A stellar Peter Grimes in Bergen

By Mark Valencia, 31 May 2017

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“Gardner's storm interlude could have caused structural damage”

Reviewed at Grieg Hall (Grieghallen), Bergen on 30 May 2017

Britten, Peter Grimes (in concert)

Bergen National Opera

Edward Gardner, Conductor

Vera Rostin Wexelsen, Director

Stuart Skelton, Peter Grimes

Giselle Allen, Ellen Orford

Ida Falk Winland, First Niece

Vibeke Kristensen, Second Niece

Catherine Wyn-Rogers, Mrs Sedley

Annika Schlicht, Auntie

Colin Judson, Bob Boles

James Gilchrist, Rev Horace Adams

Roderick Williams, Captain Balstrode

Barnaby Rea, Hobson

Marcus Farnsworth, Ned Keene

Matthew Best, Swallow

Collegium Musicum Choir

Edvard Grieg Choir

Royal Northern College of Music Chorus

Håkon Matti Skrede, Choirmaster / chorus director

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

Echo of a silent scream: Asle and Alida premieres in Bergen

Christopher Woodley, 29th March

Jon Fosse's bleak tale of alienation is graced with fine performances from a strong cast and excellent playing by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra under Johannes Gustavsson.

***11

Edward Gardner conducts a sharp La clemenza di Tito live from Bergen

Mark Valencia, 15th March

Mary Miller bows out after ten years at the helm of Bergen National Opera with a defiant account of Mozart’s final opera.

****1

The Flying Dutchman sails into Bergen

Dominic Lowe, 10th March

Bergen National Opera’s new production allows the story to speak to itself, while strong performances from Eric Halfvarson and Elisabeth Teige gave the performance its edge.

****1

A staged Messiah that sheds little light on Handel's oratorio

Mark Valencia, 1st June

Netia Jones is a visionary stage practitioner, but this show is a rare misjudgement.

***11

Il turco in Italia puts ashore in Bergen

David Karlin, 25th March

Mark Lamos' staging is a riot of colour and movement; George Souglides gives us a masterclass in costumery; fine Italian singing illuminates this Norwegian première for Rossini's madcap Il turco in Italia.

****1

True Grimes: a gripping semi-staging of Britten’s opera

Matthew Rye, 30th November

A psychologically penetrating semi-staging of Britten’s Peter Grimes from leading soloists, the Bergen Philharmonic and its chief conductor Ed Gardner laid bare the opera’s music and drama.

****1

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Mark Valencia

Mark has worked in arts journalism for four decades, both as a writer and as a French-English translator. Nowadays he focuses his energies on reviewing opera and music. Mark also writes for Opera magazine and for Musical America as a correspondent for Europe and the UK.

Psychologically splintered: Stuart Skelton leads a stellar Peter Grimes in Bergen