Michael Tanner

Long evening with Handel

Tamerlano Royal Opera, in rep until 20 March

issue 13 March 2010

Tamerlano

Royal Opera, in rep until 20 March

Handel’s Tamerlano is rated extremely highly by the cognoscenti, indeed routinely listed as being among his two or three greatest operas. I have only seen it twice, once at Sadler’s Wells nine years ago in a production by Jonathan Miller, conducted by Trevor Pinnock, and now at the Royal Opera in a production by Graham Vick, with Ivor Bolton conducting. On both occasions I have been bored to the verge of paralysis, but more so by the present one. It lasts from 6.30 until 11 o’clock, with two relatively short intervals. So it is as long as Die Walküre or Tristan, though they are always scheduled to start at 6 or even earlier. That does mean that the finishing time will put off anyone who doesn’t live in London and is dependent on public transport — an incidental blessing.

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