Tag Archives: Roland Wood

McVicar’s Traviata is still darkly impressive

Verdi: La traviata *** Welsh National Opera, Southampton, 23rd November 2018 “I loathe Traviata!” declared David McVicar back in 2003, ahead of his stage production of Camille at the Lyric, Hammersmith. “I could never do such a coarse, clumsy reduction of this woman.” Perhaps this … Continue reading

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A second helping for Carsen’s delicious Falstaff at the Royal Opera

Verdi: Falstaff ***** Royal Opera, 6th July 2015 If “all the world’s a jest”, as Sir John Falstaff claims at the end of Verdi’s final operatic masterpiece, then we need players – and directors – with a sense of frivolity. … 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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