It’s easy to slip into platitudes when eulogising the last London
recital performance of a singer commonly lauded as the outstanding countertenor
of his generation.
Category: Performances
James Bowman, The Last London Recital
I Compagnacci and Il Re, Teatro Grattacielo
Teatro Grattacielo gives concert performances of Verismo operas that range from the obscure to the unheard-of.
Macbeth, Royal Opera
Phyllida Lloyd’s reading of Verdi’s Macbeth –
first seen in 2002 and here revived for the second time – could certainly
not be described as ‘subtle’, either dramatically or visually.
Die Meistersinger von N¸rnberg, Glyndebourne
Glorious sunshine for Glyndebourne Opera’s Die Meistersinger von N¸rnberg on the eve of Richard Wagner’s birthday.
Richard Coeur-de-Lion, New York
AndrÈ-Modeste GrÈtry, the greatest opera composer ever to come from Belgium, made his way to Paris in 1767 at the age of 26.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, ENO
On my travels, I often hear occasional opera-goers complain about having wasted time and money on a production that, on the night, bears no relation to their expectations.
IphigÈnie en Tauride at the Washington National Opera
The Washington National Opera has concluded its 2010-11 season with
Gluck’s 1779 masterpiece IphigÈnie en Tauride, arguably the
great Viennese composer’s greatest achievement and his swan song (if one
does not count that unfortunate flop of 1780, Echo et Narcisse —
and luckily, one hardly ever does).
James MacMillan’s Clemency, Royal Opera
James MacMillan has reunited with his librettist, the poet Michael Symmons Roberts, to produce his new opera Clemency.
Don Giovanni, Florida Grand Opera
By Leporello’s count (in the “Catalogue aria”), Don
Giovanni tallies over 2,000 sexual exploits.
Orfeo ed Euridice, Metropolitan Opera
Gluck’s Orfeo is, intentionally, free of clutter. If you cut
out the scenes of balletic rejoicing just before the finale (and I can’t
think of any good reason not to do so), it’s less than ninety minutes of
music.