Royal Opera's Aida shines a spotlight on the modern military state

Angel Blue (Aida)

SeokJong Baek (Radamès) and Angel Blue (Aida)

Soloman Howard (Ramfis) and Elīna Garanča (Amneris)

Angel Blue (Aida) and Elīna Garanča (Amneris)

Aida, Act 2 finale

By Nick Boston, 08 May 2023

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“it was surely Elīna Garanča who stole the show as Amneris”

Reviewed at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 5 May 2023

Verdi, Aida

The Royal Opera

Sir Mark Elder, Conductor

Robert Carsen, Director, Lighting Designer

Miriam Buether, Set Designer

Annemarie Woods, Costume Designer

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

Royal Opera Chorus

Peter van Praet, Lighting Designer

Angel Blue, Aida

Elīna Garanča, Amneris

SeokJong Baek, Radamès

Ludovic Tézier, Amonasro

Soloman Howard, Ramfis

James Platt, King of Egypt

Rebecca Howell, Choreography

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

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Nick Boston

Nick has an MA in Music, specialising in performance and repertoire. His particular passions are choral music, chamber music and opera, with a particular interest in early music. He sings in a number of choirs in the south east of England, plays the piano and occasionally dusts off the violin. He writes about music here.

Robert Carsen's Royal Opera Aida shines a spotlight on the modern military state