New Year (Tippett)

[Pulcinella]

Review of the Birmingham performance here, with a link to one of the BBCSSO one (which I had missed) too.

https://www.thetimes.com/article/1ffa19a1-f7f0-45d0-9a69-103f6d8ebf4e?shareToken=e5a3a65775cafb5ab484b36ea0e93f97

[crb11]

I went to this last night. Would definitely recommend. Fair to say that it isn't a masterpiece, but very worth reviving. The musical score is the better half - suitably "atmospheric" and some interesting orchestral interludes, and it fuses the various genres better than you might think. Dialogue a little clunky in parts (as you'd expect) but there's a lot of interesting imagery in it. What's actually going on at any particular point isn't always clear - it didn't help that I missed a chunk of the first act including the introduction of the time travellers. I'd go into it with a fuller knowledge of the plot rather than cold as we did. The one critique I'd have is that the ending is both ambiguous and too abrupt - think it needs a few minutes of epilogue, either purely orchestral or with the chorus, to give the audience a bit of space to process and reflect on what has been seen.

Staging was relatively "straight", I'm guessing, with three main areas, with the chorus mostly off on the side. It was immersive so you could wander around but not too many people seemed to. This worked up to a point - I got close up of some of the action (including being hit by a prop thrown off the stage, so needed first aid!) but was a bit distant from what was going on at the time probe end. The downside was that certain key bits of imagery wouldn't have been seen by the whole audience, particularly what actually happens to the rose at the end (which is needed to make any sense of the ending). My wife was in the few seats at the back and missed out on a lot. (Oh, and the online subtitles didn't work there either.)

Principals, chorus and orchestra well up to the challenges of the music

[smittims]

Yes, the end of New Year is awkward, but it's honest. It would be naive, bland, to have Jo-Ann go off confidently to face a fulfilled post-Jungian future, like Mark and Jenifer at the end of The Midsummer Marriage. 'Never such innocence again...'

Remember , neither the Knot Garden nor the Ice Break has a 'happy ending'. Thea and Faber will have many more rows.

[bluestateprommer]

Review from The Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/jul/08/new-year-review-blakes-7-redemption-and-rap-as-birmingham-opera-company-turn-to-tippett

The Birmingham Opera Company community staging of The Ice Break made its way to OperaVision. It might be too much to hope that this Birmingham production might also be videoed for OperaVision, especially in light of the NMC recording set for release next year. My guess is that no video cameras were in evidence.

[crb11]

Yes, the end of New Year is awkward, but it's honest. It would be naive, bland, to have Jo-Ann go off confidently to face a fulfilled post-Jungian future, like Mark and Jenifer at the end of The Midsummer Marriage. 'Never such innocence again...'.

Yes, I agree in terms of the plot. What I'd have liked to have had is some music which reflects where we've reached and closes things off - as Midsummer Marriage does, but obviously of a different type: ambiguous, ethereal and fading away into the distance, probably. I'm not sure how the other Tippett operas end.

[crb11]

Review from The Guardian:
The Birmingham Opera Company community staging of The Ice Break made its way to OperaVision. It might be too much to hope that this Birmingham production might also be videoed for OperaVision, especially in light of the NMC recording set for release next year. My guess is that no video cameras were in evidence.

You would be right. This production would be a major challenge to film at all without the cameras being a major impediment, not least to each other.

[Master Jacques]

Yes, I agree in terms of the plot. What I'd have liked to have had is some music which reflects where we've reached and closes things off - as Midsummer Marriage does, but obviously of a different type: ambiguous, ethereal and fading away into the distance, probably. I'm not sure how the other Tippett operas end.

He tends to prefer the swift break 'in media res' (notably in King Priam) which takes us directly from music into silence, rather than offering a musical 'solution'.

[jondee]

You would be right. This production would be a major challenge to film at all without the cameras being a major impediment, not least to each other.

I went last night and there were several video cameras doing their best to capture the action, whilst at times jostling with audience members. There were notices to the public stating that cameras (still and video) were being used, so maybe that implies it will be available to watch at some point, just like they did with The Ice Break?

[smittims]

Bump. Next Saturday 1800-2045 GMT on Radio 3 is a BBC/ Brabbins performance of 'New Year'.

Maybe the best (or most intersting) thing on Radio 3 since the Proms?

[Pulcinella]

Bump. Next Saturday 1800-2045 GMT on Radio 3 is a BBC/ Brabbins performance of 'New Year'.

Maybe the best (or most intersting) thing on Radio 3 since the Proms?

Presenter ..... Alan Oke (tenor)
Jo Ann ..... Rhian Lois (soprano)
Donny ..... Ross Ramgobin (baritone)
Nan ..... Susan Bickley (mezzo soprano)
Pelegrin ..... Robert Murray (tenor)
Merlin ..... Roland Wood (baritone)
Regan ..... Rachel Nicholls (soprano)
BBC Singers
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Martyn Brabbins (conductor)
Victoria Newlyn (concert director)

Website link:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0026888

I wonder quite how much editing has gone on.

An edited recording of a semi-staged performance from 13 April, 2024, at City Halls, Glasgow.

[Master Jacques]

Presenter ..... Alan Oke (tenor)
Jo Ann ..... Rhian Lois (soprano)
Donny ..... Ross Ramgobin (baritone)
Nan ..... Susan Bickley (mezzo soprano)
Pelegrin ..... Robert Murray (tenor)
Merlin ..... Roland Wood (baritone)
Regan ..... Rachel Nicholls (soprano)
BBC Singers
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Martyn Brabbins (conductor)
Victoria Newlyn (concert director)

Website link:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0026888

I wonder quite how much editing has gone on.

I assume BBC are broadcasting the studio-edited files for NMC's upcoming CD release. Whether that patched anything in from rehearsals, who knows? And I hope we can't tell! Otherwise, I agree with Smittims that this is likely to be far and away the most interesting thing on Radio 3 this (old) year.

The opera itself has had its own annus mirabilis.