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Performer: Paul Higgins

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Confusion clouds any central critique in Clément's Don Giovanni

Andrei Bondarenko (Don Giovanni) and Sam Carl (Leporello) © Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Richard Hubert Smith
Strong musical performances in a flawed and confused production revived for the autumn season at Glyndebourne. 
***11
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Bargain booze and questionable quackery: L'elisir d'amore at the ROH

Nadine Sierra (Adina) © ROH | Clive Barda
A triumphant house debut for Nadine Sierra in the latest revival of Laurent Pelly’s production of Donizetti's joyous village rom-com. 
****1
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Buffa or bullying? Don Pasquale on Glyndebourne Tour

Not quite as innocent an account of opera buffa as others, but for quality of musicianship, Glyndebourne Tour's revival of Mariame Clément’s production of Donizetti's comedy hits all the right notes.
****1
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A rare outing for Stanford's Travelling Companion

Charles Villiers Stanford's The Travelling Companion is performed at Cadogan Hall by New Sussex Opera. 
****1
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Clément’s cruel Don Pasquale strikes a sour note

Mariame Clément’s Glyndebourne production of Don Pasquale, revived here for the 2015 Tour, delivers its lesson particularly harshly. 
***11
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A lacklustre Butterfly at Holland Park

Whatever Puccini’s Madama Butterfly has going for it, it isn’t suspense – everything that’s going to happen is spelled out the first few pages of the score, as Pinkerton chuckles that the marriage contracts in Japan are as flexible as the property leases, renegotiable on a monthly basis, and toasts the day he gets married “for real” to an American bride.
**111
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