UK Opera

All opera reviews from UK sources

Lise Davidsen’s compellingly expressive singing doesn’t entirely rescue Tobias Kratzer’s Fidelio

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Beethoven, Fidelio: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Sir Antonio Pappano (conductor). Performance of 9.3.2020 (directed for the screen by Rhodri Huw), televised on BBC Four, and reviewed on 26.7.2020. (JPr)

Amanda Forsythe (Marzelline), Georg Zeppenfeld (Rocco) & Lise Davidsen (Leonore)
(c) Bill Cooper

Read moreLise Davidsen’s compellingly expressive singing doesn’t entirely rescue Tobias Kratzer’s Fidelio

Glyndebourne’s 2012 Marriage of Figaro was exceptional entertainment and kicked off Open House 2020

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Glyndebourne Open House – Mozart, Le nozze di Figaro: Soloists, Glyndebourne Chorus and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment / Robin Ticciati (conductor). Glyndebourne Festival Opera performance 17.8.2012 and streamed and reviewed on 24.5.2020. (MMB)

Glyndebourne Festival Opera’s 2012 Le nozze di Figaro (c) Alastair Muir

Read moreGlyndebourne’s 2012 Marriage of Figaro was exceptional entertainment and kicked off Open House 2020

Carlo Rizzi’s conducting and WNO’s chorus make Les vêpres siciliennes a worthwhile experience

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Verdi, Les vêpres siciliennes: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Welsh National Opera / Carlo Rizzi (conductor). Theatre Cymru, Llandudno, 7.3.2020. (RJF)

WNO’s Les vêpres siciliennes (c) Johan Persson

Read moreCarlo Rizzi’s conducting and WNO’s chorus make Les vêpres siciliennes a worthwhile experience

Handel’s Susanna returns to Covent Garden after 271 years in an enjoyable staging

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Handel, Susanna, HWV 66: Soloists, members of the Royal Opera Chorus, London Handel Orchestra / Patrick Milne (conductor). Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 5.3.2020. (CC)

Handel’s Susanna © Stephen Cummiskey

Read moreHandel’s Susanna returns to Covent Garden after 271 years in an enjoyable staging

Strong soloists, chorus, and orchestra are the pluses of Scottish Opera’s Nixon in China

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Adams, Nixon in China: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Scottish Opera / Joana Carneiro (conductor). Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 29.2.2020. (SRT)

Hye-Youn Lee (Madame Mao Tse-tung) & Julia Sporsén (Pat Nixon) in Nixon in China
(c) James Glossop

Read moreStrong soloists, chorus, and orchestra are the pluses of Scottish Opera’s Nixon in China

ENO’s wonderful singers compensate for a disordered modern dress Luisa Miller

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Verdi, Luisa Miller: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of English National Opera / Alexander Joel (conductor). London Coliseum, 19.2.2020 (JPr)

Elizabeth Llewellyn (Luisa) and Soloman Howard (Wurm) (c) Tristram Kenton

Read moreENO’s wonderful singers compensate for a disordered modern dress Luisa Miller

Valiant attempt but WNO’s new Les vȇpres siciliennes can’t quite persuade one of its merits

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Verdi, Les vȇpres siciliennes: Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus of Welsh National Opera / Carlo Rizzi (conductor). Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, 8.2.2020. (GPu)

Wotjek Gierlach (Jean Procida), Anush Hovhannisyan (Helene) & Jung Soo Yun (Henri)
(c) Johan Persson

Read moreValiant attempt but WNO’s new Les vȇpres siciliennes can’t quite persuade one of its merits