La Boheme - a film of the opera

Madama Butterfly

I saw this terrific production at the Hackney Empire, performed by the Ukrainian National Opera of Odessa and starring a Korean singer, Elena Dee. Although it isn't my favourite Puccini (that honour must go to Tosca) this was such an outstanding evening my allegiance might be threatened. Elena Dee was ideal for the role of Butterfly - such a haunting voice, so full of emotion and tenderness, that I can't believe there was a dry eye in the house as she renderd One Fine Day. Unusually though, every singer was first class, even the bit part players, and this was complemented by a terrific orchestra and a traditional set. This was opera without being messed about - and none the worse for that in my opinion. Rating: 9/10

Susannah - an opera by Carlisle Floyd

Now I think there is a problem with modern 'operas'. Since the invention of the musical (bit of singing, bit of acting) 'operas' seem to have gone in one of three ways - they either go so 'serious' that the music is almost impenetrable (Stockhausen?) or they ape the classics (Gershwin) or they are musicals aspiring to be something more, by using operatic singers. Susannah falls into the last category. Unfortunately the other problem with operas in the English language (unless you're watching the ENO) is that they theatre doesn't provide surtitles. Enunciation becomes essential. I'm sure that Donna Bateman (starring as the eponymous heroine) is an excellent singer but what with her operatic style and a very loud orchestra I had terrible problems working out what exactly she was going on about half the time. I've just thought of another disadvantage of modern operas versus musicals - they don't seem to go in for great memorable singalong melodies. I think you might guess by now I didn't enjoy this offering, although I think it was mainly the fact that I couldn't hear the words that spoiled it for me, the music was pleasant enough and the singers were of a good standard, but if I must go and see a tale of repressed emotions in the Southern States of America give me Oklahoma! every time. So in brief this opera is your standard American tale - community of buttoned up people with one person (Susannah) feeling liberated and cheerful - thereby attracting the approbation of the God fearing churchgoers. A hellfire preacher turns up on an evangelising mission, Susannah is observed (and condemned) for outraging public decency (swimming?) and is cast out by the Church. A boy is forced to denounce her, she is required to publicly repent, (which she refuses to do) and the Preacher (seeking her immortal soul) rapes her. Susannah's drunken brother then shoots preacher. An average happy day in Tennessee then. Rating? 5/10

Anna Bolena @ The Hackney Empire

This little performed Donizetti opera sung by the English Touring Opera in a very dramatic production. Although the scenery was minimal the costumes were sumptuous and the orchestra appropriately competent and understated. I hate it when the orchestra is intrusive to prevent clarity of the singers' voices. The singers on this occasion were all excellent, especially the title role and Percy. I'm having a week of the life of Anne Boleyn - (see the entry for The Other Boleyn Girl on my film blog). Donizetti certainly takes a very different take on the life of the ill-fated Tudor Queen. In his opera Henry is already stuck inot a steamy affair with Jane Seymour and is plotting to entrap his 'innocent' wife Anne in infidelity, with former beau Percy. Meanwhile lovelorn page Smeaton (confusingly sung by a woman) provides the 'evidence' which convicts Anna Bolena, her brother, Percy and Smeaton. The English T0uring Opera are a very good ensemble and guarantee excellent productions. Alas this particular opera doesn't provide any themes or set pieces to set you humming as you leave the theatre. Donizetti goes for constant frenetic energy and you can end up feeling bludgeoned by the constant emotion. Rating: 8/10

The Seraglio

This is blog number 200! Celebrations all round!
I must be turning into a total philistine but I have to admit that I am no longer a fan of either Mozart on his operas.
I have not seen this opera before but I have no intention of ever seeing it again. I suspect it is intended to be light-hearted and humerous, but the kind of studied humour in this opera is just too wearing, and wearying for me. It is the usual operatic story - lovers forced apart by circumstance (in this case pirates and a hareem have intervened) and two hours are spent re-uniting the lovers. However, as it is Mozart there is not the tragedy that I love in Verdi or Puccini, no romantic music and soaring duets instead we get vocal gymnastics and downright showing off. In this case the notes and arias go higher and higher and to my ears the beauty of the song turns into shrieking or screeching.
In Amadeus the Emperor declares 'Too many notes, Mr Mozart' and oh how I agree with him!
My rating 4/10
This was the English Touring Opera production at the Hackney Empire.

Eugene Onegin

The English Touring Opera production at the Hackney Empire was a wonder to witness. As always the staging was slightly disconcerting - huge mirrors were employed - but to remarkable effect, especially in the ball scenes where it created the illusion of a mass of dancers instead of the dozen or so members of the cast.
Tchaikovsky's opera 'Eugene Onegin' requires great skills from the performers - exacting singing, enormously long arias, almost balletic dancing (frequently), dramtic acting, a score requiring the orchestra to play not as accompanists but as a symphony orchestra, and great stamina. Based on the classic Pushkin epic it is the tale of two sisters, one of whom is spoken for the other who falls for Eugene who fails to return the emotion. As is inevitable in opera there is death and passion, many fallings in and out of love, and a not entirely happy ending, for opera should not be anything other than tragic to my mind.
The letter scene ( six hours attemting to construct a love letter contracted into a ten minute aria) is a tour de force and needs a soprano of great skill - and here this was achieved with enormous finesse. As this is Tchaikovsky the dance scenes have beautiful melodies, and some of the musical passages are worthy of being a movement in a symphony.
I love this opera and will seek it out in future. My rating: 9/10

Porgy & Bess

I went to see this marvellous, vibrant production at the Savoy Theatre yesterday. It was a matinee performance and so it was full of coach parties, mainly women from the Home Counties.

This is a period piece. The Gershwins were trying to produce a twentieth century opera dealing with modern themes. George Gershwin always wanted to write classical music but this is really just a popular musical play. That isn't to devalue it though, 'Summertime', 'I got Plenty of Nothing', 'I Love You Porgy' 'It Ain't Necessarily So' are all time popular standards. This is the usual love story of tart with a heart who is reformed by the love of a good man, but led into temptation by the bad guys. In this production there isn't really anything operatic, it is good American Musical through and through. None of the cast are duds. The dancing is superb, and the audience were engaged from the start.

However, this is a production written by whites and performed by a black cast. I became a touch uneasy at times because the roles were so stereotyped, and I wonder how comfortable some of the cast were in portraying these parodies of black lives - the great dancers, the negro spirituals, the language of subjection. Would it be performed in America nowadays I wonder.

Aida

I was in the audience for the Chisinau National Opera appearance at the Hackney Empire last night (11th February). As always a remarkable performance and production. The soloists are always tremendous. The scenary is always remarkable. However, on this occasion the scenary changes were so extensive that it led to several very long pauses of silence between scenes. The stage at the Hackney Empire isn't enormous and this is also a problem when staging an opera like 'Aida'. This is a truly monumental opera and requires for the grand marches dozens of performers to represent armies and captured soldiers and hostages. This company could only muster three spear carriers, two archers and four infantry men - they had to keep walking across the stage, round the back and then marching across again.

On the other hand there was plenty of dramatic singing, excellent ballets to cover the long instrumental passages, and good use of a group of children. Some nice pyrotechnics too.

Overall another good production from a good company - and the three main soloists were terrific. My rating : 8/10

Tosca

I went to see Tosca at the Hackney Empire tonight. Fabulous!!!!!