What opera have you been watching lately?

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Oh Gawd he's not just humming now, he's going dadada . In Sesto's most beautiful aria.
Aargh.

[Clayton]

Oh Gawd he's not just humming now, he's going dadada . In Sesto's most beautiful aria.
Aargh.

If you use the Tardis to go see a performance, don't choose one with Toscanini conducting. I think sometimes his excitement really spilled out

[Clayton]

Wagner: Siegfried
Jay Hunter Morris (Siegfried), Gerhard Siegel (Mime), Bryn Terfel (Wanderer), Eric Owens (Alberich), Hans-Peter König (Fafner), Patricia Bardon (Erda), Deborah Voigt (Brünnhilde), Mojca Erdmann (Waldvogel)
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Fabio Luisi
Production by Robert Lepage



I am enjoying this cycle very much. It is spectacular.

The rotating piano keys stage is very impressive and adds a great dimension to the performing platform. Coupled with this is the fantastic organic colours and textures, ironically brought to us through digital imagery technology.
There is pebble, forest, woven wool, flame, night, mountain streams and a whole lot more of sensory delights working in harmony with this mechanical monster of a stage that all enhances the dramatic story telling, complimenting the music and in no way distracting or detracting.

I still have an issue with the puppet monster though. Can someone please phone Beirut and ask for the dragon to be returned?

[MAuer]

Oh Gawd he's not just humming now, he's going dadada . In Sesto's most beautiful aria.
Aargh.

Evidently, the recording technicians couldn't do anything about it -- or did they even try?

[Nekrotzar]

Such a beautiful performance from Alan Oke as Caliban, who left me in tears. An incredibly moving opera with complex characters and plot perfectly executed by the cast and brilliant direction. I like the link to Milan with the Teatro alla Scala, it worked very effectively in the scenery. wonderful music composed and conducted by Thomas Adès.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Wagner: Siegfried
Jay Hunter Morris (Siegfried), Gerhard Siegel (Mime), Bryn Terfel (Wanderer), Eric Owens (Alberich), Hans-Peter König (Fafner), Patricia Bardon (Erda), Deborah Voigt (Brünnhilde), Mojca Erdmann (Waldvogel)
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Fabio Luisi
Production by Robert Lepage



I am enjoying this cycle very much. It is spectacular.

The rotating piano keys stage is very impressive and adds a great dimension to the performing platform. Coupled with this is the fantastic organic colours and textures, ironically brought to us through digital imagery technology.
There is pebble, forest, woven wool, flame, night, mountain streams and a whole lot more of sensory delights working in harmony with this mechanical monster of a stage that all enhances the dramatic story telling, complimenting the music and in no way distracting or detracting.

I still have an issue with the puppet monster though. Can someone please phone Beirut and ask for the dragon to be returned?

Interesting. This was a very controversial production. Older threads here had lots of pros and cons about it, or I should say, lots of cons. Singers themselves have complained to us in interviews, either on the record or in off, about the "machine" taking up too much space and being clumsy and intrusive, not to forget clicks and pops. I saw the whole thing in movie theaters then attended part of one of the cycles in person at the Met and it did look impressive, but I can see why singers were unhappy.

[Clayton]

Interesting. This was a very controversial production. Older threads here had lots of pros and cons about it, or I should say, lots of cons. Singers themselves have complained to us in interviews, either on the record or in off, about the "machine" taking up too much space and being clumsy and intrusive, not to forget clicks and pops. I saw the whole thing in movie theaters then attended part of one of the cycles in person at the Met and it did look impressive, but I can see why singers were unhappy.

Yes, I can imagine it was very difficult for the performers. I was hoping it was a stunt women and not Deborah Voigt that was suspended upside down at the end of Die Walküre...
Also Richard Croft seemed to find reverse gear very difficult and it did look clumsy.

The singing performances from all the cast is very good and I can hear no problems caused in that department and all together I think it is a great show so far but I have yet to see the final installment, which I plan to watch tomorrow.

It is a performance that I wish I had been there to see live

(We'll stick it on that ever growing list...)

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Evidently, the recording technicians couldn't do anything about it -- or did they even try?

Well I found out later that Davis was notorious for humming (at first I couldn't believe my ears) so they should have made an effort.

[Amfortas]

Well I found out later that Davis was notorious for humming (at first I couldn't believe my ears) so they should have made an effort.

That's why they never let him and Glenn Gould record together.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Needed something entertaining to watch while I tackled the pile of ironing I'd accumulated after three consecutive weekends away. Great fun and loved the interaction with the conductor and orchestra members.

[Clayton]

Needed something entertaining to watch while I tackled the pile of ironing I'd accumulated after three consecutive weekends away...

A forgotten expense of sports spectatorship and opera travel!

[Clayton]

My (ironing free) morning:

Wagner: Götterdämmerung
Jay Hunter Morris (Siegfried), Deborah Voigt (Brünnhilde), Hans-Peter König (Hagen), Eric Owens (Alberich), Iain Paterson (Gunther), Wendy Bryn Harmer (Gutrune), Waltraud Meier (Waltraute), Maria Radner (Erste Norn), Elizabeth Bishop (Zweite Norn), Heidi Melton (Dritte Norn), Erin Morley (Woglinde), Jennifer Johnson Cano (Wellgunde), Tamara Mumford (Flosshilde)
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, James Levine (Das Rheingold & Die Walküre), Fabio Luisi (Siegfried & Götterdämmerung)



It is again visually very exciting but this is the weakest link in the Lepage cycle, exposing my strong preference for the earlier MET Götterdämmerung with Jerusalem, Salminen and Behrens.
I am disappointed, more so by my inability to appreciate different interpretations.

[Amfortas]

It is again visually very exciting but this is the weakest link in the Lepage cycle, exposing my strong preference for the earlier MET Götterdämmerung with Jerusalem, Salminen and Behrens.
I am disappointed, more so by my inability to appreciate different interpretations.

As Luiz pointed out, the Lepage cycle received very mixed reviews, so don't fault yourself for having a similar response.

As a pretty certain general rule, *every* Ring production lets you down somewhere or other.

[Clayton]

I guess if I was to buy it on DVD I'll follow the favourite recording thread and do a sort of dvd potted ring...

Which is the Siegfried with the dragon you posted earlier?

[Clayton]

Sorry, just scrolled back and looked at the picture again. It changed in my memory banks to something a whole lot different.

- - - Updated - - -

that happens alot.

- - - Updated - - -

I need to update my memory card.

- - - Updated - - -

should probably get a new processor whilst I'm at it.