tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245314665139759027.post6217321282680473659..comments2024-01-04T13:56:52.127-05:00Comments on Regie, or Not Regie?: Parsifal – Zurich, 2007 (Great Singing, Dull Staging)Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16322512607114908183noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245314665139759027.post-31765709967424078342013-03-08T12:17:43.552-05:002013-03-08T12:17:43.552-05:00A short word about the wretchedness of staging in ...A short word about the wretchedness of staging in Europe and the omnipresence of stage directors whose talent is known only unto themselves. In both France and Germany, at any rate, patrons of the arts do not keep the opera houses running. The money comes from the state, whether the staging be a basketball representing the Eiffel Tower or a couple of bricks and a cement mixer for the island of Naxos. In France there is no school of opera and there is no school for would-be stage directors either. Very often the guy who shows up to stage this or that has not even read the libretto or does not know the story. Their "experience" may have been acquired in the cinema or in the theatre and most of them can not read one note of music, even if tortured! Consequently, the audience can be left flabbergasted by the idiocy of many productions, but nobody dares say anything, for fear of being called an ignoramus. When I started music, the names of these people were not even on the programme. How they sneaked in, to be able to play such a horrendous part in a prodction, is a mystery to me. Thank heaven they have the singers and their sense of drama to bail them out! They have the last word and I believe that they even get paid after the dress rehearsal! Intellectual bullying and snobbery I shall not stand for. It is an utter disgrace that a singer about to sign a contract should have no idea what sort of a scenic disaster he is letting him or herself in for. Ask a Frenchman what he thought of such and such a setting on the way out of the opera in the foyer and in all confusion and likelihood, he'll say: "Intéressant!" Then "outraged", he can cross the street and expound to the barman about the dreadful show he has just been to, as if it were all done on purpose so that the "outraged" can tell everyone else how it should be done and soothe their ego.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245314665139759027.post-6325019216812633212013-03-08T10:14:52.567-05:002013-03-08T10:14:52.567-05:00Well, not every opera. But Wagner--Parsifal in par...Well, not every opera. But Wagner--Parsifal in particular--can be so dense, it's nice to recognise a few of the leitmotivs (besides the Dresden Amen) going in. Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16322512607114908183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245314665139759027.post-76946176371893266742013-03-08T08:45:51.771-05:002013-03-08T08:45:51.771-05:00That Ulisse now lengthens the list of the things I...That Ulisse now lengthens the list of the things I have to get.<br /><br />It's interesting that you wanted to get familiar with the music before the broadcast - I usually only go through the libretto.Elendurnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245314665139759027.post-29244671668258528702013-03-05T16:46:21.191-05:002013-03-05T16:46:21.191-05:00Yeah but watch it on concert broadcasts! Anyway, I...Yeah but watch it on concert broadcasts! Anyway, I am not sure what the panels are supposed to be. All I can think is, well, they SOUND nice, but I bet they feel stupid waving those panels around. Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16322512607114908183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245314665139759027.post-68541772838941715632013-03-05T16:37:40.088-05:002013-03-05T16:37:40.088-05:00One can get away with a lot of copyright infringem...One can get away with a lot of copyright infringement with opera DVDs, I've discovered. Usually the owners of the copyright don't care, or they insert little ads at the bottom. Audio-only clips from CDs, however, are another matter.<br /><br />Are the colored panels supposed to be flowers? (I.e. it's Square Day at Zurich Opera? Brought to you, a la Sesame Street, by the letter M and the number 3 . . .)earwormoperahttp://earwormopera.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com