Covent Garden cancels Peter Grimes stream
NewsIt appears the production is so popular they are holding back the livestream until the autumn. Is that wise?
Here’s the statement:
Please note that Peter Grimes will now be streamed later this year, not in April as previously announced. The response to Deborah Warner’s shattering production has been phenomenal – we apologise for the change and will announce a new stream date later in the year.
If the response is “shattering” that surely means it is sold out. And if it is sold out, why not stream?
Unless of course they plan to do it again next year! I’m going to the last performance on the 31st and having reviewed Grimes in Vienna with Kaufmann and Davidsen for the Edinburgh Music Review and Slipped Disc will be interested to make comparisons!
I was about to write the same. As it happens, the remaining performances (four) are indeed sold out, with the exception of the performance tomorrow, which is almost sold out (only expensive tickets in the Grand Tier available). The announcement is either bait to sell the remaining tickets, or they have something up their sleeve.
Or it’s not cracked up to what’s meant to be, so don’t want it recorded for the perceived pleb like me who can’t afford to go down from the north, only the rich elite, and I won’t see it at all now!
If you read it carefully you’ll see that the response is phenomenal, and it’s the performance that is shattering…..
Can mean anything? From whose perspective?
Presumably they want to monetise it more effectively – maybe arrange a cinema screening, which is not currently schedule?
Disappointed that we are being made to wait until the Autumn. I don’t understand why
I think you’re reading a cause and effect into that announcement – ie we’re holding it back _because_ it’s been so popular – that simply isn’t there. It sounds to me that there are technical or contractual reasons for not streaming now, perhaps to do with the co-production partners, that Covent Garden obviously isn’t going to publicly disclose. It’s a shame nonetheless. I saw it live on Sunday and it was wonderful. It was the only production of Grimes I’ve ever seen that didn’t fizzle out by the end (normally Act One is incredible, Act Two is OK, and Act Three is a rehash of the themes of the first two acts, a sub-Lucia mad scene, and an unforgivable spoken word cop out when Balustrade tells Grimes to sink the boat).
Am wondering what you mean about “unforgivable spoken word cop out”? It’s written that way in the score.
Balstrode not Balustrade! Damn you auto correct!
Nothing like striking while the iron is cold….
That’s ridiculous! All the reviews I have read about this production have been 5 star.
People want to see the stream now while it’s hot.
Exactly! Not in October when it will be ancient history.
So, yet again, ROH have let down those of us who cannot get to Covent Garden to see another of their shattering productions? Wait until the autumn, why?
The cost of travelling to and staying overnight in London is prohibititve for many who, through our taxes, help keep this totally London based company in the manner to which it is allowed to exist. Ditto, ENO round the corner.
So, London audiences get to see this but we have to wait to pay our £16 to watch the streaming when it suits the Suits.
Both the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet continue to show their contempt for the rest of the UK. and they continue to get away with it. We, in the ‘provinces’ are again treated with the contempt that the London based cultural crown jewels know they can get away with. Using the current hackneyed cliche….. ‘Levelling Up’? Certainly not as far as the ‘Arts’ are concerned.
Shame on them!
Well, up North you can carry on listening to Brass Bands while eating your Yorkshire puddings. Maybe someone will arrange the Grimes mad scene for cornet.
Get your facts right.
As has been pointed out before, the ROH has made TWO serious attempts to establish a foothold in Manchester. In the 1980s, the stage of the Palace Theatre was extended to take ROH productions unmodified (20ft added to rear stage, 12ft fly tower extension). The ROH took Otello, Tosca and Lohengrin with top casts but attendance in ‘opera starved’ Manchester was poor. The following season was cancelled. In 2008/9, the Lowry campaigned against the ROH’s more ambitious plans to establish a production base and this contributed to the project being abandoned. The idea of actually growing an audience through more opera productions obviously didn’t register.
So far as the ENO is concerned, it was reported here some time ago that the Arts Council does not allow the company to tour. I have not been able to verify that.
Contempt? Stop being so chippy and get off the victim bandwagon. Things are rarely that simple.
Absolutely spot on, Allen. Also factor in the logistics and — sorry to mention this — the enormous cost of moving and accommodating the production (including all the singers, both soloists and chorus, 60 piece orchestra, stage staff, costumes, sets, pantechnicons, drivers, etc) around the country for a couple of months or so. And how certain is it that there will be sufficient interest from the paying punters to cover all these costs through box office receipts?
I attended all the performances when ROH visited Manchester and the nights I attended were not poorly supported. Speaking at the time with someone who sang at Covent Garden and who had trained at the RNCM he said that this was little more than a gesture to the Arts Council of the day. He didn’t see any future in it and so it proved.
Some years later I attended a sponsorship gathering in the Crush Bar at ROH to drum up support for an upcoming Ring Cycle. When I tried to bring up the resurrected Manchester base, the ROH representative said she was not aware of what was a widely available plan, with as you say objections from the Lowry and, as I recall, the RNCM, but it would never go ahead because ROH was an international company not a regional one. She repeated a comment circulating at time of the Manchester visit, allegedly attributed to Grace Bumbry, International Opera Stars don’t tour as to why the Opera Company don’t but no one has ever offered a satisfactory reason as to why the Royal Ballet won’t.
Personal opinions that happen to support your cynicism. Taking three productions to Manchester is quite a ‘gesture’. The fact remains, the ROH did go to Manchester, as you were obviously aware, but you omitted this from your rant because it did not support your carefully nurtured grievance.
The ROH’s second attempt involved a more substantial base in Manchester. Presumably this would have avoided the alleged ‘touring’ problem. Local objections also omitted. Don’t let the facts get in the way of a bit of cheap London bashing.
And the Lohengrin was not well attended. I was there.
‘International Opera Stars don’t tour’
A second location in the UK is hardly living out of a suitcase.
Glyndeboune Touring Opera is visiting five locations in 2022. That’s touring. I’d call a season in Manchester a residency. I’m sure the Royal Opera could put together a cast that could cope, if Manchester’s institutions could get over their parochialism.
ENO used to tour – it went to the Met in 1984. But ENO North was set up bt Lord Harewood in 1978, and and then later went independent and became Opera North.
It was in 1982 when ROH came to the Manchester Palace. I saw Tosca and all I could afford. It brought both opera and ballet. I sang in the Poulenc Gloria they danced as part of the triple bill. In the Manchester Evening News, an article written that came to the conclusion it was cheaper to bus everyone down to London than bring up ROH. But then we had Opera North, Glyndebourne, Welsh National Opera, and Kent Opera coming to Manchester at the time.
From abroad: Patience, patience, opera lovers!
Very disappointed, I was looking forward to this.
Who the flip is Deborah Warner? Soprano? Conductor? Composer? Why is he or she mentioned?
Don’t fret over it. It’ not a great show. Emperor’s New Clothes rules.