Britten

[silvestrione]

Yes, I agree Ronay is a very good sports writer, ranging from hilarious to trenchant, and managing to keep an even keel, morally, in, what he will often remind you is, a suspect world. Therefore I think his response here is valuable, hard-hitting, honest and direct. I have not seen this production, but it does make me suspect that it is in the current trend of a director intervening unsubtly. An onstage rape!

[oliver sudden]

I suspected the same until I read the other reviews. Would very much welcome input from anyone who’s seen it!

[Master Jacques]

Yes, I agree Ronay is a very good sports writer, ranging from hilarious to trenchant, and managing to keep an even keel, morally, in, what he will often remind you is, a suspect world. Therefore I think his response here is valuable, hard-hitting, honest and direct. I have not seen this production, but it does make me suspect that it is in the current trend of a director intervening unsubtly. An onstage rape!

The trouble is, that this particular reviewer doesn't have the experience to separate the production from the work. In a word, he didn't prepare himself for the experience by doing any homework, expecting to be spoon-fed as a modern "consumer". This is the curse of lazy, modern opera-going and opera-production. Added to which, the music clearly meant nothing to him whatsoever. He had not the faintest inkling of the musical masterwork he was there to experience. As a result his silly pensées are not worth reading, a classic example of the superficial, arrogant bigotry of populist journalism.

[Ein Heldenleben]

The trouble is, that this particular reviewer doesn't have the experience to separate the production from the work. In a word, he didn't prepare himself for the experience by doing any homework, expecting to be spoon-fed as a modern "consumer". This is the curse of lazy, modern opera-going and opera-production. Added to which, the music clearly meant nothing to him whatsoever. He had not the faintest inkling of the musical masterwork he was there to experience. As a result his silly pensées are not worth reading, a classic example of the superficial, arrogant bigotry of populist journalism.

Yes indeed . You wouldn’t go to a football match without understanding the rules would you ? It’s an insult really.

Extraordinary the way Britten gets inside the James tale and produces something even more creepy. Just one tiny detail - Those demonic piano scales that Miles practises …rings true for any child pianist made to endure them.
Can’t hear the words “easy to take “ without shuddering.

[Hitch]

The days of Neville Cardus seem far away.

[Pulcinella]

Curlew River on BBC4 on 17 November 2024, and then on iPlayer.

https://www.thetimes.com/article/18a2b5e3-d875-4f0d-bdb9-47b9adee8dc7?shareToken=d839dcaa7cabd99b63bd63747ec9fb96

[smittims]

Mr Bostridge has all my sympathy. It was a terrible discourtesy towards the hard work an artist puts into his performance.

Was anyone there? I see contradictory accounts here. The headlines tell us he 'lost his rag' and was driven 'hopping mad' but the body of the article tells us he merely 'asked' the audience not to use thier phones.

I'm relieved to see the CBSO management seem to have realised they went too far in inviting audience members to use their phones during the performance. But I don't think their revised request will stop the rot now. I expect many people attending their first concert have seen the stupid antics at the Last Night of theProms and think it is normal. It soon will be. No wonder fewer music lovers are going to concerts. I wouldn't. I've even reduced my rail travelling because of this nuisance,and the refusal of rail staff to enforce the 'quiet coach' rules.