A performance of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony could only ever be relatively underwhelming; even a car crash of a performance would impress in some sense, indeed most likely in quite a few.
Category: Performances
Darkness Visible: Dowland and beyond
This was a recital of concentrated intensity — a remarkable dialogue between texts, timbres and idioms, across ages and among performers.
Star Power in Z¸rich’s Rosenkavalier
The annual Z¸rcher Festspiel banked on a heavy hitter to generate excitement for its revival of Der Rosenkavalier.
Don Giovanni, Alceste, Le Rossignol at the Aix Festival
The Aix Festival was known not so very long ago for pretentious productions. Perhaps now it will become known for good productions.
Handel’s Serse (Xerxes) at Iford Manor
Something rather extraordinary happened to opera seria in 1738. The
acknowledged master of that time, London’s George Frideric Handel,
presented two new operas at the King’s Theatre: Faramondo and
Serse.
Three Decembers at Central City
CENTRAL CITY — The story is banal: a single mother, an aging actress,
is alienated from her grown-up children.
A Magnificent Don Giovanni at Glyndebourne
Don Giovanni isn’t new and most of the cast at Glyndebourne (led by Gerald Finley) are familiar.
Semele, Paris
The Parisian press was plastered with photos of Daniele de Niese. The
glamorous 31-year old Sri Lankan-Australian mega-star is everywhere these days:
a new TV series (“Diva Diaries”), a Decca greatest hits CD
(“Diva”), and, with her marriage to Guy Christie of the
Glyndebourne ruling clan, a secure position as the first lady of English opera.
Terfel’s Towering Hans Sachs Debuts at WNO
We have Welsh National Opera to thank not only for providing the occasion for an auspicious role debut, but also for showcasing their world star in a wholly brilliant new production of Die Meistersinger von N¸rnberg.