Opera & Ballet

Collected opera and ballet reviews

Exciting singing and imaginative staging in Hamburg’s vintage La bohème

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GermanyGermany Puccini, La bohème: Staatsoper Soloists, Chorus, Extra Chorus and Alsterspatzen of Staatsoper Hamburg. Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg / Ramón Tebar (conductor). Staatsoper Hamburg, 17.12.2024. (DM-D)

First scene of the 2006 La bohème © Hans Jörg Michel

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There will never be another! Relive Rudolf Nureyev’s virtuosic talent in his legendary Don Quixote film

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AustraliaAustralia The Australian Ballet in Rudolf Nureyev’s Film of Don Quixote: The Australian Ballet, The State Orchestra of Victoria (formerly The Elizabethan Trust Melbourne Orchestra) / John Lanchbery (conductor). Filmed in 1973, restored and remastered in 1999, and currently available on medici.tv. (JPr)

Gailene Stock and Caroline Rappell (Kitri’s girlfriends) and Rudolf Nureyev in Don Quixote

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Pfitzner’s Palestrina is conducted by Thielemann, the opera’s tireless advocate, and triumphs in Vienna

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AustriaAustria Hans Pfitzner’s Palestrina: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Vienna State Opera / Christian Thielemann (conductor). Livestreamed (directed by Ella Gallieni) from the Vienna State Opera, 12.12.2024. (JPr)

Michael Laurenz (Bernardo Novagerio) and Wolfgang Koch (Cardinal Borromeo) © Wiener Staatsoper / Michael Pöhn

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This glorious Tosca in Ostrava is blessed by terrific singing from Šimková, Berger and Čapkovič

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Czech RepublicCzech Republic Puccini, Tosca: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre / Marek Šedivý (conductor). Antonín Dvořák Theatre, Ostrava, 7.12.2024. (GT)

Tosca Act II – Daniel Čapkovič (Scarpia) and Petra Alvarez Šimková (Tosca) © Martin Popelář

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A star is born: Carolina López Moreno brings Puccini’s Magda vividly to life in LSO’s La rondine

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Puccini, La rondine (concert performance): Soloists, London Symphony Chorus and Orchestra / Sir Antonio Pappano (conductor). Barbican Hall, London, 12.12.2024. (JPr)

Carolina López Moreno sings Magda with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano © Mark Allan

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ENB bring a colourful, modern twist to Nutcracker, though it is a rather flat experience

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom English National Ballet’s Nutcracker: English National Ballet, English National Ballet Philharmonic / Maria Seletskaja (conductor). London Coliseum, 12.12.2024. (JO’D)

Rhys Antoni Yeomans as the Nutcracker Doll in ENB’s Nutcracker © Johan Persson

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