In Mears’ bleak Royal Opera Semele, Pretty Yende stands out

Pretty Yende (Semele)

Marianna Hovanisyan (Iris), Pretty Yende (Semele) and Alice Coote (Juno)

Alice Coote (Juno), Brindley Sherratt (Somnus) and Marianna Hovanisyan (Iris)

Ben Bliss (Jupiter) and Pretty Yende (Semele)

Niamh O'Sullivan (Ino) and Carlo Vistoli (Athamas)

Par David Karlin, 01 juillet 2025

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“who knew that Pretty Yende sings Handel as if she has been doing so since the cradle?”

Critique faite à Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Londres, le 30 juin 2025

Haendel, Semele

The Royal Opera

Christian Curnyn, Direction

Oliver Mears, Mise en scène

Annemarie Woods, Décors, Costumes

Fabiana Piccioli, Lumières

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

Royal Opera Chorus

Pretty Yende, Semele

Niamh O'Sullivan, Ino

Brindley Sherratt, Somnus, Cadmus

Carlo Vistoli, Athamas

Ben Bliss, Jupiter

Alice Coote, Juno

Marianna Hovanisyan, Iris

Peter Grimes drops anchor again at The Royal Opera

Christopher Woodley, 5th May

Allan Clayton and Sir Bryn Terfel lead a strong cast in a revival of Deborah Warner's dark staging of Britten's signature work at Covent Garden.

****1

Two funerals and a bedding at the Linbury Theatre

Eleanor Knight, 1st May

Tales of love and loss as operas by Elena Langer, Charlotte Bray and Elizabeth Maconchy form a varied triple bill in this showcase for The Royal Opera’s Jette Parker Artists.

****1

The Turn of the Screw at RBO Linbury: Darkness and denial

Eleanor Knight, 26th March

Natalie Abrahami’s mesmerising new production of Britten’s ghostly tale of sexual abuse is very dark indeed.

*****

A riveting Rigoletto revival at the Royal Opera House

Dominic Lowe, 25th March

Sir Mark Elder celebrates 50 years at Covent Garden by returning to his first opera there in 1976 – Verdi's Rigoletto – in a revival of Oliver Mears' excellent 2021 production.

****1

Siegfried at the RBO: Kosky and Pappano surprise and delight

David Karlin, 17th March

A revelatory orchestral performance and a cast led by Andreas Schager, Christopher Maltman and Elisabeth Strid make this a Siegfried for the record books.

*****

Terfel’s craggy Boris Godunov returns to Covent Garden

Mark Pullinger, 29th January

The second revival of Richard Jones' staging of Mussorgsky's original 1869 version of Boris Godunov once again stars the Welsh knight.

****1

Plus de critiques...

David Karlin

David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.

Pretty Yende leads an outstanding cast in Oliver Mears’ bleak Semele at The Royal Opera