The Mastersingers at Covent Garden

[Belgrove]

Curious that the ROH have scheduled for the depths of mid-winter this revival of a work that is the embodiment of balmy summer evenings, but we must be thankful for this live broadcast at 2.45pm on New Year's day. Two excellent new Mastersingers from WNO and Glyndebourne in as many years rendered attending this revival inessential for me, despite the excellence of the production. The cast

http://www.roh.org.uk/whatson/production.aspx?pid=17606

does not excite in the way that those of the other two recent productions did. And although a great admirer of Pappano, he has failed to convince me in any of the Wagner I have seen him conduct. I look forward to having my prejudices overturned.

Anyone going?

[underthecountertenor]

I'm going on New Year's Day. I must be mad! At least the fact that it's a live broadcast will mean that the musicians will have tucked themselves up in bed early on New Year's Eve, I trust. Reviews so far suggest that this is Pappano's best Wagner to date by far, though the Sachs sounds underwhelming (as I suspected he might). Stong Eva though, and Toby Spence seems cut out for the part of David.

[Mr Pee]

I'm going on New Year's Day. I must be mad! At least the fact that it's a live broadcast will mean that the musicians will have tucked themselves up in bed early on New Year's Eve, I trust. Reviews so far suggest that this is Pappano's best Wagner to date by far, though the Sachs sounds underwhelming (as I suspected he might). Stong Eva though, and Toby Spence seems cut out for the part of David.

Well, I don't think you're mad at all!! What a lovely way to see in the New Year.

As for the musicians getting an early night on New Year's Eve....err....do you know many musicians??

I went to Pappano's Ring Cycle- nothing wrong with his Wagner conducting as far as I'm concerned. And the critics- at least the one's I've read- seem to agree.

[underthecountertenor]

It also happens to be my birthday, Mr Pee, and I usually make a point of taking in a ROH matinee if there is one. I'm greatly looking forward to it, but it will require rather more self-discipline on my part the night before than the frothy New Year's Day fare they usually serve up.
And, yes, I do know rather a lot of musicians (being a part-time one myself), so I'm not holding my breath as far as the orchestra and chorus are concerned at least. Though I imagine that Tony P will have issued a fairly strong warning, and may have the loan of Alex Ferguson's hair-dryer given that Man U aren't playing on New Year's Day.
For what it's worth, I entirely agree with you re Pappano's Ring Cycle. I can't wait to hear/see it again next autumn.

[Donnie Essen]

I had amphitheatre seats for New Year's Day, front row, but can't go. Sold 'em to somebody. Let's just say the performance and production totally sucks and make ol' Donnie feel better.

[Prommer]

I have been away from the crystal set but how is Simon O'Neill doing? I gather an announcement was made that he was under the weather...

[DracoM]

Yes, and I fear he sounds just that. Very constricted upper register.
Revelation is Toby Spence as David. Arguably the best singer on show. Eva OK. Sachs....so-so. Pity John Tom's voice has gone, because in term of character, presence and warmth, his Pogner is an object lesson.
Feels terrible slow as a production.

Best Act 2 I ever saw was the famous, and brilliantly staged mayhem at the Scottish Opera production from way back in Gibson's time. Sensational chaos

[rank_and_file]

Thank you Prommer for explaining the pretty terrible singing from Simon O'Neill. I only picked up the last Act, and, I have to confess I fell asleep from before the Quintet only waking up to hear Sachs' last efforts - and quite a good choir. The German baritone who sang Sachs seemed very ordinary, and Pappano's conducting seemed safe and without any affection for the music.

Mind you, I thought David was well sung.

The broadcast levels were peculiar: too quiet at the start, and, after I woke up, too loud.

Good job when I looked for tickets there were very few left - just 3 or 4!

[Belgrove]

The principal highlight was, I 'm pleased to say, Sir Tony Pappano's conducting of the wonderful ROH orchestra. Lovely woodwind playing and glorious horns. He gave a traditional, rather slow but detailed and balanced account of the score. It will not displace the revelatory rendition by Jurowski, which turned the work into the most sublime chamber music.

I'm a little surprised that Pappano did not temper the volume, given the vocal indisposition of O'Neill. I think it is a disservice to the public for performers to go on when not at their best. Indeed something is seriously wrong if the best singing of the evening comes from David. As DracoM says, Tomlinson's days are done, I will avoid productions in which he appears from now on (save perhaps Schigolch?) As for Koch, underwhelming might be charitable.

I'm glad I heard it, but feel vindicated in declining to attend.

[Richard Tarleton]

Is Simon O'Neill getting worse, or is he likely to be on the mend by Wednesday? (I'm going on Wednesday ) The last time I went to this production (the last show before the House closed for renovation) the sadly lamented Gosta Winbergh was indisposed and hardly made it through Act 3...

[Prommer]

They said he was getting better in the announcement from the stage today, and had therefore decided to plough on...

Richard, was that the performance of Meistersinger when the power supply was cut a minute or two into the prelude (Haitink conducting) and we all had to file out and hang around for half an hour?

[Richard Tarleton]

They said he was getting better in the announcement from the stage today, and had therefore decided to plough on...

Richard, was that the performance of Meistersinger when the power supply was cut a minute or two into the prelude (Haitink conducting) and we all had to file out and hang around for half an hour?

Yes it was! I was in the amphitheatre. Having invested in a train ticket from W Wales and an overnight stay it was an anxious half hour! I'd previously heard Gosta Winbergh at his glorious best, in Lohengrin - a sad loss.

Anyway thank you for the news about Simon O'Neill.

[BBMmk2]

This is one opera I have to see live at somepoiunt!! I have the NY Met's DVD with Levine conducting.

[Richard Tarleton]

This is one opera I have to see live at somepoiunt!! I have the NY Met's DVD with Levine conducting.

Got that for Xmas, haven't watched it yet!

[RobertLeDiable]

I enjoyed it. Pappano's conducting of the score was beautifully paced, and far warmer and more affectionate than Jurowski's cold, deadpan version at Glyndebourne. I agree that John Tom is not so good to listen to on the radio now, though I suspect seeing him in the theatre would compensate for the vocal deficiencies to a fair extent. Koch seemed OK, if not very characterful. I thought O'Neill sounded pretty good for someone who had bronchitis - certainly a lot better than his counterpart at Glyndebourne who wasn't ill!