Music Director Leaving Spoleto Festival USA

By JAMES R. OESTREICH
CHARLESTON, S.C. — News broke out on Monday at the Spoleto Festival USA here after a placid opening weekend. Emmanuel Villaume, the French conductor who has been the festival’s music director for opera and orchestra since 2001, announced that he would leave at the end of the season. Mr. Villaume, who is also artistic director and principal conductor of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and principal conductor of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, cited time pressure as a major factor in his decision.

Already this season his profile seems lower here than it did in years past. Mr. Villaume conducted the festival orchestra in the first of two major concerts on Monday evening. But he is not conducting any of the three operas being staged this season. “That, again, is a reflection of his time,” said Nigel Redden, the festival’s managing director, in an interview on Tuesday.
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/music-director-leaving-spoleto-festival-usa/?partner=rss&emc=rss


Spending time with the guests of Louise on opening night.

Bohemian Paris serves as both the setting and the inspiration for Louise, Gustave Charpentiers ode to freedom and tempestuous young love. Often referred to as the French version of La bohème, the story poignantly illuminates the age-old conflict between romantic love and filial loyalty. With more than 30 colorful characters, the opera offers notably beautiful music (foreshadowing the impressionism of Debussy) and lavish sentiment as well as an undercurrent of danger.

Conductor: EMMANUEL VILLAUME | Director: SAM HELFRICH
Assistant Conductor: PIERRE VALLET | Set Designer: ANDREW HOLLAND
Costume Designer: KAYE VOYCE | Lighting Designer: AARON BLACK

Louise: STEFANIA DOVHAN | Julien: SERGEY KUNAEV | Father: LOUIS OTEY
Mother: BARBARA DEVER | Camille: ANNE-CAROLYN BIRD
Gertrude: MARJORIE ELINOR DIX | Irma: ANDRIANA CHUCHMAN
Rag Picker: STEPHEN MORSCHECK | Noctambulist: DAVID CANGELOSI