Director, Katie Mitchell; Costume Designer, Sussie Juhlin-Wallén; Lighting Designer, James Farncombe; Set Designer, Vicki Mortimer; Video Designer, Sasha Balmazi-Owen. Emilia Marty, Ausrine Stundyte; Albert Gregor, Sean Panikkar; Baron Jaroslav Prus, Johan Reuter; Dr Kolenatý, Henry Waddington; Vítek, Peter Hoare; Janek, Daniel Matoušek; Count Hauk-Šendorf, Alan Oke; Krista, Heather Engebretson; Stage door woman; Susan Bickley OfContinue reading “The Makropoulos Case, Janacek – ROHCG, 21/11/25”
Tag Archives: review
R.Strauss, Die Liebe der Danae, Bayern Staatsoper, Munich 22/7/25
Conductor, Sebastian Weigle; Director, Claus Guth; Designer, Michael Levine; Costumes, Ursula Kudrna; Lighting, Alessandro Carletti; Jupiter, Christopher Maltman; Mercury, Ya-Chung Huang; Pollux, Vincent Wolfsteiner; Danae, Malin Byström; Xanthe, Erika Baikoff; Midas, Andreas Schager; Four Kings, Martin Snell, Bálint Szabó, Paul Kaufmann, Kevin Conners; Semele, Sarah Dufresne; Europe, Evgeniya Sotnikova; Alkmene, Emily Sierra; Leda, Avery Amereau IContinue reading “R.Strauss, Die Liebe der Danae, Bayern Staatsoper, Munich 22/7/25”
Weill/Brecht, The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny; Deutsche Oper Berlin, 20/7/25
Conductor, Stefan Klingele; Director, Benedikt von Peter; Design, Katrin Wittig; Costumes, Geraldine Arnold; Lighting, Ulrich Niepel; Leokadja Begbick, Evelyn Herlitzius; Fatty, Thomas Cilluffo. Dreieinigkeitsmoses, Robert Gleadow; Jenny Hill, Annette Dasch; Jim Mahoney, Nikolai Schukoff; Jack O’Brian, Kieran Carrel; Bill, Artur Garbas; Joe, Padraic Rowan I spent the morning, as I have done whenever I haveContinue reading ” Weill/Brecht, The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny; Deutsche Oper Berlin, 20/7/25″
R. Strauss, Die Schweigsame Frau, Thielemann, Staatsoper, Berlin, 19/7/25
Conductor, Christian Thielemann; Production: Jan Philipp Gloger; Design, Ben Baur; Costumes: Justina Klimczyk; Lighting: Tobias Krauß; Video: Leonard Wölfl; Choreography: Florian Hurler; Sir Morosus: Peter Rose; His housekeeper, Iris Vermillion; Barber Cutting Beard: Samuel Hasselhorn; Henry Morosus: Siyabonga Maqungo; Aminta, his wife: Brenda Rae; Isotta: Evelin Novak; Carlotta: Rebecka Wallroth; Morbio: Dionysios Avgerinos; Vanuzzi: ManuelContinue reading “R. Strauss, Die Schweigsame Frau, Thielemann, Staatsoper, Berlin, 19/7/25”
R. Strauss, Salome. LSO, Pappano. Barbican, 13/7/25
London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Antonio Pappano conductor. Asmik Grigorian, Salome; Michael Volle, Jochanaan; Violeta Urmana, Herodias; Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke, Herod; Niamh O’Sullivan, Page of Herodias; John Findon, Narraboth This was my third Salome in 5 months, which is a bit bonkers really, even though it is a wonderful score. This had the attractions of being: ThisContinue reading “R. Strauss, Salome. LSO, Pappano. Barbican, 13/7/25”
Handel, Semele, ROHCG. 30/6/25
Conductor, Christian Curnyn. Semele, Pretty Yende; Jupiter, Ben Bliss; Cadmus/Somnus, Brindley Sherratt; Athamas, Carlo Vistoli; Juno, Alice Coote; Ino, Niamh O’Sullivan; Iris, Marianna Hovanisyan. Director, Oliver Mears; Designer, Annemarie Woods; Lighting designer, Fabiana Piccioli; Movement Director; Sarah Fahie This was the first night of a new production at ROHCG. It has been my greatest musical pleasureContinue reading “Handel, Semele, ROHCG. 30/6/25”
Wagner, Parsifal. Glyndebourne Festival Opera: 6/6/25
Conductor, Robin Ticciati; Director, Jetske Mijnssen; Set Designer, Ben Baur; Costume Designer, Gideon Davey; Choreographer, Dustin Klein; Lighting Designer, Fabrice Kebour. London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Glyndebourne Chorus. Cast: Parsifal, Daniel Johansson; Gurnemanz, John Relyea; Kundry, Kristina Stanek; Amfortas, Audun Iversen; Klingsor, Ryan Speedo Green; Titurel, John Tomlinson In the essay ‘Religion and Art’ (1880) WagnerContinue reading “Wagner, Parsifal. Glyndebourne Festival Opera: 6/6/25”
Bellini, The Capulets and the Montagues: English Touring Opera. Sheffield Lyceum, 4/4/25
Jessica Cale, Giulietta; Samantha Price, Romeo; Brenton Spiteri, Tebaldo; Timothy Nelson Capellio; Eloise Lally, director; Peeter Harrison, lighting designer; Alphonse Cemin, conductor My experience and knowledge of bel canto operas is slight – as I am sure I have said elsewhere in this blog the only Donizetti/Bellini opera I’ve heard is the former’s Maria Stuarda,Continue reading “Bellini, The Capulets and the Montagues: English Touring Opera. Sheffield Lyceum, 4/4/25”
Brahms, Halle Orchestra. Bridgewater Hall, 20/3/24
Kahchun Wong conductor, Mariam Batsashvili piano: Ifukube Japanese Suite for Orchestra; Liszt Piano Concerto No.1; Brahms Symphony No.1This was another very exciting and impressive concert from Kachun Wong and the Halle. The first three concerts I have heard him conducting this season were Mahler/Bruckner-based and I wondered how he would get on with more traditionalContinue reading “Brahms, Halle Orchestra. Bridgewater Hall, 20/3/24”
Prokofiev, Budapest Festival Orchestra. Royal Festival Hall, 11/3/25
Budapest Festival Orchestra, Iván Fischer conductor; Igor Levit piano. Prokofiev: Overture on Hebrew Themes arr. for orchestra, Op.34a; Piano Concerto No.2; Prokofiev: Selection from Cinderella Suites This was a concert I probably wouldn’t have gone to had I not been in London for the evening, prior to getting an early Eurostar train to, ultimately, BerlinContinue reading “Prokofiev, Budapest Festival Orchestra. Royal Festival Hall, 11/3/25”
John's musical journey 