Box of tricks: an inventive Così in Würzburg

By Matthew Rye, 08 October 2017

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“despite the cartoon-like environs, the characters emerge as real people”

Reviewed at Mainfranken Theater Würzburg, Würzburg on 7 October 2017

Mozart, Così fan tutte

Mainfranken Theater Würzburg

Enrico Calesso, Conductor

Martina Veh, Director

Momme Hinrichs, Set Designer

Torge Møller, Costume Designer

Silke Evers, Fiordiligi

Marzia Marzo, Dorabella

Roberto Ortiz, Ferrando

Daniel Fiolka, Guglielmo

Taiyu Uchiyama, Don Alfonso

Akiho Tsujii, Despina

Philharmonisches Orchester Würzburg

Opernchor des Mainfranken Theaters

Zwischen Historienmuseum und Partywelt: Götterdämmerung in Würzburg

Michael Vieth, 30th May

Richard Wagners Götterdämmerung springt in Würzburg aus musealen Vitrinen und öffnet neue Einsichten mit praller Bilderwelt und konzentriertem Wagner-Klang.

*****

Ariadne auf Naxos als raffiniert-fetziges Zirkusspiel in Würzburg

Michael Vieth, 2nd February

Großartige schauspielerische Leistungen sowie mitreißende musikalische Präsenz von Solisten und Orchester prägen einen fulminanten Opernabend am Mainfrankentheater.

*****

A noble Norma trapped in a hollow dystopia

Andrew Larkin, 24th May

Salome Jicia delivers a vocally impressive and emotionally committed Norma, but Orpha Phelan’s post-apocalyptic staging fatally weakens Bellini’s sacred tragedy.

***11

A deli-cious revival of Rossini’s Il turco in Italia at Glyndebourne

Dominic Lowe, 23rd May

Mariame Clément’s production of Rossini's meta comedy is tightly revived with some excellent singing. Come for the writing tips, stay for the cured meats.

****1

Superb musical performances in Pinchgut's Scarlatti rarity in Sydney

Sandra Bowdler, 23rd May

As usual, Pinchgut lavishes musical excellence on an obscure Baroque work... but why stage an oratorio?

****1

The Met’s Frida y Diego proves visually stunning, musically thrilling

David Wolfson, 22nd May

Deborah Colker and her design team create visually vibrant worlds for the Met’s new production of El último sueño de Frida y Diego, by Pulitzer Prize winner Gabriela Lena Frank.

*****

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Matthew Rye

Matthew read music at Oxford and worked in music journalism for 30 years as a writer, critic and editor. He wrote numerous programme and CD booklet notes, spent 13 years as a Daily Telegraph critic, worked at BBC Music Magazine and was reviews editor of The Strad. He also wrote for The Wagner Journal and Opera and blogged at ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk. He was general editor of 1001 Classical Recordings You Must Hear Before You Die (Cassell Illustrated, 2007) and was the author of a new series of eBooks, Masterpieces of Music (Erudition).