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Ruth Elleson
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« Reply #195 on: 13:06:18, 17-03-2008 » |
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A promising start. We once took a group of schoolchildren to see a production of Così fan tutte at Grange Opera. It was sung in English, but when the lovers returned in their disguises, they sang in Italian. I think I saw that, if we're talking about the same production. It was directed by Janis Kelly, and started out at Grange Park before touring under the Pimlico Opera name. It was about 2001, IIRC. Having the disguised lovers as "Italians" made for a good joke in the middle of Act 1. During "Come scoglio" ("Strong as granite") Dorabella - realising that Fiordiligi's declaration wasn't getting through to the boys - whipped an Italian phrase-book out of her handbag and handed it to Fiordiligi, who consequently embarked on the second half of the aria in Italian  |
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Oft hat ein Seufzer, deiner Harf' entflossen,
Ein süßer, heiliger Akkord von dir
Den Himmel beßrer Zeiten mir erschlossen,
Du holde Kunst, ich danke dir dafür!
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operacat
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« Reply #196 on: 14:18:04, 17-03-2008 » |
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Are there any in Wagner?  MEISTERSINGER....er Midsummer Day? (Johannistag) And then there is Britten's Midsummer Night's Dream......does that count? |
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nature abhors a vacuum - but not as much as cats do.
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operacat
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« Reply #197 on: 14:19:50, 17-03-2008 » |
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As it's well past the Witching Hour for me here, I'll disclose that the little-performed RVW I had in mind was RIDERS TO THE SEA - which is set on the eve of the Galway Fair.
Any more holidays, anyone?
Hey, I've just thought - in the last act of LA TRAVIATA, isn't it Mardi Gras? Sorry if someone's already mentioned that. |
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nature abhors a vacuum - but not as much as cats do.
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operacat
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« Reply #198 on: 14:21:34, 17-03-2008 » |
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There's an important work by a Very Distinguished German master of opera, which has plenty of females, but in my opinion no heroine. And no mortal women, either for that matter
You were thinking of DAS RHEINGOLD, whereas I was thinking of DIE WALKUEURE, which has TWO heroines!!! In MY opinion, at any rate!! And one of those is half-mortal...... |
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« Last Edit: 14:23:05, 17-03-2008 by operacat »
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nature abhors a vacuum - but not as much as cats do.
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operacat
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« Reply #199 on: 14:25:16, 17-03-2008 » |
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How about Britten's Picture of Dorian Gray?
The outward comedy of manners, the supernatural element and the Death in Venice idea of youth lost might have given us a rather curious mix... (Anyone know Liebermann's opera?)
How about Wagner's JESUS VON NAZARETH and DIE SIEGER? |
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nature abhors a vacuum - but not as much as cats do.
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Il Grande Inquisitor
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« Reply #200 on: 17:23:13, 17-03-2008 » |
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A promising start. We once took a group of schoolchildren to see a production of Così fan tutte at Grange Opera. It was sung in English, but when the lovers returned in their disguises, they sang in Italian. I think I saw that, if we're talking about the same production. It was directed by Janis Kelly, and started out at Grange Park before touring under the Pimlico Opera name. It was about 2001, IIRC. Having the disguised lovers as "Italians" made for a good joke in the middle of Act 1. During "Come scoglio" ("Strong as granite") Dorabella - realising that Fiordiligi's declaration wasn't getting through to the boys - whipped an Italian phrase-book out of her handbag and handed it to Fiordiligi, who consequently embarked on the second half of the aria in Italian Yes, it was that production, Ruth. Plenty of humour, which the children really enjoyed. I regret that I haven't been to Grange Park since, although I understand that my last school still go along to the odd dress-rehearsal. |
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« Last Edit: 17:50:44, 17-03-2008 by Il Grande Inquisitor »
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Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency
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Don Basilio
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« Reply #201 on: 17:30:55, 17-03-2008 » |
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Primary school, did you say, IGI? Isn't Cosi a bit, er, grown up...
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To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourn, and a time to dance
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Il Grande Inquisitor
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« Reply #202 on: 17:36:38, 17-03-2008 » |
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Primary school, did you say, IGI? Isn't Cosi a bit, er, grown up...
There were a few primary schools given the chance to get cut-price tickets for the final dress rehearsal, plus a few local private schools/ lower seconadary. Mine loved the plot - good fun, plenty of slapstick humour (especially Despina as the quack), nothing to match what they might see on Eastenders, of course... |
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Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency
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George Garnett
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« Reply #203 on: 19:56:56, 17-03-2008 » |
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Primary school, did you say, IGI? Isn't Cosi a bit, er, grown up...
... and, er, long  for someone under 11. Well done them for sitting through it. They must have had an inspiring teacher who had got them interested in the first place.  |
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Don Basilio
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« Reply #204 on: 21:12:38, 17-03-2008 » |
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Actually, when you're under 11 you probably don't realise how very painful the basic situation of Cosi is (ie you are dumped by someone you thought loved you and you find you fancy someone other than your plighted).
I first heard of the plot of Cosi in my teens before I realised where Mother Nature intended my interests to lie, and I thought it sounded a sophisticated hoot.
It is a bit long when you look at the track list with timings in cold daylight, but I can't for the life of me think what I would cut. Possibly the blokes' arias in Act 2. I remember Dorabella's L'amore e un ladroncello being cut, which seems to me unforgivable.
When you know the rest, Per pieta is probably the best soprano solo in Mozart.
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« Last Edit: 21:29:47, 17-03-2008 by Don Basilio »
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To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourn, and a time to dance
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oliver sudden
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« Reply #205 on: 21:25:18, 17-03-2008 » |
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I don't think anything should go in Così. I even feel robbed when I don't get Guglielmo's long aria.
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Don Basilio
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« Reply #206 on: 21:39:29, 17-03-2008 » |
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Getting back to IGI's recent question, in a work he probably doesn't know, and at least one distinguished member finds over-exposed:
Sullivan's The Mikado. The entrance of the Mikado himself in Act 2 is prefaced by the chorus singing in Japanese
Miya sama, miya sama.
Although Gilbert did not know the meaning of the Japanese words, and rumour is that they were obscene in the extreme, I believe that they are a blameless expression of patriotism.
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To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourn, and a time to dance
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thompson1780
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« Reply #207 on: 21:44:54, 17-03-2008 » |
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FAERIES: PEERS:
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(from IOLANTHE, of course)
I suppose it could have been Britten's MND Tommo |
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Made by Thompson & son, at the Violin & c. the West end of St. Paul's Churchyard, LONDON
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oliver sudden
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« Reply #208 on: 21:53:43, 17-03-2008 » |
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Miya sama, miya sama. Miya sama, miya sama
On n'm-ma no maye ni
Pira-Pira suru no wa
Nan gia na
Toko tonyare tonyare na.
Prince, O Prince!
What is it
Fluttering there
In front of your horse?
Refrain.
These words are sung by the chorus as the procession enters, heralding the approach of the Mikado. Both words and music were based on a Japanese song written in 1868 and popular in Japan for some time thereafter. The next verse, which is not used in the opera, continues as follows:
Don't you know that that
Is a royal brocade flag
Signifying our resolve
To defeat our enemies? DB, did you also try 'which trouser role are you'? ...it would seem I'm Arsace. One of only 3%. Gosh! |
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« Last Edit: 21:58:23, 17-03-2008 by oliver sudden »
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Il Grande Inquisitor
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« Reply #209 on: 21:54:25, 17-03-2008 » |
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Now, Ollie's point about not cutting anything in Cosi could set off an interesting new question/ discussion.... which operas do you think would benefit from a cut and why?  |
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Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency
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