Le Roi Malgré Lui at Bard SummerScape
The New York Times, July 31, 2012
Did it constitute a cop-out when I refused to divulge details of Thaddeus Strassberger's staging for this elegantly daffy Chabrier opera? I had a hard time deciding, not least because many aspects of the production were things you'd want to tell all your friends about. But as I ended up writing, most of these details were successful and enjoyable specifically because they came as surprises; I didn't feel like being that guy who gives away the ending of The Dark Knight Rises.
Whatever the case, I can definitely say that this is a production I'd happily see again. There are three more performances at Bard College, on Wednesday (Aug. 1), Friday (Aug. 3) and Sunday (Aug. 5). Then on October 25, the same production and some of the same principal cast members will be featured in a four-performance run by the Wexford Festival Opera in Ireland.
Among other perspectives, James Jorden expressed his disatisfaction with characteristic insight and pith in his New York Post review, while Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, writing for The Classical Review, had a much more favorable outlook in her review of the Friday night prima.
The link to your Times review is broken, somehow....
Posted by: Lisa Hirsch | July 31, 2012 at 11:31 PM
Thanks for letting me know, Lisa. Seems to be working for me now; how about you?
Posted by: Steve | August 01, 2012 at 01:16 AM
You didn't want to be like Letterman?
(Actually, good call)
Posted by: jason roth | August 02, 2012 at 06:30 PM