Opera Lafayette revives an 18th-century comic gem

By Zerbinetta, 27 January 2012

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Reviewed at Jazz at Lincoln Center: Rose Theater, New York City on 26 January 2012

Monsigny, Le Roi et le Fermier

Opera Lafayette

Thomas Michael Allen, le Roi

William Sharp, le Fermier

Dominique Labelle, Jenny

Thomas Dolié, Rustaud

Jeffrey Thompson, Lurewel

Delores Ziegler, la Mère

Yulia Van Doren, Betsy

David Newman, Charlot

Tony Boutté, un Courtisan

Orchestra of the Opera Lafayette

Ryan Brown, Conductor

Didier Rousselet, Director

Opera Lafayette's minimalistic Actéon conquers the Kennedy Center

Raisa Massuda, 2nd May

For almost two decades, Opera Lafayette has been known to DC opera fans as a period-based ensemble reviving long-forgotten gems of French Baroque and Rococo chamber opera repertoire. On Thursday night, the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater hosted Opera Lafayette’s most recent creation: its production of Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s pastorale/tragédie en musique Actéon.

*****

The triumph of virtue: Rossini’s Cenerentola in Brisbane

Sandra Bowdler, 29th April

Margarita Gritskova leads a fine ensemble performance of Rossini’s most under-appreciated opera by Opera Queensland.

****1

Grigolo shines in a mixed new Roméo et Juliette at the Opera di Roma

Pia Maltri, 28th April

With its 1940s setting, Luca Del Fusco’s direction alienates in a new production of Gounod's Shakespeare-inspired opera.

***11

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

Romeo Castellucci directs a new Pelléas et Mélisande at La Scala

Laura Servidei, 26th April

The Italian director makes his long-awaited Italian operatic debut at the Teatro alla Scala in a production which perfectly mirrors Debussy’s most enigmatic creation.

****1

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.

*****

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Zerbinetta

Zerbinetta is a music educator in the New York area with a background in music performance, theater studies, and history. She is particularly interested in Wagner, Baroque music, and, of course, Richard Strauss.