Chabrier L'Etoile ROH

[Don Basilio]

I was at the first night yesterday. A lovely, naughty work. The two English speaking comedians weren't too irritating although I could have done without them.

I do like a work where I come out humming the tunes.

[underthecountertenor]

Thanks, Don Basilio. I'm going on Wednesday. A few friends of mine were at the General and loved it, so I was a little taken aback to see that the two reviews out so far (What's On Stage and The Arts Desk) have been pretty luke-warm. Nice to be re-encouraged by your report.

[ardcarp]

Chabrier and L'Etoile were discussed on Music Matters.......

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06yjdp0

I was interested in Angela Hewitt's contribution, especially.

[gurnemanz]

My wife booked, needing first to convince me about going, but it seems she might have got it right. We're there on 20th. The director Mariame Clément was on Start the Week on Monday.

[David-G]

I have tickets for tomorrow, but could not resist picking up a day ticket for the first night. A great treat, musically delicious. Production very entertaining, and though I tend to feel that a lighter touch might have been beneficial, I feel that it would be churlish to carp. Highly recommended, and I am looking forward to my return visit tomorrow. The singers (and needless to say with Elder, the conducting) were excellent. "Le Roi" was an actor at the Comedie Francaise for 7 years before taking up singing, and it shows. Our heroine, and our "hero", were quite delightful.

[Rolmill]

I too have booked the 20th - it's our first trip to ROH for a few years, so I'm glad to hear some positive comments. I have JEG's recording of the opera, which I love, so needed no convincing about the music, though most of the cast is unknown to me.

I'm really looking forward to it, but need to find somewhere to eat (good but quick) nearby, so all suggestions welcomed!

[Nevilevelis]

I'm really looking forward to it, but need to find somewhere to eat (good but quick) nearby, so all suggestions welcomed!

A huge choice on Bow Street - Pasta Brown, Zizzi, Café Rouge, Notes and Loch Fyne (seafood & grill) is close by at 4, 2 Catherine St.

[David-G]

If you like Indian, "Masala Zone" in Floral St is good, efficient and extremely close to the theatre.

[Don Basilio]

Our heroine, and our "hero", were quite delightful.

The heroine was French Canadian so she was born to the accent. The mezzo side kick, (Aloes?) was also Canadian and delightful.

I did wonder why those two didn't actually get round to tickling during their tickling duet and changed into 1920s costume, but compared to some directorial goings on at the ROH in the recent past that was harmless.

[makropulos]

I was at the general rehearsal last Friday and am there again on 20th. Happily agree with most of the reactions - it's a fun show, and Lazuli (Kate Lindsey) particularly impressed. It's quite a zany production, but then it's a pretty zany work. It was interesting to hear the producer on Start the Week explaining the rationale behind the English interpolations, and on going back to the score I can see her point: there is a great deal of French dialogue which might have proved a bit trying. Anyhow, their interventions were kept to a minimum and, like Don Basilio, I didn't find them unduly annoying.

But aside from the splendid Ms Lindsey, the outstanding element for me was Mark Elder's conducting. Without ever losing sight of the work's frothy, ebullient spirit, he found a depth and richness in the orchestral colours that goes considerably beyond JEG's recording, and his slightly more spacious speeds in some numbers were all to the good ("Et puis crac!" is rushed and nor particularly amusing in JEG's performance - but with a little more opportunity for comic timing it was quite deliciously funny at the ROH). Having said which, there's plenty of fizz in Elder's conducting too, and the orchestra made the most of Chabrier's writing (which is incredibly ingenious). Very tidy work from the chorus too. The whole thing was rather enchanting, especially from a musical point of view.

[underthecountertenor]

I'm certainly heartened to read the universally positive reaction above, so thanks Don B, David-G (sans Regiemask!) and makropoulos. I was beginning to have a heavy heart about tonight, as more and more luke-warm to hostile reviews have appeared, even of Elder's conducting. What's interesting is that, within those reviews, there is precious little agreement about which elements are thought to be good and which bad. I shall of course go with an open mind, as ever!

Rolmill: you could try Barrafino on the corner of Drury Lane and Broad Court. Very good tapas, very efficiently served.

[makropulos]

I'm certainly heartened to read the universally positive reaction above, so thanks Don B, David-G (sans Regiemask!) and makropoulos. I was beginning to have a heavy heart about tonight, as more and more luke-warm to hostile reviews have appeared, even of Elder's conducting. What's interesting is that, within those reviews, there is precious little agreement about which elements are thought to be good and which bad. I shall of course go with an open mind, as ever!

Rolmill: you could try Barrafino on the corner of Drury Lane and Broad Court. Very good tapas, very efficiently served.

Gosh - I've just been reading some of them. Christiansen is particularly sour in the Telegraph and - as you say - has a go at Elder's conducting. The thing is, what I heard at the dress rehearsal did not compare in any way with his characterisation. He says the following:

"There’s a problem in the pit too, where the fragrant charm of Chabrier’s beguiling melodies and perfumed orchestration has evaporated. Mark Elder is, in my view, a superb conductor of musical grandeurs, but perhaps operetta’s dainty grace is not his thing. The music never sparkled. There was no fizz or lilt in his tempi or phrasing; instead the small orchestra played with a focused precision and clarity that bespoke military precision rather than spontaneous insouciance."

Oh dear. That's pretty much the exact opposite of what I felt at the General Rehearsal - but then it looks from his review as if Christiansen was in a thoroughly negative mood about every aspect of this show. The music absolutely did sparkle, there was bags of fizz and lilt... and so I could go on, but won't. Tim Ashley in the Guardian is much nearer the mark, I think.

[LHC]

Gosh - I've just been reading some of them. Christiansen is particularly sour in the Telegraph ....

Christiansen was in a thoroughly negative mood about every aspect of this show.

Doesn't that just describe 90% of Christiansen's reviews. I've seen him at several performances at the Opera House and elsewhere and he always looks as if someone has just p***ed on his chips.

[underthecountertenor]

Doesn't that just describe 90% of Christiansen's reviews. I've seen him at several performances at the Opera House and elsewhere and he always looks as if someone has just p***ed on his chips.

I love this and will shamelessly use, if I may.

[underthecountertenor]

The audience comments that the ROH has put up (bravely unvarnished as ever) on its website are also decidedly luke-warm to outright hostile. I'm bewildered, given the reaction here, and that of friends who have seen it already. Ah well: we shall see.