The New York Times Reviews Henri VIII at Bard SummerScape: An Operatic Rarity About a Tudor Tyrant
Saint-Saëns’s Henri Vlll, directed by Jean-Romain Vesperini, at Bard SummerScape. Alfred Walker (right) sings the title role, and the mezzo-soprano Lindsay Ammann is Anne Boleyn. Photo by Stephanie Berger
“[W]ell staged and excitingly sung, Henri VIII revealed itself as a grand and compelling, often thrilling work that deserves a more frequent spot on stages,” writes Zachary Woolfe in his critic’s pick review for the New York Times. “The piece has been treated lovingly at Bard, in a vibrant but restrained staging by Jean-Romain Vesperini.” Popular in its day but rarely performed now, Saint-Saëns’s 1883 opera focuses on Henry’s break with the Catholic Church, the end of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, and his love for Anne Boleyn. The production opened last Friday at the Fisher Center as part of the 20th anniversary SummerScape season. Performances run through Sunday, July 30.
Post Date: 07-26-2023
Post Date: 07-26-2023