Barrie Kosky’s disappoiningly unfunny Munich Der Rosenkavalier is redeemed by some strong singing

GermanyGermany Richard Strauss, Der Rosenkavalier: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Bavarian State Opera / Vladimir Jurowski (conductor). Livestreamed (directed by Henning Kasten) on Arte.tv (click here) from the National Theatre, Munich, 21.3.2021. (JPr)

Samantha Hankey (‘Mariandel’), Marlis Petersen (Marschallin) & Christof Fischesser (Ochs)

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Enjoyable adulterous antics from Grange Park Opera and their L’heure espagnole in a London antique clocks shop

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Ravel, L’heure espagnole: Soloists, Chris Hopkins (music director/piano), Ognune Lively (brass), Tom Marshall (percussion). Filmed 23 – 27.2.2021 in venues in Kensington Church Street, London, and streamed by Grange Park Opera, West Horsley, 20.3.2021. (JPr)

Catherine Backhouse (Concepción)

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Isata Kanneh-Mason mesmerises in Beethoven and there is masterly Sibelius from Elder and the Hallé

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Richard Strauss, Beethoven, Sibelius: Isata Kanneh-Mason (piano), Hallé / Sir Mark Elder (conductor). Recorded (directed by Jonathan Haswell) at The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, available from 18.3 to 18.6.2021. (JPr)

Hallé and Sir Mark Elder (conductor)

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Christof Loy’s new Francesca da Rimini at Deutsche Oper Berlin: is it worth the effort?

GermanyGermany Riccardo Zandonai, Francesca da Rimini: Soloists, Extras, Chorus and Orchestra of Deutsche Oper Berlin / Carlo Rizzi (conductor). Livestream directed by Gotz Filenius from Deutsche Oper Berlin, 14.3.2021. (JPr)

Deutsche Oper Berlin’s Francesca da Rimini Act I

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Pretty Yende and Juan Diego Flórez bring to life Simon Stone’s intriguingly staged, very well directed Vienna La traviata

AustriaAustria Verdi, La traviata: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera / Giacomo Sagripanti (conductor). Livestreamed (directed by Jakob Pitzer) from the Vienna State Opera, 7.3.2021. (JPr)

Juan Diego Flórez (Alfredo) and Pretty Yende (Violetta Valéry)

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Roberto Alagna and Aleksandra Kurzak explore a toxic relationship in Vienna’s 2018 Otello

AustriaAustria Verdi, Otello: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Vienna State Opera / Graeme Jenkins (conductor). Performance filmed (directed by Jakob Pitzer) on 18.3.2018 and reviewed when streamed on 2.3.2021. (JPr)

Vienna State Opera’s 2018 Otello Act II

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