Campra capers: Le Carnaval de Venise

By Kevin Wells, 13 June 2017

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“vitality and invention percolates through the divertissements”

Reviewed at Cutler Majestic Theatre, Boston on 11 June 2017

Campra, Le Carnaval de Venise

Gilbert Blin, Director, Set Designer

Anna Watkins, Costume Designer

Amanda Forsythe, Isabelle

Karina Gauvin, Léonore

Jesse Blumberg, Leandre

Douglas Williams, Rodolphe

Caroline Copeland, Choreography, Dancer

Lenore Doxsee, Lighting Designer

Mireille Lebel, Mezzo-soprano

Teresa Wakim, Soprano

Aaron Sheehan, Tenor

Boston Early Music Festival strikes again with a knockout Octavia

Kevin Wells, 8th June

Once again, the BEMF brings a Baroque opera back to life. Reinhard Keiser’s 1705 Octavia is exceptionally well sung, adroitly staged, designed and danced, with impeccable musicianship.

*****

BEMF stages Francesca Caccini's Alcina

Kevin Wells, 10th June

A rare chance to see the first extant opera written by a woman, Francesca Caccini's La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’ isola d’ Alcina.

****1

BEMF presents La serva padrona and Livietta e Tracollo

Kevin Wells, 17th June

A riotous double bill of Pergolesi at the Boston Early Music Festival.

*****

Aufs Korn genommen: Lampes The Dragon of Wantley beim Musikfest Bremen

Jens Klier, 24th August

In der Lachmuskeln strapazierenden Inszenierung formationseigenen Gilbert Blins gelingt dem BEMF ein Opernspaß, der es absolut verdient, vermehrt sein fantastisches Unwesen treiben zu dürfen.

****1

Chiaroscuro extinguished: a self-indulgent Poppea in Copenhagen

Mengguang Huang, 26th April

Christoph Marthaler’s staging of Monteverdi’s Poppea for the Royal Danish Opera is a study in boredom.

**111

Lepage’s Bluebeard and Erwartung pairing remains compelling theatre

John Gilks, 25th April

Some 30 years after its first appearance, Robert Lepage’s double bill of Duke Bluebeards Castle and Erwartung is still strikingly effective and very modern-looking music theatre.

*****

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Kevin Wells

Kevin Wells was bitten by the opera bug at 10, having heard a 1936 recording of Jussi Björling singing “Che gelida manina”. He has never been the same since. A student of voice, performance practice, the history of singing and opera, he holds advanced degrees in Italian and has lived and worked in Italy off and on since the 70s. La Scala became a second home as the Met had been during college daze. Now in his native Boston, he works as translator, tutor, and language coach, haunts Symphony Hall, and would haunt the Opera House had it not been demolished in 1958!

Campra capers: Le Carnaval de Venise at The Boston Early Music Festival