Wexford 2013

[wexoperafan]

I just want to let you know that Wexford has announced its program for 2013.

Il cappello di paglia di Firenze (Rota)
La navarraise / Therese ( Massenet)
Cristina, Regina di Svezia (Foroni)

Wexoperafan

[Mark Thomas]

Rota and Foroni - now there's a couple of new names!

[Revilod]

This is Nino Rota, the film music composer. Years ago RCA recorded "The Florentine Straw Hat", conducted by the composer, and it received a rave review in the "Gramophone". I meant to investigate it but never got round to it.  (I was a teenager at the time and still getting to know the standard repertoire!) I don't think it was ever transferred to C.D. but old copies of the L.P.s can still be had. I see there are also a couple of old recordings listed on Amazon. Does anybody know this opera?

[eschiss1]

Foroni's not quite new to us either, as that 1840s opera is being performed in Sweden, I think, and recorded on Sterling (search for Jacopo Foroni in the back "issues" of this forum ). (Then again, I cheat, since I posted that thread back then in the first place.) I don't know the work, though- but I am still pleased to see a new performance anyway.

[BerlinExpat]

Things must be going well for Wexford because traditionally the operas for the following year were announced at the end of the festival or even later as in the past two or three years.

I saw Rota's Il cappello di paglia di Firenze a few years back in Giessen and there have been a few other productions since. I recollect the Giessen production was broadcast but I didn't record it as I have Rota's own recording on the old BMG Ricordi label: 74321551092 2 CD.

The opera's a good old romp, musically and scenically and I'm sure Wexford will do it proud if any of their recent productions are anything to go by. Maybe RTÉ Radio Lyric fm will broadcast it as they usually relay Wexford productions either live or at a later date. Look out for this year's productions of Le roi malgré lui, L'Arlesiana and A Village Romeo and Juliet. Or go for a last minute seat - they're almost sold out!

[alberto]

I saw "Il cappello di Paglia di Firenze" some ten-twelve years in my city. I would say that in Italy that has been the only Rota work (of any kind) fairly, almost regularly, performed in years when avant-garde dominated  and he was snobbed in his serious (almost never too serious) efforts and dismissed as a movie-music composer (indeed he was a Conservatory director, pianist, conductor and teacher).
Foroni was a short-lived Italian struggling against Austrian Empire, exiled and active in Sweden; in Italy he is unsung since many years.....remembered  mostly by some street names. One of his three Symphonic Overtures was often conducted by Toscanini (at least in his early years) and it has been recorded by Sterling.   

[Gareth Vaughan]

The Foroni is a great piece. I don't know the others, alas - but, as usual, with Wexford, very interesting repertoire.

[BerlinExpat]

Tomorrow (27.10.2012) on RTÉ Lyric fm at 19:00 is Cilea's L'arlesiana! Go to http://www.rte.ie/radio/

Beforehand at 18:00 is a programme entitled Wexford at 60.