And so to the opera. Opera North opened their season with a revival of the 2006 production of Peter Grimes as part of their 'Festival of Britten' to mark the composer's centenary. I've seen this twice before, but it remains excellent.
When horror breaks one heart
All hearts are broken
The previous times I had seen the production I had sat in the stalls. Today I bought a ticket on the day and was in the Upper Balcony. It was interesting that certain things were actually better from that perspective. The chorus, as ever one of Opera North's strengths, sway collectively at times to represent storms and gales and this effect gains hugely by being viewed from above. Also there is an episode where a dance hall is erected from pallets and inside it people, well they dance. From the stalls one can't see much, simply movement through the slats. From above one can see the movement clearly and it was notable that tonight one of the fishermen was dancing gangnam style. And why not?
I complained in a post earlier in the week about operatic characters that I don't like. So in this, who is the most simpatico? I'd go for Auntie and her 'nieces'; no reason, just because.
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