dog bites hack
Celebrated fact-mangler Norman Lebrecht is at it again. Did you know that the Metropolitan Opera has in its repertoire a production of Der Rosenkavalier directed by Jonathan Miller?
This interview includes a statement by Dr. Miller insisting his current La boheme (inspired by “the photoÂgraphic world of Brassaï, Cartier-Bresson and Kertezsz,” dontcha know) will be the last opera he ever, ever directs. Again, no surprises here, since the good doctor has been stuttering that same idle threat since approximately the era of the bell-bottom.
Speaking of the Swinging Sixties, here’s a reminder of what Dr. Miller is supposed to be famous for, and a remembrance of the last time he had anything remotely interesting to say. (Alas, no such clip exists for Mr. Lebrecht.)
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/HVQrpok9KPA" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
There was a brief TV series in the UK many years ago called “Jonathan Miller’s Opera Works”. My response was “No it doesn’t”.
Miller has a brain the size of Connecticut and does occasionally make the ducks line up right, but unfortunately he knows how smart he is and likes everyone else to know it. In person he’s both witty and insufferable.
Shame his productions are more insufferable than witty.
I think NYCO wanted to build its own Mafia Rigolletto but, of course, no money.
As provincial as I am, allow me to ask. Was that conversation a put-on? I’ve read about Dr. Miller for years and saw his work in St. Louis–but have never heard him speak. And the other guy? The fruit of Truman Capote’s loins? Does anyone take them seriously?
This conversation was probably an extract from “Beyond the Fringe”, a famous satirical show of the Sixties. “The other guy” is Alan Bennett, now a celebrated playwright (“The Madness of George III”, “The History Boys”, and my personal favourite, “Kafka’s Dick”). So, in a nutshell, yes, it is indeed a put-on. Opera Chic has a much more recent video of Doctor Miller expounding his theories on the forthcoming ENO Boheme
London’s Evening Standard has a REALLY interesting article about Miller, and his insecurity on how no one likes him when he’s constantly hired.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23613483-details/The+Miller%E2%80%99s+tale+revisited/article.do
“Beyond the Fringe” also has a hilarious parody clip on youtube of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears which is so spot on… it’s hard to imagine, say, SNL, doing such a musically accurate parody of Dr Atomic.
It seems this is the very article that started this thread.
HA so it is. Whoops.