BaL 31.10.20 - Janáček: The Cunning Little Vixen

[verismissimo]

I caught Simon Rattle's Vixen at Glyndebourne in 1977. Stunning (altogether). My first Vixen. He was 22.

And his La fedelta premiata there in 1980 at the advanced age of 25. Lit a fuse for Haydn's operas - still with me.

[LHC]

You're most welcome –I'm delighted to share it with the caveat about the so-so sound and vision. By the way, do you by any chance have the TV relay of Rattle's ROH Vixen from when it was brand new (it was broadcast on BBC Two on Christmas Day, 1990)? I grabbed it on VHS at the time but it seems to have disappeared. That's another one that deserves circulation.

I have a copy of the Rattle ROH production, including Julian Pettifer’s introduction for the BBC showing. Looking again at the DVD transfer I made a few years ago, and the picture and sound quality is better than I expected for a VHS recording.

[Bryn]

I have a copy of the Rattle ROH production, including Julian Pettifer’s introduction for the BBC showing. Looking again at the DVD transfer I made a few years ago, and the picture and sound quality is better than I expected for a VHS recording.

Excellent news. Now to find a way of sharing what you have.

[LHC]

Excellent news. Now to find a way of sharing what you have.

Happy to share, but I’m not particularly tech-savvy, unlike some here, and would struggle to create a copy suitable for uploading to YouTube or other sites. I can provide a copy on DVD for anyone better placed to upload it, or who just wants a copy.

[makropulos]

Here is the Pountney WNO Vixen, conducted by Richard Armstrong, as broadcast on BBC Two in 1983. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY2uMB9waIk&feature=youtu.be

[makropulos]

I have a copy of the Rattle ROH production, including Julian Pettifer’s introduction for the BBC showing. Looking again at the DVD transfer I made a few years ago, and the picture and sound quality is better than I expected for a VHS recording.

This is great news. Let's see if we can get this shared –I've sent you a private message.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Here is the Pountney WNO Vixen, conducted by Richard Armstrong, as broadcast on BBC Two in 1983. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY2u...ature=youtu.be

Thanks very much . That is very kind of you. This production was one of the last productions that WNO took on tour to Plymouth (17th Oct 2019 ) in the days when we were allowed out to the opera.That performance was excellent with Aoife Miskelly (I think ) a very winning vixen both vocally and visually.

[Nick Armstrong]

It was literally the best 30p I've ever spent on a ticket.

[Ein Heldenleben]

In answer to Makropolus (nice BAL btw, many thanks), I’ve seen it three times. Rattle at the ROH (1990?), Jurowski at Glyndebourne (2012) and Rattle again in 2019, in the semi-staged performance on which the latest recording is based. Sadly, I always feel short-changed by Janacek’s stage works, despite my sensing that I ought to like them, and trying time and time again to do so. I’m never transcended or moved by what others claim as being transcendental moments- it just doesn’t click. The ROH production was spectacular (a huge wheel representing the passage of the seasons), the Glyndebourne was twee, the Barbican had left-field but interesting video accompaniments, directed by Peter Sellars. All were musically distinguished (Jurowski drew almost feral sounds from the LPO), and the LSO played a forensically detailed account of the score for Rattle. I contemplated getting the Rattle as a memento, but concluded that I’d be unlikely to play it often enough to justify the purchase, especially since the Mackerras is already on the shelves.

Wondering whether you ever caught the Glyndebourne Jenufa ? I saw that in revival done by the touring company and in fifty years of opera-going it remains an all time highlight. Up there with Domingo in Otello, The Goodall Ring , the La Scala Abbado Simon Boccanegra . It was one of those nights when everything came together , singers , acting , conducting - that happens so rarely . The main house production may have been even better. There was a recent ROH Katya which wasn’t shabby either - Michael Tanner thought it was His best night ever in the Opera ( or some similar superlative ).

[makropulos]

Thanks very much . That is very kind of you. This production was one of the last productions that WNO took on tour to Plymouth (17th Oct 2019 ) in the days when we were allowed out to the opera.That performance was excellent with Aoife Miskelly (I think ) a very winning vixen both vocally and visually.

So glad you like it. I saw that Vixen with Aoife Miskelly in Cardiff and enjoyed it hugely (even more so in retrospect given how much opera-going we can do at the moment). It's amazing the production is still looking so fresh after 40 years, and only with minimal bits of refurbishment.

[Bryn]

So glad you like it. I saw that Vixen with Aoife Miskelly in Cardiff and enjoyed it hugely (even more so in retrospect given how much opera-going we can do at the moment). It's amazing the production is still looking so fresh after 40 years, and only with minimal bits of refurbishment.

Very welcome, to be sure, but I must admit that I had hoped to be able to save it to a USB memory stick via Video DownloadHelper to plug into my television for convenient viewing. However, the particular format employed frustrates this.

[makropulos]

Wondering whether you ever caught the Glyndebourne Jenufa ? I saw that in revival done by the touring company and in fifty years of opera-going it remains an all time highlight. Up there with Domingo in Otello, The Goodall Ring , the La Scala Abbado Simon Boccanegra . It was one of those nights when everything came together , singers , acting , conducting - that happens so rarely . The main house production may have been even better. There was a recent ROH Katya which wasn’t shabby either - Michael Tanner thought it was His best night ever in the Opera ( or some similar superlative ).

I saw the Glyndebourne Jenufa in the main house and on tour. Agree with you that it was pretty outstanding (both times). Likewise the ROH Katya last year, though that didn't erase memories of the ENO Katya in 1973 (Mackerras, Lorna Haywood et al) which was utterly marvellous from a musical point of view, and a lovely production. The UK has been very lucky with Janacek productions over the years –and very much not just in London. For instance, the Opera North revival of Katya last year (on at about the same time as the ROH Katya) was very fine, and WNO have done a lot of outstanding Janacek, from the 1970s onwards with Armstrong, Mackerras and now Tomas Hanus (among others). Several of the earlier ones were co-productions with Scottish Opera (those were the days). And so on. I count myself very lucky to have seen so many of these productions.

[makropulos]

Very welcome, to be sure, but I must admit that I had hoped to be able to save it to a USB memory stick via Video DownloadHelper to plug into my television for convenient viewing. However, the particular format employed frustrates this.

See Private message, Bryn.

[LHC]

I saw the Glyndebourne Jenufa in the main house and on tour. Agree with you that it was pretty outstanding (both times). Likewise the ROH Katya last year, though that didn't erase memories of the ENO Katya in 1973 (Mackerras, Lorna Haywood et al) which was utterly marvellous from a musical point of view, and a lovely production. The UK has been very lucky with Janacek productions over the years –and very much not just in London. For instance, the Opera North revival of Katya last year (on at about the same time as the ROH Katya) was very fine, and WNO have done a lot of outstanding Janacek, from the 1970s onwards with Armstrong, Mackerras and now Tomas Hanus (among others). Several of the earlier ones were co-productions with Scottish Opera (those were the days). And so on. I count myself very lucky to have seen so many of these productions.

Simon Rattle's performances of Katya at ENO in 1986 were also wonderful, and up there for some of my greatest nights at the opera. Eilene Hannan sang Katya, and the cast included Patrick Power, John Treleavan Kenneth Woollam, Ann Howard and Cynthia Buchan. I was working as an usher at ENO at the time, having recently returned to London from University, and so was lucky enough to see every performance. I still have a tape of the Radio 3 broadcast somewhere.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I saw the Glyndebourne Jenufa in the main house and on tour. Agree with you that it was pretty outstanding (both times). Likewise the ROH Katya last year, though that didn't erase memories of the ENO Katya in 1973 (Mackerras, Lorna Haywood et al) which was utterly marvellous from a musical point of view, and a lovely production. The UK has been very lucky with Janacek productions over the years –and very much not just in London. For instance, the Opera North revival of Katya last year (on at about the same time as the ROH Katya) was very fine, and WNO have done a lot of outstanding Janacek, from the 1970s onwards with Armstrong, Mackerras and now Tomas Hanus (among others). Several of the earlier ones were co-productions with Scottish Opera (those were the days). And so on. I count myself very lucky to have seen so many of these productions.

I wonder why we do Janacek so well. The Mackerras influence or do we Just produce the right sort of voices ? It’s interesting I’ve had plenty of disappointing Verdi nights at both ENO and ROH but I have never seen a duff Janacek production in years of ENO, WNO , GTO , and ROH productions of Katya , Jenufa , Vixen .
However I was forced through illness to give my ROH From The House Of The Dead to my Son . He rang me up rather annoyed “Dad - they set it in a basketball court ! ” Well sung though...