Monthly Archives: December 2012

Not a potato in sight

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clemenzaToday’s MetHD broadcast was Mozart’s last, and arguably best, opera La Clemenza di Tito.  J-P Ponnelle’s production has been around for a while and offers nothing to offend traditionalists.  There’s not a baked potato, muscle suit or child sacrifice in sight.  The set, maybe more Italian Renaissance than Imperial Rome is elegant, undistracting and very singer friendly.  The costumes are a rather eclectic mix of late 17th century and Republican Rome with a bit of Lady Capulet thrown in but only the black number with the big panniers that Vitellia gets in Act 2 would excite much comment.  Direction then focuses rather on the characters and their relationships.

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Chuck’s back

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crEarlier this week I fired up iTunes in search of the latest Melvin Bragg “In Our Time” episode and noticed that two podcasts were downloading.  The other one turned out to be a new episode of Charles Reid’s “This Opera Life”.  Now, Charles’ podcast had been on hiatus for months and I really missed it so I was delighted at this turn of events.  I didn’t get a chance to listen to it until I was heading to the market at stupid o’clock this morning.  Anyway, to cut to the chase, after an explanation of the hiatus, Charles goes on to say nice things about this blog and the Big COC Podcast.  Which is awfully kind of him.  Charles’ podcasts are mostly interviews with the ordinary working stiffs of the opera world.  Occasionally he hooks a “big name” but mostly not and it’s all the more interesting because of it.  I think his archive now has 59 episodes, curiously numbered two to sixty!  The latest features director Jonathon Loy.  I recommend it highly.

You can find Charles Reid’s podcasts at http://thisoperalife.charles-reid.com/ or on iTunes.