Boston Baroque stages Iphigénie en Tauride

Soula Parassidis (Iphigénie) and Jesse Blumberg (Oreste)

Soula Parassidis (Iphigénie)

By Kevin Wells, 26 April 2023

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“a fierce dramatic and vocal performance”

Reviewed at Calderwood Studio at GBH, Boston on 23 April 2023

Gluck, Iphigénie en Tauride (new production)

Martin Pearlman, Conductor

Mo Zhou, Director

Boston Baroque

Soula Parassidis, Iphigénie

Jesse Blumberg, Oreste

William Burden, Pylade

David McFerrin, Thoas, King of Scythia

Angela Yam, Diane

Emily Siar, First priestess

Meghan Ryan, Second priestess

Will Prapestis, Scythian

Jacob Cooper, Baritone

Kelley Hollis, Soprano

Irish National Opera’s new Rusalka intrigues more than it convinces

Andrew Larkin, 22nd March

Netia Jones’ modern reimagining intrigues more than it convinces, but still makes a strong case for Dvořák’s dark fairy tale.

***11

Magnifying Glass: a magnificent Les Enfants terribles in Lille

Elena Luporini, 20th March

A new production of Les Enfants terribles at the Opéra de Lille drags the audience into a terribly marvelous labyrinth, courtesy of conductor Virginie Déjos and directors Matthias Piro and Lisa Moro.

*****

Opera Australia’s Eugene Onegin shines musically

Sandra Bowdler, 17th March

Eugene Onegin returns to the Sydney Opera house in Kasper Holten’s slightly awkward production but the singing and orchestral playing are exemplary.

****1

Siegfried at the RBO: Kosky and Pappano surprise and delight

David Karlin, 17th March

A revelatory orchestral performance and a cast led by Andreas Schager, Christopher Maltman and Elisabeth Strid make this a Siegfried for the record books.

*****

Hedging its bets: La finta giardiniera at the Royal College of Music

Dominic Lowe, 16th March

Mozart's teenage comedy is more complicated then Figaro but is easy on the ear, with many opportunities for a young cast to shine.

***11

Washington National Opera marches onward with a joyous Treemonisha

Sam Jacobson, 15th March

A vibrant new production of Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha at Washington National Opera underscores the opera’s enduring message of education, community and social justice.

****1

More reviews...

Kevin Wells

Kevin Wells was bitten by the opera bug at 10, having heard a 1936 recording of Jussi Björling singing “Che gelida manina”. He has never been the same since. A student of voice, performance practice, the history of singing and opera, he holds advanced degrees in Italian and has lived and worked in Italy off and on since the 70s. La Scala became a second home as the Met had been during college daze. Now in his native Boston, he works as translator, tutor, and language coach, haunts Symphony Hall, and would haunt the Opera House had it not been demolished in 1958!

Iphigénie triumphs in more ways than one as Boston Baroque stages Iphigénie en Tauride