Eri Nakamura leads a fine cast in The Hallé's Madama Butterfly

Eri Nakamura (Cio-Cio-San)

David Bižić (Sharpless) and Thomas Atkins (Pinkerton)

Sir Mark Elder, The Hallé and cast

By Rohan Shotton, 29 May 2022

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“stirring to hear this orchestra play Puccini with such passion”

Reviewed at The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester on 28 May 2022

Puccini, Madama Butterfly (Semi-staged performance)

Sir Mark Elder, Conductor

Gerard Jones, Director

The Hallé

RNCM Opera Chorus

Eri Nakamura, Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly), Soprano

Thomas Atkins, Pinkerton, Tenor

David Bižić, Sharpless

Ann Taylor, Suzuki, Mezzo-soprano

Katie Coventry, Kate Pinkerton, Mezzo-soprano

Alasdair Elliott, Goro, Tenor

James Cleverton, Prince Yamadori

Jihoon Kim, The Bonze, Bass

Vladislav Sulimsky, Baritone

Ashley Riches, Baritone

The coronation and tragedy of Boris revived at Covent Garden

David Karlin, 19th June

A title role performance full of depth from Terfel and a barnstorming comic interlude from Tomlinson provide some great moments, but much of this Boris fails to rise above the ordinary.

***11

Tragedy undermined at Wilton's

Mark Pullinger, 4th November

Paring the action down to just four singers, La Tragédie de Carmen is the perfect vehicle and venue for a handful of the Royal Opera's Jette Parker Young Artists to strut their stuff.

**111

Bright singing, grim staging

Mark Pullinger, 17th July

A disappointing staging for the Jette Parker Young Artists' annual showcase at the Royal Opera House.

***11

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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Rohan Shotton

Rohan has reviewed concerts and opera across the UK and Europe, but chiefly in Manchester, where he enjoys conducting and playing percussion and piano. He works as a hospital doctor, having studied in St Andrews and Manchester, and tweets as @RohanShotton.

Eri Nakamura leads a fine cast in The Hallé's season closing Madama Butterfly