WNO’s abstract Magic Flute proves more contemporary than cohesive

Julia Sitkovetsky (Queen of the Night)

April Koyejo-Audiger (Pamina) and Neal Davies (Papageno)

Thando Mjandana (Tamino) and Nazan Fikret (First Lady)

By Robert Gainer, 04 May 2023

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“Julia Sitkovetsky, who did not flinch an iota at the high F staccato sequences”

Reviewed at Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham on 3 May 2023

Mozart, Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) (sung in English)

Welsh National Opera

Frederick Brown, Conductor

Daisy Evans, Director

Loren Elstein, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Jake Wiltshire, Lighting Designer

Welsh National Opera Orchestra

Welsh National Opera Chorus

April Koyejo-Audiger, Pamina

Julia Sitkovetsky, Queen of the Night

Thando Mjandana, Tamino

Neal Davies, Papageno

Jonathan Lemalu, Sarastro

Nazan Fikret, First Lady

Kezia Bienek, Second Lady

Claire Barnett-Jones, Third Lady

Jenny Stafford, Papagena

Thomas Kinch, First Armoured Man

Laurence Cole, Second Armoured Man

Alun Rhys-Jenkins, Monostatos

Chuma Sijeqa, The Speaker (Der Sprecher)

A magnificent Tosca from Welsh National Opera at the Mayflower

David Truslove, 3rd October

WNO imports Edward Dick’s exceptionally fine production, which benefits from from superb casting and outstanding performances led by Natalya Romaniw.

*****

Bancroft and BBCNOW at the Proms: a deeply satisfying Mahler 3

David Karlin, 11th August

Bancroft and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales provide a Mahler 3 of exceptional clarity and forward momentum, with terrific posthorn solos from Corey Morris and Beth Taylor an outstanding soloist.

****1

A dark and disturbing Rigoletto from WNO at the Mayflower

David Truslove, 14th November

Fine performances in a punchy new production that coats this tragic opera in a large dollop of debauchery.

****1

WNO stages Death in Venice for the first time and it’s a triumph

Mark Valencia, 7th March

Olivia Fuchs solves the problems of Britten's thorny opera in a brilliant new production that hits the heights, featuring Mark Le Brocq as earthbound scholar, Gustav von Aschenbach.

*****

Musical performances keep WNO's new Così afloat

Mark Valencia, 6th March

Max Hoehn takes Così‘s subtitle, La scuola degli amanti (The School for Lovers), and connects it to Monty Python’s sex education sketch in The Meaning of Life. What larks, eh?

***11

Stacey Alleaume leads WNO's emotionally-charged Traviata

David Truslove, 24th November

Leading an international cast in a still-sumptuous revival in Southampton's Mayflower, Stacey Alleaume gives a sovereign performance as the ill-fated courtesan Violetta.

****1

More reviews...

Robert Gainer

Robert Gainer has completed a BA in European Studies at the University of Warwick and an MSc in Criminology at the University of Leicester. He is currently completing further study in English and Cultural Studies, again at Warwick. He plays trumpet, cornet and flugelhorn and his musical background is in brass band and orchestra. In his spare time he enjoys writing fiction and poetry.