Culture 'aiint cheap!

“I’ve been defrauded!”

Not everyone would recognize that from an English translation of the libretto of The Makropulos Case by Janacek, but the phrase came to mind yesterday in the Liceu as the soloists came on to the stage after a few very final sounding chords and took their bows.  The orchestra rose and was applauded as were the choirs that made up the singing forces for the performance of “Scenes from Goethe’s Faust” by Robert Schumann last night.

I was left thinking that they hadn’t played it all and while Faust was undoubtedly dead he certainly hadn’t been transfigured.  I was bemused and a little angry and made my way down to the foyer and saw hordes of people donning their coasts and making their way into the rain of a thoroughly depressing wet Barcelona night.  After only an hour and a quarter.  There was nothing in the programme to indicate that there was an interval.

I sat down on a seat in the foyer of the theatre and took stock of my situation.  Where was the rest of the concert?

My bemusement took me to the Liceu shop so that I could look for the next work that I had to get to know.  I was somewhat comforted by the fact that the more experienced looking opera goers (believe me you can tell them) looked as though they were still there and waiting.  I began to relax.

After buying a grossly expensive version of  “Le Grand Macabre” as the next on the list of operas in the continuing education tprogramme hat this season is going to be, I made my way back to my seat.  As many other people signally did not for the start and enjoyment of the second half!  I was able to lounge luxuriously across two seats to enjoy some of my favourite music in the opera, or music with singing or oratorio or whatever you want to call it, out of which I was not cheated - unlike those others who did not know the music as well as I did!

The piece did not start well when the Orquestra Simfònica del Gran Teatre del Liceu under the baton of Josep Pons gave a pedestrian performance of the Overture and the dead acoustic promised a dreary evening of music.

Faust (Michael Volle) was a commanding presence and his mature voice gave gravitas and a genuine musicality to the evening.

The opening scenes of the piece are not my favourites and when the whingeing Gretchen has her long and uninteresting solo my attention began to wander.  Ofèlia Sala has a voice which is harsh and forced for me and lacked the power and subtlety that I would have preferred.

For me the evening came alive when the Cor del Gran Teatre del Liceu under the direction of José Luis Basso started their participation.  The wall of sound that they produced was exciting and suddenly the acoustic didn’t matter!

The children’s choir, Cor Vivaldi-Petits Cantors de Catalunya, under the direction of Òscar Boada were impeccable in their performance and added the dimension that only a well-trained young chorus can give.

All the soloists, with the exception of the principal tenor who was simply not up to the demands of the part, were more than acceptable.

The orchestra warmed to the music throughout the evening and my applause was heartfelt at the end of the performance.

More importantly for the future, my seat is fine with good sight lines and, although further away from the stage than I like, is an acceptable distance for the price I paid!

Bring on the next opera.

The evening started well with my finding the centre of the city without too much effort and then finding out that El Corte Ingles had a 50% reduction on some of their opera sets.  I bought.  I then went to the “bargain” book shop and bought again.  Some things are simply too good to leave on the shelves.  A large silk bound book of paintings by Holbein with a disc of music contemporary to the paintings was reduced because of a slightly ripped dust cover and was snapped up by my good self.

Dinner was in a place just off Las Ramblas and good value for money and tasty with it.  The glass of wine was drinkable and generous.

The crowning glory was found in misery.  I have always popped into PC City (the Catalan version of PC World) on the Ramblas, but some time ago was devastated to find that the place had, unaccountably, closed.  Imagine my delight to find that the site has now been taken over by - a book shop!

I virtually leapt through the doors and was delighted to find that they had a reasonable selection of books in English, but more importantly a small bargain section of art reference books which had to be bought.  So I did.  I did not buy them all, but I think that this was false restraint and I should go back and buy the rest during this extensive holiday which we are calling the long weekend ahead of us. 

Especially as I was given a stamped card which entitles me to a further reduction! 

Nothing like feeding a habit!