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Robert Farr

Carlo Rizzi’s conducting and WNO’s chorus make Les vêpres siciliennes a worthwhile experience

13/03/202013/03/2020 by Robert Farr

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Verdi, Les vêpres siciliennes: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Welsh National Opera / Carlo Rizzi (conductor). Theatre Cymru, Llandudno, 7.3.2020. (RJF)

WNO’s Les vêpres siciliennes (c) Johan Persson

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Categories Opera & Ballet, UK Opera Tags Llandudno, Robert J. Farr Leave a comment

Rare, abbreviated, yet superbly staged performance of Handel’s Giulio Cesare from Opera North

09/12/201917/11/2019 by Robert Farr

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Handel, Giulio Cesare in Egitto: Orchestra members of Opera North / Christian Curnyn (conductor). The Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays. 12.11.2019. (RJF)

Heather Lowe (Sesto), James Laing (Tolomeo) and Darren Jeffery (Achilla)
(c) Alastair Muir

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Categories Opera & Ballet, UK Opera Tags Robert J. Farr, Salford Quays Leave a comment

Renato Balsadonna conducts Opera North’s La bohème empathetically, but time this production was retired

26/11/201914/11/2019 by Robert Farr

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Puccini, La bohème: Orchestra and Chorus of Opera North / Renato Balsadonna (conductor). The Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays. 12.11.2019. (RJF)

Eleazar Rodriguez (Rodolfo) & Lauren Fagan (Mimì) (c) Richard Hubert Smith

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Categories Opera & Ballet, UK Opera Tags Robert J. Farr, Salford Quays Leave a comment

Sizeable Llandudno audience rewarded with memorable performance of WNO’s Cunning Little Vixen

15/11/201905/11/2019 by Robert Farr

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Janáĉek, The Cunning Little Vixen (sung in Czech): Soloists, Orchestra of Welsh National Opera / Tomáš Hanus (conductor). Theatre Cymru, Llandudno, 31.10.2019

Aiofe Miskelly (Vixen) & Lucia Cervoni (Fox) (c) Richard Hubert Smith

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Fine singing but Verdi’s seminal musical masterpiece deserves better than this WNO Rigoletto

15/11/201904/11/2019 by Robert Farr

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Verdi, Rigoletto: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Welsh National Opera / Alexander Joel  (conductor). Theatre Cymru, Llandudno, 30.10.2019. (RJF)

Alastair Moore (Marullo) and Mark S. Doss (Rigoletto) (c) Richard Hubert Smith

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Tomáš Hanus’s conducting is a highlight of WNO’s new Carmen in Llandudno

15/11/201904/11/2019 by Robert Farr

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Bizet, Carmen: Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus of Welsh National Opera / Tomáš Hanus (conductor). Theatre Cymru, Llandudno, 29.10.2019. (RJF)

Benjamin Bevan, Harriet Eyley, Virginie Verrez, Joe Roche & Angela Simkin in Carmen
(c) Bill Cooper

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Some Outstanding Singing Gives Pleasure in WNO’s Spidery Roberto Devereux

19/05/201930/04/2019 by Robert Farr

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Donizetti, Roberto Devereux: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Welsh National Opera / James Southall (conductor). Theatre Cymru, Llandudno, 25.4.2019. (RJF)

Joyce El-Khoury (Elisabeth) & Barry Banks (Roberto Devereux) (c) Bill Cooper

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WNO’s Scintillatingly Sung and Played The Magic Flute Deserved a New Staging

19/05/201928/04/2019 by Robert Farr

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Mozart, The Magic Flute: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Welsh National Opera / Damian Iorio (conductor). Theatre Cymru, Llandudno, 24.4.2019. (RJF)

Ben Johnson (Tamino) (c) Bill Cooper

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TOP 10 SEEN AND HEARD POSTS

  • Mahler 9: Skeleton out of the closet – Steinaecker and the Mahler Academy Orchestra at the Proms
  • Handel’s Floridante at Bayreuth Baroque in a dark Georgian setting convinces musically not conceptually
  • Die Meistersinger: Memorable Wagner in Minden – again!
  • A splendid and varied concert to close the Gloucester Cathedral Organ Festival
  • An unforgiving new Gothenburg La traviata with healing music
  • Choral epiphanies and anniversary Britten at the Lammermuir Festival
  • A countertenor without limits: Carlo Vistoli in recital at the Park Avenue Armory
  • Technical precision, interpretative freedom: Nemanja Radulović in Bucharest
  • Beczała and Grigorian herald the new Vienna State Opera season in grand gala style
  • Arcangelo and team of baroque-specialist soloists impress with refined Mass in B minor at the Proms

RECENT COMMENTS

  • Carlos on Freiburg Baroque Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle in a fine all-Schumann Prom
  • Nicolay on Rossini’s Le siège de Corinthe opens the ROF 2026 with musical splendour under siege from its own staging
  • Ken Ward on Jamie Barton and Clay Hilley shine in a fine Das Lied von der Erde at the Proms
  • Eliza L on R.I.P. Claire Seymour (1970-2024)
  • Nicolay Hernández on Overwhelming Elgar and Tchaikovsky at the Season Opening by Kirill Petrenko and the Berlin Philharmonic

SEEN AND HEARD'S RECENT REVIEWS

  • Mahler 9: Skeleton out of the closet – Steinaecker and the Mahler Academy Orchestra at the Proms (13/09/2026)
__________________________________
  • Handel’s Floridante at Bayreuth Baroque in a dark Georgian setting convinces musically not conceptually (13/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Die Meistersinger: Memorable Wagner in Minden – again! (13/09/2026) __________________________________
  • A splendid and varied concert to close the Gloucester Cathedral Organ Festival (13/09/2026) __________________________________
  • An unforgiving new Gothenburg La traviata with healing music (13/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Choral epiphanies and anniversary Britten at the Lammermuir Festival (12/09/2026) __________________________________
  • A countertenor without limits: Carlo Vistoli in recital at the Park Avenue Armory (12/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Technical precision, interpretative freedom: Nemanja Radulović in Bucharest (12/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Beczała and Grigorian herald the new Vienna State Opera season in grand gala style (11/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Arcangelo and team of baroque-specialist soloists impress with refined Mass in B minor at the Proms (11/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Bach, Beethoven and Schubert at Wigmore Hall reveals Ólafsson as an outstanding musician (11/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Cleveland Chamber Music Society launches season with subtly crafted program of Glière, Fauré and Brahms (11/09/2026) __________________________________
  • September is a month of melancholy but a radiant, dignified Proms Four Last Songs proved a tonic (10/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Atmospheric and engaging exploration of the language of birds at LSO St Luke’s (09/09/2026) __________________________________
  • The Tempest from Vache Baroque and Out of Chaos was a true company effort (09/09/2026) __________________________________
  • INTERVIEWS, ARTICLES, NEWS, AND SEASON PREVIEWS

    • Patrick Lange is Opera North’s Music Director designate (10/09/2026)
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  • Nelsons and BSO’s Marriage of Figaro: A triumphant platform performance but trouble behind the scenes (26/08/2026) __________________________________
  • Northern Ireland Opera’s stages Carmen for the first time in September 2026 (25/08/2026) __________________________________
  • Oxford Opera Company stage Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro at Oxford Playhouse in October (23/08/2026) __________________________________
  • Tech mogul and conductor Mandle Cheung in conversation with Colin Clarke (19/08/2026) __________________________________
  • Sir Bryn Terfel CBE named as Artistic Director of Oxford International Opera and stars as Scarpia (13/08/2026) __________________________________
  • Sir Mark Elder approaches his 80th birthday next June with landmark 2026-27 performances (10/08/2026) __________________________________
  • Between intimacy and scale: four days at the Verbier Festival 2026 (05/08/2026) __________________________________
  • BBC Proms 2026 on TV and BBC iPlayer (18/07/2026) __________________________________
  • English National Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty to screen at over 150 Cinemas across the UK from 13 October 2026  (18/07/2026) __________________________________
  • A post-card from Aldeburgh: a round-up of some of the excellent concerts at this year’s Festival (03/07/2026) __________________________________
  • Adrian Partington and Jonathan Hope introduce Gloucester Cathedral’s new organ (03/07/2026) __________________________________
  • Royal Ballet and Opera Cinema Season 2026-2027 (27/05/2026) __________________________________
  • John Quinn talks to Three Choirs Festival CEO David Francis (22/05/2026) __________________________________
  • Elim Chan is the San Francisco Symphony’s new Music Director (22/05/2026) __________________________________
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