Don Giovanni

[desperance]

So I'm just back from Samling's 'Don Giovanni' at the Sage in Gateshead, and - well, it was a wonderful evening, but where were you?

Look, this is a young cast, yes. But it's directed by Tom Allen (that's Sir Thomas Allen to you, and I'm sure you don't need reminding that he was the premier Don of his or any generation), conducted by Thomas Zehetmair, with Christopher Maltman as the Don. They're using a bone-bare stage, cloaks for costumes, no props - this production is all about the music. Except that the small orchestra's invisible in a pit, all bar a continuo foregrounded on the stage; Don G is the most intimate of Mozart's opera scores, and this production is all about the singing. Which is, for the most part, fabulous. Maltman is well worth all the fuss, and is very well supported, tho' the surprise of the evening is Don Ottavio, sung by Adrian Ward. Startlingly young, and a clear pure tone, moving beyond expression.

And yet, and yet - there were empty seats. It wasn't sold out. How is this? As I said above, where were you?

You still have two nights to redeem yourselves. Get there, by any means practicable. Mortgage your homes, your souls, your precious honours...

There. I promised the producer I would blog, and I have blogged. And I mean every word of it. You're missing a treat.

Comments

[affreca.livejournal.com]

Sadly, transatlantic flights aren't currently practical with my funding. Neither is driving, despite what google says.

since you ask, across the pond.

[szandara.livejournal.com]

had I but time enough, and frequent flyer miles....

[julesjones]

Add me to the geographically challenged who would have liked to go...

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

We're not going to be in England for another week and a half, unfortunately.

[brisingamen.livejournal.com]

Oh how I wish I could ... my favourite Mozart, great line-up, and if I understand you correctly, someone who can make sense of Don Ottavio.

I saw Thomas Allen do Don Giovanni at the Royal Opera towards the end of his full operatic career – arm and a leg for a very shitty seat, but worth it just to see him do it once. He was looking rather older than when I'd last seen him in opera, but this in no way diminished his performance ... he just took it into his portrayal, making the Don into a man who seemed to know the game was up but who couldn't stop playing, just one more time.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Oh how I wish I could ... my favourite Mozart, great line-up, and if I understand you correctly, someone who can make sense of Don Ottavio.

Yes, exactly that. Total sense, from probably the most difficult character in Don G/Mozart/opera (depending who you speak to).

he just took it into his portrayal, making the Don into a man who seemed to know the game was up but who couldn't stop playing, just one more time.

He would do; once more, with insight. I'm not sure we've had a singer who looked deeper, or more honestly.

Also, what he says about Don G: "different every night," he says, "surprise your colleagues onstage and in the pit, surprise the audience, surprise yourself." Tonight is 'The Producers', but I'm seriously tempted to go back tomorrow, to see what Maltman does with that.

[devonellington.livejournal.com]

Send me an airline ticket, and I'm there! ;)

Kidding -- I have the Belmont Stakes and the Tony Awards this week, and I'm prepping for America's Cup.