Word: conductors
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz, Five Pieces for Orchestra by Schoenberg, and El Deseo Sagrado by William Banchz; Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra, James Yannatos, conductor; Sanders...
...Conductor Thomas Schippers gave the downbeat at 8 p.m. But the show that everyone had been waiting for did not begin until 8:22. That was when Beverly Sills emerged from the wings at the Metropolitan Opera to join her fellow Greeks in the grim doings of Rossini's The Siege of Corinth. Looking slender and vulnerable in a long blue gown, Sills moved down a small set of stairs, but never had a chance to sing her opening line, "Che mat sento?"(What do I hear?). She knew what she heard-a minute-long roar of welcome...
...called pants role, written originally by Rossini for contralto, but later rescored for tenor in deference to the historic Parisian insistence that men are men and women are women. Today, the role could be sung by either tenor or contralto. The female version is more elaborate, and Conductor Schippers prefers it. Decked out in armor and an elegant Zachary Scott mustache, Verrett moved enough like a man to make the impersonation halfway acceptable. Hers is not a warm voice, but it is clear and brilliant. Dramatic coloratura lines spun out in the third act's "Non temer" brought Verrett...
Sills has stressed that she bears no grudges and is having the time of her life in this production, Diaz says, "She's very warm, has a terrific sense of humor, and is wonderful to work with." The first dress rehearsal, five days before the premiere, was chaotic--conductor Schippers was already exasperated, snapping angry commands at the musicians: Diaz, whose cape was falling off, was trying in vain not to trip on it; there were mistakes in blocking; an 'extra' kept dropping his spear with an audible clatter; and Sills handled it all by laughing. The more tired...
...ridiculous." He was tense in the dressing room as he explained. "A tempo is not right, which makes it uncomfortable. We'll have to iron it out because if not, well, what is the point of doing it?" Asked whether he has to fight with the conductor about that, he laughed exasperatedly. "Not fight, but you have to convince him that you need help." Has he ever had a big fight with a conductor over issues like this? "No, no, just little fights, little fights," he said, as he lit another cigarette and steamed agitatedly back and forth. Monday night...