Great Expectations at the ENO
Saturday, March 2nd, 2002 08:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tamaranthI went to the opera last night, eagerly anticipating outrage. It was the English National Opera's production of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera - A Masked Ball - masterminded by Calixto Bieito, who had Don Giovanni tripping on LSD last summer. This production has allegedly caused dissent among the cast, audience walk-outs and booing, and simply inches of critical discussion in the press. (Shame).
Several aspects of the production shocked me:
The music was glorious - Mary Plazas as King Gustavus' assistant Oscar has a wonderful voice and considerable presence. I especially enjoyed the way that some (at least) of the cast were getting into the dressing-up-and-behaving-badly mentality of the first half, too.
I'm sure it will upset a lot of people, though I'm really quite glad that it didn't upset me. I'm even gladder that the ENO carries on trying to shock people. Less controversial productions may be found down the road at the ROH, and the drink-to-ticket price ratio there is more traditional too. Live dangerously: buy a £3 ticket and (whisper it) leave if you don't like it ....
Several aspects of the production shocked me:
- The costume sported by Count Horn, in disguise, during the visit to the fortune-teller. I don't object to men in drag (especially when they have good legs, as did Panajotis Iconomou): I do object to green sequinned miniskirts in this context as in all others.
- The subdued lighting. Atmospheric gloom was fine for the advertised 'violent / adult' scenes (homosexual rape: murder: nudity). However, until the curtain calls I was convinced that Madame Arvidson's dress was black: it was purple.
- My drink cost more than my ticket: a small glass of unexceptional white wine was £3.20, a seat in row B of the balcony, 'on the day' ticket, cost £3. I'm sure this happens at other productions, too: but I was determined to be Shocked, and I shall gather my outrage wherever I may.
The music was glorious - Mary Plazas as King Gustavus' assistant Oscar has a wonderful voice and considerable presence. I especially enjoyed the way that some (at least) of the cast were getting into the dressing-up-and-behaving-badly mentality of the first half, too.
I'm sure it will upset a lot of people, though I'm really quite glad that it didn't upset me. I'm even gladder that the ENO carries on trying to shock people. Less controversial productions may be found down the road at the ROH, and the drink-to-ticket price ratio there is more traditional too. Live dangerously: buy a £3 ticket and (whisper it) leave if you don't like it ....
