Peter Grimes at the Met

Last night I attended a performance of Peter Grimes at the Met. It was magnificent. I had never before connected with Britten's work in such a way, and now I want to revisit the recordings I own.

The evening started late; before the show, a man appeared on stage with a microphone. The crowd groaned, fearing a substitution. The man put us as ease immediately. He said he came to apologize for the delay. That afternoon's final dress rehearsal of Tristan und Isolde had run late. He thanked us for our understanding, and promised to try to make up some of the time during the intermissions.

It wasn't the only delay. At the start of the third act, a small round of applause was suddenly cut short. The conductor had not yet started his approach to the podium. We waited. People strained to look into the pit. We waited a bit longer. The silence gave way to murmurings until finally he arrived. Applause greeted him. Then, another figure was seen entering the pit and scurrying to the front. The conductor waited as the first violinist took his seat. He leaned in to say a few words and the audience laughed. The conductor rose his arms and the audience breathed in in anticipation.

The companion of the woman to my right missed all of this. He left after the first act. The woman confided to me that he didn't like it. "He likes more pleasant melodies," she said. But she was more determined. "If I can sit through Wozzek, I can sit through this!"
Posted by eku at March 8, 2008 11:11 AM