A game of two halves: Cav and Pag at Opera Holland Park

By David Karlin, 08 June 2013

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Reviewed at Holland Park Theatre, London on 7 June 2013

Mascagni, Cavalleria rusticana

Leoncavallo, Pagliacci

Gweneth-Ann Rand, Santuzza

Peter Auty, Canio

Stephen Gadd, Tonio

Julia Sporsén, Nedda

Stuart Stratford, Conductor

Stephen Barlow, Director

Sarah Pring, Mamma Lucia

Hannah Pedley, Lola

Changhan Lim, Silvio

Andrew Glover, Beppe

An impressive, minimalist Kátya Kabanová at Grange Park Opera

David Karlin, 27th June

A memorable performance, with Stephen Barlow conducting Janáček’s remarkable score with vividness and clarity, while David Alden's staging is a masterpiece of "less is more".

****1

Death-devoted duo: a superb Tristan und Isolde at Grange Park Opera

Roy Westbrook, 8th June

Charles Edwards' ambitious production is well served by a strong cast as Grange Park Opera opens its season in the Theatre in the Woods.

****1

Alexander Litvinenko: a thrilling – if imperfect – world premiere

David Karlin, 15th July

Ivor Bolton and Kit Hesketh-Harvey deliver a brilliant political thriller and anti-Putin polemic – at least for its first half.

****1

Consumption or Covid? La bohème at Grange Park Opera

Dominic Lowe, 12th June

Grange Park Opera's revival of its 2015 production of Puccini's La bohème hits some high notes with a very contemporary feel and some excellent singing from its leading ladies.

***11

Polished Porgy: Gershwin triumphs in Surrey

Matthew Rye, 8th June

Grange Park Opera’s new production of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess makes for a searingly effective evening of music and drama.

****1

Revolutionary jungle fever: Verdi's Alzira in Buxton

Mark Pullinger, 7th July

A spirited account of Verdi's early opera in its first professional UK staging, nowhere near as “ugly” as Verdi would have had us believe.

****1

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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.