Tag Archives: Sarah Castle

Binge-listening: a bumper Beethoven Weekender at the Barbican

Beethoven Weekender Barbican, 1st & 2nd February 2020 Ludwig overload? There are going to be many Beethoven cycles performed during this 250th anniversary year but probably none as concentrated as this: a binge-listen to the nine symphonies in just thirty … Continue reading

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Full immersion, total immolation: Götterdämmerung crowns Opera North’s magnificent Ring

Wagner: Götterdämmerung ***** Opera North, Royal Festival Hall, 3rd July 2016 Wagner would have made a dreadful Neighbours scriptwriter. His “Previously inThe Ring” at the start of Götterdämmerung is hardly snappy, as the three Norns wind the rope of destiny and … Continue reading

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Disobedient daughter, outraged wife: Wotan’s woes mount in Opera North’s Die Walküre

Wagner: Die Walküre **** Opera North, Royal Festival Hall, 29th June 2016 In Anna Russell’s wittily deadpan analysis of Wagner’s Ring cycle, she describes Wotan as “the head god” – pausing for dramatic effect before adding “and he’s a crashing … Continue reading

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Dipping a toe into the Rhine: Wagner therapy from Opera North

Wagner: Das Rheingold **** Opera North, Royal Festival Hall, 28th June 2016 Richard Jones has a lot to answer for. His cartoon-kitsch Ring for The Royal Opera back in 1994-5 scarred me so deeply that I’ve been reluctant to return … Continue reading

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