Guillaume Tell Online this Weekend from the Bayerische Staatsoper

Tune in to STAATSOPER.TV on Saturday afternoon for the next live webcast from the Bayerische Staatsoper: 

Rossini's Guillaume Tell 

with Michael Volle, Bryan Hymel, Günther Groissböck, and Marina Rebeka among the cast.

Guillaume Tell Michael Volle
Arnold Melcthal Bryan Hymel
Walter Furst Goran Jurić 
Melcthal Christoph Stephinger
Jemmy Evgeniya Sotnikova
Gesler Günther Groissböck
Rodolphe Kevin Conners
Ruodi Enea Scala
Leuthold Christian Rieger
Mathilde Marina Rebeka
Hedwige Jennifer Johnston

Musikalische Leitung Dan Ettinger
Inszenierung Antú Romero Nunes
Mitarbeit Inszenierung Johannes Hofmann
Bühne Florian Lösche
Kostüme Annabelle Witt
Licht Michael Bauer
Produktionsdramaturgie Rainer Karlitschek
Chöre Sören Eckhoff

Fierrabras Complete – You Know You're Curious, Go On, Check it Out

Yes this opera has its flaws—most of them dramatic. On the other hand, it has some really nice tunes, and this cast does a great job. While you're at it, you can try to suss out the reasoning behind the giant grand piano. Leave it to Claus Guth to give us something to chew while we listen to the pretty music.

You might be interested in reading my other posts about this production.

Parsifal – Zurich, 2007 (Great Singing, Dull Staging)

Etch-a-sketch?

It seems that in Zurich, it’s often feast or famine. It’s probably like this with other opera houses, too. Zurich (fortunately) makes a lot of its productions available on video (and I tend to look for them), so perhaps that’s why it's their productions in particular seem so uneven to me.

This Parsifal is strong musically, but like the Zurich Arabella production of the same season, it’s dramatically dull and visually cheap. Notes on back of the DVD call the setting “austere” and that’s being generous. It doesn’t look deliberately sparse; it looks like they had no budget for scenery or props. The most interesting aspect is the tables that emerge from the floor. The flower maidens carry some “magic” acrylic panels that just look silly. Seriously, I think a junior high drama department could come up with something better.

Schubert's Fierrabras – Father Knows Best?

Don’t get this disc for Jonas Kaufmann. Yes he’s in it, and yes he’s good, and yes he plays the title character. But don’t get this disc for Jonas Kaufmann.  Fierrabras’ minor role in his own opera is noted by director Claus Guth throughout the production. Fierrabras makes sure Schubert knows he feels about the size of his part, and the quality or at least tone of the music he is given to sing. (Check his non-verbal feedback to the composer in his—one—aria.) Fierrabras is not very happy about having to be so noble. He clearly would rather do away with Eginhard so he could marry Emma himself.

Sunday Brunch – Jonas Kaufmann & Michael Volle are Fierrabras und Roland

Schubert's Fierrabras is a strange little opera. Well, not so little, really. There is a lot of music and most of it is lyrical and lovely, but the plot of the opera is convoluted and fairly static. And with character names like Roland and Boland, Eginhard and Brutamonte, it's hard to keep track of everyone. (One of our heroines is named Emma, but I'm sure that was an oversight. Her real name probably was supposed to be Emmamentandina or something.) 

Ariadne Auf Naxos – Zürich 2006 (Part 1: Is this the real life?)

 “Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? 

Caught in a landslide, No escape from reality…”

- Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody

I keep trying to write my review of the 2006 Zürich Opera performance of Ariadne auf Naxos (staged by Claus Guth). But my notes continue to be no more than a series of questions. Questions are good, but I am not sure a list of questions actually constitues a review. Though now that I think if it, that could be a great new approach...or not.