English National Opera ends its current season with two spectacular five-star shows for all opera lovers.
Former Brighton boy Mark Wigglesworth gives a world-class reading of Mozart's sublime Cosi Fan Tutte.
Mark, who lives near the Seven Sisters Country Park near Eastbourne, conducts Mozart like a master. His reading of this once rare piece is down-to-earth, honest, sparkling and, at the same time, heavenly.
He gets to the bottom of this tricky piece, which is full of light and shade and puts across all the complexities and twists of the human heart in a display of musicality and knowledge that is breathtaking in its simplicity and elegance.
His performance is remarkable and shows a depth of experience that has brought him plaudits from major orchestras and opera houses around the world.
He has already been boss of the National Orchestra of Wales and his credits include appearances with the Berlin Philharmonic, the New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia Orchestras and the orchestra of Saint Cecilia in Rome.
This Cosi is his second production for English National Opera and here he has been given just six superb singers to work with.
Earlier this year, he conducted immense forces in Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth and, next year, he makes his debut at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden with Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg, as well as more Mozart at Glyndebourne.
Purcell's The Fairy Queen can, like a lot of early music, sound a little bleak on disc but ENO's revival of David Pountney's 1995 production gives it a marvellous lift.
Purists might raise their eyebrows but choreographer Quinny Sacks uses a dozen dancers, as well as her singers, to make it a pantomime for opera fans.
Based very loosely on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, it uses a series of masques to play out this sizzling story of love and love rivalry.
Oberon and Titania, the King and Queen of the Fairies, fall out over the Indian Boy and they and their followers have to fight for him.
Superb dancing, excellent singing from a talented company cast, including Sussex-based tenor Mark le Brocq and bass Jonathan Best, help this piece go with as much pizzazz as any West End musical.
This is a great, energetic and enthusiastic summer panto which will send you home buzzing with excitement. Oh, yes it will.
For tickets, call 020 7632 8300.
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