Conductor(s):
Richard Farnes

Orchestra(s):
Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Artist(s):
Alexander Tsymbalyuk; Lianna Haroutounian; Francesca Chiejina; Gregory Kunde; Vitaliy Bilyy; Anita Rachvelishvili; Jonathan Fisher; Samuel Sakker; Andrew O’Connor; Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House; Richard Farnes

"Verdi's melodrama is given a grand start by Alexander Tsymbalyuk as Ferrando, majestic in his retelling of the opera's convoluted back story about burning the wrong baby. I could have listened to the Ukrainian bass all evening... An earlier Covent Garden discovery, Lianna Haroutounian, who deputised so brilliantly for Anja Harteros in Don Carlo a few years back, is a devastatingly powerful Leonora. On grand tragic form throughout, her substantial voice retained its radiance throughout and was still fresh enough for a knockout account of the heroine's final-act set piece, the spectacular "Tu vedrai che amore in terra", in which the security of her vocal command was a wonder... Conductor Richard Farnes drew some fabulous singing from the Royal Opera Chorus: the women in particular were a credit to their new director William Spaulding in the hushed luminosity of their offstage requiem in the final act. And the dynamic maestro energised the ROH Orchestra throughout the performance with a succession of interpretational subtleties whose inventiveness kept Verdi's old war horse on the gallop. It is well worth a listen." (WhatsOn Stage ★★★★)

"The evening’s musical credentials are unequivocally outstanding. The soloists are very strong with two performances standing out in particular. The first comes from Vitaliy Bilyy who is making his Royal Opera debut as the Count di Lunaand who combines a deep, rich and secure baritone with a suitably commanding presence. Although we see in his Count the requisite arrogance, expectancy and malevolence, we are also made acutely aware of just how desperate he is to attain the woman he loves. The second comes from Anita Rachvelishvili as Azucena who displays a rich and nuanced mezzo-soprano, and whose voice and acting mark out the weight of sorrow and resolve that she constantly carries. As Ferrando, Alexander Tsymbalyuk has a full and engaging bass that ensures the evening starts strongly as he explains the backstory in ‘Abbietta zingara’.
Reprising her role of Leonora from July 2016, Lianna Haroutounian reveals a beautifully sumptuous soprano as her phrasing shows a strong attention to detail, and her acting achieves the right balance between displaying sensitivity and charge. Gregory Kunde, who also sang Manrico in the original production, impresses with his highly expansive tenor although his sound sometimes feels a little freer and less measured than some of the other principals. Richard Farnes’ conducting is highly astute, revealing an eye for detail while still capturing the sweeping nature of much of the music." (Opera Online)

"Many are the directors who have refused the challenge of Verdi’s Il Trovatore, and one can hardly blame them... At least David Bösch has had a bash. He makes his Covent Garden debut with a new production that initially promises something a little different – a dreamlike environment, designed by Patrick Bannwart, that makes no attempt either to unravel the tangled narrative of civil war, revenge and confused identity, or to present it in recognizable settings. Spindly trees bear huge white blossoms; anguished faces, reeling crows and fluttering moths glow and fade on the cartoon video projections. Azucena’s gipsy band becomes a circus troupe, and Manrico the troubadour appears as a leather-jacketed beat poet. Di Luna’s soldiers cling to a tank, but duels are fought with knives. Visions emerge out of smouldering fires. For a while such imagery works wonders, creating an atmosphere in which the canons of ordinary reality do not apply." (The Daily Telegraph)

"Richard Farnes conducts with excellent pace and vim, and the evening gets off to a good start… Gregory Kunde is a solid Manrico… Anita Rachvelishvili is a vocally exciting Azucena" (Opera Now ★★★)