BAYREUTH: TANNHÄUSER - Premiere
Rezension der Premiere 25.7.)in portugiesischer Sprache
http://www.concerto.com.br/textos.asp?id=235

London/ Covent Garden: IL TRITTICO von Giacomo Puccini am 13.9.2011
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/music/review-23986305-il-trittico-covent-garden---review.do

SAN FRANCISCO OPERA. "Der Ring de Nibelungen"  - 14.6. – 19.6.

The San Francisco Opera has just presented its sixth "Ring Cycle" and the big star in this recent production was the Swedish soprano NINA STEMME
in the role of Brünnhilde. She continued to maintain San Francisco Opera’s earlier high Brünnhilde standards set by such stars as KIRSTEN FLAGSTAD in 1934, and BIRGIT NILSSON in 1972, in which Nilsson’s made her American debut. Then in 1985 and again in 1990, came GWYNETH JONES’s greatly lauded Brünnhilde performances in two different "Ring" productions. And in1990, JANE EAGLEN presented another superior Brünnhilde performance.
In addition to Nina Stemme’s outstanding Brünnhilde performance, the San Francisco Opera’s "Ring" also featured other remarkable aspects. Much of its shared staging had initially been created by the Washington National Opera. The germination of this collaboration perhaps began in 2003 when Washington Opera’s Music Director PLACIDO DOMINGO and stage designer FRANCESCA ZAMBELLO created an unusual"Die Walküre". The production was staged in Washington DC’s cavernous Constitution Hall auditorium because its regular Kennedy Center Opera House was undergoing renovations. The orchestra was positioned at the back of the stage, hidden by a scrim. Its conductor HEINZ FRICKE, who was giving the singers their cues, could only be seen on screens that were positioned over the hall’s exit doors. Obviously, it was a challenging production and a lot was learned from it.
By 2006, the Washington Opera decided to do its first "Ring Cycle", and began with "Das Rheingold". Domingo again invited Francesca Zambello to assist him in its staging. The production introduced video insertions that enhanced the musical interludes such as a flowing stream simulating an undulating Rhine river. Zambello attempted to convey the gods’ world filled with graft and corruption, equating it with a modern American flavoring. In one scene, for example. Wotan appeared at a large modern desk with a telephone on it, discussing Valhalla’s future with Fricka. With the success of "Das Rheingold", the Washington Opera revised its "Walk üre", and Zambello forged it into a more creative version in which, for example, the Valkyrie ladies slid down steel wire cables to deliver white wrapped dead heroes to the gods at Valhalla.

In 2009, Washington created "Siegfried," the third in the four opera sequence, and once again Zambello assisted in its staging. A dilapidated trailer served as Siegfried’s home; and when Siegfried goes to kill Fafner the dragon, Fafner appeared as a huge iron contraption with terrifying large steel claws. After Siegfried kills the dragon, Fafner’s blood flowed like oil. Later meets up with a pathetic Wotan and finally bursts through Brünnhilde’s burning fire to awaken her.

About two years ago, the San Francisco Opera began plans for its new"Ring Cycle". At this point, Francesca Zambello had for many years served as San Francisco Opera’s Artistic Advisor and had been involved with some twenty San Francisco Opera productions. She of course was well acquainted with the three"Ring"operas that she and the Washington Opera had staged, and also was aware that Washington’s "Götterdämmerung" had not yet been mounted. A collaborative joint effort soon evolved when San Francisco Opera officials decided to introduce the Washington Opera’s first three "Ring" opera productions which would adequately serve their needs, and they would then produce their own San Francisco production of "Götterdämmerung". – and of course hire the casts for all of the four operas. By May of this year everything was completed. 26 huge trucks loads of scenery and costumes had been transported from Washington, DC to San Francisco. Earlier, video tapes had been edited down from the 100 hours of taping. And San Francisco’s stage crew of 115 helped prepare for the opening June Ring Cycle. Some 76 singers and 50 extras would also enhance their new "Gotterdammerung" production.

This San Francisco Ring offering was an overwhelming success. As mentioned, NINA STEMME was its great star, and it was to be her initial debut in that role of Brünnhilde. She excelled in the three different Ring" operas in which she appeared, and by far was the most statuesque of the Valkyrie sisters. Her relationship with Wotan was tenderly conveyed even though she had been punished by Wotan and knew she no longer possessed a godly status; she still showed him love as an obedient submissive child. In her "fire" awakening scene, she at first seemed somewhat hesitant. (Two decades is a long time to sleep.) Soon her ecstatic joy of waking to Siegfried’s amorous reactions stirred things up. Then, in "Götterdämmerung", she showed the depths of her soul as she anguished over Siegfried’s tricked marriage arrangement. Throughout, her voice was brilliant, clear, bright, refreshingly smooth and majestic. Indeed here was an historic performance!

Like Brünnhilde, Wotan, the King of the gods, also appears as a central figure in three of the four operas. Wotan was sung by MARK DELAVAN. In his portrayal, he conveyed the torture of a guilt ridden man whose crooked dealings and a lust for power eventually spelt his doom. His farewell scene with Brünnhilde was tenderly moving. However, in one or two places, his beautiful baritone voice was not grandiose enough. Also, it was obvious that he suffered from his annoying, nagging wife Fricka. ELIZABETH BISHOP appeared in the Fricka role. Here she assertively conveyed her highly motivated defense of wedded vows, battling Wotan over the incestuous love affair of twins, Sieglinde and Siegmund. Vocally and dramatically she won this battle. In contrast to Fricka’ assertive demands, the twins’ sweet, romantic love duet was an enchanting relief. ANJA KAMPE, as Sieglinde, conveyed a sweet, nicely projected voice. BRANDON JOVANOVICH with his handsome blonde Nordic appeal, also possessed a beautifully focused tenor voice that added to their tender portrayal.
Alberich, as sung assertively by GORDON HAWKINS, was another of the major characters who appeared in three of the four operas. The bass baritone very adequately performed his villainous role, robbing the maidens of their gold, brutalizing his slaving cave workers and bewitching those who sought to possess his gold ring that he designed..
The role of Siegfried also represents a major role in the "Ring". However, in this San
Francisco Opera staging, there were two tenors who tackled the demanding role. Initially, the British heldentenor IAN STOREY was scheduled to appear in both "Siegfried" and "Götterdämmerung". However, at an early April rehearsal, Storey, who was singing the role for the first time, felt he was not ready to do the two operas. His tenor understudy, JAY HUNTER MORRIS, then agreed to sing the title role in"Siegfried" and Storey agreed to perform the Siegfried role in the Göttterdämmerung" production. Morris’s portrayal displayed a fine lyrical voice. However, in Storey’s performance, his voice in Second Act of "Götterdämmerung" floundered and was somewhat muffled. An announcement was made before Act III began that Storey was suffering from throat disorder, but with the help of some medicine, he would carry on. The pills must have helped because his clear vibrant tenor voice was eventually beautifully displayed.
Overlooking this one brief difficult moment, most of the singers excelled. In "Das Rheingold", for example, STEFAN MARGITA, in the role of Loge, the Fire God, displayed one of the finest voices in the entire Ring. His voice resounded beautifully and penetrated clearly through out the opera house. RONNITA MILLER, who appeared as the Earth Goddess Erda, was another outstanding singer. Her lower notes were fantastic. She also appeared as one of the Valkyries. Then there were the two giant brothers Fasolt and Fafner, sung by bass ANDRES SILVESTRELLI and bass baritone DANIEL SUMEGI, who both eventually die because of their Ring ownership. Each fulfilled their dramatic and vocal demands splendidly. In "Das Rheingold", their stilted giant platform boots and enlarged gloved hands had a humorous affect. Later, in "Götterdämmerung", (a generation later) Silvestrelli appeared in the role of Alberich’s son Hagen. Once again he sang with assertive vocal finesse, displaying a forceful portrayal. As Hagen, he bedded his step sister Gutrune. ( Gutrune was finely enacted by MELISSA CITRO.) Later Hagen murders Siegfried and then kills his own half-brother Gunther. Gunther was sensitively performed by the baritone GERD GROCHOWSKI. He appeared as a handsome blonde suitor and proved to be a fine actor, with a beautifully projected voice. In "Siegfried", the role of Mime was cleverly sung by DAVID CANGELOSI and his added successful cartwheels will long be remembered. And in the same opera, STACEY TAPPEN’s sweet voice performed the fluffy role of the Forest Bird, and also provided an extra delightful visual addition in her red pants suit.
Of course there were other high moments like the wonderful"Ride of the Vaklyries" where the eight Valkyries ladies descended from above in parachutes, wearing caps with goggles, adding just another modern touch. The Valkyries ladies were sung by CYBELE GOUVERNEUR, DAVEDA KARANAS, SARA GARLAND, TAMARA WAPINSKY, MAYA LAHYANI, RENEE TATUM, LAUREN MCNEES. and of course Nina Stemme.
Throughout the four allegorical operas, visual impressions matched Wagner’s musical motifs, augmenting the intensity of the drama. At the opening of "Das Rheingold", for example, the murmuring double bass hushed tones were matched visually by an accompanying video projection focused on a screen that featured a serene flowing river with its peaceful blue rippling water that quietly accompanied the primordial Rhine leitmotif. And then, when the curtain rose, the three cheerful Rhine maidens – STACEY TAPPAN, LAUREN Mc NEES and RENÉE TATUM – bounced about the stage in the steamy illusive Rhine mist and begin to tease Alberich. Later, as the mis-guided gods pursue their greedy quests, we see on a video screen the once beautiful flowing Rhine visually clogged as a dried up stream.

Throughout the four operas, as reoccurring leitmotifs re-occur, video images matched the music, gradually conveying, more and more, a pessimistic view of the declining dying days of the gods.. These visual images were viewed through a modern day prism. Siegmund and Sieglinde’s pristine forest turned into a burned out devastated waste land. A once scenic landscape became junk yard filled with worn out car tires. Unattached electric wires hang loosely; a railroad tank car rushed along a track to no where, conveying a feeling of uselessness. A blue steel chimney, over looking a power plant, spewed out black smoky soot, intensifying the message of the gods’ final days.
The variety of modern day visual images and stage sets, according to Zambello’s designs, perhaps were used to peak our own subjective view of today’s failing morality. In "Das Rheingold", Wotan’s modern office with its grandiose glass window, features a skyscraper view of a city like New York as seen from above, as if viewed from Valhalla. Then, in "Götterdämmerung", in Hagen’s spectacular living room with its gigantic slanted glass window positioned into a shiny chrome encasement, the setting conveyed a phony flavor of modern richness.
Of course, the orchestra, conducted by DONALD RUNNICLES, provided the very essential support that was so necessary. Throughout, the orchestra accompaniment was superb due to Runnicles’s outstanding grasp of the score, tempi and its dramatic momentum. Runnicles had been the Opera Company’s principal conductor for the past eighteen years, and had directed the Company’s last two "Ring Cycles". One could only fault one or two tricky French Horn entrances, which is understandable since much of the score features Wagner’s richly embellished brass orchestration. It also was very apparent that Runnicles was great audience favorite because at the conclusion of each opera, he receiving a rousing overwhelmingly warmhearted acknowledgment.
In the final moments of "Götterdämmerung", after Brünnhilde has laid the dead Siegfried on the funeral pyre , and before she too dies on the pyre, her expiation becomes complete when she returns the golden ring to the original the Rhinemaidens. And Valhalla had been relegated to ashes. Then, a small child, dressed in a white gown, appeared on the stage carrying a branch of a tree. And then planted it. ( Was this a branch from an apple tree that Freia the goddess of youth has once nurtured? Or perhaps maybe it was a branch from the Ash Tree that Wotan once had forged for his magical wand?) So, here was a child planting a new tree, perhaps symbolizing the beginning of a new world order. Perhaps the world would no longer be engulf by greed and corruption. Perhaps, according to this San Francisco staged offering, perhaps there might be hope for a up lifting, bright, caring new redeeming world.

Nancy Lang.
�@

Vienna State Opera (June 2011)
The New York Times /Katja Kabanova
Janacek opera in Vienna depressingly enjoyable
http://www.heraldextra.com/entertainment/article_dbe8a95e-5441-50ba-a69a-960975390bd0.html

London
Werther, Royal Opera House, review - May 2011
By the end of a tense first night the audience was reminded why Rolando Villazon caused such a sensation when he first appeared on the scene. Rating: * * *
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/opera/8498563/Werther-Royal-Opera-House-review.html

London/ Anna Nicole - Pr. 17. Febr. 2011
Royal Opera House, London
Anna Nicole - review
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/feb/18/anna-nicole-review

Außerdem frisch eingetroffen

THEATER

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