A concert Roméo et Juliette in Madrid

By Simon Rees, 22 December 2014

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Reviewed at Teatro Real: Sala Principal, Madrid on 16 December 2014

Gounod, Roméo et Juliette (in concert)

Teatro Real

Michel Plasson, Conductor

Sonya Yoncheva, Juliette

Roberto Alagna, Roméo

Diana Montague, Gertrude, Juliette's nurse

Michèle Losier, Stéphano

Antonio Lozano, Benvolio, nephew of Montaigu

Joan Martín-Royo, Mercutio

Laurent Alvaro, Count Capulet

Damián del Castillo, Pâris

Toni Marsol, Grégorio

Mikeldi Atxalandabaso, Tybalt

Fernando Javier Radó, Duke of Verona

Roberto Tagliavini, Frère Laurent

Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid

Coro Intermezzo

Deborah Warner attains her theatrical dream at the Teatro Real

Juan José Freijo, 12th March

Warner once again displays her unquestionable talent onstage and her affinity with Benjamin Britten, although, on this occasion, the musical aspect are not equally satisfactory.

***11

Illuminating history-makers: Nixon in China lands in Madrid

David Karlin, 17th April

John Adams’ opera about Richard Nixon’s historic meeting with Mao Tse-Tung is performed with all round excellence, with a real find on the podium in the shape of Olivia Lee-Gunderman.

****1

The martyrs and the oppressed: Peter Grimes at Teatro Real Madrid

Juan José Freijo, 19th April

The new production of Peter Grimes stands out as the strongest item in Teatro Real's season, with magnificent staging by Deborah Warner and superb musical direction by Ivor Bolton, with outstanding vocal and dramatic performances.

*****

Reality as a staging concept: La traviata at Teatro Real, Madrid

Juan José Freijo, 22nd July

In this historic reopening, Lisette Oropesa offers a magnificent performance, dramatically overwhelming and vocally very unique.

****1

La Veronal heads Into the Little Hill in Madrid

John Marten Barnard, 15th February

The Teatros del Canal host the Benjamin–Crimp partnership’s thrillingly dark, lyric retelling of Robert Browning’s famous 1842 poem The Pied Piper of Hamelin by La Veronal dance company.

*****

A disappointing new Falstaff from Laurent Pelly at the Teatro Real

Fernando Remiro, 25th April

Comedy fails to spark in Laurent Pelly's new production of Falstaff at the Teatro Real.

**111

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Simon Rees

Simon Rees writes programme articles and surtitles for most British opera companies, and reviews for Opera, Opera Now, Musical Opinion, Early Music Today and a wide range of other publications. A novelist, poet and librettist, from 1989 to 2012 he was dramaturg at Welsh National Opera. He lives in Cardiff.

Alagna and Yoncheva star in a concert Roméo et Juliette