Category Archives: Opera

La traviata: Lightning fails to strike twice in ENO revival of Konwitschny’s production

Verdi: La traviata *** English National Opera, 9th February 2015 “È strano!” – “How curious!” – murmurs Violetta in the last moments of La traviata, on the sudden absence of pain before her final death throes. Two years ago, when this … Continue reading

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The root of all evil: Jurowski and the LPO pair Rachmaninov’s Miserly Knight with Wagner’s greedy dwarf

Rachmaninov: The Miserly Knight/ Wagner: Das Rheingold *** LPO/Jurowski, 21st January 2015 Vladimir Jurowski is a wily programmer. The London Philharmonic’s season has been most interesting, their “Rachmaninoff Inside Out” series digging out rarities and putting them into context. In … Continue reading

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Grigolo’s Nemorino intoxicates Covent Garden in L’elisir d’amore

Donizetti: L’elisir d’amore *** Royal Opera House, 19th November 2014 The cheap Bordeaux masquerading as Dulcamara’s ‘elixir’ seemed to have an intoxicating effect on more than Nemorino last night. Conductor Daniele Rustioni’s zippy tempi – whilst welcome – weren’t always … Continue reading

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Mild palpitations only in Eichberg’s ‘operatic thriller’ Glare

Eichberg: Glare *** Linbury Studio, 14th November 2014 An operatic thiller? Can such a thing exist? Søren Nils Eichberg’s opera Glare tries hard to convince, at least initially. An edgy score and a succession of quick scene changes swiftly introduce characters … Continue reading

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Opera Rara: Donizetti’s Les Martyrs a revelation

Donizetti: Les Martyrs ***** Opera Rara, Royal Festival Hall, 4th November 2014 There is no shortage of rare Donizetti operas set in exotic locations – Emilia di Liverpool, Zoroaida di Granata, Harrison di Accrington (okay, artistic license exercised on that final one) – so … Continue reading

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