Mazeppa

It would be too easy to pick holes in the plot of this Tchaikovsky opera, but in all honesty this aspect is one of very few which could be faulted. Peter Stein has again done a masterful job of directing an epic without losing sight of the intimate plot strands at its heart. The soloists - nearly all Russian - were in tremendous voice, Anatoli Kotscherga's Kochubey particularly fine while Marianna Tarasova (as his wife) gave the sort of performance that makes one wish there were more alto roles in opera.

Under the baton of Kirill Petrenko, the orchestra of the Opéra National de Lyon provided glorious support, sounding as idiomatic and comfortable with the music as they had in last week's Kurt Weill double bill. Again, it is to be hoped this visit is not a one-off.

Performances this enthralling are rare. In fact, I would challenge anyone to find another three-and-three-quarter-hour opera capable of flying by so fast.

Comments: Post a Comment



<< Home

Reviews A-Z