850 posts
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Post by bordeaux on Oct 28, 2021 12:19:05 GMT
I saw the Madame Butterfly this week and enjoyed it very much - probably 25 years since I've seen one. Modern set effectively used. First time I've heard boos for Pinkerton and his wife as they took their bows (the characters being booed, not the singers). Has anyone else experienced this at the opera - it's normal at a panto (and I can imagine it may have been common at the opera 120 years ago but it was a bit of a surprise)?
They've got the Katie Mitchell Jenufa (excellent, or it was a few years ago when I saw it) and John Caird's Don Giovanni in the spring too.
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3,926 posts
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Post by Dawnstar on Oct 28, 2021 12:47:01 GMT
I have witnessed Pinkerton being pantomime booed when I saw Madame Butterfly at Holland Park in 2013. I have also read of it happeneing in numerous reviews of a variety of productions over the last decade or so, so it is pretty common. Unfortunately, as I consider it disgusting thing to do. I don't recall hearing of Kate Pinkerton getting booed before though, so it appears audiences are getting even worse.
I wish I could see WNO's Barbiere this autumn, as I love the production & the cast this time look great, but unfortunately with covid I don't feel safe to make the long train journey that would be required to get to any of WNO's venues.
I saw Mitchell's Jenufa back in 2008, with Nuccia Focile in the title role, & found it a pretty bleak production. Caird's Don Giovanni, seen in 2011, I found visually attractive but somewhat marmoreal. At least next year's Don Gs are more youthful than the rather too old for the role baritone who I saw. It's the only time I've seen a Don G & found Ottavio & Anna came over as the most interesting characters.
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1,315 posts
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Post by tmesis on Oct 28, 2021 15:02:04 GMT
Pinkerton being booed I have witnessed on more than one occasion and I too completely deplore it. The other character who pretty regularly gets booed is Monostatos in Die Zauberflote but since this is Mozart's version of a high class pantomime it's almost acceptable and, as originally conceived in the opera, the character can't really be taken seriously with modern day sensibilities.
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4,589 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Oct 31, 2021 19:08:06 GMT
On Thursday at opera North Escamillo was boo'd at the curtain call. I didnt mind as it showed the audience was paying attention!
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