Barrie Kosky’s Das Rheingold for the Royal Opera is a miscast, misconceived, mishmash of ideas

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Wagner, Das Rheingold: Soloists, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Sir Antonio Pappano (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Peter Jones) from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, to Cineworld Basildon, 20.9.2023. (JPr)

Christopher Purves (Alberich) and the Rhinemaidens © Monika Rittershaus

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If I had five stars, I would give them to the Royal Opera’s revival of La forza del destino

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Verdi, La forza del destino (1869 Milan version): Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Sir Mark Elder (conductor). Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, 19.9.2023. (CC)

Etienne Dupuis (Don Carlo) and Brian Jagde (Don Alvaro) © Camilla Greenwell

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All that glitters is ‘Rhinegoo’ in Barrie Kosky’s very, very mixed new Das Rheingold at the Royal Opera House

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Wagner, Das Rheingold: Soloists, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Sir Antonio Pappano (conductor). Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 11.9.2023. (CC)

(from l) In Sung Sim (Fasolt), Soloman Howard (Fafner) with Rose Knox-Peebles (Erda) and Christopher Maltman (Wotan) © Monika Rittershaus

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Remarkable singing actors makes Saffron Opera Group’s Rosenkavalier a significant achievement

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Richard Strauss, Der Rosenkavalier (concert performance): Soloists, Chorus (chorus master: James Davey) and Orchestra of Saffron Opera Group / Michael Thorne (conductor). Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden, Essex, 10.9.2023. (JPr)

Catherine Carby (Octavian as ‘Mariandel’) and Ella de Jongh (The Marschallin) © Roger King

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