Staging, spectacle, singing: three-card trick at Savonlinna

By Roy Westbrook, 11 July 2018

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“vocal honours were snatched by Konstantin Shushakov’s peerless account of Yeletsky’s romance”

Reviewed at Olavinlinna Castle, Savonlinna on 10 July 2018

Tchaikovsky, The Queen of Spades (Pique Dame)

Alexander Vedernikov, Conductor

Jere Erkkilä, Director

Jani Uljas, Set Designer

Melis Jaatinen, Polina

Elena Guseva, Lisa

Misha Didyk, Herman

Elena Zaremba, The Countess

Kiril Manolov, Tomsky

Konstantin Shushakov, Yeletsky

Heikki Halinen, Chaplitsky

Koit Soasepp, Surin

Ilkka Hämäläinen, Chekalinsky

Jouni Kokora, Narumov

Savonlinna Opera Festival Choir

Savonlinna Opera Festival Orchestra

Savonlinna Opera Festival Children's Choir

Romeo Castellucci directs a new Pelléas et Mélisande at La Scala

Laura Servidei, 26th April

The Italian director makes his long-awaited Italian operatic debut at the Teatro alla Scala in a production which perfectly mirrors Debussy’s most enigmatic creation.

****1

Chiaroscuro extinguished: a self-indulgent Poppea in Copenhagen

Mengguang Huang, 26th April

Christoph Marthaler’s staging of Monteverdi’s Poppea for the Royal Danish Opera is a study in boredom.

**111

Wretches like us: the LPO’s concert Wozzeck cuts to the quick

Peter Quantrill, 25th April

Beautifully prepared singing and playing brings out the tender side to Berg's modernist classic as part of the Southbank Centre’s Multitudes festival.

****1

Lepage’s Bluebeard and Erwartung pairing remains compelling theatre

John Gilks, 25th April

Some 30 years after its first appearance, Robert Lepage’s double bill of Duke Bluebeards Castle and Erwartung is still strikingly effective and very modern-looking music theatre.

*****

Trojan’s Carousel: a magical night of dreams come true in Prague

Frank Kuznik, 23rd April

A vintage opera at the National Theatre offers charming adventures for children and musical sophistication for adults.

*****

A sorta fairy tale: Sleepers Awake premieres at Opera Philadelphia

Cameron Kelsall, 22nd April

A new opera by Gregory Spears subverts the Sleeping Beauty trope, with middling results.

**111

More reviews...

Roy Westbrook

Roy Westbrook gained a diploma in music history at London University (Morley College) and was for some years the head of music day schools at Oxford University, where he also led music summer schools. After some years leading the University's business school he has returned to music teaching and writing, and recently took part in the Arts in Residence courses on Bruckner, Mahler and Bach He is co-author (with Terry Barfoot) of a history of opera, and has taught day schools on Sibelius in Oxford and elsewhere.

Staging, spectacle, singing: three-card trick at Savonlinna's new Queen of Spades