Dutch National Opera’s Khovanshchina’s finest asset was Anita Rachvelishvili’s vocally ravishing Marfa. The darkly opalescent Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra came in a close second.
Month: February 2016
Sophie Bevan, Wigmore Hall
The meaning of the term cantata (literally, ‘sung’ from the Italian verb, cantare) may have changed over time, but whether sacred or secular, the form — with its combination of…
Extraordinary PellÈas et MÈlisande
With its City of Light presentations, honoring Paris and French inspired music, the Los Angeles Philharmonic offered its public an extraordinary concert performance of a unique opera — PellÈas et…
Fascinating Magic Flute in Los Angeles
Barrie Kosky, intendant of the Komische Oper in Berlin, initially thought of combining live performance with animation when he saw British theater company 1927’s production of Between the Devil and…
Theatre of the Ayre, Wigmore Hall
In the 17th century, sacred vocal music was not just for public worship in church but also for private devotion within a secular setting, and this concert at the Wigmore…
HOT Dream in Honolulu
In a world opera schedule packed with safe bread-and-butter warhorses, Hawaii Opera Theatre gambled on a Britten rarity and came up smelling as sweet as a tuberose lei.
Arizona Opera Presents an Interesting Carmen
Henri Meilhac and Ludovic HalÈvy, based their libretto for Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen on a novella of the same title by Prosper MÈrimÈe. On March 3, 1875, Carmen was premiered…
L’Aiglon in Marseille
Napoleon I (Bonaparte) was known as the Aigle (eagle), his son by Marie Louise (of the Hapsburgs) later became called the Aiglon (eaglet). At birth he was dubbed the King…
Norma , ENO
Notable first performance of Bellini’s opera by ENO, with a striking assumption of the title role from the young American soprano
Schubert: The Complete Songs
The Wigmore Hall’s chronological journey through the complete lieder of Franz Schubert continued with this recital by tenor Ian Bostridge and pianist Graham Johnson. The duo gave a thought-provoking performance…