Freudian slip: Handel’s Tamerlano recast as Trumpian tantrums

Jonathan Brown (Leone)

James Laing (Tamerlano) and Nardus Williams (Asteria)

Jake Ingbar (Andronico) and Nardus Williams (Asteria)

Benjamin Hulett (Bajazet)

James Laing (Tamerlano)

Von Mark Pullinger, 27 März 2026

Laden, bitte warten...

Veranstaltung anzeigen

“Nardus Williams was born to sing Handel and her pearly soprano shone brightly here”

Rezensierte Veranstaltung: Shoreditch Town Hall, London, am 26 März 2026

Händel, Tamerlano

Laurence Cummings, Musikalische Leitung

Orpha Phelan, Regie

Madeleine Boyd, Designer

Matthew Haskins, Licht

Academy of Ancient Music

James Laing, Tamerlano

Benjamin Hulett, Bajazet

Nardus Williams, Asteria

Jake Ingbar, Andronico

Kitty Whately, Irene

Jonathan Brown, Leone

Orpha Phelan delivers farcical Donizetti at the Wexford Festival Opera

Andrew Larkin, 20th October

Superlative singing, hilarious antics and an energetic production make Donizetti's Le Convenience ed inconvenience an exhilarating success.

****1

La Bohème et son éternelle émotion à l'Opéra de Montpellier

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Présenté dans une mise scène d'Orpha Phelan très respectueuse du livret, l'opéra de Puccini est magnifié par les inspirations du chef américain Roderick Cox, futur directeur musical de l'institution.

****1

A magnificent Bohème at Irish National Opera

Andrew Larkin, 20th November

Orpha Phelan directs a terrific cast of singers in an inventive and faithful production making for an evening to remember.

*****

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Roy Westbrook, 22nd October

Orpha Phelan has fun staging Félicien David’s opéra comique, moving the action from Kashmir and Samarkand to Leila O’Rourke’s Tea Emporium.

****1

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Andrew Larkin, 10th November

Excellent soloists, inventive sets and fine direction from Sheil and Phelan makes for an entertaining Cenerentola at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre Dublin.

***11

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David Truslove, 24th June

Strong casting but intrusive direction makes this Fidelio a bizarrely intriguing experience, salvaged by some memorable singing.

***11

Weitere Kritiken...

Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

Freudian slip: Tamerlano recast as Trumpian tantrums at the London Handel Festival