A rarity restored: Odyssey Opera’s Henry VIII

By Kevin Wells, 25 September 2019

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“Ellie Dehn... complete immersion dramatically and finesse vocally”

Reviewed at New England Conservatory: Jordan Hall, Boston on 21 September 2019

Saint-Saëns, Henry VIII

Odyssey Opera

Gil Rose, Conductor

Michael Chioldi, Henry VIII

Yeghishe Manucharyan, Don Gomez de Feria

Ellie Dehn, Catherine of Aragon

Hilary Ginther, Anne Boleyn

David Kravitz, Duke of Norkfolk

Matthew Dibattista, Earl of Surrey

Kevin Deas, Cardinal Campeggio

Odyssey Opera presents Menotti’s The Last Savage

Kevin Wells, 13th March

Odyssey Opera makes a convincing case that The Last Savage’s time has come.

*****

A Rachmaninov troika from Odyssey Opera, with one lame horse

Kevin Wells, 25th September

Gil Rose conducts all three of Rachmaninov's operas in Boston, with impressive performances making a convincing case for at least two of them.

****1

A tantalizing might-have-been: Arnold Rosner’s The Chronicle of Nine

Kevin Wells, 1st February

An earnest, posthumous premiere of a flawed opera from Odyssey Opera and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project.

****1

Odyssey Opera presents Pacini’s Maria, Regina d’Inghilterra

Kevin Wells, 3rd November

Odyssey Opera’s convincing revival of flawed Pacini in Boston.

****1

Odyssey Opera’s Die ägyptische Helena

Kevin Wells, 19th April

A concert performance in Boston of Strauss' rarely heard opera, The Egyptian Helen.

****1

Reform romcom: Odyssey Opera’s Paride ed Elena

Kevin Wells, 15th February

Helen of Troy is the theme for this half of Odyssey’s season, launched with Gluck's rarity.

****1

More reviews...

Kevin Wells

Kevin Wells was bitten by the opera bug at 10, having heard a 1936 recording of Jussi Björling singing “Che gelida manina”. He has never been the same since. A student of voice, performance practice, the history of singing and opera, he holds advanced degrees in Italian and has lived and worked in Italy off and on since the 70s. La Scala became a second home as the Met had been during college daze. Now in his native Boston, he works as translator, tutor, and language coach, haunts Symphony Hall, and would haunt the Opera House had it not been demolished in 1958!