Timeout London, January 2011

Jonathan Lennie chooses his best classical performances of the year

Ciléa: Adriana Lecouvreur, Royal Opera House, ab 18 November 2010

Best of the year 2010: classical concerts in London

The term ‘stellar cast’ is often bandied about, but in this case it is definitely justified, with soprano Angela Gheorghiu and tenor Jonas Kaufmann in the lead roles (as Adriana, the lovestruck diva, and Maurizio, her dazzling though insincere lover), with support from Olga Borodina, Michaela Schuster and Alessandro Corbelli. Francesco Cilea’s 1902 opera (not seen at the ROH since 1906) is set as an opera within an opera, with a clearly enthralled David McVicar directing (he admits to finding the ending more moving than that of ‘La Bohème’). Throw in the exquisite eighteenth-century costumes, along with conductor Sir Mark Elder, and it certainly won’t be another century before it’s back.