Semele, Théâtre de Champs-Élysées

It isn't a new production, it's a revival of a show we created back in 2004; read your programme. I haven't seen Graham Vick's Tamerlano so your suspicions can be laid to rest. I am sorry you had such a lousy evening. It seemed that most of the audience disagreed with you. Everyone is entitled to their opinions after all; even opinions as lazy, spiteful and foolish as yours

This is the second time in as many weeks that I've seen someone involved with a production respond to a critical review on these pages. In both cases I could see why those who responded might have felt aggrieved by something said, be it a factual innacuracy or a cutting opinion. They'd both have been better advised, however, to rise above it and retain some dignity. I've not seen this production of Semele - I've only read the review and seen the response, but from this evidence Mr McVicar sounds like a thoroughly unpleasant and self important bully.

Dear Andrew Thanks for your comment. No, I am neither of those things; sorry not to conform to the cliche. Neither have I responded to any criticism before, either in the press or on the net. Mr Toronyi-Lalic made some comments in his review that were inaccurate and inappropriate and I just felt (for once!) like pointing them out. As to his opinion of my show.... well, as I said, everyone's entitled. Just as I am entitled to consider those opinions to be wrong and (for once!) to say so. Thanks

David and Peter - I certainly think that artists should respond if they don't like what is said. I just hate rudeness and aggression, though, and think that there is far too much of it about. When I said 'rise above it', I meant that I just think an artist will come out of it much better if they respond in a more measured and reasonable way. If they can keep their cool then they'll come out looking the better party in the end. I can fully understand why an apparently ill informed and ill considered (not accusing Igor of that, btw) would rile someone who'd spent many hard hours working on something, and I think most reasonable people would as well.

Bravo David McVicar, I am an ordinary impoverished fan, one of those up in the gods or with a standing ticket, and too many times have I read mealy mouthed crits and wondered if they had actually seen the same show. Opera critics seem to find it hard to express enthusiasm, particularly of anything the audience really enjoys. About De Niese in particular they can never say anything kind, though it is hard to think of a more charismatic and dramatically gifted performer in opera today. Perhaps it's intellectual snobbery that imagines that opera is a rarified pleasure and so anything that an audience really responds to, must be in someway debased. They still often prefer to compare a production or performance to some "definitive" version preferably lost in the mists of time. Ordinary theatre critics stopped behaving like this ages ago. Comfort yourself Mr McVicar with the reviews by the Turin critics of premiere of La Boheme. They hated it. "La bohème will leave only a slight trace in the history of our opera" is the money quote.

Quite a rant, James. Have you even seen this show? Have you been reading the enthusiastic raves here for Tosca, Meistersinger and - almost - Manon, to take a few recent examples? You digress too much. But I see you're happy to read the poor critics and, in the case of Don G, write your own criticism.

Please note that all of the other singers in Semele are in their 40's and Danielle de Niese is only 30 years old. Give her a break. She stole the show. Viveca Genaux is 41 years old.

Are you a mind reader? How would one know what anyone is thinking? If you know anything about opera staging, the director gives you an idea of what he wants and you try to bring that idea to the stage. toronnyi toronyi: Are you a mind reader? How would anyone know what anyone is thinking. If you know anything about staging, you will know that Toronyi-lalic: Are you a mind reader? How does anyone know what anyone thinks of themselves merely by watching them portray a character. If you know anything about staging, the director gives the actor an idea of what he wants and the actor tries to bring that idea to life. If in the process that character becomes more sexy and watchable than the rest, then so be it. You are obviously a failed performer or a jealous colleague. Mediocrity cannot recognize genius. the director gives the actor an idea of what he wants and the actor tries to bring that idea to life. If in the process, one comes across as being sexier, or more watchable than the other performers, then so be it. You are obviously a jealous colleague, or a failed performer. Mediocrity cannot recognise genius. Didnt you know that?

I've heard of musical refrains in a poetic text but I don't think you've quite got the hang of them, Lynn, dear. If the director was unnecessarily nasty in his last line, I suspect that what you have to say here COULD be summed up in one slightly less intemperate sentence. Of course - all critics are failed directors! Why hadn't I thought of it before?

@John, no I'm not a critic, just a fan. I only comment on those shows I've enjoyed, that have connected with me. I don't think I have much to offer on shows I have not enjoyed. We all have artistic blind spots, so I doubt you'd be interested in how much Wagner and Britten leave me cold. And I don't write mean minded snark, which is what I really dislike about much opera criticism, and many more of the comments on threads like these. Unlike us commenters critics often have to write about what they did not enjoy, but a little humility would not go amiss particularly when the audience clearly does enjoy the show. Critics after all, though they can perform a useful function, are still fundamentally parasites on the body of theatre. They should have some respect for the amazing amount of work dedication and skill that goes into every show they see.