Alcina - ROH

[Belgrove]

It’s definitely the year of Alcina, with the third new production, this time at the Royal Opera, playing from November. Opera North basically threw in the towel in attempting to stage it and Glyndebourne’s sumptuous extravaganza nearly abandoned the impossible to follow plot and went for spectacle, with fabulous result, and sublime singing. But Richard Jones has a knack for making complex/preposterous opera plots lucid, although even he may have his work cut out for this one.
Anyone going?

[LHC]

It’s definitely the year of Alcina, with the third new production, this time at the Royal Opera, playing from November. Opera North basically threw in the towel in attempting to stage it and Glyndebourne’s sumptuous extravaganza nearly abandoned the impossible to follow plot and went for spectacle, with fabulous result, and sublime singing. But Richard Jones has a knack for making complex/preposterous opera plots lucid, although even he may have his work cut out for this one.
Anyone going?

I decided to avoid it because Richard Jones is directing. Having previously been a fan of his, I get the feeling that he has rather run out of ideas and is just going through the motions. Most of his recent productions have been terrible. La Boheme at Covent Garden is a dull production in ugly sets. The Valkyrie at ENO was dire and seemed to mainly rehash and recycle tropes from his earlier more successful productions, without really establishing any coherent dramatic thread. Samson et Dalila at Covent Garden was again embarrassingly bad. After that run, I just thought 'no thanks'.

Of course, with my luck it'll now turn out to be his one decent production this decade.

[duncan]

Haven't seen the Samson et Dalila or La Boheme but I also found the production in the ENO Die Walkure a disappointment which has tempered my previous enthusiasm for Jones' work. I love the Alcina so I've got cheap seats (stands). The Glyndbourne production was excellently performed, looked fabulous, but made little sense to me. A tiny bit more coherence wouldn't go amiss.

[Belgrove]

After the wailing and gnashing of teeth with regard to the inevitable fate of ENO, here’s something to celebrate instead.

Apart from the brief appearance of kilts, Richard Jones’ theatrical tropes or cliches are entirely absent from this sparklingly fresh and coherent new production, framed as puritan morality tale in which Alcina gets the first and (very droll) last laugh. Alcina (Lisette Oropesa) is a bewitching sorceress in her spangly black cocktail dress and red-flash stilettos, dispensing her magic from an extravagantly large scent bottle, whose contents are visibly running out over the course of the evening. The perfume transforms her lovers into doting beasts once she tires of them (was Jones being slyly mischievous in having a particularly dopey King Charles spaniel among the menagerie?) This fate awaits her latest squeeze Ruggiero (Emily D’Angelo), whose rescue provides the motor for the gender swapping plot, replete with deceptions and feints - what constitutes reality or illusion is very much what this opera is all about. It’s rather transparent and sensible, which is welcome after the baffling but hugely entertaining Glyndebourne extravaganza of the summer. The retention of Handel’s flighty dance music and it’s staging brought the house down. By the second act Alcina knows the game is up and she becomes a tragic figure, with arias of sublime beauty, indeed the singing by the entire cast is from the top draw. The orchestra is getting more Handel into its repertoire of late, but seemed a little heavy compared with, say, OAE specialists, but this is a minor cavil and the horns were thrilling.

I attended the General Rehearsal, but will go again for there is much here to relish. Another high quality hit from the ROH.

[LHC]

After the wailing and gnashing of teeth with regard to the inevitable fate of ENO, here’s something to celebrate instead.

Apart from the brief appearance of kilts, Richard Jones’ theatrical tropes or cliches are entirely absent from this sparklingly fresh and coherent new production, framed as puritan morality tale in which Alcina gets the first and (very droll) last laugh. Alcina (Lisette Oropesa) is a bewitching sorceress in her spangly black cocktail dress and red-flash stilettos, dispensing her magic from an extravagantly large scent bottle, whose contents are visibly running out over the course of the evening. The perfume transforms her lovers into doting beasts once she tires of them (was Jones being slyly mischievous in having a particularly dopey King Charles spaniel among the menagerie?) This fate awaits her latest squeeze Ruggiero (Emily D’Angelo), whose rescue provides the motor for the gender swapping plot, replete with deceptions and feints - what constitutes reality or illusion is very much what this opera is all about. It’s rather transparent and sensible, which is welcome after the baffling but hugely entertaining Glyndebourne extravaganza of the summer. The retention of Handel’s flighty dance music and it’s staging brought the house down. By the second act Alcina knows the game is up and she becomes a tragic figure, with arias of sublime beauty, indeed the singing by the entire cast is from the top draw. The orchestra is getting more Handel into its repertoire of late, but seemed a little heavy compared with, say, OAE specialists, but this is a minor cavil and the horns were thrilling.

I attended the General Rehearsal, but will go again for there is much here to relish. Another high quality hit from the ROH.

Thanks for the report. As I mentioned in my earlier post, “with my luck it'll now turn out to be his one decent production this decade”. Bloody typical.

I might have to get a ticket now.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Went to the first night,last evening. I agree with Belgrove's assessment, its a winner.

I wasn't familiar with Alcina, and reading the synopsis more than once beforehand I thought, oh well, another classical set drama where its difficult to keep track of what's going on with whom (and why) unless I thoroughly memorise this...... However, the updated (to two time periods - not a problem) production made it refreshingly clear. Doesn't have to be HIPP for my requirements and it was lightly, and well played by the ROH orchestra.

The principal vocalists were really excellent dramatically as well as vocally. (Although I had no great objection to Rupert Charlesworth I wouldn't say he had a stand out voice, but that's a cavill, he acted and sang well enough). The boy treble negotiated his part with assurance and no problems. The movement/dancers were a key part, it was conceived and done so well. They added a great deal to the drama which particularly helped in those...... well, a little extended arias lovely to listen to on CD but repeating the same sentiments at length.

A memorable evening at the ROH. I'd/we'd go again - not least because Mrs CS pronounced it the best evening she'd had at the ROH. I'm not sure, on reflection, that would be right, but our most recent experience before was the olive green military dictatorship Aida (director Robert Carson) - where she hated the production with a passion - and easily found others with the same opinion during the interval.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Went to the first night,last evening. I agree with Belgrove's assessment, its a winner.

I wasn't familiar with Alcina, and reading the synopsis more than once beforehand I thought, oh well, another classical set drama where its difficult to keep track of what's going on with whom (and why) unless I thoroughly memorise this...... However, the updated (to two time periods - not a problem) production made it refreshingly clear. Doesn't have to be HIPP for my requirements and it was lightly, and well played by the ROH orchestra.

The principal vocalists were really excellent dramatically as well as vocally. (Although I had no great objection to Rupert Charlesworth I wouldn't say he had a stand out voice, but that's a cavill, he acted and sang well enough). The boy treble negotiated his part with assurance and no problems. The movement/dancers were a key part, it was conceived and done so well. They added a great deal to the drama which particularly helped in those...... well, a little extended arias lovely to listen to on CD but repeating the same sentiments at length.

A memorable evening at the ROH. I'd/we'd go again - not least because Mrs CS pronounced it the best evening she'd had at the ROH. I'm not sure, on reflection, that would be right, but our most recent experience before was the olive green military dictatorship Aida (director Robert Carson) - where she hated the production with a passion - and easily found others with the same opinion during the interval.

My wife was so annoyed with Aida she wrote a long email to Ollie Mears about it and got a somewhat defensive reply.,

[french frank]

The boy treble negotiated his part with assurance and no problems.

Some people

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-63566862

[Cockney Sparrow]

Some people

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-63566862

I didn't hear the disruptor - it was Malakai's (the treble's) second aria (I think only one preceded it) and was more florid than the first and he did well to negotiate it, so all was well. I was a bit surprised by immediate and considerable applause (including shouts of approval) which seemed a bit over the top. I was unaware it was a reaction to the audience member's outburst.

I suppose finding a short, slight, boyish looking soprano would have been an option and in absolute terms the arias would have been better sung, but with the downside we would have been accommodating the knowledge it was an adult artist playing a child, rather than accommodating the child playing the part of a child within limitations. But there were no errors or worrying moments in his arias. I didn't notice any adverse effect on Malakai's continued performance which was mostly - probably entirely -dramatic. Top marks, I say.

[Ein Heldenleben]

The original boy soprano who sang the role , William Savage , went on to have a distinguished musical career and has his own wiki entry. Replacing with a “boyish” soprano just isn’t the same. Although I’ve heard productions booed at Covent Garden I’ve never heard a singer booed. Standards are really slipping there. In the recent Aida I went to a woman shouted at the top of her voice “shut up” during a quiet chorus section . If she was trying to shush a nearby whisperer it was pretty counter productive.Appalling that this talented young musician in Alcina was booed. I wonder whether alcohol was a factor…..

[Belgrove]

The ROH have done the right thing and banned the offender for life from future attendance. A shame that such boorish behaviour has detracted from what is a stellar show. I’m sure Malakai will get rapturous applause from now on.

[underthecountertenor]

The original boy soprano who sang the role , William Savage , went on to have a distinguished musical career and has his own wiki entry. Replacing with a “boyish” soprano just isn’t the same. Although I’ve heard productions booed at Covent Garden I’ve never heard a singer booed. Standards are really slipping there. In the recent Aida I went to a woman shouted at the top of her voice “shut up” during a quiet chorus section . If she was trying to shush a nearby whisperer it was pretty counter productive.Appalling that this talented young musician in Alcina was booed. I wonder whether alcohol was a factor…..

I was 4 seats away from him in Amphi row A. It’s impossible to say, and wrong to speculate as to, what his motivations were. It’s been suggested by some twitterati that it ‘must have been racism’ because the excellent Malakai is Black. But there was nothing overtly racist about the boorish exclamations (‘BOO….RUBBISH….CAN’T SING…THIS IS AN OPERA HOUSE,’ as I recall). Equally, it wasn’t obvious to me that he had been drinking, and indeed that thought didn’t cross my mind. In the end, it could be anything.
Anyway, it was a great show, and the whole cast (including Malakai) and director’s team deserved their ovations.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I was 4 seats away from him in Amphi row A. It’s impossible to say, and wrong to speculate as to, what his motivations were. It’s been suggested by some twitterati that it ‘must have been racism’ because the excellent Malakai is Black. But there was nothing overtly racist about the boorish exclamations (‘BOO….RUBBISH….CAN’T SING…THIS IS AN OPERA HOUSE,’ as I recall). Equally, it wasn’t obvious to me that he had been drinking, and indeed that thought didn’t cross my mind. In the end, it could be anything.
Anyway, it was a great show, and the whole cast (including Malakai) and director’s team deserved their ovations.

Extraordinary.I assumed it was a slightly the worse for wear individual in the lower reaches of the house. Roaming around the house over the years as income goes up and down I’ve found most of the bad behaviour to be correlated with seat price e,g, the Russian Tourists snapping Netrebko mid aria from the stalls circle.
I wonder whether the heckler didn’t realise the role is supposed to be sung by a boy soprano and thought it all an outlandish directorial intervention. Talking of which when you look at Handel operas and their contemporary performance practices they were more “ out there” than we would ever be - almost dangerously so.
BTW aren't black couture dresses and Handel becoming a tiny bit of a cliché?

[LHC]

Extraordinary.I assumed it was a slightly the worse for wear individual in the lower reaches of the house. Roaming around the house over the years as income goes up and down I’ve found most of the bad behaviour to be correlated with seat price e,g, the Russian Tourists snapping Netrebko mid aria from the stalls circle.
I wonder whether the heckler didn’t realise the role is supposed to be sung by a boy soprano and thought it all an outlandish directorial intervention. Talking of which when you look at Handel operas and their contemporary performance practices they were more “ out there” than we would ever be - almost dangerously so.
BTW aren't black couture dresses and Handel becoming a tiny bit of a cliché?

When Mark Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre-Grenoble performed Alcina at the Barbican in 2010 they also used a boy soprano for the role of Oberto, Shintaro Nakajima, who was at the time a member of the Vienna Boys Choir. His singing was superb. Indeed, his technique and tuning was rather better than some of the adult members of the cast including Vesselina Kasarova whose performance as Ruggiero was quite bizarre (at least to my ears).

I saw the performance at Covent Garden last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. We had a different singer for Oberto, Rafael Flutter, although I noticed that Malakai M Bayoh was also in the audience watching the show. I'm happy to report no hecklers last night.

[Master Jacques]

Talking of which when you look at Handel operas and their contemporary performance practices they were more “ out there” than we would ever be - almost dangerously so.

Very true. I don't know if you've caught the recent CD release of The Dragon of Wantley, with text by Henry Carey (poet/composer of 'Sally in Our Alley', and - possibly - words and tune of 'God Save the King')? It's a very funny text indeed, and Lampe's excellent music nails many features of Handelian opera, not least the famous on- and off-stage rivalry of Cuzzoni and Bordoni, 'the rival queens'. Lampe was Handel's bassoonist, and apparently the man himself loved The Dragon..., going to see and hear it more than once during its successful run.

It's a genuine and genial English comic masterpiece, mocking opera yet revelling in it as well. Highly recommended!