Vivica Genaux in LA

an unintentional super-extended trip in LA + last minute planning scored me 9th-row ticket to hear Vivica Genaux and Europa Galante with Fabio Biondi in an all-Vivaldi recital. (First, let me just shout out how beautiful she is!!) OK, now we can discuss music.

This is my 2nd time hearing her live, and first ever with any singer that up close (even scooted down to row 3 after intermission!). The program included 4 Vivaldi orchestral work (each with 3 movements) and 6 arias. At first i thought it was Quell’usignolo by Giacomelli but a last minute youtube check before heading out drew my attention to the version by Vivaldi. Both very nice, but what’s truly amazing is her voice. Not sure how to describe it, it’s got this special tone that somehow i always associate with elasticity. Not sure if it’s the right word here, just absolutely pleasant to listen to live. She does with her voice what Roger Federer does with his tennis racket. There had been tons of fusses about her jaw movements. Last year, I intentionally booked tix a bit further back due to fear of getting distracted. Now that I’ve seen her 2m away, no clue what all the fussing was about. Jaw or no jaw, the sound that comes out is just a magnet to the ears. love those trills (thanks Eyes!)

The second aria, i love. It’s the featured one for her latest cd promo.

Personally, i love the slow pieces much more than the fast ones. My favorite was the aria right after intermission: loads and loads of soft exchanges amongst the strings and between them and her voice (though i think anyone sitting in back rows of orchestra section or balcony of Disney Hall wouldn’t have heard much, was very soft, much more than this recording here)

Anyhow, a move from row 9 to row 3 made a huge difference in hearing the dynamic “communication” in the strings, as well as the intimate feeling listening to the instruments talking directly to you. Am very convinced with a small baroque orchestra, unless you sit close, all subtleties will be lost (which explains why i haven’t heard Handel and Haydn Society at Symphony Hall in Boston yet.)

After the last piece, repeated applause contributed to Vivica’s announcement of Sposa son disprezzata as an encore, which prompted yours truly to break out into instant excited clapping (was the only one :-D). She did respond (to the audience) with a smile upon hearing clap, and I in turn explained to couple sitting adjacent that “it’s very nice!” Finally, Qual guerriero in campo armato rounded out the night and sent the audience into wild cheers. (I still love her slow pieces the most).

So, cd signing!! I have none since all my cds are in boston. Nevertheless, I did finally thank her for introducing me into opera “via Youtube” which prompted her response “ahhh!” and “we got another one (fan)” to Fabio Biondi.

Fabio Biondi and Vivica Genaux at Disney Hall in LA

A short conversation about her next concerts followed: in Vegas, to which i said impossible to make; in Boston, to which i complained she won’t sing though Fabio Biondi will be playing and she responded that she can’t do 10 concerts in such a short time; and finally in New York, to which i remain uncommitted due to work schedule… But we both shook hands, i sent my thanks for her wonderful music, she sent her thanks for me coming, and I concluded the pleasant evening with “I look forward to seeing you again”. So there you have it, a wonderful wonderful evening with an amazingly talented singer and beautiful music.

td chitchatting with vivica

ps- note the lack of discussion about the content of the arias she sang. I always purposely skip the translation and just listen to the music to get the feeling. Normally i start paying attention to translation only if it’s within an opera context… which probably explains why I haven’t crossed the Lied hurdle…