Waxing lyrical: rare Offenbach proves a hit

Anne-Catherine Gillet and Virginie Verrez

Virginie Verrez, Paul Daniel and the London Philharmonic Orchestra

Harriet Walter

By Matthew Rye, 19 September 2022

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“frothy and inconsequential it may be, but a lot of fun, too”

Reviewed at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London on 16 September 2022

Offenbach, La Princesse de Trébizonde (concert performance)

Paul Daniel, Conductor

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Opera Rara Chorus

Anne-Catherine Gillet, Zanetta

Virginie Verrez, Prince Raphaël

Christophe Gay, Cabriolo

Antoinette Dennefeld, Regina

Josh Lovell, Prince Casimir

Katia Ledoux, Paola

Christophe Mortagne, Trémolini

Loïc Félix, Sparadrap

Dame Harriet Walter, Narrator

A birthday reimagining of Il viaggio a Reims in Salzburg

Laura Servidei, 25th May

In Barrie Kosky's hyperactive staging, Il viaggio a Reims becomes a birthday tribute to Cecilia Bartoli complete with rewritten text, extravagant costumes, sexual escapades and a giant cake.

***11

A noble Norma trapped in a hollow dystopia

Andrew Larkin, 24th May

Salome Jicia delivers a vocally impressive and emotionally committed Norma, but Orpha Phelan’s post-apocalyptic staging fatally weakens Bellini’s sacred tragedy.

***11

Superb musical performances in Pinchgut’s Scarlatti rarity in Sydney

Sandra Bowdler, 23rd May

As usual, Pinchgut lavishes musical excellence on an obscure Baroque work... but why stage an oratorio?

****1

A deli-cious revival of Rossini’s Il turco in Italia at Glyndebourne

Dominic Lowe, 23rd May

Mariame Clément’s production of Rossini's meta comedy is tightly revived with some excellent singing. Come for the writing tips, stay for the cured meats.

****1

Matthias Goerne strikes gold with Salome in Toulouse

Emmanuel Gaillard, 22nd May

Late step-in Nicole Chevalier, baritone-turned-director Matthias Goerne and conductor Frank Beermann combine their talents to create a landmark production at the Capitole de Toulouse.

*****

The Met’s Frida y Diego proves visually stunning, musically thrilling

David Wolfson, 22nd May

Deborah Colker and her design team create visually vibrant worlds for the Met’s new production of El último sueño de Frida y Diego, by Pulitzer Prize winner Gabriela Lena Frank.

*****

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Matthew Rye

Matthew read music at Oxford and worked in music journalism for 30 years as a writer, critic and editor. He wrote numerous programme and CD booklet notes, spent 13 years as a Daily Telegraph critic, worked at BBC Music Magazine and was reviews editor of The Strad. He also wrote for The Wagner Journal and Opera and blogged at ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk. He was general editor of 1001 Classical Recordings You Must Hear Before You Die (Cassell Illustrated, 2007) and was the author of a new series of eBooks, Masterpieces of Music (Erudition).