Whether biblical parable or mythological moralising, it’s all the same really: human hubris, humility, sacrifice and redemption.
Year: 2014
Donizetti’s Les Martyrs — Opera Rara, London
Opera Rara brought a rare performance of Donizetti’s first opera for the Paris Opera to the Royal Festival Hall on 4 November 2014, following recording sessions for the opera.
Luca Pisaroni in San Diego
Bass baritone, Luca Pisaroni, known to opera lovers throughout the world for his excellence in Mozart roles, offered San Diego vocal aficionados a double treat on October 28th: his mellifluous voice, and a recital of German songs.
La bohËme, ENO
Jonathan Miller’s production of La bohËme for ENO, shared with Cincinnati Opera, sits uneasily, at least as revived by Natascha Metherell, between comedy and tragedy.
Florian Boesch, Wigmore Hall – Liszt, Strauss and Schubert
Any Florian Boesch and Malcolm Martineau performance is superb, but this Wigmore Hall recital surprised, too. Boesch’s Schubert is wonderful, but this time, it was his Liszt and Strauss songs which stood out. This year at the Wigmore Hall, we’ve heard a lot of Liszt and a lot of Richard Strauss everywhere, establishing high standards, but this was special.
Wexford Festival 2014
The weather was auspicious for Wexford Festival Opera’s first-night firework display — mild, clear and calm. But, as the rainbow rockets exploded over the River Slaney, even bigger bangs were being made down at the quayside.
The Met’s ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ a happy marriage of ensemble singing and acting
The cast of supporting roles was especially strong in the company’s new production of Mozart’s matchless masterpiece
Syracuse Opera’s ‘Die Fledermaus’ bubbles over with fun, laughter and irresistible music
The company uncorks its 40th Anniversary season with a visually and musically satisfying production of Johann Strauss Jr.’s farcical operetta
Capriccio at Lyric Opera of Chicago
Although performances of Richard Strauss’s last opera Capriccio have increased in recent time, Lyric Opera of Chicago has not experienced the “Konversationsst¸ck f¸r Musik” during the past twenty odd years.