Franco Fagioli and Versailles bring rare bel canto to New York

Franco Fagioli and the Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal de Versailles

Stefan Plewniak and the Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal de Versailles

By Robert Levine, 24 July 2025

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“filled with trills, octave leaps, wild coloratura and a ferocious resolve”

Reviewed at L’Alliance New York, New York City on 23 July 2025

Rossini, Tancredi: Overture

Nicolini, Traiano in Dacia: Ah se mi lasci o cara

Bonfichi, Attila: Qual mi circonda e agghiaccia... Dolenti e care immagini... Vedrai quest’anima

Rode, Violin Concerto no. 1 in D minor, Op.3 (Polonaise)

Nicolini, Carlo Magno: Ecco o numi compiuto... Ah quando cesserà... Lo sdegno io non pavento

Rossini, Aurelian in Palmira: Overture

Rossini, Aurelian in Palmira: Dolci silvestri orrori... Ah! Che sento... Non lasciarmi in tal momento

Zingarelli, Giulietta e Romeo: Overture

Mercadante, Andronico: Dove m’aggiro... Era felice un dì... Sì bel contento in giubilo

Franco Fagioli, Countertenor

Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal de Versailles

Stefan Plewniak, Director

Tales of woe: Zingarelli's Giulietta e Romeo at Versailles

Dominic Lowe, 18th October

Zingarelli's Giulietta e Romeo won the favour of no less than Napoleon I himself and a new production at the Opéra Royal offers an appropriately regal setting in which to see Gilles Rico's new production of this once famous opera.

****1

Justin Taylor transpire son Bach à ClassiCahors

Thibault d'Hauthuille, 5th August

Avec un Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal de Versailles au diapason, le claveciniste s'amuse avec une liberté et un talent qui forcent l'admiration.

*****

Tales of woe: Zingarelli's Giulietta e Romeo at Versailles

Dominic Lowe, 18th October

****1

Tales of woe: Zingarelli's Giulietta e Romeo at Versailles

Dominic Lowe, 18th October

****1

Devieilhe's Cleopatra reigns in Michieletto's muddled Egyptology show

Mark Pullinger, 11th May

The French soprano delivers an A-list performance as the Egyptian queen, donning a variety of Hollywood guises at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées.

***11

Leonardo Vinci's music revived by Franco Fagioli at Bayreuth Baroque

Lorenzo Fiorito, 11th September

The Argentinian, one of the greatest countertenors of his generation, is today's specialist in the repertoire of Neapolitan composer Leonardo Vinci.

*****

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Robert Levine

Robert T. Levine is a New York born-and-bred music writer with a particular interest in music for the voice. His work has appeared in many periodicals and newspapers. He is the author of many books, including The Story of the Orchestra, four volumes in the Black Dog & Leventhal Opera Library, and, most recently, Maria Callas: A Musical Biography.