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Post by tmesis on Jan 7, 2018 22:47:42 GMT
I've seen this David McVicar production many times but yesterday I thought it the best incarnation ever. It was extremely well conducted by Alexander Joel (he is not a conductor I always like) but it was the three central roles which were as well sung as I've ever heard them. Michael Fabiano impressed me as Rudolfo in La Boheme but he was sensational as the Duke. I would love to see him now in other Verdi roles. Equally sensational was Lucy Crowe as Gilda whom I had previously only heard before in Handel and Mozart. She did a fantastic Caro Nome - an aria that can be quite painful even when sung by some very illustrious singers - her purity, control and crucially at the end, intonation was exemplary. In nearly all productions Rigoletto tends to steal the show, it is a measure of how excellent the Duke and Gilda were that in this instance he didn't but Dimitri Platanias was still a very moving jester.
A great night at The Garden.
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Post by Mr Snow on Jan 8, 2018 16:13:15 GMT
I wasn’t expecting a lot after the reviews but agree it was rather fine. It seems to have improved throughout the run. Overall I agree about the conducting where he favoured the singers, although there were times when he seemed to underplay the dramatic aspects. Rigoletto’s cries for revenge didn’t chill as much as they can.
Agree re Lucy Crowe and she didn’t start the run. It can be a thankless part about a foolish girl and I really cared until the very end.
Fabiano allegedly had a cold when I saw him and noticeably improved through the evening
And as I mentioned on another thread, the Quartet was memorable.
But for me, the singing of the evening that I can still feel the resonance of, Andrea Mastroni as Sparafucile
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Post by tonyloco on Jan 9, 2018 1:09:19 GMT
Thanks tmesis and Mr Snow for your interesting reports on Rigoletto. I'm glad you both enjoyed the current revival and I have now taken some vicarious pleasure from reading your comments. As I have probably said before, for me Verdi is right at the top of my list of favourite opera composers and it is good to know that there are singers around who can do justice to a masterpiece like Rigoletto.
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Post by stagey19 on Jan 9, 2018 17:33:31 GMT
I saw Rigoletto on 23 December, sadly not with Lucy Crowe but with Sofia Fomina. As I went on a student lastminute, I bought the ticket without checking the cast list first. I wish I'd paid to have seen Lucy Crowe instead! She was spectacular as Ismene in Mitridate, earlier this season, and I have become a fan since then. Sofia was an average Gilda, she did not pull me in and I did not care much for the character. It was definitely Dimitri Platanias that stole the show as Rigoletto. This production of Rigoletto was the 3rd production I have seen (the other two being the Jonathan Miller production at the ENO and Damiano Michieletto's at the Dutch National Opera), but it did not appeal to me. I must also admit that the nudity and sexual references came as a bit of a shock to me! I was not expecting this to be staged so explicitly... I really should have read up on the production beforehand  |
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Post by tmesis on Jan 9, 2018 20:25:32 GMT
tonyloco I would say Rigoletto is my favourite amongst Verdi's opera - not the greatest, that would be Otello, Aida or Don Carlo. It's pure pleasure from beginning to end with one cracking aria/ensemble after another. There are really no dull moments at all. I adore La Traviata but my mind wanders a bit at the start of act 2 in a less than committed performance. Rigoletto has amazing dramatic drive from start to finish and it's his first truly great opera where he really finds his feet as a dramatist.
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Post by Dawnstar on Jan 9, 2018 20:48:21 GMT
I saw Rigoletto on 23 December, sadly not with Lucy Crowe but with Sofia Fomina. As I went on a student lastminute, I bought the ticket without checking the cast list first. I wish I'd paid to have seen Lucy Crowe instead! She was spectacular as Ismene in Mitridate, earlier this season, and I have become a fan since then. Sofia was an average Gilda, she did not pull me in and I did not care much for the character. It was definitely Dimitri Platanias that stole the show as Rigoletto. This production of Rigoletto was the 3rd production I have seen (the other two being the Jonathan Miller production at the ENO and Damiano Michieletto's at the Dutch National Opera), but it did not appeal to me. I must also admit that the nudity and sexual references came as a bit of a shock to me! I was not expecting this to be staged so explicitly... I really should have read up on the production beforehand Sofia Fomina impressed me when I heard her singing Naiad in Ariadne Auf Naxos in 2014, but of course that's a much smaller role than Gilda. This production is somewhat notorious for the orgy scene. It's the main reason I've never seen it, being someone who does not want to see lots of nudity on stage. |
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Post by tonyloco on Jan 10, 2018 1:36:23 GMT
tonyloco I would say Rigoletto is my favourite amongst Verdi's opera - not the greatest, that would be Otello, Aida or Don Carlo. It's pure pleasure from beginning to end with one cracking aria/ensemble after another. There are really no dull moments at all. I adore La Traviata but my mind wanders a bit at the start of act 2 in a less than committed performance. Rigoletto has amazing dramatic drive from start to finish and it's his first truly great opera where he really finds his feet as a dramatist. I'm inclined to agree. My secret pleasure is really 'Il trovatore' but that's mainly for the white hot score whereas 'Rigoletto' is actually much more convincing dramatically. As far as I can recall, it is also probably the only Verdi opera that has such a juicy cameo role as Sparafucile, although other roles elsewhere like the Grand Inquisitor in 'Don Carlo' can also make their mark with a powerful performance. |
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Post by stagey19 on Jan 10, 2018 9:52:45 GMT
Sofia Fomina impressed me when I heard her singing Naiad in Ariadne Auf Naxos in 2014, but of course that's a much smaller role than Gilda. This production is somewhat notorious for the orgy scene. It's the main reason I've never seen it, being someone who does not want to see lots of nudity on stage. Haha, I am wiser after the event! I am with you regarding nudity on stage; it is not my thing. I saw Salome on Monday and that also had plenty of nudity in it again. I just don't necessarily see what it adds to a production. At least I don't think it added anything to Rigoletto or Salome {SPOILER - Salome}In Salome, when the executioner descends into the cellar to retrieve Jokanaan's head, he throws off his jacket just before he descends. I do not understand what the significance is of his nudity in this instance?! When he returns with the severed head, he is then covered in blood and sits on stage in the nude for the rest of the opera. I really did not understand the nudity, which in my opinion did not add anything to the opera. |
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Post by bellboard27 on Jan 10, 2018 10:28:53 GMT
While I generally agree about nudity on stage, I think for this production it makes sense. The opening scene presents the debauchery of the Duke and his court and the more obvious this is, the better as far as I can see as this is the starting point of the story. Further, the main nudity was Monterone's daughter and a man who was being forced to lie on her. Again, this adds to the depiction of the debasement of the daughter and, therefore, the disgust of Monterone is enhanced as is all that follows from this. So, while nudity is sometimes a side show and sometimes totally inexplicable, in this case it did seem to fit the story rather well.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jan 10, 2018 11:05:52 GMT
It has to be done well to avoid embarrassment for all involved. I had the misfortune to review an Ellen Kent production of Rigoletto which mentioned nudity and hunting dogs on the poster and it was just a cringe worthy attempt at cheap titillation and getting more sales. It wasn't dramatically integrated and was just cheap.
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Post by mallardo on Jan 10, 2018 13:58:20 GMT
It seems as if opera exploits nudity more than the regular theatre does. Virtually any new production of Salome, Tannhauser, Parsifal, Lulu, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, even Les Contes d'Hoffmann, can be expected now to include nudity.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2018 19:48:32 GMT
Les Contes d'Hoffmann, can be expected now to include nudity. Well, it's in the title . |
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Post by Dawnstar on Jan 10, 2018 20:35:34 GMT
Haha, I am wiser after the event! I am with you regarding nudity on stage; it is not my thing. I saw Salome on Monday and that also had plenty of nudity in it again. I just don't necessarily see what it adds to a production. At least I don't think it added anything to Rigoletto or Salome {SPOILER - Salome}In Salome, when the executioner descends into the cellar to retrieve Jokanaan's head, he throws off his jacket just before he descends. I do not understand what the significance is of his nudity in this instance?! When he returns with the severed head, he is then covered in blood and sits on stage in the nude for the rest of the opera. I really did not understand the nudity, which in my opinion did not add anything to the opera. I saw the first night of that Salome back in 2008. I was prepared for Salome to potentially be stripping off but I certainly was not expecting the executioner to be doing so! Not a production I have ever wanted to re-visit. Had I been booked for later in the run & had read the reviews first I would probably not have gone. I much preferred WNO's far more traditional production, in which no-one was naked, when I saw that the following year. |
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Post by crabtree on Jan 10, 2018 23:17:41 GMT
In both Salome and Rigoletto I thought the nudity worked perfectly....The court of the Duke has to be debauched and shocking to make the hypocrisy work and the corruption of Gilda so painful. And the executioner being naked does have an ironic brutality in this production. never worried me. I wonder if the nudity will be hidden for the live screening.
Perhaps if I saw The Mikado naked then I might tut loudly.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jan 10, 2018 23:19:25 GMT
Perhaps if I saw The Mikado naked then I might tut loudly. It is always good to get your Pish Tush out.... |
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Post by bellboard27 on Jan 10, 2018 23:51:09 GMT
Perhaps if I saw The Mikado naked then I might tut loudly. It is always good to get your Pish Tush out.... The list might not be the only thing that’s little. |
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Post by crabtree on Jan 11, 2018 0:00:28 GMT
or a cheap and chippy chopper......
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Post by tonyloco on Jan 11, 2018 0:19:29 GMT
It is always good to get your Pish Tush out.... Looks like we may have another Dick Whittington saga going here. Perhaps we ought to call a bus for all concerned before it goes any further! |
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Post by crabtree on Jan 11, 2018 8:34:35 GMT
do you remember the saga of the initial poster.....?
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Post by stagey19 on Jan 12, 2018 11:11:43 GMT
While I generally agree about nudity on stage, I think for this production it makes sense. The opening scene presents the debauchery of the Duke and his court and the more obvious this is, the better as far as I can see as this is the starting point of the story. Further, the main nudity was Monterone's daughter and a man who was being forced to lie on her. Again, this adds to the depiction of the debasement of the daughter and, therefore, the disgust of Monterone is enhanced as is all that follows from this. So, while nudity is sometimes a side show and sometimes totally inexplicable, in this case it did seem to fit the story rather well. I do understand what you mean about the scene being a relevant setting to have this nudity on stage. However, for me the same effect would be reached by allowing members of the chorus to keep their clothes on. I guess I am just a bit of a prude... |
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Post by bellboard27 on Jan 12, 2018 11:38:12 GMT
While I generally agree about nudity on stage, I think for this production it makes sense. The opening scene presents the debauchery of the Duke and his court and the more obvious this is, the better as far as I can see as this is the starting point of the story. Further, the main nudity was Monterone's daughter and a man who was being forced to lie on her. Again, this adds to the depiction of the debasement of the daughter and, therefore, the disgust of Monterone is enhanced as is all that follows from this. So, while nudity is sometimes a side show and sometimes totally inexplicable, in this case it did seem to fit the story rather well. I do understand what you mean about the scene being a relevant setting to have this nudity on stage. However, for me the same effect would be reached by allowing members of the chorus to keep their clothes on. I guess I am just a bit of a prude... I do understand that. Sometimes it is hard to see why there is nudity and how it fits with the story at all. At least on this occasion it is at least consistent with the story. A couple of recent cases in plays:
{Spoiler - click to view}
In Belleview Imogen Poots is fully naked as she is carried from the bathroom and set down on a sofa. I felt that the story would not have been impacted if she had been wrapped in a towel.
In RSCs Ant & Cleo, at the end Cleo takes off her wig to reveal a bald head and then disrobes completely. I know she is divesting herself of her position in preparation for suicide, but it is not absolutely necessary to be naked (unless she was trying to prove the rest of her had as little hair as her head!).
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Post by vabbian on Jan 12, 2018 12:31:04 GMT
Nudity in Salome at ROH now too!
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Post by tonyloco on Jan 12, 2018 13:44:36 GMT
Nudity in Salome at ROH now too! Don't forget that part of the magic of theatre is 'illusion' and things can be suggested without having to be shown literally on stage. If we took the idea of showing everything totally literally then the singer performing John the Baptist would need to be beheaded and his bleeding head presented to Salome. If we are satisfied with a mock head of John then why does Salome need to be actually naked, apart from to shock or tittilate the audience? Does a fully naked Salome serve Strauss's music better than if she is just pretending to be naked or semi-naked? I am assuming that the nudity referred to in this discussion is Salome's Dance of the Seven Veils. |
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Post by Dawnstar on Jan 12, 2018 13:57:47 GMT
tonyloco No, Salome only undresses as far as her slip in this production. Instead there's a fully-nude, blood-smeared executioner, which in my opinion is totally gratuitous nudity.
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Post by tonyloco on Jan 12, 2018 14:30:43 GMT
tonyloco No, Salome only undresses as far as her slip in this production. Instead there's a fully-nude, blood-smeared executioner, which in my opinion is totally gratuitous nudity. I couldn't agree more, Dawnstar! You can search all you like in Strauss's score, Oscar Wilde's play or indeed the Bible and I am sure you will not find a blood-smeared naked executioner! |
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