Page 177 - FINAL_Theatre of Sound Coverage Book

The company boasted a starry Falstaff with Sir Bryn as Sir John, but Alexandra
Coghlan preferred Roland Wood in David McVicar’s new production for Scottish Opera: “not only
handsome - flooded with colour and imagery - but also both genuinely funny and subversively
dark. Elizabeth Llewellyn sang a radiant, velvety Alice.” Alas, AC’s review wasn’t for us, but this
staging should return. As did the same company’s Così fan tutte to St Mary’s Haddington during
the Lammermuir Festival. Christopher Lambton, who reviewed it online late last year, found that
“all the wit and sparkle promised by the recording was immaculately preserved…It wasn’t a
'deep' Così, but frankly, who wanted deep in 2021?”

“Classic, no-fuss virtues” were also appreciated by Boyd Tonkin in the revival of Rodula
Gaitanou’s “clearly staged and deeply affecting” La traviata for Opera Holland Park. Kudos to the
company for its handsome, spacious sail tent and acting space. It managed the usual Italian
rarity, Mascagni's L'amico Fritz and a rather bald Cunning Little Vixen, musically superb. This
was a year for top-notch leadership from outstanding conductors who happen to be women on
the operatic stage: in OHP’s case, glamorously gowned Beatrice Venezifor the Mascagni,
Jessica Cottis for the Janáček.