DVD: Mattila Met Salome

Salome. DVD. Production: Jürgen Flimm. Cast: Karita Mattila (Salome), Ildiko Komlosi (Herodias), Kim Begley (Herodes), Juha Uusitalo (Jochanaan), Joseph Kaiser (Narraboth). Conductor: Patrick Summers.

Jürgen Flimm´s extraordinarily successful Salome production takes place a fictional totalitarian environment on the verge of a desert. The technical wood and glass constructions of the sets leading to Jochanaan´s underearthly prison resembles the grotesque and meaningless world of Franz Kafka and this half-desert setting complete with orthodox Jews and semi-naked executioners resonates extraordinarily well with the eeriness and perversion of the piece.

When the production opened in 2003, Karita Mattila scored one of the biggest successes of the past decades at the Met as Salome.
Karita Mattila´s Salome is a spoiled child who gradually slips into insanity. In the end you cannot help feeling sorry for this sick girl, who has been raving around the sets increasingly drunk and desperate for attention. The childlike naivity of the character fits Karita Mattila´s general mix of naive and shy stage appearance uncannily well, probably a major contributing factor to her success in this role. I cannot remember having seen such a tour de force performance and with such committed acting and emotional nakedness on stage. Vocally, she hits all the notes despite of the staging requiring her to assume the most impossible physical positions. However, being around 50 years, and her voice is beginning to show strain and I believe she has retired the role from her repertoire.

As expected, the cameras closed in on Herodes face at the end of the Dance of the Seven Veils instead of filming the naked Karita Mattila on stage (as she indeed was at the Met). However, this turned out to be entirely unimportant - the emotional nakedness of her Salome was simply devastating and is without doubt one of the great operatic performances of the past decades. Though, I´d expect it to have been even better in 2003.
The rest of the cast was generally fine, Juha Uusitalo the traditional wild Jochanaan in his company debut,
Kim Begley a rather dry-voiced, but convincing Herodes, and Ildikó Komlosi a somewhat better-than-usual looking Herodias.

Patrick Summers didn´t ruin it in the pit, however some intensity and perhaps a couple of ideas would not have been way off target.

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


Karita Mattila: 5
Juha Uusitalo: 3-4
Kim Begley: 3
Ildiko Komlosi: 4


Jürgen Flimm´s production: 4


Patrick Summers: 3


Overall impression: 4

Karita Mattila in superb Katia Kabanova DVD

DVD. Katia Kabanova  Teatro Real (Madrid) 2008. Prod: Robert Carsen, cond: Jiří Bělohlávek. Cast: Karita Mattila (Katya), Miroslav Dvorský (Boris), Dalia Schaechter (Kabanicha),  Guy De Mey (Tichon), Natascha Petrinsky (Varvara).

What more do you need to make an opera DVD than a stunningly beautiful staging, a divine heroine, great supporting cast and a superb conductor?
You do the following:
1) Hire Karita Mattila to play Katia, one of her best roles which she inhabits as no one else today. Even in her late forties, she convincingly portrays the feeling of this young woman with a sincerity that clearly moves the audience. If, she vocally may be a bit stranged in the upper range, her emotional intensitiy more than outweighs it.

2) Hire Robert Carsen, known for esthetic as well as minimalistic production. Here, the major part is played by the river Volga as the production is bathed in the most beautiful blue light, everything taking place on or in the water

3) Hire someone like Jiří Bělohlávek, who makes the score flow

4) Hire adequate supporting cast. No disrespect meant, but in Katia Kabanova, it is really Katia, who counts. Worth mentioning that Dalia Schaechter is a less ominous Kabanicha than most, but vocally fresh, not unimportant in what is often a post-retirement role for great dramatic sopranos of  the past.

The only DVD alternative, Christoph Marthaler´s Salzburg production is also superb and recommendable with an entirely different socio-realistic, but effective take on the opera. And while Angela Denoke is outstanding as Katia, she still has one level to go to to reach Karita Mattila.

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

Karita Mattila: 5

Robert Carsen: 5

Belohlavek: 5

Everyone else: 4-5

Overall impression: 5

DVD: Met Manon Lescaut

Manon Lescaut. Cast: Karita Mattila (Manon), Marcelo Giordani (des Grieux). Conductor: James Levine. Further information here.

Not a production adding to Peter Gelb´s image of The Met as a modern opera house, this Manon Lescaut looks mostly like the dusty interiors of a museum, and by the way has already been released on DVD decades ago with Plácido Domingo and Renata Scotto.

As Manon, Karita Mattila pretty much misses the boat sounding downright odd in her normally brilliant middle register, though once again demonstrating astonishing range of expressivity, particulary in an entirely convincing "sola, perduta, abbandonata". Partnered by committed, though perhaps not particularly elegant, singing from Marcello Giordano and a solid performance from Dwayne Croft was as voice as Manon´s brother.

All accompanied by a dynamic and spirited performance by James Levine.

And now The Met could use a new production of Manon Lescaut. Please.

Karita Mattila "In quelle trine morbide":

Munich: Karita Mattila and Christian Thielemann in all-Strauss program

The past 4 days (March 5-8th) Karita Mattila and Christian Thielemann have appeared together in three concerts with the Munich Philharmonics in Munich. Karita Mattila´s contribution to this all-Strauss programme was to sing Drei Hymnen.

Volker Boser writes in Abendzeitung (not online):

You have to thank Christian Thielemann for finally allowing us to see this extraordinary Finnish soprano live again. The three Hölderlin-Hymnen op. 71 requires the utmost level of excellence to bring off: The voice is like an instrument and has to go against the explosions of the orchestra. As Karita Mattila did this with wonderful legato, blooming high notes and the utmost distinction, she was simply tremendously convincing. Not only Munich, but also Christian Thielemann lay at her feet.

Paris: The 2003 Salome with Karita Mattila

Salome. Paris Bastille Opera 2003. Director: Lev Dodin. Cast: Karita Mattila (Salome), Falk Struckmann (Jochanaan), Chris Meritt (Herodes), Anja Silja (Herodias), William Burden (Narraboth). Conductor: James Conlon.

As it seems uncertain whether the Metropolitan Opera will release Karita Mattila´s recent Salome on DVD, what about releasing the 2003 Paris Bastille Opera production, the only other production in which Karita Mattila has sung Salome, and the production in which she made her role debut?

The production is certainly stylish, though perhaps not as inventive as Jürgen Flimm´s, which some may undoubtedly find an advantage. Admittedly, Lev Dodin doesn´t seem to contribute an excessive numbers of ideas to this Salome: The single set is pictured above and consists of a blue-yellow-reddish courtyard with a sideways moving moon in the background and Jochanaan located in a floor-level cage, sliding in and out of view.

Any drama in this production thus relies on the protagonist and needless to say Karita Mattila did not disappoint, with captivating acting on par with her MET performances and arguably in better vocal shape, though she is clearly approaching her vocal limit. And she does undress as well, except for a transparent black top..

Basically a one-woman show, however neither of the accompanying artistst (particularly Falk Struckmann in rather fine shape and Anja Silja with her usual presence) disappointed. And James Conlon presented a much more interesting reading of the score than any of the recent MET Salome conductors (Patrick Sumners and Valery Gergiev).

Karita Mattila - confrontation with Jochanaan:

Karita Mattila - final scene:

Posted by Operalou on YouTube

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

Karita Mattila: 5
Falk Struckmann: 4
Anja Silja: 4
Chris Merritt: 4

Lev Dodin´s production: 4

James Conlon: 4

Overall impression: 4-5

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.

Karita Mattila´s Arabella (Paris and London)

Arabella. Paris Châtelet 2002. Production: Peter Mussbach. Cast includes Karita Mattila (Arabella), Thomas Hampson (Mandryka), Barbara Bonney (Zdenka). Conductor: Christoph von Dohnanyu with the Philharmonia orchestra.

Another comment on a performance of the recent past, televised, but not released on DVD (hopefully yet).

A co-production with London Covent Garden where it played in 2004 with the same main cast. The Paris performances consititued the role debut for both Karita Mattila and Thomas Hampson as Arabella and Mandryka, respectively.

Karita Mattila quite simply is a wonderful Arabella. The characterization of Arabella with Mattilas´s touch of awkward shyness and naivity is utterly convincing. As is her simply flourishing beautiful voice.

Also Madryka is an almost ideal part for Thomas Hampson.

Peter Mussbach´s production is admittedly rather strange. It all takes place in one set, depicting a ultra-modern hotel lobby, with a golden very narrow spiral staircase and unmoving escalators connecting the various levels of the sets. However, while the hotel configuration doesn´t disturb much, it doesn´t add much, either..

Now we have only the Renée Fleming DVD among the modern interpretations of Arabella. I´d say a release of this production and/or the Vienna production with Adrianne Pieczonka would be most welcome.

Karita Mattila, Barbara Bonney "Aber der richtige":

Karita Mattila and Thomas Hampson "Er will mich heiraten.."

Karita Matila and Thomas Hampson - "Das war sehr gut Mandryka":

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

Karita Mattila: 5
Thomas Hampson: 5
Barbara Bonney:4
Hugh Smith: 4

Peter Mussbach: 4

Christoph von Dohnanyi: 4

Overall impression: 4-5

Videos originally posted by operalou

Karita Mattila´s Salome revisited - Met 2008

Salome, Metropolitan Opera, September 23th 2008. Director: Jürgen Flimm. Cast: Karita Mattila (Salome), Kim Begley (Herodes), Juha Uusitalo (Jochanaan), Ildiko Komlosi (Herodias). Conductor: Patrick Summers.


I´ve previously posted audio clips from Karita Mattila´s 2003 Metropolitan Opera Salome, as well as video clips from her Paris Salome performances.

Reviews: New York Times, Financial Times, Concertonet

A reader has sent me this excellent live report, which I will reprint unredacted:


The Jürgen Flimm production of Salome, notable particularly for Karita Mattila's star turn in the title role, opened in its first revival in New York on September 23.

The production itself is set roughly between the wars and the action is portrayed as a party at Herod's place, set in the desert. Most of the action takes place on a glass floor with a spiral staircase at the back and Jochonaans' cistern on the right side of the stage. The principals and party guests are wearing modern dress with the soldiers sporting late colonial era uniforms. The photos above give an excellent idea of the setting. The updated setting and and costumes aside the production is faithful to the libretto and while Flimm offered no distinctive insights the direction was first rate. The production itself recieved mixed reviews originally but has worn well.

Karita Mattila portrays the spoilt, capricious princess turned psychopath magnificently. Every gesture, every move, every look, every vocal inflection captures Salome's whims, desires and descent into madness. Vocally she is quite magnificent with but a couple of minor cavils. At the beginning of the opera there was a bit of strain and sharpness in the highs and register shifts were not entirely undetectable. The midrange was spectacular throughout, the bottom of the voice fantastic when called upon and as the evening wore on the whole became a seamless, lustrous glorious instrument. In sum a portrayal for the ages.

Juha Uusitalo, in his Met debut, made an excellent Jochanaan. His warm, evenly produced large bass baritone was closer in vocal distinction to Terfel than Albert Döhmen in 2004 and he portray the prophet with considerable dignity. On this hearing he would seem to be an entirely suitable Wotan for Vienna or the Met.

Ildiko Komlosi was quite excellent vocally and dramatically as Herodias, holding a bottle neck by the napkin throughout and progressing from a light buzz to complete inebriation with great conviction. Also she looked kinda hot.

Kim Begley was fine if somewhat dry voiced as Herod.

The orchestra was its magnificent self but Patrick Summers offered somewhat less detail and perhaps intensity than Gergiev 4 years ago. He was also excessively loud in a number of passages, occasionally drowning out Mattila and Uusitalo who have more than enough voice for normal accompaniment.

Mostly Ratings:

Kaita Mattila 5
Juha Uusitalo 4.5
Ildiko Komlosi 4 - 4.5
Kim Begley 2.5 - 3

Patrick Summers 3.5

Flimm production 4

Overall impression 4.5

Simon Boccanegra on DVD: Almost saved by Claudio Abbado and Karita Mattila

Simon Boccanegra. Teatro Comunale Firenze (Maggio Musicale Fiorentino) 2002. Production: Peter Stein. Cast: Carlo Guelfi (Simon Boccanegra), Julian Kostantinov (Fiesco), Karita Matila (Amelia), Gabriele Adorno (Vincenzo La Scola), Lucio Gallo (Paolo Albiani). Conductor: Claudio Abbado. Further information here.

Peter Stein´s production of Simon Boccanegra was recorded at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in 2002 and is a coproducton with the Salzburg Easter Festival.

In brief: This is a production memorable for the presence of Karita Mattila and Claudio Abbado.

In other words: Peter Stein´s staging is rather unspectacular. Simple, dark and aesthetic, yes. But interpretatively I have no idea what his messages are. We look at projections of pillars, houses and mosaics in the background of the mainly blue sets, in which the only contrast seem to be the predominantly red period outfits worn by the singers. Any individual stage direction or concept does simply not get through here.

Except for Karita Mattila, the singers are very anonymous and not to be remembered (or mentioned any further, at least not by me), and only with the entrance of Amelia does the stage seem to lighten up.
A pity really for Claudio Abbado, whose superbly conducted Simon Boccanegra need fear comparison from no-one in history as already documented on his bench-mark audio recording.
Unfortuntately, Karita Mattila and Claudio Abbado cannot entirely save this production.

Karita Mattila with "Come in quest´ora bruna" :

The bottom line:
Carlo Guelfi: 2-3
Julio Konstantinov: 2-3
Vincenzo La Scala: 2-3
Karita Mattila: 5

Peter Stein´s production: 2-3
Claudio Abbado: 5
Overall impression: 3

DVD: Meistersinger from the MET

Die meistersinger von Nürnberg. Director: Otto Schenk. Metropolitan Opera 2002. Cast: James Morris (Sachs), René Pape (Pogner), Karita Mattila (Eva), Ben Heppner (Walther), Thomas Allen (Beckmesser). Conductor: James Levine. Further details here

The combination of the Metropolitan Opera and Otto Schenk equals a no surprise rock-solid traditional staging. 16th century Nürnberg looks like 16th century Nürnberg, the sets are sumptuous, exquisite, beautiful as well as historically correct (more or less) and the libretto is followed attentively. In short: Wagner as Wagner wrote it, no interpretation applied by the director. A refuge from all the troubles of everyday life right into 16th century Nürnberg.

However -Is there not more to Meistersinger than this? Some will say, this is enough: To follow the so-called "composers intentions", though I secretly suspect Wagner quickly would have tired of 16th century Nürnberg and preferred some of the avant-garde stagings performed almost everywhere else...

Personally I´d prefer a director to provide new insights into the main characters and their relations. This may be done in 16th century Nürnberg as well as in a spaceship. But unfortunately it was not done/attempted here. Instead the singers look like being left to their own devices in developing their characters.

Nevertheless, there are many things to like here, despite the cast as a whole suffers from the classic opera singer dilemma being an inverse relationship between singing and appearance. Ben Heppner and Karita Mattila sang well but both looked out of place. James Morris looked excellent but was not in good voice. Only René Pape and Thomas Allen both looked fine and sang well.

James Morris, voice apart, is a wonderful Hans Sachs. Dramatically his gently fatherly demeanor convinces, and I find his interpretation superb. However...He was not in good voice here. Strangely enough, most of his problems are in the lower register, being almost completely replaced by an intolerable wobble. This is the best portrait of the character Hans Sachs available on the DVD. But the actual singing..that´s the problem.

Again, Ben Heppner may have a glorious voice, but as a singing actor he is entirely uninteresting physically as well as dramatically. Even the vocal characterization is lacking, and furthermore there is absolutely no stage chemistry between him and Karita Mattila´s Eva. Vocally, Karita Mattila is ideal as Eva, and the mix of insecurity, shyness and childish naivety she displays is ideal for this part, but somehow she looks out of place in this production - the lack of believable stage interaction between her and both Heppner and Morris plays a not insignificant part here.

René Pape is the perfect Pogner, unless, of course, one takes offense of the fact that he, once again, is by far the youngest and best looking of the male cast (as well as the overall best singer) and isn´t even made up to pretend to look like anyone´s father. Looking towards the future, I do wonder how the part of Hans Sachs will eventually suit him - no doubt he vocally will be able to sing it (and sing it vastly better than anyone else as well), but does this part really suit him dramatically? Wotan and The Dutchman, no doubt yes. But Hans Sachs? Obviously, that remains to be seen.
Thomas Allen is a fine Beckmesser, both well sung and acted. Allen is an excellent physical comedian capable of conveying malice as well. He is the bad guy - no doubt.

James Levine, once again flashing the smooth and well-tuned Metropolitan Opera Orchestra with the highly polished, but ultimately unengaging sound. Admittedly, it is not easy to bring this score alive, but more sparkle is needed. For the truly beautiful and sparkling sound, go for Christian Thielemann. For the dynamic and engaging sound go for Daniel Barenboim. For the straight, non-sentimental approach go for Georg Solti.

This is by a wide margin the best Metropolitan Wagner opera on DVD (which admittedly does not say much).

Act 3 "Ein kind war hier geboren":

The bottom line:

James Morris: 4
Karita Mattila: 4
Ben Heppner: 2
Thomas Allen: 4
René Pape: 5

James Levine: 4
Schenk´s staging: 3

Overall impression: 4

Fidelio on DVD: Mattila, Pape, Levine in Flimm´s superb MET production

Fidelio. Metropolitan Opera 2002. Director: Jürgen Flimm. Cast: Karita Mattila (Leonore), Ben Heppner (Florestan), René Pape (Rocco), Falk Struckmann (Pizarro), Matthew Polenzani (Jaquino), Jennifer Welch-Babidge (Marzelline). Conductor: James Levine. Further information here.

Jürgen Flimm´s new production of Fidelio was considered controversial at the Metropolitan Opera premiere in 2000, for reasons I do not entirely understand, as I find it quite traditional in both concept and execution.
Agreed, the action has been transferred to the 20th century, set in an unspecific police state, handguns are seen, and A President, as opposed to a A Minister arrives at the end, but basically the well-known storyline is followed from A to Z, leaving any controversy entirely at the superficial level. The walls may be grey, but after all it is a prison. On the other hand, the entire cast is colourfully clad.

There is not one single weak link in this excellent cast of singing actors/acting singers:

Finnish soprano Karita Mattila virtually shines as Leonore in a part that seems written for her and furthermore this production brings out all her strengths as a performer. Vocally, the part lies perfect for her voice, much of it in the middle register, where she has the necessary weight and her high Bs are rock solid. Her slightly awkward/shy air on stage furthermore is to her advantage in this trouser role, which she manages to pull off vocally while at the same time remaining believable on stage. Furthermore she remains true to Beethoven´s phrasings and the classical style (as opposed to the Wagnerian floating style applied by others in this part). I cannot imagine a better casting of this role.

German bass René Pape is vocally perfect as a curiously disorientated and disheveled Rocco, with a completely different air about him on stage than usual, as well as applying an edginess rarly seen in the part. Falk Struckmann´s voice basically gives the impression of a character-baritone, but as Pizarro, he is effective. Ben Heppner delivers his one aria in this one-aria role satisfying from a vocal point of view, but a romantic hero he will never be, even less a convincing actor.

Fine performance from James Levine and the orchestra, with considerably more density and edge than he applies to Wagner, though the tempi tended to be on the fast side (for him).

This Fidelio production is still traveling the world- last season it was seen at the London Royal Opera and next season it moves to the Barcelona Liceu. On both occasions with Karita Mattila as Leonore.

Strongly recommended as the Fidelio-DVD, if any, to own as well as being one of the best DVDs to be released from the Metropolitan Opera.

Video clip from this production "Mir ist so wunderbar" - Quartett with Mattila, Pape, Polenzani and Welsh-Babidge:

The bottom line:

Karita Mattila: 5
Ben Heppner: 3
René Pape: 5
Falk Struckmann: 4
James Levine: 4
Jürgen Flimm´s production: 5

Overall impression: 5

Karita Mattila

Karita Mattila as Salome (Metropolitan Opera 2004)

Link to all posts related to Karita Mattila on mostly opera here.

KARITA MATTILA - CAREER

Karita Mattila, Finnish soprano. Born 1960, Somero, Finland.
Education: Sibelius Academy, Helsinki. Further studies with Vera Rozsa.
Winner of the first Cardiff Singer of the World competition 1983.

Karita Mattila´s career initially centered around Mozart (Pamina, Countess, Donna Elvira) with debuts at Covent Garden (1985) and the Metropolitan Opera 1990 (Countess). A heavy performance schedule during these early years led to a vocal crisis requiring surgery on her vocal chords in 1992, one of the reasons she currently limits her annual performances to about 50. Karita Mattila´s career seemed to have reached a plateau in the early 90´s, however in the mid-90´s she re-emerged in the lyric-dramatic repertoire with highly acclaimed interpretations such as Chrysothemis (Salzburg 1995) and Elsa (Paris 1996), and she is now one of the absolutely leading sopranos of her generation with performances in all major opera houses, in particular the Metropolitan Opera.
Karita Mattila is reknowned for the beauty and versatility of her lyric-dramatic voice, with an exceptionally beautiful middle register as well as for her extraordinary stage ability and range of expressivity. Karita Mattila is also an admired recitalist and exponent of new music, particularly that of compatriot Kaija Saariaho, who also wrote a song cycle for her, Quatre Instants in 2002 as well as an opera Emilie du Chatelet in 2010.
Karita Mattila on the profession:

"It doesn't do any harm if you look good and take care of yourself. I lost 40 pounds through Weight Watchers when I was 22 and I am glad I did it. I wasn't fat, but I was plump, and I didn't feel comfortable. It has been an eternal battle. It has nothing to do with vanity; it's just to serve your work by looking the part.""I don't break my contracts for personal reasons because I owe it to my audience to be there. If it has already been announced that I will be singing there, then I think it would be very unprofessional for me to cancel."

"There is always room at the top, and it is very windy, meaning that it is harder to be at the top than on the way up."

KARITA MATTILA - KEY ROLES AND PERFORMANCES

Elsa (Lohengrin) - Paris Bastille Opera 1996 (d: Carsen), Metropolitan Opera 1998, 2006 (d: Robert Wilson). Her immensely beautiful middle register and secure top made Karita Mattila the ideal Elsa, a role she now seems to have retired from her repertoire. She was unsurpassed in this role, possibly her finest to date.

Chrysothemis (Elektra) - according to Mattila, this role in Salzburg 1995 marked her transition from Mozart to the heavier lyric-dramatic repertoire, for which she is reknowned today. She seems to have retired this part as well.

Fidelio - Metropolitan Opera, London ROH (MET premiere 2001, d: Flimm) - also on DVD. One of Karita Mattila´s signature roles, which she continues to perform worldwide.

Katya Kabanova, Jenufa, Emilia Marty - Karita Mattila has a special affinity for Janacek´s heroines, which she continues to perform at major stages worldwide, as in the DVD released Katya Kabanova in Madrid 2008

Salome - Paris Bastille Opera 2003 and Metropolitan Opera 2004 and 2008 (also on DVD). Karita Mattila´s Salome is among the most admired operatic performances of the last decade. Sound clips from the 2004 Met performance and video clips from her Paris Salome here.
Review of Karita Mattila´s 2008 Met Salome, which was also transmitted live in HD and released on DVD.

Puccini heroines - Tosca (Met Opening Season 2009 released on DVD and Bavarian State Opera 2010), which she sang to mixed reviews and now seems to have retired. Manon Lescaut (among others Metropolitan Opera 2008, also released on DVD).

Previously, Karita Mattila had major successes in the Italian repertoire such as Elisabeth in Don Carlos (d: Bondy, Covent Garden and Châtelet - also on DVD) and Amelia in Simon Boccanegra (d: Stein, c: Abbado, Salzburg and Firenze - also on DVD) as well as Ballo di Maschera. Other successes include Hanna Glawari (Merry Widow), Tatiana, Arabella and Lisa (Pique Dame).

Karita Mattila has been working closely for over a decade with finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, creating Emilie in Emilie du Chatelet in 2010.

KARITA MATTILA - THE FUTURE

Karita Mattila has previously stated she will probably sing Sieglinde in the future.
There have been speculations of Karita Mattila singing Isolde, to which she has replied: "Maybe, maybe, one day. But -- not without a Tristan. I have a feeling you can't do that opera without a Tristan."

KARITA MATTILA ON CD (SELECTED)

Strauss: Orchestral Songs, Four Last Songs (Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonics, 2999, DG). Karita Mattila has had an extensive collaboration with Claudio Abbado, who considered her voice ideal for a wide range of repertoire.
Karita Mattila - Live in Helsinki (2007, Ondine) - A stunning recital performance of songs by Rachmaninov, Saariaho, Dvôrak, and Duparc.
Gurrelieder (Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonics 2002, EMI)Meistersinger (Solti 1998, Decca) Overall I´d recommend this as the version to own.
Jenufa (Bernhard Haitink, Covent Garden 2002, Erato)Karita Mattila recently released a successful jazz CD, as well as previous cross-over recordings.

Full discography here.

KARITA MATTILA ON DVD (SELECTED)

Meistersinger (Levine, Metropolitan Opera 2001, d: Schenk)
Don Carlos (Pappano, Paris Châtelet 1996, d: Luc Bondy)
Fidelio (Levine, Metropolitan Opera 2001, d: Flimm)
Simon Boccanegra (Abbado, Firenze 2002, d: Stein)
Manon Lescaut (Levine, The Met 2008)
Salome (Summers, The Met 2009)
Katya Kabanova (Behlohavek, Madrid 2009)
Tosca (Colaneri, Metropolitan Opera 2009)

Full discography here.

Karita Mattila as Salome (Lev Dodin production, Paris Bastille 2003):

Karita Mattila as Elsa (Lohengrin, Paris Bastille 1996, Robert Carsen´s production):

KARITA MATTILA - LIVE PERFORMANCES REVIEWED BY MOSTLY OPERA

Fidelio, ROH London 2007

KARITA MATTILA - LINKS

All posts on mostly opera related to Karita Mattila
Karita Mattila complete performances at the Metropolitan Opera
Wikipedia biography on Karita Mattila

Renée Fleming finally with Arabella on DVD

Excerpt from Renée Fleming´s portrait of Arabella ("Aber der richtige") from the DVD just released from the Zurich Opera House:

The production is an old one by Götz Friedrich. Danish barytone Morten Frank Larsen was a last-minute replacement for Thomas Hampson as Mandryka. Welser-Möst conducts.

Renée Fleming really shines in Richard Strauss´ music as virtually nobody else on stage today. 50 years ago, she would have had some tough competition, though:

Lisa della Casa also with "Aber der richtige" from Arabella.

As an afterthought (see comment one), there is another singer of today, who belongs here:

Karita Mattila again with "Aber der richtige" from Arabella (production from Paris). The beauty of her middle register is just immense..

Wagner - five DVD recommendations for those who do not like (know?) Wagner

A reader has asked for a recommendation of three Wagner DVDs for those who do not like/know Wagner´s music. I will give five...

My main criteria for selecting these videos are simply those that I find provide the best introduction to Wagner´s music in relatively updated productions of a reasonable quality. Thus no Tristan, no Parsifal, no Ring, no vintage DVDs with historic singers. Comments and suggestions are, of course, most welcome.

A brief look at the attached videos may hopefully help to decide before buying..

1. The Flying Dutchman. Highly acclaimed production from Bayreuth 1985 by Harry Kupfer, who essentially sees the opera as Senta´s dream.

Final scene below with Simon Estes (Dutchman) and Lisbeth Baslev (Senta):

2. Lohengrin. Either 1) Konwitschny´s class-room staging from Barcelona Liceu in 2006. Very innovative Regietheater, where the opera takes place in a class-room, the protagonists being children. Definitely a fresh view on the work. To be honest, I do not like it, as it takes too much focus away from the music, but for those unacquainted with Wagner, it may serve as an entertaining introduction.

Lohengrin and Elsa´s wedding in the classroom (John Treleaven, Emily Magee and Luana DeVol):

or 2) the elegant Lohengrin choice: Lehnhoff´s production from Baden-Baden 2006 - my personal Lohengrin favourite, not the least because this features the incomparable Waltraud Meier as Ortrud.

Below - the confrontation between Ortrud and Elsa in front of the church (Waltraud Meier and Solveig Kringelborn):

3. Tannhäuser: David Alden´s modern, very aesthetic Tannhäuser production from Munich 1994.

Confrontation between Tannhäuser (René Kollo) and Venus (Waltraud Meier):

4. Walküre - Patrice Chéreau´s historic staging from Bayreuth 1976. Still the most moving version I have seen of this work. Perhaps my top-recommendation for introducing oneself to Wagners work...

Below: Confrontation between Matti Salminen (Hunding), Peter Hofmann (Siegmund) and Jeannine Altmeyer (Sieglinde):

5. For those not keen on modern productions: Meistersinger from The Metropolitan Opera 2001. The best "traditional" Wagner DVD on the market, to my taste. With Karita Mattila, James Morris, Ben Heppner and René Pape.

Scene from Act 3 in Hans Sachs´ living room :

MET HD 2008-9 schedule

UPDATE 22/4: The MET has now officially confirmed the schedule posted below (link here) without alterations. In addition the opening night is also transmitted, but only in North America.


Saturday, October 11, 2008
Salome
Franck; Mattila, Komlósi, Begley, Kaiser, Uusitalo

Saturday, November 8, 2008
Dr. Atomic
Gilbert; Cooke, Arwady, Finley, Fink, Owens

Saturday, November 22, 2008
Le Damnation de Faust
Levine; Graham, Giordani, Relyea

Saturday, December 20, 2008
Thais
López-Cobos; Fleming, Schade, Hampson

Saturday, January 10, 2009
La Rondine
Armiliato; Gheorghiu, Oropesa, Alagna, Brenciu, Ramey

Saturday, January 24, 2009
Orfeo
Levine; de Niese, Murphy, Blythe

Saturday, February 7, 2009
Lucia di Lammermoor
Armiliato; Netrebko, Villazón, Kwiecien, Abdrazakov

Saturday, March 7, 2009
Madama Butterfly
Summers; Gallardo-Domâs , Zifchak, Giordani, Croft

Saturday, March 21, 2009
La Sonnambula
Pidò; Dessay, Flórez, Pertusi

Saturday, May 9, 2009
La Cenerentola
Benini; Garanca, Brownlee, Alberghini, Corbelli, Relyea

I must admit I was surprised, that they are not (as yet) broadcasting the first Ring Cycle (the matinée cycle playing over four Saturdays). Still room for changes, I suppose, though the programme does look splendid, indeed.

Starry DVD Don Carlos from the Paris Châtelet

Don Carlos. Paris Châtelet 1996. Production: Bondy. Cast: Karita Mattila (Elisabeth), Roberto Alagna (Don Carlos), Thomas Hampson (Rodrigo), Waltraud Meier (Eboli). Conductor: Antonio Pappano. Further information here.

Luc Bondy is the director of this very elegant and stylish Don Carlos production, recorded live at the Châtelet Opera, Paris in 1996. The sets are simple, no attempts at showing "contemporary relevance" in the dressing, and following the libretto more or less closely. Here, Elisabeth is sleeping in Philip´s bed during the monologue - in Konwitschny´s Vienna production Eboli sleeps there. And Don Carlos is saved at last as well. Perhaps the highlight of this production is the very beautiful "lacrymosa" scene (later to be incorporated into the Requiem) in which Philip and Carlos lament the death of Posa.

A starry cast was assembled for this production lead by the superb Karita Mattila as Elisabeth and the equally fine Waltraud Meier as Eboli both with plenty of stage charisma as well as brilliant singing. It´s often been said that Waltraud Meier does not fit in well with this sort of repertoire, but here she seems more than fine. Together with Karita Mattila´s Act 5 aria, she got the biggest applause after the "Don Fatale" aria.

While Thomas Hampson was a rather anonymous Posa (why does he need to have such long hair?), José Van Dam was good, although a bit dry-voiced as Philip and dramatically very convincing. Eric Halfvarson´s Inquisitor scrambled around the floor and while rather flat vocally, he was a genuinely menacing dramatic presence. And finally Roberto Alagna... there is something very sleek about both his presence and singing here that frankly irritates me. But not the audience judged by the raptuous reception he got. Fine performance also from the orchestra conducted by Antonio Pappano.

In short, musically this performance is superior to the Konwitschny staging from Vienna, although the latter may boast of a more imaginative staging.

Karita Mattila with Elisabeth´s big Act 5 aria:

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

Roberto Alagna: 4
Karita Mattila: 5
Waltraud Meier: 5
Thomas Hampson: 4
José Van Dam: 4

Luc Bondy´s staging: 4

Antonio Pappano: 4-5

Overall impression: 4-5

Karita Mattila´s Salome

Karita Mattila´s Salome documented with the below video clips from her 2003 Paris Salome debut and audio clips from the Metropolitan 2004 run of performances of Jürgen Flimms´s production, revived in 2008/9. Review of the 2009 Met performance here.

Karita Mattila is the best Salome I´ve heard since Ljuba Welitsch, The timbre of Mattila´s voice is just incredibly moving in a way that´s difficult to explain, but which is apparent from the video clips below.

Confrontation with Jochanaan - Paris (James Conlon conducts, Falk Struckmann is Jochanaan)

Final scene - part 1:

Final scene - part 2:

Posted by Operalou on YouTube

Salome, Final Scene Part 1, Metropolitan 2004, Audio with clips from the production:

Salome, Final Scene Part 2, Metropolitan 2004, Audio with clips from the production:

Salome, First Confrontation with Jochanaan, Metropolitan 2004, Audio with clips from the production:

Salome, Second Confrontation with Jochanaan, Metropolitan 2004, Audio with clips from the production:

2007 mostly opera awards: The best, the worst, the funniest, the most boring......

Top 5 operatic performances of 2007:

1. Tristan and Isolde, La Scala, Milano (review here)
2. Tristan and Isolde, Munich (review here)
3. Parsifal, Berlin State Opera (review here)
4. Don Giovanni, Berlin State Opera (review here)
5. Meistersinger, Bayreuth (review here)

Top 3 non-operatic performances of 2007:

1. Wagner Gala in Munich (review here)
2. Renée Fleming in Thaïs (review here)
3. Pollini recital in Salzburg (review here)

Worst performance: Hans Neuenfels´ staging of the Magic Flute at Komische Oper in Berlin. I´ve tried to forget it, but at times like this, it just pops up (review will follow soon).

Best opera on CD: Testaments release of the complete 1956 Keilberth Ring from Bayreuth. It beats every other version out there, even Solti. Link here.

Best opera on DVD: The complete Kupfer/Barenboim Bayreuth Ring. It´s also top of my Ring DVD list now. Link here.

Best recital disc: Karita Mattila´s Helsinki recital. More here.

Best singer: This will have to be split between René Pape and Waltraud Meier. René Pape for: Filip, Boris Godunov, Gurnemanz, Marke, Hunding and Don G. (link here) Waltraud Meier for these Isoldes. And Ortrud as well. And Sieglinde (link here).

Best conductor: Daniel Barenboim. For the unparallelled intensity he generates conducting Wagner live. And Mozart as well. For: Parsifal, Tristan and Don Giovanni (link here). With Christian Thielemann a close runner-up for that magnificent Bayreuth-Ring.

Best director: Patrice Chéreau. For this. With Dmitri Tcherniakov as a runner-up. For this and this.

Best opera seen on TV/in cinema: Eugene Onegin from the MET. More here. Searing. Unbelievably moving. (Chéreau´s Tristan has moved to the "live opera" category or would otherwise probably have won this category).

Biggest disappointment: To have to close my ears to the awful singing in Siegfried Act III in Wagner´s own theater in Bayreuth, while at the same time listening to Thielemann´s magnificent conducting. More here.

Biggest surprise: To suddenly find myself on stage in Carl Nielsen´s opera Maskarade at the Royal Danish Opera. More here.

Most misunderstood: Katharina Wagner´s staging of Meistersinger in Bayreuth. Claiming that she is an exceptionally radical stage director is simply far off the mark, and is due to the fact that almost nobody has actually seen her work, which lies plainly within the ”modern” German staging tradition and not the slightest radical. More here.

Most ridiculous: The whole game of succession regarding the leadership of the Bayreuth Festival. More here.

Strangest and most amazing: Being in Bayreuth and attending the performances in the Festival House. More here.

Worst behaviour: Bryn Terfel canceling the ROH Ring at almost no notice. More here.

Best behaviour: Reading here about how Plácido Domingo took time to go backstage between acts and meet his fans at the Royal Opera Walküre and apparently was very pleasant as well.

Most generous: When a stranger gave me a free first-rate ticket to the Pollini recital in Salzburg immediately before the performance. More here.

Most irritating: Sitting almost in front of Daniel Barenboim at a Pierre Boulez concert in Berlin, where he was continuously shuffling some papers very noisily around for the entire concert..only to find out that the day after we were sitting right beside him at another Pierre Boulez concert (with the same paper shuffling going on…) .

Most boring: Regardless of excellent productions, and performances of the highest musical quality, baroque operas just are very long…. (no link, since it´s really not the performers fault that baroque opera doesn´t appeal to me)

Most funny: Attending Hoffmann´s tales ath the Royal Opera in Copenhagen an evening where both the tenor lead and substitute were ill and were substituted by….the conductor! More here.

Most disappointing statement: That René Pape has canceled Hans Sachs in Berlin 2008. More here.

Most exciting statement: That he will sing Wotan at La Scala 2010. And Waltraud Meier will be Brünnhilde. More here.

Phenomenal Karita Mattila Helsinki recital

Karita Mattila - Helsinki Recital. Accompanied by Martin Katz. Released 2007. Further information here.

From the moment of the eerie opening of Duparc´s L´invitation au voyage you know that this is very special recital. Performing in front of an electric sold-out Finnish National opera, Karita Mattila accompanied by Martin Katz simply gives one of the most moving and exciting vocal discs I´ve ever heard.

Karita Mattila starts out with five songs by Duparc, creating an almost eerie sense of expectation as well as being perfectly suited to expose her velvety middle register. Followed by Kaija Saariaho´s song cycle "Quatre instants", which is written for Karita Mattila. Set to the poems by Maalouf these songs bring Karita Mattila to the absolute limits of expressiveness. She clearly gives everything and stretches her voice to the maximum. Songs by Rachmaninov and Dvôrak (Gypsy Songs) make up the remainder of the program, all displaying Karita Mattila at her best - a little raw, never polished, maximally expressive and with a middle register without competition today. All splendidly accompanied by Martin Katz.

I cannot recommend this disc highly enough. If you are only going to buy one recital disc this year, make it this one.

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

5

Karita Mattila´s Fidelio at the Royal Opera

Fidelio. Royal Opera, Covent Garden. June 2007. Production: Jürgen Flimm. Cast: Karita Mattila (Leonore), Eric Halfvarsson (Rocco), Endrik Wottrich (Florestan), Terje Stensvold (Pizzarro). Conductor: Antonio Pappano.

This Jürgen Flimm production of Fidelio has previously been seen at the Metropolitan Opera and was considered controversial when it opened in 2000. Why, I find it hard to see.

Jürgen Flimm´s Fidelio is text-book straight-forward, no-nonsense, following Beethoven´s "script". Yes, it does take place in an unspecified time-period, probably mid-20th century in a totalitarian state. We do see handguns, and A President as opposed to A Minister arrives towards the end. But that pretty much sums up the controversy, as I see it. Furthermore Jürgen Flimm is very detailed in his direction of the singers and there is constantly activity on stage, though not approaching my irritation threshold.

Finnish soprano Karita Mattila is a radiant Fidelio, a part optimally suited to her unique air of shyness combined with determination, her wonderful middle-register and straight-forward singing, with a minimum of portamento. The velvety beauty of her middle must be among the most beautiful things on an opera stage today. Emotionally involved as well as vocally convincing. As she appeared here, Karita Mattila seemed the ideal Fidelio.

The magnificent Norwegian bass-barytone Terje Stensvold was Pizzaro. Employed for 30 years at the Norwegian National Opera before embarking on an international career 5-6 years ago, at 60 he now seems to be everywhere, with a voice effortly filling the auditorium.
Endrik Wottrich, with the dubious pleasure of being completely overpowered by Terje Stensvold in the Stockholm Walküre, delivered his one aria (well). Eric Halfvarsson was in more steady voice than is often the case for him at this point in his careeer as Rocco.

But...what happened in the pit? The orchestra conducted by Antonio Pappano sounded disorganised, dissynchronized, dis---whatever. Better luck next time. Really.

Ticket prices at the Royal Opera are what they are, obviously. And, it may be argued, if the quality of performances are three times as high as anywhere else, they obviously would be justified..

The Metropolitan run of this Fidelio production (with Karita Mattila, Ben Heppner and René Pape) is released on DVD.