English National Opera tweets a live defence
OperaLatest tweet from the imperilled ENO:
As we get ready for the final performance of The Yeomen of the Guard tonight, we're looking back on this special performance of Gilbert & Sullivan's 'I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General' from @jsavournin that we surprised audiences with during the run. #LoveENO pic.twitter.com/4dkwVfVbIx
— English National Opera (@E_N_O) December 2, 2022
And if the’d gone outside of London as they promised long ago…
The situation wouldn’t be so very, very full of woe.
They were forbidden from touring, by the Arts Council. Yes, the same Arts Council who now berate them for being London-centric.
They already did. English National Opera North was founded in the 1970’s, later rebranding as Opera North.
The sentiments may be well meant and honest. But the stubbornly pedestrian tempo is a real hindrance, the soloist is really no more than adequate, and the scrappy orchestra with its excruciating tangled strings and poor intonation amongst the winds, hardly add up to a good advert for ENO (actually for the funding of the ENO).
The aims of the Sadler’s Wells Opera Company back in the 1930s were laudable if ultimately misguided; the move to the Coliseum in 1968 was the beginning of the end. It’s been said many times before, but the acoustics at the latter venue make it completely irrelevant in what language an opera is sung. And singing in English does not make opera less elitist, assuming of course one finds the genre snobbish and exclusive.
Perhaps there is still a chance to found an excellent new company, at a different venue. Start small and let it grow. Probably a pipe dream as the funding demand will, as ever, be huge. But who knows?
The opening paragraph of this comment, after the first sentence, is a disgrace
It’s an opinion Siegfried. You don’t have to agree with it.
The point is that the lack of funding over the years, compounded by the failure to move out of the Coliseum, has led to this as the musical standard.
Or do you find the tempo dashing, nay spruce, the vocal rendition captivating, and the orchestral playing cultivated and homogenous? Maybe my ears are on wrong, to reference Charles Ives.
You’re a tougher judge than I am, but I’m always puzzled when a different opinion – if even that – sets off a variety of people.
Not long ago, I posted a comment about how SD.com has just about ignored the opening of NYC’s revamped Geffen Hall (formerly Avery Fisher), wondered why that was, & got several thumbs down. For what?
Certain people are almost neurotically thin-skinned.
Oh dear. You appear not to have realised that this was a post-bows addendum to an existing production. It’s a political joke. It’s not opera.
That you feel you can slur the singers ENO orchestra on the basis of the sound in a Tweet of a satirical skit says a great deal about your judgement- none of it good, I’m afraid.
The joke’s on you.
I understand perfectly well thank you that this is political satire; perhaps W.S. Gilbert might even have approved of the new libretto.
And I also realise that this is obviously not opera, but thank you for pointing that out, too.
As any fule kno, G&S is a decidedly British idiosyncratic take on 19th century operetta, in the sense of opera buffa with spoken dialogue, or a dramma giocosa. So if the joke is “on” anyone, then, as in Gilbert’s time, it is at the expense of the politicians of the day. His “little list” was, it turned out, actually rather long.
Stating the obvious here, but “Yeomen of the Guard” remains Savoy Opera at its most serious, and was probably as far as Gilbert was willing to go along the road to opera seria. Sullivan, for this part, had his favourite music drama in mind, “Die Meistersinger”, when he composed Yeomen, and was well on the way to “Ivanhoe”.
For the record, I’ve seen the production, and can only concur with a crit. in Musical Theatre Review by Susan Elkin, who writes:
“Instead of ‘Rapture, rapture’ we get ‘My eyes are fully open’ from Ruddigore which is a witty and effective idea although ‘this particularly rapid, unintelligible patter’ is neither rapid nor unintelligible in this version. In fact it’s rather pedestrian and that goes for other moments in the show too.”
Curiously, she uses the same word, “pedestrian”, which I (honestly) read after the fact.
If your ears are on wrong, then mine must be too. Your criticism was accurate. This was evidently a well-intentioned move, as was the unfocused letter to The Times signed by the Great and the Good. But in both cases my response was “you’ve got to do better than that”.
The video raises other questions. First, why was the soloist using a microphone? Is that an admission that only the greatest singers can fill the Coliseum with music without the aid of amplification?
Second, what were the audience numbers, and demographic, like for The Yeomen of the Guard? I suspect that the appeal of G&S to the under-50s in a multicultural city like London is in terminal decline. So even if the execution had been sparkling, was this song a good choice by ENO management when they we’re looking for an inspirational rallying anthem?
If your ears are on wrong, then mine must be also. Your criticism was accurate. As with the unfocused letter to The Times signed by the Great and the Good, my response was “you’ve got to do better than that”.
The video raises other questions. First, why was the soloist wearing a microphone? Is that an admission that most singers need amplification to be heard in such a large theatre?
Second, what were the audience numbers, and demographics, like for “The Yeomen of the Guard”? I suspect that the appeal of G&S to under-40s in a multicultural city like London is in terminal decline. So even if the execution had been sparkling, was this song a good choice by ENO management when they we’re looking for an inspirational rallying anthem?
Excellent points. The tweet handled by management in a crass, maladroit way.
In what way is it “a disgrace”?
The singing of the soloist was so mediocre that I found myself wondering if he was a gallant member of ENO’s management team, rather than a professional singer. Do those guys seriously think that people will rush to the Coliseum to hear singing of that quality?
I agree, La plus belle voix: posting such a low quality excerpt confirms why this company must go. Siegfried’s emotional comment below only reflects how deaf their elderly audience have become. The arrival of Martyn Brabbins signalled a gross downturn in musical standards, coupled with Michelle Williams’ localised casting. (RIP John McMurray.) Last weeks Parliamentary questions were interesting: why is that transition money not being used to help their employees transition into new jobs? Instead, Stuart Murphy will refuse to pay back their 8 million covid debt and force another season of mediocrity? (The opening night of their recent pantomime, It’s a Wonderful Life, perfectly reflects Stuart Murphy and Annilese Miskimmon’s apparent mission and vision: Opera for Dummies.). The ENO should be giving that money to it’s full time employees as they all navigate new jobs (or for some, let’s hope new professions). The only lingering error is that Serota could not immediately remove the Chairman, CEO, AD and MD – all of whom have driven the company to its current state of banality. To think that group of like-minded navel-gazers are reinventing this company is a sad affair in itself. I have noticed Stuart Murphy likes to say the words World Class and Brilliant every chance he gets. Perhaps someone should teach him how to spell redundant.
I’m not sure you understand Gilbert and Sullivan. Savournin is one of it’s most practiced performers. The Major-General was written for George Grossmith, who half spoke half sang. Savournin is one of a very few who are reviving G&S once again and giving it a future.
I am not a native speaker, and do not understand “one of it is most”.
Other than that, if Savournin has inherited the mantle of Eric Roberts, then God help us all.
Watch and listen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg32rsShbso
(do note tempo!)
Does G&S merit a future? Since the death of Mackerras, which serious conductors have been willing to perform it? And how often is it performed outside the UK? By contrast, many of the greatest conductors, from Furtwängler to Barenboim, have performed the wonderful “light” music of the Strauss family, all over the world.
Hear hear. A sad state of affairs that public money is spent on outdated and mediocre tripe such as G&S- what a waste.
Well, I enjoyed it and I used to work for D’Oyly Carte, mind you they went down the pan for being too set in their ways and old fashioned.