Operetta is back at Glyndebourne: Offenbach's Mesdames de la Halle

By David Karlin, 11 October 2020

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“more cross-dressing than you can shake a baguette at”

Reviewed at Glyndebourne Opera House, Glyndebourne on 10 October 2020

Offenbach, Mesdames de la Halle ("In the Market for Love", arranged by Stephen Plaice)

Glyndebourne Festival Opera

Ben Glassberg, Conductor

Stephen Langridge, Director

Nardus Williams, Ciboulette

Kate Lindsey, Croûte-au-pot

Brenden Gunnell, Madame Poiretapée

Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts, Raflafla

Matthew Rose, Le commissaire

Ru Charlesworth, Madame Beurrefondu

Rachel Taylor, Marchande de plaisirs

Natalia Brzezinska, Marchande de légumes

Niel Joubert, Marchand d’habits

Michael Wallace, Madame Madou

Glyndebourne Sinfonia

Glyndebourne revives Michieletto’s Kátya Kabanová

Mark Valencia, 3rd August

Damiano Michieletto’s production of Janáček’s opera breaks a key tenet of high-concept opera: where it should reveal, it obfuscates.

***11

All the world’s a jest: Falstaff returns to Glyndebourne

Mark Pullinger, 23rd July

Richard Jones' 2009 production returns to Glyndebourne after a long absence, but the 1940s comedy scrubs up fresh.

***11

A strong new Figaro opens at Glyndebourne

Dominic Lowe, 29th June

Mariame Clément is a popular director at Glyndebourne, and her new production of Figaro shows her trademark approach to hardhitting comedy.

****1

Glyndebourne's Saul still packs a punch 10 years on

Nick Boston, 8th June

Returning from the original run, Christopher Purves and Iestyn Davies were joined by a strong cast and chorus for a revival of Barrie Kosky's striking production.

*****

Unhurried suspense in a very English Parsifal

Peter Quantrill, 17th May

Compelling singers carry the day in the Glyndebourne Festival Opera's first staging of Wagner’s swansong.

****1

Glyndebourne’s season opens with Rossini’s Barber of Seville

David Karlin, 16th May

Annabel Arden’s production provides joyous comedy, with vocal and orchestral performances of the very finest.

*****

More reviews...

David Karlin

David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.