An enthusiastic and vibrant La traviata

A touring show on a frugal budget, but Opera Zuid's take on Offenbach's diabolical delights hits the spot in burning temperatures in the Netherlands. 

Ola Mafaalani's staging is a feast for the eyes with creative and edgy lighting, a clever and expressive use of colour and a stunning visual display, but not everything comes off successfully. 

Young singers, musicians and designers in this Matrimonio segreto co-produced by the three main opera companies in the Netherlands show that, on the stage and in the pit at least, the future of opera is bright.

Ohne Chor, gekürzt und verjüngt – ein temporeicher und spritziger Liebestrank an der Opera Zuid.

Moments of intense beauty amid a bewlidering stream of ideas, impressions, clichés, quotations and emotions. Great performances. Band practice as a microcosm of the human condition.

Marco Armiliato's conducting thrills and Federica Lombardi's radiant Amelia stands out in the Wiener Staatsoper's latest revival of Simon Boccanegra.