In review: TSMF's Night at the Opera

Review

There were some serious highlights of the evening; Lorèn earned some well-deserved "bravas" after her stunning "Caro nome" from Rigoletto, and Honeywell made an impactful entrance with his first aria, "Ah, la paterna mano" from Verdi's Macbeth. Relyea made us lean in with his "Il lacerato spirito" (Don Carlo), and Nesrallah broke the ice with her lovely starter, "Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix" (Samson et Dalila). Plus, honourary singer of the evening Nikki Chooi broke hearts with the Méditation from Massenet's Thaïs.

Cute & catchy: The Schoolyard Carmen

Review

Hardcore opera fans will also get a kick out of a show like Schoolyard Carmen. It's entertaining to hear how the music is re-purposed, and there's an added layer of humour comparing the aria contexts of Bizet's work, and Shoestring Opera's. The "Toreador Song" was basically the same - a cocky kid telling everyone how great he really is - and Carmen's sombre Card Aria retains its fateful mood as the young newcomer to school ponders her destiny while sitting expectantly in the Vice Principal's office.

New voices: TSMF's Art Song ReGENERATION

Review

Hearing final-product concerts like this second Art Song reGENERATION is a bit like looking through a keyhole, piquing plenty of curiosity about these singers' work in a broader sense. Their performances spoke of a combination of thoughtful artists and excellent mentors.

In review: Laura Mvula with the LSO

Review

Singing her own songs arranged by Troy Miller, Mvula possesses that truly remarkable quality that has come to be a holy grail for singers of all styles: that when she is performing, you feel like she is looking directly at you, talking to you specifically.

In review: The Merchant of Venice

Review

At the end, we were left feeling like this was too big a piece for Welsh National Opera to chew on. With most of the cast underwhelming and the orchestra's lack of musical interpretation, it wasn't easy to sit through. We're glad to feel uncomfortable in an opera because of sensitive issues is might broach, or because of a controversy it might cause. But in this case, we were just wondering if they would make it to the end.

In review: the JPYA summer performance

Review

The audience's favorite seemed to be a duet between Francesca Chiejina and Thomas Atkins from L'amico Fritz - their two strong voices were very well matched to each other and each full of character and vibrancy. The pair had some of the best chemistry on stage, everyone grinning at Chiejina's sultry consumption of a cherry.

In review: The Cradle Will Rock

Review

Thanks to this production, I am ready, as a devotee of Blitzstein’s work, to let go of Marc on the piano stool and allow his authorial Authority to grow, to allow the ongoing struggle to reconcile Power, Authority, and Truth to be carried forward through the lens of a conductor’s vision. I encourage everyone else to witness as Blitzstein’s powerful orchestral Cradle at last begins to earn its rightful Authority by catching this production while the paint’s still wet.

Don't miss: Kaufmann at the movies

Review

Kaufmann, in a terribly cute red convertible and colourful shoes, takes a tour along the Italian coastlines. The German tenor tells stories of his childhood visits to Italy with his family, and connects his life in opera - Italian and otherwise - with the culture and lifestyle he grew to love.

In review: Mitridate, re di Ponto at ROH

Review

Overall, the quality of the production was incredibly high. It was visually stunning, particularly the unusual costuming. The aesthetic and movement choices of the production did inspire some conflict in me though. It was fantastic to see such a bold exploration of gender fluidity and campiness fearlessly played out with the costuming and physical characterisation of the singers. I also loved the aesthetic value of the costuming and set - the rich colours really brought this over-the-top world to life.

Thrilling nights: Szymanowski & Orff with the TSO

Review

The TSO played both scores beautifully. With sensitivity to soloists (Benedetti included) they brought all the volatility and humanity to these two scores - something that was prevalent in the writing of the 1930s - to the forefront with skill and unparalleled technique.