Dialogues of the Carmelites

[Ivy Lin]

I saw this at the Met on Friday and highly recommend people catch the HD next Saturday. What a powerful shattering opera that is not performed nearly enough.

https://humbledandoverwhelmed.blogspot.com/2019/05/dialogues-of-carmelites.html

[Pas de Quatre]

When I was in the ballet at one of the French opera houses, we dancers were used in the final scene as extras in the crowd.  I remember being moved to tears by the performances, in particular by the sound of the guillotine punctuating the Carmelites' last walk to the rear of the stage as each was executed.  You don't really hear it in the clip - but thank you so much for posting it Ivy.

[JohnS]

Many thanks for these posts Ivy Lin and Pas de Quatre.  I found the June 2014 performance I saw at the ROH with Deborah Polaski and Simon Rattle incredibly moving and do hope it is revived.  I agree - it’s performed all too rarely. 

[Lizbie1]

I agree it’s a terrific opera - and the final scene is so simple in conception but brilliant in execution. I was pretty much obsessed with it for years before I actually got to see it, after I first heard the Lyon Opera/Kent Nagano recording by chance on a sampler CD. I still make opera novices listen to it sometimes!

[Lizbie1]

It’s been announced for Glyndebourne 2020, directed by Barrie Kosky: https://www.glyndebourne.com/festival/glyndebournes-2020-programme-announced/

[Geoff]

2 hours ago, Lizbie1 said:

It’s been announced for Glyndebourne 2020, directed by Barrie Kosky: https://www.glyndebourne.com/festival/glyndebournes-2020-programme-announced/

 

Hm. Based on Kosky's recent pointless Carmen at ROH, I assume there won't be any nuns but instead a group of male strippers living together in a Berlin-y Weimar-y nightclub.

 

However, I am much looking forward to this Live from the Met tomorrow: I know the Met's production to be true to the work. 

[RuthE]

7 minutes ago, Geoff said:

However, I am much looking forward to this Live from the Met tomorrow

 

Sorry to disappoint, Geoff, but it isn't Friday yet...

[Geoff]

5 minutes ago, RuthE said:

 

Sorry to disappoint, Geoff, but it isn't Friday yet...

 

Quite right! Silly me, I'm going on Saturday afternoon. Sorry for the muddle. 

[JohnS]

Does anyone know if there are Met encores - I’m looking forward to double Romeo & Juliet but would like to catch the relay?

[Ian Macmillan]

Further to PdQ's post, above, members of what was then the Opera Ballet were used as extras in the 1958 UK Premiere at the ROH and in a photocall with Poulenc beforehand:

 

 

[alison]

On ‎09‎/‎05‎/‎2019 at 17:07, JohnS said:

Does anyone know if there are Met encores - I’m looking forward to double Romeo & Juliet but would like to catch the relay?

 

Well, at least two of the London Picturehouses have one this coming Tuesday (I was just looking before I came on here) - not that that'll be a lot of use to you, John.

 

(Reports back from the screening very welcome!)

[RuthE]

As far as I know, the Picturehouse encores on Tuesday at noon are the only ones in London. (Except for the Phoenix in East Finchley but that's on a Sunday afternoon so has already happened.  I hadn't seen this thread until now, I'm afraid.)

[alison]

Oops (note timestamp)