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

benvenuto cellini

Benvenuto Cellini. DVD. Salzburg Festival 2007. Production: Stölzl. Cond: Valery Gergiev. Cast: Burkhard Fritz (Cellini), Maija Kovalevska (Teresa), Laurent Naouri (Fieramosca), Brindley Sherratt (Giacomo Balducci), Mikhail Petrenko (Pope Clemens VII), Kate Aldrich (Ascanio).


I saw this production in Salzburg in 2007 and was impressed, but as the Salzburger Festspielhaus is massive, even if my seat was good, I now see how many details I missed.
Director Philipp Stölzl is mainly known as a video director, having worked both with Rammstein and Madonna (American Pie) and the James Bond titel song The world is not enough. He directs opera as he does music videos - fast-paced, colorful, aesthetic. I remember some found him superficial in Salzburg. I think it is outstanding.

In brief we are somewhere in a future city, on top of a roof, the skyline constantly visible. Key elements include: Robots, a helicopter (in which Cellini makes his arrival), the Pope as a rockstar and so on. The special effects are stunning, and apparently Stölzl and his team spent a week in the Festival House to design the light effects. Gotham City I called it when I saw it in Salzburg.

Vesselina Kasarova sprained an ankle during Alcina in Munich and cancelled, as did Neil Schicoff, allegedly due to some controversy over the appointment of the new intendant of the Vienna State Opera (a post he didn´t get). While Kate Aldrich was a great replacement for Kasarova, less so for Burkhard Fritz, who was somewhat less than ordinary. Committed performance also from Valery Gergiev and the Vienna Philharmonics.

Highly recommended.

Trailer:

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

Burkhard Fritz: 3
Maija Kovalevska: 4
Laurent Naouri: 3-4
Mikhail Petrenko: 3-4
Kate Aldrich: 4

Stölzl´s staging: 5
Valery Gergiev: 5

Overall impression: 5

Florez and Damrau in Rigoletto DVD

Rigoletto. DVD. Semperoper Dresden 2008. Production: Lehnhoff. Conductor: Fabio Luisi. Cast: Zeljko Lucic (Rigoletto), Diana Damrau (Gilda), Juan Diego Florez (Duke), Georg Zeppenfeld (Sparafucile), Christa Mayer (Maddalena)

I remember well the sold-out performances in at the Dresden Semperoper in 2008 marking Juan Diego Florez´ debut as the Duke and possibly open a whole new repertoire for him. That didn´t happen as he apparently has decided to retire the role for vocal reasons (apparently he feels it does not suit his voice) and return to his original Rossini-Donizetti fach.
And after listening to his performance here that seems a reasonable decision: Not that he is not excellent. For he clearly hits the notes and sings with enthusiasm. But somehow he seems to lack the vocal heft necessary for him to continue in this repertoire without damaging his voice.
Next to him Diana Damrau shines as Gilda. Despite slight overacting, few can sing a Gilda like her today. Zeljko Lucic is quite appropriate as the somewhat nasty Rigoletto and generally the Dresden Semperoper has assembled a cast without weak links.
The production is one of Nikolaus Lehnhoff´s best. It is stylish and elegant, emphasizing the Pagliacci elements in the score, with Rigoletto climbing out of a hole during the ouverture. Masks, colours and disguises are key elements exaggerated almost to the grotesque in Rigolettos neon-green costume and Gildas symbolic blood on her white dress.

Though perhaps lacking in interpretative depth, this is nevertheless not a bad suggestion for a colourful and entertaining Rigoletto,

1st act duet Diana Damrau, Juan Diego Florez:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):
 
Juan Diego Florez: 4-5
Diana Damrau: 5
Zeljko Lucic: 4
Georg Zeppenfeld: 4 
Christa Mayer: 4
 
Lehnhoff´s production: 4 
Fabio Luisi: 4
 
Overall impression: 5

DVD Walküre from The Thielemann Ring

Walküre. DVD. Bayreuth Festival 2010. Production: Tankred Dorst. Conductor: Christian Thielemann. Cast: Johan Botha (Siegmund), Edith Haller (Sieglinde), Linda Watson (Brünnhilde), Albert Döhmen (Wotan), Mihoko Fujimura (Fricka), Kwangchoul Yun (Hunding)

I have no doubt that this Bayreuth-Ring 2006-11, directed by Tankred Dorst will be known as The Thielemann Ring.

From the beginning, this Ring was planned for CD release only and released as a 14-CD boxset in 2009 with the doubful honour of being one of the strongest in terms of the conductor, as well as probably the weakest in terms of singers.
However, with the recent explosion of the DVD-operatic market it probably makes sense for the Bayreuth Festival to try and distribute it.

Tankred Dorst was universically criticized for lack of ideas and static concept upon the premiere in 2006.  However, I saw the Ring in Bayreuth in 2007 and have to agree: The only highligt was Christian Thielemann. Who, on the other hand was stunning.

Dorst´s main idea that The Gods live amongst us,but we cannot see them and that man destroy nature are neither novel nor exciting. Admittedly, his preparations were not optimal, having had to take over after the cancellation from Lars von Trier. But nevertheless, a Bayreuth Ring is a Bayreuth Ring and this Ring was disappointing. I have previously written a comprehensive review of the entire Dorst-Thielemann Ring including a detailed description of the staging.

Edith Haller took over Sieglinde´s part from the previous years Eva-Maria Westbroek and Adrianne Pieczonka, and though somewhat weak in expression she has a truly beautiful voice with a wonderful bloom and seems to raise easily over the orchestra.
Johan Botha has a large, effortless voice, but for the rest I completely agree with the message he got from  the Intendant of the Vienna State Opera. Both Albert Döhmen and Linda Watson performs in accordance with Tankred Dorst´s staging: Neither spectacular nor disastrous. While Mihoko Fujimura does not have a large, dramatic voice, it is very beautiful.

Christian Thielemann is the true revelation of this DVD and, indeed, hearing him conduct this Ring in Bayreuth was one of the major operatic experiences I have had. The glittering beauty, the broad tempi, the subtle changes in tempi. It becomes quite clear, however, how the acoustics of the Bayreuth Festival House with the covered pit actually works against the explosive and contrapunctual nature of the Ring and if you a a conductor don´t work against it, you risk to lose the momentum and make it sound like Parsifal. This, however, does not seem to bother Thielemann, who in fact conducts this Walküre much as he does Parsifal.
Nevertheless, together with Daniel Barenboim, no conductor today has a better understanding of Richard Wagner.

Trailer:

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

Johan Botha: 2
Albert Döhmen: 3
Edith Haller: 3-4
Linda Watson: 3
Mihoko Fujimura: 4

Christian Thielemann: 5
Tankred Dorst´s production: 2-3

tcherniakov the gambler dvd

The Gambler. DVD. Berlin State Opera 2008. Prod: Dmitri Tcherniakov. Conductor: Daniel Barenboim. Cast: Kristine Opolais (Polina), Misha Didyk (Aleksay), Vladimir Ognovenko (General), Stefania Toczyska (Babulenka)

Dostoyevski´s dark tale of the corruptive power of money set to music by Prokofiev has received a close-to-ideal presentation by this production by Russian director Dmitri Tcherniakov. A co-production between the Berlin State Opera and La Scala, I remember it received rave reviews after the Berlin premiere, but disastrous reviews in Milan half a year later - with Daniel Barenboim as well and for the exact same team of singers. Which, of course, just testifies to the well-known differences of the audiences for the two houses.

The opera may not be mainstream and the plot somewhat confusing, but Dmitri Tcherniakovs staging of Prokofiev´s opera The Gambler is one of the best DVDs out there. I attended one of the performances in Berlin in 2008 and my impression holds after seeing the DVD: It´s a both exciting and moving production of outstanding musical quality.

The whole affair takes place in a hotel lobby cum gambling hall, which suits the story-line well. However, what really lifts the production is the outstanding personenregie, one of Dmitri Tcherniakov´s trademarks. It is simply entertaining throughout with myriads of small details. All singers are committed to their roles and turn in performances worthy of stage actors, without compromising on vocal quality. All accompanied by a wonderfully dense reading from Daniel Barenboim, this is highly recommended.

Duet Act 1 Kristine Opolais, Misha Didyk:

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


Kristine Opolais: 4-5
Misha Didyk: 4
Vladmir Ognovenko: 4
Stefania Toczyska: 4

Dmitri Tcherniakovs production: 5
Daniel Barenboim: 5


Overall impression: 5

Anne Schwanewilms shines as Marschallin

Rosenkavalier. DVD. Dresden Semperoper in NHK Hall, Tokyo, Japan. 2007. Production: Uwe Laufenberg. Conductor: Fabio Luisi. Cast: Anne Schwanewilms (Marschallin), Anke Vondung (Octavian), Kurt Rydl (Ochs), Maki Mori (Sophie).

What sets this DVD apart from most is Anne Schwanewilms Marschallin.

Laufenberg´s staging is classic, dark, decidedly un-sparkling and updated to what probably is the 1950´s.

Hut here we have Anne Schwanewilms, in what is probably her best role. Truly spitzenklasse.  Her almost vibratoless middlevoice and her attack on the top notes is entirely unique and may be heard also in her superb lieder albums of Strauss. Furthermore she is radiant and projects a wonderful warmth. Quite possible the best Marschallin I have seen on DVD. Her voice is not big, her soprano is not soaring and on stage, she occasionally disappoints. But here, she is simply divine.
Anke Vondung has the perfect voice for Octavian. Firm, slender and with an effortless high register.
Maki Mori not quite on the level of the other two, though she is young and fresh with effortless high notes.
While Kurt Rydl definitely has the acting skills, as well as the deep notes, all the other notes come with a far from negligeable wobble. Fabio Luisi conducts a solid performance.

However this DVD is worth seeing for the sake of Anne Schwanewilms.

Act 1 "Da geht er hin":

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

Anne Schwanewilms: 5
Anke Vondung: 5
Mori Maki: 3-4
Kurt Rydl: 3

Fabio Luisi: 3-4

Laufenbergs staging: 3

Overall impression: 4

DVD Hamburg Carmelites

Dialogues des Carmelites. Hamburgische Staatsoper 2008. Production: Lehnhoff, Conductor: Simone Young. Cast: Alexia Voulgaridou(Blanche), Anne Schwanewilms (Lidonie), Kathryn Harries (Croissy), Gabriele Schnaut (Marie), Jana Büchner (Constance).

With this production, Nikolaus Lehnhoff has excelled in what he does best:  Minimalistic productions based on geometric stage designs in discrete colours. Here: A black stage, no accessories. The colors are blue, black and white. It is very beautiful. In fact, Lehnhoff has created a staging to match the aetherial beauty of Poulenc. It also, unfortunately is very static, both in outlook and conception.
Essentially, Lehnhoffi is telling the story as I believe Poulenc would have had, though traditionalists may quibble that the production has been updated from the time of the French revolution until today,
a matter of less importance for this relatively ageless staging.

Of the soloists, only Gabriele Schnaut disappoints with an ugly wobbly sound. And to a minor degree Anne Schwanewilms whose voice is not well suited to the long vocal lines of Poulenc. Simone Young delivers a sumptuous reading of the score, which undoubtedly would have made her old mentor Daniel Barenboim happy.

Nikolaus Lehnhoff does not have the depth and interpretation of Tcherniakov´s recent Munich DVD. For the more traditionally inclined, Robert Carsen´s La Scala prodution is more lively and with an all-over better cast.

But this Carmelites is among Nikolaus Lehnhoff´s most beautiful productions.

Trailer:

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


Alexia Voulgaridou: 4
Anne Schwanewilms: 3
Kathryn Harries: 3
Gabriele Schnaut: 2
Jana Büchner: 3

Lehnhoffs staging: 3


Simne Young: 4

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

DVD Salzburg Don Giovanni 2008

DVD. Don Giovanni. Salzburger Festspiele 2008. Prod: Claus Guth, cond: Bertrand De Billy with the Vienna Philharmonic. Cast: Christopher Maltman (Don G), Erwin Schrott (Leporello), Annette Dasch (Donna A), Dorothea Röschmann (Donna E), Alex Esposito (Masetto), Ekaterina Siurina (Zerlina).

When I saw this production in Salzburg in 2008, I found it to be a masterpiece only marred by non-inventive playing from the Vienna Philharmonics under Bertrand De Billy. Though the DVD was recorded within 2 weeks of my visit, I find the playing on the DVD considerably more interesting, though De Billy is certainly no Barenboim in this repertoire.

The concept still holds to an extent that I without doubt find this the most interesting Don Giovanni DVD on the market: Described in detail in my 2008 report, Don Giovanni is a man fighting his own demons, a somewhat rootless character on his way to destruction. Here, the women are the strong ones.

On top, the circular set used throughout the opera is wonderfully surreal and uneasy: A dark, hilly pine wood + a bus stop. Clearly among the best stagings I have seen from Claus Guth.

Based on her recent performances as Elsa (Lohengrin) in Bayreuth, I wonder if Annette Dasch´s  voice is already beginning to decline (she is in her early thirties), but this Donna Anna she delivers. Dorothea Röschmann´s classically sung Donna Elvira leaves almost nothing to be desired, except perhaps a bit more radiance. Christopher Maltman convinces as the desperate Don alongside Erwin Schrott, a superbly acted, and slightly less superbly sung Leporello as he is sometimes criticised for not actually singing the notes, which he doesnt. Matthew Polenzani makes the best of the rather boring part as Don Ottavio, while Ekaterina Siurina and Alex Esposito are charming as Zerlina/Massetto.

In the pine wood:

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

Christopher Maltman: 4
Erwin Schrott: 4
Annette Dasch: 4
Dorothea Röschmann: 4
Matthew Polenzani: 4
Ekaterina Siurina: 4
Alex Esposito: 4


Claus Guth: 5
Bertrand De Billy: 4

Overall impression: 5

Tcherniakov Munich Carmelites - the collective suicide of a paranoid sect

Dialogues des Carmelites. Bayerische Staatsoper München 2010. Production: Tcherniakov, Conductor: Nagano. Cast: Susan Gritton (Blanche), Soile Isokoski (Lidonie), Sylvie Brunet (Croissy), Susanne Resmark (Marie), Helene Guilmette (Constance).

In a way, you could argue that Russian director Dmitri Tcherniako rewrites Poulenc´s opera. Because he strips it of all  religious and historical aspects, which, of course, to Poulenc were everything.

But the result is riveting ending up with one of the finest operatic DVDs availabe, a genuine contemporary thriller:

A community of paranoid women living in a glass-walled house suspended on stage away from the "outside". They are neurotic, living in yesterdays world, utterly rejecting the outside, not wanting the world of today to enter and thus chose isolation. Blanche, the innocent girl, uncertain about her role in the world, choses to join them. Did anyone say religious sect?

Finally, the women try to commit collective suicide, letting gas fill the house surrounded by police asking them to surrinder. Blanche breaks into the house and rescues the women one after one, dragging them out only to die herself when the gas inside the house explosed.

It is a claustrophobic and scary production. And within its own logic, it works. And, how Tcherniakov inspires them to moving and committed acting  is simply stunning:  Susanne Resmarks strong Mere Marie, who convinces the others to commit suicide, but escapes herself. Soile Isokoski, with the gorgeous, floating voice, chainsmoking, hardly able to hide her anxiety. Helene Guilmette´s scarily unreflective Constance, entirely wrapped up in the mass psychosis and her determination to die. Susan Gritton is constantly in doubt, oscillating between her loneliness in the real world and her wish to belong somewhere, be part of a community, at no matter the cost.
Rare, but nice to have a Madame Croissy (Sylvie Brunet) in her vocal prime, in what is often the territory of the likes of Anja Silja.

Kent Nagano shows us both the transparency and roughness of Poulenc, the sort of repertoire that suits him well.

For a scary, committed and moving performance, this is the DVD to own.

However, what Tcherniakov is exploring is not what Poulenc intended and I suspect this may weigh in for some people. In that case Robert Carsen´s rather superb La Scala production is the way to go.

Trailer:

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


Susan Gritton: 4
Soile Isokoski: 5
Sylvie Brunet: 4-5
Helene Guilmette: 4
Susanne Resmark: 5


Kent Nagano: 4
Dmitri Tcherniakov: 5


Overall impression: 5