ROH - goodbye to the Copley La Boheme

[bluestateprommer]

Saw it in the local cinema tonight and enjoyed every moment. Unfortunately there was a persistent low level buzz throughout that at home I'd associate with an earth loop or something similar but it didn't really get in the way of the glorious music. Some great singing and I quite enjoyed the conductor's way with the score which seemed to get more intense from the third act onwards, probably though it was my reaction to the music, oh! that third act.

We're going to get a delayed relay of the Copley ROH La boheme at some point. I was interested, but then read the negative feedback on Dan Ettinger's conducting. I assume that the HD-relay might take that into account to some degree, by tweaking the sound balances. So the verdict here, for my inquiry: should I check it out at the cinema, or give this a miss?

[Rolmill]

We're going to get a delayed relay of the Copley ROH La boheme at some point. I was interested, but then read the negative feedback on Dan Ettinger's conducting. I assume that the HD-relay might take that into account to some degree, by tweaking the sound balances. So the verdict here, for my inquiry: should I check it out at the cinema, or give this a miss?

I would certainly go. I saw it at the cinema last weekend (first opera relay I have seen) and enjoyed it very much. A lot of the singing is very good, as is much of the acting, and I thought the sound was OK. As for the conducting, I agree that it lacked delicacy at times, but I was generally happy with the singer/orchestra balance.

[Giacomo]

Guillaume Tell: I saw the end of Act 4 today and wept

I wept at the start of Act 1 but that was a mix of disappointment and disgust. By the Act 3 divertissement it was pure disgust.

I'll leave further discussion of Guillaume Tell to another thread but I will repeat John Copley's words from the end of his interview that accompanied La Boheme:

"...none of the strangeness that goes on a little bit nowadays, and if you went to see Forza del destino you saw Forza del destino."

Thank you Mr Copley.


Dan Etinger's conduction was fine by me (opening night) although the flow was a bit disjointed because he waited for the people that clapped (oh that audience reaction!).

[Honoured Guest]

I wept at the start of Act 1 but that was a mix of disappointment and disgust. By the Act 3 divertissement it was pure disgust.

It's very dispiriting that, reportedly, so many audience members booed during the music. I realise that many operagoers are theatrically illiterate, and I wish they'd stay home and listen to recordings or just attend concert performances. It seems perverse that these anti-theatre operagoers should disrupt the music.

[Prommer]

Guillaume Tell: I saw the end of Act 4 today and wept - I was not alone. Quite something! That is all. No spoilers here!

The ending is very moving musically, even in this production. But those who saw the tree in Tannhauser would have had deja vu!

Were your tears because of this, or tears of impotent rage at having put in such a wonderful effort (as did your colleagues) to see it go down in flames in Act III because of the tastelessness of the director and the pathetic weakness of the management?

[Barbirollians]

I listened to the iplayer relay of the La Boheme this afternoon and there were two lovely interviews with John Copley . He sounds pretty hale at 82 and he commented that they never ask him to do anything anymore no doubt his text and music based approach to direction is considered terribly old hat at Covent Garden nowadays .

Then again at this rate they will probably regard McVicar as old hat under the new Holten regime.

[Giacomo]

The 624th performance of La Boheme at the ROH. For me just the 5th boheme over 3 years. Fun to compare the Beczala/Haroutounian performance to Calleja/Netrebko.

There was an excited mood in the audience for the last night of the John Copley production. Kasper Holten made a good introduction speech but I did wonder if he had his fingers crossed given he is in charge of the replacement. There were two special additions, the curtains were kept open during the scenery changes, I know it happens but it's still odd to see a whole set complete with cast being slid into place on a giant pallet [1] and the chorus and extras took a bow at the end of Act 2. Domingo conducted and is well loved, I presume many there will have heard him sing in it, and a final the opportunity to express thanks to Mr Copley at the end. Goodbye to the Copley La Boheme.

It also looks like goodbye ROH. Next year's programme [2] includes old favourites I have seen plus "new productions" which I now take as code for don't go. We have the Holocaust memorial Nabucco, Tannhauser with assault rifles and a new Il Trovatore "German director David Bosch, celebrated for his theatrical productions for Munich and Frankfurt among others, makes his UK debut with this new production for The Royal Opera. The opera's themes of jealousy, revenge and love play out against a hauntingly beautiful, wintry landscape that has been riven by war." [3] silly me thinking of Spain and gypsies. Six times bitten, voting with feet.

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nspTyQcsF5E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NT2LZaj9pU

2. http://www.roh.org.uk/productions
3. http://www.roh.org.uk/productions/il...by-david-bosch