Kasper Holten to leave the Royal Opera

[Geoff]

Here is the news:-

 

http://www.roh.org.uk/news/director-of-opera-kasper-holten-to-leave-the-royal-opera-in-march-2017

[Sim]

Gosh, that is a shame indeed. However, I'm glad to see he is doing the right thing and putting his family first.

[MAB]

Mixed feelings about this,  Agree with Pappano's comment about the wonderful Krol Roger production and I think his finest achievement was staging early works at the Sam Wannamaker Studio.  On the other hand he has overseen some awful productions.  Knowing Copenhagen fairly well, I quite understand his wish to return home and wish him and his family every happiness there.

[Scheherezade]

Yes, the works at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse are fantastic and I doubt that they would have seen the light of day without him. With counter-tenors having such a moment, why not works by Hesse or Vinci? Artaserse stormed though Europe, why not the UK? And Fagioli, so miscast in Idomeneo and, surely, the closest in sound to the castrati of the past, could show us all his incredible range.

 

I am sure that we all wish him and his family the best and would hope that his decision has not been influenced by the mixed reception to his (relatively) short stint at the helm.

 

Does anyone have any idea who may succeed him?

[MAB]

Yes, the works at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse are fantastic and I doubt that they would have seen the light of day without him. With counter-tenors having such a moment, why not works by Hesse or Vinci? Artaserse stormed though Europe, why not the UK?

 

I

You echo my own thoughts precisely Scheherazade, there is definitely more interest in that kind of music now together with enthusiasm for those fabulous recordings on CD of works not performed on stage in centuries.

 

Went to hear Les Arts Florissants at Spitalfields last night, sublime as ever and singing as a vocal ensemble without their illustrious founder, but making me wonder yet again why William Christie has never conducted at Covent Garden