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Past Production Reviews

7
Don Carlo (Italian version), Verdi
D: Uwe Eric Laufenberg
C: Antonello Allemandi
Gedankenfreiheit mit Nawalnyj

“Die Szene in Philipps Schlafgemach mit seinem Monolog „Sie hat mich nie geliebt“ gerät im ausdrucksstarken Vortrag des Basses Timo Riihonen so intensiv, dass man an dieser Stelle meinen könnte, die Oper müsse eigentlich „Filippo“ heißen. Jedenfalls führt der Finne, der in seiner hünenhaften Gestalt die offizielle Seite des Regenten mit staatstragender Verkündungsstimme verkörpert, im Sinne Verdis einen interessanten Perspektivwechsel herbei. Der finstere Herrscher, der Elisabeth, die Geliebte seines Sohnes, aus Machtkalkül zur Frau genommen hat, handelt unter den Zwängen seines Amts leidend.” ”Aluda Todua wirkt als Post wie sein besonnener Gegenpart und bietet der großen Stimme von Riihonens Philipp doch kraftvoll Paroli” ”The scene in Philipp's bedchamber with his monologue "She never loved me" becomes so intense in the expressive performance of the bass Timo Riihonen that one could think at this point that the opera should actually be called "Filippo". In any case, the Finn, who in his gigantic figure embodies the official side of the regent with a state-carrying proclamation voice, brings about an interesting change of perspective in the sense of Verdi. The sinister ruler, who has taken Elisabeth, his son's lover, as his wife out of a calculus of power, acts suffering under the constraints of his office.” ”Aluda Todua acts as Posa like his level-headed counterpart and powerfully stands up to the big voice of Riihonen's Philipp.”

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22 March 2022www.faz.netGuido Holze
Wenn Oper für die Ukraine Farbe bekennt

”Ohnehin ist die akustische Nachtseite in den tiefen Männerstimmen auch mit Seungwon Choi und Timo Riihonen als König Philipp II hervorragend aufgestellt. Die nächtliche Einsamkeit des Königs (”Ella giammai m’amo”) wird im 3. Akt zum Höhepunkt des Premierenabends.”

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22 March 2022www.echo-online.deVolker Milch
Tristan und Isolde, Wagner, Richard
D: Uwe Eric Laufenberg
C: Michael Güttler
Tristan and Isolde in Wiesbaden, illusion of infinite space

Andreas Schager portrays an impressive Tristan, combining vocal endurance with convinced acting. The brilliance of the timbre is exploited in a balanced way, as demonstrated by the smooth transitions between registers, in which the peaks are never shouted and the descent is always well cared for (even after several hours of performance, it maintains refined gradations) . The metaphysical crisis in the third act is a show of vigor, uniting the warmth and roundness of the timbre with impeccable precision, even on the flank of the vocal steepness that reflects the mental state of the character suspended between life and death. Alongside Schager 's Tristan , Barbara Haveman 's Isolde is sometimes in a competitive relationship, sometimes in harmonious collaboration. The assertion of his stage presence is initially quite difficult in the first act, but increases gradually. The timbre is endowed with a double aspect which coexists harmoniously, velvety but also radiant, capable of impregnating itself with gravity when it draws on the expressive nuances of the high register. Despite a few abrupt moments during the climbs, the transitions between the registers generally take care of the balance of the textures and the melodic quality of the voice. The Nuit d'amour borders on the brilliance of that of Tristan in the high register and the long-awaited Liebestod(song of love and death) is delivered with refinement and thoughtful sensitivity down to the last momentum. The silky timbre of Khatuna Mikaberidze in Brangäne is noticed during the Nuit d'amour where she sings from a side box. On stage, she sometimes struggles to free herself from the power of Isolde's timbre, missing the balance between intensity and softness (the low register then disappears into the flow of the orchestra and the intensity comes out too sharp). But the song is otherwise melodious, with soft resonances. Thomas de Vries portrays an imposing Kurwenal as soon as he enters the stage, freeing the character from the stereotyped representations of the “faithful and simple-minded companion”, here uniting his vocal strength with the clarity of his diction. The opaqueness and robustness of its timbre shines through in the third act and complements Tristan's vocal expressiveness. Young Doo Park embodies King Marke with the fullness of his voice and his empathy. The deep and robust timbre resonates with the dignity of the betrayed king, but also in his vulnerability, carefully captured by the richness of the vocal nuances. The low register is particularly solid, and its balanced resonance serves as a pivot for transitions between registers. The rises are refined and at the same time maintain the body of the voice and its flexibility. In the secondary roles, Julian Habermann 's sailor values ​​the transparency and warmth of his timbre to open the opera in a harmonious and delectable way. Yoontaek Rhim 's helmsman is attentive and sensitive to the details of the song, fully aware that his role is important despite his brief stage appearance. Andreas Karasiak convinces in Melot by his vocal expressiveness as well as by his gestures. Erik Biegel in the role of the shepherd maintains the dreamlike dimension of the beginning of the third act and highlights its crystalline timbre, which mixes with its melancholic – and almost supernatural – old melody. The musical direction of Michael Güttler gradually imposes itself as the acts progress. In the first act, the valorization of the colors of the instruments is sometimes confronted with the problem of fragmentation of the sound mass. This is less the case in the second act, where the patience and the care given to the dramatic slowness unfolds in the mid-bass of the strings and their contact with the robust resonance of the brass instruments (notably the trombones). The almost flawless musical accompaniment of the third act makes the strings whisper in a noticeable dramatic moment that sets the stage for the intense episodes to follow. Accompanying Tristan in his delirium, the sound mass is lively and encouraging. The production thus captures the spirit of an inner drama and focuses it on the intensity of the music despite certain stage strategies that shock some. The enthusiastic reaction of most of the spectators, however, goes so far as to maintain their standing ovation, until the very last appearance of the artists on stage.

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04 December 2021www.olyrix.comVinda Sonata Miguna
Parsifal, Wagner, Richard
D: Uwe Eric Laufenberg
C: Hartmut Haenchen
Neue Musikzeitung

Die Partie des Klingsor wird oft mehr charakterisiert als gesungen; Derek Welton singt sie voll aus und überzeugt obendrein in der Gestaltung.

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28 July 2017www.nmz.dePeter Pachl
Die Presse

Kernig-jugendfrisch tönt dagegen Derek Welton

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29 July 2017diepresse.comWalter Weidringer

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