Opéra National de Lyon - Così fan tutte

"In the pit, British chef Duncan Ward carries on his shoulders an important part of the great success of this performance. Brilliant Mozart and rigorous connoisseur of the score of Così fan tutte, he knows how to draw Viennese sounds from the forces of the Lyon Opera Orchestra without being old-fashioned or being part of a tradition that is too marble. His tempi choices are always consistent, never put the set in a situation of discomfort, and the benevolent look he has on the instrumentalists throughout the show testifies to the trust he managed to build with the orchestra placed under his baton."

Nicolas Le Clerre - 24/06/25

“Under the lively direction of conductor Duncan Ward, the Orchestra of the Lyon National Opera supports the action and provides commentary, moving seamlessly from comical moments to more intimate ones of doubt and romance. From the very nervous and contrasting opening, the tone is set, and this energy will continue to fuel the action.”

Joël Heuillon - 15/06/2025

"The rhythm Duncan Ward imbues the score with is certainly not unrelated to the show's coherence and fluidity. A perfect representative of a generation that has absorbed the lessons of the "Baroque" composers, the British conductor treats their influence, beginning with the revitalisation of the pulse—even testing the limits of velocity—not as an end in itself, but as a means to exalt, with often astonishing naturalness, the youthfulness of the vocal ensemble."

Mehdi Mahdavi - 17/06/2

"The British conductor Duncan Ward, placed at the head of the Orchestre de l'Opéra national de Lyon, drives a nervous and contrasting opening that immediately announces the vitality of the show. His alert direction marries the twists and turns of the plot: it underlines the irony of comic ensembles while deploying a sensual palpitation in love duets. The wind instruments respond with dreamy colours, including the horn in Fiordiligi's arias."

Emmanuel Andrieu - 17/06/25