End of term report! Royal Opera Season 2013-14

Wow!  What a season that was...and how quickly time has gone by.  Doesn't seem five minutes since I was compiling the 2012/13 highlights but here we are again.  For me this has been a very positive season at ROH where the highs have definitely outweighed the lows.  Of course live theatre isn't perfect but I really feel that this has been such a great season - great singers, interesting productions and a good mix of new experiences and revisiting old favourites.  Here's what I saw at ROH this season:

Turandot (rehearsal)
Le Nozze di Figaro (rehearsal and 1 performance)
Les Vepres Siciliennes (twice) New Production
Wozzeck
Parsifal (rehearsal) New Production
Carmen
Manon (rehearsal and 2 performances)
Don Giovanni New Production
Faust
Jonas Kaufmann - Wintereisse
La Traviata - twice
Dialogues des Carmelites (new to Royal Opera but I have classed this as a revival)
Tosca
Manon Lescaut - (rehearsal and 2 performances)  New Production
La Boheme - twice
Ariadne auf Naxos
Maria Stuarda  New Production
JPYA Summer Performance

Productions I missed this season in the main house were La Fille du Regiment and Die Frau ohne Schatten - which isn't bad going really.


Best New Production
Once again this was a really hard decision. I find new productions quite frustrating for the most part.  Quite often they are so nearly perfect (Manon Lescaut) but then something goes awry.  In other cases I am baffled and sometimes quite angry (Don Giovanni).  But in the end I have to make a decision and its probably not the one you think...

Yes, considering the Wagner-phobe I claim myself to be, Parsifal won me over to such an extent that even my love for tenors and Jonas Kaufmann couldn't sway me!  The combination of production and Wagner's music completely transformed my opinion. Not saying I love everything about Wagner (I don't) but for some reason this particular opera hits the spot.  Now, if ROH would only entice Mr Kaufmann to come sing it, I'd be an even happier woman!


Worst New Production.
Sigh.  For some reason this category is one of the easiest to judge although I have to say that on balance, the new productions this year were slightly less annoying than last seasons but there is a clear winner for me....

Yes, I'm afraid Kasper Holten's production of Don Giovanni left me less than impressed.  The combination of whirling set, constantly flashing lights and borderline misogynistic concept meant that although I wanted to like this production, I didn't.  At all.

Best Production Revival
Once again, spoilt for choice amongst the many commendable revivals.  Some great performances from singers enlivened even the most venerable and staid of productions.  Honourable mentions go to Faust, Manon and Ariadne auf Naxos.  But, the surprise winner is.....

La Boheme.  I know!  All the more surprising as this time last year I chose this opera (reluctantly) as my 'worst production revival'.  Well all I can say is, what a difference a year makes.  John Copley once again returned to breath new life into this veteran production, but it was the casting of Ermonela Jaho and Charles Castronovo which made all of the difference.  Subtle and believable actors, they instantly convinced as star-crossed lovers Mimi and Rodolfo.  And not only that, their musicality and willingness to live the drama on stage totally convinced. Mesmerising and magical.


Worst Production Revival
Once again this category was very hard to pick. Most of the revivals I have seen these season have had their  merits, be it in individual performances (Tosca) or the production itself (Nozze di Figaro).  But for better or worse the winner is....

Carmen. It wasn't bad.  But it wasn't really a stand out either.  Individual performances were okay but frankly this just seemed like another routine revival of an old warhorse.  The production now seems tired and lacking in verve.  Alagna was good but brought no special insights into Don Jose.  Next!

Best Male Singer Performance
Ah. Now I know what you think.  She's going to pick that tenor again.  You're right but quite frankly when you have a tenor who is currently performing at the very top of his game, then there is no choice.  The winner is....

Yes, its that man again.  Jonas Kaufmann.  Although as you may gather from the picture, I'm actually choosing him for his magnificent performance of Wintereisse, rather than his performance in Manon Lescaut. Not that his Des Grieux wasn't good - it was fantastic.  But it is rather his ability to totally entrance in lieder and then switch to full-blooded and passionate operatic singing that has me hooked.

Very honourable mentions go to Charles Castronovo, Gerald Finley and Bryn Terfel.


Best Female Singer Performance.
This has been the season of some very great and wonderful soprano singing.  I've encountered voices new to me and revisited some favourites.  Honourable mentions to Lise Lindstrom, Ailyn Perez, Joyce di Donato and Karita Mattila.  But my winner for this season is....

Wow!  Just wow!  I was almost left speechless by my first encounter with the Tosca of Sondra Radvanovsky.  Where has this soprano been all of my life?  Well not at ROH very often to be sure.  This voice is the real deal.  And her assumption of the role of diva of all diva's was just perfection.  Brava Sondra - please come back soon.

And finally...

Operatic Highlight of the Season.
I've had so many highlights this season that I really consider myself very lucky to live near London and have the opportunity to see and hear some wonderful opera.  There were many highlights for me, not least Manon Lescaut which was wonderful and frustrating at the same time. Mentions must also go to Ariadne auf Naxos, Faust and Turandot.  But my highlight of the season was....

Yes it was actually Dialogues des Carmelites.  I have waited so many years to see this opera but it was worth the wait.  Musically and dramatically satisfying and emotionally overwhelming.  Just wonderful.

So that's it for another season and I'm already missing the place already!  My next scheduled visit is in September to see Barbiere di Siviglia...here's a little taster of what lies ahead...

The Best and the Worst of 2013

Following in the footsteps of so many bloggers, tweeters and opera critics I offer my own thoughts on the highs and lows of the live performances I attended in the year 2013.  I've restricted myself to five categories - as inspired by Opera Britannia's own review of the year.

Outstanding New Production

Amongst some lean pickings, my very first experience of a staged Parsifal won by a long margin. Apparently I may be going against the grain, but for a Parsifal virgin such as I, this was the ideal production to start with. It wasn't perfect by any means...but then I don't seek perfection in live performances.  Amongst the many glories was Gerald Finley as Amfortas, surely one of the greatest singing actors we currently have.

Best Revival

Of course it must be Don Carlo -  hardly surprising I hear you cry.  But quite apart from my predilection for Jonas Kaufmann, I must admit that Don Carlo is rapidly becoming my favourite Verdi opera. This revival, with a top notch cast was a real treat - if only the production itself was a little more inspiring but that is a minor cavil when you have such superb musical values on display.

Best Male Performance

All things considered this has to be Gerald Finley for his amazing performance as Amfortas in Parsifal. Simply stunning.  Close contenders were Erwin Schrott in Les Vepres Siciliennes (almost clinched by the infamous black dress) and Jonas Kaufmann in Don Carlo.

Best Female Performance

Another difficult choice but in the end I was so blown away by Lise Lindstrom's performance as Turandot that she emerged as the outright winner.  While I found the production itself a little disappointing (surely time for a new one?) she took the role by the throat and made her house debut in very fine style indeed.  I can't wait until I get the chance to see her again.

Honourable mention must go to Joyce di Donato in La Donna del Lago - again while I didn't love the production, she could do no wrong in my eyes.

Biggest Disappointment

Oh dear - where to start?  I suppose my biggest disappointments (apart from Anja Harteros cancellations) have been with most of the new productions I have seen at ROH - especially Nabucco and Eugene Onegin. Uninspiring, dreary and sometimes just plain weird, I have had some of my most disappointing evenings when attending a new production - with the honourable exception of the new Parsifal and I do hope that is an encouraging start to the 2013-14 rosta of new productions.  I'm certainly looking forward to Don Giovanni, Manon Lescaut and Maria Stuarda and Die Frau ohne Schatten but only time will tell if there has been an improvement.

So there it is - my highlights and lowlights of 2013.  It only remains for me to wish you a very Happy New Year and to wish you happy opera-going wherever you may be.

Parsifal, Wagner and other assorted ramblings...

Its been a while since my last blog post...mainly due to real life getting in the way of opera-going but also a slow down in my operatic activity at ROH. My last excursion was to see my first Wozzeck with Karita Mattila and Simon Keenleyside.  It was a disturbing but yet invigorating experience but one that I didn't feel remotely qualified to blog about except to say that I want to see it again.  Its the sort of peice you need to see more than once before commenting on!

I'm going to apologise in advance about the rambling nature of this post which has been provoked by my first experience of a fully staged Parsifal at the ROH. Let me make this clear - this is absolutely not a review of the production.  For even though the first night has come and gone, the 'performance' I saw was in fact the final rehearsal and the ROH have asked me nicely not to blog about it...and on reflection they are probably right.  Although nice to know that my blog is being read in high places.

I had absolutely not intended to see this new production at all. Regular readers and Twitter followers will know that I'm not exactly the world's biggest Wagner fan although I have been making a distinct effort in this anniversary year - especially as there were so many riches on offer at this years BBC Proms.  But still, even after some great concert versions at the Albert Hall, I felt frustrated that I still didn't really 'get' Wagner in the way that I do Verdi or even Puccini.

So it was in the spirit of adventure that I snapped up a last minute rehearsal ticket to Parsifal and sallied forth. While not exactly reviewing the detail of what I saw on stage, I can say that I was utterly overwhelmed, intrigued and finally won over by the 'evil genius' that is Wagner.  I will explain 'evil genius' in a while but my reaction to this opera really puzzled and intrigued me.  What was it about this particular work that finally won me over? After all this is not an easy work....surely Lohengrin and Tannhauser are more accessible? Certainly it terms of length (5 and half hours including intervals) its the sort of thing that usually has me running for the exit.  And yet....

And yet this is where Wagner's evil genius kicks in.  There is something in the music of this work, in the story and in the absolute totality that reaches out and resonates with audience if only they let it.  Let me explain. Normally when I go to the opera I go for the emotional hit rather than the intellectual high, although both is good of course.  But if I don't get the emotional impact of a piece then you've lost me and I come away disappointed.  And most of the time the emotional high comes from a specific situation i.e. tragic love story gone wrong, combined with sublime music etc..  Verdi, Puccini et al are masters of this, and in years of opera going/listening I more or less know exactly where my own personal 'lump in the throat' moments occur, for example, Mimi's death, 'Amami Alfredo' in Traviata, end of Otello, etc etc.  Big emotional wallop moments.

Now this is where the evil genius of Wagner kicks in for me.  For he doesn't really do those obvious tear-jerking moments in opera.  So why did I find myself with tears running down my cheeks in the second act of Parsifal?  It did catch me rather by surprise as there was nothing really obvious going on in the music or on stage that I thought would warrant such a reaction.  And yet I believe that in this opera Wagner and his music just suck you in, make you slow down and give in...and that whatever is uppermost in your mind is given voice.  Sorry if that sounds bizarre and sentimental but that is the only explanation I have.  I finally figured out that what had triggered my emotional reaction was the scene with  Kundry talking about Parsifal's mother.  I lost my own mother to cancer this time last year but I wasn't really aware of that being a trigger until the tears were running down my face.  Like I said, 'evil genius'.

Now that the official first night of this production has been and gone, I'm also intrigued by the many and varied reactions to it, and it got me to thinking about how we experience live performance, what we compare it to and how we critically appraise it...not only for those who blog or those get paid to critique for a living, but just the audience in general.  Most of the time I like to pride myself that I don't pre-judge a performance and take each new or old production on its own merits.  But I now ask myself....is that really possible?

I came to this Parsifal with no previous preconceptions of performance history or even vocal history.  The only experience I've had is a few YouTube clips with Jonas Kaufmann and half of a concert performance at the Proms this year....and I really didn't like it enough to stick around for the second half.  So I was a fairly blank canvas.  Now with the best will in the world, if you are turning up for your 20th performance of Boheme or Traviata, it is very difficult NOT to compare with previous singers or productions, and this does colour your perception of what you are seeing on stage TODAY!.  For me, seeing my first staged Parsifal was almost like seeing a brand new opera - I had no history, no idea of what had gone in the past, but only a total involvement in what was happening on stage, right here, right now.  It was thrilling.

And so if nothing else, this Parsifal has given me a determination to experience opera differently if at all possible, to mentally wipe clean those memories of vocal and production's gone by, and just experience the performance in the here and now.  It might still be a disappointment or it might be a triumph, but at least I hope I will be judging it on its own merits.

And a final word about this particular production - please go see it, the cast are wonderful, committed and thrilling and the production, even if it doesn't succeed on all levels, is certainly one that will get the brain ticking.  I loved it.