waltraud meier shines as fidelio in dark production

Fidelio. DVD. Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, Valencia. 2006. Production: Pierluigi Pier´Alli. Conductor: Zubin Mehta. Cast: Waltraud Meier (Leonore), Peter Seiffert (Florestan), Matti Salminen (Rocco), Ildiko Raimondi (Marzelline), Juha Uusitalo (Pizzarro), Rainer Trost (Jaquino), Carsten Stabell (Don Fernando).

A largely traditional dark, greenish production with no obvious raison d´être as I see it, if not for the possibility to see Waltraud Meier in top voice in one of her best-loved roles. To be honest I have never found Leonore-Fidelio an obvious fit for Waltraud Meier´s voice. Nowadays, very much an on-or-off artist, I heard her live in the part about five yearsago on an off night, which was no pleasure, believe me. This DVD was recorded around the same time, and here, luckily she is in top shape with an effortless “Abscheulicher” and an overall very moving character portrayal.

Peter Seiffert sings his one aria reasonably well, both Matti Salminen and Juha Uusitalo are in fine voice as Rocco and Pizzarro respectively and I have nothing to reproach the other performers.

However, the personenregie seems altmodisch and the production is very, very dark. While I realize that it most likely was equally dark in the prison in which the opera takes place, it nevertheless does not make for exciting theater.

Zubin Metha represents old-school Beethoven and without being extraordinary, the orchestra nevertheless is almost as dense as the staging.

Nevertheless, a DVD mostly for fans of Waltraud Meier.

Waltraud Meier: "Abscheulicher".

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

Peter Seiffert: 3

Waltraud Meier: 4-5

Matti Salminen: 4

Ildiko Raimondi: 4

Juha Uusitalo: 4

Pier´Alli´s production: 2-3

Zubin Mehta: 4

the top 10 opera singers of today

renée fleming

anna netrebko

angela gheorghiu

anja harteros
joyce didonato

elina garanca
juan diego florez

jonas kaufmann

dmitri hvorostovsky

rené pape

1. 2nd revision of list on March 7th 2012, where plácido domingo is replaced by anja harteros. next to go are a) dmitri hvorostovsky if he does not improve upon his singing or b) angela gheorghiu if she does not expand her repertoire.
2. 1st revision June 17th 2012 after thorough deliberations, where waltraud meier and karita mattila from the initial list have been replaced by joyce didonato and juan diego florez.

Although there is most certainly always a subjective element to any top 10 list, the size of the singers career and popularity are important parameters alongside vocal quality.
My entirely subjective top 10 list below (random order):

eva-maria westbroek
anne schwanewilms (mainly in lieder)
waltraud meier
anna caterina antonacci
magdalena kozena (lieder and concert mainly)
karita matila
jonas kaufmann
peter mattei
gerald finley
rene pape

Best Parsifal on DVD - 1992 Barenboim Kupfer Berlin production

Parsifal. DVD. Berlin State Opera 1992. Prod: Harry Kupfer. Conductor: Daniel Barenboim. Cast: Poul Elming (Parsifal), Waltraud Meier (Kundry), John Tomlinson (Gurnemanz), Günter von Kannen (Klingsor), Falk Struckmann (Amfortas), Fritz Hübner (Titurel).

With 20 years delay, finally we now have the 1992 Berlin State Opera production of Parsifal, quite simply the best presentation to date of Parsifal on DVD.

Harry Kupfer, at this time artistic director of Komische Oper, the smallest of the three opera houses in Berlin had no real possibility of staging Wagner in his own house, thus the collaboration with Daniel Barenboim, the newly appointed musical director at the Berliner Staatsoper, 200 meter further down the Unter den Linden.
This was Harry Kupfer´s second attempt at Parsifal, the first dating from the 1970´s also at the Berlin State Opera, which could be seen at the Copenhagen Royal Opera House as well until a few years ago (I saw it at least twice). In that first production, Parsifal renounces the brotherhood chooses to leave the community with Gurnemanz and Kundry taking the spear and the grail with him, which was at the time seen as a politically charged criticism.
However, for this, his second Parsifal, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, things looked different,  for Parsifal as well. In a semi-mythical, futuristic setting, circular door reminiscent of spaceships separate the inside and the outside - both pitch dark, with metallic and electronic cold surfaces. The grail community is a sick community: Characterized by a strong bond, the knights seem fixated on the Grail, oblivious to anything else.
involved stage direction. The flower maidens show their various body parts on TV screens, only Kundry, is a real, three-dimensional woman. In the end, the knights are oblivious to Parsifal, focusing only on the Grail. Kundry takes his hand as if urging him to leave, but after a moment of reflection Parsifal choses to stay with her and Gurnemanz.
And why exactly does this work? Because of the combination of Harry Kupfer´s excellent direction of the singers (his trademark), the aesthetic stage designs (by Hans Schavernoch), Barenboim´s superb reading of the score and some of the best singers of the generation.

The singers are what Kupfer wants: Young, agile singer-actors, all in their vocal prime, most having already worked with Barenboim/Kupfer in their just terminated Bayreuth Nibelungen Ring, also the best Nibelungen Ring on DVD. The static nature of Parsifal simply needs involved personal stage direction to work dramatically. As well as singers, who master their parts, obviously.

Is Waltraud Meier the best Kundry in history? Honestly, I think she may well be. Here, stunningly beautiful in her vocal prime (36 years old), already with 10 years experience in the part, her dramatic commitment and effortless vocal flexibility is unparallelled. This is her third Kundry on DVD, with the Metropolitan Parsifal recorded the same year, but leaving her with fewer dramatic options.
Poul Elming, the Danish tenor, who started out as a baryton and got his international breakthrough when Daniel Barenboim selected him as his Siegmund in the Bayreuth Nibelungen Ring, is a committed and entirely believable Parsifal. He also appears on the recently released 1998 Bayreuth production conducted by Sinopoli.  John Tomlinson, in his vocal prime, a charismatic Gurnemanz, who tells his stories so you want to listen to them. A young Falk Struckmann is a fine, though already at this point slightly grainy Amfortas, while the Nibelungen Günter von Kannen makes a fine Klingsor.

While Christian Thielemann has the glitzy brilliance, Daniel Barenboim the weightier punch, which is ultimately the most satisfying approach. He quite simply understands the structure of Richard Wagners compositions, better than he understands the structure of anything else I have ever heard him conduct (which is, in fact, a lot).

An easy first choice on DVD.

Act III, Mittag:

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


Poul Elming: 4-5
Waltraud Meier: 5
John Tomlinson: 5
Günter von Kannen: 4-5
Falk Struckmann: 4


Harry Kupfers production: 5
Daniel Barenboim: 5


Overall impression: 5

Baden-Baden Lehnhoff Tannhäuser with Waltraud Meier, Stephen Milling, Philippe Jordan

Tannhäuser. DVD. Festspielhaus Baden-Baden 2008. Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin conducted by Philippe Jordan. Nikolaus Lehnhoff (Director). With Robert Gambill (T), Camilla Nylund (E), Waltraud Meier (V), Stephen Milling (G), Roman Trekel (W).

Baden-Baden, a bit further south-east from Bayreuth was one of the locations, Richard Wagner initially considered for his Festival House, and the Wagner performances here has recently tended to outshine those of the proper Bayreuth Festival. The year of 2008 was no exception, at least regarding the ability to attract top singers.

Audiences here have gotten used to Nikolaus Lehnhoff, having already staged Lohengrin and Parsifal here in previous years. And in comparison, he seems to have run out of ideas for this Tannhäuser.

A spiral staircase appears throughout the semi-abstract sets where the period-styled actors appears. Aesthetic as always with Lehnhoff, but is there a deeper meaning. Knowing Lehnhoffs work, the answer most probably is yes, however I didn´t manage to find out what it was.

While Robert Gambill looks reasonable, they days where he could actually sing Tannhäuser are long gone.
Camilla Nylund´s Elisabeth verges on the too mature and though she looks the part I wonder if she really moved the audience. Though Venus, with the sumptuous singing really is not among the best parts for Waltraud Meier from a vocal part of view, no-one looks and acts the part better as she does, thus it is no surprise that this is the second Tannhäuser DVD with her participation.
Stephen Milling in a Landgraf his prime and however golden Roman Trekel is dressed up cannot hide the fact that his voice does not have the innigkeit and beauty of a really good Wolfran.

Philippe Jordan was swift and effective, though perhaps not transporting.

Apart from Rokoko-Meier, a relatively static affair. Admittedly, Tannhäuser is not an easy work to pull off and the ideal DVD is not yet on the market.

However, for those inclined to watch traditional productions, the Metropolitan Opera Tannhäuser is probably the best of Otto Schenk´s Wagner stagings.

Trailer:

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


Robert Gambill: 2
Waltraud Meier: 4-5
Camilla Nylund: 3-4
Roman Trekel: 2
Stephen Milling: 5


Lehnhoffs staging: 3
Philippe Jordan: 4


Overall impression: 4

DVD: Magnificent Elektra with Theorin, Westbroek, Meier, Pape

Elektra. DVD. Prod: Lehnhoff, cond: Gatti with the Vienna Philharmonics. Salzburg, 2010. Cast: Irene Theorin (Elektra), Eva-Maria Westbroek (Chrysothemis), Waltraud Meier (Klytemnestra), René Pape (Orest).

They really did assemble the best cast imaginable last years Elektra in Salzburg. Eva-Maria Westbroek, superb neurotic acting and vocally blooming delivers a Chrysothemis in the league of Karita Mattila and Cheryl Studer. Waltraud Meier as luxury casting in this role often taken by singers well into retirement, here, for the first time, you hear how this role may be sung. These two formidable ladies almost tend to oversing Irene Theorin, who by all means delivers a great performance, dramatically as well as vocally. The only question mark I´d place after her Elektra is the almost permanent wobble she has in the middle register. After all, now that her interpretation is preserved on DVD, I hope she will not sing this part too often. In fact, as Eva-Maria Westbroek will take on Isolde in 2012, we here have an Elektra trio where all three singers currently sing Isolde on the major stages.

René Pape is easily the finest Orest available on DVD, and if a finer is available on CD we will have to look at recordings before the area of stereo recordings.

Gatti´s slow, broad conducting does not leave much to be desired. Nikolaus Lehnhoff, well known for his minimalistic, dark, brooding Wagnerian interpretations, lived up to expectations with an equally minimalistic, dark, brooding Straussian interpreation.
Among the commercially Eletra DVD´s available, I shall put this at the top, narrowly defeating the Abbado/Kupfer production from the Vienna State Opera, an even darker staging. But for those with patience, it may be worth seeing what comes out of Patrice Chéreau´s production at the Met in a couple of seasons. Because Chéreau has what Lehnhoff doesn´t - the ability to make the interpersonal drama com alive.

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

Irene Theorin: 4

Eva-Maria Westbroek: 5

René Pape: 5

Waltraud Meier: 5

Daniele Gatti: 5

Lehnhoff: 4

Overall impression: 4-5

Waltraud Meier as Carmen

Waltraud Meier´s performance of Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera 1997 is by many, perhaps also by herself, considered one of the low points of her career. Waltraud Meier said of the experience: "I have enormous respect for Zeffirelli, but our two styles just didn't match..The staging was folkloristic, with horses on stage and that sort of thing. It was the most horrible time, but I don't think about it any more. A mistake? Well, my philosophy is that there are no faults, only errors. You learn from your mistakes and come through knowing more."

The production was also infamous for the "that wig goes on stage with or without you"-comment to Angela Gheorghiu´s initial refusal to wear a blonde wig as Micaëla. In the end, she went on with the wig. Plácido Domingo was Don José. James Levine conducted. The whole ting was filmed, but will it also be released on DVD? Maybe not.

But what was it like? Two video excerpts are provided with Waltraud Meier´s Carmen.

Habanera:

Seguidilla:

And the wig with Angela Gheorghiu:

Posted by BullLee2 and Gabba02 on YouTube

Berlin Parsifal: Domingo redeems himself in knock-out performance from Barenboim and Waltraud Meier

Parsifal. Berlin State Opera, March 9th. Director: Eichinger. Cast: Plácido Domingo (Parsifal), Waltraud Meier (Kundry), Robert Holl (Gurnemanz), Hanno Müller-Brachmann (Amfortas), Christof Fischesser (Klingsor). Conductor: Daniel Barenboim. Further information here.

There were two major differences between the performance of March 6th and that of yesterday: First, and most importantly, Daniel Barenboim simply nailed it. And secondly, Plácido Domingo proved that he can sing the part of Parsifal, substituting Fridays lack of preparation with a performance it is hard not to admire.

You simply do not sustain a 40+ year top career gaining you virtually legendary status without putting in a considerable amount of hard work combined with keen self-insight and criticism. Mainly for these reasons I was not surprised that Plácido Domingo had improved vastly from his performance last Friday.
Admittedly, Plácido Domingo doesn´t look and move like (some of) his 30 years younger colleagues, but he still sings better than anyone I have heard live in the part. Vocally he is at least as solid as on the 2005 Thielemann-recording, and while he may still have relied on prompting for parts of Act 2 (audible only twice even from the front row seats, which is quite normal), it didn´t significantly detract from this performance. Even if I still don´t think Parsifal brings out his true dramatic strengths (whether 40 or 70 years old), it was hard not to find his performance impressive. Though I´d expect the Simon Boccanegra he returns to the Berlin State Opera with this upcoming October will show him in an even better light.

How often do you sit in the audience, watch a singer and think: I don´t think this part has ever been better performed in the entire history of the work? It is such with Waltraud Meier´s Kundry, whose charisma and plain ability to project the character is beyond description and kicks any vocal deficiencies into oblivion.

It is also such with René Pape´s Gurnemanz. That is: Had he been there. And it is both unfair and unrealistic to expect that veteran Wagnerian (and previous Bayreuth-Hans Sachs), the not overly charismatic Robert Holl substituting at short notice, should suddenly aspire to perform at that level. His was an honorable and solid, though not overly exciting Gurnemanz.

I wouldn´t be surprised if Christof Fischesser went on to bigger things as he is a plainly superb Klingsor, even more secure at this second performance.
Hanno Müller-Brachmann repeated his beautiful and lyric interpretation of Amfortas from Friday.
Also a well-sung performance from Andreas Bauer as Titurel, coming off to the worst possible start as the curtain went up about 2 minutes too early during the Act 1 transformation music exposing him drinking from a waterbottle under the changing sets.
And a minor quibble on a related note: I would rather have the spear not changing hands from Klingsor to Parsifal at all, than to see all sorts of non-convincing spear appearances, especially when, as yesterday, the spear appeared from a hole in the floor next to Domingo, before Klingsor had even thrown it. Bernd Eichinger is obviously no opera director. But he is a film director. Could he not have made that exchange (even when it works) look more convincing?

Now to the real star of the evening:

While I admit to having been seduced by Christian Thielemann´s glitteringly, beautiful Parsifal, compared to Daniel Barenboim´s quite obvious understanding of the deeper structures of the work, Thielemann now seems superficial. Key elements in Barenboim´s reading being string rubato and accentuation as well as emphasis on the contrapunctual elements, of which, it turns out, there are quite a few. The disturbing, underlying elements of the work are exposed far below the glittery beauty in performance, with echoes lingering on for days.
Daniel Barenboim is slow, though for most parts it is a relative slowness as his Act 1 clocks in at 1:50 – exactly as Thielemann´s in Vienna last year. And curiously he even paced both sets of Transformation music considerably faster than usual.
Basically I would just like to know how he does it. How does he see those connections within the music that apparently no-one else sees? How does he approaches the score? I may just have to become a music journalist and interview him to get the answers..To summarize, I have never heard a better conducted Parsifal.

Massive applause to everyone from an unusually mixed audience, including a large fraction of Spanish-speaking visitors as well as the usual loud misunderstood hissings from semi-studied self-proclaimed expert Wagnerians at those (me included) applauding after Act 1 (which is perfectly acceptable, but requires an entire post to explain).

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

Plácido Domingo: 4-5
Waltraud Meier: 6
Robert Holl: 4
Christof Fischesser: 5
Hanno Müller-Brachmann: 5

Daniel Barenboim: 6

Overall impression: 4-5

Berlin: Embarrassingly underprepared Domingo as Parsifal with Meier, Salminen and Barenboim

Parsifal. Berlin State Opera. March 6th 2009. Cast: Plácido Domingo (Parsifal), Waltraud Meier (Kundry), Matti Salminen (Gurnemanz), Christof Fischesser (Klingsor), Hanno Müller-Brachmann (Amfortas). Conductor: Daniel Barenboim. Further information here.

The Parsifal production of the Berlin State Opera is by film-maker Bernd Eichinger from 2005 and described in detail at my last visit two years ago. In brief, Eichinger sees Parsifal as a journey in time. Furthermore, he doesn´t really seem to know anything about directing opera, making Parsifal a display of filmic sets, leaving the singers free to create the characters. Which is why the appearance yesterday of three leads, all new to the production, didn´t really make any difference, despite a minimal rehearsing time.

As Parsifal, Plácido Domingo was notoriously underprepared, relying heavily on audible prompting, especially in the second act. Famous for his acting skills, he had no connection with the character at all, seemingly stretching himself to the maximum to get through it alive and pronounce the words at least partially correct. Has he ever been dramatically convincing as the innocent fool? I suspect not. But yesterday he was painfully unconvincing, almost downright terrible, I (as a staunch Domingo-Wagner fan) am very sorry to say. The tones, however, were beautiful and probably not to be heard better by anyone today in this part. In a concert performance he would have been stunning. However, is it really possible to watch a performance with no chemistry between Plácido Domingo and Waltraud Meier? I wouldn´t have thought so, but apparently it is.

Plácido Domingo has chosen to sing this role again in public. And hats off to him for not cancelling the performance in front of a sold-out house. But he should have been better prepared as this was far below his own standards.

Waltraud Meier was simply stunning as Kundry. Her magnetic stage presence and dramatic projections make me hope she can continue at least 1o years more with this part. That she may have choked on a couple of high notes I find entirely unimportant in the bigger picture, and furthermore the entire middle-lower register, occupying the majority of the part was as beautiful as ever.

The major draw-back to this evening, of course was René Pape´s cancellation and in my book I suspect these performances will go down as "the Berlin Parsifals René Pape didn´t sing". I would be lying if I said he wasn´t heavily missed.

That said, Matti Salminen was a rather smashing substitute. Salminen´s voice ages well and remains firm, entirely avoiding the vibrato marring the singing of colleagues such as John Tomlinson, Kurt Rydl and Samuel Ramey. Furthermore, he was in fine vocal shape and he is an intellingent singer, fully knowing that extended legato-lines and ringing top-notes (René Pape´s major strong points) are not his aces, converting some of these to sprech-gesang or cunning pianissimi letting Barenboim´s orchestra overshadow him (best example in the Gesegnet sei section, at which point I suspect he was down-right exhausted as well). Not unimportantly, Matti Salminen has the required stage authority and apart from he-who-was-not-here I don´t think a better Gurnemanz is around.

Hanno Müller-Brachmann is an Amfortas way above average with a warm, rounded, slightly lyrical approach. Also quite superb Christof Fischesser as Klingsor, though he was occasionally thrown off guard by Barenboim´s rugged tempi. Both on the highest international level.

Daniel Barenboim doesn´t really make things easy either. The orchestra hasn´t played Parsifal in two years and I strongly suspect he didn´t waste too much time rehearsing it either. On top, he applied some peculiar accentuations and rather rugged shift of tempi, not fully incorporated within all sections of the orchestra and which threw the singers off guard, contributing to the sense of unease prevailing in this performance. But he does get beneath the glittering beauty of a Thielemann Parsifal to the closest I can imagine to the core of the work.

However, the evening as a whole didn´t really take off. Still, a Parsifal vastly superior to the one in Bayreuth, but inferior to previous performances of the same production at this house.

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 4=average):

Plácido Domingo: 3
Waltraud Meier: 5
Matti Salminen: 5
Hanno Müller-Brachmann: 5
Christof Fischesser: 5

Daniel Barenboim: 5

Overall impression: 4

damn, double damn

Worst possible (well almost) opera news of the week (the season??, the year??):
Matti Salminen replaces René Pape in the Barenboim-conducted Berlin Parsifal on Friday. Notwithstanding I am a big fan of Salminen, and Plácido Domingo and Waltraud Meier are both appearing as well, I must admit I shall probably have to sell my ticket. Which at least shouldn´t be a problem.

And, as of Wednesday, a look in the comments section will reveal that he will be replaced by Robert Holl Monday. And by Robert Holl also next Thursday with Gergive at the Barbican.

Well...opera is only entertainment after all. I suppose that is the rational way to go about this. But I would be lying to say this isn´t a major disappointment.

Best Tristan DVD on the market: Barenboim Chéreau Meier La Scala production released

Tristan and Isolde. La Scala, 2007. Director: Patrice Chéreau. Cast: Waltraud Meier (Isolde), Ian Storey (Tristan), Michelle De Young (Brangäne), Gerd Grochowski (Kurwenal), Matti Salminen (King Marke). Conductor: Daniel Barenboim. Further information here.

Finally, after a year, this revelatory production, the most successful La Scala season opening in years, has arrived on DVD. I saw it live at La Scala last year, and it remains the highlight of my operagoing experience.

Really, I do not have much to add to my previous description of this simply astonishing production, one of the rare instances of opera truly being more than just a sum of the individual parts. With equal emphasis on the simply outstanding achievements of Patrice Chéreau, Daniel Barenboim and Waltraud Meier.

First, Waltraud Meier is an entirely compelling Isolde. Vocal shortcomings or not (I may add she is on fine form here), she simply inhabits the character of Isolde and the myriads of facets of her superb acting are convincingly transferred to this DVD. I remember how the entire house was paralyzed by the intensity of her liebestod, by far the most moving version I have seen her do. Undoubtedly giants of the past such as Astrid Varnay and the likes could do things with their voice, which Waltraud Meier cannot. However, Waltraud Meier can do things with the character on stage, which those of the past could certainly not.
This is the third DVD featuring Waltraud Meier´s Isolde (preceded by the Müller-Barenboim Bayreuth production and Konwitschny´s Munich staging), and by far the best. Even though Heiner Müller´s Bayreuth production had Daniel Barenboim and a superior Tristan in the shape of Siegfried Jerusalem. But they had no Patrice Chéreau to humanize the drama. In fact, he was asked, but declined. Incidentally, he also declined to stage the 1982 Bayreuth Tristan, which then went to Ponnelle..

Admittedly Patrice Chéreau´s staging is dark and sombre - a ship, a seawall, grey concrete walls encapsuling the drama. Distinguished by his superb personal direction of the singers and thorough analysis of the text, he transmits the emotions unlike any other director I am familiar with. Perhaps with one exception - as Patrice Chéreau has explained, he sees the second act love duet as a philosophical power struggle between Tristan and Isolde, and he may well be right. It would just have been so much more compelling to have it acted out in real.

Also Daniel Barenboim´s third Tristan and Isolde on DVD (he started out with the 1982 Bayreuth Ponnelle production), he more than keeps everything together.The poignancy and engaging interpretation places him high above anyone else both on or off DVD, including his own previous Bayreuth productions, perhaps as a result of this Scala DVD being recorded live.

Best of the rest was Matti Salminen´s dignified King Marke. Ian Storey definitely looks and acts the romantic hero. Vocally his timbre does not appeal to me, but he more than gets away with it. Michelle De Young does to a lesser degree, though she gains from the transfer to DVD. Gerd Grochowski portrays an energetic Kurwenal, vocally perhaps on the dry side.

It this the best Tristan and Isolde DVD on the market? Yes. Without doubt and with a large margin to the next (which in my opinion are Barenboim´s two previous Bayreuth productions, Ponnelle´s and Heiner Müller´s).

Act 1: Isolde´s narration and curse:

Act 1: The love potion - one of the highlights of the production:

Waltraud Meier´s liebestod:

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

Waltraud Meier: 5
Ian Storey: 4
Michelle De Young: 3
Matti Salminen: 5
Gerd Grochowski: 4

Patrice Chéreau´s production: 5

Daniel Barenboim: 5

Overall impression: 5

Waltraud Meier

WALTRAUD MEIER CAREER

Waltraud Meier, German mezzosoprano. Born 1956, Würzburg, Germany.
Education: No formal music education.
It is widely agreed that Waltraud Meier is the only truly compelling female Wagnerian singer on stage today.

After language studies in Würzburg, Waltraud Meier was engaged at the Würzburg Opera in 1976. After engagements with various German opera houses, Waltraud Meier´s big breakthtrough came after she, on her own initiative, phoned up the Bayreuth Festival, asked for an audition and subsequently was hired as Kundry in 1983, 27 years old at the time. Becoming virtually famous overnight, her career took off from there and since then she has appeared in all the major opera houses.
Waltraud Meier considers Bayreuth her artistical home and was a cornerstone presence between 1983-2000, as Kundry 1983-93 (released on CD), Isolde 1993-99 (released on DVD), Sieglinde (2000), Waltraute in the Barenboim/Kupfer Ring (released on DVD) as well as Brangaene (1985). In 2000 she left the Festival after a conflict with the Festival Management.
The companies, with which she has the closest associations are the Berlin State Opera and Bavarian State Opera, where she has performed her entire Wagnerian repertoire. Past seasons have seen several appearances at the Paris Bastille Opera (Isolde, Kundry and Ortrud) as well as the Metropolitan Opera (Kundry, Santuzza, Sieglinde, Marie, Waltraute, Isolde).

At the Metropolitan Opera, she made her debut as Fricka 1987 when the Schenk/Levine Ring was new, and has subsequently returned as Kundry, Carmen, Venus, Santuzza, Fidelio, Isolde (one performance only), Sieglinde, Marie and Waltraute.
Her closest artistical collaboration is with Daniel Barenboim for more than 20 years, resulting in countless performances and recordings of, amongst other things, her entire Wagnerian repertoire. Waltraud Meier:

"It frustrates me that pitch is half a tone higher than it was in Wagner's time. If it was that bit lower, I could sing Brünnhilde, as well as Strauss's Salome and Verdi's Lady Macbeth. But today they lie just too high for me - I could not get them into my throat."

 "Kundry is bottomless, and is still after more than twenty years a source of inspiration and will probably always remain so."

Emphasizing concert and lieder singing, Waltraud Meier devoted the 2003-4 season to lieder.
Vocally, Waltraud Meier is a mezzo-soprano with a flexibility towards the top allowing her for (limited however) ventures into the soprano repertoire, most notably with Isolde, but also with Fidelio-Leonore, while other of her cornerstone parts such as Sieglinde, Wozzeck-Marie and Ortrud may be considered zwischen-fach.

Waltraud Meier´s floating expressivity comes fully to its right in Wagner, where, on good nights, her voice cuts through the orchestra like a razor-blade and the high Cs are effortless thrown out. She has a tendency to be sharp in the high register, which on off-nights may result in a not negligeable amount of off-pitch singing as well as considerable difficulty with the topnotes.

However, Waltraud Meier is a formidable presence on stage with entirely compelling acting skills and maximal expressivity, vocally as well as dramatically. None of her recordings come even close to capture the electricity she generates in live performances.
Waltraud Meier´s most important parts are Kundry, Isolde, Ortrud and Sieglinde, where she is virtually unequalled as a singer-actress.

"The most important thing for me is: What happens on the stage must have something to do with the piece! Directorial liberty is too often misunderstood! You consider the audience to be fools if you think a problem may only be understood if it takes place in a present-time setting.. Of course I am not advocating old-fashioned productions... Directors like Ponnelle, Friedrich, Bondy or Chéreau are the true masters as I see it. I feel that several directors - especially in spoken theater - abuse the pieces for their own vanities sake, rather than have the courage to write a piece of their own."

WALTRAUD MEIER KEY ROLES AND PERFORMANCES

Kundry (Parsifal) - Waltraud Meier´s signature part, with countless performances since her debut 1982 in Dortmund. Most notably in Bayreuth 1983-92, Metropolitan Opera from 1992 (released on DVD), Baden-Baden Festival 2004 (released on DVD), La Scala 1991, Berlin State Opera (countless performances), Paris Bastille Opera 2008, Vienna State Opera (many performances, latest in 2011).

Isolde - Waltraud Meier´s other signature role, with which she made her debut in Bayreuth 1993. Countless performances, and three DVD releases. Most important productions: Bayreuth 1993-99 (Müller/Barenboim - released on DVD), Bavarian State Opera (Konwitschny/Mehta - released on DVD), Salzburg Festival 2000 (Grüber/Mehta), Vienna State Opera (Everding production), Berlin State Opera ( continuously in Kupfer/Barenboim prod), Paris Bastille Opera 2005, 2008 (Sellars/Viola), La Scala 2007, 2009 (Chéreau/Barenboim - released on DVD), 2008 Metropolitan Opera.

Waltraud Meier has publicly stated the 2007 La Scala production to be the most revelatory Isolde production she has participated in, "completely overwhelmed" by Chéreau´s capabilities as a stage director.

Ortrud (Lohengrin) - debut 1998 at the Bavarian State Opera. Most important productions include: London Royal Opera, Berlin State Opera, Baden-Baden Festival 2006 (released on DVD), Paris Bastille 2007, Munich 2010-11

Sieglinde - 1992 debut in Vienna with Plácido Domingo. Important productions include the Munich Ring (Alden), London Ring (Warner), Berlin State Opera Ring (Kupfer), Bayreuth Ring 2000 (Jürgen Flimm), Paris Châtelet Ring (Wilson), La Scala Walküre with Muti, Barenboim-Cassiers Berlin-La Scala Ring (2010-12), Metropolitan Schenk Ring (2009)

Venus (Tannhäuser) - performance include Bavarian State Opera 1995 (released on DVD), Baden-Baden Festival 2008 (released on DVD)

Carmen - Waltraud Meier´s Carmen in the 1997 Zeffirelli-directed new production at the Met was probably the low-point of her career, and the only time she received over-all negative reviews. Waltraud Meier says:
"I have enormous respect for Zeffirelli, but our two styles just didn't match. The staging was folkloristic, with horses on stage and that sort of thing. It was the most horrible time, but I don't think about it any more. A mistake? Well, my philosophy is that there are no faults, only errors. You learn from your mistakes and come through knowing more."

Subsequently she sang the part in Dresden 2005, but now seems to have retired it.

Marie (Wozzeck) - Berlin State Opera 1994 (released on DVD), Paris (2009), Munich (2010-12), Met (2011)

Fidelio - Debut 1998 with Barenboim in Chicago. Notable productions include La Scala 1999 (Muti), Metropolitan Opera (Flimm), Bavarian State Opera , Valencia 2006 (available on DVD), Berlin State Opera, Vienna State Opera 2011

Other non-Wagnerian parts include Eboli (on DVD from Châtelet), Amneris, Santuzza (Met 2010), Didon, Giulietta (notably in Salzburg 2003), Klytemnestra (Salzburg 2010 - on DVD). Currently only Fidelio, Santuzza, Marie and Klytemnestra seems to be in Waltraud Meier´s active non-Wagnerian repertoire.

WALTRAUD MEIER - THE FUTURE

Waltraud Meier swill sing Klytemnestra in the new Patrice Chéreau Elektra production at the Met around 2013.

WALTRAUD MEIER ON CD (SELECTED)

Isolde (Tristan and Isolde), Barenboim 1995.
Kundry (Parsifal), Levine 1985.
Kundry (Parsifal), Barenboim 1991.Kundry (Parsifal). Thielemann, 2006.Sieglinde (Walküre). Mehta, 2002.
Ortrud (Lohengrin), Abbado 1994.
Venus (Tannhäuser), Barenboim 2002.
Fidelio, Barenboim 2006.

Frauenliebe und leben - Lieder by Brahms, Schubert and Schumann, 1998.
Mahler orchestral songs, Maazel 1999.Various Mahler, Wagner, Wolf. Barenboim 1999.
Wagner Gala, Abbado 1993.

WALTRAUD MEIER ON DVD

Don Carlos (Paris Châtelet 1996, d: Bondy, c: Pappano)

Elektra (Salzburg 2010, d: Lehnhoff, c: Gatti)
Fidelio (Valencia 2006)Lohengrin (Baden-Baden Festival 2006, d: Lehnhoff, c: Nagano)

Ring des Nibelungen (Waltraute 1991, d: Kupfer, c: Barenboim)
Tannhäuser (Bavarian State Opera 1995, d: Alden, c: Mehta)
Tannhäuser (Baden-Baden 2008, d: Lehnhoff, c: Jordan )
Tristan and Isolde (Bayreuth Festival 1995, d: Müller, c: Barenboim)
Tristan and Isolde (Bavarian State Opera 1998, d: Konwitschny, c: Mehta)
Tristan and Isolde (La Scala 2007, d: Chéreau, c: Barenboim)Parsifal (Metropolitan Opera 1992, d: Schenk, c: Levine)
Wozzeck (Berlin State Opera 1994, d: Chéreau, c: Barenboim)

I follow a voice within me - portrait DVD, 2002

Waltraud Meier - Isolde´s liebestod (Chéreau/Barenboim, La Scala 2007):

Waltraud Meier as Ortrud (with Tom Fox) - (Lehnhoff/Nagano, Baden-Baden 2006):

WALTRAUD MEIER LIVE PERFORMANCES REVIEWED BY MOSTLY OPERA

Fidelio - Bavarian State Opera 2007
Ortrud (Lohengrin) - Paris Bastille Opera 2007
Isolde - Bavarian State Opera 2007, La Scala 2007, Madrid Teatro Real 2008, Berlin State Opera 2008, Paris Bastille Opera 2008
Kundry (Parsifal) - Paris Bastille Opera 2008 , Berlin State Opera 2009 (twice)
Sieglinde (Walküre) - Act 1 in concert, Bavarian State Opera 2007
Sieglinde (Walküre) - complete in concert, Barcelona 2008
Sieglinde (Walküre) - Act 1 in concert, Berlin Waldbühne 2008

WALTRAUD MEIER - LINKS

Waltraud Meier official website
All posts on mostly opera related to Waltraud Meier
Wikipedia biography on Waltraud Meier

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.

Salzburg 2003: David McVicar´s stellar Hoffmann

Les Contes d´Hoffmann. Salzburg Festival 2003. Production: David McVicar. Cast includes: Neil Schicoff (Hoffmann), Angelika Kirchschlager (Muse), Ruggero Raimondi (Villains), Waltraud Meier (Giulietta), Krassimira Stoyanova (Antonia). L´ubica Vargicová (Olympia). Conductor: Kent Nagano.

Unsurprisingly, David McVicar produced a tragic version of Hoffmann´s tales for the 2003 Salzburg Festival. Why write about this event 5 years later? It was shown on television, and if released on DVD, it will be first choice on the market, pushing Robert Carsen´s Paris version down to second place.

It is a very atmospheric staging, one of McVicar´s best. He succeeds brilliantly in capturing the essence of Hoffmann - provided one accepts his view of decadence and tragedy.

According to David McVicar, Hoffmann is an alcoholic and a looser. In the end, this Hoffmann simply dies, and the opera simply follows his death spiral. The imagery are slightly more glitzy aesthetical, but otherwise typical of David McVicar (Manon, Salome, Nozze, Rigoletto) portraying the fading elegance of a decaying society. On a related note, I though the naked muscular man with blood sprayed all over his back was a McVicar invention for his London Salome earlier this year. Not so. This man appears in the beginning of the Giulietta scene 5 years earlier in Salzburg...

Neil Schicoff is the perfect Hofmann for this sort of interpretation capturing the exact essence of desperation and tragedy as well as being vocally on top from. Accompanied by Ruggero Raimondi as the perfect villains, with the exact required undercurrent menacing presence. Vocally he may be past his prime, but not enough to make it matter: He still pulls of a scintillating Scintille Diamant. And looks excactly as I imagine the Villains to look.

Angelika Kirchschlager is quite simply the perfect Muse, here Hoffmann´s lover. As demonstrated by L´ubica Vargicová (surely one of the strangest names on the opera circuit) Olympia is not an easy part to bring off. Krassimira Stoyanova is a straight-foward, unsentimental and stylishly sung Antonia. And Waltraud Meier, though an unusual choice for Giulietta and slightly unusual sounding, nevertheless is entirely captivating as well as in fine voice.

My main reservation of this production, and unfortunately not a negligeable one, is Kent Nagano. Never the conductor of a dense romatic approach he choses a lighter reading, unfortunately not fitting David McVicar´s tragic approach, nor Offenbach´s sumptuous score.

Marjana Lipovsek, Kurt Rydl and Robert Tear had smaller parts in this much-too stellar cast not to warrant a DVD release....

As this is not commercially released, this obviously is no competition to the Carsen Paris DVD.

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

Neil Schicoff: 5
Angelika Kirchschlager: 5
Ruggero Raimondi: 5
L´ubica Vargicová: 3
Krassimira Stoyanova: 4
Waltraud Meier: 5

David McVicar: 5

Kent Nagano: 3-4

Overall impression: 4-5

Sellars Viola Tristan and Isolde in Paris

Tristan and Isolde. Paris Bastille Opera, October 30rd, 2008. Director: Peter Sellars with video projections by Bill Viola. Cast: Waltraud Meier (Isolde), Clifton Forbis (Tristan), Ekaterina Gubanova (Brangäne), Hans-Josef Selig (King Marke), Alexandro Marco-Buhrmester (Kurwenal), Ralf Lukas (Melot) . Conductor: Semyon Bychov. Further information here.

The stage is completely black and square with a giant videoscreen projecting Bill Viola´s continually flowing images on the back wall. The characters are all clad in black in front of (and below) the videoscreen. In many ways not that different from a semi-staged performance, in which form this staging has previously been presented in both Los Angeles and New York under the name The Tristan project. This performance at the Bastille Opera was the revival premiere of the Peter Sellars/Bill Viola Tristan and Isolde from 2005.

Peter Sellars presents his Tristan and Isolde in the programme notes as a story of two wounded people having to accept each others weaknesses. Not without Peter Sellars´k quirkiness, here regarding King Marke: “As he pours out his heart we realize, that the king is just a man, that he was Tristan´s first lover, and that the love that dare not speak its name is as strong as any other love.” However, for once, Peter Sellars seem to merely serve as acompaniement to Bill Viola´s video projections and the only place Peter Sellars was visible was in the programme notes. Except the fact that he lets Marke appear among the fully lit audience at the end of Act 1 and several secondary characters (Brangäne for the 2nd act warnings, the sheperd and the male chorus) appeared on the balconies and behind the audience emphasizing the theater in the theater aspect to the production.

Acclaimed video artist Bill Viola never" intended directly to illustrate the story of Tristan and Isolde, but rather to create an image world exising parallel to the action on stage" (Bill Viola from the programme notes). Tristan and Isolde is “the story of a love so intense and profound that it cannot be contained in the material bodies of their lovers. In order to fully realize their love, Tristan and Isolde must ultimately transcend life itself” (Bill Viola from the programme notes).

In creating the video projections Bill Viola was particularly inspired by the Hindu and Buddhist traditions of Tantra and descibes his video art as follows:

Act I concerns “Purification”, the universal act of the individuals preparation for the symbolic sacrifice and death required for the transformation and rebirth of the self.

Act II concerns “The Awakening of the Body of Light” – the release, through the cleansing illumination of love, of the luminous spiritual form encased within the dark inertia of the material body."

Act III concerns "The Dissolution of the Self” in the stages of dying, the delicate and excruciating process of the separation and disintegration of the physical, perceptual and conceptual components.

What we see is thematically related to fire and water, central elements in Bill Violas previous output as well. We start with the undulating sea. Two people approach us from a distance in parallel projections. They undress and are cleansed by water. A placid surface of water is broken during the drinking of the love potion. Later, the fire is introduced; Isolde lights a vast array of candles, Tristan walks unscathed through roaring flames. We see both the earthly and the heavenly Tristan and Isolde, who ultimately disintegrate within cascades of water in the liebestod. Most importantly, however, the video seems to flow within the inner rhythm of the work. A truly extraordinary achievement.
The allegories seem infinite and for those interested a thorough description of Bill Viola´s Tristan videos in context with his other work may be found here.

Even in a staging not at all suited to bring out Waltraud Meier´s well-known formidable dramatic abilities, she still is a mesmerizing Isolde, by vocal means only. Especially when, as yesterday, she was on top form, effortlessly throwing out the high notes (and on pitch as well)..

If a Tristan both looks and acts like a real man, I am inclined to cut him a considerable amount of slack in the vocal department, if necessary. And Clifton Forbis, in this regard, probably is the most convincing Tristan on a major stage today as demonstrated with a fine DVD Tristan from Geneva in 2005. On the positive side, Forbis had no trouble throwing out the high notes on pitch. On the negative side, he seemed to have trouble with everything else, appearing severely overchallenged with a voice that seemed almost broken in the middle to lower register. Futhermore he seemed entirely at the end of his vocal road in Act 1, but thereafter became slightly better. Hopefully that curve will continue during the run of performances.

Franz-Josef Selig was a fine, sonorous King Marke. If only Peter Sellars had not made him act like a complete wimp without dignity. Curiously, Marke kissed Tristan on the mouth in the premiere run I have been informed, but this feature has now disappeared..
Ekaterina Gubanova also a fine Brangäne, though with an occasionally too heavy vibrato especially in the Act 2 warnings. A solid and resonant Kurwenal was delivered from Alexandro Marco-Buhrmester.

Semyon Bychov received raptuous applause, slightly surprising as I found his interpretation to consist mainly of 1) consistant mezzoforte/forte playing, without exploring the full dynamic range of the score, and 2) non-fluent tempi shift. Almost each time a decisive section started (such Isoldes Act 1 narration or the drinking of the love potion) tempi were abruptly changed – equally divided between the slow and the fast - and kept steady until the next section presented a new shift in tempo. Generally Semyon Bychov´s reading is on the fast side, which is far preferable to being on the slow side, unless genuinely capable of bringing off the long lines, which I didn´t hear much of with Bychov. That said, the orchestral quality as such is high and what they played, they played well.

Many found this staging revelatory when it opened in 2005 and I clearly see why. Ultimately, however, I didn´t to the degree that I expected. Why, I don´t know. Component by component this staging has everything. Perhaps the metaphysical vs. interpersonal drama rate was ultimately too high? Or perhaps I couldn´t distance myself enough from the fact that despite fine moments, Semyon Bychov is no Daniel Barenboim..

To summarize, this is without doubt one of the most innovative approaches to any of Wagners work ever to be seen on stage and strongly recommended for anyone close to Paris.

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

Waltraud Meier: 5
Clifton Forbis: 3
Ekaterina Gubanova: 4
Franz-Josef Selig: 4
Alexandro Marco-Buhrmester: 4

Peter Sellars concept (includes Bill Viola): 5

Semyon Bychov: 3

Overall impression: 4-5