Photo: Marc Brenner Having an unequivocal passion for Puccini, this reviewer must confess to being somewhat conflicted over his final work. These concerns, though, have always been assuaged with the knowledge that many others have also been plagued with such uncertainty, not least with the original work itself, for, of course, the maestro died before the completion of “Turandot.” After {…}
(Photo: Clive Barda) David Alden’s 2018 production of “Lohengrin,” Wagner’s hokey fable of love, fidelity, and politics, is receiving its first revival from Peter Relton at the Royal Opera House. Alden’s setting is generic postwar Europe, all bombed out windows and bare brick, with buildings at precariously jaunty angles (sets by Paul Steinberg). In the ruins of this world Konig {…}
(Credit: © ROH 2020 Stephen Cummiskey) The London Handel Festival has birthed several successful collaborations with the Royal Opera House, and this is the second year they’ve staged a work in the new Linbury Theatre. The oratorio “Susanna,” with a text attributed to “Solomon” author Moses Mendez, makes its return to Covent Garden, where it received its premiere, after 271-years {…}
(Credit: Bill Cooper) Anticipation was already at fever pitch for this new production of “Fidelio” in London, even before Oliver Mears, Royal Opera Artistic Director, appeared on stage before curtain up, evidently the bearer of bad news. “Please don’t be alarmed,” he reassured: Tenor Jonas Kaufmann only had a cold, would indeed sing, and asked for our indulgence. “We’ve been {…}
The Royal Opera House has ordered unprecedented security measures after the Manchester terror attack at an Ariana Grande Concert. The concert noted in a press release “As you will soon be attending a performance or event at the Royal Opera House we would like to draw your attention to some changes to our security measures in light of the tragic {…}