Tag Archives: Massenet
Manon in HD 2019
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 26th October 2019In 1731, Antoine François Prévost published his novel L’Histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut. It served as the model for every fallen woman story, play, ballet, or opera that succeeded it. Two of the operas based on the novel are in the standard operatic repertory. Massenet’s Manon was up for its second at bat…
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Cendrillon in HD
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 28th April 2018The Met’s current run of Massenet’s opera is the first time the company has performed the French composer’s version of the Cinderella story. Laurent Pelly’s production originated in 2006 at the Santa Fe Opera as a vehicle for Joyce DiDonato who also starred in the current mounting of the opera. In the ensuing 12 years…
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More on Je Crois Entendre Encore
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 23rd February 2014My post on Je crois entendre encore has had a lot of views since it first appeared. I recently received the comments below from Tom Herz of San Francisco. I found them so insightful that I thought they deserved a post of their own. NK Seeing as how you posted this over 2 years ago,…
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Manon in HD – Crazy Stupid Love
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 7th April 2012The Metropolitan Opera transmitted its penultimate HD telecast of this season – Massenet’s Manon – on Saturday April 7, 2012. Manon is the most French opera I can think of. It’s almost like an opera Debussy would have written had he been able or inclined to write boffo arias and duets. This new production was staged by Laurent Pully who…
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Pourquoi Me Réveiller?
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 14th February 2012Werther is Massenet’s masterpiece. It’s an ode to self pity. It and Manon are the only operas, out of more than 30 by Massenet, that are firmly in the standard repertory. The opera, based on Goethe’s novel The Sorrows of Young Werther, depicts its protagonist’s unsuccessful and ultimately suicidal love for his friend’s fiance and then wife. If Werther had…
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The Met's Thaïs in HD
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 21st December 2008Jules Massenet’s opera Thaïs was premiered in 1894. Since then it has been a little beyond the frontier of the standard operatic repertoire. It’s periodically revived for star sopranos. The Met’s current production is a vehicle for Renée Fleming. Without her there would be little reason to mount the opera. While it has moments that…
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