New RO Production of Lucia di Lammermoor

[Sim]

Has anyone heard anything about this?  i was just reading about it on the ROH website, including an interview with the director.  I'm not sure if it might be a bit 'way out' for me, especially when phrases such as 'feminist production' are used!  I love the opera, but don't want to spend money on something that's not up my street.  I assume this will be a 'modern' production?  I don't mind that as long as it is faithful to the intention of the original.  

 

If anyone has any insight into it, or any advice, I'm listening!

[Tony Newcombe]

I have always enjoyed Katie Mitchell's work at The National. You could see it from the

Comfort of the cinema. That is what I have decided to do.

[Sim]

Actually I hadn't thought of that, Tony! Maybe I will do the same, although my ROH tickets usually cost less than the cinema ones do....

[Geoff]

Lucia is such a wonderful score, the first question is whether they can sing it or not. Sadly she is not someone I have already heard so can't comment but you might find reviews of other performances online.

[RuthE]

I just wish it was conducted by somebody other than Daniel Oren!

[MAB]

From what I remember of the plot, L di L isn't a work that would inspire a feminist interpretation. 

 

Here's an idea, why not simply change the story in the same way that ENO has changed the story of its current production of The Force of Destiny?  After all, why go to watch some 19th century opera hoping to see the familiar when a 21st century producer is prepared to go to any lengths to improve on the original? 

[Geoff]

Lucia is such a wonderful score, the first question is whether they can sing it or not. Sadly she is not someone I have already heard so can't comment but you might find reviews of other performances online.

Sorry to quote myself but, oh how embarrassing: just realised that it's Diana Damrau singing (for the April perfromances) so yes, you want to go to this, whatever the production.

[Sim]

I have taken your advice Geoff and am now going on opening night. I guess if the production is awful I can just close my eyes and listen to the music, even though I will be standing!!

[Coated]

The other cast has Artur Rucinski in it, who was a fabulous stand-in Giorgio Germont in a recent Traviata run. I was initially leaving this one out but ended up with tickets for both casts in the end.

 

Katie Mitchell has been a byword for 'prepare to not see the stage due to random objects placed for maximum sight line disruption, let's see whether we can make it through to the end of the play' for my theatre going friends in her NT heydays. Saying that, her recent Cherry Orchard at the Young Vic wasn't half bad, and I liked one of her plays at the NT (though one out of five I've seen is a bit of a daunting track record)

 

If there are any dropped handbags or sand in the production, you might hear an unsuppressable groan from the upper slips.

Edited November 29, 2015 by Coated