Opera & Ballet

Collected opera and ballet reviews

Jonathan Dove’s The Monster in the Maze is a finely written opera that just happens to be for a community

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Music in the Round – Dove (arr. Dove/Lyon), The Monster in the Maze: Music Makers of Sheffield (including Ensemble 360, Consone Quartet, Bridge Ensemble, Sheffield Hub Senior Strings, Sheffield Youth Choirs and singers of Sheffield) / John Lyon (conductor). Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, 2.4.2024. (CC)

The Monster in the Maze at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre © Andy Brown

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Outstanding Wexford Festival Opera revival of a ‘let’s put on an opera’ Donizetti rarity

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IrelandIreland Wexford Festival Opera 2024 [3] – Donizetti, Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Wexford Festival Opera / Danila Grassi (conductor). O’Reilly Theatre, Wexford, 25.10.2024. (RB)

Wexford Festival Opera’s Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali © Patricio Cassinoni

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Wexford Festival Opera makes a strong case for Stanford’s The Critic

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IrelandIreland Wexford Festival Opera 2024 [2] – Stanford, The Critic: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Wexford National Opera / Ciarán McAuley (conductor), O’Reilly Theatre Wexford, 24.10.2024. (RB)

[l-r] Arthur Riordan (Mr Sneer), Mark Lambert (Mr Puff), Hannah O’Brien in The Critic © Patricio Cassinoni

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Fine Wexford Festival Opera cast for Mascagni’s Le maschere, but the opera itself is unconvincing

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IrelandIreland Wexford Opera Festival 2024 [1] – Mascagni, Le maschere: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Wexford Festival Opera / Francesco Cilluffo (conductor). O’Reilly Theatre, Wexford, 23.10.2024 (RB)

Ioana Constantin Pipelea (Colombina), Gillen Munguia (Brighella), Andrew Morstein (Florindo), and Lavinia Bini (Rosaura) in WFO’s Le maschere © Patricio Cassinoni

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