Review: Buxton Festival Opera ****

At Buxton Opera House

Donizetti’s melodrama, Maria di Rohan, makes the headline news in Buxton’s annual feast of long-forgotten operas specially produced for the festival.

Composed while at the height of his career, this real life Maria from the 16th century brings about the death of four innocent men in the space of a few days.

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Largely static in action, Stephen Medcalf’s period production is dominated by a massive clock ticking away the time for the excellent cast headed by Mary Plazas as a Maria looking for the big aria that never quite materializes. William Dazeley provides a potently voiced husband, though it was the American tenor, John Bellemer, in the role of her lover, Riccardo, who captured my attention.

This is a very different score to the sad story of the abducted child surrounded by much jollity in Ambroise Thomas’s once popular ‘opera comique’, Mignon. Rather basic sets for Annilese Miskimmon’s animated production does take some of the shine from a highly enjoyable performance.

Gillian Keith’s superbly flirty Philine rather steals the limelight from the charming voice of Wendy Dawn Thompson’s Mignon, while another American tenor, Ryan MacPherson, making his UK debut as Wilhelm, is a singer of outstanding potential.

Andrew Greenwood obtained excellent playing from the Northern Chamber Orchestra, the chorus highly enjoyable throughout.

Further performances of both operas in today’s Classical listings.

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