A Night at the Opera

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

I couldn't find a suitable thread to post about recent operatic visits/ news of current productions, so thought a general opera thread would be a good idea.

It's been a busy week for me - four operas in three days in London - and after a disappointing Boccanegra at ENO on Wednesday, it just got better and better. Plenty of writing to get done as well:

Wednesday: Simon Boccanegra at ENO

Thursday: Rita & Iolanta at Guildhall

Friday: L'amico Fritz at Holland Park

Was anyone else at these/ planning on going in the coming weeks?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I was really looking forward to Opera North's Das Rheingold, only to discover that it is to be a concert performance. You could argue that it's better than nothing, but I would rather listen to a well-produced audio recording, where it's possible to imagine the characters on stage. Staring at a bunch of soloists, standing in front of an orchestra, is not my idea of a night at the opera.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Staring at a bunch of soloists, standing in front of an orchestra, is not my idea of a night at the opera.

I'd generally agree. Sometimes a concert staging is the only viable means of presenting a rare opera (such as Chelsea Opera Group does) which might not otherwise get a production. Although that's what I love about Opera Holland Park - putting on rarities: where else this season would you get to see L'amico Fritz or La Wally? (Or Francesca da Rimini or La Gioconda in previous years)

[Mahlerei]

Is the ENO Boccanegra still that risible production with the giant hand suspended like the Sword of Damocles over the singers? I wasn't the only one sniggering that night.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

No, it's a new production by Dmitri Tcherniakov. I didn't see the previous ENO production, by David Alden, but one prominent critic told me in the interval that he almost wished for something like that giant hand to liven things up as the production was so devoid of ideas. I found the prologue quite effective, but after that...

[verismissimo]

Looking forward to Rinaldo at Glyndebourne.

Interested in your take on Fritz, Grand One. Don't think I can get to it.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

where else this season would you get to see L'amico Fritz or La Wally? (Or Francesca da Rimini or La Gioconda in previous years)

Opera North did stage Francesca da Rimini at Leeds Grand Threatre fairly recently. The all-black costumes worn by the cast (used again and again in different ON productions) seemed quite appropriate here. I just couldn't work out why they were wandering around Hell with leather suitcases.

[verismissimo]

I just couldn't work out why they were wandering around Hell with leather suitcases.

That would be the producer's brilliant "concept", Alpen. :)

[verismissimo]

Listening to the Mackerras recording of Jenufa provoked the thought that reasonably well-chosen recordings nearly always delight, whereas being in the opera house is such a hit-and-miss affair. At it's best, sublime, but so often I feel the need to close my eyes to escape from the production or the inadequate acting.

In a way that's like listening to a recording, but a lot more expensive.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I always find visits to the opera house to be very exciting. But opera DVDs are generally a disappointment.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

I was really looking forward to Opera North's Das Rheingold, only to discover that it is to be a concert performance.

Richard Farnes, ON conductor, has just said on R3 that the reason for the concert performances was that the pit in their theatre in Leeds isn't big enough to accommodate the size of orchestra needed for Rheingold. I know at the ROH they had to remove stalls circle seats to house the six harps plus extra brass.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Massent's Cendrillon at the Royal Opera House... recommended!

http://www.opera-britannia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=537:cendrillon-the-royal-opera-5th-july-2011&catid=8:opera-reviews&Itemid=16

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Was anyone else at Holland Park for the opening night of Catalani's La Wally? Famous for the heroine's aria ‘Ebben… ne andrò lontana’, there are several other good things about the score. Is it the problem of staging an avalanche that puts directors off?

http://www.opera-britannia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=549:la-wally-opera-holland-park-29th-july-2011&catid=8:opera-reviews&Itemid=16

[Mahlerei]

There's a wonderfully atmospherIc French film, Diva, that centres on an illegal recording of a famous diva She sings that aria from La Wally. Good fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hsmoo97CVA

[french frank]

There's a wonderfully atmospherIc French film, Diva, that centres on an illegal recording of a famous diva She sings that aria from La Wally. Good fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hsmoo97CVA

Not quite the tomboy of IGI's review!

Very educational, this forum - keep the reviews coming, IGI!

I thought of starting a thread on the 'alternative operas' - named after the one aria that's ever heard, like Charpentier's opera Depuis le jour ...