don giovanni in dull zambello staging

Don Giovanni, DVD. Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 2008. Production: Francesca Zambello. Conductor: Charles Mackerras. Cast: Simon Keenlyside (Don Giovanni), Kyle Ketelsen (Leporello), Joyce DiDonato (Donna Elvira), Ramon Vargas (Don Ottavio), Marina Poplavskaya (Donna Anna), Miah Persson (Zerlina), Robert Gleadow (Masetto), Eric Halfvarson (Commendatore).

I have never really understood why Francesca Zambello has been invited and re-invited to stage operas in virtually all the major opera houses: I have never once seen a staging by her which I found exciting, or even interesting. Okay, once she was involved with something exciting: The Carmen with Jonas Kaufmann andAnna Caterina Antonacci. However, this was exciting despite Zambello´s best efforts to drown Carmen in dullness.

Suffice to say that I agree with all those who found this Don Giovanni ugly and boring and I disagree with those finding the DVD much better: A circular wall of glass, dark colours throughout. A death-scene with live flames and then a bare-chested Simon Keenlyside in baggy pants, not to mention the foolish wigs both he and Leporello wear – is this a comedy or tragedy, really? The characterization seemed monodimensional as well with Don Giovanni the rogue, Leporello the more anonymous, Donna Anna the elegant and Donna Elvira the desperate.

As to the musical side, things look rather better. Best of all is Joyce DiDonato, a strong-voiced clear Donna Elvira. Also Kyle Ketelsen, in strong voice, shows quite a comic talent as Leporello. Robert Gleadow (23 years old at the time of the recording..) and Miah Persson are sweet. However, while Marina Poplavskaya as always inhabits her character more than 100% ,vocally she seems quite thin and overchallenged, especially in “Or sai chi onore”. 

Simon Keenlyside himself is clearly among the top choices of any Don Giovanni production today, though I´d like to see him in a better directed production, frankly. As always I almost forgot the Don Ottavio: Here  Ramon Vargas, though I do not really know what to say about him: He sings his arias well, but Mozart did not give him much to work with in terms of characerization to begin with.

There are many, many Don Giovanni DVDs out there, and off-hand I can without difficulty name at least 5 better than this one. In fact, all the Don Giovanni DVDs I havereviewed are better than this one, though I admittedly have seen worse as well. Much worse. The late Sir Charles Mackerras (deceased in 2010) was engaged, and clearly masters the score, despite the fact that I largely disagree with the ornamentations he asked the singers to perform, though they were in no way offensive.

The masked trio:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Simon Keenlyside: 4-5

Kyle Ketelsen: 4-5

Marina Poplavskaya: 3

Joyce DiDonato: 5

Miah Persson: 4-5

Robert Gleadow: 4-5

Francesca Zambello´s production: 2

Charles Mackerras: 4

Overall impression: 3

poppea: surrealistic, bizarre, magnificent

L´Incoronazione di Poppea. DVD. 2009. Barcelona Liceu. Production: David Alden. Conductor: Harry Bicket with Baroque Orchestra of the Gran Teatre del Liceu. Cast: Miah Persson (Poppea), Sarah Connolly (Nerone), Jordi Domènech (Ottone), Maite Beaumont (Ottavia), Ruth Rusique (Drusilla), Franz-Josef Selig (Seneca).

Finally available on DVD: David Alden´s deservedly acclaimed staging of L´Incoronazione di Poppea previously seen in Munich, Paris, Welsh National Opera, New Israeli Opera and now filmed in Barcelona.

I have often heard this staging referred to as the “chess-board” production. However, I find this hard to justify as only during the last 20 minutes do we see quadrants of black and white, which in any care to me were more reminiscent of a kitchen floor than a chess-board. That Poppea and Nero are somehow pieces in a game of chess, is something I do not read into this production at all, in fact.

The superb libretto is relatively straight-forward: Poppea, previously married to Ottone, schemes to become Nero´s Empress. First, however, she has to get rid of his present wife (Ottavia), whom Nero expels from Rome after a failed attempt on Poppea´s life ordered by Ottavia and executed by Ottone. Thus a happy end where Nero marries Poppea. And in real-life a less than happy end, as Nero allegedly kicked the pregnant Poppea to death a couple of years later.

I find this staging more intuitive than intellectual, set in no specific time, presenting a mix between the authentically modern and the surrealistic, the serious and the comic/grotesque, the elegant and the tasteless. Often these ambiguities may be seen in the same scene. In one of the best scenes, we see Seneca (Nero´s adviser, whom he has ordered to commit suicide), just before his death, surrounded is surrounded by grotesquely clad pupils, who in the end play yo-yo. The empress Ottavia´s nurse is a parody of a Red Cross nurse, while Poppea´s nurse is in tasteless drag. Decors are simple, often red or purple with a single chair or sofa. Not to mention the Goddesses of Fortune and Virtue in tasteless party dress with plateau heels.

It is a truly remarkable staging in which David Alden succeeds in striking the exact right chord between the grotesque and the serious. I do believe he has a valid: There is much grotesqueness an excessiveness to be found in the plot amid all the seriousness. I found the personenregie is exciting as well. Here Nero is clearly a disturbed, narcissistic character with virtually no physical interaction between him and Poppea, who on the other hand is less a manipulator than seen with  Carsen in his Glyndebourne production.

I have been told that Nero´s part lies vastly better for a mezzo-soprano than for the counter-tenor, which, for dramatical reasons I normally prefer in these parts. In any case, Sarah Connelly is just as convincing as a Roman Emperor here as she was as Giulio Cesare. Miah Persson is a wonderful Poppea with excellent vocal characterization and then she is very beautiful as well, which obviously does not detract from he performance. Of the others I especially found Franz-Josef Selig´s Seneca imposing, with the appropriate sonorous ring to his low notes.

Of the alternatives on DVD I would recommend Robert Carsen´s production from Glyndebourne as well, more elegant perhaps, though this is the most challenging production of the two.

Death of Seneca, one of the best scenes where Alden strikes the right balance between the grotesque and the deadly (no pun intended) serious:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Miah Persson: 5

Sarah Connelly: 5

Maite Beaumont: 3-4

Franz-Josef Selig: 5

Jordi Deménech: 3

Ruth Rusique: 3-4

David Alden´s production: 5

Harry Bicket: 4

Overall impression: 5

classic production of rakes progress

Rake´s Progress. DVD. Glyndebourne Festival 2010. Director: John Cox, designs: David Hockney. Conductor: Vladimir Jurowski with London Philharmonic Orchestra. Cast: Miah Persson (Anne Trulove), Topi Lehtipuu (Tom Rakewell, Matthew Rose (Nick Shadow), Elena Manistina (Baba The Turk), Clive Bayley (Anne´s father).

This production has in many ways become a benchmark for The Rake´s Progress. First seen at Glyndebourne in 1975, it has undergone numerous revivals and has even been released on DVD in 1997 featuring Samuel Ramey and Felicity Lott. While the present version looks a bit fresher, I don´t see any compelling reason to acquire this present DVD if you already own the previous one.

No doubt the reason for the popularity and longevity of this production is the extraordinary accordance between the production and Stravinsky´s original work. 

Stravinsky was originally inspired by 1) Mozart and 2) William Hogarth´s 1735 series of eight paintings (later engravings) depicting the life of Tom Rakewell. As most will know, the composition style is neoclassical - Mozart, but not quite Mozart. As for the story line - Don Giovanni but not quite Don Giovanni.

The director is John Cox, but the trademark of the production are the designs by David Hockney. Hockney is a British multi-artist, born in 1937 and famous for his pop art installations in the 1960´s.

He was equally inspired by William Hogarth in creating the sets, which are quite often print-like black and white, with multiple stripes and crosshatching. Complete with period costumes, it is a set evocative of Mozart – but then, just like the music, not quite Mozart. And always with a certain irony and distance, to be found in Stravinsky´s score and the libretto as well.

The “new” singers are all excellent: From Miah Persson´s Anne Trulove, which is both beautifully sung and acted, to Topi Lehtipuu´s convincing portrait of the lazy Tom always seeking the easy way and Matthew Rose as a somewhat ironic Nick Shadow and finally Elena Manistina´s tour de force as Baba The Turk.

Vladimir Jurowski is effective conducting a score, that I find it easy to admire but hard to love.

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Miah Persson: 5

Topi Lehtipuu: 5

Matthew Rose: 4

Elena Manistina: 4-5

John Cox´ production: 5

Vladimir Jurowski: 5

Overall impression: 5

Salzburg 2009: Claus Guth with Cosí fan tutte

Cosi Fan Tutte. Salzburg Festival 2009. Production: Claus Guth. Conductor: Adam Fischer with the Vienna Philharmonics. Cast: Miah Persson (Fiordiligi), Isabel Leonard (Dorabella), Topi Lehtipuu (Ferrando), Florian Boesch (Guglielmo), Bo Skovhus (Don Alfonso), Patricia Petibon (Despina)

German director Claus Guth´s Mozart-Da Ponte trilogy was concluded at the 2009 Salzburg Festival with Cosí fan tutte featuring a starry cast including Miah Persson, Bo Skovhus, Isabel Leonard as well as Patricia Petibon. Adam Fischer conducts the Vienna Philharmonics.

Those familiar with Claus Guth´s previous work such as the psychoanalytic Nozze di Figaro, the Don Giovanni set amongst junkies in a wood in the middle of the night, the Ariadne who commits suicide on Naxos, Richard Wagners Tristan in love with Mathilde Wesendonck and a Walküre set in a miniature dolls house will know better than to expect a bubbly Mozartian comedy.

We are at the end of a party at the girls rather fancy loft apartment - all in white with the occasional African mask. Bo Skovhus´ menacing Don Alfonso sets the tone immediately: This is not comedy, but rather Claus Guth shows us the personal consequences of the partner swapping resulting in four disoriented people at the end and as the action gets darker a certain recycling of the 2008 Don Giovanni forest, which progressively enter the house.

Essential to the success of this production, singer-actors are cast in all parts, with not even one weak link. The girls take centre stage and both girls look and act fabulously with a genuine interaction not always seen. The velvety sound of Isabel Leonard mixes well with Miah Perssons elegant soprano. The boys are more anonymous, but still competent. Bo Skovhus neurotic style and commanding presence is just right for Don Alfonso combined with Patricia Petibon´s in every way excellent Despina completes an outstanding cast.

Adam Fischer conducts the Vienna Philharmonics and as always we are far from the period-inspired performances some (not me though) may prefer.

Report from New York Times.

Miah Persson and Isabel Leonard "Ah, guarda sorella":

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Miah Persson: 5
Isabel Leonard: 5
Bo Skovhus: 5
Topi Lehtipuu: 4
Florian Boesch: 4

Adam Fischer: 4
Claus Guth: 5

Overall impression: 5

DVD: Miah Persson shines in traditional Glyndebourne Cosí fan tutte

Cosí fan tutte. Glyndebourne 2006. Production: Nicolas Hytner. Cast: Miah Persson (Fiordiligi), Anke Vondung (Dorabella), Toni Lehtipuu (Ferrando), Luca Pisaroni (Guglielmo), Ainhoa Garmandia (Despina), Nicolas Rivenq (Don Alfonso). Conductor: Ivan Fischer with the Orchestra of the age of enlightenment. Further information here.

Nicolas Hytner´s 2006 Glyndebourne production of Cosí fan Tutte is astonishingly traditional. Period costumes and period sets. Does he have any take on the work at all? It doesn´t seem so. Which according to preferences may be a liability as well as an asset.

Nevertheless (or because of this), the performance is highly entertaining, as the the acting from the young cast is superb over the entire line. But no one shines more than Miah Persson, whose portrait of Fiordiligi is first-rate as is her singing, navigating her two fiendishly difficult arias with seemingly ease. The rest were perhaps vocally not quite as impressive as Persson, Luca Pisaroni apart, but they made up for any lack of vocal characterization with superbly engaged acting. And they all looked great. That said, all sang well, though Toni Lehtipuu seemed rather anonymous as Ferrando. Especially the interaction between Miah Persson and Anke Vondung was superb and a core factor to the success of this production.

Engaged and bubbly performance from Ivan Fischer and the OAE, though it is no secret that I prefer the classic Mozartean style of the old Germans, such as may be seen in Barenboim´s Berlin Cosí fan tutte.

I would expect this production to appeal to a quite large number of customers: Those adverse to Regietheater will obviously like it, and those in favour of Regitheater will also find it entertaing, due to the superb acting.

Miah Persson and Anke Vondung: Prenderó quel brunettino:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Miah Persson: 5
Anke Vondung: 4-5
Luca Pisaroni: 5
Toni Lehtipuu: 4-5
Ainhoa Garmandia: 5
Nicolas Rivenq: 4-5

Nicolas Hytner´s production: 3-4

Ivan Fischer: 4

Overall impression: 4

Posted on YouTube by FuzzyCerts

Miah Persson - Mozart opera and concert arias

Miah Persson: Un moto di gioia. Mozart opera and concert arias. Sebastian Weigle conducts the Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Released 2006. Further information here.

Considered she is a classical lyric Mozart soprano, Swedish soprano Miah Persson´s (born app. 1970) rise to fame has come relatively late, career breaking performances being the Salzburg 2003 Rosenkavalier and the London 2006 Nozze di Figaro, both released on DVD. She is currently on a rapid rise to become perhaps the pre-eminent lyric Mozart soprano of today, specializing primarily in Mozart.

The upcoming summer she will repeat her Glyndebourne Fiordiligi at the Salzburg Festival and next season will see her Metropolitan Opera debut as Sophie in Rosenkavalier.

This Mozart disc clearly shows that Miah Perssons success is not primarily based on her great looks and acting: She is quite simply a great Mozart singer. Stylish, but most of all charming and lively, but still with plenty of character and punch. With the effortless coloratura always integrated in the music interpretation and never put on display.

The opera selections are from Cosí fan tutte (Come scoglio), Nozze di Figaro (Deh vieni and Un moto di gioia) as well as Zaide and Mitridate, the rest being concert arias including Ch´io mi scordi di te? and Exultate, jubilate.

A great disc. Highly recommended.


The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

5

DVD: McVicar Figaro from Covent Garden

Nozze di Figaro. Royal Opera Covent Garden 2006. Director: David McVicar. Cast: Gerald Finley (Count), Dorothea Röschmann (Countess), Miah Persson (Susanna), Erwin Schrott (Figaro), Rinat Shaham (Cherubino). Conductor: Antonio Pappano with the orchestra of the ROH. Further information here.

This production is clearly among the best, if not the best Figaro on DVD.

David McVicar highlights the dark undercurrent of the work in a production sufficiently traditional as not to offend anyone. The rococo charm is downplayed, however the production is far from being uncharming. The production is updated to the 1830s France, exactly why I do not know, but it is very beautiful and not unlike McVicar´s recent Manon from Barcelona.

David McVicar highlights the class distinctions of the characters and a strong emphasis is placed on sexuality and the Count's violent nature. Here, the countess appears an abused wife. The happy end for the Countess´ marriage surely is only temporary.
Equal emphasis is placed on acting, appearance and singing and the stage direction is simply superb. As is evident from the documentary accompanying McVicar´s Manon DVD, he is very much a hands-on director and meticulously directs the movements of the singers until the tiniest detail. Which pays off in spades.

What most of all makes this production memorable is the chemistry and tension. However, though the tension is highlighted, the humour is captured as well (unlike Guth´s Salzburg Figaro, where any attempt of comedy is disposed with).

David McVicar succeeds in conveying the feeling some new dimensions are discovered with this Figaro, which is no small accomplishment.

Erwin Schrott is over-all a great Figaro, but vocally he is a rather unorthodox one. First of all there is much sprech-gesang as he tends to speak his recitatives. His singing-style is rather unconventional and rough as well and occasionally he strays far away from the pitch. However, as an actor he is superb. May I add that he keeps his shirt on as well. His style takes a while getting used to, but it ends up working very well for him.

Miah Persson´s Susanna is more exquisite and delicate than most and she genuinely looks the part as a perfect match for Erwin Schrott´s Figaro.

This is the second Dorothea Röschmann Countess on DVD and she is stylish as always. Gerald Finley is a very unsympathetic count, excellent both as an actor and singer. I was less impressed by Rinat Shaham´s Cherubino as others.

Antonio Pappano was vigorous as well as precise in the pit, though not particularly inventive.
Some have complained about the uneven sound quality of this DVD. While I agree that the balance between singers and orchestra/harpsichord is occasionally uneven it did not bother me significantly.

Erwin Schrott with Aprite un po degli occhi:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Erwin Schrott: 4-5
Miah Persson: 4-5
Dorothea Röschmann: 4-5
Gerald Finley: 4
Rinat Shaham: 3-4

David McVicar´s production: 5

Antonio Pappano: 4

Overall impression: 5

Robert Carsen´s superb 2004 Salzburg Rosenkavalier on DVD

Rosenkavalier. Salzburg Festival 2004. Production: Robert Carsen. Cast: Adrianne Pieczonka (Marschallin), Angelika Kirchschlager (Octavian), Miah Persson (Sophie), Franz Hawlata (Ochs). Conductor: Semyon Bychkov with the Vienna Philharmonics. More details here.

Given the choice between nostalgia or decadence, the traditional Rosenkavalier productions on DVD (see below) chose nostalgia. Robert Carsen chose to depict a decadent society in decay in his 2004 Salzburg Festival production.

First act takes place in the decadently luxurious chamber of the Marschallin and the enourmous stage of the Grosses Festpielhaus is utilized to the maximum as several things take place simultaneously in parallel chambers.

We are in Vienna immediately preceding the outbreak of World War One. Octavian seems only one in a (long) string of lovers of the Marschallin. Ochs is a military man arriving with his regiment of soldiers.
Act two takes place in a large dining room with a dinner table almost spanning the 100 meter width of the stage complete with war paintings on the back wall. Sophie is wiser, not quite the naïve innocent girl reciving Octavian, when he arrives on a live horse to present the silver rose. Ultimately Ochs walks almost straight into Octavian´s sword while his regiment of soldiers harass the household of Sophie´s father in a very entertaining scene.

The third act takes place in a brothel covered in red lights, complete with full frontal nudity and transvestites, definitely more funny than sexy. Octavian is clearly enjoying himself with the girls and make out with Sophie on the bed with the Marschallin walking by. This relationship won´t last. And in the end, we just see the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand setting into motion the chain of events leading to the First World War.

The production was equally loved and hated by audiences in 2004. Clearly my favorite Rosenkavalier production on DVD, not the least due to the simply outstanding cast.

Adrianne Pieczonka´s noble Marschallin shows why Strauss is her true fach and in my opnion she is the best Marschallin on DVD (as well as the best alive) - the nostalgia, the resignation - she seems to capture every facet of this part with her varied acting combined with her superb Straussian voice.
I have simply not heard a finer Octavian since Christa Ludwig than Angelika Kirchschlager - her even, rounded and simply beautiful voice combined with a rather masculine edge to her acting makes her unsurpassed as Octavian.
And Miah Persson´s beautiful Sophie completes this first-rate trio with her clear soprano and entirely convincing acting. Franz Hawlata is more noble than the traditionally ridiculous Ochs, and while he may not excel with his low notes, he more than fulfills Robert Carsen´s demands.

Do the Vienna Philharmonics really need a conductor to play this score, which they´ve probably played more than any other orchestra? Needless to say they played sumptuously capturing the exact right rhythms in the walzes for Semyon Bychkov.

Strongly recommended. However, those preferring a traditional Rosenkavalier may want to look at one of the two Carlos Kleiber-conducted Otto Schenk productions (I´d personally prefer the one from the Vienna State Opera) or the Georg Solti-conducted production from Covent Garden.

Adrianne Pieczonka and Angelika Kirchschlager in Act 1:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Adrianne Pieczonka: 5
Angelika Kirchschlager: 5
Miah Persson: 5
Franz Hawlata: 4-5

Semyon Bychov:4-5

Robert Carsen´s production: 5

Overall impression: 5

DVD: Aix-en-Provence Falstaff tragedy with Willard White

Falstaff. Aix-en-Provence 2001. Production: Herbert Wernicke. Cast: Willard White (Falstaff), Geraldine McGreevy (Alice Ford), Marcus Jupither (Ford), Yann Beuron (Fenton), Miah Persson (Nannetta), Charlotte Hellekant (Meg Page), Nora Gubisch (Mrs. Quickly). Conductor: Enrique Mazzola with Orchestre de Paris. Further information here.

Fist of all, this Falstaff is no comedy. For once, Falstaff is not the laughable, fat figure.
Willard White´s Falstaff is a virile, somber man, being ousted by society. Why, the staging does not reveal, though the accompanying booklet states this to be racially motivated, as Willard White is the only black man on stage. Though the racist angle is not obvious from watching the minimalistic staging, which take place in a single room lined with wooden walls with the characters wearing period costumes. Admittedly, there is a certain 19th century Southern State feeling to this production, though I may not have had this impression had I not read the racism comment in the booklet.

Willard White is a superb stage actor, who plays Falstaff like he was Filippo of Spain. Though his voice is rather dry, it doesn´t really detract from his fine performance. Small wonder Charlotte Hellekant´s fine Meg has an affair with him.
Of the others, Miah Persson shines as Nanetta, while her upcoming husband is more anonymous. Geraldine McGreevy unfortunately does not make a good Alice Ford, being rather shrill and devoid of charm.
Neither does Enrique Mazzola really make the orchestra bubble, though bubbly may not be an aim to this almost tragic Falstaff.

The DVD direction is of unusually low quality, often the camera focus on singers not relevant to the action. Distinctly similar to the appallingly poor filmed Zurich Tannhäuser, and as it turned out, the DVD director was the same: Chloe Perlemuter.

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Willard White: 4
Geraldine McGreevy: 2
Marcus Jupither: 4
Miah Persson: 5
Yann Beuron: 4
Nora Gubish:4
Charlotte Hellekant: 4

Wernickes staging: 3

Enrique Mazzola: 3

Overall impression: 3