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Forner Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman has said he was "disappointed" by his role in the Stones 50th anniversary shows.
The legendary group's former bassist joined the band at their London gigs for two tracks, 'Honky Tonk Women' and 'It's Only Rock 'N Roll (But I Like It)', but he admits that he thought he would feature more heavily in their set.
He told The Times: "In December 2011 Keith Richards called and said, 'Come on mate, why don't you have a jam with us?' Then they asked if I'd be interested in getting involved in the band for a special occasion. I thought I would get quite heavily involved, so when they said they only wanted me to do two songs I was a bit disappointed."
Wyman also revealed that he wasn't given much time to rehearse with the rest of the band. "I only had one rehearsal and no sound-check so I just winged it. It was great, but I didn't want to go to America for two songs. I think they understood. Well, Charlie Watts did," he said.
Earlier this month, The Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood promised that he would be twisting his bandmate's arms into playing this years' Glastonbury. The Stones have been strongly tipped to make their debut on the Pyramid Stage this year. When asked about it, Wood replied: "We've got a meeting next month and that's going to be my first question to them. It's something I've always been interested in. I'm going to twist their arms. I've got lots of high hopes this year, now that we're all rehearsed - let's get it cracking this summer!"
25 Şubat 2013 Pazartesi
Character Spotlight: OKLAHOMA!'s Will Parker
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Erin Joy Swank, of the Education & Community Programs Department, recently caught up with baritone Curt Olds. Below is an excerpt from that interview.
Welcome back toCentral City Opera! We last saw you on stage as John Styx in Orpheus in theUnderworld (2010). While keeping guard over Eurydice in Hades, youentertained us in song and dance. This summer you’ll once again charm theaudience as the dancing rodeo cowboy Will Parker in Oklahoma!
You’ve made a careerout of working as a “triple threat,” a performer who acts, sings and dances.Can you explain the similarities and differences working in opera, musicaltheatre and dance?
Thanks for the compliment of calling me a "triplethreat." The skills that might make me a "triplethreat" as you say (singing, acting and dancing) come out of my theatretraining and years of doing musicals as a child and young adult. In the musicaltheatre world, a performer definitely has to possess a singing voice, butsinging tends to be on equal footing with acting ability and, if the dramaticmoment calls for it, the singing might be compromised for dramatic effect.Regarding dance, if a singer also happens to have the ability to dance, then itopens an entire new world of casting possibilities. In the operatic world, singing and attention to the voice iseverything. If an opera singer possessing a world-class voice can also act -- and Imean not only just while singing, but also in the moments on stage that areunsung -- then they have the makings of a major career. But the voice and abilityto use it come first. And that is a very good thing. For most opera singers,acting skills are developed later because of the heavy requirements of foreignlanguages and the study of historical performance practices. With me, when Iwas studying opera, I put all serious acting, dancing and musical theatre studyon the back burner for a little over six years. I had to concentrate on vocalstudies and languages. My mainobjective when performing is to affect the audience, to move them, to make themfeel. Any extra skill to help do that is a bonus.
You’ve played Curlyin a past production of Oklahoma! What is it like to preparefor the role of Will Parker this time?
When I played Curly, all I really wanted to do was play WillParker. I am definitely a casting possibility for Curly, but personally, I ammuch more like Will Parker and I understand the comic elements of the role.Curly is cool, steady. He has to be to deal so keenly with Jud Fry. Will is awild card and easily excitable. The great thing about Oklahoma! is Istill get to be handsome and cute outside of the central romantic leading man.I feel very fortunate to have played both roles professionally and Rodgers andHammerstein shows are always so fulfilling to perform. I did The Soundof Music earlier this season and Oklahoma! is apersonal favorite of mine. Win win.
You were also a pastApprentice and Studio Artist with Central City Opera. What did you learn orpractice in the artist training program that helped you in your careerdevelopment?
The Bonfils-Stanton Training Program was instrumental to anysuccess I have enjoyed over the past twenty years. I was a college kid fromMontana with no idea how to approach a singing career on a national level. Icame to Denver and sang for John Moriarty and it changed my life. Not only didCentral City Opera's training program offer wonderful classes in diction,audition technique, movement, and repertoire, but it also provided me withquality stage time in comprimario [supporting] roles, recital engagements andscenes concerts. That first summer with Central City Opera led to mygraduate studies at New England Conservatory and additionally, Central CityOpera gave me some of my first principal roles. I will be forever grateful.
The full interview with Curt will be available in the 2012 Opera Insider (festival resource guide) very soon. Stay tuned for more insider interviews!
Erin Joy Swank, of the Education & Community Programs Department, recently caught up with baritone Curt Olds. Below is an excerpt from that interview.Welcome back toCentral City Opera! We last saw you on stage as John Styx in Orpheus in theUnderworld (2010). While keeping guard over Eurydice in Hades, youentertained us in song and dance. This summer you’ll once again charm theaudience as the dancing rodeo cowboy Will Parker in Oklahoma!
You’ve made a careerout of working as a “triple threat,” a performer who acts, sings and dances.Can you explain the similarities and differences working in opera, musicaltheatre and dance?
Thanks for the compliment of calling me a "triplethreat." The skills that might make me a "triplethreat" as you say (singing, acting and dancing) come out of my theatretraining and years of doing musicals as a child and young adult. In the musicaltheatre world, a performer definitely has to possess a singing voice, butsinging tends to be on equal footing with acting ability and, if the dramaticmoment calls for it, the singing might be compromised for dramatic effect.Regarding dance, if a singer also happens to have the ability to dance, then itopens an entire new world of casting possibilities. In the operatic world, singing and attention to the voice iseverything. If an opera singer possessing a world-class voice can also act -- and Imean not only just while singing, but also in the moments on stage that areunsung -- then they have the makings of a major career. But the voice and abilityto use it come first. And that is a very good thing. For most opera singers,acting skills are developed later because of the heavy requirements of foreignlanguages and the study of historical performance practices. With me, when Iwas studying opera, I put all serious acting, dancing and musical theatre studyon the back burner for a little over six years. I had to concentrate on vocalstudies and languages. My mainobjective when performing is to affect the audience, to move them, to make themfeel. Any extra skill to help do that is a bonus.
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| Central City Opera’s ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLD (2010). Pictured (L to R): Joanna Mongiardo (Eurydice) and Curt Olds (John Styx). Photo by Mark Kiryluk. |
When I played Curly, all I really wanted to do was play WillParker. I am definitely a casting possibility for Curly, but personally, I ammuch more like Will Parker and I understand the comic elements of the role.Curly is cool, steady. He has to be to deal so keenly with Jud Fry. Will is awild card and easily excitable. The great thing about Oklahoma! is Istill get to be handsome and cute outside of the central romantic leading man.I feel very fortunate to have played both roles professionally and Rodgers andHammerstein shows are always so fulfilling to perform. I did The Soundof Music earlier this season and Oklahoma! is apersonal favorite of mine. Win win.
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| Central City Opera’s OKLAHOMA! (2012). Pictured: Kaitlyn Costello (Ado Annie), Curt Olds (Will Parker). Photo by Kira Horvath. |
The Bonfils-Stanton Training Program was instrumental to anysuccess I have enjoyed over the past twenty years. I was a college kid fromMontana with no idea how to approach a singing career on a national level. Icame to Denver and sang for John Moriarty and it changed my life. Not only didCentral City Opera's training program offer wonderful classes in diction,audition technique, movement, and repertoire, but it also provided me withquality stage time in comprimario [supporting] roles, recital engagements andscenes concerts. That first summer with Central City Opera led to mygraduate studies at New England Conservatory and additionally, Central CityOpera gave me some of my first principal roles. I will be forever grateful.
The full interview with Curt will be available in the 2012 Opera Insider (festival resource guide) very soon. Stay tuned for more insider interviews!
Denver Public Library's Fresh City Life takes a Road Trip
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Last Saturday, participants from Denver Public Library's Fresh City Life took a road trip to Central City. First on the agenda was attending one of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program's classes, which focused on auditioning. We watched as the young artists, chosen from a pool of over 900 applicants, rehearsed an aria as if they were at an audition. Program Administrator Marc Astafan and Principal Coach Michael Baitzer gave each singer feedback on their mock auditions -- everything from their attire to the organization of the book of music given to their accompanist.
After watching a few of the talented young artists, we made our way down the hill to Main Street for an old-fashioned shoot out, performed by members of the Gilpin County Historical Society.
Next on the agenda was a look at the costumes of Oklahoma! with Costume Designer Marcy Froehlich. You can get your own virtual sneak peak of the costumes in our earlier vlog post.
After a lunch in the beautiful Opera Garden, we took a tour of the historic Teller House, once the most opulent hotel between Chicago and San Francisco. Finally, it was time for the Oklahoma! wandelprobe.
An important stage of the opera production process is the sitzprobe-- a German term which literally means "seat test." It's the rehearsal in which the singers sit on the stage while singing with the orchestra for the first time.
A wandelprobe, however, is an entirely made-up word, used for when the singers actually move around the stage while rehearsing with the orchestra for the first time. After enjoying the first hour of the wandleprobe from the Opera House's balcony, we made our way back to Opera Garden for a quick Q-and-A session.
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| Apprentice Artist Stephen Carrol sings his audition aria as Program Administrator Mark Astafan, right, looks on. |
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| An unsuspecting onlooker is roped into an attempted shotgun wedding before being run out of town. |
Next on the agenda was a look at the costumes of Oklahoma! with Costume Designer Marcy Froehlich. You can get your own virtual sneak peak of the costumes in our earlier vlog post.
After a lunch in the beautiful Opera Garden, we took a tour of the historic Teller House, once the most opulent hotel between Chicago and San Francisco. Finally, it was time for the Oklahoma! wandelprobe.
An important stage of the opera production process is the sitzprobe-- a German term which literally means "seat test." It's the rehearsal in which the singers sit on the stage while singing with the orchestra for the first time.
A wandelprobe, however, is an entirely made-up word, used for when the singers actually move around the stage while rehearsing with the orchestra for the first time. After enjoying the first hour of the wandleprobe from the Opera House's balcony, we made our way back to Opera Garden for a quick Q-and-A session.
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| Participants from Fresh City Life watch from the balcony as the cast sings "Kansas City" with the orchestra for the first time. |
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| Gene Scheer (Ali Hakim) sings "It's a Scandal, It's an Outrage," surrounded by a chorus of cowboys. |
Britten's Brilliant Twelve-Tone Row in THE TURN OF THE SCREW
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Central City Opera opens its third mainstage production tonight with the creepy and cool opera The Turn of the Screw. While not as toe-tapping as the songs from this year's Oklahoma!, the score is very interesting. The opera is organized in a way that would thrill those of the Type-A personality. Benjamin Britten built the entire opera on a twelve-tone row, which is a non-repetitive ordering of a set of pitches. You can listen to the twelve-tone row here.
The opera is divided into two acts, with each act containing eight scenes, and the first act preceded by a Prologue. Before each scene, the chamber orchestra plays a short introduction based on the twelve-tone row you just heard. Each introduction features the instruments that are important in the following scene. You may be thinking: “Wow, this sounds so mathematical and boring. How can this music be interesting, dynamic, and evocative?” Britten was a genius at getting the music to serve the story. His use of instrumentation and speech-like melody brings out all of the colors and emotions of the drama happening on stage.
Listen again to that twelve-tone row, then watch the first scene of the opera below, produced by the Glyndebourne Festival in 2011. You’ll hear the main theme – with the twelve-tone row masterfully played by the entire orchestra – then the Governess’s first aria. Note the use of percussion in the theme and during the first scene. Britten uses the percussion to invoke the feeling of anticipation, excitement, and a bit of apprehension – all feelings that the Governess has as she is traveling to Bly House to begin her new job.
Want to know more? This blog post is part of the article What to Listen for in The Turn of the Screw, found in the 2012 Opera Insider (Festival Resource Guide - PDF).
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| Twelve-Tone Row on which the opera is based |
The opera is divided into two acts, with each act containing eight scenes, and the first act preceded by a Prologue. Before each scene, the chamber orchestra plays a short introduction based on the twelve-tone row you just heard. Each introduction features the instruments that are important in the following scene. You may be thinking: “Wow, this sounds so mathematical and boring. How can this music be interesting, dynamic, and evocative?” Britten was a genius at getting the music to serve the story. His use of instrumentation and speech-like melody brings out all of the colors and emotions of the drama happening on stage.
Listen again to that twelve-tone row, then watch the first scene of the opera below, produced by the Glyndebourne Festival in 2011. You’ll hear the main theme – with the twelve-tone row masterfully played by the entire orchestra – then the Governess’s first aria. Note the use of percussion in the theme and during the first scene. Britten uses the percussion to invoke the feeling of anticipation, excitement, and a bit of apprehension – all feelings that the Governess has as she is traveling to Bly House to begin her new job.
Want to know more? This blog post is part of the article What to Listen for in The Turn of the Screw, found in the 2012 Opera Insider (Festival Resource Guide - PDF).
Video Clips from LA BOHÈME - Central City Opera's 2012 production
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Central City Opera's La Bohème continues through August 12th. To whet your appetite, enjoy these snippets from the production.
From Act One, an excerpt of "O soave fanciulla" with Mimi & Rodolfo:
From Act Two in the Café Momus:
From Act Three with Marcello & Mimi:
Glimpses of Central City Opera's 2012 production of LA BOHÈME
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Giacosa and Illica
Based upon Henri Murder's 1849 novel SCÈNES DE LA VIE BOHÈME
Conductor: John Baril
Director: Kevin Newbury
Assistant Director: R. B. Schlather
Scenic Designer: David Korins
Costume Designer: Jessica Jahn
Lighting Designer: David Martin Jacques
Wig/Makeup Designer: Dave Bova
Associate Conductor: Adam Turner
Musetta: Deborah Selig
Marcello: Troy Cook
Rodolfo: Eric Margiore
Mimi: Elizabeth Caballero
Colline: Ryan Speedo Green
Schaunard: Chris Carr
Alcindoro: Thomas Goerz
Performed by the Central City Opera Festival Orchestra
Visit the La Bohème website for more information.
From Act One, an excerpt of "O soave fanciulla" with Mimi & Rodolfo:
From Act Two in the Café Momus:
From Act Three with Marcello & Mimi:
Glimpses of Central City Opera's 2012 production of LA BOHÈME
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Giacosa and Illica
Based upon Henri Murder's 1849 novel SCÈNES DE LA VIE BOHÈME
Conductor: John Baril
Director: Kevin Newbury
Assistant Director: R. B. Schlather
Scenic Designer: David Korins
Costume Designer: Jessica Jahn
Lighting Designer: David Martin Jacques
Wig/Makeup Designer: Dave Bova
Associate Conductor: Adam Turner
Musetta: Deborah Selig
Marcello: Troy Cook
Rodolfo: Eric Margiore
Mimi: Elizabeth Caballero
Colline: Ryan Speedo Green
Schaunard: Chris Carr
Alcindoro: Thomas Goerz
Performed by the Central City Opera Festival Orchestra
Visit the La Bohème website for more information.
24 Şubat 2013 Pazar
Fleetwood Mac's Rumours Ages Well Into Its Thirties
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Whenever a music publication makes a list of top rock albums, Fleetwood Mac's Rumours is there. While the album actually came out 36 years ago, the band is celebrating with what's being called a 35th anniversary expanded edition.
"We've been waiting a long time to put this out," Stevie Nicks told Rolling Stone. "If you were a Fleetwood Mac fan, you get to hear the songs turn into the songs without a lot of overdubbing. It's very simple."
"Rumours is the kind of album that transcends its origins and reputation, entering the realm of legend," writes Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic.com. "It's an album that simply exists outside of criticism and outside of its time, even if it thoroughly captures its era."
The album is noteworthy of course for such songs as "Go Your Own Way," "Don't Stop," and "You Make Lovin' Fun," but also for the band's own romantic turmoil as the album was being made, which bleeds through into the music.
"That really was a lot of the appeal of Rumours," Lindsey Buckingham admitted in the same Rolling Stone interview. "The music was wonderful, but the music was also authentic because it was two couples breaking up and writing dialogue to each other."
The band recently added more dates to their upcoming tour, which begins April 4 in Columbus, Ohio, and which will include many songs from Rumours.
Christine McVie will not be a part of the tour. In 2012, when the tour was announced, Nicks told Rolling Stone, "(McVie) went to England and she has never been back since 1998, so it's not really feasible, as much as we would all like to think that she'll just change her mind one day. I don't think it'll happen. We love her, so we had to let her go."
The band's 1975 song "Landslide" appeared in Sunday's Budweiser Super Bowl commercial, one of the most popular ads of the night.
For a chance to own the 35th anniversary expanded edition of Rumours, enter the Vintage Rock Giveaway, starting tomorrow. (February 5)
"We've been waiting a long time to put this out," Stevie Nicks told Rolling Stone. "If you were a Fleetwood Mac fan, you get to hear the songs turn into the songs without a lot of overdubbing. It's very simple."
"Rumours is the kind of album that transcends its origins and reputation, entering the realm of legend," writes Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic.com. "It's an album that simply exists outside of criticism and outside of its time, even if it thoroughly captures its era."
The album is noteworthy of course for such songs as "Go Your Own Way," "Don't Stop," and "You Make Lovin' Fun," but also for the band's own romantic turmoil as the album was being made, which bleeds through into the music.
"That really was a lot of the appeal of Rumours," Lindsey Buckingham admitted in the same Rolling Stone interview. "The music was wonderful, but the music was also authentic because it was two couples breaking up and writing dialogue to each other."
The band recently added more dates to their upcoming tour, which begins April 4 in Columbus, Ohio, and which will include many songs from Rumours.
Christine McVie will not be a part of the tour. In 2012, when the tour was announced, Nicks told Rolling Stone, "(McVie) went to England and she has never been back since 1998, so it's not really feasible, as much as we would all like to think that she'll just change her mind one day. I don't think it'll happen. We love her, so we had to let her go."
The band's 1975 song "Landslide" appeared in Sunday's Budweiser Super Bowl commercial, one of the most popular ads of the night.
For a chance to own the 35th anniversary expanded edition of Rumours, enter the Vintage Rock Giveaway, starting tomorrow. (February 5)
'Phil Spector' Trailer Hits The Web
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HBO Films has released its first trailer promoting the upcoming Al Pacino-starring biopic on imprisoned record producer Phil Spector.
In the clip, Pacino's Spector is shown in full flight, firing rounds into the ceiling of a studio, ranting in court and taking abuse from supporters of Lana Clarkson, who he was convicted of murdering in 2003. And throughout, Pacino parades a range of extraordinary Spector hairstyles.
Oscar-nominee David Mamet [1] wrote and directed Phil Spector, while Barry Levinson serves as executive producer. Pacino plays opposite Oscar-winning British actress Helen Mirren, who portrays Spector's attorney Linda Kenney Baden.
Spector’s self-proclaimed "wall of sound" recording technique transformed 1960s pop music, and placed the music man in the mix of many hits with the likes of the Beatles, the Ronettes and the Ramones. A reclusive character, Spector’s strange behavior is also well documented by some of those artists who’ve worked with him.
On a retrial, Spector was convicted in 2009 of the second-degree murder of Clarkson, a B-movie actress. He's now serving 19 years to life for murder in a California jail. Spector, now 73, won't be eligible for parole until he reaches 88.
Phil Spector will premiere in the U.S. on Sunday, March 24 at 9 pm. International release dates have yet to be confirmed.
In the clip, Pacino's Spector is shown in full flight, firing rounds into the ceiling of a studio, ranting in court and taking abuse from supporters of Lana Clarkson, who he was convicted of murdering in 2003. And throughout, Pacino parades a range of extraordinary Spector hairstyles.
Oscar-nominee David Mamet [1] wrote and directed Phil Spector, while Barry Levinson serves as executive producer. Pacino plays opposite Oscar-winning British actress Helen Mirren, who portrays Spector's attorney Linda Kenney Baden.
Spector’s self-proclaimed "wall of sound" recording technique transformed 1960s pop music, and placed the music man in the mix of many hits with the likes of the Beatles, the Ronettes and the Ramones. A reclusive character, Spector’s strange behavior is also well documented by some of those artists who’ve worked with him.
On a retrial, Spector was convicted in 2009 of the second-degree murder of Clarkson, a B-movie actress. He's now serving 19 years to life for murder in a California jail. Spector, now 73, won't be eligible for parole until he reaches 88.
Phil Spector will premiere in the U.S. on Sunday, March 24 at 9 pm. International release dates have yet to be confirmed.
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