Murdock client Ed Lyon is one of Britain’s leading young tenors who has sung principal roles at the world’s greatest Opera houses. So who better than Mr Lyon we thought to give advice to the uninitiated Opera-goer. Here then, is his 5 Point Guide To Opera In London For Novices.
Where better to sport your fine Murdock barnet and beard trim than at the Opera. But it’s a minefield of preconceptions, worries and misinformation, and you’ll probably want to leave your cape and cane in the cupboard. Here’s a 5 point guide to the world’s greatest art form in the world’s greatest city.
Ed Lyon on stage at the ENO
1. Where to go.
London has an internationally regarded opera scene centered around two main houses: the Royal Opera House (ROH) in Covent Garden and The English National Opera (ENO) on St Martin’s Lane. The former, easily ranked as one of the best in the world, brings opera’s biggest stars, directors and conductors to the capital. It also houses the Linbury Studio, which produces smaller scale and often more adventurous, contemporary work. ENO is considered our ‘national’ company. The performances are always in English (though still surtitled for that odd missed word) and sometimes more experimental in production concept. At the other end of the scale, the Kings Head Theatre in Islington plays host to Opera Up Close, a critically acclaimed company who produce full operas with piano accompaniment in a tiny theatre-pub space. The constant availability of alcohol there doesn’t hurt proceedings. Also worth mentioning is Opera Holland Park, a summer festival in a covered, outdoor theatre and a great place to spot up and coming British talent.
2. Seating and tickets.
There is a great misconception that opera is expensive. The truth is tickets start at £3 at the Royal Opera House and £12 at ENO. While it’s all well and good being stalls centre (and broke), in my experience the sound balance is often better in the cheaper balconies. It’s also a good trick to ask on the day, particularly at ENO, as such a massive theatre rarely sells out. My favourites are the side front of the dress circle at ENO and the same on the grand circle at Covent Garden, for a balance of price, acoustic and view.
The trailer for the ENO’s current production of Medea.
3. What to wear.
Not a subject the Murdock Man will have to worry about. If I’m honest, I never dress up at all for a show. Black tie is not de rigeur, unless you are in a large group making an evening of it but people do tend to make a little more effort for the ROH than ENO. In fact, the latter are encouraging their audience to dress down as a part of a drive to bring a new and younger audience to the opera. The main point, I suppose, is that there is NO dress code. Check your preconceptions in at the door. Wear a boiler suit. With that haircut, anything’ll do.
The trailer for La Boheme. Showing at the Royal Opera House this March.
4. Which opera to choose.
For opera virgins, it’s worth remembering that the famous operas are usually famous for a reason. It’s likely that if you’ve heard of it, it’s probably a good place to start. Revivals are a often good choice as it is usually a sign of a decent, successful and audience pleasing production. If you’re going for one of the less expensive seats, then almost anything’s worth a punt.
The trailer for Written on Skin. Premièring at the Royal Opera House this March.
5. How to get the most out of it.
Opera, like any art form, benefits from a bit of background knowledge. Of course, just turning up and watching is enough but background knowledge of the story and a passing familiarity with the music, will add so much to the enjoyment of the evening; some homework is definitely worth the effort. 20th Century repertoire has a tendency towards more challenging musical forms but also more ‘theatre’, while earlier music has a formality which can be alienating if not prepared for it. The opera house websites are mines of preparatory information and there are often informative, free, pre-performance talks.
To find out more about Ed, visit his website edlyon.info or follow him on twitter @ed_lyon