Scheherezade

I caught her on the radio on the way home. She sounds typically (or archetypically) Australian; down-to-earth, feisty. And what a voice!

Thank you, Geoff. Just a pity, for those of us at work, that it starts so early.

Too late, of course, for anyone who hasn't seen this extraordinary production to obtain tickets since the run finished on Friday. It was, for that matter, difficult to get anything but the most expensive tickets for some time beforehand and I was cursing the fact that I hadn't bought a couple of the cheap balcony seats which I had assumed would be available at the last minute as per usual with the ENO.

 

As my children, however, are annoyingly fond of saying, everything happens for a reason and I logged on to the website just in time to grab two £20 secret seat returns with a fantastic view near the front of the stalls and thank goodness I did. It was mesmerising, compulsive, completely unforgettable and I'm still not entirely sure why since the music, as is usual with Philip Glass, was repetitive to the point of what should have been boredom but, for some unfathomable reason, was anything but.

 

The repetition did, of course, reinforce the ritualistic element which made this production so riveting, as did the stylised tableaux and other-wordly movements of almost everyone on stage. The costumes and sets, as a quick flip through any production photographs will show, were sublime and the wonderful ENO chorus was on fire! Add to that the heartbreaking vulnerability of Anthony Roth Costanzo in the title role and Zachary James' intense and committed scribe, and you will have some idea of the power of this production.

 

Rupert Christiansen described it as 'the protracted expulsion of hot air' and, in some ways, it's hard to disagree but what mesmerisingly alluring hot air!

 

... a quick skim of Twitter just now suggests the crowd went wild for the cover at the end of the evening - so either she got better in the second half, or a generous audience rewarded her for stepping in to an impossible role at the last minute, or my ears were tired last night and I made a poor judgement.

Who was the cover, Geoff?

 

I saw Norma on Monday and my heart sank as the man in the suit came on to make the dreaded announcement before the curtain went up. This time, Marjorie Owens did sing although we were warned that she was suffering from a recurring throat infection, not that I could have told; she was warm and lyrical and blended perfectly with Jennifer Holloway's Adalgisa.

 

Peter Auty sounded convincing as Pollione but was completely unsympathetic, looked uncomfortable rather than commanding and the Amish setting made total nonsense of the constant references to the Romans, temples and war. And what was with the enormous, phallic log? It did cross my mind that it might have been dragged across from down the road after its leading role in William Tell.

Well they've not danced Bright Stream since the first time I saw them so that was 2007 I think, correct me if I am wrong.

More than due a revival, I'd say!

Geoff, undoubtedly steps need to be taken, I just don't feel that these are the right steps. Nor does Malcolm Sinclair, the Equity president, who contrasted ENO management's shortcomings (the loss of three key leaders in a few months) with its recent, outstanding artistic output, due in no small measure to its beleaguered chorus.He goes on to point out that :"The current management, which appears to have the backing of the Arts Council, believe that the change needed is a smaller chorus with their pay cut to 75% of its current level. This is the wrong change. Choristers pay will fall to £25K a year, inevitably forcing many to leave for other work. ENO will use freelance singers to make up numbers who will need longer and more expensive rehearsals and might not be able to reach the artistic heights of the permanent chorus. With the artistic heart of the opera ripped out, disappointed audiences will drift away sending ENO further down its spiral of decline. ENO must change – but to attack the very people who deliver its artistic excellence is mistaken and will do nothing to save the company."

Putting aside the unparalleled levels of coughing in the amphi (see Trittico post), has anyone else seen the Traviata second cast and, if so, were they as impressed with Quinn Kelsey's Germont as I was? And Maria Agresta was a pretty convincing Violetta too. What a pity Villazon's voice wasn't up to it or it could have been dynamite, but might fine even so.

Wow oh wow, Ermonela Jaho, who I had never seen before, is the real deal. Just had my breath taken away and my heart broken by Jaho in Suor Angelica (middle show of ROH Trittico one-acters). Can't wait to see her again.

 

Nothing to say about the rest of the evening (didn't stay as the thought of singers from the first show reappearing after Suor Angelica suggested they might spoil a peak experience). Go, if at all possible, and see the wondrous Ermonela Jaho.

 

Extraordinary coughing, though, particularly from the amphitheatre (the quieter she sang, the more they coughed). Audience then somewhat made amends with a standing ovation for her.

Breathtaking, heartbreaking, and the rest! I saw her last time round when she stood in for, Harteros, I think it was. It would be, wouldn't it? She was good then but seems now to have taken it to another level.

Can't say I noticed too much coughing the night I was there. Actually you could have heard a pin drop for much of the time, unlike Saturday's Traviata when the amphi audience was hacking away more consistently than the occupants of an entire TB ward. Pity the poor consumptive on stage!

I thoroughly enjoyed this gala and I am not usually a gala fan.

 

Loved Vadim and Daria, as did my daughter, who said that Daria had gone right to the top of her list of favourites and couldn't believe that she was now retired. As another poster said, should have been longer! And Merkuriev and Krysanova were fabulous in the extract from The Bright Stream - why won't the Bolshoi bring it over?

 

Like others, I enjoyed Simkin but felt that he couldn't match Corrales' corruscating Ali in the recent ENB Corsaire and I also loved the dual Spanish content - the Rojo/Hernandez Carmen, a role that Rojo totally inhabited with a meaningful twitch here, a throwaway shrug there and Bernal's extraordinarily animated cape in the Three Cornered hat.

 

I can't say that I particularly like the Spartacus choreography although Lantratov and Alexandova certainly gave it their all. Ditto Kimin Kim although I feel that he is still a little rough around the edges.

 

And Vasiliev is just Vasiliev. Fabulous, of course, but lacking the same impact as that blazing, glorious Don Q when he and Osipova hit the Covent Garden stage during the (last/last but one?) Bolshoi tour.

She (Bartoli) is also at the Barbican in November and the Wigmore summer 2017.

My feelings - and I think that most opera-goers would agree - is that opera is generally, and massively, diminished by substituting a (frequently cringe-worthy) English translation for the original language. That said, the ENO is still the go-to baroque house. Most of its baroque output easily surpasses the ROH efforts - even Domingo couldn't redeem the ROH Tamerlano, whereas Iestyn Davies and the rest of the cast in the ENO Rodelinda was as good as it gets. And baroque translates more successfully into English. Even Kasper Holten's recent, and highly successful, Globe outings have trodden that path with barely a murmur of dissent.

 

What doesn't work is bel canto, verismo, grand opera - almost anything but baroque. The inherent musicality in the libretti is invariably sacrificed and it is increasingly difficult to find any justification for the stilted English translations when we have a multi-lingual society where surtitles are the norm and where English is, in any event, unlikely to be the first language of a large part of the audience.

 

I have heard opera sung in the original language at the ENO but generally due to a last minute cast substitution where the substitute wasn't familiar with the English translation. The overall effect was much improved. I also know of many people who deliberately avoid ENO performances purely because they dislike the use of English.

 

The ENO chorus, I think, is fabulous, and the conducting frequently surpasses some of the guest conducting recently in evidence at the ROH. The ENO has also been importing a series of largely unknown but world class singers, many from the United States, and all of them, musically, a match for the star turns down the road. Production values and the choice of directors has, until recently, been a little more vexed. Until a couple of years ago, criticism was increasingly, and validly, levelled at the ENO for hiring 'fashionable' film or theatre directors who had no understanding of or, worse, actively disliked opera. As a result, audiences defected in droves and the ENO could scarcely give away tickets. Over the last year or so there has been a real turnaround with high quality productions such as the recent Meistersinger and the re-vamped Magic Flute, along with theatrical Viagra such as the Terry Gilliam Benvenuto Cellini. The ROH, on the other hand, has been fielding unpopular directors - Michieletto's William Tell and the Martin Kusej Idomeneo to name just two.

 

I don't see why there isn't room for two world class opera companies in London. Other cities with only a fraction of London's cultural nous manage it. And the prices at the Coliseum (or some of them) are infinitely more affordable. Quite apart from their £20 secret seats, there are a whole range of seats in the balcony (which has the best accoustics in the building) priced at as little as £12, all with perfect sightlines.

 

I strongly agree with Aileen's comment that cuts in the chorus will prove to be a costly mistake. The ENO's salvation must lie in maintaining its excellence. Over the last couple of years it has taken large strides in this direction, and in cutting the puerile, unpopular production values that drove away its core audience, and it should be rewarded for its successes by a commensurate increase in its Arts Council grant. If more money is required, and I have no doubt that it is, then by all means rent out the Coliseum for part of the season to big, transatlantic money-spinners or hire out the building for high-profile events.

 

So finally, Geoff, I was very sorry to read that you haven't applied for the artistic director post. Why not?

 

 

https://www.change.org/p/the-board-of-english-national-opera-save-english-national-opera

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We call upon the Board of English National Opera to reconsider its plans to turn the company into a part-time organisation. We urge it to seek solutions that will maintain the essence and identity of ENO, a company whose artistic success is vital to our cultural life.

English National Opera's mission is to make the highest quality opera accessible to everyone. This is impossible without regular performances. We believe the artistic standards that the widest public deserve can only be achieved by a combination of the talent and experience of people working together consistently and frequently.

ENO cannot afford to lose those who have guaranteed the achievements of the company over many years, and the Board must seek alternative solutions to balancing the current budget. 

ENO needs to re-engage with its audience to truly be the people’s opera company. The current proposals reveal a lack of understanding of the quality audiences expect, and of how that quality is achieved.

We call on the Board to think more innovatively and positively in addressing its current financial shortfall so as to build an environment in which ENO can continue to grow and flourish.

Save ENO.

Yes - please let's not give up on this ballet - I'm rather shocked at the negativity of some on this forum.

 

 

I wouldn't say that it's negativity. I think that posters are actually looking for ways in which the ballet can be redeemed or improved.

So. Far more enjoyable than I had anticipated. Not by any means a great opera but amiable, melodic, amusing and I imagine that it had bedded in far more than at the rehearsal and opening night. The cast seemed comfortable in their roles and with the audience. Chris Addison and his French counterpart didn't intrude and even though they didn't add much either there was something quite sweet about the way they played things. I was somewhat perplexed by the non-stop belly laughs from a large slice of the amphi audience but all in all a feel-good evening all round.

I'll be seeing Norma in March. I also really dislike Italian (or French) opera in English but am hoping that this will be worth it for the singing. Incidentally, isn't Netrebko slated for Norma at the ROH in 2018?

I find it extremely difficult to double guess what Akram Khan will do with Giselle other than to speculate that it is likely to be totally mesmerising. I love the idea of two such different Giselles in one season. There does, however, seem to be an awful lot of of Giselle-related programming across the board at the moment. Is there any reason for this?

Reading the comments in the Giselle thread regarding the universal themes of betrayal and forgiveness in this ballet and 'the grass is always greener' in La Sylphide reinforced my initial impressions that Strapless ultimately fell down through failing to explore these and other universal themes. If Amelie's contemporaries had been shown to be envious of her rise within society and the way in which she was regarded (and in a deeper and less clicheed way than mere finger-pointing and turning away - the bar and the can-can wasn't the only cliche here!) I really do think that this ballet could have worked very well. Coming back to the music, and I have nothing against the Turnage score as such - it was pleasant enough and evoked something of the period and setting - I still feel that there was insufficient differentiation to help establish and develop character. All of the truly successful ballet music paints a different mood for each character and the emotions that they are seeking to portray.

I noticed that McRae had yanked the legs of his shorts up as far as they would go, Golding had hitched his up a bit, but Muntagirov had, if anything, pulled his down!!!!

Capybara, obviously we notice the same things!

I agree, there is art that creates some emotion in you for no reason other than its beauty. I remember when I went to Rome and stood in front of Michelangelo's 'Pieta' statue and was so moved and had a lump in my throat. I was quite young at the time and still at school, and there was something so beautiful about it that moved me. No experience from my side was needed at all to appreciate it!

There is just something about Rome that makes it difficult not to feel overwhelmed by the simplest experience. Just crossing the threshold of St Peter's still, improbably, fills me with emotion. Given the extraordinary number of tourists who visit as nothing more than the next stop on their itinerary, it should be impossible to feel anything but the history, the beauty, the sincerity of the people who have worshipped there in the past all come together to hit me in the solar plexus.

It's hard to think that there is anyone, however young, who hasn't experienced some form of love and, yes, our reactions are definitely influenced by experience. Being 'in love' and, particularly, finding that the depth of our love isn't necessarily returned - a rite of passage for most of us at some stage in our lives - helps us to relate to the tragic love stories on different levels but in a perverse way, untested love - the idea rather than the reality of romantic love - can create a heightened emotional response.

 At the interval, one of the people sitting next to me (it's a lovely bonus when I find I'm sitting next to a balletcoforum member) commented on how effective they thought the dark costumes at the start were in creating the effect of silhouettes in the picture frames.

Not me, but I was also struck by the silhouette effect.

I'd agree about the slightly chilly, voyeuristic element but actually wondered if that were intentional given that we are "looking" at ideas inspired by a painting quite as much as a real person and that this governs the climax with Le beau monde's inability to distinguish their scandalous and scandalised interpretation of Mme X from the reality of Mme Gautreau.

I also wondered whether it might be intentional, both for the above reasons and also because society had, I understand, had enough of Mme Gautreau and was all too ready to cast her out. If it was intentional, I think it was a mistake. For me, for performance art to work it has to pull me in not cast me out. The same criticism could be applied to the first incarnation of Kasper Holten's Eugene Onegin. Both were distancing, alienating and, as a result, profoundly unsatisfying. On a deeper level, this seems to be something of a problem with so many new works, whether narrative or abstract and perhaps this goes some way to explain why these works do not resonate in the same way as earlier works.

 

I thought In the Golden Hour was less impressive with the second cast. I feel the style of choreography (like Balanchine) suits taller dancers and this shorter cast aren't helped by deeply unflattering costumes. 

Very unflattering, especially the men, and even with the taller dancers. Isn't there anyone with an eye for aesthetics who can put in a word to the wise in the design stages?

Did anyone see The Mighty Handful the other night?

 

I am a great fan of Russian music. I enjoyed the first half but with reservations. More enjoyment and less reservations in the storming second half in which Mussorgsky's St John's Night on a Bare Mountain and Balakirev's Islamey sent everyone home happy.

I have to echo everything that has already been said about Strapless. Having particularly looked forward to this piece, I found it underwhelming, over-long and, all in all, a bit of a yawn. Beautifully danced and played, fabulous sets and (for the most part) costumes - I didn't have a problem with the black-on-black - the content was flimsy, the music unmemorable and I found myself thinking that it could all have been done to better effect in fifteen minutes rather than forty five. I totally agree about the criminal under-use of the men and whilst Osipova did what she did quite beautifully, there was insufficient back-story or character development to care one way or the other what happened to anyone other than to think that Madame X possibly got what she deserved.

 

I have thought about why this might be and come to the conclusion that it could be because the audience was made to feel voyeuristic. The impression, overall, was of something cold and alienating and it was therefore impossible to empathise with any of the characters. This type of empathy is something that can be achieved in a much shorter piece than Strapless, witness, for example, Brandstrup's Invitus Invitam, in which the choreography draws in the audience from the very first.

 

Given Wheeldon's recent success on Broadway, I found this somewhat surprising. I did feel that there was a greater sense of stagecraft. I also felt that, in parts, the choreography reminded me more of a Broadway musical than a ballet. A more sympathetic marrying of the two would perhaps have worked to better effect.

 

I do feel that the music, too, has a large part to play, and whilst the Turnage score might have captured something of the flavour of the Parisian beau monde, I found it repetitive, with insufficient variety in mood or tone, and instantly forgettable. The choice of music helps develop character. Here, this was singularly impossible as the music evoked the nature of the beau monde salons rather than anyone who might have passed through their doors. As I have said, voyeuristic, with none of the intimacy needed for us to invest in the characters.

 

By way of contrast, the abstract pieces did provide that intimacy. Like Sim, I find that Part's Spiegel im Spiegel drives me to distraction but it did work in After the Rain and I just loved the music in Within the Golden Hour, which was interpreted with supreme musicality by an outstanding cast. 

For any Kaufmaniacs who are still unaware, tickets for JK's Barbican residency in February 2017 are now on sale to Barbican members and will shortly be on sale to non-members. The programmes range from an 'intimate evening of song' on the 4th, through Act 1 of Die Walkure with Karita Mattila and Eric Halfverson along with the Wesendonck Lieder on the 8th, an 'in conversation' evening working with students at the Guildhall on the 10th to Strauss' Four Last Songs and various orchestral works on the 13th.