21 May 2020. La Traviata from ROH

This fabulous recording of Verdi's opera is the Richard Eyre ROH production, conducted by Antonio Pappano who seemed to enjoy it as much as the audience. The lead roles of Violetta and Alfredo were taken by Renee fleming and Joseph Calleja and sung and played brilliantly by them. All in all, a fairly dotty story but a real bonus to ameliorate lockdown. Thanks ROH!!

19 May 2020. Midnight your Time from the Donmar.

This is the first play I've seen produced under the strictures of Covd - consisting entirely of the video messages of a mother to her daughter, and lasting about thirty minutes. It cleverly told the story of the interfering mother whose, daughter had decided to communicate via the father, much to the mother's hurt and frustration. The mother, played brilliantly by Diana Quick, never really got it - that her controlling interference was pushing away her daughter further and further away.
There is not a great deal more to say - save that the play by Adam Brace and directed by Michael Longhurst seemed to capture most accurately the syndrome which it was addressing. Half an hour seemed about right as all that was to be said was said. 

30 April 2020. Die Entführung aus dem Serail from Glyndebourne

This production of a Mozart opera of which I was unaware transferred well and easily to the television. Full of pegs for the singers to display their talents, the plot is extremely simple - The young Spanish noblewoman Konstanze has been abducted by pirates together with her English maid Blonde, and Pedrillo, valet to her betrothed, Belmonte. Landing on the shores of Turkey, they have been sold as slaves to Pasha Selim. Originally a Spanish subject himself, he has become a ‘renegade’, a convert and prospered in Turkey. He has fallen in love with Konstanze. Pedrillo has smuggled letters out to his master and Belmonte has sailed from Spain to try to rescue them. The opera consists of scenes of Selim trying to woo (but never force himself upon) Konstanze while the hate figure, the overseer Osmin tries to bed Blonde, who is Pedrillo's girlfriend. Meanwhile, a rescue is planned with Osmin tricked into drinking spike wine by Pedrillo so that an escape can be effected. This succeeds but then fails and the escapees are thrown back on the mercy of Selim. In a feel good ending he spares them, despite Belmonte letting slip that his father was Selim's arch enemy.
This does not tax the brain, either in following the plot or thinking about it. However, it does definitely make for a relaxing couple of hours and Glyndebourne's production feels rich and lavish.