King of the Castle: Verdi’s Macbeth in Savonlinna

Saioa Hernández (Lady Macbeth) and Gabriele Viviani (Macbeth)

Johan Krogius (Macduff)

Chorus of witches

Saioa Hernández (Lady Macbeth)

Johan Krogius (Macduff) and Gabriele Viviani (Macbeth)

By Mark Pullinger, 05 July 2025

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“Passerini often got caught up in a passionate whirlwind, accelerating through closing bars”

Reviewed at Olavinlinna Castle, Savonlinna on 4 July 2025

Verdi, Macbeth

Lorenzo Passerini, Conductor

Ralf Långbacka, Director

Anneli Qveflander, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Savonlinna Opera Festival Orchestra

Savonlinna Opera Festival Choir

Vilppu Kiljunen, Revival Director

Gabriele Viviani, Macbeth

Saioa Hernández, Lady Macbeth

Goran Jurić, Banquo

Johan Krogius, Macduff

Andrea Galli, Malcolm

Annika Leino, Lady in Waiting

Marcel Slakonja, Doctor

Martin Iivarinen, Servant to Macbeth

Richard Jones’ clunky Samson et Dalila returns to Covent Garden

Dominic Lowe, 13th May

With Aigul Akhmetshina and Seokjong Baek in the title roles, there are reasons to be optimistic, but The Royal Opera’s revival of Richard Jones’ production is a mixed bag.

***11

Reality television: ENO’s Angel’s Bone in Manchester

Lawrence Dunn, 12th May

Kip Williams and ENO mount an extraordinary new production of Du Yun and Royce Vavrek’s multifaceted opera, with performances of great emotional directness broadcast live on camera.

*****

Sir Thomas Allen’s Figaro for Scottish Opera still entertains

David Smythe, 9th May

A traditional Marriage of Figaro entertains with a strong cast, eye-catching design and lighting, and Amanda Holden’s earthy libretto.

****1

Sasha Cooke brings sharp intelligence to Seattle Opera’s Carmen

Thomas May, 8th May

Sasha Cooke’s thoughtful role debut anchors Paul Curran’s visually and musically alert but dramatically uneven production.

****1

Werther oozes quiet despair in new Canadian Opera Company staging

John Gilks, 7th May

Excellent performances cannot turn a conventional production of Massenet’s Werther into a dramatic experience for the 21st century.

***11

Rossini’s Cenerentola proves great fun in Adelaide

Sandra Bowdler, 7th May

Neil Armfield’s production for State Opera South Australia combines a sparkling night of entertainment with first class musical values.

****1

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Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

King of the Castle: Verdi’s Macbeth at the Savonlinna Opera Festival