Arts REVIEW: The Handmaid’s Tale @ English National Opera The ENO’s revival of The Handmaid’s Tale, depicting the story of one ‘handmaiden’ Offred in this totalitarian, theonomic, and neo-Puritanical regime, is taken from Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel, veers away from too much direct graphic brutality but is a scary view of what might be, and is unremi By Eric Page • 4 min read
Arts OPERA REVIEW: Peter Grimes @ London Coliseum (English National Opera) A night of grim fascinations. By Eric Page • 4 min read
Symphony of Sorrowful Songs by Henryk Górecki; English National Opera; London Coliseum; London, UK; 25 April 2023; Nicole Chevalier – soprano; Lidiya Yankovskaya – Conductor; Isabella Bywater – Director/Designer; Roberto Vitalini – Video Designer; Jon Driscoll – Lighting Designer; Photo: © CLIVE BARDA/ArenaPAL; Music Classical REVIEW: Symphony of Sorrowful Songs @ ENO This haunting performance of Henryk Górecki’s Third Symphony is a startlingly but soothing staging from the ENO yet again showing us what a dedicated team of people can do with imagination, flair and a determination to explore and share the very best of music with a diverse and invested audience. By Eric Page • 4 min read
Arts OPERA REVIEW: It’s a Wonderful Life @ ENO Wonderful Life is a cosy, warm offering from the ENO, filled with astonishing bursts of beauty from a magnificent cast.. The unrequited hopes, longing and dreams at the heart of this Opera are overwhelmed on occasion by it being dipped in honey, it’s …Celestial gaslighting in action. By Eric Page • 6 min read
Arts REVIEW: The Yeoman of the Guard @ ENO A successful night and a polished introduction to a remodelled Yeoman. Offering a fine evening of nostalgic semi-serious opera with its heart of G&S essential silliness maintained. By Eric Page • 4 min read
Arts PREVIEW: Sky Arts is free for all to view from September Brian Butler welcomes Sky Arts as it becomes a free service By Brian Butler • 1 min read
Arts OPERA REVIEW: Iolanthe @ENO Iolanthe English National Opera This all new production of Iolanthe has a different director Cal McCrystal from the ENO G&S smash hit Pirates of Penzance, but looks like being as huge a success as that was. McCrystal – who is newish to opera – plays it straight, proper Gilbert and Sullivan and this By Eric Page • 5 min read
Arts OPERA REVIEW: Satyagraha @ENO Visually it’s astonishing, blending and weaving itself with an endless sense of movement, representing the public support for Gandhi in the printed press. I was transfixed as the second part rose to its crescendo and with the projections, movement of actors, changing lighting effects and full of for By Eric Page • 5 min read
Arts OPERA REVIEW: Marnie @ENO Daughter. Liar. Wife. Thief. She has been running for so long, no one knows the real Marnie, least of all herself. A world premiere opera from composer Nico Muhly, with a libretto by Nicholas Wright, Marnie is based on the novel by Winston Graham although alludes to the Hitchcock film. It examines t By Eric Page • 5 min read
Arts OPERA REVIEW: The Barber of Seville @English National Opera Two centuries after its premiere and thirty years after its first outing in 1987, Jonathan Miller’s Tiepolo-inspired staging brilliantly intercuts the traditions of the Italian commedia dell’arte and the Whitehall farce to create a charming evening of musical and comedy enjoyment. Rossini’s prequel By Eric Page • 3 min read
Arts REVIEW: Pirates of Penzance @ ENO This delightful and vivid production is warm enough to please the fans, clean enough to please the critics and fresh enough to draw in a new curious crowd this is smooth and fresh revival. Recommended. By Eric Page • 4 min read
Arts OPERA REVIEW: Rigoletto @ ENO A tragic story of jealousy, vengeance and sacrifice, Rigoletto is one of Verdi’s most popular operas. Jonathan Miller’s much-loved ‘Mafia’ production makes a welcome return to the ENO stage, relocating the action to New York’s Little Italy in the 1950s with a tightly cut ‘ Mad men’ swagger to the co By Eric Page • 4 min read
