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Reviews
05/06/2010
Engrossing night of theatre makes the Marriage of Figaro unmissable
NBR New Zealand Opera's The Marriage of Figaro is as engrossing a night of theatre as one could wish for...
Read full review03/06/2010
The Marriage of Figaro
A fresh new production: genuinely funny, originally staged, and brilliantly acted...
Read full review01/06/2010
Sovereign Quality: Aidan Lang's The Marriage of Figaro
All in all a gorgeous, irrepressible production...
Read full review29/05/2010
Go Figaro
A triumphant production of one of the greatest of all operas. ...
Read full review21/05/2010
An opera Europeans would adore
Like last year's production of Rossini's The Italian Girl in Algiers, this is an exceptional production that sets new standards....
Read full review17/05/2010
The Marriage of Figaro
This thought-provoking, and stunningly realised production directed by New Zealand Opera's general director, Aidan Lang, is a benchmark for Mozart opera in New Zealand....
Read full review17/05/2010
Aidan Lang, take a bow! This is what opera is meant to be
As the smiling, buzzing audience poured out of the St James theatre on Saturday night, the question uppermost in this reviewer's mind was this: 'Why has Aidan Lang not directed an opera for his compan...
Read full review17/05/2010
Upbeat review, Radio NZ Concert (podcast)
Rachel Hyde reviews the opening night's performance of Mozart's, The Marriage of Figaro....
Read full review16/05/2010
Arts on Sunday review, Radio NZ National (podcast)
Dave Armstrong reviews New Zealand Opera's latest version of Mozart's, The Marriage of Figaro....
Read full review15/05/2010
Mozart, da Ponte and Figaro ride again
NBR New Zealand Opera's most recent production of the perennial favourite, Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro looked and sounded splendid...
Read full review15/05/2010
A spirited yet somewhat muted performance
Mozart's perennial favourite, Le nozze di Figaro, returns to The NBR New Zealand Opera repertoire after an absence of eight years in an inventive new production...
Read full review21/10/2009
A standout production
The crowning accolade must surely go to Australian production designer, Genevieve Blanchett....
Read full review14/10/2009
Anna Leese Shines
This production cleverly and sensitively delivers exquisite intimacy within a whirl of social action....
Read full review12/10/2009
Eugene Onegin delivers on promise of excellence
Simply put, this is, surely, the most polished, most evenly cast production that New Zealand Opera has yet given us....
Read full review30/09/2009
Eugene Onegin review for Prima la musica
Alexander Polianichko, who worked wonders with Manon Lescaut here a couple of months ago and brought a similar brand of magic to Onegin....
Read full review22/09/2009
Anna Leese shines in Eugene Onegin
Singing the role of Tatyana was Anna Leese who brought a freshness and elegance to the role and a voice that was captivating and poignant....
Read full review22/09/2009
Masterpiece from a masterpiece
Patrick Nolan's new production for NBR New Zealand Opera is itself a masterpiece....
Read full review21/09/2009
Absorbing, Thrilling, Intimate, Vast
William Dazeley gives a well-rounded portrayal of Onegin, a social dandy whose self-awareness and humanity evolve too late to save him from being undone by love....
Read full review19/09/2009
An Onegin not to be missed
Yet the Australian director could catch our breath with the simplest touch such as a surge of dawn after Tatyana's Letter Scene, boosted by a magnificent Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra....
Read full review17/09/2009
Eugene Onegin, with simplicity and sincerity
Director, Patrick Nolan takes a traditional approach to the work that allows Pushkin's story to be told with exactly the right amount of simplicity and sincerity...
Read full reviewDid you know?
An English translation of the opera is projected on surtitles above the stage during our performances.
Early opera resembled the atmosphere of a race course - chatting, food, laughter and loud comments were the norm.
If you are 25 years old or under you can purchase $25 tickets at the venue box office before any performance.
The world's longest opera is Wagner's The Ring Cycle, lasting over 14 hours plus intervals. That's 18 hours at the theatre.
The world's longest applause lasted for 1 hour and 20 minutes as a standing ovation. The opera: Otello starring Placido Domingo.
On average, an opera will last between 2 and 3 hours, with one interval in a two act show, and two in a three act show. Operettas and musicals tend to be shorter.
NZO has launched an Opera Social Club - no joining fees, no club membership, everyone is welcome.
