Mists of sound: Bostridge's Britten at the Komische Oper

By Stephen Crowe, 17 October 2016

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“Bostridge’s diction is magnificently clean and direct”

Reviewed at Komische Oper Berlin, Berlin on 14 October 2016

Schumann, Manfred Overture, Op.115

Britten, Nocturne for tenor, 7 obbligato instruments and string orchestra, song cycle, Op.60

Britten, Peter Grimes, Op.33a: Four Sea Interludes

Schumann, Symphony no. 3 in E flat major "Rhenish", Op.97

Michael Francis, Conductor

Ian Bostridge, Tenor

Orchester der Komischen Oper Berlin

Handel’s Belshazzar at Komische Oper Berlin

Zenaida des Aubris, 28th March

The Baroque confectionery of Herbert Fritsch's production of Handel's oratorio belies a serious core which is all too close to today's headlines.

****1

Barrie Kosky directs a ferocious new Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk

Zenaida des Aubris, 31st January

Shostakovich's opera is laid bare in Berlin, to devastating effect, with a distinguished cast led by Ambur Braid.

****1

Opulent minimalism: Kosky directs a new staging of Akhnaten

Zenaida des Aubris, 23rd March

Barrie Kosky's new production of Philip Glass' Akhnaten for Komische Oper at the Schillertheater removes any egyptological references.

****1

A blade too dull: Kosky directs Sweeney Todd at Komische Oper

Elena Luporini, 17th November

With a brand new production by Barrie Kosky, Komische Oper Berlin's first venture into the Sondheim repertoire mostly falls flat.

**111

Kirill Serebrennikov’s Marriage of Figaro challenges Edinburgh

David Smythe, 16th August

Komische Oper Berlin's The Marriage of Figaro is staged at the Edinburgh International Festival with a strong cast headed by Penny Sofroniadou and Peter Kellner.

****1

Kosky's Eine Frau, die weiß, was sie will at Komische Oper

Elena Luporini, 22nd March

It takes two to tango... but what about vaudeville? A rerun of Barrie Kosky's production of Oscar Straus' Eine Frau, die weiß, was sie will owes most of its charm to the two leads.

***11

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Stephen Crowe

Stephen Crowe is an English composer of operas and experimental music. He was born in Bolton, but grew up in Nottingham. Crowe studied Fine Art at John Moores University, Liverpool, and Composition at Goldsmiths College, University of London. He is a guitarist, and performs free improvisation on a regular basis in Berlin. He sings in 'StreisBAND', a hardcore Barbra Streisand covers band, which received warm praise from Henry Rollins.