Simplicius Simplicissimus; Oreste review – there will be blood

Sadler’s Wells; Wilton’s Music Hall, London
Two compelling operas about societies riven by war were driven by committed vocal performances and visceral shocksIt’s been no week for the faint-hearted (and we’re not talking about world politics… although, inevitably, we are). Two new productions of operas notable for their evocation of deadly tyranny made their London audiences gasp and wince – but also sent them away reflecting on the dark evolution of societie