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A humorous and entertaining Hansel and Gretel in Dublin
A humorous and clever take on Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel in the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Good singing and acting in directors, Ahern and Lovett's interesting production.
The Big Bang: a starry launch for Irish National Opera
The biggest stigma associated with opera in Ireland is not that it is an elitist art form, but that it is not “Irish”, and that it doesn’t belong to Irish culture, more of a recent import, like pasta, or avocado.
Musically excellent but excessively brutal
Oliver Sears' production of Macbeth comes to Cardiff in a production which offers a great deal musically but doesn't quite coalesce dramatically.
Calixto Bieito's Turandot in Belfast
Can classic opera reflect the political status of the society in which it is performed? Calixto Bieito's production of Turandot for Northern Ireland Opera raises some uncomfortable questions.
An evening of starvation and gluttony with Hansel and Gretel
Hansel and Gretel is often treated as a children's opera, suitable for family viewing at Christmas, but as Richard Jones' production demonstrates, it is a good deal darker than that.