Category Archives: going to operas
An unrepresentative audience for Berlioz
I went to Welsh National Opera’s production of Beatrice and Benedict at the Bristol Hippodrome. This was a sumptuous production, with lavish sets and costumes, and beautifully lit as the evening turned to moonlight in the first act. But if … Continue reading
Don Giovanni: Rodin meets Velasquez
It’s a bit like what they say about rats: you’re never far from a performance of Don Giovanni. This is one of my favourite operas, certainly my favourite by Mozart, and shamefully I’d never seen it. At last I took … Continue reading
Weber/Berlioz at the Proms
My husband went to the penultimate night of the Proms. It’s no longer invariably Beethoven 9; this time it was a semi-staged performance of Der Freischütz in the adaptation by Berlioz, which sets recitatives to music and uses Invitation to … Continue reading
I get to hear Eternal Light
This piece by Howard Goodall seems to be flavour of the month right now. It received two performances on the south side of Lansdown Hill within four weeks, the second being by CanZona. It formed the second part of a … Continue reading
Carmen at the Hippodrome
My daughter and I went to WNO’s Carmen at the Bristol Hippodrome – her first visit to an opera performance. The theatre was full (which caused some rather noisy air-conditioning to be turned on in the second act) and she … Continue reading
in the gallery – or not?
I went to hear Bath Minerva Choir conducted by Gavin Carr perform their seasonal concert, An English Christmas, in St Swithin’s Church, Walcot. This was the first time I’d been to a concert in this church (I gather that they … Continue reading
a return to Puccini
The first opera I ever saw was Tosca (in a Glyndebourne touring production in Oxford). Since then I haven’t been to a performance of any opera by Puccini. This is clearly the year of the monochrome opera, as this is … Continue reading
a controversial video
I went with a friend to the performance of Berg’s Wozzeck at the Royal Festival Hall which ended the Philharmonia and Esa-Pekka Salonen’s City of Dreams season. I did some background reading for this by digging out my copy of … Continue reading
Requiem (1): Fauré
This year we did the Fauré Requiem again for All Souls. This is the third time in the lifetime of this blog that I’ve performed this piece so I’m beginning to run out of things to say about it. There … Continue reading
The Sacrifice
Welsh National Opera used to tailor letters to members of their mailing list based on what they had booked for in the past. I can see them writing to me: ‘Dear Dr Knight, We see that you have a liking … Continue reading