ROH 2014/15 Season. Verdi V Wagner, The Results: Verdi 50, Wagner 11

Should you have missed it, the ROH ("...under the direction of Antonio Pappano,  one of the world’s leading opera companies" - according to its own description) has announced its 2014-2015 season. Alas very little of surprise from the UK's largest single recipient of Arts Council Funding: A few interesting productions of "lesser known work" tucked away at the tiny Linbury Studio Theatre and then lots and lots - and indeed lots more - of Verdi, Puccini and Rossini. As expected, we are again treated to much Traviata (rather like the ROH's version of "Billy Elliot perhaps?). Indeed, the poor, consumptive lass is being resurrected - Lazarus like - a total of 16 times.

But we do get a little Wagner at lest, with Tim Albery's rather wet and soggy Der fliegende Holländer getting a quick drying out while Christof Loy's land locked "80's chic" Tristan und Isolde is being rolled out like Sade's Smooth Operator for former 80's "yuppies" - the Krug Clos du Mesnil 2000 will be a popping those nights.

Last year Stephen Fry held a Verdi V Wagner debate at the ROH. The results of that was that Wagner "won". However, looking at the number of nights given to each composer's work (Verdi 50 nights v Wagner's 11)  we see a very different result. Oh well, perhaps the next season might see Meistersinger at the Linbury? 

Full details of all of Wagner's 11 nights in London's Royal Traviata House - sorry I mean Royal Opera House,  during the next two years, can be found below.

Tristan und Isolde

Richard Wagner

Dir: Christof Loy

Cond: Antonio Pappano

Cast:

Tristan – Stephen Gould

King Marke – John Tomlinson

Isolde – Nina Stemme

Kurwenal – Iain Paterson

Brangäne – Sarah Connolly

Melot – Neal Cooper

Sailor – Ed Lyon

Shepherd – Luis Gomes §

Steersman – Yuriy Yurchuk §

Royal Opera Chorus, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

5 | 8 | 11 | 17 December at 5pm; 14 | 21 December at 3pm

Der fliegende Holländer

Richard Wagner

Dir: Tim Albery

Cond: Andris Nelsons

Cast:

The Dutchman – Bryn Terfel

Senta – Adrianne Pieczonka

Daland – Peter Rose

Steersman – Ed Lyon

Mary – Catherine Wyn-Rogers

Erik – Michael König

Royal Opera Chorus, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

5 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 20 | 24† February at 7.30pm