Although an initial success, La Rondine was denounced as an “enemy opera” by the French press and declined in popularity.
By JESSICA VRAZILEK‘La Rondine’(photo credit: Courtesy)
The Israel Opera presents La Rondine, one of Giacomo Puccini’s less performed operas (and one of the most controversial) from January 9-24.The story concerns a kept woman who defies convention to chase a dream of romantic love with an earnest, if naïve, young man. She is the swallow, or “rondine,” of the title, a bird that flies toward the sun. The central relationship unfolds in colorful locales in 20th-century Paris and the south of France, all evoked with superb musical details.La Rondine was commissioned by the Karltheater, Vienna, in 1913, but its 1917 premiere was moved to neutral Monte Carlo after the outbreak of World War I.Although an initial success, La Rondine was denounced as an “enemy opera” by the French press and declined in popularity.Only recently has the opera been performed regularly in opera houses worldwide.The cast includes French tenor Avi Klemberg in the role of Ruggero, Romanian sopranos Angela Gheorghiu and Aurelia Florian, who will share the role of Magda, Klemberg’s compatriot tenor Luca Lombardo and Romanian tenor Marius Brenciu as Prunier, and Russian- born bass-baritone Vladimir Braun as Rambaldo. The director is Nicholas Joel and Frederic Chaslin conducts the Israel Symphony Orchestra.‘La Rondine’ runs at Israeli Opera House in Tel Aviv. For tickets and more information: (03) 692-7777 and www.israel-opera.co.il.
if(catID != 151){
var cont = `Take Israel home with the new Jerusalem Post Store
