Prom 46 (11.09.21) - Last Night of the Proms 2021

[LHC]

Ksenija Sidorova’s playing of the accordion was brilliant with puchy rhythms and woderful control of rubato, and line. I’m afraud that I don’t want to hear the work again as I found it trivial but I shall be tuning in when Sidorova returns, as she must, please.

I neither like ‘bleeding chunks’ nor do I love Wagner, but I do warm to his Wesendonk Lieder. Stuart Skelton’s interoretation of Im Treibhaus was a thing of beauty. I shall not say anything about his singing of the Prize Song beyond one word:’strained’.

I’d love to hear her play something a bit more interesting, such as Gubaidulina's Fachwerk,

[Ein Heldenleben]

Ksenija Sidorova’s playing of the accordion was brilliant with puchy rhythms and woderful control of rubato, and line. I’m afraud that I don’t want to hear the work again as I found it trivial but I shall be tuning in when Sidorova returns, as she must, please.

I neither like ‘bleeding chunks’ nor do I love Wagner, but I do warm to his Wesendonk Lieder. Stuart Skelton’s interoretation of Im Treibhaus was a thing of beauty. I shall not say anything about his singing of the Prize Song beyond one word:’strained’.

I think he has a cold throat infection or some such . He is a wonderful singer and normally completely up to the demands of the Walther role but some days it just doesn’t happen. Gareth Malone was magnificently diplomatic.

[jayne lee wilson]

I’d love to hear her play something a bit more interesting, such as Gubaidulina's Fachwerk,

Or even better, the Seven Last Words..... incredible piece.

[bluestateprommer]

The first half proved to be a pretty good mix (mixtape?) of selections. In particular, the Malcolm Arnold work received a splendid reading from Sakari Oramo and the BBC SO, showing that their reading of MA's Symphony No. 5 earlier in the season was no fluke. For those inclined to get to London this upcoming 2 October (obviously not including me), Oramo and the BBC SO are performing Ruth Gipps' Horn Concerto in their Barbican season opener.

In retrospect, the idea of a combined choral and string orchestra version of the Barber Adagio is such a brilliantly simple one that one wonders if anyone else besides Jonathan Manners has made such an arrangement before. It's a good arrangement, if not necessarily mind-blowing, at least IMHO. If past practice at the US public radio program 'SymphonyCast' is any sign (note the Proms which SymphonyCast has chosen so far), the Last Night will be one of the chosen Proms that will be broadcast in a few weeks on US public radio (or at least the US public radio stations that still relay classical). This means that this new arrangement will reach a potentially wider US audience, and it will be interesting to see if any orchestras on this side of the pond take up this version. The silence after the work finished spoke well of this Last Night audience.

The jolt of the Ravel after the Barber actually hss an intellectual justification, given the Ravel quote about Le Tombeau de Couperin:

"The dead are sad enough, in their eternal silence."

The Franck Angelis treatment of Piazzolla also worked well, starting somberly, but then lightening the mood as it went along, to ease the transition out of darkness. Agree with Ed that Stuart S. was more effective with the Wesendonck-Lieder selection than the Meistersinger 'Prize Song'. He did joke "No pressure", so maybe the pressure did get to him a bit, even if he is no stranger to the RAH (though clearly new to the Last Night). He does get to loosen up for the 2nd half, so we'll see how that goes.

I've actually met Stuart S. after a performance once upon a time. He's a really nice and down-to-earth guy. So fingers crossed for the 2nd half.

[Prommer]

Oh dear. Stuart Skelton is in disastrously bad voice - I love him, but something awry here. Will he be able to sing the second half?

[Prommer]

This is the third experience I have had in recent weeks of singers who are afflicted mid-performance: Simon O'Neill, during Tristan at the Proms, Carlos Alvarez at the dress rehearsal last night of the new ROH Rigoletto (more mildly) and now Stuart tonight.

[Ein Heldenleben]

This is the third experience I have had in recent weeks of singers who are afflicted mid-performance: Simon O'Neill, during Tristan at the Proms, Carlos Alvarez at the dress rehearsal last night of the new ROH Rigoletto (more mildly) and now Stuart tonight.

For those of us who used to go to ENO and ROH a lot the tenor having issues is par for the course . Simon O’Neill as you say recently had to drop out of Act 3 Tristan . Stuart had problems I think during the Met Otello (apologies if I’ve got this wrong ] . He is a superb singer and has given me so many hours of pleasure - Grimes and Otello at ENO being outstanding examples . He was so supportive of other singers there - in the audience for their magnificent Mastersingers cheering another tenor on. A great bloke - we all have off nights !

[Prommer]

BUT the EU beret wearers are back! Cowering at the back a bit, but still present!

[Ein Heldenleben]

Bailing out for the tennis - too much nvg singing ….

[Prommer]

Oh my word! The Celtic fringes are not to be done away with so easily…A troupe of Welsh accountants in dinner jackets appeareth. Then some sub-Enya misty Irish warbling… but soft, then, some badly dressed Scotch young folk singing something that I swear involved a round turning on the word “Motherf*cker”

[Ein Heldenleben]

Oh my word! The Celtic fringes are not to be done away with so easily…A troupe of Welsh accountants in dinner jackets appeareth. Then some sub-Enya misty Irish warbling… but soft, then, some badly dressed Scotch young folk singing something that I swear involved a round turning on the word “Motherf*cker”

My thoughts exactly …

[Prommer]

I have never heard so leaden and lugubrious a version of Saucy Arethusa. Arethusa needs a vodka shot.

[jonfan]

Oh my word! The Celtic fringes are not to be done away with so easily…A troupe of Welsh accountants in dinner jackets appeareth. Then some sub-Enya misty Irish warbling… but soft, then, some badly dressed Scotch young folk singing something that I swear involved a round turning on the word “Motherf*cker”

Err, a shock to you but maybe the Celtic nations regard London as on the fringe of what’s regarded as the UK when confronted with such disdain.
Glad SS is in better voice this half.

[Prommer]

Yes thank God!

[Prommer]

Um, who in the Hall is singing? Is there a chorus? They keep cutting away… weird.