Anmeldelser af tidligere produktion
9The performers, led by Polish soprano Iwona Sobotka playing Pamina and supported by the WA Opera and WA Symphony Orchestra, were not deterred by the extravagant production, but revelled in it.
Pamina, sung beautifully by Soprano Iwona Sobotka on opening night. She played the heroine-in-need-of-rescue to perfection, but despite the sexism spouted by some characters, Pamina showed courage, determination and integrity. That said, she does fall into despair when she believes she is no longer loved by Tamino, and Sobotka sings Pamina’s aria with great feeling as she contemplates suicide.
David McVicar’s production of ‘Die Zauberflöte’ is filled with nocturnal high-jinks
Classic production by David McVicar of Mozart's last opera returns to Covent Garden with a new cast and a star turn
Duisburg With the British animation theater troupe "1927", Barrie Kosky staged Mozart's opera in Duisburg's Rheinoper house as a happy folk theater in the digital age. Excellent also the musical side of the evening
Of all the operas in the repertoire, Die Zauberflote is the one that today seems to best stimulate the creativity of directors. We saw it this summer at the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence , we can see it at the start of the season in Düsseldorf where Suzanne Andrade and Barrie Koskydemonstrate a pleasing inventiveness. Their idea? Transform Mozart's work into a gigantic cartoon. How? 'Or' What ? Through intensive use of video, which has definitely become an essential element of all opera performances, just like costumes and lights. A white panel the size of the stage frame acts as a screen. Openings, arranged at different heights of this single scenic device, allow the characters to integrate into the projected images. Their permanent renewal prevents weariness from setting in once the process has been understood.
On 20 January, at the Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera, for the 68th time, a poster featured a production of Giuseppe Verdi's "Rigoletta" directed by Gilbert Deflo, which is over twenty years old. The performance is modeled on the production of La Scala, which premiered in 1995, which means that the costumes and set design are a copy of those from the Milanese performance, adapted to the size of the stage of the Polish National Opera. "Rigoletto" Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera, photo: Krzysztof Bieliński During the twenty years of "Rigoletta's presence" on the Warsaw stage, the cast has seen a whole galaxy of stars, ranging from Andrzej Dobber, Agnieszka Zwierko and Artur Ruciński, to guest performances by Piotr Beczała and Aleksandra Kurzak, which electrified the Warsaw audience. Today, alongside well-known singers, the rising stars of Polish vocalism debut, bringing youth and a breath of freshness to this patina-covered realization. "Rigoletto" Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera, photo: Krzysztof Bieliński Warsaw's "Rigoletto" is aging with class. Monumental, decorative decorations, the change of which is so complicated that a dozen or so minutes after the start of the performance, one of as many as three twenty-minute breaks is needed, are made with reverence and attention to detail. The sumptuous palace of the Duke of Mantua, elaborate costumes referring to historical costumes from the era allow you to plunge into the magical world of theater that many viewers yearn for today. While the modernized regietheater productions are becoming a thing of the past after only a few or a dozen performances, classic productions such as "Rigoletto" or "Nabucco" have been attracting crowds thirsty for a faithful libretto, a scenographically rich performance, for years. "Rigoletto" Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera, photo: Krzysztof Bieliński The attraction of this year's series of performances was also a cast consisting of proven singers who have been performing their roles for years and young adepts of the profession, who managed to create memorable vocal and acting creations. Andrzej Dobber was, as always, excellent – especially in the scene of begging for his daughter's devotion, and Aleksandra Kubas-Kruk captivated with a beautiful, shiny, lyrical timbre of voice and fervor of interpretation. Tadeusz Szlenkier confirmed his position as one of the leading Polish tenors, and his noble-sounding voice captivated in the famous aria of the Duke of Mantua La donna è mobile. "Rigoletto" Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera, photo: Krzysztof Bieliński Iurie Maimescu, a native of Moldova, cursed with the right power, and Łukasz Konieczny in the role of Sparafucil fantastically conveyed the character of a paid murderer. A lot of good can also be said about Anna Bernacka and Elżbieta Wróblewska, who perform as Maddalena and Giovanna. Particular praise was deserved by young singers performing in supporting roles, but attracting the viewer's attention with their vocal skills and stage freedom. Currently studying at the prestigious Juilliard School and winning further awards in vocal competitions, Hubert Zapiór (Marullo) is a very talented baritone, who is additionally helped by acting skills gained at the Warsaw Theatre Academy. As Countess Ceprano, Bożena Bujnicka delighted with her beauty and voice, whom earlier this season I could admire in "Orpheus and Eurydice" in Lublin, and in the role of the count he became known as a very promising young bass Jasin Rammal-Rykała. "Rigoletto" Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera, photo: Krzysztof Bieliński Patrick Fournillier is a conductor who works very well with singers and the performance under his baton could satisfy the most demanding opera lovers musically.
