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Post by oxfordsimon on Jul 8, 2023 21:55:11 GMT
Just home from a splendid evening of Candide in Oxford.
Visually very striking with amazing use of projection. Musically very strong with everyone delivering beautifully.
It is a shame the tour is such a short one. Finished next week with Birmingham and Brecon.
WNO at their best
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jul 9, 2023 7:59:49 GMT
I was there also last night and throughly lovled it. this was my 11th Candide and possibly the best sounding one.
The animation and 'bead curtain' was stunning and very innovative. something I have not seen before. Even without the animation, the direction and cheography were so innovative and I really can see this production having a life elsewhere.
The version WNO plumped for was Lonny Price's and like his productions at ENO it was rather shallow. Without Nothing more than this, Candide is just a romp with very little depth. Give the man a nervous breakdown to beef things up a bit! and Ed Lyon would have sung it wonderfully ... but my grumble is with Mr Price and not this excellent production.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jul 9, 2023 8:25:40 GMT
I share the concern about the choice of version.
I missed We Are Women as well as Nothing More Then This and could have done without Quiet (though a shorter version might have been ok) and the singing sheep.
But they are minor quibbles.
Aled Hall nearly stole the show with his sleaze!
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jul 9, 2023 9:20:12 GMT
I really do like the inclusion of the sheep song* or rather the first half of it. How it then segues into Eldorado appears to be a good fit.
We are woman is such a good song and cutting it sound be judged by an Auto-da-fe ...
I really like having a female Pangloss aka Lillian Hellman
*perhaps because I am sondheim obsessed.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jul 9, 2023 9:24:18 GMT
I really do like the inclusion of the sheep song* or rather the first half of it. How it then segues into Eldorado appears to be a good fit. We are woman is such a good song and cutting it sound be judged by an Auto-da-fe ... I really like having a female Pangloss aka Lillian Hellman *perhaps because I am sondheim obsessed. Female Pangloss would have worked better if the sound balance had not lost much of the clarity of her dialogue. The New is notoriously bad for sound but it was more of an issue with Gillian Bevan than the rest of the cast. |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jul 9, 2023 9:35:55 GMT
She did seem rather quiet.
In the New where is the best place to sit for opera ? It's a shame it doesn't have a decent orchestra pit
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jul 9, 2023 9:51:52 GMT
Normally when WNO visit the New, they are in the pit (which can take about 30) plus a large part of the stalls. For some works, that leaves very few rows in the stalls!
Never go for the upper circle. The sound there is unacceptable.
Circle is usually ok.
Orchestra on stage was the design for this tour. Not quite sure what, if anything, was gained!
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Post by Mr Snow on Jul 9, 2023 21:25:41 GMT
Do WNO revive productions. i.e. is there a chnace I might get to see this?
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jul 9, 2023 21:37:06 GMT
I honestly don't know. But would surprise me if another company didn't pick it up.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jul 10, 2023 9:11:27 GMT
Normally when WNO visit the New, they are in the pit (which can take about 30) plus a large part of the stalls. For some works, that leaves very few rows in the stalls! Never go for the upper circle. The sound there is unacceptable. Circle is usually ok. Orchestra on stage was the design for this tour. Not quite sure what, if anything, was gained! Thanks - I'll try the circle for Death in Venice |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jul 10, 2023 9:12:46 GMT
Do WNO revive productions. i.e. is there a chnace I might get to see this? They revive a lot of productions. Especially the classics. I'm hoping this one will get another outing |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jul 10, 2023 9:47:38 GMT
Make Our Garden Grow moved me to tears for the first time (even without Nothing More Than This)
It was beautifully sung
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