WNO's jolly good romp in Birmingham

By Clive Peacock, 29 June 2017

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Reviewed at Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham on 28 June 2017

Strauss II, Die Fledermaus

Welsh National Opera

Tomáš Hanus, Conductor

John Copley, Director

Deidre Clancy, Costume Designer

Mark Stone, Gabriel von Eisenstein

Mary Elizabeth Williams, Rosalinde

Emma Carrington, Prinz Orlofsky

Shaun Dixon, Alfred

Ben McAteer, Dr Falke

Rhian Lois, Adele

Angharad Morgan, Ida

Joe Roche, Dr Blind

Alan Opie, Frank

Welsh National Opera Chorus

Welsh National Opera Orchestra

Sarah Crisp, Revival Director

A magnificent Tosca from Welsh National Opera at the Mayflower

David Truslove, 3rd October

WNO imports Edward Dick’s exceptionally fine production, which benefits from from superb casting and outstanding performances led by Natalya Romaniw.

*****

Bancroft and BBCNOW at the Proms: a deeply satisfying Mahler 3

David Karlin, 11th August

Bancroft and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales provide a Mahler 3 of exceptional clarity and forward momentum, with terrific posthorn solos from Corey Morris and Beth Taylor an outstanding soloist.

****1

A dark and disturbing Rigoletto from WNO at the Mayflower

David Truslove, 14th November

Fine performances in a punchy new production that coats this tragic opera in a large dollop of debauchery.

****1

WNO stages Death in Venice for the first time and it’s a triumph

Mark Valencia, 7th March

Olivia Fuchs solves the problems of Britten's thorny opera in a brilliant new production that hits the heights, featuring Mark Le Brocq as earthbound scholar, Gustav von Aschenbach.

*****

Musical performances keep WNO's new Così afloat

Mark Valencia, 6th March

Max Hoehn takes Così‘s subtitle, La scuola degli amanti (The School for Lovers), and connects it to Monty Python’s sex education sketch in The Meaning of Life. What larks, eh?

***11

Stacey Alleaume leads WNO's emotionally-charged Traviata

David Truslove, 24th November

Leading an international cast in a still-sumptuous revival in Southampton's Mayflower, Stacey Alleaume gives a sovereign performance as the ill-fated courtesan Violetta.

****1

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Clive Peacock

Clive’s musical education began at Bristol Cathedral School and continued at home with a piano and singing teacher mother. During a commercial career, mainly in London with Voluntary Service Overseas and Prudential plc, he developed his love for the works of the great composers in the capital’s concert halls and opera houses. Since his retirement in 2000 he has reviewed for local Midland newspapers covering festivals in Coventry, Warwick, Leamington, Stratford and Longborough and completed a degree at Warwick University. Involvement in local politics, taking morning swims in Kenilworth and maintaining Morgan sports cars are favourite hobbies.

Die Fledermaus: WNO's jolly good romp in Birmingham