2016Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.png2016-07-02UTC13:56:54+00:002016-07-02While the Welsh were merrily slaying Belgians in Euro 2016, one dragon was on the receiving end at the Royal Festival Hall.Dragonslayer: Siegfried battles valiantly in Opera North's Ringen_GBtruehttps://bachtrack.com/review-siegfried-cleveman-perencz-hogan-opera-north-london-july-2016Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.pngMark Pullingerhttps://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/15668https://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/15668https://bachtrack.com/files/218-1097_4423_markpullinger.jpgMark is one of Bachtrack’s editors and Chair of the Music Section of The Critics' Circle. An experienced opera critic, with a passion for Verdi, he can often be found propping up a standing place at the ROH. He also reviews concerts and dance, with a particular love for Russian and French repertoire. Mark contributes to Gramophone and Opera magazines and blogs at Beckmesser's Quill. https://bachtrack.com/files/42001-siegfried-lars-cleveman-opera-north-clive-barda-resized.jpg300450Lars Cleveman (Siegfried)Clive Barda2016-Jul-01, Royal Festival Hall: Siegfriedhttps://bachtrack.com/opera-listing/royal-festival-hall/siegfried/01-july-2016/17-002016-07-012016-07-01Southbank Centre: Royal Festival HallLondonGreater LondonUnited KingdomSE1 8XXBelvedere Road51.505687-0.11683700000003228http://www.theringcycle.co.uk/?utm_medium=display&utm_source=bachtrack.comhttps://bachtrack.com/files/31944-siegfried__2_.jpg3
Opera North's cycle offers a form of personal Wagner therapy: all four music dramas in concert performances, but with carefully choreographed video and lighting effects.
2016Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.png2016-06-29UTC08:48:18+00:002016-06-29Opera North's cycle offers a form of personal Wagner therapy: all four music dramas in concert performances, but with carefully choreographed video and lighting effects. Dipping a toe into the Rhine: Wagner therapy from Opera Northen_GBtruehttps://bachtrack.com/review-rheingold-farnes-druiett-ablinger-sperrhacke-opera-north-june-2016Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.pngMark Pullingerhttps://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/15668https://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/15668https://bachtrack.com/files/218-1097_4423_markpullinger.jpgMark is one of Bachtrack’s editors and Chair of the Music Section of The Critics' Circle. An experienced opera critic, with a passion for Verdi, he can often be found propping up a standing place at the ROH. He also reviews concerts and dance, with a particular love for Russian and French repertoire. Mark contributes to Gramophone and Opera magazines and blogs at Beckmesser's Quill. https://bachtrack.com/files/41772-rheingold-michael-druiett-jo-pohlheim-wolfgang-ablinger-sperrhacke-opera-north2-clive-barda-resized.jpg510340Michael Druiett (Wotan), Jo Pohlheim (Alberich) and Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke (Loge)Clive Barda2016-Jun-28, Royal Festival Hall: Das Rheingoldhttps://bachtrack.com/opera-listing/royal-festival-hall/das-rheingold/28-june-2016/19-002016-06-282016-06-28Southbank Centre: Royal Festival HallLondonGreater LondonUnited KingdomSE1 8XXBelvedere Road51.505687-0.11683700000003228http://www.theringcycle.co.uk/?utm_medium=display&utm_source=bachtrack.comhttps://bachtrack.com/files/31890-siegfried.jpg4
Der fliegende Holländer at Leeds Town Hall shows Opera North at its most exciting, in a production conducted by Richard Farnes, with Béla Perencz and Alwyn Mellor.
2015Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.png2015-06-29UTC10:37:03+00:002015-06-28Der fliegende Holländer at Leeds Town Hall shows Opera North at its most exciting, in a production conducted by Richard Farnes, with Béla Perencz and Alwyn Mellor.Opera North's exciting Der fliegende Holländer at Leeds Town Hallen_GBtruehttps://bachtrack.com/review-fliegende-hollander-farnes-opera-north-leeds-june-2015Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.pngRichard Wilcockshttps://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/1972https://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/1972https://bachtrack.com/files/152-richardwilcocks.jpgRichard Wilcocks has worked as a journalist, as a teacher and for the British Council. He sings bass with Leeds Festival Chorus.https://bachtrack.com/files/25228-dutchman_bela_perencz_robert_workman_resized.jpg300397Béla Perencz (The Dutchman)Robert Workman2015-Jun-27, Leeds Town Hall: Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman)https://bachtrack.com/opera-listing/leeds-town-hall/der-fliegende-hollander-the-flying-dutchman/27-june-2015/19-302015-06-272015-06-30Leeds Town HallLeedsYorkshire and the HumberUnited KingdomLS1 3AD53.865906-1.68482http://www.operanorth.co.uk/productions/the-flying-dutchman?utm_medium=display&utm_source=bachtrack.comhttps://bachtrack.com/files/16731-2014_2015_240x240px_dutchman.jpg4
Siegfried, the “Second Day” of Der Ring des Nibelungen and the third staging by Opera North after Die Walküre in 2012 and Das Rheingold the year before, is just as enthralling as its predecessors.
2013Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.png2013-11-07UTC16:46:06+00:002013-06-17Richard Wilcocks reviews Opera North's production of Wagner's Siegfried at Leeds Town Hall.Opera North's enthralling Siegfried at Leeds Town Hallen_GBtruehttps://bachtrack.com/review-opera-north-siegfried-farnesBachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.pngRichard Wilcockshttps://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/1972https://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/1972https://bachtrack.com/files/152-richardwilcocks.jpgRichard Wilcocks has worked as a journalist, as a teacher and for the British Council. He sings bass with Leeds Festival Chorus.https://bachtrack.com/files/2747-siegfried_07.jpg400400Mati Turi as Siegfried Clive Barda2013-Jun-15, Leeds Town Hall: Siegfriedhttps://bachtrack.com/listing-opera-north-siegfried-farnes2013-06-152013-07-13Leeds Town HallLeedsYorkshire and the HumberUnited KingdomLS1 3AD53.865906-1.68482https://leeds.operanorthtickets.co.uk/Online/seatSelect.asp?utm_medium=display&utm_source=bachtrack.com&BOset::WSmap::seatmap::performance_ids=222EBF60-3FCC-442B-A9CD-D6DBB6A2F0B4https://bachtrack.com/files/13106-siegfried_bachtrack_rgb.jpg4
The Hallé Orchestra, led by Sir Mark Elder, followed their award-winning 2009 Götterdämmerung with a concert performance of Die Walküre over two nights, prefaced by Gerard McBurney’s new work, The Madness of an Extraordinary Plan. With an array of famed soloists, Elder masterminded a triumph, with the magnificent Hallé showing their quality on the concert stage.
2011Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.png2013-11-07UTC16:12:46+00:002011-07-19Magnificent second instalment in the Elder/Hallé Ring cycleHallé and Sir Mark Elder: Die Walküreen_GBtruehttps://bachtrack.com/review-the-madness-of-extraordinary-plan-die-walkureBachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.pngRohan Shottonhttps://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/242https://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/242https://bachtrack.com/files/124-rohan.jpgRohan has reviewed concerts and opera across the UK and Europe, but chiefly in Manchester, where he enjoys conducting and playing percussion and piano. He works as a hospital doctor, having studied in St Andrews and Manchester, and tweets as @RohanShotton.https://bachtrack.com/files/634-die_walkure_jcf.jpg400400 Joel Chester Fildes2011-Jul-16, Bridgewater Hall: The Madness of an Extraordinary Plan and Die Walküre over two nightshttps://bachtrack.com/listing-the-madness-of-extraordinary-plan-die-walkure2011-07-162011-07-16Bridgewater HallManchesterNorth-WestUnited KingdomM2 3WS53.4751551793172-2.246017456054695
Wagner's Die Walküre was split into two concert performances over two days, the first on one evening and the second on an afternoon and an evening. This review is for both.
A spot picks out a man in the Bridgewater Hall’s front row, who steps up to stand by a table in front of the Hallé Orchestra, which is ready to begin. He puts on a braided coat to become Richard Wagner. Played by Roger Allam, his lines are taken from the master’s theoretical writings, letters to the likes of Franz Liszt and King Ludwig II of Bavaria and quotations from reported conversations. He is joined by two choruses, spectral women in white - the excellent Deborah Findlay and Sara Kestelman - who provide background and pass comment. We are watching The Madness of an Extraordinary Plan, written by Gerard McBurney and directed by Neil Bartlett as a contextualising prologue which draws wittily on sources from Bakunin to Dickens and from Nietzsche to Wagner’s first wife. It is a concept pioneered by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with its Beyond The Score programme.
2011Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.png2013-11-07UTC16:12:46+00:002011-07-19Die Walküre in concerten_GBtruehttps://bachtrack.com/review-die-walkure-in-concertBachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.pngRichard Wilcockshttps://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/1972https://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/1972https://bachtrack.com/files/152-richardwilcocks.jpgRichard Wilcocks has worked as a journalist, as a teacher and for the British Council. He sings bass with Leeds Festival Chorus.https://bachtrack.com/files/631-mif_jcf.jpg400400 Joel Chester Fildes2011-Jul-15, Bridgewater Hall: The Madness of an Extraordinary Plan and Die Walküre over two nightshttps://bachtrack.com/listing-die-walkure-in-concert2011-07-152011-07-15Bridgewater HallManchesterNorth-WestUnited KingdomM2 3WS53.4751551793172-2.246017456054695