Skip to main content

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at the Royal Opera

This production of Die Meistersinger was certainly showing its age. A friend remarked that the MDF was looking tired and the tree seemed to have diminished in stature (was that the right tree from the original production?) Then again Sir Antonio Pappano delivered the overture with his typical Wagnerian grandeur.
John Tomlinson was a weighty Pogner. Wolfgang Koch was a light weight Hans Sachs. Toby Spence (clearly recovered from his cold since Eugene Onegin at the ENO) was on superb form as David. Eva, oh dear Eva. Emma Bell lost her voice (cold presumably), her understudy also lost hers that morning so the Royal Opera had to wing someone from Vienna (nobody caught her name, so if you did please let me know) - who sang the role superbly - even in the Act 3 quintet. The chorus was also fantastic - that big fat Wagnerian sound lifted the roof towards the end.
Time for a new production within this decade I think.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Royal Festival Hall

It was billed as a "Warm Up Event". But I think it was to do with contracts signed prior to the discovery of asbestos at the Royal Festival Hall which added six months to the renovation programme. Gustavo Dudamel conducted the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in Strauss Four Last Songs and Mahler 5th. The band made a good sound tough the upper strings were a bit subdue (or was it the Hall?) The Four Last Songs were a bit fast to my liking - and it was only Beim Schlafengehen where I felt the tempo was right. Measha Brueggergosman sang relatively well, though her BIG HAIR was in the way of the sound projection. Mahler 5th was thunderous and supple at the same time - the latter much helped by the strong viola and lower string section. It was exciting and forward but could do with a bit more rubati. Otherwise it was an enjoyable evening out at this much loved venue.
Post a Comment
Read more

La Voix Humaine, Glyndebourne

Stéphanie d’Oustrac starred in this one act / single cast Poulenc opera. The minimalist stage (Caroline Ginet) consisted of a tilting platform with an old fashioned dial telephone. But that's all it took for the drama to unfold. d’Oustrac was able to draw us into her conversation, expressing the challenging feelings of frustration, anxiety, disappointment and dare we say hope? A superb performance it was.
Post a Comment
Read more

Bruckner 8, Andris Nelsons and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra

Bruckner 8 Symphony was a gigantic piece of symphonic writing. What better to hear a mature and thoughtful Andris Nelsons conducting the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra? The slow measured start gave rise to the hallmark relentlessness of the later Bruckner symphonies. Nelsons brought out the rising and falling phrases, and ensured the episodic chunks together form a coherent whole. The scherzo second movement was precise and at pace. Feierlich langsam (3rd movement) was subtle, mournful with a glimmer of light. The masculine sound for the brass section delivered a memorable finale
Post a Comment
Read more