(Photo Credit: Bernd Uhlig) There is something unique about waiting for the curtain to rise on “Götterdämmerung.” Anyone who has followed a “Ring” in the theatre, may take their seat in sadness as this evening will end the journey through the most fabled, mythical and symbolic landscape of all. Though the images and sentiments confronted in any given production condition {…}
(Credit: Fotos von Bernd Uhlig, Kontakt: [email protected]) Often after watching a perplexing rendition of “Das Rheingold“, critics and public alike might proclaim: “Let’s see what will happen tomorrow night. Let us hold our judgement until then, to see where all of this is going.” And then, Herheim’s “Die Walküre” began, proving to be the worst of the cycle. The First {…}
(Photo credit: Bernd Uhlig) The man who gave the opera world its most dazzling 21st century “Parsifal,” Stefan Herheim, continues his quest to interrogate the Romantic text that is Richard Wagner’s “Ring of the Nibelungen.” Inspired refreshing of a 150-year-old work of art can provide new insights and flashes of illumination. But conceptual pyrotechnics can just as easily destroy its {…}
(Photo by Bernd Uhlig) I’m back in Berlin, a city I favor and enjoy so much, ready for yet another Ring cycle at Deutsche Oper, a large, comfortable 1850-seat theatre boldly designed in the Modernist style and simply ideal for large-scale productions. And none comes much larger than those penned by Giacomo Meyerbeer, Richard Strauss and Richard Wagner Therefore, with {…}
(© Richard Hubert Smith) Ethel Smyth’s opera “The Wreckers” opened the Glyndebourne Festival Opera last weekend, receiving its first-ever performance in the original French – libretto by Henry Brewster – and with many savage cuts restored. Its journey has been a long one: Smyth was repeatedly thwarted by war, misogynistic attitudes, musical conservatism, and meddling conductors. For some context – {…}
(Credit: © Klaus Frahm) The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced that Scottish mezzo-soprano Beth Taylor will take over the role of Erda in Wagner’s “Das Rheingold” for the performance on Jan. 4, 2022, replacing Judit Kutasi. Taylor joins a cast that includes Derek Welton, Joel Allison, Attilio Glaser, Thomas Blondelle, Markus Brück, Ya-Chung Huang, Andrew Harris, Tobias Kehrer, Annika Schlicht, {…}
(Credits: Bettina Stöß / Bernd Uhlig) The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced all the premieres of its 2021-22 season. Here is a look. The “Best of Carmen” concert will spotlight Valeriia Savinskaia, Arianna Manganello, Elena Tsallagova, Matthew Newlin, Joel Allison, and Ève-Maud Hubeaux in the title role. Daniel Carter conducts a production by Silke Sense. Performance dates: Aug. 21 – {…}
(Credits: Dario Acosta / Opéra National de Paris official website / Fay Fox) The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced that it will reopen its doors to the audiences in June 2021, after seven month-long hiatus. Per the official press release, the reopening is epidemiologically possible as the seven-day COVID-19 incidence in Berlin has gone below the critical value of 100. {…}
(Credit: Deutsche Oper Berlin / Simon Pauly) Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced that it will live stream Zandonai’s opera “Francesca da Rimini” on March 14. The opera house hoped that it would be allowed to present the opera for live audiences, but the German federal government is preparing to extend the majority of lockdown measures until March 28, 2021. The {…}
(Credits: © Sasha Arutyunova / Ashley Plante / ARSIS Artists official website / Jonathan Tetelman official website) The Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced plans for the rest of the 2020-21 season. Berlin’s largest opera house has been quite cautious in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and has only published the monthly schedule. The Deutsche Oper Berlin will reopen its {…}
(Credits: Michael Cooper / ©Neda Navaee / Ray Burmiston/Decca Classics / Kristen Hoebermann / Clémentine Margaine official website / Algirdas Bakas) Deutsche Oper Berlin has announced its November and December 2020 schedule, which will spotlight a number of international opera stars. Here is the full slate. Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” will feature Philippe Talbot, Noel Bouley, Aigul Akhmetshina, Thomas {…}