| Date and venue | Title |
|---|---|
| 1-Dec-2012 Sydney Opera House: Concert Hall | The Sydney Symphony and a star cast perform The Queen of Spades |
I have always been skeptical of concert performances of operas. Operas are written to be acted, and the staging is needed to complement the music. This is what I thought before I saw this performance of Ashkenazy conducting the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and Sydney Children’s Choir in Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades. Tchaikovsky’s opera is so intensely lyrical and so well written that it stands the test of being heard alone without any staging.Read full review... | |
| 11-Nov-2011 Theatre Royal | Opera North's dazzling Queen of Spades is full of Russian passion |
| Queen of Spades began life as a sharp little ghost story by Alexander Pushkin, quite different in tone and spirit from the melodramatic adaptation by Modest Tchaikovsky, who wrote the libretto for his composer brother. This striking new production by Opera North looks back to the early 19th century of Pushkin in the elegance of its costumes, whilst retaining the full force of Tchaikovsky’s passionate score. Read full review... | |