La Scala relay of Die Walkűre

[JimD]

Is anyone planning to see this?

http://www.showcasecinemas.co.uk/programmes/diemahogonycarmen.asp

I had thoughts of going to the Leeds venue. Any experiences and opinions of this kind of thing amongst members?

[kernelbogey]

I've seen Met HD relays of Verdi's Macbeth and Tristan. The former was a great experience, with the Southampton cinema audience applauding numbers and generally treating it like live theatre. You get close-ups, and therefore views, you can't get in the opera house. The Met broadcasts - I'm going to see Don Carlos next Saturday - keep running during the intervals with backstage interviews with singers and technical staff, and you can still nip out for a coffee or a pee without any great disturbance to others as they put the house lights up for this bit. I think it's a wonderful experience and a terrific way of employing new technology. That said, the Tristan was inevitably static, which the director tried to compensate for with a lot of split-screen wizardry. No doubt there'll be static moments in Walkuere too! I've not seen Showcase, nor anything from La Scala. But I'd guess it would be worth a trip to Leeds. I've already bought my ticket for the Met's Walkuere in May '11. BW, kb

[Cavaradossi]

Will be at the Odeon Covent Garden for this. Sure it will be interesting, just a shame that Rene Pape decided to cancel his Wotan debut back in October. The last I read Vitalij Kowaljow will take his place.

I hope you enjoy JimD, I saw the La Scala Aida a few year back (recorded for cinema) but was of a high quality, similar to that of the Met HD productions.

[Flosshilde]

the ... cinema audience applauding numbers and generally treating it like live theatre.

I agree it would add to the atmosphere, but presumably the orchestra doesn't stop, so doesn't the applause drown out the music?

Anyway, I won't be able to see the La Scala Walkure as Showcase cinemas don't seem to think that anyone in Scotland wants to see it. The Met broadcasts have been shown in Glasgow so I'll look out for their Walkure.

(an interesting - rather heavy-weight - choice for Scala's season opening, which traditionally is more an event for showing off your jewels & furs than seeing an opera!)

[Bert Coules]

Edited to correct my getting the wrong end of the spear entirely: I was confusing this with the NY Met relays. Apologies.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Is anyone planning to see this?

http://www.showcasecinemas.co.uk/programmes/diemahogonycarmen.asp

I had thoughts of going to the Leeds venue. Any experiences and opinions of this kind of thing amongst members?

I'd like to be there myself, but 4.00 p.m. in Leeds is too early to get to after work. :( But I hope others will enjoy it.

[DracoM]

Yes, hope to see it in Windermere.

[Cavaradossi]

A little taster from rehearsals.

http://www.teatroallascala.org/it/index.html

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Yes, hope to see it in Windermere.
Surely Das Rheingold would be more appropriate in there. :laugh:

[JimD]

Thanks folks. I only found it by chance when looking for times of Harry Potter for my daughter. Not certain whether I can get there as clearing 5 hours or so starting at 4pm isn't easy at short notice. But that's Wagner for you. Maybe Syd could suggest a way to 'fix' it by removing an Act or two.

[Cavaradossi]

I'd like to be there myself, but 4.00 p.m. in Leeds is too early to get to after work.

Eine Alpensinfonie, is the Harrogate Odeon any closer for you?, they seem to have plenty of seats available, unreserved £17.50, reserved £20 rather than £25 at Showcase.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I live on the Yorkshire coast, and work later on Tuesdays. And, talking of Harrogate, NYCC libraries thought fit to remove most of the music scores from our library and relocate them to that other town. :steam:

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

I see the opening night of La Scala's Die Walkure is going to be broadcast on france musique:

http://sites.radiofrance.fr/francemusique/em/concert-soir/emission.php?e_id=80000056&dd=20101207

[DracoM]

Correction - Ambleside!

HUGE orchestra DB had assembled!
Vitaly Kowaliow was a young but v.fine Wotan - costume and wig very, very silly, but voice in very good nick.
Nina Stemme - top rate, big tone, absolutely dominated.
Ektarina Gubanova - searing as Fricka. Commanding presence and voice, formidable woman and no wonder Wotan crumbled.
Waltraud Meier - Sieglinde - anxious, battered wife, lights up with her twin, bit shrill at the very top, but fina acting. Better as the frightened wife of Hunding than the lover?
Simon O'Neill - Siegmund. Mixed feelings. Voice faltered at times, went very nasal and somewhat sour, can't act to save his life, BUT some of the directions given to him seemed very pervers. If this is supposed to be a man of the wild woods, and wild places, then he just looked so lumbering and unathletic, but in a constant state of bowed down depression. Carried a big part, but he sounded unrelaxed the whole evening.

Barenboim and orchetra stars of the show.

Set was weird, unhelpful and in Act 1, just plain perverse and awkward for the actors.

Camera work: editing on the hoof was clumsy, frankly. Predictably we had a huge number of big whole screen face close-ups, in the process very often missed the bigger picture partic in Act 3 where I thought the camera work really messed up 'Lehb Wohl'. But they were not helped by having an overall very dark lighting plot, probably a heck of a lot better in the theatre.

But nevertheless delighted to be 'there' as it were.

[DracoM]

Should have added that the Valkyries were good and their big Act 3 set piece was excellently lit and shot.

[tom_960]

Showcase cinemas don't seem to think that anyone in Scotland wants to see it

Too late now, I know, but it was shown in Paisley, I believe - I was in Scotland yesterday but anxious about the weather closing in again...

[Zucchini]

tom-960 You can at least 'listen again' online from france musique (free but may have to register).

I've only been able to listen to bits so far but I also thought DB's reading & sympathy for his singers masterly. Kowaliov was a new name to me & I was disappointed not to hear Rene Pape. But my goodness that's an awesome godlike voice & rather shook me. His interpretation & disintegration came across very well on radio. I thought Stemme terrific. Meier I adore, she always gives 100% & even without her fabulous stage presence (on radio) & the voice a litlle less lustrous, she projected the character. Agree with DracoM re O'Neill & that the Valkyies opening of Act3 was absolutely sensational.

[Flosshilde]

The Guardian reports on the opening night protests -

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/07/italy-arts-protests-riots-scala

I wonder if any of our conductors will/would have the guts to do it?

[JimD]

Thank you DracoM. Unfortunately I wasn't able to go to the Leeds showing. You don't mention sound quality. My impression is that there is a lot of bass in standard films. For future reference was the sound quality good/fit for purpose?

[George]

Does anyone know how to keep track of these events without having to trawl around lots of different websites?

[DracoM]

Thank you DracoM. Unfortunately I wasn't able to go to the Leeds showing. You don't mention sound quality. My impression is that there is a lot of bass in standard films. For future reference was the sound quality good/fit for purpose?

Well, this was a VERY small bijou-ette cinema space, and the sound system was adequate, but rather tended towards the treble end, partic for the band, but singers came out OK. So I can't really judge the impact in a big venue with super sound system.

Voices seemed balanced pretty forward, but as they were good voices, less of a trial. Doubt very much that that would be how they would have been heard in La Scala.