Leather and velvet: Budapest FO's Magic Flute

By Dominic Lowe, 11 May 2016

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Reviewed at Royal Festival Hall, London on 10 May 2016

Mozart, Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)

Iván Fischer, Conductor

Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, Pamina

Mandy Fredrich, Queen of the Night

Bernard Richter, Tamino

Hanno Müller-Brachmann, Papageno

Krisztián Cser, Sarastro

Eleonore Marguerre, First Lady

Norma Nahoun, Papagena

Olivia Vermeulen, Second Lady

Barbara Kozelj, Third Lady

Rodolphe Briand, Monostatos

Peter Harvey, The Speaker (Der Sprecher), Second Armoured Man, Third Priest

Budapest Festival Orchestra

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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

Welsh National Opera’s Dutchman docks in Birmingham

Rohan Shotton, 7th May

This bracing performance of The Flying Dutchman is a powerful reminder of the extraordinary musical standards which are at risk in the face of WNO’s subsidy cuts.

****1

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Dominic Lowe

Dominic Lowe recently completed a degree in Classics, and one of his great interests is the reception of Greece and Rome in opera. A regular opera-goer since his very early teens, he is particularly keen on the hidden operatic gems of the 19th century. He is largely based in the South of England.

Leather and velvet: the Budapest Festival Orchestra's Magic Flute at the Royal Festival Hall