Ermonela Jaho recital- free livestream 23 May 2024 at 1pm

[Emeralds]

For those of you who already know soprano Ermonela Jaho's sublime singing well, you probably already have your alarm all set for today's free livestream of her recital from Wigmore Hall accompanied by Carlo Rizzi on piano and (his brother) Marco Rizzi on violin of Verdi, Donizetti etc. 

 

Those who don't, and are a bit bored or feeling cut off from the big smoke but enjoy the beauty of the sung word, do check this out. You can tune in from either the Wigmore Hall Facebook page,  the Opera Rara Facebook page or website. (Just type it in the names Opera Rara or Wigmore Hall). The livestream is available for 30 days after this. (Jaho is an Artist Ambassador for Opera Rara and Rizzi their music director.)

 

Anyone who is in the vicinity of Oxford Circus and would like to hear and watch it live, the 1 hour long recital is almost sold out but there are a few tickets left at various prices from £16 - £30 but you'll have to ask at the Box Office. Show begins in approximately half an hour (as I post). 🎶 

Edited May 23 by Emeralds

[Emeralds]

Beautiful performance- a must see (or must hear) if you like Donizetti or Bellini. The recital was closer to one hour and twenty five minutes, with Messrs Rizzi playing sonatas for violin and piano by Donizetti (very rare to hear them) in between to give Jaho a rest in between (there's no interval). The hall looked packed.

 

 

The recital was devoted to recently  unearthed forgotten works by Donizetti and other rarely heard songs by Bellini, Viardot, Verdi and Gounod. Carlo Rizzi and Ermonela Jaho also made lovely (short) speeches about discovering long lost repertoire and the work done by Opera Rara to bring beautiful but forgotten repertoire to audiences and onto  recordings. There was also a delightful little encore, Romanza "Se d'intorno scherza" by Donizetti (naturally).

 

Jaho's singing is like a refreshing ice cold tall glass of water on a hot summer's day, just sparkling and gorgeous. It was also fun to see Carlo Rizzi on the piano- only ever seen him conduct. And what an excellent violinist his brother is. A lovely 85 minutes of delightful music to lift the spirits. (Will be online on the Wigmore Hall and Opera Rara websites for 30 days). 

[Dawnstar]

I meant to watch this wehn I saw Opera Rara tweet about it the other day then managed to forget at the time so I'l have to watch it on catch up (maybe next week when the Giro d'Italia has finished & I'm not having to watch about 6 hours of cycling each day!).

[Geoff]

Just to add, one of the rare Donizetti songs so wonderfully sung by Jaho was reused by the composer in his sublime opera Il Puritani. Given the quality of her performance, I wonder if the ROH might consider digging out its production and putting it on with her? 

[MAB]

I enjoyed this recital so much.  I went to another in the series a few months ago with Laurence Brownlee.  I understand Mr Brownlee is singing in I Puritani in Paris next season.  Were he to repeat the role in London with Ms Jaho it would be a kind of dream team for me.  I'm very much hoping for better repertory choices under the new regime.   

[Emeralds]

14 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

I meant to watch this wehn I saw Opera Rara tweet about it the other day then managed to forget at the time so I'l have to watch it on catch up (maybe next week when the Giro d'Italia has finished & I'm not having to watch about 6 hours of cycling each day!).

Dawnstar, if there are pauses or adverts during the cycling, maybe you could put the recital on to get away from loud ads exhorting you to buy, buy, buy. There's a slight danger that you might be tempted not to return to the Giro d'Italia though!  😉

 

2 hours ago, Geoff said:

Just to add, one of the rare Donizetti songs so wonderfully sung by Jaho was reused by the composer in his sublime opera Il Puritani. Given the quality of her performance, I wonder if the ROH might consider digging out its production and putting it on with her? 

Geoff, I'd be happy to see Jaho in anything; am saving up for the restricted view seats for Tales of Hoffmann now...haha. Did you mean Bellini rather than Donizetti? It would be great to have I Puritani back. 

[Geoff]

40 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

Geoff. Did you mean Bellini rather than Donizetti? It would be great to have I Puritani back. 

Absolutely, silly typo, apologies and thanks for spotting. The song that became an aria is La ricordanza. 

[Sim]

Just now, Geoff said:

Absolutely, silly typo, apologies and thanks for spotting. The song that became an aria is La ricordanza. 

I will never forget seeing Juan Diego Flores sing La Ricordanza at a recital at the Festival Hall about 15 years ago.  It reduced me to tears and I have been trying to find a recording of him singing it ever since, with no luck. 

 

[Dawnstar]

3 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Dawnstar, if there are pauses or adverts during the cycling, maybe you could put the recital on to get away from loud ads exhorting you to buy, buy, buy. There's a slight danger that you might be tempted not to return to the Giro d'Italia though!  😉

 

It is worth the £6.99 a month the subscription is now up to in order to not have any ads! Even if there were I don't think watching a recital a few minutes at a time would be a very satisfactory experience. I'd rather wait until I have enough time to concetrate on it properly. (Typing this while watching today's Giro stage.)

[Emeralds]

3 hours ago, Sim said:

I will never forget seeing Juan Diego Flores sing La Ricordanza at a recital at the Festival Hall about 15 years ago.  It reduced me to tears and I have been trying to find a recording of him singing it ever since, with no luck. 

 

Sim, I'd be interested to read what you think of Jaho's interpretation- might be very different with a soprano singing it instead of course. Why not send Florez a message on his Instagram or Facebook account about recording La Ricordanza? He/his record company might do just that on the next album.....