The Bach Choir / Philharmonia / Hunt, Royal Festival Hall, London; a concert I went to nearly two weeks ago. The Independent doesn't like Christ on the Mount of Olives:
Yet its continuity is oddly choppy, its material obstinately unmemorable.
However, it's a piece with which I have recently fallen inextricably in love, and keep playing and playing, one of the very few works for which I have an urge to get the score, and, incidentally, the CD which is playing even now, gets an excellent review in yesterday's New York Times
Mr. Domingo has by far the most substantial role, and he sings with enviable robustness for a man over 60. A committed Wagnerian in recent decades, he has no trouble with Huber's German lyrics, imparting tender feeling to the words, especially in his anguished duet with Ms. Orgonasova. For her part, she is undaunted by high-flying passages.That duet is sublime gorgeousness.
Cautious and reserved praise for Carmen, which I'm seeing next week.
A disgraceful review in the Observer of Arabella, which I saw last week. It is not the critics' place to criticise the audience. The audience who are paying - possibly three times (taxes, donations and ticket purchase) - for the presumably free seat enjoyed by the critic. A very nice seat, too, no doubt, one that prevented him from knowing that the booing audience was actually pissed off by not being able to see a significant proportion of the action from the cheaper seats bought with a guarantee of clear sight of the stage.
I am so disappointed that I missed Karita Mattila.
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