okayThe chorus is on such smoking form at the moment, and the whole thing was just gripping. I particularly liked Matthew Rose's very scary Claggart, Benedict Nelson, a new artist to me, as Billy, and veteran Jonathan Summers' compassionate Mr Redburn. Good thing
motodraconiswas able to make it, at short notice. Wasting a ticket would have been criminal.Here's a tuneful scene from an earlier ENO production I remember well. Made me kinda sad to see it again, though, what with most of the principals being dead, now. Phillip Langridge was an absolutely brilliant Vere, Richard Van Allan a fine Claggart, and John Connell, a wonderful singer, actor, and colossally funny guy, who was taken so tragically early, was a marvellous Dansker. *Sigh*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxQEr11fFDg
This week's DVD was FALL OF THE LOUSE OF USHER, a bit of a late-life frolic by Ken Russell. It was, sadly, absolute shite. It gave the impression of being a stoned-out house party at Ken's, and largely improvsed, to very lame effect. I did rather like the colourful final scene, which looked like a homage to Kenneth Anger. All in all, it was pretty pathetic, though.
*Edit for link error...Great as Claggart's Iago-esque soliloquy is, this is what I meant to post, a rousing choral moment...
