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Music director Antonio Pappano takes charge of this revival of Puccini’s Gold Rush opera, and plays it to the hilt. With the Royal Opera’s chorus and orchestra at the top of their game, one of Puccini’s most adventurous scores comes over as one of his greatest.
This is a classic Royal Opera production, and Bond film designer Kenneth Adam’s lavish and realistic sets, originally created in 1977, still impress. Amazingly, two of the original participants return for this revival. Director Piero Faggioni secures a coherent and involving overview of this drama of redemption played out in the Wild West, with much fine detail on the way. Italian baritone Silvano Carroli is once again the loveless Sheriff Rance, his voice now past its best but his grandeur and focus unimpaired.
Not from the 1977 team, Jose Cura is well known to London audiences as Dick Johnson, a role that fits him like a glove. As the bandit transformed by the love of a good woman, he is in sensational voice and a dominant and potent presence.
New as the Girl of the Golden West is Eva-Maria Westbroek, who could do with an ounce more vocal heft but who wins all hearts with her sentient, comprehensive portrayal.
A largely male home team provides an infallible set of miners and native Americans, each beautifully imagined and flawlessly created on stage. It’s a great night for the Royal Opera - and for Puccini.
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Production information can change over the run of the show.
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