salzburg festival theodora on dvd

Theodora. DVD. Salzburg Festival 2009. Production: Christof Loy. Conductor: Ivor Bolton with the Freiburger Barockorchester. Cast: Christine Schäfer (Theodora), Bejun Mehta (Didymus), Johannes Martin Krängle (Valens), Bernarda Fink (Irene), Joseph Kaiser (Septimus).

The story of Händel´s late (1750) oratorio "Theodora" in brief, is that of the Christian woman Theodora, who, persecuted by the Romans ultimately becomes a martyr for her faith with her lover Didymus.

With this staging, Christof Loy does not attempt to invite the audiences to identify with the characters but “exploring and experiencing the music and the works religious themes” in what he calls “almost like an installation” or a “performance process”. To achieve this, he lets the entire, massive stage of the Salzburg Festspielhaus depict the interior of a church and the staging unfolds as a rehearsal for a performance of Theodora. Not unlike his Frau Ohne Schatten from last years Salzburg Festival. But significantly more successful, though at times the singers almost seems to drown at the massive stage..

For me the real stand-outs in the cast were Joseph Kaiser´s dignified Septimus (= a main with a troubled conscience), Johannes Martin Krängle´s very believable Valens (=the villain). and Bernarda Fink´s wonderfully dignified Irene. For my tastes, Bejun Mehta´s Didymus is a tad too sentimental and feminine, and Christine Schäfer, despite dignified singing and great musician-ship, seems occasionally rather dry-voiced as Theodora.

However, the contrast of performing a small-sized baroque work in the massive Salzburg Festspielhaus is not at all interesting and most Händel admirers will love Ivor Bolton´s stylish performance with the Freiburger Barockorchester.
Despite not being created with a staged performance in mind, it is not, however the only Theodora on DVD and I must admit to vastly preferring Peter Sellars updated 1996 Glyndebourne production, infinitely more dynamic in addition to having the wonderful Lorraine Hunt as Irene.

Bejun Mehta and Christine Schäfer:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Christine Schäfer: 5
Bejun Mehta: 4
Bernarda Fink: 5
Joseph Kaiser: 5
Johannes Martin Krängle: 4

Christof Loy:3
Ivor Bolton: 5

Overall impression: 4

DVD: Hansel and Gretel in Richard Jones Met production

Hansel and Gretel. Metropolitan Opera 2007. Production: Richard Jones. Cast: Christine Schäfer (Gretel), Alice Coote (Hänsel), Philip Langridge (Witch), Alan Held (father), Rosalind Plowright (mother). Conductor: Vladimir Jurowski. Further information here.

Richard Jones´ production of Hänsel and Gretel has previously been seen at the Welsh National Opera and Lyric Opera Chicago before traveling to the Metropolitan Opera, where it was filmed live in HD last Christmas and now released on DVD.

This Hänsel and Gretel has spurred much controversy, and indeed this is no classic ginger-bread production. As with most recent Hänsel and Gretel productions, a darker, psychoanalytically oriented view is taken.

In this case, Richard Jones focus rather mono-dimensionally on hunger. In an eerie, surrealistic setting, the action transports us through three kitchens:

The normally sized kitchen of the children's poor 1950ish home, living in an abusive family with a mother trying to commit suicide by tranquilizers; The surrealistic kitchen cum dining room with living trees, distorted proportions, a grand dinner-table and grotesque chefs serving grotesque amounts of food substitutes as a magic forest; and lastly the shabbily over sized, grey kitchen of the Witch, luring the children with massive amounts of cakes, most of them fully edible, as well as throwing around monstrous amounts of food.

The danger applying such strong single-minded concept is that more often than not, the intrinsic drama of the story get lost. Luckily this is not the case here. We are still able to mentally follow the children's journey. That, children may not like it, has been an often heard criticism of this production. That depends, I suppose. I know of several children, who liked it just fine. However, there is clearly plenty for the adults here as well.

The opera was performed in David Pountney´s fine English translation, though with the level of diction of the participants, they might as well have chosen the original German version.

Petite Christine Schäfer with the almost vibrato-less voice was the ideal Grete, while Alice Coote was more standard-fare as Hänsel. Fabulously committed acting from Philip Langridge as a Witch, with the looks of a bag-lady and sweet as pie on the surface. Strong performance from both Rosalind Plowrights deranged morther and Alan Helds helden-baryton father.

Almost best of all, Vladimir Jurowski, made Hänsel und Gretel sound like Tristan and Isolde, part II.

Personally, I prefer the psychoanalytically Katharina Thalbach staging of Hänsel and Gretel from Dresden, but this Metropolitan Opera production is not a bad choice at all.

Hansel and Gretel in the first kitchen of their grey, desolate home:

At the witchs house:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Christine Schäfer: 5
Alice Coote: 4
Philip Langridge: 5

Richard Jones´production: 4-5

Vladimir Jurowski: 5

Overall impression: 4-5

Posted by Arsace86 on YouTube

Christine Schäfer: Winterreise

Christine Schäfer: Winterreise. With Eric Schneider (piano). Released 2006. Further information here.

Being a high, lyric soprano, Christine Schäfers 2006 recording of this baritone/mezzo or lower standard fare is most courageous. Not the least since her interpretation is entirely compelling. Christine Schäfer´s approach to Winterreise is cool, clear and unsentimental applying an an almost vibrato-less tone truly evocative of the cool winter. Not the taditional lyric-emotional tragedy, but the contemporary relevant and insightful portrait of someone, who choses to leave society. Simplistic, naked honesty is perhaps what ultimately makes Christine Schäfer´s rendition so compelling.

Christine Schäfer: Gute nacht (song nr. 1 - audio only):

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

5

Posted on YouTube by hillevifan

Paris: Christine Schäfer and Jonas Kaufmann in Marthaler La Traviata

Christoph Marthaler directed this La Traviata in Paris 2007 featuring Christine Schäfer and Jonas Kaufmann, which is rumoured to be released on DVD in 2009. José Van Dam is Germont pére, Sylvain Cambreling conducts.

Marthalers trademark (as seen in his previous stagings of Tristan and Katia Kabanova) is to set the operas in an everyday environment reminiscent of Eastern Europe in the 1970´s. It appears he sticks to that pattern for the Paris Traviata.

Based on the video-clips, I´d say that Christine Schäfer is a smashing Violetta: Cool, but still fragile. Jonas Kaufmann is a superb actor, however Alfredo doesn´t seem to suit him vocally. As Jonas Kaufmanns voice is very dark, it may be the part is simply too high for him optimally. That said, there is nobody I´d rather see as Alfredo on stage today.

La Traviata opening of Act 1 - Christine Schäfer and Jonas Kaufmann:

Christine Schäfer - Sempre libera:

Jonas Kaufmann - De miei bollenti spiriti:

Final scene:

From GrandTierBox, Foly90, orfnos

Paris: Marthaler Nozze di Figaro with superb Christine Schäfer and Peter Mattei

Nozze di Figaro. Paris Palais Garnier 2006. Production: Christoph Marthaler. Cast: Peter Mattei (Count), Christiane Oelze (Countess), Heidi Grant Murphy (Susanna), Christine Schäfer (Cherubino), Lorenzo Regazzo (Figaro). Conductor: Sylvain Cambreling. Further information here.

Redundant to note, this Christoph Marthaler production, as everything he does, was controversial when it opened in Paris 2006. For the usual reasons, which consist of Marthalers penchant for providing desolate everyday settings for his stagings. A concept put to maximal benefit in his superb Salzburg Katia Kabanova, which however turned out a virtual walk in the desert in his universally negatively received Bayreuth Tristan.
Between these two extremes, this Paris Figaro covers the middle ground: A single set taking place in front of a marriage bureau. "Figaro is really about marriage", as Marthaler states in the accompanying documentary. As always with Marthaler, the characters and sets seem taken out of the desolate everyday life of 1960-70s Eastern Europe: Grey and hopeless. Does it work? In this context, not really, I´d say. To little of the characters and their motivations are exposed and the entire affair becomes to monodimensional.

Though, Marthaler has the good fortune of excellent singer-actors over the entire line. Best of all are Christine Schäfer and Peter Mattei. Christine Schäfers superbly sung Cherubino looks astonishingly like a teenage boy and Peter Mattei delivers one of the finest Counts on DVD, though perhaps he is too nice and fails (unless on purpose) to convey the ambiguity of the character. In comparison, though finely attuned to Marthalers concept, there is something distinctly everyday-like about both Christiane Oelze (in fine voice as the Countess) and Heidi Grant Murphy (a bit shrill as Susanna). In the middle, Lorenzo Regazzo´s Figaro was both well-acted and well sung.

Sylvain Cambrelings way with Mozart is too passive for my taste, though he was never less than competent.

Christine Schäfer "Non so piu":

Peter Mattei "Hai gia vinta la causa":

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Christiane Oelze: 4
Peter Mattei: 5
Heidi Grant Murphy: 3
Lorenzo Regazzo: 4
Christine Schäfer: 5

Marthalers staging: 3

Sylvain Cambreling: 4

Overall impression: 4

Top 20 favourite operas revisited

The below revised list, is obviously not intended to reflect on the greatest operas composed – it simply reflects the 20 operas I, for the moment prefer to listen to, together with a brief mentioning of some of my favorite recordings of those operas on CD and DVD.

To be updated, when necessary..

Operas are listed in alphabetical order by the composer:

Bartok: Bluebeard´s Castle. CD: Kertesz with Christa Ludwig/Walter Berry. DVD: Still looking. In the meantime the Solti conducted film is rather fine, especially on the musical side.

Berg: Lulu. CD: Boulez w/Stratas. DVD: Christine Schäfer in the Glyndebourne production. Bechtolf´s Zurich production with Laura Aikin is a viable alternative.

Debussy: Pelléas and Melisande. CD: Karajan w/von Stade. DVD: Boulez/Stein from Welsh National Opera.

Dvorak: Rusalka. CD: Mackerras with Fleming/Heppner. DVD: The Paris Carsen production with Renée Fleming.

Gounod: Faust. CD: Undecided. DVD: Ken Russell´s Vienna production, but basically I am waiting.

Mozart: Don Giovanni. CD: Furtwängler w/Siepi. DVD: Essentiallly still waiting. Kusej´s 2006 Salzburg production will do in the meantime.

Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov. CD: Undecided. Probably Abbado (Shostakovich version). DVD: Matti Salminen in Willy Decker´s Barcelona production. The alternative is the Gergiev-conducted Tarkovsky production.

Mussorgsky: Khovanshchina. CD: Abbado from Vienna. DVD: Waiting. In the meantime Abbado´s Vienna production is not a bad choice (the only alternative is Winge´s production from Barcelona)

Offenbach: Les Contes d´Hoffmann. CD: Undecided. DVD: The Paris Carsen production until hopefully David McVicar´s 2003 Salzburg production will be released.

Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth from Mtsensk. CD: Undecided. DVD: Jansons/Kusej with Westbroek/Ventris from Amsterdam.

Strauss: Salome. CD (difficult choice) - on top probably Reiner w/Welitsch, Böhm w/Rysanek. Other fine discs are Solti w/Birgit Nilsson, Schønwandt w/Inga Nielsen, Sinopoli w/Cheryl Studer. Welitsch first. DVD: Waiting for Karita Mattila. For an interesting directorial take, see David McVicar´s London production. Some may prefer Götz Friedrich´s 1974 film with Teresa Stratas.

Strauss: Die Frau Ohne Schatten. CD: Solti or Böhm w/Rysanek. DVD: Solti conducting Götz Friedrich´s Salzburg staging. The only alternative is Sawallisch with a Kabuki-inspired staging.

Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin. CD: Undecided. DVD: The Salzburg Breth/Barenboim production with Peter Mattei. As a close second, the Carsen MET production with Renée Fleming/Dmitri Hvorostovsky.

Verdi: Macbeth. CD: Abbado w/Verrett, Cappucilli. DVD: Claude D´Anna´s film with Leo Nucci and Shirley Verrett, for once is a convincing opera film.

Verdi: Don Carlo. CD: Giulini w/Domingo, Caballé, Verrett, Raimondi. DVD: Still waiting.

Verdi: Otello. CD: Chung w/Domingo or Levine w/Domingo. DVD: La Scala/Domingo.

Wagner: Tristan and Isolde. CD: Furtwängler or Barenboim (no order). And Pappano for René Pape and Plácido Domingo. DVD: Chéreau/Barenboim with Waltraud Meier from La Scala 2007. Alternatively the Heine Müller/Barenboim 1995 Bayreuth production. Other fine alternatives are the Ponelle/Barenboim Bayreuth production, the Munich Konwitschny production or the Lehnhoff Glyndebourne production.

Wagner: Meistersinger. CD: Solti (~1996). DVD: I am not really happy with any of the available choices, though ultimately I prefer the Schenk/Levine version from the Met.

Wagner: Ring des Nibelungen – counts as one opera. CD: Solti or Keilberth (in that order, probably). DVD: Kupfer/Barenboim from Bayreuth as first choice. Chéreau/Boulez from Bayreuth as second. For a traditional ring, the Schenk/Levine Met production is the only available choice.

Wagner: Parsifal. CD: Knappertsbusch 1962, Barenboim or Thielemann (no order). DVD: Still waiting. Of the available choices, I´d narrowly prefer the Lehhoff/Nagano production from Baden-Baden.

And the runners-up: Simon Boccanegra, Elektra, Jenufa, Le damnation de Faust, The rake´s progress, A handmaid´s tale, Flying Dutchman, Lohengrin, Wozzeck, Tannhäuser, The magic flute, Peter Grimes, Samson et Dalila, Billy Budd, L´amour de loin, Prince Igor, Carmen.

David McVicar´s Rigoletto

Rigoletto. Royal Opera, Covent Garden 2001. Director: David McVicar. Cast: Paolo Gavanelli (Rigoletto), Marcelo Àlvarez (Duke), Christine Schäfer (Gilda), Eric Halfvarsson (Sparafucile), Graciela Araya (Maddalena). Conductor: Edward Downes. Further information here.

Predictably director David McVicar takes a dark view of Rigoletto, a work he finds utterly depressing as "experience leads to downfall and exit from eden" (McVicar from the bonus material).

The entire opera is played out in a single circular rotating set constructed by metal and tree with interposed transparent glass shifting between the decadent luxury of the Duke´s world and the darkness of Rigoletto´s world. The explicit sexuality and decadence in the opening scene has rarely been done more convincing on an operatic stage. Subtleness is not a key word in this context.

The structures of the dark world of Rigoletto and Sparafucile become apparent through the glass in in the Duke´s decadent world as well. In essence a fragile world of luxury supported (quite literally) by the other world.

Christine Schäfer shows great musician-ship and phrasing as a crystal-clear, almost neurotic Gilda. According to David McVicar, Gilda is a character who simply cannot survive in such a society. Once she tastes experience, her destruction is inevitable.

Marcelo Àlvarez is a superb Duke, the best part I´ve seen him in, once again confirming David McVicar´s reputation of making otherwise not exceptionally singer-actors act. Even Paolo Gavanelli is on better form than often seen, however a memorable Rigoletto on the level of Leo Nucci he will never be in my book.

The DVD includes an interesting interview with David McVicar explaining his view of Rigoletto (and opera in general).
Christine Schäfer, Paolo Gavanelli "Si,vendetta":

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Paolo Gavanelli: 3-4
Marcelo Àlvarez: 4
Christine Schäfer: 4-5
Eric Halfvarsson: 4

David McVicar: 4

Edward Downes: 4

Overall impression: 4

DVD: Salzburg 2006 Don Giovanni

Don Giovanni. Grosses Festspielhaus, Salzburg Festival 2006. Production: Martin Kusej. Cast: Thomas Hampson (Don G), Ildebrando d´Arcangelo (Leporello), Christine Schäfer (Donna Anna), Melanie Diener (Donna Elvira), Isabel Bayrakdarian (Zerlina), Piotr Beczala (Don Ottavio), Luca Pisaroni (Masetto). Conductor: Daniel Harding with the Vienna Philharmonics. Further information here.

When Martin Kusej´s Don Giovanni opened in Salzburg, Anna Netrebko was Donna Anna with Nikolaus Harnoncourt on the podium. However, in 2006, Anna Netrebko and Nikolaus Harnoncourt performed in Nozze di Figaro next door, leaving the Donna Anna to Christine Schäfer and the podium to Daniel Harding in the Grosses Festspielhaus.

Set on a revolving white stage with multiple rooms, this Don Giovanni is about existential loneliness, emptiness, superficial sexuality and death. Don Giovanni is "a living hurricane of chaos and anarchy" who must "devour other people´s existence to prove his own worth" (Thomas Hampson). Semi-naked models parade as an amorphous mass. Very appropriately the "Deh vieni" is adressed to no-one (originally Don G sings this to Elvira´s maid) and when the song is over, the stage goes dark.
Such existence is not compatible within modern society, which is why Leporello kills him in the end, about 10 seconds before he would have died anyway, though. This Don Giovanni is someone you simply want to diesappear. However Leporello and Don Giovanni change recitatives as well as clothes - two of the same sort obviously.

Apart from the fact that I prefer a basso cantante as opposed to Thomas Hampson´s lyrical baritone, Don Giovanni is one of his best roles. While I find his work in repertoire such as Macbeth, Simon Boccanegra and Amfortas downright irritating, he seems much closer to his artistic core in this repertoire, also more suitable for his voice. Furthermore he is a superb actor and commands the stage.
Ildebrando D'Arcangelo as Leporello is energetic and looks great onstage, both of which goes a long way to compensate for the fact that his voice is not very pleasant.

Christine Schäfer is lighter than usual as Donna Anna, but very stylish. Melanie Diener was in more trouble as Donna Elvira, but neverthess fine. Isabel Bayrakdarian was superb as Zerlina, while Robert Lloyd was slightly more irritating than usual as the Commendatore. Piotr Beczala gets away with Don Ottavio without being irritating - not a small accomplishment.

Upon repeated viewing I must admit to tire of Daniel Harding´s reading - initially I found it dynamic, now I cannot help feeling he competes with Bertrand De Billy in presenting a Salzburg Don Giovanni with as few ideas as possible. You may not like all of Nikolaus Harnoncourt´s ideas. But at least he has plenty to chose from.

Musically, the best DVD is the Furtwängler performance, if one is up for watching the old film. If not, this is not a bad choice at all.

Thomas Hampson, Ildebrando D´Arcangelo: Orsu, spicciato presto

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Thomas Hampson: 4
Ildebrando D´Arcangelo: 4
Christine Schäfer: 4
Melanie Diener: 3-4
Isabel Bayrakdarian: 4
Piotr Beczala: 4
Luca Pisaroni: 4

Martin Kusej´s production: 4
Daniel Harding: 3

Overall impression: 4

DVD: Christine Schäfer is Lulu

Lulu. Glyndebourne Festival 1996. Production: Graham Vick. Cast: Christine Schäfer (Lulu), Wolfgang Schöne (Dr. Schön and Jack the Ripper), Kathryn Harries (Countess Geschwitz), Norman Bailey (Schigolch). Conductor: Andrew Davis with the London Philharmonics. Further information here.

Alban Berg´s opera tells the story about the rise and fall of Lulu, not quite the femme fatale some make her out to be, but rather a psychologically damaged girl, who mirrors herself in her relationships. Her three marriages end up with three dead husbands and she ends her life at the hands of Jack the Ripper as a street prostitute in London.

The semicircular brick wall with the descending stair case and opening in the floor does not make for a particularly enticing setting, however Graham Vick explores the relations of the characters and creates such drama that one almost forgets the gloom surroundings. A black-white film during the Act 2 intermezzo shows some of the off-stage action, such as Lulu´s trial, and the story is told relatively straight-forward.

Lulu is a signature role of Christine Schäfer and seeing Anja Silja as Lulu in Frankfurt was a decisive factor in Christine Schäfer decision to become an opera singer. As a high lyrical soprano she was told to wait until at least 40 years old before taking on Lulu, nevertheless she debuted with the part in her mid-to-late 20s. In this production she is 30.
Christine Schäfer has always been a champion of modern music, with numerous collaborations with Pierre Boulez and composers such as Aribert Reiman. With her high, crystal-clear almost vibratoless soprano she effortless throws off the coloratura. With her cool and detached appearance Lulu´s transformation from girl to prostitute is entirely believable. She looks eerily attractive, in that exact way I imagine Lulu would. This is a major achievement for her in a part I believe her to be the ideal interpreter of. Furthermore she is surrounded by a cast without a single weak link.

I have never heard such dense, late-romantic Alban Berg than that of Andrew Davis with the London Philharmonics. He draws melodies from Alban Berg´s score that I didn´t even know existed in an extraordinarily powerful performance.

On DVD the only alternative is the Zurich production with Laura Aikin, a fine performance however not quite at the level of this Glyndebourne production. The only real alternative is the Pierre Boulez/Patrice Chéreau 1978 Paris staging with Teresa Stratas, unfortunately not available on DVD (yet).

Christine Schäfer as Lulu with Wolfgang Schöne from Act 1:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Christine Schäfer: 5
The rest: 5

Graham Vick´s production: 4

Andrew Davis: 5

Overall impression: 4-5

Superb Figaro: 2006 Salzburg Guth Harnoncourt DVD with Netrebko, Röschmann, Skovhus, Schäfer, d´Arcangelo

Nozze di Figaro. Salzburg Festival 2006. Director: Claus Guth. Cast: Anna Netrebko (Susanna), Ildebrando d´Arcangelo (Figaro), Bo Skovhus (Count), Dorothea Röschmann (Countess), Christine Schäfer (Cherubino). Cond: Nikolaus Harnoncourt with the Vienna Philharmonics. Further details here.

I´ve never understood exactly why this Claus Guth production of Nozze di Figaro is widely labeled one of the most controversial stagings of recent years. It does present a different take on Mozart´s opera, which may not be to everyone´s liking, but to find this genuinely shocking you´ll have to spend quite some time in the past tense...

Claus Guth´s production is an antidote to all those productions that think of Figaro as a proto-Rossini comic opera. All the light, bright and sparkling is eliminated and replaced by melancholy and poignancy. Nozze di Figaro is no light-hearted comedy, but a weighty drama of Strinberg´sk proportions.

The set consist of the interior of a Victorian house with two staircases.
The Count is neurotic and guilt-ridden and seems genuinely to be in love with Susanna. Susanna does not know whom she loves and is genuinely attracted to the Count as well. Figaro is rather introverted and distraught. In comparison the Countess appears more conventional, though she does seem to have the affair with Cherubing she is accused of having. Cherubim a character invented by Claus Guth is a sort of love catalyst following everyone around as well as sitting on the Count´s back during his aria. Occasionally the characters appear frozen in time.

In my opinion this is a superb reimagination of Nozze di Figaro. But then I´ll have to admit not really being able to sit through a conventional Figaro production either.
Claus Guth´s new production of Don Giovanni will open at this years Salzburg Festival.

Conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt attracted almost as much attention as Claus Guth. Yes, he does set some slow tempi. But not nearly as slow as Pierre Boulez´ Wagner is fast. And not nearly controversial enough to justify the debate about it, in my opinion. And despite the tempi, he is far from the poignant Mozartian of Böhm and Klemperer that he has been made out to be. Lovers of period performances may still prefer to look elsewhere though.

There is not a single weak link in the stellar cast:

The normally very dashing Danish barytone Bo Skovhus is an agonizing and neurotic Count, earnestly in love with Susanna. Anna Netrebko´s is entirely convincing as a rather dark-toned and confused Susanna. Ildebrando d´Arcangelo is a rather grumpy Figaro. He looks great, and sings with character, which almost overshadows that fact that I really do not care for his voice. Christine Schäfer is superb as Cherubino looking exactly right, unusual casting as she is as a high soprano in this traditional mezzo part. Dorothea Röschmann is a stylistically elegant pure-voiced Countess in the most traditional interpretation of the cast.

The final scene:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Bo Skovhus: 4-5
Anna Netrebko: 5
Dorothea Röschmann: 4-5
Christine Schäfer: 5
Ildebrando d´Arcangelo: 4-5

Claus Guth´s staging: 5
Nikolaus Harnoncourt: 4

Overall impression: 5

Rosenkavalier at the Berlin Deutsche Oper

Rosenkavalier, Deutsche Oper Berlin, March 15th 2008. Production: Götz Friedrich. Cast: Elina Garanca (Oc), Christine Schäfer (Sophie), Michaela Kaune (Marschallin), Peter Rose (Ochs). Conductor: Philippe Auguin

Judged by the tremendous applause I don´t think anyone in the audience would disagree that this was an immensely well-sung performance of the Rosenkavalier (more here)- with Elina Garanca deservedly receiving the major applause for her quite fabulous Octavian: She has everything this role requires: A beautiful firm voice (in many ways reminding of the young Christa Ludwig), a great talent for comic acting, providing an very convincing portrayal of the young boy Octavian.

Equally convincing was Peter Rose as Ochs : Wonderful low notes, a steady voice, and again, a great talent for comic acting. Funny, but never exaggerates into the ridiculous, making this Ochs a believable character, not just a parody.

Christine Schäfer was Sophie, and despite beautiful, stylish singing, the Sophie train may have left, if it was ever there: Never a specialist in innocent girls portrayals, the part does not appear to suit her dramatically. Also Michaela Kaune, a fine, but not a stand-out as the Marschallin with a beautiful voice, but somewhat lacking in characterization.

Philippe Auguin was competent, but the true flow and elegance of this music never really was transmitted to the audience. And Götz Friedrich´s production is from 1993, which shows: Stylish, but dusty. Modern in the outlook, but with no real departures from the storyline or new interpretative angles.