Reviews
Götterdämmerung at Longborough: Catharsis in the Cotswolds
**** One important achievement of Amy Lane’s handling of Götterdämmerung is that it allows the singers and musicians to concentrate their talent and skills on Wagner’s Ring Cycle catharsis without too much over direction. In a confined space it seems sensible to concentrate our focus on the unfolding drama which is all contained in the…
Mid Wales Opera Thatcher-themed Hansel and Gretel
**** As Mid Wales Opera’s take on Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel came to a close, there was no other conclusion available other than to think this was a job supremely well done by all involved. Every aspect of Mid Wales Opera’s production clicked into place, resulting in a delightfully entertaining and visually arresting show. Gone…
Magic Flute with chaotic youth energy
** I have a huge fondness for the Magic Flute, Mozart’s fantastical operatic quest, as it was the first opera I ever watched. Daisy Evans’ new production of the Magic Flute has clearly tried to do something a bit different and her production does have a chaotic youthful energy. Julia Sitkovetsky For me, the highpoint…
WNO Blaze of Glory! mines a deep musical seam
I have to confess to not really looking forward to an opera about Welsh choirs and coal mines. What next, a contemporary dance about rugby? Oh, we’ve had that. I was very pleasantly surprised by Blaze of Glory!, although I think the name and the supporting artwork really does not do this entertaining musical justice….
A glorious debut, Tosca, Royal Opera
With the first pairing of British singers as Tosca and Cavaradossi in this Puccini opera at the Royal Opera since 1954 and the soprano’s debut, this promised to be a special Royal Opera evening. Then add the popular Erwin Schrott to this trio alongside Freddie De Tommaso and Natalya Romaniw in Jonathan Kent’s attractive, no-nonsense…
Bhekizizwe from Opera’r Ddraig
The strength of Bhekizizwe from Opera’r Ddraig, described as an operatic monodrama, is the performance by Themba Mvuta in the title role. I was going to say the only role, as this is a one person singing role, but the talented singer actually performs several characters in this story of a young person from a…
Cherry Town Moscow from WNO Youth Opera
As the headlines in the news have inevitably stoked an anti-Russian sentiment which is at risk of extending from the political decision-makers to the Russian people who too are their victims – and as episodes of censorship suggesting the erasure of all things Russian-related have repeatedly been pointed out in recent month – it is…
A earthy La Boheme that throws away the chocolate box wrapping
Annabel Arden’s 2012 production of La Boheme, now revived by Welsh National Opera for the second offering of its 2022 autumn season, gives its audience a largely straightforward telling of the doomed love affair of Mimi and Rodolfo. The only real “take” on the work is setting the opera in the early 20th century, perhaps…
An ungimmicky and elegant The Makropolus Affair from Welsh National Opera
Welsh National Opera was a groundbreaker in bringing Janáček’s operas to UK audiences, thanks to remarkable musical and artistic leadership in its younger days. Now, the company is sensibly building on the specialism of its music director Tomáš Hanus to introduce the works to new audience members. Thus, a short cycle of revivals ending with…
Even the rain gods were charmed by Orphée at Vache Baroque
Vache Baroque Festival marked its third year with a theatrically entertaining production of Charpentier’s La descente d’Orphée aux enfers underpinned with fine musicianship and elegant singing. The predominantly, but not totally, young cast was both fresh and enthusiastic, with some particularly impressive singing for this rare performance of the delicate chamber opera. Music director and…