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Puccini’s Grandest Opera, “Turandot,” is Different

Posted by glennled on August 31, 2012

Emperor (upper center), Turandot (middle center), and Prince Calaf (lower right)

Yes, I’m an opera novice—I’ve seen only three other operas by Giacomo Puccini: La Boheme, Tosca, and Madama Butterfly (see my post of 31 May 2012). None of these prepared me for the showy spectacle of Turandot by the Seattle Opera which my wife and I attended on 5 August at McCaw Hall. And the three others set me up to expect Turandot to end in a very different way.

Speight Jenkins is my opposite. He’s been attending opera for more than 60 years and is General Director of the Seattle Opera. In the August edition of “Encore Arts Programs,” he writes that Turandot was a smash hit when it premiered at Teatro Alla Scala in Milan, Italy on 25 April 1026, sixteen months after Puccini’s death. It scored successes everywhere it was performed, but inexplicably, it disappeared from New York opera after 1930 until it was resurrected in 1961 by the Metropolitan Opera. Nine performances were given that season, evoking ovation after ovation, and “suddenly Turandot leapt onto the gold standard.” According to orchestra conductor Asher Fisch, Puccini operas are so popular that the composer accounts for 25 percent of all the operas produced today (see http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thearts/2018771976_opera29.html).

Then in 1990, writes Jenkins, to celebrate the World Cup of soccer, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras (Spaniards), and Luciano Pavarotti (Italian) created The Three Tenors. They first performed a concert together on 7 July that year at the ancient Baths of Caracalla in Rome. At the climax, Pavarotti’s sang the aria, “Nessun dorma,” from Act III of Turandot. This became his signature aria. That, coupled with the success of that concert and the tremendous sale of their recording, made the aria synonymous with opera. “Fifty years ago, ‘Nessun dorma’ was just another aria in the Puccini canon, not even one that most opera lovers could recognize,” writes Jenkins. “Now it is clearly the most well known aria in opera to those who have never set foot in an opera house.” See the following performances:

Timur, dethroned king of Tartary, mourns the death of Liu, a slave girl who commits suicide rather than betray Prince Calaf

Puccini died in December, 1924, before finishing Turandot. He left few notes about how he intended to end it. Others finished both the music and libretto. Hence, for me, the surprise ending.

Turandot, based on a Persian fairy tale and set in China, is the story of an icy, man-hating princess named Turandot (soprano). No man shall possess me, she declares, yet there is pressure from the emperor and the people for her to marry. So, if any man of royal blood can solve three riddles, she agrees to marry him. If a man tries and fails, he will be killed. By the time Prince Calaf (tenor) arrives, 40 suitors have been decapitated. He is confident, in love with her, and determined to succeed. He solves the riddles. She still resists, however, so he gives her a means of escape: if by the next dawn she cannot give his name, he will tell it to her and become her 41st victim. Lui, the self-effacing, sacrificing woman who is caretaker of Calaf’s father, is tortured during the night to make her reveal his name. Such is her love for Calaf that she dies rather than do so. Dawn comes and Calaf tells Turandot his name. Meanwhile, she admits to being attracted to him, unlike any of the others, and in the climax, declares her love and agrees to marry him. The emperor and the people rejoice!

A Puccini opera ends with a happy marriage? I would never have believed it. My friend John, one of my trumpet students and frequently an extra in numerous operas in Seattle, agrees. “If Puccini had written the ending,” writes John, “I am sure Prince Calaf would have realized his true love was Liu (the slave girl) and then killed Turandot and then killed himself. That’s an Italian ending.”

So, to me, Turandot is different. Not only is it a grand spectacle in which the heroine doesn’t die in a tragic ending, but musically, Puccini pushes the soprano and tenor toward the limits of the range of the human voice. The roles require a full, dramatic, powerful, heroic sound. I may be wrong, but it seems to me there also is more dissonance in the orchestra, which can be almost overpowering at times, and fewer melodies in the score. Here, Puccini is more akin to Wagner than in the other three Puccini operas I’ve attended.

Afterwards, my wife and I talked things over at an outdoor table at Ponti’s Seagood Grill along the Ship Canal near the Fremont Bridge. It’s a favorite restaurant of ours, one we seem to save for special occasions. The opera and dinner were her gifts to me to celebrate my recent birthday. What could be better? 😉

Performance photos are courtesy of the Seattle Opera. Please click on any picture to enlarge it.

: Original 1926 Poster

: Turandot Poster, Seattle Opera, August 2012

: The Emperor

: Turandot

: Love triumphs in the end

: Emperor (upper center), Turandot (middle center), and Prince Calaf (lower right)

: Timur, dethroned king of Tartary, mourns the death of Liu, a slave girl who commits suicide rather than betray Prince Calaf

Posted in Professional Concerts | Tagged: Giacomo Puccini, Jose Carreras, La Boheme, Luciano Pavarotti, Madama Butterfly, McCaw Hall, Nessun dorma, Placido Domingo, Prince Calaf, Seattle Opera, Speight Jenkins, Tosca, trumpet, Turandot | 2 Comments »

Veterans Lead Independence Day Parade in Edmonds on Glorious 4th

Posted by glennled on July 4, 2012

Glenn Ledbetter, Vietnam War Vet, Edmonds Independence Day Parade, 2012. The bugle was a gift from a retired Air Force pilot who purchased it in England.

I’m sure some people in this great nation had as much fun as I did on this Independence Day 2012, but did they get to march in the parade in a small, All-American city as I did in Edmonds, Washington today? More didn’t than did. The thousands of people lining the streets stood, clapped, cheered, and waved minature American flags. My wife took this picture of the Post Bugler, VFW Post 1040, Lynnwood—me—on a perfectly gorgeous day on a glorious 4th. “God Bless America!”

Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: bugle, bugler, Edmonds, Independence Day, Lynnwood, parade, veterans, VFW Post 1040 | 2 Comments »

“Echo Taps” for War of 1812 Bicentennial Ceremony at Evergreen-Washelli in Seattle

Posted by glennled on July 2, 2012

War of 1812 Monument (front side), Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Evergreen-Washelli, Seattle

For six years, the Washington State Society, United States Daughters of 1812 (WSSUSD 1812), labored hard on its project to dedicate a monument honoring those veterans of the War of 1812 who died in Washington Territory. At last, the ceremony was held on Saturday, 23 June, at Evergreen-Washelli, Veterans Memorial Cemetery, in north Seattle. The war had started on 18 June, 200 years earlier, when President James Madison signed the declaration passed by Congress.

The beautiful monument at the foot of the Bell Tower was unveiled by WSSUSD 1812 President Linda Rae Lind of Bremerton. Inscribed on both sides are the names of 16 veterans for whom there are authentic records verifying that they served in the War of 1812 and died in Washington Territory. (Washington became the 42nd state in 1889.)

War of 1812 Monument (back side), Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Evergreen-Washelli, Seattle

Of the 16, Abel Ostrander was born first (1777) and William M. Stewart died last (1885), a span of 108 years. Ostrander came from New York and died in Cowlitz County in 1859. Stewart (born in 1794) came from Ohio and died in Pierce County.

Washington State Archivist, Jerry Handfield, was the guest speaker on this day. To conclude the outdoor ceremony, two members of the Washington State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (WASSAR) fired their muskets in a rifle salute, immediately followed by the sounding of “Echo Taps” by me and Lt. Col. Bob O’Neal, U.S. Army (Ret.) who is WASSAR Color Guard Commander. I play a 1954 Super Olds cornet, and Bob plays a 1927 King Silvertone trumpet. Incidentally, 2012 is also the 150th anniversary of the composition of “Taps.”

The War of 1812, fought against the British in the U.S.A., Canada, and in the Great Lakes and on the high seas, is sometimes called the Second War of Independence. It is famous for many things still well-known in American culture. Let me list a few: first, the text of our national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner,” was written by Francis Scott Key during the defense of Ft. McHenry near Baltimore, MD, from British naval bombardment in September, 1814. Second, “Old Ironsides,” the USS Constitution, was never defeated in battle. Named by George Washington, she is the oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat and is berthed in Boston. Third, in the midst of the bloody battle between two frigates, USS Chesapeake and HMS Shannon, Master Commandant James Lawrence, captain of the Chesapeake, mortally wounded, issued his famous, final command to his men, “Don’t give up the ship!” Fourth, after a naval battle on Lake Erie in September, 1813, Commodore Oliver Hazard

“Echo Taps” for War of 1812 Vets who died in Washington, sounded by Glenn Ledbetter, VFW Post 1040 Bugler, and Col. Bob O’Neal, SAR (not shown)

Gale Palmer and Stan Wills, SAR, fire musket salute

Perry, U.S. Navy, penned the famous words, “We have met the enemy and they are ours…” Fifth, the British burned the White House and the city of Washington in August, 1814. Sixth, in January, 1815, as the war drew to a close, Major General Andrew Jackson (“Old Hickory”) defeated the British Lieutenant General Sir Edward Pakenham in a lop-sided victory at the Battle of New Orleans. Seventh, Robert Fulton invented the “torpedo,” now known as an underwater mine, and designed the world’s first steam-powered warship, Demologos (later renamed Fulton).

The on-site photos in this post are courtesy of the Washington State Society, United States Daughters of 1812. Please click on any image to enlarge it. For further information on the War of 1812 and the organizations mentioned in this post, please see the following:

: Men from WASSAR and ladies from Washington Regency Society (WRS). Bob O’Neal (white hat) sounded “Echo Taps” with Glenn Ledbetter.

: Men from WASSAR by life-sized replica of the Liberty Bell. L to R: Lee Thomasson, Gale Palmer, Bob O’Neal, Stan Wills.

: Carole Holt (L), President National of the National Society Daughters of American Colonists, and Linda Rae Lind (R), President, Washington State President, United States Daughters of 1812

: Francis Scott Key spots the garrison flag flying over the ramparts of Ft. McHenry after a day and night of constant bombardment by British ships. Illustration by Percy Moran.

: The garrison flag which flew over Ft. McHenry during the bombardment of 13-14 September 1814. Note the 15 stars and 15 stripes.

: Splendid bicentenial book commemorating the War of 1812, published by National Geographic

: Two-disc DVD set available

: War of 1812 Monument (front side), Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Evergreen-Washelli, Seattle

: War of 1812 Monument (back side), Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Evergreen-Washelli, Seattle

: Gale Palmer and Stan Wills, WASSAR, fire flintlock musket salute

: “Echo Taps” for War of 1812 Vets who died in Washington, sounded by Glenn Ledbetter, VFW Post 1040 Bugler, and Bob O’Neal, WASSAR (not shown)

Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: cornet, echo taps, Evergreen Washelli, King Silvertone, Regency Society, Sons of the American Revolution, Super Olds, trumpet, United States Daughters of 1812, USD 1812, Veterans Memorial Cemetery, War of 1812 | Leave a Comment »

Nine Students Perform at Trumpet Recital in Edmonds

Posted by glennled on June 12, 2012

About 40 guests from the Greater Seattle area came to the home of their favorite tutor (me) in Edmonds on Saturday, 9 June, to the 3rd annual trumpet recital featuring my 9 current students. They take lessons from me in their own homes once a week. Eight attend the following schools: Lawton, Crystal Springs, and Tukwila elementary schools; Kamiakin, Kenmore and Skyview junior highs; and Eckstein Middle School. Of these, four students are moving up to Nathan Hale, Inglemoor, and Juanita high schools in the fall. There was a morning and an afternoon session, and each student played two pieces. Refreshments were served after the performances. Most of the music selections come from musicals, movies, the Beatles, and patriotic compositions. Here is a gallery of photos. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

: Five students came to the morning session, four to the afternoon one.

: John plays “St. James Infirmary Blues” and “Here, There and Everywhere”

: Erik performs “Do-Re-Mi” and “Puff, the Magic Dragon”

: Vaughan plays “When I’m 64” and “I’m Popeye the Sailor Man”

: Sarah performs “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and “The Rainbow Connection”

: Robert plays “Stars and Stripes Forever” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand”

: Tabitha performs “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and “Ode to Joy”

: Cori plays “Do-Re-Mi” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic”

: Aaron performs “Yankee Doodle” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag”

: Levi plays “Yellow Submarine” and “The Rainbow Connection”

: Students in morning session bow amid thunderous applause!

Posted in Musical Events at Home, Recitals | Tagged: Beatles, compositions, Edmonds, lessons, music, musicals, recital, trumpet, tutor | Leave a Comment »

Church Orchestra and Choir End Season with “Glory”

Posted by glennled on June 9, 2012

‘Twas the last Sunday of the season for the church orchestra and choir, 3 June. Now comes the summer break. Lucky me, I got to play 3rd trumpet when one of the regular players had a conflict. This church conducts three services every Sunday morning, and we played four songs—three at each service. It’s easy to see why our conductor favors the arranger, Dan Galbraith—he’s superb! He arranged three of the pieces below. And B.J. Davis did a super job, too, arranging Nichole Nordeman’s beautiful song, “Glory.” She is a Dove Award-winning songwriter (see http://www.doveawards.com/).

If you want to look over the scores and hear samples of the orchestration and arrangements, please see the following:

“Glory” by Nichole Nordeman – http://www.emicmgpublishing.com/LicensingPages/SongDetails.aspx?SongId=40194&SSong=glory&SWriter=nordeman and http://www.christiansupply.com/product/420547
“All to Us” by Chris Tomlin, et.al. – http://www.praisecharts.com/detail/arrangement/15547
“EverMore” by Geron Davis – http://www.praisecharts.com/detail/arrangement/1802
“I Will Rise” by Chris Tomlin, et.al. – http://www.praisecharts.com/detail/arrangement/5076

: “Glory” by Nichole Nordeman, arr. by B.J. Davis

: “All to Us” on the album, “Here for You”

: “Evermore” on the album, “Believe”

: “I Will Rise” on the album, “Hello Love”

Posted in Church Music | Tagged: All to Us, B.J. Davis, choir, Chris Tomlin, church, Dan Galbraith, Dove Award, Evermore, Geron Davis, Glory, I Will Rise, Nichole Nordeman, orchestra, song, trumpet | Leave a Comment »

Summer Music Festival in Seattle with The Salvation Army’s Temple Brass Band and School of Music

Posted by glennled on June 3, 2012

Puget Brass, a British brass band, since 1999

The Salvation Army, Northwest Division, is hosting a concert on 3 June at 6 p.m. at the Seattle Temple, 9501 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle. The featured special guest is Puget Brass, a local British brass band of about 30 musicians which performs throughout the Pacific Northwest. Inspired by the movie, Brassed Off, and formed in 1999, Puget Brass performs a varied repertoire from brass band classics and marches to classical, jazz, and popular music. Please see http://pugetbrass.org/.

Also participating are the Seattle Temple Brass Band, Seattle Temple Songsters, and young musicians from The Salvation Army School of Music (SASOM). SASOM offers daily after-school tutoring and music education at the temple location. According to SASOM’s mission statement on Facebook, “We believe music is the key to creating and instilling in every child an appreciation for community, a desire to achieve, and the ability to excel individually and collectively.” See http://www.facebook.com/TSASOM and click on “About.”

Red Kettle Concert Band, Salvation Army, Northwest Division, Seattle

The Salavation Army, Northwest Division, has served Seattle for 125 years (1887-2012). For a synopsis of the history of The Salvation Army itself, see http://www1.usw.salvationarmy.org/usw/www_usw_seatmpl.nsf/vw-dynamic-index/F3B07AB3CC15DE438825766C00133A8C?openDocument&charset=utf-8.

Posted in Professional Concerts | Tagged: band, brass, Brassed Off, British, classical, jazz, marches, music, musicians, popular, Puget Brass, Salvation Army, SASOM, school, songsters, temple | Leave a Comment »

“Taps” and “To the Color” at Memorial Day Ceremony at Veterans Park, Lynnwood

Posted by glennled on June 2, 2012

“Taps” by Glenn Ledbetter, VFW Post 1040 Bugler. (by Nancy MacDonald)

Clearly, someone carefully chose the rhododendron species at Veterans Park in Lynnwood where the Memorial Day ceremony was held on Monday, 28 May—the dark pink flowers were still in full bloom as two wreaths were laid in honor of those American military men and women who died during our wars.

Martin Spani, Commander of Post 1040 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Lynnwood, emceed the ceremony which featured the Northwest Junior Pipe Band, singer Garret Lloyd King, and guest speaker, Lt. Col. Joseph S. Jimenez, U.S. Army (Ret.). The memorial wreaths were laid by Richard Larson, USN, WWII, of Lynnwood American Legion Post 37, and Art Clemente, USMC, WWII, Lynnwood VFW Post 1040. Boy Scouts of America, Lynnwood Troup 49, assisted by placing the flags in the park and distributing the programs. A crowd of almost 225 attended under an overcast sky.

Ray Colby, VFW Post 1040 Piper, plays “God Bless America.” (by Chaplain Mary Sjoberg)

The pipe band played “Green Hills,” “Battles Ore,” and “Amazing Grace.” Ray Colby, a Navy World War II veteran and the VFW Post 1040 piper, played “God Bless America.” After the rifle salute by the VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard, the post bugler (me) sounded “Taps.” Throughout the ceremony, the American flag flew at half-mast. At twelve noon, I played the bugle call, “To the Color,” as the flag was hoisted to full-mast by the post’s Color Guard.

Please click on any photo to enlarge it. Photographers’ names appear in parentheses after the captions of the respective photos. Incidentally, Chaplain Mary Sjoberg is a member of the U.S. Corps of Chaplains (USCOC)—see https://sites.google.com/site/unitedstatescorpsofchaplains/Home

: American flag flies at half-mast during Memorial Day service in honor of America’s war dead. (by Nancy MacDonald)

: Northwest Jr. Pipe Band. (by Nancy MacDonald)

: “Amazing Grace,” Northwest Jr. Pipe Band. (by Chaplain Mary Sjoberg)

: Honor Guard, VFW Post 1040, Lynnwood. (by Chaplain Mary Sjoberg)

: Martin H. Spani, Commander, VFW Post 1040, Lynnwood. (by Nancy MacDonald)

: Ray Colby, VFW Post 1040 Piper, plays “God Bless America.” (by Chaplain Mary Sjoberg)

: Lt. Col. Joseph S. Jimenez, U.S. Army (Ret.). (by Chaplain Mary Sjoberg)

: Garret Lloyd King, singer. (by Nancy MacDonald)

: “Taps” by Glenn Ledbetter, VFW Post 1040 Bugler. (by Nancy MacDonald)

: “Taps,” Glenn Ledbetter, VFW Post 1040 Bugler. (by Janelle Squires)

: One of many monuments in Veterans Park, Lynnwood. (by Chaplain Mary Sjoberg)

: Currently, there are 805 inscribed memorial bricks in Veterans Park. (by Janelle Squires)

: Inscribed memorial bricks may be purchased for $30 each by a veteran or veteran’s family to honor a veteran, living or deceased. (by Nancy MacDonald)

: Four Boy Scouts from Troop 49, Lynnwood. (by Nancy MacDonald)

: “To the Color” by Glenn Ledbetter, VFW Post 1040 Bugler, as the American flag is hoisted to full-mast. (by Chaplain Mary Sjoberg)

: Honor Guard, VFW Post 1040, Lynnwood, renders salute as American flag is hoisted to full-mast and “To the Color” is sounded by the post bugler at noon. (by Chaplain Mary Sjoberg)

Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: American Legion, bugle, bugler, Honor Guard, Joseph S. Jimenez, Memorial Day, NW Junior, pipe band, piper, Taps, To the Color, U.S. Corps of Chaplains, USCOC, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Veterans Park, VFW | 2 Comments »

“Madama Butterfly” by Giacomo Puccini at Seattle Opera

Posted by glennled on May 31, 2012

Cio-Cio-San

“No more Puccini!” I told my wife after the Seattle Opera’s performance of Madama Butterfly at McCaw Hall on 20 May. “He’s just too powerful. He gets too close, the way he writes about romantic love. The music just rips your heart. It’s too much.” In the back of my mind was the memory of a very similar feeling when we attended Puccini’s La Boheme in 2007 (see http://www.seattleopera.org/discover/archive/production.aspx?productionID=44).

The final version of Madama Butterfly premiered in Paris, France on 28 December 1906—106 years ago—and premiered by Seattle Opera on 15 March 1966. It now ranks #8 in the Operabase list of most-performed operas worldwide (see http://operabase.com/top.cgi?lang=en&). People have always liked beautiful tragedies.

My wife and I talked over Madama Butterfly as we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the Modello Italian Restaurant in Magnolia (see www.mondelloristorante.com). The whole event was my birthday gift to her.

The story occurs in Nagasaki, Japan at the turn of the 20th century. Madama Butterfly is also known in the opera as Cio-Cio-San. When she “weds” B.F. Pinkerton, an American naval lieutenant, and converts to his religion, she is renounced and abandoned by her family. She is a geisha and comes with the house he leases, but he has the option to cancel the whole arrangement on a month’s notice. His long-term plan is to take an American wife. Meanwhile, he enjoys bliss with Butterfly.

“Throughout the first Act,” I told my wife at dinner while sipping my Sangiovese, “I was thinking, ‘Cad! Cad!'”

Eventually, his ship departs, and he has the American consulate continue paying the rent. Three years later, Cio-Cio-San is running out of money. She spurns a marriage proposal from a wealthy Japanese man, certain of Pinkerton’s love and eventual return. Sure enough, his ship again sails into Nagasaki, but he has brought his American wife. He then learns that his Butterfly bore him a son. His American wife offers to raise the son as their own. Pinkerton is overcome by remorse and is unable to confront Cio-Cio-San. She gives up her son and commits jigai, the ritual suicide for Japanese women which is performed by plunging a knife into the neck.

“Early in the third Act,” I told my wife, “I was thinking, ‘Coward! Coward!'” Later, Pinkerton even calls himself that. Puccini is just too much. The pathos is extraordinary. So—aaarrrgghhh!—yes, we’ll probably go again to another of his operas. But his heroines always seem to die in tragedy. “He who has lived for love, has died for love.”—from Il tabaro (The Cloak), 1918.

Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini, 1858-1924

Hmmm…today, I received a mailer showing that in August, the Seattle Opera will perform Puccini’s Turandot. Isn’t the fabulous, soaring tenor aria, “Nessun dorma” (“None Shall Sleep”), from that opera? I looked it up. Yes. And the Turandot orchestration calls for three trumpets in F and six onstage trumpets in B-Flat—how can I miss that? I am the moth drawn to the flame. In “Nessun dorma,” once again, Puccini makes one’s heart ache and eyes brim. Just watch and listen to Pavoritti sing this aria: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTFUM4Uh_6Y&feature=related.

Seattle performance photos are by Elise Bakketun, courtesy of the Seattle Opera. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

: Cio-Cio-San

: Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini, 1858-1924

Posted in Professional Concerts | Tagged: aria, Cio-Cio-San, La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, McCaw Hall, Nessum dorma, Pavarotti, Puccini, Seattle Opera, trumpets, Turandot | 2 Comments »

Photo Gallery—5th through 9th Grade Bands in May Concert at Skyview Jr. High in Bothell

Posted by glennled on May 26, 2012

The two elementary bands were joined at their final concert of the 2011-12 school year by the 8th-9th grade band on 15 May at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell. The elementary students come from Fernwood, Crystal Springs, and Canyon Creek elementary schools. The concert was conducted by Mr. Shawn McGinn, Director of Instrumental Music. I am his assistant for elementary brass instruction (trumpet, trombone, French horn, and baritone). The concert left the parents, relatives and friends in the audience excited about the benefits to and growth of these kids through playing music! We hope many will go to a summer band camp. Here are selected photos from the concert. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.