Artaserse: A Countertenor Extravaganza at Versailles

By Nahoko Gotoh, 23 March 2014

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“When Fagioli sang this bravura aria with jaw-dropping virtuosity, the audience simply erupted”

Reviewed at Château de Versailles: Royal Opera House, Versailles on 19 March 2014

Vinci, Artaserse

Concerto Köln

Diego Fasolis, Conductor

Max Emanuel Cenčić, Mandane

Franco Fagioli, Arbace

Vince Yi, Artaserse

Juan Sancho, Artabano

Valer Sabadus, Semira

Yuriy Mynenko, Megabise

Silviu Purcărete, Director

Péter Eötvös: music for martyrs in Budapest

Alexandra Ivanoff, 27th January

The Hungarian State Opera offered up a belated Hungarian première by one of its native sons, Péter Eötvös – his 2007 opera Love and Other Demons.

***11

Gruberovà und kein Ende der Begeisterung

Snapdragon, 17th October

Nicht alles ist makellos, doch trotz aller Schwächen war dies ein unvergesslicher Abend, und Edita Gruberovà behauptet wieder einmal ihren Platz in den Herzen der Wiener.

****1

Irish National Opera’s new Rusalka intrigues more than it convinces

Andrew Larkin, 22nd March

Netia Jones’ modern reimagining intrigues more than it convinces, but still makes a strong case for Dvořák’s dark fairy tale.

***11

Billy Budd, or the Triumph of Beauty at the Opéra de Lyon

Stéphane Lelièvre, 21st March

The Opéra de Lyon presents Britten’s masterpiece for the first time: a triumph, both visually and musically, which is received with great enthusiasm by the audience.

****1

Magnifying Glass: a magnificent Les Enfants terribles in Lille

Elena Luporini, 20th March

A new production of Les Enfants terribles at the Opéra de Lille drags the audience into a terribly marvelous labyrinth, courtesy of conductor Virginie Déjos and directors Matthias Piro and Lisa Moro.

*****

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.

*****

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Nahoko Gotoh

Nahoko is a UK-based Japanese music journalist with a background in musicology. She writes regularly for various Japanese media including Ongaku no tomo and Mostly Classic magazines.