Martin Kušej's Idomeneo as political power struggle

By Mark Pullinger, 03 November 2014

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“Sophie Bevan sang Ilia with passion and grace, her silky soprano charming at every turn”

Reviewed at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 3 November 2014

Mozart, Idomeneo, re di Creta

The Royal Opera

Marc Minkowski, Conductor

Martin Kušej, Director

Annette Murschetz, Set Designer

Heide Kastler, Costume Designer

Malin Byström, Elettra

Sophie Bevan, Ilia

Franco Fagioli, Idamante

Stanislas de Barbeyrac, Arbace

Krystian Adam, High Priest

Matthew Polenzani, Idomeneo

Graeme Broadbent, The Oracle of Neptune

Royal Opera Chorus

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

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*****

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****1

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Turandot drowned in an orchestral tsunami at The Royal Opera

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Andrei Șerban’s 40 year old take on Puccini's tale of the ice princess largely stands the test of time, but Netrebko and Eyvazov are short of their best form.

***11

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Roy Westbrook, 9th December

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****1

The Royal Opera stages its first Makropulos Case

Mark Valencia, 4th November

Katie Mitchell wheels out her tired old tropes in The Makropulos Case, redeemed by its musical performances.

***11

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Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

Martin Kušej's Idomeneo cast as gripping political power struggle