Mainly Opera and Ballet
When the performance began I wondered whether Glyndebourne had made the right decision in bringing Seraglio to the Proms, as opposed to one of their other new productions such as Donizetti’s Poliuto or Handel’s Saul, which would have sounded well in the Albert Hall. Mozart’s Seraglio, performed in Glyndebourne under its original title Die Entführung …
Programming at the Proms can be outstanding, and this was a case in point. Starting with Boulez’ Figures – Doubles – Prismes for an evening whose climax is Firebird was an inspired choice. An article in the programme describes this piece for three ensembles — appearing on stage as a single orchestra — as a …
Monteverdi’s Orfeo is a triumph of harmony, both musically and in the Classical lines of its dramatic construction. This Proms performance too was a triumph, sidelining the artless production put on by the Royal Opera at the Roundhouse in January. First composed in 1607 for the Gonzaga court at Mantua where Monteverdi was director of …
