Pappano on Cavalleria Rusticana - Radio 4

[Simon Biazeck]

Before we get too far away from the original post... yes, I have happily contributed to the diversion! I understand that Cavalleria won't hold a lot of interest for many, but Pappano's comment that the verismo style was a reaction against "Lords and Ladies..." opera, and an attempt to portray the lives of ordinary (let's say majority) of Italians, has in it something pertinent to the evolving gist of this thread - classical music is for everyone. (I don't care what it's about, myths, real life, ruling class - I am totally into it.) Yes, composers and librettists are in that intellectual (cognoscenti) bracket, but they have to be to create works of enduring quality. Italians don't seem to question this, but here, we seem to have a problem with it. I say we, but I mean certain parts of the popular press who make money from reinforcing class structures, "Opera is for toffs". I often get the impression that some opera audience members would be happiest if their co-patrons were all from one stratum of society. Do we play up to the stereotypes? The difference in audience demographic between ENO & ROH is remarkable, and I have never been more moved "down the road" than at a performance of Richard Jones's production of Mastersingers from Nuremberg (yes, I know the German title - they of course did it in English) which was about art and "the people". I have done it (as a Lehrbube or apprentice) twice at the ROH, and it's in my top 10 operas. Seeing that production at ENO brilliantly wrestle it away from it's unfortunate associations with fascism was an extraordinary theatrical experience.

Tony Pappano is doing his best to bring opera to everyone and, interestingly, he doesn't have a degree. He studied privately and learned on the job, like an apprentice. Others do it other ways. It hardly matters to me. Let's celebrate it.

[underthecountertenor]

Perhaps I can get this thread back on track by saying how much I am looking forward to seeing the new Cav and Pag. I've heard reports from rehearsals that the singing is sensational. I'm also excited at the prospect of seeing another Damiano Michieletto production (I wonder if David G is fashioning a new blindfold contraption for the occasion?)

[underthecountertenor]

Beaten to it by Simon's excellent post! It's worth remembering that it was also on the Today programme recently that John Humphrys, voice dripping with contempt, suggested that you'd have to sell your house to be able to afford a ticket to the opera. He was later forced to apologise, which he did with characteristic ill-grace. Perhaps this feature was Today's own, more generous, apology!

[Simon Biazeck]

Beaten to it by Simon's excellent post! It's worth remembering that it was also on the Today programme recently that John Humphrys, voice dripping with contempt, suggested that you'd have to sell your house to be able to afford a ticket to the opera. He was later forced to apologise, which he did with characteristic ill-grace. Perhaps this feature was Today's own, more generous, apology!

Thank you! Excellent! Here's an interesting article.

http://thepassacagliatest.com/2015/10/18/opera-tickets-are-not-expensive/

[underthecountertenor]

Yes, a good bit of research which Humphrys should be forced to read, preferably while what he would no doubt call 'the theme from Apocalypse Now' is played at full volume through his headphones.

[Barbirollians]

I hope the production does not follow Mr Michieletto's Guillaume Tell .

[underthecountertenor]

I hope the production does not follow Mr Michieletto's Guillaume Tell .

Well it would be hard for it to precede it.

[Dave2002]

Beaten to it by Simon's excellent post! It's worth remembering that it was also on the Today programme recently that John Humphrys, voice dripping with contempt, suggested that you'd have to sell your house to be able to afford a ticket to the opera. He was later forced to apologise, which he did with characteristic ill-grace. Perhaps this feature was Today's own, more generous, apology!

I believe tickets to football matches (maybe also rugby matches) are expensive, though perhaps not quite as expensive as a top price opera ticket, but not everyone wants to go to opera each week. It is possible to get in to the ROH and also ENO for rather less than a full price ticket, and sometimes there are initiatives and promotions. I believe even the Daily Mail has somehow sponsored opera tickets in the past for low prices, and ENO has its secret seats allocations.

[Flosshilde]

Have seen two such references to the Pappano programme now. And, yes, the question isn't: why is it on R4 (pretty obvious), but why doesn't Radio 3 have such programmes, regularly? They could be more esoteric, more technical on Radio 3. Instead, we get - what?

This might have been said already (apologies if it has), but this wasn't a 'programme' as such, but an item on the morning news programme. It was quite illuminating, but I was a bit puzzled; it was introduced with the information that ROH had a new production of Cav 'n Pag, but didn't say anything about the production that might have warranted a slot on the news, & then went into Pappano's piece.

Which isn't to say that I don't think the news programme shouldn't have regular arts features & reviews - it has a regular sports slot (a treasure trove of sporty cliches), so why not arts? (actually, on reflection, there is quite often items on the visual arts, & pop music, but not on classical music.)

[underthecountertenor]

This might have been said already (apologies if it has), but this wasn't a 'programme' as such, but an item on the morning news programme. It was quite illuminating, but I was a bit puzzled; it was introduced with the information that ROH had a new production of Cav 'n Pag, but didn't say anything about the production that might have warranted a slot on the news, & then went into Pappano's piece.

Which isn't to say that I don't think the news programme shouldn't have regular arts features & reviews - it has a regular sports slot (a treasure trove of sporty cliches), so why not arts? (actually, on reflection, there is quite often items on the visual arts, & pop music, but not on classical music.)

It was odd, wasn't it? Which is why I suspect that it was done to salve the programme's conscience after the Humphrys remark I referred to above. And/or at James Naughtie's insistence, to give him a jolly day out.

[Barbirollians]

Well it would be hard for it to precede it.

Not if they had already made the sets .

In any event , it was obvious what I meant . That production was a ragbag with a gratuitously long rape scene thrown in for good measure . Grandstanding pretentious nonsense seems to be the order of the day at Covent Garden at the moment judging by that , Idomeneo and the Eugene Onegin with doppelgängers .

[french frank]

This might have been said already (apologies if it has), but this wasn't a 'programme' as such, but an item on the morning news programme.

Thanks for clarifying. It does, however (like Tales from the Stave) indicate that somewhere within the BBC there is an inkling that, if I may [vide supra/infra], 'Joe Public' - the broader public, can be interested in such items. To me, that argues that the mainstream services (radio and television) could carry rather more - not that Radio 3 should give over substantial amounts of its schedule trying (and apparently failing) to serve that public.

Pappano is an absolute gift to a public service broadcaster, personifying 'reputation' over 'ratings' - though hopefully doing a fair job of both.

[underthecountertenor]

Not if they had already made the sets .

In any event , it was obvious what I meant . That production was a ragbag with a gratuitously long rape scene thrown in for good measure . Grandstanding pretentious nonsense seems to be the order of the day at Covent Garden at the moment judging by that , Idomeneo and the Eugene Onegin with doppelgängers .

Actually, it's not that obvious what you meant. And the production of Guillaume Tell was terrific. Note that I don't say 'I thought that....,' but then neither did you.

[grandchant]

I'd be (genuinley - I couldn't care less about winning or losing an argument) interested to know if anyone reading these posts doesn't consider themselves a 'graduate equivalent'; choose your own value.
Of course you don't don't need to be an intellectual to be keen on 'classical' music, so why shouldn't R3 try to cater for the broader spectrum?
I suspect that, in any case, it if it doesn't, we may well lose it.

[french frank]

Of course you don't don't need to be an intellectual to be keen on 'classical' music, so why shouldn't R3 try to cater for the broader spectrum?

One reason is because that's what Classic FM does. My brother is an intellectual - he has three degrees - and he prefers Classic FM. I know less about classical music than he does, but I prefer Radio 3's traditional style. But latterly, by the time you've removed the output which isn't classical music, and the programmes that are for the 'broad spectrum', there isn't a whole lot left.