Prima Donna review

James says..“ It was a great night last night. Go if you can. Fight for a ticket”

Gordo says..“ What did Gordo tell you lot yesterday? The Dark Horse romps home a well deserved winner!”

Anonymous says..“ I totally disagree. The reviewer really sells it, captures what the director, cast and set designers tried their damnedest to convey, but the fact is that their was no drama in the music, the actual content was dull and drawn out. For me, it was a poor first introduction to the opera as an art form. Having read interviews with Rufus Wainwright this morning (i didn't really know about him before, apart from the documentary on BBC1 the other night - seemingly one of a few at the moment not fawning all over him) I now see why it was so dull - it was all about the man who seemingly cannot stop telling the world about himself! This really didn't draw me in and was the biggest let down of the festival so far. I had high hopes, went without prejudice and full of expectation ... and was left very deflated.”

Anonymous says..“ Hey, I'm going on Sunday and thanks for both perspectives. Anyone got two tickets for the accoustic set, please let me know.”

Ghuet Hand says..“ I think it was riveting, incredibly emotional too.”

Ms. B says..“ What Rufus did was incredibly risky. Opera fans disdain it, Rufus fans don't know what to do with it. As part of the latter group, I had a hard time connecting with the performance, though it helps to read Rufus's comment about the creator as the third dimension of what seems two-dimensional at face value. Its the fusion of wholly Rufus and wholly opera which is hard to reconcile, and which is why his unorthodox endeavor is so commendable. And to those who criticize the music as 'bland' (ie. many solos, not emotionally super-charged): perhaps if you payed attention to the stuff of the plot, you'd understand why.”

Sarah says..“ This was a truly disappointing experience. I had been so looking forward to the opening night of Prima Donna, the highlight was Rufus preening outside in top hat and a sliver topped cane. I was expecting a highly emotional experience, but the plot was flimsy, the acting wooden, and the music didn't move me at all. The best performance came from the maid - who I managed to empathise with, but apart from that it left me cold. ”

Wagner says..“ The Met 'baulked at the...insistence that the show be performed in French'.

This is the Metropolitan Opera we're talking about? Where they perform opera (real opera I mean) in German, Italian, French, Russian even. Not very likely that was the reason they didn't want it, is it?”

Andym says..“ Yes, Wagner, it's on record - the Met wanted a bums on seats proper cross-over novelty, and did indeed shrink when they were offered something in French. That *was* the reason - though there was a falling out in that they also said they couldn't offer a window for the production for quite a few years and Wainwright wanted it on sooner. In part (a minor part) I do agree with Anonymous about the quality of the music (though please dig out Rufus's back catalogue Anonymous - you'll be doing yourself a treat, and he's become a superstar in the last 5 yrs - as he's possibly the planet's most talented songwriter - and anyone who wrote Dinner at Eight, Oh What a World, Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk etc has definitely earned his brownie-points. (Those at his small gig on Sunday with his mother also know his voice is still incredible). For me, the music in Prima Donna 'does the job'. What's surprising is that the man who can - if he can do nothing else - produce soaring majestic melodies - felt he couldn't give us a couple of memorable, tunely arias. Perhaps if it hadnt been for Janice Kelly being magnificent, a superb lighting/design, and staging at its best, this would not work. I've got to say I was luke-warm at the interval, but by heck it was a guilty pleasure by the end. It's a first opera; he got things wrong; he doesn't write for the tenor well enough (Rufus's own vocal range is astonishingly wide - it seemed he expected his tenor to meet him). But he has a good crack at it, and it's fun. Thematically, it's got more than enough going on. The treatment of sexuality is worth a think-through; the 'knowing take' on opera-cliche is light-touch enough to be entertaining; and the closing scene (no spoilers) is rivven with ambiguities.. As a first opera experience for others - perhaps not the greatest. It's sub-Puccini, but Puccini isn't 'all that great' at times. Perhaps you have to be in love with opera, know a fraction of Madame Butterfly or Tosca, and also still know what a frankly ridiculous art-form it can be, to get the most out of this production. This is the 4th Festival Production which has tackled a similar cultural agenda - couple Kraftwerk with Steve Reich; 'Trad Theatre' with Bingo; Elbow with the Halle; and now Rufus with opera. You do lose something but I really don't think we should be precious about 'cross-over art' ....”

andym says..“ ..sorry about that - seemed to type a hell of a lot there. (note to ed.) ”

rjw says..“ Went for the last show on Sunday with open eyes. Disappointed to say the least. Snoozeville at its worst (and I didn't even have a hangover). Poor plot, uninspired music, flat voices... Boooo! I will agree that the set was inspired but thats missing the point. Glad I hadn't read this review before going or I would have been doubly disappointed. ”

Origen says..“ Having seen everything from Wagner at Covent Garden to Handel at Buxton and most things in between, I can tell you that if you didn't enjoy this at least in part then opera isn't for you. Whislt acknowledging the caveats of Andym above, it was still a wonderful and in the end quite an affecting evening.”