BBC Proms season 2015

[Scripps2]

Posted: 7/24/15 at 5:57pm

I know there's a growing interest here in this annual summer season of concerts as American show and film music appears increasingly on the agenda. Looking thro' the season the things likely to be of interest are:

Prom 11, Fiddler on the Roof: broadcast tomorrow (25th July 2015) on BBC Radio 3 at 19:00GMT

Bryn Terfel as Tevye (!) but remember this concert season is always focussed on the music and is not about replicating a Broadway standard performance. Hence you've got to look at who is conducting as well and this one is under the very able baton of David Charles Abell.

Prom 30, Late Night Sinatra: broadcast on BBC4 (television) on 7th August 2015 at 22:15GMT

Seth MacFarlane sings from the Frank Sinatra repertoire; John Wilson conducting his own orchestra. As with Kevin Spacey, I don't understand the hate around here for Seth - but I know him primarily for his performances at these concerts and not much else.

Prom 67, Bernstein: Stage and Screen - broadcast on BBC4 (television) on 11th September 2015

I tried to get tickets for this months ago and they were already sold out. John Wilson conducting again with Julian Ovenden amongst the vocalists.

No doubt they'll be on BBC i-player where I understand you folks can listen to radio broadcasts. As for the television, you know better than I how to channel these.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 7/24/15 at 8:27pm

I've been looking forward to hearing the FIDDLER and Bernstein shows. Nearly forgot though, thanks for the reminder!

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 7/27/15 at 7:29pm

Did anyone else tune in to FIDDLER?

I had mixed feelings about it,the large orchestra and majority of the cast was great but pacing and was very slow (act one clocking in at nearly two hours!). Bryn Terfel sounded pretty much just like Topol and, as much as I can judge through audio, seemed a lot better in this role than he did as Sweeney. The arrangements were apparently redone by conductor David Charles Abell but seem to very closely follow the Don Walker originals.

Updated On: 7/27/15 at 07:29 PM

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 7/27/15 at 7:50pm

Also likely of interest:

A Sondheim Cabaret: Broadcast 17th August 2015 at 13:00 (8:00am EST) on Radio 3

Featuring Kitty Whately, Jamie Parker and Siân Philips.

I'd also like to note that the Bernstein and Sinatra Proms will also be broadcast live on Radio 3 and remain available to stream for 30 days (as is true of all the Proms I believe).

 

 

 

[Scripps2]

Posted: 7/28/15 at 3:50pm

I thought Bryn did surprisingly well as Tevye, particularly during the talking parts. Yes, he sounded like Topol but he was a lot more engaging than the rest of the cast who were very much opera singers trying to act. And he think his Tevye was better acted than his Sweeney at the concert performance I saw. 

I understood, from the introduction, that the orchestral intention was to recreate the sound of the score in the original Broadway production as much as possible, removing however it has been changed in the intervening years.

I don't have a problem with the length of the show; it's always been long when I've seen it in the theatre and that somehow feels right for the nature of the material.

So a worthwhile listen, even if it didn't have the wow factor that some of the other Prom concerts have had.

 

[Scripps2]

Posted: 7/28/15 at 3:54pm

And, yes, as you say Mr Nowack, all the concerts are broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.

But not all are televised, and those that are are not necessarily televised live.

 

 

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 7/28/15 at 5:03pm

"But not all are televised, and those that are are not necessarily televised live. "

You're definitely right. The KISS ME KATE prom last year was televised but not until December or something. I wonder if it will see an airing on PBS as some Proms do?

[Scripps2]

Posted: 8/7/15 at 6:39pm

Whoops - Jamie Parker seemed to steal that!

I thought he just about got away with the singing in Assassins earlier this year; I certainly wasn't expecting him to sound so polished and suave tonight.

 

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 9/7/15 at 4:16am

Did anyone tune into the Bernstein Prom this past weekend? I listened and while I largely enjoyed it it had some iffy parts. The parts that came across best I think were the instrumentals and the lesser known songs but all raound lovely to hear the songs with such an orchestra.

 

I also recently listened to the Sondheim Cabaret Chamber Prom which I loved. It's nice to hear the songs with a simple arrangement and crystal clear voices.