Performer: Hrachuhí Bassénz

Joana Mallwitz makes her Royal Opera debut in the pit as Sir David McVicar returns to direct this revival of his much-loved 2006 show.

The Royal Opera's revival of Keith Warner's staging feels underbaked, although interest is largely focused on the pit as the latest contender to take over from Antonio Pappano as Music Director is auditioned.

L'opéra méconnu de Verdi bénéficie d'une belle direction musicale, d'une mise en scène parfaitement lisible et d'une distribution convaincante.

Violetta Valéry was Armenian soprano Hrachuhí Bassénz, who made a strong impression on the audience, certainly by the end.

What brought real distinction and authenticity to the evening, as so often in this house, was the outstanding playing of the Staatskapelle conducted by Tomaš Netopil. From the start of the overture with its rapidly scurrying fugato for strings and pointed phrasing from the woodwind one felt the true sense of Smetana’s Czech inflected rhythms and harmonies

An impressively cast revival for Verdi's one-time neglected masterpiece at Covent Garden.