Tag Archives: Opera

Writers: Lindsay Williams, Trevor Suthers, James Quinn, Louis Ashton-Butler, Peter Kerry, Diane Whitley, Dave Simpson. Directors: Miranda Parker, Trevor McFarlane, Alice Bartlett, Simon Naylor, Chantell Walker, Roger Haines, Reviewer: Sam Lowe It's the first time, this reviewer has attended the well-known JB Shorts nights. Six more 15 minutes plays are presented to the audience written by top TV writers. The buzz ...

Writer: Music by Franz Lehár Book/Lyrics: Victor Léon and Leo Stein  Adaptor: Kit Hesketh-Harvey and Giles Havergala Director: Giles Havergal Conductor: Martin Andre Reviewer: Dave Cunningham For their current visit to The Lowry opera North seem to have discovered relevance. A highly contemporary interpretation of Tosca is followed by a sharply up-to-date adaptation of Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow by Kit ...

Composer: Giacomo Puccini with Librettist Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica Director: Edward Dick Conductor: Antony Hermus Reviewer: Dave Cunningham   Opera is an art form that demands grand themes and high passion to be most effective. Well, stories do not come more melodramatic than the doomed love affair between the diva Tosca and the painter Cavaradossi. Tosca (soprano Giselle Allen) lives ...

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: Pascal Dusapin Directors: Michael McCarthy & Caroline Finn Choreography: Caroline Finn Reviewer: Peter Jacobs Passion is a 2009 opera by French composer Pascal Dusapin that adds a contemporary twist to the legend of Orpheus, presented as a work for body and voice: a Dance Opera. This is a collaboration (their first) between Music Theatre Wales and London Sinfonietta, conducted by ...

Composer: George Gershwin Libretto: DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin, based on the play by DuBose and Dorothy Heyward Director: James Robinson Reviewer: Scott Matthewman There has not been much in the way of good news coming from English National Opera of late. Perhaps – just perhaps – this new production of the Gershwins’ musical crowning glory, a co-production with New ...

Composer: Rossini Director: Joan Font Revival Director: Xevi Dorca Conductor: Thomas Hanus Reviewer: Emily Pearce WNO ends its Autumn season with La Cenerentola, the retelling of the fairytale Cinderella through Rossini’s challenging and sparkling score. Thomas Hanus’ orchestra is on excellent, and lively form – Rossini’s virtuosic music is played with precision and verve. Even better, the cast are uniformly ...

Librettist and Director: Robin Norton-Hale after Bardari’ Orchestrator and Musical Director: Paul McKenzie Reviewer: Karl O'Doherty With a cast of just six singers and three musicians, Opera Up Close have stayed true to form and produced a muscular and engaging performance. Though it’s in concert style - music and singing with the sets, costumes and movement removed - it has ...