September 1, 1995: Herodiade in Vienna

1995-09-01 Herodiade (Jules Massenet), Wiener Staatsoper

Jean = Josep Carreras*, tenor
Hérode = Juan Pons
Hérodiade, seine Gattin = Dolora Zajick
Salomé, ihre Tochter = Eliane Coelho
Phanuel = Ferruccio Furlanetto
Vitellius, römischer Feldherr = Istvan Gati*
Oberpriester = David Cale Johnson
Eine Stimme = Ruben Broitman

Marcello Viotti, conductor
Szenische Konzeption und Gestaltung - Richard Bletschacher, Hermann Nitsch
Bühnenbild und Kostüme - Hermann Nitsch
Chorleitung - Dietrich D. Gerpheide


Freitag, 1. September 1995 STAATSOPER
9 Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

Hérodiade
Oper in dreizehn Bildern von Paul Milliet,
Henri Grémont und Angelo Zanardini
Musik Jules Massenet

Musikalische Leitung Marcello Viotti
Szenische Konzeption
und Gestaltung Richard Bletschacher,
Hermann Nitsch
Bühnenbild und Kostüme Hermann Nitsch
Chorleitung Dietrich D. Gerpheide


Kaufleute, Palastwachen,
jüdische und römische Soldaten,
Priester und Volk
Tempeltänzerinnen und
Schwerttänzer Corps de ballet

Balletteleven der Österreichischen Bundestheater
Bühnenorchester der Österreichischen Bundestheater

Die Handlung spielt im Jahre 27 n. Chr. in Jerusalem

* Rollendebüt an der Wiener Staatsoper


This is a wonderful opera. The music of Massenet is just so beautiful, very musical. And this is a happier Salome opera than Richard Strauss, where Salome is a strange girl. In Massenet's opera is no longer teen-age, she certainly is not mad, she has lost her mother, is looking for her mother in Jerusalem, and Jean is the prophet she loves and that she follows. The other big differences is that Jean is a tenor role, and not baritone as in Strauss (Jochaanan). And Jose Carreras has found another perfect role.

In Strauss Herode(s) is also lusting for Salome, but in Massenet he doesn't know that Salome is Herodias (Herodiade)s daughter. Herodiade is missing her daughter who she left behind when she followed Herode. When Phanuel tells her that Salome is her daughter, her jalousie gets the better of her.

Massenet's Jean (John the Baptist) is a man who first denies the love he feels towards Salome, but in the end when execution awaits him, accepts this love as something God has given him.

The wonderful cast that heads with Jose Carreras as Jean, Juan Pons as Herode, and Ferruccio Furlanetto as Phanuel, and that have Eliane Coelho as Salome, and Dolora Zaijck as Herodiade, makes it really great night at the opera. My Favorite Tenor, My Favorite Baritone and My Favorite Bass is do their parts so well. Eliane Coelho makes Salome very enjoyable, and Dolora Zaijck is a great mezzo.

OD Travel