I am far too tired to write a proper report now, but I can't go to bed without saying just how wonderful tonight's Don Carlo was - the last in the run, but, for me, the real opening of the Royal Opera House season (I had been to the Insight Evening and Friends' Rehearsal, but they're 'fringe' events).
A really amazing cast of singers: it's difficult to believe that a finer cast has appeared. And difficult to decide which out of Jonas Kaufmann, Simon Keenlyside and Ferruccio Furlanetto was the best. All three inhabited their roles and sung them splendidly.
For the first two acts I was prepared to concede that Marina Poplavskaya was 'good' but 'good' alongside 'verging on greatness' is, well, ... Then she really got going and was a match for any of the men, not least in her wonderful Act V solo, which brought the house down and reduced me to tears.
Marianne Cornetti was a creditable Eboli. She was the least convincing physically, but she was more than satisfactory vocally - just, like many other people, I suspect she'd be better as an Ulrica or Azucena.
John Tomlinson was probably the weak link as The Grand Inquisitor, far too much wobble, but, as ever, he compensated for that with imposing stage presence, notwithstanding the Santa Claus resemblance. and Robert Lloyd was fine as the Monk/Carlos Quinto - not the best even of Robert Lloyd's 'Senior Artist' roles, but undoubtedly luxury casting.
What really made it work was the superb conducting of Semyon Bychkov. Very different from Tony Pappano's lush style and difficult to say which is preferable - an ideal world see frequent revivals of this (or a new production!) with them alternating.
Bychkov's spare and precise manner brought out some amazing nuances of detail. There was one occasion when the brass came out with a phrase that just knocked me back in my seat. And at other times, such as in the introduction (and accompaniment) to O Fontainebleu when I heard the pizzicato strings sound so much like guitars, a naive accompaniment when out in the woods. The only bit that didn't work for me was the Veil Song. The set designer has tried (and failed) to capture the quality of southern European light and Moorish colours in the notorious 'lego' set, and the music should be Moorish, hints of the Arabic scale, mixed with bursts of inflamed Flamenco. Perhaps it needs a Spanish conductor, but I can't actually think of any.
It was wonderful to hear the Royal Opera Orchestra at the peak of its game. I was surprised that one person decided to boo Bychkov as he entered for the final two acts, but that just encouraged everyone else to clap, bravo and cheer.
My only downside was that during O Fontainebleu, the people in front of me got annoyed that the people in front of them were leaning forward, obstructing their view, and kept waving their arms around to attract the attention of the usher to 'tell them'. I can sympathise with their annoyance (although it didn't stop them doing the same, and thus obstructing my view, later) but to have been so distracting during Jonas's big aria was just unforgivable: they really deserved a slapping.
I didn't go the stage door after, because I am just over the worst of a cold that has transformed (inevitably) into a cough, and I think we all know not to go near singers when in such a condition.
NB I bought my ticket for this performance myself. I did not receive it compliments of ROH or anyone associated with them.
