Yannick’s debut, Stemme’s farewell: Tristan und Isolde in Philly

Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts the Philadelphia Orchestra and soloists

By Cameron Kelsall, 02 June 2025

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“this Tristan set a high benchmark that many opera companies... could only hope to match”

Reviewed at Kimmel Center: Marian Anderson Hall, Philadelphia on 1 June 2025

Wagner, Tristan und Isolde

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Conductor

The Philadelphia Orchestra

Nina Stemme, Isolde

Stuart Skelton, Tristan

Tareq Nazmi, King Marke

Karen Cargill, Brangäne

Brian Mulligan, Kurwenal

Frederick Ballentine, Melot

Jonghyun Park, Shepherd, Young seaman

Nathan Schludecker, Helmsman

Werther oozes quiet despair in new Canadian Opera Company staging

John Gilks, 7th May

Excellent performances cannot turn a conventional production of Massenet’s Werther into a dramatic experience for the 21st century.

***11

Rossini's Cenerentola proves great fun in Adelaide

Sandra Bowdler, 7th May

Neil Armfield's production for State Opera South Australia combines a sparkling night of entertainment with first class musical values.

****1

Peter Grimes drops anchor again at The Royal Opera

Christopher Woodley, 5th May

Allan Clayton and Sir Bryn Terfel lead a strong cast in a revival of Deborah Warner's dark staging of Britten's signature work at Covent Garden.

****1

The early flowering of opera: a fragrant L’Orfeo at Schwetzingen

Mengguang Huang, 3rd May

Markus Bothe’s Botticelli-inspired production fuses tableau vivant aesthetics with Jörg Halubek’s surgical musical precision, offering a peerless, vivid tribute to the fragrant dawn of opera.

****1

Boston Doodle Dandy: Boston Lyric Opera presents La Fille du régiment

Kevin Wells, 1st May

Very few singers can hold an audience in the palm of their hand the way Brenda Rae as Marie does in this rollicking frolic.

****1

Deep into the American psyche: Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men

Hilary Stroh, 1st May

Carlisle Floyd's operatic setting of John Steinbeck’s classic novella is given a new production in the composer's centenary year at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

****1

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Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall is a classical music critic and cultural reporter. He has written for Bachtrack since 2019, and his byline has appeared in many national and international classical music publications. Based in Philadelphia, he regularly travels around the United States for musical events. In addition to his career in journalism, Cameron also teaches in the Theatre Arts program at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a certified sommelier and avid home cook. His favorite composer is Mahler. Twitter: @CameronPKelsall.

Yannick’s debut, Stemme’s farewell: Tristan und Isolde in Philadelphia