Re: >Re: Speawuw and Magwic Helmet
Last night, at the Lady Macbeth working rehearsal, the bars in Ring 4 were open.
We were in the PC lounge, however, where director Paul Curren gave a talk after dinner. Then, through to Orchestra level for the rehearsal. The Friends were in Ring 3.
They performed the first two acts. An important piece of stage machinery ( upper rooms of a house that slide on tracks back and forth on the stage ) hadn't arrived in time, so they'd rehearsed acts three and four the previous day.
The set is a chicken slaughterhouse ( Curren's 85 year old aunt worked in one in Toronto ). Plenty of sex and violence - one woman gets her red bloomers ripped off and almost gang plucked in the chicken trough. And flagellation. And poisoning.
A group of lighting engineers occupied the middle rows, with control panels, and speaking rather too loudly into headsets. Obviously a lot of work has to be done to get the lighting effects done properly. They seemed to be experimenting most of the evening. The assistant conductors sat a few rows in front of them, following the score with stands of sheet music and taking notes.
Some problems with a large screen that's lowered and raised to cover and uncover the upper rooms of the house.
Shosty sounds fabulous. The chorus was powerful, the soloists holding back at times. This Katerina can sing and act. There was humour -especially Alain Coulombe as the priest. All the leads were good, I thought. I'm really looking forward to seeing the whole thing.
Very early this morning, at the St.Lawrencey flea market, I bought a very old top hat made from beaver fur that fits perfectly. Someone was selling off a whole collection of them, all quite ancient.
Please let us know what you think of Faust, ap.