Goodness Triumphant - La Cenerentola Met HD Broadcast 10th May 2014

May 10th was a busy day for me operatically speaking; first I had a matinee performance of Nozze di Figaro at the Royal Opera, swiftly followed by the final Met HD broadcast of the season with the enticing Joyce di Donato and superlative Juan Diego Florez.  That I've decided to concentrate this blog on La Cenerentola is no reflection on the standard of performance of Le Nozze di Figaro.  With a cast containing Gerald Finlay, Rebecca Evans and Camila Tilling it was certainly one of the finest performances I've attended recently. However, this was my very first Cenerentola...and apparently Joyce di Donato's last and it just felt right to dedicate this post to Cinderella herself.

I must admit to not being entirely comfortable with Rossini - especially comic Rossini - the endless coloratura and interminable crescendi don't really do it for me.  I suppose when it boils down to it I like my opera laced with a bit of tragedy and if there isn't at least one dead body by the end of the evening I feel slightly disappointed.  However, I do love Joyce's voice and this was her last outing in one of her signature roles so I was prepared to put doubts to one side and dive in.

This was only my second experience of a Met HD broadcast and once again I was not disappointed.  The cinema was packed - not a single seat was empty and the audience seemed keen and enthusiastic.  There was a lot of laughter and applause during the evening.  And not without cause.  The opera fairly fizzed along with barely a moment to pause for breath.

The plot is slight but very familiar so it was all about the singing and characterisation for me.  I'm not really a bel canto expert but I was really overawed by the vocal skills on display - by all of the cast.  There was not a single weak link amongst the performers.  This production has been gaining rave reviews in New York, mainly concentrating on the virtuoso tenor skills on display; firstly a 'star is born moment' for Javier Camerena in the role of the Prince and then Juan Diego Florez returning to the role in a case of 'anything you can do I can do better.'  Mr Florez was simply stunning, with not a single note out of place and giving a touching performance as the Prince who falls head over heels.  In previous performances there have been encores of 'Si, lo ritrovarla.'  Tonight, Juan Diego restricted himself to a solo bow to acknowledge the wild applause, perhaps as an acknowledgement that this was Joyce's night after all.

Ms DiDonatao was not outshone in any way and her long partnership with Juan Diego made this special night was all the more special.  I'm not sure exactly why she is retiring the role, but surely not for want of technical ability on her part.  She was immediately believable and sympathetic as the downtrodden Angelina and the audience were behind her all the way.

The rest of the cast were no slouch in the vocal or dramatic stakes either.  Rachelle Dirkin and Patricia Risley as Clorinda and Tisbe were an absolute hoot, even if some of the stage 'business' sometimes descended into farce.  Surely it must be far more difficult to perform comic opera as opposed to dramatic?    Of the male trio of bassi appearing, Pietro Spagnoli as Dandini was the most impressive for me, with expert comic timing and exhibiting a believable relationship with the Prince he was impersonating.  Alessandro Corbelli made light of some taxing patter songs and was believably 'wicked' as Angelina's step-father.  I enjoyed Luca Pisaroni as Alidoro but didn't really know what to make of the role.  What he did was good but alas all too brief I thought.

The production by Cesare Lievi came across well on the big screen, although I found it a bit sparse and in parts without any recognisable logic to it - although perhaps as a fairly tale it doesn't really need it?

And then at then end of the evening, when the girl has married her prince and all hurts have been forgiven, the real emotion set in.  I will admit to a tear in the eye when Joyce acknowledged the applause - all the more so as she looked slightly overcome herself. It must be a difficult decision to give up a much loved role - especially when going on on such a high note.  But then perhaps that is the best way...always leave them wanting more!

Addio del passato......La Traviata, Royal Opera House, 30 April 2014

I wasn't originally going to attend this set of performances of Verdi's classic opera; performances are split between two casts and I was saving my pennies for the second cast - more of which later.  But thanks to the offices of a Twitter friend (thanks Ruth), a standing ticket became mine for this matinee performance.  Even better, due to the slow tickets sales in the more expensive parts of the house, I found myself sitting in the stalls - a very rare occurrence.

This is a handsome and well-known production of Traviata, first seeing the light of day in 1994 and I remember it well from the tv broadcast with Angela Gheorghiu who made such a splash in the role. My hoard of programmes also reveal that I saw this production in the Albert Hall in 1998 during the period when the opera house was closed for refurbishment.  To be honest, I can't remember that much about the Albert Hall experience so I was keen to reacquaint myself with Richard Eyre's production.

The physical production is as traditional as they come but is relatively uncluttered and tells the story well - which is all you can ask of a a production be it traditional or modern.  I liked the contrast between the sumptuous Parisian settings of Act 1 and the second half of Act 2, and the more restrained and slightly abstract look for Violetta and Alfredo's country hideaway at the beginning of Act 2.  Act 3 of course, was all whitewashed desolation as Violetta met her tragic end.

Diana Damrau as Violetta, was one of the main reasons I wanted to catch this cast.  She has only recently taken the role into her repertoire, having previously concentrated on the purely coloratura soprano roles. Reviews have predictably been mixed after performances at La Scala and at the Met.  I wasn't exactly sure what to expect but in the end I found her portrayal of this iconic character very moving.  The first act vocal hurdles caused her no problems at all, although I was less keen on her physical embodiment of the character, with a slight case of overacting and over the top gestures.  'Old fashioned' is the phrase that springs to mind. This gradually settled down as the opera progressed - or perhaps I just got used to it.  Either way, she was very physically into the role, certainly fainting and collapsing very impressively on several occasions.  The final act was the most impressive of all and I don't think I have seen another soprano embody the physical frailty of Violetta quite so well.  She even managed to carry off the final 'swan-song' in this production - where the soprano has a last burst of energy and runs around the stage before collapsing. She managed to make this look not only plausible but heartbreaking.

Vocally there were no complaints at all from me.  Not only did she fearlessly throw off the coloratura of the first act (complete with high E to finish), but also negotiated the more dramatic and emotional requirements of Acts 2 and 3.  The audience were suitably appreciative and she received the biggest applause of the day.

Dmitri Hvorotovsky is no stranger to this production, in fact he made his ROH debut as Georgio Germont at the Albert Hall performances which I attended in 1998.  He is probably a little more suited to the elder Gemont now, although he did sound a bit 'throaty' to begin with, he soon warmed up and his duet with Violetta in Act 2 was a masterclass in controlled and beautiful legato.  His physical interpretation was also interesting, suggesting an attraction to Violetta which he manfully tried to hide.  I actually quite liked this approach which makes the elder Germont seem less of a one-dimensional 'baddie' than I have seen portrayed in other productions.

In fact, I did wonder at times why Violetta didn't run off with Papa Germont rather than his son! That's not to say that there was anything wrong with Francesco Demuro's portrayal of Alfredo - just that I didn't really feel there was any special chemistry with Damrau and so I was less involved with the 'tragic romance' aspect on this occasion.  Demuro has a fine lyric voice well suited to this role his Alfredo was impetuous, naive and somewhat self-absorbed and selfish.  I haven't always noticed this about Alfredo before, as in other productions the emphasis can be towards the romance and the undercurrents are forgotten.  It worked well but as I said, I did begin to wonder why Violetta had fallen in love with him.

All in all it was a very satisfying performance of an old favourite.  I tweeted after the performance saying it was 'delightfully old-fashioned'.  This is not a criticism by any means although there was a touch of (deliberate?) nostalgia about the whole thing.  Interpolated high notes, all cabalettas included, sumptuous sets and costumes and end of act curtain calls made the whole things seem like a throwback to another time.  But there were also the old fashioned virtues of fantastic singing, an understandable narrative and total commitment from all involved.

As I mentioned, I'm going to see this production again with the second cast.  Ailyn Perez stars as Violetta with her husband Stephen Costello portraying Alfredo.  And if that wasn't enough there is also the attraction of Simon Keenlyside as Georgio Germont.  To say that I'm looking forward to this would be understatement indeed.

Jonas Kaufmann - Wintereisse at the Royal Opera House, 6th April 2014

Jonas Kaufmann is something of a modern-day operatic phenomenon and unarguably one of the best singers on the operatic stage today.  He also happens to be an enthusiastic proponent of the art of lieder, art songs with piano accompaniment, and it was a lieder recital which brought him back to the Royal Opera House on a wet Sunday evening in April.

Lieder is something of an acquired taste and one which I'm currently working on acquiring, so this was an ideal opportunity to catch up with my current favourite tenor and advance my knowledge and experience of lieder and of Winterreise in particular. I will freely admit up front, that I'm spectacularly unqualified to comment on the nuances of lieder, so this is not a technical review, merely impressions from someone who loves singers.  I'll admit to feeling a certain amount of apprehension as the house lights dimmed, wondering what on earth I had let myself in for!  I've been to a few recitals before but never a song-cycle in German - surely this would demand fierce concentration and musical intelligence?  Still, safe in the familiar surroundings of the Royal Opera House and with a tenor whose voice I already know and love, I was ready for anything....

....except I wasn't really for the set from Act 3 of La Traviata, which is what greeted the audience as the curtain slowly rose.  Actually this isn't as bizarre as it sounds, and the neutral and somewhat desolate set provided the perfect background for this recital about lost love and unbearable grief.

The opera house is probably far too large a venue for this sort of recital and yet it worked incredibly well...mainly due to the artistry of Kaufman and Helmut Deutsch, his long-term collaborator. Very cleverly, Kaufmann started softly, quietly, settling the audience and inviting them to listen rather than expanding his sound to fit the venue.  It worked for me as I settled in my seat and paid attention.  The surtitles helped of course, although by the end of the evening they were almost superfluous as the singer had woven such as spell that the meaning was quite clear. I was quite taken aback by the sheer tonal beauty of the voice.  I know this probably sounds ridiculous but I'd forgotten (or never realised) what a simply beautiful voice he has.  With orchestra, costumes and other peripheries stripped away it was like hearing the voice for the first time.  Recordings simply do not do him justice.  However, it has to be said, that for all the gorgeous meza-voce singing, when he occasionally let the voice off the leash, you understood why he is one of the best opera singers today.  It also occurred to me, that this was probably the first time he has sung in his own native tongue on the stage of Covent Garden.  I do hope it won't  be the last time.

I can't analyse every song but suffice to say, I was swept unerringly along towards the devastating conclusion...at least it was devastating in the hands of Kaufmann and Deutsch, so devastating in fact that the audience was left in stunned silence, hardly daring to breath, until at last, Kaufmann himself took a deep breath and came back from the brink.  Just amazing.  I may have shed a tear or two then.  I can only compare it to a similar emotional experience I had when watching Parsifal a few months ago.  Quite, quite breathtaking.  The audience finally erupted with applause, calling the pair to the stage four or five times before they were permitted to leave.  Kaufmann in particular seemed stunned and out of it for a while, although both he and Deutsch had quickly wiped away a tear on conclusion.  I know how they feel.

Reading reviews and Twitter reaction today, there seem to be several criticisms....most of audience behaviour it has to be said, but also other elements such as location, marketing ploys etc etc.  I wouldn't normally bother responding but I had such an emotional reaction to the recital that I feel moved to put forward a few comments of my own.

The following rants are my own views and not aimed at anyone in particular.

Firstly, the audience.  There has been much comment on coughing between songs.  Frankly it didn't really bother me that much - I'd much rather they coughed in the pauses, then when the singer is actually singing.  Not sure what singers think about this but I'd be interested to know.  Unfortunately, the pauses almost seem to invite a clearing of throats and I'm not sure what else can be done.  Make an announcement beforehand?  Anyway, with an audience of almost 3,000 people, it is unreasonable to expect total silence. No one around me had a coughing fit but perhaps I was lucky. Although I could have done without the hearing aid feedback at the beginning!

Location.  Yes the opera house is big, but as described above Jonas totally made it work.  Not sure what the sound was like at the back of the auditorium was like, but again I'd be interested to know.  In my experience with opera, the auditorium is usually where the best sound is.  Given Mr Kaufmann's current level of fame, I'm not sure that there is any other solution in London.  The Wigmore Hall holds around 600 at best so getting a ticket for a Kaufmann recital is virtually impossible there...unless he had a week long residency (totally impracticable given his hectic diary and I don't suppose the Wigmore's coffers can stretch to that) then I'm not sure what the solution is.  If they held more suitable recitals or orchestral concerts at ROH I'd definitely go.

Marketing.  Here's the thing.  All opera singers with a high enough public profile record an album and then tour to promote it, whether that album is opera, lieder or Mario Lanza tributes.  Not every single album, and not all the time, but like every artist of whatever genre, they've got to get out there and sell it - that's why record companies sign them up in the first place. Recent examples; Rolando Villazon, Joyce DiDonato, Joseph Calleja and yes, Jonas Kaufmann.  And the problem is?

Kaufmann Fans.  Yes, guess what, there were a lot of Kaufmann fans in the audience.  Funny that.  And yes, perhaps many of them had never been to a lieder recital before (although I'm sure a lot had).  What a great opportunity then for them to experience another facet of Kaufmann's artistry and yes, maybe even venture into exploring further. Even if only one or two go to another recital or buy a lieder CD, isn't that worth it? Isn't that a result of some sort? Rather than bemoaning the fact that its taken the appearance of Kaufmann to get them into a recital, why don't we celebrate the fact that they're here?

I could go on but I think I've ranted enough.  I was going to comment on perceived elitism and lieder but perhaps I'll leave that for another day.   Suffice to say that for the moment at least, I feel more comfortable attending a recital in the vast space of the opera house, whatever its faults, than the smaller confines of say Wigmore Hall.  Maybe one day that will change - I hope so.

Anyway, to end on a positive note, I thoroughly 'enjoyed' my first Winterreise...not quite the right word but you know what I mean. Jonas Kaufmann is currently on top vocal form, singing with gorgeous tone and musical intelligence.  Long may it continue.

The Devil Rides Out - Faust, Royal Opera, 4th April 2014

I've probably said this before but I don't normally do first nights.   I like to see the production and singers once everything is 'bedded in' as it were.  However, Since this particular first night fell on a Friday, and was one of the few dates I could actually get to see Faust, I brushed aside any hesitation and booked.

Of course, when I originally booked for this opera, Anna Netrebko was scheduled to sing Marguerite - something I looked forward too as I've not managed to catch this diva live before.  Alas, I (and countless others) were to be disappointed when she pulled out citing role incompatibility. I tend to agree with her assessment, however the late timing of this announcement left something to be desired.  A replacement was hastily arranged and luckily for us, Sonya Yoncheva, a young soprano making a name for herself,  shuffled her hectic diary and agreed to step in.

The rest of the cast was not to be sniffed at either; Joseph Calleja as Faust, Simon Keenlyside as Valentine and last but infinitely not least, Bryn Terfel as Mephistopheles.  With such a cast, you can understand why this was a highly anticipated event for the Royal Opera.

Okay, another confession.  Before this performance I'd never seen Faust on the stage before!  Yes, I know.  It seems totally shocking even to me.  Faust is one of those opera that is almost compulsory it seems - or at least to me.  Don't get me wrong, its not like I don't know the music, but somehow actually attending a live performance had seemed like something I could do another day - I didn't feel any strong compulsion to investigate the opera further.  However with this cast I really couldn't resist.

In the title role, acclaimed tenor Joseph Calleja delivered the goods with some lovely heartfelt singing and an especially good 'Salut, demeure chaste et pure.'  However, I want to like the voice more than I actually do.  I recognise it as an impressive voice but I don't love it - possibly the distinctive vibrato which marks him out from his peers is slightly too much for my personal taste.  But as I say, his is an important voice but just not one that personally appeals.  His acting is limited but on this occasion he threw himself into the action without necessarily revealing any particular insights.

Sonya Yoncheva I have encounterd twice before; once in a Domingo Operalia concert (she was a previous winner) and the next time as Musetta in La Boheme.  As Marguerite, she finally came into her own at Covent Garden.  The voice is distinctive, secure, lovely and lyrical - ideal for this role.  If her trills in the Jewel Song were a little approximate then no matter - she made up for it with a finely characterised portrayal which tugged at the heartstrings in the finale.

I like Simon Keenlyside.  A lot.  I think he is a very fine singer and actor.  However, I'm not entirely sure why he is singing Valentine.  Nostaglia?  Because there just doesn't seem enough for him to do here in comparison to the rest of the cast.  Yes his aria was nicely sung and yes he also had a very good death scene - but is that enough when there are so many other roles he could be doing? Given the stellar company in which he found himself, I also found his voice less immediately 'distinctive' than Yoncheva, Calleja and Terfel.

As yes, Terfel.  Possibly my main reason for booking to see this opera.  I have a bit of a bass-baritone thing going on at the moment and I was keen to see Bryn away from his usual diet of Wotan, Scarpia and Falstaff.

I was not disappointed.  He strides through this production like the devilish operatic colossus he is! He dominates every scene that he appears in - with force of presence and cannily managed vocal resources. According to some comments he is not as good as in younger days.  I have no idea as I never really heard him sing when he was younger, so I have nothing to compare him to.  To me he was the very embodiment of the Devil himself - probably one of the best operatic actors on the stage today.

I've not spend much time on David McVicar's production but I enjoyed it very much.  I've seen people (me included) describing it as a 'show'.  And that's exactly what it is.  There is so much going on, so many scene and costume changes, that it sometimes resembles a Broadway or West End show.  But that's not a criticism at all and this would probably be an ideal starter for the operatic novice.

Having said all of this, I now find myself wondering if I really want to see this again - I have a ticket for another performance.  This is more a reflection on the opera itself, than any criticism of the performers.  Even with such a cast, I'm not sure that seeing Faust again would give me any added insights.  Then again, the chance to see Bryn in action might just sway me!

Photographs courtesy of the Royal Opera House

Toute mon âme est là! - Werther Met HD Broadcast

After reading so many reviews and blogs and tweets about the current run of Werther at the Met Opera, needless to say I was practically champing at the bit to experience this production, if not live, then probably the next best thing.  The fact that Werther is portrayed by the 'tenor du jour' Jonas Kaufmann only added to the anticipation.  I'll try not to let this blog post descend into 'fan girl' gushing but its going to be hard!  As it happens, this was also to be my very first experience of a Met HD broadcast in the cinema which was also an intriguing prospect, so I'll expand a bit more about that aspect of my experience.

My cinema of choice was the Curzon in Mayfair, a little gem with only two screens and a world away from the large multi-screen cinemas more commonly found.  Seating just over 300 in total, the auditorium was ample without being oversized, with comfortable seats, attentive staff and a nice line in Prosecco, Chardonnay and Merlot which you could sip at your seats - very civilised indeed!  The auditorium was about three-quarters full as a guess - not bad for a 5pm start I thought.  My fellow opera fans were slightly more 'mature' than I...which is quite something given that I'm not exactly a spring chicken myself!

My once concern before the broadcast started, was the thought of the possibly overwhelming volume levels.  Don't get me wrong, I don't mind my opera loud when it needs to be, but this is Werther, and something a little more subtle is required, rather than the normal volume at cinemas which tend to rattle the walls!  Luckily my doubts about the quality of the picture and volume were soon put to one side - I couldn't really fault either, apart from a couple of little 'glitches' in the stream, but they only last for a couple of seconds.

So, to the opera itself.

I don't really have a big history with Werther.  I know the most famous tenor aria of course, but I've never seen a live performance before.  I have seen the DVD of the 2010 Paris production, also coincidentally starring Jonas Kaufmann and Sophie Koch as his Charlotte. I enjoyed the performances of both very much but the actual direction of this DVD I find annoying in the extreme.  Unfortunately the director shows us shots of the singers waiting in the wings, the back of the conductor and the orchestra and more or less kills the mood that the singers are working so hard to establish.  Bizarre.

Luckily this new production by Sir Richard Eyre was filmed in a pretty straightforward way for the broadcast.  Close-ups were more or less on-cue and appropriate, the singers always totally in character, the larger picture also lovingly detailed.  The production itself was in the traditional mould but none the worse for that.  There were a lot of projections - this seems to be a 'thing' now and I think that directors are still getting the hang of how to use and more importantly how much to use!  My recent Don Giovanni at ROH, used them a little too frequently I thought.  Here they were used sparingly but effectively, especially when they eased transition from one scene to another, the house and garden of Charlotte and her family, magically transforming into a ballroom where Charlotte and Werther dance and fall in love.  I would be interested to know how effective the projections were in the theatre as opposed to the broadcast - they certainly seemed impressive on the big screen.

This was the last performance in this particular run of Werther and I think it probably showed in the performances.  Rarely was there a moment when any of the cast were not totally committed and in character - a difficult feat to pull off when the camera is constantly on you.  And yet I believed in all of the characters - even the annoying ones!

This opera is a slow burner - there is a lot of scene-setting in Acts 1 and 2 and Sophie Koch as Charlotte paced her performance accordingly, only allowing us a glimpse into her changing emotions in Act 3 and then the ultimately tragic consequences in Act 4.  She is a believable warm presence as Charlotte, with a voice to match and an utterly convincing actress in this part.  David Bizic as her husband Albert was new to me and his voice was smooth and darkly coloured. But this is not an especially grateful singing role for a baritone, with few opportunities to shine.  Lisette Oropesa has a bright-voiced winning soprano and in the role of Sophie she is sweet without being saccharine, suggesting hidden depths and empathy with her sister's plight.

But let's face facts here - Werther is all about the tenor.  And when the tenor is Jonas Kaufmann you can be sure you are in for an emotional roller coaster ride.  The voice of course is wonderful, perhaps darker and more burnished than before, which is unusual itself when this role has traditionally been sung by the likes of Alfredo Kraus, Nicolai Gedda and more recently Roberto Alagna.  Kaufmann makes it work though, his darker tones suggesting a more brooding presence from the start. But its not just the voice - wonderful as that was - its the full commitment to the role that impresses.

The final act is a master-class in acting from both singers as Werther commits suicide (quite graphically here) and Charlotte arrives too late to save him - but not too late to comfort him and finally admit her love.  There were moments here when I was quite literally holding my breath.  And, strange as it sounds, there were also moments when I actually forgot that they were singing and everything was just the drama being played out. That for me is the ultimate in operatic acting.

So for me, my first Met Live HD experience was a thrilling one and one I'm definitely going to repeat at some stage.  No it can't replace the special thrill of being in the opera house and hearing singers live, but when that's just not possible then this is the next best thing.

Another moral maze - Don Giovanni, Royal Opera, 14 January 2014

I'm not sure that scheduling Don Giovanni on Valentine's Day isn't asking for trouble - or perhaps the Royal Opera was actually tipping us the wink that this Don wasn't the heartless seducer of old?  Either way, and despite mixed reviews, I was looking forward to this production with some anticipation.

First of all let me just say that even when I go to a performance some time after the premier, as in this case, I make a point of trying to avoid formal reviews and blogs, lest they cloud my judgement in some way. Twitter however is almost impossible to avoid and there were some fairly vociferous reactions on my timeline including hints of dire goings-on at the finale.  This notwithstanding, I was suitably intrigued and if nothing else, it would be a chance to catch up with the glorious music of Mozart, who can withstand most, of not all of any directorial shenanigans.

While the overture is still playing, the curtain opens on a fairly bland facade of a house, somewhat reminiscent of the set of Kasper Holten's previous directorial outing here, Eugene Onegin.  Given my reaction to that production, I wasn't entirely encouraged but things soon picked up as the highly vaunted light show sprang into life.  Soon dozens of names had been artfully inscribed on the grey background, testament to the Don's many conquests.    I thought the visual aspects of the production were very good and in the most part effective.  Splashes of colour at the appropriate moments worked well and the visual effects were stunning in places.  But....and its a big but...I'm not entirely sure that the visual effects didn't overshadow or overwhelm the singers at times.  While the so-called 'Champagne Aria' was visually stunning (if a little vertigo-inducing) I do wonder if the applause was for the singer or the effect?

And not only did we have the constant changes of lighting but also the ever-whirling cuboid set.  Its a wonder that none of the singers got lost or emerged from the wrong door.  While this was quite effective to begin with, the novelty wore off and towards the end I was just wishing the singers would all stand still for a minute instead of constantly whirling or going upstairs and down.  So on the whole I enjoyed the visuals (including the gorgeous costumes) but felt that perhaps less is more.

So much for the visuals.

The story you would think is a fairly straightforward one - after all the subtitle to Don Giovanni is Il dissoluto punito - The rake punished.  However no modern day director worth his salt can resist tweaking the story to fit a concept and sure enough here our Don is less of a vicious if charming rapist, murderer and seducer...more of a middle-aged rake having a mid-life crisis.  He bounces from woman to woman and none put up even the most token resistance....all fall to his charms including Donna Anna, who right from the start has enjoyed her fling with the charming Don and then finds herself lying to all and sundry about the nature of their relationship, crying rape and then calling for revenge for her father's death.  Donna Elvira and Zerlina barely come off much better in this production, with Zerlina portrayed as a girl on the make and willing to throw over her husband on her wedding day, and Elvira moping about constantly believing she can change the Don's wicked ways.

The Don himself is just a man having a bad day - although given that he at least gets to have sex a couple of times in this production (at least suggested) then he does okay.  Oh and he also murders Donna Anna's father but that seems less of a problem in this production. My problem with the concept (apart from the treatment of women) is that if the Don is not the hell-bent dissolute who murders and deceives...then who is he?  And what is the point of the Commendatore reappearing to extract justice if in fact he doesn't?  Or at least he didn't seem to - hard to tell with the fudged ending.

To be honest, I'm not as up in arms as some about the abbreviated ending as some appear to be.  Given what had gone one beforehand then it actually fit with the directors concept.  From what I can gather the Don doesn't get dragged down to hell but is left in some sort of limbo while the rest of the cast sing from the orchestra pit.   Go figure.

I thought the musical values were very high indeed and for me this (and the music of Mozart) was the saving grace.  Mariusz Kwiecien was on form as the eponymous Don, his voice robust and he cut a lithe and athletic figure.  I much preferred him here than when I saw him as Posa in Don Carlo.  He was well matched in his Leporello here played by Alex Esposito and the two singers struck up a beleivable partnership, less master and servant, more equal partners in crime.  Antonio Poli had the unenviable task of making Don Ottavio interesting or sympathetic...and failed.  Not his fault and his voice was pleasant and mostly up to the task that Mozart set him.  But I have yet to see a production of Don Giovanni where the Ottatvio is anything more than a dramatic cipher.

Malin Bystrom as Donna Anna was a revelation for me.  Her voice was agile, creamy and yet with plenty of dramatic heft when required. Veronique Gens as Elvira was similarly impressive if not quite in the same league - although Elvira has less vocal 'fireworks' than Anna.  Her characterisation of Elvira was dignified and restrained.  Elizabeth Watts and Dawid Kimberg as Zerlina and Masetto were fine but not outstanding.

Final verdict?  I didn't exactly hate the production but found some of the concepts a bit questionable.  The physical production and light show were novel but perhaps a little less would be easier on the eye.  On a side note I do wonder if the full effects of this production will come out well on DVD - which I presume will be on the way?

Mad about the Girl - Manon, Royal Opera House, 24 January

Having missed my scheduled visit to the dress rehearsal of this production of Manon, I decided to treat myself to a discounted seat in one of the 'posh' areas of the auditorium - my usual seats either being restricted view or up in the amphitheatre!  But it wasn't just the thought of a good seat that had me greatly anticipating this visit.

Ermonela Jaho has quickly become a house favourite, a reputation initially gained by subbing for various ailing sopranos until she is now invited in her own right.   I had not heard her live before the performance but was greatly impressed by her performance as Suor Angelica which I caught when broadcast on the BBC.  So all in all this had all the makings of a great night at the opera.  Which it was.  Sort of.

First the good things.  This opera lives or dies on the performance of its soprano and it is no exaggeration to say that Ermonela Jaho is Manon...or became Manon, or whatever.  She totally embodied the part from start to finish, and although I found her particularly effective as the 16 year old schoolgirl (her petite frame lending credence to the illusion), she also found her hidden hedonist as Manon discovers pleasure and money.  And as I expected she was perhaps most compelling in the final tragic tableau - although it was the Chevalier des Grieux who finally managed to pluck at my  heartstrings.

Matthew Polenzani as the lovestruck young hero Des Grieux, may not initially strike many as the embodiment of love's young dream, but he uses that to his advantage, playing Des Grieux as gauche and inexperienced and totally under the thrall of Manon, hardly believing his luck that such a beautiful girl would look at him, never mind run away with him to Paris. Don't get me wrong, Polenzani is not unattractive at all, just a 'regular Joe' sort of attractiveness. More importantly, he has a wonderful lyric voice ideally suited to this role and his 'Ah Fuyez douce image' was one of the many vocal highlights for me.  And as I mentioned, it was his tragic cry at Manon's death that finally had me stifling a sob.

And yet.

And yet I still walked away from the performance not really knowing whether I'd enjoyed it or not! For a while I simply couldn't put my finger on why this hadn't been a totally involving experience for me.  Generally speaking I love French opera, have no particular problem with Massenet and the romantic/tragic nature of the story of Manon was one which should have guaranteed satisfaction.  And yet I came away with a definite feeling of dissatisfaction.

This is the first production of Manon I have ever seen (either live or on stage) so I have nothing really to compare it to, so I still don''t really know whether it's the opera I don't like or this particular production.  The thing that did occur me as I was watching, was that there was an awful lot of 'humour' scattered willy-nilly throughout, which to me seemed at odds with the tragedy unfolding.  Perhaps its because I am more familiar with Puccini's take on the story which concentrates on the passion and the tragedy.  Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a little lightness amongst the tragedy but it's so difficult to get right and I just felt the timing and quantity was a little 'off' here - again, I would have to see another production to know if this was a production issue or that Manon really is that funny!

The other disconcerting issue was that at one point I thought I had dozed off and woken up in a production of La Traviata.  In act 4 of Manon, we find ourselves at a big party with gambling, lots of chorus singing lustily, and finally to top it all of the hero's father turns up to berate his son, doing a reasonably good impression of Georgio Germont!  I'm surprised Verdi didn't sue Massenet for plagiarism.

The production itself, by Laurent Pelly, verges on the twee in Act 1, while the rest is suitably abstract for no good reason, although this has the affect of being able to concentrate on the singers.  The St Sulspice scene has the almost obligatory leaning pillars which add nothing to the story, and inserts a handy bed in the church, for the lovers to romp on at the end.   So all in all, a typical Pelly production.

Looking back at what I've written, it sounds like I didn't enjoy it.  I did, but I just felt I could have enjoyed it more.  The singing was fantastic without a doubt and for that I give thanks but I just left feeling a little deflated about the opera and/or the production.  Luckily I have another chance to revisit Manon, with another soprano in the title role.  I'm looking forward to hearing Ailyn Perez for the first time - and I'm going to give this opera another chance to win me over.