Royal Opera House Muscat (Oman) with: THE OPERA!

After our first performance at the ROH 29-11-2015 with the Perm Ballet Company presenting an IMO dreadful, old Soviet revival, (see My Opinions 30-11-15) I was fearing that the ROH was just buying in lavish, colorful and dreadfully boring "old shit" productions.

Last December we saw a matinee for children: "A technical view behind the scenes". A ROH production.  I didn't review it.  As a former lighting and set designer, choreographer and director, there was nothing new for me and the script as well as the performers were IMO at least mediocre. Two (actors?) dressed up bad clowns, reading un- or under rehearsed lines from cuesheets in their hands. :( The only funny moments were when they didn't know anymore which side the had to exit the stage, bumping into each other or sets rolling on stage. Clearly unrehearsed accidents.  I have nothing against amateurs, nor improvisation, but I hate unrehearsed amateurism.

But... the house was filled with children! Some clearly interested, some even flabbergasted, and mostly awaiting for the ice cream or lemonade after the performance.  ;) Anyway, it was an effort to get children to the Opera House.  THAT is great! And, it was an own production.  So... I was reluctant to write a review.  After tonight's performance, I had to mention this. :)

And now: my opinion on The Opera! 

First of all, it was the world premiere of a Co-Production ROHM, Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia of Valencia and their opera studio "Centre Perfeccionament Plácido Domingo", and the Torino based communications, entertainment and spectaculars "Prodea Group".  

That said, the word "spectacular" needs in the dictionary the addition ~"like The Opera!" ;)

I will keep it short: 

 cast :young singers, young "aerial performers" (acrobatic mime) and others: Superb!

The creative team: some kind of Geniuses! 

The orchestra: PKF Prague Philharmonic and conductor Steven Mercurio: Brilliant!

Costumes: absolutely great! 

Sets: wow! Simplicity (looking very "opera mattic") optima forma!

Lighting: great! could be by me! :)

Projections/video/cinematography: haven't seen some thing alike since Josef Svoboda's Laterna Magica in Expo 58 Brussels, 1968 revival Antwerp and 1986? in his theatre in Prague. Of course, Laterna was done with 35mm film and 1900 inventions like "the black box" principle. And this is done with Top-of-the-Bill digital techniques. 

A special "Bravo!" for Davide Livermore, the director, chief of creative team!  

So... What is THE OPERA! about??? :)

In short: Orfeo Ed Euridice! :) Now told in a "pastiche", musical like way, with highlights of operas from Monteverdi 1567-1643 to Mascagni 1863-1945, including "greatest hits" from Mendelssohn, Puccini, Verdi,...of course Gluck. (I only missed Offenbach! :/ ) Both finales were from dazzling  Rossini. Anyway, the script was well thought. A few lines were not subtitled because they are actually totally in contradiction with the storyline. But a good (actually brilliant) idea!  

Not yet last, but at least anyway :)  There was one very special thing! Baroque music/opera is mostly accompanied by a "continuo". The harpsichord or earlier by Lute or Guitarone. Tonight Hans Nieuwenhuis and I were absolutely charmed by the continuo in Monteverdi's "Il Lamento Della Ninfa"! Yes, the set, the projections, the singing, the direction, all top class! But there was one absolutely smashing effect: the continuo was not on Lute and/or Guitarone but on Oud. That's the Arabic instrument on without any doubts (IMO) the Italians build the Lute and the gypsies in Spain developed Flamenco.  Some music/instrument historians do tell something else, and I'm not a historian! :) Anyway, the Oud as continuo played by Ziyad Abdullah Al Harbi was smashing! Not only because he was the only Omany in the cast that he got an ovation by Omanies, but from the whole house!  Let's get more of this kind of fusions in classic music and opera! We know it from Somtow's opera Ayuthaya (2016) in Bangkok: A classic symphonic orchestra with fusion of traditional Thai orchestra. Wow! That finale was the greatest thing I ever heard! :) check Bangkok Opera or Somtow on YouTube for the final! :)

And now last: I really hope that the Nationale Opera & Ballet in Amsterdam will reproduce this production! 

For more details and furthermore programming of the a Royal Opera House Muscat, check www.rohm.om 

Arabische ? Belg bakt biefstuk-friet.

Ja het blijft lachen! Heb je een Bas zanger van bijna 18, in Abu Dhabi geboren en later in Muscat Oman opgegroeid en behalve Engels (vader en International shool) en Nederlands (moeder en familie) nagenoeg geen woord Arabisch spreekt. :/  

Hoogste gebouw ter wereld in Dubau! Echt,bij de voet sta je versteld! Geen foto kan de impact weergeven! De Eifeltorenof de OLV kerk in Antwerpen (wel schitterend)  zijn dan echt een kabouters!

(Cadeau uit Muscat, Oman: een draagbare waterpijp) 

Okay, ik ben raar! Sprak als Antwerpenaar Frans Engels (Scottish), beetje Italiaans en kon het Russisch Cyrilisch eerder lezen (als 5 jarige) dan ons Latijns schrift dat ik pas in de 1E klas (in't Algemeen Beschaafd Nederlands) leerde. 

Geen grap! Echt! Toen ik in 1974 bij de Deutsches Oper Am Rhein (a.G.) voor Kiss Me Kate gecontracteerd werd sprak ik geen woord Duits! Twee maanden later ging ik naar Die Deutsches Komödis waar Platt Düsseldofs gesproken werd, en op politieke en andere voor mij onbekende namen na, richtig verstehen köntte! 

Bijschrift foto: Arabische Belg bakt biefstuk-friet. Het laatste klopt, maar "Arabische Belg?" :D

Mijn accent is blijkbaar afhankelijk van de plaats waar ik voorheen was. Echte puristen vermoeden dat ik Italiaan ben gezien de snelheid die italiana s is.  Italianen vragen weer "dal quel payese sei tu?" (Uit welke streek kom jujitsu banda anche?) En zelfs Walen denken dat ik duidelijk Canadees ben. :D  n Ósterreich (Wien) Noemi men mij der Graf von Luxenburg. En dat terwijl mijn Letzenburgisch feitelijk taal 12 is!  De Hongaren vinden mij Amerkaan en de Roemenen geniaal! :D  Dat ik weet dat Becs gewoon Wien / vienna is .... Overigens net als in het Italiaans! En Monaco is zowel in Italiaans en Roemeens Niet Monáco maar München! 

Gáán we weer ne keer Ostêns voe aangespoelde lezen! Oud/Nieuwjoar in Ostênde! :D  oh ja.... Ik kreeg in Antwaarpe op de eerste klas het voordeel van de twijfel: ik was of een Waal of een West-Vlaming. :D  Mor mijn Aantaarps is binnen een jaartje goedgekomen hoor! 

Muscat! Sultanate of Oman (again after 11 months)

Great flight with KLM 's first and only "Dreamliner" Boeing 787-9. The nearly brand new aircraft flew like a new computer! :)  When I saw the projected flight path, I thought: "Wow! We might see some interesting fireworks! We're flying right above Mosul!" But once near the Turkish - Syrian border, we made a detour, flying over the borders of Azerbaijan until the Gulf of .... literally flying between air spaces avoiding Syrian, Iraqi and Iranian airspace! (See pic)

The crew was absolutely very nice and helpful. But... The food catering... :/ The menu looked and "sounded" great! But ...:( The main course: "Penette all arabiata"... 1/3 length penne pasta with likely spinach, some tasteless Mozarella and "likely" some bits of sun-dried tomatoes... Even with all the pepper and salt, I ended up with a salty, tasteless dish!  A so called "starter" was nothing else than a (fresh) Atjar Tampoer Addoek (Cole and carrot rasp, should be sweet-sour, but was more sweet than anything else) with some dried raisins to make it even sweeter. :(  Desert: Lemmon mouse? Something mousy, :D with 3 mini profiterolles and  something called chocolate sause? That was IMO just awfull, yeaky; mainly sugar! :(

But honestly, my REAL problem was and is: I'm a smoker, thus, I wanted to get out and have a smoke at Abu Dabi  after 6+ hours. NOT BEEN GROUNDED; tortued by  KLM to have to stay for one hour in the plane and another 2 hours before being able to have a smoke outside the Muscat International Airport. 

Dreamliner? I had nightmares that night due to 11 hours of dictated smoke-free flying and arrest on board. :(

Next time I'll fly Etihad with stopover at Abu Dabhi and 2 hours to have many flags and drinks and a decent meal!

KLM served a "stroopwafel" and a mini cup of water, after 2 hours (including 1 hour grounded). Really, last time to Muscat Oman with KLM! :( Or: KLM gives me a bording pass  for Amsterdam AND Abu Dabhi. 

Tomorrow we'll drive out north of Muscat and the Sultanate Oman to Dubai UAE where we stay till November 1, going by car to Abu Dabhi for a day, leaving for Amsterdam by KLM nov.2 at 02:00.

 

THE FOUNTAIN OF BAKHCHISARAI

"THE FOUNTAIN OF BAKHCHISARAI"

(music by Boris Asafyef 1884-1949)

By the Perm Ballet Company

at the ROYAL OPERA HOUSE MUSCAT (Oman) 29 November 2015

I Usualy don't use "hate" in my vocabulary, but Jeez, I really hate that Soviet theater and this kind of "Drama ballet" especially! Omg!  Okay, the positive things first! 

It was very clear that the technical quality of all ballet dancers was very high! The program tells us that Perm is amongst the Bolshoi and Marinsky (former Kirov) top ballet companies of Russia.  Could be true! I haven't seen any of them the last 30 years.  The sets and costumes, copies of the 1934 Kirov World Premiere production were "lavishly" done. The pinks and turquoise, the red - blue -orange - canary yellow and the whiter than white costumes were all over the place, especially in act one. :D  

The sets, mainly flat, hung, and with a deep perspective were another Lenin or Stalin award worthy. The story after a poem by Pushkin - if you like hopeless stories - might make you sobbing. So, what can I say...

It was ABSOLUTELY not my cup of tea! The choreography was bluntly IMO awful, almost a parody.  The program tells us that the original choreographer was a master of his time? :/  Perhaps he was in those Soviet 1930's days, but today... :(  I have REALLY no clue why they've put this awfull work back on their repertoire. :/  There is a strong suggestion that this was the original 1934 choreography but I really question that. Who knows the original choreography of a piece that hasn't  been in repertoire for 80 years? It's possible that there's some Kirov film footage in the archives of the now Marinsky theater, but I guess that it would be mentioned if there was original footage. 

The program book is nevertheless interesting if you like history! :)  About the composer - I've never heard of - : he composed 28 ballets, 11 operas, dozens of symphonic and chamber works, wrote books and articles on various (mainly Russian) composers like I.e. Tchaikovsky among others, was honored with many distinguish prices by Lenin and Stalin,... <sigh>  Confirming my disgust for the man's music. I found the music absolutely awfull!  Bombastic, simplistic and BORING!  

Okay, to end: 

This experience was an experience on its own! :D  

The acoustics of the Royal Opera House at row 8, dead center of the house (if not with electronic reverb enhanced) were absolutely great. 

The Omanis are very nice, friendly and helpful people and so were the ushers! :) 

It's likely the safest opera house: you have to go trough metal detecting porches and purses have to go trough an X-Ray device just like at airports.  No, no kidding! The first time it was a big surprise and I had to go back 3 times before I was cleared! :D  

A young girlfriend of us tonight, had to ware a kind of cape because her beautiful black cocktail dress wasn't long enough! :D  Oh well... paradise on earth doesn't exists! ;)

(More pics : we had a private, guided tour of the theatre 3 days ago!)