Posted on 09/22/2009 7:49:40 AM PDT by Captain Jack Aubrey
The Met opened its season on Monday night with a new production of Puccini’s “Tosca” by the adventurous Swiss-born director Luc Bondy. When Mr. Bondy and the production team appeared on stage during curtain calls, the audience erupted in boos. If there were cheers among the jeers, they were drowned out.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I also would like to take side trip to the Bayerishe Statsoper in Munich. I have a lot of their recordings under the label “Black Dog Opera” and they are artistically solid and technically great. Wanna throw some money in the till, so to speak.
You don't have to be a hardcore fan to be disgusted when the sacreligious trash a beautiful work of art.
A tenor at La Scala sang a particularly challenging aria. To his surprise, the audience rose to its feet, stamping, cheering, and shouting ‘bravo!’ Naturally, he repeated the piece. Then, the same response from the audience. So he did it again. Once more, prolonged, thunderous applause.
Finally, he addressed his throng of admirers:
“My beloved fellow music lovers. I am deeply humbled by your warm reception of my efforts here tonight. But please, I must reserve what remains of my energies for the remainder of the performance, which will now proceed. Once again, I stand in awe, and admitted puzzlement, at this tumultuous response!”
A voice was heard to rise from the audience: “You’ll do it again until you get it right!”
Infamia!
I love opera audiences.
My wife broke both her legs and after a month or so of healing we decided that our first night out was to be at the University of Houston Opera. We made our way down the steps of the theatre, she on crutches and me on the step below ready to catch her if she fell. A woman who was sitting in an aisle seat leaned over as we passed by and said: “You go girl! Nothing can keep us from the opera!”
Couple of rows broke up in laughter.
I listened to the entire Tosca broadcast on XM sat radio last night. The singing was excellent. The orchestra sound great, one of the best Toscas I have heard.
However, I was shocked at the booing at the curtain call for the production staff. The audience went nuts for the singers and James Levine but then the designer and producer came out and it sounded like George Bush just walked in.
Here is a recording of the curtain calls. The booing starts about after about 2 minutes. Keep in mind, these are men in tuxedos and women in long gowns.
http://www.zshare.net/audio/65934856fc13b669/
look what has happened to the national anthem. this will continue as long as people dont have to care about criticism and get grants and funding for having no talent.
By the way, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra played the National Anthem prior to the opera, as they alway do on opening night.
The opera house was full of opera singers; former, current and would-be. Thousands sang along loudly and it was truly thrilling to hear.
that sounds inspiring
Ha, a fellow boo-er. We have stopped going to LA Opera too. They can embrace their stinkin’ productions and pay for them, too.
As much as he suffered to compose Fidelio, I think it oddly fitting that the production be so bad. I haven’t seen any production of it.
Not knocking Wagner at all, but the plain historical fact is that he did happen to be a very visceral anti-Semite, which doubtless at least partially accounts for Hitler’s admiration of his music.
"Harsh booing at the gala opening night of the Metropolitan Opera — where strong negative reactions are rarely heard, at least in comparison with European opera houses — was still ringing in the ears of the opera world on Tuesday."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/arts/music/23opera.html?_r=1&ref=arts
(Not an opera (or even musical or play) fan.)
“Ring” is source of the classic rejoinder “It isn’t over until the fat lady sings,” correct?
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