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Showing 26 of 26 reviews

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A bizarre misunderstanding returns: L’equivoco stravagante at the Rossini Opera Festival

By Laura Servidei, 08 August 2024

Rossini’s ill-fated farce finds new life in the intelligent and enjoyable 2019 production by Leiser and Caurier at the Rossini Opera Festival, featuring a great cast under the unwavering baton of Michele Spotti.

****1

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****1

Pesaro

09 Aug 2024

L’equivoco stravagante returns to the Rossini Opera Festival

By Laura Servidei

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London

The tragic arc of a very human drama: Madama Butterfly returns to The Royal Opera

By David Karlin, 14 March 2024

With the help of excellent singing and acting performances from a cast led by Asmik Grigorian and Joshua Guerrero, Puccini’s tale of abandonment hits home.

****1

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****1

London

15 Mar 2024

A very human drama: Madama Butterfly at The Royal Opera

By David Karlin

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London

Unfaltering opera buffa entertainment: Rossini's Barber of Seville at Covent Garden

By David Karlin, 02 February 2023

Two outstanding performances by young singers light up a splendidly crafted revival of Caurier and Leiser's colourful production.

*****

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*****

London

03 Feb 2023

Unfaltering opera buffa: The Barber of Seville at the ROH

By David Karlin

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Florence

Marie Lys jumps in to score an Alcina success at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

By Laura Servidei, 22 October 2022

A very successful stage production and a spectacular musical ensemble marks the first performance of Alcina in Florence.

****1

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****1

Florence

24 Oct 2022

Marie Lys jumps in to score an Alcina success at the Maggio Musicale

By Laura Servidei

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London

Maria Agresta captivates in latest ROH revival of Madama Butterfly

By David Truslove, 12 September 2022

A mixed bag of performances at Covent Garden, but with an outstanding Butterfly who brings ample rewards to an evening where the emotional temperature eventually soars.

***11

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***11

London

13 Sep 2022

Maria Agresta captivates in latest ROH revival of Madama Butterfly

By David Truslove

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London

A subtly revised Madama Butterfly returns to the Covent Garden stage

By Mark Pullinger, 14 June 2022

Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier’s production has undergone a year of expert scrutiny before this well-sung revival.

***11

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***11

London

15 Jun 2022

A subtly revised Madama Butterfly returns to the Covent Garden stage

By Mark Pullinger

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Paris

Sabine Devieilhe's Cleopatra reigns in Damiano Michieletto's muddled Egyptology show

By Mark Pullinger, 11 May 2022

The French soprano delivers an A-list performance as the Egyptian queen, donning a variety of Hollywood guises at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées.

***11

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***11

Paris

12 May 2022

Devieilhe's Cleopatra reigns in Michieletto's muddled Egyptology show

By Mark Pullinger

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London

Pretty Yende sweetens Damiano Michieletto’s acidic Don Pasquale on its Covent Garden return

By Dominic Lowe, 03 May 2022

Michieletto's slightly cold take on one of Donizetti's greatest comedies is amply compensated by some spectacular singing, with Pretty Yende's Norina a particular delight.

****1

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****1

London

04 May 2022

Pretty Yende sweetens Damiano Michieletto’s acidic Don Pasquale

By Dominic Lowe

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Baden-Baden

Outstanding performances in brothel-based Pique Dame at Baden-Baden Easter Festival

By Ako Imamura, 12 April 2022

The Baden-Baden Easter Festival offers a memorable production of Pique Dame with excellent musical performances convincing in Leiser and Caurier's updating of the plot.

*****

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*****

Baden-Baden

13 Apr 2022

Outstanding performances in brothel-based Baden-Baden Pique Dame

By Ako Imamura

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Zurich

Another triumph for Bartoli: L’italiana arrives in Zurich from Salzburg on a dromedary’s back

By Laura Servidei, 06 March 2022

Opernhaus Zürich presents a Salzburg Festival production of Rossini’s first masterpiece, with a stellar cast and an orchestra on original instruments, under the baton of Gianluca Capuano.

*****

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*****

Zurich

08 Mar 2022

L’italiana arrives in Zurich from Salzburg on a dromedary’s back

By Laura Servidei

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Zurich

The New Year arrives with laughter in Zurich, on the notes of Le Comte Ory

By Laura Servidei, 31 December 2021

Zurich Opera revives a successful production of Rossini’s masterpiece with a strong cast for a fun, entertaining New Year’s Eve.

***11

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***11

Zurich

02 Jan 2022

New Year arrives with laughter in Zurich: Le Comte Ory

By Laura Servidei

London

Don Pasquale falls flat in Michieletto’s cruel comedy at Covent Garden

By Mark Pullinger, 14 October 2019

Sir Bryn Terfel relishes every nuance of the text, but Damiano Michieletto's reading of Donizetti's comedy is no laughing matter.

**111

**111

London

15 Oct 2019

Don Pasquale falls flat in Michieletto’s cruel comedy

By Mark Pullinger

Pesaro

Puns, dirty jokes and bizarre misunderstandings: L’equivoco stravagante at the Rossini Opera Festival

By Laura Servidei, 13 August 2019

A new, successful production by Leiser and Caurier supports a great cast of Rossini specialists, with Teresa Iervolino, Paolo Bordogna and Davide Luciano in the lead roles.

****1

****1

Pesaro

14 Aug 2019

Puns, dirty jokes and bizarre misunderstandings

By Laura Servidei

Salzburg

Alcina’s Hotel California: Bartoli mesmerizes in Michieletto’s new Salzburg production

By Laura Servidei, 09 June 2019

Michieletto presents an engaging new production where magic and reality reflect each other through a mirror, and humans are exposed in all their vulnerability.

****1

****1

Salzburg

11 Jun 2019

Alcina’s Hotel California at Salzburg's Whitsun festival

By Laura Servidei

Salzburg

Camels and comic capers in Algiers: Cecilia Bartoli stars in a frothy Italiana at the Salzburg Festival

By Mark Pullinger, 08 August 2018

Cecilia Bartoli is joined by frequent collaborators Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier in a fun-filled Rossini farce full of Italian sunshine. Big grins all round.

*****

*****

Salzburg

09 Aug 2018

Camels and comic capers in Algiers: Italiana in Salzburg

By Mark Pullinger

Amsterdam

Rigoletto is mad but the singing is fine at Dutch National Opera

By Jenny Camilleri, 09 May 2017

Damiano Michieletto’s intriguing production of Rigoletto is set in a mental hospital, and sidelines emotion in favour of analysis. The singing, on the other hand, is heartfelt and exciting.

***11

***11

Amsterdam

11 May 2017

Rigoletto is mad but the singing is fine

By Jenny Camilleri

London

Broken wings: Ermonela Jaho a devastating Madama Butterfly at Covent Garden

By Mark Pullinger, 27 March 2017

Ermonela Jaho sure likes to put herself (and us) through the emotional wringer on Covent Garden's stage. This time, London finally got to see her as another tragic Puccini heroine: Madama Butterfly.

****1

****1

London

28 Mar 2017

Broken wings: Ermonela Jaho a devastating Butterfly

By Mark Pullinger

London

A soufflé that fails to rise: Rossini’s Barber falls flat at Covent Garden

By Mark Pullinger, 13 September 2016

For the latest revival of Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier's candy-striped production, the Royal Opera serves up the operatic equivalent of stodgy semolina.

**111

**111

London

14 Sep 2016

Rossini’s Barber falls flat at Covent Garden

By Mark Pullinger

Milan

Angels and Demons: Verdi's Giovanna d'Arco at La Scala

By David Karlin, 18 December 2015

Verdi's take on the Joan of Arc story may be thin on drama, but outstanding playing from Riccardo Chailly and the La Scala orchestra and top notch singing from Netrebko, Meli and Álvarez make this a wonderful Verdian evening.

****1

****1

Milan

19 Dec 2015

Angels and Demons: Giovanna d'Arco at La Scala

By David Karlin

Glasgow

Justina Gringyte is a fabulous Carmen in Scottish Opera's Revival

By David Smythe, 17 October 2015

Justina Gringyte is a fabulous Carmen in Scottish Opera's dark take on this most tuneful of operas. Large choruses, including children with cigarettes, and a strong supporting cast make this an enjoyable show.

***11

***11

Glasgow

19 Oct 2015

Justina Gringyte is a fabulous Carmen in Scottish Opera's Revival

By David Smythe

Zurich

Love, loyalty and treason exposed: Bellini’s Norma in Zurich

By Sarah Batschelet, 10 October 2015

A recent production of Vincenzo Bellini’s Norma starred Cecilia Bartoli, the great mezzo who lives close by, and whom the Zürcher like to claim as one of their own.

*****

*****

Zurich

11 Oct 2015

Love, loyalty and treason exposed: Norma in Zurich

By Sarah Batschelet

London

Kurzak and Pidò inspire a rumbustious Turco in Italia in Caurier and Leiser's Dolce Vita production

By David Karlin, 11 April 2015

Aleksandra Kurzak delivers a top drawer performance as Fiorilla, leading a star-studded cast as Evelino Pidò gives us a lesson in how to conduct Rossini in the latest revival of Il turco in Italia.

****1

****1

London

12 Apr 2015

Kurzak and Pidò inspire a rumbustious Turco in Italia

By David Karlin

London

Clattering cherry blossom: solid revival of Madama Butterfly at Covent Garden

By Mark Pullinger, 20 March 2015

Kristine Opolais offers a nuanced, moving Cio-Cio-San in a solid revival of Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier’s sepia and cream production of Madama Butterfly at the Royal Opera.

***11

***11

London

21 Mar 2015

Clattering cherry blossom: ROH Madama Butterfly

By Mark Pullinger

Vienna

A different trip to the Barber: Paisiello conquers Vienna again at Theater an der Wien

By Chanda VanderHart, 18 February 2015

Not the Barbiere you might have been expecting if you hadn't paid attention to the small print at the Theater an der Wien...

****1

****1

Vienna

20 Feb 2015

A different trip to the Barber

By Chanda VanderHart

London

Slapstick fun and stylish singing in the Royal Opera’s revival of Il barbiere di Siviglia

By Mark Pullinger, 19 September 2014

Elder led a performance that twinkled with Rossinian wit, while Serena Malfi left you clamouring for a swift return to Bow Street.

****1

****1

London

20 Sep 2014

A stylish trip to the Barber

By Mark Pullinger

Vienna

Vaudeville and shadow puppets: Die Zauberflöte in Vienna

By Simon Rees, 09 June 2014

Shadow puppet serpents and policemen in tutus: Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier's production of Die Zauberflöte is graced with a strong cast.

***11

***11

Vienna

23 Jun 2014

Vaudeville and shadow puppets: Die Zauberflöte

By Simon Rees