Rattle and the LSO chill the soul in Kátya Kabanová

Amanda Majeski and Sir Simon Rattle

Katarina Dalayman and Sir Simon Rattle

Simon O'Neill and Amanda Majeski

By Mark Valencia, 13 January 2023

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“woe betide anyone who got caught in the headlights of this harridan of a Kabanicha”

Reviewed at Barbican Hall, London on 11 January 2023

Janáček, Kátya Kabanová (Concert performance)

Sir Simon Rattle, Conductor

London Symphony Orchestra

Amanda Majeski, Kátya

Simon O'Neill, Boris

Katarina Dalayman, Kabanicha

Andrew Staples, Tichon

Pavlo Hunka, Dikój

Ladislav Elgr, Kudrjaš

Magdalena Kožená, Varvara

Claire Barnett-Jones, Fekluša

Sarah Pring, Glaša

Lukáš Zeman, Kuligin

A noble Norma trapped in a hollow dystopia

Andrew Larkin, 24th May

Salome Jicia delivers a vocally impressive and emotionally committed Norma, but Orpha Phelan’s post-apocalyptic staging fatally weakens Bellini’s sacred tragedy.

***11

Superb musical performances in Pinchgut's Scarlatti rarity in Sydney

Sandra Bowdler, 23rd May

As usual, Pinchgut lavishes musical excellence on an obscure Baroque work... but why stage an oratorio?

****1

A deli-cious revival of Rossini’s Il turco in Italia at Glyndebourne

Dominic Lowe, 23rd May

Mariame Clément’s production of Rossini's meta comedy is tightly revived with some excellent singing. Come for the writing tips, stay for the cured meats.

****1

The Met’s Frida y Diego proves visually stunning, musically thrilling

David Wolfson, 22nd May

Deborah Colker and her design team create visually vibrant worlds for the Met’s new production of El último sueño de Frida y Diego, by Pulitzer Prize winner Gabriela Lena Frank.

*****

Dudamel’s LA Phil Walküre proves worth the wait

Matthew Richard Martinez, 21st May

An enveloping performance of Die Walküre spans three consecutive evenings, featuring world class singing in Frank Gehry’s stunning space.

****1

Glyndebourne’s first Tosca: vocally strong but imperfect

David Karlin, 21st May

Ted Huffman brings some interesting ideas to his first Glyndebourne production. Excellent singing is let down by indifferent physical acting.

***11

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Mark Valencia

Mark has worked in arts journalism for four decades, both as a writer and as a French-English translator. Nowadays he focuses his energies on reviewing opera and music. Mark also writes for Opera magazine and for Musical America as a correspondent for Europe and the UK.