A bittersweet blend of young love and mid-life melancholy, Richard Strauss’s charming Viennese comedy returns to the London Coliseum in David McVicar’s delightfully detailed staging, first seen in 2008.

Rejoicing in some of the composer’s most opulent orchestration and voluptuous melodies, as well as some insidiously catchy waltz tunes, Der Rosenkavalier offers a treat for fans of the female voice.

Sarah Connolly returns as the ardent young ‘Knight of the Rose’, with Sophie Bevan as the innocent Sophie. Amanda Roocroft makes her role debut as the Marschallin, the worldly ‘older woman’ who graciously cedes her teenage lover to a younger rival. Also returning from the acclaimed 2008 cast are Sir John Tomlinson as the sexually rampant Baron Ochs and Andrew Shore as Faninal.


Amanda Roocroft is in command of her role, her voice, and us keeping all the dignity of her status vibrantly apparent in her singing allowing us to feel the difficulties and maturing of the Marschallin as the opera progresses. This is understated elegance at its best and although I longed for her to give full force to her voice the careful balance of power, desire and resignation at her dignified loss was delivered with a grace that was truly moving.


Sophie Bevan owns act two, her voice is a delight bringing trembling passion and emotion to her excitement and then dropping at her despair, she’s a triumph and her emotive singing of Wie himmlische, nicht irdische  was a real treat for the ears, she charmed the audience.


Sir John Tomlinson as Baron Ochs showed his ability to handle comedy with as much flair as more serous roles; his Baron was pompous, lustful, arrogant and utterly believable. Andrew Shore as Faninal is an extra treat but the entire cast was wonderful and they work so well together to deliver a splendid nights entertainment.

Mcvivars set design is dynamic yet stable, the same room, dressed for the different scenes, setting us firmly in Vienna although not lavish it works to bring out the textures of each space and suggests the ending of a period of wealth and extravagance and allows the actors and singer much more space than a more complex set, the costumes by Tanya McCallin add the final touch of perfection being stylish and evocative and the dresses in particular making me want to steal one and waltz down St Martins lane.

Edward Gardner is in masterful control of the orchestra and brings out the wonderful complex woodwind depths soaring intricate strings and he matches tempo and pace with a perfection that I’ve not heard in a performance of Straus in along time. This heavily complex and orchestrated music lift the heart high before coldly stopping it and moving on to matters more urgent in the music and the plot. The final (and most famous) trio was astonishing and made me fall in love with Der Rosenkavalier all over again, I could have sat through another fours hours of his wonderful conducting of the splendid orchestra just to hear it again.  Although it’s a long haul to get to, this piece of perfection makes the whole evening flash by like the blindingly silvered armor worn when the Rosenkavalier is delivered.

An utterly superb night out at the ENO who have yet again shown what can be done to breath life into a seemingly staid and well worn opera.

Book now, and if you’ve not been to an opera before, this is the one to break you in and break your heart and it’s a must see of the season.

1st Feb, 4th, 11th, 17th, 24th and 27th. 
* Early start times of 17:30 or 18:30.
Tickets: 0871 911 0200 or from the ENO website here