United States Puccini, La bohème: Soloists, The Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra / Marco Armiliato (conductor). Metropolitan Opera, New York, 4.1.2024. (RP)
Elena Stikhina brings her lovely Mimì to the Metropolitan Opera
Opera & Ballet
Collected opera and ballet reviews
The gender mystery element makes Scottish Ballet’s Cinders! fresh and surprising
United Kingdom Cinders!: Dancers of Scottish Ballet, Scottish Ballet Orchestra / Wolfgang Heinz (conductor). Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 5.1.2024. (SRT)
A fine performance of Der Rosenkavalier in Berlin, hampered by a dismally vague production
Germany R. Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier: Soloists, Children’s Choir of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden (chorus director: Vinzenz Weissenburger), Staatsopernchor Berlin (chorus director: Gerhard Polifka), Staatskapelle Berlin / Joana Mallwitz (conductor). Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin, 2.1.2024. (MB)
An excellent 2023 cast puts the fizz back into Vienna State Opera’s venerable Die Fledermaus
Austria Johann Strauss II, Die Fledermaus: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Vienna State Opera / Simone Young (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Jakob Pitzer) from the Vienna State Opera, 31.12.2023. (JPr)
Convincing storytelling matches musical excellence in Czech-language Rusalka in Bremerhaven
Germany Dvořák, Rusalka: Soloists, Chorus of the Stadttheater Bremerhaven, Philharmonic Orchestra Bremerhaven / Marc Niemann (conductor). Stadttheater Bremerhaven, 25.12.2023. (DMD)
Alexei Ratmansky reinvigorates and re-choreographs Coppélia for La Scala Ballet
Italy Alexei Ratmansky’s Coppélia: Dancers of La Scala Ballet, Orchestra of La Scala, Milan / Paul Connelly (conductor). Broadcast (directed by Stefania Grimaldi) from La Scala, Milan, 17.12.2023. (JPr)
Rameau’s Platée in Zurich is a delightfully comical tragedy, or does it end well after all?
Switzerland Rameau, Platée: Soloists, Extras Association of Zurich Opera, Chorus of Zurich Opera, Orchestra La Scintilla Zurich / Emmanuelle Haïm (conductor). Zurich Opera, 10.12.2023. (MF)
A successful Maria Stuarda in Valencia with Eleonora Buratto and conductor Maurizio Benini
Spain Donizetti, Maria Stuarda: Generalitat Valenciana Chorus and Comunitat Valenciana Orchestra / Maurizio Benini (conductor). Palau de Les Arts, Valencia, 19.12.2023. (JMI)