Don Sanche critique June 11th 2011

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Sondershausen: Don Sanche/Liszt - konzertant - 11.6.2011

Die Oper "Don Sanche oder Das Schloß der Liebe" hat Franz Liszt im Alter von nur 13 Jahren für Paris geschrieben, wo sie 1825 uraufgeführt wurde. Da der Einakter alle Qualitäten einer Großen heroischen Oper aufweist, geht man sicher nicht falsch, wenn man Liszt als Wunderkind und Frühvollendeten, zumindest was die Oper betrifft, bezeichnet. Die Gattung Oper hat er aber später bekanntermaßen nicht mehr bedient. 'Don Sanche' wurde im Rahmen des Themenjahres 'Franz Liszt 2011 Ein Europäer in Thüringen' konzertant im zum Schlossareal gehörenden Achteckhaus zu Sondershausen vom Theater Nordhausen und dem Loh-Orchester Sondershausen sozusagen wiederentdeckt.

Das französische Libretto (3 Bearbeiter) bezieht auf ein zugegeben ein dramaturgisch etwas hölzernes spanisches Ritterdrama. In der vom Zauberer Alidor ( Abraham Singer mit charakterlich auspichtem dramatisch superbem Baßbariton) dürfen nur Liebespaare wohnen. Da die Prinzessin Elzire die Liebe des Ritters Sanche nicht erwidert, muss dieser als Single außen vor bleiben. Die Prinzessin ist mit ihrem Gefolge auf dem Weg zu einem königlichen Bräutigam. Alidor erbarmt sich D.Sanches und läßt Elzire durch Unwetter die Reise am Zauberschloß abbrechen, aber auch ihr wird kein Einlass gewährt. Die Nacht davor auf Rasenbett verbringend, wird sie von einem Ritter übel bedrängt, Don Sanche ist aber zur Stelle und verteidigt die Ehre seiner geliebten Elzire mit der Lanze. Dabei im Kampf schwer verwundet, erbittet er sich, an ihrer Seite ins Schloß aufgenommen zu werden. Da Alidor den bösen Ritter selbst gespielt hat, löst er die Verzauberung nun auf und Sanche und Elzire, die ihm nun Zuneigung entgegen bringt, können sich im Zauberschloß dazugesellen.

In der Oper kommen viele Rezitative, Bravourarien, Duette und Chöre vor, die alle von Liszt wundervoll spannend komponiert erscheinen. Das Loh-Orchester spielt diesen jungen Liszt mit einzigartiger Verve, und der GMD Marcus L.Frank dirigiert spontan und mit emphatischem Zugriff. Der Opernchor (E.: Elena Pierini) war besonders in den Frauenstimmen hochkarätig besetzt und sang klangschön von der Empore aus.

Den Sanche sang Hugo Mallet in der Nachfolge eines Adolphe Nourrit mit tenoraler Emphase, wobei ihm auch halsbrecherisch hohe Tongirlanden gelangen. Brigitte Roth gab den Pagen mit vollmundig strömenden ausdrucksreichem Sopranmaterial. Die Elzire interpretiert mit leicht herbem apartem Sopran mit reicher Farbenpallette Sabine Mucke. Sandra Schütt, auch mit hellen eigenen Tonvailleurs timbriert, sang eine hinreißende Zélis.

Friedeon Rosén

John E. Castellini, one of my favorite teachers

Monday, July 15, 2002 John E. Castellini, 96, music professor in N.Y., loved sharing knowledge Obituary By Chris Mayhew, cmayhew@enquirer.com The Cincinnati Enquirer A teacher of classical music who trained as a composer, John E. Castellini died Friday at his home in Greenwich, Conn. He was 96. A music professor at Queens College in Flushing, N.Y., for 35 years, Mr. Castellini was the fourth son of Joseph John Castellini, who started the Cincinnati produce business of the same name. “He dedicated his life to teaching because he loved to impart knowledge,” said his niece, Mona Poynter of Hyde Park. Passing on his knowledge was a way of validating the education his father was able to provide him with, his niece said. Mr. Castellini studied under several prominent musicians and composers in Europe after he graduated from the University of Cincinnati and the College of Music of Cincinnati in 1928. He first studied musical composition in Rome under Ottorino Respighi In 1929 he studied composition with Arnold Schonberg, and piano with Karl Schnabel in Berlin. After completing a bachelor of arts degree at the University of Southern California, Mr. Castellini returned to Cincinnati in 1932 to work as a sales representative in the family business. “During the Depression there weren't as many positions for musicians, and after that he went back to his first love,” his niece said. In 1937 he left for New York City to continue his life in music. He often came back to Cincinnati, usually twice a year to meet with family and always in May to see the Cincinnati May Festival. Through the May Festival, Mr. Castellini eventually struck up a friendship with the famous conductor James Conlon, who has been the festival's music director from 1979 to the present. One of the positions Mr. Conlon currently holds is the Principal Conductor of the Paris Opera. At Queens College, Mr. Castellini taught and conducted the school's symphony orchestra. He also conducted a local community choral society. Mr. Castellini considered his greatest achievement to be his students, his niece said. “To the day until he died he continued to hear from his students — they respected and loved him as both a professor and a friend,” she said. Other survivors include his daughter, Maureen Ahern of Harrison, N.Y.; a son, Michael of Bellingham, Mass.; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren; and other nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Anne MacDonald Castellini, in 1987. Visitation will be 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Elden A. Good Funeral Home, 2620 Erie Ave., Hyde Park. Mass of Christian burial will be 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary Church, Hyde Park. Memorials: Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College-City University of New York, attention Jonathan Irving, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, N.Y. 11367. Checks can be made payable to Queens College Foundation/Castellini Endowment Fund.

New description: Joan's Teaching Materials and Method

http://musicmethod.blogspot.com/

Suddenly many people are interested in the methods I have developed through the years to have fun with children during music lessons and still teach them music notation and interpretation correctly. I guess finally many families, ex-students, colleagues and theorists have discovered that many other methods are tiresome, overly strict, too demanding and narrow in thought.

I have been using my method with success for over 30 years now. My daughter is a pianist, singer and conductor who first learned to read music with my method. She has been working fulltime for over 20 years already as a professional musician, she is able to study her repertory very quickly and rarely makes mistakes while conducting. She just conducted a 3 hour opera at the Nordhausen Opera Theater without even one rehearsal, so something must be said about the method! I have also received messages on Facebook from many ex-students who tell me that they survive in the Music World on what they have learned in our choral classes at the Fiesole Music School (Florence, Italy).

The basic philosophy of the method is that one first perceives the LARGE picture of a musical line, of a score and grasps the general concept of how the music is to be interpreted - - up, down, long notes, short notes, no clefs, no time signatures, no names of notes, no sharps, no flats. Then gradually these details are added. There are 5 coloring books and 600 laminated colored plastic cards to use. Then there are 16 small volumes of 16 pages each, with easy solfegge choral pieces to sing, about 8 measures each, short enough not to present difficulties, long enough to offer sufficient practice that permits one to learn the topic at hand. The novelty here is the CONTEMPORARY IDIOM of all the music provided: the cards offer a chance for multi-rhythms and multi time signatures, the solfegge pages present dissonances and clusters.

to be continued . . .