After my trip to Turkey I have been suffering from some virus which has plagued so many people over the last month - cough, cold, sinus, ear ache, exhaustion.....everything but fever! So I have been lying low, although I made it to Philip Glass's Akhnaten at the Coliseum before being finally knocked out for the last week. I was particularly sad to miss the cover run of Akhnaten at ENO, and the scenes at the Royal Academy of Music last Thursday.
Anyway I am on the mend and taking the opportunity of having a burst of energy (relatively) to bring the blog up to date.
Akhnaten is a piece for which I have some affection. It was one of the hits of my first season at Chicago Opera Theater in July 2000, a co-production with Boston Lyric Opera which I was fortunate enough to inherit from my predecessors. The composer came for a few days and we had a great time together with Phil participating in all events in his generous way. The piece had a mesmerising effect on the sold out houses, and the excellent Mary Zimmerman's production was a considerable step up for the company. I wanted Mary to do more work for the company but she really didn't have the time, so I "discovered" the amazing Diane Paulus instead. Diane went on to do no less than seven productions for us, including the three da Ponte Mozarts, and the three Monteverdi opera - great days.
©Jane Hobson
Katie Stevenson, Anthony Roth Costanzo and Rebecca Bottone in ENO's Akhnaten
Phelim McDermott's production was a major success for the company when new just three years ago - and it has been splendidly revived, one again to sold out houses. Of course Philip Glass is something of a "Marmite" composer - polarising opinion. But Marmite has survived to give pleasure since 1902. And Philip Glass is no less a survivor, for which opera companies are most grateful!
Anthony Roth Costanzo is remarkable in the title role, Katie Stevenson is new to the cast as an impressive and splendidly sung Nefertiti, and the rest of the ensemble remains pretty well intact from 2016. And the excellent Karen Kamensek presides authoritatively in the pit.
It seems that spring has sprung on London - record mid February temperatures. We'll soon be seeing bluebells! But I guess something will come back to bite us.
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