Opera & Ballet

Collected opera and ballet reviews

Kosky’s oddly staged Siegfried disappoints though Pappano and his orchestra are on top form

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Wagner, Siegfried: Soloists, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Sir Antonio Pappano (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Peter Jones) from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 31.3.2026 and viewed at the Chelmsford Theatre, Essex, 5.4.2026. (JPr)

Soloman Howard (Fafner) and Andreas Schager (Siegfried) in Act II © The Royal Opera/Monika Rittershaus

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Attention to detail makes Baden-Baden Lohengrin a festive occasion

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GermanyGermany 2026 Baden-Baden Easter Festival – Wagner, Lohengrin:  Soloists; Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno, Vienna Philharmonia Chorus, Mahler Chamber Orchestra / Joanna Mallwitz (conductor). Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, 31.3.2026. (DM-D)

Lohengrin Act III: Rachel Willis-Sørensen (Elsa) and Piotr Beczała (Lohengrin) © Martin Sigmund

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Wuorinen’s Brokeback Mountain ‘breathes, speaks and moans’ in an amazingly moving Erfurt production

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GermanyGermany Charles Wuorinen, Brokeback Mountain: Soloists, Opernchor des Theaters Erfurt, Philharmonisches Orchester Erfurt / Hermes Helfricht (conductor). Theater Erfurt, 28.3.2026. (AB)

Daniela Gerstenmayer (Alma) and Máté Sólyom-Nagy (Ennis) © Lutz Edelhoff

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Berlin Festtage’s new Verdi Un ballo fails to ignite. Blame the director (partly)

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GermanyGermany Berlin Festtage 2026 [3] – Verdi, Un ballo in maschera: Soloists, Staatsopernchor Berlin, Staatskapelle Berlin / Enrique Mazzola (conductor). Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin, 1.4.2026. (SRT)

Charles Castronovo (Riccardo) and Anna Netrebko (Amelia) © Stephan Rabold

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