Brian Dickie

Royal College of Music Figaro

The third of this month's conservatory productions in London is Le nozze di Figaro at the Royal College of Music - in a most elegant production by Thomas Allen designed by the gifted very young Lottie Higlett.  The production is served by Tom's long experience with this piece, as both Figaro and the Count over the years.  It is no doubt a distillation of his experiences and he will certainly have provided great inspiration to the young singers.  As a graduate himself of the RCM he is naturally something of an iconic mentor!

There was nothing here to scare the conservative audience member it being a traditional approach to the piece that could have easily been comfortable at any time over the last 60 years.  There is some virtue in that, as we witnessed at the Coliseum in Bohème on Monday evening. But I hope that the young people at the RCM will continue to be challenged in their other work - as we have of course seen, notably last year in Daniel Slater's Vixen production, and Liam Steel's Midsummer Night's Dream earlier this year.

Harry Thatcher impressed as the Count as did the immensely tall Adam Maxey as a very beautifully voiced Figaro.  And we had an exceptionally well sung Basilio from Joel Williams. I was glad to have heard in performance some of the singers who sang for Salzburg on Tuesday.  They showed up really well, notably the Cherubino Lauren Joyanne Morris, and the charming Susanna Julieth Lozano.

I was glad also to hear that there were some terrific players in the orchestra - fine woodwind soloists always stand out from the crowd! And how good that they get the experience of playing this wonderful score in an orchestra pit.  It may not seem to be glamorous - but it's a hugely important part of their professional development.

So this annual November round up of the distinguished London colleges' Autumn offerings come to a close.  Happy Christmas to these hard working folks - lots of exciting stuff for them in 2019 I am sure.

Photo credit: RCM

Splendid revival of Bohème at ENO

© Robert Workman

Jonathan Tetelman (Rodolfo) and Natalya Rominiw (Mimi) in ENO revival of La Bohème

To return to this perfectly crafted opera, however "hackneyed" might seem to be, is such a pleasure when executed with such conviction as currently in the revival of Jonathan Miller's production. It opened on Monday evening to a full house - ENO is in great shape.  And I have little doubt that the press will be enthusiastic in welcoming such a well sung and beautifully acted evening, with some really excellent young singers showing the way for the future of this great company.

So, in voice order - Natalya Romaniw is making her ENO debut as a gloriously full voiced effortless Mimi, although its difficult to believe that this thoroughly healthy young woman should die......but suspend disbelief and revel in these vocal pleasures.  Nadine Benjamin is a one off, unique Musetta - truly marvelous vocally, and consolidating the success achieved with her Clara in Porgy and Bess.  She has, I suspect, now established a foothold in the company with these two achievements.

Then we have a new name - Jonathan Tetelman looking and sounding an ideal Rodolfo - and multi-voiced Simon Butteriss delivers two delicious cameos as Benoit and Alcindoro.  Wonderful!

The other boys are beautifully balanced, with a charismatic, both vocally and personally, Marcello from debutant Nicholas Lester, a notable major role debut from young Bozidar Smiljanic as Schaunard, and a lovely dark bronzy voiced Colline from David Soar.

And all this is held together by Alexander Joel in the pit - and to the highest standards with the ever excellent ENO Orchestra and Chorus.  Its heart warming to see ENO in such excellent artistic shape.

Meanwhile I have spent the last couple of days with my colleagues from Salzburg, Evamaria Wieser and Adrian Kelly, listening to young singers at the Guildhall, RCM and RAM, candidates for Salzburg's young artists programme which has been such a notable feature of the Festival's programme over the last number of years.  I suspect that there will be some students from London next year!  Meanwhile this evening I am back at the RCM for their Figaro. More about that tomorrow!

ENO's War Requiem

Roderick Williams and David Butt Philip

So the War Requiem opened on Friday evening to a full Coliseum completely engrossed in Britten's masterpiece.  It was a deeply moving musical and theatrical event, sublimely performed by the three soloists Emma Bell, David Butt Philip, and Roderick Williams, and the orchestral and choral forces of the ENO with the inspired addition of the ensemble from the Porgy and Bess production currently running to sold out houses. All this was brought together by Martyn Brabbins, a rock on which ENO's musical standards rest so firmly.

The absence of a literal narrative in no way diminished the power of the underlying story that we understand so well, which in Daniel Kramer's production, with designs by Turner prize winning photographer Wolfgang Tilmans (another inspired choice), had an emotional impact on all but the most insensitive cynics!

Emma Bell and Olufemi Alaka

It is an evening of eloquent images, deeply committed performances, and in the week that has marked the 100th anniversary of the 1918 Armistice, it provides an important opportunity for us to reflect on the state of the world today.  I hope that a good many of our politicians will be there during the run........

Photos: © Richard Hubert Smith

Royal Academy Opera

Jane Glover, a former leader of the Royal Academy of Music's opera department, called her recently published excellent book "Handel in London, the Making of a Genius".

So it is so nice just a few weeks later to go to the RAM for Semele yesterday evening, in the most uncut version I have ever encountered - lots of stuff I have never heard before!  All the omens were good with Laurence Cummings and the really excellent Royal Academy Sinfionia in the pit of the gorgeous Susie Sainsbury Theatre - the RAM's new jewel. And we had the prospect of an exciting production by Olivia Fuchs - a director who has produced such excellent work at Garsington and elsewhere.

I must learn to manage my expectations after all these years! Handel is tough and despite the excellence of the Royal Academy Opera's young cast I felt it was all somehow too courteous and lacking in a "lets really go for it" attitude.  The lovely Lithuanian soprano in the title role Lina Dambrauskaite is a splendid singer who can certainly deal with this challenging role without a blink.  And in this uncut version it is HUGE!  But ballsy 18th century theatre can not afford to be so polite!  So the whole thing really never quite got off the ground for me......

Nevertheless there are some lovely singers in the RAO this year - Olivia Warburton and Alexander Simpson made a fetching couple as Ino and Athamas, and I really liked Joseph Buckmaster's strong contribution as Apollo at the very end.  The rest of the cast were all up to the very high standard of this marvelous institution.  But it somehow was firing at less than full throttle last night. There are performances with alternating casts until Saturday.

Meanwhile back on Monday evening I had a special treat at the offices of Faber and Faber in Bloomsbury where Mark Wigglesworth was launching his fascinating new book - "The Silent Musician - Why Conducting Matters" in conversation with Nicholas Hytner.  We were treated to 75 minutes of absorbing conversation between these two exceptionally wise and articulate artists, and including some 25 minutes of interaction with their audience.  Its a good read and worth a visit to Amazon to get a copy......

And yesterday morning there was a special treat, the dress rehearsal of ENO's staging of the Britten War Requiem.  It opens tomorrow evening and I feel confident that it will make a profoundly moving contribution to events marking the 100th anniversary of the Armistice in 1918.  This is a totally involving production with the highest values both on the stage and in the pit, guided by Daniel Kramer and Martyn Brabbins, the artistic leaders of ENO coming up with something exceptional.  More about that at the weekend.

 

11/11/1918 - in loving and grateful memory

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My father (born 23 April 1899) served in the 1914-18 war, in the Royal Flying Corps which together with the Royal Naval Air Service formed the Royal Air Force on April 1 1918. He was just 18 when he joined up in 1917 and became a pilot flying the legendary Bristol F.2B Fighters which were the only plane in his Squadron 139.  Unlike many of his friends he survived, and lived to the grand age of 95. Above you see him with his comrades in arms together with one of their aircraft - a team photo taken 100 years ago today at their base in Villaverla, Italy.  He is in the back row........spot the 19 year old Dickie with his Sam Browne belt and his RAF wings!!

'tis the season.......

For those of us looking for the emerging talent from the excellent London "conservatories" November is the month when much of it happens.  We have Cosi fan tutte at the Guildhall School this past week (I was there last Wednesday), Semele at the Royal Academy of Music next week, and at the end of the month there is Le nozze di Figaro at the Royal College of Music.

Photograph: Clive Barda

This photo gives a general impression of the approach to the RCM's Cosi. But is not with the cast I saw on Wednesday. Oliver Platt was responsible for a busy, creative, and enjoyable production though some were complaining that it was TOO busy!  But there were splendid opportunities for principals and chorus to exercise their skills in all areas.  And amongst the principals there was much to admire is Samantha Clarke's really well sung Fiordiligi and, especially, Seán Boylan's accomplished Guglielmo, yet another example of the outstanding talent that has emerged from Ireland in recent years.  I am happy to report that I will  be in Dublin for Neue Stimmen pre-selection auditions for the first time next year.  It should prove fruitful.

I am having a pleasingly quiet time, but remaining busy with my friends and colleagues at Garsington opera where we are extremely busy during this audition season, and much occupied also with future planning with the exceptional team of Laura Canning, Nicky Creed and Sarah Playfair team freed up from the rigorous summer season schedule.  It is hugely encouraging that Garsington is doing so well under the inspiring leadership of Dougie Boyd.  The future has much tremendous stuff in store, and the sharing of the orchestra responsibilities from 2020 between the Philharmonia and the English Concert is set to elevate this summer opera to yet another new level.

Next week will be the Royal Academy of Music's Semele and the ENO War Requiem - the dress reharsal on Wednesday and opening performance on Friday.  Those together with social events, including my daughter's school's symphony orchestra concert, will make for another busy week! Meanwhile tomorrow is Remembrance Day..........

Two nights at the opera

Photo: © John Snelling

Eleazar Rodriguez (Edgardo) and Sarah Tynan (Lucia) in ENO Lucia di Lammermoor October 2018

It was a huge pleasure to return on Tuesday to the Coliseum to see David Alden's fascinating production of Lucia di Lammermoor, superbly executed in every department with a completely new cast.  This production was a knock out back in 2008 when new, and has not been revived since 2010.  ENO have lavished care on it with a magnificent new cast and a conductor, Scottish Opera's Stuart Stratford, who is surely destined for more at ENO in the future. This was a classic night of true "music theatre" - not one perhaps for pedantic bel canto purists, but certainly one for those that can have their guts wrenched by superbly effective theatre combined with music making of the highest quality and integrity.  It was completely absorbing, and one appreciates above all David Alden's extraordinary work with the ENO chorus whose commitment framed the whole evening so splendidly.  ENO at its very best!

Photo: Richard Hubert Smith

Caroline Wettergreen (La Fée) and Alix le Saux (Cendrillon) in Glyndebourne's Cendrilon

Glyndebourne's tour is celebrating 50 years this year - is it really so long as that since we set out to Newcastle to the first time in March 1968 with four productions?  Alas they are down to just two this year, plus a "Behind the Curtain" show on La traviata which seems to me to be a great innovation.  I guess it may be a second cousin of Gerard McBurney's magnificent  "Beyond the Score" series of events for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra which we enjoyed so much.  Whatever, it seems like a smart idea which I hope to get to somewhere!

Meanwhile Cendrillon is a new production which provides many pleasures.  I was in Sussex yesterday evening to see it.  The Glyndebourne management has given us an excellent cast, in particular a remarkable Swedish soprano Caroline Wettergreen as La Fée.  This is top class in admittedly a rather specialist territory.  But a first class choice. And there were two excellent French mezzos as Cendrillon and the Prince - Alix le Saux and Eléonore Pancrazi.  I was greatly struck by the young conductor, Duncan Ward.  Is this another in the long line of talents nurtured by Glyndebourne, nurtured over the years - names to conjure with such as John Pritchard, Andrew Davis and Simon Rattle?  Time will tell, and Massenet is not the measuring stick of choice - but this is a young man to watch.  I said this about Andris Nelsons back in 2005 and I got that right. As I did with Simon Rattle in 1975. But I am also sometimes wrong!

Fiona Shaw directed this beautiful production - it will be good to revisit it next summer when it is revived in the Festival.  This is a charming piece, seductive in the extreme.

Photo: Richard Hubert Smith

Alix de Saux and Eléonore Pancrazi