Opera North: Puccini's Xylophone Concerto

[Conchis]

What's the story with 'the mysterious departure of Opera North’s only recently appointed music director, Aleksandar Markovic'?

He was excellent in Rosenkavalier recently.

Has Lebrecht not picked up on this yet?

[verismissimo]

Lunchtime ... Lebrecht ... are they by any chance related?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Sadly, Puccini was rather obsessed with torture.

[jonfan]

I'm still waiting for Elgar's Caractacus to be staged. The composer wanted this, but nothing ever came of it. There are stage instructions written into the score.

ON Orchestra are performing Caractacus with Martyn Brabbins and the Huddersfield Choral next year. I've no idea if this is to be staged in any way.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

ON Orchestra are performing Caractacus with Martyn Brabbins and the Huddersfield Choral next year. I've no idea if this is to be staged in any way.

Now that would be
GREAT

[CallMePaul]

AND, I cannot stress enough the enhanced Musical benefits of having the solo singers placed in front of the orchestra. AND the way the orchestra then becomes a visual part of the plot - not just in the drama of watching how the instrumental Musicians respond to what is happening, but also in such a "trivial" detail as the large Tamtam that Calaf bashes to announce his acceptance of the challenge doubles (with a clever bit of spotlighting) as a very impressive full moon that the chorus sings to.

Except that the gong was stuck by an orchestral percussionist, not Calaf!

Also, can someone explain why Liu, after her suicide, made a zombie-like walk across the stage in the final scene? These are just a few nitpicks in a generally excellent production. I saw the last Leeds performance yesterday - it now goes on tour.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Except that the gong was stuck by an orchestral percussionist, not Calaf!

Bloody unions!

Also, can someone explain why Liu, after her suicide, made a zombie-like walk across the stage in the final scene?

Absolutely no idea! This was a talking point after we'd seen the show - I could only suggest that she'd forgotten an important prop and needed to collect it. (Reminded me of Ian Wallace's story of how he was in a production at Glyndebourne in which he had to climb a ladder and attach a lamp to a hook on the wall. It was only when he got to the top of the ladder that he discovered that the hook was no longer in position; the only thing he could do was return back down the ladder still holding the lamp. The newspaper critics commented most interestingly on the director's subtle use of symbolism at that point.)

These are just a few nitpicks in a generally excellent production. I saw the last Leeds performance yesterday - it now goes on tour.

[Once Was 4]

[QUOTE=ferneyhoughgeliebte;620521]Bloody unions!

Hmmm! many moons ago there was an inter-union dispute regarding a performance of the 1812 Overture. This was regarding the electronic cannons to be used - who was to press the button? - the MU said a musician and BECTU said an electrician. As always in these situations common sense prevailed: an electrician pressed the button at the command of "now" given by a musician. You could not make it up!