<<<  <<  -- 6 --  Howard Smith    INNER STRENGTH

In recent seasons Joel-Hornak has conducted for English National Opera, Aix-en-Provence Festival, Scottish Opera, New Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv, L'Opéra de Paris-Bastille, the Wexford Festival and major American companies, among them New York City Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Houston Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera and Washington National Opera with Kiri te Kanawa.

While NBR NZ Opera's present-day setting left little of Puccini's 'bohemian' imagery intact, this La bohème was notable for its compelling dramatic strengths and the rich musical amalgam of fine voices and orchestra.

The NBR NZ Opera -- winter season -- La bohème was also presented (with the Auckland Philharmonia) at Aotea Centre, The Edge, Auckland.

Forthcoming (2008) NBR New Zealand Opera productions are a national, fifteen centre tour of Humperdinck's enchanting Hansel and Gretel (June-August); and in Wellington and Auckland, a spring presentation of Leos Janácek's Jenufa, a bristling tale of infanticide and redemption (September-October).