Geoff

Just to say that Irina Shostakovich, the composer's widow, was brought on to the stage of the Bolshoi for a live interview during the interval of The Golden Age cinema transmission. She spoke well about Shostakovich's difficulties following an article called “Ballet Falsehood” that appeared in Pravda in early 1936 (she was only born in 1935 and didn't marry him till the 1960s but is still a first hand witness to the lifelong impact of the attack).

Reverting briefly to The Golden Age screening, it was notable in part for a live interview during the interval with Irina Shostakovich, brought on stage and worth noting here I think.

An event on Monday 10th October:- https://www.jw3.org.uk/event/sir-ralph-kohn-scientists-career-world-music#.V-45k3h4WrU

Janet, from what you say I am sure you did what you could to reduce the sound. Tonight's person did not.

Just out of Cosi at Covent Garden. Outstanding was Daniel Behle holding us spellbound with 'Un aura amorosa': a rather lively young crowd fell completely silent as (at last) there was some really great singing (no need to take my word for it, see other comments here: http://www.roh.org.uk/news/your-reaction-what-did-you-think-of-mozarts-cosi-fan-tutte ) Just at this point a woman in the amphitheatre started coughing. And coughing. And coughing. From the sound of it she made no attempt to muffle the sound (perhaps she couldn't leave the auditorium but surely she could at least have put her face in her sleeve or something?) She stopped, eventually, just around the point he stopped singing the aria. The whole thing was spoiled. The reason I am posting is not because of her and her coughing (maybe she was new to the opera house, new to opera, new to music, retarded or in the throws of something maddeningly painful): I am posting because I want to know why those around her did nothing to help. A shush could have made her think; the offer of a scarf to cough into might actually have deadend the sound; thumping her with a programme would probably have been illegal but possibly effective. In any case the musical highlight was ruined. Bravo Behle (as someone shouted at the end), particularly for not losing focus against an appalling distraction.

Just out of Cosi at Covent Garden. Outstanding was Daniel Behle holding us spellbound with 'Un aura amorosa': a rather lively young crowd fell completely silent as (at last) there was some really great singing (no need to take my word for it, see other comments here: http://www.roh.org.uk/news/your-reaction-what-did-you-think-of-mozarts-cosi-fan-tutte) Just at this point a woman in the amphitheatre started coughing. And coughing. And coughing. From the sound of it she made no attempt to muffle the sound (perhaps she couldn't leave the auditorium but surely she could at least have put her face in her sleeve or something?) She stopped, eventually, just around the point he stopped singing the aria. The whole thing was spoiled. The reason I am posting is not because of her and her coughing (maybe she was new to the opera house, new to opera, new to music, retarded or in the throws of something maddeningly painful): I am posting because I want to know why those around her did nothing to help. A shush could have made her think; the offer of a scarf to cough into might actually have deadend the sound; thumping her with a programme would probably have been illegal but possibly effective. In any case the musical highlight was ruined. Bravo Behle (as someone shouted at the end), particularly for not losing focus against an appalling distraction.

This is interesting. Wonder why she doesn't.

And if you missed it live the event is available to watch in full here:-

And it's Liesl (not Leisel). RIP.

Apropos snacks, this just popped into my in-box:- http://todaytix.us7.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=c96bfb5fef8cc4ae6c852c093&id=eb03350672&e=fc77e96ec9

Having read this and other posts by FLOSS and others, I went looking for clips on YouTube and found Vishneva dancing what is labelled "ABT Ratmansky SB Rose Adagio/ Variation". This clip seems to have some fairly dramatic distortions of tempi (exactly as highlighted by FLOSS and seen so often by us in the UK) so what am I missing here? Did ABT do this differently in Paris? Fascinating discussion, in any case, and I am really sorry not to have found a way to see this yet.

Today's general rehearsal of Norma at Covent Garden was initially marred for me by a young woman sitting close by in the stalls. She had a mobile phone which seemed far more interesting to her than the opera (she clearly was not staff or involved with the production in any way, otherwise it is just possible that she might I suppose have been sending messages backstage). Eventually, seeing others raising eyebrows with growing discontent and urgency, and as I found myself distracted again by the light of her phone screen, watching her wavering over which was the best emoticon to add to yet another text message (the little jumping rabbit perhaps or maybe the exploding star) inspiration struck me. I leaned over, chose my moment and whispered, "Some of us are trying to work in here" - and she immediately complied, muttered an apology, switched everything off and sat obediently and quietly for the rest of the show. The line - which I "borrowed" from (name drop coming up, please forgive me) Shelley Winters when she was bothered by little noises during a rehearsal at the Actor's Studio in New York - was clearly effective but afterwards made me sad. Why should asking someone not to disturb work in progress be more effective than saying, you are disrespecting the performers, or annoying an audience that is trying to enjoy this undisturbed, or whatever. The Protestant work ethic trumping all, perhaps? Anyway, feel free to use this in the future, it may work for you too.

Just come out of the dress rehearsal for Norma at Covent Garden. I won't say anything until after the first night (Monday) but if people are wavering, hope they pick up one of the few remaining tickets or at least try and get to the live transmission.

Just published in the Spectator:- http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/09/peter-wright-and-the-bitchy-world-of-ballet/

Just to add a couple of points to the above. First, just in case it was not obvious from what I wrote before, every single number (indeed once or twice even a single verse) was enthusiastically applauded. And - here is a direct comparison with sounds made by some audiences at the ballet - when a number was particularly well liked, the audience signalled its exceptional approval with loud, all-together-now rhythmic clapping (which the performers took as a command to perform another encore). This clapping is similar to a British audience saying we're-bored-that-nothing-is-happening-please-start, although much faster. The same sound appears sometimes at the ballet, particularly with Russian audiences towards the end of favoured variations.

There are occasional comments on the Forum about applause styles (for example at Russian galas or the recent Bolshoi season). These discussions came to mind as I watched an unusual dvd copy of the operetta “Czardasfuerstin” from 1963 (by Kalman and also known variously as The Riviera Girl, The Gipsy Princess and Silva). I am unreasonably fond of this work and so did not mind that it was a recording of a live performance from Budapest conducted entirely in Hungarian (which I do not speak), transmitted I assume on Hungarian tv during the Soviet era. This historical record from over 50 years ago has many points of interest in relation to performance style and also the (enthusiastic and very frequent) audience responses. Most entrances of most cast members were applauded, as were many exits, some laugh lines and several not always exceptional bits of business. Just the milking of the encores alone would provide enough material for a theatre studies dissertation. Different countries have different traditions, which can be deeply imbedded and last for many years. In fact I have seen mittel-European operetta productions within the last 5 years which adhered, if only somewhat, to similar conventions. Such conventions would however be as alien to a London audience as, say, the rituals of a pantomime at the Sunderland Empire would be to habitués of standing places at the Vienna opera. In any case, the dvd was an eye-opener: the behaviour was so different to what one is used to now in Britain. Perhaps others have local examples from decades ago by way of comparison?

News of the critic here:- http://slippedisc.com/2016/08/ballet-critic-quits/

That may be true but Wagner audiences can present other problems. Wagner seems to bring out crazy people you don't see at the ballet, chamber music or even other operas, and they can be quite challenging to sit with (odd behaviour, props, body odour, I could go on). In case this sounds like I have just been unlucky, the phenomenon of Wagner = weird was openly discussed when I worked at the ROH back in the 1980s. For the avoidance of doubt, as lawyers say, I write as a committed fan of Parsifal, the Ring and some of the others.

The link I put up yesterday was for live streaming. This is the "catch up" one (ok for another 6 days apparently):- http://tvthek.orf.at/program/Die-Liebe-der-Danae/13447926/Die-Liebe-der-Danae/13461661 To be clear, they say the link only works if you are in Austria. I know there are folk, more technically able than I am, for whom this is not an issue.

This may work:- http://tv.orf.at/highlights/video/index.html#/episode/13444802

You want something which takes you through at least five logically consistent, but different, possible answers, as that is where the fun lies! No one answer - as found to date - deals with all elements of the question.

Very interesting question. At its heart is a version of an ancient paradox which goes back at least to Plato, The Ship of Theseus (there is a great animated video on YouTube illustrating the story if you don't know it). The point is that this conundrum is often set as a discussion for people who have never encountered philosophy before, as history has determined there is no absolutely correct answer and so one can always find something to say. Looking forward to hearing what people think.

On the locked Flames thread FLOSS says she read "Ashton thought that the gift of apparent spontaneity was one of the greatest gifts a dancer could possess." Apparent spontaneity, what a lovely phrase! I have been in the business of show for some decades, various different genres, and so until recently thought myself pretty smart at spotting this kind of non-spontaneous spontaneity. But that turns out to be nothing more than silly vanity on my part: I was on set for the filming of a showpiece by the young cross-over violinist star, David Garrett (the one who is in a spot of romantic-legal bother in the US at the moment) He gave a totally committed and brilliant performance, throwing himself about a bit, even getting some of his eventually sweaty long hair over his face at one point, all natural exuberance and all most impressive. Then we did retakes for the rest of the day, and I was amazed to see the hair fly on to his face at the same point each take, always to be wiped away the same way, just about on the exact same bar. Asking around - and here at last is my point - I spoke with people who teach the violin at international level and it seems the new generation - the few who get to the top of their studies and are destined for big careers - are now tutored with videos and mirrors, to deliver a visually as well as musically effective performance. Poor kids, as if winning music competitions was not hard enough without adding this kind of extra element to think about.

The well-reviewed Salzburg Festival production of Richard Strauss's „Die Liebe der Danae“ is apparently going to be live streamed from Austrian television (ORF 2) on Friday 12 August, 20.20 UK time. Can't find a link - nor how this will work for those outside Austria - so hope someone more technically able can help out!

News is arguably the thing TV does worst (for one thing, it takes the whole of the 10 O'Clock News to read only one mid-length newspaper article, which gives an indication of the ampunt of compression involved) This seems a poor use of your money. Judicious use of the internet provides both more up-to-date and more in-depth news than any TV bulletin, as well as pictures if necessary (and the ability to filter out news - in my case sport - which is irrelevant to you).