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Glyndebourne's Saul still packs a punch 10 years on

By Nick Boston, 08 June 2025

Returning from the original run, Christopher Purves and Iestyn Davies were joined by a strong cast and chorus for a revival of Barrie Kosky's striking production.

*****

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*****

Glyndebourne

08 Jun 2025

Glyndebourne's Saul still packs a punch 10 years on

By Nick Boston

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Dublin

Terrifically strong principals in Irish National Opera’s new Rigoletto

By Andrew Larkin, 01 December 2024

Michael Chioldi, Soraya Mafi and Bekhzod Davronov shine in Julien Chavez’ energetic production in Dublin’s Bord Gais Theatre.

****1

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****1

Dublin

01 Dec 2024

Terrifically strong principals in Irish National Opera’s Rigoletto

By Andrew Larkin

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Southampton

A dark and disturbing Rigoletto from Welsh National Opera at Mayflower Theatre

By David Truslove, 14 November 2024

Fine performances in a punchy new production that coats this tragic opera in a large dollop of debauchery.

****1

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****1

Southampton

14 Nov 2024

A dark and disturbing Rigoletto from WNO at the Mayflower

By David Truslove

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Glyndebourne

Merriment aplenty in Cal McCrystal's Merry Widow at Glyndebourne

By Dominic Lowe, 09 June 2024

Glyndebourne's new production of Lehár's greatest work is interpreted with his customary flair and fun by Cal McCrystal.

****1

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****1

Glyndebourne

09 Jun 2024

Merriment aplenty in Cal McCrystal's Merry Widow at Glyndebourne

By Dominic Lowe

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High Wycombe

Fine cast shines in Garsington's new Mitridate, where the walls close in on warring royalty

By Stephen Pritchard, 01 June 2023

Robert Murray excels as the eponymous king in the opera seria that cemented the 14-year old Mozart’s position as the next big thing.

***11

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***11

High Wycombe

01 Jun 2023

Fine cast shines in Garsington's new Mitridate

By Stephen Pritchard

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London

In the Realms of Sorrow: London Handel Festival presents cantatas in the round

By Mark Valencia, 02 March 2023

Director Adele Thomas can do no wrong, sustaining her extraordinary run of fizz with this unlikely concatenation of four Handel cantatas at Stone Nest.

****1

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****1

London

02 Mar 2023

In the Realms of Sorrow: Handel cantatas in the round

By Mark Valencia

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Glyndebourne

Strictly Alcina: Handel as Fellini fantasy cabaret at Glyndebourne

By Mark Pullinger, 02 July 2022

Director Francesco Micheli undersells Handel in this Glyndebourne debut, but there's plenty of froth to keep the audience entertained.

***11

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***11

Glyndebourne

02 Jul 2022

Strictly Alcina: Handel as Fellini fantasy cabaret at Glyndebourne

By Mark Pullinger

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Seattle

Seattle Opera's Figaro brims with rejuvenating comic energy and warmth

By Thomas May, 07 May 2022

A light, amiable touch predominates in the Peter Kazaras production of Le nozze di Figaro, with a focus on the opera's impeccable comic pacing.

****1

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****1

Seattle

07 May 2022

Seattle Opera's Figaro brims with rejuvenating comic energy

By Thomas May

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London

Death is the star in a biting Kaiser von Atlantis at the Barbican

By David Karlin, 23 January 2022

Ullmann's one act opera, written in the concentration camp at Terezin, receives a powerful performance from the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

****1

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****1

London

23 Jan 2022

Death is the star in a biting Kaiser von Atlantis at the Barbican

By David Karlin

Edinburgh

Edinburgh International Festival closes in style with a terrific Ariadne auf Naxos

By David Smythe, 25 August 2021

Memorable role debuts from Dorothea Röschmann, David Butt Philip and Catriona Morison make Ariadne auf Naxos with the RSNO and Lothar Koenigs a night to savour.

****1

****1

Edinburgh

25 Aug 2021

EIF closes in style with a terrific Ariadne auf Naxos

By David Smythe

Oxford

In the footsteps of Hafez: exploring Persian poetry at Oxford Lieder

By Mark Pullinger, 11 October 2020

A deep-dive into the world of 14th-century Persian poet, Hafez, and his influence on song across the centuries.

****1

****1

Oxford

11 Oct 2020

In the footsteps of Hafez: exploring Persian poetry at Oxford Lieder

By Mark Pullinger

Edinburgh

A delicious bite-sized chunk of romantic opera: Scottish Opera's The Telephone

By David Karlin, 10 August 2020

Attractive music and delicious comedy abound in Scottish Opera's short film of Gian Carlo Menotti's 1947 comic opera, made for Edinburgh International Festival.

*****

*****

Edinburgh

10 Aug 2020

A delicious bite-sized chunk of romantic opera: The Telephone

By David Karlin

Cardiff

WNO’s Figaro revival crackles with humour and exudes joie de vivre

By Alice Hughes, 16 February 2020

A solid Figaro in Cardiff, in which individual performances are a joy, and humour abounds.

****1

****1

Cardiff

16 Feb 2020

WNO’s Figaro revival crackles with humour and exudes joie de vivre

By Alice Hughes

Seattle

Timelessly timely: a dark and damning Rigoletto in Seattle

By Thomas May, 10 August 2019

Using the misogyny and violence of Rigoletto to hold up a mirror to contemporary corruption, Lindy Hume's production overcomes its inconsistencies with a vivid blend of theatrical and musical values.

****1

****1

Seattle

10 Aug 2019

Timelessly timely: a dark and damning Rigoletto in Seattle

By Thomas May

West Horsley

Into the Woods: Hansel and Gretel at Grange Park Opera

By Benjamin Poore, 23 June 2019

Darkness sits alongside comedy in a new production of Humperdinck's delicious children's opera.

***11

***11

West Horsley

23 Jun 2019

Into the Woods: Hansel and Gretel at Grange Park Opera

By Benjamin Poore

High Wycombe

Songs of innocence and experience: Verdi's Falstaff at Garsington

By Charlotte Valori, 16 June 2018

Bruno Ravella's fast-paced Falstaff for Garsington still has crucial space for pathos amid the comedy, with a notably subtle central performance from Henry Waddington.

****1

****1

High Wycombe

16 Jun 2018

Songs of innocence and experience: Falstaff at Garsington

By Charlotte Valori

London

Hot ice and strange snow: an unseasonal return for Carsen’s bed-hopping Dream

By Mark Pullinger, 01 March 2018

In Siberian conditions more akin to The Winter's Tale, a revival of Robert Carsen's season setting of Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream offered a warm glow at the Coliseum.

****1

****1

London

01 Mar 2018

Hot ice and strange snow

By Mark Pullinger

London

Static but worth the slog: ETO's two-part Giulio Cesare

By Olivia Bell, 07 October 2017

Conway's decision to render Handel's epic in its entirety was let down by a static staging and unnecessary repeats that masked the hidden gem-like arias.

***11

***11

London

07 Oct 2017

Static but worth the slog: ETO's Giulio Cesare

By Olivia Bell

Seattle

Morlot in his element for L’Enfant et les sortilèges

By Erica Miner, 03 June 2017

Music Director Ludovic Morlot, known for his intriguing programming, outdid himself with a summery breeze of a program that enchanted from beginning to end.

****1

****1

Seattle

03 Jun 2017

Morlot in his element for L’Enfant et les sortilèges

By Erica Miner

London

A poised and pretty outing of a prodigy's exercises

By Olivia Bell, 16 May 2017

Mozart's “pasticcio concertos”, composed at the remarkable age of 11, may lack integral vibrancy and brilliance, but are brought to life by an exuberant Bezuidenhout

****1

****1

London

16 May 2017

A poised and pretty outing of a prodigy's exercises

By Olivia Bell

London

Petticoated pirate romp: The Pirates of Penzance at ENO

By Olivia Bell, 09 February 2017

There’s nothing new or inventive about Leigh’s revived production, which in itself is not a crime, but neither is there an abundance of energy; it's all a bit nice.

***11

***11

London

09 Feb 2017

Petticoated pirate romp at ENO

By Olivia Bell

Leeds

Brilliant Il tabarro and Suor Angelica complete Opera North's Puccini triptych

By Richard Wilcocks, 01 October 2016

Two parts of Puccini's triptych are directed by Michael Barker-Craven - Il tabarro and Suor Angelica - in brilliantly successful productions at Leeds Grand Theatre.

****1

****1

Leeds

01 Oct 2016

Brilliant Il tabarro and Suor Angelica

By Richard Wilcocks

Hook

A cruel Così fan tutte at West Green House Opera

By Dominic Lowe, 30 July 2016

Newlyn's updating of the opera to the Second World War was effective, while a superb Despina from Soraya Mafi gave the performance real fizz.

***11

***11

Hook

30 Jul 2016

A cruel Così fan tutte at West Green House

By Dominic Lowe

London

Janáček's score, Alden's direction and Wigglesworth's conducting make a searing Jenůfa at ENO

By David Karlin, 23 June 2016

In Janáček's searing excoriation of small town social mores, superb orchestra, singing and acting make this revival of David Alden's Jenůfa into an unmissable evening of opera.

*****

*****

London

23 Jun 2016

A searing Jenůfa at ENO

By David Karlin

London

London Mozart Players present rare Mozart through modern eyes

By Jack Johnson, 14 April 2016

The London Mozart Players and a talented company of singers presented a special chance to hear a rare, unfinished Mozart opera in an even rarer guise.

***11

***11

London

14 Apr 2016

Rare Mozart through modern eyes

By Jack Johnson

London

An incandescent Magic Flute from Mark Wigglesworth at ENO

By Dominic Lowe, 05 February 2016

A revival of Simon McBurney's 2013 production of The Magic Flute reaches new heights under Mark Wigglesworth's baton.

****1

****1

London

05 Feb 2016

An incandescent Magic Flute at ENO

By Dominic Lowe

Cardiff

Razor sharp: a bloody Sweeney Todd at Welsh National Opera

By Simon Rees, 08 October 2015

Sondheim's Sweeney Todd seen and heard as it is: one of the greatest late-20th-century operas.

****1

****1

Cardiff

08 Oct 2015

Razor sharp: a bloody Sweeney Todd at WNO

By Simon Rees

London

That sinking feeling: ENO’s Pirates of Penzance scuppered at the Coliseum

By Mark Pullinger, 09 May 2015

As director of the film Topsy-Turvy, Mike Leigh seemed like a natural choice to turn his hand to The Pirates of Penzance at English National Opera. Sadly, this proved not to be the case.

**111

**111

London

09 May 2015

That sinking feeling: ENO’s Pirates of Penzance

By Mark Pullinger

Alresford

Grimes ahoy! Suffolk's coast transplanted to the rolling Hampshire Downs

By Mark Pullinger, 30 May 2014

Bringing Peter Grimes to Grange Park a year after the Britten centenary is an enormous challenge. With ‘Grimes on the Beach’ still fresh in the memory, the task of recreating the Suffolk coast in Hampshire’s idyllic countryside might have seemed a step too far.

****1

****1

Alresford

30 May 2014

Grimes ahoy! Suffolk's coast transplanted to the rolling Hampshire Downs

By Mark Pullinger

London

Dazzling coloratura delights in Handel's Arianna in Creta

By Aksel Tollåli, 04 March 2014

Despite a disappointingly static production, the cast shine in the Royal College of Music's producion of Handel's rarity Arianna in Creta.

***11

***11

London

04 Mar 2014

Dazzling coloratura delights in Handel's Arianna in Creta

By Aksel Tollåli

Alresford

Sixteen nuns executed near Winchester: Dialogues des Carmélites at Grange Park

By Paul Kilbey, 22 June 2013

When you think chic, black-tie country house opera, you probably don’t also think sixteen barefoot nuns being executed. Grange Park Opera’s fusion of these two contrasting ideas, however, has a lot going for it: their production of Francis Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites combines its minimal but effective staging with some impressive singing.

***11

***11

Alresford

22 Jun 2013

Sixteen nuns executed near Winchester: Dialogues des Carmélites at Grange Park

By Paul Kilbey

Buxton

Marvellous Mikado at the Buxton Gilbert and Sullivan Festival

By Andrew H. King, 29 July 2012

The Gilbert and Sullivan canon perhaps achieves the pinnacle of its greatness with The Mikado. The ninth of their fourteen collaborations, it was premièred at the Savoy Theatre in 1885 and the gentlemen were rewarded with an extraordinary success.

****1

****1

Buxton

29 Jul 2012

Marvellous Mikado at the Buxton Gilbert and Sullivan Festival

By Andrew H. King

Cologne

Die Aufteilung der Welt: Erinnerung an eine vergessene Barockoper

By Cristina Burack, 30 August 2019

Christophe Rousset und Les Talens Lyriques zeigen, dass etwas Verschollenes modern, ergreifend und aufregend sein kann.

*****

*****

Cologne

30 Aug 2019

Die Aufteilung der Welt: Erinnerung an eine vergessene Barockoper

By Cristina Burack

Strasbourg

L’Amour, affaire de famille : La divisione del mondo à l’Opéra du Rhin

By Beate Langenbruch, 10 February 2019

Christophe Rousset et Les Talens Lyriques exhument La divisione del mondo, opéra de Legrenzi donné pour la première fois en France 350 ans après sa création. Une découverte qui offre des moments exquis, portés par la mise en scène de Jetske Mijnssen.

*****

*****

Strasbourg

10 Feb 2019

L’Amour, affaire de famille : La divisione del mondo à Strasbourg

By Beate Langenbruch

Paris

Il re pastore au Théâtre du Châtelet : Mozart en version manga

By Anne-Laure Faubert, 22 January 2015

C’est une mise en scène dont on se souviendra longtemps : Il re pastore, opéra composé par Mozart alors âgé de 19 ans, fait dès les premiers instants référence aux dessins animés des années 1980, à Star Wars et aux mangas japonais.

***11

***11

Paris

22 Jan 2015

Mozart en version manga

By Anne-Laure Faubert