Opera North: The Greek Passion

[Pulcinella]

Warning, more than spoiler alert!

It's the original (1957) version that ON are currently performing.
Nearly all my preparation by listening to the Supraphon recordings conducted by Mackerras and Pešek was in vain, but I still think I made the better choice than staying in to listen to/watch The Last Night of the Proms.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I presume that, for once, ON are staging this?

[Bryn]

Warning, more than spoiler alert!

It's the original (1957) version that ON are currently performing.
Nearly all my preparation by listening to the Supraphon recordings conducted by Mackerras and Pešek was in vain, but I still think I made the better choice than staying in to listen to/watch The Last Night of the Proms.

Is there any indication of a future broadcast of this production on Radio 3? There was no mention that I heard during or following yesterday's Music Matters.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I stubbed my toe whilst showering last night (yup - September already!) - I still think I made the better choice than attending to the LNoP.

I was going to ask how the production went, Pulcie (I'm seeing it in a couple of weeks) - a decent introduction on Music Matters yesterday lunchtime (although a bit too keen on the "we've made it relevant to today's audiences, honest ... please come to see it ... please" from one of the directors involved - a bit more of the "this is fickung fantastic Music that will stay with you for the rest of your life" which is what more appeals to me - especially as I come to feel less and less relevant to today's world!)

The original version - the one written for Covent Garden (the production that never was)? Good choice - I hope it gets broadcast (no mention of this - unless I missed it - on Music Matters).

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

There was no mention that I heard during or following yesterday's Music Matters.

SNAP!

It would surely, surely be daft to devote a quarter-of-an-hour feature to a production that isn't going to be broadcast? (Not that somnething being daft means it has any influence on the Beeb's decision-making.)

[Pulcinella]

No mention in the programme of a future broadcast.
I don't usually buy a programme, but did in the interval last night: I thought for a minute or two that I'd stumbled into the wrong place when it began with a narrator rather than the lush music and bells as the village members teem out of church that I was expecting.
Had to miss the final few minutes as it overran the announced timing, by about 15 minutes, and I didn't want to miss the last bus.

I'll be interested to read the reviews.
I'd like to know if in the book the chosen villagers are vaguely comic characters (a little like the mechanicals in Midsummer Night's Dream) or not; for me, the production seemed a little unsure about how to portray them.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The original version is available via youTube - a Poutney production (in English) from Bregenz conducted by Ulf Schirmer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEJQLy0imMo

[Dave2002]

I don't know this opera at all. This website may help to remedy this partially - https://www.operanorth.co.uk/news/th...in-a-nutshell/

[Pulcinella]

I don't know this opera at all. This website may help to remedy this partially - https://www.operanorth.co.uk/news/th...in-a-nutshell/

Useful link, Dave.
Should have investigated their site before going yesterday.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Useful link, Dave.

[Conchis]

I remember the ROH production from 2000 - the only occasion in which I sat in the ROH stalls (Harold Pinter and Lady Antonia were my near neighbours!).

Mackerass conducted and it was given in English, which was a slight disappointment. I found the music unmemorable but enjoyed the spectacle and was glad to have seen it.

It sounds like ON have made a bad mistake in terms of the version chosen to perform.

[Pulcinella]

I remember the ROH production from 2000 - the only occasion in which I sat in the ROH stalls (Harold Pinter and Lady Antonia were my near neighbours!).

Mackerass conducted and it was given in English, which was a slight disappointment. I found the music unmemorable but enjoyed the spectacle and was glad to have seen it.

It sounds like ON have made a bad mistake in terms of the version chosen to perform.

But the first version, originally planned for London, was written in English!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Mackerass conducted and it was given in English, which was a slight disappointment.

Why? That was the language in which the composer wrote the libretto. (2 "r"s and 1 "s" in the conductor's name, by the way.)

It sounds like ON have made a bad mistake in terms of the version chosen to perform.

Why do you say that?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

A useful review of the 2000 Covent Garden production that Conchis saw of the original version of the work (a transfer of the Pountney Bregenz production linked in #7) is available on Musicweb:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/SandH/2000/apr00/greekpassion.htm

[Conchis]

Why? That was the language in which the composer wrote the libretto. (2 "r"s and 1 "s" in the conductor's name, by the way.)


Why do you say that?

I don’t think English is an operatic language. I’d sooner hear a Czech opera sung in CZECH - even if it’s ‘bad’ Czech!

The spelling of Mackerras’ name has always troubled me. In common with those who knew him, I’m often inclined to refer to him as ‘Charlie’, though some might be confused and think I’m referrring to something else.

The 2000 ROH version worked well without a narrator (usually a distracting device in ‘striaght’ drama and even more so in opera). I’m not inclined to drag myself out to see something which sounds like an ur-text.