Yesterday was my birthday, and Frau A took me to see "The Wind in the Willows" at the Vaudeville Theatre on The Strand. In many ways, it was quite enchanting.
The music was composed by Martin Ward, with frequent references to Butterworth's "The Banks of Green Willow", and is scored for a small ensemble of soloists. I had no quarrel with the music itself, but although it appeared to be "live", the performers could not be seen, owning to the theatre's design. Unfortunately, the sound was being manipulated by one of those sound engineers who likes to boost everything to just-below-feedback level, and there was no perceptible dynamic range.
Unusually for a London ballet orchestra, there was almost no interruption by proms-type applause during the performance.
Alan Titchmarsh was the Narrator/Kenneth Graham, and even had a singing role, that he managed rather well.
The music was composed by Martin Ward, with frequent references to Butterworth's "The Banks of Green Willow", and is scored for a small ensemble of soloists. I had no quarrel with the music itself, but although it appeared to be "live", the performers could not be seen, owning to the theatre's design. Unfortunately, the sound was being manipulated by one of those sound engineers who likes to boost everything to just-below-feedback level, and there was no perceptible dynamic range.
Unusually for a London ballet orchestra, there was almost no interruption by proms-type applause during the performance.
Alan Titchmarsh was the Narrator/Kenneth Graham, and even had a singing role, that he managed rather well.
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