Don’t blink or you’ll miss it
Which new production was reportedly such a “disaster” during early technical rehearsals that management seriously considered substituting the company’s older staging of the work? As it turned out, the decision was made that only a new production could justify the stratospheric ticket prices already factored into the budget, so the dreaded journey to the warehouse isn’t going to happen. On the other hand, the sets for this opera—which will remain nameless—apparently were both so unwieldy and so ugly that company insiders are confidently predicting that the production will be a “one season wonder,” never to be seen again after this year.
I think the key word is “blink,” as in “on the ____”, a phrase which has been used repeatedly over the past two seasons. Nothing in the writing indicates that this is an upcoming new production, but instead is just “old news”. What’s new is that the Otto Schenk RING may yet return.
YEAY! May the force be with you Betsy Anna Divina!
I think it is Rigoletto. Blink -- Neon -- Las Vegas. Also stratospheric -- The Stratosphere in LV. Also unwieldy/ugly -- hunchback. Jumping, no HURLING from the original Bondy frying pan into the fire.
And thanks to BAB for setting the light bulb off in my head.
Possible Spoiler Alert!!
For those of you who have seen the production, is it true that at the end of the opera, Parsifal kills Kundry with his spear?
Unless my memory is playing tricks on me, yes. But this is part of a long ritual that entirely occupies the end of this production and in which Kundry becomes the central character, she is redeemed and “saves” the world. Never before have I seen a Parsifal production that is so much centered around Kundry.
“Blink” augenblick
“Ein Augenblick ist wenig..”
Someone doing a new ARIADNE?
It’s Rigoletto for sure. I have a friend in it. They had tech rehearsals at the end of this past season. Such a hot mess of a production, no one will want to deal with it ever again. And why are they being so ambitious with it. 14 performances? The production is as trashy as it gets! There’s topless women on POLES for god’s sake. I think it’s great that Peter Gelb wants to bring in innovative directors, but this isn’t innovative, it’s just trashy and pointless. BLECH.
“There’s topless women on POLES for god’s sake.”
And there was I thinking that the Duke’s court was supposed to be a shining beacon of morality.
I do hope Beczala enjoys them.
LOL, thanks for making my weekend, Manou (as usual)!
Presumably not Mariusz’s thing (as it were).
Now we’re getting close to a THIRD meaning of ‘Pole’…
Based on his comments about directors in the cover article in the ON that came yesterday, it does not seem like P. Beczala is going to be a totally happy camper in the new Rigoletto production. On the topic of offering productions with alternate periods and locations, of course we know Verdi himself had to do it with the original runs of both operas getting new productions this year in NY (as well as Traviata).
Maybe as interesting as the LV setting would be a production of Rigoletto (or Tribouletto) set in the court of Francois I as in the Hugo play. I believe that Traviata moved away from Louis XIV to the mid-19th century fairly quickly and most Ballo productions that I know of have for many years abandoned Boston in favor of Stockholm. Not that Mantua is shabby, but the royal court of France would be splendid and accentuate even further the cruel ironies of the piece. I am not aware of the French setting being ever used anywhere, so it would be quite a novelty. This thought is not meant to denegrate the effectiveness of some of the more recent reconceptualizing of these operas (IMHO the very effective Decker Traviata especially) but merely to suggest that there are additional alternatives.
Oh that’s funny, cause I’m pretty sure Rigoletto takes place in 16th Century Mantua where women weren’t topless and not 60′s Las Vegas… No one said it had to be a shining beacon of morality, smart-ass, but it doesn’t need to be a disgusting brothel either.
If you’re saying that operas should only ever be performed in the original period and location then I’m afraid that ship has sailed.
If you can accept that it’s a living art form and alternative takes on great works are acceptable, then it strikes me that the world created in any production has to be credible- and an underworld boss in 60s Vegas would almost certainly have had some dolly birds on tap. These scenes may be gratuitous or they may not- we don’t know, because we haven’t seen the production- but there’s every chance they come from a place of consistency and seriousness, rather than just a desire to be trashy.
It’s kind of boring to chuck insults at people just because they don’t agree with you, by the way.
I don’t pick petty internet fights, which you’re obviously seasoned in doing, so I’m going to keep this short. No, I don’t believe Opera should only be performed in it’s original way, I’m saying that there’s no ethical value behind setting it in the 60′s. And, like I said before, I have a friend in the production that explained all of it to me and how people in general weren’t really fans of it. And you must be pretty tightly-wound if “smart-ass” is an insult.
It’s kind of boring to start arguments online, by the way. Find something better to do, and while you’re at it, don’t reply to this.
Takes two to make a fight, sweetheart, and I’m not playing: just giving my opinion. But that seems to make you very pissy, so I’m happy to bow out.
If you look at the comments, dear, I was just giving my opinion until you sarcastically commented on it. It takes two to fight, but someone has to start it. Your opinions or arrogant demeanor haven’t made me pissy, it’s simply the fact that in replying to me (and others I’ve noticed) you pretend to know everything about me and my opinions and why they’re wrong. Have fun growing up!
Juilvoc, judging by how this argument unfolded, it is without question that it is you who needs do develop a thicker skin. If you’re getting so upset about a snarky response on Parterre, of all places, you might as well not bother making such passionate and hyperbolic statements, (a trashy Rigoletto? Please. The Covent Garden Rigoletto is period, and it has topless women coming out of the woodwork) since you appear incapable of responding to an alternate opinion without snapping.
Given some of the adverse reactions of some star singers to certain regie excesses, I wonder what would happen if Anna, Jonas and other superstar singers announced a boycott of all regie productions. Or worse, if they pulled Zinkas not in rehearsal, but in performances!!!
LOL.
Boy, would that start the fur a-flying.
Here is an example of the shining beacon of morality that was 16th-century Mantua. Note the characteristic native dress of the female extras:
Horrible production, that. I only saw a revival and it was so busy with all the sensationalistic stuff that it forgot about the relationships.