Royal Opera: Lohengrin thread

[JohnS]

I have a Stalls Circle ticket for the Lohengrin rehearsal - A69 (£30). Unfortunately that weekend it seems there are very extensive engineering works and no trains from Penrith. What I’d expected would be a day return on the train, with coach travel would now be a two night stay in London. Please send me a direct message if interested in the ticket.

[alison]

I can't take your ticket, unfortunately, John, but hope you won't mind if I hijack the thread to ask people's views on the current Royal Opera production?  Having discovered that the prices were significantly less exorbitant than in its initial run, I grabbed a standing place during public booking, and am wondering what I've let myself in for

[JohnS]

I’ve managed to get a standing ticket for 30 April as there are again major engineering works over the early May bank holidays. It will make for a very enjoyable London trip as I’ve got tickets for the Ashton triple bill on 30 April and also the two performances on Bank Holiday Monday. I’ll need to check engineering works when planning future trips, particularly around bank holidays.

[alison]

If anyone does have any feedback on this production (from last time around), I'd really appreciate it, as I'm now double-booked on the day I'd booked for and don't know which to plump for.

[JohnS]

I’ll be going 1 May and I’m pleased to say my rehearsal ticket has been taken.

[alison]

I've put it up in the Tickets section already, but (Saturday 7th May, 3 pm):

 

I'm double-booked for this performance now, so need to get rid of what I think is a stalls circle standing ticket (£19) for it.  Before I return it to the box office, does anyone here want it?  Note the start time (which I'm also doing from memory, but think is correct).

 

If anyone wants to do a swap for something similar on another date, that would be another possibility.

[Scheherezade]

I did enjoy Lohengrin yesterday although, I have to say, in spite of, rather than because of, the production.

 

Why, oh why, when telling of magic, myth and sorcery, is grey upon grey, irredeemable brutalism and what looked like a collection of backstage planks and poles thought to set the scene? That sort of thing may still be de rigeur in Europe but did it ever really catch on over here? And, if it did, haven't we thankfully moved on to something more likely to fire the imagination than kill it dead? 

 

And, wedding dress apart, don't get me started on poor Elsa's wardrobe...

[JohnS]

Very much enjoyed Lohengrin this afternoon and quite a contrast from the Ashton Triple Bill. Very impressed with Jakob Hrusa’s conducting, a beautifully sustained Act 1 Prelude and a wonderful sense of structure across all three Acts. Orchestra and chorus on top form. From what I could see David Alden’s production worked pretty well up to the final scene which seemed at odds with the first two and a half Acts. I thought the opening to Act 3 a great piece of theatre but don’t want to give anything away in case people are going for the first time. I also rather liked Elsa’s wedding dress which I know has attracted some criticisms. The principals were strong and I liked very much Brandon Jovanovich’s (Lohengrin) opening but worried at times he was straining. Similarly I thought Anna Smirnova (Ortrud) a bit stretched at times. Craig Colclogh was a very strong Telramund and Jennifer Davis a pleasing Elsa. I’ve heard some roles better sung but that’s going back a long time (Karita Matilla, Eva Randova/Waltrud Meir, Rene Kollo) but I think there’s much to admire in this Lohengrin and for me much of the production complements the text.

[alison]

On 25/04/2022 at 17:47, Scheherezade said:

Why, oh why, when telling of magic, myth and sorcery, is grey upon grey, irredeemable brutalism and what looked like a collection of backstage planks and poles thought to set the scene? That sort of thing may still be de rigeur in Europe but did it ever really catch on over here? And, if it did, haven't we thankfully moved on to something more likely to fire the imagination than kill it dead?

 

I must admit to having similar thoughts yesterday when watching the Met Opera's live broadcast (enjoyed the music, but rather less so the production - plus I doubt I'll ever be able to get I think it was the New York Times' comment about the set out of my mind!)

[JohnS]

10 hours ago, alison said:

I doubt I'll ever be able to get I think it was the New York Times' comment about the set out of my mind!

Intriguing - but please could I have a bit more help in tracking down the comment Alison?

[alison]

Oh, sorry, it was Bachtrack:

 

Girard's new Lohengrin: old-fashioned Wagner makes a return to the Met | Bachtrack

[JohnS]

Many thanks Alison.
 

It’s becoming a familiar comparison as recently deployed by Barry Millington in his description of Rusalka Act 3:

https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/opera/rusalka-at-the-royal-opera-review-asmik-grigorian-david-butt-philip-b1062173.html

 

Having read the programme notes I was just grateful that we were spared the worst images of detritus at the bottom of Rusalka’s lake.

[Scheherezade]

Thank you for the link, Alison, and I have to say, I did enjoy reading Kevin W Ng's review. I particularly liked the description below:

 

"When the curtain rises, we’re underground in a concrete bunker, a rising moon visible through a hole in the sky. It’s a beautiful, striking image – but then Girard adds more and more moons, careening across the stage increasingly quickly until they explode into red smoke at the climax of the prelude. It’s like watching a screensaver from inside a toilet bowl."

 

That said, I listened to the Radio 3 broadcast of the New York Met production on Saturday and totally concur re the quality of the singing.

[alison]

Oh dear, was it Kevin's?  I never thought to look