Broadcasts and Film

A very well sung new Turandot in Naples is not the car crash it might appear to be

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ItalyItaly Puccini, Turandot: Children’s Chorus (director: Stefania Rinaldi), Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro di San Carlo / Dan Ettinger (conductor). Livestreamed on medici.tv from Teatro di San Carlo, Naples. 9.12.2023. (JPr)

Vasily Barkhatov’s Turandot at Naples’s Teatro di San Carlo

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The Metropolitan Opera’s Florencia en el Amazonas fails to float my boat

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United StatesUnited States Daniel Catán, Florencia en el Amazonas: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera, New York / Yannick Nézet-Séguin (conductor). Transmitted live (directed by Gary Halvorson) and seen at Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 9.12.2023. (JPr)

Ailyn Pérez (Florencia Grimaldi) with waterlilies © Ken Howard/Met Opera

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Robert Wilson’s static Paris Turandot focuses the mind on Puccini’s score and some excellent singing

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FranceFrance Puccini, Turandot: Soloists, Maîtrise des Hauts-de-Seine, Chorus, Children’s Choir and Orchestra of Paris Opera / Marco Armiliato (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by François Roussillon) from the Opéra Bastille, Paris, 13.11.2023. (JPr)\

Iréne Theorin (Turandot) and Brian Jagde (Calaf) in Robert Wilson’s Turandot

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Carlos Acosta’s Don Quixote is reviewed through today’s lens: could the Royal Ballet dance any better?

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Minkus (arr. and orch. Martin Yates), Don Quixote: Dancers of The Royal Ballet, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Valery Ovsyanikov (conductor). Recorded live (directed by Ross MacGibbon) at the Royal Opera House, London, 7.11.2023 and seen at Everyman Cinema, Chelmsford, Essex. 13.11.2023. (JPr)

Matthew Ball as Basilio in Don Quixote © Andrej Uspenski

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NT Live Skylight: David Hare’s play is as relevant in 2023, as in 1995 or 2014

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom NT Live – David Hare’s Skylight: Captured live (directed by Robin Lough) at London’s Wyndham’s Theatre on 17.7.2014 and available again in cinemas from 16.11.2023. (JPr)

Bill Nighy (Tom Sergeant) and Carey Mulligan (Kyra Hollis) in Skylight © John Haynes

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Netrebko and Guerrero impress in an eye-watering revival of Carsen’s Vienna Manon Lescaut

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AustriaAustria Puccini, Manon Lescaut: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Vienna State Opera / Jader Bignamini (conductor). Livestreamed (directed by Anna Gettel) from Vienna State Opera on 8.11.2023. (JPr)

Robert Carsen’s Manon Lescaut Act II © Wiener Staatsoper

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CALLAS – PARIS, 1958 in cinemas soon should not be missed by opera lovers of whatever vintage

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FranceFrance CALLAS – PARIS, 1958: Maria Callas (soprano), featured soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Théâtre National de l’Opéra de Paris / Georges Sébastian (conductor). Filmed for ORTF by Roger Benamou on 19.12.1958 and released in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on 11 & 12.11.2023. (JPr)

Maria Callas © Fonds de Dotation Maria Callas

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Serebrennikov’s new Paris Opera Lohengrin is utterly compelling theatre despite confusing moments

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FranceFrance Wagner, Lohengrin: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Opéra national de Paris / Alexander Soddy (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Myriam Hoyer) from the Opéra Bastille, Paris, 24.10.2023 and available on medici.tv from 1.11.2023. (JPr)

Paris Opera’s Lohengrin Act I © Charles-Duprat/OnP

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