Kunde, Jaho, and Pappano make Warner’s Otello at Covent Garden show what great opera is all about
11/12/2019
United Kingdom Verdi, Otello: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Sir Antonio Pappano (conductor). Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. 9.12.2019. (CC)
Gregory Kunde (Otello) & Ermonela Jaho (Desdemona) (c) Catherine Ashmore
A compelling RNCM Carmélites performance of great energy and spirit with no shortage of talent
10/12/2019
United Kingdom Poulenc, Dialogues des Carmélites: Soloists, RNCM Opera Chorus and Orchestra / Andrew Greenwood (conductor). Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, 8.12.2019. (MC)
RNCM’s Dialogues des Carmélites (c) Robert Workman
Edward Gardner and the Bergen Philharmonic’s rich, brooding, and tempestuous Peter Grimes
02/12/2019
United Kingdom Britten, Peter Grimes: Soloists, Bergen Philharmonic Choir, Edvard Grieg Kor, Royal Northern College of Music Chorus, Choir of Collegiûm Mûsicûm / Håkon Matti Skrede (chorus master), Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra / Edward Gardner (conductor). Royal Festival Hall, London, 30.11.2019. (JPr)
Erin Wall (Ellen), Stuart Skelton (Peter Grimes) and Samuel Winter (John)
(c) Mark Allan/Southbank Centre
RCM’s singers brim with youthful vivacity and enthusiam in a fabulous Haydn Il mondo della luna
27/11/2019
United Kingdom Haydn, Il mondo della luna: Soloists, Chorus, Royal College of Music Opera Orchestra / Michael Rosewell (conductor). Britten Theatre, Royal College of Music, Kensington, London, 25.11.2019. (CC)
Anna Cooper (Lisetta) in Il mondo della luna
(c) Chris Christodoulou
David McVicar’s Death in Venice has no new insights into Britten’s valedictory opera
22/11/2019
United Kingdom Britten, Death in Venice: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Richard Farnes (conductor). Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, 21.11.2019. (JPr)
Mark Padmore (Aschenbach) and Gerald Finley (Elderly Fop) © Catherine Ashmore
Rare, abbreviated, yet superbly staged performance of Handel’s Giulio Cesare from Opera North
17/11/2019
United Kingdom Handel, Giulio Cesare in Egitto: Orchestra members of Opera North / Christian Curnyn (conductor). The Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays. 12.11.2019. (RJF)
Heather Lowe (Sesto), James Laing (Tolomeo) and Darren Jeffery (Achilla)
(c) Alastair Muir
ENO’s production and performance of Glass’s Orphée has a vitality that almost throbs
16/11/2019
United Kingdom Glass, Orphée (sung in an English translation by Netia Jones and Emma Jenkins): Soloists, Orchestra of English National Opera / Geoffrey Paterson (conductor). London Coliseum, 15.11.2019. (CC)
Jennifer France (The Princess) & Nicholas Lester (Orphée) (c) Catherine Ashmore
Fazioli, Mark Springer: Army of Lovers at The Playground Theatre
15/11/2019
United Kingdom Army of Lovers (libretto by David Flusfeder and music by Mark Springer): Mark Springer and Ben Schoeman (pianists), Ben Groenevelt (double bass). The Playground Theatre, Kensington, London, 13.11. 2019. (JB)
Mark Springer
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