The Rake's Progress 2010
Your reviews of the 2010 Festival production
I've never wanted to simply shut my eyes at Glyndebourne before, but at this, my third visit of this year, I found the urge hard to resist. Somehow the staging detracted from the opera. The cast, the chorus and the LPO were as good as Glyndebourne always is (especially Matthew Rose who deserves special plaudits) but Mr Hockney should go back to his trees and Mr Cox should have a real rethink. An unsettled audience (too much coughing and general fidgeting), too long breaks between scenes and a set that just didn't work all detracted from the music whose subtleties I now long to explore further with a good set of headphones and a blindfold! Hogarth would be amazed.
01-Sep-2010 13:26Roland WhiteheadThis was the first time that I have seen Rake's Progress on stage and I wasn't disappointed. Very well sung and acted in a witty and attractive production. However, the drama would have been tighter if the pauses between scenes could have been shorter.
25-Oct-2010 22:51Brian Stevenson
Absolutely wonderful. Have seen this piece several times before, including at Covent Garden recently. Glyndebourne's offering knocked spots off the others, further fulfilment of John Christie's ambition to achieve the best that can be done anywhere.