72 LISTENER MAY 26 2018
The Best of the Week
SUNDAY MAY 27
Opera on Sunday (RNZ Concert,
6.00pm). British composer
Thomas Adès’ The Exterminat-
ing Angel was the Metropolitan
Opera’s “one bold offering”
in “a season very heavy on
the staples”, said the New
York Times. The 2016
opera, in English,
is based on
Luis Buñuel’s
1962 film
of the same
name about a
dinner party
from which
guests cannot
leave. It’s an ensem-
ble piece with 15 performers
on stage, so perhaps some of
the story will be lost, but still
it is a “stunningly inventive
opera”, said the Times.WEDNESDAY MAY 30
Music Alive (RNZ Concert,- 3 0 p m ). Carnegie Hall was
transported to Italy by way
of Russia in this concert from
late last year, and also played
host to one of the greatest
pianists of all time. Argentine
Martha Argerich had not
appeared at Carnegie Hall for
nearly a decade and received
a standing ovation before she
had played a note. She
performed a piece
for which she has
become famous,
Prokofiev’s Piano
Concerto No 3.
By contrast, it
was conductor
Antonio Pappano’s
Carnegie Hall debut
and he led the Orches-
tra dell’Accademia Nazionale
di Santa Cecilia of Rome in the
sinfonia from Verdi’s Aida and
Respighi’s Fountains of Rome
and Pines of Rome.THURSDAY MAY 31
Music Alive (RNZ Concert,- 3 0 p m ). An Auckland Phil-
harmonia concert from late
last year that soared between
“Heaven and Earth”, begin-
ning with the dark and hellish
overture to Mozart’s
Don Giovanni and
ending with Gustav
Mahler’s Symphony
No 4. Swedish
soprano Lisa Lars-
son is known as a
Mozart interpreter,
but here performs
Alban Berg’s lush
and dreamy Seven
Early Songs. She
was also on hand
to sing Des Knaben
Wunderhorn in the
fourth movement
of the Mahler,
which tells of a
child’s view of
Heaven.
by FIONA RAE
Send comments, queries or complaints about radio or tele vision
to: [email protected], or Talkback, NZ Listener, Private Bag
92512, Wellesley St, Auckland 1141.CURRENT CORO
At long last, from June,
Coronation Street will be only
a week behind the UK.
A two-hour catch-up on
June 10 will explain the
missing 18 months, although
if you’re like me, you will
skip it.
The catch-up will get rid
of Pat Phelan, who really
annoys me with his criminal
acts against Eileen Grimshaw
and her friends and family.
At last, back to a family
show again.
Thank you, TVNZ.
Murray Hunter
(Titirangi, Auckland)Who cares where Coronation
Street episodes are up to in
the UK? I am totally happy
with all the action and
drama we are immersed in at
present.
Wonderful storylines and
great viewing (the increase in
daytime viewing is certainly
a plus).
J Kristiansen
(Rotherham, Nth Canterbury)QUITE ANNOYING
Sandi Toksvig took the helm
of QI in October 2016.
Surely there’s a channel
that could bring us her series
now that our usual year
behind everyone else has
elapsed, as well as continuing
repeats of the priceless Fry
years.
Are we equal-opportunity
broadcasters or aren’t we?
DL Calder
(New Plymouth)Talkback responds: It appears
we won’t be seeing Toksvig in
her new role for some time yet.
Prime has no plans so far to
screen season “N”, when she
began, and the new episodes on
UKTV on Thursday (10.35pm)
are from season “H”.LEAGUE OF LISTENERS
You know the Warriors
are doing well when RNZ
National reports on the team
after years of ignoring both
them and rugby league.
It’s nice when the sport
results are reported on to
hear acknowledgement that
some listeners like to hear
about league as well as rugby
union.
Mike Shennen
(Tauranga)QUESTIONABLE INTERVIEWING
I watch Q+A to hear the
views expressed by the
guests, not the interviewer.
Interviewees give us their
perspectives on issues so that
we can make up our minds
for ourselves.
May 13’s programme
was marred by interviewer
Corin Dann’s aggressive
interruptions.
His quick-fire, loud style
seems to be intended to get
the interviewee to say what
he wants them to say.
That gets in the way of
the true purpose of the
encounter: the intelligent,
knowledgeable drawing out
of information, not enter-
tainment in the style of the
Roman circus.
Carol Smyth
(Rotorua)GETTY IMAGES
Radio
RNZ Concert’s
Best Flight of the
ConchordsMusic AliveMatinee
Saturday,
3.00pmGustav Mahler, Music Alive,
Thursday.Your comments on TV and radio
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