Successful Agrippina in Munich
“On July 23rd the second new production of the Munich Opera Festival premiered: “Agrippina”.
Alice Coote sung the title role, Franco Fagioli her son Nerone, Ivor Bolton conducted the Bayerische Staatsorchester. Barrie Kosky showed once more that he is the warlock of person direction. […]
What comes from the orchestra pit is also hugely entertaining. It bubbles and tingles, sounds energetic and thrilling. At the same time Ivor Bolton makes sure that the tones maintain their substance and that the Staatsorchester (playing with Baroque bows) is able to bring in its own “original sound”.
(BR Klassik)
“The conductor Ivor Bolton, who started the Munich Händel-boom 25 years ago with a sensational “Giulio Cesare”, conducts as usual with verve and dancing drive. Even if the small ensemble of the Staatsorchester sometimes romantically slathers – Bolton challenges the passionate pathos -, the evening unfolds a musical maelstrom. Especially because Bolton lets the recitatives, only accompagnied by harpsichords, theorbo, organ and cello, come along with as much intensity and with great attention to details as the arias.”
(Süddeutsche)
“Ivor Bolton makes every phrase a pleasure with the musicians of the Bayerische Staatsopernorchester and the continuo ensemble, whether in a rapid presto or a longing largo. Even the Da capo-parts of the arias, which make the epic performance length of four hours, are diverse and every note is worth listening.”
(Deutschlandfunk Kultur)
“Once more Ivor Bolton is the man for Baroque in Munich. A conductor, who celebrates the affects of music with his hands and brings drive by putting together the numbers to a maelstrom-like continuum. The baroque appartment resonds to Bolton’s determined gestures and the continuo with two harpsichords, harp and theorbo provides ecstatic sound mixes.”
(Augsburger Allgemeine)
“He [Bolton] continuously maintains his own style: flexible, in his own speed, juicy, rich in resonance, pleasant, unacademic.”
(Opernwelt 9/10/2019)