Verdi: Les Vêpres siciliennes ****
The Royal Opera, 12th October 2017
A mural depicting Etna erupting is the only hint of Sicily in Stefan Herheim’s opulent staging of Les Vêpres siciliennes, returning to Covent Garden for the first time since the Verdi bicentenary celebrations in 2013. Composed just two years after La traviata, which is guaranteed to fill opera houses season after season, Vêpres is rarely performed, especially in its original French version. Uncut, it’s a creaky five act vehicle, but Verdi’s music often exhilarates, especially the duets between the French governor, Guy de Montfort, and the young Sicilian who turns out to be his son, Henri.
Michael Volle (Montfort) and Bryan Hymel (Henri)
© ROH | Bill Cooper
Read the full review on Bachtrack.