Opera in Ireland - general discussion thread on all things opera in Ireland

marienbad

I am going to all three, I have bought the cds and learnt the music - now time to see the operas and after that I will buy the t-shirt !

The Green Pixie

marienbad wrote: »

I am going to all three, I have bought the cds and learnt the music - now time to see the operas and after that I will buy the t-shirt !

What do you think of the Delius?

marienbad

The Green Pixie wrote: »

What do you think of the Delius?

I don't mean to be dismissive of him , but pleasant is how I would describe him. In fact after listening to the three operas for some months now I can understand why they are not performed that often. I am hoping that the live performances will somehow be a revelation . Live opera often is .

Specifically on A Village Romeo - I think this may be the best of the three this year.When I listen to them I don't read the libretto or anything - I just let the music do its work and enjoy any plot twists on performance night as they happen. Though one obviously cannot be completely unaware of the story. The Delius has a pervasive sadness about it that has gradually drawn me in . So next week will tell a tale .

But before that The MET broadcast this Saturday of one of my all time favourites - Verdi's Otello - now for that I just can't wait - cinema or not . Is it the most perfect of operas I wonder ?

westtip

marienbad wrote: »

But before that The MET broadcast this Saturday of one of my all time favourites - Verdi's Otello - now for that I just can't wait - cinema or not . Is it the most perfect of operas I wonder ?

Domingo in the 1980s and 1990s at the ROH. Wow fond memories. Look forward to the broadcast on Saturday. Truly one of the greatest operas Verdi wrote.

Sandwlch

Skipping Wexford this year as could not muster interest in any of the offerings. Minor works from such 'modern' times just dont appeal to me. But my range is limited. Minor works from 50 or more years earlier I find have a far higher hit rate of satisfaction, and a better chance of stumbling across something really worthwhile.
I shall try the Zauberflote in Belfast though.

wexoperafan

Just to let you know that Wexford has announced the 2013 season;

Il cappello di paglia di Firenze (Rota)
La navarraise / Therese ( Massenet - double bill)
Cristina, Regina di Svezia (Foroni)

Looks like a good line up !

Wex

marienbad

wexoperafan wrote: »

Just to let you know that Wexford has announced the 2013 season;

Il cappello di paglia di Firenze (Rota)
La navarraise / Therese ( Massenet - double bill)
Cristina, Regina di Svezia (Foroni)

Looks like a good line up !

Wex

All available right now on Amazon and all very cheap bar the Foroni which is around £17 , which in itself is reasonable. They won't remain so once word of the programme gets out,always happens .

The Green Pixie

Just got back from Wexford after seeing "The Village Romeo and Juliette" last night.

The work is almost unbearably sad. Quite restrained and "low key" - you don't go to see it for its "big tunes". The style is more "Wagnerian" in that the characters declaim their lines and the musical interest is in the orchestra.

The title is hugely apt. Two feuding families, but whereas the families in the "real" R&J are aristocratic dynasties with palaces and fortunes at stake, in this story they are peasants fighting over two inches of land. It's "The Field" meets R&J, quite literally.

From a dramatic point of view, the first scene was very weak as it fell into the trap of a "back plot". Instead of things happening on stage, somebody was telling us about the background to the whole story. After that it picked up and some of the scenes were incredibly moving.

The musical performance was excellent. The orchestra sounded wonderful (no doubt aided by the theatre's amazing acoustics). The singers were all superb, particularly the soprano in the role of Vreli (Juliette) and the baritone in the role of The Dark Fiddler.

Even more than that, the production was quite stunning, no doubt the most polished and accomplished production I've ever seen in Wexford, and quite possibly anywhere. The set was simple and versatile, the costumes were beautiful, and the lighting in places was quite magical. Some of the stage pictures they created were unforgettable. A remarkable achievement.

The Green Pixie

A review of two Wexford operas:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/oct/28/village-romeo-juliet-arlesiana-review

westtip

Village R&J sounds like the best of the three
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2012/1024/1224325613478.html

did anyone go to the cinema offering from the Met (Otello) last Saturday - nice performance - thought Rene Fleming was such a lush, she has that audience eating from the palm of her hand - really liked the Iago, Michael Fabiano, Johan Botha (otello) looked like he might burst a blood vessel at anytime, he's ok but not up there with the best I've seen that's for sure. It was an enjoyable escape from reality on a Saturday night.

Wexford looks good for next year.

The Green Pixie

Another review of the Delius
http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/37635/a-village-romeo-and-juliet

banjobongo

To change topic slightly, I live in Limerick and there will be a version of Carmen coming to the concert hall in UL in April of next year, directed by Ellen Kent, there will also be a version in December by the THE MOSCOW STATE OPERA - any feedback or advice on which might be the better one to go to?

Fluorescence

banjobongo wrote: »

To change topic slightly, I live in Limerick and there will be a version of Carmen coming to the concert hall in UL in April of next year, directed by Ellen Kent, there will also be a version in December by the THE MOSCOW STATE OPERA - any feedback or advice on which might be the better one to go to?

Both, if you can afford it

banjobongo

Fluorescence wrote: »

Both, if you can afford it

nope sadly cant afford both, so it would be one or the other, unless the DUblin production would be a much better production, I would be inclined to go the Limerick one seeing as I live in Limerick....

The Green Pixie

Is the Moscow Carmen likely to be any good? Does anybody know anything about this production?
My wife's not particularly into opera and Carment is definitely the place to start so I'd quite like to get her to go to it.

Fluorescence

Carmen was my first opera as well - go for it! Your wife will love it.

As for Moscow State Opera, I've never heard of them. The production may not be worth coming all the way to Dublin from Limerick for, or it may be brilliant. Who knows?

marienbad

Just back from Wexford and what a brilliant week it has turned out to be- the best in years (imho) . One masterpiece outstandingly staged and performed. One gem that proved to me at least that it is much more that just one aria , though the staging was just a little bit too 'tricksy' for my taste , we are all familiar with the notion of with 'amour fou' so as not to require all the Freudian signposts. And one French Farce that was good for a laugh with some great tunesI even had a chat with Jessica Muirhead the following day at the lunchtime recital and lovely lady she is who is going to go all the way, And on to the Wednesday recital and David Stout ( The Dark Fiddler From A Village Romeo)performing selection from Schubert and Brahms , though the biggest cheer of the day was for his encore of ''you'll Never Walk alone'' ! I never realized so many Liverpool fans were opera fans , go figure .And to kick the week off I managed to squeze in the MET broadcast of Othello , and I loved it. As it is one of my all time favourites my judgement is probably clouded . Other than worrying that Otello might have a heart attack it was a grand performance , exactly what one expects from them , nothing new or original and well played.

Sandwlch

Lyric Opera benefitted from their trip from the NCH to the Gaiety (pity the same could not be done for Le Nozze in the new year) with an entertaining Aida from Il Cavaliere.
Looked well. (Loved the topical twist of the priesthood of broom handle putter wielders being 'invaded' by the R&A to ban them. Or thats what I made of it anyway ). Voices covered the spectrum, from downright bad, unfortunately, to the very good. Leaving all her companions in the shade, and a clear division above the Lyric opera normal standard was Canadian Yannick Muriel Noah - excellent in the title role. Some of the orchestral playing was very good but timing with the voices was slooppy throughout.
In the slim pickings of Irish opera, well worth the outing, and good that someone is trying to keep the flame alight.

Sandwlch

I wouldnt quite say "Irish opera finds its voice again, after years of discord",

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2012/1121/1224326885059.html

but nonetheless.

marienbad

Die Tote Stadt by Korngold was listed as part of the Australian Opera season that was showing in a limited number of cinemas on Tuesday Nov 27th. Now it seems to have disappeared. I have checked with the cinemas that I remember as having originally listed it but alas no reply.

Does anyone know of any cinema that is showing it ?

davej

Seems to be only on in Carlow, Kilkenny, Tralee, and Wexford Omniplex

http://www.omniplex.ie/cinema/movie/m4006

davej

marienbad

davej wrote: »

Seems to be only on in Carlow, Kilkenny, Tralee, and Wexford Omniplex

http://www.omniplex.ie/cinema/movie/m4006

davej

Not on their current listings, but thanks for trying all the same. I can only assume there was little or no demand

Fluorescence

marienbad wrote: »

Not on their current listings, but thanks for trying all the same. I can only assume there was little or no demand

It's listed on the IMC website as being released 28th November, but doesn't mention times or exact cinemas.

Sandwlch

Voices were very good accross the board from Scottish Opera in their Magic Flute production in BGOH. In a nonsensical (and therefore in line for me with the scrambled nonsense of the plot) but good looking fussy Victorian staging, the voices were the stars and it came off very well.
Undoubted star was Richard Burkhard as Papageno whose splendid voice fitted well with the production's spin of putting him more in the spotlight of procedings than normal.

Weak point one was the orchestra. Understated playing was distinctly lacking in verve and did not do justice to the music, particularly considering the lively and humourous style above their heads. It seemed like they were an orchestra playing to a different production.

Weak point two is more of a personal peeve - too much humour prompting crowd titter and spoiling the music. The second half of the overture was practically ruined by it. And I use the term 'humour' very loosely - most of it was right down there with my absolute zero of the humour scale: Wimbledon centre court spectators. One might argue excusable given the origins of this work, but it isnt as if the Magic Flute hasnt plenty of dialogue in which to engage in that kind of low grade cringy gag while keeping the music undisturbed. Thomas Allen, any chance you are a boards.ie lurker?

Sandwlch

Opera gets with the times in Powerscourt Townhouse last month.

Sandwlch

The upcoming offerings in the new year for the operati of Ireland :

Cosi Fan Tutte : OTC, various venues around the country
Fliegende Hollander : NI Opera, BGOH Feb 15,17
Le Nozze di Figaro : Lyric Opera NCH, Feb 16,17
Otello : Opera North, BGOH, March 6,9
La Clemenza di Tito: Opera North, BGOH, March 7
La Voix Humaine/Dido & Aeneas: Opera North, BGOH, March 8
Carmen : Moscow State Opera, GCT, March 13,14,15,16,17
Carmen : Chisinau/Ellen Kent, NCH, March 30
Tosca: Chisinau/Ellen Kent, NCH, March 31
Wide Open Opera : what are you up to ??

Get it where you can.

IceFjoem

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet. A series of short opera productions presented by the Royal Irish Academy of Music in partnership with The Lir Academy is playing this week from Monday - Wednesday at Trinity College Dublin. Should be fantastic. Tickets are €15/€10 (concession) from entertainment.ie. The first night (tonight) was sold out.

Program:
Monteverdi’s ‘Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda’
Menotti’s ‘The Telephone’
Barber’s ‘A Hand of Bridge’

Conductors: David Adams and Andrew Synnott
Director: Conor Hanratty
Set and Costume Design: Joe Vanek

http://www.thelir.ie/the-lir-presents-opera-briefs/

purebeta

Hoping to hit the Tancredi this week, heard it sold out tonight!

marienbad

purebeta wrote: »

Hoping to hit the Tancredi this week, heard it sold out tonight!

All booked and ready to go for wednesday night- this should be great.

Sandwlch

Its Opera Season. Yes, even in Ireland.

Cosi Fan Tutte.
First up, was Cosi from OTC. Well not Cosi exactly. Cosi minus the chorus. Which can be tolerated. Well, Cosi minus the chorus minus the orchestra. Which cannot. Some consumer legislation must be being breached here. The operatic character of Mozart's piano concertos is often remarked upon, and the inverse is also true. And you cannot just gut a work where the orchestra is such an integral part of the whole - it would be like playing a piano concerto without the string section. With the piano accompaniment, what we had was a rehersal of a village hall amateur production (and there is probably a village hall somewhere in Germania that has put on better amateur performances than this).

Worthy of applause nevertheless was Simon Wilding as Don Alfonso. A good characterisation, closer in age to the two heros than the more usual older world weary Don that we see, it worked well. And he sung well to match his performance.

Misses rather than hits seem to be too common from OTC these days and after a return to form with Orfeo, this is back to 'why bother' territory. I am feeling time to disband and divert any funding elsewhere - see below.


The Flying Dutchman
First full scale offering from NI Opera, and showing fine ambition with the pretty weighty Dutchman. Certainly not there yet, but the signs are encouraging. Anchoring things very well were a fine Ulster Orchestra (BGOH doesnt seem to suffer the same acoustic problem that spoils the sound from the pit in the Gaiety). Bruno Caproni in the title role was well up to the demands, and the rest of the cast were all of a good consistent level. Chorus a bit middling. A good set, the Dutchman's impressive looking ship dominating each scene in different ways was well done. Most entertaining, and look forward to seeing their progress. They should try to take it to Dublin for a performance or two, and if they do, deserve support.


Le Nozze di Figaro
Last but not least, Lyric Opera. In fact - last but most. I cannot remember a better production from Lyric. Despite the limitations of the NCH, the players struck a nice balance of buffo and seriousness. Weak point was the Concert Orchestra (buy hey, at least they were there), who hit the notes OK, but were dull and not at all 'Mozartian' in style. Average voice standard was good to very good, and without the few serious weaknesses which harmed Lyric's Aida last Autumn at the Gaiety. Claudia Boyle was a vivacious Susanna (still to much gurning for me though), James Cleverton OK as the count, Jennifer Davis a touching contessa. I have enjoyed John Molloy's voice before, and he sounded fine in general, but was let down a little here as Figaro with some poor Italian diction. Top class was Sharon Carty as Cherubino - 'Voi che sapete' was really perfection, and would have graced any world stage.

If Ireland can only afford cut price opera productions these days, then surely the likes of this performance is a better way to spend our money rather than the half cocked affairs from OTC (simply a waste of money). Give anything going to Cav. Coates, hopefully the Gaiety can become a more regular venue for these production, and some good talent can be engaged. The condition though - horizons must be broadened with at least one production per year from outside the top 20 performed operas.

marienbad

Just back from the Opera North season at Belfast Grand Opera and I must say it is quite simply one of the best I have ever attended- anywhere.

Otello on Wednesday with a marvelous Iago in David Kemster, then La Clemenza on Thursday and then the astonishing Leslie Garrett on Friday in La Voix Humaine by Poulenc , I never realized she was that good and perhaps the small intimate theatre did suit her and evenso her voice was lost on occasion . But it was such a grand week I don't want to carp. Perhaps the only weak link was Dido And Aeneas which accompanied the Poulenc work - when all is said and done it is a minor work (imho).

It was such a great week I went to the Otello again on the Saturday and it was just as brilliant.

The only oddity was the swathes of empty seats every night. For such high quality fare at very reasonable prices it was somewhat surprising.

Sandwlch

Second Marienbad.

Saw Otello and La Clemenza.
In contrast to my three earlier outings mentioned above, which were all hobbled compromise (impoverished Ireland) productions in various ways, these two were full-on opera. And both excellent. The staging of La Clemenza di Tito left me cold but I guess spot on for some who like that austere modernist stage. The music was fine in all respects though. Chorus a good lesson for NIO on their effort in their Dutchman. Would go to either or both again if they could extend their run to a Dublin performace.

Yes. The empty seats. Very disappointing to see, and am sure the costs of the visit were nowhere near recouped without some serious subsidising from somewhere.

marienbad

Did anyone go to the MET broadcast of Francesca Da Rimini ? I must say I was very diappointed, only the Met would turn a short punch melodrama into a 4 hour marathon. And the two leads were just so wrong ,particularly Westbroek as Francisca.

Still it is great to be able to see rarely performed works like this and for that I am so gratefull to The Met .

shoegirl

marienbad wrote: »

Did anyone go to the MET broadcast of Francesca Da Rimini ? I must say I was very diappointed, only the Met would turn a short punch melodrama into a 4 hour marathon. And the two leads were just so wrong ,particularly Westbroek as Francisca.

Still it is great to be able to see rarely performed works like this and for that I am so gratefull to The Met .

It got poor reviews locally, so I don't think the broadcast could do anything for what appears to have been a weak production. Its not a great opera to start with in the first place. Giulio Cesare should be a massive improvement on this - from what I've heard from my spy backstage its going to be possibly even better than the Glyndebourne original.

shoegirl

marienbad wrote: »

The only oddity was the swathes of empty seats every night. For such high quality fare at very reasonable prices it was somewhat surprising.

ON are GREAT and by the way, hire a lot of Irish singers that get little or no work here. Much of the problem with empty seats though is that they don't seem to push their touring productions very well. I would love to have seen Clemenza (I rather like Rudge) but I just can't get from work in west Dublin to Belfast for a 7pm start midweek.

westtip

Is anyone doing these Ellen Kent things at the NCH this weekend. I just can't motivate myself to go to either of them (Carmen always a no no for me anyway), Tosca I have seen umpteen times I love the opera but can't push myself to go to one of these productions. Im just afraid of seeing a hatchet job.

marienbad

westtip wrote: »

Is anyone doing these Ellen Kent things at the NCH this weekend. I just can't motivate myself to go to either of them (Carmen always a no no for me anyway), Tosca I have seen umpteen times I love the opera but can't push myself to go to one of these productions. Im just afraid of seeing a hatchet job.

I hav'nt gone to these things in 20 years , they are all just very poor productions at every level. That is unless they have improved substantially from the early days, And they are simply not worth the prices charged.

marienbad

shoegirl wrote: »

ON are GREAT and by the way, hire a lot of Irish singers that get little or no work here. Much of the problem with empty seats though is that they don't seem to push their touring productions very well. I would love to have seen Clemenza (I rather like Rudge) but I just can't get from work in west Dublin to Belfast for a 7pm start midweek.

I have been going to the Belfast season for a few years now and I have never seen it as empty as this season though. I even went to the Otello for the second time on the Saturday and I was tipped off just to buy a seat in the Gods as I would be upgraded close to performance time . And sure enough I was and everyone else to the Circle. And that was Otello on a Saturday night !

westtip

marienbad wrote: »

I hav'nt gone to these things in 20 years , they are all just very poor productions at every level. That is unless they have improved substantially from the early days, And they are simply not worth the prices charged.

+1 My thoughts too I got an email in from NCH offering a tenner off top priced tickets of €40 yesteday, they seemed to have plenty of seats available for sunday - then Easter sunday is probably a hard sell as a family day and people away. Even at €30 for the best seats I am inclined to bodyswerve, but will be interested to hear any reports from anyone else going along.

RE Opera North in Belfast I reckon it must be the recession - I was going to nip across to Belfast for some of the ON stuff but when I added up cost of getting there (diesel would be €70 return) theatre tickets, cost of some grub etc (and I would go there and back in the night to avoid a hotel cost), I just had to say no to potentially spending €120 for a night out at the opera. Marien I just think there are many of us opera goers out there feeling the squeeze and lets face it most of us still consider a night at the opera as discretionary expenditure.

marienbad

westtip wrote: »

+1 My thoughts too I got an email in from NCH offering a tenner off top priced tickets of €40 yesteday, they seemed to have plenty of seats available for sunday - then Easter sunday is probably a hard sell as a family day and people away. Even at €30 for the best seats I am inclined to bodyswerve, but will be interested to hear any reports from anyone else going along.

RE Opera North in Belfast I reckon it must be the recession - I was going to nip across to Belfast for some of the ON stuff but when I added up cost of getting there (diesel would be €70 return) theatre tickets, cost of some grub etc (and I would go there and back in the night to avoid a hotel cost), I just had to say no to potentially spending €120 for a night out at the opera. Marien I just think there are many of us opera goers out there feeling the squeeze and lets face it most of us still consider a night at the opera as discretionary expenditure.

I did'nt realise the Ellen Kent prices were that low ( relatively). I went to them in the 80's a few times and the prices relative to other performances were very excessive . Maybe that was just the venues lashing on a few quid extra as most of the audience consisted of ''well heeled articulate women'' and their partners all dressed up for the night and only a marginal interest in the music. But outside of Dublin it was the only opera available.

Compared to then today is a golden age.

And as for opera as a ''discretionary expenditure '' ! Never ! My partner can take on a 3rd job and we can sell the kids into slavery before it comes to that.:)

Sandwlch

westtip wrote: »

Is anyone doing these Ellen Kent things at the NCH this weekend. I just can't motivate myself to go to either of them (Carmen always a no no for me anyway), Tosca I have seen umpteen times I love the opera but can't push myself to go to one of these productions. Im just afraid of seeing a hatchet job.

I try to attend most things operatic (slim pickings though they be) on this island, but will be skipping these Ellen Kent offerings based on past experience. Standard is very low. Cringy staging at times also. Cannot recommend, particularly if travel involved, even for low seat prices.
ON Opera North, westtip, I would have urged strongly however even with the travel and expense. They were very well up to scratch, and interesting productions.

westtip

marienbad wrote: »

And as for opera as a ''discretionary expenditure '' ! Never ! My partner can take on a 3rd job and we can sell the kids into slavery before it comes to that.:)

Indeed agreed! My sentiments entirely. But alas there are only so many diehards around like you Marien and putting bums on seats has got to be tough for any entertainment business these days.

Sandwlch wrote: »

ON Opera North, westtip, I would have urged strongly however even with the travel and expense. They were very well up to scratch, and interesting productions.

In truth I was pretty tied up at the time for those ON nights in Belfast and just couldn't make. I am a huge fan of ON, always have been since the company was started as the fledling English National Opera North in Leeds back in 1978 in my first year at UNI, they were my "home" company when I was an undergraduate at Leeds University in that period. they have done some good stuff over the years, not least one of the best productions of Grimes I have ever seen (about 5/6 years ago), which they did bring to Belfast. Simply sensational production of one of the greatest masterpieces in the operatic canon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera_North:_history_and_repertoire,_seasons_1978%E2%80%9379_to_1980%E2%80%9381

See their full repertoire and history here with all the early stuff from the late 1970s

I may toddle along to the NCH on Sunday for the Tosca, but still grave reservations like you Sandwich about Ellen Kent. Mind you having just eulogised ON, I can let you in on a secret that in the early 1980s the lead tenor with the company, Robert Ferguson, was possibly, ney definitely the most excrutiating voice I ever heard on the professional operatic stage. I recall booing him several times from the Gods of the Grand theatre in Leeds with a friend of mine - and they gave him so many roles. We still refer to any bad tenor we hear to being a bit of a Robert Ferguson, just look at the roles they gave him in the wiki link. He was truly awful!

I digress with personal ramblings. Have a good Good Friday.

westtip

OMG im listening to this Traviata from the Met. Not the best Alfredo nor Violetta but you have go to hand it Domingo - OK so I admit I have heard better Germont's, but FFS he is 72 and 30 years ago at the ROH I heard him sing the greatest Alfredo I have ever heard. What a man. Hats off and bravo all round.

Amazing contribution to world opera.

Sandwlch

I see Ellen Kent back in the Autumn in the Helix with Aida, and La Boheme.
Hoping for news that they have upped their standard....

westtip

Sandwlch wrote: »

I see Ellen Kent back in the Autumn in the Helix with Aida, and La Boheme.
Hoping for news that they have upped their standard....

I think they do five operas: Carmen, Tosca, Boheme, Aida and Traviata. I am not going to risk the bitter wind to suffer what might be a substandard Tosca tonight, is anyone else.

marienbad

westtip wrote: »

I think they do five operas: Carmen, Tosca, Boheme, Aida and Traviata. I am not going to risk the bitter wind to suffer what might be a substandard Tosca tonight, is anyone else.

No ! not even if it was lovely balmy evening .

Dewdropdeb

Question for you singers... I'm a mezzo soprano and moved here from the US in 2005 where I studied with Rita Shane at the Eastman School of Music and performed quite a bit around the US, but haven't really sung since. First baby showed up ten years too early and I put the kids first and music on hold. I'm now in South Tipp and would love to find an advanced teacher in the area. I'm early thirties now and voice has really come into it's own albeit unpracticed. I guess I'm half wondering if it's too late for me now and should I even bother... I hold no delusions and know I missed out on a good ten years of hard slog, but can't help but wonder if I should try and turn it around. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thankies!

westtip

Can't help on teacher but on your attitude to life as a singer and your voice, if you've got it - never give up! The fact you have "rested" your voice professionally for ten years would I think only benefit you in having a longer career than you might expect, too many young singers burn out - by pushing their voices too much in the early part of their career. A voice is a natural talent - it doesn't just go away and if as I say you have a voice you think the world would like to share - lets hear it!

BTW I am sure you will find a teacher somewhere - give opera theatre company a call and ask what help they can give you. They are very supportive of home grown talent. Ask to speak to Kirsty the MD.

westtip

marienbad wrote: »

No ! not even if it was lovely balmy evening .

Did anyone go to the Ellen kent stuff at the weekend?

Art Music Lover

I went the Ellen Kent stuff on both nights. I'm not an experienced opera goer by any stretch so bear in mind it was my second Carmen (my first was the Moscow State Opera earlier in the month) and my first Tosca. I'd booked far enough advance to get one of the better €25 cheap seats. The orchestra were OK, a little lightweight - only 2 cellos (celli?) and 29 musicians in total but there was a full chorus.

I quite liked the tenor in both, Sorin Lupu (saying that I heard Joseph Calleja last night and he just showed how far behind quality wise the Ellen Kent stuff is but you can hardly blame them for that), but I found Scarpia (Vladimir Dragos) wearing on my eyes and ears in Tosca. The sets were reasonable without ever distracting like I felt the Picasso inspired ones were in The Grand Canal earlier in the month.

In the last 18 months or so I've been to:
Carmen (Ellen Kent)
Carmen (Moscow State Opera)
Albert Herring (RIAM)
The Turn of the Screw (DIT)
The Marriage of Figaro (Lyric)
Cosi fan tutte (OTC)
Tosca (Ellen Kent)
Mors et vita (unsure who but in the NCH)
The Gondoliers (unsure who but in the NCH)
Tristan and Isolde (Wide Open Opera)
Aida (Lyric)
Giulio Cesare (Opera North)
Madama Butterfly (Opera North)

On a cost to quality comparison, the Ellen Kent is well down the list but miles ahead of the OTC offering. All in all, reasonably good for a beginner like myself but I'm glad that I didn't pay top dollar for it.

I'll have to plan a trip to Belfast by the sounds of this thread. I did go to the Coliseum in London earlier this year for The Barber of Seville but was a little disappointed - it was sung in English for a start which I found surprising. Any tips on opera tips on a budget (and I know that may be an oxymoron) would be gladly accepted.

[since this is my first post, I should issue a disclaimer here - I have no connection with any organisation listed here other than as a paying customer]