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All that glitters: Miskimmon's hyperactive Semele opens Garsington’s season

By Mark Pullinger, 02 June 2017
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“Murray’s beautifully even line accompanied by a blackbird obbligato from the gardens outside”
Reviewed at Garsington Opera, High Wycombe on 1 June 2017
Programme
Handel, Semele
Performers
Garsington Opera
Jonathan Cohen, Conductor
Annilese Miskimmon, Director
Nicky Shaw, Set Designer
Heidi Stober, Semele
David Soar, Somnus, Cadmus
Christopher Ainslie, Athamas
Jurgita Adamonytė, Ino
Robert Murray, Jupiter
Christine Rice, Juno
Llio Evans, Iris
Mikael Onelius, Apollo
Christian Valle, High Priest
The Gascoigne Orchestra
Garsington Opera Chorus
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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. 
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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
More reviews...
Read reviews of
Annilese MiskimmonChristian ValleChristine RiceChristopher AinslieDavid SoarGarsington OperaGarsington Opera ChorusGarsington Opera Youth CompanyGeorge Frideric HandelHeidi StoberJonathan CohenJurgita AdamonytėLlio EvansNicky ShawRobert MurraySemeleThe Gascoigne Orchestra
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Mark Pullinger
Mark Pullinger
Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.