Live, Video: Find classical music concert, opera, ballet and dance reviews | Matthew Kofi Waldren

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Tosca’s kiss in Kensington: a superb revival at Opera Holland Park

By Roy Westbrook, 28 May 2024

A 16-year interval sounds more like a resurrection than a first revival, but the return of Stephen Barlow's staging of Tosca is well worth the wait.

****1

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****1

London

28 May 2024

Tosca’s kiss in Kensington: a superb revival at Opera Holland Park

By Roy Westbrook

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Cardiff

Osvaldo Golijov's Ainadamar revived by Welsh National Opera for its 2023 tour

By Mark Valencia, 09 September 2023

Deborah Colker's production, seen last season at Scottish Opera, moves to the Wales Millennium Centre for an autumn tour.

****1

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****1

Cardiff

09 Sep 2023

Osvaldo Golijov's Ainadamar revived by WNO for its 2023 tour

By Mark Valencia

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Leeds

Opera North's Pearl Fishers proves a winner

By Richard Wilcocks, 16 May 2023

Directed by Matthew Eberhardt and conducted by Matthew Kofi Waldren, this semi-staging of Bizet's opera is well worth experiencing, despite its weak plot.

****1

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****1

Leeds

16 May 2023

Opera North's Pearl Fishers proves a winner

By Richard Wilcocks

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London

Blue, Jeanine Tesori's new opera on urban violence, comes to ENO

By Mark Valencia, 20 April 2023

Blue could hardly have been better rendered than here. Indeed, I wish every opera I see could be staged with such grace and finesse.

***11

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***11

London

20 Apr 2023

Blue, Jeanine Tesori's new opera on urban violence, comes to ENO

By Mark Valencia

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Glasgow

Two years delayed, Flight takes off from RCS in Glasgow

By David Smythe, 12 March 2022

The RCS performs Jonathan Dove’s Flight with his specially commissioned reduced orchestration, with very fine ensemble singing.

****1

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****1

Glasgow

12 Mar 2022

Two years delayed, Flight takes off from RCS in Glasgow

By David Smythe

Leeds

Another sparkling revival of La bohème by Opera North

By Richard Wilcocks, 12 October 2019

Michael Barker-Craven directs and Renato Balsadonna conducts this successful revival of Puccini's La bohème in Opera North's production at Leeds Grand Theatre.

****1

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Leeds

12 Oct 2019

Another sparkling revival of La bohème by Opera North

By Richard Wilcocks

London

Un ballo in maschera showcases Opera Holland Park at its best

By Mark Valencia, 08 June 2019

Gaitanou’s direction of the singers is so exact that it becomes impossible to separate them from their characters.

*****

*****

London

08 Jun 2019

Un ballo in maschera showcases Opera Holland Park at its best

By Mark Valencia

Glasgow

A perfect antidote to those January blues: Stylish, witty double bill at RCS

By David Smythe, 21 January 2019

Commedia dell'arte and zany surrealism: RCS opera school pulls off a highly amusing double bill of Gianni Schicchi and Les Mamelles de Tirésias with style.

****1

****1

Glasgow

21 Jan 2019

Stylish, witty double bill at RCS

By David Smythe

London

New world created in old music hall: Paul Bunyan at Wilton's

By Roy Westbrook, 03 September 2018

Not since Monty Python has there been more fun with a chorus of lumberjacks.

*****

*****

London

03 Sep 2018

New world created in old music hall: Paul Bunyan at Wilton's

By Roy Westbrook

London

Peacocks in Paris: an engrossing La traviata at Opera Holland Park

By Dominic Lowe, 29 May 2018

Opera Holland Park starts its 2018 season with a bang (and a cough), offering a splendid new production of La traviata. Lauren Fagan is a sensational Violetta, but the production is a real company effort and achievement.

****1

****1

London

29 May 2018

An engrossing La traviata at Opera Holland Park

By Dominic Lowe

London

A swallow among the peacocks: La rondine at Opera Holland Park

By Dominic Lowe, 01 June 2017

A tight production from Martin Lloyd-Evans together with a strong cast and loving treatment from conductor Matthew Kofi Waldren made a strong case for more regular performances of this neglected gem.

****1

****1

London

01 Jun 2017

A swallow among the peacocks

By Dominic Lowe

London

Brush up your Puccini: a 16th-century Bohème at Holland Park

By Mark Pullinger, 11 June 2016

La bohème staged as Tudorbethan drama? Opera Holland Park's quirky tribute to Shakespeare400 is a lot of fun.

***11

***11

London

11 Jun 2016

Brush up your Puccini: a 16th-century Bohème

By Mark Pullinger

London

Shorn of excess exoticism: Ailyn Bozok’s Lakmé at Holland Park

By Mark Pullinger, 09 July 2015

Ailyn Bozok's minimlaist production of Delibes' Lakmé at Opera Holland Park contains much tender beauty and is carried by fine musical performances.

***11

***11

London

09 Jul 2015

Shorn of excess exoticism: Lakmé at Holland Park

By Mark Pullinger

London

A Tale of Two Hearts: Dickensian Rossini at Holland Park

By Mark Pullinger, 07 June 2014

Unlike its première, disaster is averted in Opera Holland Park's Il barbiere di Siviglia, where a solidly traditional production is lit up by some splendid vocal performances.

****1

****1

London

07 Jun 2014

A Tale of Two Hearts: Dickensian Rossini at Holland Park

By Mark Pullinger

London

Les Pêcheurs de perles: Opera Holland Park's new production of Bizet's eclectic opera

By Francesca Vella, 25 June 2013

Bizet’s name, ever since the early (though by no means instant) success of his last opera and major bestseller Carmen, has become synonymous with the idea of catchy tunes and exotic soundworlds. That’s the composer who is with us most of the time.

***11

***11

London

25 Jun 2013

Les Pêcheurs de perles at Opera Holland Park

By Francesca Vella