Diary of a Culture Hedonist

Egils Silins was a fantastic replacement for Bryn Terfel as Dutchman - he was a little more rugged, more pensive, more torn. And Adrianne Pieczonka was a superb Senta. The chorus was punchy - and I'd say the men won. Ed Lyon as Steersman added a little fizz on stage. But the real joy of the evening was Andris Nelsons in the pit - he got the orchestra to play slower, played the details, layered the sound and took risks to accommodate the drama happening on stage. Yes the ensemble rocked a little from time to time, but the price was well worth the high definition immersive experience.

A very grand opera indeed. David McVicar put much realism in this production of Andrea Chénier - all the details of a turbulent time in Paris. Jonas Kaufmann and Eva-Maria Westbroek were a perfect match - exquite voices with superb acting. And Pappano gave his very best in the pit. Let's hope we don't have to wait for another 30 years again.

OMG Nina Stemme was absolutely fabulous as Isolde - not only she had that BIG Wagnerian voice, she also did an amazing job at acting the role. Stephen Gould was a pretty good Tristan - strong stage presence and the right kind of voice (apart from the odd wayward moments). I continue to be amazed to see Sarah Connolly in Wagnerian roles (this time as Brangäne), when not so long ago she was still doing Handel trouser-roles. She was fab, stole the show in Act 2. And the production? I forgot I'd seen it. So it was that memorable. And then I remembered how distracting it was. Perhaps someone should explain to the audience what was going on with those curtains. Never mind. Pappano gets Wagner. Full stop.

The set by Chantal Thomas works - there was depth and height, and the production made full use of it. Vittorio Grigolo was superb as Nemorino - just the right degree of madness. Lucy Crowe's Adina was a little static at the beginning, but got better as the act went on. Bryn Terfel was almost playing his laid back self. Daniele Rustioni did a good job giving this performance a real fizz.

The singers: Franco Fagioli as Idamante was pretty good - full of drama. Matthew Polenzani was a profound Idomeneo. And under the baton of Marc Minkowski, this Mozart set piece came to life musically. As for the production, I wasn't convinced by Annette Murschetz's set design, nor Martin Kušej's direction (the whole Nepture / Wedding scene just didn't work). Next.

This one-man show by Kevin Bishop was truly amazing. Bishop portrayed effectively the full spectrum of characters who might pass through the phone / door of a top notch restaurant in Manhattan. There was hilarity and sadness, ups and downs, as well as plot development. Fabulous!

Hats off to Placido Domingo singing senior Foscari. His voice resonated the auditorium with convincing weight and emotions associated with the role. Junior Foscari, sung by Francesco Meli, had that bold freshness that was perfect. Lucrezia was sung by Maria Agresta, who delivered the goods. The set, by Kevin Knights, gave enough 3D interest and Venetian cues. Pappano did wonders with this early Verdi score - keeping the orchestra and chorus tight. I hope they bring this production back in the not too distant future (I last saw this in 1995!).