Christie’s Tanglewood Fairy Queen has some magic moments but ultimately fails to enchant

United StatesUnited States Tanglewood Festival 2024 [5] – Purcell, The Fairy Queen: Soloists, Les Arts Florissants / William Christie (music director). Seiji Ozawa Hall, Tanglewood, 18.7.2024. (CSa)

Georgia Burashko sings ‘Ye gentle spirits of the air, appear!’ © Hilary Scott

Read more

Rameau’s lost Samson is evidently a labour not only of love but also of conviction for all

FranceFrance Festival d’Aix-en-Provence [5] – Rameau, Samson: Soloists, Pygmalion / Raphaël Pichon (conductor). Théâtre de l’Archevêché, Aix-en-Provence, 12.7.2024. (MB)

Samson at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence 2024 © Monika Rittershaus

Read more

Despite reservations, memory of Gluck at Aix will doubtless endure

FranceFrance Festival d’Aix-en-Provence [4] – Gluck, Iphigénie en Aulide and Iphigénie en Tauride: Soloists, Le Choeur d’Astrée (chorus director: Richard Wilberforce), Le Concert d’Astrée, Emmanuelle Haïm (conductor). Grand Théâtre de Provence, Aix-en-Provence, 11.7.2024 (MB)

Iphigenie en Tauride at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence 2024 © Monika Rittershaus

Read more

Having caught up with Katie Mitchell’s Aix production, Pelléas will never quite be the same again

FranceFrance Festival d’Aix-en-Provence [2] – Debussy, Pelléas et Mélisande: Soloists, Chorus (chorus master: Benedict Kearns) and Orchestra of the Lyon Opera / Susanna Mälkki (conductor). Grand Théâtre de Provence, Aix-en-Provence, 9.7.2024. (MB)

Pelléas et Mélisande at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence 2024 © Jean-Louis Fernandez

Read more

This Aix-en-Provence production quietly, powerfully rethought and reimagined Madama Butterfly

FranceFrance Festival d’Aix-en-Provence [1] – Puccini, Madama Butterfly: Soloists, Lyon Opera Chorus (chorus master: Benedict Kearns), Lyon Opera Orchestra / Daniele Rustoni (conductor). Théâtre de l’Archeveché, Aix-en-Provence, 8.7.2024. (MB)

Festival d’Aix-en-Provence 2024: Madama Butterfly © Ruth Walz

Read more

Visually demanding and musically convincing Die Walküre in Saarbrücken

GermanyGermany Wagner, Die Walküre: Soloists, Chorus of Saarländisches Staatstheater. Saarländisches Staatsorchester / Stefan Neubert (conductor). Saarländisches Staatstheater, Saarbrücken, 29.6.2024. (DMD)

Aile Asszonyi (centre front, Brünnhilde) and Thomas Johannes Mayer (right, Wotan) © Martin Kaufhold

Read more

Livermore’s new Turandot is in an opium haze at Milan’s La Scala as Netrebko and Eyvazov are victorious

ItalyItaly Puccini, Turandot: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala, Milan / Michele Gamba (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Anna Gettel) from La Scala, Milan, 4.7.2024. (JPr)

Davide Livermore’s production of Turandot Act I © Teatro alla Scala / Brescia e Amisano

Read more