Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Zurich Opera 2003. Production: Nikolaus Lehnhoff. Conductor: Franz Welser-Möst. Cast: José Van Dam (Sachs), Peter Seiffer (Walther), Petra-Maria Schnitzer (Eva), Matti Salminen (Pogner), Michael Volle (Beckmesser), Brigitte Pinter (Magdalene), Christoph Strehl (David), Gunther Groissböck (Nightwatchman).
It is not the first time, that otherwise quite inventive stage directors seem to freeze and revert to previous times static theatre when faced with Meistersinger. While it is perhaps not surprising that no-one seems to have truly decoded this piece, why not at least give it a try? Katharina Wagner did, with mixed, but nevertheless interesting results. Nikolaus Lehnhoff, as seen here? Well, suffice to say, we are light years from his production of Tristan and Isolde, to be seen at Glyndebourne around the same time.
Nikolaus Lehnhoff´s style is easily recognizable though; simplistic, geometric sets in stylish colours and characters in period costumes; just take a look at the abstract blue second act with a massive stair-case which could easily have been re-used for his Lohengrin. The best are the equally abstract 3rd act sets, including and excellent amphitheatre excellent ballet. However, when the answer to the question "what did you learn from this staging regarding the characters and their relationship?" is "nothing", then the raison d´être for this DVD eludes me. Especially as none of the singers were stand-outs either:
Peter Seiffert, sings Walther like Tristan, though not without strain. His real-life wife Petra-Maria Schnitzer is better vocally, though not exactly youthful. Is it really that difficult to cast these two characters? After all this is not Tristan and Isolde. Also as Magdalene we see the rather mature Brigitte Pinter and while Matti Salminen brings his usual command to Pogner, he is not in optimal vocal shape. Age notwithstanding, I have seen much better performances from him recently.
José Van Dams strong point is his characterization of Sachs. The voice? Rather too dry, however his strong stage presence and the experience he brings to the role makes up for a lot.
Best of all however: Michael Volle,in a role he repeated in Bayreuth a couple of years later: Vocally strong, always interesting and never ridiculous. A better Beckmesser is not to be seen today.
Finally, Franz Welser-Möst presents a rather swift reading, which is not bad at all, especially as he keeps momentum throughout. However, the competition is stiff, and he does not reach the level of neither Barenboim, Thielemann nor Levine on competing DVDs.
Final scene:
The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):
José Van Dam: 3-4 Peter Seiffert: 2 Petra Maria Schnitzer: 3 Michael Volle: 5 Matti Salminen: 4 Christoph Strehl: 4
Tannhäuser.DVD. Liceu Barcelona 2008. Production: Robert Carsen. Conductor: Sebastian Weigle. Cast: Peter Seiffert (Tannhäuser), Petra Maria Schnitzer (Elisabeth), Beatrice Uria-Monzon (Venus), Günther Groissböck (Hermann), Markus Eiche (Wolfram). With this production of Tannhäuser,
Robert Carsen has created one of his best stagings: Elegant, well thought out
as well as thought-provoking. There is only one problem: This was a
co-production between the opera houses of Paris and Barcelona. In Paris, the cast
including Nina Stemme and Sophie Koch was superb. In Barcelona, less so. And
however illogical and unfortunate, the DVD was filmed in Barcelona.
To Robert Carsen, ths opera evolves around an artists struggle with the
creative process: Tannhäuser
is a painter. We begin in his studio, where he is painting the naked Venus.
Multiple copies of Tannhäuser try and paint Venus as well, but all ends in an
orgy of nakedness. And is this not the problem perhaps? That nakedness, itself,
is not enough to be exciting let alone artistic inspiration? In any case, Tannhäuser completes his painting and in Act
2 finds himself in a modern art gallery. Hermann is the owner. A reception is
about to begin. Unsurprisingly, what we see next is a successive revelation of
paintings (note that we, the audience only see the reverse side, never what is actually on the painting) during the
traditional “Sängerfest”. Shocked by Tannhäusers painting of the naked Venus
(presumably, as we never get to see it), he is expelled from the Gallery. During all this, Carsen makes extensive use of the auditorium as both
gallery guests as Elisabeth and Tannhäuser enter and exit from between the rows
of spectators.
So
far, no real interpretative controversy. However this is to come in the third
Act, which opens with Elisabeth dreaming about Tannhäuser whilst performing
some act of autoeroticism. When the painters/pilgrims return from Rome, their
scaffolds are empty, stripped of their paintings. With the antecedents in mind
it really is not that surprising that when Tannhäuser finally calls out for
Venus, she arrives together with Elisabeth. The two women have merged into one
so to say, representing two different but equally essential aspects of womanhood.
Thus, when Tannhäuser now reveals his painting (after Elisabeth has touched it)a high-class audience it is recognized as a masterpiece and
is assigned a place on the wall in a gallery full of masterpieces – its final
place being on the wall just beneath Botticelli´s Venus from Milo. As the
painting is turned around just before it is revealed the curtain drops.
The
weakness, however, are the singers. In Paris they had Nina Stemme, Sophie Koch
and Eva-Maria Westbroek (in a previous run). Here, Beatrice Uria-Monzon looks
stunning, just as fine as her Act 1 body-double, but vocally she is shaky and
her vibrato is unpleasant.
As
for Peter Seiffert, his acting is not too bad, but vocally he is just not very
pleasant to listen too. His real-life wife Petra-Maria Schnitzer does better,
but there is no bloom in her voice and she is no match for the Paris ladies.
Best are Markus Eiche (a substitute for Bo Skovhus) as Wolfram and Günter
Groissböck as Hermann.
Weigle
is doing fine without being extraordinary, however a Tannhäuser without a real
Tannhäuser is a hard sell. As for alternative versions, the idea of Tannhäuser centered around creative
struggles is also explored in Kasper Holtens staging from Copenhagen, now available on DVD, but
otherwise my recommendation would probably either Alden´s production fromMunich or Lehnhoff´s from Baden-Baden.
Der Ring desNibelungen (complete). DVD. Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, Valencia 2007-9. Director: Fura dels Baus. Cast includes: Juha Uusitalo (Wotan), Jennifer Wilson (Brünnhilde), Lance Ryan (Siegfried), Matti Salminen (Hagen). Conductor: Zubin Mehta.
Overview and general comments
Fura dels Baus is a Catalan theatre group founded 1979 in Barcelona working with contemporary theatre, opera as well as major events such as the opening ceremony for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. In opera Fura del Baus stagings are renowned primarily for their abstract stylistic settings, where 3D computer animations play a major role.
When Zubin Mehta (then music director at the Bavarian State Opera and in the middle of a Ring Cycle there), was approached in 2002 regarding a Ring Cycle in Valencia, he initially hesitated, thinking he´d done too many already, but then said that if Fura del Baus would stage it, he´d come. Subsequently, Carlus Padrissa, the stage director for this production (one of six stage directors as well as one of the founding members of Fura del Baus) went to Munich, saw his first Ring Cycle with Zubin Mehta, took notes and went home to think and develop his own vision.
The result, the first complete Ring Cycle ever in Spain (according to Padrissa) opened between 2007-9, a coproduction between the new opera house in Valencia and Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (musical festival in Florence, Italy).
The main idea behind Fura del Baus´ staging of the Nibelungen Ring is to show "the degradation of nature by technological man". Carlus Padrissa meticulously followed all Wagner´s original stage directions with "greater freedom and adapting it to our own aesthetics" while at the same time “going back to the spirit of Wagner, to the original mysticism and symbolism”.
The two trademarks of Fura dels Baus´s Ring Cycle is the video projections and the use of stage acrobats and may best be described as a mix of The Lord of the Rings (the movie), Star Wars and street theatre. Simultaneous with the theatre performances, another spectacle with HD projections and acrobats took place outside/on the Palaus des Les Arts Reina Sofia, which is designed by Calatrava.
Franc Aleu´s stunning video projections are the central element and the key to the entire staging, creating "beings of light", music and light. This is the most effort Fura del Baus ever put into video projections, reaching 3500 pixels (3 times HD quality) for some of the images and resulting in some of the most stunning images ever projected onto an opera stage, ranging from National Geographic-like land shapes to projections of the entire earth mixed with plenty images of the human body (with the intention of showing the degeneration of the human race perhaps?) as well as more abstract projections.Traditional sets were generally not used and often the images were projected on/behind the naked stage with ample use of mirrors.
The Fura dels Baus actor-acrobats represent such different entities as: Valhalla, dead heroes, wood beings, Brünnhildes bed pillar, a bear, river grass, Brünnhildes bed-cover when conquered by Gunther/Siegfried with the Tarnhelm. The substance of the living world perhaps?
The street theatre elements come forward in the characterisation and the costumes (by Chu Uroz), which are exaggerated in an almost cartoon-like way, unfortunately making several key characters looks like Anna Russell imitations: The Wälsungs, including Siegfried in tribal costumes including bone fragments, the Gibichungen with dollar-signs on their jacket and oriental-looking face paint. Furthermore, the Gods are locked up into cranes, manipulated by stage extras, 3-4 meters above stage,
Thus Fura dels Baus present straight-forward storytelling using contemporary imagery. They work on the grand level, and though the singers have clearly been directed they cannot help loosing out on the interpersonal relations. However, the production is quite possibly more impressive on DVD, with the many close-ups, than in the theatre and perhaps even more so on blu-ray.
The straightforward storytelling combined with the stunning imagery and an overall acceptable musical quality may make this a first choice for some. In any case, it is an important interpretation, which those with specific interest in Richard Wagner should see.
As a “concept”, this is not entirely unlike Harry Kupfers Berlin/Barcelona Ring, also focusing on degradation of nature, though with a freer interpretation of the original stage directions.
The three Rhinemaidens swim in suspended water tanks and The Rhinegold, originally a golden fetus born out of eggs laid by the Rhinemaiden becomes a black old man when seized by Alberich, who additionally seizes the other eggs laid by the Rhinemaiden, multiplies them and transforms them into human clones, thus building his treasure.
The Gods are locked onto moving platforms 3-4 meters above stage (levelling with the Giants). The earth is the backdrop, while John Daszaks superb Loge flutters around on a moto, as restless as his music.
The spectacular descent into Nibelheim is literally a descent into the middle of the earth, where the cloning of the Golden eggs into small golden fetuses and finally humans becomes obvious. Is this then the beginning of the degradation of manhood – are these clones made by Alberich the future inhabitants of the human world, as seen in Götterdämmerung?
Among the very few visual disappointments are Alberichs transformations – the dragon created by a living chain of acrobat-actors and the frog a simple steel device – no projections here. Also the shock-effect of Erda´s appearance somehow seems to drown in all this imagery.
Some may find that all these video projections, especially in Siegfried and Götterdämmerung but also here in Rheingold tend to draw too much attention to themselves at the expense of the music. I don´t agree and generally find the projections to underline the course of action or simply provide spectacular entertainment.
The Rhinemaidens with the Rhinegold:
Gods, Giants and Loge:
Loge and the Gods gasping for breath after the Giants abducted Freia:
The descent to Nibelheim:
Nibelheim:
Wotan (with the Ring) and Loge:
The appearance of Erda:
Freia with the Giants and the human Nibelungen treasure:
Valhalla:
Rheingold video excerpts:
The individual operas - Walküre
A beautiful projection of the World Ash, with its ever changing colours (and Wotan´s lurking ravens) provide the backdrop for Hunding´s home, here a circle of bones on the naked stage. Costumes are mainly made by fur, bones and tribal paintings and the picture is completed by plenty of feral crawling as Hunding has Sieglinde tied to a rope and drags her along like a dog.
According to Carlus Padrissa Hunding is a Cro-Magnon and the Wälsungs are homo sapiens - this is why Hunding cannot make Sieglinde pregnant, while her brother, another homo sapiens, easily can. Not a bad explanation at all, in fact. The setting is 50.000 BC. While proving the point, all this feral crawling and exaggerated, downright unflattering costumes unfortunately also significantly limits the human drama, the real cornerstone of Act 1 Walküre. And despite some chemistry between Peter Seiffert and Petra Maria Schnitzer (a married couple), and a convincingly Cro-Magnon version of Matti Salminen, the Act I never really takes off.
Equally, locked to their cranes within a circle of stars, true interaction between the Gods prove too difficult, despite splendid singing from Anna Larsson´s Fricka. Later, descended from the crane, during his big monologue, it becomes clear that Juha Uusitalo simply lacks star-quality, despite rather fine singing. Not to mention Jennifer Wilsons appallingly apathic and passive Brünnhilde, a real shame as she has a very fine voice with a brilliant top, of a quality seldom to be heard in this repertoire. Admittedly she is not helped by Chu Uroz´ costumes including a ridiculously looking harness which makes her look even bigger than she already is, resembling an Anna Russell caricature. However, this is an entirely intentional effect, as Chu Uroz intended these costume as a tribute to the "large woman" of the 19th Centure, the "demi-goddesses".
The Valkyries sing and act well, though again, the suspension on cranes at times impedes dramatic interaction. Though even when descended from the cranes, as Wotan and Brünnhilde ultimately do in Act 3, it is clear that dramatic interactions are the weak point of this cycle despite the scene being played on a stunning background of the projected earth. When the emotional interaction during "leb wohl" is missing, something is not quite right.
The Ash overlooking Hunding´s circle of bones:
Confrontation between Wotan and Fricka:
Wotan´s monologue:
Siegmund and Sieglinde during their escape:
Siegmund´s death:
The Valkyries:
Brünnhilde sleeping on the rock:
Video of Siegmunds death:
The individual operas - Siegfried
Perhaps the most successful of the four operas as the wide spaces decreed perfectly suits Fura del Baus´ video projections.
We travel deep inside the earth to arrive in Mime´s high-tech smithy. Retrospective video projections accompany much of the action such as the Wanderer´s questioning of Mime (and vice versa) and we see how Siegfried has to completely destroy the sword to forge it anew.
In a stunningly beautiful Act 2, the ever-changing background incorporates cartoon elements with actor-acrobats representing various forest animals as well as carrying the string of white boxes, representing Fafner.
Perhaps one of the musical highlights of the entire cycle, Wotan´s call for Erda in Act 3 is accompanied by stunning National Geographic mountain videography with Erda herself appearing from the centre of the earth (here: India). Equally Siegfrieds passing through the fire is spectacular, again demonstrating in the closing scene between Siegfried and Brünnhilde than the one-to-one interactions is the weak point of this cycle, despite some fine acting and nuanced singing from Lance Ryan´s Siegfried. Thus, this is a statement with modifications as always, as Gerhard Siegel (Mime) seems fully capable of inhabiting the stage.
Mime´s smithy:
Mime tries to reforge Nothung:
Outside Fafner´s cave:
Fafner:
The wood bird pointing Siegfried to Brünnhildes Rock:
Wotan calls for Erda:
Erda appears:
Wotan confronts Siegfried:
Siegfried and Brünnhilde:
Video presenting some of the most stunning images:
The individual operas - Götterdämmerung
The Gibichungen world is cruel and grim. Fura del Baus suggests we could be in a major city such as Shanghai, accentuated by the Chinese-looking face paint of the Gibichungens, here seen as grotesque stock brokers with dollar signs attached to their clothes and stock exchanges rates projected on the screen. A grotesque, superficial world of extremely bad taste, where Gutrune runs on a tread-mill within a cylinder suspended in air. The contrast to the Siegfrieds prehistoric costumes is fully intended and his transformation from a caveman into stockbroker after getting drunk is champagne shows impressive acting from Lance Ryan. However, though dressed like the others, Siegfried never learns how to act in this world, which eventually becomes his downfall.
Understatement is not a trademark of this Ring, where especially Götterdämmerung at times seem over-exaggerated. Though definititely not without it´s moments, such as a second act staged like a thriller complete with snipers and a searching eye. Also Siegfrieds Funeral March is a highlight, with Siegfried´s body being moved from stage, through the audience.
Jennifer Wilson´s apathy is again a serious drawback, and even Matti Salminen´s Hagen is more mobster-calculating than evil, though Lance Ryan´s Siegfried transformation is quite impressive and generally he fares better in Götterdämmerung than in Siegfried.
As Fura del Baus closely follows Richard Wagners stage directions, the Ring is given back in the end and the net of acrobat-actors symbolizing Valhalla is dispersed. Though inventive, I couldn´t help finding the ending a bit disappointing, perhaps expectations were raised too high based on the preceding imagery.
The Norns:
Gunther:
Brünnhilde and Waltraute:
Hagen and Alberich:
Brünnhilde confronts Siegfried (the latter head-down):
The Act II trio, staged as a thriller:
Siegfried meets the Rhinemaiden:
The scene of Siegfrieds death:
Siegfrieds Funeral March:
The Immolation Scene:
Video - Götterdämmerung highlights:
The singers
General comments:
A list of some of the most respected Wagner singers of today (eg. Matti Salminen, Stephen Milling, Peter Seiffert etc) combined with relative newcomers such as Lance Ryan and Jennifer Wilson. The individual singers:
Wotan:Juha Uusitalo, a bass-barytone, generally sings well, though without leaving a truly individual mark. Essentially he lacks the energy, seen with John Tomlinson (for Barenboim) or the class of James Morris (only as Wanderer, though). And, as a bass-barytone, as opposed to a bass Wotan, the deep resonant voice for the Wanderer he simply does not have.
Fricka:Anna Larsson with the wonderfully deep expressive voice is perhaps the best Fricka on DVD, with an impressive combination of royalty, class and vulnerability showing that Fricka is far from the mono-dimensional character often seen.
Alberich:Franz-Josef Kapellmann has more stage presence than voice at this point of his career. And in this, his second Alberich on DVD, he more than occasionally relying on yelling and exclamation, clearly past his prime, but still to be reckoned with.
Loge: Strong performance, vocally as well as dramatically from John Daszak.
Fasolt:Matti Salminen (see below), ages well vocally, but has lost quite a lot of his strength and is no match for Stephen Milling.
Mime: Gerhard Siegel commands the stage and delivers a vocally satisfying performance as well.
Sieglinde: A convincing, though not exceptional performance from Petra Maria Schnitzer, who is not helped by either costume designer or director with her cave-like appearance and manners.
Siegmund:Peter Seiffert fails to make a lasting impression in this role and though he sings the notes, his acting skills leave a lot to be desired. We are a long way from the intensity of Peter Hofmann/Jeannine Altmeyer.
Hunding: The Cro-Magnon outfit quite suits Matti Salminen, though he, in his 60s, has lost the sonorous, menacing profound tones. This is his second Hunding on DVD.
Hagen:Matti Salminen´s voice ages well, being steady and almost vibratoless. Nevertheless, in this his third Hagenon DVD, he does not live up to his past attempts and despite an ever strong stage presence he more often than not resorts to barking and yelling without earlier times punch and power. Stephen Milling would have been a better choice.
Brünnhilde: It is very frustrating to watch and listen to Jennifer Wilson: Vocally she has got the goods, with a beautiful voice high above average for this part being both solid and with a shining top. Unfortunately, she severely lacks in dramatic expression, both vocally and acting-wise, which ultimately makes her Brünnhilde one of the major disappointments. Not too mention she is a large woman, who simply does not move well on stage.
Siegfried:Lance Ryan is as good a Siegfried as anyone today: He looks the part and after some indifferent acting especially in the first two acts of Siegfried, he becomes quite interesting to watch after his transformation in Götterdämmerung. Vocally, his is perhaps not the biggest voice, but he is solid throughout, though not without a certain monotony and dryness. However, he is capable of producing some finely nuanced singing, especially in Siegfried Act III and Götterdämmurung Act I after his transformation. All in all a very promising performance.
Erda: In Siegfried Catherine Wyn-Rogers sings the notes but fails to convey the drama. More dramatic is Christa Mayer in Rheingold, though she still fails to project the primal force of the Earth Goddess.
Waltraute: Waltraute´s part is probably a bit too high for Catherine Wyn-Rogers, whose dramatic strengths lie in her lower register declamations. However, her excessive middle-register vibrato combined with a stiff stage presence makes no competition for excellent DVD Waltraute´s such as Waltraud Meier or Anette Bod.
Gutrune: Elisabete Matos, essentially a dramatic soprano, seems miscast in this essentially lyric part, where she simply sounds too harsh.
Gunther: A dry voiced Ralf Lukas effectively conveys what is here a very unsympathetic character.
The conductor and the orchestra
A young orchestra initially assembled by Lorin Maazel and conducted here in their first Wagner production by veteran Zubin Mehta. In this context, their performance is impressive though it does not measure up to the best on DVD. According to Mehta, the biggest challenge was getting the brass sections to work. This part worked out well and the strings sound fine.
I suspect the problem lies with Zubin Mehta´s interpretation: He simply plays too undynamic and without applying the small shifts in tempo so essential for the dynamic of the work. On the contrary, on several key points in the score (such as Siegmunds death, the Wotan/Fricka scene in the Valkyrie, Wotans “wer meine speeres spitze”), he slows the tempo markedly creating a vacuum.
Despite the impressive effort by the orchestra, they are no match for the twoBayreuth DVDs, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra or the Royal Danish Orchestra.
In brief - the highlights and lowlights
Highlights – The stunning images and inventive use of actor-acrobats.
Lowlights – no real lowlights, but weak points were the interpersonal relations, weakest between Siegfried and Brünnhilde. Some of the costumes, notably the Wälsungen incl. Siegfried and the Valkyries resemble Anna Russell caricatures and make their characters look outright ridiculous
The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average)
Juha Uusitalo (Wotan): 4 Anna Larsson (Fricka): 5 Franz Josef Kapellmann (Alberich): 3 John Daszak (Loge): 5 Matti Salminen (Fasolt): 4 Stephen Milling (Fafner): 5
Gerhard Siegel (Mime): 4
Christa Mayer (Rheingold-Erda): 3
Catherine Wyn-Rogers (Siegfried-Erda): 2
Catherine Wyn-Rogers (Waltraute): 2
Peter Seiffert (Siegmund): 3
Petra Maria Schnitzer (Sieglinde): 3-4
Matti Salminen (Hunding): 4
Matti Salminen (Hagen): 4
Lance Ryan (Siegfried): 3-4
Jennifer Wilson (Brünnhilde): 2-3
Elisabete Matos (Gutrune): 3
Ralf Lukas (Gunther): 3
Fura dels Baus´ staging: 4 (5 for Siegfried, 4 for the rest)
Doing this, he was the first conductor, other than James Levine, to conduct Tristan at the Met since Erich Leinsdorf in 1974. Daniel Barenboimhas brought his own cast, which includes Katarina Dalayman and Peter Seiffert in the title parts as well as René Pape.
Much discussion has focused on Peter Seifferts use of an eletronic earpice prompter. Apparently he used this ear-plug prompter for previous Tristan performances at the Berlin State Opera. I had no idea they used this kind of electronic equipment in Berlin, however, I suppose, why not?
Daniel Barenboim rearranged the orchestra during the rehearsals to have the wood-winds and brass to the right and the strings to the left, an arrangement he also used at La Scala last season, which obviously must have required a bit adjustments for the musicians.
Of the singers of the opening night (Dalayman, Seiffert, DeYoung, Grochowski and Pape), the praise was unanimously left for René Pape, quite as expected. It may not speak top well of the qualities of the other performers, though few will disagree that René Pape is in his own class as King Marke.
As Barenboim´s chosen leads Peter Seiffert and Katarina Dalayman had cancelled numerous Tristans with him over the past two years in Berlin, neither of them were really expected to complete the run, and in this respect they fully lived up to expectations. Gary Lehman replaced Peter Seiffert on occasion, and lo! behold a miracle: Waltraud Meierreplaced Katarina Dalayman once, in what was probably her only appearance as Isolde at the Met. On the other occasion the part was taken by Linda Watson.
There is no video footage of Barenboim in this production, so instead René Pape as King Marke, who, Barenboim and Waltraud Meier apart, has always been the only really compelling reason to watch this production, right from the opening in 1999:
Tannhäuser. Zurich Opera House 2003. Director: Jens-Daniel Herzog. Cast: Peter Seiffert (Tannhäuser), Roman Trekel (Wolfram), Solveig Kringelborn (Elisabeth), Isabelle Kabatu (Venus), Walther (Jonas Kaufmann), Alfred Muff (Hermann). Conductor: Franz Welser-Möst. Further information here.
In brief, I find this production virtually unbearable to watch, reflected in the extraordinarily low overall rating below.
First of all, the camera work is quite easily the worst I have yet encountered in opera, jumping back- and forwards between backstage shots of the characters in their dressing rooms (even in the middle of the opera), overhead shots of the pit, close-ups of the sweating Peter Seiffert (whom we also see putting on his final costume during the ouverture before he heads downstairs) and Franz Welser-Mösts wedding ring, shots from the stage aiming at performers waiting backstage etc etc. Furthermore, fans of Jonas Kaufmann, beware: During his only aria we do not see him at all, as the camera only focuses on the faces of Tannhäuser and Elisabeth. Extremely annoying..
This moving back and forth between pre-production and performance shots, takes away a significant part of the potential pleasure of the staging, which I cannot even describe properly due to the odd camera angles. The sets are simple, the stage is bare, but aesthetic it is not. I simply cannot imagine that, visually, this DVD will appeal to anyone.
Musically things are rather better, though not exceptional. Solveig Kringelborn does make a rather fine Elisabeth (though I personally find her irritating), not entirely matched by Isabelle Kabatu as Venus. Fine performance from Roman Trekel (slightly neurotic) and Peter Seiffert (equally boring). Franz Welser-Möst is more than competent though not overly imaginative.
The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):
Peter Seiffert: 3 Solveig Kringelborn: 3 Roman Trekel: 3 Isabelle Kabatu: 2
Meistersinger. Director: Wolfgang Wagner. Bayreuth 1999. Cast: Robert Holl (Sachs), Emily Magee (Eva), Peter Seiffert (Walther), Andreas Schmidt (Beckmesser). Conductor: Daniel Barenboim. More information here.
This 1999-filmed Meistersinger was Wolfgang Wagner´s last production at the Bayreuth Festival as well as the last production Daniel Barenboimconducted here. A statement I hope to be able to revise, at least regarding Barenboim.
This is in fact fact one of Wolfgang Wagner´s better productions, though not exactly placing him among the great Wagnerian directors of history. The main problem is that Wolfgang Wagner is a very static director. Índividual direction of the singers and exploring the personal relations of the characters does not seem to interest him, and they all seem left to their own devices. That approach rarely makes for enticing theater. What makes this production vastly better than his preceeding Meistersinger production is the sets: Conservative, but aesthetic and very elegant, stripped of all superfluities. Almost exclusively white. Being modern, according to Wolfgang Wagner, means dressing Peter Seiffert in a combination of pink and red..No doubt that Wolfgang Wagner´s knowledge of his grandfather´s works is immense and vastly exceeds that of virtually any other living director. However, transmitting this knowledge to the audience as engaging theater he unfortunately has never been able to do. Daniel Barenboim is superb as expected in Wagner´s most treacherous work: While Meistersinger may look relatively easy and straightforward on paper, it takes something special to make it lift off and reveal the depths of the score. Among conductors alive today I have only heard Christian Thielemannand Daniel Barenboim truly pulling that off and this Meistersinger production offers the most direct opportunity to compare these two: Daniel Barenboim conducted it until 1999, Christian Thielemanntook over in 2000, making his debut at the Bayreuth Festival (Thielemann´s Bayreuth Meistersinger is available from the broadcasts). Both are attentive to detail without loosing the bigger picture and both truly understand the structure of the work. Both are grandiose. Christian Thielemann is more glittering, Daniel Barenboim is more powerful, direct and engaged. But the major difference is the impression of narcissism, pathos and sentimentalism (all in the positive sense) one gets with Thielemann. Daniel Barenboim has nothing of that, which is why he ultimately wins. But it is a very close call.
Robert Holl´s Hans Sachs I genuinely do not care for: He is traditional, elderly, uninspired and unenergetic. Vocally, his voice is definitely not unpleasant and he is up to it, without aspiring to greatness though. Dramatically, less so. And the complete lack of chemistry with Emily Magee´s Eva is appalling. Her Eva, for once, is straight and unsentimental, rather a grown-up woman than an adolescent girl. While Peter Seiffert has a great voice and is without doubt among the very few top Wagnerian tenors of today, his stand-and-deliver acting and general appearance, as always, leaves me cold. Also Andreas Schmidt's Beckmesser, though well sung, doesn´t seem to come across to the (imaginary) audience (the Bayreuth DVDs are always filmed in front of an empty auditorium). Matthias Hölle in his rather short prime, is first rate as Pogner, dignified and well sung.
Is this the preferred Meistersinger on DVD? Before actually watching it, I would have expected it to be. However, I continue to place my money on the Schenk production from the Metropolitan Opera. And no: I am no fan of the endless row of undead Schenk-shows, but this Meistersinger, for once, is rather good.
Daniel Barenboim with the Meistersinger Ouverture:
The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):
Robert Holl: 3 Matthias Hölle: 4 Emily Magee: 3-4 Andreas Schmidt: 3-4 Peter Seiffert: 3
Wolfgang Wagner´s production: 2-3 Daniel Barenboim: 5
Die Frau Ohne Schatten. Bavarian State Opera in Japan 1992. Production: Ichikawa. Cast: Peter Seiffert (Kaiser), Luana DeVol (Kaiserin), Alan Titus (Barak), Janis Martin (His Wife), Marjana Lipovsek (Amme). Conductor: Sawallisch. Further information here.
This FroSch was Sawallisch´ last new production as principal conductor of the Bavarian State Opera after 21 years. Recorded on tour in Japan, these were also the first performances of FroSch in Japan and recorded by Japanese television, though not allowed to broadcast it in Japan due to concerns on various aspects of Hofmannsthal´s libretto, such as the appropriateness of Barak having hunchbacks as brothers.
The production was provided by the Japanese headed by Ichikawa. The music was provided by the Europeans.
The production is a curious hybrid of traditional Japanese Kabuki and Western staging, which seems strangely fitting for this opera. The stage is dark, the costumes are Japanese. It is elegant, beautiful and strange. And much better understood by a video clip from the production than by any description I may come up with:
The ending looks the quintessence of Japanese symbolism (of which I indeed know very little): The Emperor and Empress standin above and Barak and his wife below a small bridge.
Of the singers, Luana DeVol does not approach Cheryl Studer for Solti (the best Kaiserin I have heard apart from Léonie Rysanek).Marjana Lipovsek is a superb, demonic Amme in both productions. The rest of Sawallisch´ cast were neither spectacular nor bad.
Despite this being Sawallisch favourite opera, he simply does not match the poignancy of Solti with the Vienna Philharmonics. As a matter of fact, nobody does.
The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):
Luana DeVol: 3
Marjana Lipovsek: 5
Alan Titus: 3
Peter Seiffert: 3
Janis Martin: 3
Meistersinger von Nürnberg. DVD. Vienna State Opera 2008. Prod: Otto Schenk. Cond: Christian Thielemann. Cast: Falk Struckmann (Hans Sachs), Ain Anger (Pogner), Johan Botha (Walther von Stolzing), Adrian Eröd (Beckmesser), Ricarda Merbeth (Eva), Michael Schade (David), Michaela Selinger (Magdalena).
This is a so-called traditional production of Meistersinger, recorded live in 2008 at the Vienna State Opera, which for obscure reasons decided to revive Schenk´s 1975 staging of Wagner´s Meistersinger under the label "new production", referring to a socalled "musical reinterpretation" by German conductor Christian Thielemann. We already know Otto Schenk´s Meistersinger from the DVD from the Metropolitan Opera. This Vienna production is not quite as sumptuous, in fact it is rather austere and dusty at times, especially in the first act.
I remember well that in 2008 Thielemann was unanimously praised by the Austrian press for these performances, labelling them the best conducted Meistersinger in Vienna in decades and five hours of pure pleasure - referring mainly to the orchestral performance. I am well acquainted with Thielemann´s mighty way with this score: Light, yet not too light, and with this inherent understanding of Wagnerian phrases, including in Thielemann´s case some very unconventional phrasing slowing the orchestra down at decisive points. Such as the much-debated major pause he always takes between "wach" and "auf" in the 3rd Act, It is still there. Egocentric or courageous? Probably both.
That Christian Thielemann favours traditional productions is no secret and not a problem as such. A traditional production may be as good, or better than a modern. That entirely depends on the individual characterization by the singers. However, too often, traditional sets are combined with a lack of personal direction + a not negligible amount of dust. Which is the case here.
It is understandable that Thielemann likes Johan Botha´s voice as it is both glorious and solid. But.. this is not a CD, and excuse me, the man is simply too heavy and cannot act his way out of a paper bag.
But Ricarda Merberth? Really she is quite disappointing as Eva: Matronly, wobbly and unexquisite, she is the stand-up-and-deliver type of singer. One shouldn´t think Eva would be that hard a part to cast?
She looks rather like the superb Ain Angers mother than his daughter. And with Michaela Selingers feisty Magdalena looking ten years younger and feistier than Eva. Michael Schade as well makes a rather mature, but however well sung David. Falk Struckmann´s rather metallic voice with a certain lack of warmth may not be to everyones liking, however he is in better shape here than otherwise around that time.
Best is Adrian Eröd as Beckmesser: Funny as well as well sung and the scenes between Beckmesser and Sachs remain among the few infusing some life into this otherwise rather un-dead production.
However, we already know Otto Schens Meistersinger from the Metropolitan Opera released on DVD, with a vastly superior cast. Christian Thielemann´s Meistersinger is worth preserving Otto Schenk´s Vienna State Opera production with the current cast really is not.
The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average): Johan Botha: 2 Ricarda Merberth: 2 Falk Struckmann: 3 Adrian Eröd: 5 Ain Anger: 4 Michael Schade: 3
Lohengrin. Vienna State Opera. September 16th, 2006. Production: Barrie Kosky. Cast: Peter Seiffert (Lohengrin), Petra Schnitzer (Elsa), Petra Lang (Otrud), Falk Struckmann (Telramund). Conductor: Peter Schneider.
After more than twenty years with a Vienna Lohengrin from the darkest of the dark middle ages (also available on DVD), Australian native Barrie Kosky staged a new Lohengrin production earlier this season, predictably causing controversy as the first modern Lohengrin to be seen at the Vienna State Opera.
Barrie Kosky claims no interest Lohengrin as a historical drama. Contrary to Robert Carsen in Paris he does not see Lohengrin as a political piece. For Kosky, Lohengrin is about dreams, and this Lohengrin takes place in a fairy-tale dreamworld.
Tiny yellow wooden swans appear infrequently throughout the opera, but the dominating symbol is the chain controlling Lohengrin´s arrival as well as his departure. In the end Elsa collapses by the chain as her brother is returned in the shape of an embryo encapsuled in a water-drop - a dream figure as well.
The sets are simple and rather aesthetic, the major part of the stage held in black with bright yellow small houses/symbols presented continuously. This world of this Lohengrin is clearly an abstract world.
Importantly, Barrie Kosky chose to make Elsa blind and she´s walking around the stage guided by a walking stick. In theory, I find this a valid point, however it has profound dramatic consequences: All the elementary human tension between Elsa and Lohengrin (and Ortrud as well) is absent while Elsa waves the walking stick. And Barrie Kosky thus looses the elementary interpersonal drama of Lohengrin on the floor.
Muscially, the performance was first-rate. Peter Seiffert is vocally a superb Lohengrin. He hits the notes effortless, but an engaging stage presence he has never been. Paired with his off-stage wife Petra Schnitzer, a very fine and warm Elsa.
Petra Lang is an exceptionally fine Ortrud. She has dignity, she is not shouting, her voice is beautiful and she is a fine dramatic actress - a much needed Ortrud in the tradition of Waltraud Meier. Telramund suits Falk Struckmann eminently, both vocally and physically. However, he clearly was vocally indisposed and simply could not hit the notes in the 2nd act – which got progressively worse until he died, literally.. almost like watching a thriller.
The Vienna State Opera orchestra played brilliantly under Peter Schneider with an almost unearthly quality to the prelude and continuing at this high level throughout.
It is no small decision for a house like the Vienna State Opera to commission a "modern" staging of a civic treasure like Lohengrin.
Recent rumours have it a very distinguished Wagnerian conductor (whom I will not name here) refuses to conduct this production, which spurs additional rumours that a new Vienna Lohengrin is upcoming in 3-4 seasons in order to secure the services of said conductor. As always: We shall see..
