Opera Lovers unite against the ROH and the BBC in unholy alliance

[MrGongGong]

The thing to remember about TV is that whenever there's anything about a subject that you know about you sit there going
"No , No , It's not like that , That's not the point at all"

I've heard scientists say that as well as musicians. It's even worse when it's you actually involved

[Flosshilde]

It's also seen in documentaries such as those by Simon Russell Beale on the history of the symphony - there's just a lot more film of Beale himself walking round European cities and chatting with various people

I saw one of his progs & thought that it was interesting, although the information was rather thinly spread, & why not have a musician presenting it (the conductor of one of the orchestras playing the examples, perhaps). But was there much more of him walking around European cities than there was of Lord Clark(e?) in 'Civilisation' (I know that that series was primarily about visual art, but the presenter didn't have to be in shot)?

The main issue is using a 'celebrity' presenter rather than someone who's an expert in the field - although, having said that, I've remembered that there have been some history series presented by historians.

[MrGongGong]

I guess some of that is because you can't "look" at a symphony !
I would be delighted with a 52 week series on obscure instrument making
starting with the museum in Brussels and looking at Partch etc etc

but I just have to make my own up !

(or look up Bart Hopkins stuff )

[Richard Tarleton]

The main issue is using a 'celebrity' presenter rather than someone who's an expert in the field - although, having said that, I've remembered that there have been some history series presented by historians.

An example from wildlife broadcasting. There used to be a programme called "Big Cat Diary" which although presenter-led had three experts on Kenyan wildlife as its presenters, two of them actually resident in Kenya - Jonathan Scott and Saba Douglas-Hamilton. Last night saw the first episode of something called "Planet Earth Live" anchored quite implausibly from a dripping tent in the Masai Mara by Richard Hammond, for which there can be no excuse.

[Barbirollians]

Young Musician of the Year is now out on BBC4 - when I was a kid in the late 70s early 80s it was on BBC 1 for its heats and then the grand final was on BBC 1 on Sunday night with all these youngsters playing a concerto .

I remember the 1982 final vividly - Anna Markland a pianist won and then Margaret Thatcher came on the news shouting "rejoice " at the recovery of South Georgia !

Could you imagine that now - it would stop a repeat of Silent Witness and the Antiques Roadshow

[MrGongGong]

Could you imagine that now - it would stop a repeat of Silent Witness and the Antiques Roadshow

Time to merge it with Extreme Fishing ?

[Barbirollians]

And the BBC's tribute programme about the Titanic - a maritime historian to host - no we had Len Goodman of Strictly fame .

I look forward to Bruno Tonioli's guide to splitting the atom .

[Prommer]

Anyway, are we done with the subject of the ROH and how they choose to reach out?

[MrGongGong]

Anyway, are we done with the subject of the ROH and how they choose to reach out?

I don't think that this has much to do with the ROH "reaching out"

[Barbirollians]

To me the ROH seeking to reach out via Maestro is somewhat misguided but understandable . Treating their audience, musicians and the singers of such a fine revival of La Boheme as this was as badly as they did is a disgrace and an embarrassment.

Mind you funniest line I heard on Saturday was " I don't want them encouraging all these people to come and see the opera - it ishard enough to get tickets as it is "

[alywin]

If anyone says that conducting is just waving a baton around don't believe them.

Talking of which, I couldn't believe I'd missed out on the fact that Mariss Jansons is scheduled to give a lecture on conducting tomorrow afternoon (okay, today now) at LSO St. Luke's: http://www.barbican.org.uk/education...l.asp?ID=13222

[Barbirollians]

Well having watched the Maestro finalist's ActII I am happier than ever that I went to the bar early.

Crude conducting of generally adequate singers but the replacement Rofolfo was gritty and Mimi shrill .

[Prommer]

CR Horwood did well in the circs. One couldn't have expected more of him, or anyone coming to something like this from a standing start. The questions remain about the whole concept, whether it will actually pique people's interest in opera, and in particular about the ROH management's judgement in allowing this to happen in the middle of a professional performance. On the latter point, I remain a last ditcher.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

He did seem to have a degree of control, unlike in the previous Maestro, where Ms Perkins was clearly following the orchestra.

But as for the concept - it's naff, and a kick in the teeth for aspiring "real" conductors.

[MrGongGong]

But as for the concept - it's naff, and a kick in the teeth for aspiring "real" conductors.

It might be naff
but I can't see why it's a "kick in the teeth" for anyone
it's not as if they would have got this gig
and, like it or not (personally I'm not a fan) it has raised the consciousness of what conductors (apart from get paid at 1/2 time with a suitcase full of hard currency ) actually do amongst the wider public.