Rest in Peace, Hans Hotter
On Dec. 6 the world famous bass-baritone Hans Hotter passed away at the age of 94. He was known for the ease with which he sang the most difficult Wagnerian roles, such as Wotan in the Der ring des Nibelungen and Hans Sachs in Die Meistersinger as well as for his fine interpretation of German Song cycles like Schubert’s Die Winterreise.
Hotter begun his career in 1930, and he was singing leading roles in Munich by 1937 and in Vienna by 1939. He considered leaving Europe when Hitler came to power, but did not do so because he feared for the welfare of family members who would be left behind. After the war he performed in major opera houses all over the world and made numerous recordings, many of which are now available as CD’s.
www.guardian.co.uk
www.arkivmusic.com
The Phoenix Rises from its Ashes!
On Dec. 14, seven years after the fire that destroyed it, Venice’s historic opera house, La Fenice, reopened with a gala concert attended by international glitterati. The house is now restored to its original 18th century beauty, complete with 1,076 pink velvet seats, a marble facade and a gilded bird hanging over the entrance.
The opening concert featured Riccardo Muti conducting the opera company’s orchestra and chorus. It opened with Beethoven’s Consecration of the House and continued with works by Stravinsky, Caldara and Wagner, all of whom had some sort of connection with Venice.
www.teatrolafenice.it
Happy Birthday, Anna Russell!
Opera comedienne Anna Russell, who kept millions of opera fans laughing at her hilarious version of Wagner’s “Ring Cycle” is now living comfortably in a retirement community near Toronto, Canada. Recently, she celebrated her 92nd birthday in the company of friends, carving up a large cake with Valkyrie-like expertise.
www.opera-l.org
www.lkwdpl.org/wscs/russell.htm
New Vice President at ICM Artists
Jonathan Brill, former Columbia Artists Management vice president, joined the roster of ICM Artists on Nov. 18, where he will have the same position and continue to work with conductors. A number of his clients from CAMI have joined him at ICM and several more are expected to follow. He will also represent soloists in his new position.
A Musical Murder
When Rena Strober, a musical comedy diva, finished her song at Rao’s nightspot in New York City, one member of her audience, Albert Circelli, exhibited some disrespect. When one of Strober’s fans complained about Circelli’s behavior, Circelli insulted the fan and pulled out a gun.
Circelli was shot to death in the resulting melee, but as the killer lunged out the door, he ran into two policemen who were chatting with a waiter. He was quickly captured and has been charged with murder.
www.nypost.com archives
Songs for Sale on eBay
On Dec. 21, soprano, Christine Ryder, of Binghamton, N.Y., described herself as a trained opera singer and listed her services for sale on the Internet auction site eBay. She suggested that a buyer might want to have her sing at a wedding.
Unfortunately, she did not receive any bids during her week on the site, and on Dec. 28, her minimum bid of $25 had not been met. It was an interesting gambit and perhaps we will hear of some equally inventive but more successful ideas from her in the future.
Congratulations, Charles Anthony!
March 6 will mark the 50th anniversary of Charles Anthony’s Metropolitan Opera debut. Born in New Orleans, La. on July 15, 1928, the tenor made his debut as Missail in Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunovin 1954 and has been singing a great assortment of roles there ever since.
Restored Boston Opera House to Reopen
Sarah Caldwell used the Boston Opera House for memorable productions starring singers like Marilyn Horne, Beverly Sills and Joan Sutherland between 1978 and 1990, but after that, it fell into disrepair. In 1991, it was condemned as a safety hazard and it has been closed down ever since.
June of this year will see the reopening of the 75-year-old theater, which had always been known for its excellent acoustics. After a $40-million restoration project, it will still have a bronze leaf ceiling, but it will also meet modern safety standards.
www.nationaltrust.org/magazine/archives/arc_news/09202.htm
Orlando Opera Sets Ticket Sale Record
Orlando Opera’s recent staging of a double bill combining Ruggiero Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci with Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana featured choreography from the Cirque de Soleil and The Orlando Magic Dancers, along with the opera company’s soloists, chorus and orchestra.
The Florida opera company’s total attendance for three performances was 8,200 and brought in $291,000. That was an increase of 1,500 tickets sold over last season’s bestseller, La Traviata.
http://orlandobizjournals.com
States Reduce Arts Funding
Money spent on the arts by individual state governments has been reduced by an average of 23 percent for the year 2004. The deepest cuts were in California, where spending went from $20.3 million in 2003 to $1.9 million this year.
Michigan’s arts budget dropped from $22.5 million to $11.8 million and Florida’s spending went from $30 million to $6.7 million. Even New York, the state that has always spent the most on the arts, has lowered its contributions from $51.5 million to $44.7 million.
www.nasaa-arts.org
