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Nights at the Opera

My local civic centre is taking the relay from the Met of Magic Flute on Saturday. I can't find it on R3, but maybe at a cinema near any interested pfmers?
 
R3 take (most of) the met radio broadcast season which normally starts at the beginning of December, they rarely do other met performances.
 
I like Lucy, but I really, really, wish she’d stop dressing up. I realise it’s her USP but I find it tedious.

I’ll still watch this though.
 
Stunsworth said:
I like Lucy, but I really, really, wish she’d stop dressing up. I realise it’s her USP but I find it tedious.

I’ll still watch this though.
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I think she's excellent and looking forward to the programme. I'm fascinated by opera houses- been to these ones:

Covent Garden, Coliseum
La Scala
Spain: Liceu, Teatro Real
Paris: Bastille and Garnier
Vienna Staatsoper
Berlin: Staatsoper and Komische
Munich: Bavarian State Opera
Amsterdam, Stopera
U.S: The Met, The Lyric
Mexico City, Nacional
Brazil: Amazonas (Manaus) and Theatro Municipal (Rio)
The daddy of them all- Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires.
The three South American ones I've not heard productions in. I need to get to Buenos Aires in their winter.
 
Well, the Met relay was a big let-down to say the least. I could have endured the heat and the garlic (just the unluckiest seat in the house, presumably), but the clever sets and puppets quickly palled and the beautiful playing and singing were spoiled by the worst digital sound I have ever heard - strings in particular were thin and piercing and just horrible. I left during the interval.
Dare I tell the organisers that their very expensive looking kit is either very poorly set up or just plain dreadful? Would they believe me?

As for the Magic Flute itself, this was my first: is it just a panto with world class singers and pretty music?
 
davidjt said:
Well, the Met relay was a big let-down to say the least. I could have endured the heat and the garlic (just the unluckiest seat in the house, presumably), but the clever sets and puppets quickly palled and the beautiful playing and singing were spoiled by the worst digital sound I have ever heard - strings in particular were thin and piercing and just horrible. I left during the interval.
Dare I tell the organisers that their very expensive looking kit is either very poorly set up or just plain dreadful? Would they believe me?

As for the Magic Flute itself, this was my first: is it just a panto with world class singers and pretty music?
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The Met radio relay on december 9th is the Magic Flute so assuming R3 take it you may find much better sound quality.
If R3 don`t take the met broadcast it is always available on a host of internet stations, we usually use All Classical Portland FM but many others are available.
 
TheDecameron said:
Where did you see it? I've not been to a cinema broadcast of live Opéra yet.
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I'm in S.W. France, but mentioned it because my local multiplex in the U.K. (Ashford, Kent) frequently takes theatre and opera relays.

The french presentation is run by a local cultural association in the 'village hall', and they obviously don't have a sound engineer. No-one else seemed to be bothered by the sq - obviously not realising how much better it should be. If it's via satellite, that may partly explains the issue: if it's an internet feed, there's really no excuse. All the same I need to tread very carefully.

A similar organisation in the next village organised an excellent recital this afternoon by Joy and James Lisney - there seems to be far more demand in this part of France for regular live performance than there is in the U.K. - or maybe government subsidy makes it affordable over here?
 
davidjt said:
Well, the Met relay was a big let-down to say the least. I could have endured the heat and the garlic (just the unluckiest seat in the house, presumably), but the clever sets and puppets quickly palled and the beautiful playing and singing were spoiled by the worst digital sound I have ever heard - strings in particular were thin and piercing and just horrible. I left during the interval.
Dare I tell the organisers that their very expensive looking kit is either very poorly set up or just plain dreadful? Would they believe me?

As for the Magic Flute itself, this was my first: is it just a panto with world class singers and pretty music?
Click to expand...

Have seen magic flute several times but still struggle to understand the story!
 
I rather enjoyed Lucy Worsley’s series, just watched the final part this afternoon. It prompted me to dig out a copy of Strauss Salome (this one) I had in my ‘hmmm, pfm shop or me?’ pile. Mid-way through disc 2 now and it is really rather good. A keeper!
 
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I go to all the Met Opera simulcasts at my local Cineworld.
Never seen a bad one yet.
 
Lucy Worsley is I'm afraid a victim of the Beeb's habit of over-using a presenter, frequently outside the area of their expertise/knowledge (in Worsley's case, royal residences and posh fwocks). Plus I don't like opera anyway, so I'll be giving this one a miss.
 
As I've no interest whatsoever in royalty I've not seen her in anything before! I can see the dress-up stuff may irritate some, but I felt it was a nice light-weight introduction to opera and quite an interesting perspective as it focused on the stories and cultural backdrop more than the music.
 
Tony L said:
As I've no interest whatsoever in royalty I've not seen her in anything before! I can see the dress-up stuff may irritate some, but I felt it was a nice light-weight introduction to opera and quite an interesting perspective as it focused on the stories and cultural backdrop more than the music.
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Watching it now and enjoying it. That chap Pappano seems to know what he’s talking about.
 
After the quite interesting Wagner segment I was waiting for the recent opera bit, you know Adams, Glass, Tippett, Birtwistle etc . Nothing, she ended with the hysterical opera by Strauss. Overall they were good programmes though, highlighting female roles and insight as to what the audiences expected from them.
 
I have to admit I was surprised when I realised it ended where it did, I was expecting a third part with Berg’s Wozzeck, Glass Einstein On The Beach etc.
 
We’ve just watched part 2. Interesting timing for us, as last night we went to Glyndebourne for what might have been a one-off bucket list experience. We saw Cosi fan tutti, performed, to these inexperienced ears and eyes, rather brilliantly.

Regards the TV programme, I found Lucy Worsley a very sympathetic (to the beginner) host of a whirlwind run through the genre. Personally, I found the dresssing up endearing, and actually helpful in the education. Very enjoyable, and now wondering which opera, and perhaps more importantly, which venue, to try next (if not the full summer Glyndebourne experience, which has its attraction).
 
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