W M
Waspe
_ I see that Simon Gray's new play, Otherwise Engaged, in which Alan Bates has the star part, . has been scheduled to open on July 30 at the Queen's. If I were of suspicious mind, it might occur to me that this timing is carefully calculated to almost coincide with the next National Theatre production, entitled simply Engaged, which goes into the Old Vic just two days later on August 2. It remains to be seen, of course, which play benefits and which suffers from the inevitable confusion.
Mary and Maria
It is intriguing to hear that Joan Sutherland will be singing in a production of Maria Stuarda at Covent Garden — though not until 1977. What is chiefly intriguing is that the same Donizetti opera — though under its rightfully anglicised title, Mary Stuart — is currently healthily in the English National Opera's repertory at the London Coliseum. Can we take it that there is to be a unique and welcome collaboration between our two leading opera companies? Or is the Royal Opera going to be wantonly and scandalously extravagant and mount a wholly new production? Despite the hard economic times, I am sorry to say that the latter possibility strikes me as the likelier.
.Export
One sunny bit of operatic news is that Dr Jonathan Miller's Glyndebourne production of The Cunning Little Vixen — which has been something less than the hit of the season — will not be seen there again. The whole show — sets, costumes, the lot — has been sold to the Sydney Opera House, doubtless to Glyndebourne's profit as well as to its relief. Perhaps, if we really get lucky, Sydney will make an offer for Dr Miller himself.
Changing title
Just to round out an unusually operatic week, let me bring you up to date on the new Henze opera, libretto by Edward Bond, which is on the Covent Garden agenda for next July. You will recall my long-ago report of the panic at the Opera House when it was realised that its Original title, The Privates, was open to ribald misunderstanding; it was then changed to The Genera/. I am told it is now called The River, but there's still a year to go.
Changing mind
Back in the theatre, Oscar Lewenstein, who relinquishes the artistic directorship of the English Stage Company at the Royal Court next month, was not so long ago adamant about leaving the theatre and going back into the film business. His mind has been changed by an offer to take over at the Round House, but I suspect that is dependent upon the old engine-shed getting a hefty subsidy. A man gets used to those things
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