Intermezzo: Royal Opera House 2009/10 season - EXCLUSIVE - all the details.
No surprises in that list and just about everything we expected, but great finally to have some casts filled out, and some more definite dates. There's almost nothing I wish to miss and there are certain things that you would have to incarcerate me to keep me away. Obviously, for me, the highlights are Tamerlano and
(Simon Boccanegra)
Obviously, being that Tamerlano stars Senor Chesthair, and is by now one of the Handel operas I know the best, and is a beautiful production, it goes without saying that I would go. I'm not clear whether it will be the ROH orchestra or a baroque specialist ensemble. I hope for the latter. I'm a bit disappointed in the conductor, but he'll do (and it's certainly not one I'd like Tony to conduct!).
The rest of the Boccanegra looks strong and attractive, and that's definitely an opera I'd want Tony conducting.
The other obvious highlights are Don Carlo and Tristan und Isolde, although whether one will be able to stand the tension of whether it's an 'on' night or a night of cracks for Ben Heppner.
Rosenkavalier has an irresistible cast, especially Soile Isokoski whom we don't get enough of at Covent Garden, and Lucy Crowe who I was disappointed to miss the other night but has a gorgeous voice and a star in the ascendancy. I will probably give the Boheme a miss. Although it would be interesting to see if Piotr Beczala has become really such a wow singer as some claim, since I last heard him, I don't think I could endure the named soprano in an opera I detest.
I don't really know Rake's Progress, but the cast is very tempting. Kyle Ketelsen is such an underrated singer, Stephanie Blythe is a one-off, and I was totally won over to the charms of Toby Spence recently in La Resurrezione at the Barbican; Kate Royal I just don't get.
Without knowing the full cast for Cosi I can't say more, but it's a wonderful production of an opera that, although it can drag a bit, is fun, and chocked full of great tunes. To my shame I don't know Cunning Little Vixen at all, but I don't see a reason to stay away. Turco in Italia doesn't interest me, so I'll probably give that a miss.
Aida is far from being my favourite Verdi, but Marcelo Alvarez makes it a must-see. Plus, of course, David McVicar being in charge of proceedings. Traviata throws up an interesting combination - Saimir Pirgu and Ermolena Jaho, interesting for both being Albanian. The 'B cast' Violetta is La Ghoergheous, so that demands two visits (at least). But can we have a new production, pls?
La Fille and Nozze are unmissable, Manon I don't know, but who could miss the Trebs and Eyebrows show? And the season finishing with Salome. I don't recall what I wrote of this last time round, and although I could search on here, the point is that the more time since it happened elapses, the more of a strong impression it makes on my memory
There is barely a production where I think - oh god, I would like to see that but there is someone in the cast who is such a deterrent I'm going to have to avoid it (although there's no details yet of the B casts for Boheme and Carmen, and in any case I need to be drawn to Boheme by a don't-miss singer, and I'll be bored once Che gelida manina is over).
I'm not sure it's a particularly balanced season, but thankfully, except for the inevitable dreary Boheme, it's cut out a lot of Puccini over-kill of the current season. There are several operas I am avoiding this season because of certain cast members (Trovatore and Traviata in particular, and Tosca I'm going to despite certain cast members). All my favourite tenors make appearances, but I regret the absence of my favourite baritone.
But only two operas from the first 200 years of opera history (and one feels the Handel is only there because of Plácido). And the only concession to modernity is Rake's Progress (1951) by the only composer whose life overlapped mine (died 1971). Perhaps there will be more in ROH2. ENO's season is more balanced and exciting, although of course lacks the starpower of ROH, and because ENO doesn't do mediocre, one runs the risk of getting the appallingly bad as well as the brilliant.
Obviously this season won't satisfy the overwhelming vast majority of fossils on newsgroups because a) it will include visual aspects b) most of the singers can do more than just bellow loudly and c) the biggest crime of all, not one of the scheduled singers is dead, which means that none of them can be taken seriously.
I have read that the official announcement is either 21 or 23 April.
