Il Trovatore at the Royal Opera House review: leaves its singers stranded Adele Thomas’s new production tries hard not to be decorous, but doesn’t hang together Evening Standard · Jun 6, 2023
‘We can’t just be in our ivory tower’: the Italian conductor aiming to open up the Royal Opera House to everyone Speranza Scappucci hopes to demystify the art form for the English public when she becomes principal guest conductor The Guardian - UK · Jun 3, 2023
Vogue editor Anna Wintour announces Vogue World 2023 is coming to London The second annual Vogue World event will raise money towards the National Theatre, Royal Opera House and Rambert dance company The Independent UK · May 31, 2023
The week in classical: Wozzeck; Don Giovanni – Christian Gerhaher and Anja Kampe thrill in five-star Berg Direction and music are as one in Deborah Warner’s gripping new Royal Opera production, while a fine young cast redeems thoughtful if low-key Mozart The Guardian - UK · May 27, 2023
Wozzeck review – Gerhaher’s victim shuffles towards disaster in nuanced staging Deborah Warner’s focused and vivid new production avoids caricature, and, with superb singing and Antonio Pappano’s conducting, drama and music dovetail perfectly The Guardian - UK · May 21, 2023
King’s College London cuts ties with opioids-linked Sackler family University is latest body to distance itself from sponsorship by owners of Purdue Pharma, makers of OxyContin The Guardian - UK · May 19, 2023
Director Adele Thomas: ‘In theatre, you need a private income just to live’ The theatre and opera director on how her working-class Welsh background informs her work, the strangeness of Il trovatore, and her eclectic running playlist The Guardian - UK · May 14, 2023
The week in classical: Abomination: A DUP Opera; Aida – review Its Belfast premiere positively crackled, and four years on, Conor Mitchell’s lush, searing satire on DUP homophobia continues to provoke The Guardian - UK · May 13, 2023
The week in classical: Innocence; Sakari Oramo/BBCSO; Explore Ensemble – review A big week for Finnish music and musicians led by Kaija Saariaho’s powerful opera about a school shooting, and a thrilling Bartok performance The Guardian - UK · Apr 22, 2023
A day in the life of a ballerina - dizzying turns, snapping shoes and wig fittings The Royal Ballet invited Mirror writer Amber O'Connor behind the scenes at the Royal Opera House to see where the magic happens and watch principal dancer Mayara Magri in rehearsal for The Sleeping Beauty Daily Mirror · Apr 21, 2023
Innocence review – Saariaho’s iridescent score keeps the harrowing drama at arm’s length Dealing with the terrible aftermath of a school shooting, this production is sensitively staged and sung but its characters fail to come into focus and the beauty of the music ultimately works against the drama The Guardian - UK · Apr 18, 2023
Britain's Got Talent viewers recognise Golden Buzzer act Malakai Bayoh from duet with famous star Fans of the show were quick to spot that Golden Buzzer winner Malakai Bayoh had duetted with Aled Jones, as well as performed at the Royal Opera House Chronicle Live · Apr 17, 2023
ITV Britain's Got Talent viewers uncover Malakai Bayoh's showbiz past Fans were taken aback by the singer's amazing voice Liverpool Echo · Apr 17, 2023
The Guardian - UK · Apr 11, 2023 ‘One of the most important works of our time’ – inside Innocence, Kaija Saariaho’s school-shooting opera Sung in nine languages, with music by one of the world’s most acclaimed composers, Innocence comes to the UK this month. The team behind it reveal how it drew on everything from The Last Supper to Finnish cowherding music
The Guardian - UK · Apr 10, 2023 ‘We’ve had to stop people fighting and urinating in their seats’: the ugly new side of theatre audiences On Good Friday, police were called to a performance of The Bodyguard – and there have been numerous other examples of audiences behaving badly. With crowds heckling, screaming, livestreaming and even copulating during shows, what can be done?
Wallpaper · Apr 5, 2023 Burberry to collaborate with Wayne McGregor on new work for The Royal Ballet Burberry creative director Daniel Lee will work on costumes for British choreographer Wayne McGregor’s new work for The Royal Ballet, premiering 9 June 2023 at London’s Royal Opera House
Evening Standard · Apr 4, 2023 Classic Tube posters reimagined for 160th anniversary of London Underground Four classic Tube posters that celebrate London’s cultural life have been “reimagined” to mark the 160th anniversary of the Underground.
The Guardian - UK · Mar 18, 2023 The week in classical: Siemens Hallé international conductors competition; LSO/ Hannigan; Turandot – review A trio of young conductors vie for a job with the Hallé; Barbara Hannigan takes Mahler at his word; and Antonio Pappano makes a thriller of Puccini’s final opera
Evening Standard · Mar 16, 2023 World Theatre Day: What West End plays are being streamed at Vue? World Theatre Day will be be marked with big-screen showings of plays and opera.
Evening Standard · Mar 13, 2023 Royal Opera House accused of ‘whitewashing’ over new show The Royal Opera House (ROH) has been accused of “whitewashing” over its latest production of a Puccini classic.
The Guardian - UK · Feb 22, 2023 Rusalka review – junk-filled staging brings magic and a sombre message Ann Yee and Natalie Abrahami’s thoughtful and effective new production shapes Dvorák’s opera into a tale of mankind versus nature. A first-rate cast is matched by Semyon Bychkov in the pit
The Independent UK · Feb 22, 2023 Rusalka review: The message fights with the music in this eco-conscious staging Natalie Abrahami and Ann Yee’s production of Dvorak’s fairytale opera is well cast but weighed down by its politics
The Guardian - UK · Feb 20, 2023 If we defund opera saying it is for toffs, then only the toffs will go. Where’s the sense in that? It is painful to see our top companies starved of funds and strangled by politics, while our best artists head abroad, says the Guardian’s chief culture writer, Charlotte Higgins
The Guardian - UK · Feb 12, 2023 Secret Things/ Everyone Keeps Me; Dance Me review – the glory of Pam Tanowitz The American choreographer delights with a programme of rare wit, beauty and unshowy complexity. Elsewhere, a Vegas-style tribute to Leonard Cohen