Two cities, two days, two operas

People ask sometimes, usually meaning to be sympathetic, "Do you get out much?" I try and be cheerful and tell them I do as much as I can. Friday, I was at Royal Opera in Covent Garden to see their new piece Miss Fortune. Well, notwithstanding a slating from the critics, it was not that bad. The singing was good, the sets were excellent, the orchestra as ever. Paul Daniels was in control, Emma Bell was the lead and the new rising star in the higher tenor range is Noah Stewart. NS is from Harlem, trained at the Julliard, loves his mother, gets lots of air time in the UK. Sang the best number in the show. Pity his kebab trailer goes up last summer's rioting flames. For me the only real problem was the break dancers. Oh what fun when the posh let their hair down (tip: don't). We had a meal afterwards at Les amis near by. Never again. Food mediocre, bill far too high. We ware joined by the delightful Noah. He is such good fun to be with.  suspect we will be seeing a lot more of him Europe.

Saturday night, to Birmingam Community Opera doing a new Joanathan Dove Life is Dream. This really was opera perhaps because of it being done in a large, disused fo factory that stands as a monument to industrial britain now gone. This is the first visit to BCO although I have heard much of previous shows - especially Monteverdi.

I think last night was the best night at the opera I can ever remember. I kept getting reminded that the very word OPERA means 'the works' so here we were at a works having the works done before here eyes, Graham Vick directs. It is sometimes hard to know who is performer and who audience. Surreal surely but not to  be missed,

Early warning, The same team are doing Stockhausen's unperformed six hour Mittwoch aus Licht (Wednesdsay from Light). This is the Olympic show piece by BCO but there are lots of events.

After all this a rest is indicated.