Figaro's marriage; Die

The agreement of Boris Johnsons Chaotic Brexit simply forgot that withdrawing from Europe would not only make life difficult for exporters, it would place huge barriers in terms of musicians. He speaks of trying to relieve these restrictions, but is there the political will to reflect too? Music is a huge employee for this country, but musical education becomes the reserve of those who can afford it. If our new government is serious to support the arts (and growth), it must make music a natural part of the study program and help create real opportunities for those who want to progress. It looks like vain hope when disability services are reduced and defense expenses are increasing, but we know that access to music in any form whatsoever and at any level can have a positive effect on the health and well-being of young people. It's better than watching a screen.

What irony, then, that Great Britain, considered around the world to be a leading center of excellence for musical training at the conservatory, has so few opportunities for graduates once they are ready for work. Traditionally, the new British singers had to go to Europe to acquire the experience that they cannot find at home, but now the documents around visas and work permits make it an intimidating perspective, both for the singer and the employer. And the opportunity for the world public to hear young artists decreases even more with the threats Removal of BBC Radio 3 of digital services abroad. Given all of this, it is rewarding to see that the bearing figures have remained consistent in two of our best royal colleges, and to judge by two new productions of Mozart staged last week whatever the obstacles, new stars emerge.

A name to watch is Ross Fettes, who sang Figaro in the first of the two casts of the Royal College of Musics Figaro's marriage,, Directed with the mind and charm of Jeremy Sams. Fettes is the whole package, having a low and lyrical bass and an agile way with the comedy during the extinct of his lesser boss, Count Almaviva, sung by Sam Hird, a strong artist who grew up in stature while the evening progressed. Charlotte Jane Kennedy triumphed over Susanna, equally cunning Figaros, her creamy soprano voice carrying it effortlessly through one of the most demanding roles in the repertoire.

The Soprano Madeline Boreham brought an admirable and dignified grace to her representation of the Countess Almaviva, and a good control to her centerpiece Aria Dove Sono. Mezzo Cecilia Yufan Zhang was wonderfully energetic as a Cherubino page, and notable among the smallest roles was Tenor Marcus Swietlicki like Basilio, Alexandria Moon like Marcellina and Bella Marslen like Barbarina. The diction was strong throughout and the whole singing particularly impressive.

The RCM Opera Orchestra responded well to the conductor Michael Rosewels measured Tempe, with some beautiful woods playing particularly obvious. The director of the Scott Howland movement improved comedy with a full-minded leg game, in a production that took place in a French castle in the 1980s in ruins, designed by Alex Doidge-Green and lit by Tim Mitchell.

The lighting of Charlie Morgan Jones played a central role in the Royal Academy of Music in his production of MagicThe bare scene dominated by dozens of fixed projectors and about 20 neon bands that hovered, raised and descended in a balletic emulation of the action that was even transformed into the magic flute of the title. Mozarts Singspiel is constantly adaptable, and here the director Jamie Manton and the designer Justin Nardella chose to make the Sage Sarastro a charismatic surgeon and his temple a hospital, with patients and faithful. But having actors in dresses and masks fighting with tubes and respiratory apparatus as the opening progressed was uncomfortable on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the locking of the pandemic.

In the first iteration of this double caste show, however, we had a beautiful Papageno to lighten the mood. The baritone Melliflue Conrad Chatterton was instantly engaging, drawing the best party from its role as a Birdcatcher / Hospital cleaner in this extended postoperative hallucination, with carts, mops and a disinfectant. Spectacular Queen of the Night Binny Supin Yang electrified the public with its superb coloratura, which contrasts well with the velvety soprano of his disillusioned daughter, Pamina (Grace Hope-Gill). Daniel Vening made an impressive sarastro, noble in his aria O Isis und Osiris, with the tenor Owen Lucas a monostato and a properly threatening bass and Theodore McALindon a sound speaker. The conductor Olivia Clarke kept the Sparky Royal Academy Sinfonia on their guards with very lively tempi.

The most intriguing aspect of the evening was perhaps the quality of the voices in the excellent chorus, promising more remarkable solo performance in future productions. Most of the directors of these two programs will continue to commitments in the summer opera seasons in the United Kingdom and abroad, but what happens after depends as much on political will as on their indisputable talents.

Star notes (out of five)
Figaro's marriage
Magic