Tonight’s Netrebko/Villazon London gig: big mistake

Oh dear! What a wasted evening.

I can only imagine that, when I booked it, the programme was still “To be confirmed”. And that I wrongly assumed that the duo would reprise their fabulously successful La Traviata, heavily promoted by DG on CD/DVD.

Instead, for tonight’s London gig, soprano Anna Netrebko and tenor Rolando Villazon performed a selection of crossover Romantic repertoire which can most charitably be described as pap.

How two of the world’s best voices – I’d gladly queue to see both at the Royal Opera House again – could produce a programme which left me utterly unengaged, from first to last, was a puzzle - for a short time. Then the penny dropped: it’s the setlist, stoopid.

Dreadful singaglongapopopera. An attractive young couple skirting around the luuurrvvvv theme. Mediocre musical mush for middle aged, middlebrow, middle class Muppets.

Classic Lite? Keep it: it’s junk.



Gerry Smith