ROH - Aïda

[Ein Heldenleben]

Tempted : not least because I’ve never seen it live - is any one else going or maybe gone to rehearsal / first night?

[Pulcinella]

Only two stars in The Times:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/aida-review-robert-carsens-new-production-misses-the-point-2dhm9d52m?shareToken=93a831741aaa1eb678d5213659a79a00

[Ein Heldenleben]

Only two stars in The Times:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a...d5213659a79a00

But four in the Guardian and Telegraph.

[Old Grumpy]

From the thread title I thought this was a charity for oarspersons

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

This appears to be another attempt by a director who wants to be noticed. I’ve seen Aïda three times live - Verona, Birmingham and Leeds Grand Theatre, all fully-staged and without distorting the storyline to seek attention. The greatest experience was at Verona, where I had to rely on the black market to get a ticket. But the best was the Opera North performance in Leeds - before they started their semi-staged compromising.

Not tempted to see this, even in the cinema.

[LHC]

I'm going with friends on 9 October and am very much looking forward to it. The reviews are particularly positive about the musical performance, and it is a very fine cast, so I think it will be good.

Covent Garden hasn't been lucky with its productions of Aida in the past, a number of which have not been revived after their first run of performances.

Ponnelle's production in 1984 featured a miscast Katia Ricciarelli, but was otherwise strongly cast with Pavarotti as Radames and Paata Burchuladze making a sensational debut as Ramfis. All I can recall of the production is that it featured painted backcloths covered in hieroglyphs and not much else. It wasn't a success and wasn't revived.

I didn't see the Moshinsky production in 1994, but did see Robert Wilson's dire production in 2003. It was a typical Robert Wilson production in that it looked exactly the same as all his others and featured the singers mainly standing stiffly to attention while making stylised hand movements. It didn't seem to connect with either the music or drama of Aida, and again wasn't revived.

David McVicar's production in 2010 was hated by the critics. It featured lots of nudity and violence, as McVicar tried to set it in a militaristic society governed by sacrificial rituals. I thought it worked on its own terms but I can understand why it was binned after just one revival.

From the reviews this new production would seem to be quite a bit better than some of its predecessors and may stick around a bit longer. With Pappano conducting and a first rate cast it should be very good indeed.

[Ein Heldenleben]

This appears to be another attempt by a director who wants to be noticed. I’ve seen Aïda three times live - Verona, Birmingham and Leeds Grand Theatre, all fully-staged and without distorting the storyline to seek attention. The greatest experience was at Verona, where I had to rely on the black market to get a ticket. But the best was the Opera North performance in Leeds - before they started their semi-staged compromising.

Not tempted to see this, even in the cinema.

Thanks for correcting the title Alps - I tried to but it seems inpossible to do so once created .

[Ein Heldenleben]

Hi LHC , I’ve never seen it on stage and only seen it once at the cinema : Met Netrebko as Aida who was outsung by the Amneris. I did watch the Met Leontyne Price farewell perf. That was astonishing …what a singer.

[LHC]

Hi LHC , I’ve never seen it on stage and only seen it once at the cinema : Met Netrebko as Aida who was outsung by the Amneris. I did watch the Met Leontyne Price farewell perf. That was astonishing …what a singer.

Hi EH, as you can probably tell I've seen it several times at the Opera House. I've also seen it a few times elsewhere and in my view there is nothing to compare with the thrill of seeing something like this live, even if the production isn't perfect.

I suspect that Aida is becoming more difficult for opera houses in the current climate. As a result of the critiques of Edward Said and others, ultra-traditional productions lay themselves open to charges of european colonialism and exoticism, and for good reason it is no longer acceptable for the singers of Aida and Amonasro to 'black-up' before going on stage (as Netrebko found out earlier this year when she did just that when singing Aida at the Arena di Verona). This is probably why more recent productions have tended to update the action and downplayed the Ancient Egyptian kitsch aspects of the Grand March etc.

Leontyne Price really was very special; as you say, what a singer she was!

[Ein Heldenleben]

Hi EH, as you can probably tell I've seen it several times at the Opera House. I've also seen it a few times elsewhere and in my view there is nothing to compare with the thrill of seeing something like this live, even if the production isn't perfect.

I suspect that Aida is becoming more difficult for opera houses in the current climate. As a result of the critiques of Edward Said and others, ultra-traditional productions lay themselves open to charges of european colonialism and exoticism, and for good reason it is no longer acceptable for the singers of Aida and Amonasro to 'black-up' before going on stage (as Netrebko found out earlier this year when she did just that when singing Aida at the Arena di Verona). This is probably why more recent productions have tended to update the action and downplayed the Ancient Egyptian kitsch aspects of the Grand March etc.

Leontyne Price really was very special; as you say, what a singer she was!

Well shamed by your massive Aida experience I’ve gone and booked it. Wedding anniversary as well so I’m in some one’s good books !

[LHC]

Well shamed by your massive Aida experience I’ve gone and booked it. Wedding anniversary as well so I’m in some one’s good books !

I do hope you and Mrs EH enjoy it.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I do hope you and Mrs EH enjoy it.

Yes I said I can’t think of anything more appropriate than the story of a passionate love affair that ends in death. Got a bit of a laugh.

[ChandlersFord]

I'm going with friends on 9 October and am very much looking forward to it. The reviews are particularly positive about the musical performance, and it is a very fine cast, so I think it will be good.

Covent Garden hasn't been lucky with its productions of Aida in the past, a number of which have not been revived after their first run of performances.

Ponnelle's production in 1984 featured a miscast Katia Ricciarelli, but was otherwise strongly cast with Pavarotti as Radames and Paata Burchuladze making a sensational debut as Ramfis. All I can recall of the production is that it featured painted backcloths covered in hieroglyphs and not much else. It wasn't a success and wasn't revived.

I didn't see the Moshinsky production in 1994, but did see Robert Wilson's dire production in 2003. It was a typical Robert Wilson production in that it looked exactly the same as all his others and featured the singers mainly standing stiffly to attention while making stylised hand movements. It didn't seem to connect with either the music or drama of Aida, and again wasn't revived.

David McVicar's production in 2010 was hated by the critics. It featured lots of nudity and violence, as McVicar tried to set it in a militaristic society governed by sacrificial rituals. I thought it worked on its own terms but I can understand why it was binned after just one revival.

From the reviews this new production would seem to be quite a bit better than some of its predecessors and may stick around a bit longer. With Pappano conducting and a first rate cast it should be very good indeed.

Pretty sure I saw the McVicar production (with Alagna) in early 2011, but don’t recall any violence or nudity.

[LHC]

Pretty sure I saw the McVicar production (with Alagna) in early 2011, but don’t recall any violence or nudity.

You can see some photos from the production here, including the naked dancers and the topless priestesses butchering the young men who’ve been strung up as human sacrifices.

https://intermezzo.typepad.com/intermezzo/2011/03/royal-opera-house-aida-in-photos.html

[Ein Heldenleben]

You can see some photos from the production here, including the naked dancers and the topless priestesses butchering the young men who’ve been strung up as human sacrifices.

https://intermezzo.typepad.com/inter...in-photos.html

From what we know of Ancient Egypt both elements are historically accurate unlike missile silos….