Klarinet Archive - Posting 000416.txt from 1995/04

From: niethamer@-----.BITNET
Subj: Clarinetists at the Metropolitan Opera
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 1995 11:08:10 -0400

I had the pleasure of spending my Easter weekend in NYC, where I
heard/saw John Corigliano's "The Ghosts of Versailles" and "Madama
Butterfly".

"Ghosts" is a wonderful opera, more so live than on TV. In the program
guide, the librettist, William Hoffman, speaks of an opera akin to
"Rosenkavalier", and in many ways it is. It has that Straussian homage to
the music of Mozart in the "opera within the opera" parts, and the
libretto is every bit as convoluted. It can be followed, though only if
one *does not* attempt to follow the synopsis in the Stagebill!

My purpose in writing is not to plug opera, however. I was most impressed
at both performances by the bass clarinet playing of James Ognibene -
beautiful sound, both in solo passages, and in blending well with
bassoons and cellos as required by the writing.

In Butterfly, I had a chance to hear Ricardo Morales, and he was
stunning! He has a gorgeous sound, and one that blends well with his other
woodwind colleagues. The passages in octaves with the bass cl, and the 3
clarinet harmony sections were truly wonderful.

The conductor for Butterfly was Samuel Cristler, conductor of the
"Sinfonia San Francisco". His conducting was pretty impressive - followed
the singer, kept the action going, and got the orchestra to play softly,
in tune - made one of my least favorite operas sound like music! Anyone
know more about Mr. Cristler?

David Niethamer