Opera & Ballet

Collected opera and ballet reviews

A semi-staged Turandot is yet more distinguished Puccini from Opera Holland Park

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Puccini, Turandot: Soloists, Opera Holland Park Youth Chorus (chorus master: Joe Cummings) and Chorus (chorus master: Richard Harker), City of London Sinfonia / Naomi Woo (conductor). Opera Holland Park, London, 23.6.2026. (MB)

Anne Sophie Duprels as Princess Turandot and Josè de Eça as Calaf Turandot © Pablo Strong

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With its revival of Tristan und Isolde Longborough is back with what it does at its very best

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Longborough Festival Opera 2026 [2] – Wagner, Tristan und Isolde: Soloists, Longborough Festival Opera Chorus and Orchestra / Antony Negus (conductor). Longborough, Gloucestershire, 20.6.2026. (CP)

Catherine Carby (Brangane) and Catharine Woodward (Isolde) © Matthew Williams-Ellis

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The Pittsburgh Symphony closes their season with a vibrant American celebration

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United StatesUnited States Various: Augustin Hadelich (violin), Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre dancers, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra / Manfred Honeck (conductor). Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh, 19.6.2026. (SJ)

Violinist Augustin Hadelich, conductor Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony © Josh Milteer

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Ostrava stages a spectacular Rossini’s Moïse et Pharaon with great singing in a new production

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Czech RepublicCzech Republic Rossini, Moïse et Pharaon, ou Le Passage de la Mer Rouge: Narodni Divadlo Moravskoslezské Opera and Ballet/ Lukáš Kovařík (conductor). Antonín Dvořák Theatre, Ostrava, 12.6.2026. (GT)

Raman Hasymau (Eliézer), Andrii Kharlamov (Moïse) and Lada Bočková (Anaï)

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Prokofiev’s The Gambler combines great singing and acting in a terrific new production in Ostrava

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Czech RepublicCzech Republic Prokofiev, The Gambler: Soloists, Chorus, Actors and Orchestra of Národni Divadlo Moravskoslezské Opera and Ballet / Filip Urban (conductor). Antonín Dvořák Theatre, Ostrava, 10.6.2026. (GT)

Prokofiev’s The Gambler in Ostrava (front, Alexander Kravets as Alexie)

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Garsington magically conceives of Monteverdi’s Il ritorno d’Ulisse as a sequel to its Orfeo

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Garsington Opera 2026 [3] – Monteverdi, Il ritorno d’Ulisse: Soloists, The English Concert / Laurence Cummings (conductor). Garsington Opera at Wormsley, 12.6.2026/ (CR)

Cecelia Hall as Penelope and Ed Lyon as Ulisse in Il ritorno d’Ulisse © Craig Fuller

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