Puts' 'The Hours' (Met)

[Master Jacques]

Somebody just had an unkind idea at the end of tonight's live relay from the Met.

Evidently thinking that listeners needed a pick-me-up after enduring a very long evening of maudlin, pretentious soap opera strong on self-righteous sentimentality but weak on musical personality - and this, despite the diva-rich cast, stupendous playing and conducting, and evidently high production values.

The unkind idea: a naughty programmer chose to fill the gap to the next programme with some more opera (sigh...), but in three minutes Lisette Oropesa's simple singing of Verdi's 'Addio, del passato' delivered more emotional and dramatic power than Kevin Puts had managed in three hours.

(Acclaimed though The Hours was by standing ovation, "memorable triumph", "exquisite masterpiece beyond compare" and all that, of course. The film of the book had been rescued by Philip Glass's music. This operatic version had no such luck.)

[Ein Heldenleben]

Somebody just had an unkind idea at the end of tonight's live relay from the Met.

Evidently thinking that listeners needed a pick-me-up after enduring a very long evening of maudlin, pretentious soap opera strong on self-righteous sentimentality but weak on musical personality - and this, despite the diva-rich cast, stupendous playing and conducting, and evidently high production values.

The unkind idea: a naughty programmer chose to fill the gap to the next programme with some more opera (sigh...), but in three minutes Lisette Oropesa's simple singing of Verdi's 'Addio, del passato' delivered more emotional and dramatic power than Kevin Puts had managed in three hours.

(Acclaimed though The Hours was by standing ovation, "memorable triumph", "exquisite masterpiece beyond compare" and all that, of course. The film of the book had been rescued by Philip Glass's music. This operatic version had no such luck.)

Yes well thing is Verdi was a genius . Listened for half an hour and couldn’t believe how poor the music was. The only saving grace was that the England match stopped me from going to the cinema to watch it. Mind you now I wish I had,..
How can so many talented people think this was worth their effort ( the opera not the footy ) ?

[Bryn]

Thanks, MJ, for saving me the bother of listening via Sounds. I was not that taken with Glass's contribution to the film but think I can see what you mean, nonetheless.

[smittims]

Perhaps this was an occasion when 'you had to be there'.

The Difference between what you say about the opera and what they said reminds me of Benny Green years ago on 'Stop the Week':

Unkown: But this woman's books have brought pleasure to millions!

Green: Yes, but that doesn't mean they're any good.

[kernelbogey]

Somebody just had an unkind idea at the end of tonight's live relay from the Met.

Thank you, MJ, for this witty OP!

Without having looked at any schedule to see what was on, I turned the radio on, mid-Act, while prepping supper: but turned it off for the same reasons:

'Addio, del passato' delivered more emotional and dramatic power than Kevin Puts had managed in three hours.

Althoiugh by no mean a fan of contemporary opera, I hope that I am not bigotted, but I immediately found it thoroughly dull -- although not without a twinge of guilt that perhaps I should be listening to this....

[DracoM]

IMO utter drivel - a real blot on Met's books.

[Frances_iom]

It probably ticked all the right boxes - catch is the masters of old had a tough education in what worked with many failures en route to well earned success - there were of course many more smaller houses in which to hone skills.
But yes I too tuned in but not for long - mostly I tend to avoid Met offerings and don't think much of the sound quality.