Proms 2013: advance info

[Nick Armstrong]

If this does indeed turn out to be the case then it really is 'anniversary overkill'. I've adored Wagner's music for over 40 years but a schedule like that is madness.

Quite. They'd better have St John's Ambulance reinforcements around the arena if it's a warm summer.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Non-Wagnerians will be thrilled!

Exactly, especially as we're not getting a single Verdi opera. <harrumph>

I understand there will be some 'gala concerts' to commemorate the Verdi bicentenary. They'd better be well cast.

[Nick Armstrong]

Exactly, especially as we're not getting a single Verdi opera. <harrumph>

What the Lord giveth...

I understand there will be some 'gala concerts' to commemorate the Verdi bicentenary. They'd better be well cast.

... the Lord taketh away

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

[Flosshilde]

According to Intermezzo:- Tristan (Bychkov) is on 27 and Parsifal (Elder) on 29 July. Tannhaüser on 4th August too (RD Smith and Runnicles). Will it be safe (psychological - health/well being) to go to the Ring (22-28 July) as well as these two? One of the comments - "Non-Wagnerians will be thrilled! ".
http://intermezzo.typepad.com/interm...7eea0ec470970d

It's no more than one would (or could) do at Bayreuth, surely? -

Thursday 25. July, 06:00 PM Der fliegende Holländer
Friday 26. July, 06:00 PM Das Rheingold
Saturday 27. July, 04:00 PM Die Walküre
Monday 29. July, 04:00 PM Siegfried
Wednesday 31. July, 04:00 PM Götterdämmerung
Thursday 01. August, 04:00 PM Tannhäuser
Friday 02. August, 04:00 PM Lohengrin

(although admittedly the Ring isn't inter-leaved with other operas)

[Colonel Danby]

I love the piece too Jayne, and have on record John Ogdon with Colin Davis, Martin Tirimo with the composer conducting and as you have, the CD with Shelley and Hickox on Chandos. I even went down to London for the "one off" performance at the Barbican by Klang Klang a few years ago: a decent account, but I wish that he had taken the trouble to record it at the same time.

There seems to be something of a problem with critical appreciation of Tippett's work since his death, which is a little disappointing because so much of his music is intensely beautiful. I do find some of the later works a tad more difficult to get to know, but I think that is my fault and I continue to plug away with the opera 'Ice Break' and the 3rd Symphony and one day I'll crack it.

But 'Midsummer Marriage' is an out and out masterpiece, I've got Sir Col and the Covent Garden forces of course on Lyrita, but if the rumours are true that it will be performed at the Prom this year then there is cause for great rejoicing.

Oh no, ff - the Piano Concerto is gorgeous but needs sensitive, carefully-balanced playing and good recorded sound; maybe try again? Go for the Chandos one with Hickox/Shelley/BSO, set graciously and spaciously in the Winter Gardens. I love the piece and think it one of his finest creations. It was inspired by hearing a Walter Gieseking rehearsal of the first movement of Beethoven's G Major. This gave Tippett the idea for "a contemporary concerto" which used the piano for its "poetic capabilities". It speaks the language of Midsummer Marriage, and the piano is delicately threaded through the first movement which is full of highly original textural and structural features. A tranquillo slow movement of great emotional depth balanced by a rhythmically lively, jazzy finale. For me it's a "what more do you want" piece.

Stick with it, it'll come to you if you do...

[bluestateprommer]

According to Intermezzo:- Tristan (Bychkov) is on 27 and Parsifal (Elder) on 29 July.

There is another source that gives a different date for the projected Parsifal at The Proms this summer:

http://www.wagnersocietymanchester.co.uk/Mar%202013.pdf

"Parsifal at the Proms

According to a 'well-placed source' there will be a performance of Parsifal by the Halle Orchestra, conducted by Sir Mark Elder, on Sunday August 25th. If you are interested in a Manchester Wagner Society trip to this (either just to buy tickets together or as a package including transport and travel) please give your name to the Secretary."

Not to make correlations where none exist, but given that Sir Mark is the Patron of the Wagner Society Manchester, one wonders about the identity of that "well-placed source". But if nothing else, for reasons that Petrushka and Caliban alluded to, having Parsifal on that August Sunday makes perfect sense. The date fron the post on Intermezzo, July 29, would be much more problematic, because July 29, 2013 is a Monday. It'll be necessary to allocate almost 6 hours for this Prom, which would probably dictate a start around 4 PM or so. To do that on a Monday would be horrifically difficult, in terms of allowing people to get off work to get to the RAH and avoid burning vacation time. A Sunday would be much less trouble.

Found yet one more tidbit (and I think my well is running dry), c/o the Royal Philharmonic Society, for a newly commissioned work by Mark-Anthony Turnage:

http://royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk/index.php/rps_bicentenary_2013/bicentenary_commissions/bicentenary_commission_for_mark_anthony_turnage

"Turnage's new work, Frieze, co-commissioned by the RPS, BBC Radio 3 and New York Philharmonic, will receives its world premiere at the BBC Proms this summer alongside Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Performed by the National Youth Orchestra and National Youth Choirs of Great Britain under Vasily Petrenko, the concert will be this year’s free Prom."

[EnemyoftheStoat]

... if the rumours are true that it will be performed at the Prom this year then there is cause for great rejoicing.

Rejoice greatly.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Exactly, especially as we're not getting a single Verdi opera.

Is that definite?

[bluestateprommer]

OK, one more Proms rabbit out of the hat, tentatively, namely on the first weekend:

http://blogtorwho.blogspot.com/2013/04/doctor-who-at-proms-2013.html

"As part of the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary celebrations, the BBC are planning another Doctor Who Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London later this year, DavidTennantOnTwitter.com has revealed.

Forming part of the BBC Proms 2013, there will be two performances, one on the evening of Saturday 13 July and another during the morning on Sunday 14 July. This is the first time since 2010 that there has been a Doctor Who presence at the event."

DTOT.com was briefer (fitting for Twitter, even by proxy):

http://www.davidtennantontwitter.com/DT.html

"The Doctor Who Proms will be on the evening of Saturday 13th and the morning of Sunday 14 July this year. (It is unlikely to involve David Tennant.)"

[NOTE: old list snipped, updated in post below.]

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

So bits and pieces of 18 Proms for the 2013 season assembled here. Just a little over 2 days remains for any last minute finds. Then we'll finally see how in/accurate all this was.

Have we discussed Glyndebourne yet? I'd be very surprised if it wasn't Billy Budd they were bringing, Tuesday 27th August being the most likely date.

[Mahler's3rd]

Hi Il Grande Inquisitor, your right it's Billy Budd on Tuesday 27th according to Mark Padmore's Calender duly attached

http://www.markpadmore.com/concerts.aspx?page=6&y=2013&m=8&hl=8210

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Tippett's The Midsummer Marriage will be on 16th August..

Good news - the Vienna Phil returns to the Proms with Bruckner 8. The bad news... Lorin Maazel conducts.

And our operatic guest for the Last Night?

Joyce DiDonato

And is conducted by... Marin Alsop.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Is that definite?

Sadly, yes.

[Barbirollians]

Is Argerich coming this year - I see she is due in Manchester on 12th July playing the Shostakovich Concerto No 1 .

Yet more excitingly she has three performances of a work new to her repertoire - K 271 with Abbado planned for this autumn !!!