Read what our audiences have to say about L'Amour de Loin
Review by Ben Higlett
This opera consisted of 2 acts. It was set in the Middle Ages, about love and emotion.
The music was modern and didn't stimulate me. The stage design was majestic at first, but didn't change and everything was repetitive. The singing was brilliant but not stimulating because of the music and lyrics. There wasn't any action and, once again was repetitive. The lyrics just didn't work - repetitive and not stimulating!
Overall is was quite boring and once the acrobats had done flips one time, then again and again and again, it just sent you to sleep. The singing was easily the best thing in this production, but apart from this it was ok, but lacked that "va-va-voon" that every opera needs. Also creating an opera around a small storyline wasn't suitable - it need ed a play.
Ratings: (out of 5 stars) Child: ** Adult: *** Opera fanatic!: ****
Review by Chris Baldwin
A discordant cacophony of noise with only a demi-cirque du soleil's worth of acrobatics. None of the characters captured my imagination and empathy. Truly, deeply awful!
Review by Mrs S Ward
On the 7th July 2009 I treated my family to the opera to see L'amour de Loin, what a mistake. From the fliers sent out and with the Cirque du Solei involved we expected a light-hearted joyful entertainment...we got neither. The tuneless, dis-jointed performance was a great dissapoinment.We had to endure the first half as etiquette demands but at the interval we and many others made a hasty escape. We have been theatre goes for many years and this truthfully was the only time we have walked out. It is a shame when such an elaborate production falls flat.
Review by Hannah
Thank you, I really enjoyed seeing L'Amour de loin tonight. It's the first time I have really enjoyed opera. I liked the singing and being able to clearly distinguish the words, I liked the subtitles above that helped if I couldn't hear clearly!
I loved the theatrics, the performance, acrobats and physical performers. I wish I could be involved in producing something spectacular like that. It makes me happy to see and produce works that make others happy.
I like being invited to engage further, beyond the performance, through providing feedback (and all the other things you have in this section). I liked the comfortable seats too! And I loved the rich colours used throughout.
Thank you!
Review by Robin I Morgan
This opera by the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, whom I have never heard of, was first performed in Salzburg in 2000, and has subsequently received many accolades and other productions. Based on the story and poems of Jaufré Rudel, a medieval troubadour, it tells of a Frenchman who worships from afar, in the manner of courtly love, the Countess of Levantine Tripoli. The pilgrim carries messages between the two. The Countess, though flattered, cannot respond to Rudel's professions of love, as he is not there. However, at last he makes the journey but dies in the Countess's arms as they declare their undying passion. She feels responsible for his death and rails again Heaven before taking the veil.
The music, though complex, was reasonably approachable and interesting. The singing excellent, and one had great admiration for the way the singers managed the score. The production gave a circus treatment to the story - tumblers and acrobats would not have been unknown at the time, with lots of screens of Near Eastern fretwork being raised and lowered, and interspersed with searchlights shining painfully into the auditorium. The two main characters were doubled or trebled by non-singers who continued the action when the singers were otherwise engaged. The costumes also had a Near Eastern flavour: Rudel's could have been stolen from a Dervish. My main criticism was that the music almost seemed to be following the production, rather than the other way round.
When at school I was introduced to the Code of Courtly Love, during Eng Lit, I thought it a load of rubbish. It struck me as utterly pointless to go round mooning over unobtainable high born ladies, when serving wenches in the kitchens were there for the having. It was only later I realised that knights of old had both. I am sure Eleanor of Aquitaine had a purpose when she developed the idea, though I still don't understand why anyone bought into it. Nevertheless, the final scenes of the work were most affectingly done with music that properly reflected the passion of the lovers and the bereft rage of the Countess.
I was pleased it was quite a young audience which seemed at ease with the storyline.
