Tag Archives: Michael Levine

Billy Budd finally drops anchor again at The Royal Opera

Britten: Billy Budd Royal Opera, 23rd April 2019 It was time Billy came home. The Flying Dutchman puts in to shore every seven years, but the HMS Indomitable hasn’t dropped anchor at Covent Garden in nearly two decades. The Royal … Continue reading

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Hot ice and strange snow: an unseasonal return for Carsen’s bed-hopping Dream

Britten: A Midsummer Night’s Dream **** English National Opera, 1st March 2018 Heading to the Coliseum for A Midsummer Night’s Dream amid snow and ice is a disconcerting prospect – “hot ice and strange snow” indeed. Forget wild thyme blowing and substitute … Continue reading

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McBurney paints The Rake’s Progress onto a blank canvas in Aix

Stravinsky: The Rake’s Progress **** Théâtre de l’Archevêché, Aix-en-Provence A blank sheet of paper can intimidate or inspire. The fresh page can stifle a writer, trapped in the glare of expectation, or can encourage daring originality, be it words in … Continue reading

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ENO’s new Magic Flute mixes high-tech with simple stagecraft

Mozart: The Magic Flute **** English National Opera, 7th November 2013 For all the risk-taking in the operatic world, productions which are guaranteed bums-on-seats bankers are like Nibelung gold. To scrap not one but two such productions is a brave … Continue reading

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Pulling the strings: ENO’s widescreen Butterfly

Puccini: Madam Butterfly *** English National Opera, 8th May 2012 Madam Butterfly is one of two operas virtually guaranteed to bring tears to the eyes of this traditionally stony-hearted critic (The Cunning Little Vixen is the other, should you be interested, so … Continue reading

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