![]() ![]() Molly O’Cathain’s set is basically a box made from slabs of glowing sandstone, and it loves the voices, especially that of the sweet-toned countertenor Eric Jurenas as the hapless go-between Andronico. The ensuing story mainly milks the baroque opera tropes of love, betrayal and disguise, but it’s a credit to Thomas’s insightful direction and to the six-strong cast that we remain invested in it, rooting for Gianluca Margheri’s noble-sounding Bajazet and wondering what James Laing’s thuggish, volatile Tamerlano will do next. Thomas adds a bit of helpful context with an opening monologue giving the story so far, introducing the title character as “the Thunderbolt of Allah” and his captor, Tamerlano, is a warlord descended from Genghis Khan. Bajazet is the first Vivaldi opera to be staged under the Royal Opera House’s roof, and if anyone needs persuading that this is a good idea then Adele Thomas’s production, a collaboration with Irish National Opera that has already toured Ireland for two weeks, should do the trick. ![]() Two decades ago the operas began to appear in earnest on disc now, with audiences ready to look beyond Handel for a baroque opera fix, they are reaching the stage. T hirty-odd years ago everyone was too busy listening to Vivaldi’s concertos to bother about his 90 or so operas. ![]()
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