United States Puccini, La bohème: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of LA Opera / James Conlon (conductor), Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, 22.9.2019. (JRo)
Barrie Kosky’s brilliant production of La bohème at the LA Opera
Opera & Ballet
Collected opera and ballet reviews
A rather modest Un ballo in maschera at the Deutsche Oper Berlin
Germany Verdi, Un ballo in maschera: Deutsche Oper Chorus and Orchestra / Ivan Repušić (conductor), Deutsche Oper Berlin, 23.9.2019. (JMI)
Virtuosity from DiDonato but Kosky’s Agrippina is puzzling and contradictory
United Kingdom Handel, Agrippina: Soloists, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment / Maxim Emelyanychev (conductor). Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, 23.9.2019. (AK)
Two great artists, Daniel Barenboim and Michael Volle, head the Staatsoper’s marvelous Ring cycle
Germany Der Ring des Nibelungen [1]: Wagner, Das Rheingold, Die Walkűre: Staatsopernchor, Staatskapelle Berlin / Daniel Barenboim (conductor), Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin, 21 & 22.9.2019. (JMI)
An interesting WNO Carmen in which the women outshine the men
United Kingdom Bizet, Carmen: Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus of Welsh National Opera / Tomáš Hanus (conductor). Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, 21.9.2019. (GPu)
(c) Bill Cooper
Clever production of The Makropulos Affair opens new Zurich opera season
Switzerland Janáček, The Makropulos Affair: Soloists, Chorus of Zurich Opera, Philharmonia Zurich / Jakub Hrůša (conductor). Zurich Opera, 22.9.2019. (JR)
A brilliant cast triumphs in the Deutsche Oper Berlin’s Cav & Pag
Germany Mascagni, Cavalleria rusticana and Leoncavallo, Pagliacci: Deutsche Oper Chorus and Orchestra / Paolo Arrivabeni (conductor). Deutsche Oper Berlin, 20.9.2019. (JMI)
From Glyndebourne, a triumphant Billy Budd comes to San Francisco
United States Britten, Billy Budd: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of San Francisco Opera / Lawrence Renes (conductor). War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, 20.9.2019. (HS)
(c) Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera)