tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post4704395977495537906..comments2024-02-25T13:20:20.620+01:00Comments on mostly opera: So zieht das Unheil in dies Haus (or: The Berlin Barenboim Herheim Lohengrin)mostly opera...http://www.blogger.com/profile/05653818157295091506noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-22600019043038007712009-05-18T01:18:00.000+02:002009-05-18T01:18:00.000+02:00Thank for you comment a.
I mentioned her above b...Thank for you comment a.<br /><br />I mentioned her above but could not agree more about Meier who had been the best Ortrud I had heard up to that time but was particularly stupendous in that case.<br /><br />RDS might have been the weakest of the principles but was still very good and better than in my earlier experiences with him and quite a bit better than Heppner the numerous times I've marcillachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10890948953007381186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-58396145628705750862009-05-17T23:13:00.000+02:002009-05-17T23:13:00.000+02:00Well i saw 1997 - and 2003 to be honest I don't re...Well i saw 1997 - and 2003 to be honest I don't really remember 2003 that well apart from Meier. I don't think Dean smith made much of an impression. <br /><br />In 1997 Winbergh and Mattilla made quite an impression. As did Gwyneth Jones - but for all the wrong reasons ! Like a spin dryer with an uneven load as one critic put it.<br /><br />Hard to say - but this could well have been the best Horace Copehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14252742836195838447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-15853395842917558642009-05-17T19:43:00.000+02:002009-05-17T19:43:00.000+02:00@curzon
I was curious if you had heard the earlie...@curzon<br /><br />I was curious if you had heard the earlier iterations of this production, specifically the ones in 2003 and 1997. I found the 2003 the best Lohengrin I've heard or seen in every respect. I'd had the opportunity to hear and see all of the principals previously and (with the unfortunate exception of Meier) since, almost invariably to excellent effect but at not time were they asmarcillachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10890948953007381186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-17210960440777461192009-05-17T18:35:00.000+02:002009-05-17T18:35:00.000+02:00I did wonder if O' Neill will be be doing the full...<I> I did wonder if O' Neill will be be doing the full version. One supposes so but I have never heard any other Lohengrin risk this version (for many just getting through "In fernem land" is trial enough!!) </I>wonder no more ! he didn't although according to the program timing he was supposed to ! <br /><br />Although I heard from someone also present who was speaking to some people who said Horace Copehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14252742836195838447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-63930367316415963802009-05-05T15:45:00.000+02:002009-05-05T15:45:00.000+02:00There is usually a huge cut after "In fernem land"...There is usually a huge cut after "In fernem land" through to one of the chorus "Weh!" sections. It makes the most awful jolt especially if you know the score. The section is on most recordings. I am not aware of any sizeable cuts in Act 2.curzonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05739148306934419721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-67270198864589026372009-05-05T12:42:00.000+02:002009-05-05T12:42:00.000+02:00I have no particular problem with staged preludes ...<I> I have no particular problem with staged preludes if they add to the audience's experience or understanding. However they are often just used to lay out the director's dubious wares! </I>I have never seen one that wasn't !<br /><br />I have had some difficulty working out where the cuts actually are. It seems to be usual to loose about 10 mins from act 2 and ten mins from act 3.<br /><br />Horace Copehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14252742836195838447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-14968191777098290902009-05-05T08:54:00.000+02:002009-05-05T08:54:00.000+02:00I did wonder if O' Neill will be be doing the full...I did wonder if O' Neill will be be doing the full version. One supposes so but I have never heard any other Lohengrin risk this version (for many just getting through "In fernem land" is trial enough!!)<br />I have no particular problem with staged preludes if they add to the audience's experience or understanding. However they are often just used to lay out the director's dubious wares!<br />I curzonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05739148306934419721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-24776327703947253702009-05-05T02:07:00.000+02:002009-05-05T02:07:00.000+02:00I was there too - going again on 16th to see O'Nei...I was there too - going again on 16th to see O'Neill. Although I doubt he will equal Botha. <br /><br />To be honest you have covered every point I would have made !<br /><br />From were I was in the Balcony I thought it quite quiet but there were a few coughs in the 3rd act though.<br /><br />I wonder what is going on with Haller in act 3 the reviewers note it on the first night.<br /><br />I Horace Copehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14252742836195838447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-61123980198269756482009-05-04T09:48:00.000+02:002009-05-04T09:48:00.000+02:00On a related issue I was at the second perf of "Lo...On a related issue I was at the second perf of "Lohengrin" at the ROH yesterday. The production was the old but still very handsome Moshinsky production. It doesn't offer any blinding insights but neither does it load on any unwanted Konzepts! The orchestra, under Bychov, was in absolutely stunning form (what a change from the dreadful playing for HOLLANDER!) Johann Botha is probably nobody's curzonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05739148306934419721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-8968853614741602362009-04-25T13:11:00.000+02:002009-04-25T13:11:00.000+02:00Oh, congratulations Lilloboss! It must make you fe...Oh, congratulations Lilloboss! It must make you feel so superior that I misspellt "Punctuation"! However you have still failed to respond to my point with any valid counter-argument. Pape is reckoned by most opera goers and critics to be pre-eminent in the Wagner bass repertoire. The fact that, so far, he has not tackled the heldenbariton roles of Sachs and Wotan cannot detract from that. If he curzonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05739148306934419721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-15563723650999414532009-04-25T13:08:00.000+02:002009-04-25T13:08:00.000+02:00This comment has been removed by the author.curzonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05739148306934419721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-55191342479406462542009-04-21T23:01:00.000+02:002009-04-21T23:01:00.000+02:00dear wise curzon, thank you. cannot use 'puntuatio...dear wise curzon, thank you. cannot use 'puntuation' cos don't know what it is. looked in dictionary: no joy! aeschylus didn't like capital letters either.lillobossnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-45811409953863700412009-04-20T20:08:00.000+02:002009-04-20T20:08:00.000+02:00Lilloboss you are not sounding any less foolish (a...Lilloboss you are not sounding any less foolish (as well as being unable to use capitals or puntuation!) Rene Pape is a bass who has, so far essayed bass parts although he plans to essay Wotan. He presumably knows how he wants to pace his career without unwanted advice. <br />By your reckoning Kurt Moll and Gottlob Frick were not major Wagner singers because they did not sing those two parts! My curzonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05739148306934419721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-3908087709407707242009-04-18T09:40:00.000+02:002009-04-18T09:40:00.000+02:00Sorry everyone but I cannot disagree more!
Stef...Sorry everyone but I cannot disagree more! <br /><br /><br />Stefan Herheim is a pure genius. Completely new approach to this opera: close to the libretto but interpreted differently, yet modern and so utterly profound. To me that was the most inspiring opera I've seen since long time.<br /><br /><br />Barenboim great as ever, Klaus Florian Vogt gave a mindblowing performance, Dorothea Röschmann Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-49336762720118930872009-04-16T16:39:00.000+02:002009-04-16T16:39:00.000+02:00yes i am indeed foolish, and in his ability to ass...yes i am indeed foolish, and in his ability to assess shows he has never seen mr curzon displays a truly intimidating wisdom, which nevertheless and sadly, as with all human capacity, falls just short of the infinite insomuch as he seems unmindful of a part called sachs and of a part called wotan. now these, good people, i call frontline wagner parts and for this reason my foolish question standslillobossnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-15213701292437066962009-04-16T14:09:00.000+02:002009-04-16T14:09:00.000+02:00Really lillosoboss, Curzon beat me to it and I'm s...Really lillosoboss, Curzon beat me to it and I'm sure Mostly might have a thought or a couple hundred, but the notion that Pape need to prove himself in a frontline Wagner part is absurd. <br /><br />In respect of adequate Wagner tenors there are very few indeed but I would say RDS, is quite good as Walther and Lohengrin at Bayreuth or comprably sized theaters.marcillachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10890948953007381186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-22347349533097101182009-04-16T10:13:00.000+02:002009-04-16T10:13:00.000+02:00Lilloboss foolishly asks "when is Pape going to pr...Lilloboss foolishly asks "when is Pape going to prove himself in a frontline Wagner part?" Strange but I was under the impression that, for basses at least, Heinrich, Gurnemanz,Landgraf and Konig Marke were frontline parts. Perhaps he should try singing Tristan.<br />Rgarding Herheim I have only seen his Parsifal which was stunning to look at but probably a little full of ideas. However better curzonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05739148306934419721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-7846602507633891842009-04-16T09:32:00.000+02:002009-04-16T09:32:00.000+02:00Thanks for your impressions, which fit with mine f...Thanks for your impressions, which fit with mine from Wendsday - apart from Barenboim and the Staatskapelle. I have never heared such a poor performance by them before (after a great Mahler 9 on Sunday). I saw the rehearsal and one performance and I was completly dissapointed by Herheim. And Vogt: he has great moments but over four hours its boring. I would prefer Botha, who looks terrible but Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-70788851113606598582009-04-16T01:41:00.000+02:002009-04-16T01:41:00.000+02:00hey please tell me some tenors who can sing wagner...hey please tell me some tenors who can sing wagner better than vogt cos i really need to buy some tickets to see them. i cannot think of a single tenor who doesn't look small next to the women: who can sing tristan? when is pape gonna prove himself in a frontline wagner part?lillobossnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-51193620962908723022009-04-16T01:26:00.000+02:002009-04-16T01:26:00.000+02:00I completely agree. In this production René Pape w...I completely agree. In this production René Pape was most certainly not missed...<br /><br />Ben Heppner over Klaus Florian Vogt? Probably not, but then I am not really an admirer of Heppners. The complaint about Vogt I find entirely legitimate: He is extremely monotonous in both acting and singing. But surely he hits the notes as few, if anyone else today. Personally, I would rather have a more mostly opera...https://www.blogger.com/profile/05653818157295091506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-83963352953496532182009-04-16T01:03:00.000+02:002009-04-16T01:03:00.000+02:00i was at this show too, and nobody cared a monkey'...i was at this show too, and nobody cared a monkey's where the hell pape put his sticks; he just wasn't missed at all: that bloke has some real proving to do! the production was thrilling and coherent as the world is. viz. on multiple levels. 2nd act was as good as i ever expect to see. agree about roschmann, who indeed reminds one of grummer.vogt can actually sing wagner tenor parts; most people lillobossnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483678492345755723.post-89727614495288107952009-04-15T23:53:00.000+02:002009-04-15T23:53:00.000+02:00I have to remember the name of this director... to...I have to remember the name of this director... to avoid to attend any of his productions. In fact, after having seeing a doku about his last Parsifal production in Bayreuth and doing the same production this year, I decided do not include Parsifal when filling my request for tickets for this year.Carloshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13519033651140851117noreply@blogger.com