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“That both these productions work is largely due to Jesús López Cobos's theatrically vital and style-sensitive conducting and two strong casts.” BBC Music Magazine, December 2007 ****

“It is a genuine pleasure to welcome a new production of Cav and Pag that presents the contrasting tales of jealousy and infidelity with sincerity and dramatic flair. Giancarlo del Monaco and his designer, Johannes Leiacker, set Cavalleria in a stark townscape of white painted buildings and masonry, the black-clad Sicilian women silhouetted under the fierce sunlight. The Easter Hymn is made all the more tense by a parade of penitents dragging a cross. Violeta Urmana and Vincenzo La Scola are well paired as Santuzza and Turridu, their confrontation interrupted by the unusually attractive Lola of Dragana Jugovich. Marco di Felice conveys the terrible pain that Alfio feels on learning of his wife's affair – the fight between him and Turridu is played out onstage, the challenge taken up when a glass of wine is emptied on to the floor.
The great Viorica Cortez is a dignified Mamma Lucia. As Turridu's body is carried away at the end, the scene changes seamlessly into the opening of Pagliacci (the Prologue to which is sung from the stalls right at the start of the evening by Carlo Guelfi).
From the 1890s setting of Cav we have moved forward 50 years, and the travelling players arrive in a lorry, with posters for the show on the outside – the mood is a bit like Fellini's LaStrada. From the outset, this Pagliacci becomes a really painful story to watch. María Bayo is superb as Nedda, tough and wilful, but trapped by the overbearing Canio of Vladimir Galouzine.
His voice is very baritonal in quality, the high notes not always easily achieved, but what tremendous authority and passion he brings to the part; he really has it in him to become the leading dramatic tenor of our time. All the other parts are well cast and the crowd scenes are beautifully handled. Jesús López-Cobos leads the Madrid forces in a performance that could not easily be surpassed anywhere nowadays.
Angel Luis Ramírez, deserves high praise for capturing Del Monaco's intense staging so well.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“…a lively and picturesque production of a romantic comedy.” Sydney Morning Herald

“…Yves Abel's propulsive conducting in this Bilbao performance makes a positive case for the score. The dramatic weaknesses… are much less well disguised in Ignacio García's static production and Domenico Franchi's heavy designs. Ildar Abrazakov brings gravitas and warmth to the title role... and the soprano Evelyn Herlitzius is compelling as Oberto's daughter, Leonora.” BBC Music Magazine, January 2008 ***

“‘…shot through with genius and is recognizably Verdi's from the first slashing phrase…” New York Times

“It is nothing short of staggering to see how Carsen, using only light and shade, manages to create new spaces again and again within this dreadful labyrinth of steel. Fabio Luisi conducts the Vienna Symphony Orchestra as though in a beguiling dream. Every single instrumental ornament, no matter how small, is clearly audible on the evening air. The ensemble, freed from the obligation to produce great volume in sound, can now concentrate entirely on beauty of tone and expression.” Stuttgarter Zeitung

“Sutherland’s voice retains the sheen of old gold, and can still get up to its agile, vertiginous tricks” The Observer

“Celibidache makes the most of Prokofiev's balletic moments, and has a keen sense of pacing and balance in Strauss. The sound could be more opulent, both from the orchestra, and as recorded.” BBC Music Magazine, September 2007 ***

“His intense, finely balanced and deeply felt interpretations made him one of the greatest names in twentieth century orchestral conducting. Above all, he was a superb technician.” All Music Guide

“Even with a reduced orchestra, Celibidache creates a full sound here. But there's also some energetic and precise phrasing, lightness in the fast movements, and obvious enjoyment from a beaming conductor.” BBC Music Magazine, September 2007 ***

“‘Mr. D’Rivera, a gifted saxophonist and clarinettist has become the man to call if you want a concert-hall presentation of Pan-Latin music” New York Times