Tag Archives: Welsh National Opera

E.M.

WNO tends not to bring its (frequent) Janáček stagings to Bristol so we braved the ‘Newport bottleneck’ on the M4 to catch their production of The Makropulos Affair at the Wales Millennium Centre. Another inter-war femme fatale who goes by … Continue reading

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the animals get it right

I once heard this as a comment on The Cunning Little Vixen, which I went to see at the Wales Millennium Centre. (For some reason Welsh National Opera thinks that Bristol audiences can’t handle Janáček and don’t bring their productions … Continue reading

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Constructivism but no umbrellas

Suddenly realising that we were on the point of missing WNO’s Khovanshchina performances altogether, we grabbed tickets, leapt in the car and drove off to Cardiff to see it (as often with more ambitious repertoire, it wasn’t coming to Bristol). … Continue reading

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The Spiked Drink

This has been suggested as a translation for the title of Le Vin Herbé by Frank Martin. I was curious about this rarity, and after hearing it on Radio 3 I decided to go and see WNO’s staging of it … Continue reading

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Trwy’r anialwch

One of the most famous poetic evocations of the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness is in Welsh (look in your hymnbook). So it seemed appropriate to see Moses und Aron in Cardiff, complete with Welsh surtitles. Really though I was … Continue reading

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back at WNO

So it was back to the Millennium Centre in Cardiff a couple of weeks after our previous visit. On death row, the condemned prisoner is reminiscing about the good times while elsewhere frantic efforts are made to secure their release. … Continue reading

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two free tickets to Tosca

I won a couple of tickets to Welsh National Opera’s Tosca via a competition on Twitter! This allowed us to go to a performance in Cardiff, with front-row seats in the circle and champagne and nibbles also available courtesy of … Continue reading

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Sequins, meat-hooks and umbrellas

#wnolulu WNO didn’t make it to Bristol with their new production of Lulu, so I had to go to Cardiff. Judging by what I heard around me, quite a few others had crossed the Severn for the opening night. (I … Continue reading

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a Bohème that will run and run

We went to see Welsh National Opera’s La bohème in Bristol, the first time I’d had this standard operatic experience. The production was new this year, and I predict that it will be returning more than once, as it suits … Continue reading

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An unrepresentative audience for Berlioz

I went to Welsh National Opera’s production of Beatrice and Benedict at the Bristol Hippodrome. This was a sumptuous production, with lavish sets and costumes, and beautifully lit as the evening turned to moonlight in the first act. But if … Continue reading

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