'Haydn: Late Piano Works,' by Cooper

"Haydn: Late Piano Works"
Gary Cooper, fortepiano
Channel Classics, $24.98

Fortepiano music is an acquired taste, maybe even moreso than music for harpsichord. At its best, it was an instrument of great promise but limited expressive scope, even when composed for and performed by a genius like Haydn or Mozart. This program of late Haydn pieces for fortepiano is fascinating for amateur music historians but won't hook many general listeners, not for lack of trying by Cooper, who plays an instrument vintage 1785 in this recording.

The Sonata in E flat major is the highlight of the program, and the most idiosyncratic -- Cooper, well-known as an early-music expert and harpsichordist, wrings an excess of drama out of Haydn's score, written at a time when Beethoven was revolutionizing the form on bigger, bolder instruments. You can almost hear this piece as a death throe for an instrument and an era whose time had come and gone -- and fortunately is preserved forever, for those who want to hear it.

Quasthoff sings Haydn arias

Haydn: Italian Arias
Thomas Quasthoff, Freiburger Barockorchester
Deutsche Grammophon, $16.99

Who knew? "Papa" Haydn, aside from being the inventor of the symphony and string quartet, perfecter of the classical style, creator of "The Creation," etc., also was a darn good opera composer. He was impresario as well as composer for the Esterhazy opera house from 1775 to 1790, and during that time he wrote seven operas, in addition to others before and after. Haydn also touched up operas by Salieri, Bianchi and others. Quasthoff and the Frieburger orchestra present a fascinating range of work, from buffa tunes such as "Mi dica il mio signore" that come straight from the world of "Don Giovanni" to a touching duet, with soprano Genia Kuhmeier, from "Il Mondo della Luna" (The World on the Moon).

Quasthoff, the German baritone who earlier this year was heard in Haydn's "Creation" in London, has the warm, rich tone and geniality of expression to make all these roles come alive on disk; if only we could see some of them on stage.

Elina Garanca, "Bel Canto"

"Bel Canto"
Elina Garanca, mezzo-soprano
Filarmonica del Teatro Cumunale di Bologna
Deatsche Grammophon, $16.98

There's nothing Latvian mezzo Elina Garanca can't do in the bel canto repertoire, as far as I can tell -- her hauntingly dark voice, her amazing range and vocal agility, as well as a musical intelligence that comes across blazingly clear in her interpretations, makes her ideal for just about anything Rossini, Donizetti and Bellini can throw at her. This album for Deutsche Grammophon digs deeper into the early 19th century repertoire for exquisitely lovely and unfamiliar pieces from Rossini's "Maometto II," where Garanca is joined in the superb trio by soprano Ekaterina Siurina and tenor Matthew Polenzani. The most heart-stopping track is the romanza from Bellini's "Adelson e Salvini," which the notes say was performed from the original manuscript. Roberto Abbado's conducting of the Bologna opera orchestra is exceptionally sensitive, to the point where it seems the singer is leading the orchestra with each breath and gesture.

Back in business

Ready to resume...reviews to come this week from the Lyric Opera's "Manon," the Rochester, MN, Orchestra and Chorale program of French music this weekend, and a precede on next weekend's double-bill of "Porgy and Bess" and "Lulu" at the Lyric.

'Out@The Opera'

More on the subject of how orchestras and opera companies are pushing the envelope when it comes to marketing:

In the Minnesota Opera program for "Italian Girl," you'll find an ad with a fierce-looking pic of tenor James Valenti, clad in black leather for a production of "Lucia," with this headline:

"When was the last time you came Out@The Opera?"

The ad, which must have startled some of the opera's gray-haired customers, says, "The Minnesota Opera is launching a new social group for our friends in the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, transgendered and Allies community."

These "fun and informative" social events offer "behind-the-scenes access to each of this season's shows. You never know who might show up, or what dirt they might dish!"

"Allies community," in case you were wondering, means friends of people who are G, L, B or T -- I looked it up to clarify whether it's another stratum of politico-sexual culture, but apparently it means just what it says.

That ad's on page 24; on page 26, you'll find the ad for the opera's "Young Professional Group," described as "a membership program for opera-goers in their 20s and 30s to experience opera 'straight up, with a twist!'"

I'll let you read between the lines to determine what the last phrase means.

Point being, it's not how your grandpa might have marketed an opera.

Valenti, by the way, is prominently featured in all the Minn Opera marketing stuff as the very straight Romeo opposite Ellie Dehn's Juliette in the Gounod opera, which comes up in January.

The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra also is chasing younger audiences with its "club2030," launched Nov. 12 and open to people ages 20-39, which leaves me out...club members get half-price drinks at Pazzaluna, for one thing.

'Opera at its best'

Obviously, I don't agree with this review of "Italian Girl" in today's Star Tribune.

Nor this one by Rob Hubbard in the Pioneer Press. Rob describes the staging as a "tasty cake" with "ideal frosting."

'L'Italiana in Algeri' misses the boat

Rossini's “L'Italiana in Algeri” ought to be a fast, funny night at the opera, with great voices and a ridiculously nimble orchestra at the top of its game.

The Minnesota Opera production that opened Saturday night doesn't hit the mark, turning what should be a sure-fire hit into a surprising disappointment.

The problem on opening night began in the orchestra pit. At times it was as if the orchestra, conducted by Robert Wood, was performing in one theater and the singers in another. There was such incoherence and lack of precision in the ensemble that ought to light up the stage to end Act I, for example, that you wondered whether more rehearsals would really solve the problem.

An even more insurmountable challenge for director Helena Binder may be the leaden scenery and stage concept brought in from the Santa Fe Opera. There's just one major set, a colossal story book with its cover open and popup Turkish scenery inside. It's clever as far as it goes, though the only time it's emphasized is when the cover comes down at intermission and the singers scramble to get out of the way. Otherwise, it's more technical marvel than relevant scenery; Rossini's story teems with Barbary pirates, concubines, Turkish palace intrigue and more, but this staging somehow fails to take advantage. The setting is inexplicably updated to the 1930s, in fact, so Isabella's escape at the end occurs in a biplane rather than by ship, which raises a few logistical questions regarding all the other Italians who hoped to escape with her, but never mind.

There are other strange theatrical touches as well, such as gratuitous use of strobe lights and a stage hand who wanders out with an electric fan so Isabella's scarf can flap in the breeze. They all come off as random gimmicks to cover up the fact that the show lacks fireworks.

Vivica Genaux, the American mezzo who has become a Minnesota Opera favorite since her debut here in 1998, lived up to high expectations as Isabella, one of her signature roles. The brash, self-assured heroine is one of Rossini's greatest creations and Genaux's performance is simply spellbinding - her bel canto technique is flawless, and her precision in pitch and Italian diction, such as in the dressing room aria, “Per lui che adoro,” makes this a master class in how to execute Rossini's decorated lines.

The other key roles are well-cast, led by Polish-born bass Wojtek Gierlach as Mustafa, the buffoonish sultan who hopes to trade in his wife for Isabella, and tenor Kenneth Tarver as Lindoro, Isabella's true love. The latter, who's heard in a new recording of Mozart's “Don Giovanni” conducted by Rene Jacobs, was especially striking; he has an easy-going comic manner and ringing tone that immediately characterized him in the opening cavatina, “Languir per una bella.”

Likewise, Gierlach seems to enjoy himself as the strutting and preening sultan who's giddy with the notion of adding an Italian girl to his harem. Andrew Wilkowske, a baritone who earned his bachelor's degree in voice from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, is terrific as Taddeo, another of Isabella's suitors whose main goal is to avoid impalement by one of Mustafa's corsairs.

Soprano Alison Bates, who was stunning as Giulietta in last season's “Tales of Hoffman,” makes a strong impression as Mustafa's wife Elvira, a character who sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. Rossini gave her some soaring comic moments and her voice is vital in the ensembles. Bates makes herself noticed throughout.