# Met in HD today: Iphigénie en Tauride



## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Who is going to attend? I am. Let's start a thread for it, and post comments after the broadcast.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Not the same as watching but it's on our BBC Radio 3 so I'll listen.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

I also will listen live on NRK P2. Not overly familiar with Gluck, so it'll probably be interesting.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Im going to watch it should be good, but I dont know much about it?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

emiellucifuge said:


> Im going to watch it should be good, but I dont know much about it?


It's a late one in Gluck's output (the one before last) and very different from Orfeo et Euridice in the fact that it is more delicate, no big show stoppers, it's been called a "chamber opera" metaphorically speaking. Some criticize Gluck for not having recovered from the original play its raw violence, due to some dissociation between the content of the plot and the light character of the music. Still, it is very beautiful, and with two top singers like Graham and Domingo I think we can't go wrong. Will be leaving home soon, so, see you after the show.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Hope you enjoy the evening


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> It's a late one in Gluck's output (the one before last) and very different from Orfeo et Euridice in the fact that it is more delicate, no big show stoppers, it's been called a "chamber opera" metaphorically speaking. Some criticize Gluck for not having recovered from the original play its raw violence, due to some dissociation between the content of the plot and the light character of the music. Still, it is very beautiful, and with two *top singers like Graham and Domingo *I think we can't go wrong. Will be leaving home soon, so, see you after the show.


Paul Groves isn't too dusty either....

As usual I'll be seeing it in a couple of months' time.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Unfortunately I couldnt attend 
A whole bunch of things got in my way which id rather not get into.

Hope you enjoy it.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

ok, just finished, posting from the pizzeria accross from the movie theater on my cell phone. natalie dessay was the host and this was fun. we were treated to a preview of her mad scene - dress rehearsal. graham and domingo both had a cold but soldiered on. paul groves was excellent. good traditional staging. enjoyable but no fireworks.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I'm back home, and above while posting from the small screen and keyboard of my smartphone, I was sort of telegraphic. But I'm not sure I have much more to add. I'll try.

Placido seemed really ill. Old, heavy, not in good shape. I hope it's just the cold (he was visibly hoarse during the intermission interviews), but he's 70, just had cancer surgery, and I'm starting to grow concerned about his health. We may be seeing some of his last performances after his extraordinarily long career.

Graham sang very well in spite of the cold, but tried to save her voice by not projecting it very far. I'm using to her being more powerful on stage.

Oh, another word about the staging: they have opted for one single scenario, divided in three rooms, a large one and two small ones, lighted in different colors (bluish for the small side room, reddish for the main room of the temple, and there is a very narrow space that is supposed to be the exterior of the temple lighted as if it was receiving sun light). This is helpful in terms of not wasting time with scene changes, but becomes a bit monotonous and claustrophobic, especially because the two small rooms are too small.

Natalie Dessay is a very interesting host. In a sense, her bits during this broadcast (with several minutes of her upcoming Lucia mad scene being shown from the dress rehearsal) were the best parts.

Overall, the afternoon was a bit disappointing. Still enjoyable, like I said, but could have been better. When this performance comes out on DVD, I'm not sure I'll want to purchase it.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> Natalie Dessay is a very interesting host. In a sense, her bits during this broadcast (with several minutes of her upcoming Lucia mad scene being shown from the dress rehearsal) were the best parts.


I was unfortunately unable to watch today, but I've noticed that she seems to enjoy being behind the mic. She's done quite a few of the "hostess" segments for the Live in HD series as I recall. I'm sure you've seen her interviewing Anna re: Lucia? (Unfortunately, Anna's limited English hinders her quite a bit in the interview). 





e: Holy moly Almaviva, were you aware of this channel on YT? I'm sure you are, but it was new to me.
http://www.youtube.com/user/AskAnnaNetrebko

Sorry for off topic


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

rgz said:


> I was unfortunately unable to watch today, but I've noticed that she seems to enjoy being behind the mic. She's done quite a few of the "hostess" segments for the Live in HD series as I recall. I'm sure you've seen her interviewing Anna re: Lucia? (Unfortunately, Anna's limited English hinders her quite a bit in the interview).
> 
> e: Holy moly Almaviva, were you aware of this channel on YT? I'm sure you are, but it was new to me.
> http://www.youtube.com/user/AskAnnaNetrebko
> ...


Yep, I'm aware of it, Anna gives advice on child rearing, cooking... LOL. I can't say I have a need for these, but listening to her is a pleasure anyway.

And as you can see, I quite like Natalie Dessay... it's just when she competes with my Anna that I turn against her.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Placido seemed really ill. Old, heavy, not in good shape. I hope it's just the cold (he was visibly hoarse during the intermission interviews), but he's 70, just had cancer surgery, and I'm starting to grow concerned about his health. We may be seeing some of his last performances after his extraordinarily long career.


This makes me feel really sad. I'm a great fan of Placidone's although I must admit I think he might be soldiering on too long. Maybe time to retire and do coaching, masterclasses etc.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> This makes me feel really sad. I'm a great fan of Placidone's although I must admit I think he might be soldiering on too long. Maybe time to retire and do coaching, masterclasses etc.


But last time I saw him in Simon Boccanegra I thought he had many more years ahead of him. He seemed strong and energetic. This time, however, he wasn't well. There was a sharp decline, most likely due to his health problems rather than any voice problems. After all, he had major surgery in between the two roles.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Interesting review from an American living in Paris.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

sospiro said:


> Interesting review from an American living in Paris.


I agree with this reviewer about the intrusive choreography - I forgot to mention that part in my review, it's another downside of this production - and with the poor camera work (actually the cameras were even visible at various points and sometimes, like the reviewer said, were pointing at the wrong singer).

I also agree with the crowded stage with the three rooms, like I said.

What I don't agree is with all the praise for Susan's and Plácido's singing. I think this guy is having the automatic reflex of praising them no matter what. Given that they had a cold, it's understandable, but I've seen both do a lot better. Susan was the wiser one, she sang in low volume most of the time, and it does fit well the delicacy of Iphigénie's music, but I'd expect a more energetic Susan. She is of course a great actress, no doubt about it, and this doesn't change with a cold. Domingo is a formidable artist and of course has the resources to do well even when he has a cold and is hoarse, but this really wasn't a good day for him, unfortunately. So, they both did OK (Domingo less so), but not as well as this guy is gushing about, at least in my humble opinion.

My point is, this is definitely not an _Iphigénie en Tauride_ for the ages, and I don't even think I'll buy the DVD when (if) it comes out. But then, I've been wrong before, maybe *I* was influenced by the knowledge that the artists were sick, so, I'll be curious to know what other people here think of this production when it reaches other media and other dates (there's the encore in mid-March, it gets to New Zealand a while later, then there's the MetPlayer, and finally, possibly a DVD, although I'm not sure the Met should invest their resources on releasing this one on DVD - but then, anything with Domingo sells well, so, they may).


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

We saw this last night - my first viewing of the opera, although I have it on CD.

As you say Alma, in terms of the singing it was a mixed bag. Placidone sounded ill even when singing, and looked exhausted. What was the wretched cameraman doing in his dressing room in the interval when he obviously really needed to rest? I was amazed that Susan Graham got such a beautiful sound out when she sounded so hoarse in the interview, but she did have to sneak a cough into her special hankie in one of the scenes. Paul Groves sang amazingly but he isn't one of the world's greatest actors, only really managing puzzled and grumpy.

I also agree about the claustrophobic rooms, although it did keep things taut and moving. I like the way the back story was made more visible to the modern audience who would not automatically know it as in Gluck's time, and thought there were some striking visuals - for example the "Clytemnaestra in the wall" shot where both siblings feel their dead mother's hand on their heads.

Let's not forget the utterly gorgeous music - Gluck definitely deserves more love and I'm glad the Met is giving him some. Unfortunately Auckland doesn't seem to know this, my cinema was half empty on a Saturday night, whereas a third-rate Aida will pack'em to the rafters.


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