Youthful japes: La finta semplice at the QEH

By Dominic Lowe, 08 June 2018

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“Page has a knack for assembling the ideal casts and the singers brought zing to their roles”

Reviewed at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London on 6 June 2018

Mozart, La finta semplice, K51 (K46a) (Semi-staged)

Classical Opera

Ian Page, Conductor

Regula Mühlemann, Rosina

Sophie Rennert, Giacinta

Thomas Elwin, Fracasso

Lukas Jakobski, Cassandro

Chiara Skerath, Ninetta

Alessandro Fisher, Polidoro

Božidar Smiljanić, Simone

The Mozartists

Weightless, spick-and-span Gluck from Classical Opera

Mark Valencia, 31st May

Classical Opera takes a break from Mozart with two short operas by Gluck.

**111

Early Mozart from Classical Opera

Dominic Lowe, 21st March

Mozart's first stage work was written when he was just eleven years old; in this performance by Classical Opera, the composer's youthful writing and touches of humour are brought to life by a solid cast and lively conducting.

****1

Unknown repertoire fizzles, but fades

Louise Flind, 19th September

Haydn's La canterina provides cheerful undemanding entertainment from Classical Opera.

***11

A worthy revival of J.C. Bach's Adriano in Siria

Nahoko Gotoh, 14th April

J.C. Bach's opera Adriano in Siria, set to a popular libretto by Metastasio, was first performed in London in January 1765 when the nine-year-old Mozart was in town.

****1

The Quality of Mercy is not Strain'd: a revelatory La clemenza di Tito

Charlotte Valori, 13th March

Classical Opera, with some deft revisions to Süssmayr's recitatives and a superb team of soloists, bring us a Clemenza both powerful and poignant, finally doing justice to Mozart's underrated late opera, composed for the coronation of a Hapsburg king.

****1

Youthful singing bring out the charm in Mozart's Il re pastore

Nahoko Gotoh, 12th November

Ian Page and the Classical Opera Company have made a specialty of performing early Mozart operas and at the weekend, they gave two performances of his two-act serenata, Il re pastore as part of the series “Mozart Unwrapped” at Kings Place.

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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.