Weightless, spick-and-span Gluck from Classical Opera

By Mark Valencia, 02 June 2019

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“a little slice of nothing but was nonetheless interesting to hear”

Reviewed at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London on 31 May 2019

Gluck, Philémon and Baucis ((vers. 1769) from Le feste d'Apollo)

Gluck, Orfeo ed Euridice

Classical Opera

Ian Page, Conductor

Nick Winston, Director

Rebecca Bottone, Baucis, Amore

Lena Belkina, Philemon, Orfeo

Gwilym Bowen, Jupiter

Kiandra Howarth, Shepherdess, Euridice

The Mozartists

Youthful japes: La finta semplice at the QEH

Dominic Lowe, 6th June

Classical Opera’s performance of one of Mozart’s earliest operas throbbed with youthful energy; a strong cast brought the humour to life and made up for any weakness in the score.

****1

Early Mozart from Classical Opera

Dominic Lowe, 21st March

Mozart's first stage work was written when he was just eleven years old; in this performance by Classical Opera, the composer's youthful writing and touches of humour are brought to life by a solid cast and lively conducting.

****1

Unknown repertoire fizzles, but fades

Louise Flind, 19th September

Haydn's La canterina provides cheerful undemanding entertainment from Classical Opera.

***11

A worthy revival of J.C. Bach's Adriano in Siria

Nahoko Gotoh, 14th April

J.C. Bach's opera Adriano in Siria, set to a popular libretto by Metastasio, was first performed in London in January 1765 when the nine-year-old Mozart was in town.

****1

The Quality of Mercy is not Strain'd: a revelatory La clemenza di Tito

Charlotte Valori, 13th March

Classical Opera, with some deft revisions to Süssmayr's recitatives and a superb team of soloists, bring us a Clemenza both powerful and poignant, finally doing justice to Mozart's underrated late opera, composed for the coronation of a Hapsburg king.

****1

Youthful singing bring out the charm in Mozart's Il re pastore

Nahoko Gotoh, 12th November

Ian Page and the Classical Opera Company have made a specialty of performing early Mozart operas and at the weekend, they gave two performances of his two-act serenata, Il re pastore as part of the series “Mozart Unwrapped” at Kings Place.

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Mark Valencia

Mark has worked in arts journalism for four decades, both as a writer and as a French-English translator. Nowadays he focuses his energies on reviewing opera and music. Mark also writes for Opera magazine and for Musical America as a correspondent for Europe and the UK.