Anna Nicole on Radio 3

[french frank]

If you missed it at the ROH or on BBC4 - here's another chance to catch Turnage's Anna Nicole: it's a late night Opera on 3 this Saturday, 2 April, at 9.30pm.

[austin]

And also now on iPlayer.

[eighthobstruction]

terrible....

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

terrible....

Do you mean the opera, the performance, or iPlayer?

[eighthobstruction]

the opera....sorry I should have kept my opinion to myself, because I haven't really got time to debate, nor musical knowledge/speak....sorry

[Oddball]

I was grateful to ROH for putting this on, and for BBC for broadcasting it. It's something I wanted to hear, as a newly composed opera based on recent events.

Not that I can make a critical analysis of it. But it had mixed reviews, some of which were enthusiastic:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12503718

Clearly it's not in the same league of Composition as Das Rheingold. But the great opera composers were mostly 19th Century, in a greatly different society. Is it fair to make a one to one comparison with great works of the past, in order to make a judgement on Anna Nicole?

[Bryn]

If you missed it at the ROH or on BBC4 - here's another chance to catch Turnage's Anna Nicole: it's a late night Opera on 3 this Saturday, 2 April, at 9.30pm.

And while it's still there, don't forget the BBC FOUR iPlayer offering. I missed both broadcasts but now have them on ice. I suppose with a modicum of effort I could have them as ICE.

[french frank]

Is it fair to make a one to one comparison with great works of the past, in order to make a judgement on Anna Nicole?

I suppose we can describe it, the music and the drama. There isn't any absolute need to make comparisons. Although it's probably perfectly fair to compare it with Turnage's other works.

[Roehre]

I suppose we can describe it, the music and the drama. There isn't any absolute need to make comparisons. Although it's probably perfectly fair to compare it with Turnage's other works.

I like it, but is Turnage losing his bite, am I alone in thinking that the music was much less "biting" than we are used to?

[french frank]

I like it, but is Turnage losing his bite, am I alone in thinking that the music was much less "biting" than we are used to?

Well, his operas alone have been appearing for 20 years now (list courtesy Wiki):

Greek (1986–88), in two acts
Twice Through the Heart (1994–96), dramatic scena for mezzo-soprano and ensemble
Country of the Blind (1997), chamber opera
The Silver Tassie (1997–99), in four acts
Anna Nicole (2008–2010), premiere on 17 February 2011 at the Royal Opera House

Is he getting 'fat and complacent', musically speaking?