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Reiner Torheit
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« Reply #30 on: 01:15:35, 02-10-2007 » |
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If it was the same occasion that I remember (and I assume it doesn't happen all that often) the whole place went totally dark part way through the overture and the orchestra carried on playing for some time before finally giving up hope of the lights coming on again. I'm always impressed when that happens  . The opening night of Pountney's FLYING DUTCHMAN at the Coli began rather the same way - the entire production was predicated on the old Coli's famous "revolve", which spun the entire set in circles and enabled the work to be performed "as Wagner intended" (ie without an intermission of any kind, to the great regret of the genial Edward Butcher, House-Manager-In-Excelcis, whose bars and ice-cream sales recorded dismal pre-performance sales only for the entire run). Within 10 seconds of those famous open fifths of the Overture, the revolve shuddered to a halt and refused to budge. Elder brought the Overture to a halt, and it was 45 minutes more before the show restarted. |
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"I was, for several months, mutely in love with a coloratura soprano, who seemed to me to have wafted straight from Paradise to the stage of the Odessa Opera-House"
- Leon Trotsky, "My Life"
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HtoHe
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« Reply #31 on: 06:34:48, 02-10-2007 » |
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Oh dear. The longest delay I had at the ROH was when Haitink stopped in the middle of the Meistersinger overture because, iirc, he suddenly realised there was a major problem with the power. Don't think it was as long as half an hour, though. If it was the same occasion that I remember (and I assume it doesn't happen all that often) the whole place went totally dark part way through the overture and the orchestra carried on playing for some time before finally giving up hope of the lights coming on again. I'm always impressed when that happens . Must be the same one, George. Your memory of the event is essentially the same as mine. I think BH was hoping the problem would be resolved in seconds and stopped when he realised that wasn't going to happen. I, too, think he deserves credit for that. |
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George Garnett
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« Reply #32 on: 08:12:34, 02-10-2007 » |
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Apologies for going way off topic with a non-Wagner example but my favourite 'lights going out' occasion was in the Holywell Music Room in Oxford. The lights failed part way through the Allegri Quartet playing Beethoven. They carried on doing the old playing in the dark bit and then, one by one, bicycle lamps that had been brought into the hall to stop them being nicked went on throughout the audience and a group moved into position behind the players and illuminated the music. A real 'Morticia Moment' that one.  Er, sorry. Back to Wagner. |
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Ruth Elleson
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« Reply #33 on: 09:40:09, 02-10-2007 » |
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Just one more digression if I may... As a teenager I sang in a production of "The Gondoliers" at the International G&S Festival in Buxton. We - the ladies' chorus - were waiting in the wings for our Act 2 entrance and listening to "Take a pair of sparkling eyes". Towards the start of the second verse, the lights all went out. Fortunately the blackout didn't last - the lighting was restored as the tenor got to the line "Growing on the sunny side..." I could go on about unfortunate technical hitches. The ENO Tosca where the curtain wouldn't go up; the ENO Manon Lescaut (dress rehearsal) where the curtain wouldn't stay up; the ROH Don Giovanni where the stage crew managed to drop and break a large chunk of set during the interval scene change, damaging the stage, and the rest of the opera had to be performed in front of the curtain... ...but that would be going off topic, wouldn't it  |
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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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Ruth Elleson
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« Reply #34 on: 09:49:43, 02-10-2007 » |
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Oh - just to get it back ON topic with some Wagner, my friend tells me of the performance he attended of the ROH Walküre (current production, first time round) where Wotan's spear didn't manage to break Siegmund's sword.
That could have had far-reaching consequences for the remaining ten hours of the cycle, or lack thereof!
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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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HtoHe
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« Reply #35 on: 12:27:34, 02-10-2007 » |
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Oh - just to get it back ON topic with some Wagner, my friend tells me of the performance he attended of the ROH Walküre (current production, first time round) where Wotan's spear didn't manage to break Siegmund's sword.
That could have had far-reaching consequences for the remaining ten hours of the cycle, or lack thereof!
Don't get me going on swords & spears, Ruth. They were a couple of the things I didn't want to mention until people had seen the production. Suffice to say I was rather confused by the intact weapons littering the stage at various points after their symbolic shattering. Of course the sword or the spear don't have to be the only weapons of their type in existence. And another relevant point is that sometimes it's quite easy to confuse me! I'll be interested to hear the views of others over the coming cycles. I've just arrived in Bochum, an hour or so too early to check in to my hotel, which is why I'm wasting time in a cyber cafe. Tannhäuser in Hagen tomorrow...which has got to be better than Hagen in Tannhäuser, nicht wahr? I might even write a report on it on Thursday - I have to check out of my hotel many hours before I need to head for the airport. These German keyboards are handy..I can do umlauts without copy & paste! |
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oliver sudden
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« Reply #36 on: 12:33:13, 02-10-2007 » |
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German keyboards are my favourite from the accent point of view (they also have an aigu-grave key and a circonflexe key). Although I used to call them kezboards for the obvious reason. And typing 'anyway' is still a bit tricky. Have a lovely time in NRW! If you're passing through Köln and thirsty, do let me know. Actually if you're passing through CGN on Thursday afternoon we might well be sharing an airport... just sing out Hoi-ho and see if anyone answers.  Is John Corbett playing clarinet in Tannhäuser? He's a very dear friend and colleague. |
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HtoHe
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« Reply #37 on: 12:53:51, 02-10-2007 » |
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If you're passing through Köln and thirsty, do let me know. Actually if you're passing through CGN on Thursday afternoon we might well be sharing an airport... just sing out Hoi-ho and see if anyone answers. Is John Corbett playing clarinet in Tannhäuser? He's a very dear friend and colleague. I don't need to be at CGN until about 1930 on Thursday, but I'd be happy to stop off in Köln centre if you're passing through on your way to the airport in the morning or afternoon. I was going to stop off at Düsseldorf and look in at Zweitausendeins in the Altstadt; but the Köln branch will do just as well. Drop me a PM if you have an suggestions as to where our paths could cross. |
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perfect wagnerite
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« Reply #38 on: 13:07:30, 02-10-2007 » |
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If it was the same occasion that I remember (and I assume it doesn't happen all that often) the whole place went totally dark part way through the overture and the orchestra carried on playing for some time before finally giving up hope of the lights coming on again. I'm always impressed when that happens . The opening night of Pountney's FLYING DUTCHMAN at the Coli began rather the same way - the entire production was predicated on the old Coli's famous "revolve", which spun the entire set in circles and enabled the work to be performed "as Wagner intended" (ie without an intermission of any kind, to the great regret of the genial Edward Butcher, House-Manager-In-Excelcis, whose bars and ice-cream sales recorded dismal pre-performance sales only for the entire run). Within 10 seconds of those famous open fifths of the Overture, the revolve shuddered to a halt and refused to budge. Elder brought the Overture to a halt, and it was 45 minutes more before the show restarted. Would this be the same production at which, on the broadcast night, one of the chorus tenors made his solo R3 debut by coming in two bars early with one of his cries of "johohe! halloho!" in the opening scene? You really, really did have to feel for the guy ...  |
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At every one of these [classical] concerts in England you will find rows of weary people who are there, not because they really like classical music, but because they think they ought to like it. (Shaw, Don Juan in Hell)
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HtoHe
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« Reply #39 on: 10:32:49, 04-10-2007 » |
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Is John Corbett playing clarinet in Tannhäuser? He's a very dear friend and colleague.
I´m afraid the evening´s programme didn´t name the orchestra members, ollie. He is listed as a member in the huge annual prospectus which I could have taken away for nothing (no wonder they´re in dire financial straits!) if I´d had room for it in my luggage; but I suspect you already knew that. |
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Ruth Elleson
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« Reply #40 on: 10:30:31, 26-10-2007 » |
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Hurrah hurrah, Cycle 3 begins tonight - anybody else going?
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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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Reiner Torheit
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« Reply #41 on: 10:41:01, 26-10-2007 » |
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Hurrah hurrah, Cycle 3 begins tonight - anybody else going?
Alas I shall be at the other end of Europe, attending a fairly worn-out CARMEN by way of hearing a newish baritone. I hope you have a super RHEINGOLD |
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"I was, for several months, mutely in love with a coloratura soprano, who seemed to me to have wafted straight from Paradise to the stage of the Odessa Opera-House"
- Leon Trotsky, "My Life"
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