Florence's finest: Teatro del Maggio's compelling new Don Carlo

Francesco Meli (Don Carlo)

Roman Burdenko (Posa), Eleanora Buratto (Elisabetta) and Mikhail Petrenko (Filippo)

Don Carlo Act 1 Scene 2

Eleanora Buratto (Elisabetta) and Ekaterina Semenchuk (Eboli)

Alexander Vinogradov (Grande Inquisitore) and Mikhail Petrenko (Filippo)

By Roy Westbrook, 29 December 2022

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“how magnificently atmospheric the opening sounded in this modern auditorium”

Reviewed at Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Florence on 27 December 2022

Verdi, Don Carlo(s) (Italian version, 4 acts)

Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

Daniele Gatti, Conductor

Roberto Andò, Director

Gianni Carluccio, Set Designer, Lighting Designer

Nanà Cecchi, Costume Designer

Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

Mikhail Petrenko, Filippo II

Francesco Meli, Don Carlo

Roman Burdenko, Rodrigo, Marchese di Posa

Eleonora Buratto, Elisabetta di Valois

Ekaterina Semenchuk, La Principessa Eboli

Alexander Vinogradov, Il Grande Inquisitore

Benedetta Torre, Una voce dal cielo

Evgeny Stavinsky, Un frate

Jessica Pratt triumphs in a new Lucrezia Borgia in Florence

Laura Servidei, 9th November

Despite the Maggio Musicale stage being dominated by clerical garb and daring papal parallels, the true revelation is Jessica Pratt's breathtaking role debut as Lucrezia.

****1

Maggio Musicale Fiorentino's Don Giovanni falls at the final hurdle

Laura Servidei, 6th May

The Maggio postpones Pountney’s expected new production of Don Giovanni, presenting Ferrara’s production from Spoleto instead, with a good cast in the hands of Zubin Mehta.

**111

A Florentine Comedy: a lively Barbiere di Siviglia in Tuscany

David Larkin, 14th September

A lively and amusing Barbiere at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, with Daniele Gatti expertly marshalling the talents of Ruzil Gatin, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya, Nicola Alaimo and Fabio Capitanucci in Damiano Michieletto's colourfully minimalist staging.

****1

Juan Diego Flórez charms as Roméo in Florence

Elena Luporini, 3rd May

For the 84th edition of its summer festival, the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino presents its first ever production of Gounod's Roméo et Juliette.

***11

Linda di Chamounix a bittersweet tale at the Maggio Musicale

Laura Servidei, 3rd October

Jessica Pratt shines in this Donizetti coloratura role, with the support of Teresa Iervolino as a luxury Pierotto, and a solid cast of Italian singers.

***11

Science goes screwball in Maggio Musicale's new Così fan tutte

Elena Luporini, 30th August

Sven-Eric Bechtolf's staging holds a balance between philosophy and humour, but Adam Fischer's vivacious conducting is the real star of the evening.

****1

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Roy Westbrook

Roy Westbrook gained a diploma in music history at London University (Morley College) and was for some years the head of music day schools at Oxford University, where he also led music summer schools. After some years leading the University's business school he has returned to music teaching and writing, and recently took part in the Arts in Residence courses on Bruckner, Mahler and Bach He is co-author (with Terry Barfoot) of a history of opera, and has taught day schools on Sibelius in Oxford and elsewhere.