Political intrigues at the Royal Opera as Boccanegra returns

By Mark Pullinger, 16 November 2018

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“like a Renaissance painting, with stunning chiaroscuro lighting”

Reviewed at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 15 November 2018

Verdi, Simon Boccanegra

The Royal Opera

Henrik Nánási, Conductor

Elijah Moshinsky, Director

Michael Yeargan, Set Designer

Peter J. Hall, Costume Designer

Carlos Álvarez, Simon Boccanegra

Ferruccio Furlanetto, Jacopo Fiesco

Hrachuhí Bassénz, Amelia Grimaldi

Francesco Meli, Gabriele Adorno

Mark Rucker, Paolo Albiani

Simon Shibambu, Pietro

Royal Opera Chorus

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

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Natalie Abrahami’s mesmerising new production of Britten’s ghostly tale of sexual abuse is very dark indeed.

*****

A riveting Rigoletto revival at the Royal Opera House

Dominic Lowe, 25th March

Sir Mark Elder celebrates 50 years at Covent Garden by returning to his first opera there in 1976 – Verdi's Rigoletto – in a revival of Oliver Mears' excellent 2021 production.

****1

Siegfried at the RBO: Kosky and Pappano surprise and delight

David Karlin, 17th March

A revelatory orchestral performance and a cast led by Andreas Schager, Christopher Maltman and Elisabeth Strid make this a Siegfried for the record books.

*****

Terfel’s craggy Boris Godunov returns to Covent Garden

Mark Pullinger, 29th January

The second revival of Richard Jones' staging of Mussorgsky's original 1869 version of Boris Godunov once again stars the Welsh knight.

****1

Ermonela Jaho returns in triumph to The Royal Opera’s Traviata

Mark Valencia, 8th January

Richard Eyre’s 32-year-old production is rarely out of The Royal Opera’s repertoire for more than a few months at a time, but this particular revival proves very special.

*****

Turandot drowned in an orchestral tsunami at The Royal Opera

David Karlin, 15th December

Andrei Șerban’s 40 year old take on Puccini's tale of the ice princess largely stands the test of time, but Netrebko and Eyvazov are short of their best form.

***11

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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.

Political intrigues at the Royal Opera as Simon Boccanegra returns