Ragtime Coming to City Opera

[whatever2]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 10:33am

nyc opera just announced its 2007/08 season to renewing subscribers. they will be reviving ragtime for two weeks in april 08. casting is TBA ... galati will direct.

that's all the info currently available ... i cant provide a link b/c it's behind a password-protected area of city opera's website. (the opera touts early info on the new season as a subscriber benefit.)

no other "cross-over" productions next season, but they are giving margaret garner its NYC premier. brilliant.

[D2]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 10:44am

That falls under the good news/bad news category.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 10:46am

I wish City Opera would pick up THE SECRET GARDEN.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 10:48am

D2, is Galati the "bad news"?

[D2]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 10:50am

Sueleen: City Opera is the bad news. I know the Ford/Hilton Theatre is a barn, but the State Theatre is just TOO big even for a show as large as RAGTIME. And when City Opera mounts musicals, they just miss the mark, somehow.

Updated On: 2/5/07 at 10:50 AM

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 10:58am

That is too bad. I have been listening to Ragtime again lately and think it is one of the best musicals of the last 20 years. I would love to see a brilliant production, but with Galati at the helm, I don't think that is going to happen.

[D2]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 11:04am

I agree, RAGTIME is one of the best. Gorgeous score, and McNally did a terrific job making the novel work in musical theater terms. I'll definitely see the NYCO production, if only to experience the show again.

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 11:14am

It's bad if they try to stage it with over-the-top pageantry in that "barn." Since they don't have the luxury of a more intimate theatre.

If they focus more on the characters and plots and less on the overall "event" of Americana, I think it would succeed without eclipsing what is powerful about it.

I wonder if Galati will stick to his old guns, or reinvent the show's staging and focus bit. I hope the latter.

He should cue off of NYCO '90s production of A Little Night Music, which managed to make an intimate ensemble story work very well in that "barn."

Updated On: 2/5/07 at 11:14 AM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 11:16am

I doubt that massive Broadway set is lying around some warehouse: they probably done sold that in pieces to pay for Garth Drabinsky's back taxes...

Hopefully it will be a completely new production, though with Gallati helming, that would be unlikely.

[D2]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 11:20am

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC was one of the few musicals they've done that has actually worked. But of course that production was overseen by a brilliant director, and I'm not talking about the one who was credited.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 11:23am

Well, dish it, D. What's a little thread-jack among friends?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 11:25am

Everyone knows Danielle Ferland was the uncredited director of NIGHT MUSIC at City Opera. Quite a feet considering how young she was. It was agony ripping that performance from Regina Resnick. Danielle whipped her ass into shape.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 11:26am

RAGTIME is my all-time favorite musical. As much as I hate the NYCO venue, I will definitely be seeing this one.

[D2]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 11:27am

Sueleen: PM me.

Back to topic. Galati. Hmmmm. I loved the original production, I'm not sure why people are vilifying Galati. The production was immense, but I never felt that its size shortchanged any emotional content. I was quite moved by the intimacy surrounded by spectacle each time I saw it.

Updated On: 2/5/07 at 11:27 AM

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 11:41am

Yeah, Galati gets a lot of flack from those who feel Ragtime should be smaller and more intimate. I'm not one of them. I love Ragtime's grandeur and scope. I can only hope this makes it to "Live From Lincoln Center."

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 11:44am

Wait until you get a load of Pirate Queen.

[landryjames2]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 11:59am

As much as I love many productions at City Opera, they do always miss the mark with the musicals they present. Let's hope this will be different.

NYCO is in heavy negotiations to get as much of the original cast back for this run (which will be relatively short--two to four weeks).

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 12:01pm

I loved Frank Galati's work on Ragtime. I thought the show was seamless, and I definitely preferred the Broadway production over Papermill's Ragtime lite version.

[whatever2]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 12:02pm

fwiw, the notes say it will be a "new production".

also that the cast will be announced "soon" ... of course that could mean anything, but in my experience as a NYCO patron they dont dangle carrots quite like that; i.e., if the casting weren't going to happen until late 07/early 08, i think the wording would have been different.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 12:48pm

I heard that they are trying to get the original cast to return. Not sure how reliable the source is though. Just something to think about.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 12:50pm

I remember reading that they were going to try to get at least some of the original cast for this production.

I loved Galati's work on Ragtime, as well. I don't feel that this is a show that particularly benefits from a scaled-down production, because part of what the show is about is spectacle and grandiosity and things beginning to spin out of control...and it's important for the audience to feel that. The emotional story is strong enough, in my opinion, not to be swallowed up by an immense production. I know that smaller productions are usually necessary, but I'd love it if the NYCO production was more elaborate.

[mattonstage]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 12:58pm

I was kind of surprised to read in the BWW brief that Ragtime won the Tony for best musical. I'm not sure if that's BWW or NYCO, but I must be going crazy. Shouldn't it read 'Ragtime should have won the Tony for best musical'?
Other than that, I love this show, and can't wait to see it on stage again.

[D2]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 1:00pm

Should have won, most definitely. That's how it should read, and that's how it should have been.

[courtnyj]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 1:28pm

Damn it! I really, really hope I will be around to see this! I never got to see Ragtime on Broadway. It's silly, but I almost want to stay in New York just for the theatre. Or maybe it's not so silly....
Updated On: 2/5/07 at 01:28 PM

[folkyboy]

Posted: 2/5/07 at 1:36pm

well i think we ALL want to stay in NY for the theatre!