Mainly Opera and Ballet
This engaging and eclectic new production by Julia Burbach gave us Rossini’s Cenerentola in a form where the pompous father seemed relatively normal. He hides huge insecurity behind a pretentious exterior, but Burbach managed to avoid making him a complete buffoon — see my review in The Article.
A fine but simple staging of Wagner’s Flying Dutchman was given a superb performance at Opera Holland Park. The two choruses sang extremely well, and those from the Dutchman’s ghostly ship appeared in threatening guise like figures from some modern terrorist group. Altogether a wonderful experience — see my review in the Article.
Wow! This riveting performance under the baton of Lothar Koenigs gave Strauss’s music just the cheery insouciance and serious emotional depth it needs. And with Karita Mattila, Ruxandra Donose and Jane Archibald repeating the roles of Ariadne, Composer and Zerbinetta from summer 2014 it was a vocal and theatrical treat. How absurd that there are …
