Ivy Lin Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 Has made its way across the pond. I already had the Gheorghiu/Kaufmann/Borodina DVD, but I got to see the production live with Netrebko/Beczala/Rachvelishvili. One of my favorite parts of the production is actually Andrew George's Judgment of Paris ballet. I thought it was a good parody of baroque-era ballet and I'm so glad they did not include pointe shoes as those would not have been used in the baroque era. Anyway here's how I felt about the whole production: https://humbledandoverwhelmed.blogspot.com/2019/01/adria-anna-lecouvtrebko.html 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 Thanks for the review! It does seem an odd choice for Netrebko: maybe it was planned when the unexpected direction her voice had taken had caused a couple of prominent cancellations, so she saw this as a safe option? Or is that too fanciful? I can only dimly remember this production now, but does the ballet reference Ashton's Fille fairly heavily or am I thinking of something else? Otherwise, I can mostly remember Gheorghiu phoning it in on that particular occasion, and the size of the stage-within-a-stage making the rest of the action appear fairly cramped at ROH. But I did like it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 Oh and I'm very jealous of your getting to see Netrebko and Rachvelishvili together: Rachvelishvili is the most thrilling mezzo I've ever heard, I think, with a more exciting middle than most singers' tops. Also: completely agree about the MGM historical drama vibe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted January 6, 2019 Author Share Posted January 6, 2019 18 minutes ago, Lizbie1 said: Thanks for the review! It does seem an odd choice for Netrebko: maybe it was planned when the unexpected direction her voice had taken had caused a couple of prominent cancellations, so she saw this as a safe option? Or is that too fanciful? I can only dimly remember this production now, but does the ballet reference Ashton's Fille fairly heavily or am I thinking of something else? Otherwise, I can mostly remember Gheorghiu phoning it in on that particular occasion, and the size of the stage-within-a-stage making the rest of the action appear fairly cramped at ROH. But I did like it! Well there is the ribbon aspect of the Judgment of Paris ballet but it's more of a baroque ballet parody. Paris is almost ridiculously Adonis-like. Trying to find a video of it but can't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Ivy Lin said: Well there is the ribbon aspect of the Judgment of Paris ballet but it's more of a baroque ballet parody. Paris is almost ridiculously Adonis-like. Trying to find a video of it but can't. I'm not great at spotting references, but this one was fairly extended, including a comic attempt at the lovers' knot (not specific to Ashton, I know). It may have been altered for a non-ROH audience. Edited January 6, 2019 by Lizbie1 typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted January 6, 2019 Author Share Posted January 6, 2019 1 minute ago, Lizbie1 said: I'm not great at spotting references, but this one was fairly extended, including a comic attempt at the lovers' knot (not specific to Ashton, I know). It may have been altered for a non-ROH audience. I do remember an attempt at a cat's cradle except horribly bungled up. There was also some refernce to the gypsy-like dancers Ashton liked to sprinkle into his ballets. Anyway it was one of the better ballet-in-an-opera I've seen in awhile. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 Sorry, yes - meant cat's cradle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 (edited) FYI, the first time i saw Fille at the Royal Ballet (long before I attended ballet regularly - it was one of those things I fancied seeing once because i used to play some of the dances in school orchestra) they massively messed up the cat’s cradle, which I’ve never forgotten! The McVicar production was new when I was still writing opera reviews (before my days of attending ballet), and I hope you won’t mind if I share my review of opening night, as it’s possibly the review I’m most proud of, and have been complimented on most. The topic of ballet references is covered - and the friend whose ballet-reference comments I shared is an occasional poster on this forum. http://www.operatoday.com/content/2010/11/adriana_lecouvr.php When Opera Holland Park last did Adriana they used 5 dancers from ENB for the ballet sequence. Edited January 7, 2019 by RuthE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 Great review! Interesting what you say about Kaufmann. I saw him in this role in a concert and he and Gheorghiu both have that extremely careful way of singing. However I must say that together they both made ravishing sounds. I read from Gheorghiu's biography that Kaufmann and Gheorghiu have fallen out. Too bad. They sure made some beautiful music together. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 18 hours ago, Ivy Lin said: Great review! Interesting what you say about Kaufmann. I saw him in this role in a concert and he and Gheorghiu both have that extremely careful way of singing. However I must say that together they both made ravishing sounds. I read from Gheorghiu's biography that Kaufmann and Gheorghiu have fallen out. Too bad. They sure made some beautiful music together. Probably after she turned up very late for her entrance in Tosca Act 3.....leaving him sitting alone like a chump, waiting! He made a joke and the audience laughed with him. According to rumour, she was very put out that he got so much applause after E Lucevan Le Stelle that he had to sing it again! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 11 hours ago, Sim said: Probably after she turned up very late for her entrance in Tosca Act 3.....leaving him sitting alone like a chump, waiting! He made a joke and the audience laughed with him. According to rumour, she was very put out that he got so much applause after E Lucevan Le Stelle that he had to sing it again! This is still online, for those who want to see for themselves: https://youtu.be/NnT4QTdzP_I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 Well I prefer to remember them in happier times: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Yes, but for those of us who can laugh at the whole thing I thank you Geoff for putting it up!! Of course we know that these are two wonderful artists, but you have to look at these diva moments and laugh!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 I'm afraid I suspect that Angela Gheorghiu is rather an easy person to fall out with! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted January 12, 2019 Author Share Posted January 12, 2019 Anyone going to the HD today? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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