ENO • Julian Anderson • Thebans

[Boilk]

...the blessedly shorter, but still long-seeming, Acts 2 and 3). Greek tragedy should not leave one cold, but this absolutely did (by contrast with Birtwistle's Minotaur, for example)

Have to disagree. The Act 2 that I witnessed barely lasted 25 minutes. I think some of the perceived coldness might have been imparted by the production and un-Greek costumes. And I found Anderson's use of the orchestra very tender and poignant in places, decidedly less "cold" than Birtwistle's Minotaur (or for that matter Mask of Orpheus).

[Dave2002]

.... un-Greek costumes.

I thought it odd that there seemed to be style changes in the costumes, though. The final act did seem to have more "traditional" costumes, whereas the first act had Oedipus in a white suit, and the second act Creon in a black suit - perhaps an attempt at symbolism! I wondered "why?"