Rake's Progress

David Hockney's classic Glyndebourne production
Few productions seem so perfectly matched and strike such a perfect balance between the intentions of the opera work and its presentation on the stage as David Hockney's designs for the classic Glyndebourne production of Igor Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress. The measure of the success of the production is that it was first put on at Glyndebourne in 1975 and, as this 2010 performance at the festival shows, it is still delighting and wowing audiences thirty-five years later and will no doubt continue to be revived for many more years. There aren't many productions that have that kind of staying power. A modern artist surely not to everyone's taste, one might expect something relatively avant-garde from David Hockney when called upon to design the set for a 20th century opera, but in reality, his approach almost perfectly mirrors Stravinsky's method of composition for The Rake's Progress. Seeking inspiration directly from the source of William Hogarth original drawings made in the...

A Brillian Recreation
The newest entry into the Rake's Progress line up of DVD's is from Glyndebourne, the house that fielded the first video back in 1975. Of course it is not the same stage since the house was rebuilt and the stage enlarged and seating increased to around 1000. The decision to recreate the 1975 production was, I think, appropriate as Hockney's mise-en-scene captured the essence of Stravinsky's recreation of the 18th century style, his neo-classical style.

The 1975 staging was notable for the beginning of Felicity Lott's career and the debut of Sam Ramey as Nick Shadow. Both are superb and Lott went on to have a major career almost immediately. Ramey bided his time at City Opera inheriting Norman Treigle's roles and eventually landing at the Met. Rakewell was sung by Leo Geoke who is featured into other Glndebourne DVD's, Magic Flute and Don Giovanni. The voice is small and he is best described as adequate. Even so the set is well worth acquiring for Ramey and Lott...

Well done revival of modern classic!
Stravinsky's A Rake's Progress is based on a libretto by W.H. Auden which, in turn, is based on the series of satirical prints by English artist and engraver William Hogarth from1735. In concept, Hogarth's work was the earliest form of "graphic novel" and his artwork is largely pen and ink line drawing. The storyline itself is a pretty easy to follow "morality play". The principal character, the young Tom Rakewell, is a young, good looking free spirit who is attracted to Anne Trulove and wishes to marry her. Anne's father questions Tom's lack of professional determination and displays some paternal hesitancy about Tom's desires. Enter a courier, Nick Shadow, with the news that Tom's all but forgotten uncle has passed away; leaving Tom a great fortune.

Shadow takes Tom to London to sign paperwork to inherit his new wealth but, along the way, Nick introduces Tom to the distractions of the big city; including prostitutes, clothiers and many other earthly sources of blowing his...

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