Practice Makes Perfect!

If you want to experience the magic of Jennie, look no further than the following YouTube clip. If this doesn't put a huge smile on your face, then you might want to check your pulse or find the number of a good mortician:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1gvJP6RcAo

Spitzenklasse!

I Love Opera Blogs...Well, Some of Them...

The blog Prima La Musica has a great little review of Jennie's Paris L'Italiana dvd. I saw Jennie sing this role at the Met and the duet (O Che Muso) had me in stitches. It was the first time I really had the giggles at the opera. The chemistry (or lack thereof!) between Jennie and Samuel Ramey was brilliant. It was an honor to see two pros on the same stage singing Rossini in the manner in which it simply must be sung.

Check out the review but also give a look at this great blog for a taste of opera in Australia:

http://primalamusica.typepad.com/primalamusica/2009/02/guardami.html

Jennie at the Met in 2010!

I guess this means I'll be returning to NYC. From the Met's official press release, Jennie will be heard in Thomas' Hamlet in March of 2010:

The new production of Ambroise Thomas’s Hamlet, which opens on March 16, stars Simon Keenlyside in the title role and Natalie Dessay as Ophélie. Louis Langrée conducts a cast that also includes Jennifer Larmore as Gertrude, Toby Spence as Laërte, in his Met debut, and James Morris as Claudius. The production is by Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser with set designs by Christian Fenouillat, costume designs by Agostino Cavalca, and lighting designs by Christophe Forey – all in their Met debuts. When this production opened at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, The Independent called Keenlyside’s Hamlet, “a revelation…thrilling throughout.” The Met performances will use the alternative tragic ending, rather than the happy ending used at Covent Garden. Hamlet was last performed at the Met in 1897 and is particularly known for Ophélie’s famous mad scene, which was a favorite of such legendary sopranos as Nellie Melba and Maria Callas. The production is owned by the Grand Théâtre de Genève and is a gift of Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer J. Thomas, Jr.

More Stuff

The current February issue of Opera News has a wonderful review of Jennie's Cenerentola from the Atlanta Opera. I love reviews that include words like "sheer beauty", "exquisite handling", "thrilling" and "triumphant". Sounds right to me. If you can pick up a copy from the newstand, there's a picture from the production along with the review...Sheer beauty.

Update: Opera News Online published the luscious picture of Jennie (and Nicholas Phan) and the author, Stephanie Adrian, is also responsible for the interview in Classical Singer. Great work, Stephanie!

http://www.metoperafamily.org/operanews/review/review.aspx?id=2669

Interview: Jennifer Larmore Reinvented

Classical Singer has a great interview with Jennie. She mentions Atlanta Opera possibly doing Der Rosenvakalier for her, lots of advice for young singers and some fascinating concert projects in the works. Classical Singer always gets some good stuff out of the singers and I find I can even apply what Jennie says to my own humble non-singing existence. Thanks, Jennie for your always positive perspective! Enjoy:

http://www.classicalsinger.com/magazine/article.php?id=1881