Celebrating Bernard Haitink Friday 7th Jan - Saturday 15 Jan

[Ein Heldenleben]

I believe the CDs are from the last performance in the old house, on 12th July 1997, whereas this broadcast is "from a series of performances given in the autumn of 1993" [when the production was new]. A cast difference, too: Anne Howells sings Magdalene here, whereas on the CDs, it is Catherine Wyn-Rogers.

Hopefully the 1997 version doesn't have the loud cough over the opening Bflat of the miraculously played Act 3 Prelude in the 1993 perf tonight .
It’s ( the 1997 ) on Qubuz and also in the multi CD Opus Arte ROH Great Performances Collection

[Prommer]

In 1997, not sure if it was the last performance... all the lights went out several bars in to the prelude to Act I, the orchestra kept bashing on for about ten seconds, and we were informed that someone had cut through some rather vital cable - so we all had to file out and come back half an hour later to start again!

[Ein Heldenleben]

In 1997, not sure if it was the last performance... all the lights went out several bars in to the prelude to Act I, the orchestra kept bashing on for about ten seconds, and we were informed that someone had cut through some rather vital cable - so we all had to file out and come back half an hour later to start again!

Reckon they could power a generator with John Tomlinson’s voice . What a magnificent performance …

[Belgrove]

Now that is how to conduct Wagner!

I attended the first night of this Mastersingers in 1993. The production was beautiful, like a sequence of Breughel paintings and suffused with golden lighting, enhanced with blonde wood for the interior scenes (and a miniature Nuremberg, through which the Nightwatchman weaved). It was flexible and simple, yet sophisticated, directing focus to the characters. As Ein Heldenleben mentioned, the brass playing was exquisite throughout - pure sonic alchemy, horn sound transmuted to gold.

It so happened that Jeremy Isaacs (the then boss of the place) was sitting behind me. Our eyes met at the end of the performance, we were both beaming. ‘You have a hit for the ages’, I said. He agreed, and so it is.

Haitink’s conducting simultaneously captures the huge expanses in Wagner’s constructions together with those details contained in the moment. So few are able to achieve this.

It was a privilege to experience Haitink conducting this, and this production.

[Barbirollians]

One skill of Haitink’s that has perhaps been overlooked is how good an accompanist he was in concerto repertoire- I have been revisiting his Beethoven concerto recordings with Perahia endless felicities from Haitink and the Concertgebouw. Those excellent recordings he made with Krebbers and Grumiaux also come to mind.

[Nick Armstrong]

Now that is how to conduct Wagner!

I attended the first night of this Mastersingers in 1993. The production was beautiful, like a sequence of Breughel paintings and suffused with golden lighting, enhanced with blonde wood for the interior scenes (and a miniature Nuremberg, through which the Nightwatchman weaved). It was flexible and simple, yet sophisticated, directing focus to the characters. As Ein Heldenleben mentioned, the brass playing was exquisite throughout - pure sonic alchemy, horn sound transmuted to gold.

Yes these are the qualities that stay with me from attending a performance in the ‘90s (can’t remember which year though). So much so that I do remember wishing for a bit less from certain cast members (NOT including the two Sirs on stage) so I could concentrate on the marvels going on in the pit… but that’s just me and opera.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Yes these are the qualities that stay with me from attending a performance in the ‘90s (can’t remember which year though). So much so that I do remember wishing for a bit less from certain cast members (NOT including the two Sirs on stage) so I could concentrate on the marvels going on in the pit… but that’s just me and opera.

Nick - are you suggesting that the singers were too loud and drowning out the orchestra? That’s a first for Wagner.
My only tiny criticism of one of the Sirs last night is that he was too loud during the Quintet….otherwise magnificent..

[Nick Armstrong]

Nick - are you suggesting that the singers were too loud and drowning out the orchestra? That’s a first for Wagner.

More that the sound that some were making was not quite as enjoyable as that being produced by the other musicians involved…

[Ein Heldenleben]

More that the sound that some were making was not quite as enjoyable as that being produced by the other musicians involved…

Yes the production, as most do , suffered from a tenor problem but I thought Gosta W did a pretty good job last night . I’ve heard productions where the David should have been singing Walther and the Pogner should have been singing Sachs.

[Nick Armstrong]

Yes the production, as most do , suffered from a tenor problem but I thought Gosta W did a pretty good job last night.

I think it was announced that he had a throat ailment?

The Guardian review I referenced above (concerning the later CD issue) mentioned an off-night for Nancy G… Perhaps that was the night I was there

[Alison]

We did wonder whether there would be any BH tribute on Radio 3.

Happy to register that my expectations have been well and truly exceeded.

Now I’m awaiting something of the same stature from the record companies!

[Ein Heldenleben]

I think it was announced that he had a throat ailment?

The Guardian review I referenced above (concerning the later CD issue) mentioned an off-night for Nancy G… Perhaps that was the night I was there

Looks like I went to the Oct 16th perf where I paid £94.10 for a stalls circle seat. I don’t remember Gosta having a cold . I think he sang pretty well. I do remember him being slightly disadvantaged by a brilliant white costume with mirrored breastplate and lots of feathers . That takes quite a bit of living up to….

[Petrushka]

Now I’m awaiting something of the same stature from the record companies!

Yes indeed, I've been waiting for some time but resigned myself to the fact that I'd have to sadly wait until after his death. I'd be expecting, at a minimum, a complete Concertgebouw Philips box. Just speculating whether the LPO recordings might be included too? The Decca recordings would make a fine additional box in the future and the LPO recordings could end up there in order to keep the Shostakovich cycle complete.

Any further live recordings on the RCO Live label would also be most welcome, too.

[Prommer]

Looks like I went to the Oct 16th perf where I paid £94.10 for a stalls circle seat. I don’t remember Gosta having a cold . I think he sang pretty well. I do remember him being slightly disadvantaged by a brilliant white costume with mirrored breastplate and lots of feathers . That takes quite a bit of living up to….

The performance of 16th October was indeed the one recorded and relayed here.

https://www.rohcollections.org.uk/performance.aspx?row=2&performance=19316&page=0

Re Gosta's get-up, are you not recalling his Lohengrin costume?

[Ein Heldenleben]

The performance of 16th October was indeed the one recorded and relayed here.

https://www.rohcollections.org.uk/performance.aspx?row=2&performance=19316&page=0

Re Gosta's get-up, are you not recalling his Lohengrin costume?

Pretty sure it was this as I’ve never seen Lohengrin. But I think I’ve seen 4 productions at ROH since 1989 so I could be mixing things up.
PS It wasn’t me coughing at the start of the Act 3 prelude ….