I was at the UK premiere of Weinberg's The Passenger at ENO last night - an excellent production and an extremely moving evening. I wasn't reviewing, but here are some early reviews:
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Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... -
I enjoyed WNO's new production of Don Giovanni at Cardiff last Sunday, with set design inspired by Rodin's Gates of Hell sculptures. In common with most DGs these days, it emphasised the darkness, the dramma much more than the giocoso but I don't mind that. The singing was generally very good, the best being Camilla Roberts as Donna Anna, David Soar as Leporello and Robin Tritschler as Don Ottavio - Nuccia Focile was a bit shrill as Elvira and Carlo Malinverno was not imposing enough as the Commendatore. But what really stood out was the outstanding playing of the WNO orchestra under Lothar Koenigs - what an excellent music director he is turning out to be. After some poor Mozart productions of late, this was an impressive return to form by the WNO.Comment
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A couple of WNO Don Giovanni reviews:
Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency....Comment
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Is there much giocoso (which the Telegraph review cited above translates as "larky, playful or cheerful") in a story of rape and murder?Originally posted by aeolium View PostComment
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Attempted rape and murder, I'd say.Originally posted by Flosshilde View Post
Well, dramma giocoso was the description given to the opera by the librettist and composer, so it appears so. And there are quite a few instances of black humour scattered through the work: the disguise seduction of Elvira early in the 2nd act, the cemetery scene, the way formal exchange of dinner engagements is brought into DG's two encounters with the statue (and Leporello's cry to DG to decline the invitation: 'tiempo non h'a - scusate!'). I suspect da Ponte thought of the work as predominantly giocoso and Mozart brought out more of the darkness, but that's only my guess.
As I said, I'm happy for the dark quality of the work to be emphasised - it was the Telegraph reviewer who wanted more of the giocoso, I think.Comment
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Tosca tonight on R3!!Don’t cry for me
I go where music was born
J S Bach 1685-1750Comment
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Kaufmann sang everyone out of sight IMO!! One of the great singer/actors of our day on the operatic stage.Comment
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I'm going to see Don Giovanni next month. Not stunningly wonderful reviews, but nothing to fear either, it seems. Suits me!It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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Quite right DracoM, Kaufmann has been magnificent in everything in which I have seen/heard him. Gheorghiu seemed rather ordinary, as was Terfel. The other star of the evening was the orchestra, powerful and gutsy - Pappano in Puccini is very red blooded and persuasive. The recorded sound seemed richer and fuller than is usually the case from Covent Garden. A very enjoyable broadcast of a work I've not listened to for some years, but it was Kaufmann's night.Comment
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Kaufmann was magnificent in both Adriana Lecouvreur and Don Carlos last year too . He is a good actor too.Comment
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Opera On 3 – Weinberg: The PassengerOriginally posted by Il Grande Inquisitor View Post
Saturday 15 October
6.00-9.00pm BBC RADIO 3It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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That production was one of the best ever! No wonder people waited all night to get in!! They were amply rewarded, imo!Don’t cry for me
I go where music was born
J S Bach 1685-1750Comment
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ff, after Abduction from the Orient Express and Cosi fan Butlins, I was mightily relieved, I can tell you....Originally posted by french frank View Post
I'm always wary of what critics say - it's so hard for them not to get jaded and to assume everyone has seen the opera 50 times, like they have.Comment
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I enjoyed the Abduction - it fed my craving for train travelOriginally posted by aeolium View Post
In fact, I'm such an uncritical soul when it comes to opera, I can only remember one production I didn't like, and that was the opera itself. I won't say which one it was because I know it's in several people's Top Ten!It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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I enjoyed the Orient Express Abduction too! Good fun and very well produced and sung.
What I've come to appreciate is that the critics (the vast majority of them anyway) don't always want to be there! I'm in the fortunate position (i.e. unpaid!!) that I can turn down a performance if it really doesn't appeal, so only take on operas/productions I'm keen to see, or to hear particular singers. Whereas, I wonder how many times your average print critic gets sent to something s/he is dreading.Originally posted by aeolium View Post
Mind you, I'm also surprised at how little homework some of them do, though I suppose it's to do with time constraints. When I went to review The Tsar's Bride, I became aware that some others didn't know the piece, had bothered to listen to it or find out about its history. I knew the opera reasonably well, had a recording and had read through the score a few times. But then, I like Rimsky operas...Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency....Comment
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