March 8, 2014: Stiffelio in Stockholm

2014-03-08 Stiffelio (Verdi), Kungliga Operan (Stockholm)

Stiffelio = Andrea Caré
Lina = Lena Nordin
Stankar = Kosma Ranuer
Raffaele = Jonas Degerfeldt
Jorg = John Erik Eleby
Federico = Klas Hedlund
Dorotea = Sara Olsson

Giampaolo Bisarti, conductor
Stage design and costumes: Magdalena Åberg 
Light design: Ellen Ruge 
Dramaturg: Stefan Johansson 

Producer: Tobias Theorell 

It was the first time that I saw and heard the tenor Andrea Caré. I do think I have found my new favorite tenor. He was just wonderful as Stiffelio.

After 27 years working in Royal Opera House in Stockholm Lena Nordin was singing her last role as permanent engaged as opera singer. Now she is officially retired. But as Birgitta Svenden, the opera chief said she will still work in other opera houses and with her festival and also come as guest to Stockholm opera house.

I almost missed that the opera started 1500 and not 1900 as I thought. It was cold in Stockholm, not as bad as in January. Since I had already seen the production before, and did not love it, but as I had seen it I found it easier to like it this time. Having Andrea Caré as Stiffelio helped a lot. I think the whole ensemble was better, more together. Las time we had two Stankars, one singing and one acting. Now we had the unity that was missing. Lena Nordin was Lina that time, too. I think that Andrea Caré was inspiring them all. And then it was Lena Nordin chance to go out with a bang. Lovely!!!


Andrea Caré is a young tenor and hope he will have a long and exciting career. One could not have a better Stiffelio, not even Carreras, Domingo or Cura could do better!!! As a Cura fan I would love to see him in Stockholm as Stiffelio... Andrea Caré is just simply lovely. His voice has everything, strength and sweetness.

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

September 1, 2012: Tosca in Stockholm

2012-09-01 Tosca (G. Puccini), Operan (Stockholm)


Floria Tosca = Lena Nordin
Mario Cavaradossi = Thiago Arancam
Baron Scarpia = Fredrik Zetterström
Angelotti = Anton Eriksson
Sagrestano = Magnus Kyhle
Spoletta = Daniel Ralphsson
Sciarrone = Michael Schmidberger
Jailer = Alar Pintsaar

Lawrence Renes, conductor

Stage design: Björn Brusewitz Costumes: Ann-Mari Anttila
Light design: Hans-Åke Sjöquist Producer: Knut Hendriksen

It was a pity I was not there when Jose Cura sang even though I had tickets. I had hoped for another tenor to love.

I did not love this tenor, Thiago Arancam. He was good-looking and could act. He was the ideal Mario Cavaradossi except for his voice. I do not like Jonas-Kaufmann-like tenor voices, they are too dark for me.  There was no announcement that the tenor was not well. The weather was bad, lots of rains so it would not have been strange if it had some impact on the opera singers. But with no announcement and with the enthusiasm of the audience I must believe that the voice I heard on September 1, 2012, was his normal opera voice. He had the weakest voice of all in this performance. His voice was dark and so "covered" that he seem to have to fight to get it out. It is great shame when then tenor can be overwon by the Sagrestano. Magnus Kyhle was magnificent and had a big voice. Lena Nordin as Floria Tosca was likewise in all shapes better than the tenor. The duet was less painful to listen to than the Recondita armonia. But it was act 1 so I thought it must get better. This must just be a bad start. Fredrik Zetterström as Baron Scarpia was perfect in all, singing, acting. Fredrik rules!!!

Act 2 and I am really getting to see the production as it is. And that it is nothing too special. It is a traditional opera production and the only thing that differentiates it from other traditional Tosca productions is that in Act 2 the stage floor is lifted up  while they are singing and we see the dungeon where Cavaradossi is tortured. But Cavaradossi has his back to the audience so it is not like we are really getting some gruesome detailed torture scene. It is rather clean and nice. And when Cavaradossi comes up again from the torture there is no blood that I could see. This is beautiful production that is not daring at all. Fredrik Zetterström, Thiago Arancam and Lena Nordin can all act well and they do it well. Only Fredrik Zetterström and Lena Nordin lifts the act up. Zetterström is the closest to the ideal Scarpia. Lena Nordin is a wonderful Tosca and sings the most vulnerable Vissi d'arte and for the first time the audience interrupts the opera with applause. She deserved the long applause of Wiener Staatsoper and many BRAVA shouts.

Act 3 and for the second time an aria ends in applause. But this time with shouts of BRAVO. For me I can only say yes, he did not completely ruin this aria as he did in Recondita armonia. I was sitting there so decidedly underwhelmed and confused by the "whole" audience going wild for Thiago. THEY loved him, I liked him after all he is the dark good-looking man. He can act.  Then the duet. I wonder how did it feel to be Lena Nordin singing with him. Or maybe she just loved it. I don't know. Lena saved the show!!! But I know I prefer to have a great Tosca, Scarpia AND Cavaradossi in Tosca.

Dear Thiago, you can only be better. I hope this was just this time, but if not, please get help with the issues. Love!!



OD Travel + Photos
Original blog post (Norwegian), Second blog post (English)

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

April 16, 2011: Stiffelio in Stockholm

2011-04-16 Stiffelio (Verdi),Kungliga Operan (Stockholm)

Stiffelio = Lars Cleveman
Lina = Lena Nordin
Stankar = Marcus Jupither
(Karl-Magnus Fredriksson)
Raffaele = Jonas Degerfeldt
Jorg = Michael Schmidberger
Federico = Karl Rombo
Dorotea = Sara Olsson

Pier Giorgio Morandi, conductor
Stage design and costumes:Magdalena Åberg
Light design: Ellen Ruge
Dramaturg: Stefan Johansson
Producer: Tobias Theorell

Kungliga Operans Kör
Kungliga Hovkapellet



Music: Giuseppe Verdi
Lyrics: Francesco Maria Piave





April 16, 2011 premiere of Stiffelio. Before the opera started Birgitta Svendén, the opera intendant, came to announce we would have 2 Stankars, Marcus Jupither acting the role and Karl-Magnus Fredriksson to sing from the side of the stage. Both baritones was obviously immensely popular in Stockholm. The conductor Pier Giorgio Morandi with orchestra, choir and soloists made all a strong and good impression already from the ouverture. In this production we are introduced to 2 addittional characters, a boy and a girl, the children of Stiffelio and Lina. The regissör chose them to accentuate the dilemma of Lina. Unfortunately I felt they only made the story stranger. This was wonderful children actors acting how it is to child in a sect that care not of protecting children from realities children should be protected from. For me the children did not change Lina as much as it made Stiffelio to an even more manipulative person. Stiffelio was in this production a charismatic leader who uses the children for his own profit. They must see and hear and be the light of the sect. Lina does not protect the children much but she is like the whole congregation under the heavy thumb of Stiffelio. The divorce scene starts with "Fritz? ... S'avverta Mamma, che qui l'attendo". So the boy comes in with mamma Lina. And they are present there until finally Lina takes them out. Poor children. Would not a divorce make 2 innocent children into social outcast. So little does Stiffelio care. Just like Stankar is Stiffelio only consumed with his own feelings of betrayal. The scenography is mimalistic and shows with simple means how the ceiling loweres and certain points in the opera. The regie is always telling that this is a rather fanatic sect with very little open space for the individual.

Stockholm, well, I found the Opera House (original blog post)

OD Travel
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