Before the talk began there was chatter about how a falling football damaged the principal bassoonist's bassoon during the evening's performance. Again, the economy was spoken of, and ticket sales have gone down starting with Idomeneo, though La Bohème is doing well, naturally. Nicola Luisotti is taking the helm as music director soon, and the plan is that he will conduct four operas each season, three of these will be Italian, with the remaining one being something to expand his repertoire. Gounod's Faust is to be performed next year. Nixon in China is also on the schedule, though exactly when was not made clear. Gockley denied having anything to do with Boosey & Hawkes' withdrawal of permission for the Nixon in China production that was to be at Trinity Lyric Opera this year.
The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
12 responses to “Post L’elisir Talk (2/5)”
-
I was wondering about that football. Nemorino had a look on his face of “oops”, but I couldn’t ascertain whether that was part of his shtick or (apparently indeed) a stage mishap.
LikeLike
-
Oh it was very much a stage mishap, and the bassoon was indeed damaged. What’s supposed to happen is that Nemorino gets the ball, smugly hands it back to Belcore, who holds it up. The Collapsed football team (us) sees the ball and springs automatically into game mode and tackle the sergeant, earning him his comeuppance. This has all been cut (break ONE Bassoon…) and will have to be re-staged.
LikeLike
-
How very interesting. It is terrible about the bassoon.
LikeLike
-
Oh, jeez; terrible about the bassoon, though I have to say, it would have been worse if, say, it had theoretically been that violin Barantschik plays across the street.
Faust: OH GOD NO.
LikeLike
-
The bassoonist looked pretty pissed off, and actually left the orchestra pit before the orchestra was acknowledged by the maestro.
As for tattling…the box I was in included a woman who felt compelled to sing along during the beginning of the first act. A quick turn of my head seemed to do the trick though and the singing stopped.
LikeLike
-
Dear Lisa: I don't know Faust at all, only from hearing the various young people sing arias from it. But I feel a bit scared now!
Dear Laurie: Poor Mr. Olivier! I'm sure I'd be angry too if my instrument was damaged by a stray prop.
LikeLike
-
There are a few operas best presented as a half-hour or so of excerpts. Faust is one of them.
LikeLike
-
Do you know who will be singing Faust? If the singers are great, it can be wonderful (isn't it for most of the opera).
LikeLike
-
No idea yet, but will let you know if I hear anything.
LikeLike
-
surely it will be a Gheorghiu/Alagna Faust, no?
LikeLike
-
Thanks for the upcoming season info, Opera Tattler. Like "whatever" above my first thought was that it would be Gheorghiu (snooze) in the Faust. She seems to be Gockley's diva of choice. So we're going to have Faust and Mefistofele in the same season? Huh, maybe D.G. is going for a thematic thing. If only Rene Pape was singing both Méphistophélès and Mefistofele. That would be too exciting for words! As for Faust himself I would love to hear William Burden do it.
LikeLike
-
Now that you mention it, Gheorghiu and Alagna in Faust does ring a bell.
I would love to hear Pape and Burden soon without having to go to Berlin.
LikeLike
The Opera Tattler 
Leave a reply to mj Cancel reply