Contents
FRONT OF HOUSE EDITORIAL Hope in the midst of destruction
LETTERS Your views and suggestions
NEWS & NOTES Celebrating Pauline Viardot
PREVIEW Rameau revival
SCENIC NOTES From the Nordic region, invigorated by new leadership in the opera house
B E N J A M I
NE A L O V E G A
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REVIEWS - LIVE REVIEWS Metropolitan Opera, New York Don Carlos (40); Guildhall School of Music & Drama Double Bill –The Telephone | Miss Fortune (42) Teatro La Fenice, Venice La baruffe –world premiere (44); Gothenberg Opera Sir Arne’s Treasure (46) Hungarian State Opera Hunyadi László (48) Germany Round-up from Hildesheim, Plauen, Karlsruhe and Hannover (50)
- RECORDINGS New releases on CD & DVD including new albums from Florian Sempey, Sandrine Piau & Véroniqu Gens; re-release of Die Zauberflöte; DVDs of La forza del destino, Halka and Francesca da Rimini. Opera Now Choice: Benjamin Berheim’s new solo album. Plus: Pelléas et Melisande on periodappropriate instruments; Mozart’s Lucio Silla, recorded live
- SPOTLIGHT World Wide Opera Guide and answers to this issue’s Quiz (p71)
COVER PHOTO: AGNETE BRUN
‘When you’re taking tired people out of their o ce jobs and giving what might be one of the greatest cultural experiences they’ll have – that’s where you get the pleasure’
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CONTENTS
Cover feature: Norse narrative Opera in Norway is the next chapter for British maestro Edward Gardner where his new role as music director is opening up a plethora of opportunities
The Golden Age of the countertenor Meet the current high-fliers of countertenor singing, purveyors of a beguiling voice that is enjoying the limelight both on the concert platform and the operatic stage
Profile: Walter Sutcliffe Handel in Halle with an Englishman’s touch My Favourite Things Michael Chance at the Grange Festival Quiz Test your opera knowledge
Summer Festival Preview Opera Now’s selection of unmissable events around Europe during the opera festival season, with a focus on Britain, Italy, Wagner and arena opera
www.operanow.co.uk
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