Dying of shame: Rattle and the LSO excel in a superb Jenůfa

Agneta Eichenholz and the London Symphony Orchestra

Katarina Karnéus and Aleš Briscein

The cast, London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus

Agneta Eichenholz, Sir Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra

By Roy Westbrook, 12 January 2024

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“Rattle’s belief in this opera was everywhere evident”

Reviewed at Barbican Hall, London on 11 January 2024

Janáček, Jenůfa (concert performance)

Sir Simon Rattle, Conductor

London Symphony Orchestra

London Symphony Chorus

Agneta Eichenholz, Jenůfa

Katarina Karnéus, Kostelnička

Nicky Spence, Števa Buryja

Aleš Briscein, Laca Klemeň

Carole Wilson, Grandmother Buryjovka

Claire Barnett-Jones, Barena, Pastuchyňa

Jan Martiník, Mayor, Stárek, Mill foreman

Erika Baikoff, Jano

Evelin Novak, Karolka

Hanna Hipp, Mayor's wife

Jetske Mijnssen's Boccanegra a coup for DNO season finale

Eleanor Knight, 4th June

Everything about this production is fresh and wonderful.

*****

Tavener's Krishna fails to convince in world premiere

Nick Boston, 4th June

John Tavener's “mystical pantomime” proves a disappointment, despite strong performances from singers and orchestra in David Pountney's production.

***11

Antonia Bembo’s Ercole amante wins hearts at the Opéra de Paris

David Karlin, 2nd June

Leonardo García-Alarcón's exhumation of Bembo's work proves a winner, in a hyper-quirky staging by Netia Jones with Julie Fuchs as the pick of the fine singers.

****1

Chasing the American Dream: UK premiere for Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up

Mark Pullinger, 1st June

Amy Lane directs an intimate staging of Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s 2018 chamber opera in the compact Milton Court Theatre.

****1

Longborough Festival Opera season starts slow with Orlando

Eleanor Knight, 30th May

Beth Taylor gives the lows and highs of Handel's heroics an almighty, whole-body shakedown in Sinéad O'Neill’s new staging of Handel's Orlando.

***11

Bang! Mozart’s volcano erupts in Opera Holland Park’s Così fan tutte

Peter Quantrill, 28th May

Mount Vesuvius looms over Cecilia Stinton’s compelling new production of Così fan tutte.

****1

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Roy Westbrook

Roy Westbrook gained a diploma in music history at London University (Morley College) and was for some years the head of music day schools at Oxford University, where he also led music summer schools. After some years leading the University's business school he has returned to music teaching and writing, and recently took part in the Arts in Residence courses on Bruckner, Mahler and Bach He is co-author (with Terry Barfoot) of a history of opera, and has taught day schools on Sibelius in Oxford and elsewhere.