Review
ROH's
all-star cast comes up trumps
Hvorostovsky, Mattila, Barstow and Galouzine all excel in an unmissable 'Queen of Spades' at Covent Garden
Tchaikovsky:
Queen of Spades
Royal Opera
House
Dates
12/5/2001 28/5/2001
Charles Osborne
for Artsworld
Tchaikovsky's
powerful 'Queen of Spades' has returned to the Royal Opera House
for the first time in 14 years in a stunning new production by
Francesca Zambello, with wonderfully impressionistic decor by
Peter J Davison.
A largely Russian and Slavic cast does full justice to the work,
with Vladimir Galouzine's strong, baritonal tenor making his
portrayal of the obsessive Gherman absolutely thrilling. The
opera has one or two longueurs, noticeably at the beginning of
Act I Scene 2, but for the most part it holds one attention with
ease.
Dmitri Hvorostovsky is perfectly cast as Prince Yeletsky, and
delivers his outpouring of love to Liza with a most convincing
passion. Josephine Barstow is an unforgettable Countess, and
Karita Mattila looks and sounds beautiful as Liza.
From its plangent opening to its exciting final chords,
Tchaikovsky's mellifluous score is played superbly by the
orchestra under Bernard Haitink. Not to be missed. (Final
performance, May 28.)
English National Opera is currently reviving Matthew Warchus's
exemplary production of Verdi's glorious, life-enhancing
'Falstaff', a much more successful and enjoyable work of art than
Shakespeare's potboiler, 'The Merry Wives of Windsor', on which
it is based. And how marvellous to have decor - by Laura Hopkins
- that does not offend the eye, but reallly looks like a
poeticised Elizabethan Windsor. Andrew Shore is a powerful
Falstaff, Ashley Holland a formidable Ford, despite being almost
as bulky as Falstaff, and Yvonne Kenny is a delectable Alice
Ford. All the other roles are splendidly sung and acted, with
Toby Spence and Susan Gritton a personable and sweet-voiced pair
of lovers. The orchestra plays with ebullience and authentic
Verdian style under Paul Daniel. (Final performance, May 26.)
(C) Artsworld, 2001