Hovhannes Andreasyan Archives - North West End UK

25Mar

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

La Traviata – Opera House

On a very rainy night in Manchester, there was at least some comfort to be had in Manchester’s Opera House as they staged Ellen Kent’s production of Verdi’s famous tale of doomed love as part of her farewell tour. I may as well start my review with the outstanding Viktoria Melnyk, who dazzled as the ill-fated heroine of this opera, Violetta. She sings with such power, control and emotion. Her voice is not just sublime and beautiful, it is mesmerising. It is worth seeing this show just to witness such a transcendent talent. Her charisma and presence alone made this show worth watching. Hovhannes Andreasyan, as Alfredo, was also impressive. He gave an imposing performance, full of feeling and desire. Alfredo makes Violetta see that her material life is nothing without love. The mes...

Madama Butterfly – Opera House

Every betrayal begins with trust and curiously this production of Madama Butterfly became more powerful simply because of where the orchestra came from. As they say on the telly when the football scores come on look away now if you don’t want to know the essential twist in the plot of this opera. Many will be aware of how this story unfolds but if you don’t want to know, stop reading now. I usually avoid giving the plot away in my reviews but the intersection of life and art that this production unwittingly brought means I have to mention it to do it justice. At the centre of the play is a betrayal by an American and the music for this production was played by the Orchestra of the Ukrainian Opera and Ballet Theatre, Kyiv. I hate to bring politics into a work of art but the betray...

La Bohème – Hull New Theatre

Opera lovers were transported to 1830s Bohemian Paris on Friday night when a new production of La Bohème came to the Hull New Theatre. I admit to not being an opera buff, even although I have reviewed quite a few, but there was something special about this Ellen Kent Production with the Ukrainian Opera and Ballet Theatre, Kyiv, that had me gripped from curtain up. Stage settings help enormously to reel us in from the get-go and this was no exception. Though not lavish, the setting was a Parisian garret studio graced with an easel displaying a huge painting of the Red Sea; a single bed, table, chairs etc, plus a painted backdrop of buildings. A simple scene, but it piqued my interest, even more so with the comic antics of its occupants - poet Rudolfo (Hovhannes Andreasyan) and pain...