CLASSICAL

DAVID MELLOR Don Giovanni

Glyndebourne,

East Sussex

Until July 15 ★★★★★

L’Elisir d’Amore

Glyndebourne,

East Sussex

Until July 9 ★★★★★

When Glyndebourne began in the 1930s it was the great Mozart operas, then almost unknown in this country, that put this little opera house in Sussex on the map. And that continued for more than half a century, with Bernard Haitink’s stylish Mozart recordings in the 1980s – performances I saw – still go-to issues for me.

But recently, Glyndebourne’s authority in Mozart has wavered, with wayward productions and performances. This Don Giovanni is one of them. What’s wrong with it? Sad to say, almost everything.

Director Mariame Clément cannot make her mind up whether she disapproves of the Don or not. A decision not helped by an indifferent, under-characterised performance from Moldovan Andrey Zhilikhovsky as the

Don himself. Most of the major parts are taken by Russians and Ukrainians; there isn’t a single Mozart specialist among them, nor a native Italian speaker. Why?

The situation isn’t improved by the German-American conductor

Evan Rogister, who has no obvious mastery of Mozart’s idiom. Julia Hansen’s set is a grisly two- or three-star hotel. Again, why?

There’s some good singing, notably from Victoria Randem’s Zerlina, and Michael Mofidian’s Masetto. Mikhail Timoshenko’s Leporello, complete with flasher’s mac, also has its moments.

But my advice is, if you know anything about Mozart, best to stay away.

Happily, there is an excellent production and performance well worthy of your attention in the Donizetti that helped to fill Glyndebourne’s opening weekend, and made the most of some wonderful weather. Because this is a revival from 2007, it has received very little attention but it’s a terrific show.

L’Elisir d’Amore is Donizetti’s biggest hit, and will always get a great hand provided there are winning performances from the landowner Adina, and the emotionally retarded peasant Nemorino, who falls in love with her. Here Nardus Williams and Liparit Avetisyan, below, are pretty much as good as it gets.

Williams has long been regarded as a very special talent. She sings with winning clarity and beauty of tone, as well as looking terrific. If everything about her is first class – and it is – so, more surprisingly, is the outstanding Nemorino of the Armenian Avetisyan.

Sadly he has had to withdraw due to ill health. But his replacement, Matteo Desole, is also an experienced Italian. With a strong supporting cast, this can still be regarded as a worthwhile revival.

I may have heard more obviously gifted comedians than Renato Girolami as the quack Dulcamara, but he does well. Even better is Biagio Pizzuti’s Belcore, the strutting sergeant with something of a heart of gold beneath. Normally I don’t like invented characters, but I must make an exception for Maxime Nourissat as Dulcamara’s Assistant.

This is not to be missed.