Festival Conductor Score
Detailed Opera Reviews At The Arts Desk
This week’s opera reviews have been released by the The Arts Desk’s critics, ranging from the spreme to the downright displeasing.
Alexandra Coghlan was left impressed by Garsington Opera’s production of Vivaldi’s ‘La Verita Cimento’. Although she found its plot rather silly and the setting unconvincing, its musical variety was plentiful. The production’s female singers moved their male counterparts out of the spotlight with their mesmerising arias.
John Malkovich’s recent musical drama, ‘The Infernal Comedy’, left Igor Toronyi-Lalic enraged. Playing real-life Austrian serial killer Jack Unterweger, Malkovich gives too much allure to his character, making the piece comes across as a defence for a psychopath. Although Toronyi-Lalic’s opinion had been firmly formed, he did praise conductor Martin Haselböck and the Wiener Akademi.
Stephen Walsh found The Opera Group’s ‘Seven Angels’ a little too worthy for his tastes. Glyn Maxwell’s libretto left Walsh baffled. As for Luke Bedford’s music, it served well as background music but wasn’t quite able to save the production – only the singers’ superb performances could do that.
Opera North’s touring production of Wagner’s ‘Das Rheingold’ impressed Graham Rickson. Its lighting, video projections and charming leading men did it justice. Richard Farnes’s musical direction in its semi-staged setting was rich in detail and the most impressive element of the production.
Jenny Miller’s decision to relocate Mozart’s highly context-based 18th Century opera, ‘Così fan tutte’ to a naff seaside bar was a decision that Stephen Walsh struggled to understand. The Longborough Orchestra, however, did well under conductor Gianluca Marcianò.
Anne-Sophie Duprels’ performance in ‘Rusalka’ at the Grange Park Opera left David Nice unconvinced and fairly unmoved. Dvořák’s score has real gravity but this production boasted only intermittent magic and left our reviewer smiling rather than weeping.
Purcell’s semi-opera, ‘King Arthur’, gave Alexandra Coghlan reason to write a glowing opera review. Part of the Spitalfields Music Festival, the production’s attention to detail really impressed Coghlan.
Ismene Brown at The Arts Desk was highly amused by the online registration service at the Royal Opera. No matter if you’re a Prince or a mere Marchioness, you’re warmly welcomed at the Royal Opera House.
Ivan Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra the first 25 years/23 with the Parafónia Orchestra