The martyrs and the oppressed: Peter Grimes at Teatro Real Madrid

By Juan José Freijo, 21 April 2021

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“Warner shows her talent in making beauty from desolation and the grotesque as raw materials.”

Reviewed at Teatro Real: Sala Principal, Madrid on 19 April 2021

Britten, Peter Grimes

Teatro Real

Ivor Bolton, Conductor

Deborah Warner, Director

Michael Levine, Set Designer

Allan Clayton, Peter Grimes

Maria Bengtsson, Ellen Orford

Christopher Purves, Captain Balstrode

Catherine Wyn-Rogers, Auntie

John Graham-Hall, Bob Boles

Rocío Pérez, First Niece

Natalia Labourdette, Second Niece

Barnaby Rea, Hobson

James Gilchrist, Rev Horace Adams

Clive Bayley, Swallow

Rosie Aldridge, Mrs Sedley

Jacques Imbrailo, Ned Keene

Orquesta Titular del Teatro Real

Coro Titular del Teatro Real

Andrés Máspero, Choirmaster / chorus director

Deborah Warner attains her theatrical dream at the Teatro Real

Juan José Freijo, 12th March

Warner once again displays her unquestionable talent onstage and her affinity with Benjamin Britten, although, on this occasion, the musical aspect are not equally satisfactory.

***11

Illuminating history-makers: Nixon in China lands in Madrid

David Karlin, 17th April

John Adams’ opera about Richard Nixon’s historic meeting with Mao Tse-Tung is performed with all round excellence, with a real find on the podium in the shape of Olivia Lee-Gunderman.

****1

Reality as a staging concept: La traviata at Teatro Real, Madrid

Juan José Freijo, 22nd July

In this historic reopening, Lisette Oropesa offers a magnificent performance, dramatically overwhelming and vocally very unique.

****1

La Veronal heads Into the Little Hill in Madrid

John Marten Barnard, 15th February

The Teatros del Canal host the Benjamin–Crimp partnership’s thrillingly dark, lyric retelling of Robert Browning’s famous 1842 poem The Pied Piper of Hamelin by La Veronal dance company.

*****

A disappointing new Falstaff from Laurent Pelly at the Teatro Real

Fernando Remiro, 25th April

Comedy fails to spark in Laurent Pelly's new production of Falstaff at the Teatro Real.

**111

Je suis narcissiste premières in Madrid

Fernando Remiro, 6th March

Raquel García-Tomás's new chamber opera is a mild comedy about narcissism, brought to life by a clever production and a strong cast.

***11

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Juan José Freijo

Juan José Freijo nació en Madrid en 1970. Desde siempre apasionado por el estudio de la música, sus intereses orbitan principalmente alrededor de la ópera y el género vocal. Inició su formación y carrera profesional en el campo de las ciencias, donde completó un doctorado en física aplicada. Más adelante, amplió su formación en diferentes áreas de humanidades, incluyendo estudios en historia del arte y en la actualidad un postgrado en filosofía teórica y práctica. Juan José Freijo sigue de cerca las temporadas de las principales capitales europeas y durante los últimos años ha estado a cargo de la sección de crítica musical de ocioxocio.com.