Libera Dreams

Made it to a few more operas in the last year...

Hansel and Gretel - Holland Park - CVMS - 8/10 - A really enjoyable opera with good music, I'd happily see it again.
The Mikado - Wilton's Music Hall - 7/10 - Funny and a fun production by the all-male company.
Jephtha - Royal Opera House - 7/10 - Not as good as Alcina but kept my attention till the end.
Turn of the Screw - Ustinov Studios, Bath - 9/10 - Decent production but overly loud in such a small space.
The Magic Flute (sung in English) - London Colliseum ENO - 9/10 - I think had the set not been broken this could have been a 10/10
Carmen - Royal Opera House - 8/10 - overall a bit underwhelming, with mediocre solos, not a patch on the OHP version from 2 years ago!

Trying again with Tosca tonight. So many people think it's marvellous, they can't all be wrong, surely...?!

Love the disclaimer about gunshots taped haphazardly to the sign

But Puccini though?! COME ON

Well it's funny because this is far superior to the ROH production for me. Don't get me wrong I still think the music is "meh" but as a dramatic stage production it does definitely have drama. Also helps I'm like 5 meters away from the stage (albeit in the cheapo seats at the side) this is looking like ending at a 7/10 for me. Tho I will admit, theres an extra mark there to do with the fact DC was already on stage. but actually the soloists are good, and I'm kind of getting the plot more than I did in the ROH.

Citlec wrote: ↑<span title="Wed Jun 12, 2024 8:32 pm">5 months ago</span> Well it's funny because this is far superior to the ROH production for me. Don't get me wrong I still think the music is "meh" but as a dramatic stage production it does definitely have drama. Also helps I'm like 5 meters away from the stage (albeit in the cheapo seats at the side) this is looking like ending at a 7/10 for me. Tho I will admit, theres an extra mark there to do with the fact DC was already on stage. but actually the soloists are good, and I'm kind of getting the plot more than I did in the ROH.

► Show Spoiler

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That's great! Please enjoy

In my continuing attempts to be more cultured (what do you mean it's not working?!) I have been trying some more ballet lately, entirely on recommendations from my stepmother, as I'm even more clueless about ballet than I am about opera... I saw my third ballet of the year at the ROH last night, a collection of works choreographed by Frederick Ashton. The first was The Dream, with music by Felix Mendelssohn, and I was surprised and delighted to discover the London Oratory Schola were the choir singing! They are not on stage, somewhere off to the side, but they sounded fantastic! An unexpected bonus as I had no idea they were in it when I booked, and the ballet was great and quite funny. Rhapsody to music by Rachmaninoff was also excellent, but the best piece was probably The Walk to Paradise Garden to music by Delius.

By the way, I do all of my tickets through the various cheap deals. So, if you've ever had an interest in trying more ballet and opera, there actually are affordable options. I paid £9 for last night, and because I got lucky with an empty seat, this was my view...

The most I've paid for an opera or ballet this year was £40 at the ENO and OHP. In case anyone is interested, here's what I use:

https://www.rbo.org.uk/ticket-deals/friday-rush
https://operahollandpark.com/season-and ... nday-rush/
For Magic Flute at the ENO in March I used: https://officiallondontheatre.com/tkts/

TKTS in particular, is amazing for various theatre discounts.

"Are you a balletomane Mr. Elliot?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Are you a fan of the ballet?"
"Well I wouldn't say I was an expert or anything..."

Interesting that the London Oratory Schola sang some of the music for that ballet. I was only aware of one ballet that used a choir for anything and that's Tchaikovsky's “Nutcracker”. I became aware of this as a child when my parents took me to a performance and a local choir sang some oohs and aah’s. I thought it was really cool at the time but it became even cooler when so many years later Libera did this very music (go to 2:45 for Libera’s part).



Libera also did an interview about it at the time.



Anyway, I wasn't aware that any other ballets utilized a choir for music; in fact, that's probably why I haven't attended too many ballets in my life. Obviously the dancing is impressive but it's the music that always affected me rather than dance, which I don't find particularly interesting/moving to me personally – though that's certainly no indictment on those who do.

Other than Nutcracker, I didn't know there were other ballets with choirs either! I know LOS also sing in that at the ROH, but I've not got round to going yet. In fact the only time I've seen The Nutcracker was when I was about 7/8yo, which is an exceedingly long time ago now... perhaps one to schedule for this winter.

Very cool interview with Libera, I've not seen that before.

Edit: Oooh!!! Goodall's Eternal Light: A Requiem was also written as a ballet and has been performed by the Ballet Rambert. Damn, I hope someone does that one again. I heard the piece sung by the Ealing Abbey Choir in 2018 (the only decent choir closer to me than CVMS) and it was fantastic.

Of course there was a choir for the McMillan piece "Requiem" that I saw in February. The Royal Opera Chorus! I can't believe I forgot! Well well, choral music in ballet! There's a rabbit hole and a half. #lewiscarroll

Back at Opera Holland Park today for a double bill of surprisingly good and enjoyable works.
Both themed around jealousy, but very different!

First was the Secret of Susanna which was a comedy opera only about 50 minutes long but very funny!

Second was Pagliacci which starts lighthearted and fun... and descends into domestic violence and murder! It even came with a special warning from the OHP director before the show!

Lovely singing in both, and both by composers I'd never heard of!

Citlec wrote: ↑<span title="Sat Aug 03, 2024 10:51 pm">4 months ago</span> Back at Opera Holland Park today for a double bill of surprisingly good and enjoyable works.

What is the deal with this place? Do you have to bring a chair from your living room or something?

Looks like it was a fun afternoon. Glad you enjoyed the productions.

Luckdragon wrote: ↑<span title="Mon Aug 05, 2024 9:39 am">4 months ago</span> What is the deal with this place? Do you have to bring a chair from your living room or something?

One of those silly sustainability ideas... I believe it was introduced in 2021, and in that year of course it allowed for pandemic spaced seating, so there was some additional sense to it.
This was back again in 2022, but with a full compliment of silly chairs.
But by 2023, only the chairs on the flat at the front were the silly chairs, which is how it was this year too.
For my Tosca in June I was in that seating at the side and the chairs have different heights and a couple sat in the seats in front with the husband choosing the higher chair, meaning he was even taller in his seat than he would have been anyway!!

Citlec wrote: ↑<span title="Mon Aug 05, 2024 10:08 am">4 months ago</span>

Luckdragon wrote: ↑<span title="Mon Aug 05, 2024 9:39 am">4 months ago</span> What is the deal with this place? Do you have to bring a chair from your living room or something?

One of those silly sustainability ideas...

I see. Thanks for the explanation. I was trying to imagine elderly people bringing chairs from their living room on public transport and such.

Perhaps there is a review somewhere on which of those chairs is the most comfy.

hmmm! Might explain this news story from a few years ago... he was obviously on his way to the opera!

Surpinto wrote: ↑<span title="Tue Nov 29, 2022 11:03 am">2 years ago</span> To me much of Britten's music is in the same category as Puccini I'm afraid albeit for a different reason musically. Some of the individual pieces are excellent or at least acceptable, but much of it I never cared for. However, and to be completely fair, I have been far less exposed to Britten than I have been to many other composers, but when I came across some of his opera recordings I was put off immediately by the music. I just never cared for that more "modern" sound. Maybe if I saw a live production I might feel differently.

Good news, Surpinto, new medication developed, available at all good pharmacies.

Citlec wrote: ↑<span title="Sun Aug 18, 2024 2:10 pm">3 months ago</span>
Good news, Surpinto, new medication developed, available at all good pharmacies.

OMG! I love it. Give me some of THAT at Christmastime. How did you make the fonts and such match?