Andrew Shore as Punch
in Punch
and Judy, ENO 2008
Photo: Michele Turriani (c)
Andrew Shore on Bayreuth
Andrew Shore to Jim Pritchard / Seen and Heard
I think they achieve tremendous things here. I saw Stefan Herheim’s Parsifal production and although it is not an opera I know particularly well and so didn’t understand everything the director was doing with it, I could see how it all related in some way to the text. It was almost cinematographic with the stage pictures changing as the text moved through. It was very good considering the shortage of rehearsal time you get on stage here. There are seven productions to put on and so there are seven first nights almost in a row and it leaves very little stage time for each one.
Andrew Shore to Jim Pritchard / Seen and Heard
Andrew Shore interview with musicalcriticism.com
"I'm back in Bayreuth in the summer doing Alberich in
the ongoing Ring, and I may be back in the following summer or two, I'm
not sure. I always enjoy working there – of course, it all boils
down to who you're working with but it's a wonderful place to sing. The orchestra is
miraculous, absolutely superb. The conductor of the
current Ring, Christian
Thielemann, is also superb – he really knows the music inside
out."
Andrew Shore in an interview with musicalcriticism.com (6 April 2008)
Andrew Shore to The Guardian
Every night before I go on stage I have a sense of how special is it to be at Bayreuth and how privileged I am to be part of this tradition. Acoustically, it's pretty much the ideal theatre to sing in. You never feel you are battling against a loud orchestra, and can use the full dynamics of your range and explore vocal colours, while at epic moments, you can also really let rip. There's lots more to Alberich than bombast and the big nasty moments: here, I can explore the part's subtlety and lyricism.
The audience don't actually see the orchestra or the conductor. A hood covers the pit, and it feels as if the music is coming up from a soundbox under the stage. This makes for a wonderful atmosphere, especially at the beginning of Rheingold – the music emerges almost imperceptibly out of the darkness. It's a perfect way to experience it – you can see exactly what Wagner had in mind. But that's part of the specialness of the place – the musicianship, which is of a supremely high level. On the other hand, the fact that it's Bayreuth is not necessarily a guarantee of a consistent level of quality of production and design. I came here five years ago anticipating that I would be confronted with something really challenging and exciting, so it was a bit of a letdown to find myself part of Tankred Dorst's current Ring Cycle, which tells the story in a straightforward and unadventurous manner. But whatever the production, the audiences are absolutely devoted and attentive, and reserve their judgments for the end. Which can be devastating – they're not afraid to express their opinions!
Bayreuth is a very pleasant town. I always describe it as a cross between Stroud and Harrogate. Some streets are named after the operas. That's quite amusing, but I'm not sure I'd want to live in Walküre street myself.
Andrew Shore to The Guardian (The Battle for Bayreuth)