Spectacle and opulence in a richly rewarding Rosenkavalier

By Stephen Pritchard, 07 June 2021

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“the warmth and colour of Hipp’s mezzo a delicious complement to Persson’s silvery soprano”

Reviewed at Garsington Opera, High Wycombe on 6 June 2021

Strauss R., Der Rosenkavalier

Garsington Opera

Jordan de Souza, Conductor

Bruno Ravella, Director

Gary McCann, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Malcolm Rippeth, Lighting Designer

Miah Persson, Feldmarschallin

Madison Leonard, Sophie

Hanna Hipp, Octavian

Richard Burkhard, Herr von Faninal

Derrick Ballard, Baron Ochs

Meinir Wyn Roberts, A milliner

Rebecca von Lipinski, Marianne

Kitty Whately, Annina

Osian Wyn Bowen, A vendor of pets

Alexander Aldren, An innkeeper

Richard Pinkstone, Feldmarschallin's Major-Domo

Jack Swanson, Italian Singer

Colin Judson, Valzacchi

Glen Cunningham, Faninal's Major-Domo

Kieran Rayner, Notary

Julian Close, Police inspector

Garsington Opera Chorus

Philharmonia Orchestra

A radically trad Fidelio at Garsington

Peter Quantrill, 27th June

Simple solutions prove the best in Beethoven's "problem" opera as John Cox's staging is revived at Garsington.

****1

Ravishing Rodelinda: Handel al fresco at Garsington Opera

Roy Westbrook, 13th June

Ruth Knight untangles Handel's Rodelinda, directing a new staging at Garsington which features a feast of fine singing.

****1

Three card trick: compelling new Queen of Spades at Garsington

Roy Westbrook, 29th May

Jack Furness directs a terrific new Queen of Spades at Garsington – haunting and harrowing.

****1

Garsington’s L’elisir d’amore: Dr Feelgood wins the day

David Karlin, 28th May

Simon Higlett’s exquisite sets and costumes give a backdrop to Donizetti’s frothiest of rom-coms.

****1

Madcap comedy from Verdi: Un giorno di regno at Garsington

David Karlin, 29th June

Christopher Alden, Chris Hopkins and an excellent cast send us a comic roller coaster ride with Verdi’s ultra-rarely performed second opera.

*****

Garsington Opera's new A Midsummer Night's Dream

Roy Westbrook, 16th June

In the first and last acts, ladies entered with a train still attached to a bolt of cloth, which was then cut to length by an attendant. Was this production brought to the stage in a great hurry, allowing no time for costume fittings?

***11

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Stephen Pritchard

Stephen Pritchard began singing as a treble at the age of eight and progressed to become a tenor in Portsmouth Cathedral Choir, the Gibbons Consort and now the English Chamber Choir. Writing about music has been at the core of his 40-year career in journalism, chiefly at the Observer. He has been known to play a pretty mean jazz double bass.

Spectacle and opulence in Garsington's richly rewarding Rosenkavalier