Midsummer Opera: Otello

By Roger Smith, 22 October 2013

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Reviewed at St John's, Waterloo, London on 18 October 2013

Verdi, Otello

Midsummer Opera

David Roblou, Conductor

John Upperton, Otello

Lorraine Ely, Desdemona

Andrew Mayor, Iago

Lynne McAdam, Emilia

James Scarlett, Cassio

Stephen Cviic, Roderigo

John Milne, Lodovico

Cheyney Kent, Montano

Blackheath Choir

The Orchestra and Chorus of Midsummer Opera

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Robert Carsen's staging of Handel's oratorio arrives, via Salzburg, in the city where Handel composed it in 1707.

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Kurt Gottschalk, 6th April

At the Metropolitan Opera, Innocence proves a gripping and perhaps divisive piece which feels real because it is a reflection of our reality, with no realistic hope of finding peace.

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Phillip Richter, 1st April

The Berliner Philharmoniker’s much-anticipated return to Salzburg gets off to an impressive musical start. Kirill Serebrennikov’s staging raises numerous questions, but answers few of them.

****1

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***11

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Roger Smith

Roger Smith was born in London and studied for BA in Music at Kingston University, followed by an MMus in Music Theory and Analysis at Goldsmiths College. He studied opera at Birkbeck College, the City Lit and Morley College.

John Upperton and Midsummer Opera make a game attempt at Verdi's Otello