Prom 31: An intoxicating La Damnation de Faust

By Mark Valencia, 09 August 2017

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“Spyres played the straight man to Laurent Naouri’s ultra-mischievous Méphistophélès”

Reviewed at Royal Albert Hall, London on 8 August 2017

Berlioz, La Damnation de Faust (sung in French)

Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Conductor

Michael Spyres, Faust

Ann Hallenberg, Marguerite

Laurent Naouri, Méphistophélès

Ashley Riches, Brander

Trinity Boys Choir

Monteverdi Choir

National Youth Choir of Scotland

Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique

Irish National Opera’s new Rusalka intrigues more than it convinces

Andrew Larkin, 22nd March

Netia Jones’ modern reimagining intrigues more than it convinces, but still makes a strong case for Dvořák’s dark fairy tale.

***11

Magnifying Glass: a magnificent Les Enfants terribles in Lille

Elena Luporini, 20th March

A new production of Les Enfants terribles at the Opéra de Lille drags the audience into a terribly marvelous labyrinth, courtesy of conductor Virginie Déjos and directors Matthias Piro and Lisa Moro.

*****

Opera Australia’s Eugene Onegin shines musically

Sandra Bowdler, 17th March

Eugene Onegin returns to the Sydney Opera house in Kasper Holten’s slightly awkward production but the singing and orchestral playing are exemplary.

****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.

*****

Hedging its bets: La finta giardiniera at the Royal College of Music

Dominic Lowe, 16th March

Mozart's teenage comedy is more complicated then Figaro but is easy on the ear, with many opportunities for a young cast to shine.

***11

Washington National Opera marches onward with a joyous Treemonisha

Sam Jacobson, 15th March

A vibrant new production of Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha at Washington National Opera underscores the opera’s enduring message of education, community and social justice.

****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.

Prom 31: An intoxicating La Damnation de Faust from Gardiner and the ORR