Past Production Reviews
6Most crucial to the evening’s success was Diego Martin-Etxebarria, Chemnitz’s principal resident conductor, who expertly marshalled Verdi’s marches and choruses while highlighting subtleties of orchestration in between. The Met’s monumental, literal-minded “Aida” has accustomed me not to think too much about Verdi’s final grand opera; the team in Chemnitz goes considerably deeper.
The 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.
Wunderbar Peter Bording als Jupiter, ein Bürger im Anzug, der seine Priviliegien davonschwimmen sieht; dass er Eurydike als Fliege becircen will, ist von grausam-komischer Konsequenz. Dazu passt sein verzweifelt blasierter Gesang.
“Fire of Disrespect” (Émile Zola). "Max Hopp as John Styx, who speaks dubbing, is an excellent cast - just as wonderfully strange as the production itself."
The cast is entirely new, and it’s led by a British tenor who is now deservedly moving centre-stage in London after a long apprenticeship in Germany. Benjamin Hulett’s sound is simply glorious – rich, rounded, warm, and expressive – and he incarnates Prince Tamino as though born to play the part.
