January 29, 2011: Andrea Chenier in Berlin

2011-01-29 Andrea Chenier (Giordano), Deutsche Oper Berlin

Andrea Chenier = Salvatore Licitra
Carlo Gérard = Seng Hyoun Ko
Maddalena de Coigny = Maria Guleghina
Bersi = Diana Axentii
Comtessa de Coigny = Katarina Bradic
Madelon = Liane Keegan
Roucher = Ben Wager
Pietro Fléville = Krzysztof Szumanski
L'abbé = Peter Maus
Fouquier Tinville = Hyung-Wook Lee
Mathieu = Nathan De’Shon Myers
L'Incroyable = Burkhard Ulrich
Schmidt = Seth Carico
Majordomo = Sergio Vitale
Dumas = Sergio Vitale

James Allen Gähres, conductor

Inszenierung - John Dew
Spielleitung - Anja Nicklich
Bühne - Peter Sykora
Kostüme - Jose-Manuel Vazquez
Chöre - Thomas Richter
Choreographische Mitarbeit - Klaus Beelitz

Maria Guleghina sang a wonderful Maddalena di Coigny. It was brave to do so when suffering from bronchitis. But I really wish she would take better care of herself and not think too much about her fans. We do love her well enough to see her healthy and sound even if we must suffer not see her onstage but another soprano. Get well and sleep well!

I worried about Salvatore Licitra as Chenier and about the baritone who sang Gerard but they only got better and better. The tenor used his lyrical instrument to the fullest. He gave a really beautifully sung Andrea Chenier. The baritone did not seem to have the right powerful voice in act 1 but that soon changed. He gave a really thrilling Nemico della patria. It was a truly believable duet between Gerard and Maddalena.

I loved the Regie. It was traditional and naturalistic at the same time as it was innovating using the space to maximize the history at the same time as it was minimalistic.

After the opera I got the change to give Maria Guleghina my get well wishes. Sleep well, my favorite Diva! Take care!!!!

OD Travel + Photos

Original blog post

For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com

January 29, 2010: Elektra in Zurich

2010-01-29 Elektra (R.Strauss), Opernhaus Zurich

Klytämnestra = Agnes Baltsa
Elektra = Eva Johansson
Chrysothemis = Emily Magee
Aegisth = Rudolf Schasching
Orest = Martin Gantner
Pfleger des Orest = Davide Fersini
Vertraute = Camille Butcher
Schleppträgerin = Stefanie C. Braun
junger Diener = Peter Sonn
alter Diener = Thomas Tatzl
Aufseherin = Margaret Chalker
1. Magd = Wiebke Lehmkuhl
2. Magd = Sabrina Kögel
3. Magd = Irène Friedli
4. Magd = Liuba Chuchrova
5. Magd = Sen Guo

Daniele Gatti, conductor

I went to Zurich to see ELEKTRA with Agnes Baltsa as Klytämnestra. This one act opera with 1hr 45 mins music is NOT my favorite opera. But this time it is Daniele Gatti who conducts the orchestra of Opernhaus Zurich and Richard Strauss' music streams out sounding just wonderful. For the first time all the music of Elektra sound like magic. First opera I ever wanted to hear without the singing. This does not mean that the chorus or the soloists were not good.

The production was not too bad but not something that I felt I was missing when my head-ache forced me to close my eyes. Often in closing my eyes I enjoyed the opera more. Eva Johansson was a good but not really in voice before Orest. After Orest came the real Elektra appeared. Emily Magee was a wonderful Chrysathemis, singing and acting was fabulous. But both lacked in German diction. Agnes Baltsa was in great voice and acting Klytämnestra with all her body. To my ears Baltsa's German was close to perfect.

The production put too much on the shocking things (sex....) going on in the house and too little on what happens outside with Elektra. Elektra is really outside the house and closed into her own head. Elektra was yellow (meaning?). Chrysathemis in white (pure virgin). Klytämnestra in red dress (blood, murder) with black cape? (death).

After the opera I congratulated Agnes Baltsa and conductor Daniele Gatti on this wonderful performance of ELEKTRA.

Inszenierung
Martin Kusej

Bühnenbild
Rolf Glittenberg

Kostüme
Heidi Hackl

Lichtgestaltung
Jürgen Hoffmann

Choreinstudierung
Ernst Raffelsberger


Orchester der Oper Zürich



Chor der Oper Zürich

OD Travel + Photos

OD Travel - January: Travel to Zurich and Elektra

For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com