[richard]

A report in the Sunday Times Culture section (13 May) says that the forthcoming Glyndebourne staging of the St Matthew Passion is not sold out. I'm not surprised. There have been some bizarre choices of repertoire at Glyndebourne, but the St Matthew Passion (staged) is in a league of its own. It would be difficult to find a less natural match of venue and occasion than the summer festival at Glyndebourne for a 'staging' of the St Matthew Passion. Indeed should it be staged at all? When one thinks of all the operas that would be perfectly suited to Glyndebourne - headed by the now almost forgotten 'Village Romeo and Juliet' by Delius - one despairs. What operas would others like to see staged at Glyndebourne?

[Emcee]

Although i'm copletely out of my league here (as i've never been to Glydeborne) i'd like it if they revived their production of Norma and had Nelly Miricioiu back......its a real shame that i missed it as its so infrequently performed.

[richard]

Although i'm copletely out of my league here (as i've never been to Glydeborne) i'd like it if they revived their production of Norma and had Nelly Miricioiu back......its a real shame that i missed it as its so infrequently performed.

I can't ever recall Glyndebourne doing a production of Norma, but it would be a good piece to see there. Others that would suit Glyndebourne well include:

Delius A Village Romeo and Juliet (top of the list)
R Strauss Die Aegyptische Helena
Vaughan Williams Pilgrim's Progress
Ethel Smythe The Wreckers
Rutland Boughton The Immortal Hour
Bliss The Olympians
Busoni Doktor Faust
Saint Saens Henry VIII
Nielsen Saul and David
Cilea Adriana Lecouvreur
Massenet Thais
Verdi Un Giorno di Regbo
Humperdinck Hansel und Gretel
Nicolai Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor

A new Seraglio is also long overdue, but NOT the St Matthew Passion!

[curzon]

Although i'm copletely out of my league here (as i've never been to Glydeborne) i'd like it if they revived their production of Norma and had Nelly Miricioiu back......its a real shame that i missed it as its so infrequently performed.

That was Holland Park Opera and surely you can't be serious? It has to be one of the worst productions I've ever seen - like something out of a village hall. And the singing (apart from Diana Montague) was third rate. I don't think anyone had any concept of the mountain they were tackling. Just horrible...

Sebastian

[curzon]

I can't ever recall Glyndebourne doing a production of Norma, but it would be a good piece to see there. Others that would suit Glyndebourne well include:
R Strauss Die Aegyptische Helena

Yes to this - but would they fit the band in the pit?

Ethel Smythe The Wreckers

One of those traveller's tales operas but actually not very good.

Rutland Boughton The Immortal Hour

The title says it all

Bliss The Olympians

Dear god, no!

Saint Saens Henry VIII

OK but much rather have Anna Bolena

Cilea Adriana Lecouvreur

I've never understood the appeal of this one (except for aging divas). There are some much more interesting Verismo works

Massenet Thais

Yes - but only if Renee Fleming and Bryn Terfel do it!

Humperdinck Hansel und Gretel

Yes - Ideal. as long as Richard Jones isn't let anywhere near it!

Nicolai Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor

a bit ho hum in my view. How about Lortzing's "Der Wildshutz" or Weber's "Freischutz"?

A new Seraglio is also long overdue, but NOT the St Matthew Passion!

Agree about Seraglio (but only if they can cast it properly). I don't particularly have a problem with St M's Passion (although I shan't be paying Glyndebourne prices to see it. I'll be the one qeuing for the Tristan returns....

Sebastian

[richard]

Interesting responses! Wasn't it Arnold Bax who said that one should try everything once - except incest and country dancing? It is in this spirit that I would like to see The Olympians, The Wreckers and The Immortal Hour, and festival 'one-off' conditions would be ideal. Also some of Alan Bush's 'political operas', such as Wat Tyler. The three Britten church operas would make a good Glyndebourne evening too (albeit long) - Curlew River, The Burning Fiery Furnace and The Prodigal Son.
Saint-Saens's Henry VIII had a great success in France recently - the DVD is spectacular. It would be an ideal vehicle for Bryn Terfel. Edward German's Merrie England (don't scoff!) was also a great success at Broughton Castle, Oxfordshire, a little while ago.
Other Strauss operas would be good in Glyndebourne too - especially Die Schweigsame Frau.
But I come back to Delius' Village Romeo and Juliet' - Walk to the Paradise Garden and all. Is there a more ideal Glyndebourne opera?

a.) it is a masterpiece which would please the cognoscenti
b.) it is not too long, which would please the dining audience
c.) one would get two walks to the paradise garden, actual and musical!

[curzon]

Interesting responses! Wasn't it Arnold Bax who said that one should try everything once - except incest and country dancing? It is in this spirit that I would like to see The Olympians, The Wreckers and The Immortal Hour, and festival 'one-off' conditions would be ideal. Also some of Alan Bush's 'political operas', such as Wat Tyler. The three Britten church operas would make a good Glyndebourne evening too (albeit long) - Curlew River, The Burning Fiery Furnace and The Prodigal Son.
Saint-Saens's Henry VIII had a great success in France recently - the DVD is spectacular. It would be an ideal vehicle for Bryn Terfel. Edward German's Merrie England (don't scoff!) was also a great success at Broughton Castle, Oxfordshire, a little while ago.
Other Strauss operas would be good in Glyndebourne too - especially Die Schweigsame Frau.
But I come back to Delius' Village Romeo and Juliet' - Walk to the Paradise Garden and all. Is there a more ideal Glyndebourne opera?

a.) it is a masterpiece which would please the cognoscenti
b.) it is not too long, which would please the dining audience
c.) one would get two walks to the paradise garden, actual and musical!

I think it was Beecham who made the crack about folk dancing and brotherly love (!) Glyndebourne will always have to be reasonably circumspect about the rep it chooses because of its continuing lack of subsidy and its reliance on a comparitively conservative, rich audience. I'd certainly vote for any Strauss at Glyndebourne.
As for "Village Romeo and Juliet" I have a problem. the music is clearly gorgeous but I always find that Delius' dramatic instincts do not match his musical ones. Still, it would be good to see it directed by a sensitive director (ie not Jones, Sellars, Alden or any of their ilk). maybe Peter Hall or Trevor Nunn?

Sebastian

[richard]

According to the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, Arnold Bax was the source of the remark about incest and country dancing, but was reporting the words of a Scottish friend. (Arnold Bax, 'Farewell My Youth', 1943.)

I agree that Glyndebourne has to be circumspect over its repertoire because of its audience, but then they put on things like 'The Electrification of the Soviet Union' and 'Flight'. If there is room for those two pieces, then there should be for 'A Village Romeo and Juliet' (once a Sadler's Wells staple) and other rarities.

[curzon]

According to the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, Arnold Bax was the source of the remark about incest and country dancing, but was reporting the words of a Scottish friend. (Arnold Bax, 'Farewell My Youth', 1943.)

I agree that Glyndebourne has to be circumspect over its repertoire because of its audience, but then they put on things like 'The Electrification of the Soviet Union' and 'Flight'. If there is room for those two pieces, then there should be for 'A Village Romeo and Juliet' (once a Sadler's Wells staple) and other rarities.

How very odd. I've always heard it attributed to Beecham. EOTSU and Flight are special cases. They were done for the tour first which gets funding. Flight got very good feedback but EOTSU sounded pretty hard work.
ON did village Romeo and Juliet (twice I think) but it has yet to make inroads with the other companies. Maybe we could hope for a concert performance with a really good cast. I was thinking Bryn for the Dark Fiddler, Jonas Kauffman and Miah Persson for the lovers and conducted by Pappano or Elder. Well - One can dream....

Sebastian

[curzon]

Who said "You should make a point of trying every experience once, excepting incest and folk-dancing"?
Arnold Bax, quoting 'a sympathetic Scot' in the book Farewell My Youth (1943). The sympathetic Scot in question was the composer and conductor Guy Warrack.

Today, English folk music remains a minority interest, often scorned by the cultural establishment. (An attitude summed up by the famous legend that Sir Thomas Beecham advised "try everything once, except incest and folk-dancing" - to which a critic allegedly replied "what's so bad about incest?"

Hmm. A divergence of opinion. However the majority do seem to plump for Bax.

Sebastian