Glyndebourne Festival 2014

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

As the current season draws to a close (with Billy Budd sailing off to the Proms), the 2014 season has just been unveiled:

http://www.opera-britannia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=991&Itemid=1

Robin Ticciati's first season as Music Director is heralded by a new production of Der Rosenkavalier, directed by Richard Jones. Intriguing. I've heard that the set designs are lavish.

A good, balanced season, with some fine casts assembling down at Château de Niese.

[Nick Armstrong]

Château de Niese.

It's not the casts that worry me, it's the damn directors/designers... (not directed at the 2014 crew as I haven't looked at your link yet)

[David-G]

For "Rinaldo", I shall try to book a restricted-view seat with the minimum possible view of the stage.

[verismissimo]

For "Rinaldo", I shall try to book a restricted-view seat with the minimum possible view of the stage.

It is a trial, DG. Wonderful music though. I shall close my eyes and think of...

[BBMmk2]

I'm going to put my neck out here, The only operas that interest me are the Handel and Tchaikovsky

[Dave2002]

For "Rinaldo", I shall try to book a restricted-view seat with the minimum possible view of the stage.

I don't think it's as "controversial" as this year's Ariadne or the Rameau. Most people seem to think the Ariadne was a disaster staging wise, though with some fabulous singing. Garsington's Entführung, with its football based plot was a bit wacky too, but it hung together much better than Glyndebourne's recent offerings.

PS - personally I would not recommend some of the restricted view seats, they provide a really weird and not terribly pleasant experience. They are of course cheaper, but I most certainly would rather pay more for a more comfortable day out.

[David-G]

"For "Rinaldo", I shall try to book a restricted-view seat with the minimum possible view of the stage."

I don't think it's as "controversial" as this year's Ariadne or the Rameau. Most people seem to think the Ariadne was a disaster staging wise, though with some fabulous singing. Garsington's Entführung, with its football based plot was a bit wacky too, but it hung together much better than Glyndebourne's recent offerings.

PS - personally I would not recommend some of the restricted view seats, they provide a really weird and not terribly pleasant experience. They are of course cheaper, but I most certainly would rather pay more for a more comfortable day out.

I really quite enjoyed the "Ariadne". The hospital setting might have been unorthodox - but I did find the production very sensitive to the music. And the whole concept of Ariadne is rather strange anyway. (But after seeing a previous Ariadne'e gorgeous costume in the Glyndebourne archive gallery, I did regret that our Ariadne just wore a dressing gown.) And as I have written before, I very much enjoyed the Rameau.

But for me, "Rinaldo" was in quite another class. It was simply appallingly terrible. It was ugly, it lacked colour and magic, the basic concept was infantile and served only to diminish the opera. I remember vividly the scene where Armida, furious at her rejection by Rinaldo, is in the dorm. She had to express her fury physically, and so ... she flung the pillow from the bed onto the floor! And then moved onto the next bed, and flung that pillow onto the floor! And to the next bed... And I thought, she is going to fling every pillow onto the floor! And so she did. I don't think I have ever seen such bathos on the operatic stage. And it was clear that the singer playing Armida believed in it no more than I did.

As I watched "Rinaldo", I experienced a strong sense of alienation, together with a feeling that my blood pressure was rising uncomfortably. I could perceive that the music and singing was glorious, but could take no enjoyment or delight in any of it. All I could think was ... when will this torture end? I could not put myself through that again. If I book for "Rinaldo" next year, I really am going to aim for the most restricted view that I can find. The standing position nearest the proscenium, or a slip seat very close to the proscenium, would do very well. (And would have the side benefit of allowing me to hear the glorious OAE to full advantage.)

[Dave2002]

I didn't realise you'd already seen Rinaldo. I did think that was also very weird, though I thought the singing was lovely. I don't think I'd want to hear that particular Glyndebourne production again, and I wouldn't put myself through the strain of trying the restricted view seats near the roof again - perhaps not even for anything, but certainly not for productions such as Rinaldo and Ariadne. There must be other productions elsewhere which one could look out for.

I just about coped with Falstaff, which I enjoyed, from the high up restricted view slips, and if that comes round again I might attend if I can get much better seats. We had much better seats for Ariadne this year, and the first half was enjoyable, but the second half was odd. Most people I talked to seemed to have ignored the stage, and maybe even just closed their eyes. The sound was glorious.

I suggest one of those eye masks they give out on aircraft for night flights.

[kuligin]

I am very suprised that Rinaldo is being revived, it was a real shocker of a production, my feeling was also, "however good the singing, I just wanted it to end." I had the same feeling iwith ENO Partenope and Opera North Orfeo. Productions that run completely counter to the music.

Best expressed in the latter case by David Fannings review "Not spitiing in the soup"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/opera/3663594/Not-just-spitting-in-the-soup-but-making-a-hash-of-the-main-course.html

Rinaldo was not as bad as the Orfeo, but a single conceit of the producer was imposed on the music whether it fitted or not, so subject to availability it will have to be the Tchaikovsky for me and perhaps Don Giovanni, is that the one with the dead horse?

[Nick Armstrong]

Nothing there which is likely to make me reconsider my reaction to the last visit:

I'm disinclined to set foot in an opera house for a long time.

I suspect only a revival of 'L'Enfant et les Sortilèges' could have tempted me....

[verismissimo]

Expect I'll go to Finta Giardiniera with OAE/Ticciati. It has the advantage of having a director I've never heard of.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

I suspect only a revival of 'L'Enfant et les Sortilèges' could have tempted me....

A DVD of that magical production arrived in today's post.

[Dave2002]

Can we figure out the best way to ruin La Traviata?

[Belgrove]

It is not a season that generates much excitement in truth. The only interest for me is Der Rosenkavalier, and that has become a work that I have fallen out of love with - until I start to listening to it again. I like Richard Jones' work, he is always true to the music and is intelligent - he makes one think. If anyone can make the stodgy 'comedy' of this work amusing, he can. Will it be set in the 1950's though? An even more attractive prospect is hearing the LPO tackling the score under Glyndebourne's new music director Ticciati. The LPO's playing of Ariadne was gorgeous.

The production of L'Enfant will surely be revived before long, it is one of the most fun filled, inventive and beguilingly beautiful things I have seen in the theatre. IGI, please let us know your views on the DVD, a purchase is approaching over the horizon I fear...

[Nick Armstrong]

Can we figure out the best way to ruin La Traviata?