Jonas Kaufmann ails, Covent Garden hails Aigul Akhmetshina

Aigul Akhmetshina (Charlotte) and Jonas Kaufmann (Werther)

Jonas Kaufmann (Werther) and Aigul Akhmetshina (Charlotte)

Gordon Bintner (Albert) and Aigul Akhmetshina (Charlotte)

Sarah Gilford (Sophie) and Aigul Akhmetshina (Charlotte)

By Mark Pullinger, 21 June 2023

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“Akhmetshina unleased her plush mezzo for an emotional reading”

Reviewed at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 20 June 2023

Massenet, Werther

The Royal Opera

Sir Antonio Pappano, Conductor

Benoît Jacquot, Director

Charles Edwards, Set Designer, Lighting Designer

Christian Gasc, Costume Designer

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

Royal Opera Chorus

Geneviève Dufour, Director

Jonas Kaufmann, Werther

Aigul Akhmetshina, Charlotte

Sarah Gilford, Sophie

Gordon Bintner, Albert

Alastair Miles, Le Bailli

Christophe Mortagne, Schmidt

James Cleverton, Johann

Gabrielė Kupšytė, Käthchen

Dawid Kimberg, Brühlmann

The Turn of the Screw at RBO Linbury: Darkness and denial

Eleanor Knight, 26th March

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.

Jonas Kaufmann ails as Werther, but Covent Garden hails Aigul Akhmetshina's Charlotte