(Photo credit: Daniel Boud) At the end of Act one of the Sydney Symphony’s “Siegfried,” on November 13th at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, one may have sensed from the onstage performers’ elation that Simon O’Neill as Siegfried, Gerhard Siegel as Mime, and conductor Simone Young knew they had nailed it. The audience’s applause was long and enthusiastic. A {…}
(Photo Credit: Brescia e Amisano ©) This “Siegfried”… a popular musical in myth? Given the audience’s warmly animated reactions, as one witnessed upon attending various performances of its run, it would appear so. The lively, evocative melodic themes in this, the third of four operas of “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” are sustained by all the symbolic ingredients of a fairy {…}
(Photos: Paul Leclaire) Opernhaus Zürich revives its 2021 production of Richard Strauss’s “Salome,” directed by Andreas Homoki. The striking set design by Hartmut Meyer features two massive, crescent-shaped rotating structures—an evident nod to the libretto’s many references to the moon. One of these structures serves as a raked stage representing the terrace of Herod’s palace, while the other hovers above {…}
(Photo credit: Klara Beck) After its premiere in Dijon, in collaboration with the Orchestre National du Rhin, Verdi’s “La Traviata” arrives in Strasbourg. If the Burgundian production was disappointing, in terms of staging, performers and conducting, the Alsatian revival is far more successful. Admittedly, many of the elements of German director Amélie Niermeyer‘s Dijon production remain, such as the parties {…}
(Photo: Monika Rittershaus) Due to the pandemic, the new production of “Khovanshchina” planned for 2020 could only be realized this season at the Staatsoper unter den Linden. Now, Modest Mussorgsky’s monumental, melancholy music unfolds in all its splendour, not least thanks to the phenomenal performance of the chorus. “Khovanshchina” is an unfinished opera in five acts by Modest Mussorgsky, which {…}
Photo credit: Daniel Boud We can be grateful that the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Chief Conductor Simone Young has a passion for the music of Arnold Schoenberg in this, his 150th anniversary year. On Friday March 15th, it led to the first performance in Sydney of Schoenberg’s concert-drama “Gurrelieder,” a massive work that was first performed in Vienna 111 years ago, {…}
(Photo credit: SSO) Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Chief Conductor, Simone Young leads Schoenberg’s “Gurrelieder,” at Sydney Opera House in celebration of the composer’s 150 birthday. “Gurrelieder” make its Sydney debut with soloist soprano Ricarda Merbeth, mezzo-soprano Deborah Humble, tenors Simon O’Neill and Andrew Goodwin, and bass Sava Vemić. They are joined by a chorus of more than 200 and an orchestra of {…}
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra has announced that Simone Young’s contract as Chief Conductor has been extended by two years until the end of 2026. Young’s first two seasons as Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra have been marked by acclaimed performances and landmark events and the announcement of her extension as Chief Conductor has offered Young a chance to reflect {…}
The Bayreuth Festival has announced a conductor change for its “Ring des Nibelungen.” The company said, “Festival Director Prof. Katharina Wagner has succeeded in recruiting Simone Young to conduct the ‘Ring des Nibelungen,’ as Philippe Jordan had to cancel the conducting of the Bayreuth Ring, which he had been looking forward to with great pleasure, much to his regret. Other {…}
(Photo credit: Daniel Boud) Concert performances of “Das Rheingold” by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) in the Opera House Concert Hall November 16-18 were the most recent events in what is shaping up to be a bit of a Wagner year in Australia. Next month sees Opera Australia’s much-awaited new “Ring cycle” in Brisbane, delayed twice previously by COVID. Back {…}
(Credit: © Marco Borggreve) The Wiener Staatsoper has announced that bass Tareq Nazmi will take over the role of Bottom in the upcoming run of Benjamin Britten’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Nazmi will replace bass Matthew Rose. Nazmi will join a cast that includes Lawrence Zazzo in the role of Oberon, Erin Morley as Tytania, Josh Lovell in the role {…}