A bit of Wales comes to Birmingham: a night at the opera with Bryn Terfel and friends

By Katherine Dixson, 10 June 2013

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Reviewed at Symphony Hall, Birmingham on 7 June 2013

Programme to include:

Mozart, Don Giovanni, K527: Overture

Mozart, Don Giovanni, K527: Madamina "Catalogue Aria"

Mozart, Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), K492: Overture

Bizet, Carmen: Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre "Toreador Song"

Delibes, Lakmé: "Flower duet" Viens, Mallika les lianes en fleurs

Verdi, Falstaff: Ehi! Paggio!... L'onore!

Verdi, Don Carlo: Ella giammai m'amo

Bock, Fiddler on the Roof: If I were a Rich Man

Traditional, Cymru Fach

Rossini, Duetto buffo di due gatti (Cat Duet)

Traditional, Ar Hyd y Nos

Sir Bryn Terfel, Bass-baritone

Gwawr Edwards, Soprano

Caryl Hughes, Mezzo-soprano

Gareth Jones, Conductor

Manchester Concert Orchestra

Sir Bryn Terfel entertains and charms in Dublin

Andrew Larkin, 15th February

Terfel delivers a dramatic Wagner, a witty Mozart and plenty of chutzpah in the Broadway hits.

****1

Neither shocking nor shabby: Tosca at Llangollen

Richard Ely, 4th July

The Llangollen International Eistedffod opens with a star-studded concert performance of Puccni's political/romantic thriller.

****1

Petticoated pirate romp at ENO

Olivia Bell, 9th February

There’s nothing new or inventive about Leigh’s revived production, which in itself is not a crime, but neither is there an abundance of energy; it's all a bit nice.

***11

A Perfect Masterpiece: Glass's The Perfect American in Brisbane

Paul Selar, 20th September

The Perfect American, a fictional account of the final months of Walt Disney’s life, is a visually rhythmic flow of scenic magic on a blended Glass base – gently but harrowingly absorbing.

*****

UK première of Philip Glass' The Perfect American at ENO

Ninfea Cruttwell-Reade, 1st June

It wasn’t surprising that English National Opera’s UK première of The Perfect American was one of the most eagerly anticipated productions of the summer. Based on a fictitious narrative by Peter Stephan Jungk, the opera offers a timely glance behind the plush curtains of Walt Disney’s animated feature films.

***11

Terfel’s craggy Boris Godunov returns to Covent Garden

Mark Pullinger, 29th January

The second revival of Richard Jones' staging of Mussorgsky's original 1869 version of Boris Godunov once again stars the Welsh knight.

****1

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Katherine Dixson

Katherine is an enthusiastic choral singer. Becoming chairman of her choir proved the catalyst for writing a memoir into which she crammed musical experiences galore, including her own belated musical education and encounters with professional musicians. Combining music, writing and travel is Katherine’s idea of bliss. Her website is here.