Proms 38 & 39: West Side Story 11.08.18

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

15:30 & 20:00
Royal Albert Hall

Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story
concert performance

Sierra Boggess (Maria)
Ross Lekites (Tony)
Students from ArtsEd and Mountview.
John Wilson Orchestra
John Wilson (conductor)

West Side Story bursts with violent, sensual rhythms and big-hearted melodies. The music ranges from the touching innocence of 'I feel pretty' and 'Tonight' to the tension-fuelled 'Dance at the Gym' in conveying the trials of the ill-fated lovers, Tony and Maria, as they attempt to resolve the deep-rooted animosity between two warring communities on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

This rare performance of the theatre score (authorised concert version) features a top-flight cast, joined by an ensemble of students from leading London theatre schools.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

One Prom for the price of two.

[Pulcinella]

One Prom for the price of two.

But only one broadcast, so (yet again) the BBC's claim that all Proms are broadcast is not true.

[Bryn]

But only one broadcast, so (yet again) the BBC's claim that all Proms are broadcast is not true.

I might just try Arena day-queueing for the afternoon performance.

[zola]

But only one broadcast, so (yet again) the BBC's claim that all Proms are broadcast is not true.

Do you really want it on the radio twice ? They'll repeat it over Christmas anyway. And it'll be on TV.

[Pulcinella]

Do you really want it on the radio twice ? They'll repeat it over Christmas anyway. And it'll be on TV.

That's not the point, though, is it?
No, I don't want it twice, but I'd prefer them not to assert that every Prom is broadcast when that is not the case.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

That's not the point, though, is it?
No, I don't want it twice, but I'd prefer them not to assert that every Prom is broadcast when that is not the case.

They could get round this by giving the two identical concerts the same number. Ditto the Ten Pieces Proms.

[Pulcinella]

They could get round this by giving the two identical concerts the same number. Ditto the Ten Pieces Proms.

That might confuse the box office, though.

[bluestateprommer]

15:30 & 20:00
Royal Albert Hall

Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story
concert performance

Sierra Boggess (Maria) (***)

First, at the risk of picking nits, Sierra Boggess isn't singing Maria (earlier BBC News article about the situation here), hence the (***). Here's the cast for this pair of Proms (also in the Forum Calendar - I do put together all this information into the Forum Calendar for a reason ):

Mikaela Bennett (Maria)
Ross Lekites (Tony)
Eden Espinosa (Anita)
Leo Roberts (Riff)
Gian Marco Schiaretti (Bernardo)
Emma Kingston (Rosalia)
Laila Zaidi (Francisca)
Jocasta Almgill (Consuelo)
Christopher Jordan Marshall (Snowboy)
Alistair Brammer (Action)
Jack North (Baby John)
Michael Colbourne (Diesel)
Fra Fee (A-Rab)
Louise Alder, solo soprano ('Somewhere' - not quite sure what the BBC Proms listing means by this, but whatever)

Also, Forumites might find this NYT article of interest pre-this Prom:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/13/arts/music/bernstein-west-side-story-on-the-town-tanglewood-boston-pops.html

[kernelbogey]

The Radio 3 relay is at 2000.

[Serial_Apologist]

The one thing I remember Derek Bourgeois telling me is that the "Cool" fugue is twelve-tone row-based. Could have started a craze...

[Petrushka]

Louise Alder, solo soprano ('Somewhere' - not quite sure what the BBC Proms listing means by this, but whatever)

'Somewhere' is sung off-stage by 'A Girl' and presumably Louise Alder takes this part.

[Bryn]

Sounds decidedly four-square to me, so far. Don't this lot know that it don't mean a thing if . . .

[Ein Heldenleben]

The Tony and Maria sound very good but one of two of the cast sound a bit too operatic for my tastes including surprisingly the jets ensemble ....

[Bryn]

The Tony and Maria sound very good but one of two of the cast sound a bit too operatic for my tastes including surprisingly the jets ensemble ....

Agreed, and why can't this orchestra loosen up and ease off the beat a bit more? Also, why are Sid Ramin and Irwin Kostal not mentioned until the this Interval feature?