| Date and venue | Title |
|---|---|
| 15-Dec-2012 Southbank Centre: Queen Elizabeth Hall | Gloom, doom, stormy seas, and a Dutchman flown over from Zurich: A concert Flying Dutchman in London |
| Opera being a strongly visual art form as well as a musical one, the idea of a pure concert performance seems a little strange to those unfamiliar with the form. However, removing the necessity for singers to run around (often in uncomfortable-looking costumes), negotiate (sometimes uncooperative) props and scenery, and bodily convey their thoughts and feelings in a manner visible to amphitheatre Row W, allows for 100% concentration on the music, in particular the expression of character and emotion through voice alone. Read full review... | |
| 4-Oct-2012 Semperoper | A relentlessly dark Don Carlo at the Dresden Semperoper |
 There’s something relentlessly dark about Verdi’s Don Carlo. King Philippe and his son, the eponymous Don Carlo, are both very troubling characters, the former power-hungry and vengeful, the latter plagued by desire for his stepmother. Standing next to them are the stepmother herself, Elisabeth, and Don Carlo’s friend, Rodrigo, who are both models of selflessness, but suffer the consequences of their generosity of spirit. Light relief is provided by Princess Eboli, but as the drama progresses even she despairs her fate, suffering the consequences of her jealousy and loose tongue.Read full review... | |
