tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32890733076637806322024-03-13T14:41:17.284-07:00Distant SoundsOccasional reviews and writings on classical music, travel and other subjectsMatthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-82433327216886016742019-04-21T11:10:00.000-07:002019-04-22T03:53:28.801-07:00A Ring with Two Masters: Germanic Wagnerian travels Oct-Dec 2018<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><b>A
<i>Ring</i> with Two Masters</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><i>From the March 2019 edition of The Wagner Journal, a review of a self-created, itinerant </i></span></span><i style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";">‘</i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><i>Ring</i></span></span><i style="font-family: "Book Antiqua";">’</i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><i> cycle experienced in Germany during the latter part of 2018, catching a couple of ‘Meistersinger’
performances en route.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><i>Das
Rheingold</i>. Nico Wouterse (Wotan), Hans Gröning (Alberich),
Philipp Werner (Loge), Dennis Marr (Mime), Dorothee Böhnisch (Fricka), Lukas Schmid-Wedekind (Fasolt),
Aleksandar Stefanoski (Fafner), Stamatia Gerothanasi (Freia), Lisa
Wedekind (Erda/Floßhilde), Paul Jadach (Donner), Theodore Browne (Froh), Elisandra Melián
(Woglinde), Anna Gütter (Wellgunde); Badische Philharmonie
Pforzheim/Markus Huber; Thomas Münstermann (director), Jörg
Brombacher (designer), Alexandra Bentele (costumes), Oliver Feigl
(video designer). Theater Pforzheim, 2 October 2018</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><i>Die
Walküre</i>. Lucia Lucas (Wotan), Julia Borchert (Brünnhilde),
Richard Furman (Siegmund), Susanne Serfling (Sieglinde), Roswitha Christina Müller (Fricka), Johannes Stermann
(Hunding), Raffaela Linti (Gerhilde), Uta Zierenberg (Ortlinde),
Monica Mascus (Waltraute), Henriette Gödde (Schwertleite), Jeanett
Neumeister (Helmwige), Isabel Stüber Malagamba (Siegrune), Lucia
Cervoni (Grimgerde), Emilie Renard (Roßweiße); Magdeburgische
Philharmonie/Kimbo Ishii; Jakob Peters-Messer (director), Guido
Petzold (designer), Sven Bindseil (costumes). Theater Magdeburg, 3
November 2018</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><i>Siegfried</i>.
Zoltán Nyári (Siegfried), Nancy Weißbach (Brünnhilde), Thomas
Hall (The Wanderer), Kihun Yoon (Alberich), Timothy Oliver/Dan
Karlström (Mime), Marta Swiderska (Erda), Ill-Hoon Choung (Fafner),
Sooyeon Lee (Woodbird); Oldenburgisches Staatsorchester/Hendrik
Vestmann; Paul Esterhazy (director), Mathis Neidhardt
(designer/costumes), Ernst Engel (lighting), Alexander Fleischer
(video designer). Staatstheater Oldenburg, 4 November 2018</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><i>Götterdämmerung</i>.
Daniel Kirch (Siegfried), Stéphanie Müther (Brünnhilde),
Pierre-Yves Pruvot (Gunther), Cornelia Ptassek (Gutrune/Third Norn),
Marius Bolo<span style="font-family: "segoe ui" , "calibri";">ş</span>
(Hagen), Anne Schuldt (Waltraute), Jukka Rasilainen (Alberich), Anja
Schlosser (First Norn), Sylvia Rena Ziegler (Second Norn/Wellgunde),
Guibee Yang (Woglinde), Sophia Maeno (Floßhilde); Chorus of Theater
Chemnitz, Robert-Schumann-Philharmonie/Guillermo García Calvo;
Elisabeth Stöppler (director), Annike Haller (designer), Gesine
Völlm (costumes), Holger Reinke (lighting). Theater Chemnitz, 1
December 2018</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><i>Die
Meistersinger von Nürnberg</i>. Oliver Zwarg (Hans Sachs), Marco
Jentzsch (Walther von Stolzing), Betsy Horne (Eva), Young Doo Park
(Veit Pogner), Erik Biegel (David), Margarete Joswig (Magdalena),
Thomas de Vries (Sixtus Beckmesser), Ralf Rachbauer (Kunz
Vogelgesang), Florian Kontschak (Konrad Nachtigal), Benjamin Russell
(Fritz Kothner), Rouwen Huther (Balthasar Zorn), Reiner Goldberg
(Ulrich Eisslinger), Andreas Karasiak (Augustin Moser), Daniel
Carison (Hermann Ortel), Philipp Mayer (Hans Schwartz), Wolfgang
Vater (Hans Foltz), Tuncay Kurtoglu (Nightwatchman); Chorus
and Orchestra of Staatstheater Wiesbaden/Patrick Lange; Bernd Mottl
(director), Friedrich Eggert (designer/costumes), Klaus Krauspenhaar
(lighting), Myriam Lifka (choreography). Staatstheater Wiesbaden, 29
September 2018</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><i>Die
Meistersinger von Nürnberg</i>. Thomas Jesatko (Hans Sachs), Tilmann
Unger (Walther von Stolzing), Astrid Kessler (Eva), Sung Ha (Veit
Pogner), Christopher Diffey (David), Marie-Belle Sandis (Magdalena),
Joachim Goltz (Sixtus Beckmesser), Samuel Levine (Kunz Vogelgesang),
Rainer Zaun (Konrad Nachtigal), Thomas Berau (Fritz Kothner), Uwe
Eikötter (Balthasar Zorn), Koral Güvener (Ulrich Eisslinger),
Raphael Wittmer (Augustin Moser), Marcel Brunner (Hermann Ortel),
Dominic Barberi (Hans Schwartz), Bartosz Urbanowicz (Hans
Foltz/Nightwatchman); Chorus and Orchestra of Nationaltheater
Mannheim/Alexander Soddy; Nigel Lowery (director/designer/costumes),
Lothar Baumgarte (lighting). Nationaltheater Mannheim, 1 November
2018</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">A
smattering of one-off productions and continuing ‘episodes’ in
ongoing <i>Ring </i>cycles lent themselves last autumn to a
peripatetic, self-contrived tetralogy, visiting four widely spaced
German cities over a two-month period. Two were indeed standalone
productions, with no indication that their theatres would be
following up with a complete cycle; the other two were the latest
stages in continuing projects, the last the conclusion of a
four-director cycle – what my own cycle effectively became. </span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">The
itinerant <i>Ring</i> didn’t get off to the most auspicious of
starts, though. Theater Pforzheim has impressed in the past for its
adventurousness in early 20th-century repertoire, particularly
Hindemith and Weill, and even gave a passable <i>Lohengrin</i> in
2015. But ‘big’ Wagner seems to be a step too far for this small
theatre with, by German standards, limited resources. Alfons Abbass’s
reduced-orchestra versions of the constituent parts of the<i>
Ring</i>, now duly incorporated into Schott’s authoritative Wagner
edition, largely cut down on the number of wind and brass instruments
(and reduce the harps to two), leaving the preferred number of
strings at maximum strength. All Pforzheim was able to muster for <i>Das
Rheingold</i> was a glorified chamber orchestra with a single harp,
and with the players raised two or three metres high on a platform at
the very back of the stage what impact there might have been from the
sound seemed to disappear up into the fly tower. Coupled with some
often scrappy playing under the direction of Markus Huber – below
par in a country where nearly everywhere seems to field a decent
orchestra – the result was a rather dispiriting experience.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">It might
have been more bearable if the staging had made up for things. But
Thomas Münstermann, Pforzheim’s Intendant, decided to set the
whole drama in a circus ring, for no discernible reason, with all the
characters, family and foe, part of the same company: Wotan and
Fricka as ring-masters, Rhinemaidens as acrobats, Freia on the high
wire, giants as strongmen, Donner as human cannonball, and so on.
This all made sense on its own terms, but had no obvious relationship
to any of the themes and ideas that Wagner’s <i>Vorabend</i> throws
up. There was justification of sorts in the final scene: Freia leads
Wotan and Fricka across a rainbow bridge in the form of a high wire,
the father of the gods using his spear as balancing aid, until Loge
points out that it’s all an illusion, all just a circus trick, made
to look more precarious than it is. </span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">Yet
there was some decent singing on offer, especially from Nico
Wouterse’s solid Wotan, Dorothee Böhnisch’s expressive Fricka,
Lukas Schmid-Wedekind’s eloquent Fasolt, Lisa Wedekind’s
rich-voiced Floßhilde/Erda and Theodore Browne’s lyrical,
knife-throwing Froh. I warmed less to the rather over-emphatic
lion-tamer Alberich of Hans Gröning and the somewhat stretched sound
of Philipp Werner’s magician Loge.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">Encountering
<i>Die Walküre</i> at Theater Magdeburg a month later was like
entering a different world. The city, if not the present theatre, is
of course where Wagner’s career more or less
started, and where he married Minna, but I
am not aware of Magdeburg today making anything in particular of this
association. As far as I could tell, Jakob Peters-Messer’s <i>Walküre</i>
is, like the Pforzheim <i>Rheingold</i>, a one-off, not intended to
form part of an eventual cycle, but in this case I certainly wouldn’t
complain if it did. His set-up is clear from the start. Video footage
during the stormy prelude, projected on to set designer Guido
Petzoid’s flexible ruined interiors, depicts a riot at full pelt –
apparently from the 2017 G20 turmoil in Hamburg – from which
Siegmund, one of the activists, seeks shelter in, as fate would have
it, the home of one of the riot police (Hunding). At the start of Act
II, Wotan, too, is on the side of the anarchist rioters, until the
business-suited Fricka gets her way and he reluctantly dons the
clothes of the establishment. The Valkyries
dressed in crime-scene suits collect up the riot victims and when
they disrobe reveal themselves to be on the same ‘side’ as the
old, anarchist Wotan, who has now power-dressed to deal with the
miscreant Brünnhilde. It is less perfunctory than this brief summary
might suggest and the setting’s clarity and the narrative force
bring insight into the characters and their relationships that a
blander, ‘mythical’ milieu can often mask.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">If not
having room in the pit for the full Wagnerian orchestral complement, Theater Magdeburg at least moved one
step on from Pforzheim in using the Lessing edition, which allows for
triple woodwind and six of Wagner’s eight horns. And the Magdeburg
Philharmonic made an impressive sound, even if Kimbo Ishii’s
conducting didn’t quite reach the out-of-this-world transcendence
of the final Magic Fire Music. ‘Heldenbaritonistin’ Lucia Lucas,
who earlier in the season became the first transgender woman to sing
on a major stage in her native US, was a vivid and magisterial Wotan,
especially effective in the character’s explosive encounters with
Undine Dreißig’s fiery Fricka and, later, Julia Borchert’s accomplished if slightly
vocally under-characterised Brünnhilde. Richard Furman’s Siegmund
and Susanne Serfling’s Sieglinde were both sympathetically sung and
portrayed, Johannes Stermann’s Hunding had an imposing figure to
match his fearsome bass, and there was some highly distinguished
singing from the ensemble of Valkyrie
sisters. </span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">Staatstheater
Oldenburg has been adding its <i>Ring</i> instalments at a leisurely
annual pace and this autumn reached <i>Siegfried</i> (complete cycles
are anticipated in 2020). This tiny house, built for the northwest
German city’s former ducal court, seats barely 500, yet is not
short of ambition, and with its generous pit leaving room for only
twelve rows of seating in the <i>Parkett</i>, it provides an
intimate, immersive context for experiencing Wagner. Although not
specified in the programme, it looked once again like the Lessing
edition was being used, and the orchestral playing under Hendrik
Vestmann filled the space with an often burnished, well-blended
sound.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">Paul
Esterhazy, with designs by Mathis Neidhardt, has created a unified
interior world for his whole cycle (I also saw, but didn’t review,
the <i>Walküre</i> in 2017), a kind of wooden alpine lodge or
American pioneer dwelling, with an ever-changing array of rooms and
corridors whisked into view and away again on the theatre’s
revolve. Costumes evoke the second half of the 19th century, and
everything animate is brought to a human level: Grane is an old man
sleeping below his mistress by the fireplace; Wotan’s two ravens
are laddish, feather-capped layabouts who the poorly disguised god is
constantly shooing away so as not to give his game away; the Woodbird
is a woman carrying a bird cage; only the bear is in full costume.
Even Fafner is still in human form, nimbly towering on stilts, his
hoarded ring still on the finger of Alberich’s
wrenched-off arm. Mime, using knee-boots, has a
body double of smaller stature for his more mobile actions that I
confess I didn’t register until the curtain calls (he
also, for this performance, had a vocal double – see below).
Aesthetically, it’s all very much of a piece, conveying a
domesticity that could also be stifling claustrophobia, with
different groups of characters occupying seemingly the same spaces.
It’s all slickly done, and if the incessant revolving of the set
threatens motion sickness, the stagecraft is undeniable. But does it
penetrate deep into the <i>Ring</i>’s various subtexts? That might
have to wait for a full cycle to appreciate, but there are telling
details that hint at wider exploration. </span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">Despite
the size of the theatre and the bijoux dimensions of the stage area,
there was nothing cramped or musically lacking in this performance of
<i>Siegfried</i>. Singers didn’t need to yell to get their point
across, which meant that the tireless Zoltán Nyári never sounded
strained or over-parted in the title role. Mime, as mentioned, was
divided among three performers, the highly rated Dan Karlström
having flown in from Leipzig to sing the vocally indisposed Timothy
Oliver’s lines from a corner of the stage. Thomas Hall’s Wanderer
was solid but less distinctive as a vocal characterisation, while
Nancy Weißbach’s Brünnhilde brought the evening to a plush-voiced
conclusion.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">Theater
Chemnitz has divided its current cycle of the <i>Ring</i> among four
female directors (an idea Katherina Wagner briefly considered for
Bayreuth), and Elisabeth Stöppler’s <i>Götterdämmerung</i>
completed my own tetralogy. Not having seen any earlier parts of this
cycle (complete performances are scheduled for this Easter and
Whitsun), I’m not aware of how much collusion there has been among
the directors in providing an overriding view of the work. Stöppler
tackles both eco-catastrophe and sexual politics. The world is in
perpetual winter, with the Norns as polar explorers, roped together
as they trudge along an ice-floe – when the rope breaks, it’s as
if mankind is left without its safety harness of protection by higher
authority. In this wintry context, Grane is a sledge, which the still
boy-like Siegfried treats as any child would, as he leaves the female
world of nature to be dragged into the diametrically opposed
interior, male space of the Gibichungs, one where Brünnhilde, too,
is eventually drawn into adopting the masculine traits of her father
in order to take her revenge. With Hagen troubled by his own
father-induced demons, Siegfried turned to drug
dependency by the memory potion and the
ineffectual Gunther caught between them, it’s not going to end well
for the men. In the end, though, it’s the mother who comes to the
rescue: in the midst of a snowstorm, and instead of self-immolation,
Brünnhilde is reunited for the first time with Erda, and with the
surviving female characters, the Rhinemaidens and Norns, bravely
looks to the future as Gutrune appears to want to join the sisterly
gathering. Whatever one might take from Stöppler’s conception,
there’s no denying the skill of her detailed <i>Personenregie</i> –
the actions and reactions among the avenging trio of Act II, for
instance, or the emotionally wrenching treatment of Siegfried’s
passage into death as he takes in the gravity of his fate while
Brünnhilde cleanses him. It’s rare, at this stage in the <i>Ring</i>,
to feel so much empathy for the characters as vulnerable human
beings.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">Fortunately,
in Daniel Kirch and Stéphanie Müther, Chemnitz has found two of the
most promising and accomplished newcomers to the roles of Siegfried
and Brünnhilde (the former making his role debut at this
performance) that have come along in some time, each unflagging of
voice, expressive and a fine actor. If the rest of the cast wasn’t
quite on the same level, it was still impressive for a regional
theatre. Pierre-Yves Pruvot’s Gunther was a little unfocused,
resorting too often to a kind of <i>Sprechstimme</i>
and Marius Bolo<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">ş</span>’s
Hagen, though again convincingly acted, lacked the dark vocal
colouring for the role. Cornelia Ptassek’s Gutrune was well drawn,
despite slightly swallowed enunciation, and Jukka Rasilainen made for
a good, manipulative Alberich. Guillermo García Calvo, who first
conducted the cycle in Orviedo in 2013, had the full measure of the
score and drew exciting and sonorous playing from the
Robert-Schumann-Philharmonie, here at last using the complete wind
complement, if a little light on string numbers as a result.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">* * * *
*</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">As
accompaniment to my peripatetic <i>Ring</i>, I also caught this
season’s two new German productions of <i>Die Meistersinger von
Nürnberg</i>. The spa town of Wiesbaden unsurprisingly has one of
Germany’s more elderly populations, so it was pertinent of director
Bernd Mottl (a great-great nephew of Wagner’s assistant Felix
Mottl) to stage the work at its Staatstheater as a battle of the
generations. The setting is a <i>Seniorenhaus</i>, in this case a
retirement home for former tradesmen that incorporates a <i>Gaststätte</i>
named Alt-Nürnberg (the interior for Act I) with its associated
<i>Festsaal</i> (as opposed to <i>Festwiese</i>) for community
events. Here a group of old white men holds out, dressing up in
medieval costumes to preserve their outdated traditions and in effect
attempting to thwart the aspirations and ambitions of the young –
in another context it could have been an allegory of Brexit. Helped
by their carers (the apprentices), all but a couple of the masters
hobble around with Zimmer frames and sticks. Sachs is grey-haired and
retired, too, but still doing a little cobbling to help his friends
and neighbours out and living on his own in his
sheltered-accommodation flat with his memories of his late wife
(Friedrich Eggert’s designs are wonderfully detailed, encapsulating
postwar German interiors down to the last power socket). It’s one
of those rare productions that successfully attaches its own
narrative to a pre-existing one and follows it through so that
everything tells in the new context. It’s also one of the wittiest
and moving re-interpretations of recent times, partly because the
detail is so precise and thus the characterisation is realistic. </span></span>
</div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">In this
contemporary setting, Walther is a ‘Weltenbummler’, a
globetrotting, leather-clad biker, who has alighted on Eva on his
travels and is determined not to move on without her. Despite his
support of Walther, Sachs is portrayed as a man living in the past as
much as his fellow masters. During our hero’s performance in the
final scene, the people are so entranced that they begin filming him
on their smartphones, and when Sachs delivers his ‘call to arms’
at Walther’s rejection of membership of their <i>Gesellschaft</i>,
everyone simply ignores him, being far more engrossed in showing each
other their phone footage of the event. Eva grabs Walther’s
motorcycle helmet, the two of them run away and the front drop falls
to leave the masters, including Sachs, on the forestage, abandoned
and rejected by the younger generation still celebrating on the other
side of the curtain.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">Wiesbaden
often attracts top international singers for its annual May Festival
performances of its season’s repertoire, but even this largely
housebound cast impressed on opening night: Oliver Zwarg’s
firm-voiced Sachs, Marco Jentzsch’s virile Walther, Betsy Horne’s
fresh, youthful Eva and Thomas de Vries’s (dramatically) pitiful
Beckmesser would grace any house, and chorus and orchestra were on
fine form under Patrick Lange.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">Nigel
Lowery, best remembered in Wagnerian terms for designing Richard
Jones’s Covent Garden <i>Ring</i> cycle in the 1990s, has since
taken on directing in his own right. And there was plenty of evidence
of an indulgence in both scenic and directorial visuals in his new
<i>Meistersinger</i> at Mannheim’s Nationaltheater. His concept is
of a theatre within the theatre, a stage set within the existing
proscenium, and he plays with our perceptions of what is what such
that we never quite know if given characters are indeed ‘in
character’ or not, or even if they’re characters or stagehands.
His designs expose the bare bones of amateur theatricals and action
spills out into the auditorium (the first time I’ve actually had a
cobbling Sachs and serenading Beckmesser bumping past my knees as
they egg each other on in Act II). Lowery states in the programme
that as a non-German he doesn’t feel an obligation or need to
address Sachs’s final monologue, which he presents against a
louring sky accompanied by a rain shower that falls only on
Beckmesser, with whom Sachs generously shares his umbrella as an act
of reconciliation. Elsewhere, and like his colourful, picturebook
designs, the staging is playful, with a number of visual jokes that
some of the German critics found too British: for instance, a little
model of the starship <i>Enterprise</i> flying across the stage to
indicate Walther’s arrival from afar; Walther’s tussle with a
serpent while hiding behind the tree with Eva/Eve in Act II; or a
running joke with an animatronic cat that gets in the way of
Beckmesser’s attempt to steal the prize song in Act III. There are
references to fairytales, such as Walther presenting Eva with her
‘glass slipper’ after she has brought her shoes to Sachs for
adjustment, some inexplicable backstage business, as when a backdrop
of the Moulin Rouge descends and a dancer comes on to rehearse, and a
witty episode when Beckmesser requisitions the prompt box for his
marking hideaway, sending the poor souffleur to a music stand at the side of the stage.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">Elsewhere,
it’s the central act that shows Lowery’s direction at its best,
with Beckmesser bringing on his own paid <i>Lautenistin</i> to do his
accompanying for him, the riot staged as a giant puppet show, with
shades of Punch and Judy, and with the Nightwatchman as a ghoul
riding a skeletal horse across the night sky complete with a
midsummer snowstorm. When Beckmesser has had enough, at the climax of
the riot he tears off his wig and costume and storms off, to be seen
again in Act III counting the extra money he has had to be paid to
resume his role. </span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">But some
issues remain in Lowery’s stated aim to explore the work’s
engagement with <i>Wahn</i>. His use of Brechtian alienation
(complete with a role for a kind of ‘Brecht curtain’) leaves too
many of the characters literally characterless. Eva is portrayed like
a mechanical doll until she is freed by Walther’s prizewinning at
the end, so Astrid Kessler’s peerlessly lyrical singing constantly
seems at odds with her expressionless acting. Thomas Jesatko’s
similarly musical Sachs has to fight through a ridiculous wig and
costume and loses the battle for our engagement. Whether by default
or design, it is Joachim Goltz’s short-tempered Beckmesser who
becomes the central character, as one of the few to show his properly
human side. The rest of the masters, portrayed as doddery as those in
Wiesbaden, relied a little too much on exaggeration for effect.
Walther (Tilmann Unger, craving indulgence for an infection, but
saving his best for the prize song) is dressed like a cross between a
<i>Star Trek</i> officer and a traditional Lohengrin, and indeed in
Act III enters carrying a grail cup. Lowery makes David a more
central character than usual, as a kind of stage manager who
metamorphoses into a ‘character’ only at the point at which Sachs
makes him a journeyman – a gleefully fresh, buoyant interpretation
from Christopher Diffey.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";">The
Nationaltheater’s young <i>Generalmusikdirektor</i> Alexander
Soddy, whose detailed, nuanced interpretation was constantly in
evidence, drew some often warm-hearted playing from the orchestra,
and the massed choruses – hampered like most of the cast by
expressionless, clown-like make-up and, in the final scene,
dressed as every conceivable theatrical caricature from Brünnhilde
to burlesque dancer – made an impressive sound.</span></span></div>
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x</div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-49249669756582467372018-03-29T01:35:00.003-07:002018-03-29T01:35:53.971-07:00The New Karlsruhe Ring<b>My reviews of the four productions as they were introduced in 2016-17, taken from recent editions of <i><a href="http://www.thewagnerjournal.co.uk/">The Wagner Journal</a></i> (slightly edited).</b><div>
<b><br /></b><br /><b>Das Rheingold</b>. Renatus Meszar (Wotan), Jaco Venter (Alberich), Klaus Schneider (Loge), Torsten Hofmann (Mime), Katharine Tier (Fricka), Yang Xu (Fasolt), Avtandil Kaspeli (Fafner), Agnieszka Tomaszewska (Freia), Ariana Lucas (Erda), Armin Kolarczyk (Donner), Cameron Becker (Froh), Uliana Alexyuk (Woglinde), Kristina Stanek (Wellgunde), Dilara Baştar (Floßhilde); Badische Staatskapelle/Justin Brown; David Hermann (director), Jo Schramm (designer/lighting), Bettina Walter (costumes), Stefan Woinke (lighting). Badisches Staatstheater, Karlsruhe, 6 November 2016 <br /><br /><b>Die Walküre</b>. Renatus Meszar (Wotan), Heidi Melton (Brünnhilde), Peter Wedd (Siegmund), Katherine Broderick (Sieglinde), Ewa Wolak (Fricka), Avtandil Kaspeli (Hunding), Christina Niessen (Gerhilde), Ina Schlingensiepen (Ortlinde), Katharine Tier (Waltraute), Ariana Lucas (Schwertleite), Barbara Dobrzanska (Helmwige), Dilara Baştar (Siegrune), Kristina Stanek (Grimgerde), Tiny Peters (Roßweiße); Badische Staatskapelle/Justin Brown; Yuval Sharon (director), Sebastian Hannak (designer), Sarah Rolke (costumes), Stefan Woinke (lighting), Jason H. Thompson (video designer). Badisches Staatstheater, Karlsruhe, 11 December 2016 <br /><br /><b> Siegfried</b>. Erik Fenton (Siegfried), Heidi Melton (Brünnhilde), Renatus Meszar (The Wanderer), Jaco Venter (Alberich), Matthias Wohlbrecht (Mime), Katharine Tier (Erda), Avtandil Kaspeli (Fafner), Uliana Alexyuk (Woodbird); Badische Staatskapelle/Justin Brown; Thorleifur Örn Arnarsson (director), Vytautas Narbutas (designer), Sunneva Ása Weisshappel (costumes/video designer), Björn Bergsteinn Gudmundsson (lighting). Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe, 2 July 2017 <br /><br /><b>Götterdämmerung</b>. Daniel Frank (Siegfried), Heidi Melton (Brünnhilde), Armin Kolarczyk (Gunther), Christina Niessen (Gutrune), Konstantin Gorny (Hagen), Sarah Castle (Waltraute/First Norn/Floßhilde), Jaco Venter (Alberich), Dilara Baştar (Second Norn/Wellgunde), An de Ridder (Third Norn), Agnieszka Tomaszewska (Woglinde); Badischer Staatsopernchor and Extrachor, Badische Staatskapelle/Justin Brown; Tobias Kratzer (director), Rainer Sellmaier (designer/costumes), Stefan Woinke (lighting). Badisches Staatstheater, Karlsruhe, 22 October 2017 <br /><br />One of the intentions of farming out the four parts of the <i>Ring </i>to different directors must be to create productions that can be revived individually, rather than the company feeling obliged to bring out the whole cycle in order to keep the works in its repertoire. It’s an experiment first tried, if memory serves, by Oper Stuttgart in the early 2000s and subsequently taken up by the Aalto Theatre in Essen. Now the Badisches Staatstheater in Karlsruhe has taken up the challenge, inviting four young directors to share the cycle, and enabling it to mount the four works from scratch in as little as sixteen months from start to finish. I hope to catch up with the rest as they appear, but I managed to see the first two instalments a month apart in the late autumn. <br /><br /> David Hermann’s <i>Das Rheingold</i>, though, almost makes the three subsequent works dramatically superfluous. He has cleverly intertwined the story of the ‘Vorabend’ with those of the other three, so we go from the theft of the gold to Götterdämmerung in the space of the music’s two-and-a-half hours. A cast of five silent actors shares the roles of the non-Rheingold protagonists and at pertinent points acts out crucial scenes in counterpoint to the events of the main drama. Beginning in the first interlude, we see the meeting of Siegmund and Sieglinde and later their flight from Hunding as Freia expresses her fear of the giants (in a fascinating turnaround of character, Freia is here depicted as falling headlong for Fasolt when she sees him and her calls for help are made ironically); Brünnhilde is put to sleep on her rock as Loge emerges on the scene. Scene 3 is paralleled by the story of <i>Siegfried</i>, with our hero-to-be goading Mime in place of the Tarnhelmed Alberich and forging his sword to the Nibelungs’ hammering rhythms before killing the Wurm whose form Alberich assumes to impress Loge and Wotan. During the last interlude, Siegfried confronts the ‘real’ Wotan, finds Brünnhilde and sets off on his Rhine Journey. <br /><br /><i> Götterdämmerung </i>then shadows Scene 4: Siegfried’s drinking of the memory potion from a goblet while the Nibelung hoard is revealed as a large golden chalice; Alberich cursing the ring as he visibly passes the mantle of its recovery to Hagen; Brünnhilde swearing vengeance as the gold is piled up to hide Freia; Siegfried being killed at the moment of Erda’s entry; and the hero’s funeral pyre setting off the volcano, whose solidified lava frames the set, as its gases asphyxiate the gods in an early Dämmerung. Erda, who seems to be Father Rhine as well as Mother Earth and who had dropped the gold into the river at the start of the evening, returns the ring to its home as the visual drama comes full circle (<i>Das Rheingold</i> and <i>Götterdämmerung</i>, of course, both end in the same key of D flat major). <br /><br /> As interpreter, Hermann is not suggesting that Wagner himself had these parallels in mind, yet there’s a serendipitous aptness about so many of them – especially the links between the Nibelheim scene and Siegfried – that they couldn’t help raising a smile for their ingenuity. Rather than compete with Wagner’s musical intentions, this dramatic counterpoint emphasises the music’s fluidity, its ability to suggest different things at the same time and to look forwards as well as backwards. The labelling of certain leitmotifs with specific attributes has never been made to seem more unyieldingly rigid. And if the implication is that the miming dominates the staging to the detriment of <i>Das Rheingold</i> itself, that is not the case at all – the <i>Rheingold </i>story is told coherently in a modern-dress setting with a pertinent critique of commerce and the rape of a natural world that, thanks to volcanism, has the last word. We are just shown the implications of Alberich and Wotan’s actions in overt form. <br /><br /> Renatus Meszar’s Wotan has become a bit more diffuse since his performances of the role in Weimar a decade ago (going by DVD evidence) and he needed a bit more solidity of tone than he provided here. But the largely ensemble cast around him worked hard to compensate, especially the Alberich of Jaco Venter, Klaus Schneider’s mellifluous Loge, Katharine Tier’s vocally solid Fricka and Ariana Lucas’s rich-toned Erda. Justin Brown paced the two and a half hours well and the Badische Staatskapelle revealed a potently Wagnerian Klang. <br /><br /> * * * * * <br /><br />The director of <i>Die Walküre</i>, Los Angeles-based Yuval Sharon, gives his explanation of his thinking in the programme in the form of an ‘open letter’ to Hermann, whose <i>Rheingold </i>he only managed to see some three weeks into his own rehearsals. The four directors had had an opportunity to share their ideas at a meeting in Iceland in the summer of 2015, but it wasn’t until this viewing of the ‘Vorabend’ that Sharon realised how much the two works complement each other in that one looks forward (emphasised by Hermann’s previews of the rest of the story), while the other looks backwards. The whole of <i>Die Walküre</i> is about coming to terms with past events and experiences: the twins overcoming their traumatic upbringing and separation; Wotan’s irrevocable past decisions that make him realise ‘Das Ende’ is the only solution; and the repercussions of Brünnhilde’s recent actions in defiance of her father. Sharon explores this idea visually in a number of ways, principally by having much of the early action presented in front of a moving wall of doors, behind which memories come and go, whether representations of the young Siegmund and Sieglinde, visions of Wotan depositing the sword, or actual soloists from the orchestra with their musical reminiscences (video of the solo cellist during the twins’ first hint of recognition; appearance of the players of clarinet, cor anglais and oboe while Sieglinde prepares Hunding’s draught and as the yearning becomes more obvious at the end of Scene 2). The implication of the setting is that the twins are trapped in the present by a past from which they cannot hide, and projections and shadowed silhouettes are effectively used to suggest the threats outside the walls. <br /><br /> Wotan is also trapped in a nightmare, one of his own making, symbolised by the first two scenes of Act II taking place on an intermittently moving staircase – however much the god tries to climb out of his dilemma he always finds himself in the same place. His long narrative monologue is dramatised with video and live-action representation of the characters and events described, perhaps most potently with the suggestion that Siegmund is merely a human puppet being manipulated by the god. But the row of doors returns for the Todesverkündigung and the rest of the act: the characters are trapped by their fate. <br /><br /> The visual inspiration for Brünnhilde’s rock in Act III comes from Caspar David Friedrich’s painting of a shipwreck in the Arctic, <i>Eismeer </i>(Sea of Ice), with its more pertinent alternative title in this context, <i>Die verlorene Hoffnung</i> (The Wreck of Hope). In one of the production’s more self-indulgent but arresting visual images, a Hollywoodesque, widescreen film shows the Valkyries dressed in orange jumpsuits paragliding through a blizzard on to the icy mountain top. Without the Friedrich title connection, the scene would seem rather disconnected with the visual style of the rest of the evening, but the setting, beautifully lit by Stefan Woinke, lends a chill through the drama of this last act, culminating with Brünnhilde being frozen within a big block of ice as the lower reaches of the mountain glow with Loge’s protective fire. It’s as if the location of the directorial meeting in the Land of Fire and Ice has had a role to play here. If overall, Sharon’s concept doesn’t have quite the originality and sense of unity of Hermann’s Rheingold, and some of the parallel, illustrative imagery seems a bit obvious, it has some interesting overriding ideas and expresses them, especially through the underlying psychology of the characters and their actions, with clarity, ingenuity and total command of his multimedia resources – a modern-day Gesamtkunstwerk in action. <br /><br /> Part of the success of the production is its intimate relationship between stage and music – and not just the aforementioned appearance of musicians on the set. Justin Brown’s often urgent tempi and the Badische Staatskapelle’s energised playing ideally complemented what went on above them – of a number of Wagner performances I have heard in this house, this must count as the most orchestrally enthralling to date. Even Renatus Meszar’s Wotan seemed to have recovered its vocal eloquence, especially in his Act II narration and in the poignancy of his Farewell. And making her stage Brünnhilde debut in the theatre that nurtured her, Heidi Melton gave her strongest Wagnerian performance to date, generous of tone and word-conscious, particularly in the Annunciation of Death Scene, where her rich lower register came into its own, suggesting the role of Kundry might also be within her reach. Peter Wedd’s Siegmund was forceful, if a little unsubtle, and the Sieglinde of Katherine Broderick – a new recruit to the Karlsruhe ensemble – was lustrous and often penetratingly bright of tone. Ewa Wolak’s Fricka was searingly communicative and Avtandil Kaspeli was a sturdy Hunding. <br /><br /> * * * * * <br /><br />Karlsruhe’s multi-director cycle moves on to <i>Siegfried </i>with a staging by an Icelandic team led by maverick director Thorleifur Örn Arnarsson. As might be expected with someone of his upbringing, he is steeped in the Edda, the ultimate source of Wagner’s tetralogy. But apart from the appearance of the Nibelungen – looking like escapees from the <i>Lord of the Rings</i> films (Gollum, especially) – the mythical side is not overtly explored. Instead, Arnarsson sees Siegfried as the clash of generations, of a power struggle between the young and the old, as our hero severs ties with his upbringing and rejects the authority of the gods to pursue his own destiny. The way Arnarsson portrays this is intriguing both at a dramatic and a meta-theatrical level. Siegfried’s life is being monitored, <i>Truman Show</i>-style, by Wotan via a bank of CCTV screens, and as required the god dons a costume – a rather feeble Wanderer disguise of false beard and wizard’s hat – to take part in the stage events. At the end of Act II, the Woodbird as part of her guidance hands Siegfried a Wagner score, which makes him realise he is merely an operatic character, and from then on he does his best to flout the stage directions until seduced back into the dramatic sphere by Brünnhilde. Thus the battle between young and old is mirrored in the conflict between traditional and post-dramatic theatre, between Wotan the old actor and the disrespect of the younger generation as represented by Siegfried. <br /><br /> Vytautas Narbutas’s set is a shambolic museum – a repository of Siegfried’s childhood and forebears. A smattering of swords and spears – often seemingly picked up at random – provide the props as needed, but as Siegfried rejects his role, so he neglects Nothung (not seen again after being plunged into Fafner) and there’s no sight of the hoard, let alone Tarnhelm and ring. In Act III, Scene 2, he simply snaps Wotan’s hastily sought spear over his knee and poses with his trophy as the Woodbird takes a photo of him on her smartphone. He then sings the whole scene of the discovery of Brünnhilde while seated on a dining chair staring out at the audience – going through the vocal motions, as it were, but not engaging with his role until Brünnhilde’s seduction engulfs him. <br /><br /> Arnarsson’s rehearsal process appears to be very much one of collaboration and improvisation – he shuts his cast in a room full of props and lets them discover their characters at the start of the process and things don’t necessarily fully gel until the dress rehearsal. Some of that exploratory nature survives in the finished result, such as Siegfried’s frequent changing of costume and comic-book hero adherence as he attempts to discover his true being – he spends his post-<i>Truman</i> Act III in a T-shirt emblazoned with an irreverent ZEEG FREED. <br /><br /> Justin Brown and his Badische Staatskapelle go from strength to strength in this, their fifth Wagnerian collaboration in little more than two years – the sound coming from the pit was gloriously ripe and well-upholstered and Brown’s tempi always sat well with the notes. American tenor Erik Fenton, making his role debut in this production as Siegfried, may struggle in a larger space than the Badisches Staatstheater, but here remained in clarion control right to the end, with no signs of tiring and bringing plenty of dynamic and expressive subtlety – if with a slightly pallid and unchanging tone colour. Matthias Wohlbrecht’s Mime wasn’t immune from stock whining, but was vividly drawn. Heidi Melton’s soaring Brünnhilde (an apology was made for indisposition due to flu but there was no sign of it in her voice), Renatus Meszar’s determined Wanderer, Jaco Venter’s menacing Alberich and Avtandil Kaspeli’s weighty Fafner added to the positive impression all four had given in earlier instalments, and Uliana Alexyuk made light of her aerial suspension as a vocally lithe Woodbird. Mention should also be made of horn player Dominik Zinsstag’s on-stage appearance as Siegfried’s obliging hired musician, brought in when the hero’s attempts on his out-of-tune upright piano (rather than the usual ‘reed’/oboe) fail to have the desired effect. <br /><br /> * * * * * <br /><br />I should begin this review by warning that it contains spoilers, for anyone who might be venturing to Karlsruhe for its complete cycles this spring and who doesn’t want to know how it all ends … Though in one sense, the Badisches Staatstheater’s multi-director <i>Ring </i>ends rather as it began in <i>Das Rheingold</i>, with a production of <i>Götterdämmerung </i>that is similarly and refreshingly irreverent, and engages with the score and text in innovative ways. Although the intention of the project has in part presumably been to present standalone versions of each component of the cycle that work singly as well as a whole, Tobias Kratzer’s ideas evidently and deliberately feed off the work of his predecessors. The theatre curtain opens to a drop emblazoned with the words, in English, ‘The End’, and seated contemplating it, with their backs to us, are three figures slumped in directors’ chairs bearing the titles of the three earlier instalments of the cycle. As these ‘Norns’ begin to sing it becomes clear they are the personifications of the three previous directors themselves – David Hermann, Yuval Sharon and Thorleifur Örn Arnarsson – who proceed to tell their individual parts of the back-narrative until they realise that they don’t know how to save the story from the inevitable cataclysm, with ‘Hermann’ constantly rummaging for alternative answers in the printed score. Directors’ chairs and music in hand, the three figures haunt the rest of the evening, observing with horrified expressions the play of events while trying to avert the disaster they foresee by intervening to wrest the ring from whoever has it. This works neatly with two of the three goading the First Norn (‘Hermann’) into reluctantly dressing up as the Valkyrie Waltraute (a common theatrical doubling in practice), and attempting to persuade Brünnhilde to give up the ring after their attempts at snatching it from her sleeping form have failed. And, of course, thanks to the wigs and make-up, the three directors also become the Rhinemaidens despite changes in personnel along the way, donning mermaid outfits in an obviously doomed-to-fail bid to influence Siegfried’s actions. The repertoire of trouser roles has never been expanded so widely in one go. (In Act II, Scene 4, the threesome also substitutes for the women’s chorus, its three brief utterances amounting to all of fifteen notes.) <div>
<br />The three directors and their various impersonations aside, Kratzer takes a fairly straightforward approach to the rest of the characterisation and narrative. Scene 2 of the Prologue begins with Siegfried rather sheepishly trying to sneak away from Brünnhilde’s clutches after a perhaps too overwhelming wedding night (the set is an IKEA-style hotel bridal suite), but in forgetting to pack his Tarnhelm he cannot help but wake her in retrieving it, and she sends him off with Grane, whose unseen fearsomeness is conveyed by yanking reins held through the open doorway. For the Gibichungs, the scene changes to a cavernous room of looming dark mirrored walls (‘reflecting their egos’, comments designer Rainer Sellmaier in the programme). These are shifted somewhat in Act II, where the curtain opens to reveal a real Grane (cue intrusive audience chatter and even a couple of flash photographs), eventually led away for slaughter as part of the wedding sacrifice – perhaps symbolising the betrayal of Brünnhilde, who gifted the horse to Siegfried. (Easily missed, but in Scene 2 of Act III it becomes apparent where the meat that is being barbecued for the resting vassals came from, much to Gunther’s disgust.) <br /><br />Nothung is no longer in evidence as a real object, but has become the symbol of masculinity and its mention is usually coupled with Siegfried or whoever grappling his tackle, underlining the ambivalence of the sword’s invocation as protector of Brünnhilde’s virtue during the abduction (as Siegfried’s preparatory masturbation makes clear). And in a related way, Alberich reveals to Hagen in their scene together that he has ‘done a Klingsor’ and emasculated himself, and we sense that that trauma is now being symbolically passed on to the unloved, outcast Hagen along with the urgency of his ring-retrieving task. Kratzer is skilled at drawing out the inner psychology of these characters – Gunther, most notably, with his gradual realisation of how he is being manipulated by his half-brother. And Siegfried is very much still growing up, discovering alcohol for the first time (Gutrune’s potion) and revealing himself as the innocent in the big, bad world. <br /><br />So how does it all end? The curtains inscribed ‘The End’ return to announce the Immolation Scene, though here there’s no immolation. Brünnhilde starts a small fire, but – to the exasperation of the three directors – consigns the final pages of the score to the flames, while the directors/Rhinemaidens themselves are too scared to accept the gift of the ring and now they really don’t know how to conclude things. But Brünnhilde saves the day: she fetches her own director’s chair, sits with her back to the audience and proceeds to direct the action in reverse – over the final couple of minutes of music the main scenes of the entire opera are rewound until, as the final chords sound, she simply leaves the ring on her chair and rejoins Siegfried in the bridal chamber at the moment just before, Grane’s reins in his hand, he was about to leave on his fateful journey. As Kratzer remarks in the programme, Brünnhilde, realising how Hagen has used her and everyone else, ‘insists on the right to end her own story’ in a final act of rebellion, but it also raises the question of whether the piece can ever end. It’s a clever, resonant solution to the conundrum that Kratzer set himself at the start of the evening, and its audaciousness and execution go a long way to compensate for the lack of the more customary world-ending visualisation of more literal productions. <br /><br />For its Siegfried, the Badisches Staatstheater has turned to a relative newcomer, Daniel Frank. This Swedish tenor, like Peter Hofmann before him originally a rock singer, has already sung Tannhäuser, Lohengrin and Florestan, but as far as I am aware this was his first traversal of the role of Siegfried. And in every way it was triumphant: musicality, tonal variety and stamina were all there in abundance, as well as an ease both as actor and singer that bode well as long his career isn’t pushed too hard. Opposite him, Heidi Melton’s Brünnhilde has grown in stature through the building up of this Ring – these have been her first stage performances of the complete role and by this last instalment her top had gained greater steadiness to go with the rich, mezzo-ish timbre she produces in her middle and lower ranges. The Russian bass Konstantin Gorny – a house ensemble member for twenty years – was the epitome of a Hagen and Armin Kolarczyk gave one of the most psychologically penetrating portrayals of Gunther I have seen, as he watches his world tumble down before him. Jaco Venter’s Alberich was as formidable as earlier in the cycle and Christina Niessen was a forthright but sympathetic Gutrune. The New Zealand mezzo Sarah Castle was a vivid First Norn, Waltraute and Floßhilde, leading her merry band of directors to ever more desperate forms of action – Dilara Baştar’s Second Norn and Wellgunde, An de Ridder’s Third Norn and Agnieszka Tomaszewska’s Woglinde. Justin Brown, conducting what was to have been his last new production in Karlsruhe after ten years with the company before renewing his contract for another couple of years just a week after this performance, directed a seamless, brooding account of the score and the Badische Staatskapelle played magnificently for him. <br /><br />With multi-director <i>Rings</i> suddenly all the rage – Chemnitz is also launching one this season and even Bayreuth is taking this route in 2020 – Karlsruhe has shown that it can be truly successful. In choosing young directors with fresh ideas, able to contemplate each work in relative isolation (they all met up in Iceland for an initial exchange of ideas), the results have generally been of a very high quality, while also managing to balance concept with narrative flow. In retrospect I imagine the four stagings will work just as well as a cycle as individually (two full cycles are being staged this spring), though the best remain for me David Hermann’s <i>Rheingold </i>and this <i>Götterdämmerung</i>.</div>
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Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-30350408595601708222017-12-29T06:21:00.001-08:002017-12-29T06:21:40.805-08:00Distant Sounds's Top Ten Operatic Productions of 2017<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Activity has admittedly
been rather sparse on this blog this year, as my reviewing has tended
to appear elsewhere – at Bachtrack, and in <i>Opera</i>
and in <i>The Wagner Journal</i>.
But I thought it worthwhile to put together a short summary of my
year’s musical adventures - my own personal top ten
operatic experiences of 2017. (Photos all copyright photographers indicated.)</div>
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<b>10 Lulu/Hamburg
State Opera</b></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CByd_CzuZrU/WkY-IuqZ8kI/AAAAAAAABJM/F7sApkKNBjEc2HjxeGFBPqo3DVoJ3nNngCLcBGAs/s1600/Barbara-Hannigan-als-Lulu-und-Ivan-Ludlow-als-Ein-Tierbaendiger-in-Hamburg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="820" height="179" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CByd_CzuZrU/WkY-IuqZ8kI/AAAAAAAABJM/F7sApkKNBjEc2HjxeGFBPqo3DVoJ3nNngCLcBGAs/s320/Barbara-Hannigan-als-Lulu-und-Ivan-Ludlow-als-Ein-Tierbaendiger-in-Hamburg.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Monika Rittershaus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
A somewhat mystifying
staging by Christoph Martaler that came up with its own solution to
the opera’s incomplete state by replacing much of Act III’s
dramaturgy with an enacted performance of Berg’s Violin Concerto,
eloquently played by Veronika Eberle. Most impressive was Barbara
Hannigan’s vocally and physically athletic assumption of the title
role. <a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-berg-lulu-hannigan-nagano-marthaler-staatsoper-hamburg-february-2017">Bachtrack review here</a><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u></u></span></span></div>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>9 Die
Gezeichneten/Bavarian State Opera</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vVAlICt6jAg/WkY_vhAEg4I/AAAAAAAABJY/DRWYjZBUXC8AXgpZdppQHsmekWjWf2U7wCLcBGAs/s1600/63483-catherine-naglestad--carlotta-nardi---opernballett-der-bayerischen-staatsoper-c-wilfried-hosl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vVAlICt6jAg/WkY_vhAEg4I/AAAAAAAABJY/DRWYjZBUXC8AXgpZdppQHsmekWjWf2U7wCLcBGAs/s320/63483-catherine-naglestad--carlotta-nardi---opernballett-der-bayerischen-staatsoper-c-wilfried-hosl.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Wilfred Hosl</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The first of Germany’s
premier-league opera houses to bring Schreker’s <i>magnum opus</i>
back into its repertoire after nearly a century, Munich threw its
best at it: top-notch cast, a typically smart-looking production by
Krzysztof Warlikowski and a
sumptuous performance from the BSO orchestra under Ingo Metzmacher.
<a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-die-gezeichbeten-bavarian-state-opera-metzmacher-warlikowski-nationaltheater-july2017">Bachtrack review here</a> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>8 Mathis
der Maler/Staatstheater Mainz</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3vfTttl8IEk/WkZAi0vOVxI/AAAAAAAABJg/xslE_sDNpXMkj3xJTIUbs2slFb-vm2NzwCLcBGAs/s1600/c4ee655b327eacfd8c7a195c372c8e05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1200" height="154" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3vfTttl8IEk/WkZAi0vOVxI/AAAAAAAABJg/xslE_sDNpXMkj3xJTIUbs2slFb-vm2NzwCLcBGAs/s320/c4ee655b327eacfd8c7a195c372c8e05.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Andreas Etter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
A spare but effective
presentation of Hindemith’s viscerally political opera in the city
in which it is largely set. <a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.fr/2017/04/mathis-der-maler-staatstheater-mainz-2.html">Review here</a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>7 Elektra/Mannheim
National Theatre</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rRCPzJchT2M/WkZBO4E0Q7I/AAAAAAAABJo/j4CmOB4YXZQu64s2gCp0pPBr2AdJixIEACLcBGAs/s1600/59840-elektra-catherine-foster-mannheim-c-hans-jorg-michel-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rRCPzJchT2M/WkZBO4E0Q7I/AAAAAAAABJo/j4CmOB4YXZQu64s2gCp0pPBr2AdJixIEACLcBGAs/s320/59840-elektra-catherine-foster-mannheim-c-hans-jorg-michel-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Hans Jorg Michel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
A revival of Ruth
Berghaus’s iconic 1980 staging, dominated by the towering portrayal
of Elektra by Catherine Foster, and a searing interpretation of the
score from Alexander Soddy and the orchestra. <a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-elektra-berghaus-soddy-foster-mannheim-may-2017">Bachtrack review here</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>6 Pelléas
et Mélisande/Frankfurt Opera</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LnlO982hegA/WkZLqPwcZXI/AAAAAAAABJ4/SdWS1b9_UGoGtHfP992vQqAPYkAlog5ogCLcBGAs/s1600/pelleas-et-melisande_m_490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="630" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LnlO982hegA/WkZLqPwcZXI/AAAAAAAABJ4/SdWS1b9_UGoGtHfP992vQqAPYkAlog5ogCLcBGAs/s320/pelleas-et-melisande_m_490.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Barbara Aumuller</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Another revival, this
time of Claus Guth’s five-year-old production of Debussy’s opera
that mesmerised with its intensity and focus, and was swiftly but
marvellously conducted by Joana Mallwitz. <a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-pelleas-melisande-guth-oper-frankfurt-april-2017">Bachtrack review here</a></div>
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<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>5 Das
Wunder der Heliane/Flanders Opera</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VltFGusPYAA/WkZMbRLsDTI/AAAAAAAABKA/9coBh5HHUzwmUIm92aDInpofdLl35U2zACLcBGAs/s1600/68674-daswunderderheliane-23-34a1008--c-annemieaugustijns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VltFGusPYAA/WkZMbRLsDTI/AAAAAAAABKA/9coBh5HHUzwmUIm92aDInpofdLl35U2zACLcBGAs/s320/68674-daswunderderheliane-23-34a1008--c-annemieaugustijns.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Annemie Augustijns</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A triumphant
vindication of Korngold’s most ‘problematic’ opera, with a
straightforwardly literal staging of the plot from David B<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">ö</span>sch
and an intense reading of the title role from Ausrine Stundyte. (Not
reviewed.)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>4 Geschichten
aus dem Wienerwald/Theater Hagen</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A86k133nkdE/WkZNFYifHnI/AAAAAAAABKI/Xy7dGSqYc_EjXlA2XzWELhHqUC48pJJdwCLcBGAs/s1600/Hagen-Geschichten-aus-dem-Wienerwald-5750-c-Klaus-Lefebvre-620x310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="620" height="160" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A86k133nkdE/WkZNFYifHnI/AAAAAAAABKI/Xy7dGSqYc_EjXlA2XzWELhHqUC48pJJdwCLcBGAs/s320/Hagen-Geschichten-aus-dem-Wienerwald-5750-c-Klaus-Lefebvre-620x310.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Klaus Lefebvre</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A real discovery for me
this year was H.K. Gruber’s operatic version of Horv<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">á</span>th’s
play about a dysfunctional family in interwar Vienna – a richly
referential score grippingly performed by the Hagen ensemble. (Not
reviewed.)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
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<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>3 Hamlet/Glyndebourne
on Tour</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--l08GF1Fnqw/WkZNsfL3_BI/AAAAAAAABKU/Wabsz7XOrhM4akPD6Kpe4CgQ4scfuOmHQCLcBGAs/s1600/119610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="620" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--l08GF1Fnqw/WkZNsfL3_BI/AAAAAAAABKU/Wabsz7XOrhM4akPD6Kpe4CgQ4scfuOmHQCLcBGAs/s320/119610.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Richard Hubert Smith</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Everyone’s
favourite new opera of 2017, but seeing it for the first time on the
Glyndebourne Tour (Milton Keynes Theatre) made me see why: a
fascinating, resourceful score and performances of truly
Shakespearean breadth and depth from the cast. (Not reviewed.)
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>2 Penthesilea/Bonn
Opera</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OAWAiPF2iJ0/WkZOVWUhMFI/AAAAAAAABKc/raEOUmCoF1gbNhN9r0v0oXrn_c6uybwcwCLcBGAs/s1600/csm_33penthesilea-2197_4a1d97af47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OAWAiPF2iJ0/WkZOVWUhMFI/AAAAAAAABKc/raEOUmCoF1gbNhN9r0v0oXrn_c6uybwcwCLcBGAs/s320/csm_33penthesilea-2197_4a1d97af47.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Thilo Beu</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Another new discovery
for me: Othmar Schoeck’s adaptation of Kleist’s Greek drama
proved to be a bit like <i>Elektra</i>
on steroids – a highly physical but scintillating score and single
span of drama thrillingly staged by Peter Konwitschny. (Review
forthcoming in <i>Opera</i>
magazine.)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>1 G<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">ö</span>tterd<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">ä</span>mmerung/Badisches
Staatstheater Karlsruhe</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CJMyeT05Doo/WkZOv21C6ZI/AAAAAAAABKg/hRz56kSExTwkdBV2krkWvXrQ8tCz2kJeQCLcBGAs/s1600/ka_goettdaem_khp0018-1_web_59e0e4c77f7060.67520727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="810" height="195" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CJMyeT05Doo/WkZOv21C6ZI/AAAAAAAABKg/hRz56kSExTwkdBV2krkWvXrQ8tCz2kJeQCLcBGAs/s320/ka_goettdaem_khp0018-1_web_59e0e4c77f7060.67520727.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Matthias Baus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Difficult to decide
between my top three, but Tobias Kratzer’s irreverent conclusion to
Karlsruhe’s multi-director <i>Ring</i>
Cycle really made my year: an ingenious, meta-theatrical staging that
both drew together the threads of the previous directors’ ideas and
made its own mark, with an impressive ensemble cast boding well for
the full cycles in the spring. (Review forthcoming in March 2018
issue of <i>The Wagner Journal</i>.)</div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-4833306965201702802017-07-26T08:57:00.000-07:002017-07-26T08:59:58.597-07:00Tristan und Isolde – Gelsenkirchen/Essen – 4/5 March 2017<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bgIpoe6U3Po/WXi5C-2ZPJI/AAAAAAAABFc/g8dmHdActe4xSf46sFPSqueTEtbSh1v0ACEwYBhgL/s1600/MiR_Foster%252CKerl_%2528c%2529_Forster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bgIpoe6U3Po/WXi5C-2ZPJI/AAAAAAAABFc/g8dmHdActe4xSf46sFPSqueTEtbSh1v0ACEwYBhgL/s400/MiR_Foster%252CKerl_%2528c%2529_Forster.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catherine Foster & Torsten Kerl in Gelsenkirchen's 'Tristan'<br />
Photo: Forster</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<i>From the July 2017 issue of <a href="http://www.thewagnerjournal.co.uk/">The Wagner Journal</a></i><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Musiktheater im Revier, Gelsenkirchen, 4 March 2017</b><br />
Tristan – Torsten Kerl<br />
Isolde – Catherine Foster<br />
Kurwenal – Urban Malmberg<br />
Brangäne – Almuth Herbst <br />
King Mark – Phillip Ens <br />
Melot – Piotr Prochera <br />
Young Sailor – Ibrahim Yesilay <br />
Shepherd – William Saetre <br />
Steersman – Jacoub Eisa <br />
<br />
Chorus and Extra Chorus of the MiR<br />
Neue Philharmonie Westfalen<br />
<br />
Conductor – Rasmus Baumann<br />
Director – Michael Schulz <br />
Designer – Kathrin-Susann Brose <br />
Costumes – Renée Listerdal<br />
Lighting – Patrick Fuchs <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Aalto Theater, Essen, 5 March 2017 </b><br />
<div>
Tristan – Jeffrey Dowd </div>
<div>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hxiQcpebLFs/WXi51pP3YeI/AAAAAAAABFk/Pql8uVpHKoQTNN7pqveaTvNoFTGM7n4LACEwYBhgL/s1600/MiR_Tristan_Kerl%252CFoster%252CStatisterie_%2528c%2529_Forster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>Isolde – Rebecca Teem <br />
Kurwenal – Heiko Trinsinger <br />
Brangäne – Martina Dike <br />
King Mark – Tijl Faveyts <br />
Melot – Karel Martin Ludvik <br />
Young Sailor – Rainer Maria Röhr <br />
Shepherd – Albrecht Kludszuweit <br />
Steersman – Georgios Iatrou <br />
<br />
Chorus and Extra Chorus of the Aalto Theater<br />
Essener Philharmoniker<br />
<br />
Conductor – Frank Beermann<br />
Director – Barrie Kosky <br />
Designer/lighting – Klaus Grünberg <br />
Costumes – Alfred Mayerhofer <br />
<br />
<br />
Only in Germany … Such is the density of operatic endeavour in the country that it is inevitable there’s an occasional overlap of repertoire between adjacent houses. It was not so unusual, therefore, to find Musiktheater im Revier Gelsenkirchen’s new Tristan und Isolde scheduled to launch the night before a revival of the Aalto Theater’s ten-year-old production just twelve kilometres away in Essen. The Ruhr may be the most heavily populated part of Germany, but its towns and cities seem quite parochial in their individual cultural ambit, and there appears to be remarkably little cross-fertilisation of audiences. (As a parallel example, our taxi driver back from Gelsenkirchen after the Premierfeiern barely knew where Essen was without his sat-nav.) <br />
<br />
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hxiQcpebLFs/WXi51pP3YeI/AAAAAAAABFk/Pql8uVpHKoQTNN7pqveaTvNoFTGM7n4LACEwYBhgL/s1600/MiR_Tristan_Kerl%252CFoster%252CStatisterie_%2528c%2529_Forster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="1600" height="170" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hxiQcpebLFs/WXi51pP3YeI/AAAAAAAABFk/Pql8uVpHKoQTNN7pqveaTvNoFTGM7n4LACEwYBhgL/s400/MiR_Tristan_Kerl%252CFoster%252CStatisterie_%2528c%2529_Forster.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Gelsenkirchen doesn’t have the Wagner tradition of its neighbour (Essen has most of the works in its repertoire, including a multi-director Ring) and, despite its theatre’s name, presents fewer operatic performances in a season that is shared with spoken theatre, musicals and dance. But it has obvious ambition under the Intendancy of Michael Schulz – director of Weimar’s Ring – and it was playing up the ‘Bayreuth comes to the Ruhr’ line in its publicity for having attracted two of the Green Hill’s recent and current stars to sing the title roles, Torsten Kerl and Catherine Foster (Foster had also sung Brünnhilde in Schulz’s Weimar Ring). The production is Schulz’s own, and seems pretty tame after the Regie re-interpretations of his Ring. Act I is in split-level, with Isolde’s cabin shown below decks and with Tristan brooding with the crew above – there’s a sense of the male world louring over that of the female, one where Brangäne and Isolde sip tea among their luggage while Tristan hovers beside a shiny black monolith (which just brought unwanted allusion to Space Odyssey). The story is portrayed reasonably true to the text – there’s even a gold chalice for the potion – but things get a little more complicated in Act II, where the lovers negotiate a labyrinth of a revolving set, singing ‘O sink hernieder’ to the accompaniment of a young boy and girl playing with their toys in the background (‘not in front of the children’, surely), and with the climax of their duet illustrated – as if the music doesn’t say it all – by semi-naked body doubles writhing in coupled ecstasy in a glass box. A minimalist Act III has nothing but a white backdrop, that monolith again and sliding black foreground panels. It felt like three different productions, with each act having a different design ethos and progressing from naturalistic detail to monochrome stylisation. Nothing wrong with this approach in principle, but it did feel and look disjointed, and it was difficult to see what if any point was being made, both in this regard and in general in Schulz’s directorial choices. It is a production that illustrates the story well enough but does less to interpret or explore its multi-layered strands of meaning.<br />
<br />
The musical highlight of the performance was Foster’s Isolde: firm, often lustrous of tone and vividly acted – her venting of fury at ‘Fluch dir, Verruchter’, using her full height to imposing advantage, was visceral. Kerl’s Tristan was almost her equal. He sounded a little under-powered in the love duet of Act II, but was obviously pacing himself for the challenges of Act III, which he delivered with both power and subtlety. Only Piotr Prochera’s particularly villainous Melot truly impressed among the home-grown support team, though. Almuth Herbst’s Brangäne was occasionally unfocused, though her Act II warnings were eloquently sung, Urban Malmberg’s Kurwenal was light-voiced but a little too demonstrative in his delivery, and Phillip Ens’s King Mark sounded rather frayed and rough at the edges. Ibrahim Yesilay’s Young Sailor was subtly phrased and Jacoub Eisa’s two lines as the Steersman were forcefully projected, but William Saetre’s weak Shepherd was merely adequate. Rasmus Baumann’s conducting was nuanced, and while the orchestra coped well with the demands, its woodwind lacked sophistication at times and the whole ensemble has some way to go to develop the true Wagnerian Klang required. <br />
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Barrie Kosky’s Tristan und Isolde for the Aalto Theater dates from 2006, and compared with his more recent productions is fairly sober and contained. Bravely he sets each act in a tiny cube of a room, barely three or four metres across. Act I is a cramped ship’s cabin that does service for both Isolde’s quarters and Tristan’s, the latter storming in with his drunken hangers-on and a Kurwenal who as good as rapes Brangäne during his paean to his master. There’s just room for a washbasin and tap for Brangäne to use to dilute the potion in a glass tumbler that Isolde smashes after consuming its contents. The idea of a brightly lit room in a black void is made even more minimalist in Act II. This time the acting space is still further restricted, just a grey-flocked trapezoid cube (with light fitting and bowl of fruit) that rotates during the love duet, very slowly at first and with more speed as the musical tension hots up. It’s a beautifully simple expression of a personal world in motion with the added element of jeopardy as the singers constantly need to find their feet and centre of balance. A third, still room is the setting for the final act, now seen in the context of a field of model sheep. As Tristan’s world collapses around him, the herd is shepherded out of the way and the action spills out on to the full stage for the first time. <br />
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Compared to the Gelsenkirchen experience, the musical performance was generally on much firmer ground. The orchestra under Frank Beermann, until last year music director in Chemnitz and conductor of the ongoing Ring cycle in Minden, played with élan from the start, with rich strings, sleek woodwind and sophisticated overall balance. The supporting cast, too, was much better, with Heiko Trinsinger a vivid Kurwenal, Martina Dike a Brangäne with real vocal and physical presence and Tijl Faveyts a young-looking but authoritative King Mark. Where the performance fell down, sadly, was with the two principals. Rebecca Teem, as Isolde, had the excuse that she was a presumably latish replacement for the unwell Dara Hobbs, and with Kosky’s physical demands, especially in the revolving set of Act II, it is understandable that she might not give of her best. But her singing, although she had all the notes, was often strident and coarse, and had little of Foster’s tonal bloom. Jeffrey Dowd, who has been in the production since the start, and who also appeared in its previous revival in 2013, had less of an excuse for such an unengaged performance as he gave, especially in Act II where he seemed to be too conscious of the precariousness of the moving stage and as a result gave the impression of singing on autopilot. Act III was demonstrably better, where his pinched tone and occasionally mannered delivery felt more in keeping with his character’s disintegration. Playing ‘fantasy Tristans’, if one took the best from both productions – the lead roles in Gelsenkirchen, the rest, and the staging, in Essen – one would have come away with an experience closer to that elusive ideal. </div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-26465394226816805882017-05-17T06:02:00.001-07:002017-07-28T05:56:25.214-07:00Distant Sounds’s operatic must-sees in the 2017/18 seasonAs a supplement to my listing of operatic repertoire for the 2017/18 season (see tab above), here’s my personal list of highlights - very much a 'long list’ of all the productions I’d be prepared to travel and see (though obviously more than I’ll manage!).<br />
<br />
And don't forget the full list of season premieres <a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page_29.html">here</a>.<br />
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<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<u>Firstly, the
rarities</u>:</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Korngold’s <b>Das
Wunder der Heliane</b> in
Gent/Antwerp (September) & Berlin DO (March)<br />
Schreker’s
<b>Die Gezeichneten</b> in
St Gallen (September) & Berlin DO (January), plus revival in Munich (May)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Schoeck's <b>Penthesilea</b> in Bonn (October) </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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Hindemith <b>Mathis der
Maler</b> in Gelsenkirchen
(October)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Schreker’s
<b>Der ferne Klang</b> in
Lübeck (October)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Prokofiev’s
<b>The Gambler</b> in Vienna
(October), Basel (May) & Gent/Antwerp (June)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Hubay’s
<b>Anna Karenina</b> in Bern
(November)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Zemlinsky’s
<b>Eine florentinische Tragödie</b>
in Amsterdam (November)<br />Zemlinsky's <b>Der Zwerg</b> in Lille (November)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Weill’s <b>Love Life</b>
in Freiburg (December)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Korngold’s <b>Die
tote Stadt</b> in Dresden
(December)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Zemlinsky’s
<b>Der Kreiderkreis</b> in
Lyon (January)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Von
Einem’s <b>Dantons Tod</b>
in Magdeburg (January)<br />
Reznicek's <b>Benzin</b> in Bielefeld (January)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Martin’s
<b>Der Sturm</b> in
Saarbrücken (January)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Marschner’s
<b>Hans Heiling</b> in Essen
(February)</div>
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Meyerbeer’s
<b>Vasco da Gama</b> in
Frankfurt (February)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Dukas’s <b>Ariane
et Barbe-Bleue</b> in Graz
(March)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Rachmaninov’s
<b>Aleko</b>
& <b>Francesca da
Rimini</b>
in Kiel (March)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Shostakovich’s
<b>Cheryomushki</b>
in Braunschweig (May) & Gelsenkirchen (March)</div>
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Von
Einem’s <b>Der Besuch der
alten Dame</b> and <b>Dantons
Tod</b>, both in Vienna
(March)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Weinberger’s
<b>Schwanda the Bagpiper</b>
in Giessen (March)</div>
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Puccini’s
<b>Edgar</b>
in Regensburg (April)</div>
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Enescu’s
<b>Oedipe</b>
in Gera (April)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Hindemith
<b>triple bill</b>
in Budapest (May)<br />
Hindemith's <b>Neues vom Tage</b> in Schwerin (May)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Weill’s
<b>Der Silbersee</b>
in Pforzheim (May)</div>
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Langgaard’s
<b>Antikrist</b>
in Mainz (June)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Tate’s
<b>The Lodger</b>
in Bremerhaven (June)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Waltershausen’s
<b>Oberst Chabert</b>
(1912) in Bonn (June)<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Busoni's </span><b style="font-family: "times new roman";">Doktor Faust</b><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"> in Osnabrück (June) </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Mascagni’s
<b>Isabeau</b>
in London OHP (summer)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<u>Contemporary
and premieres</u>:</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
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Henze’s
<b>Der junge Lord</b>
in Hannover (September)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Ligeti’s
<b>Le grand macabre</b>
in Luzern/Meiningen (September) & Flensburg (May)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Reimann’s
<b>L’invisable</b>
in Berlin DO (WP, October)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Saariaho’s
<b>Only the Sound
Remains</b>
in Paris (January)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Eötvös’s
<b>Angels in America</b>
in Münster (February) & in Freiburg (March)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Henze’s
<b>Das Fluss der Medusa</b>
in Amsterdam (March)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Zimmermann’s
<b>Die Soldaten</b>
in Nürnberg (March), Köln (April) & Madrid (May)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Benjamin’s
<b>Lessons in Love and
Violence</b>
in London (WP, May) & Amsterdam (June)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Holliger’s
<b>Lunea</b>
in Zürich (WP, May)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Andriessen’s
<b>Waiting for Vermeer</b>
in Heidelberg (May)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Adams’s
<b>Nixon in China</b>
in Würzburg (May)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Ruzicka’s
<b>Benjamin</b>
in Hamburg (WP, June)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<u>Notable new
productions of more familiar repertoire</u>:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Pelléas et
Mélisande</b> in Berlin (Komische Oper), dir. Barrie Kosky
(September)<br />
<b>Die Frau ohne Schatten</b> in Linz (September)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>From the House of
the Dead</b> in Cardiff (October),
Paris (November), London ROH (March), Frankfurt (April) & Munich
(May)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Wozzeck</b> in
Düsseldorf, dir. Stefan Herheim (October)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Capriccio</b>
in Frankfurt, dir. Brigitte Fassbaender (January)</div>
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<b>Jenufa</b>
in Kassel (February)</div>
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<b>Boris Godunov</b>
in Paris, dir. Ivo van Hove (June)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<u>The Wagnerian
highlights</u>:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Rienzi</b>
in Innsbruck (May)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Tannhäuser</b>
in Köln (September), Wiesbaden (November), Görlitz (March) & Leipzig (March)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Lohengrin</b>
in Brussels (April) & London ROH (June)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Ring</b>
cycles in Leipzig (January), Dresden (January), Munich (January),
Karlsruhe (March) & Vienna (April)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
New
<b>Rings</b> beginning in
Chemnitz (February/March) & Bielefeld (March) and continuing in
Oldenburg (September) Kiel (March) & Düsseldorf (April)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Tristan und Isolde</b>
in Amsterdam (January) & Kassel (May)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Parsifal</b>
in Hamburg (September), Baden-Baden (March), Paris (April) &
Munich (June), plus revivals in Mannheim, Stuttgart & Antwerp/Gent</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<u>And a few revivals
of non-standard rep missed first time round</u>:</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Barber’s <b>Vanessa</b>
in Frankfurt (September)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Rimsky-Korsakov’s <b>The
Tale of Tsar Saltan</b> in Dresden
(November)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Strauss’s
<b>Die schweigsame Frau </b>in
Munich (November)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Strauss’s
<b>Daphne</b> in Vienna SO
(December)</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Glinka’s <b>A Life
for the Tsar</b> in Frankfurt (January)</div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-56251847757291347302017-05-06T12:28:00.000-07:002017-05-18T06:16:07.905-07:00Das Lied der Nacht – Theater Osnabrück – 5 May 2017Lianora - Lina Liu<br />
The Princess-Abbess - Gritt Gnauck<br />
Hämone - Susann Vent-Wunderlich<br />
Tancred - Rhys Jenkins<br />
Ciullo/The Nameless Singer - Ferdinand von Bothmer<br />
The Chancellor - José Gallisa<br />
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Opera Chorus & Extra Chorus of Theater Osnabrück<br />
Osnabruck Symphony Orchestra<br />
<br />
Conductor - Andreas Hotz<br />
Director - Mascha Porzgen<br />
Designer - Frank Fellmann<br />
<br />
Immediately after the 33-year-old Hans Gál made his breakthrough with his opera <i>Die</i> <i>heilige</i> <i>Ente</i> in Düsseldorf in 1923, he began work on a successor, creating a ‘dramatic ballad in three scenes’ to a text by the poet Karl Michael von Levetzow. Das Lied der Nacht was premiered in Breslau (now Polish Wrocław) in 1926 and was soon taken up by several further theatres, before the Nazis’ rise to power sent Gál into exile and his music into obscurity. The opera had lain unperformed for the best part of 90 years until is was dredged up from the archives to be revived this spring by the enterprising Theater Osnabrück in time to mark the 30th anniversary of the composer’s death. It is also being revived in a semi-staging at this year’s Edinburgh Festival, so one might claim that its time has come. It is certainly an interesting work, both musically and dramatically, and while it might not have emerged as a long-lost masterpiece to set alongside the works of Schreker and Zemlinsky from the same decade, there’s enough of substance to make one hope it doesn’t get forgotten again after this initial burst of exposure.<br />
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Musically, Das Lied impresses with its fluidity more than for striking originality – Gál obviously knew his Strauss and Mahler and steered their languages to his own uses without coming up with ideas that linger long in the mind. At its best, in the dark, gloomy harmonies of the scene with the Abbess for instance, it is powerful and full of resonance, but one longed for something more striking for the ‘Lied’ itself, the mysterious song sung by the ‘Nameless Singer’ that so enraptures the Crown Princess, Lianora – its most potent feature is its harp accompaniment. But there’s a rather impressive Act II prelude to compensate – a piece of textural ingenuity and harmonic rapture that would make an attractive concert item in itself – and throughout Gál is particularly adroit at letting his vocal lines cut through the often busy orchestral writing.<br />
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On the face of it, the story is simple: the orphaned Princess Lianora is refusing to name her husband so that Sicily may gain a king – she is more attracted to the Nameless Singer than to her bullish suitor, Tancred, and would much rather enter her aunt’s convent in any case. But this being the work of a post-Freudian Viennese, the opera is very much an exploration of the psychology of growing up, something drawn out in Mascha Pörzgen’s perceptive staging. With the death of her father, Lianora is catapulted into adulthood before she is ready, with the need to choose a husband to maintain the island’s political stability. She is also a woman in a world where men call the shots – as princess she has obligations that fall under the power of the aged Chancellor and Tancred’s macho strutting. What follows drifts into the world of dreams – is the seductiveness of the Nameless Singer a figment of her unconscious desire for escape? A way of subconsciously avoiding reality by projecting her fantasies on to her favourite gondolier, Ciullo, who turns out to be singer? We are left to ponder what’s real and what imagined – entrances and exits are often ambiguously made from within the scenery and in Act I the ‘Stony’ Abbess emerges as a giant figure from what one presumed to be the Princess’s wardrobe. Watery images abound, too, in keeping with the theme of the Singer’s lament, and add to the sense of subconscious being explored.<br />
<br />
Gál’s score had sweep and pace in the hands of Osnabrück’s charismatic GMD Andreas Hotz, and while the orchestral playing had sheen and power, it would be good to hear what a really top-notch ensemble could make of this music. Lana Liu was highly effective as Lianora, with focused projection and a communicative way with the words; Susann Vent-Wunderlich as her maid/confidante Hämone was also impressive. Gritt Gnauck, a mezzo familiar from the Detmold ensemble, made an imposing Abbess, bringing a touch of the Klytemnestras to her vocal portrayal, and Ferdinand von Bothmer sung valiantly as the Nameless Singer and Ciullo, with just a hint of insecurity in his tenor at moments of heightened tension. Rhys Jenkins was a solid Tancred, José Gallisa a robust Chancellor and the chorus sang with particular focus and dramatic edge.<br />
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Link to promotional video: <a href="https://vimeo.com/215983662">https://vimeo.com/215983662</a></div>
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Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-47808112849124861012017-04-06T07:20:00.002-07:002017-12-02T08:53:18.921-08:00Mathis der Maler – Staatstheater Mainz – 2 April 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fsBJZPKiyg0/WOZMPJBTRWI/AAAAAAAABCg/V2EtpnGvY2cEo5muqppTqAagbCH772aPwCLcB/s1600/c9f904e82480f9b38f0775d7b2fb4ba9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fsBJZPKiyg0/WOZMPJBTRWI/AAAAAAAABCg/V2EtpnGvY2cEo5muqppTqAagbCH772aPwCLcB/s640/c9f904e82480f9b38f0775d7b2fb4ba9.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ursula (Vida Mikneviciute), Regina (Dorin Rahardja) and <br />
Mathis (Derrick Ballard). Photos: Andreas Etter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Mathis
– Derrick Ballard<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Cardinal
Albrecht – Alexander Spemann</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Ursula
– Vida Mikneviciute</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Hans
Schwalb – Lars-Oliver Rühl</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Wolfgang
Capito – Steven Ebel</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Regina
– Dorin Rahardja</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Riedinger
– Stephan Bootz</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Lorenz
von Pommersfelden – Hans-Otto Weiß</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Sylvester
von Schaumberg – Johannes Mayer</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Countess
of Helfenstein – Geneviève King</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Chorus,
Extra Chorus & Statisterie of Staatstheater Mainz</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Philharmonisches
Staatsorchester Mainz</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Conductor
– Hermann Bäumer</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Director
– Elisabeth Stöppler</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Sets
– Annika Haller</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Costumes
– Su Sigmund</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Lighting
– Stefan Bauer</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5PB69BQyJag/WOZM6TcrEkI/AAAAAAAABCw/IBBRysuR6Fo_Qj13u4XCtq9NT8boqkZHgCLcB/s1600/c4ee655b327eacfd8c7a195c372c8e05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5PB69BQyJag/WOZM6TcrEkI/AAAAAAAABCw/IBBRysuR6Fo_Qj13u4XCtq9NT8boqkZHgCLcB/s400/c4ee655b327eacfd8c7a195c372c8e05.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The vision of angels: Schwalb (Lars-Oliver Rühl) and <br />
Mathis (Derrick Ballard), centre</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Hindemith
conceived his opera </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Mathis der Maler</i></span><span lang="en-US">
in response to the situation in which he found himself during the
early years of the Nazi regime in 1930s Germany. The dilemma facing
artist Matthias Grunewald at the time of the Peasants’ War in
Germany in the 1520s whether to fight or paint is one that struck a
chord with the composer and is a theme that seems to have lost little
of its relevance in today’s fractious world. The war in the story
was partly a religious one, as newly inspired Protestants fought with
Catholics, and Staatstheater Mainz has mounted the opera to mark the
Luther anniversary that falls this year. But Mainz also has the
advantage that the work is actually set in the city and features
historic figures of the time.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">There’s
no pandering to medieval Mainz in Elisabeth Stöppler’s spare
staging, however. Annika Haller’s ‘set’ is merely a raked
stage, upon which Mathis chalks texts (unreadable from my seat) as
his artwork, surrounded by black curtains on sides and rear. It
focuses attention on the characters, and Stöppler makes excellent
use of the space in marshalling them. Costumes are contemporary, with
even Cardinal Albrecht wearing a business suit beneath his red cape –
emphasising, perhaps, the way he is torn between the attractions of
the new religion and the financial trappings of his position. The
angelic vision of Scene 6 at least allows some brightness to lighten
up what is otherwise a very muted palette of colours. Stöppler
doesn’t hold back in her portrayal of violence in a society rent
asunder by class and religious conflict: the rich are strung up and
the fate of the peasants’ leader Hans Schwalb is a bit of a
gore-fest.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r3ARQz00OEU/WOZNVEuWarI/AAAAAAAABC0/ZH0KRCLqQ9wN193cXUlp2Y4i9csfyqoYgCLcB/s1600/8148beb87bbb14707024665d0b31cb27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r3ARQz00OEU/WOZNVEuWarI/AAAAAAAABC0/ZH0KRCLqQ9wN193cXUlp2Y4i9csfyqoYgCLcB/s400/8148beb87bbb14707024665d0b31cb27.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Capito (Steven Ebel) and Cardinal Albrecht (Alexander Spemann)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><i>Mathis</i></span><span lang="en-US">
is an ambitious work for a company of the scale of Mainz’s to
mount, but it would be hard to imagine it done more compellingly by a
major international house. Admittedly, one or two of the individual
singers fall a little short – Lars-Oliver Rühl’s Schwalb
struggled with a couple of the high notes in his part and as Ursula,
Vida Mikneviciute’s shrill soprano and rapid beat proved to be an
acquired taste. But Derrick Ballard’s Mathis was commanding, an
assumption to rank alongside his accomplished Sachs, seen both in
<a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/parsifal-in-wuppertal-meistersinger-in.html">Mainz </a>and in <a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/die-meistersinger-von-nurnberg.html">Detmold</a>. There were moments when a little roughness
emerged, but it went with his burly, highly physical portrayal of the
troubled artist. Tenor Alexander Spemann was convincing as the
cardinal archbishop and Steven Ebel’s contortions made his adviser
Capito a particularly oleaginous creep of a character – a
sinisterly comic portrayal somewhat at odds with the seriousness
everywhere else. If Mikneviciute’s Ursula was a little strident,
more subtlety was to be found in the singing of Dorin Rahardja as
Schwalb’s daughter Regina.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Much of the success of
the dramatic performance fell on the expanded chorus, which truly
thrilled with the power and focus of its singing. Its members can act
convincingly, too – it wasn’t so many years ago that ‘provincial’
German opera choruses could almost be relied upon for their wooden
theatrical appearance. The orchestra, too, makes a most impressive
sound under Mainz’s GMD Hermann Bäumer, who has no problem
maintaining both the momentum and tension in Hindemith’s highly
dramatic writing.</div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-64333566355674845382017-03-05T01:16:00.001-08:002017-03-05T01:16:25.468-08:00The Passenger – Musiktheater im Revier, Gelsenkirchen – 2 March 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pzZo1HWI9TU/WLvXPkkCPdI/AAAAAAAABBM/CV083aLpRwsGNXDLgd4M8_sBocoNho1LwCLcB/s1600/ad6356f6-0f85-3954-be41-af59b2330b39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pzZo1HWI9TU/WLvXPkkCPdI/AAAAAAAABBM/CV083aLpRwsGNXDLgd4M8_sBocoNho1LwCLcB/s400/ad6356f6-0f85-3954-be41-af59b2330b39.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Lisa – Hanna Dóra Sturludóttir<br />
Walter – Kor-Jan Dusseljee<br />
Marta – Ilia Papandreou<br />
Tadeusz – Piotr Prochera<br />
<br />
Opera Chorus & Extra Opera Chorus of MiR<br />
Neue Philharmonie Westfalen<br />
<br />
Conductor – Valterri Rauhalammi<br />
Director – Gabriele Rech<br />
Set designer – Dirk Becker<br />
Costumes – Renée Listerdal<br />
<br />
Having missed Mieczyslaw Weinberg’s The Passenger at ENO in 2011 and only seeing David Pountney’s much-travelled premiere production on film (via YouTube) this week, this was my first proper encounter with the opera. Its story is now reasonably well known, but a quick resumé: Weinberg’s composed his opera based on Zofia Posmysz’s semi-autobriographical novel of experiences at Auschwitz in the mid-60s. But its subject matter was too strong even for the Soviets, and it didn’t see the light of day on stage until Pountney mounted it at Bregenz in 2010, since when it has been seen in the UK, the US and further afield. It had its German premiere at Karlsruhe in 2013 and, thanks to Gelsenkirchen’s new production it is swiftly on the way to becoming a repertoire work.<br />
<br />
The opera’s plot – about Lisa, a former SS officer at Auschwitz’s supposed re-encounter with one of her charges in her new post-war life – is suffused with the ideas of memory and remembrance and these are brought to the fore in Gabriele Rech’s perceptive production at the Musiktheater im Revier. Rather than the split-level set called for in the libretto – 1960s ocean liner above 1940s prison camp – she and Dirk Becker have set the whole work on board the luxury ship on its way from Europe to Brazil. Thus the implication is that Lisa’s sighting on the voyage of the former inmate Marta – whom she presumed to be dead – ignites all her memories of her time at the death camp, and we see everything through her eyes. We never quite know if it is Marta, anyway, or just a lookalike who sets off Lisa’s reminiscences as she first admits her shady past to her diplomat husband, Walter, and then goes on to seek to come to terms with it by reliving her experiences. Arguably this approach sanitises the Auschwitz scenes, since it doesn’t give a sense of the environs, bit it puts the onus on the characterisation to convey something of the conditions.<br />
<br />
This the Gelsenkirchen cast did impressively. From the looks on the faces of the singers at the subdued final curtain calls this was obviously a draining experience for them all. Ilia Papandreou was an intense, keening Marta, a character wanting to be equal with everyone but through no choice of her own picked out by Lisa for special treatment along the lines of divide and rule. And Hanna Dóra Sturludóttir’s Lisa got to grips with a woman trying to reconcile her past in her attempts to argue that she was only doing what everyone did at the time, and that she was one of the ‘good ones’ in her treatment of the prisoners. As her husband, Kor-Jan Dusseljee sang with clarity and finesse, and Piotr Prochera’s Tadeusz – Marta’s lover – impressed not only for his eloquent singing but also for playing on the violin – creditably – the opening of the Bach D minor Chaconne that sets his fate. The distinction of the smaller roles did credit to the theatre’s ensemble – more so, as it happened, than in the subsidiary roles of the following night’s Tristan premiere (review forthcoming in The Wagner Journal). The chorus sang with force and the brass-and-percussion-dominated orchestra played incisively under Valterri Rauhalammi.<br />
<br />
But we are left with the issue of the music itself. However much one can believe the sincerity of Weinberg’s utterances, there’s no getting away from the fact that he lacked a truly personal voice – so much of the score, as elsewhere in his output, comes across as sub-Shostakovichian. The score of The Passenger certainly hangs together, and its ideas are often striking, but there are just too many echoes, unabsorbed, from Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk and its final gulag march scene in particular.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-57761005758691823762017-01-01T06:20:00.001-08:002017-01-01T06:20:36.691-08:00Die Herzogin von Chicago – Theater Koblenz – 12 December 2016
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
As reviewed for a
forthcoming edition of <span style="font-style: normal;"><i><a href="http://www.opera.co.uk/">Opera</a></i> Magazine.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UcdV419Luxw/WGkPUiuNL0I/AAAAAAAAA_M/FZZ9oPL7KbMkQxwGlpXVdDaWJu6EoGHuwCLcB/s1600/Herzogin%2B7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UcdV419Luxw/WGkPUiuNL0I/AAAAAAAAA_M/FZZ9oPL7KbMkQxwGlpXVdDaWJu6EoGHuwCLcB/s400/Herzogin%2B7.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark Adler (Sandor) & Emily Newton (Mary Lloyd)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div class="western">
Mary Lloyd – Emily Newton<br />Sandor Boris, Crown
Prince – Mark Adler <br />Princess Rosemarie – Haruna
Yamazaki<br />James Bondy – Peter Koppelmann<br />Count Bojazowitsch –
Marcel Hoffmann<br />Marquis Perolin – Christof Maria Kaiser<br />King
Pankraz XXVII/Benjamin Lloyd, Mary’s father – Wolfram
Boelzle<br />Count Negresco – Sebastian Haake<br />Baron Palssy –
Tobias Rathgeber<br /><br />Opera Chorus & Extra Chorus, Children’s
Chorus, Ballet, Statisterie<br />Staatsorchester Rheinische
Philharmonie<br /> </div>
<div class="western">
Conductor – Rasmus Baumann<br />Director &
Scenery – Michiel Dijkema<br />Costumes – Alexandra
Pitz<br />Choreography – Steffen Fuchs</div>
<div class="western">
<br />
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CLPjqdMfmmc/WGkPUqFHZqI/AAAAAAAAA_I/P5jb56B6iXkfEXZBknCGisqK5WVhswIzwCEw/s1600/Herzogin%2B19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CLPjqdMfmmc/WGkPUqFHZqI/AAAAAAAAA_I/P5jb56B6iXkfEXZBknCGisqK5WVhswIzwCEw/s400/Herzogin%2B19.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emily Newton (Mary Lloyd, centre)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Emmerich Kálmán’s
<i>Die Herzogin von Chicago </i>managed an initial run of 242 performances
at Vienna’s Theater an der Wien in 1928 and, although it
subsequently fell out of fashion (it failed in off-Broadway
try-outs), in recent years it has become one of his more revived
later works, especially since its recording by Richard Bonynge as
part of Decca’s Entartete Musik series in the late 1990s. This
winter it has taken to the stage of Theater Koblenz in an imaginative
and well-paced new production directed and designed by Michiel
Dijkema (costumes by Alexandra Pitz).
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The operetta is very
much of its time, blending American jazz with the native Hungarian
style around a plot that stages the ‘battle’ between the Old and
New Worlds – not a hundred miles away from the theme of Krenek’s
opera Jonny spielt auf, which had swept Europe the previous season
and which can’t have gone unnoticed by Kálmán. Moreover, the
operetta’s character of a black saxophonist, Bobby, went on to
become the ‘poster boy’ of the Nazis’ cultural propaganda in
the late 1930s, while its Hungarian-Jewish composer fled to the USA
itself.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
An American
millionaire’s daughter, Mary Lloyd, rises to the challenge set by
her peer group (the likes of Edith Rockefeller, Maud Carnegie, Daisy
Vanderbilt, even a timely late addition for the Koblenz production,
Emilia Trump) to outdo each other in buying up old Europe. She lands
herself the estate of an impoverished royal family in the Balkans and
inevitably falls for the hereditary prince, but there’s a problem:
he won’t dance the Charleston with her, only the csárdás. It’s
slender stuff, and the denouement, in which the impasse is saved by
the arrival of a Hollywood director demanding an American-style happy
ending, seems too glib. But the show is saved by its music, a
succession of numbers that cleverly sets off the two competing styles
of dance, and which the Koblenz performers had down to a T.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Texan soprano Emily
Newton, guesting from the ensemble in Dortmund, is becoming an
experienced hand in this kind of repertoire, and has the starry sense
of presence to hold the stage, a convincing way of rounding out stock
romantic leads and a subtle and lyrical vocal command. She also
obviously had fun with the text’s cod-American-German, as did Peter
Koppelmann as her private secretary James Bondy, an original
character name that seems set up for latter-day allusions to 007.
Mark Adler proved a fine lyric tenor as Prince Sandor and Haruna
Yamazaki’s sonorous mezzo as the rival love interest, Princess
Rosemarie, bodes well for her upcoming Octavian with the company. The
chorus was its usual powerful self (an impression garnered from last
season’s Peter Grimes), the children’s chorus excelled, the
ballet corps added its own pizazz and the orchestra, though light on
strings given the need to fit a sizeable wind section into this bijou
theatre’s diminutive pit, had bite and suavity under the energetic
direction of Rasmus Baumann.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-21927682275662546562016-12-31T08:38:00.000-08:002017-01-03T03:33:27.458-08:00 Distant Sounds’s top tips for 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xhBxdca1LMY/WGfekHs9gLI/AAAAAAAAA-4/94JFuVJtQt8VEMLfYHSwSx6ihBYFDCtZwCEw/s1600/IMG_20161231_163338902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xhBxdca1LMY/WGfekHs9gLI/AAAAAAAAA-4/94JFuVJtQt8VEMLfYHSwSx6ihBYFDCtZwCEw/s320/IMG_20161231_163338902.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>A somewhat Austro-German selection of highlights from the rest of the
current operatic season, many of which I hope to see and review here,
or for Bachtrack.com, <i>Opera</i> or <i>The Wagner Journal</i>.</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<b>
</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<i>Lulu</i> (Oper Hamburg, February) – a new production by
Christoph Marthaler of Berg’s opera with Barbara Hannigan in
the title role.
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<i>Tristan und Isolde</i> (Musiktheater am Revier, Gelsenkirchen,
March) – Catherine Foster, Bayreuth’s current Brünnhilde, sings
Isolde opposite Torsten Kerl’s Tristan (alternative cast takes over
from April).
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<i>Mathis der Maler</i> (Staatstheater Mainz, March) – a new
production of Hindemith’s opera launches a bumper year for the
composer, with stagings to follow of <i>Die Harmonie der Welt</i>
(Linz, April) and <i>Cardillac</i> (Pforzheim, May).</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<i>Doktor Faust</i> (Staatsoper Dresden, March, & Theater für Niedersachsen, Hildesheim, April) – Busoni’s masterpiece receives
two new productions.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<i>Elegy for Young Lovers</i> (Gütersloh/Detmold, April/May) –
Landestheater Detmold’s staging of Henze’s opera launches in the
composer’s birthplace, Gütersloh, before moving to Detmold itself.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<i>Das Lied der Nacht</i> (Osnabrück, April) – a belated revival
of an opera by Hans Gál from the 1930s.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<strike><i>Die schweigsame Frau</i> (Aachen, May) – a new production of
Strauss’s Ben Jonson comedy.</strike>This has now morphed into Strauss's <i>Ariadne auf Naxos</i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<i>Das Rheingold</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> (Deutsche Oper
am Rhein, June) – Düsseldorf launches its new </span><i>Ring</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
cycle directed by Dietrich Hilsdorf.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<i>Der Ring des Polykrates</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
(Heidelberg, May) – a rare outing for Korngold’s early one-act
opera, coupled with Weinberg’s </span><i>Wir Gratulieren</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<i>Die Gezeichneten</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> (Bayrische
Staatsoper, Munich, & Oper Köln, July) – two productions, one
new (dir. Warlikowski, for the Munich Opera Festival), one revived,
of Franz Schreker’s magnum opus running concurrently.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<br /></div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-17300566970803474952016-12-28T02:29:00.000-08:002016-12-28T03:43:31.629-08:00Distant Sounds's ten most memorable operatic experiences of 2016It’s easy to come up
with my top 3, less easy to put the rest in any meaningful order, so
I’ll leave it at that. Titles hotlink to my original reviews where
they appear online, on this blog or at Bachtrack.com (two, the <i>Rheingold</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
and </span><i>Lohengrin</i><span style="font-style: normal;">, won’t
appear until the March 2017 </span><i>Wagner Journal</i><span style="font-style: normal;">).</span>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
1 <a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-bayreuth-rheingold-sarah-connolly-iain-paterson-castorf-july-2016">Der Ring des Nibelungen</a> – Bayreuth Festival <br />
(dir. Castorf)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hPaT8wP9iC4/V6cNgc5UhdI/AAAAAAAAA5g/-H9gvX2Xhuc0wR4UR4E6mSCw8_E-sknUQCPcB/s1600/RG_280616_262_EnricoNawrath_presse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hPaT8wP9iC4/V6cNgc5UhdI/AAAAAAAAA5g/-H9gvX2Xhuc0wR4UR4E6mSCw8_E-sknUQCPcB/s320/RG_280616_262_EnricoNawrath_presse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My
first return to Bayreuth after a quarter-century's absence was made by
the fourth year of Frank Castorf’s ‘post-dramatic’ <i>Ring</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
– a gripping monument to contemporary theatre, superbly cast –
especially the Brünnhilde of Catherine Foster and Wotan/Wanderer of
John Lundgren – and conducted with fire by the veteran Marek
Janowski, belatedly making his Bayreuth debut. </span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ppQZ_JqPPtc/Vx8_SmJxy8I/AAAAAAAAA0Q/yJa-aAdAM2IFJREg4mP4rfPwx3McCYQFgCPcB/s1600/1460735658_traumgobrvbarecircrge004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ppQZ_JqPPtc/Vx8_SmJxy8I/AAAAAAAAA0Q/yJa-aAdAM2IFJREg4mP4rfPwx3McCYQFgCPcB/s320/1460735658_traumgobrvbarecircrge004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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2 <a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/der-traumgorge-staatsoper-hannover-16.html">Der Traumgörge</a> (Zemlinsky) – Staatstheater Hannover<br />
<br />
A
rare revival of Zemlinsky’s long-forgotten second opera was given a
memorable staging by Hannover Opera, with Robert Künzli (left) magnificent
in the title role and some glorious playing from the pit.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A_xoQ2KwAV4/WGORLgiajII/AAAAAAAAA-g/opw7va4XGyMZ_jbVImEmR2m8KiYYScopwCLcB/s1600/48463-faust-atalla-ayan-adam-palka-stuttgart-c-thomas-aurin-resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A_xoQ2KwAV4/WGORLgiajII/AAAAAAAAA-g/opw7va4XGyMZ_jbVImEmR2m8KiYYScopwCLcB/s320/48463-faust-atalla-ayan-adam-palka-stuttgart-c-thomas-aurin-resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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3 <a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-faust-castorf-ayan-palka-oper-stuttgart-november-2016">Faust </a>– Oper Stuttgart <br />
(dir. Castorf). <br />
<br />
Yes, more Frank Castorf,
and very much from the same cut as his <i>Ring</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.
Another miracle of stagecraft and rethinking, completely changing
one’s view of Gounod’s French Romantic warhorse. </span></div>
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<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-style: normal;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-style: normal;">And in no particular order:</span></div>
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<br />
Oedipe (Enescu) – Royal Opera House, London. <br />A first staged encounter with what must be one of the major operatic achievements of the 20th century</div>
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<br /></div>
<a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-hartmann-simplicius-simplicissimus-polly-graham-independent-opera-november-2016">Simplicius Simplicissimus</a> (Hartmann) – Independent Opera @ Sadler’s
Wells, London. Triumphant first UK staging of Karl Amadeus Hartmann’s
hard-hitting 1930s opera.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-importance-being-earnest-roh-barbican-march-2016">The Importance of Being Earnest</a> (Barry) – Royal Opera @ Barbican
Theatre, London. Hilarious revival of the ROH production.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
Das Rheingold – Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe (dir. Hermann).
Karlsruhe’s four-director <i>Ring</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
launched with this opener that manages to tell the whole story of the
cycle.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/elektra-landestheater-detmold-3-march.html">Elektra </a>– Landestheater Detmold
<br />
My
first introduction to this company – a high-powered performance in
a tiny theatre.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
Lohengrin – Aalto Theater Essen (dir. Gürbaca)<br />
The first
production by Tatjana Gürbaca that has worked for me, with
first-rate musical contribution.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0.3cm; text-indent: -0.3cm;">
<a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-otello-thalheimer-deutsche-oper-am-rhein-dusseldorf-october-2016">Otello </a>– Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Düsseldorf (dir. Thalheimer).
<br />
Minimalist staging that gets to the heart of the tragedy.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And finally, two turkeys:</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/holofernes-theater-bonn-2-june-2016.html">Holofernes</a> (Reznicek) – Theater Bonn – an overblown production of
a very poor piece.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/konig-kandaules-flanders-opera-gent-13.html">Der König Kandaules</a> (Zemlinsky) – Flanders Opera – an even more
overblown production that spoilt a very fine piece.</div>
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<br /></div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-23679757064244760502016-10-21T05:02:00.000-07:002016-10-21T06:01:41.454-07:00Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg – Landestheater Detmold – 16 October 2016<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tjm2X3_E03k/WAoAsr9CwpI/AAAAAAAAA88/_AsmVM5s-4Is9iKFHXuBvKw_2oVhqxBkQCLcB/s1600/4e798f8951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tjm2X3_E03k/WAoAsr9CwpI/AAAAAAAAA88/_AsmVM5s-4Is9iKFHXuBvKw_2oVhqxBkQCLcB/s400/4e798f8951.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Act II riot is imminent: the Kobold (Gaetan Chailly, foreground) watches as David (Stephen Chambers) accosts Beckmesser (Andreas Joren). Photos: Kerstin Schomburg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
<br />
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Hans Sachs – Derrick
Ballard</div>
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Walther von Stolzing –
Heiko Börner</div>
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Eva – Eva Bernard</div>
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Sixtus Beckmesser –
Andreas Jören</div>
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David – Stephen
Chambers</div>
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Magdalene – Gritt
Gnauck</div>
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Veit Pogner –
Christoph Stephinger</div>
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Kunz Vogelsang –
Ewandro Stenzowski</div>
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Konrad Nachtigall –
Markus Köhler</div>
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Fritz Kothner – Insu
Hwang</div>
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Balthasar Zorn –
Markus Gruber</div>
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Ulrich Eißlinger –
Norbert Schmittberg</div>
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Augustin Moser – Uwe
Gottswinter</div>
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Hermann Ortel –
Haeyeol Han</div>
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Hans Schwarz –
Michael Zehe</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Hans Foltz –
Bartolomeo Stasch</div>
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A Nightwatchman –
Michael Zehe</div>
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A Goblin – Gaëtan
Chailly</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Chorus, Extra Chorus,
Statisterie & Symphony Orchestra, of Landestheaters Detmold
</div>
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<br /></div>
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Conductor – Lutz
Rademacher</div>
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Director – Kay
Metzger</div>
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Designer – Petra
Mollérus</div>
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Lighting – Henning
Streck</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x7_v4kpnfrU/WAoAsU96IYI/AAAAAAAAA84/v6i2x1J_FPMA_OqyDLXxZ7j_ZyIPKZcugCEw/s1600/7a59e2a143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x7_v4kpnfrU/WAoAsU96IYI/AAAAAAAAA84/v6i2x1J_FPMA_OqyDLXxZ7j_ZyIPKZcugCEw/s400/7a59e2a143.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hans Sachs (Derrick Ballard)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
As Hans Sachs reflects
on the riot of the previous night in his Act III ‘Wahn’
monologue, he suggests ‘Ein Kobold half wohl da!’ – ‘A goblin
must have helped!’ It’s a cue for director Kay Metzger to enmesh
Wagner’s comedy with the magic of Shakespeare’s <i>Midsummer
Night’s Dream</i><span style="font-style: normal;">, framing the
whole action of the opera as the work of a mischievous, silent
puck-like character. This Kobold directs more than just the Act II
mayhem: he is responsible for misplacing the items that give Eva the
excuse to stay back to converse with Walther in Act I; he ensures
that when Stolzing tries to wow the Masters with his song they are
put under an intoxicated spell; he orchestrates the pratfalls and
knocks that accompany Beckmesser’s clandestine exploration of
Sachs’s workshop in Act III; and unseen by the humans he constantly
cajoles, teases and reacts. Both </span><i>Meistersinger</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
and </span><i>Dream </i><span style="font-style: normal;">centre on a
midsummer night of confusion and unexplained happenings, a
Polterabend indeed, and to further the link, Shakespeare’s drama is
sometimes known in German-speaking countries as ‘A St John’s
Night Dream’, while Wagner’s Johannistag itself dawns with
Walther’s own Morgentraum, his ‘morning dream’. In short,
imagery from Shakespeare’s play infuses Wagner’s libretto. The
composer referred to the opera as a kind of ‘cheerful satyr-play’
to his thoroughly serious </span><i>Tannhäuser</i><span style="font-style: normal;">,
yet the result here is a different kind of comedy from the one we
normally expect from </span><i>Meistersinger</i><span style="font-style: normal;">,
and despite the over-egged antics of the Kobold (energetically played
by the diminutive dancer Gaëtan Chailly), which can distract and
frustrate as much as amuse, there is a charm about the thing that
suits the intimate, small-scale nature of the staging and the theatre
in which it sits. </span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f_3U5QBDD1Q/WAoCMi0IBBI/AAAAAAAAA9E/1OY7LMbcSe0K02Tcka25t-erJQlgde9pACLcB/s1600/2f47a4c275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f_3U5QBDD1Q/WAoCMi0IBBI/AAAAAAAAA9E/1OY7LMbcSe0K02Tcka25t-erJQlgde9pACLcB/s400/2f47a4c275.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Act III Quintet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-style: normal;">As
if to counter the supernatural imposition, Petra Mollérus’s
designs put us in the very real world of reconstructed postwar
Germany in the 1950s, from the bland rebuilding of bombed-out
Nuremberg to period furniture and clothing. Within this setting,
Metzger is able to poke fun at the nationalist sentiments that
surface in the text: Sachs’s infamous ‘Deutsch und echt’ speech
is accompanied by a tableau of a little wooden summerhouse – of the
kind seen throughout the country in its ‘Kleingarten’ allotment
gardens – with David raising the modern German flag, a neat, ironic
deflation of the portentousness of music and text. The new postwar
‘nationalism’ is only for a cosy, patriarchal domesticity, a
point made earlier during the Quintet when the two women, Eva and
Magdalene, don house coats as they prepare to defer to their new
husbands-to-be against a backdrop of mod-con imagery. There are other
nice touches that colour the period setting, from the church service
at the start refashioned as choir practice, to the Apprentices as
believable schoolchildren, to the obviously newly planted tree in the
street in Act II. The human drama is played without over exaggeration
of character – Beckmesser is a believable older suitor rather than
a caricatured figure of fun, and Sachs, visibly mourning over the
mementos of his late wife one minute, then has a difficult time
rejecting Eva when she throws herself at him with particularly
amorous intent. But it is the Kobold who has the final ‘word’ as
he joins Sachs, who is seated with his legs hanging over the front of
the stage at the very end, and they crack open beers with a
conspiratorial ‘job well done’ salute.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Detmold’s
Landestheater is a beautifully intimate space in which to experience
the full force of Wagner, and this is only the latest of his works to
appear there in recent years, following on from </span><i>Tristan</i><span style="font-style: normal;">,
</span><i>Parsifal</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> and a
complete </span><i>Ring</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> – not
bad for a place that only seats about 640. Some years ago, the pit
was enlarged to cope with these demands, and descends beneath the
stage, almost in Bayreuth fashion if without the covering cowl. Even
sitting right at the front the sound emerged well blended, at least
until the ‘onstage’ trumpets and side drum occupied the stage box
right next to me for their two blasts in Act III (Beckmesser’s
lute/harp was also positioned there but was less distracting). Lutz
Rademacher, who impressed in <a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/elektra-landestheater-detmold-3-march.html">Strauss’s </a></span><a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/elektra-landestheater-detmold-3-march.html"><i>Elektra</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;">
last season, took the Overture at quite a lick, but his pacing
overall was apt for the context, and he even suggested a
Mendelssohnian lightness in some of the dreamier episodes – it made
one wonder if Wagner subconsciously aped the </span><i>MND</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
chords at the start of Walther’s ‘Dream Song’.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ozxh023NNrU/WAoAwCgYWwI/AAAAAAAAA9A/a9pf1hstMtMl2m4WY2Tj1877ftgmThGKACEw/s1600/8a1f09cc39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ozxh023NNrU/WAoAwCgYWwI/AAAAAAAAA9A/a9pf1hstMtMl2m4WY2Tj1877ftgmThGKACEw/s400/8a1f09cc39.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David (Stephen Chambers) is manipulated <br />
by the Kobold (Gaetan Chailly)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Derrick
Ballard’s Hans Sachs was on loan from <a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/parsifal-in-wuppertal-meistersinger-in.html">Staatstheater Mainz</a>, where he
debuted in the role in 2015. His was a highly sympathetic portrayal,
with his wavy locks looking not inappropriately like a latterday
Dürer, and he sang with plenty of noble tone and variety of colour,
ably recovering towards the end from an obvious tiredness, or
dryness, during the Quintet. He had his match in the wonderfully
detailed and vocally distinguished Beckmesser of Andreas Jören, the
Detmold ensemble’s leading baritone. Heiko Börner was also a known
quantity to me, having been heard as <a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/peter-grimes-theater-krefeld-8-december.html">Peter Grimes</a> and <a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/bluebeards-castleder-zwerg-pfalztheater.html">Zemlinsky’sDwarf</a> elsewhere in Germany last season. His singing as a
mature-looking Walther was a little strained by Act III and his stage
presence needed more sense of involvement, but it was a capable
assumption. I was not so enamoured of Eva Bernard’s less than
elegantly sung Eva, and Christoph Stephinger was a wooden Pogner,
with poor diction and a plodding delivery that added an accent to
every note. Gritt Gnauck’s Magdalene was also more stilted than her
impressive <a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/elektra-landestheater-detmold-3-march.html">Klytemnestra </a>in the spring, but Insu Hwang, also a member
of the Detmold ensemble, and a Cardiff Singer competitor in 2015,
made a strong impression as a burnish-voiced Kothner, and Stephen
Chambers was a lively and winning David. The choruses – small by
</span><i>Meistersinger</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
standards, but big for this diminutive theatre – sang their all and
capped what was undeniably a superb company and ensemble achievement.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>In repertoire until
May 2017, and touring to Schweinfurt, Paderborn & Wolfsburg</i></div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-47551639020848164752016-10-19T01:53:00.001-07:002016-10-19T01:53:32.178-07:00Die Frau ohne Schatten - Hessischer Staatstheater, Wiesbaden - 15 October 2016
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3h1OdYfaLeU/WAcyClog3tI/AAAAAAAAA8g/Q4LfYVt4Ksg8Hpo416STNOMvizb98wtewCLcB/s1600/b_8651__85_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3h1OdYfaLeU/WAcyClog3tI/AAAAAAAAA8g/Q4LfYVt4Ksg8Hpo416STNOMvizb98wtewCLcB/s400/b_8651__85_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrea Baker (Nurse)<br />Photos: Karl & Monika Forster</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Emperor
– Richard Furman</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Empress
– Erika Sunnegårdh</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Dyer’s
Wife – Nicola Beller Carbone</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Barak,
the Dyer – Oliver Zwarg</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Nurse
– Andrea Baker</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Spirit
Messenger – Thomas de Vries</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Voice
of the Falcom</span><span lang="en-US">/Guardian
of the Threshold to the Temple – Stella An</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Hunchbacked
brother – Benedikt Nawrath</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">One-eyed
brother – Alexander Knight</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">One-armed
brother – Benjamin Russell</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Vision
of a Youth Aaron Cawley</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Voice
from Above – Karolina Ferencz</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Choir
& Youth Choir of Hessischen Staatstheaters Wiesbaden</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Hessisches
Staatsorchester Wiesbaden </span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Conductor
– Eckehard Stier</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Director
– Uwe Eric Laufenberg</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Revival
director – Gisbert Jäkel<br />Costumes – Antje Sternberg<br />Lighting
– Andreas Frank<br />Video – Gérard Naziri </span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-re4YrapY9Tk/WAcyYOKIZYI/AAAAAAAAA8k/aj--Z0iGGCIOIta8DOaeQZsKVP55S1gVACLcB/s1600/b_8658__117_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-re4YrapY9Tk/WAcyYOKIZYI/AAAAAAAAA8k/aj--Z0iGGCIOIta8DOaeQZsKVP55S1gVACLcB/s400/b_8658__117_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Guardian of the Threshold (Stella An), </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Erika Sunnegårdh (Empress)</span></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">The
first revival of Uwe Eric Laufenberg’s production of Strauss’s
</span><span lang="en-US"><i>Die Frau ohne Schatten</i></span><span lang="en-US">,
originally mounted in the Strauss anniversary year of 2014, has
maintained much of its initial casting. It’s a fairly
straightforward staging – if anything about this opera can be
straightforward – and, rather like Laufenberg’s Bayreuth
</span><span lang="en-US"><i>Parsifal</i></span><span lang="en-US">,
tells the story well enough without really suggesting any great
insight or rethinking of the ideas behind the symbol-heavy fairytale.
A vertically shifting set moves effortlessly between the spirit and
human worlds, one white and clinical (though some of the structure
was looking grubby with use), the other dingy and dishevelled.
Characters are well delineated – the first human scene is
particularly affecting, with Barak’s sexual advances rebuffed by
his wife to his own bewilderment. The quality of the acting is truly
first rate. Laufenberg does little to temper the sickly sweet
denouement, fielding crowds of children and adults to drum home the
opera’s message of pro-creation – a little irony would not have
gone amiss here, let alone some of the pessimism expressed in
Staatstheater Kassel’s far more thought-provoking First World War
retelling from the same anniversary year. My other main caveat was
with the gratuitous torture scene in which at the Emperor’s behest
the poor Youth is castrated rather than divulge his complicity, while
the Empress has her nightmares of other things.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--9YIHySqPhk/WAcyYVoGV0I/AAAAAAAAA8o/tNBB4cIZJ0A5owu-OLZzAUwDVierUdJFwCLcB/s1600/b_8658__198_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--9YIHySqPhk/WAcyYVoGV0I/AAAAAAAAA8o/tNBB4cIZJ0A5owu-OLZzAUwDVierUdJFwCLcB/s400/b_8658__198_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span lang="en-US">Nicola Beller Carbone</span> (Dyer's Wife), Oliver Zwarg (Barak), </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Erika Sunnegårdh (Empress), Andrea Baker (Nurse), chorus</span></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">The
casting was mixed in its effectiveness. Erika Sunneg</span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">å</span></span></span>rdh as the
Empress and Nicola Beller Carbone as the Dyer’s Wife were the
highlights – both characterisations full of musical and dramatic
insight and vocally contrasted enough to complement each other.
Andrea Baker’s steely Nurse was generally impressive though could
have done with more depth of tonal colour, and Richard Furman’s
Emperor was virile and capable. Oliver Zwarg’s Barak was the one
big disappointment. His tone was blustery, he often sang a smidgen
flat and there was none of the burnished bass-baritone that should
make the role the most sympathetic of the whole opera. His gruff
stage presence, however, made his early scenes of marital break-up
touching to watch.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">The
large orchestra, spilling out into the stage boxes, played
magnificently under the commanding baton of Eckehard Stier. He
encouraged the players to let rip in the interludes, though there
were times when the singers more distantly positioned on the stage
struggled to ride the volume from the pit.</span></span></span></div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-89786594185471955182016-09-12T02:09:00.001-07:002016-09-12T02:10:16.844-07:00 Tannhäuser – Theater Aachen – 6 March 2016<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s8xYDhTjq-Q/V9ZwCOGAOII/AAAAAAAAA7U/YQA-OUAAepYR5R9z3okFXd2LhplCpQGSgCLcB/s1600/Aachen%2BTannhauser%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s8xYDhTjq-Q/V9ZwCOGAOII/AAAAAAAAA7U/YQA-OUAAepYR5R9z3okFXd2LhplCpQGSgCLcB/s400/Aachen%2BTannhauser%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Venus (Sanja Radišić) emerges from the altarpiece. Photos: Wil van Iersel</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div class="western">
<i>Adapted from review in <a href="http://www.thewagnerjournal.co.uk/">The Wagner Journal</a>, July 2016</i> </div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Tannhäuser
– </span>Paul McNamara</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Elisabeth<span style="font-style: normal;">
– </span>Linda Ballova</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Venus<span style="font-style: normal;">
– </span>Sanja Radišić</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wolfram
von Eschinbach<span style="font-style: normal;"> – </span>Hrólfur
Saemundsson</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hermann,
Landgrave of Thuringia<span style="font-style: normal;"> – </span>Woong-jo
Choi</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Walther
von der Vogelweide<span style="font-style: normal;"> – </span>Patricio
Arroyo</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Biterolf<span style="font-style: normal;">
– </span>Pawel Lawreszuk</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Heinrich
der Schreiber<span style="font-style: normal;"> – </span>John
Zuckerman</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Reinmar
von Zweter<span style="font-style: normal;"> – </span>Benjamin Werth</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Young
Shepherd<span style="font-style: normal;"> – </span>Svenja Lehmann</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chorus
of Theater Aachen</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aachen
Symphony Orchestra</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Conductor<span style="font-style: normal;">
– </span>Kazem Abdullah</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Director<span style="font-style: normal;">
– </span>Mario Corradi</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Designer/costumes<span style="font-style: normal;">
– </span>Italo Grassi</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lighting<span style="font-style: normal;">
– </span>Dirk Sarach-Craig </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gi98LgfuGQw/V9ZwBBObjhI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/0OXyRr1oO_oryUg7SvLTN5zRIWjNEHYnwCLcB/s1600/Aachen%2BTannhauser%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gi98LgfuGQw/V9ZwBBObjhI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/0OXyRr1oO_oryUg7SvLTN5zRIWjNEHYnwCLcB/s400/Aachen%2BTannhauser%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">A kneeling Hermann (Woong-jo Choi, left) pleads with Tannhäuser (Paul McNamara) to rejoin their</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">company as the other ‘knights’ look on.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Compared
with Calixto Bieito’s <i>Tannhäuser
</i>in Antwerp (reviewed
in the last <i>TWJ</i>),
which eschewed any reference to religion, Italian director Mario
Corradi’s production of Wagner’s ‘Romantic opera’ for Theater
Aachen gives the whole drama an ecclesiastical setting. Tannhäuser
is a Catholic priest, and we first see him during the Overture
celebrating Mass in Italo Grassi’s impressive, atmospheric
church-interior set. But he is a priest with a troubled mind. As the
music leaves the pilgrims behind and enters the world of the
Venusberg, a visual transformation takes place: an angel sweeps down
from the flies, Christ staggers in carrying his cross, Elisabeth
takes an imprint of his face on a shroud and offers it to Tannhäuser
and the congregation is magicked away – our hero’s mind is
scrambling as ‘pure’ images give way to ‘impure’. Three stone
pillars turn to reveal they house half-naked temptresses, who divest
Tannhäuser of his priest’s robes. The chalice from the Mass
becomes a vessel for an aphrodisiac potion and the incense an
intoxicating perfume, and the confessional box transforms into
Venus’s bower. As the Overture ends with a thud (the ‘Dresden’
version of the score is used throughout except for the ‘Paris’
version of the post-bacchanalian Venus-Tannhäuser scene – there’s
really no need for the extra music of the Parisian Bacchanal here),
Venus herself steps out of the altar-piece as the Virgin Mary and,
removing her blue cloak, reveals herself as a Marilyn Monroe-like
seductress, complete with dress-billowing-in-the-updraught effect. At
the end of their scene together, Tannhäuser is found on his own in a
faint and he is stretchered off as the Young Shepherd, an altar boy,
sweeps up the last ‘evidence’ of the debauchery from the church
floor.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">After
these theatrical coups, the rest of the staging is comparatively
uneventful, but the consistency of Corradi’s narrative re-telling
in this context is impressive. It soon becomes apparent that
Tannhäuser is a priest torn between his vows of celibacy and the
temptations of a vivid imagination, a mind that has an erotic
fascination with the Virgin, in whom he sees Venus, yet also through
whom is channelled Elisabeth’s purity. Elisabeth’s death in Act
III, for instance, is movingly but unsentimentally portrayed as she
dons Mary’s blue garb and is led away by the angel, while Venus
makes her last-ditch attempt at wooing Tannhäuser wearing the same
cloke. The closing image is of the life-size Marian statue finally
revealed above the altar, with the sainted Elisabeth lying below.
Further clues as to Tannhäuser’s state of mind appear when Venus
provocatively saunters in during the song contest to tempt him and
spur him on to his self-revelatory critiques of his colleagues – he
is obviously the only person present who sees her. There’s also a
telling moment earlier in Act II, after Elisabeth has delivered her
second big solo to Tannhäuser as her confessor, ‘Ich preise dieses
Wunder’, when he stops himself from kissing her head as she bows
before him as her priest – for all his words about her purity, he
obviously struggles to keep his relationship with her chaste, yet
sees her as his salvation from his libidinous vice. So when, at the
climax of the contest, he reveals he has experienced the ‘Berg der
Venus’, he seems to be admitting not to a geographical dallying but
to having actively broken his vow of chastity, making his need to
seek penance in Rome for once plausible. He has broken the rules of
the Church more than of society and follows – or at least attempts
to follow – that organisation’s preferred route to forgiveness.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
one area where Corradi’s rethinking is less convincing is in the
general societal context itself. Tannhäuser’s fellow minnesingers
are also clerics, which makes the situation of a song contest rather
peculiar, with the competitors’ offerings delivered from a lectern
as if they are competing in a rather heated sermon play-off.
Landgrave Hermann is the bishop, or other such church bigwig, with
Elisabeth plausibly his niece (at least the original doesn’t have
her as his daughter), but the ‘nobles’ are the common local folk,
dressed 1940s-style in cardigans and twin-sets – the music of their
‘Entry’ sounds too grand to go with their simple queue to bow
before Hermann and take their places in the pews. Incidentally,
nothing seems to be made of this period setting per se, unless one is
to read into it a parallel with a whole nation going through a
process of penance in the post-war years, or to see it as a critique
of the Roman church’s ambivalent relationship with the Third Reich,
but I feel either is probably reading more into things than is
intended. Instead, the setting allows the Prelude to Act III to be
accompanied by archive film of a jubilee pilgrimage to Rome during
the pontificate of Pius XII, which sets up the context for the
ensuing denouement effectively as the pilgrims return to their home
church after their journey. As well as the Marian tableau of the
closing bars we also see the green sprouting of the papal staff
winding up the altar’s columns like Jack’s beanstalk – a
surreal but effective final image of rebirth, both virginal and
Venusian.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
difficulties involved in casting of <i>Tannhäuser
</i>are often cited as a
reason for its relative scarcity among the Wagnerian canon on stage.
German houses never seem to have a problem finding the singers for
these demanding roles, though, and even the UK has had two
productions scheduled this season, at the Royal Opera and
Longborough. Aachen’s Tannhäuser was the Irish tenor Paul
McNamara. He is not alone in appearing a little stretched by Act I’s
often high-lying tessitura, but the rest of the role fitted his voice
with natural ease, and he combined lyricism with dramatic heft and a
convincing stage presence. Linda Ballova’s Elisabeth was a bit
rough round the edges, but made a convincing case for a more
pugnacious, forceful vocal characterisation of the role than we
sometimes hear, a depiction that set up an interesting counterpoint
with her demure stage presentation. Sanja Radišić’s
attractively deep mezzo gave Venus her rightful allure, though rather
flaccid diction meant the words – and especially consonants –
tended not to come across. The staging played down Wolfram’s role
more than usual (and certainly compared to the prominence Bieito gave
him in Antwerp in the autumn), but Hrólfur Saemundsson made the part
his own, bringing expressive subtlety and a warmly engaging tone.
Woong-jo Choi’s sonorous Hermann was impressive, too. The Aachen
chorus was excellent and made the climax of Act II and the very end
of Act III spine-tingling moments. The orchestral balance was a bit
uneven at first, with lower brass rather crowding everyone else out
in the Overture, but Aachen’s General Music Director Kazem Abdullah
eventually tamed them and his generally swift tempi lent an
impressive coherence and dramatic cogency to the whole evening.</span></span></div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-67500378469266415922016-09-12T01:56:00.003-07:002016-09-12T01:56:35.964-07:00Tristan und Isolde – Badisches Staatstheater, Karlsruhe – 17 April 2016<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wyvq26zXZL4/V9ZsCY6RPWI/AAAAAAAAA7A/6jWDD96J9xktizyY5qDz8Otynwul-OIUQCEw/s1600/Karlsruhe%2BTristan%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wyvq26zXZL4/V9ZsCY6RPWI/AAAAAAAAA7A/6jWDD96J9xktizyY5qDz8Otynwul-OIUQCEw/s400/Karlsruhe%2BTristan%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isolde (Heidi Melton) and Tristan (Erin Caves). Photo: Falk von Traubenberg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div class="western">
</div>
<div class="western">
<i>Adapted from review in <a href="http://www.thewagnerjournal.co.uk/">The Wagner Journal</a>, July 2016</i> </div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
<div class="western">
Tristan – Erin Caves</div>
<div class="western">
Isolde – Heidi Melton</div>
<div class="western">
Kurwenal – Armin Kolarczyk</div>
<div class="western">
Brangäne – Christina Niessen</div>
<div class="western">
King Mark – Konstantin Gorny</div>
<div class="western">
Melot – Matthias Wohlbrecht</div>
<div class="western">
Young Sailor/Shepherd – Cameron Becker</div>
<div class="western">
Steersman – Mehmet Altiparmak</div>
<div class="western">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western">
Badisches Staatstheater Chorus</div>
<div class="western">
Badische Staatskapelle</div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
<div class="western">
Conductor – Justin Brown</div>
<div class="western">
Director – Christopher Alden</div>
<div class="western">
Designer – Paul Steinberg</div>
<div class="western">
Costumes – Sue Willmington</div>
<div class="western">
Lighting – Stefan Woinke</div>
<div class="western">
Movement director – Elaine Brown</div>
<div class="western">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div class="western">
With this <i>Tristan </i>added to its recent <i>Parsifal</i>,
and with its multi-director <i>Ring</i> cycle launching this summer
and due for completion in October 2017, the southwest German city of
Karlsruhe seems set to become something of a Badischer Bayreuth. As
the brochure calling for donations towards its new <i>Ring </i>claims,
‘Karlsruhe ist eine Wagner-Stadt’. It certainly has some of the
necessary credentials: Wagner himself visited seven times, Hermann
Levi and Felix Mottl conducted early performances of his works there,
Joseph Keilberth cut his professional teeth at what was his home-town
theatre, and in more recent times the company has helped launch the
Wagnerian careers of Deborah Polaski, Lance Ryan and Stuart Skelton.
Now, too, it is attracting some of the bigger names in operatic
production, and this <i>Tristan </i>was put in the capable hands of
Christopher Alden, a director known for his ability to draw out
unexplored facets of an opera’s essence.</div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
<div class="western">
With <i>Tristan und Isolde</i>, Alden isn’t interested
in a specific milieu or even a strictly narrative telling of the
story. Costumes are mid-20th-century and the single setting for all
three acts is perhaps a lounge on a luxury cruise liner in 1920s
modernist style – a light, bright environment for characters who
constantly seek night and darkness. In a programme interview, Alden
says he sees Wagner’s concept of love here as of an insoluble
togetherness, and not simply a romantic attraction. He plays off this
existential relationship between Tristan and Isolde with a more
traditional, down-to-earth love-play between Brangäne and Kurwenal:
during the Act II tryst they hover in the background, each in their
own tormented world, until Brangäne plucks up the courage and makes
a pass at her opposite number but is spurned; then, during the climax
of the duet, as her warning flames almost seem to set the whole place
ablaze, he finally attempts to return the favour but backs off. </div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
<div class="western">
Meanwhile, Tristan and Isolde’s attachment is at
different times physically distant (they greet each other at the
start of Act II from opposite sides of the stage) and intimate –
they spend Brangäne’s first warning dancing a slow, smoochy waltz
in each other’s arms. Their physical engagement is therefore not
nearly as cool as in Christoph Marthaler’s Bayreuth production
(there are visual parallels, though, with the liner setting, the
light manipulated by switches on the wall and the secondary
characters often emoting in silence in the background), but their
apartness is shown to be a crucial element of their interaction. For
instance, they seem to spend a lot of time standing staring at each
other without touching – as preceding the strikingly delayed
consumption of the potion in Act I. Isolde is present on stage for
much of the last act, in Tristan’s environment, in his mind, but
each is unaware of the other’s physical nearness. Theirs is a world
where being apart is to be alive and in agony, together is oblivion
and ecstasy. Tristan’s wound, supposedly healed by Isolde’s magic
powers, is an open one that like Amfortas’ refuses to heal, and in
keeping it fresh he becomes the agent of his own demise. Brangäne
had concocted the love potion from the lounge’s cocktail bar,
following one of Isolde’s mother’s recipe cards, and in Act III
Tristan hopes in desperation that by mixing his own drink from the
same pool of ingredients he will find the poison that they had both
expected and longed for. His death-wish is viscerally exposed
throughout the evening, while Isolde’s ultimate fate is left open –
she sings the Liebestod far from Tristan’s body and poised with a
pistol in hand but unraised as the lights cut.</div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
<div class="western">
Alden also points up the formal similarities
between all three acts. Each opens, after an orchestral prelude in
each case, with an offstage contribution that defines the real world:
the young sailor in Act I, the hunting horns in Act II and the
shepherd’s ‘alte Weise’ in Act III. All three are visually
suggested to be coming from a wind-up gramophone, hinting at an
artificial intrusion into the imaginary, internal world that takes
over for the rest of each act. Each also ends, like a stuck record on
that gramophone, with the arrival of King Mark and his men, here a
brutal lot who are happy to duff Brangäne and Kurwenal up in Act II
and who, with Melot standing aloof above them on a balcony, maintain
a menacing presence whenever they are on stage. Thus in each case,
the ‘real world’, the world of ‘light’ and ‘day’,
prevails. With these arching parallels and his fascinating, often
provocative Personenregie, Alden’s conceptual exploration of many
of the opera’s themes is thus impressive, and everything works
consistently within the world he has chosen to present.</div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
<div class="western">
With no fewer than three <i>Tristan</i>
productions staged within this quarter of southwest Germany inside of
a month (the others were at Baden-Baden and at
the regional theatre in Kaiserslautern) the call upon singers for the
main roles has naturally been competitive. Karlsruhe hit lucky with
two Americans, Erin Caves and Heidi Melton. Caves, who had previously
sung Tristan in Stuttgart, doesn’t have a big voice, and at times
struggled to equal the vocal power of his Isolde, but he gained in
sonic penetration as the evening progressed and, apart from some
unfortunate but forgiveable evidence of tiring in the latter stages,
sang with both mellifluous and incisive command, and he threw his all
into a highly physical presentation of the role. Melton, a former
member of the Karlsruhe ensemble and who was due in London shortly
after this performance to begin rehearsing the part of Isolde in
English for ENO, was magnificent: a full, rich soprano with carrying
power to match her lyrical and word-sensitive delivery. With the
subsidiary roles double-cast during this six-performance run, this
was the debut night for the ‘B’ team, who acquitted themselves
generally positively. I had some caveats about the Brangäne of
Christine Niessen, whose voice exhibited a rather large tonal divide
between a somewhat shrill upper range and sumptuous lower one. Armin
Kolarczyk, though, was a determined but sympathetic Kurwenal and his
warm, subtle singing gave evidence of why he has been snapped up by
Bayreuth for its new Meistersinger next year. Konstantin Gorny’s
Mark conveyed the bitterness in the character’s sense of betrayal
and Matthias Wojlbrecht’s Melot made his mark without resorting to
clichéd villainy. Cameron Becker’s Young Sailor and Shepherd (and
manipulator of the wind-up gramophone in Act III) was lyrical and
sensitive, and Mehmet Altiparmak made a telling cameo as the
Steersman. </div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
<div class="western">
I can’t claim to have registered any
differences, having read of the fact after the event, but the musical
preparation for this production had had recourse to a copy of the
score in the Staatstheater archives that bears annotations by Felix
Mottl from the time of the Karlsruhe premiere of <i>Tristan</i> in
1884 – instructions conveying first-hand evidence of the Master’s
wishes that seem to go beyond the stage-direction additions already
present in the Peters Edition/Dover score and chiefly cover dynamic
variations. Justin Brown certainly drew nuanced playing from the
Staatstheater orchestra which, despite one or two smudged entries and
links, had both suavity and fire, characteristics that also marked
Brown’s interpretative decisions.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-83359306759805245142016-08-07T03:40:00.000-07:002016-08-07T03:40:22.074-07:00Bayreuth Festival 2016Links to my reviews for Bachtrack.com from the 2016 Bayreuth Festival:<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hPaT8wP9iC4/V6cNgc5UhdI/AAAAAAAAA5U/KVeHarNPQQc2yVl2QK9WHkVRW6yOftwWwCLcB/s1600/RG_280616_262_EnricoNawrath_presse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hPaT8wP9iC4/V6cNgc5UhdI/AAAAAAAAA5U/KVeHarNPQQc2yVl2QK9WHkVRW6yOftwWwCLcB/s320/RG_280616_262_EnricoNawrath_presse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-bayreuth-rheingold-sarah-connolly-iain-paterson-castorf-july-2016">Das Rheingold</a><br />
“Aleksander Denić’s designs are phenomenal in their eye for detail and realism”<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JfVvN2cWHwI/V6cN7-rwQdI/AAAAAAAAA5c/f4doippU-GI0QVCIdWZhbNBQvxGh8MPAwCLcB/s1600/Wal_030716_331_EnricoNawrath_presse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JfVvN2cWHwI/V6cN7-rwQdI/AAAAAAAAA5c/f4doippU-GI0QVCIdWZhbNBQvxGh8MPAwCLcB/s320/Wal_030716_331_EnricoNawrath_presse.jpg" width="193" /></a><a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-bayreuth-die-walkure-sarah-connolly-marek-janowski-july-2016">Die Walküre</a><br />
“The final scene has rarely come closer to drawing tears” <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-78UiHWMhA-g/V6cOiHYszMI/AAAAAAAAA5o/oXYc2WRwPMI8i8pxXhnN2w3AvvzxfZnRwCLcB/s1600/Si_250616_341_EnricoNawrath_presse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-78UiHWMhA-g/V6cOiHYszMI/AAAAAAAAA5o/oXYc2WRwPMI8i8pxXhnN2w3AvvzxfZnRwCLcB/s320/Si_250616_341_EnricoNawrath_presse.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-siegfried-castorf-vinke-foster-bayreuth-july-2016">Siegfried</a><br />
“Catherine Foster’s Brünnhilde was glorious in its tonal allure” <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0tURYEeaMc0/V6cO93VYNDI/AAAAAAAAA5s/TCUY3KZ--cUHF1wAPg8svgaHWN7oeLwVACLcB/s1600/G%25E2%2594%259C%25C3%2582t_130716_223_EnricoNawrath_presse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0tURYEeaMc0/V6cO93VYNDI/AAAAAAAAA5s/TCUY3KZ--cUHF1wAPg8svgaHWN7oeLwVACLcB/s320/G%25E2%2594%259C%25C3%2582t_130716_223_EnricoNawrath_presse.jpg" width="193" /></a><a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-gotterdammerung-castorf-vinke-foster-bayreuth-july-2016">Götterdämmerung</a><br />
“Marek Janowski’s conducting throughout has been a revelation” <br />
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<a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-tristan-isolde-gould-lang-thielemann-bayreuth-festival-august-2016">Tristan und Isolde</a><br />
“Gould was... tireless, crisply enunciated, shapely phrased and even in vocal weight” <br />
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<a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-parsifal-laufenberg-haenchen-bayreuth-festival-august-2016">Parsifal </a><br />
“Zeppenfeld’s Gurnemanz was a masterclass in clear enunciation, opulent bass tone and vocal charisma”Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-50051524094129314342016-06-03T09:43:00.000-07:002016-08-15T00:48:03.985-07:00Holofernes – Theater Bonn – 2 June 2016<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-efrUhlk6Ghg/V1GyzcbDJnI/AAAAAAAAA3I/5o2JXTqdflUOUnGBqJ11QVMrdo7LDHEngCLcB/s1600/csm_54-Holofernes-1469_76f91c6639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-efrUhlk6Ghg/V1GyzcbDJnI/AAAAAAAAA3I/5o2JXTqdflUOUnGBqJ11QVMrdo7LDHEngCLcB/s320/csm_54-Holofernes-1469_76f91c6639.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judith (Johanni van Oostrum) with the head of Holofernes<br />
Photos: Thilo Beu</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Holofernes
– Mark Morouse</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Judith
– Johanni van Oostrum</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Abra,
her maid – Ceri Williams</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">High
Priest of Bethulien – Daniel Pannermayr</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Achior
– Johannes Mertes</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Assad
– Martin Tzonev</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Beethoven
Orchestra Bonn</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Theater
Bonn Chorus</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Conductor
– Jacques Lacombe</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Director
– Jürgen R. Weber</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Sets
– Hank Irwin Kittel</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Costumes
– Kristopher Kempf</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Lighting
– Friedel Grass</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">The
chance to experience an opera from the 1920s that hasn’t been seen
or heard for nearly 90 years was in theory too good an opportunity to
miss. </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Holofernes</i></span><span lang="en-US">
by Emil von Reznicek was premiered at the Charlottenburg Opera in
Berlin (now the Deutsche Oper) in 1923 and was revived for a further
couple of seasons before, like Reznicek’s other dozen or so operas,
falling completely from the repertoire. The Viennese-born,
Berlin-settled composer (1860-1945) is now known, if at all, for the
overture to his 1894 comic opera </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Donna
Diana</i></span><span lang="en-US"> – that work was only revived on
stage in modern times as recently as 2003. Some of that neglect must
be down to the retrogressive nature of his musical language, which
would have sounded distinctly passé at the time of its writing, if
</span><span lang="en-US"><i>Holofernes</i></span><span lang="en-US">
is anything to go by. A subject as dramatic, and lurid, as the
beheading of Nebuchudnezar’s general Holofernes by the beautiful
Judith, written in the wake of Strauss’s </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Salome</i></span><span lang="en-US">
and </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Elektra</i></span><span lang="en-US">,
would seem a shoe-in for the lush, late-Romantic bordering on
Expressionist musical styles that were prevalent at the time. But
Reznicek resorts to a kind of third-hand Wagner for his declamatory
vocal writing and orchestral textures, with intermittent local colour
hinting at the Russian colourists. In short, the music wouldn’t
have sounded out of place 30 or more years earlier. Moreover,
Reznicek doesn’t seem able to sustain anything for long: the score
sounds fragmentary, a sequence of short, unconnected moments, rather
than the through-composed music drama it is presumably aiming to be.
A lot of the musical ideas are trite and short-winded, the melodies –
apart from the quoted </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Kol nidrei</i></span><span lang="en-US">
– are unmemorable, and only some occasional flashes of orchestral
imagination – for instance when trying to sound ‘modern’ in the
Straussian sense – hint at what could have been. The saving grace
of the opera is that it is short – about the length of </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Salome</i></span><span lang="en-US">,
including an interval, though it was made a little longer here by the
inclusion of an overture added, presumably for its last revival, in
1926.</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yhWocimkM4o/V1Gy0gSuhFI/AAAAAAAAA3U/WQWxXSsJvYgmV213pkkPc4xSWLvJILqRgCKgB/s1600/csm_12-Holofernes-1135_592dda2861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yhWocimkM4o/V1Gy0gSuhFI/AAAAAAAAA3U/WQWxXSsJvYgmV213pkkPc4xSWLvJILqRgCKgB/s320/csm_12-Holofernes-1135_592dda2861.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judith beneath the 'banana'...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span lang="en-US">Bonn
Opera threw everything
at it to try and convince us that it is worthy of being staged. Or at
least that is the impression left by a completely over-the-top
production by director Jürgen R. Meyer, in which excess seems the
order of the day. (Fortunately, the company also threw musical
quality its way, of which more later.) Any attempt to exaggerate, to
camp it up, is taken. Kristopher Kempf’s costumes are straight out
of 1960s </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Star Trek</i></span><span lang="en-US">,
as the Israelites and Assyrians are dressed to kill like the exotic
humanoid aliens encountered by the </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Enterprise</i></span><span lang="en-US">
crew. Quite why the Jewish priests had huge boxes on their shoulders (misplaced tefillin?) or
why the Assyrian soldiers were dressed up as spiders or horses was not
made clear. And what was with the giant inflatable banana looming
over the Jewish village (Abra, Judith’s maid, at one point tries to
get her mistress to eat a real one, too)? Perhaps related to the
phallic graffiti decorating Holofernes’s siege tower that dominates
Act II. There is more fruit later, when Judith tries out her machete
skills on a water melon before moving on to the sleeping Holofernes
himself. Throughout, there is a surfeit of imagery conveying torture
– bodies on poles, severed heads used as counterweights to
drawbridges, and in Act I some rather unsavoury video imagery of
someone severing the head of a plastic doll with a knife and hatchet.
The director attempts to inject some humour into proceedings in his
direction of character – especially with the tiresomely
over-demonstrative Abra – but it only points up how laughable the
whole production is, for instance with the poor onstage orchestral
trumpeter forced unconvincingly to ‘act’ out a tiff with the slave holding his
music (the second time he appears, he gets stabbed for his labours).
And is that Chinese calligraphy projected on to one of the suspended,
vegetable-like balloons in the closing scene? It all makes Judith’s
suicide at the end seem a saving grace rather than a tragic
denouement.</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NTitZVIe6Jc/V1Gy0SJOqXI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/AAXHJjuMm9Mc6WtmjmXUuuerfG99Vd04gCKgB/s1600/csm_46-Holofernes-1349_cd88e7bc06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NTitZVIe6Jc/V1Gy0SJOqXI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/AAXHJjuMm9Mc6WtmjmXUuuerfG99Vd04gCKgB/s320/csm_46-Holofernes-1349_cd88e7bc06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holofernes (Mark Morouse)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The cast, chorus and
orchestra did as much as they could with the material. Mark Morouse’s
Holofernes saved the character from becoming too much of a pantomime
villain (the vocal writing suggests Alberich at times), while Johanni
van Oostrum’s Judith was suitably alluring of voice and stage
presence. The subsidiary roles were also creditably performed. And
conductor Jacques Lacombe deserves credit for keeping the performance
moving, not easy given the often perfunctory nature of Reznieck’s
writing. I went with an open mind and wish I had enjoyed it more, but
it does go to show that, try as we might to persuade ourselves
otherwise, some works are forgotten for a reason.</div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-74606673098322299072016-06-03T09:19:00.000-07:002016-06-03T09:19:02.103-07:00Die tote Stadt – Staatstheater Kassel – 1 June 2016<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mDtbFN-Xbys/V1Gs-zFLJAI/AAAAAAAAA2s/BLogtbjcitU1i6hfzmXijLmW32WEJ_5YQCKgB/s1600/die-tote-stadt-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mDtbFN-Xbys/V1Gs-zFLJAI/AAAAAAAAA2s/BLogtbjcitU1i6hfzmXijLmW32WEJ_5YQCKgB/s400/die-tote-stadt-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marietta (Celine Byrne), Paul (Charles Workman) and Marie (Eva-Marie Sommersberg)<br />Photos: N. Klinger</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Paul –
Charles Workman</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Marietta –
Celine Byrne</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Marie –
Eva-Marie Sommersberg</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Frank –
Marian Pop</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Brigitta –
Marta Herman</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Fritz –
Hansung Yoo</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Juliette –
Lin Lin Fan</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Lucienne –
Maren Engelhardt</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Victorin –
Paulo Paulillo</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Graf
Albert – Johannes An</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Staatsorchester
Kassel</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Opera
Chorus & Cantamus Choir of Staatstheater Kassel</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Conductor
– Patrik Ringborg</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Director –
Markus Dietz</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Sets –
Mayke Hegger</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Costumes –
Henrike Bromber</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Video –
Lillian Stillwell</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Lighting –
Albert Geisel</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HuB5SZSMy7o/V1Gs-cNJUlI/AAAAAAAAA2k/fCP0s6DAyKoKxAeS9tnsqrwZhq16qfFrACKgB/s1600/KS-die-tote-stadt1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HuB5SZSMy7o/V1Gs-cNJUlI/AAAAAAAAA2k/fCP0s6DAyKoKxAeS9tnsqrwZhq16qfFrACKgB/s400/KS-die-tote-stadt1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brigitta (Marta Herman) and Frank (Marian Pop) at the start of Act I</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-GB">Although
Korngold’s </span><span lang="en-GB"><i>Die tote Stadt</i></span><span lang="en-GB">
offers more scope for the director’s imagination than many an
opera, with its meshing of real and imaginary worlds and its
convoluted psychology, it is perhaps unsurprising that as the work
becomes more of a repertoire piece the ideas presented on stage are becoming less
original. This, if my memory is correct, is the eighth staging I’ve
seen in a little over two decades, and while Markus Dietz’s
interpretation is coherent and well presented, it is also
unmistakeably reflective of previous efforts. Mayke Hegger’s set
thrusts the action into the auditorium by encompassing the full
perimeter of the orchestra pit, thanks to the theatre’s generously
deep dividing line between instrumentalists and audience. This
box-like forestage is Paul’s space, with his ‘shrine of memories’
a shelving unit providing the back wall that eventually opens up on a receding vista
of his imagination. The false proscenium idea here, dividing real
from dreamt worlds, was also used by </span><a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/die-tote-stadt-theater-magdeburg-27.html">Jakob Peters-Messer </a><span lang="en-GB"><a href="http://ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/die-tote-stadt-theater-magdeburg-27.html">in Magdeburg</a> in the winter, while the updating of Paul’s
memorabilia of his dead wife Maria to include video footage was
exploited by <a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-korngold-dead-city-frankfurt-october-2015">Anselm Weber in Frankfurt </a>(the Cologne staging of 15
years ago or so went further and made the pertinent connection with
Hitchcockian film, not least as </span><span lang="en-GB"><i>Vertigo</i></span><span lang="en-GB">
shares source material and some of the plot). </span>
</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UbvuSN2kFPw/V1Gs_JWJdRI/AAAAAAAAA2w/n1v7rYwaBsgjvFYU6kSeWcOyFGbTW66awCLcB/s1600/ks-tote-stadt-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UbvuSN2kFPw/V1Gs_JWJdRI/AAAAAAAAA2w/n1v7rYwaBsgjvFYU6kSeWcOyFGbTW66awCLcB/s400/ks-tote-stadt-03.jpg" width="400" /></a>A scenic
device that recalls Willy Decker’s much-travelled production is the
use of the Doppelgänger to delineate the two ‘realities’. Here
the ‘dead’ Marie is a constant presence in the form of a silent
dancer, a seeming ghost of Paul’s dead wife, who is as bereft with
her loss as he is with his. Her actions seem to mirror and at times
contradict those of Marietta, the ‘real-world’ lookalike with
whom Paul becomes obsessed. Also made out to be a double, seemingly,
is Frank, since he is dressed just like Paul in white shirt and black
trousers – is he perhaps made out to be Paul’s rational side?
Paul’s attempt to kill Frank off in their Act II struggle is
coupled with his need to kill Marie/Marietta again, as if by only
doing the deed himself can he finally come to terms with his loss.
Intriguingly, there’s a hint of erotic tanglement between Paul and
Brigitte, as they kiss when she leaves him for the convent in Act II,
and at the very end, Frank – and now we really do have to believe
he is the rational Paul – addresses his invitation to leave Bruges,
the ‘dead city’, to her, and is taken aback when Paul replies:
Frank happily slips away with Brigitte to a new life, as Paul walks
off into the darkness of the rear stage, his bereavement cast into
oblivion. Weber in Frankfurt explored the anti-clerical element in
contributing to Bruges’s ‘deadliness’, but Dietz explores more
obvious religious connotations, making the religious procession in Act III specifically a Good Friday one and thence a cue to showing a bloodied Marie
crucified as part of her continuing death process. Extensive use is
made of the stage risers to achieve all the comings and goings of
chorus and characters, and the visual flow is as seemless as a series
of cinematic cross-fades.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>
Charles Workman brought a Heldentenor’s bright, ringing tone to the
exhausting role of Paul. A couple of the high notes slipped from his
grasp, but he almost always managed get a settling vibrato going in
even some of the most trying of musical phrases, and he physically
lived the role from beginning to end, despite the indignity of having
to sing, for a fair chunk of the evening, wearing nothing but his
underpants. Celine Byrne’s crisp diction was just one of the
delights of her performance as Marietta, and it was coupled with
plenty of sinuous tone and a stage presence that confidently
suggested this was a character who wasn’t going to be messed with.
As her Doppelgänger, Eva-Maria Sommersberg put just as much
conviction into her silent role. The rest of the cast, drawn from the
company’s ensemble, acquitted itself with equal commitment, but
special commendation must go to the Fritz of Hansung Yoo, whose
suave, beautifully paced Pierrot’s Lied was a highlight of the
performance. Choruses, especially the professional-sounding children
of Cantamus, were excellent and the Kassel orchestra played its heart
out, Patrik Ringborg revealing extensive musical preparation in the
way so much inner detail emerged while making the score as a whole
soar, glide and ensnare as ever.</div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-91181320466920272322016-05-29T06:21:00.003-07:002016-05-29T06:21:47.368-07:00Lulu - Wuppertal Opera - 26 May 2016<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uvi9JfFn7vo/V0rr4hciAOI/AAAAAAAAA2A/KvXtaR-bl3sFlPbcUXl_bCP87okNGRy1ACLcB/s1600/e3151a0950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uvi9JfFn7vo/V0rr4hciAOI/AAAAAAAAA2A/KvXtaR-bl3sFlPbcUXl_bCP87okNGRy1ACLcB/s400/e3151a0950.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr Schon (Ralf Lukas) and Lulu (Martina Welschenbach)<br />Photos: Uwe Stratmann</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Lulu – Martina Welschenbach<br />
Dr Schon – Ralf Lukas<br />
Alwa – Arnold Bezuyen<br />
Countess Gewschwitz – Kathrin Goring<br />
Artist/Negro – Johannes Grau<br />
Animal Tamer/Athlete – Christian Tschelebiew<br />
Schigolch – Martin Blasius<br />
Gymnast/Groom – Sandra Borgarts<br />
Prince/Room servant/Marquis – James Wood<br />
Theatre Director/Banker – Michael Adair<br />
<br />
Conductor – Toshiyuki Kamioka<br />
Director – Beate Baron<br />
Set design – Elisa Limberg<br />
Costumes – Marie Gerstenberger<br />
Lighting – Fredy Deisenroth<br />
Film - Siegersbuschfilm<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qt_WXueiQvI/V0rsOBncFKI/AAAAAAAAA2E/H7xFS8mhim8DhKstwifTJzP7nPoIZO9UACLcB/s1600/dfff247aca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qt_WXueiQvI/V0rsOBncFKI/AAAAAAAAA2E/H7xFS8mhim8DhKstwifTJzP7nPoIZO9UACLcB/s400/dfff247aca.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
With its mixture of realism, fantasy, black humour and tragedy, Berg’s Lulu is not an opera that takes readily to straightforwardly narrative treatment. It is, in the best sense, too contrived for that, with its mirrored forms in music and drama, its larger-than-life characters and knowing self-reflection. The extent to which directors flesh out the story and milieu varies from one production to the next. Beate Baron, for her staging at Wuppertal Opera, takes a cue from the opera’s opening scene, in which the Animal Tamer introduces the characters as wild beasts, by peopling her stage with onlookers from the circus – garish clowns and ‘glamorous assistants’, young girls who in Act I usher each new character on to the scene. Lulu herself is a kind of figurative still centre around whom everyone else circles like hunters – a vision made concrete in the first scene of Act II when the rivals for her attention, the Athlete, the Gymnast, Schigolch, Alwa and her husband Dr Schön, skulk around with hunting rifles. Stuffed leopards furnish the abstract Schön household as if to push home the point. And if I interpreted the Act II film correctly, we see these same characters – running through the Wuppertal woods in evening dress – as pursuers becoming the pursued at the crux of the palindrome.<br />
<br />
If Baron can be said to have taken a more feminist line than most of her male colleagues in interpretations of the work, it serves to highlight a kind of battle of the sexes that lies behind the character of Lulu herself, less active ‘femme fatale’ than innocent victim of the attention she attracts in others. Her ‘portrait’, painted by the Artist in the first scene, is a feminist symbol, a downward-pointing triangle on a white background, and her adherents wave a similar flag in her support in the latter stages of the opera. Marie Gerstenberger costumes all the main male admirers in variations on the same pale blue Crimplene-style suit, as if to indicate their common nature. Elisa Limberg’s simple set is a circle of black sand in a containing ring that occasionally revolves. At the start, the props – notably the divan on which Lulu’s lovers habitually die – are held in a huge net above the stage, and one by one ‘released’ during the closed-curtained interludes, as if we are to see the gradual accumulation of the elements that make up the presentation building up over time. Stage pictures are a crucial element, not always static and not always explicable – what, for instance, is the significance of Schön and the supposedly dead Artist wandering around with umbrellas after the latter character’s suicide?<br />
<br />
In the early stages of the evening there was a sense of overkill in the visual splintering of ideas and images, more anti-narrative than narrative. But, to give the production its due credit, the feeling tends to fade as the performance progresses, until with Act III we begin to see where everything is leading. The libretto’s Paris salon, where investors in the Jungfrau Railway are at leisure, becomes a sunny resort, with the entire cast spread out on deckchairs in front of the black sand, which has now almost overwhelmed the divan. The dramatic mirror is emphasised in the final scene as each of Lulu’s three lovers returns with angel’s wings – we don’t need to see them as 'new' characters, the Professor or as Negro, until we are perhaps made to believe Jack the Ripper has turned up in the disguise of Dr Schön, as he divests himself of his wings before murdering Lulu. There’s also the suggestion that she is prostituting herself less for the money than for the attempt to regain the companionship she has successively lost over her serial relationships. That becomes her final tragedy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Musically, Wuppertal Opera has everything to be proud of. The company may <span style="text-align: center;">currently lack its own ensemble (a state of affairs that I understand is to be rectified under next season’s incoming regime), but its chorus amply supplied the smaller roles, with the others allotted to guests. Martina Welschenbach seems to have modelled her characterisation of the title role on Christine Schäfer’s famously nonchalant way with the role, but to good effect, and her singing throughout was focused and clearly projected. Ralf Lukas’s Dr Schön was powerfully engaging, his text conveyed with the vehemence and perspicacity of an experienced sometime Wotan, and Wagnerian credentials also bore fruit in the fine mixture of Helden- and character tenor that Arnold Bezuyen brought to the part of Alwa. Among the others there was no weak link, from Kathrin Göring’s warmly characterised Geschwitz and Sandra Borgarts’s earthy Gymnast to Johannes Grau’s virile Artist/Negro, Christian Tschelebiew’s visceral Animal Tamer/Athlete, Martin Blasius’s unusually sympathetic Schigolch and James Wood’s flutey Prince/Marquis. Toshiyuki Kamioka, conducting one of his last remaining performances as Wuppertal’s music director and intendant, made much of Berg’s expansion of late Romanticism in his score, which was played with warmth and penetrating character by the Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra.</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-46519969394571788092016-05-16T04:14:00.001-07:002017-01-06T01:53:08.179-08:00The 2016-17 opera season<br />
A summary of new productions and selected revivals being staged in the 2016/17 season in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, the UK and the main companies in France. Information is given in good faith, but please confirm details with company websites/publications.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">Last updated 25 August 2016.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Abraham</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die Blume von Hawaii (d.
Enzinger) – Dortmund from 21 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Adams</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The Gospel According to the
Other Mary (d. Sellars, from ENO) – Bonn from 26 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Adès</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="background: transparent;">The Exterminating Angel (UKP, from Salzburg Festival,
d. Cairns) – London ROH from 24 Apr </span>
</span></div>
<span style="color: red;"></span><span style="background: transparent;">Powder Her Face (in German, d.
Szalma) – Görlitz from 28 Jan </span>
<br />
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Powder Her Face (d. Engels) –
Aachen from 19 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Atterberg</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="background: transparent;">Aladin (d. Woron) –
Braunschweig from 11 Mar </span>
</span></div>
<span style="color: red;">
</span> <br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Barber</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Vanessa (d. Mokrusch) –
Bremerhaven from 3 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Bartók</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Bluebeard’s Castle (d.
Ostermann/Schmeding, c/w music-theatre w’shop) – Darmstadt from
25 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Bluebeard’s
Castle (d. Tchernikov, c/w Eötvös) – Hamburg from 6 Nov </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Bluebeard’s Castle (d.
Vanishing Point; c/w The 8th Door (Paterson)) – Glasgow SO from 28
Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Bluebeard’s Castle (d.
Bruncken; c/w tba) – Halle from 6 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Bluebeard’s Castle (d.
Vienne; c/w Ligeti Lux aeterna) – Brussels from 21 Jun NB Now postponed to 2017/18 season</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Battistelli</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lot
(WP; d. Hilbrich) – Hannover from 1 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Prova
d’orchestra (d. Weigner) – Münster from 20 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Beethoven</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Fidelio
– Coburg from 18 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Fidelio
(d. Kupfer) – Berlin SO from 3 Oct </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Fidelio
(d. Hasko Weber) – Weimar from 25 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Fidelio
(d. Hampe) – Cologne from 11 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Bellini</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Norma
(d. Ollé) – London ROH from 12 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Norma
(d. Stöppler) – Mainz from 24 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Norma
(d. Hoheisel/Kogge) – Essen from 8 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Norma
(d. ) – Graz from 6 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Norma
(d. Braunschweig) – Nuremberg from 13 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Norma
(d. Wieler/Morabito, from Stuttgart) – Geneva from 16 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Benatzky</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Im
weißen Rössl (d. Jordan/Koppelmann) – Mainz from 26 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Berg</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lulu
(d. Kentridge, from New York Met) – London ENO from 9 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lulu
(d. Stöppler) – Weimar from 21 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lulu
(two-act vn, d. Kaiser) – Ulm from 9 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Lulu
(d. Marthaler/w Hannigan) – Hamburg from 12 Feb</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lulu
(d. Hertel) – Flensburg from 13 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Wozzeck
(d. Schmiedleitner) – Nürnberg from 18 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Wozzeck
(d. McVicar, from Chicago) – Geneva from 2 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Wozzeck
(d. Lübbe) – Erfurt from 25 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Wozzeck
(d. Warlikowski) – Amsterdam DNO from 18 Mar </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Wozzeck
(revival/d. Marthaler) – Paris ON from 26 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Wozzeck
(d. Lutz) – Cottbus from 24 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Berlioz</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
damnation de Faust (d. Raimondi) – Liège from 25 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
damnation de Faust (d. Dittrich) – Bremen from 18 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
damnation de Faust (d. Gilliam/c. Rattle) – Berlin SO from 27 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Les
troyens (d. Höckmeyer) – Frankfurt from 19 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Berlioz/Wagner</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
reine (music theatre, d. Bischoff/w. Denoke) – Mannheim from 12 Feb
</span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Bernstein</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Candide
(d. Cooper) – Cologne from 4 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Candide
– Pforzheim from 25 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Mass
(d. Ryser) – Lübeck from 17 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">West
Side Story (d. Hertel) – Flensburg from 3 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Bizet</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Carmen
(d. Hovenbitzer) – Hof from 23 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Carmen
(d. Fouquet) – Flensburg from 24 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Carmen
(d. Muller) – Regensburg from 24 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Carmen
(d. Leimeier) – Oldenburg from 27 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Carmen
(d. Nicklich) – Koblenz (outdoors) from 1 Jul</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Les
pêcheurs de perles (d. Désiré) – Biel/Solothurn from 26 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Les
pêcheurs de perles (d. Pöckel) – Plauen from 1 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Les
pêcheurs de perles (d. Wenders/c. Barenboim) – Berlin SO from 24
Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Blacher</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Romeo
and Juliet (revival) – Basel </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Boesmans</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Julie
(d. Gruner) – Magdeburg from 12 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Yvonne,
Princesse de Bourgogne (GP, d. Schwalbach) – Oldenburg from 25 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Borodin</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Prince
Igor (d. Tchernikov) – Amsterdam DNO from 7 Feb </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Britten</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Billy
Budd (d. Phelan) – Leeds ON from 1 Oct & touring</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Death
in Venice (d. Vick) – Berlin DO from 19 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Death
in Venice (d. Volpi) – Stuttgart from 7 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">A
Midsummer Night’s Dream (d. Brown) – Trier from 24 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">A
Midsummer Night’s Dream (d. Heibling) – Mainz from 12 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Owen
Wingrave (d. Creed) – Paris ON from 19 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Paul
Bunyan (d. Fassbaender) – Frankfurt from 9 Oct </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Peter
Grimes (d. Krenn) – Wiesbaden from 4 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Peter
Grimes (d. ?) – Schwerin from 7 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Peter
Grimes (d. Cura) – Bonn from 7 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Turn of the Screw (d. Thiel) – Gelsenkirchen from 10 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Turn of the Screw (d. Carsen, from Vienna TW) – Strasbourg from 21
Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Turn of the Screw (d. Knuth) – Erfurt from 30 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Turn of the Screw (d. von Mayenburg) – Bern from 13 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Bröder,
Alois</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Unverhofftes
Wiedersehen (WP, d. Weckesser) – Wurzburg from 24 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Busoni</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Doktor
Faust (d. Warner) – Dresden from 19 Mar </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Doktor
Faust (d. Amaya) – Hildesheim from 15 Apr</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Catalani</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
Wally – Niederbayern from ? </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
Wally (d. Stiehl) – Vienna VO from 25 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Cavalli</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
Calisto (in English) – English Touring Opera from 14 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
Calisto (d. Clément) – Strasbourg from 26 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Eliogabalo
– Paris ON from 16 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
giasone (d. Sinigaglia) – Geneva from 25 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Hipermestra
(UKP, d. Vick, c. Christie) – Glyndebourne from 20 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Charpentier,
Marc-Antoine</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Médée
(d. Homoki, c. Christie) – Zurich from 22 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Cilea</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Adriana
Lecouvreur (d. Thoma) – Karlsruhe from </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Cornelius</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Barbier von Baghdad (d. Pöckel) – Zwickau from 27 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Barbier von Baghdad (d. Hovenbitzer) – Gießen from 28 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Barbier von Baghdad (conc. perf.) – Wuppertal from 10 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Dalbavie,
Marc-André </span></b>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Charlotte
Salomon (GP) – Bielefeld from 14 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Debussy</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Pelléas
et Mélisande (d. McVicar) – Glasgow SO from 23 Feb & touring </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Pelléas
et Mélisande (revival/d. Guth) – Frankfurt from 25 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Pelléas
et Mélisande (d. Marelli) – Vienna SO from 18 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Dean,
Brett</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Hamlet
(WP, d. Armfield, c. Jurowski) – Glyndebourne from 11 Jun </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Defoort,
Kris</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Daral
Shaga (d. de Coen) – Brussels from 11 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Doderer,
Johanna</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Liliom
(WP; d. Köpplinger) – Munich SG from 4 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Donizetti</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Don
Pasquale (d. Rousseau) – Biel/Solothurn from 23 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Don
Pasquale (d. Köhler) – Altenburg from 3 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Don
Pasquale (d. Villazón) – Düsseldorf from 29 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">L’elisir
d’amore (d. Spirei) – Karlsruhe from 15 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">L’elisir
d’amore (d. Poda) – Strasbourg from 21 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">L’elisir
d’amore (d. von Studnitz) – Ulm from 10 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">L’elisir
d’amore – Bielefeld from 3 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">L’elisir
d’amore (d. Bauer) – Saarbrücken from 25 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">L’elisir
d’amore (d. Ribitzki) – Hannover from 1 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
favorite (d. Niermeyer) – Munich from 23 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
fille du regiment (semi-staged) – Oldenburg from 2 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lucia
di Lammermoor – Niederbayern from ? </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lucia
di Lammermoor (d. D. Alden) – Bonn from 30 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lucia
di Lammermoor (d. Thalbach) – Leipzig from 26 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lucia
di Lammermoor – Hagen from 21 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Maria
Stuarda (d. Grisebach) – Flensburg from 14 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Viva
la mamma! (d. Pelly) – Lyon from 22 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Dorman,
Avner</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Wahnfried
(WP; d. Warner) – Karlsruhe from 28 Jan </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Dvorák</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Rusalka
(d. Reinhardt) – Innsbruck from 24 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Rusalka
(d. Dicu) – Augsburg from 25 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Eggert,
Max</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Freax
(WP, d. Lucassen) – Regensburg from 21 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Egk</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Peer
Gynt (d. Konwitschny) – Vienna TW from 17 Feb </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Eichberg,
Søren Nils</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Glare
(GP; d. Lehner) – Koblenz from 11 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Eötvös</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Senza
sangue (WP, d. Tchernikov; c/w Bluebeard) – Hamburg from 6 Nov</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Fairouz</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
New Prince (WP) – Amsterdam from 24 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Fennessy,
David </span></b>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Sweat
of the Sun – Osnabrück from 2 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Flotow</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Martha
(d. Thoma) – Frankfurt from 16 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Martha
(d. Pölzgutter) – Regensburg from 29 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Francesconi</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Trompe-la-mort
(WP) – Paris ON from 16 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Gál</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Das
Lied der Nacht (d. Pörzgen) – Osnabrück from 29 Apr </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Giordano</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Andrea
Chénier (d. Stölz) – Munich from 12 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Glass</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Einstein
on the Beach (d. Voges) – Dortmund from 23 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Fall of the House of Usher (d. Lehner) – Koblenz from 10 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Satyagraha
(d. Cherkauoi) – Basel from 28 Apr</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Trial (d. McCarthy) – Glasgow SO from 24 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Gluck</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Alceste
(d. Ollé/La Fura dels Baus0 – Lyon from 2 May</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Armide
(d. Alexandre) – Vienna SO from 16 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Armide
(d. Steier) – Mainz from 14 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Ezio
(revival) – Frankfurt from 9 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Iphigenie
auf Tauris (arr. R. Strauss) (d. Mielitz) – Meiningen from 24 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Orphée
(concert perf.) – Aachen from 4 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">Orphée,
as Orfeo</span></span><sup><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">2</span></span></sup><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">,
arr. Aucoin (d. Fitch) – Salzburg from 22 Jan </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Orphée
(d. Volga) – Innsbruck from 20 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Orphée
– Mönchengladbach from 15 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Gnesin,
Michail</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Der
jugend Abrahams (1924) (d. Berger-Görski; c/w Tal) – Gera from 25
Mar</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Gounod</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Cinq-Mars
(d. Pilavachi) – Leipzig from 20 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Faust
(d. Fuchs) – Magdeburg from 10 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Faust
(d. Stiehl) – Münster from 10 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Faust
(d. Fulljames) – Dortmund from 17 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Faust
(d. Castorf) – Stuttgart from 30 Oct </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Faust
(d. Wiegand) – Darmstadt from 28 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Faust
(d. Lowery) – Bern from 29 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Faust
– Schwerin from 7 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Faust
– Greifswald from 28 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Roméo
et Juliette (d. ) – Graz from 5 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Roméo
et Juliette (d. Lucassen) – Kassel from 8 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Roméo
et Juliette (d. Grazzini) – Erfurt from 13 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Gruber</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Geschichten
aus dem Wiener Wald – Hagen from 24 Jun</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Haas</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Morgen
und Abend (d. Kerkhof) – Heidelberg from 3 Feb </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Hahn,
Reynaldo</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">The
Merchant of Venice (GP) – Bielefeld from 28 Apr </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Halévy</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">La
juîve (d. Konwitschny, from Flanders/Mannheim) – Strasbourg from 3
Feb </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Handel</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Agrippina
(d. Dale) – Oldenburg from 15 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Alcina
(d. Ritschel) – Münster from 14 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Alcina
(d. Steier) – Basel from 10 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Ariodante
(d. Wieler/Morabito) – Stuttgart from 5 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Ariodante
(d. Widder) – Lübeck from 28 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Hercules
(d. Lowery) – Mannheim from 9 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Hercules
(d. Ambrosino) – Erfurt from 15 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Giulio
Cesare (d. Klepper) – Freiburg from 11 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Jeptha
(d. Guth, from Paris ON) – Amsterdam DNO from 9 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Jeptha
(d. Gürbaca) – Halle from 26 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Rinaldo
(d. Van Rensburg) – Chemnitz from 25 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Semele
(d. Visser) – Karslruhe from 22 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Xerxes
(d. Conway) – English Touring Opera from 8 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Xerxes
(d. Köhler) – Frankfurt from 8 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Xerxes
(d. Repschläger) – Neustrelitz from 6 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Hartmann</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Simplicius
Simplicissimus (d. Gürbaca) – Bremen from 28 Jan </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Simplicius
Simplicissimus (d. Fioroni) – Augsburg from 2 Jun</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Haydn</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
mondo della luna – Plauen from 14 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
mondo della luna (d. Horres) – Linz from 4 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Hefti,
David Philip</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Annas
Maske (WP) – St Gallen from 6 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Henze</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Elegy
for Young Lovers – Gütersloh/Detmold from 29 Apr </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Elegy
for Young Lovers (d. Warner) – Vienna TW from 2 May</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">The
English Cat (d. Schlingmann) – Hannover from 26 Nov </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Hindemith</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Cardillac
(d. Münstermann) – Pforzheim from 27 May</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Die
Harmonie der Welt (d. Hilsdorf) – Linz from 8 Apr </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Mathis
der Maler (d. Stöppler) – Mainz from 18 Mar </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Sancta
Susanna (revival/d. Martone, c/w Cavalleria) – Paris ON from 30 Nov
</span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Honegger</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Jeanne
d’Arc au bûcher (d. Castelucci) – Lyon from 21 Jan</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Jeanne
d’Arc au bûcher (d. Ollé; c/w Debussy: Damoiselle elué) –
Frankfurt from 11 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Hosokawa</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Matsukaze
(revival, d. Waltz) – Brussels from 6 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Raven (GP; c/w Voix humaine) – Coburg from 14 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Humperdinck</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Hänsel
und Gretel – Kaiserslautern from 29 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Hänsel
und Gretel (d. Reitmeier) – Salzburg from 30 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Hänsel
und Gretel (d. Weigand) – Dessau from 5 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Hänsel
und Gretel (d. Riemenschneider) – Bremen from 25 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Hänsel
und Gretel (d. Horstkotte) – Mönchengladbach from 3 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Hänsel
und Gretel (d. Siegl) – Trier from 16 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Hänsel
und Gretel (d. Dick) – Leeds ON from 2 Feb & touring </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Hänsel
und Gretel (d. Firmbach) – Lüneburg from 17 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Janáček</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Cunning Little Vixen – Niederbayern from ? </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Cunning Little Vixen (d. Carsen) – Strasbourg from 11 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Cunning Little Vixen – Coburg from 4 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Jenůfa
(revival from 2015/16; d. Kuntze) – Gera from 22 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Jenůfa
(d. Schmeding, from Detmold ?) – Darmstadt from 4 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Katya
Kabanova (revival from 2015/16) – Krefeld from 15 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Katya
Kabanova – Avignon from 27 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Katya
Kabanova (d. Baur) – Saarbrücken from 14 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Makropulos Case (d. Mundruczó) – Antwerp/Gent from 14 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Makropulos Case (d. Nemirova) – Freiburg from 26 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Knussen</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Where
the Wild Things Are (d. Westerbarkei) – Duisburg from 2 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Korngold</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Der
Ring der Polykrates (d. Kim; c/w Wir gratulieren) – Heidelberg from
28 May</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Die
stumme Serenade – Coburg from 25 Feb </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Die
tote Stadt (d. Stone) – Basel from 17 Sep </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Der
Wunder der Heliane (concert perfs.) – Vienna VO from 28 Jan [NB
Berlin DO staging in 2018]</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Der
Wunder der Heliane (concert perfs.) – Freiburg, 22/27 Jul</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Krenek</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Diktator/Schwergewicht/Geheime
Königreich (dir. Hermann) – Frankfurt from 30 Apr </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Lehár</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Graf von Luxembourg (d. J-D. Herzog) – Düsseldorf from 3 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Das
Land des Lächelns (d. Stiehl) – Klagenfurt from 17 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Das
Land des Lächelns (d. Homoki) – Zurich from 18 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
lustige Witwe – Osnabrück from 26 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
lustige Witwe (d. Wissmann) – Gelsenkirchen from 16 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
lustige Witwe (d. Hertel) – Flensburg from 4 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Leoncavallo</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Pagliacci
(d. Frédric; c/w Cavalleria) – Strasbourg from 3 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Pagliacci
(d. Horstkotte; c/w Cavalleria) – Plauen from 10 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Lortzing</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Regina
(revival from 2015-16, d. Wernecke) – Meiningen from 4 Nov </span><br />
<span style="background: transparent;">Der Wildschutz - Freiberg from 8 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Marschner</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Vampyr (d. Nunes, from Berlin KO) – Geneva from 19 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Vampyr (d. Goerden) – Koblenz from 6 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Martin</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Le
vin herbé (d. Graham, in English) – Cardiff WNO from 16 Feb &
touring</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Mascagni</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Cavalleria
rusticana (d. De Carpentries; c/w Gianni Schicchi) – Krefeld from
17 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Cavalleria
rusticana (d. Potocki; c/w A Santa Lucia) – Dessau from 1 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Cavalleria
rusticana (d. Frédric; c/w Pagliacci) – Strasbourg from 3 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Cavalleria
rusticana (d. Horstkotte; c/w Pagliacci) – Plauen from 10 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Massenet</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Cendrillon
(d. Mundel) – Freiburg from 8 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Manon
(d. Py) – Geneva from 12 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Werther
(d. Prins) – Braunschweig from 21 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Werther
(d. Gürbaca) – Zurich from 2 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Menotti</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Consul – Mönchengladbach from 4 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Consul – Munich from 28 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Meyerbeer</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Les
Huguenots (d. Helmleb) – Kiel from 24 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Les
Huguenots (d. Sugao) – Wurzburg from 2 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Les
Huguenots (d. D. Alden) – Berlin DO from 13 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">La
prophète (d. Boussard) – Essen from 9 Apr </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Monteverdi</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
coronazione di Poppea – Bielefeld from 10 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
ritorno d’Ulisse in patria (d. Conway, in English) – English
Touring Opera from 15 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
ritorno d’Ulisse in patria (d. Bothe) – Mannheim from 4 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Morse,
Thomas</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Frau
Schindler (WP, d. Cazan) – Munich SG from 9 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Mozart</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Betulia
liberata (d. Gloger) – Frankfurt from 21 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
clemenza di Tito (d. Münzing) – Ulm from 30 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
clemenza di Tito (d. Buhr) – Essen from 3 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
clemenza di Tito (d. Kinmonth) – Karlsruhe from 8 Jul</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
clemenza di Tito (d. Guth) – Glyndebourne from 26 Jul</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Così
fan tutte (d. Gloger) – London ROH from 22 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Così
fan tutte (d. Borgmann) – Berlin DO from 25 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Così
fan tutte (d. Hilsdorf) – Darmstadt from 29 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Così
fan tutte (d. Prins) – Erfurt from 19 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Così
fan tutte (d. Repschläger) – Neustrelitz from 21 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Così
fan tutte (d. Richter) – Gießen from 25 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Così
fan tutte (d. Bösch) – Geneva from 30 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Entfuhrung der Serail (d. Schachermeier) – Klagenfurt from 30 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Entfuhrung der Serail (d. Hermann) – Zurich from 6 Nov</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Entfuhrung der Serail (d. Simons) – Amsterdam DNO from 13 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Entfuhrung der Serail (d. S. Herzog) – Wurzburg from 27 Nov</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Entfuhrung der Serail (d. Dijkema) – Dresden from 15 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
finta giardino (d. Heyder) – Magdeburg from 6 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Don
Giovanni (d. Amaya) – Hildesheim from 17 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Don
Giovanni (d. Jones) – London ENO from 30 Sep </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Don
Giovanni (d. van Dormael) – Liège from 20 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Don
Giovanni (d. Peters-Messer) – Bonn from 11 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Don
Giovanni (d. de Carpentries) – Linz from 21 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Don
Giovanni (d. Jones, from ENO) – Basel from 27 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Don
Giovanni (d. Baur) – Gelsenkirchen from 29 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Don
Giovanni (d. Föttinger) – Munich SG from 24 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Idomeneo
(d. Konwitschny) – Augsburg from 4 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Idomeneo
(d. Siegert) – Salzburg from 4 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Idomeneo
(d. Liepold-Mosser) – Trier from 3 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lucio
Silla (d. Kratzer) – Brussels from 17 Mar </span><span style="background: transparent;">NB Now postponed to 2017/18 season</span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lucio
Silla (d. Pfluger) – Biel/Solothurn from 23 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Le
nozze di Figaro (d. N.C. Weber) – St Gallen from 17 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Le
nozze di Figaro (d. Theorell) – Kassel from 24 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Le
nozze di Figaro (d. Mora) – Koblenz from 24 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Le
nozze di Figaro (d. Stolz) – Pforzheim from 29 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Le
nozze di Figaro (d. Menthe) – Innsbruck from 12 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Le
nozze di Figaro (d. Bothe) – Bern from 26 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Le
nozze di Figaro (d. Malkowsky) – Chemnitz from 20 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Le
nozze di Figaro (d. Bastet) – Cologne from 21 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Le
nozze di Figaro – Coburg from 3 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Zauberflöte – Osnabrück from 3 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Zauberflöte (von Mayenburg) – Heidelberg from 23 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Zauberflöte (d. Steckel) – Hamburg from 23 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Zauberflöte (d. Kochan) – Wiesbaden from 14 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Zauberflöte (d. Huber) – Dortmund from 26 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Zauberflöte – Luzern from 17 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Mussorgsky</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Boris
Godunov (d. Konwitschny) – Nürnberg from 1 Oct </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Boris
Godunov (d. Jones) – Berlin DO from 17 Jun</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Sorochinsky
Fair (d. Kosky) – Berlin KO from 2 Apr </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Nemtsov,
Sarah</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Gräben
der Freude (WP; d. Lutz) – Halle from 5 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Nono</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Prometeo
– Luzern Festival from 9 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Nyman</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (d. Eimer) – Dessau from 13 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat – Krefeld from 19 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Obst,
Michael</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
andere Seite (AP, d. Dew) – Linz from 20 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Solaris
(AP, d. Schneider) – Linz from 17 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Offenbach</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Les
contes d’Hoffmann (d. Lowery, c. Parry) – Wuppertal from 18 Sep
</span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Les
contes d’Hoffmann (d. Doucet, from Bonn) – Vienna VO from 15 Oct
</span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Les
contes d’Hoffmann (d. ?) – Schwerin from 28 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Les
contes d’Hoffmann (d. Erath) – Dresden from 4 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Les
contes d’Hoffmann (d. Poewe) – Meiningen from 20 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Les
contes d’Hoffmann (d. Straube) – Neustrelitz from 18 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Les
contes d’Hoffmann (d. Dijkema) – Gelsenkirchen from 10 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
grande-duchesse de Gerolstein (d. Altaras) – Kassel from 29 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Orphée
aux enfers (d. Petras) – Stuttgart from 4 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Orphée
aux enfers (d. Servais) – Liège from 20 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Orphée
aux enfers (d. Weber) – Regensburg from 11 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Oehring,
Helmut</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Aschemond
oder The Fairy Queen (WP of orig. vn, d. Karaman) – Wuppertal from
29 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Poulenc</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Carmelites
(revival from 2015/16, d. Stöppler) – Mainz from 29 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Carmelites
(d. Krause) – Hof from 11 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Carmelites
(revival/d. Lehnhoff) – Hamburg from 21 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Prokofiev</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Love of Three Oranges (d. Welker) – Wuppertal from 29 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Fiery Angel (d. Andrews, from Berlin KO) – Lyon from 11 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">The
Fiery Angel (d. Bieito) – Zurich from 7 May</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Gambler (revival/d. Kupfer) – Frankfurt from 27 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Puccini</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
bohème (d. Leitenschneider) – Nordhausen from 16 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
bohème (d. Nicklisch) – Pforzheim from 16 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
bohème (d. J-D Herzog) – Bonn from 25 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
bohème (d. Wagemakers) – Mainz from 15 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
bohème (d. Hartmann) – Geneva from 21 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
bohème (d. Gergen) – Salzburg from 26 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
bohème (d. Doucet) – Glasgow SO from 9 May & touring </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Gianni
Schicchi (d. De Carpentries) – Krefeld from 17 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Gianni
Schicchi (d. Zimmermann, c/w Rota) – Biel/Solothurn from 16 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Madama
Butterfly (d. Miskimmon) – Glyndebourne from 14 Oct & touring </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Madama
Butterfly (d. Rechi) – Duisburg from 4 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Madama
Butterfly (d. Dehlholm) – Brussels from 2 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Manon
Lescaut (d. Tambosi) – Hannover from 10 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Manon
Lescaut (d. Kaiser) – Ulm from 29 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Manon
Lescaut (d. Breth) – Amsterdam DNO from 10 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Manon
Lescaut (d. Flimm) – Berlin SO from 4 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Manon
Lescaut (d. Sutcliffe) – Osnabrück from 14 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Manon
Lescaut (d. de Carpentries) – Görlitz from 8 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
rondine – Graz from 12 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
tabarro/Suor Angelica (d. Pountney/Barker-Caven) – Leeds ON from 1
Oct & touring</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
tabarro/Gianni Schicchi (d. Berger) – Bremen from 16 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Tosca
(d. Schwab) – Braunschweig from 10 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Tosca
(d. K. Stone) – Magdeburg from 20 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Tosca
(d. Lowery) – Augsburg from 29 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Tosca
(d. Knabe) – Lübeck from 18 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Tosca
(d. Biganzoli) – Halle from 26 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Tosca
(d. Höckmayr) – Darmstadt from 3 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
trittico (d. Corradi) – Aachen from 15 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Turandot
(d. Cura) – Liège from 23 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Turandot
(d. Horstkotte) – Chemnitz from 24 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Turandot
(d. Kovalik) – Leipzig from 22 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Turandot
(d. Steier) – Cologne from 2 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Turandot
(concert perf.) – Leeds ON from 28 Apr & touring</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Turandot
(d. Schüler) – Cottbus from 30 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Purcell</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Dido
and Aeneas (d. Roussat, Lubak) – Liège from 9 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Fairy Queen (d. Clément) – Vienna TW from 19 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Fairy Queen (d. Fulljames) – Bremen from 21 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">King
Arthur (d. Fischer) – Munich SG from 8 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">King
Arthur (d. Bechtolf/c. Jacobs) – Berlin SO from 15 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Rameau</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Les
fêtes de’Hebe – Paris ON from 22 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Platée
– Niederbayern from ?</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Zoroastre
(d. Kratzer) – Berlin KO from 18 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Raskatov</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">A
Dog’s Heart (revival, d. McBurney) – Amsterdam DNO from 22 Apr </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Ravel</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">L’heure
espagnole/L’enfant et les sortiléges (d. Lachaussée) – Cologne
from 25 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">L’enfant
et les sortiléges (d. ‘1927’) – Berlin KO from 28 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Reich</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Cave – Frankfurt from 16 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Three
Tales – Wuppertal from 17 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Reimann</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Gespensonate (d. Katzemeier) – Berlin SO from 25 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Medea
(d. Andrews) – Berlin KO from 21 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Rihm</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Jakob
Lenz (d. Breth) – Berlin SO from 5 Jul </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Rimsky-Korsakov</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Golden
Cockerel (d. Pelly) – Brussels from 13 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Sadko
(d. Kramer) – Gent from 20 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Snow Maiden (d. Fulljames) – Leeds ON from 21 Jan & touring</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Rossini</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
barbiere di Siviglia (d. Serebrennikov) – Berlin KO from 9 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
barbiere di Siviglia (d. Wernecke) – Meiningen from 10 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
barbiere di Siviglia (d. Talke) – Bremen from 22 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
barbiere di Siviglia (d. Wernecke) – Eisenach from 20 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
cenerentola (d. Collins, in English) – Leeds ON from 16 Feb &
touring</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Elisabetta,
regina d’Inghilterra (d. Niermeyer) – Vienna TW from 17 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">L’italiana
in Algieri (d. Kratzer) – Weimar from 15 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">L’italiana
in Algieri (d. Scozzi) – Nürnberg from 21 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">L’italiana
in Algieri – Luzern from 29 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Semiramide
(d. D. Alden) – Munich from 12 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
viaggio al Reims (d. Maestrini) – Kiel from 28 Jan & Lübeck
from 5 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Rota</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Italian Straw Hat – Gelsenkirchen from 19 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
notte di un nevrastenico (in German, d. Papke, c/w Il segreto di
Susanna) – Görlitz from 19 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
notte di un nevrastenico (d. Zimmermann, c/w Gianni Schicchi) –
Biel/Solothurn from 16 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Saint-Saëns</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Samson
et Dalila (d. Michieletto) – Paris ON from 4 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Samson
et Dalila (conc. perf.) – Dessau from 3 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Salieri</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Falstaff
(d. Fischer) – Vienna TW from 12 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
scuola de’ gelosi – Vienna TW from 18 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Scarlatti,
A</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
guiditta ‘di Cambridge’ (d. Pichler) – Wiesbaden from 28 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Scartazzini,
Andrea Lorenzo </span></b>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Sandmann (d. Loy) – Frankfurt from 18 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Edward
II (WP/d. Loy) – Berlin DO from 19 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Schnittke</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Life
with an Idiot (d. Rootering) – Giessen from 13 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Schreier,
Anno </span></b>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Hamlet
(WP, d. Loy) – Vienna TW from 11 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Schreker</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Die
Gezeichneten (d. Warlikowski) – Munich from 1 July</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Die
Gezeichneten (revival, d. Kinmonth) – Cologne from 2 July</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Schumann</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Genoveva
(d. Kim) – Mannheim from 29 Apr </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Sciarrino</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lohengrin
– Dresden from 28 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Shostakovich</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Lady
Macbeth of Mtsensk (d. Kupfer) – Munich from 28 Nov </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lady
Macbeth of Mtsensk (revival, d. Homoki) – Zurich from 27 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">The
Nose (d. Kosky, in English) – London ROH from 20 Oct </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Smetana</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Bartered Bride (d. Berger) – Hannover from 29 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Bartered Bride (d. Weckesser) – Erfurt from 17 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Sommer,
Hans</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Rübezahl
und der Sackpfeifer von Neiße (1904) (revival from 2015/16, d.
Kuntze) – Altenburg from 29 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Spoliansky</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Wir werde ich reich und
glücklich? (d. Dvořák et al) – Mannheim from 21 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Srnka</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">South
Pole – Darmstadt from 27 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Staud,
Johannes Maria</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Antilope (WP/GP?, d. Mentha) – Cologne from 5 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Stockhausen</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Donnerstag
aus ‘Licht’ (revival from 2015/16, d. Steier) – Basel from 29
Sep </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Straus,
Oscar</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Perlen der Cleopatra (d. Kosky) – Berlin KO from 3 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Strauss,
Johann</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Fledermaus (d. Rech) – Wiesbaden from 16 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Fledermaus – Bremerhaven from 25 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Ein
Nacht in Venedig (d. Materna) – Pforzheim from 10 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Ein
Nacht in Venedig (d. Langdal) – Lyon from 14 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Wiener
Blut (d. Piontek) – Görlitz from 24 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Zigeunerbaron – Niederbayern from ? </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Zigeunerbaron (d. Gottschalk) – Hildesheim from 3 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Strauss,
Richard</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Arabella
(revival/d. Schmidt-Garre) – Leipzig from 18 Sep </span><br />
<span style="background: transparent;">Arabella - Freiberg from 18 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Arabella
(revival/d. Loy) – Frankfurt from 6 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Ariadne
auf Naxos (d. Dale) – Nederlandse Reisopera from 10 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Ariadne
auf Naxos (d. Eggers) – Lübeck from 10 Sep </span><br />
<span style="background: transparent;">Ariadne auf Naxos </span><span style="background: transparent;">– Aachen from 14 May</span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Capriccio
(d. Marton, from Lyon) – Brussels from 3 Nov </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Capriccio
(Pilavachi, from Meiningen) – Innsbruck from 17 Jun</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Daphne
(revival/d. Loy) – Hamburg from 1 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Elektra
(d. Chéreau) – Berlin SO from 23 Oct </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Elektra
(d. Dietz) – Kassel from 18 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Elektra
(revival from Dresden 1986, d. Berghaus) – Lyon from 17 Mar </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Frau ohne Schatten (revival/d. Laufenberg) – Wiesbaden from 25 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Frau ohne Schatten (d. Guth) – Berlin SO from 9 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Frau ohne Schatten (d. Kriegenburg) – Hamburg from 16 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Frau ohne Schatten (revival; d. Kovalik) – Leipzig from 23 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Rosenkavalier (revival, d. McVicar) – Leeds ON from 17 Sep &
touring </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Der
Rosenkavalier (d. Carsen) – London ROH from 17 Dec </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Rosenkavalier (d. Dietze) – Koblenz from 21 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Der
Rosenkavalier (d. Fuchs, from Magdeburg, c. Hanus) – Cardiff WNO
from 3 Jun </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Salome
(d. Sturminger) – Klagenfurt from 15 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Salome
(d. Schulz) – Dresden from 24 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Salome
(d. Adam) – Linz from 12 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Salome
(d. Leitenschneider) – Nordhausen from 20 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Salome
(d. Py) – Strasbourg from 10 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Salome
(d. Fassbaender) – Regensburg from 7 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Salome
(d. Van Hove, c. Gatti) – Amsterdam DNO from 9 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Salome
(d. Stiehl) – Leipzig from 17 Jun</span></div>
<br /><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Stravinsky</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Rake’s Progress (revival) – Frankfurt from 31 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Tal,
Josef</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Saul
in ein Dor (1955) (d. Berger-Görski; c/w Gnessin) – Gera from 25
Mar</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Tasca,
Pierantonio</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">A
Santa Lucia (1892) (d. Potocki; c/w Cavalleria) – Dessau from 1 Apr
</span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;"><b>Tchaikovsky</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Eugene
Onegin (revival/d. Kosky) – Berlin KO from 12 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Eugene
Onegin (d. Lukassen) – Frankfurt from 20 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Eugene
Onegin (d. Barkhatov) – Wiesbaden from 11 Mar, Darmstadt from 1 Jun
</span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Queen of Spades (d. Malkowsky) – Chemnitz from 26 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Queen of Spades (d. Folwill) – Ulm from 22 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Queen of Spades (d. Wieler/Morabito) – Stuttgart from 11 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Mazeppa
(d. Kuntze) – Gera from 28 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Tchaikowsky,
André</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
Merchant of Venice (d. Warner, from Bregenz) – Cardiff WNO from 16
Sep & touring</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Thomalla,
Hans </span></b>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Kaspar
Hauser (d. Hilbrich) – Augsburg from 23 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Traetta</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Antigona
(d. Müller) – Kassel from 3 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Trojan,
Manfred</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Limonen
aus Sizilien (d. Pörzgen) – Vienna VO from 12 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Orest
(SP, d. Neuenfels) – Zurich from 26 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Ullmann</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Kaiser
von Atlantis – Vienna TW from 11 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Verdi</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Aida
(d. Vontobel) – Mannheim from 29 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Attila
– Kaiserslautern from 17 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Attila
(d. Hilsdorf) – Bonn from 29 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Attila
(d. Konwitschny) – Nuremberg from 24 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Un
ballo in maschera (d. Strassberger) – Innsbruck from 11 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Un
ballo in maschera – Greifswald from 18 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Un
ballo in maschera (d. Hovenbitzer) – Bremerhaven from 29 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Un
ballo in maschera (d. Reichwald) – Regensburg from 25 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Don
Carlo – Bielefeld from 30 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Falstaff
(d. Montavon) – Linz from 16 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Falstaff
(d. Hillsdorf) – Cologne from 30 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Falstaff
(d. McVicar, c. Mehta) – Vienna SO from 4 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Falstaff
(d. Peters) – Münster from 5 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
forza del destino (d. Baumgarten) – Basel from 22 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Un
giorno di regno (d. Kochheim) – Braunschweig from 26 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Jerusalem
(d. Bieito) – Freiburg from 1 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Jerusalem
(d. di Pralafera) – Liège from 17 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Luisa
Miller (d. Mentha) – Kassel from 17 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Macbeth
(d. Mears) – Cardiff WNO from 10 Sep & touring </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Macbeth
(d. Fredj) – Brussels from 13 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Macbeth
(d. Loschky) – Oldenburg from 17 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Macbeth
(d. Heyder) – Aachen from 8 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Macbeth
(d. Geyer) – Vienna TW from 11 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Nabucco
(d. di Pralafera) – Liège from 18 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Nabucco
(d. Recinella) – Wurzburg from 28 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Nabucco
(d. Sapi) – St Gallen from 11 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Otello
(d. Fouquet) – Lüneburg from 17 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Otello
(d. Thalheimer) – Düsseldorf from 8 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Otello
(d. Bieito) – Hamburg from 25 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Otello
(d. Schlösser) – Klagenfurt from 9 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Otello
(d. Boussard) – Dresden from 23 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Otello
(d. J-D. Herzog) – Dortmund from 26 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Otello
(d. Gühlstorff) – Weimar from 20 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Otello
(d. di Pralafera) – Liège from 16 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Otello
(d. Warner, w Kaufmann) – London ROH from 21 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Rigoletto
– Luzern from 16 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Rigoletto
(d. Hilbrich) – Essen from 21 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Rigoletto
(d. Müller) – Frankfurt from 19 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Rigoletto
(d. Kuljabin) – Wuppertal from 9 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Rigoletto
(d. Michieletti) – Amsterdam DNO from 9 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Simon
Boccanegra (d. Hermann) – Antwerp/Gent from 5 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Simon
Boccanegra (d. Loschky) – Saarbrücken from 22 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
traviata (d. Starczewski) – Gießen from 10 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">La
traviata – Luzern from 2 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
trovatore (d. Abbado) – Vienna SO from 5 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Vollmer,
Ludwig</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Crusades
(WP; d. Celik) – Freiburg from 14 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Tschick
– Hagen from 28 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Vosiček,
Šimon</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Biedermann
und die Brandstifter (GP) – Bremerhaven from 4 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Wagner</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
fliegende Holländer (d. Lutz) – Halle from 23 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
fliegende Holländer (revival, d. Dalferth) – Mainz from 28 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
fliegende Holländer (d. Peters-Messer) – Dessau from 1 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Der
fliegende Holländer (d. Gürbaca) – Antwerp/Gent from 20 Oct </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
fliegende Holländer (d. Oldag) – Bremerhaven from 29 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Der
fliegende Hollander (d. Nemirova) – Magdeburg from 21 Jan </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
fliegende Holländer (d. Mottl) – Hannover from 9 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
fliegende Holländer (revival; d. Steier) – Heidelberg from 7 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
fliegende Holländer (d. Carr) – Nederlandse Reisopera from 20 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
fliegende Holländer – Hagen from 6 May </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
fliegende Holländer (d. Spuck) – Berlin DO from 7 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
fliegende Holländer (revival; d. Bösch) – Frankfurt from 20 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
fliegende Holländer (d. Amos) – Lübeck from 9 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lohengrin
(revival; d. Herzog) – Frankfurt from 21 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lohengrin
(d. Bouzzard) – St Gallen from 22 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lohengrin
(revival/d. Konwitschny) – Hamburg from 13 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Lohengrin
(d. Gürbaca) – Essen from 4 Dec </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lohengrin
(d. Guth) – Paris ON from 18 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Lohengrin
(d. Py) – Brussels from 28 Jan </span></span><span style="background: transparent;">NB Now postponed to 2017/18 season</span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lohengrin
– Krefeld from 15 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Lohengrin
(d. K. Wagner) – Prague NT from 8 Jun </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lohengrin
(revival, d. Homoki) – Zurich from 4 Jul </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Lohengrin
(revival, d. Knabe) – Mannheim from tba</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Die
Meistersinger von Nürnberg (d. Metzger) – Detmold from 18 Sep </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Meistersinger von Nürnberg (revival; d. Homoki) – Berlin KO from
25 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Meistersinger von Nürnberg (d. Nemirova, from Erfurt) – Weimar
from 5 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Die
Meistersinger von Nürnberg (d. Holten) – London ROH from 11 Mar </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Die
Meistersinger von Nürnberg (d. Haag) – Meiningen from 7 Apr</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Parsifal
(revival; d. Audi) – Amsterdam from 6 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Parsifal
(d. Štorman) – Bremen from 11 Sep </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Parsifal
(d. Hermanis, c. Bychkov) – Vienna SO from 30 Mar </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Parsifal
– Coburg from 9 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Parsifal
(revival; d. Dew) – Chemnitz from 14 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Ring des Nibelungen (revival; d. Gilmore) – Leipzig, 2 cycles from
7 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Ring des Nibelungen (revival; d. Schmiedleitner) – Nuremberg, 4
cycles from 12 Mar to Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Ring des Nibelungen (revival; d. Friedrich) – Berlin DO 1-9 &
13-17 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Ring: Das Rheingold (d. Laufenberg, from Linz) – Wiesbaden from 13
Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;"> Walküre
– Wiesbaden from 15 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;"> Siegfried
– Wiesbaden from 2 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;"> Gotterdammerung
– Wiesbaden from 23 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Der
Ring: Das Rheingold (d. Hilsdorf) – Düsseldorf from 23 Jun</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Ring: Das Rheingold (d. Esterhazy) – Oldenburg from 4 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Ring: Das Rheingold (revival from 2015/16) – Kiel from 24 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;"> Die
Walküre (revival from 2015/16) – Kiel from 14 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;"> Siegfried
(d. Karasek) – Kiel from 11 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Der
Ring: Die Walküre (d. Sharon) – Karlsruhe from 11 Dec </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;"> Siegfried
(d. Anarsson) – Karlsruhe from 10 Jun</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Tannhäuser
– Greifswald from 27 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Tannhäuser
(revival; d. Heinicke) – Chemnitz from 28 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Tannhäuser
(d. Bieito, from Flanders Opera) – Bern from 25 Mar </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Tannhäuser
(d. Koohestani) – Darmstadt from 22 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Tannhäuser
(d. Castellucci) – Munich from 21 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Tannhäuser
(d. Erath) – Saarbrucken from 4 Jun</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Tristan
und Isolde – Graz from 24 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Tristan
und Isolde (revival; d. Kosky) – Essen from 25 Feb </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Tristan
und Isolde (d. Schulz) – Gelsenkirchen from 4 Mar </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Tristan
und Isolde (revival from Bayreuth 1993, d. Müller) – Lyon from 18
Mar </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Weber</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Freischütz (d. Fritschi) – Zurich from 18 Sep </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Freischütz (d. Berger-Görski) – Gera from 28 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Freischütz (d. Wilgenbus) – Hildesheim from 18 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Freischütz (d. Schlösser) – Saarbrücken from 19 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Freischütz – Bielefeld from 4 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Freischütz (d. C. Wagner) – Münster from 25 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Freischütz (d. Von Götz) – Leipzig from 4 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Freischütz (d. Leupold) – Heidelberg from 31 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Oberon
(concert perf.) – Gießen from 17 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Oberon
(d. Habjan) – Munich from 21 Jul </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Weill</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Mahagonny
(d. Mühlen) – Halle from 21 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Mahagonny
(d. Schwab) – Gera from 3 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Mahagonny
(d. Oldag) – Cottbus from 11 Mar </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Mahagonny
(d. Spirei) – Salzburg from 30 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Mahagonny
(d. Dietz) – Mannheim from 1 Jul </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Weinberg</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Passenger (d. Rech) – Gelsenkirchen from 28 Jan </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">The
Passenger (d. Weber) – Dresden from 24 Jun </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Wir
gratulieren (d. Kim; c/w Polykrates) – Heidelberg from 28 May</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Wigglesworth,
Ryan</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
Winter’s Tale (WP, d. Kinnear) – London ENO from 27 Feb </span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Winkler,
Kenneth</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Totentanz
(WP) – Innsbruck from 18 Feb </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Wolf-Ferrari</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Il
segreto di Susanna (in German, d. Papke, c/w Rota) – Görlitz from
19 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Xenakis</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Oresteia
(d. Bieito) – Basel from 24 Mar </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Zandonai</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Giulietta
e Romeo (d. Montavon) – Erfurt from 8 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Giulietta
e Romeo (d. Kochheim) – Braunschweig from 21 Apr </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Zeisl</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Leonce
und Lena (d. Horres) – Linz from 22 Apr </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Zeller</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Der
Vogelhändler (d. Ecker) – Cologne from 17 Dec </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Zemlinsky</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #ff3333;"><span style="background: transparent;">Der
Zwerg (c/w Dallapiccola’s Prigioniero) – Graz from 25 Mar </span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Zimmermann,
Udo</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Weisse
Rose (d. S. Konwitschny) – Augsburg from 8 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Weisse
Rose (d. Ellinidou) – Cologne from 22 Oct </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Weisse
Rose (d. Drescher) – Biel/Solothurn from 4 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background: transparent;">Zingarelli</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">Giulietta
e Romeo (1796) (d. Loschky) – Heidelberg/Schwetzingen from 25 Nov </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">WP
= world premiere</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">GP
= German premiere</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">AP
= Austrian premiere</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">SP
= Swiss premiere</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">UKP
= UK premiere</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">d.
= director</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background: transparent;">c.
= conductor</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-62257429569649036592016-04-26T03:20:00.002-07:002016-04-26T03:22:58.104-07:00Der Traumgörge – Staatsoper Hannover – 16 April 2016<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ppQZ_JqPPtc/Vx8_SmJxy8I/AAAAAAAAA0M/fEmImrZHL2MrnnDS9pYBx0nu-BuMecd0ACLcB/s1600/1460735658_traumgobrvbarecircrge004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ppQZ_JqPPtc/Vx8_SmJxy8I/AAAAAAAAA0M/fEmImrZHL2MrnnDS9pYBx0nu-BuMecd0ACLcB/s400/1460735658_traumgobrvbarecircrge004.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Robert
Künzli as Görge. Photos: Jörg Landsberg</span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Görge
– Robert Künzli
</span></span><br />
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gertraud
– Kelly God</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Grete
– Solen Mainguené</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hans
– Christopher Tonkin</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Princess
– Dorothea Maria Marx</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kaspar
– Stefan Adam</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mathes
– Tobias Schabel</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Züngl
– Latchezar Pravtchev</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Marei
– Carmen Fuggiss</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Innkeeper
– Edward Mout</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Innkeeper’s
wife – Corinna Jeske</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chorus
& Statisterie of Staatsoper Hannover</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Niedersächsisches
Staatsorchester Hannover </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Conductor
– Mark Rohde</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Director
– Johannes von Matuschka </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Designer
– David Hohmann</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Costumes
– Amit Epstein</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lighting
– Elana Siberski</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Zemlinsky</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">’</span></span>s third opera <i>Der Traumgörge</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
(Görge the Dreamer) <span style="font-family: inherit;">is one of his least-known works</span></span>. The composer
completed the score of his first act, loosely modelled on Heine’s
<i>Der a</i><i>rme Peter</i>, before his librettist Leo Feld and he
had even decided how the story was going to continue. Once the whole
work had been completed and sent to the printers, Feld made repeated
revisions to his libretto – probably at the insistence of Mahler,
who had agreed to conduct the premiere at Vienna’s Hofoper –
forcing rewrites from the composer and the poor publisher to reprint
great chunks of Act II. No sooner had the opera gone into rehearsal
in the summer of 1907 than Mahler resigned his Vienna position, and
his successor, Felix Weingartner, promptly dropped the work weeks
before its scheduled premiere, not wishing to take the flak for a
work associated with the previous regime that he predicted was going
to be a failure. And there <i>Traumgörge</i> sat for some 70 years,
unperformed, while the stoical Zemlinsky moved on to new things in
the 34 years that remained to him. The opera finally reached the
stage, in Nuremberg, in 1980. </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e7OOobiUCec/Vx9ATGygbzI/AAAAAAAAA0U/HO7_uanR1eUzuUcw9eYNWmz7u5l6MBWgQCLcB/s1600/1461053774_traumgobrvbarecircrge016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e7OOobiUCec/Vx9ATGygbzI/AAAAAAAAA0U/HO7_uanR1eUzuUcw9eYNWmz7u5l6MBWgQCLcB/s320/1461053774_traumgobrvbarecircrge016.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dorothea Maria Max (Princess) and </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Robert
Künzli (Görge)</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Composed
in 1904-6, immediately after <i>Der Seejungfrau</i>, it shares that
work’s Schoenbergian, late-Romantic volatility and post-Wagnerian
chromaticism. Indeed, there is so much of the world of <i>Gurrelieder</i>
– at that time incomplete – in its melodies, harmonies and
orchestration, that it gives credence to the theory that Schoenberg
sourced his early musical language from Zemlinsky – his teacher and
brother-in-law – rather than the other way round. It was Zemlinsky
who took Schoenberg to the portal of atonality and left him there to
go through, while backing away himself. This process on Zemlinsky’s
part more-or-less happens in <i>Der </i><i>Traumgörge</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
itself.</span> The music of the two acts is different in character,
to suggest the competing worlds of fantasy and reality that drive the
plot. Act I is Zemlinsky at his lushest, as he sets up the
dream-world in which his protagonist, Görge, lives; Act II is harder
edged, more angular, to evoke the harsher, real world – indeed, the
contrast is very similar to the stylistic divide between Parts 1 and
3 of <i>Gurrelieder</i>, the result of that work’s composer’s own
advance over the ten years or so of its composition and
orchestration. Zemlinsky’s Epilogue, originally conceived as an Act
III, brings the two musical worlds back together again.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Staatsoper
Hannover’s new staging, only about the fifth in the opera’s
history, is a musical and dramatic triumph. From the first sounds
that emerged from the pit it was evident that conductor Mark Rohde
and the Niedersächsisches Staatsorchester Hannover had fully
absorbed the idiom. Textures were beautifully balanced and
Zemlinsky’s leitmotivic play of themes allowed to evolve in their
own, ear-catching way. The role of Görge is a demanding one, both in
terms of range and length, but Hannover’s resident Heldentenor,
Robert Künzli, was tireless and made light work of it, and his
acting of the dreamer was convincing and sympathetic. Kelly God’s
Gertraud had a wonderfully full sound to her voice, both Solen
Mainguené’s Grete and Dorothea Maria Marx’s Princess provided
ample timbral contrast and Christopher Tonkin’s suavely sung,
full-of-himself Hans stole every scene he was in. There was barely a
weakness among the smaller roles and the Staatsoper Chorus sang with
appropriate fire in the dramatic crowd scenes.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Johannes
von Matuschka, a young German theatre director making his operatic
debut, plays with the plot’s idea of dreams – this is after all a
work composed in the Vienna of Freud – and sets the whole of Act I
as a work of Görge’s somnolent imagination. Görge himself is a
bookworm, with an unhealthy fixation on fairy stories, and their
characters haunt his mind and rule his actions, despite the pressure
from Grete, whom his father has insisted he marry, and the taunts
from his rival Hans, whose show of manliness is perhaps one detail
that von Matuschka takes a little too far in his attempt to show up
his contrast with the dreamer. Left alone, Görge conjures up an
image of his ideal princess, who appears to him in his dream, and the
act ends with him proclaiming his motto, ‘fairytales must come
alive’, as he runs from his impending marriage. Von Matuschka
peoples the stage with fantasy figures, and emphasises the Freudian
undercurrents with Gorge’s apparent confusion of his ideal wife and
his mother. A constant in David Hohmann’s designs is a bed: Görge’s
home and comfort, to which he retreats from the harshness of reality.
Meanwhile, the set itself is composed of walls made of gauze that
underline the real/surreal worlds that the characters inhabit,
allowing for mysterious comings and goings and, at the end of the
first act, a magical effect as the whole room encompassing the
princess floats up into the fly tower. </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b2kd76QUbUg/Vx8_SrNil9I/AAAAAAAAA0I/PehjNciDHUgk9bGAIl2VN8rQxSKws6IzgCKgB/s1600/1461053614_traumgobrvbarecircrge012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b2kd76QUbUg/Vx8_SrNil9I/AAAAAAAAA0I/PehjNciDHUgk9bGAIl2VN8rQxSKws6IzgCKgB/s400/1461053614_traumgobrvbarecircrge012.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The fiery end to Act II, with Gertraud (Kelly God),</span></span><br />
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Görge (Robert
Künzli) and chorus </span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Act
II is based on a different fairytale, <i>Vom unsichtbaren Königreiche</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
(From Unseen Kingdoms) by Richard von Volkmann-Leander, and was
</span>conceived at a time when Zemlinsky personally felt the growing
anti-Jewish feeling in Vienna (Mahler’s departure from the Hofoper
was but one result). It reveals Görge as an outcast in a different
village, where he is singled out for his difference. Also suffering
the bigotry of the religiously hardline community in which he has
found himself is Gertraud, a woman whom the people condemn as a witch
and in whom Görge finds a kindred spirit. In her he thinks he has at
last found his princess, and they escape the flame-wielding populace.
Von Matuschka makes no bones about the violence that the religious
use to inflict their conformity on these misfits, while downplaying
the political dimension that is there in the libretto, where the
populace are fomenting revolution against their repressive
landowners. The act’s climax, where Whitsun fire threatens to
consume all and sundry, is impressively staged.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-GB" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In
the Epilogue, back in Görge’s home village, Grete and Hans are a
bickering married couple and, in von Matuschka’s reading, our hero,
now supposedly married to Gertraud, is seen to have dreamt the whole
episode and he dies – or falls asleep again – heartbroken. Here,
the gauze cube of Hohmann’s set design comes into its own as it
descends again to enclose everyone but Görge in the world of his
dreams. From the libretto alone, it’s possible to read the ending
as either tragic or blissful, with its repeated ‘Let us dream and
play’, but Zemlinsky’s music makes it clear – and this
production rightly picks up on it – that happiness does not come
from dreams alone.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-12474908325650913072016-04-15T01:57:00.003-07:002016-04-15T06:27:26.134-07:00Der König Kandaules - Flanders Opera, Gent - 13 April 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VTtXFImBliE/VxCsfrV3OoI/AAAAAAAAAzg/hK6TGqnyx2gbBYg7-aGchh3xFB6WutnTACKgB/s1600/KANDAULES_26_34A3651_%2528c%2529AnnemieAugustijns_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VTtXFImBliE/VxCsfrV3OoI/AAAAAAAAAzg/hK6TGqnyx2gbBYg7-aGchh3xFB6WutnTACKgB/s320/KANDAULES_26_34A3651_%2528c%2529AnnemieAugustijns_web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
König Kandaules – Dmitry Golovnin<br />
Nyssia – Elisabet Strid<br />
Gyges – Gidon Saks<br />
Phedros – Vincenzo Neri<br />
Syphax/Sebas – Michael J. Scott<br />
Philebos/Cook – Tijl Faveyts<br />
Nicomedes – Toby Girling<br />
Pharnaces – Leonard Bernad<br />
Simias – William Helliwell<br />
Archelaos – Thierry Vallier<br />
Trydo – Daniela van Lohuizen-Bernoulli<br />
<br />
Flanders Opera Symphony Orchestra<br />
<br />
Conductor – Dmitry Jurowski<br />
Director/Designer – Andrij Zholdak<br />
Co-designer/Lighting/Video – A.J. Weissbard<br />
Costumes – Tuomas Lampinen<br />
<br />
The story behind Zemlinsky’s last opera is almost as unusual as the plot of the work itself. The composer had been working on a drama based on André Gide’s Le roi Candaules through the mid-1930s when he was forced into exile by the Nazi annexation of his Austrian homeland. Settling in New York and with two thirds of the first act orchestrated and the rest drafted in short score, he tried to interest the Metropolitan Opera in staging it, but the inclusion in the libretto of a nude scene was enough to bar its progress. And there it was left. Zemlinsky himself died in 1942 and the manuscript was carefully guarded by his widow. But in the late 1980s, Zemlinsky expert and conductor Antony Beaumont, persuaded her to let him look at it. With so much detail annotated in the short score it proved to be little more than requiring orchestration, which he duly did, to a commission from Hamburg State Opera, where it was premiered in 1996. Since then, it has slowly seeped into the repertoire of some of the more adventurous houses – it was seen at the Salzburg Festival a few years ago and this season has had two new productions, in Augsburg and Antwerp/Gent, and there’s a revival of Palermo’s production in Seville in June.<br />
<br />
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<br />
This latest one from Flanders Opera, though, does the work a serious mis-service. The engagement of a Ukrainian director, Andrij Zholdak, who has apparently made his name through unconventional reinterpretations of the classics should have been warning enough. What a newly introduced work such as Kandaules needs is sympathetic advocacy, not wilful distortion. This was less a case of casting light on aspects of the drama as throwing every cliché of Regietheater at it such to give the ‘anti-modernists’ fuel for their argument. Not only was the plot almost completely rewritten and distorted, with cuts to the music and text to suit the director’s ego, but it was subjected to so many superimpositions and layers of visual distraction that it’s difficult to know where to begin.<br />
<br />
Zemlinsky’s plot is itself full of ambiguities, but in short, a king who wants to share his good fortune – his wealth and his beautiful wife – is betrayed by those who benefit from his largesse. The psychologies involved are complex and motivation often unclear, and a reading of the libretto only really makes sense in tandem with the music, which is a masterpiece of suggestion and allusion. As the fisherman Gyges says at the start of the spoken prologue: ‘He who has good luck should conceal himself well! Better still, conceal his luck from others.’ Except that in this production he doesn’t – the whole text of this introductory monologue is omitted. Instead, we are presented with the king, his wife Nyssia and two boys, the latter (uncredited in the programme, though they play a leading role throughout the evening) not in the original, enjoying a family meal.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Those of us unversed in Dutch may not have been able to understand the explanations in the programme at the time, but with the help of Google Translate, I now read that the overall concept is an attempt to portray the hidden subtexts of the characters’ words and emotions through the interaction of the real and subconscious worlds, in what Zholdak terms ‘magic realism’. The two children, who interact with the king and queen as if they are their own children, represent Kandaules and Gyges at a time when they were on an equal footing, differentiated neither by wealth nor happiness. So far, so confusing to the uninitiated. But with a vertical set divided into six or so ‘rooms’, Zholdak doesn’t stop there. Instead he has two or three pieces of action happening at any one time, some of which are crass, others predictable, but none of them enlightening: servants are abused, as if to indicate the court’s degenerate nature, there’s a quite inexplicable appearance of two of the rats from Hans Neuenfels’s iconic Bayreuth Lohengrin, and some superfluous business with some giant fish costumes. Through all this, the two boys – mostly in male but sometimes in female attire – run riot, silent apart from some occasional bloodcurdling screams. We are used these days to multi-layered presentation of opera, allowing for parallel presentation of reality and imagination, but this was all taking things beyond the ridiculous. And this is quite apart from the gross liberties Zholdak takes with the story: he has Gyges kill his wife, Trydo, a while before he does so in the libretto, where his motivation is the revelation of her infidelity – here it seems to be to get her out of the way of his pursuit of Nyssia, the queen. Much of the original plot revolves around that fact that Nyssia is kept veiled from prying eyes, and that a magic ring found in the fish that Gyges has provided for the king’s feast allows its wearer to go around unseen, and thus Gyges tricks Nyssia into believing she is making love with her husband. Needless to say, there is no veil, the ring’s powers seem irrelevant and interaction between the three main characters is reduced to a stormy and steamy menage-a-trois with a higher than prescribed body count by the closing bars.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, the musical rewards were far greater. Russian tenor Dmitry Golovnin gave a vocally focused account of the king, and Elisabet Strid’s Nyssia grew in tonal opulence as the evening progressed. Gidon Saks’s Gyges may have had only one dynamic level – forceful – but there was no denying his total engagement with the music. The collection of sycophantic courtiers gave admirable, well differentiated performances and the non-singing roles of the two boys, Trydo and servants deserved applause for their fortitude in following the director’s demands. In the pit, Dmitri Jurowski coaxed Zemlinsky’s powerful, iridescent score into potent life, and although the orchestra had a few moments of insecurity, its playing gradually firmed up, treating us to an overwhelmingly powerful account of the prelude to Act III.<br />
I’m not convinced a repeat viewing would make any more sense of Zholdak’s impositions, and Jurowski should have made a better case for not tampering with the music and libretto – the loss of its spoken passages was especially unfortunate. And it would have been nice to say that the dazzling virtuosity of Zemlinsky’s music-dramatic vision shone through rather than that it was in fact severely compromised – it surely deserves much, much better than this.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-6191290498592848722016-04-08T03:16:00.000-07:002016-04-08T03:16:40.169-07:00Tannhäuser – Antwerp Opera House – 14 October 2015
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MjDYdcoTSjI/VweCzbn8OsI/AAAAAAAAAyk/DC9CabOT58guOn7AkdFeJJGGHv0D4l3vQ/s1600/TANNHAUSER_01_MG_2368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MjDYdcoTSjI/VweCzbn8OsI/AAAAAAAAAyk/DC9CabOT58guOn7AkdFeJJGGHv0D4l3vQ/s400/TANNHAUSER_01_MG_2368.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Venus (Ausrine Stundyte) and </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tannhäuser
(Burkhard Fritz). Photos: Annemie Augustijns</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i>Review from the March 2016 issue of <a href="http://www.thewagnerjournal.co.uk/">The Wagner Journal</a></i><br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tannhäuser
– Burkhard Fritz</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Elisabeth
– Annette Dasch</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Venus
– Ausrine Stundyte</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wolfram
von Eschinbach – Daniel Schmutzhard</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hermann,
Landgrave of Thuringia – Ante Jerkunica</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Walther
von der Vogelweide – Adam Smith</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Biterolf
– Leonard Bernad</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Heinrich
der Schreiber – Stephan Adriaens</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Reinmar
von Zweter – Patrick Cromheeke</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Young
Shepherd – Merel de Coorde</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chorus
and Symphony Orchestra of Opera Vlaanderen</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Conductor
– Dmitri Jurowski</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Director
– Calixto Bieito</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Designer
– Rebecca Ringst</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Costumes
– Ingo Krügler</span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lighting
– Michael Bauer</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RLEJ5NlM2eU/VweC7XPAd1I/AAAAAAAAAys/FF2vRotnrcsJKa7j8iMpXZlzAw7N6CfnQ/s1600/TANNHAUSER_14_MG_7164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RLEJ5NlM2eU/VweC7XPAd1I/AAAAAAAAAys/FF2vRotnrcsJKa7j8iMpXZlzAw7N6CfnQ/s400/TANNHAUSER_14_MG_7164.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Act II in the Wartburg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
one might have expected from director Calixto Bieito, his concept of
<i>Tannhäuser </i>offers a mixture of insight and bafflement,
revelation and frustration. In an interview in the programme he
recalls that it was the first opera he ever saw on stage, in
Barcelona at the age of 15, and it made an abiding impression, which
begs the question of why it has taken him so long to stage it for the
first time. This Flanders Opera presentation is his third Wagner
production, following stagings of <i>Holländer </i>and <i>Parsifal
</i>in Stuttgart, and from what I have seen of those in brief video
snippets and pictures there’s a shared vision of an apocalyptic
milieu with this <i>Tannhäuser</i>. If that teenage experience
inspired him and his younger brother to play at being medieval
knights, there’s unsurprisingly none of that in the adult Bieito’s
concept. And less than a contest between sexual and spiritual love,
or between hedonism and socio-religious conformity, he treats the
drama as a battle between the natural world and a stultifying
civilisation, with Venus the representative of the former, Elisabeth
of the latter. But it’s not quite as simple as that. The
<i>mise-en-scène </i>for the Venusberg is a forest, with
choreographed, upside-down trees suspended from visible stage
machinery ‘performing’ the Bacchanal (Act I is given in the Paris
version, Acts II and III in the Dresden), and through which Venus
runs backwards and forwards like a wild child of nature. The setting
is at once threatening and enticing, as is she. By contrast, the
Wartburg of Act II is a sterile construction of glossy white pillars,
with a dinner-suited populace among which Elisabeth obviously feels
alienated: she is at the mercy of her uncle, the Landgrave, and we
first see her dressed identically to Venus and writhing on the ground
in self-pleasure, a nod perhaps to the idea of a battle of the sexes
with earthy, free-spirited womanhood rebelling against rule-bound,
controlling masculinity. This idea has certainly already been
suggested in Act I, where Tannhäuser escapes Venus’s clutches only
to fall in with his one-time compatriots and is subjected to a
fraternity-like blooding as his fellow singers exert their macho
propensities as a way of luring him back into their circle. By Act
III, the two worlds have collided and merged: the trees of the
Venusberg have overrun the pristine whiteness of the Wartburg, nature
has reclaimed the space occupied by order and, as the final tableau
suggests, Venus as the symbol of the natural world is triumphant. It
shows that the opera can encompass different readings as wide as
exact opposites: here the triumph of chaos over order, in other
productions that of civilisation over the excesses of transgression.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Amid
this broad scenario, Bieito explores the relationships between the
characters with visceral physicality – relationships that all seem
to be one-way and unfulfilled. (Apart from plenty of groping,
unusually for Bieito the nudity is confined to the printed programme
– a reproduction of Gustave Courbet’s <i>L’origine du monde
</i>provocatively greets one on opening the cover.) As Tannhäuser
attempts to pull himself away from the lure of Venus, she uses every
ruse, verbal and physical, to try and claw him back. At the Wartburg,
we seem to be witnessing a kind of love triangle, with Wolfram after
Elisabeth, who only has eyes for Tannhäuser, who in turn seems to
have a thing for Wolfram. Tannhäuser himself is portrayed as a
rebel, likened by Bieito to Brecht’s Baal. He eschews the formal
attire of the Wartburg until he is forced to change for the song
contest, and he has the kind of personality that enjoys winding
people up with outrageous talk, his ever more scandalous responses to
his fellow minstrels’ tame descriptions of love being the epitome –
and, of course, his undoing. It might be fair to talk of Wagner
pre-empting Freud in his psychological insight of character, but to
invoke the name of Schopenhauer, as Bieito does in the programme
interview, is to credit the composer with too much foresight – he
didn’t encounter the philosopher’s work until nearly a decade
after <i>Tannhäuser</i>’s initial completion, and it would be
reading too much into the Paris revisions to suggest they were
informed by it.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pushed
into the background more than usual – literally so in the sense
that the pilgrims’ voices are always offstage – is religion. It’s
as if Bieito sees the plot’s premise of Tannhäuser seeking
redemption in Rome for his supposed misdemeanour as so ridiculous,
even as presented through the prism of Wagner’s very 19th-century
view of medieval faith, that it can safely be ignored. ‘It is about
something other than religion’, he states. In a sense his is a
reading of the medieval legend of the troubadour Tannhäuser, before
Wagner added the counterweight of the whole song-contest and Wartburg
paraphernalia, and in which our ‘hero’ chooses eternal damnation
and Venus once his salvation is seemingly rejected by the Pope. It
also fits his rejection of Baudelaire’s celebrated summing up of
the plot as the struggle between flesh and the spirit, which he
labels ‘pretty simplistic’. ‘Simplistic’ is something this
production is certainly not. There are levels of interpretation that
only become apparent some time after the final curtain has descended,
and there are small touches everywhere too numerous to take in at a
single viewing. In other words, it’s a concept that intrigues, even
beguiles, but most importantly forces its audience to think. If it is
not entirely successful in every respect it is perhaps more down to
individual aspects of presentation than the thinking as a whole:
there are still some details floating around in the memory that fail
to make sense.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xmpA_nwLvok/VweC5E8FaII/AAAAAAAAAyw/j8oFAPFJ76MWpt8rWUOGQ5NGRYFItqZKg/s1600/TANNHAUSER_22_MG_2824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xmpA_nwLvok/VweC5E8FaII/AAAAAAAAAyw/j8oFAPFJ76MWpt8rWUOGQ5NGRYFItqZKg/s400/TANNHAUSER_22_MG_2824.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Wolfram (Daniel Schmutzhard) and <br />Elisabeth (Annette Dasch)</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bieito
asks a lot of his singers, and despite a double-cast Tannhäuser and
Elisabeth during this ten-performance run, there was never anything
short of total commitment from all involved. At this penultimate
performance, Burkhard Fritz may not have been the most
heroic-sounding of Wagnerian tenors, but there was subtlety and
lyricism in his shaping of line and projection of the text (the
intimacy of Antwerp’s opera house is generous in this respect).
Ausrine Stundyte’s Venus proved a rich characterisation, employing
the vocal reach of a Kundry (a role that she has also sung to great
acclaim) to seduce, cajole and ultimately entrap. Annette Dasch’s
Elisabeth was less satisfactory – vocally somewhat monochrome and
with her control sometimes lost to the permanent distraughtness of
the depiction. Daniel Schmutzhard’s Wolfram, too, seemed to exist
in a perpetual state of angst, which occasionally disrupted what was
largely a detailed, suitably Lieder-esque delineation of the role.
The Opera Flanders Symphony Orchestra made a ravishing sound under
the direction of Dmitri Jurowski, though his overall tempi were
perhaps just a little too on the stately side – it certainly made
for a long evening with such a late start time as 7.30pm.</span></span></div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-59952742923458212472016-04-08T02:55:00.000-07:002016-04-08T02:56:27.854-07:00 Das Rheingold – Jahrhunderthalle, Bochum (Ruhrtriennale) – 12 September 2015<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ATertXvP8w/Vwd-mv22bCI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/XLup12ds24QSTvtph0i_KL4fmmPqcX1Ow/s1600/richard-wagner-johan-simons-teodor-currentzis-mika-vainio-das-rheingold-foto-michael-kneffel---ruhrtriennale-2015-sperrfrist-bis-12092015-1830-uhr-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ATertXvP8w/Vwd-mv22bCI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/XLup12ds24QSTvtph0i_KL4fmmPqcX1Ow/s400/richard-wagner-johan-simons-teodor-currentzis-mika-vainio-das-rheingold-foto-michael-kneffel---ruhrtriennale-2015-sperrfrist-bis-12092015-1830-uhr-11.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alberich (Leigh Melrose) steals the gold from the Rhinemaidens. Photo: Michael Kneffel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>Review from the March 2016 issue of <a href="http://www.thewagnerjournal.co.uk/">The Wagner Journal</a></i><br />
<br />
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wotan<i>
</i><i>–</i>
Mika Kares</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alberich<i>
</i><i>–</i>
Leigh Melrose</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Loge<i>
</i><i>–</i>
Peter Bronder</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mime<i>
</i><i>–</i>
Elmar Gilbertsson</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fricka<i>
</i><i>–</i>
Maria Riccarda Wesseling</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fasolt<i>
</i><i>–</i>
Frank van Hove</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fafner<i>
</i><i>–</i>
Peter Lobert</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Freia<i>
</i><i>–</i>
Agneta Eichenholz</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Erda<i>
</i><i>–</i>
Jane Henschel</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Donner<i>
</i><i>–</i>
Andrew Foster-Williams</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Froh<i>
</i><i>–</i>
Rolf Romei</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Woglinde<i>
</i><i>–</i>
Anna Patalong</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wellgunde<i>
</i><i>–</i>
Dorottya Láng</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Floßhilde<i>
</i><i>–</i>
Jurgita Adamonytė</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sintolt
the Hegeling, Servant<i> </i><i>–</i>
Stefan Hunstein</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">MusicAeterna</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Conductor<i>
</i><i>–</i>
Teodor Currentzis</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Director<i>
</i><i>–</i> Johan
Simons</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Designer
– Bettina Pommer</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Costumes<i>
</i><i>–</i> Teresa
Vergho</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lighting<i>
</i><i>–</i> Wolfgang
Göbbel</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Electronic
music<i> </i><i>–</i>
Mika Vainio</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sound
design<i> </i><i>–</i>
Will-Jan Pielage</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7qKMWhvH3mY/Vwd_DbC2IDI/AAAAAAAAAyU/js7jh9LYExUN6SoiKoeGRfzWcR-3IPbrQ/s1600/richard-wagner-johan-simons-teodor-currentzis-mika-vainio-das-rheingold-foto-ju---ruhrtriennale-2015-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7qKMWhvH3mY/Vwd_DbC2IDI/AAAAAAAAAyU/js7jh9LYExUN6SoiKoeGRfzWcR-3IPbrQ/s400/richard-wagner-johan-simons-teodor-currentzis-mika-vainio-das-rheingold-foto-ju---ruhrtriennale-2015-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nibelheim (l to r): Loge (Peter Bronder), Alberich (Leigh Melrose), Mime (Elmar Gilbertsson), Wotan (Mika Kares)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">For
his first major production as artistic director of the Ruhr Triennale
for 2015–17, Dutchman Johan Simons staged <i>Das Rheingold </i>in a
former gas turbine hall, a building originally used to provide the
heat for the neighbouring steel works’ blast furnaces. A site of
exploitation of both natural resources and manpower: the perfect
venue for a critique of capitalism. As Simons remarks in the
programme, ‘In <i>Das Rheingold </i>Wagner told the history of the
Ruhr. A story of industrialisation that destroys nature, of labour
and exploitation and finally the fall of the powerful.’ The
director’s aim was to return Wagner’s drama to the crucible of
revolutionary ideas from which it was born in the late 1840s, and,
taking advantage of a festival situation where experimentation is
expected, he did more than simply stage <i>Das Rheingold </i>as it
stands. In collaboration with Finnish Techno specialist Mika Vainio,
he audaciously ‘broke open’ the uninterrupted 150-minute span of
Wagner’s score with a handful of interpolations of newly composed
electronic music. At least the originally billed four hours had been
reduced to under three by the time the production came to fruition. </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">At
one level this intervention was highly effective: as soon as one
enters the turbine hall in advance of the performance one is
surrounded by the deep throbbing of E flat major harmony, from which
the first written notes of the music eventually emerge. It is a neat
way of expressing the primeval, always-been-there nature of the
opening chord, the matter from which Wagner’s Rhine and whole
musical world is conjured and which has by then had time to seep into
one’s very being. The first hiatus in which an electronic roar
intervenes at the moment of Alberich’s curse is somewhat more
crass, but the longest and most significant ‘break-out’ from
Wagner’s score comes during the descent to Nibelheim, where the
hammering of the anvils is taken to enormous lengths and extremes
such that it feels as if the whole edifice in which we are sitting is
being hammered into submission. Meanwhile, over the top of this
tumult, the gods’ ever-present servant Sintolt the Hegeling – an
extra character in Simons’ staging named after one of the silent
heroes brought to Valhalla during the Ride of the Valkyries – finds
a voice at last and launches into a sustained, yelled denunciation of
capitalism: the worker revolts. Patrice Chéreau’s comparable
exposé of the work’s political theme in his famous 1976 Bayreuth
staging was demure by contrast. And there, perhaps, stands the crux
of this one-off production: overall, and perhaps in keeping with the
industrial architecture that surrounds it, it is raw, aggressive and
unsubtle.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Treating
<i>Das Rheingold </i>as
a stand-alone music drama is a not unreasonable project: it is
self-contained enough in that it has a beginning, a middle and an end
and the loose ends that remain can be tied if, as here, it is taken
as a parable on the evils of money. Indeed, I have rarely seen as
downbeat or pessimistic an ending as in Simons’ vision: the
Valhalla that the gods have bought from the giants’ handiwork
proves to be nothing more than a façade and the over-stuffed dynasty
is left to shuffle off in despair, while Alberich and Mime huddle
together for comfort in a stagnant pool with the Rhinemaidens
brooding over them and Fafner desperately clings on to the lump of
gold over which he has killed his brother. This bleakness and its
visual power, when set against the surging D flat of the closing
music’s false pomp, make up for some of the rather predictable
gaucheness elsewhere: Freia the goddess of love portrayed as a
dominatrix, teasing the servant with her whip; Alberich mounting
sex-doll alter-egos of the Rhinemaidens; Fricka going berserk when
she can’t break down Valhalla’s door. But there are aspects, too,
that are more perceptive, such as Erda’s presence from the start,
grimly viewing the rape of her natural domain; or Wotan and Loge
disguising themselves as miners to secrete themselves into Nibelheim
(the Tarnhelm, appropriately, is a miner’s helmet). What is
missing, though, is the sense of myth that Wagner himself stated was
the way by which an audience could take in his political messages. So
no ‘magical’ elements: no toad, no <i>Riesenwurm</i>,
not even a rainbow bridge.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
staging is divided between a towering Valhalla façade behind the
orchestra and, in the foreground, a trio of shallow pools among the
crumbling remains of a plaster ceiling, complete with upside-down
chandelier, to represent the cyclic nature of civilisation’s rise
and fall, of building anew on the ruins of the old. This layout
necessitates quite a bit of traffic flow of singers between the desks
of long-suffering instrumentalists, who seem in danger of having
their music stands kicked over at any moment. It nonetheless gives a
central, visual focus on the orchestra itself and its ranks of brass,
line-up of requisite six harps and forge-full of anvils is
undoubtedly an impressive sight – we thus see the players as
workers, too, just like the Nibelungs, if under a less fearsome
overlord than Alberich in Greek conductor Teodor Currentzis. As a
rather audacious counterpoint to all this infidelity to Wagner’s
original score in formal terms, the orchestra plays on period
instruments, with Currentzis’s Perm-based orchestra MusicAeterna
imported specially for the festival run. The sound produced was far
from the lean, ascetic one that often goes with HIP territory and
string tone was full and generous, the woodwind characterful in the
best sense and the brass penetrating yet rounded. Despite the
deliberate interruptions, Currentzis’s conducting was broad-spanned
yet allowed plenty of detail to emerge. And he wasn’t above a bit
of showmanship, getting his string players to stand for the most
climactic moments, such as Nibelheim’s hammering rhythm, and he had
the whole orchestra on its feet for the closing bars. </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Given
the size of the acting area, the volume of the venue per se and the
presence of the additional electronic music, it was perhaps
understandable that the singers had to be miked-up. But, at least
from where I was sitting, there was no dislocation between sight and
sound and what amplification there was proved unobtrusive and the
balance natural. And whatever doubts one might have had over the
effectiveness of the staging and concept, there were no such
misgivings when it came to the singers. Mika Kares’s Wotan had
plenty of colour in his voice and despite the driven nature of his
characterisation never resorted to bluster. As his nemesis, Leigh
Melrose’s Alberich was a character possessed and, while his singing
sometimes veered towards <i>Sprechgesang
</i>in its expressive
veracity, his vocal accomplishment and acting were compelling. Peter
Bronder’s experienced Loge was put to good use as the one figure
who manages to rise above the general greed and immorality. Maria
Riccarda Wesseling’s Fricka, though a little over-acted in places,
was vocally warm and sincere and there was a real treat in Jane
Henschel’s sonorous Erda. There were no weaknesses among the rest
of the cast, among whom must be commended actor Stefan Hunstein’s
meticulously performed Sintolt ‘the Marxist’, the anger and force
of whose outburst sum up the mixture of admiration and frustration
that are the abiding impressions of this Wagnerian experiment.</span></span></div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3289073307663780632.post-45052063538054433852016-03-07T07:39:00.000-08:002016-03-10T10:21:37.362-08:00Wozzeck (Gurlitt) - Stadttheater Bremerhaven - 5 March 2016<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rUxqGHt4l5U/Vt2eto0GHDI/AAAAAAAAAxI/tEtEX0XUcqU/s1600/a24e8e9803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rUxqGHt4l5U/Vt2eto0GHDI/AAAAAAAAAxI/tEtEX0XUcqU/s400/a24e8e9803.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wozzeck (Filippo Bettoschi) and Marie (Inga-Britt Andersson)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Wozzeck
– Filippo Bettoschi</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Marie
– Inga-Britt Andersson</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Captain
– Leo Yeun-Ku Chu</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Drum-major
– Henryk Böhm</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Andres
– Tobias Haaks</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Doctor/Jew
– Thomas Burger</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Margaret
– Carolin Löffler</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Girls
– Luise Eckardt, Laura Pohl</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Marie’s
child – Andrej Albrecht</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Old
woman – Rietje Riediger-van Overbeeke</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Voices
of citizens – Kay Krause, Marc Vinzing</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Opera
Chorus & Statisterie of Bremerhaven Stadttheater</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Bremerhaven
Philharmonic Orchestra</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Conductor
– Marc Niemann</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Director
– Robert Lehmeier</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Designer
– Mathias Rümmler</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-penI6F5tyjQ/Vt2fBh3hh-I/AAAAAAAAAxM/UheoUUGCziA/s1600/a202f12ce1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-penI6F5tyjQ/Vt2fBh3hh-I/AAAAAAAAAxM/UheoUUGCziA/s400/a202f12ce1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marie's child (Andrej Albrecht) and Marie; Drum-major (Henryk Bohm) behind</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Musical
history is littered with also-ran operas, works that became
overshadowed by more successful or famous settings of the same
stories or librettos, from Paisiello’s </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Barber
of Seville</i></span><span lang="en-US"> and Leoncavallo’s</span><span lang="en-US"><i>
La bohème</i></span><span lang="en-US"> to Busoni’s </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Turandot</i></span><span lang="en-US">
and Ghedini’s </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Billy Budd</i></span><span lang="en-US">.
But few instances are more intriguing than that of the German
composer Manfred Gurlitt (1890-1972), who was trumped twice
over, being beaten by Berg to his </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Wozzeck</i></span><span lang="en-US">
premiere by four months and living long enough to see his setting of
Lenz’s </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Soldaten</i></span><span lang="en-US">
eclipsed by Bernd Alois Zimmermann’s magnum opus on the same
subject 30 years after his own.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US">Gurlitt
has his own intriguing life story, one that is still mired in
confusion to this day. His emphasis on socially provocative subject
matter put him at odds with the Nazis when they came to power in the
1930s, yet he seems to have found accommodation with the regime until
the revelation of a Jewish grandmother forced him into exile in 1937.
Unfortunately, he chose a soon-to-be German ally, Japan, in which to
settle and it was only after the war that he regained his artistic
freedom, playing a leading role as a conductor introducing Far
Eastern audiences to many of the classics of western opera for the
first time.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US">To
backtrack to the early 1920s, Gurlitt apparently had no knowledge
that Alban Berg was also working on a setting of Georg Buchner’s
early 19th-century dramatic fragment, </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Woyzeck</i></span><span lang="en-US">
(as it was originally published – a misreading incorporated in the
early 20th-century reprint used by both composers resulted in the
spelling we know today). If Berg’s inspiration was his experience
of soldiering in the First World War, Gurlitt had a more political
agenda in mind and his setting of largely the same text (18 scenes of
Buchner’s original, as opposed to Berg’s selection of 16) takes a
more hardened social edge, matched to some extent in the music.
Gurlitt is very much of the Neue Sachligkeit (New Objectivity) school
of musical thought, alongside figures such as Hindemith, Krenek and
Weill, and there’s a lack of sentimentality in his writing that
makes Berg’s brand of atonal modernism seem almost Romantic by
comparison. Intriguingly, Gurlitt also came up with the idea of using
closed musical forms to characterise the different scenes, but his is
a more brittle, contrapuntal style that soars to lyrical heights only
intermittently and most affectingly in the final orchestral elegy
that closes the one-act, 75-minute opera.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US">Gurlitt’s
</span><span lang="en-US"><i>Wozzeck</i></span><span lang="en-US">
opened in 1926 in Bremen, where he was music director at the time,
just a few months after Berg’s had been premiered in Berlin.
Comparisons were inevitable and Berg’s won its place in the
international repertoire while Gurlitt’s unjustly sank without
trace until revived in Bremen in the 1980s, amid the reawakening of
interest in the lost Austro-German music of the interwar years. It
now crops up occasionally in the schedules of more enterprising
German opera companies, lastly in a double bill I sadly missed of
both </span><span lang="en-US"><i>Wozzeck</i></span><span lang="en-US">
operas in Darmstadt and now in Bremerhaven, where its run neatly
coincides with a production of Berg’s opera in nearby Bremen (<a href="https://bachtrack.com/review-wozzeck-theater-bremen-march-2016">see my review at Bachtrack.com</a>). </span>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span lang="en-US">Proof
that rare repertoire can be made to live again without spending big
bucks is clear from Bremerhaven’s new production, one that goes
by the principle of less is more, or even of every expense spared. The
stage is stripped back to its backstage walls; with no scenery, the
only addition is a bank of trestle tables and benches on a revolve
stage and an array of overhead fluorescent lights. Compared to the
over-loaded visual impact of Bremen’s Berg I had seen the previous
night, this proved to be a model of clear-sighted narrative and
emphasis on the characters as real people. The ever-present chorus
emphasised the everyman nature of Wozzeck and his fate – he is just
one of many misfits in society, but his bullying by the Captain and
Doctor (the latter loses his big scene with Wozzeck in Gurlitt’s
version) turns him into a volatile outcast, from a society where
anyone with a bit of glamour about them – the Drum-major – can
turn the head of a neglected wife, Marie. </span></div>
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<span lang="en-US">Musically, the orchestra on
this first night of the run initially gave the impression that it was
still finding its way through the music, but then again a lot of the
writing is exposed and often chamber-like in its textures, and once
the musicians found their collective feet conductor Marc Niemann was
able to exploit the music’s colour, dynamism and swift dramatic
pacing to the full. An excellent cast was led by a compelling Wozzeck
in Filippo Bettoschi (as with Berg, the role is cast as a baritone),
who acted as much with his voice as with his body to portray the
sense of degradation and murderous intent that overwhelms the
character.</span></div>
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<i><span lang="en-US">In
repertoire at <a href="https://www.stadttheaterbremerhaven.de/musiktheater/wozzeck/">Stadttheater Bremerhaven</a> until 27 April. </span></i></div>
Matthew Ryehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040359052152543285noreply@blogger.com0