The Marriage of Figaro: beautiful and beastly

By Jane Shuttleworth, 05 July 2018

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Reviewed at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music: Sage One, Gateshead on 4 July 2018

Mozart, Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro)

Nevill Holt Opera

Nicholas Chalmers, Conductor

Joe Austin, Director

James Newby, Count Almaviva

Sky Ingram, Countess Almaviva

Lawson Anderson, Figaro

Aoife Miskelly, Susanna

Anna Harvey, Cherubino

Stephen Richardson, Doctor Bartolo

Joan Rodgers, Marcellina

Royal Northern Sinfonia

Chorus of Nevill Holt Opera

Well acted, musically strong: La traviata at Nevill Holt

David Karlin, 4th August

A memorable outdoor Traviata from a young cast who immerse us completely in the story.

*****

Magic from the pit in Nevill Holt’s Dream

Mark Pullinger, 12th June

Despite the excellent playing of the Britten Sinfonia, Anna Morrissey’s flawed production disappoints.

***11

Too many doors: Don Giovanni in Oslo

Aksel Tollåli, 29th May

Despite some dramatic frustrations, at least in Oslo, Jones' production is saved by some truly outstanding singing.

***11

Full immersion, total immolation

Mark Pullinger, 3rd July

Crowning this cycle came a truly magnificent performance of Götterdämmerung, centred very much on Richard Farnes and his orchestra.

*****

Dragonslayer: Siegfried battles valiantly

Mark Pullinger, 1st July

While the Welsh were merrily slaying Belgians in Euro 2016, one dragon was on the receiving end at the Royal Festival Hall.

***11

Wotan's woes mount in Opera North's Die Walküre

Mark Pullinger, 29th June

In Anna Russell's wittily deadpan analysis of Wagner's Ring cycle, she describes Wotan as “the head god” – pausing for dramatic effect before adding “and he's a crashing bore too.”

****1

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Jane Shuttleworth

Jane Shuttleworth is a choral singer and recorder player, and specialises in Renaissance, baroque and modern music. She lives in Durham and runs a local music listings, news and reviews site Music in Durham

The Marriage of Figaro: beautiful and beastly at Sage Gateshead