Glamorous characters, splendid locations and the rich seductive sounds of a Strauss Opera: Der Rosenkavalier returns to The Royal Opera in the famous and lavish period production by Oscar - winning film director John Schlesinger. Set in mid-18th-century Vienna, this romantic comedy follows the course of love of Sophie and Octavian and the comic downfall of Baron Ochs. Through it all, the sophisticated Marschallin - one of the great roles of opera - comes to terms in poignant fashion with passing life and changing love.
This is a showpiece of an opera in every way, not least for the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House under Kirill Petrenko, and for the appropriate indulgence of its stage images through the beautiful designs. The wonderful score has an opulence and shimmer, whether in the famous Act II presentation of the Rose or the Whirling Viennese waltzes of Act III. The combination of Strauss, this production and a splendid cast make this a night at the opera at its most glorious and glamorous. And what a wonderful treat it also makes to brighten December's darkness with seasonal sparkle. |
