There's been more opera on TV here this last ten days than I've seen in the last twelve months. Of course, most of it's being shown at an ungodly hour of the night, but that's what PVRs were invented for, after all. Most of it's been recent, and two have been live, with a third promised at the end of the month, and the prospect of some more from Salzburg next month. The lives this month have been the Bohème from Orange, and a Nozze from Aix-en-Provence. The Puccini was pretty good, on the whole. I quite liked the look of the production, though it has to be said that reading the newspaper reviews afterwards was interesting, showing just how much the view from the camera can change perspective. Inva Mula was a little retiring as Mimì, but then everyone on the plateau would have seemed like that faced with the ebullience of Vittorio Grigolo. Thank goodness the man can actually sing, he'd be fatiguing otherwise. The Nozze was sort of humdrum, an orchestra far too much in retreat, a cast mostly good, but not outstanding, with one notable exception, Kate Lindsey's superb Cherubino. Very definitely one to watch, there.
There's a Turandot due live from Orange on the 31st, in which much will no doubt depend on whether Alagna is on form or not.
[Next : Well, the 21st July is definitely off, and the next definite date is 19th September, but there should be something before then.]