Tag Archives: Anna Netrebko

Burning bright: a vocally superb Trovatore ignites the Bastille

Verdi: Il trovatore **** Opéra Bastille, 31st January 2016 According to legendary tenor Enrico Caruso, the recipe for success in Il trovatore is disarmingly simple: “All it takes is the four greatest singers in the world.” An impossible task, perhaps, but … Continue reading

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С днём рождения, Rimsky-Korsakov!

Think Rimsky-Korsakov and your mind is probably drawn to Scheherazade or the equally colourful works written either side of it: Capriccio espagnol and the Russian Easter Festival Overture. Primarily, Rimsky considered himself an opera composer, composing sixteen of them between … Continue reading

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Blind faith: Netrebko stars in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta

Tchaikovsky: Iolanta (DG)  How fortunes change! Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta began life as the more successful pairing in a double bill, premiered in St Petersburg in 1892 alongside his ballet The Nutcracker. Since then, it has fallen into obscurity outside Russia, whereas … Continue reading

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On with the motley: Clowns, ruffs and a bullet with Ferrando’s name on it

Verdi: Il trovatore: DG*** BelAir*** To adopt sporting jargon, Il trovatore comes in for a ‘bit of stick’ in operatic circles. Its plot is frequently held up as an example of how ridiculous opera plots can be and it has … Continue reading

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The Macbeths triumph at The Met: Netrebko and Lučić reign in New York

Verdi: Macbeth ***** Metropolitan Opera, 24th September 2014 On a triumphant opening night of Verdi’s Macbeth at the Metropolitan Opera, a smattering of boos resounded. The intended recipient? Adrian Noble, returning to direct this second revival of his 2007 staging. The reason? … Continue reading

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