{"id":69814,"date":"2020-11-30T12:01:05","date_gmt":"2020-11-30T17:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=69814"},"modified":"2020-11-30T12:01:05","modified_gmt":"2020-11-30T17:01:05","slug":"critics-picks-classical-and-opera-streams-you-absolutely-need-to-see-this-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2020\/11\/30\/critics-picks-classical-and-opera-streams-you-absolutely-need-to-see-this-week\/","title":{"rendered":"CRITIC’S PICKS | Classical And Opera Streams You Absolutely Need To See This Week"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Classical
Classical music and opera events streaming on the web for the week of November 30 \u2013 December 6.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Critic\u2019s Picks (November 30 \u2013 December 6)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

“We live in an extraordinary Age\u201d \u2014 Carl Sagan<\/em>. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to decimate our musical lives. The dreaded second wave is getting worse, forcing virtually all venues to close once again. Semperoper Dresden just announced all performances cancelled until Dec. 28. Surprisingly, the Op\u00e9ra National de Paris where Alexander Neef is now in charge, has just announced that it will reopen both of its theaters starting on Dec. 15, 2020. On the program are La Boh\u00e8me<\/em> and concerts by the Academy and Les Arts Florissants. There will also be a recital by Julie Fuchs as well as the Ballet School\u2019s production of Classes en sc\u00e8ne<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The venerable Teatro alla Scala reportedly has 50 COVID cases in its chorus, orchestra and staff. It has cancelled its fabled opening night on Dec. 7, 2020, when it was supposed to stage a new production of Lucia di Lammermoor<\/em> with Lisette Oropesa and Juan Diego Florez. According to Norman Lebrecht\u2019s Slipped Disc<\/em>, \u201cInstead it has cameos from Ildar Abdrazakov, Roberto Alagna, Carlos Alvarez, Piotr Beczala, Benjamin Bernheim, Eleonora Buratto, Marianne Crebassa, Placido Domingo, Juan Diego Florez, Elina Garanca, Vittorio Grigolo, Jonas Kaufmann, Aleksandra Kurzak, Francesco Meli, Camilla Nylund, Kristine Opolais, Lisette Oropesa, Marina Rebeka, Ludovic Tezier, and Sonya Yoncheva. Music director Riccardo Chailly will conduct the Scala orchestra and chorus.\u201d When and where these video clips come from is not clear. The La Scala Orchestra, which has its own concert series, has cancelled its own opening night, on December 14.<\/p>\n

In North America, performing arts venues are virtually shuttered. The National Ballet of Canada cancelled its entire season, as has the Metropolitan Opera and the COC. Recently, it was announced that the National and Cineplex are joining forces to bring The Nutcracker<\/em> to your local Cineplex cinemas, beginning December 4. Sadly, Toronto and Peel Region are in lockdown again, meaning all cinemas there will not open. Presumably, the plan of showing the Holiday classic in the rest of Canada will go ahead, and the video is still available for home streaming.<\/p>\n

A piece of good news is the announcement of a livestreamed pay-per-view New Year\u2019s Eve Gala presented by the Met \u2014 that will take place in Germany! It features Pretty Yende and Javier Camarena, replacing their originally scheduled concert. They will be joined by Angel Blue and Matthew Polenzani, performing from the Parktheater in Augsburg, Germany. The Sonya Yoncheva concert is postponed yet again, leading to speculation that she has COVID-19. Today, she quelled the rumour by posting on social media that she has severe bronchitis. Carnegie Hall announced it has cancelled all live performances until April 5, 2021. The Cleveland Orchestra also cancelled all of its Christmas concerts. Lincoln Centre has cancelled all performances for spring 2021, which means its Great Performers<\/em> series and its 2020-21 David Rubenstein Atrium Season are gone.<\/p>\n

Thank goodness there\u2019s always music on the internet. Wiener Staatsoper has resumed its free streaming. Very interesting that Jonas Kaufmann, now a bona fide Heldentenor, is taking on the lyric role of Rodolfo in La Boheme<\/em>! Also very interesting is the Kirsten Flagstad Jubilee Concert celebrating the 125th anniversary of her birth from Den Norske Opera. Glyndebourne\u2019s annual tour is cancelled, but the company is offering a free stream of its Rusalka<\/em>, albeit with a very tight window of availability. The Met\u2019s free nightly stream continues, starting at 7:30 p.m. ET and available for 23 hours. Lots of Canadian content this week, including soprano Simone Osborne and her baritone husband Gordon Bintner singing a recital from Oper Frankfurt.<\/p>\n

Monday 30<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Bayerische Staatsoper | Puccini\u2019s La Boh\u00e8me<\/strong> \u2014 2:15 p.m. ET. As part of its Montagsst\u00fccke series, the livestream of this Puccini gem stars Jonas Kaufmann in his Munich role debut as Rodolfo, Rachel Willis-S\u00f8rensen as Mimi, Mirjam Mesak as Musetta, Andrei Zhilikhovsky as Marcello, and Sean Michael Plumb as Schaunard. Asher Fisch conducts. No physical audience due to lockdown. Livestream is free, but viewing starting Dec. 3 for 30 days requires a 14.90 Euros ticket. | Details<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Wiener Staatsoper | Mozart\u2019s Die Entf\u00fchrung aus dem Serail<\/strong> \u2014\u00a01:00 p.m. ET. Antonello Manacorda, conductor; Hans Neuenfels, director. Lisette Oropesa (Konstanze), Regula M\u00fchlemann (Blonde); Goran Juri\u0107 (Osmin); Daniel Behle (Belmonte). Be aware there are actors playing the same characters in addition to the singers. This is your typical Neuenfels concept production. You can\u2019t go wrong with the voices! | Details<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Met | Tchaikovsky\u2019s Eugene Onegin<\/strong>. Starring Ren\u00e9e Fleming, Ram\u00f3n Vargas, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Valery Gergiev. From February 24, 2007. A signature performance from all the principals, made more poignant with the passing of Dmitri Hvorostovsky in 2017. | Details<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Piano Lunaire | The Beaver Moon<\/strong> \u2014\u00a08 p.m. ET. This concert is a fully edited, digital presentation of the Blue Moon Gala with Stephen Runge and Adam Sherkin from last October.<\/p>\n