Opera & Ballet

Collected opera and ballet reviews

Vienna State Ballet’s season opener Don Quixote revival does Rudolf Nureyev proud

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AustriaAustria Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote: Dancers of Vienna State Ballet, Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera / Robert Reimer (conductor). Transmitted live (directed by Balázs Delbó) from the Vienna State Opera, 16.9.2023. (JPr)

Zsolt Török (l, Don Quixote), Liudmila Konovalova (centre, Dulcinea) and Olga Esina (r, The Queen of the Dryads) © Wiener Staatsballett/Ashley Taylor

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The Komische Oper, Berlin triumphantly revive Das Floss der Medusa – in an aircraft hangar

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GermanyGermany Henze, Das Floss der Medusa: Soloists, Choir Soloists, Movement Choir and Children’s Extras of the Komische Oper, Berlin, Vocalconsort Berlin, Staats- und Domchor Berlin, Orchestra of the Komische Oper, Berlin / Titus Engel (conductor). Hangar 1, Tempelhof Airport, Berlin, 16.9.2023. (MB)

Komische Oper’s Das Floss der Medusa © Jaro Suffner

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

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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

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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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