Opera & Ballet

Collected opera and ballet reviews

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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Even after 64 years, Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée – now performed by BRB – still transmits happiness

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Birmingham Royal Ballet’s La Fille mal gardée: Dancers of Birmingham Royal Ballet, Royal Ballet Sinfonia / Paul Murphy (conductor). Sadler’s Wells, London, 25.10.2024. (JO’D)

Rory Mackay (Widow Simone), Jonathan Payn (Thomas), and Gus Payne (Alain) © Riku Ito

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Magnificent orchestral work under Eun Sun Kim elevates SFO’s Tristan und Isolde

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United StatesUnited States Wagner, Tristan und Isolde: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of San Francisco Opera / Eun Sun Kim (conductor). War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, 23.10.2024. (HS)

Anja Kempe (Isolde) and Simon O’Neill (Tristan) in the Act II love duet © Corey Weaver

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Kupfer’s La Scala, Milan, Der Rosenkavalier is more thoughtful sophistication than brazen opulence

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ItalyItaly Richard Strauss, Der Rosenkavalier: Soloists, Chorus and Treble Voices Chorus of the Teatro alla Scala Academy, Teatro alla Scala Orchestra / Kirill Petrenko (conductor). Teatro alla Scala, Milan, 19.10.2024. (CR)

Harry Kupfer’s Der Rosenkavalier © Brescia e Amisano

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