Royal Opera Season 2024/25

[alywin]

I *liked* the old production of Semele ... (haven't seen it in decades, though, actually) Shame there isn't a new production of Eugene Onegin. Is there any reason to go? And I did hear a rumour that Turandot wasn't being scrapped after all, but since my knowledge on the operatic side is fairly patchy I may be completely wrong about that.

BTW, wondering if Eugene Onegin and the Royal Ballet's Onegin are going to overlap. What fun!

[Belgrove]

Herewith the online link to the remainder of this season and the next, with full cast details:

https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events?event-type=opera-and-music&booking-season=winter-2425,autumn-2425,spring-2425,summer-2425

[Cockney Sparrow]

........ I did hear a rumour that Turandot wasn't being scrapped after all ..........

I'm not in the know about these things*,but I wonder if there is a move against productions stereotyping other cultures (cultural appropriation and all that). Which may coincide with being able to mount a new production at more modest cost? This is pure surmise on my part, but another thought is "what will we get as a replacement?". I never saw the previous production of Aida but setting the present one overwhelmingly in military olive green, with other heavy North Korea style elements sure seemed to disappoint a fair few on the night I went (including Mrs CS!). I don't often hear trenchant criticism being loudly expressed at the end of a performance (and in the interval) at the ROH but I heard a number that night - so how many more were unhappy?

* I recently took a subscription to Opera magazine to try to keep up (the real one - as in Rodney Milnes editor of old) but I have three copies waiting to be read! I do regret the blog writer Intermezzo's retirement from the scene...(could read it in a queue, waiting room etc).

[LHC]

There will be 21 different conductors at the Opera House next season with no one appearing more than once. I'm sure this is because the Opera House won't have a Music Director in place until the following season when Hrusa takes up his position. I would expect both he and Speranza Scappucci will take on more than one opera per season in future years, and Pappano may also be persuaded to return more frequently in future (although he may wait until his Ring cycle is completed).

Its also likely that Hrusa had little or no involvement in planning this season.

The need to find new conductors for every production may be a reason why some less well known names have been booked this year.

[Master Jacques]

Its also likely that Hrusa had little or no involvement in planning this season.

Correct. His hand (including at least one, magnificent Czech work, hardly performed here before, rumour has it) will be on the programming tiller next time around.

[Simon B]

I note that there is a major rebrand of identity to "The Royal Ballet and Opera" taking place.

While this corrects the long-standing oddity of the RB seeming, in branding terms, a bit tacked on, it's hard not to suspect this is heavily freighted with significance. Constructs like "direction of travel" and "optics" come to mind. The relative ordering of the two won't have been done carelessly.

Meanwhile, the somewhat snooze-festy 24/25 programme perhaps shouldn't have too much read into it - as LHC points out this is a transition year with effectively no MD.

[Darkbloom]

I too had my doubts about the cast for Rheingold - I had Maltman down as a lieder/oratorio singer not a Wotan. In the event I found I was wrong about him (I think an impression from a War Requiem (IIRC) at the Albert Hall some years ago). The cast gave all round, more than competent - satisfying performances (I went more than once).

I'm going to reserve my opinion about Maltman until he does Walkure. I only listened to the broadcast but I got the impression that he was just about hanging on in Rheingold and I didn't get the sense that his voice would respond well when it's put under a lot of stress. I don't know what happened to Iain Paterson, but he was one that was being heavily promoted as the next great Wotan but I haven't heard much of him over the last few years. I remember he sang the Rheingold Wotan with Barenboim at the Proms. Singers come and go, of course. I remember Jonathan Lemalu was supposed to be the next big thing at one time but he only seems to do bit parts these days.,

[JC]

I don't know what happened to Iain Paterson, but he was one that was being heavily promoted as the next great Wotan but I haven't heard much of him over the last few years.

He is singing Wotan in Rheingold and the Wanderer at the Deutsche Oper in May.

[LHC]

He is singing Wotan in Rheingold and the Wanderer at the Deutsche Oper in May.

Paterson will also be singing Wotan in Rheingold and Walkure at the Vienna State Opera next year when they put on the Ring cycle.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I note that there is a major rebrand of identity to "The Royal Ballet and Opera" taking place.

While this corrects the long-standing oddity of the RB seeming, in branding terms, a bit tacked on, it's hard not to suspect this is heavily freighted with significance. Constructs like "direction of travel" and "optics" come to mind. The relative ordering of the two won't have been done carelessly.

Meanwhile, the somewhat snooze-festy 24/25 programme perhaps shouldn't have too much read into it - as LHC points out this is a transition year with effectively no MD.

I’ve been told that Ballet at ROH makes a profit (cheaper stars and sets) whereas Opera emphatically doesn’t.

Has anyone else noticed no Britten and no Strauss?That excellent Peter Grimes is yet to revived and there’s a very good production of Die Frau that hasn’t been seen again . I wonder what’s going on .

[Darkbloom]

He is singing Wotan in Rheingold and the Wanderer at the Deutsche Oper in May.

He must have decided to make his career on the continent then, but it's surprising he isn't more prominent over here, unless I just missed him. You'd have thought that either ENO or the ROH would have used him before now, but perhaps it's just one of those things with diaries not lining up etc.

[Ein Heldenleben]

He must have decided to make his career on the continent then, but it's surprising he isn't more prominent over here, unless I just missed him. You'd have thought that either ENO or the ROH would have used him before now, but perhaps it's just one of those things with diaries not lining up etc.

I wonder if he’s fallen out with them- I hear it’s quite easy to fall out of favour . Or maybe he just prefers working abroad and the conditions there. It’s a mystery as in my view he was the best British Sachs since Norman Bailey.

[duncan]

For a while now many, a majority of the names of performers at the ROH have not been familiar to me - but I have to say I find them competent or better. Beats the days when known names meant "possibly not at their best" (no doubt for a variety of reasons), "will this tenor's voice last until the end" etc - and star names immediately lead to the thought "will they withdraw from the run before it starts" and "will the date I choose be the one they can't/don't find they can sing". Another consideration as to the "stars" - on the night, will they be much interested or committed to what is going on?

I'm sure money has a lot to do with it but generally since lockdown I think the ROH has served me well with casts that have had fewer frailties and committed and competent, often significantly better, performances.

This tallies with my experience.

Another factor in the reduction of crowd-pulling names may be that St Martin's Lane now offers minimal competition so there is less need to employ divas (in both senses and no gender implied!).

On a positive note, the current revival of Lucia di Lammermoor is tremendous vocally, with Nadine Sierra the best modern interpreter of the role I have heard. The production hasn't changed much but some of the more distracting elements (Arturo's death, the obligatto running tap) have been toned down. There is still a lot to take in and occasionally this detracts from the music but it is a memorable production and the cast give it their all.

3. Regie directors who are fairly indifferent to singing ...

There is probably a greater emphasis on acting ability and physical attractiveness now than in the Wagnerian 'golden age' but that didn't stop Johan Botha from being in high demand. I'm not sure the blame can be laid at Regietheatre, much as North American commentators love to, this is a societal change and you could say very similar things about pop music if you substitute dancing for acting.

[Darkbloom]

I wonder if he’s fallen out with them- I hear it’s quite easy to fall out of favour . Or maybe he just prefers working abroad and the conditions there. It’s a mystery as in my view he was the best British Sachs since Norman Bailey.

Just a guess, but Terfel has been the first cab off the rank for Wagner roles for the last ten years and maybe Paterson didn't want to play the role of understudy if BT cancelled, as he has been known to do quite often. It's a shame because I think people prefer to hear a home-grown singer if possible singing the big roles, especially in Wagner. Although we are getting a British Wotan this time so I shouldn't complain too much. One British Wotan nobody seems to mention these days is David Ward. We've heard of Bailey and Tomlinson but Ward seems to have been squeezed out, probably because there isn't a recording, at least as far as I know.

Another singer I haven't heard much of recently is James Rutherford, who was Hans Sachs at Bayreuth. Maybe he's another one who is working abroad.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Just a guess, but Terfel has been the first cab off the rank for Wagner roles for the last ten years and maybe Paterson didn't want to play the role of understudy if BT cancelled, as he has been known to do quite often. It's a shame because I think people prefer to hear a home-grown singer if possible singing the big roles, especially in Wagner. Although we are getting a British Wotan this time so I shouldn't complain too much. One British Wotan nobody seems to mention these days is David Ward. We've heard of Bailey and Tomlinson but Ward seems to have been squeezed out, probably because there isn't a recording, at least as far as I know.

Another singer I haven't heard much of recently is James Rutherford, who was Hans Sachs at Bayreuth. Maybe he's another one who is working abroad.

I remember David .Along with Donald McIntyre a Wagner stalwart of the 70’s.