October 2, 2023

A Canadian man ate 50 of the world's hottest chili peppers in a record 6 minutes and 49.2 seconds — and then went on to eat another 85 more.

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In this week’s email:

The big idea: Dead Man Walking at the Met: a walk through 4 critical takes
Strings: Boston police seek suspect in viola theft
Opera: Radio station bans 6 new MET opera productions
Photo of the week
Around the web: A ridiculously photogenic frog, a site to find the best bus seat, a home for knife aficionados, plus more curious internet finds.

CLASSICAL CHARTZ

Weekly selections are based on sales numbers and albums we simply love and think you NEED to hear!

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THE BIG IDEA

Dead Man Walking at the Met: A Walk Through Four Critical Takes

— "Striking the Right Notes, But Missing the Beat?"

Last week, The Metropolitan Opera kicked off the 2023-24 season with the company premiere of Jake Heggie's "Dead Man Walking" — the opera that changed opera.

The Met production features performances by Joyce DiDonato as Sister Helen, Ryan McKinny as Joseph De Rocher, Latonia Moore as Sister Rose, and Susan Graham as De Rocher's mother, under a new production directed by Ivo van Hove and conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Let's dive into the opinions from the Washington Post, The New York Times, Financial Times, and OperaWire, unraveling what critics think about this bold new production (so far).

1. Washington Post: A Symphony of Discomfort

"Dead Man Walking" takes the audience on a thrilling, albeit discomforting, journey, reflecting the inherent violence in the American prison system. While powerful, it also painted a vivid, perhaps overly detailed portrait of violence and execution that seemed to clash with the carefully composed world of Heggie's music, leaving audiences captivated but somewhat unsettled.

Full review here.

2. The New York Times: Gripped but Bored

Praising the soaring music of Jake Heggie and the stylish production, The Times acknowledges the opera's stark portrayal of the final execution scene. However, it also mentions the opera's inability to deliver riveting drama or tight conflict. While the viewer might be gripped, they might find themselves, paradoxically, bored. There are scenes that overstay their welcome, straining the audience's patience. We’re not quite sure how it can be gripping and boring simultaneously, but critic Zachary Woolfe seems to think so.

Full review here.

3. Financial Times: Visual Discord in a Lyrical Harmony

With its 4 out of 5 stars, Financial Times leans more towards a favourable view, highlighting the profoundly moving portrayals and the resonating lyrical music. However, it also emphasized the unbalanced production by Ivo van Hove, with visual elements seeming either excessive or insufficient, affecting the drama's commitment and portrayal.

Full review here.

4. David Salazar of OperaWire: A Mixed Bag of Theatrical Fusion

Salazar's review highlights the emotive music and standout performances that symbolize a transformative era for The Met. However, it points out the conflicting blend of film and theatre by Ivo van Hove as a distracting element, diminishing character connection and the essence of live performance.

Full review here.

The Verdict?

Despite the variance in critical viewpoints, the word is still out on "Dead Man Walking". What is true is that this is one of the most talked about new operas in recent memory.

“Dead Man Walking” continues through Oct. 21, 2023. — MV

TOUR DE HEADLINES

Philadelphia Orchestra with Yo-Yo Ma and Yannick Nézet-Séguin (Photo: Philadelphia Orchestra)

Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians Vote Against Latest Contract Offer — Philadelphia Orchestra musicians overwhelmingly rejected the latest contract proposal, risking a potential strike. Union alleges management's negotiation was misleading, seeking federal mediation. | Philadelphia Inquirer

S. F. Symphony Musicians Sign New Contract After Nearly a Year-Long Battle — San Francisco Symphony musicians and management have ratified a two-year contract, resolving ongoing labour struggles with retroactive terms till November 2024. However, the contract reflects concerns over adequate compensation and San Francisco's high living costs, hinting at continuing negotiations for maintaining orchestra quality. | San Francisco Chronicle

Nancy Van de Vate, Composer and Advocate for Women in Music, Dies at 92 — Nancy Van de Vate, a composer and advocate for women in music, has passed away at 92, leaving a legacy of advocacy. She broke barriers in classical music, created significant compositions, and founded organizations to support female composers. | New York Times

'Canceling Wasn't an Option': Violinist Tianwa Yang on the Pressure of Being a Child Prodigy in China — Born in Beijing in 1987, violinist Tianwa Yang discovered her love for music at a young age and won her first competition at five. Now a renowned musician and professor, she balances a life of teaching, performing globally, and enjoying the joys music brings her, based out of Munich. | South China Morning Post

Talented Teens Line Up for Ireland's Classical Music Awards — The Top Security Frank Maher classical music awards, Ireland’s premier competition for teen musicians, are offering a €5,000 prize. Eimear Noone has lauded the initiative, emphasizing its positive impact on young artists’ careers. | Irish Times

How “The Met: Live in HD” Changed Opera — The Metropolitan Opera’s "Live in HD" series, broadcasting performances to theatres globally for 17 years, has given opera a new vibrancy. Contrary to fears, the broadcasts enhanced local interest and the series continues to flourish, offering access to high-quality productions and notable stars. | The Denver Post

The View On Female Composers: A Forgotten Musical Powerhouse [Editorial] — For centuries, the accomplishments of female composers in classical music, like Fanny Hensel, have been overlooked and overshadowed by their male counterparts. Initiatives and new documentaries are now recognizing and performing the wealth of forgotten works by these talented women. | The Guardian

STRINGS

Photo courtesy of the Boston Police Department

Boston Police Seek Suspect in Viola Theft

A $70K viola was stolen in Boston, and police are seeking a suspect.

What’s Up: The Boston police have released photos of a suspect they believe to have stolen a $70,000 viola and iPad Pro at the end of August in Allsten, MA. The police are seeking information about the viola and the suspect, who is reportedly between 30-40 years of age and between 5’9” and 6’ with blond curly hair, blue arm tattoos and a stocky build.

Going Deeper: Violas can range in price from around $20K up to millions of dollars. The silver lining of instrument thefts is they’re often not of much use to their thieves. Berklee College of Music viola professor Rictor Noren noted the lack of a black market for musical instruments such as this one. “There’s not much a thief can do with it,” he told NBC Boston.

Let’s hope the viola is restored to its rightful owner soon. — SS

OPERA

Will Liverman as Charles and Angel Blue as Greta in Fire Shut Up in My Bones. (Photo: Ken Howard/MET)

Radio Station Bans 6 New Met Opera Productions

WCPE in North Carolina consulted listeners following their inclination not to broadcast the Met’s six new operas this season.

What’s Up: WCPE “The Classical Station” in North Carolina announced its concerns about airing the new operas being produced by the Metropolitan Opera this season. In a letter to listeners, the station cited maintaining a relaxing, family-friendly listening experience as their principal concern. The station still plans to air the Met’s productions of “time-tested and great” operas Carmen, Le nozze di Figaro, Turandot, Madama Butterfly, Tannhaüser and others.

Going Deeper: WCPE described that airing “discordant music” or operas that feature adult themes in English would be upsetting to listeners.

The operas they suggest skipping include:

Dead Man Walking, the true story of Sister Helen Prejean counselling a man on death row, which includes depictions of rape and murder
Florencia en el Amazonas, the Met’s first Spanish-language opera in a century, which is reportedly outside the station’s listening bounds
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, based on the life of the eponymous civil rights leader, which features offensive language and adult themes
Fire Shut Up in My Bones, the Met’s first opera by a Black composer that premiered last season, for offensive language and themes
The Virginia Woolf-centred The Hours for scenes of suicidal contemplation
John Adams’ El Niño because it uses non-biblical sources.

Why It Matters: Those “time-tested” operas may be less tested than the WCPE believes. Many opera lovers to this day take issue with the domestic violence prevalent in Carmen, the blatant antisemitism in Wagner’s operas and Puccini’s problematic depictions of Asian cultures in Turandot and Butterfly. History buffs will have a chuckle remembering how the source material for Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro was originally banned in Vienna for its treatment of class conflict.

The controversy stirred up by WCPE’s letter to listeners suggests the Met may be onto something. — SS

QUIZ

What game did Mozart like to play when composing?

A: Chess

B: Beer Pong

C: Solitaire

D: Billiards

Scroll down for the answer…

AROUND THE WEB

📅 On this day: Dona Nobis Pacem by Ralph Vaughan Williams premieres in 1936.

🔪 Interesting: Do you collect knives? This site is for you.

🧠 Mental Health: The best visual comparison between the most common medications for treating depression.

☀️ Useful: Someone made a website to find the best bus seat to avoid the sun while travelling.

🐸 Aww: This frog is ridiculously photogenic.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Leonard Bernstein with Aaron Copland in Bernardsville, NJ

QUIZ ANSWER

D: Billiards: Mozart loved to play pool. He would sometimes play all night, composing symphonies as he played.

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