(Photo: Neil Harrison Photography) Northern Ireland Opera is not flush with money. Fortunately, however, it has an imaginative artistic director in Cameron Menzies, whose innovative approach ensures that the company is able to provide a wide range of productions over the season, which it tours to locations across the province. Unable to afford more than a single fully staged opera {…}
(Photo: Clive Barda) It is inevitable, given the Wexford Festival Opera’s commitment to unearthing forgotten and neglected operas, that they will occasionally present a work that ends up flopping. While this was not the case with Camille Erlanger’s largely unknown “L’Aube Rouge,” it is unlikely to signal a change in its fortunes. At best, Erlanger is now considered a minor {…}
The traditional Cav/Pag double-bill has a flaw: “Pagliacci” overshadows “Cavalleria Rusticana.” As a result, “Cavalleria,” like an amuse-bouche, is a warmup for a more exciting opera. This bias in the Cav/Pag pairing seems illogical. Both operas are set in rural Italian/Sicilian villages, feature true-to-life characters, love triangles, and culminate in utter tragedy. Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” stands as the first opera {…}
Photo credit: Nile Scott Studios Never mind the simplistically staged goals. Forget that the libretto, by Jacopo Ferretti, makes very little sense especially in Act two. Boston Lyric Opera’s production of “La Cenerentola” works — and works quite well! With a very talented cast, an inspiring conductor, and a good orchestra, Rossini and Ferretti’s opera invites everyone to enjoy a {…}
(Photo: Clive Barda) In 1943, Italy was a country wracked by the turmoil of war. Not only had the allied armies invaded, but internecine conflict had broken out amongst the Italian people. Communities and families were against each other as the patriots and fascists fought for control. The situation was depicted in Alberto Moravia’s 1957 novel “La Ciociara,” which later {…}
(Photo: Padraig Grant) The second of Wexford Festival’s pocket operas, Opera Beag, was a presentation of Donizetti’s opéra-comique “La Fille du régiment.” Operating on a low-budget and using only piano accompaniment, director Heather Hadrill was under no illusions of the difficulties involved. In her program notes, she stated “The challenge of pocket operas is to give as full a sense {…}
Omar is a man, forcibly taken from his home in West Africa in 1807, and brought through the Middle Passage to America. He is sold into slavery in South Carolina and treated with brutality. He maintains his Muslim faith and eventually while in captivity, writes his autobiography in Arabic. “Omar” is an opera created by MacArthur Fellowship recipient Rhiannon Giddens, {…}
(Photo: Padraig Grant) Each year, Wexford Festival Opera presents a number of Pocket Operas (Opera Beag), short operas played to piano accompaniment, performed during the afternoon in the opera house’s smaller Jerome Hynes theatre or other small venues in the city. Although they are usually low-budget productions, they are usually hugely entertaining and musically to a high standard. This year, {…}
(©Tristram Kenton) The Royal Opera presented at their Covent Garden Theatre a revival of their new production of “Rigoletto” by the stage director, and artistic director of the Royal Opera, Oliver Mears. Oliver Mears’ production is austere and minimalistic. The first two acts have a back golden wall, with big paintings hanging on the palace’s scenes, and Gilda’s room for {…}
