Anna Nicole

[LHC]

For those who are interested, Anna Nicole will receive an early airing on BBC when it is shown next Friday on BBC4:

It is preceded by a 2 part documentary hosted by Tony Pappano on Opera's Fallen Women:

"The Royal Opera House's music director Antonio Pappano demonstrates that the title character of Anna Nicole forms part of a long line of roles used to explore and challenge society's attitudes and prejudices, including Bizet's Carmen, Puccini's Madame Butterfly and Violetta from Verdi's La Traviata."

The broadcast of the opera will be presented by Clemency Burton-Hill:

"Recording of the new opera based on the life of American model Anna Nicole Smith, focusing on her marriage to billionaire J Howard Marshall II and relationship with lawyer Howard Stern. Created by composer Mark-Anthony Turnage and librettist Richard Thomas, the darkly comic work is conducted by Antonio Pappano with Eva-Maria Westbroek taking the title role. Introduced by Clemency Burton-Hill."

Timings are 8:30 for the documentary and then 9:00 - 11:10 for Anna Nicole.

The later than usual start time is presumably because the language used in the opera means it has to be broadcast after the 9pm watershed.

Anyway, if you didn't see it at the opera house, here's your opportunity.

[LeMartinPecheur]

I watched this having read nothing of the reportage/criticism of the ROH launch.

The staging, acting, singing were all very effective but almost to the end I had my critic's notice all prepared: "It is difficult, virtually a tautology, to criticise a life deliberately lived in, or better deliberately projected into, the public gaze by means of another vast public spectacle such as an ROH opera premiere."

I was pretty happy with this till the very last few moments, when I somehow felt that Turnage somehow achieved a brief moment of genuine pathos that transformed the whole work.

Even so, I'm far from sure that this will make me watch or listen again in any hurry, but it made sticking with it to the end worth the effort.

[Anna]

For those who missed the broadcast last night it is available on iplayer for 10 days. I'm glad I watched it (but then I confess I enjoyed Jerry Springer The Opera) whether I would want to watch it again - I think not

[rubbernecker]

but then I confess I enjoyed Jerry Springer The Opera

Why did you have to ruin my day by revealing that?

[Anna]

Why did you have to ruin my day by revealing that?

Well, would you want me to lie just to gain your good opinion?

[Chris Newman]

Tee hee,

I enjoyed Jerry Springer, the Opera and Anna Nicole. If I do not reveal which I enjoyed the most (or least) how does that affect rubbernecker's day?

[Chris Newman]

Having listened to Anna Nicole twice now I do detect quite a few phrases and rhythms from West Side Story.