I was at the Royal Academy of Music again for the last performance of La vera costanza last night - with the "other" cast. There is really not much to add. The impression of the piece remains the same - and the RAM showed again what a wide range of singers it is able to muster - all accomplished.
This evening I am at the "other place" - the Royal College of Music - for something completely different. This is Monteverdi's masterpiece - L'incoronazione di Poppea, an opera close to my heart and an indispensable exercise for young singers emerging into professional careers. This should be a major pleasure, as is always the experience of attending a performance in the RCM's beautiful Britten Theatre. I can not believe that it is already 26 years old......one of Hugh Casson's very great achievements.
And as it happens Hugh Casson was the designer of the famous production of Poppea which opened the eyes and ears of so much of the opera world to the greatness of Monteverdi when it was produced at Glyndebourne in 1962.
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