"Colossal" Aida

JonnyBlackrock

I see there's going to be something called "Colossal" AIDA at the O2 Arena in Dublin in December.
They go on about the spectacle etc, but I notice that there's absolutely no mention of the conductor, cast and orchestra in any of the publicity.
That goes for the performance in Strasbourg in November as well. And BTW, the tickets here are 70 and 95 euros, but they're 40 and 60 in France.
Does anybody have any info about this?

mambo

Yes, all very mysterious and hush-hush. Is there something they don't want us to know?

Sandwich

Instinct tells me dont touch with a barge pole.

JonnyBlackrock

My hunch is that they are after people who will be "blinded" by the "spectacle" but have no real interest in opera, and I'm sure there are many such people. I've actually just had a quick look at Ticketmaster and it seems that most, or perhaps all, of the good seats are already sold.

I'm sure they're also blissfully unaware of the fact that if they want to attract "real" opera-goers they might have to advertise the names of the singers, the conductor and the orchestra. They might also reassure us that the acoustics of the new Point are suitable for opera (they probably aren't, but I can't say as I've never been there). But then, if they can sell all the tickets anyway, then why should they bother?

PhiliousPhogg

Lol

Any show that describes itself in the title has to be suspect.

sakii

It's very mysterious... Bizarre how they omit the important information - and there is absolutely no way of contacting the organisers/box office to find out more! It's like they are inadvertently alienating the very people whom one would imagine should be the core audience. I love the opera Aida, have seen it previously in various opera houses around the world, and was very excited when I first heard the ads, but there's no way I would dream of buying a ticket without the foggiest notion of who is performing.

Clearly the orgainisers are entirely unconcerned with the music end of things, and are trying to turn grand opera into some sort of cross between Lloyd-Weber and vaudeville, and are marketing it the sort of morons who will not no the difference. Pathetic.

westtip

I am sure the whole thing will be one of these ghastly amplified events. Makes me shudder at the thought of it. deffo not opera as I know it....

Dirigent

Opera meets Westsh1te, at €99 (plus booking fee). Go to the Gaeity and watch a musical, and buy an Aida CD instead.

JonnyBlackrock

I've seen Aida enough times not to care about it anyway, and I already have a couple of recorded versions. So at least I'll be saving some money on this one.

mambo

More details on this production @ http://www.independent.ie/incoming/trying-to-rid-opera-of-its-phantoms-1903531.html

westtip

JonnyBlackrock wrote: »

I've seen Aida enough times not to care about it anyway, and I already have a couple of recorded versions. So at least I'll be saving some money on this one.

Johny - Agree with you - me too seen Aida many times - and woudl not bother with this kind of hyped up (no doubt amplified) destruction of a masterpiece - I will however deffo go to the Aida on October 23rd from Met New York in High Definition broadcast into various cinemas around the country - check out the Opera Ireland website - I went to the Tosca last night - these are really a sensational new way of seeing opera - deffo recommend it!

JonnyBlackrock

They've finally come up with all the details.
Here's the link:
http://www.aida-ireland.com/index.htm

Aida is somebody called Melba Ramos, apparently from Puerto Rico. Radames is one Ernesto L. Grisales Cardona, and Inez Olabarria is "Amnerios". It's supported by the "Sinfonieorchestra (strange combination of languages) choir and ballet of the Opera Theatre Constanta" (isn't that in Romania?)

The Mad Hatter

JonnyBlackrock wrote: »

They've finally come up with all the details.
Here's the link:
http://www.aida-ireland.com/index.htm

Aida is somebody called Melba Ramos, apparently from Puerto Rico. Radames is one Ernesto L. Grisales Cardona, and Inez Olabarria is "Amnerios". It's supported by the "Sinfonieorchestra (strange combination of languages) choir and ballet of the Opera Theatre Constanta" (isn't that in Romania?)

The Sinfonieorchestra choir?

JonnyBlackrock

It's supposed to be the "Sinfonieorchestra (strange combination of languages), choir and ballet of the Opera Theatre Constanta"

Raist

I saw that the performance on 7 November in Strasbourg and at Epernay (France) on 12 December have both been cancelled for "technical and logistic reasons"

The performance in Geneva scheduled for 20 November has been deferred to NOVEMBER 2010!!!!!!!

http://www.geneva-arena.ch/event_details.php?eid=618&back=prog

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:.

Given it cancelled its opening nite and deferred others - and that tickets for those perfpmances were priced @ €40 and €65 - looks like the promoters are desperate to sell the performance out here NOT A GOOD SIGN FOR ME - RIP OFF IRELAND is still at work!!!

JonnyBlackrock

That's very interesting. I wonder if the performances here will be cancelled too.

catchup

Leaving aside the possibility that the show won't go on..........

I have to laugh reading your postings. You really do confirm the stereotypical image of opera snobs. Is it any wonder opera is unable to attract mass audience appeal? Opera is supposed to be fun..Aida was written as a spectacle to be performed with massed choir and orchestra. I'd prefer to see a "tacky" spectacular perfomance of this opera than one crammed onto the stage of the Gaiety. It was written as entertainment not as high art!!

Grow up!

JonnyBlackrock

It has nothing to do with snobbery.

If I'm going to spend 100 euros to go and see an opera, I would like to know whether the main characters can actually sing, whether the choir, orchestra and conductor are going to be any good, whether they are using amplification (which distorts voices). Of course opera is entertainment, but it's art too, and it's legitimate to try and suss out the quality of what you're buying.

When you buy a car, do you not bother to investigate what you're buying?

If you want to see real opera fanaticism go to Italy. There, the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker all go to the opera in the evening and spend the whole of the next day arguing about it. More than entertainment, it's seen as a kind of spectator sport - who can sing the longest, who can sing the highest, who can sing the loudest.

westtip

catchup wrote: »

Leaving aside the possibility that the show won't go on..........

I have to laugh reading your postings. You really do confirm the stereotypical image of opera snobs. Is it any wonder opera is unable to attract mass audience appeal? Opera is supposed to be fun..Aida was written as a spectacle to be performed with massed choir and orchestra. I'd prefer to see a "tacky" spectacular perfomance of this opera than one crammed onto the stage of the Gaiety. It was written as entertainment not as high art!!

Grow up!

JonnyBlackrock wrote: »

It has nothing to do with snobbery.

If I'm going to spend 100 euros to go and see an opera, I would like to know whether the main characters can actually sing, whether the choir, orchestra and conductor are going to be any good, whether they are using amplification (which distorts voices). Of course opera is entertainment, but it's art too, and it's legitimate to try and suss out the quality of what you're buying.

When you buy a car, do you not bother to investigate what you're buying?

If you want to see real opera fanaticism go to Italy. There, the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker all go to the opera in the evening and spend the whole of the next day arguing about it. More than entertainment, it's seen as a kind of spectator sport - who can sing the longest, who can sing the highest, who can sing the loudest.

Catchup Jonny is quite right in his subsequent post - if you want to see Aida on a grand scale then go to Italy and see it at Verona - where the spectacle is indeed spectacular - but equally the singing is taken very seriously; believe me the first time I saw Aida there many years ago the tenor cracked on his top note of Celeste Aida - there was a deep intake of breath from the 10,000 or so people in the arena - thats right 10,000 listening in the open air with no amplification and you could hear a pin drop when the music was being played; I would not pay 100 euro for a spectacle of amplified singing in the O2/point, with what appears to be highly suspect artistic credentials.

In Verona you will pay about 25 euro to sit on steps of the ampitheatre and actually have a good operatic experience. RE the Gaiety, you are actually probably right which is why OI should avoid Aida as part of their offerings; This show at the prices they are charging is not actually appealing to the non opera going masses is it.

The NY Met have tried to move opera to the masses through their HD screenings so take a look at the opera thread for thoughts on this idea - The Aida broadcast two weeks ago in HD at 25 euro a ticket to cinemas throughout Ireland was better value for the novice and seasoned opera goer than this event in the O2.

Jonny is not being an opera snob he is just being pragmatic - actually I don't think this Aida in the O2 will do anything to convert anyone to Opera.....Do you?

JonnyBlackrock

westtip wrote: »

if you want to see Aida on a grand scale then go to Italy and see it at Verona - where the spectacle is indeed spectacular - but equally the singing is taken very seriously,

Hi Westtip,
Been there done that. Saw Aida at Verona somewhere around 1996 or 1997, which is why I won't be going to this thing at the O2.

It certainly was a huge spectacle with excellent singing, but it's a long slog. It starts at around 9:30 (it has to be dark), and what with the interminable curtain calls (in the middle, then stage left and then stage right because the stage is as big as a football pitch) and with lengthy construction works to change the scenery, it didn't finish until about 2 in the morning.

westtip

JonnyBlackrock wrote: »

Hi Westtip,
Been there done that. Saw Aida at Verona somewhere around 1996 or 1997, which is why I won't be going to this thing at the O2.

It certainly was a huge spectacle with excellent singing, but it's a long slog. It starts at around 9:30 (it has to be dark), and what with the interminable curtain calls (in the middle, then stage left and then stage right because the stage is as big as a football pitch) and with lengthy construction works to change the scenery, it didn't finish until about 2 in the morning.

Jonny I first went on an inter-rail ticket to Italy in 78 and "did" verona for the first time. Its still great value in fact just checked the website 23 euro are the cheapest tickets now

Suggest our friend who calls you an "opera snob" takes a look at the pics here:

http://www.arena.it/en-US/information/information.html

Will bring back some memories for you, and Catchup take a look to see what we mean, Jonny is not being a snob he is just saying this product based on his opera going experience actually doesn't look like good value ....more of that below...

I revisited Verona two years ago - its still FUN. They (the Italians) still take it all very seriously as an opera event and like you Jonny, I won't fork out 100 euro for this event at the O2, and don't think I would recommend it as an introduction to opera; when for the same price I can get a half decent ticket at the ROH, 3 very good tickets at Scottish opera or WNO or Opera north or even our dear friends at the DGOS (err sorry Opera Ireland) or four tickets for the Met HD series or four tickets for OTC here in Ireland. This particular Aida just seems to represent poor value for money. Its not about being snobbish Catchup its about spending your opera going budget wisely!

BTW Catchup I will try and keep the opera thread up to date with various thoughts on opera in ireland so keep tuned to that if you want to see about opportunities to go to the opera - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055707120

Sandwich

westtip wrote: »

for the same price I can get a half decent ticket at the ROH, 3 very good tickets at Scottish opera or WNO or Opera north or even our dear friends at the DGOS (err sorry Opera Ireland) or four tickets for the Met HD series or four tickets for OTC here in Ireland.QUOTE]

Or 8 (yes eight!) tickets for the gods in La Scala. (its a chore though)

westtip

Sandwich wrote: »

westtip wrote: »

for the same price I can get a half decent ticket at the ROH, 3 very good tickets at Scottish opera or WNO or Opera north or even our dear friends at the DGOS (err sorry Opera Ireland) or four tickets for the Met HD series or four tickets for OTC here in Ireland.QUOTE]

Or 8 (yes eight!) tickets for the gods in La Scala. (its a chore though)

Exactly couldn't put up with the opera snobs up there! Sounds like hard work ..... Now thats what I call good public subsidy of the arts. Lucky you.

I reckon this Aida at the O2 will get cancelled due to lack of ticket sales. it is justtoo expensive and things are very tight at the moment. There are plenty of tickets left for virtually all of OI's November season and there is only just over a week to go....so what chance this extravaganza

mambo

The day I (almost) became a Pharoah
Declan Cashin goes to Rome for a sneak preview of 'Aida'-- the mega opera spectacle that's coming to Dublin this Friday

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/arts/the-day-i-almost-became-a-pharoah-1960530.html

A Keane

I was at it last night. It was spectacular certainly, spectacular in its awfulness.

To be clear: I'm a passing nobody with a passing interest who thought it would be nice to see something a little out of the ordinary. I ain't no Opera snob.

While I'm not in a position to be sure, not having had enough (any!) previous experience of going to Opera other than Cosi fan Tutte (even had to check the spelling of that) in the Gaiety in 2005, I thought the music and singing was fine.

However, and it is a very big HOWEVER, the stagecraft was embarassing, deplorable, ham-fisted amateur hour stuff which smacked of people, possibly the O2 stage crew (I do not know) simply not giving a f**k. Examples of this attitude were legion throughout, but for a sample:

1) Hammering and banging during 5 minute long breaks beween scenes to remove sets. (possibly added as much as a full half an hour to forty minutes to the running time) - Just who was that man in the Orange shirt?

2) Conductor being caught on film standing on rostrum with hand in pocket looking utterly disenchanted while waiting for scene to change.

3) Music for fanfare starting before the fanfare trumpeteers on stage had raised their trumpets!

4) Soldiers marching who couldn't march to save their life, and then being expected to do so down steps.*

* And as someone who had a friend attend the 'audition' and take part, I knew in advance that the crowd/chorus scenes were going to be 'interesting' I just didn't appreciate how 'interesting'. For the record, the extras did not get paid in cash, but with two tickets, which of course they themselves couldnt' use because, they were all backstage...


All told, Verdi was surely spinning in his grave last night. I know I would have been had I been him.


Finally, just to reiterate, I am not an Opera snob, I'm just a joe who knows when he's been had.


Best regards,
AK

JonnyBlackrock

Hi A Keane,
Thanks for that. I know it's tempting to gloat when suspicions are confirmed, but I'll resist the temptation.
It sounds like a terrible fiasco, and a 100 euro one for that, and that makes me very sad. It makes me sad that the organizers obviously didn't give a sod, and it makes me even sadder that they were convinced the audience here are so undiscerning that they'd probably get away with it.

ogriofa

A Keane wrote: »

I was at it last night. It was spectacular certainly, spectacular in its awfulness.

To be clear: I'm a passing nobody with a passing interest who thought it would be nice to see something a little out of the ordinary. I ain't no Opera snob.

While I'm not in a position to be sure, not having had enough (any!) previous experience of going to Opera other than Cosi fan Tutte (even had to check the spelling of that) in the Gaiety in 2005, I thought the music and singing was fine.

However, and it is a very big HOWEVER, the stagecraft was embarassing, deplorable, ham-fisted amateur hour stuff which smacked of people, possibly the O2 stage crew (I do not know) simply not giving a f**k. Examples of this attitude were legion throughout, but for a sample:

1) Hammering and banging during 5 minute long breaks beween scenes to remove sets. (possibly added as much as a full half an hour to forty minutes to the running time) - Just who was that man in the Orange shirt?

2) Conductor being caught on film standing on rostrum with hand in pocket looking utterly disenchanted while waiting for scene to change.

3) Music for fanfare starting before the fanfare trumpeteers on stage had raised their trumpets!

4) Soldiers marching who couldn't march to save their life, and then being expected to do so down steps.*

* And as someone who had a friend attend the 'audition' and take part, I knew in advance that the crowd/chorus scenes were going to be 'interesting' I just didn't appreciate how 'interesting'. For the record, the extras did not get paid in cash, but with two tickets, which of course they themselves couldnt' use because, they were all backstage...


All told, Verdi was surely spinning in his grave last night. I know I would have been had I been him.


Finally, just to reiterate, I am not an Opera snob, I'm just a joe who knows when he's been had.


Best regards,
AK

I have to agree with alllll of this.

Again the orchestra and the leads were very good.
The sur titles were over to each side of the stage and that has your eyeballs all over the place.

People were giving a slow clap to the crew at one stage, and while I think that behaviour is very rude, the more gaps between the acts we had to endure, I felt it was justified.

Surely that hard part it the music and the singing? Cause that was very good, verging on really good, but the production was terrible.
Very disappointed in the O2s handling of it. Wont go to another performance there that requires nay kind of stage mgnt.

JonnyBlackrock

Here's Michael Dervan's review from today's Irish Times:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2009/1207/1224260241772.html

mambo

Punters phoning into the RTE Radio 1 LiveLine right now to complain about sound, subtitles, staging, etc.

"like a school production", "never seen such a travesty", "truly appaling", "a disgrace, like a pantomime", etc.

Listen live (or listen back to today's show once it's put up) at http://www.rte.ie/radio1/liveline/

Promoter Kieran Cavanagh from http://www.kcpconcerts.com/ was defending the production, but said there would be no refunds, though punters were of course free to go to the Small Claims Court ( http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/justice/courts-system/small_claims_court )

JonnyBlackrock

Yes, I've just been listening to it in the car. There are indeed a lot of disgruntled people out there. It looks like this is going to be a repeat of the Barbara Streisand debacle.

westtip

JonnyBlackrock wrote: »

Yes, I've just been listening to it in the car. There are indeed a lot of disgruntled people out there. It looks like this is going to be a repeat of the Barbara Streisand debacle.

Jonny they shoudl have listened to the "opera snobs" first! All of the fears that you and I expressed came true it seems this event has done nothing for the cause of opera.

Dirigent

JonnyBlackrock wrote: »

Yes, I've just been listening to it in the car. There are indeed a lot of disgruntled people out there. It looks like this is going to be a repeat of the Barbara Streisand debacle.

How could you even imagine a musical link between a screeching banshee like that and Grand Opera!

mambo

Coverage also on Mooney Goes Wild (right at the end of the show). They're interviewing some of the extras who all seem to have thought it went great.

Listen back at http://www.rte.ie/radio/mooneygoeswild/

JonnyBlackrock

westtip wrote: »

Jonny they shoudl have listened to the "opera snobs" first! All of the fears that you and I expressed came true it seems this event has done nothing for the cause of opera.

Indeed they should. When they advertised it in the beginning with no names of singers it was obvious it was going to be a fiasco. Sad. Desperately sad.

Sandwich

Sounds as if it lived down to our worst fears. Shame so many people were scammed into going to such a sham, when honourable efforts at opera productions in Ireland are struggling to sustain themselves.

(Cosi in Covent Garden the next opera outing for me. Dont expect Ill be looking for my money back )

Jennyrose

I was at the show on Friday night. It was my first opera. I also heard the Joe Duffy program today.

A couple of things.

I had no problem hearing the orchestra- if one could not hear the performance, then this is a problem to be taken up with O2.

The screens to each side of the stage were adequate - the text I could read but not necessarily understand. Aida is an old story and if you don't know it, then it's not that important. You can figure it out. And the singing and sets were impressive in their own right.

The dancers were, to my untrained eye, not good.

The slow clapping was rude and embarrassing. As was the predictable departure by some during the show. Very unclassy - we want our opera hard and fast, do we?

On the other hand, the behaviour of the stage management was equally disprespectful. They sauntered across the stage, sometimes not doing ANYTHING at all. The guy in the red shirt rapidly changed his shirt to black once he became aware he was audience-targeted. He shouldn't complain- he was particularly unhurried. We felt we were intruding upon a dress rehearsal.

The promoter on Joe Duffy was arrogant and dismissive. I find this peculiar given Dublin's small town loyalties. I suggest he re-examine his no-refund policy as there is nothing so deadly as a punitive grapevine.

And may I say that 80-100 euro tickets are promising nothing short of the messiah himself appearing on stage.


ps. Anyone who can hold a note and is remotely good looking would do well to try out a bit of opera - our poor Aida resembled her grandmother.

mambo

Letter from today's Irish Times

Breaking the illusion of 'Aïda'

Madam, – Clutching my ticket costing €101, I made my way to the O2 to see Aïda. For this princely sum I had a view of the stage sideways on and backstage right. I have no idea what the backdrop was like as I could not see it. I’ve been told it was impressive. The screens were hard to see and the subtitles impossible to read. The opera began.

I enjoyed the singing and the ballet pieces were excellent.

After a while the conductor left the podium and the stage crew arrived to change sets. In my innocence I thought that sets had to be changed in a way to maintain the illusion of a different time and place. This crew was dressed in black tops and paler coloured jeans except for one stage hand who was resplendent in a bright orange top. They proceeded to construct the new set, in bright lights, to the accompaniment of loud hammering. This took the best part of 10 minutes. Illusions of a different place and time were truly shattered. Many in the audience protested. Later on this set- changing fiasco was repeated.

My experience of set changing in both professional and amateur theatre and musical theatre has been of dark clad shapes in utter silence and almost total darkness swiftly changing the scene. Thirty minutes into the second half, when I saw the conductor leave once more, I decided that I had had enough. No more DIY for me that night! Is this the way opera is supposed to be presented to the public? Perhaps some kind reader could enlighten me. It’s far from Grand Opera I was reared! – Yours, etc,

PATRICIA DOLAN,
Limetree Avenue,
Portmarnock,
Co Dublin.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2009/1208/1224260292848.html

Demonique

I was an extra in the opera, there was a problem with extras who failed to turn up on the night of the performance, including four African girls which led to the blacking up other other performers to take their place.

Backstage for the actors was hit and miss. Our 'dressing room' consisted of black sheets to section us off in a a large concrete room. It was freezing there.

The performance in the Odyssey Belfast was a lot better put together

westtip

Sandwich wrote: »

(Cosi in Covent Garden the next opera outing for me. Dont expect Ill be looking for my money back )

Enjoy it! green with envy!:D

westtip

catchup wrote: »

Leaving aside the possibility that the show won't go on..........

I have to laugh reading your postings. You really do confirm the stereotypical image of opera snobs. Is it any wonder opera is unable to attract mass audience appeal? Opera is supposed to be fun..Aida was written as a spectacle to be performed with massed choir and orchestra. I'd prefer to see a "tacky" spectacular perfomance of this opera than one crammed onto the stage of the Gaiety. It was written as entertainment not as high art!!

Grow up!

Sandwich wrote: »

Instinct tells me dont touch with a barge pole.

JonnyBlackrock wrote: »

I've seen Aida enough times not to care about it anyway, and I already have a couple of recorded versions. So at least I'll be saving some money on this one.

westtip wrote: »

I am sure the whole thing will be one of these ghastly amplified events. Makes me shudder at the thought of it. deffo not opera as I know it....

So catchup, how do you feel now about the opera snobs now - it seems those who had deep suspicsious minds were proven right.

westtip

Jennyrose wrote: »

I was at the show on Friday night. It was my first opera. I also heard the Joe Duffy program today.


And may I say that 80-100 euro tickets are promising nothing short of the messiah himself appearing on stage.


ps. Anyone who can hold a note and is remotely good looking would do well to try out a bit of opera - our poor Aida resembled her grandmother.

Jenny I read your post above (which I have cut here for the sake of not needing to really repeat.

I do hope this event did not put you off the opera going experience, it really is a great art form and you don't need to have specialist knowledge to enjoy it, a few of us try to keep the general opera in ireland thread open so keep an eye on it and see if you can find yourself something that will be more inspiring and better informed than what you saw last week in the O2.

Jennyrose

westtip

Thanks for the note. I should have ended on the fact that I found each scene absolutely magical. So it was strange that as the singers exited the stage, this magical quality was rudely dissipated by the bright bright lights - (seriously, did they have to be SO bright? Is this health and safety nonsense?) - and lots of unconstructed stage activity.

Once I established that this was not true opera behaviour, I realised it was stage managment. But we all know that now.

I was a guest that night, thankfully!

So roll on the next one for me.:):)

Jennyrose

1068 posts!!

westtip

Jennyrose wrote: »

1068 posts!!

Jenny most of my posts are ranting and raving on the commuting and transport forum--- but that is a long story.

Jenny as a new opera goer I can assure there is a lot more to enjoy of real quality out there that will deliver a lot better experience of the genre than what you saw last weekend - you might enjoy some of the cinematic opera experiences that are now been shown around the country until there is some more live opera in the spring next year.

Don't give up on it! At least you took some of the good bits out of last Friday.

whosedaddy?

We went to see it too. and I can only echo the dissapointment expressed by some.

First and foremost - the O2 is NOT an opera venue. Whether they can / want turn it into one remains to be seen.

I think the problems began before the production had even started.
People that are not at the seats when the performance starts have to wait outside until a scene change or the interval! This constant coming terribly interrupting and going is disrespectful to the performers and everyone that bothers to turn up in time.

Its not a rugby match - where you can come and go whenever you like. Opera doesn't work like that.

This is an O2 venue management problem. There are no physical doors to the seating area - so you can expect the ushers to block the entrances. hence that is not going to happen.

I understand its a travelling performance, so stage sets need to be highly portable. but surely they could have devised some roll-on contraptions that doesn't require 10 min of hammering.
But even that - dimm the lights or pull an improvised curtain.

The breaks that killed the entire performance. And its the bit that will stick in your mind the longest.

I agree that a number of xtras just didn't seem to bother... And you can't blame poor backstage management or other extras not showing up only to some extend. As an extra you can walk straight, pretend the statue you are pulling is heavy - basically some basic acting - even without being told! There were plenty on stage that couldn't be arsed.

But I don't agree that the slow clapping was embarrising, stage management was so bad, that paying punters rightly so expressed their opinion about it. The whistling was a bit much tho.

The orange stagehand and the couch cushion scene during the interval - lets not even go there :-) And I agree with Michael Dervan that it would be great if that made it onto Youtube.

We did ring up and voiced our dissapointment - 600 quid for 6 ppl - we did expect a little bit more than what we got.
And when asked, they admitted that alot of ppl have been phoning to complain and also agreed that the O2 is not an opera venue and as this was the first performance. Lets see whether it was the last.

/WD

westtip

whosedaddy? wrote: »

First and foremost - the O2 is NOT an opera venue. Whether they can / want turn it into one remains to be seen.

/WD

I doubt the O2 will ever be used again for opera after this calamity, the venue is simply not suited to the medium. For 600 Euro you could have seen Macbeth recently by OI (which personally I had mixed feelings about), a wonderful concert performance of Rheingold, and Opera theatre Company Alcina - all performed recently in Dublin and if you had picked your tickets 6 people woudl have seen all three for less than a 100 euro each and got a couple of pints and a bag of crisps out the change. This would have given you Verdi, Wagner and Handel to choose from - three completely contrasting styles of opera, sung live and enjoyed in far greater intimacy in smaller theatres than the O2 barn. Not to mention the recent performances in Belfast of Massenets Werther and Mozart Cosi - both of which got decent reviews and you could have got to Belfast and seen and paid for your petrol and tolls for less than 100 euro for the two, plus the Grand Opera House in Belfast is a very intimate theatre in which the voices carry well.

Really if you want to go to opera don't be sucked in by the events advertising such as we saw with this Aida. It was total bull**** - for updates on opera in ireland i try to keep a general thread going on the subject.

mambo

The new Grand Canal Theatre should be much more suited to hosting large travelling shows such as opera, musicals, etc. That's what they were planning anyway, given it's 2000+ seats (which is apparently the number necessary for making hosting such shows econonically feasible).

westtip

Agreed and thanks for those shots on the grand can theatre thread