Prom 34 (31.08.21) - Wagner’s Tristan & Isolde

[Ein Heldenleben]

No second-interval comments? While I can't claim to have been giving this my absolutely undivided attention my impression so far is of a perfectly decent performance, though the end of act one felt a shade muddled, with a couple of key moments not quite having the weight they perhaps deserved, and the same true of the lead-up to extinguishing the signal-torch in act two: but I stress that this is a purely personal and possibly unfair impression.

I believe it's semi-staged, as at the theatre, and I wish I could see it: I'm a big fan of that kind of presentation which frequently seems to me to get closer to the dramatic heart of operas (and indeed, some plays) than can a problematic, distracting, and just plain annoying full staging.

But staged, semi-staged, stand-and-deliver concert rendition, or purely aural experience, I can't recall a single occasion when my heart didn't sink at the moment King Mark opens his mouth in act two: I have yet to be convinced that his endless monologue (and to only a slightly lesser extent his similarly protracted utterances in act three) is anything but a massive dramatic miscalculation on Wagner's part.

Yes it’s too long - though well sung tonight . I think the Tristan is tiring a bit…

[Bert Coules]

I think the Tristan is tiring a bit…

Understandably so, of course, and true of a great many takers of the role. Remedios lasted well (and sang superbly and often very lyrically) at the Coli, and Jess Thomas was so spell-bindingly good dramatically at the Garden (with Dvorakova) that the state of his voice was completely irrelevant. I wish I'd seen Vickers.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Understandably so, of course, and true of a great many takers of the role. Remedios lasted well (and sang superbly and often very lyrically) at the Coli, and Jess Thomas was so spell-bindingly good dramatically at the Garden (with Dvorakova) that the state of his voice was completely irrelevant. I wish I'd seen Vickers.

Oh dear he’s pulled out of act 3 and is acting with Melot now singing the role . Tristan not being able to do act 3 has happened at two Tristans I have been to at Covent Garden in the past.

[Petrushka]

But staged, semi-staged, stand-and-deliver concert rendition, or purely aural experience, I can't recall a single occasion when my heart didn't sink at the moment King Mark opens his mouth in act two: I have yet to be convinced that his endless monologue (and to only a slightly lesser extent his similarly protracted utterances in act three) is anything but a massive dramatic miscalculation on Wagner's part.

I'm not listening to tonight's relay so can't comment on the performance but not sure I can agree with your thoughts on King Mark's monologue. Up until this point the King has barely been mentioned nor sung a note so Wagner left himself with a problem because the audience need to comprehend the besmirching of Mark's honour that has now become apparent. Wagner's solution, as so often when he needed to convey information or a back story, was to flesh out Mark's character with a monologue. You could argue that it holds up the only bit of action in the entire opera but I think it was necessary for the reasons stated and the only logical place for it to go.

With a fine bass voice to sing the part it also brings a welcome vocal contrast and a point at which the singers taking the part of Tristan and Isolde can take a breather!

[Katzelmacher]

Oh dear he’s pulled out of act 3 and is acting with Melot now singing the role . Tristan not being able to do act 3 has happened at two Tristans I have been to at Covent Garden in the past.

I first became aware of Simon O’Neill in 2009 when he sang Lohengrin as part of the second cast at Covent Garden. He was impressive then (and slim!) but he seemed to take a precipitate jump into Helden territory shortly afterwards and, since then, my experience of him has been variable.

No shame in ducking out of Act 3 if it’s not your night: the audience won’t thank you for staying.

Who remembers Wolfgang Muller-Lorenz, depping for Heppner, at CG in 2002? He was a wreck halfway through Act 2 and I was sure he wouldn’t manage Act 3. Yet he got through it - to tepid applause (but no boos) from the audience.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I first became of Simon O’Neill in 2009 when he sang Lohengrin as part of the second cast at Covent Garden. He was impressive then (and slim!) but he seemed to take a precipitate jump into Helden territory shortly afterwards and, since then, my experience of him has been variable.

No shame in ducking out of Act 3 if it’s not your night: the audience won’t thank you for staying.

Who remembers Wolfgang Muller-Lorenz, depping for Heppner, at CG in 2002? He was a wreck halfway through Act 2 and I was sure he wouldn’t manage Act 3. Yet he got through it - to tepid applause (but no boos) from the audience.

I’m leaving Act 3 to tomorrow but in the bit I heard the Melot was doing well - a darker voice . Trying to work out the Freudian significance of Tristan’s nemesis taking over the helm!

[gradus]

I thought Act 1, my favourite of the three was extraordinarily gripping with the LPO on top form. Domestic life intervened and I missed Act 2 but I returned for the final 25 minutes.
Such a shame for the tenor but how lucky to have such an able substitute. I liked all the singers but I think the Isolde was pretty wrung out vocally by the Liebestod.

[Bert Coules]

...not sure I can agree with your thoughts on King Mark's monologue. Up until this point the King has barely been mentioned nor sung a note so Wagner left himself with a problem because the audience need to comprehend the besmirching of Mark's honour that has now become apparent.

That's an interesting point, but in my turn I'm not sure that I agree with it. That Tristan is delivering Isolde to Mark is perfectly explicit, so when their love is induced (or perhaps is allowed to be expressed) the fact that it's both unfortunate and treasonable is also clear. The circumstances of their illicit rendezvous in act two reinforce the situation.

I reckon you could keep Mark as an imposing observer in all three acts but cut every word he says and the drama would still work - would work all the better, in fact. I'd like to see that tried.

[Prommer]

It was very enjoyable to be back for a big piece in the Hall, which I enjoy for Wagner. However, even before Simon O'Neill lost his voice, I was thinking that he and indeed they were having a job standing up to the orchestra. Ticciati was good, leading a fluid and stylish account, but he is not perhaps a singers' conductor, at least where accompanying is concerned. Everywhere in the RAH is different but I found the band too loud and/or the singers struggling not to be drowned by it. This was not a problem at Glyndebourne, which of course is far more intimate. Did the run of performances there (semi-staged, and therefore identical to what was presented here) discourage sufficient adjustment to the venue?

[Prommer]

I liked all the singers but I think the Isolde was pretty wrung out vocally by the Liebestod.

Yes, she wobbled tentatively on her final note...(not saying it's easy)

[Bert Coules]

Prommer, that's interesting about the balance. It might have been my ears but I dion't think much was done to correct things on the broadcast.

With regard to the staging, two questions, if I may: was an English translation displayed in any way? And how was the moment of Kurwenal's death handled? It sounded very flat (in the non-musical sense) on Radio 3. Was there swordplay?

[Prommer]

It was very enjoyable to be back for a big piece in the Hall, which I enjoy for Wagner. However, even before Simon O'Neill lost his voice, I was thinking that he and indeed they were having a job standing up to the orchestra. Ticciati was good, leading a fluid and stylish account, but he is not perhaps a singers' conductor, at least where accompanying is concerned. Everywhere in the RAH is different but I found the band too loud and/or the singers struggling not to be drowned by it. This was not a problem at Glyndebourne, which of course is far more intimate. Did the run of performances there (semi-staged, and therefore identical to what was presented here) discourage sufficient adjustment to the venue?

The broadcast might have been beautifully balanced, of course!

One other thing I noticed was some kind of white ear piece in Simon O'Neill's left lughole, as I had done at Glyndebourne. At one moment in Act 2 (I think), there was a telltale echo which was not the Albert Hall reverberation but which then made it sound as if he was being (at that moment) ever so slightly and badly amplified.

Can this be so, especially if we then learn he was developing vocal problems? Can one of our experts shed any light?

[Bert Coules]

One other thing I noticed was some kind of white ear piece in Simon O'Neill's left lughole, as I had done at Glyndebourne.

An earpiece wouldn't be needed for amplification, would it? It's possible he was being fed the lines.

[Darkbloom]

No second-interval comments? While I can't claim to have been giving this my absolutely undivided attention my impression so far is of a perfectly decent performance, though the end of act one felt a shade muddled, with a couple of key moments not quite having the weight they perhaps deserved, and the same true of the lead-up to extinguishing the signal-torch in act two: but I stress that this is a purely personal and possibly unfair impression.

I believe it's semi-staged, as at the theatre, and I wish I could see it: I'm a big fan of that kind of presentation which frequently seems to me to get closer to the dramatic heart of operas (and indeed, some plays) than can a problematic, distracting, and just plain annoying full staging.

But staged, semi-staged, stand-and-deliver concert rendition, or purely aural experience, I can't recall a single occasion when my heart didn't sink at the moment King Mark opens his mouth in act two: I have yet to be convinced that his endless monologue (and to only a slightly lesser extent his similarly protracted utterances in act three) is anything but a massive dramatic miscalculation on Wagner's part.

Those long monologues are part of the Wagner experience, aren't they? I don't feel that Marke's solo is any more out of place than Wotan's long narration in Walkure, or Gurnemanz's tedious (to some, at least) stretches of exposition. I don't know what a better alternative would be; Tristan and Isolde have been singing for the better part of an hour by this point and Marke's arrival brings us down with a bump. Maybe your reaction was what Wagner intended?

[Prommer]

Prommer, that's interesting about the balance. It might have been my ears but I dion't think much was done to correct things on the broadcast.

With regard to the staging, two questions, if I may: was an English translation displayed in any way? And how was the moment of Kurwenal's death handled? It sounded very flat (in the non-musical sense) on Radio 3. Was there swordplay?

English subtitles on three (?) boards above the stage (to left and right of the ageing BBC Proms signage) and above Sir Henry.

There was no real swordplay in Act 2, at any rate, it just consisted of Tristan and Melot drawing swords, but then Tristan grabbing Melot's and thrusting it in to himself.