The inspiration for Delius’s The Magic Fountain (1895) stems from his time in Florida, when he ran an orange plantation for his father. It was the first in a trilogy…
Author: Curtis Rogers
Wexford’s Riveting Blend of Comedy and Tragedy in Handel’s Last Italian Opera
In the last three or so of his operas, Handel demonstrated a fascinating move towards mixing elements of comedy within the format of opera seria that he had worked with…
Verdi’s Il trovatore Becomes Subdued in its French Version at Wexford
Famous for presenting rare operatic repertoire, it might come as a surprise to find Il trovatore programmed to open this year’s Wexford Festival. Presented in its French version, however, this…
The Trees are Alive with the Sound of Music in Glyndebourne’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Glyndebourne’s programming of Britten’s adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for its autumn season might seem somewhat eccentric. But with summer now a fading memory and as October wears on,…
Forthright musical ebullience makes up for an uninspiring production of Handel’s Giustino
The Royal Opera House continues its series of Handel’s operas and oratorios premiered at the theatre which once stood on the same site with Giustino (1737). Coming from the end…
Youthful flair in Paisiello’s Don Quixote at Naples
Paisiello was one of the composers closely associated with the important operatic tradition of 18th century Naples. By the time he came to study in the city in the mid-1750s,…
The Royal Opera House Takes a Critical Look at Tosca’s Roman Setting in Oliver Mears’s Stimulating New Production
After the ‘shabby little shocker’ that was Oliver Mears’s production of Semele, seen at the Royal Opera House just two months ago, he now turns his attention to the opera that…
Berlin Staatsoper’s poignant re-interpretation of Strauss’s comedy Die schweigsame Frau
Die schweigsame Frau (1935) was Strauss’s only collaboration with Stefan Zweig – a writer as prominent and satisfactory for the composer to work with as Hugo von Hofmannsthal had been…
Glyndebourne brings Falstaff to Metroland
In Richard Jones’s production of Verdi’s last opera, first seen in 2009, big, bold sets evoke mid-1940s Windsor, just after the end of the War. The mock Tudor facades of…
Outward 18th Century Charm with Insights into Character for Glyndebourne’s New The Marriage of Figaro
Mariame Clément’s new production of Le nozze di Figaro doesn’t throw any big or provocative ideas at Mozart’s perennial masterpiece – a mainstay for Glyndebourne and its most performed opera…