Tag Archives: Ildar Abdrazakov

A long road to nowhere for Igor at the Bastille

Posted on December 2, 2019 by Mark Pullinger

Borodin: Prince Igor Opéra national de Paris, Bastille, 1st December 2019 Gone are the days when Borodin’s Prince Igor was presented as dry historical pageant, dusty stagings of static tableaux. Directors now prefer to tap into the psychology of the … Continue reading →

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Codes of honour trip up Bechtolf’s Ernani at La Scala

Posted on September 30, 2018 by Mark Pullinger

Verdi: Ernani *** Teatro alla Scala, Milan, 29th September 2018 George Bernard Shaw admired the “fierce noonday sun” of the score to Ernani. “The one with the bandits” evens gets a glancing mention in his play, Arms and the Man. I’m not … Continue reading →

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Camels and comic capers in Algiers: Cecilia Bartoli stars in a frothy Italiana at the Salzburg Festival

Posted on August 9, 2018 by Mark Pullinger

Rossini: L’italiana in Algeri ***** Salzburg Festival, 8th August 2018 A muezzin calls the faithful to prayer. Elvira fails to arouse Mustafà’s desires while an animated ballet about an amorous camel cavorts in the picture frame above their marital bed. … Continue reading →

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Gold-plated Don Carlos cast compensates for Warlikowski’s frosty Paris staging

Posted on November 1, 2017 by Mark Pullinger

Verdi: Don Carlos *** Opéra Bastille, 28th October 2017 Stéphane Lissner, director of the Opéra de Paris, had one of his greatest successes as general manager at the Théâtre du Châtelet with Luc Bondy’s staging of the original French version of … Continue reading →

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Royal Opera’s Don Carlo revival fails to ignite

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Mark Pullinger

Verdi: Don Carlo *** Royal Opera, Covent Garden, 12th May 2017 “What a day, what a day for an auto-da-fé” sings the chorus in Bernstein’s Candide, “It’s a lovely day for drinking and for watching people fry!” The Royal Opera … Continue reading →

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