The Eternal Breakfast Debate in a New Place

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'm interested.

What? Where? How? Who?

[teamsaint]

I'm interested.

What? Where? How? Who?

WNO, Mayflower Southampton.
La Traviata.

Violetta Valéry - Georgia Jarman
Alfredo Germont - Leonardo Capalbo
Giorgio Germont - Alan Opie

Just a hugely enjoyable evening, much appreciated by an audience that appeared to contain many Italians !!

I may post one of my world famous Opera Reviews tomorrow.

Anyway, Jarman was superb, as were the others, the band was magnificent, and the show must have converted a few newbies to Italian opera.

Tweet me #teamsaintattheopera !!

Thanks for your continued interest .


(just for clarification, I know naff all about opera really, but I know a good night out when I have one !!)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

TS, if only the Breakfast presenters could learn something from your genuine enthusiasm. This morning, we were subjected to an apology for having to listen to opera over our toast - I'm really not making this up - but then we were served the inevitable Italia 90 Nessun Dorma.

But to apologise for this being too heavy? But maybe if they are beginning to offer their apologies, they could begin with their patronising pop-up presentation style.

[Black Swan]

TS, if only the Breakfast presenters could learn something from your genuine enthusiasm. This morning, we were subjected to an apology for having to listen to opera over our toast - I'm really not making this up - but then we were served the inevitable Italia 90 Nessun Dorma.

But to apologise for this being too heavy? But maybe if they are beginning to offer their apologies, they could begin with their patronising pop-up presentation style.

AE,

I heard it, I agree, had I not still been sleeping in a bit I would have been even more appalled.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It all reminds me of Uncle Mac and Children's Favourites.

Or perhaps Housewives' Choice.

But Radio 3's management would probably interpret this as a compliment.

[french frank]

But to apologise for this being too heavy? But maybe if they are beginning to offer their apologies, they could begin with their patronising pop-up presentation style.

I was going to suggest it was the special Live from Southbank style - R3 speaks to the nation. But would anyone be there, peeping behind the scenes, at 7am on a Sunday? Or was it R3 speaking to the people who had attended Southbank through the week and been paid to listen to Breakfast for a week?

It does appear, again, that this is a promotion to get new listeners. An alternative way would have been to have a presence at Southbank, engaging with potential listeners, but not actually serve it up for regular listeners as their radio listening.

[Black Swan]

I am wondering if we will future 'pop up' Glass Boxes in other venues? Sadly, It would not surprise me if this was the case.

[french frank]

I am currently listening to Breakfast and shall order my thoughts on it when it's finished.

I have a letter from 'Tony' in reply to one from me, in which he enthuses: " ' ... there's so much to look forward to - including a fortnight long residency at the South Bank centre in March and a complete Strauss opera project later in the year." Clearly, briefed by Radio 3. I shall attempt to précis views expressed on the 'residency', including Honoured Guest's, if he would care to sketch his views, in a reply - and attempting to state both sides of the argument fairly.

[I don't think the 'apology' for playing opera' was quite as stated by EA, however. But it was Nessun dorma following on from a piece of Nyman film music.]

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

[I don't think the 'apology' for playing opera' was quite as stated by EA, however. But it was Nessun dorma following on from a piece of Nyman film music.]

Well, it sounded like an apology to me:

It seems ages since we had some full-blooded Italian verismo on Breakfast. I know some of you are rather averse to operatic heft with your toast - but once in a while - and yesterday we had texts from two people who I suspect are up a lot earlier that the Radio 3 Breakfast team…

And they're still talking as much about themselves as the music. Karajan's ego was far more modest.

[french frank]

Well, it sounded like an apology to me:

And they're still talking as much about themselves as the music. Karajan's ego was far more modest.

Well, he was pointing out that some listeners aren't keen on verismo opera in the morning. Others are not keen on 'screeching sopranos'. Others aren't keen on Bach on the concert grand. Others aren't keen on HIPP ...

But overall, I was reminded of James Corden's message to John Humphrys re BBC Three: It's not for you. You shouldn't even be listening.

Although I 've heard worse than this morning's programme, it wasn't for me and I'm unlikely to be listening in the future - still only half the playlist on the website while there were 20-30 Radio 3 tweets going out with the hashtag southbankcentre in two hours. Again, looking to the great wide world rather than those who would want to be listening at home.

I really cannot see the rationale on a national station of publicising local music events when only an infinitesimal number of those listening would be in a position to attend. A concert in Devon, Edinburgh, Coupar, Norfolk two in the environs of the Lake District ... well, fancy that. Maybe 20 (50?) people out of half a million would be able and inclined to attend any of them, and the rest have to listen to all the announcements. This is Local Radio material.

[Wallace]

I just listened on the iplayer and I have to agree with EA.

I haven’t listened to Breakfast for over a year – indeed I no longer listen to Radio 3 between 0630 and 1830 apart from 1200-1400 (and I have to avoid that if the awful woman is on, munching her way smugly through the continuity announcements). Searching through this morning’s Breakfast broadcast in search of the apology I heard snatches which reconfirmed why I no longer listen. There is no resemblance at all to the Radio 3 with which I grew up. It was an appalling and shameful performance – commercial radio without the adverts. The Controller who created this is a disgrace and the new DG, if he cared, has had had long enough in post to have begun to stop the rot – we can only conclude that he considers all to be well. It is quite an indictment of him.

But perhaps it is not Radio 3 itself which is the problem. I think I am falling out with the modern world. There is almost nothing on the telly or in the papers which interest me. It all seems to be dumbed-down to a level at which there is little intellectual content. Instead I search You-Tube for old TV programmes – I am just about to start on Clark’s Civilisation. There is nothing like it on the TV these days. Meades is about the only TV presenter left who makes one think – because he provides an opinion and then leaves us to decide if we agree with him. The rest is such bland insipid stuff. But perhaps it reflects the modern world – or an old man’s perception of it. I feel I was lucky to have lived through a golden age in which the BBC felt it had a mission, as a public broadcaster, to set high standards Perhaps there are people in the BBC who still want to do this but are prevented by our philistine politicians. Maybe we get what we vote for.

I don’t know how FF can summon up the energy to keep her campaigning on track. The battle for Radio 3 is lost and in the next 10 years I think we might see the whole of the BBC go down the tubes. The decriminalization of non-payment of the licence fee will be the trigger for the next stage of the decline and the move to a pay to view service. And perhaps it won’t be much of a loss given the current mediocrity. I won’t be here to miss it but I was glad to have lived through a golden age of public service broadcasting.

[Don Petter]

It was an appalling and shameful performance – commercial radio without the adverts.

Excellent post, with all of which I empathise. Unfortunately R3 is hardly 'commercial radio without the adverts', as it is now very much full of its own self-adverts.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Well, he was pointing out that some listeners aren't keen on verismo opera in the morning. Others are not keen on 'screeching sopranos'. Others aren't keen on Bach on the concert grand. Others aren't keen on HIPP ...

All true, but I wish the presenters would stick to the music and not prattle on about what someone else might think. It's like people who spend their lives trying to be popular.

After 9.00 a.m. we had the presenter "justifying" Roger Norrington's Mozart 40. Why? Let the music speak, rather than giving pre-conceptions - "this isn't everyone's cup of tea".

[Don Petter]

All true, but I wish the presenters would stick to the music and not prattle on about what someone else might think. It's like people who spend their lives trying to be popular.

Agreed.

After 9.00 a.m. we had the presenter "justifying" Roger Norrington's Mozart 40. Why? Let the music speak, rather than giving pre-conceptions - "this isn't everyone's cup of tea".

Mind you, there have been many complaints that everything now tends to be described (before and after) by a string of superlatives, whatever the actual quality. Perhaps explaining why something to come 'isn't everyone's cup of tea' is a glimmer of light in the right direction?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

. Perhaps explaining why something to come 'isn't everyone's cup of tea' is a glimmer of light in the right direction?

Sure nothing is going to be everyone's cup of tea?