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Lavish gone lacklustre: diminishing returns in The Royal Opera’s Sicilian Vespers

Joyce El-Khoury (Hélène), dancers and the Royal Opera Chorus
© The Royal Opera 2025 | Tristram Kenton
Joyce El-Khoury (Hélène) and the Royal Opera Chorus
© The Royal Opera 2025 | Tristram Kenton
The Sicilian Vespers
© The Royal Opera 2025 | Tristram Kenton
Valentyn Dytiuk (Henri) and Quinn Kelsey (Montfort)
© The Royal Opera 2025 | Tristram Kenton
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“making the most of Verdi’s irresistible bubble and incendiary fizz”
Reviewed at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 19 September 2025
Verdi, Les Vêpres siciliennes (I vespri siciliani)
The Royal Opera
Speranza Scappucci, Conductor
Stefan Herheim, Director
Philipp Fürhofer, Set Designer
Gesine Völlm, Costume Designer
Anders Poll, Lighting Designer
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden
Royal Opera Chorus
Quinn Kelsey, Guy de Montfort
Valentyn Dytiuk, Henri
Joyce El-Khoury, Hélène
Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, Jean Procida
Blaise Malaba, Bethune
Michael Gibson, Danieli
Vartan Gabrielian, Robert
Jingwen Cai, Ninette
Neal Cooper, Thibault
Giorgi Guliashvili, Mainfroid
Thomas D Hopkinson, Le Comte de Vaudemont
André de Jong, Choreography
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****1
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****1
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*****
A riveting Rigoletto revival at the Royal Opera House
****1
Siegfried at the RBO: Kosky and Pappano surprise and delight
*****
Terfel’s craggy Boris Godunov returns to Covent Garden
****1
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