Stage design at the opera

[Bella Kemp]

To Rhinegold at the ENO yesterday afternoon. The music, singing and acting were magnificent, but, as so often at ENO, the production was let down by the banal stage design. The Ring is so full of mystery and magic- why can't the designs match this? Seeing many children and teenagers there, I wondered what their reactions might have been to all the static tedium. There were brief moments when video projections were used and one caught a tantalising glimpse of what could be done with a little imagination. It is simply lazy for Alberich to strap on a dragon costume when he transforms himself - why not hire a magician to show how this could be done amazingly? It was a full house, by the way, which was very cheering - and I'm not complaining for a moment about the overall experience: if you haven't booked your ticket yet do so now!

[smittims]

I've wondered for years why, when musicians are striving to get closer to the composer's intentions, stage designers seem determined to go as far away as possible. I used to watch operas on Sky Arts but the visual side has become intolerable, the worst being a 'Clemenza di Tito' which had nothing to do with Mozart. I'd rather lisyen to a CD and imagine my favoured production.

I remember Bryan Magee arguing over fifty years ago for a return to Wagner's stage directions, which are intimately related to the music, especially in the Ring. That would be a start.

[Bryn]

I've wondered for years why, when musicians are striving to get closer to the composer's intentions, stage designers seem determined to go as far away as possible. I used to watch operas on Sky Arts but the visual side has become intolerable, the worst being a 'Clemenza di Tito' which had nothing to do with Mozart. I'd rather lisyen to a CD and imagine my favoured production.

I remember Bryan Magee arguing over fifty years ago for a return to Wagner's stage directions, which are intimately related to the music, especially in the Ring. That would be a start.

The same applies I feel, to Messiaen's S. François d'Assise. He included some quite specific instructions regarding staging and costume design which Peter Sellars dismissed as the musings of a composer unversed in stage design. This, regarding a man who constructed models of stage designs for miniature dramatic productions in his early youth. Pierre Audi similarly paid little or no attention to Messiaen's stage directions, much as I admire the staging opted for by Audi's team.

[gradus]

To Rhinegold at the ENO yesterday afternoon. The music, singing and acting were magnificent, but, as so often at ENO, the production was let down by the banal stage design. The Ring is so full of mystery and magic- why can't the designs match this? Seeing many children and teenagers there, I wondered what their reactions might have been to all the static tedium. There were brief moments when video projections were used and one caught a tantalising glimpse of what could be done with a little imagination. It is simply lazy for Alberich to strap on a dragon costume when he transforms himself - why not hire a magician to show how this could be done amazingly? It was a full house, by the way, which was very cheering - and I'm not complaining for a moment about the overall experience: if you haven't booked your ticket yet do so now!

Heartening to hear that children and teenagers attended the performance, let's hope some if not all came from state schools.