| Royal Academy Opera - London | 25 April 2024 |
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L'Enfant et les Sortilèges
Semele
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Performance reviews
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AriodanteRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 4 | |
Overall the cast respond avidly to a production that doesn’t take a routine approach |
 6 Dec 23 / Classical Source |
A dystopian Ariodante at the Royal Academy of Music |
| 28 Nov 23 / Opera Today |
Elegant Handel |
| 26 Nov 23 / The Observer |
more reviews [+]
The cast respond avidly to a production that doesn’t take a routine approach |
| 25 Nov 23 / Classical Source |
La cambiale di matrimonioRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 3 | |
Sparky, polished presentation of Rossini’s second opera at the Royal Academy of Music |
| 19 May 23 / Seen and Heard |
A bright, bold and brisk production |
| 19 May 23 / Opera Today |
A rare and welcome chance to encounter Rossini at the beginning of his remarkable career |
| 18 May 23 / Classical Source |
Le nozze di FigaroRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 2 | |
A life-affirming Figaro from Royal Academy Opera |
| 24 Mar 23 / Seen and Heard |
A lovely, lucid Figaro at the Royal Academy of Music |
| 24 Mar 23 / Opera Today |
The Rake's ProgressRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 2 | |
Trevor Pinnock’s conducted a lively and generous account of the score |
| 27 Nov 22 / Opera Today |
Unreal city |
| 25 Nov 22 / Bachtrack |
ImeneoRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 1 | |
An irreverent but stylishly sung Imeneo at the Royal Academy of Music |
| 22 May 22 / Opera Today |
WITCHRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 2 | |
The Royal Academy’s rising stars enchant… and mystify |
| 3 Apr 22 / The Observer |
The Royal Academy of Music celebrates 200 years with a triple bill and a new opera |
| 28 Mar 22 / Opera Today |
associated articles [+]
The witching hour
How my opera conjures old stories through new eyes.
How my opera conjures old stories through new eyes.
Prologue to Ariadne auf NaxosRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 2 | |
The Royal Academy’s rising stars enchant… and mystify |
| 3 Apr 22 / The Observer |
The Royal Academy of Music celebrates 200 years with a triple bill and a new opera |
| 28 Mar 22 / Opera Today |
Lamento d'AriannaRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 2 | |
The Royal Academy’s rising stars enchant… and mystify |
| 3 Apr 22 / The Observer |
The Royal Academy of Music celebrates 200 years with a triple bill and a new opera |
| 28 Mar 22 / Opera Today |
L'Heure EspagnoleRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 1 | |
A deft and witty double bill showcases a host of new talent |
| 6 Dec 21 / OperaWire |
Gianni SchicchiRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 1 | |
A deft and witty double bill showcases a host of new talent |
| 6 Dec 21 / OperaWire |
Dido and AeneasRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 2 | |
Updated tragedy given a racier edge |
| 2 Jun 21 / iNews |
Die Wahrheit liegt in der Musik |
| 2 Jun 21 / Bachtrack (German) |
ChérubinRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 3 | |
Anthony Legge conducted a thrusting and energetic account of the score |
| 17 Mar 20 / Classical Source |
Massenet’s Chérubin charms at Royal Academy Opera |
| 16 Mar 20 / Opera Today |
An entirely delightful way to spend an evening, two hours away from the doom & gloom swirling around us |
| 16 Mar 20 / Planet Hugill |
Die ZauberflöteRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 1 | |
An absorbing and enjoyable evening |
| 18 Nov 19 / Classical Source |
The Cunning Little VixenRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 1 | |
A life-affirming Vixen at the Royal Academy of Music |
| 28 May 19 / Opera Today |
IolantaRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 4 | |
Much to savour in the Royal Academy’s Tchaikovsky and Ravel double bill |
| 25 Mar 19 / Seen and Heard |
New perceptions: a Royal Academy Opera double bill |
| 22 Mar 19 / Opera Today |
Emotion and mayhem: a golden double bill from Royal Academy Opera |
| 21 Mar 19 / Bachtrack |
more reviews [+]
Tchaikovsky’s final opera Iolanta continues to linger on the fringes of the repertoire |
| 20 Mar 19 / Classical Source |
L'Enfant et les SortilègesRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 5 | |
Much to savour in the Royal Academy’s Tchaikovsky and Ravel double bill |
| 25 Mar 19 / Seen and Heard |
A slightly unlikely but highly satisfying double bill, with superbly engaging performance |
| 25 Mar 19 / Planet Hugill |
New perceptions: a Royal Academy Opera double bill |
| 22 Mar 19 / Opera Today |
more reviews [+]
Emotion and mayhem: a golden double bill from Royal Academy Opera |
| 21 Mar 19 / Bachtrack |
A winner choice for college opera |
| 20 Mar 19 / Classical Source |
SemeleRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 4 | |
Royal Academy's Semele offers 'endless pleasures' |
| 17 Nov 18 / Opera Today |
By Jove! A terrific Semele at the Royal Academy of Music |
| 16 Nov 18 / Bachtrack |
Olivia Fuchs' production of Semele falls back on some basic dramaturgical clichés |
| 16 Nov 18 / Classical Source |
more reviews [+]
The ‘endless pleasure’ of Semele brought to life at the Royal Academy of Music |
| 16 Nov 18 / Seen and Heard |
FlightRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 4 | |
Lively and very funny, Jonathan Dove's opera opens the Royal Academy of Music's new theatre |
| 26 Mar 18 / Planet Hugill |
Jonathan Dove’s terrific airport opera opened an exciting new space |
| 19 Mar 18 / The Observer |
Jonathan Dove’s well-travelled airport comedy receives a fizzing, funny staging with passages of perfectly choreographed farce |
| 14 Mar 18 / The Times |
more reviews [+]
Dove's Flight takes off superbly to launch Royal Academy's new theatre |
| 14 Mar 18 / Bachtrack |
Don GiovanniRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 1 | |
Gareth Hancock and the Royal Academy of Music Opera give Don Giovanni a "Day of the Dead" makeover |
| 24 Nov 17 / Evening Standard |
The Threepenny OperaRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 3 | |
A sardonic tirade |
| 20 Jun 17 / Bachtrack |
Walter Sutcliffe directs a visually striking production |
| 19 Jun 17 / Classical Source |
A sardonic tirade: Royal Academy tackles The Threepenny Opera |
| 17 Jun 17 / Bachtrack |
Orphée aux EnfersRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 1 | |
Riotous journey to the Underworld |
| 6 Feb 17 / Bachtrack |
AlcinaRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 3 | |
Three cheers once again to a Royal Academy Opera performance of the highest order |
| 1 Nov 16 / Boulezian |
Alcina’s enchanted island relocates to S&M club in RAM’s compelling production |
| 30 Oct 16 / Seen and Heard |
A wonderfully audacious production of Handel’s Alcina |
| 26 Oct 16 / Classical Source |
May NightRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 4 | |
Gareth Hancock tackles Rimsky-Korsakov’s inimitable score with verve |
| 13 Mar 16 / Express |
A very good choice for Royal Academy Opera |
| 11 Mar 16 / Opera Today |
Royal Academy Opera shines in a Rimsky-Korsakov rarity |
| 10 Mar 16 / Seen and Heard |
more reviews [+]
A rite of spring: Rimsky-Korsakov's May Night |
| 10 Mar 16 / Bachtrack |
Le nozze di FigaroRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 4 | |
The young singers show considerable promise |
| 9 Nov 15 / Express |
Janet Suzman’s Marriage of Figaro for Royal Academy Opera is full of divine and sexy detail |
| 6 Nov 15 / The Spectator |
A marriage of youth and experience: Mozart's Figaro in Hackney |
| 3 Nov 15 / Bachtrack |
more reviews [+]
Royal Academy present outstanding Figaro set in Cuba |
| 2 Nov 15 / Seen and Heard |
The Rake's ProgressRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 3 | |
Fine staging and performance of The Rake’s Progress |
| 21 Mar 15 / Seen and Heard |
Blue lips and beards |
| 20 Mar 15 / Bachtrack |
The Royal Academy’s Rake’s Progress wins hands down in the war against idle pleasures |
| 19 Mar 15 / The Spectator |
Suor AngelicaRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 5 | |
Two-thirds of Puccini’s triptych made for yet another excellent evening at the Royal Academy of Music |
| 25 Nov 14 / Boulezian |
Academy’s young singers impress in Puccini operas |
| 24 Nov 14 / Seen and Heard |
The Royal Academy of Music’s Puccini double bill presents the saddest and the funniest of the composer’s one-acters |
| 23 Nov 14 / Express |
more reviews [+]
Puccini is in safe hands at the Royal Academy |
| 23 Nov 14 / The Observer |
A well-directed, high quality ensemble performance which didn’t quite hit the vocal heights |
| 19 Nov 14 / Bachtrack |
Gianni SchicchiRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 5 | |
Two-thirds of Puccini’s triptych made for yet another excellent evening at the Royal Academy of Music |
| 25 Nov 14 / Boulezian |
Academy’s young singers impress in Puccini operas |
| 24 Nov 14 / Seen and Heard |
The Royal Academy of Music’s Puccini double bill presents the saddest and the funniest of the composer’s one-acters |
| 23 Nov 14 / Express |
more reviews [+]
Puccini is in safe hands at the Royal Academy |
| 23 Nov 14 / The Observer |
Haobin Wang entertains as Gianni Schicchi at Royal Academy |
| 19 Nov 14 / Bachtrack |
The Rape of LucretiaRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 1 | |
Britten’s blank postcard from Belsen |
| 25 May 14 / Bachtrack |
AriodanteRoyal Academy OperaLondon Handel FestivalNo. of reviews: 1 | |
On the whole this production cohered as another, highly creditable, venture |
| 22 Mar 14 / Classical Source |
The LighthouseRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 2 | |
All three singers made an overwhelming impact |
| 19 May 13 / Classical Source |
Not the most obvious of pairings |
| 19 May 13 / Seen and Heard |
Dido and AeneasRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 2 | |
Ramster kept to simple, rather baroque formality in the Purcell |
| 19 May 13 / Classical Source |
Not the most obvious of pairings |
| 19 May 13 / Seen and Heard |
Eugene OneginRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 2 | |
Reason over passion |
| 27 Mar 13 / The Spectator |
Romantic glow to Royal Academy’s Onegin |
| 16 Mar 13 / Seen and Heard |
La vera costanzaRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 3 | |
Trevor Pinnock led a gripping account of the score |
| 28 Nov 12 / Boulezian |
The first cast was strong as you could wish |
| 28 Nov 12 / Musical Pointers |
Pinnock Makes convincing case for Haydn’s La vera constanza |
| 22 Nov 12 / Seen and Heard |
Mansfield ParkRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 1 | |
Mansfield Park suffered from the impossibility for sopranos to get their words across inhigh register |
| 20 May 12 / Musical Pointers |
Die ZauberflöteRoyal Academy OperaNo. of reviews: 3 | |
One of the principal joys of visiting Royal Academy Opera is to witness young singers at the beginning of their careers |
| 19 Mar 12 / Boulezian |
Not one for the children... |
| 17 Mar 12 / Musical Pointers |
Barlow’s staging sustains an exclusively high level of light-hearted, cynical send-up |
| 14 Mar 12 / Classical Source |
| No more reviews |
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News & Articles
| Royal Academy of Music appoints Brenda Hurley as Head of Opera |
The Royal Academy of Music today announced Brenda Hurley as its new Head of Opera, effective July 2020. |
| 21 Mar 2020 / Opera Today |
| Cry of freedom |
Once upon a time Sir Peter Maxwell Davies vowed he would never write another opera. But this month sees the premiere of Kommilitonen!, the latest addition to Maxwell Davies’s extensive operatic oeuvre. |
| 12 Mar 2011 / Financial Times |
| I predict a riot |
David Pountney, the librettist and director of a new opera by Peter Maxwell Davies, explains how the theme of student protest has proved extremely timely. |
| 5 Mar 2011 / The Guardian |
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