Opera Lovers unite against the ROH and the BBC in unholy alliance

[MrGongGong]

Could you imagine that now - it would stop a repeat of Silent Witness and the Antiques Roadshow

Time to merge it with Extreme Fishing ?

[Barbirollians]

And the BBC's tribute programme about the Titanic - a maritime historian to host - no we had Len Goodman of Strictly fame .

I look forward to Bruno Tonioli's guide to splitting the atom .

[Prommer]

Anyway, are we done with the subject of the ROH and how they choose to reach out?

[MrGongGong]

Anyway, are we done with the subject of the ROH and how they choose to reach out?

I don't think that this has much to do with the ROH "reaching out"

[Barbirollians]

To me the ROH seeking to reach out via Maestro is somewhat misguided but understandable . Treating their audience, musicians and the singers of such a fine revival of La Boheme as this was as badly as they did is a disgrace and an embarrassment.

Mind you funniest line I heard on Saturday was " I don't want them encouraging all these people to come and see the opera - it ishard enough to get tickets as it is "

[alywin]

If anyone says that conducting is just waving a baton around don't believe them.

Talking of which, I couldn't believe I'd missed out on the fact that Mariss Jansons is scheduled to give a lecture on conducting tomorrow afternoon (okay, today now) at LSO St. Luke's: http://www.barbican.org.uk/education...l.asp?ID=13222

[Barbirollians]

Well having watched the Maestro finalist's ActII I am happier than ever that I went to the bar early.

Crude conducting of generally adequate singers but the replacement Rofolfo was gritty and Mimi shrill .

[Prommer]

CR Horwood did well in the circs. One couldn't have expected more of him, or anyone coming to something like this from a standing start. The questions remain about the whole concept, whether it will actually pique people's interest in opera, and in particular about the ROH management's judgement in allowing this to happen in the middle of a professional performance. On the latter point, I remain a last ditcher.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

He did seem to have a degree of control, unlike in the previous Maestro, where Ms Perkins was clearly following the orchestra.

But as for the concept - it's naff, and a kick in the teeth for aspiring "real" conductors.

[MrGongGong]

But as for the concept - it's naff, and a kick in the teeth for aspiring "real" conductors.

It might be naff
but I can't see why it's a "kick in the teeth" for anyone
it's not as if they would have got this gig
and, like it or not (personally I'm not a fan) it has raised the consciousness of what conductors (apart from get paid at 1/2 time with a suitcase full of hard currency ) actually do amongst the wider public.