Under the eye of Horus: Aida in Liège

Elaine Alvarez (Aida)

Nino Surguladze (Amneris)

Luca Dall'Amico (Ramfis)

Luciano Montanaro (King of Egypt)

By Mark Pullinger, 10 March 2019

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“The plum was Nino Surguladze’s vampish Amneris, costumed like Angelina Jolie in Maleficent”

Reviewed at Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège, Liège on 9 March 2019

Verdi, Aida

Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège

Speranza Scappucci, Conductor

Stefano Mazzonis di Pralafera, Director

Jean-Guy Lecat, Set Designer

Fernand Ruiz, Costume Designer

Elaine Álvarez, Aida

Marcello Giordani, Radamès

Nino Surguladze, Amneris

Lionel Lhote, Amonasro

Luca Dall'Amico, Ramfis

Luciano Montanaro, King of Egypt

Tineke Van Ingelgem, Priestess

Maxime Melnik, A messenger

Chœur de Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège

Orchestra de Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège

Michèle Anne de Mey, Choreography

Gregory Kunde is splendid in Liege’s new Don Carlos

Ako Imamura, 5th February

The Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège takes a risk in mounting a new, but traditional production of the more rarely heard French version of Verdi’s Don Carlos and succeeds with a great ensemble of singers.

****1

Tragic dignity and pathos from José Cura's Otello

John Johnston, 29th June

Cura's powerful spinto tenor impressed from his opening “Esultate!” and left no doubt as to the Moor's authority.

****1

A Verdi pilgrimage to Liège for Jérusalem

Mark Pullinger, 17th March

Stefano Mazzonis di Pralafera, artistic director at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège, presents at plucky new staging of Verdi's rarely seen Jérusalem.

****1

Maria Stuarda and Donizetti's "vil bastarda" in Liège

Simon Rees, 18th May

The recently-refurbished Opéra Royal de Wallonie dominates the Place de l’Opéra in the Belgian city of Liège, not only with its imposing columned portico but with its new fly-tower which rears above it.

****1

Lucrezia Borgia ou les sortilèges du bel canto à Liège

Stéphane Lelièvre, 10th April

Retour du bel canto à Liège avec une belle production de l'opéra de Gaetano Donizetti où triomphe, dans le rôle-titre, une Jessica Pratt impressionnante de maîtrise et d'engagement.

****1

De la poudre aux yeux : fragile Traviata à l'Opéra de Liège

Irma Foletti, 21st September

La mise en scène de Thaddeus Strassberger s'efforce d'en mettre plein la vue mais elle ne rend pas justice au drame de Verdi, tandis qu'Irina Lungu déçoit dans le rôle-titre.

**111

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Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

Under the eye of Horus: a traditional Aida in Liège