English National Opera revives Akhnaten to spectacular effect

Anthony Roth Costanzo (Akhnaten)

Akhnaten

Haegee Lee (Queen Tye), Anthony Roth Costanzo (Akhnaten) and Zachary James (Scribe)

Anthony Roth Costanzo (Akhnaten) and Gandini Juggling

Chrystal E Williams (Nefertiti), Anthony Roth Costanzo (Akhnaten) and Haegee Lee (Queen Tye)

By Mark Valencia, 18 March 2023

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“McDermott uses juggling as a metaphor for spiritual belief, a fragile thread binding heaven to earth”

Reviewed at The London Coliseum, London on 11 March 2023

Glass, Akhnaten

English National Opera

Karen Kamensek, Conductor

Phelim McDermott, Director

Tom Pye, Set Designer

Kevin Pollard, Costume Designer

Bruno Poet, Lighting Designer

English National Opera Orchestra

English National Opera Chorus

Anthony Roth Costanzo, Akhnaten

Chrystal E Williams, Nefertiti

Haegee Lee, Queen Tye

Benson Wilson, Horemhab

Paul Curievici, High Priest of Amon

Keel Watson, Aye

Zachary James, Scribe

Sean Gandini, Choreography

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English National Opera's revival of Phelim McDermott’s popular production is a blend of spectacle with some first-class singing, with Lucy Crowe emphasising her Mozartian credentials.

****1

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****1

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**111

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Mark Valencia

Mark has worked in arts journalism for four decades, both as a writer and as a French-English translator. Nowadays he focuses his energies on reviewing opera and music. Mark also writes for Opera magazine and for Musical America as a correspondent for Europe and the UK.