January 12, 2013: L'Italiana in Algeri, Vienna

2013-01-12 L'Italiana in Algeri (Rossini),Wiener Staatsoper 

Mustafà = Ferruccio Furlanetto

Elvira = Ileana Tonca 

Zulma = Juliette Mars

Haly = Alessio Arduini

Lindoro = Antonino Siragusa

Isabella = Agnes Baltsa

Taddeo = Alfred Šramek

Jesús López-Cobos, conductor

Inszenierung/Bühnenbild - Jean-Pierre Ponelle

Agnes Baltsa as Isabella. What can one say? The lady is magic but she was born on November 19, 1944 says the books. She seems much younger on stage. I have heard her sing better better because she was younger then but she was the main event. Young Antonino Siragusa could not outshine Agnes Baltsa. He was an admirable Lindoro. I almost did not miss Juan Diego Florez. But it was fun to experience a new Lindoro. Ileana Tonca and Juliette Mars as Elvira and Zulma was OK, but I have heard better before. Ferruccio Furlanetto was Mustafa and he was great. But just like Agnes Baltsa even Ferrucio Furlanetto was older and not so shining as they were in 2004.  Most of all I felt that it was time for a new production. The sets and costumes are beautiful but... Maybe it only needs some updating in regie. Mustafa is in brown-face and it no longer feels comfortable. I think that maybe I no longer like the story in this opera.

OperaDuets 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

November 19, 2001: Italiana in Algeri, Vienna

2001-11-19 L'Italiana in Algeri (G. Rossini), Wiener Staatsoper

Mustafà = Simone Alaimo
Elvira = Milagros Poblador
Zulma = Stella Grigoriau
Haly = István Gáti
Lindoro = Robert Nagy
Isabella = Agnes Baltsa
Taddeo = Alfred Sramek

Frédéric Chaslin, conductor

On November 19th, I saw Agnes Baltsa when she came to the Vienna State Opera, and when she went from the State Opera. And naturally I was there when she sang Isabella in Italiana in Algeri.

To wait for Agnes Baltsa just inside the Operahouse in the room before the Portier at the stage entrance. It was freezing outside. Meeting people who are equally admirers of Agnes Baltsa and talking to them while waiting. Other people was outside with flowers and waiting and freezing. At last she came. Her arms became soon full with flowers and goodwishes, I tried to give her the Gift for the fanclub (the list of good wishes for her birthday), she had to take the flowers inside, but she promised to come out after the performance in the same room.

Italiana in Algeri. Nobody does Isabella better than her. I think she was not completely recovered form the bronchitis that prevented her from singing at the Aidsgala in Berlin earlier this month. But still she communicated enjoyment and it was wonderful. Maybe the others get a more vocally competent Agnes Baltsa, but to be there when She is singing her favorite role on her Birthday was soo special that I wont regret it no matter what.

AND in the end of the performance the Chorus sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Agnes Baltsa, and the house almost fell down.

Then I waited for her after the event, and she was sitting in the portiers signing and I could at last give her the GIFT. And I must say Agnes Baltsa looked wonderful. I wish I could have stayed to see the rest of her Italianas.

A GREAT DAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the Diva!

Wiener Staatsoper
montag, 19. november 2001
49. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

L' I taliana in AIgeri
Drama giocoso per musica in zwei Akten von Angelo Anelli
Musik von Gioachino Rossini

Musikalische Leitung Frédéric Chaslin
Nach einer Inszenierung
und in der Ausstattung von Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn


Lindoro, ein junger Italiener,
Lieblingssklave des Mustafà Robert Nagy*


Ort der Handlung Algerien
Orchester und Chor der Wiener Staatsoper

Die Aufführung basiert auf Azio Corghis kritischer Ausgabe
der Fondazione Rossini Pesaro in Zusammenarbeit mit G Ricordi, SPA Milano

* Rollendebüt i1n der Wiener Staatsoper

OD Travel + Photos

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

June 27, 2006: L'Italiana in Algeri, Vienna

2006-06-27 L'Italiana in Algeri (Rossini), Wiener Staatsoper

Mustafà = Kristinn Sigmundsson
Elvira = Bori Keszei
Zulma = Michaela Selinger
Haly = Marcus Pelz
Lindoro = Juan Diego Flórez
Isabella = Agnes Baltsa
Taddeo = Alfred Šramek

Maurizio Benini, conductor



27. Juni 2006



L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI
(65. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung)

Musikalische Leitung: Maurizio Benini
nach einer
Inszenierung von: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Chorleitung: Ernst Dunshirn


Isabella: Agnes Baltsa


Beginn: 19.30

A wonderful Italiana in Wiener Staatsoper with Agnes Baltsa as the best Isabella, Juan Diego Florez wonderful as Lindoro, and Kristinn Sigmundsson was good as Mustafa. Bori Keszei as Elvira was not the best Elvira I have seen and Michaela Selinger as Zulma was also just good enough. Alfred Sramek was as usual wonderful as Taddeo. Italiana in Algeri is a wonderful production. But personally I think that with someone like Ferruccio Furlanetto or Ruggero Raimondi as Mustafa it would have been even better. Florez was the most applauded person with Agnes Baltsa as the second most applauded. Personally I could not find any error in Agnes Baltsa's singing, she sang just most wonderfully. Perfection.

OD Travel + Photos

June 23, 2000: L'Italiana in Algeri, Vienna

2000-06-23 L'Italiana in Algeri (G. Rossini), Wiener Staatsoper

Mustafà = Kristinn Sigmundsson
Elvira = Simina Ivan
Zulma = Stella Grigorian
Haly = Istvan Gati
Lindoro = Juan Diego Flórez
Isabella = Agnes Baltsa
Taddeo = Alfred Sramek

Marcello Viotti, conductor



Wiener Staatsoper
45. Auffiihrung in dieser Inszenierung
Zum letzten Mal in dieser Spielzeit
L' I taliana in Algeri
Drama giocoso per musica in zwei Akten
von Angelo Anelli
Musik von Gioachino Rossini

Musikalische Leitung Marcello Viotti
Nach einer Inszenierung
und in der Ausstattung von Jean-Pierre Ponnelle Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn
-,-

-, .
Ort der Handlung Aigerien
Orchester und Chor der Wiener Staatsoper
Die Auffuhrung basiert auf Azio Corghis kritischer Ausgabe
der Fondazione Rossini Pesaro in Zusammenarbeit
mit G. Ricordi, SPA Milano

Another wonderful performance of

Agnes Baltsa = Isabella
Juan Diego Florez = Lindoro
Taddeo Alfred Sramek
Mustafa = Kristinn Sigmundsson
Elvira = Simina Ivan
Zulma = Stella Grigorian
Haly = Istvan Gati

wonderful!!!!!

OD Travel + Photos

June 20, 2000: L'Italiana in Algeri, Vienna

2000-06-20 L'Italiana in Algeri (G. Rossini), Wiener Staatsoper

Mustafà = Kristinn Sigmundsson
Elvira = Simina Ivan
Zulma = Stella Grigorian
Haly = Istvan Gati
Lindoro = Juan Diego Flórez
Isabella = Agnes Baltsa
Taddeo = Alfred Sramek

Marcello Viotti, conductor

Wiener Staatsoper
dienstag,20. juni 2000
44. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

L' I taliana in AIgeri
Drama giocoso per musica in zwei Akten von Angelo Anelli
Musik von Gioachino Rossini

Musikalische Leitung Marcello Viotti
Nach einer Inszenierung
und in der Ausstattung von Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn
., .

-,
Ort der Handlung" Algerien

Orchester und Chor der Wiener Staatsoper
Die Aufführung basiert auf Azio Corghis kritischer Ausgabe
der Fondazione Rossini Pesaro in Zusammenarbeit mit G Ricordi, SPA Milano

* Rollendebüt an der Wien er Staatsoper 0 Debüt an der Wiener Staatsoper

Wiener Staatsoper, L'Italiana in Algeri, Agnes Baltsa, Juan Diego Florez, Kristinn Sigmundsson
First time for me to see this opera in an operahouse. It was Jean Pierre Ponnelle's production. Agnes Baltsa was Isabella, Juan Diego Florez was Lindoro. Ruggero Raimondi was ill so Kristinn Sigmundsson was Mustafa instead. Simina Ivan as Elvira, Stella Grigorian as Zulma. Istvan Gati was Haly. Alfred Sramek was Taddeo.

The only disappointment was not seeing Ruggero Raimondi, my favorite bass. A wonderful comic opera with a great cast. Kristinn Sigmundsson was as burlesque as Mustafa should be. Simina Ivan was a complaintive Elvira, Mustafa's suffering wife. Wonderful voice! Stella Grigorian as Istvan Gati was always supporting the suspense. Juan Diego Florez, a small man with a great voice. And Isabella, Agnes Baltsa, was the highlight!!

OD Travel

June 18, 2002: L'Italiana in Algeri, Dusseldorf

2002-06-18 L'Italiana in Algeri (G. Rossini), Opernhaus Düsseldorf

Mustafa = Oleg Bryjak
Elvira =.Elena Brilova
Zulma = Itziar Lesaka
Haly = Thorsten Grümbel
Lindoro = Antonis Koroneos
Isabella = Marta Marquez
Taddeo = Bruno Balmelli

Alexander Joel, conductor



Deutsche Oper am Rhein Dienstag, 18. Juni 2002, 19.30 Uhr Opernhaus Düsseldorf
Gioacchino Rossini
L 'italiana in Algeri
Dramma giocoso per musica in zwei Akten
Text von Angelo Anelli
In italienischer Sprache
Musikalische Leitung Alexander Joel
Inszenierung Christof Loy
Bühne und Kostüme Herbert Murauer
Licht Hanns-Joachim Haas
ChorGerhard Michalski
Spielleitung Volker Böhm


'Mitglied des Opernstudios
Der Herrenchor der Deutschen Oper am Rhein
Statisterie der Deutschen Oper am Rhein
Hasso und Bella. Santiago Mendez, Klaus Pütz
Die Düsseldorfer Symphoniker
Cembalo Motonori Kobayashi

This was a more modern production. The opera starts in a Turkish bath. And it is wonderful and perfect done all the opera and scenography. A great and manly Lindoro in this Greek tenor Antonis Koroneos and the Puerto Rican mezzo Marta Marquez was also perfect. They were all great. 6 stars.

OD Travel

June 15, 2002: L'Italiana in Algeri, Zurich

2002-06-15 L'Italiana in Algeri (G. Rossini), Opernhaus Zurich

Mustafa = Stefano Rinaldo Miliani
Elvira = Rosanna Savoia
Zulma = Judith Schmid
Ali = Rudolf A. Hartmann
Lindoro = Luigi Petroni
Isabella = Gloria Scalchi
Taddeo = Bruno De Simone

Theodor Guschlbauer, conductor



Rossini:
L'Italiana in Algeri

Musikalische LeitungTHEODOR GUSCHLBAUER
InszenierungMICHAEL HAMPE
RegieGRISCHA ASAGAROFF
Bühnenbild und KostümeMAURO PAGANO
LichtgestaltungJAKOB SCHLOSSSTEIN
ChorSTEFFEN SCHUBERT

Pascha, ein AffeTIMO SCHLÜSSEL
CHOR DES OPERNHAUSES ZÜRICH STATISTENVEREIN AM OPERNHAUS
ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
CembaloKELLY THOMAS
Musikalische Assistenz
und EinstudierungKELLY THOMAS, ENRICO CACCIARI
Regieassistenz
und AbendspielleitungULRICH SENN
InspizienzSUSANN ZAHLER
Souffleur ADRIANO
Kritische Ausgabe der Fondazione Rossini Pesaro hg. von A. Corghi, in Zusammenarbeit
mit dem Verlag G. Ricordi & C.S.p.A., Mailand
Samstag, 15. Juni 2002Samstag-Abo
Pause nach dem 1. Akt (4. Bild)
Beginn:20.00 Uhr
Ende: ca. 22.45 Uhr

A new Mustafa, doing
his first in Zürich, was STEFANO RINALDO MILIANI.
ITALIANA IN ALGERI, Zürich 15.6.2002.

It was a truly beautiful production, wonderful scenography, and costumes. I was most impressed by the TADDEO, Bruno de Simone, a big voice and a great personality. ELVIRA, Rosanna Savoia, was really a magnificent voice. ZULMA, Judith Schmid, had a great voice too. And when you think that this is the smaller parts. The important ones, ISABELLA, Gloria Scalchi, the Italiana in the opera, was also impressing, a really great top in her voice, managing the fioritatura beautifully, being really a woman to which any man must fall on his feet for. LINDORO, Luigi Petroni, also had everything that one can wish for in this high tenor role, and also the physical height that so few tenor have, they tend to be rather small of stature. And in this production they had a monkey, a pet of the Bey Mustafa, and also his right arm so to speak. A tough role for any human, to be believable as a Monkey, physically the most demanding role here. ALI, another small role, Rudolf A. Hartmann did also very well. Stefano Rinaldo Miliani as Mustafa did not have the prominent voice that I think this role needs, but as a actor and driving the ensembles he was good.

I give this performance 6 stars for the excellence.

OD Travel + Photos

June 3, 2004: L'Italiana in Algeri, Vienna

2004-06-03 L'Italiana in Algeri (Rossini), Wiener Staatsoper

Mustafà = Ferruccio Furlanetto
Elvira = Simina Ivan
Zulma = Stella Grigorian
Haly = Marcus Pelz
Lindoro = Juan Diego Flórez
Isabella = Agnes Baltsa
Taddeo = Alfred Šramek

Frédéric Chaslin, conductor



L'Italiana in Algeri

Conductor Frederic Chaslin


WHAT A PERFORMANCE!!!! Have I ever smiled as much during a performance, I can still feel it in my face, such happy smiles means work for muscles in the face. After the performance I met Nancy Gustafson, soprano and fiancee of the conductor Frederic Chaslin, what have you done, it was do fantastic. I just had to ask somebody about that, what made this performance so extraordinary, who did it, is it just magic, ensemble-work. Nancy who I saw at the last performance (May 31) obviously recognized me from the crowd otherwise I do not think that I would have gotten to talk to her. She was all smiles too. AGNES BALTSA WAS SPLENDID AS ISABELLA, I think it was maybe Agnes that was throwing her magic in the operahouse. She was in such good humor, they all were great. One mishap, Juan Diego Florez came a bit late in the male terzett (Mustafa, Taddeo, Lindoro) to the "Per lui che adoro", in the second he had come down. Good I was nervous that Florez had maybe broken a leg behind the scenes. But luckily he had just been delayed, and was jumping on the stage with great vigor in the Pappataci scene.

And on this day when we came out of the opera house it had stopped raining.And at the stage door I saw Nancy and the Chaslin, the indentant Ioan Holender, Furlanetto and Florez, and AGNES BALTSA in the portier room, and we were many to take photos and to get autographs.

And soon I will be going back to Hamburg for my second Otello with Cura, Frittoli.

OD Travel + Photos

May 31, 2004: L'Italiana in Algeri, Vienna

2004-05-31 L'Italiana in Algeri (Rossini), Wiener Staatsoper

Mustafà = Ferruccio Furlanetto
Elvira = Simina Ivan
Zulma = Stella Grigorian
Haly = Marcus Pelz
Lindoro = Juan Diego Flórez
Isabella = Agnes Baltsa
Taddeo = Alfred Šramek

Frédéric Chaslin, conductor



And at 1930 it started with the overture/Sinfonia of Italiana in
Algeri. It was almost the same production as last time, it was the wonderful Ponnelle production, but it had had some brush-ups. I thought that this was more buffo than before, and certainly I felt that Simina Ivan (Elvira) and Stella Grigorian (Zulma) was being too comic. Certainly Zulma was overdoing things. Ferruccio Furlanetto was an agile and playful Mustafa. Juan Diego Florez was great as Lindoro.
Agnes Baltsa had some really great moments in "O che muso", "Pensa alla patria" and the delightful "Per lui che adoro".

Wonderful opera!!

OD Travel + Photos

May 10, 2003: Italiana in Algeri, Zurich

2003-05-10 L'Italiana in Algeri (Rossini), Opernhaus Zurich

Mustafa = Carlo Lepore
Elvira = Christiane Kohl
Zulma = Judith Schmid
Ali = Valeriy Murga
Lindoro = Luigi Petroni
Isabella = Agnes Baltsa
Taddeo = Carlos Chausson

Ralf Weikert, conductor



Ralf Weikert, conductor
20.00-22.45 L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI (Rossini)
Musikalische Leitung RALF WEIKERT
Inszenierung MICHAEL HAMPE
Regie GRISCHA ASAGAROFF
Bühnenbild und Kostüme MAURO PAGANO
Lichtgestaltung JAKOB SCHLOSSSTEIN
ChorJÜRG HÄMMERLI

Pascha, ein AffeTIMO SCHLÜSSEL

CHOR DES OPERNHAUSES ZÜRICH STATISTENVEREIN AM OPERNHAUS
ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
CembaloKELLY THOMAS
Musikalische Assistenz und EinstudierungKELLY THOMAS, ENRICO CACCIARI
Abendspielleitung und RegieassistenzULRICH SENN
InspizienzSUSANN ZAHLER
SouffleurJOCHEN RIEDER
Kritische Ausgabe der Fondazione Rossini Pesaro hg. von A. Corghi, in Zusammenarbeit
mit dem Verlag G. Ricordi & C.S.p.A., Mailand
Samstag, 10. Mai 2003Freier Verkauf
Pause nach dem 1. Akt (4. Bild) Beginn: 20.00
Ende: 22.45


I was excited to see Baltsa as Isabella in Zurich in this new production that I had enjoyed so much on June 15, 2002 with Gloria Scalchi. This was a weaker cast, although I enjoyed Christiana Kohl as Elvira, Judith Schmid as Zulma, Carlos Chausson as Taddeo, Luigi Petroni as Lindoro, Valery Murga as Ali, and even Carlo Lepore as Mustafa was enjoyable. But they seemed not really to possess the kind of voice that Rossini need. Agnes Baltsa was at times a splendid Isabella, vocally a firework, and at all times a fantastic actress.

I don't think she was at her very best in "Cruda sorte", but still very much enjoyable. But I am naturally being a bit unfair to Agnes Baltsa comparing her to the recording of Italiana in Algeri on Deutsche Grammophon with Abbado conducting. But on the other hand when she was introduced to Mustafa "Oh, che muso" was absolutely marvelously sung, even better than the DG recording, live and funny, great sense of humor, I have never heard it better sung by ANYONE. So sad, that
it is not the voice of a Raimondi or a Furlanetto that joins in with her. This Mustafa is funny, but he is vocally thin. Like the Lindoro, who is not like Juan Diego Florez, but with his vocal limits, a great colleague to Agnes Baltsa, they match, even though Baltsa almost have to go to pianissimo to be close.

The Elvira of the evening was not always at height with situation, but really much better vocally than her male colleagues. Judith Schmid was good in the small role as Zulma. They are still very young, and I hope that they will develope further.

Carlos Chausson as Taddeo, was great, but still Bruno de Simone was much better as Taddeo. Even Chausson can be better. The orchestra gave a lame overture, the conductor Ralf Weikert had difficulty in leading them on. The orchestra played amiably the rest of the opera.

The production, that I had loved in June 2002, was not so wonderful a year later, I think. Maybe because on June 15, 2002 it was just so wonderful to see a new Italiana in a traditional, with beautiful dresses. It was amazing to hear Gloria Scalchi as Isabella, and at the same time already the same evening I was starting to looking forward to see Die Baltsa in the same production. Now, Baltsa did not have the same dress as Scalchi, she was wearing the same in the Jean-Pierre Ponnelle prod. of Italiana in Wiener Staatsoper. That was beautiful too. So maybe that's why I was disappointed, or was it just the ape. The ape that is Mustafa's protege, making many funny things onstage. Part funny, part ruining the concentration of what is going on in the opera, for the audience. The Ape, was like a funny story, that you laugh only the first time it is told, the next time it is a
bore.

AGNES BALTSA WAS FANTASTIC as Isabella.

OD Travel