Live, Video: Find classical music concert, opera, ballet and dance reviews | John Daszak

Malin Byström and Alexander Soddy lead superb Salome revival at the Royal Opera House

By Roy Westbrook, 09 September 2022

Swedish soprano Malin Byström returns to Sir David McVicar's production at Covent Garden, where she is now probably unsurpassed in the role, vocally and histrionically.

*****

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*****

London

11 Sep 2022

Byström and Soddy lead superb Salome revival at the ROH

By Roy Westbrook

Zurich

Technology to the rescue in Zurich's new staging of Boris Godunov

By Laura Servidei, 20 September 2020

The Zurich Opernhaus tackles the pandemic with an innovative strategy: instead of reducing the size of orchestra and chorus (as many other European opera houses) it removes them from the theatre altogether.

Zurich

22 Sep 2020

Technology to the rescue in Zurich's new staging of Boris Godunov

By Laura Servidei

Sydney

Barbed wire fences and gas masks: William Kentridge’s unsettling Wozzeck in Sydney

By Zoltán Szabó, 30 January 2019

Kentridge’s use of video technology creates another, highly complex, visual score next to Berg’s sonic one.

****1

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Sydney

31 Jan 2019

Barbed wire fences and gas masks: Wozzeck in Sydney

By Zoltán Szabó

Zurich

A florid perversity: Barrie Kosky fires up Die Gezeichneten in Zurich

By Sarah Batschelet, 23 September 2018

Barrie Kosky’s production of Franz Schreker’s Die Gezeichneten (The Branded) is in keeping with what was long considered one of the early 20th century’s most scandalous works.

****1

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Zurich

25 Sep 2018

A florid perversity: Barrie Kosky fires up Die Gezeichneten in Zurich

By Sarah Batschelet

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Salzburg

On the rocks: Castellucci delivers an ice-cold Salome in Salzburg

By Mark Pullinger, 09 August 2018

An astonishing performance by Asmik Grigorian is central to the Italian director's disturbing reading of a disturbing opera.

****1

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****1

Salzburg

10 Aug 2018

On the rocks: An ice-cold Salome in Salzburg

By Mark Pullinger

No muddle, just music: Pappano delivers an exceptional Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk

By David Karlin, 12 April 2018

The Royal Opera Orchestra produce a revelatory reading of Shostakovich’s eclectic score; a fine performance from Eva-Maria Westbroek and excellent acting from the whole cast light up the drama and farce.

****1

****1

London

13 Apr 2018

No muddle, just music: ROH Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk

By David Karlin

The Beauty is the Beast: Malin Byström sings a chilling Salome

By David Karlin, 08 January 2018

Henrik Nánási balances the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House to perfection, setting the stage for a memorable title role performance from Byström and a powerful Jochanaan from Michael Volle.

****1

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London

09 Jan 2018

The Beauty is the Beast: Malin Byström sings a chilling Salome

By David Karlin

Vienna

Robert Carsen serves up a flawless Wozzeck for new Theater an der Wien staging

By Chanda VanderHart, 17 October 2017

Without glitz, extravagance or the need to be expressly shocking, Robert Carsen's new production of Wozzeck at the Theater an der Wien is exceptional.

*****

*****

Vienna

18 Oct 2017

A flawless Wozzeck for Theater an der Wien

By Chanda VanderHart

Salzburg

Skilfully constructed: William Kentridge's new Wozzeck at the Salzburg Festival

By James Imam, 08 August 2017

A skilfully constructed production, and one that plays with the our perspectives. Whether the images are flashbacks from a war-troubled Wozzeck or a Büchner-esque portent of the horrors to come is left for the audience to decide.

****1

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Salzburg

09 Aug 2017

Skilfully constructed: Wozzeck at the Salzburg Festival

By James Imam

Paradise regained: Schreker's Die Gezeichneten returns to Munich after nearly a century

By Matthew Rye, 04 July 2017

The musical glories of Schreker’s glistening, late-Romantic score are laid bare in the Bavarian State Opera’s first production of Die Gezeichneten since 1919.

****1

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Munich

05 Jul 2017

Schreker's Die Gezeichneten returns to Munich

By Matthew Rye

Glasgow

Food for thought in Sir Harrison Birtwistle’s The Last Supper

By David Smythe, 14 January 2017

An excellent performance of Sir Harrison Birtwistle’s The Last Supper receiving its Scottish première, with Roderick Williams and Susan Bickley heading a luxury cast.

****1

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Glasgow

15 Jan 2017

Food for thought: Birtwistle’s The Last Supper

By David Smythe

Prom 13: LPO become brothers under Jurowski in Beethoven 9 & Lindberg

By Phil Barrett, 24 July 2016

Democracy and collectivism were hard at work as Jurowski’s decidedly undictatorial style fostered a strong on-stage community amongst the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, who ultimately conjured Elysium itself.

***11

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London

26 Jul 2016

Prom 13: LPO and Jurowski in Beethoven 9 & Lindberg

By Phil Barrett

A Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at ENO to hit you between the eyes

By David Karlin, 26 September 2015

Dmitri Tcherniakov turns Shostakovich's "satirical tragedy" into a riveting piece of theatre, help by an outstanding performance from Patricia Racette and a top class orchestral performance from new ENO Musical Director Mark Wigglesworth.

*****

*****

London

27 Sep 2015

A Lady Macbeth to hit you between the eyes

By David Karlin

Bayreuth

Overly busy Castorf Rheingold distracts from the music at Bayreuth

By David Larkin, 27 July 2015

The first installment of Frank Castorf's controversial Ring is applauded on its 2015 revival at Bayreuth, but arguably the incessant visual action detracts from the appreciation of the music.

***11

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Bayreuth

29 Jul 2015

An overly busy Castorf Rheingold

By David Larkin

Berlin

Moses und Aron at the Komische Oper in Berlin commemorates the liberation of Auschwitz

By Simon Rees, 28 April 2015

Barrie Kosky's production of Schoenberg's unfinished masterpiece is brought to musical life by Vladimir Jurowski's intense and compelling interpretation.

*****

*****

Berlin

01 May 2015

Berlin Moses und Aron commemorates liberation of Auschwitz

By Simon Rees

Utrecht

An Invigorating Performance of Elgar's The Kingdom by Edward Gardner in Holland

By David Pinedo, 03 April 2015

Edward Gardner and Edward Caswell offered the British choir tradition in the form of Elgar's The Kingdom as a refreshingly programmed alternative to the many Bach passions. The combined choirs excelled together with an impressive Edith Haller.

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Utrecht

05 Apr 2015

An Invigorating Performance of Elgar's The Kingdom by Edward Gardner in Holland

By David Pinedo

Madrid

The universalization of Britten: Death in Venice in Madrid

By Fernando Remiro, 04 December 2014

Death in Venice makes its première in Madrid with a rational and symbolic production by Willy Decker.

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Madrid

08 Dec 2014

The universalization of Britten: Death in Venice

By Fernando Remiro

Prom 76: A fitting close for the 2014 Proms season

By Hazel Rowland, 13 September 2014

Sakari Oramo takes the reins for his first Last Night of the Proms, alongside dazzling violinist Janine Jansen and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

****1

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London

15 Sep 2014

A fitting close to the Proms season

By Hazel Rowland

Elektra at Covent Garden

By David Karlin, 23 September 2013

In the Royal Opera revival of Richard Strauss’s Elektra, the overwhelming theme is blood, both metaphorical and literal.

***11

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London

24 Sep 2013

Elektra at Covent Garden

By David Karlin

Nasty Children at the Bayerische Staatsoper

By Max Woods, 06 November 2011

The pairing of Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges (“The Child and the Spells”) with Zemlinsky’s Der Zwerg (“The Dwarf”) is an interesting juxtaposition.

***11

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Munich

09 Nov 2011

Nasty Children at the Bayerische Staatsoper

By Max Woods

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Unverwechselbarer Liebestod der Káťa Kabanová: bildmächtige Neuinszenierung in München

By Michael Vieth, 17 March 2025

Eine moderne Sicht auf Janáčeks Beziehungsgeschichte durch Krzysztof Warlikowski erweist sich als vordergründig eindrucksvoll, verwischt aber in weiträumigem Bühnenspiel den Fokus auf die Charaktere der Figuren. Corinne Winters brilliert erneut als zur Außenseiterin abgestempelten Káťa Kabanová.

***11

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Munich

18 Mar 2025

Bildmächtige Káťa Kabanová an der Bayerischen Staatsoper

By Michael Vieth

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Bayreuth

L'Or du Rhin façon sitcom : le Ring de Bayreuth en gestation

By Pierre Liscia-Beaurenaut, 20 August 2024

Pour ce premier tableau du Ring, Valentin Schwarz avance une vision parfois comique mais toujours cohérente de L'Or du Rhin. Musicalement, Ólafur Sigurdarson se distingue dans le rôle d'Alberich.

****1

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Bayreuth

21 Aug 2024

L'Or du Rhin façon sitcom : le Ring de Bayreuth en gestation

By Pierre Liscia-Beaurenaut

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Hamburg

Enfant terrible: Dmitri Tcherniakovs Salome an der Staatsoper Hamburg

By Alexandra Richter, 12 November 2023

In Tcherniakovs neuer Inszenierung an der Staatsoper Hamburg ist Asmik Grigorian nach fünf Jahren endlich wieder als Salome zu erleben.

***11

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***11

Hamburg

15 Nov 2023

Enfant terrible: Dmitri Tcherniakovs Salome an der Staatsoper Hamburg

By Alexandra Richter

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Geneva

Rohe Gewalt und animalischer Sex: Schostakowitschs Lady Macbeth in Genf

By Thomas Schacher, 30 April 2023

Calixto Bieitos Inszenierung von 2014 geht auch bei der Genfer Wiederaufnahme durch Mark und Bein. Aušrinė Stundytė gestaltet die Hauptrolle der Kaufmannstochter Katerina mit unglaublicher Authentizität.

*****

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*****

Geneva

02 May 2023

Rohe Gewalt und animalischer Sex: Schostakowitschs Lady Macbeth

By Thomas Schacher

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Nouvelle Salomé et nouveau scandale à l’Opéra national de Paris

By Erwan Gentric, 15 October 2022

La violence de la mise en scène de Lydia Steier hypnotise mais manque de profondeur ; dans le rôle-titre, Elza van den Heever brille en revanche de mille feux.

***11

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***11

Paris

17 Oct 2022

Nouvelle Salomé et nouveau scandale à l’Opéra national de Paris

By Erwan Gentric

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Aix-en-Provence

La surprenante et convaincante Salomé d’Elsa Dreisig au Festival d'Aix-en-Provence

By Romain Daroles, 05 July 2022

La production proposée au Grand Théâtre de Provence dans la mise en scène d'Andrea Breth vaut le détour pour l'interprétation de haut vol d'Elsa Dreisig, bien suivie par Ingo Metzmacher et l'Orchestre de Paris.

***11

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***11

Aix-en-Provence

07 Jul 2022

La surprenante et convaincante Salomé d’Elsa Dreisig au Festival d'Aix

By Romain Daroles

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Kentridge s'en va-t-en guerre : le foudroyant Wozzeck de Bastille

By Pierre Liscia-Beaurenaut, 27 March 2022

Le très grand Wozzeck de Bastille ne se contente pas de faire écho à l'actualité : il brille surtout par une esthétique glaçante et une équipe mémorable.

*****

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*****

Paris

31 Mar 2022

Kentridge s'en va-t-en guerre : le foudroyant Wozzeck de Bastille

By Pierre Liscia-Beaurenaut

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La Khovantchina : Khovansky et ses troupes à l'assaut de la Bastille

By Stéphane Lelièvre, 09 February 2022

Belle reprise de La Khovantchina à l'Opéra Bastille, où triomphent les forces de la maison, mais aussi Anita Rachvelishvili !

****1

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Paris

12 Feb 2022

La Khovantchina : Khovansky et ses troupes à l'assaut de la Bastille

By Stéphane Lelièvre

Vienna

Es ist Großartiges geschehen: Salome am Theater an der Wien

By Isabella Steppan, 18 January 2020

Trotz reduzierter Orchesterbesetzung wird an der Linken Wienzeile bei Richard Strauss‘ Bibelschocker ganz große Oper geboten.

*****

*****

Vienna

19 Jan 2020

Es ist Großartiges geschehen: Salome am Theater an der Wien

By Isabella Steppan

Eine moralische Geschichte: Bergs Wozzeck an der Bayerischen Staatsoper

By Alexandra Richter, 23 November 2019

Christian Gerhaher gibt sein Münchener Wozzeck-Debüt in Kriegenburgs zeitlos packender Inszenierung.

*****

*****

Munich

25 Nov 2019

Eine moralische Geschichte: Wozzeck an der Bayerischen Staatsoper

By Alexandra Richter