Too much magic? A Midsummer Night's Dream at ENO

Review

Britten's stunning opera has made it into the standard operatic repertory not only because of the genius writing but because of its malleability as a piece. There are so many directions the design of this opera can go, and so many choices to be made for the character's relationships, thus every new production of Midsummer can feel like a new opera entirely.

Misnomers & interstellar sex scenes: Vasco de Gama

Review

In the 21st century, any production of an opera about a 15th-century colonizer is going to be about race and white guilt, whether it intends to be or not. While Kratzer adds in some key pieces of information that provide a certain degree of critical comment on the white colonial mindset, certain visual decisions throughout the production muddy that stance.

A bel canto winner: Atlanta's Fille du régiment

Review

The entire cast had impeccable comic timing, but the crowd favorite was Stephanie Blythe's role and company debut as the Marquise of Berkenfield. Ms. Blythe, who is one of the most frequently sought after mezzo-sopranos of the day, moved with exceptional comic timing, managing to make her grace and composure a source of hilarity.

David Lang's the whisper opera has intimacy issues

Review

Lang's music can feel voyeuristic, akin to watching a caged animal on display. The sonic vessel breaths and twitches while staying in place. The listener can examine and probe it at his leisure.

Too many jewels & the search for meaning: PBO's Candide

Review

"How can such ghastly horrors befall a world where all is for the best?" Candide asks. We may not live in the best of all possible worlds, but when the music fades and the curtain falls, it's our job to try and make the world a little better.

Jane Archibald: more than the sum of all those notes

Review

Desautels created a bit of magic with his first note of Schubert, dovetailing the piano's set-up note with an otherworldly sound that came out of nothing. He was really moving to watch. He seemed to cater his playing to the subtleties of Archibald's voice, even making his clarinet speak some text in the metaphorical margins of Schubert's score.

Chauvinism, cynicism, & great singing: Così fan tutte

Review

The overt chauvinism and cynicism of this plot aside, what isn't made clear — and what inevitably proves difficult for any production of this opera — is what happens at the end once the wager is divulged and all has been revealed to the sisters. Do the original pairs simply reunite despite all that transpired?

"We took a real chance with Great Scott."

Review

But really, who can argue with the riotous laughter that makes this recording something worthy of a listen? In opera, contemporary or otherwise, it’s a big deal to get an audience who reacts not only to what they see (and what was it they saw that was so funny? Ah, the plight of the live audio recording), but to details in the libretto.

Lovely and sincere: POV's La Bohème

Review

In this version, Mimì is far more coquettish - obviously trying to catch Rodolfo's interest in a more seductive way than is typical of the demure Mimì we typically expect. Slayden's "Che gelida manina" was absolutely breathtaking, his voice resonant and brilliant, and he absolutely brought the house down with his flawless performance.

Technicolour G&S: ENO's Iolanthe

Review

There were cheap laughs as well - seeing an MP with the hair of Boris Johnson was funny once, but the second time was over-doing it. An unwelcome flamingo made its way onto the stage for apparently no reason at all. The two-person cow suit made me feel like I was at a Christmas panto and not the London Coliseum - not to say that's an entirely bad thing.