Nekrotzar in Zurich
A quirky new production of Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre opened in Zürich, directed by Tatjana Gürbaca and conducted by Tito Ceccherini (stepping in for an indisposed Fabio Luisi). “Dieser Umschlag ins Dämonische gelingt Leigh Melrose in der Titelrolle vortrefflich ”Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 4th February 2019 “As Nekrotzar and with a voice as strong as his acting skills were […]
Fin de Partie at La Scala
The long awaited performances of György Kurtág’s opera Fin de Partie took place at La Scala, Milan and the result is a summation of a lifetime’s work. The production was directed by Pierre Audi and conducted by Markus Stenz. Further performances will be at Dutch National Opera and other companies, with details to be announced. […]
Two productions in Madrid
Three months were spent at Madrid’s Teatro Real as Cecil in a new production of Britten’s Gloriana and as Stolzius in a revival of Zimmerman’s Die Soldaten. Gloriana was directed by David McVicar and was conducted by Ivor Bolton with Anna Caterina Antonacci as Elizabeth I. Die Soldaten was directed by Calixto Bieito and conducted by Pablo […]
Golaud in Antwerp
This show looked stunning, having been designed by Marina Abramović. It was a new production directed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet, conducted by Alejo Pérez for Vlaamse Opera, Les Theatres de la Ville de Luxembourg and the Grand Théâtre de Genève. “Een schot in de roos is bariton Leigh Melrose als Golaud, de […]
Golaud at the Ruhrtriennale
This was an eagerly anticipated role debut as Golaud in a new production of Pelleas et Mélisande by Krzysztof Warlikowski at the Ruhrtriennale. Barbara Hannigan was Mélisande and it was conducted by Sylvain Cambreling. “Die warme, unglaublich modulationsfähige Baritonstimme von Leigh Melrose verrät unterdrückte Aggression unter väterlicher Verantwortung…”Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 21st August 2017 “Leigh Melrose […]
Ruprecht in Zürich
Ruprecht in Prokofiev’s The Fiery Angel was a new role, debuted in a new production at Opernhaus Zürich directed by Calixto Bieito and conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. “Leigh Melrose, the emergent specialist of 20th century opera, is a chillingly barbarous Ruprecht crushed by unfulfilled lust.” Financial Times, 10th May 2017 “the two leads were remarkable […]
Jumping in as Wozzeck at the Royal Festival Hall & Zürich Opera
“Advertised to London as a star vehicle for the baritone Christian Gerhaher, Wozzeck was instead a triumph of ensemble and nerve. Stepping in for Gerhaher at 24 hours’ notice, Leigh Melrose gave a sensational performance of the title role: tense, taut, harried and bullied by the random rattling interrogations of his superiors. If you’re going […]
Das Rheingold Alberich at the Ruhrtriennale
A new production of Wagner’s Das Rheingold at the Ruhrtriennale was a role debut as Alberich. It was a new production by Johan Simons and conducted by Teodor Currentzis. “Ein Leidender, ein Cooler, ein Beschissener: Leigh Melrose ist das eigentliche Herzstück vom “Rheingold”. Alberich macht alles wieder gut. Leigh Melrose macht aus dem Nibelung die […]
A Jump-in, in Death in Venice, in Madrid
I was a late jump-in for the multiple roles of The Traveller in Britten’s Death in Venice at Teatro Real, Madrid. It was directed by Willy Decker and conducted by Alejo Pérez. “A cambio, impresionó el barítono Leigh Melrose en su catálogo camaleónico de personajes, subrayando la calidad de un montaje con el que Joan […]
Valmont in Luca Francesconi’s Quartett
A new production of Quartett at the Royal Opera House/ROH2 “Kristin Chavez and Leigh Melrose give terrifically committed and skillful performances” The Telegraph, 19 June 2014 “It’s not a joyous show, then, but in John Fulljames’s intense production I found it engrossing, especially the interaction between two brilliant singer-actors: Kirstin Chavez as the dishevelled but […]