A dimly lit stage and full cast of solemn faces set the tone at NYU’s Frederick Lowe theater on Friday night for Poulenc’s “Dialogues of the Carmelites.” Keenly aware of the grave subject about to unfold, audience members reflected back on a tragic time when the French Revolution was taking place in a reluctant and merciless manner. The Reign of {…}
First premiering on February 6, 1959, “La Voix Humaine” is a one-act opera for orchestra and a sole soprano performer. The work touches on many of opera’s classic themes, such as tragedy and unrequited love, but framing them within the context of telephone conversations shared between Elle and her unheard former lover. Much of Poulenc’s composition reflects the telephone conversation {…}
First premiering on January 26, 1957, “Dialogues des Carmelites” is a dramatization of the events surrounding the Martyrs of Compiegne, who remained faithful unto death during France’s Reign of Terror. The work delves into the theme of virtue in a world seemingly rife with corruption, and is notable for its final scene which features the repeated sound of a falling {…}
Where one would expect the operatic double bill of “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci,” Teatro Comunale di Bologna instead opened last night’s double bill with Poulenc’s “La Voix Humaine” and Mascagni’s ever-famous verismo opera, “Cavalleria Rusticana,” appropriately placed with the approaching Easter season. La Voix Humaine “Voix Humaine,” set to music from Cocteau’s play of the same name, is described as {…}
Anna Caterina Antonacci is regarded as one of the greatest mezzo-sopranos of our time. She has performed all over the world in diverse repertoire and has thrilled audiences with her dramatic acting and vocal fireworks. Recently she has been making waves in Poulenc’s “La Voix Humaine,” one of the most popular one-woman operas in the world. She has performed the {…}