L’italiana arrives in Zurich from Salzburg on a dromedary’s back

By Laura Servidei, 08 March 2022

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“Bartoli was perfect in this role: in Rossini she still reigns supreme”

Reviewed at Opernhaus, Zurich on 6 March 2022

Rossini, L'italiana in Algeri

Zurich Opera

Gianluca Capuano, Conductor

Moshe Leiser, Director

Christian Fenouillat, Set Designer

Agostino Cavalca, Costume Designer

Christophe Forey, Lighting Designer

Patrice Caurier, Director

Kathrin Brunner, Dramaturgy

Christian Arseni, Dramaturgy

Cecilia Bartoli, Isabella

Ildar Abdrazakov, Mustafà

Lawrence Brownlee, Lindoro

Nicola Alaimo, Taddeo

Ilya Altukhov, Haly

Rebeca Olvera, Elvira

Siena Licht Miller, Zulma

Orchestra La Scintilla Zurich

Zurich Opera Chorus

Ernst Raffelsberger, Choirmaster / chorus director

A Baroque Netflix evening: Zurich’s star-studded Giulio Cesare

Mengguang Huang, 28th March

Davide Livermore’s high-octane production transforms Handel into a lavish blockbuster. While the superstars shine, the relentless entertainment-first approach often sacrifices musical refinement and dramatic logic for Netflix-style spectacle.

***11

A Rosenkavalier in vivid hues opens the Zurich Opera season

Laura Servidei, 21st September

Lydia Steier stages Strauss’ masterpiece to open Zurich Opera’s first premiere under the new artistic direction – a triumphant success.

****1

Handel’s Serse as a quirky modern tale in Zurich

Laura Servidei, 29th September

Christophe Dumaux shines as Arsamene in Nina Russi’s enjoyable production of Handel’s masterpiece revived at the Opernhaus Zürich under the baton of Enrico Onofri.

***11

Anna Pirozzi shines as a queen bee Turandot

Laura Servidei, 3rd July

Anna Pirozzi and Piero Pretti bring Italian sunshine to Baumgarten’s confused production at the Opernhaus Zürich.

**111

A feast for the eyes and ears: Lehár’s Merry Widow in Zurich

Thomas Schacher, 20th February

Barrie Kosky stages the famous Viennese operetta as a whirlwind spectacle. Marlis Petersen shines in the title role vocally and theatrically. Michael Volle does not live up to expectations.

****1

Werther in the sky at Opernhaus Zürich

Laura Servidei, 23rd January

Benjamin Bernheim leads a very good cast in a revival of Tatjana Gürbaca's interesting 2017 production.

***11

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Laura Servidei

Mathematician, science nerd, translator of popular science books, obsessed opera fan since the teen years. Day job: business analyst in a software house developing systems for the financial industry. Amateur choral singer. Main musical interests: baroque music and Italian opera. Originally from Italy, currently based in Sweden. I make a mean eggplant parmesan.

Another triumph for Bartoli: L’italiana arrives in Zurich from Salzburg on a dromedary’s back