(Photo Credit: Bettina Stöß / Photo courtesy of Deutsche Oper Berlin) Voices that move your heart and acting that moves your heart – this is Opera. With a tux in Vienna or a smart-casual look in Covent Garden. Champagne or water. Sustained attention or simply laying back and enjoying the night. Pleasing surprises and unbelievable disappointments. From the Met to {…}
(Photo: Cassandra Hannagan) The enthusiastic reaction of the audience on opening night for Pinchgut Opera’s latest production of Handel’s 1711 opera, “Rinaldo,” makes it easy to understand why this opera was so popular at the time of its premiere 312 years ago. It is also important to bear in mind how operatic productions back then would have boasted a lot {…}
Photo credit: ENO 2022 © Tristram Kenton Gilbert and Sullivan have become English National Opera (ENO) staples. Jonathan Miller’s much-revived radical “The Mikado” in the ’80s provided the template: serious singers and serious comedy. In recent years cultural heavyweights like Mike Leigh have created productions for the company. The last two shows—“Iolanthe” and “HMS Pinafore”—were directed by Cal McCrystal, most {…}
Photo: © CLIVE BARDA/ArenaPAL Opening night was delayed due to a storm – very on brand for Leoš Janáček, though perhaps more apt for “Kat’a Kabanova” – so nature very much had the upper hand when this new production of “The Cunning Little Vixen” opened at the London Coliseum on Sunday. Director Jamie Manton has previously made an impact with {…}
UK’s Nevill Holt Opera has announced its 2022 season featuring two opera productions and a major concert performance. The season opens with Puccini’s “La Bohème” starring Francesca Chiejina, Peter Scott Drackley, Alexandra Oomens, Christopher Nairne, Dominic Sedgwick, and Dingle Yandell. Mathilda du Tillieul Mcnicol directs the production with Nicholas Chalmers conducting. Performance Dates: June 8-14, 2022 Katie Bray, Michel de {…}
(Photo Credit: Tristan Kenton, 2021) Cal McCrystal returns to English National Opera (ENO) for his second Gilbert & Sullivan operetta at the Coliseum, following up 2019’s riotously silly “Iolanthe” with “HMS Pinafore.” His is an interventionist approach that will surely not please G&S traditionalists: not that there seemed to be any disapproving looks from them on opening night! As the {…}