BaL 15.11.14 - Rossini: William Tell

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Perhaps the serious operas of Rossini are an acquired taste. I love them, and I thought it was an excellent BAL.

I found it fascinating, having little previous knowledge of the work.

[Flosshilde]

Perhaps the serious operas of Rossini are an acquired taste. I love them, and I thought it was an excellent BAL.

It's a pity that side of his output isn't encountered more often; there's a lot more to him than the handful of comic operas usually put on.

[Don Basilio]

Perhaps the serious operas of Rossini are an acquired taste. I love them, and I thought it was an excellent BAL.

Sorry to think that our Caliban still has to develop the necessary sensibilities...

I was struck how different it is from Rossini's other operas, even his serious ones. Only three solo arias with no cabalettas.

And I felt suitably smug to have the Gardelli already. I must listen to it before it is put on at ROH next year. (I was amused at Mr Osborne describing one version of Tell's aria addressed to his son before he shoots the arrow as "Keep calm. This won't hurt." The other solos are for Matilde - often cut I understand - and Arnold - a Pavarotti wow. There is also an aria for the mezzo son in the appendix of the Gardelli recording not mentioned.)

Mr Osborne made no reference whatever to the final gallop of the overture. We don't want to think this work is hopelessly frivolous.

[Beef Oven!]

At least I tried...

I didn't even bother. There's no point to this work.

[visualnickmos]

I didn't even bother. There's no point to this work.

Blimey - you don't take any prisoners!

[Beef Oven!]

Blimey - you don't take any prisoners!

I do try to be open-minded about music, but this opera is dire, whichever way you look at it!

Apart from the Norman Wisdom rendition of the overture

[visualnickmos]

...Apart from the Norman Wisdom rendition of the overture

Now you're talking!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

…and the Kenneth Williams rendition in "Raising the Wind".

[Keraulophone]

This opera is dire...apart from the Norman Wisdom rendition of the overture

Unsurprised to have my soporific reaction to this tedious work confirmed.

Chomsky believes The Lone Ranger version of the overture to be anarcho-syndicalist. :rolleyes:

[aeolium]

Perhaps the serious operas of Rossini are an acquired taste. I love them, and I thought it was an excellent BAL.

I agree, vinteuil and I find the negative responses on this thread depressing. Anyone can dislike a work, or a particular style of composition, but to bang on about it in a thread supposedly about different interpretations of the music seems quite pointless and irritating to those who are interested in responses to the content of the programme. I wonder if anyone who claims to find the music dull has ever watched or listened to a complete performance (the extracts in the BaL probably accounting for little more than a tenth of the whole if that). And while people who are enthusiastic about a piece of music can often express their enthusiasm in very different ways, there is a terrible sameness about the responses of those who are bored by it or dislike it: "dire", "rubbish", "tedious" etc etc, without saying anything about the music other than their own negative reaction.

Fortunately the reviewer Richard Osborne was able to communicate his enthusiasm for the work (and also for Berlioz's commentary on it, Berlioz having initially rejected Rossini's music as formulaic and frivolous but later valuing some of the works highly). I wish the BaL could have been longer, to allow listeners to hear some of the fine choruses which were such a powerful feature of the recent WNO performance which I saw last month. I also thought RO could have made more of the opera's problems with the censors particularly in Italy, as the theme of a heroic resistance figure fighting for independence against Austrian oppression was a risky one in an Italy under Habsburg suzerainty and effectively controlled by Metternich. But I thought RO's explanation of the superiority of the French version over the Italian one was very clear, as he showed how the rhythm of the music in the French version was disrupted because of too many syllables in the Italian translation. He also dismissed earlier recordings because they were so heavily cut. I thought he was rather harsh on the Pappano recording, which I have, in attacking the cuts Pappano made since they were cuts that were sanctioned by Rossini himself (see the link below). But I couldn't complain about RO's choice, given the quality of the singing of Bacquier and Caballé (though I also thought that the orchestra and chorus of the WNO in the performance I saw was if anything better than the forces under Gardelli).

Ultimately I feel that to be properly appreciated, the opera needs to be seen in a French version with few cuts. Only then can it be seen how the twin romantic themes of the natural world and the struggle for liberty come together in Act 4, with the climax "Tout change et grandit en ces lieux". Here, to answer the naysayers with their clips of joke performances of the "Lone Ranger", is Antonio Pappano:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jul/15/antonio-pappano-william-tell-proms

[jean]

I agree, vinteuil and I find the negative responses on this thread depressing. Anyone can dislike a work, or a particular style of composition, but to bang on about it in a thread supposedly about different interpretations of the music seems quite pointless and irritating to those who are interested in responses to the content of the programme. I wonder if anyone who claims to find the music dull has ever watched or listened to a complete performance (the extracts in the BaL probably accounting for little more than a tenth of the whole if that). And while people who are enthusiastic about a piece of music can often express their enthusiasm in very different ways, there is a terrible sameness about the responses of those who are bored by it or dislike it: "dire", "rubbish", "tedious" etc etc, without saying anything about the music other than their own negative reaction...

Agreed - what a very depressing thread this has turned into!

I have not heard this BAL yet because I was away from home to hear the WNO's fine production of the work. I don't think it's finished touring yet - it's worth going a long way to see:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/sep/14/william-tell-review-welsh-national-opera-rossini

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/opera/11094073/Guillaume-Tell-WNO-review-bravo.html

[visualnickmos]

I wouldn't necessarily go so far as saying the thread has become depressing. It must be said that if people are just not attracted by the work in question for whatever reason, they can express that, with exactly the same 'freedom' as anyone expressing delight and enthusiasm.

On a purely personal note, I don't think anyone is criticising the presentation of this BaL, (I haven't read every single posting, mind) just quite a lot of us are not in the least tempted by the work. OK - I know you can't judge a meal on just the menu (read "extracts played") but there has to be something there that looks tasty if one is to be tempted into the restaurant.

I thought it was an excellent BaL, but just found nothing in the work in question. As for Rossini, I love most of what I've heard of his other operas and some choral works.

Therefore, I don't think the expressions of negativity are too damaging! Hope not...... How was the WNO production? I hope you enjoyed it. Maybe if I'd been fortunate enough to see it myself, I would have loved it. One would hope so. I like to give everything a damn good try before saying 'hit' or 'miss!'

[Flosshilde]

I agree, vinteuil and I find the negative responses on this thread depressing. Anyone can dislike a work, or a particular style of composition, but to bang on about it in a thread supposedly about different interpretations of the music seems quite pointless and irritating ...

Especially as some of those negative comments gave very little reason for their dislike. & I do wonder why Caliban, who has (I think) expressed a dislike of opera in general, chose to listen to a BaL about opera?

[Nick Armstrong]

I keep hoping the penny will drop! I do like to keep an open mind ....but I will also speak as I find !

[visualnickmos]

I keep hoping the penny will drop! I do like to keep an open mind ....but I will also speak as I find !

Can't say fairer than that. Honesty is the best policy...