Cilea’s L’arlesiana shines at Holland Park

By Mark Pullinger, 26 July 2019

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“Best of all was Yvonne Howard as Rosa Mamai, the archetypal Mediterranean mother”

Reviewed at Holland Park Theatre, London on 25 July 2019

Cilea, L'arlesiana

Opera Holland Park

Dane Lam, Conductor

Oliver Platt, Director

Alyson Cummins, Set Designer

Samuel Sakker, Federico

Fflur Wyn, Vivetta

Samantha Price, L'innocente

Yvonne Howard, Rosa Mamai

James Cleverton, Marco

Keel Watson, Baldassare

Simon Wilding, Metifio

Opera Holland Park Chorus

City of London Sinfonia

Rory Beaton, Lighting Designer

Born to sing Lucia: Jennifer France shines at Opera Holland Park

Mark Valencia, 18th July

Cecilia Stinton’s new production of Lucia di Lammermoor doesn't necessarily make best use of OHP’s performance space, but the singers excel.

***11

A mafioso Merry Widow at Opera Holland Park

Dominic Lowe, 19th June

Despite some excellent music-making, John Savournin's production is hindered by a laboured New York relocation.

**111

Jonathan Dove’s Itch at Opera Holland Park

David Karlin, 3rd June

Simon Mayo’s Young Adult novels are turned into an operatic romp which explores the fascination of the elements with excellent music and setting, albeit riddled with plot lacunae.

****1

Doomed Dutchman wants a wife: Wagner makes Opera Holland Park debut

Eleanor Knight, 27th May

Amid the rough winds of late May, Julia Burbach directs Opera Holland Park's first venture into Wagner – The Flying Dutchman.

***11

Trapped in a vice: Il segreto di Susanna and Pagliacci at OHP

Dominic Lowe, 17th July

Joining OHP's 2019 production of Wolf-Ferrari's charming domestic comedy, a blazing new production of Pagliacci delivers everything that one could want from Leoncavallo's infamous opera.

*****

Puccini's Edgar makes a rare appearance at Opera Holland Park

Dominic Lowe, 2nd July

Is Puccini's second opera unloved and unlovable? Opera Holland Park makes a commendable attempt to revive Edgar, but struggles to overcome its many flaws.

***11

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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.

A sunny evening in Provence: Cilea’s L’arlesiana shines at Holland Park