Janáček, The Cunning Little Vixen: The New York Philharmonic, Alan Gilbert (Conductor), Doug Fitch (Director), Karole Armitage (Choreographer), New York Choral Artists, Joseph Flummerfelt (Director), Metropolitan Opera Children’s Chorus, Anthony Piccolo (Director), Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, New York, 22.6.2011 (SSM)
Opera & Ballet
Collected opera and ballet reviews
Aged Madame Butterfly Still Delights the Eye:Latvian Production of Puccini Classic
Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at Latvian National Opera, Riga, 10.6.2011 (GF)
The Fairy Queen Hits the Big Apple: Purcell’s Opera Performed in New York
The Fairy Queen: Big Apple Baroque and Dušan Týnek Dance and Theatre, The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, New York, 14.6.2011 (SSM)
In Praise of Amateur Opera – Bel Canto Opera’s La Traviata
Verdi, La Traviata: Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus of Bel Canto Opera, Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham, 16.6.2011. (RJ)
Britten well served by revival of Decker’s Peter Grimes
United Kingdom Britten, Peter Grimes: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Sir Andrew Davis (conductor). Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, 21.6.2011. (MB)
Sellars, Upshaw and Crumb’s Berkeley Commentary on Afghanistan
Crumb, traditional Afghan music: Dawn Upshaw (soprano), red fish bue fish (percussion ensemble), Stephen Schick (percussion), Gil Kalish (piano), The Sakhi Ensemble, presented by Cal Performances, Zellerbach Playhouse, Berkeley, Calif. 16.6.2011 (HS)
Back to the Eighties: Reconstructing Lully’s Atys Again
J-B. Lully, Atys: Soloists, Les Arts Florissants, William Christie (conductor). Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux. 19.6.2011 (JMI)
Haphazard Götterdämmerung fails to light up Paris
Wagner, Götterdämmerung: Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus of the Opéra national de Paris, Philippe Jordan (conductor). Opéra Bastille, Paris, 18.6.2011 (MB)