Tag Archives: Michael Spyres

Berlioz with a bronze glow as Benvenuto Cellini crowns 150th anniversary

Prom 59: Benvenuto Cellini Gardiner/ ORR, Royal Albert Hall, 2nd September 2019 “Concert performance” the Proms Guide had announced, primly underselling what turned out to be an exuberant “production” – fully costumed, if without many actual props – of Berlioz’ … Continue reading

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Lightning strikes again in Strasbourg: Michael Spyres thrills in La Damnation de Faust

Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust Salle Érasme, Strasbourg, 25th April 2019 Lightning, they say, never strikes in the same place twice. If that’s the case, then somebody please explain the scorch marks streaked across Strasbourg’s Palais de la Musique et … Continue reading

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From Auber to Halévy: El-Khoury and Spyres celebrate a pair of French stars in style

Opera Rara: Joyce El-Khoury & Michael Spyres **** Cadogan Hall, 14th July 2017 Opera Rara celebrated Bastille Day with a tribute to two great French singers, Julie Dorus-Gras and Gilbert Duprez. Dorus-Gras was a leading soprano in Paris in the … Continue reading

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“Gloire à DiDonato”: Les Troyens takes Strasbourg by storm

Berlioz: Les Troyens ***** Salle Erasmé, Strasbourg, 17th April 2017 Performances of Berlioz’s epic opera in two parts, Les Troyens, are rare events. Substantially shorter than Wagner’s Ring, it is nonetheless staged far less frequently. Although there was no production … Continue reading

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A tale of two tenors as Méhul is celebrated by the OAE

Méhul et al: OAE/Cohen **** St John’s Smith Square, 10th February 2017 Étienne-Nicolas Méhul’s music isn’t familiar to most concert-goers. The only work which I know is his First Symphony, the finale of which contains a motif so similar to … Continue reading

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