UK Opera

All opera reviews from UK sources

Sizeable Llandudno audience rewarded with memorable performance of WNO’s Cunning Little Vixen

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Janáĉek, The Cunning Little Vixen (sung in Czech): Soloists, Orchestra of Welsh National Opera / Tomáš Hanus (conductor). Theatre Cymru, Llandudno, 31.10.2019

Aiofe Miskelly (Vixen) & Lucia Cervoni (Fox) (c) Richard Hubert Smith

Read moreSizeable Llandudno audience rewarded with memorable performance of WNO’s Cunning Little Vixen

Fine singing but Verdi’s seminal musical masterpiece deserves better than this WNO Rigoletto

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Verdi, Rigoletto: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Welsh National Opera / Alexander Joel  (conductor). Theatre Cymru, Llandudno, 30.10.2019. (RJF)

Alastair Moore (Marullo) and Mark S. Doss (Rigoletto) (c) Richard Hubert Smith

Read moreFine singing but Verdi’s seminal musical masterpiece deserves better than this WNO Rigoletto

Tomáš Hanus’s conducting is a highlight of WNO’s new Carmen in Llandudno

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Bizet, Carmen: Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus of Welsh National Opera / Tomáš Hanus (conductor). Theatre Cymru, Llandudno, 29.10.2019. (RJF)

Benjamin Bevan, Harriet Eyley, Virginie Verrez, Joe Roche & Angela Simkin in Carmen
(c) Bill Cooper

Read moreTomáš Hanus’s conducting is a highlight of WNO’s new Carmen in Llandudno

Jonathan Miller’s The Mikado returns once more to ENO but is showing its age

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Gilbert & Sullivan, The Mikado: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of English National Opera / Chris Hopkins (conductor). London Coliseum, 2.11.2019. (JPr)

Sir John Tomlinson (The Mikado) (c) Genevieve Girling

Read moreJonathan Miller’s The Mikado returns once more to ENO but is showing its age

Fontanals-Simmons and Hoare are standouts in ENO’s The Mask of Orpheus though orchestra gets glitterball

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Birtwistle, The Mask of Orpheus: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of English National Opera / Martyn Brabbins & James Henshaw (conductors). Electronic music realised by Barry Anderson. London Coliseum, 29.10.2019. (CC)

Peter Hoare, Claron McFadden and
Marta Fontanals-Simmons © Alastair Muir

Read moreFontanals-Simmons and Hoare are standouts in ENO’s The Mask of Orpheus though orchestra gets glitterball

Olga Peretyatko steals Don Pasquale’s money and the show in Michieletto’s new Covent Garden production

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Donizetti, Don Pasquale: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Evelino Pidò (conductor). Directed for the screen by Pati Marr and broadcast live to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 24.10.2019. (JPr)

Olga Peretyatko (Norina) and Bryn Terfel (Don Pasquale) (c) Clive Barda

Read moreOlga Peretyatko steals Don Pasquale’s money and the show in Michieletto’s new Covent Garden production