Pappano's triumphant Royal Opera House Meistersinger in Birmingham

By Rohan Shotton, 13 January 2012

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Reviewed at Symphony Hall, Birmingham on 11 January 2012

Wagner, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

Royal Opera Chorus

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

Sir Antonio Pappano, Conductor

Wolfgang Koch, Hans Sachs

Emma Bell, Eva

Simon O'Neill, Walther von Stolzing

Toby Spence, David

Peter Coleman-Wright, Sixtus Beckmesser

Sir John Tomlinson, Veit Pogner

So Are We: León and Lightfoot is a long overdue triumph

Deborah Weiss, 11th June

The Royal Ballet has acquired a double bill from Sol León and Paul Lightfoot that transcended even the highest expectations. An evening to watch over and over again.

*****

McVicar’s Figaro celebrates its 20th Royal Opera anniversary

Dominic Lowe, 8th June

While this revival is imperfect, the Cherubino of Svetlina Stoyanova proves a marvel to hear.

***11

Glorious debuts in Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée at The Royal Ballet

Deborah Weiss, 23rd May

Two vivid debuts as Colas, marked the second revival of La Fille mal gardée this season at The Royal Ballet.

****1

Richard Jones’ clunky Samson et Dalila returns to Covent Garden

Dominic Lowe, 13th May

With Aigul Akhmetshina and Seokjong Baek in the title roles, there are reasons to be optimistic, but The Royal Opera’s revival of Richard Jones’ production is a mixed bag.

***11

Peter Grimes drops anchor again at The Royal Opera

Christopher Woodley, 5th May

Allan Clayton and Sir Bryn Terfel lead a strong cast in a revival of Deborah Warner's dark staging of Britten's signature work at Covent Garden.

****1

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

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Rohan Shotton

Rohan has reviewed concerts and opera across the UK and Europe, but chiefly in Manchester, where he enjoys conducting and playing percussion and piano. He works as a hospital doctor, having studied in St Andrews and Manchester, and tweets as @RohanShotton.