Opera reviews: Agrippina, Giulio Cesare and Lohengrin

IN THE second year at its home in Hampshire the Grange Festival has produced another baroque hit. Handel’s Agrippina, written for the 1710 Venetian Carnival, is rarely performed but the work pulsates with youthful vigour and has a wickedly satirical libretto by political mover and shaker Cardinal Vincenzo Grimani.

Giulio Cesare

Sarah Connolly and Joélle Harvey in Giulio Cesare (Image: BILL COOPER)

Handel’s AGRIPPINA 4/5

Director Walter Sutcliffe updates the setting, raising the curtain to a mirror image of the auditorium with Anna Bonitatibus’s Agrippina tapping away at a smart phone.

She has been told that her husband Emperor Claudius has died at sea and her first thought is to plot for her son Nero to gain the throne.

When it transpires Claudius has been saved and elected his rescuer Ottone as successor, she blackens Ottone’s reputation by implicating Poppea – desired by both men.

Jon Bausor’s revolving set cleverly converts to a Roman forum with an understage for clandestine liaisons.

Ashley Riches’s lecherous old buffer Claudius struggles with trousers round his ankles while trying to seduce Stefanie True’s worldly-wise Poppea.

Countertenor Christopher Ainslie’s sweetly sung Ottone contrasts with Raffaele Pe’s capricious Nero.

Anna Bonitatibus richly captures the role of ruthless mother.

The Academy of Ancient Music under Robert Howarth gives a lively account of the score, at times it’s like Handel on speed.

The Grange Festival Northington, Hampshire (Tickets: 01962 791020/ thegrangefestival.co.uk; £20-£180)

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Handel’s GIULIO CESARE 4/5

David McVicar’s acclaimed 2005 production of Giulio Cesare returns to Glyndebourne for the first time since 2009 without Danielle de Niese in the role that made her an international star.

Young American soprano Joélle Harvey steps in as Cleopatra while Sarah Connolly (now a dame) returns to the title role.

Mezzo Patricia Bardon is back as tragic Cornelia mourning her murdered husband Pompey and Christophe Dumaux returns as psychopathic Tolomeo.

New to the part of Sesto, Anna Stéphany brings passion to the role of Cornelia’s vengeful son.

Serious scenes such as the near rape of Cornelia by Achilla (John Moore) contrast with comedy.

A cocktail trolley trundling on in the final scene as the ghosts of the dead return to haunt the living is a brilliant touch.

Glyndebourne Festival, East Sussex (Tickets: 01273 815000/ roh.org.uk; £55-£230)

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Wagner’s LOHENGRIN 4/5

Of all Wagner’s operas Lohengrin presents the biggest transport problem, as the hero arrives in a boat drawn by a swan.

In David Alden’s new production a lighting effect of gigantic beating wings overshadows the stage announcing Lohengrin’s arrival.

Alden updates the opera to the 20th century in designer Paul Steinberg’s war-torn Brabant.

German tenor Klaus Florian Vogt is a dominant presence as Lohengrin, evolving from shining white knight to rising dictator.

Irish soprano Jennifer Davis sings exquisitely as Elsa and Christine Goerke is a deliciously evil Ortrud with Thomas J Mayer a rough-hued Telramund.

The production will be on BBC Radio 3 on Saturday July 7 at 5pm.

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Royal Opera House, London WC2 (Tickets: 020 7304 4000/ roh.org.uk; £95-£280)

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