Royal Opera's Ring Cycles

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  • Bert Coules
    Full Member
    • Nov 2010
    • 763

    Well, it's going to be Siegfried Through the Harp Strings. I phoned the theatre and was offered a restricted view seat at the side of the stalls circle made even more restricted than usual by the presence of harps in the adjacent box. "I was told by someone who was told by someone else," said the very helpful box office chap, "that it's not too bad when they're playing but a bit worse when they're not - or perhaps it was the other way round". We worked out between us that it probably is indeed the latter, since a harp stands upright when it's silent and gets slanted over backwards when it's in use.

    And because of the doubly restricted nature of the seat it was half-price: £30. By Covent Garden standards that's practically giving it away.

    It's a pity if the rear stalls circle standing places have indeed been scrapped: I saw entire Rings and a lot more besides from there, in my youth.

    Flosshilde: your puzzlement is explained by my habit of rewriting my messages after (sometimes just after) they're posted. As I've just done with this one, in fact. If the editing is carried out extremely quickly then the Last edited by... footnote doesn't get generated. Thanks for the sentiment as to my longevity; much appreciated.

    Bert
    Last edited by Bert Coules; 19-10-12, 11:10.

    Comment

    • David-G
      Full Member
      • Mar 2012
      • 1216

      Bert, congratulations on getting a seat! If you are minded to upgrade to a better one, I would suggest checking the website frequently in case a suitable one comes up. And if it does, I am sure you would have no trouble selling your £30 ticket to someone in a queue just before the performance.

      Comment

      • Howdenite
        Full Member
        • Nov 2010
        • 82

        It's a pity if the rear stalls circle standing places have indeed been scrapped
        Just a note - the rear stalls circle standing places haven't been scrapped, but they're sold in advance rather than held as day tickets. I often buy them, but always well in advance of the performance. They go very quickly! Normal operas have day tickets for side stalls circle, but day tickets are more restricted for the Ring than other operas.

        Comment

        • Flosshilde
          Full Member
          • Nov 2010
          • 7988

          Congratulations on the ticket - as you say, practically giving it away!

          Originally posted by Bert Coules View Post
          Flosshilde: your puzzlement is explained by my habit of rewriting my messages after (sometimes just after) they're posted. As I've just done with this one, in fact. If the editing is carried out extremely quickly then the Last edited by... footnote doesn't get generated. Thanks for the sentiment as to my longevity; much appreciated.

          Bert
          I'm still puzzled - when I saw your post, & clicked on the 'reply with quote' button, it lacked your final words; I thinlk it also lacked them in the box one types one's reply in, and they were still absent in your original post as it showed in the thread. Yet your post as quoted in my reply included them.
          I fear that it will take Sherlock Holmes to resolve the conundrum!

          Comment

          • Richard Tarleton

            I'm greatly enjoying it in the ROH, from the amphitheatre - the production much sharpened up from last time. Terfel - I take it all back, he's singing and acting marvellously. John Tom still magnificent, and got a great ovation - I'm looking forward to his Hagen. Susan Bullock is doing very well, not quite powerful enough from half way up the amphitheatre when singing against the full orchestra but her quieter moments are beautifully sung. Act 1 of Walkure was excellent, I thought.

            Can anyone who was there please explain what Loge was doing at the end of Rheingold? He appeared to be doing some cooking in a small copper saucepan over a spirit lamp, someone with binoculars said afterwards they thought they could see three eggs. A bit of symbolism too far.....

            Comment

            • Bert Coules
              Full Member
              • Nov 2010
              • 763

              Originally posted by David-G View Post
              Bert, congratulations on getting a seat! If you are minded to upgrade to a better one...
              Actually I'm now rather looking forward to what will surely be the somewhat surreal experience of watching an opera through the orchestra (or a bit of it) rather than over it.

              And with a bit of luck I might not be able to see the supertitles.

              Flosshilde, sorry I didn't fully grasp what had happened. I'm puzzled too.

              Bert

              Comment

              • Flosshilde
                Full Member
                • Nov 2010
                • 7988

                Just one of the idiosyncracies of the message board

                I hope you enjoy the harps!

                Comment

                • DracoM
                  Host
                  • Mar 2007
                  • 13005

                  Loved John Deathridge's talks about Siegfried. particularly - an opera I have always had a tendency to drift through. he showed us exactly why this is the fulcrum. Fascinating and brilliantly informed and careful to illustrate for US in a totally patronising way. And Donald Macleod knew exactly how to prompt him - a real working partnership.

                  Comment

                  • Flosshilde
                    Full Member
                    • Nov 2010
                    • 7988

                    Originally posted by DracoM View Post
                    careful to illustrate for US in a totally patronising way.
                    Is this what you meant to write? & did you mean United States, or were you just capitalising 'us'?

                    Comment

                    • DracoM
                      Host
                      • Mar 2007
                      • 13005

                      Capitalising. cf the appalling Met opera duo?

                      Can't stand Susan Bullock. Sounds completely out of her depth.

                      Comment

                      • Flosshilde
                        Full Member
                        • Nov 2010
                        • 7988

                        Don't forget - starting on Christmas eve the ROH Ring is broadcast one act a day at 4.30 (pm).

                        But shouldn't R3 have scheduled the broadcasts a bit earlier, so that Act 3 of Gotterdammerung would be tomorrow?

                        Comment

                        • DracoM
                          Host
                          • Mar 2007
                          • 13005

                          Erm....so sad to see that Rheingold Acts 2 and 3 are not getting aired this year.

                          Comment

                          • Flosshilde
                            Full Member
                            • Nov 2010
                            • 7988

                            When is Act 4 being broadcast then?

                            Comment

                            • DracoM
                              Host
                              • Mar 2007
                              • 13005

                              Well, now I am mystified. There I was thinking that Wagner wrote 5-act dramas like Shakespeare, but you say there are only four in Rheingold?
                              Or, to use BBC parlance on the iPlayer, we have different 'episodes' through the cycle.
                              Must be a real bummer for R3 that Rheingold is so long and without interval. All those good intentiosn to prevent stress and cofuision DM talks of in the tails...............


                              GGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

                              Comment

                              • Flosshilde
                                Full Member
                                • Nov 2010
                                • 7988

                                & a reduction in opportunities to tweet our thoughts about what Wotan should do - keep the ring? let Alberich keep it? Give it to the giants, or the Rhinemaidens?

                                Comment

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