Longborough delivers a quality Rigoletto 1920s-style

By Robert Gainer, 05 July 2015

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“Andrea Tweedale, who played Gilda, sang with an energy that clarified as she ascended the range”

Reviewed at Longborough Festival Opera, Moreton-in-Marsh on 4 July 2015

Verdi, Rigoletto

Longborough Festival Opera

Gad Kadosh, Conductor

Caroline Clegg, Director

Lara Booth, Set Designer

Martin Kronthaler, Rigoletto

Andrea Tweedale, Gilda

Robyn Lyn Evans, The Duke of Mantua

Timothy Dawkins, Sparafucile

Fiona MacDonald, Maddalena

Howard Quilla Croft, Monterone

Nicolas Legoux, Count Ceprano

Susannah Haberfeld, Countess Ceprano

Adriana Festeu, Giovanna

Brendan Collins, Marullo

Christopher Diffey, Borsa

Dorman’s Wahnfried receives its UK premiere at Longborough

Mark Pullinger, 27th May

Longborough Festival Opera, built on Wagnerian foundations, stages the UK premiere of Avner Dorman’s ambitious cautionary tale about the Wagner clan and establishing the composer’s legacy.

***11

An enthralling Walküre at Longborough Opera Festival

David Karlin, 18th June

Who wouldn't relish the chance of seeing a Ring cycle at close quarters? Longborough's Die Walküre isn't perfect, but it consistently delivers on the story and on character interpretation.

****1

Back to the Bard: Longborough's Fairy Queen

Roy Westbrook, 29th July

Polly Graham's production turns semi-opera into “three-quarters opera”, to good effect.

***11

Don't look back: Longborough's new L'Orfeo

Roy Westbrook, 11th July

Olivia Fuchs directs Monteverdi's early opera in a sparse staging with a consistently fine cast.

***11

Fame and feuding on the Rhine: Longborough's new Götterdämmerung

Roy Westbrook, 29th May

Longborough's Ring Cycle reaches completion in the Cotswold's, effectively staged by Amy Lane.

****1

Grief compellingly explored: Die tote Stadt at Longborough

David Karlin, 27th June

An outstanding performance from Rachel Nicholls lights up Carmen Jakobi's compelling production of Korngold's exploration of grief.

****1

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Robert Gainer

Robert Gainer has completed a BA in European Studies at the University of Warwick and an MSc in Criminology at the University of Leicester. He is currently completing further study in English and Cultural Studies, again at Warwick. He plays trumpet, cornet and flugelhorn and his musical background is in brass band and orchestra. In his spare time he enjoys writing fiction and poetry.