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Christian Gerhaher (Wozzeck) © Monika Rittershaus

Musically peerless but battering: Wozzeck at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence

By David Karlin, 07 July 2023

Sir Simon Rattle and the LSO give an orchestral performance to remember, with a fine singing cast, but Simon McBurney's staging dials the bleakness to maximum too early.

***11

***11

Aix-en-Provence

07 Jul 2023

Musically peerless but battering: Wozzeck in Aix

By David Karlin

Justina Gringytė (Carmen) © James Glossop

Glasgow

Fulljames' police thriller Carmen closes Scottish Opera season

By David Smythe, 16 May 2023

Fine singing from Justina Gringytė, Alok Kumar and Hye-Youn Lee lead a strong supporting cast, with Dane Lam conducting the Scottish Opera Orchestra and Chorus on top form.

****1

****1

Glasgow

16 May 2023

Fulljames' police thriller Carmen closes Scottish Opera season

By David Smythe

Alfred Kim (Mao), Leigh Melrose (Nixon),Sandra Ferrández, Gemma Coma-Alabert and Ekaterina Antípova © Teatro Real | Javier del Real

Madrid

Illuminating history-makers: Nixon in China lands at Teatro Real in Madrid

By David Karlin, 17 April 2023

John Adams’ opera about Richard Nixon’s historic meeting with Mao Tse-Tung is performed with all round excellence, with a real find on the podium in the shape of Olivia Lee-Gunderman.

****1

****1

Madrid

17 Apr 2023

Illuminating history-makers: Nixon in China lands in Madrid

By David Karlin

West Horsley

Alexander Litvinenko at Grange Park Opera: a thrilling – if imperfect – world premiere

By David Karlin, 15 July 2021

Ivor Bolton and Kit Hesketh-Harvey deliver a brilliant political thriller and anti-Putin polemic – at least for its first half.

****1

****1

West Horsley

15 Jul 2021

Alexander Litvinenko: a thrilling – if imperfect – world premiere

By David Karlin

Edinburgh

Mazzoli’s luminous Breaking the Waves receives European premiere in Edinburgh

By David Smythe, 21 August 2019

Sydney Mancasola gives a towering performance in Scottish Opera's new production by Tom Morris.

****1

****1

Edinburgh

21 Aug 2019

Mazzoli’s luminous Breaking the Waves receives European premiere

By David Smythe

Paul Appleby (Tom), Hilary Summers (Mother Goose) and Chorus © Pascal Victor | Artcompress

Aix-en-Provence

McBurney paints The Rake's Progress onto a blank canvas in Aix

By Mark Pullinger, 05 July 2017

Simon McBurney's production of The Rake's Progress for Festival d'Aix-en-Provence begins with the equivalent of a blank page – a simple white paper box onto which he pours his inspiration.

****1

****1

Aix-en-Provence

05 Jul 2017

McBurney paints a blank canvas in Aix

By Mark Pullinger

Aida à l'Opéra royal du Danemark © Camilla Winther

Copenhagen

L'Aida caricaturale d'Annabel Arden à Copenhague

By Irma Foletti, 12 September 2023

Si la direction musicale de Paolo Carignani, l'orchestre et les chœurs impressionnent, l'ensemble de la production est plombé par une mise en scène caricaturale, tandis que la distribution laisse une impression mitigée.

**111

**111

Copenhagen

12 Sep 2023

L'Aida caricaturale d'Annabel Arden à Copenhague

By Irma Foletti

Paris

Dans les filets de Deborah Warner : Peter Grimes emporte Garnier

By Tristan Labouret, 26 January 2023

C'est peut-être l'événement de la saison à l'Opéra de Paris : dans le chef-d'œuvre de Britten, la metteuse en scène britannique fait des débuts remarqués dans la Grande Boutique.

*****

*****

Paris

26 Jan 2023

Dans les filets de Deborah Warner : Peter Grimes emporte Garnier

By Tristan Labouret

Berlin

Ich packe meinen Koffer: Stefan Herheim inszeniert Full-Contact-Walküre in Berlin

By Sarah Schnoor, 27 September 2020

Die überladene Inszenierung kann den Sängern, angeführt von Lise Davidsen, nicht das Wasser reichen.

***11

***11

Berlin

27 Sep 2020

Stefan Herheim inszeniert Full-Contact-Walküre in Berlin

By Sarah Schnoor

Vienna

Viel Aufwand, wenig Drama: Olga Neuwirths Orlando an der Wiener Staatsoper

By Snapdragon, 08 December 2019

Die Welturaufführung ist weder konfrontativ noch bringt sie neue Einsichten: überdrüber und doch irgendwie daneben.

***11

***11

Vienna

08 Dec 2019

Viel Aufwand, wenig Drama: Olga Neuwirths Orlando

By Snapdragon