People Are Talking: UMS presents Ryoji Ikeda’s...
Posted: 10/31/14
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All comments by George
People Are Talking: UMS presents Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Hill Auditorium:
It’s okay, I wasn’t offended by anything that was said about me. I also clearly stated that I am not criticizing anyone personally. I’m curious what it was that you thought warranted oversight of a conversation between adults?
This is the second time in recent memory that you guys have chimed in and invoked your “guidelines”, thus bringing to a halt any interesting bits that may have followed in the thread. I guess a thread where everyone agrees is acceptable, but one where there is a lively debate is stamped out in the name of “community”.
Don’t get so hung up on comment guidelines, which only puts you at risk of censoring honest reactions. This was a true conversation among people who were affected on multiple levels by a masterful work about a profound subject. If you’re interested in feedback from the audience, in this situation you’d do better to listen than to invoke guidelines.
"by Chris
People Are Talking: UMS presents Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Hill Auditorium:
Glad to see I wasn’t the only one. I stayed the whole time, but by the end I wished I hadn’t. It seemed everyone stood for an ovation at the end, except for me. Normally I’m very generous with my applause, bravo’s and ovations, but I didn’t feel they deserved it – only a normal clap for a mediocre performance.
Before I begin criticizing the soloists, let me say that I thought the soprano did a great job. She was the only one who I could tell had the voice and the confidence to do the job well. If she came back to give a solo recital I would not complain.
I thought the Tenor could have been great, but he just had volume issues. It seemed like maybe he had lots of musical experience, because he was hitting all the right notes and had great expressions, but he just didn’t project very well.
The baritone was also a weak projector. A good, loud baritone voice is one of my favorite things to listen to, but for whatever reason his voice was not resonating like a good operatic baritone (although he gets an A for effort).
I got very nervous vibes from the Mezzo. I think she was probably very uncomfortable because her voice seemed very tense. At one part I could barely hear her and I was only 15 rows back. After a little while she eventually found her volume, but she never made it sound easy.
I found the performance to be a drag, the soloists failed to engage me, in fact I thought there were places where the tenor seemed off key in the beginning pieces. The entire group seemed tensed, if you don’t enjoy presenting, why should the listener enjoy what you’re presenting?! It became uneasy to sit through and we left during the intermission. By all means, there will be others who think highly of the performance; different people have different tastes and understanding, I respectfully differ.
"by Lopa R
People Are Talking: UMS presents Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Hill Auditorium:
Scott,
It’s all about getting out and seeing/hearing things that I’ve never heard before. I like to expose myself to new things on a regular basis, without regard to whether or not it has a religious theme. For me it’s fine art, but apparently for you it’s much more than that. Quite honestly, if your church is as inclusive and welcoming as you are to outsiders, then I for one want nothing to do with it. I had criticized some of the musicians, the score, and the demeanor of the event, not the content of the libretto and certainly not you or your belief system.
I’m sure a lot of people liked this show, and it was indeed good, but not great. The A2 symphony orchestra was in great form, and the choir sounded great, but I mainly go to these things for the vocal soloists, and I felt that they were lacking. With the exception of the soprano and the boy soprano (great job litlte dude!) I felt the soloists did not have a full sound. They all sounded better in the second part, but I still wanted more from them. I liked the soloists who did the Messiah this year a lot better, and they were more well-known.
Also, for someone who is not religious, I found it hard to sit quietly for 2.5 hours without so much as a single round of applause during the show, even when they deserved it and there was ample time to do it. In the first part the conductor even steps off the podium for a whole minute and we’re supposed to sit there quietly as if pondering God or something. I know it’s tradition, but come on, we’re a secular society so why do we have to follow these hundreds-year-old traditions? It really felt like sitting through a church service. For someone who goes to grand opera a lot, this was a unique experience, but not one that I’m likely to repeat in the near future.
"by George
People Are Talking: UMS presents Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Hill Auditorium:
Kate, I should also mention that I didn’t find the score particularly interesting or musically unique. Like I said, I am no stranger to grand opera and classical music in general. I found the score very repetitive and actually quite boring, save for a few parts like the boy soprano and some of the climaxes. Better soloists would have made it better, but I still much prefer Wagner, Verdi, Puccini and even Handel – I guess there’s a reason Mendelsohn’s works are not very well known…
Sorry I can’t share in your joy over the performance, and that I use different vocabulary than you, but if my opinions are “outtakes” then I’m afraid for the future of free speech in this country.
I’m sure a lot of people liked this show, and it was indeed good, but not great. The A2 symphony orchestra was in great form, and the choir sounded great, but I mainly go to these things for the vocal soloists, and I felt that they were lacking. With the exception of the soprano and the boy soprano (great job litlte dude!) I felt the soloists did not have a full sound. They all sounded better in the second part, but I still wanted more from them. I liked the soloists who did the Messiah this year a lot better, and they were more well-known.
Also, for someone who is not religious, I found it hard to sit quietly for 2.5 hours without so much as a single round of applause during the show, even when they deserved it and there was ample time to do it. In the first part the conductor even steps off the podium for a whole minute and we’re supposed to sit there quietly as if pondering God or something. I know it’s tradition, but come on, we’re a secular society so why do we have to follow these hundreds-year-old traditions? It really felt like sitting through a church service. For someone who goes to grand opera a lot, this was a unique experience, but not one that I’m likely to repeat in the near future.
"by George
People Are Talking: UMS presents Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Hill Auditorium:
I’m sure a lot of people liked this show, and it was indeed good, but not great. The A2 symphony orchestra was in great form, and the choir sounded great, but I mainly go to these things for the vocal soloists, and I felt that they were lacking. With the exception of the soprano and the boy soprano (great job litlte dude!) I felt the soloists did not have a full sound. They all sounded better in the second part, but I still wanted more from them. I liked the soloists who did the Messiah this year a lot better, and they were more well-known.
Also, for someone who is not religious, I found it hard to sit quietly for 2.5 hours without so much as a single round of applause during the show, even when they deserved it and there was ample time to do it. In the first part the conductor even steps off the podium for a whole minute and we’re supposed to sit there quietly as if pondering God or something. I know it’s tradition, but come on, we’re a secular society so why do we have to follow these hundreds-year-old traditions? It really felt like sitting through a church service. For someone who goes to grand opera a lot, this was a unique experience, but not one that I’m likely to repeat in the near future.
People Are Talking: UMS presents Mariinsky Orchestra at Hill Auditorium:
Thank you for clearing that up. Honestly I’m very disappointed, but maybe they’re not used to such acoustics at Hill auditorium. I, for one, did not find it amusing, and I would like to convey to Maestro Gergiev that it was a blight on the performance, but I’ll forgive him if he comes back next year.
I was also at the William Tell performance, and both Mariinsky performances. I heard the same acoustic artifacts described above, but I can assure you they’re not vocalizations from anyone (especially not the conductor!) The acoustics in Hill Auditorium are so great that you can hear every little thing. It could have been any one of the instruments, or even a panel on the wall that resonates with certain frequencies. I was also trying to figure out what it was, and I’m an audio engineer.
Nobody goes to a symphony to hear the conductor hum along with the piece, and these are very distinguished artists we’re dealing with, so they know better than to detract from their own show by humming (and if it was humming, that person sure can’t follow a tune!) It must be embarrassing for them that anyone even thinks that’s what it was. I really hope it’s not a problem with the Hill auditorium, but in fact I’ve heard it in several performances now (on Sunday it was the worst I’ve ever heard), so I’m starting to think it is.
"by George
People Are Talking: UMS presents Mariinsky Orchestra at Hill Auditorium:
Michael,
Just curious, how do you know that, for a fact, without proceeding to back it up with anything? Why were the “vocalizations” so much worse the second night? Are they so oblivious that they don’t realize high frequency artifacts detract from the audio quality of their performance? What kind of vocalization would make that sound? He wasn’t humming along, because it was roughly the same frequency the whole time. So…he was grunting in an obnoxious, non-human type of way during some of the most gorgeous music. You would think someone in the orchestra would tell him it’s annoying.
Can you elaborate on what your “facts” are?
I was also at the William Tell performance, and both Mariinsky performances. I heard the same acoustic artifacts described above, but I can assure you they’re not vocalizations from anyone (especially not the conductor!) The acoustics in Hill Auditorium are so great that you can hear every little thing. It could have been any one of the instruments, or even a panel on the wall that resonates with certain frequencies. I was also trying to figure out what it was, and I’m an audio engineer.
Nobody goes to a symphony to hear the conductor hum along with the piece, and these are very distinguished artists we’re dealing with, so they know better than to detract from their own show by humming (and if it was humming, that person sure can’t follow a tune!) It must be embarrassing for them that anyone even thinks that’s what it was. I really hope it’s not a problem with the Hill auditorium, but in fact I’ve heard it in several performances now (on Sunday it was the worst I’ve ever heard), so I’m starting to think it is.
"by George
People Are Talking: UMS presents Mariinsky Orchestra at Hill Auditorium:
I was also at the William Tell performance, and both Mariinsky performances. I heard the same acoustic artifacts described above, but I can assure you they’re not vocalizations from anyone (especially not the conductor!) The acoustics in Hill Auditorium are so great that you can hear every little thing. It could have been any one of the instruments, or even a panel on the wall that resonates with certain frequencies. I was also trying to figure out what it was, and I’m an audio engineer.
Nobody goes to a symphony to hear the conductor hum along with the piece, and these are very distinguished artists we’re dealing with, so they know better than to detract from their own show by humming (and if it was humming, that person sure can’t follow a tune!) It must be embarrassing for them that anyone even thinks that’s what it was. I really hope it’s not a problem with the Hill auditorium, but in fact I’ve heard it in several performances now (on Sunday it was the worst I’ve ever heard), so I’m starting to think it is.
Indeed…they were audible vocalizations by Maestro Gergiev. I noticed odd noises during Teatro Regio Torino’s performance of William Tell while I was sitting up in the back of the mezzanine and finally figured out that it was Maestro Noseda’s vocal expressions. Certain spots in Hill, even all the way upstairs, can catch different sounds from stage! It’s odd, but kind of cool to hear the conductor’s expressions, beyond what you can usually only see.
"Liz, UMS
by Liz
People Are Talking: UMS presents Mariinsky Orchestra at Hill Auditorium:
The best part for me was at the end when they did an encore, which happened to be the overture from Lohengrin – Wagner is my alltime favorite! What a pleasant surprise!
I went both nights and the pianists were both fantastic.
People Are Talking: UMS presents Rossini’s William Tell at Hill Auditorium:
This was one of the greatest performances of an opera I’ve ever heard or seen. The caliber of singing is matched only perhaps in Chicago or New York (I would know, I’m a Lyric Opera subscriber). In fact these same guys just played Carnegie Hall before coming to little ol’ Ann Arbor, what a treat!
The conductor, Gianandrea Noseda, was top-notch, masterly keeping everyone together and producing a wonderful sound. He had so much energy and obvious rapport with everyone on stage. The orchestra had amazing musicians, especially the lead cellist and concert master, but also the flotist had a great solo part. I can’t forget to mention the chorus was also great. You could tell everyone on stage was a pro.
The cast were all-stars; there was not a weak voice in the bunch. Even the minor roles were cast with superb voices. The soprano, Angela Meade, stood out for her power and tone, and she dominated the coloratura. I think I was most impressed by the tenor, John Osborn. He opened a little weak but by the end he was overpowering the entire orchestra with his high C’s, it was really impressive the control he showed over his voice. Luca Spotti, who sang William Tell, was also sang superbly (although part of me thought one or two of the other baritones could have sung it better, but I was not disappointed!).
And finally, the Ann Arbor audience deserves mention for their enthusiasm and obvious love for the arts. Newcomers to opera don’t know that the audience is a big part of the show. I was at Handel’s Messiah this weekend, and it was 3 dry hours of nobody clapping, like sitting through a church service. Last night at William Tell, however, we had the opera crowd representing, and man was it refreshing. By the start of the second act, every break in the score was met with roaring applause and “Bravo!”s, and by the end everyone was quick to their feet for the final ovation that they so expertly deserved. Even though the show lasted 4 hours it was never dull. I didn’t want it to end!
I really hope they come back to Ann Arbor, and the Hill Auditorium was such a great venue for a thing like this. UMS should really do this kind of thing more often! I agree there should have been more students. Although by no means sparse, the audience did not completely pack the house and there were not enough young people in my opinion. But hey, it’s a Tuesday night at the opera, what should I expect?
Bravo, everyone involved!
People Are Talking: UMS presents Handel’s Messiah at Hill Auditorium:
Actually my point was that if you go to the Metropolitan Opera in NYC (where Mr. Daniels and Ms. Bruegger sing sometimes) they are far more gracious and forthcoming with their applause. It is not uncommon for them to interrupt the show entirely, forcing the orchestra and singers to wait until the applause dies down before continuing. I’ve seen them clap for 10 minutes straight right in the middle of the show. I’m not saying everywhere should be like it is in NYC, but we could learn from their hospitality. The time to make the singers comfortable is at the beginning and throughout the middle of the show, not the very end.
Everyone is too afraid of “old person scorn” to challenge tradition. That is why the arts will die unless old people let go of this pretentiousness. Honestly if every recital of the Messiah is as dry as this one then I don’t want to come back. This is coming from a man who saw Parsifal live in Chicago twice in the same week (that’s 5.5 hours per show!) and I’m going to Die Meistersinger in NYC on 12/20 (that’s also more than 5 hours long).
I have read somewhere that there is actually a trend beginning toward applause in the middle of a piece. But, it’s certainly not commonplace, at least not yet. The applause and cheering at intermission and at the end were very enthusiastic, and I highly doubt that the performers found the audience “cold and stuffy” or were insulted. The soloists are used to performing in places like NYC where applause is likely to be, if anything, more sparing.
"by Chipper
People Are Talking: UMS presents Handel’s Messiah at Hill Auditorium:
Lol, my indiscretion. The only thing I feel bad about is participating in such a cold audience. If you want to sit through 3 hours of church music in silence, you can either go to church or buy one of many recordings of the Messiah and play it at home where it sounds the same every single time and there are no annoying people clapping in between arias. Others, like myself, prefer to go to live shows, where there is active audience participation. If I was one of those singers, I would never want to come back to Ann Arbor again; I think we were the worst, most cold and stuffy audience they could have performed for. They were just such professionals and did a great job in spite of us, but I think we could have heard a better show if we showed them a little more love!
And FYI I’m under 30 and buying front row tickets, so I represent the future patronage of opera, choral series and the arts in general. You should know it’s only going to get worse as more people my age come to these shows. I give a rip about your traditions and your fancy clothes.
I’ll see you at William Tell on Tuesday night. I’ll be the guy clapping and shouting Bravo! 😉
George, George, George. This was your first time. So we will forgive you your indiscretion…
"by Monica
People Are Talking: UMS presents Handel’s Messiah at Hill Auditorium:
This was my first time at a Messiah performance, although I’ve heard it several times on the radio. It was a great performance but felt like I was in church. Nobody clapping, just sitting there until they say amen. I’m a frequent opera goer, so I’m used to showing appreciation to the performers before the show is over. It makes their job easier when they know we like what we hear. I tried to get people clapping after the tenor opened the show spectacularly but it seems people are too timid or think you can’t clap in the middle of a performance. Watch anything from the metropolitan opera and see how often they clap.
And the countertenor, David Daniels, is one of the best in his field. We should be so lucky that he keeps coming back to Ann Arbor. I saw him sing Julius Caesar in New York and Detroit and he’s fantastic. The tenor and soprano were also great, but I wasn’t hot on the baritone. He sure tried though and gets an A for effort.
People Are Talking: UMS presents Jake Shimabukuro, ukulele at Hill Auditorium:
It was a really awesome show. Jake is very talented. I could not listen to the Ukulele all the time, but it was a great experience and I would recommend it to everyone.
That said, I did have one gripe, and tip for the artist: Limit the chatter. Some is good, but often I didn’t really care what you were talking about and just wanted to hear more uke. Also we don’t care that you don’t do drugs, because we’re all an drugs. That’s the best way to hear a ukulele concert!