La Damnation de Faust à La Côte-Saint-André : on signe !

By François Jestin, 02 September 2019

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“nombreux sont les passages instrumentaux qui touchent au merveilleux”

Reviewed at Château Louis XI, Cour, La Côte-Saint-André on 31 August 2019

Berlioz, La Damnation de Faust (concert performance)

Tugan Sokhiev, Conductor

Sophie Koch, Marguerite

Marc Laho, Faust

Paul Gay, Méphistophélès

Julien Véronèse, Brander

Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse

Orfeón Donostiarra

A noble Norma trapped in a hollow dystopia

Andrew Larkin, 24th May

Salome Jicia delivers a vocally impressive and emotionally committed Norma, but Orpha Phelan’s post-apocalyptic staging fatally weakens Bellini’s sacred tragedy.

***11

A deli-cious revival of Rossini’s Il turco in Italia at Glyndebourne

Dominic Lowe, 23rd May

Mariame Clément’s production of Rossini's meta comedy is tightly revived with some excellent singing. Come for the writing tips, stay for the cured meats.

****1

Superb musical performances in Pinchgut's Scarlatti rarity in Sydney

Sandra Bowdler, 23rd May

As usual, Pinchgut lavishes musical excellence on an obscure Baroque work... but why stage an oratorio?

****1

The Met’s Frida y Diego proves visually stunning, musically thrilling

David Wolfson, 22nd May

Deborah Colker and her design team create visually vibrant worlds for the Met’s new production of El último sueño de Frida y Diego, by Pulitzer Prize winner Gabriela Lena Frank.

*****

Glyndebourne’s first Tosca: vocally strong but imperfect

David Karlin, 21st May

Ted Huffman brings some interesting ideas to his first Glyndebourne production. Excellent singing is let down by indifferent physical acting.

***11

Dudamel’s LA Phil Walküre proves worth the wait

Matthew Richard Martinez, 21st May

An enveloping performance of Die Walküre spans three consecutive evenings, featuring world class singing in Frank Gehry’s stunning space.

****1

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François Jestin

Ingénieur de formation, François est tombé par hasard dans la critique musicale, d'abord à la demande du magazine professionnel L'Ingénieur-Constructeur dont il tient la rubrique Musique et spectacles depuis bientôt 20 ans. Spectateur très assidu des maisons d'opéra, il écrit régulièrement pour plusieurs supports, dont la revue mensuelle suisse Scènes Magazine.