(Photo: Genevieve Girling) Buxton International Festival’s staging of four new one-act operas as one of its headline events, under the title “Opera Shorts,” was certainly a welcome, if a somewhat risky decision; contemporary opera can be difficult to sell, and artistic success is far from assured. However, for those who were willing to give it a chance, few can have {…}
(Photo: Opera Holland Park 2022 © Ali Wright) Following on from last season’s imaginative realization of “The Pirates of Penzance,” Charles Court Opera returned to the Holland Park stage in a co-production of “HMS Pinafore”. W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s satire on class, manners, and buffoonery as directed by John Savournin. Savournin has built quite the reputation in G&S as {…}
(Credit: Richard Hubert Smith) Last week the English Touring Opera launched its spring tour. The tour includes “St. John Passion,” Rismky-Korsakov’s “The Golden Cockerel” at the opera’s London home of the Hackney Empire, and a revival of Puccini’s “La bohème.” James Conway’s production will be touring a myriad of venues until early June with Rodolfo, Marcello, Musetta, and Mimi double-cast. {…}