We left at the interval...

Opéra de Lille, France, Monday February 16 2026 Conductor: Dennis Russell Davies. Production: Kornél Mundruczó, reprised by Marcos Darbyshire. Sets and Costumes: Monika Pormale. Lighting: Felice Ross. Emilia Marty: Aušrinė Stundytė. Albert Gregor: Denys Pivnitskyi. Jaroslav Prus: Robin Adams. Dr Kolenatý: Jan Hnyk. Vítek: Paul Kaufmann. Krista: Marie-Andrée Bouchard-Lesieur. Janek: Florian Panzieri. Hauk-Schendorf: Jean-Paul Fouchécourt. Maid: Mathilde Legrand. Stage Technician: Jocelyn Riche. Chorus of the Opera Ballet Vlaanderen. Orchestre National de Lille. Photos: Frédéric Iovino/Opéra de Lille   I initially bought tickets for this Lille production of The Makropoulos Case because Véronique Gens was cast as Emilia. A favourite work, by a favourite composer, with a singer whose take on the role was one I was interested in witnessing - and in a town I like. I booked seats for the final performance, the only one compatible with my diary, then went through the usual rigmarole onlin...

ONP Bastille, Tuesday January 21 2025 Conductor: Juraj Valčuha. Production: André Engel. Sets: Nicky Rieti. Costumes: Elizabeth Neumuller. Lighting: André Diot. Choreography: Françoise Grès. The Vixen: Elena Tsallagova. The Fox: Paula Murrihy. The Forester: Milan Siljanov. The Schoolmaster, the Mosquito: Éric Huchet. The Priest: Frédéric Caton. Harašta: Tadeáš Hoza. The Dog: Maria Warenberg. The Innkeeper: Se-Jin Hwang. The Innkeeper's wife: Anne-Sophie Ducret. The Cockerel, The Jay: Rocio Ruiz Cobarro. The Hen: Irina Kopylova. The Woodpecker: Marie-Cécile Chevassus. The Badger: Sławomir Szychowiak. Sova, The Owl: Marie Gautrot. Orchestra and Chorus of the Opéra National de Paris. Prague Philharmonic Children’s Choir. Photos: Vincent Pontet / ONP Though I’ve sometimes complained that the Paris Opera, while supposedly short of cash, changes its productions nearly as often as the rest of us change our socks, André Engel’s Cunning Little Vixen first appeared there 17 years ago. At th...

ONP Bastille, Tuesday October 17 2023. Conductor: Susanna Mälkki. Production: Krzysztof Warlikowski. Sets and costumes: Małgorzata Szczęśniak. Lighting: Felice Ross. Video: Denis Guéguin. Emilia Marty: Karita Mattila. Albert Gregor: Pavel Černoch. Vitek: Nicholas Jones. Krista: Ilanah Lobel-Torres. Jaroslav Prus: Johan Reuter. Janek: Cyrille Dubois. Kolenaty: Károly Szemerédy. Hauk-Sendorf: Peter Bronder. Orchestra and Chorus of the Opéra National de Paris. Photos © Bernd Uhlig / Opéra national de Paris   Janacek is, without a doubt, one of my favourite composers, Makropoulos is one of my favourite operas, and Warlikowski's production of this fascinating and moving work is one of both his and the Paris Opera's best. I saw it in 2007 (see this initial report for a description of the production), 2009 and 2013, yet it has remained curiously elusive online, and given the Paris house's capricious tendency to discard its productions ( Warlikowski's memorable Parsifal neve...

Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, Saturday March 10 2018 Conductor: Mark Wigglesworth. Production: Krzysztof Warlikowski. Designer: Małgorzata Szczęśniak. Lighting: Felice Ross. Video: Denis Guéguin. Alexandr Gorjancikov: Willard W. White. Aljeja: Pascal Charbonneau. Luka Kuzmič: Štefan Margita. Skuratov: Ladislav Elgr. Šiškov/Priest: Johan Reuter. Prison Governor: Alexander Vassiliev. Big Prisoner/Nikita: Nicky Spence. Small Prisoner/Cook: Grant Doyle. Elderly Prisoner: Graham Clark. Voice: Konu Kim. Drunk Prisoner: Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts. Šapkin: Peter Hoare. Prisoner/Kedril: John Graham-Hall. Prisoner/Don Juan/Brahmin: Aleš Jenis. Young Prisoner: Florian Hoffmann. Prostitute: Allison Cook. Čerevin: Alexander Kravets. Guard: Andrew O'Connor. Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House. Just as the ghost of Maria Callas haunts some roles, making life hard for her successors, it might be said that - for the relative few who must take an interest in such things - t...

ONP Bastille, Paris, Friday November 24 2017 Conductor: Esa-Pekka Salonen. Production: Patrice Chéreau, restaged by Peter McClintock, Vincent Huguet and Thierry Thieû Niang. Sets: Richard Peduzzi. Costumes: Caroline de Vivaise. Lighting: Bertrand Couderc. Alexandr Petrovič Gorjančikov: Willard White. Aljeja, a young Tartar: Eric Stoklossa. Luka Kuzmič (Filka Morozov): Štefan Margita. Big Prisoner: Peter Straka. Small Prisoner: VladimÍr Chmelo. Prison Governor: JiřÍ Sulženko. Elderly Prisoner: Graham Clark. Skuratov: Ladislav Elgr. Čekunov: Ján Galla. Drunk Prisoner: Tomáš Krejčiřík. Cook, Blacksmith: Martin Bárta. Priest: Vadim Artamonov. Young Prisoner: Olivier Dumait. Prostitute: Susannah Haberfeld. Prisoner/Don Juan/The Brahmin: Ales Jeniš. Kedril: Marian Pavlovič. Šapkin: Peter Hoare. Šiškov: Peter Mattei. Čerevin: Andreas Conrad. Orchestra and Chorus of the Opéra National de Paris. As I’ve often written, it’s hard to do justice, in writing, to a great evening. In this cas...

Palais de la Monnaie, Brussels, Sunday April 2 2017. Conductor: Antonello Manacorda. Production and costumes: Christophe Coppens. Sets: Christophe Coppens & I.S.M. Architecten. Lighting: Peter van Praet. Revírník (Forester): Andrew Schroeder. Revírníková (Forester’s wife): Sara Fulgoni. Rechtor (Schoolmaster): John Graham-Hall. Farář (Parson), Jezevec: Alesander Vassiliev. Harašta: Vincent Le Texier. Pásek (Innkeeper): Yves Saelens. Bystrouška (Vixen): Lenneke Ruiten. Pásková (Innkeeper’s wife): Mireille Capelle. Lišák (Fox): Eleonore Marguerre. Mala Bystrouška (Young vixen): Maria Portela Larisch. Frantík, Kobylka: Logan Lopez Gonzalez. Pepík, Cvrček: Marion Bauwens. Lapák: Kris Belligh. Kohout: Willem van der Heyden. Chocholka: Virginie Léonard. Skokánek: Heleen Goeminne. Datel: Birgitte Bonding. Komár: Alain-Pierre Wingelinckx. Sova: Beata Morawska. Sojka: Lieve Jacobs. Solo Liščička: Margareta Köllner. La Monnaie Orchestra and Chorus and MM Academy. Janacek It was a...

Hungarian National Opera, Budapest, Saturday April 18 2015 Conductor: Graeme Jenkins. Production: Attila Vidnyánszky. Sets and costumes: Olexander Bizolub. Buryja: Éva Balatoni. Laca Klemen: János Bándi. Steva Burya: Atilla Kiss B. Kostelnicka: Gyöngyi Lukács. Jenufa: Szilvia Rálik. Mill Foreman: Gábor Bretz. Mayor: László Szvétek. Mayor's wife: Katalin Gémes. Karolka: Krisztina Simon. Neighbour: Éva Várhelyi. Barena: Erika Markovics. Jano: Eszter Zavaros.   Photo: Attila Nagy In Budapest on the whole singers don't hold back, but despite the commitment of the four principals this performance of Jenufa was not a great success for various reasons, some of them probably to do with it being a first night. For a start, the two tenors had a problem with pacing. Vocally they were sharply contrasted: Attila Kiss B.'s voice is clear and brassy; János Bándi's is darker and, in timbre but not volume, softer. Both threw themselves almost alarmingly into the first act, and thi...

La Monnaie, Brussels, Sunday February 2 2014 Conductor: Ludovic Morlot. Production and sets: Alvis Hermanis. Costumes: Anna Watkins. Lighting: Gleb Filshtinsky. Video: Ineta Sipunova. Jenůfa: Andrea Danková. Laca Klemeň: Charles Workman. Števa Buryja: Nicky Spence. Kostelnička Buryjovka: Jeanne-Michèle Charbonnet. Stařenka Buryjovka: Carole Wilson. Stárek: Ivan Ludlow. Rychtář: Alexander Vassiliev. Rychtářka: Mireille Capelle. Karolka: Hendrickje Van Kerckhove. Pastuchnyňa: Beata Morawska. Jano: Chloé Briot. Barena: Nathalie Van de Voorde. Tetka: Marta Beretta. Orchestra and Chorus of La Monnaie. Let me see... Janacek was Moravian. So was Mucha. Jenufa is set in a Moravian village. Moravian folk costume is unexpectedly lavish. Kabuki uses lavish costumes and is highly stylised. Mucha and art nouveau were all the rage in Prague at the time. The ballets russes were all the rage elsewhere. Shame they didn't tour to Prague. In Jenufa , the crux of the drama - deep-freezi...

ONP Bastille, Wednesday October 2 2013 Leos Janacek and his wife Conductor: Susanna Mälkki. Production: Krzysztof Warlikowski. Sets and costumes: Malgorzata Szczesniak. Video: Denis Guéguin. Lighting: Felice Ross. Emilia Marty: Ricarda Merbeth. Albert Gregor: Atilla Kiss-b. Jaroslav Prus: Vincent Le Texier. Dr Kolenaty: Jochen Schmeckenbecher. Vítek: Andreas Conrad. Krista: Andrea Hill. Janek: Ladislav Elgr. Hauk-Šendorf: Ryland Davies. Paris Opera Orchestra and Chorus. When I bought tickets for this revival of Paris's great Makropoulos Affair , I hoped that, this being the last night in the run of eight, the atmosphere might be supercharged. It wasn't and I was almost disappointed. Not by the visually stunning production, still stunning (and intelligent) though I was seeing it for the fourth time. (My previous reports date from 2007 and 2009 ). But Vincent Le Texier has lost a degree of power, Ryland Davies, though still charming as Hauk, is nearly inaudible, and the...

La Monnaie, Brussels, Sunday November 7 2010 Conductor: Leo Hussain. Production: Andrea Breth. Sets: Annette Murschetz. Costumes: Silke Willrett, Marc Weeger. Savjol Prokofjevič Dikoj: Pavlo Hunka. Boris Grigorjevič: Kurt Streit. Marfa Ignatẻvna Kabanová (Kabanicha): Renée Morloc. Tichon Ivanyč Kabanov: John Graham-Hall. Katerina (Kát’a): Evelyn Herlitzius. Váňa Kudrjáš: Gordon Gietz. Varvara: Natascha Petrinsky. Orchestra and chorus of La Monnaie. A friend of mine, complaining about a change of boss, once said: “They didn’t break the mould when they appointed him, it just got mouldier.” Until I actually checked, a week before, I’d supposed that La Monnaie was reviving Christoph Marthaler’s grungy but interesting “council flats” production of Katia Kabanova . It turned out that, though the Marthaler show wasn’t all that long ago, they’d asked Andrea Breth, a famous German director, to do a new one. In this case, it didn’t break the mould, but it was grungier - and less interesting (by ...

ONP Bastille, Thursday May 7 2009 Conductor: Tomas Hanus. Production: Krzysztof Warlikowski. Sets and costumes Malgorzata Szczesniak. Emilia Marty: Angela Denoke. Albert Gregor: Charles Workman. Jaroslav Prus: Vincent Le Texier. Vítek: David Kuebler. Krista: Karine Deshayes. Janek : Ales Briscein. Kolenaty: Wayne Tigges. Hauk-Sendorf: Ryland Davies. Orchestra and Chorus of the Opéra National de Paris. Photo from the 2023 revival, Bernd Uhlig/Opéra national de Paris Same excellent, powerful production as in 2007 , same cast except Wayne Tigges as Kolenaty (and very good he was), and Angela Denoke the best I've ever seen and heard her. She really lives the part. The orchestra remains unruly in Janacek, David Kuebler's voice is now pretty much shot and Charles Workman can't hit the killer top notes at all any more, but Vincent Le Texier and, especially, Karine Deshayes were better than ever. Bastille about one quarter full: madness, but perhaps those who were there really w...

ONP Bastille, Wednesday October 29 2008 Conductor: Dennis Russell Davies. Production: André Engel. Sets: Nicky Rieti. Costumes: Elizabeth Neumuller. Gamekeeper: Jukka Rasilainen. His wife: Michèle Lagrange. Schoolmaster: David Kuebler. Priest: Roland Bracht. Harašta: Paul Gay. Vixen: Elena Tsallagova. Fox: Hannah Esther Minutillo. Many people familiar with images of this production (e.g. the massed sunflowers along the disused railway line) must have been surprised to find it billed as "nouvelle," but Gerard Mortier has a habit of claiming that anything revamped for its first outing at the Bastille is new. In this case, it was something of a pint-sized production (originally staged in Lyon) in the Bastille's quart (or gallon) pot: André Engel's directing may have been finely detailed and charming in a more intimate setting, and may come across perfectly on DVD should one come out (there were cameras everywhere), but here it was swamped. So, too, were the voices. The...

Photo: Mamali Shafahi ONP Bastille, Tuesday May 8, Monday May 14 2007 Conductor: Tomas Hanus. Production: Krzysztof Warlikowski. Sets and costumes Malgorzata Szczesniak. Emilia Marty: Angela Denoke. Albert Gregor: Charles Workman. Jaroslav Prus: Vincent Le Texier. Vítek: David Kuebler. Krista: Karine Deshayes. Janek: Ales Briscein. Kolenaty: Paul Gay. Hauk-Sendorf: Ryland Davies. Orchestra and Chorus of the Opéra National de Paris. Having seen this show once, we decided to go back and see it again for two reasons: first, it was such a good production that we wanted to take a (literally) closer look at the details; second, the performance on May 8 was musically ropier than I expected after reading rave reviews (chaotic orchestra with several wrong entries, some cracked notes on stage...) and we wanted to see if we'd just hit an off night. Musically, May 14 was an improvement: the orchestra, though still occasionally unruly, was better-disciplined and the singers wer...