Spain Purcell, Dido and Aeneas: Soloists, Les Arts Florissants / William Christie (conductor). Teatros del Canal, Madrid, 21.1.2023. (JMI)
William Christie leads Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas in a memorable new Madrid production
José Irurzun
A satisfying Magic Flute at the Liceu, though it failed to meet prior expectations
Spain Mozart, Die Zauberflöte: Cor Infantil Amics de la Unio (chorus director: Josep Vila Jover), Chorus and Orchestra of the Gran Teatre del Liceu / Gustavo Dudamel (conductor). Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, 20 & 21.6.2022. (JMI)
Excellent production of works by Honegger and Debussy at the Teatro Real
Spain Arthur Honegger’s Jeanne d’Arc au Bûcher & Claude Debussy‘s La Damoiselle élue: Pequeños Cantores JORCAM (chorus director: Ana González); Chorus (chorus director: Andrés Máspero) and Orchestra of Teatro Real / Juanjo Mena (conductor). Teatro Real, Madrid, 16.6.2022. (JMI)
The Madrid premiere of de Pablo’s final opera, El Abrecartas: an homage to the Generation of ’27
Spain Luis de Pablo, El Abrecartas (The Letter Opener): Teatro Real Chorus and Orchestra / Fabián Panisello (conductor). Teatro Real, Madrid, 22.2.2022. (JMI)
In the Liceu revival of Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, ‘cancellation’ becomes a major protagonist
Spain Tchaikovsky, The Queen of Spades (Pique Dame): Chorus and Orchestra of the Gran Teatre del Liceu / Dmitri Jurowski (conductor). Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, 6 & 8.2.2022. (JMI)
An uneven presentation of Handel’s Partenope at the Teatro Real
United States Handel, Partenope: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro Real / Ivor Bolton (conductor), Teatro Real, Madrid, 15 & 16.11.2021. (JMI)
A rather routine La bohème at Barcelona’s Liceu
Spain Puccini, La bohème: Soloists, Chorus and Symphony Orchestra of the Liceu Opera Barcelona / Giampaolo Bisanti (conductor). Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, 21 & 22.6.2021. (JMI)
An outstanding Julia Lezhneva in Vivaldi’s Orlando Furioso, performed for the first time at Teatro Real
Spain Vivaldi, Orlando Furioso (concert performance): Armonia Atenea Orchestra / George Petrou (conductor). Teatro Real, Madrid, 17. 6. 2021. (JMI)
