Monks, mistresses and broken swords

By Dominic Lowe, 15 March 2016

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Reviewed at Theatre Royal Stratford East, London on 14 March 2016

Donizetti, La Favorite

UCOpera

Charles Peebles, Conductor

John Ramster, Director

Catherine Backhouse, Léonor de Guzman

David Woodward, Fernand

Kevin Greenlaw, Alphonse XI

Tristan Hambleton, Balthazar

Sam Peterson, Don Gaspar

Ella Joy, Inès

UCLU Symphony Orchestra

UCOpera Chorus

A Snow Maiden to melt the iciest of hearts

Mark Pullinger, 24th March

Weather forecasters would have a meteorological field day with Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera The Snow Maiden. Freezing temperatures have prevailed for sixteen years, and the immediate outlook in the Prologue is for further isolated snow showers, before a warm front eventually sweeps in from the south during Act IV.

****1

Lombards but no crusade: Verdi's I Lombardi at UCOpera

David Karlin, 18th March

UCOpera, the opera company of University College London, has a history of putting on lesser known Verdi works: amongst many others, they have staged the British premières of Alzira, Oberto and the original 1847 version of Macbeth.

***11

The Flying Dutchman sails into Bergen

Dominic Lowe, 10th March

Bergen National Opera’s new production allows the story to speak to itself, while strong performances from Eric Halfvarson and Elisabeth Teige gave the performance its edge.

****1

Sensitive negotiations: Handel's Radamisto, Guildhall

Charlotte Valori, 5th June

Superb singing and skilful acting make a good case for Radamisto in a conceptually ambitious new production which, while not entirely successful, is well worth seeing.

***11

Handel’s Agrippina in a swinging 60s production

David Smythe, 21st January

The early Handel opera Agrippina is given a rare and playful outing at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with clear Italian singing, joyous Baroque playing and lively stage production.

****1

Flinty graves: a chilling Poppea

Dominic Lowe, 20th May

In Shoreditch, the Royal Academy of Music showed off some superb singing in a chilling exploration of tyranny and unrestrained power.

****1

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Dominic Lowe

Dominic Lowe recently completed a degree in Classics, and one of his great interests is the reception of Greece and Rome in opera. A regular opera-goer since his very early teens, he is particularly keen on the hidden operatic gems of the 19th century. He is largely based in the South of England.

Monks, mistresses and broken swords: University College Opera takes on La favorite