Royal Opera Season 2024/25

[Ein Heldenleben]

Festen to be broadcast on Opera on 3 on 23/3 at 6pm. As EH say, it will come with the mother of all content warnings.

The only opera with the “ C” word ?
Got a laugh the night we went !

[Belgrove]

Oliver Mears has returned to Handel with Semele for his latest show at Covent Garden. The production is more successful than his previous Jeptha, and considerably better than Glyndebourne’s dreary effort of a couple of years ago. The metallic drop curtain with a scorched grill at its centre provides clues as to how the story will unfold. The opera is kind of updated to the 1970’s and takes place in a grand house (with dodgy electrical wiring causing sparks and bangs) owned by Jupiter and staffed by the Thebans. Semele is first seen in the lobby cleaning out ashes from one of those funky fireplaces, like Cinderella. She is caught by Jupiter’s roving eye and that puts an end to her arranged marriage to Athamas, being whisked upstairs to Jupiter’s penthouse love-pad before she can say ‘By Jove’! The cuckqueaned Juno plots her revenge and plants in Semele’s mind asking of Jupiter what shouldn’t be asked (it only just occurred, like Ortrud, Elsa and Lohengrin). The consequences are disastrous. However incongruous the setting may sound, it all works rather well, being entertaining and visually engaging throughout. The tragic end, illustrating the dangers of hubris, converts the mythic denouement into a sober secular one, with cycles repeating. The RO have issued guidance on the content and suggested that it is unsuitable for under 16’s. It could be upsetting for some.

I attended the rehearsal, so some performers may have been holding their fire for the first night. The finest singing came from Ben Bliss and Alice Coote as Jupiter and Juno who were outstanding. The ever excellent Brindley Sherratt played Cadmus and Somnus, the first as a fussy factotum of Jupiter, the second as a seedy lush. Carlo Vistoli’s Anathmas lacked that steely core to the counter-tenor voice, one of the qualities that distinguishes it from an alto, which is what he sounded like. The other roles were all good and the chorus excellent. However Pretty Yende’s Semele had an off morning, lacking accuracy and power in the first half. There was no joy in her rendition of ‘Endless pleasure,…’ and no vocal acting or nuance with the sensuous ‘With fond desiring…’ ; she really didn’t seem to be enjoying having her fling with a god. Maybe hers is just one of those voices I find unattractive. The orchestra is getting more Handel in its diet of late, and is becoming lighter, more agile and flexible with each outing in this repertoire - they give the impression that they have relaxed into filling the gaps in Handel’s scores, improvising and decorating elegantly under Christian Curnyn’s baton; their playing was a delight.

If cast uniformly from strength, this could be a winner, an impressive addition to the Royal Opera’s current and ongoing survey of Handel’s works for the Covent Garden theatre. But I stress, I attended the rehearsal so my opinion of some performers should be given some latitude. On until 18 July.

[Pulcinella]

Rebecca Franks on Semele in today's Times:

https://www.thetimes.com/article/c38167a3-dd78-46da-b021-c7c0027403f2?shareToken=06aee8f83015ab278b465d37f2458557

[kernelbogey]

I'm planning to go to The Makropulos Case with a friend. I love a lot of Janacek's music but don't know this opera. Quite a few seats still.

[Master Jacques]

The tragic end, illustrating the dangers of hubris, converts the mythic denouement into a sober secular one, with cycles repeating. The RO have issued guidance on the content and suggested that it is unsuitable for under 16’s. It could be upsetting for some.

Perhaps it doesn't occur to the marketing people at ROH that Semele is supposed to be upsetting, not some soothing Baroque laxative.

As for limiting the opera as "unsuitable" for under 16s, how utterly condescending and self-defeating that is. Don't they want children to be introduced to the great works of Western art? With attitudes like this rife and encouraged, we're failing the next generation disastrously.

[Belgrove]

Perhaps it doesn't occur to the marketing people at ROH that Semele is supposed to be upsetting, not some soothing Baroque laxative.

As for limiting the opera as "unsuitable" for under 16s, how utterly condescending and self-defeating that is. Don't they want children to be introduced to the great works of Western art? With attitudes like this rife and encouraged, we're failing the next generation disastrously.

Such trigger warnings are commonplace at most theatre venues nowadays (and gallery exhibitions, and university courses …); it’s become part of the culture! I’ve always regarded the prospect of being outraged as half the fun of going, but sadly, it’s never happened.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Perhaps it doesn't occur to the marketing people at ROH that Semele is supposed to be upsetting, not some soothing Baroque laxative.

As for limiting the opera as "unsuitable" for under 16s, how utterly condescending and self-defeating that is. Don't they want children to be introduced to the great works of Western art? With attitudes like this rife and encouraged, we're failing the next generation disastrously.

As I’ve said before the trigger warnings we really need are
“Warning dodgy Regie concept obsessed director in operation.”
“Contains badly shot and acted video projected closeups of the singers .”
Or even “flaky tenor likely to abort after Act Two . “

But for some reason we never get those .

[Master Jacques]

Such trigger warnings are commonplace at most theatre venues nowadays (and gallery exhibitions, and university courses …); it’s become part of the culture! I’ve always regarded the prospect of being outraged as half the fun of going, but sadly, it’s never happened.

You're right, they're commonplace. Which makes it all the more necessary to attack them on sight, knowing as we do how deeply they are damaging theatrical culture, and promoting Anglo-American infantilism. You wouldn't find rubbish like that in more healthy societies, such as Spain, France or Germany.

[Prommer]

Such trigger warnings are commonplace at most theatre venues nowadays (and gallery exhibitions, and university courses …); it’s become part of the culture! I’ve always regarded the prospect of being outraged as half the fun of going, but sadly, it’s never happened.

I have only been outraged by poor old Kaspar Holten's lamentable rape scene inserted in to Guillaume Tell. Mind you, I was not alone, and it all had to be adjusted PDQ.

Shouts of "Shame on you, Tony!" from the stalls and the music stopped.

[Cockney Sparrow]

We went on Friday – since then I’ve been busy, either generally or resurrecting my computer from power failure .

Yes a strong cast – Alice Coote outstanding, Ben Bliss a reassuring artist (although not a voice for the ages). Well produced generally, nothing adverse to say about the music direction.

Early on in Act one, Pretty Yende might have been not so dramatically engaged – but I have to admit looking back I’m not sure whether the part and writing are very helpful. I would say, though, that thereafter she was firing on all cylinders. In her penultimate aria – “No, no, I'll take no less……… Your oath it may alarm you……..” she was very impressive indeed in negotiating the very challenging coloratura passages.

I noted that the movement director is Sarah Fahie, who also worked on Alcina which we very much enjoyed. We felt the movement was inspired and made all the difference to that production working so well. (Also, she sat next to Mrs CS, who of course talked to her about her work….).
Coming away, we had reservations about Semele and thought the inspiration was spread a little thin, the da capo’s not so engaging and the....err.... risible Classical plot, Gods, and personages etc- found our toleration running out. Always happy to see Guilio Caesare (and others if I think about it) and I have to admit, our reaction might be in part just due to how we were feeling on Friday.

[LHC]

I have only been outraged by poor old Kaspar Holten's lamentable rape scene inserted in to Guillaume Tell. Mind you, I was not alone, and it all had to be adjusted PDQ.

Shouts of "Shame on you, Tony!" from the stalls and the music stopped.

The Royal Opera's Guillaime Tell was directed by Damiano Michieletto. While I thought most of Holten's own productions at the Opera House were poor, I don't think you can blame him for the rape scene in Tell.

[LHC]

We went on Friday – since then I’ve been busy, either generally or resurrecting my computer from power failure .

Yes a strong cast – Alice Coote outstanding, Ben Bliss a reassuring artist (although not a voice for the ages). Well produced generally, nothing adverse to say about the music direction.

Early on in Act one, Pretty Yende might have been not so dramatically engaged – but I have to admit looking back I’m not sure whether the part and writing are very helpful. I would say, though, that thereafter she was firing on all cylinders. In her penultimate aria – “No, no, I'll take no less……… Your oath it may alarm you……..” she was very impressive indeed in negotiating the very challenging coloratura passages.

I noted that the movement director is Sarah Fahie, who also worked on Alcina which we very much enjoyed. We felt the movement was inspired and made all the difference to that production working so well. (Also, she sat next to Mrs CS, who of course talked to her about her work….).
Coming away, we had reservations about Semele and thought the inspiration was spread a little thin, the da capo’s not so engaging and the....err.... risible Classical plot, Gods, and personages etc- found our toleration running out. Always happy to see Guilio Caesare (and others if I think about it) and I have to admit, our reaction might be in part just due to how we were feeling on Friday.

I saw Semele on Monday. While I'd agree that Alice Coote was the standout artist, we had a very different view of Pretty Yende's performance. I was in a party of 6 and we all agreed that Yende's performance was very disappointing. She struggled with her intonation all night and until her final aria, her coloratura was at best sketchy. She didn't appear to be as comfortable with Handel's music or the Handelian style of singing as the other members of the cast, and there were times when she seemed to be short of breath, snatching breaths in the middle of runs. She also lacked the charisma, charm and star quality that you would normally expect of a Semele. "Endless pleasure" lacked any sparkle and went for nothing, and she made a complete hash of "Myself I shall adore". “No, no! I’ll take no less” was much better, but managing a good performance of just one aria isn't really good enough.

When I got home, I listened to performances of "Myself I shall adore" by Louise Alder and Rosemary Joshua, and the difference between their excellent performances and Yende's was quite stark. Its possible she was having an off night on Monday, but she does seem to have divided the critics on the opening night, and as my experience seems fairly close to Belgrove's report of the dress rehearsal, it may be that she is an acquired taste in Handel.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Actually,LHC, I think it might be that, in general, Handel Operas might be a taste to be acquired for Mrs CS and me, at least when it involves an excursion and in a large house. Additionally, its not my period, really - and I tend to be easily pleased - my starting point is that I'm relieved when the company are all in good voice and competent; from there, its a bonus.
Apart from standout experiences (Xerxes - ENO Hytner, Giulio Cesare ENO/Glyndebourne, Alcina ROH) I'm not sure I have enjoyed Handel opera in the theatre and in future we may be wary and confine ourselves to DVD and recordings.....

So, I give way to more informed opinion.

[LHC]

Actually,LHC, I think it might be that, in general, Handel Operas might be a taste to be acquired for me and Mrs CS, at least when it involves an excursion and in a large house. Additionally, its not my period, really - and I tend to be easily pleased - my starting point is that I'm relieved when the company are all in good voice and competent; from there, its a bonus.
Apart from standout experiences (Xerxes - ENO Hytner, Giulio Cesare ENO/Glyndebourne, Alcina ROH) I'm not sure I have enjoyed Handel opera in the theatre and in future we may be wary and confine ourselves to DVD and recordings.....

So, I give way to more informed opinion.

Well, your previous standout experiences certainly set a very high standard for others to try and match!

[duncan]

I saw Semele last night with a relative newcomer to Handel opera/oratorio but who is very familiar with baroque singing. Our view on the performances was very similar to Belgrove and LCH and in contrast to the published reviewers: neither of us were convinced by Pretty Yende as a Handelian. The rest of the cast were decent but none outstanding, Alice Coote and Brindley Sherratt the picks. Ben Bliss looks too much young and unimpressive to be Jupiter, Juno would have eaten him alive, and wasn't that great in his big numbers.

The setting, which I took to be a 1970s hotel - avocado sofas, circular beds, and a music system in a cabinet (putting on an LP for a big number is a steal from ENO's Rigoletto) - lends itself to the power-imbalance of the story: Jove an international playboy, Semele a maid. The production was lively, entertaining and told the story clearly up to the denouement which I didn't think worked at all. I'm in favour of EH-style trigger-warnings: audience should brace themselves for a loss of plot midway through Act 3.

We enjoyed the evening and preferred the production (but not the singing) to the Glyndebourne version a couple of years ago.