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The Russian director's role play production of Prokofiev's comedy falls flat at the Staatsoper.

Herheim places the composer at the centre of his opera in a staging that's clever and erudite but somewhat cold; musical performances are mixed.

If ever a new production of a Mozart opera had a riveting backstory, this one is it. 

Interesting ideas and a brilliant orchestral performance aren't enough to overcome a visually dull staging, predictable choreography and a lack of chemistry between the protagonists.

Lord Sidney's contemplation of the insanity of the world seems to be the impetus for this delirious production. So endless is its stream of gags that to attend this show is to be left feeling exhausted.

Joseph Haydn’s opera Orlando Paladino was once cited as “a mixed salad of madness, mayhem and true love”. A recent revival in Zurich supports that assessment.

With his first foray into Rossini, Norwegian director Stefan Herheim turns La Cenerentola into a brilliantly funny spectacle, filled with thought provoking humour and outstanding singing.

Men unfaithful out of habit? Sheer madness to trust a woman? These were the great themes of what has proven to be Mozart’s most popular opera.

The role of the outsider struck a chord with Tchaikovsky, whose homosexuality alienated him from society. Stefan Herheim takes that identification as the central idea in his remarkable new production at Dutch National Opera.

This production of Norma was definitely the best staging seen at the San Carlo in recent years.

Theatre director Christoph Marthaler is renowned – if notorious – for his “off the wall” productions and adherence to bad boy antics. This Viaggio was no exception.

Seldom performed, this Vivaldi work plays on all the great themes of opera: jealousy, identity, paternal and fraternal love, and other human values cast aside for all the wrong reasons.

Director Michieletto’s playful staging, Stefano Montanari’s expressive conducting and stylish singing from a cast of seasoned Rossinian singers make for a thoroughly enjoyable new production of the too rare Il viaggio a Reims at the Dutch National Opera.

Esta Carmen es una explosión de fuerza y destino, que sabe conjugar la violencia irrefrenable de unas pulsiones desatadas con la desolación de una tragedia inevitable.