United Kingdom Puccini, Madama Butterfly: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Kevin John Edusei (conductor). Royal Opera House, London, 14.3.2024. (MM-B)
Opera & Ballet
Collected opera and ballet reviews
Our attitudes to death are dissected by Sarah Angliss’ Giant ‘event’ at the Linbury Theatre
United Kingdom Sarah Angliss, Giant: Soloists, Stephen Hiscock (percussion), Reiko Ichise (viola da gamba), Olwen Foulkes (recorder), Nicola Hicks (viola), Tiaho Soares Silva, Amalia Young (violins) / Ben Smith (conductor/harpsichord). Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 12.3.2024. (CC)
A fine revival of David Alden’s thought-provoking Jenůfa at English National Opera
United Kingdom Janáček, Jenůfa: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of English National Opera / Keri-Lynn Wilson (conductor). London Coliseum, 13.3.2024. (JR)
Bavarian State Opera’s new production of The Passenger
Germany Weinberg, The Passenger (Die Passagierin): Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Bayerische Staatsoper / Vladimir Jurowski (conductor). Nationaltheater, Munich, 9.2.2024. (ALL)
Smetana’s wacky village comedy The Kiss gets an exhilarating performance in Ostrava’s celebratory festival
Czech Republic Smetana, The Kiss (Hubička): Soloists, Choir and Orchestra of the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre /Marek Šedivý (conductor). Antonín Dvořák Theatre, Ostrava, 7.3.2024. (GT)
Smetana’s The Two Widows in Ostrava celebrates the 200th anniversary in magnificent style
Czech Republic Smetana, The Two Widows (Dvě vdovy): Soloists, Choir and Orchestra of the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre / Marek Šedivý (conductor). Antonín Dvořák Theatre, Ostrava, 6.3.2024. (GT)
By showing us war is cruel does little to improve Verdi’s uneven La forza del destino at the Met
United States Verdi, La forza del destino: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera, New York / Yannick Nézet-Séguin (conductor). A Live in HD broadcast (directed by Gary Halvorson) from New York’s Metropolitan Opera to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 9.3.2024. (JPr)
Roman Haubenstock-Ramati’s 1966 opera Amerika is a discovery worth the journey to Zurich
Switzerland Roman Haubenstock-Ramati, Amerika: Soloists, Dancers, Philharmonia Zurich / Gabriel Feltz (conductor). Zurich Opera, 9.3.2024. (MF)