Richard Bratby

Why does opera always feel the need to apologise for its plots?

Welsh National Opera's Makropulos Case is mostly superb – but the director suffers from a failure of nerve

Alan Oke was both funny and intensely touching as the decrepit Count Hauk-Sendorf, while Angeles Blancas Gulin was simultaneously sensual and aloof as Emilia Marty. Image: Richard Hubert Smith 
issue 01 October 2022
  • Comments

  • The Makropulos Affair

    Wales Millennium Centre, touring until 2 December

  • Philharmonia Orchestra/ Olafsson/Rouvali

    Royal Festival Hall

Leos Janacek disliked long operas, and the first act of The Makropulos Affair is a masterclass in how to set up a drama without an ounce of fat. There’s a prelude: driving motor-rhythms, surges of emotion, and somewhere in the distance – far away (or long ago) – the sound of trumpets.

GIF Image

Disagree with half of it, enjoy reading all of it

TRY 3 MONTHS FOR $5
Our magazine articles are for subscribers only. Start your 3-month trial today for just $5 and subscribe to more than one view

Read next

Trending

Henry Hill

Is there any hope for the Tories?

It was widely expected that Reform were going to do well in yesterday’s elections – but perhaps not this well. So far, its performance has been at the very top of pollsters’ expectations, a fact made all the more remarkable by the fact that several of its most promising races have been postponed to next year. If

More on janacek

Also by Richard Bratby

Latest

Comments

Join the debate for just £1 a month

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.

Already a subscriber? Log in