Blunt force trauma: a flawed Wozzeck in Boston

By Kevin Wells, 14 March 2022

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“Christine Goerke... a multi-faceted Marie, fraught with tenderness, passion, and guilt”

Reviewed at Symphony Hall, Boston on 10 March 2022

Berg, Wozzeck

Andris Nelsons, Conductor

Boston Symphony Orchestra

Bo Skovhus, Wozzeck

Christine Goerke, Marie

Franz Hawlata, Doctor

Toby Spence, Captain

Christopher Ventris, Drum Major

Mauro Peter, Andres

Renée Tatum, Margret

Nabucodonosor: Riccardo Chailly’s triumphant farewell to La Scala

Laura Servidei, 16th May

Riccardo Chailly’s final new production as artistic director is a celebration of Verdi and of a conductor whose relationship with the Milanese audience has clearly deepened over the years.

*****

The Drover's Wife brings Aboriginal Dreaming to opera audiences

Jeremy Eccles, 16th May

Emerging from different incarnations of Leah Purcell’s play, George Palmer’s opera develops traditional Dreaming elements from Aboriginal mythology, premiering in Brisbane.

****1

Orlando revisited: Olga Neuwirth's Woolf adaptation comes to Berlin

Elena Luporini, 16th May

The German premiere of Olga Neuwirth's Orlando at the Komische Oper cements it as a postmodern grand opéra – for better or for worse.

***11

Iolanta paired with Luonnotar in dramatic Helsinki double bill

No’a L. bat Miri, 15th May

In Helsinki, Antony McDonald pairs Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta with a staged version of Sibelius’ tone poem Luonnotar, brilliantly voiced by soprano Silja Aalto.

*****

Richard Jones’ clunky Samson et Dalila returns to Covent Garden

Dominic Lowe, 13th May

With Aigul Akhmetshina and Seokjong Baek in the title roles, there are reasons to be optimistic, but The Royal Opera’s revival of Richard Jones’ production is a mixed bag.

***11

Reality television: ENO’s Angel’s Bone in Manchester

Lawrence Dunn, 12th May

Kip Williams and ENO mount an extraordinary new production of Du Yun and Royce Vavrek’s multifaceted opera, with performances of great emotional directness broadcast live on camera.

*****

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Kevin Wells

Kevin Wells was bitten by the opera bug at 10, having heard a 1936 recording of Jussi Björling singing “Che gelida manina”. He has never been the same since. A student of voice, performance practice, the history of singing and opera, he holds advanced degrees in Italian and has lived and worked in Italy off and on since the 70s. La Scala became a second home as the Met had been during college daze. Now in his native Boston, he works as translator, tutor, and language coach, haunts Symphony Hall, and would haunt the Opera House had it not been demolished in 1958!

Blunt force trauma: a flawed Wozzeck from Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony