On September 17, 2022, the newly renamed Detroit Opera, formerly Michigan Opera Theatre, mounted the first production of their 2022-2023 season. What Detroit Opera (DO) presented was nothing short of unique. Marketed as a “one-night miracle” by the Los Angeles Times, DO’s digitally enhanced retelling of Act three of Wagner’s “The Valkyries,” the second in his four-opera epic “The Ring {…}
The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra is set to live stream the Sept. 8 performance of the second Act of “Tristan und Isolde.” The performance, which is led by conductor Susanna Mälkki, stars Stuart Skelton and Lise Lindstrom in the title roles. They are joined by Jenny Carlstedy as Brangäne, Markus Nieminen as Kurwenal, Brindley Sherrat as King Marke, and Roland Liiv {…}
The German Minister of State for Culture has called on the Bayreuth Festival to reform. Per BR Klassik, Claudia Roth, who holds the position, did not specify what she meant when she called for reform but did note that festival management had to “design the general conditions of the festival in such a way that artistic excellence can be achieved.” {…}
(Photo by Pablo Faccinetto) Katharina Wagner has announced that conductors Semyon Bychkov and Daniele Gatti will be making their returns to the Bayreuth Festival in the coming years. In an official release, the director of the famed institution noted that Gatti would be returning in 2025 to lead a production “Die Meistersinger” while Bychkov would lead a new “Tristan und {…}
While taking in a divisive production of “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” it was quite refreshing to take in the August 12 performance of “Tristan und Isolde” and come away hearing deserved bravos and cheers. While most productions are usually planned years in advance, director Roland Schwab was only commissioned to take on this a new production of Wagner’s masterpiece in {…}
(Credit: Enrico Nawrath) With “Götterdämmerung,” any chance of Valentin Schwarz giving an understandable meaning to his production went nowhere. For the first time in the tetralogy, Schwarz presented paranormal elements like the three Norns (represented as three faceless woman wearing sparkling costumes and makeup) or the transformation, thanks to the magic helmet, of Siegfried into Gunther for the last scene {…}
(Credit: Enrico Nawrath) And now we have entered the realm of the absurd. Those who read my reviews for “Das Rheingold” and “Die Walküre,” know that I was quite critical of director Valentin Schwarz’s approach, which proved hostile to the original libretto in most of his “creative” choices. But this production of “Siegfried” somehow managed to push beyond those limits {…}
(Credit: Enrico Nawrath) Following a truly disappointing “Das Rheingold,” the August 11 “Die Walküre” proved the polar opposite. Schwarz’s realistic human approach seemed a little bit more appropriate in this title where human characters appeared for the first time (all characters from the previous opera are mythological). The Austrian director knew how to develop the feelings of the characters and {…}
(Credit: Enrico Nawrath) Controversy was in full force as the second run of performances of the Bayreuth’s “Ring des Nibelungen” kicked off on August 10. Conductor Cornelius Meister had to step in on very short notice to replace a sick colleague. Tomas Konieczny, who sang Wotan, fell on the set in the second act of “Die Walküre” and had to {…}
(Photo: Mark Allan) Last time Opera North visited London’s Southbank Centre it was for an award-winning semi-staged Ring cycle, conducted by then music director Richard Farnes. They even made a gripping and hugely instructive recording for YouTube that shows the entire tetralogy from a camera placed right in front of the conductor. He returns to the Royal Festival Hall with {…}
La Monnaie / De Munt has announced a new production of Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen.” The production will be conducted Alain Altinoglu with Romeo Castellucci directing. First up will be “Das Rheingold” in October 2023 followed by a 2024 production of “Die Walküre.” “Siegfried” will bow in September 2024 and the cycle will come to a close with “Götterdämmerung” {…}