Jack the Ripper at the ENO

The creators of the opera agree with you ...

www.theguardian.com/music/2019/mar/28/jack-the-ripper-the-women-of-whitechapel-opera-interview-bullock-romaniw-bell



Bit crass of the marketing department, I think, given the whole point of the opera is to tell the story of the women not the killer.

Well yes but - we don't know who Godot is, or Reg for that matter - we DO know who Jack the Ripper is , so there is an expectation on our part that he might put in an appearance.   The recent play at The Hope Theatre "In Conversation with Graham Norton"  at least put in a disclaimer under the title: "Graham Norton does not appear in this production."   I'm not saying that the ENO should follow suit, but the title does conjure up a different sort of evening than the one which is delivered. 

The Absence of Jack is a very interesting opera. Like many of the best modern operas it tends to be cerebral but there are moments when it hits you in the guts, like the song and dance pub scene with two competing melodies, and those tend to be the best moments. There was a great balance between the chorus and the, pleasingly, high number of soloists.

Most of the liberties taken with what is (un)known of the events are understandable and acceptable. I am surprised at the conflation between the police commissioner and would-be purchaser of the child. If this is intentional it is not backed by anything we know and therefore baseless conjecture which muddies the, very real,

I found the parallels drawn up between the Cretan labyrinth and the warren which was the East End interesting and pertinent. It was worked into the narrative very cleverly.

My tuppence worth to the discussion on the thread. We don't know who Jack the Ripper was but it's almost 100% certain - from the forensic evidence - that most, or all, the five murders were carried out by one individual. Whether there was a conspiracy in high places, a masonic ritual or whatever, the physical act seems to have been the act of the same individual whoever he/she was and whatever he/she was actually called. The word mythology, like "legend", is used loosely in modern times but the fact is that whilst we don't really know if there was a nymph called Calypso or if Achilles really slew Hector, we do know these five women lost their lives to a murderer who was a real flesh and blood figure (I rule out supernatural agencies) and therefore not mythological.

How refreshing to see a composer take a curtain call. Never happens with Mozart, Wagner etc

Got row G of stalls, normally £99.

No wonder they're discounting. That seems overly optomistic ticket pricing for a new opera. (Frankly I wouldn't see it even if they paid me £99!)

I'm not sure what to make of this and the audience tonight didn't seem too enthused judging from what I overhead. My favourite of the night: "We like to think of ourselves as intelligent when we come to the theatre. Until this."

J the R is on Radio 3 on 18th May at 6:30.