From the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden 1991: Staged for the Royal Opera, Harry Kupfer’s production updates the Greek legend of Orpheus and employs ingenious sets by Hans Schavernoch, with projections onto revolving mirrors and screens, to conjure up images of a modern day Hell. It is sung using the original Italian libretto and, in the title role, the male alto Jochen Kowalski gives a “star performance of bewildering energy and commitment” (London Evening Standard). Soprano Gillian Webster is a radiant Euridice and Hartmut Haenchen conducts. (Sung in Italian)
Die Fledermaus (The Bat)
From the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden 1990: This effervescent operetta is a perennial favourite and John Cox’s production was a glittering setting for Dame Joan Sutherland’s farewell to The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. She received a standing ovation when she appeared as one of the guests in the party scene, together with Luciano Pavarotti and Marilyn Horne. “The gala was surrounded by a really first-rate performance of Fledermaus” (London Evening Standard), with Richard Bonynge conducting a fine cast, including Nancy Gustafson, Louis Otey and Jochen Kowalski.