“A fine cast, the Hallé and ENO chorus, and impeccable rhyming narration from Alistair McGowan, ensure things fizz… The music sparkled, and a fine cast of French speakers was clearly enjoying being along for the ride… [Anne-Catherine Gillet’s] gleaming coloratura was a perfect match for Valerie Eickhoff’s gutsy mezzo.” ★★★★ — The Guardian
“Offenbach’s long lost and neglected opera Barkouf is definitely worth hearing and fully justifies its revival. If I will remember one thing most, it would be the long, expertly crafted finale to Act II… Gorgeous.” – Seen and Heard International
“Conductor Paul Daniel delightfully weaves the Hallé Orchestra, led by Roberto Ruisi, through an entertaining and evocative yet eclectic score in this concert staging of Offenbach’s very forward-thinking orchestration. Ably supported throughout by the Chorus of the English National Opera, led by Matthew Quinn, there were numerous standout moments, none more so than the powerful Act II finale.” ★★★★ — Arts Review Hub
“This concert, however, was an entertainment, telling the story and performing the music believed to be Offenbach’s preferred thoughts, not just a scholarly exercise in reconstruction… As a musical performance, the soufflé-esque lightness and fun were realized with enthusiasm by Paul Daniel and his forces.” – The Arts Desk
“The Hallé really is a crack outfit at present, and all that virtuosity paid off when Paul Daniel conducted the British première of Offenbach’s opéra bouffe Barkouf… Alistair McGowan narrated, transforming Jeremy Sams’s playful comic verse into a one-man stand-up routine. It was a lot of fun.” – The Spectator
Order Puccini’s La rondine: Final 1921 Version
