The Latest Grand Opera Reviews from Critics at The Arts Desk
Puccini and Carl Maria von Weber are the star players in the latest offering from the world of grand opera from The Arts Desk.
The astonishing grand opera 'Der Freischtz' by Carl Maria von Weber performed at the penultimate night of the BBC Proms instead of the traditional Beethoven's Ninth. With its dark, dramatic Gothicism, the piece was hugely influential in the 19th century and enjoys an impressive reputation but a slightly less grand performance history.
The Orchestre Rvolutionnaire et Romantique performed a semi-staged version here, with the great classical archaeologist Sir John Eliot Gardiner, using the score rearranged by Berlioz. Although in this respect, the semi-staging was lacking, it didn't matter, as the music was so energetic, so attention-seeking and so packed with masterful orchestration.
For the best opera London proved to be the place to be with Puccini's masterpiece - his triptych of one-act operas, 'Il Trittico' - taking place at the Royal Opera House. A loose trajectory from hell through purgatory to paradise is followed by 'Suor Angelica', 'Il tabarro' and 'Gianni Schicchi'. An emotional roller-coaster ride is formed full of orchestral magic and tough choral writing.
The production was helped by the winning partnership of Royal Opera principal conductor Antonio Pappano and maverick director Richard Jones. There were plenty of weepy moments, thanks to Pappano's detailed conducting and the masterstroke by Jones of setting the piece in a children's hospital.
In 'Il tabarro', Lucio Gallo was not quite hoary enough as the resentful Michele in this grim take on Parisian barge life, while Eva-Maria Westbroek overplayed the trashy element of his wife Giorgetta. The ensemble comedy that is 'Gianni Schicchi' boasted the perfect line-up and it was kept sharp and detailed, while Puccini's immaculate sense of comic timing was maximised to the full. The audience were left laughing more than they had ever done before in an opera house setting.
The astonishing grand opera 'Der Freischtz' by Carl Maria von Weber performed at the penultimate night of the BBC Proms instead of the traditional Beethoven's Ninth. With its dark, dramatic Gothicism, the piece was hugely influential in the 19th century and enjoys an impressive reputation but a slightly less grand performance history.
The Orchestre Rvolutionnaire et Romantique performed a semi-staged version here, with the great classical archaeologist Sir John Eliot Gardiner, using the score rearranged by Berlioz. Although in this respect, the semi-staging was lacking, it didn't matter, as the music was so energetic, so attention-seeking and so packed with masterful orchestration.
For the best opera London proved to be the place to be with Puccini's masterpiece - his triptych of one-act operas, 'Il Trittico' - taking place at the Royal Opera House. A loose trajectory from hell through purgatory to paradise is followed by 'Suor Angelica', 'Il tabarro' and 'Gianni Schicchi'. An emotional roller-coaster ride is formed full of orchestral magic and tough choral writing.
The production was helped by the winning partnership of Royal Opera principal conductor Antonio Pappano and maverick director Richard Jones. There were plenty of weepy moments, thanks to Pappano's detailed conducting and the masterstroke by Jones of setting the piece in a children's hospital.
In 'Il tabarro', Lucio Gallo was not quite hoary enough as the resentful Michele in this grim take on Parisian barge life, while Eva-Maria Westbroek overplayed the trashy element of his wife Giorgetta. The ensemble comedy that is 'Gianni Schicchi' boasted the perfect line-up and it was kept sharp and detailed, while Puccini's immaculate sense of comic timing was maximised to the full. The audience were left laughing more than they had ever done before in an opera house setting.
About the Author:
Steve Alexander works as a writer and has a good knowledge of opera London. For more information and reviews on grand opera in the capital, visit theartsdesk.com.