Opera in Ireland - general discussion thread on all things opera in Ireland

westtip · 27-05-2010 12:20pm

JonnyBlackrock wrote: »

Whatever about the Scottish Opera, as I don't know much about it although I'll know a bit more after I've seen their Boheme in June, why dont' they try to create something like the WNO? Wales only has a population of 3 million, but the WNO are superb, on the whole. Of course they've had their turkeys, but which opera company hasn't?

The thing that's the most depressing about this country is the poverty of its ambition. It's always happy to be "second best" (or third or fourth), and comfortable to be "somewhere in the middle of the scale". Why not aspire to being the best?

Jonny nice thought but WNO have 50 years experience and are considered an International opera company as their reputation is so good. Sure Wales only has a population of 3 million but WNO draws its audience from big UK conurbations with a loyal audience at locations like Birmingham, Oxford, Southampton, Cardiff (of course) and Liverpool - they are called WNO but in reality they are Welsh National, and Middle England opera Company - there actual audience draw if you take a 75 mile circle around all of the venues they perform at is about 40 million people! Scottish Opera does not penetrate the high density UK conurbations as much but probably has an audience draw of about 12 million; they are the smaller cousins of the family of UK regional opera companies (along with Opera North), but if you look at their website and how they do reach out to the entire country of Scotland and the offerings they give (look at their website) you can begin to see I hope why as a model - this might be what we could aspire to, who knows what may come from the ministers office now.

Travel is good · 30-05-2010 8:55pm

Sandwlch wrote: »

Not too surprising. They have seriously misjudged the price and its a shame. E105 in the stalls - which is far too expensive. In Belfast its only Stg38.5 for a stalls ticket. Maybe they are realising the mistake now, but its too late to change the prices (was the under 26 reduction offered from the beginning?). It will be a shame if there are only a handful of you there. I guess we will have a full house or as close as in Belfast.

Hi sandwich,
Just saw your post there now. I had a look at the Belfast opera house website, and stalls tickets are still selling for...
£24.75!

That's a really good price, you could afford to stay over in a hotel also.

Luckily I managed to get those €45 tickets for GCT for La Boheme, so at least I didn't have to pay those mad prices. I'm looking forward to it now, though I've seen La Boheme a few times before.

I do like GCT as a venue, pretty stunning architecture.

Sandwlch · 30-05-2010 9:51pm

Travel is good wrote: »

Hi sandwich,
I had a look at the Belfast opera house website, and stalls tickets are still selling for...
£24.75!

That's a really good price, you could afford to stay over in a hotel also.

Good value indeed. Makes you wonder what GCT is at.

For anyone interested in the hotel option, reasonable value to be had a stone's throw from BGOH: Fitzwilliam is literally next door, Jurys Inn across the street, and a Travelodge about 100yds around the corner.

Havent been to GCT yet. It will be the quality of their Cartellone that will make or break it for me and unclear yet whether they really intend to try to establish it as an opera venue.

Someone please report back here on how the GTC Boheme goes.

Westip, couldnt make the OTC Figaro and glad you thought it a success. Hope some of that magic carries on into the INO.

On the subject of Figaro itself - I have frequently had the experience you describe of being startled by its freshness despite great familiarity. Was at the English Touring Opera production in Belfast in April and enjoyed hugely (good enough singing, nice orchestra, but excellent vitality in the staging and acting). My own theory is that its large number of well known highlights almost distracts from what an outstanding work the whole opera is from beginning to end - and only by seeing it complete are you reminded of this, and so won over, yet again, to what an all-time masterpiece it is. I usually leave thinking "gee, if I had to pick one desert island opera, that has to be it".

Sandwlch · 30-05-2010 9:56pm

Carmen (I know.....again...............)

But for anyone who is interested:

http://www.lismoremusicfestival.com/

westtip · 01-06-2010 11:36am

The public booking opens today - they have an excellent website for booking very easy to identify where and when tickets are available - most of the lesser costing best value seats have gone but there are some still available for various performances at 25 euro (are you listening Grand Canal Theatre!). Anyway the website is really very good - so much better than companies contracting out the sale of tickets through the web channel to the likes of Ticketmaster - there are no booking fees on the Wexford site - except for a one euro charge for postage, which is pretty good - i hate the ticketmaster booking fees - its like buying opera tickets from Ryanair, such a bloody tabloid experience. Anyway fair play to Wexford the drop down menus to see what tickets are available in each part of the house and the whole ticket selection process is very good - I also love the idea that you click on the tickets you want and you can hold them in your basket for an hour - it gave me a chance this morning to ring a mate in England see if he was coming over and he went on line and reserved his seat at the same time. It's one of the better ones.

For example I got 25 Euro tickets for Virginia on Monday 25th (Bank holiday monday), ok they are slighly restrictred view in a circle box but I think that is a fair price. http://www.wexfordopera.com/ and click all the links to the box office.

Next week we have the La Boheme in Belfast at the Grand opera house, and next Thursday June 10th there is an opera in cinema HD broadcast available in Letterkenny, Caslebar, Dungarvan, Swords Dundrum and Ballymena of Tosca from La Fenice Genova at 7.30 go to www.operaincinema.com for details. Great value at 15 Euro (or at least thats what they charge in Mayo!)

The week after of course Scottish Opera head to the rip off Republic....much debated issue of ticket prices north and south of the border. OTC are finishing off the highly successful tour of Figaro this week.

Sandwich thanks for the heads up on Carmen - hope it goes well - too far for me to travel and Dieter is directing......My views well known on that subject! I agree about ETO and seeing Figaro on a smaller scale - yes we sometimes get too wrapped up in listening to perfect recordings of the great voices doing the big arias, and forget about the drama and humour that exists in the entirety of a piece like Figaro - its in in my top 5 anyway. which sometimes is a moving feast at the moment its Grimes, Figaro, Tristan, Tosca, Rigoletto - not very original I know and not necessarily in that order - but they are all enduring masterpieces. Figaro is the only one that does not involve death and destruction of humankind ....eek :-)

Any other news anyone?

westtip · 01-06-2010 11:50am

Sandwlch wrote: »

The core issue is a very small opera going public in Ireland (and I do see this as a low demand leading to a small supply rather than vice versa). So there is only so much that can be done.

Only thinking online here..........

Sandwlch - the poster formerly known as Sandich - before the Boards hack of 2010.

Sandwich just revisiting your comment here and thinking about the GCT and SO putting on Boheme 4 times in a theatre of 2100 = 8,400 tickets to sell - never mind the price issue - is there an opera going audience for this volume of tickets in one week - boheme aside - for any opera in Ireland? I exclude Wexford from my thinking here - as it is a slightly different product, but for mainstream opera going was it naive to put this show on for four nights? - of course we shall have to see how the house actually sells, but have we got a market for our grand plans and ideas for opera in Ireland maybe it is as you say the core opera going audience is very small indeed.

Actually just adding to that post -I have made an error in my calculations - Boheme is on 3 nights Wed, Fri Sat - (the cast could not do four nights on the spin) in Dublin which is of course 6300 seats (still a lot) if we add the Belfast performances (2) Belfast Grand opera must hold 1200 - so in total on the East Coast (ie where most of the people live) we are at 2400 + 6300 = 8,700 seats for one opera in one week in June (holiday season has kicked in), its a big sell for Ireland. Anyway one thing we do all know - it won't be a repetiion of Aida in the O2 because Scottish Opera are a very good Opera company.....Good luck to anyone going to GCT hope its worth it.

Travel is good · 01-06-2010 8:43pm

I agree, I don't know why they don't make it more affordable, say €20- €25. I know when I visited New York I got tickets to the City Opera & the Met at very reasonable prices. I got tickets for the State Opera house in Budapest for about €40, but they were brilliant seats, right at the front.

People might be able to afford to go more often, if the prices were reduced, and you'd also extend the audience.

The GCT is a bit of a rip off, that's why I've been buying the cheapest seats there lately. A few years ago I would have ordered the most expensive seats. Recession...or doesn't GCT know that there is one?

westtip · 02-06-2010 3:07pm

Travel is good wrote: »

I agree, I don't know why they don't make it more affordable, say €20- €25. I know when I visited New York I got tickets to the City Opera & the Met at very reasonable prices. I got tickets for the State Opera house in Budapest for about €40, but they were brilliant seats, right at the front.

People might be able to afford to go more often, if the prices were reduced, and you'd also extend the audience.

The GCT is a bit of a rip off, that's why I've been buying the cheapest seats there lately. A few years ago I would have ordered the most expensive seats. Recession...or doesn't GCT know that there is one?

TIG a lot of wishful thinking there - one of the problems we face in Ireland on a lot of our desires and wishes in life is lack of people and lack of opera goers for example I may have mentioned above at the Rheingold in Mayomovieworld last week - there were five in the audience. We are working hard on getting more poeple there next week for Tosca - but I won't hold my breath - in addition to lack of audience we have no public commitment to our artform - limited lip service is about as much as we get, Price is a factor but actually its not everything, we simply don't have enough people interested in opera for a whole host of other reasons outside the cost of tickets.

Travel is good · 02-06-2010 9:44pm

Too true......

I must get to one of those cinema screenings in Dublin.

westtip · 03-06-2010 10:13am

Travel is good wrote: »

Too true......

I must get to one of those cinema screenings in Dublin.

I think you will enjoy it - try and take someone along - its only 15 euro (in Castlebar anyway), might be more in Dublin, Take it for what it is - yes its a night out, but its not going to the opera per se, its better than one of these outdoor screenings of the opera - eg the live big screen type events they have in Covent Garden Piazza because the sound quality is very good and no street noise, the audience as opera goers will behave as so - with the occasional unwrapping of sweet papers and potentially popcorn - but all five of us! kept very quiet for Rheingold! I am a big fan of these broadcasts as at least (a) its a night out (I hate opera on TV but that's for other reasons - home distractions), (b) it keeps you in touch with the "global" megastar international opera scene confined to the great houses of the world (c) Now I am confined much more to the West of Ireland due to other committments it brings back memories of halcyon bachelor days going from opera house to opera house globally! (Those were the days my friend as the song says!)

Sandwlch · 07-06-2010 6:54pm

Opera Ireland listing Tosca for November 11,13,15,17,19. Presume something else planned for the even dates. http://www.operaireland.ie

Tosca doesnt do a lot for me but possibly right to put on something that might bring in a crowd. Hoping for something interesting as its companion.

Any one know what the merger situation is and why Opera Ireland is listing this as their production? No mention of it from OTC. Nor of any rebranded/reconfigured national opera company.

Sandwlch · 07-06-2010 7:02pm

Lyric Opera offering La Traviata in NCH 9,10,12 October. From their usual handful of standard repertoire, and I approve of it - there is a role for 'gateway' opera presentations of a few regulars through the establishment and customer base that the NCH has. A two pronged introduction together with the cinema screenings programme.

Anyone at the recent Lucia from them ? (In Paris at a phenomenal Contes d'Hoffman that night myself

)

DarkBlue_18 · 09-06-2010 7:55pm

Hi all, I started to listen to Opera not too long ago, maybe a year or so and since then have just fallen in love with it all and I will be attending my first Opera (La [EMAIL="Bohéme@GCT"]Bohéme@GCT[/EMAIL] on Wednesday night) with a friend. Very excited. I am just confused as to whether there is a dress code or not for opera in Ireland? Really looking forward to it now but this has just confused me a little. Would I look underdressed in casual clothes or would I look overdressed in a suit? Hopefully somebody can answer my probably pointless question. Kind Regards,

LG

westtip · 10-06-2010 12:50am

DarkBlue_18 wrote: »

Hi all, I started to listen to Opera not too long ago, maybe a year or so and since then have just fallen in love with it all and I will be attending my first Opera (La [EMAIL="Bohéme@GCT"]Bohéme@GCT[/EMAIL] on Wednesday night) with a friend. Very excited. I am just confused as to whether there is a dress code or not for opera in Ireland? Really looking forward to it now but this has just confused me a little. Would I look underdressed in casual clothes or would I look overdressed in a suit? Hopefully somebody can answer my probably pointless question. Kind Regards,

LG

Mate go dressed as you wish there is no dress code for opera of this variety at a house like this - please wear a pair of jeans and a sweater or if you want a shirt and tie - but don't go in a black tie regalia its not needed. The only opera that is "black tie" in ireland is wexford Festival and even then a lot of people are not bothering anymore - in the UK Glyndebourne is the only Opera house where black tie tends to be the standard but they will not throw you out if you don't wear it. Its a night a the theatre - enjoy it and dress in the way you feel comfortable. If I was going to this at the GCT (I may go to belfast on Saturday) I would wear a pair of jeans and a shirt, and I have been a regular at the opera for over 30 years, here and there. boheme is a lovely opera to start with - by the way Opera is in fact a viral infection that lasts a lifetime - there is no known cure, but it is a very pleasurable way to end your days.

tosca in the cinema at various locations tomorrow night live from la Fenice Genova - Dundrum, Swords, Castlebar, Dungarvan Letterkenny and I think one location in the North.

westtip · 10-06-2010 12:54am

Sandwlch wrote: »

Opera Ireland listing Tosca for November 11,13,15,17,19. Presume something else planned for the even dates. http://www.operaireland.ie

Tosca doesnt do a lot for me but possibly right to put on something that might bring in a crowd. Hoping for something interesting as its companion.

Any one know what the merger situation is and why Opera Ireland is listing this as their production? No mention of it from OTC. Nor of any rebranded/reconfigured national opera company.

If its the same production of a few years back it was pretty dire - will check it out and have a looksy - I thnk the plans are on hold and it is steady as they go for the moment on the OTC/OI merger issue. Cullens idea was pretty barmy without proper funding in any event. conceptually he hadn't got a clue what he was talking about.

westtip · 11-06-2010 12:01am

did anyone else go to that tosca tonight from Teatro carlo Felice Genoa -On at various cinemas around the country - Wow that was some Tosca! I've never seen both Vissi D'arte and E Lucean Stell both completely repeated as encores on stage during a performance - Daniela Dessi was a sensational Tosca, Claudio Sgura's menacing Scarpia was phenonemal and I just loved Fabio Armiliato's energy in his Caravadossi - Very traditional production but what the hell.

So glad we have this channel for distribution of international opera - well done mayomovieworld - the audience has gone up and hopefully it will grow - this was a Tosca that will leave a lasting impression.

looksee · 11-06-2010 1:01am

The music and singing were wonderful, but through the first two acts I felt there was something lacking or wrong with the production, though I couldn't put my finger on it. It might have been that the lighting didn't create atmosphere, but I don't have much experience of watching opera.

The whole highland fling business with the 'choirboys' jarred a bit, and other than the main parts, the crowds/soldiers/servants didn't seem very confident about what they were doing.

These are quibbles though, the singing was impressive, the lead singers gave brilliant performances, and overall I enjoyed it.

westtip · 11-06-2010 12:15pm

looksee wrote: »

The music and singing were wonderful, but through the first two acts I felt there was something lacking or wrong with the production, though I couldn't put my finger on it. It might have been that the lighting didn't create atmosphere, but I don't have much experience of watching opera.

The whole highland fling business with the 'choirboys' jarred a bit, and other than the main parts, the crowds/soldiers/servants didn't seem very confident about what they were doing.

These are quibbles though, the singing was impressive, the lead singers gave brilliant performances, and overall I enjoyed it.

It was a very traditional setting and production for Tosca (unlike the new Met production also cine broadcast last year), not sure what you mean about the highland flign bit with the choir boys the Sactristan was directed well to be the cranky old basically caretaker that he is - and in most productions of Tosca - there is a banter between him and the choir boys - the relationship between the choir boys and scristan is very much one that the boys are a bloody nuisance to this fussy old crackpot whose whole world is the cathedral building. The entrance of Scarpia and the Te Deum must have raised the roof of the theatre - Scarpia was chillingly menacing in the Te Deum and the final scene of Act 1 fulfilled every expectation for me as a really great Tosca. The duet in the first act was wonderful; I have never heard the Vissi D'Arte sung with such beauty, and despite what I think was a bit of stage management to sing the enire VD as an encore was an exceptional occassion - I don't think this needed to be repeated with a full encore of E Lucean Stella in the third act - but both principals sang their hearts out last night. I must have seen tosca live in the theatre 30 times in my life, this was right up there - but did not however surpass domingo doing Caravadossi opposite Te Kanewa in 1979 nor Pavorotti opposite (the name escapes me!) in the mid 1990s. both at the ROH. Ah happpy days - for those that missed last night it was believe me a Very very good Tosca.

looksee · 11-06-2010 12:39pm

That was my first time to see Tosca, so I was watching it with nothing to compare to it. While I enjoyed it, I don't think I would go again, that is just personal taste, no reflection on the production.

It was obvious that the choir were supposed to be annoying the sacristan and being excitable, but I didn't feel it came off. The girls(!) were too busy being selfconscious and grinning at each other to do any acting and then they went into a dance, swinging round in pairs, that did not look in any way spontaneous.

I just got the feeling that the lead parts had been rehearsed to perfection, at some expense to the rest of the cast. And I fully agree with you about the lead singers' performances, they were flawless.

westtip · 12-06-2010 12:01am

looksee wrote: »

That was my first time to see Tosca, so I was watching it with nothing to compare to it. While I enjoyed it, I don't think I would go again, that is just personal taste, no reflection on the production.

It was obvious that the choir were supposed to be annoying the sacristan and being excitable, but I didn't feel it came off. The girls(!) were too busy being selfconscious and grinning at each other to do any acting and then they went into a dance, swinging round in pairs, that did not look in any way spontaneous.

I just got the feeling that the lead parts had been rehearsed to perfection, at some expense to the rest of the cast. And I fully agree with you about the lead singers' performances, they were flawless.

Hey looksee each to their own! - It was about as good as it gets with regard to a performance of Tosca - believe me - the minor frolics of the interaction between the choir boys and sacristan is a bit player in this drama it's the triangular relationship of Tosca - Cavaradossi - Scarpia that needs to be focussed on and this was electric. I will give you two other minor highlights of last night - cavaradossi phrasing and singing of son qui - his first words to Tosca after her shout of Mario Mario - was just perfect, and his Vittoria Vittoria - in the second act was actually the best I have ever heard it sing - including Pavorotti and a very young domingo, Believe me this was a quite outstanding tosca.

westtip · 13-06-2010 12:49pm

unfortunately due to a last minute hitch I couldn't make it to Belfast last night for Boheme - did anyone get to see it in Belfast is it a boheme worth paying the GCT prices for having missed it in Belfast?

Travel is good · 13-06-2010 6:56pm

That's such a shame, I was looking forward to hearing your review.

I don't know what tickets are left for GCT. Though if you love opera, it might be worth checking out.

I'm going myself on Wednesday so will let you all know how it goes.

Travel is good · 13-06-2010 7:05pm

DarkBlue_18 wrote: »

Hi all, I started to listen to Opera not too long ago, maybe a year or so and since then have just fallen in love with it all and I will be attending my first Opera (La [EMAIL="Bohéme@GCT"]Bohéme@GCT[/EMAIL] on Wednesday night) with a friend. Very excited. I am just confused as to whether there is a dress code or not for opera in Ireland? Really looking forward to it now but this has just confused me a little. Would I look underdressed in casual clothes or would I look overdressed in a suit? Hopefully somebody can answer my probably pointless question. Kind Regards,

LG

Hi there,

Just saw your post. You will enjoy it, and I think the GCT is a lovely venue. plenty of nice restaurants/wine bars nearby so enjoy the atmosphere. I'll be there myself on Wednesday.

Don't worry too much about dressing up, smart casual is fine.

Like yourself, I only got into opera a few years ago, it's a learning curve! Though at least now with the GCT there are more venues. La Boheme is a nice opera to start off with, I've seen it a few times now.

If you want a taster of various operas, Dublin City Council will be staging various ones in the Civic Offices park over the month of August (usually on a Thursday 1pm). They are a good way to find out what operas you enjoy. And they are free! (Though they are very heavily attended).

I do hope they continue to have them again this year.

westtip · 14-06-2010 1:52pm

Travel is good wrote: »

That's such a shame, I was looking forward to hearing your review.

I don't know what tickets are left for GCT. Though if you love opera, it might be worth checking out.

I'm going myself on Wednesday so will let you all know how it goes.

Thanks I am under time pressure this week, there are tickets available at all prices bar 45 euro, which says a lot for probably the most popular opera in the entire repertoire, there was still a smattering of tickets available in Belfast on Saturday morning so perhaps the recession is hitting opera goers all over - afterall the Belfast prices were a lot more realistic, anyway I have seen enough bohemes in my life not to be forking out fancy money, and adding in a 300 mile round trip up and down to Dublin - it will probably be a good competent performance by Scottish Opera - they are a good company and rarely have disasters. so I hope all who go do enjoy it - I look forward to peoples comments, but I was paying over 90 euro for a ticket I would want to be hearing a top notch international cast.

JonnyBlackrock · 19-06-2010 10:36pm

Just got back from La Boheme at the GTC.
It was fantastic. I'll write back in more detail tomorrow.
But first of all, more than anything else, I am RELIEVED.
The theatre is stunning and the sound is more than adequate for opera.
Also, it was full, and I gather from a cousin who went yesterday that it was full then as well.
So hopefully there will be more operas there from now on.

westtip · 20-06-2010 11:33am

Thanks Jonny - Glad they managed to fill it - even the more expensive seats? that surprises me - glad to hear it was good the logistics didn't work fo rme to make it to either Belfast or Dublin but I am getting a great shot of Oepra next weekend in Cardiff - Rigoletto and Meistersingers in Cardiff - I just love getting over to see WNO. BTW tickets for both about 30 quid each in good seats!

JonnyBlackrock · 20-06-2010 2:30pm

Yes, it was all completely full, expensive and cheap seats alike. Can't write now as I have to go out and sunbathe, but a more detailed report will definitely follow.
Hope you have a fab time in Cardiff, and hopefully some day we'll be able to see the WNO at the GCT.

Travel is good · 20-06-2010 3:41pm

Thanks johhnyblackrock, glad you enjoyed the venue. Dark blue18, what did you think of your first opera?

I went on Wednesday, my third time to visit that venue. I was in the cheap seats, circle, and could hear perfectly. The opera is set in modern day New York, with modern clothes. I thought the lead female role (Celia?) was stunning. I would have loved to see her in an evening gown. I also liked the singer who played Musetta, I've never seen a Musetta so fiery before!

All in all, I think GCT is a perfect opera venue, and I'm hoping there will be more in the autumn. Wednesday was a lovely summer's evening, and people were picnicking outside on the square before the opera. Some very clever people bought wine from the nearby Fresh shop and were drinking it in the sunshine (though I'm sure there's a law against that!) A very enjoyable evening.

On a downside after all that I came back to my car on Guild St. to find it had been broken into. So I hope the car park at GCT opens soon.

A good review here from the Irish Times:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2010/0618/1224272782304.html

I am sitting here now enjoying the series "Opera Italia" which I recorded from BBC4 recently. They also showed "Aida" & "La Boheme". So keep your eye on BBC4!

Sandwlch · 20-06-2010 9:26pm

Was at last nights Boheme also. Unable to make Belfast so ended up buying "cheap" in GCT.

1. The theatre is impressive and quite suitable for 'big' opera. In the middle of the circle, the orchestra sounded good, and I put the imbalance between orchestra and the male singers down to weak voices. Possibly less noticeable if sitting in one of the lower floors and closer to them - but Celine Byrne sounded superb and highlighted their weakness. All seats are good seats with good angles and views. Interior layout and facilities are good, and the surroundings outside are developing very nicely.

2. The place was full! Against my expectations. Even the overpriced stalls(whats this nonsense about the Celtic Tiger being over???).

The 'Boheme' effect maybe? The NCH usually fills for Boheme/Butterfly/Carmen for the threadbare slightly-staged productions there, so I suppose a combination of Boheme/NewTheatreNovelty/FullStaging brought in a good crowd. Which is a good thing and augurs well for opera being given other chances there - preferably attracting productions from across the sea.

Should OI relocate there from the Gaiety? Certainly as far as being able to stage an opera goes. But from an audience numbers point of view I dont know. I would hope so, but my preference is still for more dates of each production in a smaller theatre, rather than few dates in a bigger one as a strategy to attract the biggest overall audience and promote live opera attendances.

Could the GCT be a fillip for opera in Ireland? Maybe, with the right marketing. It is a bit of a blank canvas without history and has an opportunity and interest to develop its own markets -opera could be a good prospect.

What about OTC? Not really of much interest to them. I could not see some of its fine recent productions of Handel say, being able bring in the numbers to justify staging there. But what about the Gaiety if OI vacated its slots? The recent Nozze can surely justify a bigger audience in Dublin than its stagings in Tallaght and Bray (I think?).

As a venue to attract the like of WNO, Opera North, or Scottish Opera again? Excellent I think and am very hopefull that it could justify a regular slot of one if not two full stagings from one of them in both spring and Autumn.

3. Scottish Opera's La Boheme last night. Did not do it for me at all. In the language of newspaper ratings - only two out of 5 stars. And I do like Boheme and have enjoyed productions of it very much in the past.
The staging was unimpressive. The modern setting did not work - and I like creative "re-imaginings" of standard repertoire operas. The orchestra was good. The acting and general staging did not engage me. Celine Byrne ! Very good and the only bright light in it. I think OI had her for its Cosi a few years ago but I dont really remember her from it. Here, she stood out and I look forward to hearing her again. The rest of the singing was of a low to middling standard. Still, Scottish Opera, please come back again!

Travel is good · 20-06-2010 10:49pm

Thanks for that review Sandwich, so much more eloquent than me! I agree, I would have preferred the old fashioned dress. The leggings and top on Cecilia Byrne just didn't do her justice.

It's strange, I've just been looking on the OI site, and it mentions that they have Tosca in November. I went to the Gaiety site to try to book it but no luck. it makes me a bit suspicious, maybe OI are looking at a different venue. GCT please?

La Traviata is in the NCH from 9-12 October. So that's our lot for opera here in Dublin this year, unless anybody knows any more?

Opera in Ireland - general discussion thread on all things opera in Ireland

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