Friday 20 April 2007

satyagraha

I went to the ENO's Gandhi opera, as I saw it, after the workshop on Saturday. Realisitically it is a Philip Glass opera before a Gandhi one... it is beautiful, simple, sometimes amusing, and very very looong. Three hours, post-strategy and campaigning... Hmm. As the Observer reviewer put it, 'Oh, do get on with it'.



In the words of Anthony Holden, 'As a work of art, this piece undeniably pays due homage to a great man. As theatre, it is intermittently stylish; as a sermon, its precepts are unimpeachable. As music, extremely well performed, it is interesting for 10 minutes, pleasant for another 10, then insufferably monotonous for the ensuing three hours-plus. Some will emerge believing they have seen an inspirational affirmation of the human spirit, others a non-violent attempt to bore the oppressor into submission.'

Is opera in that list of 198 NVDAs?

5 comments:

Zaria said...

Aaarghhgh! Carl and I were thinking of going to see this. Various others have seen it and loved it but advised extreme mental clarity and described it as 'meditatively hypnotic'.

What do you think, Kathryn? thumbs up or thumbs down? would you recommend?

awaiting agog on website to buy tickets.
Zaria.

Kathryn said...

I did enjoy it. I was just exhausted anyway, and the third act was too long and too slow for me. Go on a day when you are not exhausted, and make sure you know what you are going for (which you seem to). Yep, go, then we can compare notes!

Kathryn said...

just testing to see if the recent comments bit works

Zaria said...

I don't think it does. Looks wrong to me...try again webwhizzard.

attempting to bask without guilt in warm weather.
Zaria

tide turners said...

webWhizzard #2 having a shot at the 'new comments' menu.