***** Again, If Opera punches above its weight with this luscious and powerfully sung Fedora, an oddly underperformed opera by Umberto Giordano that on the evidence of this outing deserves to be taken on by other opera companies. Charne Rochford Yes, it has the usual operatic excesses of verismo opera, and Act One in particular,…
Il turco in Italia, Gioachino Rossini For the first time revived at Glyndebourne, the 2001 production by French director Mariame Clément is truly entertaining and very enjoyable. The concept of the piece revolves around a contemporary writer, Prosdocimo, suffering from writer’s block, who flips through a travel magazine and creates all sorts of characters and…
In Ruggero Leoncavallo’s iconic opera, Pagliacci, we witness the tragic unraveling of a man consumed by jealousy and grief, his theatrical role tragically mirroring the heartbreak of his own life. It’s a story that speaks to the vulnerability of the human condition—a theme that resonates with touring companies today as they face the very real threat of dwindling…
This production of Il trittico belonged to the new cast members, who brought even more energy and vibrancy to the stage. While the original cast was impressive, the new lineup delivered unforgettable performances across all three operas. The entire cast was superb, but there were definitely standout performances that made this revival really shine. Andrés…
Mid Wales Opera has saved Arts Council of Wales funding annhiliation to be able to annoucce that tickets are now on sale for their upcoming SmallStages production of Pagliacci. The SmallStages tour of Pagliacci is a continuation of MWO’s commitment to bringing high-quality opera to communities across Wales and the Borders and will run from October…
It is quite an achievement, making the womanising Duke of Mantua the only likeable character in Rigoletto. This was despite Raffaele Abete not giving the finest of the vocal performances of the evening. They belonged to the Rigoletto of Daniel Luis de Vicente and Gilda from Soraya Mafi. Admittedly Abete was not the originally cast…
The Sound Voice Project is a collaboration between people with lived experience of voice loss, opera singers Roderick Williams and Lucy Crowe, composer Hannah Conway, librettist Hazel Gould and professionals from across the biomedical research, technology and healthcare sectors, with video design by Luke Halls and sound design by David Sheppard. The installation is comprised…
Vache Baroque is now established as a late summer treat, with its combination of interesting and well-performed operatic choices and fun associated events in the grand house’s grounds. This year’s choice is Pergolesi’s L’Olimpiade and the setting of the 17th-century Buckinghamshire elegant building provides a suitable backdrop for this piece of baroque brightness – and…
The Chorégies d’Orange closed triumphantly on July 22, with a semi-staged version of Giacomo Puccini ‘s masterpiece Tosca, to which the festival wanted to pay tribute in this centenary year. The venue was full, especially since the cast assembled in the Provençal city by Jean-Louis Grinda had enough to make lyrical art aficionados from all…
Waterperry Opera Festival made the most of the glorious Waterperry Gardens and the elegant Georgian house for a veritable musical feast of summer lushness. This young, dynamic festival has developed into a real summer highlight. The Festival makes excellent use of the different spaces available for performance with the elegant period house that edges the…
Whether it is the most lavishly funded opera house or an independent summer festival, opera should be about the singing. Production qualities are important but must be seen as secondary. Sadly, this is not often the case. However, at the fascinating If Opera this short season you can see a performance of Donizetti’s Lucia di…
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