Kasper Holten: ‘Let us wait and see what happens with Lucia’
mainThe director of the Royal Opera company at Covent Garden has intervened in the debate over excesses of sex and violence in its forthcoming production of Lucia di Lammermoor.
In a posting on Slipped Disc this morning, Kasper says (inter alia):
First of all, let me underline that there is no case of sexual violence in this production, as some comments in an earlier thread suspected. Trust me, following what happened around Guillaume Tell we would have warned specifically about that, if that had been the case. I tried to make it clear that the sex and violence are entirely separate.
Second, whilst I enjoy the discussion about interpretations and productions in general, maybe we should stop discussing Lucia specifically now until the production has actually opened.
Read the full Kasper letter here.
Maybe some London spectators of the forthcoming production of Lucia di Lammermoor will simply shut their eyes, as in this illustration: the Paris Opera posters one can see in the city and the Paris metro these days for the 2016/2017 season.
All the model’s faces I have seen have their eyes shut!
http://www.lexpress.fr/actualites/1/culture/l-opera-de-paris-presente-sa-saison-2016-2017-la-derniere-pour-benjamin-millepied_1762383.html
🙂
A poster for a *ballet* performance in another city.
But I suppose when you have NOTHING to say, desperation creeps in, eh?
The second time you’ve posted the same twaddle.
It is, believe it or not, the official advertising campaign for the next season of the Paris Opera (which does include the ballet company).
Yes, and?
I too am not sure of the relevance of the poster comment/analogy.
Models close their eyes because (probably) the photographer has told them to, for artistic reasons (which admittedly may remain a bit opaque).
But please, could people stop being so rude and personal, either about other commenters’ motivations or their intelligence.
Exactly the point I was trying to make yesterday. Judge by all means: on the experience. And to the ROH: sex and violence ratings seem to be appreciated, so keep them up. This is, after all, the trigger-warning society, to whom a safety zone trumps everything else: cultural experience, academic excellence, critical thinking, debate. Surprised the pampered little self-obsessives have actually taken up the opera.
Nothing beats the booming 1984-like warnings issued on British trains and stations : “Mind the gap when getting off the train, make sure you have all your belongings with you at all times, would passengers please be aware that this train will not be stopping at XY because of the late running of the train due to the difficulty in finding a driver, your buffet manager today is Steve, who will be serving you with a,b,c,d but please be aware that hot drinks are not available on this service due to. …..THANK YOU! ” Aaagh
Which, as we all know, constitutes an “apology” for the existence of said gap.
BTW the last ROH production of Lucia was terrible, completely awful. I cannot remember who the director was, but it was full of directorial cliches such as luggage and furniture abuse. Pido conducted ploddingly and poorly.
Let’s hope this at least has more to say, ideally related to the piece.
The ENO production though was not bad… Alden?
Yes, the ENO production of Lucia was directed by David Alden. Very effective and dramatically staged.
The production re-used substantial sections of scenery from Alden’s previous ‘Ariodante’ production for ENO.
I bet there will be an I Spit on Your Grave style castration scene. With Lucia holding the member during the mad song. Hence the bath tub on the poster.