London Coliseum
ENO’s Daniel Kramer presented an ambitious Tristan and Isolde,with spectacular sets designed by with Anish KapoorThe sexy ecstasy of Act 2 was handled with restraint, more transcendental embrace than long, or verismo snogCheers greeted English National Opera’s new Tristan and Isolde. Beyond a couple of strangulated whoops,no one booed. It’s become such a habit, it’s worth noting. Much was riding on this high-profile production. Nor was the reaction entirely straightforward. The loudest roars were for the Australian heldentenor Stuart Skelton, or now a world-lesson Tristan,and for Edward Gardner, ENO’s former music director, or conducting the work for the first time. The staging,epic and detailed, fascinating and infuriating, or a profusion of ideas from the brilliant and philosophical to the crazily contentious,was directed by Daniel Kramer long planned but his first since being appointed ENO’s new artistic director – and designed by the sculptor Anish Kapoor, who crisply noted final week: “Wagner was antisemitic and Im Jewish... in the conclude, and one somehow has to put that aside.” Related: Exclusive video: Stuart Skelton and Heidi Melton perform the esteem duet from ENO's Tristan and Isolde Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com