BBC opera season

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

This morning, on BBC 1 television Breakfast, there was an interview with some of the people involved in this project:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/426zsqlFGkGfw0pv266twZV/access-all-arias-with-a-new-season-of-opera-on-the-bbc

Predictably, the jolly/simpering Breakfast presenters did their usual deliberate display of ignorance, presumably to make their audience feel more relaxed. The 3 being interviewed made all the right noises, though with some excess of enthusiasm that some might not respond to. Finally, we heard the young opera singer performing unaccompanied.

I hope this will be a success, and just another topic that the BBC takes out of a box and goes on and on about for a couple of weeks, and then puts it back in the box and forgets about it for the next decade.

[Stanfordian]

This morning, on BBC 1 television Breakfast, there was an interview with some of the people involved in this project:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/426zsqlFGkGfw0pv266twZV/access-all-arias-with-a-new-season-of-opera-on-the-bbc

Predictably, the jolly/simpering Breakfast presenters did their usual deliberate display of ignorance, presumably to make their audience feel more relaxed. The 3 being interviewed made all the right noises, though with some excess of enthusiasm that some might not respond to. Finally, we heard the young opera singer performing unaccompanied.

I hope this will be a success, and just another topic that the BBC takes out of a box and goes on and on about for a couple of weeks, and then puts it back in the box and forgets about it for the next decade.

Hiya Eine Alpensinfonie,

This is the topic I mentioned on another thread this morning when I said: Oh, by the way I see Lucy Worsley is fronting a new BBC tv documentary series about the history of opera, in collaboration with the Royal Opera House. Another excuse to dress the doctor up in period clothes.

Knowing the BBC's obsession with celebrities I’m surprised that didn’t manage to get Worsley onto BBC breakfast telly this morning.

[Dave2002]

I hope this will be a success, and just another topic that the BBC takes out of a box and goes on and on about for a couple of weeks, and then puts it back in the box and forgets about it for the next decade.

Is that what you meant to write?

[french frank]

Is that what you meant to write?

Was the word 'not' omitted at some point?

Opera is the BBC's regular focus for attracting new audiences to … opera. Great idea, but it needs to be followed up with transmission of a live opera every week - or even every month - on BBC television to really build an audience; rather than expect a Great Awakening during the opera season when everyone gets excited about opera.

[Stanfordian]

Was the word 'not' omitted at some point?

Opera is the BBC's regular focus for attracting new audiences to … opera. Great idea, but it needs to be followed up with transmission of a live opera every week - or even every month - on BBC television to really build an audience; rather than expect a Great Awakening during the opera season when everyone gets excited about opera.

You are so right. Sadly live opera is not readily available to many people. The cinema broadcasts are often excellent although I would like to see productions staged from various houses not the just the usual one or two.

[Barbirollians]

Could you imagine them clearing the BBC2 schedules on a Thursday to show La Traviata as they did with Gheorghiu and Solti in 1995 ? Not in a million years even if two singers with the talents of Callas and Caruso were the leads .

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The season has been in development for the past three years and will take audiences behind the scenes to explore the social, political and historical context of major works. It will place world-class performances centre stage on screens and radio airways,

(From the Meeja Pack). And, from the "Science of Opera" link:

BBC Four will broadcast acclaimed performances of the Royal Opera House’s Otello and Brett Dean’s Hamlet from Glyndebourne.

BBC Radio 3 to run an ‘Opera Vote’, allowing listeners to choose one of four operas they’d like to hear broadcast in full that night.

BBC Radio 3, the regular home of opera at the BBC, will present an enriched opera offering with special programmes alongside its weekly opera offering.

I might need to visit Specsavers again, but I can't see anywhere that says what the "seven" Operas actually are?

[vinteuil]

I might need to visit Specsavers again, but I can't see anywhere that says what the "seven" Operas actually are?

... from ROH site -


"The exhibition reveals how the creation of a new opera can reflect the social, political, artistic and economic conversations that define cities, and the process of making opera from libretto to score, from design to performance. The cities and premieres explored are: Venice and Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea, 1642; London and Handel’s Rinaldo, 1711; Vienna and Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, 1786; Milan and Verdi’s Nabucco, 1842; Paris and Wagner’s Tannhäuser in its revised version, 1861; Dresden and Richard Strauss’s Salome, 1905; and St Petersburg and Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, 1934."

[Pulcinella]

According to today's Times:

Katie Derham will host the shows streamed from leading companies.

There's a good reason for me not to watch, then!

But hang on: this will keep us on the edge of our seats.

In a live-streaming first, researchers........will test whether a tenor really can shatter glass [sic; not 'a glass'] with the power of their voice.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... from ROH site -


"The exhibition reveals how the creation of a new opera can reflect the social, political, artistic and economic conversations that define cities, and the process of making opera from libretto to score, from design to performance. The cities and premieres explored are: Venice and Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea, 1642; London and Handel’s Rinaldo, 1711; Vienna and Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, 1786; Milan and Verdi’s Nabucco, 1842; Paris and Wagner’s Tannhäuser in its revised version, 1861; Dresden and Richard Strauss’s Salome, 1905; and St Petersburg and Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, 1934."

- so that means that the Otello and Hamlet broadcasts are additional to "The Seven"!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

According to today's Times:
Katie Derham will host the shows streamed from leading companies.
There's a good reason for me not to watch, then!
But hang on: this will keep us on the edge of our seats.
In a live-streaming first, researchers........will test whether a tenor really can shatter glass [sic; not 'a glass'] with the power of their voice.

The power of KD's voice would certain shatter glass around here - as I leapt through the windows to get away.

[teamsaint]

Is it fair to assume that this kind of approach to the subject has been run past focus groups etc, and been found to be what is wanted by the actual and potential audience for televised opera ?

[Lat-Literal]

BBC4 needs at least double the money - and then perhaps we will be getting somewhere. I agree with one opera every week and with proper information about the plots.

As for where this particular enterprise is being advertised: It is worthwhile contrasting the breakfast television presenters on all stations - including Mr Controversy, the clothes horses without persona, the confrontational infants who are now the most powerful in today's playground and the woman who looks like she is permanently furious - with the cartoon characters on the other sides. Some tips here - just visuals, no speech as that involves people's voices; not the ones that use ultra modern film techniques - god, that alien pixel scowl!; and certainly no children or indeed adults on the screen to reduce the elevation of the cartoon characters themselves. What you will find is the human reassurance one needs at that time in the morning - and which may similarly be found from the plastic snail in the kitchen and the sea creatures in the bathrooms with the smiley faces if you happen to have them. I know I do. They encapsulate the identifiable and appealing aspects of the middle and working classes of the past and even no doubt a sunny kind of opera on a sunny kind of day. Otherwise, it may be that morally Puccini etc should never cross over to the average car driver or home owner, unless she or he is willing to brave an occasional Hyde Park.