March 6, 2000: Herodiade in Vienna

2000-03-06 Herodiade (J. Massenet), Wiener Staatsoper

Herodiade = Agnes Baltsa
Jean = Kostadin Andreev
Herode = Georg Tichy
Salome = Nancy Gustafson
Phanuel = Wojtek Smilek
Vitellius = Istvan Gati
Oberpriester = David Cale Johnson
Eine Stimme = Tomislav Muzek

Reynald Giovaninetto, conductor



At last to see Agnes Baltsa in Herodiade. It was great. The Jean of the evening was Konstadin Andreev a mixture of Carreras & Domingo, very good. I missed Ferruccio Furlanetto's Phanuel and Juan Pons' Herode. And my favourite Salome is Eliane Coelho.

Wiener Staatsoper
montag, 6. märz 2000
26, Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

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

Musikalische Leitung Reynald Giovaninetti
Szenische Konzeption
und Gestaltung Richard Bletschacher
Hermann Nitsch
Bühnenbild und Kostüme Hermann Nitsch
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn

OD Travel

March 3, 2000: Cosi fan tutte in Zurich

A great Cosi fan tutte. An absolutely magical Despina. Her voice, her acting. Liked Bartoli too, but she is no soprano. Nikiteanu was a great Dorabella. Loved Carlos Chausson. And what a great tenor Roberto Sacca is !



Musikalische Leitung NIKOLAUS HARNONCOURT
Inszcnierung JÜRGEN FLlMM
Bühncnbild ERICH WONDER
Kostüme FLORENCE VON GERKAN
Lichtgestaltung JÜRGEN HOFFMANN
Chor ERNST RAFFELSBERGER

CHOR DES OPERNHAUSES ZÜRICH STATISTENVEREIN AM OPERNHAUS
ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
Continuo: Cembalo THOMAS GRABOWSKI
Violoncello LUCIANO PEZZANI
UNTERSTÜTZT VON ABB
Musikalische Assistenz
und Einstudierung THOMAS GRABOWSKI
Abendspielleitung
und Regieassistenz GUDRUN HARTMANN
Regiehospitanz EVA ADAM, GREGORY FULLER
BühnenbildassistenzA MRA R" MATTHIAS ENGELMANN
Kostümassistenz GABRIELA PIZZO
Inspizienz SUSANN ZAHLER
Souffleur ADRIANO
Freitag, 3. März 2000FREIER VERKAUF
PAUSE NACH DEM 1, AKT
BEGINN19.00 UHR
ENDE ca. 22.30 UHR

Opernhaus Zurich
February 20, 23, 27
& March 1, 3, 9, 11, 14, 2000

2000-03-03 Cosi fan tutte (W.A. Mozart), Opernhaus Zurich

Don Alfonso = Carlos Chausson
Fiordiligi = Cecilia Bartoli
Dorabella = Liliana Nikoteanu
Guglielmo = Oliver Widmer
Ferrando = Roberto Sacca
Despina = Agnes Baltsa

Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor

OD Travel

March 2, 2002: Jenufa in Vienna

2002-03-02 Jenufa (L. Jánácek), Wiener Staatsoper

Die alte Buryja = Anny Schlemm
Laca Kiemen = Jorma Silvasti
Stewa Buryja = Torsten Kerl
Die Küsterin Buryja = Agnes Baltsa
Jenufa = Angela Denoke
Altgesell = Wolfgang Bankl
Dorfrichter = Walter Pink
Seine Frau = Helene Ranada
Karolka = Renate Pitscheider
Schäferin = Stella Grigorian
Barena = Cornelia Salje
Jana = Ileana Tonca
Tante = Waltraud Winsauer

Seiji Ozawa, conductor



And March arrived, at last it was my turn to experience JENUFA. The good reviews made me look even more impatiently towards this day, 2002-03-02. I had read some different synopsis of this opera, and that was what I knew. After a night on the bus, from Kaupanger to Oslo, and then fly to Vienna via Copenhagen. I had some difficulty in finding my hotel, Hotel am Schubertring, but luckily I had my Vienna map with me. It was spring in Vienna, and I was coming from winter in Norway. My feet got hot, but I had with me shoes for the opera night, so I switched shoes in Stadtpark. I had to wait a bit for my hotel room, but when I got my room, it looked more expensive than I had thought. Luckily the price was right.

As always in Vienna, I visited Arcadia Opera Shop and EMI Austria in Kärtnerstrasse. Wonderful photos (Arcadia) of Agnes Baltsa at the Opernball 2002 and in JENUFA. I bought them naturally. Then I bought Manon Lescaut, Samson et Dalila and Traviata with José Cura (EMI Austria) just to be able to critize them in my Jose Cura website.

After some headache pills, a little Coca-cola, a bath, and a change. OPERA-TIME:

An enthusiastic audience applauded the conductor Seiji Osawa just more and more as the evening commenced. From first note it was beautiful music. Another role that Agnes Baltsa could fill in an eminent way. She was fantastic. WUNDERBAR. Angela Denoke who sang JENUFA had a beautiful and full soprano voice. (Her voice was like Sachertorte). She was very free in her movement, she was moving very well onstage. And she danced like was she a dancer, and not opera singer. KERL and SILVASTRI was great as Stewa and Laca. Anny Schlemm as the grandmother was also very good. A really good production. The singing was in German, probably the best solution since no Czech singers was singing.

The stars of the evening was, without doubt, Seiji Osawa & Agnes Baltsa.

A strong cast, a wonderful chorus and orchestra. The scenography, the director and conductor , and naturally the costumes, all to make it a wonderful production.

Without Agnes Baltsa as Kostelnicka, no JENUFA!

OD Travel + Photos

February 27, 2004: Jose Carreras Gala in Vienna

2004-02-27 Carreras Gala, Wiener Staatsoper

Part 1: Recital

José Carreras, tenor
Lorenzo Bavaj, piano

Part 2: Sly (act 3)
by Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari

Sly = José Carreras
Dolly = Isabelle Kabatu
Diener = Boaz Daniel

David Giménez, conductor

Part 3: Carmen (act 4)
by Georges Bizet

Don José = José Carreras
Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Escamillo = Boaz Daniel
Mercédès = Stella Grigorian
Frasquita = Bori Keszei

David Giménez, conductor



27. February 2004
José Carreras Benefit Gala,
Wiener Staatsoper.
Leukemia Foundation
30 years since Carreras made his debut in Wiener Staatsoper as the Duke in Rigoletto (1974).

Part 1:
Lieder & Arias by
Puccini, Verdi, Massenet, Cilea & Tschaikowsky.

Part 2: Sly (act 3)
by Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari


Part 3: Carmen (act 4)
by Georges Bizet


(Firma Peter Kupfer Kulturmanagment & Media.)
José Carreras Benefiz-Gala zugunsten der Leukämiestiftung

-------------A Fantastic Night at the Opera--------------------------
Traveling had given my a bit of a head-
ache, but this was a magic day, Carreras in Wiener Staatsoper again, my head-ache just had to be cured in time. After a few tablets I was almost ready for Carreras and Opera. With my new camera I came to Vienna State Opera ready for a new meeting with Carreras' voice.

The first part was Carreras and Bavaj (piano) and songs of Tosti, Leoncavallo and Puccini. I found Carreras voice a bit heavy now for the lovely love songs, but in the French songs by Leoncavallo, and finally in Puccini he was much more in his right element. His voice is definitely right for opera.

The second part was Sly, last act. You really need to have seen the whole opera to really understand the agony Sly is in and what kind of person Sly is. Carreras was a wonderful Sly. But when Isabelle Kabatu came in that was when the level started to be ethereal. God, what a divine voice, and Carreras and Kabatu was just magic together. Sly dies and Dolly rages towards the cowards that have destroyed something really beautiful. It was a really heart-wrenching scene. And Giménez does make Wolf-Ferrari´s music really into the most fantastic music.

Giménez conducted Carmen with Baltsa & Carreras, last act. What can I say other than it was fantastic? Only this, I really wanted the whole opera with Carreras and Baltsa singing conducted by David Giménez.

Of course the Vienna audience was wild with excitement and love. There were speaks by Ioan Holender in the end, and a thank-you- speech from Carreras. And after the first part a big pay-check was given to Carreras.

OD Travel + Photos

February 26, 2008: Elektra in Florence (Firenze)

2008-02-26 Elektra (R.Strauss), Teatro Comunale di Firenze

Klytämnestra = Agnes Baltsa
Elektra = Susan Bullock
Chrysothemis = Christine Goerke
Aegisth = Stanford Olsen
Orest = Matthias Goerne
Der Pfleger des Orest = Uwe Griem
Die Vertraute = Marcella Polidori
Die Schleppträgerin = Cinzia Rizzone
Ein junger Diener = Saverio Fiore
Ein alter Diener = Franco Boscolo
Die Aufseherin = Stefannia Kybalova
Erste Magd = Manuela Bress
Zweite Magd = Silvia Mazzoni
Dritte Magd = Larissa Schmidt
Vierte Magd = Sabrina Testa
Fünfte Magd = Daniela SchiIllaci

Seiji Osawa, conductor

ELEKTRA

Information Plan
2007/2008 Season Opera

Tragedy in one act by Hugo von Hofmannsthal
music by Richard Strauss
conductor SEIJI OZAWA
director ROBERT CARSEN
singers and musicians



production New production in association with Tokyo Opera Nomori

place Teatro Comunale
road Corso Italia, 16
city Florence (FI)

phone 899.666.805 - 055 2779350

www.maggiofiorentino.com


shows
24-02-2008, h 20.30
26-02-2008, h 20.30
29-02-2008, h 20.30
02-03-2008, h 15.30
05-03-2008, h 20.30

BORING....
I am bored....

For the third time I see this opera, Elektra by Richard Strauss. Yet another production. Vienna, Budapest and now Florence. Agnes Baltsa as Klytämnestra. This production is not bad. Actually it is a good one. The best of the 3. But I still have not learnt to love this opera. And with Seiji Osawa conducting; it is a one act opera lasting 1 h 50 mins, which is too long.

This was a black and white production. All in black except Klytämnestra and Aigist. It was a simple and compelling idea: the servants of the house acted like doubles to Elektra mimicking her moves and yet acted as the dogs that Elektra was living with according to the libretto. Everyone was in black dresses, Elektra's sister too. Hard and not necessary to see different except when singing.

The whole stage was a confined space with mural walls. Like a room and yet like outside with dirt on the ground. In the middle of the stage was a grave where a naked and dead Agamemnon was lying. It also worked as the "door" to the castle. Some times people would come into the stage or go out from the front side door (not visible from the audience room) but other times they would just simply appear from the back of the stage where it seem not be any opening. Appearing from the a wall of black clad women. Klytämnestra on her bed was carried by the servant from the back suddenly appearing from the confined space as the whole stage was.

The production was really stylish and clean. Had I loved this opera then I would have been overjoyed by seeing it. At the same time for me it acted like a decider I think I will not go to Munich for a 4th production of the opera even with Agnes Baltsa as Klytämnestra.

It is not that this opera is without beautiful music, it has that. But as it is an 1 act opera with no natural space for a pause/interval it is simply too long. And it is not a happy opera at all. Had it had a small comic relief it would not be too bad.

Singing was good. Chorus and dancers was fantastic. The ladies were great singers/actors. Orest was not at their level. Weak voice, little presence.

And too end it all, I did not take any photos. And I did not see Agnes Baltsa before or after the opera. I met an opera friend in the opera house we actually sat together. I was supposed to give her my address. And, guess what, I did not find her again. I was in the back of the opera house and in the front. Florence ain't my city... (McDonald's was good, does that count?)

OD Travel

5. Travel to Vienna /Florence: Florence in Februar...

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

February 14, 2015: Elektra in Hamburg

2015-02-14 Elektra (R.Strauss), Hamburgische Staatsoper

Klytämnestra = Agnes Baltsa
Elektra = Lise Lindström
Chrysothemis = Hellen Kwon
Aegisth = Peter Galliard
Orest = James Rutherford
Pfleger des Orest = Stanislav Sergeev
Schleppträgerin = Stefanie C. Braun
junger Diener = Daniel Todd
alter Diener = Dieter Schweikart
Aufseherin = Renate Spingler
1. Magd = Deborah Humble
2. Magd = Maria Markina
3. Magd = Rebecca Jo Loeb
4. Magd = Gabriele Rossmanith
5. Magd = Katerina Tretyakova

Simone Young, conductor
Chor und Orchester der Hamburgischen Staatsoper

INSZENIERUNG: August Everding

BÜHNENBILD UND KOSTÜME: Andreas Majewski

I loved the production. It was really like one can imagine the Ancient Greece was like. Lise Lindström who is famous for her Turandot had in the role of Elektra a much harder task. Her Elektra was believable as a crazy but very human woman. In this role Lise Lindström had to be present all the time, to be the person alway ON and never off. Taxing, is the least of this role. Agnes Baltsa, incredible that she is 70 now, sang the role of Klytemnestra and acted like the queen she is. Real singing from Agnes Baltsa and with real power. She was an extraordinary Klytemnestra. Nobody can do this role better. Hellen Kwon had the misfortune to be a more ordinary figure. Chrysothemis is the daughter who try be so nice that her mother Klytemnestra will give her the chance to live her own life. C just want to be an ordinary woman with husband and child. E want revenge. Klytemnestra want to no longer have nightmares or any dreams. Peter Gailliard was Aegisth and James Rutherford was Orest. The men pales at such women as Lise Lindström, Hellen Kwon and the divine Agnes Baltsa, but still they are in the right league.

Even with the head-ache doing their destructive work I was able to applaud them vigorously

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

February 5, 2000: Carmen in Berlin

2000-02-05 Carmen (G. Bizet), Deutsche Oper Berlin

Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Don José = Alberto Cupido
Micaela = Michaela Kaune
Escamillo = Ludovic Tézier
Zuniga = Arutjun Kotchinian
Frasquita = Esther Lee
Mercedes = Mariana Cioromila
Morales = Kay Stiefermann
Remendado = Uwe Peper
Dancairo = Morten Ernst Lassen
Lillas Pastia = Frido Meyer-Wolff
Andres = Ulrich George

Ralf Weikert, conductor

DEUTSCHE OPER BERLIN
Saturday, 5. February 2000
Time: 19.00-22.30 hrs
Georges Bizet
Carmen
Conductor: Ralf Weikert (Jiri Kout)
Regie: Thomas M. Zipf
Scenography: Pier Luigi Samaritani
Choir: Helmut Sonne
Choreography: Klaus Beelitz

OPERA COMIQUE
with spoken dialogue
FIRST TIME for me: AGNES BALTSA live AS CARMEN
My first time in Berlin, too, but that's another story. It was not Agnes Baltsa's first time in Deutsche Oper Berlin. She really seemed to enjoy herself. Her voice was velvetly. In the beginning she seemed to be suffering from a cold. Maybe that cold had prevented her from singing Carmen in Zurich in January. To describe this evening in the Deutsche Oper, I must invoke the video from Metropolitan with Baltsa/Carreras. That was February 1987, 13 years ago. (My favourite video)-
Act 1: Much more beautiful setting in Berlin, than the Met. The people seemed more real. Beautiful dresses for the city folks. Morales (Kay Stiefermann, for an indisposed Peter Edelman) was funnier than the townspeople. Michaela (M. Kaune) was very pleasing in her singing and acting. More exciting than the Met. Zuniga was very imposing, great bass, this Aruntjun Kotchinian. Alberto Cupido, beautiful tenor voice, a real pleasure! The french dialogue was better spoken in the Met. AGNES BALTSA, incredible how she made Act 1 more exciting than I could have imagined it possible. When she was standing still, not even singing, just like all electricity was in her body. She was throwing some voltages to poor Don Jose. Agnes Baltsa even better than in video, how is it possible!!!
Act 2: The Lillas Pastia Tavern is really outside Sevilla, almost in the mountains. Quite understandable that the smugglers chose this place to be their rendevouz ordinaire. CHANSON BOHEMIENNE!!!. Agnes Baltsa is throwing herself into the singing/dancing. Beautiful voices from Mercedes & Frasquita. Escamillo (Ludovic Tezier), he is thrilling. Carmen is the only one not interested in him. Escamillo is singing the Toreador's Song and I am watching Carmen. Baltsa is thrilling in just being there, on stage, as Carmen.
Smugglers Quintet. Great. Loved sitting there listening for Agnes Baltsa's voice among all voices. Then Don Jose comes in. Although Alberto Cupido sings the Flower Song really well, has a beautiful voice. There is nothing wrong in his acting abilities. I long for the thrill (no 'that') Carreras brings in the video from the Met. SHE is great. The greatest moment of this act is "Non, tu ne m'aimes pas". That is simply GREAT. But the extra thrill is lacking. (It could be just because I am a Carreras fan, but...)
Zuniga, who is sung by an extraordinary bass, comes in. Or rather forces himself in. Breaking in, ridiculing Jose. Naturally the duel. Carmen makes the joke go to him, Zuniga, calling the other smugglers. For the first time, I realized that Don Jose could have chosen not to become a smuggler. It would have been another jail-sentence....
Act 3: A dangerous spot in the mountains. More reality than in the Met. What a great chorus Deutsche Oper has. So clear the voices ring. GREAT AGNES BALTSA!! Cardscene!! thrills upon thrills. The dialogue with the Guide, was better than in the Met. Not so exaggerating. MICHAELA Kaune sang the aria, with all what you can want. Duet/Duell Jose/Escamillo another highlight. CARMEN saves Escamillo!!. Fury from Don Jose. Then Michaela is found, the Ensembles is caressing my ears.
Act 4: Lovely scene outside the Arena. Maximum use of little place, and few people. Seems more than it is. Grand Parade! Duettino Escamillo/Carmen, Mercedes/Frasquita warn Carmen. GRAND DUET Jose/Carmen. ALL HIGHLIGHTS!!


Carmen = AGNES BALTSA
great singing, acting and dialogue
Her Carmen is wild, only one Law (her own)
More persuading than ever! More Electricity! Fantasy Carmen!
Don Jose = ALBERTO CUPIDO
great tenor voice, beautiful voice!
Difficult to hear what he is saying
Michaela = Michaela Kaune
Great Soprano voice
Acting and dialogue
Escamillo = Ludovic Tézier
Toreador's Song Great
Better than Ramey?
great voice, acting, dialogue
Zuniga = Arutjun Kotchinian
What a Voice!!!!
Greater than most Basses!
Personality!!

FRASQUITA = Esther Lee (Cornelia Götz)
MERCEDES = Mariana Cioromila
MORALES = Kay Stiefermann (Peter Edelmann)
REMENDADO = Uwe Peper
DANCAIRO = Morten Ernst Lassen
LILLAS PASTIA = Frido Meyer-Wolff
ANDRES = Ulrich George

OD Travel

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

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

December 19, 2006: Agnes Baltsa in Vienna

2006-12-19 Opera Concert, Konzerthaus Wien

Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Münchner Symphoniker
Nikos Athinäos, conductor

Agnes Baltsa Gala-Konzert
Dienstag, 19. Dezember 2006, 19:30 Uhr Großer Saal

Agnes Baltsa, Mezzosopran
Dirigent: Nikos Athinäos
Münchner Symphoniker


Veranstalter
Stimmen der Welt Konzerte GmbH.

1:
Verdi: Ouvertüre, „La forza del destino“

Verdi: La canzone del velo, „Don Carlo“

Massenet: Prelude1. Akt, „Werther“
Massenet: Va! Laisse couler mes larmes, „Werther“

Bizet: Entr'acte Akt 4, „Carmen“
Bizet: Carreau, pique... la mort!, „Carmen“

Berlioz: Ouvertüre, „Les Troyens“
Berlioz: Ah! Ah! Je vais mourir, „Les Troyens“


2:
Rossini: Ouvertüre, „Italiana in Algieri“
Rossini: Cruda sorte, „Italiana in Algieri“

Saint-Säens: Bacchanale, „Samson et Dalila“
Saint-Säens: Amour, vienne, „Samson et Dalila“

Mascagni: Intermezzo, „Cavalleria rusticana“
Mascagni: Voi lo sapete, o mamma, „Cavalleria rusticana“

extra:
Puccini: O mio babbino caro, "Gianni Schicchi"
Bizet: Habanera & Seguidilla, „Carmen“

Agnes Baltsa in her blue dress, famous from many great concerts.

Exactly the same concert as in Munich. But of course, no concert is really like, not completely. Another audience, both enthusiastic, but in Munich there were more "come more often to us". Vienna is simply a Baltsa city where she visit often. As Carmen, Herodiade, Küsterin, Isabella.

Baltsa seemed fresher in Munich, took more often applause. The Orchestra played better in Vienna, giving the music full opera treatment. A bit tired maybe or with a hint of cold, her Eboli aria (La canzone del velo) was a joy, even better than in Munich. Her Charlotte aria (Vas, laisse couler mes larmes) was also a earth-chattering experience. Always the great Carmen (Carreau, pique) was are there enough words to find the right praise. And Didon (Je vais mourir), even if I would have loved more happy tunes with Baltsa, I would not think about Baltsa and death in the same sentence, but the Berlioz aria was so heavenly beautiful.

Second part gave us Isabella (Cruda sorte), Dalila (Samson, recherchant ma présence - Amour! viens aider ma faiblesse!) and the Santuzza aria. And as she is the perfect Isabella, Dalila and Santuzza it was just simply the best arias. And this time she sang Dalila's aria so well that even Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix was not so missed.

And the extra number, long time since they were any surprise was a wonderful O mio babbino caro and Habanera and Seguedilla.

Conclusion: I would so like to see Baltsa onstage as Eboli in Don Carlo or Didon as Les Troyens, and as Charlotte in Werther or Dalila in Samson et Dalila. And Isabella in Italiana or Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana. Do I need to see Agnes Baltsa as Carmen for the 10th time, I believe that I do need that too, but Eboli and Dalila would mean more to me.

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

December 15, 2006: Agnes Baltsa in Munich

2006-12-15 Opera Concert, Munich Herkulessaal der Residenz

Agnes Baltsa, mezzo
Münchner Symphoniker
Nikos Athinäos, conductor

1:
Verdi: Ouvertüre zu „La forza del destino“
The concert started in a grand way with the ouverture from the opera La Forza del Destino by Giuseppe Verdi. Wonderfully played by the orchestra.

Verdi: La canzone del velo aus „Don Carlo“
Agnes Baltsa had the most thunderous applause from the audience even before a single note was sung. To start with the Veil Song from Don Carlo was a bold decision. What a coloratura!! Unfortunately the part of the aria that Eboli sings with Tebaldo was not so glorious sung but that is what sometime happen when an opera aria becomes a concert piece. If Baltsa had sung Tebaldos line it would
have sounded better, I think. Major applause for Agnes Baltsa. BRAVA!!!

Massenet: Vorspiel zum 1. Akt aus „Werther“
Massenet: Va! Laisse couler mes larmes aus „Werther“
The orchestra plays the Prelude very well. And when Baltsa sings Charlotte's aria, we just love it, it is Agnes Baltsa at her best. But we want more of Charlotte, The music stops too sudden, "Sudden death". It just takes us with total surprise. Please do a better work when opera arias are to be changed to concert pieces. BRAVA, Agnes!!!!

Bizet: Zwischenspiel zum letzten Akt aus „Carmen“
Bizet: Carreau, pique... la mort! aus „Carmen“
Too much "sudden death", Entr'acte to 4th act of Bizet's Carmen, would have loved to hear a bit A dos cuartos, too.
Agnes Baltsa sang a wonderful Carreau, pique! but it ends too abruptly why not a bit of the ending with Mercedes and Frasquita in the orchestra. BRAVA, Baltsa!!

Berlioz: Ouvertüre zu „Die Trojaner“
Berlioz: Ah! Ah! Je vais mourir aus „Die Trojaner“
For the first I hear the ouverture to Berlioz Les Troyens and quite frankly that made me want to hear the whole opera (on CD first, naturally). And finally a piece that stands on it own. Makes it the perfect ending for the first part of this concert. Again Agnes Baltsa is absolutely wonderful, again totally in role and of course the audience just can't have enough of her. BRAVA!!!!

2:
Rossini: Ouvertüre zu „Italiana in Algieri“
Rossini: Cruda sorte aus „Italiana in Algieri“
Another very well known ouverture as opening, this time it is L'Italiana in Algeri by Gioacchino Rossini. The orchestra is very good but it sound better in an opera house with an orchestra who really get into the part that this is a comic opera. As a concert piece they played it well. I wished I were at an opera house... Agnes Baltsa on the other hand was totally Isabella. There are other arias I would also have liked her to sing, but the singing was too glorious to have any complains like that. BRAVA, Bravissima!!

Saint-Säens: Bacchanale aus „Samson und Dalida“
Saint-Säens: Amour, vienne aus „Samson und Dalida“
Wonderful played and sung. A very good bacchanale from Samson et Dalila. Agnes Baltsa is super as Dalila but I don't think anyone will think badly of me for wishing she sang Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix. That said, she sang it with all her heart and passion. And we just loved her. BRAVA!!

Mascagni: Intermezzo aus „Cavalleria rusticana“
Mascagni: Voi lo sapete, o mamma aus „Cavalleria rusticana“
The Intermezzo was wonderful. And it was really one of the best Voi lo sapete, o mamma I had ever heard. Stupendous! Baltsa is the best Santuzza ever!!!

extra:
Puccini: O mio babbino caro aus "Gianni Schicchi"
Bizet: Habanera & Seguidilla aus „Carmen“
No shock this time that Die Baltsa would choose O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi. I am not even surprised that she sings it better than most if not all sopranos. And as "always" Habanera and Sequidilla from Carmen as encores. And this time I really got it, why Agnes Baltsa would sing the Seguidilla as last encore. She just absolutely adores to sing it. Agnes Baltsa's happiness was just echoed in the house. How we applauded, wanting even more!! Myself was really wishing for O don fatale from Don Carlo... But even if that never happened it was just a remarkable opera evening with Agnes Baltsa!!!!!
BRAVA! Bravissima!!! more more more.


Münchner Symphoniker
Nikos Athinäos LEITUNG
Freitag, 15. Dezember 2006
20 Uhr, Herkulessaal Abo

OD Travel + Photos

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November 24, 2007: Elektra in Budapest

2007-11-24 Elektra (R.Strauss), Magyar Állami Operaház

Klytämnestra = Agnes Baltsa
Elektra = Nadine Secunde
Chrysothemis = Bátori Éva
Aegisthos = Gulyás Dénes
Orestes = Perencz Béla
Orestes nevelője - Cser Krisztián
Klytemneistra bizalmasa - Balogh Tímea
Uszályhordozónő - Polyák Valéria
Fiatal szolga - Megyesi Zoltán
Öreg szolga - Szegedi Csaba
A felügyelőnő - Kukely Júlia
1. szolgáló - Balatoni Éva
2. szolgáló - Érsek Dóra
3. szolgáló - Mester Viktória
4. szolgáló - Fodor Beatrix
5. szolgáló - Wierdl Eszter

Kovács János, conductor

Magyar nyelvű feliratok / Hungarian textMesterházi Máté
Rendező / DirectorKovalik Balázs
Díszlettervező / stage designer Antal Csaba
Jelmeztervező / costume designerBenedek Mari
Karigazgató / Chorus MasterSzabó Sipos Máté


It is Premiere of Elektra and the opera house is wrapped in red on this occasion. Only two things bothered me: that my seat got very uncomfortable after 70 min's plus of Opera, real pain in my ..., and the end where Orest kills both his sisters with a machine gun, so totally unnecessary.

Nadine Secunde was great as Elektra (no surprise there), Eva Batori was wonderful as Chrysothemis. Agnes Baltsa was magnetic as Klytämnestra.

The production: Modern and set in a bath. It started startlingly with the opera house completely dark and then suddenly some light and the thunder of Straussian music. And unlike the Vienna production we could see the people and different types and real human being. The very self-assured über-type of woman, from the more submissive one. But to be onstage without shoes, naked but for some bathrobe or just a towel wrap round the bodies, I would guess they look forward to get dressed again. Some nakedness occurred, only male, and for a short time. Elektra had a black dress (dressed as widow), Chrysothemis in white (dressed as a bride). Klytämnestra also had black dress and a white fur robe. Orest dressed very formally but with sunglasses. Aigist had only a white bathrobe which made him very self-conscious when taking the bow at the end.

The changing of color lighting the stage was very well done. So naturally it got to be very red during some parts of the Elektra/Klytämnestra scene. The symbolism when Klytämnestra was killed was perfectly. No such symbolism for Aigist.

In the end after the murders:Chrysothemis was first greeted by Orestes people as Princess and goes out to dress herself as a new Klytämnestra. Elektra also changes out with the old puff, and a white robe is over the old black. But Elektra is not ready for the happiness, she struggles with the Agamemnon tree to Klytämnestra's bed, the power lies in the bed. She is clearly exhausted. But instead of having her die in the bed of mental exhaustion Orest has her killed with a machine gun. Two shots is heard, so when Orest is supposed to kill Chrysothemis with his second bullet, all Eva Batori can do is to drop dead with no sound.

The end ruined it, when Orest kills his sisters that does not make it a Real Greek Tragedy, but if his two sisters died just of exhausted minds when Orest should celebrate his triumph. THAT WOULD BE Greek Tragedy.

Original blog post
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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

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November 13, 1999: Le Prophete in Vienna

1999-11-13 Le Prophète (G. Meyerbeer), Wiener Staatsoper

Fidès = Agnes Baltsa
Jean de Leyde = Janez Lotric
Berthe = Simina lvan
Le Comte d'Oberthal = lstvan Gati
Zacharie = Peter Köves
Mathisen = David Cale Johnson
Jonas = Torsten Kerl

Marcello Viotti, conductor

Le Prophete. The Anabaptist revolt, because of the unfair conditions that the country people live under. Their Overlord is harsh and unfriendly. The sect of the Anabaptist, is against the Church. Unfortunately the violence remains. In this situation we find Berthe, an orphan, and Count of Oberthal decides instead of accepting that Berthe can marry Jean, he wants her himself. The mother of Jean, Fides, who has come to fetch Berthe, is also seized. Jean finds out about Berthe, in his hatred he becomes the Prophet...
This was the second time I saw Le Prophete, and Hans Neuenfels ideas about this opera, irritated me even more. Agnes Baltsa was great. Janez Lotric was brave to sing this role after Plácido Domingo. Simina Ivan was a good Berthe. The three Anabaptist were weaker than before.
But Giacomo Meyerbeer's music is still GREAT no matter what the director does.
Only one thing I want to tell the opera directors, let opera unfold to tell the story. Just open it up, new and fresh. (like one did with La Juive)

Wiener Staatsoper
samstag, 13. november 1999
15. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

Le Prophète
Oper in fünf Akten von Eugène Scribe Musik von Giacomo Meyerbeer

Musikalische LeitungMarcello Viotti
InszenierungHans Neuenfels
Bühnenbild und
Kostüme Reinhard
von der Thannen
ChoreinstudierungErnst Dunshirn
Einstudierung der TänzeRenato Zanella
., .

OffizierAlexander Pinderak
Bürger Johannes Gisser
Anabaptist Martin Thyringer
BallerinaPatricia Sollak
., .
Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper
Bühnenorchester der Wiener Staatsoper Wiener Staatsopernballett Eleven der Ballettschule der Wiener Staatsoper Amadeus Knabenchor Bewegungschor

OD Travel

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October 25, 1998: Fedora in Zurich

1998-10-25 Fedora (Giordano), Opernhaus Zurich

Fedora Romazoff = Agnes Baltsa
Loris Ipanoff = Josep Carreras
De Siriex = Philippe Duminy
Olga Sukareff = Sona Ghazarian
Boleslao Lazinski = Thomas Grabowski
Dr. Boroff = Rolf Haunstein
Baron Rouvel = Emilio Ruggiero
Grech = Giuseppe Scorsin
Cirillo = Rudolf A. Hartmann
Désiré = Miroslav Christoff
Nicolas = Arno Weinländer
Sergio = Peter Kálmán
Dimitri = Judith Schmid
Dr. Lorek = Damon Nestor Ploumis

David Gimenez, conductor

1.act : A room in Vladimir's house in St. Petersburg. The servants drinking, and playing cards. Then the great Fedora (Baltsa) come in. This was so special, that I got tears in my eyes. Never experience something quite like this. Great acting-singing everyone. Great Cirillo.

2. act : Fedora's house in Paris. Ballroom. A great ballroom, nice dresses. When Carreras came into the stage, my heart almost stopped. So good-looking, in god form. Singing like a god. Baltsa was great, but she was overwhelmed by Carreras. Amor ti vieta, was a dream. The high-charge duets, was gorgeous.

3. act : Love-nest in Switzerland. A great act, with overwhelming duets.
Never was Fedora's death so moving.

Musikalische LeitungDAVID GIMÉNEZ
InszenierungGRISCHA ASAGAROFF
BühnenbildANDRZEJ MAJEWSKI
KostümeJAN SKALlCKV
BeleuchtungJAKOB SCHLOSSSTEIN
ChorJÜRG HÄMMERLl


Bedienstete, Ballgäste
und PolizeiagentenANNA-MARIA JOURVELIN*O,
JENNIFER M. CHUNG*o, KARIN FRIDH*o,
CHRISTA RATZENBÖCK*o,
.,FRANCISCA BEAUMONT*o, SIMON JAUNIN*o,
DANIEL DIMITROV*o, ANDREW COSTELLO*o,
KENNETH ROBERSON*o, ARNO WEINLÄNDER*o
STATISTENVEREIN AM OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH
Ein SavoyardeJUDITH SCHMID*
Chor der BäuerinnenZUSATZCHOR OPERNHAUS ZÜRICH
* Rollendebüt
0 Mitglied des Internationalen Opernstudios
ORCHESTER DER OPER ZÜRICH
,Sonntag, 25. Oktober 1998Wiederaufnahme, Freier Verkauf
Pausen nach dem 1. und 2. Akt
Beginn: 20.00 Uhr

And after a fantastic evening at the opera.
Signierstunde in the Opera Foyer.


OD Travel + Photos

October 19, 2007: Elektra in Vienna

2007-10-19 Elektra (R.Strauss), Wiener Staatsoper

Klytämnestra = Agnes Baltsa
Elektra = Deborah Polaski
Chrysothemis = Silvana Dussmann
Aegisth = Michael Roider
Orest = Ain Anger
Pfleger des Orest = Wolfgang Bankl*
Vertraute = Zsuzsanna Szabó
Schleppträgerin = Daniela Denschlag*
junger Diener = Herwig Pecoraro
alter Diener = Marcus Pelz
Aufseherin = Waltraud Winsauer
1. Magd = Janina Baechle*
2. Magd = Zoryana Kushpler*
3. Magd = Sophie Marilley*
4. Magd = Ǻsa Elmgren
5. Magd = Caroline Wenborne

Michael Boder, conductor

Only Agnes Baltsa could make me see this opera and only AGNES BALTSA made it worth the time

Boring, boring, boring.... But Agnes Baltsa is GREAT. This opera needs so much, it is dark and so much monologue, beautiful music. Elektra is sung by Deborah Polaski, her voice is sometime too weak, the orchestra is heavy, and then where is the excitement the intense feeling, I did not feel it. Her sister is sung by Silvana Dussmann, and her we have a singer and actress who can transmit feelings. But it is Elektra who is supposed to outshine everybody else. Even the brother Orest sung by Ain Anger is more exciting and Aigist too (Michael Roider).

Agnes Baltsa as Klytämnestra is in a league of her own. She owns the stage, she is interesting, you see how this woman is totally crazy in her misunderstanding of it all.

But a great Elektra performance needs an Elektra who is shaking your world, here I did not find that. That Chrysothemis would outshine Elektra, what a concept...

But Klytämnestra is QUEEN!!!!!!! Hail, Agnes Baltsa! The Greek mezzo... DIVA

19. Oktober 2007



ELEKTRA
(51. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung)

Musikalische Leitung: Michael Boder
nach einer Inszenierung von: Harry Kupfer
Bühnenbild: Hans Schavernoch
Kostüme: Reinhard Heinrich
Chorleitung: Janko Kastelic


(* Rollendebüt an der Wiener Staatsoper)

Beginn: 20.00

OD Travel + Photos
My original blog post

October 19, 1998: Fedora in Vienna

1998-10-19 Fedora (Giordano), Wiener Staatsoper

Fedora Romazoff = Agnes Baltsa
Loris Ipanoff = José Cura
Olga Sukarew = Ildiko Raimondi
De Siriex = Georg Tichy
Dimitri/Savoyarde = Svetlana Serdar
Baron Rouvel = Peter Jelosits
Cirillo = Aik Martirosyan
Dr. Boroff = Yu Chen
Grech = Rudolf Mazzola
Dr. Lorek = Marcus Pelz
Nicola = Peter Tuff
Sergio = Hakki Özpinar
Michele = Josef Stangl
Boleslao Lazinski = Paul Harris
Ivan = Nicholaas van Huyssteen

Anton Guadagno, conductor

Fedora in Vienna

A good Choice: Taking the night to Vienna, having bought ticket already. I could get right to the opera.

This time, the best seat in the house, ATS 2000 so 9.33 my train left from Zurich, and 18.45 I was in Vienna.
19.05 in the Vienna State Opera.
Got my splendid ticket, and bought a program, sat down in my seat after having to wait a long time at the stairs.
What kind of Fedora did I get:
The opera started at 2000, and lasted till 2230.
At 23.30 my train left from Vienna.

The Tenor (Jose Cura) was much improved, my favorite Mezzo (Agnes Baltsa) was divine.
His Amor ti vieta, and Vedi io piango was great.
The 3rd act, fantastic.(Better than in 1997)
Very sexy: Baltsa & Cura.

AND I COULD SEE EVERYTHING


Montag, 19. Oktober 1998 STAATSOPER.
30. Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung
Koproduktion mit den Bregenzer Festspielen

Fedora
Oper in 3 Akten nach Victorien Sardou
von Arturo Colautti
Musik Umberto Giordano

Dirigent Anton Guadagno
Inszenierung Jonathan Miller
Ausstattung Tobias Hoheisel
Lichtgestaltung Paul Pyant
Choreinstudierung Ernst Dunshirn



Bühnenorchester der
Österreich ischen Bundestheater

OD Travel + Photos


" Stipendiat des
Herbert von Karajan Centrums

October 13, 1997: Fedora in Vienna

1997-10-13 Fedora (Umberto Giordano, Wiener Staatsoper

Fedora Romazoff = Agnes Baltsa
Loris Ipanoff = José Cura
Olga Sukarew = Anat Efraty
De Siriex = Davide Damiani
Dimitri/Ein kleiner Savoyarde =
Dana Liliana Ciuca
Desire = Helmut Wildhaber
Baron Rouvel = Franz Kasemann
Cirillo = Peter Köves
Dr. Boroff = Marian Pop
Grech = Rudolf Mazzola
Dr. Lorek = David Cale Johnson
Nicola = Friedrich Springer
Sergio = Johann Reinprecht
Michele = Martin Thyringer
Boleslao Lazinski = Paul Harris
Ivan = Nicholaas van Huyssteen

Anton Guadagno, conductor



I chose a cheap ticket that made the opera look like this:

Act 1 Vladimir's Palace
I saw Agnes Baltsa in a beautiful red dress 3 times.
Nothing else. Luckily I knew the opera, so I knew what was going on. Wonderful singing. But my question was: "How was the acting. And the room?"


Act 2 Fedora's Palace in Paris
This time I saw more. I could see 1/3 of the stage. And luckily I could most of Agnes Baltsa & Jose Cura when they were together. I had to lean out to see them. GREAT singing!
But Cura was sobbing in "Vedi, io piango" ruined the moment.

Act 3 LoveNest in Switzerland
I could see everything. GREAT.

Inszenierung
Jonathan Miller

Ausstattung
Tobias Hoheisel

Lichtgestaltung
Paul Pyant

Choreinstudierung
Johannes Meister

OD Travel

September 29, 2002: Carmen in Vienna

2002-09-29 Carmen (Bizet), Wiener Staatsoper

Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Don José = Fabio Armiliato
Escamillo = Tom Fox
Micaëla = Ildiko Raimondi
Frasquita = Simina Ivan
Mercédès = Songmi Yang
Zuniga = Janosz Monarcha
Moralès = Yu Chen
Remendado = Helmut Wildhaber
Dancairo = Markus Nieminen
Lillas Pastia = Hacik Bayvertian

Vjekoslav Sutej, conductor



3 months ago I was on my first Carmen in Vienna with Agnes Baltsa as Carmen, I saw two in June (23 & 26), so I knew what to expect in a way. But I must say this was a much better show yesterday. For one thing, the conductor was great, and the orchestra played with an unusual warmth. The Chorus was also moving and acting better, especially the men had improved, the woman did need much improving, so they were great this time too.

Sutej, the conductor did not move much in, but he was always very clear about what he wanted from the orchestra. He know that the Wiener Philharmoniker is a great orchestra, so he knew when to let go, and when to be obvious to the musicians what he wanted, at which beat they should play. This time the trumpeter at the stage for the change of the guard, did no false notes. But there was some small incidents of unclear playing from one of two instruments, but I was not able to hear which one it was, but I think it was a wind-instrument.

The singers: Agnes Baltsa singing her CARMEN, her voice is no longer always perfect in the arias, especially was the Habanera showing that she had some difficulties. But Carmen is not about belcanto it is about a woman who can make men to her toys. She was beguiling and splendid, fascinating and a mystery. I do not regret coming to Vienna for another of her Carmen's. DON JOSE Fabio Armiliato was wonderful in singing and acting. Very truthful, and obviously he was a Don Jose that this Carmen liked, what a chemistry, he was under the Baltsa spell. MICAELA Ildiko Raimondi has a sweet and warm soprano voice, she was perfect as Micaela, maybe a traditional Micaela, but I liked her. ESCAMILLO Tom Fox, I could almost see in Baltsa's face a torment of listening to him singing the Toreador Song, well, it certainly was a torment for me. Baltsa is a professional, and did not go out of her role, but she really preferred Fabio to Tom. And then I must mention Frasquita and Mercedes, Simina Ivan and a stipendiate from Karajan Center, and it was the new Mercedes that impressed me very much, beautiful voice and perfect onstage. Yu Chen was a splendid Morales.

Wiener Staatsoper
sonntag, 29. september 2002
109.Aufführung in dieser Inszenierung

Carmen
Oper in vier Akten von Henri Meilhac und Ludovic Halévy nach einer Novelle von Prosper Mérimée
Musik von Georges Bizet

Dirigent Vjekoslav Sutej
Inszenierung und
Bühnenbild Franco Zeffirelli
KostümeLeo Bei
Choreographie Rafael de Cordova
Chorleitung Ernst Dunshirn
" .
Carmen Agnes Baltsa
Don JoséFabio Armiliato
Escamillo, ToreadorTom Fox*
Micaëla Ildiko Raimondi

Zigeunerinnen
Frasquita Simina Ivan
Mercédès Songmi Yang*A

Zuniga, Leutnant Janosz Monarcha
Moralès, Sergeant Yu Chen

Schmuggler
Remendado Helmut Wildhaber
Dancairo Markus Nieminen

Lillas Pastia Hacik Bayvertian
Tänze Rita Kommentisch
Rudolf Wächter
Christoph Wenzel
und das Corps de ballet

* Rollendebüt an der Wiener Staatsoper
A Stipendiatin des Herbert von Karajan Centrums

OD Travel + Photos

September 25, 2004: Carmen in Berlin

2004-09-25 Carmen (Bizet), Deutsche Oper Berlin

Carmen = Agnes Baltsa
Frasquita = Stephanie Weiss
Mercédès = Jessica Miller
Micaëla = Michaela Kaune
Don José = Julian Gavin
Moralès = Bernd Valentin
Zuniga = Harold Wilson
Escamillo = Laurent Naouri
Remendado = Peter Maus
Dancairo = Jörg Schörner
Lillas Pastia = Klaus Lang
Andres = Ulrich George

Jun Märkl, conductor




GEORGES BIZET :: CARMEN

Regie: Peter Beauvais
Scenography, constumes Pier Luigi Samaritani
1900-2300

3:45 hrs

Chorus Ulrich Paetzholdt
Choreography Klaus Beelitz

Carmen Agnes Baltsa

Don José Julian Gavin

Schöneberger Sängerknaben

2004-09-25 almost not Carmen in Berlin with Agnes Baltsa.


I arrived early in Oslo, took the early bus to Sandefjord Airport Torp. 0615-0810. My plane was due to go to Copenhagen at 1215, but the plane didn't arrived until that time. Then it was 1235 boarding time, then when we were in the plane, they found a fault. Then we had to get out of the plane, and then it was to be repaired, so in the end 3 hours later than scheduled we left Torp. Unfortunately no direct-flight to Berlin in Copenhagen, I had to go via Munich. So in the end I was in Berlin Tegel 2035. The opera started 1900.

I took a taxi to Deutsche Oper Berlin. I was so lucky to be allowed inside to stand behind the door, for the last 30 minutes of Act 2, from the Smuggler-quintet. Julian Gavin sang a terrible Flower-song,
that was joyously applauded by the audience. I saw act 3 + 4 in my place, Agnes Baltsa sang magnificently the card-scene. And the end-duet was event brilliantly sung by Julian Gavin (Don Jose). The cast was mediocre, I found. But it was still nice to be there. I would have loved to see act 1 and the complete act 2.

OD Travel + Photos