Handel on tour: The English Concert's star-studded Ariodante reaches London's Barbican

By Mark Valencia, 18 May 2017

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“A probing, exultant and musically tireless performance”

Reviewed at Barbican Hall, London on 16 May 2017

Handel, Ariodante (Concert Performance)

Harry Bicket, Conductor

Alice Coote, Ariodante

Christiane Karg, Ginevra

Sonia Prina, Polinesso

Mary Bevan, Dalinda

David Portillo, Lurcanio

Matthew Brook, King of Scotland

Bradley Smith, Odoardo

The English Concert

A birthday reimagining of Il viaggio a Reims in Salzburg

Laura Servidei, 25th May

In Barrie Kosky's hyperactive staging, Il viaggio a Reims becomes a birthday tribute to Cecilia Bartoli complete with rewritten text, extravagant costumes, sexual escapades and a giant cake.

***11

A noble Norma trapped in a hollow dystopia

Andrew Larkin, 24th May

Salome Jicia delivers a vocally impressive and emotionally committed Norma, but Orpha Phelan’s post-apocalyptic staging fatally weakens Bellini’s sacred tragedy.

***11

A deli-cious revival of Rossini’s Il turco in Italia at Glyndebourne

Dominic Lowe, 23rd May

Mariame Clément’s production of Rossini's meta comedy is tightly revived with some excellent singing. Come for the writing tips, stay for the cured meats.

****1

Superb musical performances in Pinchgut’s Scarlatti rarity in Sydney

Sandra Bowdler, 23rd May

As usual, Pinchgut lavishes musical excellence on an obscure Baroque work... but why stage an oratorio?

****1

Matthias Goerne strikes gold with Salome in Toulouse

Emmanuel Gaillard, 22nd May

Late step-in Nicole Chevalier, baritone-turned-director Matthias Goerne and conductor Frank Beermann combine their talents to create a landmark production at the Capitole de Toulouse.

*****

The Met’s Frida y Diego proves visually stunning, musically thrilling

David Wolfson, 22nd May

Deborah Colker and her design team create visually vibrant worlds for the Met’s new production of El último sueño de Frida y Diego, by Pulitzer Prize winner Gabriela Lena Frank.

*****

More reviews...

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.