English Touring Opera perform Britten's Albert Herring in London

By Emily Owen, 09 October 2012

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Reviewed at Royal Opera House: Linbury Theatre, London on 6 October 2012

Britten, Albert Herring

English Touring Opera

Aurora Orchestra

Michael Rosewell, Conductor

Christopher Rolls, Director

Mark Wilde, Albert Herring

Jennifer Rhys-Davies, Lady Billows

Rosie Aldridge, Florence Pike

Anna-Clare Monk, Miss Wordsworth

Charles Johnston, Mr Gedge

Colin Judson, Mr Upfold

Timothy Dawkins, Superintendent Budd

Charles Rice, Sid

Martha Jones, Nancy

Clarissa Meek, Mrs. Herring

English Touring Opera transfers Donizetti to the English coast

Dominic Lowe, 27th September

L'elisir d'amore may not immediately bring Skegness or Romney to mind, but ETO's new production works quite well there... just look out for the seagulls!

***11

Blissful and hard-boiled: I Capuleti e i Montecchi at ETO

David Karlin, 22nd February

Eloise Lally shifts the Romeo and Juliet love story into New York mafia families. Jessica Cale and Samantha Price provide blissful bel canto as the star-crossed lovers.

****1

A tender Shakespeare-inspired curio from English Touring Opera

Susannah Moody, 15th February

ETO kicks off its spring season with What Dreams May Come, a strange and moving staging of songs inspired by William Shakespeare.

***11

Theatrically poverty-stricken: ETO's Blond Eckbert

Mark Valencia, 18th October

Judith Weir's cryptic folk opera lacks the narrative propulsion necessary to enthral an audience, and without resolution there is no catharsis.

**111

ETO's The Snowmaiden melts the heart and gladdens the ears

Dominic Lowe, 28th September

Olivia Fuchs' production of Rimsky-Korsakov's charming fable for ETO begins its tour in Hackney and is worth travelling to see. Catch this thoughtful production in a town near you.

****1

ETO opens spring tour with an off-the-wall Manon Lescaut

Mark Valencia, 24th February

Jude Christian's indulgent reinvention of Puccini's opera does not serve English Touring Opera well as it embarks on its spring tour.

**111

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Emily Owen

A postgraduate student at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama specialising in early music, Emily Owen is a freelance soprano, singing with numerous ensembles. She deputises in churches around London and also manages the newly formed London Youth Choir. Her website is here.