PAST PRODUCTION REVIEWS

“The abundance of mellifluous arias is well sung by the cast. Particularly powerful are the scenes between mezzos, Carolyn Holt as Cornelia and Sharon Carty as Sesto.”

“Anna Devin as Cleopatra moves effortlessly from coquettish seduction to emotional heartbreak. German countertenor, Nils Wanderer is both comical and menacing as Tolomeo.”

“American baritone Dean Murphy brings a welcome bass ballast to the ensemble.”

“In the title role, Dutch contralto Ingeborg Brocheler has a lovely moment in Act 3 when Caesar can’t resist a smile as the resident ‘augellin’ or little bird chirrups as if on cue in the aria Se in Fiorito Ameno Prato with in tandem with a violin obligado.”

“Giulio Cesare - characterful, lustrous Handel on parade. An infinitely various cast compels as the splendour falls on castle walls”

“Anna Devin’s achievement as an infinitely various Cleopatra will not be eclipsed by Louise Alder’s eagerly-awaited characterisation at Glyndebourne.”

“Over the Irish sea, in the grounds of a castle with exquisite gardens above the lushly wooded valley of the river Blackwater, they’ve pulled it off."

"This is a singular triumph of which Caesar would be proud”.

“This was earnest, dark-hued, grown-up, even a tad low-octane – but with high musical values and strong direction.”

“Anna Devin…covered all the bases of a complicated role, all sassy confidence in taunting Tolomeo and seducing Julius, then the sudden unexpected (to her and us) access of soul when she fears he is dead.”

“Sharon Carty’s great performance, fighting with fear and indecision with concentrated, undemonstrative actorly art. Carolyn Holt handled Cornelia’s monomaniac misery sympathetically, and the smaller roles (there are no boring ones, unlike much opera seria) were absolutely central to the drama and delivered terrifically well.” “Cornelia and Sesto brought a real emotional heart to things with centred, rock-solid performances.”

"Tolomeo’s arias were delivered with increasing feline stylishness (and the raised profile of him and the smaller 'adviser' roles skewed the drama in interesting ways)…”

“McGegan’s band played with a cultured bounciness, unafraid to take things strikingly slowly in the deeper arias, the virtuoso solos admirably done.”

“BVOF’s Giulio Cesare delivers in spades.”

“Ingeborg Bröcheler (contralto) as Giulio Cesare commands the auditorium with her swaggering presence. Nils Wanderer (countertenor) is brilliant as Tolomeo, the Egyptian king of high camp and Machiavellian darkness. Anna Devin (soprano) as the seductive Cleopatra, Carolyn Holt (mezzo-soprano) as the grief-stricken Cornelia and Sharon Carty (mezzo-soprano) as the vengeful Sesto, likewise deliver full blooded and nuanced performances.”

“The twenty-plus arias represent a smorgasbord of contrasting emotions and dazzling technical virtuosity from all the leads, but if forced to pick just one—a real sword-at-the-head choice—it would be (Anna) Devin’s “Se pietà di me non senti,” delivered with heart-wrenching emotion.”

“The 25-strong Irish Baroque Orchestra, steered by conductor Nicholas McGegan, interprets the rhythmically lively score with equal parts brio and aching finesse.”

“Bravura performances all round, further cementing Blackwater Valley Opera Festival’s reputation as a jewel in Waterford 's cultural calendar.”

“…This performance was almost perfect. Tom Creed, one of Ireland's leading theatre and opera directors, directed the actors with precision, attention to detail and, above all, a suspenseful mix of drama and humour…nothing distracted from their acting and, above all, their vocal art."

"First-class ensemble: Among the many brilliant performances, the leading Irish soprano Anna Devin in the role of Cleopatra was the undisputed star of the evening: vocally, she effortlessly and in a crystal-clear tone scaled the breakneck coloraturas of Handel's masterpiece. The German countertenor Nils Wanderer gave Tolomeo, Cleopatra's hateful and scheming brother, not only phenomenal vocal power at dizzying heights but also dazzling humour. The duet between mother Cornelia and her "son" Sesto - sung by the celebrated Irish mezzo-sopranos Carolyn Holt and Sharon Carty - was enchanting in its harmonic perfection. The Caesar of the Dutch contralto Ingeborg Bröcheler … improved to a touching, harmonious love duet with the ravishing Cleopatra of Anna Devin."

Impressive Gluck production among the treats in Lismore - Orfeo ed Euridice was possibly the best ever opera seen at the festival.

Another innovation is the engagement of a choreographer, David Bolger, as director. Eight dancers of CoisCéim Dance Theatre, blended unobtrusively with an eleven-strong chorus, moved around the wide stable yard space in beautifully choreographed movements creating striking tableaux as the denizens of Earth, the Elysian Fields, and the Underworld. Peter Whelan directed the Irish Baroque Orchestra…stand-out moments were the solos on harp and a soulful chalumeau. Maree Kearns sets were dominated by heavy wooden gates, and monochrome costumes evoked a black and white Victorian era. Chinese countertenor Meili Li carried the show in the title role. His delivery of the lament Che Faro did not disappoint in its poignant intensity. Aoife Gibney as Euridice was radiant in a glittering snow-white gown. Kelli-Ann Masterson as Amor stole the scenes in a cheeky pantomime costume with top hat askew.

As darkness descended in act 3, Eamon Fox’s dramatic lighting design came into play creating a magical sense of between-worlds in the most memorable production that I have seen at Lismore.

"Elysian" is the best way to describe the dream gardens of Ireland's Lismore Castle in early June: lupins, alliums and peonies rampant in endless herbaceous borders, supernatural perspectives towards the main building on various levels.

Putting David Bolger, Artistic Director and co-founder of CoisCéim Dance Company, in charge of what is in essence an 18th century opera-ballet, was a bold move. His team of eight charismatic dancers rose to the challenge of the set pieces in diverse nimble and original ways….Aoife Gibney as Euridice was the most accomplished of the three soloists.

(Meili) Li …. in Gluck’s best-known number, “Che farò senza Euridice”: a riveting delivery of schizoid switches between soft-voiced tenderness and lacerating grief, complete with well-judged ornamentations.

Blackwater Valley Opera Festival has grown but at its heart remains a short annual opera season in Lismore Castle, tucked away in the lush countryside of west Waterford… suddenly arriving in this oasis of botanical charm – the castle gardens really are amazing – is quite surreal. As well, everyone is so nice and helpful, and the catering is a delight. Why Fáilte Ireland doesn’t go nuts over this event is a mystery.

Director and choreographer David Bolger prefers a narrow palette of colours, black for mourning and the shades of hell, white for the blessed spirits, while a smattering of hats and umbrellas takes us close to the world of Magritte. The Irish Baroque Orchestra directed by Peter Whelan return to this music with evident relish, with the (uncredited) smoky tang of a chalumeau solo – as echo to Orfeo’s first-act cries for Euridice – a novel addition. (Kelli-Ann) Masterson’s excellent singing tonight confirms that she is clearly an artist to watch out for, her playful take on Amor nicely poised. From a vocal and dramatic point of view, however, the star of the show has to be Aoife Gibney. (Aoife) Gibney’s Euridice is febrile and impassioned, and her short appearance in the third act suddenly sets this drama alight. Her voice is richly expressive, scaled well for this production but clearly capable of more, and her presence also brings out a stronger performance from Li, their duet a superb moment.

After she vanishes in a pall of smoke, the ‘happy-ending’ of this version of the story brings everyone back on stage – and raises some interesting questions. Enraptured, the audience rise to their feet, charmed, entertained, and energised by the experience, before heading out into the twilit greenery.

The Chinese countertenor Meili Li makes his Irish and role debut as Orfeo with arresting vocal tone and striking presence, the sound on high and under pressure completely devoid of the sense of artifice of so many countertenor voices. The urgency and immediacy are counterparted by a skill in intimate, honed-down moments, delivered almost like asides.