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John Leeman

A Tosca of Belly Punching Power from Opera North

17/10/201824/09/2018 by John Leeman

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Puccini, Tosca: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Opera North / Anthony Hermus (conductor), Leeds Grand Theatre, Leeds, 22.9.2018. (JL)

Giselle Allen (Tosca) & Rafael Rojas (Cavaradossi) (c) Richard H Smith

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Categories Opera & Ballet, UK Opera Tags John Leeman, Leeds Leave a comment

Opera North’s Concert Salome carries Theatrical Power

29/04/201820/04/2018 by John Leeman

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Strauss, Salome: Soloists and Orchestra of Opera North, Leeds / Sir Richard Armstrong (conductor), Leeds Town Hall, Leeds, 19.4.2018. (JL)

Jennifer Holloway as Salome (c) Robert Workman

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Categories Opera & Ballet, This Week's Review, UK Opera Tags John Leeman, Leeds Leave a comment

A Welcome Revival of Opera North’s Magnificent Madama Butterfly

24/01/201820/01/2018 by John Leeman

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Puccini, Madama Butterfly: Chorus and Orchestra of Opera North / Martin Pickard (conductor), Leeds Grand Theatre, Leeds, 19.1.2018. (JL)

Ann Sophie Duprels (Cio-Cio-San) & Merūnas Vitulskis (Pinkerton) (c) Richard H Smith

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Categories Opera & Ballet, UK Opera Tags John Leeman, Leeds Leave a comment

An Innovative, Impactful Double Bill from Opera North

05/10/201730/09/2017 by John Leeman

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Mascagni, Cavalleria rusticana: Sullivan, Trial by Jury: Soloists, Chorus, and Orchestra of Opera North / Tobias Ringorg & Oliver Rundell (conductors), Leeds Grand Theatre, Leeds, 27.9.2017. (JL)

Cavalleria Rusticana. Photo credit: Robert Workman.
Cavalleria rusticana (c) Robert Workman

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Categories Opera & Ballet, UK Opera Tags John Leeman, Leeds Leave a comment

Opera North Unleashes a ‘Floodtide of Fantasy’ in New Production of Cinderella

24/02/201721/02/2017 by John Leeman

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Rossini, Cinderella: Soloists and Chorus of Opera North / Wynn Davies (conductor), Grand Theatre, Leeds. 16.2.2017. (JL)

Amy J Payne as Tisbe, Henry Waddington as Don Magnifico, and Sky Ingram as Clorinda. Photo credit: Alistair Muir.
Amy J Payne as Tisbe, Henry Waddington as Don Magnifico, & Sky Ingram as Clorinda
(c) Alistair Muir

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Categories Opera & Ballet, This Week's Review, UK Opera Tags John Leeman, Leeds Leave a comment

Innovative tricks in Opera North’s New, Musically Distinguished Hansel and Gretel

11/02/201705/02/2017 by John Leeman

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Humperdinck, Hansel and Gretel: Soloists and Chorus of Opera North / Christophe Altstaedt, Grand Theatre, Leeds. 2.2.2017. (JL)

H&G
Fflur Wyn as Gretel and Katie Bray as Hansel (c) Robert Workman

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Categories Opera & Ballet, UK Opera Tags John Leeman, Leeds Leave a comment

Spectacular effects from Opera North in supporting a flawed musical drama

05/02/201727/01/2017 by John Leeman

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Rimsky-Korsakov, The Snow Maiden: Soloists and Chorus of Opera North/Leo McFall, Grand Theatre, Leeds, 21.1.2017. (JL)

Photo credit: Richard Hubert Smith.
The Ice Maiden (c) Richard Hubert Smith.

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Categories Opera & Ballet, This Week's Review, UK Opera Tags John Leeman, Leeds Leave a comment

All-round Excellence from Opera North in new Billy Budd

29/10/201625/10/2016 by John Leeman

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Britten, Billy Budd: Soloists and Chorus of Opera North / Garry Walker (conductor),  Grand Theatre, Leeds, 21.10.2016. (JL)

billy-budd-vere-claggart
Alan Oke (Captain Vere) and Alastair Miles (John Claggart) (c) Clive Barda

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Categories Opera & Ballet, UK Opera Tags John Leeman, Leeds Leave a comment
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TOP 10 SEEN AND HEARD POSTS

  • Atmospheric and engaging exploration of the language of birds at LSO St Luke’s
  • The Tempest from Vache Baroque and Out of Chaos was a true company effort
  • Odd directorial decisions distract slightly from beautiful singing in Lübeck’s Tosca
  • Freiburg Baroque Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle in a fine all-Schumann Prom
  • Peerless Argerich outshines Shani and the Munich Philharmonic at the Proms
  • Infrasound Ensemble prove they have chemistry in the Gubaidulina festival
  • Benign Beethoven, scrubbed Scriabin: Hadelich, Petrenko and the Berlin Philharmonic at the Proms
  • Anna Netrebko triumphs as Aida in Zeffirelli’s legendary Verona production
  • Paul Curran’s new Verona production La traviata has intimate moments and crowd exuberance
  • Stefano Poda’s concept is consistent for the 2026 revival of Nabucco in the Verona Arena

RECENT COMMENTS

  • Carlos on Freiburg Baroque Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle in a fine all-Schumann Prom
  • Nicolay on Rossini’s Le siège de Corinthe opens the ROF 2026 with musical splendour under siege from its own staging
  • Ken Ward on Jamie Barton and Clay Hilley shine in a fine Das Lied von der Erde at the Proms
  • Eliza L on R.I.P. Claire Seymour (1970-2024)
  • Nicolay Hernández on Overwhelming Elgar and Tchaikovsky at the Season Opening by Kirill Petrenko and the Berlin Philharmonic

SEEN AND HEARD'S RECENT REVIEWS

  • Atmospheric and engaging exploration of the language of birds at LSO St Luke’s (09/09/2026)
__________________________________
  • The Tempest from Vache Baroque and Out of Chaos was a true company effort (09/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Odd directorial decisions distract slightly from beautiful singing in Lübeck’s Tosca (09/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Freiburg Baroque Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle in a fine all-Schumann Prom (08/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Peerless Argerich outshines Shani and the Munich Philharmonic at the Proms (07/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Infrasound Ensemble prove they have chemistry in the Gubaidulina festival (07/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Benign Beethoven, scrubbed Scriabin: Hadelich, Petrenko and the Berlin Philharmonic at the Proms (06/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Anna Netrebko triumphs as Aida in Zeffirelli’s legendary Verona production (06/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Paul Curran’s new Verona production La traviata has intimate moments and crowd exuberance (06/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Stefano Poda’s concept is consistent for the 2026 revival of Nabucco in the Verona Arena (06/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Holy Fool at the Park Theatre about Shostakovich is a ‘must see’ for music and theatre-lovers alike (06/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Gardiner, Beczała, Chailly and the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra crown Santander in 2026 (05/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Magic Flute, Trifonov, Leonskaja and Sokolov mark a brilliant Santander 2026 first half (05/09/2026) __________________________________
  • Zurich Opera’s Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera is a triumph of singing and acting in Edinburgh (05/09/2026) __________________________________
  • The ninth revival of Zeffirelli’s 2010 Turandot is still impressive in the Verona Arena (05/09/2026) __________________________________
  • INTERVIEWS, ARTICLES, NEWS, AND SEASON PREVIEWS

    • Nelsons and BSO’s Marriage of Figaro: A triumphant platform performance but trouble behind the scenes (26/08/2026)
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  • Northern Ireland Opera’s stages Carmen for the first time in September 2026 (25/08/2026) __________________________________
  • Oxford Opera Company stage Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro at Oxford Playhouse in October (23/08/2026) __________________________________
  • Tech mogul and conductor Mandle Cheung in conversation with Colin Clarke (19/08/2026) __________________________________
  • Sir Bryn Terfel CBE named as Artistic Director of Oxford International Opera and stars as Scarpia (13/08/2026) __________________________________
  • Sir Mark Elder approaches his 80th birthday next June with landmark 2026-27 performances (10/08/2026) __________________________________
  • Between intimacy and scale: four days at the Verbier Festival 2026 (05/08/2026) __________________________________
  • BBC Proms 2026 on TV and BBC iPlayer (18/07/2026) __________________________________
  • English National Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty to screen at over 150 Cinemas across the UK from 13 October 2026  (18/07/2026) __________________________________
  • A post-card from Aldeburgh: a round-up of some of the excellent concerts at this year’s Festival (03/07/2026) __________________________________
  • Adrian Partington and Jonathan Hope introduce Gloucester Cathedral’s new organ (03/07/2026) __________________________________
  • Royal Ballet and Opera Cinema Season 2026-2027 (27/05/2026) __________________________________
  • John Quinn talks to Three Choirs Festival CEO David Francis (22/05/2026) __________________________________
  • Elim Chan is the San Francisco Symphony’s new Music Director (22/05/2026) __________________________________
  • King Charles III unveils new Main Stage curtains at the Royal Opera House (16/05/2026) __________________________________
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