The Royal Opera House’s choice of work for the first new production in the splendidly redesigned Linbury Theatre – not unreasonably, it seems to have lost ‘Studio’ from its name – is, perhaps, a declaration of intent; it may certainly be received as such. Not only is it a new work; it is billed specifically as ‘our first opera for teenage audiences’.
Category: Reviews
Elektra at Lyric Opera of Chicago
From the first moments of the recent revival of Sir David McVicar’s production of Elektra by Richard Strauss at Lyric Opera of Chicago the audience is caught in the grip of a rich music-drama, the intensity of which is not resolved, appropriately, until the final, symmetrical chords.
Expressive Monteverdi from Les Talens Lyriques at Wigmore Hall
This was an engaging concert of madrigals and dramatic pieces from (largely) Claudio Monteverdi’s Venetian years, a time during which his quest to find the ‘natural way of imitation’ – musical embodiment of textual form, meaning and affect – took the form not primarily of solo declamation but of varied vocal ensembles of two or more voices with rich instrumental accompaniments.
Petrenko Directs Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis
The quick rise to prominence and thin catalog of recordings by Russian conductor Kirill Petrenko, outgoing General Music Director of the Bayerische Staatsoper and incoming chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, renders each of his forays into the classic repertoire significant. Last Sunday morning, the Bayerisches Staatsorchester gave the first of three performances of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis under his direction.
Stéphanie D’Oustrac: Sirènes
After D’Oustrac’s striking success as Cassandre in Berlioz Les Troyens, this will reach audiences less familiar with her core repertoire in the baroque and grand opéra. Berlioz’s Les nuits d’été and La mort d’Ophélie, Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder and the Lieder of Franz Liszt are very well known, but the finesse of D’Oustrac’s timbre lends a lucid gloss which makes them feel fresh and pure.
Faust in Marseille
We sat, bewildered, all of us, watching (enduring) Gounod’s sweet little tear jerker as a nasty drug trip. Except for the Australian Marguerite it was an all French cast and they all gamely played along, the sophisticated verse of Offenbach’s librettists Jules Barbier and Michel CarrÈ clearly sailing out over an abrasive pit.
Down in flames: Les Troyens, OpÈra de Paris
Hector Berlioz’s Les Troyens with Philippe Jordan conducting the OpÈra National de Paris. Since Les Troyens headlined the inauguration of OpÈra Bastille 30 years ago, we might have expected something special of this new production. It should have been a triumph, with such a good conductor and some of the best singers in the business. But it wasn’t.
Luminous Mahler Symphony no.3: FranÁois-Xavier Roth, G¸rzenich-Orchester Kˆln
Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No.3 with FranÁois-Xavier Roth and the G¸rzenich-Orchester Kˆln, now at last on CD, released by Harmonia Mundi, after the highly acclaimed live performance streamed a few months ago.
Andrew Davis conducts Berlioz’s L’enfance du Christ at Hoddinott Hall
A weekend commemorating the 150th anniversary of the death of Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) entitled Berlioz: The Ultimate Romantic was launched in style from Cardiff’s Hoddinott Hall with a magnificent account of L’enfance du Christ (Childhood of Christ). The emotional impact of this ‘sacred trilogy’ seemed to gain further weight for its performance midway between Christmas and Easter, neatly encapsulating Christ’s journey from birth to death.
Love Songs: Temple Song Series
In contrast to the ‘single-shaming’ advertisement – “To the 12,750 people who ordered a single takeaway on Valentine’s Day. You ok, hun?” – for which the financial services company, Revolut, were taken to task, this Temple Music recital programme on 14th February put the emphasis firmly on partnerships: intimate, impassioned and impetuous.