This week Classical reviewer Geoff Adams listens to some of Antonio Bazzini's greatest compositions, and looks at Metropolitan Opera's production of Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel.
Antonio Bazzini, one of the great violinist-composers of the 19th century, was encouraged in his efforts by Paganini. He's remembered now for salon pieces of the type played by the 21-year-old British virtuoso.
Most famous is the fiendishly challenging Dance of the Goblins that Hanslip tosses off with nonchalant ease. I just had to compare it with performances by Itzhak Perlman and Sarah Chang - Hanslip impressed most, with crisper articulation, top speed as required, yet crystal-clear harmonics.
The other dozen tracks are also virtuoso pieces. ; Calabrese and Le Carillon d'Arras particularly impressed as breathtaking miniatures. Hanslip shows no fear of fireworks and brings out the sensitive character in every piece.
Highlights: Fiery glissandi, tremulous multi-stopping, soaring harmonics, pizzicati etc.
Humperdinck brought opera back to fairy tales (Brothers Grimm) after Wagner's exploitation of Teutonic myth. The Met's brilliantly eccentric, outstanding English-language production becomes an opera for all ages. Producer Richard Jones and designer John Macfarlane exploit an emphasis on food.
Curtains, sets and costumes are wildly imaginative - the Sandman and Dew Fairy could be from pantomime, but the cast of world-class singers are also excellent actors and bring out the dark side of this modern interpretation in a highly entertaining manner.
Alice Coote as Hansel and Christine Schafer as Gretel lead the cast. Philip Langridge is a monstrously beguiling witch with no respect for what she's cooking up. The dream sequence became a surreal banquet.
Highlight: Wonderful music (conductor Vladimir Jurowski brilliant).
