Opera Lafayette's minimalistic Actéon conquers the Kennedy Center

By Raisa Massuda, 07 May 2013

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Reviewed at Kennedy Center: Terrace Theater, Washington on 2 May 2013

Charpentier, Actéon

Opera Lafayette

Ryan Brown, Conductor

Seán Curran, Director

Aaron Sheehan, Actéon

Yulia Van Doren, Diane

Orchestra of the Opera Lafayette

Opera Lafayette revives an 18th-century comic gem

Zerbinetta, 26th January

Opera Lafayette has uncovered a fascinating work in their revival of Pierre-Alexandre Monsigny’s 1762 comic opera Le roi et le fermier (The King and the Farmer). The Washington, D.C.

****1

Seán Curran Company at the Joyce: Beautiful dancing but few choreographic surprises

Rachel Rizzuto, 31st January

Mr Curran presented two New York premières at the Joyce, both of which had moments of interest and innovation but summarily failed to present a show worthy of my unequivocal recommendation. The first piece, Fireweather, was a partial retelling of Dante’s Inferno and consisted of seven parts.

***11

Petrenko and Serebrennikov forge a new Ring in Salzburg

Phillip Richter, 1st April

The Berliner Philharmoniker’s much-anticipated return to Salzburg gets off to an impressive musical start. Kirill Serebrennikov’s staging raises numerous questions, but answers few of them.

****1

Eyes wide shut for Berlin’s new Ballo

Mark Pullinger, 29th March

At the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Rafael R Villalobos addresses the problems he perceives with Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera, although the musical performances – led by Anna Netrebko – compensate.

***11

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera brings Spanish to the Lyric Opera

Graham Meyer, 29th March

The Lyric Opera of Chicago's presentation of El último sueño de Frida y Diego brings the Mexican artists to life... or at least a life reminiscent of their real ones.

****1

Young stars shine in the Staatsoper Berlin’s Rosenkavalier

Mark Pullinger, 28th March

Patricia Nolz makes an outstanding role debut as Christian Thielemann conducts a thrusting Rosenkavalier to open the Staatsoper Unter den Linden's Festtage.

*****

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Raisa Massuda

A firm believer in the importance of music at any age, Raisa teaches Opera Appreciation Seminars in a Senior Center in Baltimore, MD. She has launched a Live Opera for Seniors series, allowing her low-income students to study and attend free. Raisa is the author of a music and opera blog called Mandolin Vision.