Mainly Opera and Ballet
This revival of Cal McCrystal’s 2021 production clearly entertained the audience who clapped along with the music towards the end. The conductor, along with a cast held together well by Captain Corcoran, carried off a strong performance despite over-acting in the role of Dick Deadeye — 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.
A superb musical rendering of Wagner’s most intense opera under the baton of Robin Ticciati. This was semi-staged and therefore avoided any egregious directorial interpretations, and allowed the music speak for itself. Excellent singing by a very fine cast headed by Simon O’Neill as Tristan. See my review in The Article.
At this performance on June 11th, the Queen’s official 90th birthday, the orchestra and chorus started with a rousing rendition of the National Anthem before the opera itself — a nice touch. The subsequent performance was a stunning success for Neal Cooper, making his first appearance in the title role under conductor Anthony Negus, who …
Does Tristan know Isolde intends to kill him with the drink in Act I? No doubt at all in Christof Loy’s production where both of them lie down to die. But though Isolde sings of hatred, the orchestra carries the truth — love — and Mr. Loy, concerned that the emotional content of the stage action …
The 2014 opera season at Holland Park started off with a bang — a terrific production of Puccini’s Fanciulla. During the overture the stage fills with soldiers viewing an atomic explosion in the Mojave desert, reflecting the setting in California, albeit a century later than the time of the gold rush in the original, and …
