In the limelight: the ROH Orchestra gets to shine on stage

By Matthew Rye, 09 February 2019

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“Rachvelishvili’s performances had an operatic level of expression”

Reviewed at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 8 February 2019

Stravinsky, Feu d'artifice (Fireworks), Op.4

Rachmaninov, Christ is risen, Op.26 no.6

Rachmaninov, All passes, Op.26 no.15

Rachmaninov, It cannot be, Op.34 no.7

Rachmaninov, She is as beautiful as noon (Ona, kak polden′, khorosha), Op.14 no.9

Rachmaninov, Summer Nights, Op.14 no.5

Rachmaninov, When yesterday we met, Op.26 no.13

Rachmaninov, We shall rest, Op.26 no.3

Rachmaninov, Do not sing, my beauty (Ne poy krasavitsa pri mne), Op.4 no.4

Rachmaninov, Vocalise, Op.34 no.14

Rachmaninov, How fair this spot (Zdes' khorosho), Op.21 no.7

Tchaikovsky, Suite no. 3 in G major, for orchestra, Op.55

Anita Rachvelishvili, Mezzo-soprano

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

Sir Antonio Pappano, Conductor

The Royal Ballet and McGregor: stunning dancing but nothing really new

Deborah Weiss, 18th April

An evening of ballets by Wayne McGregor, including the world premiere of Quantum Souls, proved to be a little too much of the same thing.

***11

The Royal Ballet’s Mayerling: violent, feral, tortured dance

Graham Watts, 30th March

In this latest revival of Kenneth MacMillan’s Mayerling, The Royal Ballet presents a roster of powerful and vivid interpretations across the board.

****1

The Turn of the Screw at RBO Linbury: Darkness and denial

Eleanor Knight, 26th March

Natalie Abrahami’s mesmerising new production of Britten’s ghostly tale of sexual abuse is very dark indeed.

*****

A riveting Rigoletto revival at the Royal Opera House

Dominic Lowe, 25th March

Sir Mark Elder celebrates 50 years at Covent Garden by returning to his first opera there in 1976 – Verdi's Rigoletto – in a revival of Oliver Mears' excellent 2021 production.

****1

Siegfried at the RBO: Kosky and Pappano surprise and delight

David Karlin, 17th March

A revelatory orchestral performance and a cast led by Andreas Schager, Christopher Maltman and Elisabeth Strid make this a Siegfried for the record books.

*****

A new Albrecht makes a polished Giselle shine even brighter

Deborah Weiss, 7th March

A last minute injury to Natalia Osipova does not mar the magic of Sir Peter Wright's Giselle as Marianela Núñez steps in to partner Patricio Revé.

****1

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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).