Kaufmann Lohengrin DVD with Harteros, Richard Jones from Munich

Lohengrin. DVD. Bayerische Staatsoper München 2009. Production: Richard Jones. Conductor: Kent Nagano. Cast: Jonas Kaufmann (Lohengrin), Anja Harteros (Elsa), Michaela Schuster (Ortrud), Wolfgang Koch (Telramund), Christoph Fischesser (Heinrich).

Richard Jones´ production of Lohengrin in Munich was The Wagnerian Talk of the Season 2009-10 mainly as this was Jonas Kaufmann´s debut in the title role. As well as his first major role in a new production in his home-town Munich, where he was never recognized until he undisputedly had made his name elsewhere.

It seems like Richard Jones concept evolves around an ironic interpretation of the bourgeois dream, of a traditional living and family, with Elsa and Lohengrin quite literally building a house together dressed as carpenters. A house, which Lohengrin eventually sets on fire when he leaves. Now, I have seen several productions by Richard Jones, which work. Most notably a superb Rusalka in Copenhagen a couple of seasons ago. Thus speaking, he is capable. So, one wonders what òr who on earth made him think that extracting all the interpersonal drama replacing it with something as boring as watching people building a wooden house works? To be answered clearly: It does not work. Some free advice: Forcing a fixed idea onto an opera with no seeming interest in the personal relations almost never works.

Jonas Kaufmann was exactly the stellar Lohengrin he was made out to be - romantic, present, and with a barytonal sound, that I honestly prefer. He doesnt always sound entirely effortless, but neither did Domingo in his prime. Please, could we see Jonas Kaufmann in another production?
Anja Harteros received unanimous praise for her Elsa, both during the run of performances and for this DVD. As for this DVD, I simply do not agree. She has the bloom and the legato lines, but for me, the two major detractors about her singing is 1) she basically leaves me cold and 2) she is singing out of tune. As for 2), she may have had an off night, as her intonation has been spot-on the times I have heard her live, but "einsam in trüben tagen" was about 1/4 note flat more often than not. Admittedly she warmed up during the 2nd act, but I am really allergic to singers being flat.
The former Munich opera intendant found the originally contracted Waltraud Meier too old for the part and replaced her with the passable, but nothing more, Michaela Schuster. Crazy. However, the new intendant does not agree, so now one may see Waltraud Meiers Ortrud in Munich.
 Also crazy that the producer didn´t chose another night for filming Telramunds major scene, Act 2 scene 1, as the otherwise competent Wolfgang Koch was about a tact behind the conductor at several of his outbursts.

Kent Nagano is far better here than on his previous DVD from Baden-Baden, less restrained, with more passion - hovewer his transparency will never put him in the league of great Wagnerian such as Thielemann or Barenboim, just two mention two currently active.

So unless you are a die-very-hard fan of Jonas Kaufmann, look elsewhere for a Lohengrin on DVD.


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

Jonas Kaufmann: 5
Anja Harteros: 3
Michaela Schuster: 3
Wolfgang Koch: 3
Christoph Fischesser: 3-4

Richard Jones: 2
Kent Nagano: 3

Overall impression: 2 - because on DVD the director really does count

Richard Jones with Rusalka at the Royal Danish Opera: Above all a musically splenid performance

Rusalka premiere, Royal Danish Opera, Monday, March 3rd 2008


This new production of Rusalka (more information on the production here) directed by Richard Jones opened this Monday at the Royal Opera, Copenhagen. According to Richard Jones, this opera is about someone (Rusalka) who makes a bad deal (ie. wanting to change the shape of ones body to attain love, which turns out to be impossible), and the opera´s message is rather conservative: You should stay the way you are...Initially he had thought to make a staging based on anorexic supermodels, but ultimately abandoned the idea for this concept in favor of this:

Act 1 - in which Rusalka, dressed as a mermaid in a landshape of plastic-fishes makes the "bad deal" with the which Jezibaba. Gitta-Maria Sjöberg (Rusalka) and Susanne Resmark (Jezibaba) below:

Act 2, which takes place in a closed community of forest workers. We clearly see how Rusalka does not belong here:

Act 3 takes place in a bar. Jezibaba is the bartender, the water nymphs are prostitutes who seduces and kill the men dropping by. Susanne Resmark (Jezibaba) here seen in the bar:

Aesthetically, the staging is quite beautiful. Does it add to the story? Perhaps. But, honestly, I was so focused on the music, that I probably missed several important aspects of the staging (my experience tells me, that I quite often do..).

Above all, musically it was a magnificent performance. Conductor Michael Schønwandt is just brilliant with this repertoire - exposing the textures and details of the score without compromising the drama. The various influences on Dvórak, particularly Wagner, are quite obvious here. I have not heard the orchestra play this brilliant since the superb Elektra production last season. Gitta-Maria Sjöberg is a very fine Rusalka - she has a shaded beauty in her middle register very well suited to Rusalka. And above all Susanne Resmark´s fabulous Jezibaba virtually stole the show whenever she appeared.