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...

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03/06/2010

The Marriage of Figaro

A fresh new production: genuinely funny, originally staged, and brilliantly acted...

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01/06/2010

Sovereign Quality: Aidan Lang's The Marriage of Figaro

All in all a gorgeous, irrepressible production...

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29/05/2010

Go Figaro

A triumphant production of one of the greatest of all operas. ...

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21/05/2010

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....

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17/05/2010

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....

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17/05/2010

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...

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17/05/2010

Upbeat review, Radio NZ Concert (podcast)

Rachel Hyde reviews the opening night's performance of Mozart's, The Marriage of Figaro....

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16/05/2010

Arts on Sunday review, Radio NZ National (podcast)

Dave Armstrong reviews New Zealand Opera's latest version of Mozart's, The Marriage of Figaro....

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15/05/2010

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...

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15/05/2010

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...

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21/10/2009

A standout production

The crowning accolade must surely go to Australian production designer, Genevieve Blanchett....

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14/10/2009

Anna Leese Shines

This production cleverly and sensitively delivers exquisite intimacy within a whirl of social action....

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12/10/2009

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....

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30/09/2009

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....

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22/09/2009

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....

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22/09/2009

Masterpiece from a masterpiece

Patrick Nolan's new production for NBR New Zealand Opera is itself a masterpiece....

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21/09/2009

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....

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19/09/2009

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....

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17/09/2009

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...

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Did 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.

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