Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Oct 20, 2019 17:47:56 GMT
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Oct 20, 2019 17:52:31 GMT
While I've not been to any modern operas at the ROH I've seen that the prices are lowered considerably compared to repertory operas to shift seats, for instance I see that Alice's Adventures Under Ground next February has a top price of £60 & there are stalls seats priced as low as £37. Should I decide I wanted to give something modern a go (admittedly unlikely!) I'd be a lot more likely to take a punt on something at £37 than at £100 & I imagine most people would feel the same way. Yes, and I think (although I may be misremembering) that the ENO used to do similarly for modern opera. Although "Mask" does need huge resources as I understand it. Thanks for pointing out the pricing on "Alice's Adventures Underground", hadn't checked pricing for this and there are some bargains there! I enjoyed Barry's "Importance of Being Earnest" so will probably go for this at those prices.
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3,951 posts
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Post by Dawnstar on Oct 20, 2019 18:56:54 GMT
Yes, and I think (although I may be misremembering) that the ENO used to do similarly for modern opera. Although "Mask" does need huge resources as I understand it. Thanks for pointing out the pricing on "Alice's Adventures Underground", hadn't checked pricing for this and there are some bargains there! I enjoyed Barry's "Importance of Being Earnest" so will probably go for this at those prices. Better to get money from seats sold in advance at £60 rather than unsold at £100 then discounted to £30 on TKTS on the day though, I would think.
I only looked it up to get a comparison with at ENO's prices, I hadn't look at it before. In fact I assumed it was the Alice opera by Usuk Chin (sp?) that I remember reading reviews of a few years ago & hadn't realised it was a different one by Barry. Not that that makes me any more likely to see it! I wonder why a composer would choose to write an opera on a subject when another composer did the same subject a few years ago? I know it happened in the past with e.g. Barbiere, Manon, Boheme but those were before recording technology so the earlier versions would not have necessarily been accessible to the intended audience for the new versions but nowadays, with new operas recorded, they are. I likewise wonder why ENB is doing a new Frankenstein piece next year when the RB recently did one.
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Post by cartoonman on Oct 23, 2019 10:18:33 GMT
There is a free short course on opera on the featureless website. I know this should have its own thread.
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Oct 27, 2019 11:21:11 GMT
Saw "Mask of Orpheus" on Friday, enjoyed it! More so for the music than the visuals. If you've listened to bits of Birtwhistle and not liked it, this isn't going to change your mind!
The production was a gaudy mess, strangely visually reminiscent of Colin Baker-era Doctor Who (which was from around the time this opera was originally performed, suspect that is coincidence!), and didn't help in explaining the somewhat enigmatic plot - basically you're seeing multiple versions of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth reanacted by three of each character.
About 3.5 hours with two intervals. Stalls were fairly full, all levels seemed to be open, and I didn't notice a huge number of people leaving at the intervals.
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1,199 posts
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Post by joem on Nov 8, 2019 15:43:13 GMT
My goodness, this was awful. Although the ENO has pulled out all the stops for the first revival since it's premier at the ENO 33 years ago of Birtwistle's opera - very loosely based on the Orpheus myth - this is a real chore.
A brash production gives plenty to look at - projections, mime, dance, extravagant costumes and colourful props - the opera itself is a cerebral exercise which does not come to life because the composer did not mean it to. Which is all very well but when you are sitting at the Coliseum for four hours and pay over £100 for a ticket maybe you're entitled to expect more?
The libretto was apparently disliked by Birtwistle himself and I can see why. Obscure, esoteric and not geared to inspire any wonderful tunes. Having said that, Birtwistle wasn't looking to write wonderful tunes here. The work was partly recycled from an unfinished commission for a Faust opera and that pretty much tells you something, there is no heart or intention in this opera other than to doodle with some musical experiments. An orchestra with no strings, all percussion and woodwind, but (pretentiously) TWO conductors ends up producing farty noises to accompany the wordless wailing of some of the singing. There was more declamation than singing even when there was something to be sung. Some may find this deep, I found it deeply boring and pointless. I thought Birtwistle's Gawain was a decent opera with a good use of myth, not this.
Two knowledgeable members of the audience were agreeing they wouldn't be able to tell if there was a wrong note played. I doubt they were the only ones. I even doubt whether this is really an opera.
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3,951 posts
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Post by Dawnstar on Nov 8, 2019 17:10:04 GMT
I can only say that I'm deeply glad not to be seeing this!
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4,661 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Nov 9, 2019 11:03:32 GMT
Fascinating to hear about the librettist and its links to Faust.
The more I read about this the happier I am that I didn't book
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4,661 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Nov 16, 2019 8:50:08 GMT
Orphee (opening night)
On the plus side the staging was really good and made sense of what is a complicated plot (very wordy libretto). It was much clearer than the production at the Linbury 15 ish years ago.
Orchestra and Nicky Spence was wonderful. But some of the singers were really poor and they spolit the evening for me - You know when someone walks onto the stage and you dread it because they can't sing?
I love this opera, ENO's decision to cast multiple singers who cooukdnt deliver has really pished me off.
Its a big thumbs down from me. I think the Orpheus season was a disaster
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4,661 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Nov 16, 2019 9:01:00 GMT
In my book his tenure was a disaster
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Post by cartoonman on Nov 18, 2019 15:17:49 GMT
Madam Butterfly- The Met, New York, has a very good internet site with lots of video clips about the Minghella? Production. More than on the ENO site. Its worth a look. I've seen MB twice before, at the ROH & ENO but have never seen this production so I'm looking forward to it.
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4,661 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Nov 18, 2019 18:08:52 GMT
Madam Butterfly- The Met, New York, has a very good internet site with lots of video clips about the Minghella? Production. More than on the ENO site. Its worth a look. I've seen MB twice before, at the ROH & ENO but have never seen this production so I'm looking forward to it. It's an excellent production - enjoy
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Post by Mr Snow on Nov 18, 2019 22:04:49 GMT
So good I bought the DVD and have forked out for stalls seats this time.
Because...it's worth it!
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4,661 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Dec 17, 2019 8:19:55 GMT
Blond Eckbert and The Day After are getting staged in the rehearsal studios up in Hampstead.
They staged the latter 3 ish years ago and it was very good.
I'm not sure if I like Judith Weir's music. I'll have a listen before deciding about booking Eckbert.
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Dec 17, 2019 17:42:52 GMT
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525 posts
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Post by vabbian on Dec 18, 2019 19:02:02 GMT
I saw all four Orpheus operas, They were all sh*te.
The Mikado however was class. Hope that comes around again soon.
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525 posts
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Post by vabbian on Dec 18, 2019 19:03:59 GMT
The creatives behind the Orpheus productions should consider a career change
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4,661 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Feb 10, 2020 22:04:30 GMT
Luisa Miller.
I thought this was fantastic. Orchestra, singers, especially the principal trio and chorus all on terrific form.
I also really liked the production. My operfrau complained that its 'very German'. Yes it uses tricks but I thought all but two in the first act fitted perfectly.
Best night at ENO in a long while.
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5,020 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Feb 13, 2020 10:17:22 GMT
I just happened to pass the Coliseum last night at about 8.30. People were leaving...not for a cigarette, but crossing St Martin's Lane with coats and bags.
I've looked this morning and it was Luisa Miller, so clearly not everyone's cup of tea!
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Post by Mr Snow on Feb 22, 2020 21:55:33 GMT
Luisa Miller. I thought this was fantastic. Orchestra, singers, especially the principal trio and chorus all on terrific form. I also really liked the production. My operfrau complained that its 'very German'. Yes it uses tricks but I thought all but two in the first act fitted perfectly. Best night at ENO in a long while. To each their own. Yes the singing was consistently excellent and the diction really outstanding - didn't look at the surtitles all evening. What a fussy production with a million things going on at once and stupid me not bright enough to figure out what they might have to do with the drama. Distracting is not the word. Then like Aida, it all becomes small scale with duets sung together...ahh not together but across the biggest stage in London at each other!(please I don't need facts corrected here , I'm on a roll. and anyway for some reason they made the stage even bigger than normal so the duets could be more like a tennis match!) The Director was big on visuals but terrible on stagecraft. By the end I'd just tuned out and an Opera I'd waited 40 years to see live .... WT XXXXPFT!!!!!!!!!!!! Auditorium about a 1/3 full for a (albeit lesser known) Verdi. The management consultants will be back soon if this continues.
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Feb 23, 2020 16:36:00 GMT
Really enjoyed Luisa Miller although agree it isn't selling well at all. They are releasing more secret seats close to the event - I picked one up a week or so ago which turned out to be row K of the stalls.
This happened after the performance the other night ...
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Post by Mr Snow on Mar 2, 2020 14:52:43 GMT
Madame Butterfly Sat night was very nearly sold out!
If you haven't seen this production its really worth seeing and hearing Natalya Romaniw this time - incidentally she's from Wales!
Wonderful singing from the ladies in just the most ravishing production.
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525 posts
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Post by vabbian on Mar 6, 2020 22:30:24 GMT
So, Luisa Miller was unexpectedly great. Fantastic cast. With different staging this could have been a real smash hit.
A rare enjoyable evening at the ENO.
QUESTION: why the phuc does the ENO use balloons in like EVERY production?
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525 posts
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Post by vabbian on Mar 11, 2020 23:31:40 GMT
At the interval at Butterfly tonight a couple next to me AND a couple behind me left because they didn't know it would be in English lol
"Did you know?" "Wasn't expecting that" "Did you see anywhere it said it was in English?"
I wonder how often this happens at the ENO
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Post by londonpostie on Mar 12, 2020 0:45:28 GMT
Slightly confused early on by a plot involving a 15-yo girl and a man in a position of authority who could pass for a young Prince Andrew .. Once I got over that Natalya Romaniw lured me in! Terrific. I just love being completely transported by melodramaic opera I can hardly criticise a Minghella production but dear god! The lanterns and screens were basically a job lot from Ikea.
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