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Music For A While
Monday May 13th, 2024 with David Cavlovic
Lovely Rita

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Canada seems to be a topic that has popped up in comic operas of the 18th and 19th Centuries. Mozart mentions Canada in his opera Così fan tutte, and Gioacchino Rossini's first successful opera, La Cambiale di Matrimonio, has as a protagonist a Canadian rough and tumble Currier du bois named Slook. It's clear that Italians had no idea what a French Canadian name would sound like. As it is, to me Slook sounds like it should be a mechanical gizmo found in an early Bombardier Ski-doo, or maybe even the name of a Lacrosse Team (like the Rimouski Slooks). But that's just me.
Gaetano Donizetti: Rita, ou “Le mari battu” (Italian version)
Rita: Adelina Scarabelli; Beppe: Pietro Ballo; Gasparo: Alessandro Corbelli; Orchestra da Camera Siciliana; Federico Amendola, conductor - Gaetano Donizetti. Rita ou "Le mari battu" - Nuova Era Internazionale
Albert Roussel: Trois pièces pour piano, Op. 49
Jean Bouget, piano - Roussel conducts Roussel - Philips Legendary Classics
I. Allegro con brio
II. Allegro grazioso
III. Allegro con spirito
Jean-Michel Damase: Sonate en concert
Musica Viva: Vicki Blechta, flute; Senia Trubashnik, oboe; Grigory Goldberg, ‘cello; Cecilia Ignatieff, piano - Musica Viva. In Essence - Furiant Records Canadian
I. Prélude
II. Rigaudon
III. Largo
IV. Aria. Intermezzo
V. Aria. Sicilienne
VI. Largo
VII. Gigue
Interactive CKCU
Neil & The Dancing Labrador
Hi David. Even if it sat on a shelf, I like this. I also think it was destined to be done in Italian; the characters and storyline are best suited for Italian characters lol. Age old story hahaha.

11:32 AM, May 13th, 2024
David Cavlovic (host)
Donizetti is my favourite opera composer.

11:58 AM, May 13th, 2024
Neil and his Dancing Labrador
I once did a 'walk on part" as the "Arch Villain" in Tosca at the NAC when I worked for Opera Lyra haha. A review of the show had a "tongue and cheek" final remark saying "Never a more villainess villain has been." I laughed for days. Still have the photos of me backstage with the stars. Lyndon Slewidge, the OPP officer who used to sing the anthem at Sens games had a singing role in that run of Tosca, as well. Had a great time with a month of rehearsals at Bronson Place plus 4 shows at the NAC.

12:13 PM, May 13th, 2024
David Cavlovic (host)
Which year was that? I'm trying to remember which Opera Lyra productions we broadcast on Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, but I'm going back to the late '80s/early '90s.

12:20 PM, May 13th, 2024
Neil & DL
1999

12:28 PM, May 13th, 2024
David Cavlovic (host)
Ok, I was gone from the CBC by then.

12:32 PM, May 13th, 2024
Neil & DL
Lyndon played Sciarrone

12:32 PM, May 13th, 2024
Neil & DL
The entire cast was wonderful and fun to work with. Great experience.

12:33 PM, May 13th, 2024
David Cavlovic (host)
When the COC did Tosca late 80s/early 90s, the great Bulgarian Soprano Stevka Evstatieva sang Tosca. Very sweet woman with a great voice! Winter in Toronto meant icy sidewalks and stairs and she slipped on the front stairs of where she was staying. So she sprained her right arm and it was in a sling (which I didn't know because she had her winter coat on and I offered to take it for her.....ack...). During the performance on opening night I was sitting with her husband. The big scene with Scarpia was centred around an old springy chaise lounge. Tosca was sitting on it, when Scarpia plopped himself so hard on the Chaise, it caused Stevka to bounce and fall off landing on the floor. Her husband gasped, as I did, and I had to kinda restrain him saying "she's ok". She carried on. they hid the sling quite well in her costume, I must say.

1:41 PM, May 13th, 2024
Neil and his Dancing Labrador
OMG What a story! Joanne Kolomyjec sang Tosca in '99 Have a great week, David. Really enjoyed the show today!

4:03 PM, May 13th, 2024