Things Halle Handel Fest could do better
- Have some sort of ventilation at the front of Konzerthalle Ulrichskirche
-
Just get a better (less tall?) venue (acoustics)
-
Not charge €35 for worldwide ticket shipping (Agathe = ❤ )
Things Sonia Prina could do better:
Nothing ❤
But because of the lack of ventilation, which she herself complained about after the first aria (a lovely rendition of Bella Asteria), I thought I was going to have a heart attack towards the end of Furibundo spira il vento – I love that aria and it’s also in her company that I first heard it – live! – so I have a particular attachment to it especially when sung by her. You can imagine my pulse rose again to alarming levels, living every high and low of the anguished coloratura… It really works better as a recital aria than it its Partenope context (too dramatic for it).
And in spite of the short (?) intermission, the juice, and the also stagnant air in the otherwise neat venue garden, I was this close to leaving the show during Pena tiranna, which was the first aria after the intermission.
But I kept thinking you can’t possibly miss Venti, turbini! and somehow made it through a few terrifying moments when I thought I was about to pass out and the drama that would cause. It was a good thing I got ahold of myself, because man, she rocked Venti, turbini like you wouldn’t believe. Or you would, if you enjoy her. Her timing! The sheer joy of singing that is so infectious about her ❤ the way she simply owns the stage – VENTI! (stomp) TURBINI! (kick)… That Rinaldo would so kick Armida’s arse right back to where she’s from 😀
But this is just a teaser 😉 a more detailed account when I get back to London… if there is still a London left?!
ps: yes, she did walk by us. Just once 🙂
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Posted on June 5, 2017, in baroque, mezzos & contraltos and tagged halle handel fest 2017, sonia prina. Bookmark the permalink. 32 Comments.
opera, innit? 
dress less conservative the next time you’re in Germany in the summer?
VENTI! (stomp) TURBINI! (kick)
😀
I was wearing a t-shirt and shorts! Maybe next time I’ll throw my bra at her 😉
oh, you were already in shorts! well… 😉
thank you for the teaser! Yeah, Eastern German summer heat – I should have issued warnings about Continental Climate 😉
and what do you mean, she walked by you AGAIN? (and is Agathe still breathing?)
Hmm, I should know about the C climate, but, really, it was stifling. It had poured all morning so you’d think it died down by then but not really.
Agathe saw her first and did pretty much the same thing you did, except she was on the phone and couldn’t – I guess – go into fangirl overdrive. She looked in a really good mood but the presence of her fiance clipped my wings 😉
I guess, it also didn’t feel right to jump at her since it was before the concert, so she probably needed to concentrate… it was a bit ironic we ended up “meeting” Petrou instead, we could have asked him for a picture, but hmm, not the same.
I really think he just wanted to moan about the bus hassle and would have done that to anyone wanting o listen 😉
But I agree, it is a bit odd before the show.
Pena Tiranna! And that RECIT before…. I’m starting to sweat again just thinking about it—-
Hope you have good journey home! Am just explaining to husband why I was acting so strangely on the phone, haha.
Well, she sweated too so we’re all good 😉 I really need NOT to have coffee the same day as the show. I wonder what your husband thought about the fan girling 😀
Hope you had a good drive home 🙂 it was lovely putting a face to the posts! My idea of you was way off base!
I’m still on route, spent 3 hours getting acquainted with the Berlin metro system… very useful lesson! Though perhaps better saved for a rainy day.
(The Berlin metro system
the central station, huuuuuge gigantic complicated space without a single map of the metro routes! i remember wasting 45min walking up and down back and forth frustratingly searching for the right line..)
aww, your wings got clipped? 😉
safe travel home. we will touch base again regarding possible near future travels 🙂
Ha but I didn’t come from there. I took the flixbus into the flixbus station which is nowhere in particular except 2 stops away from Deutsche Oper. And then I tried to be super clever with line-swapping which didn’t work exactly the way I thought 😉 (the bit about you having to come out of one to reach the other whereas I thought it will be just a different corridor within the same tunnel) but I think I got out pretty cheap in the end and with some understanding of S and U lines. Gotta give it to Berlin, the system probably puts London’s to shame.
I can’t be smooth if the bf is there 😉 but she looks happy so it’s all good.
Thanks! I’ll most likely get home well after midnight. Luckily I’m not back into work until Thursday.
ps- no spectacular tumble while switching buses? 😉
Those are your specialty 😉 but I almost missed the bus because it was parked in the wrong bay, which didn’t think was very German.
Oh, I forgot, you aid you are not on facebook but may have an opportunity to view sites? Because there’s a picture of yesterday’s concert styling…
Oh, sorry for the Metro chaos and glad you didn’t miss your flight!
Luckily, husband is cool with fangirling and everything else, no problem 🙂
Now I wonder what kind of impression I evoke when blogging….
Tall and muscular 😀 xena!
Haha!
(come on, you know i’m lurking! and you roll out something non-Prina? what’s this elisir business?!
😀
haha, just to annoy you 😉 it’s in the works! with pictures and stuff (I think I’m finally getting the hang of taking pics at shows).
Hey, do you want to trick me into writing a review myself by letting us wait for so long?
sorry! crossed wires and all :-O but why not? 😉
(i had anothervdream we were at the opera! seeing Kasarova singing Carmen!! and VK started singing and people didnt pay attention, then JK started singing and Everyone was loading up on their seats pushing forward…
selfie moment 😉
(and we were at front row standing seats, and these people were nearly pushing us into the pit shoving forward!)
Carmen moshpit! I like it 😉 I bet people were clapping along to the Habanera… I mean did JK sing it?
no his grace did not bless me with his precious voice… i only heard VK recit 😉 , sadly befor the wrestling…
too bad she didn’t help with the wrestling 😉
(and i didn’t pay attention if you were drooling or not at JK’s sight.. was more worried i got dropped into the pit 😉 )
I’m sure I was!
Hey Sonia Prina fans, operabase just told me that she is singing Orlando (Vivaldi) at La Fenice in April, I think this needs to go on the travel considerations list? (it sure is on mine, very tempting).
Sounds like a fieldtrip! Always wanted to see something at La Fenice, what better opportunity!