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MabelJane
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« Reply #30 on: 21:35:17, 30-10-2007 » |
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Ibert's Persee et Andromede is only about 40 minutes.
 And, judging by this illustration, also set by the sea - but somewhat racier than Riders!  |
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Merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative.
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Reiner Torheit
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« Reply #31 on: 04:30:11, 31-10-2007 » |
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I admire RIDERS TO THE SEA greatly as a work - but it seems to me the scale of the piece wouldn't sit well in a Proms concert? But if we are looking for one-act or "shortish" pieces to make up the rest of a program, then BLUEBEARD'S CASTLE would be my suggestion, and Sir John Tom in the main role, please  Of course, OSUD (already mentioned above) also runs for just under an hour too. Whilst we are about it, another opera which would work well at the Proms would be Prokofiev's TALE OF AN ACTUAL PERSON (also translated "Story Of A Real Man"). Helikon Opera in Moscow managed to restage this epic on their infamous 7-metre-deep stage, so you could even do the complete staged version? |
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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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Ron Dough
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« Reply #32 on: 09:34:37, 31-10-2007 » |
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We've just had Bluebeard's Castle this year, Rei, though not with Sir John Tomlinson. A one-acter that I'd like to see considered is Ravel's L'Enfant et les Sortilèges: not an easy piece to stage, although there is a stunning Canadian broadcast of a concert version with a simultaneous puppet show which turns up on the Performance channel occasionally. Ruth, sorry for not getting back to you earlier about The TigersThis may help. |
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Reiner Torheit
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« Reply #33 on: 09:46:52, 31-10-2007 » |
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We've just had Bluebeard's Castle this year, Rei,
Aha, I knew it would make an ideal Proms opera THE IMMORTAL HOUR, anyone? |
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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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Ruth Elleson
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« Reply #34 on: 09:51:38, 31-10-2007 » |
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Not only have we just had Bluebeard, but it seems to come up very regularly at the Proms (three times since 2001!) and elsewhere in London. Having said that, I adore it as a piece, and I'd love to see it staged PROPERLY in the Hall. This year was a missed opportunity - sometimes Proms (televised ones in particular) can seem like BBC lighting exhibitions, so why did they choose to stage and televise a concert of the opera which would benefit more from effective lighting than perhaps any other in the repertoire, and NOT use any lighting effects save for a pink squiggle projected onto the organ?  Also, unfortunately, Bluebeard is incapable of attracting a substantial audience to the Royal Albert Hall. This year's (disappointing) concert was embarrassingly empty, and even in 2001 - with Boulez conducting - it wasn't full. WHY NOT? I hear you ask. Damned if I know. Reiner - The Immortal Hour? Of the top of my head - is that by Boughton? (Edit: having Googled it, I see that it is.) |
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« Last Edit: 09:54:28, 31-10-2007 by Ruth Elleson »
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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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Bryn
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« Reply #35 on: 10:12:58, 31-10-2007 » |
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No, no, RT, that should return to Glastonbury, as an annual feature.  |
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Reiner Torheit
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« Reply #36 on: 11:12:00, 31-10-2007 » |
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Also, unfortunately, Bluebeard is incapable of attracting a substantial audience to the Royal Albert Hall.
I beg to differ, as I first saw the piece there (semi-staged) with Martti Salminen, somewhere around 1978? And it was packed-out. Maybe interest has slipped or times have changed since then, however. But there has to be what Hitchcock termed a "maguffin" - some fascinating yet ephemeral element - that drags people along. I am not convinced by the argument that "the chance to see it for a fiver" is always good motivation or a way to garner audiences. If it can be fabulous and a fiver then great. But just a fiver - hmmm... that should return to Glastonbury, as an annual feature. With a complimentary slice of lentil and hempseed wholemeal pasty in the intermission |
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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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ernani
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« Reply #37 on: 11:16:01, 31-10-2007 » |
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How about a delux performance of Szymanowski's King Roger? The Albert Hall would be an ideal venue, with Vladimir Jurowski conducting and Simon Keenlyside in the title role, perhaps.
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Ruth Elleson
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« Reply #38 on: 11:30:05, 31-10-2007 » |
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King Roger was done at the Proms in the 90's - before my time, unfortunately. I would welcome the chance to see it. Officially I did, once, when the Polish National Opera were visiting London (also doing Moniusko's The Haunted Manor and Penderecki's Ubu Rex) but I was rather tired and somewhat the worse for wear after a colleague's leaving do, and ended up dozing through most of 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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David_Underdown
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« Reply #39 on: 11:31:29, 31-10-2007 » |
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97 I think, my first year, or jsut possibly 98.
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--
David
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George Garnett
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« Reply #40 on: 12:11:18, 31-10-2007 » |
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<Scrabbles in anorak pocket> 98 it was, David.
Thomas Hampson and Simon Rattle vying for the 'Biggest Hair of the 98 Proms (Male Artist)' award.
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martle
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« Reply #41 on: 12:24:51, 31-10-2007 » |
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<Scrabbles in anorak pocket> 98 it was, David.
Thomas Hampson and Simon Rattle vying for the 'Biggest Hair of the 98 Proms (Male Artist)' award.
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Green. Always green.
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Stanley Stewart
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« Reply #42 on: 19:26:33, 31-10-2007 » |
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# 32 Memory lane, Ron. Simon Rattle conducted a riveting double bill, in the early 80s at QEH. of Poulenc's La voix humaine with Elisabeth Soderstrom and Ravel's L'Enfant et les sortileges with Maria Ewing. Heartbreak and mischief from two actresses cheek by jowl.
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Il Grande Inquisitor
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« Reply #43 on: 22:15:07, 31-10-2007 » |
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Having given this some further thought, in addition to Massenet's Cléopâtre, I do like Ruth's suggestion of some Meyerbeer. I think L'Africaine is well worth doing, but for the Proms I'd want something really big...Les Huguenots. Not sure about the casting - I think Alagna would do a good Raoul, and I'd have objection to Gheorghiu as Marguerite, but I'd welcome other suggestions. Would Bartoli do Urbain, or is it too low for her? Not sure about the other roles yet.
Another rarely performed opera I'd like to see is Strauss' Die Liebe der Danae. I'd imagine Fleming as Danae, Ben Heppner as Midas and possibly Bryn Terfel or Thomas Hampson as Jupiter.
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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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martle
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« Reply #44 on: 22:29:20, 31-10-2007 » |
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How about Robert le Diable? I was all prepared to hate it during an undergrad course yonks ago, but remember being very impressed. And it's 'big', isn't it? I'd go to that (as well as most others suggested so far!).
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Green. Always green.
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