A heavy metal Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk in Boston

Kristine Opolais

Kristine Opolais and Günther Groissböck

Alexander Kravets, Andris Nelsons, the Boston Symphony and Tanglewood Festival Chorus

By Kevin Wells, 28 January 2024

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“Opolais'... acting was riveting, colored by her sensitivity to the words”

Reviewed at Symphony Hall, Boston on 27 January 2024

Shostakovich, Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District (Concert performance)

Andris Nelsons, Conductor

Boston Symphony Orchestra

Tanglewood Festival Chorus

Günther Groissböck, Boris Timofeyevich Izmailov

Peter Hoare, Zinoviy Borisovich Izmailov

Kristine Opolais, Katerina Lvovna Izmailova

Brenden Gunnell, Sergey

Maria Barakova, Sonyetka

Michelle Trainor, Aksinya

Goran Jurić, Priest

Patrick Guetti, Policeman

Sava Vemić, Policeman

Matthew Dibattista, Schoolmaster

Alexander Kravets, Tattered peasant

Anatoli Sivko, Police inspector

Chiaroscuro extinguished: a self-indulgent Poppea in Copenhagen

Mengguang Huang, 26th April

Christoph Marthaler’s staging of Monteverdi’s Poppea for the Royal Danish Opera is a study in boredom.

**111

Lepage’s Bluebeard and Erwartung pairing remains compelling theatre

John Gilks, 25th April

Some 30 years after its first appearance, Robert Lepage’s double bill of Duke Bluebeards Castle and Erwartung is still strikingly effective and very modern-looking music theatre.

*****

Trojan’s Carousel: a magical night of dreams come true in Prague

Frank Kuznik, 23rd April

A vintage opera at the National Theatre offers charming adventures for children and musical sophistication for adults.

*****

A sorta fairy tale: Sleepers Awake premieres at Opera Philadelphia

Cameron Kelsall, 22nd April

A new opera by Gregory Spears subverts the Sleeping Beauty trope, with middling results.

**111

Asmik Grigorian strengthens the Met’s revival of Eugene Onegin

Susan Stempleski, 20th April

The Lithuanian soprano’s riveting performance as the central character in Tchaikovsky’s operatic masterpiece lights up Deborah Warner’s mostly bland production.

****1

At half mast: Simon Boccanegra revived in Vienna

Orsolya Gyárfás, 19th April

Marco Armiliato's conducting thrills and Federica Lombardi's radiant Amelia stands out in the Wiener Staatsoper's latest revival of Simon Boccanegra.

***11

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Kevin Wells

Kevin Wells was bitten by the opera bug at 10, having heard a 1936 recording of Jussi Björling singing “Che gelida manina”. He has never been the same since. A student of voice, performance practice, the history of singing and opera, he holds advanced degrees in Italian and has lived and worked in Italy off and on since the 70s. La Scala became a second home as the Met had been during college daze. Now in his native Boston, he works as translator, tutor, and language coach, haunts Symphony Hall, and would haunt the Opera House had it not been demolished in 1958!

Heavy metal Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk from Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony