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Stripped of its original superstar casting, Gounod’s grand opera provides entertainment but fails to cohere. 

Four superstars deliver dramatic moments in this revival of Sir David McVicar’s Goya-inspired staging of Verdi’s melodrama. 

Christopher Alden, Chris Hopkins and an excellent cast send us a comic roller coaster ride with Verdi’s ultra-rarely performed second opera.

When in doubt, stage the action in a theatre. Australian director Justin Way gets in the way of Bellini's Norma at the Teatro di San Carlo. 

Opera North's revives its Cavalleria rusticana production by Karolina Sofulak, pairing it this time with Rachmaninov's early opera Aleko. 

The star tenor is clearly under the weather, but the young house-favourite mezzo shines in an impressive role debut in a revival of Benoît Jacquot's cinematic staging. 

Charles Edwards' ambitious production is well served by a strong cast as Grange Park Opera opens its season in the Theatre in the Woods. 

There are plenty of vocal thrills in Sir David McVicar's new production of Giordano's revenge thriller at the Metropolitan Opera.

A revival for Sir David McVicar's staging from last season, but this time reverting from French to the four-act Italian version, conducted by Carlo Rizzi. 

Gwyn Hughes Jones, Elizabeth Llewellyn and Sir Simon Keenlyside star in David Alden's setting of Otello in a militarised Cyprus.

The Metropolitan Opera performs the original French version of Don Carlos for the first time with a distinguished ensemble of soloists, but the static production offers no new insights into the depth of Verdi's masterpiece.

Cavalli's debut at La Scala is a triumph, earning applause that not even a Bohème or a Traviata can sometimes elicit. 

The revival of David McVicar's production of Gounod's Faust provides spectacle and entertainment in spades, with strong performances from Ivan Magrì (Faust) and Teddy Tahu Rhodes (Méphistophélès).

Edward Gardner brings out the Wagner influence in Massenet's opulent score, Juan Diego Flórez give a persuasive performance in the title role.

At a time when the “relevance” is bandied around all too frequently in relation to opera, Martinů's really does deserve that tag. 

In the role created for Jenny Lind, Lisette Oropesa, in her debut in the theater, shows her magnificent silvery voice, beautiful vibrato and impeccable colorature.

A devilishly fun performance of Gounod's take on Goethe, saved when Mandy Fredrich flew in at short notice to take over the role of Marguerite. 

A daring double bill from Opera North and Phoenix Dance Theatre pairs Jeanguy Saintus' new choreography for The Rite of Spring with a revival of Christopher Alden's production of Gianni Schicchi. 

Although Adriana Lecouvreur could never be referred to as one of the world’s greatest operas, Anna Netrebko, Anita Rachvelishvili and Piotr Beczała give it the star treatment at the Metropolitan Opera. 

It’s the sprig of nightshade on a blood-red confection.

Javier Camarena’s debut as Edgardo contributed to a triumphal night at the Teatro Real together with Lisette Oropesa’s charismatic Lucia and David Alden’s powerful staging.

Towering above all the other meritorious singers in this performance, was the phenomenal Georgian mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili 

Two thematically linked, but contrasting short operas are the final component of Opera North's Little Greats season at the Leeds Grand Theatre.

Opera North's Little Greats festival continues with two deeply contrasting short operas - a grimly tragic and austere version of Macagni's Cavalleria rusticana and a frothy and hilarious production of Gilbert and Sullivan's Trial by Jury.

Charles Edwards and Annabel Arden direct Leoncavallo's Pagliacci and Ravel's L'Enfant et les sortilèges in a contrasting pairing of two short operas in Opera North's 'Little Greats' season.

Gerald Finley's velvet baritone lights up this revival of David McVicar's production of Cilea's murder story

The Staatsoper's new Falstaff is a production that is attractive not only visually, but also in terms of the varied musical color.

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.

Vittorio Grigolo and Joyce DiDonato live up to their starry reputations in the Royal Opera's latest revival of Massenet's tale of unrequited love and suicide.

English National Opera’s first staging of Bellini’s bel canto masterpiece is a musical and dramatic triumph.

David McVicar's six-year old production of Il trovatore returns to the Met with a starry cast:a model of clarity and mood compared with the Met’s previous staging.

Bruno Ravella’s revival of David McVicar’s production of Faust, doing the rounds of Australia’s major opera companies, is currently inspiring Adelaidians with masterful performances by State Opera of South Australia.

Tragedy giving way to comedy – a recipe which still works, as demonstrated in Opera North's fine double bill of Gianni Schicchi and La vida breve.

David McVicar's production of Faust enjoys one of the strongest overall performances of Opera Australia in recent times.

The Il trovatore on offer at the Lyric this month would make a fine CD, its vocal strengths to be found equally among the leading foursome, but its weaknesses are visual and dramaturgical, and these are plenty too.

In the Royal Opera revival of Richard Strauss’s Elektra, the overwhelming theme is blood, both metaphorical and literal.

In spite of the fact that a Handel oratorio, however renowned, provides limited opportunities for staging, this production of Joshua, directed by Charles Edwards, is a largely successful exercise in the art of the possible.

Everything about the opening scene of this production set me on edge: centre-stage a hybrid bed on wheels, part crib part hospital, and propped up on it, peering through the bars, a young female, presumably Lucia. The set is a high-walled room, dingy white, plaster stained, paper peeling, with  a short door and elongated windows suggesting a surreal Alice-in-Wonderland distortion.