A dazzling Semiramide at the Royal Opera

By Mark Pullinger, 19 November 2017

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“Buki Shiff’s vivid costumes often give Semiramide the striking look of Jackie Onassis”

Reviewed at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 19 November 2017

Rossini, Semiramide

The Royal Opera

Sir Antonio Pappano, Conductor

David Alden, Director

Paul Steinberg, Set Designer

Buki Shiff, Costume Designer

Joyce DiDonato, Semiramide

Bálint Szabó, Oroe

Michele Pertusi, Assur

Mirco Palazzi, Assur

Lawrence Brownlee, Idreno

Daniela Barcellona, Arsace

Jacquelyn Stucker, Azema

Konu Kim, Mitrane

Simon Shibambu, Nino's ghost

Royal Opera Chorus

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

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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.

Joyce DiDonato leads the vocal pyrotechnics in a dazzling Semiramide at the Royal Opera