Early Mozart from Classical Opera

By Dominic Lowe, 23 March 2017

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Reviewed at Smith Square Hall, London on 21 March 2017

Mozart, Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots

Classical Opera

The Orchestra of Classical Opera

Thomas Guthrie, Director

Ian Page, Conductor

Alessandro Fisher, Tenor

Sam Furness, Tenor

Rebecca Bottone, Soprano

Gemma Summerfield, Soprano

Helen Sherman, Mezzo-soprano

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

Youthful japes: La finta semplice at the QEH

Dominic Lowe, 6th June

Classical Opera’s performance of one of Mozart’s earliest operas throbbed with youthful energy; a strong cast brought the humour to life and made up for any weakness in the score.

****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.

Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots gets a rare outing from Classical Opera