<<  -- 5 --  Roderic Dunnett    SUMMER OPERA REVIEWS

Of the singers, Andrea Baker, singing the vibrant, flustered l6-year old Gennariello, has a vital presence and fabulous cutting edge that deserve to take her to the top of the profession. Lisa Livingstone's Isabella was magnificent in the stand up Convent scene row, which has all the punch of Shakespeare's Capulet exchanging blows with Juliet. Del Valle's Salvator was superb in high register, and all but intonation-perfect, though rather comically devoid of acting skills. Above all, Michail Milanov, as Isabella's father, the Duke d'Arcos, stands in the tradition of awesome Bulgarian basses. This was a towering performance from Milanov, worthy of Verdi's Philip II in Don Carlos, or Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov -- both roles Milanov has sung to acclaim. Here's hoping we shall see more of this magnificent German-based Bulgarian bass, whom Britain's major opera houses should hasten to sign up.

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