It's rumored that this
production soon will be coming to the Metropolitan Opera. This announcement, in
connection with the name Stefan Herheim, has already ruffled the
delicate sensibilities of some regie-0-phobes. Not surprisingly, the outrage exploded before anyone has heard much about the actual production, much less actually seen and heard it. What I’ve
seen so far doesn’t look nearly as freaky as, say, Herheim’s Parsifal or La Boheme; in general, I find Herheim's Personenregie thorough and convincing; so far so good, here.
Act 1
Act 2
Act 3
Michael Volle – Hans Sachs
Roberto Saccà – Walther von Stolzing
Markus Werba – Sixtus Beckmesser
Anna Gabler – Eva
Monika Bohinec – Magdalene
Georg Zeppenfeld – Veit Pogner
Peter Sonn – David
Roberto Saccà – Walther von Stolzing
Markus Werba – Sixtus Beckmesser
Anna Gabler – Eva
Monika Bohinec – Magdalene
Georg Zeppenfeld – Veit Pogner
Peter Sonn – David
Wiener Konzertverein
Wiener Philharmoniker
Daniele Gatti
I haven't heard much of the performance yet, so it's probably
unfair to say that Roberto Saccà has seen better vocal days (maybe he is slow
in warming up); but I'd rather hear Peter
Sonn (David) as Walther (although he is an engaging David). It will be
interesting to see who is in the Met cast. Maybe J. Kaufmann in his role
debut?
This us AWESOME! Thanks so much for those links, let's hope they last.
ReplyDeleteHerheim coming to the Met would be big news indeed, even with this much less disturbing production than the Bayreuth Parsifak (which is, in my opinion, pure genius)
At the same time, there were rumors of this production coming to Paris as well, but it's not scheduled this season...
DeleteI am looking forward to it here or in the HD cinema. I am glad to share these finds when I happen upon them! Thanks for reading!
DeleteI didn't find Herheim's La Boheme to be freaky. In fact, I felt I "got" La Boheme for the first time.
ReplyDeleteI really want to see that production. I only know good things about it. I also know that it probably really scares the regie-0-phobes, which makes me want to see it all the more. Have you seen the Bregenz Festival version from 2002? http://tinyurl.com/rnrBoheme
DeleteFor me, that shed a more pragmatic light on the whole bohemian falling-in-love/dying/being-artistic thing.It's a nice foil/antidote to the beautiful and anodyne Zeffirelli Met production.
P.S. I want a violin-bridge chair, like Hans Sachs has. :)
I haven't seen the Bregenz production. It sounds interesting
DeleteThis is exciting news. Good for Gelb! And I hope its still up on YT tomorrow so I can revel in the whole thing on my day off. What little I was able to stream looked wonderful (and sounded great).
ReplyDeleteKaufmann is scheduled for a Meistersinger somewhere, sometime in the not too distant future. Having heard his Walther in the concert version from Edinburgh, I can hardly wait.
In a perfect world, Volle and Werba would repeat their roles in the Met production with Kaufmann as Walther.
Tacking
Kaufmann, Volle and Werba together would be awesome! And maybe like, Emily Magee, Anja Kampe, or (for something completely different) Annette Dasch as Eva.
DeleteI really like Michael Volle as Sachs, though he's wonderful, cranky Beckmesser, too. Some of his reviews have been less than stellar, and I disagree. I think he's wonderful.