Switzerland R. Strauss, Ariadne Auf Naxos: Soloists, Philharmonia Zurich / Markus Poschner (conductor). Zurich Opera, 25.9.2024. (MF)
Opera & Ballet
Collected opera and ballet reviews
Nánási rightly conducts Tchaikovsky’s rich Eugene Onegin score and not Huffman’s blank stage
United Kingdom Tchaikovsky, Eugene Onegin: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Ballet & Opera / Henrik Nánási (conductor). Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 26.9.2024. (AK)
Puccini’s Suor Angelica felt like a return to the great days of ENO
United Kingdom Puccini, Suor Angelica (sung in English): Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of English National Opera / Corinna Niemeyer (conductor). London Coliseum, 27.9.2024 (CC)
An outstanding Benjamin Bernheim dominates the Met’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann revival
United States Offenbach, Les Contes d’Hoffmann: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera / Marco Armiliato (conductor). Metropolitan Opera, New York, 24.9.2024. (ES-S)
Emily D’Angelo soars in Tesori’s gripping and powerful Grounded on the Met’s 2024/25 opening night
United States Jeanine Tesori, Grounded: Soloists, Men of the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra / Yannick Nézet-Séguin (conductor). Metropolitan Opera, New York, 23.9.2024. (RP)
Adele Thomas’s powerful and passionate Rigoletto for the beleaguered WNO
United Kingdom Verdi, Rigoletto: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Welsh National Opera / Pietro Rizzo (conductor). Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, 21.9.2024. (GPu)
Imaginative and intelligent revision of Der Freischütz in Oldenburg
Germany Weber, Der Freischütz (Additional music by Elena Kats-Chernin. Libretto by Friedrich Kind, in a new version by Susanne Felicitas Wolf): Soloists, Chorus and Extras of Oldenburgisches Staatstheater, Oldenburgisches Staatsorchester / Hendrik Vestmann (conductor). Oldenburgisches Staatstheater, 18.9.2024. (DMD)
Madame Butterfly meets Hollywood film set at the LA Opera
United States Puccini, Madame Butterfly: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of LA Opera / James Conlon (conductor). Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, 21.9.2024. (JRo)