Oklahoma! Grange Park Opera

[fossil]

Grange Park Opera with the BBC Concert Orchestra. 7th June-7th Jul 2018.

I was going to book until I saw the eye watering ticket prices. Stalls are £130-£180. The cheap balcony/attic seats are £75.

[mrbarnaby]

Wow! What a rip off

[kat18]

It's ridiculous isn't it!! Gutted to have to miss it!!

Apparently the prices include a donation towards future productions, or something*!  If you phone box office they will take the donation off.....it still left a front row Stalls seat (£130) at £71.  Still, sadly, out of my price range!!!
Even the cast don't get any deals, reductions or comps!!


Also, in the middle of the show they have a 100 minute interval!!!! To allow the audience to have 'dinner'!!


From what I could see on the website, the programme is £25 too!!!!!!!!!!!!



*'Tickets include a donation element of £30 - £90 to ensure the future of the organisation for coming generations.' - from the theatres website.

[tonyloco]

It looks as if people here do not understand the concept of English 'Country House Summer Opera Festivals', of which Grange Park is just one of several that are currently taking place.

The idea started with Glyndebourne in 1934 and the story of its inception is currently being told in the play 'The Moderate Soprano'. Essentially, these places are meant to provide performances of operas at a very high standard for wealthy opera lovers to get dressed up and have picnics on the lawn and they are not interested in offering reduced price tickets for habitués of Theatre Board to collect another production of 'Oklahoma!' as cheaply as possible.

Actually, I am surprised that Grange Park is doing 'Oklahoma!' anyway, but what do I know?

[theatremadness]

That's a really interesting point tonyloco. Oklahoma is quite a commercial title, which suggests they're looking for a more 'commercial' audience? But certainly not at those prices - so why choose it indeed? Would Oklahoma be considered 'low brow' compared to what you would usually get in a Grange Park season? Or is this just playing to a stereotype that opera lovers can be snobs and they enjoy an Oklahoma as much as any heavy opera?

[Someone in a tree]

8 performances

550 Seats for each performance

Full orchestra and a very decent cast size

So yes it’s expensive but I can see why it is. The economies and ‘sense’ of opera of schedules are still baffling though

[tonyloco]

Thanks to theatremadness and Someone in a tree for your interesting responses.

Personally, I think opera companies should stick to operas and not dabble in musicals which require a different kind of expertise although sometimes they can be a success. German opera companies have been doing 'Kiss Me, Kate' for years and we currently have the successful Opera North production at the Coliseum.

As regards Grange Park, I suppose 'Oklahoma!' would be regarded as low brow, but on the other hand it is certainly a 'classic' of the musical theatre so might be considered appropriate as a contrast to this year's other more standard operatic offerings. Personally, I would think an opera company would be better off doing a through-written musical like 'Sunset Boulevard' which should suit the talents of the company better than 'Oklahoma!' which has a lot of dialogue, several comic roles that are very much musical theatre rather than operatic (Ali Hakim, Ado Annie, etc), as well as a lot of dancing. But if they have chosen to do it then good luck to them, but please remember that this is Grange Park and not an ATG venue!

[Someone in a tree]

I am all for opera companies staging musicals but at afarodable price! An opera orchestra can sound so much better than a 10 piece pit band and then to have a big fat chorus belting out Sweeney or You’ll never walk alone - wow.

I’m not enjoying ENO’s current foray into musicals as I haven’t found any of the productions satisfying, some great casting yes (Emma Thompson) but then some some terrible direction and then Alfie Boe ...

[meisner]

Well, i went to see the show the other day and enjoyed it immensely.
Yes, i do understand that the price is very high but me and my wife often go to Glynedbourne so we understand the whole concept of this type of evening, You have to make a day of it which we did with friends. We love having the picnic in the interval. think of it like a day at the beach but obviously you get the added bonus of a top notch Musical with top notch West end Performers.
We thought the show was beautiful and loved the updated take on it. We especially liked the ballet. Just beautiful and probably our favourite part of the show. Stand out performanced from the roles of Jud, Ali Hakim and Laurey. If it is affordable go and book.You won't be dissapointed.

[macksennett]

How was Claire Moore as Aunt Ella?