‘Tristan und Isolde’ at Covent Garden
Well! The Royal Opera’s new production of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde has really set the cat among the pigeons. I couldn’t possibly comment myself, being closely involved with it (I wrote and edited the surtitles).
The critics’ reaction has been generally more than favourable (four or five stars) – the audience’s markedly less so (one seasoned witness said ‘I’ve never heard booing like it in the Opera House’)…
If you really want to see the fur flying, check out Charlotte Higgins’ blog on the Guardian website, and (especially) all the follow-up comments. Most interesting.
Were you there? What did you think? Let me know — add a comment below.
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Please note — all views expressed on this site are my own (or those of other contributors or persons quoted) and do not represent the views or policy of The Royal Opera or any other employer or organisation mentioned.
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photo (uncredited) stolen from Charlotte Higgins’s blog
Tags: Ben Heppner, booing, Charlotte Higgins, Covent Garden, Nina Stemme, Royal Opera, Tristan und Isolde, Wagner
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October 5, 2009 at 9:16 am
I’ve just seen an interesting comment from Andrew Porter (à propos something completely different) — he says that if you see something (new work, production) which you absolutely hate, then go and see it again. Having got the negative reaction out of your system the first time, you will better appreciate what the director/composer is trying to do. I can second that – it has happened to me in the past.
This also ties in with something I used to maintain (when I had money/time!), namely that if you are seeing something new, go and see it twice – once from the back (to get the whole stage picture) and once from the front (so you can see their faces and pick up the detail).
Just a thought. Nevertheless I don’t think I would particularly want to sit through this ‘Tristan’ again.