January 13, 2002: Parsifal in Vienna

2002-01-13 Parsifal (R. Wagner), Wiener Staatsoper

Amfortas = Bernd Weikl
Titurel = Peter Wimberger
Gurnemanz = Kurt Rydl
Parsifal = Placido Domingo
Klingsor = Wolfgang Bankl
Kundry = Violeta Urmana

Peter Schneider, conductor





Peter Schneider was the right conductor for Parsifal.
Kurt Rydl was great as Gurnemanz, but not as tall as Matti Salminen, and that was a pity. Because in Madrid where M. Salminen sang Gurnemanz, he was always the tallest onstage, and that is almost a requirement in this role. Bernd Weikl too was great, as Amfortas, but I think Madrid's Grundheber was better. As in Madrid: Wolfgang Bankl was Klingsor, and he was great, too.

And this Parsifal was great, but now we come to the center of the question, Parsifal and Kundry. Plácido Domingo and Violeta Urmana. It was the Placido Domingo who sang the best German, without a false word, the Spaniard was better than the German-speaking singers in the language test of Parsifal. Violeta Urmana, in her attempt to sing correct German, seem to loose out meaning in the search of pronounciation.

The Kundry of Violeta Urmana was unexciting, boring in both act1 and 3. Only in Act 2 did she manage to be any thing called exciting because of the beautiful dress she was wearing. Where Agnes Baltsa gave heart and soul into Kundry, only belcanto from Urmana.

Plácido Domingo, the final judgment: he is a great Parsifal. still young. Forever young.


13.JANUARY 2002 17:00


-----
Parsifal
Ein Bühnenweihfestspiel von Richard Wagner

DirigentPeter Schneider
Inszenierung August Everding
Ausstattung Jürgen Rose
Choreographie Ray Barra
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn
" ..

Kundry - Violeta Urmana*
Erster Knappe - Cornelia Salje*
Zweiter Knappe - Michelle Breedt
Dritter Knappe - Walter Pauritsch
Vierter Knappe  - Michael Roider
Erster Gralsritter - Benedikt Kobel
Zweiter Gralsritter - Peter Köves
Blumenmädchen 1 Gruppe - lngrid Kaiserfeld
Judith Halász*
Stella Grigorian
2 Gruppe - Simina Ivan
Renate Pitscheider
Michelle Breedt
Stimme von oben - Michelle Breedt
* Rollendebüt an der Wiener Staatsoper


ODTravel

June 26, 1997: Aida in Vienna

1997-06-26 Aida (Verdi), Wiener Staatsoper

Re D'Egitto = David Cale Johnson
Amneris = Waltraud Meier
Aida = Deborah Voigt
Radames = Kristjan Johannsson
Ramphis = Kurt Rydl
Amonasro = Simon Estes
Un Messagero = Franz Kasemann
Sacedotessa = Marjorie Vance

Marcello Viotti, conductor

Aida
Oper in vier Akten von Antonio Ghislanzoni
Musik Giuseppe Verdi

Dirigent Marcello Viotti
Nach einer Inszenierung von Nicolas Joel
Ausstattung Carlo Tommasi
Choreographie Jan Stripling
Chorleitung Dietrich D. Gerpheide



Die Handlung spielt in Theben
zur Zeit der pharaonen

Ballett: 2. Bild Das Corps de ballet
3. BildEva Polacek
Claudia Stocker
Silvia Tzankova
4. Bild Irina Lebedjewa
Wolfgang Grascher Christian Herden Christian Rovny
und das Corps de ballet
Eleven der Ballettschule
der Österreichischen Bundestheater Bühnenorchester
der Österreichischen Bundestheater

A wonderful Aida with Deborah Voigt in good voice. A great cast and a wonderful production. Many tourists in the State Opera, many Japanese kimonos to see.

The moment I remembered the most is when Waltraud Meier went down the steep stairs and then there was a big flash from a camera. My heart almost stopped, that could have been very dangerous for Waltraud Meier. But she got down still whole.

I have seen an opera performance with so many camera flashes while the performance lasted. Usually people have the wits to wait until the applause.

OD Travel

May 30, 1998: Jerusalem in Vienna

1998-05-30 Jérusalem (Giuseppe Verdi), Wiener Staatsoper

Gaston, Vicomte von Bearn = Keith Ikaia-Purdy
Comte von Toulouse = Yu Chen
Roger = Kurt Rydl
Hélène = Eliane Coelho
Isaure = Marjorie Vance
Adhemar de Monteil = Peter Köves
Emir de Ramla = Wolfgang Bankl

Bruno Campanella, conductor



Eliane Coelho = Helene
Keith Ikaya-Purdy = Gaston
Kurt Rydl = Roger

Wiener Staatsoper 30.5.98 kl.1900-2230
Verdi : Jerusalem


In place at the opera 1819, heard some magnificent voices warm up,
possibly Keith Ikaya-Purdy.
I bought my program ATS 38,- ( took 40)
Wearing my three-tenors-operaglasses, feeling classy.
Naturally I started by reading in the program.

The commercial for Chopard,with big picture of Jose, almost destroys
my happy mood. --- It Could have been Carreras singing---
I decide not to let any such thought destroy my evening, after all I
have a dark video of Jose as Gaston, and some picture too.

Graf von Toulouse = Yu Chen
Isaure = Marjorie Vanel

The House is full.

Pause after 1 act and after 3 act 1scene

BRAVO Kurt Rydl! Great Roger!!!

Prelude .
Gaston & Helene duet. Beautiful singing.
The person sitting beside me has no consideration of other peoples
wishes to see the stage too. Sitting leant back to the chair, he
would still see the stage with no problem, but he is leaning forward,
so that WE have problem seeing the stage, not only me. He is not
Thinking.

Bruno Camponelli conducts. Sublime music. Next scene. Yu Chen who
sing the Count of Toulouse look so like Carreras. Great bass. The
father is younger than his daughter. It is very natural.

Kurt Rydl is great as Roger, much better than Ramey. His character is
not only evil, he is multi-faceted.

A grand first act!!

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