|
operacat
|
 |
« Reply #15 on: 15:39:10, 11-04-2008 » |
|
just briefly - if anyone is interested, there is a Yahoo group specifically devoted to DON CARLOS, moderated by - er - me, actuallly! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DonCarlos/You are all most welcome to join. Will come back to this tomorrow, but am just about to be chucked off this computer in the library. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
nature abhors a vacuum - but not as much as cats do.
|
|
|
|
Il Grande Inquisitor
|
|
« Reply #16 on: 17:34:09, 11-04-2008 » |
|
Since tinners knows his German classics, he probably knows Carlos in Schiller's original form.
Did anyone see the fabulous production, directed by Michael Grandage, that was on at the Gielgud Theatre in 2005 with Derek Jacobi as Philip? I remember that there was a giant censer swinging backwards and forwards as the audience took their seats so that, by the time the play began, there was quite a heady atmostphere in the small theatre. It was also recorded for R3 - I would welcome a repeat. At uni, I did my dissertation on the real Philip II and Don Carlos and their representations in Schiller's play and Verdi's opera. That gave me the idea of writing a book exploring opera plots and the genuine historical characters/ situations behind them; within a couple of years, this was published!  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency
|
|
|
|
perfect wagnerite
|
|
« Reply #17 on: 18:18:11, 11-04-2008 » |
|
Well, pw, here’s an eyepatched Eboli! She’s from the Peter Konwitschny production at the Staatsoper, Vienna in 2004 and an enthralling production it is. I watched it for the first time last night (from my DVD rental list).
Now that I am at home I can see the eyepatch in all its glory. This definitely looks like a production to hunt down. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
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)
|
|
|
|
Reiner Torheit
|
|
« Reply #18 on: 20:12:25, 11-04-2008 » |
|
within a couple of years, this was published! Yes, and it's going for 49p a copy currently, I noticed  Whilst no price can ever be set on scholarly acumen and labour, even my Ulaanbaatar production of TRAVIATA has never sold for less than a quid a ticket... I'd buy-'em privately myself rather than have the shame of it  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"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"
|
|
|
|
|
|
operacat
|
|
« Reply #20 on: 15:04:44, 14-04-2008 » |
|
Since tinners knows his German classics, he probably knows Carlos in Schiller's original form.
Did anyone see the fabulous production, directed by Michael Grandage, that was on at the Gielgud Theatre in 2005 with Derek Jacobi as Philip? I remember that there was a giant censer swinging backwards and forwards as the audience took their seats so that, by the time the play began, there was quite a heady atmostphere in the small theatre. It was also recorded for R3 - I would welcome a repeat. Yes, I saw this - it was broadcast on R3, and I have a tape of it. I also saw a production in Stratford, using the wonderful translation by Robert David Macdonald. This is actually the only time I've even been to Stratford!!! Which is a pretty damning admission from someone who claims to have an English degree!! (Oh well, I have a German degree too.....) I think I slightly preferred the RSC production, because Macdonald's translation was more faithful to Schiller. It was also used in the Verdi/Schiller event at the Edinburgh Festival 10 years ago, which you can read about HERE..... http://members.fortunecity.co.uk/leonora/schiller.html(That's also when I fell in love with Thomas Hampson, but that's another story.....) At uni, I did my dissertation on the real Philip II and Don Carlos and their representations in Schiller's play and Verdi's opera. That gave me the idea of writing a book exploring opera plots and the genuine historical characters/ situations behind them; within a couple of years, this was published! This is fascinating. Where/when were you at Uni? I didn't realise anyone else had done this..... the reason I say 'anyone else' is - well, you probably all know that I did my Ph.D on Wagner and Morris http://members.fortunecity.co.uk/leonora/ring1.htmlThen, working with colleagues from OPERA-L, I collaborated on a book about the literary sources of Verdi's operas; obviously I did Schiller!! Then the person doing MACBETH dropped out, so I did a chapter on MACBETH and......it's still awaiting publication. Allegedly it's being published later this year by Toccata Press (UK based music publishers). I gave a paper on Verdi at a Schiller conference at the Institute of Germanic and Romance Studies a year or two ago, it was drawn from my chapter in the Verdi book. I was really glad I was able to do this - I've never been allowed to give a paper on Wagner at a Medievalists' conference, because all the Medievalists HATE Wagner!!!! |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
nature abhors a vacuum - but not as much as cats do.
|
|
|
|
Il Grande Inquisitor
|
|
« Reply #21 on: 18:32:22, 20-04-2008 » |
|
At uni, I did my dissertation on the real Philip II and Don Carlos and their representations in Schiller's play and Verdi's opera. That gave me the idea of writing a book exploring opera plots and the genuine historical characters/ situations behind them; within a couple of years, this was published! This is fascinating. Where/when were you at Uni? I didn't realise anyone else had done this..... I was at uni in the late 80s/ early 90s, doing my B.Ed. (Hons), but with History as my specialist subject. My dissertation was typed up on the computers in the library, hence I only have a paper copy, but I have spent some time over the last few days scanning it and using OCR to create a Word document - something I've been meaning to do for ages (c.9000 words). It is only a student work and I'd like the time to be able to revise it (perhaps in the summer break!) but if any other opera enthusiasts would like a copy, PM me and I'd be happy to email one. |
|
|
|
« Last Edit: 19:32:34, 20-04-2008 by Il Grande Inquisitor »
|
Logged
|
Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency
|
|
|
|
Reiner Torheit
|
|
« Reply #22 on: 20:48:18, 20-04-2008 » |
|
I've never been allowed to give a paper on Wagner at a Medievalists' conference, because all the Medievalists HATE Wagner!!!! Is that really true, though? I suppose maybe in the sphere of History it could be? But surely as histiriography, the enormous rise of pseudo-medievalism in the C19th is a subject-area in itself? King Ludwig of Bavaria building himself a hokum-medieval castle, the whole Wagner thing, Sir Walter Scott's dreary tales of knighthood bold... plenty of material for some PhDs there? Musicologists are a bit more catholic in their tastes - I can think of several medieval-period specialists who happily enjoy a spot of Wagner too |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"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"
|
|
|
|
Don Basilio
|
|
« Reply #23 on: 21:31:32, 20-04-2008 » |
|
Changing the tack, I have been listening to Don Carlos again. To my immense suprise I found the (bass) melody of the Act 4 Quartet running through my head, and I had to spend some time working out where it came from. (Ie I found myself humming the motif, and thought "that must be something I heard recently, whatever is its?")
I always regarded Don C as a rather serious work but perhaps not so melodic as other Verdi. The quartet certainly is not so catchy as Rigoletto. But obviously it has enough character to plant itself in my sub-consciousness. And because the melodies don't draw attention to themselves in the same way as in mid-period Verdi, they seem to serve the complex characters better. But they are still utterly characterful in the way only Verdi could make 'em.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
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
|
|
|
|
operacat
|
|
« Reply #24 on: 18:49:38, 21-04-2008 » |
|
I've never been allowed to give a paper on Wagner at a Medievalists' conference, because all the Medievalists HATE Wagner!!!! Is that really true, though? I suppose maybe in the sphere of History it could be? But surely as histiriography, the enormous rise of pseudo-medievalism in the C19th is a subject-area in itself? King Ludwig of Bavaria building himself a hokum-medieval castle, the whole Wagner thing, Sir Walter Scott's dreary tales of knighthood bold... plenty of material for some PhDs there? Well, yes, that's WHY they hate him - because he 'got it wrong'......interestingly enough, though, I developed an interest in Medieval Studies through my Wagner studies, in fact I even did an M.A. in Medieval Studies, and that's when I discovered that genuine medievalists hate Wagner!! Musicologists are a bit more catholic in their tastes - I can think of several medieval-period specialists who happily enjoy a spot of Wagner too It works the other way round too....when I was in Leeds doing my Ph.D. on Wagner, I used to go to the Music Department to play the harpsichord!! [/quote] |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
nature abhors a vacuum - but not as much as cats do.
|
|
|
|
Il Grande Inquisitor
|
|
« Reply #25 on: 14:35:07, 06-06-2008 » |
|
Ah, missed that. Can't go anyway  At opening night of Don Carlo tonight at the ROH, and tomorrow off to Glyndebourne for Poppea... I look forward to reading your thoughts here, Ruth. I'm not going until next Saturday. There's an interesting article by director Nicholas Hytner in the Guardian here: http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,2282618,00.html |
|
|
|
« Last Edit: 22:15:13, 07-06-2008 by Il Grande Inquisitor »
|
Logged
|
Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency
|
|
|
|
Il Grande Inquisitor
|
|
« Reply #26 on: 22:23:22, 07-06-2008 » |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency
|
|
|
|
Ruth Elleson
|
|
« Reply #27 on: 22:12:20, 09-06-2008 » |
|
Aaaaaargh. Five stars? Are they kidding? Was I at the same performance as the Indy critic? Villazon was awful. Cracking notes, singing out of tune... generally sounding as though he is not over his much-publicised vocal problems. Especially in the first act. I was not in the least surprised that he got quite severely booed at his curtain call (though I did not join in). Poplavskaya was generally good and attractive but it just didn't seem like a full enough tone to make the most of the melodic lines - by the end of Tu che le vanita she was sounding tired. She and Villazon dragged each other's energy and tuning further and further down during the final scene. Keenlyside's Posa was just wonderful, with Furlanetto's Philip and Halfvarson's Grand Inquisitor not far behind. Ganassi is a lovely singer but she's not an Eboli - just not exciting enough. The production also got some boos at curtain call, which actually shocked me - it was far too inoffensive a staging to merit so strong a reaction. Conventional, attractive, unassuming (and very Hytneresque) are words I would more readily use. My companion suggested that perhaps Hytner had enemies in the audience. Sorry not to elaborate further, but I'm making the most of the first night in I've had in over a week  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
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!
|
|
|
|
Il Grande Inquisitor
|
|
« Reply #28 on: 22:22:12, 09-06-2008 » |
|
The Guardian gives it 4 stars and Andrew Clements seems to have villazon in his sights: "an acting style that begins and ends at his eyebrows, mixing in a few semaphore-like flailing arms for good measure" Ouch! Richard Morrison in The Times also finds Villazon and Poplavskaya underwheling after what appeared to be a very good Act I. Rupert Christiansen in the Telegraph is more positive. |
|
|
|
« Last Edit: 22:32:44, 09-06-2008 by Il Grande Inquisitor »
|
Logged
|
Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency
|
|
|
|
Ruth Elleson
|
|
« Reply #29 on: 22:32:13, 09-06-2008 » |
|
As to the "magical, silver-tinted Fontainebleau" on which Richard Morrison comments, my companion remarked that it "looked like they took the set of Parsifal and painted it white"...
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
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!
|
|
|
|
