Opera in the Royal Albert Hall

[Hornspieler]

Reading through these replies, I think I should, perhaps, have drawn a distinction between an Opera Stage and a Concert Platform

HS

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The Empty Space, (1968), published by Pelican paperback, Richard, strongly recommended, although my copy was written by Peter BROOK...

Mine's a forgery!

I also recommend his The Shifting Point, (Methuen, 1988), forty years of theatrical exploration, 1946/87, including discussion of his magical RSC production, 1970, of MND still vivid in my mind.

- and, to "complete" the "set" <hohoho> There Are No Secrets from '93. So many wonderful, rejuvenating idea about "Staging" in the late '60s, and early '70s (many from Eastern Europe) - and some of these adopted by Birtwistle, of course, (who worked for Halle's National Theatre) up to The Mask of Orpheus. But it does seem as if the Opera House has become the last refuge of the Deadly Theatre for a substantial "some" - which I think is a bit sad, and more than a bit dangerous for its future.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I agree wholeheartedly with HS. Concert performances of operas can only be second (or third) best. Involvement in the drama is diminished by visual impoverishment.

Musical involvement can still be considerable.

I do concede to Pet's point about the influence of (sometimes attention-seeking) directors.

[makropulos]

Involvement in the drama is diminished by visual impoverishment.

Yes and no. I've seen plenty of stage productions which so diminish the work as a whole that dramatic involvement becomes virtually impossible. And there are times when a sensible semi-staging can bring the drama to life without undue intervention/'concept' from an insensitive director. On the other hand, there's no substitute for an intelligent stage production.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes and no. I've seen plenty of stage productions which so diminish the work as a whole that dramatic involvement becomes virtually impossible. And there are times when a sensible semi-staging can bring the drama to life without undue intervention/'concept' from an insensitive director. On the other hand, there's no substitute for an intelligent stage production.

I refer m'learnéd friend to #9. There is a problem here in that some people have a very limited notion of what "staging" actually is - their resulting comments are rather akin to someone whose experience of fish is limited to cod, trout, mackeral, salmon, or haddock upon seeing a plaice for the first time.

[verismissimo]

Of course, Ted was a lifelong socialist.

Ted Downes that is, not Ted Heath. :)

[Nick Armstrong]

their resulting comments are rather akin to someone whose experience of fish is limited to cod, trout, mackeral, salmon, or haddock upon seeing a plaice for the first time.

A particularly acute problem with Albert Herring...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Ted Downes that is, not Ted Heath. :)

- though there are elements in the Tory Party that would claim ...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

A particularly acute problem with Albert Herring...

The sole exception.

[makropulos]

I refer m'learnéd friend to #9. There is a problem here in that some people have a very limited notion of what "staging" actually is - their resulting comments are rather akin to someone whose experience of fish is limited to cod, trout, mackeral, salmon, or haddock upon seeing a plaice for the first time.

You're quite right - I was using rather casual shorthand. By "stage" I suppose I meant any performance space amenable to giving an opera with the possibility of some kind of scenic representation. That can certainly include outdoors (Bregenz, Verona) as well as indoor theatrical spaces of various shapes and sizes and concert halls too (Grimes at the RFH a couple of years ago comes to mind). However, some of those are at least as difficult as the RAH - I'm thinking of things like Porgy and Bess in Radio City Music Hall - a fabulous theatre but far, far, too big.

[BBMmk2]

If it's done well, opera can be staged anywhere. The Proms is very much a good way of staging an opera. All depends on how it's produced, the flow of the narrative and everything else that goes with it!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The sole exception.

... which reminds me. I really miss Lady Dover_Hyphen-Sole, a regular on the Radio 3 BBC Messageboard.

[Hornspieler]

I agree wholeheartedly with HS. Concert performances of operas can only be second (or third) best. Involvement in the drama is diminished by visual impoverishment.

Musical involvement can still be considerable..

I have several recordings of operatic performances, but only those which I have seen in a full stage performance (eg. Glyndebourne, Covent Garden or Sadlers Wells) or in which I have taken part as a member of the orchestra.

So I can picture the scene, the actions - even the quality of production as I had witnessed from a seat in the audience or as a (restricted) view from the orchestra pit.

Fidelio was not one such an opera, so I had no visual idea of how the stage settings, the costumes or the physical gestures and movements of the cast to enhance my aural experience of the performance.

HS

[Pulcinella]

.....

I had no visual idea of how the stage settings, the costumes or the physical gestures and movements of the cast to enhance my aural experience of the performance.

Out of interest, HS, can you not, then, for example, enjoy reading a Shakespeare play that you have not seen acted out, because you cannot envisage the action on stage? I'm not 'having a go', but this seems a peculiar distinction to make for operatic performances, so I wonder if for you it applies to any staged work.

[Hornspieler]

Out of interest, HS, can you not, then, for example, enjoy reading a Shakespeare play that you have not seen acted out, because you cannot envisage the action on stage? I'm not 'having a go', but this seems a peculiar distinction to make for operatic performances, so I wonder if for you it applies to any staged work.

It's a fair question - but you see, my elder sister (9 years older than me) was an actress who was established in the "Stars in Battledress" company, which included such performers as Peter Ustinov, William Kendel, Derek de Marny, Bobby Howes and many producers and directors.
As we lived only five minutes walk away from the Garrison Theatre, it is not surprising that Paddy used to bring many of her friends home for tea. So, as a twelve year old, I was accepted into the company of those Thespians and (surprisingly) treated as an equal.
I spent a lot of my time sitting up in the Electricians Gallery, watching the performances and I suppose it is fair to say that I bypassed the teenage agonies of adolescence without the usual problems and anxieties associated with those years.

So Shakespear and all the many famous playwrites were quite familiar to me and I even played the part of the Urchin in "She Stoops to Conquer"** when I was only fifteen years of age.
No fee, of course, but I still have a copy of the programme with my name on it, playing the part of "boy"!

Still, you make a good point.
HS

*** So sorry. It was "The Rivals" not "She stoops...."

I've just looked out the Programme.
Well,it was 1947 - I make that about seventy years ago!