Das Rheingold: ROH

[Ein Heldenleben]

Great contribution Simon.

I was quite surprised that for the upcoming Rigoletto the prices where I sit have gone up £9 for a cast which is arguably less starry. Think I’ll give it a miss even though it proves my private verdict that Enkhbat should have won Cardiff Singer by a country mile.
On the other hand for Elektra (shorter opera but stellar cast ) the tickets are slightly ( a fiver ) cheaper . And the rehearsal is a steal at £28 for front row amphi .

The ROH has a very large number of admin people. I wonder what they all do but then the same thought often occurred to me at the BBC.

Compared to 2019 when I went to about 10 operas there I’ve noticed that people really hang back on booking tickets until reviews , word of mouth or indeed this forum pronounce a verdict. And even allowing for that I reckon sales are down. Part of the problem for out of town fans are the rail strikes , the cost of rail tickets and the huge cost of hotels. I’m packing in performances in January as hotel prices appear to have halved over September / October.
finally getting to see the Elektra I had tickets for in 2020 !

[Simon Biazeck]

I was quite surprised that for the upcoming Rigoletto the prices where I sit have gone up £9 for a cast which is arguably less starry. Think I’ll give it a miss even though it proves my private verdict that Enkhbat should have won Cardiff Singer by a country mile.
On the other hand for Elektra (shorter opera but stellar cast ) the tickets are slightly ( a fiver ) cheaper . And the rehearsal is a steal at £28 for front row amphi .
The ROH has a very large number of admin people. I wonder what they all do but then the same thought often occurred to me at the BBC.

I am in this - he is superb!

[Ein Heldenleben]

I am in this - he is superb!

Oh now you’ve tempted me . Plenty of tickets left. Is he very loud ? Went to Forza and Brian and Sondra were so loud in row E stalls I wish I’d sat further back. I have never heard a tenor sing louder than Brian Jagde. It was actually making my ears distort. What it must be like next to him beggars description .

[Simon Biazeck]

Oh now you’ve tempted me . Plenty of tickets left. Is he very loud ? Went to Forza and Brian and Sondra were so loud in row E stalls I wish I’d sat further back. I have never heard a tenor sing louder than Brian Jagde. It was actually making my ears distort. What it must be like next to him beggars description .

Well, I am mostly behind him unless he happens to turn in my direction whilst singing, but on balance, I wouldn’t say it’s ear-splitting. I am in Forza too so I have heard both casts. Enkhbat’s is a big voice and will sound like it’s everywhere, if you know what I mean - like Lise Davidsen with whom I have worked too. Happy to take the blame if you feel ill-advised! I wouldn’t miss the chance to hear him in this role - he’s the horse for the course, certainly.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Well, I am mostly behind him unless he happens to turn in my direction whilst singing, but on balance, I wouldn’t say it’s ear-splitting. I am in Forza too so I have heard both casts. Enkhbat’s is a big voice and will sound like it’s everywhere, if you know what I mean - like Lise Davidsen with whom I have worked too. Happy to take the blame if you feel ill-advised! I wouldn’t miss the chance to hear him in this role - he’s the horse for the course, certainly.

Thanks for the tip. Just got two tickets for the rehearsal on Tuesday ( going to Grimes tomorrow so saving an extra rail trip). As they are in the lower slips volume won’t be a problem.

NB memo to self : unusual rehearsal start time.Don’t rock up at 11.30

Three ladies turned up near us after the first interval for Forza at about 8,30 They hadn’t clocked the 6.30 start time…and had missed virtually all of Act One
The good people at ROH got them into an empty box for the end of Act One / Act Two

Great night all round last Monday - it’s all a bit of a Spinto feast at the moment what with Rigoletto as well . I thought Dupuis was absolutely outstanding last week.

[Simon Biazeck]

Thanks for the tip. Just got two tickets for the rehearsal on Tuesday ( going to Grimes tomorrow so saving an extra rail trip). As they are in the lower slips volume won’t be a problem.

NB memo to self : unusual rehearsal start time.Don’t rock up at 11.30

Three ladies turned up near us after the first interval for Forza at about 8,30 They hadn’t clocked the 6.30 start time…and had missed virtually all of Act One
The good people at ROH got them into an empty box for the end of Act One / Act Two

Great night all round last Monday - it’s all a bit of a Spinto feast at the moment what with Rigoletto as well . I thought Dupuis was absolutely outstanding last week.

Ah, ENO Grimes - I had literally just signed the Forza contract when they offered it to me...

Dupuis is great.

~SBz.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Ah, ENO Grimes - I had literally just signed the Forza contract when they offered it to me...

Dupuis is great.

~SBz.

Look it’s nice to be wanted. Isn’t Grimes harder work ? More opportunities though I see they bumped a chorus tenor up to Boles …nice role that.

[Simon Biazeck]

Look it’s nice to be wanted. Isn’t Grimes harder work ? More opportunities though I see they bumped a chorus tenor up to Boles …nice role that.

Indeed, and very much my thing! I was in the recent ROH production. ENO are very good with bumping up their chorus stars.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Indeed, and very much my thing! I was in the recent ROH production. ENO are very good with bumping up their chorus stars.

There was a prescient Times (?) review that said the tenor singing Boles could well do Grimes in the future . I don’t think they were expecting just ten days in the future .

[Simon Biazeck]

There was a prescient Times (?) review that said the tenor singing Boles could well do Grimes in the future . I don’t think they were expecting just ten days in the future .

WOW! Fab. I must find out who that was!

[Ein Heldenleben]

WOW! Fab. I must find out who that was!

The reviewer was Ben Poore in Operawire : “John Findon….surely a Grimes of the future.”

[Simon Biazeck]

The reviewer was Ben Poore in Operawire : “John Findon….surely a Grimes of the future.”

Thanks! I just found it too. Looks like Grimes - sounds like Grimes!

[ostuni]

Also Neil Fisher in the Times: “ and there’s a stirring performance from the ENO Harewood young artist John Findon as the hypocritical Bob Boles — so commanding, in fact, that I wouldn’t be surprised if one day Grimes came calling for him.”

[Ein Heldenleben]

Also Neil Fisher in the Times: “ and there’s a stirring performance from the ENO Harewood young artist John Findon as the hypocritical Bob Boles — so commanding, in fact, that I wouldn’t be surprised if one day Grimes came calling for him.”

Thanks - that’s the one I now remember reading.

[ostuni]

And thanks to Simon B for the tip-off about Enkhbat's Rigoletto: I've booked a Stalls Circle standing place for Oct 31.