Howard Gatiss
@Howard_on_opera
Followers
235
Following
2K
Statuses
709
Dedicated opera-goer since first seeing Coronation of Poppea at 15. Saw 105 operas in 2022 - a record. Supporter and Board member of Opera North and Waterperry
London, England
Joined January 2019
#7: Rheingold from Regents Opera at York Hall, Bethnal Green. Brilliant in every respect. And in the list of the best portrayals of Loge (Siegfried Jerusalem Met 1990, Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke Opera North, Rolando Villazón SO Berlin), James Schouten is up there with them.
0
0
7
Messiaen at Marylebone Parish Church. Wonderfully performed by Bertie Baigent, Samuel Ng, Gabriella Jones and Matthew Wilsher (a Waterperry reunion, pretty much). What an amazing piece - and a palate-cleanser before tonight’s Rheingold from Regents Opera in Bethnal Green.
0
0
3
@easyJet Wonderful ‘speedy’ boarding at CDG for SEN means leaving passengers (including those with a walking stick) standing on the jetway for >15 minutes
3
0
0
#6: I Puritani in Paris. Laurent Pelly production so chorus predictably D’Oyly Carte style with principals acting normally. Lisette Oropesa superb as Elvira, with strong contributions from Lawrence Brownlee, Roberto Tagliavini and others.
0
0
2
#5: Rheingold from Opéra de Paris. Bieito so offbeat. Scene III looked like ‘Minority Report’. Bridge to Valhalla was a steel drawbridge. When it went up, Freia was left behind as she was lifeless at that point (she revived at the end). Nicholas Brownlee (jump-in) excellent.
0
0
2
#4: Flying Dutchman from Opera North in Leeds. Tour de force from magnificent chorus and orchestra; Robert Hayward as the FD; and jump-in Mari Wyn Williams as Senta. Not sure about Daland’s boat becoming the government Home Office, though the refugee theme generally works.
1
0
9
#3: Roméo et Juliette in Zurich. Another minimalist set (is the current house style? Surely they are not short of cash) but great singing from Julie Fuchs and Stephen Costello - also Svetlina Stoyanova as Stephano
0
0
5
#2: Fidelio in Zurich. Offbeat staging: the weirdest bit is that a prologue is added which is the Act II quartet “Er sterbe…”: Leonore manages to grab Pizarro’s gun but then is accidentally shot dead … but she recovers to resume Act I. Very well sung but maybe just too fast.
0
0
3
Love Life (Weill) (Opera North, Leeds). Amazing show, fully deserving of its 5* reviews. Cast of thousands, orchestra (c Holmes) on stage, moving swiftly between comedy and tragedy. Dir Matthew Eberhardt, dramaturge Christine Chibnall. Shame there were only three performances!
1
1
11
RNCM recital in London - varied programme, professionally and enthusiastically delivered. Lewis Barton (tpt) opened with Fauré and Grainger; Daniel Ott (bar) ended it with Largo al Factotum, with piano solo and string quartet in the middle.
0
1
4
LPO/Gardner at the RFH: Strauss Metamorphosen, Berg Violin Concerto and Brahms 2. Most enjoyable. Disappointing programme notes, though - not much description/analysis of the works.
0
0
3
#1: La Bohème at ROH. I love this production, with its beautiful and imaginative sets which were a worthy successor to the wonderful Zeffirelli staging, but this - though well sung - was SO SLOW. The music is beautiful enough without being dragged out.
0
0
2
Messiah from Waterperry Opera at St Marylebone Parish Church. The best Messiah I’ve seen for a while - four excellent soloists, small baroque orchestra (spinet and organ), two trumpets, wonderful choir, all expertly cond Bertie Baigent.
0
0
5
#96: La Rondine at the Barbican. Rather disappointing: Pappano and the LSO Orchestra and Chorus gave it their all, but (apart from Carolina López Moreno and Ashley Riches) the soloists weren’t good enough. Fabiano lurched from no acting to over-smooching. Prunier underpowered.
1
0
1
#95: Tosca at ROH. Enjoyable performance of what has become a Covent Garden warhorse, with excellent singing and acting from Seok Jong Baek. I don’t think I’ve ever heard ‘Vittoria!’ held quite as long.
0
0
8
Delightful end of term concert at the Nat Opera Studio, the highlight being the fun Lavignac number for piano with eight hands, showcasing the talented repetiteurs. The final Christmas piece with all students + staff was great, but having Bob M as a Young Artist is a stretch …
0
1
5
#94: L’Etoile (Chabrier) at RNCM Manchester, expertly cond Martin Pickard. Spirited staging, acted and sung with gusto (just too silly and camp in places for my taste, but the audience loved it). Some promising singers, esp Jay Broadhurst and Ellena Hicks.
1
1
8
#93: Rigoletto from Irish NO: Bounding with energy from the start - three wonderful leads (Michael Chioldi, Soraya Mafi, Bekhzod Davronov, seducing Maddalena with winks to the audience) and an enthusiastic chorus. Not sure why the chorus and the set were of matching wallpaper …
0
0
4