Stop the Presses! Emerging Artist Steps into Lead RoleMichelle Johnson, a 4th year resident artist at Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts, will sing the title role of the Opera Company of Philadelphia’s production of Manon Lescaut replacing the previously announced soprano, who is indisposed.Link
This is one of those rare opportunities that students dream about: to step into the spotlight and sing the lead at Philadelphia’s Academy of Music. Plan to attend and experience the excitement as she makes her first entrance on stage!
Michelle was born in Pearland, Texas (a suburb of Houston). Her biography is full of honors. Last year she was the Grand Prize Winner at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. She also won First Place at the Marian Anderson Historical Scholars’ Competition—right here in Philadelphia.
In years to come, remember the name Michelle Johnson. Some day, you’ll be able to say, “I was at the Academy of Music in April 2012 and I remember when she had her break-out role singing Manon in “Manon Lescaut.” It was a magical night!”
What do Madonna and Manon have in common?
They’re women who know what they want and are not shy about admitting it!
In Madonna’s hit, Material Girl, which includes the line: “…’cause the boy with the cold hard cash is always Mr. Right,” she sings about how money can bring you fun and happiness. Like the Material Girl, Manon wanted a man with money and to have lots of fun. She also wanted to be in love with someone who loved her back.
Manon enters the opera stage as an innocent country girl who is unaware of her beauty. In short order she falls madly in love with a poor struggling student and they run off together to Paris. While there she sees what she’s missed in the country and wants to make up for lost time. So she dumps her student in favor of a wealthy Mr. Right (Geronte, the Treasurer-General) and lives the fast life in Paris. When she’s ready to return to her true love, her life gets very complicated and she finds she’s in a heap of trouble. Finally, when they do get together, it is too late. She dies.
Some would say she got what she deserved. She found two men and used both of them. Both men wanted their relationships with her to be exclusive and permanent. Composer Puccini’s story line punishes her for wanting otherwise. She’s arrested for prostitution and theft, convicted, imprisoned, exiled, and--of course—she dies!
Others would say she saw both sides and was looking to make the best for herself, trying to take control of her life in a society dominated by men. She worked to empower herself to become a better person. She needed to take advantage of opportunities in order to make that possible. Her story should be like Madonna’s: to overcome great obstacles, to succeed, and to meet the world on her own terms.
How would you write the ending if this story were set in today’s time?
If you were Manon, how would you write your story’s ending?
VIDEO CLIPS OF THE WEEK
This week we’ll see performances of one of Manon’s Act II arias and a duet with her true love, Des Grieux.
Act II, “In Quelle Trine Morbide”
Act II begins in Manon’s richly appointed home; a hairdresser prepares her curls for the day. Manon’s brother enters and contrasts Des Grieux’s dwelling (“a humble abode”) to that of the Treasurer-General’s (“a golden palace”). He then asks if she still loves Des Grieux and she sings a beautiful aria as she recalls wonderful days compared to her present situation that she describes as “…a silence, a coldness that turns me to ice.”
Listen as the famed New Zealand soprano, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, sings the aria.
Manon’s famous Act II duet with Des Grieux is “Tu, tu amore tu”. After confessing to her brother that she loves only Des Grieux, he suddenly appears at her door. She runs to him and sings, “You, you, my love! You? Ah, my supreme love! Oh, heaven!”
Here’s a performance by legendary Italian soprano Renata Scotto and the equally legendary Placido Domingo.
WEB SITES OF THE WEEK
Plan your next trip to Paris!
The Eiffel Tower is the tallest and most stunning building in France. It was built over 100 years ago and almost demolished 20 years later when the lease expired. However, it was ‘saved’ because the telegraph was invented and people thought it’s only value in the future was as a high point to send and receive telegraph signals. Wherever you are in Paris, you can see the tower. On your next visit, take the elevator to the top.
Read more about its history. http://www.eiffeltowerfacts.net/
These gargoyles are on the largest church in the world, the Cathedral of Notre Dame of Paris. There are many interesting interpretations as to their use: to scare off evil spirits, to remind people that if they don’t go to church some evil will happen to them, or to allow rainwater to fall away from the building rather than to run down the walls and stain them.Read more about gargoyles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gargoyle
OPERA ON THE AIR
L'Elisir d'Amore (The Elixir of Love)
This week, Gaetano Donizetti’s melodic classic based on a magic potion, is broadcast on WRTI-FM. You can listen to it online or on the radio at 90.1FM beginning 1PM today.
It’s sung in Italian and the cast includes:
Adina: Diana Damrau
Nemorino: Juan Diego Flórez
Belcore: Mariusz Kwiecien
Dulcamara: Alessandro Corbelli
JOIN OPERA-ONLINE!
Thanks, as always, for visiting the blog. Please don’t forget to encourage your friends or students to join this list so that they can have free opera clips delivered into their email box every week. All they need to do is email their first name, school, and email address to education@operaphila.org and they’ll be added to the list!
Until next week…
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