A blazing Oedipe kicks off Bucharest’s Enescu Festival

By Aksel Tollåli, 04 September 2017

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“seductively lyrical and savagely angular”

Reviewed at Palace Hall (Sala Palatului), Bucharest on 2 September 2017

Enescu, Œdipe

Vladimir Jurowski, Conductor

Paul Gay, Œdipe

Sir Willard White, Tirésias

Christopher Purves, Créon

Graham Clark, Shepherd

Mischa Schelomianski, High Priest

Insung Sim, Phorbas

Maxim Mikhailov, Old Man

Boris Pinkhasovich, Thésée

Markus Vlad Budoiu, Laios

Ruxandra Donose, Jocaste

Ildikó Komlósi, La Sphinge (The Sphinx)

Gabriela Iştoc, Antigone

Dame Felicity Palmer, Mérope

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Choir of the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra

Romanian Radio Children's Choir

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

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

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

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.

*****

Glyndebourne’s first Tosca: vocally strong but imperfect

David Karlin, 21st May

Ted Huffman brings some interesting ideas to his first Glyndebourne production. Excellent singing is let down by indifferent physical acting.

***11

Dudamel’s LA Phil Walküre proves worth the wait

Matthew Richard Martinez, 21st May

An enveloping performance of Die Walküre spans three consecutive evenings, featuring world class singing in Frank Gehry’s stunning space.

****1

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Aksel Tollåli

Aksel is currently studying towards a degree in musicology at the University of Oslo. At the moment he is an exchange student at Goldsmiths College in London. He is also a choral singer and a trombonist. His musical interests include 20th-cenury French music, Baroque opera and the music of Richard Strauss.