Glyndebourne 2012 | ravel opera
StephanieDOustrac(Concepcion),AlexShrader(Gonzalve),FrancoisPiolino(Torquemada),PaulGay(DonInigoGomez)andElliotMadore(Ramiro)inLHeureEspagnolebyMauriceRavel,Glyndebourne2012.Photograph:TristramKentonLHeureEspagnoleAnyoneattemptingtostageLHeureespagnole,anoperawithanorchestralpreludeand21shortscenes,facesanimmediatechallenge:howtofollowRavel[1]sinstructiontohavethreependulumsonstage,swingingfirstat40beatsperminute,then100,thenamanic,breathlessandcrazy232–orfourbeatspersecond,whichisbeyondhuma...
Stephanie DOustrac (Concepcion), Alex Shrader (Gonzalve), Francois Piolino (Torquemada), Paul Gay (Don Inigo Gomez) and Elliot Madore (Ramiro) in LHeure Espagnole by Maurice Ravel, Glyndebourne 2012. Photograph: Tristram KentonLHeure EspagnoleAnyone attempting to stage LHeure espagnole, an opera with an orchestral prelude and 21 short scenes, faces an immediate challenge: how to follow Ravel[1]s instruction to have three pendulums on stage, swinging first at 40 beats per minute, then 100, then a manic, breathless and crazy 232 – or four beats per second, which is beyond human capability, and thats the joke.
Ravel wanted his first opera to be funny, not only in the outrageously saucy plot[2] but in the score too. He chose a perfect subject for musical wit: the winding up, ticking, whirring and striking of every horological mechanism in Torquemadas clock shop in Toledo, where the opera magically, in veiled whispers, starts. While the stor...