ~^~ (Above: Ruxandra Donose and Daniel Okulitch making the BrundleBaby.)

 

~^~ ~^~ ~^~ ~^~(Above: omg Brundlefly!)

~^~ ~^~ ~^~(Above: omg u can't be serious.)

 

(Above:  Placido Domingo, Howie Shore, Ruxandra Donose, and Daniel Okulitch)

VVVVVVVUPDATEVVVVVVV

A few more shots: