ENO’s new FALSTAFF … marks a further upward swing in the company’s emergence from its recent aesthetic doldrums. It’s not, it should be said, perfect… That succeeds is largely due to the conductor, Oliver von Dohnanyi, who, in a stunning debut, sweeps you away with his galvanic energy from beginning to end, keeps the score’s wonderful, if tricky, balance between exuberance and unbearable poignancy in perfect check, and obtains playing of heart-stopping brilliance from the ENO orchestra .
The Guardian
Oliver von Dohnanyi … started out expansive and measured, building to a massive early climax when Falstaff waxes lyrical about his stomach. But he never let orchestral volume cloud the text. A profoundly sensitive theatrical animal, he is just as good when things get madly hectic.
Evening Standard
Still, the production takes off gloriously, not least because Oliver von Dohnanyi gives a reading by turns ebullient and tender which exhilaratingly realizes the score’s orchestral brilliance, its rhythmic verve, the overwhelming, deeply felt humanity at the work’s core. The orchestra was at its brilliant best .
Stage
Oliver von Dohnanyi draws all the wit and warmth from the music without ever overwhelming the words. A joyful, inspiring evening.
The Times
Oliver von Dohnanyi in the pit relished all the nuances of this outstanding score and the orchestra responded with some of the finest playing this season . All in all a great night.
What’s on Stage
The orchestra plays superbly for lively Czech conductor Oliver von Dohnanyi , and the cheers at the end said it all about ENO’s great success.
Express
Under Oliver von Dohnanyi who paces the music beautifully … [the cast] and the splendid orchestra set the score’s prodigious energies flowing and send us out on the crest of the wave.
The Sunday Times
ENO’s new FALSTAFF … marks a further upward swing in the company’s emergence from its recent aesthetic doldrums. It’s not, it should be said, perfect… That succeeds is largely due to the conductor, Oliver von Dohnanyi , who, in a stunning debut, sweeps you away with his galvanic energy from beginning to end, keeps the score’s wonderful, if tricky, balance between exuberance and unbearable poignancy in perfect check, and obtains playing of heart-stopping brilliance from the ENO orchestra .
The Guardian
Oliver von Dohnanyi … started out expansive and measured, building to a massive early climax when Falstaff waxes lyrical about his stomach. But he never let orchestral volume cloud the text. A profoundly sensitive theatrical animal, he is just as good when things get madly hectic.
Evening Standard
Still, the production takes off gloriously, not least because Oliver von Dohnanyi gives a reading by turns ebullient and tender which exhilaratingly realizes the score’s orchestral brilliance, its rhythmic verve, the overwhelming, deeply felt humanity at the work’s core. The orchestra was at its brilliant best .
Stage
Oliver von Dohnanyi draws all the wit and warmth from the music without ever overwhelming the words. A joyful, inspiring evening.
The Times
Oliver von Dohnanyi in the pit relished all the nuances of this outstanding score and the orchestra responded with some of the finest playing this season . All in all a great night.
What’s on Stage
The orchestra plays superbly for lively Czech conductor Oliver von Dohnanyi, and the cheers at the end said it all about ENO’s great success.
Express
Under Oliver von Dohnanyi who paces the music beautifully … [the cast] and the splendid orchestra set the score’s prodigious energies flowing and send us out on the crest of the wave.
ENO’s new FALSTAFF … marks a further upward swing in the company’s emergence from its recent aesthetic doldrums. It’s not, it should be said, perfect… That succeeds is largely due to the conductor, Oliver von Dohnanyi , who, in a stunning debut, sweeps you away with his galvanic energy from beginning to end, keeps the score’s wonderful, if tricky, balance between exuberance and unbearable poignancy in perfect check, and obtains playing of heart-stopping brilliance from the ENO orchestra .
The Guardian
Oliver von Dohnanyi … started out expansive and measured, building to a massive early climax when Falstaff waxes lyrical about his stomach. But he never let orchestral volume cloud the text. A profoundly sensitive theatrical animal, he is just as good when things get madly hectic.
Evening Standard
Still, the production takes off gloriously, not least because Oliver von Dohnanyi gives a reading by turns ebullient and tender which exhilaratingly realizes the score’s orchestral brilliance, its rhythmic verve, the overwhelming, deeply felt humanity at the work’s core. The orchestra was at its brilliant best .
Stage
Oliver von Dohnanyi draws all the wit and warmth from the music without ever overwhelming the words. A joyful, inspiring evening.
The Times
Oliver von Dohnanyi in the pit relished all the nuances of this outstanding score and the orchestra responded with some of the finest playing this season . All in all a great night.
What’s on Stage
The orchestra plays superbly for lively Czech conductor Oliver von Dohnanyi , and the cheers at the end said it all about ENO’s great success.
Express
Under Oliver von Dohnanyi who paces the music beautifully … [the cast] and the splendid orchestra set the score’s prodigious energies flowing and send us out on the crest of the wave.
ENO’s new FALSTAFF … marks a further upward swing in the company’s emergence from its recent aesthetic doldrums. It’s not, it should be said, perfect… That succeeds is largely due to the conductor, Oliver von Dohnanyi , who, in a stunning debut, sweeps you away with his galvanic energy from beginning to end, keeps the score’s wonderful, if tricky, balance between exuberance and unbearable poignancy in perfect check, and obtains playing of heart-stopping brilliance from the ENO orchestra .
The Guardian
Oliver von Dohnanyi … started out expansive and measured, building to a massive early climax when Falstaff waxes lyrical about his stomach. But he never let orchestral volume cloud the text. A profoundly sensitive theatrical animal, he is just as good when things get madly hectic.
Evening Standard
Still, the production takes off gloriously, not least because Oliver von Dohnanyi gives a reading by turns ebullient and tender which exhilaratingly realizes the score’s orchestral brilliance, its rhythmic verve, the overwhelming, deeply felt humanity at the work’s core. The orchestra was at its brilliant best .
Stage
Oliver von Dohnanyi draws all the wit and warmth from the music without ever overwhelming the words. A joyful, inspiring evening.
The Times
Oliver von Dohnanyi in the pit relished all the nuances of this outstanding score and the orchestra responded with some of the finest playing this season . All in all a great night.
What’s on Stage
The orchestra plays superbly for lively Czech conductor Oliver von Dohnanyi , and the cheers at the end said it all about ENO’s great success.
Express
Under Oliver von Dohnanyi who paces the music beautifully … [the cast] and the splendid orchestra set the score’s prodigious energies flowing and send us out on the crest of the wave.
The Sunday Times
Oliver von Dohnanyi conducted with flair and zest and allowed all the words to be heard.
The Sunday Telegraph
Transferred and developed from Opera North, this … production was one of the most pleasurable evenings in an opera house for ages , the orchestra under Oliver von Dohnanyi achieving brilliant subtlety and swagger, the cast near perfect and the staging admirably tight.
The Observer
Which just leaves conductor Oliver von Dohnanyi to put the icing on the cake with a blistering uptempo rendition of this most marvelous of burnished scores. Energy, contour of line, overall shape and individual nuance are all there in abundance in playing that caps a richly rewarding and, above all, highly engaging evening of fine opera.
What’s On