Prom 19 (16.08.21) - To Soothe the Aching Heart

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:30 Monday 16 August 2021 ON TV
Royal Albert Hall

Francesca Caccini: La liberazione di Ruggiero – suite
Ludwig van Beethoven: Fidelio – ‘Abscheulicher! … Komm, Hoffnung, lass den letzten Stern’; Gott! welch Dunkel hier! … In des Lebens Frühlingstagen; ‘O namenlose Freude!’
Christoph Willibald Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice – ‘Che farò senza Euridice?’
Giacomo Puccini: La bohème – ‘Che gelida manina’; ‘Sì. Mi chiamano Mimì’; ‘Sì. Mi chiamano Mimì’
Georges Bizet: Carmen – overture; ‘La fleur que tu m’avais jetée’
George Frederic Handel: Rodelinda – ‘Io t'abbraccio’
Engelbert Humperdinck: Hansel and Gretel – ‘Der kleine Sandmann bin ich’; ‘Abends, will ich schlafen gehn’ ; ‘Abends, will ich schlafen gehn’
Leos Janáček: Jenůfa – closing scene


Sally Matthews soprano
Natalya Romaniw soprano
Nardus Williams soprano
Christine Rice mezzo-soprano
Nicky Spence tenor
Freddie De Tommaso tenor
BBC Philharmonic
Ben Glassberg conductor

An evening of opera excerpts on the themes of separation and reconciliation.

A host of British opera stars join Ben Glassberg and the BBC Philharmonic for a night rich in emotion and drama. After a year of lockdowns and social distancing, the themes of isolation and loneliness as well as the joy of reunion have particular poignancy in excerpts from much-loved operas including Handel’s Rodelinda, Beethoven’s Fidelio, Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel and Puccini’s La bohème.

[bluestateprommer]

Nice start to this Prom, with what sounds like a souped-up orchestration of Francesca Caccini's music from La liberazione di Ruggiero. FC is from about the same time as Claudio Monteverdi, but the orchestration does not sound completely of that time, and appears to have some anachronistic additions (hence the phrase "souped-up"). Sally Matthews is now sallying forth as Leonore, and sounds good.

[oddoneout]

I heard the Caccini but a programme of operatic arias (and operatic singers) isn't my cup of tea so the radio went off after that. It did cross my mind that the title and the blurb are not that dissimilar to some of the dumbtime offerings so wouldn't it be good if this Prom could be imposed on one of radio 1 or 2's late night/early morning offerings... preferably with a repeat as well in due course.

[Simon B]

While this Prom as a concept has evidently not generally met with the approval of many denizens of this messageboard, as one who was there my only real problem with it was that there wasn't enough of it.

All the performers overcame the fragmented nature of it creditably in the circumstances - which is to say only partly, as you can't.

The BBCPO may not be the ROH orchestra (notwithstanding some former members of the, er, former now being among the latter) but they did a good job of switching rapidly between the smorgasbord of styles required.

The Puccini excerpts were worth the admission fee alone IMV. I've heard Freddie de Tommaso once before and it turns out I wasn't imagining it. The genuine article of Italian tenor in voice, looks, demeanour, self assured stage presence, the lot. Don't see many of those these days. No doubt someone fortunate enough to have regularly seen Pavarotti or Franco Corelli on stage will pop up to relate how there's no comparison, especially given that FT is actually from Tunbridge Wells (no green ink in evidence).

It just wasn't long enough. Three sopranos and a mezzo on hand? Cough, Rosenkavalier Trio, cough. Wrong voice types? Well ok, but another 20 minutes of something would have been welcome.

So, too short and bitty, but with some excellent chunks. Bit like a musical Snickers then really. Or not.

[oddoneout]

While this Prom as a concept has evidently not generally met with the approval of many denizens of this messageboard, as one who was there my only real problem with it was that there wasn't enough of it.

All the performers overcame the fragmented nature of it creditably in the circumstances - which is to say only partly, as you can't.

The BBCPO may not be the ROH orchestra (notwithstanding some former members of the, er, former now being among the latter) but they did a good job of switching rapidly between the smorgasbord of styles required.

The Puccini excerpts were worth the admission fee alone IMV. I've heard Freddie de Tommaso once before and it turns out I wasn't imagining it. The genuine article of Italian tenor in voice, looks, demeanour, self assured stage presence, the lot. Don't see many of those these days. No doubt someone fortunate enough to have regularly seen Pavarotti or Franco Corelli on stage will pop up to relate how there's no comparison, especially given that FT is actually from Tunbridge Wells (no green ink in evidence).

It just wasn't long enough. Three sopranos and a mezzo on hand? Cough, Rosenkavalier Trio, cough. Wrong voice types? Well ok, but another 20 minutes of something would have been welcome.

So, too short and bitty, but with some excellent chunks. Bit like a musical Snickers then really. Or not.

I think it was an interesting idea and worth doing, so it's not disapproval from me, it's that opera isn't my thing. I have a couple of friends who enjoy this kind of concert , particularly if one or more of the performers is familiar to them, and I doubt they are alone in that liking.
Good to hear that you enjoyed it; better perhaps to finish wanting more than wishing something had been left out?

[Ein Heldenleben]

While this Prom as a concept has evidently not generally met with the approval of many denizens of this messageboard, as one who was there my only real problem with it was that there wasn't enough of it.

All the performers overcame the fragmented nature of it creditably in the circumstances - which is to say only partly, as you can't.

The BBCPO may not be the ROH orchestra (notwithstanding some former members of the, er, former now being among the latter) but they did a good job of switching rapidly between the smorgasbord of styles required.

The Puccini excerpts were worth the admission fee alone IMV. I've heard Freddie de Tommaso once before and it turns out I wasn't imagining it. The genuine article of Italian tenor in voice, looks, demeanour, self assured stage presence, the lot. Don't see many of those these days. No doubt someone fortunate enough to have regularly seen Pavarotti or Franco Corelli on stage will pop up to relate how there's no comparison, especially given that FT is actually from Tunbridge Wells (no green ink in evidence).

It just wasn't long enough. Three sopranos and a mezzo on hand? Cough, Rosenkavalier Trio, cough. Wrong voice types? Well ok, but another 20 minutes of something would have been welcome.

So, too short and bitty, but with some excellent chunks. Bit like a musical Snickers then really. Or not.

I recently heard the new Tomasso album of popular Italian arias. There is a comparison between him Pavarotti and Corelli . They were once in a generation Italian spinto tenors bought up from early days as choristers (certainly true of Pav) and voices like that are today sadly as rare as kryptonite. Possibly even rarer is an English born spinto tenor like FT who would have had nothing like the musical upbringing and background of the Italian tradition. He has a remarkable voice and a remarkable career (probably spent largely at the Met ) ahead of him. Whether he turns into another Pavorotti, Corelli or indeed Del Monaco is in the lap of the musical gods…

[LHC]

While this Prom as a concept has evidently not generally met with the approval of many denizens of this messageboard, as one who was there my only real problem with it was that there wasn't enough of it.

All the performers overcame the fragmented nature of it creditably in the circumstances - which is to say only partly, as you can't.

The BBCPO may not be the ROH orchestra (notwithstanding some former members of the, er, former now being among the latter) but they did a good job of switching rapidly between the smorgasbord of styles required.

The Puccini excerpts were worth the admission fee alone IMV. I've heard Freddie de Tommaso once before and it turns out I wasn't imagining it. The genuine article of Italian tenor in voice, looks, demeanour, self assured stage presence, the lot. Don't see many of those these days. No doubt someone fortunate enough to have regularly seen Pavarotti or Franco Corelli on stage will pop up to relate how there's no comparison, especially given that FT is actually from Tunbridge Wells (no green ink in evidence).

It just wasn't long enough. Three sopranos and a mezzo on hand? Cough, Rosenkavalier Trio, cough. Wrong voice types? Well ok, but another 20 minutes of something would have been welcome.

So, too short and bitty, but with some excellent chunks. Bit like a musical Snickers then really. Or not.

Thanks for the report Simon.

I wasn’t able to hear the prom last night, but am very much looking forward to the BBC Four relay on Thursday night. I’m particularly looking forward to seeing and hearing Freddie di Tomaso, who seems to me to be a really exciting prospect.

[Serial_Apologist]

Would anyone recommend a Prom consisting entirely of everybody's favourite passages of recitative? Or wold that be reserved as punishment in the hereafter for opera lovers?

[Barbirollians]

Thanks for the report Simon.

I wasn’t able to hear the prom last night, but am very much looking forward to the BBC Four relay on Thursday night. I’m particularly looking forward to seeing and hearing Freddie di Tomaso, who seems to me to be a really exciting prospect.

I really enjoyed it and Freddie Di Tomaso is some tenor !