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

May 14, 1999: Die Fledermaus in Vienna 1999

1999-05-14 Die Fledermaus (J. Strauss), Theater an der Wien

Gabriel von Eisenstein = Wolfgang Brendel
Rosalinde, his wife = Silvana Dussmann
Prince Orlofsky = Agnes Baltsa
Alfred, voice coach = Herbert Lippert
Dr. Falke, notary = Olaf Bär
Dr. Blind, barrister = Ernst-Dieter Suttheimer
Frank, prison director = Anton Scharinger
Adele, Rosalinde's maid = Isabel Rey
Ida, her sister = Mercedes Echerer
Frosch, court usher = Erwin Steinhauer

Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor


Wiener Festwochen 1999

Die Fledermaus (The Bat)
by Johann Strauss
Libretto and lyrics by C. Haffner and R.
Genée based on the vaudeville "Réveillon"
by Meilhac and Halévy


New production
Joint production of Vienna Festival and Zurich Opera

Musical director: Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Director: Jürgen Flimm
Stage design: Dieter Flimm
Costumes: Birgit Hutter
Choreography: Catharina Lühr



Vienna Symphonic Orchestra
Arnold Schoenberg Choir



Venue: Theater an der Wien
Premiere: 8 May (Televised ORF)
Additional performances: 10, 12, 14, 16 May
19.00 - 22.30

(Interesting that no audience is alike.)

Brava, Agnes Baltsa!
Brava, Isabel Rey!
Brava, Silvana Dussmann!

OD Travel + Photos

May 12, 1999: Die Fledermaus in Vienna

1999-05-12 Die Fledernaus (J. Strauss), Theater an der Wien

Gabriel von Eisenstein = Wolfgang Brendel
Rosalinde, his wife = Silvana Dussmann
Prince Orlofsky = Agnes Baltsa
Alfred, voice coach = Herbert Lippert
Dr. Falke, notary = Olaf Bär
Dr. Blind, barrister = Ernst-Dieter Suttheimer
Frank, prison director = Anton Scharinger
Adele, Rosalinde's maid = Isabel Rey
Ida, her sister = Mercedes Echerer
Frosch, court usher = Erwin Steinhauer

Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor

Wiener Festwochen1999

Die Fledermaus (The Bat)
by Johann Strauss
Libretto and lyrics by C. Haffner and R.
Genée based on the vaudeville "Réveillon"
by Meilhac and Halévy


New production
Joint production of Vienna Festival and Zurich Opera

Musical director: Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Director: Jürgen Flimm
Stage design: Dieter Flimm
Costumes: Birgit Hutter
Choreography: Catharina Lühr


Vienna Symphonic Orchestra
Arnold Schoenberg Choir

Frank, prison director = Anton Scharinger
Adele, Rosalinde's maid = Isabel Rey
Ida, her sister = Mercedes Echerer
Frosch, court usher = Erwin Steinhauer

Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor
Theater an der Wien
DIE FLEDERMAUS
Prinz Orlofsky = Agnes Baltsa
Adele = Isabel Rey

The Spanish Soprano Isabel Rey (she lives in Zurich) is Adele, a Wienerin. The Greek Mezzo Agnes Baltsa (who also live in Switzerland) is Orlovsky from Russia. Isabel Rey is everything one wants Adele to be, she knows comedy and have a strong sense of language (German, naturally). Act 1 belongs to Isabel Rey. Then in act 2 comes Orlofsky Ball, and when Orlovsky and Adele, who is presented as Fräulein Olga (from Russia), wants to be a singer and sings a line from "Pres de remparts de Seville" and then Prinz Baltsa repeats it, to the great enjoyment of the house.
Act 3 starts with a boring Frosch, interesting for the Viennese, but not for me. Only Isabel Rey is good in this act, when Baltsa comes, then it is a good end of this operetta.

OD Travel + Photos