One of only two living conductors for Norma!!! Thank you!!!
Chris Schneider, Opera Now
At the centre of this fine performance is Oliver von Dohnanyi, an opera conductor of a quality we seldom see .
Yorkshire Post
Under the baton of Oliver von Dohnányi, the Orchestra of Opera North sounded incredibly dynamic , veering from the delicately pretty to the booming and powerful, and as soon as the opening Sinfonia’s intense, soaring strings began, I was utterly gripped . He elicited great strength from the Orchestra of Opera North, drawing every drop of elegance and passion from Bellini’s sensational score. As intriguing as Christopher Alden’s production is, it’s the music that steals this show .
Bachtrack
Chorus and orchestra respond splendidly to Oliver von Dohnanyi’s conducting.
Whats on stage
The orchestral playing taut and dramatic under Oliver von Dohnányi.
The Independent
Oliver von Dohnanyi conducts a consistently exciting interpretation .
The stage
Opera North’s chorus are scarily stern, while conductor Oliver von Dohnányi brings energy and finesse to Bellini’s deceptively simple accompaniments.
The Guardian
Oliver von Dohnányi conducted a pretty ravishing account of the score , with the opening thunderous and full of evil portents. He accommodated his singers extremely well, which is rarely achieved today , especially in this repertoire. The tempi were all well judged. Musically, the Opera North performance of Norma was an unexpected triumph .
Britannia
Musically speaking, as a whole the performance was impressive – conductor Oliver von Dohnányi and the Orchestra of Opera North never put a foot wrong .
Musolife
The orchestra under Oliver von Dohnanyi combines spit, polish and style .
Financial Times
Slovak conductor Oliver von Dohnanyi perfectly captures the sweetly, sensuous Czech character of the score, and the Orchestra of Opera North responds with a sumptuous, Wagnerian sound. There is a luminescent quality to the playing; every nuance bathed in light by the beautifully clear acoustic of the Grand Theatre. An immensely rewarding evening .
Opera-‐Britannia
Oliver von Dohnányi conducts with affection and skill ; every tiny pause, every touch of rubato sounding completely natural.
The Arts Desk
Oliver von Dohnanyi has a sure feel for the score’s rolling phrases , his greatest achievement is to make a clear distinction between spirit and human worlds, the latter more hard-‐edged, the former more impressionistic. His players take close array. A production to savour .
Yorkpress
The orchestra responded with some of the finest playing this season, with Oliver von Dohnanyi in the pit relishing all the nuances of this outstanding score.
What’s on stage