Mainly Opera and Ballet
The wonderful acoustics of the Glyndebourne opera house yielded a perfect musical experience, enhanced by imaginative off-stage contributions that came from more than one location. The conducting by music director Robin Ticciati allowed Wagner’s music full expression in this abstract production. See my review for The Article.
Thomas Hardy’s early novel of this name has been made into a wonderful opera by Paul Carr. This was its premiere by Dorset Opera, and the performance left me with a great feeling of inspired serenity. See my review in The Article.
In this excellent double bill the lightness of Wolf-Ferrari’s I segreto di Susannah (the secret is she smokes) was followed by the disturbing emotions displayed in Leoncavallo’s opera about a troupe of actors, brilliantly conducted and performed at OHP. See my review in The Article.
Congratulations to Garsington for putting on this feisty production of Verdi’s second opera. The story is absurd, but the music is full of oomph and the staging was a delight. — see my review in The Article.
Of the four operas I saw in four days at Buxton, The Boatswain’s Mate by Ethel Smyth was the most fun. Like Haydn’s La Canterina this was really an operetta, both providing a delightful contrast to the blood and thunder of Verdi’s Ernani. Only Peter Brook’s take on Carmen seriously disappointed — see my review …
Puccini’s first opera was Le Villi, and his third the very successful Manon Lescaut. The stepping stone between them was Edgar, a work that demonstrated the composer’s budding lyricism, but suffered from a weak libretto — see my review in The Article.
Under the baton of Anthony Negus this Ring cycle was outstanding, and of course a tremendous achievement for Longborough Festival Opera. The singers excelled themselves, and this venue has become a mini-Bayreuth — see my review in The Article.
What a wonderful start to Wagner’s Ring at Longborough, Britain’s answer to Bayreuth. Set in lovely Cotswold countryside this old barn of an opera house has made a speciality of Wagner, and under the baton of Anthony Negus has succeeded brilliantly. Here were the first two parts of the Ring performed to a very high …
Benjamin Britten’s musical version of Shakespeare’s famous play uses chords that never quite stabilise in order to create a linkage between the natural and supernatural worlds. On this occasion we were well served by a full moon, plus fine weather, showing the gardens through the glass sides of the Garsington opera house — see my …
This wonderfully intense Janacek opera was given a superb staging with Natalya Romaniw very moving in the title role. Thus far this summer, it is the most atmospheric performance I have seen — see my review in The Article.
