RuthE Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 True, and it doesn't have the Onegin problem whereby you then get the opera and the ballet all mixed up in your head! (I get earworms of the two Polonaises mixed up together!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 1 minute ago, Timmie said: Thanks RuthE, I thought that might be the case. My wife is keen to see Carmen and knowing she will only want to see it once it needs to be the best Carmen that Carmen can be! If Glyndebourne ever bring back the David McVicar production of Carmen, that's one of my favourite productions ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 I always think that Carmen, though of course bursting with big, wonderful tunes, is a bit too long, and this RO production is (I gather) longer than most. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted February 14, 2018 Author Share Posted February 14, 2018 3 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said: ...any avid ballet goer is likely to be sold on his stuff anyway... OK, I am going to add my stretch objective . My wife will come to some ballets with me (but not many) and opera will be the same (it's just a night out for her), so any operas that require no work or background understanding get extra points (we both have a science/engineering background and art has not been our thing). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 In that case I'll let you in on my dirty secret: I almost never do any prior research 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted February 14, 2018 Author Share Posted February 14, 2018 8 minutes ago, RuthE said: If Glyndebourne ever bring back the David McVicar production of Carmen, that's one of my favourite productions ever. I don't have a bucket list, but if I did a trip to Glyndebourne would be on it. I shall start a bucket list (though I will call it a 'To Do' list) and add this Carmen. 5 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said: I always think that Carmen, though of course bursting with big, wonderful tunes, is a bit too long, and this RO production is (I gather) longer than most. Long is definitely not good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted February 14, 2018 Author Share Posted February 14, 2018 (edited) 37 minutes ago, RuthE said: True, and it doesn't have the Onegin problem whereby you then get the opera and the ballet all mixed up in your head! (I get earworms of the two Polonaises mixed up together!) Actually I quite like the idea of a ballet/opera crossover. We've both seen Onegin the ballet and both seen Marguerite and Armand and I believe La Traviata and M and A both derive from La Dame aux camélias, so La Traviata is looking good for next year hopefully! This'll also give me time to read the book beforehand. Edited February 14, 2018 by Timmie added a sentence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted February 14, 2018 Author Share Posted February 14, 2018 16 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said: In that case I'll let you in on my dirty secret: I almost never do any prior research That's shocking , I love my research, I'm currently reading three different Giselle books! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Timmie said: Actually I quite like the idea of a ballet/opera crossover. We've both seen Onegin the ballet and both seen Marguerite and Armand and I believe La Traviata and M and A both derive from La Dame aux camélias, so La Traviata is looking good for next year hopefully! I thoroughly approve of this idea. A singer friend of mine and I have a tradition of going to see the ballet version of "her" operas. We've done Marguerite and Armand, Onegin, Romeo and Juliet, and at the time when I read your message here I had literally just messaged her asking if she's in town when the RB do Manon! Edited February 14, 2018 by RuthE 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted February 17, 2018 Author Share Posted February 17, 2018 On 13/02/2018 at 21:55, Geoff said: Thinking about your question, I have a couple of avoids when it comes to first time visits: Wagner, as many people can't get on with his work, and in any case the altered state one tends to have to put oneself in to get the most from the experience is not necessarily for beginners... Geoff, I know you suggested Wagner might be a bit ambitious for a beginner, but does anyone have any thoughts on Lohengrin? I ask because it has a fair few Sunday matinees which work well for me from a personal point of view and also takes the edge off the prices! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 I can’t speak for Geoff, or for you, but I have a feeling that if Lohengrin had been my first Wagner opera I’d have found it rather boring. Nowadays I like it. It’s a new production, so I can’t advise you whether that’ll be to your taste or not. My usual recommendations for a “beginner’s” Wagner opera are either Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman) - because it’s short, tuneful and dramatic - or Das Rheingold, because being the first opera in the Ring cycle, it kind of ends on a cliffhanger and, if done well, will leave you keen to know what happens next. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 Good luck getting tickets for the forthcoming Rheingold though I agree that Dutchman is probably a better "gateway" Wagner than Lohengrin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted February 17, 2018 Author Share Posted February 17, 2018 Thanks both. It looks like you can only get tickets as a package for all of the Ring Cycle, is that right? (Sold out anyway). I'd give the Ring ago if I could do it over four years . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 I’m sure that nearer the time of the ROH Ring, returns will be available and not just for a 4-opera package. But yes, building up over a few years is a nice way to discover the Ring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninamargaret Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 15 hours ago, Timmie said: Thanks both. It looks like you can only get tickets as a package for all of the Ring Cycle, is that right? (Sold out anyway). I'd give the Ring ago if I could do it over four years . Be brave and do the lot in a week! When I did my first Ring i found, at the end of Rheingold that I wanted to see Valkyrie immediately. It helps to keep track of who's who and who is doing what to who! And if you enjoy research I'd definitely recommend some for the Ring. I've got tickets for October at a horrendous price, but think at my advanced age i need a bit of comfort and next time it's on i might not be up to it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted February 19, 2018 Author Share Posted February 19, 2018 On 18/02/2018 at 09:41, ninamargaret said: Be brave and do the lot in a week! When I did my first Ring i found, at the end of Rheingold that I wanted to see Valkyrie immediately. It helps to keep track of who's who and who is doing what to who! And if you enjoy research I'd definitely recommend some for the Ring. I've got tickets for October at a horrendous price, but think at my advanced age i need a bit of comfort and next time it's on i might not be up to it! Mmmm... Dunno, brave might not be the right word! I'll have a look for returns nearer the time but I'm hoping the next ballet season will be better than the last and my Autumn will be full of ballet . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 TBH I'd leave the Ring until the next time it comes around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 (edited) 6 hours ago, Lizbie1 said: TBH I'd leave the Ring until the next time it comes around If you haven't already got the point, this is as bad a production as I know. So:- i) imho someone looking for their next opera to go to after only having seen Tosca might not want Wagner as their number two (as per what I said above) ii) if you really want to jump into Wagner next, then maybe not the Ring (see others comments, above) iii) and if it nonetheless has to be the Ring, then maybe hold back from starting on this most exciting of music-theatre journeys handicapped by a secondrate suburban staging only mounted again by ROH because they (as I happen to know as a fact) couldn't find the money to offer a new one next season. Just trying to help, other opinions are available! Edited February 19, 2018 by Geoff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninamargaret Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 I know it's a pretty awful production. I seem to remember it was televised a few years ago, when it was relatively new. But as it comes around in London so infrequently I thought I 'd better grit my teeth and see it. I can always close my eyes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 7 hours ago, Geoff said: Just trying to help PS To avoid any misunderstanding, my comments were intended for Timmie, who asked a specific question at the top of this thread as the result of his specific situation (seeing his first opera a few weeks ago and wanting advice on what he might see next) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted July 9, 2018 Author Share Posted July 9, 2018 My second live opera is going to be tonight – Don Giovanni 🙂. It sounds like a good choice for a beginner’s opera but I’m afraid the main reason I chose this was simply to make sure I got a good seat for Swan Lake opening night and buying an advance package of Don Giovanni plus Swan Lake let me book a week early 😄. I’m very much looking forward to it and I’ll report back tomorrow. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmie Posted July 9, 2018 Author Share Posted July 9, 2018 That was bonkers brilliant. Loved it immensely. I'll post some coherent thoughts tomorrow. 😀. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 I do hope that you enjoyed Don Giovanni, Timmie. Putting aside the production - and whilst I'm happy to do that, I've seen far worse - the music is, of course, sublime, the singing uniformly good and Mariusz Kwiezien brings that irresistible hint of danger to his Don. Hope you felt the same. Sorry, our posts crossed. Looking forward to reading your thoughts tomorrow. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 Thomas Ryalls recounts his experiences at La Bohème in a Twitter thread. He also had his first experience of ballet at Swan Lake recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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