Press Reviews
Press comments from
The Independent. The Times, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Observer, The Daily Telegraph, The Birmingham Post, The Liverpool Post, The Yorkshire Post, The Western Mail and Opera Magazine
GENERAL
"Mid Wales Opera's Newtown Festival has won a place as one of the highlights of the annual operatic round." "Opera of the highest standard to packed enthusiastic audiences." "There is nothing commonplace or routine about Mid Wales Opera." "Brilliant production from high-flying Mid Wales Opera." "MWO provides a beacon in an area where there is little enough opera and deserve to be cherished."
MADAM BUTTERFLY 2011
“It's another impressive team effort”(Hugo Shirley, The Telegraph)
“Artistic director and conductor Nicholas Cleobury (drives) the score forward with a real feel for its detail.
”(Rian Evans, The Guardian)
“an amazing achievement
”(Maggie Cotton, Birmingham Post)
FALSTAFF 2010
“... this Falstaff is a potent reminder of how good MWo can be... Martin Lloyd-Evans's witty, moving production is a miracle of economy.”(Neil Fisher, The Times)
To read this article in full please click here.
“All praise to Mid Wales Opera, whose touring version is an absolute delight. With a cast working as a team, the delivery of the text is crystal-clear and the ensembles crackle. With Nicholas Cleobury conducting a sprightly account of the sublimely mercurial score, this is altogether a treat.”(Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph)
“ . . . a wonderful ensemble opera, with its tiny cast so busy and willing, its reduced orchestra sparkling and zestful under Nicholas Cleobury's well-paced conducting, and Martin Lloyd-Evans' direction a model of wit and inventiveness.”(Christopher Morley, The Birmingham Post)
“ In his debut as MWO's artistic director, Nicholas Cleobury ensures a lively pace throughout, with Charles Johnston's Falstaff and Wyn Pencarreg's Ford vividly characterised and making the most of Amanda Holden's witty translation.”(Rian Evans, The Guardian)
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 2009
“Putting the cast in an oversized terranium for the heated dénouement is a witty coup de théâtre, and the performers engage with gusto.”(Neil Fisher, The Times)
“The company has always excelled with comedic plots. Wit, imagination and effervescence do not require vast budgets”
“The Marriage of Figaro is as scintillating and strongly sung as anything that Mid Wales Opera has toured.”(Adam Somerset, Theatre in Wales Website)
“The production is text-book opera for small theatres, clearly sung and acted, full of original touches and neatly costumed ” ( Nigel Jarrett, South Wales Argus)
THE TALES OF HOFFMANN 2008
“...performed with conviction, conducted with panache and definitely worth a visit.”
(Neil Fisher, The Times)
“...sharply imaginative, vivid and witty production....”
“... a hugely enjoyable staging, alive to all the ambiguities and resonances of a weird, flawed masterpiece.”(Rupert Christiansen, Telegraph)
“This new Mid Wales Opera production is original in conception, packed with visual interest, and stunningly executed...” (David Hart, Birmingham Post)
Please click here for some full reviews of this production
LA BOHÈME 2007
“This is a well conceived, beautifully sung La Bohème that any audience would be delighted with.”
“The dramatic contrast between the first three acts and the intensely sad final scene was superb.”
“Pavarotti …… would have been thrilled at the freshness, ardour, enthusiasm and sheer professionalism of the youthful cast …”
THE BARTERED BRIDE 2006
“Stephen Medcalf’s witty and wise staging. . . . make some time for this production”
“A stylish, spirited performance. . . . fine, sympathetic playing from the start of the Overture”
“This lively and fluent show. . . . splendidly executed by the young singers and players. . . . the singing throughout is first-class.”
“I have seen this opera performed several times in Britain and in Prague and dramatically this is the most I have enjoyed it”
CARMEN 2005
“Simply stunning – a richly entertaining evening”
“This was a fast-paced, lively performance.”
“…..the intensity of the story was well conveyed with some excellent singing.”
RIGOLETTO 2004
“Mid Wales Opera is to be congratulated on yet another fine production. It’s one that’s taut and powerful in its impact, cogent and coherent in its characterisation. …….. a richly rewarding performance all round.”
“……. The packed house was held in thrall.”
DON GIOVANNI 2003
“The familiar story is told with pace and a lot of original cleverness; it’s not often that these dramas find you dying to know what happens next. This opera punches way above its weight and (importantly) ticket price.”
LA CENERENTOLA 2002
"I've seen far less enjoyable performances of this piece at Covent Garden - I hope Mid Wales Opera takes that as a sincere compliment."
" Mid Wales Opera can rightly claim to be one of the most distinguished of the many small opera companies now touring the country, and it fully justified this reputation with a scintillating production of Rossini's Cinderella."
" MWO brought us an outstanding evening at all levels - it was a delight to watch exemplary teamwork presented by strong and accomplished voices."
COSI FAN TUTTE 2001
"…this marvellous production really could not fail and indeed left the audience shouting for more." "A wonderful night out - the audience was held spellbound." "MWO has built itself a good reputation over the past few years and this production delighted a capacity audience."
MADAMA BUTTERFLY 2000
"I have seen a flock of Butterflies and this was the best by a very wide margin." "Mid Wales Opera provided a thrilling performance of Madama Butterfly." "… a stunningly powerful and emotional performance."
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 1999
"This was a resoundingly enjoyable night out in the best Italian tradition." "Mid Wales Opera have a wealth of talent and a breadth of repertoire that goes well beyond comic opera." "It would be a tragedy if a threatened lack of funding prevented this company from continuing to enchant."
FAUST 1999
"And if this fantastic teamwork doesn't win some kind of award there'll be no justice." "Spell-binding ….. magnificent theatre …… it will be a great loss if this excellent and energetic company has to disband or be confined to less ambitious productions in the future."
THE MAGIC FLUTE 1998
"A gem of classical simplicity, almost flawlessly executed and charmingly staged." "Mozart would have loved this production as much as the packed house evidently did."
TURANDOT 1998
"A deeply moving production - thoughtful and beautifully sung, deserving the rapturous welcome it received." "…. the audience was transfixed by its power and intensity." "All highly adult, highly involving, which is what MWO audiences have come to expect."
AIDA 1997
"…. will go down in the annals as one of the greatest successes of even this ever enterprising company." "The Company's biggest challenge to-date and successful in every way." "One of the strongest cases I have ever seen for modest-scaled community-based "live" opera." "As thrilling to the eyes and the imagination as it was to the ears."