JANUARY – Timothy Robinson sang the tenor solo, in A Child of Our Time, in January at the ENO, and he was so adorable. He also sang Captain Vere in Billy Budd. In 2006, he will sing, Vasek in The Bartered Bride at the ROH.
FEBRUARY – Charles Castronovo sang Alfredo in La traviata at the ROH in February. He’s going to sing the same role again in 2006, and I’m so excited, he’s so romantic.
MARCH – Jonas Kaufmann sang Nerone in L’incoronazione in Poppea, for Zurich Opera, and they did a performance, at the Barbican. He was just so involved in the performance. I think, he might sing Alfredo, in the Met broadcast, of La traviata, but I’m not sure.
APRIL - Gerald Finley sang the baritone parts in Voices of Exile and Behslazzar’s Feast, at the Royal Festival Hall in April. He was so overwelming. He also sang Giorgio Germont in La traviata, at the ROH, and Yevgeny Onegin at the ENO, and a recital, and a gala, at the Wigmore Hall, and the War Requiem, at the Royal Festival Hall. In 2006, he will sing Count Almaviva, in Le nozze di Figaro, at the Royal Opera House, and Beethoven’s Ninth, and Vaughan Williams’s A Sea Symphony, at the Barbican.
MAY – Simon Keenlyside, sang Winston, in the world premiere, of 1984, at the Royal Opera House, he was mesmeric, and his shoulders are so manly. He also sang Papageno, in Die Zauberflote, at the ROH, in February, and Abayaldos, in Dom Sebastien, at the ROH, in September, and, Billy Budd, at the ENO, in December. I don’t know, what he’s doing in 2006, but he will, sing Rodrigo, in Don Carlo, at the ROH, at some point.
JUNE – Tito Beltran sang Rodolfo, in La boheme, for the ROH. It was supposed to be, Yu Qiang Dai, but Tito, bravely, replaced him, in some performances, and he was so devastating.
JULY – Rolando Villazon, also, sang Rodolfo, at some performances, in July, but he also sang the Duke of Mantua, in Rigoletto, he’s so heroic, as well as, undeniably, masculine. In 2006, he will sing Lensky, in Yevgeny Onegin, at the ROH.
AUGUST – I didn’t see much, in August, but Vladimir Galouzine, sang twice, with the Kirov Opera, at the ROH, in two different operas, in just three days, perhaps more, he sang Andrei Khovansky, in Khovanshchina, and Calaf, in Turandot, and he also sang Calaf, at the ROH, in their Turandot, in January. I think he’s very masterful.
SEPTEMBER – Toby Spence, sang Tamino, in Die Zauberflote, at the ENO. He’s such a gentleman, he’s so cultured. At the moment, he is singing, Count Almaviva, in Il barbiere di Siviglia, at the ROH, and later, he will sing Paris, in La belle Helene, at the ENO.
OCTOBER – Andrew Kennedy, was the other Tamino, at the ENO, and there’s something about his shoulders, that so reminds me of Legolas, no-one else can see it, I don’t know why. He also sang, Pang, in Turandot, and the Judge, in Un ballo in maschera, and Roderigo, in Otello, and Flute, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, at the ROH. In 2006, he will sing, Fenton, in Sir John in Love, at the ENO, and Ferrando, in Cosi fan tutte, at Glyndebourne, and Jaquino, in Fidelio, at the Barbican.
NOVEMBER – Gordon Gietz was Jack, in A Midsummer Marriage, I think the director, is peculiar, and so is Tippett, who wrote the music, so I couldn’t understand, any of it, but I did enjoy, watching Gordon, and letting his voice, send me to paradise. He was also, Don Jose, in Carmen, in Birmingham.
DECEMBER – Dmitri Hvorostovsky, must be quite old, now, but I can just see, he’s a man, of experience, he’s so suave. He sang Renato in Un ballo in maschera. He’s going to sing Yevgeny Onegin, this year, at the ROH, and do a recital, at the Barbican.
Violetta
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