Tag Archives: Donald Maxwell

Wheel of Fortune: Preziosilla spins Pountney’s Force of Destiny

Verdi: La forza del destino **** Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, 2nd February 2018 When the entire plot is triggered by a freak accident, you can’t blame director David Pountney for making Fate itself the opera’s key character. The first scene of Verdi’s La … Continue reading

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Roderick Williams’ charming birdcatcher leads a spirited revival of The Magic Flute at Covent Garden

Mozart: Die Zauberflöte **** The Royal Opera, 14th September 2017 What do you seek from The Magic Flute? Truth? Enlightenment? Birdcatcher Papageno confesses he’s not really looking for wisdom. Sleep, food, drink – and possibly a wife – is all he’s … Continue reading

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Firing blanks: a disappointing Tosca at Covent Garden

Puccini: Tosca ** The Royal Opera, 11th January 2016 Nothing sweeps away the Christmas excess of multiple Nutcrackers like the biting chords denoting the villainous Baron Scarpia at the start of Tosca. I have a sneaking fondness for Puccini’s ‘shabby … Continue reading

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