Opera & Ballet

Collected opera and ballet reviews

Thielemann’s translucent conducting makes more of Vienna’s confusing new Lohengrin than it deserves

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AustriaAustria Wagner, Lohengrin: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Vienna State Opera / Christian Thielemann (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Tiziano Mancini) from the Vienna State Opera, 5.5.2024. (JPr)

Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito’s new Vienna Lohengrin © Wiener Staatsoper/Michael Pöhn

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Scenic and musical diversity in an outstanding Der Rosenkavalier in Bremerhaven

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GermanyGermany Richard Strauss, Der Rosenkavalier: Soloists, Chorus, Children’s chorus, Extra chorus and Extras of Stadttheater Bremerhaven, Philharmonic Orchestra Bremerhaven / Marc Niemann (conductor). Stadttheater Bremerhaven, 4.5.2024. (DMD)

[front l-r] Boshana Milkov (Octavian), Philipp Mayer (Ochs), Victoria Kunze (Sophie), Marcin Hutek (Faninal), [background l-r] MacKenzie Gallinger (Faninal’s Major-domo), Katharina Diegritz (Marianne Leitmetzerin), Daniel Dimitrov, Masahiro Yamada, James Bobby (Baron Ochs’s entourage), Mikolaj Fundela (Leopold) © Heiko Sandelmann

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Impressive historically informed concert performance of Die Walküre in Hamburg

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GermanyGermany Wagner, Die Walküre (concert performance): Dresdener Festspielorchester, Concerto Köln / Kent Nagano (conductor). Internationales Musikfest Hamburg, Elbphilharmonie, 1.5.2024. (DMD)

The concert performance of Die Walküre at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie © Sebastian Madej

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Damiano Michieletto’s new Covent Garden Carmen is well sung but disappoints and disturbs

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Bizet, Carmen: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Antonello Manacorda (conductor). Broadcast live (directed by Pati Marr) from the Royal Ballet & Opera, Covent Garden, to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 1.5.2024. (JPr)

Ruth Alfie Adams (Don José’s mother) and Piotr Beczała (Don José) © Camilla Greenwell

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