Prom 14: a Barber with bite as Glyndebourne goes to The Proms

By Kevin W Ng, 26 July 2016

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“The true factotum of the evening was conductor Enrique Mazzola”

Reviewed at Royal Albert Hall, London on 25 July 2016

Rossini, Il barbiere di Siviglia

Glyndebourne Festival Opera

Enrique Mazzola, Conductor

Danielle de Niese, Rosina

Taylor Stayton, Count Almaviva

Björn Bürger, Figaro

Alessandro Corbelli, Dr Bartolo

Janis Kelly, Berta

Christophoros Stamboglis, Don Basilio

Huw Montague Rendall, Fiorello

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Glyndebourne revives Michieletto’s Kátya Kabanová

Mark Valencia, 3rd August

Damiano Michieletto’s production of Janáček’s opera breaks a key tenet of high-concept opera: where it should reveal, it obfuscates.

***11

All the world’s a jest: Falstaff returns to Glyndebourne

Mark Pullinger, 23rd July

Richard Jones' 2009 production returns to Glyndebourne after a long absence, but the 1940s comedy scrubs up fresh.

***11

A strong new Figaro opens at Glyndebourne

Dominic Lowe, 29th June

Mariame Clément is a popular director at Glyndebourne, and her new production of Figaro shows her trademark approach to hardhitting comedy.

****1

Glyndebourne's Saul still packs a punch 10 years on

Nick Boston, 8th June

Returning from the original run, Christopher Purves and Iestyn Davies were joined by a strong cast and chorus for a revival of Barrie Kosky's striking production.

*****

Unhurried suspense in a very English Parsifal

Peter Quantrill, 17th May

Compelling singers carry the day in the Glyndebourne Festival Opera's first staging of Wagner’s swansong.

****1

Glyndebourne’s season opens with Rossini’s Barber of Seville

David Karlin, 16th May

Annabel Arden’s production provides joyous comedy, with vocal and orchestral performances of the very finest.

*****

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Kevin W Ng

Kevin writes about music and culture, with a focus on opera. Originally trained as a violinist, he has a particular interest in 20th-century music. He is currently based in New York City.