Les Vepres Siciliennes at ROH

[Ein Heldenleben]

I went to the general rehearsal of this on Monday . It has some exceptional singing in it and , for those like me not familiar with the work , an inventive solution to the long-standing "problem" of the half hour ballet that most think holds up the action . The revivial hasn't attracted many reviews but , if the rehearsal is anything to go by, it is one of the most strongly cast Verdi operas I have seen in the last few years .

[Conchis]

All I can remember about this production is the rape during the overture and Erwin Schrott wearing a dress.

I don't think the music is up to much, frankly.

[Cockney Sparrow]

I was at the first night on Thursday. I've not seen nor heard it before. It is too long for the interest I can sustain, and is uneven. Good to see Schrott again - last I saw him was in Don Giovanni (interregnum after the Rosenblatt recital dispute?). And Brian Hymel. I know he has his detractors, but he sounds like a tenor and whilst he may not dominate an orchestra in full flight he brings a very decent performance to the roles I have seen (in the Trojans, and in Vepres Sic,). Also, he commits fully to the role in dramatic terms (unlike a certain megastar tenor earlier in the season who was almost detached from himself - as though observing his own performance whilst making the right moves walk here, bend over there, raise arm here.......(not quite as bad as an automata, I admit)). Malin Bystrom seemed to warm to the role as it progressed - perhaps the writing gives her more of a chance later on and she was on good form in Merce, diletter amiche in Act V. I also thought as the run progresses it should improve - the 1st act quartet was very tentative and poorly balanced to my ears.

I usually read the entry for the opera in Denis Formans "The Good Opera Guide" on the train journey into town - he rates the overture highly (I couldn't see why) and cites some less than inspired passages but moments where Verdi finds form. That's probably about right..... I asked Mrs CS if she would consider seeing it again if it was revived, and the answer was probably yes, but we have to acknowledge its not a patch on Traviata or Otello. I agree -interesting to see, perhaps see it again, perhaps not.

[Stanfordian]

I was at the first night on Thursday. I've not seen nor heard it before. It is too long for the interest I can sustain, and is uneven. Good to see Schrott again - last I saw him was in Don Giovanni (interregnum after the Rosenblatt recital dispute?). And Brian Hymel. I know he has his detractors, but he sounds like a tenor and whilst he may not dominate an orchestra in full flight he brings a very decent performance to the roles I have seen (in the Trojans, and in Vepres Sic,). Also, he commits fully to the role in dramatic terms (unlike a certain megastar tenor earlier in the season who was almost detached from himself - as though observing his own performance whilst making the right moves walk here, bend over there, raise arm here.......(not quite as bad as an automata, I admit)). Malin Bystrom seemed to warm to the role as it progressed - perhaps the writing gives her more of a chance later on and she was on good form in Merce, diletter amiche in Act V. I also thought as the run progresses it should improve - the 1st act quartet was very tentative and poorly balanced to my ears.

I usually read the entry for the opera in Denis Formans "The Good Opera Guide" on the train journey into town - he rates the overture highly (I couldn't see why) and cites some less than inspired passages but moments where Verdi finds form. That's probably about right..... I asked Mrs CS if she would consider seeing it again if it was revived, and the answer was probably yes, but we have to acknowledge its not a patch on Traviata or Otello. I agree -interesting to see, perhaps see it again, perhaps not.

I am a great admirer of French Grand Opera and Les Vepres Siciliennes is very much to my taste. The cast of Stefan Herheim's production 2013 Royal Opera House production, its first ever staging in the house, I have seen on Warner Blu-ray notably Bryan Hymel as Henri, Erwin Schrott as Procida and Michael Volle as Guy de Monfort were superb. One of the principals has invited me to a November production at ROH but sadly I cannot attend.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Maybe I should give it another go in future.

I freely admit French repertoire has not been my thing and I am just starting to see it live (e.g. Contes D'Hoffmann) . I could try a little harder to appreciate the subtleties of the good things in the piece... If I thought I'd find the time to view it, I'd buy the DVD but I have a queue of unseen DVDs waiting to be seen, as it is.

[underthecountertenor]

If I were to seek to persuade a non-connoisseur to give this a go, I would probably suggest skipping Acts 1 and 2 and turning up after the first interval. It takes a long time to warm up, but Act 3 is terrific (and was terrifically sung on the opening night this time).

I agree with Cockney Sparrow about the Act 1 quartet on opening night. I couldn't make any tonal sense of the long unaccompanied passages, and was dreading every orchestral intervention (and I had the impression that the soloists were too), fearing a horrible tonal clash (which, to be fair, never actually occurred).

[Cockney Sparrow]

If I were to seek to persuade a non-connoisseur to give this a go, I would probably suggest skipping Acts 1 and 2 and turning up after the first interval. It takes a long time to warm up, but Act 3 is terrific (and was terrifically sung on the opening night this time).

I agree with Cockney Sparrow about the Act 1 quartet on opening night. I couldn't make any tonal sense of the long unaccompanied passages, and was dreading every orchestral intervention (and I had the impression that the soloists were too), fearing a horrible tonal clash (which, to be fair, never actually occurred).

Of course! Why didn't I make that connection! (Every other rehearsal I go too the MD demonstrates how our pitch most likely goes down when put into a capella mode). Given the above, and as the audience seemed more lively and responsive than many an evening, I asked the Usher, and he confirmed it was the first night. And yes, it doesn't get going in the first two acts. But as its not performed much, at the least an opportunity to see it live.

[underthecountertenor]

Of course! Why didn't I make that connection! (Every other rehearsal I go too the MD demonstrates how our pitch most likely goes down when put into a capella mode). Given the above, and as the audience seemed more lively and responsive than many an evening, I asked the Usher, and he confirmed it was the first night. And yes, it doesn't get going in the first two acts. But as its not performed much, at the least an opportunity to see it live.

You're very welcome!

I'd happily see it again in this run if I could find a suitable date and pick up a suitably discounted ticket - I doubt that there'll be another opportunity in my lifetime to see it in London (at all, let alone so strongly cast). The first outing of this production was the first ever staging of Vêpres at the ROH!