Tag Archives: Giuseppe Verdi

Composer: Giuseppe Verdi Libretto: Antonio Ghislanzoni Conductor: Sir Richard Armstrong Director: Annabel Arden Reviewer: Ron Simpson At 227 in the Classic FM Hall of Fame is Aida, followed by (in brackets) “includes Grand March and Celeste Aida”. That sums up the problem with the opera: its general popularity rests on the first two of four acts and, also, to an ...

Composer: Giuseppe Verdi Text: Francesco Maria Piave and Andrea Maffei, after Shakespeare Conductor: Gerry Cornelius Director: James Dacre Designer: Frankie Bradshaw Reviewer: Ron Simpson English Touring Opera has, in recent years, built a formidable reputation for the quality of its productions of baroque opera, but the company’s Spring 2019 tour offers operas by Verdi, Mozart and (though not in York) ...

Music: Giuseppe Verdi Libretto: Antonio Somma  Director: David Pountney Reviewer: Barbara Michaels It would seem appropriate, give its close proximity to Valentine’s Day, for Welsh National Opera’s Spring Season to kick off with David Pountney’s new production of Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, although, possibly, the assassination of mine host at said ball could hardly be termed desirable. Based loosely ...

Composer: Giuseppe Verdi  Librettist: Francesco Maria Piave Director: Matthew Richardson Conductor: Rumon Gamba Reviewer: Dominic Corr Seduction, tangled with an overbearing father all play a part in the turmoil of Rigoletto, the hunchbacked jester. The 1851 libretto opera has been revived by the Scottish Opera following Matthew Richardson’s 2011 production. Now, fully escaping its historical censorship, Rigoletto can serve to ...

Music: Giuseppe Verdi Director: Tim Albery Conductor: Richard Farnes Reviewer: Jo Beggs Having been distracted by the war, Gustavo, King of Sweden, returns home desperate to see the love of his life. Trouble is, the woman in question, Amelia, is his best friend’s wife. So begins the simple but powerful tale of a love triangle that is never going to ...

Music: Giuseppe Verdi Libretto: Antonio Somma Director: Tim Albery Reviewer: Dawn Smallwood Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball) is Opera North’s first ever staging of this opera, forming part of the Fatal Passions season this winter.  Verdi’s opera is not as well known compared to his other works such as Aida, La Traviata and Rigoletto, however, it gives the ...

Composer: Giuseppe Verdi Orchestration: Harry Blake Director/English version: Robin Norton-Hale Musical Director: Elspeth Wilkes Set Designer: Katie Bellman Reviewer: Ron Simpson The question is, “Can you watch OperaUpClose from Row J?” CAST’s first venture into full-length opera was an undoubted success in audience attendance and enthusiasm, but OperaUpClose’s company style, originally formed in the 35-seat Cock Tavern Theatre, had problems ...

Composer: Giuseppe Verdi  Director: Ellen Kent Conductor:  Vasyl Vasylenko Reviewer:  Scott Matthewman Giuseppe Verdi’s Nabucco, telling the story of the persecution of Israelites by the Babylonians, has over the decades come to be treated as an allegory for contemporary oppression in Europe. The work’s most famous choral tune, Va, pensiero, better known as the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves, has resonated from ...