Performer: Vasily Efimov

Barrie Kosky's makes a limited impact in his debut at Opéra de Paris, apart from an hallucinogenic Polovtsian Dances.

Many scenes could risk to be particularly disturbing,  but their overt brutality appeared functional, to the structure of the drama. A dark, gloomy story as unambiguously told as it should be.

This Paris production of The Snow Maiden proves that director Dmitri Tcherniakov is today's greatest champion of Rimsky-Korsakov's operas. 

Tcherniakov's moving production delves into the psychological rather than revelling in the spectacular. 

Christof Loy’s minimalist staging for Khovanshchina at Dutch National Opera has the advantage of clarifying a reputedly fragmented plot. 

A double bill of Tchaikovsky's Iolanta and Stravinsky's Perséphone fares strongly in Aix-en-Provence.