Opera on 3 12.02.2011 Nixon in China

[Daring Tripod]

I love this opera and for me it is very 'close to home' because I was in China immediately before, during and after the visit which came as a complete surprise, as you can imagine.

It is one of the few minimalist works which i do not lose patience with. I would love to see it staged.

I remember being made to sit through those endless performances of the wicked landlords being brought to justice by the heroic Chinese women ballet dancers who are probably making television sets now!

[Bryn]

I've got the study score of The Red Detachment of Women somewhere in the loft, DT, should you wish to borrow it some time. Oh, and that of Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy too.

[Flosshilde]

Having these days a very prickly attitude to opera, there being no end of musical, emotional, and social reasons why I might not enjoy an opera, ... I regretfully had to drop Meistersinger, for lack of female involvement.

I thought that female involvement was central to the Meistersinger? given that Eva is the 'prize' in the song contest.

[Quarky]

I thought that female involvement was central to the Meistersinger? given that Eva is the 'prize' in the song contest.

Yes you are perfectly correct Flosshilde, but as Mary Chambers said, in the discussion following Meistersinger performed at the Proms last year, it's all about a female, but a female seen through male eyes.

I would guess that the ratio of amount of singing by Men to amount of singing by Women in this opera is more than 10:1. Whereas the ring cycle in general tends to even things out.

[Daring Tripod]

Thanks very much for your kind offer Bryn. I even once brought back a scratchy old 78 of the 'Red detachment of women' once, lent it to a friend who broke the records! Once in Beijing our delegation actually were allowed on the stage to shake the hands of the cast! Memories.....

[bluestateprommer]

2 more reviews from this side of the pond to add to the collection here:

Justin Davidson, New York magazine: http://nymag.com/arts/classicaldance...reviews/71269/

Heidi Waleson, Wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...061887716.html

One surprise was that the "f-bomb" was left in the text, and very clearly belted out by Kathleen Kim as Chiang Ching. No warning that "this production contains scenes and language some viewers may find offensive. Viewer discretion is advised." I actually admire the Met for keeping it in.