Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Frank Miller? Director Kasper Holt seems to find a connection between the philosophical fairy-tale world of Die Frau ohne Schatten and neo-noir comics in his new production of R. Strauss’s opera for Copenhagen’s Royal Theater. Even if one finds hard to see that, one must acknowledge that using projections over a [...]
Archive for May, 2011
R. Strauss’s Die Frau ohne Schatten, Det Kongelige Teater (Copenhagen), 31.05.2011
Posted in Reviews, tagged Det Kongelige Teater, Linda Watson, R. Strauss's Die Frau ohne Schatten on May 31, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalila, Deutsche Oper Berlin, 29.05.2011
Posted in Reviews, tagged Deutsche Oper Berlin, Saint-Saëns's Samson et Dalila on May 29, 2011 | 5 Comments »
Patrick Kinmonth has read a lot before he started to work on his production of Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalila for the Deutsche Oper: Freud, Hobsbawm, probably Marie-Claire. He explains his concept with unusual clarity in the performance booklet – and you’d better read it – because I am not sure if he really read Ferdinand [...]
R. Strauss’s Elektra, Staatsoper im Schiller Theater, 26.05.2011
Posted in Reviews, tagged Emma Vetter, Evelyn Herlitzius, Hanno Müller-Brachmann, R. Strauss's Elektra, Renate Behle, Staatsoper im Schiller Theater on May 27, 2011 | 5 Comments »
Although some may dislike Georg Solti’s overkilling conducting in his studio recording of R. Strauss’s Elektra, every Straussian cherishes Birgit Nilsson’s superpowerful performance in the title role, in which she sounds unfazed by the role’s impossible demands. Live in the theater, however, the experience is usually quite different: one is often more concerned with the [...]
Massenet’s Werther, Royal Opera House, 21.05.2011
Posted in Reviews, tagged Antonio Pappano, Eri Nakamura, Massenet's Werther, Rolando Villazón, Royal Opera House, Sophie Koch on May 22, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Massenet’s Werther is hardly anyone’s favorite opera. Many dismiss it with the label “tacky” – and truth is that, were it not for the fancy of some star tenors, it would not be produced at all. All that said, the whole French repertoire has been rediscovered – even in France – and Werther, thanks to [...]
Mahler’s Lied von der Erde, Berliner Philharmoniker, 18.05.2011
Posted in Reviews, tagged Anne Sofie von Otter, Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado, Jonas Kaufmann, Mahler's Lied von der Erde on May 19, 2011 | 6 Comments »
In less than an hour, tickets to Claudio Abbado’s three concerts with the Berlin Philharmonic, Maurizio Pollini and Anna Prohaska had been sold out. Me and many other concert-goers would have been deeply frustrated, if the maestro and the Philharmonic had not offered more than a consolation prize: an extra concert as a tribute to [...]
Some thoughts on this evening’s broadcast of the Met’s Walküre
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Wagner's Die Walküre on May 15, 2011 | 9 Comments »
Although I have already seen live transmissions from the Met of productions I had actually seen live, I don’t remember having ever watched one so close after seeing it there at the Met before this evening. The opening night, as reported below was eventful to say the least – Kaufmann was nervous, Westbroek was in [...]
Edita Gruberová, Staatskapelle Berlin, 07.05.2011
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Edita Gruberova on May 7, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
It is amazing that Edita Gruberová, at 65, is able to pull out a recital in which the Mad Scene from Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor is only the last item before the pause. Some young sopranos would think twice before doing that, but Gruberová is probably the most fearless person I have ever seen. Not [...]
Renée Fleming and Thomas Hampson, Berliner Philharmoniker, 06.05.2011
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Berliner Philharmoniker, Christian Thielemann, R. Strauss's Arabella, Renée Fleming, Thomas Hampson on May 6, 2011 | 2 Comments »
Christian Thielemann’s reputation as a Straussian conductor is somewhat older than his as a Wagnerian, and I would dare to say that, although he is often mentioned as some sort of Bayreuth’s great hope, R. Strauss’s music is still the repertoire where all his strengths lie. His instincts are basically almost invariably right in this [...]
