Lessons in grief: Picture a day like this triumphs in Aix

Marianne Crebassa (The Woman)

Beate Mordal and Cameron Shahbazi (Lovers)

Marianne Crebassa (The Woman) and John Brancy (Artisan)

Beate Mordal (Composer)

John Brancy (Collector) and Marianne Crebassa (The Woman)

Anna Prohaska (Zabelle) and Marianne Crebassa (The Woman)

By David Karlin, 06 July 2023

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“the result is an intravenous injection of the emotions portrayed”

Reviewed at Théâtre du Jeu de Paume, Aix-en-Provence on 5 July 2023

Benjamin, Picture a day like this

Sir George Benjamin, Conductor

Daniel Jeanneteau, Director, Set Designer, Lighting Designer

Marie La Rocca, Costume Designer

Marie-Christine Soma, Lighting Designer, Director, Set Designer

Mahler Chamber Orchestra

Hicham Berrada, Video

Beate Mordal, Lover 1/Composer

Anna Prohaska, Zabelle

Marianne Crebassa, Woman

John Brancy, Artisan/Collector

Cameron Shahbazi, Lover 2/Composer's Assistant

Intriguing, mysterious, intense: Picture a day like this at the ROH

Stephen Pritchard, 22nd September

Sir George Benjamin and Martin Crimp’s new chamber opera receives a powerful UK premiere in the Linbury Studio at Covent Garden.

****1

Crebassa bouleverse l'Opéra-Comique dans Picture a day like this

Jean-Pierre Rousseau, 25th October

Le dernier opéra de George Benjamin (créé à Aix-en-Provence en 2023) remporte un triomphe mérité, emmené par une Marianne Crebassa au sommet de son art.

*****

Ópera de Tenerife reivindica la figura de Zemlinsky

Francisco Martínez Ramos, 7th March

Ópera de Tenerife presentó con éxito Der Zwerg de Zemlinsky, en una producción que contó con un reparto internacional bajo la dirección musical de Alessandro Palumbo y escénica de Daniel Jeanneteau.

****1

À l'Opéra de Lille, Pelléas et Mélisande n'ont pas peur du vide

Irma Foletti, 30th January

Cette production signée Daniel Jeanneteau voit enfin le jour, deux ans après sa date de création initiale, reportée en raison de la crise sanitaire. Une réussite sur tous les plans.

****1

Chasing the American Dream: UK premiere for Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up

Mark Pullinger, 1st June

Amy Lane directs an intimate staging of Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s 2018 chamber opera in the compact Milton Court Theatre.

****1

Longborough Festival Opera season starts slow with Orlando

Eleanor Knight, 30th May

Beth Taylor gives the lows and highs of Handel's heroics an almighty, whole-body shakedown in Sinéad O'Neill’s new staging of Handel's Orlando.

***11

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David Karlin

David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.

Lessons in grief: Benjamin and Crimp’s Picture a day like this triumphs in Aix