“Tenor Rolando Villazón turns his hand to opera direction in this production, new to the Deutsche Oper Berlin last year.… Villazón shows admirable restraint in a straightforward, stylish production that contains a good deal of charm.… The Azerbaijani soprano Dinara Alieva…[has] a rich darkness to her voice, especially in Doretta’s Dream, but there is also an attractive lighter quality later on which is very appealing. … Charles Castronovo’s Ruggero … [is] a perfect role for his lyric tenor. Alvaro Zambrano provides a good contrast, a vibrant Prunier…An understated, stylish production, which could win round some of Rondine’s critics.” —Mark Pullinger, Gramophone
