Osvaldo Golijov: Ainadamar
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Free Music Notes for Osvaldo Golijov: Ainadamar
Free Music Review: Strictly from the Musical Experience without the Opera Visual
Hit: 5 Stars
'Ainadamar' is a breathtakingly beautiful work for voices and orchestra and while it is conceived and has been performed as a stage work (aka 'opera'), this listener has not had the privilege of seeing that form of this new work by Osvaldo Golijov. And that factor as its drawbacks and its advantages: without relying on the visuals of a stage production the music on this very well produced CD allows total commitment to the music values alone. The music is exquisite!
Based on a libretto written by David Henry Hwang, the work is sung in Spanish and relates a moment in time when Margarita Xirgu, an actress and collaborator with the immensely gifted poet and writer Federico Garcia Lorca, recalls his presence and influence and death. There is little more narrative than that, but from that bare bones outline blossoms some of the most successful music that the gifted Golijov has written to date. There are bits of ethereal orchestration suffused with dance rhythms and that plaintive line known best to flamenco singers.
The arias/melodies are created in the most compelling manner - the voice growing organically from the various instrumentations at Golijov's seemingly endless disposal.
Margarita is sung here by the incomparable Dawn Upshaw in a signature performance: the quality and purity of her tone and timbre of her voice embrace Golijov's lines with complete ease and commitment. She is a wonder here. The role of Lorca is a trouser role sung with compelling beauty by Kelley O'Connor. The remainder of the rather small cast all sing and perform well and the entire performance is molded to perfection by conductor Robert Spano with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and chorus (the women's voices only). It is an enviable achievement.
Golijov grows each year as a composer and with this works he enters the highest echelon of contemporary classical music composers. Hearing 'Ainadamar' results in immediately listening again, as though what has just been heard could not possibly have been that fine. But it is. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, September 06
Free Music Review: A great Ibero- American opera
Hit: 5 Stars
Golijov has been experimenting for several years now with the synthesis of ouvertly Ibero-American genres and contemporary music textures. This work is his most successful so far in this vein, in my opinion, given that the compositional choices express the content of the libretto with conviction and without incongruences. The work can be described as a secular passion play, not only by its structure as a set of three ritualized remembrance vignettes in which the actress Margarita Xirgu is both a narrator and actor; but also due to its exploration of the sacrifice of Lorca to fascism; the personal anguish of Margarita's existential choices; and Lorca's posthumous iconic stature as the inspiration of countless musical and theatrical works by artists from all over the world. These topics address eternal concerns about heroic clashes between the artist and society, and between freedom and tyranny. Theater director Peter Sellars emphasized these references to Jesus' passion in his staging.
The musical plan develops like a Handelian or Mozartian opera, with clean-cut alternations between recitatives, arias and choruses, all of which adopt genres from Spain and Latin America with rather specific rhetorical connotations. It is not unlike the processes of assimilation of sicilianas, turkish marches, sarabandes, waltzes, polonaises and other such dances into what we know as European Classical music. The work eschews the Wagnerian model of an endless melody. Instead, the listener is carried forward by the constant gratification of individual gems of sensuous music. Golijov is a masterful orchestrator of haunting textures. The singers get to sound fantastic in gorgeous melodies.
Golijov is not the first to attempt these syntheses, but he is doing it today in a very favorable critical environment in the United States, with unquestionable technical virtuosity and genuine beauty. Although controversies arise about pandering to the audience and so on, it is all perhaps a matter of context. This opera will last.
Free Music Review: Mesmerizing, tantalizing - a must have for your collection!
Hit: 5 Stars
In all fairness, I should first admit that I am in general not a fan of atonal, discordant "contemporary classical" music. Believe me when I say that this masterwork is not that. I had the privilege of seeing this masterpiece performed last year in Atlanta by Robert Spano conducting the Atlanta Symphony (with, I believe, all of the same performers who are on the CD). The live performance was truly captivating - it incorporated a large screen with striking images, the Spanish guitar players were quite interesting to watch (especially for those of us accustomed to orchestral performances), and Dawn Upshaw mesmerized the audience as much visually as she did vocally.
When the CD was released, I was initially hesitant to buy it, because I was concerned that it would not live up to the live performance. I am glad that I did finally buy it because I was very wrong. It is every bit as emotionally undulating as the visual performance - to me that is a confirmation of the strength of the vocal and instrumental composition. Yes, as one of the more negative reviewers points out, it is true that you can hear the influence of composers who came before Mr. Golijov, but great music is built on a historical foundation, and Mr. Golijov created something entirely new and remarkably appealing. It is an instant classic, equally good played very loudly on your stereo, or listened to on headphones.
Free Music Review: Am used to broadway, but this is a DIFFERENT KIND
Hit: 5 Stars
I am really not at ease with writing a review on this item, but it is so interesting and good. Quite unexpected. I do not know how to categorize this, is this a modern opera? a folk opera? anyway, whats the use of labels as long as it is good and rewarding to listen to. All i know is i got hooked with the sound. the drama of it all, the quality of the voices, the elements. i bought my copy from itunes, which includes a listeners' guide.
I am familiar with lorca, (el publico, blood wedding, yerma, la casa de bernarda alba, butterfly's evil spell, ) but nothing prepared me for the intensity of the music and performance here. the hooves, the footsteps. the sound design merged well with the music. I really love this stuff. i got the bernarda alba cd of michael john lachiusa, and it doesnt hold a candle wth the fabulous AINADAMAR!
Free Music Review: Stunning operatic performance and composition
Hit: 5 Stars
I heard a review of this opera on NPR and was hooked. I bought it completely on a whim. I'm thrilled with what I got. Golijov blends several different musical tradtions to create stunning new music. Hwang's libretto beautfully illustrates the characters' passion. The opera is about an actress who worked with Spanish playwright Federico Lorca before his death at the hands of the facsist party. The opera illustrates how she made peace with her actions since his death. A beautiful story that will hopefully remind us how important freedoms of pen and speech really are.