ENO: Don Giovanni

[Dave2002]

Perhaps I shouldn't comment - but there is a review of the ENO performance here - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opera/wha...liseum-review/

Some of it was very good, in particular the orchestra played as well as I've heard them recently. Although Wigglesworth seems to flail around more than Gardner, who appears to be more precise in his baton wielding, the results were still good. I often wonder whether having a good baton technique really is that important - I suspect a really good conductor will get results anyway, though perhaps having a good stick technique does sometimes make a difference. Also, I believe that some orchestras (maybe particularly American ones) believe in SOPs (standard operational procedures) so that they are clued up to "standard" codings, and get thrown by people who come in with other "methods".

I have won't comment further until the end of the series - there is a slight hint in the Telegraph review, and perhaps anyone else who follows this and comments here should also do likewise.

[Conchis]

That's a very good review, in the sense that it gives me a good idea of what the production is like.

D.G. has defeated so many directors that you begin to wonder whether concert performances isn't the way to go with this one.

Richard Jones is probably my favourite operatic director (his ENO production of Julietta was actually BETTER than the opera itself) but I suppose even he can run out of ideas.

Sidebar, but heard Gardner conduct for the first time the other week: VERY impressed indeed!

[David-G]

Dave, thanks for the link to the review. As Conchis says, it gives a good idea of what the production is like. I feel I ought to go - and I think I will probably hate the production, based on this review. Whether I will hate it as much as I do the new "Cosi" at Covent Garden remains to be seen. But perhaps, and hopefully, I will be pleasantly surprised.

[Dave2002]

Dave, thanks for the link to the review. As Conchis says, it gives a good idea of what the production is like. I feel I ought to go - and I think I will probably hate the production, based on this review. Whether I will hate it as much as I do the new "Cosi" at Covent Garden remains to be seen. But perhaps, and hopefully, I will be pleasantly surprised.

Perhaps if this had been the first time I'd seen D.G. I would have disliked it, but since I really like most of the music I find it hard to get to hate productions, though there are some features of the ENO version which I didn't like, and some tricks which were, IMO, overdone.

We got in for a very small amount of outlay, with acceptably good seats, and also spent the earlier part of the day at the Hockney Exhibition (RA) and the Abstract Expressionism Exhibition (also RA), so it was a good day out. Maybe if we'd had less comfortable seats, or in a different part of the house we'd have enjoyed it less.

There are, or were, reasonably cheap seats available.

Tickets available from £12 plus booking fee.* There are 500 tickets at every performance at £20 or under.