Without announcement or explanation, ENO have surreptitiously swapped directors for their forthcoming Così fan tutte. Out goes Katie Mitchell, in comes Improbable’s Phelim McDermott (of Satyagraha/Perfect American fame).
With only seven months until opening night, ENO are cutting it fine. So why the late change?
Did Katie Mitchell get a better offer elsewhere? Did her Artistic Vision exceed ENO's meagre budget? Or did co-producers the Metropolitan Opera chicken out in the face of Mitchell's signature double-decker backwards slo-mo stylings? What's the guess that we shall never know?
Well they seem to be cutting expenses by not having anyone sing Ferrando!
Posted by: Jonnie Ash | 16 October 2013 at 09:12 AM
and Dorabella is listed as Christine Rice Antigone. Is this going to be some improbable mash up with the Thebans?
Seriously do they really think they are going to sell 12 performances in that barn with an OK but hardly exceptional cast.
Posted by: JohnVecchio | 16 October 2013 at 09:42 AM
The lunatics have taken over the asylum. Let's hope Christine Rice sorts out her vocal problems and will actually appear - it's a better cast than, say, The Magic Flute, but 12 perfs as you say is box office suicide. I really wonder how long the company can keep going? Berry fiddles while Rome burns...
Posted by: Justin Chapman | 16 October 2013 at 10:09 AM
Let's hope they're not planning on scheduling "The Coronation of Poppea" anytime soon, that would be asking for trouble! I would actually hate to see ENO go under, but there's a real danger they'll go the way of NYCO!
Posted by: Jonnie Ash | 16 October 2013 at 10:48 AM
Neither director seems a good choice for Cosi fan tutte given the kind of work they are known for. And as John rightly intimates, the Colly is less than ideal for the work. I can't remember now who the rest of the cast are, but I'll put money on the Ferrando being an American when he's eventually announced. Surely that's the sort of role they should be offering to Ben Johnson or Allan Clayton, or Benjamin Hulett. "Berry fiddles while Rome burns"! Excellent Justin. The Coliseum goes up in flames! Heh.
Posted by: Nikolaus Vogel | 16 October 2013 at 12:02 PM
I just looked at the website. And they do have a Ferrando - Norman Reinhardt, an American as I thought!
Posted by: Nikolaus Vogel | 16 October 2013 at 12:06 PM
I'm sure Norman Rheinhardt was listed as Ferrando, and yes he is a tyro American tenor.
Posted by: JohnVecchio | 16 October 2013 at 01:33 PM
Another young British tenor to put into that mix would be Ed Lyon.
Posted by: Jonnie Ash | 16 October 2013 at 02:06 PM
Not that I know anything about him, but I'm just wondering if there's any evidence that he's actually based in the US? From what I gather, his career has developed mostly in Europe over the last few years, including a permanent contract in Leipzig. His global agent is British.
On another thread I noticed Duncan Rock being mentioned as an example of underemployed local talent. Isn't he Australian?
Posted by: Nik | 16 October 2013 at 03:27 PM
This is actually the ENO head of programming, John Berry's second attempt at a new Cosi. Who can forget his last offering, the sleep-inducing Kiarostami directed production a few years ago? Well, hopefully, all of us.
As Arts Desk put it recently, "destined to join the company’s ever-growing chamber of unrevivable horrors". Indeed.
Tens of millions of pounds have been wasted on so many ENO productions that just can't be brought-back.
And isn't it time the company stopped being the Wimbledon Theatre to the Met's big West End house? ie the Coliseum being turned-into a try-out venue for Met productions.
How often do shows open at the Met and then get transferred to ENO? Seldom. Yet more poor artistic management from ENO and further evidence of Peter Gelb's canniness.
Posted by: susan whitman | 16 October 2013 at 03:57 PM
And not just 12 performances of Cosi.
Alongside it in the summer season, an astonishing 9 performances of Penny Woolcock's surely unrevivable, naff and inane production of The Pearl Fishers.
ENO seems to be following the train-crash strategy of NYCO, and they've ended-up in the bankruptcy courts.
Posted by: susan whitman | 16 October 2013 at 04:09 PM
The Pearl Fishers was only memorable for Alfie Boe scaling a 2 meter high wire fence in a sarong;it is surprising he has not since returned as a male alto.
Posted by: JohnVecchio | 16 October 2013 at 04:27 PM
OK Norman Reinhardt is listed in what I take to be a press release, but not on the "Cosi" page of the ENO website!
Posted by: Jonnie Ash | 16 October 2013 at 04:29 PM