Opera North's dazzling Queen of Spades is full of Russian passion

By Jane Shuttleworth, 13 November 2011

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Reviewed at Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne on 11 November 2011

Tchaikovsky, The Queen of Spades (Pique Dame)

Opera North

Orchestra of Opera North

Richard Farnes, Conductor

Neil Bartlett, Director

Orla Boylan, Lisa

Dame Josephine Barstow, The Countess

Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts, Herman

Jonathan Summers, Tomsky

William Dazeley, Yeletsky

Alexandra Sherman, Polina

John Findon triumphs in the return of Opera North’s Peter Grimes

Richard Wilcocks, 13th February

Benjamin Britten’s dark masterpiece Peter Grimes returns triumphantly to Opera North, conducted by Gary Walker and revived by Karolina Sofulak and Tim Claydon.

*****

Opera North’s Susanna: how a woman stood up to her abusers

Richard Wilcocks, 4th October

Handel's oratorio is staged by Olivia Fuchs and conducted by Johanna Soller in Opera North's latest successful collaboration with Phoenix Dance Theatre.

****1

To be or not to be: Hamlet returns to the Buxton Festival

Mark Pullinger, 16th July

After 45 years, Ambroise Thomas' Hamlet returns to Buxton in a gripping, psychological staging by Jack Furness.

****1

Opera North’s “fleeing” Dutchman links to plight of asylum seekers

Richard Wilcocks, 1st February

Opera North’s The Flying Dutchman, directed by Annabel Arden, conjures up frightening storms and links the production to the plight of asylum seekers.

****1

Opera North’s gleeful Magic Flute revived

Richard Wilcocks, 27th September

Conducted by Christoph Konz and directed by James Brining, Opera North’s revival of The Magic Flute remains an inventive reinterpretation of Mozart’s classic opera.

****1

Richard Wilcocks, 15th February

Opera North's revives its Cavalleria rusticana production by Karolina Sofulak, pairing it this time with Rachmaninov's early opera Aleko.

****1

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Jane Shuttleworth

Jane Shuttleworth is a choral singer and recorder player, and specialises in Renaissance, baroque and modern music. She lives in Durham and runs a local music listings, news and reviews site Music in Durham