★★★★☆☆ REVIEW ROBERTO DEVEREUX: DATED BELCANTO IN AMSTERDAM
ROBERTO DEVEREUX • AMSTERDAM OPERA ★★★★☆☆ Photo: Ben Van Duin REVIEW ROBERTO DEVEREUX: DATED BELCANTO IN AMSTERDAM Belcanto opera is an elite sport. The arias are often super-equillibristic with lightning-fast, acrobatic runs up and down the scale. The Donizetti...
★★★★★☆ REVIEW KU’DAMM 59: BERLIN ROCKS!
KU’DAMM 59 • BERLIN ★★★★★☆ REVIEW KU’DAMM 59: BERLIN ROCKS! The rock'n'roll musical Ku'damm 56 about new beginnings in post-war Berlin danced its way into the hearts of audiences and has sold close to half a million tickets since its premiere in 2021 with performances...
★★★★★★ REVIEW IL TRITTICO: BARRIE KOSKY HATTRICK IN AMSTERDAM
IL TRITTICO • AMSTERDAM OPERA ★★★★★★ REVIEW IL TRITTICO: BARRIE KOSKY HATTRICK IN AMSTERDAM You killed the bitch? I said in amazement to a big grinning, highly sympathetic Barrie Kosky at the world premiere of the star director's version of the Puccini classic Il...
★★★★★☆ REVIEW DON JUAN’S INFERNO: STRIKING OPERA SPOOF DIVIDES THE WATERS
DON JUAN’S INFERNO • COPENHAGEN OPERA ★★★★★☆ REVIEW DON JUAN'S INFERNO: STRIKING OPERA SPOOF DIVIDES THE WATERS You don't have to be an opera aficionado to enjoy Simon Steen-Andersen's terrific opera spoof Don Juan's Inferno - but it helps. The show itself is a...
★★★★★★ REVIEW UNDER THE DEEP: FABULOUS TOTAL EXPERIENCE
UNDER THE DEEP - COPENHAGEN OPERA ★★★★★★ REVIEW UNDER THE DEEP: FABULOUS TOTAL EXPERIENCE Under the Deep is a fabulous total experience of modern dance, fascinating mass choreographies, breathtaking music, magnificent costumes and overwhelming scenography in exquisite...
★★★★★☆ REVIEW LA CENERENTOLA HAMBURG: CINDERELLA ASTONISHES IN SPACE
LA CENERENTOLA • HAMBORG ★★★★★☆ REVIEW LA CENERENTOLA HAMBURG: CINDERELLA ASTONISHES IN SPACE Rossini's Cinderella has gone into orbit as regietheatre of unprecedented proportions at Hamburg's Staatsoper, where the striking Canadian creative team Barbe & Doucet...
★★★☆☆☆ REVIEW TOSCA HAMBURG: LESS IS NOT ALWAYS MORE.
TOSCA • HAMBORG ★★★☆☆☆ REVIEW TOSCA HAMBURG: LESS IS NOT ALWAYS MORE. Tosca remains the world's best opera. Even if the Canadian star director Robert Carson (57) has turned down the crank in his version of Puccini's masterpiece at the Staatsoper in Hamburg. A...
★★★★☆☆ REVIEW IL TROVATORE: BONFIRE, FIRE AND BUUH’S IN HAMBURG
TRUBADUREN • HAMBORG ★★★★☆☆ REVIEW IL TROVATORE: BONFIRE, FIRE AND BUUH'S IN HAMBURG Chinese soprano Guanqun Yu impresses with beautiful, lyrical coloratura in the central role of Leonora in Verdi's haunting The Troubadour, which, despite strong soloists, colorful...
★★★★★★ REVIEW VERDI’S REKVIEM WITH ZÜRICH BALLET: HIGH-INTENSITY DANCE OF DEATH IN A COMPLETELY OVERWHELMING BALLET CONCERT
MESSA DA REKVIEM • ZÜRICH ★★★★★★ REVIEW VERDI'S REKVIEM WITH ZURICH BALLET: HIGH-INTENSITY DANCE OF DEATH IN A COMPLETELY OVERWHELMING BALLET CONCERT An overwhelming hybrid of dance, concert and chorus/orchestral work defines a stunningly effective scenic concept that...
★★★★☆☆ REVIEW DIE LUSTIGE WITWE THE MERRY WIDOW: UNBRIDLED BARRIE KOSKY GLAMOUR IN ZURICH
THE MERRY WIDOW • ZURICH OPERA ★★★★☆☆ Photo: Monica Rittershaus REVIEW DIE LUSTIGE WITWE THE MERRY WIDOW: UNBRIDLED BARRIE KOSKY GLAMOUR IN ZURICH The Merry Widow goes to Hollywood in star director Barrie Kosky's unabashedly glamorous production at Zurich Opera House,...
★★★★★☆ REVIEW AMERIKA: FIRST CLASS KAFKA OPERA AVANTGARDE IN ZURICH
AMERIKA • ZÜRICH OPERA ★★★★★☆ REVIEW AMERIKA: FIRST CLASS KAFKA OPERA AVANTGARDE IN ZURICH Roman Haubenstock-Ramati's dramatization of Frans Kafka's claustrophobic novel Amerika is an extremely rare piece of musical theatre that can now be experienced at Zurich Opera,...
★★★★★☆ REVIEW MADAME BUTTERFLY: PURE OPERATIC PLEASURE
MADAME BUTTERFFLY • OPERAEN ★★★★★☆ REVIEW MADAME BUTTERFLY: PURE OPERATIC PLEASURE Super soprano Karah Son tops a thoroughly moving new production of Puccini's poignant tragedy hit Madame Butterfly, which is pure operatic pleasure in an intelligent, controlled...
★★★★★☆ REVIEW KU’ DAMM 56: VIBRANT ROCK’N’ROLL MUSICAL IN A VISUALLY STUNNING BERLIN PRODUCTION
KU’DAMM 56 • THEATER DES WESTENS BERLIN ★★★★★☆ REVIEW KU' DAMM 56: VIBRANT ROCK'N'ROLL MUSICAL IN A VISUALLY STUNNING BERLIN PRODUCTION It's all about rock'n'roll, love and the clash of generations in the top-notch and elementally entertaining crowd-pleaser Ku'damm...
★★★★☆☆ REVIEW BOVARY: HOT FANTASIES AND FATAL ATTRACTION MISSES CLIMAX IN BERLIN
BOVARY • STAATSBALLETT BERLIN ★★★★☆☆ REVIEW BOVARY: HOT FANTASIES AND FATAL ATTRACTION MISSES CLIMAX IN BERLIN The scandalous novel about Madame Bovary is obvious stage drama material. Despite being more than 200 years old, the story checks directly into the social...
★★★★★☆ REVIEW CHICAGO: KOSKY STRIKES AGAIN WITH POWERFUL MUSICAL BLING AND BERLINER BURLESQUE
CHICAGO • KOMISCHE OPER ★★★★★☆ REVIEW CHICAGO: KOSKY STRIKES AGAIN WITH POWERFUL MUSICAL BLING AND BERLINER BURLESQUE It's no surprise that master director Barrie Kosky goes full speed ahead with burlesque bling-bling and queer glitter in his powerful Berlin...
★★★★☆☆ REVIEW DAPHNE: SNOWSTORM AND CASTELLUCCI MYSTICISM UNTER DEN LINDEN
DAPHNE • STAATSOPER UNTER DEN LINDEN ★★★★☆☆ REVIEW DAPHNE: SNOWSTORM AND CASTELLUCCI MYSTICISM UNTER DEN LINDEN Perhaps the longest and most beautiful snowstorm in opera history falls non-stop for 100 minutes on Italian star director Romeo Castellucci's radical...
★★★★★☆ REVIEW VALKYRIE: CASTELLUCCI THRILLS AT LA MONNAIE
VALKYRIE • LA MONNAIE ★★★★★☆ REVIEW VALKYRIE: CASTELLUCCI THRILLS AT LA MONNAIE Italian star director Romeo Castellucci continues to surprise at the iconic La Monnaie in Brussels, where the second part of his bold interpretation of The Ring thrilled a sold-out...
★★★☆☆☆ REVIEW ANNA BOLENA: SHARP SOLOISTS IN MONOTONOUS BEL CANTO THILLER AT DEUTSCHE OPER
ANNA BOLENA • DEUTSCHE OPER ★★★☆☆☆ REVIEW ANNA BOLENA: SHARP SOLOISTS IN MONOTONOUS BEL CANTO THRILLER AT DEUTSCHE OPER Sharp soloists in an aesthetic but monotonous staging of Donizetti's breakthrough work Anna Bolena does not live up to expectations at Deutsche...
★★★★☆☆ REVIEW IL TRITTICO: PUCCINI AS POP COLOR TELETUBBIES OPERA STUNS BERLIN
IL TRITTICO • DEUTSCHE OPER ★★★★☆☆ REVIEW IL TRITTICO: PUCCINI AS POP COLOR TELETUBBIES OPERA STUNS BERLIN A deeply outlandish staging of Puccini's three-act opera il Trittico stuns with its wild pop colors, psychedelic landscapes and grotesquely costumed characters....
★★★★★☆ REVIEW GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG: A GUT-PUNCH OF ARTISTIC MANIFESTATION
GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG • ZÜRICH OPERA ★★★★★☆ REVIEW GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG: A GUT-PUNCH OF ARTISTIC MANIFESTATION Top director Andreas Homoki rounds off the Zurich Ring with a stunning production of Götterdämmerung, which stands out in a cool designer look with its modern, focused...
★★★★★★ REVIEW NACHTTRÄUME/NIGHT DREAMS: ABSOLUTELY EXCEPTIONAL TOTAL THEATRE IN ZURICH
NACHTTRÄUME/NIGHT DREAMS • ZÜRICH OPERA ★★★★★★ Photo: Gregory Batardon REVIEW NACHTTRÄUME/NIGHT DREAMS: ABSOLUTELY EXCEPTIONAL TOTAL THEATRE IN ZURICH I've simply never seen anything like it. Marcos Morau's dance-with-more performance Nachtträume (Night Dreams) is...
★★★★★☆ REVIEW MACBETH: KOSKY CONJURES BLACK THEATRE MAGIC IN ZÛRICH
MACBETH • ZÜRICH OPERA ★★★★★☆ REVIEW MACBETH: KOSKY CONJURES BLACK THEATRE MAGIC IN ZÛRICH Barrie Kosky has placed Verdi's arguably bloodiest opera in a pitch-black tunnel-like theatre set that, with a sophisticated optical illusion, appears to be infinitely deep and...
★★★★★☆ REVIEW THE DANTE PROJECT: FABULOUS MUSICAL EXPERIENCE TOPS SPECTACULAR DESIGNER BALLET
THE DANTE PROJECT • DET KGL TEATER ★★★★★☆ REVIEW THE DANTE PROJECT: FABULOUS MUSICAL EXPERIENCE TOPS SPECTACULAR DESIGNER BALLET A downright fabulous musical experience frames Wayne McGregor's hyped designer ballet, an international prestige co-production based on...
★★★★★☆ REVIEW ANTHONY & CLEOPATRA: HIGH INTENSITY EUROPE PREMIERE OF NEW OPERA BY JOHN ADAMS
ANTHONY & CLEOPATRA • BARCELONA LICEU ★★★★★☆ REVIEW ANTHONY & CLEOPATRA: HIGH INTENSITY EUROPE PREMIERE OF NEW OPERA BY JOHN ADAMS The set design explodes in thunderous video projections of detonating artillery and anti-aircraft fire blown up on sliding set...
★★★★★★ REVIEW ORLANDO: DISTURBINGLY STRONG HÄNDEL IN MADRID
ORLANDO • MADRID TEATRO REAL ★★★★★★ REVIEW ORLANDO: DISTURBINGLY STRONG HÄNDEL IN MADRID Somehow I always knew that action hero Chuck Norris would come out as countertenor. The physical resemblance is certainly striking in Christophe Damaux's muscular portrayal of the...
★★★★★☆ REVIEW EUGEN ONEGIN: 5 STARS AND 10 REASONS TO SEE IT
EUGEN ONEGIN • COPENHAGEN OPERA ★★★★★☆ REVIEW EUGEN ONEGIN: 5 STARS AND 10 REASONS TO SEE IT Tchaikovsky's hit opera Eugene Onegin can now be experienced at the Copenhagen Opera in a first-class co-production with La Monnaie, one of Europe's leading opera houses....
★★★★★☆ REVIEW DAS RHEINGOLD: VISUAL TRIUMPH OF HIGH ARTISTIC CLASS
DAS RHEINGOLD – LA MONNAIE BRUSSELS ★★★★★☆ REVIEW DAS RHEINGOLD: VISUAL TRIUMPH OF HIGH ARTISTIC CLASS Das Rheingold, in Italian star director Romeo Castellucci's highly anticipated production at La Monnaie in Brussels, is a visual marvel that, with the director's...
★★★★★☆ REVIEW HAMILTON: GROUNDBREAKING MUSICAL TRIUMPH IN LONDON
HAMILTON • LONDON VICTORIA PALACE ★★★★★☆ REVIEW HAMILTON: GROUNDBREAKING MUSICAL TRIUMPH IN LONDON The revolutionary hip-hop R&B musical Hamilton lives up to its wildly hyped reputation in an innovative production at London's Victoria Palace, where the style, tone...
★★★★★★ REVIEW ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL PART 5: FABULOUS ROCK THEATER
ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL PART 5 • ØSTRE GASVÆRK ★★★★★★ REVIEW ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL PART 5: FABULOUS ROCK THEATER Johan Olsen is a scoop as the gripping incarnation of raging human desperation in Østre Gasværk's fabulous concert theater production of Pink Floyd's...
★★★☆☆☆ REVIEW TURN OF THE SCREW: MYSTICISM SPREADS MORE THAN GOOD IS
SKRUEN STRAMMES • DET KGL. TEATER ★★★☆☆☆ REVIEW TURN OF THE SCREW: MYSTICISM SPREADS MORE THAN GOOD IS The mystery spreads more than is good in the Royal Danish Theatre's production of Benjamin Britten's chamber opera Turn of the Screw. Copenhagen Royal Opera...
★★★★★☆ REVIEW DAS RHEINGOLD: MASTERFUL KICKOFF TO BARRIE KOSKY’S LONDON RING
DAS RHEINGOLD • ROYAL OPERA HOUSE LONDON ★★★★★☆ REVIEW DAS RHEINGOLD: MASTERFUL KICKOFF TO BARRIE KOSKY'S LONDON RING A saturated silence spreads through London's gala-clad, packed Royal Opera House as a stark naked 82-year-old woman with an almost intimidating, bony...
★★★☆☆☆ REVIEW LA CLEMENZA DE TITUS: MOZART MINUS THE MAGIC
TITUS • OPERAEN ★★★☆☆☆ REVIEW LA CLEMENZA DE TITUS: MOZART MINUS THE MAGIC Tight storytelling, cool set design and great vocal performances fail to distract from the lack of magic in Mozart's last composed and rarely performed opera Titus. It must have really been the...
★☆☆☆☆☆ REVIEW: FALSTAFF FLOPS IN SALZBURG
FALSTAFF - SALZBURG FESTIVAL 2023 ★☆☆☆☆☆ REVIEW: FALSTAFF FLOPS IN SALZBURG Zurich-born, avant-garde director Christoph Marthaler flops miserably with his Falstaff production in Salzburg, which has received so many beatings from the audience and the press that it has...
★★★★★★ TANNHÄUSER REVIEW: FORMIDABLY ENTERTAINING AND INTELLIGENT BAYREUTH BASH
TANNHÄUSER • BAYREUTH ★★★★★★ TANNHÄUSER REVIEW: FORMIDABLY ENTERTAINING AND INTELLIGENT BAYREUTH BASH Tannhäuser in Tobias Kratzers formidably entertaining production is unusually intelligently put together with live action and film clips that weave in and out of each...
★★★★★☆ REVIEW PARSIFAL: AWESOME VISUAL BAYREUTH EXPERIENCE IN AUGMENTED OPERA REALITY
PARSIFAL • BAYREUTH ★★★★★☆ REVIEW PARSIFAL: AWESOME VISUAL BAYREUTH EXPERIENCE IN AUGMENTED OPERA REALITY Parsifal was Wagner's last opera and it is clear that we are in the company of a master composer who is in full command of his orchestral instruments. This...
