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Ariadne auf Naxos at Glyndebourne

It was a delight to go to Glyndebourne to watch one of my favourite opera -Strauss Ariadne auf Naxos. The set design by Julia Müer was very effective. Act 1 was set in a modest stately home (contradiction in terms here?) looked a bit like Glyndebourne. Act 2. The end of Act 1 hinted at what might happen in Act 2 ... the bombed country home now turned into a sanitorium.

Kate Lindsey sang the role of the Composer, and surprisingly she returned on stage in a non-singing part. Zerbinatta was sung by Laura Claycomb - lots of vocal pyrotechnic and she carried her role in solo well. But when singing at her opposite Ariadne (Soile Isokoski) she seemed a bit less sympathetic. Prima Donna / Ariadne started out somewhat subdue, but by Act 2 she was well in command of the role. And it was a shame that Sergey Skorokhodov (Bacchus) was losing his voice soon after the opening phrases.




Vladimir Jurowski conducted the opening performance (to be his last season at this house). The LPO played wonderfully under his baton. And, despite of the slightly disappoint ending (Bacchus lost his voice), it was still a very good production.
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