Josephine Mongiardo News
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2024-03-29
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The Boston Musical Intelligencer
2016-06-11 06:54:11
A Roman Odyssey Avoids Shoals
[…] mid-eighteenth century, when they were gradually replaced by prima donnas in trouser roles. No longer representing power and majesty, castrati were still used to signify youth; the two male lovers in Lucio Silla were both originally castrato parts. In Odyssey Opera’s production, Cecilio, as sung by counter-tenor Michael Maniaci, projected ringing tones across a wide range, and apparently effortless mastery both of Mozart’s written-out coloratura and of improvised ornamentation in da capo reprises. Soprano Joanna Mongiardo leapt nimbly about the stage in the trouser role of Cinna, the flexibility of her voice in the stratosphere matched by its clarity at the bottom of her range. The biggest voice was that of Katy Lindhart), in keeping with her heroic role as the steadfast and courageous Giunia. In her Act I aria, she shifted in a moment from the reverential tone displayed in her recitative exchange with Silla to heroic defiance in […]
The Boston Musical Intelligencer
2016-05-29 01:37:05
Odyssey Opera Sings of Ancient Rome
[…] elaborate arias, but as he moved into the later acts, he seemed more and more to have been influenced by Gluck’s earliest reform operas, including Alceste. Still, it is a superbly crafted opera seria, by far the best work that Mozart wrote during his youthful travels to Italy. Michael Maniaci (countertenor) essays Ceciclio; Katy Lindhart (soprano); makes her Boston debut as Giunia; Sara Heaton (soprano) impersonates Celia; Yeghishe Maucharyan (tenor) plays Lucio Silla; and Joanna Mongiardo (soprano) sings Cinna. Each spring Odyssey Opera offers a view to the future in the back of the program for its festival—an announcement of the opera to be given its concert performance in the early fall. No hint as of yet, except that Gil Rose has often commented about the long list of operas that he would love to perform. “I’m not interested in the same 25 pieces that fill the general repertory. Don’t […]
The Boston Musical Intelligencer
2015-07-31 18:57:17
Midsummer Martha Delights
Joanna Mongiardo as Martha. (BMO photo) An enthusiastic and packed house at the Tsai Center at Boston University on Wednesday enjoyed Boston Midsummer Opera’s Opening Night of a condensed, English-language presentation of Friedrich von Flotow’s charming Romantic opera Martha, or the Fair at Richmond. The libretto for this production was adapted by Stage Director James O’Leary from the well-known contemporary English translation by Donald Pippin. Repeat performances, featuring the same cast, will follow on Friday and Sunday. This light-hearted comic work combines the conventions of early 19th-century farce (represented through a variety of roles for tenors, baritones, and basses) with demanding coloratura roles for the two upper-class leading ladies (soprano Harriet/Martha and contralto Nancy/Julia). It is the first German comic opera to abandon spoken dialogue and employ continuous music, so the nuanced conducting of Susan Davenny Wyner of her own scaled-down orchestration (1.1.2.1, 2.0.1.0, 11 strings, harp, and percussion) was […]
The Boston Musical Intelligencer
2015-07-17 23:26:53
Flotow’s Finest Inked for BMO’s 10th Season
[…] Vernoy de Saint-Georges. Flotow had composed the first act of a ballet, performed by the Paris Opera Ballet in 1844; the time available for further composition was short, so the second and third acts were assigned to Burgmüller and Deldevez. The opera Martha is an adaptation of this ballet; despite its German and Austrian origins, it is “French in character and elegance”. Along with the Boston Midsummer Ensemble, the English-singing cast features acclaimed soprano Joanna Mongiardo (Lady Harriet/Martha); Spanish-American tenor Eric Barry (Lionel); contralto Stephanie Kacoyanis (Nancy); bass Jason Budd (Plunkett); and bass-baritone David Cushing (Sir Tristan). Noted director James O’Leary stages the production, and nationally acclaimed conductor Susan Davenny Wyner will lead the BMO orchestra. The design team includes Stephen Dobay, (sets), John Cuff, (lighting), and Elisabetta Polito (costumes). BMInt interviewed director James O’Leary and tenor Eric Barry: FLE: Martha has a least a couple of the most […]
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