| Date and venue | Title |
|---|---|
| 27-Apr-2013 Philharmonic Hall | Rossini's not-so-petite Messe Solennelle with the RLPO and Ottavio Dantone |
 Though Rossini’s name is synonymous with 19th-century comic opera, his contribution to sacred music is not inconsiderable; a sizeable collection of masses, hymns and cantatas reach the pinnacle of their popularity in two works that still make an entertaining evening in the concert hall or church. The first is the Stabat Mater of 1832 (revised 1841), and the second is the Petite Messe Solennelle of 1863 (revised 1867).Read full review... | |
| 20-Jul-2012 Prinzregententheater | Mozart's Mitridate in Munich through a child's eyes |
 Mozart wrote the opera seria Mitridate at the age of fifteen. The Bayerische Staatsoper’s clever and strangely beautiful production positions it as the work of a child, full of rebellious teenagers and projected scenery seemingly drawn from a primary school art class. But unfortunately even excellent singing and much directorial invention cannot disguise that this is a rather bland opera, and its four hours pass slowly.
Read full review... | |
| 11-Feb-2012 Royal Opera House, Covent Garden | Figaro's wedding makes perfect comedy |
 There's no such thing as a perfect comic opera, and I know it's wrong to describe any work of art as perfect. But seeing Mozart and da Ponte's Le Nozze di Figaro last night, I found this a difficult principle to accept: this opera is about as close as you can get.
Read full review... | |
