Katharina Wagners Meistersinger: A winner on DVD

Meistersinger. DVD. Bayreuth Festival 2008. Production: Katharina Wagner. Conductor: Sebastian Weigle. Dast: Franz Hawlata (Hans Sachs), Michael Volle (Sixtus Beckmesser), Michaela Kaune (Eva), Klaus Florian Vogt (Walther Von Stolzing), Norbert Ernst (David), Carola Guber (Magdalene), Artur Korn (Veit Pogner), Markus Eiche (Fritz Kothner), Friedemann Röhlig (Ein Nachtwächter).

I remember very well this production, the first I saw in the BayreuthFestival house in 2007. Arriving at the last minute, I squeezed into my hard seat on the 25^th row followed this spectacle, which had opened a few weeks earlier, to almost universal criticism.

For some reason, Meistersinger normally receives a very traditional treatment even by directors otherwise renowned for inventive staging. Perhaps it was the depart from this “traditionalisation”  that made many criticise Katharina Wagner´s staging? Or perhaps the fact that the succession (to Wolfgang Wagner as Festival Director) at that time was very much debated, and that she, as his grand-daughter was judged as much politically as artistically? I, for one, remember having seen dozens of negative comments related to this staging from people who had not even seen it at the time. Anyway I found at the time, and I still find now, that this staging is more than interesting, and the DVD with the frequent use of close-up, provide myriad of details, which were impossible to notice from the 25^th row in the house. Especially the last 45 minutes are quite extraordinary, presenting a daring and entirely novel interpretation:

To truly enjoy this staging you will probably need to accept/agree that this opera is an allegory of changes in society; about how society reacts to change and how much change it can accept:

In Act 1 we are in a 19^th century brotherhood of sorts: Traditionally clad “meistersingers” sit around the table, reading small yellow books of German classics. At that time, Sachs, barefoot, is a slightly controversial outsider. But not nearly as controversial as the modern-dress Walther, who sprays paint on everything and everybody. Not a singer, but a painter, the point is driven through, by him assembling a puzzle of Nürnberg all in disorder compared to Beckmessers perfectly assembled Nürnberg puzzle.

In Act 2, the sullen Eva hangs around what looks like an East-German Canteen in the 1950´s, where Sachs sits with his typewriter in the corner. In the only hint at shoemaking, sneakers seem to be dropping from the sky and all ends in an orgy of paint-throwing.

The real stuff begins in Act 3: Now Beckmesser is suddenly the outcast with his T-shirt “Beck in Town” and finds himself in Sach´s fancy apartment, where the heads of the old German masters (Brahms etc.) dancing in the background. Sachs, with his elegant suit, is now constructing a neat idealised family-concept literally within the frames of a doll-house for Walther and Eva to be filmed in. How come this sudden change? Then, in the choral scene preceding the “wach auf”, Sachs is captured and tied to a chair by these heads while they, often clad in underwear, perform a weird dance and Eva blindfolded walks amidst them. What is going on here, seriously? Next however, Katharina Wagners master-stroke begin in earnest with an eerie scene in which Sachs´s helpers capture a stage director and conductor, putting them in a coffin, starting the fire to burn them exactly at the “wach auf” in a scene reminiscent of the Nazi epoque. Very strong theater, indeed. Et voila, what comes out of the coffin? A golden calf it seems. When a model of the auditorium emerges from under stage, we the audience are double spectators to Walther bringing home a check of 10.000 from the Nürnberg Bank, while Beckmesser now is an outcast.

The staging requires a familiarity with German culture, both ancient and present, that I perhaps do not have and there are myriads of details to discover here, as the pace is furious, especially in the third act.

To summarize, Sachs and Walther essentially submit to conformism while Beckmesser moves in the other direction. 

No, Katharina Wagner does not have all the answers and admittedly the staging of the first act seems a bit heavy-handed. But then again, the first act is really long and not for the first time do I wish Wagner would have lived to revise (read: shorten) it, though I have no idea if he ever thought about that and anyway, if he had lived any longer his next project (after Parsifal) would probably have been a revision of Tannhäuser (needed as well).

More singers stand out on the DVD than I remember from the live performance, especially Franz Hawlata, underpowered in the theater but not here, taking fully advantage of the close-ups for us to see his detailed and impressive acting.

Walther really is a super role for Klaus Florian Vogt, probably his best role together with Lohengrin and Michael Volle also leaves nothing to be desired. As for the rest nobody was exceptional, one way or the other, though admittedly Michaela Kaune was vastly better than the Amanda Mace I saw the year before.

Katharina Wagner presents with the only production on DVD truly departing from medieval Nürnberg and trying to wrestle with this issues. For this alone, this is a must-see.

Trailer for the DVD:

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

Franz Hawlata: 4

Michaela Kaune: 3-4

Klaus Florian Vogt: 5

Michael Volle: 5

Norbert Ernst: 4

Carola Guber: 4

Katharina Wagner´s production: 4-5

Sebastian Weigle: 4

Overall impression: 5

Disappointing Meistersinger from Zürich

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Zurich Opera 2003. Production: Nikolaus Lehnhoff. Conductor: Franz Welser-Möst. Cast: José Van Dam (Sachs), Peter Seiffer (Walther), Petra-Maria Schnitzer (Eva), Matti Salminen (Pogner), Michael Volle (Beckmesser), Brigitte Pinter (Magdalene), Christoph Strehl (David), Gunther Groissböck (Nightwatchman).

It is not the first time, that otherwise quite inventive stage directors seem to freeze and revert to previous times static theatre when faced with Meistersinger. While it is perhaps not surprising that no-one seems to have truly decoded this piece, why not at least give it a try? Katharina Wagner did, with mixed, but nevertheless interesting results. Nikolaus Lehnhoff, as seen here? Well, suffice to say, we are light years from his production of Tristan and Isolde, to be seen at Glyndebourne around the same time.

Nikolaus Lehnhoff´s style is easily recognizable though; simplistic, geometric sets in stylish colours and characters in period costumes; just take a look at the abstract blue second act with a massive stair-case which could easily have been re-used for his Lohengrin. The best are the equally abstract 3rd act sets, including and excellent amphitheatre excellent ballet.  However, when the answer to the question "what did you learn from this staging regarding the characters and their relationship?" is "nothing", then the raison d´être for this DVD eludes me. Especially as none of the singers were stand-outs either:

Peter Seiffert, sings Walther like Tristan, though not without strain. His real-life wife Petra-Maria Schnitzer is better vocally, though not exactly youthful. Is it really that difficult to cast these two characters? After all this is not Tristan and Isolde.  Also as Magdalene we see the rather mature Brigitte Pinter and while Matti Salminen brings his usual command to Pogner, he is not in optimal vocal shape.  Age notwithstanding, I have seen much better performances from him recently.

José Van Dams strong point is his characterization of Sachs. The voice? Rather too dry, however his strong stage presence and the experience he brings to the role makes up for a lot.

Best of all however: Michael Volle, in a role he repeated in Bayreuth a couple of years later: Vocally strong, always interesting and never ridiculous. A better Beckmesser is not to be seen today.

Finally, Franz Welser-Möst presents a rather swift reading, which is not bad at all, especially as he keeps momentum throughout. However, the competition is stiff, and he does not reach the level of neither Barenboim, Thielemann nor Levine on competing DVDs.

Final scene:

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

José Van Dam: 3-4
Peter Seiffert: 2
Petra Maria Schnitzer: 3
Michael Volle: 5
Matti Salminen: 4
Christoph Strehl: 4

Lehnhoffs production: 3
Franz Welser-Möst: 3

Overall impression: 3

lulu: finest dvd version on the market

Lulu. DVD. Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. 2009. Production: Christof Loy. Conductor: Antonio Pappano. Cast: Agneta Eichenholz (Lulu), Michael Volle (Dr. Schön/Jack the Ripper), Klaus Florian Vogt (Alwa), Jennifer Larmore (Countess Geschwitz), Will Hartmann (Painter etc.).

Are you familiar with Christof Loy and his work (such as Lucio Silla in Copenhagen,Theodora<"> or Die Frau Ohne Schatten"> in Salzburg) you will have an idea of what to expect from this  Royal Opera Covent Garden production of Alban Berg´s Lulu: A minimalist, black stage. Modern-dress protagonists. And what you don´t always get with Christof Loy, but have here: Exciting personenregie.
Furthermore, the minimalistic approach places huge demands on the singers, who have to be as excellent actors as singers. Which they all, somewhat unusually, are here. First and foremost Swedish soprano Agneta Eichenholz, who substituted for the originally scheduled Aleksandra Kurzak, and used a year to learn the part. She is simply outstanding. Not only does she have a beautiful, full voice and throws off the coloratura with seemingly ease. But she has this mysterious, disturbing allure that makes one understand why everything evolves around Lulu the way it does. This  Lulu is a seemingly passive creature, but with a mysterious, disturbing allure. Victim or femme fatale? None, or perhaps both. With empty gazes, there is an indifference to her characterization, which rings very true. I cannot help wondering why this woman does not have a bigger career. I don´t think there are that many, if any singers around able to deliver an equally intriguing portrait of Lulu.

DVD: Zurich Parsifal

Parsifal. Zürich Opera 2007. Production: Hans Hollmann. Conductor: Bernhard Haitink. Cast: Christopher Ventris (Parsifal), Yvonne Naef (Kundry), Matti Salminen (Gurnemanz), Michael Volle (Amfortas), Rolf Haunstein (Klingsor), Andreas Hörl (Titurel).

This Parsifal was recorded live at the Zurich Opera House in April 2007 during the run of performances, of which I attended one.


Hans Hollmann´s production is from 1996 and has now been replaced. Hollmann presents what I consider an essentially religious view of the work: Mist and light. Water, purification? Abstract, quadratic and aesthetic designs. Hollmann says: "Wagner presents only possibilities - Parsifal can never be wholly fathomed by interpretation."

Well said. However, Hollmann seems to have restricted, rather expanded on Wagner´s work, though the simplicity of the sets rather act as a backdrop for Wagner´s glorious music. Not the worst interpretation at all, but also not ideal: In both Act 1 and 3 we are in a 19th century class-room. Mist, water. On the wall : Wasser. Later: Blut. The knights are blind. In Act 2 a mirror flips in Klingsors imaginary castle surrounded by candelabres. We could be in Musée des Art et Métier in the middle of an Umberto Eco novel.

Bernhard Haitink was never a favourite of mine, though he probably is the raison d´etre for this DVD. Some find him close to ideal in this repertoire. To me, he lacks a certain ggrandiosity and above all the sense of dynamics. Both Barenboim and Thielemann, among the presently active conductors have this. Haitink lingers too long in the middle ground without approaching the extremes. Valery Gergiev, coincidentally, presents with much the same type of reading on his newly released Parsifal CD.

Yvonne Naef is a wonderfully darkvoiced and secure as Kundry, but rather restrained on stage and nowhere close to Waltraud Meier´s definitive Kundry. Christopher Ventris is a fine Parsifal, but the best performances come from Matti Salminen and Michael Volle.
Salminen has one of those voices which just ages wonderfully well: No wobbles a la John Thomlinson, but instead he has kept his firm steady tone, His stage presence, of course, is intact.
And Michael Volle, just about ideal for Amfortas and probably the best Amfortas I have heard live.
Adequate justification for a DVD? Probably not. Why would one return to this version, now that we have Barenboim/Kupfer? Not for Salminen, who can be seen on the Baden-Baden DVD with Waltraud Meier, though I do find Haitink superior to Kent Nagano. And next month we will see the new Met Parsifal with JonasKaufmann and René Pape, probably to be released on DVD as well, which will be a strong competitor unless the staging turns out to be completely hopeless..

The flowermaidens:

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

Christopher Ventris: 4
Yvonne Naef: 4
Matti Salminen: 4-5
Michael Volle: 5

Hans Hollmann´s production: 3

Bernhard Haitink: 4

Overall impression: 3

Renée Fleming is Arabella in Paris

Arabella. Paris Opera Bastille. June 17th 2012. Production: Marco Arturo Marelli. Conductor: Philippe Jordan. Cast: Renée Fleming (Arabella), Michael Volle (Mandryka), Julia Kleiter (Zdenka), Joseph Kaiser (Matteo), Kurt Rydl (Waldner), Doris Soffel (Adelaide), Iride Martinez (Fiakermilli).


Renée Fleming obviously has reached a level where she can chose which directors to work with, apparently preferring to work in stylish, minimalistic production straying not too far from the libretto. Thus a couple of years ago she was a quite superb Cappriccio Countess in Vienna in a production of Marco Arturo Marelli, also behind this new production of Arabella at the Bastille Opera in Paris. Here, however, she was somewhat  less than superb and her performance underlined an evolution, which has become increasingly visible in her performances during the past years, at least in Richard Strauss operas:

First of all Renée Fleming is definitely not in her vocal prime anymore. Much of the bloom of her top register has gone, and her middle register, by some still called creamy, is far from creamy now with a timbre, which simply does not appeal to me.

Secondly, I have some issues with her performance style. Some call it mannerisms. In my native Danish language there is a very good word for it, which directly translated read affected. Affected language, affected acting. Renée Fleming may aim to communicate sophistication, as she applies the same style with her Marschallin in Rosenkavalier, however ultimately she portrays Arabella as a superficial character. Which, on the other hand, is a valid interpreation, of course, if not the libretto and music suggest otherwise.
She was audible, but not audible enough for me to actually distinguish the words she was singing.

However, however...for those not familiar with Renée Flemings previous vocal status, and even for those well familiar with it, it is easy to understand why she is admired and received huge ovations here: She has a firm grip of Straussian style and first and foremost she has a distinctness to her performance that really does make her stand out. On a technical point, some may find her use of portamento excessive, though personally I do not mind.

And finally, despite my reservations about her voice, she is still among the very finest around. Who today, can perform a finer Arabella? Adrienne Pieczonka in Vienna a couple of years ago was rather superb. Anne Schwanewilms undoubtedly also. But else?

Michael Volle, on the other hand, I don´t have any reservations about. He was simply superb, vocally strong, a straightforward and engaging stage actor, convincingly portraying Mandryka as a sincere man unfamiliar with the sophisticated Viennese way, but thankfully without the overacting often seen. Several of his scenes were in fact unusually moving.

No reservations about Julia Kleiter neither, a clear and pure voice, almost overpowering Renée Fleming at times. Just as fine as her Zdenka on the 2007 Zurich Arabella DVD, alongside Renée Fleming as well.

Despite fine singing I have always found Joseph Kaiser, a bit indistinctive as a performer. Here as well. Finally Kurt Rydl and Doris Soffel were feisty as the elderly couple.

Marco Arturo Marelli´s production was superb. Stylish, minimalistic and elegant. A naked white room with some furniture (gradually removed), a built-in white circular stage and some sliding doors.

Philippe Jordan conducts Arabella like it was Elektra, emphasising the contrasts and highlighting the darker thematic elements of the score to a degree I haven´t quite heard before. 

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

Renée Fleming: 4

Michael Volle: 5

Julia Kleiter: 5

Joseph Kaiser: 4

Marelli´s production: 5

Philippe Jordan: 4

Overall impression: 4

DVD Palestrina

Palestrina. DVD. Bavarian State Opera 2009. Prod: Christian Stückl, cond: Simone Young. Cast: Christopher Ventris (Palestrina), Peter Rose (Pope Pius IV), Michael Volle (Cardinal Morone), John Daszak (Cardinal Novagerio), Roland Bracht (Cardinal Madruscht).

"Do we really need to see this Nazi-kitsch in Munich?", several people commented referring to the January  2009 premiere of Stückl´s staging of Pfitzner´s opera Palestrina at the Bavarian State Opera.

Hans Pfitzner (1869-1949), apparently like the Nazis more than they liked him. No matter where Palestrina, essentially a clerical drama, is staged, the qualities of the work is an issue, much like the case of the Korngold´s Die Tote Stadt , though Korngolds political circumstances were radically different from Pfitzners.

Palestrina is an opera essentially about artistic creation, in the tradition of such works as Meistersinger.and Benvenuto Cellini. In brief the opera center is about the Italian renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi Palestrina (born around 1525) and how he overcomes writing block after the death of his wife to compose a masterpiece Missa Pape Marcelli in 1555 (a fictive event), battling internal demons as well as a Papal attempt to ban polyphony and revert to Gregorial chant. Helped by angels.

While director Christof Stückl would "like to put Pfitzners relationship with Nazism on stage, but doesn´t know how to do it", conductor Simone Young finds it entirely "possible to separate the man from the work".

The result is a colourful, geometric, simplistic staging, receiving mixed reviews at the premiere. Kitsch, some said. Boring, said others.
I´d say that as much as a creative process is an interesting to be part of, as boring can it be to the creative processes of others from the outside and though Stückl´s staging may offend very few, most likely it will excite a similar number.

Nevertheless, Palestrina provides a good opportunity to utilise the (male) ensemble singers with the required 38 soloists + choir. Christopher Ventris makes the most out of the main character, but most of all, the evening belonged to Simone Young, drawing wonderful dense colours from the orchestra.

DVD trailer:

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


Christopher Ventris: 4
Everyone else: 4


Simone Young: 4
Christian Stückl: 3


Overall impression: 3

Fierrabras on DVD

Fierrabras. DVD. Zurich Opera House.2007. Prod: Claus Guth, cond: Franz Welser-Möst. Cast: Christoph Strehl (Eginhard), Juliane Banse (Emma), Jonas Kaufmann (Fierrabras), Michael Volle (Roland), Twyla Robinson (Florinda), Laszlo Polgas (King Karl).

The action involves: A Frankish king, a Moorish prince, two princesses, a total of 4-(5) potential lovers from both camps and provides a happy end after a combination of love, hate, revenge, trials and (self)-sacrifices.

For those new to opera: No, this is not a standard repertoire work, which may be explained not only by the complicated story (which is nevertheless not more complicated than may be seen elsewhere) but also by the music. Though beautiful, essentially Fierrabras consist of interrupted, orchestrated lieder, though not lieder entirely en par with Schuberts best.

Wisely, and entirely according to his usual stage practise, director Claus Guth has chosen not to stage Fierrabras as a naturalistic Moorish drama. However, despite the good intentions, eventually he does, for once, somewhat miss the mark here.

The entire opera takes place in Schuberts studio. Or perhaps even in Schuberts brain. An actor plays Schubert, who also occasionally speaks, conducts, escorts the singers on and off stage etc..All in a miniature world, with oversized furniture and singers presenting small symbols (a crown, a wooden  bird etc) to clarify their position in the play. Clearly, Claus Guth thus wants us to be part of the creative process, but for more than two hours it becomes more than tedious.
Despite the opera being called Fierrabras, Jonas Kaufmann´s role is rather smallish, and like the other singers, he performs well.

Jonas Kaufmann "Was quälst du mich o missgeschick"

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

Christoph Strehl: 3-4
Twyla Robinson: 3
Michael Volle: 3-4
Jonas Kaufmann: 3-4
Juliane Banse: 4

Claus Guth: 3
Franz Welser-Möst: 4

Overall impression: 3

Munich: Kriegenburg with triumphant new Wozzeck

Andreas Kriegenburg (director) and Kent Nagano (conductor) have created a new production of Wozzeck at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, which was rather universally hailed a masterpiece by both press and audiences at the premiere earlier this week. Not even a single audience boo was heard at opening night...

Michael Volle and Michaela Schuster played the leads, and especially Michael Volle reived major praise. Andreas Kriegenburger has mostly worked in theater and has previously directed an award-winning theater production of Wozzeck.

A video with excerpts from the production may be seen here.

Reviews (in English): ionarts
Reviews (in German): Tagesspiegel, Die Welt, Frankfurter Allgemeine

Photos courtesy of The Bavarian State Opera

DVD: Nadja Michael´s Salome (and David McVicar´s)

Salome. Royal Opera, London 2008. Production: David McVicar. Cast: Nadja Michael (Salome), Michael Volle (Jochanaan), Michaela Schuster (Herodias), Thomas Moser (Herodes). Conductor: Philippe Jordan. Further information here.

David McVicar´s Salome production for the Royal Opera Covent Garden was inspired by the 1975 Pasolini movie "Salò or the 120 Days of Sodom" (based on the Marquis de Sade novel), and is an eerie mix of external political contexts and internal sexual perversities, including child abuse.

We are presented with a sort of upstairs-downstairs setting of a European wealthy palace of approximately 1938, the stage horizontally split in two. The party initially taking place “upstairs” with the rich and their guests, while Jochanaan is imprisoned in a cellar below the “downstairs” bathroom/basement level of the servants. A decadent society on the verge of a break-down.

The entire atmosphere of the staging is eerie and David McVicar succeeds in creating an atmosphere of looming premonition, so essential for a successful Salome. His use of symbolism is visible but not obtrusive - an example: Herod killed Salome´s father, who was imprisoned in the same cistern as Jochanaan, which initially spurs Salome´s curiousity (as opposed to sexual attraction) towards Jochanaan.

In the very well-executed dance of the seven veils, we are led into seven consecutive rooms (of Salome´s mind) in a series of strong images evoking Salome´s prior sexual abuse by Herodes. Nudity is represented by the naked executioner, sprayed with blood (in real-life this man works just outside as a "living statue" at the Covent Garden market). The final scene is played out conventionally, between Salome and Jochanaan´s head, but nevertheless leaves a strong impression.

There may never have been a better-looking Salome on stage than Nadja Michael. Her past as an East-German swimmer does pay off, and apart from looking absolutely stunning she moves superbly on stage and has great dramatic expression.
Unfortunately, Nadja Michael is vocally severely overchallenged. Her high notes often comes out as shrieks and she is almost half a note flat on several key points. While she does manage to hit quite a few of the high notes cleanly, she pays the price with an obtrusive vibrato on the floating notes just below the top (and there are a lot of those floating notes). As a vocal performance I find it very difficult to listen to.
However, it is not as if there are a lot of vastly superior Salome´s to chose from, Karita Mattila apart. With Nadja Michael´s physical advantages it is an obvious part for her to take on, but her voice still seems more like the pushed-up mezzo (that she was) than the dramatic soprano, she seems intent on becoming. Obviously, her voice may project better in the house and indeed she is judged an A-rate Salome with performances both at La Scala (to be released on DVD as well), Covent Garden and San Francisco opera these seasons.

Michael Volle is both physically and vocally a close-to-ideal Jochanaan, perhaps the finest overall performance. Though Thomas Moser is extremely well suited to play this extraordinarily despicable Herodes - you believe this man to be everything David McVicar insinuates he is. Michaela Schuster is, for once, a Herodias in her vocal prime, however she didn´t seem at ease with the part.

Imaginative reading from Phillippe Jordan in the pit, though ideally I´d like a bit more punch to it.

This DVD consist of two discs, Salome on the first and a fascinating documentary on the creation of Salome on the second.

David McVicar´s Salome - various clips from the production:

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

Nadja Michael: 3-4
Michael Volle: 4
Michaela Schuster: 3
Thomas Moser: 4

David McVicar´s production: 5

Philippe Jordan: 4

Overall impression: 4

Bayreuth 2008 Meistersinger - great success for free public live transmission in revival of Katharina Wagner´s controversial staging

Approximately 38.000 turned up for the free live transmission of Sunday´s performance of Katharina Wagner´s Meistersinger from the Bayreuth Festival to a public square in Bayreuth - undoubtedly helped by the spectacular weather as well.

Opinions of the success of the not exactly free online streaming seemed to vary (I opted out of buying a ticket since the weather was spectacular and I saw this production live in Bayreuth last year). This Sunday July 27th performance is NOT the one to be released on DVD later this year, which was recorded before the Festival started.

Selected impressions of the 2008 Meistersinger revival:

Associated Press: "Whether you love it or hate it, there's no denying that there's never a dull moment in Katharina Wagner's uproarious production of "The Mastersingers of Nuremberg",, "Katharina's staging of Wagner's only comic opera is hugely entertaining and has some bright and striking ideas".

Frankfurter Allgemeine: "Bayreuth is pop and Katharina Wagner is the princess" .."the staging tends to be too explicit".

Abendzeitung: Praising Katharina Wagner´s detailed work with the singers especially Michaela Kaune and Klaus Florian Vogt.

Netzeitung: "The Bayreuth audiences are still divided over this staging"

Based on the radio transmission: Sebastian Weigle was fine, though not exceptional, with a rather placid reading without the contrapuncts making this score really exciting. Futhermore the coordination with the singers was rather shaky during the ensembles. Best among the singers were Michaela Kaune (Eva), Klaus Florian Vogt (Walther) and Michael Volle (Beckmesser). Franz Hawlata is not a bad Sachs, but seems rather stretched by the part.

Ariadne dies on Naxos

Ariadne auf Naxos. Zurich Opera House 2006. Production: Claus Guth. Cast: Emily Magee (Ariadne), Elena Mosuc (Zerbinetta), Roberto Saccá (Bacchus), Michelle Breedt (Composer), Michael Volle (Music teacher). Conductor: Christoph van Dohnanyi. Further information here.

For those familiar with Claus Guth´s staging of Nozze di Figaro in Salzburg 2006, it should come as no surprise that his Ariadne auf Naxos is to be taken very seriously. It is, in fact, a tragedy.

The prologue is acted out in front of a massive grey curtain, from which the singers appear and disappear. Theater within the theater... The blind music master tries to find his way around, the major-domo yells his orders from the balcony box and the Composer gets increasingly desperate and eventually shoots himself through the head. Though there are no decorations, it´s nevertheless very interesting and alive, due to the detailed and intelligent direction of the singers, all in modern dress.

The second act (the real play) takes place in a restaurant. In fact, the restaurant is an exact replica of the famous Kronenhalle restaurant, located a few blocks from the Zurich Opera House.This seemingly strange setting fits surprisingly well with Hugo von Hofmannsthal´s libretto. Ariadne is sitting alone at a table in the virtually empty restaurant waiting for her lover. The nymphs are servants. The dead composers ghost appears from time to time. Very fittingly, Zerbinetta is at another table having a party with her friends, trying to cheer Ariadne up. But Ariadne is inconsolable, and eventually commits suicide with an overdose of pills and sings her final duet with Bacchus as she is dying.

Emily Magee is simply a superb Ariadne. She has everything this part asks for: The looks, the acting skills and the necessary dramatic vocal expression as well as a beautiful tone. Probably the finest performance of her career.
Elena Mosuc isa wonderful Zerbinetta, fuller in tone than most of her colleagues, perhaps not so sharp in the coloratura, but dramatically convincing.
Michelle Breedt is dramatically perfect as the desperate Composer, though her voice is not particularly beautiful and tends to be shrill at times. Another fine performance from Michael Volle, this time as the blind music teacher.

The orchestra with Dohnanyi was quite forceful and energetic in accordance with Claus Guth´s interpretation: This is no Strauss light.

Presently the only modern Ariadne production available on DVD.
A most refreshing and intelligent approach from Claus Guth. Highly recommended.

The bottom line:

Emily Magee: 5
Elena Mosuc: 4
Roberto Saccá: 4
Michelle Breedt: 3-4

Claus Guth´s production: 5
Christoph van Dohnanyi: 4

Overall impression: 5

Pelleas and Melisande on DVD in experimental Zurich staging with body doubles

Pélleas and Mélisande. Zurich Opera 2004. Director: Sven-Eric Bechtolf. Cast: Isabel Rey (Mélisande), Rodney Gilfry (Pélleas), Michael Volle (Golaud). Conductor: Franz Welser-Möst. Further information here.

Those disliking experimental stagings /Regietheater, may opt to stay away as this Sven-Eric Bechtolf production from the Zurich Opera is an example of highly experimental Regietheater.

I am not at all certain I understand the directors intentions, but two main aspects stand out: The frosty concrete environment and the continuous presence of body doubles..

Body-sized mannequin doubles of the characters are virtually present on stage at all times. The characters move around carrying their respective doubles in wheel-chairs when they are not lying in the corners, often interacting with the body-double of themselves or others as opposed to the live characters. The frosty concrete environment is desolate. Psychologic coldness/isolation perhaps?

In the beginning Pélleas and Mélisande address their body doubles - later they address each other. Golaud mainly interacts with Mélisandes double, though Mélisande is present. The live Mélisande interacts with the live Arkel as well. The live Golaud kills the live Pélleas. In the end, the living Mélisande leaves playing with a golden ball, leaving her body double on stage. Anyone familiar with the opera not getting the psychological message?

Fine performance from Franz Welser-Möst in the pit. Isabel Rey is a fine, delicate Mélisande. Rodney Gilfry however does not have the air of the innocent dreamer if that is how one sees Pélleas, but seems an ordinary man just like Michael Volle´s excellent Golaud.

Did I like it? In theory yes, the splitting concept seemingly fine for this work. But somehow it just seemed to be spelled out to pointedly. If I understood it at all, that is. And all that frosty concrete and the wheelchairs are just so ugly to watch. I´d still prefer Peter Stein´s production from the Welsh National Opera, which also benefits from the superb conducting of Pierre Boulez.

A video clip from the staging below:

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

Isabel Rey: 4
Rodney Gilfry: 3
Michael Volle: 4

Franz Welser-Möst: 4
Sven-Eric Bechtolf´s staging: 3

Overall impression: 3-4

DVD: Outstanding Die Gezeichneten from Salzburg 2005

Die Gezeichneten. Salzburg Festival 2005. Prodution: Nikolaus Lehnhoff. Cast: Robert Brubaker (Alviano Salvago), Anne Schwanewilms (Carlotta Nardi), Michael Volle (Count Vitelozzo), Robert Hale (Duke Adorno). Conductor: Kent Nagano with Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. Further information here.

Die Gezeichneten (tr. "The marked ones") is a dark and disturbing opera written by Franz Shreker in 1918. A late-romantic work with lingering, unreleased harmonies and an eerie atmosphere not unlike Verklärte Nacht.
The plot is both rather stupid as well as lenghty to explain, but involves a hidden grotto, kidnapping, a secret brotherhood, a woman who will die if she loves a man, a rich Duke and a hunchback.

As I am concerned, this is probably veteran director Nikolaus Lehnhoffs best production to date and was rapturously received at the premiere at the 2005 Salzburg Festival: Staggeringly beautiful as well as eerily atmospheric, devoid of the static impression often associated with his productions. Dark and brooding, like Shrekers densely textured score making excellent use of the intrinsic arches of the Felsenreitschule, the set is one gigantic, reclining female statue, under which the hidden grotto is to be found. Transvestism explains Alvianos outsider status in society, and Lehnhoffs exposure of pedophilia, upon opening the grotto is tremendously gripping, even by today's standards.

Those familiar with the score may note that some cuts, most notably in Act 3 of about 20 minutes have been made, allegedly to simplify the story-line.

Wonderfully played by the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin conducted by Kent Nagano. Fine soloists in Anne Schwanewilms, with a cool soprano perfectly fitting as Carlotta. Michael Volle is a rugged Vitelozzo and Robert Brubakers Alviano is both pathetic and moving.

Indeed this is one of the best opera productions of the entire DVD catalogue.

Kent Nagano conducts the superbly dark and brooding prelude:

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

Robert Brubaker: 5
Anne Schwanewilms: 5
Michael Volle: 5
Robert Hale: 5

Lehnhoff´s staging: 5

Kent Nagano: 4-5

Overall impression: 5

Posted on YouTube by TheGreatPerformers

Tristan in Munich: Breathtaking

Tristan and Isolde. Bavarian State Opera, November 11th 2007. Production: Peter Konwitschny. Cast: Waltraud Meier (Isolde), John Treleaven (Tristan), René Pape (Marke), Michael Volle (Kurwenal), Daniela Sindram (Brangäne). Conductor: Kent Nagano.

In brief, this Konwitschny staging of Tristan and Isolde at the Bavarian State Opera was one of the most overwhelming and moving operatic experiences in memory.

To start with Waltraud Meier and René Pape , whom words simply do not do justice in the parts, which they have truly redefined.

Waltraud Meier´s identification with Isolde is almost legendary. Today she furthermore was vocally on top, effortlessly throwing out the high C´s as well as presenting her entirely compelling Isolde, detailed beyond description. As the only truly compelling female stage presence in the Wagner repertoire on stage today, I am only happy that it would seem she may perform this part for quite some time yet. She was deservedly greeted with standing ovations.

What Waltraud Meier did with Kundry in the 1090´s, René Pape has done with King Marke over the past 10 years: Entirely redefined the part and moving it onto center-stage in a very dignified portrait of the not-so-old-King who, for once, is not a whimp. Needless to say, he can also sing all the notes. A King Marke at this level, I don´t expect to see from anyone else in my lifetime.

Even John Treleaven (contrary to my expectations based on his dismal Siegfried in London 10 days ago) managed to get reasonably through the Tristan. While he did not approach the level of the others, he was more than passable. And in very fine voice too. I suppose the lower range of singing for Tristan suits his voice better than Siegfried, and who would not be inspired to act his best next to Waltraud Meier?

Michael Volle was just excellent as Kurwenal, both in voice and in acting (he still had that aged rock star look from the Eugene Onegin of the day before). Daniela Sindram was a fine Brangäne, although a bit characterless, but that seems to suit the character well.

Lastly Kent Nagano, whom I usually find too constrained and passive in Wagner was excellent. The orchestral flow moved continuously throughout, with all the dynamic tempo shifts his Onegin lacked. And light years better than his Parsifal earlier this year. Deservedly ovations to him as well.

Not to forget Konwitschny´s immensely moving staging. It is released on DVD with Waltraud Meier, which doesn´t entirely do it justice. In the theater you are completely blown away:

The first act takes place on a ship within a quadrangular section of the stage. Isolde and Brangäne are sipping cocktails and a geometrically shaped fish is seen in the background. You almost sense, that this is not real. The same applies to the act two lovers placed on a yellow sofa in front of red trees. The black steps seen on the photo below are present throughout the opera and this is where Tristan and Isolde descend (to death) and change into all-black outfits when discovered by Melot. In the third act, Tristan is alone in a stark concrete room lit by a single light bulb (the reality?), while images (from his youth?) are projected on a screen. When Isolde arrives, they both descend in front of the set, where the liebestod is sung. The opera ends with a backdrop of Marke and Brangäne in front of two white coffins. Immensely moving.

One of the finest stagings of any opera I have been so privileged to see.

Photographs from the company website

The new Eugene Onegin in Munich: Hidden homosexual love, although Onegin mainly loves himself..

Eugene Onegin. Bavarian State Opera, November 10th 2008. Production: Krysztof Warlikowski. Cast: Michael Volle (Eugene Onegin), Olga Guryakova (Tatiana), Christoph Strehl (Lenski), Elena Maximova (Olga). Conductor: Kent Nagano.

Polish director Warlikowski sees Eugene Onegin as a drama of suppressed homosexuality and a desire to break out from society, main sources (according to himself) being Tchaikovsky´s autobiography, Brokeback Mountain and Warlikowski´s own childhood in a suburban working class ghetto in Poland.

This Bavarian State Opera production was in many ways quite successful - at least with half the audience, since boos and bravos were almost equally distributed.

Set in the conformist 50-60´s, the opera starts with Tatiana´s family in front of the television watching the quintessential Communist sport: Figure skating. Onegin and Lenski come straight from Brokeback Mountain, carefully eyeing out each other and not really interested in either Tatiana or Olga. Naturally, Onegin doesn´t want Tatiana - and it seems like she is more interested in breaking out of her conformist environment than in the person Onegin as well.

The duel scene takes place in bed ("I´ve always imagined it as a bed scene", says Warlikowski), where a baffled Onegin shoots Lenski as he makes advances, while a group of cowboys watch through the windows and performing a semi-naked cowboy dance afterwards (rewarded by massive boos from the audience). The rest of the opera takes place in Onegin´s dream, the stage bathed in red light as he reaches out to Tatiana for help (Warlikowski from the programme notes: "How can he love her? He doesn´t even know her"). She seems right to refuse him, since he obviously is bad news, but not much worse than her husband, who continuously tries to stop her from chain-smoking.

This concept is helped a lot by an excellent Michael Volle, who looks like a retired rock star as Onegin (a look that also worked for his Kurwenal the following day) and he both sings and acts very well. I´ve never really taken to Olga Guryakova, whom I find rather impassive.

So was Kent Nagano in the pit, although the orchestra played well. Elena Maximova was a fine Olga. Christoph Strehl was (a rather small-voiced) Lenski, but he very believably acted out his hidden love for Onegin.

We are far from Pushkin´s drama, but as a mix of Tchaikovsky´s life-story with a touch of Onegin, much of it actually worked. Although those looking for the "real" Onegin are definitely better off obtaining a DVD copy of the MET Onegin with Dmitri Hvorstovsky/Renée Fleming or Barenboim´s Salzburg Onegin, both from last season, where you get exactly what this productions fails to deliver: Emotional drama.

Another review of this production from ionarts here.

All pictures © Wilfried Hösl, courtesy of the Bavarian State Oper

Here, time becomes space - the return of Haitink to opera

And while we´re waiting for Haitink´s ROH Parsifal this december, this is where I spent part of the Easter 2007:

"Zur raum wird hier die zeit" (Gurnemanz, Parsifal 1st act) - the self-proclaimed "motto" of Hans Hollmann´s Parsifal staging at the Zürich Opera. Hollmann works with "rooms of thought" and contrasting colors and lights: Black vs. white - black/the fool (reine tor) - red/blood/flower-maidens. Light vs. darkness. Understated designs, austere in conception. He seems to have transferred the simple dark sets with superimposed colorful geometrical figures from his Die Frau Ohne Schatten in Dresden to his Parsifal in Zürich. The images are beautiful and simple and allows you to focus on the music. And does Kundry die? Of course not ...

And musically, this evening was top-class:

First of all, Matti Salminen is an excellent Gurnemanz – while he does not have the voice of René Pape (OK nobody has, really), he has an equally convincing stage presence, and brings a dignity and power to the figure of Gurnemanz, which was the absolute highlight of the evening and which I´ve previously only seen with Pape. And he uses his voice very cleverly – there is no wobble at all and he has a way of convincingly delivering the top notes despite of them probably being a little above his maximum comfort zone. As he also demostrated very convincingly earlier this season as Hagen in Berlin. And, for once, a convincing Parsifal in Christopher Ventris - vocally his top-notes may be a bit strained, but he has the right physical presence (he is no wimp!) and is a convincing actor. Good news for both the ROH and Bayreuth, where he will repeat the part in the upcoming season. Yvonne Naef has a beautiful creamy elegant voice, which I´d think better suited to a role like Fricka, even though she is a fine Kundry. And a strong Amfortas in Michael Volle completed a very strongly cast production.

After leaving the Royal Opera Covent Garden in 2002, Bernhard Haitink claimed, that his operatic career had ended..but after 5 years he´s now returned to opera with this Parsifal in Zürich. I must admit, I´ve never been a huge fan of his symphonic work, but here in Parsifal, he was in superb shape. Brilliant playing from the orchestra (strings in particular), never loosing the pace throughout the 4+ hours. Attention to detail, without loosing the general picture. And with excellent precision and coordination.

This is really good news for the ROH, Covent Garden, where he will conduct Parsifal this december. Not only is this Parsifal "the bargain of the season" in terms of ticket price per minute of music - it may actually turn out a high-quality performance as well.

Photos by: anton cupak

Bayreuth 2007: Katharina Wagner´s Meistersinger

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Meistersinger. Bayreuth Festival 2007. Production: Katharina Wagner. Cast: Franz Hawlata (Hans Sachs), Klaus Florian Vogt (Walther v. Stolzing), Michael Volle (Beckmesser), Amanda Mace (Eva). Conductor: Sebastian Weigle.

Don’t attend the Bayreuth Festival simply to have fun, drink beers with your friends and listen to good music, because nobody else does. Wagner in Bayreuth is serious stuff and tensions ran high in the Meistersinger audience even before the curtain was up as audiences greeeted The Festival representative announcing the partial indisposition by Franz Hawlata due to back pain with aggressive mumbling.

In many ways, Meistersinger may be the most difficult of Richard Wagners operas to stage, not at least due to the many ambiguities: Is it a comedy? A tragedy? Is Beckmesser a comical figure? Or is he evil? Or maybe even a hero? And it is obviously more challenging to import t an authentic 15th century Nürnberg cobbler into a modern semi-abstract staging, than it is with Gods and Giants.

Since the re-opening of the Bayreuth Festival in 1951, Meistersinger has been staged twice by Wieland and three times by Wolfgang Wagner, both very keen on clearing the work from nationalistic tendencies, emphasizing either the historical context or the caricature elements of the work (Wieland) or the down-to earth elements (Wolfgang). Katharina Wagner joins this tradition and is primarily interested in the socio-politic aspects of the piece as opposed to the love story between Eva and Walther.

The outline of the production is as follows:

The Meistersinger are governors of a traditional art academy, placed around a wooden table while guarding the sacred flame. The apprentices are students. The main concept seems to evolve around the idea that destruction of these traditions is necessary for society to develop.
The question then is: With what are these values replaced?

Hans Sachs is the outsider, a typist, chain-smoking in bare feet. Initially Walther, a painter, is the rebel, aggressively splashing paint aimlessly around when not painting “Eva” on sculptures. He quite literally turns things upside-down, such as paintings of Nürnberg and clearly is infatuated by himself. More than by Eva, anyway.

The ideals of the Meistersinger, represented by grotesquely oversized masks and figures of Goethe, Schiller, Bach, Wagner and other German icons dancing naked around, are cast down by Hans Sachs. Sachs also burns doublets of both a conductor and stage director. Subsequently, however, both Walther and Sachs undergo a development from rebels to conformists and conservatives, while Beckmesser on the other hand turns into an angry rebel. Walther changes from paint-splashing rebel to conform family father in a screen-show set up by Hans Sachs in which Beckmesser seems the only authentic participant with his rebellious guitar-accompanied song.

The Bayreuth audience is placed on a secondary stage as witnesses. In Hans Sachs´ infamous “deutsches volk” phrase (which made Konwitschny famously stop the piece in Hamburg) an oversized male statue appears on stage – probably to display the irony of the quotation. In summary, conformity and conservatism is replaced by conformity mixed with more than a touch of cruelty. As I see it.

First of all: I fail to see any major controversy in this staging. Obviously, when compared to the relatively conventional production by Wolfgang Wagner preceding this one, Katharina Wagner´s staging is closer to the Regietheater school than previously seen in Bayreuth and closer to the likes of Konwitschny and Marthaler (though I fail to see the often-quoted similarities between her and Schlingensief) than to her father.

Secondly: There is much good to be said on this production, which I thought had many fine points. However, a bit more discipline in the presentation of the ideas would make them stand out more clearly. A lot is going on at stage simultaneously. But she proved herself a talented, though not fully developed stage director.

Vocally, the evening was largely disappointing. Franz Hawlata´s is a great actor, but Hans Sachs is far too challenging for him vocally. Also Eva was undercasted with a shrill-sounding, non-acting Amanda Mace. Klaus Florian Vogt was in excellent voice as Walther (replacing Robert Dean Smith, who withdrew due to artistical differences). Furthermore he is definitely not a wimp and looks rather good, though in an eerie way. Rather odd, the entrance of Vogt´s Walther playing piano in tennis shoes is an exact copy of a scene in the Baden-Baden 2006 Lohengrin production.

Best of the singers was Michael Volle, with an excellent characterization of Beckmesser.
Unfortunately Sebastian Weigle´s reading was rather unexciting. The prelude started well, but the rest of the piece didn´t seem to flow.

Extended audience applause after Hans Sachs literally put Eva, Walther, David and Lena into two frames. And scattered applause after his monologue as well, something I have never experienced this before – and then in Bayreuth of all places..

I would say the booers just won over those shouting bravo at curtain call, Katharina Wagner seemingly unfazed at her solo curtain call.

These signs were displayed all over the Festival House, though I am not sure why: